Most craniosynostoses are sporadic, but may have an underlying genetic basis. Secondary and syndromic craniosynostosis accompanies various systemic diseases or associated anomalies. Early detection of an associated disease may facilitate the interdisciplinary management of patients and improve outcomes. For that reason, systematic evaluation of craniosynostosis is mandatory. The authors reviewed systematic evaluation of craniosynostosis with an emphasis on genetic analysis.
Craniosynostoses* ; Diagnosis ; Humans

The purpose of this study was to determine the association between drinking behaviors and the need for periodontal treatment. The data of 5,995 adults from the 2012 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey were categorized into young adulthood (19∼39 years), middle age (40∼64 years), and old age (≥65 years) and analyzed. Chi-square test was performed to determine those who needed periodontal treatment by the respondents' general characteristics and drinking behaviors, and logistic regression analysis was carried out to determine the impact of each drinking behavior on the need for periodontal treatment. The results of this study have confirmed that alcohol intake is a factor adversely affecting periodontal status; therefore, patients should know the fact that excessive alcohol intake and increased frequency of drinking may affect the prevalence rate of periodontal diseases. Moreover, moderate-drinking programs that can reinforce prevention of drinking so that dental hygienists can provide good oral health care should be developed. A systematic oral health promotion program should be introduced for constant prevention with the objective of activating oral health education that focused on middle-aged and young-adult people in pursuit of healthy aging society.
Adult* ; Aging ; Alcohol Drinking ; Dental Hygienists ; Drinking Behavior* ; Drinking* ; Education ; Humans ; Korea ; Logistic Models ; Middle Aged ; Nutrition Surveys ; Oral Health ; Periodontal Diseases ; Periodontal Index ; Prevalence

No Abstract Available.
Allografts* ; Posterior Cruciate Ligament*

The purpose of this study was to examine the association between the symptoms of temporomandibular joint disorders and lumbar diseases in adults when the prevalence rate of osteoarthritis is increasing and to help develop health policies that can improve oral health and health in general. The study used representative data from the 5th Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey phase 3 (2012). In total, we analyzed the data of 3,017 individuals aged over 50 years who participated in the health-related survey and underwent radiography of the lumbar joints. PASW statistics ver. 18.0 was used for analysis. This study revealed the following results: 16.1% experienced at least one symptom of temporomandibular joint disorders within the recent single year, 20.6% experienced lower back pain in the recent three months, and 30.6% had lumbar osteoarthritis revealed using radiography of the lumbar joints. Symptoms of temporomandibular joint disorders, lower back pain, and lumbar osteoarthritis were correlated with each other; the respondents who experienced symptoms of temporomandibular joint disorders had 1.70 times (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.30∼2.22) higher prevalence of lower back pain and 1.20 times (95% CI, 0.86∼1.68) higher prevalence of lumbar osteoarthritis than in those with no such difficulties. The results of this study confirmed that the symptoms of temporomandibular joint disorders affected lumbar diseases in adulthood. Therefore, adequate treatment and prevention of the symptoms of temporomandibular joint disorders in adults is expected to make crucial contributions to decreases in the prevalence rate of lumbar diseases and an improvement in the quality of life.
Adult* ; Health Policy ; Humans ; Joints ; Korea ; Low Back Pain ; Nutrition Surveys ; Oral Health ; Osteoarthritis ; Osteoarthritis, Spine ; Prevalence ; Quality of Life ; Radiography ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Temporomandibular Joint Disorders* ; Temporomandibular Joint*

