OBJECTIVES: Radiofrequency(RF) ablation is an effective and low risk curative treatment for supraventricular arrhythmias. Catheter ablation produced cardiac lesions primarily through formation of coagulation necrosis. We evaluated the degree of myocardial injury after RF catheter ablation by means of serial measurement of myocardial enzyme. METHODS: Fifty-one patients with symptomatic supraventricular tachycardia were included. There were 32 men and 19 women(mean age. 39.5+/-15.4 years)All patients underwent electrophysiologic study to detect accessary pathway and ablation with radiofreguency current. A mean of 18.3+/-14.2 radiofrequency pulses were delivered. The pulses were at a power of 50 to 60 Volts for a duration of 20 to 30 seconds. Unipolar method and a 6F or 7F catheter with a 4 mm tip electrode was used. LDH, CPK and Ck-MB as a kind of cardiac enzyme were measured before and after ablation. RESULTS: 1) The concentration of LDH and CPK were elecated at 8 hours and 16 hours after ablation (p<0.05). 2) The concentration of CK-MB was elevated at 8 hours, 16 hours, 24 hours and 72 hours after ablation(p<0.05). 3) There was no correlation between the number of applications and amounts of radiofrequency current and rise in LDH, CPK, CK-MB concentration. CONCLUSION: The concentration of LDH, CPK and CK-MB were elevated after ablation but they were within normal limits. RF catheter ablation produced myocardial damage inevitably but were within normal limits. RF catheter ablation produced myocardial damage inevitably but minimally, then RF ablation is an effective and safe therapeutic modality for patients with symptomatic tachyarrhythmias.
Arrhythmias, Cardiac ; Catheter Ablation* ; Catheters ; Electrodes ; Humans ; Male ; Necrosis ; Tachycardia ; Tachycardia, Supraventricular*

BACKGROUND: The known etiologies of atrial fibrillation(AF) were valvular heart disease, coronary artery disease, hypertension(left ventricular hypertrophy), hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, dilated cardiomyopathy, and congenital heart disease and so on. Mitral stenosis, mitral regurgitation, and tricuspid regurgitation account for more than 2/3 of AF related to valvular heart disease. We evaluated the effect of mitral stenosis and mitral regurgitation on development of AF respectively, and the relation between mitral valve disease and that. METHOD: The medical records of patients who was performed transthoracic echocardiography at Dongsan medical center between January 1997 and July 1998 were reviewed retrospectively. Among them, we analyzed the 222 patients who had isolated mitral valve disease without any other cardiac disease. We divided them to 4 group according to left atrial size (group 1: <4.0cm, group 2: >4.0cm and (5.0cm, group 3: (3) 5.0cm and <6.0cm, group 4: (3)6.0cm), then evaluated the effects of disease entity. RESULTS: 1) 94 out of 222(42.3%) patients had atrial fibrillation. The mean age was 51.8+/-15.1 years old. The number of men was 55. 2) The mean left atrial size in the group of AF and sinus rhythm were 5.14+/-0.93cm and 4. 44+/-0.66cm respectively. The mean age in the groups were 57.0+/-11.9 and 48.1+/-16.1 respecitvely. The differences between them were statistically significant(p<0.05). 3) The prevalences of AF in each groups were 12.5%(group 1), 35.6%(group 2), 60.8%(group 3), 86.7%(group 4). More increased the left atrial size, the prevalance of AF was increased significantly(p<0.05). 4) The prevalence of AF was not related to the severity of mitral regurgitation. However, the relation between the severity of mitral stenosis and the prevalence of AF was statistically significally(p<0.01). 5) Increasing the age, the prevalence of AF was increased significantly(p<0.01). 6) The effect of mitral stenosis and regurgitation on the development of AF did not differ significantly in group 1, 2, 3. But in group 4, the AF was present in 100% of patients who had mitral stenosis and 60% of mitral regurgitation. The difference was significant. CONCLUSION: In patients with mitral valve disease, the development of AF was related to age and the size of left atrium. The relation between the severity of mitral regurgiation and the development of AF was not evident, but in mitral stenosis, the relation was significant. If the size of left atrium is similar, the effect of mitral stenosis and regurgitation itself seem to be not related to the development of atrial fibrillation.
Atrial Fibrillation* ; Cardiomyopathy, Dilated ; Cardiomyopathy, Hypertrophic ; Coronary Artery Disease ; Echocardiography ; Heart Atria ; Heart Defects, Congenital ; Heart Diseases ; Heart Valve Diseases ; Humans ; Male ; Medical Records ; Mitral Valve Insufficiency ; Mitral Valve Stenosis ; Mitral Valve* ; Prevalence ; Retrospective Studies ; Tricuspid Valve Insufficiency

