Apert syndrome is an uncommon congenital disorder characterized by malformation of the skull, most often acrocephaly or oxycephaly, in association with symmetrical syndactyly of both hands and feet. It is due to a disturbance in the growth of bone and soft tissue, affecting principally the head, hands, and feet. Recently we experienced a typical Apert syndrome expressed only in one neonate of dizygotic twin.
Acrocephalosyndactylia* ; Congenital, Hereditary, and Neonatal Diseases and Abnormalities ; Craniosynostoses ; Foot ; Hand ; Head ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn* ; Skull ; Syndactyly ; Twins, Dizygotic*

PURPOSE: Dexamethasone intramuscular injection and oral prednisolone have been known to be effective in the treatment of croup. The aim of this study was to determine whether nebulized budesonide leads to clinically important improvement in respiratory symptoms within four hours for child with mild to moderate croup. METHODS: Patients with croup visited to the department of Pediatrics, Han Il General Hospital from March 1995 to June 1996 were enrolled in this study. Patients were eligible if their age was between six months and six years, their total croup score was higher than 2 after breathing humidified air for at least 15 minutes. 28 patients were treated with 2mg (8ml) of nebulized budesonide and 8 patients with 8ml of normal saline as control group over the 30 minutes. Croup score, heart rate and respiratory rate were then assessed hourly for up to four hours. Side effects were also observed. RESULTS: 1) The croup score was improved from 3.6+/-0.8 to 1.9+/-0.9 at 4 hours after the nebulized budesonide treatment. 2) No significant differences in changes in heart rate were observed until 4 hours after both the nebulized budesonide group and control group. 3) Significant decrease in respiratory rate was observed at 4 hours after the nebulized budesonide group. 4) No specific side effects were noted during and 4 hours after the nebulized budesonide treatment. CONCLUSIONS: We concluded that nebulized budesonide leads to a prompt and important clinical improvement in children with mild to moderate croup without any specific side effects.
Budesonide* ; Child ; Croup* ; Dexamethasone ; Heart Rate ; Hospitals, General ; Humans ; Injections, Intramuscular ; Pediatrics ; Prednisolone ; Respiration ; Respiratory Rate

A case of lipomatous meningioma is described. On pre-enhanced CT study the lesion was radioluscent but after enhancement almost half of the lesion was strongly enhanced and the other half was still radioluscent. A review of the literatures showed few similar reported cases.
Meningioma*

The association of Graves' disease and idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura(ITP) is a rather rare, but well documented condition, and has also been reported a few times in Korea. At present, two main hypothetical mechanisms are used to explain the association of the two diseases; the presence of autoimmunity, which leads to both diseases, and activation of the reticuloendothelial system by thyroid hormone. A 33 year old female patient visited our hospital with mucosal bleeding and purpura over her entire body of 3 days duration. Her initial platelet count was 2x109/L, and the thyroid function tests showed a suppressed TSH level of 0.09 mU/L(0.4~3.1) and elevated levels of triiodothyronine and free thyroxine. The levels of anti-thyroglobulin Ab anti-TPO Ab, and anti-TSH receptor Ab were also elevated. The clinical, laboratory and bone marrow findings were compatible with Graves' disease associated with ITP. She was treated with methylprednisolone and propylthiouracil, after which her platelet count increased and thyroid function normalized. We report a case of Graves' disease associated with ITP, which was treated well by glucocorticoid and antithyroid medications
Adult ; Autoimmunity ; Bone Marrow ; Female ; Graves Disease* ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Korea ; Methylprednisolone ; Mononuclear Phagocyte System ; Platelet Count ; Propylthiouracil ; Purpura ; Purpura, Thrombocytopenic, Idiopathic* ; Thyroid Function Tests ; Thyroid Gland ; Thyroxine ; Triiodothyronine

