BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Neurohormonal compensation plays an important role on the pathophysiologic aspects of congestive heart failure (CHF). There is recent clinical evidence that beta blocker is beneficial in selected patients. However, there is little information regarding the effect of beta blocker on elderly patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 26 patients of CHF under stable condition by conventional management were selected and were divided into two age subgroup. Group 1 were more than 65 years (n=12) and group 2 were less than 65 years (n=14). From 12.5 to 25 mg/day of carvedilol was given according to the clinical condition. The left ventricular end diastolic dimension (LVEDD), left ventricular end systolic dimension (LVESD), left ventricular volume index (LVVI), ejection fraction (LVEF), E/A ratio and E wave deceleration time (EwDT) of mitral inflow doppler velocity were measured by echocardiographic examination before and 3 months after carvedilol trial. Six-minute walk distance were also measured. RESULTS: Between before and after carvedilol treatment, there were significant decrease of LVVI and sign-ificant increase of EF in group I and group II. The EwDT and 6 minute walk distance of both group were also increased significantly after carvedilol trial. The delta EF of group I is smaller than group II (4.1+/-5.7 vs 9.7+/-10.0, p<0.05). CONCLUSION: When compared to younger patients with CHF, the efficacy of carvedilol on LV function in aged patients was evident. Improved clinical conditions would be expected by using carvedilol in elderly patients with CHF.
Aged* ; Compensation and Redress ; Deceleration ; Echocardiography ; Estrogens, Conjugated (USP)* ; Heart Failure* ; Humans ; Ventricular Function, Left*

Collagenous colitis is characterized clinically by chronic watery diarrhea and pathologically by increased subepithelial collagen deposition associated with an inflammatory infiltrate in the lamina propria. Its etiology is still unclear, although a variety of associated diseases such as rheumatic syndromes, scleroderma, and thyroid diseases have been reported. We report a case of collagenous colitis following the prolonged use of NSAIDs. A 72-year-old woman who has taken NSAIDs for many years due to some dermatologic problems was admitted to the hospital because of chronic watery diarrhea and colicky abdominal pain of 3 months duration. There was no abnormal physical finding except cachectic appearance due to weight loss of 10kg during 3 months. Stool examination for ova and parasites and fat was negative, and stool culture for bacterial pathogens was negative. In complete blood count, there were relative eosinophila and mild anemia. Total serum protein and albumin was low, and thyroid function, RA factor, FANA were all normal. Results of upper and lower gastrointestinal contrast radiographs were normal. Sigmoidoscopy revealed normal colonic mucosa but she had a thick subepithelial collagenous deposit and chronic inflammation in lamina propria on colonic biopsy. Based on the above findings, she was diagnosed as collagenous colitis. Diarrhea improved after withdrawing NSAIDs and the treatment with oral prednisolone. In the post-treatment biopsy, the thickness of the collagen hand was diminished. Collagenous colitis is now recognized as one of the common causes of chronic diarrhea of obscure origin and NSAIDs may play an etiological role in some patient with collagenous colitis.
Abdominal Pain ; Aged ; Anemia ; Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal ; Biopsy ; Blood Cell Count ; Colitis, Collagenous* ; Collagen* ; Colon ; Diarrhea ; Female ; Hand ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Mucous Membrane ; Ovum ; Parasites ; Prednisolone ; Sigmoidoscopy ; Thyroid Diseases ; Thyroid Gland ; Weight Loss

No abstract available.
Korea*

The endoscopic mucosal resection(EMR) is proposed by some Japanese investigators as a curative therapy of early gastric cancer(EGC) because of its minimal invasiveness and excellent results. To evaluate the possible role of EMR as a curative treatment modality of EGC, we retrospectively analyzed l9 casea with EGC initially treated by EMR in Seoul National University Hospital from December 1993 and January 1996. 1) The histologic diagnosis prior to EMR was adenocarcinoma in 12 cases(63%) and adenomatous polyp in 7 cases(38%), which were confirmed as adenocarcinoma after EMR. 2) The histologic curative resection was done in 7 cases(37%). Two cases of them showed recurrence of the gastric cancer and were treated by radical surgery. The other five cases have been closely observed by regular endoscopic examination without recurrence for the maximal period of 1~3 months. 3) Histoiogically inadequate resection(positive cancer cell in resection margin, submucosal cancer infiltration, or no cancer tissue in resected specimen) was done in 12 cases(73%). But two surgically resected cimens of them have no residual cancer cells, and there was no cancer cells in the follow-up biopsy of the other two patients. There 4 cases were seemed to he examples of buring effect of EMR 4) After excluding five depressed lesions greater than 1 cm is long diameter, nine lesions were curatively treated by EMR. So successful EMR rate for strictly indicated lesions wsa 64% 5) There was no signifieant complication related to the procedure. We thnnk that endoscopic mucosal resection has a potential role as a curative treatment modality in a highly selected patient with darly gastric cancer
Adenocarcinoma ; Adenomatous Polyps ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Biopsy ; Diagnosis ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Neoplasm, Residual ; Recurrence ; Research Personnel ; Retrospective Studies ; Seoul ; Stomach Neoplasms*

