Sarcopenia-related falls and fractures are increasing worldwide due to the aging population. The purpose of this study was to 1) evaluate anthropometric characteristics related to hip fracture in Korean patients, 2) investigate sarcopenia prevalence in hip fracture (HF) and non-hip fracture (NF) groups, and 3) investigate the correlation between sarcopenia and osteoporosis. This case-control study examined 359 HF and 1,614 NF normal populations using Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data. We performed whole-body dual energy X-ray absorptiometry to analyze body composition using the skeletal muscle mass index (SMI: lean mass/height2) and bone mineral density (BMD). In the HF group, using the AWGS definition, the prevalence of sarcopenia in women and men was 44.3% and 68.2%, respectively; in the NF group, it was 7.1% and 16.1%, respectively. Lower appendicular SMI (P < 0.001), leg muscle mass (P < 0.001), and higher prevalence of sarcopenia (P < 0.001) were observed in the HF group after adjustment for age and gender. In multivariate analysis, sarcopenia (OR = 6.52; 95% CI = 4.67-9.09), age (OR = 1.15; 95% CI = 1.13-1.17), and osteoporosis (OR = 1.87; 95% CI = 1.35-2.58) were associated with the occurrence of a hip fracture. This study showed a higher prevalence of sarcopenia in patients with hip fractures compared with a normal population, and higher prevalence of sarcopenia in men.
Absorptiometry, Photon ; Accidental Falls ; Aging ; Body Composition ; Bone Density ; Case-Control Studies* ; Female ; Hip Fractures ; Hip* ; Humans ; Korea ; Leg ; Male ; Multivariate Analysis ; Muscle, Skeletal ; Nutrition Surveys ; Osteoporosis ; Prevalence* ; Sarcopenia*

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The Dieulafoy's lesion is an unusual cause of massive gastrointestinal bleeding resulting from the erosion of an abnormally large submucosal artery. Surgical intervention was believed to be the best treatment in the past, but recently improvement of endoscopic techniques has made effective hemostasis possible in most cases of Dieulafoy's lesions. Therapeutic endoscopic hemostasis includes sclerotherapy, electrocauterization, laser coagulotherapy, clipping band ligation. The effectiveness of the endoscopic band ligation was evaluated in bleeding Dieulafoy's lesions. METHODS: Clinical characteristics, initial endoscopic findings, and effectiveness of band ligation in Dieulafoy's lesions were all analyzed. RESULTS: 1) The patients were 8 males and 1 female, and the mean age was 56.2 years. 2) The chief complaints were melena and hematemesis, and 2 cases had histories of recurrent gastrointestinal bleeding. 3) The diagnosis of Dieulafoy's lesion was possible in 7 of 9 patients (78%) at the initial endoscopy. 4) The lesions were mostly located in the fundus and the body, characterized mainly by protruding vessels in shallow erosion areas. 5) The initial band ligation was possible with successful hemostasis, but additional sclerotherapy was necessary in two cases. There were no complications related to the procedure, except a case of early band detachment. CONCLUSIONS: The Dieulafoy's lesion requires careful endoscopic observation for diagnosis, and endoscopic band ligation was an effective therapeutic option for bleeding Dieulafoy's lesions.
Arteries ; Diagnosis ; Endoscopy ; Female ; Hematemesis ; Hemorrhage* ; Hemostasis ; Hemostasis, Endoscopic ; Humans ; Ligation* ; Male ; Melena ; Sclerotherapy

PURPOSE: There are numerous prostate cancer-related genes that involve in carcinogenesis and tumor progression. Among the genes, DNA mismatch repair genes recognize and repair misincorporated nucleotides during DNA replication. In this analysis, we evaluated the association of hMSH2 which is one of the mismatch repair genes, with risk of aggressive prostate cancer and prostate cancer recurrence. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Immunohistochemistry was performed in 46 patients who diagnosed prostate cancer and underwent radical prostatectomy between January 2006 and December 2012 at Kyung Hee University Hospital at Gangdong. We evaluated an association between the degree of hMSH2 immunohistochemical staining and various clinical variables including prostate-specific antigen (PSA), Gleason score, pathological stage, and biochemical recurrence. The intensity of immunostaining for hMSH2 was divided into 2 groups: low expression group (immunostaining score < 2) and high expression group (immunostaining score ≥2). RESULTS: Although seminal vesicle invasion was marginally associated with the degree of hMSH2 immunohistochemical staining, PSA, Gleason score, lymph node metastasis, presence of lymphatic, perineural, vascular invasion, and extracapsular extension were not associated with the degree of hMSH2 immunohistochemical staining. Furthermore, the association of biochemical recurrence free survival with hMSH2 expression was not statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: The hMSH2 expression was marginally associated with risk of aggressive prostate cancer such as seminal vesicle invasion. Further evaluation with a larger number of cases is needed to verify these results.
Base Pair Mismatch ; Carcinogenesis ; DNA Mismatch Repair ; DNA Repair ; DNA Replication ; Gene Expression ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Lymph Nodes ; Neoplasm Grading ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Nucleotides ; Prostate ; Prostate-Specific Antigen ; Prostatectomy ; Prostatic Neoplasms ; Recurrence ; Seminal Vesicles

