No abstract available.
Bone Marrow* ; Histiocytes* ; Niemann-Pick Diseases*

No abstract available.

No abstract available.

No abstract available.
Actinomycosis* ; Hemoptysis*

BACKGROUND: Cicletanine bydrochloride is a newly developed anti-hypertensive agent. The presence of a furopyridine group characterizes its uncommon chemical structure as an antihypertensive molecule. This clinical trial was performed to confirm the efficacy and safety of cicletanine for the treatment of hypertension as a monotherapy. METHODS: In order to investigate the efficacy and safety of oral cicletanine, a now class of antihypertensive durgs, the furopyridines, on essential hypertension, a single daily dose of 50mg to 100mg cicletanine was administered in 46 hypertensive patients with diastolic blood pressure in the range of 95mmHg-115mmHg. The patients were asked to cut off other anti hypertensive agents for 10 weeks prior to this clinical trial. Blood pressure and heart rate were measured every 4 weeks. The complete blood count, blood chemistry done by SMA-12, serum electrolytes and urinalysis were performed at the 12th week of therapy. RESULTS: 1) Baseline blood pressures after 2 weeks of placebo at sitting and standing positions were 158.7+/-16.1/102.9+/-6.2 and 148.7+/-14.5/102.7+/-6.7mmHg, respectively. The overall slope which represents the tendency of blood pressure decline over the treatment period with cicletanine for all the patients in each position are as follows ; -0.726(SE : 0.150) for sitting systolic blood pressure(BP), -0.390(SE : 0.080) for sitting diastolic BP, -0.214(SE : 0.183) for standing systolic BP and -0.341(SE : 0.139) for standing diastolic BP. 2) The slope of sitting systolic BP line in cicletanine 100mg treated group was significantly stiffer than that of cicletanine 50mg treated group(-0.445 vs -1.021, p=0.0336). 3) There were no significant interval changes in heart rate over the treatment period. 4) There were no significant interval changes in blood chemistry, electrolytes, hematologic findings and urinalysis over the treatment period. 5) Several side effects were observed in six patients(epigastric discomfort in 4, easy fatigue and insomnia in one patient, respectively). CONCLUSION: Treatment with cicletanine was well-tolerated and the incidence of side effects was relatively low. Because of its unique anti-hypertensive mechanism and moderated antihypertensive effects, cicletanine may be well suited in the treatment of hypertension combined with other classes of antihypertensive agents.
Antihypertensive Agents ; Blood Cell Count ; Blood Pressure ; Chemistry ; Electrolytes ; Fatigue ; Heart Rate ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Incidence ; Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders ; Urinalysis

The purpose of a conculation is to seek the opinions and advice of those whom we recognize to be more expert in a particular field of medicine than we are. Most surgeons regard the anesthesiolgist as a conculatant. Thus we analyzed 308 cases of interdepartmental consulatation submitted to our department from June 1991 to Novermber 1991. All case were elective ones and emergent cases were excluded. The analysis were as follow. 1) The overall conculation rate were 11.5%. 2) The highest rate of consultation were requested from orthopedic surgery department(29.9%) followed by ophthalmology department(25.0%), neurosurgery department(24.6%) and urology department(13.4%). 3) Male was 42.8% and female was 57.2%. 4) Most requestered problem was hepatic diseases including elevated transaminase, hepatitis and liver cirrhosis(35.1%) and then cardiovascular problem was 20.5%. 5) Because of our opinion, 22 cases were postponed. 6) Consultation rate increased according to advancing of age.
Female ; Hepatitis ; Humans ; Liver ; Male ; Neurosurgery ; Ophthalmology ; Orthopedics ; Urology

BACKGROUND: HMG-CoA reductase is known as a rate limiting enzyme in the synthesis of cholesterol. We studied the clinical efficacy and the side effects of pravastatin, a HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor, in patients with hypercholesterolemia. METHOD: Ten miligrams of pravastatin was administered once daily for 8 weeks in twenty five patients(7 male, 18 female) with hypercholesterolemia(>240mg/dl). Compared with pretreatment levels, pravastatin significantly decreased levels of total cholesterol(286+/-22 versus 234+/-27mg/dl, p<0.005) by 19%LDL-cholesterol(176+/-40 versus 144+/-33mg/dl, p<0.005) by 23% with significantly decreased levels of total cholesterol/HDL-cholesterol ratio(5.5+/-2.0 versus 4.8+/-1.5, p<0.05) and LDL-cholesterol/HDL-cholesterol ratio(3.4+/-1.2 versus 2.9+/-0.9, p<0.05). The level of HDL-cholesterol(52+/-17 versus 54+/-13mg/dl) and triglyceride(241+/-198 verus 178+/-111mg/dl) were not changed significantly. The side effects of pravastatin were mild and transient, including 1 case of headache, 1 dizziness, 1 facial flushing and 2 nausea. The laboratory tests including serum transaminases, uric acid, creatinine, creatine phosphokinase and blood glucose were not changed significant. CONCLUSION: Pravastatin 10mg as a single daily dose is as effective and safe as 5mg two times a day in patients with hypercholesterolemia.
Blood Glucose ; Cholesterol ; Creatine Kinase ; Creatinine ; Dizziness ; Flushing ; Headache ; Humans ; Hypercholesterolemia* ; Male ; Nausea ; Oxidoreductases ; Pravastatin* ; Transaminases ; Uric Acid

