PURPOSE: The previous reports regarding VUR resolution were not precise due to early frequent surgical intervention. We evaluated the spontaneous resolution (SR) rate and the incidence of new renal scars in primary VUR, focusing on severe reflux. METHODS: Medical records of 334 patients with primary VUR who were on medical prophylaxis without surgery for 1 to 9 years, were retrospectively reviewed. Medical prophylaxis was initiated with low-dose antibiotic prophylaxis or probiotics. Radioisotope cystourethrography was performed every 1 to 3 years until SR of reflux. New renal scar was evaluated with follow-up 99mTc DMSA renal scan. RESULTS: The SR rates decreased as VUR grades were getting higher (P=0.00). The overall and annual SR were 58.4% and 14.9%/yr in grade IV reflux and 37.5% and 9.3%/yr in grade V reflux. The median times of SR were 38 months in grade IV reflux and 66 months in grade V reflux. The probable SR rates in grade IV and V reflux were 7.8% and 8.9% in the 1st year, 46.0% and 30.8% in the 3rd year and 74.4% and 64.4% in the 5th year. The incidences of new renal scars between low to moderate reflux and severe reflux showed no significant difference (P=0.32). CONCLUSION: The SR rates of severe primary VUR were higher than previously reported and most new renal scars were focal and mild.
Antibiotic Prophylaxis ; Cicatrix* ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Incidence ; Medical Records ; Probiotics ; Retrospective Studies ; Technetium Tc 99m Dimercaptosuccinic Acid ; Vesico-Ureteral Reflux*

The normal function of the ureterovesical junction was fundamental to prevent vesicouretera1 reflux but the role of ureter in preventing vesicoureteral reflux has not been defined. To clarify the role of ureter in vesicoureteral reflux, a total 34 reimplanted juxta-vesical ureters from 22 patients were examined by light microscope, polarized microscope and computerized image analyzer. As the degree of reflux was increasing, the amount of ureteral muscle did not change significantly but that of ureteral collagen increased significantly In 6 patients with bilateral vesicoureteral reflux, which were different in grade each other, the amount of ureteral muscle and collagen were not different significantly between the lower grade and the higher grade. The amount of ureteral muscle tended to increase with grade of reflux in the dilated terminal ureters in excretory urography but not in the non-dilated. Inflammatory cell infiltration to ureteral wall gave no effect to the contents of ureteral muscle and collagen. It was suggested that the content of ureteral muscle decreased and the content of ureteral collagen increased with degree of reflux and the dilation of terminal ureter with muscle hypertrophy was a compensatory response to the increased workload.
Collagen ; Humans ; Hypertrophy ; Ureter* ; Urography ; Vesico-Ureteral Reflux*

No abstract available.
Antiemetics* ; Cisplatin* ; Dexamethasone* ; Humans ; Lorazepam* ; Metoclopramide* ; Ondansetron*

We evaluate the effects of a calcium antagonist(nifedipine) and a xanthine oxidase inhibitor (allopurinol), drugs having a protective effect against shock wave induced renal dysfunction, on acute changes of renal function after piezoelectric ESWL. A total of 40 patients with renal stones undergoing piezoelectric ESWL with LT02 lithotriptor was randomly assigned to 4 groups. Group 1 received no medication and the others received nifedipine(group 2), allopurinol(group 3), and nifedipine plus allopurinol(group 4), respectively. NAG, LDH, 7-GTP, D2M, and microalbumin were measured in the 24-hour urine before and after ESWL. Baseline levels of these parameters were not statistically different between the control group and the others. After ESWL, NAG and microalbumin were significantly increased in group l(p<0.01). In groups 2 and 4, all of the parameters after ESWL were not significantly different from the Values before ESWL. Although the level of NAG after ESWL was significantly higher(p<0.01) than that of the pre-ESWL in group 3, the change of NAG was milder in group 3 comparing to group 1. The range of increase of NAG in groups 2 and 4 were significantly low(<0.01) compared to group 1, and the range of increase of microalbumin in groups 2, 3, 4 were significantly low compared to group l(group 2, 4; p<0.01, group 3; p<0.05). Our results indicate that nifedipine and/or allopurinol can prevent or decrease acute changes of renal function after ESWL using LT02 piezoelectric lithotriptor and especially nifedipine seems to be more efficient than allopurinol.
Allopurinol* ; Calcium ; Humans ; Lithotripsy* ; Nifedipine* ; Shock* ; Urinary Calculi ; Xanthine Oxidase

