No abstract available.
Calcium* ; Diet* ; Hypercalciuria* ; Osteocalcin*

PURPOSE: Sexual differences in the incidence and crystalline composition of urinary stones in humans are well-known, but it is unclear why men have a higher incidence of calcium oxalate stones than women. We investigated the effects of male sex hormones on stone formation using an ethylene glycol (EG) - induced urolithiasis model in rats. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into 4 groups, each containing 10 rats. One group of rats was left untreated and served as control. The other 3 groups were fed a 1% ethylene glycol (EG) lithogenic diet for 4 weeks. Among these, one group was non-castrated, one group was castrated and one group was non-castrated and given finasteride orally. Serum testosterone, creatinine, electrolytes, 24-hour urine levels of oxalate and citrate, and creatinine clearance were measured. The crystal deposits were examined by light and polarizing microscopes. RESULTS: Testosterone promoted calcium oxalate stone formation in EG - treated rats. Finasteride administration significantly decreased urinary oxalate excretion and calcium oxalate deposition, compared with controls. Urinary citrate was significantly decreased in EG-treated rats, but was not influenced by castration or administration of finasteride. There were no significant differences in serum concentrations of creatinine, sodium, or potassium among the control and experimental groups. CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggest that testosterone promotes calcium oxalate stone formation, and that dihydrotestosterone may be partially responsible for the exaggerated hyperoxaluria in EG-treated rats. Additionally, male sex hormones have a lesser influence on urinary citrate than oxalate.
Adult ; Animals ; Calcium Oxalate* ; Calcium* ; Castration ; Citric Acid ; Creatinine ; Crystallins ; Diet ; Dihydrotestosterone ; Electrolytes ; Ethylene Glycol ; Female ; Finasteride ; Gonadal Steroid Hormones* ; Humans ; Hyperoxaluria ; Incidence ; Male* ; Nephrolithiasis* ; Potassium ; Rats* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Sodium ; Testosterone ; Urinary Calculi ; Urolithiasis

STUDY DESIGN: A retrospective study. OBJECTIVES: To assess the relationship between surgical outcomes and preoperative MRI findings, a retrospective review was conducted on the surgical outcomes depending on the preoperative MRI findings including type of herniation and Modic changes. SUMMARY OF LITERATURE REVIEW: In most reports, the patients that have large disc herniation were expected to have improved surgical outcomes. However, there have been controversies regarding the outcomes and Modic changes. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The retrospective review was conducted in 82 patients who underwent a discectomy for single level lumbar disc herniation. The average follow-up period was 34.2 months. Among their preoperative baseline MRI measurements, the stage of disc herniation, degree of nerve root compression, degree of dural sac compression, and Modic change of vertebral endplate were evaluated for the subsequent comparison between the preoperative and postoperative changes and ODI score. RESULTS: Patients with extrusion or sequestration type showed significant improvements compared to the patients with protrusion type disc herniation. By degree of nerve root compression, patients with root compression showed significant improvements compared to the patients who had contact type. The degree of dural sac compression revealed no correlation with changes in the ODI score. 23 of the 82 patients, the preoperative MRI showed a Modic change. Compared to the group who did not show such a Modic change, they turned out to be unrelated to the preoperative and postoperative changes in the ODI score. CONCLUSIONS: Patients who had extrusion or sequestration type disc herniation showed a better clinical improvement than protrusion type. Patients with compression type root lesion showed better clinical improvement than contact type root lesion. No correlation was noted regarding the outcomes of the surgical treatment and degree of dural sac compression or Modic changes.
Diskectomy ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Radiculopathy ; Retrospective Studies

Favre-Racouchot syndrome is a disease of senile or actinic processes and another name is nodular elastosis with cysts and comedones. Clinically, facial skin shows, especially lateral to the eyes, multiple open and cystically dilatated comedones and can be defined as cutaneous disturbances characterized by a degenerative process of the dermis associated with cysts and comedones. Sunlight is a strong causative factor and dermal degenerative processes result in this condition. We report the case of a 78-year-old man who showed multiple yellowish papules on both sides of cheeks, the periorbital and, malar areas. He had had this condition for 25-years. His job used to involve physical labor and much exposure to sunlight. An excisional biopsy specimen from the facial malar lesion showed cystically dilated comedones with basophilically degenerated dermal tissue. We performed a therapeutic excision on the two large nodular lesions on both malar areas and applied topical tretinoin. The Patients clinical appearance was much improved 2 months later.
Actins ; Aged ; Basophils ; Biopsy ; Cheek ; Dermis ; Facial Dermatoses* ; Humans ; Skin ; Sunlight ; Tretinoin*

