We present here a brief literature review and a case study of postpartum pulmonary arterial hypertension, a rare and progressive disease with a high maternal mortality rate. The patient, a 32-year-old woman, presented with dyspnea and shivering immediately following an uncomplicated vaginal delivery. The patient had no remarkable individual or familial history. She died 4 hours after her delivery, and an autopsy revealed atherosclerosis of the main pulmonary arteries and characteristic plexiform lesions on the lung. The remaining organs showed no remarkable pathology. We reported pulmonary arterial hypertension associated with pregnancy as the cause of death.
Adult ; Atherosclerosis ; Autopsy ; Cause of Death ; Death, Sudden ; Dyspnea ; Female ; Humans ; Hypertension* ; Lung ; Maternal Mortality ; Pathology ; Postpartum Period* ; Pregnancy ; Pulmonary Artery ; Shivering

PURPOSE: To evaluate the outcome of coronary lesions for efficacy of dexamethasone therapy after additional immunoglobulin(IVIG) retreated in initial IVIG-resistant Kawasaki disease(KD). METHODS: Retrospective studies were performed on 438 cases of KD treated with one or two episode of high-dose IVIG and 24 cases with dexamethasone therapy after additional immunoglobulin(IVIG) retreated in initial IVIG-resistant Kawasaki disease(KD) at this hospital from June 2000 to January 2004. 2D echocardiogram was done at admission, 2 months later and every 2 or 3 months when coronary lesion had improved more than 2 months later. RESULTS: In 108(24.7%) of 438 cases with IVIG therapy only, 10(41.7%) of 24 cases with dexamethasone therapy after additional immunoglobulin(IVIG) retreated in initial IVIG-resistant Kawasaki disease(KD), coronary abnormality had been shown by initial 2D-echocardiogram examined at acute stage. In 10(2.3%) of 438 patients with IVIG therapy only, and in 3(12.5%) of 24 cases with additional IVIG retreatment, coronary lesions were still remained at follow-up echocardiogram. Even though it had tendency to increase the coronary lesions in the group with dexamethasone therapy after additional immunoglobulin(IVIG) retreated in initial IVIG-resistant Kawasaki disease(KD), there was no significant differences about the incidence of coronary lesions between two groups. There was no significant differences in age, sex, and other clinical findings between two groups. CONCLUSION: The combination therapy with high doses of IVIG and aspirin in KD is the standard treatment but not always effective. The dexamethasone therapy may be another treatment of choice after additional immunoglobulin(IVIG) retreated in IVIG- resistant Kawasaki disease(KD).
Aspirin ; Dexamethasone* ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Immunoglobulins, Intravenous ; Incidence ; Mucocutaneous Lymph Node Syndrome* ; Retreatment ; Retrospective Studies

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the role of plasma brain natriuretic peptide(BNP) concentraion in Kawasaki disease(KD) and to evaluate the relationship of BNP and Tissue doppler imaging(TDI) in ventricular function. METHODS: Plasma BNP concentration was obtained in the acute phases of KD(n=49) and non-KD(n=36). TDI and conventional echocardiography were performed in 49 patients in acute phase of KD. E' velocity, A' velocity at the lateral mitral annulus, interventricular septum, lateral tricuspid annulus were measured. RESULTS: The mean plasma BNP concentration in patients with KD in the acute phase was significantly higher than non-KD(61.1+/-100.9 pg/mL vs 13.2+/-9.5 pg/mL, P<0.05). There was significant negative correlation with BNP and E' velocity, E/E' ratio at lateral mitral annulus in the aucte phase of KD. CONCLUSION: The level of plasma BNP significantly increased in aucte phase of KD. But, there was no definite level of plasma BNP to diagnosis of KD. Diatolic ventricular function was decreased in acute phase of KD which BNP is elevated by TDI.
Brain* ; Diagnosis ; Echocardiography ; Humans ; Mucocutaneous Lymph Node Syndrome* ; Natriuretic Peptide, Brain* ; Plasma* ; Ventricular Function

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the functional changes of the ventricles for 27 children with recombinant human growth hormone (rhGH) therapy in short stature using echocardiography with tissue Doppler imaging. METHODS: The conventional Doppler echocardiography with tissue Doppler imaging were performed in 27 children with rhGH therapy for short stature and 13 healthy children. Peak velocities of systolic (S) and early (E'), late(A') diastolic wave of mitral annulus,septum and tricuspid annulus were obtained from apical 4 chamber view. RESULTS: There was no differences in left ventricle (LV) mass (72.948+/-11.825 m/s2 vs 73.931+/-12.093 m/s2, P=0.08), LV ejection fraction (66.778+/-5.441% vs 70.154+/-6.641%, P=0.095) and LV fractional shortening (36.737+/-4.265% vs 38.085+/-3.419, P=0.327) were observed between patients and controls. There was no significant differences in E and A measured at mitral and tricuspid annulus were observed between pateints and controls. There was no significant differences in S, E' and A' measured using tissue doppler imaging at mitral annulus, septum, and tricuspid annulus were observed between patients and controls CONCLUSION: No significant differences in parameters of cardiac function using tissue doppler imaging with conventional echocardiography were found between patients with rhGH therapy and controls. But, longer follow-up, involving at a larger number of patients, is required to confirm the safety of long-term rhGH treatment.
Child* ; Echocardiography* ; Echocardiography, Doppler ; Follow-Up Studies ; Growth Hormone* ; Heart Ventricles ; Human Growth Hormone ; Humans ; Ventricular Function, Left

