BACKGROUND/AIMS: Quantitation of Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) RNA in serum is important for monitoring the response to interferon-alpha therapy in patients with chronic hepatitis C. Several commercial assays are recently available, but they are expensive and cannot be used as a gold standard. METHODS: An in-house competitive reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (cRT-PCR) was developed and validated. The procedure involves the construction of a mutant and wild type HCV RNA internal standard (IS), cRT-PCR, and colorimetric detection with DNA-ELISA. A standard curve was obtained and used for final HCV RNA quantitation. RESULTS: The standard curve was linear over the range of 1x104 to 5x107 copies/mL of the HCV RNA standard (r=0.976). This in-house cRT-PCR was comparable with the branched DNA (bDNA) assay (Quantiplex HCV 2.0, Chiron, USA) with positive correlation between the two tests (r=0.735). CONCLUSION: The quantitation of HCV RNA by in-house cRT-PCR and DNA ELISA was more sensitive and had wider range of detection compared to bDNA assay. This assay is useful for follow-up of HCV RNA concentration after interferon-alpha therapy.
Branched DNA Signal Amplification Assay ; DNA ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Hepacivirus* ; Hepatitis C* ; Hepatitis C, Chronic ; Hepatitis* ; Humans ; Interferon-alpha ; RNA

BACKGROUND: Hepatitis C virus(HCV) is well known major cause of posttransfusion hepatitis. There were a lot of studies about the prevalence of anti-HCV. But, most of these focused on healthy blood donors or patients with liver diseases in urban areas. So they may not represent the prevalence of anti-HCV in the entire Korean population. This study focused on people of a rural area which consisted of six towns near Reservoir Juam in the Chonnam province in Korea. METHODS: Nine hundred and sixty three persons were selected by multi-stage cluster sampling method from January to February in 19%, Anti-HCV and HBsAg were examined by microparticle enzyme immunoassy(MELA; Abbott Co., USA). Alanine aminotransferase(ALT) was examined by enzyme kinetic method. RESULTS: 1) The positivity of anti-HCV in all subjects was 0.9%. 2) The positivity of anti-HCV in male(1.1%) was not significantly higher than in female(0.9%). 3) The positivity of anti-HCV was 0% below the 5th decade, 0.7% in the 6th decade, 1.4% in the 7th decade, 1.7% in 8th decade, 0% above the 9th decade. There was no significant relationship between the positivity of anti-HCV and age. 4) The positivity of anti-HCV was 0.8% in normal ALT(35U/L) subjects. There was no statistical relationship between the positivity of anti-HCV and ALT level. 5) HBsAg was serologically negative in all of nine anti-HCV positive subjects. CONCLUSION: The positivity of anti-HCV was 0.9% in rural area of Korea and was similar to the prevalence of anti-HCV in urban areas.
Alanine ; Blood Donors ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay* ; Hepatitis ; Hepatitis B Surface Antigens ; Hepatitis C ; Humans ; Jeollanam-do* ; Korea ; Liver Diseases ; Prevalence

BACKGROUND: Cis-AB is a rare blood ABO with unusual inheritance on the same chromosome that result from a point mutation. It is relatively common in Korean and Japanese populations. We analyzed serological and molecular genetic characteristics of the family with cis-AB who had visited Chonnam National University Hospital (CNUH) for 10 years. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The subjects of this study comprised 88 samples derived from cis-AB family of 17 propositi with A2B3 phenotype diagnosed at CNUH between January 1993 and May 2002. Serologic tests for cis-AB were performed in detail on the ABO antigens of 49 samples, polymerase chain reaction - restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) method for cis-AB genotyping was additionally performed in peripheral blood DNA samples from 19 cases. RESULTS: The phenotypes of 49 cases were composed of 39 cases of A2B3, 7 of A2B, 2 of A1B3 and 1 of A1. ABO genotype on the blood samples from 19 cis-AB cases showed 11 cases of cis-AB/O with phenotype A2B3, 6 of cis-AB/B with phenotype A2B, 1 of cis-AB/A with phenotype A1B3 and 1 of cis-AB/A with phenotype A1. CONCLUSIONS: These data demonstrated that the most frequent type of cis-AB cases in Chonnam area was cis-AB/O with phenotype A2B3 and a case of cis-AB/A with unusual A1 phenotype was found.
Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; DNA ; Genotype* ; Humans ; Jeollanam-do* ; Molecular Biology ; Phenotype* ; Point Mutation ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length ; Serologic Tests ; Wills

