BACKGROUND: Interferon alpha-2a has already been shown to be effective in clinical use of virus-originated diseases such as hairy cell leukemia, condyloma acuminatum, and AIDS-related Kaposi's sarcoma. The use of recombinant alpha-interferon may allow common warts to be treated relatively atraumatically and with less incidence of recurrence. OBJECTIVE: We tried to determine the safety and effectiveness of intralesional injections of recombinant alpha-2a interferon in the treatment of patients with common warts. METHODS: A single wart on each patient was weekly injected with 0.75 to 1.5×10(5) IU/25mm2 of interferon for 8 weeks, and the response to treatment was followed up-to 6 months. RESULTS: Clearing of the treated wart at the end of treatment occurred in 5(71%) out of 7 patients and the rest showed no improvement. With evaluation for relapses up-to 6 months after treatment, warts relapsed in 2(40%) out of 5 patients. Therefore, 3(43%) out of 7 patients were completely free of warts 6 months after treatment. CONCLUSION: Intralesional recombinant interferon alpha-2a has a limited therapeutic effect, but may be considered as a therapeutic modality of recalcitrant verruca or when it can be anticipated that destructive techniques or blistering agents will not be tolerated.
Blister ; Humans ; Incidence ; Injections, Intralesional ; Interferon-alpha ; Interferons* ; Leukemia, Hairy Cell ; Recurrence ; Sarcoma, Kaposi ; Warts*

OBJECTIVES: Dysfunctional uterine bleeding(DUB) is defined as abnormal bleeding from the uterine endometrium unrelated to anatomic lesions of the uterus, and its incidence is 10-15% among gynecologic diseases. We conducted this study for understanding correlation between clinical aspecets and pathological findings of DUB. Methods: We conducted a retrospective review of 599 women with DUB who underwent endometrial biopsy with special regard to the relation between pathologic findings and presenting symtoms or complaints from Jan. 1988 to Dec. 1997. RESULTS: Age distribution of DUB was mainly 5th decade, mean age was 44.1years, among various bleeding patterns, intermenstrual bleeding was the most common pattern(31.6%) and the next was menorrhagia(25.0%). Histologic findings of endometrium were proliferative phase, 327 cases(54.6%), hyperplasia, 139 cases(23.2%), secretory phase, 74 cases(12.4%) in order of frequency, and there was no difference in distribution of histologic findings among various bleeding patterns. CONCLUSION: Compared to other previoius studies, our study showed more incidence of endometrial hyperplasia, especially at age group of 40 or more. So patients aged more than this age with abnormal uterine bleeding must undergo emdometrial biopsy for pathologic diagnosis. Patients who are diagnosed endometrial hyperplasia must be carefully followed up because there are possibilities of progression to endometrial carcinoma.
Age Distribution ; Biopsy ; Diagnosis ; Endometrial Hyperplasia ; Endometrial Neoplasms ; Endometrium ; Female ; Genital Diseases, Female ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Hyperplasia ; Incidence ; Metrorrhagia* ; Retrospective Studies ; Uterine Hemorrhage ; Uterus

Epilepsy surgery can be a safe, effective treatment for individuals with intractable partial epilepsy. There is increasing evidence that brain abnormalities in focal epilepsy are not restricted to a single area. The longstanding debate around the relationship between structural lesions and the epileptic zone remains unresolved. Patients with DNT (dysembryoplastic neuroepithelial tumor), which is an essentially benign tumor, can be cured by epilepsy surgery-oriented approach. Cortical dysplasia is frequently associated with DNT and seems to contribute to epileptogenic activity of DNT. Surgical treatment should be aimed at removal of the associated cortical dysplasia as well as DNT itself for ideal treatment of the disease. Simple lesionectomy of cavernous angioma would relieve seizures significantly, but not always. The concept of epilepsy surgery needs to be recruited in the treatment of cavernous angioma with seizures because diffusion of hemosiderin into the surrounding brain tissue and formation of cortical scars can make epileptogenic areas. Cortical dysplasia is a highly epileptogenic lesion constituting an important cause of medically intractable epilepsy and surgery is a treatment of choice in a selected group of patients. Identification and complete resection of the lesion and ictal onset zone are necessary to achieve a good surgical results. Intractable epilepsy accompanied by benign brain lesions can be treated surgically using the entire armamentarium of presurgical investigations. Deliberate resective procedures aimed at complete removal of dysplastic tissue and epiletogenically active areas on and around the lesion ensure excellent seizure control without permanent neurologic deficit.
Brain* ; Cicatrix ; Diffusion ; Epilepsies, Partial ; Epilepsy* ; Hemangioma, Cavernous ; Hemosiderin ; Humans ; Malformations of Cortical Development ; Neurologic Manifestations ; Seizures

