Background: The association between serum cholesterol levels and depression has been studied extensively; however, results are inconsistent. This study aimed to investigate the association between low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels and depressive symptoms among Korean adults. Methods: This cross-sectional study used data obtained from the 2007–2015 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. In total, 40,904 adults were included in the final analysis. Participants were categorized into five groups according to their LDL-C levels, using the Korean guidelines for dyslipidemia. Symptoms of depression were evaluated using a self-reported questionnaire. Weighted logistic regression was used to examine the relationship between LDL-C levels and self-reported depressive symptoms. Results: Compared with the intermediate category, the lowest (<70 mg/dL) and highest (≥160 mg/dL) LDL-C categories were associated with depressive symptoms, after adjusting for potential confounding factors (odds ratio [OR], 1.191; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.008–1.409; OR, 1.241; 95% CI, 1.073–1.435, respectively). The highest LDL-C category was positively associated with depressive symptoms in those who were middle-aged, female, had a low body mass index, and taking or not taking dyslipidemia medications. Conclusion A U-shaped association was identified between LDL-C categories and self-reported depressive symptoms. Our findings suggest that LDL-C levels that are too low or too high are associated with self-reported depressive symptoms. Further prospective studies are needed to determine the causal relationship of this association.

Gastrointestinal tuberculosis that is not an unusual form of extrapulmonary tuberculosis and it is usually associated with immunocompromised condition that may present with clinical symptoms including fever, weight loss or pain. Terminal ileum and cecum are the common sites of involvement, but involvement of the stomach is rare. Furthermore, synchronous tuberculosis involving both the stomach and lower gastrointestinal tract has been reported in very few cases. Herein, we report a case of incidentally detected synchronous tuberculosis involving both the stomach and terminal ileum that was successfully treated by antituberculosis therapy in an asymptomatic immunocompetent patient.
Adult ; Antitubercular Agents/therapeutic use ; Asymptomatic Infections ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Endoscopy, Digestive System ; Female ; Humans ; Intestine, Small/pathology ; Stomach/pathology ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Tuberculosis, Gastrointestinal/*diagnosis/drug therapy

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the significance of telomerase activity in gestational trophoblastic disease and the association of telomerase activity in complete hydatidiform mole and subsequent development of persistent gestational trophoblastic tumor. By using the standard telomerase repeat assay, we examined telomerase activity in 2 normal placentas, 31 complete hydatidiform moles, 7 invasive moles, 5 choriocarcinoma tissues and choriocarcinoma cell line (JEG-3). Telomerase activity was detected in 13 of 15 (86.7%) complete hydatidiform mole patients who eventually had chemotherapy for the treatment of persistent gestational trophoblastic tumor. All of the 9 patients with metastatic disease (FIGO Stage III) had telomerase activity in their initial molar tissue. In contrast, telomerase activity was evident in only two of 16 (12.5%) complete hydatidiform mole patients with spontaneous remission. While telomerase activity was not detected in normal placentas, high level of telomerase activity was detected in all of 7 invasive moles, 5 choriocarcinoma tissues and choriocarcinoma cell line (JEG-3). The presence of telomerase activity in a complete hydatidiform mole is associated with the development of persistent gestational trophoblastic tumor, such as invasive mole and choriocarcinoma.
Cell Line ; Choriocarcinoma ; Drug Therapy ; Female ; Gestational Trophoblastic Disease* ; Humans ; Hydatidiform Mole ; Hydatidiform Mole, Invasive ; Molar ; Placenta ; Pregnancy ; Remission, Spontaneous ; Telomerase* ; Telomere ; Trophoblastic Neoplasms

