OBJETIVE: To analyze the antithrombin III deficiency in patients with recurrent spontaneous abortion. MATERIALS AND METHOD: The blood samples were tested by chromogenic assay to evaluate the activity of antithrombin III. RESULTS: There was only one case of antithrombin III deficiency. This patient experienced one neonatal death after delivery and one FDIU (fetal death in utero). And also this patient showed a lupus anticoagulant and the prolongation of PTT. CONCLUSIONS: Women with recurrent miscarriage who have no obvious identified cause should consider hematologic screening. Antithrombin III deficiency could be a cause of recurrent spontaneous abortion. But the incidence is very rare in Korean patients.
Abortion, Habitual ; Abortion, Spontaneous* ; Antithrombin III Deficiency* ; Antithrombin III* ; Female ; Humans ; Incidence ; Lupus Coagulation Inhibitor ; Mass Screening ; Pregnancy

Trachea is lined by a pseudostratified epithelium which usually expresses a complex mixture of stratified as well as simple epithelial-type cytokeratins. In the present work, the cytokeratin expressions was studied immunohistochemically in the tracheal epithelium and gland of human fetus at 14, 26 and 32 weeks of gestation. The primary antibodies used were CK7, 8, 10, 14, 18, AE8, 5D3, MNFl16 and AE3. In PAS-hematoxylin stain, the tracheal eithelium was composed of pseudostratified ciliated columnar type and consisted of surface, intermediate and basal layers regardless of gestational ages. The PAS positive cells, however, were decreased in number in proportion to gestational ages. The tracheal gland was not fully differentiated at 14 weeks of gestation, and had well differentiated secretory portions consisting mucous and serous cells at 26 and 32 weeks of gestation. The mucous cells and luminal border of the duct were positive for PAS stain. The tracheal eithelium showed different immunoreactivity between cartilageous and membranous portions. In general, CK7 and 5D3 were expressed in surface cells, AE8 in intermediate cells, and MNFl16 and AE3 in the cells of all layers. At 14 weeks of gestation, the tracheal epithelium immunoreacted for CK7, AE8, 5D3, MNFl16 and AE3. The premordium of tracheal gland was positive for 5D3, MNFl16 and AE3. The tracheal epithelium at 26 and 32 weeks of gestation showed same staining properties to those at 14 weeks of gestation. The duct cells at 26 weeks of gestation were immunoreactive for CK7, 8, 14, 18, AE8, 5D3, MNFl16 and AE3, and those at 32 weeks of gestation were immunoreactive for CK7, 14, 5D3, MNFl16 and AE3. The acinar cells at 26 and 32 weeks of gestation were positively stained for CK7, 8, 18, 5D3, MNFl16 and AE3. These results suggest that CK7 and 5D3 may serve as useful markers for mature cilated cells, AE8 (CKl3) for immature ciliated cells, and CKl4 for duct cells in tracheal epithelium and gland.
Acinar Cells ; Antibodies ; Epithelium* ; Fetus* ; Gestational Age ; Humans* ; Immunohistochemistry ; Keratins* ; Phenobarbital ; Pregnancy ; Trachea

No abstract available.
Humans

OBJECTIVE: To report the prevalence of lupus anticoagulants and anticardiolipin antibodies in patients with recurrent spontaneous abortion and infertility. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Lupus anticoagulants and anticardiolipin antibodies were analyzed by Diluted Russell's Viper Venom Test (DRVVT) and solid phase enzyme immunoassay, respectively. RESULTS: In 200 patients with infertility, there were 6 cases (3%) with positive lupus anticoagulants or anticardiolipin antibodies. Of these, 3 patients (1.5%) showed positive lupus anticoagulants and anticardiolipin antibodies, respectively. In 120 patients with recurrent spontaneous abortion, there were 13 cases (10.8%) of positive lupus anticoagulants or anticardiolipin antibodies. Of these, one patient (1%) showed lupus anticoagulants and 12 patients (10%) showed anticardiolipin antibodies. But in two groups, there was no cases with positive lupus anticoagulants and anticardiolipin antibodies. CONCLUSION: Lupus anticoagulants and anticardiolipin antibodies are definite cause of recurrent spontaneous abortion. There has been a speculation that they might be associated with infertility and repeated IVF failures. But it was found that the role of lupus anticoagulants and anticardiolipin antibodies in these cases are not clear.
Abortion, Spontaneous* ; Antibodies, Anticardiolipin* ; Anticoagulants* ; Female ; Humans ; Immunoenzyme Techniques ; Infertility* ; Pregnancy ; Prevalence ; Russell's Viper ; Venoms

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate factor XII deficiency in patients with recurrent spontaneous abortion and its relation to aPTT. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Factor XII was analyzed by clotting method. RESULTS: Of 70 patients with recurrent spontaneous abortion, there were 35 cases of factor XII deficiency. Among them, there were only 3 cases of prolonged aPTT. CONCLUSIONS: It is still unclear whether factor XII deficiency is related to recurrent spontaneous abortion. Molecular approaches should be used to understand further the causal relationship. But based on this result, in the workup of patients with recurrent spontaneous abortion, factor XII should be included. aPTT is not likely to represent the abnormality of factor XII.
Abortion, Spontaneous* ; Factor XII Deficiency* ; Factor XII* ; Female ; Humans ; Pregnancy

