Ambulatory BP monitoring was performed in a patients with pheochromocytoma before and after removal of the tumor. Before surgery, it did not show any significant diurnal variation. But, after surgery the diurnal variation was restored.
Blood Pressure Monitoring, Ambulatory* ; Blood Pressure* ; Humans ; Pheochromocytoma*

BACKGROUND: The SF-6D, derived from the SF-36, is a preference-based instrument measuring health-related quality of life (HRQOL). Using this tool, we measured the HRQOL of persons disabled by stroke dwelling in Gyeongju city and identified factors affecting the HRQOL. METHODS: As of March 2008, 991 persons who had had a stroke and were aged 50 and over were identified on the Gyeongju city disabled registry. Interviewers specifically trained for this face-to-face survey gathered pertinent information including general and clinical characteristics from June to October 2008. In addition, the health status was measured using the Modified Rankin Scale, the Barthel ADL index, and the SF-36. The SF-6D index was derived from the SF-36. We analyzed the known-group construct validity and convergent validity. Finally, we performed multiple regression analyses to identify factors affecting the HRQOL. RESULTS: Of the 991 potential subjects, 498 persons participated in the interviews (response rate: 50.3%). The SF-6D indices for females and those aged 70 and over were lower than indices for males and those aged 60 and less. Correlation coefficients between the Modified Rankin Scale, the Barthel index, and the SF-6D index were relatively high (-0.533 and 0.555, respectively) and statistically significant (P<0.001). Multiple regression analyses showed that sex, age, smoking, alcohol use, comorbidity, the Modified Rankin Scale, and the Barthel index had an effect on the SF-6D index of persons with stroke, and the Barthel index was the most important factor. CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicate that the SF-6D can be a valid tool for evaluating health states of persons disabled by stroke, and functional limitation was the main factor affecting the HRQOL.
Activities of Daily Living ; Aged ; Comorbidity ; Disabled Persons ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Quality of Life ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Stroke ; Value of Life ; Surveys and Questionnaires

PURPOSE: Actinomycosis is still a relatively rare infection, characterized by multiple abscesses, draining sinuses and the appearance of sulfur granules, which are valuable in aiding the diagnosing the discharge of involved tissues. In most instances, the onset of an abdominal disease is preceded by inflammatory or a traumatic incident resulting in the perforation of the mucosa of the gastrointestinal tract. Intensive and prolonged antimicrobial therapy, and wide surgical excision of involved tissues are the two general principles of therapy. METHODS: We experienced 8 cases of abdominal actinomycosis after a laparotomy between March 1997 and February 2002. RESULTS: The results were as follows: 1) There was a 1: 1 male to female ratio of abdominal actinomycosis, and a mean age of 47 years. 2) The clinical features were different for each involved organ, -but, most of the clinical symptoms were nonspecific to suspect actinomycosis. 3) The frequently involved organs were mainly located lower abdomen, such as the appendix and cecum, sigmoid colon and small bowel. 4) In 60% of the patients, the predisposing factors were identifiable, these being: a previous abdominal operation, IUD and abdominal injury. 5) The preoperative diagnoses included: acute appendicitis, and periappendiceal and intra-abdominal abscesses. The pre-exploratory diagnoses were made by ultrasound and abdominal CT. 6) Explorations were performed in all patients, depending on their diagnosis, to afford the proper surgical treatment and correct diagnosis. After the operation, all the patients were treated with oral antibiotics for long period. CONCLUSION: The authors conclude that pre-exploratory cytological or culture studies, with careful history taking, for low abdominal tumors or abscesses may increase the rate of correct diagnosis, as could proper explorations.
Abdomen ; Abdominal Abscess ; Abdominal Injuries ; Abscess ; Actinomycosis* ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Appendicitis ; Appendix ; Causality ; Cecum ; Colon, Sigmoid ; Diagnosis ; Female ; Gastrointestinal Tract ; Humans ; Laparotomy ; Male ; Mucous Membrane ; Sulfur ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Ultrasonography

