No abstract available.
Hypokalemic Periodic Paralysis*

No abstract available.
Rickets, Hypophosphatemic*

M-mode, pulsed Doppler and Doppler color flow mapping, in addition to two-dimensional echocardiography, have greatly improved imaging of the fetal heart through identification of abnormal cardiac anatomy and rhythm in utero. The early detection of cardiac disturbance in utero permits alteration in obstetric management such as delivery in a high-risk center for optimal neonatal care and/or decision in optimal delivery time. We report two cases of the neonatal arrhy-thmia which were observed by fetal echocardiography. In the first case, female baby showed neonatal arrhythmias including tachycardia and brady-cardia until 3 days after birth, and then turned to bradyarrhythmia due to non-conducted atrial bigeminy. These events lead us to review the fetal echocardiographs of the patient carefully. Premature atrial contractions were observed in her fetal echocardiography. At 2 months after birth, the patient's electrocardiogram showed normal sinus rhythm. Severe neonatal bradycardia of the second case was due to congenital complete heart block, identified clearly by electrocardiogram after birth. This case also showed complete heart block in her fetal echocardiography. After insertion of the temporary pacemaker, cardiomegaly was improved. Both the neonate and the mother had positive anti-SSA/Ro autoantibody. But any other symptoms and signs of neonatal lupus did not appear in the neonate. Patient's mother also did not show any symptoms and signs of systemic lupus erythematosus. Since the prognosis depends upon the cause of bradyarrhythmia in fetus and neonates, differential diagnosis is important in obstetric management and optimal neonatal treatment.
Arrhythmias, Cardiac* ; Atrial Premature Complexes ; Bradycardia ; Cardiomegaly ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Echocardiography* ; Electrocardiography ; Female ; Fetal Heart ; Fetus ; Heart Block ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic ; Mothers ; Parturition ; Prognosis ; Tachycardia

The author list should be corrected.

GH concentration in plasma decline with age. GH and GH response to GHRH are influenced by sex hormones, thereby changing around the menopause. In several aspects, features of aging resemble those of a state of GH deficiency. It has been argued the declining GH function, along with other factors, might be a causal factor in osteoporosis. The purpose of this study was to investigate that postmenopausal osteoporosis in ovariectomized rat could be prevented by rhGH. Fifty-four Sprague-Dawley rats(weight 140-200g) were devided 3 groups. Group 1(n=18) was sham operation; Group 2(n=18) was ovariectomized and received subcutaneous injection with 0.05 cc normal saline; Group 3(n=18) was ovariectomized and received subcutaneous injection with 0.2 IU rhGH. Group 2 and 3 were injected daily, 6 day per week. Each group was devided three subgroups(n=6) and were sacrificed at 6 week, 10 week, 14 week, respectively. Group 2 showed a significant increase in body weight, femur length, serum IGF-1 level, serum PICP and ICTP level at 6 weeks, 10 weeks, 14 weeks and a significant decrease in ash weight of tibia, width of bony spicules, at 14 weeks than Group 1. Group 3 demonstrated a significant increase in body weight, femur length, serum IGF-1, serum PICP and ITCP levels and a insignificant decrease in ash weight of tibia and width of bony spicules, at 6 weeks, 10 weeks, 14 weeks than Group 1. At 14 weeks, Group 3 showed a significant increase in serum IGF-1, Serum PTH, Serum PICP. From these data, we conclude that although rhGH administration leads to an activation of bone turnover and more stimulation of bone formation, it does not prevent a bone loss in ovariectomized rat.
Aging ; Animals ; Body Weight ; Female ; Femur ; Gonadal Steroid Hormones ; Humans* ; Injections, Subcutaneous ; Insulin-Like Growth Factor I ; Menopause ; Osteogenesis ; Osteoporosis* ; Osteoporosis, Postmenopausal ; Ovariectomy ; Plasma ; Rats* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Tibia

OBJECTIVE: The object of this study was to compare the diagnostic accuracy of a sonographic morphologic scoting system, the serum CA-125 assay, and a combination of both in patients undergoing laparotomy for a clinically diagnosed adnexal mass. METHODS: In 129 consecutive patients, the morphology of the mass was evaluated and scored by the morphologic scoring system of Sassones using transabdominal or transvaginal sonography and blood samples were obtained for CA-125 assay before planning surgery, RESULTS: The sensitivity of the sonographic morphologic scoring system was 90.6%, the specificity 84.5%, the positive predictive value 65.9%, and the negative predictive value 96.5%, compared with 68.8, 77.3, 50.0, and 88.2% for CA-125 and 96.9, 66.0, 48.4, and 98.5% for the two tests combined, respectively. Only one case of serous borderline ovarian tumor was missed when the two tests were combined. The sensitivity and mean value of the serum CA-125 increased with the stage of ovarian cancer. CONCLUSION: The combination of sonographic findings with a serum CA-125 assay was more sensitive, but less specific, than sonography or the serum CA-125 assay alone in predicting the malignancy of an adnexal mass. The serum CA-125 level generally reflected the stage of the disease. We think that it is reasonable to check the serum CA-125 only in cases of ovarian malignancy diagnosed by sonography.
Diagnosis* ; Humans ; Laparotomy ; Ovarian Neoplasms* ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Ultrasonography*

