Essential hypertension is an important public health problem in Korea-being common, asymptomatic, easily treatable, and often leading to lethal complication in left untreated. The number of patients with hypertension has been significantly increased, and this factor may be an importnat one responsible for the increase in cardivascular mortality during past 20 years in Korea. As the drug therapy for hypertension needs longer period, it is very important to evaluate the efficacy and the adverse effects. Thirty patients(17 men and 13 womon) with essential hypertension were evaluated in this study. All patients had received oral Isradipine 1.25~2.5mg b.i.d. for 8 weeks. 1) The systolic and diastolic pressure were decreased significantly(166.8+/-9.0mmHg vs 147.3+/-12.0mmHg, p<0.001 and 100.3+/-4.0mmHg vs 90.3+/-6.1mmHg, p<0.001, respectively) 2) Heart rate, body weight, laboratory tests, chest X-ray, ECG studies were not changed significantly. 3) The systolic pressure was lowered by 20mmHg or more in 17 cases(56.7% of total), and the diastolic pressure was lowered by 10mmHg or more in 20 cases(66.7% of total) at 8 weeks after Isradipine administration. 4) The adverse effects of Isradipine were edema in 3(10%), constipation in 2(6.7%), headache in 2(6.7%), and insomnia, dizziness and dry mouth in 1 patient respectively, and none of them discontinued Isradipine administration due to adverse effects. In many patients with essential hypertension there is an effective response to Isradipine, even though there may be some mild adverse effects.
Blood Pressure ; Body Weight ; Constipation ; Dizziness ; Drug Therapy ; Edema ; Electrocardiography ; Headache ; Heart Rate ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Isradipine ; Korea ; Male ; Mortality ; Mouth ; Public Health ; Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders ; Thorax

PURPOSE: To assess the role of MRI in the diagnosis of uterine anomaly. MATERIAL AND METHODS: MRI(n:15), hysterosalpingography(n:7) and ultrasonography(n:7) were performed in 15 patients with suspected MullerJan duct anomaly. Nine cases were proved by operation and six cases were diagnoed with imaging and clinical findings. According to Buttram and Gibbons modified classification, the anomalies were 4 cases of class I, 2 cases of class III, one case of class IV, and 8 cases of class V. RESULTS: MRI enabled accurate diagnoses of anomalies in all cases, but HSG and USG showed wrong diagnoses in 3 of 7 cases and in 1 of 7 cases. CONCLUSION: MRI, especially T2-weighted images parallel to long axis of uterine corpus, was very useful in diagnosis of the Mullerian duct anomaly, because it could depict exactly the external fundal contour, intercornual distance, septum, transverse vaginal septum, and associated abnormalities such as hematocolpos and hematometra.
Axis, Cervical Vertebra ; Classification ; Diagnosis ; Female ; Hematocolpos ; Hematometra ; Humans ; Hylobates ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging*

Amniotic fluid embolism (AFE) is a rare but potentially fatal complication that occurs acutely during pregnancy or within 12 h of delivery. The management of AFE focuses initially on supportive measures for cardiopulmonary stabilization. Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation should be considered in patients who are unresponsive to medical treatment in order to prevent additional hypoxia and subsequent organ failure. We present a 41-year-old woman with clinical AFE who developed acute respiratory distress syndrome and was treated successfully with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation.
Adult ; Amniotic Fluid* ; Anoxia ; Embolism ; Embolism, Amniotic Fluid* ; Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation* ; Female ; Humans ; Pregnancy ; Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Adult

Cardiac arrest associated with hyperkalemia during red blood cell transfusion is a rare but fatal complication. Herein, we report a case of transfusion-associated cardiac arrest following the initiation of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation support in a 9-month old infant. Her serum potassium level was increased to 9.0 mEq/L, soon after the newly primed circuit with pre-stored red blood cell (RBC) was started and followed by sudden cardiac arrest. Eventually, circulation was restored and the potassium level decreased to 5.1 mEq/L after 5 min. Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) priming is a relatively massive transfusion into a pediatric patient. Thus, to prevent cardiac arrest during blood-primed ECMO in neonates and infants, freshly irradiated and washed RBCs should be used when priming the ECMO circuit, to minimize the potassium concentration. Also, physicians should be aware of all possible complications associated with transfusions during ECMO.
Blood Transfusion ; Death, Sudden, Cardiac ; Erythrocyte Transfusion ; Erythrocytes ; Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation* ; Heart Arrest* ; Humans ; Hyperkalemia* ; Infant* ; Infant, Newborn ; Potassium

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the ultrasonographic (US) features of traumatic neuromas in breast cancer patients after mastectomy. METHODS: This study was performed with approval from our Institutional Review Board, and the requirement for informed consent was waived. Six traumatic neuromas in five patients were included in this study. The US findings of traumatic neuromas were evaluated retrospectively by two radiologists according to the Breast Imaging-Reporting and Data System (BI-RADS) lexicon. The final assessment was also recorded. RESULTS: On US, all six lesions presented as a mass within the pectoralis muscle layer (mean size, 4.8 mm; range, 3.9 to 5.5 mm). Of the six masses, four had an oval shape with a circumscribed margin, and two had an irregular shape and an indistinct margin. They were all hypoechoic. Two lesions showed a non-parallel orientation. On color Doppler examinations, two lesions showed internal vascularity. Strain elastography was performed for four neuromas, resulting in scores of 1 (n=1), 4 (n=2), and 5 (n=1). The final assessment categories were BI-RADS 3 (n=2), 4A (n=2), and 4B (n=2). CONCLUSION: On US, an oval shape, circumscribed margin, parallel orientation, and hypoechogenicity were the most frequent features of traumatic neuromas in breast cancer patients after mastectomy. Neuromas may show increased vascularity on color Doppler imaging and present as a hard mass on elastography.
Breast Neoplasms* ; Breast* ; Elasticity Imaging Techniques ; Ethics Committees, Research ; Humans ; Information Systems ; Informed Consent ; Mastectomy* ; Neuroma* ; Pectoralis Muscles ; Retrospective Studies

