Intestinal tuberculosis is an infectious disease which is still prevalent in the developing countries including Korea. It may occur insidously, have a vague clinical marofestation, and take a chronic course. We have analyzed 101 cases of intestinal tuberculosis. proven by clinical and histopathologic diagnosis for 10yrs since 1977. The results are as follows: 1) Intestinal tbc was prevalent in the age of 20-30 and the male to female ratio was 1:1.7. 2) Among clinical manifestations, abdominal pain, and tenderness, general malaise and abdominal mass were observed in order of frequency. 3) Active pulmonary lesion was associated in 73 cases (73.3%). 4) Ileocecal region was the most frequent site of involvement in barium study and in colonoscopy. 5) The most frequent colonoscopic finding was multiple ulceration and pseudopolyposis and chronic granulomatous inflammation was noted in 58% on hitopathology. 6) Ulcerative type was the most common type 45.4% by intestinal x-ray and colonofiberscopic examination
Abdominal Pain ; Barium ; Colonoscopy ; Communicable Diseases ; Developing Countries ; Diagnosis ; Female ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Korea ; Male ; Tuberculosis* ; Ulcer

No abstract available.
Duodenal Ulcer* ; Humans ; Recurrence*

Fungi are the known sources of irritation associated with atopic diseases (e.g., asthma, allergic rhinoconjunctivitis, and atopic eczema). To quantitatively estimate their presence in the indoor environment of atopic dermatitis-inflicted child patient's houses (ADCPHs), the high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters installed inside the air cleaners of three different ADCPHs were investigated for the presence of mold. The air cleaner HEPA filters obtained from the three different ADCPHs were coded as HEPA-A, -B, and -C, respectively, and tested for the presence of mold. The colony forming units (CFUs) corresponding to the HEPA-A, -B, and -C filters were estimated to be 6.51 x 10(2) +/- 1.50 x 10(2) CFU/cm2, 8.72 x 10(2) +/- 1.69 x 10(2) CFU/cm2, and 9.71 x 10(2) +/- 1.35 x 10(2) CFU/cm2, respectively. Aspergillus, Penicillium, Alternaria, Cladosporium, Trichoderma, and other fungal groups were detected in the 2,494 isolates. The distribution of these fungal groups differed among the three filters. Cladosporium was the major fungal group in filters HEPA-A and -C, whereas Penicillium was the major fungal group in the filter HEPA-B. Nine fungal species, including some of the known allergenic species, were identified in these isolates. Cladosporium cladosporioides was the most common mold among all the three filters. This is the first report on the presence of fungi in the air cleaner HEPA filters from ADCPHs in Korea.
Air Filters* ; Alternaria ; Aspergillus ; Asthma ; Child* ; Cladosporium ; Dermatitis, Atopic* ; Fungi* ; Humans ; Korea ; Penicillium ; Stem Cells ; Trichoderma

Repeated morphine administration induces tolerance to its analgesic effects. A previous study reported that repeated morphine treatment activates transient receptor potential vanilloid type 1 (TRPV1) expression in the sciatic nerve, dorsal root ganglion, and spinal cord, contributing to morphine tolerance. In the present study, we analyzed TRPV1 expression and binding sites in supraspinal pain pathways in morphine-tolerant mice. The TRPV1 mRNA levels and binding sites were remarkably increased in the cortex and thalamus of these animals. Our data provide additional insights into the effects of morphine on TRPV1 in the brain and suggest that changes in the expression of, and binding to TRPV1 in the brain are involved in morphine tolerance.

A percutaneous transthoracic needle biopsy is a common procedure in the practice of pulmonology. An air embolism is a rare but potentially fatal complication of a percutaneous transthoracic needle biopsy. We report four cases of a cerebral air embolism that developed after a percutaneous transthoracic needle biopsy. Early diagnosis and the rapid application of hyperbaric oxygen therapy is the mainstay of therapy for an embolism. Prevention is the best course and it is essential that possible risk factors be avoided.
Adult ; Aged ; Biopsy, Needle/*adverse effects/methods ; Embolism, Air/*etiology/therapy ; Female ; Humans ; Hyperbaric Oxygenation ; Intracranial Embolism/*etiology/therapy ; Lung/*pathology ; Male ; Radiography, Interventional

