BACKGROUND: There have been few reports suggesting involvement of mast cell and neutrophil to induce bronchoconstriction in aspirin-sensitive asthrna. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate mast cell and neutrophil activation in pathogenesis of aspirin-sensitive asthma. MATERIAL AND METHOD: We observed changes of serum NCA and MPO levels during L-ASA bronchoprovocation test in 14 subjects with aspirin-sensitive asthma. RESULTS: Serum NCA was significantly increased at 30 min(p=0.01) after the inhalation of L-ASA and then, no significant changes were noted at 240 min (p=0.14). NCA was significantly higher in subjects with late asthmatic responses than in those without it (p=0.04). Serum MPO level tended to increase at 30 min with no statistical significance (p=0.08), and then it significantly decreased at 240 min (p=0.05). There was no significant correlation between serum NCA and MPO level (r=0.22, p=0.58). CONCLUSION: These results support the view that NCA derived from mast cell may contribute to neutrophil recruitment into the airway in aspirin-sensitive asthmatic patients.
Asthma ; Bronchoconstriction ; Humans ; Inhalation ; Mast Cells ; Neutrophil Activation ; Neutrophil Infiltration ; Neutrophils*

No abstract available.
Breast Feeding* ; Breast* ; Iron*

Background and OBJECTIVE: There has been a few case reports of anaphylaxis due to honeybee in Korea. In order to observe the clinical feature of bee sting anaphylaxis. Moderials and methods: Six patients living in Kyunggi province area were referred under history of anaphylaxis after the bee sting. Atopy was defined by skin prick test result to common inhalant allergen. Serum specific IgE antibody to each bee antigen was detected by radioimmunoassay to identify the causative bee. RESULTS: All six cases were female. Three had atopy and four had combined allergic diseases such as allergic rhinitis, asthma, and urticaria. The etiologic bees consisted of yellow jacket (6 cases), paper wasp (4 cases), yellow hornet (3 cases), white faced hornet (1 case) and honey bee (1 case). Four cases had experienced anaphylaxis after ant bite and they showed positive result on specific IgE to imported fire ant. Specific immunotherapy against causative bee venom was begun using bee venom extracts from Bayer (USA) based upon results of specific IgE anti-body to bee venom. CONCLUSION: The yellow jacket is the most common cause of bee venom anaphylaxis in this area. Further studies will be needed to evaluate possible cross-reactivity between bee and ant venom.
Anaphylaxis* ; Ant Venoms ; Ants ; Asthma ; Bee Venoms* ; Bees* ; Bites and Stings ; Female ; Fires ; Gyeonggi-do ; Honey ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin E ; Immunotherapy ; Korea ; Radioimmunoassay ; Rhinitis ; Skin ; Urticaria ; Wasps

A 69-year old man presented with severe epigastric pain for 1 day. He had early gastric cancer at the antrum and underwent a distal subtotal gastrectomy and Billorth II gastrojejunostomy one month later without any post-operative complications. Radiologic examination revealed a large amount of retroperitoneal free air formation. Because of unremitting pain and unstable vital sign, exploratory laparotomy was followed. During the operation, a perforated duodenal diverticulum at the posterior wall of the 2nd portion of the duodenum was identified. He underwent diverticulectomy and primary closure. He was discharged on the 18th post operative day and has been followed up without any evidence of comlpication for several months.
Aged ; Diverticulum* ; Duodenum ; Gastrectomy* ; Gastric Bypass* ; Humans ; Laparotomy ; Stomach Neoplasms ; Vital Signs

