No abstract available.
Hemoglobin A* ; Humans ; Mothers* ; Postpartum Period*

BACKGROUND: The development and progression of a tumor can be determined by a complex multistep process involving the activation of oncogenes and the inactivation of tumor suppressor genes. The purpose of this study is to investigate the expression of p53, Rb, bcl-2 protein and Ki-67 labeling index in the intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma. METHODS: We analyzed 36 cases of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma obtained by surgical resection. Expression of p53, Rb, bcl-2 proteins and Ki-67 labeling index were evaluated by immunohistochemical study. RESULTS: Expression of p53 protein was detected in 61.1% (22/36) of cholangiocarcinoma. Rb protein loss and overexpression were observed 27.8% (7/36) and 72.2% (29/36) of cholangiocarcinoma. But bcl-2 protein was not expressed. No significant correlation was found between p53, Rb and bcl-2 protein expression and age, sex, gross type, histologic grade, vascular invasion and lymph node metastases. The Ki-67 labeling index was significantly higher in p53 positive group and Rb overexpression group than in p53 negative group (p<0.01) and Rb loss group (p<0.05). There was a positive correlation between p53 protein and Rb protein expressions, but a negative correlation between Rb protein and bcl-2 protein expressions. CONCLUSIONS: The overexpression of p53 protein and Rb protein may be closely associated with cholangiocarcinogenesis, while bcl-2 has a less crucial role in cholangiocarcinogenesis.
Cholangiocarcinoma* ; Genes, Tumor Suppressor ; Lymph Nodes ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Oncogenes ; Retinoblastoma Protein

No abstract available.

No abstract available.
C-Reactive Protein* ; Humans ; Membranes* ; Prospective Studies* ; Rupture*

OBJECTIVE: Adult onset Still s disease is an acute systemic inflammatory disorder. There are no pathognomonic symptoms or specific laboratory abnormalities. In recent reports, serum ferritin concentration is increased in active disease phase and decreased after defervescence. Our purpose was to determine the clinical significance of serum ferritin as an indicator for disease activity. METHODS: Seven patients who were diagnosed as adult onset Still s disease at Samsung Medical Center between October 1994 and March 1997, were reviewed. In these patients we checked leukocyte count, ESR, CRP and serum ferritin concentrations at the time of diagnosis and during follow-up periods and recorded febrile events during follow-up periods. RESULTS: At the time of diagnosis and during febrile periods, the concentrations of ferritin were extremely high(927ng/ml to 96,650ng/ml normal 10-290.8 ng/ml). The values were unrelated to other manifestations of the disease or laboratory findings. The ferritin concentrations decreased rapidly after adequate treatment. Eleven febrile reattacks happened in 7 patients. Serum ferritin concentrations were increased in 8 febrile attacks, while leukocyte count, ESR, and CRP were increased in 5, 5, 6 febrile attacks respectively, There were 10 events of increased serum ferritin concentrations in 7 patients during follow-up periods and 8 events were related with fever. The increases of other laboratory tests were similar. CONCLUSIONS: In all patients, serum ferritin concentrations were increased at the time of diagnosis and closely related to fever. During follow-up periods, serum ferritin concentrations are helpful in monitoring disease activity and guiding decisions about treatment.
Adult* ; Diagnosis ; Ferritins* ; Fever ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Leukocyte Count ; Still's Disease, Adult-Onset*

No abstract available.

The present study was undertaken to investigate serum carboxyhemoglobin levels in smokers according to the amount of cigarrettes. many studies have shown definite and consistent relations between smoking and ischemic heart disease. The purpose of this study is to show that COHb levels can be used to discriminate between persons having certain ischemic heart disease and persons without these disease more accurately than is possible by using smoking history alone, and thus to suggest that this may be a good indicators of risk. The results of this study are as follow : 1) The incidence of ischemic heart disease in smoker is higher than that in non-smoker. 2) For a given COHb level there is no clear increasing trend in the population of affected subjects with increasing cigarette consumption and there is no significant change cigarette consumption under duration of 10 year's smoking history. 3) For a moderate and a heavy smoking categories there is a consistent effect of an increasing proportion of affected subjects as the COHb level rises and there is a significant change with COHb level under duration of 10 year's smoking history. 4) The same results are as over duration of 10 year's history. 5) There were no significant interaction between under duration of 10 year's smoking history and over duration of 10 year's smoking history. In conclusion, it seemed that cigarette smoking may play an important factor in development of ischemic heart disease by increasing serum carboxyhemoglobin level.
Carboxyhemoglobin* ; Humans ; Incidence ; Myocardial Ischemia* ; Smoke* ; Smoking* ; Tobacco Products

