The Effect of Dehydroepiandrosterone on Isoproterenol-induced Cardiomyopathy in Rats

We evaluated therapeutic and preventive properties of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), a weak androgenic steroid, against isoproterenol-induced cardiomyopathy. The cardiomyopathy was induced by daily i.p. administration of isoproterenol to rats for five days. One group of rats were given with daily s.c. for 5 days during isoproterenol and the other group with daily s.c. DHEA for total 10 days, including 5 days before and during isoproterenol. The animals were killed after each treatment, and cardiac muscle failure was evaluated using histopathologic examination and biochemical indices. DHEA was found to reduce the damaged area and inhibit the elevation in the serum levels of glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (SGOT), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), skeletal muscle creatine kinase (CK) and heart creatine kinase (CK-MB) induced by isoproterenol. We also assayed widely used oxidative stress parameters, including thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase and glutathion peroxidase (GPx). DHEA decreased the escalated level of TBARS and enhanced the anti oxidant defense reaction with an increase in Mn-SOD and Cu/Zn-SOD. On the other hand, the treatment with DHEA did not affect catalase and GPx activity. The present study indicates that DHEA has a therapeutic and preventive effect against isoproterenol-induced cardiomyopathy and its effects may depend largely on the increase in SOD activity.

A Clinical Study of Right Middle Lobe Syndrome / 소아알레르기및호흡기학회지

PURPOSE: Right middle lobe symdrome is characterized by a spectrum of disease from recurrent atelectasis and pneunomitis to brobchiectasis of the Right middle lobe symdrom. It was first reported gy Grahm describing 12 patients with middle loge atelectasis and bronchiectasis due to enlarged lymph nodes. The incidence of Right middle lobe syndome seems tobe increasing in children, byt there have been only a few studies of right middlelobe syndrome in Korea. METHODS: Twenty-five children with RMLS who had been admitted during the last 10 years were evaluated with particular attention to clinical features, laboratory results, bronchographic findings, and treatment RESULTS: All patients were symptomatic and complained of chronic cough(25), sputum(20), fever(16), dyspnea(3), vomiting(2), and foreign body in the bronchus(2). Most of the patients had recurrent pneumonia: 6 patients had Mycoplasma pneumonia, and 6 patients had ashma and allergic disorders. Only 5 out of the 25 patients showed sufficient obstruction on bronchography and 6 patients took computed tomography scans. Chest radiography, bronchography and computed tomography scans were evaluated for review in 25 patients showing consolidation(17), patchy infiltration(14), atelectasis(12), hyperinflation(5), bronchiectasis(2), and air bronchogram(2). Most patients were improved by conservative medical management and only 2 patients had closed thoracostomy. CONCLUSION: These 25 patients who had been diagnosed as Right middle lobe syndrome were improved after 2 week treatment of antibiotics and conservative management and their prognosis were good during the follow-up period.