No abstract available.
Female ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy, Abdominal*

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to validate the superior thyroidal artery mean peak systolic velocity (STA-mPSV) as an alternative to other diagnostic parameters in the differentiation of the causes of thyrotoxicosis in Korean patients. METHODS: This study was conducted with newly diagnosed and untreated thyrotoxic patients. Forty patients were diagnosed with Graves disease (GD) and 20 patients with destructive thyroiditis (DT). Another 60 healthy subjects without thyroid disease participated as the control group. Blood samples were taken to evaluate the thyroid function and thyroid autoantibodies (TRAb). Twenty-four hour radioactive iodine uptake (RAIU) scanning was performed to confirm GD or DT. The STA-mPSV was measured using color Doppler ultrasonography. RESULTS: The STA-mPSV was significantly higher in the untreated GD group than in the DT group (GD, 78.96+/-29.04 cm/sec; DT, 29.97+/-14.67 cm/sec; control, 17.55+/-4.99 cm/sec; P<0.001). The area under the curve (AUC) of the STA-mPSV for the differential diagnosis of untreated GD and DT was 0.9506 (optimal cutoff value, 41.3 cm/sec; sensitivity, 95%, 38/40; specificity, 85%, 17/20) in the receiver operating characteristic analysis. The AUC values of the STA-mPSV, RAIU, and TRAb were 0.9506, 1, and 0.9988, respectively (P=0.159). CONCLUSION: In clinical practice, the STA-mPSV has a diagnostic value similar to that of the TRAb and 24-hour RAIU in the differential diagnosis of newly diagnosed Korean thyrotoxic patients.
Area Under Curve ; Arteries* ; Autoantibodies ; Diagnosis, Differential* ; Graves Disease ; Humans ; Iodine ; ROC Curve ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Thyroid Diseases ; Thyroid Gland* ; Thyroiditis ; Thyrotoxicosis* ; Ultrasonography, Doppler ; Ultrasonography, Doppler, Color

Objectives : Depression is a common psychiatric disorder in cancer patients. The Brief Edinburgh Depression Scale(BEDS), which is an abbreviated version of the Edinburgh Depression Scale, may serve as a useful tool in screening for the depression in patients with the medical illnesses. This report investigated the reliability and validity of the Korean Version of the BEDS(K-BEDS) for the depression in cancer patients. METHODS : One-hundred cancer patients were enrolled in this study. All subjects completed the K-BEDS, the Hospital Anxiety Depression Scale(HADS), and the Karnofsky Performance Status Scale(KPSS). Reliability, validity and Receiver Operating Characteristic(ROC) curve analysis measures were assessed. RESULTS : The K-BEDS showed good internal consistency(Cronbach alpha=0.77) and test-retest reliability(0.94, p<0.001). All item-total correlations were above 0.3. Also, it revealed moderate correlation with the depression subscale of the HADS(r=0.617), but no correlation with the KPSS. Exploratory factor analysis produced only one factor, accounting for 47.1% of the total variance. The most valid cutoff value to screen for depression was a total score of 5 on the K-BEDS, which showed sensitivity of 62.5% and specificity of 86.4% with a positive predictive value of 4.60 and a negative predictive value of 0.43. CONCLUSION : The present findings suggested that the K-BEDS would have good psychometric properties to screen for the depression in cancer patients.
Accounting ; Anxiety ; Depression ; Humans ; Karnofsky Performance Status ; Mass Screening ; Psychometrics ; Reproducibility of Results ; Sensitivity and Specificity

Tetrodotoxin is a neurotoxin produced by about 90 species of puffer fish and causes paralysis of central nervous system and peripheral nerves by blocking the movement of all monovalent cations. Ingestion of tetrodotoxin produces clinical manifestations such as paresthesias(within 10-45 min), vomiting, lightheadedness, salivation, muscle twitching, dysphagia, difficulty in speaking, convulsion and death that expressed by cardiopulmonary arrest with loss of brain stem reflex sometimes. Tetrodotoxin prevents or delays ischemia induced neuronal death by way of following 3 mechanisms. Firstly, it reduces the energy demand of the brain tissues. Secondly, it delays or even prevents anoxic depolarization. Finally, it diminishes ischemia induced cell swelling and cerebral edema. We report a case of puffer fish poisoning which presented with cardiopulmonary arrest and loss of brain stem reflex, but completely recovered by aggressive cardiopulmonary resuscitation.
Brain ; Brain Edema ; Brain Stem ; Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation ; Cations, Monovalent ; Central Nervous System ; Deglutition Disorders ; Dizziness ; Eating ; Heart Arrest ; Ischemia ; Neurons ; Paralysis ; Peripheral Nerves ; Poisoning* ; Reflex ; Salivation ; Seizures ; Tetraodontiformes* ; Tetrodotoxin ; Vomiting

