No abstract available.
Genetic Therapy* ; Oligonucleotides*

PURPOSE: To evaluate the efficacy of color Doppler ultrasound (US) in the diagnosis of gestational trophoblastic neoplasia (GTN). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Intralesional color flows and resistive index (RI) on color Doppler US were prospectively analyzed in 21 consecutive suspected GTN cases. RI of the intralesional artery was investigated on the basis of the presence or absence of mass and metastasis. Correlation between RI of intralesional artery and urinary beta-hCG was also investigated. RESULTS: Intralesional color flows were identified in 15 patients with GTN. On operation, intralesional color flows were observed in one of two patients in whom the presence of completely necrotic tissue was confirmed. Intralesional color flows, however, were not detected in four patients who were proved not to be GTN sufferers. Sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, positive and negative predictive values, and accuracy were 100%, 83%, 95%, 94% and 100%, respectively. Significant correlation between RI of the intralesional artery and urinary beta-hCG was not established(p=0.49, r=0.19). RI of this artery was not substantially different between groups with and without mass, and between groups with and without metastasis(p=0.32, p=0.82). CONCLUSION: The current study demonstrates that color Doppler US is a sensitive and useful method for the diagnosis of GTN.
Arteries ; Diagnosis ; Gestational Trophoblastic Disease* ; Humans ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Prospective Studies ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Ultrasonography*

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of ifosfamide, carboplatin, etoposide (ICE) regimen in children with recurrent/refractory solid tumors. METHODS: The medical records of 7 patients diagnosed with recurrent/refractory solid tumors, including osteosarcoma in 2 patients, rhabdomyosarcoma in 2, neuroblastoma in 2 and medulloblastoma in one, and followed at Hanyang University Hospital from January, 1995 until May, 2001, were reviewed. The hematological toxicities above grade III, non-hematological toxicities above grade II, and response rate [complete response (CR) partial response (PR)] after several courses of ifosfamide 1,800 mg/m2/day (day 0 through 4 each cycle), carboplatin 400 mg/m2/day (day 0, 1), etoposide 100 mg/m2/day (day 0 through 4 each cycle) were evaluated. RESULTS: The incidences of hematological toxicities above grade III and non-hematological toxicities above grade II were 89% and 18%, respectively over the total 56 courses of ICE plus granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF: 5.0mug/kg/day). Median time from the start of ICE chemotherapy to absolute neutrophil count (ANC) > or =1,000/mm3 for all patients during the total courses was 15 days. Seven patients evaluated for response to ICE. The overall response rate (CR PR) in this study was 57%. The CR rate for all diagnostic categories was 43%. CONCLUSION: Our study indicates that myelosuppression was the major toxicity of ICE chemotherapy and non-hematological toxicity was 20% of hematological toxicity except nausea and vomiting. The combination of ICE chemotherapy was associated with a high CR rate (43%) in children with recurrent/refractory solid tumors.
Carboplatin* ; Child* ; Drug Therapy ; Etoposide* ; Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor ; Humans ; Ice ; Ifosfamide* ; Incidence ; Medical Records ; Medulloblastoma ; Nausea ; Neuroblastoma ; Neutrophils ; Osteosarcoma ; Rhabdomyosarcoma ; Vomiting

No abstract available.
Craniocerebral Trauma* ; Head* ; Protons*

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Clopidogrel resistance or low-responsiveness may be associated with recurrent atherothrombotic events after drug-eluting stent (DES) implantation. We prospectively evaluated the association between clopidogrel resistance assessed by the Verifynow(TM) P2Y12 assay (Accumetrics, San Diego, CA, USA) and stent thrombosis (ST) or cardiac death (CD) in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) within 6 months after DES implantation. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: We enrolled 237 consecutive patients (160 males, 65.2+/-10.3 years) with ACS who received a DES implantation. The composite endpoint was defined to CD or ST by Academic Research Consortium definitions within 6 months post-implantation. Clopidogrel resistance was defined as <20% inhibition of the P2Y12 receptor. RESULTS: Baseline demographic characteristics were similar between 142 normal individuals and 95 clopidogrel resistant patients. CD occurred in one case (0.7%) in the normal group and two cases (2.13%) in the resistant group (p=0.344). There was no episode of ST in the normal group and four episodes in the resistant group (4.2%, four definite ST) (p=0.035). Univariate logistic regression revealed an adjusted odds ratio (OR) for composite end point of CD or ST of 9.646 {95% confidence interval (CI) 1.139-81.679}, and multivariate logistic regression for composite end point revealed an OR of 12.074 (95% CI 1.205-120.992). CONCLUSION: Clopidogrel low-responsiveness assessed by the Verifynow(TM) P2Y12 assay is an independent predictor of ST and composite end point of ST or CD in patients with ACS within 6 months after DES implantation.
Acute Coronary Syndrome ; Blood Platelets ; Death ; Drug-Eluting Stents ; Humans ; Logistic Models ; Male ; Odds Ratio ; Prospective Studies ; Pyridines ; Stents ; Thrombosis ; Ticlopidine

