PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the feasibility and survival benefits of combined treatment with radiotherapy and adjuvant temozolomide (TMZ) in a Korean sample. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 750 Korean patients with histologically confirmed glioblastoma multiforme, who received concurrent chemoradiotherapy with TMZ (CCRT) and adjuvant TMZ from January 2006 until June 2011, were analyzed retrospectively. RESULTS: After the first operation, a gross total resection (GTR), subtotal resection (STR), partial resection (PR), biopsy alone were achieved in 388 (51.7%), 159 (21.2%), 96 (12.8%), and 107 (14.3%) patients, respectively. The methylation status of O6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (MGMT) was reviewed retrospectively in 217 patients. The median follow-up period was 16.3 months and the median overall survival (OS) was 17.5 months. The actuarial survival rates at the 1-, 3-, and 5-year OS were 72.1%, 21.0%, and 9.0%, respectively. The median progression-free survival (PFS) was 10.1 months, and the actuarial PFS at 1-, 3-, and 5-year PFS were 42.2%, 13.0%, and 7.8%, respectively. The patients who received GTR showed a significantly longer OS and PFS than those who received STR, PR, or biopsy alone, regardless of the methylation status of the MGMT promoter. Patients with a methylated MGMT promoter also showed a significantly longer OS and PFS than those with an unmethylated MGMT promoter. Patients who received more than six cycles of adjuvant TMZ had a longer OS and PFS than those who received six or fewer cycles. Hematologic toxicity of grade 3 or 4 was observed in 8.4% of patients during the CCRT period and in 10.2% during the adjuvant TMZ period. CONCLUSION: Patients treated with CCRT followed by adjuvant TMZ had more favorable survival rates and tolerable toxicity than those who did not undergo this treatment.
Biopsy ; Chemoradiotherapy* ; Disease-Free Survival ; Follow-Up Studies ; Glioblastoma* ; Humans ; Korea* ; Methylation ; Radiotherapy ; Retrospective Studies* ; Survival Rate

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to examine clinical practice patterns in the management of pregnant women admitted with threatened preterm labor (TPL) in Korea. METHODS: Data from women admitted with a diagnosis of TPL were collected from 22 hospitals. TPL was defined as regular uterine contractions with or without other symptoms such as pelvic pressure, backache, increased vaginal discharge, menstrual-like cramps, bleeding/show and cervical changes. Data on general patient information, clinical characteristics at admission, use of tocolytics, antibiotics, and corticosteroids, and pregnancy outcomes were collected using an online data collections system. RESULTS: A total of 947 women with TPL were enrolled. First-line tocolysis was administered to 822 (86.8%) patients. As a first-line tocolysis, beta-agonists were used most frequently (510/822, 62.0%), followed by magnesium sulfate (183/822, 22.3%), calcium channel blockers (91/822, 11.1%), and atosiban (38/822, 4.6%). Of the 822 women with first-line tocolysis, second-line tocolysis were required in 364 (44.3%). Of 364 with second-line, 199 had third-line tocolysis (37.4%). Antibiotics were administered to 29.9% of patients (284/947) with single (215, 22.7%), dual (26, 2.7%), and triple combinations (43, 4.5%). Corticosteroids were administered to 420 (44.4%) patients. Betamethasone was administered to 298 patients (71.0%), and dexamethasone was administered to 122 patients (29.0%). CONCLUSION: Practice patterns in the management of TPL in Korea were quite various. It is needed to develop standardized practice guidelines for TPL management.
Adrenal Cortex Hormones ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Back Pain ; Betamethasone ; Calcium Channel Blockers ; Dexamethasone ; Diagnosis ; Female ; Humans ; Korea ; Magnesium Sulfate ; Muscle Cramp ; Obstetric Labor, Premature* ; Physician's Practice Patterns ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Outcome ; Pregnant Women ; Premature Birth ; Retrospective Studies* ; Tocolysis ; Tocolytic Agents ; Uterine Contraction ; Vaginal Discharge

