OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of IL-10 on development of collagen-induced arthritis, on humoral and cellular immunity and on the endogenous production of IL-10 in DBA/1J mice. METHODS: DBA/1J mice were immunized with chicken type II collagen in Freund s complete adjuvant. Murine recombinant IL-10 was given intraperitoneally twice a week from the day of second immunization (week 3) in doses of 0.002ug, 0. 02ug and 0. 2ug for 3 different groups, respectively. Dexamethasone was injected in one group to suppress the arthritis development and this group was used as negative control group. Levels of anti-collagen antibodies, serum IL-10 and stimulation indices of splenic monocytes to collagen were measured at the end of study. RESULTS: The 0. 02ug IL-10 and 0. 2ug IL-10 treated groups developed earlier and more severe arthritis (week 6 and 8) compared to that of the control group while the 0. 002ug IL-10 group has shown similar course to the control group in terms of incidence and severity of arthritis, At week 10, all groups with or without IL-10 injections developed arthritis with similar degree of severity while dexamethasone group showed far less incidence and severity of arthritis. The serum levels of anti-collagen antibody, IL-10 and spleen monocyte stimulation indices to collagen antigen showed no difference among control group, IL-10 injected groups and dexamethasone injected group. CONCLUSION: This study shows IL-10 could worsen the arthritis in CIA with the dosage used in this study without significant influence on the level of anti-collagen antibodies or stimulation indices of spenic monocyte to collagen.
Animals ; Antibodies ; Arthritis ; Arthritis, Experimental* ; Chickens ; Collagen ; Collagen Type II ; Dexamethasone ; Immunity, Cellular ; Immunization ; Incidence ; Interleukin-10* ; Mice ; Monocytes ; Spleen

No abstract available.

No abstract available.
Aspergillosis ; Maxillary Sinus

BACKGROUND: Current guidelines of advanced trauma life support recommend open thoracotomy when pericardiocentesis reveals bloody pericardial effusion in patients with blunt chest trauma. However, open thoracotomy may not be always required for treating patients alive until arriving emergency department, because rapid accumulation of the blood into pericardial space results in immediate death at scene. We report our experiences of treating traumatic pericardial effusion, and discuss the therapeutic modality in patients with traumatic pericardial effusion. METHODS: The study consisted of 37 patients(20 males and 17 females with the mean age 42) sustaining traumatic pericardial effusion. The patients were divided according to treatment modality into 3 groups(group I : patients receiving conservative management, group II : patients treated with pericardiocentesis, group III : patients required emergency thoracotomy). We compared clinical presentations, hemodynamic profiles and echocardiographic findings among three groups. RESULTS: Cardiac tamponade was present in 14 of 37 patients. Pericardiocentesis was performed in 13 patients, and open thoracotomy in 4 patients. Pericardiocentesis was curative in 9 patients. Thoracotomy was performed in only 3(24%) of 13 patients required pericardiocentesis. 3(75%) of 4 patients having moderate or severe pericardial effusion from penetrating injury were required open thoracotomy. CONCLUSION: In selected patients who have traumatic pericardial effusion by blunt chest injury, pericardiocentesis may be curative, and thoracotomy may not be inquired as long as bleeding via indwelling pericardial catheter is not sustained after pericardiocentesis.
Advanced Trauma Life Support Care ; Cardiac Tamponade ; Catheters ; Echocardiography ; Emergencies ; Emergency Service, Hospital ; Female ; Hemodynamics ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Male ; Pericardial Effusion* ; Pericardiocentesis ; Thoracic Injuries ; Thoracotomy ; Thorax

BACKGROUND: Rotational atherectomy has been shown to be safe and efficient for the treatment of ISR, but the recurrence rate is still high. Intracoronary-irradiation after rotational atherectomy may be a reasonable approach to prevent recurrent ISR. SUBJECTS & METHODS: Fifty consecutive patients with diffuse ISR (length > 10 mm) in native coronary arteries underwent rotational atherectomy and adjunctive balloon angioplasty followed by beta irradiation using a 188Re-MAG3-filled balloon catheter. The radiation dose was 15 Gy at 1.0 mm deep into vessel wall. RESULTS: Mean length of the lesion and irradiated segment was 25.6 +/- 12.7 mm and 37.6 +/- 11.2 mm, respectively. The radiation was delivered successfully to all patients, with a mean irradiation time of 201.8 61.7 seconds. No adverse event including myocardial infarction, death, or stent thrombosis occurred during the follow-up period (mean 10.3 +/- 3.7 months) and non-target vessel revascularization was needed in one patient. Six-month binary angiographic restenosis rate was 10.4 % and loss index was 0.17 +/- 0.31. CONCLUSIONS: beta irradiation using 188Re-MAG3-filled balloon following rotational atherectomy is safe and feasible for patients with diffuse ISR, and it may improve the clinical and angiographic outcomes. Further prospective randomized trials are warranted to evaluate the synergistic effect of debulking and irradiation in patients with diffuse ISR.
Angioplasty, Balloon ; Atherectomy, Coronary* ; Catheters ; Coronary Vessels ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Myocardial Infarction ; Recurrence ; Stents ; Thrombosis

