Changes of Serum Interleukin-6 after Liver Warm Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury and Postoperative Liver Function Improvement

PURPOSE: Although the liver is an important source of IL-6 and the primary site for its clearance, the role of IL-6 in liver disease remains unclear. Warm ischemia/reperfusion (WI/Rp) injury to the liver occurs in numerous clinical situations including liver transplantation and surgery, trauma, hemorrhagic and endotoxic shocks, and thermal injury. A better understanding of the pathogenesis of WI/Rp injury of the liver and the availability of an agent that could alleviate Rp injury would have important clinical implications. The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of IL-6 in WI/Rp injury of the liver. METHODS: Thirteen patients who had undergone hepatectomy were evaluated with regard to postoperative changes in serum IL-6. The measurements were performed before surgery, within 30 minutes after WI/Rp injury, and at postoperative 24 hr, 48 hr, 1 wk, 2 wk, and 4 wk. Seven of 13 patients had the complication of cirrhosis. RESULTS: The mean value of IL-6 was 8.13 pg/ml preoperatively, and peaked at 20.51 pg/ml on the first postoperative day. Serum IL-6 levels within 30 minutes following WI/Rp injury and at postoeprative 1 day were higher in patients with cirrhosis than non-cirrhotic patients, although statistically insignificant. In the case of the cirrhotic patients, IL-6 values on the first postoperative day peaked at 40.81 pg/ml, compared to 35.27 pg/ml in non-cirrhotic patients. SGOT and SGPT were consistently increased with IL-6 on the first postoperative day, and gradually decreased thereafter. CONCLUSION: This study shows that IL-6 may be an indicatorin WI/Rp injury of the liver. Procedures undertaken to reduce the excessive production of this cytokine may be useful of improving postoperative liver function with or without cirrhosis.

Clinical Process and Pulmonary Function of Workers Exposed to Dusts in Manufacturing Industries: Potential Biomarkers of Pneumoconiosis / 대한산업의학회지

Alveolitis is believed to be a primary response after dust inhalation. Activated inflammatory cells by dust and their mediators are major participants in the evolution of pneumoconiosis. Therefore evaluation of degree of alveolitis is useful for assessing disease activity and estimating of prognosis in pneumoconiosis. This study focused on the workers with pneumoconiosis who are working and worked in manufacturing industries because the occupying fraction by them among total pneumoconioses patients in our country is increasing recently. In order to identify and validate biomarkers to early diagnosis and better predict for the suceptible workers, the release of tumor necrosis factor (TNF alpha ), interleukine-8 (IL-8), platelet-derived growth factor-AA(PDGF-AA) and transforming growth factor-beta TGF beta ) from alveolar macrophages and blood monocytes, their concentration in BAL (bronchoalveolar lavage) fluid, pulmonary function test and Gallium index of lung were performed on 25 patients with pneumoconiosis who worked in manufactory industries. The results of this study were as follows ; 1. No significant differences were demonstrated between large opacity group and small opacity group, however pulmonary diffusing capacity in large opacity group was significantly lower than that in small opacity group. 2. (67)Gallium index was significantly correlated with increase of category in pnemoconiosis(r=0.83, p<0.05). 3. Numbers of total cells (r=0.583, p<0.05) and alveolar macrophages (r=0.499, p<0.05) in BAL were significantly correlated with the category of pneumoconiosis. 4. Spontaneous (r=0.474, p<0.05) and LPS (r=0.463, p<0.05) stimulated release of TNF alpha from macrophage, IL-8 (r=0.464, p<0.05) and TGF beta r=0.460, p<0.05) in BAL fluid were significantly correlated with category of pneumoconiosis. 5. Significantly positive correlation was demonstrated between spontaneous (r=0.443, p<0.05) and LPS (r=0.573, p<0.05) stimulated release of TNF alpha with the category of pneumoconiosis. 6. Release of TNF alpha from alveolar macrophages(r=0.61, p<0.05) and blood monocytes (r=0.48, p<0.05), IL-8 concentration in BAL fluid (r=0.52, p<0.05) and (67)Gallium index (r=0.53, p<0.05) were consider to sensitive biomarkers for alveolitis by dust.

