Phendimetrazine and related amphetamine-like compounds are used widely as appetite suppressants in Korea. We report on a patient who developed psychotic disorder and dependence while using phendimetrazine. A 25-year-old female with no psychiatric history began experiencing hallucination of bugs after using phendimetrazine for weight loss for five months. She was admitted and the drug was stopped. Three days later, her psychotic symptoms had subsided and she returned home. Two months after discharge, against medical advice, she returned to a clinic to obtain phendimetrazine for its anorectic effect. She continued using phendimetrazine because she had developed withdrawal symptoms and experienced cravings for it. Within two months of restarting the drug, she had developed paranoid delusions, auditory and olfactory hallucinations. She was readmitted, and was confirmed to have a dependence on phendimetrazine. This case provides a warning that amphetamine-related anorectics can cause psychotic disorder and dependence.
Adult ; Appetite Depressants ; Delusions ; Female ; Hallucinations ; Humans ; Korea ; Morpholines ; Psychotic Disorders ; Substance Withdrawal Syndrome ; Weight Loss

UG0712 is a new ginsenoside extract processed from ginseng leaves. A subchronic toxicity study of UG0712 was conducted in male and female SD rats. Rats were treated with UG0712 at doses of 100, 400 and 1,600 mg/kg/day for 13 weeks, and observed followed by 4-week recovery period at a highest dose. No-treatment-related effects were observed regarding the mortality, ophthalmic examination, urinalysis and histopathology. Although the changes in clinical sign, body weight, organ weight, hematology, and serum biochemistry were observed, they were temporal and pharmacological effects. Based on the present experiment conditions, the no observed adverse effect level was considered to be more than 1,600 mg/kg/day in both sexes of rats.
Animals ; Biochemistry ; Body Weight ; Female ; Hematology ; Humans ; Male ; Mortality ; No-Observed-Adverse-Effect Level ; Organ Size ; Panax* ; Rats* ; Urinalysis

Although ginseng (genus Panax) leaf extract contains high concentrations of bioactive constituents, its effects have been reported in few preclinical studies, and information regarding its toxicity is not sufficient to allow for its clinical use. We evaluated the genotoxicity of UG0712, which is a powdered extract of ginseng leaves. UG0712 did not increase the number of revertant colonies in 4 histidine auxotrophic strains of Salmonella typhimurium (TA100, TA1535, TA98, and TA1537) or in a tryptophan auxotrophic strain of Escherichia coli (WP2uvrA(pKM101)) at any concentration evaluated, either in the absence or presence of the metabolic activation system. There was no significant increase in the number of metaphase cells with structural or numerical aberrations in the UG0712-treated groups compared to the concurrent vehicle control at any dose, regardless of the presence of the metabolic activation system. Oral administration of the extract at doses up to 2,000 mg/kg in male mice did not increase the frequency of micronucleated polychromatic erythrocytes in the bone marrow, and did not result in any significant clinical signs, body weight loss, gross findings, or mortality. These results suggest that UG0712 does not act as a mutagenic or genotoxic material at the concentrations evaluated.
Administration, Oral ; Animals ; Biotransformation ; Body Weight ; Bone Marrow ; Chromosome Aberrations ; Erythrocytes ; Escherichia coli ; Histidine ; Humans ; Male ; Metaphase ; Mice ; Mortality ; Panax* ; Salmonella typhimurium ; Tryptophan

Pseudohypoparathyroidism (PHP) is a rare clinical syndrome characterized by hypocalcemia, hyperphosphatemia and increase of serum parathyroid hormone in association with unique clinical features. We recently experienced a typical PHP type Ia patient who presented with recurrent seizure and muscle spasms and electroencephalogram (EEG) showed generalized spike-and-wave discharges. With the correction of hypocalcemia, seizures did not recur and epileptiform discharges disappeared. We suggest that the possibility of PHP should be considered in patients with seizures showing hypocalcemia and hyperphosphatemia.
Electroencephalography ; Humans ; Hyperphosphatemia ; Hypocalcemia ; Parathyroid Hormone ; Pseudohypoparathyroidism ; Seizures ; Spasm