Purpose: This study aimed to define and clarify the concept of sexual dysfunction in women diagnosed with breast cancer. Methods: This study used the concept analysis process of Walker and Avant, and 20 studies were selected. Results: Sexual dysfunction in women diagnosed with breast cancer was defined as experiencing 1) loss of femininity, 2) negative changes in sexual response, and 3) negative feelings about relationship with partners. The identified antecedents were 1) breast cancer treatment-induced changes in body structure and function, 2) disease-related pain, 3) depression, 4) lack of medical services provided to help address sexual matters and difficulties, and 5) lack of understanding and support from partners. The consequences of this were 1) deterioration of relationship with partner, 2) seeking alternatives to overcome sexual dysfunction, 3) deterioration in quality of life, 4) depression, and 5) decrease in frequency of sexual activity. Conclusion The definition and attributes of sexual dysfunction in women diagnosed with breast cancer identified in this study can be applied to the development of tools and programs to measure sexual dysfunction in women diagnosed with breast cancer to enhance understanding of sexual dysfunction in women diagnosed with breast cancer.

BACKGROUND: Because Chlamydia trachomatis infection is the most frequent etiological agent in sexually transmitted diseases, accurate diagnostic methods are essential. The enzyme-linked fluorescence assay and Papanicolaou smear were evaluated for detection of C. trachomatis in patients with vaginitis. METHODS: Endocervical swabs from 78 women with symptoms of vaginal discharge, itching or lower abdominal pain in the obstetrics/gynecology department of Gyeongsang National University Hospital were tested by Vidas Chlamydia assay. Slides were stained with Papanicolaou and Giemsa stain to demonstrate inclusion body. RESULTS: Five (6.4%) of 78 endocervical specimens were positive by Vidas Chlamydia assay. Only one case was positve for C. trachomatis with Papanicolaou stain. We could not detect any C. trachomatis by Giemsa stain. CONCLUSION: The Vidas Chlamydia test allows sensitive and high-volume testing for chlamydiae and could be useful for the diagnosis of infection with C. trachomatis in patients with vaginitis and pelvic inflammatory disease.
Abdominal Pain ; Azure Stains ; Chlamydia trachomatis* ; Chlamydia* ; Diagnosis ; Female ; Fluorescence ; Humans ; Inclusion Bodies ; Papanicolaou Test ; Pelvic Inflammatory Disease ; Pruritus ; Sexually Transmitted Diseases ; Vaginal Discharge ; Vaginitis

No abstract available.
Hemangiopericytoma* ; Lung*

The coronary artery fistula from right coronary artery to left ventricle is a rare disease among coronary artery anomaly. We experienced three cases of rare coronary fistula and report with literature review. Although symptoms of coronary artery fistula are associated with arteriovenous shunt and coronary steal phenomenon, many cases are asymptomatic. In this report, all patients had no symptom. but incidental murmur was noted (two are continuous, one is diastolic rumbling). The diagnosis was made by transthoracic or transesophageal echocardiogram and selective coronary angiography. Because patients were relatively young and the diameter of dilated coronary artery were huge, we perfomed operation on three patients.
Coronary Angiography ; Coronary Vessels* ; Diagnosis ; Fistula* ; Heart Ventricles* ; Humans ; Rare Diseases

We evaluated the effect of a basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) and saporin conjugate (bFGF-SAP) on proliferation, migration and tubule formation in bovine choriocapillary endothelial cells (BCECs). Cell proliferation and MTS assays were done with 0.01, 0.1, 1, 10, and 100 nM bFGF-SAP, and an equimolar concentration of bFGF and saporin. TUNEL assay was performed to confirm apoptosis. Cells were treated with 1, 10, and 100 nM bFGF-SAP and migration assay and tubule formation assay were done. Results were evaluated with image analysis. All experiments were performed in triplicate and repeated three times. Viable cells (ID50 = 0.62) and cell proliferation by MTS assay (ID50 = 0.75 nM) were inhibited. Saporin caused cytotoxicity and inhibition of proliferation at high concentration. DNA fragmentation was identified by TUNEL assay. Migration and tubule formation were also inhibited. All mechanisms responsible for neovascularization were inhibited, and this could be applied in the management of subretinal choroidal neovascularization (SRN).
Animals ; Apoptosis/drug effects ; Cattle ; Cell Count ; Cell Movement/drug effects ; Cell Proliferation/drug effects ; Cells, Cultured ; Comparative Study ; Cytotoxins/*pharmacology ; Endothelium, Vascular/*drug effects ; Fibroblast Growth Factor 2/*pharmacology ; In Situ Nick-End Labeling ; Neovascularization, Physiologic/drug effects ; Plant Proteins/*pharmacology ; Recombinant Fusion Proteins/*pharmacology