The factors related to the screening of stomach cancer

BACKGROUND: Stomach cancer is the most common cancer in korea. Stomach cancer has been the focus of screening for early detection. Few data are available regarding factors associated with participation in cancer screening examinations in general population. This study investigated associations of age, sex, residence, economic state, occupation, education years, marital status, health state, faith for stomach cancer screening with participation in screening tests for stomach cancer. METHODS: To identify the factors associated with participation in the stomach cancer screening examinations, 2133 persons above 40 years old were surveyed in 1998. RESULT: Stastically significant (P<0.05) strong predictors of regular stomach cancer screening were as follows: (1) urban residence, (2) high economic state, (3) possession on faith for regular screening of stomach cancer. CONCLUSION: Especially, rural residents should be educated about importance of stomach cancer screening.

Isovaleric Acidemia in Siblings Diagnosed by Organic Acid Analysis

Isovaleric acidemia is an inborn error in metabolism due to a defect in isovaleryl-CoA dehydrogenase. Accumulation of serum isovaleric acid causes poor feeding, vomiting, lethargy, hypothermia, convulsion, mental retardation, etc. It is inherited as an autosomal recessive trait. Since the first reports of isovaleric acidemia by Tanaka et al in 1966, more than 60 cases have been reported. There are two clinically different presentations of isovaleric acidemia, with about half the patients presenting with an acute severe neonatal form and about half with a chronic intermittent forrn. The difference in clinical presentation may not be a consequence of differing severities of the causative mutation, but a result of the timing of application of catabolic stress or the ability to form isovalerylglycine. We described here clinical and organic acid analytical findings of brothers with chronic intermittent form of isovaleric acidemia. (J Korean Pediatr Soc 2000;43:828-831)

A Trisomy 21 Neonate with Large Amount of Isolated Pericardial Effusion Seen on Antenatal Sonography

Fetal pericardial effusion appears as a common type of fetal hydrops, but rarely isolated. The causes are heart failure by cardiac anomaly and arrhythmia (most common), kidney anomaly, erythroblastosis fetalis, non-immune fetal hydrops, intrauterine growth retardation, chromosomal anomaly and transient etc. If chromosomal anomalies such as 21 trisomy, 18 trisomy or 13 trisomy exists, isolated pericardial effusion may exist without cardiac anomaly or arrhythmia. Otherwise, the chromosomal anomaly must be suspected when isolated pericardial effusion is observed on fetal echocardiography. We experienced a case of large amount of isolated pericardial effusion antenatally detected by fetal echocardiography at 32weeks of gestational age in a neonate who needed pericardiocentesis and confirmed trisomy 21. We report a case of isolated pericardial effusion with brief review of related literature.

A Trisomy 21 Neonate with Large Amount of Isolated Pericardial Effusion Seen on Antenatal Sonography

Fetal pericardial effusion appears as a common type of fetal hydrops, but rarely isolated. The causes are heart failure by cardiac anomaly and arrhythmia (most common), kidney anomaly, erythroblastosis fetalis, non-immune fetal hydrops, intrauterine growth retardation, chromosomal anomaly and transient etc. If chromosomal anomalies such as 21 trisomy, 18 trisomy or 13 trisomy exists, isolated pericardial effusion may exist without cardiac anomaly or arrhythmia. Otherwise, the chromosomal anomaly must be suspected when isolated pericardial effusion is observed on fetal echocardiography. We experienced a case of large amount of isolated pericardial effusion antenatally detected by fetal echocardiography at 32weeks of gestational age in a neonate who needed pericardiocentesis and confirmed trisomy 21. We report a case of isolated pericardial effusion with brief review of related literature.