No abstract available.
Nevus*

PURPOSE: Acute hepatitis A (AHA) and acute hepatitis B (AHB) are caused by an acute infection of the hepatitis A virus and the hepatitis B virus, respectively. In both AHA and AHB, liver injury is known to be mediated by immune cells and cytokines. In this study, we measured serum levels of various cytokines and T-cell cytotoxic proteins in patients with AHA or AHB to identify liver injury-associated cytokines. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Forty-six patients with AHA, 16 patients with AHB, and 14 healthy adults were enrolled in the study. Serum levels of 17 cytokines and T-cell cytotoxic proteins were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays or cytometric bead arrays and analyzed for correlation with serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels. RESULTS: Interleukin (IL)-18, IL-8, CXCL9, and CXCL10 were significantly elevated in both AHA and AHB. IL-6, IL-22, granzyme B, and soluble Fas ligand (sFasL) were elevated in AHA but not in AHB. In both AHA and AHB, the serum level of CXCL10 significantly correlated with the peak ALT level. Additionally, the serum level of granzyme B in AHA and the serum level of sFasL in AHB correlated with the peak ALT level. CONCLUSION: We identified cytokines and T-cell cytotoxic proteins associated with liver injury in AHA and AHB. These findings deepen the existing understanding of immunological mechanisms responsible for liver injury in acute viral hepatitis.
Acute Disease ; Adult ; Alanine Transaminase/blood ; Biomarkers/blood ; Cytokines/*blood ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Fas Ligand Protein/blood ; Female ; Hepatitis A/blood/virology ; Hepatitis A virus/*genetics/immunology ; Hepatitis B/blood/virology ; Hepatitis B virus/*genetics/immunology ; Humans ; Interleukin-6/blood ; Interleukin-8/blood ; Interleukins/blood ; Liver Failure/immunology/metabolism/*pathology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic/immunology/*metabolism

PURPOSE: The main cause of flap loss in microsurgical tissue transfer is venous insufficiency. Whether or not multiple venous anastomoses prevents vascular thrombosis and reduces the risk of flap failure remains controversial. Some researchers are in favor of performing dual venous anastomoses, but the counterargument holds that performing a single venous anastomosis does provide advantages. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We carried out a retrospective analysis of 15 cases of anterolateral thigh free flap for extremity reconstruction performed between January 2011 and December 2013. The patients were categorized into two groups: group A that received a single venous anastomosis and group B that received dual venous anastomoses. The time of the anastomosis, size of the flap, complications of the flap, and survival rate of each group were analyzed. RESULTS: The total microsurgical time in the single venous anastomosis group ranged from 28 to 43 minutes (mean 35.9 minutes). The total time in the dual anastomoses group ranged from 50 to 64 minutes (mean 55.7 minutes). No statistically significant difference was found between the two groups with regards to postoperative complications and flap failure. CONCLUSION: Our study suggests that the use of a single venous anastomosis in the venous drainage of anterolateral thigh free flaps is a safe and feasible option for extremity reconstruction and provides shorter operative time and easy flap dissection.
Anastomosis, Surgical ; Drainage ; Extremities* ; Free Tissue Flaps* ; Humans ; Operative Time ; Postoperative Complications ; Reconstructive Surgical Procedures ; Retrospective Studies ; Survival Rate ; Thigh* ; Thrombosis ; Venous Insufficiency