OBJECTIVE: Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a non-invasive neuromodulation technique increasingly used to relieve symptoms of psychiatric disorders. Electrophysiologic markers, such as electroencephalography (EEG) and event-related potentials (ERP), have high temporal resolution sensitive to detect plastic changes of the brain associated with symptomatic improvement following tDCS application. METHODS: We performed systematic review to identify electrophysiological markers that reflect tDCS effects on plastic brain changes in psychiatric disorders. A total of 638 studies were identified by searching PubMed, Embase, psychINFPO. Of these, 21 full-text articles were assessed eligible and included in the review. RESULTS: Although the reviewed studies were heterogeneous in their choices of tDCS protocols, targeted electrophysiological markers, and disease entities, their results strongly support EEG/ERPs to sensitively reflect plastic brain changes and the associated symptomatic improvement following tDCS. CONCLUSION: EEG/ERPs may serve a potent tool in revealing the mechanisms underlying psychiatric symptoms, as well as in localizing the brain area targeted for stimulation. Future studies in each disease entities employing consistent tDCS protocols and electrophysiological markers would be necessary in order to substantiate and further elaborate the findings of studies included in the present systematic review.
Brain ; Electroencephalography ; Electrophysiology* ; Evoked Potentials ; Plastics ; Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation*

OBJECTIVE: Although early intervention from the beginning of a psychotic episode is essential for a better prognosis, biomarkers predictive of symptomatic and functional improvement in early psychotic disorders are lacking. This study aimed to investigate whether the spectral power of resting-state electroencephalography (EEG) can be used as a predictive marker of the 1-year prognosis in patients with first-episode psychosis (FEP). METHODS: Twenty-four patients with FEP and matched healthy control (HC) subjects were examined with resting-state EEG at baseline. The symptomatic severity and functional status of FEP patients were assessed at baseline and reassessed after 1 year of usual treatment. Repeated measures analysis of variance was conducted to compare EEG spectral powers across the groups. Multiple regression analysis revealed EEG spectral powers predictive of symptomatic and functional improvement in FEP patients at the 1-year follow-up. RESULTS: Delta band power in the frontal and posterior regions was significantly higher in patients with FEP than in HCs. Higher delta band power in the posterior region predicted later improvement of positive symptoms and general functional status. Lower delta band power in the frontal region predicted improvement of negative symptoms and general functioning after 1 year. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that increased delta absolute power is observed from the beginning of psychotic disorders. Furthermore, decreased delta power in the frontal region and increased delta power in the posterior region might be used as a predictive marker of a better prognosis of FEP, which would aid early intervention in clinical practice.
Biomarkers ; Early Intervention (Education) ; Electroencephalography ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Polytetrafluoroethylene ; Prognosis ; Psychotic Disorders

