BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: It had been well known that Lipoprotein(a) had proatherogenic and thrombogenic action because of structural similarity with plasminogen. However the role of Lipoprotein (a) (Lp(a)) in the development of ischemic cerebrovascular disease had not sufficiently clarified. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of diabetes mellitus (DM) and hypertension (HBP) to the role of Lp(a) as a risk factor of ischemic cerebrovascular disease. METHOD: For comparing Lp(a) and the lipid profile of ischemic stroke group (5, N=232) with those of control group (C, N=158), we divided each group into four subgroups according to the existance of DM and HBP: stroke patients and control subjects with DM only(DMS, N=27; DMC, N=44), those with HBP only(HBPS, N=94; HBPC, N=44), those with both of DM and HBP (DMHBPS, N=46; DMHBPC, N=29), and those with none of DM and HBP(NS, N=65; NC, N=41). We evaluated Lp(a) and the lipid profile measured less than 72 hour after onset of stroke and 3 month later in 33 ischemic stroke patients. Also we divided the stroke group into two subgroups according to the type (large artery thrombotic vs small artery perforating) and the age of onset (below 50 year-old vs above 50 year-old), and compared Lp(a) and the lipld profile in each subgroups. RESULT: 1. In control group, the Lp(a) in DMC was significantly higher t that in NC. 2. The Lp(a) compared between HBPC & HBPS and between & NS were statistically significant. 3. The Lp(a) in DMS revealed no significant difference compared with that in DMC. 4, The type of ischemic stroke did not give specific Lp(a) level. 5. The Lp(a) in the young age onset revealed no significant difference compared with that in the old age onset. CONCLUSION: The Lp(a) is likely to contribute to the ischemic stroke at independent risk factor, However it is seemed that the role of Lp(a) as a risk factor of the ischemic stroke is evaluated after being subdivided according existence of DM.
Age of Onset ; Arteries ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Humans ; Hypertension* ; Lipoprotein(a) ; Middle Aged ; Plasminogen ; Risk Factors* ; Stroke

Since cyanide poisoning is almost always fatal, reports of surviving patients to develop neurologic signs are rare. Systemic hypoxemia was not documented with arterial blood gases : however, significant tissue hypoxia most likely occurred from the action of cyanide. A38-year-old man ingested cyanide in a suicidal attempt. He was treated and survived the poisoning episode. But one week later, he showed classic extrapyramidal symptoms and signs, characterized by pit disturbance, bradykinesia, increased muscle tone, micrographia, tremor, apraxia of eyelid opening, palilalia. These symptoms and signs continued to progress, and response to levo-dopa and anticholinergics was poor, except apraxia of eyelid opening. About 3 months later, brain MRI showed abnormal signals (increas ed signal intensity on T2WI, decreased signal intensity on TIWI) in both globus pallidus and a part of putamen, but hippocompus and substantia nigra was normal. After 16 months, follow-up brain MRI showed the same findings. Although brainstem auditory evoked potential(BAEP) was normal, motor evoked potential(MEP) showed prolongation of central motor conduction time(CMCT) in right upper and lower extremities, then wecould suspect subtle changes in pyramidal tract. We report a patient as cyanide-induced parkinsonism by history, neuroimaging finding, and clinical parkinsonian symptoms and signs.
Anoxia ; Apraxias ; Brain ; Brain Stem ; Cholinergic Antagonists ; Eyelids ; Follow-Up Studies ; Gases ; Globus Pallidus ; Humans ; Hypokinesia ; Lower Extremity ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Neuroimaging ; Neurologic Manifestations ; Parkinsonian Disorders* ; Poisoning ; Putamen ; Pyramidal Tracts ; Substantia Nigra ; Tremor

