BACKGROUND: Recent evidences suggest that anesthetic action within the spinal cord is important in suppressing somatic responses to painful stimuli. Intrathecal endothelin-1 (ET-1) is known to have antinociceptive effect. The purpose of this experiment was to determine whether intrathecal ET-1 may influence the minimum alveolar concentration (MAC) of isoflurane in rats and access the role of the spinal cord as the sites of anesthetic action in blocking somatic responsiveness. METHODS: In Sprague-Dawley rats fitted with an indwelling intrathecal catheter, we determined the MAC of isoflurane using a tail-clamp technique as a painful stimulus, combined with end-tidal anesthetic sampling. In experiment 1, the control MAC was determined and changes of control MAC were observed after intrathecal ET-1 (4x10-2 nmol, 4x10-3 nmol) administration. In experiment 2, we observed the effects of L or N type Ca++ channel blocker such as verapamil (50 g) or W-conotoxin (0.5 g) on the MAC after measurement of the control MAC. In experiment 3, after measurement of the control MAC, ET-1 (10-2 nmol) was administered intrathecally and the MAC was determined again. Next, intrathecal verapamil (50 g) or W-conotoxin (0.5 g) was injected. After that, the MAC was determined again. RESULTS: In experiment 1, ET-1 decreased the MAC of isoflurane and its effect was sustained over 2 hours. In experiment 2, the MAC, determined following administration of verapamil or W-conotoxin, was not different from that of the control. In experiment 3, the MAC was decreased after ET-1 administration and then increased following injection of verapamil or W-conotoxin. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggested that ET-1, in relation to calcium, might play an important role in determining the MAC of isoflurane in the spinal cord.
Animals ; Calcium ; Catheters ; Endothelin-1* ; Isoflurane* ; Rats* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Spinal Cord ; Verapamil

OBJECTIVES: REM sleep behavior disorder (RBD) has received little attention in epidemiologic studies. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of probable REM sleep behavior disorder (pRBD) in the elderly population and its clinical features. METHODS: A random sample of 1,588 was selected from a roster of 14,050 elderly population living in Osan city. The subjects were asked to fill out the REM sleep behavior disorder screening questionnaire (RBDSQ). Subjects whose score were 5 or higher on RBDSQ underwent a diagnostic phase of person-to-person assessment by experts in RBD. RESULTS: Among 1,588 subjects, 886 elderly subjects participated in the screening phase and 123 subjects were assessed in the diagnostic phase. Eleven subjects were diagnosed as having pRBD, so prevalence was 1.5% (95% CI=0.70-2.30%). The frequency of depression and cognitive decline was significantly increased in patients with pRBD compared to subjects without pRBD, and there was no difference in sleep disturbances between two groups. CONCLUSIONS: Probable REM sleep behavior disorder is not rare in the elderly but frequently under-recognized. More attention should be paid to evaluation and treatment of RBD.
Aged ; Depression ; Epidemiologic Studies ; Humans ; Mass Screening ; Prevalence ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; REM Sleep Behavior Disorder ; Sleep, REM

No abstract available.
Bronchopulmonary Sequestration*

Sixty healthy adult patients undergoing general anesthesia for elective surgery were randomly allocated to three group(n = 20), and their EMG response(twitch height) of the adductor digiti mini muscle(hypothena) to TOF stimulation of ulnar nerve by Datex relaxograph was monitored. The patients were received a bolus injection of vecuronium(0.1mg/kg) alone in group I, vecuronium(0.1 mg/kg) after 25-50% recovery from SCh(l mg/kg) in group II, and the mixed injection of SCh(1 mg/kg) and vecuronium(O.I mg/kg) in group III. The onset time(mean SEM) of effect of vecuronium(0.1 mg/kg) in group II(2.2+/-0.4 min) and group III(1.7+/-0.2 min) significantly was shorten when compared with a bolus injection of vecuronium alone in group(4.4+/-0,4 min)(p<0.05). The duration(mean+/-SEM) of vecuronium(0.1 mg/kg), however, had no significant differences among three group. It was 33+/-2 min in group I, 39+/-3 min in group II, and 34+/-2 min in group III. The potency of twitch height depression of vecuronium(0.1 mg/kg) was increased significantly following preinjection of SCh(1 mg/kg) and at the mixed injection of SCh and vecuronium The intensity of fasciculation induced by SCh was not affected at the mixed injection of vecuronium in group III. The peak increases in arterial pressare and heart rate on the endotracheal intubation were attenuated significantly at the mixed injection of SCh (1 mg/kg) and vecuronium(0.1 mg/kg) when compared with its effect of SCh (1 mg/kg) in group II(p<0.05).
Adult ; Anesthesia, General ; Depression ; Fasciculation ; Heart Rate ; Humans ; Intubation, Intratracheal ; Neuromuscular Blockade* ; Succinylcholine* ; Ulnar Nerve ; Vecuronium Bromide*

