Prevalence of Diabetes Mellitus and Prediabetes in Dalseong-gun, Daegu City, Korea

BACKGROUND: The aim of the present study was to determine the population-based prevalence of diabetes mellitus (DM) and prediabetes in a rural district of Daegu City, Korea. METHODS: Between August and November 2003, a community-based health survey of adults aged 20 years and older was performed in the rural district of Dalseong-gun in Daegu City. A total of 1,806 of all eligible individuals agreed to participate. Fasting plasma glucose was measured in all participants. Two hour oral glucose tolerance was measured in the 1,773 participants for whom there was neither an established diagnosis of DM nor evidence of DM according to fasting glucose levels. The prevalence of DM and prediabetes was determined according to the 2003 criteria of the American Diabetes Association. Subjects with prediabetes were classified into one of three categories of glucose intolerance: isolated impaired fasting glucose (IFG); isolated impaired glucose tolerance (IGT); or combined IFG and IGT. RESULTS: The prevalence of DM was 12.2%. The highest prevalence rates were observed in subjects in their seventies. A total of 34.7% of all subjects who were assigned a diagnosis of DM in the present study had not been diagnosed previously. The prevalence of prediabetes was 22.7%. The highest prevalence rates were observed in subjects in their fifties. CONCLUSION: The present study identified prevalence rates of 12.2% for DM (age-standardized prevalence rate [ASR], 6.8%), and 22.7% for prediabetes (ASR 18.5%). These results emphasize the need for community health promotion strategies to prevent or delay the onset of DM in individuals with prediabetes.

Factors that Affect Medication Adherence in Elderly Patients with Diabetes Mellitus / 당뇨병

BACKGROUND: This study was conducted to evaluate the factors affecting medication adherence in geriatric diabetic patients treated at private clinics and tertiary hospitals. We compared the factors affecting medication adherence between these two patient groups. METHODS: We included 108 diabetic patients older than 65 years treated at one tertiary hospital and 157 patients older than 65 years treated at two private clinics. We conducted an interview survey based on the Health Belief Model, and used a questionnaire that included the self-efficacy variable. For the medication adherence, Morisky's self-report was used. RESULTS: The medication adherence based on Morisky's self-report was significantly higher in tertiary hospital patients (61.1%) compared to private clinic patients (43.2%) (P < 0.01). The results showed that drug storage and self-efficacy were factors affecting adherence to medication in tertiary hospital patients (P < 0.05). The adherence was high in cases of proper drug storage (odds ratio [OR], 5.401) and in cases with high self-efficacy (OR, 13.114). In private clinic patients, financial level (P < 0.05), recognition of the seriousness of diabetes complications (P < 0.05) and self-efficacy (P < 0.01) were associated with medication adherence. The medication adherence was significantly lower in patients whose financial state were moderate than those with lower (OR, 0.410), and medication adherence was significantly higher in patients who had higher perceived severity (OR, 2.936) and in patients with higher self-efficacy (OR, 4.040). CONCLUSION: Different strategies should be used to increase medication adherence in geriatric diabetic patients, depending on institutions whether they are treated.

Novel LMNA Gene Mutation in a Patient With Atypical Werner's Syndrome

Hutchinson-Gilford progeria syndrome (HGPS) and Werner's syndrome are representative types of progeroid syndrome. LMNA (Lamin A/C) gene mutation with atypical Werner's syndrome have recently been reported. Atypical Werner's syndrome with the severe metabolic complications, the extent of the lipodystrophy is associated with A133L mutation in the LMNA gene and these patients present with phenotypically heterogeneous disorders. We experienced a 15-yr-old Korean female with progeroid features, generalized lipodystrophy, hypertriglyceridemia, fatty liver, steatohepatitis, and type 2 diabetes mellitus. Skin fibroblasts from the patient showed marked abnormal nuclear morphology, compared with that from normal persons. Gene analysis revealed that this patient had T506del of exon 2 in the LMNA gene. We report here the first case of atypical Werner's syndrome with frameshift mutation that was caused by T506del.

