ABSTRACT
This study aimed to identify factors that affect the size of benign thyroid nodules and to predict nodule size by using a newly developed model. Because most thyroid nodules are benign, they are commonly only monitored. Only a few studies have evaluated the natural progression or regression of benign thyroid nodules. Large-scale studies on the subject are nonexistent. Between January 2001 and December 2011, our study subjects were selected from among 1,564 patients with benign thyroid nodules (2,469 nodules) in a retrospective analysis. We measured nodule size and volume and attempted to predict nodule size by using a newly developed model. Nodules were considered to have increased in size if the total volume increased by >15%. Nodules that increased in size over time required a longer follow-up period than nodules that decreased in size. The proportion of females and the cystic proportion of the nodules were relatively high in our study sample. For thyroid nodules that increased in size, we analyzed potential predictive factors. Larger nodule volume, extended follow-up period, and high cystic proportion were positively associated with increased nodule size. According to the model we developed in our study, the nodules in the group with an increase in size grew at an approximate rate of 0.034 cm3 per year when controlled for other factors. Percutaneous ethanol injection or radiofrequency ablation is performed for cosmetic purposes and proper functioning if or when nodules reach a certain size. The model used in our study may offer helpful insight in determining an optimal treatment schedule for benign thyroid nodules.
Subject(s)
Female , Humans , Ablation Techniques , Appointments and Schedules , Catheter Ablation , Ethanol , Follow-Up Studies , Retrospective Studies , Thyroid Gland , Thyroid NoduleABSTRACT
This study aimed to identify factors that affect the size of benign thyroid nodules and to predict nodule size by using a newly developed model. Because most thyroid nodules are benign, they are commonly only monitored. Only a few studies have evaluated the natural progression or regression of benign thyroid nodules. Large-scale studies on the subject are nonexistent. Between January 2001 and December 2011, our study subjects were selected from among 1,564 patients with benign thyroid nodules (2,469 nodules) in a retrospective analysis. We measured nodule size and volume and attempted to predict nodule size by using a newly developed model. Nodules were considered to have increased in size if the total volume increased by >15%. Nodules that increased in size over time required a longer follow-up period than nodules that decreased in size. The proportion of females and the cystic proportion of the nodules were relatively high in our study sample. For thyroid nodules that increased in size, we analyzed potential predictive factors. Larger nodule volume, extended follow-up period, and high cystic proportion were positively associated with increased nodule size. According to the model we developed in our study, the nodules in the group with an increase in size grew at an approximate rate of 0.034 cm3 per year when controlled for other factors. Percutaneous ethanol injection or radiofrequency ablation is performed for cosmetic purposes and proper functioning if or when nodules reach a certain size. The model used in our study may offer helpful insight in determining an optimal treatment schedule for benign thyroid nodules.
Subject(s)
Female , Humans , Ablation Techniques , Appointments and Schedules , Catheter Ablation , Ethanol , Follow-Up Studies , Retrospective Studies , Thyroid Gland , Thyroid NoduleABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: The serum des-gamma-carboxy prothrombin (PIVKA-II) is a tumor marker complementary to alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) for diagnosing primary hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). A combination assay of the tumor markers was found to be useful for early diagnosis of HCC. So we investigated the clinical relevance of the measurement of serum PIVKA-II and AFP levels in patients with HCC. METHODS: The serum PIVKA-II levels were measured in 64 cases of HCC, 16 cases of cirrhosis, 32 cases of chronic hepatitis, and 23 healthy controls with a revised PIVKA-II ELISA Kit (Eisai, Tokyo, Japan), with the simultaneous determination of the serum AFP value using the AFP immunoassay kit (Elecsys, Roche, Germany). RESULTS: The positive rates of PIVKA-II and the AFP value in HCC were 53.1% and 68.8%, respectively, and were significantly higher than 17.6% and 29.4% in liver cirrhosis, and 3.1% and 0% in chronic hepatitis. No signficant correlation between the two tumor markers was found. The correlation between PIVKA-II levels and the size of tumor in HCC was found. No relation of the clinical characteristics to positive rates of PIVKA-II and AFP was found. The sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of PIVKA-II were 53.1%, 94.4% and 73.8%, and those of AFP were 68.8%, 93.1% and 80.9%, respectively. The sensitivity and accuracy in the combination assay for detection of HCC were higher than those in each assay, especially in HCC with the diameter of the tumor mass at less than 3 cm. CONCLUSIONS: It was demonstrated that the combination assay of PIVKA-II and AFP could increase the diagnostic value for HCC and could be useful in early diagnosis of HCC.
