The purpose of this paper is to present a form of aphasia test, Modified Western Aphasia Battery (MWAB), which can be a practical method of examing and classifying Korean aphasic patients. This scorable test has five subtests: information, fluency, comprehension, repetition and naming. The authors have examined 11 aphasics and 34 normal control with this test, and report its methods and results.
Aphasia* ; Comprehension ; Humans ; Neuropsychological Tests

PURPOSE: To determine follow-up results for elderly patients with osteoporosis that received standard cemented bipolar hemiarthroplasty with double loop and tension band wiring for treatment of unstable intertrochanteric hip fractures. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between May 2000 and May 2006, 86 cemented bipolar hemiarthroplasties were done in elderly patients who had unstable intertrochanteric fractures. The mean age at the time of surgery was 82 years. The average follow-up period was 5.3 years. We evaluated post-operative results by clinical and radiographic methods. RESULTS: At the final follow-up, the mean Harris hip score was 79.2. The mean time needed for full weight bearing following surgery was 4.2 weeks and 82.5 % of patients regained their preoperative level of ambulation. All patients achieved union in the lesser trochanter fracture, but substantial trochanter displacement was observed in 4 cases. There was one case of acetabular erosion. Superficial infections were found Post-operatively in 2 cases. One case with stem subsidence (<5 mm) showed satisfactory results without subsidence in further follow-ups. CONCLUSION: If cemented bipolar hemiarthroplasty is properly applied in the treatment of unstable intertrochanteric hip fractures in the elderly, systematic postoperative rehabilitation, and pain control can be achieved.
Aged ; Displacement (Psychology) ; Femur ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hemiarthroplasty ; Hip ; Hip Fractures ; Humans ; Osteoporosis ; Walking ; Weight-Bearing

No abstract available.
Factor VIII* ; Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length*

BACKGROUND: Dry eye is a disorder of the tear film caused by reduced tear production or excessive tear evaporation. A high incidence of sicca symptoms has been noted in fibromyalgia (FM) patients resulting in serious complications. This study was conducted to evaluate the incidence of dry eye by pathogenic mechanisms and to investigate the relationship between dry eye and symptom severity in FM patients. METHODS: Fifty patients that visited Maryknoll Hospital between March 2006 and December 2006 were included in the study. Enrolled patients underwent a Korean fibromyalgia impact questionnaire (KFIQ), ocular surface disease index (OSDI), Schirmer test and tear break up test (TBUT). The KFIQ and OSDI are used to assess the severity of fibromyalgia symptoms and dry eye symptoms, respectively. The Schirmer test and TBUT are used to assess reduced tear production and excessive tear evaporation, respectively. We assessed the OSDI, Schirmer test, TBUT, age and disease duration in terms of the KFIQ. RESULTS: The incidence of dry eye was high in FM patients (12.0% by the Schirmer test and 92.0% by the TBUT test). The OSDI positively correlated with the KFIQ (p=0.006). A positive correlation was observed between the Schirmer test and the KFIQ (p=0.024), but not between the TBUT and the KFIQ. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, dry eye was found to be common in FM patients. Excessive tear evaporation was a more common cause of dry eye than reduced tear production. The patients with more severe dry eye symptoms tend to have more severe FM symptoms.
Fibromyalgia* ; Humans ; Incidence ; Tears ; Surveys and Questionnaires

Septo-optic dysplasia is an uncommon developmental disorder consisting of septum pellucidum angenesis, optic nerve hypoplasia, congenital nystagmus, seizure and multiple endocrine dysfunction. Clinically mild forms of septo-optic dysplasia and syndrome of absent septum pellucidum are now easily detected by computed tomography. We report two cases of septo-optic dysplasia with consistent radiographic findings with the anomaly.
Nystagmus, Congenital ; Optic Nerve ; Seizures ; Septo-Optic Dysplasia* ; Septum Pellucidum

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Microphones designed to measure otoacoustic emissions (OAEs) from the human ear canal typically sample the sound field in the canal some 15-20 mm away from the tympanic membrane. Discrepancies inevitably arise at high frequencies between the sound pressure at the tympanic membrane and at the entrance to the emission probe from sound reflected by the tympanic membrane due to incomplete absorption. A previous work on the ear canal acoustics suggests the emission probe underestimate the sound pressure level of the stimulus at the tympanic membrane by as much as 15-20 dB for the stimulus frequencies near 5-7 KHz. Materials and Method: This study checked the variation of transiently evoked otoacoustic emissions (TEOAEs) and distorsion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAEs) for the situations of probe which were controlled by ear canal volume. RESULTS: All mean values on TEOAEs (stimulus level, echo response, reproducibility) significantly increased (p 0.05) as the ear canal volume decreased. The mean amplitude of DPOAEs significantly increased at 1.6, 2, 25, 3.2, 4 (F2 frequency) and the variation of the mean noise level was statistically significant at 1, 2, 4 KHz (F2 frequency). The mean signal to noise ratio on DPOAEs significantly increased at 1, 2, 3.2, 4, 6.3 KHz (F2 frequency). CONCLUSION: These results suggest that the reliability of measurements of otoacoustic emissions should be improved when the probe is located nearer to the tympanic membrane.
Absorption ; Acoustics ; Ear Canal ; Humans ; Noise ; Signal-To-Noise Ratio ; Tympanic Membrane

