OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the various effects of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) on bone mineral density (BMD) for 4 years in postmenopausal women and to compare the characteristics of non-responders to HRT. METHODS: A total of 100 postmenopausal women have been treated with HRT or estrogen replacement therapy for 4 years. Spinal BMD was measured by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry. RESULTS: The mean age and menopausal age of the study subjects was 53.3+/-3.6 and 4.7+/-4.0 years. According to the baseline BMD, 32 and 9 women were osteopenic and osteoporotic. Compared with the baseline value, the lumbar BMD increased significantly after one and two years of HRT, but after three years the rate of increment has slowed. However, the change of BMD has significantly increased again after four years of HRT (3.98%, 5.36%, 5.41%, 6.16%, in each year, respectively). Women with baseline osteopenia and osteoporotis gained significantly more BMD after 1 year of HRT than women with baseline normal BMD (p=0.02). There were no significant differences of BMD changes among the 3 treatment regimens (continuous combined, cyclic combined, and estrogen only). After 1 year of HRT, 14 non-responders were indentified who had reduced BMD (-1.7+/-1.6%) compared with baseline BMD whereas 86 responders had increased BMD (4.9+/-4.1%). In the non-responder, BMD increased in two year of HRT but decreased in the three and four year of HRT while BMD increased in the two, three and four year of HRT in responders. After 4 years of HRT, 17 nonresponders (-3.0%+/-1.8%) and 83 responders (8.2+/-7.1%) were indentified. There was no significant difference in age, year since menopause, body mass index and baseline BMD between non-responders and responders. However, non-responders loose their BMD after 1 and 4 year of HRT. CONCLUSION: After HRT, the BMD increased not only first and second year but also fourth year of treatment. The BMD changes did not different according to the treatment regimens. The lower the women's baseline BMD, the greater the BMD increase after HRT. After four years of HRT, 17% of women lose their BMD compared to baseline BMD. The BMD changes in the first year of HRT may be an important predictive factor for the long-term BMD response to HRT in postmenopausal women.
Absorptiometry, Photon ; Body Mass Index ; Bone Density* ; Bone Diseases, Metabolic ; Estrogen Replacement Therapy ; Estrogens ; Female ; Hormone Replacement Therapy* ; Humans ; Menopause ; Osteoporosis

OBJECTIVES: There are a few studies reporting difference in sex ratio at birth in pregnancies complicated with hyperemesis gravidarum but it has not been reported in domestic journals yet. The purpose of this study is to evaluate difference of sex ratio in hyperemesis gravidarum patients compared to normal pregnant women. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We identified 111 women who were diagnosed as hyperemesis gravidarum and had delivered babies in Hanyang University Hospital between Jan. 1995 to Dec. 2000. The control group was 1995 women who had no obstetric problems including hyperemesis gravidarum during the pregnancy and had delivered baby at term. We compared the sex ratio of infant and the characteristics of these two groups. The study group was divided into two subgroups depending on the severity of disease, mild group and severe group, and difference of sex ratio in these group were also compared. We analyzed the data using student T-test and chi-square test and p-value < 0.05 was considered as statistically significant. RESULTS: Compared to sex ratio(female:male) of control group(44.8:55.2), hyperemesis gravidarum showed the sex ratio of 58.6:41.4(p=0.005). There was no further difference of sex ratio between two subgroups of hyperemesis gravidarum according to severity of disease. CONCLUSION: In pregnancies complicated with hyperemesis gravidarum the sex ratio of female was significantly high. The studies based on more variables and larger population would produce more accurate results.
Female ; Humans ; Hyperemesis Gravidarum* ; Infant ; Parturition ; Pregnancy* ; Pregnant Women ; Sex Ratio*

