No abstract available.
Eczema, Dyshidrotic* ; Guillain-Barre Syndrome* ; Immunization, Passive* ; Immunoglobulins*

Adult-onset metachromatic leukodystrophy (MLD) is very rare with a combination of cognitive and behavioral symptoms and peripheral polyneuropathy. A 47-year-old man was admitted due to memory impairment, gait disturbance, dysarthria and personality changes for a period of 3 years. The arylsulfatase A level in his leukocytes was decreased. A brain MRI showed bilateral symmetrical demyelination but nerve conduction velocities (NCV) were normal. We report a very rare case of adult-onset MLD with normal NCV.
Behavioral Symptoms ; Brain ; Cerebroside-Sulfatase ; Demyelinating Diseases ; Dysarthria ; Gait ; Humans ; Leukocytes ; Leukodystrophy, Metachromatic* ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Memory ; Middle Aged ; Neural Conduction* ; Polyneuropathies

BACKGROUND: A few studies have revealed increased levels of certain cytokines in patients with ischemic stroke. Cytokine changes have not been studied in patients with transient ischemic attack(TIA). The purpose of this study was to evaluate the temporal profile of the inflammatory response in patients with vertebrobasilar insufficiency (VBI) and to compare the inflammatory response between TIA and infarction through analyzing serum interleukin(IL)-6 and IL-10. METHODS: We serially measured the serum levels of IL-6 and IL-10 in 14 patients with VBI, 12 patients with vertebrobasilar territoy infarction, and 21 patients with lacunar infarction at the timing of admission, at 1 day after symptom onset, and at 5 day after symptom onset. Cytokines were measured by sandwich ELISA method. RESULTS: The IL-6 level obtained at day 1 was significantly elevated compared with the normal control group in patients with TIA (p<0.05). The IL-6 level at day 1 was the highest in patients with VBI. The level of IL-10 in patients with VBI was significantly higher than normal group at all time points(p<0.05). The IL-10 level at the timing of admission was the highest in patients with VBI. But the serum levels of IL-6 and IL-10 between VBI and vertebrobasilar territory and lacunar infarction groups did not show any differences. CONCLUSION: These findings show that pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines in serum are elevated in patients with TIA. These results suggest that cytokine cascade occurs in TIA.
Cytokines ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Humans ; Infarction ; Interleukin-10* ; Interleukin-6* ; Stroke ; Stroke, Lacunar ; Vertebrobasilar Insufficiency*

BACKGROUND: A few studies have revealed increased levels of certain cytokines in patients with ischemic stroke. Cytokine changes have not been studied in patients with transient ischemic attack(TIA). The purpose of this study was to evaluate the temporal profile of the inflammatory response in patients with vertebrobasilar insufficiency (VBI) and to compare the inflammatory response between TIA and infarction through analyzing serum interleukin(IL)-6 and IL-10. METHODS: We serially measured the serum levels of IL-6 and IL-10 in 14 patients with VBI, 12 patients with vertebrobasilar territoy infarction, and 21 patients with lacunar infarction at the timing of admission, at 1 day after symptom onset, and at 5 day after symptom onset. Cytokines were measured by sandwich ELISA method. RESULTS: The IL-6 level obtained at day 1 was significantly elevated compared with the normal control group in patients with TIA (p<0.05). The IL-6 level at day 1 was the highest in patients with VBI. The level of IL-10 in patients with VBI was significantly higher than normal group at all time points(p<0.05). The IL-10 level at the timing of admission was the highest in patients with VBI. But the serum levels of IL-6 and IL-10 between VBI and vertebrobasilar territory and lacunar infarction groups did not show any differences. CONCLUSION: These findings show that pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines in serum are elevated in patients with TIA. These results suggest that cytokine cascade occurs in TIA.
Cytokines ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Humans ; Infarction ; Interleukin-10* ; Interleukin-6* ; Stroke ; Stroke, Lacunar ; Vertebrobasilar Insufficiency*

PURPOSE: To determine whether liver stiffness (LS) measured by magnetic resonance elastography (MRE) can predict the outcome of radiofrequency ablation (RFA) in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 107 patients with Child-Pugh class A liver function who were treated with RFA for single HCC and who had undergone a gradient-echo MRE within 6 months before RFA were included. We evaluated the relationship between the LS values and the ablation volume, local tumor progression (LTP), and intrahepatic distant recurrence (IDR). We also constructed receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves to examine the role of LS in predicting liver function deterioration, which was defined as an increase of Child-Pugh score by one point or more at 1 year after RFA. RESULTS: There was no significant correlation between LS and ablation volume, and neither time to LTP nor IDR was associated with LS. Among the 66 patients who did not have recurrence 1 year after RFA, 5 patients (7.6%) developed liver function deterioration. A high LS value was significantly associated with development of liver function deterioration after RFA and the area under the ROC curve was 0.764 (95% CI 0.598-0.929, P = 0.003). CONCLUSION: LS measured by MRE could not predict ablation volume and tumor recurrence. However, high LS values were significantly associated with development of liver function deterioration.
Carcinoma, Hepatocellular* ; Catheter Ablation* ; Elasticity Imaging Techniques ; Humans ; Liver* ; Recurrence ; ROC Curve

