The purpose of this study is to evaluate the parameters of electroretinography[ERG]in eyes with diabetic retinopathy. The ERG responses were recorded in 46 normal subjects and 72 diabetic patients.We obtained the values of 12parameters from 5 basic responses and compared the changes of ERG parameters with the stages of diabetic retinopathy. The amplitude of oscillatory potentials decreased progressively from normal to severe nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy[NPDR].The b-wave implicit time of cone response was delayed in eyes with moderate NPDR to high risk proliferative diabetic retinopathy[PDR]. The b-wave amplitude of rod response was reduced in eyes with mild to moderate NPDR.The a-wave amplitude of maximal combined response significantly decreased between severe NPDR and early PDR.
Diabetic Retinopathy* ; Electroretinography

OBJECTIVE: This study was performed to evaluate the effect of panretinal photocoagulation (PRP) on parameters of electroretinograms (ERG). METHODS: Retrospective study was performed on 58 eyes of 29 patients with proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR) who underwent PRP. ERG was performed in each patient before and after PRP, and each ERG parameters were compared between the pre- and post-PRP state. Also, the results of ERG performed after PRP were compared between two groups: one group showing obvious new vessels regression and the other group showing poor regression after PRP. RESULTS: Marked reduction in amplitude and delay in implicit time were observed in all patients (P<0.05). The results also showed larger reduction of amplitude and delay in implicit time in b-wave than a-wave (P<0.05). There were no significant differences in ERG parameter changes after PRP between the group showing obvious new vessel regression and the group showing poor new vessel regression after PRP (P>0.05). CONCLUSION: PRP in diabetic retinopathy patients may affect not only the outer retina but also the cells within the inner nuclear layer, causing changes in ERG parameters. However, ERG was not a good indicator for representing the amount of new vessel regression in PDR.
Diabetic Retinopathy* ; Electroretinography ; Humans ; Light Coagulation* ; Retina ; Retrospective Studies

Laurence-Moon-Biedl syndrome is an autosomal recessive disorder characterized by obesity, hypogenitalism, polydactyly, mental retardation and retinitis pigmentosa. Occasionally, this syndrome is accompanied by renal anomaly, nystagmus, cataract, syndactyly, microcephaly, oxycephaly and congenital heart disease. Recently, we have experienced a 8-year-old female patient who has retinitis pigmentosa, obesity, and polydactyly. We report a case of Laurence-Moon-Biedl syndrome with a review of literature.
Cataract ; Child ; Craniosynostoses ; Female ; Heart Defects, Congenital ; Humans ; Intellectual Disability ; Laurence-Moon Syndrome* ; Microcephaly ; Obesity ; Polydactyly ; Retinitis Pigmentosa ; Syndactyly

BACKGROUND: Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is a common disease in older patients, and common cause of death in this age group. In the United State, more than 670,000 persons are hospitalized annually for an acute myocardial infarction, 60% of these persons are more than 65 years of age and one third are above 75 years of age. above 65 years of age and 60% above 75 years of age. Also in Korea, AMI has been increased and being a major cause of death. Especially in elderly patients, more intensive care is required, because they have more risk factors and show high mortality. For will decrease unnecessary treatment on low risk group and will do more intensive management on high risk group. This study was performed, therefore, to provide the clinical features, prognosis and prognostic factors of AMI in Korean elderly patients. METHODS: To identify the long term survival rate and prognostic factors of acute myocardial infarction of elderly persons (above 65 year old) in Korea, total 358 patients who presented between Jan. 1980 and Dec. 1997 at Seoul National University Hospital were followed for an average of 92 months. 151 patients were died during follow up period, 63 patients lost, and 144 patients were alive till the end point of the study. RESULTS: Overall survival rates (+/-standard error) were 82.1+/-2.0, 79.6+/-2.2, 76.7+/-2.3, 72.2+/-2.5, 67.4+/-2.7, 62+/-3.0, 56.9+/-3.2% at 1, 6, 12, 24, 36, 48, 60 months. In univariate analysis, old age, female, presence of history of diabetes, higher degree of Killip class, lower ejection fraction on echocardiography or gated blood pool scan, lower total cholesterol level on the time of AMI proved as poor prognostic factors of AMI with statistical significance (p<0.05). BMI, history of hypertension, myocardial infarction and angina, peak CK level, infarct site on ECG, existence of Q-wave on ECG, larger extent of coronary artery disease, residual ischemia on treadmill test or MIBI scan, patency of infarct related artery, and HDL and LDL-cholesterol level on the time of AMI, total, HDL- and LDL-cholesterol at least 3 months after AMI did not show statistical significance. In multivariate analysis, Killip class III, IV and ejection fraction on echocar-diography are proved as independent prognostic factors of AMI with statistical significance (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: The mortality of elderly AMI is composed of two component. At acute phase, within 1 month, the mortality reaches to about 18 %, and at chronic phase, after 1 month from AMI, mortality increases each 5% a year for 5 years. The other conclusion is elderly patients who have poor left ventricular systolic functions shows higher mortality.
Aged* ; Arteries ; Cause of Death ; Cholesterol ; Coronary Artery Disease ; Echocardiography ; Electrocardiography ; Exercise Test ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Critical Care ; Ischemia ; Korea ; Mortality ; Multivariate Analysis ; Myocardial Infarction* ; Prognosis ; Risk Factors ; Seoul ; Survival Rate*