BACKGROUND: In recent years, lymphocyte subset analysis in peripheral blood is widely performed using erythrocytes-lysed whole blood and two color immunofluorescence/flow cytometry method. Use of fresh blood drawn within 6 hours of staining is recommended, and some patients have to revisit the hospital for blood collection. We tested whether 24 hours-refrigerated/stored whose blood can be used for lymphocyte subset analysis. METHODS: Twenty consecutive blood samples from patients (including nine HIV positive patients) collected in EDTA-vacutainer were tested: 1) on the day of sampling using fresh blood kept at room temperature for up to 6 hours until staining (as recommended by the manufacturer) and 2) on the following day using the same tube of blood refrigerated for 24 hours after the first staining. Two colon immunofluorescenc staining was done using Simultest(TM) IMK-Lymphocyte kit (Beckon Dickinson, U.S.A.) and flow cytometric analysis was performed using FACScan and SimulSET(TM) software (Becton Dickinson, U.S.A.). Results of alive kinds of Lymphocyte subsets (CD3+, CDl9+, CD3+CD4+CD3+CD8+, CD3-CDl6+ and/or CD56+) on day 1 and day 2 were compared by pained-t test and Wilcoxon signed rank test. RESULTS: There was no significant change of values for all of the lymphocyte subsets except CD3+CD8+suppressor/cytotoxic (S/C) T cells. There was a slight but statistically significant change in S/C T cells (39.9%-->41.8%: 1.9%, p=0.008) after 24 hours of refrigeration, and this change was observed mainly in HIV-positive patient group. However, there was no significant change in the absolute count of helper/inducer T cells or CD4/CD8 ratio, and the change of S/C T cells in these patients was not considered to be of clinical significance. CONCLUSIONS: The difference in the values of lymphocyte subsets between fresh blood and 24 hours-refrigerated blood was negligible and it is concluded that 24 hours-stored blood samples can be used for lymphocyte subset analysis for clinical purposes.
Colon ; HIV ; Humans ; Lymphocyte Subsets* ; Lymphocytes* ; Refrigeration ; T-Lymphocytes

Ovarian cancer has the highest mortality rate among gynecologic malignancies in developed countries. Most women present with advanced disease and require a combination of surgery and chemotherapy. One patient presented with recurrent ovarian cancer was initially treated with taxol and platinum-based compounds. Although response to these agents occurred, tumor progression was evident by elevated CA 125 levels and CT findings after a period of 4 months. This patient was then treated with topotecan and exhibited a response and stopped therapy. Topotecan exhibited activity in this patient with ovarian cancer resistent to both platinum and paclitaxel. We report a case of advanced ovarian cancer which was treated with topotecan after taxol-cisplatin treatment failed.
Developed Countries ; Drug Therapy ; Female ; Humans ; Mortality ; Ovarian Neoplasms* ; Paclitaxel ; Platinum ; Topotecan*

OBJECTIVES: The most often perfomed major operation in gynecology is hysterectomy.Our purpose was to compare the indications, charateristics and outcomes of patients undergoing total abdominal hysterectomy and total vaginal hysterectomy and to help to establish guidelines to determine the route of hysterectomy. METHOD: The hospital charts of 400 women who underwent elective inpatient hysterectomy at Kyung-Hee University hospital from January 1994 to January 1999, were abstracted retrospectively. Data were collected regarding patients, age, parity, preoperative indications, the route of hysterectomy, uterine weight, operative and postoperative complications and the length of stay. The operative indications were benign uterine disease except from uterine prolapse. Bisection or combined morcellation were used in most cases to obtain reduction in uterine size. RESULT: Patients in whom the vaginal route was successful included 18% of those with uterine weights exceeding 280gm. There was statistically significant difference for uterine weight, operative time, bleeding amount, the length of stay in two camparative group. 4% of vaginal hysterectomy and 7% of total abdominal hysterectomy has documented operative complications. CONCLUSIONS: Vaginal hysterectomy is safe operation with few intraoperative and postoperative complications without notable blood loss. Vaginal hysterectomy allow one to shorten the operating time and allows early postoperative discharge of some patients from hospital. Skilled performance of vaginal hysterectomy is worth greater attention and should be used more often in gynecological study.
Female ; Gynecology ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Hysterectomy* ; Hysterectomy, Vaginal ; Inpatients ; Length of Stay ; Operative Time ; Parity ; Postoperative Complications ; Retrospective Studies ; Statistics as Topic* ; Uterine Diseases ; Uterine Prolapse ; Weights and Measures

No abstract available.

