BACKGROUND: Depressive symptoms are common in the medically ill patients although depressive disorders are considerably underdiagnosed and undertreated. Therefore, we examined the characteristics of depressive tendency in medical inpatients. METHODS: The patient group-144 subj.cts(90 males, 54 females) were selected from medical inpatients of Kae Jung hospital. 158 subjects(106 male, 52 females) with no prior history of diseases were selected for the control group. The Beck Depression Inventory(BDI) and Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression(HRSD) was used for both groups from June to December 1997. RESULTS: The patient group had a significant higher BDI and HRSD score than controls(p<0.01). In the patients, 31.3% had scores on the BDI greater than the cutting score of 21, and 26.4% had scores on the HRSD greater than the cutting score of 22. In the patients, demographic and medical variables were evaluated with respect to depression. those in their 60's, with education level of elementary school and below. the divorced, bereaved and separated, and having duration of illness more than one year were statistically more depressed, but depression was not associated with sex, religion and medical diagnosis. CONCLUSIONS: This study indicates that depressive tendency may be a common phenomena in medically ill patients. Therefore, we should suspect depression in the management of these patients.
Depression ; Depressive Disorder ; Diagnosis ; Divorce ; Education ; Humans ; Inpatients* ; Male

Tuberculous spondylitis is not rare disease. Today the posterior instrumentation and posterior or posterolateral fusion concomitant with the anterior decompression and anterior interbody fusion have been used for the treatment of spinal tuberculosis. The authors experienced a case of tuberculous spondylitis complicated with descending aortic pseudoaneurysm. An aneurysm is defined as a localized dilatation of an artery that is at least one-half the size greater than is expected for that artery. Pseudoaneurysm occurring after previous operation, trauma, and infection. Erosion of the thoracic aorta with the development of an fistula in the presence of infection is an unusual and difficult problem to manage. We report a case and review related articles briefly.
Aneurysm ; Aneurysm, False* ; Aorta, Thoracic ; Arteries ; Decompression ; Dilatation ; Fistula ; Rare Diseases ; Spondylitis* ; Tuberculosis, Spinal

No abstract available.
Thrombocytopenia, Neonatal Alloimmune*

No abstract available.
Thrombocytopenia, Neonatal Alloimmune*

Vascular complications such as hematoma, pseudoaneurysm and arteriovenous fistula that occur after intracoronary or intracardiac procedures are responsible for considerable morbidity and some mortality. Iatrogenic aneurysms are usually postcatheterization pseudoaneurysms of the femoral artery. Nowadays, it is not uncommon as a consequence of more complex interventional procedures, larger catheters and prolonged anticoagulation treatment. Surgical repair has been mainstay of treatment for pseudoaneurysm. However, recently has it been shown that color Doppler ultrasound-guided direct, noninvasive compression of the pseudoaneurysm stops the blood flow in the communication and lead to pseudoaneurysm clotting and obliteration. We report a case of pseudoaneurysm in femoral artery, which was developed at the right inguinal puncture site in 74 year old male patient with myocardial infarction who had received continuous intravenous infusion of heparin and had undergone primary percutaneous coronary angioplasty and temporary pacemaker insertion treated successfully with color Doppler ultrasound guided direct compression.
Aged ; Aneurysm ; Aneurysm, False* ; Angioplasty ; Arteriovenous Fistula ; Cardiology* ; Catheters ; Femoral Artery* ; Hematoma ; Heparin ; Humans ; Infusions, Intravenous ; Male ; Mortality ; Myocardial Infarction ; Punctures ; Ultrasonography

No abstract available.
Gardnerella vaginalis* ; Gardnerella*

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to evaluate factors influencing on perinatal outcomes of pregnancy with IgA nephropathy and the effect of pregnancy on the prognosis of IgA nephropathy. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed clinical and laboratory findings of 28 pregnancies in 25 pregnant women with biopsy-proven IgA nephropathy at six hospitals of Catholic Medical Center throughout the period of January 1999 to December 2009. They are divided into two groups by presence or absence of perinatal complications such as preeclampsia and preterm labor and then compared. The prognosis of IgA nephropathy was determined by serum creatinine level and diagnosis of end stage renal disease (ESRD) until 3 years after delivery. Fisher exact test and Mann-Witney U test were used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: The factors that related perinatal complications included high blood pressure (P=0.019), low glomerular filtration rate (less than 50 mL/min) (P=0.029), and high creatinine level (more than 2.0 mg/dL) (P=0.005). Especially, hypertension and high creatinine level (more than 2.0 mg/dL) increased risk of not only preterm birth (P=0.017, P=0.026, respectively) but also preeclampsia (P=0.008, P=0.001, respectively). The factors that increased risk of ESRD within 2 years after delivery included high creatinine level (more than 2.0 mg/dL) (P=0.018) and preeclampsia (P=0.018). CONCLUSION: Our results indicate that hypertension and poor renal function could be predictors of poor perinatal outcomes, and when pregnancies with IgA nephropathy are complicated by preeclampsia or high creatinine level (more than 2.0 mg/dL), the prognosis of IgA nephropathy might be poor.
Creatinine ; Female ; Glomerular Filtration Rate ; Glomerulonephritis, IGA ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Immunoglobulin A ; Kidney Failure, Chronic ; Obstetric Labor, Premature ; Pre-Eclampsia ; Pregnancy ; Pregnant Women ; Premature Birth ; Prognosis ; Renal Insufficiency ; Retrospective Studies

