BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Platelets play an important role in the pathogenesis of acute coronary syndrome. Prostacyclin inhibits platelet aggregation, smooth muscle cell proliferation and vasoconstriction, and it counteracts thromboxane A2 activity. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the association between a single nucleotide polymorphism in the prostacyclin synthase gene and myocardial infarction in Koreans. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: We studied total 119 patients (M: F=72: 47, mean ages=57.9). We compared 60 acute coronary syndrome patients who underwent coronary angiography with the diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction (MI), with 59 normal control group patients who had normal coronary angiograms. With the use of polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis, we identified a single nucleotide polymorphism, C1117A, in exon 8. RESULTS: The genotype distribution and allele frequencies were significantly different between the control group and MI group. Frequency of the genotype C1117A was: AA: AC: CC=3.4%: 30.5%: 66.1% in control group, respectively, and AA: AC: CC=1.7%: 10.0%: 88.3% in MI group, respectively. Prostacyclin synthase polymorphism was observed in the MI group and the control group, but the frequency of the CC genotype was high in MI group (odds ratio, 3.88; 95% CI 1.49-10.88, p=0.003). Compared to control group, being male, having diabetes, hypertension or obesity, and the smoking rate were high in MI group. There were not significantly differences between genotypes for clinical characteristics. CONCLUSION: We conclude that the C1117A polymorphism in exon 8 of the prostacyclin synthase gene is associated with MI, and it may be a genetic marker of MI in Koreans.
Acute Coronary Syndrome* ; Coronary Angiography ; Diagnosis ; Epoprostenol* ; Exons ; Gene Frequency ; Genetic Markers ; Genotype ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Male ; Myocardial Infarction ; Myocytes, Smooth Muscle ; Obesity ; Platelet Aggregation ; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Thromboxane A2 ; Vasoconstriction

PURPOSE: To investigate the cytotoxic effect of rigid gas permeable(RGP) and reverse geometry lens(RGL) on rabbit corneal cells. METHODS: In 36 white rabbits, right eyes were worn with either RGP or RGL. Left eyes were served as control. The rabbits were sacrificed at 1, 3, 7, 14 days after fitting and 7, 14 days after removal. Morphological changes of the basal epithelial cells and stromal keratocytes were observed using the light and transmission electron microscopy. The samples were examined after TUNEL staining in 3 high power fields (x400). RESULTS: In control eyes, 2.26% of central corneal epithelial cells showed apoptosis. After RGP wearing, the epithelial apoptosis decreased by 0.32% compared to control eyes(2.17%) at 14 days(p<0.001), and returned to 1.55% at 14 days after lens removal(2.04% in control, p=0.161). After RGL wearing, the degree of apoptosis was also lower than control(3.22%) by 0.30% at 14 days(p=0.003). However, it increased to 0.75% at 14 days after lens removal(1.67% in control, p=0.077). A few TUNEL positive fibroblasts were found in superficial stroma in both RGP and RGL group, but not in control eyes. CONCLUSIONS: Both RGP and RGL wearing may decrease the degree of apoptosis in corneal epithelium and lead the apoptosis in corneal stroma. The degree of apoptosis was recovered after lens removal, suggesting the process might to be reversible. The fitting with RGL induced apoptosis of keratocyte more than the fitting with RGP did. It suggests that the RGL wearing may be less physiologic than RGP wearing.
Apoptosis* ; Cornea* ; Corneal Stroma ; Epithelial Cells ; Epithelium, Corneal ; Fibroblasts ; In Situ Nick-End Labeling ; Microscopy, Electron, Transmission ; Rabbits

We experienced five cases of solitary fibrous tumor; two in the pleura, two in the orbital soft tissue, and one in the lung parenchyma. Three patients were male, and the age of the patients ranged from 38 to 71 years (mean age: 53.6). Grossly, the masses were well circumscribed and had varying sizes from 2.5 to 30.0 cm. The cut surfaces were grayish-yellow firm with focal variegated hemorrhage, necrosis, cystic change, and myxoid area. Microscopically, these were characterized by a haphazard proliferation of spindle cells or polygonal cells separated by variable amounts of hyalinized collagen and showed a prominent vascular channels reminiscent of hemangiopericytoma in foci. Immunoperoxidase stains showed a strong reactivity for CD34, and were weakly positive for vimentin. Electron microscopical examination revealed features of fibroblast; spindle to round tumor cells were arranged in groups and surrounded by collagen. Nucleoli were seldom prominent. The cytoplasm contained many microfilaments and a moderate number of cisternae of rough endoplasmic reticulum.
Actin Cytoskeleton ; Collagen ; Coloring Agents ; Cytoplasm ; Endoplasmic Reticulum, Rough ; Fibroblasts ; Hemangiopericytoma ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Hyalin ; Lung ; Male ; Necrosis ; Orbit ; Pleura ; Solitary Fibrous Tumors* ; Vimentin

