OBJECTIVE: There are four possible explanations for the sexual dysfunction of schizophrenics. The first is the possibility or a real structural aspect. The second possibility is that sexual function changes secondary to the illness. The third possibility is that there are medical and sociocultural barriers to sexual expression for chronic schizophrenics. The fourth possibility is that sexual dysfunction due to antipsychotic medication. However, we didn't know the precise cause of sexual dysfunction in schizophrenics. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to explore the mechanism of illness itself and antipsychotics on sexual dysfunction in male schizophrenics. METHODS: The serum prolactin(PRL), testosterone(TST), and the plasma serotonin(5-HT) concentrations were measured by radioimmunoassay and high performance liquid chromatography method for 100 healthy male schizophrenics according to the DSM-IV. Concomitantly, the severity of psychotic symptoms using Clinical Global Impression(CGI), Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale(BPRS), Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale(PANSS), and the severity of side effects for antipsychotics using Extrapyramidal Side Effects Scale(EPSE), Anticholinergic Side Effects Scale(ACSE), the cognitive function using PANSS-Cognitive Function(PANSS-CF), Mini Mental State Exam-Korean(MMSE-K), and sexual dysfunction using Sexual Functioning Questionnaire(SFQ), Questionnaire for Sexual Dysfunction in Men were assessed. The PRL, TST and 5-HT levels of 50 healthy male controls who had no medical, neurological, and psychiatric illnesses were evaluated The sexual function using SFQ(items FGa, FNa) were also assessed. Furthermore, the correlation with age, education, religion economic status, age at onset, duration of illnesses, duration of admission. levels of PRL, TST, 5-HT, antipsychotic dosages, potency, benztropine total duration of medication, EPSE, ACSE, CGI BPRS, PANSS, PANSS-CF MMSE-K and sexual dysfunctions were identified in male schizophrenics. RESULTS: 1) The frequencies of sexual dysfunctions for schizophrenics(80%) were significantly(p<0.001) higher than those for controls(42%). The sexual dysfunctions according to sexual response cycle were low sexual desire '76% 'impairment of achieving erection '75%, 'impairment of maintaining erection'75%, 'impairment of obtaining orgasm'32%, 'impairment in the quality of orgasm'61%, 'impairment of quantity of ejaculate'44%, premature ejaculation'15%, and 'delayed ejaculation'50%. 2) The PRL, 5-HT levels of schizophrenics(28.5+/-20.6ng/ml, 298.5+/-89.1ng/ml) were significantly(p<0.001) higher than those of controls(10+/-5.6ng/ml, 169.2+/-37.8ng/ml), while the TST levels of schizophrenics(4.3+/-1.5ng/ml) and controls(4.5+/-1.2ng/ml) were not significantly different. The sexual dysfunctions of schizophrenics who had abnormal 5-HT levels(4.7+/-1.3 scores) were significantly(p<0.05) higher than those of who had normal 5-HT levels(3.8+/-1.6 scores) on item D7. 3) The sexual dysfunctions of unmarried schizophrenics were significantly(p<0.01 : p<0.05) higher than those of married schizophrenics(6.1+/-2.8 scores, 4.7+/-1.3 scores on item FGa : beta=-0.211 on item FNa). The sexual dysfunctions we positively correlated with the rise of 5-HT levels (r=0.209, p<0.05 on item D4 and r=0.241, p<0.05 on item D7), the higher age at onset(r=0.275, p<0.01 on item FNa : r=-0.202, p<0.05 on item FDa), the longer duration of illesses(r=0.237, p<0.05 on item D6), the longer duration of admission(r=0.234, p<0.05 on item D4 : r=0.328, p<0.05 on item D6), the longer total duration of medication(r=0.237, p<0.05 in item D6). However, age, education, religion, economic status, PRL, TST levels, antipsychotics dosage, potency, benztropine, ACSE, CGI, BPRS, PANSS, PANSS-CF, MMSE-K scores were not correlated with increased sexual dysfunctions. CONCLUSIONS: Male schizophrenics have significantly more sexual dysfunction to compare with controls. The high frequencies of sexual dysfunctions were low sexual desire and erectile disorder. The unmarried, higher age at onset, are longer duration of diseases were positively correlated with increased sexual dysfunctions. Also high 5-HT levels were positively correlated with increased sexual dysfunctions. This means that studies of plasma 5-HT levels, albeit questionable indicators of central 5-HT function, offer some additional support for the association of sexual dysfunction with excess 5-HT activity as primary pathology of schizophrenia. Our findings suggest that excess 5-HT activity seems to affect the patient's sexual function.
Antipsychotic Agents ; Benztropine ; Chromatography, Liquid ; Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders ; Education ; Humans ; Male* ; Pathology ; Plasma ; Prolactin ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Radioimmunoassay ; Schizophrenia ; Serotonin ; Single Person ; Testosterone

