BACKGROUND: Excessive iodine intake increases the occurrence of autoimmune thyroid disorders by enhancing immunogenecity of iodine-rich thyroglobulin, In Korea, most of postpartum women take a large amount of iodine-rich seaweed. Although the excessive iodine intake may affect the thyroid function, only a few reports were available concering iodine intake, especially on postpartum period. METHODS: A prospective study was undertaken in 146 of normal delivered postpartum women. Dietary intake and urinary excretion of iodine, serum T3, T4, TSH, anti-TPO Ab and anti-Tg Ab were measured before and 1, 6, 12 and 24 weeks after delivery. Iodine intake was analyzed by one-to-one interview using 24hr recall and food frequency questionnaire. RESULTS: 1. PPT was occurred in 6 (10.3%) postparturn women, It presented as hypothyroidism alone in 1 (16.7%), transient thyrotoxicosis followed by hypothyroidisrn in 3 (50.0%), and thyrotoxicosis alone in 2 (33.3%) of the follwed-up patients. 2. During pregnancy, no difference was found in age, serum T3, T4 and TSH between PPT and normal thyroid function group. 3. In PPT group, anti-TPO and anti-Tg Ab were significantly higher than those of normal thyroid function group during pregnancy, and their sensitivity for PPT was 40% and 33%, respectively. But there was no correlation between dietary iodine intake and the titer of thyroid auto-antibodies. 4. There was no correlation between pre and post-partum dietary iodine intake and occurrence of PPT. CONCLUSION: In Korea, the incidence of PPT was slightly higher than other nations. The sensitivity of thyroid auto-antibodies was too low to use for prediction of PPT. Pre and post-partum iodine intake had no effect on the occurrence of PPT and post-partum thyroid function.
Female ; Humans ; Hypothyroidism ; Incidence ; Iodine ; Korea ; Postpartum Period ; Postpartum Thyroiditis* ; Pregnancy ; Prospective Studies ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Seaweed ; Thyroglobulin ; Thyroid Gland ; Thyrotoxicosis

BACKGROUND: Cardiogenic shock is the most common cause of in-hospital mortality after acute myocardial infarction. Despite improvement in coronary care, the in-hospital mortality rate of cardiogenic shock is very high in conventional conservative therapy. Recently, it was suggested that coronary angioplasty may reduce the mortality associated with cardiogenic shock. METHOD: Thirteen consecutive patients with cardiogenic shock who underwent coronary angioplasty were studied. Shock was not induced by mechanical complications, arrhythmia, hypovolemia and other reversible cause. We collected and analyzed the clinical, hemodynamic survivor groups. RESULTS: Of 13 patients, 11 had successful reperfusion of the infarct-related coronary artery and 2 had unsuccessful reperfusion. Of 11 patients with successful angioplasty, 8 survived at the time of hospital discharge. All patents with unsuccessful angioplasty died in the hospital. Therefore overall hospital survival rate was 62% and the rate increased to 73% in patients with successful reperfusion. Survivor and non-survivor groups in clinical, hemodynamic and angiographic variables were similar except systolic blood pressure and the presence of successful reperfusion. CONCLUSION: In patients with cardiogenic shock, the patency of infarct-related coronary artery was strongly associated with in-hospital mortality. This findings support aggressive interventional strategy in patient with cardiogenic shock complicating acute myocardial infarction.
Angioplasty ; Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary* ; Arrhythmias, Cardiac ; Blood Pressure ; Coronary Vessels ; Hemodynamics ; Hospital Mortality ; Humans ; Hypovolemia ; Mortality ; Myocardial Infarction* ; Reperfusion ; Shock ; Shock, Cardiogenic* ; Survival Rate ; Survivors