BACKGROUND: To evaluate the clinical efficacy of Simvastatin, a HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor, We ibsweved the changes of clinical characteristics and lipid profiles after Simvastatin administration in patients with hypercholesterolemia. METHODS AND RESULTS: Simvastatin 10mg was given once daily for 12 weeks in 35 patients (60+/-6.0 years : 14 male, 21 female) with hypercholesterolemia. High density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C) was increased from 38+-10 to 45+-9mg/dl(p<0.05). Simvastatin significantly decreased total cholesterol(TC) from 235+-15 to 181+-21mg/dl(23.0%), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) from 164+-19 to 104+-18mg/dl(36.5%), TC/HDL-C from 7.0+-2.0 to 4.4+-1.1, LDL-C/HDL-C from 4.9+-1.7 to 2.5+-0.8(p<0.01 respectively). Apo B was decreased by 31%(119+-19 to 87+-15mg/dl), apo B/A1 ratio was decreased by 41%(1.2+-0.2 to 0.7+-0.2) amd lipoprotein(a) edcreased by 12%(33+-22 to 29+-17), while apo A1 was increased by 25%(104+-18 to 130+-23mg/dl, p<0.01 respectively). No patients complained of chest pain, but two had skin rashes. Creatine kinase and creatinine were not changed in all patients. CONCLUSIONS: Somvastatin is an effective and well tolerated cholesterol lowering agent in patients with hypercholesterolemia.
Apolipoprotein A-I ; Apolipoproteins ; Apolipoproteins B ; Chest Pain ; Cholesterol ; Creatine Kinase ; Creatinine ; Exanthema ; Humans ; Hypercholesterolemia* ; Lipoprotein(a) ; Lipoproteins ; Male ; Oxidoreductases ; Simvastatin*

The importance of quality control for dramatically growing genetic tests continues to be emphasized with increasing clinical demands. Diagnostic genetics subcommitee of KSQACP performed two trials for cytogenetic study in 2002. Cytogenetic surveys were performed by 33 laboratories and answered correctly in most laboratories except some problems in nomenclature and analysis for mosaicism and cytogenetics of neoplasia. The molecular genetic test surveys include M. tuberculosis, HCV, HBV, leukemia/lymphoma, ABO genotyping, ApoE genotyping, spinocerebellar ataxia (SCA), spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), and mitochondrial encephalomyopathy, lactic acidosis, and stroke like episodes (MELAS). HBV, SCA, SMA, MELAS tests were the first challenge of the genetic survey. Molecular genetic survey showed excellent results in most participants, however, ABO genotyping tests should be improved by new methods in a few laboratories. External quality assessment program for diagnostic genetics could be helpful to give participants many chances of continuous education and of interesting case materials.
Acidosis, Lactic ; Apolipoproteins E ; Cytogenetics ; Education ; Genetics* ; Korea* ; MELAS Syndrome ; Mitochondrial Encephalomyopathies ; Molecular Biology ; Mosaicism ; Muscular Atrophy, Spinal ; Quality Control ; Spinocerebellar Ataxias ; Stroke ; Tuberculosis

The importance of quality control for dramatically growing genetic tests continues to be emphasized with increasing clinical demands. Diagnostic genetics subcommitee of KSQACP performed two trials for cytogenetic study in 2003. Cytogenetic surveys were performed by 33 laboratories and answered correctly in most laboratories except some problems in nomenclature and analysis for FISH and complex cytogenetic abnormalities in neoplasia. The molecular genetic test surveys include M. tuberculosis, HBV, HPV, leukemia/lymphoma, ApoE genotyping, Duchenne muscular dystrophy, myoclonic epilepsy and ragged red muscle fibers, and spinal and bulbar muscular atrophy. HPV, myoclonic epilepsy and ragged red muscle fibers, and spinal and bulbar muscular atrophy were the first challenge of the genetic survey. Molecular genetic survey showed excellent results in most participants, however, HPV tests should be improved by quality control in a few laboratories. External quality assessment program for cytogenetic analysis could be helpful to give participants many chances of continuous education and of interesting case materials.
Apolipoproteins E ; Chromosome Aberrations ; Cytogenetic Analysis ; Cytogenetics ; Education ; Epilepsies, Myoclonic ; Genetics* ; Korea* ; Molecular Biology ; Muscle Fibers, Slow-Twitch ; Muscular Disorders, Atrophic ; Muscular Dystrophy, Duchenne ; Quality Control ; Tuberculosis

