BACKGROUND/AIMS: The meaning of specialized intestinal metaplasia (SIM) in the diagnosis of Barrett's esophagus (BE) is not clear. This study was designed to determine the clinical significance of SIM in the diagnosis of Barrett's esophagus. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Biopsies were taken from 601 subjects with endoscopically suspected columnar-lined esophagus. Under light microscopy with Alcian-blue stain, SIM was identified. Demographic characteristics, gastroesophageal (GE) reflux symptoms and endoscopic findings were compared between the SIM-present group and the SIM-absent group. RESULTS: Among 601 subjects, 184 (30.6%) were confirmed by pathology to have SIM. Age over 40 years (P<0.001) and a medication history of proton pump inhibitor or H2 blocker were found more frequently in the SIM-present group (P=0.01) than in the SIM-absent group. Any of 7 GE reflux symptoms (heartburn, acid regurgitation, chest pain, hoarseness, globus sensation, cough and epigastric soreness) were more frequent in the SIM-present group than SIM-absent group (P<0.001). Specifically, heartburn, chest pain and cough were significantly more common in the SIM-present group. There was no clinically significant difference associated with endoscopic findings or other clinical characteristics. CONCLUSIONS: When subjects with endoscopically suspected BE are analyzed based on the presence or absence of SIM, the SIM-present group was significantly associated with GE reflux symptoms suggestive of frequent GE reflux. However, the presence of SIM did not correlate with endoscopic findings.
Barrett Esophagus ; Biopsy ; Chest Pain ; Cough ; Esophagus ; Gastroesophageal Reflux ; Heartburn ; Hoarseness ; Light ; Metaplasia ; Microscopy ; Prospective Studies ; Proton Pumps ; Sensation

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Chronic gastritis is a common finding during endoscopy and it is very important to describe it correctly. This study was designed to evaluate the distribution of endoscopic gastritis and the differences according to age, sex or area. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A clinical analysis was conducted on 25,536 subjects who had undergone an upper endoscopy for routine health check-up. Endoscopic gastritis was classified into four types, superficial gastritis, erosive gastritis, atrophic gastritis and intestinal metaplasia. The distribution of the four types of gastritis was evaluated according to sex, age and area. RESULTS: 51.6% of the patients had experienced at least one of the symptoms (epigastric pain or discomfort, soarness, dyspepsia, abdominal pain) on at least a few occasions during the previous year. The incidence of normal gastric finding was 3,593 (14.1%). 21,943 (85.9%) subjects have at least more than one of endoscopic gastritis. The number of cases with superficial gastritis was 7,983 (31.3%), erosive gastritis 6,054 (23.7%), atrophic gastritis 6,918 (27.1%), and intestinal metaplasia 1,181 (7.1%). Erosive gastritis, atrophic gastritis and intestinal metaplasia were more frequent in men than women (P<0.001) and in the older age group (> or =60 years) than younger age group (P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of endoscopic gastritis was very common, 85.9%. In addition, erosive gastritis, atrophic gastritis and intestinal metaplasia were more frequent in men and in the older age group, which is similar to gastric cancer or peptic ulcer. Cautious regular endoscopic follow-up might be necessary regardless of gastrointestinal symptoms in Korea.
Dyspepsia ; Endoscopy ; Female ; Gastritis ; Gastritis, Atrophic ; Helicobacter pylori ; Humans ; Incidence ; Korea ; Male ; Metaplasia ; Peptic Ulcer ; Prevalence ; Stomach Neoplasms

