OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether the serum levels of IL-10 in patients with rheumatoid arthritis are different from those of normal controls and SLE patients and to find out any correlation with disease activity parameters of rheumatoid arthritis. METHODS: Sera from 20 healthy normal persons, 16 rheumatoid arthritis patients and 16 patients with systemic lupus erythematosus were collected and measured for IL-10 and IL-6. Various disease activity parameters were measured in RA patients. RESULTS: The serum level of IL-10 in RA patients was significantly elevated compared to normal controls but lower than those of SLE patients. In RA patients there was no definite correlation between the disease activity parameters and serum IL-10 levels. Despite significant improvements in terms of various disease activity parameters, there was no significant change of serum IL-10 levels after treatment in RA patients. In seropositive RA patients, positive correlation was found between serun IL-10 and rheumatoid factor levels. CONCLUSION: Our findings show that the serum IL-10 levels in patietns with RA are elevated compared to normal controls but lower than those of SLE patients. There was no correlation between serum IL-10 levels and disease acivity parameters of RA.
Arthritis, Rheumatoid* ; Humans ; Interleukin-10* ; Interleukin-6 ; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic ; Rheumatoid Factor

We report a rare case of carcinosarcoma arising in the stomach. The tumor is presented in the posterior wall of the gastric lower body and antrum of a 56-year-old man. Grossly the tumor has polypoid appearance with diffuse surface ulceration and measures 5.5 cm in diameter. The tumor is accompanied with three separate well differentiated early gastric adenocarcinomas (two EGC type IIc & IIa). Microscopically, the tumor consists of moderately well differentiated adenocarcinoma in the periphery, and lobulated sarcomatous areas in the center, which shows chondroid differentiation. Transitional areas between adenocarcinoma and chondrosarcoma are evident. Immunohistochemical studies show positivity for cytokeratin and carcinoembryonic antigen in the epithelial component, and for vimentin and S-100 in the sarcomatous component. The transitional areas are positive in carcinoembryonic antigen, vimentin, S-100, and cytokeratin. The tumor extended to the subserosa and showed metastasis of only adenocarcinomatous component in six out of 47 dissected perigastric lymph nodes.
Adenocarcinoma ; Carcinoembryonic Antigen ; Carcinosarcoma* ; Chondrosarcoma ; Humans ; Keratins ; Lymph Nodes ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Stomach* ; Ulcer ; Vimentin

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of IL-10 on development of collagen-induced arthritis, on humoral and cellular immunity and on the endogenous production of IL-10 in DBA/1J mice. METHODS: DBA/1J mice were immunized with chicken type II collagen in Freund s complete adjuvant. Murine recombinant IL-10 was given intraperitoneally twice a week from the day of second immunization (week 3) in doses of 0.002ug, 0. 02ug and 0. 2ug for 3 different groups, respectively. Dexamethasone was injected in one group to suppress the arthritis development and this group was used as negative control group. Levels of anti-collagen antibodies, serum IL-10 and stimulation indices of splenic monocytes to collagen were measured at the end of study. RESULTS: The 0. 02ug IL-10 and 0. 2ug IL-10 treated groups developed earlier and more severe arthritis (week 6 and 8) compared to that of the control group while the 0. 002ug IL-10 group has shown similar course to the control group in terms of incidence and severity of arthritis, At week 10, all groups with or without IL-10 injections developed arthritis with similar degree of severity while dexamethasone group showed far less incidence and severity of arthritis. The serum levels of anti-collagen antibody, IL-10 and spleen monocyte stimulation indices to collagen antigen showed no difference among control group, IL-10 injected groups and dexamethasone injected group. CONCLUSION: This study shows IL-10 could worsen the arthritis in CIA with the dosage used in this study without significant influence on the level of anti-collagen antibodies or stimulation indices of spenic monocyte to collagen.
Animals ; Antibodies ; Arthritis ; Arthritis, Experimental* ; Chickens ; Collagen ; Collagen Type II ; Dexamethasone ; Immunity, Cellular ; Immunization ; Incidence ; Interleukin-10* ; Mice ; Monocytes ; Spleen

Most of the malignant tumors of the pancreas are adenocarcinomas arising from the ductal epithelium. Primary leiomyosarcoma of the pancreas, even though it is the most common sarcoma of the pancreas, is very rare. We present a case of leiomyosarcoma of the pancreas, probably primary, with metastases to the stomach, lymph nodes, and abdominal wall. A 52-year-old woman visited the hospital with vague right upper abdominal pain and weigh loss of 6 kg for 2 months. The radiological and endoscopic examination revealed that she had a large heterogeneous mass, 11 cm in size, in the pancreatic body and tail, a 4 cm-sized mass in the paraaortic area, and a 3 cm-sized polypoid mass in the stomach. Histologically, they were all similar to one another and composed of markedly pleomorphic cells. Immunohistochemical and electron microscopic studies showed definite smooth muscle differentiation of the tumor cells. Two months later, the patient underwent an excision of a new 3 cm mass in the right lower abdominal wall, showing features of well differentiated leiomyosarcoma.
Abdominal Pain ; Abdominal Wall ; Adenocarcinoma ; Epithelium ; Female ; Humans ; Leiomyosarcoma* ; Lymph Nodes ; Middle Aged ; Muscle, Smooth ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Pancreas* ; Sarcoma ; Stomach