Nonsurgical Nail Avulsion in treatment of Onychomycosis / 대한피부과학회지

The important prerequisite for treatrnent of onychomycosis is the removal of as rnuch fungus-infected nail material as possible. Nincty-five patients with anychomycosis were treated with using urea preparations under occlusive dressings. The urea preparations were quite successful in maceraing the nail plate from the nail bed, allowing the easy removaI of diseased nails in all cases except one. The urea preparations removed only abnormal nail. Completely normal nail was unaffected. After nail avulsion, 95 patients were treated for 6 months with combination clotrimazole and ketoconazcile(group A), or with clotrimazole only(group B). Of the 38 patients in group A who complcted the treatment, 25(65.8%) were cured 6 months later by clinical and mycological criteria, compared to 20(47.6%) of 42 patieries in group B.

Two Cases of Lichen Planus on the Lip / 대한피부과학회지

Lichen planus is rare in Korea and localized lichen planus on the lip without other skin lesions is even rarer. A 77-year-old man has oozing and crusting patches und somewhat ulceration surrounded by whitish reticular elements on violaceous base on both lips with burning sensation and pain. A 63-year-old man has well demarcated violaceous white reticular patches on the lower lip, buccal mucosa, glans penis and coronal sulcus. Clinical and histopathological studies of two cases showed typical features of lichen planus. They were treated with systemic and topical corticosteroids and showed much improvement.

A Case of Darier - White Disease on the Sun Exposed Areas / 대한피부과학회지

We deacribe herein a case of Darier-White disease occurring to a 50-year-old man who had a characteristic lesions limited to the sun exposed area and no skin lesion in the sun protected area for 40 years. The akin lesions recurred in summer time and aggravated after sun exposure and disappeared spontaneously in winter time. Histologic findings from the neck lesions revealed hyperkeratosis, parakeratosis, supirabasal lacunae, acantholytic cells, villi, corps ronds and grains.

A Comparative Study of Metronidazole Versus Tetracycline Therapy for Rosacea with Demodex folliculorum / 대한피부과학회지

Forty-three patients with papulo-pustular rosacea with Demodex(D.) folliculorum were treated for 8 weeks on a random basis either with tetracycline 250 mg three times daily or with metronidazole 250 mg three times daily. Both drugs produced an improvement which was greater after 8 weeks than after 4 weeks, but there was no significant difference between them. The number of D. follilculorum after treatment with tetracycline was slightly decreased, but the number of D. folliculorum after treatment with metronidazole was more decreased than the tetracycline group. Metronidazole appears to be a effective drug for the treatment of rosacea with D. folliculorum.

Osteogenesis Imperfecta Tarda (Case Report Tow cases) / 대한정형외과학회잡지

Two cases report on osteogenesis imperfecta tarda and review of literature has been made. The rare genetic disorder, osteogenesis imperfecta tarda is familiar to most orthopedic surgeons because of management of fracture and skeletal deformities, espicially bowing of long bone. Its clinical manifestations are known as bony fragility, blue sclera and deafness less frequently ligamentous laxity but its etiological factor is obscure; The basic defect is thought to involvement some abnormality of collagen. Recently the bony weakness caused by increased bony turnover rate. One case of osteogenesis imberrfecta tarda in 8 year old male was belonged to tarda type 1. (Falvo-classification), who could not walk due to marked anterolateral bowing of right tibia and the another to tarda type II. in 13 year old male with fresh fracture of right femoral shaft. The former was performed corrective multible osteotomy, realignment and intramedullary rod fixation for correction of bowing deformity of right tibia, and the later was managed the fracture of right femoral shaft with Russels traction and hip spica cast. The result of reported therapeutic mesure was good.