PURPOSE: The ictal perfusion patterns of cerebellum and basal ganglia have not been systematically investigated in patients with temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE). Their ictal perfusion patterns were analyzed in relation with temporal lobe and frontal lobe hyperperfusion during TLE seizures using SPECT subtraction. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty-three TLE patients had interictal and ictal SPECT, video-EEG monitoring, SPGR MRI, and SPECT subtraction with MRI co-registration. RESULTS: The vermian cerebellar hyperperfusion (CH) was observed in 26 patients (78.8%) and hemispheric CH in 25 (75.8%). Compared to the side of epileptogenic temporal lobe, there were seven ipsilateral hemispheric CH (28.0%), fifteen contralateral hemispheric CH (60.0%) and three bilateral hemispheric CH (12.0%). CH was more frequently observed in patients with additional frontal hyperperfusion (14/15, 93.3%) than in patients without frontal hyperperfusion (11/18, 61.1%). The basal ganglia hyperperfusion (BGH) was seen in 11 of the 15 patients with frontotemporal hyperperfusion (73.3%) and 11 of the 18 with temporal hyperperfusion only (61.1%). In 17 patients with unilateral BGH, contralateral CH to the BGH was observed in 14 (82.5%) and ipsilateral CH to BGH in 2 (11.8%) and bilateral CH in 1 (5.9%). CONCLUSION: The cerebellar hyperperfusion and basal ganglia hyperperfusion during seizures of TLE can be contralateral, ipsilateral or bilateral to the seizure focus. The presence of additional frontal or basal ganglia hyperperfusion was more frequently associated with contralateral hemispheric CH to their sides. However, temporal lobe hyperperfusion appears to be related with both ipsilateral and contralateral hemispheric CH.
Basal Ganglia* ; Cerebellum* ; Epilepsy, Temporal Lobe* ; Frontal Lobe ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Perfusion ; Seizures ; Temporal Lobe* ; Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon

OBJECTIVE AND METHODS: To determine correlations among ambulatory renin activity, ambulatory blood pressure and microalbumin excretion rate, 66 Korean essential hypertensives were studied after 4 week wash-out period. The ambulatory blood pressure was monitored every 30 minutes and mean BP were calculated automatically. Urinary microalbumin excretion rate(UAER) and ambulatory plasma renin activity(aPRA) collected at mid-day were measured by radioimmunoassays. Subjectives were divided into 2 groups by aPRA value(2ng/ml/hr). RESULT: 14 cases were high renin group and 52 cases low renin group. The mean BP were 148.83/94.69mmHg in low renin group, and 146.57/98.07mmHg in high-renin group without difference. UAER were not different also between both groups. 23.07%(4/14) of non-dippers were included in high renin group and 25.58%(12/52) in low renin group without statistical difference. The aPRA was significantly related to UAER and systolic and diastolic mean blood pressure. Also UAER was related significantly to day mean blood pressures. CONCLUSION: Thus aPRA is thought to be a meaningful indicator to predict hypertensive renal target organ damage as well as blood pressure measured with 24-hr ABPM.
Blood Pressure* ; Hypertension* ; Plasma* ; Radioimmunoassay ; Renin*

