Aortic Elasticity was not Related with Duration, Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index / 대한류마티스학회지

OBJECTIVE: Cardiac manifestations are well recognized complication of ankylosing spondylitis (AS). They include aortic incompetence, conduction defects, mitral valve disease, pericarditis and cardiomyopathy. There was one study to evaluate the change of aortic elasticity in AS patient and the association between the aortic strain and duration of AS, Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index (BASDAI). We designed this study to determine whether aortic elasticity changes in Korean AS patients and is associated with the duration of AS or BASDAI. METHODS: 18 AS patients without cardiovascular involvement and 18 sex and age- matched healthy subjects were enrolled in the study. Aortic strain and distensibility was calculated from aortic diameters measured by echocardiography and blood pressure measured by sphygmomanometry. RESULTS: The mean aortic strain and mean aortic distensibility in AS group indicated that there was not any correlation with those of control group, based on the statistical analysis. Moreover, there was no statistical correlation between the means of aortic strain, aortic distensibility and the duration or BASDAI of AS. CONCLUSION: In patients with AS without cardiac involvement, the aortic elasticity was not decreased than that of control group, and aortic strain and distensibility were not correlated with the duration or BASDAI of AS.

Comparison of anti-oxidant activities of seventy herbs that have been used in Korean traditional medicine

Many herbs have been used as therapeutics in Korean traditional medicine. In view of their clinical indications, anti-oxidant activity may contribute to their pharmacological effects. However, anti-oxidant information on these plants has not been available. In this study, seventy herbs which have been used in Korean traditional medicine were selected and screened for anti-oxidant activity using their water extracts. The anti-oxidant activity was assessed by their ability to inhibit three oxidation reactions; luminol/Fenton reagent, 2, 7-dichlorodihydrofluorescein (DCHF)/Fenton reagent and DCHF/peroxynitrite. In each assay, 70 herbs were divided into two groups; anti-oxidant group which inhibited the respective oxidation reaction and was majority (about 60 herbs), and pro-oxidant group which enhanced the oxidation reaction but was minority (more or less 10 herbs). When the herbs were listed in the order of their anti-oxidant strength, the orders obtained from each assay were found to be quite similar. The upper top rankers (more or less 10 herbs) in each assay showed strong activity compared to the others. The uppermost rankers in each assay were Rubus coreanus Miquel/ Rubus schizostylus, Schisandra chinensis Baillon/ Schizandra chinensis and Terminalia chebula Retzius/ Terminalia chebula. Of the pro-oxidant herbs, about 4-5 herbs were strongly pro-oxidant, which enhanced the control oxidation reactions to 150-300%. But the meaning of this observation is not known since few of them in one assay were also anti-oxidant in other assays. The results obtained in the present study may serve as information for understanding pharmacological effects of these herbs and developing new drugs from them.

Severe Oropharyngeal Angioedema Caused by Propofol: A case report / 대한마취과학회지

Although propofol is thought to be a relatively safe intravenous anesthetic with regard to histamine release reactions, anaphylactoid reactions to propofol may sometimes occur, especially in patients with a history of allergy, atopy, or asthma. Here we report a patient with allergies to sesame leaves and cold medications who experienced an anaphylactic reaction with severe oropharyngeal edema a few minutes after receiving propofol (Anepol(R)). This finding suggests that propofol should be used with caution in patients with a history of allergy. Because profound airway edema can occur, the airway should be evaluated before extubation of the trachea.