The antiarrhythmic effect of oral amiodarone was evaluated by 24-hr Holter monitoring in 12 patients with frequent and/or complex ventricular ectopy. Amiodarone was administered as following schedule; 600mg a day for the 1st week, 400mg a day for the 2nd week and 200mg a day, 5 days a week from the 3rd week. In 9 patients, the frequency of VPC decreased significantly or the grade of VPC changed to the more benign grade, so we considered them as "Effective Group" (75%). In 7 patients, both the frequency and the grade of VPC improved, so we considered them as "Excellent Group" (58%). No significant side effect was observed during investigation. We concluded that amiodarone is very effective antiarrhythmic drug and has no serious side effect during a short-term observation.
Amiodarone* ; Appointments and Schedules ; Arrhythmias, Cardiac* ; Electrocardiography, Ambulatory ; Humans

To assess the prognostic value of the 14 ECG variables obtained from the pre-discharge ECG, 35 patients were followed up for at least one year among the 80 patients of the acute myocardial infarction admitted at Seoul Paik Hospital from Sep. 1983 to Aug. 1986. The following results were obtained. 1) The overall in-hospital mortality rate was 20% and the mortality rate tended to decline year by year. 2) The one-year mortality and morbidity rate of the followed patients was 31.4%. 3) Among the 14 variables obtained from the pre-discharge ECG, T-negativity was the only statistically significant (p<0.05) one to predict the one-year prognosis in the patients after the first myocardial infarction, and we could not derive any meaningful datd from the analysis of the combined effects of the three ECG variables (PTF, ST depression and ST elevation).
Depression ; Electrocardiography* ; Hospital Mortality ; Humans ; Mortality ; Myocardial Infarction* ; Prognosis ; Seoul

In the present study, immunohistochemical detection of p53 oncoprotein was performed to determine whether the grade of differentiation and the histologic type of gastric adenocarcinoma, and the degree of atypia accompanied with adenoma can be related to p53 mutation. Paraffin sections of 22 gastric adenomas and 56 gastric adenocarcinomas were examined for the overexpression of p53 oncoprotein with the avidin-biotin peroxidase complex staining procedure. The obtained results were as follows; 1. All the 22 cases of adenomas and 16 cases of well differentated adenocarcinomas showed uniformly negative staining. 2.Seven of 18 cases of moderately differentiated adenocarcinomas(39%), and five of 30 cases of poorly differentiated adenocarcinomas(17%) exhibited p53 protein expression. 3. Three of 29 cases of diffuse type (10%) and 9 of 19 cases of intestinal type(47%) exhibited p53 protein expression. These results suggest that p53 mutation is important in carcinogenesis of the intestinal type of gastric adenocarcinoma, and there is no correlation between the differentiation of gastric adenocarcinoma and the degree of p53 oncoprotein overexpression.
Adenocarcinoma ; Adenoma

It has been known that right ACA occlusions can cause callosal disconnection syndrome. A 61-year old right-handed man was admitted because of a left ACA occlusion. MRI showed infarction of the medial frontal cortex and the anterior two-thirds of the corpus callosum. He presented with weakness and gait initiation failure in the right leg with grasp reflex, suspicious alien hand sign, and tactile anomia in the right hand. He was diagnosed with transcortical motor aphasia. He was unable to successfully complete written tasks in response to dictations and writing down spontaneous answers. He wrote down incorrect words and demonstrated paragraphism with his left hand. He could copy simple items but not written words and complex items with his left hand. Finally, he had difficulties in writing answers in response to complex verbal and written commands with his left hand, but preserved the ability to simple verbal commands, somato-sensory, and visually guided tasks. We attribute these results to the anterior callosal disconnection of the right sensorimotor cortex from the left language area.
Anomia ; Anterior Cerebral Artery ; Aphasia, Broca ; Corpus Callosum ; Emigrants and Immigrants ; Gait ; Hand ; Hand Strength ; Humans ; Infarction ; Leg ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Middle Aged ; Reflex ; Writing

No abstract available.
Antibodies, Antineutrophil Cytoplasmic* ; Incidence*

Crescentic glomerulonephritis in rheumatoid arthritis is described recently with increasing frequency. It can occur directly as a manifestation of rheumatoid arthritis or may be a reaction to drugs such as D-penicillamine and bucillamine. We report a case of crescentic glomerulonephritis in a 46-year-old woman with rheumatoid arthritis for 20 years who had been treated intermittently with herb medicine or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS). Light microscopic examination showed severe focal segmental and global necrotizing glomerulonephritis with crescent formation in 50% of the glomeruli. Immunofluorescent study revealed scanty amount of mesangial granular deposits of IgA, IgM, C3 and fibrinogen in a diffuse pattern.
Female ; Humans

