Objective: To investigate the relationship between reduced glutathione (GSH), a key molecule of the antioxidant defense system in the blood, and glutathione reductase (GR), which reduces oxidized glutathione (glutathione disulfide [GSSG]) to GSH and maintains the redox balance, with the prevalence of Alzheimer’s dementia and cognitive decline. Methods: In all, 20 participants with Alzheimer’s dementia who completed the third follow-up clinical evaluation over 6 years were selected, and 20 participants with normal cognition were selected after age and sex matching. The GSH and GR concentrations were the independent variables. Clinical diagnosis and neurocognitive test scores were the dependent variables indicating cognitive status. Results: The higher the level of GR, the greater the possibility of having normal cognition than of developing Alzheimer’s dementia. Additionally, the higher the level of GR, the higher the neurocognitive test scores. However, this association was not significant for GSH. After 6 years, the conversion rate from normal cognition to cognitive impairment was significantly higher in the lower 50th percentile of the GR group than in the upper 50th percentile. Conclusion The higher the GR, the lower the prevalence of Alzheimer’s dementia and incidence of cognitive impairment and the higher the cognitive test scores. Therefore, GR is a potential protective biomarker against Alzheimer’s dementia and cognitive decline.

OBJECTIVES: We aimed to find out the relationship between the regional suicide rates and the percentages of medical aid in the elderly in Korea. METHODS: Suicide rates of the elderly in 16 upper-level local governments from 2007 to 2009 were calculated using 'Cause of Death Statistics' and 'Annual Report on Live Births and Deaths Statistics' from Korea National Statistical Office. The percentages of medical aid persons among the elderly in 16 upper-level local governments were calculated using 'National Health Insurance Statistical Yearbook' from Health Insurance Review Agency and National Health Insurance Corporation. The correlation between the suicide rates and the percentages of medical aid in the elderly was measured. RESULTS: There was no significant correlation between the suicide rates and the percentage of medical aid in the elderly in 16 upper-level local governments. But significant negative correlation was found when only the old-elderly or the old women were analyzed. And the significant negative correlation was also found when only 8 local governments except the major cities and the national capital area were included for analysis. CONCLUSION: Medical aid system could be helpful to reduce the suicide rate in the old-elderly or the old women in Korea. And this effect might be intensified in non-metropolitan and non-capital area.
Aged ; Endoscopy ; Female ; Humans ; Insurance, Health ; Korea ; Live Birth ; National Health Programs ; Rhinitis ; Suicide

Duodenal web is an uncommon lesion that infrequently cause partial or complete intestinal obstruction. If the duonenal web is incomplete and only partially obstructs the duodenal lumen, the onset of symptoms may be delayed for years, and obstructive symptoms will be only minimal and intermittent. Congenital duodenal obstruction is occasionally associated with intestinal malrotation. We experienced a case of duodenal web associated with intestinal malrotation in a 9-year-old girl who had been suffered from intermittent projectile vomiting since birth without failure to thrive. The diagnosis was made by UGI series & abdominal CT. Patient remained asymptomatic after operation.
Child ; Diagnosis ; Duodenal Obstruction ; Failure to Thrive ; Female ; Humans ; Intestinal Obstruction ; Parturition ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Vomiting

Castleman's disease(CD) is rare in childhood. It is defined as a localized nodal hyperplasia in mediastinum or cervical area. It is also called angiofollicular lymph node hyperplasia, lymph nodal hamartoma, giant lymph node hyperplasia. It was first described in 1956 by Castleman et al. as a lesion of mediastinal mass. The etiology of CD is not clear. The histologic classification of CD is hyaline vascular and plasma cell type. The hyaline-vascular type is more frequent, and characterized by small hyaline-folliclees and interfollicular capillary proliferation. The plasme cell type is characterized by the large follicles with intervening sheets of plasma cells. The clinical classification of CD is solitary and multicentric type. The solitary type is usually asymptomatic but, the multicentric type is usually combined systemic manifestations, such as fever, anemia, hyperglobulinemia. Complete surgical resection of involved lymph nodes is both diagnostic and therapeutic. The prognosis of solitary type is good, in a general way. We experienced CD cases in five-year-old girl, who had a 4x3 cm solid mass in postrior triangle of neck, right. The mass was removed completely and confirmed Castleman's disease microscopically. The histopathologic finding was a proliferation of germinal centers with hyaline thickening of the wall and the interfollicular stroma showed hyperplastic vessels admixed with lymphocytes, plasma cells and eosinophils. She discharged after six days of operation and her prognosis was good.
Anemia ; Capillaries ; Classification ; Eosinophils ; Female ; Fever ; Germinal Center ; Giant Lymph Node Hyperplasia* ; Hamartoma ; Humans ; Hyalin ; Hyperplasia ; Lymph Nodes ; Lymphocytes ; Mediastinum ; Neck ; Plasma Cells ; Prognosis

