Job's syndrome is an inflammatory skin disease characterized by (1) severe eczema, (2) recurrent staphylococcal infections of the skin and sinopulmonary tract, (3) cold subcutaneous abscesses, and (4) high serum IgE levels. We describe a 55-year-old woman with long-standing atopic dermatitis-like eczema, recurrent abscesses, and a high level of serum IgE. We suspected this case as Job's syndrome.
Abscess ; Eczema ; Female ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin E ; Job Syndrome* ; Middle Aged ; Skin ; Skin Diseases ; Staphylococcal Infections

No abstract available.
Acrodermatitis*

Congenital self-healing reticulohistiocytosis (CSHRH) is a rare Langerhans cell disorder showing spontaneous resolution within 3-4 months. By electron microscopy, the identification of many Birbeck granules and laminated dense bodies in the infiltrated cells is mandatory for the diagnosis of CSHRH. We describe a case of congenital self-healing reticulohistiocyt~osis in a 4-month-old male infant.
Diagnosis ; Humans ; Infant ; Male ; Microscopy, Electron

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: The outcome of asthma treatment has traditionally been assessed by measuring the conventional clinical parameters such as symptoms, expiratory flow rates and needs for medications. But none of them tells us whether the patients are actually able to function properly in their lives. Only assessment of the quality of life (QOL) can reflect the parts of patients lives affected by the disease. However, there is no measure to assess the quality of life of patients with any chronic diseases in Korea yet. We developed the QOL Questionnaire for Korean Asthmatics and evaluated its measurement properties. METHOD: The questionnaire was composed of 18 items in four domains : i.e. activity limitation (6 items), symptoms (5 items), emotional function (3 items) and environmental stimuli (4 items). At our out-patient clinic, 32 adults with moderate to severe persistent bronchial asthma were enrolled. The study design consisted of 4 week unblinded single cohort with visits at 0 and 4 weeks, and the patients were asked to answer the questionnaire by self administration method at the two separate visits. Forced expiratory volume for 1 second (FEV1) and peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR) were recorded at each visit. According to the patients and physicians global assessment, the patients were divided into two groups, i.e. stable and changed (improved). The responsiveness, reproducibility and validity of the questionnaire were evaluated. RESULTS: The total QOL scores at the second visit in the changed group were significantly higher than those at the first visit. The score differences between the two visits in the changed group were higher than in the stable group. In the stable group, the responses to the questionnaire were reproducible. The QOL scores showed good longitudinal correlation with the expiratory flow rates, whereas FEV1 did not correlate with the QOL in cross-sectional analysis. CONCLUSION: The questionnaire proved to be reproducible, responsive and valid in the subjects. It could be recommended for the outcome evaluation of Korean asthmatics.
Adult ; Asthma ; Chronic Disease ; Cohort Studies ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Forced Expiratory Volume ; Humans ; Korea ; Outpatients ; Peak Expiratory Flow Rate ; Quality of Life* ; Self Administration ; Surveys and Questionnaires

No Abstract Available.
Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic*

While most dermal melanocytoses are congenital or have an onset in early childhood, there is an acquired group with a late onset. We describe a case of aldolescent onset, unilateral, macular dermal melanocytosis on the hand. A 16-year-old girl presented with a 10-month history of gray-bluish pigmentation on the right palm and the volar side of the right fourth finger. The light microscopic studies showed spindle-shaped dermal melanocytes. The S-100 protein staining of these cells was positive and CD68 staining was negative. Dermal melanocytosis of the macular type, as observed in our case, is very rare.
Adolescent ; Female ; Fingers ; Hand* ; Humans ; Melanocytes ; Pigmentation ; S100 Proteins

