BACKGROUND: Helicobacter pylori(H. pylori) infection is known to be strongly associated with varied dermatoses such as rosacea, vasculitic purpura, and Sweet's syndrome. Also, many antibiotics including amoxicillin, clarithromycin, and tetracycline have been used to ameliorate chronic urticaria. This recent knowledge posed the plausibility that H. pylori infection might be an underlying causative factor of chronic urticaria. OBJECTIVE: This study was conducted to investigate the role of H. pylori infection in patients with chronic urticaria. METHODS: Sixty-five subjects with chronic urticaria were examined for H. pylori infection with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for IgG/M against H. pylori and rapid urease test(CLO test) for endoscopically biopsied gastric mucosa. Amoxicillin or clarithromycin combined with omeprazole as a therapy was administrated to the 44 patients with positive test results for 4 weeks. RESULTS: H. pylori infection was more frequently diagnosed in 44 of 65(67.7%) patients with chronic urticaria than in the control subjects(8.8%). After the completion of treatment for 4 weeks, specific IgG antibodies and a CLO test against H. pylori were negative in 28 of 38(73.7%) and 43 of 44(97.7%) patients respectively. At the post-treatment evaluation, 37 of 44(84.1%) patients with H. pylori-positive urticaria showed significant clinical remission of urticaria. CONCLUSION: Eradication of H. pylori in patients with chronic urticaria was accompanied by clinical remission of urtication. There is substantial evidence that unexplained causes of chronic urticaria may be associated with H. pylori infection.
Amoxicillin ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Antibodies ; Clarithromycin ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Gastric Mucosa ; Helicobacter pylori* ; Helicobacter* ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin G ; Korea* ; Omeprazole ; Prevalence* ; Prospective Studies* ; Purpura ; Rosacea ; Skin Diseases ; Sweet Syndrome ; Tetracycline ; Urease ; Urticaria*

Angioleiomyoma(ALM) of the cavernous type is a rare subtype of leiomyomas arising from the smooth muscle of veins. ALM of this type invariably shows clinically and histopathologically distinctive features, compared with the classical solid or venous type. However, no case of ALM of this type has been yet reported in Korea although there have been several reported cases of other types. We herein present the case of a 39-year-old man with a 7-year history of a painless ALM of the cavernous type on his buttock with the histological features of markedly ectatic vascular channels and thin intervascular bundles of smooth muscles.
Adult ; Angiomyoma ; Buttocks* ; Humans ; Korea ; Leiomyoma ; Muscle, Smooth ; Veins

No abstract available.
Fibronectins* ; Paraffin*

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical presentation and surgical outcome in patients with symptomatic discal cyst. METHODS: The authors reviewed consequent 9 patients in whom microscopic excision of the discal cyst with or without additional discectomy for discal cyst from 2005 to 2012. Diagnostic imagings including simple radiographs, computed tomography with discogram and magnetic resonance images were performed in each case. The patients were reviewed to evaluate the clinical presentation, surgical outcome and related complications. RESULTS: In all patients, discal cyst was located in the lumbar region and they presented with back pain and unilateral radiating pain. The preoperative magnetic resonance images (MRI) and computed tomography (CT) scan with discogram showed a connection between the cyst and the involved intervertebral disc. All patients obtained immediate relief of symptoms after microscopic excision of discal cyst. There were no recurrent lesions during follow-up period. The mean preoperative visual analogue scale (VAS) was 7.8 when compared with 2.6 in preoperative assessment. All patients obtained excellent or good outcome according to modified MacNab's criteria. CONCLUSION: Discal cysts are rare lesions that can lead to back pain and refractory sciatica. Microscopic excision of the cyst can achieve remarkable improvement of symptoms.
Back Pain ; Dental Cements ; Diskectomy ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Intervertebral Disc ; Lumbosacral Region ; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy ; Sciatica

No abstract available.
Aged, 80 and over ; Cholecystitis/*complications/diagnosis ; Hemobilia/diagnosis/*etiology ; Humans ; Jaundice, Obstructive/etiology ; Male

BACKGROUND: Cutaneous vasculitis associated with viral hepatitis seems to occur as a hypersensitivity reaction against the circulating viral antigens. Hepatitis B virus(HBV)-encoded X antigen(HBxAg) is known to participate in the carcinogenesis of hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC) by the inactivation of p53. However, HBxAg has been found in chronic infiammatory lesions without the overexpression of p53. Accordingly, not only EBsAg and HBcAg but also HBxAg may be involved in HCC-associated cutaneous vasculitis, regardless of the alteration of p53. OBJECTIVE: This study was conducted to investigate the expression of HBV-encoded antigens in cutaneous vasculitis accompanied by HBV hepatopathy. Additionally, we have compared the expression of 3 HBV antigens and p53 between vasculitic patients with HCC and in others showing HCC-non-associated vasculitis. METHODS: Immunohistochemically, we examined the expression of HBsAg, HBcAg, and HBxAg in the tissue specimens taken from the vasculitic lesions of the 33 HBsAg-positive enrolled patients with cutaneous vasculitis proven by skin biopsy. RESULTS: 1. The immunohistochemical positivity rate to HBsAg in vasculitic patients with HBV hepatopathy was 66.7% overall. It was 90% in HCC-associated vasculitic subjects and 56.5% in the vasculitic subjects without HCC, respectively. 2. We found the expression of HBxAg in 80% of the vasculitic subjects showing HCC. The vasculitic patients without HCC showed 17,3% of the positivity rate to HBxAg. 3. We could not find the overexpression of p53 in the vasculitic tissue specimens of the HCC patients without the cutaneous metastasis from primary HCC. CONCLUSION: HBsAg, HBcAg and HBxAg may participate in the pathogenesis of cutaneous vasculitis with HBV hepatopathy, regardless of tumorigenesis.
Antigens, Viral ; Biopsy ; Carcinogenesis ; Hepatitis B Core Antigens ; Hepatitis B Surface Antigens ; Hepatitis B virus* ; Hepatitis B* ; Hepatitis* ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Skin ; Vasculitis*