OBJECTIVES: The alcohol dependence in elderly people has been prevalent because of increase in geriatric population. However, it is difficult to find out alcohol dependence in the aged, because they have less specific clinical features as compared with adult alcoholics. The aims of this study were to screen alcohol dependence among elderly Koreans and to know the clinical characteristics of Korean delerly alcoholics. METHODS: The questionnaires translated into Korean such as Michigan Alcoholism Screening Test(MAST-K), the Brief MAST and the MAST-Geriatirc Version(MAST-KG) were used to screen alcohol dependence in the elderly alcoholic inpatients aged over 60(N=43), adult alcoholic inpatients within 20-59 Yrs of age(N=60), which were compared with age matched normal healthy aged(N=18) or adult controls(N=45). The demographic data such as sex, age, education, occupation, socioeconomic status, marital status, numbers of children, dwelling and religion as well as alcohol history such as duration of alcohol drinking, onset age, family history, impulsivity, somatic illness and motivation were also obtained to identify characteristic features of Korean aged alcoholics by structured interviews. RESULTS: 1) The aged alcoholics had the charateristic features of more in males, lower age, low education levels, more in blue-collar workers, lower socioeconomic class, more in single few babies, more living alone, having no religion without statistical significance. 2) The onset age of alcohol dependence was significantly higher in the aged alcoholics(45.3+/-13.6Yrs) than in the adult alcoholics(27.7+/-8.7Yrs)(p<0.0001). The duration of problematic alcohol drinking was significantly longer in the aged alcoholics(22.0+/-15.1Yrs) than in adult alcoholics(14.2+/-8.4Yrs)(p<0.01). Otherwise, there were no significant difference between aged and adult alcoholics in the family history, imulsivity, somatic illness and motivation. 3) The mean score of the MAST-K was significantly higher in the aged alcoholics(20.6 +/-5.4) than in the normal aged(6.7+/-4.4)(p<0.0001), which was significantly lower than in the adult alcoholics(26.2+/-8.0)and in normal adult controls(9.5+/-3.2)(p<0.05). The mean score of the Brief MAST was significantly lower in the aged alcoholics(9.3+/-3.5) than in the adult alcoholics(14.5+/-6.6)(p<0.0001). The mean score of the MAST-KG was significantly higher in the aged alcoholics(10.6+/-3.5) than in the normal aged(4.8+/-4.3)(9<0.0001). The former was significantly lower than in adult alcoholics(12.9+/-4.3)(p<0.005), and the mean score was 4.5+/-2.8 in normal adult controls. 4) The items which showed statistically significant differences between aged alcoholics and normal aged controls could be found in 10 items of the MAST-K(item 2, 3, 4, 5, 11, 14, 17, 21, 22 and 23). 2 items of the Brief MAST(items 2 and 9), and 7 items of the MAST-KG(items 6, 13, 18, 19, 22, 23 and 24)(p<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: The scores of the MAST-K, the Brief MAST and the MAST-KG were significantly lower in the aged alcoholics than those in the adult alcoholics(p<0.05). The statistically significant differences between aged alcoholics and normal aged controls could be found in 10 items of the MAST-K, 2 items of the Brief MAST and 7 items of the MAST-KG. Therefore, a briefer rating scales around 10 items are needed to screen alcohol dependence among Korean elderly people.
Adult ; Age of Onset ; Aged ; Alcohol Drinking ; Alcoholics ; Alcoholism* ; Child ; Education ; Humans ; Impulsive Behavior ; Inpatients ; Korea* ; Male ; Marital Status ; Mass Screening* ; Michigan* ; Motivation ; Occupations ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Social Class ; Weights and Measures

