• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• 제35권3호
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• pp.337-340
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• 2008

Purpose: Herpes zoster is a common dermatologic disease characterized by unilateral pain and vesicular lesions over the unilateral sensory dermatomes being caused by the reactivation of Varicella zoster virus and its incidence seems to be increasing recently. In case of involving the ganglion of the fifth cranial nerve(trigeminal nerve), it can descend down the affected nerve into skin, then producing an eruption in the dermatome. Among the patients, about 40 - 50% had associated conditions such as diabetes mellitus, hypertension, pulmonary tuberculosis, liver diseases, peptic ulcer, hypothyroidism, pharyngitis but rare facial trauma. Methods: Retrospective study was done for 3 cases of Herpes zoster from May 2000 to May 2007, which had been treated with acyclovir and steroid. Results: The clinical course was uneventful. Follow-up length was about 3 months. After treatment, the patients became stable and there was no complications. Conclusion: Herpes zoster was commonly associated with systemic disorders and the treatment duration was prolonged in associated diseases. But herpes zoster occurring specifically at the site of previously traumatized facial skin has not yet been reported. We experienced the treatment of herpes zoster developing within recent operative facial scar and three cases are presented with the review of literatures. Finally, facial trauma might be a risk factor for herpes zoster in traumatized patients.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• 제59권6호
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• pp.590-596
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• 2016

Objective : Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a systemic disease that can affect the cervical spine, especially the atlantoaxial region. The present study evaluated the risk factors for atlantoaxial subluxation (AAS) development and progression in patients who have undergone surgical treatment. Methods : We retrospectively analyzed the data of 62 patients with RA and surgically treated AAS between 2002 and 2015. Additionally, we identified 62 patients as controls using propensity score matching of sex and age among 12667 RA patients from a rheumatology registry between 2007 and 2015. We extracted patient data, including sex, age at diagnosis, age at surgery, disease duration, radiographic hand joint changes, and history of methotrexate use, and laboratory data, including presence of rheumatoid factor and the C-reactive protein (CRP) level. Results : The mean patient age at diagnosis was 38.0 years. The mean time interval between RA diagnosis and AAS surgery was $13.6{\pm}7.0$ years. The risk factors for surgically treated AAS development were the serum CRP level (p=0.005) and radiographic hand joint erosion (p=0.009). The risk factors for AAS progression were a short time interval between RA diagnosis and radiographic hand joint erosion (p<0.001) and young age at RA diagnosis (p=0.04). Conclusion : The CRP level at RA diagnosis and a short time interval between RA diagnosis and radiographic hand joint erosion might be risk factors for surgically treated AAS development in RA patients. Additionally, a short time interval between RA diagnosis and radiographic hand joint erosion and young age at RA diagnosis might be risk factors for AAS progression.

• 한국산학기술학회논문지
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• 제13권9호
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• pp.4107-4118
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• 2012

본 연구는 한국 여성근로자의 직업관련 건강상태와 영향요인을 파악하기 위한 서술적 상관관계연구이다. 본 연구자료는 한국산업안전보건공단 한국산업안전보건연구원에서 취업자 근로환경 전국표본조사를 위해 2006년도 시행한 근로환경조사를 바탕으로 20-64세 여성근로자들로부터 얻었다. 한국 여성근로자의 직업관련 신체적 건강상태는 교육수준, 가정내 주수입원 종류, 회사규모, 고용형태, 주당 근로시간, 교대근무여부, 직무요구도 등에서 유의한 차이가 있었다. 심리적 건강상태는 교육수준, 월 평균소득, 가정내 주수입원 종류, 주당 근로시간, 교대근무 여부, 감정노동여부, 직무요구도, 직무자율성, 물리적 위험, 화학적 위험, 근골격계 위험부담요인 등에서 유의한 차이가 있었다. 직업관련 신체적 심리적 건강상태에 영향을 주는 요인을 알아보기 위해 단계적 중회귀분석을 한 결과 신체적 건강상태와 심리적 건강상태에 가장 큰 영향을 주는 요인은 근골격계 부담 이었고 설명력은 각각 6.12%, 2.97% 이었다. 그러므로 근골격계 부담요인 감소를 위한 작업장 환경조성과 체계적인 건강관리 및 보건교육이 필요할 것으로 사료된다.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제20권10호
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• pp.1503-1509
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• 2007

Endothelin-1 (ET-1) is an important factor in regulation of cardiovascular tone in humans and mammals, but the biological function of ET-1 in the avian vascular system has not been determined. The purpose of this study was to characterize the role of endogenous ET-1 in the vascular system of poultry by investigating the effect of endothelin A receptor ($ET_AR$) antagonist BQ123 on the femoral artery pressure (FAP) and the pulmonary artery pressure (PAP) in broiler chickens. First, we found that plasma and lung homogenate ET-1 levels were both increased with age over the seven weeks life cyccle of broiler chickens. Second, 60 min after intravenous injection, BQ123 ($0.4{\mu}g\;kg^{-1}$ and $2.0{\mu}g\;kg^{-1}$, respectively) induced a significant reduction in FAP and PAP (p<0.05). Third, chronic infusion of BQ123 ($2.0{\mu}g\;kg^{-1}$ each time, two times a day) into abdominal cavities led to significant decrease in systolic pressure of the femoral (p<0.05) and pulmonary arteries (p<0.01) in broiler chickens at 7 and 14 days after treatment. Taken together, the $ET_AR$ antagonist BQ123 lead to a significant reduction of FAP and PAP, which suggests that endogenous ET-1 may be involved in the maintenance and regulation of systemic and pulmonary pressure in broiler chickens.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• 제23권3호
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• pp.172-178
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• 2010

