Clinical Study for Inhibition of Intimal Hyperplasia : Past & Present

INTRODUCTION: Intimal hyperplasia can be considered as a physiological reaction to the intravascular injury which occurs spontaneously in human body. But the fact that we can not block the intimal hyperplasia completely so far when there is any form of stimuli, can be thought to be as a result of not understanding thoroughly the pathological phenomenon about it. SUBJECT: There are many drugs, radiation therapies, stent, genetic treatment. Pharmacologic treatment with several drugs have been trided and most of them have all failed. Vascular brachytherapy resulted in no inhibition of restenosis. Stent is preferred to balloon angioplasty because of good patency. Genetic treatment is limited due to other E2F analogue. CONCLUSION: Although it is too early to predict the outcome of inhibition of intimal hyperplasia trials, these fundamental studies provide great evidences and hope that these clinical trials for inhibition of restenosis will eventually become effective option.

Severe Vertebral Erosion by Huge Symptomatic Pulsating Aortic Aneurysm

Aortic abdominal aneurysm rarely has been reported as causing osteolytic lesions of the spine. It may produce back and radiating pain patterns similar to those of several commonly encountered neurosurgical processes. We report a uncommon complication of huge pulsating aortic aneurysm causing severe vertebral erosion with incapacitating back and radiating pain.

The Effect of Renal Transplantation on Sexual Hormone of Female Recipients / 대한이식학회지

PURPOSE: Endocrine abnormalities are common feature of chronic renal failure. The purpose of this study is to understand women's hormonal changes in connection with renal transplantation and to verify improved quality of life of recipient by comparing level of sexual hormone between renal transplant recipients and dialyzed patients. METHODS: To evaluate the level of hormones before and after female renal transplantation, we measured FSH, LH, estradiol, progesterone and prolactin (PRL) in 10 renal transplant recipients (RTR), 10 chronic renal failure patients (CRF) undergoing dialysis (hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis) and 10 healthy, regularly menstruating women (controls). RESULTS: All 30 females' mean age was 37.83 years. All 10 RTR were menstruating and mean age was 38.6 years and mean serum creatinine (sCr) level was 1.09 mg/dL. Of ten dialyzed patients (6 hemodialysis and 4 peritoneal dialysis), nine of ten dialyzed patients had menstrual disturbance and their mean age was 37.5 years and mean sCr level was 9.8 mg/dL. In RTR, serum PRL and LH level were reduced compared with CRF patients, but these hormones were increased compared with controls. In RTR, progesterone level was significantly lower compared with controls, whereas slightly decreased compared with CRF patients. Estradiol level in dialyzed patients was significantly higher compared with RTR or controls and in RTR was increased compared with controls. CONCLUSION: Following successful renal transplantation, uremic hormonal abnormalities were ameliorated. However, these hormonal changes are not always fully restored which can be attributed to renal insufficiency grade or result from the administered immunosuppressive treatment.