No abstract available.
Carotid-Cavernous Sinus Fistula* ; Facial Bones* ; Humans

No abstract available.
Cheek* ; Humans ; Psychotic Disorders*

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Colorectal cancer (CRC) develops from colonic adenomas. Type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) is associated with a higher risk of CRC and metformin decreases CRC risk. However, it is not certain if metformin affects the development of colorectal polyps and adenomas. This study aimed to elucidate if metforminaffects the incidence of colonic polyps and adenomas in patients with type 2 DM. METHODS: Of 12,186 patients with type 2 DM, 3,775 underwent colonoscopy between May 2001 and March 2013. This study enrolled 3,105 of these patients, and divided them in two groups: 912 patients with metformin use and 2,193 patients without metformin use. Patient clinical characteristics, polyp and adenoma detection rate in the two groups were analyzed retrospectively. RESULTS: The Colorectal polyp detection rate was lower in the metformin group than in the non-meformin group (39.4% vs. 62.4%, P<0.01). Colorectal adenoma detection rate was significantly lower in the metformin group than in the non-metformin group (15.2% vs. 20.5%, P<0.01). Fewer advanced adenomas were detected in the metformin group than in the non-metformin group (12.2% vs. 22%, P<0.01). Multivariate analysis identified age, sex, Body mass index and metformin use as factors associated with polyp incidence, whereas only metforminwas independently associated with decreased adenoma incidence (Odd ratio=0.738, 95% CI=0.554-0.983, P=0.03). CONCLUSIONS: In patients with type 2 DM, metformin reduced the incidence of adenomas that may transform into CRC. Therefore, metformin may be useful for the prevention of CRC in patients with type 2 DM.
Adenoma* ; Body Mass Index ; Colon ; Colonic Polyps* ; Colonoscopy ; Colorectal Neoplasms ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2* ; Humans ; Incidence* ; Metformin* ; Multivariate Analysis ; Polyps ; Retrospective Studies

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Elevated transaminase levels are often detected during pregnancy. Causes are variable and difficult to differentiate. Furthermore, there is no practical guideline for abnormal transaminase levels in pregnancy. The aim of this study was to suggest a strategy for managing elevated transaminase level during pregnancy. METHODS: One hundred and fiftyfive women with elevated transaminase level were included from an antenatal care center between January 1, 2003 and December 31, 2004. Another 221 women with normal transaminase levels were enrolled as control group. We analyzed documented causes, changes in laboratory tests, and pregnancy outcomes. RESULTS: Two groups showed no difference in baseline characteristics except the duration of pregnancy, parity, and albumin level. Of abnormal results, 39.4% occurred between 30 and 40 gestational weeks while 29% occurred between 10 and 20 gestational weeks. Common causes were hyperemesis gravidarum followed by pre-eclampsia, viral hepatitis, and HELLP syndrome. Excluding viral hepatitis, 69 patients showed abnormal results in the first two trimesters and the results were normalized during the follow-up period. AST and ALT levels were 52.9 (+/-49.6) IU/L and 83.3 (+/-77.0) IU/L during the first two trimesters in the patient group. Abnormal results during the third trimester were associated with shorter duration of pregnancy. CONCLUSIONS: Elevated transaminase levels up to 3 to 4 times of the upper normal limit during the first two trimesters could be safely observed with careful history taking and hepatitis viral antigen tests. However, abnormal results in the third trimester were associated with a shorter duration of pregnancy and should be managed carefully.
Adult ; Alanine Transaminase/*blood ; Aspartate Aminotransferases/*blood ; Data Interpretation, Statistical ; Female ; Humans ; Liver Function Tests ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Complications/diagnosis/*epidemiology ; Pregnancy Trimesters ; Retrospective Studies

PURPOSE: Every country has a unique emergency medical system (EMS), as well as a medical service system. In Korea, relationship or cooperation between layperson, firehouse rescue and hospital is weak, and lack of involvement of emergency doctor in prehospital emergency medical system is one of the main cause of the phenomenon. There is possibility of improving prehospital EMS by the role of Emergency Medical Information Center (EMIC). Thus, the authors made a through investigation to improve the role of EMIC. METHODS: Questions concerning the following were sent to firehouse EMTs: 1) general matters related to communication, possibility of management after hospital arrival, rescue activities, etc., 2) educational matters about classification of severity, etc., and 3) matters about recognition and utilization of the EMIC. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: An index guide for emergent management at the very spot where the accident took place is needed and should be published. Also, the EMIC must store more accurate information on emergency medical institutes, allowing firehouse rescue and hospitals to be more closely connected with each other by way of the EMIC.
Academies and Institutes ; Classification ; Emergencies ; Information Centers* ; Korea