The Association Between Urinary Albumin to Creatinine Ratio and Coronary Artery Calcification in Type 2 Diabetic Patients / 당뇨병

BACKGROUND: Atherosclerosis, the most common cause of death in type 2 diabetic patients, is closely associated with coronary artery calcium deposition. The coronary calcifications can be easily measured using coronary calcium scoring computed tomography (CT). And microalbuminuria is known as an independent risk factor of cardiovascular disease. So, we examined the association of urinary albumin to creatinine ratio (UACR) and coronary calcification score (CCS) in type 2 diabetic patients. METHODS: Among type 2 diabetic patients who underwent the multidetector CT scanning for the evaluation of CCS at Kyungpook National University Hospital between December 2007 and May 2008, 155 subjects were included. CCS, demographic and laboratory data were assessed. RESULTS: Coronary artery calcifications were identified in 90 patients (51%) and mean, median CCS was 205.8 +/- 476.9, 8.74 (0, 132.0). 60 subjects revealed UACR greater than 30 ug/mg. With the UACR increment, CCS revealed a significant increase (P < 0.001). Age, duration of diabetes, serum Apo A1 level, serum high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) level were also associated with CCS. However, after adjusting for age, UACR and CCS exhibited a significant positive relationship (P = 0.002). CONCLUSION: Increased UACR is associated with coronary artery calcification in type 2 diabetic patients and these results will be useful in early evaluating the presence of macrovascular complications in these patients.

The Relationship Between Coronary Artery Calcification and Serum Apolipoprotein A-1 in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes / 당뇨병

BACKGROUND: The incidence of type 2 diabetes mellitus is increasing annually and patient mortality is high. Coronary artery calcification is a predictor of coronary artery disease. Cardiovascular events, which are the main cause of death in type 2 diabetes patients, may be preventable by addressing risk factors associated with coronary artery calcification. We examined the relationships between coronary artery calcification, lipid profiles, and apolipoprotein levels. METHODS: We calculated the coronary calcium scores (CCS) of 254 subjects with type 2 diabetes (113 males, 141 females) via multi-detector row computed tomography (MDCT). Height, body weight, blood pressure, HbA1c, c-peptide, lipid profile and apolipoprotein were assessed concurrently. RESULTS: In patients with type 2 diabetes, Agatston score and apolipoprotein A-1 were significantly negatively correlated in both males and females (males P = 0.015, females P = 0.021). The negative correlation between Agatston score and apolipoprotein A-1 was retained for the entire patient sample after adjustments for age and sex (P = 0.022). Stepwise multiple regression anaylses with the Agatston score as the dependent variable indicate that apolipoprotein A-1 is a independent predictor (beta coefficient = -0.047, 95%CI = -0.072 ~ -0.021, P < 0.001) of coronary artery calcification. CONCLUSION: The results of our study suggest that apolipoprotein A-1 is a useful independent indicator of coronary artery calcification.

Leptin is Negatively Associated with Femoral Bone Mineral Density in Postmenopausal Women with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus / 당뇨병

BACKGROUND: Serum leptin level and bone mineral density (BMD) are widely assumed to be positively associated with body fat mass. Numerous attempts have been made to document the relationship between leptin and BMD, but the results are inconsistent, especially in diabetic patients. METHODS: A total of 60 Korean postmenopausal women with type 2 diabetes mellitus were included in the present study. The BMDs of lumbar spines (L1 to L4) and proximal femurs (trochanter, neck, and total) were measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA), and biochemical markers including leptin, HbA1c, C-peptide and urine albumin-creatinine ratio (ACR) were measured for each patient. RESULTS: Negative associations between leptin and BMD of femoral neck, trochanter, and total femur in postmenopausal women with type 2 diabetes mellitus were documented in a model adjusted for age, body fat mass, and fasting insulin level (r = -0.308, P = 0.020 and r = - 0.303, P = 0.025 and r = - 0.290, P = 0.032 respectively). Multiple linear regression analysis was performed revealing negative associations between leptin and BMD of the femoral neck (beta = -0.369), trochanter (beta = -0.324), and total femur (beta = -0.317). CONCLUSION: The results of the present study suggest a negative relationship between leptin and femoral BMD. In addition, leptin may have a negative effect on BMD in postmenopausal women with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Association of the Polymorphisms in the PSMA6 (rs1048990) and PSMB5 (rs2230087) Genes with Type 2 Diabetes in Korean Subjects / 당뇨병

