No abstract available.
Ankle*

No abstract available.
Leukemia, Neutrophilic, Chronic*

BACKGROUND: Recent studies revealed that inhalational anesthetics (IA) attenuate NO production. But the hemodynamic changes produced by IA in septic syndrome patient are still sufficient to threaten patient, surgeon and anesthesiologist. So we examined which IA is proper to maintain vascular contractile force and evaluated the effects of NOS inhibitors on contractile force of septic rat aorta under IA. METHODS: Aortic ring preparation was obtained from LPS-treated (1.5 mg/kg, i.p. for 18h) rats. The development of sepsis was confirmed by iNOS activity and iNOS expression using RT-PCR. Contractile responses of aorta to phenylephrine admministation in the presence or absence of halothane, enflurane and isoflurane were evaluated. We also evaluated the effects of NOS inhibitors, one is NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) and the other is aminoguanidine. Statistical significances (p<0.05) were analyzed according to data characteristics by unpaired t-test and paired t-test. RESULTS: The contractile responses to phenylephrine admministration were attenuated in LPS-treated rings. Isoflurane, even at the dose of 2 MAC, didn't affect the contractile response while both halothane and enflurane decreased the contractile response even at the dose of 1 MAC. The potentiation of contractile responses by NOS inhibitors were not affected during administeration of IA. CONCLUSIONS: From these results, it is suggested that isoflurane is the safest inhalational anesthetic and NOS inhibitors, especially L-NAME, may be very useful in the therapy of septic shock patients during general anesthesia.
Anesthesia, General ; Anesthetics* ; Animals ; Aorta ; Enflurane ; Halothane ; Hemodynamics ; Humans ; Isoflurane ; NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester ; Nitric Oxide Synthase* ; Nitric Oxide* ; Phenylephrine ; Rats* ; Sepsis ; Shock, Septic

PURPOSE: To describe an unusual case of rapidly progressive outer retinal necrosis (PORN) with vitreous hemorrhage in a 41-year-old woman with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), who had retinitis developed from what was probably varicellar-zoster virus combined with cytomegalovirus (CMV) and herpes simplex type 1,2, as proven by the polymerase chain reaction restriction fragment length polymorphism method (PCR-RFLP). METHODS: This study is a case report detailing clinical follow-up and an aqueous humor test by PCR-RFLP. RESULTS: The deep, white retinal lesions coalesced and progressively expanded in a circumferential manner, with sparing of the perivascular retina. However, retinal and vitreous hemorrhages, unusual findings for PORN, could be noted around the optic nerve. Varicellar-zoster virus (VZV), cytomegalovirus (CMV), and herpes simplex types 1,2 (HSV-1,2) were detected in the aqueous humor by PCR. CONCLUSIONS: PORN has been described as a variant of necrotizing herpetic retinopathy, occurring particularly in patients with AIDS. Although the etiologic agent has been reported to be VZV, concurrent or combined etiologic agents can include HSV-1, HSV-2, and CMV in AIDS patients. Therefore, combined antiviral therapy with acyclovir and ganciclovir could be more reasonable as an initial therapy.
Vitreous Hemorrhage/*complications ; Retinitis/*complications/pathology/*virology ; Necrosis ; Humans ; *Herpes Zoster ; Female ; Disease Progression ; Adult ; Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome/*complications

PURPOSE: To assess the correlation between retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness measured by optical coherence tomography (OCT, Cirrus HD-OCT®) and visual acuity in optic neuritis, ischemic optic neuropathy and traumatic optic neuropathy. METHODS: Thirty-eight patients were recruited. RNFL thickness and visual acuity in optic neuritis, ischemic optic neuropathy and traumatic optic neuropathy were measured at least 6 months after the event. The correlation between log MAR best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and retinal nerve fiber thickness in each quadrant was analyzed. RESULTS: log MAR BCVA and RNFL thickness of each quadrant in optic neuropathy exhibited a statistically significant correlation. In optic neuritis, RNFL thickness of the superior quadrant was significantly thicker than in ischemic optic neuropathy and traumatic optic neuropathy (p = 0.009, 0.003). In addition, RNFL thickness of the inferior quadrant in optic neuritis was significantly thicker than in traumatic optic neuropathy (p = 0.012). CONCLUSIONS: There was a statistically significant correlation between log MAR BCVA and RNFL thickness by OCT in patients with optic neuropathies. The RNFL thickness may predict visual acuity after an optic neuropathy attack and help to differentiate malingering patients with impaired vision loss.
Humans ; Malingering ; Nerve Fibers* ; Optic Nerve Diseases* ; Optic Nerve Injuries ; Optic Neuritis ; Optic Neuropathy, Ischemic ; Retinaldehyde* ; Tomography, Optical Coherence ; Visual Acuity*

