We examined the incidence of anti-Ro antibodies with sera from 60 Korean patients with systemic lupus erythematosus(SLE) by double immunodiffusion. Among these 60 sera tested, 31(51.7%) showed evident immunoprecipitations against Ro antigen on the Ouchterlony plates. Several recent studies indieate that the anti-Ro antibody occurs much less frequently in Occidental lupus patients(around 30%) than in Japanese lupus patients (50%). These data may be suggestive that the racial or ethnic baekground might be an important factor determining the serological, and perhaps the clinical features of SLE.
Antibodies* ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Humans ; Immunodiffusion ; Incidence* ; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic

No abstract available.
Tetanus*

No abstract available.
Neck*

No abstract available.
Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung*

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to assess the complications, duration of admission, cost effectiveness, radiologic stabilization of the anterior cervical bone fusion in the treatment of cervical disc disease with and without plating. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fifty-two surgically treated patients for cervical disc disease were reviewed. Group I consisted of consecutive treated patients with iliac auto-bone graft without instrumentation after anterior cervical discectomy. Group II consisted of consecutive treated patients with iliac autologous-bone graft with CASPER cervical plate fixations. Radiologic fusion was decided when loss of end plate boundary between graft bone and vertebral body and immobile, maintenance of the disc space were evident on simple dynamic plain films. The patients were discharged after the stabilization of cervical motion by films was of tained. These groups were analysed multiple variably with Mann-Whitney U-test. RESULTS: Group I consisted of 18 patients, group II consisted of 34 patients. Mean age was 49.0+/-8.1 years, mean duration of admission was 17.27+/-10.51 days, mean costs for treatment was 1,970,000+/-475,000 won. In group I, mean age was 47.7(34-60) years, 16 patients had undergo on one-level operation, 2-patients had undergo on two-level operation, mean duration of admission was 28.7+/-10.4 days, mean costs for treatment was 2,194,473+/-561,639 won. The periods of stabilization was 6.6+/-3.36 weeks on radiologic study. Mean periods of out patient follow up was 16.8(6-64) weeks after discharge. Mean period of radiologic follow up was 17.3(4-6) weeks after surgical operation. In group II, mean age was 49.7(37-62) years and 18 patients one-level operation, 14-patients had undergo on two-level operation and 2-patients three-level operation. Mean duration of admission was 11.24+/-3.29 days, mean costs for treatment was 1,850,823+/-389,372 won. The periods of stabilization was 5.88+/-7.07 weeks on radiologic study. Mean period of out patients follow up was 16.7(4-60) weeks after discharge. Mean period of radiologic follow up was 12.4(3-52) weeks after surgical operation. The duration of admission showed statistical significance in Group II but other items showed no significant difference between two groups. CONCLUSIONS: The more economic, early life return and effective method of cervical disc disease in our series were evident in patients who had undergone, iliac bone graft and plate fixations after anterior discectomy.
Cost-Benefit Analysis ; Diskectomy ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Outpatients ; Transplants*

BACKGROUND: A variety of diagnostic modalities for lung cancer have been developed. To achieve efficient and early detection of lung cancer, we tried to measure the expression rates of the melanoma associated gene (MAGE) and synovial sarcoma on X chromosome (SSX) genes. METHODS: We designed primers for the SSX gene. In addition to the pre-developed MAGE A primer, using an SSX gene primer was attempted to increase the detection rate. We obtained cancer tissues and cancer-free lung tissues from resected lung, sputum from lung cancer patients who had not undergone surgery, and sputum from healthy people and patients with benign intrathoracic diseases. RESULTS: The sensitivity of the MAGE or SSX gene RT-PCR to identifying cancer tissue of the 69 lung cancer patients was 95.2% for squamous cell carcinoma (scc), 87.0% for adenocarcinoma, and 100% for small cell carcinoma. The mean sensitivity value was 94.2% (p=0.001). For adenocarcinoma, the additional use of the SSX gene resulted in a higher expression rate than MAGE alone (87% vs. 69.6%). The expression rate for the cancer-free lung tissue was 14.3% in scc, 17.4% in adenocarcinoma, and 25.0% in small cell carcinoma. In the induced sputum of 49 lung cancer patients who had not undergone surgery, the expression rate for one of the two genes was 65.5%. The expression rate for the sputum of healthy people and benign intrathoracic diseases by MAGE or SSX gene reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was 3.8% and 17.7%. CONCLUSION: Detecting lung cancer using the expression of MAGE and SSX genes in lung cancer tissue has high sensitivity.
Adenocarcinoma ; Carcinoma, Small Cell ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; Humans ; Lung ; Lung Neoplasms ; Melanoma ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Reverse Transcription ; Sarcoma, Synovial ; Sputum ; X Chromosome

