Traditionally umbilical vein has been used for exchange transfusion in neonates. This method is relatively safe and effective but with a few complications. So via percutaneous femoral vein catheters we tried exchange transfusions in 30 patients with neonatal hyperbilirubinemia admitted to GNUH from September 1990 to August 1992. Femoral vein catheterization succeeded in 2~3 trials, In all cases high bilirubin level was lowered by half at the end of exchange transfusion. Transient microscopic hematuria by bladder puncture occurred in one neonate. Exchange transfusion via femoral vein catheter is a sage, easy and effective method.
Bilirubin ; Catheterization* ; Catheters* ; Femoral Vein* ; Hematuria ; Humans ; Hyperbilirubinemia, Neonatal ; Infant, Newborn* ; Punctures ; Umbilical Veins* ; Urinary Bladder

No abstract available.

Adult onset Stills Disease (AOSD) is a systemic inflammatory disease characterized by spiking high fevers, arthritis, and an evanescent rash. Although many patients respond to nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and corticosteroid, some patients fail to do so or are found to be resistant and require high doses of corticosteroid which induce severe side effects. Recently, treatment with intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) has been reported to be effective in patients with AOSD who were refractory to NSAIDs. Here, we report a case of AOSD treated with IVIG with a review of the literature.
Adult* ; Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal ; Arthritis ; Exanthema ; Fever ; Humans ; Immunoglobulins* ; Immunoglobulins, Intravenous ; Still's Disease, Adult-Onset*

There have been a few cases of occupational allergy caused by herb materials. In this study, we report a case of occupational asthma and rhinitis sensitized by six kinds of herb materials-Ostericum (Kangwhal), Angelica (Danggui), Cnidium (Chunkung), Pinellia (Banha), Zingerber (Kunkang) and Discoreae (Sanyak) in a pharmacist working at a pharmacy. The patient had shown negative responses to 80 common inhalant and food allergens, but strong positive responses to six herb material extracts, Kangwhal, Danggui, Chunkung, Banha, Kunkang and Sanyak, were noted on skin-prick test. Bronchoprovocation test showed a dual asthmatic response to Danggui extract. Serum specific IgE antibodies to Chunkung, Banha and Sanyak were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) with no specific IgE binding to Kangwhal, Danggui and Kunkang extracts. In order to further characterize the allergic components of these three extracts, sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and electroblotting studies were performed. One IgE binding components (60 kDa) were detected within Chunkung extract, two (10, 25 kDa) in Banha and four (33, 34, 65, 98 kDa) in Sanyak. It is suggested that Chunkung, Banha and Sanyak may induce IgE-mediated bronchoconstriction in an exposed worker. Further studies are needed to investigate the pathogenic mechanisms induced by Kangwhal, Danggui and Kunkang.
Allergens ; Angelica ; Antibodies ; Asthma ; Asthma, Occupational* ; Bronchoconstriction ; Cnidium ; Electrophoresis ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity ; Immunoglobulin E ; Occupational Diseases ; Pharmacists ; Pharmacy ; Pinellia ; Rhinitis ; Sodium

BACKGROUND: Trichophyton is one of the most common genera of dermatophytes. It has been reported that Trichophyton spp. might be one of the causative allergens in patients with asthma, rhinitis, urticaria and angioedema. OBJECTIVES: To analyze the sensitization rate of Trichophyton, to determine serum specific IgE antibody, and to confirm Trichophyton as a causative antigen in patients with allergic diseases. METHODS: A total of 1,806 patients were enrolled in this study. Skin prick test was performed with 50 common inhalant allergens and 20 food allergens. Serum specific IgE antibodies were determined by ELISA using Trichophyton mentagrophytes antigen in 60 patients among positive skin responders to Trichophyton antigens and in 20 controls. For evaluation of cross-reactivity between Trichophyton and other fungal species, competitive ELISA inhibition test was performed. SDS-PAGE and IgE-immunoblot analysis using T. mentagrophytes antigen were applied in 7 patients with high specific IgE titers. RESULTS: 102 patients (5.7%) showed positive response to T. mentagrophytes on skin prick test, and six patients showed isolated positive responses. Serum specific IgE increased according to skin reactivity (p<0.05). SDS-PAGE and IgE-immunoblot showed 10 IgE-binding components (11, 17, 27, 32, 35, 38, 42, 48, 49, 51 kDa) within Trichophyton extracts. Trichophyton-ELISA inhibition test showed dose-dependent inhibitions with additions of Trichophyton antigens, while minimal inhibitions were noted with additions of Fusarium, Alternaria, Aspergillus and Clados- porium. CONCLUSIONS: Trichophyton could induce IgE sensitization in allergy patients. The sensitization rate on skin prick test was 5.7%. Trichophyton antigen should be included in skin prick test battery to screen causative agents for allergy patients.
Allergens* ; Alternaria ; Angioedema ; Antibodies ; Arthrodermataceae ; Aspergillus ; Asthma ; Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Fusarium ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity ; Immunoblotting* ; Immunoglobulin E ; Rhinitis ; Skin ; Trichophyton* ; Urticaria