PURPOSE: To evaluate the usefulness of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for assessing fracture types and soft tissue injuries associated with tibial plateau fractures. MATERIALS AND METHODS: MRI was performed in 38 patients with tibial plateau fractures, each of which was classified according to the Schatzker system. We evaluated MR images and assessed the prevalence of each fracture type and accompanying soft tissue injuries. We also assessed whether ligamentous injury correlated with the extent of articular depression, splitting, and comminution. In 24 patients, diagnosis was based on MRI and operative or arthroscopic findings, and in 14 patients, on MRI alone. RESULTS: The totals of fracture types I, II, III, IV, V and VI were 4 (11 %), 15 (39 %), 6 (16 %), 4 (11 %), 4 (11%), and 5 cases (13 %), respectively. In 30 cases (79 %), there were associated ligamentous or meniscal injuries. Medial collateral ligaments and lateral menisci were injured in 17 (45 %) and 14 cases (37 %), respectively. Type II and IV fracture patterns were associated with soft tissue injuries in 14 of 15 cases (93 %) and 4 of 4 cases(100 %), respectively. As the extent of articular depression increased and the extent of bony comminution decreased, there was an increased prevalence of accompanying ligamentous injuries. CONCLUSION: In tibial plateau fractures, MR imaging is a useful diagnostic modality for the evaluation of both fracture type and accompanying ligamentous or meniscal injuries.
Collateral Ligaments ; Depression ; Diagnosis ; Humans ; Ligaments ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Menisci, Tibial ; Prevalence ; Soft Tissue Injuries*

The incidence of anomalous aortic origin of the coronary arteries in the general papulation is unknown. In recent reports from various laboratories, the incidence was between 0.6-12% in patients referred for coronary arteriogtaphy. Anomalous origin of the right coronary artery from the left sinus of Valsalva is reported to constitute from 6% to 27% of all coronary anomalies, For many years pathologists classified it as a minor anomaly of no clinical importance. Recently, manifstations of myocardial ischemia have been described in patients with this anomaly in the absence of additional atherosclerotic or other disease processes. These manifestations have included acute myocardial infarction, angina pectoris, syncope, nonfatal ventricular fibrillation, and sudden death. We report a case of 56-year-old male with the anomalous origin of the right coronary artery from the left sinus of Valsalva, who had been admitted due to severe substernal chest pain and acute inferior wall myocardial infarction. The coronary angiography revealed that the right coronary artery originated from the left coronary sinus without significant atheroscleotic narrowing. The anomalous right coronary artery passed anteriorly between pulmonary artery and aortic root without significant coronary obstruction.
Angina Pectoris ; Chest Pain ; Coronary Angiography ; Coronary Sinus ; Coronary Vessels ; Death, Sudden ; Humans ; Incidence ; Inferior Wall Myocardial Infarction* ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Myocardial Infarction ; Myocardial Ischemia ; Pulmonary Artery ; Sinus of Valsalva ; Syncope ; Ventricular Fibrillation

Prolotherapy is a non-surgical injection treatment method that repeatedly injects small amounts of proliferators into damaged ligaments, tendon, joints and surrounding tissues. The most common proliferator is a high concentration of glucose solution. Glucose solutions with a concentration of 10-25% are commonly used. Prolotherapy using glucose solution has few serious adverse events, but common side effects include post injection pain, stiffness, edema, and mild bleeding. There are many cases of complaining of pain caused by injection during or after prolotherapy. Some patients give up treatment if the pain is severe. A 43-year-old male patient visited the hospital with both elbow pain and left wrist pain, and prolotherapy was performed. In order to minimize pain during procedure and post injection pain of the patient, 10% glucose solution with 0.5% lidocaine was injected using a very fine needle of 30 G. The total number of treatments was eight. The patient did not complain of pain caused by needle insertion during procedure and post-injection pain. Chronic pain that lasted for two years after treatment almost disappeared. The patient was very satisfied with this treatment method and result.

