• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.24 no.4_2
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• pp.967-974
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• 2003

Recurrent Aphthous Stomatitis(RAS) is inflammatory ulcerative condition of the oral mucosa. The lesions of RAS are self-limited and persist for 1 to 2 weeks, resolved with or without scarring and recurred after periods of remission. It is known that nicotine may protect oral mucosa from aphthous ulcers by keratinization of the oral mucosa. After quitting smoking, a stroke patient who suffered from RAS, used to relapse into RAS unless he didn't gargle with nicotine extract water. We diagnosed his case as heat in the stomach and treated with Chungwie-San(Qingwei-San). After medication with Chungwie-San, RAS was subsided and he stopped smoking during admission period.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.61 no.1
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• pp.60-65
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• 2018

Objective : Choroidal metastases (CMs) are the most common intraocular tumor. Management is mainly radiation therapy with goals of pain control and visual improvement. However, many radiation-related complications are reported. Since gamma knife radiosurgery (GKS) for CM was first reported in 1995, few cases have been reported. We report 7 cases of CMs treated with GKS. Methods : From April 2011 to November 2014, 7 patients with CM underwent GKS. Their median age at treatment was 64 years (range, 51-71 years). Four males and three females were treated. Lung cancer was the most common primary pathology, followed by renal cell carcinoma and stomach cancer. Four patients had multiple cerebral lesions and were treated simultaneously for choroidal lesions. The median marginal dose of 20 Gy (range, 15-25 Gy) was administered at the 50% isodose line. Results : Median follow-up period after GKS was 8 months (range, 2-38.3 months). Four patients expired due to underlying malignancy progression. Except for two patients who were not followed with magnetic resonance image after GKS, all patients showed size reduction in the treated lesions, but a new choroidal lesion appeared in one patient and one recurred. Six of seven patients reported subjectively improved visual symptoms. Visual acuity improved in 2 patients, and 2 were stable upon objective examination. One patient showed no improvement in visual acuity, but ocular pain was relieved; another patient showed improved vision and tumor remission, but visual deterioration recurred. Conclusion : GKS was shown to be safe and effective and should be considered for CM treatment.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.27 no.7
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• pp.610-616
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• 1994

Myasthenia gravis is a rare condition, affecting only 1/75000. It is characterized by weakness and fatigue of the voluntary muscles due to impaired neuromuscular transmission at the acetylcholine receptor site. It is probably caused by an autoimmune mechanism leading to reduction of the available nicotinic acetylcholine receptors at the neuromuscular junction. A relationship between the thymus and myasthenia gravis was suggested by Weigert in 1901, and Blalock was the first to report the efficiency of thymectomy in the treatment of myasthnia gravis in 1939. Since that time, thymectomy has become increasingly important in managing patients with myasthenia gravis. Fourteen patients with myasthenia gravis underwent thymectomy between September 1987 and March 1994 and got the following results; 1. The sex distribution was 10 females and 4 males with ages ranging from 15 to 51 years[mean, 34.8 years]. 2. Clinical manifestation of ocular symptoms were seen in all cases, dysphagia in 12[85.7%], extremity weakness in 11 [78.6 %], and dyspnea in 3 [21.4 %]. 3. According to the modified Osserman`s classification, 8 patients were in group IIb, 3 in IIa, 2 in I and 1 in IIc, respectively. 4. Histopathologic examination of the resected thymuses revealed hyperplasia in 8 patients, benign thymoma in 3, and malignant thymoma in 3. 5. There were no perioperative or immediate postoperative deaths but one patient died about two months after the thymectomy due to respiratory failure. 6. During the follow-up period, 11 patients [78.6 %] showed clinical improvement. Among them, 4 cases [28.6 %] showed complete remission, 3 [21.4 %] showed marked improvement, and 4 [28.6 %] showed subjective improvement. 7. Among the 8 patients with thymic hyperplasia, clinical improvement was noticed in 7 patients 5 %]. Among the 6 patients with thymoma, 4 patients [66.7 %] showed improvement.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.11
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• pp.4787-4790
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• 2015

