BACKGROUND: Chronic low back pain can be a manifestation of lumbar degenerative disease, herniation of intervertebral discs, arthritis, or lumbar stenosis. When nerve roots are compromised, low back pain, with or without lower extremity involvement, may occur. Local inflammatory processes play an important role in patients with acute lumbosciatic pain. The purpose of this study was to assess the value of erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) measurements in patients with chronic low back pain or radiculopathy. METHODS: ESR and hsCRP were measured in 273 blood samples from male and female subjects with low back pain and/or radiculopathy due to herniated lumbar disc, spinal stenosis, facet syndrome, and other diseases. The hsCRP and ESR were measured prior to lumbar epidural steroid injection. RESULTS: The mean ESR was 18.8 mm/h and mean hsCRP was 1.1 mg/L. ESR had a correlation with age. CONCLUSIONS: A significant systemic inflammatory reaction did not appear to arise in patients with chronic low back pain.
Arthritis ; Blood Sedimentation ; C-Reactive Protein ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Erythrocytes ; Female ; Humans ; Intervertebral Disc ; Low Back Pain ; Lower Extremity ; Male ; Radiculopathy ; Spinal Stenosis

It is well known that histologic grade and tumor stage are important prognostic factors, and that the monoclonal antibody to proliferating cell nuclear antigen(PCNA) can recognize S-phase cells. The PCNA index of 53 transitional cell carcinomas(TCCs) of the urinary bladder was studied to evaluate its prognostic validity. The PCNA indices of TCCs ranged from 38 to 92, whih were quite different from that of normal transitional epithelium(9.4). The PCNA indices were significantly higher in tumors of the higher histologic grade and/or tumor stage(correlation coefficient 0.64 and 0.43; P=0.00). The PCNA index was particularly valuable in discriminating the superficial TCCs from the deeply invasive TCCs(67.1+/-15.46 and 79.9+/-9.70; P=0.000). Among TCCs of the same tumor stage, the histologic grade affected the PCNA index. However, TCCs of the same histologic grade revealed similar PCNA indices regardless of tumor stage. These results indicate that the PCNA index is an objective and reliable prognostic factor in TCCs, which is superior to the conventional histologic grade.

No abstract available.
Thromboangiitis Obliterans

No abstract available.
Mesenteric Veins ; Thrombosis

No abstract available.
Amniotic Fluid* ; Arteries* ; Female ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Outcome* ; Pregnancy* ; Rheology*

Although wound healing is a natural biologic process by which the homeostasis is preserved, the resultant hypertrophic scar or scar contracture may produce undesirable morphologic and functional sequelae. To overcome these problems, a number of attempts to produce skin substitute have been made in recent years, but none have proved to be entirely satisfactory. We compared the wound healing of full-thickness dorsal skin defects between ADM(acelluar dermal matrix)-applied wound and ADM non-applied wound group in 20 adult female Sprague-Dawley rats. The wound area was serially evaluated at 1,2,3 weeks and the difference in the mean area ratios between the two groups was then statistically analyzed using Wilcoxon rank sums test. We also performed histological evaluation of the wounds at 1,2,3 weeks. Results were as follows: 1. Experimentally produced ADM was easy to handle. Histologic findings showed no epithelium, no appendages, no cells dermal and subcutaneous layer and pure bundles of collagen. 2. The wound area ratio of ADM applied wound group was statistically larger than that of ADM non-applied(control) wound group. That is, ADM was able to inhibit the wound contraction compared with the ADM non-applied wound group. 3. In the ADM-applied group, we observed low grade exudates, no infection, fine take-up of ADM on full-thickness skin defect, gross and histologic findings of neovascularization, and progressive epithelization on ADM. These findings of biologic attachment implies the function of the ADM as a dermal substitute. These can be basis of the study on the development of artificial skin.
Acellular Dermis* ; Adult ; Animals ; Cicatrix ; Cicatrix, Hypertrophic ; Collagen ; Contracture ; Epithelium ; Exudates and Transudates ; Female ; Homeostasis ; Humans ; Rats* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Skin* ; Skin, Artificial ; Wound Healing ; Wounds and Injuries*

