It is known that the personality is the crucial factor in the treatment outcome of depression. The authors tried to identify the results of such studies and various components which determine the treatment outcome of depression. Nearly 60 papers published between the year 1990 and 2000 about the treatment of depression and personality were reviewed. Among them about 30 papers were selected to compere the research methods, results and discussions. The arguments and critics of the papers were discussed. In the many debates, the authors admitted the fact that premorbid personality trait influences the treatment outcome of depression negatively regardless of treatment method. Subtyping of depression is feasible along the presence of good or bad predictors of treatment outcome for depression. Differentiation of depression and personality seems to have no problem, however test of personality state before the development of psychiatric disorder such as depression is not amenable. For example, cluster A personality trait is often misunderstood as depression in clinical setting. In some cases cognitive behavioral therapy is effective in the treatment of depression accompanying personality disorder. The authors insist that the analysis of personality in the dimensional aspect rather than in the categorical aspect gives more information in the research of personality influencing the treatment outcome of depression. In addition, the reason why we understand the relationship between depression and personality were discussed.
Cognitive Therapy ; Depression* ; Personality Disorders ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVE: Lithium inhibits the action of inositol monophosphatase(IMPase) in phosphoinositide(PI) signal transduction system at therapeutically relevant concentration. The depletion of inositol by lithium itself cannt explain the lithium's therapeutic effect. However, attention has focused on the abnormality of PI signal transduction system as the pathophysiology of bipolar affective disorder(BPD). We investigated whether IMPase mRNA levels of lymphocytes would be different between BPD patients(n=16) and age, sex-matched normal controls(n=16). We also investigated the change of IMPase mRNA level by lithium during 4 weeks to probe the possibility that IMPase mRNA levels could predict the therapeutic response to lithium and clinical course. METHOD: Relative IMPase mRNA levels in lymphocyte were quantified by reverse transcriptase(RT)-PCR in sixteen drug-free BPD patients and sex, age-matched normal controls. The psychopathology of patients were measured using YMRS(Young Mania Rating Scale) and CGI(Clinical Global Impression). RESULTS: There was no significant difference in IMPase mRNA levels between BPD patients and normal controls. And the IMPase mRNA levels were not significantly changed by 4 week treatment with lithium. However, the basal IMPase mRNA levels were negatively correlated with the changes of CGI after 4 weeks. Furthermore, the patients with relatively high basal IMPase mRNA levels showed much more improvement during 4 weeks. CONCLUSIONS: BPD patients and normal controls were not distinguished by lymphocyte IMPase mRNA level. Although we do not support the hypothesis that lymphocyte IMPase activity would be related with the pathogenesis of BPD and the action of lithium, these data raise the possibility that lymphocyte IMPase mRNA levels could function as a predictor of therapeutic response and clinical course of BPD.
5'-Nucleotidase ; Bipolar Disorder ; Humans ; Inositol* ; Lithium* ; Lymphocytes* ; Mood Disorders* ; Psychopathology ; RNA, Messenger* ; Signal Transduction

No abstract available.
Biopsy* ; Salivary Glands* ; Sjogren's Syndrome*

Objective: The Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (ERQ) is one of the widely used instruments to assess emotion regulation skills in many countries, including Korea. However, its psychometric properties have not been validated within this population. Also, the ERQ has increasingly been used in studies with psychiatric patients despite a general lack of validation in clinical settings. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate the psychometric properties of the Korean version of the ERQ (K-ERQ) using a clinical sample in Korea. Methods: One hundred and ninety-three psychiatric patients completed a packet of self-report measures, including K-ERQ, K-BDI-II, K-ASI-3, PCL-5-K, AUDIT-K. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was administered to investigate the factor structure of the K-ERQ, and internal reliability and validity were examined. Results: Results of the CFA supported the two-factor structure, but only after the removal of one item. The K-ERQ showed good internal consistency reliability, and its concurrent validity was also confirmed. Cognitive reappraisal was negatively correlated with depression and alcohol use disorder-related symptoms, and expressive suppression was positively correlated with depression, anxiety sensitivity, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)-related symptoms and alcohol use disorder-related symptoms. Significant group differences were found in the use of emotion regulation strategies; patients with PTSD reported the higher level of cognitive reappraisal than patients with depressive disorders, bipolar disorders, and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder. Conclusion The 9-itemed K-ERQ is a reliable and valid tool to assess the emotion regulation strategies in a Korean clinical sample. Our study also adds preliminary evidence on the usefulness of the ERQ in clinical settings.