PURPOSE: To define the natural history and treatment of osteofibrous dysplasia, we compared the clinical courses of two groups: one group with a surgical treatment and the other group with a conservative treatment. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Seven cases (4 male, 3 female) were followed for more than two years (average f/u: 7 years 2 months). Four cases conservatively and three cases operatively by curettage and bone graft. Were treated the clinical and radiological findings of the two groups were compared. RESULTS: Two of three cases that received surgical treatment had been diagnosed with lesion recurrence by radiography, which showed expansion of the cortical shell, resorption of grafted bone, and reactive bone formation. One other case exhibited shrinkage and confinement of the lesion to the anterior cortex. Two cases, which were treated conservatively, showed shrinkage of the lesion and an other two cases showed no change in the size in radiogram. CONCLUSION: Asymmetrical intra-cortical osteolytic lesion of the tibia in children should be suspected as osteofibrous dysplasia and carefully observed until skeletal maturity, unless the structural integrity is seriously endangered.
Child* ; Curettage ; Fibroma, Ossifying ; Humans ; Male ; Natural History ; Osteogenesis ; Radiography ; Recurrence ; Tibia* ; Transplants

We found the changed distribution of glucose transporter (GLUT) proteins in the skin during rat development. At 15 days of gestation, GLUT1 and 2 proteins were expressed in the stratum corneum of epidermal cells. In postnatal skin, however, GLUT1 and 2 exhibit different expression patterns. While GLUT1 expression becomes more restricted to the stratum basale with development, GLUT2 was found mainly in stratum spinosum and granulosum, but not being localized in the stratum basale at any stages of perinatal skin development. Considering all these, it can be speculated that each GLUT protein plays its specific role in different epidermal layers and that the glucose used in mammalian skin in utero could be originated from the amniotic fluid during skin development.
Amniotic Fluid ; Animals ; Epidermis ; Female ; Glucose Transport Proteins, Facilitative ; Glucose* ; Immunohistochemistry ; Pregnancy ; Rats* ; Skin*

A large number of viruses belonging to Genus Hantavirus in Family Bunyaviridae are etiologic agents for hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS), or hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS). Hantaan (HTN), Seoul (SEO), Belgrade (BEL), Puumala (PUU) serotype viruses are well known causative agents for HFRS in Eurasian continent. Among those viruses Hantaan and Seoul serotypes are well known to cause HFRS in Korea, but there are some sporadic incidence by other than Hantaan or Seoul viruses. Recently we have developed the combined Hantaan-Puumala virus vaccine to prevent world-wide occurring HFRS. This combined vaccine is formalin inactivated, suckling mouse and suckling hamster brain extracts for Hantaan and Puumala viruses, respectively. Protein contents of this purified candidate vaccine is 27 microgram/ml, which contains 1,024 ELISA antigen units to each virus, but content of myelin basic protein which is causing experimental allergic encephalomyelitis is legs than 0.1 ng/ml. Thirty hamsters were given twice at one month interval intra-muscularly and bled on 30 days after each vaccination from retro-orbital sinus vein. Antibody titers were tested against 5 major serotype viruses, Hantaan, Seoul, Belgrade, Puumala and Sin Nombre viruses by IFA and PRNT. The mean IF antibody titers on 30 days after primary shot were 78.4, 68.8, 68.8, 37.9, and 15.6; mean neutralizing antibody titers were 65.4, 12, 6.1, 65.6 and 0.5 against Hantaan, Seoul, Belgrade, Puumala and Sin Nombre viruses, respectively. The mean IF antibody titers on 30 days after booster shot were 686.9, 567.5, 550.4, 516.3, and 430.9; and neutralizing antibody titers were 710.8, 41.9, 24.3, 409.9, and 1.6 against Hantaan, Seoul, Belgrade, Puumala and Sin Nombre viruses, respectively.
Animals ; Antibodies, Neutralizing ; Brain ; Bunyaviridae ; Cricetinae* ; Encephalomyelitis, Autoimmune, Experimental ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Formaldehyde ; Hantavirus ; Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome ; Hemorrhagic Fever with Renal Syndrome ; Humans ; Incidence ; Korea ; Leg ; Mice ; Myelin Basic Protein ; Puumala virus ; Seoul ; Seoul virus ; Sin Nombre virus ; Vaccination ; Veins

Non-nasal T/NK-cell lymphoma(TNKCL) without nasal cavity invasion is a subtype of angiocentric T-cell lymphomas showing the biphenotype of the T-cell and NK-cell. This tumor is characterized by the absence of clonal rearrangement of the T-cell receptor gene, frequent association with Epstein- Barr virus(EBV), poor clinical course, and common extranodal invasion. Antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) is characterized by repetitive spontaneaus abortion, thrombocytopenia, thrombotic symptoms and the positivity to the antiphospholipid antibody. Our patient was a 35-year-old woman with skin lesion on her face. Previously, she had been diagnosed of APS. Histopathological, immunohistochemical and serologic studies could disclose EBV-associated non-nasal TNKCL.
Adult ; Antibodies, Antiphospholipid ; Antiphospholipid Syndrome ; Female ; Genes, T-Cell Receptor ; Humans ; Lymphoma* ; Lymphoma, T-Cell ; Nasal Cavity ; Skin ; T-Lymphocytes ; Thrombocytopenia