Subject(s)
Humans , alpha-Fetoproteins , Carcinoma, Hepatocellular , Early Diagnosis , Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay , Fibrosis , Hepatitis, Chronic , Immunoassay , Liver Cirrhosis , Prothrombin , Sensitivity and Specificity , Biomarkers, TumorABSTRACT
The cytokine patterns secreted by T cells at the site of viral replication may influence the final outcome of HBV and HCV infection. The different cytokine profiles of T cells within the liver in chronic HBV (Th0/Th2 cytokine) and HCV (Th1 cytokine) infections illustrate a different behavior of the local immune response in these two infections. The predominance of Th1-type cytokine responses has been reported to play an important role in viral clearance of patients with both acute and chronic hepatitis B. In contrast, a combined Th1-and Th2-like responses were found in chronic hepatitis C, exhibiting a pattern like that of acute hepatitis C with chronic evolution. It suggests that different patterns of cytokine expressions between HBV and HCV infection involve the difference in chronicity in each infection.
Subject(s)
Humans , Cytokines , Hepacivirus , Hepatitis B virus , Hepatitis B, Chronic , Hepatitis C , Hepatitis C, Chronic , Hepatitis, Chronic , Liver , T-LymphocytesABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Reticulated platelets (RP) are young platelets with a high mRNA that are newly produced from the bone marrow. Thiazole orange (TO) has been a RNA staining fluorescent dye for reticulocyte, and used for RP recently. The increased percentage of RP (RP%) reflects immaturity and hematopoietic activity of platelets, therefore it may be useful for the diagnosis of idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP). METHODS: To assess the usefulness of RP in diagnosing ITP, we compared with RP%s of 50 ITP patients, 35 thrombocytopenic patients due to impaired production and 87 heathly normal controls. Platelets were stained with TO dye, followed by flowcytometric analysis. Platelet associated IgG (PAIgG) was also measured with the same samples. The standard gate was used as a reference with the unstained sample from a normal subject and the RP% was expressed as the percentage of TO positive cells of platelets. RESULTS: The RP% of patients with ITP was significantly higher than those of thrombocytopenia due to impaired platelet production and healthy controls (24.4+/-14.3% vs 8.6+/-5.2% and 8.0+/-5.1%, respectively). There was negative correlation between the platelet count and RP%, and positive correlation between MPV and RP%. In diagnosing for ITP, the sensistivity and specificity of RP% were 81% and 92%, respectively, and more valuable than those of PAIgG test. Using RP% and PAIgG at the same time, the diagnostic efficiency for ITP was not improved. The RP% of an ITP patient was changed to correspond with the disease progression, and that of an AML patient following chemotherapy was increased to precede the rising of the platelet count. CONCLUSION: It suggest that the measurement of reticulated platelets is a very useful test for diagnosis of ITP, furthermore it can be used to estimate the thrombopoietic activity before bone marrow examination.
Subject(s)
Humans , Blood Platelets , Bone Marrow , Bone Marrow Examination , Citrus sinensis , Diagnosis , Disease Progression , Drug Therapy , Flow Cytometry , Immunoglobulin G , Platelet Count , Purpura, Thrombocytopenic, Idiopathic , Reticulocytes , RNA , RNA, Messenger , Sensitivity and Specificity , ThrombocytopeniaABSTRACT
The antiphospholipid antibody syndrome is cha- racterized by antibodies directed against either phos-pholipids or plasma proteins bound to anionic phos- pholipids. These antibodies have been characterized by lupus anticoagulants and anticardiolipin antibodies. Patients with the antiphospholipid antibody syndrome may display a constellation of clinical features including venous and arterial thrombosis, recurrent fetal losses, and thrombocytopenia. Although the majority of patients reported have a thrombotic microangiopathy, some have also seen membranous nephopathy as well as IgA nephropathy in a patient with anti-phospholipid antibody syndrome accompanying glo-merulonephritis. Authors experienced a 37-year-old male patient who presented with generalized edema at the moment of follow-up for primary antiphos-pholipid syndrome accampanying systemic thrombotic events. Anticardiolipin antibody-IgM positivity was detected by seroligic test but no evidence for systemic lupus erythematosus was found. Kidney biopsy showed mesangial IgA deposition without th throm-botic microangiopathy of gomerular capillaries and was diagnosed finally as primary antiphospholipid syndrome with IgA nephropathy. Patient's symptom was relieved with steroids and anti platelete agents and now he is being follow-up to out patient department. This case suggests some possibility that anticardiolipin antibody may induce the IgA nephropathy. Therefore clinician should have concern about the relationship between antiphospholipid antibody and immune mediate glomerulonephritis.
