OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate the usefulness of serum ECP as a marker of the severity of asthma and extent of airway inflammation. METHOD: We investigated 108 patients suffering from bronchial asthma, who were classified as mild intermittent(n=19), mild persistent(n=27), moderate persistent(n=42), and severe persistent(n=20) and 10 healthy controls. Atopy was defined as those who showed >2+ responses on skin prick test. Serum ECP, peripheral blood eosinophil, sputum eosinophil, and PEFR were measured on the same date and meth~acholine PC20 were determined within 2 weeks. RESULTS: Serum ECP levels were 10.1+- 2.0 ug/L in controls, and 29.1+- 23.6 ug/L in asthmatic patients. According to symptom severity, serum ECP levels were 22.9 +- 15.6 ug/L, 28. 6 +- 24.1 ug/L, 29.5 +- 22.2 ug/L, and 34.6 +- 31.2 ug/L in mild intermittent, mild persistent, moderate persistent and severe persistent asthmatic patients, respectively and there were no significant differences among four groups(p>0.05). Serum ECP levels correlated with peripheral blood eosinophil counts(r=0.48, p<0.01), but not with sputum eosinophil, PEFR, and methacholine PC20 levels. There was no significant difference in serum ECP level between atopic and non-atopic asthma(p>0.05). CONCLUSION: Single measurevment of ECP level at clinic could not represent the severity of asthma.
Asthma* ; Eosinophil Cationic Protein* ; Eosinophils* ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Methacholine Chloride ; Peak Expiratory Flow Rate ; Skin ; Sputum

Heterogeneity in clinical features and pathogenesis of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agent (NSAIDs) hypersensitivity have been reported. NSAIDs can cause bronchial constriction in asthmatics or hives and angioedema in patients with chronic urticaria, in which case causative drugs show cross-reactivity with other NSAIDs. Normal subjects without allergic diseases may develop urticaria angioedema or anaphylaxis after ingestion of a specific NSAID. In this type of reaction, cross-reactivity between causative drugs and other NSAIDs does not occur. We experienced a case of acetaminophen anaphylaxis without aspirin sensitivity in a 38-year-old male, which was confirmed by oral provocation test. An oral challenge with 150mg of acetaminophen induced urticaria in lower legs, and erythema, with febrile sensation in ears. With a dose of 600mg acetaminophen, urticaria developed in trunk and extremities with facial angioedema. An oral provocation test with 650mg of aspirin was well tolerated without any adverse reactions. We report acase of acetaminophen anaphylaxis, which occurred in a normal individual at a small dose(150mg) without cross-reactivity with aspirin. This type of reaction supports heterogenei~ty of NSAIDs hypersensitivity and it may be caused by an other mechanism, not by cyclooxygenase inhibition.
Acetaminophen* ; Adult ; Anaphylaxis* ; Angioedema ; Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal ; Aspirin* ; Bronchoconstriction ; Ear ; Eating ; Erythema ; Extremities ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity ; Leg ; Male ; Population Characteristics ; Prostaglandin-Endoperoxide Synthases ; Sensation ; Urticaria

No abstract available.
Coronary Vessels* ; Pulmonary Artery*

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the basophil histamine releasability in response to IgE- and non- IgE-mediated stimuli in children with atopic asthma. Met: Basophil histamine releasability was measured in Dermatophagoides farinae (D. farinae)-sensitive atopic asthmatics, D.farinae-sensitive healthy atopics, non-atopic asthmatics, and healthy non-atopics. Basophils were stimulated with D.farinae, goat antihuman IgE antibody, formyl-Met-Leu-Phe(fMLP), and Calcium ionophore A23187. Histamine was measured by automated fluorometric technique. RESULTS: Sponianeous histamine release was higher in atopic asthmatics compared to healthy non-atopics. Histamine release by D.farinae and by anti-IgE antibody was higher in atopic asthmatics compared to the other groups. There was no difference in histamine release by fMLP among all groups. Histamine release by Calcium ionophore was higher in healthy atopics and non-atopic asthmatics compared to healthy non-atopics. The atopics showed correlation between histamine release by D.farinae, by anti-IgE antibody and total serum IgE levels. CONCLUSIONS: Spontaneous and IgE-mediated histamine release were related to the presence of both atopy and asthma, whereas non-IgE mediated histamine release was different depending on the stimuli.
Asthma* ; Basophils* ; Calcimycin ; Calcium ; Child* ; Dermatophagoides farinae ; Goats ; Histamine Release ; Histamine* ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin E

Hand and wrist tuberculosis in adults are relatively rare disease. The purpose of treatment is to minimize the limitation of motion and to relieve the pain and swelling of involved joints. The treatments consist of curettage of bone, synovectomy and arthrodesis, which were combined with chemotherapeutic agents for tuberculosis. In the period from June 1989 to Oct. 1993, we performed operative treatment in twelve cases of hand and wrist tuberculosis(hand in 3, wrist in 9). We performed curettage and synovectomy in eight cases and arthrodesis in four. The length of follow up was over one year in all cases. Patients were evaluated by clinical examination, radiography and the Robins criteria for clinical results. The results were analysed, as follows, l. Eight patients who had tenosynovitis with moderate joint destruction were treated by curettage and synovectomy, and seven patients(87.5%) of them were evaluated "good" by Robins criteria. 2. Arthrodesis was performed in four patients who had severe joint destruction, and demonstrates "good" results in 75% of cases. 3. One patient who was treated by synovectomy, complaint intermittent pain after three years postoperatively, but no active lesion was visible on the bone scanning. 4. One patient who was performed wrist arthrodesis feels discomfort during lift up heavy products due to insufficient grip power. In conclusion, the synovectomy and curettage in early diagnosed and not so much advanced hand wrist tuberculsis is more preferable, but arthrodesis is inevitable in advanced cases with profound degree of bony destruction and nonviable cartilage in operative findings, for painless and powerful joint.
Adult ; Arthrodesis ; Cartilage ; Curettage ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hand Strength ; Hand ; Humans ; Joints ; Radiography ; Rare Diseases ; Songbirds ; Tenosynovitis ; Tuberculosis ; Wrist

