PURPOSE: Non-A, B, C viral hepatitis is the name given to the disease with clinical viral hepatitis, but in which serologic evidence of A, B, C hepatitis has not been found. Little is known about the etiology and clinical features of non-A, B, C viral hepatitis in children. METHODS: A clinical analysis of 45 cases with non-A, B, C viral hepatitis who were admitted to the Department of Pediatrics, Pusan National University Hospital, from January 2001 to June 2004 was carried out retrospectively. Patients who were positive for HBsAg, anti-HAV and anti-HCV and had toxic, metabolic, autoimmune, or neonatal hepatitis were excluded in this study. RESULTS: Among 45 cases of non-A, B, C viral hepatitis, the etiology was unknown in 26 (57.8%), CMV (cytomegalovirus) in 14 (31.1%), EBV (Epstein Barr virus) in 2 (4.4%), HSV (herpes simplex virus) in 2 (4.4%) and RV (rubella virus) in 1 (2.2%). Twenty seven out of 45 (60.0%) patients were under 1 year of age. Sixteen (33.3%) patients had no specific clinical symptoms and were diagnosed incidentally. On physical examination, twenty seven out of 45 patients (60.0%) had no abnormal findings. Forty three out of 45 patients (95.6%) showed classic clinical course of acute viral hepatitis, whereas fulminant hepatitis developed in two patients. Mean serum ALT (alanine aminotransferase) level was 488.7+/-771.9 IU/L. Serum ALT level was normalized in 31 out of 45 patients (81.6%) within 6 months and all patients within 18 months. Aplastic anemia was complicated in a case. CONCLUSION: Although most patients with non-A, B, C viral hepatitis showed a good prognosis, a careful follow-up would be necessary because some of them had a clinical course of chronic hepatitis, fulminant hepatitis and severe complication such as aplastic anemia.
Anemia, Aplastic ; Busan ; Child* ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hepatitis A Antibodies ; Hepatitis B Surface Antigens ; Hepatitis* ; Hepatitis, Chronic ; Herpesvirus 4, Human ; Humans ; Pediatrics ; Physical Examination ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study is to analyse sleep habits and sleep disorders in the elderly population ased 65-84 years. METHODS: Epidemiological survey was performed at home by means of semistructured interviews in the city of Pusan, Korea. Subjects were randomly selected. The questionnaire consisted of 128 items including demographic findings, sleep habits, sleep disorders, somatic illnesses, and psychological distresses. RESULTS: (1) The mean retiring time was 10.28 h (SD1.30 h) and the mean wake-up time was 5.24 h (SD 1.33 h). The mean duration of sleep was 5.63 h (SD 1.80 h ). The subjects reported they woke up an average of 2.05 (SD 1.59) times per night. All of the above results were not related to age or gender. However, the mean frequency of difficulty in initiating/maintaining sleep was 2.2 times for men and 3.2 times for women (p<0.05). (2) The prevalence of insomnia was 57.7% and was not related to age or gender. Difficulty in initiating sleep was the most commonly reported insomnia complaint(52.4%). Early morning awakening was reported by 50.0% of patients and difficulty in maintaining sleep was reported by 45.1% of them. Worrying in bed and physical pain were strong contributing factor to insomnia. CONCLUSIONS: The results of our study showed several characteristics of sleep habits in the elderly. Sleep disorder in old age is not inevitable or trivial. Since sleep disturbance in older adults is common and distressing, it has implications for general health and well-being. Active concern and therapeutic intervention for the sleep habits and sleep disorders in the elderly are needed.
Adult ; Aged* ; Busan* ; Female ; Humans ; Korea ; Male ; Prevalence ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Sleep Wake Disorders* ; Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders

Cerebral gigantism(Sotos syndrome) is a growth disorder that consists of large size at birth, rapid early growth rate with accompanying advanced bone age, acromegalic features, and developmental delay. Clumsiness in the absence of other abnormal neurologic findings is common. The cause is unknown. We report here a case of 238/12-year-old Sotos syndrome with final adult height above 97 percentile, abnormal brain MRI findings(large ventricles, prominent trigone, prominent occipital horn & thining of corpus callosum), clumsiness, and some behavioral problems.
Adult ; Animals ; Brain ; Growth Disorders ; Horns ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Neurologic Manifestations ; Parturition ; Sotos Syndrome