Subject(s)
Adult , Humans , Male , Antibodies , Antibodies, Anticardiolipin , Antibodies, Antiphospholipid , Anticoagulants , Antiphospholipid Syndrome , Biopsy , Blood Platelets , Blood Proteins , Capillaries , Edema , Follow-Up Studies , Glomerulonephritis , Glomerulonephritis, IGA , Immunoglobulin A , Kidney , Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic , Steroids , Thrombocytopenia , Thrombosis , Thrombotic MicroangiopathiesABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: It was recently reported that the administration of T4 during antithyroid drug(ATD) therapy resulted in a significant decrease of antibodies to TSH receptors as well as the rate of recurrence of active Graves' disease following discontinuance of ATD treatment. But, there is still controversy whether combination therapy is efficient. Therefore, the present study was undertaken to evaluate the effect of T4 administration of patient with Graves' disease who were being treated with ATD. METHODS: We studied 56 patients received methimazole(MMI) alone(Group 1) and 48 patients received methimazole plus T4(Group 2), They are diagnosed active Graves' disease at department of internal medicine, Kwang ju Christian Hospital from January, 1994 to December, 1995. All the patients were treated initially with 30mg of methimazole daily for one month after then, in the Group 1(methimazole alone), the dose of methimazole was adjusted as necessary to achieve normal serum concentrations of T3, T4, and TSH. The patients of Group 2(methimazole plus T4) continue to receive the combination of T4 at a dose of 100 microgram daily. Simultaneously, we estimated the serum concentration of T3, T4, TSH and Thyroid-stimulating immunoglobulin(TSI) antibody at every three months. RESULTS: We obtained the following result. In the group 1, mean TSI values were 50.1%(first visit), 30.6%(6months), and 24.7%(1year). And, in the group 2 mean TSI values were 51.8%(first visit), 33.6%(6months), and 22.7% (1year). After 6 months of discontinuing of therapy, the recurrence rate was no significant difference in the two groups (the recurrence rate were 55.4%, 50.0%, respectively P>0.05). CONCLUSION: These results suggest that T4 administration in combination with MMI therapy have no significant effect in a decrease in levels of TSH receptors antibodies and recurrence rate within 6 months discontinuing MMI therapy as compared with MMI treatment alone.
Subject(s)
Humans , Antibodies , Graves Disease , Internal Medicine , Methimazole , Receptors, Thyrotropin , Recurrence , ThyroxineABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: The geographical prevalence of the genotypes of hepatitis C virus (HCV) is variable, with which the response to therapy is associated. The HCV genotypes based on PCR and serological genotypes (serotypes) are known to be highly correlated with each other. In spite of the ease of the test, there was no reported data of HCV serotypes in Korean. So, the serotypes in Korean was evaluated for the construction of the basic data. METHODS: The HCV serotypes were tested by Murex HCV serotyping 1-6 Assay kit in persons with normal or high ALT. At the same time, anti-HCV and HCV RNA were detected. RESULTS: Positive rates of anti-HCV were 6.0% in persons with high ALT, with increasing tendency in aging process, which were higher than 1.4% in normal persons. HCV RNA was positive in 49% of persons with anti-HCV positive. The serotypes were detectable in 92.4% of persons with HCV RNA positive, of which type 1 and 2 were 51.6% and 40.8%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Serotype 1 and 2 were the major type in Korean, which data would be useful for the further study on the correlation of the serotypes with the genotypes and the relationship of the serotypes and the responses to therapy.