Myocardial infarction is diagnosed when blood levels of biomarkers are increased in the clinical setting of acute myocardial ischemia. Among the biomarkers, troponin I is the preferred biomarker indicative of myocardial necrosis. It is tissue specific for the heart. Myocardial infarction is rarely reported following seizure. We report a case of elevated troponin I in a patient after an episode of generalized tonic-clonic seizure. The diagnosis was type 2 myocardial infarction.
Biomarkers ; Coronary Angiography ; Epilepsy ; Heart ; Humans ; Myocardial Infarction ; Myocardial Ischemia ; Necrosis ; Seizures ; Troponin I

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The structural significance of the inappropriateness of left ventricular mass (iLVM) is known to be an important prognostic factor for cardiovascular events; however, the functional changes associated with iLVM have not been established. This study was performed to determine if diastolic dysfunction is associated with iLVM using a tissue Doppler technique. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Three hundred sixty consecutive subjects, including 221 hypertension patients from the echocardiography database, were analyzed. Regarding the appropriateness of left ventricular (LV) mass, an observed/predicted ratio of LV mass (OPR) >130% was defined as inappropriate. Echocardiographic parameters, including early diastolic peak velocity (E)/late diastolic peak velocity (A), deceleration time (DT), isovolumetric relaxation time (IVRT), and E/early mitral annulus velocity (E'), were compared between the appropriate LV mass (aLVM) group and the iLVM group. RESULTS: Among transmitral flow parameters, only the E velocity was negatively correlated with the OPR when adjusted for age (adjusted r=-0.107, p=0.04). Based on multiple regression analysis, the OPR (beta=0.163, p=0.003), as well as age (beta=0.286, p=0.0001), systolic blood pressure (beta=0.120, p=0.019), fasting blood glucose (beta=0.098, p=0.042), and male gender (beta=0.157, p=0.002) were independent factors determining E/E'. The cholesterol level was not an independent factor (beta=-0.059, p=0.355). In the iLVM group (n=105), the adjusted E/E' was higher than in the aLVM group (n=255; 11.7+/-3.4 vs. 10.8+/-3.1, p=0.02), while the peak E flow velocity was significantly lower than in the aLVM group (70.9+/-15.1 vs. 75.5+/-17.6, p=0.03). CONCLUSION: Inappropriateness of LV mass is independently associated with increased E/E'. Thus, E/E' may be a useful parameter for the evaluation of diastolic dysfunction.
Blood Glucose ; Blood Pressure ; Cholesterol ; Deceleration ; Echocardiography ; Fasting ; Heart Ventricles ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Hypertrophy ; Male ; Relaxation

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Aging is a major factor related to a relaxation abnormality of the left ventricle. Increased arterial stiffness and central distribution of body fat are common physiologic changes observed in the elderly. To further elucidate the relationship between aging and a relaxation abnormality of the left ventricle, we investigate the relationship between the pulse wave velocity, abdominal obesity and diastolic function parameters of the left ventricle. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: In 490 subjects (153 normotensive, 128 prehypertensive, 120 untreated hypertensive and 89 hypertensive on anti-hypertensive drugs, aged 59.8+/-12.6 (21-88) years), the brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) and echocardiographic indices for a relaxation abnormality, i.e. transmitral E, A, E/A, DT, IVRT, were measured. A relaxation abnormality was defined by an E/A <1 or a DT >240 ms in the young (<55 years), an E/A <0.8 and a DT >240 ms in the old (<55 years). Subjects with normal relaxation of the left ventricle (group I, n=252) were compared to the subjects with abnormal relaxation of the LV (group II, n=238), with respect to the baPWV and abdominal circumference. RESULTS: In a multiple linear regression analysis, the mean baPWV (cm/sec) was independently correlated with pulse pressure, age, blood pressure, abdominal circumference (AC), body mass index (BMI) and heart rate (R2=0.492, SEE=261.898). However, neither gender nor the left ventricular mass index (g/m2.7) was associated with the mean baPWV. A logistical regression analysis showed abdominal obesity (AC> or =90 cm in male, > or =80 cm in female, OR: 2.34), a high baPWV (> or =1,600 cm/sec, OR: 3.96) and a high BMI (> or =25 kg/m2, OR: 0.60) to be independent deter-minants of a relaxation abnormality. The age adjusted mean baPWV (1526.9+/-119.4 vs. 1577.1+/-106.9 cm/sec, p< 0.0001) and AC (86.2+/-9.8 vs. 88.5+/-7.7 cm, p=0.005) were higher in group II than group I. CONCLUSION: Arterial stiffness is the major determinant of a relaxation abnormality of the left ventricle. Abdominal obesity and a high BMI were found to be independent of each other, and an inverse relationship was found with respect to a relaxation abnormality of the left ventricle in a rural Korean population, including hypertensive patients.
Adipose Tissue ; Aged ; Aging ; Antihypertensive Agents ; Blood Pressure ; Body Mass Index ; Echocardiography ; Female ; Heart Rate ; Heart Ventricles* ; Humans* ; Hypertension* ; Linear Models ; Male ; Obesity ; Obesity, Abdominal* ; Pulse Wave Analysis ; Relaxation* ; Vascular Stiffness ; Ventricular Function, Left