The changes in serum levels of immunoglobulins G, M and A of dairy and beef calves of well-managed herds were monitored from birth to 14 days post partum using single radial immunodiffusion. Serum levels of all three immunoglobulin classes reached its peak at 24 hours in both groups of calves after birth, at which time there were very high levels of each immunoglobulin present. The mean IgM and IgA levels of the two groups became same at 6 days and 8 days of age, respectively but the mean IgG level of beef calves was approximately twice that of dairy calves throughout the experiment.
Animals ; Animals, Newborn ; Cattle/*immunology ; Female ; Immunodiffusion/veterinary ; Immunoglobulin A/blood ; Immunoglobulin G/blood ; Immunoglobulin M/blood ; Immunoglobulins/*blood ; Male ; Pregnancy

PURPOSE: We compared the diagnostic performance of aortic calcification volume with that of coronary artery calcification volume at CT in diagnosing obstructive coronary artery disease (OCAD). MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 308 patients (M: F=141:167) underwent coronary CT angiography using a 64-slice MDCT. We measured the calcification volume (mm3) of coronary artery (CAC), thoracic aorta (TAC), abdominal aorta (AAC), and whole aorta (AC) at unenhanced CT. OCAD was defined as the significant stenosis (>=50%) in any coronary artery at CT angiography. The diagnostic performance for OCAD was evaluated by calculating the area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. RESULTS: Among the 308 patients studied, 45 patients were diagnosed with OCAD. The mean volumes of TAC, AAC, AC, and CAC were 518.8 mm3, 551.5 mm3, 1069.9 mm3, 57.6 mm3, respectively. The areas under the ROC curve of TAC, AAC, AC, and CAC for OCAD were 0.766 (0.694<95% confidence interval <0.838), 0.837 (0.784<95% confidence interval <0.892), 0.814 (0.755<95% confidence interval <0.873), 0.871 (0.812<95% confidence interval<0.930), respectively. CONCLUSION: The volume of aortic calcification as well as coronary artery calcification is associated with obstructive coronary artery disease.
Angiography ; Aorta ; Aorta, Abdominal ; Aorta, Thoracic ; Calcinosis ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Coronary Artery Disease* ; Coronary Disease ; Coronary Vessels* ; Humans ; ROC Curve ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) or N-terminal pro-BNP (NT-proBNP) levels may serve as a useful marker of cardiovascular risk for screening of the general population. We evaluated reference levels and distribution of NT-proBNP in the Korean general population based on a large cohort study. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: We included 1,518 adult subjects (ages 40-69) of a community-based cohort from the Korea Rural Genomic Cohort (KRGC) Study. Thorough biochemical and clinical data were recorded for all subjects. Levels of NT-proBNP from all participants were determined. In order to determine normal reference levels, subjects with factors known to influence NT-proBNP levels were excluded. RESULTS: The characteristics of the cohort are described below; subjects were 41.2% male, and the mean age was 54.8+/-8.4 years. The distribution of risk factors for cardiovascular disease in the cohort included hypertension (25%), left ventricular hypertrophy by electrocardiography (ECG-LVH) (15%), hypercholestolemia (4.5%), smoking (32%), diabetes (10.9%), history of coronary heart disease (4.9%), history of heart failure (0.9%), symptoms of heart failure (6.1%), elevated serum creatinine (> or =1.5, 3.7%), and severe obesity (body mass index >30 kg/m2, 4.6%). The levels of NT-proBNP of all subjects are shown below; the mean was 60.1+/-42.1, and the median was 36.5 pg/mL. In addition, the levels of NT-proBNP of normal subjects (which did not have any risk factors, n=224) are shown below; the mean was 40.8, and the median was 32.1 pg/mL. In normal subjects, the NT-proBNP level was slightly higher in females (25.7+/-24.8 vs. 46.9+/-35.4, p<0.001). NT-proBNP level increased with age in both the normal population and the total population. There were no significant differences in NT-proBNP levels in subjects who smoked, or had diabetes mellitus, hypertension or ECG-LVH. However, in subjects with a history of congestive heart failure (CHF) (58.5+/-103.29 vs. 213.8+/-258.8, p<0.005), elevated serum creatinine levels (> or =1.5 mg/dL, 146.2+/-98.2 vs. 54.3+/-38.1, p<0.001), or who were older (> or =60, 48.4 vs. 84.2+/-139.5 pg/mL, p<0.05), the BNP level was higher. In addition, patients with more than 3 risk factors for CHF had higher BNP levels (risk 0: 40.8+/-34.0, 1-2: 57.4+/-93.2, > or =3: 85.0+/-152.9 pg/mL). NT-proBNP levels were also related with age, sex, urine albumin, serum Cr, and high sensitivity C-reactive protein (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: We determined the reference value and distribution of NT-proBNP in the Korean adult general population. We also found that adjustments for the independent effects of age, sex and renal function appear necessary when determining cardiac risk based on proBNP levels.
Adult ; C-Reactive Protein ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; Cohort Studies ; Coronary Disease ; Creatinine ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Electrocardiography ; Female ; Heart Failure ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Hypertrophy, Left Ventricular ; Korea ; Male ; Mass Screening ; Natriuretic Peptide, Brain ; Natriuretic Peptides ; Obesity ; Peptide Fragments ; Population Surveillance ; Reference Values ; Risk Factors ; Serum Albumin ; Smoke ; Smoking

