In order to investigate electrolyte changes in serum and urine diuretic therapy, we studied 98 patients with hypertension not optimally controlled by previous treatment. After we divied the patients into three gorups in randomized trial, group A were given Amiloride 10mg/day, group B were given Dihydrochlorothiazide 50mg/day, group C were given Amiloride 5mg/day combined with Dihydrochlorothiazide 25mg/day for 7 days. Blood pressure and electrolyte changes in serum and urine after diuretic theraphy for 7 days were as follows. 1) Serum sodium concentrations were not significantly changed in all three groups(P>0.05). 2) Serum potassium concentrations were increased in group A and C (P<0.05), but there were no significant changes in group B(P<0.05). 3) Urinary sodium exceretions were increased in all three groups(P<0.05). 4) Urinary potassium excretion were decreased in group A and C (P<0.05), but there were increased in group B (P<0.05). 5) Blood pressure were decreased in all three groups(P<0.05).
Amiloride ; Blood Pressure ; Diuretics* ; Electrolytes* ; Humans ; Hydrochlorothiazide ; Hypertension* ; Potassium ; Sodium

We found multiple aneurysms in the intracranial arteries and abdominal aorta of an 87-year-old Korean female cadaver, whose cause of death was reported as "cholangiocarcinoma." An abdominal aortic aneurysm was observed in the infrarenal aorta, where the inferior mesenteric artery arose. The intracranial aneurysms were found in the A3 segment of the anterior cerebral artery and at the bifurcation of the middle cerebral artery. This case provides an example of the very rare association of peripheral intracranial aneurysms with an abdominal aortic aneurysm. Clinicians as well as anatomists should recognize the potential association between these two aneurysm types.
Aged, 80 and over ; Anatomists ; Aneurysm ; Anterior Cerebral Artery ; Aorta ; Aorta, Abdominal ; Aortic Aneurysm, Abdominal ; Arteries ; Cadaver ; Cause of Death ; Female ; Humans ; Intracranial Aneurysm ; Mesenteric Artery, Inferior ; Middle Cerebral Artery

OBJECTIVE: There are also few studies demonstrating the relationship between ossification of nuchal ligament (ONL) and ossification of posterior longitudinal ligament (OPLL). We compared the prevalence, location, and type of OPLL between patients with ONL and matched patients without ONL.We also compared the bone mineral densities (BMDs) between the 2 groups. METHODS: total of 124 cervical ONL patients were enrolled in this study. The control group of 124 patients was matched with 124 patients with ONL by age and sex on a 1:1 basis to minimize confounding factors. We reviewed the prevalence, location, and type of OPLL in both groups. RESULTS: The prevalence of OPLL was almost 2.5 times greater in patients with ONL than those without ONL. The mean value of BMD in patients with ONL was greater at the lumbar spine (L1-L4) than in patients without ONL. The mean T score of the lumbar spine was 0.25±1.68 in the patients with ONL and -0.73±1.64 in the patients without ONL. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of OPLL in patients with ONL was significantly higher than in patients without ONL. Because ONL is innocuous and may be seen more readily than OPLL on simple cervical radiographs, clinicians should consider the possibility of coexisting OPLL when ONL, especially extensive ONL, is detected in patients with neck pain, radiculopathy, or myelopathy, to facilitate proper treatment.
Bone Density* ; Humans ; Ligaments* ; Neck Pain ; Ossification of Posterior Longitudinal Ligament* ; Prevalence* ; Radiculopathy ; Spinal Cord Diseases ; Spine

Since the use of Charnley hip prosthesis, total hip arthroplasty has been used for the treatment of coxarthrosis. However, aseptic lossening of the acetabular cup component in total hip arthroplasty remains the most common cause of failure and most serious complication. Cementless acetabular cup fixation in total hip arthroplasty is increasingly popular because of the high failure rates of cemented components, particularly in younger and more active patients. We have experienced 62 cases of CLS expansion acetabular cup developed by L. Spontorno, from January 1992 to January 1994. We analysed 41 CLS expansion acetabular cup components in 38 patients performed at the Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Kang Nam General Hospital with minimum follow up lyear(average 17.3 months). The object of this study is to evaluate the radiographic change of the cup inclination, horizontal and vertical migration of the CLS expansion acetabular cup by methods of Engh et al, and Callagham et al. The results were as follows: 1. The initial adequate contact fit were 39 hips and inadequate fit in 2 hips. 2. The initial acetabular inclination between 35 degrees and 55 degrees were 38 hips. 3. Vertical and/or horizontal migration was not occurred, except 2 hips which were complicated by deep infection. 4. Change of acetabular cup inclination than 5 degrees were not occurred. 5. Radiolucent line wider than 2mm was not found. 6. In final follow up of out 41 hips optimal stability was obtained in 39 hips, suboptimal stability was obtained in 2 hips, and definite instability was not found.
Acetabulum ; Arthroplasty, Replacement, Hip ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hip ; Hip Prosthesis ; Hospitals, General ; Humans ; Orthopedics ; Osteoarthritis, Hip

No abstract available.
Cystic Adenomatoid Malformation of Lung, Congenital* ; Diagnosis*

Since the first descriptions of their active functions more than ten years ago, small non-coding RNA species termed microRNA (miRNA) have emerged as essential regulators in a broad range of adaptive and maladaptive cellular processes. With an exceptionally rapid pace of discovery in this field, the dysregulation of many individual miRNAs has been implicated in the development and progression of various cardiovascular diseases. MiRNA are also expected to play crucial regulatory roles in the progression of pulmonary vascular diseases such as pulmonary hypertension (PH), yet direct insights in this field are only just emerging. This review will provide an overview of pulmonary hypertension and its molecular mechanisms, tailored for both basic scientists studying pulmonary vascular biology and physicians who manage PH in their clinical practice. We will describe the pathobiology of pulmonary hypertension and mechanisms of action of miRNA relevant to this disease. Moreover, we will summarize the potential roles of miRNA as biomarkers and therapeutic targets as well as future strategies for defining the cooperative actions of these powerful effectors in pulmonary vascular disease.
Anoxia ; Biomarkers ; Biology ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Hypertension, Pulmonary ; MicroRNAs ; RNA, Small Untranslated ; Vascular Diseases