BACKGROUND: This study evaluated the prevalence of osteosarcopenia, as well as the relationship between one-year mortality and osteosarcopenia, as defined by criteria of the Asian Working Group on Sarcopenia in patients age 60 or older with hip fracture. METHODS: A total of 324 patients age 60 years or older with hip fracture were enrolled in this retrospective observational study. The main outcome measure was the prevalence of osteosarcopenia, as well as the relationship between osteosarcopenia and 1-year mortality. The diagnosis of sarcopenia was carried out according to the Asian Working Group on Sarcopenia. Whole body densitometry analysis was used for skeletal muscle mass measurement and muscle strength were evaluated by handgrip testing. Mortality was assessed at the end of 1-year. Cox regression analysis was utilized to analyze the risk factor of osteosarcopenia. RESULTS: Of 324 patients with hip fracture, 93 (28.7%) were diagnosed with osteosarcopenia. In total, 9.0% died during the one-year follow-up. A one-year mortality of osteosarcopenia (15.1%) was higher than that of other groups (normal: 7.8%, osteoporosis only: 5.1%, sarcopenia only: 10.3%). Osteosarcopenia had a 1.8 times higher mortality rate than non-osteosarcopenia. CONCLUSION: The present study demonstrates that the prevalence of osteosarcopenia is not rare, and has a higher mortality rate than the non-osteosarcopenia group at the 1-year follow-up period. This is the first study evaluating the relationship between mortality and osteosarcopenia in patients with hip fracture.
Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Densitometry ; Diagnosis ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hip ; Humans ; Mortality ; Muscle Strength ; Muscle, Skeletal ; Observational Study ; Osteoporosis ; Outcome Assessment (Health Care) ; Prevalence ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Sarcopenia

No abstract available.
Communicable Diseases* ; Emigrants and Immigrants* ; Humans ; Korea ; Vaccination*

BACKGROUND: Aquaporins (AQPs) are a family of water transporting proteins present in many mammalian epithelial and endothelial cell types. Among the AQPs, AQP3 is known to be a water/glycerol transporter expressed in human skin. OBJECTIVE: The relationship between the expression level of AQP3 and transpidermal water loss (TEWL) in the lesional and peri-lesional skin of psoriasis-affected patients, and skin hydration in the lesional and peri-lesional skin of psoriasis patients, was investigated. METHODS: The expression of AQP3 in psoriasis-affected and healthy control skin was determined using immunohistochemical and immunofluroscence staining. TEWL and skin hydration were measured using a Tewameter(R) TM210 (Courage & Khazaka, Cologne, Germany) and a Corneometer(R) CM 820 (Courage & Khazaka), respectively. RESULTS: AQP3 was mainly expressed in the plasma membrane of stratum corneum and the stratum spinosum in normal epidermis. Unlike the normal epidermis, AQP3 showed decreased expression in the lesional and peri-lesional epidermis of psoriasis. TEWL was increased, and skin hydration was decreased, in the lesional and peri-lesional skin of psoriasis patients, compared with the healthy control sample. CONCLUSION: Although various factors contribute to reduced skin hydration in the lesional and peri-lesional skin of psoriasis, AQP3 appears to be a key factor in the skin dehydration of psoriasis-affected skin.
Aquaporin 3 ; Aquaporins ; Cell Membrane ; Dehydration ; Endothelial Cells ; Epidermis ; Humans ; Proteins ; Psoriasis ; Skin ; Water Loss, Insensible

Plummer-Vinson syndrome is characterized by dysphagia associated with anemia, glossitis and esophageal web. The cause of this syndrome is still not clear, but the most important one is thought to be the iron deficiency. The patient with small sized ageal web is treated by administration of iron but large sized web with dyspha gia requires breakage of web. In the following case report, we describe a patient with Plummer-Vinson syndrome who showed clinical improvement after treatmeat with endoscopic balloon dilatation of upper esophageal web with a review of literatures.
Anemia ; Deglutition Disorders ; Dilatation* ; Glossitis ; Humans ; Iron ; Plummer-Vinson Syndrome

Plasma cell granuloma, a form of inflammatory pseudotumor, is a rare nonneoplastic lesion that is characterized by cellular proliferation composed predominantly of polyclonal plasma cells with other inflammatory cells in fibrovascular background. We have experienced an unusual case of plasma cell granuloma of skull that developed in a patient with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). A 42-year-old female diagnosed with SLE 13 years ago has complained of palpable scalp mass and headache beginning ten days previously. A brain magnetic resonance imaging showed intensely enhanced soft tissue mass with focal bone defect in right parietal bone and whole body positron emission tomography suggested high possibility of malignancy. Surgical tumor removal was performed. Biopsy specimen revealed inflammatory proliferation predominantly with mature plasma cells which were determined to be polyclonal in immunostaining. Currently, 4 months after surgery, the patient are on regular follow-up with oral medications (prednisolone, hydroxychloroquine) for SLE without evidence of recurrence.
Adult ; Biopsy ; Brain ; Cell Proliferation ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Granuloma, Plasma Cell* ; Headache ; Humans ; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic* ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Parietal Bone ; Plasma Cells* ; Plasma* ; Positron-Emission Tomography ; Recurrence ; Scalp ; Skull*