The aim of the study was to evaluate the significance of unexplained elevated mater- nal serum alpha-fetoprotein in singleton pregnancies as a prediction of fetal risk. The inclusion criteria for patents with unexplained MSAFP elevations were a MSAFP level 2.0 or greater multiples of the median ( MoM ), a single gestation, a confirmed gestatio- nal age and no fetal malformation or death on ultrasonography. In this study, 991 woman who attended the antenatal clinic at Taejeon Eul Ji Hospital from March, 1996 to March, 1997 were reviewed and data from 79 women with elevated maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein levels were analysed. The 67 of 79 patients with elevated maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein levels had on unexplained elevated MSAFP level. 13 women could not follow up. 54 pregnant women with unexplained elevated MSAFP levels were classified as the index group of singleton pregn- ancy and were matched against a control group. 108 patients with MSAFP levels 0.5 to 2.0 MoM served as control group. The incidence of antepartum hemorrhage ( placental previa ), preterm labor, intrauterine growth retardation ( IUGR ), low birth weight and pregnancy induced hypertension ( PIH ) in two groups was analyzed and the results was subjected to Fisher's Exact Test. None of the patients in the index group had chromosomal abnormalites or birth defect. IUGR occurred in 7 ( 12.96% ) of the index group babies but in only 3 ( 2.78% ) in the control group ( p < 0.02 ). preterm labor occurred in 5 ( 9.26% ) in the index group compared with 2 ( 1.85% ) in the control group ( p < 0.05 ). low birth weight occurred in 3 ( 5.5% ) of the index group babies and in 1 ( 0.9% ) in the control group ( p < 0.1 ). This study suggests that patients with unexplained midtrimester elevations of MSAFP are increased risk for IUGR, preterm labor. But no significance differences were observed in the incidence of low birth weight, antepartum hemorrhage ( placental previa ), PIH.
alpha-Fetoproteins* ; Congenital Abnormalities ; Daejeon ; Female ; Fetal Growth Retardation ; Follow-Up Studies ; Gastroschisis ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Hypertension, Pregnancy-Induced ; Incidence ; Infant, Low Birth Weight ; Infant, Newborn ; Obstetric Labor, Premature ; Pregnancy Trimester, Second ; Pregnancy* ; Pregnant Women ; Ultrasonography

No abstract available.
Collagen

Alloys ; Bone Plates ; Cartilage ; Corrosion ; Diplopia ; Enophthalmos ; Fascia ; Glass ; Hope ; Humans ; Jaw Fixation Techniques ; Kidney ; Liver ; Lung ; Methylmethacrylate ; Orbit ; Polyethylene ; Polytetrafluoroethylene ; Silicones ; Spleen ; Titanium ; Wound Infection

No abstract available.
Transplants

OBJECTIVE: This study investigated changes of Biochemical Markers of Bone turnover in Pre-, Peri-and Postmenopausal Women METHOD: The levels of Urinary deoxypyridinoline(Dpd), serum total alkaline phosphatase(TALP), osteocalcin(OC), serum calcium(Ca++) and phosphorus(P) were determined. Bone mineral density(BMD) were also measured by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) RESULTS: There were negative correlation between Biochemical markers of bone turnover and BMD, Biochemical markers of bone turnover in osteoporosis group were significantly higher than normal groups. Biochemical marker of bone turnover except serum calcium increased after menopause and remains elevated in late postmenopausal and elderly women. An increased bone turnover rate to sustained serum calcium in constant level is related to a high rate of bone loss in postmenopausal women and to a decreased bone mass in elderly women. CONCLUSION: Bone turnover increased not only at the time of menopause but also in the elderly women. This subsequent abnormalities of bone resorption and formation in the elderly women suggest their potential role in osteoporosis.
Absorptiometry, Photon ; Aged ; Biomarkers* ; Bone Resorption ; Calcium ; Female ; Humans ; Menopause ; Osteoporosis

OBJECTIVE: Total alkaline phosphatase (TALP) has been common bone formation marker of managing individual cases of highly abnormal bone remodeling, such as paget's disease. However, the lack of bone specificity of TALP balances such as bone loss resulting from postmenopausal estrogen deficiency and osteoporosis. This study investigated usefulness of TALP as a biochemical markers of bone turn over in healthy menopausal women. METHODS: The levels of urinary deoxypyridinoline (DPD), serum total alkaline phosphatase (TALP), osteocalcin (OC) were determined. Bone mineral density (BMD) were also measured by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA). We compared the biochemical markers of bone turnover and serum TALP among 3 group classified by menopausal state, and among 3 groups classified by WHO classification of osteoporosis. Also we analyzed the correlation between bone markers with BMD and bone markers with age. RESULTS: All biochemical markers of bone turnover (TALP, DPD, OC) were increased significantly with age. There were negative correlation between Biochemical markers of bone turnover and spinal BMD (TALP; r=-0.440, p<0.01, DPD; r=-0.380, p<0.001, OC; r=-0.328, p<0.001, respectively). Biochemical markers of bone turnover (TALP, DPD, OC) in osteoporosis group were significantly higher than osteopenia and normal BMD group. The TALP significantly increased in osteopenia group compared normal BMD group but not DPD and OC. Biochemical markers of bone turnover (TALP, DPD, OC) were increased from premenopause to postmenopause. There were positive correlation between DPD and OC (r=0.365, p<0.001). TALP correlated well with DPD (r=0.490, p<0.001) and OC (r=0.433, p<0.001). CONCLUSION: Because of these association, we concluded that total alkaline phosphatase is a useful biochemical markers of bone turnover and reflects the bone turnover in healthy menopausal women characterized by more subtle remodeling imbalances such as bone loss resulting from postmenopausal estrogen deficiency and osteoporosis.
Absorptiometry, Photon ; Alkaline Phosphatase* ; Biomarkers* ; Bone Density ; Bone Diseases, Metabolic ; Bone Remodeling ; Classification ; Estrogens ; Female ; Humans ; Menopause ; Osteocalcin ; Osteogenesis ; Osteoporosis ; Postmenopause ; Premenopause ; Sensitivity and Specificity

