BACKGROUND: As prostate cancer in men is increasing in Korea, the need for early detection by mass screening has become an important issue. Screening tests for early detection of prostate cancer are digital rectal examination, transrectal ultrasonography (TRUS) and prostate specific antigen (PSA) test. PSA test has been mainly used for prostate cancer screening in health promotion centers. However, PSA has a high sensitivity but low specificity. Therefore, PSA concentration can be increased not only in prostate cancer, but also in several benign prostate diseases such as benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH), prostatitis, and prostate ischemia. Also, PSA concentration can increase in the elderly. Therefore, we investigated the results of follow-up PSA tests, in the cases of increased PSA concentration on screening. METHODS: In 538 cases, the PSA concentration were increased over 2.5 ng/ml among total 17,302 males checked up on screening test at Ajou University Hospital from January 1999 to December 2001. Two hundred and four cases followed up with TRUS or prostate biopsy were chosen. We investigated 89 cases who performed follow- up PSA test. On the basis of the results of biopsy or TRUS, the subjects were classified into non-disease group, benign prostate disease group and prostate cancer group (possible or confirmed prostate cancer group). RESULTS: The mean age of non-disease group was 35.5 5.9 years, which was significantly lower than that of benign prostate disease group and prostate cancer group (P<0.05). Compared to the mean age of prostate cancer group (60.6 10.4 years) and non-prostate cancer group (53.1 12.3 years), prostate cancer group was significantly older than non prostate cancer group (P=0.005). When the lower limit of age was set to 40 years (mean-2SD), confirmed prostate cancer group was significantly older than other groups (p<0.001). The PSA concentration of confirmed prostate cancer group (11.33 7.58 ng/ml) was significantly higher than that of non-prostate disease group (4.35 2.22 ng/ml) and possible prostate cancer group (4.44 2.29 ng/ml) (P<0.05). The follow-up PSA level of confirmed prostate cancer group (10.13 6.13 ng/ml) was significantly higher than that of non-prostate disease group (2.55 0.97 ng/ml), BPH group (4.33 3.80 ng/ml), prostatitis group (3.61 2.17 ng/ml), prostate cyst group (3.00 1.86 ng/ml) and possible prostate cancer group (3.81 2.82 ng/ml) (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: It is recommended that screening test for prostate cancer be performed after the age of 40. While follow-up PSA test is needed when the PSA is increased up to less than 10 ng/ml, prostate biopsy may be desired in the PSA value of 10.0 ng/ml or greater.
Aged ; Biopsy ; Digital Rectal Examination ; Follow-Up Studies ; Health Promotion ; Humans ; Hyperplasia ; Ischemia ; Korea ; Male ; Mass Screening ; Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia Type 1 ; Prostate* ; Prostate-Specific Antigen* ; Prostatic Neoplasms ; Prostatitis ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Ultrasonography

Deciding on the appropriate antiplatelet therapy is a challenge when treating patients with idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) and who are undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). We describe here a case of PCI in a patient with chronic, refractory ITP. A 61-year-old woman presented with exertional chest pain and a low platelet count (4 x 109/L) at admission. Coronary angiography revealed 99% stenosis of the mid left anterior descending artery and 95% stenosis of the mid left circumflex artery. Antiplatelet agents couldn't be administered because of the risk of bleeding. After transfusion of platelets and administering intravenous immunoglobulin, we deployed baremetal stents in both lesions without administering any antiplatelet agents. Although focal in-stent restenosis developed 5 months later, there was no episode of stent thrombosis despite not using antiplatelet agents. The present case suggests that the rate of stent thrombosis may be lower was previously thought and antiplatelet therapy may be considered on a case by case for patient suffering with thrombocytopenia.
Arteries ; Chest Pain ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Coronary Angiography ; Female ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Immunoglobulins ; Middle Aged ; Myocardial Infarction ; Percutaneous Coronary Intervention ; Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors* ; Platelet Count ; Purpura, Thrombocytopenic, Idiopathic* ; Stents* ; Thrombocytopenia ; Thrombosis

