PURPOSE: To compare the macular choroidal thickness, ganglion cell complex thickness, peripapillary choroidal thickness and retinal nerve fiber layer thickness among normal, primary open angle glaucoma (POAG) and normal tension glaucoma (NTG) patients using RTVue (Fourier-domain optical coherence tomography; Optovue, Fremont, CA, USA). METHODS: A retrospective analysis of 32 normal controls, 32 POAG and 52 NTG patients was performed. Choroidal thickness, ganglion cell complex thickness and retinal nerve fiber layer thickness were compared among normal controls, POAG and NTG subjects. Additionally, the factors influencing choroidal thickness (age, axial length, spherical equivalent, central corneal thickness, mean deviation, nocturnal dip, blood pressure variability) were analyzed. RESULTS: A total of 32 normal controls, 32 POAG and 52 NTG patients were enrolled in this study. Macular and peripapillary choroidal thicknesses were significantly thinner in the NTG patients. In NTG subjects, the significant influencing factors associated with macular and peripapillary choroidal thicknesses were age, axial length, nocturnal dip (diastolic blood pressure), diastolic blood pressure variability and ganglion cell complex thickness. In POAG patients, significant influencing factors associated with macular and peripapillary choroidal thicknesses were age and axial length. CONCLUSIONS: Choroidal thickness was significantly thinner in NTG patients compared with normal controls and POAG patients. Factors influencing choroidal thickness in NTG patients were age, axial length, nocturnal dip (diastolic blood pressure), diastolic blood pressure variability and ganglion cell complex thickness. In POAG patients, significant factors influencing choroidal thickness were age and axial length.
Blood Pressure ; Choroid* ; Ganglion Cysts ; Glaucoma, Open-Angle* ; Humans ; Low Tension Glaucoma ; Nerve Fibers ; Retinaldehyde ; Retrospective Studies ; Tomography, Optical Coherence

PURPOSE: To compare the macular choroidal thickness, ganglion cell complex thickness, peripapillary choroidal thickness and retinal nerve fiber layer thickness among normal, primary open angle glaucoma (POAG) and normal tension glaucoma (NTG) patients using RTVue (Fourier-domain optical coherence tomography; Optovue, Fremont, CA, USA). METHODS: A retrospective analysis of 32 normal controls, 32 POAG and 52 NTG patients was performed. Choroidal thickness, ganglion cell complex thickness and retinal nerve fiber layer thickness were compared among normal controls, POAG and NTG subjects. Additionally, the factors influencing choroidal thickness (age, axial length, spherical equivalent, central corneal thickness, mean deviation, nocturnal dip, blood pressure variability) were analyzed. RESULTS: A total of 32 normal controls, 32 POAG and 52 NTG patients were enrolled in this study. Macular and peripapillary choroidal thicknesses were significantly thinner in the NTG patients. In NTG subjects, the significant influencing factors associated with macular and peripapillary choroidal thicknesses were age, axial length, nocturnal dip (diastolic blood pressure), diastolic blood pressure variability and ganglion cell complex thickness. In POAG patients, significant influencing factors associated with macular and peripapillary choroidal thicknesses were age and axial length. CONCLUSIONS: Choroidal thickness was significantly thinner in NTG patients compared with normal controls and POAG patients. Factors influencing choroidal thickness in NTG patients were age, axial length, nocturnal dip (diastolic blood pressure), diastolic blood pressure variability and ganglion cell complex thickness. In POAG patients, significant factors influencing choroidal thickness were age and axial length.
Blood Pressure ; Choroid* ; Ganglion Cysts ; Glaucoma, Open-Angle* ; Humans ; Low Tension Glaucoma ; Nerve Fibers ; Retinaldehyde ; Retrospective Studies ; Tomography, Optical Coherence

