The argon laser has been used in the treatment of a variety of cutaneous vascular and pigmented lesions. In 1983, authors reported on the therapeutic effect from argon laser treatment of nevus flammeus. This study was undertaken to evaluate the therapeutic effect and complication of the argon laser on many cutaneous lesions except nevus flammeus. The data of the 67 patients who were treated between November, 1984 and March, 1986 and could be followed up over 3 months at the Department of Dermatology, Seoul National University Hospital were analyzed. Patients were treated with Coherent Radiation Model No. 920 Laser with a spot size of 1 mm in diatemer. The pawer ranges were between 1.6 and 2.6 W using pulsed wave or continuous wave according to the size and the shape of the lesions. The argon laser is an effective modality in the treatment of superficial vascular lesions and especially when telangiectasia is prominent. In pigmented lesions, argon laser is effective for pigmented nevi excluding intradermal nevi and has been found effective in small sized nevus spilus and lentigines.
Argon* ; Dermatology* ; Humans ; Lentigo ; Nevus ; Nevus, Intradermal ; Nevus, Pigmented ; Port-Wine Stain ; Seoul ; Telangiectasis

BACKGROUND: Human high density lipoprotein (HDL) is known to stimulate endothelin-1 (ET-1) production through the phospholipase C (PLC)/Ca2+/ protein kinase C (PKC) pathway. Calcium channel blockers may be involved in the decrease of HDL- induced ET-1 production. This study was designed to evaluate whether HDL-induced ET-1 production was affected by Ca2+ channel blockers in cultured human proximal tubular cells (PTC). METHODS: The human PTC were obtained from human nephrectomized tissues, and cultured in six different media, which were bovine serum free (SF) DMEM/F12 medium alone, and five other SF DMEM/F12 media with 200 microgram/ml of HDL, with 200 microgram/ml of HDL and each 10 micrometer of diltiazem, nifedipine, and verapamil solved in 100% ethanol 0.1 volume%, and with 200 microgram/ml of HDL and 0.1 volume% of 100% ethanol as a control. After 24 hours of exposure, ET-1 in the supernatant was measured by radioimmunoassay, and ET-1 level in each well were marked as pg ET-1/mg cell protein/ 24 hr in consideration of cell count. RESULTS: In SF medium, ET-1 production was 1.803+/-0.295pg/mg cell protein/24 hr. In SF medium with 200 microgram/ml of HDL, ET-1 production significantly increased from 1.803+/-0.295 to 10.860+/-0.476 pg/mg cell protein/24 hr (P<0.05). In SF medium with 200 microgram/ml of HDL and 100% ethanol 0.1 volume%, ET-1 production significantly decreased from 10.860+/-0.476 to 6.700+/-1.273pg/mg cell protein/ 24 hr (P<0.05). In SF media with 200 microgram/ml of HDL and each 10 micrometer of diltiazem, nifedipine, and verapamil solved in 100% ethanol 0.1 volume%, ET- 1 production was decreased from 6.700+/-1.273 to 4.043+/-1.550 by diltiazem (P<0.05), to 3.260+/-0.752pg/ mg cell protein/24 hr by verapamil (P<0.05), and to 4.414+/-1.567pg/mg cell protein/24 hr by nifedipine (P=0.067). CONCLUSION: These results suggest that the HDL- induced ET-1 production in cultured human PTC was significantly decreased by diltiazem and verapamil, and it seemed to be decreased by nifedipine.
Calcium Channel Blockers* ; Calcium Channels* ; Calcium* ; Cell Count ; Diltiazem ; Endothelin-1* ; Ethanol ; Humans* ; Lipoproteins ; Nifedipine ; Protein Kinase C ; Radioimmunoassay ; Type C Phospholipases ; Verapamil

Streptococcus pyogenes has been regarded very importantly because of its severe sequelae, namely rheumatic fever and acute glomerulonephropathy. Rapid tests to identify this organism have been studied widely in developed countries in 1980s. We proceeded the rapid test (A Strept ADTM, Denka Seiken Co, Japan) of S. pyogenes on 141 children who were Known to be carriers of this organism to evaluate whether the rapid test could be used at the pediatric office base. Throat cultures were taken simultaneously to evaluate the efficacy of this rapid test. The test shoewed very low sensitivity of 17% (13/14) and high specificity of 99% (65/66). The positive predictive value was.93% (13/14) and negative predictive value 51% (65/127) respectively. Most of the positive results of rapid test have been agreed with the actual number of colonies on the throat culture. The reasons for the low sensitivity and negative predictive value of the rapid test should be discovered and supplemented if it could be applicable to the pediatric office and accurate evaluation of the rapid test in patients with acute pharyngitis is needed.
Child ; Developed Countries ; Humans ; Pharyngitis ; Pharynx ; Rheumatic Fever ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Streptococcus pyogenes* ; Streptococcus*

