No abstract available.
Animals* ; Hypertension, Portal* ; Models, Animal*

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate the usefulness of serum ECP as a marker of the severity of asthma and extent of airway inflammation. METHOD: We investigated 108 patients suffering from bronchial asthma, who were classified as mild intermittent(n=19), mild persistent(n=27), moderate persistent(n=42), and severe persistent(n=20) and 10 healthy controls. Atopy was defined as those who showed >2+ responses on skin prick test. Serum ECP, peripheral blood eosinophil, sputum eosinophil, and PEFR were measured on the same date and meth~acholine PC20 were determined within 2 weeks. RESULTS: Serum ECP levels were 10.1+- 2.0 ug/L in controls, and 29.1+- 23.6 ug/L in asthmatic patients. According to symptom severity, serum ECP levels were 22.9 +- 15.6 ug/L, 28. 6 +- 24.1 ug/L, 29.5 +- 22.2 ug/L, and 34.6 +- 31.2 ug/L in mild intermittent, mild persistent, moderate persistent and severe persistent asthmatic patients, respectively and there were no significant differences among four groups(p>0.05). Serum ECP levels correlated with peripheral blood eosinophil counts(r=0.48, p<0.01), but not with sputum eosinophil, PEFR, and methacholine PC20 levels. There was no significant difference in serum ECP level between atopic and non-atopic asthma(p>0.05). CONCLUSION: Single measurevment of ECP level at clinic could not represent the severity of asthma.
Asthma* ; Eosinophil Cationic Protein* ; Eosinophils* ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Methacholine Chloride ; Peak Expiratory Flow Rate ; Skin ; Sputum

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

Heterogeneity in clinical features and pathogenesis of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agent (NSAIDs) hypersensitivity have been reported. NSAIDs can cause bronchial constriction in asthmatics or hives and angioedema in patients with chronic urticaria, in which case causative drugs show cross-reactivity with other NSAIDs. Normal subjects without allergic diseases may develop urticaria angioedema or anaphylaxis after ingestion of a specific NSAID. In this type of reaction, cross-reactivity between causative drugs and other NSAIDs does not occur. We experienced a case of acetaminophen anaphylaxis without aspirin sensitivity in a 38-year-old male, which was confirmed by oral provocation test. An oral challenge with 150mg of acetaminophen induced urticaria in lower legs, and erythema, with febrile sensation in ears. With a dose of 600mg acetaminophen, urticaria developed in trunk and extremities with facial angioedema. An oral provocation test with 650mg of aspirin was well tolerated without any adverse reactions. We report acase of acetaminophen anaphylaxis, which occurred in a normal individual at a small dose(150mg) without cross-reactivity with aspirin. This type of reaction supports heterogenei~ty of NSAIDs hypersensitivity and it may be caused by an other mechanism, not by cyclooxygenase inhibition.
Acetaminophen* ; Adult ; Anaphylaxis* ; Angioedema ; Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal ; Aspirin* ; Bronchoconstriction ; Ear ; Eating ; Erythema ; Extremities ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity ; Leg ; Male ; Population Characteristics ; Prostaglandin-Endoperoxide Synthases ; Sensation ; Urticaria

No abstract available.

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

A 53-year-old woman presented with dyspnea. She had undergone extended thymectomy for an invasive thymoma two months prior. CT revealed numerous small nodules in the lung. After that, she deteriorated owing to acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), and the vascular surgeon planned veno-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). During percutaneous cannulation through the left femoral vein, a vascular injury was suspected, and the patient’s vital signs became unstable. Diagnostic angiography showed a ruptured left common iliac vein, and the bleeding was stopped by placement of a stent-graft. May-Thurner syndrome was diagnosed on abdominal CT. Here, we report a rare case of ECMO-related vascular injury in a patient with an unrecognized anatomical variant, May-Thurner syndrome.

We analyzed 41 cases of burst fractures on the thoracolumbar junction which were operated with Kaneda and Cotrel-Dubousset implant at Chosun University Hospital between 1989 and 1993. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the radiologic sign, the amount of reduction, complications, and functional results. The results were as follows: 1. According to McGrorys Criteria to evaluate the posterior superior vertebral body angle of burst fractures, 33 out of 41 cases(80.5%) were positive and the average angle degree was 107.6°. 2. The average postoperative kyphotic correction was 15.4° in the Kaneda group and 13.8° in the C-D group. The average loss of correction at follow-up examination was 5° in the Kaneda group and 4.8° in the C-D group. 3. Indirect reduction was achieved in 10 cases(50%) and we obtained a good indirect reduction even though canal compromise was over 50%. 4. The pain at operative site was much more severe in the Kaneda group(6 cases) than in the C-D group(2 cases) and both groups experienced 2 cases each of implant failure. 5. According to Denis' pain and work scale, 28 cases(63.8%) had good and excellent, 8 cases had fair and 5 cases had poor results. In summary we recommend doing 1) a posterior instrumentation first for stability and indirect reduction, if it is not a severe neurologic symptom and 2) anterior decompression if it is a severe or progressive neurologic symptom.
Decompression ; Follow-Up Studies ; Neurologic Manifestations

Allopurinol is widely used for chronic tophaceous gout as a uric acid lowering agent. Hypersensitivity to allopurinol occurrs in about 10% of patients, which limits the usage of allopurinol. The successful oral and intravenous desensitization of allopurinol has been reported worldwide since 1976. We recently experienced a 51-year-old male patient with gouty arthritis and hyperuricemia, who had previously experienced skin rash after allopurinol treatment. When allopurinol was retried, erythematous and foliative skin rash developed on entire body. Because allopurinol was essential in controlling hyperuricemia, the oral desensitization of allopurinol was tried. We report successful rapid oral allopurinol desensitization in the patient with chronic tophaceous gout, who exhibited exfoliative dermatitis as allopurinol hypersensitivity.
Allopurinol* ; Arthritis, Gouty ; Dermatitis, Exfoliative* ; Exanthema ; Gout ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity ; Hyperuricemia ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Uric Acid