No abstract available.
Electric Stimulation* ; Vocal Cords*

PURPOSE: We investigated the efficacy of transurethral needle ablation (TUNA) of prostate for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) in patients with low compliance to medical therapy and high risk operative morbidity and mortality. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Total 38 patients with BPH and low compliance to medical therapy and high risk operative morbidity and mortality were treated with TUNA under the local anesthesia and evaluated prospectively using the international prostate symtom score (IPSS), Qmax, satisfaction score and postvoid residuals (PVRs), and followed for 3 months after treatment. RESULTS: The mean pretreatment symptom score was 24.82+/-5.76. At 1 and 3 months after treatment, the mean symptom score was decreased to 13.63+/-7.07 and 9.21+/-6.28, respectively (p<0.01). The mean pretreatment satisfaction score was 4.63+/-0.85. It was decreased to 2.84+/-1.26, 1.92+/-1.34 at 1, 3 months (p<0.01). The mean pretreatment Qmax was 5.26+/-3.37mL/s. It was increased to 9.53+/-4.54mL/s, 11.97+/-4.52mL/s at 1, 3 months (p<0.01). The mean pretreatment PVRs were 131.85+/-123.05mL. It was decreased to 49.68+/-38.28mL, 26.77+/-17.92mL at 1, 3 months (p<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: TUNA treatment in the management of BPH improved symptom scores, peak flow rates with lower morbidity. TUNA appears to be a useful alternative treatment for BPH in patients with low compliance to medical therapy and high risk operative morbidity and mortality.
Anesthesia, Local ; Compliance* ; Humans ; Mortality* ; Needles* ; Prospective Studies ; Prostate ; Prostatic Hyperplasia* ; Tuna

PURPOSE: To evaluate the spatial distribution of various proton metabolites in the human brain with use of water-suppressed in vivo 1H MR spectroscopic imaging (MRSI) technique MATERIALS AND METHODS: All of water-suppressed in vivo 1H MRSI were performed on 1.5 T whole-body MRI/MRS system using Stimulated Echo Acquisition Method (STEAM) Chemical shift Imaging (CSI) pulse sequence. T1 -weighted MR images were used for CSl Field Of View (FOV; 24 cm). Voxel size of 1.S cm3 was designated from the periphery of the brain which was divided by 1024 x 16 x 16data points. RESULTS: Metabolite images of N-acetylaspartate (NAA), creatine/phosphocreatine (Cr) + choline/phosphocholine (Cho), and complex of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) -I- glutamate (Glu) were obtained on the human brain. CONCLUSION: Our preliminary study suggests that in vivo 1H MRSl could provide the metabolite imaging to compensate for hypermetabolism on Positron Emission Tomography (PET) scans on the basis of the metabolic informations on brain tissues. The unique ability of in vivo 1H MRSI to offer noninvasive informations about tissue biochemistry in disease states will stimulate on clinical research and disease diagnosis.
Biochemistry ; Brain* ; Diagnosis ; gamma-Aminobutyric Acid ; Glutamic Acid ; Humans* ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Positron-Emission Tomography ; Protons

No abstract available.
Female ; Humans ; Necrosis*

No abstract available.
Anesthesiology* ; Education* ; Publications*

PURPOSE: In this study, we compared the quantitative characteristics of dynamic salivary gland scintigraphy with static scintigraphy in patients with clinical sicca syndrome using Tc-99m pertechnetate. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fifty-two parotid glands and 52 submandibular glands out of 26 patients with clinical sicca syndrome were studied by dynamic and static salivary gland scintigraphy. Ten normal volunteers were also studied as a control group for comparison of scintigraphic parameters. Ten minutes after injection of 370 MBq Tc-99m pertechnetate, we obtained pre-stimulus static images for a few minutes. Then dynamic salivary gland scintigraphy with lemon juice stimulation was performed for 20 minutes. Finally we obtained post-stimulus static images after dynamic images. On dynamic study, functional parameters such as uptake rate, secretion rate and re-uptake rate were calculated. The results of dynamic study and static images were compared. RESULTS: On dynamic study, we could obtain functional parameters of salivary glands successfully. On dynamic study, 22 parotid glands and 22 submandibular glands out of each of 52 glands are abnormal. The static images demonstrated somewhat different results, of which reasons we could assume via dynamic study. CONCLUSION: Dynamic salivary gland scintigraphy using Tc-99m perechnetate were more functional than static images and might be useful in the assessment of the functional change of the salivary gland in patients with clinical sicca syndrome.
Healthy Volunteers ; Humans ; Parotid Gland ; Radionuclide Imaging* ; Salivary Glands* ; Sjogren's Syndrome* ; Sodium Pertechnetate Tc 99m ; Submandibular Gland

