BACKGROUND: Hypotension occurs frequently after epidural anesthesia. Intravenous fluid or vasopressors are among treatment methods to many suggested causes. This study was undertaken retrospectively to determine if the age, weight and height of parturients are related to the local anesthetic dosage in epidural anesthesia for the cesarean section, and if the dosage of local anesthetic influence the change of blood pressure and the requirement of fluid or epherine. METHODS: Sixty-nine parturients were studied by reviewing patients' anesthetic records. During lumbar epidural anesthesia to T4 sensory level, all patients were monitored with mean arterial blood pressure, and prevented from hypotension by administration of Ringer's lactated solution. But if hypotension has been sustained in spite of rapid fluid loading, intermittent ephedrine was injected. We studied the correlation of local anesthetic dosage, decrement of mean blood pressure and total required intravenous fluid volume, and difference of these variables between cases using ephedrine and not using. RESULTS: The volume of local anesthetic to achieve a T4 sensory level was 21.20 3.81ml, which did not correlate with age, weight and height, and did not influence the decrease of mean blood pressure and the volume of administered fluid. But the patients (n=30) who needed ephedrine were adminstered significantly larger dose of the local anesthetic and showed more decrease in the mean blood pressure than those (n=39) who did not. CONCLUSIONS: The dose requirement of local anesthetic during epidural anesthesia for the cesarean section is not determined by the age, weight and height of parturients. But when larger dose of local anesthetic is administered, the patients seem to be more hypotensive and need ephedrine as well as intravenous fluid administration.
Anesthesia, Epidural* ; Arterial Pressure ; Blood Pressure ; Cesarean Section* ; Ephedrine* ; Female ; Humans ; Hypotension ; Pregnancy ; Retrospective Studies

No abstract available.

No abstract available.
Biofeedback, Psychology* ; Electric Stimulation*

BACKGROUND: Calcipotrol, topical vitamin D analogue, has been demonstrated to have an effect for the treatment of psoriasis with good tolerability. It is required to have comparative studies with the other topical agents which are widely used for the treatment of psoriasis. OBJECTIVE: Our purpose is to compare calcipotriol with desoxymethasone ointemtn in their therapeutic efficacy and ability to affect dermal inflammatory cellular events. METHODS: This study was a randomized, double blind, right/left comparison over 8weeks in 10 patients. The ointments were applied twice daily to the lesions of psoriasis. Clinical efficacy, as measured by the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index(PASI) was assessed at 2, 4, 6 and 8weeks after starting treatments. The changes in the numbers of dermal immunocytes were assessed on frozen and paraffin-embedded sections by using immunohistochemical stain methods before and after the treatemtns. RESULTS: Reduction of PASI was statistically significant at all time points for both of the treatments (P<0.01) but there was no significant defference between the two treatment modalities. At the completion of 8 weeks of treatments, the mean PASI reduction was 65 percents and 67 percents for calcipotriol and desoxymethasone ointments, respectively. On immunohistochemical staining, the numbers of LCA and HLA-DR positive cells were decreased significantly(P<0.05), and IL-2R and CD4 positive cells were not significaltly reduced in each group after the treatment. CONCLUSION: Calcipotriol ointment was as effective as desoxymethasone ointment, judged by the PASI and the dermal inflammatory cellular events on immunohistochemical staining.
Dermatitis, Atopic ; Desoximetasone* ; HLA-DR Antigens ; Humans ; Ointments* ; Psoriasis* ; Vitamin D

A 25-year-old woman had a 2-month history of a 1.7 x 1.4cm sized lirm nodule, which was deeply located in 5.0 x 4.0cm sized soft fatty tissue on the right axilla. There was no history of axillary swelling with the symptoms or signs related to her menstrual periods. She underwent an excisional biopsy of the firm nodule and a simple biopsy of the soft tissue. The histopathologic findinga associated with both lesions revealed the usual feat Ures of fibroadenoma with accessory breast tissue. There was no occurrence or relapse of any other lasions during the careful one-year follow-up after excision of the firm nodule. This is an unusual case in a review of Korea literatures.
Adipose Tissue ; Adult ; Axilla ; Biopsy ; Breast* ; Dapsone ; Female ; Fibroadenoma* ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Korea ; Recurrence

