No abstract available.
Animals ; Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide* ; Calcitonin* ; Rats* ; RNA, Messenger*

PURPOSE: The concordance of strabismus in monozygotic twins was examined in order to study the role of genetics in the different types of strabismus. METHODS: The medical charts of 39 pairs of monozygotic twins (63 of 78 subjects had strabismus) dated between May 1985 and December 2005 were reviewed retrospectively. We analyzed each case by refraction, type of strabismus, age of onset, amount of deviation, and stereopsis. RESULTS: Twenty-three of 39 pairs of twins (59%) showed phenotypic concordance; 15 of 21 pairs showed intermittent exotropia (71%), five of nine pairs showed infantile esotropia (55%), and three of four pairs showed partially accommodative esotropia (75%). All pairs with accommodative esotropia showed discordance. One discordant pair showed infantile esotropia, one expressed infantile esotropia, and another expressed sensory exotropia due to congenital cataract. CONCLUSIONS: The concordance rate of monozygotic twins was 59% in this study. Partially accommodative esotropia and intermittent exotropia had high concordance rates of strabismic phenotypes in monozygotic twins. Based on the results of this study, it is suggested that there may be a strong genetic component regarding these types of strabismus. Concordant pairs of monozygotic twins showed similarity in onset, deviation angle, postoperative result, and recurrence.
Age of Onset ; Cataract ; Depth Perception ; Esotropia ; Exotropia ; Genetics ; Humans ; Phenotype ; Recurrence ; Retrospective Studies ; Strabismus* ; Twins, Monozygotic*

PURPOSE: The concordance of strabismus in monozygotic twins was examined in order to study the role of genetics in the different types of strabismus. METHODS: The medical charts of 39 pairs of monozygotic twins (63 of 78 subjects had strabismus) dated between May 1985 and December 2005 were reviewed retrospectively. We analyzed each case by refraction, type of strabismus, age of onset, amount of deviation, and stereopsis. RESULTS: Twenty-three of 39 pairs of twins (59%) showed phenotypic concordance; 15 of 21 pairs showed intermittent exotropia (71%), five of nine pairs showed infantile esotropia (55%), and three of four pairs showed partially accommodative esotropia (75%). All pairs with accommodative esotropia showed discordance. One discordant pair showed infantile esotropia, one expressed infantile esotropia, and another expressed sensory exotropia due to congenital cataract. CONCLUSIONS: The concordance rate of monozygotic twins was 59% in this study. Partially accommodative esotropia and intermittent exotropia had high concordance rates of strabismic phenotypes in monozygotic twins. Based on the results of this study, it is suggested that there may be a strong genetic component regarding these types of strabismus. Concordant pairs of monozygotic twins showed similarity in onset, deviation angle, postoperative result, and recurrence.
Age of Onset ; Cataract ; Depth Perception ; Esotropia ; Exotropia ; Genetics ; Humans ; Phenotype ; Recurrence ; Retrospective Studies ; Strabismus* ; Twins, Monozygotic*

Regional left ventricular dysfunction is common in patients with coronary artery disease and accurate analysis of regional dysfunction is of particular interest. For the quantitative assessment of regional dysfunction, we measured regional ejection fraction by radial sector division method in 19 patients with acute myocardial infarction and 13 normal controls who had multigated blood pool scan. And two independent observer analyzed regional wall motion using 5 point grading system in 18 patients undergoing radionuclide ventricular cineangiography. The results obtained were as follows : 1) Regional wall motion scores for the gated blood pool study agreed completely in 72 of 108 segments (66.7%) and agreed within 1 grade in 88 of 108 segments(81.5%) and agreement rate is lowest in the septal area. 2) Global left ventricular ejection fraction was 63.2+/-4.2% in normal controls, 36.6+/-6.8% in extensive anterior wall infarction group and 52.6+/-9.7% in inferior wall infarction group. The value of extensive anterior wall infarction group was significantly lower than that of inferior wall infarction group(p<0.005). 3) Regional left ventricular ejection fraction by radial sector division method in normal control group were as follows : area 1 ; 56.5+/-6.7%, area 2 : 77.9+/-4.8%, area 3 ;84.3+/-5.5%, area 4 : 76.8+/-6.6%, area 5 ; 84.7+/-7.6%, area 6 ; 85.9+/-11.2%, area 7 ; 75.5+/-12.3%, area 8 ; 74.9+/-14.0%, area 9 ; 75.5+/-8.8%, area 10 ; 54.2+/-11.0%, 11 ; 34.5+/-16.3, area 12 ; 37.1+/-18.0%. 4) Mean regional ejection fraction in 7 patients with anterior wall infarction showed significantly lower values in area 4 to area 8, and in area 2 to area 5 in case of inferior wall infarction group. 5) We thought that regional ejection fraction obtained by radial sector division method is valuable index for the management and evaluation of patients with coronary artery disease.
Cineangiography ; Coronary Artery Disease ; Humans ; Infarction ; Myocardial Infarction* ; Septum of Brain ; Stroke Volume ; Ventricular Dysfunction, Left

