BACKGROUND: Elevated plasma homocysteine level (tHcy) is one of the risk factors for coronary artery disease (CAD). It has been demonstrated that doses of folate as low as 0.25 mg/d significantly decreased tHcy in healthy, young women. Homozygosity for C-677T polymorphism in the Methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) gene seems to be correlated with an elevated tHcy in the situation of low blood folate concentrations. In this study, we evaluated the response of the low dose folate treatment on the tHcy and whether genetic variation of MTHFR gene might influence the response of the folate treatment in korean CAD patients. METHODS: CAD patients (n=3), confirmed by coronary angiography, and controls were analyzed for CAD risk factors including tHcy and MTHFR gene C-677T polymorphism. Patients were treated with daily 0.25mg folate for 4weeks and the level of folate and tHcy was reevaluated. RESULTS: Low dose folate treatment for 4weeks significantly increased folate level (38%, p<0.05), but did not influence tHcy. Patients whose tHcy was decreased with folate replacement (n=1) were characterized by low basal folate level (7.0+/-2.6 vs 9.1+/-2.7 nmol/L, p<0.05) and high basal tHcy (12.6+/-4.4 vs 8.6+/-2.4 micromol/L, p<0.05) compared to the patients whose tHcy was unaffected or increased with folate. tHcy was decreased 11.2% and 12.6% each in patients with high basal tHcy (>10 micromol/L) and low folate level (<7 nmol/L), but increased 7.3% and 4.5% in patients with low tHcy and high folate level (p<0.05, each). MTHFR C-677T polymorphism was not a significant contributing factor for tHcy and for the response to folate treatment. CONCLUSION: Low dose folate treatment can decrease tHcy in CAD patients with low basal folate level and high basal tHcy. C-677T MTHFR gene mutation does not influence the effects of low dose folate treatment on tHcy in Korean CAD patients.
Coronary Angiography ; Coronary Artery Disease* ; Coronary Vessels* ; Female ; Folic Acid* ; Genetic Variation ; Homocysteine* ; Humans ; Methylenetetrahydrofolate Reductase (NADPH2) ; Plasma ; Risk Factors

No abstract available.
Diabetic Neuropathies*

No abstract available.
Germ Cells* ; Neoplasms, Germ Cell and Embryonal*

This study was designed to investigate the effects of the progressive muscle relaxation on behavioral states and emotional reactions of adolescent athletes. The participants were 167 adolescent male soccer players aged between 12 and 18 who were junior or high school students in Seoul. Ninety-three of them were assigned to the experimental group, while seventy-four to the control group. The experimental group was treated by 10 sessions (20 min./session) of Jacobson's progressive muscle relaxation for two weeks, while the control group was not treated. The self and observer reported behavioral states, general stress by visual analogue scale, physical symptoms of stress, athletic stress, state anxiety, depression, self-esteem were measured before and after two weeks of the progressive muscle relaxation. The results were as follows ; 1. The self and observer reported behavioral states were significantly decreased in the experimental group compared with the control group. 2. The general stress and the gastrointestinal symptoms of stress were significantly decreased in the experimental group compared with the control group. No significant difference on athletic stress was found between the two groups. The depression and the state anxiety were significantly decreased in the experimental group compared with the control group. The self-esteem was significantly increased in the experimental group compared with the control group. 3. The influential factors on behavioral state of adolescent male athlete were depression and state anxiety. The accelerating factor on behavioral state change after the progressive muscle relaxation was state anxiety. These results are suggested that the progressive muscle relaxation could be effective in stabilizing behavioral state, decreasing general stress, gastrointestinal symptoms of stress, depression, state anxiety, in increasing self-esteem of adolescent male athletes. And the behavioral state change after the progressive muscle relaxation was influenced by state anxiety.
Adolescent* ; Anxiety ; Athletes* ; Depression ; Humans ; Male ; Muscle Relaxation* ; Seoul ; Soccer ; Sports ; Child Health

This survey was made to determine the overall health situation on (1) the status of sickness; (2) the medical care utilization; (3) the medical cost in Mi-Kum Myun, Nam Yang Ju Gun, Kyung_Gi Do. The survey with questionnaire was carried out with 2,840 peoples in 560 households from August 9th to 16th, 1979. The findings from the survey were as follows; 1. Annul morbidity rate of the prolonged ill cases was 97.2 per 1,000 population (male 94.7, female 99.6). The highest age specific morbidity rate was 274.5 of the 45-to 64-year group and the lowest was 21.9 of the 5-to 14-year group. 2. Annul morbidity rate of the new patients was 777.5 per 1,000 population(male 644.5, female 909.5). 3. The chief complaints distribution of the prolonged ill cases was: local pain 36.6%, indigestion 22.4%, and coughing 7.3%, respectively. In terms of age and sex distribution, a large number of female of the 45-to 64-year group complained of local pain or general pain a large number of both sexes of the 25-to 44-year group complained of indigestion. 4. The major diseases of the new patients which classified with International Classification of Disease (I.C.D) were disease of the respiratory system, disease of the digestive system, and disease of the musculo-skeletal system and connective tissue for male, disease of the respiratory system, disease of the digestive system, and accident, poisoning, violence for female. 5. Total ill days of the 92 new patients were 536 days and average ill days per were 6+/-38.3 days. 6. The rate of receiving treatment in the prolonged ill case was 82.2%(medical facilities 46.4%, drug stores 27.5%, herb medicine 8.3%). 7. The rate of receiving treatment by first choice of the new patients was 88.0% (drug stores 57.%, medicine facilities 28.2%, and herb medicine 2.2%), and the rate of receiving treatment by second choice was 30.9% of first treatment cases (medicine facilities 44.0%, drug store 44.0% and herb medicine 12.0%). 8. Annul hospitalization rate per 1,000 population was (male 12.0, female 11.9). 9. The locations of medical facilities utilized by out-patients were: in the prolonged ill cases Seoul or other places 66.4%, Nam Yang Ju Gun 33.6%, in cases of the new patients Seoul or other places 35.1% and Nam Yang Ju Gun 64.9% respectively. 10. The satisfaction rate of the new patients by mode of receiving treatment was: in cases of primary utilization by first choice herb medicine 100.0%, medical facilities 88.5%, and drug stores 69.8%, in cases of secondary utilization medical facilities 100.0%, herb medicine 100.0%, and drug stores 72.7% respectively. 11. The medical cost per utilized facilities was as follows; in average medical fee per case out-patient 8,947 won, in-patient 266,000 won, drug stores 1,532 won, and herb medicine 15,607 won, in average medical fee per day out-patient 4,829 won, in patient 14,178 won, drug stores 891 won, and herb medicine 4,906 won respectively. 12. The sources of the hospital changes paid out were: there own expense 50.0%, debt 35.3%, and security of medical care 14.7% respectively.
Classification ; Connective Tissue ; Cough ; Digestive System ; Dyspepsia ; Family Characteristics ; Fees, Medical ; Female ; Hospitalization ; Humans ; Male ; Outpatients ; Poisoning ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Respiratory System ; Seoul ; Sex Distribution ; Violence