No abstract available.
Eyelids* ; Transplants*

BACKGROUND: Compliance with self-care and lifestyle modification is recommended for all patients with acute coronary syndrome to prevent a secondary attack. Data is limited regarding the association between compliance with self-care and restenosis. This study was conducted to examine the association between compliance with self-care and restenosis and to determine the predicting factors for restenosis and low compliance with self-care. METHODS: A total of 166 acute coronary syndrome patients (64.2+/-10.8 years) hospitalized for an angiogram during routine follow-up or symptom management were conveniently recruited from a university hospital cardiovascular care unit. Self-administered questionnaires were used to evaluate the level of compliance with self-care and symptom-related satisfaction. RESULTS: In-stent restenosis was found in 40.4% of the subjects and 36.1% were persistently smoking. There was no significant relationship between low compliance with self-care and restensosis. A lower symptom-related satisfaction significantly predicted restenosis and low compliance with self-care. A longer period after initial diagnosis predicted restenosis and a shorter period after initial diagnosis predicted low compliance with self-care. Persistent smoking was independently associated with low compliance with self-care. CONCLUSIONS: Patients who continued to smoke and had lower symptom-related satisfaction with daily living showed a stronger tendency for lower compliance with self-care and lifestyle modification. Effective educational strategy focusing on smoking cessation is needed to increase compliance with self-care in patients with ACS, especially during admission with a first heart attack.
Acute Coronary Syndrome ; Compliance ; Coronary Artery Disease ; Follow-Up Studies ; Heart ; Humans ; Life Style ; Patient Compliance ; Self Care ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Smoking Cessation ; Surveys and Questionnaires

As the incidence of dermographism in our urticaria clinie is quite high comparing data in other country, we have tried to survey the incidence of ermographism in the general population of Korea using a dermographic tester designed by other author. Total 8g7 healthy persons were included in this study from March J98$ to .December 1983. The study result was summarized as follows, 1. Male to female ratio was 2. 5: 1 and the peak age of the subjects was third(47 8%), fourth and fith decades in ecreasing order, The overall incidence of dermographisrn from the pressure of 48ppg/cm was 4.4% and there were no significa.nt difference in the incidences between male(4, 2%) and female(4 7%) (p>0. 1), and between the different age groups(p>0 l)
Female ; Humans ; Incidence* ; Korea ; Male ; Urticaria

No abstract available.
Blood Donors* ; Humans

No abstract available.
Blood Donors* ; Humans

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the relation between diagnostic clinical parameters and the depth of trophoblastic invasion in tubal pregnancy and decide the most predictable parameter. Methods: Total 50 patients who were confirmed as tubal pregnancy pathologically, from Jan. to Dec. 1997, were included in this study. Menstrual missed periods was calculated by clinical history, volume of gestational mass was calculated as sphere, beta-hCG was titered with preoperative blood sample. All surgical specimens were examined pathologically and divided into two groups such as intraluminal and extraluminal, defined as intact tubal musculature and trophoblastic invasion beyond musculature, n=22 and n=28, respectively. Statistical analysis was performed among three parameters and between each parameter and the depth of trophoblastic invasion. Statistical analysis included were Student's t-test, Chi square, linear regression, and linear correlation analysis using SPSS statistical package and statistical significance was determined as p<0.05. RESULTS: There was a correlation between volume of gestational mass and beta-hCG(p<0.05), but not between beta-hCG and missed period or volume of gestational mass and missed period. beta-hCG level was 1843.7+/-1524.7 mIU/ml(Mean+/-SD) in intraluminal and 12144.3+/-10561.6 mIU/ml(Mean+/-SD) in extraluminal. There was a predictive correlation between beta-hCG and the depth of trophoblastic invasion(p<0.05), and cut off level 3,500 mIU/ml showed the highest sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, 0.79, 0.86, 0.88, 0.76, respectively. Two parameters(volume of gestational mass and missed period) had no ability to predict whether intraluminal or extraluminal. CONCLUSION: We suggest that successful medical treatment of tubal pregnancy depend on lesional intactness of vasculature for drug delivery. In patient selection for medical treatment, it should be important to predict intraluminal type because of intact vasculature. Of clinical parameters, beta-hCG is single most predictive parameter, cut off level of 3,500 mIU/ml was the most reasonable level in this study.
Female ; Humans ; Linear Models ; Patient Selection ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy, Tubal* ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Trophoblasts*

46, XX male is a rare sex cluomasomal constitution characterized by the development of bilateral testis in persons who lack a Y chomosome. The majority of affected persons have normal external genitalia and usually seek medical advice due to infertility, hypogonadism and/or gynecomastia in adulthood. Although Y chromosomsl sequences can be detected in the majority of male subjects with 46, XX karyotype, several studies have shown thst approximately 10 % of patients lack Y chromosomal material including the SRY ( sex-determining region of Y-chromosome) gene. Several hypothesis have been proposed to explain the etiology of this constitution. 1. Translocation of the testis-determining factor (TDF) fiom the Y to the X chromosome or autosome. 2. Acquisition of Y chromosome function by a mutant autosomal or X-linked gene. 3. Undetected mosaicism with Y-bearing cell line 4. Loss of Y chmmosome hom the XXY Klinefelter zygote. We experienced a case of 46, XX male who was 30 years old. We report a case with review of the literature.
Adult ; Cell Line ; Constitution and Bylaws ; Genes, X-Linked ; Genitalia ; Gynecomastia ; Humans ; Hypogonadism ; Infertility ; Karyotype ; Male* ; Mosaicism ; Sex-Determining Region Y Protein ; Testis ; X Chromosome ; Y Chromosome ; Zygote