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to observe the decrease in tooth color after home and office bleaching due to consumption of juice, soda, and coffee over a period of one year. METHODS: We obtained written consent from 30 subjects, who were divided into two groups i.e., home bleaching and office bleaching groups. They were treated with opalessence® and Zoom2 whitening gel, and the color of their teeth was assessed using shade Eye-NCC over a one-year period. A self-describing questionnaire was used to determine the frequency of juice, soda, and coffee consumption. RESULTS: The changes in color were measured before and after 1 day, 1 month, 3 months, 6 months, and 12 months. Although the tooth color slightly changed after 12 months, the teeth were brighter than the original color. Consumption of juices, sodas, and coffee is thought to be associated with decrease in tooth color, although the change was not statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: The ΔE* values showed that the tooth bleaching effect remained for 12 months. Consuming a normal amount of juice, sodas, and coffee does not significantly reduce tooth color after tooth bleaching.
Coffee ; Follow-Up Studies* ; Tooth Bleaching* ; Tooth*

Sarcoma of the kidney is a rare condition. Leiomyosarcoma is the most common of the kidney sarcomas. Renal leiomyosarcoma usually originates from the smooth muscle layers of the kidney, for example, the renal capsule and renal vessels. Renal pelvis neoplasms, however, are primarily transitional cell carcinomas, and renal pelvis leiomyosarcomas are extremely uncommon. Renal pelvis leiomyosarcoma has never been reported in Korea. Moreover, no more than 10 cases have been reported internationally. However, none of these were associated with kidney abnormalities. Here we describe a case of leiomyosarcoma that originated from the blind end of a bifid renal pelvis.
Female ; Humans ; Kidney Neoplasms/*pathology ; Kidney Pelvis/*pathology/radiography ; Leiomyosarcoma/*pathology ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

Seizures are a common presenting manifestation in patients in a nonketotic hyperglycemic(NKH) hyperosmolar state and the MR findings are typically hyperintense on T2 weighted (T2-W) and fluid attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) images. We recently experienced a case of the patient with partial seizure and nonketotic hyperglycemia who showed T2-W and FLAIR hypointensities with T1 weighted (T1-W) contrast enhancement.
Humans ; Hyperglycemia ; Seizures

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to investigate the clinical utility of the Korean Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Fourth Edition (K-WISC-IV) and General Ability Index (GAI) in children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). METHODS: The GAI and Full Scale IQ (FSIQ) in K-WISC-IV were compared for a group of 79 children with ADHD and 234 normal children. The mean differences within each group were testified by the t-test and Cohen's d. The Wechsler's descriptive classifications for each GAI and FSIQ score were analyzed in the children with ADHD. Additionally, the critical value for the difference between the means of the FSIQ and GAI was calculated in the normal children. RESULTS: The score on the GAI was higher than that on the FSIQ in the children with ADHD, with a mean difference of 2.19 points. The implications of these findings are discussed regarding the cognitive characteristics of the children with ADHD. According to Wechsler's descriptive classification, the application of the GAI showed a lower (7.59%), equal (61.65%) or higher (60.76%) prevalence of ADHD compared to the application of FSIQ. CONCLUSION: The implications of these findings are discussed regarding the cognitive characteristics of the children with ADHD. The GAI reflecting the attention and behavioral problems in children with ADHD could be utilized as an alternative global intelligence estimate that considers their potential for development.
Child ; Classification ; Humans ; Intelligence* ; Prevalence ; Problem Behavior

BACKGROUND: Cardiac arrhythmias and other cardiac dysfunctions occur in relation with acute cerebral ischemia. This study was undertaken to evaluate the sequential changes of electrocardiogram and cardiac enzymes after acute ischemic stroke, and to evaluate the incidence of cardiac arrhythmias. METHODS: Forty-three patients with acute ischemic stroke were recruited for this study. Electrocardiogram and cardiac enzymes were checked at 1, 3, 5, 7, 15, and 30 days after onset. RESULTS: Heart rates were decreased acutely after ischemic stroke and showed maximal decrease at day 3 (p<0.05). Heart rates were more significantly decreased in the right-sided lesions than the left (p<0.05) and in the supratentorial lesions than the infratentorial (p<0.05). PR intervals and durations of QRS complex were prolonged at day 3 and 5 but were not significant. The prolongation of the QTc interval was found in 21 patients (48.8%) and sustained QTc prolongation at day 30 were seen in 16 patients. Compared with controls, patients showed significantly higher incidence of arrhythmias (p<0.01). Creatine phosphokinase-MB (CK-MB) was significantly increased at day 5 (p<0.01) and lactic dehydrogenase (LDH) was increased at day 7 (p<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: In our study, the incidence of neurogenic cardiac abnormalities in acute ischemic stroke was higher than that of previous studies. Abnormalities peaked at days 3 and 5 were nearly similar to control levels at day 30. These periods of peak abnormalities coincided with those of increasing brain edema. Therefore, we postulate that cardiac autonomic controls are also influenced by acute brain edema. (J Korean Neurol Assoc 19(3):207~212, 2001)
Arrhythmias, Cardiac ; Brain Edema ; Brain Ischemia ; Cerebral Infarction ; Creatine ; Electrocardiography* ; Heart Rate ; Humans ; Incidence ; Oxidoreductases ; Stroke*