In order to investigate the occurrence characteristics of cancer in terms of industry in Kwangju-Chonnam area, medical utilization records of industrial medical insurance corporations during the period of 1987 to 1988 were reviewed for the identification of neoplastic disease. The cases obtained from the medical records were followed up for the verification and to get additional information. Standardized incidence data were compared by occupational characteristics. Multiple logistic regression analysis was applied to analyze the difference of incidence or distribution of cancer as a whole or of some selected cancer. Total cases of cancer identified were 242 during the study period. Annual incidence rate was calculated as 123.1 per 100,000 person. The frequent types of cancer were cancers of stomach, liver, lung, colon and rectum, bladder and lymphoma in descending order. Employees of mine and other sand handling industries showed significantly higher risks for cancer of stomach and cancer as a whole. Employees of the transportation industry showed the higher risk for cancer of liver. Workers in small-sized industry (< or = 100) had a higher risk for cancer than who in large-sized industry (>100). These findings suggested the effect of occupational environmental exposure to cancer development.
Colon ; Environmental Exposure ; Humans ; Incidence ; Insurance* ; Liver ; Liver Neoplasms ; Logistic Models ; Lung ; Lymphoma ; Medical Records ; Occupations ; Rectum ; Silicon Dioxide ; Stomach ; Stomach Neoplasms ; Transportation ; Urinary Bladder

Inflammatory pseudotumor, originally described in the lung, is a relatively rare tumor-like lesion that occurs in various organs and tissues. It is usually well demarcated from the surrounding tissue, however it can be unfortunately resected as a malignant tumor. A few inflammtory pseudotumor in the kidney have been reported in English literature, but there have been no reports in Korea. We report a case with inflammatory pseudotumor of the kidney. A 48 year old woman had an intermittent flank pain on the right side. An ultrasonographic study suggested a renal cell carcinoma and a nephrectomy was done. Grossly, there were two separate masses with a well demarcated yellowish appearance, measuring 2.3 cm and 1.3 cm in diameter, respectively. Histologically, they were composed of smooth muscle actin positive spindle cells and a large number of foamy histiocytes, lymphocytes, and plasma cells in the fibrotic backgound.
Actins ; Carcinoma, Renal Cell ; Female ; Flank Pain ; Granuloma, Plasma Cell* ; Histiocytes ; Humans ; Kidney* ; Korea ; Lung ; Lymphocytes ; Middle Aged ; Muscle, Smooth ; Nephrectomy ; Plasma Cells

A reproducible noninvasive technique for measuring right ventricular ejection fraction (RVEF) was developed using first pass quantitative radionuclide angiocardiography. Tests were carried out in the right anterior oblique position with a computerized multicrystal scintillation camera with high count rate capabilities. RVEF was calculated on beat to beat basis from the high frequency components of the background-corrected right ventricular time-activity curve. The following results were obtained; 1) In 10 normal adults, RVEF averaged 50.9+/-8.2. In 20 patients with chronic obstructive lung diseases (COPD), RVEF was 37.9+/-6.1% and significantly lower than that of normal persons(P<0.005). 2) There was meaningful correlation between RVEF and forced expiratory volume (FEVI) in patients with COPD (r=0.51). And there was significant difference of RVEF between 13 patients with FEVI less than IL/min (6 patients with right ventricular failure, 7 patients with patients without that) and 7 patients with FEVI IL/min or more (35.7+/-6.0%, 42.1+/-3.2% respectively. P<0.005). 3) All 6 patients with clinical manifestation of right heart failure had abnormal RVEF and had FEVI less than IL/min, which was significantly lower than that of 14 patients without clinical manifestation of right heart failure (33.6+/-4.8%, 39.8+/-5.6%, respectively. P<0.005). 4) In 14 patients without clinical manifestation of right heart failure, 11 patients among whom 7 patients had FEVI less than IL/min, had abnormal RVEF.
Adult ; Angiocardiography ; Forced Expiratory Volume ; Gamma Cameras ; Heart Failure ; Humans ; Lung Diseases, Obstructive* ; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive ; Radionuclide Ventriculography* ; Stroke Volume ; Ventricular Function, Right*

A rare case of hepatic metastasis with a choriocarcinomatous component from a composite adenocarcinoma and choriocarcinoma of the sigmoid colon in a 60-year-old man is reported. The hepatic metastasis displayed choriocarcinoma with extensive hemorrhagic necrosis. The tumor cells were poorly differentiated with scattered foci of bizzare syncytiotrophoblastic cells. Retrospective examination of the previous colonic carcinoma proved that the tumor was composed of two distinctive elements. One was a moderately well differentiated adenocarcinoma located in mucosa and submucosa. The other was a deep seated and undifferentiated carcinoma which was made up of hyperchromatic bizzare cells with syncytiotrophoblastic cells. There were transitional foci from adenocarcinoma to undifferentiated carcinoma with trophoblastic cells. Immunohistochemical staining showed beta-hCG expression in the undifferentiated cells of both the primary and the metastatic tumors. Implications for the possible origin and cause of tumor cell heterogeneity are briefly discussed.
Adenocarcinoma* ; Carcinoma ; Choriocarcinoma* ; Colon ; Colon, Sigmoid* ; Female ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Mucous Membrane ; Necrosis ; Neoplasm Metastasis* ; Population Characteristics ; Pregnancy ; Retrospective Studies ; Trophoblasts

No abstract available.
Epidermolysis Bullosa Dystrophica* ; Epidermolysis Bullosa*

No abstract available in English.
Calcaneus ; Clinical Study