Abnormalities of body fluid and electrolyte balance, acute renal failure, nephrotic syndrome, interstitial nephritis and papillary necrosis are well known disease of wide spectrum of NSAID induced renal side effect. Many different mechanism such as inhibition of prostaglandin pathway, delayed hypersensitivity reaction and direct toxicity are reported to relate to development of disease. Recently, overuse of NSAID has steadily increased the cases of NSAID induced side effects and in some cases permanent damage to kidney has been reported. Authors experienced a 67-year-old male patient who presented with gross hematuria, edema and azotemia and diagnosed as interstitial nephritis accompanying nephrotic syndrome. Kidney biopsy shows the edema and the diffuse infiltration of lymphocytes in the interstitium. The glomerular changes suggest minimal change lesion or focal segmental glomerular sclerosis in early stage. The patient had continuously consumed piroxicam for 6 months and had improved after discontinuation of this drug as well as treatment with steroid but remained renal damage. This case suggest that piroxicam may be an agent that causes interstitial nephritis and nephrotic syndrome. Therefore clinician should use it with caution especially in patients with high risk factors.
Acute Kidney Injury ; Aged ; Azotemia ; Biopsy ; Body Fluids ; Edema ; Hematuria ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity, Delayed ; Kidney ; Lymphocytes ; Male ; Necrosis ; Nephritis, Interstitial* ; Nephrotic Syndrome* ; Piroxicam* ; Risk Factors ; Sclerosis ; Water-Electrolyte Balance

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The aims of this study were to determine subgoups of functional dyspesia and to evaluate the short-term effect of cisapride in patients with functional dyspepsia in Korea. METHODS: 1025 patients, with a mean age of 42.6 years, with symptoms of functional dyspepsia, were recruited consecutively and upper gastrointestinal symptoms were investigated by interview in 41 hospitals in Korea. In an open, multicenter trial, 1025 patients received Smg of cisapride three times a day (TID) for at least .2 weeks for the treatment of symptoms of functional dyspepsia. When necessary, the dose of cisapride was increased to 10mg TID and the duration of therapy was extended to 4 weeks. RESULTS: The most frequently reported symptoms of functional dyspepsia were epigastric discomfort or fullness (85%), bloating (70%), belching (53%), early satiety (52%) and epigastric pain (46%) retrospectively. Subgroups of functional dyspepsia were as follows; dysmotility-like 73.5%, ulcer-like 39.7%, reflux-like 13.0%, and unspecified dyspepsia 14.0%. However, 33.2% of subjects with functional dyspepsia could be classified into more than one subgroup. Upper gastrointestinal symptoms were decreased to average 50.3% (range; 42.2 to 59.2%) after 2 weeks of cisapride treatment and to 25% (19.2 to 29.9%) after 4 weeks. cisapride therapy resulted in good or excellent improvement in 59.0% of the patients after two weeks, in 75% of patients after 4 weeks. Adverse events were occurred in 52 patients (5.8% of all patients), most commonly, loose stools or diarrhea (3.5%), abdominal pain (1.1%), and dizziness (0.3%). The majority of adverse events was mild and transient in nature and led to premature discontinuation of treatment in 4 patients. CONCLUSIONS: Although the majorities of patients with functional dyspepsia have dysmotility like symptoms in Korea, there is such overlap among the dyspepsia subgroups. Most patients responded well to a short therapeutic trial with cisapride without significant side effects.
Abdominal Pain ; Cisapride* ; Diarrhea ; Dizziness ; Dyspepsia* ; Eructation ; Humans ; Korea* ; Retrospective Studies