BACKGROUND: The 26S ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) is a principal proteolytic pathway of intracellular molecules regulating apoptosis, cell cycle, cell proliferation or differentiation, inflammation and etc. The recent study suggests that the rs1048990 (C/G) polymorphism of the proteasome subunit alpha type 6 (PSMA6) gene is associated with the increase of the risk of myocardial infarction by the dysregulation of IkappaB degradation. We hypothesized that 26S UPS is important in the development of insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes (T2DM) by controlling the degradation of IkappaB and insulin receptor substances as a substrate. We therefore investigated whether the rs1048990 (C/G) polymorphism of PSMA6 gene and the rs2230087 (G/A) polymorphism of proteasome subunit beta type 5 gene (PSMB5), that is chymotrypsin-like protease determining the rate of proteolysis, are associated with susceptibility to T2DM in Korean subjects. METHODS: We examined the polymorphisms of these genes in 309 diabetic subjects and 170 non-diabetic controls. The polymorphisms of rs1048990 (C/G) and rs2230087 (G/A) were genotyped by real-time PCR. RESULTS: The frequency of the G allele of rs1048990 (C/G) and the A allele of rs2230087 (G/A) polymorphisms was significantly higher in diabetic patients (28% and 13%) compared to that in controls (13% and 1%; P = 0.000 and P = 0.000, respectively). Logistic regression analysis of the rs1048990 (C/G) polymorphism showed that the odds ratio (OR) (adjusted for age, smoking, waist circumference, fasting plasma glucose, systolic blood pressure, HDL-C, triglyceride, and total cholesterol) was 3.93 (95% confidence interval [CI], 2.35-6.59; P = 0.000) for the G allele and 5.09 (95% CI, 2.71-9.57; P = 0.000) for CG and GG genotype when compared with the CC genotype. Logistic regression analysis of the rs2230087 (G/A) polymorphism showed that the adjusted OR was 5.70 (95% CI, 1.63-19.98; P = 0.007) for the A allele and 6.08 (95% CI, 1.66-22.29; P = 0.006) for GA and AA genotype when compared with the GG genotype. In multiple logistic regression analysis with T2DM as the independent Variable rs1048990 (C/G) and rs2230087 (G/A) polymorphisms were the predictor for T2DM. CONCLUSION: We suggest that the G allele of rs1048990 (C/G) polymorphism and the A allele of rs2230087 (G/A) polymorphism may be genetic risk factor to type 2 diabetes mellitus in Korean subjects.

Relationship between serum gamma-glutamyltransferase and metabolic syndrome among Korean non-diabetic adults / 한국역학회지

PURPOSE: This study was conducted to investigate the association of gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT) with metabolic syndrome among non-diabetic adults. METHODS: This study was conducted in a rural area, South Korea from August, 2003 to November, 2003. The study subjects were 1,023 sampled persons aged from 40 years and older (male 377, female 646). We analyzed the association between GGT with metabolic syndrome by multiple logistic regression analysis using SAS 9.1 version. RESULTS: The prevalence of metabolic syndrome in this study was 28.8%. The prevalence of metabolic syndrome was increased by quartiles of serum GGT level (P for trend <0.05). The prevalence of metabolic alterations fitting the criteria of the metabolic syndrome by quartiles of serum GGT level were almost significantly increased except for the criterion of low high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol with adjustment for age and alcohol intake. Among 5 components of metabolic syndrome, the criterion of high serum triglyceride was most powerfully associated with serum GGT level in both gender. CONCLUSIONS: This study shows that serum GGT level was significantly associated with metabolic syndrome even after excluding diabetic adults.

