BACKGROUND: Famciclovir and valacyclovir are antiviral agents commonly used to treat herpes zoster. These medications not only reduce the time to complete cessation of zoster-associated pain, but also aid in the healing of the herpes zoster skin lesions. However, only few studies have compared these antiviral agents. OBJECTIVE: We conducted a randomized clinical trial to evaluate the extent of pain relief and wound healing, and the rate of postherpetic neuralgia associated with these drugs during 4 weeks of treatment. METHODS: The study included 69 immunocompetent adult inpatients diagnosed with herpes zoster randomly divided into 2 groups based on the antiviral agent administered. Patient age, date of visit from rash onset, and rash severity at baseline were recorded. Famciclovir or valacyclovir were administered orally for 7 days. Patients reported pain levels through a visual analog scale (VAS) score, and pain durations were assessed on days 1, 3, and 7, and at weeks 2, 3, and 4. Crust formation and reepithelialization times of skin lesions were also recorded. RESULTS: VAS scores, pain durations, ratios of patients undergoing postherpetic neuralgia, and skin lesion healing rates did not differ significantly between the 2 groups. However, rash severity independently correlated with the extent of pain experienced. CONCLUSION: Famciclovir and valacyclovir are comparable to each other in resolving zoster-associated pain, postherpetic neuralgia, and zoster wound healing. Early antiviral treatment before expansion of the skin lesion would be helpful for rapid relief of herpes zoster pain.
Adult* ; Antiviral Agents ; Exanthema ; Herpes Zoster* ; Humans ; Inpatients ; Neuralgia, Postherpetic ; Skin ; Visual Analog Scale ; Wound Healing

Submucosal infiltration and the topical application of epinephrine as a vasoconstrictor produce excellent hemostasis during surgery. The hemodynamic effects of epinephrine have been documented in numerous studies. However, its metabolic effects (especially during surgery) have been seldom recognized clinically. We report two cases of significant metabolic effects (including lactic acidosis and hyperglycemia) as well as hemodynamic effects in healthy patients undergoing orthognathic surgery with general anesthesia. Epinephrine can induce glycolysis and pyruvate generation, which result in lactic acidosis, via β2-adrenergic receptors. Therefore, careful perioperative observation for changes in plasma lactate and glucose levels along with intensive monitoring of vital signs should be carried out when epinephrine is excessively used as a vasoconstrictor during surgery.
Acidosis, Lactic* ; Administration, Topical ; Anesthesia, General ; Anesthesia, Local ; Epinephrine ; Glucose ; Glycolysis ; Hemodynamics ; Hemostasis ; Humans ; Lactic Acid ; Orthognathic Surgery* ; Plasma ; Pyruvic Acid ; Vital Signs

To delineate the coronary anatomy and left ventricular function during early myocardial infarction, coronary arteriography and left ventriculogrphy were performed, prospectively in 23(22%) of 105 patients who were admitted to the coronary care unit at Masan Koryo Hospital from June 1986 to June 1988 within 4 weeks after the onset of symptoms(medium:21 days, range:18 days to 25 days). 1) Among 23 patients, male is 20 patients and female is 3 patients. The ratio of male to female was 6.6:1. The mean age was 55.4+/-10.3 years(range:34-77 years). 2) Coronary artery narrowing state which related to myocardial infarction was as follows; 2 patients(7%) had normal, 1 patients(4%) had insignificant narrowing(below 50%) 5 patients(22%) had moderate narrowing(50-75%), 10 patients(43%) had severe narrowing(75-99%), 5 patients(22%) had complete occlusion(100%). 3) The range of coronary artery disease was as follows; 9 patients had one vessel disease, 10 patients had two vessel disease, 1 patients had three vessel disease, and ejection fraction had no significant difference among 3 groups but lowest in three vessel disease. Among 23 patients, 13 patients had anterior infarction, 10 patients had inferior infarction. 4) Left ventricular ejection fraction and multiple vessel disease had no significant difference between i) the young(under 45 years old) and the old(over 45 years old) age groups, ii) presence or non presence of previous angina, iii) Killip classification I, II and III, IV) anterior infarction and inferior infarction. 5) In left ventriculography, akinesis and dyskinesis were shown at similar ratio in anterior infarction and inferior infaraction. Dyskinesis was shown in 27% of patients who have 0-1 vessel disease, 50% of patients who have 2-3 vessel disease, 62% of patients who have collateral circulation, 26% of patients who dose not have collateral circulation. 6) Collateral circulation was found in 8 patients(35%). Age and left ventricular ejection fraction were high in patients without collateral circulation than with collateral circulation, but there is no significant difference and collateral circulation exists regardless of infarction site and range of coronary artery disease. 7) As for the complication of angiocardiography in this study, there was ventricular tachycardia in 3 patients(13%) without mortality. It is concluded that coronary arteriography can be safely performed in early stage after acute myocardial infarction. Also good prognosis is anticipated since three vessel disease and complete occlusion were low in acute myocardiaol infarction of Korean People. Since these are not much case performed study, however more study on this area is required.
Angiocardiography ; Angiography* ; Classification ; Collateral Circulation ; Coronary Angiography ; Coronary Artery Disease ; Coronary Care Units ; Coronary Vessels ; Female ; Humans ; Infarction ; Male ; Mortality ; Myocardial Infarction* ; Prognosis ; Prospective Studies ; Stroke Volume ; Tachycardia, Ventricular ; Ventricular Function, Left