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Previous studies have suggested that women with AMI are less aggressively managed than men. The aim of this study was to assess the differences between the sexes, in terms of the medical and invasive coronary procedures, in AMI patients during the 1990s, and the association to in-hospital mortality. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: In 1758 AMI patients, the baseline clinical characteristics, initial management and in-hospital outcomes, were studied. RESULTS: The women, on average, were older than men (68.8+/-10.6 versus 59.2+/-12.3, p<0.01), with a higher prevalence of diabetes and hypertension. Women received heparin and b-blockers less often than men. The unadjusted rates of thrombolysis, angiography and PTCA use were lower in women than men, but not after covariate adjustment. The in-hospital mortality was higher in women than men (11.7% versus 8.1%, odd ratio (OR) 1.51, 95% CI 1.09 to 2.11, p<0.05), but this difference was not significant after adjustment for age (adjusted OR 0.98, 95% CI 0.69 to 1.40, p=NS). CONCLUSION: Women with AMI are less aggressively managed than men, and have higher in-hospital mortalities. The difference in outcome seems to be associated with increased age, with a greater co-morbidity of women.
Angiography ; Female ; Heparin ; Hospital Mortality ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Male ; Mortality ; Myocardial Infarction* ; Prevalence ; Sex Characteristics*

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Fibrinolytic therapy or percutaneous coronary intervention are different forms of reperfusion therapy for an acute myocardial infarction. The aim of this study was to assess the differences in the early managements, including reperfusion therapy and inhospital outcomes, of patients with acute myocardial infarction (MI) between hospitals with and without coronary revascularization facilities. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: The clinical characteristics, reperfusion therapy, initial medical treatments, frequency of invasive and non-invasive studies and inhospital mortalities of 962 and 433 acute myocardial infarction patients in hospitals with and without coronary revascularization facilities, respectively, between 1995 and 2000, were retrospectively compared. RESULTS: There were no differences in the clinical characteristics between two groups. There was also no difference in the rate of reperfusion therapy between two groups (57.9 vs. 58.0 %, p=NS). Patients in hospitals with coronary revascularization facilities more often underwent coronary angiography (18.9 vs. 61.4%, p<0.01), but less often underwent stress tests (162 vs. 40.5%, p0.05). The hospital mortalities were 9.7 and 9.8%, respectively, in hospitals with and without coronary revascularization facilities (p=NS). CONCLUSION: Those patients with acute MI admitted to hospital without coronary revascularization facilities appear to have a similar likelihood of receiving reperfusion therapy and other medications, including aspirin and beta-blockers, and similar inhospital outcomes to those admitted to hospitals with such facilities.
Aspirin ; Coronary Angiography ; Exercise Test ; Hospital Mortality ; Humans ; Myocardial Infarction* ; Percutaneous Coronary Intervention ; Reperfusion ; Retrospective Studies ; Thrombolytic Therapy

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Receptor for advanced glycosylation end product (RAGE) plays an important role in the development of myocardial fibrosis in diabetics. Activation of peroxisome proliferator activated receptor (PPAR)-gamma agonist, rosiglitazone, reduces the RAGE expression. We investigated whether rosiglitazone could prevent left ventricle (LV) diastolic dysfunction and attenuate the myocardial fibrosis in a type 2 diabetic rat model. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Otsuka Long-Evans Tokushima Fatty (OLETF) rats were treated with rosiglitazone (20 mg/kg/d) for 20 weeks. At the age of 20 and 40 weeks, all rats underwent intraperitoneal glucose tolerance tests, hemodynamic studies and Doppler echocardiography. At the age of 40 weeks, the hearts were examined by performing histopathological and immunohistochemical analyses. RESULTS: At the age of 40 weeks, rosiglitazone significant improved the parameters of the LV diastolic function such as the E/A ratio (treated vs. untreated: 1.7+/-0.1 vs. 1.5+/-0.1, p<0.05), the deceleration time and the isovolumic relaxation time in the OLETF rats, and this was correlated histologically to the reduced LV collagen volume fraction in the rosiglitazonetreated OLETF rats (3.2+/-1.3% vs. 5.7+/-2.0%, respectively, p<0.001). Rosiglitazone also significantly reduced the percentage of staining of the LV CTGF (7.4+/-2.5% vs. 15.4+/-4.7%, respectively, p<0.001) and RAGE (1.1+/-0.4% vs. 2.0+/-0.8%, respectively, p<0.001), as compared with the untreated OLETF rats. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that rosiglitazone could prevent LV diastolic dysfunction and attenuate myocardial fibrosis in type 2 diabetic rats by its inhibition of the RAGE and CTGF expression. PPAR-gamma agonist may provide a potential therapeutic approach for diabetic heart disease.
Animals ; Collagen ; Deceleration ; Echocardiography, Doppler ; Fibrosis* ; Glucose Tolerance Test ; Glycosylation ; Heart ; Heart Diseases ; Heart Ventricles ; Hemodynamics ; Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins ; Models, Animal* ; Peroxisomes ; Rage ; Rats* ; Rats, Inbred OLETF ; Relaxation

