BACKGROUND: Post-herpetic neuralgia is the most serious one of herpes zoster complications and its incidence becomes higher as the age of the patient increases. Nevertheless, besides considering the age and onset time of treatment, there is no more objective factor estimating the prognosis of post- herpetic neuralgia. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to understand the progression of herpes zoster and estimate the prognosis of post-herpetic neuralgia by practicing electrodiagnostic tests to patients with herpes zoster. METHODS: We evaluated the pain scales in 26 patients with herpes zoster on the first visit and 2 months later. We also performed electrodiagnostic tests, more objective and reproducible methods, including somatosensory evoked potentials and motor nerve conduction studies on both the involved and uninvolved sites of 32 lesions in 26 patients with herpes zoster, and then compared the results with the change of pain scales. RESULTS: 1. The pain category scale and visual analogue scale on the second examination were significantly decreased compared with those on the first examination (P<0.05). 2. Latencies of intercostal somatosensory evoked potentials recorded on scalp and spine were significantly delayed in involved sides compared with those in uninvolved sides (P<0.05). 3. In the latencies and conduction velocities of motor nerve conduction studies, no significant differences were seen between involved sides and uninvolved sides. 4. On the second examinataion, latency differences of somatosensory evoked potentials were significantly improved compared with those on the first examination (P<0.05). 5. Among the various somatosensory evoked potentials parameters, P1 latency difference of cortical somatosensory evoked potentials between involved and uninvolved sides correlated significantly with pain category scale ard visual analogue scale on second examination (r=0.48, P<0.05; r =0.51, P<0.05, respectively). N1 latency difference of spinal somatosensory evoked potentials between involved and uninvolved sides correlated significantly with a visual analoge scale on the first examination and pain category scale on the second examination (r=0.61, P<0.05; r=0.78, P<0.05, respectively). CONCLUSION: Intercostal somatosensory evoked potentials can be a useful and reliable technique to predict the development and severity of post-herpetic neuralgia.
Evoked Potentials, Somatosensory ; Herpes Zoster* ; Humans ; Incidence ; Neural Conduction ; Neuralgia* ; Prognosis ; Scalp ; Spine ; Weights and Measures

Adenoid cystic carcinoma is known to be a neoplasm of the major and minor salivary glands but it also occurs in the lacrimal gland, external auditory canal, easphagus, breast and skin. Adenoid cystic carcinoma of salivary gland is a slow-growin nalignant tumor. Although metastasis of this tumor clevelnps in about half the cases, its meta taes to the overlying skin is not common, moreover the skin metastasis to the remote site is raely found. Primary cutaneous adenoid cystic carcinoma is rare and histologically indistingisl able from skin metastasis of adenoid cystic carcinoma of the salivary gland. A 53 year-old man presented a solitary, well defined, erythen at us, 1.3 x 1.3cm sized nodule on the vertex of the scalp, which revealed the typical histopatholog ndings of adenoid cystic carcinoma. One and half years ago, a tumor of the parotid gland va removed and proved to be a cribriform pattern of adenoid cystic carcinoma. The skin lesion was diaghosed as a skin metastasis of the alenoid cystic carcinoma of parotid gland rather than a primary cutaneous adenoid cystic carcinona because a similar pattern of adenoid cystic carcinorom had been discovered on the parotidg an l although it developed on the scalp, the usual site of primary cutaneous adenoid cystic carcinama.
Adenoids* ; Breast ; Carcinoma, Adenoid Cystic* ; Ear Canal ; Humans ; Lacrimal Apparatus ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Metastasis* ; Parotid Gland* ; Salivary Glands ; Salivary Glands, Minor ; Scalp ; Skin*

Intravascular papillary endotholial hyperplasia is a relatively rare (istose which is characterized by the development of endothelialdined papillary projections in a vascula humen. It is commonly found to be associated with thromboticrraterial and is now considered a reative process of the endothelium rather than a neoplastic one. Although this disease usually presents petri dish or bluish nodule on the head, neck or upper extremiti it can develop anywhere on the bod, . There are many reports about lesions in unusal locations, but t.hey are almost always solitary. A 61-year-old woman complained of multiple, tender, 1 x 1 to 4 x 5 creasized nodules on both hands, antecubital fossa, chest, abdomen, left shoulder and right calf. These the nodules showed reddish to bluish colors and had long hisbiries from 1 year to 7 years. Four our 13 lesions were excised for histopathologic diagnosis intravascular papillary endothelial hyperplaian 3 lesions and cavernous hemangioma in 1 lesion.(
Abdomen ; Diagnosis ; Endothelium ; Female ; Hand ; Head ; Hemangioma, Cavernous ; Humans ; Hyperplasia* ; Middle Aged ; Neck ; Shoulder ; Thorax

Calcification and ossification of colon cancer is frequently encountered, especially in the mucinous carcinoma. However, cartilage formation or enchondral ossification has rarely been described in human colon cancer. This report describes a case of a 59-year-old man with retroperitoneal metastasis of mucinous adenocarcinoma of colon, which showed a widespread heterotopic ossification through membranous or enchondral ossification. The ossification appeared in apposition to tumor cell nests and in the organized mucin pool. In our knowledge, this is the first case showing enchondral ossification in gastrointestinal carcinoma in Korea.
Adenocarcinoma* ; Adenocarcinoma, Mucinous ; Cartilage ; Colon* ; Colonic Neoplasms ; Humans ; Korea ; Middle Aged ; Mucins ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Ossification, Heterotopic