BACKGROUND: During a 1-month period in 2005 , a series of 4 Leclercia adecarboxylata and 8 Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacteremias were reported from patients admitted to the emergency room. METHODS: An outbreak of L. adecarboxylata and P. aeruginosa bacteremia that occurred from February to March 2005 was investigated. The infection control nurse reviewed medical records and observed the procedures of blood cultures at the clinical microbiology laboratory. Specimens were obtained for investigational cultures from alcohol sponge, tray, sink, water of sink, saline cotton, microscope, computer, and telephone. RESULTS: L. adecarboxylata was isolated from 4 patients and P. aeruginosa from 8 patients during a 1-month period. Observation of the culture procedure revealed that saline cotton was used to prevent betadin skin discoloration. The culture of the saline solution yielded a heavy growth of P. aeruginosa, which was not isolated from any other specimens. CONCLUSIONS: This was a pseudoepidemic caused by contaminated saline cotton. The use of the saline cotton was stopped, and during the follow-up period of 3 months, no additional L. adecarboxylata or P. aeruginosa bacteremia were reported.
Bacteremia ; Emergency Service, Hospital ; Enterobacteriaceae* ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Infection Control ; Medical Records ; Porifera ; Pseudomonas aeruginosa ; Skin ; Sodium Chloride ; Telephone ; Water

Supernumerary isochromosome resulting in autosomal tetrasomy are rare and have been described only for 12P, 18P, and 9P. Tetrasomy 9P, initially described by Ghymer et al, is a rare chromosomal aberration that has been described in 20 patients. Affected subjects show both cytogenetic and ohenotypic variability. Some patients have the abnormal cell line in all cells, but many display tissue limited mosaicism. The phenotype varies in severity from prenatal death to mild developmental delay and minor anomalies. We reported a infant with mild manifestations of tetrasomy 9p with brief review of related literatures.
Cell Line ; Chromosome Aberrations ; Cytogenetics ; Humans ; Infant ; Isochromosomes ; Mosaicism ; Phenotype ; Tetrasomy*

This study was conducted to examine the determinant factors for expenditure of the medical insurance program for self-employeds based on the analysis of 1991 "The Medical Insurance program for self-Employeds Statical Yearbook", and also similar yearbooks in the metropolitan and other provinces. The major findings are as follows: We have divided benefits into these four components such as the utilization rate for out-patients. expenses per claim for out-patients as paid by the insurer, utilization rate for in-patients, and the expenses per claim for in-patients as paid by the insurer, in order to examine the determinant factors for it. The results of the study revealed the following findings: in urban areas, the supply of medical care had more influence on the benefits than other demographic and economic variables, while, in county areas, both the supply of medical care and the rate of those aged over 65 affected the provision of benefits. The determinant factors for financial balance of the medical insurance program for self-employeds are: first, the determinant factor for administrative expenses was the number of households. The more the number of household, the less the administrative expenses per the insured. This shows that the economy of scale is being. And so, the administrative district must be taken into consideration in the incorporation of small regional medical societies and should be re-organized for more efficient management. Second. in urban areas. the supply of medical care had more influence on utilization rate and expenses per claim as paid by insurer, and therefore it is necessary to control it. In county areas the supply of medical care and the rate of those aged over 65 raised the utilization rate and expenses per claim as paid by insurer. For the financial stability of county areas. a common fund for medical care for the aged and expansion of finance stabilization fund would be necessary. But, in county areas, it would be unnecessary to control the supply of medical care because it was much more insufficient than in urban areas. The vitalization of public health facilities must be carried out in county areas, for they reduced benefits. Since the more insured in a single household, the less the utilization of the medical insurance program, benefits for habilitation at home should be given consideration. The law of majority and the economy of scale were applied here, and therefore the incorporation of regional medical societies must be taken into consideration. In integrating regional medical societies, it would be absolutely necessary to review the structural differences among all regional medical societies, the medical demand of each region, and also the local characteristics of each region.
Family Characteristics ; Financial Management ; Health Expenditures* ; Humans ; Insurance Carriers ; Insurance* ; Jurisprudence ; Outpatients ; Public Health ; Rehabilitation ; Societies, Medical