OBJECTIVES: Recirculation is one of the factors preventing effective hemodialysis(HD) and one of the methods which can detect vascular access stenosis. We analyzed the possible clinical risk factors and relationship between the recirculation rate(R) and adequacy of hemodialysis. Also, we attempted to find out whether vascular access stenosis actually exist in the high R group. METHODS: We examined the period of hemodialysis, the presence of diabetes mellitus(DM), use of artificial grafts, the venous pressure(VP) during HD, the difference(deltaKt/V) between prescribed Kt/V(Kt/V') and delivered Kt/V(Kt/V") in 113 patients(22 DM, 39 artifical graft patients) receving maintenence HD. R was obtained by two needle slow flow method. Fistulogram was performed in the high R group(R>10%) and if significant stenosis was found, surgical correction was performed followed by repeated R, VP, Kt/V" measurement. RESULTS: As a whole R was 5.6%(+/-8.8), VP was 92mmHg(+/-44), the duration of hemodialysis was 36 months(+/-25) and Kt/V" was 1.20 (+/-0.29). The VP of the group with artificial graft was higher than that of the group with native fistula, but there was no relationship between R and duration of HD, Kt/V", deltaKt/V as a whole. The VP and deltaKt/V of group with high R(>10%) were significantly higher than the group with low R(<10%). Positive correlation between R and deltaKt/V was demonstrated in the group with high R. In six patients with high R, fistulograms were taken and significant vascular stenosis were found. After surgical correction, R was significantly decreased from 25.5% to 5.2%. On the other hand, the R as well as the rate of diabetes or prosthetic grafts were higher in the group with high VP(>or=100mmHg) than in the group with low VP(<100mmHg) as well as in patients with diabetes or prosthetic grafts, CONCLUSION: We believe recirculation should be measured during maintenance HD especially when the patient has diabetes, artificial graft or high venous pressure during HD. When the recirculation rate is high, reconstructive vascular surgery with proprer mediacl management may lead to better dialysis adequacy.
Constriction, Pathologic ; Dialysis ; Fistula ; Hand ; Humans ; Needles* ; Renal Dialysis ; Risk Factors ; Transplants ; Venous Pressure

For evaluating the reproductive performances of GTD patients, we found 115 cases of GTD patients, 77 HM and 38 GTT, who became pregnant after the completion of treatments and follow-up period. The results of this study suggest subsequent pregnancies after the completion of treatments may promise normal reproductive outcomes regardless of the chemotherapy.
Drug Therapy ; Follow-Up Studies ; Gestational Trophoblastic Disease* ; Humans ; Pregnancy

OBJETIVE: To investigate the efficacy of high infusion frequency of liquid nitrogen on pregnancy in human embryo after freezing and thawing. MATERIALS AND METHODS:: 150 infertile patients underwent 162 consecutive thawing-ET cycles. In the high infusion frequency group (Group A), 47 patients (50 cycles) underwent cryopreservation with high infusion frequency of liquid nitrogen. In the low infusion frequency group (Group B), 103 patients (112 cycles) underwent cryopreservation with low infusion frequency of liquid nitrogen. We analyzed the clinical characteristics, fertilization rates, development of embryo, good quality embryo ratio, implantation rates, and pregnancy rates between these two groups. RESULTS: There was no difference between the groups with regard to clinical characteristics (mean age, infertility duration, infertility factors, hormone profile), mean number of oocyte retrieval, fertilization rates, and mean embryo number of transfers. The survival rates in group A was 64.9% (228 of 350 embryos), and among the 228 embryos 190 embryos (83.3%) which progressed to the two- to eight-cell stage. After thawing, the embryo numbers were 65 (34.2%), 29 (15.3%), 35 (18.4%), and 37 (19.5%) of grades 1, 2, 3, and above 4, respectively. The survival rates in group B was 63.8% (482 of 755 embryos), and among the 482 embryos 465 embryos (96.5%) which progressed to the two- to eight-cell stage. After thawing, the embryo numbers were 106 (22.8%), 94 (20.2%), 89 (19.1%), and 112 (24.1%) of grades 1, 2, 3, and above 4, respectively. There was no difference in embryo quality change after the freezing-thawing procedure between the groups. Implantation rates (31.1% vs. 34.3%) were not significant. However hCG positive rates in group A (40%) were higher than group B, but not statistically significant. Clinical pregnancy rate (26% vs. 25.9%), on going pregnancy rates (>20 weeks) were not significant (26% vs. 25%). CONCLUSION: We compared embryo quality change, survival rates, and pregnancy rates between high infusion frequency group and low infusion frequency group and the results were similar between the two groups. Therefore, high infusion frequency of liquid nitrogen for cryopreservation is a worthy method to preserve in human embryos.
Cryopreservation ; Embryonic Development* ; Embryonic Structures* ; Female ; Fertilization ; Freezing* ; Humans* ; Infertility ; Nitrogen* ; Oocyte Retrieval ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Rate* ; Pregnancy* ; Survival Rate

An abnormal course of carotid artery may surprise surgeons during surgery and result in an transient ischemic attack or other ischemic symptoms. We report an unusual case of kinking in the common carotid artery located below the right thyroid lobe, which was found during a total thyroidectomy in a 74-years old patient. We emphasize in this case how important it is to palpate the neck before surgeries such as tracheostomy, thyroid surgery and so on.
Carotid Arteries ; Carotid Artery, Common ; Humans ; Ischemic Attack, Transient ; Neck ; Thyroid Gland ; Thyroidectomy ; Tracheostomy