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*

For the treatment of coarction of aorta, surgical intervention has been known as a standard therapy.During last decade balloon angioplasty for coarctation of the aorta has been reported as a successful and safe procedure in about 300 cases. This angioplasty was done mainly in infants and children, and little cases in adults and adolescents. A 22 year-old adult with coarctation of aorta have recieved balloon angioplasty. He visited to emergency room due to severe headache and the blood presure of arm was 240/130mmHg at emergency room. The blood pressure at ward was 168/92mmHg in upper extremities, 104/82mmHg in lower extrimities. His aortogram showed coarctation of thoracic aorta below left subclavian artery. The pressure gradient beween ascending aorta and right femoral artery was decreased from 60mmHg to 0mmHg after balloon dilatation (2 times, balloon diameter 18mm). There were no significant complications. The follow-up magnetic resonance image in 4 month after balloon angioplasty showed no evidence of restenosis or saccular aneurysm. Initial hypertension turned to normal blood pressure in 4 months after balloon angioplasty. This adult case of successful balloon angioplasty for coarctation of aorta is the first case reported in Korea.
Adolescent ; Adult* ; Aneurysm ; Angioplasty ; Angioplasty, Balloon* ; Aorta ; Aorta, Thoracic ; Aortic Coarctation* ; Arm ; Blood Pressure ; Child ; Dilatation ; Emergency Service, Hospital ; Femoral Artery ; Follow-Up Studies ; Headache ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Infant ; Korea ; Subclavian Artery ; Upper Extremity ; Young Adult

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is known to induce chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS). Nasal polyp, which is frequently found in patients with CRS, seems to have close relationship with COPD, but little is known about its relationship with COPD. In this study, we investigated the relationship between COPD and nasal polyp in middle aged and elderly CRS patients. SUBJECTS AND METHOD: We analyzed the clinical data of 174 patients (age of over 50 years) with CRS. Patients were divided as COPD [forced expiratory volume (FEV1)/forced vital capacity (FVC)<70%, n=30] and non-COPD group (FEV1/FVC≥70%, n=144) according to the pulmonary function test results. Binary logistic regression analysis was used to describe the relationships between clinically relevant factors related to nasal polyp. RESULTS: On logistic regression analysis, no significant relationship was found between age [adjusted odds ratio (AOR): 1.058, 95% confidence interval for the difference (CI)=0.995-1.126, p=0.073], sex AOR: 0.897, 95% CI=0.366-2.415, p=0.897), smoking (AOR: 0.434, 95% CI=0.154-1.219, p=0.113) and obesity (underweight AOR: 3.833, 95% CI=0.781-18.808, p=0.098, overweight AOR: 5.169, 95% CI=0.996-26.814, p=0.051, obese AOR: 2.911, 95% CI=0.335-25.329, p=0.333) with polyp. However, there was a negative correlation between COPD history and nasal polyp with statistical significance (AOR: 0.288, 95% CI=0.102-0.809, p=0.018). CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that patients with COPD are less likely to have nasal polyp than patients without COPD.
Aged* ; Humans ; Logistic Models ; Middle Aged* ; Nasal Polyps* ; Obesity ; Odds Ratio ; Overweight ; Polyps ; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive* ; Respiratory Function Tests ; Sinusitis ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Vital Capacity

Midventricular obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (MOHCM) is a rare variant of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Apical dilatation and myocardial infarction can be complicated without significant coronary artery disease. We report a case of apical dilatation in a patient with MOHCM without atherosclerotic coronary artery disease. A 76-year-old woman was admitted for recent cerebral infarction and consulted to cardiologist for abnormal electrocardiographic findings. She had been suffering from exertional dyspnea (NYHA II) for about four years. Two dimentional-echocardiography revealed midventricular obstructive hypertrophy with an apical dilatation and paradoxical jet flow from the apical aneurysm to the left ventricular outflow tract during early diastole. Cardiac catheterization demonstrated dyskinesia in the apical wall with midventricular obstruction and a peak-to-peak intraventricular pressure gradient of 110 mmHg during pull-back from the apical high-pressure chamber to the subaortic low-pressure chamber in the left ventricle. Coronary angiograms showed no significant stenotic lesion of the coronary arteries. She was prescribed oral beta-adrenergic antagonist to decrease the intraventricular pressure gradient.
Aged ; Aneurysm* ; Cardiac Catheterization ; Cardiac Catheters ; Cardiomyopathy, Hypertrophic* ; Cerebral Infarction ; Coronary Artery Disease ; Coronary Vessels ; Diastole ; Dilatation* ; Dyskinesias ; Dyspnea ; Electrocardiography ; Female ; Heart Ventricles ; Humans ; Hypertrophy ; Myocardial Infarction ; Ventricular Pressure

