Our study surveded 418 obese first grade elementary school children(279 male and 139 female), in seoul, and measured levels of serum total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, triglyceride were measured in addition to the measurement of body weight and height. The following results were obtained. 1) Obesity index was catergorized into mild, moderate, and severe, and the percentage of mild was 6.8%, moderate 48%, severe 45.7% respectively in surveyed children. 2) The average level of total cholesterol was 1.66.60 27.63mg/dl, HDL cholesterol 50.22+/-0.68mg/dl, LDL cholesterol 82.23+/-1.26mg/dl. 3) Atherogenic index was calculated, and obtained value was 2.45+/-0.48. It showed higher statstical significance in boys than in girls(p<0.05). 4) There was no significant difference in average level of total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and triglyceride in accordance of the severity of obesity. 5) Statistical significance was found in different average ievels of HDL cholesterol and atherogenic index according to obesity index (p<0.05). 6) There was a statistical significance in the average values of Kaup index and Rohrer index in accordance with obesity index (p<0.000). 7) There was no correlation between abnormal levels of total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, and LDL cholesterol and the severity of obesity. 8) Abnormal levels of triglyceride, atherogenic index, Rohrer index and Kaup index had a statistical significance since their levels. 9) There was a correlation between atherogenic index and body measurement. Total cholesterol level showed correlation with obesity index, and HDL cholesterol with Kaup index and arm circum ference.
Arm ; Body Weight ; Child ; Cholesterol ; Cholesterol, HDL ; Cholesterol, LDL ; Humans ; Male ; Obesity ; Seoul* ; Triglycerides

OBJECTIVE: The retrospective study is undertaken to report clinical results of anterior cervical interbody fusion with an intradiscal cage with an integrated plate (PCB cervical plating system). METHODS: 38 patients underwent anterior cervical interbody fusion with PCB cervical plating system and followed 6~24 months. The authors investigated overall surgical results; clinical outcome, fusion rate, change of interspace height & lordotic angle, and complications. RESULTS: No complication was observed during the operation. Clinical improvement was identified in 34 cases (89.5%). Bone fusion observed in 44 out of 49 sites (90.7%). After operation, the interspace height increased from 5.4+/-1.3 mm to 7.8+/-1.5 mm and maintained 7.4+/-1.1 mm and, interspace angle went up from 4.2+/-0.7 degrees to 4.8+/-1.1 degrees and maintained 4.6+/-0.9 degrees. The loosening of screw was observed in 6 cases, one of which had reoperation because of the expulsion of the device accompanied. CONCLUSION: PCB cervical plating system could restore interbody height and lordosis in anterior cervical interbody fusion. But, if the insertion of the spacer is not precise, the frequencies of hardware failure are relatively high. It is considered necessary for the operator to be careful in the procedure.
Animals ; Humans ; Lordosis ; Reoperation ; Retrospective Studies

Inflammatory (xanthomatous) pseudotumors of the breast are very rare and this case is the first reported case in Korea. A healthy, pregnant 29-year-old woman presented with a right breast mass. Ultrasonography of the breast revealed a 1.8 x 1.9 x 1.1 cm, sized lobulated, partially spiculated mass in the upper and outer quadrant of the breast. Macroscopically, the mass was well circumscribed, bright yellow, and lobulated. Microscopically, the tumor was composed of foamy histiocytes with multifocal neutrophilic infiltration, accompanying chronic inflammatory cellul infiltration, fibrosis and ductal-lobular atrophy.
Adult ; Atrophy ; Breast* ; Female ; Fibrosis ; Granuloma, Plasma Cell ; Histiocytes ; Humans ; Korea ; Neutrophils ; Ultrasonography

OBJECTIVE: Helicopter ambulance transport (HAT) is a highly resource-intensive facility that is a well-established part of the trauma transport system in many developed countries. Here, we review the benefit of HAT for neurosurgical patients in Korea. METHODS: This retrospective study followed neurotrauma patients who were transferred by HAT to a single emergency trauma center over a period of 2 years. The clinical benefits of HAT were measured according to the necessity of emergency surgical intervention and the differences in the time taken to transport patients by ground ambulance transport (GAT) and HAT. RESULTS: Ninety-nine patients were transferred to a single university hospital using HAT, of whom 32 were taken to the neurosurgery department. Of these 32 patients, 10 (31.3%) needed neurosurgical intervention, 14 (43.8%) needed non-neurosurgical intervention, 3 (9.4%) required both, and 11 (34.4%) did not require any intervention. The transfer time was faster using HAT than the estimated time needed for GAT, although for a relatively close distance (<50 km) without ground obstacles (mountain or sea) HAT did not improve transfer time. The cost comparison showed that HAT was more expensive than GAT (3,292,000 vs. 84,000 KRW, p<0.001). CONCLUSION: In this Korean-based study, we found that HAT has a clinical benefit for neurotrauma cases involving a transfer from a distant site or an isolated area. A more precise triage for using HAT should be considered to prevent overuse of this expensive transport method.
Air Ambulances* ; Ambulances ; Developed Countries ; Emergencies ; Humans ; Korea ; Neurosurgery ; Retrospective Studies ; Trauma Centers ; Triage

