Behcet's disease is a recurrent and multisystemic disorder which usually persists over many years and is classified under vasculitic syndrome. A classic triad in this disorder is composed of a recurrent oral ulcer, genital ulceration and uveitis. While intestinal Behcet's disease most commonly affects the ileoecal region, dysphagia associated with esophageal ulceration is very uncommon. A 34-year-old-female patient visited our hospital because of dysphagia, epigastric pain and fever. The patient had ulcers on the oral mucosa, soft palate and extemal genitalia. Multiple irregularly marginated ulcers surrounded with hyperemic edematous mucosa were found on the middle and distal esophagus and lesser curvature of the stomach by an esophagogastroduodenoscopic examination. The pathologic findings were non-specific ulcers with necrotizing vasculitis in the vulva and with suspicious vasculitis in the esophagus. So she was diagnosed to have a Behcets disease and was treated with steroid and sulfasalazine. In this study we report a case of esophageal involvement of Behcet's disease with a review of the literature.
Deglutition Disorders ; Esophagus ; Fever ; Genitalia ; Humans ; Mouth Mucosa ; Mucous Membrane ; Oral Ulcer ; Palate, Soft ; Stomach ; Sulfasalazine ; Ulcer ; Uveitis ; Vasculitis ; Vulva

No abstract available.
Glucose Transport Proteins, Facilitative* ; Glucose* ; Humans ; Insulin* ; Metabolome*

The goal for the treatment of patients with diabetes has today shifted from merely reducing glucose concentrations to preventing the natural decline in beta-cell function and delay the progression of disease. Pancreatic beta-cell dysfunction and decreased beta-cell mass are crucial in the development of diabetes. The beta-cell defects are the main pathogenesis in patients with type 1 diabetes and are associated with type 2 diabetes as the disease progresses. Recent studies suggest that human pancreatic beta-cells have a capacity for increased proliferation according to increased demands for insulin. In humans, beta-cell mass has been shown to increase in patients showing insulin-resistance states such as obesity or in pregnancy. This capacity might be useful for identifying new therapeutic strategies to reestablish a functional beta-cell mass. In this context, therapeutic approaches designed to increase beta-cell mass might prove a significant way to manage diabetes and prevent its progression. This review describes the various beta-cell defects that appear in patients with diabetes and outline the mechanisms of beta-cell failure. We also review common methods for assessing beta-cell function and mass and methodological limitations in vivo. Finally, we discuss the current therapeutic approaches to improve beta-cell function and increase beta-cell mass.
Glucose ; Humans ; Insulin ; Obesity ; Pregnancy

BACKGROUND: Recently, the colour change plaster (NeuroCheck(R)) has been introduced, which measures sweat production on the basis of a colour change from blue to pink. This new test was useful to detect of diabetic peripheral neuropathy. The aim of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of the colour change plaster (NeuroCheck(R)) for the diagnosis of cardiac autonomic neuropathy in type 2 diabetic patients. METHODS: This study include 35 type 2 diabetic patients (10 male, 25 female) with a mean age of 55+/-14.9 years and a mean diabetes duration of 11.8+/-8.8 years. Cardiac autonomic neuropathy was diagnosed by means of Ewing's method. Peripheral autonomic neuropathy (Sudomotor function abnormality) was assessed by means of time (more than 600 seconds) until complete colour change in the indicator test. RESULTS: Peripheral autonomic neuropathy was diagnosed in 23 patients (65.7%). Time until starting colour change of plaster in normal and abnormal sudomotor patients were 38.3+/-33.7 sec and 367.1+/-470.3 sec (p<0.05). Time until completing colour change of plaster in normal and abnormal sudomotor patients were 372.5+/-198.8 sec and 1677.4+/-711.9 sec (p<0.05). The autonomic score of two groups were 2.4+/-2.3, 4.6+/-2.2 (p<0.05). Sudomotor abnormal group was older than normal (59.2+/-11.7 yrs, vs 47+/-17.4 yrs). Presence of retinopathy was related with sudomotor abnormality. Peripheral autonomic neuropathy was related with parasympathetic cardiac autonomic neuropathy. Sudomotor function abnormality was related with definite cardiac autonomic neuropathy, but it was not related with early cardiac autonomic neuropathy. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value of colour change plaster in the diagnosis of definitive cardiovascular autonomic neuropathy was 86.7%, 62.5%, 68.4% and 83.3%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The colour change plaster (NeuroCheck(R)) is not useful for the early diagnosis of cardiac autonomic neuropathy in type 2 diabetic neuropathy, but it may be possible for the screening test of definite cardiac autonomic neuropathy.
Diabetic Neuropathies ; Diagnosis* ; Early Diagnosis ; Humans ; Male ; Mass Screening ; Peripheral Nervous System Diseases ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Sweat

