The Change of Behavioral and Psychological Symptoms according to the Progression of Alzheimer's Disease

BACKGROUND: The evaluation of behavioral and psychological symptoms (BPSD) is important for the diagnosis and management of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Previous studies have reported the prevalence and severity of BPSD changes. However, these studies have mainly focused on the AD patients with mild to moderate severity. Our study investigated the BPSD in AD patients with more advanced stages and looked at the prevalence and severity of BPSD with the progression of disease. METHODS: One hundred thirty six patients with probable AD received the Korean version of the neuropsychiatric inventory along with the expanded version of the Korean Clinical Dementia Rating Scale (CDR) and the Korean version of the Mini-Mental State Examination (K-MMSE). RESULTS: The mean K-MMSE, CDR and NPI scores were 10.1 (SD=7.1), 2.0 (SD=1.5) and 32.7 (SD=26.2), respectively. CDR and K-MMSE scores did not correlate with the total NPI score but did correlate with some of the subscale NPI scores. Apathy had the highest relationship to CDR (r=0.39, p<0.01). Aberrant motor was most correlated with the total score of NPI (r=0.65, p<0.01). The mean number of positive NPI items was 4.3, which ranged from 2.1 (CDR 5 group) to 5.4 (CDR 2 group). The most frequent symptom was apathy and the least was euphoria. The severity of BPSD increased as the dementia severity increased to CDR 2 except apathy. Night-time behavior and anxiety were frequent in the early stages whereas apathy and aberrant motor were frequent symptoms in later stages. CONCLUSIONS: These observations suggest that BPSD is relatively independent of cognitive functions. The prevalence and severity of BPSD with the exclusion of apathy, increased as the dementia severity increased from CDR 0.5 to CDR 2 and then declined declined except apathy.

The Factors Associated with Becoming Obese Children: in 6th Grade Children of Elementary Schools in Busan

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to find the factors associated with becoming obese children during the past 2 years in 6th grade children of elementary school and then to evaluate the high risk groups for childhood obesity. METHODS: The 738 children from May to June, 2001 in 6th grade of 5 elementary schools in Busan were the subjects of this study. The children's height and weight in 4th grade and 6th grade were obtained from school health records. We calculated the body mass index in 4th and 6th grades and classified into 3 weight groups (normal, at risk for obesity, and obese) according to the age and sex-specific BMI established by the Korean Academy of Pediatrics. If children's weight group in 4th grade was changed to heavier weight group in 6th grade, we defined it as increased group. Otherwise, we defined it as non-increased group. The association between the increase in weight group and parental and children's characteristics were analyzed by x2-test, x2-test for the trend, t-test, ANOVA and multiple logistic regression. RESULTS: Among the total, 3.3% of children with normal weight and 16.9% of children at the risk for obesity in 4th grade were transformed to increased group in 6th grade, respectively (P or =2 hours/day for the past two years. These findings suggest promotion of educational plan to prevent childhood obesity.

The Functional Changes of Cognitive and Non-Cognitive Domains in the Progression of Alzheimers Disease

BACKGROUND: There were many studies about the changes of cognitive or non-cognitive domain and behavioral and psychological symptoms with the progression of Alzheimer's disease. But they assessed the changes individually so could not explain comprehensively the global change of disease progression. Also they studied by clinical dementia rating scale(CDR) which could not successfully explain the latest stage. So we have evaluated the cognitive, non-cognitive domain and behavioral and psychological symptoms at the same time and evaluated the changes with the expanded clinical dementia rating scale. Also we evaluated the relationship of each scale and assessed sensitivity change at the different stage of disease. METHODS: Twenty-three mild cognitive impairment(MCI) subjects and eighty-seven patients with Alzheimer's disease were recruited. The Korean version of Mini-Mental State Examination(K-MMSE), the Korean version of the neuropsychiatric inventory(NPI), the Extended version of the Korean Clinical Dementia Rating Scale(CDR), the Activity of Daily Living(ADL), the Severe Dementia Scale(SDS) and the Short form of Samsung Dementia Questionnaire(S-SDQ) were performed. RESULTS: It was found that all of them were well correlated each other(r>-0.73 and p<0.05) except NPI. Physical activity of daily living(P-ADL) was most related to Korean version of instrumental activity of daily living(K-IADL) (r=0.86 and p<0.01), SDS to K-MMSE(r=0.93 and p<0.01) and S-SDQ to K-IADL(r=0.86 and p<0.01). P-ADL and S-SDQ revealed the ceiling effect at CDR 4 and K-IADL at CDR 3. CONCLUSION: The cognitive and non-cognitive function were declined according to disease progression. The changes of behavioral and psychological symptoms were relatively independent of cognitive function. SDS, P-ADL and CDR were proved to be more sensitive in advanced stage of dementia and K-IADL, S-SDQ were more adequate in milder stage of dementia or MCI.

