Extracapsular cataract extraction with posterior chamber intraocular lens in 24 eyes of 24 diabetics. With and without diabetic retinopathy, were followed up postoperatively for an average of 14 months to determine the incidence of diabetic retinopathy, the final visual acuity and factors predictive of progression of retinopathy and final visual acuity. Overall, retinopathy progressed in 52% of operated-on eyes. Cataract extraction was highly associated with progression of diabetic retinopathy. Women had a significantly increased risk of progression of retinopathy in the operated-on eye compared to men. Visual acuity improved in 22 of 24 orerated-on eyes : however, only 11 eyes achieved a visual acuity of 0.5 or better and only 7 eyes achieved a visual acuity of 0.7 or better. Patients treated with oral hypoglycemic agents had a worse visual prognosis than those treated with insulin. The prognosis of patients with diabetic retinopathy about to undergo cataract surgery, even extracapsular cataract extraction with placement of a posterior chamber lens, is guarded.
Cataract Extraction ; Cataract* ; Clinical Study* ; Diabetic Retinopathy* ; Female ; Humans ; Hypoglycemic Agents ; Incidence ; Insulin ; Lenses, Intraocular ; Male ; Prognosis ; Visual Acuity

BACKGROUND: Propafenone is effective in the treatment of ventricular arrhythmias and paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia. Propafenone has been shown to be also useful in preventing the recurrence of atrial fibrillation. But to date, date concerning the efficacy of propafenone for patients experiencing paroxysmal and chronic atrial fibrillation have not been examined in Korea. METHODS: In patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation propafenone was given at a dose of 450mg daily without dose titration and symptomatic recurrences were evaluated by patient interview during follow-up. In patients with chronic atrial fibrillation, who had no previously attempted cardioversion, propafenone was given at a dose of 450~675mg daily without dose titration, and after a minimum of 3 days pharmacological cardioversion was assessed. Those patients in whom sinus rhythm had been restored pharmacologically or by combined direct current cardioversion were followed with maintaining propafenone therapy also at a dose of 450~675mg daily. RESULTS: Of 7 patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation, 4 (57%) patients had marked symptomatic improvement and they were followed for 197 to 460 (mean 286) days Of 13 patients with chronic atrial fibrillation, 7 patients incuding 4 pharmacologically converted patients were initially controlled to sinus rhythm. In 5 (38%) patients maintenance of sinus rhythm was followed for 90 to 415 (mean 224) days. CONCLUSION: Although these observations were made in small number of patients and are so limited, the results are comparable to the previous studies which showed the potential role of propafenone in the management of atrial fibrillation.
Arrhythmias, Cardiac ; Atrial Fibrillation* ; Electric Countershock ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Korea ; Propafenone* ; Recurrence ; Tachycardia, Supraventricular

No abstract available.
Animals ; Rats* ; Regeneration*

No abstract available.
Blood Pressure*

During the period of 9.5 years from September, 1985 to March, 1995, 32 cases with spontaneous closure in simple ventricular septal defect(VSD) were observed and evaluated at Yeungnam University Hospital, and those were confirmed by 2D-echocardiogram. The results were as follows: 1. Among these 32 cases, there were 23 cases(71.9%) of perimembranous VSD, 8 cases(25.0%) of muscular VSD and 1 case(3.1%) of subarterial VSD. Septal aneurysms appears to be main mechanism of spontaneous closure of VSD because of the presence of septal aneurysm in all cases with spontaneous ',;losure of a perimembranous VSD. 2. The size of the defect was variable in diameter, but 27 cases(81.2%) were less than 5 mm. 3. The mean age was 12.1 months at spontaneous closure with the range from 1 month old to 72 months. 4. The mean weight was 9.0 kg at spontaneous closure. 5.--Among these 32 cases, 3 cases had the clinical evidence of cardimegaly or congestive hert -failure during infancy. 6. Male to female sex ratio was 1.5:1
Aneurysm ; Estrogens, Conjugated (USP) ; Female ; Heart Septal Defects, Ventricular* ; Humans ; Male ; Sex Ratio

No abstract available.
Bone Density* ; Child* ; Glucocorticoids* ; Humans ; Nephrotic Syndrome*

No abstract available.
Retinal Vein Occlusion* ; Retinal Vein* ; Retinaldehyde* ; Vitreous Hemorrhage*

Majority of the eyes with subfoveal neovascular membrane loss the central vision. We observed two patients who regained significant central vision as the result of the involution of subfoveal neovascularization. On follow-up fundus examination, the subretinal lesions revealed grayish neovascular membranes stained with fluorescein, but did not show the fluid leakage. And subretinal hemorrhage and subretinal fluid were gradually resolved. We assumed that functioning retinal pigment epithelium within the macula and young age were the important factors of the spontaneous improvement of visual outcome.
Fluorescein ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Membranes ; Retinal Pigment Epithelium ; Subretinal Fluid

No abstract available.
Caves*

Hepatic veno-occlusive disease (VOD) is a rare disease due to occlusion of the terminal hepatic venules and/or sublobular veins, which is a result of endothelial damage from pyrrolizidine alkaloids in herbal teas, irradiation of the liver, or chemotherapy particularly in association with bone marrow transplantation. We recently experienced three cases of VOD developed after radiation therapy. Two cases occurred in hepatocellular carcinoma patients of a 37-year-old man with B viral chronic hepatitis and a 22-year-old man with B viral cirrhosis and the other in a 64-year-old patient with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. For the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma, chemoembolization with lipiodol and adriamycin, and external irradiation on the liver mass were done. The total radiation dose was 5400 cGy and 3000 cGy in each case. Five months and 3 months after irradiation, respectively, the resected liver masses showed extensive necrosis due to pre-operative treatment. To treat esophageal carcinoma, pre-operative concurrent chemotherapy of 5-FU and radiation of 4500 cGY were done. One month after irradiation, the radical esophgectomy and wedge biopsy of the liver were done. The liver of all 3 cases showed a dark red appearance with severe congestion in contrast to the pale brown normal liver, which was not included in the radiation field. On micoscopic examination, the terminal hepatic venules and sublobular veins showed subintimal edema, fibrin deposition, and partial or total luminal occlusion by loose fibrous tissue. The centrizonal sinusoids were markedly dilatated and congested with atrophy of hepatocytes.
Adult ; Atrophy ; Teas, Herbal ; Biopsy ; Bone Marrow Transplantation ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; Doxorubicin ; Drug Therapy ; Edema ; Estrogens, Conjugated (USP) ; Ethiodized Oil ; Fibrin ; Fibrosis ; Fluorouracil ; Hepatic Veno-Occlusive Disease* ; Hepatitis, Chronic ; Hepatocytes ; Humans ; Liver ; Middle Aged ; Necrosis ; Phenobarbital ; Pyrrolizidine Alkaloids ; Rare Diseases ; Veins ; Venules ; Young Adult