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.
Humans* ; Peripheral Nerves*

Patient with Kawasaki disease who presented with acute myocardial infarction in young age Although the clinical course of Kawasaki disease is self limiting, coronary aneurysm or myocardial disorders develop in about 20% of the patients. In recent years there have been reports of ischemic heart disease as sequelae of Kawasaki disease in adults, especially young adults. In Korea, there was only one case report in 1995. We report a young woman who presented as acute myocardial infarction with coronary artery aneurysms which highly suggest the underlying Kawasaki disease. The acute myocardial infarction in this patient seems to be the late cardiologic sequelae of Kawasaki disease, which has been silent clinically until the presentation as an acute myocardial infarction. New noninvasive diagnostic tests are being tried to improve the detection of coronary artery complication. However, coronary angiography is still widely used to determine the presence of coronary artery lesions and access the feasibility of coronary intervention. Another advantage of coronary angiography is that, it is possible to analyze the shape and the size of aneurysm and predict the prognosis. In this case we performed the percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty(PTCA) instead of surgery. Further study comparing surgery with percutaneous coronary angioplasty is needed.
Adult ; Aneurysm ; Angioplasty ; Coronary Aneurysm ; Coronary Angiography ; Coronary Vessels ; Diagnostic Tests, Routine ; Female ; Humans ; Korea ; Mucocutaneous Lymph Node Syndrome* ; Myocardial Infarction* ; Myocardial Ischemia ; Prognosis ; Young Adult

No abstract available.
Humans ; Siblings*

No abstract available.
Cough* ; Humans ; Sarcoidosis* ; Skin*

The purpose of this study was to investigate the level of anxiety for the mothers of leukemic children and to provide the fundamental data for the better performance of caring to them. The subject were 292 mothers : 100 mothers whose children had a leukemia, 80 mothers whose children had taken a tonsillectomy, 112 mothers whose children with medical disease except cancer. The data were collected through the state-Trait Anxiety Inventory of Spilberger and analyzed by t-test, ANOVA, Scheffe test. The results were as follows ; 1. The state anxiety mean score of mothers with leukemic children was 54.16. 2. The state anxiety of mothers with leukemic children was higher than that of the rest (F=8.00, P=0.0004). 3. There was no significant difference in anxiety of mothers with leukemic children in relation to leukemic children's and their mother's general characteristics.
Anxiety* ; Child* ; Humans ; Leukemia ; Mothers* ; Tonsillectomy ; Child Health

No abstract available.
Child* ; Cholecystectomy, Laparoscopic* ; Humans

No abstract available.
Arginine* ; Humans* ; Semen*

No abstract available.
Arginine* ; Humans* ; Semen*

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the current status and new trends in gynelcological pelviscopy in Korea. METHODS: A survey was conducted and analyzed based on 20997 cases of operative pelviscopy hom May, 1985 to February, 1998 reported from twenty four university hospitals in Korea. RESULTS: The results obtained were ss followings; 1) 45.9 % of the total cases was 30 to 39 years old age group and it was the most dominant age group, 2) The previous operative history was found in 10.9% of the tota1 cases and included cesarean section(30.0%), ectopic pregnancy(20.3%), etc. 3) The operative indications were diagnostic(26.2%), myoma uteri(23.1%), ectopic pregnancy(21.4%), adnexal mass(18.4%), etc. In cases of diagnostic indication, the most common post-operative diagnosis of pelviscopic surgery was tubal pregnancy(30,6%). 4) The operative titles were salpingectomy(25.1%), hysterectomy(19.9%), salpinghorectomy(19.8%), etc. 5) The complications of operative pelviscopy were composed of subcutaneous emphysema(0.58%), preperitoneal bleeding(0.3%), bladder injury(0,3%), bowel injury(0.3%), etc. 6) lhe survey showed that 57.1% of the respondents desired more than 1 year of period for well peration between the operator and the assistant. 56.7% of respondents indicated that the surgical technique of the operator was the most important factor for a successful pelvisocopic surgery. 7) The most beneficial effect of the pelviscopy included the comfortableness of the patient(40.0%), cosmetic effect(22.8%), decrease of complications(14.2%), etc. CONCLUSION: The modem methods of operative pelviscopy have been successfully used in the treatment of gynecological disease. Today, pelviscopic surgery is being applied in almost all the cases of gynecological disease. Hence, the majority of pelviscopy techniques and pracedures being performed by surgeon must be taught in the controlled setting of a residency or a fellowship training program.
Adult ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Diagnosis ; Education ; Fellowships and Scholarships ; Hospitals, University ; Humans ; Internship and Residency ; Korea* ; Modems ; Myoma ; Urinary Bladder