No abstract available.
DNA* ; Mycobacterium tuberculosis* ; Mycobacterium* ; Polymerase Chain Reaction*

We report a case of a 44 year old femele with unilateral aldosterone-proudcing adrenal adenoma characterized by hypertension, plasma aldosterone excess, and low plasma renin, commonly but not invariably with hypokalemia. She also had asymmetric septal hypertrophy of left ventricle established with two-dimensional echocardiography. The electrocardiogram showed inverted T wave and prominent U wave with high QRS voltage on precordial leads. In the case of this patient, we are not sure whether asymmetric septal hypertrophy was caused by secondary hypertension and chronic aldosterone excess of primary aldosteronism, or hypertrophic cardiomyopathy per se, so further long=term follow-up is required to determine it. Following the successful unilateral adrenalectomy, however, the systemic pressure fell down to the normal level and electrolyte abnormalities were corrected immediaterly within a few days and the modest regression in septal hypertrophy was noted in one year, suggesting that the promary aldosteronism contributes to the development or porgression of asymmetric septal hepertrophy.
Adenoma ; Adrenalectomy ; Adult ; Aldosterone ; Cardiomyopathy, Hypertrophic* ; Echocardiography ; Electrocardiography ; Follow-Up Studies ; Heart Ventricles ; Humans ; Hyperaldosteronism* ; Hypertension ; Hypertrophy ; Hypokalemia ; Plasma ; Renin

Classic Kaposi's sarcoma is a human herpesvirus-8 associated with a multicentric lymphoangioproliferative tumor primarily arising in the lower extremities, but rarely in the head and neck. We herein report a 63-year-old man with primary classic Kaposi's sarcoma on the face. He presented with asymptomatic, erythematous papules on the nasal ala which had been noticed 2 months earlier. Histopathologic examination and nested polymerase chain reaction analysis in the tissue disclosed typical features of Kaposi's sarcoma.
Head ; Humans ; Lower Extremity ; Middle Aged ; Neck ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Sarcoma, Kaposi*

OBJECTIVES: There is an increasing concern for the social, economic, environmental and health effects of the Asian dust (Hwang-sa in Korean language) in Korea. In this study, we intended to indirectly determine ordinary people's perception about the Asian dust by analyzing the contents of newspaper articles dealing with it. METHODS: By using article searching services in the internet websites of three newspaper companies, we collected newspaper articles dealing with the Asian dust during the period from January 1st of 1998 to December 31st of 2002. We classified the articles into four categories: those forecasting the occurrence of the Asian dust, those about measures to cope with it, those about its occurrence in the neighboring foreign countries, and those about its effects. In particular, we analyzed articles about the health effects of the Asian dust more distinctly. RESULTS: A total of 1, 225 articles dealing with the Asian dust were found during the 5 year period. The number of articles increased from 102 in 1998 to 518 in 2002, approximately a five-fold increase. The numbers of articles about health effects, environmental effects and economical effects were 191 (44%), 171 (41%) and 147 (34%), respectively. It was reported that various diseases such as respiratory diseases (87%), eye problems (69%), and skin diseases (12%) were associated with the Asian dust. CONCLUSION: The increasing concern for the negative effects of the Asian dust necessitates more studies about this field. As the effects of the Asian dust are various, the information on the major concern of ordinary people could help establish the research agendas and measures for the Asian dust.
Asian Continental Ancestry Group* ; Dust* ; Forecasting ; Humans ; Internet ; Korea ; Skin Diseases ; Periodicals

Heterotopic pregnancy, simultaneous intrauterine and extrauterine pregnancy, is an extremely rare case. The incidence of heterotopic pregnancy was about 1 to 30,000 pregnancies, but it has increased after wider use of assisted reproductive technology. The rising incidence presents a serious problem as the diagnosis of this potentially fatal condition is often missed. Careful pelvic examination combined with serial beta-hCG determinations, and transvaginal sonography to evaluate the adnexal region are necessary prerequisites for early diagnosis. We report a case of heterotopic pregnancy following in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer(IVF-ET) with a brief review of literature.
Diagnosis ; Early Diagnosis ; Embryo Transfer* ; Embryonic Structures* ; Fertilization in Vitro* ; Gynecological Examination ; Incidence ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy, Heterotopic* ; Reproductive Techniques, Assisted

Invasive fungal infection remains a major cause of morbidity and mortality in immunocompromised patients. Invasive fungal sinusitis can present as a Tolosa-Hunt syndrome (THS) or orbital apex, leading to frequent misdiagnosis. Accurate diagnosis of fungal infection invading the cavernous sinus or orbital apex is essential to reduce mortality through early antifungal treatment and reduce the risk of worsening with steroid treatment due to misdiagnosis of THS. Herein, we report a case of invasive fungal sinusitis mimicking THS.

