BACKGROUND: Vitiligo is riot quite a rare diseasep; it has about 1% prevalence. The cause of vitiligo is not clear, however, in recent studies an autoimmune origin is freqluei itily mentioned. OBJECT: We tried to an lyze some clinical features of vitiligo and relate them with the presence of autoantibodies. MEHTODS: A total of 381 vitiligo patients was included for the analysis of clinical features. A laboratory study included rhumatoid factor, antinuclear antibocoly, antithyroglobulin antibody and antimicrosome antibody. Some 62 patients were examined for opl thmologic changes. RESULTS: One hundred and one(26.5%) of 381 patients exam ned showed at least one of the autoantibodies tested. Twenty nine pateints showed 2 different aitintibodies. The age at aonset of vitiligo in the autoantibody positive group was 6.6 years later than that of the autoantibody negative group. Autoimmune and/or endocrine diseases were more frequinty found among aut.oantibody positive patients. These diseas s included hyperthyroidism, diabetes me litus and alopecia areata. One patient revealed retinal hypoigmentation and showed no autoantibcidics. CONCLUSION: About 9% of vitiligo patients who were autoantiocyte positive had clinical evidence of diseases associated with the autoantibody. However, it is prudent. to xpect that more patients with t.he autoantibody may develop later systemic autoimmune diseases or endocrinopathies. A long term follow-up of these patients seem:, to be very important.
Alopecia Areata ; Antibodies, Antinuclear ; Autoantibodies* ; Autoimmune Diseases ; Endocrine System Diseases ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Hyperthyroidism ; Prevalence ; Retinaldehyde ; Riots ; Vitiligo

PURPOSE: This descriptive - comparison study was conducted to investigate the critical thinking disposition of senior nursing students in three types of nursing program. Method: The convenience sample was drawn from 472 nursing students. Instruments used in this study were made California Critical Thinking Disposition Inventory developed by Facione & Facione (1994). Data was analyzed by descriptive statistics, t-test, ANOVA, Scheffe test with SAS 6.12 program. RESULTS: 1. The total mean score of critical thinking disposition was 279.06. Inquisitiveness was the highest with an mean score 45.50, while systematicity was the lowest with mean score of 36.15. There was a statistically significant difference in critical thinking disposition(F=14.36, p=.00)according to senior nursing students in three types of nursing programs. 2. There was a statistically significant difference in critical thinking disposition(F=5.53, p=.00) according to age, marital status(t=-3.15, p=.00), religion(F=3.26, p=.02) and critical thinking course taken previously(t=3.10, p=.00). CONCLUSION: There was a statistically significant difference in critical thinking disposition(F=14.36, p=.00) according to senior nursing students in three types of nursing program. There was a statistically significant difference in Critical thinking disposition according to age, marital status, religion, logic, philosophy, critical thinking course.
California ; Humans ; Logic ; Marital Status ; Nursing ; Philosophy ; Students, Nursing ; Thinking*

PURPOSE: This descriptive - comparison study was conducted to investigate the critical thinking disposition of senior nursing students in three types of nursing program. Method: The convenience sample was drawn from 472 nursing students. Instruments used in this study were made California Critical Thinking Disposition Inventory developed by Facione & Facione (1994). Data was analyzed by descriptive statistics, t-test, ANOVA, Scheffe test with SAS 6.12 program. RESULTS: 1. The total mean score of critical thinking disposition was 279.06. Inquisitiveness was the highest with an mean score 45.50, while systematicity was the lowest with mean score of 36.15. There was a statistically significant difference in critical thinking disposition(F=14.36, p=.00)according to senior nursing students in three types of nursing programs. 2. There was a statistically significant difference in critical thinking disposition(F=5.53, p=.00) according to age, marital status(t=-3.15, p=.00), religion(F=3.26, p=.02) and critical thinking course taken previously(t=3.10, p=.00). CONCLUSION: There was a statistically significant difference in critical thinking disposition(F=14.36, p=.00) according to senior nursing students in three types of nursing program. There was a statistically significant difference in Critical thinking disposition according to age, marital status, religion, logic, philosophy, critical thinking course.
California ; Humans ; Logic ; Marital Status ; Nursing ; Philosophy ; Students, Nursing ; Thinking*