We evaluate the effects of a calcium antagonist(nifedipine) and a xanthine oxidase inhibitor (allopurinol), drugs having a protective effect against shock wave induced renal dysfunction, on acute changes of renal function after piezoelectric ESWL. A total of 40 patients with renal stones undergoing piezoelectric ESWL with LT02 lithotriptor was randomly assigned to 4 groups. Group 1 received no medication and the others received nifedipine(group 2), allopurinol(group 3), and nifedipine plus allopurinol(group 4), respectively. NAG, LDH, 7-GTP, D2M, and microalbumin were measured in the 24-hour urine before and after ESWL. Baseline levels of these parameters were not statistically different between the control group and the others. After ESWL, NAG and microalbumin were significantly increased in group l(p<0.01). In groups 2 and 4, all of the parameters after ESWL were not significantly different from the Values before ESWL. Although the level of NAG after ESWL was significantly higher(p<0.01) than that of the pre-ESWL in group 3, the change of NAG was milder in group 3 comparing to group 1. The range of increase of NAG in groups 2 and 4 were significantly low(<0.01) compared to group 1, and the range of increase of microalbumin in groups 2, 3, 4 were significantly low compared to group l(group 2, 4; p<0.01, group 3; p<0.05). Our results indicate that nifedipine and/or allopurinol can prevent or decrease acute changes of renal function after ESWL using LT02 piezoelectric lithotriptor and especially nifedipine seems to be more efficient than allopurinol.
Allopurinol* ; Calcium ; Humans ; Lithotripsy* ; Nifedipine* ; Shock* ; Urinary Calculi ; Xanthine Oxidase

Local steroid injection is applied for the various problems in orthopaedic fields. Its not well known whether local steroid injection can induce or aggrevate the tuberculous lesion of the injection site. Tuberculous lesion of the shoulder and posterior compartment of the lumbar spine is rare, but rather commonly noted in the steroid injection group. Fifteen patients of tuberculous lesion(8 in shoulder and 7 in posterior compartment of the lumbar spine) after local steroid injection were treated surgically at the Department of the Orthopaedic Surgery, College of Medicine, Seoul National University, from Jan. 1980 to Agu. 1986, and following results were obtained; 1. The highest incidence was in the 6th decade and male to female ratio was 2: 13. 2. The average number of the injection was 16 times and the average duration was 6 months. 3. The duration from the last steroid injection to the first sign of the tuberculous lesion was from 2 weeks to 3 months and average 2.4 months. 4. Of the 15 cases, active tuberculous lesion at other sites were associated in 6 patients. 5. All cases were treated by complete curettage. It took 5.2 months for the primary wound healing. 6. Local steroid injection could induce or aggrevate the local tuberculous lesion. Radical extirpation of the lesion is the treatment of choice, but with high recurrence rate.
Curettage ; Female ; Humans ; Incidence ; Male ; Recurrence ; Seoul ; Shoulder ; Spine ; Tuberculosis ; Wound Healing

No abstract available.
Agranulocytosis* ; Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor* ; Granulocytes* ; Humans*

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of FDG-PET/CT as follow up imaging tool in patients with endometrial cancer after therapy. Material and Methods: One hundred one patients with endometrial cancer who underwent FDG PET/CT after the treatment of this disease were included in this study population (25-79 yr old, Mean age 50.6 yr old) and all these patients also performed various laboratory and imaging studies such as serum tumor marker, CT or MRI. The lesions having increased focal FDG uptake were classified into benign, equivocal, and malignant one according to their pattern and activity. Tumor recurrence was confirmed by histopathological results and other clinical and imaging data. RESULTS: Among the 19 patients with 30 malignant or equivocal hot uptakes, 11 of 14 patients supposed to be malignant finding in PET/CT were proved to be tumor recurrence, while one of 5 patients with equivocal lesions were recurred malignancy. Two false negative cases were turned out to be peritoneal carcinomatosis. Estimated sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of PET/CT for diagnosis of recurrence in endometrial carcinoma after treatment were 86 %, 92 % and 91%, respectively. Positive and negative predictive values in the same issue were 63% and 98%, respectively. CONCLUSION: FDG-PET/CT is useful for regular work up of endometrial carcinoma after the treatment because of its high negative predictive value as well as high sensitivity and specificity.
Carcinoma ; Endometrial Neoplasms ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Recurrence ; Sensitivity and Specificity