To understand a mechanism of underlying cognitive deficit in schizophrenia, the risk factors, cognitive function, blood dopamine concentrations and glutamate dehydrogenase activities of male schizophrenics with tardive dyskinesia(N=30) were compared with those of schizophrenics without tardive dyskinesia(N=30). The result were as following ; 1) The age, duration of illness and duration of medication were significantly more in schizophrenics with tardive dyskinesia than schizophrenics without tardive dyskinesia(respectively p<0.005, p<0.0001, p<0.0001). 2)The scores of MMSE, TIQ, VIQ and PIQ were significantly lower in schizophrenics with tradive dyskinesia than schizophrenics without tardive dyskinesia(respectively p<0.0001). 3) plasma dopamine concentrations were tended to be higher, and serum glutamate dehydrogenase activities were tended to be lower in schizophrenics with tardive dyskinesia than schizophrenics without tardive dyskinesia. 4) The cognitive deficit seemed to be negatively correlated with duration of illness and duration of illness and duration of medication(respectively gamma=-0.496, gamma=-0.615).
Dopamine ; Dyskinesias ; Glutamate Dehydrogenase ; Humans ; Male ; Movement Disorders* ; Plasma ; Risk Factors ; Schizophrenia*

PURPOSE: In young male patients who suffered several kinds of trauma with subsequent suspicious reflex sympathetic dystrophy syndrome, we performed three-phasic bone scan in order to investigate its usefulness. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients with narrow range of age (21-25. mean 22.8+/-1.3, all male) were included with suspicious reflex sympathetic dystrophy syndrome of 12 feet and 5 hands. Only one was bilateral feet case and 16 were ipsilateral (Rt:13, Lt:3). The etiologic traumas were 4 fractures, 4 sprains, 3 blunt trauma, 2 cellulitis, 1 tendon tear, 1 crush injury, 1 overexercise, and 1 unknown. Radiologically 3 showed osteoporotic changes. Three-phasic bone scans were performed 21.2+/-7.3wks after trauma. RESULTS: According to symptom complex, confirmatory reflex sympathetic dystrophy syndrome 4 cases and suspicious 13 were analyzed. All confirmatory cases (100%) showed increased uptake at delay phase with periarticular accentuation. Of confirmatory 4 cases, 2 showed increased uptake in all three phases (perfusion: P, blood pool: B, and delay: D), and other 2 revealed decreased P but, both increased B and D. Of suspicious 13 cases, 9(69.2%) had increased D (4 periarticular and 5 focal), 2 decreased D, and 2 symmetric D. In 12 foot cases, so-called weight bearing patterns - increased contralateral sole at P and B - were revealed in 7(58.3%). CONCLUSION: Diffuse periarticular increased uptake at delay phase of three-phasic bone scan was a compatible finding to reflex sympathetic dystrophy syndrome in young male patients whose symptom complex strongly designated post traumatic reflex sympathetic dystrophy syndrome.
Cellulitis ; Foot ; Hand ; Humans ; Male* ; Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy* ; Reflex* ; Sprains and Strains ; Tendons ; Weight-Bearing

