Automatic Attentional Bias in Individuals with Somatization Tendencies : An Event-Related Potential Study / 신경정신의학

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to examine the automatic attentional bias to disease/body-related stimuli in individuals exhibiting somatization tendencies using Event-Related Potential (ERP). METHODS: The participants were classified according to somatization and control groups based on the somatization symptom scales of the Symptom Checklist-90-Revised and Somatosensory Amplification Scale scores. ERP were recorded in the somatization and control groups while participants were performing the task to respond with neutral (standard stimuli) or disease/body-related words (target stimuli). We compared N100, P200, and P300 ERP components between the two groups. RESULTS: In the somatization group, the reaction times to disease/body-related words were faster than for neutral words. In ERP analysis, N100 to standard stimuli was not observed in the somatization group. The somatization group showed higher P200 and P300 amplitudes to target stimuli than standard stimuli. On the contrary, in the control group, no difference in P200 and P300 amplitudes was observed between target and standard stimuli. CONCLUSION: It is suggested that individuals exhibiting somatization tendencies have automatic attentional bias to disease/body-related stimuli and interpret disease/body-related stimuli as self-relevant stimuli.

Iatrogenic radial artery perforation during transradial coronary angiography / 대한내과학회지

No abstract available.

External Mass Compressing the Left Atrium on Transthoracic Echocardiography

No abstract available.

The "Five-in-Seven" Guiding Technique to Overcome Proximal Coronary Tortuosity During Primary Percutaneous Coronary Intervention

No abstract available.

Effect of Angiotensin Converting Enzyme Inhibitors and Angiotensin Receptor Blockers on Patients Following Ablation of Atrial Fibrillation

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: It is known that angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors and angiotensin II type 1 receptor blockers (ACEIs and ARBs, respectively) are effective in preventing atrial fibrillation (AF) in high-risk patients. However, it is not known whether ACEIs and ARBs are effective in preventing the recurrence of AF after catheter ablation. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: One hundred fifty-two patients (mean age, 57+/-10 years; M : F=94 : 58) who underwent catheter ablation due to drug-refractory paroxysmal (mean age, 57+/-10 years; M : F=58 : 43) or persistent AF (mean age, 56+/-10 years; M : F=36 : 15) were enrolled. We compared the recurrence rates between the groups with and without ACEIs or ARBs use in paroxysmal and persistent AF. The mean duration of follow-up was 18+/-14 months. RESULTS: The overall recurrence rate after ablation therapy was 26% (n=39). The recurrence rate was significantly decreased in the patients with persistent AF with the use of ACEIs or ARBs (12.1% vs. 61.1%, p<0.01), but this difference was not observed in the patients with paroxysmal AF (24.2% vs. 22.9%, p=0.87). In patients with persistent AF with and without recurrence, the size of the left atrium (44.2+/-8.4 mm vs. 44.3+/-5.8 mm, respectively, p=0.45) and the ejection fraction (62+/-6.5% vs. 61.5+/-6.2%, respectively, p=0.28) were not significantly different. In multivariate analysis, the use of ACEIs or ARBs was independently associated with recurrence after adjusting for the size of the left atrium and the ejection fraction {odds ratio (OR)=0.078, 95% confidence interval (CI)=0.02-0.35, p<0.01}. CONCLUSION:ACEIs and ARBs were shown to be effective in preventing AF recurrence after catheter ablation in patients with persistent AF.

Endomyocardial Biopsy: One Center's Report About Its Role

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Cardiomyopathy is a common cause of heart failure, yet it is sometimes difficult to determine its exact etiology. Endomyocardial biopsy (EMBx) has been considered to be one of the important diagnostic modalities for unexplained cardiomyopathy. The aim of this study was to analyze the diagnostic value of EMBx. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: 30 patients (M : F=26 : 4, mean age: 41+/-11 yrs) who underwent EMBx since 1992 at St. Mary's hospital were enrolled. The patients were classified into 4 groups by their clinical manifestations as follows: Group I: 11 patients with left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) of an unknown etiology and suspicious of having infiltrative disease on their non-invasive tests, Group II: 15 patients with heart failure of an unknown etiology and rapid progression, Group III: 2 patients with heart failure and peripheral eosinophilia, Group IV: 2 patients with suspicious arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia and cardiac mass. RESULTS: EMBx confirmed the diagnosis in 8 of 30 cases (26.7%). In Group I, 3 patients were confirmed to have amyloidosis (27.3%). In Group II, 2 patients were diagnosed as having lymphocytic myocarditis (13.3%). In Group III, all of 2 patients (100%) were diagnosed as eosinophilic myocarditis. In Group IV, 1 patient was confirmed to have cardiac metastasis from esophageal cancer. The diagnostic rate was higher for Group III than for Group II (p=0.007). There were no complications related with EMBx. CONCLUSION: EMBx may be a useful tool to confirm the causes of cardiomyopathy in selected patients.