No abstract available.
Fungi* ; Plastics*

Uterine prolapse with pregnancy is rare condition. The overall incidence is 1/10000- 15000 deliveries. The complications from uterine prolapse range from minor cervical ulceration and infection to fetal death or uterine rupture. The fetal mortality was as high as 22% mainly due to prematurity, respiratory infection. The management of this condition is focused on preventing late occurrence of prolapse during pregnancy and continued reduction. We present a case of uterine prolapse in pregnancy with a brief review of the literature.
Fetal Death ; Fetal Mortality ; Incidence ; Pregnancy* ; Prolapse ; Ulcer ; Uterine Prolapse* ; Uterine Rupture

No abstract available.
Ear* ; Papain*

We analyzed the composition of urinary stones using chemical analysis method. From 1985 to 1995, 495 urinary calculi were eligible for stone analysis. Forty six per cent of the stones were composed of single chemical component, and pure calcium oxalate stone was the most common type of the stones consisting 34.9% of all stones, followed by 23.8% of mixture of calcium oxalate and calcium phosphate, and 92.7% of the stones had calcium component. Calcium oxalate crystal was found in 82.6% of the stones, calcium phosphate in 50.5%, ammonium magnesium phosphate in 26.7%, uric acid in 11.3% and cystine in 0.4%. Nation-wide extension of this study using chemical analysis will be mandatory for a proper assessment of the stone composition of Koreans and for planning of the proper management strategies for urinary stones in Korea.
Ammonium Compounds ; Calcium ; Calcium Oxalate ; Cystine ; Korea ; Magnesium ; Uric Acid ; Urinary Calculi*

No abstract available.
Nose* ; Paranasal Sinuses*

OBJECTIVE: Adult onset Still s disease is an acute systemic inflammatory disorder. There are no pathognomonic symptoms or specific laboratory abnormalities. In recent reports, serum ferritin concentration is increased in active disease phase and decreased after defervescence. Our purpose was to determine the clinical significance of serum ferritin as an indicator for disease activity. METHODS: Seven patients who were diagnosed as adult onset Still s disease at Samsung Medical Center between October 1994 and March 1997, were reviewed. In these patients we checked leukocyte count, ESR, CRP and serum ferritin concentrations at the time of diagnosis and during follow-up periods and recorded febrile events during follow-up periods. RESULTS: At the time of diagnosis and during febrile periods, the concentrations of ferritin were extremely high(927ng/ml to 96,650ng/ml normal 10-290.8 ng/ml). The values were unrelated to other manifestations of the disease or laboratory findings. The ferritin concentrations decreased rapidly after adequate treatment. Eleven febrile reattacks happened in 7 patients. Serum ferritin concentrations were increased in 8 febrile attacks, while leukocyte count, ESR, and CRP were increased in 5, 5, 6 febrile attacks respectively, There were 10 events of increased serum ferritin concentrations in 7 patients during follow-up periods and 8 events were related with fever. The increases of other laboratory tests were similar. CONCLUSIONS: In all patients, serum ferritin concentrations were increased at the time of diagnosis and closely related to fever. During follow-up periods, serum ferritin concentrations are helpful in monitoring disease activity and guiding decisions about treatment.
Adult* ; Diagnosis ; Ferritins* ; Fever ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Leukocyte Count ; Still's Disease, Adult-Onset*