Background: Tumor necrosis factor-alpha and other proinflammatory cytokines are becoming well recognized as key mediators in the pathogenesis of many types of neuropathic pain. Thalidomide has profound immunomodulatory actions in addition to their originally intended pharmacological actions. There has been debate on the analgesic efficacy of opioids in neuropathic pain. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of thalidomide and morphine on a spinal nerve ligation model in rats. Methods: Male Sprague-Dawley rats weighing 100-120 g were used. Lumbar (L) 5 and 6 spinal nerve ligations were performed to induce neuropathic pain. For assessment of mechanical allodynia, mechanical stimulus using von Frey filament was applied to the paw to measure withdrawal threshold. The effects of intraperitoneal thalidomide (6.25, 12.5, 25 and 50 mg/kg, respectively) and morphine (3 and 10 mg/kg, respectively) were examined on a withdrawal threshold evoked by spinal nerve ligation. Results: After L5 and 6 spinal nerve ligation, paw withdrawal thresholds on the ipsilateral side were significantly decreased compared with pre-operative baseline and with those in the sham-operated group. Intraperitoneal thalidomide and morphine significantly increased the paw withdrawal threshold compared to controls and produced dose-responsiveness. Conclusions: Systemic thalidomide and morphine have antiallodynic effect on neuropathic pain induced by spinal nerve ligation in rat. These results suggest that morphine and thalidomide may be alternative therapeutic approaches for neuropathic pain.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제16권6호
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• pp.2245-2250
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• 2015

Background: The interaction between tumor cells and inflammatory cells has not been systematically investigated in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). The aim of the present study was to evaluate whether preoperative the lymphocyte-monocyte ratio (LMR), the neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), and the platelet-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) could predict the prognosis of ESCC patients undergoing esophagectomy. Materials and Methods: Records from 218 patients with histologically diagnosed ESCC who underwent attempted curative surgery from January 2007 to December 2008 were retrospectively reviewed. Besides clinicopathological prognostic factors, we evaluated the prognostic value of the LMR, the NLR, and the PLR using Kaplan-Meier curves and Cox regression models. Results: The median follow-up was 38.6 months (range 3-71 months). The cut-off values of 2.57 for the LMR, 2.60 for the NLR and 244 for the PLR were chosen as optimal to discriminate between survival and death by applying receiver operating curve (ROC) analysis. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis of patients with low preoperative LMR demonstrated a significant worse prognosis for DFS (p=0.004) and OS (p=0.002) than those with high preoperative LMR. The high NLR cohort had lower DFS (p=0.004) and OS (p=0.011). Marginally reduced DFS (p=0.068) and lower OS (p=0.039) were found in the high PLR cohort. On multivariate analysis, only preoperative LMR was an independent prognostic factor for both DFS (p=0.009, HR=1.639, 95% CI 1.129-2.381) and OS (p=0.004, HR=1.759, 95% CI 1.201-2.576) in ESCC patients. Conclusions: Preoperative LMR better predicts cancer survival compared with the cellular components of systemic inflammation in patients with ESCC undergoing esophagectomy.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제9권1호
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• pp.98-105
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• 1999

Intestinal bacteria comprise one-third of the contents of the large intestine in humans. Their interactions with the gastrointestinal immune system induce characteristic immunological responses which stimulate or suppress the host's defense system. RAW 264.7 murine cell line was used as a macrophage model to assess the effects of the exposure to the isolated human intestinal bacteria, Bacteroides, Bifidobacterium, Eubacterium, Streptococcus, and E. coli, on NO (nitric oxide), $H_2O_2$(hydrogen peroxide), and cytokines IL (interleukin)-6 and TNF (tumor necrosis factor)-a production. RAW 264.7 cells were cultured in the presence of heat-killed bacteria for 24 h at concentrations of 0-$50\mu$g/ml. Our results showed that Bacteroides and E. coli stimulated IL-6, TNF-$\alpha$, NO, and $H_2O_2$production at high levels even at $1\mu$g/ml, whereas Bifidobacterium, Eubacterium, and Streptococcus showed a low level of stimulation at $1\mu$g/ml, and a gradual increase as the cell concentration increased up to $50\mu$g/ml. This result suggests that gram-negative Bacteroides and E. coli are better able to stimulate macrophage than gram-positive Bifidobacterium, Streptococcus, and Eubacterium. The in vitro approaches employed here should be useful in further characterization of the effects of intestinal bacteria on gastrointestinal and systemic immunity.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• 제44권6호
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• pp.358-363
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• 2008

