• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.147-162
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• 2022

Purpose: To design a prospective study on endovascular closure of congenital portosystemic shunts. The primary endpoint was to assess the safety of endovascular closure. The secondary endpoint was to evaluate the clinical, analytical and imaging outcomes of treatment. Methods: Fifteen patients (age range: 2 days to 21 years; 10 male) were referred to our center due to congenital portosystemic shunts. The following data were collected prior to treatment: age, sex, medical history, clinical and analytical data, urine trimethylaminuria, abdominal-US, and body-CT. The following data were collected at the time of intervention: anatomical and hemodynamic characteristics of the shunts, device used, and closure success. The following data were collected at various post-intervention time points: during hospital stay (to confirm shunt closure and detect complications) and at one year after (for clinical, analytical, and imaging purposes). Results: The treatment was successful in 12 participants, migration of the device was observed in two, while acute splanchnic thrombosis was observed in one. Off-label devices were used in attempting to close the side-to-side shunts, and success was achieved using Amplatzer™ Ductus-Occluder and Amplatzer™ Muscular-Vascular-Septal-Defect-Occluder. The main changes were: increased prothrombin activity (p=0.043); decreased AST, ALT, GGT, and bilirubin (p=0.007, p=0.056, p=0.036, p=0.013); thrombocytopenia resolution (p=0.131); expansion of portal veins (p=0.005); normalization of Doppler portal flow (100%); regression of liver nodules (p=0.001); ammonia normalization (p=0.003); and disappearance of trimethylaminuria (p=0.285). Conclusion: Endovascular closure is effective. Our results support the indication of endovascular closure for side-to-side shunts and for cases of congenital absence of portal vein.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.369-381
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• 2022

Objectives: Hyperlipidemia (HL) is a major cause of ischemic heart diseases. The size-limiting effect of ischemic preconditioning (IPC), a cardioprotective phenomenon, is reduced in HL, possibly because of the opening of the mitochondrial permeability transition pore (MPTP). The objective of this study is to see what effect pretreatment with Inula racemose Hook root extract (IrA) had on IPC-mediated cardioprotection on HL Wistar rat hearts. An isolated rat heart was mounted on the Langendorff heart array, and then ischemia reperfusion (I/R) and IPC cycles were performed. Atractyloside (Atr) is an MPTP opener. Methods: The animals were divided into ten groups, each consisting of six rats (n = 6), to investigate the modulation of I. racemosa Hook extract on cardioprotection by IPC in HL hearts: Sham control, I/R Control, IPC control, I/R + HL, I/R + IrA + HL, IPC + HL, IPC + NS + HL, IPC + IrA+ HL, IPC + Atr + oxidative stress, mitochondrial function, integrity, and hemodynamic parameters are evaluated for each group. Results: The present experimental data show that pretreatment with IrA reduced the LDH, CK-MB, size of myocardial infarction, content of cardiac collagen, and ventricular fibrillation in all groups of HL rat hearts. This pretreatment also reduced the oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction. Inhibition of MPTP opening by Atr diminished the effect of IrA on IPC-mediated cardioprotection in HL rats. Conclusion: The study findings indicate that pretreatment with IrA e restores IPC-mediated cardioprotection in HL rats by inhibiting the MPTP opening.

• Korean Circulation Journal
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• v.53 no.8
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• pp.566-577
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• 2023