In the last decade, advances in laparoscopic equipment have allowed the development of laparosopic surgical treatment for gynecologic affection. Intraabdominal endoscopy can be extended safely for cholecystectomy. Patients undergoing laparoscopy under general anesthesia exhibit various hemodynamic and blood gas change. To analyze the physiologic mechanisms of these hemodynamic effect of laparoscopic surgery during general anesthesia, the change of mean arterial blood pressure, heart rate, end tidal carbon dioxide and plasma catecholamine were studied. Ten patients undergoing cholecystectomy by means of laparoscopy were selected randomly. Measurements of the above parameters were made about 10 minutes after tracheal intubation when the conditon of the patients stabilized(control), shortly after completion of insufflation of peritoneal cavity with carbon dioxide, 30 minutes after insufflation of carbon dioxide and after deflation of carbon dioxide. There were significantly increased mean arterial pressure, end tidal carbon dioxide, plasma epinephrine, norepinephrine during CO2 insufflation into peritoneaf cavity and increased there after with deflation of CO from the peritoneal cavity in laparoscopic cholecystectomy. In conclusion, these hemodynamic parameter changes seem to be correlated to the increased catecholamine release which was caused by sympathetic stimulation during the laparoscopic cholecystectomy.
Anesthesia, General ; Arterial Pressure ; Carbon Dioxide ; Cholecystectomy ; Cholecystectomy, Laparoscopic* ; Endoscopy ; Epinephrine ; Heart Rate ; Hemodynamics* ; Humans ; Insufflation ; Intubation ; Laparoscopy ; Norepinephrine ; Peritoneal Cavity ; Plasma*

The bleomycin is a chemotherapeutic agent useful in the treatment of selected neoplasms, including non-seminomatous testicular carcinoma. An increased incidence of respiratory failure postoperatively in patients previously treated with bleomycin has been reported. And an increase in the toxicity of high concentration of oxygen in oxygen therapy has been demonstrated in rodents after administration of bleomycin. However, the use of an enriched inspired oxygen concentration 41% was reported not hazardous in a testicular cancer population who were exposed to significant doses of bleomycin. The pulmonary toxicity of bleomycin therapy in combination with high oxygen exposure is still controversial. The aim of this study is to analyze the effect of exposure to 50% oxygen in the mice pretreated with bleomycin. Bleomycin were administered intraperitoneally to the mice, 4 mg/ kg twice a week for 5 weeks. After administeration of bleomycin to the mice, the half of the miee, the experimental group, were exposed to 50% oxygen for 24 hours. And the other control group were exposed to room air. Morphometric analysis with light microscopy was performed to the following parameters; number of total pulmonary cell count, percentage of consolidation of lung parenchyma and degree of intensity of fibrosis of lung parenchyma. The area of diseased lung was increased in mice given with bleomycin and hyperoxia compared with that of those treated with bleomycin only. The results were as follows, l) In the control group given 4 mg/kg bleomycin and room air, the number of total pulmo- nary cell count were 36.21+/-6.53/10(-8) m(2) and the percentage of consolidation was 1.2+/-0.4%. 2) In the experimental group given with 4 mg/kg bleomycin and 50% oxygen for 24 hrs, the number of total pulmonary cell count were 59.67+/-9.13/10(-8) m(2) and the percentage of area of consolidation of lung parenchyma was 5.8+/-2.3%, 3) Fibrosis of the lung parenchyma was seen only in the experimental group to which oxygen was given after administration of bleomycin. In conclusion, this study demonstrated that hyperoxia potentiated the pulmonary damage by bleomycin in the mice.
Animals ; Bleomycin* ; Cell Count ; Fibrosis ; Humans ; Hyperoxia* ; Incidence ; Lung ; Mice ; Microscopy ; Oxygen ; Respiratory Insufficiency ; Rodentia ; Testicular Neoplasms