Learning Styles in Medical School / 한국의학교육

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to investigate the learning styles of students at Kyungpook National University(KNU) School of Medicine and to assess its implications on teaching-learning methods in medical school. METHODS: 571 students in all years of medical school were invited to complete a questionnaire via online. For this study, Felder's Index of Learning Styles(ILS) was used, which included 49 items. Felder's ILS measures the learner's relative preference for each of the five dichotomous learning style dimensions. RESULTS: 242(42.3%) students completed the questionnaire. More than 80% preferred sensitive information and more than 60% preferentially took in visual information. Both males and females preferred sensing and visual learning materials. On average, The students at KNU school of Medicine were reflective, sensing, visual, global and inductive. CONCLUSION: From these results, we suggested some effective methods of teaching-learning based on the students' preferences and some perspectives for future works.

Effects of Anti-thyroglobulin Antibody on the Measurement of Thyroglobulin: Differences Between Immunoradiometric Assay Kits Available / 대한핵의학회잡지

PURPOSE: Thyroglobulin (Tg) is a valuable and sensitive tool as a marker for diagnosis and follow-up for several thyroid disorders, especially, in the follow-up of patients with differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC). Often, clinical decisions rely entirely on the serum Tg concentration. But the Tg assay is one of the most challenging laboratory measurements to perform accurately owing to antithyroglobulin antibody (Anti-Tg). In this study, we have compared the degree of Anti-Tg effects on the measurement of Tg between availale Tg measuring kits. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Measurement of Tg levels for standard Tg solution was performed with two different kits commercially available (A/B kits) using immunoradiometric assay technique either with absence or presence of three different concentrations of Anti-Tg. Measurement of Tg for patient's serum was also performed with the same kits. Patient's serum samples were prepared with mixtures of a serum containing high Tg levels and a serum containg high Anti-Tg concentrations. RESULTS: In the measurements of standard Tg solution, presence of Anti-Tg resulted in falsely lower Tg level by both A and B kits. Degree of Tg underestimation by A kit was more prominent than B kit. The degree of underestimation by B kit was trivial therefore clinically insignificant, but statistically significant. Addition of Anti-Tg to patient serum resulted in falsely lower Tg levels with only A kit. CONCLUSION: Tg level could be underestimated in the presence of anti-Tg. Anti-Tg effect on Tg measurement was variable according to assay kit used. Therefore, accuracy test must be performed for individual Tg-assay kit.

Factors related to prevalence of colonic polyps in acromegalic patients / 대한내과학회지

BACKGROUND: It has been suggested that acromegalic patients are at increased risk of developing colonic neoplasia. We evaluated the prevalence of colonic neoplasia and the relationships of clinical parameters of acromegalic activity with presence of colonic neoplasia in Korean acromegalic patients. METHODS: In 30 patients with active acromegaly, colonoscopy was performed at the time of diagnosis. According to the endoscopic findings and histological classifications, the patients were grouped, and a number of clinical parameters of acromegalic activity were compared between those with and without colonic polyps. RESULTS: Colonic polyps were detected in 17 (56.7%) in the 30 acromegalic patients with colonoscopic examinations; 7 (23.3%) hyperplastic and 10 (33.3%) adenomatous polyps. Those with colonic polyps were significantly older (52.2+/-9.46 years vs. 42.2+/-12.97 years, p=0.02) and also had significantly longer disease duration (11.8+/-7.52 years vs. 5+/-2.20 years, p=0.004) than those without ones. In 21 patients who were more than 40 years old, significant differences were found in disease duration (12.7+/-7.54 years vs. 5.0+/-2.68 years, p=0.026) and serum IGF-1 level (1311.9+/-500.14 ng/mL vs. 715.9+/-330.58 ng/mL, p=0.015) between those with and without colonic polyps. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that screening colonoscopy should be recommended in acromegalic patients who are more than 40 year-old, have long disease duration or have high serum IGF-1 level.

The characteristics of non palpable thyroid nodule and relation to prediction of malignant nodule / 대한내과학회지

BACKGROUND: Thyroid nodules are commonly encountered in clinical practice and a p revalence of general population is 19~67% by ultrasonography. We made a study to investigate clinical characteristics, malignancy ratio of thyroid incidentalomas and predicting factors for diagnosis of malignancy, to provide recommendation for evaluation. METHODS: We retrospectively evaluated the medical records of 320 patients who visited Kyungpook National University Hospital from July 2001 to December 2003 with non palpable thyroid nodules. We reviewed physical examination, ultrasonographic findings, laboratory findings, histology of thyroid nodules and did statististic analysis to examine relationship to malignancy. RESULTS: 52 patients revealed papillary carcinomas and malignancy rate whin incidentalomas is 9.3%. Sonographic findings of solid structure, hypoechogenecity, punctate calcification, ill defined margin, irregular shape showed meaningful diagnostic value for malignancy. CONCLUSIONS: Combination of meaningful sonographic findings increased possibility of maliganancy and require active mangements including recurrent fine needle aspiration and surgery if needed.