OBJECTIVE: To assess whether there is correlation between serum concentrations of vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF) and development of preeclampsia. METHODS: The authors measured serum concentrations of VEGF in 18 preeclamptic women admitted to Sanggye Paik Hospital, Inje University from February 1999 to September 1999 and in 18 normotensive pregnant women matched in maternal age, maternal body weight, parity and gestational age. VEGF was measured with a sensitive and specific enzyme immunoassays. RESULTS: VEGF was detected in all pregnant women. The results of this study showed that the serum concentrations of VEGF are significantly higher in the preeclamptic women than in the normotensive pregnant women. The values of median and range of VEGF are 7.74 ng/ml and 0.5-35.94 ng/ml in the preeclamptic women, and 0.5 ng/ml and 0.5-2.16 ng/ml in the normotensive pregnant women, respectively. There is significant difference in serum concentrations of VEGF between two groups(p<0.001, Mann-Whitney U test). Positive correlations were noted between VEGF concentraions and the systolic and diastolic blood pressure(Systolic BP: r2=0.688, Diastolic BP: r2=0.722, Spearman rank test). CONCLUSION: The high serum concentration of VEGF is thought to be important in the development or pathophysiologic mechanism of preeclampsia. In the next study, the prospective analysis will be necessary to identify whether serum concentration of VEGF is abnormally high in early gestational pregnant women who are destined to preeclampsia.
Body Weight ; Female ; Gestational Age ; Humans ; Immunoenzyme Techniques ; Maternal Age ; Parity ; Pre-Eclampsia ; Pregnant Women ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A*

