Purpose: To evaluate the proportion of bevacizumab and the reason for its usage in wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Methods: Retrospective analysis of medical records was performed for 1,541 patients who received ranibizumab, aflibercept, or bevacizumab injection to treat wet AMD. The proportion of bevacizumab among the entire set of injections was identified. The reason for selecting bevacizumab was additionally identified. Results: During the study period, a total of 2,929 anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) injections were performed; 2,236 (76.3%) were ranibizumab or aflibercept injections and 693 (23.7%) were bevacizumab injections. The most common reason for bevacizumab usage was ‘having a 0.1 or worse best-corrected visual acuity or being unable to assure reimbursement due to the development of extensive scarring or geographic atrophy’ (297 bevacizumab injections, 42.9%). The second most common reason was ‘the inability to assure reimbursement such as extrafoveal choroidal neovascularization (CNV) or early CNV without definite fluid in the foveal region’ (201 bevacizumab injections, 29.0%). Conclusions Bevacizumab was used in 23.7% of the anti-VEGF injections to treat wet AMD. When analyzing patients’ treatment burden and financial impact, the results of the present study may provide useful information. Further multi-center studies are required to evaluate more precisely the usage of anti-VEGF drugs.

Purpose: To evaluate the proportion of bevacizumab and the reason for its usage in wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Methods: Retrospective analysis of medical records was performed for 1,541 patients who received ranibizumab, aflibercept, or bevacizumab injection to treat wet AMD. The proportion of bevacizumab among the entire set of injections was identified. The reason for selecting bevacizumab was additionally identified. Results: During the study period, a total of 2,929 anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) injections were performed; 2,236 (76.3%) were ranibizumab or aflibercept injections and 693 (23.7%) were bevacizumab injections. The most common reason for bevacizumab usage was ‘having a 0.1 or worse best-corrected visual acuity or being unable to assure reimbursement due to the development of extensive scarring or geographic atrophy’ (297 bevacizumab injections, 42.9%). The second most common reason was ‘the inability to assure reimbursement such as extrafoveal choroidal neovascularization (CNV) or early CNV without definite fluid in the foveal region’ (201 bevacizumab injections, 29.0%). Conclusions Bevacizumab was used in 23.7% of the anti-VEGF injections to treat wet AMD. When analyzing patients’ treatment burden and financial impact, the results of the present study may provide useful information. Further multi-center studies are required to evaluate more precisely the usage of anti-VEGF drugs.

OBJECTIVES: This paper presents the information on the incidence of cancer from the population-based cancer resistry in Kangwha County. Material and METHODS: This investigation is based on Kangwha cancer registry. The data included cases of cancer diagnosed from 1986 through 1992. The diagnosis of cancer was confirmed by a team of physicians and nurses with the medical records kept in the clinics and hospitals based on the diagnostic criteria recommended by WHO. Home visitings were also made to cancer patients confirmed in every 6 months for the follow up and for the collection of relevant information directly from the patients. RESULTS: A total of 992 cancer cases were registered during 1986 - 1992. The age-adjusted cancer incidence rate of all site is 201.7 in men and 110.7 in women. The most common cancer is the stomach cancer in both sexes. The age-adjusted incidence rate of the stomach cancer is 65.9 in men and 25.0 in women per 100,000 population. The lung cancer(33.8) and liver cancer(27.7) are next common cancers in men. The cervical cancer(21.8) and lung cancer(8.4) are next in women. CONCLUSION: The most common cancer is the stomach cancer in both sexes. The annual age-adjusted incidence rate of the stomach cancer is 65.9 in men and 25.0 in women per 100,000 population.
Diagnosis ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; House Calls ; Humans ; Incidence* ; Liver ; Lung ; Male ; Medical Records ; Stomach Neoplasms