Coxsackievirus B3 (CVB3) is a non-enveloped virus that has a single-stranded RNA genome. CVB3 induces myocarditis, and ultimately, dilated cardiomyopathy. A myocarditis variant of CVB3 (CVB3 H3) and its antibody-escape mutant (CVB3 10A1) were studied previously; H3 was found to induce myocarditis and 10A1 was found to be attenuated in infected mice. Although amino acid residue 165, located in a puff region of VP2, was found to be altered (i.e., the H3 asparagine was altered to aspartate in 10A1), the detailed mechanism of attenuation was not clearly elucidated. Here, DNA microarray technology was used to monitor changes in mRNA levels of infected mouse hearts after CVB3 H3 and 10A1 infection. This tool was used to elucidate the pathogenic mechanisms of viral infection by understanding virus-host interactions. We identified several genes, including protein tyrosine kinases, Ddr2 and Ptk2, as well as Clqb and Crry, involved in complement reactions, which may be involved in these viral processes. Thus, gene profiling can provide an opportunity to understand host immune responses to viral infection for gene therapy and may contribute to the identification of the target gene that is modified during treatment of viral myocarditis.
Animals ; Asparagine ; Aspartic Acid ; Cardiomyopathy, Dilated ; Complement System Proteins ; Genetic Therapy ; Genome ; Heart* ; Mice* ; Myocarditis ; Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis ; Protein-Tyrosine Kinases ; RNA ; RNA, Messenger

Ovarian cancer is generally primary cancer and less frequently originates from metastasis from non-gynecological cancer. Ovarian metastasis from lung cancer represents only 2~4% of all ovarian metastatic cancers. We report a case of ovarian metastasis of non-small cell lung cancer with epidermal growth factor receptor mutation. The patient underwent cytoreductive surgery for the ovarian mass and erlotinib therapy for the metastatic lung cancer. Erlotinib therapy markedly decreased the size of lung mass.
Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung* ; Humans ; Lung ; Lung Neoplasms ; Neoplasm Metastasis* ; Ovarian Neoplasms ; Receptor, Epidermal Growth Factor ; Erlotinib Hydrochloride

Bone marrow examination is useful in the diagnosis and staging of hematologic disease. This procedure is generally considered safe; however, there are several adverse events associated with bone marrow biopsy. The most frequent and serious adverse event is hemorrhage. Risk factors include coagulopathy, myeloproliferative disorders, and anticoagulant or antiplatelet medications. Most hemorrhage is local hematoma; however, infrequently retroperitoneal hemorrhage occurs. In the case of massive hemorrhage, operation or angiographic embolization may be required. We report on a case of retroperitoneal hemorrhage after bone marrow aspiration and biopsy in an essential thrombocythemia patient.
Biopsy* ; Bone Marrow Examination ; Bone Marrow* ; Diagnosis ; Hematologic Diseases ; Hematoma ; Hemorrhage* ; Humans ; Methods ; Myeloproliferative Disorders ; Risk Factors ; Thrombocythemia, Essential*

A 57-year-old female with jaundice and right upper quadrant abdominal pain, was found on exploration to have squamous cell carcinoma of the common bile duct. Squamous cell carcinoma of the common bile duct is a very rare tumor, simulating adenocarcinoma in its clinical presentation and aggressiveness. Although no consistent causative factors for this tumor has been demonstrated, it has been theorized that the normal columnar epithelium of the bile duct under the influence of an inflammatory stimulus, can develop into squamous epithelium with the ongoing process leading to squamous metaplasia, and eventually carcinoma. Cholelithiasis has been implicated as a cause for bile duct cancer, which was manifested in this patient. The prognosis of this carcinoma was grave, despite all forms of surgical and medical management. A case of squamous cell carcinoma of the common bile duct is reported with a review of relevant literature.
Abdominal Pain ; Adenocarcinoma ; Bile Duct Neoplasms ; Bile Ducts ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell* ; Cholelithiasis ; Common Bile Duct* ; Epithelium ; Female ; Humans ; Jaundice ; Metaplasia ; Middle Aged ; Prognosis

BACKGROUNDS: Pituitary hyperplasia can mimic pituitary adenoma. In MRI, enlarged pituitary gland is enhanced homogenously with upward convexity of the superior margin of the gland .The best definition of hyperplasia in the pituitary hyperplasia seems to be a multiplication of one or more cell types. But definition, etiology and clinical courses of this disease are not clear, METHOD: We reviewed clinical symptoms, MRI, and pathologic findindings in 6 patients with pituitary hyperplasia. RESULT: 1. Major clinical symptoms were headache (100%), visual field defect (84%), polyuria/polydipsia (64%), and irregular mensturation (32%). Other symptoms were amenorrhea (16%) and galactorrhea (16%). 2. Three of five cases showed abnormal responses to combined pituitary function test, 3. MRI findings were pituitary hyperplasia (4), macroadenoma (l), and microadenoma (1). 4. In two operated cases, there was no adenoma. One case showed hyperplasia of lactotroph cells, the other was hyperplasia of gonadotroph cells confirmed by the examination of immunocytochemistry. CONCLUSION: Pituitary hyperplasia should be considered in patients with enlarged pituitary gland without focal mass lesion.
Adenoma ; Amenorrhea ; Female ; Galactorrhea ; Gonadotrophs ; Headache ; Humans ; Hyperplasia* ; Immunohistochemistry ; Lactotrophs ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Pituitary Function Tests ; Pituitary Gland ; Pituitary Neoplasms ; Pregnancy ; Visual Fields

Bilateral vocal cord paralysis may occur as a result of thyroid and cervical surgery, tracheal intubation, trauma, and neurodegenerative and neuromuscular diseases. However, there are only a few reported cases of bilateral cord paralysis associated with short-term endotracheal intubation. We report a case of bilateral vocal cord palsy leading to respiratory obstruction following short-term endotracheal intubation.
Intubation ; Intubation, Intratracheal* ; Neuromuscular Diseases ; Paralysis ; Thyroid Gland ; Vocal Cord Paralysis* ; Vocal Cords*