Pigmented squamous cell carcinoma is a very rare malignant, pigmented, epidermal tumor. The rarity of pigmented squamous cell carcinomas may reflect in part their misdiagnosis as other pigmented neoplasms, particularly malignant melanoma. To our knowledge, only five cases have been reported in literature. We recently experienced a case of pigmented squamous cell carcinoma arising from pigmented actinic keratosis in a 77 years old female. Physical examination showed a 0.8 0.6 cm, smooth, dark brown pigmented patch with irregular but sharply defined borders located on the upper left chest. The biopsy specimen showed histologic findings of pigmented actinic keratosis with abundant melanin pigments, which became pigmented squamous cell carcinoma. Most of pigments in the squamous cell carcinoma were contained within the melanocytes along with the neoplastic squamous cells.
Actins* ; Aged ; Biopsy ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell* ; Diagnostic Errors ; Female ; Humans ; Keratosis, Actinic* ; Melanins ; Melanocytes ; Melanoma ; Physical Examination ; Skin ; Thorax

The study was undertaken to evaluate the effect of major blood components on the CT number. The CT numbers according to the various levels of hematocrit, total protein and cholesterol were checked and analysed by the dilution of pack cell, plasma and 184 complete blood cell count samples under same scanning conditions. In case of normal protein and cholesterol level(33 samples), the CT number was increased about 5.5 hounsfield unit according to 10% increase of hematocrit level: and In case of normal hematocrit and cholesterol level(39 samles), the CT number was increased about 3.5 hounsfield unit according to 1gm% increase of protein level. CT number changes were not predictable according to the changes of cholesterol level(34 samples). From these results, we concluded that major blood components should be considered in the CT number analysis of tissue.
Blood Cell Count ; Cholesterol ; Hematocrit ; Plasma Cells

Adenocarcinoma of the ciliary epithelium is a rare tumor, usually occuring in elderly patients who have a history of severe ocular trauma or chronic inflammation. We report an adenocarcinoma of the nonpigmented ciliary epithelium found within the phthisical globe of a 36-year-old female whose eye had been loss of vision since infancy. The mass, measured 4.0 x 4.0 cm, was relatively limited by sclera but had invasion to posterior portion. Histologically, the tumor was a compact mass which consisted of tubular and papillary structures with foci of the pleomorphic area. Strands of cells and individual cells were invested with thick basement membrane that have positivity for periodic acid-Schiff stain. Immunohistochemical staining showed strong reactivity for cytokeratin and epithelial membrane antigen, and focal for neuron-specific enolase and S-100 protein.
Adenocarcinoma ; Adenocarcinoma, Papillary* ; Adult ; Aged ; Basement Membrane ; Epithelium* ; Female ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Keratins ; Mucin-1 ; Phosphopyruvate Hydratase ; S100 Proteins ; Sclera

The anesthetic management of patients with pheochromocytoma presents many difficult problems, such as hypertension, cardiac arrhythmias, and hypotension. A 21 year-old male underwent resection of pheochromocytoma under general anesthesia with isoflurane and fentanyl. Hypertensive crisis during induction of anesthesia and surgical manipulation of the tumor were managed with phentolamine and sodium nitroprusside drips. Anesthesia was maintained wtih nitrous oxide : oxygen, 50% : 50%, isoflurane, 0.5-2% and supplemented with fractional doses of fentanyl and vecuronium for muscular relaxation. We also used propranolol for the cardiac arrhythmia. An endotracheal semi-closed circle absorption technique with controlled ventilation was employed. Fentanyl does not release histamine, and has stable hemodynamics. Isoflurane has also advocated on the grounds that arrhythmias are less esaily provocated by circulating catecholamines than with other volatile agents, and has been shown to be a satisfactory agent. Vecuronium does not provoke catecholamine release, does not release histamine, has no autonomic effects at clinical plasma concentrations, and is clearly the neuromuscular blocking agent of choice in this case. Optimal pre-operative preparation, smooth induction of anesthesia, adequate alveolar ventilation, proper cardiovascular control, and good communication between surgeon and anesthesiologist are most important for the anesthetic management of pheochromocytoma.
Absorption ; Anesthesia ; Anesthesia, General ; Arrhythmias, Cardiac ; Autonomic Agents ; Catecholamines ; Fentanyl ; Hemodynamics ; Histamine ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Hypotension ; Isoflurane ; Male ; Neuromuscular Blockade ; Nitroprusside ; Nitrous Oxide ; Oxygen ; Phentolamine ; Pheochromocytoma* ; Plasma ; Propranolol ; Relaxation ; Vecuronium Bromide ; Ventilation ; Young Adult