• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.38 no.11 s.256
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• pp.739-745
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• 2005

Background: The Maze procedure considered the most effective method of treatment for atrial fibrillation. However, the sinus conversion rates decreased due to several factors, especially enlarged left atrium. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of Maze procedure with aen atrial volume reduction plasty on rheumatic mitral valve disease, Material and Method: From December of 200f to July of 2004, 45 patients received mitral valve and Maze operation. The patients were placed in either group f or group 2, based on the left atrial volume reduction plasty. The presence and onset of sinus rhythm and the incidence of trans mitral A waves were monitored during the postoperative 7 days and throughout the follow up period of 3 and 6 months. Mean follow up periods were 15.8 10.1 months in group 1 and $6.1\pm2.7$ months in group 2. Result: The sinus onset were $9.88\pm12.2$ days in group 1, and $1\pm3.6$ days in group 2 (p<0.01). The sinus conversion rates in the group 1 and 2 were $65\%,\;75\%$ (p=0.07) in the postoperative 7 days, $70.5\%,\;100\%$ (p<0.01) at postoperative 3 months, and $93\%,\;100\%$ (p<0.01) at postoperative 6 months, respectively. The wave detection rates in the postoperative 7days were $31.2\%\;and\;63.6\%$, and continued to improve over time to $83.3\%\;and\;100\%$ by 6months, respectively. Conclusion: The results suggest that Maze procedure with left atrial volume reduction plasty is effective for inducing sinus rhythm and for restoring left atrial contractile function after concomitant rheumatic mitral valve surgery. However further follow up of this patients for long time is necessary.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.89-100
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• 2009

SLE 등의 자가면역질환 병인론에 있어서 $CD4^+$ T 조력 림프구 (T helper cell)의 기능과 항상성 조절의 이상이 중요하다는 것은 알려진 사실이지만 $CD4^+$ T 조력 림프구 (T helper cell)의 발달과 기능에 대한 성호르몬의 정확한 역할에 대하여는 아직 확립되어 있지 않은 실정이다. 에스트로겐의 $CD4^+$ T 림프구에 대한 여러 방면의 작용에 대한 결과는 에스트로겐 매개 신호가 전달되는 정황에 매우 의존적이라고 할 수 있으며, 또한 에스트로겐이 B 림프구와 항원발현세포들 같이 T 림프구 기능을 변화시킬 수 있는 다른 분획 세포들의 기능에 대해서도 영향을 미칠 수 있다는 사실을 고려한다면, 에스트로겐이 $CD4^+$ T 림프구매개반응에 미치는 작용은 매우 복잡하다고 할 수 있다. 현재로선 이런 과정들과 관련된 에스트로겐의 정확한 기전에 대한 연구 성과는 현재로선 아직걸음마 단계에 지나지 않는다고 볼 수 있다. 일부 분자학적 표적들의 발견에도 불구하고 ER-$\alpha$와 ER-$\beta$, 또는 이런 표적들의 조절에 대한 유전자적 또는 비유전자적 경로의 상대적 역할에 대해서는 현재로선 알려진 바가 많지 않은 것 또한 사실이며, T 림프구 자체의 미세 환경과 ER 매개 전사반응에 영향을 미칠 수 있는 방법 역시 아직까진 알려진 바가 없다. 따라서 에스트로겐의 $CD4^+$ T 림프구에 대한 다각적 영향을 규명하는 데 있어 이런 경로들에 대한 보다 체계적이고 상세한 연구가 반드시 필요하다. 최근 골다공증의 병인에 있어 에스트로겐에 의한 TNF 및 RANK-RANKL계 억제에 대해 연구가 심도 있게 진행됨으로써 결과적으로 다른 시토카인과 면역세포들에 대한 영향이 간접적으로 규명되고 있는 점은 매우 고무적인 현상이라고 여겨진다. 이러한 연구들은 추후 에스트로겐의 면역 및 염증체계에 대한 특징적 작용을 규명하는데 있어서 밑거름이 될 수 있을 것이다. 나아가 호르몬 자체, 또는 SERM 같은 준호르몬제제들이 면역계에 미치는 영향을 분자학적으로 규명함으로써 향후 이러한 지식들이 또한 류마티스성 자가면역질환이나 만성염증성질환, 또는 전신성 감염질환에 있어 면역글로불린이나 기타 다른 기존 치료 약제들을 대체 보완할 수 있는 호르몬 치료로 이어질 수 있는 결정적인 단서를 제공할 수 있을 것이라 기대할 수 있을 것이다.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.33 no.10
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• pp.767-775
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• 2023

