Thirty-day Clinical Outcomes of Carotid Artery Stenting Patients with Symptomatic and Asymptomatic Carotid Artery Stenosis: Clinical Research / 대한뇌혈관외과학회지

OBJECTIVE: Recently, carotid artery stenting (CAS) has become as the first choice of treatment for carotid artery stenosis. Although there are many differences in the outcomes of patients receiving stents among many different study groups, some reports suggest that stenting can be performed with periprocedural complication rates similar to those of a carotid endarterectomy (CEA). In this study, we investigated 39 cases of CAS. METHODS: From May 2003 to March 2007, 39 patients undergoing CAS were reviewed. We analyzed the 30-day morbidity/mortality rate. A minor stroke was defined as a new neurological deficit that either resolved completely within 30 days or increased the NIH Stroke Scale by or =4. RESULTS: Among 39 patients, a minor stroke was noted in three patients (7.7%), and there were no major strokes and deaths. The overall 30-day stroke and death rate was 7.7% (n = 3). CONCLUSION: With the evolution and maturation of equipment and technique, carotid angioplasty and stenting (CAS) is increasingly being used for the treatment of carotid artery disease.

The Diagnostic Value of 99mTc DMSA Renal Scan SPECT Images in Addition to Planar Image in Children with Urinary Tract Infection

PURPOSE : 99mTc DMSA renal scan have been widely used not only for the evaluation of renal scars but also for the diagnosis of acute pyelonephritis. Recent studies have shown SPECT images have higher accuracy than the planar images with some controversy. We evaluated the availability of the SPECT images adding to planar images for the diagnosis of acute pyelonephritis(APN) and renal scar in children with urinary tract infection (UTI). METHODS : 130 children with UTI (260 kidney units) and 22 follow-up children (44 kidney units) were included between January 1, 1997 and July 31, 1999 at Ewha University Mokdong Hospital. Planar Anterior and posterior images and SPECT axial and coronal images of 99mTc DMSA renal scan were obtained with Starcam 4000-i U.S.A. GE at 3 hours after 99mTc DMSA I.V. injection. The data were analyzed by Chi square test after Yates's correction. RESULTS : The detection rate of the acute pyelonephritis by SPECT images was 12.3% higher than that of planar images (47.7% vs 35.4%) by the patient and 6.9% higher also (31.9% vs 25.4%) by the kidney unit. 18 kidney units with negative planar images had focal defect in 10 kidney units (3.8%) and multifocal defect in 8 kidney units (3.1%) on SPECT images, but 1 kidney unit with positive planar image had negative SPECT image. SPECT images were superior to the planar images in 17.3%, identical in 82.3% and inferior in 0.4% to planar image. The detection rate of the renal scars by SPECT images was 13.7% higher than planar images by the patient (68.2% vs 54.5%) and 6.8% higher also (43.2% vs 36.4%) by the kidney unit. SPECT images were superior to the planar images in 17.3% and identical in 82.3% to planar image. CONCLUSION : SPECT images had shown higher detection rate and better image than planar images for the diagnosis of the acute pyelonephritis and the evaluation of the renal scars.

Pulmonary Function Test by Pneumotachography after Brochodilator Treatment in Asthmatic Bronchitis / 소아알레르기및호흡기학회지

PURPOSE: This study was preformed to demonstrate the improvement of respiratory symptoms and pulmonary function parameters after albuterol inhalation in asthmatic bronchitis using pneumotachography. METHODS: Fifteen asthmatic bronchitis patients admitted to Ewha Womans University Hospital from September in 1998 to July in 1999 were enrolled in this study. Clinical symptoms and pulmonary function parameters including respiratory rate, heart rate, inspiratory tidal volume(Vi), expiratory tidal volume(Ve), peak tidal expiratory flow(PTEF), tidal expiratory flow at 25% of tidal volume(TEF25), mid-expiratory flow(MEF) and mid-inspiratory flow(MIF), compliance, and pulmonary resistance were evaluated by clinical symptom score and pneumotachography before and after albuterol inhalation treatment. RESULTS: The clinical score was decreased significantly after treatment, but heart rate did not show a significant difference. By flow-volume curve, Ve were 7.39+/-2.11 mL/kg, 9.39+/-3.20 mL/kg, and Vi were 7.44+/-2.08 mL/kg, 9.46+/-3.26 mL/kg, and PTEF were 130.1+/-82.1 mL/kg, 123.1+/-64.8 mL/kg before and after treatment, respectively. All the pulmonary function parameters showed no significant differences before and after treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Clinical symptoms were improved after albuterol inhalation treatment in asthmatic bronchitis, but pulmonary function was not recovered after a short-term treatment.