Adult ; Blood Vessels ; Cicatrix, Hypertrophic ; Collagen ; Connective Tissue ; Ear ; Fibroblasts ; Fluorouracil ; Humans ; Male ; Rabbits ; Triamcinolone

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Bloating is common bothersome symptoms and most studies conducted in the Western countries found that bloating was frequently associated with lower gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms but many patients complaint bloating as upper GI symptoms in the clinical setting. This study was conducted to assess the prevalence of bloating, and to identify symptom grouping and finally document the impact of bloating in the diagnosis of functional GI disorders. METHODS: Participants in a comprehensive health-screening cohort were enrolled. They were asked about demographic, medical, and social history and upper and lower GI symptoms by using a validated questionnaire. Factor analysis with principal component analysis method with varimax rotation was used. RESULTS: Among the total of 1050 subjects (mean age, 44.6 ± 10.2 years; females, 46.4%), significant bloating symptoms were found in 282 (26.9%); the prevalence of functional bloating was 6.9%. Factor analysis revealed a 5-component structure with upper GI symptoms, constipation, diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), constipation-predominant IBS, and fecal incontinence. Abdominal bloating loaded on both the upper GI symptoms (0.51 of loadings) and constipation (0.40). On logistic regression analysis, bloating was more predictable for IBS (OR, 7.5; P < 0.001) than functional dyspepsia (FD; OR, 3.7; P = 0.002). Bloating was more frequently combined with IBS according to their severity, but this association was not detected in patients with FD. CONCLUSIONS: Abdominal bloating is common symptom in about a quarter of patients and appears as upper as well as lower GI symptoms. However, abdominal bloating is more predictable for IBS, especially constipation-predominant IBS, than FD.
Cohort Studies ; Constipation ; Diagnosis ; Dyspepsia ; Epidemiology ; Fecal Incontinence ; Female ; Gastrointestinal Diseases* ; Humans ; Irritable Bowel Syndrome ; Logistic Models ; Methods ; Prevalence ; Principal Component Analysis

No abstract available.
Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay*

No abstract available.
Child* ; Humans ; Hypercalciuria*

The sonographic features of 23 lymphangiomas (19 pediatric patients) were compared with the pathologic findings. Nineteen lymphangiomas appesred as unicameral (n=2) and multiloculated (n=7) cystic masses. Remaining lesions were inhomogeneously echogenic mass with small cystic portions (n=3) and a mixed pattern (n=1). Fourteen of the multiloculated tumors had thin septa and 6 had solid echogenic foci. The fluid within the majority of the cyst was anechoic in 8 cases and echogenic in 11 cases. Correlation of the sonographic features with the pathologic findings demonstrated that the cystic spaces corresponded to the dilated lymphatic spaces lined with endothelium, separated by septa. Echogenic fluid represented hemorrhage. The echogenic component corres ponded to clusters of very smaller dilated lymphatic channels, thick fibro-fatty septa, or blood clot. The author's experience suggests that the most characteristic sonographic appearance of lymphangioma is a multiloculated cysti mass with thin septa, reflecting the preponderance of fluid-filled spaces. An atypical appearance usually reflects the presence of blood or dominancy of cavernous type. The information obtained with US imaging can help in providing a preoperative diagnosis and in planning surgical resection.
Child* ; Diagnosis ; Endothelium ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Lymphangioma* ; Ponds ; Ultrasonography*

The incidence of ectopic pregnancy is a marked increase in both the absolute number and rate in recent years. But dramatic decrease in death from ectopic pregnancies probably due to improved diagnosis and management. The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of intramuscular Methotrexate(MTX) injection on the treatment of ectopic pregnancy. The method of the study was made by the retrospective clinical observations on the 32 cases of unruptured ectopic pregnancies in Chung Goo Sung Sim hospital, department of Obstetrics & Gynecology. The results were as follows: 1) The most frequent age group was 25-29 year group(37.5%). 2) Nullipara was 31.3% and the case who experienced artificial abortion was 75%. 3) A previous history of abdominal or pelvic surgery was in 40.6% and pelvic inflammatory in 6.3%. 4) The mean ectopic gestational week was 6.4 weeks, 5) On symptomatological analysis, lower abdominal pain was encounted 53.1%, vaginal spotting was 40.6%. 6) The resolution of patients was obtained in 29 cases(90.6%)of 32 unruptured tubal pregnancies with intramuscular methotrexate treatment. 7) The mean resolution duration was 23.8 days. 8) The side effects of methotrexate were observed in 10 cases(31.2%)of 32 unruptured tubal pregnancies, but the severity of symptoms was mild. Consequently, tveatment by intramuscular injection of MTX expects to be one of the therapies alternating to surgery. However success rate remained 90.6% with and toxicity rate 31.2% with MTX injection. Therefore patients selection criteria and MTX dosage adjustment are more stricdy required for rising success rate and avoidance of toxic complication.
Abdominal Pain ; Diagnosis ; Female ; Gynecology ; Humans ; Incidence ; Injections, Intramuscular ; Methotrexate* ; Metrorrhagia ; Obstetrics ; Patient Selection ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy, Ectopic* ; Pregnancy, Tubal ; Retrospective Studies

No abstract available.
Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay*

No abstract available.
Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay*

Spinal epidural abscesses were evaluated using Gadolinium-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in 19 surgically and clinically confirmed cases, including 13 with tuberculous spondylitis and 6 with pyogenic spondylitis. We observed rim enhancement patterns in 10 patients and diffuse enhancement patterns in 9 patients. The spread patterns were localized to ventral or dorsal epidural space and encircled entire epidural space. We conclude that rim enhancement indicates abscess and diffuse enhancement indicates granulation tissue and fibrosis. Tuberculous epidural abscess spreads to ventral epidural space and pyogenic epidural abscess encircles entire epidural space.
Abscess ; Epidural Abscess* ; Epidural Space ; Fibrosis ; Granulation Tissue ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Spondylitis

No abstract available.
Moyamoya Disease*