No abstract available.
Humans

Using 3D ultrasound, bilateral chylothorax was diagnosed antenatally in the second trimester. Apparently stable, bilateral pleural effusion progressed rapidly to severe hydrops with facial edema during observation, and then we decided bilateral pleural-amniotic shunt operation. Here we present a case where drainage of pleural effusion by a double reverse pig tail stent made by ourself was achieved, although placement of the thoracoamniotic shunt resulted in near complete drainage of bilateral pleural effusion with normalization of intrathoracic anatomic relationships, subsequent resolution of fetal hydrops, but the ultimate outcome was unsuccessful due to the internalization of one catheter and unknown sudden death. We think that ongoing research is required to further evaluation about complications associated with this procedure, specifically failure of function due to obstruction, migration of the catheter,
Catheters ; Chylothorax* ; Death, Sudden ; Drainage ; Edema ; Female ; Humans ; Hydrops Fetalis ; Pleural Effusion ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Trimester, Second ; Stents ; Tail ; Ultrasonography

OBJECTIVE: The ovine fetus responds to hemorrhage with a 10-20 fold increase in plasma erythropoietin (EPO) concentration at 24 hr and a return toward normal at 48 hr after the hemorrhage. The objective of the present study was more accurately to compare the magnitude and time course of the plasma EPO response after fetal hemorrhage. METHODS: Chronically catheterized, 12 of late gestation ovine fetus were gradually hemorrhaged 40% of their blood volume over 2 hr (1ml/min). Plasma was sampled for EPO concentration at 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 16, 20, 24, 30, 36 hr after initiating the hemorrhage were collected at these times. Radioimmunoassay was used to measure plasma EPO concentrations. Analysis of variance was used for statistical analysis. RESULT: After a slow hemorrhage in the ovine fetus (1ml/min over 2hr), plasma EPO concentration increased significantly at 4hr (2.3 times basal values), reached a maximum at 16 hr (33.3 times basal values), and declined thereafter. CONCLUSION: We studied change in time course of the fetal plasma EPO after slow hemorrhage and recent studies have shown that the fetal kidney, liver and placenta express EPO mRNA. These observation suggest that plasma EPO increase may be mediated by a tissue specific up-regulation of EPO transcription in the fetal kidney, liver and placenta. We have studied change in Epo mRNA expression in various fetal tissue after slow haemorrhage.
Blood Volume ; Catheters ; Erythropoietin* ; Fetus ; Hemorrhage* ; Kidney ; Liver ; Placenta ; Plasma* ; Pregnancy ; Radioimmunoassay ; RNA, Messenger ; Sheep ; Up-Regulation

No abstract available.
Fetus* ; Humans ; Male* ; Mesothelioma*

Atrial flutter, a common rhythm disturbance, was first described over 80 years ago. Despite extensive investigations, several important issues remain unresolved concerning its exact mechanism and management. Present therapeutic strategies often appear effective to prevent and terminate atrial flutter. However, controlled trial and definitive studies comparing the various treatment options are surprisingly scarce. Here we report on a study of 9 episodes of spontaneous atrial flutter(AF)(flutter wave cycle length 224+/-39 msec) treatedd by transesophageal atrial pacing(TAP) in 9 patients(7 men and 2 women; mean age 56.9 yrs). TAP was effective in 5 patients : sinus rhythm resumption was immediate in 3 patients and followed a short period of atrial fibrillation in 2 patients. TAP was unsuccessful in 4 patients. All the patients tolerated the procedure well. These data strongly support the immediate first choice use of TAP in AF therapy.
Atrial Fibrillation ; Atrial Flutter* ; Female ; Humans ; Male

PURPOSE: To evaluate the factors affecting treatment outcome of children with anisometropic amblyopia. METHODS: We retrospectively investigated the treatment outcome of 57 children who were diagnosed as anisometropic amblyopia. The age at initial treatment, initial best corrected visual acuity of the amblyopic eye, amount and type of anisometropia, strabismus and compliance of treatment were investigated. RESULTS: The mean age and standard deviation at initial treatment was 5.3+/-1.8(3-9) years. The absolute average values of spherical and cylindrical anisometropia were 2.87+/-1.99D and 1.87+/-2.24D respectively. While compliance was significantly related to treatment outcome, the age at initial treatment, visual acuity on amblyopic eye, amount and type of anisometropia, and strabismus had no significant influence on treatment outcome. CONCLUSIONS: Treatment compliance was the most significant factor in the treatment of anisometropic amblyopia.
Amblyopia* ; Anisometropia ; Child* ; Compliance ; Humans ; Retrospective Studies ; Strabismus ; Treatment Outcome ; Visual Acuity