Visual evoked potentials(VEPs) were recorded in 30 patients with multiple sclerosis who had been diagnosed and classified as definite(10), probable(15) and possible(5) MS by clinical criteria. This study was performed to detect clinically unsuspected lesions in optic nerves, to confirm the diagnosis, and then to reclassify the patient group. The incidence of abnormal VEPs in groups classified by clinical criteria as definite, probable and possible MS was 90%(9/10), 60%(9/15) and 20%(1/5) respectively. The overall incidence was 63.3%(19/30). Of the 16 patients who had not been suspected the lesions in optic nerves, six(37%) had abnormalities in VEPs. In consideration of the clinical and VEPs findings, the patient group was reclassified into 15(50%), 11(36.6%) and 4(13.7%) respectively. Six subjects shifted toward the next superior classification degree (probable-definite;5, possible-probable;1). In conclusion, the authors predict that in the diagnosis of multiple sclerosis VEPs would be very useful, noninvasive, simple and reproducible procedures not only in confirming clinically suspected lesion but also in detecting clinically unsuspected lesion of optic nerve.
Classification ; Diagnosis* ; Evoked Potentials, Visual* ; Humans ; Incidence ; Multiple Sclerosis* ; Optic Nerve

The Jarcho-Levin syndrome is a rare genetic disorder characterized by a short neck, short trunk, and a constricted thorax, and is due to multiple vertebral and rib defects. The small size of the thorax frequently leads to respiratory insufficiency and death in neonates or infants. This syndrome also combines with various kinds of anomalies, especially renal anomalies. We report an infant with Jarcho-Levin syndrome combined with fusion of both kidneys who was referred from a local obstetric clinic for cyanosis and respiratory difficulty.
Abnormalities, Multiple ; Cyanosis ; Heart Defects, Congenital ; Hernia, Diaphragmatic ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Kidney ; Neck ; Respiratory Insufficiency ; Ribs ; Thorax

PURPOSE: The object of this study is to determine whether QT interval variability in patients with postoperative tetralogy of Fallot increases. METHODS: We enrolled 41 patients who had total correction of tetralogy of Fallot, and 31 healthy controls. They were 6-12 years old. Patients were divided into 2 groups : arrhythmia-positive patients(n=10) who had ventricular premature contractions more than 30/hour or who had couplets, and arrhythmia-negative patients(n=31). We selected the 10-minute arrhythmia-free portion of 24-hour ambulatory ECG recorded during sleep(1-3AM). We selected the 2nd beat of recordings for a template, then found the QT interval for each beat. The method was that T-wave shape best matches template T-wave under the time-stretch model. The mean heart rate and variance and mean QT interval and variance were computed and then a QT variability index(QTVI)-which represents the log ratio between QT interval variability and heart rate variability-was derived. RESULTS: Postoperative tetralogy of Fallot patients with/without ventricular arrhythmia showed significantly increased QTVI compared with the control(-0.481+/-0.310/-0.661+/-0.376 vs -1.200+/-0.380, P<0.0001). There was a trend that QTVI in patients with ventricular arrhythmia increased more than in patients without ventricular arrhythmia, but there were no statistical significances. CONCLUSION: QT interval variability increased in repaired tetralogy of Fallot patients with/without ventricular arrhythmia compared with the control. And this finding indicates that inhomogeneity of temporal ventricular repolarization exists in repaired tetralogy of Fallot patients.
Arrhythmias, Cardiac ; Electrocardiography ; Heart Rate ; Humans ; Tetralogy of Fallot*

PURPOSE: An understanding of the immunological process is required if primary prevention of atopic diseases is to be developed in early childhood. But, it is too hard to distinguish atopy from nonatopy under the age of two clinically, because the expression of phenotype and cytokines is vague in early childhood. We evaluated DNA methylation changes at Th2 interleukin-4 gene in peripheral blood from atopic children. METHODS: We selected 15 allergic children (mild: eight, moderate to severe: seven) and seven normal controls by using family allergy scores and clinical histories. We measured Total IgE and Der f II specific IgE levels and cultured peripheral blood mononuclear cells with Der f II stimulation and extracted DNA from Der f II specific T cells. We examined the change of CpG methylation in DNA from atopic and nonatopic children. RESULTS: In T cells from normal children, IL-4 DNA were predominantly methylated; otherwise, CpG demethylation occurred in Der f II specific T cells from allergic children. CONCLUSION: IL-4 DNA methylation changes occurred in T genes from allergic children and DNA methylation assay in early childhood.
Child* ; Cytokines ; DNA Methylation* ; DNA* ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity ; Immunoglobulin E ; Interleukin-4* ; Methylation ; Phenotype ; Primary Prevention ; T-Lymphocytes