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

Stress has been regrarded as one of the causes of central serous chorioretinopathy. We studied the effect of Hexamethonium (ganglionic blocking agent) on experimentaI serous chorioretinopathy following epinephrine injection in rabbits. In group 1, we injected the 0.1 % epinephrine into the rabbits through IV route for 10 days and in group 2, we addited Hexamethonium subcutaneously prior to injection of the epinephrine same term of gorup 1. We could find slight histological changes in gorup 2 as com paired with group 1, which produced serous chorioretinopathy, under the electronmicroscopic study so we would expect the preventive effect of Hexamethonium on the stress-induced serous chorioretinopathy.
Central Serous Chorioretinopathy ; Epinephrine ; Hexamethonium* ; Rabbits*

Stress has been regrarded as one of the causes of central serous chorioretinopathy. We studied the effect of Hexamethonium (ganglionic blocking agent) on experimentaI serous chorioretinopathy following epinephrine injection in rabbits. In group 1, we injected the 0.1 % epinephrine into the rabbits through IV route for 10 days and in group 2, we addited Hexamethonium subcutaneously prior to injection of the epinephrine same term of gorup 1. We could find slight histological changes in gorup 2 as com paired with group 1, which produced serous chorioretinopathy, under the electronmicroscopic study so we would expect the preventive effect of Hexamethonium on the stress-induced serous chorioretinopathy.
Central Serous Chorioretinopathy ; Epinephrine ; Hexamethonium* ; Rabbits*

PURPOSE: To evaluate the ultrasonographic and CT findings of hepatosplenic tuberculosis MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the ultrasonographic and CT findings of confirmed hepatosplenic tuberculosis in 12patients. Six were men and six were women ; their average age was 41, and most were in their twenties. Lesions ofthe liver and spleen, as well as associated findings such as abdominal tuberculosis and other organ involvement oftuberculosis were analyzed. RESULTS: There were three cases of hepatic tuberculosis, seven of splenictuberculosis, and two of hepatosplenic involvement of tuberculosis. On the basis of the ultrasonographic and CTfindings, hepatosplenic tuberculosis was classified as one of two patterns : miliary or micronodular, ormacronodular. The micronodular type was more common (9/12 cases) being characterized by innumerable micronodules,and with easy coalescence in the liver and spleen in five of the nine cases. The macronodular type of low densitymass was noted in the other three patients. Splenomegaly was noted in 12 cases and hepatomegaly in ten. Pulmonarytuberculosis-including the miliary type(n=5)-was noted in eight patients. Associated abdominal tuberculosis suchas lymphadenopathy with central low density and peripheral rim enhancement (n=6), tuberculous peritonitis(n=3),highly attenuated ascites(n=6), adrenal tuberculosis(n=1), renal tuberculosis(n=1), ovarian abscess(n=1), psoasabscess(n=1), and systemic tuberculosis such as central nervous system tuberculoma(n=2), cervicallymphadenopathy(n=4) and tuberculous spondylitis(n=1) were noted. CONCLUSION: Ultrasonography and CT werevaluable in the detection and diagnosis of hepatosplenic tuberculosis
Central Nervous System ; Diagnosis ; Female ; Hepatomegaly ; Humans ; Liver ; Lymphatic Diseases ; Male ; Retrospective Studies ; Spleen ; Splenomegaly ; Tuberculosis* ; Tuberculosis, Gastrointestinal ; Tuberculosis, Hepatic ; Ultrasonography

We report a case of giant hydronephrosis due to congenital ureteropelvic junction obstruction in a 7-month-old female infant with contralateral renal agenesis. Congenital renal agenesis is an uncommon congenital condition that results from a failure of induction of the metanephric blastema by the ureteral bud and fifteen per cent of cases show anomalies of the contralateral kidney. An excretory urogram and abdominal CT scan of the patient revealed nonvisualization of left kidney, and a retrograde pyelogram showed markedly dilated extrarenal pelvis crossing over the mid-line because of narrowing of ureteropelvic junction. However, the other combined anomalies were not identified. A successful dismembered pyeloplasty was performed after temporary urinary diversion with percutaneous nephrostomy for 4 weeks.
Crossing Over, Genetic ; Female ; Humans ; Hydronephrosis* ; Infant ; Kidney ; Nephrostomy, Percutaneous ; Pelvis ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Ureter ; Urinary Diversion

BACKGROUND: The purpose of our study was to evaluate the functional and radiologic outcomes of additive augmentation sutures through rotator cuff for proximal humeral fractures stabilized locking plate in elderly patients. METHODS: We enrolled 74 patients over the age of 60 years who received internal fixation using locking plates for proximal humeral fractures. Of these, 50 patients had additive augmentation sutures through rotator cuff. The mean age at the time of surgery was 72.1 years (range, 60-89 years), and the mean follow-up period was 17.5 months (range, 12-62 months). The humeral neck-shaft angle and humeral head height were used as radiological markers to assess the effect of additive augmentation sutures through rotator cuff. We allocated the patients who received additive augmentation sutures into group A and those who did not into group B. RESULTS: At the final follow-up, the mean Korean Showlder Society score and Constant scores were 88.96 +/- 12.1 and 86.6 +/- 11.9, respectively, in group A and 86.21 +/- 11.8 and 85.3 +/- 11.7, respectively, in group B (p=0.368, 0.271). At the final follow-up, the mean loss in humeral neck-shaft angle from the time of immediate postoperative measurement was 1.6degrees in group A and 4.8degrees in group B, whereas the mean loss in humeral head height was 0.82 mm in group A and 0.52 mm in group B (p=0.029, 0.178). CONCLUSIONS: The surgical outcomes of internal fixation using locking plates for proximal humeral fractures were clinically and radiologically good in elderly patients over the age of 60 years without any observable complications. Further, the loss of humeral head shaft angle at the final follow-up from its initial postoperative measurement was significantly smaller in patients who received an additive augmentation suture than in those who did not. Thus, we conclude that augmentation sutures are a beneficial option for elderly patients that clinicians can consider at the time of surgical decision making.
Aged* ; Decision Making ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Humeral Head ; Rotator Cuff ; Shoulder Fractures* ; Sutures*