OBJECTIVES: The early detection of ectopic tubal pregnancy in unruptured state is increased as the transvaginal sonography and sensitive serum hCG test are available. For this unruptured tubal pregnancy, the medical treatment using methotrexate via various routes and dosage is being tried. Our study was to evaluate the efficacy of single systemic injection of methotrexate in the treatment of unruptured tubal pregnancies. Material and METHODS: From the January 1997 to July 1999, of 152 ectopic pregnancy patients, 22 patients who were diagnosed as unruptured tubal pregnancies were treated with single-dose systemic methotrexate injection (50 mg/m2/IM). Exclusion criteria were unstable vital signs with hemoperitoneum, adnexal mass > 5-6 cm. Serum hCG titers were checked before injection and 4, 7 day after injection. If serum hCG titer declined more than 15% on 7 day after injection compared with titer on 4 day, the weekly hCG titer was followed until it was <10 mIU/ml .If the hCG titer did not decline more than 15 %, a second dose was given. If hCG titer was not decreased or vital signs became unstable after 1-2 injections, the treatment was considered failure and surgery was done. RESULTS: 18 cases (82%) of 22 were successfully treated with single-dose methotrexate. The mean size of ectopic mass and initial serum hCG titers were 2.7+/-1.3 cm (range, 1.5-5.4 cm) and 3,298+/-1,007 mIU/ml (range, 132-12,239), respectively. Of 22, 6 cases (28%) needed second dose of methotrexate. The mean time to resolution of serum beta-hCG titer was 27.5+/-13.6 days (range, 8-53 days). Elevation of liver enzyme did not occurred in all cases during treatment. Initial hCG titer was more important prognostic factor than ectopic mass size for successful medical treatment. CONCLUSION: Single-dose methotrexate appears to be an effective medical treatment for the unruptured tubal pregnancy. However, patients selection using strict criteria is needed to increase its success rate.
Female ; Hemoperitoneum ; Humans ; Liver ; Methotrexate* ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy, Ectopic ; Pregnancy, Tubal* ; Vital Signs

The aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy of simvastatin to improved lipid profiles in hypercholesterolemic Korean patients. METHODS: From 25 hospitals in Korea, 478 hypercholesterolemic patients were enrolled from November 1996 to April 1998. The inclusion criteria was hypercholesterolemia over 240 mg/dl after diet therapy for 1 month or hypercholesterolemia over 220 mg/dl in patients with definite evidence of ischemic heart disease. Simvastatin 10mg was started and doubled up to 40mg if total cholesterol level remained higher than 200 mg/dl at monthly check. Of 478 subjects, 344 patients in whom study protocol was not violated were analyzed. RESULTS: Male to female ratio was 27:73 and 47% of the subjects were in 6th decade. Hypertension, coronary artery disease, and diabetes mellitus were present in 30, 10, and 4% of the subjects. Baseline lipid profile (mean of total cholesterol-LDL-HDL-triglyceride mg/dl) was 274-185-52-188. The dose of simvastatin for 3 months was 10/10/10mg in 61% of subjects, 10/20/20mg in 21%, 10/10/20mg in 7%, and 10/20/40mg in 12%. The change of total cholesterol level(before-4wk-8wk-12wk-withdrawal 4wk) was 274-209- 205-198-250, and the maximal reduction rate was 27%. The change of LDL-cholesterol was 185-123-116-110-159, with maximal reduction rate 39%. The change of HDL-cholesterol was 52-54-56-55-54, with maximal increase rate 9%. The change of tryglyceride was 188-161- 164-162-189, with maximal reduction rate 15%. The value before/after treatment of ApoA1, ApoB, and Lp(a) was 129/129, 138/83, and 9.3/10.7, respectively. The level of LDL-cholesterol at the end of treatment was below 100mg/dl in 36% of subjects, 100-130 in 45%, 130-160 in 16%, and over 160mg/dl in 4%. The reduction rate of LDL-cholesterol was different between subjects whose LDL decreased below 100 and those whose LDL did not decrease below 130mg/dl, which suggests the existence of the individual difference of responsiveness to simvastatin. There were only 3 subjects (0.9%) who showed increase of liver enzyme over 3 times as the upper normal limit. Conclusion: Simvastatin is effective in improving lipid profiles in hypercholesterolemic Korean patients without serious side effects.
Apolipoproteins B ; Cholesterol ; Coronary Artery Disease ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Diet Therapy ; Female ; Humans ; Hypercholesterolemia ; Hypertension ; Individuality ; Korea ; Liver ; Male ; Myocardial Ischemia ; Simvastatin*

The aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy of simvastatin to improved lipid profiles in hypercholesterolemic Korean patients. METHODS: From 25 hospitals in Korea, 478 hypercholesterolemic patients were enrolled from November 1996 to April 1998. The inclusion criteria was hypercholesterolemia over 240 mg/dl after diet therapy for 1 month or hypercholesterolemia over 220 mg/dl in patients with definite evidence of ischemic heart disease. Simvastatin 10mg was started and doubled up to 40mg if total cholesterol level remained higher than 200 mg/dl at monthly check. Of 478 subjects, 344 patients in whom study protocol was not violated were analyzed. RESULTS: Male to female ratio was 27:73 and 47% of the subjects were in 6th decade. Hypertension, coronary artery disease, and diabetes mellitus were present in 30, 10, and 4% of the subjects. Baseline lipid profile (mean of total cholesterol-LDL-HDL-triglyceride mg/dl) was 274-185-52-188. The dose of simvastatin for 3 months was 10/10/10mg in 61% of subjects, 10/20/20mg in 21%, 10/10/20mg in 7%, and 10/20/40mg in 12%. The change of total cholesterol level(before-4wk-8wk-12wk-withdrawal 4wk) was 274-209- 205-198-250, and the maximal reduction rate was 27%. The change of LDL-cholesterol was 185-123-116-110-159, with maximal reduction rate 39%. The change of HDL-cholesterol was 52-54-56-55-54, with maximal increase rate 9%. The change of tryglyceride was 188-161- 164-162-189, with maximal reduction rate 15%. The value before/after treatment of ApoA1, ApoB, and Lp(a) was 129/129, 138/83, and 9.3/10.7, respectively. The level of LDL-cholesterol at the end of treatment was below 100mg/dl in 36% of subjects, 100-130 in 45%, 130-160 in 16%, and over 160mg/dl in 4%. The reduction rate of LDL-cholesterol was different between subjects whose LDL decreased below 100 and those whose LDL did not decrease below 130mg/dl, which suggests the existence of the individual difference of responsiveness to simvastatin. There were only 3 subjects (0.9%) who showed increase of liver enzyme over 3 times as the upper normal limit. Conclusion: Simvastatin is effective in improving lipid profiles in hypercholesterolemic Korean patients without serious side effects.
Apolipoproteins B ; Cholesterol ; Coronary Artery Disease ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Diet Therapy ; Female ; Humans ; Hypercholesterolemia ; Hypertension ; Individuality ; Korea ; Liver ; Male ; Myocardial Ischemia ; Simvastatin*

Coloring Agents ; Cytomegalovirus ; Endothelial Cells ; Humans ; Intranuclear Inclusion Bodies ; Male ; Methenamine ; Mouth ; Oral Manifestations ; Stomatitis ; Tongue ; Ulcer

The author measured the severity of brain damage of 36 rabbits irradiated 2.45 GHz microwave for 10 minutes, 20 minutes and 30 minutes, respectively. Electromicroscopic and light microscopic findings of just after, 1 weeks, 2 weeks and 4 weeks after irradiated brain were compared in each time. Swelling and vacualization of nerve cell and mitochondria were noted. Also these changes tend to increased severity along amount of radiation, but revealed reversible changes with time. Myelinated and unmyelinated nerve fibers were examined as same manner. These nerve fibers also revealed swelling and vascuolization, these findings also tend to increase severity with irradiation power and more prominent at unmyelinated nerve fibers. Reversability of these findings after each time period were more prominent in myelinated nerve fibers than unmyelinated nerve fibers.
Brain ; Cerebrum* ; Microwaves* ; Mitochondria ; Myelin Sheath ; Nerve Fibers ; Nerve Fibers, Myelinated ; Nerve Fibers, Unmyelinated ; Neurons ; Rabbits*

Tuberous sclerosis is reported rarely and is associated with systemic lesions including central nervous system, skin, heart, eye and kidney. Approximately 5-15% of individuals with tuberous sclerosis will develop brain neoplasia, almost invariably subependymal giant-cell astrocytoma (SGCA). We experienced a case of SGCA with tuberous sclerosis operated by the transcallosal approach and report with literature review.
Astrocytoma* ; Brain ; Central Nervous System ; Heart ; Kidney ; Skin ; Tuberous Sclerosis*

No abstract available.
Vulva* ; Vulvar Neoplasms*

No abstract available.
Vulva* ; Vulvar Neoplasms*