BACKGROUND: Toluene diisocyanate (TDI) is the most prevalent agent to cause occupational asthma (OA) in Korea. The pathogenic mechanism of TDI-induced OA is still unclear. Involvement of both immunological and non-immunologicaI mechanisms have been suggested. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate a possible role of neutrophil in the development of TDI-asthma. OBJECT AND METHOD: Myeloperoxidase (MPO) as a neutrophil activation marker in both serum and induced sputum, and IL-8 in induced sputum were measured. Induced sputa and sera were collected from 15 TDI-induced OA patients (classified to group I) during TDI- bronchoprovocation test and were compared with those from 11 asthmatic subjects with negative TDI-bronchoprovocation test (group II). MPO levels were measured by radioimmunoassay, IL-8 levels, by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay and albumin levels, by nephelometry. Sputum MPO and IL-8 levels were presented as a ratio to albumin. RESULT: Serum MPO level tended to decrease during the TDI-bronchoprovocation test in two groups, but no statistical significance was reached (p>0.05). However, the ratios of MPO (the ratio of MPO level measured at 30 min to MPO level at baseline, and the ratio MPO level measured at 360 min to MPO baseline) in group I were significantly lower than group II (p=0.004, p=0.03 respectively). The IL-8/albumin and MPO/albumin levels in induced sputum from group I were significantly increased after the TDI-bronchprovocation test in comparison to the baseline value which was obtained before the bronchoprovocation test (p=0.0l, p=0.02 respectively). There was a significant correlation between the percent increase of IL-8/albumin and the MPO/albumin in induced sputum (r=0.89, p<0.05). CONCLUSION: These findings suggest a possible involvement of neutrophil in the development of bronchoconstiction after the TDI exposure, and IL-8 might contribute to neutrophil recruitment to airway mucosa. Further investigation will be needed to investigate mechanism of neutrophil activation in the pathogenesis af TDI-induced OA.
Asthma, Occupational* ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Humans ; Interleukin-8 ; Korea ; Mucous Membrane ; Nephelometry and Turbidimetry ; Neutrophil Activation* ; Neutrophil Infiltration ; Neutrophils* ; Peroxidase ; Radioimmunoassay ; Sputum* ; Toluene 2,4-Diisocyanate

We report a case of giant cell tumor of the tendon sheath involving the foot, in a 21-year-old female patient, who presented with an asymptomatic tumor on the dorsum of her right foot. Histopathologically the tumor is surrounded by thin fibrous connective tissue. The characteristic findings of the excised specimen revealed a typical mixture of abundunt round or polygonal histocyte-like cells with varying portions of spindle-shaped fibroblast-like cells and multinucleated giant cells. Variable amounts of hyalinized fibrous stromal tissue were also present. After excision, local recurrence has not been observed for 3 months.
Connective Tissue ; Female ; Foot* ; Giant Cell Tumors* ; Giant Cells* ; Humans ; Hyalin ; Recurrence ; Tendons* ; Young Adult

No abstract available.
Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic*

BACKGROUND: Hop Japanese (Hop J) pollens are abundant in the air of Korea during the autumn season. Their significances as a source of allergenic sensitization have been underestimated in this country. MATERIAL AND METHOD: In other to observe clinical features of Hop J-sensitive asthmatic patients in this country, skin prick test with Hop J pollen was performed. The serum specific IgE antibodies to Hop J pollen antigen were detected by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in positive responders (>2+ of A/H ratio) on skin prick test. To confirm the respiratory sensitization, bronchoprovocation test was performed in 17 asthmatic patients sensitive to this pollen. RESULT: Ten asthmatic subjects showed a significant bronchoconstriction following the inhalation of Hop J pollen extract (6 early and 4 dual astmatic responses) and all of them had high serum specific IgE bindings, with minimal bindings in negative responders. They have suffered from seasonal aggravation of asthmatic symptoms with or without rhinitis, and/or conjunctivitis symptoms. The skin reactivity to Hop J had more than 5+ of A/H ratio on skin prick test in nine positive responders, whlie negative responders showed from 1+ to 3+ response. Moreover, four (40%) asthmatic subjects showed a positive response to only the Hop J pollen on skin prick test and an isolated positive asthmatic response to the Hop J bronchoprovocation test. CONCLUSION: We believe that the Hop J pollen should be considered as an allergen during the Autumn season, and thus included in skin test batteries in this area. Some labelled having intrinsic asthma or rhinitis might be sensitized to this pollen or other unknown allergens.
Allergens ; Antibodies ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group* ; Asthma ; Bronchoconstriction ; Conjunctivitis ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Humans ; Humulus* ; Immunoglobulin E ; Inhalation ; Korea ; Pollen ; Rhinitis ; Rhinitis, Allergic, Seasonal* ; Seasons ; Skin ; Skin Tests

No abstract available.
Humans ; Infant, Newborn* ; Respiration, Artificial*

Hypergammaglobulinemic purpura of Waldenstrom is a distinct syndrome consisting of recurrent episodes of purpura, elevated serum r-globulins, elevated erythrocyteed rnentation rate, and mild anemia. This disease has been divided into the prirnary type without an uncerlying disease, and the secondary type with a known underlying disease. We diagnosed a hypergammaglobulinemic purpura of Waldenstram in a 53-year-old woman who presented sudden onset of showers of purpuric macules and petechiae of 24 hours duration involving her lower extremities with a 10-rnonth history. She showed characteristic laboratory findings consistent with those of hypergammiglobulnemic purpura of Waldenstrorri and also showed positive results of antinuclear antibody and rheumatoid factor. We tried to find out if there we any associated underlying disases such as systemic lupus erythematosus or Sjogren synirorne through various tests but faile it find any. We concluded she showed a primary type of hypergarnmhglobulinemic purpura of Waldcnstrorn.
Anemia ; Antibodies, Antinuclear ; Erythrocytes ; Female ; Humans ; Lower Extremity ; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic ; Middle Aged ; Purpura ; Purpura, Hyperglobulinemic* ; Rheumatoid Factor