There have been reported some important findings in immunology of psoriasis, such as lower than normal level of IgM, defective humoral immune, responsiveness to newly administered antigens during cytotoxic drug therapy, lower than normal incidence of active sensitization with DNCB, prolonged skin heterograft survival and presence of anti-IgG antibody in peripheral lymphocytes. These findings are strongly suggestive of some humoral as well as cellular immunne dysfunction in patients with psoriasis. The present study was undertaken to evaluate the therapeutic effectiveness of BCG, a potent nonspecific immune stimulator, in patierts with psoriasis. Total 41 cases of more than 2 years' duration of illness and with widespread involvement and having had history of various previous treatment were slelcted at the Department of Dermatology, National Medical Center during October, 1973 and October, 1974, Liquid BCG(manufactured by NIH, Korea) was administered intradermally in a starting dose of 0.1 ml(0.01 mg in dry weight) weekly. The dosage of BCG was increased to 0.3 or 0.5ml after 3 or 5 injections and this dosage was maintained until some clinical changes were observed. The mean injection time to each patient was 20. 7.The results were as follows: 1. Eighteen cases showed no therapeutic response or aggravation of the lesions. 2. Six cases showed good therapeutic effect, resulting in only a few small lesions remained on elbows, knees or scalp areas. 3. Fourteen cases showed excellent therapeutic effect, that is complete disappearance of the lesions. During 2 to 6 months'follow up period, 7 cases showed relapse and the remainders are still under observation. The mechanism of influence of BCG on the clinical course of psoriatic patients is not determined, however, possible mechanism was discussed.
Allergy and Immunology ; Dermatology ; Dinitrochlorobenzene ; Drug Therapy ; Elbow ; Heterografts ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin M ; Incidence ; Knee ; Lymphocytes ; Mycobacterium bovis* ; Psoriasis* ; Recurrence ; Scalp ; Skin

Home nursing interventions based on nursing diagnosis were implemented to the patient who are discharged from one hospital often the treatment for chronic neuromuscular system problem, and its effects were studied. The purpose of this study was to find out the effectiveness of hospital bounced home nursing provided by hospital nurses and to categorize home nursing diagnosis and its interventions. Data from experimental group patients were collected at three different time ; at the time of discharge, two weeks after discharge and our weeks after discharge. Data from control group patients were collected twice ; the first one at the time of discharge, and the other one four weeks after discharge. For this study nursing assessment and intervention booklet developed by the research team. There were no significant decrease of the number of nursing problems and life satisfaction. But daily activity level of patients showed the signs of significant improvement at the time of four weeks after discharge. Results of this study indicates that home nursing intervention based on nursing diagnosis provided the patients with noticeable difference in health maintenance, impairment of physical mobility, potential for infection, impaired home maintenance management, health seeking behavior, chronic pain, disuse syndrome, impaired skin integrity.
Chronic Pain ; Diagnosis ; Home Nursing* ; Humans ; Nursing Assessment ; Nursing Diagnosis* ; Nursing* ; Pamphlets ; Skin

No abstract available.
Humans ; Nitroblue Tetrazolium* ; Skin* ; Tuberculosis, Cutaneous*

Lichen striatus is an uncommon nonspecific inflammatory cutaneous disease of unknown etiology occuring as unilateral and linear distribution on extremities and healing spontaneously within a few months to a year. Clinically it is composed of small licbenoid papules which tend to be grouped and coalesced to form either a continuous or an interrupted hypopigmented band and is not usually accompanied by any subjective symptoms. The principal histologic features are an infiltrate composed of lymphocytes and histiocytes around papillary vessels and usually also around, some of the deeper vessels and skin appendages and consequent secondary changes of the epidermis. We present the results of clinical and histopathologic observation in 19 patients with lichen striatus observed at Department of Dermatology, National Medical Center and Seoul National University Hospital during 4 years period from l972 to 1976 which would be the first recorded report on this rare disease in Korea. 1. Clinieal Observation.' Among the 19 patients, 10 were female and 9 were male; 15 were under 10 years of age and 4 were over 10 years of age. Duration of the eruption varied from 1 week to 4 years and average duration was 9.6 months at the time of the first visit. It was unilateral in all cases and affected the upper extremities in 9 and the lower extremities in 8 instances. The eruption extended onto the upper part of the trunk in 2 cases. Only 3 patients had a history of mild intermittent itching sensation. Characteristically, the eruption consisted of grouped, linear, slightly scaling flat polygonal papules with varying degrees of hypopigmentation, extending at least onethird of the length of an extremity. . Histopathologic observation: Skin biopsy was performed in 13 cases. The epiderrnal changes consist of mild diffuse hyperkeratosis (13 cases), focal parakeratosis (5 cases), varying degree of atrophy of malpighian layer (7 cases), mild acanthosis (2 cases), intercellular and intracellular edema (8 cases), exocytosih of lymphocytes (7 cases), focal basal cell disruption (11 cases), and dyskeratotic cells (colloid body) (2 cases). Dermal changes include mild to moderate perivaacular lymphocytic and histiocytic infiltrate rnostly on the level of papillary dermis. Also, there was chronic infIammatory cell infiltrate around hair follicle and sweat glands and ducts in 7 cases respectively, which seems to be peculiar in this disease. Overall histologic findings in our cases are generally consistent with those of the primary phase of the so-called lichenoid tissue reaction of Pinkus, The possible pathogenetic mechanism of the linear eruption and immunobiologic interpretation of the lichenoid tissue reaction were literally reviewed.
Atrophy ; Biopsy ; Dermatology ; Dermis ; Edema ; Epidermis ; Extremities ; Female ; Hair Follicle ; Histiocytes ; Humans ; Hypopigmentation ; Korea ; Lichens* ; Lower Extremity ; Lymphocytes ; Male ; Parakeratosis ; Pruritus ; Rare Diseases ; Sensation ; Seoul ; Skin ; Sweat Glands ; Upper Extremity

