BACKGROUND: Common environmental allergens play a role in the pathogenesis of urticaria via type I hypersensitivity reaction. Changes in the number of eosinophils and serum IgE in circulating blood in various allergic disorders have been reported by several investigators. However, there are only a few reports about the measurement of those numbers according to a clinical type of urticaria. OBJECTIVE: This study was undertaken to measure the peripheral blood eosinophil and serum IgE levels in 514 patients with different types of urticaria. METHOD: We measured the peripheral blood eosinophil and serum IgE levels in 514 patients who visited the Department of Dermatology, Kyungpook National University Hospital from November 1993 to December 1996. Of these patients there were 122 with acute urticaria (23.7%), 160 with chranic urticaria (31.2%), 164 with dermographism (31.9%), 11 with acute urticaria plus dermographism (2.1%) and 57 with chronic urticaria plus dermographism (11.1%).
Allergens ; Dermatology ; Eosinophils* ; Gyeongsangbuk-do ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity, Immediate ; Immunoglobulin E* ; Research Personnel ; Urticaria*

This study was performed to identify the effect of the hydrosalpinx fluid on sperm motility. It has been reported that the patients with hydrosalpinx show the outstandingly lower success rate than other patients having infertility by different factors. It is unclear that the cause of it is influenced by hydrosalpinx fluid directly or by secondary chronic inflammation of endometrium. We wanted to know if the hydrosalpinx fluid influences sperm motility parameters directly such that it is related to the development of infertility. Therefore, using computer assisted semen analyzer (CASA), we observed, from February to July, 1997, how sperm motility, sperm progressive motility, sperm curvilinear velocity, sperm lateral head displacement, sperm straightness and sperm linearity change after treating normal sperm with hydrosalpinx fluid to evaluate sperm function on infertility. The result was that the study group (n=32) has the tendency to differ from the control group (n=32) on sperm motility, progressive motility, curvilinear velocity, lateral head displacement, straightness and linearity. We concluded that the hydrosalpinx fluid, with varying degree, directly has the harmful effects on sperm motility parameters, that is, curvilinear velocity, lateral head displacement and linearity of sperm which are related to the hyperactivation, hence decreased capacitation.
Endometrium ; Female ; Head ; Humans ; Infertility ; Inflammation ; Semen ; Sperm Motility* ; Spermatozoa*

No abstract available.
Carcinoma, Hepatocellular* ; Collagen* ; Liver Cirrhosis* ; Liver*

Ganglion cyst of the spinal facet joint is rare. It is believed that ganglion cysts on the dorsal aspect of the facet joints are asymptomatic and therefore are not clinically appreciated. But we have experienced a patient who had severe low-back and buttock pain and diagnosed as ganglion cyst located on the dorsal aspect of the right side facet joint between the fourth and fifth lumbar vertebrae. The treatment was surgical excision of the cyst and resulted in a satisfactory recovery. The differential diagnosis involving herniated lumbar intervertebral disc should not exclude ganglion cyst of the dorsal aspect of the lumbar facet joint.
Buttocks ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Ganglion Cysts* ; Humans ; Intervertebral Disc ; Lumbar Vertebrae ; Zygapophyseal Joint*

No abstract available.
Humans ; Siblings*

No abstract available.
Leiomyosarcoma* ; Myosarcoma* ; Rhabdomyosarcoma*

Purpose: This study was performed to evaluate the incidence of vasovagal reactions (VVRs) and the efficacy of lidocaine injection for prevention. Methods: One hundred seventeen patients diagnosed with hemorrhoids and scheduled to undergo a stapled hemorrhoidopexy (SH) were randomly divided according to submucosal injection to the rectum: lidocaine group (n = 53, lidocaine injected just before full closure of the stapler) and control group (n = 58). Outcomes included baseline patient characteristics (American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status classification, body mass index, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and previous VVR history), vital signs during the operation, incidence of VVRs (hypotension, bradycardia, dizziness, diaphoresis, and nausea/vomiting), and postoperative complications (pain, bleeding, and urinary retention). Results: Baseline characteristics were similar between groups. The number of patients with lower abdominal pain after firing the stapler and incidence of dizziness were lower for the lidocaine group than for the control group (9.4% vs. 25.9%, P = 0.017; 0% vs. 8.6%, P = 0.035, respectively). However, there were no significant between-group differences in incidence of nausea and diaphoresis (0% vs. 3.4%, P = 0.172) and syncope (1.9% vs. 3.4%, P = 0.612). Fewer patients in the lidocaine group complained of postoperative pain (41.5% vs. 58.6%, P = 0.072), and these patients used analgesics less frequently than those in the control group (28.3% vs. 36.2%, P = 0.374). Conclusion Patients who received a submucosal lidocaine injection prior to SH experienced less lower abdominal pain and dizziness compared with those who received standard treatment. A larger, more detailed prospective study is needed for further analysis.

Pilomatricoma is a benign tumor differentiating towards the hair matrix. Perforation may rarely take place with extrusion of part of the contents. A 3-year-old girl presented with a 5×6 mm sized, erythematous, elevated and indurated mass with a tiny horny projection on its surface, on her righ,t upper arm. It had been present for one year. Histopathologically, there were several islands of epithelial cells in the upper to mid-dermis composed of basophilic, shadow and transitional cells. A few tumor islands adjacent to the epidermis were in the course of a characteristic transepithelial elimination process.
Animals ; Arm ; Basophils ; Child, Preschool ; Epidermis ; Epithelial Cells ; Female ; Hair ; Horns* ; Humans ; Islands ; Pilomatrixoma*