Primary biliary cirrhosis(PBC) is a chronic cholestatic liver disease of unknown origin. The small and medium sized intrahepatic bile ducts are destroyed by an inflammatory process, which, it has been suggested, is of the autoimmune type. It is strongly associated with the presence of antimitochondrial antibodies, predominantly IgM and IgG. The liver changes are classified into four stages, of which stage IV represents the development of cirrhosis, which required orthotropic liver transplantation in the longrun. The prevalence rates was reported 128 per millon in Sweden , but the disease is relatively rare in Oriental area. In medical treatment, long-term administration of ursodeoxycholic acid improves both clinical and biochemical signs, slows the progression of the disease and reduces the complication requiring liver transplantation. We report two cases of PBC, one with histologically proven cirrhosis, and the other with bile duct destruction consistent with stage III and hypothyroidism.
Antibodies ; Bile Ducts ; Bile Ducts, Intrahepatic ; Fibrosis ; Hypothyroidism ; Immunoglobulin G ; Immunoglobulin M ; Liver ; Liver Cirrhosis, Biliary* ; Liver Diseases ; Liver Transplantation ; Prevalence ; Sweden ; Ursodeoxycholic Acid

Any strenuous muscular exercise may trigger rhabdomyolysis. We report an episode of clinically manifested exertional rhabdomyolysis due to stationary cycling, commonly known as spinning. Reports of spinning-related rhabdomyolysis are rare in the English literature, and the current case appears to be the first such case reported in South Korea. A previously healthy 21-year-old Asian woman presented with severe thigh pain and reddish-brown urinary discoloration 24–48 hours after attending a spinning class at a local gymnasium. Paired with key laboratory findings, her symptoms were suggestive of rhabdomyolysis. She required hospital admission to sustain renal function through fluid resuscitation therapy and fluid balance monitoring. Because exertional rhabdomyolysis may occur in any unfit but otherwise healthy individual who indulges in stationary cycling, the potential health risks of this activity must be considered.
Acute Kidney Injury ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Female ; Humans ; Korea ; Resuscitation ; Rhabdomyolysis* ; Thigh ; Water-Electrolyte Balance ; Young Adult

Any strenuous muscular exercise may trigger rhabdomyolysis. We report an episode of clinically manifested exertional rhabdomyolysis due to stationary cycling, commonly known as spinning. Reports of spinning-related rhabdomyolysis are rare in the English literature, and the current case appears to be the first such case reported in South Korea. A previously healthy 21-year-old Asian woman presented with severe thigh pain and reddish-brown urinary discoloration 24–48 hours after attending a spinning class at a local gymnasium. Paired with key laboratory findings, her symptoms were suggestive of rhabdomyolysis. She required hospital admission to sustain renal function through fluid resuscitation therapy and fluid balance monitoring. Because exertional rhabdomyolysis may occur in any unfit but otherwise healthy individual who indulges in stationary cycling, the potential health risks of this activity must be considered.
Acute Kidney Injury ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Female ; Humans ; Korea ; Resuscitation ; Rhabdomyolysis* ; Thigh ; Water-Electrolyte Balance ; Young Adult

BACKGROUND: In these days the metabolic syndrome threatens many people of Korea. Several studies have suggested that the dietary habits are associated with the risk of the metabolic syndrome. The purpose of this study was to find out relations between the components of the metabolic syndrome and the dietary habits. METHODS: The subjects of this study included 1,005 non-smoking premenopausal females aged from 20 to 49 years old who visited the health promotion center of a university hospital. Dietary questionnaire was composed of dietary habits and specific food intake frequency during the past 3 months. RESULTS: The subjects who had more than one metabolic components were 361 (36%), and those who had the metabolic syndrome was 35 (3.5%). After multivariate logistic analysis adjusted with age, BMI, smoking status, alcohol intake, and exercise, the abdominal obesity risk was significantly increased in those who had irregular meals (P for trend= 0.049), skip meals (P for trend=0.050), faster meal time (P=0.017), and intake of saturated fat more frequently (P=0.043). The abdominal obesity risk was significantly increased in those who overate or binged eating 7gt; or =3 times/week than <1 time/week {OR (95% CI), 2.49 (1.07~5.80)}, intake fruit <1 time/week than 6~7 times/week {OR (95% CI), 4.46 (1.20~16.54)}. A risk for high blood pressure was significantly increased in those who had breakfast 1~2 times/week than those had it 6~7 times/week {OR (95% CI), 1.91 (1.07~3.42)}. The risk for impaired fasting glucose was significantly increased in those had breakfast <1 time/week than those who had 6~7 times/week {OR (95% CI), 2.27 (1.20~4.28), P for trend=0.018}. CONCLUSION: There was a correlation between dietary habits and metabolic syndrome components. Among the dietary habits, irregular meals, skipping breakfast, skipping meals, fast meal time, overeating or binge eating tendency, low intake of fruits and high intake of saturated fat were associated with the risk of the metabolic syndrome components.
Aged ; Breakfast ; Bulimia ; Eating ; Fasting ; Female ; Food Habits ; Fruit ; Glucose ; Health Promotion ; Humans ; Hyperphagia ; Hypertension ; Korea ; Meals ; Obesity, Abdominal ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Surveys and Questionnaires