The knee joint is one of the most susceptable joint to ligamentous injury. For good results, it is very important to make an early diagnosis and to give prompt management. The aim of treatment is to restore the ligaments to their previous anatomic position and tension. The authors reviewed 420 cases of ligamentous injuries in 400 patients who were admitted and managed for 6 years from March, 1981 to February, 1987. The results were as follows : 1. The athletic injury was the most commcn cause of injury(55%), and fall-down was next(26%). 2. The most common ruptured individual ligament was the medial collateral ligament. Combined ligament rupture was more common in medial collateral ligament and anterior cruciate ligament. 3. The ruptured sites of the individual ligament were found to be the following ; a) the medial collateral ligament was ruptured most frequently at the femoral attachment(43%), with the superficial layer ruptured in the midsubstance and the deep layer at the femoral attachment; b) the lateral collateral ligament torn at the fibular attachment(51%); c) the anterior cruciate ligament torn at the femoral attachment(39%); d) the posterior cruciate ligament torn at the femoral attachment(64%). 4. Many ligamentous injuries were associated with fracture(44%) and tear of meniscus- (42%). 5. In stress-radiogram, the significance of ligament injuries was present in more than 10 and 10 mm. 6. Excellent and good results were obtained in 94% by non-surgical treatment and in 92% by surgical treatment. 7. Early surgical repair of the ligament within 2 weeks after injury, gave much better result than later repairs.
Anterior Cruciate Ligament ; Athletic Injuries ; Clinical Study ; Collateral Ligaments ; Early Diagnosis ; Humans ; Joints ; Knee Joint ; Knee ; Lateral Ligament, Ankle ; Ligaments ; Posterior Cruciate Ligament ; Rupture ; Tears

No abstract available.
Cytomegalovirus* ; DNA* ; Glomerulonephritis* ; Polymerase Chain Reaction*

Pulmonary arterial hypertension is a critical manifestation of systemic sclerosis (SSc) and is a main cause of death. Several treatment modalities for SSc have been identified, with effects that improve quality of life and mortality rates. However, whether these drugs can also normalize pulmonary arterial pressure, remains unclear. Here, we report the case of a woman with diffuse SSc with pulmonary arterial hypertension, who had a functional status equivalent to the New York Heart Association class III. The patient was treated with inhaled iloprost. After six years of inhaled iloprost therapy, echocardiography showed that pulmonary arterial pressure normalized, accompanied by improvement in functional capacity. Inhaled iloprost might not only normalize pulmonary arterial pressure, but also improve the functional status of patients with SSc with pulmonary arterial hypertension.
Arterial Pressure ; Cause of Death ; Echocardiography ; Female ; Heart ; Humans ; Hypertension* ; Hypertension, Pulmonary ; Iloprost* ; Mortality ; Quality of Life ; Scleroderma, Systemic*

PURPOSE: The study was conducted to survey intensive care unit nurse's knowledge, nursing performance, and stress involving delirium. METHODS: The subjects of this study were 278 nurses from three hospitals in Seoul, who had worked at the intensive care unit more than six months. Data were collected using questionnaire from December, 2005 to January, 2006. RESULTS: The mean score of knowledge about delirium was 31.60 out of 50 and it was significantly lower among those with clinical experience of 12-35 months and 60-119 months and those who didn't experience conflicts with patients' families. The mean score of nursing performance for delirium was 16.10 out of 23, and it was significantly higher among those who took care of 2 patients. The mean score of stress related to delirium was 63.92 out of 100, and it was significantly higher among those aged over 40, nurses who were university graduates, nurses who experienced conflicts with patients' families, and nurses who took care of 5 patients. CONCLUSION: We need to develop systematic education programs in charge of patients with delirium.
Delirium* ; Education ; Humans ; Intensive Care Units* ; Critical Care* ; Nursing* ; Seoul ; Surveys and Questionnaires