BACKGROUND: Use of radial artery (RA) for coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) is an increasingly common practice. The objective of our study was to compare the effects of two drugs as antispastic agents in patients undergoing CABG. METHODS: Sixty patients, submitting to CABG using the RA, were randomly assigned to two treatment groups (n = 30 in each group). Following the induction of anesthesia, the two groups were administered either 0.2-2microgram/kg/min nitroglycerin or 0.05-0.1 mg/kg/hr diltiazem as a continuous IV infusion. CABG in both groups was performed as per standard surgical protocol. RESULTS: The peak serum creatinine phosphokinase-MB level (59.3 ng/ml for nitroglycerin treatment versus 57.7 ng/ml for diltiazem treatment), postoperative ejection fraction (52.3% versus 48.4%), duration of stay in the ICU and total length of hospital stay were not significantly different between the groups (P > 0.05). However, the need for inotropic agents to prevent or treat intraoperative hypotension was less for patients in the nitroglycerin group than for patients in the diltiazem group (60.0% to 83.3%). CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicate that nitroglycerin is superior to diltiazem as an antispastic agent. We suggest that nitroglycerin should be the agent for choice for the prevention of conduit RA spasm.
Anesthesia ; Coronary Artery Bypass* ; Coronary Vessels* ; Creatinine ; Diltiazem ; Humans ; Hypotension ; Length of Stay ; Nitroglycerin ; Radial Artery ; Spasm*

PURPOSE: To evaluate the efficacy of transvenous embolization in patients with dural arteriovenous fistula (DAVF). MATERIALS AND METHODS: From October 2002 to July 2004, eight patients with angiographically confirmed DAVF underwent transvenous embolization of the affected dural sinuses. Concomitant transarterial embolization was performed in four patients. Patients included five men and three women aged 45-78 years (mean age, 55.4 years). The patient's medical records and angiographic features were retrospectively reviewed. Patients had follow-up periods ranging from 5 to 24 months (mean, 16.5 months). RESULTS: The locations of DAVF were transverse - sigmoid sinus in six patients and cavernous sinus in two patients. According to Cognard's classification, four of the DAVFs were Type I, two were type IIa, and two were Type IIb. Embolic materials used for the transvenous embolization were platinum detachable coils and fibered microcoils. After the transvenous embolization, there was complete obliteration of the DAVF in seven patients and significant flow reduction in one patient. All cases were clinically successful. There were no transient or permanent complications as a result of the endovascular procedures in any of the patients. One patient who had symptom recurrence 2 months after the initial treatment was successfully treated with repeated transvenous embolization. The remaining seven patients had no symptom recurrence during the follow-up period. CONCLUSION: Transvenous embolization is an effective and safe method in the treatment of patients with DAVF.
Arteriovenous Fistula ; Cavernous Sinus ; Central Nervous System Vascular Malformations* ; Classification ; Colon, Sigmoid ; Endovascular Procedures ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Male ; Medical Records ; Platinum ; Recurrence ; Retrospective Studies

PURPOSE: Preoperative radiotherapy has been used to induce tumor regression and allow complete resection of rectal cancer with a sphincter preservation surgery. This study was performed to determine the effectiveness of preoperative radiotherapy for T2, T3 distal rectal carcinoma. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From November 1995 to June 1997, fifteen patients with invasive distal rectal cancer were treated with preoperative radiotherapy followed by sphincter preservation surgery. Classification by preoperative T stage consisted of 7 T2 and 8 T3 tumors. Radiation therapy was delivered with 6 MV and 15 MV linear accelerator, at 1.8 Gy fractions for 5 days per week. Total radiation doses were 45 Gy to 50.4 Gy (median : 50.4 Gy). Sphincter preservation surgery was performed 4~6 weeks after the completion of radiotherapy. Median follow-up was 22 months (range : 16~37 months). RESULTS: One patient (6.7%) had a complete pathologic response. Comparing the stage at the diagnostic workup with the pathologic stage, tumor downstaging of T stages occurred in 11 of 15 patients (73.3%) and N1 stages occurred in 2 of 5 patients (40%). No patient developed progressive disease undergoing treatment. Two patients suffered local recurrence at 7 and 20 months, and one a distant metastasis at 30 months. No grade 3 or 4 toxicity was observed. CONCLUSION: Our experience suggests that preoperative radiotherapy followed by sphincter preservation surgery is well tolerated, and can significantly reduce the tumor burden for T2, T3 distal rectal cancer.
Classification ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Particle Accelerators ; Radiotherapy* ; Rectal Neoplasms* ; Recurrence ; Tumor Burden