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the association between progression of curvature of scoliosis, and correction for functional component in patients with juvenile idiopathic scoliosis (JIS). METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed medical data of patients prescribed custom molded foot orthosis (FO) to correct inequality of RCSPA (resting calcaneal stance position angle), and chose 52 patients (26 females, 26 males) with Cobb angle ≥10° in radiology and uneven pelvic level at iliac crest by different RCSPA (≥3°) as a factor of functional scoliosis. They had different hump angle ≥5° in forward bending test, for idiopathic scoliosis component. Their mean age and mean period of wearing FO were 79.5±10.6 months and 18.6±0.70 months. RESULTS: Cobb angle was reduced from 22.03°±4.39° initially to 18.86°±7.53° after wearing FO. Pelvis height difference and RCSPA difference, were reduced from 1.07±0.25 cm initially to 0.60±0.36, and from 4.25°±0.71° initially to 1.71°±0.75° (p < 0.01). Cobb angle improved most in 9 months. However, there was no significant improvement for those with more than 25° of Cobb angle initially. Mean Cobb angle improved in all age groups, but patients less than 6 years had clinically significant improvement of more than 5°. CONCLUSION: JIS can have functional components, which should be identified and managed. Foot orthosis is useful in correcting functional factors, in the case of pelvic inequality caused by different RCSPA, for patients with juvenile idiopathic scoliosis.
Female ; Foot Orthoses ; Fungi ; Humans ; Leg Length Inequality ; Pelvis ; Retrospective Studies ; Scoliosis* ; Socioeconomic Factors ; Spine*

Prolotherapy is a non-surgical injection treatment method that repeatedly injects small amounts of proliferators into damaged ligaments, tendon, joints and surrounding tissues. The most common proliferator is a high concentration of glucose solution. Glucose solutions with a concentration of 10-25% are commonly used. Prolotherapy using glucose solution has few serious adverse events, but common side effects include post injection pain, stiffness, edema, and mild bleeding. There are many cases of complaining of pain caused by injection during or after prolotherapy. Some patients give up treatment if the pain is severe. A 43-year-old male patient visited the hospital with both elbow pain and left wrist pain, and prolotherapy was performed. In order to minimize pain during procedure and post injection pain of the patient, 10% glucose solution with 0.5% lidocaine was injected using a very fine needle of 30 G. The total number of treatments was eight. The patient did not complain of pain caused by needle insertion during procedure and post-injection pain. Chronic pain that lasted for two years after treatment almost disappeared. The patient was very satisfied with this treatment method and result.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to test the feasibility and the clinical usefulness of detection and measurement of distal left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD) flow using transthoracic echocardiography. METHODS: We prospectively examined 200 consecutive subjects(age 56+/-12 yrs, M:F=23:77). Of these subjects, 79 patients underwent coronary angiography. After obtaining the tubular color flow signals of distal LAD using an ultra-band transducer (5-12 MHz) with a special preset program of a low velocity range, the width and length of color Doppler signals, peak diastolic and systolic pulsed Doppler velocity (PDV) and velocity time integral(VTI) were measured. The echocardiographic findings of distal LAD flow were compared with the coronary angiogram. RESULTS: 1. In 142 of 200 subjects (71%), the color and pulsed Doppler signals with clear envelops were identified. 2. Forward biphasic flow in 86(60.6%) subjects and only diastolic flow in 56(39.4%) subjects were detected. 3.The mean length and width of color flow signals were 4.7+/-2.8mm (range 1.1-15.0 mm) and 1.6+/-0.7 mm (range 0.5-4.7 mm), respectively. 4.The mean PDV and VTI were 21.4+/-9.0 cm/sec(range 7.7-58.0 cm/sec) and 8.4+/-4.1 cm(range 2.8-26 cm), respectively. 5. The mean velocity range for obtaining the optimal Doppler signals of distal LAD was 13.0+/-4.2 cm/sec (range 6.4-32 cm/sec). 6. 14 of 22 (63%) subjects who distal LAD color flow signals were not identified showed the total or near total occlusion of LAD on the coronary angiogram. CONCLUSION: Detection and measurement of distal LAD flow are feasible in a high percentage of subjects by use of high frequency transthoracic Doppler echocardiography. The color and pulsed Doppler signals of distal LAD using transthoracic echocardiography at resting state may give the useful clinical information about coronary artery disease.
Coronary Angiography ; Coronary Artery Disease ; Coronary Vessels* ; Echocardiography ; Echocardiography, Doppler ; Humans ; Prospective Studies ; Transducers