BACKGROUND: The metabolic syndrome (MS) is a cluster of risk factors of cardiovascular disease. The association between components of the MS and bone mineral density has been researched, but no prior studies have directly evaluated the association with the metabolic syndrome and bone mineral density in Korea. METHODS: We evaluated postmenopausal women who had visited a university hospital from November 2006 to October 2007. Data on their lifestyle, current medical diseases and medications were collected from medical records. Height, body weight, waist circumference and serum lipid profiles were measured. RESULTS: The prevalence of metabolic syndrome was 21.8% in this study. In adjusted analysis including age and other factors, only waist circumference had a close correlation with bone mineral density of femur and lumbar vertebral body (P < 0.05). The bone mineral density of femur and lumbar vertebral body had no correlation with the presence of metabolic syndrome. When stratified by body mass index, corrected bone mineral density revealed no significant correlation with the presence of metabolic syndrome. CONCLUSION: The bone mineral density of postmenopausal women with metabolic syndrome has highly influenced by obesity, especially by abdominal obesity.
Body Height ; Body Mass Index ; Bone Density ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; Female ; Femur ; Humans ; Life Style ; Medical Records ; Obesity ; Obesity, Abdominal ; Osteoporosis ; Prevalence ; Risk Factors ; Waist Circumference

BACKGROUND: The metabolic syndrome (MS) is a cluster of risk factors of cardiovascular disease. The association between components of the MS and bone mineral density has been researched, but no prior studies have directly evaluated the association with the metabolic syndrome and bone mineral density in Korea. METHODS: We evaluated postmenopausal women who had visited a university hospital from November 2006 to October 2007. Data on their lifestyle, current medical diseases and medications were collected from medical records. Height, body weight, waist circumference and serum lipid profiles were measured. RESULTS: The prevalence of metabolic syndrome was 21.8% in this study. In adjusted analysis including age and other factors, only waist circumference had a close correlation with bone mineral density of femur and lumbar vertebral body (P < 0.05). The bone mineral density of femur and lumbar vertebral body had no correlation with the presence of metabolic syndrome. When stratified by body mass index, corrected bone mineral density revealed no significant correlation with the presence of metabolic syndrome. CONCLUSION: The bone mineral density of postmenopausal women with metabolic syndrome has highly influenced by obesity, especially by abdominal obesity.
Body Height ; Body Mass Index ; Bone Density ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; Female ; Femur ; Humans ; Life Style ; Medical Records ; Obesity ; Obesity, Abdominal ; Osteoporosis ; Prevalence ; Risk Factors ; Waist Circumference

BACKGROUND: Overactive bladder syndrome is characterized by urinary urgency, usually accompanied by Frequent urination and nocturia, with or without urgent urinary incontinence. There must be the absence of causative infection or pathological conditions. Overactive bladder syndrome is related to mental disorders, particularly depression and anxiety. However, obsessive-compulsive symptoms are investigated much less frequently. The purpose of the present study was thus to assess obsessive-compulsive symptoms in overactive bladder syndrome patients. METHODS: Fifty-seven women patients with overactive bladder syndrome and fifty-seven women without it (age matched control group) were prospectively enrolled. They completed the overactive bladder syndrome-validated 8-question screener and the Korean version of the Maudsley Obsessional-Compulsive Inventory Questionnaire at the same time they visited the clinic. Patients were compared with controls on the Korean version of the Maudsley Obsessional-Compulsive Inventory Questionnaire and its checking, tidiness, doubting, and fear of contamination components. RESULTS: Patients showed more obsessive traits than controls on the Korean version of the Maudsley Obsessional-Compulsive Inventory Questionnaire total score (P=0.006) and on the checking subscale (P=0.001). Odds ratio for the overactive bladder syndrome group's obsessive-compulsive symptoms traits (score> or =14) was 5.47 (P=0.001). The Korean version of the Maudsley Obsessional-Compulsive Inventory Questionnaire total score was associated with the overactive bladder syndrome-validated 8-question screener score in patients (P=0.03). CONCLUSION: Obsessive-compulsive symptoms may constitute an important aspect of the psychiatric profile of overactive bladder syndrome patients. The severity of obsessive-compulsive symptoms seems to be related to the degree of the overactive bladder syndrome severity. Clinicians may consider screening women with overactive bladder syndrome for obsessive-compulsive symptoms.
Anxiety ; Depression ; Female ; Humans ; Mass Screening ; Mental Disorders ; Nocturia ; Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder* ; Odds Ratio ; Prospective Studies ; Urinary Bladder, Overactive* ; Urinary Incontinence ; Urination

