No abstract available.
Calcium* ; Diet* ; Hypercalciuria* ; Osteocalcin*

PURPOSE: Sexual differences in the incidence and crystalline composition of urinary stones in humans are well-known, but it is unclear why men have a higher incidence of calcium oxalate stones than women. We investigated the effects of male sex hormones on stone formation using an ethylene glycol (EG) - induced urolithiasis model in rats. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into 4 groups, each containing 10 rats. One group of rats was left untreated and served as control. The other 3 groups were fed a 1% ethylene glycol (EG) lithogenic diet for 4 weeks. Among these, one group was non-castrated, one group was castrated and one group was non-castrated and given finasteride orally. Serum testosterone, creatinine, electrolytes, 24-hour urine levels of oxalate and citrate, and creatinine clearance were measured. The crystal deposits were examined by light and polarizing microscopes. RESULTS: Testosterone promoted calcium oxalate stone formation in EG - treated rats. Finasteride administration significantly decreased urinary oxalate excretion and calcium oxalate deposition, compared with controls. Urinary citrate was significantly decreased in EG-treated rats, but was not influenced by castration or administration of finasteride. There were no significant differences in serum concentrations of creatinine, sodium, or potassium among the control and experimental groups. CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggest that testosterone promotes calcium oxalate stone formation, and that dihydrotestosterone may be partially responsible for the exaggerated hyperoxaluria in EG-treated rats. Additionally, male sex hormones have a lesser influence on urinary citrate than oxalate.
Adult ; Animals ; Calcium Oxalate* ; Calcium* ; Castration ; Citric Acid ; Creatinine ; Crystallins ; Diet ; Dihydrotestosterone ; Electrolytes ; Ethylene Glycol ; Female ; Finasteride ; Gonadal Steroid Hormones* ; Humans ; Hyperoxaluria ; Incidence ; Male* ; Nephrolithiasis* ; Potassium ; Rats* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Sodium ; Testosterone ; Urinary Calculi ; Urolithiasis

No abstract available.
Graves Disease* ; Humans ; Thyroid Gland*

BACKGROUND: At least 30 per cent of diabetics, which is said to comprise over 3% of general population in Korea, have one or more cutaneous complications during the course of the disease. These skin changes may be the consequences of microangiopathy, arteriosclerosis, direct metabolic disturbances and/or the sequelae of chronic therapy. OBJECTIVE: We tried to observe certain cutaneous and nail changes in diabetics and to relate them with systemic complications, blood sugar level and duration of diabetes. METHODS: During the period of 12 months from March, 1992 to February, 1993, a total of 1858 outpatients diagnosed as diabetes mellitus at Eulji General Hospital were examined. RESULTS: The cutaneous manifestations are observed in 79.5% of diabetics examined and cutaneous infections are the most prevalent(52.3%). Pruritus(p<0.01), anogenital pruritus(p<0.01), peripheral dedema(p<0.05) are more common in females and infections, shin spots, finger pebbles(p<0.01) are more common in males. Systemic complications are observed in 50.7% and the cutaneous manifestations are observed more frequently in patients with systemic complications(p<0.05). Shin spots, diabetic foot, peripneral edema diabetic bullosis are observed frequently associated with systemic microangiopathic complications such as retinopathy, nephropathy and neuropathy(p<0.01). There is a significant correlation between blood sugar level and fungal infections and anogenital pruritus(p<0.01). The frequencies of shin spots, diabetic foot and diabetic bullosis increase with the length of time diabetes has been present. Nail changes are observed in 39.6% of diabetics and onychomycosis is the most frequent(34.5%). CONCLUSION: It is suggested that cutaneous shgns especially fungal infections in diabetics are on the increase in Korea. A variety of skin conditions are encountered with diabetes mellitus and the dermatologist may be able to make a significant contribution in the control of diabetes mellitus by identifying skin signs and conditions as diabetic complications.
Arteriosclerosis ; Blood Glucose ; Diabetes Complications ; Diabetes Mellitus* ; Diabetic Foot ; Edema ; Female ; Fingers ; Hospitals, General ; Humans ; Korea ; Male ; Onychomycosis ; Outpatients ; Skin