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: LMWH as a periprocedural anticoagulant during PCI has not yet been extensively studied. The aim of this study is to compare the clinical outcomes of enoxaparin to those of unfractionated heparin (UH) during elective PCI. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: The eligible patients were randomized 1:1 into two treatment arms, either a single IV bolus of enoxaparin (75 IU/kg) or UH (100 IU/kg). The patients who had received any anticoagulants at therapeutic doses were excluded in this study. Data on patient characteristics, angiographic complications, laboratory variables and the in-hospital and 1-month clinical outcomes were compared between the two groups. RESULTS: Of the 139 patients enrolled in this study, 68 received enoxaparin and 71 received UH. The patients' demographic and angiographic characteristics (gender, weight, creatinine and the PCI target vessel) were not different except for age between the groups. Multi-vessel angioplasty was performed in 59 (42.4%) patients. At least one stent was implanted in 130 (93.5%) patients. The sheath was removed immediately after PCI, except for one case, and then a collagen plug was applied in all the cases. There were no significant differences in angiographic complications like no reflow, thrombus at the treated lesion site, occlusion of collateral branches, distal embolism, dissection, coronary rupture or abrupt closure. Cardiac markers including CK (6 [8.8%] in the LMWH group vs 8 [11.3%] in the UH group), CK-MB (6 [8.8%] vs 8 [11.3%], respectively), and troponin-I (6 [8.8%] vs 10 [14.1%], respectively) were slightly increased after PCI compared to the last value obtained before the procedure in both groups, but the differences were not statistically significant. One patient in the enoxaparin arm and 2 patients in the UH arm developed NSTEMI during their admission. Four patients from the UH arm and 3 from the enoxaparin arm experienced hematoma at the puncture site. After discharge, no other events were reported at the 1-month follow-up. CONCLUSION: The use of enoxaparin (75 IU/kg) during elective PCI was effective and safe as using UH. Enoxaparin could be used like UH as a periprocedural anticoagulant in the elective PCI setting.
Angioplasty ; Anticoagulants ; Arm ; Collagen ; Creatinine ; Embolism ; Enoxaparin ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hematoma ; Heparin* ; Heparin, Low-Molecular-Weight* ; Humans ; Percutaneous Coronary Intervention* ; Prospective Studies* ; Punctures ; Rupture ; Stents ; Thrombosis ; Troponin I

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: LMWH as a periprocedural anticoagulant during PCI has not yet been extensively studied. The aim of this study is to compare the clinical outcomes of enoxaparin to those of unfractionated heparin (UH) during elective PCI. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: The eligible patients were randomized 1:1 into two treatment arms, either a single IV bolus of enoxaparin (75 IU/kg) or UH (100 IU/kg). The patients who had received any anticoagulants at therapeutic doses were excluded in this study. Data on patient characteristics, angiographic complications, laboratory variables and the in-hospital and 1-month clinical outcomes were compared between the two groups. RESULTS: Of the 139 patients enrolled in this study, 68 received enoxaparin and 71 received UH. The patients' demographic and angiographic characteristics (gender, weight, creatinine and the PCI target vessel) were not different except for age between the groups. Multi-vessel angioplasty was performed in 59 (42.4%) patients. At least one stent was implanted in 130 (93.5%) patients. The sheath was removed immediately after PCI, except for one case, and then a collagen plug was applied in all the cases. There were no significant differences in angiographic complications like no reflow, thrombus at the treated lesion site, occlusion of collateral branches, distal embolism, dissection, coronary rupture or abrupt closure. Cardiac markers including CK (6 [8.8%] in the LMWH group vs 8 [11.3%] in the UH group), CK-MB (6 [8.8%] vs 8 [11.3%], respectively), and troponin-I (6 [8.8%] vs 10 [14.1%], respectively) were slightly increased after PCI compared to the last value obtained before the procedure in both groups, but the differences were not statistically significant. One patient in the enoxaparin arm and 2 patients in the UH arm developed NSTEMI during their admission. Four patients from the UH arm and 3 from the enoxaparin arm experienced hematoma at the puncture site. After discharge, no other events were reported at the 1-month follow-up. CONCLUSION: The use of enoxaparin (75 IU/kg) during elective PCI was effective and safe as using UH. Enoxaparin could be used like UH as a periprocedural anticoagulant in the elective PCI setting.
Angioplasty ; Anticoagulants ; Arm ; Collagen ; Creatinine ; Embolism ; Enoxaparin ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hematoma ; Heparin* ; Heparin, Low-Molecular-Weight* ; Humans ; Percutaneous Coronary Intervention* ; Prospective Studies* ; Punctures ; Rupture ; Stents ; Thrombosis ; Troponin I

