Carpal tunnel syndrome(CTS), the most common compressive neuropathy, is usually diagnosed by clinical features and nerve conduction test(NCS). However, NCS might show no abnormal finding. Ultrasonography(USG), known as helpful adjunctive in diagnosis of CTS, also might show false negative finding. A 33-year-old woman presented with complaints of pain and numbness in median nerve area on her right hand for 4 years. Despite typical clinical features of CTS, neither NCS nor USG showed abnormal finding. Because of persistent symptom, without significant improvement on conservative management, endoscopic carpal tunnel release(ECTR) was performed with carpal tunnel pressure(CTP) measurement. The measured CTP was 27.9mmHg before ECRT, which was reduced to 5.9mmHg after operation. The pain and numbness subsided after operation. Our case showed the usefulness of CTP measurement in diagnosis of CTS. The measurement of CTP might be an important diagnosis modality for some patients having CTS, especially in cases without definitive findings in NCS and USG.
Adult ; Carpal Tunnel Syndrome ; Cytidine Triphosphate ; Electromyography ; Female ; Hand ; Humans ; Hypesthesia ; Median Nerve ; Neural Conduction

Despite the modern advance in effective chemotherapy, gastrointestinal tuberculosis is considered to be relatively frequent in developing countries. The ileocecal region is the most common site of intestinal tuberculosis and duodenal involvement is rare. The isolated duodenal tuberculosis are reported 9 cases in Korea. The symptoms and signs of gastrointestinal tuberculosis are nonspecific and vague. In the absence of pulmonary tuberculosis, the diagnosis may be difficult. Pain and vomiting are common symptoms of duodenal tuberculosis. Patients may present with upper gastrointestinal bleeding. Therefore, tuberculosis should be considered in the differential diagnosis of gastrointestinal bleeding. We herein report a case of duodenal tuberculosis presenting as hematemesis and necessitating hospitalization. After anti-tuberculosis therapy, we have confirmed the healing of the lesion by the follow-up endoscopy, and review the current literature.
Developing Countries ; Diagnosis ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Drug Therapy ; Endoscopy ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hematemesis* ; Hemorrhage ; Hospitalization ; Humans ; Korea ; Tuberculosis* ; Tuberculosis, Gastrointestinal ; Tuberculosis, Pulmonary ; Vomiting

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Epidermal growth factors (EGF) is known to activate mitogen activated protein kinase (MAP kinase) in hepatocytes by the route of both Raf-dependent and Raf-indefendent pathways. And this is likely to play important role in normal liver cell growth and regeneration. EGF is also reported as a potent mitogen and one of the angiogenic factors. To elucidate the dynamic changes of the serum concentration of epidermal growth factor in chronic liver disease and its correlation with role of EGF and mechanism of tumor development, this study is intended to employ an ELISA in 38 biopsy-proven cases. METHODS: Sera taken out of 5 patients with chronic persistent hepatitis. 4 patients with chronic active hepatitis, 19 patients with liver cirrhosis, 10 patients with hepato-cellular carcinoma that pathological diagnosis was proven later were tested for EGF employing Quantikine ELISA Kits (R & D Systems Inc. Minneapolis, MN). The statistical analysis was evaluated by student's t-test. RESULTS: EGF concentration was 253.33+ 69.5pg/ml(Mean+ SE) in hepatocellular carcinoma, 246.60+ 91.19pg/ml(Mean+ SE) in chronic active hepatitis, 222.71+ 115.97pg/ml (Mean+ SE) in chronic persistent hepatitis, 141.15+ 23.12pg/ml(Mean+ SE) in liver cirrhosis in orders. Serum EGF concentration in hepatocellular carcinoma was significantly higher than that in liver cirrhosis(p value=0.021695). However, comparing to the remaining other groups, no significant difference was found. CONCLUSION: These results support that the reconstruction of the capillary networks in liver cirrhosis resplts in down-regulation of the EGF in comparison to chronic hepatitis. But it is suggested that revaluation of EGF stimulates MAP kinase activity eventually playing in tumorigenesis of the liver with neoangiogenesis.
Angiogenesis Inducing Agents ; Capillaries ; Carcinogenesis ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular* ; Diagnosis ; Down-Regulation ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Epidermal Growth Factor* ; Fibrosis* ; Hepatitis, Chronic* ; Hepatocytes ; Humans ; Liver ; Liver Cirrhosis ; Liver Diseases ; Liver Regeneration ; Phosphotransferases ; Protein Kinases ; Regeneration