Influence of Anti-thyroglobulin Antibody on the Measurement of Thyroglobulin using the Immunoradiometric Assay / 대한내분비학회지

BACKGROUND: Serum thyroglobulin(Tg) is a valuable and sensitive tool needed in the follow-up of patients with differentiated thyroid cancer(DTC), but antithyroglobulin antibody(Anti-Tg), common in patients with DTC, can interfere with the assay for Tg. In this study, we evaluated the influence of Anti-Tg on the measurement of Tg using the immunoradiometric assay(IRMA). METHODS: In using ELSA-hTg in vivo test(CIS international, Schering, France), a solid phase two-site IRMA was used to measure Tg(23.5ng/mL, 62.5ng/mL) under the absence or presence of three concentrations of Anti-Tg(25U/mL, 50U/mL, 100U/mL). We also performed Tg measurement using patients serum that was mixed with patients serum containing high Anti-Tg. ANOVA and Scheffe tests were performed to evaluate the effect of Anti-Tg on Tg IRMA, and an inverse regression was made to calculate the level of Tg from measured Tg and used Anti-Tg levels and also to assess the degree of effect of anti-Tg on Tg IRMA. RESULTS: In measuring Tg using the standard solution, the presence of Anti-Tg resulted in a falsely suppressed Tg value. The IRMAs for 23.5ng/mL of the standard Tg solution resulted in 24.5+/-.1 ng/mL under no Anti-Tg, 11.8+/-.4ng/mL under 25U/mL of Anti-Tg, 7.7+/-.1ng/mL under 50U/mL of Anti-Tg, and 4.5+/-.4ng/mL under 100U/mL of Anti-Tg. IRMAs 62.5ng/mL of the standard Tg solution resulted in 65.9+/-.7ng/mL under no Anti-Tg, 36.3+/-.2ng/mL under 25U/mL of Anti-Tg, 23.7+/-.7ng/mL under 50U/mL of Anti-Tg, and 14.0+/-.0ng/mL under 100U/mL of Anti-Tg. (ANOVA test, p=0.000). The degree of suppression of the measured Tg value was positively correlated with the Anti-Tg level (Quadratic model regression, Sig T=0.000). The presence of Anti-Tg also resulted in a falsely suppressed Tg value for the Tg measurement using patient's serum. CONCLUSION: The presence of Anti-Tg could consist of the use of Tg as a tumor, therefore Anti-Tg should be measured in all patients diagnosed with DTC. The interpretation of the Tg level must be performed with extreme caution in patients with Anti-Tg.

A case of metastatic malignant pheochromocytoma response to high dose 131I-MIBG treatment after surgery / 대한내과학회지

Approximately 10% of pheochromocytomas are malignant and its major criteria are tumor invasion of capsular blood vessel as well as metastatic invasion of other tissues. It is general rule that all resectable masses have to be removed surgically. However, there is no definite treatment modality about unresectable masses or microinvasive lesions. We experienced a case of 45 year-old male patient who was referred to our hospital for treatment of hypertension and headache. The plasma and urine catecholamine were increased above normal values and its metabolites also were increased. 131I-metaiodobenzylguanidine (MIBG) scan showed right adrenal mass and metastatic lesion of left iliac bone. This lesion was consistent with findings of the abdomen computed tomography (CT) and electron beam tomography (EBT) scan. We diagnosed this case as malignant pheochromocytoma. We removed primary tumor mass by wide excision and treated this patient with high dose 131I-MIBG. We report this case who shows good response to the high dose 131I-MIBG after surgery.