Objective : This study was performed to assess the efficacy of GKS in patients with ten or more brain metastases. Methods : From Aug 2002 to Dec 2007, twenty-six patients (13 men and 13 women) with ten or more cerebral metastatic lesions underwent GKS. The mean age was 55 years (32-80). All patients had Karnofsky performance status (KPS) score of 70 or better. According to recursive partitioning analysis (RPA) classification, 3 patients belonged to class I and 23 to class II. The location of primary tumor was lung (21), breast (3) and unknown (2). The mean number of the lesions per patient was 16.6 (10-37). The mean cumulated volume was 10.9 cc (1.0-42.2). The median marginal dose was 15 Gy (9-23). Overall survival and the prognostic factors for the survival were retrospectively analyzed by using Kaplan Meier method and univariate analysis. Results : Overall median survival from GKS was 34 weeks (8-199). Local control was possible for 79.5% of the lesions and control of all the lesions was possible in at least 14 patients (53.8%) until 6 months after GKS. New lesions appeared in 7 (26.9%) patients during the same period. At the last follow-up, 18 patients died; 6 (33.3%) from systemic causes, 10 (55.6%) from neurological causes, and 2 (11.1 %) from unknown causes. Synchronous onset in non-small cell lung cancer (p=0.007), high KPS score (${\geq}80$, p=0.029), and controlled primary disease (p=0.020) were favorable prognostic factors in univariate analysis. Conclusion : In carefully selected patients, GKS may be a treatment option for ten or more brain metastases.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• 제2권1호
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• pp.3-12
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• 1969

Prior to availability of antibiotics, lung abscess has been recognized as one of the most serious pulmonary disease, and despite of diminished morbidity and mortality rate with the advent of antibiotics and development of better technique in the fields of surgery on pulmonary disease it continues to be a virulent form of pulmonary supuration. It is the purpose of this paper to present a clinical review of 115 lung abscess treated by surgically at "The National Medical Center" during past 9 years. 1. The most common age of occurrence is between the age of 30 and 50, and 105 cases were male and 31 cases occurred in female. 2. Numerous etiological factors may play a role in the formation of a pulmonary abscess; aspiration in 36 patients of which 2 patients had diabetes, 54 patients had preceding URI or pneumonia, and 5 patients followed liver abscess, one of which in hematogenous route. In 20 patients, no predisposing factor could be determined- 3. Clubbing digits were presented in 26 of 1315 patients suggesting chronicity of the disease, and gastric ulcer were combined in 3 of 136 patints. 4. Apparently the onset was insidious, and the progress was masked by indiscriminate administration of antibiotics for URI and TB remedies under impression of pul. tbc. Previous TB treatments were done in 56.%[76 cases] for one week to two years and administration of antibiotics in 51 cases. 5. 89 cases were on tbe right and 2t5 cascs were on the left side. 51 cases of pneumonectomy and 8 of open drainage, of which 4 of Monaldi procedure, were made and operative mortality rate was 5.2%. Numerous complications such as 8 of empyema, 4 of each bleeding and atelectasis, 2 of BPF, 1 of esophageal fistula and one of pneumothorax which were responded well to prolonged treatment with good results, were obtained. 6. The incidence of Klebsiella and Pseudomonas were increased recently. In these results, we submit the surgery should be performed if the conservative therapy had failed. The resection was most favorable operation for pulmonary abscess though drainage procedure may be of value in certain patients with grave systemic menifestations. In chronic long standing abscess, more complications and high mortality rate were assumable although the prognosis has been improved with the advent of antibiotics, the development of improved surgical technique and complete preoperative care.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• 제50권3호
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• pp.179-184
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• 2011

Objective : The aim of this study is to evaluate the therapeutic effects of gamma knife radiosurgery (GKRS) in patients with multiple brain metastases and to investigate prognostic factors related to treatment outcome. Methods : We retrospectively reviewed clinico-radiological and dosimetric data of 36 patients with 4-14 brain metastases who underwent GKRS for 264 lesions between August 2008 and April 2011. The most common primary tumor site was the lung (n=22), followed by breast (n=7). At GKRS, the median Karnofsky performance scale score was 90 and the mean tumor volume was 1.2 cc (0.002-12.6). The mean prescription dose of 17.8 Gy was delivered to the mean 61.1% isodose line. Among 264 metastases, 175 lesions were assessed for treatment response by at least one imaging follow-up. Results : The overall median survival after GKRS was $9.1{\pm}1.7$ months. Among various factors, primary tumor control was a significant prognostic factor ($11.1{\pm}$1.3 months vs. $3.3{\pm}2.4$ months, p=0.031). The calculated local tumor control rate at 6 and 9 months after GKRS were 87.9% and 84.2%, respectively. Paddick's conformity index (>0.75) was significantly related to local tumor control. The actuarial peritumoral edema reduction rate was 22.4% at 6 months. Conclusion : According to our results, GKRS can provide beneficial effect for the patients with multiple (4 or more) brain metastases, when systemic cancer is controlled. And, careful dosimetry is essential for local tumor control. Therefore, GKRS can be considered as one of the treatment modalities for multiple brain metastase.