The role of GABA or glycine as an inhibitory neurotransmitter is well established, and GABAergic or glycinergic neurons appear to play an important role in the mammalian retinas. It has been reported that certain amacrine, bipolar, displaced amacrine and ganglion cells are consistently labeled with anti-GABA or anti-glycine antisera in the mammalian retinae so far, and it has been suggested that colocalization of GABA and glycine within the retinal neurons could be common in the mammalian retina by recent immunecytochemical and electrophysiological studies. This study was conducted to localize GABAergic and glycinergic neurons and to define whether GABA and glycine are colocalized within same retinal neurons of the rat retina by immunocytochemical method using anti-GABA and anti-glycine antisera. The results were as follows : 1. GABAergic neurons of the rat retina were amacrine, interplexiform, bipolar, displaced amacrine and ganglion cells, and processes of GABAergic neurons formed dense networks with distinct two bands in the inner plexiform layer. 2. Glycinergic neurons were amacrine, bipolar, displaced amacrine and ganglion cells,and their processes were evenly distributed as dense networks through whole inner plexiform layer. 3. 28.5% of GABA immunoreactive amacrine cells and 9.8% of GABA immunoreactive bipolar cells located in the inner nuclear layer,and 11.9% of labeled neurons located in the ganglion cell layer showed glycine immunoreactivity in the rat retina. These results demonstrate that GABA and glycine, major inhibitory neurotransmitters, are colocalized within certain amacrine and displaced amacrine cells, and a few bipolar cells, and that neurons synthesizing and utilizing both GABA and glycine as their neurotransmitters may play an unique role in the visual processing in the rat retina.
Amacrine Cells ; Animals ; GABAergic Neurons ; gamma-Aminobutyric Acid* ; Ganglion Cysts ; Glycine* ; Immune Sera ; Neurons* ; Neurotransmitter Agents ; Rats* ; Retina* ; Retinal Neurons

PURPOSE: The education of the patients is an effective component of comprehensive care, especially in patients with epilepsy. We developed an epilepsy educational program designed to improve the knowledge and understanding of the natural clinical course, the treatment, and prognosis of epilepsy. We evaluated the efficacy of this educational program to epilepsy patient's knowledge of their disorder and quality of life. METHODS: We studied 224 patients with epilepsy from Dongsan Epilepsy Center. All patients completed the Knowledge and Quality of Life in Epilepsy-31 (QOLIE-31) questionnaire before a one-day educational program was completed. Six months after the educational program was given, patients completed the same questionnaire. The results of the two surveys were compared. RESULTS: In the initial questionnaire, about 60% of the patients thought that epilepsy is not related with head trauma. About 40% of the patients thought that epilepsy is a genetic disorder. Over 80% of the patients thought that behavior changes are not related to epilepsy. Over 90% of the patients had correct responses about taking antiepileptic drugs. However, only 60% of the patients had their ideas regarding proper social activity correct. After completing the educational course, the results of the follow-up questionnaires were markedly improved concerning the patients' knowledge of epilepsy. In contrast, the quality of life measures changed a little. CONCLUSION: An epilepsy educational program for patients improves their knowledge of epilepsy. This study was performed with only one education workshop, which is not sufficient to improve the quality of life measures. A well-regulated, systematic educational program is needed to efficiently improve the lives of epileptic patients.
Anticonvulsants ; Craniocerebral Trauma ; Education* ; Epilepsy* ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Prognosis ; Quality of Life* ; Surveys and Questionnaires