A Case of Acute Adrenal Insufficiency with Bilateral Adrenal Hemorrhagic Infarction due to Ebstein-Barr Virus Infection in a Patient with Asymptomatic Chronic Adrenal Insufficiency / 대한내분비학회지

Acute adrenal insufficiency may result from adrenal crisis, hemorrhagic destruction, or the rapid withdrawal of steroids from patient with chronic steroid medication, congenital adrenal hyperplasia or those on other drugs. Acute hemorrhagic destruction of both adrenal glands can occur due to infection, trauma, anticoagulant therapy, antiphospholipid syndrome or a coagulation disorder. However, there have been no reports on acute hemorrhagic adrenal insufficiency due to the Ebstein-Barr virus (EBV). Herein, a case of acute adrenal insufficiency, with bilateral adrenal hemorrhagic infarction, is reported in a patient with asymptomatic chronic adrenal insufficiency. A 42-year-old man presented with general weakness, weight loss and hyperpigmentation of several months duration. He suffered from a sore throat, general myalgia and a headache on admission. The laboratory findings were lymphocytosis, positive EBV IgM antibody, low cortisol level and a high level of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH). Adrenocortical autoantibody and PCR for Mycobacterium tuberculosis showed negative findings. The serologic findings for CMV and HIV were negative. Fine needle aspiration of the adrenal gland revealed a hemorrhagic infarction and positive staining for the anti-EBV antibody. Acute adrenal insufficiency was then diagnosed with a bilateral adrenal hemorrhagic infarction due to the EBV infection in the patient, also with asymptomatic chronic adrenal insufficiency. This is the first case of acute adrenal insufficiency with bilateral hemorrhagic infarction, due to an EBV infection

Serial Changes of Serum Thyroid-Stimulating Hormone after Total Thyroidectomy or Withdrawal of Suppressive Thyroxine Therapy in Patients with Differentiated Thyroid Cancer / 대한핵의학회잡지

BACKGROUND: Radioactive iodine (RAI) therapy and whole-body scanning are the fundamentals of treatment and follow-up of patients with differentiated thyroid cancer. It is generally accepted that a Thyroid-Stimulating Hormone (TSH) level of at least 30 micro U/ml is a prerequisite for the effective use of RAI, and that it requires 4-6 weeks of off-thyroxine to attain these levels. Because thyroxine withdrawal and the consequent hypothyroidism are often poorly tolerated, and occasionally might be hazardous, it is important to be certain that these assumptions are correct. We have measured serial changes in serum TSH after total thyroidectomy or withdrawl of thyroxine in patients with thyroid cancer. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Serum TSH levels were measured weekly after thyroidectomy in 10 patients (group A) and after the discontinuation of thyroxine in 12 patients (group B). Symptoms and signs of hypothyroidism were also evaluated weekly by modified Billewicz diagnostic index. RESULTS: By the second week, 78% of group A patients and 17% of group B patients had serum TSH levels > or= 30 micro U/ml. By the third week, 89% of group A patients and 90% of group B patients had serum TSH levels > or= 30 micro U/ml. By the fourth week, all patients in two groups achieved target TSH levels and there were no overt hypothyroidism. CONCLUSION: In all patients, serum TSH elevated to the target concentration (> or=30 micro U/ml) within 4 weeks without significant manifestation of hypothyroidism. The schedule of RAI administration could be adjusted to fit the needs and circumstances of individual patients with a shorter preparation period than the conventional.

Association of Polymorphism in beta3-Adrenergic Receptor Gene with Fat Distribution / 대한내분비학회지