BACKGROUND: Many factors are related to smoking cessation. Smoking types may play an important role. Our study is to find out whether smoking types are truly related to smoking cessation rate and smoking cessation trial rate. METHODS: We evaluated via questionnaire 433 male workers at a company who visited health promotion center at a university hospital. 'Why test' was used to analyze smoking types. RESULTS: Out of 433 workers, we excluded 89 workers who had never smoked before, and 29 workers who answered incompletely to the questionnaire. Among 315 workers evaluated, stimulation type was 43 cases, handling type 10 cases, pleasure/relaxation type 26 cases, crutch/tension type 114 cases, craving/addiction type 45 cases, and habit type 6 cases. Smoking cessation success rates were 15.7%, 25.0%, 30.0%, 13.3%, 23.5% and 0.0%, respectively, for each type among smoking cessation trial group. Smoking cessation success rate was 65.6% in a group who did not belong to any specific type. CONCLUSION: ISmoking cessation rates were higher in handling type, pleasure/relaxation types and craving/ addiction type among 6 smoking types. People who did not belong to any specific type showed the highest smoking cessation rate.
Health Promotion ; Humans ; Male ; Smoke* ; Smoking Cessation* ; Smoking* ; Surveys and Questionnaires

BACKGROUND: Ulinastatin is a glycoprotein derived from human urine and a serine protease inhibitor found in human urine and blood. Ulinastatin increases both liver blood flow and urine output. Rocuronium is eliminated mainly through the liver and partly through the kidney, hepatic elimination of rocuronium might be enhanced by ulinastatin. We examined the effect of ulinastatin on the neuromuscular block caused by rocuronium. METHODS: Forty four adult patients were randomly divided into two groups of 22 patients each, i.e. the study group and the control group. In the study group, a bolus dose of ulinastatin 5,000 U/kg was administered 2 min before the injection of rocuronium 0.6 mg/kg. In the control group, normal saline was administered instead of ulinastatin. For the monitoring of both onset and recovery from neuromuscular blockade, train-of-four (TOF) and post-tetanic count were used with TOF-Watch Sx. All patients underwent general anesthesia with total intravenous anesthesia (TIVA) of remifentanil and propofol, using the effect site target infusion system. RESULTS: In the study group, the onset of neuromuscular block was significantly slower than in the control group (P < 0.05). The recovery time from the rocuronium injection to the return of PTC was also significantly shorter in the study group than in the control group (P < 0.05). Similarly, times to the return of T1, T2, T3, and T4 (i.e. the first, second, third, and fourth response of TOF) were significantly shorter in the study group than in the control group (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Ulinastatin significantly delays the onset of neuromuscular block and accelerates the recovery from the block caused by rocuronium.
Adult ; Androstanols ; Anesthesia, General ; Anesthesia, Intravenous ; Factor IX ; Glycoproteins ; Humans ; Kidney ; Liver ; Neuromuscular Blockade ; Neuromuscular Junction ; Piperidines ; Propofol ; Serine Proteases

BACKGROUND/AIMS: An ectopic opening of the common bile duct (CBD) into the duodenal bulb is known to cause biliary tract diseases or peptic ulcer. Yet such a case is extremely rare and the clinical significance of this malformation has not yet been clarified. METHODS: Ten patients with an ectopic opening in the duodenal bulb and who were treated at 4 hospitals in the Chungcheong province area were enrolled. Their clinical and radiographic features and the treatment for their combined biliary diseases were retrospectively analysed. RESULTS: The mean age of the ten patients was 73 years (range: 38~84 years, 8 men, 2 women) Eight of 10 patients had clinical signs and symptoms (RUQ abdominal pain: 5, epigastric pain: 3, fever: 3, Melena: 1). The two patients without symptoms were incidentally found to have an ectopic orifice during the evaluation for bile duct dilatation and a regular health check-up, respectively. Nine had duodenal ulcer scars or bulb deformities. Four had active duodenal ulcers and one of them had bleeding from the active duodenal ulcer, which was treated by endoscopic sclerotheraphy. Six of the 10 patients (60%) had biliary tract diseases (CBD stones: 4, cholangitis without CBD stone: 1, IHD stone: 1). Cholangiography was used for evaluation in 9 patients, and it showed dilatation of the CBD or IHD in 7 (78%), a tapered common bile duct at the distal CBD in 7 (78%) and a hook-shaped distal CBD in 8 (89%). Six patients' biliary tract diseases were treated endoscopically (ERCP: 4, PTCS: 2). Duodenal perforation occurred in 1 (10%), who was successfully managed by medical treatment. CONCLUSIONS: An ectopic opening of the CBD in the duodenal bulb is frequently associated with recurrent duodenal ulcer and biliary tract disease. Combined biliary tract disease can be successfully treated endoscopically.
Bile Ducts ; Biliary Tract Diseases ; Cholangiography ; Cholangitis ; Cicatrix ; Common Bile Duct ; Congenital Abnormalities ; Dilatation ; Duodenal Ulcer ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Male ; Peptic Ulcer ; Retrospective Studies