No abstract available.
Ambulatory Care Facilities* ; Humans ; Outpatients*

No abstract available.
Hyperprolactinemia*

PURPOSE: Conventional indomethacin therapy(0.2mg/kg every 12 hours for three doses) has been used for closure of PDA. The effect of prolonged low dose of indomethacin therapy(0.1mg/kg daily for six days)had been reported in foreign country but, nothing had been reported in our country. So we attempted this study to examine effects of these two methods. METHODS: Forty one infants with PDA of prematurity from January 1992 to July 1995 who were admitted in NICU of Il Sin Christian Hospital were included. 27 of these infants received conventional dose of indomethacin therapy and 14 received prolonged low dose of indomethacin therapy, and we examined with closure rate and complication etc. RESULTS: 1) Closure of PDA was observed in 15(55.6%) and relapse was 3(11.1%) in conventional dose therapy group. In prolonged low dose therapy group, closure was 8(57.1%) and relapse was none. 2) Intraventricular hemorrhage was observed in 20(74.1%), 6(42.9%) and gastrointestinal tract bleeding was 6(22.2%), 13(92.2%) in each group. There was statistically significant between the two groups(p<0.05). 3) The rise of serum BUN, creatinine was observed in 9(33.3%), 6(46.2%), bleeding tendency was 9(33.3%), 8(57.1%), necrotizing enterocolitis was 2(7.4%), 0 and retinopathy of prematurity was 8(29.6%), 3(21.4%) in each group.But there was not statistically significant correlation between the two groups. 4) The development of sepsis and broncopulmonary dysplasia was slightly more in prolonged low dose therapy group. 5) The reduction of urine output was observed in 11(40.7%), 2(14.3%) in each group but, absolute oliguria was not observed in both groups. CONCLUSIONS: Though the closure rate of PDA was similar in both groups, prolonged low dose indomethacin therapy can be recommanded with its effectiveness on preventing the relapse of PDA and the accurrence of necrotizing enterocolitis.
Creatinine ; Enterocolitis, Necrotizing ; Gastrointestinal Tract ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Indomethacin* ; Infant ; Oliguria ; Recurrence ; Retinopathy of Prematurity ; Sepsis

BACKGROUND: Cardiovascular autonomic dysfunction is one of the most frequent non-motor symptoms in idiopathic Parkinson disease (IPD). Several cardiovascular autonomic indexes (CAIs) have been reported to represent the degree of autonomic dysfunction in various neurodegenerative diseases. However, quantitative assessment by autonomic function tests in IPD has not been fully evaluated yet. The aim of this study is to investigate the usefulness of the quantitative autonomic test for detecting subclinical cardiovascular autonomic dysfunction and their correlation to the clinical severity of motor symptoms in IPD. METHODS: Four parasympathetic and sympathetic indexes during cardiovascular autonomic tests were compared between patients with IPD (n=31, age=65.8+/-9.14, Hoen&Yahr (H&Y) stage=2.1+/-0.68) and age matched healthy controls (n=30, age=63.2+/-7.56). Parasympathetic indexes include expiration:inspiration ratio (E:I ratio), valsalva ratio, 30:15 ratio, and vagal barosensitivity. Sympathetic indexes are pressure recovery time, sympathetic index 1, sympathetic index 3 and adrenergic baroseneitivity. To demonstrate the correlation between severity of clinical motor symptoms and the autonomic abnormality, we also compared the H&Y stage and the abnormalities of those CAIs. RESULTS: E:I ratio (p=0.009) and Valsalva ratio (VR) (p<0.001) were significantly different between IPD and control groups. Among the parameters, E:I ratio (r=-0.466, p=0.005) showed significant negative correlation with severity of clinical motor symptoms in IPD (H&Y< or =3). CONCLUSIONS: Among the CAIs, E:I ratio, VR are useful in detecting subclinical autonomic cardiovascular dysfunction in IPD. E:I ratio may be the possible evaluation method revealing the severity of clinical motor symptoms in IPD.
Humans ; Neurodegenerative Diseases ; Parkinson Disease*

