No abstract available in English.
Scoliosis

PURPOSE: Congenital hypothyroidism(CH) is not uncommon disorder, leading to retardation of mental development and growth, if not treated early. The aim of this study is to determine the factors influencing IQ of children with CH, diagnosed after 1 month of life. METHODS : Thirteen children with CH were included. They had intelligence test by KEDI-WISC(Korean Educational Development Institute-Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children) and their medical records were reviewed. Their T4, TSH, height, age at diagnosis were investigated retrospectively. To evaluate the influence of T4, TSH, height, age at diagnosis on IQ, children were divided into three groups ; athyroid(n=8), sublingual(n=3), inborn errors of thyroid hormone synthesis(n=2) according to the result of thyroid scan. Results : In athyroid group, IQ closely correlated to VIQ and PIQ and had close relationship to T4 at diagnosis(.p=0.0086, r=0.8427), but no relation to TSH. There was no difference in height, T4 TSH, and IQ between athyroid and sublingual group. CONCLUSION : The results suggest that intellectual function in children with CH, diagnosed after 1 month of life depends on serum level of T4 at diagnosis. Further study is mandatory to elucidate the relationship between final IQ and factors, including thyroid function, age at diagnosis, adequacy of treatment, etc.
Child* ; Congenital Hypothyroidism* ; Diagnosis ; Growth and Development ; Humans ; Intelligence ; Intelligence Tests ; Medical Records ; Retrospective Studies ; Thyroid Gland

PURPOSE: Medical students are exposed to various interpersonal relationships with patients, faculty and colleagues. Therefore, a clear understanding of their personality types and interpersonal problems is vital in creating an appropriate educational program for medical students. This study intends to explore the characteristics of interpersonal problems based on medical students' personality types. METHODS: The Myers-Briggs type inventory(MBTI) and Korean Inventory of Interpersonal Problems were used to assess the first-year medical students at Yonsei University College of Medicine, 2006. RESULTS: The personality types focusing on the interpersonal domain showed that the medical students could be categorized into four types: analytical type(47.2%), driving type(30.3%), amiable type(12.4%), and expressive type(10.1%). The characteristics of interpersonal problems data were within normal range. The relationship between the personality indicator and the characteristics of interpersonal problems is statistically significant in extraversion-introversion. CONCLUSION: Our results demonstrate that the personality factors of medical students are correlated to the interpersonal problems they face. Thus, educational programs that take into account personality types and characteristics of interpersonal problems are crucial in providing high-quality medical education.
Education, Medical ; Humans ; Reference Values ; Students, Medical

We experienced a case of arteriovenous hemangioma showing Dariers sign on the forehead of a 43-year-old man. He presented with a single, 1 * 1.5cm sized, violaceous, asymptomatic nodule with a history of an intermittent wheal at the lesional site. This skin lesion showed Dariers sign clinically and proliferation of mast cells histopathologically with the punch biopsy specirnen suggesting urticaria pig- mentosa. Howerer, we could diagnose it as a arteriovenous hemangioma on complete excision, as the specimen showed arteriovenous proliferation with increased mast cells in a perivascular pattern. This case showed confusing clinical signs and showed the importance of complete excision for the diagnosis of a small skin tumor especially when a vascular proliferating tumor is suspected.
Adult ; Biopsy ; Diagnosis ; Forehead ; Hemangioma* ; Humans ; Mast Cells ; Skin ; Urticaria