OBJECTIVE: The objectives of this study were to obtain information on MIS levels in normal and RDS neonates and to investigate the relationship between the RDS prevalence and MIS level in preterm and term neonates. METHODS: Total 131 male neonates were selected randomly and they were consisted of 50 term normal neonates, 15 term neonates with RDS, 50 prematurely born normal neonates, and 16 prematurely born neonates with RDS. Total 131 female neonates were also selected like male neonates. The venous blood was collected from all subjects and measured the level of MIS using ELISA. The ANCOVA was conducted to evaluate any influence of adjusted value of gestational age and body weight on MIS level between normal neonates and neonates with RDS. RESULTS: 1) The MIS levels of female neonates were significantly lower than those of male neonates with no overlap. 2) The MIS levels of normal female neonates were not significantly different from those of female neonates with RDS. 3) There were significant negative relationships between MIS concentration and gestational age (r=-0.777, p<0.001), and birth weight(r=-0.728, p<0.001) in normal rnale neonates. 4) There were significant negative relationships between MIS concentration and gestational age (r=-0.726, p<0.001), and birth weight(r=-0.725, p<0.001) in male neonates with RDS. 5) After adjusting the value of gestational age, the MIS level of male neonates with RDS was significantly higher than that of normal male neonates(p<0.001). 6) After adjusting the value of body weight, the MIS level of male neonates with RDS was significantly higher than that of normal male neonates(p<0.001). CONCLUSION: Male neonates with RDS had higher MIS levels than normal male neonates of the same body weight or same calculated gestational age. The results of this study suggest that MIS may play a causative or important ancillary role in the sexual dimorphism that characterizes the neonatal RDS and may be used as a predictive marker of RDS in male neonates.
Anti-Mullerian Hormone* ; Body Weight ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Female ; Gestational Age ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn* ; Male ; Parturition ; Prevalence

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of study was to report the current role of transnasal esophagoscopy (TNE) in Korea. METHODS: One hundred thirty-seven patients who underwent TNE at Soonchunhyang University Bucheon Hospital (n=69) and Korea University Anam Hospital (n=68) from July 2007 to February 2009 were prospectively analyzed. Laryngopharyngeal reflux disease (LPRD) patients without any response to proton-pump inhibitor (n=102), and patients with complaints that require esophagoscopy as part of their evaluation (n=35) were included in this study; investigation of metachronous lesions or routine follow-up screening of head and neck cancer patients, n=17; dysphagia, n=9; blood tinged saliva, n=4; to determine the cause of vocal fold paralysis as screening tool, n=4; suspicious esophageal foreign body, n=1. RESULTS: Fifty-three patients (38.7%) had positive findings on TNE. Positive finding ratio was highest in group of dysphagia (7 among 9 patients, 78%). Forty-two patients (41.1%) were found to have pathology (esophagitis, n=41; esophageal diverticulum, n=1) during the screening examination for LPRD. There were no significant complications in any of the patients. CONCLUSION: TNE is a high-yield diagnostic and therapeutic modality available to otolaryngologists for use on awake patients in the office setting.
Deglutition Disorders ; Diverticulum, Esophageal ; Esophagoscopy* ; Esophagus ; Follow-Up Studies ; Foreign Bodies ; Gyeonggi-do ; Head and Neck Neoplasms ; Humans ; Korea ; Laryngopharyngeal Reflux ; Mass Screening ; Paralysis ; Pathology ; Prospective Studies* ; Saliva ; Tolnaftate ; Vocal Cords