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to compare perinatal outcomes of pregnancy-induced hypertensive and normotensive women experiencing abruptio placentae, Our hypothesis is that pregnancy-induced hypertensive women have a less favorable perinatal outcome than do normotensive women. METHODS: Women with the diagnosis of abruptio placentae delivered between August 1, 1989 and December 1, 1996, composed the study group (n=92) in this case-control study. The women with abruptio placentae were divided according to their hypertensive (n=37) or normotensive (n=55) status. Maternal and neonatal medical records were reviewed and abstracted for demographic variables, antepartum complications, delivery route, abruptio placentae grade, neonatal gender, birth weight, Apgar score and perinatal mortality. We compared these perinatal outcome variables between the pregnancy-induced hypertensive and normotensive pregnant women. RESULTS: The incidence of abruptio placentae was 0.35%. The two groups of woman wne similar with regard to age and parity. Abruptio placentae grades 2 occurred more often in hypertensive women (P=0.0053). Pregnancy-inducedhypertensive women were similar to normotensive women with regard to antenatal complications. The mean gestational age of delivery, delivery route, neonatal weight and sex were similar between two groups of women. Neonates from pregnancy-induced hypertensive women were no more likely to have low 1 and 5-minute Apgar score or to die than those from normotensive women. Statistical analysis was performed with two-tailed independent t-test and Kruskal-Wallis analysis. CONCLUSION: Although pregnancy-induced hypertensive women experiencing abruptio placentae are more likely to have grade 2 abruptio placentae with fetal distress, the overall perinatal outcome was not significantly different from that of normotensive women experiencing abruptio placentae.
Abruptio Placentae ; Apgar Score ; Birth Weight ; Case-Control Studies ; Diagnosis ; Female ; Fetal Distress ; Gestational Age ; Humans ; Hypertension, Pregnancy-Induced ; Incidence ; Infant, Newborn ; Medical Records ; Parity ; Perinatal Mortality ; Placenta* ; Pregnancy ; Pregnant Women*

OBJECTIVE: The Apgar score has long been used to determining birth asphyxia and assessing early neonatal status and long-term outcome. Unfortunately, some components of this system depend upon subjective interpretation. Also, although, low Apgar score, Most of newborns are relatively healthy. The objective of our studt is attempt to assure the linical significance of Apgar score and umbilical cord blood gas analysis on assessing status of uncomplicated preterm infants delivered vaginally. METHODS: The present study was performed in attempt to compare umbilical arterial blood gas values for uncomplicated preterm infants delivered vaginally with low 1 and 5 minutes Apgar score (<7) with those for term or preterm infant with normal 1 and 5 minutes score (>7), each other, The present study included 82 uncomplicated term infants delivered vaginally and 24 preterm infants. Inclusion criteria of our study is as follows: 1) Singleton neonate with vertex presentation, 2) No congenital malformation, 3) Infants whose mother had no obstetrical and medical complications, 4) Immediately after delivery, umbilical arterial blood was sampled, before first breathing of neonate, 5) Infants applied Apgar score at I minute and again 5 minutes after birth, and 6) Infants whose mothers gestational age was estimated by ultrasonography during first-trimester of pregnancy. The statistical analysis was performed by Mann-Whitney U test and Fishers exact test. RESULTS: 1) There was no significant difference in umbilical arterial blood gas values between uncomplicated preterm infants delivered vaginally with low 1 and 5 minutes Apgar score (<7) and term infants with normal score (>7). 2) There was no significant difference in umbilical arterial blood gas values between uncomplicated preterm infants delivered vaginally with low 1 and 5 minutes Apgar score (<7) and preterm infants with normal score (>7). 3) There was significant difference in frequency of lower Apgar score (<7) between term (2%[2/82]) and preterm infants (38%[9/24]), but not in frequency of acidemia (defined as less than pH 7.2) (28%[23/82] Vs 33%[8/24]). CONCLUSION: The Apgar score is not a reliable indieator of well-being in preterm neonate. We recommend umbilical arterial blood sampling at delivery of preterm infant with low Apgar score, because umbilical cord blood gas indices on objective means of assessing birth status of the newbarn and more useful than Apgar score in ruling out birth asphyxia.
Apgar Score* ; Asphyxia ; Blood Gas Analysis* ; Fetal Blood ; Gestational Age ; Humans ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Infant, Premature* ; Mothers ; Parturition ; Pregnancy ; Respiration ; Ultrasonography