BACKGROUND: A weak D type resulted from a quantitative reduction of the RhD antigen, whereas a partial D type resulted from a qualitatively altered RhD protein. Based on different serological properties from a weak D type, a partial D type was suspected in cases with anti-D in their serum or if nonreactive to some reagents. Most Red Cross Blood Centers pay attention to donors in determining RhD typing with a monoclonal anti-D reagent. This study examined the reactivity patterns of 4 different monoclonal anti-D reagents in RhD typing and a weak D test in 14 cases with partial D. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We collected a total of 201, 847 samples from blood donors and screened out 649 samples as Rh-negative in RhD typing with monoclonal anti-D (Bioscot) and bromelin treatment applied to an automatic analyzer between October 2002 and March 2003. Further, we performed RhD typing and weak D test using the tube method with 4 commercially available monoclonal anti-D reagents. In 14 cases with different reactivity patterns, we performed a confirming test for partial D using a `ID-partial RhD-typing' (Diamed, Switzerland) set consisting of 6 monoclonal antibodies. RESULTS: Partial D(DFR) was observed in 92.9% (13/14) and a partial D(indeterminate) was observed in 7.1% (1/14). The red blood cells from 14 cases with partial D were not agglutinated with 4 various commercially available anti-D reagents. However, in subsequently performed weak-D tests, different reactivity to their anti-D reagents were shown, namely irresponsiveness (Dade Behring, 14/14, 100%), trace-to-1+ responsiveness (Ortho-clinical diagnostics, 13/14, 92.9%), trace-to-3+ responsiveness (Bioscot, 14/14, 100%), and 1+-to-3+ responsiveness (GreenCross, Korea, 14/14, 100%). CONCLUSIONS: Considering that the most partial D discovered in the Southwestern area of Korea was partial D(DFR), it is recommended that RhD typing and/or weak D tests in blood donors should be done using more than two anti-D reagents from different clones.
Antibodies, Monoclonal ; Blood Donors ; Bromelains ; Clone Cells ; Erythrocytes ; Humans ; Indicators and Reagents* ; Korea ; Red Cross ; Tissue Donors

No abstract available.
Bone Marrow/pathology ; *Bone Marrow Transplantation ; Child, Preschool ; Chromosomes, Human, Pair 11 ; Chromosomes, Human, Pair 2 ; Humans ; Infant ; Karyotyping ; Leukemia, Megakaryoblastic, Acute/genetics/*therapy ; Male ; Siblings ; Tissue Donors ; Translocation, Genetic/*genetics ; Transplantation, Homologous

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: There is serological and epidemiological evidence of an association between Chlamydia pneumoniae infection and coronary artery disease. We conducted a randomized study using azithromycin treatment in Korean patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) to determine whether azithromycin treatment reduced the inflammatory markers and major adverse cardiac events (MACE). SUBJECTS AND METHODS: One hundred twenty nine patients were randomly selected to receive 500 mg azithromycin daily for 3 days before and after PCI, followed by 500 mg/week for 2 weeks (Group l: 64 patients, 43 male, 60.0+/-10.0 years), or they received a placebo (Group ll: 65 patients, 45 male, 59.6+/-10.1 years). Patients were followed up for 12 months. The primary endpoints were cardiac death, recurrent myocardial infarction (MI), target lesion revascularization (TLR) and Non-TLR during the 12-month follow-up. RESULTS: There were no differences between the two groups in baseline characteristics, coronary angiography finding, lesion characteristics, baseline inflammatory markers and baseline antibody titers of Chlamydia pneumoniae, Helicobacter pyroli and Mycoplasma. After the antibiotic treatment, ESR and CRP decreased from 19.6+/-20.7 mg/dL and 0.75+/-0.99 mg/dL to 9.36+/-10.5 mg/dL and 0.22+/-0.20 mg/dL in group l (p=0.002, 0.001 respectively), and from 19.6+/-21.5 mg/dL, 1.44+/-2.69 mg/dL to 10.4+/-10.8 mg/dL, 0.55+/-1.48 mg/dL in group ll (p=0.052, <0.0001 respectively). However, there were no significant changes in the serologic markers. MACE developed in 17 (26.6%) out of 64 patients in group l with 2 death, 2 MI and 13 TLR. In group ll, 14 (21.5%) out of 65 patients had MACE with 2 death, 1 MI and 10 TLR during the 12-month clinical follow-up (p=NS). CONCLUSION: Short-term treatment with azithromycin does not reduce the major adverse cardiac events in Korean patients with ACS after PCI.
Acute Coronary Syndrome* ; Azithromycin* ; Chlamydophila pneumoniae ; Coronary Angiography ; Coronary Artery Disease ; Coronary Disease ; Death ; Follow-Up Studies ; Helicobacter ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Male ; Mycoplasma ; Myocardial Infarction ; Percutaneous Coronary Intervention* ; Secondary Prevention*

No abstract available.
Aged ; Base Sequence ; Bone Marrow/metabolism/pathology ; Chromosome Aberrations ; DNA/chemistry/genetics/metabolism ; Fusion Proteins, bcr-abl/*genetics ; Humans ; Immunophenotyping ; In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence ; Male ; Myelodysplastic Syndromes/diagnosis/*genetics ; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Sequence Analysis, DNA