Lipoprotein(a)[Lp(a)] is a LDL-like particle with a glycoprotein called apo(a) attached to its apoB through disulfide bond. Many case-control studies support the opinion that plasma Lp(a) levels were associated with coronary artery disease. This study was conducted to assess the relationship between plasma Lp(a) level and coronary artery disease in Korean population. Serum levels of Lp(a), in addition to other lipids and known clinical risk factors for coronary artery disease were determined in 92 subjects undergoing coronary angiography. Among them 30 patients had no obstruction in the coronary artery(cath-control group), while the others revealed the presence of coronary artery stenosis more than 50%(CAD group). The Lp(a) levels of the CAD group were significantly higher the those of cath-control group(31.8+/-25.0mg/dl vs 14.6+/-11.9mg/dl, p<0.005). Other lipids except triglycerides(166.9+/-70.5mg/dl vs 116.2+/-56.1mg/dl, p<0.005) were not significantly different between two groups. The patients with significant coronary artery disease of two or more vessels were found to have higher Lp(a) levels than those of one vessel disease. Lp(a) levels had no relations with other lipids, diabetes, smoking, hypertension and age. Stepwise discriminant analysis revealed that Lp(a) was the best discriminator among risk factors for coronary artery disease. These results suggested that Lp(a) level was a significant independent risk factor for coronary artery disease.
Apolipoproteins B ; Case-Control Studies ; Coronary Angiography ; Coronary Artery Disease* ; Coronary Stenosis ; Coronary Vessels* ; Glycoproteins ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Lipoprotein(a)* ; Plasma ; Risk Factors* ; Smoke ; Smoking

No abstract available.
Child* ; Humans

OBJECTIVE: To compare the age of menarche, changing patterns of the menstrual characteristics in adolescent girls between 1988 and 1998. METHODS: A survey was undertaken for 1,500 highschool girls and compare with those of pervious study for 5,000 middle and highschool girls performed by same author in 1998 by means of questionnaire. RESULTS: During a decade, the mean menarcheal age decreased from 13.5+/-1.0 to 12.7+/-1.0 years(p=0.001). Gynecologic age, Body mass index were associated with age of menarche in both 1988 and 1998. The interval of menstruation was 30.6 3.5dyas in 1998 and shortened compared with 32.1+/-6.3 days in 1988(p=0.001). The duration of menstruation was lengthened in 1998 than in 1988(6.1+/-1.1 days vs 5.8+/-2.2 days, p=0.001). The incidence of irregular cycle(28.2% vs 58.2%, p=0.001), dysmenorrhea(73.9% vs 77.8%, p=0.001), and secondary amenorrhea(16.2% vs 27.2%, p= 0.001) decreased in 1998 compared with those of 1988. The incidence of agonies about menstruation was also decreased in 1998 than in 1988(26.2% vs 69.1%, p=0.001). The most common agony about menstruation in 1988 was irregular cycle(28.4%), but dysmenorrhea( 64.3%) in 1998. CONCLUSIONS: From the above results, the mean age of menarche was advanced since last decade but most of the adolescent girls still have suffered from dysmenorrhea.
Adolescent* ; Body Mass Index ; Dysmenorrhea ; Female ; Humans ; Incidence ; Menarche ; Menstruation ; Surveys and Questionnaire