Purpose: We compared clinical outcomes between combined laser-assisted subepithelial keratomileusis and accelerated collagen cross-linking (Avedro-LASEK), and LASEK alone. Methods: This retrospective study analyzed 38 eyes of 19 patients who had undergone Avedro-LASEK, and 34 eyes of 17 patients who received LASEK alone. Uncorrected distance visual acuity (UDVA), spherical equivalent (SE), keratometry, and corneal inflammation were evaluated preoperatively, and at 1 week, 1, 3, and 6 months, and 1 and 2 years after surgery. Results: The Avedro-LASEK group had a higher preoperative SE (p < 0.05) and thinner central cornea compared with the control group (p < 0.05). There was no significant difference in UDVA, SE stability or keratometry between the two groups during the 2-year follow-up period. At the 2-year follow-up, the SE was ± 0.25 diopter (D) in 92% of the Avedro-LASEK patients and ± 0.5 D in 90.2% of the LASEK patients. Both groups showed high levels of refractive predictability. There was no significant difference between the flat K (p = 0.38) and steep K (p = 0.56) rates over time between the two groups. Corneal haze was observed in 21% of eyes in the Avedro-LASEK group, but neither decreased vision nor ectasia was observed during the follow-up period. Conclusions During the 2-year follow-up period, there were no significant differences in any parameters between the Avedro-LASEK and LASEK patients, and both procedures are considered effective for myopia correction because of their stability and effectiveness.

Purpose: We compared clinical outcomes between combined laser-assisted subepithelial keratomileusis and accelerated collagen cross-linking (Avedro-LASEK), and LASEK alone. Methods: This retrospective study analyzed 38 eyes of 19 patients who had undergone Avedro-LASEK, and 34 eyes of 17 patients who received LASEK alone. Uncorrected distance visual acuity (UDVA), spherical equivalent (SE), keratometry, and corneal inflammation were evaluated preoperatively, and at 1 week, 1, 3, and 6 months, and 1 and 2 years after surgery. Results: The Avedro-LASEK group had a higher preoperative SE (p < 0.05) and thinner central cornea compared with the control group (p < 0.05). There was no significant difference in UDVA, SE stability or keratometry between the two groups during the 2-year follow-up period. At the 2-year follow-up, the SE was ± 0.25 diopter (D) in 92% of the Avedro-LASEK patients and ± 0.5 D in 90.2% of the LASEK patients. Both groups showed high levels of refractive predictability. There was no significant difference between the flat K (p = 0.38) and steep K (p = 0.56) rates over time between the two groups. Corneal haze was observed in 21% of eyes in the Avedro-LASEK group, but neither decreased vision nor ectasia was observed during the follow-up period. Conclusions During the 2-year follow-up period, there were no significant differences in any parameters between the Avedro-LASEK and LASEK patients, and both procedures are considered effective for myopia correction because of their stability and effectiveness.

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the surgical outcomes of nonadjustable Harada-Ito surgery under general anesthesia. Methods: Twenty-two patients who underwent nonadjustable modified Harada-Ito surgery under general anesthesia were reviewed retrospectively. Among them, 21 out of the 22 patients who were followed up for 6 months after surgery were included in this study. Subjective cyclotorsion (double Maddox rod test) and objective cyclotorsions (fundus photography) were measured. Success of the surgery was defined as follows: success (the patients do not acknowledge diplopia at any direction), partial (the patients feel diplopia at a specific direction, but they do not feel discomfort in routine life), and fail (the patients feel diplopia in primary gaze, hence requiring a thorough investigation). Results: The mean age of the patients (18 male and 3 female) was 56.5 years (range, 40–77 years). Based on the alternate prism cover test, the patients had 4.2 ± 3.0 prism diopters of vertical deviation. The corrected amounts of cyclotorsion based on the double Maddox rod test and fundus photography were 14.8° ± 7.5° and 9.8° ± 7.9°, respectively, and were significantly different between the two methods (p = 0.006). After the surgery, 20 out of the 21 patients (95.2%) completely recovered from diplopia in the primary gaze. However, among the 20 patients, seven complained of diplopia in the secondary gaze (down gaze, four patients; head tilt gaze, three patients). The success group had a smaller preoperative subjective excyclotorsion than the partial and fail groups (12.6° ± 2.5° and 21.0° ± 8.9°, respectively; p = 0.046). Conclusions Nonadjustable modified Harada-Ito surgery under general anesthesia has favorable success rate, and preoperative subjective excyclotorsion can be a prognostic factor in patients with bilateral superior oblique palsy.