Dengue fever is an important health problem for international travelers to all endemic areas. The steadily increasing numbers of tourists visiting endemic areas raise the risk of exposure, and imported dengue cases are increasingly observed in nonendemic area. Dengue has a wide spectrum of clinical presentations, often with unpredictable clinical evolution and outcome. While most patients recover following a self-limiting, non-severe clinical course, a small proportion progress to severe disease such as dengue hemorrhagic fever or dengue shock syndrome. Therefore, it is important to suspect dengue fever in every febrile patient returning from the tropics. Whenever it is suspected, a quick diagnosis and adequate managements are essential to avoid complications. We report two cases of imported dengue fever in Korean children presenting with fever, headache, nausea, and rash.
Child ; Dengue ; Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever ; Exanthema ; Fever ; Headache ; Humans ; Korea ; Nausea ; Philippines

No abstract available.
Cardiac Catheterization* ; Cardiac Catheters* ; Cardiovascular Diseases* ; Child* ; Cineangiography* ; Heart Defects, Congenital ; Humans

No abstract available.
Gastrointestinal Neoplasms* ; Thymidine Kinase* ; Thymidine*

Objective : The aim of this study was to evaluate cross - reactivity between pollens in patients with strong skin reactivity to multiple pollens. METHODS: A pool of sera from 20 patients who showed strong skin responses( > or = 3+ ) to all three kinds of pollens ( tree, grass, and weed ) was used. Oak, ryegrass, mugwort, ragweed and hop Japanese pollens were chosen for the subject of study. The level and pattern of bound IgE to each pollen and cross - reactivity between pollens were investigated by ELISA and immunoblot experiments. RESULTS: In ELISA, the IgE of a pool of sera reacted to ryegrass and ragweed in 100%, to mugwort in 95%, to oak in 75%, and to hop Japanese in 65%, respectively. In inhibitory ELI - SA, more than 50% of bound IgE was mutually inhibited in oak vs ryegrass, oak vs mugwort, mugwort vs ryegrass and mugwort vs hop Japanese. In immunoblot, the IgE binding rate to major allergens of each pollen was 95% for hop Japanese, 75% for ragweed, 50% for ryegrass, 35% for mugwort, and 30% for oak, respectively. In inhibitory immunoblot, the mutually inhibited bound IgE could not be observed between major allergens of each pollen, but some minor allergens of oak pollen were mutually inhibited by ryegrass. CONCLUSION: Cross - reactivity between major allergens of oak, ryegrass, mugwort, ragweed and hop Japanese pollens was not observed at all, but some minor allergens of oak pollen cross-reacted with ryegrass and mugwort, and so did those of mugwort pollen with ryegrass and hop Japanese.
Allergens ; Ambrosia ; Artemisia ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Humans ; Humulus ; Immunoglobulin E ; Lolium ; Poaceae ; Pollen* ; Skin

Background : Recurrent wheezing in infants is manifested in a number of disease spectrums and gastroesophageal reflux ( GER ) has been known to be associated with apnea, recurrent pneumonia, asthma, chronic cough, and wheezing. The prevalence of GER in infants with recurrent wheezing and the relationship between atopy and GER in infantile asthmatics have not yet been established, but it was hypothesized that microaspiration of food allergen could induce food-induced wheezing. Objective : To evaluate the prevalence of GER in infants with recurrent wheezing episodes, and to determine whether the presence of atopy affects the prevalence of GER in infantile asthmatics. Method : Seventy infants with recurrent wheezing episodes were evaluated for GER using 24 hour continuous esophageal pH monitoring. Patients were classified into five groups, : 12 atopic asthmatics : 20 nonatopic asthmatics : 15 infants with recurrent bronchiolitis : 8 infants with recurrent pneumonia : and 15 infants with chronic lung disease ( CLD ) of prematurity. GER was considered to be prevalent when reflux index was higher than 95 percentile of normal values by Vandenplas, 1991. Result : The prevalence of GER in infants with recurrent wheezing was 21.4%. The prevalence of GER in each group was 25% in atopic asthmatics, 20% in nonatopic asthmatics, 6.7% in infants with recurrent bronchiolitis, 12.5% in infants with recurrent pneumonia, and 40% in infants with CLD of prematurity. There were no significant differences in prevalence of GER between atopic asthmatics and nonatopic asthmatics, between asthmatics with atopic dermatitis and those without, and between asthmatics with family history of allergy and those without. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of GER in infants with recurrent wheezing was high, especially in infantile asthmatics and infants with chronic lung disease of prematurity. The presence of atopy may not affect the prevalence of GER in infantile asthmatics.
Apnea ; Asthma ; Bronchiolitis ; Cough ; Dermatitis, Atopic ; Esophageal pH Monitoring ; Gastroesophageal Reflux* ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity ; Infant* ; Lung Diseases ; Pneumonia ; Prevalence* ; Reference Values ; Respiratory Sounds*