Sodium nitroprusside is used to induce hypotension to decrease bleeding in operation site, Sodium nitroprusside decrease vascular resistance by directly relax arteriolar and venous smooth muscle, to a lesser extent. Hypotension stimulate baroreceptors and increase sympatho-adrenal activity. The function of sympatho-adrenal mdullary system may be monitored by the changes of plasma cancentrations of epinephrine and norepinephrine. To study the relationship between induced hypotension and the catecholamine release, the plasma epinephrine and norepinephrine concentration were measured before, during and after infusion of aodium nitropruaside to rabbits The results were as follows: 1) The mean arterial blood pressure decreased significantly after SNP infusion (5.0 ug/kg/minute) from the control value of 98.1+/-11.9 mmHg to 66.3+/-16.2, 57.9+/-17.9 mmHg in 10 and 20 minutes after SNP infusion (P<0.01) and 78.8+/-12.5 mmHg after discontinuation of SNP infusion. 2) The heart rate increased significantly after SNP infusion from the control value of 149.8+/-12.8 beat/minute to 166.5+/-10.8, 190.4+/-17.6 beats/minute in 10 and 20 minutes after SNP infusion (P<0.05, P<0.01) and the heart rate increased after discontinuation of SNP infusion. 3) The plasma epinephrine concentration increased significantly after SNP infusion from the control value of 181.2+/-91.9 pg/ml to 547.5+/-163.2, 837.5+/-253.6 pg/ml in 10 and 20 minutes after SNP infusion and continued to increase of epinephrine after discontinuation of SNP infusion. 4) The plasma norepinephrine concentration increased significantly after SNP infusion from the control value of 566.2+/-92.6 pg/ml to 1131.3+/-424.7, 1432.5+/-479.2 pg/ml 10 and 20 minutes after SNP infusion and continued to increase after discontinuation of SNP infusion. There was a highly significant correlation between decrease in mean arterial pressure and increase in plasma epinephrine and norepinephrine concentrations.
Arterial Pressure ; Epinephrine ; Heart Rate ; Hemorrhage ; Hypotension* ; Muscle, Smooth ; Nitroprusside ; Norepinephrine ; Plasma* ; Pressoreceptors ; Rabbits ; Sodium* ; Vascular Resistance

For extremity surgery, tourniquet is placed routinely. With deflation of the tourniquet, the metabolic product is flushed into the systemic circulation and theoretically poses a potential for toxic reactions. In actual fact, these are rare events with this technique. Vigilant monitoring will detect cardiovascular depression at this time. By the tourniquet application, lactic acidemia, abnormal coagulopathy, hypotention, hyperkalemia, increased PaCO2, and production of noxious oxygen free radicals were reported following the release of the tourniquet. But the serial changes of metabolic derangement, degree of lactic acidemia following the use of the tourniquet were not exactly known. To confirm the safety of the pneumatic tourniquet use for two hours, the serial changes of lactic acid levels, acid-base status, potassium concentration, concentration of respiratory gaaes (arterial and end-tidal CO2,) and also hypotension, dysrhythmias and respiratory pattern following release of the tourniquet were studied. Patients were anesthetized with 1% halothane, 50% nitrous oxide and 50% oxygen. Ventilation was maintained by the ventilator to keep the end-tidal CO2, to 4.0% just before the release, and then respiratory parameters (respiratory rate, tidal volume) were constantly maintained through the study. The data were measured from arterial samples or monitors with the following interval; just before tourniquet apply (BTA), before tourniquet release (BTR), at 1, 3, 5, 15 and 30 minutes after the tourniquet release (ATR 1 m, 3m, 5 m, 15 m 30 m). Data measured before the tourniquet apply were used as control values. All data were analyzed by the paired t-test with control. Changes of mean values of each time in one parameter were analyzed by one-way ANOVA. Correlationships between the parameters and duration of ischemia induced by the tourniquet were analyzed by simple regression. The results of this study were as follows; 1) The arterial concentration of lactic acid was maximally increased at 3 minutes after tourniquet release and not returned to control value until 30 minutes after tourniquet release. 2) End-tidal CO, was reached to maximal values of 5.3% at 5 minutes after release of tourniquet. Accompanying theses changes, spontaneous respiration was recovered from the controlled ventilation in 11 patients out of 13 and fought with mechanical ventilator due to asynchronism of respiratory cycles. 3) Mild metabolic acidosis showing the decreased arterial pH and increased PaCO2, in arterial blood gas analysis was maintained in 30 minutes following the release of tourniquet. 4) There were no significant changes of concentrations of potassium. 5) Three episodes of mild hypotension were observed out of 13 patients, but dysrhythmias and other significant clinical changes not observed through the study. The above results showed the possibility of lactic acidemia and changes of respiratory pattern by increased PaCO2, after release of the tourniquet may occur. More intent monitoring is needed to the patients who have had the metabolic derangement in acid-base balance and increased intracranial pressure in application of tourniquet on limbs.
Acid-Base Equilibrium ; Acidosis ; Blood Gas Analysis ; Depression ; Extremities ; Free Radicals ; Gases* ; Halothane ; Humans ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Hyperkalemia ; Hypotension ; Intracranial Pressure ; Ischemia ; Lactic Acid ; Lower Extremity* ; Nitrous Oxide ; Oxygen ; Potassium ; Respiration ; Tourniquets* ; Ventilation ; Ventilators, Mechanical