Transabdominal sonography of the cavum septum pellucidum in normal fetuses in the second and third trimesters of pregnancy / 대한산부인과학회잡지

OBJECTIVE: To assess the visualization rate and size of the cavum septum pellucidum (CSP) by transabdominal sonography in normal fetuses in the second and third trimesters of pregnancy. METHODS: The CSP was prospectively researched and measured using an axial transventricular plane in 308 consecutive uncomplicated singleton pregnancies between 15 and 41 weeks of gestation. RESULTS: The CSP was seen in 42.5% of cases at 15 weeks, 84.78% at 16-17 weeks, 100% at 18-37 weeks and 81.25% at 38-41 weeks. Compared to biparietal diameter (BPD), the visualization rate was 35.29% between 31 and 32 mm, 47.8% between 33 and 34 mm, 84% between 35 and 43 mm, 100% between 44 and 88 mm and 87.5% between 89 and 101 mm. Mean CSP width was 5.5+/-1.7 mm (range 2-9 mm). The CSP width was increased with gestational age and BPD, but with a slight decrease around term. CONCLUSION: In normal fetuses the CSP should always be visualized between 18 and 37 weeks, or with a BPD of 44-88 mm. Failure to observe the CSP in this interval, or possibly the presence of a large CSP, may indicate abnormal cerebral development and warrant further investigation. Conversely, absence of the CSP prior to 18 weeks, or later than 37 weeks, is a normal finding.

A Case of Pheochromocytoma Manifested by Generalized Seizure / 대한내분비학회지

Pheochromocytoma is originated from chromaffin cells of sympathetic nervous system and clinical symptoms are caused by catecholamine released from tumor. In typical cases, periodic attacks of hypertension, palpitation, headache, and sweating are main symptoms. But, the diagnosis of pheochromocytoma is sometimes difficult since its clinical presentation is quite variable. We evaluated a 25-year-old woman who was admitted because of left flank pain and seizure. She had a history of hemoptysis and toxemia. During the hospitalization, she experienced generalized seizure once more. The clinical diagnosis of pheochromocytoma was proven by highly elevated urinary catecholamines and confirmed histologically after operation. We think it is the first case report of pheochromocytoma manifested by seizure in korea, so we report this case with literature review.

Clinical study of subcortical aphasia using brain SPECT and neurolinguistical methods

BACKGROUND & PURPOSE: Subcortical aphasia is derived from infarction, hemorrhage or tumor in subcortical area, such as striatocpsular region, thalamus, paraventricualr white matter and corona radiata. To our knowledge, there have been few studies on subwrtical aphasia in Korea. OBJECTIVE: 1) To evaluate various lesion sites and clinical features associated with subcortical aphasia. 2) To evaluate type and characteristics of subcortical aphasia by Modified Western Aphasia Battery(MWAB) test. 3)To predict the mechanisms of subcortical aphasia and to relate type of aphasia to hypoperfusion are a ascertained by brain SPECT. METHODS: We analysed 19patients wing brain CT/MRI and neurolinguistical method of MWAB, who presented language disturbance of aphasic nature due to subcortical strokes. Cerebral blood flow was measured in 10 out of 19 patients using brain SPECT. RESULTS & CONCLUSION: 1) The lesion sites responsible for subcortical aphasia were caudate nucleus, putamen, internal capsule, thalamus, paraventricular white matter and corona radiata. Hemiparesis and dysarthria were more common in subcortical aphasia than in cortical one. 2) Subcortical aphasia was characterized by higher incidence of anomic type and more rapid recovery than cortical aphasia. Most subcortical aphasia following thalamic lesions revealed characteristic features of Preservation of repetition and prominent deficits in naming. 3) Ten cases of subcortical aphasia showed both cortical and subcortical hypoperfusion, suggesting that subcortical aphasia be derived from secondary hypoperfusion of the cortical language area. In most of the patients, the types and severity of subcortical aphasia correlated with the location and extent of cortical hypoperfusion area.