To evaluate the predictive value of serum fibronectin and roll-over test for pregnancy induced hypertension (PIH), we studies 79 patients between the twenty-eighth and thirty-second week of gestation from October 1995 to May 1996. The results were as follows . 1) There was no significant difference of mean diastolic pressure difference in roll-over test and serum fibronectin levels between 13 PIH patients and 66 controls. Between two groups of patients, mean diastolic blood pressure differences were 14.3+/-3.9mmHg, 12.0+/-4.4mmHg and mean serum fibronectin levels were 231.2+/-90.8 pg/ml, 196.5+/-61.2 pg/ml respectively(p> 0.1). 2) For prediction of PIH, the sensitivity, the positive predictive value and the negative predictive value of roll-over test were 8%, 14% and 83%.
Blood Pressure ; Female ; Fibronectins* ; Humans ; Hypertension, Pregnancy-Induced* ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy*

The polyglandular autoimmune(PGA) syndrome designate as the dysfimction of endocrine and nonendocrine systems involving two or more organs on the basis of an autoimmune mechanism. There are 3 types of PGA syndrome and their etiology or pathogenesis is still not complete by understood. Type I PGA is present in the patients who have at least two of the triad of Addison's disease, hypopacathyroidism, and chronic mucocutaneous candidiasis. Type II PGA is present in the those who have Addisons disease with autoimmune thyroid disease and/or insulin dependent diabetes mellitus, but who do not have hypoparathyroidism or candidiasis. Type III PGA is present in the one who have autoimmune thyroid disease, without Addisons disease, but with another autoimmune disease report a case of autoimmune polyglandular syndrome type II in a seventy-three years old female patient who had primary adrenal insufficiency, primary hypothyroidism, and empty sella, pulmonary tuberculosis.
Addison Disease ; Autoimmune Diseases ; Candidiasis ; Candidiasis, Chronic Mucocutaneous ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Female ; Humans ; Hypoparathyroidism ; Hypothyroidism ; Insulin ; Polyendocrinopathies, Autoimmune ; Thyroid Diseases ; Tuberculosis, Pulmonary

PURPOSE: Our purpose was to deterrnine the efficacy of maternal corticosteroid therapy on the morbidity of premature infants between 26 and 31 weeks' gestation. METHOD: A total of 62 premature infants between 26 and 31 weeks gestation admitted to pediatric department of National Medical Center from Nov, 1990 to June 1996 were analyzed to evaluate the efficacy of prenatal corticosteroid therapy on the morbidity such as hyaline membrane disease, intreventricular hernorrhage, necrotizing enterocolitis, sepsis, neonatal death, days on ventilation and hospital days. RESULT: Among 62 women who delivered premature infants between 26 and 31 weeks, 22 received betamethasone before delivery and 40 did not. 1) The rate of hyaline membrane disease was less in the betamethasone group (41% vs. 70%, P<0.05). 2) The rate of intracranial hemorrhage was less in the betamethasone group (0 vs. 20%, P<0.05). 3) The days of ventilator care was less in the betamethasone group among survival cases (27+/-3.2 vs. 5.2+/-4.6, P<05). 4) Arnong 14 women who delivered at 26 to 28 weeks, 4 received betamethasone before delivery and 10 did not. The rate of neonatal death was less in the betamethasone group (o% vs. 80%, P<0.05). 5) Among 48 women who delivered at 29 to 31 weeks, 18 received betamethasone before delivery and 30 did not. The rate of hyaline membrane disease was less in the betamethasone group (39% vs. 73%, P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Betamethasone appears to reduce hyaline membrane disease, intraven- tricular hemorrhage, neonatal death and the morbidity significantly in premature infants between 26 and 31 weeks' gestation.
Betamethasone ; Enterocolitis, Necrotizing ; Female ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Hyaline Membrane Disease ; Infant, Newborn ; Infant, Premature* ; Intracranial Hemorrhages ; Pregnancy ; Sepsis ; Ventilation ; Ventilators, Mechanical