BACKGROUND: Passive smoking is an important worldwide public health issue. In many Korean studies, parental smoking has been reported to be associated with reduced pulmonary function in children. But few studies have evaluated the effects of passive smoking on pulmonary function in adults. Therefore, we looked into this association in the study. METHODS: Participants in the study included non-smoking, healthy men (n=46) and women (n=326) from rural Korea enrolled from June to December 2006. Exposure to passive smoking was assessed by a self-administered questionnaire, and standardized pulmonary function tests were performed. RESULTS: There were significant reductions in forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1, % of predicted) and forced mean expiratory flow rate 25-75% (%) among the men exposed to passive smoke compared with those not exposed (55.7 vs 75.8, P=0.010; 33.9 vs 58.6, P=0.029, respectively). There were significant reductions in FEV1 among men exposed at both workplace and home compared with men exposed only at either workplace or home (42.8 vs 49.3, 64.6; P=0.034). No significant difference in pulmonary function was found between women exposed to passive smoke compared those not exposed. There were, however, reductions in FEV1 and FEV1/forced vital capacity among the women exposed at workplace. Regression analysis showed that passive smoking negatively affected lung function, which were not statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: Exposure to environmental tobacco smoke, particularly at the workplace, adversely affects pulmonary function in adults.
Adult ; Child ; Female ; Forced Expiratory Volume ; Humans ; Korea ; Lung ; Male ; Parents ; Public Health ; Respiratory Function Tests ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Tobacco ; Tobacco Smoke Pollution ; Vital Capacity ; Surveys and Questionnaires

A procedure descried by Fontan and Baudet in 1971 successfully bypassed the right ventricle in Tricuspid Atresia patients, after then many modification of the Fontan operation had been described and applied to many cyanotic complex heart patients. Forty patients with a variety of cardiac malformation underwent the Fontan operation at Seoul National University hospital (September 1978 to June 1986). The age at operation ranged 2 months to 18 years. Each number of cases according to basic cardiac anomaly was as follows; 17 in Tricuspid Atresia, 17 in Univertricular Heart, 2 in Double outlet of Right Ventricle, 2 in Transposition of the Great Arteries and 2 in Criss-cross heart. Total mortality rate after the Fontan operation was 50%. There was only one late death (>30 days). Mortality rate under 4 years of age (67%) was higher than that between 4 and 18 years of age (40%). we observed a significantly higher mortality for patients who, in the immediate postoperative period, had central venous pressure greater than 25cm H2O. 45% among survivals did not require further medication. Although mortality rate after the Fontan operation is much higher than that in the foreign literature, operative mortality will decline with the increased expirence of surgeon and the effective patients selection.
Arteries ; Central Venous Pressure ; Crisscross Heart ; Fontan Procedure* ; Heart ; Heart Ventricles ; Humans ; Mortality ; Postoperative Period ; Seoul ; Tricuspid Atresia

No abstract available.
Thrombocytopenia, Neonatal Alloimmune*

No abstract available.
Thrombocytopenia, Neonatal Alloimmune*

Hemangiomas are common benign soft tissue tumors found in pediatrics. Knowledge of prenatal image findings for hemangiomas can be essential for ensuring optimal antepartum and postpartum care. In this study, we provide a report the MR findings of a congenital hemangioma in the posterior neck region, which was different from the pre and postnatal image findings as well as a literature review.
Fetal Diseases ; Fetus ; Hemangioma* ; Neck ; Pediatrics ; Postnatal Care ; Prenatal Diagnosis

