BACKGROUND: The skin of patients with atopic dermatitis (AD) exhibits a striking susceptibility to colonization with Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus). Superantigens produced by S. aureus and their specific IgE antibodies are thought to be important precipitating factors of AD, but there are few reports evaluating these 2 factors at the same time, particularly in adult AD patients. OBJECTS: Our purpose was to investigate the differences in the culture degree of S. aureus from the lesion, non-lesion, and control group of child and adult AD patients, to research the correlation between the exotoxin production, total IgE, anti-SEA IgE and the disease severity by SCORAD index, to ascertain the differences between child and adult AD patients. METHODS: The clinical severity of 30 child (2 to 15 years of age) and 30 adult patients (16 to 40 years of age) with AD was evaluated by using SCORAD index. S. aureus was isolated from lesional and non-lesional skin of AD patients, and from healthy controls. Staphylococcal exotoxins were detected by using reversed passive latex agglutination toxin detection kits. Anti-SEA IgE antibody was determined by using AlaSTATt assay RESULTS: S. aureus colonizations were found in 11 (36.7%) of the lesional skin, in 5 (16.7%) of the non-lesional skin of 30 child AD patients, and in 26 (86.7%), in 20 (66.7%) of 30 adult AD patients, respectively. The colonization rates of S. aureus in child patients were much lower than those in adult patients, both form lesional skin and non-lesional skin. Staphylococcal exotoxins were detected in 5 (45.5%) of the 11 colonizations from lesional skin, in 2 (40%) of the 5 colonizations from non-lesional skin of children, and in 10 (38.5%) of the 26 colonizations, in 9 (45%) of the 20 colonizations of adults, respectively. Staphylococcal enterotoxin A (SEA) was most frequently detected in both groups. S. aureus colonization was correlated with the severity of AD in childhood, but not in adulthood. However, there were no statistical significances between severity of AD and others such as exotoxin production, and the level of total IgE and anti-SEA IgE in both groups. CONCLUSION: The colonization of S. aureus was more common in adult AD patients than child AD patients. Anti-SEA IgE level was much higher in adult AD patients than in child AD patients. It is tempting to speculate that the colonization of S. aureus and exotoxin production might be related to the disease. duration rather than clinical severity of AD.
Adult ; Agglutination ; Antibodies ; Child ; Colon ; Dermatitis, Atopic* ; Enterotoxins* ; Exotoxins* ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin E* ; Latex ; Precipitating Factors ; Skin ; Staphylococcus aureus ; Strikes, Employee ; Superantigens

No abstract available.
Intussusception*

Hearing loss is a very common health problem throughout the world, although the number of hearing impaired individuals varies greatly in the countries. It is generally accepted that hearing impairment inevitably leads to a breakdown in communication and physical and mental health problems consequently. Nevertheless, few community based studies have been undertaken to examine both the mental and more general physical state of the hearing impaired patients. This study was conducted to evaluate the anxiety and depression in hearing impaired patients. Self-administered questionnaires including sociodemographic data were given to 336 subjects over the age of 18 years who visited the Health Management Center, Uijongbu St. Mary's Hospital for the routine health check up from January 1996 to April 1996 and three hundred seventeen samples (male: 197, female: 120) were selected. For the assessment of anxiety and depression we used Self-rating Anxiety Scale (SAS) and Self-rating Depression Scale (SDS) devised by Zung. And hearing impairment was evaluated using a Beltone Model 110 Audiometer. The results were statistically analyzed by ANOVA test and x(2) test. The results obtained were as follow: 1. The mean anxiety scores counted by SAS of 0-15dB HL (hearing loss) group (classified by the average loss in the better ear at 500, 1,000, 2,000Hz frequencies), 16-29dB HL group, 30-44dB HL group, more than 45dB HL group were 33.1+/-6.6 32.2+/-5.9, 41. +/-8.4, 42.8+/-6.0 respectively. And the mean depression Scores counted by SDS of 0-15dB HL group, 16-29dB HL group, 30-44dB HL group, more than 45dB HL group were 37.4+/-7.7, 37.2+/-7.2, 46.2+/-8.4, 48.6+/-8.6, respectively. The more than 30dB HL group showed significant high scores in SAS and SDS than the less than 30dB HL group (p<0.001). 2. The frequency of clinically significant anxiety disorder (SAS > or = 50) was 3.4% in less than 30dB HL group and 11. 1% in more than 30dB HL group. The difference between two groups was statistically significant (p<0.05). 3. The frequency of clinically significant depression disorder (SDS > or = 50) was 5.1% in less than 30dB HL group and 39.5% in more than 30dB HL group. The difference between two groups was statistically significant (p<0.05). 4. When several important interaction variables related to anxiety: and depression (such as age, sex, marital status, education level, economic status, occupation, religion) were stratified and we compared the groups between the more than 30dB HL and less than 30dB HL, most factors about anxiety and depression showed the significant differences in two groups. 5. Multiple logistic regression analysis revealed that hearing loss(p<0.05) predicted anxiety disorder (SAS> or = 50) and hearing loss(p<0.01), age(p<0.05) predicted depression disorder (SDS> or = 50). In conclusion, there was significant difference in anxiety and depression scores, between more than 30dB HL(in the better hearing ear) group and less than 30dB HL group. This study suggested that anxiety and depression should be considered as adverse effects of hearing impairment.
Anxiety Disorders ; Anxiety* ; Depression* ; Ear ; Education ; Female ; Hearing Loss* ; Hearing* ; Humans ; Logistic Models ; Marital Status ; Mental Health ; Occupations ; Questionnaires

No abstract available.
Humans ; Infant, Newborn*

Malignant degeneration of mature cystic teratoma has been reported in 1~3% of cases, usually between the age of 30 and 70 years with a peak incidence of 40~60 years. The most common malignancy developing in such tumors is squamous cell carcinoma arising in a mature cystic teratoma. Hirakawa reported two patients with benign teratomas diagnosed 25 and 32 years prior to surgery for malignancy and Dorothea reported a patient who was diagnosed as benign teratoma 50 years prior to operate for carcinoma. But there has been no report of squamous cell carcinoma arising in the mature cystic teratoma with direct invasion to gastrointestinal tract. We report a case of squamous cell carcinoma with direct invasion to transverse colon and jejunum in 62-year-old female who was diagnosed as mature cystic teratoma 20 years ago.
Carcinoma, Squamous Cell* ; Colon, Transverse* ; Female ; Gastrointestinal Tract ; Humans ; Incidence ; Jejunum* ; Middle Aged ; Teratoma*

No abstract available.
Humans*

Acral persistent papular mucinosis is a subtype of the localized papular mucinosis. Clinically, ivory to flesh-colored papules develop exclusively on the back of the hands, the extensor surface of the wrists, and occasionally the distal forearms. Histologically, mucin accumulates in the upper reticular dermis, typically sparing a subepidermal zone and fibroblasts are not increased in number. On experiencing a case of numerous papules on both hands and forearms of a fifty year-old woman, we present it as acral persistent papular mucinosis.
Dermis ; Female ; Fibroblasts ; Forearm ; Hand ; Humans ; Mucins ; Scleromyxedema* ; Wrist

No abstract available.
Thanatophoric Dysplasia*

No abstract available.
Nuchal Cord* ; Ultrasonography*

No abstract available.
Fever* ; Humans