Duodenal diverticula are first reported by Chomel in 1710. Duodenal diverticula are relatively common in adults with a prevalence of 23% in ERCP. The most duodenal diverticulum is asymptomatic. Complications such as obstruction, cholangitis, biliary stones, ulceration, perforation and hemorrhage can occur in approximately 10%. However, relatively few cases of bleeding from a duodenal diverticulum have been reported. The cause of bleeding from a duodenal diverticulum is uncertain and various suspected etiologies were suggested, such as ectopic gastric mucosa, stasis-induced ulceration, erosion into major vessels, aortoenteric fistulas, intradiverticular polyp, aspirin-induced erosion. We report a case of a bleeding duodenal diverticulum by a Dieulafoy-like lesion and suggest this lesion as one of possible causes of bleeding in duodenal diverticulum.
Adult ; Cholangiopancreatography, Endoscopic Retrograde ; Cholangitis ; Diverticulum* ; Fistula ; Gastric Mucosa ; Hemorrhage* ; Humans ; Polyps ; Prevalence ; Ulcer

From January 1, 2016 to December 31, 2016, a total of 1147 postmortem inspection cases in Area 8, Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency (Gangseo, Yangcheon, and Guro police stations) were statistically analyzed. Autopsies were performed in 205 cases (17.9%), and the autopsy rates were 17.6% (75/426 cases) in the Gangseo police station, 9.5% (34/357 cases) in the Yangcheon police station, and 24.3% (82/337 cases) in the Guro police station. For 288 cases with an unknown cause of death, the autopsy rates were 70.0% (60/87 cases) in the Gangseo police station, 28.6% (26/91 cases) in the Yangcheon police station, and 63.1% (65/103 cases) in the Guro police station. For 65 cases due to fall from height, the autopsy rate was 7.7% (n=5). Of the 187 cases due to hanging, 155 cases were classified as suicide at the scene with a 4.5% (n=7) autopsy rate and 32 cases were classified as an undetermined manner of death at the scene with a 15.6% (n=5) autopsy rate. The distribution of the “manner of death” was natural death, 45% (n=516); unnatural death, 29.9% (n=343); and other and undetermined, 25.1% (n=288). Proportions of dispatch times were 50.9% (584 cases) during work hours (09:00–18:00), 13.8% (n=158) during evening hours (18:00–21:00), 13.4% (n=154) at night (21:00–00:00), 11% (n=126) at dawn (00:00–06:00), and 10.9% (n=125) during morning hours (06:00–09:00). The male-to-female ratio was 1.86:1 (746:401). These statistics are valuable for the evaluation of postmortem inspections by experts.
Autopsy ; Cause of Death ; Humans ; Police ; Seoul* ; Suicide

OBJECTIVES : The aims of this study are to estimate the prevalence of the DSM-IV psychiatric disorders in the Korean population using the Korean version of Composite International Diagnostic Interview (K-CIDI), and to compare those with previous studies. METHODS : The Korean Epidemiologic Catchment Area study Replication (KECA-R) was conducted between August 2006 and April 2007. The sampling of the subjects was carried out across 12 catchment areas. A multistage, cluster sampling design was adopted. The target population included all eligible residents aged 18 to 64 years. Face-to-face interviews were conducted with the Korean version of Composite International Diagnostic Interview (K-CIDI) based on the DSM-IV (N=6,510, response rate=81.7%). RESULTS : A total of 6,510 participants completed the interview. The lifetime and 12-month prevalence rates for all types of DSM-IV disorders were 30.0% and 17.3%, respectively. Those of specific disorders were as follows : 1) alcohol use disorder, 16.2% and 5.6% ; 2) nictotine use disorder, 9.0% and 6.0%;3) specific phobia, 3.8% and 3.4%;4) major depressive disorder, 5.6% and 2.5% ; and 5) generalized anxiety disorder, 1.6% and 0.8%. Data relating to nicotine and alcohol use disorder revealed a very high male/female ratio. Mood disorder and anxiety disorder were more prevalent among females than males. CONCLUSION : The prevalence of psychiatric disorders was high. In comparison with other studies, remarkable differences in the distribution of psychiatric disorders across the country and times were observed.
Adult ; Aged ; Anxiety Disorders ; Depressive Disorder, Major ; Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders ; Female ; Health Services Needs and Demand ; Humans ; Male ; Mental Disorders ; Mood Disorders ; Nicotine ; Phobic Disorders ; Prevalence

