The cello-tape anal swab specimens from 936 primary school children in Seoul, 308 primary school children in a rural area and 92 children in Nanjido, were examined for Enterobius vermicularis eggs. Out of 936 specimens from a primary school in Seoul, E. vermicularis eggs were detected in 114 specimens, the egg detection rate being 12.2 percent. In 308 specimens from a primary school in a rural area, 77 (25.0 percent) were positive for E. vermicularis eggs. Among 92 specimens from Nanjido children in Seoul, egg positive rate of E. vermicularis was 28.3 percent. The egg detection rate of primary school children in Seoul was significantly lower than that of primary school children in a rural area and of Nanjido children. The egg detection rate in boys was lower than that of girls. As the age of children increased, the egg detection rate decreased.
parasitolgy-helminth-nematoda ; Enterobius vermicularis ; egg ; epidemiology

Paragangliomas are rare extra-adrenal neoplasms of neural crest origin. The neoplasms may develop at various sites, but most are located in the para-aortic space along the sympathetic chain. A paraganglioma in the bile duct is very rare; only four cases of such tumors in the hepatic bile duct have been reported to date. Herein, we report on the first Korean case of a malignant paraganglioma in the common hepatic duct (with hepatic metastases) in a 75-year-old male. Computed tomography of the abdomen revealed a heterogeneously enhancing lesion in the common hepatic duct with dilatation of the intrahepatic ducts. After balloon sweeping, the mass exited spontaneously through the Ampulla of Vater. The mass was about 1.5 × 1.3 × 0.5 cm in its dimensions and the surface appeared to be necrotic and edematous. Microscopically, the tumor cells were arranged in a Zellballen pattern. The tumor was diagnosed as a malignant paraganglioma.
Abdomen ; Aged ; Ampulla of Vater ; Bile Ducts ; Dilatation ; Hepatic Duct, Common* ; Humans ; Male ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Neural Crest ; Paraganglioma*

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The standard treatment for chronic hepatitis C infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype 1 is a combination of pegylated interferon alfa and ribavirin over a 48 weeks period. It is unclear if 24 weeks treatment is possible for patients showing a rapid virological response (RVR) without compromising the sustained virological response (SVR) in Korea. METHODS: Between June 2005 and September 2008, among patients chronically infected with the HCV genotype 1 who were treated with pegylated interferon alfa subcutaneously once weekly plus ribavirin based on body weight, 55 patients who had low pretreatment viral load (<600,000 IU/mL) and RVR were enrolled. A total of 55 patients were divided into 24 weeks treatment group (n=29) and the standard treatment group (n=26). The HCV RNA was quantitatively assessed before treatment, and after 12 weeks of treatment, and also qualitatively assessed after 4 weeks of treatment, at end of treatment (24 weeks), and 24 weeks after end of treatment. RVR was defined as undetectable HCV RNA at the 4 weeks of treatment. RESULTS: Among the 55 patients, SVR was achieved in 100% (29/29) of the patients in 24 weeks treatment and 96.2% (25/26) of the patients in the standard treatment (p=0.473). CONCLUSIONS: HCV genotype 1 infected patients with a low baseline HCV RNA concentration who become HCV RNA negative at week 4 may be treated for 24 weeks without compromising sustained virlolgical response. However, an additional trial will be needed to optimize the treatment duration.
Adult ; Aged ; Antiviral Agents/*administration & dosage ; Drug Administration Schedule ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Female ; Genotype ; Hepacivirus/*genetics ; Hepatitis C, Chronic/*drug therapy ; Humans ; Interferon Alfa-2a/*administration & dosage ; Interferon Alfa-2b/*administration & dosage ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Polyethylene Glycols/*administration & dosage ; RNA, Viral/blood ; Ribavirin/*administration & dosage ; Viral Load ; Viremia/diagnosis

