OBJECTIVE: We evaluated the clinical implications of serum ECP and peripheral blood eosinophil counts as indices of airway inflammation during the follow-up of asthmatics (BA). METHODS: We repeatedly measured the serum ECP, peripheral blood eosinophil counts and peak expiratory low rate (PFR) during the follow up of 24 symptomatic BA. RESULTS: Mean serum ECP level of BA at uncontrolled status of airflow limitation was significantly higher than that of controlled state (24.5i3.7 ng/ml rs. 16.2+1.9 ng/ml, p<0.05) and the ECP levels of controlled and uncontrolled status were significantly higher than that of health control subjects (n=10, 10.1+/-2.0 ng/ml, p<0.01 respectively). Pe ripheral blood eosinophils were also significantly increased in uncontrolled status than in controlled status of BA (535.7+/-81.0/1tL vs. 300.4+33.4/micro liter, p < 0.05). In controlled status, 8 BA had higher circulating ECP levels than in uncontrolled status, but with peripheral blood eosinophil counts, only 3 BA had higher levels in controlled status than in uncontrolled status. Variations of PFR correlated with the variations of serum ECP level (r=-0.5370, p<0.01) and variations of peripheral blood eosinophil count (r=-0.6215, p<0.001). CONCLUSION: Measurement of serum ECP and peripheral blood eosinophil count would be useful tools for monitoring the disease activity of asthma, but we could not obtain any more informations from the measureinert of serum ECP levels than from the peripheral blood eosinophil counts.
Asthma* ; Eosinophil Cationic Protein* ; Eosinophils* ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Inflammation

In this study, clinical effectiveness of Pharmacia CAP system for determination of allergen specific IgE was evaluated depending on the results of Bencard skin prick tests in 100 atopic and 18 nonatopic asthmatics. The Pharmacia CAP specific IgE positive rates were higher as the SPT grades were increased : negative (n=623) (17.8%); + (n=81) (34.6%); 2+ (n=223) (56.5%); 3+ (n=106) (70.8%); and 4+/-< (n=127)3+ (92.1%), respectively. The overall concordant rate between Bencard SPT and Pharmacia CAP system was 81.7% with range of 70.7~92.1%. The Overall sensitivity of Pharmacia CAP system was 80.7%. The sensitivities for 10 allergens, which ranged from 57.5% to 100 %, were as followed; D.pteronyssinus (96.1%), D.farinae (96.7%), cat dander (61.5%), cockroach (65.2%), Aspergillus fumigatus (57.1%), ragweed (62.5%), mugwort (75.0%), Meadow fescue (100%), birch (62.4%), and oak (80.0%), respectively. Overall specificity of Pharmacia CAP system was 82.2%. The specificity of CAP system in nonatopic subjects (n=18, 160 test) was 94.4% which was quite different with the 77.6% of atopic subjects (n=100, 463 test). SPT A/H ratios were significantly correlated with Pharmacia CAP specific IgE concentration (KU/L) in D.pteronyssinus (r=0.520, p<0.001), D.farinae (r=0.490, p<0.001), A.fumigatus (r=0.315, p<0.01), mugwort (r=0.210, p<0.05), ragweed (r=0.213, p<0.05), birch (r=0.232, p<0.05), M.fescue (r=0.410, p<0.001). But, in cockroach (r=0.192, p<0.1), cat dander and oak pollen, SPT A/H ratios were not correlated with the concentration of specific IgE. These results suggest that Pharmacia CAP system is useful for etiologic evaluation of immediate hypersensitivity and quantitative evaluation of specific IgE in atopic asthma.
Allergens ; Ambrosia ; Animals ; Artemisia ; Aspergillus fumigatus ; Asthma* ; Betula ; Cats ; Cockroaches ; Dander ; Evaluation Studies as Topic ; Hypersensitivity, Immediate ; Immunoglobulin E* ; Pollen ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Skin

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: House dust mites have been known as the most important allergens in respiratory allergic disease. Since environmental factors may have influences on the pathogenesis of allergic disease, the study using Korean house dust mites for immune and biologic reactions in house dust mite-sensitive allergic disease is considered as significant. MATERIAL AND METHOD: We made two in-house allergenic extracts of Korean house dust mites (D. farinae and D. pteronpsssinus) and performed this study for the allergen standardization by in vivo methods and for the evaluation of the reliabilities for clinical applications. RESULT: As a results of biologic standardization using skin prick test teachnique, the activity of 1: 1,500w/v of D. farinae extract was estimated 1,000 biology unit(BU), concentration that elicits a wheal of the same size as that of histamine dihydrochloride 1mg/ml. The activity of 1: 1,000w/v of D. pteronyssinus was condiered as 1,000BU. The activity of 1:100w/v of both D. farinae and D. pteronpssiuns extracts were considered as 100,000 Allergy Unit(AU), based on intradermal skin testing of 30 subjects with strong sensitive reaction. The concordant rates between results of skin prick test done with 5,000BU/ml concentration of in-house allergenic extracts and thoae with the commercially available allergen(Bencard Co., UK) were 84.6% and 81.0% for D. farinae and D. pteronpssinus, respectively. The wheal erythema size and A/H ratios induced by in-house extracts were significantly correlated with those induced by Bencard allergen. CONCLUSION: This results suggest that in-house extracts of the whole bodies of two house dust mites have good allergenic activities in vivo. It is considered to be clinically useful and reliable allergenic extracts.
Allergens ; Biology ; Dust* ; Erythema ; Histamine ; Hypersensitivity ; Pyroglyphidae* ; Skin ; Skin Tests