PURPOSE: Recommended dietary allowance of vitamin C was determined on the basis of preventing the scurvy without considerations of the important function of the vitamin C as a first line antioxidant. So we measured the whole blood and plasma vitamin C concentrations of the contemporay healthy elementary school children in Chinju for the establishment of the optimal daily vitamin C requirment in the elementary school children. METHODS: Whole blood and plasma vitamin C concentrations were measured by the 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine method in 338 children from the 1st to the 6th grade of one elementary school in Chinju. RESULTS: Whole blood and plasma vitamin C concentrations were 1.36+/-0.34mg/dL and 1.07+/-0.33mg/dL respectively. There existed an close relationship between whole blood and plasma vitamin C concentrations (r=0.77, p=0.0001). Whole blood vitamin C concentration decreased as the age became older (r=-0.22 p=0.0001), but plasma vitamin C concentration did not change. There were no sex differences in the whole blood and plasma vitamin C concentrations except in the 3rd grade (p<0.05). Twenty-three of 338 elementary school children (6.8%) had the plasma vitamin C concentration less than 0.6mg/dL. CONCLUSIONS: We produced the blood and plasma vitamin C concentrations of the contemporay elementary school children in Chinju. These values were not satisfactory in consideration of the importance of the childhood health.
Ascorbic Acid* ; Child* ; Gyeongsangnam-do* ; Humans ; Plasma* ; Recommended Dietary Allowances ; Scurvy ; Sex Characteristics ; Vitamins*

BACKGROUND: The aim of the present study was to determine the population-based prevalence of diabetes mellitus (DM) and prediabetes in a rural district of Daegu City, Korea. METHODS: Between August and November 2003, a community-based health survey of adults aged 20 years and older was performed in the rural district of Dalseong-gun in Daegu City. A total of 1,806 of all eligible individuals agreed to participate. Fasting plasma glucose was measured in all participants. Two hour oral glucose tolerance was measured in the 1,773 participants for whom there was neither an established diagnosis of DM nor evidence of DM according to fasting glucose levels. The prevalence of DM and prediabetes was determined according to the 2003 criteria of the American Diabetes Association. Subjects with prediabetes were classified into one of three categories of glucose intolerance: isolated impaired fasting glucose (IFG); isolated impaired glucose tolerance (IGT); or combined IFG and IGT. RESULTS: The prevalence of DM was 12.2%. The highest prevalence rates were observed in subjects in their seventies. A total of 34.7% of all subjects who were assigned a diagnosis of DM in the present study had not been diagnosed previously. The prevalence of prediabetes was 22.7%. The highest prevalence rates were observed in subjects in their fifties. CONCLUSION: The present study identified prevalence rates of 12.2% for DM (age-standardized prevalence rate [ASR], 6.8%), and 22.7% for prediabetes (ASR 18.5%). These results emphasize the need for community health promotion strategies to prevent or delay the onset of DM in individuals with prediabetes.
Adult ; Aged ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Fasting ; Glucose ; Glucose Tolerance Test ; Health Promotion ; Health Surveys ; Humans ; Korea ; Plasma ; Prediabetic State ; Prevalence

PURPOSE: To evaluate the factors related to severe intracranical atherosclerotic stenosis (intracranial vs. extracranial) as diagnosed by conventional angiography in Korean patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed the angiographic results and clinical data of 127 consecutive patients with an angiographically confirmed stenosis greater than 70%. Nine factors, i.e. age, gender, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, hyperlipidemia, smoking and alcohol habit, previous stroke and ischemic heart disease were included as presumed explanatory variables to discriminate different types of atherosclerotic stenosis (extracranial versus intracranial stenosis). Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to estimate independent effects of the predictive variables on cerebral occlusive disease. RESULTS: Among 127 patients, 62 patients had intracranial stenosis and 65 patients had extracranial stenosis. Compared to extracranial stenosis, mean age was lower (p < 0.001), female-to-male ratio was higher (p = 0.001) and the number of patients with diabetes mellitus was less (p = 0.019) in group of severe intracranial stenosis significantly. There were no differences in hypertension, smoke and alcohol, hyperlipidemia, ischemic heart disease and previous stroke between two groups. CONCLUSION: In Korean patients, severe atherosclerotic intracranial stenosis has younger, female and diabetes-free preference than severe atherosclerotic extracranial stenosis.
Angiography ; Atherosclerosis ; Carotid Artery, Internal ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Female ; Humans ; Hyperlipidemias ; Hypertension ; Logistic Models ; Myocardial Ischemia ; Retrospective Studies ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Stroke