TURP is one of the common operations in the urologic field, and it has been well shown as a golden standard treatment modality for the patients with the BPH. Nevertheless, there was no available objective index to determine effective amount of the prostate resection. Therefore, we reviewed and evaluated the charts of 119 BPH patients more than 15 in modified Boyarsky symptom score evaluation, and who have undergone TURP from 1992 to June 1994. In addition, we excluded the cases associated with the other disease, such as neurogenic bladder, urethral stricture, or prostatic carcinoma. The volume of prostate was calculated by using of TRUS and ellipsoid formula. The maximal flow rate(MFR) was evaluated mostly on 5th post-operative volume of the day. We defined the resection rate(R.R) as the rate of the resected weight to the volume of the prostate. The results were as follows. 1. The mean resection rate of the prostate was 42.1%. 2. The average of the post-operative MFR was 20.52ml/sec. 3. The relevance between the RR and the post-operative MFR was not shown herein. 4. Distribution of the patients by the postoperative modified Boyarsky symptom score was different according to the resection rate. Statistically significant difference of the postoperative modified Boyarsky symptom score was shown between the greater than 30% resection group 1ess than 30% resection group(P=<0.05) 5. The post-operative modified Boyarsky symptom score could be predicted by the equation induced through the regression analysis. Symptom score = 5.28 - (0.04'RR) Our results suggest that resection rate of 30% is the marginal rate for the desirable voiding improvement, and, if it is practicable, the resection of more than 30% is favorable for all patients with BPH.
Humans ; Prostate ; Transurethral Resection of Prostate ; Urethral Stricture ; Urinary Bladder, Neurogenic

To date, the unilateral single vaginal ectopic ureter has been regarded as the rarest form of ureteral ectopia because 80 per cent of all ectopic ureters are associated with a duplicated system and most of the ectopic ureters occur in male patients. This malformation may take the form of but is not limited to any ombination of abnormal development of the mesonephric and paramesonephric ducts. We report a case of unilateral single vaginal ectopic ureter with ipsilateral hypoplastic kidney in a 9 year-old female patient who has been suffered from diaper dermatitis due to persistent urinary incontinence since birth.
Child ; Dermatitis ; Female ; Humans ; Kidney* ; Male ; Parturition ; Ureter* ; Urinary Incontinence

Radical cystectomy and/or radiotherapy represent the standard treatment for invasive bladder carcinoma. However these approaches are less than ideal since a substantial number of patients have progressive disease and die of metastatic cancer. Then recent treatment modality is trending toward chemotherapy. Therefore, we performed the aggressive transurethral resection of the bladder tumor (TURBt) followed by the combined chemotherapy of methotrexate, vinblastine, doxorubicin and cisplatin(RI-VAC) for conservative treatment of muscle invasive transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder. From July 1990 to March 1995, 41 patients with stage T2 to T4 were entered into the study. Of that patients, 26 completed 4 to 8 cycles of M-VAC and were followed, while 15 were excluded from the study because of incomplete chemotherapy or inadequate follow-up. Median follow-up was 30 months(4-56 months). Median age of the patients was 66 years(range 48 to 85 years). All patients had Karnofsky performance status(KPS) score between 70 and l00. There were 3 patients with clinical stage T2, 8 with T3a, 7 with T3b, 8 with T4. G-CSF(Granulocyte-Colony Stimulating Factor) was used for 19 patients with M-VAC induced leukopenia, thereby allowing the chemotherapy to be complete on schedule. Responses to therapy were evaluated according to standard accepted phase II response criteria. Overall clinical response (complete and partia1) was noted in 15 patients(58%), and no response in 11(42%). Of the patients with T2 and T3a, 9(82%) showed complete and partial response, and of them with T3b and T4, 6(40%) showed complete and partial response. Of 26 patients 21(81%) are alive now. These data suggest that survival was no better than expected following radical cystectomy or radiotherapy in short term follow-up, so far, however systemic M-VAC chemotherapy in combination with radical TURBt is probably expected to provide a high response rate and a better survival with the particular advantage of preserving normal bladder function in patients with superficially invasive bladder tumor(T2/T3a).
Appointments and Schedules ; Carcinoma, Transitional Cell ; Cystectomy ; Doxorubicin ; Drug Therapy ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Leukopenia ; Methotrexate ; Radiotherapy ; Urinary Bladder Neoplasms ; Urinary Bladder* ; Vinblastine

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