Objective: To review ovarian cancer cases in children and adolescents in Siriraj Hospital and assess the prognosis, recurrence of disease, and reproductive outcomes after treatment. Materials and Methods: A retrospective descriptive study was conducted in ovarian cancer patients 21 years and younger who had been treated at Siriraj Hospital between January 1990 and December 2009. Medical records were reviewed and relevant data were recorded. Results: A total of 48 cases met the criteria; their mean age was 16.4 years. Abdominal distension was the major symptom. 91.6% were germ cell tumors and the remaining cases were sex cord-stromal and epithelial tumors. More than half (25/48 cases) presented with stage I disease. The most common used chemotherapy regimen for germ cell tumors was BEP (bloemycin, etoposide, cisplatin). Most of patients had favorable outcomes; 46/48 cases had complete remission and retained their good health at the time of the review. We had only one recurrent case and one dead case. Ten of contacted patients had married and 3 of them had successful full-term pregnancies. Conclusions: Ovarian malignancy in children and adolescents is a rare disease. The authors reported 48 cases in 20 year-period of work. Most of them have favorable outcomes. Return of ovarian function and fertility are the topics of interest.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.38 no.5
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• pp.853-861
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• 2017

Objectives: The objective of this study was to report a clinical case that suggests potential beneficial effects of Korean medicine therapy for the treatment of levosulpiride-induced acute dyskinesia. Methods: A patient having drug-induced acute dyskinesia was given a series of Korean medicine therapy treatments, including administration of the herbal medicine Chengsimyeonja-tang-gamibang, acupuncture, electroacupuncture, pharmacopuncture, and moxibustion over the 17 days of the hospitalization period. During the therapy, the progression of the disease was measured by the Abnormal Involuntary Movement Scale (AIMS). Results: During the therapy, the remission of orofacial dyskinesia and improvement of AIMS scores were observed. Conclusion: Korean medicine therapy has potential benefits for the treatment of drug-induced acute dyskinesia.

• Advances in pediatric surgery
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.141-149
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• 2005

Ulcerative colitis, an inflammatory bowel disease, is primarily managed medically with a combination of 5-ASA and steroids. However, this chronic disease requires surgical management if symptoms persist or complications develop despite medical management. The clinical course, indications and outcome of surgical management of 21 patients under the age of 15 who were endoscopically diagnosed with ulcerative colitis at the Seoul National University Children's Hospital between January, 1988 and January, 2003 were reviewed. Mean follow up period was 3 years and 10 months. The mean age was 10.3 years old. All patients received medical management after diagnosis and 8 patients (38 %) eventually required surgical management. Of 13 patients who received medical management only, 7 patients (53 %) showed remission, 4 patients are still on medical management, and 2 patients expired due to congenital immune deficiency and hepatic failure as a result of sclerosing cholangitis. In 8 patients who received surgical management, the indications for operation were, 1 patient sigmoid colon perforation and 7 patients intractability despite medical management. The perforated case had a segmental colon resection and the other 7 patients underwent total colectomy with ileal pouch-anal anastomosis. One patient expired postoperatively due to pneumonia and sepsis. and 1 is still on medical management because of mild persistent hematochezia after surgery. Six other operated patients are doing well without medical therapy. Pediatric ulcerative colitis patients can be surgically managed if the patient is intractable to medical management or if complications such as perforation are present. Total colectomy & ileal pouch-anal anastomosis is thought to be the adequate surgical method.

• Annals of Clinical Neurophysiology
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.93-96
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• 2005

Background: Myasthenia gravis (MG) and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) are well recognized to coexist and have some similarities in immunologic, clinical and serologic findings. Despite several reports of the association with autoantibodies and thymectomy in these disorders, the pathomechanism of coexistence remains to be elucidated. Objective: We aimed to investigate the relationship of MG and SLE through overall features of patients with both disorders;: clinical, laboratory, and electrophysiological findings. Materials and Methods: We reviewed the medical records of 6 consecutive patients with MG and SLE (2 men, 4 women, ages 17-51, mean 30.5 years, Seoul National University Hospital, from 1998 to 2005). Results: Three patients who developed SLE first, had ocular type of MG and 2 were children showing much severe and recurrent SLE features and only 1 patient had thymic hyperplasia. The other 3 developed MG first and they were generalized type and none underwent thymectomy. In addition, the development of MG or SLE was not coincident with remission or improvement of another disorder. Conclusion: The coexistence of SLE and MG may support the hypothesis of two different antibody populations modulated by thymus in the opposite extremesThis report suggests that the systemic and extensive autoimmune response in preceding MG or SLE may effect the development of the other disorder followed, while. the coexistence of two disorders cannot be explained by the hypothesis of two different antibody populations modulated by thymus in the opposite extremes The role of thymectomy and the theorectical subsequent effect on the development of SLE have been debated with controversy. However, SLE occurred without thymectomy in MG and these disorders did not develop in the quiescent period of another disorder. Therefore, the other pathomechanism for the coexistence of MG and SLE should be elucidated.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.96-105
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• 2016