Distraction Arthroplasty of the Elbow / 대한정형외과학회잡지

So many modalities have been suggested for the treatment of servere pain and ankylosis of the elbow with destruction of the articular surfaces. Among them, two major methods which have been widely used are resection arthroplasty and prosthetic replacement arthroplasty. However prosthetic replacement arthroplasty has some problems. Its indications are limited in the elderly inactive subjects. And there have been many kinds of complications including loosening and infection. Also, resection arthroplasty in now rarely indicated due to severe instability. From July 1980 to July 1987, we tried distraction arthroplasty in 8 cases of elbow with severe destruction of its articular surfaces, mainly in the young active persons. The average follow-up period was 45 months. The effect of distraction arthroplasty on relief of pain was not remarkable. The average increase in ROM, including that of one reankylosed elbow, was 51 ±22 degrees in flexion-extension and 48 ±23 degrees in pronstion-supinstion. No deep wound infection and instability which was main complication of resection arthroplasty were observed with our method of distraction arthroplasty. On the basis of functional results, the the results were excellent in 4, good in 1, fair in 2 and poor in 1 cases. In conclusion, distraction arthroplasty of the elbow can be one of the of effective methods reconstruction for the young active patients with the destruction of the elbow, if they are intelligent and motivated.

The Relationship of Femoral Trabecular / 대한정형외과학회잡지

Osteoporosis represents a reduced amount of bone tissue as compared with controls of same age and sex, and common feature of osteoporosis is a state of skeletal fragility leading to various fractures such as Colles' fracture, vertebral compression fracture, femur neck fracture, generally due to an inadequate amount of normally mineralized bone tissue, making the skeleton incapable of supporting normal mechanical demand. However it is difficult to quantify precisely its magnitude because of the variety of techniques used and the many bone sampling sites concerned. In 1970, Singh and associates(24.25) developed a method for grading the trabecular structure of the proximal end of the femur and reported that the femoral trabecular pattern index can clearly separate persons with osteoporosis from normal individuals. Cameron and its associstes developed an accurste method of determining bone mineral content by means of I-125 photon absorptiometry(5. 28). This method is consistently reproducible at the 98% level and has demonstrated agreement with ash measurement of cadaver bones at the 97% level. A comparative study of the usefulness of the femoral trabecular pattern index(Singh Index) and rsdial bone mineral content measurement by photon absorption was performed in 75 Kroean persons above forty years old. 25 of 75 persons were fracture patients due to osteoporosis. The results were as follows. 1. A significant difference in Singh index was noted between the fracture group snd control group. 2. A significant difference in bone mineral density was noted between the fracture group and control group. 3. A positive correlation was noted between the bone mineral denisty and Singh Index. 4. A significant difference in bone mineral density was noted between the fracture group and the control group which have same grade of Singh Index. So, we believe that bone mineral density is more objective and accurate than Singh Index. 5. We believe that both Singh Index and bone densitometer is useful in diagnosis and grading of osteoporosis.

Metastasizing Histologically Benign Giant Cell Tumor: A Case Report / 대한정형외과학회잡지

Giant cell tumor is a relatively uncommon neoplasm with high rate of local recurrence following curettage and bone graft. The histologic grading was not proven useful in predictiog outcome. Histologically benign giant cell tumor may metastasize. We report a case of histologically benign giant cell tumor occurred at left distai femur with local recurrences and multiple pulmonary metastases which was proven by percutaneous needle aspiration lung biopsy. Recurred local lesion was treated by curettage and filling with methylmethacrylate and pulmonary metastases was treated with adriamycine and dacarbazine.