Background and Objectives: The left atrial appendage (LAA) can contribute significantly to LA mechanical contraction. Nevertheless, the preventive effect of LAA occlusion during the maze procedure against cerebral infarction remains controversial. In this study, we compared the surgical, cardiac hemodynamic, and neurologic outcomes between LAA preservation and occlusion performed during the maze procedure. Methods: Between January 2015 and August 2021, 252 patients underwent the maze procedure using cryoablation at our medical center. After excluding patients according to our exclusion criteria (i.e., mechanical prosthesis implantation, preexisting LAA thrombus), LAA was preserved in 113 patients (non-occlusion group) and occluded in 75 patients (occlusion group). Outcomes were compared using propensity score matching (PSM). Results: PSM did not reveal significant intergroup differences in baseline characteristics between the non-occlusion (n=53) and occlusion (n=53) groups. During a median follow-up of 44 months, 2 patients in the non-occlusion group (3.8%) experienced ischemic strokes. There was no significant difference in the rate of freedom from stroke (p=0.19) and major adverse cardiac events (p=0.43) between the 2 groups. Through echocardiography at 1-year follow-up, a statistically significant difference in LA mechanical contraction was observed between the non-occlusion group and occlusion group (24 of 33 [72.7%] vs. 18 of 37 [48.6%], respectively; p=0.04). Conclusions: In this study, preservation of the LAA during the maze procedure resulted in better LA function than LAA occlusion, with similar rates of stroke.

• Journal of Cardiovascular Imaging
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.25-34
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• 2022

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to assess the utility of a handheld device (HH) used during common daily practice and its agreement with the results of a standard echocardiography study (STD) performed by experienced sonographers and echocardiographer. METHODS: A prospective follow-up was conducted in an adult outpatient echocardiography clinic. Experienced sonographers performed the STD and an experienced echocardiographer performed the HH. STD included 2-dimensional images, Doppler and hemodynamics analysis. Hemodynamic assessment was not performed with the HH device because the HH does not include such technology. The images were interpreted by blinded echocardiographers, and the agreement between the reports was analyzed. RESULTS: A total of 108 patients were included; and the concordance for left ventricle (LV) ejection fraction (EF), wall motion score index, LV and right ventricle (RV) function, RV size, and mitral and aortic stenosis was excellent with κ values greater than 0.80. Wall motion abnormalities had good concordance (κ value 0.78). The agreement for LV hypertrophy, mitral and aortic regurgitation was moderate, and tricuspid and pulmonary regurgitation agreements were low (κ values of 0.26 and 0.25, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: In a daily practice scenario with experienced hands, HH demonstrated good correlation for most echocardiography indications, such as ventricular size and function assessment and stenosis valve lesion analyses.

• Korean Circulation Journal
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• v.52 no.2
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• pp.136-146
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• 2022

Background and Objectives: There still are controversies on which type between bovine pericardial and porcine valves is superior in the setting of aortic valve replacement (AVR). This study aims to compare clinical outcomes of AVR using between pericardial or porcine valves. Methods: The study involved consecutive 636 patients underwent isolated AVR using stented bioprosthetic valves between January 2000 and May 2016. Of these, pericardial and porcine valves were implanted in 410 (pericardial group) and 226 patients (porcine group), respectively. Clinical outcomes including survival, structural valve deterioration (SVD) and trans-valvular pressure gradient were compared between the groups. To adjust for potential selection bias, inverse probability treatment weighting (IPTW) was conducted. Results: The mean follow-up duration was 60.1±50.2 months. There were no significant differences in the rates of early mortality (3.1% vs. 3.1%; p=0.81) and SVD (0.3%/patient-year [PY] vs. 0.5%/PY; p=0.33) between groups. After adjustment using IPTW, however, landmark mortality analyses showed a significantly lower late (>8 years) mortality risk in pericardial group over porcine group (hazard ratio [HR], 0.61; 95% confidence interval, [CI] 0.41-0.90; p=0.01) while the risks of SVD were not significantly difference between groups (HR, 0.45; 95% CI, 0.12-1.70; p=0.24). Mean pressure gradient across prosthetic AV was lower in the Pericardial group than the Porcine group at both immediate postoperative point and latest follow-up (p values <0.001). Conclusions: In patients undergoing bioprosthetic surgical AVR, bovine pericardial valves showed superior results in terms of postoperative hemodynamic profiles and late survival rates over porcine valves.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.55 no.5
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• pp.506-515
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• 2003

