To maintain homeostasis of the cardiovascular system, the heart and kidney act bidirectionally. Therefore, acute or chronic dysfunction of one organ can cause dysfunction in the other. This phenomenon is characterized as cardiorenal syndrome (CRS). Concurrent dysfunction of the heart and kidney adversely affects one another and eventually worsens patient outcomes through a vicious cycle. Although a CRS classification system has been proposed, the underlying pathophysiology is multifactorial and clinical access continues to be difficult. Although several therapies, including agents that target the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system, have been utilized, there is not enough evidence to demonstrate their effectiveness for CRS. Thus, more effort should be made to optimize the diagnosis and treatment strategies for CRS patients. This review will introduce CRS as it is currently understood, discuss the pathophysiology, and examine management strategies.
Acute Kidney Injury ; Cardio-Renal Syndrome ; Cardiovascular System ; Classification ; Diagnosis ; Heart ; Heart Failure ; Homeostasis ; Humans ; Kidney ; Renal Insufficiency, Chronic ; Renin-Angiotensin System

To maintain homeostasis of the cardiovascular system, the heart and kidney act bidirectionally. Therefore, acute or chronic dysfunction of one organ can cause dysfunction in the other. This phenomenon is characterized as cardiorenal syndrome (CRS). Concurrent dysfunction of the heart and kidney adversely affects one another and eventually worsens patient outcomes through a vicious cycle. Although a CRS classification system has been proposed, the underlying pathophysiology is multifactorial and clinical access continues to be difficult. Although several therapies, including agents that target the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system, have been utilized, there is not enough evidence to demonstrate their effectiveness for CRS. Thus, more effort should be made to optimize the diagnosis and treatment strategies for CRS patients. This review will introduce CRS as it is currently understood, discuss the pathophysiology, and examine management strategies.

To maintain homeostasis of the cardiovascular system, the heart and kidney act bidirectionally. Therefore, acute or chronic dysfunction of one organ can cause dysfunction in the other. This phenomenon is characterized as cardiorenal syndrome (CRS). Concurrent dysfunction of the heart and kidney adversely affects one another and eventually worsens patient outcomes through a vicious cycle. Although a CRS classification system has been proposed, the underlying pathophysiology is multifactorial and clinical access continues to be difficult. Although several therapies, including agents that target the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system, have been utilized, there is not enough evidence to demonstrate their effectiveness for CRS. Thus, more effort should be made to optimize the diagnosis and treatment strategies for CRS patients. This review will introduce CRS as it is currently understood, discuss the pathophysiology, and examine management strategies.

An analytic expression for equivalent square fields and a table are derived using the empirical representations obtained from the measured field size dependence of output for square field in a phantom. The expression is applicable to radiation fields that consistent with the following two assumptions imposed on these representations. 1) It is a linear function of the logarithm of the field area. 2) It is approximately the same function for both square and circular field of similar areas. In this paper, the derived tables and BJR table were consulted.

Using same TDE factors, the authors studied the effects of whole abdominal irradiation on body weight and peripheral blood picture in 30±3 day old mice. Fractions of 100 and 200 cGy were given five times a week to the final TDF factors 17, 33, and 49. Total 80 mice were irradiated with orthovoltage x-ray machine. Our results can be summarized as follows: There were no significant differences by sex. Body weight was progressively decreased by the duration for irradiation, but no remarkable difference by fractional dose. Hemoglobin level showed no remarkable change by fractional dose or TDF factors. Leukopenic changes showed that severity of decrease seems to be more related to TDF factors. There were no significant changes of differential count by TDF factors of total doses.
Animals ; Body Weight* ; Dichlorodiphenyldichloroethane ; Mice*

The primary treatment modality of malignant tumors of the nasopharynx is radiation therapy owing to its inaccessibility to surgical intervention. Over the last two decades there were many changes in techniques of delivery, which include the use of higher doses of radiotherapy, the use of wide radiation field, including the elective radiation of the whole neck, the combined use of brachy- and teletherapy, and the use of split-course therapy. In spite of these advances local and regional recurrences remain the major cause of death. As a boost therapy after external irradiation, high-dose-rate intracavitary irradiation using remote control afterloading system (RALS) was used in two patients. Our results were satisfactory, however, this procedure should only be performed by those who have developed enough expertise in the use of intracavitary techniques for the treatment of nasopharyngeal cancer and have a supportive team including a physicist, dosimetrist, nurse, and trained technologist.
Cause of Death ; Humans ; Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms ; Nasopharynx ; Neck ; Radiotherapy ; Recurrence

