BACKGROUND: In patients with myocardial infarction, one needs to know the location, extent and severity of wall motion abnormalities to assess prognosis and guide therapy. Thus more precise quantatative estimates of regional ventricular function are required. Regional wall motion has generally been assessed by displaying the multiple cardiac images of RVG as endless-loop movie, but the cinematic display was not objective. We used the usefulness of the phase analysis in evaluating the global left ventricular function and regional wall motion abnormalities of patients with myocardial infarction. The accuracy of the RVG cinematic display in detecting regional wall motion abnormalities in patients with myocardial infarction was also evaluated. METHODS: Studied cases were 97 patients with myocardial infarction and 20 normals with low likelihood of coronary artery disease. Coronary angiography and contrast left ventriculography were performed in all patients with myocardial infarction. The regional wall myocardial infarction(presence) is defined when the EKG presented the evidence of myocardial infarction, left ventriculogram showed RWMA(regional wall motion abnormality) along with stenosis of 50% or greater of the regional supplying coronary artery. Each patient was imaged in 45 left anterior oblique(LAO) view, anterior(Ant) view and left lateral(Lt Lat) view. We evaluated Left ventricular ejection fraction(LVEF) from time-activity curve. We constructed the histogram for the left ventricle and both ventricle separately to obtain the global and total phase angle(GPA, TPA), standard deviation of phase angle(GSDPh, TSDPh), full width half maximum(GFWHM, TFWHM). The left ventricle was divided into 7 segments. LAO projection ; septal, apical, basal lateral, apical lateral, Ant projection ; anterolateral, Lt Lat projection ; inferior, posterior, Phase angle(RPA) and full width half maximum(RFWHM) from the histogram (regional 7 segments) were examined. On the RVG cinematic display, the standard 4 grading system was used, normal, hypokinesia, akinesia, dyskinesia. The observer evaluated regional wall motion abnormality of the 7 segments for all cases. The sensitivity of the above parameters and RVG cinematic display was evaluated. We analyzed the regional parameters among the patents with regional wall myocardial infarction(presence), those without regional wall myocardial infarction(absence) and control group using the t-test. The statistical analysis was done by one way ANOVA between regional phase analysis and RVG cinematic display. RESULTS: The sensitivity of LVEF was lowest(70.1%) and the GFWHM was highest among the global parameters(89.1%). But RFWHM showed even higher sensitivity(96.9%), thus regional phase analysis was also required. The RVG cinematic display was also sensitive(92.7%), but less sensitive than the RFWHM. On regional phase analysis the RPA of septal, apical, inferior, posterior walls of the left ventricle was able to separate presence group from absence group and also presence group from control group and the RPA of the apical lateral wall could separate presence group from absence group. The RPA of basal lateral and anterolateral wall was inaccurate in diagnosing the regional wall myocardial infarction, because basal lateral wall was overlapped by adjacent vascular structures, and the area of anterolateral wall dose not correlate completely beteen the RVG & the left ventriculogram, also the anterolateral wall can be supplied by the obtuse marginal branch of left circumflex artery. The RFWHM of all regional walls of left ventricle could separate presence group from absence group and presence group from control group. We found good correlation between regional phase analysis & left ventriculogram for detection of regional wall myocardial infartion. On RVG cinematic display, the RPA of the normal group was different from that of dyskinesia, akinesia and hypokinesia groups. The RPA of the dyskinesia group was also different from that of skinesia and hypokinesia groups by oneway ANOVA(p<0.05). The RFWHM of the dskinesia group was different from that of the normal group and hypokinesia group. RVG cinematic display correlated well with regional phase analysis and also quantitation of wall motion. CONCLUSIONS: Thus RVG cinematic display was useful and can not be replaced by phase analysis. But the regional phase analysis was sensitive and objective in diagnosing the wall motion abnormality in myocardial infarction.
Ants ; Arteries ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Coronary Angiography ; Coronary Artery Disease ; Coronary Vessels ; Dyskinesias ; Electrocardiography ; Heart Ventricles ; Humans ; Hypokinesia ; Myocardial Infarction* ; Prognosis ; Radionuclide Ventriculography ; Ventricular Function ; Ventricular Function, Left