BACKGROUND: Fluid overload prior to continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) is an important prognostic factor. Thus, precise evaluation of fluid status is necessary to treat such patients. In this study, we investigated whether fluid assessment using bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) can predict outcomes in critically ill patients requiring CRRT. METHODS: A prospective observational study was performed in patients who were admitted to the intensive care unit and who required CRRT. BIA was conducted before CRRT; then, the ratio of extracellular water to total body water (ECW/TBW) was derived to estimate volume status. RESULTS: A total of 31 patients treated with CRRT were included. There were 18 men (58.1%), and the median age was 67 years (interquartile range, 51 to 78 years). Fourteen patients (45.2%) died within 28 days after CRRT initiation. Patients were divided into 16 with ECW/TBW ≥0.41 and 15 with ECW/TBW <0.41. Survival rate within 28 days was different between the two groups (P = 0.044). Cox regression analysis revealed a relationship between ECW/TBW ≥0.41 and 28-day mortality, but it was not statistically significant (hazard ratio, 3.0; 95% confidence interval, 0.9 to 9.8; P = 0.061). Lastly, the area under the curve of ECW/TBW for 28-day mortality was analyzed. The area under the curve of ECW/TBW was 0.73 (95% confidence interval, 0.54 to 0.92), and this was significant (P = 0.037). CONCLUSIONS: Fluid status can be assessed using BIA in critically ill patients requiring CRRT, and BIA can predict mortality. Further large trials are needed to confirm the usefulness of BIA in critically ill patients.
Body Water ; Critical Illness* ; Electric Impedance* ; Humans ; Intensive Care Units ; Male ; Mortality ; Observational Study* ; Prospective Studies* ; Renal Replacement Therapy* ; Survival Rate ; Water

No abstract available.
Ectromelia*

OBJECTIVE: Aquaporin (AQP) is a recently discovered protein that regulates water homeostasis. The present study examines changes in AQP 1 and 4 in kaolin induced experimental hydrocephalic rats to elucidate the pathophysiology of water homeostasis in the disease. METHODS: Hydrocephalus was induced by percutaneous intracisternal injection of kaolin. The brain parenchyma and choroid plexus were obtained at 3, 7, 14 and 30 days after injection. Protein expressions of AQP 1 and 4 were measured by western blot, immunohistochemistry (IHC) and immunofluorescence (IF) stains. RESULTS: In the choroid plexus of the kaolin-induced hydrocephalus group, AQP 1 expression identified by western blot exhibited sharp decrease in the early stage (55% by the 3rd day and 22% by the 7th day), but indicated a 2.2-fold increase in the later stage (30th day) in comparison with control groups. In the parenchyma, a quantitative measurement of AQP 4 expression revealed variable results on the 3rd and 7th days, but indicated expression 2.1 times higher than the control in the later stage (30th day). In addition, the IHC and IF findings supported the patterns of expression of AQP 1 in the choroid plexus and AQP 4 in the parenchyma. CONCLUSION: Expression of AQP 1 decreased sharply in the choroid plexus of acute hydrocephalus rats and increased at later stages. Expression of AQP 4 in the brain parenchyma was variable in the early stage in the hydrocephalus group, but was higher than in the control in the later stage. These findings suggest a compensating role of AQPs in water physiology in hydrocephalus.
Animals ; Aquaporin 1* ; Aquaporins ; Blotting, Western ; Brain* ; Choroid Plexus* ; Choroid* ; Coloring Agents ; Fluorescent Antibody Technique ; Homeostasis ; Hydrocephalus ; Immunohistochemistry ; Kaolin ; Physiology ; Rats* ; Water

OBJECTIVE: Ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunt complication is a major obstacle in the management of hydrocephalus. To study the differences of VP shunt complications between children and adults, we analyzed shunt revision surgery performed at our hospital during the past 10 years. METHODS: Patients who had undergone shunt revision surgery from January 2001 to December 2010 were evaluated retrospectively by chart review about age distribution, etiology of hydrocephalus, and causes of revision. Patients were grouped into below and above 20 years old. RESULTS: Among 528 cases of VP shunt surgery performed in our hospital over 10 years, 146 (27.7%) were revision surgery. Infection and obstruction were the most common causes of revision. Fifty-one patients were operated on within 1 month after original VP shunt surgery. Thirty-six of 46 infection cases were operated before 6 months after the initial VP shunt. Incidence of shunt catheter fracture was higher in younger patients compared to older. Two of 8 fractured catheters in the younger group were due to calcification and degradation of shunt catheters with fibrous adhesion to surrounding tissue. CONCLUSION: The complications of VP shunts were different between children and adults. The incidence of shunt catheter fracture was higher in younger patients. Degradation of shunt catheter associated with surrounding tissue calcification could be one of the reasons of the difference in facture rates.
Adult ; Age Distribution ; Catheters ; Child ; Humans ; Hydrocephalus ; Incidence ; Retrospective Studies* ; Ventriculoperitoneal Shunt*