BACKGROUND: Intestinal ischemia remains a devastating event despite improvements in clinical recognition and in diagnostic and therapeutic modalities. The ischemic bowel diseases encompass a wide clinical spectrum from mild, reversible disease to severe, irreversible injury. The clinical picture is characterized initially by poorly localized whether an increased serum lactate level is a recognized danger signal marker for intestinal ischemia in patients who present at the emergency department because of abdominal complaints. METHODS: Patients who came to our emergency department with abdominal pain and the risk factors of intestinal ischemia between Apr. 1999 and Nov. 1999 were included in this study. The data analysis included age, sex, final diagnosis, pathogenesis of bowel ischemia, and serum lactate level. RESULTS: The serum lactate level in the intestinal ischemia group was 28.54+/-22.51mg/dl; in non-ischemia group, it was 15.49+/-22.52mg/dl. This difference between the two groups was significatn(p<0.05). An increased serum lactate level had a sensitivity of 88.2% and specificity of 59.2%, a positive likelihood ratio of 4.92, and a negative likelihood ratio of 0.47 as a marker of bowel ischemia. These results do not represent a very meaningful revision of bowel ischemic provability, but may make a small contribution to management of the disease, depending upon their magnitude and the clinical context in which they are applied. CONCLUSION: In patients with abdominal complaints, an increased serum lactate level is usually a useful aid as a diagnostic marker of bowel ischemia.
Abdominal Pain ; Diagnosis ; Early Diagnosis* ; Emergency Service, Hospital ; Humans ; Ischemia* ; Lactic Acid* ; Risk Factors ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Statistics as Topic

BACKGROUND: We previously reported that IFN-gamma producing T cell responses induced by the combined therapy of DNA vaccine and lamivudine for one year are important for the induction of sustained virological response (SVR). However, IFN-gamma production is not sufficient to predict sustained viremia control in chronic hepatitis B (CHB) carriers treated. METHODS: Twelve CHB carriers were intramuscularly immunized 12 times at a 4-week interval with 8 mg of HBV DNA vaccine during the standard lamivudine treatment (100 mg/daily/1 year). The level of cytokines during and after the combined therapy in plasma of all 12 CHB carriers treated was determined by each ELISA kit. Six out of 12 CHB carriers revisited the clinic, and their HBV DNA levels were examined. RESULTS: The combined therapy increased plasma IL-12 and IL-12/p40 ratio during the treatment (baseline vs. peak level: 41.8+/-8.3 vs. 163.1+/-29.2 pg/ml; p<0.01 and 0.96+/-0.25 vs. 3.58+/-0.86; p<0.01, espectively), and the peak level of plasma IL-12 and IL-12/p40 ratio was evoked at 6 to 10 months during the combined therapy. In particular, CHB carriers with SVR had two and three-fold higher level of the peak plasma IL-12 and plasma IL-12/p40 ratio than non-virological responders (NVRs), respectively (218.0+/-41.4 vs. 108.1+/-28.6 pg/ml; p=0.09 and 5.35+/-1.38 vs. 1.80+/-0.29; p<0.05, respectively), while p40 level was consistent during the combined therapy. In addition, there was no significant temporal correlation between the peak IL-12/p40 ratio and the elevation of serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) in this study, contrast to IFN-alpha therapy which induced peak IL-12 level following ALT flares. CONCLUSION: Our results indicate that the combined therapy induces the increase of plasma IL-12 and IL-12/p40 ratio, which are associated with long-term SVR in CHB carriers.
Alanine Transaminase ; Corynebacterium ; Cytokines ; DNA ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Hepatitis B virus ; Hepatitis B, Chronic ; Interleukin-12 ; Lamivudine ; Plasma ; Viremia