Aneurysms of the great vein of Galen are rare and the authors report a case of primary type aneurysm of the great vein of Galen. Clinicaly aneurysm of great vein of Galen give rise to different symptoms and signs at different age. New born infants have intractable heart failure, infancy have hydrocephalus, and adolescents have headache and syncope. The diagnosis rests upon angiography, especially four-vessel angiography is mandatary to delineate all of the feeding arteries. The posterior cerebral arteries supply most of the blood to the aneurysm. The only effective treatment is ligation of the feeding vessels at the point of entry into the vein of Galen.
Adolescent ; Aneurysm* ; Angiography ; Arteries ; Cerebral Veins* ; Diagnosis ; Headache ; Heart Failure ; Humans ; Hydrocephalus ; Infant ; Ligation ; Posterior Cerebral Artery ; Syncope ; Veins*

PURPOSE: The improvement of testicular volume, testosterone levels and sperm concentration was suggested to be significantly associated with the number of internal spermatic veins (ISVs) ligated during varicocelectomy. Herein, we investigated preoperative color Doppler ultrasonography (CDU) findings as potential preoperative predictors of the number of ISVs requiring ligation during microsurgical subinguinal varicocelectomy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In a prospective evaluation of 40 patients, maximal vein size and maximal reflux velocity were measured, while the total cross-sectional area of the affected testicular veins during a Valsalva maneuver was calculated using CDU by a single uroradiologist. Microsurgical subinguinal varicocelectomies were performed by one urologist. RESULTS: Among the semen parameters, semen morphology showed significant improvement (p=0.033), which was much clearer in the patients with a higher number of ISVs ligated than a lower number of ISVs ligated. Among the various preoperative variables, maximal reflux velocity and total cross-sectional area on CDU were related to the number of ISVs ligated (r=-0.442, p=0.004; r=0.594, p=0.000, respectively). Furthermore, univariate and multivariate linear regression analyses showed that maximal reflux velocity and total cross-sectional area on CDU were independent predictive factors of the number of ISVs ligated. CONCLUSION: Maximal reflux velocity and total cross-sectional area on CDU were related to the number of ISVs ligated. This means that the maximal reflux velocity and total cross-sectional area measured by preoperative CDU can predict the number of ISVs requiring ligation during microsurgical subinguinal varicocelectomy, which might be related to significant improvement of semen parameters after varicocelectomy.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prospective Studies ; Semen/metabolism ; Testicular Diseases/ultrasonography ; Ultrasonography, Doppler, Color/*methods ; Varicocele/pathology/*ultrasonography ; Veins/*ultrasonography ; Young Adult

This research was conducted to investigate the responses of the patients and the therapists who attend the community meeting, to evaluate the therapeutic effects of community meeting as a group psychotherapy by applying short form scale of Yalom's Q-sort, to diagnose and complement the problems of the community meeting and to aim at activating the therapeutic function as the group psychotherapy The community meeting was held by 10 times during the stage of oscillation of the community and 26.7 patients group(+/-2.95) and 8.5 therapists group(+/-1.43) attended the every meeting. Consequently, both patients group and therapists group evaluate the community meeting as positive, and on the item which is helpful to them, while patient group responds it is 'mutual understanding and love' and 'self-understanding', therapist group does it is 'frank self-expression' and 'conversation'. On all items of group psychotherapy factors in the community meeting, the patients group evaluates it is more therapeutic in comparison with the therapists group, especially there is a significant difference in nine items such as 'altruism', 'group cohesiveness', 'interpersonal input', 'interpersonal output', 'identification', 'instillation of hope', 'family reenactment', 'self-understanding' and 'existential awareness'. In addition, on the therapeutic factor which is activated group psychotherapy factor in the community meeting, both patients and therapists respond that it is 'existential awareness' and 'universality', and they evaluate 'interpersonal output' as an non-activated therapeutic factor.
Complement System Proteins ; Humans ; Psychotherapy, Group ; Q-Sort