BACKGROUND: Recent guidelines recommend that all cirrhotics undergo screening upper endoscopy to identifly risk patients for bleeding from varices. The aim of this study was to determine whether clinical and laboratory variables were predictive of the occurrence and progression of esophageal varices. METHODS: This is a retrospective analysis of cirrhotics who had a screening upper endoscopy during 10 years after liver biopsy. Fifty-eight patients were recruited. Univariate/multivariate analysis was used to evaluate associations between the development and progression of esophageal varices and patients characteristics including platelet count, liver chemistry value, prothrombin time, shunt index(heart to liver uptake ratio) through transrectal TI-201 liver scan, probability(P)-value (Y=3.3431-0.8160 x ALT/AST ratio-0.0343 x prothrombin time+2.6963 x shunt index, P=e(y)/(e(y)+1)), ascites, splenomegaly, hepatic encephalopathy. RESULTS: There were 36 patients without esophageal varices or with stable varices during 10 years and 22 patients with new developed esophageal varices or progressive varices during 10 years as determined by upper endoscopy. On multivariate analysis, patients with a probability(P)-value of > or = 0.647 and a platelet count of < or = 100,500/mm3 had a risk of the development and progression of esophageal varices. CONCLUSIONS: Non-endoscopic predictors (probability(P)-value and platelet count) could be used to stratify patients with cirrhosis for the risk of the development and progression of esophageal varices and such stratification could be used to improve the effectiveness of screening upper endoscopy for esophageal varices.
Ascites ; Biopsy ; Blood Platelets ; Chemistry ; Endoscopy ; Esophageal and Gastric Varices* ; Fibrosis ; Hemorrhage ; Hepatic Encephalopathy ; Humans ; Liver Cirrhosis* ; Liver* ; Mass Screening ; Multivariate Analysis ; Platelet Count ; Prothrombin ; Prothrombin Time ; Retrospective Studies ; Splenomegaly ; Varicose Veins

OBJECTIVE: The Bethesda System (1991) recommended that the diagnosis of atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance (ASCUS) be qualified when possible to indicate whether a reactive process, or premalignant/malignant process, is favored. In order to evaluate the clinical significance of the qualification, we reviewed our hospital's experience with cervicovaginal smears diagnosed as ASCUS. METHOD: A retrospective study from June 1994 to December 2000 was performed on all cervicovaginal smears with the diagnosis of ASCUS. 3759 cases were included in study group. The 1200 cases of 3759 were not followed up. Histopathologic diagnosis and cervicovaginal smear results were reviewed and compared according to the qualification of ASCUS. The Chi-square test was used. RESULTS: Histopathologic diagnosis of low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (LGSIL) was seen in 46.1%, 47.8%, and 44.3% of the ASCUS FR, ASCUS FD and ASCUS NOS group, respectively. Histopathologic diagnosis of high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (HGSIL) was seen in 6.0%, 17.2% and 7.8% of the ASCUS FR, ASCUS FD and ASCUS NOS group, respectively. In ASCUS FR group, 1 invasive carcinoma was detected. In ASCUS FD group, 6 carcinoma in situ (CIS), 2 microinvasive carcinoma, 1 invasive carcinoma and 1 adenosquamous cell carcinoma were detected. In ASCUS NOS group, there were 20 CIS, 5 microinvasive carcinoma, 7 invasive carcinoma and 2 invasive adenocarcinoma. The ASCUS FD group demonstrated significant risk for SIL and more severe lesion but ASCUS FR and ASCUS NOS demonstrated no significant difference. CONCLUSION: ASCUS FD group has increased risk for detection of SIL or more severe lesion than ASCUS FR or ASCUS NOS group. But there were also significant number of SIL and even invasive cancer in ASCUS FR and ASCUS NOS group, so qualification of ASCUS was not useful for management and colposcopy-directed biopsy is advocated even in ASCUS FR group.
Adenocarcinoma ; Biopsy ; Carcinoma in Situ ; Diagnosis ; Retrospective Studies

OBJECTIVE: This study examined the effect of social support on metabolic syndrome (MetS) among elderly population in a city in Korea. METHODS: A total of 352 people all over 60 years of age were analyzed from the data of the Korean Longitudinal Study on Cognitive Aging and Dementia. This study was started in 2010 and is in progress till date. We compared the documented diagnoses of MetS and Medical Outcome Study Social Support Survey at the baseline of the study and two years later. RESULTS: 315 were normal, 37 were developed after two years among subjects without MetS at baseline. When the level of social support was compared at baseline and then at the time of the reassessment two years later, the level had increased in the normal group and the level had not significantly changed for the MetS group. The findings documented at the two year mark indicate that the higher and stronger the level of social support, the lower the risk of developing MetS (odds ratio=0.053, p=0.040). CONCLUSION: The elderly with good social support are noted to be at lower risk in developing MetS as opposed to those with poor social support. It is apparent that adequate social support shows reduced prevalence of MetS among the elderly. Methods to identify strategies in improving social support networks are needed to expand public health resources and to better accommodate the community-based care of the elderly.
Aged* ; Cognitive Aging ; Dementia ; Diagnosis ; Humans ; Korea* ; Longitudinal Studies ; Outcome Assessment (Health Care) ; Prevalence ; Public Health