BACKGROUND: Cyclosporine, an immune suppressive agent has been reported to potentiate the neuromuscular blockade induced by vecuronium and atracurium. And the potentiation degree was more prominent in the vecuronium. Rocuronium and mivacurium have been introduced into clinical practice recently and there is no report whether the cyclosporine potentiates the neuromuscular blocking effects of these agents. We, therefore studied the effect of Sandimun (cyclosporine in cremophor-ethanol) on the neuromuscular blockade action of rocuronium and mivacurium in rabbits. METHOD: The effect of Sandimun on the rocuronium and mivacurium were investigated in anesthetized 30 rabbits. The rabbits were divided into five groups; rocuronium group (rocuronium bromide 1 mg/kg iv), rocuronium - Sandimun group (rocuronium bromide 0.1 mg/kg iv after Sandimun 5 mg/kg iv), mivacurium group (mivacurium chloride 0.064 mg/kg iv), mivacurium - Sandimun group (mivacurium chloride 0.064 mg/kg iv after Sandimun 5 mg/kg iv) and Sandimun group (Sandimun 5 mg/kg iv). Neuromuscular block was assessed by measuring the response of anterior tibial muscle to 0.1Hz single twitch stimulation of the common peroneal nerve. Onset time, duration of muscle relaxation and recovery index were compared among the groups. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in onset time and recovery indices among the groups. Significant difference was found in duration between the rocuronium group and the rocuronium-Sandimun group (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: Sandimun potentiates the rocuronium - induced neuromuscular blockade but not the neuromuscular blocking action of mivacurium.
Atracurium ; Cyclosporine* ; Muscle Relaxation ; Muscle, Skeletal ; Neuromuscular Blockade* ; Peroneal Nerve ; Rabbits ; Vecuronium Bromide

Hamartoma of the breast is a rare benign lesion presenting as palpable mass. They are, however, sometimes misdiagnosed by pathologist due to their resemblance to other benign or physiologic conditions of the breast. We report two cases of hamartomas of the breast. The clinical diagnosis was fibroadenoma in both cases. One patient was a 49-year-old woman presented with palpable mass for the duration of 5 months. Mammography showed a well demarcated round mass with homogeneous density which is slightly greater than the surrounding glandular tissue. Grossly it was a 3.5 3.0 2.0 cm sized round firm mass covered by thin fibrous tissue. Microscopically it was a well defined mass composed of variable amount of breast lobules, dilated ducts and adipose tissue surrounded by dense hyalinized connective tissue. The adipose tissue accounted for 30% of the entire lesion. Cellular atypism was not found. The other patient was a 18-year-old woman presented with palpable mass of the duration of 3 years, which was increased in size recently. Mammography demonstratesd a well delimited lobulated mass with lucent halo. Ultrasonography showed a well encapsulated low echoic mass admixed with high echoic areas. Grossly, it was a 4.0 4.0 2.0 cm sized well demarcated oval-shaped firm mass with translucent thin fibrous capsule.. Microscopic findings were similar to the former. The amount of adipose tissue was 20%.
Adipose Tissue ; Adolescent ; Breast* ; Connective Tissue ; Diagnosis ; Female ; Fibroadenoma ; Hamartoma* ; Humans ; Hyalin ; Mammography ; Middle Aged ; Ultrasonography

To determine size and shape discrepancy between the bone of Korean women and the prostheses in total knee arthroplasty, the height(antero-posterior length) and width(medio-lateral length) of the distal femur and the proximal tibia were measured at the bone resection level for 104 knees of 62 female patients who underwent primary total knee arthroplasty and compared with the same parameters of the total knee prostheses designed by five different companies. On the condition that the height of the prostheses matched with each cases of the bone were optimal, the difference in the width was evaluated, and the criteria of the discrepancy were overhang if the width of the prosthesis was larger than bone, optimal if width of the prosthesis was same or smaller and difference was within 5 mm, and down-size if smaller and difference was over Smm. In femoral prostheses, 34.6% of all were optimal, 13.1%, overhang and 52.3%, down-size. In tibial prosthesis, 54.1% of all were optimal, 13.9%, overhang and 32%, down-size. In conclusion, although further investigation for clinical application is needed, there were discrepancies in size and shape between the femur and tibia of Korean women and total knee prostheses and improvement in design should be considered.
Arthroplasty* ; Female ; Femur ; Humans ; Knee Prosthesis ; Knee* ; Prostheses and Implants* ; Tibia

Granuloma faciale is an uncommon localized form of small-vessel vasculitis characterized by single or multiple lesions on the face in middle-aged whites, especially males. Histopathological examination demonstrates a dense polymorphous cellular infiltrate consisting of neutrophils, eosinophils, lymphocytes and histiocytes in the upper two thirds of the dermis. A characteristic subepidermal Grenz zone separates the infiltrate from the epidermis. We report a case of granuloma faciale, showing interesting evidence of palisaded granuloma-like pattern in the serial biopsy specimen at 3-year interval.
Biopsy ; Dermis ; Eosinophils ; Epidermis ; Granuloma* ; Histiocytes ; Humans ; Lymphocytes ; Male ; Neutrophils ; Vasculitis