One of a fairly common cause of painful hips in children is the transient synovitis which subcide in short time by bed rest. This transient synovitis is also called as observation hip, irritable hip, coxitis serosa seu simplex, transitory hip arthritis, transitory coxitis, acute transient epiphysitis, toxic synovitis, and intermittent hydrathrosis etc. It is not clear what is the exact cause of transient synovitis but many authors agree infection, trauma and allergic conditions can be cause of that disease. The disease is of interest, not because it is a disabling condition, but because of the difficulties encountered in differentiating it from more serious disease of the hip such as Legg-Calve-Perthes disease, tuberculosis, osteomyelitis and etc. Of the 67 cases so diagnosed at the catholic medical college from 1975 to, 1980, 30 were reviewed and reported. Following observation were made: 1. The main symptom was pain of sudden onset in the region of the hip joint with a limp on the: affected side. 2. The patients mean age was 7.4 yrs and the sex ratio of boy & girl revealed 1. 7:1. 3. Radiological abnormalities of the soft tissue shadow of the affected hip joint was noted at 24 cases (80%), among them the gluteal sign(50%) are more prominent than others Bone scanning with Tc was performed at 13 cases. Increased uptake density of radio-active isotopes found at 6 cases (46%). 4. The treatment was conservative including bed rest, skin traction on the affected leg, non weight bearing, antibiotics and anti-inflammatory drug. 5. Two hips among them revealed later as s Legg-Calve-Perthes disease and tuberculous arthritis of hip joint.
Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Arthritis ; Bed Rest ; Child ; Clinical Study ; Female ; Hip Joint ; Hip ; Humans ; Isotopes ; Leg ; Legg-Calve-Perthes Disease ; Male ; Osteomyelitis ; Serous Membrane ; Sex Ratio ; Skin ; Synovitis ; Traction ; Tuberculosis ; Weight-Bearing

No abstract available.
Suction* ; Tonsillectomy*

No abstract available.
Child* ; Humans

STUDY DESIGN: A retrospective study. OBJECTIVES: To assess the relationship between surgical outcomes and preoperative MRI findings, a retrospective review was conducted on the surgical outcomes depending on the preoperative MRI findings including type of herniation and Modic changes. SUMMARY OF LITERATURE REVIEW: In most reports, the patients that have large disc herniation were expected to have improved surgical outcomes. However, there have been controversies regarding the outcomes and Modic changes. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The retrospective review was conducted in 82 patients who underwent a discectomy for single level lumbar disc herniation. The average follow-up period was 34.2 months. Among their preoperative baseline MRI measurements, the stage of disc herniation, degree of nerve root compression, degree of dural sac compression, and Modic change of vertebral endplate were evaluated for the subsequent comparison between the preoperative and postoperative changes and ODI score. RESULTS: Patients with extrusion or sequestration type showed significant improvements compared to the patients with protrusion type disc herniation. By degree of nerve root compression, patients with root compression showed significant improvements compared to the patients who had contact type. The degree of dural sac compression revealed no correlation with changes in the ODI score. 23 of the 82 patients, the preoperative MRI showed a Modic change. Compared to the group who did not show such a Modic change, they turned out to be unrelated to the preoperative and postoperative changes in the ODI score. CONCLUSIONS: Patients who had extrusion or sequestration type disc herniation showed a better clinical improvement than protrusion type. Patients with compression type root lesion showed better clinical improvement than contact type root lesion. No correlation was noted regarding the outcomes of the surgical treatment and degree of dural sac compression or Modic changes.
Diskectomy ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Radiculopathy ; Retrospective Studies

BACKGROUND: One of the most, probable pathogenesis of vitiliga is autoimmune. Systemic cor tico st,eroids suppress immunity and may arrest the progression of vitiligo and lead to repigmentation. OBJECTIVE: We have assessed the clinical effect of a oral small oral dose of corticosteroid to minimize side effects in vitiligo patients. METHODS: Thirty four patients(9;male, 25;female) with vitiligo were evaluated in this study. The patients took 7.5mg-20mg prednisolone initially for 2 months and then the dosage was tapered to half of the initial dosiat the 3rd month and half of dose of 3rd month for the last 4th month. We compared the effcct of treatment of vitiligo before and aft.er the study by photographs. and side efferts were issessed at. 1, 2, 3 and 4 month. RESULTS: The arrest of the progression of vitiligo was noticed in 79% of patients and repigmentation was noticed in 59% of patients which is statistically significant. The effect, of treatment according to extent, duiation, type, and site of vitiligo were not statistically significant. The side effects of treatment were minimal and did not affect the course of treatment. CONCLUSION: Small doses of iral corticosteroids are effective without any significant side effects in preventing progression and loiiduce repigmentation of active spreading vitiligo and generalized type of vitiligo that is difficult to treat with topical corticosteroids.
Adrenal Cortex Hormones* ; Humans ; Prednisolone ; Vitiligo*

BACKGROUND: Epidermal grafting using cryotherapy for recipient sites is in widespread use. However the peripheral hypopigmented haloes that occur around the recipient sites require prolon gation of the treatment period. OBJECTIVE: We used a CO2 laser to remove the epidermis of the recipient sites for betteri results. METHODS: We treated lie localized vitiligo patients with CO2 laser to remove t.he epidermis and grafted suction blister rooves. We observed repigmentation and complications 1 month later. RESULTS & CONCLUSIONS : The superiority of this method is demonstrated by the fact 1) all prodedures can be completed on the day of operation 2) the incidence of hypertrophic scar and peripheral hypopigmented halos can be observed.The problems of this method are 1) uneven repigmentation of recipient. sites 2) hyperpigrnentation of recipient sites
Blister ; Cicatrix, Hypertrophic ; Cryotherapy ; Epidermis* ; Humans ; Incidence ; Lasers, Gas* ; Suction ; Transplants* ; Vitiligo*