BACKGROUND: Superoxide dismutase(SOD) is an essential enzyme of protective defense mechanism in cellular compartments against the potential cytotoxicity of superoxide anion. It seems SOD activity is increased in psoriasis because of an increase in oxygen intermediates due to hyperoxia. However SOD activity is decreased paradoxically. OBJECTIVE: In order to understand the pathophysiology of psoriasis and to elucidate the significance of SOD activity in keratinocyte proliferation, we measured the SOD activities in psoriatic and in normal skin. METHODS: Authors assayed the level of SOD activities in 16 psoriatic and 16 and skin specimens, which were obtained from face/neck(1 and 4 specimens), forearm(5 and 4 specimens), trunk(6 and 3 specimens), and lower extremity( 4 and 5 specimens). We also investigated changes of SOD activity by age and regional differences of SOD activities in the psoriatic and normal skins. RESULT: First, activities of total SOD, Mn-SOD and Cu, Zn-SOD were 12.75+/-8.15, 4.28+/-3.62, 8.48+/-6.37 units/mg protein respectively in the psoriatic skin. Activities of total SOD, Mn-SOD and Cu, Zn-SoD were 17.63+/-9.10, 3.38+/-14.25+/-8.16 units/mg protein respectively in the normal skin. There as a significant difference between psoriatic and normal skins in Cu, Zn-SOD and Cu, Zn-SOD activities showed no significant differences between the age groups. Third, in sun exposed area and unexposed area, there were no significant differences between the psoriatic and normal skins in SOD activities. But it the normal skin, there were significant differences between sun exposed area and unexposed area in total SOD and Cu, Zn-SOD activities. CONCLUSION: There is a significant difference between psoriatic and normal skins in Cu, Zn-SOD activity. Namely, the Cu, Zn-SOD activity is significantly decreased in psoriasis.
Humans ; Hyperoxia ; Keratinocytes ; Oxygen ; Psoriasis ; Skin* ; Solar System ; Superoxide Dismutase* ; Superoxides*

Nevus sebaceus of Jadassohn has been referred to as a organoid nevus that classically evolves through three stages and may be associated with a range of skin tumors, and of these, syringocystadenoma papilliferum and basal cell carcinoma have been commonly reported to occur. The occurrence of keratoacanthoma is a very rare event in nevus sebaceus. Herein we report on a 23-year-old man with nevus sebaceus of the cheek. He represents a keratoacanthoma arising within nevus sebaceus.
Carcinoma, Basal Cell ; Cheek ; Humans ; Keratoacanthoma* ; Nevus* ; Nevus, Sebaceous of Jadassohn ; Organoids ; Skin ; Young Adult

A clinical study was conducted to compare effectiveness of IV Globulin with that of steriod in childhood acute ITP. We carried out an experiment to 36 patients of acute ITP who recovered over 50.000/mm(3) of platelet count and not to recur in 6 months. Study group consist of 10 children who were treated with steriod only (Group A), 13 children who were treated with IV Globulin (0.4g/kg/d, 5 days, Group B), and 13 children combined with steroid (Group C) Study period was from January 1988 to December 1992, folllowing results were obtained. 1) There were no significant difference in sex ratio. age distribution, pretreatment hemoglobin level, platelet count and prolonged bleeding time among study groups. 2) The days which platelet count reached to 50.000/mm(3), 100,000/mm(3) were 3.7 days (Group A), 2.1 days (Group B), and 2.3 days (Group C), respectively (p<0.05). 3) Complete response rates within 4 weeks did not show significant difference (90% in Group A, 84.6% in Group B, 92.3% in Group C), the complete response rate within 1 week were significantly different among three group (44.4% in Group A, 90.9% in Group B, 83.3% in Group C)(p<0.05). In conclusion, it is more desirable for early treatment of a childhood ITP because IV Globulin is easy to normalize platelet count in a short time.
Age Distribution ; Bleeding Time ; Child ; Humans ; Platelet Count ; Sex Ratio