BACKGROUND: Vincristine-induced peripheral neuropathy is a major dose limiting side effect and thus effective therapeutic strategy is required. In this study, we investigated the antinociceptive effect of memantine and morphine on a vincristine-induced peripheral neuropathy model in rats. METHODS: Male Sprague-Dawley rats weighing 220-240 g were used in all experiments. Rats subsequently received daily intraperitoneal injections of either vincristine sulfate (0.1 ml/kg/day) or saline (0.1 ml/kg/day) over 12 days, immediately following behavioral testing. For assessment of mechanical allodynia, mechanical stimuli using von Frey filament was applied to the paw to measure withdrawal threshold. The effects of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors antagonist (memantine; 2.5, 5, 10 mg/kg intraperitoneal), opioid agonist (morphine; 2.5, 5, 10 mg/kg intraperitoneal) and vehicle (saline) on vicristine-induced neuropathy were evaluated. RESULTS: Mechanical allodynia developed over the course of ten daily injections of vincristine relative to groups receiving saline at the same time. Morphine abolished the reduction in paw withdrawal threshold compared to vehicle and produced dose-responsiveness. Only the highest dose of memantine (10 mg/kg) was able to increase paw withdrawal threshold compared to vehicle. CONCLUSIONS: Systemic morphine and memantine have an antinociceptive effect on the vincristine-induced peripheral neuropathy model in rats. These results suggest morphine and memantine may be an alternative approach for the treatment of vincristine-induced peripheral neuropathic pain.
Animals ; Humans ; Hyperalgesia ; Injections, Intraperitoneal ; Male ; Memantine ; Morphine ; Neuralgia ; Peripheral Nervous System Diseases ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate ; Vincristine

OBJECTIVES: The purpost of this study was to present general system,operation,and program of a day care model managed by a psychiatrist,to evaluate the results of performing this model,and thus to developa day care model applied to Korean situation appropriately for promoting maintenance and rehabilitation of chronic psychotic patients. METHODS: We performed this day care model(hereinafter called as this model) from March 1997 to February 1998. The subjects were composed of 23 psychotic patients. PANSS, Quality of Life Scale,Life Satisfaction Self-Rating Scale were used before beginning this model-and after three months of performing this model. Program Helpfulness Scale,13 Therapeutic Factors Scale were used at one month of day care and after three months of day care. RESULTS: 1) This model helped maintenance and rehabilitation of chronic psychotic patients through reducing their symptoms and increasing quality of life. 2) This model used the various group therapy, especially creative art therapy and activeity therapy, played an important fole,for recovering Physical,psychological,and social functions. 3) Important therapeutic factors at early and late period of this model were identification with therapists,guidance of therapists,and the corrective recatitulation of the primary family group. Important therapeutic factors at early period were group cohesiveness and altruism, and at late period instillation of hope. 4) This model was useful for integration the multidisciplinary therapeutic team and the various therapeutic methods. CONCLUSION: This model would be applied to day care in this country effectively and efficiently for maintenance and rehabilitation of chronic psychotic patients.
Altruism ; Art Therapy ; Day Care, Medical* ; Hope ; Humans ; Psychotherapy, Group ; Quality of Life ; Rehabilitation*

BACKGROUND: During coronary angiography, some electrocardiographic changes occured due to contrast media, which do life threatening influences. METHODS: We compared the electrocardiographic changes which were induced by injection of three radiopaque contrast media during selective coronary angiography in 49 patients with chest pain. One of the contrast media was high osmolar ionic(Urografin_76) and the another was low osmolar ionic(Hexabrix) and the last was non-ionic(Ioversol). Electrocardiograms were obtained before, during and after selective coronary angiography. RESULTS: The changes of S-T segment or T were decreased in non-ionic group rather than high osmolar or ionic group. And there was significant Q-Tc interval prolongation among all three groups except comparision of low osmolar ionic contrast dye and non-ionic contrast dye in left coronary angiography. CONCLUSION: Non-ionic low osmolar contrast media was safer than high osmolar or ionic contrast medial because of lesser change of Q-Tc interval during selective coronary angiography.
Chest Pain ; Contrast Media* ; Coronary Angiography* ; Diatrizoate Meglumine ; Electrocardiography* ; Humans ; Ioxaglic Acid ; Osmolar Concentration