We studied 193 Diabetics without any symptoms of coronary artery disease and 39 Normal healthy subjects as Control group, using treadmill exercise test and obtained following results. 1) The positive rate was significantly higher in Diabetics(19.4% in Normal ECG groups and 25.4% in total Diabetics)than Control groups(5.1%)(0.010.05). 5) There was no difference in HbAIC, Total cholesterol and Triglyceride between positive and negative groups(P>0.05). In summary, with exercise test, the positive rate was higher in Diabetics than in Normal control groups and it seemed to be treadmill exercise test is a useful screening method for evaluation of coronary artery disease as well as for assesment of treatment and follow up care.
Blood Pressure ; Cholesterol ; Coronary Artery Disease ; Diabetes Mellitus* ; Electrocardiography ; Equidae ; Exercise Test* ; Heart Rate ; Mass Screening ; Triglycerides

The nucleotide-oligomerization domain (NOD) is an important molecule involved in host defense against bacterial infection. To study the role of NODs in the host response to Mycobacterium leprae, we measured the mRNA levels of NODs and related genes in infected mouse tissues. The mRNA expression of NOD1, NOD2, caspase-1 and ASC was increased in mouse footpads. Whereas NOD2 expression in macrophages was increased at 2 and 24 h post-infection with M. leprae, there was no expression of NOD1 at these time points. An increase in caspase-1 expression was observed at 2 h and continued at 24 h. However, the expression of ASC was increased only at the early time point. The expression of caspase-1 is regulated by NOD2-dependent pathway in established HEK 293. Our results suggest NOD2, rather than NOD1, may be associated with the host response to M. leprae and that caspase-1 activation is essential for the host response.
Animals ; Bacterial Infections ; Macrophages ; Mice* ; Mycobacterium leprae* ; Mycobacterium* ; RNA, Messenger

A oral inotropic agent, denopamine(TA-064, (-)-alpha-(3,4-dimethoxyphenethyl aminomethyl)-4-hydroxybenzylalcohol), was shown to have strong positive inotropic effect in experimental animals. To determine effects of denopamine on the left ventricular9LV) function and clinical features in patients with severe chronic heart failure who were treated with conventional regimens, denopamine(5mg 3 times per day for 4 weeks) was administered orally to 28 patients with chronic heart failure(22 dilated cariomyopathy, 6 ischemic heart disease) and systolic time interval, 2-D and Doppler echocardiognaphy were performed to evaluate LV function. Denopamine had no effect on LV dimension, volume and fractional shortening, and produced modest increase of ejection fraction and cardiac index, and modest decrease of PEP/LVET and cardiothoracic ratio in the cheat X-ray(PA view). The stroke volume was significantly increased (32.8+/-10.0 to 36.4+/-11.1 ml, p<0.05). Systolic BP was decreased (131.3+/-32.7 to 123.2+/-20.8 mmHg, p<0.05) with little change in diastolic BP and heart rate. Subjective symptoms and NYHA functional class were improved (71.4%, 67.9%, respectively). No adverse effect and ECG abnormality were noted. In conclusion, the addition of denopamine to conventional therapy improved clinical symptoms and caused modest increase of LV contractile function in patients with severe chronic heart failure without significant untoward effects. Therefore, the addinion of denopamine to conventional therapy may be an effective and safe method for the treatment of chronic congestive heart failure.
Animals ; Electrocardiography ; Heart Failure* ; Heart Rate ; Heart* ; Humans ; Stroke Volume ; Systole ; Ventricular Function, Left*

