No abstract available.

Thelazia callipaeda, parasitic in the eye of 24 years old Korean male, was extracted from the left eye of the patient in Seoul, Korea. We confirmed that as T. callipeada morphologically, based on the descriptions of Hsu and other literature. We presents the 7th human thelaziasis case in Korea with the historical review of the literature.
parasitology-helminth-nematoda ; Thelazia callipaeda ; thelaziasis ; case report

PURPOSE:The purpose of this study was to assess the growth status and to evaluate the factors affecting the development of metabolic syndrome in children born with small for gestational age (SGA) at term gestation. METHODS:We retrospectively reviewed medical records of 73 (36 boys, 37 girls) children born with SGA at term gestation who were visited for short stature and metabolic problems at Seoul National University Children' Hospital between 1994 and 2003. We assessed several clinical parameters as follows:birth weight, height standard deviation score (SDS), weight SDS, weight for height, bone age (BA), chronologic age (CA), predicted adult height (PAH) and midparental height (MPH). We evaluated the factors affecting height SDS according to pubertal status. We also evaluated the factors affecting development of type 2 diabetes mellitus, dyslipidemia or obesity. RESULTS:Pubertal children had greater height SDS, weight SDS and difference between BA and CA than prepubertal children, respectively (P<0.05). Height SDS positively correlated with difference between BA and CA (r=0.43, P<0.01), but BA advancement (BA>CA) was not observed in prepubertal children. BA advancement was observed in all pubertal children except one. The children who had greater weight SDS than height SDS had significantly lower height SDS and delayed BA, respectively (P<0.05). The children who had metabolic problems had higher weight SDS (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: This study suggests that rapid skeletal maturation may develope during transition from prepuberty to puberty and catch-up growth may contribute to the development of metabolic syndrome in children born with SGA, but further study will be required.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Child* ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 ; Dyslipidemias ; Gestational Age* ; Humans ; Medical Records ; Obesity ; Pregnancy* ; Puberty ; Retrospective Studies ; Seoul

BACKGROUND: The positive reactions of carcinoembryonic antigen(CEA) show varying degrees in the tissue of all sweat gland neoplasms by immunohistochemistry. The CEA secreted from sweat glands presents a high value, compared with that of serum. OBJECTIVE: The study was to evaluate the sweat CEA value in relation to serum CEA value by sex, smoking status and blood type in healthy subjects. METHOD: Fifty-two healthy subjects(M : 43, F :9) aged 21-30, participated in the study. 2ml sweat was collected from the face and chest after intense exercises and 3ml blood was collected from their antecubital veins. Roche Core CEA enzyme immunoassay was used for the measurement of sweat and serum CEA. RESULTS: Sweat CEA values were 102.0+4100.5ng/ml in males and 70.6+458.5ng/ml in females, with their mean valueof 96.6+/-94.9ng/ml. Sweat CEA values were 108.3+/-103.5ng/ml in 27 smokers and 83.9+/-84.8ng/ml in 25 nonsmokers(p>0.05, t-test). Sweat CEA values were higher among the males and the smokers. Serum CEA values were 2.5+/-1.7ng/ml in males and 1.6+/-0.8ng/ml in females, with its mean value of 2.4+/-1.6ng/ml. There was no difference between serum values of smokers and nonsmokers. Sweat CEA values were about 40 times higher than those of serum, with no correlation of sweat and serum CEA(correlation coefficient=-0.16, P>0.05). In the blood type study, sweat CEA values were 123.1+/-131.8ng/ml in A type and 66.1+/-55.0ng/ml in B type(P>0.05), whereas serum CEA values were higher in AB type and lower in O type(P<0.05, ANOVA). CONCLUSION: Sweat CEA values are extraordinarily high in contradistinction to serum. Sweat CEA values are not affected by sex, smoking status and blood type. There seems to be no association between CEA values of sweat and serum.
Carcinoembryonic Antigen* ; Exercise ; Female ; Humans ; Immunoenzyme Techniques ; Immunohistochemistry ; Male ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Sweat Gland Neoplasms ; Sweat Glands ; Sweat* ; Thorax ; Veins

Drowning is a leading cause of accidental deaths worldwide, but its pathological diagnosis remains a challenge for forensic pathologists owing to a lack of pathognomonic findings in drowning deaths and inconclusive autopsy findings caused by postmortem changes. The aim of the present study was to investigate the pathway taken by inhaled drowning medium through the airway after death in a variety of experimental conditions, including underwater pressurization. We used methylene blue dye to monitor the spread of drowning medium to the lungs. Results of theses experiments demonstrated that it is possible for a significant amount of downing medium to enter the airway during immersion after death. Our results suggest that autopsies of immersed bodies and interpretation of these findings should be performed with special care.
Animal Experimentation* ; Animals* ; Autopsy ; Diagnosis ; Drowning* ; Immersion ; Inhalation* ; Lung ; Methylene Blue* ; Postmortem Changes