Squamous cell carcinoma commonly originates from recalcitrant wound sites, including burn scars, pressure sores, stasis ulcers, osteomyelitis, and sites of frostbite. A 62-year-old male was referred to the dermatology department for skin necrosis of his right great toe and walking difficulty. He had a history of smoking, drinking alcohol, and frostbite of his right great toe 9 years prior, which deteriorated into osteomyelitis due to poor care. Although a skin biopsy was recommended before amputation, the two procedures were performed simultaneously due to a lack of toe function due to severe osteolysis. Biopsy of the amputated toe tip showed many lobules consisting of atypical keratinocytes with hyperchromatic nuclei, and severe dermal pleomorphism. After evaluation for distant metastasis, including a (99m) Tc-MDP bone scan, 18F-FDG positron emission tomography scan, computed tomography, and ultrasound, no metastasis was detected.
Amputation ; Biopsy ; Burns ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell* ; Cicatrix ; Dermatology ; Drinking ; Fluorodeoxyglucose F18 ; Frostbite ; Humans ; Keratinocytes ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Necrosis ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Osteolysis ; Osteomyelitis* ; Positron-Emission Tomography ; Pressure Ulcer ; Skin ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Toes ; Ultrasonography ; Varicose Ulcer ; Walking ; Wounds and Injuries

Multiple trichoepithelioma is a benign adnexal neoplasm characterized by the presence of many small papules that appear predominantly on the face. Clinical improvement have been demonstrated after several treatments such as carbon dioxide laser, cryotherapy, dermabrasion, and argon laser. However, these destructive methods have various disadvantages. We report a case of multiple trichoepithelioma treated with an intralesional bleomycin injection. Fewer lesions without scars and cosmetic improvements were observed. Bleomycin is a cytotoxic antitumor antibiotic that can be injected intralesionally by transcutaneous administration and displays excellent results for treating malignancies including skin tumors. We believe that intralesional bleomycin injection is an effective treatment option for this condition, and an easy method to conduct at the outpatient clinic.
Administration, Cutaneous ; Ambulatory Care Facilities ; Argon ; Bleomycin ; Cicatrix ; Cosmetics ; Cryotherapy ; Dermabrasion ; Lasers, Gas ; Skin

Dermatomyositis is a systemic inflammatory disease affecting the skin, skeletal muscle, and occasionally, other organs, such as the lung. Interstitial lung disease (ILD) is a serious lung complication, which can occur in patients with dermatomyositis. It affects the prognosis of the disease and requires a more aggressive therapeutic approach. Interstitial lung disease (ILD) may be associated with systemic inflammatory disorders and autoantibody production. In particular, anti Jo-1 antibody has long been recognized as an important predictive factor in systemic manifestations of ILD in dermatomyositis. We report here a case of a 42 year old woman with cutaneous lesions typical of dermatomyositis, showing clinical features of antisynthetase syndrome, which showed rapid progression to acute respiratory distress syndrome.
Antibodies, Antinuclear ; Dermatomyositis ; Female ; Humans ; Lung ; Lung Diseases, Interstitial ; Muscle, Skeletal ; Myositis ; Prognosis ; Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Adult ; Skin

