Coronary spasm may be induced by a variety of physiologic and pharmacologic stimuli but specific receptor blockade has not been consistently shown to prevent the attacks. Most patients with variant angina respond well to treatment with calcium antagonists and nitrates. A small proportion of patients are refractory to this therapy. We report a case of the patient with a 9-year-history of variant angina who has been refractory to high doses of calcium antagonists and nitrates. The repeated addition of clonidine was consistently effective in abolishing both symptoms and objective evidence of myocardial ischemia in this particular patient.
Calcium ; Clonidine* ; Humans ; Myocardial Ischemia ; Nitrates ; Spasm

PSTT has been established as a separate entity distinct from choriocarcinoma since 1983, because of its different morphological features, biologic behavior and response to chemotherapy. Most cases of PSTT have indolent clinical courses, but there have been several reports showing malignant behavior resulted in death of the patient. We report a case of PSTT showing vaginal metastatis. In biopsy specimen, it was difficult to make differential diagnosis from squamous cell carcinoma of uterine cervix due to uniform and mononuclear cytologic characteristics. Immunohistochemical stains for hPL and hCG were not typical for either PSTT or choriocarcinoma. We suggest that poorly differentiated PSTT may synthesize the lesser amount of hPL than typical PSTT and it may behave more aggressively.
Diagnosis, Differential ; Biopsy

Pheochromocytomas can arise wherever chromaffin cells are found, and most of them(90%) are in one or both adrenal glands. But they may be located anywhere along the sympathetic chain and rarely in aberrant sites. One of the common extra-adrenal sites from which these tumors can arise is a collection of para-aortic and para-ganglion cells around the origin of the inferior mesenteric artery. We experienced a case of extra-adrenal pheochromocytoma located at the organ of Zukerkandl in a 21-year-old female patient with abdominal colic and paroxysmal hypertension, whose symptoms and blood pressure returned to normal after successful surgical excision of the tumor.
Adrenal Glands ; Blood Pressure ; Chromaffin Cells ; Colic* ; Female ; Humans ; Hypertension* ; Mesenteric Artery, Inferior ; Pheochromocytoma* ; Young Adult

No abstract available.
Echocardiography, Doppler, Color* ; Mitral Valve Insufficiency*

No abstract available.
Coronary Artery Bypass* ; Coronary Vessels* ; Echocardiography*

BACKGROUND: The diastolic transmitral flow velocity pattern has been commonly used to assess left ventricular(LV) diastolic function. The effects of multiple factors(such as, LV preload, afterload and heart rate, etc.) make difficulties in accurate interpretation. METHODS: In order to investigate the diastolic transmitral filling patterns according to the changes of the proload or heart rate, we studied 27 normal subjects with pulsed Doppler echocardiography after the administration of nitroglycerin(0.6mg/tab.) sublingually or atropine(0.5mg/amp.) intravenously. RESULTS: 1) After nitroglycerin administration, the folowings were obtained. ; The systolic blood pressure and LV diastolic filling time(DFT) decreased by 10.1% and 15.3%, respectively(p<0.001), compared with baseline data. The ratio of peak early to late diastolic transmitral flow velocities (E/A) and time-velocity integrals(TVIE/TVIA) decreased by 10.3% and 14.8%, respectively(p<0.01). The early diastolic filling time(Time E) was unchanged. Therefore, we suggest that time E is helpful, compared with the increments of the preload or the diastolic dysfunction. 2) After atropin administration, the heart rate, peak late diastolic transmitral flow velocity(PA) and percent atrial contribution(%AC) significantly increased by 43.6%, 25.1% and 41.4%, respectively(p<0.001). The E/A, TVIE/TVIA and DFT significantly decreased by 42.9%, 38.9% and 43.0%, respectively(p<0.001) compared to the data before drug administration. 3) The heart rate correlated negatively to the E/A, TVIE/TVIA and DFT. It was correlated positively to %AC(r=+0.63; p<0.001). The normalized E/A ratio by DFT(E/A/DFT) didn't correlate. Therefore, E/A/DFT is helpful on the exclusion of the influences of heart rate by the administration of the atropine. CONCLUSION: The decrement of preload or the increment of heart rate changes the diastolic transmitral flow velocity patterns. Therefore, when the diastolic function is assessed by interpretation of the Doppler transmitral flow velocity pattern with pulsed Doppler echocardiogram, the potential influences of preload and heart rate must be taken into account.
Atropine* ; Blood Pressure ; Echocardiography ; Echocardiography, Doppler* ; Echocardiography, Doppler, Pulsed ; Heart Rate ; Humans* ; Nitroglycerin* ; Time