PURPOSE:We performed this study to compare correlation between the indices of insulin resistance using fasting insulin and glucose level and body mass index (BMI), and to determine the clinical usefulness of glucose/insulin ratio (G/I ratio), which is easily available in clinical base. METHODS:Total 119 children with simple obesity, whose BMI is over 95th percentile, were evaluated. We calculated G/I ratio, logInsulin, HOMA-IR, logHOMA-IR, and QUICKI and evaluated their relationship to BMI. RESULTS:Children with high-degree obesity had higher insulin resistance than children with mild to moderate-degree obesity (logInsulin, 1.13+/-.23 vs 1.27+/-.29; logHOMA-IR, 0.46+/-.24 vs 0.61+/-.30; QUICKI, 0.33+/-.03, 0.31+/-.03)(P<0.01), and pubertal children had higher insulin resistance than prepubertal children (G/I ratio, 7.39+/-.07 vs 4.85+/-.29; logInsulin, 1.14+/-.27 vs 1.31+/-.22; logHOMA-IR, 0.47+/-.28 vs 0.65+/-.22; QUICKI, 0.33+/-.03 vs 0.31+/-.02) (P<0.001). BMI had correlation coefficient as -0.436 for QUICKI, -0.432 for G/I ratio, 0.430 for logInsulin, and 0.425 for logHOMA-IR (P=0.000). G/I ratio was well correlated with QUICKI (r=0.901, P=0.000), logHOMA-IR (r=-0.865, P=0.000), and logInsulin (r=0.899, P=0.000). The changes of BMI were correlated with changes of G/I ratio (r=-0.547, P<0.01), QUICKI (r=-0.464, P=0.01), and logHOMA-IR (r=0.429, P<0.05). CONCLUSION: This study revealed that the degree of BMI had statistically significant correlation with insulin resistance, which can be reflected by G/I ratio, logHOMA-IR and QUICKI. G/I ratio was well correlated with logHOMA-IR and QUICKI, which suggests that G/I ratio could be used as an bedside index of insulin resistance. The changes of G/I ratio were more correlated with changes of BMI than those of logHOMA-IR and QUICKI.
Body Mass Index ; Child* ; Fasting ; Glucose ; Humans ; Insulin Resistance* ; Insulin* ; Obesity*

PURPOSE:There is a clear sexual dimorphism in circulating concentration of leptin in adulthood. However, we don' know when such dimorphism begins and how much pubertal development influences on it. So we examined body composition and circulating concentrations of leptin according to Tanner stage(TS). METHODS:We examined 112 children(M; 56, F; 56, Age; 8.5-17 yr) to evaluate the relationship of leptin and body composition. Body composition was determined by bioelectric impedence measurements(BIA) and by anthropometry. Leptin was measured by human specific RIA. Leptin level was analysed according to TS, body mass index(BMI), fat mass(FM), and lean body mass. RESULTS:BMI and free FM was correlated with TS in both sexes. FM was closely correlated with TS in girls but not in boys(M; r=0.08, P=0.54. F; r=0.73, P>0.001). Leptin levels increased in girls with advanced TS(r=0.355, P<0.01), but decreased in boys(r=-0.339, P<0.01). A strong exponential relationship was observed for leptin levels with BMI, FM, and percentage body fat as determined by BIA. There was significant sexual dimorphism of leptin level at TS VI/V. Because leptin level was significantly related FM, leptin level was normalized to FM(Leptin/FM). Leptin/FM of females(0.67+/-.27 ng/mL/kg) was also significantly higher then that of males(0.31+/-.15 ng/mL/kg)(P<0.001). CONCLUSION: These data suggest that plasma leptin levels increase in girls and decrease in boys after TS II as pubertal development proceeds; they show a significant gender difference, especially late puberty, even after adjustment for FM. Sexual dimorphism in leptin during puberty reflects not only differential changes in body composition but also different leptin resistance; reference ranges of leptin could be modified by TS and gender.
Adipose Tissue ; Adolescent* ; Anthropometry ; Body Composition* ; Child* ; Female ; Humans ; Leptin* ; Plasma ; Puberty ; Reference Values