No abstract available.
Hepacivirus* ; Hepatitis C Antibodies* ; Hepatitis C* ; Hepatitis* ; Prevalence*

No abstract available.
Cyclophosphamide*

No abstract available.
Coal* ; Palatine Tonsil*

BACKGROUND: Out-of-pocket health expenditures defined as the charges for services not covered by health insurance have received only sporadic attention. The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of sociodemographic and health characteristics on out-of-pocket health expenditures. METHODS: We used data from the 2001 National Public Health and Nutrition Survey, a nationally representative survey of community-dwelling individuals. The final sample size for this analysis was 61 individuals with age 20 and older cancer patients in Korea. Using a multiple linear regression model to control for differences in sociodemographics, self-reported health status, hospital length of stay, time since perception, and insurance status, the out-of-pocket health expenditures were estimated. RESULTS: Mean monthly out-of-pocket health expenditures were 399,300 won. The highest mean out-of-pocket health expenditures were paid by those with lung cancer, 820,000 won. In the regression analysis, insurance status, resident area, hospital length of stay, and time since perception were statistically significant determinants. Thus, those with higher hospital days, National Health Insurance, metropolitan, and more than 1 year of time since perception experienced higher economic burden. CONCLUSIONS: Policymakers should consider out-of-pocket health expenditure difference by diverse characteristics.
Adult* ; Economics, Medical ; Health Expenditures* ; Humans ; Insurance Coverage ; Insurance, Health ; Korea ; Length of Stay ; Linear Models ; Lung Neoplasms ; National Health Programs ; Nutrition Surveys ; Public Health ; Sample Size

BACKGROUND: Human metapneumovirus (hMPV) is a relatively recently identified respiratory virus that induces respiratory symptoms similar to those of respiratory syncytial virus infection in children. The characteristics of hMPV-infected adults are unclear because few cases have been reported. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective review of hospitalized adult patients with a positive multiplex real-time polymerase chain reaction assay result from 2012 to 2016 at a single tertiary referral hospital in South Korea. We analyzed clinical characteristics of the enrolled patients and divided patients into an acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) group and a non-ARDS group. RESULTS: In total, 110 adults were reviewed in this study. Their mean age was 61.4 years, and the majority (n = 105, 95.5%) had comorbidities or were immunocompromised. Most of the patients had pneumonia on chest X-ray (n = 88, 93.6%), 22 (20.0%) had ARDS, and 12 (10.9%) expired during hospitalization. The mortality rate for patients with ARDS was higher than that of the other patients (36.4% vs. 5.7%, P = 0.001). The risk factor for hMPV-associated ARDS was heart failure (odds ratio, 5.24; P = 0.044) and laboratory values were increased blood urea nitrogen and increased C-reactive protein. The acquisition site of infection was divided into community vs. nosocomial; 43 patients (39.1%) had a nosocomial infection. The risk factors for nosocomial infection were an immunocompromised state, malignancy and immunosuppressive treatment. CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest that hMPV is one of the important respiratory pathogens important respiratory pathogen that causes pneumonia/ARDS in elderly, immunocompromised individuals and that it may be transmitted via the nosocomial route.
Adult* ; Aged ; Blood Urea Nitrogen ; C-Reactive Protein ; Child ; Comorbidity ; Cross Infection ; Heart Failure ; Hospitalization ; Humans* ; Korea ; Metapneumovirus* ; Mortality* ; Pneumonia ; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Adult* ; Respiratory Syncytial Viruses ; Retrospective Studies* ; Risk Factors ; Tertiary Care Centers ; Thorax