PURPOSE: In contracted bladder of various etiologies, if many of conservative managements fail, a surgical treatment seems to be the only therapeutic approach. We tried to evaluate the long term results of aug mentation cystoplasty including the postoperative complication and the degree of satisfaction in patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From 1989 to 1988, augmentation cystoplasties had been performed in 11 patients with contracted bladder of various etiologies. We reviewed the patients' medical records including the result of urodynamic examinations, retrospectively. Postoperative follow-up periods were 9 to 114months (mean:61months). Patients were interviewed by telephone. RESULTS: Urinary frequency, nocturia, dysuria and suprapubic pain were improved in all patients, but dysuria persisted in one patient with tuberculous cystitis. Clean intermittent catheterization (CIC) was done in there of 11 patients due to large volume of residual urine. The volume of residual urine was 200-300ml in one with hyperreflexic neurogenic bladder, and 100-200ml in two with interstitial cystitis. Self voiding was possible in 8 patients with residual urine volume less than 90ml. Almost all patients were very satisfied symptomatically in the telephone survey. There were no significant complications which required surgical revision. CONCLUSIONS: It is concluded that augmentation cystoplasty could be an excellent method of treatment for selective patients with contracted bladder, who have not improved symtomatically by medication or conservative management.
Cystitis ; Cystitis, Interstitial ; Dysuria ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Intermittent Urethral Catheterization ; Medical Records ; Nocturia ; Postoperative Complications ; Reoperation ; Retrospective Studies ; Telephone ; Urinary Bladder* ; Urinary Bladder, Neurogenic ; Urodynamics

BACKGROUND: Recently, the incidence of acute myocardial infaction has been gradually increasing as prolongation of life spans and improvements of diet and life styles in Korea. The rate of mortality and sudden death is higher than other diseases. The purpose of this study is to evaluate factors which can affect on the mortality of AMI during initial 24 hrs. METHODS: A retrospective clinical study was done on 364 consecutive patients with AMI who had been presented to Keimyung University Dong-sang Medical Center from January 1990 to May 1997(M:F ratio=254:110). The subjects were divided two groups. The Group I was patients who had expired during the initial 24hrs period of AMI(47 patients, 13%), the Group II was patients who had survived(317 patients, 87%). We compared clinical features, EKG, laboratory results in both groups and tried to analyse the vulnarable factors. RESULTS: The results were as follows; 1) The mean age in Group I (64.4 yearly) was older than in Group II(61.3 yearly) and female gender was also higher in Group I. The mean systolic/diastolic blood pressures of the Group I(103/61mmHg) were lower than those of the Group II(123/75mmHg). 2) The chest pain and mental change were noted more frequently in Group I than in Group II and the dyspnea was less frequent in Group I than Group II. 3) The higher grades of Killip classification was significantly more frequent in Group I than in Group II. 4) The mean onset to drug time for thrombolytics in Group I and Group II were 14.1 hrs and 6.6 hrs. 5) The mortality rate of the Group I and the Group II were respectively 13%, 6.6%. The most common causes of death were cardiogenic shock and ventricular arrhythmia. CONCLUSION: The mortality rate of initial 24 hrs of onset as form of sudden death was higher than post-24hrs group(66.2%). The factors for the higher mortality group were old age and female gender, and they were unstable in vital signs, higher Killip classifications. Therefore, these groups demand more rapid and aggressive approach than the other groups.
Arrhythmias, Cardiac ; Cause of Death ; Chest Pain ; Classification ; Death, Sudden ; Diet ; Dyspnea ; Electrocardiography ; Female ; Humans ; Incidence ; Korea ; Life Style ; Life Support Care ; Mortality* ; Myocardial Infarction* ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors* ; Shock, Cardiogenic ; Vital Signs

No abstract available.
Histiocytoma, Benign Fibrous*

We report a case of calcinosis cutis following administration of 10% calcium gluconate, used for the treatment of a hypocalcemic seizure in a 5-week-old neonate. After administration of 10% calcium gluconate, subcutaneous induration developed at the infusion site. The histopathological findings taken from the dorsum of the left foot showed multiple foci of calcium deposits with infiltration of epitheloid histiocytes between collagen bundles and foreign body giant cells phagocyting calcific granules throughout the reticular dermis and subcutis.
Administration, Intravenous* ; Calcinosis* ; Calcium Gluconate* ; Calcium* ; Collagen ; Dermis ; Foot ; Giant Cells, Foreign-Body ; Histiocytes ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Seizures