This review-article is aimed at shedding a light upon the nature of age-associated changes in the human skeletal system. When the anatomical, physiological and biochemical consequences of bone aging are considered together with the hardening, drying and the diminished repair capabilities of the elderly, it can be seen that fractures assume greater importance as a clinical problem in the geriatric population. Older people start out with a deficit of cortical bone, making them more fracture prone and once fractures occur, the necessary treatments (immobilization, use of casts, etc.) accelerate the rate of bone loss. In addition, aged individuals stand a higher risk for complications of the hospital and enforced bed rest that may ensue. The problems resulting from bone loss in the elderly may be partially alleviated by providing adequate health service support which should include consideration of the following points : 1. Age, sex and general health status ; 2. Habits and inclinations towards physical activities ; 3. Nutritional and endocrine background ; 4. Presence of any specific bone diseases, including osteoporosis, osteoarthritis, osteomalacia and ankylosis ; 5. Psychosocial adaptability and other behavioral elements.
Aged ; Aging ; Ankylosis ; Bed Rest ; Biology* ; Bone Diseases ; Health Services ; Humans* ; Motor Activity ; Osteoarthritis ; Osteomalacia ; Osteoporosis

No abstract available.
Hematuria ; Hydronephrosis* ; Kidney* ; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic* ; Ureter*

BACKGROUND: Diet and weight concerns are commonplace and almost accepted features of life for girls during adolescence. Until recently, younger age groups haue largely been ignored, as these concerns were thought to be a product of pubertal development and sexual maturity. Girls under the age of fifteen therefore, have been assumed to be free of the pressures experienced by adult women. However, this belief is now hard to sustain. The object of the present study was to investigate the self-perception and body shape satisfaction in different weight categories of boys and girls aged 12-years old in Korea. METHODS: In May, 1995, one hundred and sixty seven boys and one hundred and twenty girls from two schools in Seoul completed assessments of body-esteem, self-esteem, body shape preference. The children's body weight and height were also measured. RESULTS: The heaviest children expressed the most discontent, having a low body-esteem, a desire for thinness. By the age of 12, girls boys already differ in their body shape satisfaction and differ in their body shape aspirations. There was a significant effect of weight category on the children's body esteem(boys(P =.005), girls(P=.0001). Children in both extreme categories, under-and over-weight, had lower body-esteem scores than those in other weight categories. However, it was the overweight children who had the lowest. reported body-esteem. Body esteem was highest among girls in the 'slightly underweight' category and highest among boys on the 'average weight' category. There was no effects of either weight category or gender on the childrens appraisal of self-esteem. A comparison of the points chosen on the silhouette scales to reflect current and preferred body shapes revealed clear gender differences. Of the girls, 63% placed their preferred body shape at a point thinner than their currently perceived shape, while only 15% chose a broader figure. In contrast,, 41% of the boys rated their preferred figure as broader than their current perception, and 37% as thinner than their current perception. CONCLUSIONS: This study has noted a relationship between body weight and self-perception in 12-year old children. The heaviest children expressed low body-esteem, a desire for thinness. This pattern was more characteristic of girls than boys. Even at this age, well before they have completed physical maturation, girls are aspiring to a body shape which is thinner than their average. This discontent experienced by the heaviest children on this sample was apparent in their lower body-esteem and the distance between their current and preferred body shapes. The girls preference was for thinness, while in the boys it was for a body shape which was broader than their current shape. From their responses, it would appear that the boys' desire was not for fatness, but for a more athletic and muscular build.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Aspirations (Psychology) ; Body Weight ; Child* ; Diet ; Female ; Humans ; Korea ; Overweight ; Self Concept ; Seoul ; Sports ; Thinness ; Weights and Measures

We applied arthroscopy in the diagnosis of thirty four patients with internal derangement of the knee from March to August, 1982. Its results were compared with clinical diagnosis and arthrographic findings. We also performed arthrofomy in twenty nine patients and the final diagnosis enabled us to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of each method. The accuracy of clinical diagnosis was 63.4%. Arthrographic findings were correct in 77.8%. The diagnostic accuracy of arthroscopy was 92.3% with one false negative case. Unnecessary operations were avoided in five patients with the assistance of negative findings of arthroscopy. Arthrography and arthroscopy were complementary in the diagnosis of internal derangement of the knee.
Arthrography ; Arthroscopy ; Diagnosis ; Humans ; Knee ; Methods