We conducted this cohort analytic study to determine whether women with unexplained elevations of maternal serum hCG at 15-18 weeks' gestation are at increased risk for pregnancy complications and adverse perinatal outcomes. The inclusion criteria were a singleton gestation, a confirmed gestational age, and an hCG level greater than 2.0 multiples of the median (MoM). The exclusion criteria were fetal anomalies, an abnormal karyotype, molar pregnancy, and an MSAFP level greater than 2.5 multiples of the median (MoM). A group of randomly selected women with hCG levels under 2.0 MoM served as controls. Patients with elevated levels of hCG had a significantly higher risk for PIH (17.9% versus 4.5%; P <.05) and preterm delivery (17.9% versus 3.5%; P<, 05) than control. But no significant differences were observed in the incidence of intrauterine growth restriction and low birth weight and in the newborn weight. We suggested that pregnancies with unexplained elevated hCG levels should be regarded as high-risk pregnancies. And these patients require careful monitoring with adequate obstetric management.
Abnormal Karyotype ; Chorionic Gonadotropin* ; Cohort Studies ; Female ; Gestational Age ; Humans* ; Hydatidiform Mole ; Incidence ; Infant, Low Birth Weight ; Infant, Newborn ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Complications ; Pregnancy Outcome* ; Pregnancy* ; Pregnancy, High-Risk

PURPOSE:Ghrelin is an endogenous ligand of the growth hormone secretagogue receptor, and stomach is the major site of ghrelin secretion. The purpose of this study is to compare the serum ghrelin concentrations between patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) and normal adults. We studied also whether serum ghrelin levels in the patients with type 2 DM are correlated with body mass index (BMI), serum insulin, lipid profiles, and creatinine levels. METHODS:Forty patients with type 2 DM and forty normal adults were included in this study. We measured heights and weights of the subjects and calculated their BMIs. Blood samples were obtained to measure the ghrelin concentration and their sera were stored at -20degreeC until used. In all subjects, serum ghrelin levels were measured using the commercially available Ghrelin(human) EIA kit. RESULTS:No differences of mean values were detected between the control group and the type 2 diabetic group for age, body weight, BMI, and the levels of serum total cholesterol, triglyceride, HDL cholesterol, and creatinine. But ghrelin level of the type 2 diabetic group (71.1+/-30.5 ng/L) was significantly lower than the control group (139.7+/-36.9 ng/L). In the control group, the ghrelin level showed positive correlation with HDL cholesterol (Pearson's correlation coefficient=0.37, P<0.05). In the diabetic group, the ghrelin level showed weakly positive correlation with insulin concentration. However, there was no significant relationship between serum ghrelin and various parameters in the diabetic patients group. CONCLUSION: In this study, ghrelin concentration in type 2 diabetic patients was lower than that in the control group. In the control group, serum ghrelin concentrations were positively correlated with HDL cholesterol. In the type 2 diabetic group, there was no significant correlation between insulin and ghrelin concentrations.
Adult ; Body Mass Index ; Body Weight ; Cholesterol ; Cholesterol, HDL ; Creatinine ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2* ; Ghrelin* ; Humans ; Insulin ; Receptors, Ghrelin ; Stomach ; Triglycerides ; Weights and Measures

OBJECTIVE: The need for early and correct prescription for bone densitometry led to the research for decision model useful for clinicians to address women to bone densitometry. there are few studies that have focused on both pre- and postmenopausal groups simultaneously in healthy pre-and postmenopausal Korean women. METHODS: The authors analyzed the easily obtained biometrical variables such as factors used at clinical decision rules for BMD testing and evaluated predictive values and robustness of a decision model for prediction of lumbar BMD in total , pre-and postmenopausal Korean women. RESULTS: After stepwise multiple regression analysis, Lumbar BMD in total population is 1.083-0.153 (status of menopause)-0.007 (age of menopause)+0.0039 (body weight) (R2=0.52). Postmenopausal women is 0.563-0.0077 (duration after menopause)+0.0054 (body weight) (R2=0.30) and premenopausal women is 0.23+0.0048 (height) (R2=0.05). Although its validity (52%) in total population was sufficiently high for the prediction of lumbar BMD in clinical settings, In postmenopausal women only 30% of the decision model can be explained by the predictors of bone demineralization which is not completely satisfactory in determining lumbar BMD and in premenopausal women 5% is the very low explanatory value which is necessary for identifying possible factors influencing BMD. CONCLUSIONS: Because of difference in underlying risk, as well as differences in the distribution of different risk factors according to menopausal status, this study present different robustness of prediction models according to menopausal status and suggest that it be need to design prediction models divided by menopausal status. More research is needed for computer-based screening aids useful to clinician which overcome some limitation of our study.
Bone Density ; Densitometry ; Female ; Humans ; Korea ; Mass Screening ; Prescriptions ; Risk Factors

No abstract available.
Retrospective Studies ; Surgery, Oral ; Tracheostomy