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is the major cause of lower respiratory tract infection in infants. Life-threatening RSV infection is often reported in young children and immunocompromised hosts. Since there is no report on ribavirin therapy for RSV pneumonia in pediatric cancer patients in Korea, we report one case of RSV pneumonia that developed in an infant with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Despite administration of oral ribavirin and intravenous immunoglobulin, the patient's respiratory distress worsened and admission to an intensive care unit was necessary. Chest x-ray showed multifocal consolidation, pneumothorax, and pneumomediastinum. Treatment with aerosolized ribavirin led to significant clinical improvement. The role of aerosolized ribavirin is still controversial, but it might have a therapeutic potential for severe RSV pneumonia in children with leukemia.
Child ; Humans ; Immunocompromised Host ; Immunoglobulins ; Infant ; Intensive Care Units ; Korea ; Leukemia ; Mediastinal Emphysema ; Pneumonia ; Pneumothorax ; Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma ; Respiratory Syncytial Viruses ; Respiratory Tract Infections ; Ribavirin ; Thorax

This study was conducted to investigate the influences of factors on binocularity in accommodative esotropia. On the basis of sensory tests, patients were divided into two groups, bifixation and monofixation. Bifixation, defined as stereopsis of 50 seconds or better, was present in 57 patients (62%). Monofixation (peripheral fusion) was present in the remaining 35 patients (38%). The first hyperopic glasses were significantly more likely to be prescribed to patients with bifixation than to those with monofixation while the esotropia is still intermittent(p<0.05). There were no significant differences between the bifixation and monofixation groups for age of onset of strabismus, amount of hyperopia, presence of amblyopia and anisometropia, time intervals between onset of strabismus and prescription of hyperopic glasses. In summary, maintenance of bifixation is possible in accommodative esotropia by effective therapeutic intervention during the intermittent phase.
Age of Onset ; Amblyopia ; Anisometropia ; Depth Perception ; Esotropia* ; Eyeglasses ; Glass ; Humans ; Hyperopia ; Prescriptions ; Strabismus ; Telescopes*

5-Fluorouacil (5-FU) 5mg/day was injected subconjunctivally from the third day after trabeculectomy in 8 eyes of 7 patients who had poor prognostic glaucomas such as previously unsuccessful trabeculectomy, aphakic glaucoma, glaucoma after retinal reattachment surgery, and inflammatory glaucoma. The eyes were injected once or multiple times no more than eigth doses in total. Each dose contained 5 mg of 5-FU so patients were given a minimum dosage of 5 mg or an additive maximum dosage of 40 mg. The follow-up period ranged from 2 months to 9 months and averaged 6 months. All eyes showed intraocular pressure below 21 mmHg with or without anti glaucoma medications with the mean intraocular pressure reduced by 16.5 +/- 9.4mmHg from 30.8mmHg preoperatively to 14.3mmHg postoperatively. The postoperative visual acuity was decreased in one eye and remained unchanged in 7 eyes. Diffuse filtering blebs were seen in 7 eyes and an encapsulated bleb was encountered in one eye. The average number of antiglaucoma medications was decreased from 3 preoperativdy to 1.4 postoperatively. Postoperative complications were corneal epithelial detect and conjunctival wound leak in one eye and conjunctival wound leaks alone in two other eyes.
Blister ; Fluorouracil* ; Follow-Up Studies ; Glaucoma ; Humans ; Intraocular Pressure ; Postoperative Complications ; Retinaldehyde ; Trabeculectomy* ; Visual Acuity ; Wounds and Injuries

PURPOSE: This ethnograpy was done to explore patterns of health care behavior in patients with chronic health problems. METHODS: The participants were 15 patients with chronic hepatitis B and 2 family members. Among the patients 4 had progressed to liver cirrhosis and liver cancer. Data were collected from iterative fieldwork in a department of internal medicine of I hospital. Data were analyzed using text analysis and taxonomic methods. RESULTS: Illness and disease, relationship between health care givers and clients, and communication patterns between health professions and clients were discussed as the context of health care behavior. Health care behavior of the participants was categorized by its focus: every day work centered, body centered, organ centered, and pathology centered. CONCLUSION: Participants' health care behavior was guided by folk health concept and constructed in the sociocultural context. Folk etiology, pathology, and interpretation of one's symptoms were influencing factors in illness behavior. These findings must be a cornerstone of culture specific care for the chronic diseases.
Activities of Daily Living ; Adult ; Aged ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Attitude to Health ; Communication ; Family Relations ; Female ; *Health Behavior ; Hepatitis B, Chronic/complications/*psychology ; Humans ; Interviews as Topic ; Liver Cirrhosis/etiology ; Liver Neoplasms/etiology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Physician-Patient Relations ; *Qualitative Research ; Republic of Korea

No abstract available.
Antibodies, Anticardiolipin* ; Female ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Outcome* ; Pregnancy*

Diurnally fluctuating hereditary progessive dystonia is a rare movement disorder characterized by marked diurnal fluctuation of symptoms and dramatic response to levodopa. We report two advanced female patients of two families who presented with progressive dystonia and gait disturbance. Both patients have a family history and showed excellent response to levodopa.
Dystonia* ; Female ; Gait ; Humans ; Levodopa ; Movement Disorders