BACKGROUND: Reasons for obesity include environmental factors and, more largely so, genetic factors. There have been many studies on these genetic factors. So far, genes related to obesity such as Leptin, Uncoupling Protein(UCP), Peroxisome proliferator activated receptor-gamma(PPAR-gamma), and Beta3-adrener-gic receptor(beta3-AR) gene have been discovered. Among these, beta3-AR is expressed in visceral adipose tissue and is thought to contribute to the regulation of resting metabolic rate and lipolysis. The missense mutation of beta3-AR gene, resulting in replacement of tryptophan by arginine at position 64(Trp64Arg), is associated with decreased resting metabolic rate and weightgain. We performed this study to determine if Trp64Arg polymorphism of beta3-AR gene is associatedwith obesity in Koreans. METHOD: We investigated the relationship between the beta3-AR gene mutation and body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, hip circumference, waist to hip ratio(WHR), area of subcutaneous fat, area of visceral fat, visceral to subcutaneous fat ratio(VSR), and lipid profile. 198 subjects were included in this study of which 97 were of normal weight and 101 were obese. Anthropometric data was obtained from physical examination and medical records. RESULT: In the cases of beta3-AR gene mutation of the obese group, the ratio of Trp/Arg and Arg/Arg are 43% and 5%, respectively, which were higher than the normal group(36%, 1%), although a statistical significant was not found. There was significant difference in the are of subcutaneous fat. Normal group(Trp/Trp) measured at 213.9+/-109.6cm2 versus 244.0+/-127.7cm2 (Trp/Arg) and 323.9+/-189.9cm2(Arg/Arg) for the mutation groups. Circumference of waist, circumference of hip, WHR, area of visceral fat, and VSR were higher in the mutation groups than in normal subject, but not significantly different. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that a genetic mutation in the beta3-AR gene can affect body fat composition, and is associated with obesity in Korean adults.

The Achievement of Medical Students Admitted after Baccalaureate Level / 한국의학교육

PURPOSE: Kyungpook National University School of Medicine initiated a pilot project to admit small number of qualified students who received BS degree or above in the field of sciences in 1996. This study was conducted to evaluate effectiveness of the pilot project. METHODS: Students' academic grades, outcome of their opinion surveys on adaptability to the school life, difficulties and problems from the classes of 1996 to 2001 were analyzed. RESULTS: A total of 57 students were admitted to this program over the past 7-year period, 54.8% of them from natural science major and 36.8% from engineering. Students admitted with BS degree were performing above average in the class by % rank. There was no significant difference in academic performance between the natural science and the engineering major. Of 20 graduated, only one took career in basic medical science (physiology). The students thought undergraduate education was helpful in maturing personal characters than in knowledge or skill attainment. CONCLUSION: The achievement of medical students admitted after baccalaureate level was comparable to that of students with two years of premedical education.

A Case of Functioning Paraganglioma in Posterior Mediastinum / 대한내분비학회지

Paraganglioma is an extraadrenal pheochromocytoma originating from chromaffin cells distributed in the sympathetic nervous systems. Functioning extraadrenal paragangliomas represent more than 10% of all pheochromocytomas, and seems to be highly malignant tumor in comparison to intraadrenal pheochromocytomas. Recently, we experienced a case of a paraganglioma in the posterior mediastinum. A 32-year-old woman was admitted to hospital due to dyspnea on exertion, and intractable hypertension. A chest X-ray showed a well-defined mass density on the right cardiac border, and biochemical studies showed characteristic findings of pheochromocytoma. A solitary pheochromocytoma was located in the posterior mediastinum using 131I-MIBG scintigraphy. The clinical manifestations, including hypertension and dyspnea were improved after operation.

A Case of Calciphylaxis Mimicking Dermatomyositis / 대한내분비학회지

Calciphylaxis is a rare, but fatal, condition that is characterized by a rapidly progressive ischemic necrosis of the skin, underlying tissue and other organs, as well as rapid vascular calcification. It results in death due to sepsis, heart or respiratory failure. A 67-year old female was admitted to hospital with the chief complaint of constant pain to both lower legs of 1 week duration. She was treated with calcitonin-salmon due to a prior unexplained hypercalcemia of 2 weeks. On the third day post admission. pain and weakness in the lower legs were aggravated, became painful, with violaceous skin lesions developing on the thigh with findings similar to those of rhabdomyolysis. Because she was suspected of having dermatomyositis, she was treated with methylpredrisolone. However, the skin lesions and symptoms were aggravated, and she died of sepsis due to a skin infection. About 160 cases of calciphylaxis have been reported, with most of these cases being associated with secondary hyperparathyroidism due to end-stage renal disease, but cases of calciphylaxis without renal failure are very rare. We now report a case of calciphylaxis without renal failure, mimicking dermatomyositis, and present a brief review of the pathophysiology and treatments of calciphylaxis inform the relevant literature.