BACKGROUND: In recent years, the incidence of obesity increased in Koreans. The main cause suggested is the diet style of Korean changed to that of Western. It has been proved that obesity is a risk factor or an aggravating factor of hypertension and diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular disease, etc. Primary physician has been interested in the correlation of blood pressure with relative body weight and aging. The purpose of this study was to focus on the influence of age and relative body weight on blood pressure. METHODS: Subjects were collected from 2,068 adults who had received Adult Health Examination. That subjects were divided according to age, relative body weight and then the relation of blood pressure with age according to relative body weight and relation with relative body weight according to age were investigated. RESULTS: Systolic blood pressure increased significantly according to age in all male and female three weight groups and then increased significantly according to relative body weight in all male and female three age groups except male seventh decade group. Diastolic blood pressure increased significantly according to age in all male and female three weight groups except male obesity group and then increased significantly according to the relative body weight in all male and female three age groups except male and female seventh decade groups. Systolic blood pressure has higher correlation with age than relative body weight and diastolic blood pressure has higher correlation with relative body weight in male. In female, systolic and diastolic blood pressure have higher correlations with age. CONCLUSIONS: It can be suggested that blood pressure increase significantly according to aging process and relative body weight. These two factors have a little different effects to systolic and diastolic blood pressure according to sex. Relative body weight has more effect to diastolic blood pressure than systolic blood pressure in male.
Adult ; Aging ; Blood Pressure* ; Body Weight ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Diet ; Female ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Incidence ; Male ; Obesity* ; Risk Factors

We evaluated the efficacy of polymerase chain reaction(PCR)in early diagnosis of herpes simplex keratitis(HSK)in rabbit model and compared the sensitivity and specificity of PCR in two kinds of primers. Only one eye of 8 rabbits was inoculated with HSV Type 1(F strain, ATCC VR-73)to induce HSK, and the other eye was used as control. Rabbit cornea was examined under slit lamp examination and PCR test of tear and corneal scraping specimens were performed at 1, 3, 5, 7, and 10th post-inoculation day. The sensitivity of PCR with POL primer was 100%in tear and corneal scraping specimens. The sensitivity of PCR with POL primer and LAT primer were 80%and 100%respectively. PCR test is very useful diagnotic tool for the early diagnosis of HSK in rabbit model. In addition, PCR test with corneal scraping specimens provided better yield compared with tears.
Cornea ; Early Diagnosis* ; Herpes Simplex* ; Keratitis, Herpetic* ; Polymerase Chain Reaction* ; Rabbits ; Sensitivity and Specificity

Metastasis to the temporal bone is uncommon. In some cases, metastasis may be the first evidence of malignant dissemination, but more frequently, the diagnosis is unsuspected, possibly because ear symptoms are overshadowed by those deriving from the primary tumor. It is not until they have symptoms like hearing loss, otalgia, facial nerve paralysis, periauricular swelling, otorrhea, or even an aural mass that patients usually undergo treatment at the late stage of the disease course. Tumors of the breast, lung, and kidney are the most common sources of temporal bone metastasis. Although axial bone and cranial metastases are common in patients with prostatic carcinoma, temporal bone involvement is extremely rare. We report a case of metastatic prostatic adenocarcinoma in the temporal bone which was diagnosed with delay.
Adenocarcinoma ; Breast ; Delayed Diagnosis ; Ear ; Earache ; Facial Nerve ; Facial Paralysis ; Hearing Loss ; Humans ; Kidney ; Lung ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Paralysis ; Prostate ; Temporal Bone