PURPOSE: Although the chronic sinusitis is one of the most common and troublesome respiratory diseases in children, the pathogenesis still remains unclear. It is suggested that many of the immunologic factors including allergic conditions may contribute the nasal inflammatory changes. This study was designed to evaluate and demonstrate the possible role of various immunologic factors on the pathogenesis of chronic sinusitis in children. METHODS: During the 6 months study period from March to August, 1995, 33 children with chronic and recurrent clinical symptoms of sinusitis were evaluated. History taking, physical examinatin, paranasal radiologic examination, total IgE, allergen-specific IgE antibodies, serum IgA, IgG subclasses and T cell subsets were analysed in most of the children. RESULTS: The results were as follows; 1) The value of total serum IgE was increased in 19 cases(63.3% of the total). 2) All children in this study shows normal serum IgA levels. 3) In ten of 31 children(74.1%) with chronic sinusitis, serum concentrations of IgG2 were lower than geometric mean value. There was a decreased concentration of IgG1 in 3 cases(21.4%), IgG3 in 4 cases(28.6%), and IgG4 in 2 cases(14.3%). 4) The ratio of T4 to T8 was less than 2 in 23 cases(82.1%) out of 28 cases and reversed in 1 case. 5) Decreased serum concentration of IgG2 was more prevalent in cases with normal serum IgE levels rather than the cases with high serum IgE levels. 6) There was no correlation between the toral serum IgE levels and the ratio of T4 to T8 7) In the case with reversed T4 to T8 ratio, all the IgG subclasses are decreased except IgG3. 8) Chronic cough was the most common clinical manifestations in this study and postnasal drip, purulent nasal discharge, nasal stuffiness, fever and allergic shiner were noted in order. 9) Many of the children in this study have an allergic diseases, such as allergic rhinitis(48.5%), asthma(45.5%), and atopic dermatitis(33.3%). 10) PNS radiographs show diffuse opacification or mucosal thickening in all of the patients. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, we suggested that complex immunologic reactions including IgE-mediated allergic reaction, IgG subclasses deficiencies and cellular immunity are involved in the pathogenesis of chronic and recurrent sinusitis.
Antibodies ; Child* ; Cough ; Cyprinidae ; Fever ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity ; Immunity, Cellular ; Immunoglobulin A ; Immunoglobulin E ; Immunoglobulin G ; Immunologic Factors ; Sinusitis* ; T-Lymphocyte Subsets

PURPOSE: This study was performed to detect the diseases of congenital hypothyroidism by the neonatal mass screening test early and to demonstrate the possible role of topical iodinated antiseptics(povidone-iodine, PVP-I) on transient hyperthyrotropinemia in newborn infants. METHODS: We performed neonatal screening tests for inborn errors of metabolism since 1985 by Guthrie test for PKU, maple syrup urine disease, histidinemia, and homocystinuria and enzyme-linked immunosorbent test for TSH. And for our prospective study, 366 newborns with a appropriate gestational age (between 37 and 42 weeks) were submitted to TSH screening test. We divided the study subjects into 4 groups; the group used PVP-I for mother and alcohol for cord care was categorized as Group A, the group used PVP-I for both mother and cord care as Group B, the group used triple dye for mother and PVP-I for cord care as Group C, and the group used triple dye for mother and alcohol for cord as Group D. RESULTS: 1) By neonatal screening test for inborn errors of metabolism during the last 10 years, we detected one case of phenylketonuria (PKU), one case of histidinemia and 28 cases of congenital hypothyroidism. The incidence of congenital hypothyroidism was 1 in 3,918 live births. 2) The mean TSH levels were 6.25+/-5.09 microU/ml(male 5.85+/-4.77 and female 6.6+/-5.41 microU/ml) in Group A, 8.30+/-7.68 microU/ml(male 6.30+/-7.15 and female 9.98+/-7.77U/ml) in Group B, 7.42+/-5.35 microU/ml(male 7.40+/-6.11 and female 7.44+/-4.63 microU/ml) in Group C, and 6.33+/-1.95 microU/ml(male 6.19+/-1.90 and female 6.42+/-2.03 microU/ml) in Group D, There were statistically significance between Group A and Group B, and Group D, but there was no statistically significance between gender. 3) The number of the newborns showed high levels of TSH over 15 muU/ml were 4.2%, 26.7% and 7.7% in Group A, B, and C, respectively. But nobody showed high TSH level over 15 microU/ml in Group D without use of PVP-I. CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, we might be concerned for neonatal mass screening test on a national scale to prevent mental retardation and it is necessary to switch the povidone-iodine to other preparations as a perinatal antiseptics because of the possibility of the effect on neonatal screening test for congenital hypothyroidism.
Anti-Infective Agents, Local ; Congenital Hypothyroidism* ; Female ; Gestational Age ; Homocystinuria ; Humans ; Incidence ; Infant, Newborn ; Intellectual Disability ; Iodine* ; Live Birth ; Maple Syrup Urine Disease ; Mass Screening* ; Metabolism, Inborn Errors ; Mothers ; Neonatal Screening ; Phenylketonurias ; Povidone-Iodine ; Prospective Studies ; Umbilical Cord

