BACKGROUND: In recent years, the incidence of obesity increased in Koreans. The main cause suggested is the diet style of Korean changed to that of Western. It has been proved that obesity is a risk factor or an aggravating factor of hypertension and diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular disease, etc. Primary physician has been interested in the correlation of blood pressure with relative body weight and aging. The purpose of this study was to focus on the influence of age and relative body weight on blood pressure. METHODS: Subjects were collected from 2,068 adults who had received Adult Health Examination. That subjects were divided according to age, relative body weight and then the relation of blood pressure with age according to relative body weight and relation with relative body weight according to age were investigated. RESULTS: Systolic blood pressure increased significantly according to age in all male and female three weight groups and then increased significantly according to relative body weight in all male and female three age groups except male seventh decade group. Diastolic blood pressure increased significantly according to age in all male and female three weight groups except male obesity group and then increased significantly according to the relative body weight in all male and female three age groups except male and female seventh decade groups. Systolic blood pressure has higher correlation with age than relative body weight and diastolic blood pressure has higher correlation with relative body weight in male. In female, systolic and diastolic blood pressure have higher correlations with age. CONCLUSIONS: It can be suggested that blood pressure increase significantly according to aging process and relative body weight. These two factors have a little different effects to systolic and diastolic blood pressure according to sex. Relative body weight has more effect to diastolic blood pressure than systolic blood pressure in male.
Adult ; Aging ; Blood Pressure* ; Body Weight ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Diet ; Female ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Incidence ; Male ; Obesity* ; Risk Factors

We experienced a case of unilasteral vocal cord paralysis following cuffed endotracheal intubation for abdominal surgery. The patient had have no laryngotracheal symptoms prior to the operation and anesthesia was uneventful. He complained of hoarseness post-operatively but no visible evidence of trauma secondary to the intubation was mainfested on the indirect laryngoscopic examination, except left vocal cord paralysis. There were no obvious causes for the vocal cord paralysis and possible etiologic factors. Therefore, no specific treatment was done except for the bed rest, humidification and gurgling. Vocal cord function returned nearly normal after six months.

No abstract available.
Humans ; Infant, Newborn*

No abstract available.
Carcinoma, Renal Cell* ; Caveolin 1*

No abstract available.
Graves Disease* ; Pregnancy*

PURPOSE: We evaluated the effect of tamsulosin on upper and lower ureteral stones that were smaller than 10mm to identify the patient groups for which tamsulosin was most applicable. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 85 patients who were diagnosed with ureteral stones smaller than 10mm in size were enrolled in this randomized prospective study. The patients were diagnosed via intravenous pyelography and then they were followed with weekly plain abdomen films for 4 weeks. The control group(Group 1) was given an nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drug(NSAID) for pain medication, and they were instructed to ingest at least 2l of fluids daily. For the treatment group(Group 2) once daily 0.2mg tamsulosin was added. Both groups were compared for the size of stone and the days to expulsion and pain control, based upon the number of emergency room(ER) visits. The proximal and distal ureteral stones were separately evaluated, and the patients' gender, age, stone size and stone position were analyzed to identify treatment efficacy. RESULTS: The average stone size was 5.2+/-2.6mm in group 1 and 4.7+/-1.5mm in group 2(p=0.344). The success rate was 42.9% in group 1 and 76.5% in group 2(p=0.005). Group 2 showed a significant reduction for the time to stone expulsion at 12.7+/-6.6 days compared to 18.5+/-6.9 days for group 1(p=0.008). Among the subset of patients, those with distal ureteral stones smaller than 5mm alone showed a significant increase in the expulsion rate(100%, p=0.047) and a decrease of the days to expulsion(12.1+/-5.1 days, p=0.018). CONCLUSIONS: Tamsulosin increases the spontaneous expulsion rate and reduces the time to expulse ureteral stones, and it was most effective for distal stones less than 5mm in size.
Abdomen ; Emergencies ; Humans ; Prospective Studies ; Treatment Outcome ; Ureter* ; Urinary Calculi ; Urography

No abstract available.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the short-term effect and safety of intravitreally injected bevacizumab in patients with macular edema (ME) caused by retinal vein occlusion (RVO) and diabetic macular edema (DME). METHODS: We retrospectively evaluated 59 eyes of 51 patients, 29 with ME caused by RVO and 30 with DME, who received intravitreal injection of bevacizumab. Fifty-one consecutive patients (59 eyes) with ME associated with RVO and DME were treated with intravitreal injections of 1.25-2.5 mg (0.05-0.1 ml) of bevacizumab. Ophthalmic evaluation was performed at baseline and at 1, 3, 6 months after each injection. Clinical evidence of toxicity and complications, changes of visual acuity with an ETDRS chart (LogMAR), and central macular thickness (CMT) using optical coherence tomography (OCT), were evaluated. RESULTS: The follow-up period was 7.3 months (7.3+/-0.31) and the mean number of injections was 1.2. The baseline mean LogMAR was 1.06+/-0.53 and mean CMT was 479.6+/-160.4 micrometer. At 1, 3 and 6 months, the mean LogMAR was 0.90+/-0.52, 0.80+/-0.39 and 0.78+/-0.39, respectively, and the mean CMT was 316.9+/-86.7 micrometer, 281.1+/-67.4 micrometer and 278.4+/-64.6 micrometer, respectively. No adverse incidents were observed, including cataract, retinal detachment, vitreous hemorrhage, and endophthalmitis, although transient increased intraocular pressure was observed. CONCLUSIONS: Intravitreal bevacizumab injections are safe and effective in ME caused by RVO and DME.
Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized ; Cataract ; Endophthalmitis ; Eye ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Intraocular Pressure ; Intravitreal Injections ; Macular Edema ; Retinal Detachment ; Retinal Vein ; Retinal Vein Occlusion ; Retinaldehyde ; Retrospective Studies ; Tomography, Optical Coherence ; Visual Acuity ; Vitreous Hemorrhage ; Bevacizumab

No abstract available.
Down Syndrome* ; Primary Myelofibrosis*

PURPOSE: The need for efficient and optimal training through a structured laparoscopic training program has become increasingly evident. Virtual reality simulation may provide a safe and efficient means of acquiring laparoscopic skills. The LAP Mentor(TM) is a high-fidelity virtual reality simulator with haptic feedback that allows a trainee to practice 9 basic laparoscopic tasks including laparoscopic suturing. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the predictive validity of performance on the LAP Mentor before surgical simulators are incorporated into training programs. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Eleven participants (6 medical students and 5 residents) underwent laparoscopic skills training on the virtual reality simulator LAP Mentor. Each participant was tested on 5 sets of 4 LAP Mentor basic laparoscopic tasks (grasping, cutting, clipping, and suturing) in a 3-week period. Total time and accuracy were measured for each task. RESULTS: There was a significant difference between the initial session and the final session for total time and accuracy in both groups. Among the medical students, as they progressed through the training step by step, total time decreased for the grasping task, the cutting task, the clipping task, and the suturing task. At the same time, accuracy improved for the grasping task, the cutting task, the clipping task, and the suturing task, respectively. The residents group showed a similar progression. CONCLUSIONS: Basic skills straining on a LAP Mentor virtual reality simulator improves learning of the basic skills for laparoscopy. Education with virtual reality simulators, therefore, may provide an effective teaching method and lead to improved operating performance.
Hand Strength ; Humans ; Laparoscopy ; Learning ; Mentors ; Sprains and Strains ; Students, Medical ; Teaching