PURPOSE: This study was performed to investigate the present condition of drug abuse and its association with depression, self-rated health and health behaviors by job status in Korean adults. METHODS: Data were derived from the study on four addiction problem and suicide in 2014. Multiple logistic regression was used to analyze patterns of drug abuse according to depression, self-rated health and health behaviors. RESULTS: The prevalence of drug abuse during the past year was 17.1% of the 4,018 subjects. About 3.3 times risk for drug abuse was found among individuals who had high depression scores. The risk of drug abuse was higher among those who were smoking (OR:1.46, 95% CI:1.17~1.83), drinking more frequently (OR:1.30, 95% CI:1.07~1.58), sleeping insufficiently (OR:1.31, 95% CI:1.03~1.67), eating irregularly (OR:1.45, 95% CI:1.19~1.76). Drug abuse problem was detected more seriously among employed than unemployed adults. CONCLUSION: Health-related behaviors, such as smoking, drinking, sleeping, eating should be considered simultaneously when designing strategies to deal with drug abuse problem, and it is important to understand the interaction between drug abuse and mental health. Furthermore, workplace based intervention can be effective in solving drug abuse problem.
Adult ; Depression* ; Drinking ; Eating ; Health Behavior* ; Humans ; Logistic Models ; Mental Health ; Prevalence ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Substance-Related Disorders* ; Suicide

Methamphetamine is one of the most popular abuse drug in the South Korea. Intracranial hemorrhage or ischemic stroke have been well known as one of the complications with methamphetamine abuse. We experienced two cases with cerebral vasculopathy which had developed after intravenous use of methamphetamine. The first patient was a previously healthy 20-year-old woman, who was admitted because of drowsy mentality with left hemiparesis and dysarthria. The second patient was a 24-year-old man who was admitted because of seizure and left extremity weakness. They reported several intravenous administration of methamphetamine during previous months. In both case, brain CT showed cerebral infarction compatible with vascular territories. And also, carotid angiographys demonstrated that multiple intracranial vessels were involved with narrowing and stenotic nature, consisting with vasculitis in the both cases.
Administration, Intravenous ; Brain ; Cerebral Infarction* ; Dysarthria ; Extremities ; Female ; Humans ; Intracranial Hemorrhages ; Korea ; Methamphetamine* ; Paresis ; Seizures ; Stroke ; Vasculitis ; Young Adult

BACKGROUND: Inspired concentrations of desflurane > or = 1 minimum alveolar anesthetic concentration (MAC) have been related to sympathetic stimulation such as hypertension and tachycardia. The current study examined whether labetalol, an alpha1 and beta-adrenergic antagonist would blunt these hemodynamic responses. METHODS: Fifty-four ASA physical status I patients, aged 20-60 years, were enrolled in this study. The patients were randomly divided into 2 groups. The breathing circuit was primed with an end-tidal desflurane concentration of 1.2 MAC in 6 L/min O2. Normal saline 5 ml or labetalol 0.3 mg/kg was injected into groups S and L respectively. After 5 minutes, anesthesia was induced with intravenous etomidate 0.2 mg/kg and vecuronium 0.1 mg/kg. Each patient inhaled desflurane through a tight fitting facemask. Heart rate (HR), systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), mean arterial pressure (MAP) and end-tidal concentration of desflurane (et-des) were measured at 5 minutes after saline or labetalol injection (baseline) and every 1 minute for 5 minutes after desflurane inhalation and for 2 minutes after intubation. RESULTS: In the saline injection group (group S), desflurane inhalation increased heart rate and blood pressure, while labetalol 0.3 mg/kg attenuated the heart rate and blood pressure increase in group L. After tracheal intubation, heart rate and blood pressure were significantly lower in group L than in group S. CONCLUSIONS: These results demonstrate that administration of intravenous labetalol is effective in attenuating tracheal intubation and desflurane-induced hemodynamic responses.
Aged ; Anesthesia ; Arterial Pressure ; Blood Pressure ; Etomidate ; Heart Rate ; Hemodynamics ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Inhalation ; Intubation ; Isoflurane ; Labetalol ; Respiration ; Tachycardia ; Vecuronium Bromide