BACKGROUND: Rotavirus activity in Korea has been reported beginning in October, peak in November, continuing in winter and ending in spring. But the peak month and the incidence of rotavirus seems to be changed recently. So we investigated the trends of rotavirus activity for the last 10 years in Hanyang University Hospital (HUH). Also latex agglutination test was compared with automated enzyme-linked fluorescent immunoassay for the detection of rotavirus in stool specimens. METHODS: Stool specimens (3,636 from HUH, 1989-1998; 1,171 from Hanyang University Kuri hospital, HUKH, 1996-1998) from pediatric patients with acute diarrhea were tested for rotavirus,. Sixty specimens were tested by latex agglutination test (Sliders Rota-kit 2, bioMerieux Vitek, France) and enzyme-linked fluorescent immunoassay (VIDAS Rotavirus, bioMerieux Vitek, France) according to the instructions from the manufacturer. RESULTS: The annual incidence of rotavirus diarrhea from 1989 to 1998 was 47%, 32%, 33%, 25%, 26%, 24%, 24%, 17%, 17%, 14%, respectively. Positive rate of rotavirus was 25% for the 10year period in HUH, 20% for the recent 3 years in HUKH. Peak month was November (46%) in the first 5 year, but November incidence decreased to 17% in the last 5 year, and the peak moved to January, February, and March (34%, 35%, 33%, respectively). Epidemic period was from October to February during the first 5 year, but from December to April during the last 5 year period. The agreement rate of the two methods was 90% and VIDAS Rotavirus showed significantly higher sensitivity compared to Sliders Rota-kit 2. CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of rotavirus diarrhea decreased gradually for the last 10 years and the peak month of rotavirus activity was changed from November to January, February, and March. The VIDAS Rotavirus was more sensitive than the Sliders Rota-kit 2 for the detection of rotavirus in stool.
Diarrhea ; Epidemiology ; Gastroenteritis* ; Humans ; Immunoassay ; Incidence ; Korea* ; Latex Fixation Tests ; Rotavirus*

BACKGROUND: There are many rating scales for assessment of geriatrics. But each of these scales were not sufficient to evaluate comprehensive geriatric assessment, physical and psychologic efforts for care. METHODS: We developed new scales to comprehensive geriatric assessment for care of geriatric patients. The Geriatrics Physical Support Scale(GPSS) evaluates physical effort consists of 10 areas and the Geriatrics Global Support Scale(GGSS) evaluates general condition of patients consist of 6 areas. Eighty probable and possible AD patients received the Clinical Dementia Rating Rating Scale(CDR), Korearn version of Mini-Mental State Examination(K-MMSE), Barthel Activity of Daily Living Index(B-ADL) GPSS, GGSS. We tested internal consistency, correlation among dementia rating scales. RESULTS: The GPSS correlated to CDR -0.63(p<0.01), B-ADL -0.90(p<0.01) and the GGSS correlated to CDR -0.60(p<0.01), B-ADL -0.75(p<0.01). The internal consistency were 0.69(GGSS), 0.92(GPSS). CONCLUSION: The Geriatrics Global Support Scale evaluate general condition of patients and the Geriatrics Physical Support Scale evaluate physical efforts needed for care of geriatric patients. These scales an also brief and easy rating scales to grade degree of caregiver`s burden.
Dementia ; Geriatric Assessment ; Geriatrics* ; Humans ; Physical Exertion ; Reproducibility of Results* ; Weights and Measures

No abstract available.
B-Lymphocytes* ; Humans*

No abstract available.
Humans ; Spinal Cord*

On page 183, The order of primary author and corresponding author has been reversed. The correct order is Tae Hyung Kim, MD, and You Sung Kim, MD.