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Chronic gastritis is a common finding during endoscopy and it is very important to describe it correctly. This study was designed to evaluate the distribution of endoscopic gastritis and the differences according to age, sex or area. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A clinical analysis was conducted on 25,536 subjects who had undergone an upper endoscopy for routine health check-up. Endoscopic gastritis was classified into four types, superficial gastritis, erosive gastritis, atrophic gastritis and intestinal metaplasia. The distribution of the four types of gastritis was evaluated according to sex, age and area. RESULTS: 51.6% of the patients had experienced at least one of the symptoms (epigastric pain or discomfort, soarness, dyspepsia, abdominal pain) on at least a few occasions during the previous year. The incidence of normal gastric finding was 3,593 (14.1%). 21,943 (85.9%) subjects have at least more than one of endoscopic gastritis. The number of cases with superficial gastritis was 7,983 (31.3%), erosive gastritis 6,054 (23.7%), atrophic gastritis 6,918 (27.1%), and intestinal metaplasia 1,181 (7.1%). Erosive gastritis, atrophic gastritis and intestinal metaplasia were more frequent in men than women (P<0.001) and in the older age group (> or =60 years) than younger age group (P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of endoscopic gastritis was very common, 85.9%. In addition, erosive gastritis, atrophic gastritis and intestinal metaplasia were more frequent in men and in the older age group, which is similar to gastric cancer or peptic ulcer. Cautious regular endoscopic follow-up might be necessary regardless of gastrointestinal symptoms in Korea.
Dyspepsia ; Endoscopy ; Female ; Gastritis ; Gastritis, Atrophic ; Helicobacter pylori ; Humans ; Incidence ; Korea ; Male ; Metaplasia ; Peptic Ulcer ; Prevalence ; Stomach Neoplasms

No abstract available.
Beauty ; Burns ; Cicatrix

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to investigate the effect of galantamine on caregiver time and activities of daily living(ADLs) in patients with mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease(AD) in a Korean population. DESIGN: Quasi-experimental study: A rndomized, double-blind, parallel-group clinical trial and a naturalistic longitudinal community study METHOD: For this 1-year prospective study, 138 patients residing in the community were recruited(baseline MMSE score of. 10-22). The two groups were composed of 72 patients treated with galantamine and 66 patients selected as the control group from an untreated community cohort of AD patients. The primary efficacy outcome was the caregiver time and the secondary efficacy measure was the Korean version of the Disability Assessment for Dementia(DAD-K) scale. RESULTS: The results of a mixed model analyses demonstrated reduced caregiver time and improved ADLs in galantamine group relative to baseline and compared with the community control group in this 1-year prospective study. Significant improvement in galantamine group observed in the DAD scores demonstrated beneficial effects of galantamine on delaying functional deterioration in patients with mild to moderate AD. Difference in caregiver time between two groups was equivalent to additional 9.5 working days per month or 113 working days per year. CONCLUSION: Treatment with Galantamine is associated with a significantly slower decline in basic and instrumental ADLs in patients with mild to moderated AD. These benefits on functional capacity in patients with AD treated with galantamine were associated with less caregiver time, lower caregiver burden and higher economic benefits.
Activities of Daily Living* ; Alzheimer Disease* ; Caregivers* ; Cohort Studies ; Galantamine* ; Humans ; Prospective Studies*

BACKGROUNDS/AIMS: Doppler ultrasongraphy is used to evaluate hemodynamic alternations in patients with liver cirrhosis. Purpose of this study was to determine the interequipment variability of Doppler indices in portal and splenic vein in cirrhosis. METHODS: Blood velocity, diameter, flow and congestive index in portal and splenic vein were measured by Doppler ultrasonography in 30 patients with cirrhosis using two different machines. RESULTS: Portal venous velocities measured by HDI-5000 and SSD-5000 were 8.72+/-3.69 cm/sec, 12.21+/-2.84 cm/sec, respectively which showed significant difference (P<0.001). Measured portal blood flows and congestive indices also had significant difference between HDI-5000 and SSD-5000 (P<0.01). Splenic venous velocity by HDI-5000 was 8.55+/-2.71 cm/sec, which was lower than that of 12.32+/-3.11 cm/sec by SSD-5000 (P<0.001). Splenic blood flows measured by HDI-5000 and SSD-5000 were 390.73+/-260.98 mL/min, 595.01+/-346.53 mL/min, respectively, showing significant difference (P=0.015). However, no differences were in the diameters of portal and splenic vein between HDI-5000 and SSD-5000. CONCLUSION: Doppler indices in portal and splenic vein showed significant interequipment variability. Therefore, in liver cirrhosis, hemodynamic investigations using different Doppler ultrasonographic machines is inappropriate.
Adult ; Aged ; Blood Flow Velocity ; Female ; Humans ; Liver Cirrhosis/*ultrasonography ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Ultrasonography, Doppler/*instrumentation