OBJECTIVES: Alcoholism is known to be a heritable disease. It has been hypothesized that dopamineergic systems play an important heritable role in human behavor related to alcohol dependence, such as alcohol seeking. Therefore, genes involved in this pathway, including dopamine transporter(DAT1) which is responsible for taking released dopamine back up into presynaptic terminals and terminating dopaminergic activity, are potential candidate that may affect susceptibility to alcoholism. Analysis of a 40-base pair(bp)repeat(VNTR)in the 3'untranslated region of the DAT1 gene revealed variable number of the repeat ranging from 3 to 11 copies. Therefore, in the present study, we examined the association between alcoholism and VNTR polymorphism of DAT1. METHODS: Genomic DNA analysis with polymerase chain reaction(PCR)was used to identify the presence of a VNTR polymorphism. It was carried out within a group of 94 alcoholic patients and 113 normal controls. RESULTS: 1)There were no significant differences in allelic or genotype frequencies between the group of alcoholic patients and controls. 2)There were no significant differences in the first drinking age, onset age and latency of alcoholism according to DAT1 genotypes. 3)There was a significant difference in allelic frequencies between alcoholics with family history and those without family history. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggested that VNTR polymorphism of DAT1 is unlikely to be a factor in the genetic etiology of alcoholism, but might be related to familial transmission of alcoholism.
Age of Onset ; Alcoholics ; Alcoholism* ; DNA ; Dopamine Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins* ; Dopamine* ; Drinking ; Genotype ; Humans ; Presynaptic Terminals

We performed radionuclide ventriculography before and within 1 week after percutaneous mirtal valvuloplasty(PMV) to evaluate left ventricular(LV) function in 20 patients(3 males and 17 females, mean age of 38±10 years) who were pure mitral stenosis before PMV and less than grade 1 mitral regurgitation developed after PMV. 9 out of 20 patients had atrial fibrillation and 3 patients developed a small left-to-right shunt(Qp/Qs<1.5)after PMV using double-balloon technique resulted in a increase in mitral valve area(0.9±0.3 to 2.1±0.8mm
Atrial Fibrillation ; Cardiac Output ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Mitral Valve ; Mitral Valve Insufficiency ; Mitral Valve Stenosis* ; Radionuclide Ventriculography ; Stroke Volume

No abstract available.
Osteotomy*

BACKGROUND: Though surgery plays an important role in the management of patients with Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection, there is little information regarding the timing of resection. We tried to f ind out the ideal timing of operation. METHOD: A retrospective review was performed in 69 patients underwent pulmonary resection for pulmonary tuberculosis between January 1993 and December 1997. They were categorized into various groups according to the length of preoperative specific drug therapy. The rates of treatment failure, realpse and complication in each group were compared statistically by x2-test. RESULTS: Eighty one point two percent were men and 18.8% women with a median age of 33 years(range, 16 to 63 years). The mean number of resistant drugs was 3.1(range, 0 to 9). Patients were treated properatively with multidrug regimens, which mean number of preoperative specific drugs was 4.6, in an effort to reduce the mycobacterial burden with the mean length of preoperative drug therapy, 5.0 months. Postoperative treatment was conducted for a mean period of 13.0 months with a mean number of postoperative specific drugs, 4.4. Postoperative treatment failures were confirmed in 8 among 69 patients(11.6%). 2 of these 8 patients were showed up in the preoperative 3 to 4 months medication group and each of the rest was occurred in the preoperative 2 to 3, 5 to 6, 6 to 7, 12 to 13, 17 to 18 months, less than one month medication group, respectively. 59 of 69 patients were available for evaluation of the relapse rate with the mean duration of the postoperative follow-up, 19.8 months. In 4 patients bacterial relapse was confirmed(6.8%). Each of these 4 was in the preoperative 1 to 2, 2 to 3, 3 to 4, 5 to 6 months medication group, Categorized into various groups according to the length of preoperative specific therapy, there were no statistical significances of the treatment failure rate, relapse rate and complication rate in the groups. There were seven treatment failures of 28 who were AFB culture positive until the time of operation(25%, p<0.01). Categorized the preoperative AFB culture positive group into various groups according to the length of preoperative drug therapy, there were no statistical significances, either. CONCLUSION: We believe that operation plays an important ancillary role in the treatment of pulmonary tuberculosis. Our results indicate that the timing of resection according to the length of preoperative drug therapy may not cause trouble.
Drug Therapy* ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Male ; Mycobacterium tuberculosis ; Recurrence ; Retrospective Studies ; Treatment Failure ; Tuberculosis, Pulmonary*