BACKGROUND: Recently, B-natriuretic peptide (BNP) level and left atrial volume index (LAVi) were known to correlate with indices of LV diastolic function. As a screening method, we tried to evaluate the efficacy to BNP, ANP, and LAVi to predict the advanced diastolic dysfunction that means myocardial relaxation abnormality and elevated LV filling pressure. METHODS: In 100 patients who referred for echocardiography, Doppler recording of the mitral inflow and tissue Doppler imaging of the mitral annulus were obtained and classified into 4 diastolic function grades (normal, impaired relaxation, pseudonormal, and restrictive). Advanced diastolic dysfunction was defined as pseudonormal and restrictive physiology. LAVi was measured by modified Simpson's method in apical 4-chamber view at end-systole. Plasma levels of BNP and ANP were measured on the same day as echocardiogram was done. RESULTS: BNP and ANP levels were increased as diastolic function grade was worsening (BNP : 60+/-92, 108+/-204, 778+/-1,023 and 1,426+/-1,421 pg/ml, p<0.001; ANP: 22+/-30, 23+/-26, 94+/-92, 96+/-61 pg/ml, p<0.001). LAVi was also increased as diastolic dysfunction was advanced: 24+/-7 ml/m2, 27+/-9 ml/m2, 37+/-12 ml/m2, 45+/-12 ml/m2, p<0.001. The areas under the curve of receiver-operator characteristic curve for BNP, ANP and LAVi to detect the advanced diastolic dysfunction were 0.91, 0.88 and 0.84, respectively. BNP of 137 pg/ml, ANP of 34 pg/ml, and LAVi of 30 ml/m2 were the best values of sensitivity and specificity, respectively. CONCLUSION: These data suggest that BNP, ANP and LAVi provide meaningful sensitivity and specificity for the detection of advanced diastolic dysfunction, respectively. Among these, BNP is better than ANP or LAVi for the screening method to predict the advanced diastolic dysfunction.
Atrial Natriuretic Factor ; Diastole ; Echocardiography, Doppler ; Heart Atria ; Humans ; Mass Screening* ; Natriuretic Peptide, Brain ; Natriuretic Peptides* ; Physiology ; Plasma ; Relaxation ; Sensitivity and Specificity

The coronary artery-left ventricular microfistula is an extremely rare congenital anomaly. Little is known about their epidemiologic and clinical features. Moreover, to our knowledge, only two cases of coronary artery-left ventricular microfistulae demonstrated by transthoracic doppler echocardiography have been reported in the literature. Recently we experienced a case of coronary artery-left ventricular microfistulae demonstrated by transthoracic doppler echocardiography, who was a 63 year old woman and visited for evaluation of chest pain. Herein, along with a review of the pertinent literature regarding this disorder, we report a case of coronary artery-left ventricular microfistulae demonstrated by transthoracic doppler echocardiography.
Chest Pain ; Echocardiography, Doppler* ; Female ; Humans ; Middle Aged