No abstract available.
Actinomycosis*

Horizontal Mattress Suture Technique on Microvascular Anastomosis of rat (body weight: 200-250 gm) femoral artery was evaluated. The present study was conducted to compare the horizontal mattress suture with simple interrupted suture on the suture time, patency rate of the sutured vessels, and the histological changes of surgical site of the vessel wall during wound healing period. The mean suture time of the vessel wall with horizontal mattress suture technique was 15 min 49 sec ± 2.14, which is significantly shorter than that of simple interrupted suture technique. The patency rate of the sutured vessel in both groups was statistically not different each other till post-operative 3rd day but patency rate of horizontal mattress suture was higher than that of simple interrupted suture at post-operative 3rd week. The histological findings such as intimal noss, medial degeneration and intimal regeneration were similar in both groups.
Animals ; Femoral Artery ; Rats ; Regeneration ; Suture Techniques* ; Sutures* ; Wound Healing

Prurigo pigmentosa is a chror ic pruritic inflammatory dermatosis characterized by erythematous papules in a reticulated pattern that resolve leaving a reticulated, mottled hyperpigmentation and rapidly response to dapsone therapy. Most cases that have been reported are from Japan. We report two cases of prurigo pigmentosa in a 21 year-old female and a 23-year-old female. Histopathologic findings of erythematous papules showed exocytosis, spongiosis, liquefaction degeneration of basal cell layer and perivascular lymphohistiocytic infiltration on the upper dermis. We treated them with dapsone, 100mg daily, which resulted in a remarkable regression of the ery thematous papules and improvenien of pruritus.
Dapsone ; Dermis ; Exocytosis ; Female ; Humans ; Hyperpigmentation ; Japan ; Prurigo* ; Pruritus ; Skin Diseases ; Young Adult

Cirsoid aneurysm of the calp is a congenital arteriovenous malformation which is the result of abnormal connections betwe:.n the external carotid artery and scalp veins with a subsequent dilatation of vascular channels nd formation of aneurysm. We report a case of cirsoid aneurysm of the scalp on the left parieto-occipital area of 14-year-old female who had had 8 x 5 x 0.8 cm sized pulsating soft mass for 2 years. 4 vessel angiog raphy revealed a arteriovenous malformation that emerge mainly from a superficial temporal artery and occipital artery of the left external carotid artery and partially from the right superficial temporal artery and drined into the left scalp vein. The mass was removed by excision with ligation of the feeding arter es and followed up for 2 years without recurrence.
Adolescent ; Aneurysm* ; Arteries ; Arteriovenous Malformations ; Carotid Artery, External ; Dilatation ; Female ; Humans ; Ligation ; Recurrence ; Scalp* ; Temporal Arteries ; Veins

Disodium cromoglycate(DSCG) has been widely used in the treatment of bronchial asthma and has become the prophylactic drug of choice in patients with mild-to-moderate asthma, because it has anti-allergic, anti-inflammatory and mast cell stabilizing properties. DSCG has been considered one of the safest medications among drugs for asthma treatment. The most common side effects are irritation of throat and dry mouth. Bronchospasm and chest tightness have been reported, but they were usually experienced by patients using spinhaler powdered capsules rather than metered dose inhalers (MDI). In this report, we presented a case of recurrent DSCG-induced bronchoconstriction with brief review of the literature. He had had an aspirin-induced asthma and had been well controlled with steroid inhalers and DSCG-MDI. After aspirin-bronchopro vocation test, he complained of chest discomfort and tightness immediately after inhaling DSCG-MDI. On serial monitoring of peak expiratory flow rate (PEER), there was a significant decline of PEER after two puffs inhalation of DSCG-MDI. Thus we performed DSCG-inhalation broncho provocation test with the nebulizer solution, which was pure DSCG without any addition of ingradients or propellants. This produced an early asthmatic reaction with more than 40% decline of FEV,. He was diagnosed as DSCG-induced bronchoconstriction and his clinical conditions were improved after avoidance of DSCG-MDI.
Asthma* ; Asthma, Aspirin-Induced ; Bronchial Spasm ; Bronchoconstriction* ; Capsules ; Humans ; Inhalation ; Mast Cells ; Metered Dose Inhalers ; Mouth ; Nebulizers and Vaporizers ; Occupations ; Peak Expiratory Flow Rate ; Pharynx ; Thorax

No abstract available.
Child* ; Humans ; Lymphangioma*

No abstract available.
Intussusception*