The major presenting manifestations of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in Korea are known to be cutaneous manifestations, arthritis, nephritis, and fever. The ascites due to peritoneal involvement in SLE is quite common. However, it is unusual for massive ascites to be major presenting manifestations of SLE. In this report, we describe a case of SLE patient whose disease manifested as intractable ascites. This illustrates an unusual presentation and natural history of a complex autoimmune disease.
Arthritis ; Ascites* ; Autoimmune Diseases ; Fever ; Humans ; Korea ; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic* ; Natural History ; Nephritis

Mutation of p53 gene is one of t.he commonest genetic changes in the development of human cancer including ovary. We intvestigated the diagnostic usefulness of the demonstration of p53 gene immunoreactivity in ovarian cancers, because immunochemical demonstration of p53 immunoreactivity is inexpensive, easily controlled and can be applied in routine pathology laboratories. p53 immunoreactivity was not identified in any patients in whom there was no morphological evidence of neoplasia. ln contrast, in contrast, in 46% of patients of ovarian cancer, p53 immunoreactivity was identified. Overexpression of gene correlated with advanced stage but did not corre1ate with grade, cell type and tumor size.
Female ; Genes, p53* ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Ovarian Neoplasms* ; Ovary ; Pathology

Infection of the lids by the Mycobacterium tuberculosis is uncommon. It usually arises by local extension from the skin adjacent to the lid, but it occasionally arises from the conjunctiva or hematogenous spread. Primary infection of the eyelid by Mycobacterium tuberculosis is very rare. The lid lesion shows brownish red papule that develops into an indurated nodule or plaque; it is occasionally associated with skin ulceration and regional lymphadenopathy. The diagnosis is established through specific histopathologic findings, tuberculin skin testing, and the stain and culture of acid-fast bacilli. It is also done indirectedly through the response to anti-tuberculosis medications. The regimen for treatment of tuberculosis is isoniazid and rifampin taken daily for 6 months. The authors experienced a case of tuberculosis of the lid which occurred in a 4 year-old female whose skin of the upper and lower eyelids showed brownish red nodules and which was treated with anti-tuberculosis medications.
Child, Preschool ; Conjunctiva ; Diagnosis ; Eyelids ; Female ; Humans ; Isoniazid ; Lymphatic Diseases ; Mycobacterium tuberculosis ; Rifampin ; Skin ; Skin Tests ; Skin Ulcer ; Tuberculin ; Tuberculosis*

Although little attention has been paid to the less common rheumatoid involvement of the thoracic and lumbar regions, some studies have shown that rheumatoid synovitis with erosive changes can develop in these diarthrodial joints. We report a patient with seropositive rheumatoid arthritis (RA) involving the thoracic and lumbar vertebra with a collapse of the T12 vertebra, who was treated with percutaneous vertebroplasty. In this case of a painful pathological fracture due to RA, percutaneous vertebroplasty was found to be helpful in eliminating the pain. The paper presents the histological evidence, the pathogenesis and treatment of the thoracolumbar lesions affected by RA with a review of the relevant literature.
Arthritis, Rheumatoid/blood/complications/*pathology/radiography ; Female ; Fractures, Compression/etiology/radiography/surgery ; Humans ; Lumbar Vertebrae/*pathology/radiography ; Middle Aged ; Thoracic Vertebrae/*pathology/radiography ; Vertebroplasty