Journal of Korean medical science
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J. Korean Med. Sci. · Mar 2014
Case ReportsComputed tomography and magnetic resonance images of adrenocortical oncocytoma cases.
We present two cases of adrenocortical oncocytomas that were well-delineated on multi-detector computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging. The images showed a well-enhanced large mass with multiple stippled calcifications in a 10-yr-old girl who was consulted due to precocious puberty. ⋯ These lesions were resected and diagnosed as adrenocortical oncocytomas through immunohistochemical studies and electron microscopy. Adrenocortical oncocytomas are rare disease entities, therefore, we report these interesting, rare adrenocortical oncocytomas here with radiologic findings, and discuss differential diagnosis.
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J. Korean Med. Sci. · Mar 2014
Intimal hyperplasia in loop-injured carotid arteries is attenuated in transglutaminase 2-null mice.
Arterial restenosis frequently develops after open or endovascular surgery due to intimal hyperplasia. Since tissue transglutaminase (TG2) is known to involve in fibrosis, wound healing, and extracellular matrix remodeling, we examined the role of TG2 in the process of intimal hyperplasia using TG2-null mice. The neointimal formation was compared between TG2-null and wild-type (C57BL/6) mice by two different injury models; carotid ligation and carotid loop injury. ⋯ In situ activity of TG2 in the injured arteries steadily increased until 4 weeks compared to uninjured arteries. Taken together, intimal hyperplasia was significantly reduced in TG2-null mice, indicating that TG2 has an important role in the development of intimal hyperplasia. This suggests that TG2 may be a novel target to prevent the arterial restenosis after vascular surgery.
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J. Korean Med. Sci. · Feb 2014
Cost-of-illness and quality of life in patients with ankylosing spondylitis at a tertiary hospital in Korea.
The objectives of this study were to estimate the cost-of-illness (COI) and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) in Korea and to evaluate the effects of socio-demographic and clinical factors on the COI and the HRQOL. Face-to-face interview surveys were taken from patients with AS at the Rheumatology Clinic of Seoul National University Hospital. Direct medical and non-medical costs, indirect costs (productivity loss due to job loss and sick leave), and deterioration of HRQOL in patients with AS were measured. ⋯ The COI in patients with AS amounted to 11,646,180 Korean Won (KRW) per patient, and their HRQOL was 0.62. As functional severity worsened, the total costs increased (class I, KRW 7.7 million; class II, KRW 12.9 million; classes III & IV, KRW 25.2 million) and the HRQOL scores decreased (class I, 0.72; class II, 0.61; classes III & IV, 0.24). Functional severity is the major determinant of the COI and HRQOL in patients with AS.
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J. Korean Med. Sci. · Feb 2014
Multicenter StudyRisk of bladder cancer among patients with diabetes treated with a 15 mg pioglitazone dose in Korea: a multi-center retrospective cohort study.
It has not yet been determined whether chronic exposure to relatively low doses of pioglitazone increases risk of bladder cancer. We aimed to assess the risk of bladder cancer associated with pioglitazone in Korean patients. This was a retrospective cohort study of diabetic patients who had ≥ 2 clinic visits between November 2005 and June 2011 at one of four tertiary referral hospitals in Korea. ⋯ A total of 101,953 control patients and 11,240 pioglitazone-treated patients were included, in which there were 237 and 30 cases of incidental bladder cancer (64.9 and 54.9 per 100,000 person-years; age, sex-adjusted HR 1.135, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.769-1.677), respectively. In the prevalent case-control analysis nested within the cohort, use of pioglitazone for a duration of > 6 months, but not ever use of pioglitazone, was associated with an increased rate of bladder cancer as compared to never use of pioglitazone. In conclusion, we failed to exclude the possible association between use of pioglitazone for a duration of > 6 months and bladder cancer.