Purpose: The standard radiation dose for patients with locally rectal cancer treated with preoperative chemoradiotherapy is 45-50 Gy in 25-28 fractions. We aimed to assess whether a difference exists within this dose fractionation range. Materials and Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed to compare three dose fractionation schedules. Patients received 50 Gy in 25 fractions (group A), 50.4 Gy in 28 fractions (group B), or 45 Gy in 25 fractions (group C) to the whole pelvis, as well as concurrent 5-fluorouracil. Radical resection was scheduled for 8 weeks after concurrent chemoradiotherapy. Results: Between September 2010 and August 2013, 175 patients were treated with preoperative chemoradiotherapy at our institution. Among those patients, 154 were eligible for analysis (55, 50, and 49 patients in groups A, B, and C, respectively). After the median follow-up period of 29 months (range, 5 to 48 months), no differences were found between the 3 groups regarding pathologic complete remission rate, tumor regression grade, treatment-related toxicity, 2-year locoregional recurrence-free survival, distant metastasis-free survival, disease-free survival, or overall survival. The circumferential resection margin width was a prognostic factor for 2-year locoregional recurrence-free survival, whereas ypN category was associated with distant metastasis-free survival, disease-free survival, and overall survival. High tumor regression grading score was correlated with 2-year distant metastasis-free survival and disease-free survival in univariate analysis. Conclusion: Three different radiation dose fractionation schedules, within the dose range recommended by the National Comprehensive Cancer Network, had no impact on pathologic tumor regression and early clinical outcome for locally advanced rectal cancer.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.653-663
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• 2006

Objective : Graves' disease, the most common cause of hyperthyroidism, is an autoimmune disorder associated with autoantibodies to the TSH receptor. The clinical features of Graves' disease are goiter and hypermetabolic symptoms induced by excessive hormones. Antithyroid drug therapy is the first-line treatment for Graves' disease in Korea, Japan and European countries. Yet in spite of a long period and high-dose of treatment, it is hard to achieve remission because of adverse effects, frequent recurrence and resistance to antithyroid drugs. Recently, it has been reported that the abnormal thyroid hormone and clinical symptoms of Graves' disease were reduced by Ahnjeonbaekho-tang (AJBHT). Methods : To investigate the effectiveness and action mechanism of AJBHT, we studied the influence of AJBHT on FRTL-5 thyroid cell proliferation, DNA synthesis and expression of T4, TSH, cAMP, Tg and TPO mRNA. Results : AJBHT significantly inhibited the FRTL-5 cell proliferation, DNA synthesis, T4 synthesis, cAMP production and the expression of Tg mRNA in comparison with control and MMI. Conclusions : These results suggest that AJBHT may inhibit the cell proliferation and DNA synthesis by regulating the cAMP, and suppress the T4 synthesis by modulating Tg mRNA expression and cAMP synthesis, and that it may be useful agent for treating the goiter and hormone abnormality of Graves' disease.

• Journal of Oriental Neuropsychiatry
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.389-400
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• 2022

Objectives: Depression is a highly prevalent disease, and the market for antidepressant drugs continues to grow at a steady rate. Although current antidepressants are reported to be effective, because of their low remission rate and side effects, new antidepressants are needed. The use of Banhahubak-tang (BHT) to treat the symptoms of depression is supported by experimental evidence. The proposed study will evaluate the efficacy and safety of BHT in treating depression. Methods: A randomized, waitlist-controlled, parallel clinical trial will be conducted to assess the efficacy of BHT in depression. A total of 84 participants with depression will be randomized into the intervention group or waitlist-control group at a 1:1 ratio. Patients in the intervention group will be administered BHT three times a day for four weeks and followed up for four more weeks after therapy completion. Patients in the waitlist-control group will undergo the same intervention and follow-up after a four-week waiting period. The primary outcome is change in the Korean version of the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (K-HDRS) scores for major depressive disorders after four weeks. The secondary outcomes include scores on the K-HDRS, Korean Symptom Check List 95 (KSCL-95), Insomnia Severity Index (ISI), State-Trait Anxiety Inventory-Korean version (STAI-K), State-Trait Anger Expression Inventory-Korean version (STAXI-K), and the Instrument on Pattern Identifications for Depression and EuroQol-5 Dimension (EQ-5D). Conclusions: This trial will provide high-quality clinical evidence of the efficacy and safety of BHT in the management of depression.