Diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) is a common complication of diabetes mellitus. The prevalence of neuropathic pain is estimated to occur in about 30-50% of all diabetic patients. Clinical symptoms vary depending on the nerves affected, and may include both positive and negative symptoms. Many patients with DPN experience pain or discomfort, anxiety, depression, and limitations in activity, which can significantly impact their physical, emotional, and social well-being. Early diagnosis is essential for the successful management of DPN. Routine management consists of glucose and risk factor control, and symptomatic relief, along with therapies designed to target the underlying disease pathology. Pharmacological treatment of DPN includes tricyclic compounds, serotonin noradrenalin reuptake inhibitors, the antioxidant alpha-lipoic acid, anticonvulsants, opiates, membrane stabilizers, topical capsaicin, and other drugs. Management of DPN must be tailored to each individual, and depends on a variety of factors, including disease severity and response to treatment.
Anticonvulsants ; Anxiety ; Capsaicin ; Depression ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Diabetic Neuropathies ; Early Diagnosis ; Glucose ; Humans ; Membranes ; Neuralgia ; Pathology ; Peripheral Nervous System Diseases* ; Prevalence ; Risk Factors ; Serotonin ; Thioctic Acid

BACKGROUND: Exercise intensity may induce changes in inflammatory markers and adipocytokines. However, it is not clear whether acute exercise-induced change to adiponenctin is associated with inflammatory markers and other adipocytokines in obese middle-aged individuals. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of acute aerobic exercise on circulating adipocytokines and inflammatory markers in obese middle-aged women. METHODS: Using a crossover design, 10 obese middle-aged women (aged 48.4+/-5.1 years; body mass index 29.6+/-2.9 kg/m2) exercised on the treadmill at different durations and velocities at 60% and 80% maximum oxygen consumption (VO2max) in order to equalize energy expenditure (400 kcal). Blood samples were drawn to measure glucose, insulin, fibrinogen, high-sensitive C-reactive protein, leptin, tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), and adiponectin concentrations. RESULTS: Glucose, fibrinogen, and hsCRP increased significantly (P<0.05) after exercise whereas homeostasis model assessment-insulin resistance decreased significantly (P<0.05). Adiponectin, leptin, and TNF-alpha levels did not change significantly at immediate postexercise, and there were also no significant time x intensity interactions for all variables. The percentage change in adiponectin concentration from baseline to the end of exercise correlated with the percentage change in leptin concentration (r=-0.642, P<0.05) with 60% VO2max exercise. CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicated that, in obese middle-aged women, neither 60% nor 80% VO2max exercise alters adiponectin concentration, in spite of the changes to insulin resistance and inflammatory markers. However, after acute moderate exercise, adiponectin concentration may be associated with the change in leptin levels.
Adipokines ; Adiponectin ; Body Mass Index ; C-Reactive Protein ; Cross-Over Studies ; Energy Metabolism ; Exercise ; Female ; Fibrinogen ; Glucose ; Homeostasis ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Insulin ; Insulin Resistance ; Leptin ; Obesity ; Oxygen Consumption ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha

As gastroduodenoscopy performed more frequently, case reports of human echinostomiasis are increasing in Korea. A Korean woman presented at a local clinic with complaints of abdominal pain and discomfort that had persisted for 2 weeks. Under gastroduodenoscopy, two motile flukes were found attached on the duodenal bulb, and retrieved with endoscopic forceps. She had history of eating raw frog meat. The two flukes were identified as Echinostoma hortense by egg morphology, 27 collar spines with 4 end-group spines, and surface ultrastructural characters. This report may prove frogs to be a source of human echinostome infections.
Animals ; Duodenal Diseases/*parasitology ; Duodenum/*parasitology ; Echinostoma/*isolation & purification ; Echinostomiasis/*diagnosis ; Endoscopy ; Female ; Humans ; Korea ; Middle Aged

BACKGROUND: Many studies have demonstrated that nitrous oxide diffuses into the cuffs of endotracheal tubes and increases cuff volumes and pressures. Such increments of cuff pressure maybe result in damage to the trachea. We evaluated the increase of intracuff pressure, volume and the statistical significance was analyzed with personal computer. METHODS: Fourty-nine patients ranging in age 37+/-15 years, in ASA physical status class 1~2 , they were 26 males and 23 females. They divided into two groups, group I(n=25) were anesthesia with nitrous oxide : oxygen (2 L/min : 2 L/min), group II were(n=24) anesthesia with nitrous oxide : oxygen (4 L/min : 2 L/min). The cuff pressure was measured every 30 minutes and compared with each others and group I and II. RESULTS: Our results suggest that a significant intracuff volume and pressure changes developed between two groups (p<0.05), more significant intracuff pressure changes occured at group II than group I (p=0.001) and significant increment changes according to time and different concentration of nitrous oxide between two groups (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: This study was conducted to determine the degree of intracuff pressure and volume changes during general inhalation anesthesia with different concentration of nitrous oxide. These results suggest that a nitrous oxide significantly increases cuff pressure and volume in a concentration and time related fashion.
Anesthesia ; Anesthesia, Inhalation* ; Female ; Humans ; Inhalation* ; Male ; Microcomputers ; Nitrous Oxide* ; Oxygen ; Trachea