No abstract available in English.
Arthroscopy ; Knee Joint ; Knee

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: In acute myocardial ischemia, the conduction velocity of action potential is decreased by several electrophysiological and physical factors. The ventricular activation time(VAT) is a time duration of electrical impulse propagating from endocardium to epicardium. The goal of this study is to determine whether the reduction in conduction velocity in acute myocardial ischemia can lead a change in VAT. MATERIALS AND METHOD: Thirty patient, 18 males and 12 females, who had received percutaneous balloon coronary angioplasty(PTCA) were enrolled. The mean age was 59 years old. A twelve lead surface electrocardiogram(ECG) were obtained before, during, 1 minute, 5 minutes, and 10 minutes after the PTCA as digitized data by using Cardiolab EP 4.1 program. The magnitude of the QRS wave was amplified 3 to 4 folds and the speed was increased to 200mm/sec in order to get the VAT easily and accurately. The data was the mean of three consecutive VATs. The number of vessel treated with PTCA included left anterior descending artery(12), left circumflex artery(9), and right coronary artery(9). Among twelve chronic stable angina, sixteen unstable angina, and two acute myocardial infarction patients, twenty six had single and four had two vessel diseases. RESULTS: The significant increase in VAT during PTCA compared to that before PTCA was observed in eight of 12 leads. In addition, the significant decrease in VAT of 1, 5, and 10 minutes after PTCA compared to that during PTCA were noted. Furthermore, 10 minutes after PTCA, VAT decreased significantly compared to that before PTCA. The leads did not show a significant change of VAT depending on target vessels. The ECG of 16 patients showed changes of the ST segment during PTCA. The changes of VAT were not related to the ST segment change. CONCLUSION: The conduction delay from endocardium to epicardium in acute myocardial ischemia was presented as a prolongation of VAT in surface ECG. In addition, the conduction delay was recovered within 5 minutes after relief of ischemia. Therefore, the changes of VAT can possibly be used as one of the noninvasive parameters of myocardial ischemia.
Action Potentials ; Angina, Stable ; Angina, Unstable ; Electrocardiography ; Endocardium ; Female ; Humans ; Ischemia ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Myocardial Infarction ; Myocardial Ischemia* ; Pericardium ; Thoracic Surgery, Video-Assisted

No Abstract Available.
Heparitin Sulfate* ; Orientia tsutsugamushi*

BACKGROUND: It was recently shown that human atherosclerotic plaque contains large numbers of T lymphocytes : this indicates that immune and inflammatory mechanism may be important factors in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. By measuring the soluble interleukin 2 receptor(sIL-2R) level we can evaluate the activation of T lymphocyte. The purpose of this study is to evaluate relationship between T cell activation and ischemic heart disease by measuring the soluble interleukin 2 receptor (sIL-2R) level in patient with ischemic heart disease. METHOD: Seventy-two patients(40 males and 32 female, mean age : 56.5+/-9.9 years) who were taken coronary angiography were included in this study. Among them, 49 patients showed abnormal coronary angiographic findings and 23 patients showed normal coronary angiographic findings. Ten mililiters of arterial blood was drawn at the time of coronary angiography. The blood was allowed to coagulate and then the serum was removed and tested in duplicate for soluble interleukin 2 receptor (sIL-2R) level by ELISA. RESULTS: 1) The soluble interleukin 2 receptor (sIL-2R) level was significantly different between abnormal coronary angiographic findings and normal coronary angiographic findings (P < 0.001). 2) According to clinical severity of ischemic heart disease (i.e. stable angina, unstable angina, acute myocardial infarction.), soluble interleukin 2 receptor (sIL-2R) level was not significantly different between single vessel disease group and multivessels disease groups (p > 0.05), but showed increasing tendency with clinical severity. 3) According to numbers of involved coronary vessels, soluble interleukin 2 receptor (sIL-2R) level was not significantly different between single vessel disease group and multivessels disease groups (p > 0.05). CONCLUSION: T lymphocyte activation, as reflected in elevated soluble interlekin 2 receptor (sIL-2R) level, is frequent in patient with ischemic heart disease. In the further we will investigate relationship between clinical diagnosis of ischemic heart disease of the numbers of involved coronary vessels and T cell activation.
Angina, Stable ; Angina, Unstable ; Atherosclerosis ; Coronary Angiography ; Coronary Vessels ; Diagnosis ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Female ; Humans ; Interleukin-2 ; Lymphocyte Activation ; Lymphocytes ; Male ; Myocardial Ischemia* ; Plaque, Atherosclerotic ; Receptors, Interleukin-2 ; T-Lymphocytes