PURPOSE: The appropriate age and amount that whole cow's milk and commercial baby food can be introduced safely into the infant diet are unknown and remains an area of controversy. Early feeding of excessive amount of whole cow's milk has been associated with iron deficiency anemia and nutritional deficiency. We studied the present status and problems on the feedig of whole cow's milk and commercial baby food in children. METHODS: This survey was done through questionnaire to the 541 out patients who visited Seoul, Chun An and Eum Sung Soon Chun Hyang University Hospitals during the period from Jun. 1994 to Fab. 1995. RESULTS: 1) Feeding patterns according to age of children: Infants were fed prepared milk(63.6%), human milk(16.2%), whole cow's milk(8.1%), commercial baby food(7.1%) and rice(5.0%) in the order of frequency. Children between 1 and 2 years of age were fed rice(37.1%), whole cow's milk (34.3%), prepared milk(17.1%), commercial baby food(7.4%) and human milk(4.0%) in the order of frequency. 2) Whole cow's milk feeding was started at 3 to 6 months of age in 11.5%, at 7 to 12 months of age in 59.6% and after 12months of age in 28.9%. 3) The daily feeding amounts of whole cow's milk was less than 500 ml in 48.2%, 500 to 999 ml in 36.2%, and more than 1000 ml in 15.6%. Suprisingly 49.7% of them were fed more than 500 ml a day. 4) About iron content in whole cow's milk, only 25.9% of mothers gave the correct answer. 5) 62.5% of mothers considered that whole cow's milk was the best food in infant period. 6) Only 19.1% of subjects used commercial baby food properly in method and amount. CONCLUSIONS: Whole cow's milk was introduced during early months of life and fed in excessive amount. There was a lack of maternal knowledge about iron content in whole cow's milk. The improper use of commercial baby food produced the numerous nutritional problems. Thus, we need education about whole cow's milk and commercial baby food to mothers.
Anemia, Iron-Deficiency ; Child* ; Diet ; Education ; Feeding Behavior ; Hospitals, University ; Humans ; Infant ; Iron ; Malnutrition ; Milk* ; Mothers ; Outpatients ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Seoul ; Weaning

No abstract available.
Hemorrhage* ; Humans ; Infant* ; Infant, Low Birth Weight* ; Infant, Newborn

Congenital lipoid adrenal hyperplasia is the rarest type among salt losing types of congenital adrenal hyperplasia. The defect of this disorder is in the cholesterol side chain cleavage enzyme(P450SCC)which converts cholesterol to pregnenolone. W experienced a case of 20,22 desmolse deficiency in a 21-day old phenotypically female who was admitted to our hospital due to lethargy and dark skin pigmentation. The characteristic findings were decreased serum cortisol, aldosterone, testosterone, increased ACTH. The ACTH and hCG stimulation test were performed and there were no response. The sex chromosomal analysis showed made XY. One year later after hormone therapy, growth and development are normal.
Adrenal Hyperplasia, Congenital ; Adrenocorticotropic Hormone ; Aldosterone ; Cholesterol ; Female ; Growth and Development ; Humans ; Hydrocortisone ; Hyperplasia* ; Lethargy ; Pregnenolone ; Skin Pigmentation ; Testosterone

Sjogren-Larsson Syndrome is a rare disorder chracterized by congenital icthyosis, spastic diplegia or tetraplegia and mental retardation. The inheritance is autosomal recessive, due to deficiency of alcohol dehydrogenase activity of fatty acid matabolism. We have experienced a case of Sjogren-Larsson Syndrome in a 16 month-old male children who have dried thick skin, developmental delay, and spastic diplegia. He also has glistening spot on macula area with irregular high voltage slow wave (2-3Hz) on electroencephalography. From Biopsy finding, Lamella ictyosis with acanthosis and hyperkeratosis in epithelium is shown. He was much improved clinically for skin lesion and developmental status with etretinate supplement. We report the case with brief review of related literatures.
Acitretin ; Alcohol Dehydrogenase ; Biopsy ; Cerebral Palsy ; Child ; Electroencephalography ; Epithelium ; Etretinate ; Humans ; Infant ; Intellectual Disability ; Male ; Quadriplegia ; Sjogren-Larsson Syndrome* ; Skin ; Wills