We evaluated the prevalence and risk factors for early age-related macular degeneration (AMD) in Koreans 50 yr of age or older who were examined at a single health promotion center. We retrospectively reviewed the records of 10,449 subjects who visited the center over a 6-month period. Fundus photography was performed on all subjects, and systematic risk factor analysis was conducted using a structured questionnaire. All patients (n = 322) were initially diagnosed with drusen or early AMD using fundoscopy; the control group (n = 10,127) were those yielding normal fundoscopy findings. The age- and gender-adjusted prevalence of early AMD was 3.08%. Advanced age, male gender, smoking status, hyperlipidemia, working outdoors, and residence in rural areas were all significantly associated with an increased risk for development of early AMD. Higher-level ingestion of fruit or herbal medication and an increased amount of exercise were associated with a lower risk of early AMD development. In our Korean cohort, consisting principally of relatively healthy, middle-class urban adults, the prevalence of early AMD was 3.08% that is similar to that reported in earlier epidemiological studies. Several modifiable risk factors such as smoking and hyperlipidemia are associated with the prevalence of early AMD in our cohort.
Age Factors ; Cohort Studies ; Community Health Centers ; Female ; Humans ; Hyperlipidemias/complications ; Macular Degeneration/complications/diagnosis/*epidemiology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Odds Ratio ; Prevalence ; Questionnaires ; Republic of Korea/epidemiology ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Sex Factors ; Smoking

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The prevalence of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in Korea has increased recently. The aim of the present study was to determine the regional differences in the prevalence and characteristics of NAFLD. METHODS: From January 2009 to December 2010, 161,891 Seoul and Gyeonggi-do residents receiving a health examination at our institution were enrolled in this cross-sectional study. After applying exclusion criteria, the data of 141,610 subjects (80,943 males, 60,667 females) were analyzed. The presence of NAFLD was established by ultrasound examination. RESULTS: The overall prevalence of NAFLD was 27.3% (38.3% in men, 12.6% in women). When standardized according to age, area, and sex, the prevalence of NAFLD was 25.2%. The age and area standardized prevalence of NAFLD was higher for men (34.4%) than for women (12.2%; P<0.001). The overall prevalence of NAFLD was higher in Gyeonggi-do (27.7%) than in Seoul (26.9%; P<0.001). Among the men, the prevalence of NAFLD was higher in Gyeonggi-do (39.2%) than in Seoul (37.4%; P<0.001), while for the women it was higher in Seoul (13.2%) than in Gyeonggi-do (12.0%; P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The regional prevalence of NAFLD differed between Seoul and Gyeonggi-do. Further studies are needed to establish the etiology of this difference.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Fatty Liver/*epidemiology/etiology/ultrasonography ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prevalence ; Republic of Korea/epidemiology ; Young Adult