BACKGROUND: Aspirin/NSAIDs can release cysteinyl-leukotriene (cys-LTs) into airways and precipitate asthmatic symptoms in aspirin - induced asthma(AIA). It has been reported that there is profound overexpression of LTC4 synthase in their bronchial mucosa, compared to aspirin-tolerant asthma. Objective : We observed whether genetic polymorphism of LTC4 synthase may be predisposed to LTC4 synthase overexpression in AIA. Subject and METHOD: Forty - four AIA patients having positive responses on lysin aspirin bron choprovocation tests and 47 non - aspirin induced asthma ( non - AIA ) patients having negative challenges and 32 healthy controls were enrolled. The genotypes of the promoter LTC4 synthase gene ( A,C transversion ) were determined by polymerase chain reaction and restriction fragment length polymorphism ( RFLP ) method. RESULTS: LTC4 synthase promoter polymorphism ( A444C btransversion) was not significantly different between non - AIA and AIA patients (p>0.05). Conclusion These findings suggest that genetic polymorphism of LTC4 synthase promoter may not be predisposed to LTC, synthase overexpression in AIA.
Aspirin* ; Asthma* ; Asthma, Aspirin-Induced ; Genotype ; Humans ; Leukotriene C4* ; Mucous Membrane ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Polymorphism, Genetic ; Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Trichophyton may be the causative allergen in patients with severe asthma. This study was performed in order to confirm Trichophyton as a causative antigen in asthmatic patients in Korea and to understand the pathogenic mechanism of Trichophyton- induced asthma. MATERIALS AND METHOD: Two groups of 33 asthmatic patients sensitized to Trichophyton anti- gen were enrolled. Group I included 12 patients showing positive results on Trichophyton bron- choprovocation test(BPT), group II included 21 patients showing negative results on Trichophyton-BPT, and group III included 19 controls showing negative results to Trichophyton antigen on skin prick test. Allergy skin prick test including Trichophyton as well as common inhalant allergens was done. To confirm bronchial sensitivity, BPT with Trichophyton extract was performed. Serum specific IgE, IgG1 and IgG4 antibodies by ELISA were done using Trichophyton mentagrophytes antigen and then compared with specific IgE results by RIA using Trichophyton tonsurans. RESULTS: Although there were no significant differences in asthmatic duration, total eosinophil count and skin reactivity(p>0.05, respectively), significant difference was noted in methacholine PC20 (p<0.05) between group I and II. There were no significant differences in specific IgE and IgG4 level between group I and group II (p<0.05). Specific IgE and IgG4 levels were significantly higher in group I than in group III (p<0.05, respectively). Two of group I patients had high specific IgG4 without specific IgE. There was no relationship between skin reactivity to Trichophyton mentagrophytes and specific IgE level. Positive predictive value of RIA for Trichophyton BPT was higher than that of ELISA. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that Trichophyton inhalation induces bronchoconstriction by IgE mediated mechanism. Trichophyton antigen should be included in skin prick test battery to screen causative agents for asthmatic patients. Further studies will be needed to evaluate the roles of specific IgG in Trichophyton-asthma.
Allergens ; Antibodies ; Asthma* ; Bronchoconstriction ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Eosinophils ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity ; Immunoglobulin E* ; Immunoglobulin G* ; Inhalation ; Korea ; Methacholine Chloride ; Skin ; Trichophyton*

BACKGROUND: An appreciable number of patients with toluene diisocyanate (TDI)-induced asthma have high serum levels of specific IgE (sIgE) antibody to TDI-human serum albumin conjugate (HSA). A recent investigation suggested a role of specific IgG (sIgG) in the development of TDI asthma. METHODS: We observed the changes in the levels of specific IgE and IgG antibodies to TDIHSA conjugate in TDI-induced asthmatic patients during seven years avoidance. RESULTS: Six subjects with high sIgE and five with high sIgG were enrolled. All of them had taken anti-asthmatic medications with complete avoidance. Serum levels of sIgE and sIgG to TDI-HSA conjugate were detected by ELISA. The level of sIgE continued to decline up to 7 years and the mean half-life was 3.9 years. The mean half-life of sIgG was 4.5 yrs. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that both sIgE and sIgG to TDI-HSA conjugate may persist for several years after the last exposure to TDI.
Adult ; Asthma/*chemically induced/immunology ; Biological Markers/blood ; Human ; Immunoglobulin E/blood/*immunology ; Immunoglobulin G/blood/*immunology ; Longitudinal Studies ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Serum Albumin/*immunology ; Support, Non-U.S. Gov't ; Toluene 2,4-Diisocyanate/adverse effects/*immunology