OBJECTIVE: Our purpose was to determine whether unexplained elevation in maternal serum human chorionic gonadotropin without abnormal elevation in matemal serum alpha-fetoprotein (MSAFP) in the second trimester may be associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes. METHODS: Between January 1997 and December 1997, we evaluated 906 pregnant women undergoing second trimester triple marker screening tests who delivered at our hospital. Multiple pregnancy, fetal anomaly, intrauterine fetal death before 20 completed weeks of gestational age, insulin dependent diabetes mellitus and maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein level greater than 2.0 multiple of the median (MoM) were excluded fiom the study. Seventy-two women with hCG level greater than 2.0 MoM were included in the study group while 809 women with hCG level less than 2.0 MoM served as the control group. Adverse pregnancy outcomes were obtained from hospital delivery records and neonatal records. Statistical analysis were performed by students t-test and chi square test. RESULTS: Women with unexplained elevation of human chorionic gonadotropin level showed increased risks for intrauterine growth retardation (P<0.01) and pregnancy induced hypertension (P<0.05). There were no significant differences between study and control groups with respect to preterm delivery, placental abruption, fetal anomaly and intrauterine fetal death. CONCLUSION: Unexplained elevation of human chorionic gonadotropin in the second trimester was associated with intrauterine growth retardation and pregnancy induced hypertension.
Abruptio Placentae ; alpha-Fetoproteins ; Chorionic Gonadotropin* ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Female ; Fetal Death ; Fetal Growth Retardation ; Gestational Age ; Humans ; Humans* ; Hypertension, Pregnancy-Induced ; Insulin ; Mass Screening ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Outcome ; Pregnancy Trimester, Second* ; Pregnancy, Multiple ; Pregnant Women

No abstract available.
Risk Factors*

Thyrotoxic periodic paralysis (TPP) is a disease characterized by sudden onset and muscle paralysis. It occurs in the setting of hypokalemia of thyrotoxicosis. Cases of TPP induced by a glucocorticoid such as prednisolone or methylprednisolone have been reported. We report on two patients, each of whom received a dexamethasone injection and subsequently developed TPP. Both patients experienced sudden, flaccid paralysis of both extremities after the injection but recovered completely after receiving a potassium replacement. Laboratory results revealed thyrotoxicosis. The patients were diagnosed with Graves' disease and discharged after receiving treatment with methimazole and propranolol. This report provides the clinical description of TPP induced by dexamethasone injection. These cases suggest that clinicians must consider the presence of hyperthyroid disease in patients who develop acute paralysis after treatment with a glucocorticoid, even in the absence thyrotoxic symptoms. Furthermore, physicians should be aware that TPP can occur even in response to dexamethasone used for treatment of thyrotoxic crisis or Graves' ophthalmopathy.
Dexamethasone ; Extremities ; Graves Disease ; Humans ; Hypokalemia ; Methimazole ; Methylprednisolone ; Muscles ; Paralysis ; Potassium ; Prednisolone ; Propranolol ; Thyroid Crisis ; Thyrotoxicosis

OBJECTIVES: Though gastric cancer is one of the most common cancer in Korea, there have been few studies to explore psychological distress in gastric cancer. The purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence and associated risk factors of psychological distress among patients with gastric cancer. METHODS: With consecutive sampling, a total of 274 patients with gastric cancer who admitted to a cancer center in a general hospital were recruited and assessed on psychological distress using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale(HADS). Sociodemographic and cancer-related clinical variables were also evaluated. RESULTS: One hundred fifty-three(55.8%) patients with gastric cancer showed psychological distress. Logistic regression models revealed that having alcohol drinking experience[odds ratio(OR)=2.10, p=0,034] and low performance status(OR=2.40 p=0.002) were significantly associated with psychological distress in patients with gastric cancer. CONCLUSIONS: These findings indicate that approximately half of patients with gastric cancer suffered from psychological distress and having alcohol drinking experience and low performance status would be associated risk factors, suggesting the need for distress screening and psychosocial supportive care in patients with gastric cancer.
Alcohol Drinking ; Anxiety ; Depression ; Hospitals, General ; Humans ; Korea ; Logistic Models ; Mass Screening ; Prevalence ; Risk Factors ; Stomach Neoplasms