BACKGROUND: The detection of the phase reversal of somatosensory evoked potentials (SEP) has been well known to be a safe and reproducible method for defining the sensorimotor cortex. Brain stimulation (BS) has also been used to identify functional loci. The two tests, however have not to be compared in the cortical localization of the sensorimotor cortex yet. METHODS: We recorded the cortical potentials to median nerve stimulation from subdural grids which were in the frontoparietal areas of 12 epilepsy patients. After looking for phase reversals, we compared positive motor and sensory responses by brain stimulation from each electrode. In addition, the maximal amplitude areas of precentral positivity (max-P20) and postcentral negativity (max-N20) were analyzed, which were then compared with BS results. RESULTS: All patients showed phase reversals (average:4.7+1.61) on cortical SEP to median nerve stimulation. The electrodes before the phase reversal line had positive motor responses in 75% among electrodes with positive motor responses. The electrodes after the phase reversal line had positive sensory responses in 88.9% among electrodes with positive sensory responses. The maximal amplitude areas were recorded within a 2cm distance to the central sulcus. Max-P20's were located on the areas where BS showed a finger in 5 patients, hand in 3, forearm in 2, and tongue motor response in 2. Max-N20's were recorded on the areas where BS revealed a hand in 4 patients, forearm in 1, and undetected sensory responses in 7. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that SEP is different from BS in the functional localization of the perirolandic area. Thus, combined functional evaluation of the periolandic area by SEP as well as by BS is helpful in assessing sensorimotor functions.
Brain* ; Electrodes ; Epilepsy* ; Evoked Potentials, Somatosensory* ; Fingers ; Forearm ; Hand ; Humans ; Median Nerve ; Tongue

BACKGROUND: Neocortical temporal lobe epilepsy (NTLE) appears to have different characteristics in clinical and electrophysiological aspects from mesial temporal lobe epilepsy (MTLE). Many semiological studies on TLE have been performed. We investigated ictal EEG patterns to differentiate NTLE from MTLE. METHODS: One hundred twenty nine scalp ictal EEG recordings came from 27 pathologically proven TLE patients were analyzed by 1) frequency of ictal discharge at EEG seizure onset (alpha, beta, theta & delta), 2) distribution patterns of ictal EEG onset (diffuse, lateralized & regionalized), 3) electrode of maximum amplitude at initial regionalized portion of ictal EEG, and 4) mesial to lateral and anterior to posterior amplitude ratio of ictal discharges in temporal electrodes. RESULTS: One hundred seven seizures came from MTLE (23 patients) and twenty-two seizures from NTLE (4 patients). Ictal EEG onset with delta wave was observed more frequently in MTLE (42.7%) than in NTLE (14.3%), but beta wave onset was noted more frequently in NTLE (14.3%) than MTLE (0%). Initial ictal EEG discharges were lateralized on ipsilateral hemisphere in 22.0% of MTLE and in 28.6% of NTLE, regionalized over ipsilateral temporal region in 36.6% and 23.8% respectively, and showed diffuse nonlateralized onset in 41.5% of MTLE and 47.6% of NTLE. Both TLE groups revealed most often their maximum negativity of ictal EEG onset at sphenoidal electrode (MTLE: 59.3%, NTLE: 42.8%). Mesial to lateral amplitude ratio of ictal EEG was significantly larger in MTLE group than NTLE group. The amplitude ratio of anterior to posterior temporal electrodes was greater in NTLE group than in MTLE group. CONCLUSION: Delta frequency of ictal onset EEG is more suggestive of MTLE while beta frequency may suggest NTLE. Initial ictal EEG patterns with their maximum on sphenoidal electrode do not differentiate MTLE from NTLE. NTLE has wide vertical and narrow horizontal electrical field, but MTLE has wide horizontal and narrow vertical electrical field.
Electrodes ; Electroencephalography* ; Epilepsy, Temporal Lobe* ; Humans ; Scalp ; Seizures ; Temporal Lobe*