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect on intraocular pressure (IOP) of sutureless clear corneal phacoemulsification with foldable posterior intraocular lens implantation. METHODS: We measured the IOP using both a non-contact pneumotonometer and a Goldmann applanation tonometer preoperatively and postoperatively (1, 3, 10, 30, 60 and 90 days). In operation, the incision site was determined depending on the axis of preoperative corneal astigmatism and divided into two groups: Temporal (Group 1) and Superior clear corneal incision (Group 2). It is postulated that if there is more damage to the surrounding tissue in superior incision group due to poorer surgical accessibility than temporal group, it may affect on postoperative IOP. RESULTS: The mean preoperative IOP of Group 1 (59 eyes) and Group 2 (41 eyes) were 14.6 mmHg and 14.3 mmHg respectively. At postoperative 1 day, the IOP decreased in both groups by 14.2 mmHg and 14.0 mmHg respectively (p>0.05), and at 3 days, 13.1 mmHg and 13.2 mmHg respectively (p<0.05). And from then on, there was no statistically significant change to 3 months. The mean IOP of postoperative 3 months was 12.9 mmHg in both groups; decreased to 1.7 mmHg and 1.4 mmHg respectively compared to preoperative value (p<0.05). In all periods of this study, there was no significant difference between two groups and between two methods of measurement. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that in case of uncomplicated senile cataract, sutureless clear corneal phacoemulsification with foldable posterior intraocular lens implantation reduces the IOP in short term follow up period.
Astigmatism ; Axis, Cervical Vertebra ; Cataract Extraction ; Cataract* ; Follow-Up Studies ; Intraocular Pressure* ; Lens Implantation, Intraocular ; Phacoemulsification

OBJECTIVE: Given the considerable disagreement between the Peer Assessment Rating (PAR) index and the American Board of Orthodontics Cast-Radiograph Evaluation, we aimed to develop a novel assessment system-the Improvement and Completion of Outcome (ICO) index-to evaluate the outcome of orthodontic treatment. METHODS: Sixteen criteria from 4 major categories were established to represent the pretreatment malocclusion status, as well as the degree of improvement and level of completion of outcome during/after treatment: dental relationship (arch length discrepancy, irregularity, U1-SN, and IMPA); anteroposterior relationship (overjet, right and left molar position, ANB); vertical relationship (anterior overbite, anterior open-bite, lateral open-bite, SN-MP); and transverse relationship (dental midline discrepancy, chin point deviation, posterior cross-bite, occlusal plane cant). The score for each criterion was defined from 0 or −1 (worst) to 5 (ideal value or normal occlusion) in gradations of 1. The sum of the scores in each category indicates the area and extent of the problems. Improvement and completion percentages were estimated based on the pre- and post-treatment total scores and the maximum total score. If the completion percentage exceeded 80%, treatment outcome was considered successful. RESULTS: Two cases, Class I malocclusion and skeletal Class III malocclusion, are presented to represent the assessment procedure using the ICO index. The difference in the level of improvement and completion of treatment outcome can be clearly explained by using 2 percentage values. CONCLUSIONS: Thus, the ICO index enables the evaluation of the quality of orthodontic treatment objectively and consecutively throughout the entire treatment process.
Chin ; Dental Occlusion ; Malocclusion ; Molar ; Orthodontics ; Overbite ; Treatment Outcome

No abstract available.
Choline*

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to explore the reliability and validity of the Korean version of the Cornell Scale for Depression in Dementia (CSDD-K), a scale for assessment of depression in dementia. METHODS: The original CSDD was translated into Korean and the content was verified through back-translation procedures. This study included 59 depressive patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD), 62 non-depressive patients with AD and 36 healthy elderly controls. The subjects were assessed using CSDD-K, the 17-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D17), the 15-item Korean version of Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS15) and the Korean version of Mini-mental Status Examination (MMSE-K). RESULTS: In the reliability test, Cronbach's alpha coefficient and test-retest reliabilities were 0.92 and 0.91, respectively, indicating that the CSDD-K has good internal consistency. There were significant differences in CSDD-K total scores between AD patients with depression and AD patients without depression (p<0.001). In the analysis of the concurrent validity of the CSDD-K, there were significant correlations between the CSDD-K and HAM-D17 (r=0.91, p<0.001) and between the CSDD-K and GDS15 (r=0.75, p<0.001). ROC curve analysis identified a cut-off score of 7 for the CSDD-K, where the sensitivity was 87.5% and the specificity was 100%. Factor analysis resulted in a four-factor solution accounting for 63.8% of the common variance. CONCLUSION: The CSDD-K showed good reliability and validity for the assessment of depressive symptom severity in AD patients. The CSDD-K is a useful instrument for assessing AD patients with depressive symptoms in Korean ethnic population.
Accounting ; Aged ; Alzheimer Disease ; Dementia ; Depression ; Humans ; Reproducibility of Results ; ROC Curve ; Sensitivity and Specificity

