Irritant skin reactions can be evaluated by several techniques. Using different scores for the degree of erythema, edema, scaling and fissuring is the time-honored approach but implies t,he disadventagrs of lacking objectivity and pararretric properties. This paper describes the objective nteasurement of irritant. skin responses to various concentrations of Sodium Lauryl Sulfate(SLS) and Ethanol by a color reflectance meter(Chroma Meter) and compares with visual scoring The results are summarized as follows : 1. Pretreatment assessments by a Chroma Meter on normal forearm area showed an average score of 7.70+1.53 for Chroma Meter value a*(rediies:; score). 2. Skin responses to SLS in various concentrations of 0.5, 1.0, 2.0, 3.0, 4.0, 5.0, 7.5% under occlusion for 24 hours were assessed by visual scoring system. They are measured 0.56+1.10, 0.74+1.29, 1.19 1.36, 2.11+1.69, 2.19+1.91, 2.56+1.50 2.81+2.16 respectively. 3. Skin responses to SLS in various concentrations of 0.5, 1.0, 2.0, 3.0, 4.0, 5.0, 7.5% under occlusion for 24 hour were assessed by a Chroma Meter valu a*(redness score). They are measured 8.29+1.98, 8.37+2.47, 9.31+2.27, 10.34+2.97, 10.35+3.18, 10.51+2.47, 11.61+3.45 respectively. 4. Skin responses to Ethanol in various concentrations were nearly negligible. 5. We have demonstrated there is a highly significant correlation between skin redness measured by the Chroma Meter and visually assessed erypthma(p<0.0001). It yields reproducible, objective, quantitative measurements of iryhema that parallel the subjective visual assessments.
Edema ; Erythema* ; Ethanol* ; Forearm ; Humans ; Male ; Skin* ; Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate* ; Sodium*

Seventeen patients with classical rheumatoid arthritis have been treated with gold sodium thiomalate(G.S.T) injection and followed up for 1.7 years on average. The results obtained are as follows: 1. Clinical improvement was obtained in 12(70.3%) out of 17 cases, but only in 5 cases(29.3%) marked and persisting improvement was obtained. Such improvement was first noticed when the total dose of the gold sodium thiomalate reached 500mg or more, and also noticed about 10 weeks after initiation of G.S.T therapy. 2. Changes in laboratory parameters such as hemoglobin, hematocrit, eosinophilia, titers of rheumatoid factor and C-reactive protein, and proteinuria began to appear at the time of the clinical improvement. 3. Adverse reaction consisted mostly of mucocutaneous lesions. The main causes of drop-out during therapy also are severe skin rashes and pruritus. Most of the adverse reactions appeared when the total dose of G.S.T. administered reached over 500mg. In two severe cases skin rashes terminated the gold therapy. Our findings suggest, because of high incidence of adverse reaction during G.S.T therapy, repeated careful clinical and laboratory examination of the patient are mandatory especially when the total dose of G.S.T is reached 500mg. In spite of the well documented reports of the maintenance gold therapy for rheumatoid arthritis it is felt that the maintenance gold therapy should be studied further before it can be safely used as a routine in daily rheumatology practice because of its toxicity.
Arthritis ; Arthritis, Rheumatoid ; C-Reactive Protein ; Eosinophilia ; Exanthema ; Gold Sodium Thiomalate ; Hematocrit ; Humans ; Incidence ; Proteinuria ; Pruritus ; Rheumatoid Factor ; Rheumatology ; Sodium

Congenital coloboma which is characterized by an absence of a part of normal ocular tissues involving iris, lens, ciliary body, choroid, and optic nerve. And choroidal coloboma is a rare disease in which there are defects of a part or all parts of choroid and retinal pigment epithelium. Retinal detachment has been reported in 23-42% of the patients with choroidal coloboma, and when retinal breaks are within the area of coloboma, conventional scleral buckling technique has resulted in low rates of anatomic success. We report a case of choroidal coloboma combined by retinal detachment which was treated by pars, plana vitrectomy, fluid-gas exchange, and laser photocoagulation.
Choroid* ; Ciliary Body ; Coloboma* ; Humans ; Iris ; Light Coagulation ; Optic Nerve ; Rare Diseases ; Retinal Detachment* ; Retinal Perforations ; Retinal Pigment Epithelium ; Retinaldehyde* ; Scleral Buckling ; Vitrectomy