The persistent left superior vena cava (LSVC) is not rare cardiovascular developmental anomaly occurring both in association with congenital heart disease and as an isolated anomaly of no hemodynamic importance. We have studied 73 cases of the LSCV out of 1,060 cases of congenital heart disease catheterized at Yonsei Cardiovascular Center. We conducted the study with a view point of position of the heart and abdominal organs and segmental analysis of the underlying congenital heart disease. We also analysed the associated extracardiac vascular anomalies. The following results were obtained: 1) The incidence of this anomaly among congenital heart disease was 6.9% and 41 cases(56.2%) had cyanosis. 2) We observed 20 cases(27.3%) with the malposition of the heart and 17 cases(23.3%) with malposition of the abdominal organs. The ventricular loops revealed D-loop in 60 cases, L-loop in 7 cases and in the remaining 6 cases, it was uncertain. 3) With a view point of type of LSVC by Lucas & Krabill, type A was in 50 cases(68.5%), type D in 14 cases(19.2%), type B in 5 cases(6.8%) and type C in 4 cases(5.5%). 4) Associated cardiovascular anomalies were as follows: ventricular septal defect; 42 cases(57.5%), atrial septal defect; 33 cases(45.2%), patent ductus arteriosus; 27 cases(36.9%), and tetralogy of Fallot; 18 cases(24.7%). In conclusion, LSVC usually has no hemodynamic importance, but this cardiac anomaly is frequently combined with complex intracardiac anomalies. Therefore, it is important to making accurate diagnosis and successful management for preventing the risk of it.
Catheters ; Classification* ; Cyanosis ; Diagnosis ; Ductus Arteriosus, Patent ; Heart ; Heart Defects, Congenital ; Heart Septal Defects, Atrial ; Heart Septal Defects, Ventricular ; Hemodynamics ; Incidence ; Tetralogy of Fallot ; Vena Cava, Superior*

No abstract available.
Embryo Transfer* ; Embryonic Structures* ; Fertilization in Vitro* ; Pregnancy*

Many agents for the treatment of osteoporosis are broadly classified as inhibitors of bone resorption and stimulators of bone formation. Many pharmacological derivatives of bisphosphonates are used in the treatment of osteoporosis by inhibiting osteoclast-mediated bone resorption. Although the pamidronate, derivative of bisphosphonates, has a potent antiresorptive activity, there are only a low reports about prevention and treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis using it. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the changes of bone metabolism and bone mass after pamidronate administration during the early period of estrogen deficiency. Ninty-five Sprague-Dawley rats (weight 233-243 g) were divided into 3 groups. Group 1(n=28) was performed sham operation. Group 2 (n=25) was both ovariectomized and intravenously injected with 0.5 cc normal saline. Group 3 (n=42) was both ovariectomized and intravenously injected with 0.1 mg/kg pamidronate. During the first 8 weeks normal saline or pamidronate was intravenously injected twice a week(q 3 day or q 4 days). After 4 weeks of observation without injection the experiental animals were sacrificed at postoperative 12 weeks. There were statistically significant decrease in the body weight and the weight of uterus in group 1 compared with group 2, 3. There was statistically significant decrease in the bone mass of the spine, proximal femur, proximal tibia in the group 2 compared with group 1, 3. The difference of bone mass between group 1 and 3 was statistically insignificant. Serum osteocalcin and PICP concentration were significantly increased in group 2 and 3 compared with group 1. But there was no statistical significance between group 2 and 3 in serum osteocalcin and PICP concentration. Serum ICTP concentration was significantly decreased in group 1 and 3 compared with group 2, but the difference between group 1 and 3 was insignificant. These results suggests that the administration of the pamidronate during the early period of estrogen deficiency can inhibit bone resorption and prevent trabecular bone loss of the spine, proximal femur and proximal tibia metabolically.
Animals ; Body Weight ; Bone Resorption ; Diphosphonates ; Estrogens ; Female ; Femur ; Humans ; Metabolism ; Osteocalcin ; Osteogenesis ; Osteoporosis* ; Osteoporosis, Postmenopausal ; Ovariectomy ; Rats* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Spine ; Tibia ; Uterus

The purposes of this study were to evaluate the effects of insulin-like growth factor (IGF)s in peritoneal fluid (PF) from patients with and without endometriosis on the proliferation of endometrial stromal cells and to investigate the effects of type I IGF receptor antibody on the response of endometrial stromal cells to PF from patients with endometriosis. IGFs in PF from patients with endometriosis (n=14) and without endometriosis (n=10) were measured by immunoradiometric assay and PF samples were divided into low IGF-I PF group (less than 85 ng/ml) and high IGF-I PF group (more than 85 ng/ml). Endometrial stromal cells from patients without endometriosis were cultured in serum free media in the presence or absence of 1% PF and thymidine incorporation test were used to evaluate the proliferation of endometrial stromal cells. Also cultures were incubated with type I IGF receptor monoclonal antibody (alpha IR3) before adding PF. PF from patients with endometriosis and without endometriosis increased thymidine incorporation in endometrial stromal cells. In patients with endometriosis, high IGF-I PF group had high IGF-II levels and resulted in higher thymidine incorporation than low IGF-I PE and low IGF-I PF group was noted in patients without endometriosis. There was not a significant correlation between increase in thymidine incorporation and IGF-I levels in PF from patients without endometriosis but in PF from patients with endometriosis. Preincubation with alphaIR3 significantly inhibited the mitogenic response of endometrial stromal cells to PF. Our data indicate that IGF-I in PF may be involved in the growth of ectopic endometrium in patients with endometriosis.
Ascitic Fluid* ; Culture Media, Serum-Free ; Endometriosis* ; Endometrium ; Female ; Humans ; Immunoradiometric Assay ; Insulin-Like Growth Factor I ; Insulin-Like Growth Factor II ; Stromal Cells* ; Thymidine