PURPOSE: This study was performed to evaluate the effects of prehospital emergency care use by 119 rescue services on the outcome of acute ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). METHODS: All patients who visited 23 hospital emergency departments and who were finally diagnosed with STEMI between January and December 2008 were enrolled. They were divided into two groups: use of 119 rescue service or non-use. The propensity score matching method was used considering factors known to be influential for the use of 119 rescue services (age, gender, educational status, chief complaints, cardiogenic shock, respiratory rate, heart rate). Hospital mortality was defined as patient death in the hospital following admission. The comparative odds ratio (OR) and confidence interval (CI) of mortality between the 119 use and non-use groups were determined. RESULTS: Of the 1,118 STEMI patient, no statistical differences were evident in gender and age. Patients who used the 119 rescue services displayed lower educational status and rare complaint of chest pain is rare (36.6% vs 63.4%). But syncope and cardiac arrest were more frequent in the 119 user group than non-user group (syncope: 84.6% vs 15.4%, respectively; cardiac arrest: 76.0% vs 24.0%, respectively). Propensity score matching system was performed and extracted 390 patients in each group. The extracted patients were not statistically different in demographic findings and influencing factors of 119 service use. Hospital mortality did not differ between the 119 user and non-user groups (OR=1.294, 95% CI:0.612-2.735). Increased hospital mortality of STEMI patients was correlated with increased age (OR=1.036, 95% CI:1.012-1.060), prehospital ECG monitoring (OR=2.601, 95% CI:1.011-6.693), and cardiogenic shock (OR=4.736, 95% CI:2.482-9.037). CONCLUSION: The use of prehospital mobile units did not influence on hospital mortality of acute ST-elevation myocardial infarction.
Ambulances ; Chest Pain ; Educational Status ; Electrocardiography ; Emergencies ; Emergency Medical Services ; Heart ; Heart Arrest ; Hospital Mortality ; Humans ; Myocardial Infarction ; Odds Ratio ; Propensity Score ; Respiratory Rate ; Shock, Cardiogenic ; Syncope

PURPOSE: This study was performed to evaluate the effects of prehospital emergency care use by 119 rescue services on the outcome of acute ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). METHODS: All patients who visited 23 hospital emergency departments and who were finally diagnosed with STEMI between January and December 2008 were enrolled. They were divided into two groups: use of 119 rescue service or non-use. The propensity score matching method was used considering factors known to be influential for the use of 119 rescue services (age, gender, educational status, chief complaints, cardiogenic shock, respiratory rate, heart rate). Hospital mortality was defined as patient death in the hospital following admission. The comparative odds ratio (OR) and confidence interval (CI) of mortality between the 119 use and non-use groups were determined. RESULTS: Of the 1,118 STEMI patient, no statistical differences were evident in gender and age. Patients who used the 119 rescue services displayed lower educational status and rare complaint of chest pain is rare (36.6% vs 63.4%). But syncope and cardiac arrest were more frequent in the 119 user group than non-user group (syncope: 84.6% vs 15.4%, respectively; cardiac arrest: 76.0% vs 24.0%, respectively). Propensity score matching system was performed and extracted 390 patients in each group. The extracted patients were not statistically different in demographic findings and influencing factors of 119 service use. Hospital mortality did not differ between the 119 user and non-user groups (OR=1.294, 95% CI:0.612-2.735). Increased hospital mortality of STEMI patients was correlated with increased age (OR=1.036, 95% CI:1.012-1.060), prehospital ECG monitoring (OR=2.601, 95% CI:1.011-6.693), and cardiogenic shock (OR=4.736, 95% CI:2.482-9.037). CONCLUSION: The use of prehospital mobile units did not influence on hospital mortality of acute ST-elevation myocardial infarction.
Ambulances ; Chest Pain ; Educational Status ; Electrocardiography ; Emergencies ; Emergency Medical Services ; Heart ; Heart Arrest ; Hospital Mortality ; Humans ; Myocardial Infarction ; Odds Ratio ; Propensity Score ; Respiratory Rate ; Shock, Cardiogenic ; Syncope