The scleral fixation of a posterior chamber intraocular lens is known to be a technique for managing cataract, aphakia, lens dislocation, pseudophakic bullous keratopathy with incomplete zonular or capsular support. We performed a retrospective review of longterm results and complications of 86 patients(103 eyes) who had a minimum of 12 months follow-up after scleral fixation of a posterior chamber intraocular lenses. At the last examination, mean postoperative corrected visual acuity is 0.7 +/- 0.28 and 62 eyes(57.4%) had a vision of 0.8 or better. Especially in aphakia, postoperative corrected visual acuity was significantly improved. The complications related to scleral fixation were exposed scleral fixation suture, glaucoma, cystoid macular edema, subluxation of intraocular lenses, retinal detachment, herpetic keratitis, vitreous hemorrhage and vitreous opacity. The other factors influenced on visual acuity were age-related macular degeneration, optic atrophy, diabetic retinopathy and clinical significant macular edema, and corneal opacity. Though these longterm results suggest that overall prognosis for visual acuity is quite good, careful assessment preoperatively and proper management are important.
Aphakia ; Cataract ; Corneal Opacity ; Diabetic Retinopathy ; Follow-Up Studies ; Glaucoma ; Keratitis, Herpetic ; Lens Subluxation ; Lenses, Intraocular* ; Macular Degeneration ; Macular Edema ; Optic Atrophy ; Prognosis ; Retinal Detachment ; Retrospective Studies ; Sutures ; Visual Acuity ; Vitreous Hemorrhage

Neonatal and Infantile conjunctivitis are common disease in ophthalmologic outpatient department but, a study of causative organisms and antibiotics sensitivity tests are insufficient till now We divided 117 babies(117eyes) having conjunctivitis into neonatal and infantile group who were visited Sung-Ae General Hospital from Jan, 1989 to May, 1990. We performed bacterial culture and antibiotic sensitivity test. The results were as follows; 1) Culture positive rates are 65% in neonates and 87% in infants. There is no sexual difference of ratio. 2) The incidence of isolated organisms is Staphylococcus aureus, Coagulase negative staphylococcus and Streptococcus. 3) Cephalothin is most sensitive antibiotics and Chloramphenicol shows relatively lower sensitivity.
Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Cephalothin ; Chloramphenicol ; Coagulase ; Conjunctivitis* ; Hospitals, General ; Humans ; Incidence ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Outpatients ; Staphylococcus ; Staphylococcus aureus ; Streptococcus

To investigate the drug effect of topical Mitomycin C in various concentrations combined with steroid, we used 30 rabbits whose corneal epitheliums were abraded intentionally. They were divided into 5 groups. Using MMC in various concentrations and steroids, we instilled them into right eyes and saline into left eyes as control. We measured the healing rate at a interval of 12 hours. Three months later, we sacrificed one of them and examined the pathological changes from various ocular tissues. We found many complications such as corneal edema, ulcer, opacity and definite delay of wound healing when the concentration higher than 0.04%MMC was used. There were also decreased fibroblast cells in H-E staining. The steroids seemed not to pose any influence on the effect of MMC. In conclusion, we must take the great care in the use of MMC, and the concentration should be low when used. In addition, we still think there ought to be more studies as to the effect of steroids according to MMC levels.
Cornea* ; Corneal Edema ; Epithelium, Corneal ; Fibroblasts ; Intention ; Mitomycin* ; Ophthalmic Solutions* ; Rabbits ; Steroids ; Ulcer ; Wound Healing

To investigate the drug effect of topical Mitomycin C in various concentrations combined with steroid, we used 30 rabbits whose corneal epitheliums were abraded intentionally. They were divided into 5 groups. Using MMC in various concentrations and steroids, we instilled them into right eyes and saline into left eyes as control. We measured the healing rate at a interval of 12 hours. Three months later, we sacrificed one of them and examined the pathological changes from various ocular tissues. We found many complications such as corneal edema, ulcer, opacity and definite delay of wound healing when the concentration higher than 0.04%MMC was used. There were also decreased fibroblast cells in H-E staining. The steroids seemed not to pose any influence on the effect of MMC. In conclusion, we must take the great care in the use of MMC, and the concentration should be low when used. In addition, we still think there ought to be more studies as to the effect of steroids according to MMC levels.
Cornea* ; Corneal Edema ; Epithelium, Corneal ; Fibroblasts ; Intention ; Mitomycin* ; Ophthalmic Solutions* ; Rabbits ; Steroids ; Ulcer ; Wound Healing