Despite the major advances in diagnostic technology and improvements in antimicrobial selection and monitoring accompanied by parallel advances in surgical techniques, the morbidity and mortality of infective endocarditis(IE) still remain high. Because of this high mortality rate, it is worthy of investigating the clinical features of IE and it's complications thoroughly. The main causes of mortality in IE are congestive heart failure and septic embolization. In 9% of active IE, acute myocardial infarction(AMI) developed. AMI caused by coronary artery obliteration by occlusion or embolization is a rare but recognized complication of aortic valve endocarditis with annular abscess. We reported a case of aortic valve endocarditis with aortic root abscess which was complicated by AMI and death.
Abscess* ; Aortic Valve ; Coronary Vessels ; Endocarditis ; Heart Failure ; Mortality ; Myocardial Infarction*

Multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1(MEN 1) is an autosomal dominantly inherited syndrome, characterized by the combined occurrence of tumors of the parathyroid glands, endocrine pancreas, and anterior pituitary gland. The MENIN gene, which is a kind of tumor suppressor gene, is located at the chromosomal locus 11q13. It consists of one untranslated exon and nine exons encoding the menin protein. We report a case of a 22-yearss-old woman with MEN type 1, who was proven to have a mutation in the MENIN gene. The patient was admitted because of repeated hypoglycemia. The fasting plasma glucose level was 32mg/dL. Seventy two hours fasting test showed an the insulin/glucose ratio as 0.33. Endoscopic ultrasonography detected multiple masses on the pancreas. The arterial -stimulated venous sampling(ASVS) with calcium showed sudden step up of insulin at the head and tail portions of the pancreas. The sellar MRI showed a pituitary mass that produced prolactin. Instead of a pathologic diagnosis from operational specimen, the genetic analysis revealed a mutation in the MENIN 1 gene(exon 2, 200~201insAGCCC).
Blood Glucose ; Calcium ; Diagnosis ; Endosonography ; Exons ; Fasting ; Female ; Genes, Tumor Suppressor ; Head ; Humans ; Hyperparathyroidism ; Hypoglycemia ; Insulin ; Insulinoma ; Islets of Langerhans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia Type 1* ; Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia* ; Pancreas ; Parathyroid Glands ; Pituitary Gland, Anterior ; Prolactin ; Prolactinoma

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to examine the association between the common polymorphisms of the adiponectin gene(ACDC) and the intima-media thickness(IMT) of the common carotid arteries in type 2 diabetic patients. METHODS: The B mode ultrasound examination of carotid artery was performed on 133 type 2 diabetic patients. The carotid IMT was calculated using the Intimascope computer program. The SNP45 and SNP276 of the ACDC were examined. RESULTS: There was no significant difference in the carotid IMT among the SNP45 genotypes(0.66+/-0.18mm for TT, 0.71+/-0.12mm for TG and 0.64+/-0.15mm for GG, P=NS). Subjects carrying the SNP276 GG genotype had a markedly lower serum adiponectin concentration than those carrying the TT genotype(3.35+/-2.00microgram/mL vs. 4.98+/-2.24microgram/mL, P=0.029) The carotid IMT was significantly higher in patients with the SNP276 GG genotype than those with the TT genotype (0.70+/-0.17mm vs. 0.59+/-0.13mm, P=0.032). Patients with the +45GG/+276GG genotype combination showed significantly higher mean carotid IMT than the other genotype combinations(0.78+/-0.09mm vs. 0.71+/-0.15mm, P=0.013) CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that the adiponectin gene, SNP276 is associated with the carotid IMT in type 2 diabetic patients. Further studies are will be needed to confirm these genotypephenotype associations.
Adiponectin* ; Carotid Arteries* ; Carotid Artery, Common ; Genotype ; Humans ; Ultrasonography