Theophylline has been used for more than 50 years to treat bronchial asthma, and theophylline toxicity continues to be an encountered clinical problem. With suicidal intention, a 61-year-old depressive male patient was sent to the hospital after ingestion of overdose theophylline. He had been followed up for bronchial asthma with about 10 microgram/ mL average plasma theophylline level. On arrival, he complained of dyspnea, palpitation and the plasma theophylline level was 252 microgram/mL. After 2 hours of ingestion, hypotension and tachycardia developed (Systolic blood pressure 50 mmHg, heart rate 190/ min). Other symptoms and signs were stuporous mental state and hypoxemia. Patient's peak plasma theophylline level reached 402 microgram/mL after 3 hours. beta-blocker, dopamine and midazolam were used for control of tachycardia, hypotension and prevention of seizure respectively. After Gastric lavage and administration of charchoal, he was treated with hemoperfusion for 3.5 hours, and serum level decreased. The patient was discharged in good health after 17 days.
Anoxia ; Asthma ; Blood Pressure ; Dopamine ; Dyspnea ; Eating ; Gastric Lavage ; Heart Rate ; Hemoperfusion* ; Humans ; Hypotension ; Intention ; Male ; Midazolam ; Middle Aged ; Plasma ; Seizures ; Stupor ; Tachycardia ; Theophylline*

OBJECTIVE: Two-dimensional fluoroscopy-based computerized navigation for the placement of pedicle screws offers the advantage of using stored patient-specific imaging data in providing real-time guidance during screw placement. The study aimed to describe the accuracy and reliability of a fluoroscopy-based navigation system for pedicle screw insertion. METHODS: A total of 477 pedicle screws were inserted in the lower back of 96 consecutive patients between October 2007 and June 2012 using fluoroscopy-based computer-assisted surgery. The accuracy of screw placement was evaluated using a sophisticated computed tomography protocol. RESULTS: Of the 477 pedicle screws, 461 (96.7%) were judged to be inserted correctly. Frank screw misplacement [16 screws (3.3%)] was observed in 15 patients. Of these, 8 were classified as minimally misplaced (< or =2 mm); 3, as moderately misplaced (2.1-4 mm); and 5, as severely misplaced (>4 mm). No complications, including nerve root injury, cerebrospinal fluid leakage, or internal organ injury, were observed in any of the patients. CONCLUSION: The accuracy of pedicle screw placement using a fluoroscopy-based computer navigation system was observed to be superior to that obtained with conventional techniques.
Cerebrospinal Fluid ; Humans ; Surgery, Computer-Assisted

OBJECTIVE: Necrotizing pneumonia (NP) is a severe complication of lobar pneumonia caused by various pathogens. The immunopathogenesis and clinical characteristics of NP in children are not clearly understood. We wanted to evaluate the clinical characteristics and suggest in part the immunopathogenesis of NP. METHODS: We reviewed retrospectively the medical charts and radiographic materials of eight patients with NP, who were diagnosed by chest radiography and chest computed tomography at the Department of Pediatrics, Soonchunhyang University Hospitals at Cheonan and Bucheon from January 2002 to December 2011. RESULTS: They were previously healthy, 2.1 to 4.6 years of ages (mean, 2.8+/-1.0 years) and three boys and five girls. All of them had pleural effusion. Five patients had pneumonic consolidations in right upper lung field. Three patients had pneumatocele. They developed leukocytosis (mean, 19,400+/-6,400/mm3), higher C-reactive protein level (mean, 25.1+/-8.0 mg/dL). The etiologic agents were revealed in two patients; Streptococcus pneumonia (S. pneumonia) was revealed in one patient and S. pneumonia and Mycoplasma pneumonia in the other patient. Three patients were treated with additional intravenous immunoglobulin. Clinical improvement was prolonged: fever lasted 10 to 23 days, and length of hospitalization was 15 to 36 days. NP or pneumatocele were completely resolved on the follow-up radiographic studies in all of the patients. CONCLUSION: Although the previously healthy young children with NP had protracted clinical course, they recovered without any problematic sequelae. Our results suggest that the immunopathogenesis of NP in children may be associated with the exaggerated immune reaction of the host to insults from initial bacterial infections, rather than the pathogen-induced cytopathies.
Bacterial Infections ; C-Reactive Protein ; Child* ; Chungcheongnam-do ; Female ; Fever ; Follow-Up Studies ; Gyeonggi-do ; Hospitalization ; Hospitals, University ; Humans ; Immunoglobulins ; Leukocytosis ; Lung ; Pediatrics ; Pleural Effusion ; Pneumonia* ; Pneumonia, Mycoplasma ; Radiography ; Retrospective Studies ; Streptococcus ; Thorax