Subject(s)
Humans , Aging , Genotype , Hepacivirus , Hepatitis C , Hepatitis , Korea , Polymerase Chain Reaction , Prevalence , RNA , SerotypingABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Single egg-based Ogawa medium is used for mycobacterial culture in nearly all tertiary care or medical school-affiliated hospital in Korea. However, it is expected that some mycobacteria would grow so lately or never in only one media, even if mycobacteria are present sufficiently in the specimen. To estimate the efficiency of inoculation to two or more egg-based media for isolation of mycobacteria, positive culture rates and detection time were compared among three media. METHODS: 193 clinical specimens, which referred to laboratory of Pusan National University Hospital for 2 months, including 123 specimens of patients with mycobacteriosis, were processed and inoculated to Eiken, VITE and KT media. The isolates were identified and classified to Mycobacterium tuberculosis and non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) by AccuProbe method. The positive culture results were analyzed by McNemar test and t-test. RESULTS: M. tuberculosis and NTM were isolated in 65 (34.0%) and 14 (7.4%) specimens, resulting in positive culture rates of 41.4%. Of the 123 patients' specimens, 63 cases were positive in culture of VITE media, which were significantly higher than 50 cases of Eiken and 45 cases of KT media. In 43 positive-stained specimens, twelve to twenty samples (29.3-48.8%) failed to grow in at least one media. The colonies were visible at 24.9 to 30.7 days after inoculation, and VITE and KT media detected visible colonies 4.5 and 2.5 days more rapidly than Eiken media, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Inoculation to two or more egg-based media is useful for increasing culture positivity and early detection of colonies for mycobacterial culture.
Subject(s)
Humans , Korea , Mycobacterium tuberculosis , Tertiary Healthcare , TuberculosisABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Topoisomerase II (topo II) is a major target of anthracyclines and epipodophyllotoxins for anticancer treatment. The expression of topo II is low in drug resistant cell lines. High levels of glutathione S-transferase (GST)pi have been associated with emergence of cell lines resistant to alkylating agents or adriamycin. METHODS: By immunostaining with paraffin embedded bone marrow tissues, the expression of topo II alpha and GSTpi was investigated in 51 patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML), and the relation of topo II alpha and GSTpi expression to treatment response in 29 patients with AML following induction chemotherapy was also evaluated. RESULTS: Topo II positive cells varied from less than 1% to 60% of leukemic cells and 20 (39.2%) were negative for topo II (positive cells<10%). Treatment response following chemotherapy was not related to topo II. 26 (51.0%) were positive for GSTpi. GSTpi expression was related to treatment resistance of the patients following chemotherapy. In the patients who showed both topo II alpha negative and GSTpi positive, the frequency of treatment resistance following chemotherapy was high. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that immunostaining of topo II alpha and GSTpi with the bone marrow paraffin sections of AML patients can be useful to predict the treatment response following chemotherapy and that further study including more patients with prospective study may substantiate topo II alpha and GSTpi as multidrug resistant markers.
Subject(s)
Humans , Alkylating Agents , Anthracyclines , Bone Marrow , Cell Line , DNA Topoisomerases, Type II , Doxorubicin , Drug Resistance, Multiple , Drug Therapy , Glutathione S-Transferase pi , Glutathione Transferase , Glutathione , Immunohistochemistry , Induction Chemotherapy , Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute , Paraffin , PodophyllotoxinABSTRACT
Insulin autoimmune syndrome (IAS) includes fasting or reactive hypoglycemia, hyperinsulinemia and the presence of insulin-binding antibodies in patients who have never been exposed to exogenous insulin. This report concems a 29-year-old male patient with Graves disease who had history of having taken methimazole for two months, without any consequence, 6 months previously. However, when methimazole was administered again for three weeks, the patient suffered hypoglycemia during the next fourth week. He denied history of diabetes mellitus (DM), of taking any oral hypoglycemic agent or of having received insulin injection. Laboratory data showed total serum insulin level > 300 pu/mL, C-peptide reactivity (CPR) 8.0ng/mL and insulin antibody 89%. After stopping methimazole, he was treated with radioiodine (131I). There was no episode of hypoglycemic attack during 8 months of follow-up.
Subject(s)
Adult , Humans , Male , Antibodies , C-Peptide , Diabetes Mellitus , Fasting , Follow-Up Studies , Graves Disease , Hyperinsulinism , Hypoglycemia , Insulin , MethimazoleABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Soluble IL-2R, soluble CD8 and TNF-alpha are elevated in sera of some patients with hematological malignancies, and a marked elevation of these cytokines could be used to assess disease activity and prognosis in this malignancy group. METHODS: The serum levels of sIL-2R, sCD8 and TNF-alpha were assessed in 28 patients with myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) and 32 patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML), and 39 cases of healthy control subjects to define clinical usefulness as prognostic markers by sandwich enzyme immunoassay. RESULTS: In MDS patients, serum sIL-2R levels were significantly higher as compared with controls, and a more pronounced increase of serum sIL-2R levels was found in patients with RAEB RAEB-t and CMML as compared with RA and RARS. Serum sCD8 levels were higher as compared with controls, but not related with FAB classification. In patients with leukemic conversion. sCD8 levels tended to be higher as compared with patients with non-conversion. The sIL-2R levels of AML patients were significantly higher than controls, and a significant correlation was detected between the levels of sIL-2R and WBC counts. Higher sIL-2R levels( >2000 U/ml) tended to affect both complete remission rate and survival. Serum sCD8 levels were higher than controls, but not related to FAB classification. No differences of serum TNF-alpha levels were detected as compared with healthy controls. CONCLUSIONS: From these results, this study indicates that serum sIL-2R and sCD8 are significantly increased in some patients with MDS and AML, and increased levels of serum sIL-2R and sCD8 may be useful for predicting prognosis of these patients.