BACKGROUND: Incontinence and muscle loss are important senior health issues. Nevertheless, there are no available domestic or international studies on the association between urinary incontinence and muscle loss. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between muscle loss and urinary incontinence in elderly Korean woman. METHODS: Korean women (1,313) > or =65 years of age whose complete body composition data were collected using dual X-ray absorptiometry were analyzed from the Fourth Korean National Health and Nutritional Examination Surveys. Class I and II losses of the appendicular, truncal, and total muscle mass were defined using adjustments for weight and height. Each participant's incontinence status was collected using constructed questionnaires. Multiple logistic regression was performed to examine the association between muscle loss and incontinence. RESULTS: On the basis of physician-diagnosed incontinence, weight- and height-adjusted muscle loss showed no association with urinary incontinence (weight-adjusted muscle loss: class I adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 0.77; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.34 to 1.73; class II aOR, 1.37; 95% CI, 0.59 to 3.18; height-adjusted muscle loss: class I aOR, 0.51; 95% CI, 0.18 to 1.51; class II aOR, 1.86; 95% CI, 0.22 to 15.79). Similar results were observed for truncal muscle and total muscle mass as well as self-reported urinary incontinence. CONCLUSION: Our study found no association between urinary incontinence and appendicular, truncal, and total muscle loss in elderly Korean women.
Absorptiometry, Photon ; Aged* ; Body Composition ; Female ; Humans ; Logistic Models ; Muscle, Skeletal ; Muscular Atrophy ; Odds Ratio ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Urinary Incontinence*

Lance-Adams syndrome is a rare complications of cardiorespiratory arrest. We report a 15-month-old child with Lance-Adams syndrome who fell into a refractory status epilepticus after a successful resuscitation after the cardiopulmonary arrest from upper airway obstruction due to the croup. On the day of the admission, he went through a generalized tonic-clonic seizure with poor mental status. His condition became aggravated on 18th day of admission when he developed focal myoclonus in his left arm and leg. The EEG findings before the pentobarbital treatment show partial electrical seizure. The seizures were intractable despite the administration of midazolam, phenobarbital, phenytoin, and valproic acid. Therefore, a pentobarbital(PTB) therapy was required. PTB administered by a continuous infusion pump at a loading dose of 5 mg/kg was sufficient to produce a burst suppression pattern and a seizure control, followed by a maintenance infusion of 0.5-1.5 mg/kg/hour. At that time, the brain MRI showed a diffuse distribution of high signal intensity and swelling in both basal ganglia, thalamus and the temporo-occipital area. The therapy continued for 10 days. Thereafter, PTB was gradually tapered after a minimum 48-hours of a seizure-free status. So we report a case with a brief review of related literature.
Airway Obstruction ; Arm ; Basal Ganglia ; Brain ; Child ; Croup ; Electroencephalography ; Heart Arrest ; Humans ; Infant ; Infusion Pumps ; Leg ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Midazolam ; Myoclonus ; Pentobarbital* ; Phenobarbital ; Phenytoin ; Resuscitation ; Seizures ; Status Epilepticus* ; Thalamus ; Valproic Acid

Patients with giant congenital melanocytic nevi may grow up to have melanotic tumors characterized by central nervous system involvement, termed neucutaneous melanosis. Neurocutaneous melanosis is a rare but a significant congenital syndrome characterized by large or multiple congenital melanocytic nevi and benign or malignant pigment cell tumors of the leptomeninges. The prognosis is extremely poor for symptomatic patients, even in the absence of malignant melanoma. We experienced a case of a neurocutaneous melanosis with congenital giant hairy nevi, who grew up to have progressive leptomeningeal melanomatosis and whose neurologic conditions were rapidly deteriorated to death. So we report the case with a brief review of related literature.
Central Nervous System ; Child* ; Humans ; Melanoma ; Melanosis* ; Nevus* ; Nevus, Pigmented ; Prognosis

No abstract available.
Hypothyroidism* ; Myasthenia Gravis*