Background : A decreased level of serum arginine vasopressin(AVP) and an increased sensitivity to an exogenous AVP is expected in patients with septic shock who often require a high infusion rate of catecholamines. The goal of the study was to determine whether an exogenous AVP infusion to the patients with septic shock would achieve a significant decrement in infusion rate of catecholamine vasopressors while maintaining hemodynamic stability and adequate urine output. Method : Eight patients with septic shock who require a high infusion rate of norepinephrine had received a trial of 4-hour AVP infusion with simultaneous titration of norepinephrine. Hemodynamic parameters and urine output were monitored during the AVP infusion and the monitoring continued up to 4 hours after the AVP infusion had stopped. Results : Mean arterial pressure showed no significant changes during the study period(p=0.197). Norepinephrine infusion rate significantly decreased with concurrent AVP administration(p=0.001). However, beneficial effects had disappeared after the AVP infusion was stopped. In addition, hourly urine output showed no significant changes throughout the trials(p=0.093). Conclusion : Concurrent AVP infusion achieved the catecholamine vasopressor sparing effect in the septic shock patients, but there was no evidence of the improvement of renal function. Further study may be indicated to determine whether AVP infusion would provide an organ-protective effect to the septic shock patients.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.405-413
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• 1980

A total of 63 patients [42 males and 21 females] underwent multiple valve replacement with artificial valves between January 1975 and August 1980 at Seoul National University Hospital. There were 38 patients with aortic and mitral valve replacement, 22 with mitral and tricuspid, and 3 with aortic, mitral and tricuspid valve replacement. The valve lesions varied from trivial to severe and most aortic and mitral valves had mixed stenosis and insufficiency, while tricuspid valves had only insufficiency. The patients were severely symptomatic in majority of the cases, and belonged to the Classes III and IV [III:45, IV:16] of the NYHA functional criteria. Hemodynamic studies were performed on all the patients. The mean pulmonary wedge pressure was remarkably increased to 19.8 mmHg in aortic and mitral valve lesions and 18.0 mmHg in mitral and tricuspid valve lesions. The mean pulmonary arterial pressure was also increased, while the cardiac index was reduced. In 1977, the average perfusion time was 245.5 minutes for aortic and mitral valve replacement and 181.6 minutes for mitral and tricuspid valve replacement. It has progressively declined to 169.2 minutes for aortic and mitral valve replacement and 123 minutes for mitral and tricuspid valve replacement in 1980. The average period of aortic occlusion also declined after the use of cardioplegic solution. Twenty deaths occurred among the 63 patients operated upon, an overall mortality rate of 30.8%. The operative mortality has declined with successive year from a level of 66.7% before 1977 to 21.1% in 1980. Fourteen patients suffered from a list of postoperative complications, which eventually resolved with adequate treatment. All the survivors were enjoying the levels of daily life activities greater than those existing before the operation.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.237-247
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• 1996

This study was carried out to determine the effect of $-6^{\circ}$ head-down bedrest on the cardiovascular and hormonal responses to orthostasis and to evaluate the mechanism of orthostatic intolerance. Ten healthy young men were changed the body position from $-6^{\circ}$ head-down or supine bedrest for 2 hr to $70^{\circ}$ head-up tilt for 20 min. During the bedrest, there were no differences in hemodynamic and hormonal changes between the head-down and the supine positions. However, the tendency of decreased end-diastolic volume and increased cardiac contractility during the later period of 2 hr showed that the cardiovascular adaptation could be accelerated within a relatively short period in the head-down bedrest. During the head-up tilt, presyncopal signs were developed in five subjects of the supine bedrest, and one of the same subjects of the head-down bedrest. In the tolerant subjects, the increase in cardiac contractility and plasma epinephrine level during the bend-up tilt was greater following the head-down bedrest than that following the supine bedrest to compensate for reduced venous return. The intolerant subjects showed the greater decrease in end-diastolic and stroke volume, and the greater increase in heart rate during the head-up tilt than the tolerant subjects. Cardiac contractility and plasma epinephrine level were remarkably increased. However, arterial pressure was not maintained at the level for the appropriate compensation of the reduced venous return. It seems that the tolerance to orthostasis is more effective after the short-term head-down bedrest than after the supine bedrest, and the secretion of epinephrine induces the higher cardiac performance as a compensatory mechanism fur the reduced venous return during the orthostasis following the head-down bedrest than the supine bedrest.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.50 no.5
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• pp.355-362
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• 2017