Background: The platelet aggregation test is widely used to measure antiplatelet therapy response and to detect platelet function disorders. CS-5100 (Sysmex Co., Japan) is a recently introduced coagulation analyzer that can also measure platelet aggregation. We evaluated the performance of CS-5100 in the platelet aggregation test for use in clinical laboratories. Methods: We investigated the precision, stability, dilution test, and correlation of CS-5100 with a traditional aggregometer. Precision was tested using normal and patient samples. Stability was assessed over 5 different time points for 8 hours. The dilution test was performed with normal samples using ADP agonists. We tested correlations between the results of Chrono-log aggregometer (Chrono-Log Co., USA) and CS-5100 using 10 samples with 5 agonists each. We also calculated the reference range of 5 agonists using 22-30 normal samples. Results: The coefficients of variation using normal samples were 7.45% and 3.27% for ADP and arachidonic acid, respectively. Stability was maintained for up to 2 hours in most samples. Dilution tests showed similar results until reaching a dilution factor of 2. Strong correlations of the results between Chrono-log and CS-5100 were found, except for ristocetin. The reference ranges of 5 reagents in CS-5100 were similar to those obtained with the Chrono-log aggregometer. Conclusions The performance of CS-5100 in platelet aggregation tests showed reliable results compared to a traditional aggregometer. CS-5100 can perform coagulation test and platelet aggregation test, simultaneously. Thus, CS-5100 can enable cost saving and reduce turn-around-time by reducing the inspection time.

Anaphylaxis caused by beta-lactam antibiotics usually develops following the systemic administration of the drug, although it can also occur with trivial contact of the drug on the skin in extraordinarily sensitive individuals. Cefotiam is a second-generation cephalosporin developed in Japan, and cefotiam-induced contact urticaria and systemic symptoms (contact urticaria syndrome) have been reported in several nurses from Japan and Korea. Considering the serious nature of the systemic manifestations, such as hypotension, contact anaphylaxis is a more appropriate name for severe forms of the disease than contact urticaria syndrome. No previous study has reported a case involving contact urticaria syndrome to multiple drugs. We describe a case of cefotiam-induced contact anaphylactic shock combined with cefoperazone/sulbactam-induced contact urticaria syndrome in a 24-year-old nurse. She exhibited positive skin prick test responses to both cefotiam and cefoperazone/sulbactam.
Anaphylaxis ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Cefoperazone ; Cefotiam ; Humans ; Hypotension ; Japan ; Korea ; Skin ; Sulbactam ; Urticaria ; Young Adult

PET allows non-invasive, quantitative and repetitive imaging of biological function in living animals. Small animal PET imaging with [18F]FDG has been successfully applied to investigation of metabolism, receptor-ligand interactions, gene expression, adoptive cell therapy and somatic gene therapy. Experimental condition of animal handling impacts on the biodistribution of [18F]FDG in small animal study. The small animal PET and CT images were registered using the hardware fiducial markers and small animal contour point. Tumor imaging in small animal with small animal [18F]FDG PET should be considered fasting, warming, and isoflurane anesthesia level. Registered imaging with small animal PET and CT image could be useful for the detection of tumor. Small animal experimental condition of animal handling and registration method will be of most importance for small lesion detection of metastases tumor model.
Anesthesia ; Animal Experimentation ; Animals ; Fasting ; Fiducial Markers ; Gene Expression ; Genetic Therapy ; Handling (Psychology) ; Isoflurane ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Positron-Emission Tomography and Computed Tomography ; Tissue Therapy