BACKGROUND: Enterovirus is a common cause of aseptic meningitis, respiratory disease and nonspecific febrile illness. The conventional methods for laboratory diagnosis of enterovirus infections have been virus culture and serotyping by an immunofluorecent test. We studied a new and more rapid approach for enterovirus detection in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) by real-time nested PCR. METHODS: This study was performed on 50 CSF specimens from patients suspected of aseptic meningitis. Enterovirus was detected in CSF by PCRs for 3 different targets and real-time nested PCR. Enterovirus culture was also performed in 44 CSF specimens. RESULTS: The positive rate of PCRs for each of the 3 different targets was 26.0%, 40.0%, or 46.0%, and that of real-time nested PCR was 86.0%. Only 6.8% were positive in culture. Thus, the positive rate of real-time nested PCR was much higher than other methods. CONCLUSIONS: Our study revealed that the real-time nested PCR should be useful for diagnosis of enterovirus infections because of a high sensitivity and rapid detection.
Cerebrospinal Fluid* ; Clinical Laboratory Techniques ; Diagnosis ; Enterovirus Infections ; Enterovirus* ; Humans ; Meningitis, Aseptic ; Polymerase Chain Reaction* ; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Reverse Transcription* ; Serotyping

BACKGROUND: Saliva is considered an important vector for the Helicobacter pylori infection. The presence of the babA2 gene, encoding for BabA (blood-group antigen binding adhesin), in the H. pylori genome is crucial for H. pylori-related pathogenesis. METHODS: The study was performed in the group of 215 patients. The detection of H. pylori and babA2 in saliva and gastric tissue was done by PCR (polymerase chain reaction). Moreover, gastric tissues were stained with hematoxylin-eosin as well as with modified Giemsa methods for the analysis of Helicobacter pylori density. RESULTS: The positive rate of H. pylori by nested PCR was 78.6% in gastric tissue and 72.7% in saliva. In addition, the positive rate of H. pylori was 55.5% by the histological analysis of Helicobacter pylori density in gastric tissue. The positive rate of babA2 by PCR was 33.9% in gastric tissue, and 8.2% in saliva. CONCLUSION: We revealed that the H. pylori PCR results obtained in gastric tissue correlated well with those obtained in saliva. As saliva is more available specimen, it is more suitable for clinical application of H. pylori detection by PCR. However, clinical use of - BabA PCR seems to be limited because of its low-sensitivity.
Genome ; Helicobacter pylori* ; Helicobacter* ; Humans ; Polymerase Chain Reaction* ; Saliva*

BACKGROUND: Neurocutaneous melanosis (NCM) is a rare neurocutaneous syndrome characterized by the presence of multiple congenital melanocytic nevi (CMN) and the proliferation of melanocytes in the central nervous system, usually involving the leptomeninges. Chronic partial epilepsy as a sole manifestation is rare in NCM. CASE REPORT: A 32-year-old man suffering from chronic partial epilepsy presented with multiple CMN on his trunk and scalp. Brain MRI demonstrated a focal lesion in the right amygdala that was consistent with interictal epileptiform discharges in the right temporal region on electroencephalography (EEG). An anterior temporal lobectomy was performed, and the pathology investigation revealed numerous melanophages in the amygdala. The patient was seizure-free after surgery. CONCLUSIONS: We report a patient with NCM presenting as chronic partial epilepsy who was successfully treated by anterior temporal lobectomy.
Adult ; Amygdala ; Anterior Temporal Lobectomy ; Brain ; Central Nervous System ; Electroencephalography ; Epilepsies, Partial ; Humans ; Melanocytes ; Melanosis ; Neurocutaneous Syndromes ; Nevus, Pigmented ; Scalp ; Stress, Psychological

PURPOSE: To describe findings of enhanced power Doppler sonography and DSA in experimentally induced VX2 carcinomas in rabbit thigh and to correlate the imaging findings with the histopathologic features. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 30 VX2 carcinomas were implanted in rabbit thigh, and after conventional and enhanced power Doppler sonography and DSA, histopathologic examination was performed. Enhanced power Doppler sonography and DSA, were used to determine the distribution pattern of tumor vascularity; to assess its grade and the percentage of a tumor area occupied by vessels, conventional and enhanced power Doppler sonography, as well as DSA, were used. The grade of necrosis and the development of fibrovascular stroma and capsule were histopathologically determined. The findings of power Doppler sonography were compared with those of DSA and the imaging features were correlated with the histopathologic features. RESULTS: At enhanced power Doppler sonography, the signal was either avascular (n=9), peripheral (n=15) or diffuse (n=6), while at DSA, the corresponding totals were eight, fourteen and eight. There was statistically significant corelation between enhanced power Doppler sonography and DSA, both in their depiction of the distribution of patterns of tumor vascularity and as regards their findings of grade and percentage of vascular area. As determined by both conventional and enhanced power Doppler sonography, and by DSA, grade of necrosis and the development of fibrovascular stroma and a capsule correlated with grade and the percentage of vascular area. CONCLUSION: Experimentally induced VX2 carcinomas in rabbit thigh demonstrated various patterns of tumor vascularity, and the findings of enhanced power Doppler sonography correlated with those of DSA. Tumor vascularity, as demonstrated by two imaging modalities, correlated closely with grade of necrosis and the development of fibrovascular stroma and a capsule, as revealed by histopathologic examination.
Angiography ; Necrosis ; Neoplasms, Experimental ; Thigh*