Background: Off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting (OPCABG) procedures can avoid the complications of an on-pump bypass. However, some cases unexpectedly require conversion to cardiopulmonary bypass during OPCABG. The risk factors associated with a sudden need for cardiopulmonary bypass were analyzed. Methods: This retrospective study included 283 subjects scheduled for OPCABG from 2001 to 2010. These were divided into an OPCABG group and an on-pump conversion group. Preoperative, operative, and postoperative variables were compared between the 2 groups. Results: Of the 283 patients scheduled for OPCABG, 47 (16%) were switched to on-pump coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). The mortality of the both the OPCABG and on-pump conversion groups was not significantly different. The major risk factors for conversion to on-pump CABG were congestive heart failure (CHF) (odds ratio [OR], 3.5; p=0.029), ejection fraction (EF) <35% (OR, 4.4; p=0.012), and preoperative beta-blocker (BB) administration (OR, 0.3; p=0.007). The use of intraoperative (p=0.007) and postoperative (p=0.021) inotropics was significantly higher in the conversion group. The amount of postoperative drainage (p<0.001) and transfusion (p<0.001) also was significantly higher in the conversion group. There were no significant differences in stroke or cardiovascular complications between the groups over the course of short-term and long-term follow-up. Conclusion: Patients who undergo OPCABG and have CHF or a lower EF (<35%) are more likely to undergo on-pump conversion, while preoperative BB administration could help prevent conversions from OPCABG to on-pump CABG.

• The Korean Journal of Pharmacology
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.63-74
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• 1974

This study was carried out to observe the direct effect of hydrocortisone on renal function by infusing it into a renal artery. Hydrocortisone (5mg/kg) or saline (0.5 ml/kg) was infused directly into the left renal artery of the rabbit, the right kidney was left intact to serve as a control for general action of acetazolamide (10 mg/kg) or aminophylline (10 mg/kg), which was administered intravenously 30 minutes after the direct infusion of pretreated drugs (hydrocortisone or saline). The changes of urine volume, pH, urinary excretion rates of $Na^+,\;K^+\;and\;Cl^-$, and the clearances of inulin and PAH were measured at an interval of 10 minutes for half an hour after the direct infusion of hydrocortisone or saline, and for one hour after intravenous administration of acetazolamide or aminophylline. The results of the experiment were as follows: 1. Significant changes in urine volume and urinary electrolytes (excreted rates of $Na^+,\;K^+\;and\;Cl^-$) were observed in the hydrocortisone-infused group 10 minutes after the administration of acetazolamide, compared with the saline-infused group. Especially, the effect was more potent on the infused (left) side than on the contralateral (right) side. 2. Significant changes in urine volume and urinary electrolytes were also observed in all the aminophylline-treated groups, but no remarkable difference was noticed between the hydrocortisone-infused group and the saline-infused group, nor between the left and right sides. 3. No signicant changes in the clearances of inulin and PAH were in the infused (left) side of all the experimental groups, as compared with the contralateral (right) side. From the above results, it is obvious that hydrocortisone infused into a renal artery exerts diuretic action when administered in combination with acetazolamide, and the mechanism of action rests not on its hemodynamic change for renal blood flow, but on the potentiation of carbonic anhydrase inhibiting action. However, the exact mode of action remains yet to be clarified.