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Phase IIb clinical study of Stillen(TM), a novel cytoprotectant, for gastritis showed 180 mg of Stillen, t.i.d. for 2 weeks results in a significant increase of cure rate when compared with a placebo group. It is reported that antioxidative effect and strengthening the endogenous cytoprotective molecules of the gastric mucosa play a pivotal role for cytoprotective action of Stillen(TM). The aim of this phase III multicenter, double-blind comparative study was to assess the efficacy of Stillen(TM) for the treatment of erosive gastritis. METHODS: Five hundred and twelve patients with erosive gastritis were enrolled and divided into three groups. Each group received 180 mg or 360 mg of Stillen(TM) or 600 mg of cetraxate (Neuer(TM)) t.i.d. for 2 weeks, respectively and a follow-up endoscopic examination for evaluation. RESULTS: Patients treated with 180 mg and 360 mg of Stillen(TM) had a significantly improved endoscopic cure rate of gastritis (55.6% and 57.5%, respectively) compared with patients treated with 600 mg of cetraxate (35.5%, p<0.001). Endoscopic improvement rate was also significantly higher in 180 mg group (67.3%) and 360 mg group (65.0%) of Stillen(TM) treated patients than cetraxate treated group (46.4%, p<0.001). During the study, both Stillen(TM) and cetraxate were well tolerated. CONCLUSIONS: These results clearly demonstrate that Stillen(TM) is an efficacious, safe, and well-tolerated treatment for gastritis.
Follow-Up Studies ; Gastric Mucosa ; Gastritis* ; Humans

Differential diagnosis of cavitary lung lesions is frequently problematic. We studied 35 patients with cavitary lung lesions, consisting of lung cancer (17 patients). Pulmonary tuberculosis(11 patients), and lung abscess (7 patients). We analysed CT scans in terms of irregularities of the cavity wall, maximum wall thickness, the presence of air-fluid level, location of the cavity within the mass, number of cavities within the mass, size of the cavity and the presence of calcification within the mass. Cancer cavity showed irregular inner (100%) and outer margins(100%), and thick wall (mean, 1.94cm), eccentrical location(94%) and multiplicity within a mass(38%). Tuberculous cavity showed smooth inner (56%) and irregular outer margins(75%), thin wall (mean 0.96cm), central location (62%), and multiplicity in one patient (36%). Abscess cavity showed irregular inner (57%) and outer margins(91%), relatively thin wall (mean 1.0cm), central location (57%), and air-fluid level (86%). CT scan could differentiate malignant lesions from benign condition such as tuberculosis and lung abscess by observing characteristics of the cavities.
Abscess* ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Humans ; Lung Abscess ; Lung Neoplasms* ; Lung* ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Tuberculosis*

Dural carotid-cavernous sinus fistula is an abnormal communication between small vssels emanating from intracavernous carotid artery supplying the regional dura and cranial nerves, and cavernous sinus. It is a rare entity that tends to appear in middle aged to elderly women and generally presents with a "red eye", or insidiously progressive glaucoma and may resolve without treatment. We have observed such a fistula in a 51-year-old woman and confirmed by TFCA(transfemoral carotid angiography) and have treated with manual carotid compressions and antiglaucomatous medication.
Aged ; Carotid Arteries ; Carotid-Cavernous Sinus Fistula* ; Cavernous Sinus ; Cranial Nerves ; Female ; Fistula ; Glaucoma ; Humans ; Middle Aged

We performed ERCP manometry of Sphincter of Oddi(SO) before and after endoscopic sphincterotomy(EST) for evaluation of the effect af EST on the SO. The subjects were postcholecystectomized common bile duct stone patients(n=l2) and EST was performed by major incision. The pressure gradient between common bile duct and duodenum before EST (8.6 + 3.9 mmHg) decreased significantly after EST(2.4 +1.7 mmHg). The length of SO before EST(8.8 + 0.8mmHg) decreased significantly after EST(2.5 + 0.8mm). But in each patient, the pressure gradient between common bile duct and duodenum remained in spite of the major incision. In conclusion, EST alters the function of the sphincter of the Oddi, but does not destroy its all protective function. The positive pressure in the bile duct is preserved in contrast to the absolute loss of pressure following surgical transduodenal sphincteroplasty.
Bile Ducts ; Cholangiopancreatography, Endoscopic Retrograde ; Common Bile Duct ; Duodenum ; Humans ; Manometry* ; Sphincter of Oddi* ; Sphincterotomy, Endoscopic* ; Sphincterotomy, Transhepatic