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Propofol sedation is increasingly being used when performing upper gastrointestinal endoscopy because of its rapid onset and good recovery profile. For achieving safe sedation during endoscopy, close monitoring of the vital signs is necessary because of the sedation's potentially serious adverse effects. There are only a few studies on the induction of sedation with using propofol for endoscopy in Korea. The present study was undertaken to evaluate the adequate initial injected dose of propofol for achieving safe and effective sedation when performing upper gastrointestinal endoscopy in Koreans. METHODS: From March 2008 to July 2008, 150 subjects who visited Kwangju Christian Hospital were randomized into 3 groups. An initial bolus dose of 0.5 mg/kg, 1.0 mg/kg and 1.5 mg/kg of propofol was allocated to groups A, B and C, respectively. The effectiveness and safety profiles of each injected dose of propofol were prospectively assessed by measuring various parameters of the vital signs and the adverse events. RESULTS: Group C had a significantly shorter induction time and the patients in group C did not require additional injections of propofol without increasing adverse events, as compared to that of the other 2 groups. CONCLUSIONS: 1.5 mg/kg of propofol was found to be more appropriate than 0.5 mg/kg or 1.0 mg/kg of propofol as the initial injected dose for induction of sedation during performance of upper gastrointestinal endoscopy in Koreans.
Endoscopy ; Endoscopy, Gastrointestinal ; Humans ; Korea ; Propofol ; Prospective Studies ; Vital Signs

PURPOSE: To assess the incidence of coronary artery lesion(CAL) and the efficacy of intravenously administered immune globulin(IVGG) and aspirin therapy, identify risk factors for CAL, and analyze clinical characteristics in infants less than 12 months of age with Kawasaki disease. METHODS: Retrospective chart review of children less than 12 months of age with Kawasaki disease between 1994 and 1998, diagnosed at Chungnam National University Hospital. RESULTS: Of 202 patients with Kawasaki disease, 32(16 percent) were less than 1 year of age, including 7(3 percent) less than 6 months. Sex ratio of male to female was 2.5:1. Age at onset and Harada score were a predictor of the development of CAL:5(71 percent) of 7 children less than 6 months and 10(40 percent) of 25 children between 6 to 12 months of age acquired CAL (P<0.05), and 1(14 percent) of 7 children less than 6 months of age acquired giant CAL. No specific clinical or laboratory features predicted the development of CAL. Persistent(greater than 1 year) CAL were present in 2(7 percent) of 29 IVGG-treated children. The typical clinical features of Kawasaki disease was noted 24(75 percent) of 32 and the atypical one, 8(25 percent) of 32 children less than 12 months of age. CONCLUSION: Patients with Kawasaki disease of less than 12 months of age are at particularly increased risk of having CAL and difficulty in diagnosis due to atypical clinical features. So, it is suggested to intervene in the diagnostic criteria or risk factors for CAL, especially for patients with infant Kawasaki disease of less than 6 months of age.
Aspirin ; Child ; Chungcheongnam-do ; Coronary Vessels ; Diagnosis ; Female ; Humans ; Incidence ; Infant* ; Male ; Mucocutaneous Lymph Node Syndrome* ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Sex Ratio

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Propofol is an effective sedative drug in endoscopic procedures, but it has potentially serious adverse effects, so close monitoring of the vital signs should be performed during endoscopy. This study was undertaken to determine the adequate induction dose of propofol for safe and effective sedation during esophagogastrodudenoscopy (EGD) in persons 60 years or older. METHODS: Three hundred patients who visited our hospital for EGD were randomly assigned to three groups (A,B and C). An initial induction dose of 0.5 mg/kg, 0.75 mg/kg and 1.0 mg/kg of propofol was allocated to groups A, B and C, respectively. RESULTS: The 0.5 mg/kg, 0.75 mg/kg and, 1 mg/kg dose of propofol were all safe as an initial dose of propofol for achieving sedation during EGD in persons 60 years or older. There was no difference in the total amount of propofol among the three groups. Group C had a significantly shorter induction time and a lower dose was required for an additional injection of propofol without increasing adverse events, as compared to the two other groups. CONCLUSIONS: We suggest that 1 mg/kg of propofol is an effective induction dose for sedation during EGD in persons 60 years or older.
Aged ; Conscious Sedation ; Endoscopy ; Endoscopy, Digestive System ; Humans ; Propofol ; Vital Signs