Subject(s)
Humans , Anemia, Refractory, with Excess of Blasts , Classification , Cytokines , Hematologic Neoplasms , Immunoenzyme Techniques , Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute , Myelodysplastic Syndromes , Prognosis , Tumor Necrosis Factor-alphaABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Non-Hodgkin lymphomas have morphologic and biologic variabilities and are classified by a variety of classification schemes. The authors studied the value of DNA content, S-phase fraction, and nuclear areas as a diagnostic discriminant in classification and predicting the clinical outcome of non-Hodgkin lymphoma. METHODS: Thirty cases of non-Hodgkin lymphoma and 13 cases of reactive lymph node specimens embedded in paraffin were used. DNA analysis was done by flow cytometric method using propidium iodide staining. Nuclear areas of lymphoma cells were measured by image analyzer. The results of DNA content, S-phase fraction, nuclear areas were statistically analyzed between groups of lymphoma classified according to the Rappaport classification and Working formulation. RESULTS: Aneuploidy patterns were identified in two cases (6.7%) of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (diffuse poorly differentiated lymphocytic and well differentiated lymphocytic). S-phase fraction and nuclear areas were high in lymphoblastic, diffuse poorly differentiated, diffuse lymphocytic undifferentiated, and diffuse mixed types (unfavorable prognostic group), and which had statistical significance against the low values of diffuse lymphocytic well differentiated type (favorable prognostic group). The S-phase fraction and nuclear area had significant correlation, so they could represent correlation between high proliferative activity and large nuclear area. High, intermediate, and low grades groups classified by Working formulation revealed statistically significant differences of S-phase fraction and nuclear areas between each group. CONCLUSION: The S-phase fraction and nuclear area measurement could be good diagnostic and prognostic factors in classification and clinical management of non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
Subject(s)
Aneuploidy , Classification , DNA , Lymph Nodes , Lymphoma , Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin , Paraffin , Prognosis , PropidiumABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: The changes of serum TNF-alpha, sTNFR, sIL-2R and sICAM-1 levels have been recently reported in some cancer patients but the clinical significance of these cytokines is not clearly established. To define the changes and clinical significance of these cytokines in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), serum levels of TNF- alpha, sTNFR, sIL-2R and sICAM-1 were measured. METHODS: The serum levels of TNF-alpha, sTNFR, sIL-2R and sICAM-1 were measured before and after transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) by enzyme immunoassay in 20 patients with HCC and 10 adult healthy subjects as controls. These patients were divided into two groups, no response (NR, 14 cases) and partial response (PR, 6 cases) on the basis of changes of tumor size, new growth foci on the ultrasonographic or CT findings, and serum levels of alpha-fetoprotein. RESULTS: Serum levels of TNF-alpha, sTNFR, sIft-2R and sICAM-1 were significantly higher in all patients with HCC than in those of adult healthy controls (p<0.01). Serum levels of TNF-alpha after TACE tended in to be higher in comparison with those before TACE in the NR group (p<0.1), but those were not significantly different between before and after TACE in the PR group. Serum levels of sTNFR, sIL-2R and sICAM-1 were not significantly different between after and before TACE in both groups. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that serum levels of TNF-alpha, sTNFR, sIL-2R and sICAM:-1 in patients with HCC before therapy are significantly increased, compared with those of the control group, and the measurement of serum TNF-alpha levels may become useful in the diagnosis and monitoring of hepatocellular carcinoma in the future.