Purpose: To analyze the chief complaints and clinical characteristics of patients with intermittent exotropia who voluntarily revisited our clinic more than 3 years after stabilization of bilateral lateral rectus recession. Methods: This study retrospectively reviewed the medical records of patients diagnosed with intermittent exotropia who underwent bilateral lateral rectus recession and revisited the outpatient clinic after more than 3 years of follow-up. Results: Thirty-two patients were included. The most common reason for voluntary revisit was suspicion of recurrence (n = 21, 65.6%). Reasons for revisit were divided into suspicion of recurrence (exodrift group) and others (no exodrift group). At the revisits, both the distance and near deviation angles of the exodrift group were larger than those of the no exodrift group. For all patients and the exodrift group, both the distance and near deviation angles were higher at the revisits than at the last follow-up visits. For both groups, the near stereoacuity did not differ between the last follow-up visit and the revisit but the spherical equivalent was more myopic at the revisit than the last follow-up visit in all eyes except the left eyes of the no exodrift group. The deviation angles of 11 patients who underwent continuous follow-up after the revisits did not significantly change over 1 year after full correction of the refractive error, with the exception of 1 who underwent re-operation. Conclusions When patients stabilize after intermittent exotropia surgery, the decrease in the corrected visual acuity triggers fusional convergence deterioration and, in turn, unstable strabismus. However, after full correction of the refractive error, the deviation angle stabilizes without further progression. It is important to explain this to patients/guardians at the end of initial follow-up.

Purpose: To analyze the chief complaints and clinical characteristics of patients with intermittent exotropia who voluntarily revisited our clinic more than 3 years after stabilization of bilateral lateral rectus recession. Methods: This study retrospectively reviewed the medical records of patients diagnosed with intermittent exotropia who underwent bilateral lateral rectus recession and revisited the outpatient clinic after more than 3 years of follow-up. Results: Thirty-two patients were included. The most common reason for voluntary revisit was suspicion of recurrence (n = 21, 65.6%). Reasons for revisit were divided into suspicion of recurrence (exodrift group) and others (no exodrift group). At the revisits, both the distance and near deviation angles of the exodrift group were larger than those of the no exodrift group. For all patients and the exodrift group, both the distance and near deviation angles were higher at the revisits than at the last follow-up visits. For both groups, the near stereoacuity did not differ between the last follow-up visit and the revisit but the spherical equivalent was more myopic at the revisit than the last follow-up visit in all eyes except the left eyes of the no exodrift group. The deviation angles of 11 patients who underwent continuous follow-up after the revisits did not significantly change over 1 year after full correction of the refractive error, with the exception of 1 who underwent re-operation. Conclusions When patients stabilize after intermittent exotropia surgery, the decrease in the corrected visual acuity triggers fusional convergence deterioration and, in turn, unstable strabismus. However, after full correction of the refractive error, the deviation angle stabilizes without further progression. It is important to explain this to patients/guardians at the end of initial follow-up.

Purpose: To analyze the chief complaints and clinical characteristics of patients with intermittent exotropia who voluntarily revisited our clinic more than 3 years after stabilization of bilateral lateral rectus recession. Methods: This study retrospectively reviewed the medical records of patients diagnosed with intermittent exotropia who underwent bilateral lateral rectus recession and revisited the outpatient clinic after more than 3 years of follow-up. Results: Thirty-two patients were included. The most common reason for voluntary revisit was suspicion of recurrence (n = 21, 65.6%). Reasons for revisit were divided into suspicion of recurrence (exodrift group) and others (no exodrift group). At the revisits, both the distance and near deviation angles of the exodrift group were larger than those of the no exodrift group. For all patients and the exodrift group, both the distance and near deviation angles were higher at the revisits than at the last follow-up visits. For both groups, the near stereoacuity did not differ between the last follow-up visit and the revisit but the spherical equivalent was more myopic at the revisit than the last follow-up visit in all eyes except the left eyes of the no exodrift group. The deviation angles of 11 patients who underwent continuous follow-up after the revisits did not significantly change over 1 year after full correction of the refractive error, with the exception of 1 who underwent re-operation. Conclusions When patients stabilize after intermittent exotropia surgery, the decrease in the corrected visual acuity triggers fusional convergence deterioration and, in turn, unstable strabismus. However, after full correction of the refractive error, the deviation angle stabilizes without further progression. It is important to explain this to patients/guardians at the end of initial follow-up.