PURPOSE:There is a clear sexual dimorphism in circulating concentration of leptin in adulthood. However, we don' know when such dimorphism begins and how much pubertal development influences on it. So we examined body composition and circulating concentrations of leptin according to Tanner stage(TS). METHODS:We examined 112 children(M; 56, F; 56, Age; 8.5-17 yr) to evaluate the relationship of leptin and body composition. Body composition was determined by bioelectric impedence measurements(BIA) and by anthropometry. Leptin was measured by human specific RIA. Leptin level was analysed according to TS, body mass index(BMI), fat mass(FM), and lean body mass. RESULTS:BMI and free FM was correlated with TS in both sexes. FM was closely correlated with TS in girls but not in boys(M; r=0.08, P=0.54. F; r=0.73, P>0.001). Leptin levels increased in girls with advanced TS(r=0.355, P<0.01), but decreased in boys(r=-0.339, P<0.01). A strong exponential relationship was observed for leptin levels with BMI, FM, and percentage body fat as determined by BIA. There was significant sexual dimorphism of leptin level at TS VI/V. Because leptin level was significantly related FM, leptin level was normalized to FM(Leptin/FM). Leptin/FM of females(0.67+/-.27 ng/mL/kg) was also significantly higher then that of males(0.31+/-.15 ng/mL/kg)(P<0.001). CONCLUSION: These data suggest that plasma leptin levels increase in girls and decrease in boys after TS II as pubertal development proceeds; they show a significant gender difference, especially late puberty, even after adjustment for FM. Sexual dimorphism in leptin during puberty reflects not only differential changes in body composition but also different leptin resistance; reference ranges of leptin could be modified by TS and gender.
Adipose Tissue ; Adolescent* ; Anthropometry ; Body Composition* ; Child* ; Female ; Humans ; Leptin* ; Plasma ; Puberty ; Reference Values

PURPOSE:Noonan syndrome(NS) is characterized by short stature, congenital heart disease, and typical facies. Recombinant human growth hormone(GH) has been reported to improve growth rate in a similar fashion to that seen in Turner syndrome. We investigated the clinical characteristics and growth reponses to GH therapy in children with NS. METHODS:The cases of sixty seven patients with NS were reviewed retrospectively. Ten of the 65 patients were assessed height, weight and pubertal stage every 3 months during GH therapy. RESULTS:Webbed neck(70%), delayed development(59.7%), low set posterior hairline(56.7%), eye abnormalities(56.7%) and mental retardation(55.2%) were the leading clinical characteristics. Short stature below the 3rd percentile was presented in 73.8 %. Growth patterns in NS children were variable and the evaluation of their growth must be individualized. The increments of height SDS were significant in children with GH therapy(height SDS:from -2.8+/-.6 to -2.3+/-.9, growth velocity:from 4.4+/-.8 cm to 9.2+/-.9 cm during first year, and 6.1+/-.1 cm during second year) (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: This study characterized the clinical profiles in Korean children with NS, which should be further extended with more children with NS. Additionally, the significant increase in final adult height after GH therapy in children with NS should be observed.
Adult ; Child* ; Facies ; Heart Defects, Congenital ; Humans ; Noonan Syndrome* ; Retrospective Studies ; Turner Syndrome

PURPOSE:Noonan syndrome(NS) is characterized by short stature, congenital heart disease, and typical facies. Recombinant human growth hormone(GH) has been reported to improve growth rate in a similar fashion to that seen in Turner syndrome. We investigated the clinical characteristics and growth reponses to GH therapy in children with NS. METHODS:The cases of sixty seven patients with NS were reviewed retrospectively. Ten of the 65 patients were assessed height, weight and pubertal stage every 3 months during GH therapy. RESULTS:Webbed neck(70%), delayed development(59.7%), low set posterior hairline(56.7%), eye abnormalities(56.7%) and mental retardation(55.2%) were the leading clinical characteristics. Short stature below the 3rd percentile was presented in 73.8 %. Growth patterns in NS children were variable and the evaluation of their growth must be individualized. The increments of height SDS were significant in children with GH therapy(height SDS:from -2.8+/-.6 to -2.3+/-.9, growth velocity:from 4.4+/-.8 cm to 9.2+/-.9 cm during first year, and 6.1+/-.1 cm during second year) (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: This study characterized the clinical profiles in Korean children with NS, which should be further extended with more children with NS. Additionally, the significant increase in final adult height after GH therapy in children with NS should be observed.
Adult ; Child* ; Facies ; Heart Defects, Congenital ; Humans ; Noonan Syndrome* ; Retrospective Studies ; Turner Syndrome