OBJECTIVES: To correlate Frey's syndrome with subjective symptoms, Minor's starch iodine test results, and infrared thermography measurements, and to discuss the utility of thermography as a quantitative diagnostic method. METHODS: This study included 59 patients who underwent unilateral parotidectomy. A subjective clinical questionnaire and an objective Minor's starch iodine test were performed to evaluate the incidence of Frey's syndrome. Infrared thermography was performed, and the subjects were divided into seven groups according to the temperature differences between operated and unoperated sites. The thermal differences were correlated with the results from Minor's starch iodine test and the subjective symptoms questionnaire. RESULTS: Of the 59 patients, 20 patients (33.9%) reported subjective symptoms after eating; 30 patients (50.8%) tested positive for Minor's starch iodine test, 19 patients (63.3%) of which reported subjective symptoms. Of the 29 patients who were negative for the iodine test, 2 patients (6.9%) reported subjective symptoms. Thus, subjective symptoms were well correlated with Minor's starch iodine test (r=0.589, P<0.001). As the thermal differences with infrared thermography increased, the number of patients with subjective symptoms increased (chi2=22.5, P<0.001). Using infrared thermography, the mean temperature difference in the positive group for the iodine test was 0.82degrees C+/-0.26degrees C, and that in the negative group was 0.10degrees C+/-0.47degrees C. With increased thermal differences, more patients showed positivity in the iodine test (chi2=29.9, P<0.001). CONCLUSION: Subjective symptoms, Minor's starch iodine test, and infrared thermography are well correlated with one another. Quantitative thermography provides clues for the wide variation in the incidence of Frey's syndrome, and could be a useful method for diagnosing and studying Frey's syndrome.
Eating ; Humans ; Incidence ; Iodine* ; Parotid Gland ; Starch* ; Sweating ; Sweating, Gustatory* ; Thermography* ; Surveys and Questionnaires

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES : The transradial approach has been increasingly used as an alternative to conventional transfemoral intervention. However, there is little data on the efficacy of transradial coronary intervention (TRI) in left main coronary arterial (LMCA) disease. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of TRI in selective patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for LMCA disease. SUBJECTS AND METHODS : Between Jan 2003 and May 2005, 83 patients with LMCA stenosis were treated with PCI. Of these, 40 selected patients having undergone TRI were included in this study. RESULTS : The patients included 30 males and 10 females, with a mean age of 61+/-12 years. There were 28 cases (70%) involving coronary arteries other than the LMCA and 24 cases (60%) with bifurcation lesion involvement. In 28 cases (70%), a 6 Fr sized guiding catheter was used. No case required crossover from TRI to TFI due to procedural failure. During hospitalization, 2 patients who underwent primary PCI in the setting of STEMI died, but there were no other clinical events. CONCLUSION : In selected patients with LMCA disease, TRI can be a feasible and safe approach for PCI.
Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary ; Catheters ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Coronary Disease ; Coronary Vessels ; Female ; Hospitalization ; Humans ; Male ; Percutaneous Coronary Intervention ; Radial Artery

Pathologic diagnosis of a cardiac mass is vital in determining the proper treatment modality. Open heart surgery or transesophageal echocardiography guided biopsy can be feasible methods to confirm the pathology. However, the former is highly invasive and both methods require general anesthesia. The introduction of intracardiac echocardiography (ICE) can provide good anatomic information of heart and does not require general anesthesia. In this report, we present two cases of cardiac tumors which were confirmed by percutaneous biopsy under the guidance of an ICE. The patients underwent cardiac biopsy without any complications.
Anesthesia, General ; Biopsy* ; Diagnosis ; Echocardiography* ; Echocardiography, Transesophageal ; Heart ; Heart Neoplasms ; Humans ; Ice ; Pathology ; Thoracic Surgery