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to assess the frequency of acute rheumatic fever(ARF) among children in Korea and to describe trends in its clinical characteristics compared to data from a previous study(1978-1987). METHODS: A mailed questionnaire survey sent to the pediatric departments of 13 general hospitals in Korea requested the total number of patients with ARF and its clinical manifestations from Jan. 1988 to Dec. 1997. These data were compared with the data from a previous study (1978-1987) to evaluate the clinical trends in occurrence and clinical manifestations of ARF during the last 20 years in Korea. RESULTS: The average number of patients with ARF for the 10-year period(1988-1997) was 0.74 per 1,000 annual pediatric inward patients. There was a significant decrease in incidence during the study period. There were 115 male and 85 female patients with ARF, and 97.5% of total patients were 6 to 15 years old. 126 out of 200 patients(63.0%) had a history of preceding upper respiratory infection(URI). The percentage of major manifestations were as follows; carditis(66.5%),polyarthritis(54.0%), erythema marginatum(12.0%), chorea(7.5%) and subcutaneous nodule (6.0%). Clinical findings of carditiswere cardiac murmur(91.0%), cardiomegaly in chest PA(34.6%), congestive heart failure(15.8%). The electrocardiographic findings were PR interval prolongation (37.6%), right ventricular hypertrophy (RVH) and left ventricular hypertrophy(LVH)(15.8%), QT interval prolongation(13.5%). Doppler echocardiographic valvular lesions were mitral insufficiency(96.2 %), aortic insufficiency(39.8%). Minor and other clinical manifestations were fever(69.0%), arthralgia (56.5%), sore throat(28.5%). CONCLUSION: There was a steady decrease in the number of patients with ARF during the study period from 1988 to 1997. A sudden decrease in number of patients with ARF between the two study periods is likely due to patients with valvular heart disease, possibility of double registration, and wide spread use of echocardiography for accurate diagnosis.
Adolescent ; Arthralgia ; Cardiomegaly ; Child* ; Diagnosis ; Echocardiography ; Electrocardiography ; Erythema ; Estrogens, Conjugated (USP) ; Female ; Heart ; Heart Valve Diseases ; Hospitals, General ; Humans ; Hypertrophy, Right Ventricular ; Incidence ; Korea ; Male ; Postal Service* ; Surveys and Questionnaires* ; Rheumatic Fever* ; Thorax

BACKGROUND: Thymosin β₄ is a multi-functional hormone-like polypeptide, being involved in cell migration, angiogenesis, and tumor metastasis. This study was undertaken to clarify the clinicopathologic implications of thymosin β₄ expression in human colorectal cancers (CRCs). METHODS: We investigated tissue sections from 143 patients with CRC by immunohistochemistry. In addition, we evaluated the expression patterns and the clinico-pathological significance of thymosin β₄ expression in association with hypoxia inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) expression in the CRC series. RESULTS: High expression of thymosin β₄ was significantly correlated with lymphovascular invasion, invasion depth, regional lymph node metastasis, distant metastasis, and TNM stage. Patients with high expression of thymosin β₄ showed poor recurrence-free survival (p = .001) and poor overall survival (p = .005) on multivariate analysis. We also found that thymosin β4 and HIF-1α were overexpressed and that thymosin β₄ expression increased in parallel with HIF-1α expression in CRC. CONCLUSIONS: A high expression level of thymosin β₄ indicates poor clinical outcomes and may be a useful prognostic factor in CRC. Thymosin β₄ is functionally related with HIF-1α and may be a potentially valuable biomarker and possible therapeutic target for CRC.
Anoxia* ; Cell Movement ; Colorectal Neoplasms* ; Humans* ; Immunohistochemistry ; Lymph Nodes ; Multivariate Analysis ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Thymosin*

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Renal insufficiency (RI) has been reported to be associated with unfavorable clinical outcomes in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI). However, little data is available regarding the impact of moderate to severe RI on clinical outcomes in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) undergoing PCI. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Between March 2003 and July 2007, 878 patients with AMI who underwent PCI were enrolled. Based on estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) using the Modification of Diet in Renal Disease (MDRD) equation, patients were divided into two groups: eGFR <60 mL/min.m2 (moderate to severe RI, group A) and eGFR > or =60 mL/min.m2 (normal to mild RI, group B). The primary endpoint was all-cause mortality at 1-year after successful PCI. The secondary endpoints were non-fatal myocardial infarction (MI), target lesion revascularization (TLR), target vessel revascularization (TVR), stent thrombosis (ST) and major adverse cardiac events (MACE) at 1-year. RESULTS: In group A, patients were more often male and older, with diabetes and hypertension. Compared to patients in group B, group A showed significantly higher incidences of all-cause mortality, cardiac mortality, non-fatal MI and MACE. The needs of TLR and TVR, and the incidence of ST were not significantly different between the two groups. Independent predictors of 1-year mortality were eGFR <60 mL/min.m2, male gender, older age and a lower left ventricular ejection fraction. CONCLUSION: In patients with AMI, moderate to severe RI was associated with mortality and MACE at 1-year after successful PCI. In addition, eGFR <60 mL/min.m2 was a strong independent predictor of 1-year mortality.
Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary ; Diet ; Glomerular Filtration Rate ; Glycosaminoglycans ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Incidence ; Male ; Myocardial Infarction ; Percutaneous Coronary Intervention ; Renal Insufficiency ; Stents ; Thrombosis

Acute fulminant invasive fungal sinusitis in an immunocompromised host and bacterial rhinosinusitis with intracranial or orbital extension is challenging to manage. And it sometimes constitutes true otolaryngologic emergencies. In the absence of rapid diagnosis and treatment, these diseases can be fatal. A 57-year-old female was admitted for chills and headache, who received a deceased donor renal transplantation 3 months ago. Paranasal sinus CT showed enhanced soft tissue density and MRI showed low-signal with hyperintense signal of around paranasal sinus cavity. The histological investigation revealed invasive aspergillosis of paranasal sinuses. Clinical improvement occurred after endoscopic sinus surgery and post-operative systemic antifungal therapy with amphotericin B and voriconazole.
Amphotericin B ; Aspergillosis ; Chills ; Emergencies ; Female ; Headache ; Humans ; Immunocompromised Host ; Kidney ; Kidney Transplantation ; Middle Aged ; Orbit ; Paranasal Sinuses ; Pyrimidines ; Sinusitis ; Tissue Donors ; Triazoles