Crouzon's disease, first described by Crouzon in 1912, is characterized by craniosynostosis, exorbitism and midface hypoplasia. As well, it has been known to be transmitted as an autosomal dominant trait. Clinically, Crouzon's disease not only has aesthetic problems, but also many functional disabilities, such as increased intracranial pressure, hydrocephalus, visual disturbance. difficulty in nasal breathing and malocclusion. The surgical correction of Crouzon's disease includes: 1) frontal bone advancement and release of the craniosynostosis; 2) correction of the midface retrusion; and 3) other ancillary procedures for better aesthetic results. The authors performed Le Fort III advancement for the correction of midface retrusion in 5 cases of Crouzon's disease. These advancements were performed at about the age of 15 in consideration of facial bone growth disturbance, psychosocial effects, and the recurrence of class III malocclusion after operation. The average advancement of the midface was 9. 2 mm. We experienced favorable aesthetic and functional results without severe complication in all cases or relapse of the advanced segment.
Craniofacial Dysostosis* ; Craniosynostoses ; Facial Bones ; Frontal Bone ; Hydrocephalus ; Intracranial Pressure ; Malocclusion ; Recurrence ; Respiration

No abstract available.
Muscular Dystrophy, Duchenne* ; Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length*

No abstract available.
Animals ; Rats* ; Sciatic Nerve*

The Purpose of this study was to obtain the basic data to identify effective nursing methods for intravenous therapy patients by means of investigating the incidence of phlebitis and identifying the risk factors for intravenous-related phlebitis which cared by the IV team nurses. The data collected from August, 30, 1995 to October, 2, 1995. The subjects of this study were 495 IV catheters of 270 patients hospitalized to the 3 internal medicine and the 3 surgical wards of large general hospital who received the continuous IV therapy. In order to investigate the incidence of phlebitis, investigator developed the criteria for judging phlebitis and assessment records concerning the phlebitis. Catheter sites was inspected on a daily basis by IV team nurses, and development of phlebitis was graded and documented. The data were analyzed using the PC-SAS program : Percentages and Chi-Square test were used. The results were summarized as follows ; 1. Over-all rate of incidence of intravenous-related phlebitis was 8.7%(Grade III 8.5%, Grade IV 0.2%). 2. There was significant difference in the incidence of phlebitis by sex. It was 12.00% in female as compared to 6.44% in male. 3. There was no significant difference in the incidence of phlebitis by age. 4. There was significant difference in the incidence of phlebitis according to duration of catheter placement. The incidence of phlebitis was the highest within 24 hour after insertion. 5. There was significant difference in the incidence of phlebitis according to the location of the insertion site. Lower extremities were 22.22% as compared to 8.18% in upper extremities. But, there was no difference in the incidence of phlebitis according to the location of the insertion site among upper extremities catheters. 6. There was significant difference in the incidence of phlebitis by the size of cannula 22G was 11.08% as compared to 4.14% in 18G. 7. There was no significant difference in the incidence of phlebitis between surgical and medical wards. It was 10.96% in surgical wards as compared to 6.88% in medical wards. In conclusion, the following risk factors can be attributed to the incidence of phlebitis : sex, the duration of catheter placement, the location of the insertion site and the size of cannula inserted. Consequently, in order to prevent and detect the intravenous-related phlebitis early, a consistent, organized assessment and evaluation of the above factors during the intravenous therapy.
Catheters ; Female ; Hospitals, General ; Humans ; Incidence ; Internal Medicine ; Lower Extremity ; Male ; Nursing ; Phlebitis ; Research Personnel ; Risk Factors ; Upper Extremity

Vaginal Brenner tumor is extremely rare. Only five cases have been reported in the English literature to date. Here we report a vaginal Brenner tumor in a 76-year old postmenopausal woman, who presented with a 2.5cm-sized sessile vaginal polyp. Microscopically, it showed characteristic features of Brenner tumor consisting of three components; transitional islands, glands, and dense fibrous stroma. The epithelial tumor cells were positive for GATA-3, p63 and ER, but negative for PAX8. The origin of Brenner tumors in the vagina is unclear, but previous reports suggested of Müllerian origin. However, our case revealed that vaginal Walthard nests could be possible precursor lesions based on their immunohistochemical staining results.