BACKGROUND: We previously reported that IFN-gamma producing T cell responses induced by the combined therapy of DNA vaccine and lamivudine for one year are important for the induction of sustained virological response (SVR). However, IFN-gamma production is not sufficient to predict sustained viremia control in chronic hepatitis B (CHB) carriers treated. METHODS: Twelve CHB carriers were intramuscularly immunized 12 times at a 4-week interval with 8 mg of HBV DNA vaccine during the standard lamivudine treatment (100 mg/daily/1 year). The level of cytokines during and after the combined therapy in plasma of all 12 CHB carriers treated was determined by each ELISA kit. Six out of 12 CHB carriers revisited the clinic, and their HBV DNA levels were examined. RESULTS: The combined therapy increased plasma IL-12 and IL-12/p40 ratio during the treatment (baseline vs. peak level: 41.8+/-8.3 vs. 163.1+/-29.2 pg/ml; p<0.01 and 0.96+/-0.25 vs. 3.58+/-0.86; p<0.01, espectively), and the peak level of plasma IL-12 and IL-12/p40 ratio was evoked at 6 to 10 months during the combined therapy. In particular, CHB carriers with SVR had two and three-fold higher level of the peak plasma IL-12 and plasma IL-12/p40 ratio than non-virological responders (NVRs), respectively (218.0+/-41.4 vs. 108.1+/-28.6 pg/ml; p=0.09 and 5.35+/-1.38 vs. 1.80+/-0.29; p<0.05, respectively), while p40 level was consistent during the combined therapy. In addition, there was no significant temporal correlation between the peak IL-12/p40 ratio and the elevation of serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) in this study, contrast to IFN-alpha therapy which induced peak IL-12 level following ALT flares. CONCLUSION: Our results indicate that the combined therapy induces the increase of plasma IL-12 and IL-12/p40 ratio, which are associated with long-term SVR in CHB carriers.
Alanine Transaminase ; Corynebacterium ; Cytokines ; DNA ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Hepatitis B virus ; Hepatitis B, Chronic ; Interleukin-12 ; Lamivudine ; Plasma ; Viremia

The premammillary artery (PMA) is a branch of the posterior communicating artery (PCoA). While the PMA is known to originate from the PCoA as demonstrated by most anatomical studies, it originates directly from the internal carotid artery in approximately 1% of patients. Cerebral aneurysms associated with the PMA have rarely been reported. We report an extremely rare case of a ruptured PMA aneurysm that was managed using endovascular treatment.
Aneurysm* ; Arteries* ; Carotid Artery, Internal* ; Humans ; Intracranial Aneurysm

PURPOSE: Liver resection (LR) has been the treatment of choice for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), but resection and survival rates remain low, and recurrence is common in cirrhotic patients. This study was designed to evaluate the outcome after resection of potentially transplantable early HCCs and compare it with that for liver transplantation (LT) as reported in the literature. METHODS: We studied 109 patients with HCC under the Milan criteria who underwent LR at Kyungpook National University Hospital from September 1997 to May 2002. The patients were divided into two groups: group A had a single tumor and group B had two or three tumors. RESULTS: The mean age was 56.1+/-8.1 years and the male-to-female ratio was 4.7: 1. Most of the patients had chronic liver disease due to viral hepatitis, but had preserved hepatic function. Overall survival rates (SR) at 1, 2, 3, and 4 years were 86.7, 69.4, 44.8, and 13.3%, respectively, and the corresponding disease-free survival rates (DFSR) were 74.2, 53.8, 41.6, and 23.7%. SR and DFSR were not significantly different between the two groups, although group B tended to have lower SR and DFSR. At a median follow-up of 25.3 months, 52 patients experienced recurrence, most of whom had intrahepatic recurrence within 2 years after resection. At the time of the diagnosis of recurrence, 34 patients were considered eligible for LT. CONCLUSION: Although most of the patients had preserved hepatic function, LR of early HCC showed low survival rates and high recurrence rates compared with those after LT reported in the literature and in our experiences. Therefore, in the absence of limiting factors, LT may be the better option for surgical treatment of patients with early HCC, even when preserved hepatic function is maintained.
Carcinoma, Hepatocellular* ; Diagnosis ; Disease-Free Survival ; Follow-Up Studies ; Gyeongsangbuk-do ; Hepatitis ; Humans ; Liver Diseases ; Liver Transplantation ; Liver* ; Recurrence ; Survival Rate

Berardinelli lipodystrophy syndrome is a rare autosomal recessive disorder, characterized by loss of body fat, muscular hypertrophy, acanthosis nigricans, hepatomegaly, hyperlipidemia, insulin resistant diabetes, and elevated metabolic rate. The mechanism(s) responsible for these abnormalities is not known. We report a forteen-month old girl with Berardinelli Lipodystriphy Syndrome, who had signs above mentioned, with a brief review and its related literatures.
Acanthosis Nigricans ; Adipose Tissue ; Female ; Hepatomegaly ; Humans ; Hyperlipidemias ; Hypertrophy ; Insulin ; Lipodystrophy*