BACKGROUND: Cardiogenic shock is the most common cause of in-hospital mortality after acute myocardial infarction. Despite improvement in coronary care, the in-hospital mortality rate of cardiogenic shock is very high in conventional conservative therapy. Recently, it was suggested that coronary angioplasty may reduce the mortality associated with cardiogenic shock. METHOD: Thirteen consecutive patients with cardiogenic shock who underwent coronary angioplasty were studied. Shock was not induced by mechanical complications, arrhythmia, hypovolemia and other reversible cause. We collected and analyzed the clinical, hemodynamic survivor groups. RESULTS: Of 13 patients, 11 had successful reperfusion of the infarct-related coronary artery and 2 had unsuccessful reperfusion. Of 11 patients with successful angioplasty, 8 survived at the time of hospital discharge. All patents with unsuccessful angioplasty died in the hospital. Therefore overall hospital survival rate was 62% and the rate increased to 73% in patients with successful reperfusion. Survivor and non-survivor groups in clinical, hemodynamic and angiographic variables were similar except systolic blood pressure and the presence of successful reperfusion. CONCLUSION: In patients with cardiogenic shock, the patency of infarct-related coronary artery was strongly associated with in-hospital mortality. This findings support aggressive interventional strategy in patient with cardiogenic shock complicating acute myocardial infarction.
Angioplasty ; Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary* ; Arrhythmias, Cardiac ; Blood Pressure ; Coronary Vessels ; Hemodynamics ; Hospital Mortality ; Humans ; Hypovolemia ; Mortality ; Myocardial Infarction* ; Reperfusion ; Shock ; Shock, Cardiogenic* ; Survival Rate ; Survivors

Although lead intoxication is commonly mentioned as a cause of sideroblastic anemia, no well-documented case exists in the literature. We encountered a patient with sideroblastic anemia caused by lead-containing herbal medicine. A 34-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital with abdominal pain. She had taken herbal medicine for her general health. Anemia, hyperbilirubinemia, and elevated lactic dehydrogenase were found from the laboratory data. Bone marrow biopsy showed pathological ringed sideroblasts. Her serum level of lead was high and the lead content of the tablet was higher than permitted. We diagnosed her with sideroblastic anemia secondary to lead poisoning caused by herbal medicine. We stopped her from taking herbal medicine and she gradually recovered from anemia.
Abdominal Pain ; Adult ; Anemia ; Anemia, Sideroblastic ; Biopsy ; Bone Marrow ; Female ; Herbal Medicine ; Humans ; Hyperbilirubinemia ; Lead Poisoning ; Oxidoreductases

Syringoma is the most common type of benign intraepidermal eccrine sweat gland tumor in Korea, and is usually found in women in their forties. It presents mostly as a localized lesion, preferring the lower eyelid, cheek, or forehead, and rarely invades the vulval area, and in the case of children, vulvar invasion is even more rare. Tranilast is an antihistamine used for atopic dermatitis and asthma, and has recently been used for the treatment of keloid. A few previous studies have reported both localized and generalized forms of syringoma being effectively resolved with tranilast. Herein, we report a rare and interesting case of milium-like syringoma, which manifested on the vulval area of 10-year old girl that was successfully treated with tranilast.
Asthma ; Cheek ; Child* ; Dermatitis, Atopic ; Eyelids ; Female ; Forehead ; Humans ; Keloid ; Korea ; Sweat Glands ; Syringoma* ; Vulva

Hypoxia-induced cell damage is known to be mediated by increase in intracellular calcium. In the present study, the effect of calcium channel blockers on the hypoxia-induced cell damage was investigated in iat pheochromocytoma cells line, PC12 cells. The cultured cells were exposed to hypoxia under 95% N2 plus 5% C02 gas phase and incubated in the media devoid of fetal bovine seruril The cell demage was assessed by measuring the release of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) from the cells into the incubation media. Exposure of the cells to hypoxia for 2 hours caused a 28% of the total LDH to be released from cells -into media. The pretreatment of the cells with 1 mM each of diltiazem, nifedipine, and verapamil depressed the LDH release to the extent of 52%, 42%, and 30% inhibition, respectively. The inhibitory effects of diltiazem and verapamil were more marked at 1 mM than at 10 mM. The influx of 45 Ca2+ into the cells was rapidly increased within 2 minutes after exposure of the cells to hypoxia. Diltiazem at 1 mM almost completely inhibited Ca2+ influx, while nifedipine and verapamil exhibited only, 30% inhibition of Ca2- influx. The results lend support to the notion that mcreased intracellular calcium triggers a series of cascade reactions leadmg to cell death. It is suggested that the inhibitory effects of various calcium antagonists on hypoxia-induced cell damage differ from each other in their potency.
Animals ; Anoxia* ; Calcium Channel Blockers ; Calcium* ; Cell Death ; Cells, Cultured ; Diltiazem ; L-Lactate Dehydrogenase ; Nifedipine ; PC12 Cells* ; Pheochromocytoma ; Verapamil

