BACKGROUND: Vitiligo is riot quite a rare diseasep; it has about 1% prevalence. The cause of vitiligo is not clear, however, in recent studies an autoimmune origin is freqluei itily mentioned. OBJECT: We tried to an lyze some clinical features of vitiligo and relate them with the presence of autoantibodies. MEHTODS: A total of 381 vitiligo patients was included for the analysis of clinical features. A laboratory study included rhumatoid factor, antinuclear antibocoly, antithyroglobulin antibody and antimicrosome antibody. Some 62 patients were examined for opl thmologic changes. RESULTS: One hundred and one(26.5%) of 381 patients exam ned showed at least one of the autoantibodies tested. Twenty nine pateints showed 2 different aitintibodies. The age at aonset of vitiligo in the autoantibody positive group was 6.6 years later than that of the autoantibody negative group. Autoimmune and/or endocrine diseases were more frequinty found among aut.oantibody positive patients. These diseas s included hyperthyroidism, diabetes me litus and alopecia areata. One patient revealed retinal hypoigmentation and showed no autoantibcidics. CONCLUSION: About 9% of vitiligo patients who were autoantiocyte positive had clinical evidence of diseases associated with the autoantibody. However, it is prudent. to xpect that more patients with t.he autoantibody may develop later systemic autoimmune diseases or endocrinopathies. A long term follow-up of these patients seem:, to be very important.
Alopecia Areata ; Antibodies, Antinuclear ; Autoantibodies* ; Autoimmune Diseases ; Endocrine System Diseases ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Hyperthyroidism ; Prevalence ; Retinaldehyde ; Riots ; Vitiligo

No abstract available.
Animals ; Interleukin-2* ; Lymphocytes* ; Rats* ; Shock*

No abstract available.
Humans ; Infant, Newborn* ; Ventilation*

The knee joint is one of the most susceptable joint to ligamentous injury. For good results, it is very important to make an early diagnosis and to give prompt management. The aim of treatment is to restore the ligaments to their previous anatomic position and tension. The authors reviewed 420 cases of ligamentous injuries in 400 patients who were admitted and managed for 6 years from March, 1981 to February, 1987. The results were as follows : 1. The athletic injury was the most commcn cause of injury(55%), and fall-down was next(26%). 2. The most common ruptured individual ligament was the medial collateral ligament. Combined ligament rupture was more common in medial collateral ligament and anterior cruciate ligament. 3. The ruptured sites of the individual ligament were found to be the following ; a) the medial collateral ligament was ruptured most frequently at the femoral attachment(43%), with the superficial layer ruptured in the midsubstance and the deep layer at the femoral attachment; b) the lateral collateral ligament torn at the fibular attachment(51%); c) the anterior cruciate ligament torn at the femoral attachment(39%); d) the posterior cruciate ligament torn at the femoral attachment(64%). 4. Many ligamentous injuries were associated with fracture(44%) and tear of meniscus- (42%). 5. In stress-radiogram, the significance of ligament injuries was present in more than 10 and 10 mm. 6. Excellent and good results were obtained in 94% by non-surgical treatment and in 92% by surgical treatment. 7. Early surgical repair of the ligament within 2 weeks after injury, gave much better result than later repairs.
Anterior Cruciate Ligament ; Athletic Injuries ; Clinical Study ; Collateral Ligaments ; Early Diagnosis ; Humans ; Joints ; Knee Joint ; Knee ; Lateral Ligament, Ankle ; Ligaments ; Posterior Cruciate Ligament ; Rupture ; Tears

No abstract available.
Thyroid Diseases* ; Thyroid Gland*

No abstract available.
Acoustics*

No abstract available.

An association study with Korean alcoholic patients(n=50) and normal controls(n=53) was performed to find the relationship between catechol-O-methyltransferase(COMT) gene polymorphism and alcoholism using polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism. When we compared the allele and genotype frequencies of Nla III COMT gene polymorphism in alcoholism and normal controls, there was no significant difference between two groups. Our results do not support an association between the Nla III polymorphism of COMT gene and alcoholism.
Alcoholics ; Alcoholism* ; Alleles ; Genotype ; Humans

The ankle is a complex structure supporting the entire musculoskeletal system during standing and walking. The injuries to the ankle joint result in a severe functional disturbance because of complex anatomical characteristics around the ankle joint. 284 patients of the ankle fracture that were treated in orthopedic Dept. Capital Armed Forced General Hospital from march 1985. to march 1988. were analized in clinical and radiological aspects. The following results were obtained: 1. The main cause of the injuries was falling from a height and the other were sports injury and slipping down in order. 2. The most common type by Lauge-Hansen classification was supination-external rotation type(122 case, 42.9%). 3. 211 case(74.3%) were treated with open reduction and internal fixation, and 73 case(25.7%) were treated with closed reduction. Poor outcome seemed closely related to the severity of the injury and degree of fracture displacement. 4. Accurate reduction and rigid internal fixation of the lateral malleolus with shortening was important factor. 5. Classification of Lauge-Hansen was useful in the diagnosis and treatment of the ankle fractures.
Accidental Falls ; Ankle Fractures ; Ankle Joint ; Ankle ; Arm ; Athletic Injuries ; Classification ; Clinical Study ; Diagnosis ; Hospitals, General ; Humans ; Musculoskeletal System ; Orthopedics ; Walking

This paper deals with a case of linear IgA bullous dermatosis (LABD). The patient was a 58-year-old woman who had multiple pruritic vesicles on the trunk, buttocks, thighs, tongue and buccal mucosa. A biopsy of a lesion revealed subepidermal vesicles. Direct immunofluorescence examination of the perilesional skin showed a linear deposition of IgA along the basement membrane zone (BMZ). Indirect immunofluorescence examination, using NaCl split skin as substrate, showed antiBMZ IgA antibodies bound only to the epidermal side. The skin lesions responded well to oral dapsone therapy.
Antibodies ; Basement Membrane ; Biopsy ; Buttocks ; Dapsone ; Female ; Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Direct ; Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin A ; Linear IgA Bullous Dermatosis* ; Middle Aged ; Mouth Mucosa ; Skin ; Thigh ; Tongue