BACKGROUND: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) has a strong genetic component, and its prevalence is notably increased in the family members of T2DM patients. However, there are few studies about the family history of T2DM. We carried out this study to assess the influences of family history on clinical characteristics in T2DM patients. METHODS: This is a cross-sectional study involving 651 T2DM patients. Patient history and physical examination were performed and fasting blood was taken. If any first degree relative was diabetic, a family history of diabetes was considered to exist. RESULTS: Among the total 621 patients, 38.4% had a family history of diabetes. Patients with a family history had a younger age, higher weight, younger age at diagnosis and higher triglyceride level than did those without a family history. Dyslipidemia medication and metabolic syndrome were more prevalent in familial diabetes. Sex, blood pressure, previous treatment for diabetes, HbA1C, C-peptide, total cholesterol, high density lipoprotein cholesterol, and low density lipoprotein cholesterol were not different between familial and non-familial diabetes. Upon multiple linear regression analysis, the family history of diabetes remained significantly associated with serum triglyceride level. CONCLUSION: In T2DM patients with a family history of diabetes, the disease tended to develop earlier. Metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular risk factors are more prevalent in familial T2DM than they were in non-familial T2DM. These results support the necessity of earlier screening for diabetes in family members of T2DM patients and more active prevention against cardiovascular disease in T2DM patients with a family history.
Blood Pressure ; C-Peptide ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; Cholesterol ; Cholesterol, HDL ; Cholesterol, LDL ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 ; Dyslipidemias ; Fasting ; Humans ; Linear Models ; Lipoproteins ; Mass Screening ; Physical Examination ; Prevalence ; Risk Factors

Herpes zoster, involving noncontiguous dermatomes, is a rare disease. This unique presentation has been referred to as zoster duplex unilateralis or bilateralis, depending on whether one or both sides of the body are involved. A 76-year-old man, who had been treated for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, presented with painful grouped vesicles on the right forehead and the right flank accompanied with generalized crusted papulovesicles. Tzanck smear showed multinucleated giant cells, and the histopathologic findings were consistent with herpes viral infection. We report a rare case of herpes zoster duplex unilateralis with herpes zoster generalisatus.
Aged ; Forehead ; Giant Cells ; Herpes Zoster* ; Humans ; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive ; Rare Diseases

BACKGROUND: In 2001, the third report the National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) has concluded that LDL cholesterol levels should be a major goal for preventing coronary artery disease and atherosclerotic events. Those in the higher risk groups should then have lipoprotein analysis to determine LDL cholesterol levels. LDL cholesterol has traditionally been estimated by the Friedwald forrmula : LDL-C=total cholesterol-[high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C)+trigryceride/5]. However, when trigryceride level is >400 mg/dL, this formula is inaccurate. Therefore, We have compared the direct LDL cholesterol immunoseparation method with Friedwald formula from both normotriglyceridemic (triglyceride400 mg/dL). METHODS: The direct LDL cholesterol immunoseparation method was performed on 53 sera with triglyceride levels 61 to 1,684 mg/dL (classified as400 mg/dL : 31). Total cholesterol was measured enzymatic colorimetry. HDL cholesterol was measured in the supernatant after precipitating LDL by HDL cholesterol precipitating reagent containing dextran sulfate and magnesium chloride for serum. Direct LDL cholesterol was measured by immunoseparation method (Sigma Diagnostics, St Louis, Mo) that is based on selective absorption of HDL cholesterol and VLDL cholesterol by polystylene beads coated with goat polyclonal antibodies to human apolipoproteins. The cholesterol was measured by an enzamatic method on Hitachi 747. The linear regression and paird t-test were performed to evaluate the differences of data from Immunoseparation method and Friedwald formula. RESULTS: In triglyceride400 mg/dL, the LDL cholesterol value obtained by the direct LDL-C assay on the 31 frozen sera studied was significantly different from that of Friedwald formula (103+/-38.4; 50.4+/-56.2 mg/dL). Therefore, Friedwald formula is unreliable in triglyceride>400 mg/dL. CONCLUSION: Guidelines for treatment decisions, including diet and drug initiation, and therapeutic goals for high risk groups are based entirely on the LDL cholesterol level. At triglyceride levels >400 mg/dL, Friedwald fomula is inaccurate. Immunoseparation method is more rapid, higher specific, precise and helps monitor LDL lowering drugs and diets in triglyceride level>400 mg/dL.
Absorption ; Antibodies ; Apolipoproteins ; Cholesterol* ; Cholesterol, HDL ; Cholesterol, LDL ; Cholesterol, VLDL ; Colorimetry ; Coronary Artery Disease ; Dextran Sulfate ; Diet ; Education ; Goats ; Humans ; Linear Models ; Lipoproteins* ; Magnesium Chloride ; Triglycerides