Kawasaki disease (KD) can cause acquired heart disease and systemic vasculitis in children. It is treated with intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG). A significant complication is development of coronary artery lesions such as dilatations or aneurysms. However, uncommon complications can occur, like autoimmune hemolytic anemia when IVIG is used. We present a case of autoimmune hemolytic anemia associated with KD. Dilatation of right coronary artery was found at echocardiography and he was treated twice with IVIG (2 g/kg) with interval of 48 hours. Laboratory finding showed hemoglobin 7.1 g/dL, hematocrit 20.8%, corrected reticulocyte 5.86%, total bilirubin 0.29 mg/dL, lactate dehydrogenase 425 IU/L, and haptoglobin 5 mg/dL. Normocytic, normochromic anemia with anisopoikilocytosis was found on peripheral blood smear, and direct antiglobulin test was positive. The patient was started on oral prednisolone for 3 weeks, with which all symptoms resolved. We report this rare case, prompting consideration of IVIG associated complications when treating KD.
Anemia ; Anemia, Hemolytic, Autoimmune ; Aneurysm ; Bilirubin ; Child ; Coombs Test ; Coronary Vessels ; Dilatation ; Echocardiography ; Haptoglobins ; Heart Diseases ; Hematocrit ; Humans ; Immunization, Passive ; Immunoglobulins ; Immunoglobulins, Intravenous ; L-Lactate Dehydrogenase ; Mucocutaneous Lymph Node Syndrome ; Prednisolone ; Reticulocytes ; Systemic Vasculitis

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: The long-term effects of beta-irradiation on intimal hyperplasia (IH) within the stented segment and vessel, and the lumen dimensions of non-stented adjacent segments, have not been sufficiently evaluated in patients with ISR. The long-term (24 months) effects of beta-irradiation ((188)Re-MAG3-filled balloon) were evaluated using intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) in patients with in-stent restenosis (ISR). SUCJECTS AND METHODS: A two-year follow-up IVUS was performed in 30 patients with patent ISR segments at the 6-monthly follow-up angiography. Serial IVUS images were acquired at 5 equidistant intra-stent sites and 3 different reference segment sites (1, 2 and 4 mm from stent margin). RESULTS: The mean intra-stent IH area and IH burden significantly increased between 6 and 24 months-from 2.1+/-1.1 to 2.6+/-1.4 mm2 (p<0.001) and from 26+/-10 to 33+/-14% (p<0.001), respectively. There were significant decreases in the mean external elastic membrane (from 10.1+/-3.9 to 9.7+/-3.9 mm2, p=0.015) and lumen area (from 5.6+/-2.3 to 5.1+/-2.3mm2, p=0.021) within the distal reference segments between 6 and 24 months. Target lesion revascularization (TLR) was performed between 6 and 24 months in 6 patients (20%) following the beta-irradiation therapy. There were no significant differences between the TLR and non-TLR groups, with the exception of a smaller minimum lumen CSA at 24 months in the TLR group. CONCLUSION: Because of a small amount of late loss between 6 and 24 months, most irradiated ISR vessel segments remained stable for up to 2 years. However, quantitative evidence of late catch-up was evident in most patients and was significantly associated with 24-month TLR in some patients with a smaller minimum lumen area.
Angiography ; Brachytherapy* ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Hyperplasia ; Membranes ; Stents ; Ultrasonography*