PURPOSE: To determine the factors that are related to local recurrence after Radiofrequency thermal ablation (RFTA) of hepatic tumors. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We selected 30 patients with 51 hepatic nodules less than 5 cm in diameter (HCC, n=33; metastasis, n=18) who underwent RF thermal ablation between May 1999 and April 2000. Ablation was defined as 'complete'if immediately post-procedual CT showed that a nodule's margin was completely covered by ablation. Every three months, follow-up CT scans were examined for signs of local recurrence, and a nodule was assessed in terms of its size, the histologic diagnosis, adjacent vessels, perfect ablation (a safety margin of more than 5mm beyond the tumor margin), and whether hyperemia was observed after ablation. Finally, a group in which there was local recurrence (group A, n=15) and another showing no recurrence (group B, n=36) were compared. RESULTS: Mean nodule size in group A and group B was 3.26 and 2.24 cm, respectively. Local recurrence was noted in 7 of 33 HCC nodules (21.2%), and in 8 of 18 (44.4%) which were metastatic. There was recurrence in 9 of 31 nodules with adjacent vessels (29.0%), and in 6 of 20 (30%) without adjacent vessels. In two of 17 perfectly ablated nodules (11.8%) there was local recurrence, but this was observed in 13 of 34 imperfectly ablated nodules (38.2%). Finally, local recurrence was seen in 14 of 36 nodules showing hyperemia (38.9%) but in one of 15 (6.7%) without hyperemia. Using chi-square analysis, it was thus shown that with regard to local recurrence, tumor size, perfect ablation and peritumoral hyperemia were statistically significant factors (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: Local recurrence after RF thermal ablation of hepatic tumors clearly increases in nodules which are larger. The degree to which ablation is perfect, and the presence of peritumoral hyperemia, may be factors related to the local recurrence observed after RFTA.
Diagnosis ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Hyperemia ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Recurrence* ; Tomography, Spiral Computed* ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

Psoriasis is a disorder caused by genetic and immunological factors. Leptin, a peptide hormone secreted predominantly from adipose tissue, regulates energy intake and expenditure, as well as the T-helper response. There have been conflicting reports regarding serum levels of leptin and adiponectin in patients with psoriasis. In the present study, we measured serum levels of leptin and adiponectin in Korean patients with psoriasis. Twenty-four patients with psoriasis and fifteen control subjects were included in the study. Serum leptin and adiponectin levels were determined by an immunometric sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The mean serum leptin concentration in patients with psoriasis was higher than in controls, and the difference was statistically significant. In contrast, serum adiponectin levels in patients with psoriasis were significantly decreased compared with healthy controls. Leptin levels in vitamin D-deficient patients were statistically significantly higher than in vitamin D-sufficient patients. Serum adiponectin concentrations showed a negative correlation with body mass index (BMI) and psoriasis area and severity index (PASI) in patients with psoriasis. In conclusion, the present study demonstrated that leptin and adiponectin may play a role in the immunopathogenesis of psoriasis and may be useful biomarkers indicating severity of psoriasis in Korean patients.
Adiponectin/*blood ; Adult ; Aged ; Biological Markers/blood ; Body Mass Index ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Female ; Humans ; Inflammation/immunology ; Leptin/*blood ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Psoriasis/*blood/*epidemiology ; Republic of Korea/epidemiology ; Risk ; Severity of Illness Index ; Vitamin D/blood ; Vitamin D Deficiency/*blood ; Young Adult

Purpose: This study investigated the relationship between the visceral fat area (VFA) and clinico-pathological outcomes in patients with colorectal cancer (CRC). Methods: This retrospective study included 204 patients who underwent anthropometric measurement by bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) before surgical treatment for CRC between January 2016 and June 2020. Results: According to the average value of the visceral fat area, 119 (58.3%) patients had a low visceral fat area, and 85 (59.1%) patients had a high visceral fat area. Patients with visceral obesity showed a higher BMI compared to patients without visceral obesity, (21.8±1.9 vs. 25.7±2.5, P＜0.001). There was no significant difference in the overall perioperative outcomes including total operation time, time to gas out, sips of water, soft diet, hospital stay, and morbidity between patients in the low and high VFA groups. We divided patients into two subgroups according to the degree of cancer progression and more advanced cases with low VFA showed significantly more total and positive retrieved lymph nodes (LNs) (20.9±10.3 vs. 16.1±7.1, P=0.021 and 3.3±2.9 vs. 2.2±2.3, P=0.019, respectively) and a higher proportion of more than 12 retrieved LNs compared to patients with a high VFA (95.1% vs. 90.0%, P=0.047). Body composition analysis showed that phase angle, muscle composition, and body fluid composition were not statistically different between the two groups. However, body fat mass was statistically higher in the high VFA group (22.0±4.6 vs. 12.8±3.1, P＜0.001). Conclusion Visceral obesity measured by BIA showed lower total and positive retrieved LNs and was not associated with adverse peri-operative outcomes, inflammatory and nutritional, and pathologic outcomes for CRC.