Inflammatory mediators, such as oxidants, TNF-alpha, and IL-6, play a major role in the systemic response to bum injury It has been known that a continuing inflammatory response cause a sepsis and subsequent multiple organ failure. Recent studies have shown that burn patients receiving recombinant human growth hormone(rhGH) therapy have an improvement of the general condition, but the mechanism by which rhGH exerts its effects has not been clearly understood. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of rhGH on the early bum injury. Female Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into four groups : control group, bum group, burn plus rhGH treated group, and rhGH only treated group. Animals were killed at 30min., 3, 6, 24, and 48 hours after treatment. Histology and biochemical changes including malondialdehyde(MDA) content, tissue reduced glutathione(GSH) and catalase activity in the lung and liver, and plasma TNF-alpha and IL-6 levels were examined. Lung histology in the bum plus rhGH treated group showed decreased inflammtory response such as neutrophil and lymphocyte infiltrations, interstitial thickening, and edema compared with the bum group. Liver histology in the bum group revealed mild neutrophil and lymphocyte infiltrations, vacuolization .of hepatocytes, disrupted lobular structures, and dilated sinusoids. But liver histology of the bum plus rhGH was similar to control group. Lung and liver MDA in the burn plus rhGH and rhGH only treated groups were decreased with time compared with the burn group. Lung and liver GSH and catalase activities in the bum plus rhGH and GH only treated groups remained significantly increased compared with the bum group for the 48-hours period. Plasma TNF-alpha levels in the bum group remained elevated for the 48-hours period compared with the bum plus rhGH and rhGH only treated groups. Plasma IL-6 levels in the burn group were significantly increased only at first compared with the bum plus rhGH and rhGH only treated groups. These results suggested that rhGH showed inhibitory effects on the inflammatory cell infiltration and lipid peroxidation in the lung and liver after bum injury. Increased GSH levels and catalase activities seemed to be associated with the antioxidant effect of rhGH. But the inhibitory effect of rhGH on plasma TNF- and R-6 levels was not clearly demonstrated.
Animals ; Antioxidants ; Burns ; Catalase ; Edema ; Female ; Hepatocytes ; Human Growth Hormone* ; Humans* ; Interleukin-6* ; Lipid Peroxidation* ; Liver ; Lung ; Lymphocytes ; Multiple Organ Failure ; Neutrophils ; Oxidants ; Plasma* ; Rats* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Sepsis ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha*

PURPOSE: To evaluate the usefulness of the helical CT in the differentiation of periampullary malignanttumors. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fifty-five periampullary carcinoma patients (pancreatic head carcinoma (n=18);distal CBD carcinoma (n=17) ; carcinoma of the ampulla of Vater(n=16) ; periampullary duodenal cancers,(n=4), alldiagnosed by histopathologic study] underwent helical CT with 5mm scan thickness and 5mm/sec table speed. Afterscanning, retrospective reconstruction was performed at 2mm intervals, followed by multiplanar reformation. Inboth retrospective reconstructed axial and multiplanar reformation images, the authors analyzed the detection rateand size of the mass, and associated findings including invasion of peripancreatic fat, dilatation of CBD and itsnarrowing pattern, dilatation of the pancreatic duct and its degree of dilatation, wall thickening of CBD,extension of dilated bile duct into the ampulla, and of protruding mass into the duodenal lumen, and lymph nodemetastasis all according to the origin sites of tumors. Differential points were thus determined. RESULTS: Thedetection rate of the masses was 96% (53/55). Their size was 1-5cm, with a mean size of 2.4 +/-0.5cm in carcinomaof of ampulla of Vater and 3.5 +/-1.0cm in pancreatic head carcinoma. Invasion of peripancreatic fat was mostcommonly observed in pancreatic head carcinoma (100%, 18/18) (P >0 . 0 5 ), dilatation of CBD was observed in allcases except one of periampullary duodenal cancer (98%, 54/55), and abrupt termination of dilated bile duct wasnoted in all cases except one of the pancreatic head carcinoma (98%, 53/54). Dilatation of pancreatic duct wascommonly observed in pancreatic head carcinoma (94%, 17/18) and carcinoma of the ampulla of Vater (75%, 12/16).Its degree of dilatation was mostly moderate in pancreatic head carcinoma (56%, 10/18) and mostly mild incarcinoma of the ampulla of Vater (63%, 10/16) ( P >0.05). Wall thickening of the distal CBD was most commonlyobserved in distal CBD carcinoma (76%, 13/17). Extension of dilated bile duct into the ampulla was commonlyobserved in the carcinoma of the ampulla of Vater (81%, 13/16) and periampullary duodenal cancer (75%, 3/4) (P>0.05). A mass protruding into the duodenal lumen was commonly observed in periampullary duodenal cancer (100%,4/4) and carcinoma of the ampulla of Vater (94%, 15/16) (P >0.05). Lymph node meatastasis was observed inpancreatic head carcinoma (17%, 3/18) and distal CBD carcinoma (6%, 1/17). CONCLUSION: Because of improvement inthe rate at which the mass is detected, and a clear demonstration of associated findings, helical CT is useful inthe differentiation of periampullary carcinomas.
Ampulla of Vater ; Bile Ducts ; Diagnosis* ; Dilatation ; Duodenal Neoplasms ; Head ; Humans ; Lymph Nodes ; Pancreatic Ducts ; Retrospective Studies ; Tomography, Spiral Computed*

BACKGROUND: The toxicity of paraquat has been known to be caused by oxygen free radicals which leads to the lipid peroxidation and multiple organ failure. Although vitamin C has been known to be a potent antioxidant, recently there are numerous data which have shown that a low dose of vitamin C may act as a prooxidant due to the stimulation of the Fenton reaction with metal ions, which produces hydroxyl radicals. It has been reported that a deferoxamine in paraquat intoxication could reduce the production of the hydroxyl radicals by the inhibition of the Fenton reaction through the reduction of iron ion in tissue. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of the high and low dose of vitamin C and deferoxamine on lipid peroxidation and plasma TNF-alpha in paraquat intoxication. METHODS: Female Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into seven groups: control group which was not given paraquat(20mg/kg), P group which was given paraquat only, PVH group given paraquat and high dose of vitamin C(100mg/kg), PVL group given paraquat and low dose of vitamin C(10mg/kg), PVHD given paraquat, high dose of vitamine C and deferoxamine(100mg/kg), PVLD given paraquat, low dose of vitamin C and deferoxamine, and PD given paraquat and deferoxamine. Animals were killed at 6 and 24 hours after treatment. Malondialdehyde(MDA), superoxide dismutase(SOD) and glutathione(GSH) contents, catalase activity, plasma TNF-alpha, and histologic changes in the lung and liver tissue were measured. RESULTS: The lung histology in the PVH and PD or PVHD groups showed the significant decreases in the alveolar edema and interstitial thickness compared to the P group. The liver histology in the PVH and PVHD groups demonstrated marked differences in the central venous and sinusoidal dilatation compared to that of the P group. While the MDA levels of the lung and liver in the PVH and PD groups showed the significant reduction compared to that of the P group at 6 hours after treatment, all groups showed the significant changes compared to the P group at 24 hours. There was no significant change of the SOD levels of the lung and liver at 6 hours among all groups. At 24 hours, the SOD levels of the lung in PVH, PVL, and PVHD groups showed the significant increases compared to the P group. The increase of the SOD level in groups combined with deforoxamine, however, revealed a little reduction. The SOD level of the liver in PVH group only significantly increased compared to the P group at 24 hours. There was no significant change of the GSH level of the lung and liver among all groups at 6 hours. At 24 hours, the GSH level of the lung and liver were significantly increased in both PVH and PD group and PVH group, respectively, compared to the P group. Although the catalase activity of the lung was not significantly increased, that of liver was significantly increased in both PVHD and PD groups compared to the P group at 6 hours. The catalase activities of the lung and liver were significantly increased in PVH, PD, and PVHD at 24 hours. The concentrations of the Plasma TNF-alpha were slightly decreased at 6 hours and slightly increased at 24 hours compared to that of the P group, but they were not significant. CONCLUSION: This study showed that although the low dose of vitamin C had no effect, the high dose of vitamin C revealed a decrease of the MDA level and an increase of SOD, GSH, and catalase activity in the lung and lung and liver tissues, and the effect of the high dose of vitamin C increased with time. The administration of the deferoxamine with or without high dose of vitamin C, however, significantly showed the inhibition of the lipid peroxidation and antioxidant effect and low dose vitamin C decreased the effect of deferoxamine. The effects of the vitamin C and deferoxamine on plasma TNF-alpha were not clearly shown.
Animals ; Antioxidants* ; Ascorbic Acid* ; Catalase ; Deferoxamine* ; Dilatation ; Edema ; Female ; Free Radicals ; Humans ; Ions ; Iron ; Lipid Peroxidation* ; Liver ; Lung ; Multiple Organ Failure ; Oxygen ; Paraquat* ; Plasma ; Rats* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Superoxides ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; Vitamins*

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the utility of the CT cholangiography by using helical CT with multiplanar reformation in patients with extrahepatic biliary obstruction. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Helical CT was performed in 36 patients of extrahepatic biliary obstruction confirmed by operation or invasive cholangiography(percutaneous transhepatic cholangiography or endoscopic retrograde cholagiopancreatography). The cause of obstructions were 18 benign diseases(11 common bile duct stones, four choledochal cysts, three pancreatitis) and 18 malignant diseases(seven common bile duct carcinomas, seven pancreatic head carcinomas, three ampullary carcinomas, one periampullary duodenal carcinoma). After helical scanning through the extrahepatic bile duct, retrospective reconstruction of the helical data was performed. And then, CT cholagiogram was obtained with multiplanar reformation. We evaluated the technical success rate and the accuracy in determinating the level and the cause of the obstruction. We compared findings of the CT cholangiogram with that of operation or invasive cholangiography. RESULTS: In 100%(36/36) of cases, CT cholangiography could be obtained successfully. The accuracy of the CT cholangiography in determinating the level of the obstruction was 100%(11 cases of suprapancreatic duct, 13 cases of intrapancreatic duct, 13 cases of infrapancreatic duct and ampulla), and the accuracy in determinating the cause of the obstruction was 91.7%(all cases of 18 benign diseases, and 15 cases of 18 malignant diseases). CONCLUSION: In evaluating the obstruction of extrahepatic bile ducts, the CT cholangiography by using helical CT with multiplanar reformation is an useful noninvasive method in determinating the level.and the cause of biliary obstruction and therefore could replace t~e invasive cholangiography.
Bile Ducts, Extrahepatic ; Cholangiography* ; Choledochal Cyst ; Common Bile Duct ; Head ; Humans ; Retrospective Studies ; Tomography, Spiral Computed*