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to investigate plasma levels of endostatin and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in normal subjects and in patients with pituitary adenoma and to evaluate change in these levels following stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) for pituitary adenoma. METHODS: Peripheral venous blood was collected from five patients with pituitary adenoma before SRS using Gamma Knife and at the 1 week and 1 month follow-up visits. Plasma endostatin and VEGF levels were measured using commercially available enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kits. Peripheral blood samples were obtained from 10 healthy volunteers as controls. RESULTS: Mean baseline plasma endostatin level (105.3 ng/mL, range, 97.0-120.2 ng/mL) in patients with pituitary adenoma was higher than that of the healthy controls (86.6 ng/mL, range, 71.3-98.2 ng/mL) (p=0.001). Mean plasma VEGF level was 89.5 pg/mL (range, 24.1-171.8 pg/mL) in patients with pituitary adenoma at baseline and 29.3 pg/mL (range, 9.2-64.3 pg/mL) in the control group (p=0.050). Plasma endostatin level changed to 106.6 ng/mL 1 week after SRS and decreased to 95.9 ng/mL after 1 month. Plasma VEGF level following SRS decreased to 74.1 pg/mL after 1 week and 79.0 pg/mL after 1 month. There was a trend toward decreased plasma endostatin and VEGF concentrations 1 month after SRS compared to baseline levels (p=0.195, p=0.812, respectively). CONCLUSION: Plasma endostatin and VEGF levels in patients with pituitary adenoma were significantly elevated over controls at baseline, which decreased from baseline to 1 month after SRS for pituitary adenomas.
Endostatins* ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Follow-Up Studies ; Healthy Volunteers ; Humans ; Pituitary Neoplasms* ; Plasma ; Radiosurgery* ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A*

OBJECTIVE: Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of chronic subdural hematoma (CSDH) detects various patterns, which can be attributed to many factors. The purpose of this study was to measure the level of interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-8 (IL-8), and highly specific protein [beta-trace protein (betaTP)] for cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in CSDHs, and correlate the levels of these markers with the MRI findings. METHODS: Thirty one patients, treated surgically for CSDH, were divided on the basis of MRI findings into hyperintense and non-hyperintense groups. The concentrations of IL-6, IL-8, and betaTP in the subdural fluid and serum were measured. The betaTP was considered to indicate an admixture of CSF to the subdural fluid if betaTP in the subdural fluid (betaTP(SF))/betaTP in the serum (betaTP(SER))>2. RESULTS: The mean concentrations of IL-6 and IL-8 of the hyperintense group (n=17) of T1-WI MRI were 3975.1+/-1040.8 pg/mL and 6873.2+/-6365.4 pg/mL, whereas them of the non-hyperintense group (n=14) were 2173.5+/-1042.1 pg/mL and 2851.2+/-6267.5 pg/mL (p<0.001 and p=0.004). The mean concentrations of betaTP(SF) and the ratio of betaTP(SF)/betaTP(SER) of the hyperintense group (n=13) of T2-WI MRI were 7.3+/-2.9 mg/L and 12.6+/-5.4, whereas them of the non-hyperintense group (n=18) were 4.3+/-2.3 mg/L and 7.5+/-3.9 (p=0.011 and p=0.011). CONCLUSION: The hyperintense group on T1-WI MRI of CSDHs exhibited higher concentrations of IL-6 and IL-8 than non-hyperintense group. And, the hyperintese group on T2-WI MRI exhibited higher concentrations of betaTP(SF) and the ratio of betaTP(SF)/betaTP(SER) than non-hyperintense group. These findings appear to be associated with rebleeding and CSF admixture in the CSDHs.
Cerebrospinal Fluid ; Cytokines* ; Hematoma, Subdural, Chronic* ; Humans ; Interleukin-6 ; Interleukin-8 ; Interleukins ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Prospective Studies*