Candidal infection has been known to cause significant morbidity and mortality in renal transplant patients. Type of immunosuppressive regimens, prolonged antibiotics therapy, metabolic derangement such as diabetes and corticosteroid use, the long-term use of indwelling urinary and intravenous catheters are important predisposing factors in the development of candidal infection. Septic arthritis caused by Candida species is relatively uncommon, occurring most frequently as a complication of disseminated candidiasis. Although several drugs are available for the treatment of Candida arthritis, intravenous amphotericin B therapy has been shown to most consistently result in successful treatment. We report herein successful outcome of treatment with amphotericin B for septic arthritis due to C. albicans after a successful second renal transplant.
Amphotericin B ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Arthritis* ; Arthritis, Infectious ; Candida albicans ; Candida* ; Candidiasis ; Catheters ; Causality ; Humans ; Kidney Transplantation ; Mortality

Tuberculosis is a significant opportunistic infection often found in transplant recipients. Although not common, tuberculosis has been known to develop in higher incidence among transplant recipients than in the general population. The diagnosis and treatment of the tuberculosis in transplant recipients are more complicated because of the side effects of antituberculous agents, their interaction with immunosuppressive drugs, and the higher incidence of atypical presentations with extrapulmonary disease. The patient in this report had no evidence of tuberculous infection anywhere through the body before the transplant. The course of disease was continuously devastating despite active antituberculosis therapy. Only after the transplant nephrectomy, patient's general condition improved. The authors report a patient with tuberculous abscess, developed in a renal allograft after chronic rejection.
Abscess* ; Allografts ; Diagnosis ; Humans ; Immunosuppression ; Incidence ; Nephrectomy ; Opportunistic Infections ; Transplantation* ; Transplants* ; Tuberculosis

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the associations between weight status and mental disorders, including depressive disorder, anxiety disorder and alcohol use disorder. A total of nationally representative 6,510 subjects aged 18-64 yr was interviewed in face-to-face household survey. Response rate was 81.7%. Mental disorders were diagnosed using the Korean version of the Composite International Diagnostic Interview (K-CIDI). The subjects reported their heights and weights. After adjusting for age and gender, the lifetime diagnosis of depressive disorder had a significant association with only the underweight group (odds ratio [OR], 1.68, 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.19-2.38). The association between underweight and depressive disorder was the strongest for subjects with a high education level (OR, 1.75, 95% CI, 1.2-2.56), subjects with a married/cohabiting status (OR, 1.94, 95% CI, 1.17-3.22) and smokers (OR, 2.58, 95% CI, 1.33-4.98). There was no significant association between obesity and depressive disorder in Korea. But there was a significant association between the underweight group and depressive disorder. The relationship between obesity and mental disorder in a Korean population was different from that in a Western population. These results suggest that the differences of traditional cultures and races might have an important effect on the associations between the weight status and mental disorders.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Alcohol-Related Disorders/diagnosis ; Anxiety Disorders/diagnosis ; *Body Weight ; Depressive Disorder/diagnosis ; Female ; Humans ; Interviews as Topic ; Male ; Mental Disorders/diagnosis/*epidemiology ; Middle Aged ; Obesity/diagnosis/epidemiology ; Odds Ratio ; Republic of Korea ; Risk Factors ; Thinness

In this study, we investigated the effects of pelargonidin, an anthocyanidin found in many fruits and vegetables, on endothelium-independent vascular contractility to determine the underlying mechanism of relaxation. Isometric contractions of denuded aortic muscles from male rats were recorded, and the data were combined with those obtained in western blot analysis. Pelargonidin significantly inhibited fluoride-, thromboxane A2-, and phorbol ester-induced vascular contractions, regardless of the presence or absence of endothelium, suggesting a direct effect of the compound on vascular smooth muscles via a different pathway. Pelargonidin significantly inhibited the fluoride-dependent increase in the level of myosin phosphatase target subunit 1 (MYPT1) phosphorylation at Thr-855 and the phorbol 12,13-dibutyrate-dependent increase in the level of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) 1/2 phosphorylation at Thr202/Tyr204, suggesting the inhibition of Rho-kinase and mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase (MEK) activities and subsequent phosphorylation of MYPT1 and ERK1/2. These results suggest that the relaxation effect of pelargonidin on agonist-dependent vascular contractions includes inhibition of Rho-kinase and MEK activities, independent of the endothelial function.
Animals ; Anthocyanins ; Aorta* ; Blotting, Western ; Endothelium* ; Fluorides ; Fruit ; Humans ; Isometric Contraction ; Male ; Muscle, Smooth, Vascular ; Muscles ; Myosin-Light-Chain Phosphatase ; Phosphorylation ; Phosphotransferases ; Protein Kinases ; Rats* ; Relaxation ; rho-Associated Kinases ; Vasoconstriction* ; Vegetables