BACKGROUND: Enhanced extracellular matrix (ECM) accumulation is an important finding in coronary stent restenotic tissue, in which TGF-beta, implicated in ECM formation, is expressed abundantly. We assessed the hypothesis that blockade of TGF-beta by the local delivery of an adenovirus expressing a soluble form of the TGF-beta type II receptor (AdT beta-ExR), inhibits stent-induced neointima in porcine coronary arteries. METHODS: Two remote coronary arterial segments (n=20) per pig randomly received 1x10(9) pfu of either AdT beta-ExR or adenovirus expressing beta-galactosidase (AdLacZ)/PBS, using an Infiltrator(TM). Stents (n=20) were deployed, after gene transfer, in each segment of 10 pigs. Localized transgene expression was confirmed by both reverse transcription-PCR and immunohistochemistry. Computer-based morphometric assessment was performed in the stented arteries 4 weeks after the gene transfer. RESULTS: There was significantly less intimal area (1.57+/-0.49 vs. 2.13+/-0.34 mm2), area ratio of intima/media (0.84+/-0.44 vs. 1.32+/-0.48) and higher neointimal cell density (3121+/-330 vs. 2812+/-183 cells/mm2) in the arteries treated with AdT beta-ExR compared to the controls (all, p<0.05). Neither the cell proliferation rate, assessed by PCNA immunohistochemistry, nor the injury score were significantly different between the two groups. The distribution of hyaluronan in the intima was less in 4 of the 6 AdT beta-ExR treated arteries compared to the controls. CONCLUSION: Blockade of TGF-beta, by a local in vivo gene transfer of a soluble TGF-beta receptor, inhibits stent-induced neointima, probably by inhibiting the ECM accumulation in porcine coronary arteries, which may have therapeutic potential in the inhibition of restenosis after stenting.
Adenoviridae ; Arteries ; beta-Galactosidase ; Cell Count ; Cell Proliferation ; Coronary Restenosis ; Coronary Vessels ; Extracellular Matrix ; Genetic Therapy ; Hyaluronic Acid ; Immunohistochemistry ; Neointima* ; Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen ; Receptors, Transforming Growth Factor beta ; Stents* ; Swine ; Transforming Growth Factor beta* ; Transgenes

A 64-year-old man complaining of pulsatile headache was admitted. Imaging studies revealed a near-total occlusion of the right proximal internal carotid artery (ICA) with slow antegrade flow into the distal ICA. Right cerebral flow was supplied by collateral flow through the posterior communicating and ophthalmic arteries. He was successfully treated by carotid artery stenting. No new neurological deficit or transient ischemic attack occurred after treatment.
Carotid Arteries ; Carotid Artery Thrombosis ; Carotid Artery, Internal ; Headache ; Humans ; Ischemic Attack, Transient ; Middle Aged ; Ophthalmic Artery ; Stents

BACKGROUND: For hemodialysis patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD), it is important to construct an efficient vascular access with a superior patency rate. This study investigated the factors influencing the efficiency of arteriovenous fistulas (AVFs) constructed using an autologous vessel and evaluated the necessity of ultrasonography as a preoperative tool for AVF construction. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was performed of 250 patients in whom an AVF was constructed using an autologous vessel due to ESRD at our institution from January 2009 to April 2016. RESULTS: The 1-, 3-, and 5-year patency rates for all subjects were 87.6%, 85.6%, and 84.4%, respectively. The patients who underwent a preoperative evaluation of their vessels via ultrasonography had better patency rates than those who did not. Superior patency rates were found in patients under 65 years of age or with an anastomotic vein diameter of 3 mm or more. The 1-year patency rate and the diameter of the anastomotic vein showed a positive relationship. CONCLUSION: Ultrasonography is strongly recommended for AVF construction, and efforts should be made to increase the patency rate in patients over 65. Superior clinical results can be expected when an AVF is made using an autologous vessel with an anastomotic vein diameter of at least 3 mm.
Arteriovenous Fistula* ; Fistula ; Humans ; Kidney Failure, Chronic* ; Renal Dialysis* ; Retrospective Studies ; Ultrasonography ; Veins

OBJECTIVE: To investigate nationwide statistics on flow-diverting stent usage for cerebral aneurysm treatment and related mortality data.METHODS: We requested data extraction from the National Health Insurance Service claims database using electronic data interchange codes (J3207064, J3207073). Patient and hospital information as well as death statistics were collected from the database.RESULTS: A total of 169 procedures were performed using flow-diverting stents for cerebral aneurysm treatment from November 2014 to December 2016 in Korea. The majority of primary diagnosis was unruptured intracranial aneurysm. During the study period, nine subjects died, including one patient initially diagnosed with subarachnoid hemorrhage. The crude mortality rate was 5.3%. Five patients died within one month after the procedure; therefore, the estimated periprocedural mortality rate was 3.0±1.3%. The mortality rate as of the last day of 2016 was 6.3±2.1%.CONCLUSION: In a 171 person-year follow-up in a Korean series, nine deaths occurred after flow-diverting stent treatment. The crude mortality rate in Korea (5.3%) was higher than that reported in a previous meta-analysis (3.8%).
Diagnosis ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Intracranial Aneurysm ; Korea ; Mortality ; National Health Programs ; Stents ; Subarachnoid Hemorrhage