Premature rupture of membranes(PROM) means the rupture of amniotic membranes at any time prior to labor during the gestational period. The dilemma of correctly diagnosing rupture of the fetal membranes is well known as the consequences of management based on an incorrect diagnosis. This study was undertaken to determine if the measurement of B-hCG levels in the vaginal fluid is useful for the diagnosis of premature rupture of membranes. HCG is synthesized and secreted by the placental syncytiotrophoblast and it is normally found in amniotic fluid, maternal urine and blood. We used B-hCG for diagnosis of PROM to exclude the cross reaction with other hormones. After irrigating the posterior vaginal fornix with 3 ml of sterile saline and obtaining vaginal washings, we measured B-hCG levels. The groups were classified normal group(group I), confirmed PROM group(group II ), and suspicious PROM group(groupIII) during the third trimester. The median and 95% confidence intervals(CIS) of vaginal fluid B-hCG in each group(normal, confirmed PROM, suspicious PROM group) were 30.99mIU/ml(range: 0.32-209.89mIU/ml), 188.61mIU/ml(range: 9.65-2095.00mIU/ml), 69.63mIU/ml(range 4.76-349.56mIU/ml). There was significant difference between normal and confirmed PROM group(p<0.05), sensitivity was 95.00%, specificity 80.00%, positive predictive value 82.60%, negative predictive value 94.12%, and accuracy 87.50%, using threshold value of 60mIU/ml. There was significant difference between normal and suspicious PROM group(p<0.05) but the result of the B-hCG was not used in the obstetric decision. In terms of these results, the B-hCG level in vaginal fluid is a useful marker of PROM during the third trimester. A new technic is proposed to confirm the diagnosis of rupture of the membranes based on the introduction of B-hCG in vaginal fluid.
Amnion ; Amniotic Fluid ; Cross Reactions ; Diagnosis ; Extraembryonic Membranes ; Female ; Humans ; Membranes* ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Trimester, Third ; Rupture* ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Trophoblasts

No abstract available.
Humans ; Temporomandibular Joint Disorders* ; Temporomandibular Joint*

No abstract available.
Follow-Up Studies* ; Humans ; Peptic Ulcer*

No abstract available.
Humans ; Peptic Ulcer*

OBJECTIVES: Anticardiolipin antibody (ACA) and lupus anticoagulant (LA) are acquired antiphospholipid antibodies (APAs), which are regarded as important risk factors far vascular thrombosis and recurrent fetal loss. Although the clinical relevance of APAs in dialysis patients is uncertain, recent studies have suggested that APAs are involved in bioincompatibility and thrombogenic complications in hemadialysis (HD) patients. METHOD: We performed a cross sectional study of ACA and LA in 50 stable HD patients and their 68 vascular accesses (52 native arteriovenous fistulae and 16 synthetic arterovenous grafts), with the analysis of factors associated with the presence of APAs and the retrospective evaluation of vascular access occlusion (VAO). LA was assessed by platelet neutralization method whereas IgG-ACA was measured by a solid phase ELISA. Values higher than 23GPLU/ml (IgG phospholipid units) were considered to be positive for IgG-ACA and positive values for LA was more than 8 seconds in prolongation of the clotting time with human platelet lysate. Vascular access survival was assessed by Kaplan- Meier method, RESULTS: The mean age of the subject (M:F 21:29) was 46 years and the mean duration of hemodialysis was 49 months. The frequency of VAO in entire subjects was 0.45+/-0.98 episodes/patient year. The median value of IgG-ACA was 16.0 GPLU/ml with a distribution from 2.7 to 46.1GPLU/ ml. The median titer of I.A was 4.5 (3.1-45.6) seconds. Fourteen patients (28%) were found to have at least one episode of VAO. In spite of comparable clinical and biochemical data according to the presence of VAO, the titers of IgG-ACA (13.6+/-7.7 vs, 20.3+/-8.7GPLIJ/ml, P<0.05) and LA (4.5+/-2.9 vs. 11.7 +/-12.6sec, P<0.05) were significantly higher in VAO group. Six out of 50 patients(12%) had an increased titer of IgG-ACA and LA was found in 11 patients(22%). No patients were positive for ACA and LA simultaneously. There was no significant difference in sex, etiology of ESRD, diabetic status, the dosage of heparin during HD or the amount of erythropoietin administered according to the presence of APAs. We could not find any significant correlation between the titer of APAs and age, duration of dialysis, blood pressure, platelet count and biochemical parameters. In the patients with positive ACA, the frequency of VAO was 1.05+/-0.12 episodes/patient year, which was significantly higher than patients without ACA (0.33+/-0.17 episodes/ patient year, P<0.05). In the patients with the presence of LA(1.06+/-0.43 vs. 0.12+/-0.06 episodes/ patients year, P<0.01). The median vascular access survival time in IgG-ACA positive patients (32.7 months) was significantly decreased compared to 66.8 months in IgG-ACA negative group. CONCLUSION: Our data suggest that the presence of APAs (ACA and/or LA) affects the event-free vascular access survival in HD patients. Therefore the evaluation of APAs status have to be included in the diagnostic strategies for the patients with recurrent VAO. Further studies are necessary to explore the pharmacologic intervention method to decrease APAs and prevent VAO in HD patients.
Antibodies, Anticardiolipin* ; Antibodies, Antiphospholipid ; Arteriovenous Fistula ; Blood Platelets ; Blood Pressure ; Dialysis ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Erythropoietin ; Heparin ; Humans ; Kidney Failure, Chronic ; Lupus Coagulation Inhibitor* ; Platelet Count ; Renal Dialysis* ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Thrombosis

Authors report a typical case of congenital fiber type disproportion (CFTD) with unique clinicopathologic characteristics. The patient was a 13-year-old boy who presented with weakness of lower extremities, especially proximal muscle, since his infancy. He has suffered from severe scoliosis which got worse since the age of 12. He showed mild dysarthria, high arched palate, and fish face. All routine laboratory data were within normal limits. EMG findings suggested myopathy. The muscle biopsy revealed fiber type disproportion with type 1 predominance. While most of the type 1 myofibers were atrophic or normal in size, the type 2 fibers showed universal hypertrophy. The difference of mean diameter between the larger and the smaller fibers was 27.9%. The patient's clinicopathologic settings fulfilled the criteria of CFTD.
Adolescent ; Biopsy ; Dysarthria ; Humans ; Hypertrophy ; Lower Extremity ; Male ; Muscular Diseases* ; Myopathies, Structural, Congenital* ; Palate ; Scoliosis

No abstract available.
Anemia, Hypoplastic, Congenital*

No abstract available.

Cystic disease of the spleen is a relatively rare disease. It is classified either as a true primary cyst or as a secondary pseudocyst. Most splenic cysts are pseudocysts, which have non-epithelial lining, and are caused by previous abdominal blunt trauma. Conversely, primary splenic cysts have epithelial lining and are subdivided into parasitic and non-parasitic cyst. Non-parasitic primary splenic cyst is considered congenital and comprises about 10% of all splenic cysts. Total or partial splenectomy is the treatment of choice, but parasitic infection must be excluded prior to an operation. In this present report, we described a symptomatic, large primary non-parasitic splenic cyst, which was surgically treated with partial splenectomy.
Rare Diseases ; Spleen ; Splenectomy

In this paper, some parts of Fig. 1 and dose information of methylprednisolone on page 113 were misprinted.