Although basic mechanisms of atopic dermatitis remain largely speculative, many studies on pathogenesis suggest the importance of food and inhalent allergens. To evaluate the frequency of food and house dust mite hypersensitivity and differences in this frequency according to ages, we measured the levels of specific IgE antibodies to egg white, egg yolk, milk, soy, and house dust mites in 119 children with atopic dermatitis. The results showed that 53% of patients had positive RAST to any one kind of allergens. The frequency of food and house dust mite hypersensitivity were 34.5%, 30.3 %, respectively. Among allergens, house dust mites and egg white are the most prevalent allergens in all atopic dermatitis patients. The Prevalence of egg white is most common under the age of 2 years, but those of house dust mites are the dust mites are the highest in the ages of 5-12 years. In conclusion, we recommend an egg restriction diet in atopic dermatitis patients who are less than 2 years old when their symptoms do not improve with general skin care.
Allergens ; Antibodies ; Antigens, Dermatophagoides ; Child* ; Child, Preschool ; Dermatitis, Atopic* ; Diet ; Dust* ; Egg White ; Egg Yolk ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity ; Immunoglobulin E ; Mites ; Ovum ; Prevalence ; Pyroglyphidae* ; Skin Care ; Soy Milk

No abstract available.
Intestinal Atresia*

BACKGROUND: gamma-Aminobutyric acid (GABA), the principal inhibitory neurotransmitter, activates persistent low amplitude tonic currents in several brain regions, in addition to conventional synaptic currents. Tonic conductance is highly sensitive to low concentrations of volatile anesthetics and therefore might contribute to amnestic properties. We compared the properties of GABAergic tonic currents mediated by sedative-amnestic midazolam and anesthetic propofol in rat hippocampal neurons. METHODS: Patch clamp techniques were used to characterize the GABAergic currents recorded in CA1 pyramidal neurons in rat hippocampal slices. The amplitude of the tonic currents and the decay of miniature inhibitory postsynaptic currents (mIPSCs) were measured after administration of midazolam or propofol. RESULTS: Both midazolam and propofol caused concentration dependent increases in the tonic currents. The enhancement of the tonic currents by midazolam concentrations of greater than 0.5 microM caused no further increase in current amplitude. Propofol continued to increase with concentrations over the range tested (0.1-10 microM). Low concentrations of midazolam 0.01 microM and propofol 0.5 microM selectively enhanced the tonic currents but failed to alter mIPSCs. CONCLUSIONS: Low concentrations of midazolam and propofol selectively enhanced the tonic currents but not synaptic currents of rat hippocampal pyramidal neurons. Unlike midazolam, the response to propofol did not become saturated and had a greater effect on the tonic currents.
Anesthetics ; Animals ; Brain ; gamma-Aminobutyric Acid ; Hippocampus ; Inhibitory Postsynaptic Potentials ; Midazolam ; Neurons ; Neurotransmitter Agents ; Patch-Clamp Techniques ; Propofol ; Rats

No abstract available.

No abstract available.
Pyloric Stenosis*

Hydranencephaly is congenital absence of the cerebral hemispheres which are replaced by a large fluid-filled cavity. The brain stem and basal ganglia are well formed and rudiments of frontal k occipital cortex may be present. We experienced a case of hydranencephaly caused by both internal carotid artery stenosis. We diagnosed it through the brain CT sonogram and doppler sonogram. A brief review of the related literatures was made.
Basal Ganglia ; Brain ; Brain Stem ; Carotid Artery, Internal* ; Carotid Stenosis* ; Cerebrum ; Hydranencephaly*

PURPOSE: Neonatal hyperbilirubinemia has benign courses in most cases, but the possibility of toxicity of hyperbilirubinemia required courses examination of every newborn infant to identify the severity of hyperbilirubinemia progress. This study aims to see how the body surface area of newborns influences the decline rate of serum bilirubin level in conventional phototherapy. METHODS: Based on the charts of the Pediatrics Department, Dae-Dong Hospital from January 2003 to December 2006, we analyzed 168 neonates diagnosed as neonatal hyperbilirubinemia (serum bilirubin > or =15 mg/dL) in retrospective way. We excluded newborn infants under 37 weeks of gestation and under 2,500 g birth weight and classified neonates into four groups by the calculation results of body surface area:males above 75 percentile (group A), males below 25 (group B), females above 75 (group C), and females below 25 (group D). RESULTS: Out of 168 samples, the number of group A, B, C, D was 30, 20, 20, 15 respectively. In conventional phototherapy, the mean decline rates of serum bilirubin of group B and D recording 2.09 mg/dL/day and 1.77 mg/dL/day, were significantly faster than those of group A and C recording 1.63 mg/dL/day and 1.41 mg/dL/day (P<0.01). No significant differences were found in different duration of phototherapy between groups below 25 percentile and those above 75 in both genders. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, body surface area influences of infants the decline rate of serum bilirubin level in conventional phototherapy.
Bilirubin* ; Birth Weight ; Body Surface Area* ; Female ; Humans ; Hyperbilirubinemia ; Hyperbilirubinemia, Neonatal ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Male ; Pediatrics ; Phototherapy* ; Pregnancy ; Retrospective Studies