Two hundred twenty premature infants who were inhalated 02 and under 2500mg birth weight or under 37 weeks of gestational age were examined from January 1990 to June 1991. We performed clinical analysis and results were as follows. 1. Thirty one infants (14.1 %) were diagnosed as retinopathy of prematurity. 2. Male patients were 17 (54.8%) and female patients were 14 (46.2%). There was no significant difference in incidence between male and female (X2=0.01, p>0.05). 3. The first examination was performed at 2.4 weeks cf life in average, and the retinopathy of prematurity was diagnosed at 4.8 weeks in average. 4. Stage 2 was detected in 10 patients (32.3%) and stage 3 was detected in 6 patients (19.4%). 5. Plus sign was found in 2 patients (19%) with stage 2 and 6 patients (100%) with stage 3. 6. The incidence of retinopathy of prematurity was highly associated with low birth weight (<1200gm), small gestational age (<30 weeks), and oxygen concentration (>or=60%). 7. Other associated possible risk factors were hyperbilirubinemia, idiopathic respiratoty distress syndrome, anemia, apnea and transfusion.
Anemia ; Apnea ; Birth Weight ; Female ; Gestational Age ; Humans ; Hyperbilirubinemia ; Incidence ; Infant ; Infant, Low Birth Weight ; Infant, Newborn ; Infant, Premature ; Male ; Oxygen ; Retinopathy of Prematurity* ; Risk Factors

Complications of mitomycin C soaking method during pterygium surgery and its effect on recurrence rate were compared with postoperative use of topical mitomycin C. Sixty three patients(seventy three eyes) with primary pterygium received surgery with the bared sclera method. Thirty nine eyes randomly chosen were treated with cotton applicator soaked with 0.2mg/ml mitomycin C for 5 minutes after the excision of pterygium(soaking group). Thirty four eyes underwent the same surgical procedure and received topical 0.2mg/ml mitomycin C postoperatively, twice a day for five days(eye drop group). During the mean follow-up period of 13 months, recurrence rate was 15.4%(6 eyes) in soaking group and 20.6%(7 eyes) in eye drop group respectively. This difference was not statistically significant(p>0.5). There were no specific complications related to mitomycin C treatment in both groups during the follow-up periods. The soaking method of 0.2mg/ml mitomycin C was found as effective and safe as postoperative use of topical 0.2mg/ml mitomycin C for prevention of the recurrence of primary pterygium.
Follow-Up Studies ; Mitomycin* ; Pterygium* ; Recurrence ; Sclera

Maintenance of normal rate of tear production and elimination is essential for the proper controlled envionment for the cornea and the conjunctiva. We analyzed tear turnover rates in normal subjects, which mainly depend on tear production. We scanned 65 eyes of 36 normal subjects after instillation of 2% fluorescein solution 1u into the lower conjunctival fornix, using fluorophotometer (Fluorotron Master). After instillation of fluorescein solution, we scanned the eyes every 3 minutes for 30 minutes to measure tear film fluorescence. We calculated the tear turnover rate using tear film fluorescence valuse. Mean tear turnover rates were 12.3+/-6.6 %/min in normal subjects, 12.7+/-6.9 %/min in men, and 11.7+/-6.6 %/min in women. Mean tear turnover rates of men did not differ significantly from those of women (p>0.05). Mean tear turnover rates of younger subjects(25 years old~40 years old) (16.2 +/-7.4 %/min) were found to be significantly higher than ghose of older subjects(41 years old~73 years old) (9.1+/-40 %/min) (p<0.05). The morning tear turnover rates (13.5+/-1.6 %/min) were found to be higher than those for the afternoon (10.2+/-4.9 %/min), but the differences were not significant(p>0.05). We think that this study might be useful to study the diagnosis and treatement of tear secretory system disorders.
Conjunctiva ; Cornea ; Diagnosis ; Female ; Fluorescein ; Fluorescence ; Humans ; Male ; Tears*