Anesthesia and operation may impair the immune system so that bacterial growth and tumor cells spread can occur more rapidly and host response to transplanted tissue may be altered. In order to evaluate the influence of inhalation anesthetics on immune function, mitogen induced lymphocyte transformation and colony formation of T lymphoctye of peripheral blood in rats were studied. The experimental animals were divided into 4 groups according to inhaled anesthetics such as control, 0.8% halothane, 1.65% enflurane and 1.05% isoflurane 6 hours inhaled group. One day after inhalation of anesthetics, 5 ml of blood was sampled from inferior vena cava and the lymphocytes were isolated and cultured. Spontaneous and phytohemagglutinin (PHA) or pokeweed mitogen (PWM) induced lymphocte transformation were measured by the titration of H-thymidine uptake and the number of colony forming unit-T lymphocyte (CFU-TL) were counted. The results were as follows: Spontaneous lymphocyte transformation was increased by halothane and decreased by enflurane significantly but not differed by isoflurane compared with the control group. Lymphocyte transformation were decreased significantly before and after PHA stimulation in all of the anesthetic groups respectively compared with the control group. 3) Lymphocyte transformation by PWM stimulation also decreased in all of the anesthetic groups. 4) The numbers of CFU-TL cluster and colony decreased in all of the anesthetic groups compared with the control group. In conclusion, inhalation anesthetics such as halothane, enflurane and isoflurane decreased immune competence and that halothane was the most, isoflurane was the least immunosuppressive among these three inhalation anesthetics.
Anesthesia ; Anesthetics ; Anesthetics, Inhalation* ; Animals ; Enflurane ; Halothane ; Immune System ; Inhalation* ; Isoflurane ; Lymphocyte Activation* ; Lymphocytes* ; Mental Competency ; Phytolacca americana ; Rats ; Vena Cava, Inferior

The degree of hematopoietic depression and spontaneous recovery of depressed cells with 50% nitrous oxide inhalation for 6 or 12 hours were studied in 120 Sprague-Dawley rats. Immediately after, 1 day, 3 days and 1 week after nitrous oxide inhalation, precursor cells of granulocyte-monocyte and T lymphocyte in bone marrow and blood were sampled and cultured. After one week of culture period, the numbers of colony forming unit-granulocyte monocyte (CFU-GM) and colony forming unit-T lymphocyte (CFU-TL) were counted. There was no change in the number of colony immediately after inhalation of nitrous oxide, but was significant decrease in number of colony 1 day and 3 days after inhalation of nitrous oxide (p<0.001). One week after cessation of nitrous oxide inhalation, spontaneous recovery of number of colony developed without any treatment. To evaluate the protective effect of folinic acid (Rescuvolin) against hematopoietic depression, Rescuvolin 0.1 mg/0.3 ml were injected intraperitoneally at 12 hours and 1 hour before, 1 hour before and immediately after nitrous oxide inhalation, respectively. The data of each group were compared with that of the animals which have inhaled nitrous oxide for 6 hours without folinic acid. Folinic acid injected groups showed significant increase in numbers of colony (p<0.001) especially in 12 and 1 hour before nitrous oxide inhalation. In conclusion, the longer the duration of nitrous oxide inhalation, the faster and severer hematopoietic depression developed. The pretreatment of folinic acid may prevent the bone marrow depression by a long-term and repeated use of nitrous oxide. In clinical anesthesia, it is recommended to avoid to use nitrous oxide for the patients with bone marrow depressed disease such as leukemia and aplastic anemia.
Anemia, Aplastic ; Anesthesia ; Animals ; Bone Marrow ; Depression* ; Humans ; Inhalation ; Leucovorin* ; Leukemia ; Lymphocytes ; Monocytes ; Nitrous Oxide* ; Rats* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley