The present study was conducted to investigate the effect of iron-enriched cereal supplement and nutrition education program on nutritional status and life style of children. Elementary school students (n = 170) aged of 11 years old at Seoul were participated. Subjects were supplemented with iron-enriched cereal for breakfast and provided with 2 sessions of nutrition education during 3 months. Intake of carbohydrate, iron, sodium, zinc, vitamin A, vitamin B1, vitamin B2, vitamin C, niacin, and folic acid was significantly increased after cereal supplement. Caloric intake was similar to KDRIs during both before and after cereal supplement. There was no improvement on exercise and dietary habits after nutrition education. Male students tended to sleep later, wake up early, and ate snack less than female. Cereal supplement was effective on improving nutritional status, but short-term nutrition education had no effect on modification of life style. Thus, further studies are required to develop long-term education program effective on improving life style and eating habits in children.
Ascorbic Acid ; Breakfast* ; Edible Grain* ; Child ; Eating ; Education* ; Energy Intake ; Female ; Folic Acid ; Food Habits ; Humans ; Iron ; Life Style* ; Male ; Niacin ; Nutritional Status* ; Riboflavin ; Seoul ; Snacks ; Sodium ; Thiamine ; Vitamin A ; Zinc

Congenital nasolacrimal duct cyst is an uncommon anomaly of nasolacrimal duct obstruction in the newborn. It is cystic dilation of the lower end of the unperforated nasolacrimal duct with intranasal extension. In such cases, the bluish-gray cyst arises beneath the inferior turbinate on nasal endoscopy. A large nasolacrimal duct cyst can fill the nasal cavity and lead to nasal obstruction. Neonates are obligate nasal breathers at birth and require several weeks to learn to breathe through the mouth. Consequently this nasal obstruction can cause significant respiratory distress. We experienced a case of bilateral nasolacrimal duct cyst presenting as neonatal respiratory distress. Diagnosis was confirmed by nasal endoscopy and CT scan. After endoscopic marsupialization of the cysts , symptom and sign of respiratory distress were rapidly resolved.
Diagnosis ; Endoscopy ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Mouth ; Nasal Cavity ; Nasal Obstruction ; Nasolacrimal Duct* ; Parturition ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Turbinates

Both acquired bilateral nevus of Ota-like macules (ABNOM) and nevus of Ota are characterized by the presence of dermal melanocytes. There are no differences in the method of treatment, however, postinflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH) develops more often in ABNOM than in nevus of Ota following treatment. We investigated the differences in the development of PIH after treatment between ABNOM and nevus of Ota, and the histopathologic differences in the PIH. A total of 82 patients with ABNOM (n=47) and nevus of Ota (n=35) were treated with Q-switched alexandrite laser and followed up 2 weeks and 3 months later. Biopsies were performed on lesional skin before treatment. The distribution and the amount of melanin pigments were visualized with Fontana-Masson stain, and the distribution and the depth of melanocytes were measured by GP-100 (NK1-beteb) stain. Clinically, there was more erythema and PIH in ABNOM than in nevus of Ota. Histopathologically, intradermal melanocytes were clustered in groups and dispersed perivascularly in ABNOM, while melanocytes were scattered evenly throughout the dermis in nevus of Ota. Both groups show that when there is a statistically significant number of melanocytes in the perivascular area, erythema and PIH occur after laser therapy. In conclusion, indirect vessel injury in addition to perivascular clustering melanocytes might be considered the cause of increased PIH after treatment in ABNOM.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Comparative Study ; Humans ; Hyperpigmentation/*pathology ; Laser Therapy, Low-Level ; Melanocytes/*chemistry/cytology ; Middle Aged ; *Nevus of Ota/pathology/therapy ; *Nevus, Pigmented/pathology/therapy ; Silver Nitrate ; *Skin Neoplasms/pathology/therapy ; Treatment Outcome

Tuberculous optochiasmatic arachnoiditis (OCA) is a rare complication of tuberculous meningitis. We describe a 47-year-old female with tuberculous OCA confused with ethambutol-associated optic neuropathy. She was on anti-tuberculous treatment (i.e., isoniazid, rifampin, ethambutol, and pyrazinamide) for two months due to tuberculous meningitis. Visual impairment occurred during treatment, and ethambutol was changed to levofloxacin because of concern for ethambutol-associated optic neuropathy. Her visual impairment did not improve three months after anti-tuberculous treatment that excluded ethambutol, and she was referred to our hospital. Brain MRI showed enhancement of the optic chiasm and bilateral optic tract, and fundoscopy revealed bilateral optic nerve atrophy, suggesting tuberculous OCA. Her visual acuity was partially improved after anti-tuberculous treatment. Tuberculous OCA should be considered in addition to ethambutol-associated optic neuropathy for a patient with tuberculous meningitis who presents with visual impairment.
Arachnoid ; Arachnoiditis ; Atrophy ; Brain ; Ethambutol ; Female ; Humans ; Isoniazid ; Middle Aged ; Ofloxacin ; Optic Chiasm ; Optic Nerve ; Optic Nerve Diseases ; Rifampin ; Tuberculosis, Meningeal ; Vision Disorders ; Visual Acuity ; Visual Pathways

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to assess the diagnostic efficacy of noninvasive prenatal screening for trisomy 18 by assessing the levels of unmethylated-maspin (U-maspin) and fetal nuchal translucency (NT) thickness during the first trimester of pregnancy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A nested case-control study was conducted using maternal plasma samples collected from 65 pregnant women carrying 11 fetuses with trisomy 18 and 54 normal fetuses. We compared the U-maspin levels, NT thicknesses, or a combination of both in the first trimester between the case and control groups. RESULTS: U-maspin levels and NT thickness were significantly elevated in the first trimester in pregnant women carrying fetuses with trisomy 18 when compared to those carrying normal fetuses (27.2 vs. 6.6 copies/mL, P<0.001 for U-maspin; 5.9 vs. 2.0mm, P<0.001 for NT). The sensitivities of the U-maspin levels and NT thickness in prenatal screening for fetal trisomy 18 were 90.9% and 90.9%, respectively, with a specificity of 98.1%. The combined U-maspin levels and NT thickness had a sensitivity of 100% in prenatal screening for fetal trisomy 18, with a specificity of 98.1%. CONCLUSION: A combination of U-maspin levels and NT thickness is highly efficacious for noninvasive prenatal screening of fetal trisomy 18 in the first trimester of pregnancy.
Case-Control Studies ; Epigenomics* ; Female ; Fetus ; Humans ; Mass Screening* ; Nuchal Translucency Measurement* ; Plasma ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Trimester, First* ; Pregnant Women ; Prenatal Diagnosis ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Trisomy*

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to explore the changes of bronchoscopic features according to epidemiologic change of lung cancer. METHODS: We performed a retrospective review of the clinical characteristics of 1,139 lung cancer patient who underwent bronchoscopy at Kosin University Hospital from January 2000 to December 2010. RESULTS: The age of patients increased significantly during the last decade (P < 0.001). The most common histological type was adenocarcinoma (38.1%), followed by squamous carcinoma (35.7%) and small cell carcinoma (15.3%). There was an increasing incidence of adenocarcinoma over the time (P < 0.001). Bronchoscopic feature were divided into two classes; central type, peripheral type. The peripheral type was predominant (62.3%). The proportion of peripheral type has been increased in process of time (49.7% vs. 63.7% vs. 73.7%; P < 0.01). Among the major histopathologic type of lung cancer, adenocarcinoma (81.3%) and unclassifiable non-small-cell lung cancer (73.4%), small cell carcinoma (56.9%) were associated with preferential occurrence of peripheral type. Squamous cell carcinoma of the lung more often arised in central type (59%). However, the proportion of peripheral squamous cell carcinoma has been increased. On the subgroup analysis, the median survival time of peripheral type with adenocarcinoma and small cell carcinoma were longer than central type (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The age of the lung cancer patients at diagnosis was getting older. The most frequent histopathologic type was adenocarcinoma. The proportion of peripheral type lung cancer gradually increased over the time. The survival time of peripheral type lung cancer was longer than central type.
Adenocarcinoma ; Bronchoscopy ; Carcinoma, Small Cell ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; Diagnosis ; Humans ; Incidence ; Lung ; Lung Neoplasms* ; Retrospective Studies

Tuberculous optochiasmatic arachnoiditis (OCA) is a rare complication of tuberculous meningitis. We describe a 47-year-old female with tuberculous OCA confused with ethambutol-associated optic neuropathy. She was on anti-tuberculous treatment (i.e., isoniazid, rifampin, ethambutol, and pyrazinamide) for two months due to tuberculous meningitis. Visual impairment occurred during treatment, and ethambutol was changed to levofloxacin because of concern for ethambutol-associated optic neuropathy. Her visual impairment did not improve three months after anti-tuberculous treatment that excluded ethambutol, and she was referred to our hospital. Brain MRI showed enhancement of the optic chiasm and bilateral optic tract, and fundoscopy revealed bilateral optic nerve atrophy, suggesting tuberculous OCA. Her visual acuity was partially improved after anti-tuberculous treatment. Tuberculous OCA should be considered in addition to ethambutol-associated optic neuropathy for a patient with tuberculous meningitis who presents with visual impairment.
Arachnoid ; Arachnoiditis ; Atrophy ; Brain ; Ethambutol ; Female ; Humans ; Isoniazid ; Middle Aged ; Ofloxacin ; Optic Chiasm ; Optic Nerve ; Optic Nerve Diseases ; Rifampin ; Tuberculosis, Meningeal ; Vision Disorders ; Visual Acuity ; Visual Pathways

PURPOSE: Precocious puberty is defined as the onset of secondary sexual characteristics before 8 year of age in girls and 9 year in boys. The purpose of this study is to analyze the spectrum of diagnoses made in a consecutive group of children referred for signs of precocious puberty and evaluate the clinical and endocrinologic characteristics of patients with precocious puberty. METHODS: The charts of all 948 children referred for evaluation of signs of precocious puberty between January 2003 and June 2007 in several referral centers were reviewed. Clinical features including age of onset, presenting symptoms, yearly growth rate, bone age advancement, weight, height, and body mass index were analysed and endocrine investigations included basal and gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH)-stimulated levels of luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) as well as sex hormones. RESULTS: Of the 948 children referred for signs of precocious puberty, 915 (96.5%) were female and 33 (3.5%) were male. The final diagnoses made were early puberty (39%), premature thelarche (31%), true precocious puberty (27%) and precocious pseudopuberty (1%). The increases in yearly growth rate and bone age advancement were significant in true precious puberty group (P<0.05). The height and weight standard deviation score were significantly increased in true precious puberty and premature thelarche group compared to the average level according to gender and age (P<0.05). Endocrinologic studies showed that the level of basal LH, basal estradiol and GnRH-stimulated peak LH, peak FSH, peak LH/basal LH, peak FSH/basal FSH, peak LH/peak FSH ratio was all significantly higher in true precicous puberty group and early puberty group when compared to premature thelarche group (P<0.05). Neurogenic true precocious puberty among true precocious puberty was more common in boys (3 out of 7, 42.8%) than in girls (27 out of 253, 10.7%). Endocrinologic studies did not show any difference between idiopathic precocious puberty and neurogenic precocious puberty. CONCLUSION: The result of this study showed the proportion of true precocious puberty among the children referred for early pubertal signs was rather high. Collectively assessing all available data including detailed history, growth records, physical findings, laboratory studies and radiological imaging is important in the evaluation of a child with concerns of early pubertal maturation. Foregoing extensive studies regarding incidence and causes of true precocious puberty should be needed.
Adolescent ; Age of Onset ; Body Mass Index ; Child* ; Diagnosis ; Estradiol ; Female ; Follicle Stimulating Hormone ; Gonadal Steroid Hormones ; Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone ; Humans ; Incidence ; Luteinizing Hormone ; Male ; Puberty ; Puberty, Precocious* ; Referral and Consultation

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) is associated with chronic inflammation, and C-reactive protein (CRP) level is elevated in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). We investigated the impacts of CRP and AF on carotid atherosclerosis and ischemic stroke in patients with suspected ischemic cerebrovascular disease. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: One-hundred forty patients (78 males) with suspected ischemic cerebrovascular disease underwent carotid ultrasonography. The mean common carotid artery IMT, mean internal carotid artery (ICA) IMT, and plaque score were measured. Patients were divided into four groups according to the presence of AF and elevated CRP level {n=46 for AF(-)CRP(-), n=38 for AF(-)CRP(+), n=43 for AF(+)CRP(-), and n=13 for AF(+)CRP(+)}. RESULTS: Common carotid artery IMT was significantly higher in the AF(-)CRP(+) (0.98+/-0.51 mm) and AF(+)CRP(+) (0.96+/-0.27 mm) groups compared to the AF(-)CRP(-) (0.80+/-0.32 mm) and AF(+)CRP(-) (0.77+/-0.19 mm) groups (p=0.027). Although there was no significant difference in mean ICA IMT among the groups, plaque score was the highest in the AF(+)CRP(+) (4.18+/-3.84 mm) group, followed by AF(-)CRP(+) (3.87+/-2.78 mm), AF(+)CRP(-) (1.34+/-2.61 mm), and AF(-)CRP(-) (1.17+/-2.02 mm) (p<0.001). The AF(+)CRP(+) group showed significantly higher incidence of ischemic stroke than the other groups (all p<0.05). Binary logistic regression analysis showed that age {odds ratio (OR)=1.033, p=0.001}, elevated CRP (OR=3.884, p=0.001), and the presence of AF (OR=1.375, p=0.018) were significantly correlated with incidence of ischemic stroke. CONCLUSION: Elevated plasma CRP concentration may be a reliable surrogate marker for predicting carotid atherosclerosis in patients with AF, which may be related to increased risk of ischemic stroke.
Atrial Fibrillation* ; Biomarkers ; C-Reactive Protein* ; Carotid Artery Diseases* ; Carotid Artery, Common ; Carotid Artery, Internal ; Carotid Intima-Media Thickness ; Cohort Studies* ; Humans ; Incidence ; Inflammation ; Logistic Models ; Plasma ; Retrospective Studies* ; Stroke* ; Ultrasonography

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to asses the fetal loss rate after mid-trimester amniocentesis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a retrospective cohort study including singleton pregnant women who underwent mid-trimester amniocentesis at Cheil General Hospital from January 2008 through December 2010. The procedure-related fetal loss was defined as miscarriage within 2 weeks after amniocentesis. We evaluated the fetal loss rate within 2 weeks after amniocentesis and fetal loss rate before 24 gestational weeks. RESULTS: During the study period, a total of 4,356 singleton pregnant women underwent mid-trimester amniocentesis. A total of Five hundred ninety six women were excluded owing to follow up loss and termination of pregnancy due to abnormal karyotype or major anomaly. At our institute, the fetal loss rate within 2 weeks was 0.1% and before 24 gestational weeks was 0.3% after amniocentesis. CONCLUSION: The fetal loss rate after mid-trimester amniocentesis in our study is lower than previously reported rate. We suggest that amniocentesis is a safe procedure.
Abnormal Karyotype ; Abortion, Spontaneous ; Amniocentesis ; Cohort Studies ; Equidae ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hospitals, General ; Humans ; Pregnancy ; Pregnant Women ; Retrospective Studies