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the interrelationship between homocysteine and methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) mutation in patients with recurrent spontaneous abortion. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Homocysteine and MTHFR mutation were tested by fluorescent polarizing immunoassay and PCR-RFLP method, respectively. RESULTS: In patients with homocysteine level less than 5 mmol/L, there was no case of normal group but there were four cases of heterozygosity and one case of homozygosity. In patients with homocysteine level 5~10 mmol/L, the number of normal, heterozygosity and homozygosity group were eleven, eighteen and eight, respectively. In patients with homocysteine level 10~15 mmol/L, the number of normal, heterozygosity and homozygosity group were four, one and one, respectively. In patients with homocysteine level more than 15 mmol/L, there was no case of normal and heterozygosity group but there were two cases of homozygosity. CONCLUSIONS: Hyperhomocysteinemia due to MTHFR mutation is a cause of recurrent spontaneous abortion. And there was a significant relationship between homocysteine and MTHFR mutation.
Abortion, Spontaneous* ; Female ; Homocysteine* ; Humans ; Hyperhomocysteinemia ; Immunoassay ; Methylenetetrahydrofolate Reductase (NADPH2)* ; Pregnancy

Epidermolysis bullosa dystrophica(EBD) is a rare, hereditary and chronic mechanobullous disease characterized by blistering and erosions of the skin in response to even minor trauma. A 5-year old girl visited with a complaint of continuous vesicobullous skin eruptions since birth. On examination, bullae, vesicles, atrophic scars, crusts and ero:ions were scattered on whole body. Loss of finger and toe nails, partial syndactyly of all toe webs and milia on dorsa of feet were noticed. We present a case of EBD that seems to be a recessive type considering the absence of family history with histopathologic and electron microscopic findings.
Blister ; Child, Preschool ; Cicatrix ; Epidermolysis Bullosa Dystrophica* ; Epidermolysis Bullosa* ; Female ; Fingers ; Foot ; Humans ; Parturition ; Skin ; Syndactyly ; Toes

The present study was carried out to investigate the incidence and clinical features of neonatal skin abnormalities. Six hundred eight neonates were examined in Korea University Guro Hospital from May 1988 to January 1989 and the results were summarized as follows : 1. Stork bite and salmon patch were observed in 24.5%, occurring most frequently in the nape and eyelid. 2. Portwine stains were observed in 0.3%. 3, Strawberry hemsngioma was observed in 0.3%, one case showed typical elevated lesion. 4. Morgolian spots were observed in 68.6%, occurring rnost frequently in the sacro-coccygeal region. There was no difference in sex. 5. Pigmented nevi were observed in 2.1%. Female was more frequent than male. 6. Erythema toxicum neonatorum was observed in 28.1%, occurring most frequently in the trunk. 7. Nevus sebaceus was observed in 0.2%. 8. Skin tags were observed in 1.6%. 9. Cutis marmorata was observed in 3.1%. 10. Accessory auricles were observed in 0.3% and one case was bilateral.
Coloring Agents ; Erythema ; Eyelids ; Female ; Fragaria ; Humans ; Incidence ; Infant, Newborn ; Korea ; Male ; Nevus ; Nevus, Pigmented ; Salmon ; Skin Abnormalities ; Skin*

Inflammatory pseudotumor, originally described in the lung, is a relatively rare tumor-like lesion that occurs in various organs and tissues. It is usually well demarcated from the surrounding tissue, however it can be unfortunately resected as a malignant tumor. A few inflammtory pseudotumor in the kidney have been reported in English literature, but there have been no reports in Korea. We report a case with inflammatory pseudotumor of the kidney. A 48 year old woman had an intermittent flank pain on the right side. An ultrasonographic study suggested a renal cell carcinoma and a nephrectomy was done. Grossly, there were two separate masses with a well demarcated yellowish appearance, measuring 2.3 cm and 1.3 cm in diameter, respectively. Histologically, they were composed of smooth muscle actin positive spindle cells and a large number of foamy histiocytes, lymphocytes, and plasma cells in the fibrotic backgound.
Actins ; Carcinoma, Renal Cell ; Female ; Flank Pain ; Granuloma, Plasma Cell* ; Histiocytes ; Humans ; Kidney* ; Korea ; Lung ; Lymphocytes ; Middle Aged ; Muscle, Smooth ; Nephrectomy ; Plasma Cells

OBJECTIVE : To analyze the methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) mutation in recurrent spontaneous abortion associated with hyperhomocysteinemia. MATERIAL AND METHOD: The blood Sample of habitual aborter with high fasting homocysteine level was tested by PCR-RFLP method. RESULTS: The patient was found to be a homozygosity for MTHFR gene mutation that was confirmed by the finding which is consistent with the mutation at the nucleotide 677 C to T, Corresponding to Ala to Val. CONCLUSIONS: Hyperhomocysteinemia due to MTHFR mutation is a cause of recurrent spontaneous abortion. Therefore, the MTHFR mutation should be examined in the workup of recurrent spontaneous abortion showing hyperhomocysteinemia.
Abortion, Spontaneous* ; Fasting ; Female ; Homocysteine ; Humans ; Hyperhomocysteinemia* ; Methylenetetrahydrofolate Reductase (NADPH2)* ; Pregnancy