No abstract available.
Hematoma*

We observed the patients admitted to the department of pediatrics of Seoul Red Cross Hospital during the past twenty years form Jan. 1971 to Dec. 1990. The results were as follows: 1) The total number of pediatric inpatients during 20 years was 15,800, of which 9,683 were male, 6,117 were female and male to female ratio was 1.58:1. 2) On age distribution, neonates and infants less than 1 year of age were 6,224 cases (39.4%). 3) Monthly distribution of the inpatients showed the highest incidence in October. 4) Infectious and parasitic diseases were 4,759 cases (30.1%) and respiratory tract diseases, 3,556 cases (22.5%) and disease of these two group occupied more than one half of total admission. 5) Major 10 leading causes of hospitalization were diarrheal disease (14.2%), convulsion (7.0%), acute bronchiolitis (6.8%), pneumonia, tuberculosis, URI, neonatal hyperbilirubinemia, prematurity and low birth weight infant, acute glomerulonephritis and laryngitis in the order of frequency. 6) There was marked decrease in the number of the admitted patients with typhoid fever, bacillary dysentery, tuberculous meningitis, hepatitis, pyogenic meningitis, rheumatic fever, and acute glomerulonephritis. But the patients with URI, bronchial asthma, neonatal hyperbilirubinemia and Kawasaki disease have increased.
Age Distribution ; Asthma ; Bronchiolitis ; Dysentery, Bacillary ; Female ; Glomerulonephritis ; Hepatitis ; Hospitalization ; Humans ; Hyperbilirubinemia, Neonatal ; Incidence ; Infant ; Infant, Low Birth Weight ; Infant, Newborn ; Inpatients ; Laryngitis ; Male ; Meningitis ; Mucocutaneous Lymph Node Syndrome ; Parasitic Diseases ; Pediatrics ; Pneumonia ; Red Cross ; Respiratory Tract Diseases ; Rheumatic Fever ; Seizures ; Seoul ; Tuberculosis ; Tuberculosis, Meningeal ; Typhoid Fever

Motor evoked potentials(MEP) have been recently introduced as intraoperative monitoring of descending motor pathways. Transcranial electrical or magnetic MEP have been using clinically, but there are still some limitations of using in operating room. Furthermore, according to anesthetic regimens, MEP responses vary significantly. The authors observed the effects of the various anesthetics (thiopental, fentanyl, ketamine, nitrous oxide and isoflurane) on electocortical MEP in a patient who had been previously undertaken electrocortico-graphic grid insertion operation for seizure monitoring. Electromyographic responses were recorded from contralateral arm flexor and extensor using needle type electrode. Most anesthetics except ketamine decreased the amplitude of MEPs reversibly and there were differences in electromyographic responses according to measuring compound muscles.
Anesthetics* ; Arm ; Efferent Pathways ; Electrodes ; Evoked Potentials, Motor ; Fentanyl ; Humans ; Isoflurane ; Ketamine ; Monitoring, Intraoperative ; Muscles ; Needles ; Nitrous Oxide ; Operating Rooms ; Seizures ; Thiopental

Bosworth fracture, fracture-dislocation of ankle with entrapment of fibula behind the tibia, is a rare condition. Diagnosis of this fracture-dislocation may not he easy, and closed reduction of this injury is difficult because of entrapment of fibula by the tieht interosseous membrane. We report a case of Bosworth fracture treated with the anti-glide plate technique.
Ankle ; Diagnosis ; Fibula ; Membranes ; Tibia

No abstract available.
Brain* ; Child* ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging*

Translocation of azurophil granules is pivotal for bactericidal activity of neutrophils, the first-line defense cells against pathogens. Previously, we reported that lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC), an endogenous lipid, enhances bactericidal activity of human neutrophils via increasing translocation of azurophil granules. However, the precise mechanism of LPC-induced azurophil granule translocation was not fully understood. Treatment of neutrophil with LPC significantly increased CD63 (an azurophil granule marker) surface expression. Interestingly, cytochalasin B, an inhibitor of action polymerization, blocked LPC-induced CD63 surface expression. LPC increased F-actin polymerization. LPC-induced CD63 surface expression was inhibited by both a Rho specific inhibitor, Tat-C3 exoenzyme, and a Rho kinase (ROCK) inhibitor, Y27632 which also inhibited LPC-induced F-actin polymerization. LPC induced Rho-GTP activation. NSC23766, a Rac inhibitor, however, did not affect LPC-induced CD63 surface expression. Theses results suggest a novel regulatory mechanism for azurophil granule translocation where LPC induces translocation of azurophil granules via Rho/ROCK/F-actin polymerization pathway.