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Migration, hyperproliferation, differentiation of basal keratinocytes and accumulation of keratin debris are the major pathogenic reactions in middle ear cholesteatoma. p53 is a multi-functional protein that acts as a negative regulator of cellular proliferation. This is known to increase in cholesteatoma, which is related to the apoptotic pathway. However, it is still not proven whether overexpression of p53 is associated with the increase in mRNA or modifications at the protein level. MATERIALS AND METHOD: Twenty-seven human cholesteatoma and 20 retroauricular skins were obtained. We tried to detect the overexpression of p53 using immunohistochemical staining, and conducted semi-quantitative analysis of mRNA level using relative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). RESULTS: There was a difference in the number of p53 stained cells between cholesteatoma and normal skin. However, we could not find any significant differences in the p53 mRNA expression between them. CONCLUSION: We could confirm the overexpression of p53 in human cholesteatoma, which does not seem to be related with transcriptional up-regulation.
Cell Proliferation ; Cholesteatoma* ; Cholesteatoma, Middle Ear ; Genes, p53 ; Humans* ; Keratinocytes ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Reverse Transcription ; RNA, Messenger ; Skin ; Up-Regulation

PURPOSE: Congenital adrenal hyperplasia(CAH), which is classified into salt-wasting, simple virilization and non-classic type according to clinical features, is difficult to detect in early stages. Failure to diagnose it in the initial state may lead to life-threatening adrenal crisis, inappropriate male sex assignment in the genetic female, acceleration of skeletal maturation and subsequent short stature. Therefore, we studied the variables increasing the 17-hydroxyprogesterone(OHP) values for more specific and sensitive diagnosis of CAH. METHODS: We classified 3,532 newborns into variable factors; gestational age, birth weight, gender, delivery type, sampling date and stress. Then, we analysed the relationships between 17-OHP values and variable factors. RESULTS: The mean value of 17-OHP was 4.21+/-0.03ng/ml. There were significant differences among the variable factors except gender. The mean value of male was 4.26ng/ml, and that of female was 4.15ng/ml(P=0.10). The mean value of 17-OHP in vaginal delivered newborn was higher than C-section delivered ones(4.71ng/ml, 3.34ng/ml, P=0.0001). It was also higher in low birth weight(P=0.0001), in prematurity(P=0.001), those sampled within 4 days(P=0.0001), stressful condition and ventilator care-assisted(P=0.004). CONCLUSION: 17-OHP value in neonatal screening is influenced by several variables such as vaginal delivery, ventilator management, low birth weight, sampling date and prematurity. If the 17-OHP value is increased, we have to consider the variables influencing the increase in value and follow up with time interval or analysis of genetic mutations.
17-alpha-Hydroxyprogesterone* ; Acceleration ; Adrenal Hyperplasia, Congenital* ; Birth Weight ; Diagnosis ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Gestational Age ; Humans ; Infant, Low Birth Weight ; Infant, Newborn* ; Male ; Mass Screening* ; Neonatal Screening ; Parturition ; Ventilators, Mechanical ; Virilism

PURPOSE: Congenital adrenal hyperplasia(CAH), which is classified into salt-wasting, simple virilization and non-classic type according to clinical features, is difficult to detect in early stages. Failure to diagnose it in the initial state may lead to life-threatening adrenal crisis, inappropriate male sex assignment in the genetic female, acceleration of skeletal maturation and subsequent short stature. Therefore, we studied the variables increasing the 17-hydroxyprogesterone(OHP) values for more specific and sensitive diagnosis of CAH. METHODS: We classified 3,532 newborns into variable factors; gestational age, birth weight, gender, delivery type, sampling date and stress. Then, we analysed the relationships between 17-OHP values and variable factors. RESULTS: The mean value of 17-OHP was 4.21+/-0.03ng/ml. There were significant differences among the variable factors except gender. The mean value of male was 4.26ng/ml, and that of female was 4.15ng/ml(P=0.10). The mean value of 17-OHP in vaginal delivered newborn was higher than C-section delivered ones(4.71ng/ml, 3.34ng/ml, P=0.0001). It was also higher in low birth weight(P=0.0001), in prematurity(P=0.001), those sampled within 4 days(P=0.0001), stressful condition and ventilator care-assisted(P=0.004). CONCLUSION: 17-OHP value in neonatal screening is influenced by several variables such as vaginal delivery, ventilator management, low birth weight, sampling date and prematurity. If the 17-OHP value is increased, we have to consider the variables influencing the increase in value and follow up with time interval or analysis of genetic mutations.
17-alpha-Hydroxyprogesterone* ; Acceleration ; Adrenal Hyperplasia, Congenital* ; Birth Weight ; Diagnosis ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Gestational Age ; Humans ; Infant, Low Birth Weight ; Infant, Newborn* ; Male ; Mass Screening* ; Neonatal Screening ; Parturition ; Ventilators, Mechanical ; Virilism