PURPOSE: The purpose of our study is to provide useful information for diagnostic methods of fatty liver by childhood simple obesity and to provide correlation between serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) for screening test and abdominal computerized tomography (CT) and liver biopsy for confirmative diagnostic methods of fatty liver. METHODS: Among 78 obese childrens who visited our hospital, CT was carried out in 26 childrens. Of these, liver biopsy was carried out in 15 childrens who had high obesity index or severe elevated ALT. Based on the level of serum ALT, 26 cases were classified into 3 groups, and compared with physical measurements and degree of fatty infiltration on CT and liver biopsy. RESULTS: 1) Correlation between ALT and physical measurements: Of 26 obese children, ALT was abnormally elevated (>30 IU/L) in 17 cases (67.4%) but there was no significant correlation between ALT and physical measurements (p>0.05). 2) Correlation between degree of fatty infiltration on CT and ALT: Of 26 cases, 13 cases (50%) revealed fatty liver on CT. The degree of fatty liver on CT had significant correlation with elevation of ALT (p<0.05). 3) Correlation between the degree of fatty infiltration on liver biopsy and ALT: Liver biopsy was performed in 15 cases of which 14 cases revealed fatty liver. But one case had normal hepatic histology with severe obesity and normal ALT. Fourteen fatty liver cases on liver biopsy were classified into 3 groups by the degree of fatty infiltration and analysed with obesity index and ALT. The histologic hepatic steatosis had no significant correlation with obesity index (p>0.05), but significant correlation with ALT (p<0.05). 4) Correlation between CT and liver biopsy finding: Both CT and liver biopsy were performed in 15 cases of which 6 cases revealed normal finding on CT and 9 cases manifested fatty liver. There was significant correlation between CT and liver biopsy findings (r=0.6094). CONCLUSION: The results of our study suggest that abdominal CT and liver biopsy are useful and accurate methods of estimating fatty liver in the childhood obesity. But biochemical abnormalities of routine liver function tests dot not correlate well with severity of the fatty liver and liver injury.
Alanine Transaminase ; Biopsy* ; Child* ; Diagnosis* ; Fatty Liver* ; Humans ; Liver Function Tests ; Liver* ; Mass Screening ; Obesity* ; Obesity, Morbid ; Pediatric Obesity ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed*

Sunitinib is a tyrosine-kinase inhibitor used to treat metastatic renal cell carcinoma and imatinib-resistant gastrointestinal stromal tumors. Hypothyroidism is a common side effect of sunitinib therapy. Nevertheless, overt thyrotoxicosis induced by destructive thyroiditis after sunitinib treatment is very rare. Here, we report a patient with overt thyrotoxicosis related to sunitinib therapy.
Carcinoma, Renal Cell ; Humans ; Hypothyroidism ; Indoles ; Pyrroles ; Thyrotoxicosis

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the predictive index of functional recovery after primary pontine hemorrhage (PPH) using the combined motor evoked potential (MEP) and somatosensory evoked potential (SEP) in comparison to the hematoma volume and transverse diameter measured with computerized tomography. METHODS: Patients (n=14) with PPH were divided into good- and poor-outcome groups according to the modified Rankin Score (mRS). We evaluated clinical manifestations, radiological characteristics, and the combined MEP and SEP responses. The summed MEP and SEP (EP sum) was compared to the hematoma volume and transverse diameter predictive index of global disability, gait ability, and trunk stability in sitting posture. RESULTS: All measures of functional status and radiological parameters of the good-outcome group were significantly better than those of the poor-outcome group. The EP sum showed the highest value for the mRS and functional ambulatory category, and transverse diameter showed the highest value for "sitting-unsupported" of Berg Balance Scale. CONCLUSION: The combined MEP and SEP is a reliable and useful tool for functional recovery after PPH.
Evoked Potentials, Motor ; Evoked Potentials, Somatosensory* ; Gait ; Hematoma ; Hemorrhage* ; Humans ; Posture