It has been suggested that hyperuricemia and possibly gout are associated with the metabolic syndrome, but there have been no direct studies. This study was undertaken to obtain the prevalence of the metabolic syndrome in patients with gout and to compare it with those from the general population studies. This was a 4-institutional case-historical control study composed of 168 patients with gout. We assessed the prevalence of metabolic syndrome according to the ATP III criteria and compared the prevalence with that of the historical controls. To elucidate the factors in gout that were associated with metabolic syndrome, a multivariate analysis was done. The age-adjusted prevalence of metabolic syndrome in gout patients was 43.6%, which was significantly higher than that of the Korean control population (5.2%) from the previous studies. Patients with gout had more components of metabolic syndrome than did the controls. Body mass index (BMI, OR=1.357 (95%CI 1.111-1.657)) and high density lipoprotein (HDL, OR=0.774 (95%CI 0.705-0.850)) were the variables most significantly associated with the occurrence of metabolic syndrome in gout, but alcohol consumption did not show such associations. Gout is associated with the metabolic syndrome, and furthermore, obesity and dyslipidemia were the factors most associated with the syndrome in these patients.
Adult ; Aged ; Body Mass Index ; Case-Control Studies ; Gout/*complications ; Humans ; Korea/epidemiology ; Lipoproteins, HDL/blood ; Male ; Metabolic Syndrome X/*complications/epidemiology/etiology ; Middle Aged ; Multivariate Analysis ; Risk Factors

BACKGROUND: Hyperdynamic circulation due to reduced peripheral vascular resistance and increased cardiac output, and the development of portal hypertension are the hemodynamic changes observed in patients with liver cirrhosis. Such hemodynamic abnormalities appear in patients with late stage liver cirrhosis. Therefore, hemodynamic indices, which represent hyperdynamic circulation and portal hypertension, are significant for the prognosis of patients with liver cirrhosis. The aim of this study was to determine the hemodynamic indices associated with the prognosis of patients with liver cirrhosis. METHODS: A total of 103 patients diagnosed with liver cirrhosis between December 1999 and June 2003, with a mean follow-up period of 73 weeks, ranging from 7 to 168 weeks, were recruited. Using Child-Pugh classification, the mean arterial pressure, heart rate and hepatic venous pressure gradient (HVPG) were measured. The indices of Doppler ultrasonography, including the portal and splenic venous flows, and the resistance of the hepatic, splenic, and renal arteries were also measured using the arterial pulsatility index (PI). The prognostic values of these indices were determined by their comparison with the patient survivals. RESULTS: Significant hemodynamic indices for a bad prognosis were high HVPG (> or=15 mmHg) and renal arterial PI (> or=1.14) (p< 0.05). A Child-Pugh score > or=10 was important for a poor prognosis (p< 0.05). CONCLUSION: Severe portal hypertension (HVPG> or=15 mmHg) and high renal arterial resistance (PI> or=1.14) were valuable hemodynamic indices for the prognosis of patients with liver cirrhosis. Therefore, it was concluded that the measurement of these hemodynamic indices, in addition to the Child-Pugh classification, is helpful in the prognosis of patients with liver cirrhosis.
Female ; *Hemodynamic Processes ; Humans ; Korea/epidemiology ; Liver Cirrhosis/*mortality/*physiopathology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prognosis ; Survival Rate