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence of obese and underweight adolescents in Incheon area and to examine the relationship between serum cholesterol level and obesity, then to assess the nutritional condition of adolescents. METHODS: With a questionnaire regarding their demographic characteristics, blood samples were obtained from apparently healthy students aged 12 to 24 years by venipuncture at April and May, 2000. We measured the obesity index using standard body weight and the body mass index(BMI) according to the criteria established by the Korean Pediatric Society in 1998. Obesity was defined as BMI more than 95 percentile, and underweight less than 15 percentile by age and sex. RESULTS: A total of 1,456 students(M:F=685:771) aged 12 to 24 years were included in this study. The prevalence of obesity by standard body weight in adolescents in Incheon were 11.7%:mild obesity 6.5%, moderate 4.6%, and severe 0.5%. By BMI, the prevalence of obesity was 6.4% in males and 6.2% in females. In males, the prevalence of obesity in rural areas was 8.5%, lower than in urban areas(14.3%). The prevalence of underweight by obesity index was 34.1% in rural areas and 22.9% in urban areas. In females, the prevalence of obesity was 12.5% in rural areas and 19.6% in urban areas. There were no significant differences between the two regions(P=0.529). The prevalence of obesity increased with age till 16.3% of peak prevalence in 16 years of age, and then decreased. In males, the prevalence of obesity in academic and vocational school were 13.7% and 9.7%, respectively(P=0.116). In females of the academic and vocational school, the prevalence of obesity was 6.8% and 18.0%, respectively(P=0.001). In obese adolescents, serum total cholesterol was over 200 mg/dL in 6.2%. CONCLUSION: This study revealed that the prevalence of obesity in adolescents was about 12% and that the prevalence of underweight adolescents was considerably high. We think nutritional assessment and intervention are warranted for adolescent students.
Adolescent* ; Body Weight ; Cholesterol* ; Female ; Humans ; Hypercholesterolemia ; Incheon* ; Male ; Nutrition Assessment ; Obesity* ; Phlebotomy ; Prevalence* ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Thinness*

Progressive ischemia can result in gangrenous changes of the tissues. Most commonly the digits are affected initially, but progression to the hand is not unusual. Small amounts of infection superimposed on a severe chronic ischemic state can progress very rapidly to gangrene. Clinically, dry and wet gangrene should be differentiated. Dry gangrene represents mummification of tissue, and active purulent tissue and cellulitis are absent. Wet gangrene is characterized by active infection with cellulitis and purulent tissue planes and is an indication for urgent amputation to prevent ascending infection. We experienced a case of dry gangrenous extremity due to septic shock after anethesia.
Amputation ; Cellulitis ; Extremities* ; Gangrene ; Hand ; Humans ; Ischemia ; Shock, Septic*

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to identify the relationship between psychosocial factors and symptom experience of patients with cardiovascular disease over a 6-month follow-up period. METHOD: Baseline data for each of the 138 patients were collected. Eighteen patients were dropped for a final total of 120 patients in the present study. To monitor patients' symptom experience after discharge, each patient was interviewed by telephone, and interviewed directly with a questionnaire at each clinic visit. RESULTS: Mean scores for hostility, anger, anxiety, and depression were 51.63, 22.87, 48.95, and 41.21, respectively. Mean scores for the level of symptom experience at discharge, 3 months and 6 months after discharge were 32.83, 24.79, and 26.70, respectively. There were significant differences in the level of hostility by gender, BMI, job, and monthly income. Also the differences in the level of anxiety and depression were statistically significant according to gender and existence of spouse. In the regression analysis, depression was identified as the significant factor associated with symptom experience at discharge, 3 months, and 6 months after discharge. CONCLUSION: This study presented baseline data to elucidate whether psychosocial factors were associated with the progression of cardiovascular diseases. Accordingly, it suggests that nurses need to take into consideration psychosocial factor as well as physiological factor in symptom management for patients with cardiovascular disease.
Ambulatory Care ; Anger ; Anxiety ; Cardiovascular Diseases* ; Depression ; Follow-Up Studies* ; Hostility ; Humans ; Psychology* ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Spouses ; Telephone

Ketoconazole is one of the broad-spectrum oral antimycotic agents recently developed from imidazole derivatives. Authors performed multicenter trials to evaluate the therapeutic effect of ketoconazole in superficial fungal diseases. One hundred and eighty-four patients with superficial fungaI diseases were included in this study during 7 months from April to October, 1983 Patiets were treated with oral administration of 200 mg of ketoconazole(Nizoral) once a day for 4 weeks.-countinue-
Administration, Oral ; Humans ; Ketoconazole*