BACKGROUND: Assessment of aerobic capacity (VO2max) is one of the essential components in exercise prescription for health promotion and maintenance. This study was conducted to compare the validity of four exercise tests to assess aerobic capacity in young adult male subjects by comparing them to the values measured from maximal ergometer exercise test (criterion VO2max). METHODS: Twenty young healthy adult males (M+/-SD=21.1+/-1.5 years) volunteered as subjects. Criterion VO2max was calculated and printed out automatically by computerized analysis system of expired air samples collected during maximal ergometer exercise test. VO2max was estimated for each subject from heart rate at submaximal workloads on the cycle ergometer using the Astrand-Rhyming nomogram(A/R) and Fox protocol(FOX) and the computerized multiple extrapolation method (XTP). The score got from Havard step test(H/S) was used to compare the validity. The validity of the procedures was based on the evaluation of the predicted VO2max (from A/R, FOX, XTP, and H/S) versus the criterion VO2max via the calculation of constant error (CE=mean difference for predicted minus criterion VO2max), r value, standard error of the estimate[SEE=SD(1-r2)(1/2)], total error [TE=(sigma(predicted VO2max - criterion VO2max)(2)/n)(1/2)]. RESULTS: In relation to criterion VO2max, the XTP and A.R underpredicted (XTP: 40.8 ml/kg/min SD=4.1; A/R: 37.3 ml/kg/min SD=5.0) and the H/S and FOX overpredicted (H/S: 48.0 ml/kg/min SD=5.9: FOX 46.3 ml/kg/min SD=5.5). Dunnett post-hoc procedures revealed that there were significant (P<0.05) mean differences (CE) for VO2max from A/R versus criterion. The validity coefficients for VO2max derived from XTP, H/S, A/R, and FOX were 0.68, 0.53, 0.50, and 0.49, respectively. TE of the XTP, FOX, H/S and A/R, which accounts for the effects of both the CE and SEE, were 5.73, 6.13, 6.75, and 8.87, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that the XTP is recommended first for estimation VO2max in young adult males. It is also considered that further studies about female and other age groups are necessary.
Adult ; Exercise Test* ; Female ; Health Promotion ; Heart Rate ; Humans ; Male ; Prescriptions ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVES: We conducted this study to investigate the relationship between sleep duration and body mass index (BMI), in Korean children. METHODS: We performed a cross-sectional analysis of data collected on 3,639 boys and girls (aged 7-12) in Daegu, Korea. The data included each child's age, sex, weight, height, extracurricular activities, bedtime, wake-up time, sleep latency, total sleep duration, parents' occupations, and parents' educational levels. The relationship between sleep duration and each variable was examined via analysis of variance (ANOVA). RESULTS: The analysis showed an association between short sleep duration and high BMI. Boys showed a graded inverse relationship between sleep duration and BMI. However, there was no significant corresponding result for girls. In the total sample, hours of computer use, time when the computer was turned off, time when the television was turned off, mother's bedtime, and hours of extracurricular activity were associated with longer sleep duration. No association was found between sleep duration and hours of watching television, child's wake-up time, or educational level of the parents. CONCLUSION: The results of this study show an inverse relationship between a child's sleep duration and BMI;thus, children with shorter sleep duration tend to have higher BMIs.
Body Mass Index ; Child ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Humans ; Korea ; Occupations ; Television

Excessive accumulation of beta-amyloid peptide (Abeta) is one of the major mechanisms responsible for neuronal death in Alzheimer's disease. Flavonoids, primarily antioxidants, are a group of polyphenolic compounds synthesized in plant cells. The present study aimed to identify flavonoid compounds that could inhibit Abeta-induced neuronal death by examining the effects of various flavonoids on the neurotoxicity of Abeta fragment 25-35 (Abeta25-35) in mouse cortical cultures. Abeta25-35 induced concentration- and exposure-time-dependent neuronal death. Neuronal death induced by 20 microM Abeta25-35 was significantly inhibited by treatment with either Trolox or ascorbic acid. Among 10 flavonoid compounds tested [apigenin, baicalein, catechin, epicatechin, epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), kaempferol, luteolin, myricetin, quercetin, and rutin], all except apigenin showed strong 1,1-diphenyl-2-pycrylhydrazyl (DPPH) scavenging activity under cell-free conditions. The flavonoid compounds except apigenin at a concentration of 30 microM also significantly inhibited neuronal death induced by 20 microM Abeta25-35 at the end of 24 hours of exposure. Epicatechin, EGCG, luteolin, and myricetin showed more potent and persistent neuroprotective action than did the other compounds. These results demonstrated that oxidative stress was involved in Abeta-induced neuronal death, and antioxidative flavonoid compounds, especially epicatechin, EGCG, luteolin, and myricetin, could inhibit neuronal death. These findings suggest that these four compounds may be developed as neuroprotective agents against Alzheimer's disease.
Alzheimer Disease ; Animals ; Antioxidants ; Apigenin ; Ascorbic Acid ; Catechin ; Flavonoids ; Luteolin ; Mice ; Neurons ; Neuroprotective Agents ; Oxidative Stress ; Plant Cells ; Quercetin