We evaluated the efficacy of polymerase chain reaction(PCR)in the early diagnosis of Herpes simplex virus keratitis(HSK). Among 47 patients(47 eyes), 25 patients were clinically herpetic keratitis and the others were other kinds of keratitis clinically. Tear film specimens were taken from 32 eyes and corneal scrapings from 21 eyes with suspicious herpetic keratitis and clinically incongrous with HSK. PCR for tear and corneal scraping was performed with using DNA primer. 67% of corneal scrapings and 19%tear samples of suspicious herpetic keratitis showed PCR positive. Tear samples from keratitis clinically incongruous with HSK were all PCR negative but 40%of corneal scrapings from these patients represented PCR positive. From these results, PCR is a rapid and effective tool for the early diagnosis of herpetic keratitis and especially useful in cases of nonspecific corneal lesion. However, for the accurate diagnosis of HSK, not only PCR results but also patient's history and corneal findings should be well evaluated.
Diagnosis ; DNA ; Early Diagnosis* ; Humans ; Keratitis ; Keratitis, Herpetic ; Polymerase Chain Reaction* ; Simplexvirus ; Tears

Among the possible venous thromboembolic events in nephrotic syndrome, renal vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism are common, while portal vein thrombosis (PVT) is rare. This report describes a 26-year-old man with histologically proven minimal change disease (MCD) complicated by PVT. The patient presented with epigastric pain and edema. He had been diagnosed with MCD five months earlier and achieved complete remission with corticosteroids, which were discontinued one month before the visit. Full-blown relapsing nephrotic syndrome was evident on laboratory and clinical findings, and an abdominal computed tomography revealed PVT. He immediately received immunosuppressants and anticoagulation therapy. An eight-week treatment resulted in complete remission, and a follow-up abdominal ultrasonography showed disappearance of PVT. In conclusion, PVT is rare and may not be easily diagnosed in patients with nephrotic syndrome suffering from abdominal pain. Early recognition of this rare complication and prompt immunosuppression and anticoagulation therapy are encouraged to avoid a fatal outcome.
Abdominal Pain ; Adrenal Cortex Hormones ; Adult ; Anticoagulants ; Edema ; Fatal Outcome ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Immunosuppression ; Immunosuppressive Agents ; Nephrosis, Lipoid* ; Nephrotic Syndrome ; Proteinuria ; Pulmonary Embolism ; Renal Veins ; Thrombosis ; Ultrasonography ; Venous Thrombosis*

Spontaneous intracranial hypotension, a syndrome of low CSF pressure, occurs without preceding events such as lumbar puncture, back trauma, operative procedure or medical illness. The most characteristic symptom is a headache that may be severe when the patient is upright and relieved when the patient is recumbent. Associated symptoms include neck stiffness, nausea and vomiting, tinnitus, vertigo and subdural effusion or hematoma. This syndrome usually resolves spontaneously or with strict bed rest. When the headache persists or is incapacitating, more aggressive treatment may be necessary. Autologous epidural blood patch is highly effective in the management of spontaneous intracranial hypotension. We report a case of spontaneous intracranial hypotension successfully treated with epidural blood patch.
Bed Rest ; Blood Patch, Epidural* ; Headache ; Hematoma ; Humans ; Intracranial Hypotension* ; Nausea ; Neck ; Spinal Puncture ; Subdural Effusion ; Surgical Procedures, Operative ; Tinnitus ; Vertigo ; Vomiting

Primary leptomeningeal melanoma is a rare and aggressive tumor that originates from pial melanin-bearing cells typically along the cerebral conveidties or at the. Base of the brain. It has been hypothesized that malignant transformation Of the preexisting precursor cells leads to diffuse infiltration of the meninges by tumor and the onset of neurological symptoms and signs . The typical neurological symptoms and signs include psychiatric disturbances, seizures, and symptoros and signs of raised intracranial pressure secondary to hydrocephalus. Blindness has been reported as a late feature. Radiotherapy and chemotherapy has been using, but prognosis is poor We d be our experience with 24-years-woman in which the diagnosis of primary leptomeningea1 melanoma without melanotic pigmentation of variable areas of the skm was made.
Blindness ; Brain ; Diagnosis ; Drug Therapy ; Hydrocephalus ; Intracranial Pressure ; Melanoma* ; Meninges ; Pigmentation ; Prognosis ; Radiotherapy ; Seizures