BACKGROUND: Automated border detection(ABD) is a new echocardiographic modality providing continuous on-line measurements of left ventricular(LV) cavitary ares, volume, and ejection fraction(EF) throughout the cardiac cycle. Previous study showed that LV volume and EF measurements with ABD system approximate manually traced LV volume and EF obtained with conventional 2-dimensional echocardiography. But further clinical validation needs a comparison of LV function between the ABD system and established methods. The purpose of this study is to compare EF, peak ejection rate(PER) and peak filling rate(PFR) between on-line ABD system and the gated cardiac blood pool scinitigraphy. METHOD: 27 patients with an apical 4 chamber view of LV in which at least 75% of the endocardium was clearly seen were selected for this study. They had a normal sinus rhythm and underwent echocardiographic study on the same day of or one day before gated cardiac blood pool scintigraphic study. The off-line estimation of LV volume was performed by the method of disc, after manually tracing the endocardial border on the apical 4 chamber view and EFoff was calculated. Also on that view the ABD system was turned on, and EFABD, PEABD, PEABD were calculated automatically from LV volume curve. They were compared with EFRI, PERRI, and PERRI obtained by the gated cardiac blood pool scintigraphy. RESULTS: 1) EFoff and EFABD were highly correlated with EFRI(r=0.78, 0.90 respectively : p<0.001). The mean difference between EFRI and EFoff was 4+/-9%, and the limits of agreement between EFRI and EFoff were -16~22%, EFoff were less than EFRI(p<0.05). The mean difference between EFRI and EFABD was 5+/-7%, and the limits of agreement between EFRI and EFoff were -9~+19%. EFABD was also less than EFRI(p<0.05). 2) PERABD and PERABD were highly correlated with PERRI and PERRI(r=0.74, 0.60, respectively ; p<0.001). The mean difference between PERRI and PERABD was -0.1+/-0.7EDV(enddiastolic volume)/sec, and the limits of agreement were -1.5~+1.3EDV/sec. PEABD was slightly greater than PERRI(p>0.05). The mean difference between PERRI and PEABD was -0.8+/-0.8EDV/sec, and the limits of agreement were -2.4~+0.8EDV/sec. PEABD were greater than PERRI(p<0.01). CONCLUSION: EF, PER, PER measurements by the ABD system and the gated cardiac blood pool scintigraphy have significant correlations. Thus ABD echocardiography is a useful method for assessement of LV function.
Echocardiography* ; Endocardium ; Gated Blood-Pool Imaging* ; Humans ; Ventricular Function, Left*

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Adenosine diphosphate (ADP), which is usually secreted from activated platelets, may activate integrins on vascular smooth muscle cells, resulting in adhesion and proliferation. Integrins, mediating the ADP-stimulated adhesion and proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cells, was investigated in this study. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Prothrombin (PT) and bone sialoprotein (BSP) were used as activation-dependent ligands in an adhesion assay. The adhesion of human aortic smooth muscle cells (HASMC) were measured after ADP stimulation, using ligand-coated 24-well plates. The 3-[4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2, 5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay was used to evaluate the ADP-stimulated proliferation of the HASMC.RESULTS: ADP activated the HASMC to increase their adhesion to the PT or BSP, and their proliferation in a dose-dependent manner. The adhesion of the ADP-stimulated HASMC to the PT was completely blocked by P5H9, a blocking monoclonal Ab (mAb) to integrin alphavbeta5 (92% inhibition), but was only slightly inhibited by LM609, a blocking mAb to integrin alphavbeta3 (30% inhibition). The adhesion of the ADP-stimulated HASMC to the BSP was partially inhibited by both P5H9 (46% inhibition) and JBS5, a blocking mAb to integrin alpha5beta1 (75% inhibition), but was not affected by c7E3, a blocking mAb to integrin beta3. The ADP-stimulated proliferation of the HASMC was inhibited by both c7E3 and LM609 (98% and 93% inhibition, respectively), but not by either P1F5, a blocking mAb to integrin alphavbeta5 or JBS5. CONCLUSION: These results indicate the different roles of integrins on vascular smooth muscle cells after ADP stimulation; the integrins alphavbeta5 and alpha5beta1 for adhesion, and the integrin alphavbeta3 for proliferation.
Adenosine Diphosphate ; Humans ; Integrin alpha5beta1 ; Integrin alphaVbeta3 ; Integrin beta3 ; Integrin-Binding Sialoprotein ; Integrins* ; Ligands ; Muscle, Smooth, Vascular* ; Myocytes, Smooth Muscle ; Negotiating* ; Prothrombin