Tardive blepharospam is characterized by repetitive, forceful, and sustained involuntary contractions of the orbicularis oculi. We report here one case of neuroleptic-induced tardive blepharospasm that developed during high-dose amisulpride treatment and was treated with clozapine. The patient was a 29-year-old man with a 6-year history of schizophrenia. After 33 months of amisulpride treatment (1200 mg/day), involuntary eye-blinking had developed. Following exclusion of all other possible etiopathological causes of the blepharospasm, we decided to switch the drug treatment from amisulpride to clozapine. On the fourteenth day of clozapine (250 mg/day) treatment, we observed significant improvements in eye-blinking and psychotic symptoms. Four months later, the eye-blinking had remitted completely. We suggest that amisulpride may cause blepharospasm and lead to an impaired ability to perform daily activities. Therefore, we recommend that clinicians regularly monitor involuntary movements in patients receiving antipsychotic treatment, especially when high doses of amisulpride are involved.
Adult ; Blepharospasm ; Clozapine ; Contracts ; Dyskinesias ; Humans ; Organothiophosphorus Compounds ; Schizophrenia ; Sulpiride

The term neurolymphomatosis has included infiltration of the peripheral nervous system by lymphoma. In generally, direct invasion of the peripheral nervous system is rare. The difficulty in treatment of neurolymphomatosis is due to unclassified characteristic symptoms and diagnosis. We performed excision of mass on the antebrachial cutaneous nerve with no specific symptoms. After diagnosis of diffuse large B cell lymphoma, further treatment and observation were followed. However, recurrence of the lymphoma was found in the ipsilateral forearm ulnar nerve, therefore we described a case of neurolymphomatosis with a brief review of the literature.
Animals ; Diagnosis ; Forearm ; Lymphoma ; Lymphoma, B-Cell ; Marek Disease* ; Peripheral Nervous System ; Recurrence ; Ulnar Nerve

Almost all reported incidences of herpes simplex virus (HSV) infection in newborns result as a complication of rupture of the amniotic membranes or the delivery of the baby, but infection via the placenta and amniotic membranes is rare. Ventriculomegaly was detected at 36 weeks of gestation by prenatal ultrasonography, and an emergency cesarean section was then performed at 36 weeks of gestation. We report a case of herpes simplex encephalitis detected at 36 weeks of gestation by prenatal ultrasonography, which was confirmed by a postnatal serologic test and CSF test with a brief review of literature.
Amnion ; Cesarean Section ; Emergencies ; Encephalitis, Herpes Simplex* ; Female ; Herpes Simplex* ; Humans ; Incidence ; Infant, Newborn ; Placenta ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Trimester, Third* ; Rupture ; Serologic Tests ; Simplexvirus ; Ultrasonography* ; Ultrasonography, Prenatal

If complication arises after glossectomy which leads to trouble in forming food bolus or transfer of the food, it is possible that either food bolus may block the airway or dysphagia may occur as the food bolus goes down into the airway. To solve the issue, palatal augmentation prosthesis could be used. In this case, the patient with an oral cancer is having difficulties swallowing food after glossectomy. Through taking impressions of polishing surface of his denture referring his tongue movement, the complete denture for the upper jaw was created using the concept of palatal augmentation prosthesis. This new upper denture increases the palatal-tongue contact pressure, allowing the patient to perform better swallowing and better pronunciation.
Deglutition ; Deglutition Disorders ; Denture, Complete ; Dentures ; Glossectomy ; Humans ; Jaw ; Mouth Neoplasms ; Prostheses and Implants ; Tongue

Background: Psoriasis is a chronic condition that negatively influences a patient’s daily life. However, there is limited evidence on the changes in quality of life (QOL) of Korean psoriasis patients treated with ustekinumab measured using both dermatologic- and psoriasis-specific responder-based questionnaires. Objective: To evaluate the effect of ustekinumab on the QOL of psoriasis patients. Methods: Seventy psoriasis patients treated with ustekinumab were asked to retrospectively complete questionnaires about the effect of ustekinumab on their QOL before and after treatment. Psoriasis area and severity index (PASI) were assessed on the basis of clinical pictures taken at baseline and subsequent visits. The QOL of each patient was assessed on the basis of the dermatology-specific Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) and psoriasis-specific Psoriasis Disability Index (PDI). Results: The total and all-domain scores in the DLQI and PDI decreased after at least four administrations of ustekinumab (p＜0.05). Moreover, disease severity was significantly related to poor QOL. Of note, employment status was specifically associated with DLQI scores while age was associated with disease-specific QOL. Conclusion The QOL significantly improved in Korean psoriasis patients treated with ustekinumab, suggesting a positive influence of the treatment on the patients’ subjective perceptions. Severe clinical features, unemployment status, and older age may lead to lower QOL.