OBJECTIVE: Our purpose was to investigate the relationship between the levels of IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha in the peritoneal fluid(PF) of women with and without endometriosis and infertile women. Design: Prospective and case-control study. Setting: University hospital. Patients: Twenty-nine women with laparotomy or laparoscopic findings of minimal to severe endometriosis, and twenty-eight women with no visual evidence of pelvic endometriosis and with benign gynecologic disease. Main Outcome Measures: PF IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha levels were determined using commercial ELISA. IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha concentrations were compared among women with and without endometriosis, and with infertile and fertile women, and then also compared according the revised American Fertility Society classification. RESULTS: IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha concentrations were higher than in the PF of women with endometriosis than in matched normal controls. Cyclic variations in IL-6 concentrations were seen in PF from patients with endometriosis: the concentrations in the secretory phase were significantly higher than those in the proliferative phase. IL-6 concentrations were higher than in the PF among of infertile women than in fertile women. A significant correlation between PF IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha concentrations and endometriosis stage III and IV was noted. CONCLUSIONS: Increased PF levels of IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha in patients with endometriosis may be relate to endometriosis-associated infertility and to the pathogenesis of endometriosis suggesting that partially contribute to the disturbed immune regulation observed in patients with endometriosis.
Ascitic Fluid* ; Case-Control Studies ; Classification ; Endometriosis* ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Female ; Fertility ; Genital Diseases, Female ; Humans ; Immunity, Cellular* ; Infertility ; Interleukin-6 ; Laparotomy ; Outcome Assessment (Health Care) ; Prospective Studies ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha

No abstract available.
Korea* ; Otitis Media* ; Otitis* ; Risk Factors*

No abstract available.
Thanatophoric Dysplasia*

Percutaneous transluminal angioplasty(PTA) were performed in three patients with atherosclerotic stenosis of subclavian arteries. The arteries were successfully dilated without complications during the procedure. All patients were asymptomatic during follow-up periods ranging from eight months to fifteen months after PTA.
Angioplasty* ; Arteries ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Subclavian Artery*

No abstract available.
Humans*

No abstract available.
Female ; Obstetric Labor, Premature* ; Pregnancy ; Ritodrine* ; Tocolytic Agents*

Of 14,682 samples of feces examined, 81.7% were positive for intestinal helminths. Trichocephalus trichiurus was observed most frequently, in 73.2%. Eight other species of helminths found were Ascaris lumbricoides, Hookworm, Trichostrongylus orientalis, Clonorchis sinensis, Tapeworm, Hymenolepis nana, Paragoniumus westermani and Enterobius vermicularis, listed in decreasing order. Double infections were found more frequently than single infections, and mixed infection of five or more species of helminths occurred in 0.2% Of 10,320 samples of feces examined, 22.3% were positive for intestinal protozoa, Entamoeba coli was observed most frequently, in 11.1%. Six other species, Endolimax nana, Giardia lamblia, Entamoeba histolytica, Iodamoeba butschlii, Chilomastix mesnill and lsospora hominis were found, in the order. It was noticed that E. histolytica was found more frequently in trichurial infection than with other helminths. Of 1,050 samples of sputum from the T. B. Clinic, 7.0% were positive for paragonimus eggs. Trichomonas vaginalis were found in 35.8%of 1,146 vaginal swabs examined. Seven cases of Plasmodium vivax infection were found among 140 suspected blood smears.
Incidence

PURPOSE: To demonstrate and evaluate the value of MRI findings of the TSH(Thyroid-Stimulating Hormone, TSH, Thyrotropin)-secreting pituitary adenoma. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The authors reviewed retrospectively the MR images of 4 patients with TSH-secreting pituiatary adenoma. Evaluation of the anatomical location, signal characteristics, enhancement patterns, size, shape and circunferential changes were made. RESULTS: No characteristic common MR findings in size, shape, signal intensity, and circumferential changes of TSH-secreting pituiatary adenoma waere observed among 4 cases(size; 5x7 mm to 10x11 mm, shape;ovoid to round, signal intensity;high in 1 case on T1 and T2WI, isosignal intensity in the other 3 cases, circumferential change; stalk deviation in 1 case, no stalk deviation in 3 cases). But, the tumors were centrally located at the anterior pituitary gland and showed relatively homogeneous signal intensity on MR images of all 4 patients. CONCLUSION: We conclude that centrally-located mass at the anterior pituitary gland with homogeneous signal intensity on MR image may be suggestive of the TSH-secreting pituitary adenoma, although the MR findings are not specific for the disease.
Adenoma ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Pituitary Gland, Anterior ; Pituitary Neoplasms* ; Retrospective Studies

Bilateral carotid-cavernous fistula are much less frequent and these double lesions are considered as a puzzling therapeutic problem. A case of bilateral traumatic carotid-cavernous fistula was confirmed by bilateral carotid angiography and was managed by method of muscle piece embolization without complications. Neuro-ophthalmological deficits improved progressively except minor bruit. We reviewed bilateral carotid-cavernous fistula in the literatures and discussed the surgical method.
Angiography ; Fistula*

The presence of A-V shunting in hepatocellular carcinoma is an important factor for deciding the prognosis and in the management with transarterial chemoembolization. Twenty-four patients with hepatocellular carcinoma performed with CO2-DSA and iodinated-DSA were reviewed for the evaluation of visibility of A-V shunting. It was classified by the visibility into clearly visible, faintly visible and invisible. Also the authors evaluated neovascularity and tumor staining. And we checked side effects after the injection of CO2 gas during CO2-DSA. A-V shunting was noted in 19 cases(63%), which were clearly visible in 15 of 19 cases(79%) on CO2-DSA and in 7 of 19 cases(37%) on iodinated-DSA. In 3 cases, A-V shunting was noted only on CO2-DSA. CO2-DSA(17%)was inferior to iodinated-DSA in detection of neovasculaity and tumor staining. Side effects from CO2-DSA were abdominal pain(1 case) and chest discomfort(1 case) but improved within several minutes. In conclusion, CO2-DSA is a sensitive and effective method for the detection of A-V shunting in hepatoma.
Carcinoma, Hepatocellular* ; Humans ; Methods ; Prognosis ; Thorax