BACKGROUND: Chest pain is a problem that primary care physicians commonly face and often unnecessary work-up is done because of its clinical importance of cardiac origin. There are various studies on the causative disorders of chest pain, but studies on young adult males are relatively few. Therefore, we conducted this study on the cause of chest pain among young policemen. METHODS: Diagnosis and classification of chest pain were made among 106 policemen who visited the outpatient department of family medicine at the National Police Hospital from March 1, 2002 to June 30, 2002. RESULTS: The causes of chest pain were musculoskeletal (55%), psychogenic (17%), others (15%), gastrointestinal (7%) and respiratory (6%), but none of them were cardiovascular origin. The nature of chest pain were stabbing (41%), sharp (22%), pressing (18%), squeezing (16%) and substernal discomfort (3%). The duration of chest pain were below 10 minutes (37%), 10 minutes to 1 hour (15%), several hours (20%) and several days (28%). The location of chest pain were left chest (61%), right chest (18%), precordial (7%), epigastric (6%), substernal (4%) and others (4%). The frequencies of chest pain were more than once a day (23%), once a week (26%), once a month (11%), once more than 1 month interval (17%) and first attack (23%). The aggravating factors of chest pain were physical strain (25%), coughing (22%), psychologic stress (16%), smoking (10%), weather change (8%), drinking (7%), resting (5%), and overeating (6%). CONCLUSION: Our study showed that unnecessary tests should be avoided and adequate treatment matched to their causes through exact and detailed history taking should be done, because the causes of chest pain among young policemen are mostly non-cardiovascular origin.
Chest Pain* ; Classification ; Cough ; Diagnosis ; Drinking ; Humans ; Hyperphagia ; Male ; Musculoskeletal Diseases ; Outpatients ; Physicians, Primary Care ; Police ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Stress, Psychological ; Thorax* ; Weather ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVE: Unexplained elevations of midtrimester human chorionic gonadotrophin(hCG) or alpha fetoprotein(AFP) have known to be at increased risk for a variety of third trimester pregnancy complication, such as preeclampsia. The causes of these were thought to be made by impaired placental function, as a reflection of impaired uteroplacental circulation. Our purpose was to determine if amniotic fluid total -hCG and AFP levels are elevated in women with severe preeclampsia and if these levels correlated with other laboratory features of disease severity. METHODS: Seventeen women with severe preeclampsia were matched with 16 women with the diagnosis of either preterm labor and intact membranes(n=10) or preterm premature rupture of membranes(n=6) who met the following criteria: 1) singleton gestation 2) absence of congenital anomaly 3) absence of active labor 4) confirmed getational age by ultrasonography 5) transabdominal amniocentesis performed to obtain amniotic fluid to assess fetal lung maturity. Amniotic fluid total -hCG and AFP were measured by double antibody radioimmunoassay(RADIM, Italy). Mann-Whitney U test and multiple linear regression analysis were used. RESULTS: 1) Concentrations of amniotic fluid total -hCG but not amniotic fluid AFP, maternal blood total -hCG and AFP were significantly higher in severely preeclamptic women than in their matched controls(amniotic fluid total -hCG; median 28.5, range 4.3-120.3 IU/ml vs. median 9.4, range 2.7-99 IU/ml, p < 0.01). 2) Amniotic fluid total -hCG levels correlated positively with maternal blood BUN(blood urea nitrogen) levels(r= 0.66, regression coefficients 5.57, standard error 2.4021, p< 0.05, multiple linear regression) after correction for known confounding variables(i.e., maternal weight, gestational age at sampling, hematocrit). CONCLUSION: Amniotic fluid total -hCG levels are elevated in women with severe preeclampsia and correlate closely with maternal blood BUN levels. These observation suggest that the pathologic changes of preeclampsia might occur in the placenta and involve in change of a significantly secretory reaction of the placenta.
alpha-Fetoproteins* ; Amniocentesis ; Amniotic Fluid* ; Chorion ; Chorionic Gonadotropin* ; Diagnosis ; Female ; Gestational Age ; Humans* ; Linear Models ; Lung ; Obstetric Labor, Premature ; Placenta ; Placental Circulation ; Pre-Eclampsia* ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Trimester, Second ; Pregnancy Trimester, Third ; Rupture ; Ultrasonography ; Urea

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether there is correlation between serum concentrations of lipoproteins (VLDL, HDL, LDL) and development of preedampsia. METHODS: The authors measured serum concentrations of lipoproteins(VLDL, HDL, LDL) and lipids(which are major components of lipoproteins) in 12 preeclamptic women admitted to Sanggye Paik Hospital, Inje University from March 1999 to August 1999 and 12 normal pregnant women matched in age, weight, parity and gestational age. RESULTS: The first, the values of median and range of VLDL are higher in preeclamptic women than in normal pregnant women(preeclamptic women : 244mg/dL & 124-521mg/dL, normal pregnant women : 149mg/dL & 68-308mg/dL, p=0.0005). But there are no difierences in serum concentrations of HDL(high-density lipoprotein) and LDL(low-density lipoprotein) between two groups. The second, the values of median and range of triglyceride and free fatty acids are higher in preedamptic women than in normal pregnant women(preeclamptic women : triglycerides : 305.5mg/dL & 231-545mg/dL, free fatty acids : 1,333mmol/L & 842- 1523mmol/L, normal pregnant women,: triglycerides : 239mg/dL & 151-414mg/dL, free fatty acids : 806.5mmol/L & 314-1517mmol/L, p=0.019 in triglycerides and p=0.033 in free Fatty acids). But the serum concentrations of cholesterol are similar in two groups. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, the results of this study showed the serum concentrations of VLDL, triglycerides and free fatty acids are significantly higher in preeclamptic women than in normal pregnant women. So, the high serum concentration of VLDL is thought to be important in the pathogenesis of preeclampsia. In the next study, the prospective analysis will be necessary to identify whether serum concentration of VLDL is abnormaUy high in early gestational pregnant women who are destined to preeclamsia. Also, the measurement of pI 5.6 isoelectric form of albumin which is suggested to prevent VLDL toxicity will be necessary.
Cholesterol ; Fatty Acids, Nonesterified ; Female ; Gestational Age ; Humans ; Lipoproteins* ; Parity ; Pre-Eclampsia* ; Pregnant Women ; Triglycerides