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to determine whether the conventional subcostal approach is suitable for emergency pericardiocentesis in patients with cardiac tamponade or impending cardiac tamponade. METHODS: This study was a prospective, observational study conducted at the emergency department of a tertiary hospital. Patients who had symptomatic pericardial effusion and who needed emergency pericardiocentesis in the emergency department were included in this study. We measured the epicardium-to-pericardium distance at the subcostal, parasternal, and apical area with two-dimensional echocardiography to determine the appropriate puncture site for pericardiocentesis. An epicardium-to-pericardium distance of more than 1.0cm was considered as the primary safety factor in determining the puncture site for pericardiocentesis. The skin-to-pericardium distance was considered as secondary safety factor. RESULTS: Ninety-five consecutive patients(55 males and 40 females; total mean age: 53 year old) with cardiac tamponade or impending cardiac tamponade were enrolled in this study. The puncture site for pericardiocentesis, as determined by echocardiography, was the subcostal area in 43 patients(45%), the apical area in 40 patients(42%), the left parasternal area in 11 patients(12%), and the right parasternal area in one patient(1%). Pericardiocentesis failed in 2 patients(2%) with the subcostal approach and in one patient(1%) with the apical approach. The average epicardium-to-pericardium distance was 31+/-21mm in patients with the subcostal approach and 21+/-8mm in patients with other approaches. There were no differences in the amount of pericardial fluid and in the intrapericardial pressure among patients groups according to puncture site. There were two procedure related complications: a puncture of the right ventricle with the subcostal approach and a ventricular tachycardia with the apical approach. CONCLUSION: The puncture site for emergency pericardiocentesis should be determined by using two-dimensional echocardiography because approaches from other areas can be safer than the subcostal approach.
Cardiac Tamponade ; Echocardiography ; Emergencies* ; Emergency Service, Hospital ; Female ; Heart Ventricles ; Humans ; Male ; Observational Study ; Pericardial Effusion ; Pericardiocentesis* ; Prospective Studies ; Punctures ; Tachycardia, Ventricular ; Tertiary Care Centers

Mirror movements are normal in childhood, and may persist to a later age following early brain lesions. The present report describes a 25 year old male patient who had been a severe febrile disease at the age of 2 years, after then persistent mild spastic right hemiparesis had been developed. By the age of 7 years he recalled that his two hand involutarily tended to move simultaneuosly, and whilst his problems did not progress. They became more obtrusive and the bimanual movements seriously intefered with his activity, so he became aware that many or most of movements performed with one hand. There were obvious mirror movements of both hands and fingers with a greater tendency for mirroring to occut in the right hand with intended movements of the left hand, than vice versa. Passive movements did not elicit mirror movements. Brain CT scan reveal diffuse atrophy in left hemisphere.
Adult ; Atrophy ; Brain ; Fingers ; Hand ; Humans ; Male ; Muscle Spasticity ; Paresis* ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

PURPOSE: Voiding function of the neonate is considered to be different from that of adult. Although immaturity in the central nervous system that governs urinary bladder is thought to be the cause, few well-designed physiological studies on the properties of bladder itself have been reported. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Urinary bladders were removed from male Sprague-Dawley rats, 1 to 3-day old neonate and 12 week-old adult. Anterior longitudinal muscle strips without mucosa were obtained and isometric contractions were recorded. Contractile responses induced by carbachol (CCh 0.05-10.0 microM) were obtained. To investigate length-tension relationship between adult and neonate bladder, each strip was stepwise stretched up to 300% L (taking L, 100% length in a resting state) by micropositioner. In each step it was fully permitted to reach steady state in which electrical field stimulations (0.8ms, 50Hz, 2.5s duration) were applied to assess optimal length for contraction. RESULTS: CCh produced a large phasic contraction followed by a sustained tonic contraction superimposed by rapid phasic activities (RPAs) in both group but the patterns were quite different. Neonatal bladder was characterized by its tonic contractions; lesser tone increase with dose increment and taller RPAs of shorter duration. Amplitude of CCh-induced contraction were corrected by tissue weight, neonatal bladder generated greater force than that of adult. Length-tension analysis revealed that the range of active contraction in neonatal bladder according to the stretch were similar, while passive properties were quite different from that of adult bladder. Stress in the muscle strips was derived from tension divided by cross-sectional area of the strip (g/cm2). Steep increase in total tension per area as stepwise stretch was observed in neonatal bladder, which was mainly ascribed to passive properties of the bladder. Optimal length of maximal active force generation was noted in 220% of resting length in both neonatal and adult bladder. CONCLUSIONS: Our results demonstrated that CCh-induced contractile pattern and length-tension relationship in neonatal bladder are quite different from those of adult bladder in the rats, which suggests, aside from the neural immaturity, functional difference exists in the bladder itself. During development, neonatal urinary bladder seems to undergo remarkable changes in both active and passive properties.
Adult* ; Animals ; Carbachol ; Central Nervous System ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Isometric Contraction ; Male ; Mucous Membrane ; Rats* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Urinary Bladder*