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of the asthma management educational program given to the allergic asthmatics receiving immunotherapy due to house dust mite on the disease related to knowledge, stress, and self-efficacy. METHOD: The subjects of this study were the patients received immunotherapy to house dust mite at a week interval after being diagnosed for house dust mite allergic asthma at the respiratory center of a hospital affiliated to the university. They were divided into the experimental group of 29 patients who received asthma management education, the control group of 32 patients, and 61 patients in total. Experimental treatment, as an asthma management educational program, was the group education of one time and the reinforcement education of three times with environmental therapy and immunotherapy to house dust mite. RESULTS: The results revealed that the improvement in disease related knowledge, the improvement in self-efficacy and the decrease in stress, were significantly higher in the experimental group than the control group. CONCLUSIONS: The asthma management educational program had an effect on improving the disease related knowledge and self-efficacy, and decreasing the stress of the patients asthmatics allergic to house dust mite.
Asthma* ; Dust* ; Education ; Humans ; Immunotherapy ; Pyroglyphidae* ; Respiratory Center

Cutaneous focal mucinosis is a rare disease which usually manifests itself as a single asymptomatic papule or nodule, but vesicular presentati:on has only rarely been reported. This condition is one of many mucinoses, including localized lichen myxedematosus, acral persistent papular mucinosis, alopecia mucinosa, follieular mucinosis, and myxoid cysts which present with localized cutaneous lesions. We report a rare vesicular form of cutaneous focal mucinosis in a 42-year-old caucasian male who showed a slowly growing, 0.5 cm-sized, asymptomatic vesicle of one-week duration on his right knee. A histopathological examination revealed a localized accumulation of amorphous basophilic material which was positive on colloidal iron staining at pH 2.5. However, it was negative at pH 0.4 in an alcian blue stain, and negative on colloidal iron staining after treatment with hyaluronidase. The amorphous material was judged to be hyaluronic acid from the results of the above special stains. Proliferation of fibroblasts was also observed. Electron microscopy showed well-develuped endoplasmic reticulum and secretory vesicles in the fibroblasts. The lesion could not be completely removed even after two succesive wide excisions.
Adult ; Alcian Blue ; Basophils ; Colloids ; Coloring Agents ; Endoplasmic Reticulum ; Fibroblasts ; Ganglion Cysts ; Humans ; Hyaluronic Acid ; Hyaluronoglucosaminidase ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Iron ; Knee ; Male ; Microscopy, Electron ; Mucinoses* ; Mucinosis, Follicular ; Rare Diseases ; Scleromyxedema ; Secretory Vesicles

The introduction of beta-adrenergic blocking agents for the treatment of glaucoma was a major advance in the continued search for medications that effectively control the intraocular pressure with minimal side effect. Beta-adrenergic blocking agents block the aqueous pump of the ciliary epithelium resulting in decreased aqueous formation and drop in intraocular pressure. The fact that beta-adrenergic blocking agents had an affinity to intraocular tissues containing melanin granules has been reported. The purpose of this study is to know that mechanism of decrease of intraocular pressure and an affinity to melanin granules of the beta-adrenergic blocking agents. Two drops of 1% befunolol were instilled in the albino and pigmented rabbits, and the eyes were enucleated on 1, 2, 6 and 24 hours after instillation. These eyes were studied with electron microscopic examination. The results were as follows: 1. In the non-pigment epithelium of the ciliary body, mitochondria became swollen. 2. These changes appeared earlier and were more remarkable in albino rabbits than in pigmented ones. 3. In pigmented rabbits, these changes appeared slowly, but continued for longer duration and it seems to be due to affinity of beta-adrenergic blocking agents to the melanin pigment. 4. Swelling of mitochondria at the non-pigmented epithelium of the ciliary body after instillation of beta-adrenergic blocking agents seems to be the pharmacological mechanism of the drugs against aqueous formation in the ciliary body.
Adrenergic beta-Antagonists ; Ciliary Body ; Epithelium* ; Glaucoma ; Intraocular Pressure ; Melanins ; Mitochondria ; Rabbits