BACKGROUND: Unexpected antibody screening and identification tests are very important for safe blood transfusion. The micro-column agglutination test (MCAT) is widely used due to its simplicity and efficiency for detecting alloantibodies. We analyzed the frequency of unexpected antibodies at three university hospital blood banks, which use two different MCAT systems. METHODS: From February 2002 to December 2009, a total of 295,876 unexpected antibody screening tests were performed at three university hospital blood banks. Two hospital blood banks (Anam and Ansan Hospitals) used the DiaMed-ID system (DiaMed Ag, Switzerland) and the other (Guro Hospital) used the Ortho BioVue system (Ortho-Clinical Diagnostics, USA) for antibody screening and identification tests. RESULTS: The rates of detecting unexpected antibodies on screening test based on the 'tests performed' and the 'persons tested' were 1.16% per test and 0.96% per person in Korea University Guro Hospital, 0.65% and 0.41% in Korea University Anam Hospital and 0.76% and 0.57% in Korea University Ansan hospital, respectively. There were significant differences in the frequencies based on the two different systems (P<0.001). Among the warm antibodies, Rh antibodies were more frequently detected by the DiaMed-ID system, and Lewis antibodies were most frequently detected by the Ortho BioVue System. CONCLUSION: We should carefully interpretate the frequency of unexpected antibodies in the Korean population because the frequencies of unexpected antibodies are different according to different employed micro-column agglutination systems.
Agglutination ; Agglutination Tests ; Antibodies ; Blood Banks ; Blood Transfusion ; Humans ; Isoantibodies ; Korea ; Mass Screening ; Phenytoin

PURPOSE: To evaluate the incidence and clinical features of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) in Korea. METHODS: Web-based (www.armd-nova.or.kr) registration was conducted for AMD patients aged 50 or more who were newly diagnosed by retinal specialists in Korea from August 20, 2005 to August 20, 2006. Patient data including ophthalmologic examination, fundus photography, fluorescein angiogram and/or indocyanin green angiogram (ICG), past medical history, behavioral habit, combined systemic diseases were up-loaded. RESULTS: Among finally enrolled 1,141 newly diagnosed AMD patients, 690 patients (60.5%) were male and 451 patients (39.5%) were female. The average age of AMD patients was 69.7+/-8.0. Early AMD was observed in 190 patients and 951 patients had late AMD. Classic choroidal neovascular membrane (CNVM) was observed in 18.6% of exudative AMD patients and 63.4 % had occult CNVM. Subfoveal CNVM was observed in 80.4% of the patients with CNVM. Among the 580 exudative AMD eyes that performed indocyanin green angiography (ICG), 184 eyes (31.7%) had polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV) and 36 eyes (6.2%) showed retinal angiomatous proliferation (RAP). Age, male gender, smoking, diabetes and hypertension significantly increased the risk of the AMD among Koreans. CONCLUSIONS: Because of the low rate of participation by retinal specialists, definite incidence of AMD was not obtainable. However, the estimated 1-year AMD incidence in the Pusan area of Korea is at least 0.4%. In contrast to Western people, 31.7% of exudative AMD cases were revealed to be PCV and 6.2% were revealed to be RAP. This discrepancy between ethnic groups should be considered in the diagnosis and treatment modality selection of Korean AMD patients.
Aged ; Angiography ; Choroid ; Ethnic Groups ; Eye ; Female ; Fluorescein ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Incidence ; Korea ; Macular Degeneration ; Male ; Membranes ; Photography ; Retinaldehyde ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Specialization