Background: The younger generation in Korea easily exposed to nitrous oxide (N2O) under the name “Happy Balloon” may abuse it. N2O can irreversibly oxidize vitamin B12 and cause abnormal hematopoiesis or nervous system toxicity such as subacute combined degeneration (SCD). The objective of this study was to assist in early diagnosis of N2O-induced SCD of spinal cord by characterizing its clinical manifestations. Methods: Four patients with myelopathy after abusing N2O were enrolled. To characterize N2O-induced myelopathy, previously reported cases of N2O-induced SCD were searched through PubMed and KoreaMed. Collected cases and our four patients were analyzed. Results: A total of 30 patients with N2O-induced myelopathy (26 males and 4 females with mean age of 24 years) were analyzed. These patients took a median dose of 650 canisters for a median duration of 3.5 months. All patients presented sensory disturbances, which involved the lower extremities more frequently (100%) than the upper extremities (63.3%). Gait ataxia (76.7%), weakness in the upper (23.3%) and lower (36.7%) extremities, bladder symptoms (26.7%), Rhomberg sign (43.3%), and Lhermitte’s phenomenon (10.0%) were observed. Serum vitamin B12 levels were decreased in many (63.3%) patients and homocysteine levels were elevated in all. Of 20 patients who underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the spine, 19 had abnormal findings. Three patients presented with contrast enhancement in lesions. Conclusions We strongly recommend that history of N2O abuse should be asked for young patients with suspected myelopathy, especially those presenting with gait ataxia and sensory disturbances suggesting posterior column dysfunction and those presenting long-segment lesion involving the upper cervical cord on MRI.

Spinal and bulbar muscular atrophy (Kennedy disease) is an X-linked, adult-onset motor neuron disease characterized by slow, progressive weakness of the bulbar and extremity muscles with CAG triplet repeat expansion in the androgen receptor gene. Hirayama disease (HD) is characterized by the juvenile onset of asymmetric weakness and amyotrophy of the hand and is most common in males in Asia. We report a patient with atypical Kennedy disease presenting with asymmetric hand weakness and atrophy typical of HD.

No abstract available.
Etoposide* ; Fluorouracil* ; Stomach Neoplasms*

The author investigated whether there were clear seasonal variations in the incidence of both spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhages(SICH) and subarachnoid hemorrhage(SSAH), and which climatic factor affected on the occurrence rate. From January 1988 to December 1994, 787 patients with SICHs and 556 patients with SSAHs were admitted to our hospital. The author compared the occurrence rate of spontaneous cerebral hemorrhages and the meteorological data on each date, such as daily temperatures(average, maximu, and minimum), temperature change(intradiurnal and daily), precipitation, average wind speed, average relative humidity, duration of sunshine, mean sea level barometric pressure, daily barometric pressure difference and wind-chilling effect. There was a clear seasonal variation in the occurrence rate of SICHs. It was high in early spring(February, March, and April) and early winter(October and December)(P<0.05). In SSAHs, there was no statistically significant differences in the occurrence rate, however. Daily temperatures(average, maximum, and minimum) and mean sea-level barometric pressure were the important climatic factors influencing the occurrence rate of SICHs(P<0.05). The lower daily temperatures(average, maximum, and minimum ), and the higher mean sea-level barometric pressure, the more SICHs occurred. In SSAHs, daily average temperature and intradiurnal temperature affected on the occurrence rate(P<0.05), however, there was no climatic factors with a statistically significant correlation. These results suggested that SSAHs differed from SICHs in its pathogenic mechanism. In any events, the dry(high barometric pressure) and cold(low temperature) weather might be a risk factor for the hypertensive patients. To reduce or prevent SICHs, such a hypertensive patient should not go out in dry and cold weather.
Cerebral Hemorrhage* ; Humans ; Humidity ; Incidence ; Risk Factors ; Seasons ; Subarachnoid Hemorrhage ; Sunlight ; Weather ; Wind