Subject(s)
Adult , Humans , alpha-Fetoproteins , Carcinoma, Hepatocellular , Cytokines , Diagnosis , Immunoenzyme Techniques , Tumor Necrosis Factor-alphaABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: The changes of serum TNF-alpha, sTNFR, sIL-2R and sICAM-1 levels have been recently reported in some cancer patients but the clinical significance of these cytokines is not clearly established. To define the changes and clinical significance of these cytokines in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), serum levels of TNF- alpha, sTNFR, sIL-2R and sICAM-1 were measured. METHODS: The serum levels of TNF-alpha, sTNFR, sIL-2R and sICAM-1 were measured before and after transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) by enzyme immunoassay in 20 patients with HCC and 10 adult healthy subjects as controls. These patients were divided into two groups, no response (NR, 14 cases) and partial response (PR, 6 cases) on the basis of changes of tumor size, new growth foci on the ultrasonographic or CT findings, and serum levels of alpha-fetoprotein. RESULTS: Serum levels of TNF-alpha, sTNFR, sIft-2R and sICAM-1 were significantly higher in all patients with HCC than in those of adult healthy controls (p<0.01). Serum levels of TNF-alpha after TACE tended in to be higher in comparison with those before TACE in the NR group (p<0.1), but those were not significantly different between before and after TACE in the PR group. Serum levels of sTNFR, sIL-2R and sICAM-1 were not significantly different between after and before TACE in both groups. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that serum levels of TNF-alpha, sTNFR, sIL-2R and sICAM:-1 in patients with HCC before therapy are significantly increased, compared with those of the control group, and the measurement of serum TNF-alpha levels may become useful in the diagnosis and monitoring of hepatocellular carcinoma in the future.
Subject(s)
Adult , Humans , alpha-Fetoproteins , Carcinoma, Hepatocellular , Cytokines , Diagnosis , Immunoenzyme Techniques , Tumor Necrosis Factor-alphaABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: To assess the clinical utility of new DNA extraction method, the authors attempted PCR using mycobacterial DNA extracted by Chelex 100 ion exchange resin method for 63 clinical samples in patients with pulmonary tuberculosis and compared with proteinase K method, simultaneously. METHODS: We used Chelex 100 ion exchange resin for preparation of DNA. Decontaminated sputums were mixed with resin and incubated at 56degrees C and 100degrees C without opening tube. After centrifugation, supernatants were used directly as template for PCR. 245 bps in primary PCR and 188 bps in nested PCR were amplified and analysed by agarose gel electrophoresis EtBr staining. RESULTS: Chelex 100 ion exchange resin method is more simple, rapid and reliable than proteinase K method, and during sample preparation, carry-over contamination loss of amplificated DNA, influence of organic solvents and cross-contamination are diminished. The results of PCR products are interpreted more distinctively in Chelex 100 ion exchange resin method than proteinase K method. CONCLUSIONS: In the basis of the results, it could be suggested that extraction of mycobacterial DNA by Chelex 100 ion exchange resin is more simple, rapid reliable method than that of conventional method for detection of mycobacterial DNA in patients with tuberculosis by polymerase chain reaction.
Subject(s)
Humans , Centrifugation , Diagnosis , DNA , Electrophoresis, Agar Gel , Endopeptidase K , Ion Exchange , Polymerase Chain Reaction , Solvents , Sputum , Tuberculosis , Tuberculosis, PulmonaryABSTRACT
An ABO discrepancy was observed in a 37-year-old patient with duodenal ulcer bleeding and B subgroup was suspected. The results of adsorption-elution test, saliva and serum inhibition test and family study suggested Bx phenotype that is not a usual phenotype and is the second case to be reported in Korea.
Subject(s)
Adult , Humans , Duodenal Ulcer , Hemorrhage , Korea , Phenotype , SalivaABSTRACT
We have compared the cardiovascular effects during intravenous induction and endotracheal intubation with propofol or thiopental sodium on the forty hypertensive patients. Propofol was given 2 mg/kg or thiopental sodium was given 5 mg/kg intravenously for induction of general anesthesia, and endotracheal intubation. The patients were allocated in two groups according to the intravenous anesthetic sgents that were administered (Group I; 20 patients Propofol group and Group II; 20 patients Thiopental group), Arterial blood pressure and heart rate was recorded by automatic noninvasive blood pressure cuff (ESCORT 100/200 Medical Data Electronics. Arleta Ca. U.S.A.). Systolic, diastolic arterial blood pressure, and heart rates were recorded 1 minute before administration of intravenous anesthetic agents, 1 minute and 5 minutes after endotracheal intubation. Reduction of systolic and diastolic arterial blood pressure were significantly greater after propofol(30%) than thiopental sodium administration and intubation. The change of the heart rate after propofol induction and intubation was not significant. However, the heart rate was increased about 23% after thiopental sodium induction and intubation. The results of this study indicate that propofol 2 mg/kg intravenous induction and intubation for hypertensive surgical patient should be contribute to patients prognosis.