OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether the serum levels of IL-10 in patients with rheumatoid arthritis are different from those of normal controls and SLE patients and to find out any correlation with disease activity parameters of rheumatoid arthritis. METHODS: Sera from 20 healthy normal persons, 16 rheumatoid arthritis patients and 16 patients with systemic lupus erythematosus were collected and measured for IL-10 and IL-6. Various disease activity parameters were measured in RA patients. RESULTS: The serum level of IL-10 in RA patients was significantly elevated compared to normal controls but lower than those of SLE patients. In RA patients there was no definite correlation between the disease activity parameters and serum IL-10 levels. Despite significant improvements in terms of various disease activity parameters, there was no significant change of serum IL-10 levels after treatment in RA patients. In seropositive RA patients, positive correlation was found between serun IL-10 and rheumatoid factor levels. CONCLUSION: Our findings show that the serum IL-10 levels in patietns with RA are elevated compared to normal controls but lower than those of SLE patients. There was no correlation between serum IL-10 levels and disease acivity parameters of RA.
Arthritis, Rheumatoid* ; Humans ; Interleukin-10* ; Interleukin-6 ; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic ; Rheumatoid Factor

PURPOSE: To evaluate the clinical significance of the screening mammography in the detection of the breast diseases, especially breast carcinoma. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We analyzed 1,800 cases of mammography retrospectively. The mammography was done as a part of routine check in Health Counselling Center, Korea University Medical Center, during 9 months from November 1993 to July 1994. The age range was from 23 years to 76 years, mean 49.8 years, and the largest age group was 6th decade(31.4%). According to the mammographic findings, we divided the subjects into three groups; normal group, abnormal group in need of follow up study, abnormal group requiring biopsy. RESULT: On mammography, the normal group consisted of 1,534 cases(85%), and the abnormal group consisted of 266 cases(15%). The abnormal findings were benign-looking calcification(n=140), fibroadeno ma (n=29), fibrocystic changes (n=27), cyst(n=23), malignant lesion(n=15), lipoma(n=7), and others. In four of 15 cases, which were suspected to be malignant on mammograms, breast carcinoma was confirmed pathologically. In four cases of breast carcinoma, one was under 40 and the other 3 were over 50 years of age. All of the breast cancers were under 3cm in size, and the mammographic findings of breast cancer included spiculated margin(n=3), parenchymal disortion(n=3), malignant calcification(n=2) and enlarged axillary node (n=l). CONCLUSION: Screening mammogram is helpful for early detection of non-palpable breast cancer, especially for women over 50 years of age.
Academic Medical Centers ; Biopsy ; Breast Diseases* ; Breast Neoplasms ; Breast* ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Korea ; Mammography* ; Mass Screening* ; Retrospective Studies

No abstract available.
Adrenocortical Carcinoma* ; Cushing Syndrome ; Humans ; Infant* ; Male* ; Puberty, Precocious

BACKGROUND: Though caudal block is a relative simple technique, it has not been widely used in adults because of a high failure rate. We assumed that any tests to quantify the changes of sympathetic tone in the affected areas would be excellent indicators of successful block. We tested the usefulness of two candidates (pulse oximetry plethysmographic waveform amplitude measured at 5th toe and calf minus 5th toe skin temperature gradient) as indicators of successful caudal block. METHODS: In 45 adult patients undergoing anal surgery with caudal block, these two variables were simultaneously measured at 2-min intervals for 20 min. A two-fold increase in the plethysmographic waveform amplitude from baseline and skin temperature gradient of 0oC were predefined as test criteria of successful block. RESULTS: While the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of the skin temperature gradient test were 45.9%, 100%, 100%, and 9.1%, those of the plethysmographic waveform test were 86.5%, 100%, 100%, and 28.6%. The plethysmographic waveform test showed a significantly higher discriminative capacity than the skin temperature gradient test (94.9% vs. 48.7%, P < 0.05) CONCLUSIONS: Unlike the skin temperature gradient test, the plethysmographic waveform test showed a considerably high validity in detecting successful block. Considering its simple and real time monitoring potentials together with a high failure rate of caudal block in adults, we cautiously recommend it as a supplemental diagnostic tool to predict successful block, especially when verbal communication with patient is difficult.
Adult ; Humans ; Oximetry* ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Skin Temperature* ; Skin* ; Toes

A variety of pulmonary complications, including infection and neoplastic and inflammatory diseases, commonly develop in patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. Nonspecific interstitial pneumonitis, one such complication, is not uncommon, and is very difficult to differentiate, clinically and radiologically,from Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia. We describe a case of nonspecific interstitial pneumonitis, including the chest radiographic and HRCT findings, occurring in an AIDS patient and involving complications.
Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome* ; Humans ; Lung Diseases, Interstitial* ; Pneumonia, Pneumocystis ; Radiography, Thoracic

STATEMENT OF PROBLEM: In its preceding work, change in surface characteristics were investigated in consideration that both microtopograpy and macroscopic configuration of implants surface are two of the most important factors, in that they can construct agreeable environment by raising surface energy, to affect osseointegration and biocompatibility explained by cell proliferation. PURPOSE: This study focused on examining cytocompatibility of dental implants materials Ti-Ag alloys, of which mechanical and electrochemical superiority to cp-Ti or Ti6Al4V were verified, in comparison with that of cp-Ti, and Ti6Al4V. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this regard, MTT tests for L-929, the fibroblast connective tissues and cell proliferation tests for osteoprogenitor cells, MC3T3-E1 were performed on cp-Ti, Ti6Al4V, and Ti-Ag alloys following thermal oxidation according to appropriate heat treatment temperature(untreated, 400, 600, 800degrees C) and heat treatment duration(untreated, 0.5, 1, 4 hr). RESULTS: The MTT tests on fibroblasts L-929 resulted in cell viability of over 90% in all experimental group entities, where, especially, the 100% of the viability for Ti-Ag alloys specimens accounted for the slightest adverse effect of ions release from those alloys on the cell. In MC3T3-E1 proliferation tests, the population of cells in the experimental group was roughly increased as experimentation proceeded, after two to four days. Proliferation showed highest viability for most of specimens, including Ti2.0Ag, treated at 600degrees C. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, it is the heat treatment temperature, not the duration that has considerable effects on thermal oxidation of specimens. Ti-Ag alloys treated at 600degrees C proved to have the best surface morphology as well as cytocompatibility when compared with Ti or Ti6Al4V for short-term biocompatibility tests.
Alloys* ; Cell Proliferation ; Cell Survival ; Connective Tissue ; Dental Implants ; Fibroblasts ; Hot Temperature ; Ions ; Osseointegration

PURPOSE: To evaluate the clinical and radiologic findings of atypical ductal hyperplasia (ADH) using mammography and ultrasonography, and to correlate the radiologic and histopathologic findings. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sixty-four pathologically proven lesions in 64 patients who were examined between March 2000 and March 2003 were the subject of this study. Mammography was performed in all 64 cases, and ultrasonography in 30. Two radiologists retrospectively evaluated the radiologic findings, classifying them as one of four types: mass, microcalcification, other finding, and no detected lesion. At mammography, masses were classified according to their shape, margin, and density and microcalcifications according to their shape and distribution. At ultrasonography, masses were evaluated in terms of their shape, margin, internal and posterior echotexture, ductal extension, and parallelism to skin. Geographic correlation between the radiologic and histopathologic findings was classified as direct, near direct, or remote correlation. RESULTS: Mammography demonstrated 37 cases of microcalcification (57.8%), 14 in which masses were present (21.9%), two in which there were other findings (3.1%), and 11 in which lesions were not detected (17.2%). The "other finding" was ductectasia. Microcalcifications were round in 19 cases, pleomorphic heterogeneous in 16, and branching linear in one. The most common distribution of microcalcification was clustered (29 cases; 78.4%). Masses were oval or round in nine cases and irregular in three, and in seven cases their margin was ill-defined. In 13 cases, the density of the masses was equal to that of breast tissue. Ultrasonography showed that the masses were round or oval in 15 cases and irregular in 14, and that the margin was ill-defined in 16 cases and circumscribed in ten. In 19 cases, the echotexture of the masses was low, and in 20 cases, heterogeneous. Parallel orientation was seen in 25 cases, and ductal extension in 22. Category 4 was the most common final assessed BI-RADS category, found in 75% of cases. Radiologic-histopathologic correlation was direct in 44 cases, near direct in 13, and remote in seven. Clinically, self or clinical examination of the breast revealed no abnormality in 47 cases, a palpable mass in seven, nipple discharge in seven, and breast pain in three. CONCLUSION: At mammography, the most common finding of ADH was clustered round or pleomorphic heterogeneous microcalcifications, and at ultrasonography, illdefined, round or oval, or irregular-shaped, hypoechoic masses with parallel orientation and ductal extension. Clinically, most ADH was incidentally discovered at radiologic examination. In this study, 17.2% of ADH cases were not demonstrated by mammography but were detected at ultrasonography, and for the detection of ADH, the use of this latter modality, alongside mammography, is thus feasible.
Breast Neoplasms ; Breast* ; Humans ; Hyperplasia* ; Mammography ; Mastodynia ; Nipples ; Retrospective Studies ; Skin ; Ultrasonography

BACKGROUND: Recently, the legal and ethical issues relative to euthanasia are becoming controversial in Korea. This study was designed to verify the differences of the attitudes on euthanasia between judicial apprentices and residents. METHODS: The questionnaire was conducted on the 35th-group of the judicial apprentices on March 24, 2004, and on the residents from April 2 to May 22, 2004. The respondents were 636 in total consisting of 460 judicial apprentices and 176 residents. RESULTS: Of the total 636 subjects, 373 (81.1%) of the judicial apprentices and 149 (84.7%) of residents agreed that allowing euthanasia is moral, without any significant difference (P>0.05). The number of residents was greater (59 people, 33.5%) than that of judicial apprentices (112 people, 24.4%) who agreed with active euthanasia (P<0.05). Among the total, 397 (86.3%) of the judicial apprentices and 160 (91.4%) of the residents answered that the law for euthanasia was necessary, without any significant difference (P>0.05). But, among these supporters, the respondents who agreed on active euthanasia were significantly different in number between judicial apprentices (n=93, 23.4%) and residents (n=54, 33.8%) (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: This study did not find any significant differences between the two groups in the necessity of the law for euthanasia, but the rate of agreement on active euthanasia was higher in residents group than in judicial apprentices group.
Surveys and Questionnaires ; Ethics ; Euthanasia* ; Euthanasia, Active ; Euthanasia, Passive ; Jurisprudence ; Korea

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to compare the findings on high-resolution CT (HRCT) of the chest with those on video-assisted thoracoscopy for the detection of bullae in patients who had undergone an operation for spontaneous pneumothorax, and we also wished to evaluate the relationship between the characteristics of bullae on HRCT and development of spontaneous pneumothorax. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fifty patients with spontaneous pneumothorax who had undergone both HRCT of the chest and video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery were included in the study. Spontaneous pneumothoraces were classified as either primary or secondary pneumothorax, and as initial or recurrent pneumothorax. The HRCT scans were obtained with 1 mm slice thickness and a 5 mm scan interval. Two radiologists retrospectively compared the HRCT findings of the chest with those findings on video-assisted thoracoscopy for the detection of bullae, and they evaluated the value of HRCT for diagnosing bullae. In addition, we assessed the size and number of bullae in these patients, and we also evaluated the relationship between those findings of bullae and the development of spontaneous pneumothorax. RESULTS: Bullae were detected in 40 patients by using video-assisted thoracoscopy, and HRCT showed bullae in 38 of these patients. Bullae were not identified with video-assisted thoracoscopy in the remaining ten patients, and among these ten patients, bullae were not demonstrated by HRCT in eight of them. Therefore, the sensitivity and specificity of HRCT for the detection of bullae were 95% (38/40) and 80% (8/10), respectively. The average size of the bullae of the affected hemithorax and the contralateral un-affected hemithorax was 1.97 cm+/-2.30 and 1.24 cm+/-1.46, respectively. Pneumothorax was more frequently observed in the hemithorax with larger bullae (p<0.05). The average numerical grade of the bullae (3.38+/-1.60) was higher in the affected hemithorax than in the contralateral un-affected hemithorax (2.96+/-1.86), but there was no statistically significant difference between both groups of hemithoraces (p>0.05). The average size of bullae in patients with secondary pneumothorax and those bullae of patients with primary pneumothorax was 4.44 cm+/-4.06 and 1.42 cm+/-1.26, respectively. The bullae were significantly larger in the patients with secondary pneumothorax than in those patients with primary pneumothorax (p<0.05). Although the average numerical grade of bullae was higher in the patients with secondary pneumothorax (4.00+/-1.58) than in those patients with primary pneumothorax (3.24+/-1.61), the difference between two groups was not statistically significant (p>0.05). CONCLUSION:HRCT of the chest would be a useful modality for detecting the bullae of those patients with spontaneous pneumothorax. The development of spontaneous pneumothorax is associated with the size of bullae rather than the number of bullae.
Humans ; Pneumothorax* ; Retrospective Studies ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Thoracic Surgery, Video-Assisted ; Thoracoscopy* ; Thorax

Sorafenib is an oral multikinase inhibitor with clinical activity against hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and renal cell carcinoma. Administration of sorafenib carries a variety of adverse cutaneous reactions. Common adverse effects induced by sorafenib include hand-foot skin reactions, facial erythema, splinter subungual hemorrhage, and alopecia. Although erythema multiforme (EM) related to sorafenib has been reported, delayed-type cutaneous hypersensitivity reactions are rare in patients treated with sorafenib and there has been no case of Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS) reported so far. We recently experienced 3 cases of delayed-type cutaneous hypersensitivity related to administration of sorafenib. The first case was a 47-year female had targetoid erythematous rashes on her arms 12 days after starting sorafenib for HCC. The rashes spread from the arms to the trunk rapidly except for the hands and feet, and erosive lesions developed in the oral mucosa and lips. She was diagnosed as SJS. The second case was an 81-year-old male had maculopapular eruptions with multiple targetoid lesions on the trunk, arms, and legs 10 days after starting sorafenib for his HCC. There was no evidence of mucosal involvement. He was diagnosed with EM. The last one was a 20-year-old female developed generalized maculopapular eruptions in the whole body 10 days after starting sorafenib for the treatment of HCC. All 3 patients completely recovered after discontinuation of sorafenib.
Aged, 80 and over ; Alopecia ; Arm ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; Carcinoma, Renal Cell ; Erythema ; Erythema Multiforme ; Exanthema ; Female ; Foot ; Hand ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity* ; Hypersensitivity, Delayed ; Leg ; Lip ; Male ; Mouth Mucosa ; Skin ; Stevens-Johnson Syndrome ; Young Adult