Journal of Korean medical science
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J. Korean Med. Sci. · Jun 2009
Case ReportsCongenital hemidiaphragmatic agenesis presenting as reversible mesenteroaxial gastric volvulus and diaphragmatic hernia: a case report.
A 70-yr-old woman complained of left sided chest pain and non-bilious vomiting for four days after taking a gastric bloating agent for an upper gastrointestinal study. The chest radiography revealed gastric air-fluid levels and bowel loops in the left thoracic cavity. An emergency thoracotomy was performed. ⋯ We provided warm saline irrigation and performed a left lower lobe adhesiotomy. Thirteen days after surgery, the chest radiography showed improvement in the herniation but mild haziness remained at the left lower lung field. Here we present the oldest case of congenital diaphragmatic agenesis presenting with transient gastric volvulus and diaphragmatic hernia.
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J. Korean Med. Sci. · Jun 2009
Comparative StudyAssociation of interleukin-10 A-592C polymorphism in Taiwanese children with Kawasaki disease.
Elevated serum levels of interleukin-10 (IL-10) have been reported in patients with Kawasaki disease (KD). IL-10 reduces the inflammatory actions of macrophages and T cells and it may play a significant role in the regulation of inflammatory vascular damage associated with systemic vasculitis. The aim of this study was to examine whether -592 IL-10 promoter polymorphism is a susceptibility or severity marker of KD in Chinese patients in Taiwan. ⋯ The odds ratio for developing KD in individuals with IL-10-592*A allele was 1.64 (95% confidence interval, 1.06-2.52) compared to individuals with the IL-10-592*C allele. No significant difference was observed in the genotype and allelic frequencies for the IL-10 A-592C polymorphism between patients with and without coronary artery lesions. The IL-10-592*A allele may be involved in the development of KD in Taiwanese children.
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J. Korean Med. Sci. · Jun 2009
Comparative StudyTherapeutic effects of topical application of ozone on acute cutaneous wound healing.
This study was undertaken to evaluate the therapeutic effects of topical ozonated olive oil on acute cutaneous wound healing in a guinea pig model and also to elucidate its therapeutic mechanism. After creating full-thickness skin wounds on the backs of guinea pigs by using a 6 mm punch biopsy, we examined the wound healing effect of topically applied ozonated olive oil (ozone group), as compared to the pure olive oil (oil group) and non-treatment (control group). ⋯ Immunohistochemical staining demonstrated upregulation of platelet derived growth factor (PDGF), transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expressions, but not fibroblast growth factor expression in the ozone group on day 7, as compared with the oil group. In conclusion, these results demonstrate that topical application of ozonated olive oil can accelerate acute cutaneous wound repair in a guinea pig in association with the increased expression of PDGF, TGF-beta, and VEGF.
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J. Korean Med. Sci. · Jun 2009
Case ReportsACVR1 gene mutation in sporadic Korean patients with fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva.
Fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva (FOP; OMIM 135100) is a rare but extremely disabling genetic disorder of the skeletal system, and is characterized by the progressive development of ectopic ossification of skeletal muscles and subsequent joint ankylosis. The c.617G>A; p. R206H point mutation in the activin A type I receptor (ACVR1) gene has been reported to be a causative mutation of FOP. ⋯ R206H in ACVR1. Mutation analysis confirmed a diagnosis of FOP in patients with ambiguous features, and thus, could be used for diagnostic purposes. Early confirmation through mutation analysis would allow medical professionals to advise on the avoidance of provoking events to delay catastrophic flare-ups of ectopic ossifications.
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J. Korean Med. Sci. · Jun 2009
Effects of mixed herbal extracts from parched Puerariae radix, gingered Magnoliae cortex, Glycyrrhizae radix and Euphorbiae radix (KIOM-79) on cardiac ion channels and action potentials.
KIOM-79, a mixture of ethanol extracts from four herbs (parched Puerariae radix, gingered Magnoliae cortex, Glycyrrhizae radix and Euphorbiae radix), has been developed for the potential therapeutic application to diabetic symptoms. Because screening of unexpected cardiac arrhythmia is compulsory for the new drug development, we investigated the effects of KIOM-79 on the action potential (AP) and various ion channel currents in cardiac myocytes. KIOM-79 decreased the upstroke velocity (V(max)) and plateau potential while slightly increased the duration of action potential (APD). ⋯ As a whole, the influence of KIOM-79 on cardiac ion channels are minor at concentrations effective for the diabetic models (0.1-10 microg/mL). The results suggest safety in terms of the risk of cardiac arrhythmia. Also, our study demonstrates the usefulness of the cardiac computer simulation in screening drug-induced long-QT syndrome.