BACKGROUND: Acne has been found to be associated with psychosocial problems, and the influence of acne may vary according to the era. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to compare the present quality of life (QOL) of acne patients with that in the past 10 years. Additionally, financial values that patients attach to the treatment of their acne were evaluated. METHODS: We analyzed the influences of acne on QOL using self-reported validated questionnaires (WHOQOLBREF, Skindex-29, APSEA, CADI) between June 2014 and December 2015. RESULTS: 100 acne patients and 70 controls were enrolled in the study. Compared with that in the past 10 years, the quality of life of acne patients decreased in terms of psychological and social relationships, and the difference between males and females was reduced. Clinical characteristics associated with quality of life were identified as age, duration, education, and self-reported severity score, etc. Patient-based financial valuation of treatment costs was associated with the Skindex-29, WHOQOL-BREF, and CADI scores. CONCLUSION: The impact of acne on QOL, especially psychosocial aspects, is important, and early initiation of the appropriate treatment may help to address the diminished QOL and financial burden of acne patients.
Acne Vulgaris* ; Education ; Female ; Health Care Costs ; Humans ; Male ; Quality of Life*

No abstract available.
Mucins* ; Nevus*

OBJECTIVE: We wanted to evaluate the efficacy of stent placement using the coaxial technique with a stiff, long introducer sheath in patients with technical failure using an angiographic catheter for the obstructions proximal to the descending colon. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Self-expandable metallic stent placement was attempted under fluoroscopy-guidance in 77 consecutive patients who had malignant colorectal obstruction. Stent placement was performed using an angiographic catheter and a guide wire. If the angiographic catheter could not be advanced over the guide wire into the obstructive lesions proximal to the descending colon, then a 6-Fr introducer sheath was used. The technical success rate, the clinical success rate and the complications were analyzed. RESULTS: Successful stent placement was achieved in 75 of 77 patients (97%). The angiographic catheter failed to advance into the obstructive lesions of 11 patients (M:F = 7:4; mean age, 65.5 years) whose lesions were at the level of the splenic flexure or transverse colon. Therefore, the coaxial technique was implemented in all these 11 patients using a 6-Fr stiff introducer sheath and then the stent placement was successful. There were no complications related to the use of a stiff introducer sheath. Clinical success, which was defined as relief of clinical obstructive bowel symptoms, was obtained within 24 hours in all of patients. CONCLUSION: The coaxial technique using a stiff introducer sheath can increase the technical success of fluoroscopy-guided, self-expandable metallic stent placement in patients with colonic obstruction proximal to the descending colon.
Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; *Catheters ; *Colon, Descending ; Colonic Diseases/etiology/*therapy ; Colonic Neoplasms/complications ; Female ; *Fluoroscopy ; Humans ; Intestinal Obstruction/etiology/*therapy ; Male ; Middle Aged ; *Radiography, Interventional ; *Stents

Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP) has rarely been reported in solid tumor patients. It is a well-known complication in immunosuppressed states including acquired immune deficiency syndrome and hematologic malignancy. PCP has been reported in solid tumor patients who received long-term steroid treatment due to brain or spinal cord metastases. We found 3 gastric cancer patients with PCP, who received only dexamethasone as an antiemetic during chemotherapy. The duration and cumulative dose of dexamethasone used in each patient was 384 mg/48 days, 588 mg/69 days, and 360 mg/42 days, respectively. These cases highlight that the PCP in gastric cancer patients can successfully be managed through clinical suspicion and prompt treatment. The cumulative dose and duration of dexamethasone used in these cases can be basic data for risk of PCP development in gastric cancer patients during chemotherapy.
Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome ; Brain ; Dexamethasone ; Hematologic Neoplasms ; Humans ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Pneumocystis ; Pneumocystis carinii ; Pneumonia, Pneumocystis ; Spinal Cord ; Stomach Neoplasms