PURPOSE: Citrate is a well recognized inhibitor of the formation of urinary calcium stones, and hypocitraturia plays an important role in the recurrent calcium urolithiasis. We evaluated the biochemical effects of dietary natural fruit juice in calcium stone formers with hypocitraturia in an attempt to decrease or eliminate the need for pharmacological therapy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This prospective study included 26 women and 34 men (mean age 42.5 years) with documented calcium urolithiasis. Among 60 patients, hypocitraturia(<320mg/24-hour urine) was detected in 40. Forty patients with hypocitraturia were divided into each 20 patient groups, one for orange juice and the other for grape juice. Twenty patients without hypocitraturia were also divided into each 10 patient groups for the controls. Each bottle of orange and grape juice measures 180ml in volume, which contains citrate of 1.22gm and 0.65gm, respectively. All 60 patients consumed juices at regular intervals, 4 bottles a day for 14 days. Blood and 24-hour urine sample were obtained for biochemical analysis after 7 and 14 days of juice therapy and compared to the baseline values of pre-juice therapy. RESULTS: The administration of natural fruit juice, either orange or grape, did not result in any significant change in serum biochemical study in all 60 patients(p>0.05). But, levels of urinary citrate were significantly increased in 29(97%) patients in orange juice group(n=30) and were normalized in 19(95%) patients with hypocitraturia. In grape juice group(n=30), levels of urinary citrate were significantly increased in 28(93%) patients and were normalized in 18(90%) patients with hypocitraturia. But, in hypocitraturic patients taking orange juice, urinary oxalate increased in 12(60%) patients. The natural juice therapy was well tolerated. Some G-I trouble occured(11%) but did not require cessation of therapy. Cirtate supplementation with natural fruit juice increased urinary citrate more than 1.5-2 times, but increased urinary oxalate value in orange juice group with hypocitraturia. CONCLUSIONS: Natural fruit juices, orange and grape, are well tolerated dietary source of citrate, and may be useful as adjunctive treatment for patients with hypocitraturic calcium urolithiasis.
Calcium* ; Citric Acid ; Citrus sinensis ; Female ; Fruit* ; Humans ; Male ; Prospective Studies ; Urolithiasis* ; Vitis

No abstract available.
Humans ; Hyperhidrosis*

No abstract available.
Failed Back Surgery Syndrome*

BACKGROUND: One of the most, probable pathogenesis of vitiliga is autoimmune. Systemic cor tico st,eroids suppress immunity and may arrest the progression of vitiligo and lead to repigmentation. OBJECTIVE: We have assessed the clinical effect of a oral small oral dose of corticosteroid to minimize side effects in vitiligo patients. METHODS: Thirty four patients(9;male, 25;female) with vitiligo were evaluated in this study. The patients took 7.5mg-20mg prednisolone initially for 2 months and then the dosage was tapered to half of the initial dosiat the 3rd month and half of dose of 3rd month for the last 4th month. We compared the effcct of treatment of vitiligo before and aft.er the study by photographs. and side efferts were issessed at. 1, 2, 3 and 4 month. RESULTS: The arrest of the progression of vitiligo was noticed in 79% of patients and repigmentation was noticed in 59% of patients which is statistically significant. The effect, of treatment according to extent, duiation, type, and site of vitiligo were not statistically significant. The side effects of treatment were minimal and did not affect the course of treatment. CONCLUSION: Small doses of iral corticosteroids are effective without any significant side effects in preventing progression and loiiduce repigmentation of active spreading vitiligo and generalized type of vitiligo that is difficult to treat with topical corticosteroids.
Adrenal Cortex Hormones* ; Humans ; Prednisolone ; Vitiligo*

BACKGROUND: It is well known that systemic blood pressure oscillates with low(0.04~0.1Hz), mid(0.1~0.15Hz), and high(respiratory) frequency range. But there has been no study about oscillation of pulmonary artery pressure(PAP). METHOD: We measured PAP for 5 minutes in 32 patients of ventricular septal defect and stored them to computer files. Power spectral density curve was obtained. Low, mid, respiratory frequency power were measured by integrating the area within each frequency range below the power density curve. RESULT: The incidence of significant low frequency power(more than 5% of total power) were higher in patients of high PAP and hign Rp/Rs than those of low PAP and Rp/Rs(p<0.01 and p<0.005 respectively). The low frequency power positively correlates with PAP and Rp/Rs(r=0.62, p<0.0005 and r=0.61, p=0.0005 respectively). CONCLUSION: It can be said conclusively that as PAP and pulmonary vascular resistance elevates, the PAP tends to definitively oscillate in low frequency range.
Blood Pressure ; Heart Septal Defects, Ventricular ; Humans ; Incidence ; Pulmonary Artery* ; Vascular Resistance

BACKGROUND: The effectiveness for vagal stimulation by ice water aplication to face during metronome-controlled respiration of 15 breaths/minute was examed. The importance of basal vagal tone and sympathovagal interaction in the individual variability of responsiveness to the vagal stimulation was investigated. METHOD: Fifty three 12~13 year old healthy volunteers were included. Vagal tone and sympathovagal interaction before and after application of ice water to the face were assessed by power spectral analysis of RR interval(heart rate) variability. RESULT: Basal heart rate, high frequency power, and low to high frequency power ratio were 81+/-13(58~110 beats/min), 791+/-1061(56~4161 msec2) and 1.08+/-1.22(0.04~4.85) during controlled respiration. After ice water application twenty three children developed 5 more nodal escape beats due to severe bradycardia. Minimum heart rate, high frequency power and low to high power ratio changed to 42+/-12(19~72/min), 1890+/-1882(221~7258msec2) and 0.64+/-0.43(0.12~1.46). The increased ratio of high frequency power, maximum heart rate decrement and its percent after stimulation were 5.44+/-5.62(0.63~24.26), 39+/-14(10~81/min) and 47+/-15(16~81%) respectively. The increased ratio of high frequency power was correlated with basal logarithmic high frequency power(r=-0.60, p=0.0004). Maximum heart rate decrement was correlated with basal logarithmic high frequency power(r=-0.41, p=0.0018) and low to high frequency power ratio(r=0.27, p=0.04). CONCLUSION: Application of ice water to the face during controlled respiration produces powerful vagal stimulation and bradycardia, however, there is a wide individual variability of responsiveness to it. The absolute basal vagal tone contribute to this individual variability.
Bradycardia ; Child ; Healthy Volunteers ; Heart Rate* ; Heart* ; Humans ; Ice* ; Respiration* ; United Nations ; Water*