OBJECTIVE: Metabolic syndrome is a constellation of metabolic abnormalities such as obesity, hypertension, glucose intolerance, and hyperlipidemia. The association of metabolic syndrome and hyperuricemia is well known, but not with gout. Therefore, the association of gout and metabolic syndrome is investigated through comparing the prevalence of metabolic syndrome in normal controls and patients with gout. METHODS: This is a case-historical control study of 64 patients with gout recruited from Korea University Anam and Guro Hospital. Clinical factors were checked according to the diagnostic criteria of metabolic syndrome from the ATP III guidelines. Additional waist circumference adjustment was done according to the WHO Asia-Pacific obesity criteria recommendations. The prevalence was compared with historical control studies from the US and Korea. RESULTS: The prevalence of metabolic syndrome in patients with gout was 42.2% according to ATP III criteria and 59.4% with waist circumference adjustment and is significantly higher than control studies (23.7% (US), 6.8% (Korea), ATP III), 10.9% (Korea, WHO Asia-Pacific obesity criteria)(p<0.001 in all cases). Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that high BMI and low HDL levels (both ATP III/WHO Asia-Pacific obesity criteria) and the presence of hypertension (ATP III) are the statistically significant risk factors of having metabolic syndrome in gout patients. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of metabolic syndrome in patients with gout is significantly higher than normal control groups. This indicates an association between gout and metabolic syndrome. Especially, being obese or hypertensive, or having low HDL levels are risk factors for the metabolic syndrome in gout patients.
Adenosine Triphosphate ; Glucose Intolerance ; Gout* ; Humans ; Hyperlipidemias ; Hypertension ; Hyperuricemia ; Korea ; Logistic Models ; Obesity ; Prevalence* ; Risk Factors ; Waist Circumference

PURPOSE: It is now well recognized that reperfusion of ischemic tissues initiates a complex series of reactions that can paradoxically injure tissues. Apoptosis occurs in select cell populations during morphologic development and during cellular injury, including oxygen radical exposure, ischemia-reperfusion, and sepsis. Thus, in this study, we examined relation of the melatonin effect to the injection time and the dose, and role of melatonin in apoptosis. METHODS: Intestinal ischemia-reperfusion injury was induced in rats by clamping the superior mesenteric artery for 30 minutes. After reperfusion injury for 30 minutes, the experimental group was administered melatonin (10 mg/kg) intraperitoneally and the control group received saline and ethanol. At 30 minutes, 60 minutes, and 90 minutes, 1) pulmonary histological assessments (interstitial PMNs/10HPFs and lung (alveolar) injury score), 2) alveolar microvascular permeability assessments (wet-weignt to dry-weight ratio and lipid peroxidation activity, malondialdehyde, MDA), and 3) western blotting assessments (p53, p21, Bax, and bcl-2) were made. For comparison, long- time (60-minute) reperfusion and double- dosage melatonin (20 mg/kg) were also studied. RESULTS: The lung injury score was 1.00+/-0 in the melatonin group at 90 minutes and 3.28+/-0.30 in the saline group (p<0.01). The number of sequestered neutrophils was significantly higher in the control group at 90 minutes (34.38+/-16.76/10 HPFs) than in the melatonin-treated group (5.63+/-2.73/10 HPFs; p<0.01). In the melatonin group at 90 minutes, the wet-weight to dry-weight ratio was 4.69+/-0.16, and in the saline group, the ratio was 4.78+/-0.17 (p>0.05). A marked difference was found between the ischemia-reperfusion control group and the experimental group at 90 minutes regarding lipid peroxidation activity (Malondialdehyde, 16.45+/-0.19 micrometer vs 10.93+/-0.11 micrometer, p<0.01). In the melatonin group, p21 expressions were found to be much more than in the control group. But, p53, bcl-2, and Bax expressions were found to be in the control group. CONCLUSION: Melatonin injection within 60 min after reperfusion may promote recovery of reperfusion injury, but double-dose melatonin injection was inefficacious. Also, melatonin inhibit apoptosis by p21 expression.
Animals ; Apoptosis ; Blotting, Western ; Capillary Permeability ; Constriction ; Ethanol ; Intestines* ; Lipid Peroxidation ; Lung ; Lung Injury ; Malondialdehyde ; Melatonin* ; Mesenteric Artery, Superior ; Neutrophils ; Oxygen ; Rats ; Reperfusion ; Reperfusion Injury ; Sepsis