BACKGROUND: Numerous modalities of treatment for vitiligo have been introduced and have been proposed; however, treatment for vitiligo remains challenging with no adequate solution. OBJECTIVE: This study was designed to examine the capability of the use of a fractional laser to induce pigmentation for vitiligo and to investigate the therapeutic and clinical parameters that affect therapeutic outcome. METHODS: A total of 30 lesions in 12 patients with vitiligo were treated clinically with three fractional laser systems with a four-week interval. Simultaneously, all patients were treated with narrow-band UVB (NBUVB) light twice a week. The pigmentation rates were graded based on the use of a five-point scale by a dermatologist. We also investigated the patient satisfaction level and compared the pigmentation rates of the lesions treated with a fractional laser plus NBUVB with control areas treated only with NBUVB. In addition, we analyzed the mean grade of pigment induction for various therapeutic and clinical parameters. RESULTS: A total of 30 lesions were treated with a fractional laser. The pigmentation grade and satisfaction score were higher in the areas treated with a fractional laser, especially with an Nd:YAG fractional laser, as compared to the control areas. The degree of pigmentation was better achieved for small-sized lesions (<2 cm2). Other clinical parameters that affected the therapeutic outcome were the duration of vitiligo and the existence of poliosis. However, the anatomical location of lesions and the type of vitiligo did not affect the therapeutic outcome. No significant side effects were observed. CONCLUSION: A fractional laser system offers an increase of overall pigmentation with a minimal risk of discomfort and side effects, especially for a small-sized patch of vitiligo without poliosis and for patients with vitiligo of a short duration (less than one year).
Humans ; Light ; Patient Satisfaction ; Pigmentation ; Vitiligo

No abstract available.
Burns* ; Humans ; Spinal Cord Diseases*

BACKGROUND: Osteoarthritis(OA) of the knee represents a common chronic disease, especially in the elderly, leading to functional impairment and disability. And OA patients have depressive symptoms frequently. Several factors contribute to the level of depressive symptoms. Authors tried to assess these factors and show effect of these factors to depressive symptoms. Through this study in the future physicians must consider psychiatric problems besides the pain itself in the treatment of OA patients. METHODS: Subjects included in this study were 64 knee joint OA patients. We obtained depressive symptoms from the CES-D(The Korean version of the Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression Scale), level of pain, stiffness, functional disability from KWOMAC(WOMAC Korean Version 2, The Korean version of Western Ontario and Macmaster Osteoarthritis Index Score) and other factors able to contribute to depressive symptoms. RESULT: We divided the patients into two groups using CES-D cut-off score of 21. Each group consists of 46(CES-D<21) and 18(CES-D> or =21) patients. Frequency of sleep disturbance and pain consistency and level of pain, stiffness and functional disability were different significantly between two groups(p<0.0l). Through the correlation analysis level of pain, stiffness and functional disability were associated with CES-D score significantly(p<0.0l). And through the stepwise multiple regression analysis we demonstratred that the CES-D score influenced by level of functional disability, BMI, disease duration and, pain but only level of functional disability and BML were statistically significant(p<0.0l). Level of functional disability explained 46% of CES-D score(partial R2=0.46) so influenced on depressive symptoms most effectively. CONCLUSION: This study suggested that functional disability was most important factors to explain depressive symptoms of knee joint OA patients.
Aged ; Chronic Disease ; Depression ; Humans ; Knee Joint* ; Knee* ; Ontario ; Osteoarthritis*

According to the anatomical pathways of the corticobulbar tract, it is known that the responsible lesion site of central facial palsy is at the level of the midpons or the more rostral portion. In rare cases, central facial palsy is found in medullary lesions. We report two cases of medullary infarctions which presented as central facial palsy. These cases suggested that the hypothesis that part of the pathway of the facial corticobulbar fibers descend ipsilaterally to the lower medulla before decussating and ascending contralaterally to the facial nucleus.
Facial Paralysis* ; Infarction* ; Pyramidal Tracts

No abstract available.
Myocardial Infarction*