OBJECTIVE: It has been reported that the sleep apnea syndrome in the asthmatic patients is prevalent, however, the systematic study in this field using polysomnography has rarely been performed. The aim of this study is to investigate the relationship between the apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) and the pulmonary function in asthmatic children. METHODS: This study enrolled 19 male and 12 female asthmatic children aged 6-13 years (average 8.2+/-1.7 years old). Complete overnight polysomnography and pulmonary function test were performed for the participants. RESULTS: Of the 31 asthmatic children, 21 (67.7%) met the diagnostic criteria of the pediatric sleep apnea and the average AHI was 1.7+/-1.5/h. The children with higher AHI showed poorer pulmonary function (FEV1/FVC ratio : p=0.002, FEV1%pred : p=0.047). CONCLUSION: These results suggest that the prevalence of the pediatric sleep apnea could be very high among the asthmatic children and the severity of the sleep apnea correlates with the pulmonary function. However, the case-control study to compare the AHI between the asthma and control groups is absolutely necessary because few normative data are available for the children.
Aged ; Asthma ; Case-Control Studies ; Child ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Polysomnography ; Prevalence ; Respiratory Function Tests ; Sleep Apnea Syndromes

No abstract available.
Nails*

OBJECTIVE: Few studies have evaluated the personality characteristics of patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and simple snoring. We investigated the personality characteristics of OSA and simple snoring patients and compared differences in personality between the two groups using the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire (EPQ). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Two hundred and thirty-seven patients who were suspected to have OSA or simple snoring participated in this study. A self-questionnaire which included the EPQ was administered to all participants. All subjects underwent polysomnography in a sleep laboratory and those with an apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) > or =5 were included in the OSA group, while those with an AHI <5 were included in the simple snoring group. RESULTS: OSA patients had significantly lower scores for Psychoticism (F=4.563, p=0.034) than simple snorers. There were no significant differences in Extraversion (F=3.029, p=0.083), Lie (F=0.398, p=0.529), or Neuroticism (F=3.367, p=0.068) scores between the two groups. In the correlation analysis of the OSA group, AHI was positively correlated with Extraversion score (r=0.16, p=0.029) and negatively correlated with Lie score (B=-0.31, p<0.001). Using multiple stepwise linear regression analysis with the four EPQ parameter scores as dependent variables, Lie score was associated with older age (B=0.14, p<0.001) and lower AHI (B=-0.05, p<0.001), Psychoticism score was associated with higher Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI ; B=0.14, p<0.001), Neuroticism score was associated with higher PSQI (B=0.34, p=0.001) and female sex (B=3.15, p=0.003), and Extraversion score was associated with younger age (B=-0.08, p=0.020) and higher body mass index (B=0.26, p=0.023). CONCLUSION: This study suggests that patients with OSA are significantly less prone to psychotic personality characteristics than those with simple snoring. Among OSA patients, higher AHI was correlated with low falsehood and high extraversion tendencies.
Body Mass Index ; Extraversion (Psychology) ; Female ; Humans ; Linear Models ; Polysomnography ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Sleep Apnea, Obstructive* ; Snoring*

Pulmonary aspiration of gastric contents is one of the most frightening complications during anesthesia. Although pulmonary aspiration of gastric contents in general surgical patients is not common and resulting long-term morbidity and mortality are rare, severe hypoxemia and other sequelae of pulmonary aspiration continue to be reported. We report a case of massive aspiration of gastric contents during induction of general anesthesia, resulting in cardiac arrest due to severe pulmonary hypertension and myocardial infarction. Sustained cardiac arrest and shock that did not respond the conventional resuscitation was successfully treated using milrinone. The patient was discharged without complications in 20 days.
Anesthesia ; Anesthesia, General ; Anoxia ; Heart Arrest ; Humans ; Hypertension, Pulmonary ; Milrinone* ; Mortality ; Myocardial Infarction ; Respiratory Aspiration of Gastric Contents ; Resuscitation ; Shock ; Shock, Cardiogenic*

Hemangioma is a common tumor which can occur in any part of the body. It can develop in any area the hand. Hemangioma of the hand usually presents with swelling, pressure pain, accompanied by motion restriction. Rarely it has throbbing pain. We report the case of a 21-year-old woman who had a hemangioma of flexor digitorum superficialis tendon sheath in second finger with restriction of motion and were treated by surgical intervention.
Female ; Fingers ; Hand* ; Hemangioma* ; Humans ; Tendons* ; Young Adult

The authors present a series of 35 patients who underwent operation for metastatic spinal tumor. Patients were operated via anterior, posterior or posterolateral and combined anterior-posterior approach. The anterior approach was used in cases where there was no involvement of the posterior column, tolerable of a thoracotomy and involvement of three or less adjacent vertebral bodies. The posterior or posterolateral approach was used in cases with involvement of the posterior column, disease at two seperated locations, intolerable of a thoracotomy and involvement of three columns. The combined anterior-posterior approach was used when it was not enough to obtain stabilization with anterior or posterior approach alone and expected greater than 1 year life expectancy. Twenty-five(89%) of the 28 patients improved neurologically following surgery. Average neurologic improvement was 1.3 Frankel grade. Pain relief was obtained in twenty-six(93%) of the 28 patients. Recovery of spincter change was obtained twelve(80%) of the 15 patients. Two patients died postoperatively due to DIC and pneumonia. Prior to operation, selective spinal angiography and embolization were performed in nine patients with metastases from renal carcinoma, thyroid cancer and hepatoma to reduce intraoperative bleeding. The authors believe that the choice of surgical approach has to be individualized for each patient depending on extent and location of the tumor, general condition of patient, goal of therapy and life expectancy.
Angiography ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; Dacarbazine ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Life Expectancy ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Pneumonia ; Thoracotomy ; Thyroid Neoplasms

The authors present a series of 12 patients who underwent one-stage spondylectomy, vertebral reconstruction, posterior segmental stabilization for malignant metastatic disease. Major indication for this approach includes three column involvement or untolerable thoracotomy. This operative method involved the spondylectomy via a bilateral transpedicular or unilateral extracavitary approach, vertebral body reconstruction with methlymethacrylate (MMA), and posterior stabilization with sublaminar wiring in one stage. Postoperatively, all patients improved neurologically. Average neurologic improvement was 1.5 Frankel grade. Pain relief was obtained in all patients. Recovery of sphincter change was obtained 7(88%) of the 8 patients. One patient died postoperatively due to pneumonia. Spinal alignment was maintained in all. The major advantage of this approach is that circumferential decompression of the spine and stabilization can be obtained safely by one stage.
Decompression ; Humans ; Neoplasm Metastasis* ; Pneumonia ; Spine ; Thoracotomy

Patients with pain syndromes resulting from recurrent or metastatic cancer should be evaluated carefully to determine the cause of their pain and the need for appropriate antitumor treatment. The most effective ablative pain control procedure at the current time is cordotomy, which is indicated in patients with unilateral pain. The authors results of 12 antero-lateral thoracic cordotomies performed for intractable cancer pain between 1996-1998. The follow-up of these patients was continued for at least 12 months or until death to determine the late success of this procedure. Excellent surgical results were obtained in 100% after one week and in 50% in 6 months after operation. The operation was considered to be successful for patients with malignant disease of short life expectancy.
Cordotomy* ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Life Expectancy

No abstract available.
Humans ; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic* ; Renal Veins* ; Thrombosis*