Objective: If the size of an intracranial aneurysm is below 3 mm, clinicians rarely treat them because of the low risk of rupture. But subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) due to the rupture of very small intracranial aneurysm (VSIA) (saccular aneurysm sized less than 3 mm) may lead to many critical neurological complications. So we analyzed the characteristics and differences between the ruptured VSIA group and the ruptured non-VSIA group. Methods: 421 saccular aneurysms from patients with SAH between January 2016 and December 2019 were included. Patient information including age, sex, and medical history and information about the aneurysm including location, size, aspect ratio, inflow angle, and height-width ratio were collected. And we compared the VSIA group with non-VSIA group about these characteristics Results: 12.1% (51/421) of the aneurysms were included in the VSIA group, while the non-VSIA group consisted of 87.9% of the aneurysms (370/421). The female predominance was significantly higher in the VSIA group than that in the non-VSIA group (p=0.011). No significant difference was observed in location, medical history, height-width ratio between the groups. The mean value of the inflow angle in the VSIA group was much lower than that in the non-VSIA group, but no statistically significant association between rupture risk and the inflow angle was observed. The average aspect ratio was significantly lower than that in the non-VSIA group. Conclusions Ruptured VSIA group has higher percentage of females and lower aspect ratio than ruptured non-VSIA group. Further studies regarding the characteristics of ruptured and unruptured VSIA patients is required for assistance in clinical decision related to treatment of VSIA group before the aneurysmal sac rupture.

Objective: If the size of an intracranial aneurysm is below 3 mm, clinicians rarely treat them because of the low risk of rupture. But subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) due to the rupture of very small intracranial aneurysm (VSIA) (saccular aneurysm sized less than 3 mm) may lead to many critical neurological complications. So we analyzed the characteristics and differences between the ruptured VSIA group and the ruptured non-VSIA group. Methods: 421 saccular aneurysms from patients with SAH between January 2016 and December 2019 were included. Patient information including age, sex, and medical history and information about the aneurysm including location, size, aspect ratio, inflow angle, and height-width ratio were collected. And we compared the VSIA group with non-VSIA group about these characteristics Results: 12.1% (51/421) of the aneurysms were included in the VSIA group, while the non-VSIA group consisted of 87.9% of the aneurysms (370/421). The female predominance was significantly higher in the VSIA group than that in the non-VSIA group (p=0.011). No significant difference was observed in location, medical history, height-width ratio between the groups. The mean value of the inflow angle in the VSIA group was much lower than that in the non-VSIA group, but no statistically significant association between rupture risk and the inflow angle was observed. The average aspect ratio was significantly lower than that in the non-VSIA group. Conclusions Ruptured VSIA group has higher percentage of females and lower aspect ratio than ruptured non-VSIA group. Further studies regarding the characteristics of ruptured and unruptured VSIA patients is required for assistance in clinical decision related to treatment of VSIA group before the aneurysmal sac rupture.

PURPOSE: As the mobile internet spread, patients can access to health information via mobile applications. But this information must be a reliable for treatment. This study evaluated the quality of information of mobile applications that with atopic dermatitis. METHODS: On April 2014, the 98 mobile applications that had been searched on three application markets using the keywords, 'atopic dermatitis' etc. were enrolled. Thirty-one applications with information about atopic dermatitis written in Korean were surveyed. The informational quality of each application was examined using DISCERN tool and we also examined authorship, price, number of downloads. And we analyzed relations between these factors and informational quality. RESULTS: The mean score (+/-standard deviation) of overall rating of the publications of the 31 applications were 1.55 (+/-0.888) points. The overall quality of the publication was 'low' in 80.6% of applications, 'moderate' in 16.1%, 'high' in 3.2% of the applications we evaluated. There were no significant differences between the score of price of applications in all questions. However the mean score of group of downloads 1,000 and more were 2.25 (+/-1.035), significantly higher than group of downloads less than 1,000, 1.30 (+/-0.703) (P=0.043). CONCLUSION: The quality of mobile applications providing health information on atopic dermatitis needs significant improvement. Some guidelines and certifications of the mobile application are needed to provide health information about atopic dermatitis, association with experts.
Authorship ; Certification ; Consumer Health Information ; Dermatitis, Atopic ; Humans ; Internet ; Korea ; Mobile Applications* ; Publications