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Placement of drug-eluting stents (DES) can be complicated by stent thrombosis; prophylactic antiplatelet therapy has been used to prevent such events. We evaluated the efficacy of cilostazol with regard to stent thrombosis as adjunctive antiplatelet therapy. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: A total of 1,315 patients (846 males, 469 females) were prospectively enrolled and analyzed for the frequency of stent thrombosis. Patients with known risk factors for stent thrombosis, except diabetes and acute coronary syndrome, were excluded from the study. All patients maintained antiplatelet therapy for at least six months. To evaluate the effects of cilostazol as another option for antiplatelet therapy, triple antiplatelet therapy (aspirin+clopidogrel+cilostazol, n=502) was compared to dual antiplatelet therapy (aspirin+clopidogrel, n=813). Six months after stent placement, all patients received only two antiplatelet drugs: treatment either with cilostazol+aspirin (cilostazol group) or clopidogrel+aspirin (clopidogrel group). There were 1,033 patients (396 in cilostazol group and 637 in clopidogrel group) that maintained antiplatelet therapy for at least 12 months and were included in this study. Stent thrombosis was defined and classified according to the definition reported by the Academic Research Consortium (ARC). RESULTS: defined and classified according to the definition reported by the Academic Research Consortium (ARC). RESULTS: During follow-up (561.7+/-251.4 days), 15 patients (1.14%) developed stent thrombosis between day 1 to day 657. Stent thrombosis occurred in seven patients (1.39%) on triple antiplatelet therapy and four patients (0.49%) on dual antiplatelet therapy (p=NS) within the first six months after stenting. Six months and later, after stent implantation, one patient (0.25%) developed stent thrombosis in the cilostazol group, and three (0.47%) in the clopidogrel group (p=NS). CONCLUSION: During the first six months after DES triple antiplatelet therapy may be more effective than dual antiplatelet therapy for the prevention of stent thrombosis. However, after the first six months, dual antiplatelet treatment, with aspirin and cilostazol, may have a better cost benefit ratio for the prevention of stent thrombosis.
Acute Coronary Syndrome ; Aspirin ; Cost-Benefit Analysis ; Drug-Eluting Stents ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Male ; Prospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Stents ; Tetrazoles ; Thrombosis ; Ticlopidine

BACKGROUND: Coronary artery disease (CAD) has recently become one of the major causes of mortality and morbidity in Korea. However, not much epidemiologic and demographic data has yet been reported. The purpose of this study was to investigate the clinical features as well as the prognostic factors of patients with CAD. METHODS: We prospectively enrolled 1,665 consecutive patients with CAD who had been admitted to the Catholic University Hospitals from December 1999 to April 2003. RESULTS: Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) was the most common cause of admission (n=715, 42.9%). Dyslipidemia, hypertension and smoking were the most common risk factors. More than 70% of the patients who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) received stent implantation. A total of 965 (612 males) patients were followed at least for 6 months (the mean follow-up duration was 23.8+/-12.2 months). The incidence rates of major adverse cardiac events (MACE: cardiac death, acute myocardial infarction, target vessel revascularization) and cardiac death were 15.1% (n=146) and 2.2% (n=21), respectively. There was no difference in overall survival between the patients treated with medical therapy and those treated with PCI. By Cox regression analysis, the independent prognostic factors for MACE were PCI (95% CI: 1.75-4.85; p<0.01) and multivessel disease (95% CI: 1.03-2.04; p<0.05), and the independent prognostic factors for cardiac death were medical therapy (95% CI: 1.08-14.41; p<0.05) and old age (95% CI: 1.13-16.13; p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: There was no difference in overall survival between the patients treated with medical therapy and those treated with PCI. However, PCI was superior to medical therapy for preventing death of the patients with acute coronary syndrome.
Acute Coronary Syndrome ; Coronary Artery Disease* ; Coronary Disease ; Coronary Vessels* ; Death ; Dyslipidemias ; Follow-Up Studies ; Heart* ; Hospitals, University ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Incidence ; Korea ; Mortality ; Myocardial Infarction ; Percutaneous Coronary Intervention ; Prognosis ; Prospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Stents

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