BACKGROUND: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and chronic kidney disease (CKD) share common pathogenic mechanisms and many risk factors, and both are linked to an increased risk of cardiovascular diseases. The aim of this study was to assess the association between NAFLD and CKD according to the presence of hypertension and diabetes mellitus in Koreans aged 50 years or older. METHODS: A cross-sectional study of 1,706 subjects who received their routine health examination was conducted between May 2008 and April 2010 at Konkuk University medical center. Biochemical tests for liver and abdominal ultrasonography were performed. CKD was defined as either proteinuria or glomerular filtration rate < or =60 mL/min per 1.73 m2. RESULTS: Among the 1,706 subjects, There were 545 (31.9%) with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and 424 (24.9%) with chronic kidney disease. In univariate logistic regression analysis, NAFLD was significantly associated with CKD (odds ratio [OR], 1.69; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.34 to 2.12). In multivariate logistic regression analysis adjusted for age, sex, current smoking, abdominal obesity, aspartate aminotransferases, alanine aminotransferases, gamma-glutamyltransferase, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, hypertriglyceridemia, and low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, NAFLD was associated with CKD (adjusted OR, 1.68; 95% CI, 1.27 to 2.24). This relationship remained significant after classification according to the presence of hypertension or diabetes mellitus. CONCLUSION: NAFLD diagnosed by ultrasonography was significantly associated with CKD in Koreans aged 50 years or older.
Academic Medical Centers ; Aged ; Alanine ; Aspartate Aminotransferases ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; Cholesterol ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Fatty Liver ; gamma-Glutamyltransferase ; Glomerular Filtration Rate ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Hypertriglyceridemia ; Lipoproteins ; Liver ; Logistic Models ; Obesity, Abdominal ; Proteinuria ; Renal Insufficiency, Chronic ; Risk Factors ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Transaminases

BACKGROUND: This study was done to determine whether the Osteoporosis Self-assessment Tool (OST) can predict central bone mineral density in Korean men above 50 years, as defined by dual energy X-ray absorptionmetry (DXA). METHODS: We applied the OST index to Korean men aged over 50 in Health Promotion Center of Konkuk University Hospital from September 2005 to September 2008. The calculated OST risk index was based on weight and age, truncated to an integer. RESULTS: The study population was 276 men. The mean age, height and weight of the men were 59.7 +/- 6.69 years, 167.6 +/- 6.14 cm and 67.5 +/- 8.93 kg respectively. By DXA, 4.7% of the men had a T score of -2.5 or less, and 46.4% had a T score of -2 or less at the spine, total hip, or femoral neck. The OST index ranged from -4 to 7. Using a cutoff score of 0, we predicted osteoporosis with a sensitivity of 85% and a specificity of 62%. The receiver operating characteristic curve showed an area under the curve of 0.77. When the subjects were analyzed by age and smoking status, the predictive value of the OST was maintained. CONCLUSION: The OST is a simple and useful method to predict osteoporosis in Korean men.
Aged ; Bone Density ; Femur Neck ; Health Promotion ; Hip ; Humans ; Male ; Mass Screening ; Osteoporosis ; ROC Curve ; Self-Assessment ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Spine

BACKGROUND: Diabetic neuropathy is a common complication of diabetes. Since neuropathy leads to ulceration and amputation, efforts to detect early and to elucidate its risk factors are ongoing. The goal of this study was to check the validity of Michigan neuropathy screening instrument (MNSI) as a screening test and its risk factors for diabetic neuropathy. METHODS: A total of 75 subjects with type II diabetes mellitus, who visited a university hospital, were investigated. We measured their duration of diabetes, height, weight, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, fasting glucose, glycosylated hemoglobin, triglyceride, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, total cholesterol, serum creatinine, and 24-h urine albumin. MNSI tested and electrophysiological test were performed. RESULTS: The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of MNSI was 63.5%, 78.3%, 86.8%, and 48.6%, respectively. Statistically significant relationships were found between neuropathy and the duration of diabetes and total cholesterol. CONCLUSION: MNSI seemed to be an appropriate screening test for diabetic neuropathy. More attention must be paid to the duration of diabetes and the total cholesterol of type 2 diabetic patients with peripheral neuropathy.
Amputation ; Blood Pressure ; Cholesterol ; Creatinine ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Diabetic Neuropathies ; Fasting ; Glucose ; Hemoglobin A, Glycosylated ; Humans ; Lipoproteins ; Mass Screening* ; Michigan* ; Peripheral Nervous System Diseases* ; Risk Factors* ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Triglycerides ; Ulcer