Tongue tie, often referred to as 'Ankyloglossia', is a congenital condition, recognized by an unusually thickened, tightened, or shortened lingual frenulum, which limits movement of the tongue in activities connected with feeding and which has an adverse impact on both dental health and speech. A common definition and objective measurements have been rare because the tongue is a complete soft tissue structure without non- mobile landmarks. From March of 1996 to November of 2001, preoperative and postoperative speech evaluation, post-speech therapy were performed in twelve patients. Each low picture consonants test was observed in tongue-tie patients. Overall picture consonants test was improved after frenuloplasty and postoperative speech therapy. Preoperative value of liquids and fricatives were lower than the other alveolar phonemes(p<0.05) and it was improved after frenuloplasty(p<0.05) and postoperative speech therapy(p<0.05). Frenuloplasty itself can improve the articulation of liquids and fricatives on short follow-up. But Frenuloplasty and postoperative speech therapy can be more improvement of the alveolar phonemes.
Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Speech Therapy* ; Tongue

OBJECTIVE: The authors present eight cases of immediate post-operative epidural hematomas(EDHs) adjacent to the craniotomy site, describe clinical details of them, and discuss their pathogenesis. METHODS: Medical records of eight cases were retrospectively reviewed and their clinical data, operation records, and radiological findings analyzed. Any risk factors of the EDHs were searched. RESULTS: In 5 of 8 cases, adjacent EDHs developed after craniotomies for the surgical removal of brain tumors. Three cases of adjacent EDHs developed after a pterional approach and neck clipping of a ruptured anterior communicating artery aneurysm, a ventriculoperitoneal shunt, and a craniotomy for a post-traumatic EDH, respectively. In all eight cases, brain computed tomography (CT) scans checked immediately or a few hours after the surgery, revealed large EDHs adjacent to the previous craniotomy site, but there was no EDH beneath the previous craniotomy flap. After emergent surgical removal of the EDHs, 7 cases demonstrated good clinical outcomes, with one case yielding a poor result. CONCLUSION: Rapid drainage of a large volume of cerebrospinal fluid or intra-operative severe brain collapse may separate the dura from the calvarium and cause postoperative EDH adjacent to the previous craniotomy site. A high-pressure suction drain left in the epidural space may contribute to the pathogenesis. After the craniotomy for brain tumors or intracranial aneurysms, when remarkable brain collapse occurs, an immediate postoperative brain CT is mandatory to detect and adequately manage such unexpected events as adjacent EDHs.
Brain ; Brain Neoplasms ; Cerebrospinal Fluid ; Craniotomy* ; Drainage ; Epidural Space ; Hematoma* ; Intracranial Aneurysm ; Medical Records ; Neck ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Skull ; Suction ; Ventriculoperitoneal Shunt

BACKGROUND: This experiment was performed to determine the effect of polyphenolic (-)-epigallocatechin (EGCG), the most abundant catechin of green tea, given at reperfusion period. METHODS: Isolated rat hearts were subjected to 30 min of regional ischemia and 2 h of reperfusion. Green tea extract (GT) was perfused with the following concentrations; 0, 0.5, and 1 micrometer (GT-O, GT-0.5, and GT-1, respectively). In a next experiment, hearts were assigned randomly to one of the following groups; Control, EGCG-1 (1 micrometer of EGCG), and EGCG-10 (10 micrometer of EGCG). GT and EGCG were perfused for a period of 5 min before and 30 min after reperfusion. For comparison of cardioprotection among groups, morphometric measurement was performed by 2,3,5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride staning. RESULTS: GT 1 micrometer (10.3 +/- 2.1%, P < 0.05) significantly reduced infarct volume as a percentage of ischemic volume compared to untreated hearts (27.4 +/- 1.1%). EGCG 10 micrometer (13.2 +/- 4.0%) significantly reduced myocardial infarction compared to control hearts (27.2 +/- 1.4%, P = 0.002). After 2 h of reperfusion, cardiodynamic variables, including left ventricular developed pressure, rate-pressure produce, +dP/dt(max), and -dP/dt(min) were significantly improved by 10 micrometer of EGCG compared to control hearts (P = 0.01, 0.016, 0.009, and 0.019, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: EGCG treatment at an early reperfusion period reduces myocardial infarction and improves cardiodynamics in isolated rat hearts.
Animals ; Catechin ; Heart ; Ischemia ; Myocardial Infarction ; Myocardial Reperfusion ; Myocardium ; Rats ; Reperfusion ; Reperfusion Injury ; Tea ; Tetrazolium Salts