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

No abstract available.
Pneumothorax, Artificial* ; Treatment Failure* ; Tuberculosis, Pulmonary*

Intrathecal administration of methotrexate(IT-MTX) has constituted the standard approach to prophylaxis and treatment of central nevous system(CNS) leukemia. We experienced a quadriplegia and motor aphasia in a 14-year-old boy following repeated IT-MTX for the prophylaxis of meningeal leukemia. He was diagnosed as ALL without CNS involvement and treated by CCG- 1882 protocol. IT-MTX was administered for CNS prophylaxis. The patient began complaining of urinary incontinence, motor aphasia and weakness in his right leg from 12 days after the 5th dose of the IT-MTX therapy. Even though the IT-MTX was discontinued, loss of muscle power progressed upward resulting in quadriplegia. The patient showed slow and partial recovery on right extremities over 3 months. We report this case with brief review of literature.
Adolescent ; Aphasia, Broca* ; Extremities ; Humans ; Leg ; Leukemia ; Male ; Methotrexate* ; Quadriplegia* ; Urinary Incontinence

BACKGROUND: Methods to reduce the amount of blood transfusion include perioperative hemodilution, hypotensive anesthesia, the transfusion of previously deposited autologous blood, and intraoperative autotransfusion used the cell saver. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effect of the use of the cell saver in orthopedic spinal surgery. METHODS: One hundred and one patients for orthopedic spinal surgery were involved in this study and divided into two groups: group 1 (no used cell saver, n=51) and group 2 (used cell saver, n=50). We checked transfusion amounts during operation and the changes of hematocrit after operation. RESULTS: The amount of blood obtained from cell saver apparatus was 1220 +/- 651 ml (mean SD). Hematocrit of the autologous blood from this apparatus was 48.5 +/- 2.5%. Amounts of blood transfusion during operation were 4.1 +/- 0.9 IU (400 ml/IU) in group 1 and 2.5 +/- 0.7 IU in group 2 (p<0.05). The hematocrit was markedly decreased at the postoperative 2 and 3 days in group 2 (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: This study suggested that intraoperative salvage technique with cell saver apparatus could decrease the use of bank blood by 40% in orthopedic spinal surgery. However, we should be prepare the blood for the decrease of the hematocrit at the postoperative 2 and 3 days.
Anesthesia ; Blood Transfusion ; Blood Transfusion, Autologous ; Hematocrit ; Hemodilution ; Humans ; Orthopedics*

To determine the perinatal mortality and morbidity of fetuses with absent end-diastolic velocities (AEDV) of the umbilical artery in severe pre-eclampsia and eclampsia, the outcome of 5 fetuses with AEDV was compared with that of 35 fetuses with positive end-diastolic velocities (PEDV). The study population comprised 38 cases of severe pre-eclampsia and 2 cases of eclampsia with structurally normal singletons, who had had umbilical artery Doppler velocimetry weekly from admission to delivery. The Doppler velocimetry result was not used for the clinical management. Perinatal death and neonatal morbidity from both groups were further examined in gestational age category to control the influence of preterm births. The incidence of AEDV of the umbilical artery Doppler velocimetry in severe pre-eclampsia and eclampsia was 12.5% (5/40). The AEDV group had a significantly higher incidence than the PEDV group in terms of ceasarean section due to fetal distress (60% : 17%), Apgar score < 7 at 5 minutes (60% : 14%), perinatal death (25% : 0%) and assisted mechanical ventilation (67% : 9%) both at 32-36 weeks. Time intervals from the detection of AEDV to delivery of live neonates varied from the day to 15 days. In conclusion, AEDV in the umbilical artery might be of clinical value in routine surveillance of pregnancies complicated by severe pre-eclampsia and eclampsia, and predict hypoxic fetal condition which needs operative interventions before or during labor and mechanical ventilation after birth.
Apgar Score ; Cesarean Section ; Dystocia ; Eclampsia* ; Female ; Fetal Distress ; Fetus ; Gestational Age ; Humans ; Incidence ; Infant, Newborn ; Maternal Death ; Mortality ; Parturition ; Parturition* ; Perinatal Mortality ; Pre-Eclampsia* ; Pregnancy ; Premature Birth ; Respiration, Artificial ; Rheology ; Trial of Labor ; Umbilical Arteries* ; Uterine Rupture

No abstract available.
Breast* ; Tuberculosis*

Angiolymphoid hyperplasia with eosinophilia(ALHE) is an uncommon disorder manifested as solitary or multiple nodules mainly in the dermis and subcutaneous tissue of head and neck region. Histological characteristics of ALHE is proliferation of endothelial cells in the small to medium sized vessels and infiltration of lymphocytes, plasma cells and eosinophils. ALHE affecting the tongue is very rare. We report a case of ALHE of the tongue in an 56 year old man with the review of literatures.
Angiolymphoid Hyperplasia with Eosinophilia* ; Dermis ; Endothelial Cells ; Eosinophils ; Head ; Humans ; Hyperplasia ; Lymphocytes ; Middle Aged ; Neck ; Plasma Cells ; Subcutaneous Tissue ; Tongue*

No abstract available.
Animals ; Dogs*

OBJECTIVES: This study was conducted to develop a smartphone application (app) as an educational learning instrument for coronary artery disease (CAD) patients and to assess the users' level of satisfaction. METHODS: This methodological research involves elicited learning content for CAD patients to develop a learning instrument using the smartphone app. The app was developed according to the steps of Assessment, Design, Development, Implementation, and Evaluation, which is a systematic instructional design model. The levels of satisfaction with the developed smartphone app among 30 outpatients with CAD were assessed via a questionnaire during their visits to a cardiology outpatient department. RESULTS: A smartphone app 'Strong Heart' was developed through reviewing the literature associated with education for CAD patients under professional supervision and searching for medical smartphone apps that are already available. The learning contents include six main sections containing essential learning issues in managing CAD and additional information to attract the user's attention, such as patient cases and quizzes. After modification with feedback from experts, the app was finally developed and evaluated by patients who reported that they were satisfied with the usefulness of the app. CONCLUSIONS: The developed smartphone app is available on both the iPhone App Store and the Android Play Store. Patients with CAD may utilize the app for supporting educational material without limitations of time and space.
Cardiology ; Coronary Artery Disease* ; Education ; Educational Technology ; Humans ; Learning ; Mobile Applications ; Organization and Administration ; Outpatients ; Patient Education as Topic ; Surveys and Questionnaires

No abstract available.
Population Characteristics* ; Thyroid Gland* ; Thyroiditis*