No abstract available.
Biopsy, Fine-Needle* ; Fasciitis*

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVES: Hypertensive encephalopathy is an acute neurologic syndrome characterized by abrupt and marked elevation of blood pressure, headache, vomiting, seizure, visual disturbance, and altered mental status. This syndrome may occur as a complication of toxemia, renal artery stenosis and acute glomerulonephritis. We report 4 young patients with occipital lobe seizure, as a presenting sign of hypertensive encephatopathy, whose brain MRI and perfusion scans showed lesions on bilateral occipital lobes. Case : Four young patients experienced moderate to severe headache, visual illusion, generalized seizure, and loss of sight for a few days. Their systolic blood pressure was 150-170mmHg and diastolic blood pressure 100-120mmHg. Three patients had proteinuria and hematuria as the results of acute glomerulonephritis. CSF findings were within normal limits. EEG showed intermittent generali,ed or bilateral temporoparietooccipital slowings in all patients and continuous parietooccipital slowings in one patient. Brain MRI man showed hyperintensity signal in T2WI and hypointensity signal in TlWl on bilateral occipital lobes and SPECT scan showed normal perfusion three patients and increased perfusion on occipital areas in one patient. They were treated with antihypertemsive agents and anticonvulsants (phenobarbital or valporic acid) for 2-10 months. Seizure was well controlled and didn't recur though discontinuing anticonvulsant. CONCLUSION: In young age, acute hypertension may cause clinically occipital lobe seizure and radiologically bilateral occipital lobe lesions.
Adolescent* ; Anticonvulsants ; Blood Pressure ; Brain ; Electroencephalography ; Glomerulonephritis ; Headache ; Hematuria ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Hypertensive Encephalopathy* ; Illusions ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Occipital Lobe* ; Perfusion ; Proteinuria ; Renal Artery Obstruction ; Seizures* ; Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon ; Toxemia ; Vomiting

Wilson's disease is an autosomal recessive disorder resulting from an excessive accumulation of copper in the liver, cornea, kidneys, and in the basal ganglia of the brain. The prominent speech disturbances of Wilson's disease include monopitch, monoloudness, slow rate, low pitch, delayed in initiating speech and rarely palilalia. A19-year-old woman developed palilalia which was characterized by compulsive repetition of a phrase with increasing rapidity and with a decrescendo of voice volume. Although she had been suffering from liver cirrhosis for the past 8 months, the palilalia was the only neurological sign at initial examination. She showed a low serum ceruloplasmin, low serum copper, increased urinary copper excretion, and Kayser-Fleischer rings. Brain magnetic resonance images showed high signals in the bilateral basal ganglia in T2-weighted images, and slight cortical atrophy.
Atrophy ; Basal Ganglia ; Brain ; Ceruloplasmin ; Copper ; Cornea ; Female ; Hepatolenticular Degeneration* ; Humans ; Kidney ; Liver ; Liver Cirrhosis ; Voice

Many drugs can result in a variety of pathologic reactions in the lung, especially the cytotoxic drugs. Amongcytotoxic drugs bleomycin is a prototype. Bleomycin-related pulmonary toxicity is usually known as dose-dependent and can be enhanced with concurrent oxygen therapy, irradiation, or other chemotherapeutic agents. The incidence of bleomycin-induced pulmonary toxicity has been reported as varying from 2 to 46%, and 1% of fatal lung disease. We describe the radiographic and HRCT findings of bleomycin-related pulmonary toxicity developed in two patients: one in ovarian teratocarcinoma, the other malignant lymphoma patient. Chest radiographs and HRCT of these patients showed ground-glass opacities, consolidation, linear and reticular opacities, and interlobular septal thickening. These abnormalities were bilateral, and symmetrical and were found predominantly in the area of mid-and lower-lung zone.
Bleomycin ; Humans ; Incidence ; Lung Diseases ; Lung* ; Lymphoma ; Oxygen ; Radiography, Thoracic ; Teratocarcinoma