Sulfasalazine is a disease-modifying antirheumatic abiotic agent. It is a derivative of aminosalicylic acid and has been used for the treatment of various inflammatory diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis, ulcerative colitis, and Crohn's disease, since it was first synthesized in 1941 and approved as a medicine in the United States in 1950. However, its mechanism of action has not yet been clearly identified. In this study, the effects of sulfasalazine on cell survival, apoptosis, and cell cycle progression in macrophages, which are major immune cells that regulate inflammatory responses, were investigated using mouse macrophage RAW 264.7 cells. Sulfasalazine inhibited the viability of RAW 264.7 cells in a dose-dependent manner, starting at a concentration of 0.25 mM. Annexin-V staining was used to confirm that the decrease in cell viability was due to apoptosis, and the number of Annexin-V-positive cells increased significantly at a concentration of 0.25 mM or higher. The effect of sulfasalazine on the expression of key proteins that regulate the G0/G1 phase of the cell cycle was also investigated. Sulfasalazine treatment significantly increased the expression of the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors p21 and p27 in RAW 264.7 cells. Although sulfasalazine is frequently used as a control drug in studies on inflammatory diseases, such as inflammatory colitis and rheumatoid arthritis, studies on its effect on macrophages are very limited. Therefore, the results of this study are expected to provide vital information on the use of sulfasalazine as a disease treatment.

• Journal of Oral Medicine and Pain
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.155-159
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• 2012

Background Oral lichen planus (OLP) is a chronic inflammatory disease characterized by cell-mediated immune responses, but the exact cause is unknown. Sulfasalazine has shown efficacy in the treatment of cutaneous lichen planus. Objective Our purpose was to assess the usefulness of sulfasalazine in treatment of OLP resistant to corticosteroid therapy. This study provides a new option for controlling OLP symptoms. Methods Two patients with the symptomatic reticular form of OLP were treated with 30 mg/5 ml of topical sulfasalazine for 8 to 15 weeks and were evaluated for symptom severity using a numerical analog scale during each week of treatment. The lesion size was measured using a 2 $mm^2$ grid. Results After 2 weeks of application, both patients reported improvements in their symptoms and lesions. Most of the lesions disappeared after 8 weeks of treatment without any side effects. Conclusion Topical sulfasalazine can be a successful treatment option for patients with oral lichen planus resistant to steroid therapy.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.13 no.10
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• pp.4588-4597
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• 2012

This study aimed to investigate pain, perceived exercise barriers, and related factors in arthritis patients. The study was conducted on 140 arthritis patients (89 rheumatoid arthritis patients and 51 osteoarthritis patients) who visited C University Hospital in Daejeon due to arthritis and agreed to participate in a survey. The self-administered survey was conducted from February 2011 to September 2011. The results are as follow. The perceived exercise barriers increased in both groups as the education level and monthly household income decreased. In the rheumatoid arthritis group, the pain became more intense as the self-rated health status became poorer while the perceived exercise barriers became more significant as the self-rated health status became poorer and the patients had other diseases besides arthritis. In the osteoarthritis group, the pain was greater as the duration of arthritis was longer and the self-rated health status became poorer. In both groups, the perceived exercise barriers became more significant as the exercise stage approached the pre-planning stage. The results of the multiple linear regression analysis showed that the most influential factor on pain in both groups was the 'very bad' self-rated health status. In the rheumatoid arthritis group, influential factors on the perceived exercise barriers were the exercise stage and the education level while for the osteoarthritis group, they were the exercise stage and the monthly household income. In conclusion, the results of this study showed that the pain and perceived exercise barriers of arthritis patients were associated with various factors such as the education level, monthly household income, self-rated health status, and exercise stage, which suggests that these factors should be considered in the planning of exercise programs.

• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.1-10
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• 2011

Pigmented villonodular synovitis, synovial chondromatosis, long-standing rheumatoid arthritis, hemophilic arthropathy, chronic tophaceous gout, amyloid arthropathy, tuberculous arthritis, and hemangioma are the synovial diseases showing low signal intensity on T2-weighted image. Synovial deposition of hemosiderin, urate, and amyloid and fibrosis or caseous necrosis of hypertrophied synovium are known as the pathologic causes of T2 signal intensity. Because of the low incidence of the synovial lesions showing T2 low signal intensity, recognition of these diseases would be helpful for the exact diagnosis.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.1-16
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• 2004

The purpose of this paper is to review changes in articular cartilage properties from the joint immobilization. Joint immobilization is accompanied not only by many disorders including rheumatologic disorders, degenerative disorders, trauma and fracture but treatment for disorders. Articular cartilage are sensitive to mechanical events. Immobilization is associated with cartilage degradation that may cause joint pain and reduced range of motion. An understanding of the effects of immobilization on the articular cartilage will help to plan of physical therapy program

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.171-176
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• 1996

From March, 1983 to June, 1994, twenty-two patients underwent coronary artery and combined operations. The ages of the patients ranged from 42 years to 72 years (mean 60.4$\pm$8.2 years). There were 17 male and 5 female patients. The left ventricular (LV) ejection fraction ranged from 25% to 65% (mean 46.9$\pm$14.2%). Nine patients had mechanical complication of myocardial infarction (MI), of which 5 were LV aneurysm, 3 ventricular septal defect and 1 mitral regurgitation. Nine patients had rheumatic valvular heart disease of whom 7 with aortic valve disease and 2 with mitral valve disease. Two other patients had left atrial thrombi, only one with atrial septal defect a d another with aneurysm of ascending aorta. An average of 2.1$\pm$1.0 bypasses was done, ranging from one to four. There were 3 postoperative complications; 2 perioperative MI and 1 leg wound infection. Among complicated patients, mortality was 1 patient (4.5%) due to low cardiac output syndrome after perioperative MI. With 3 to 136 months follow-up (mean 41.1$\pm$40.2 months), late mortality was 1 patient due to cerebral vascular accident. Among long-term survivors, all patients are in New York Heart Association functional class I or II. Although the number of patients was small, our surgical results were favorable. Therefore we think that coronary revascularization combined with heart operation does not increase the operative risk when associated coronary artery disease is present, and it reduces the occurrence of late death.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.7 no.5
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• pp.313-320
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• 2013

For some patients with joint illnesses such as rheumarthritis or varus deformity, the total knee arthroplasty (TKA) procedures are performed. However, when inserting metal cutting guide for the procedures, due to the femoral shaft bowing, complications such as the cortex of the femoral shaft damages or secondary fractures can be caused. If the central coordinate value of the femoral shaft is known, the metal cutting guide could be inserted into the anatomical center, so such complications can be prevented. In this study, CT images of femoral shafts of 10 individuals in the experiment group who are in need of receiving the total knee arthroplasty procedures and those of 10 individuals in the control group without illness in the femoral shaft have been utilized to locate the 3-dimensional coordinate values. Then, Matlab was utilized to identify the central coordinate value in order to obtain a graph reflecting the anatomical shapes as well as to acquire the 3-dimensional radial curvature values by section. As a result, the average curvature range and standard deviation of femoral shafts of the experiment group was determined to be $758.15{\pm}206.3mm$ whereas the that of the control group was determined to be $1672.97{\pm}395.6mm$. The statistical significance of the measured results was verified through f-distribution analysis. Based on these results, it was verified that the level of curvature of the femoral shaft of the experiment group was higher. If the anatomical central points are located and analyzed using this methodology, it would be helpful in performing orthopedic operations such as the total knee arthroplasty.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.31 no.10
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• pp.939-944
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• 1998

Background: The sugical results of the Cox-Maze procedure (CMP) for lone atrial fibrillation(AF) have proven to be exellent. However, those for AF associated with mitral valve(MV) disease have been reported to be a little inferior. Materials and methods: To assess the efficacy and safety of the CMP as a combined procedure with MV operation, we studied retrospectively our experiences. Between April 1994 and October 1997, we experienced 70 (23 males, 47 females) cases of CMP concomitantly with MV operation. Results: The etiologies of MV disease were rheumatic in 67 and degenerative in 3 cases. The mean duration of AF before sugery was 66$\pm$70 months. Fifteen patients had the past medical history of thromboembolic complications, and left atrial thrombi were identified at operation in 24 patients. Twelve cases were reoperations. Aortic cross clamp (ACC) time was mean 151$\pm$44 minutes, and cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) time was mean 246$\pm$65 minutes. Concomitant procedures were mitral valve replacement (MVR) in 19, MVR and aortic valve replacement (AVR) in 14, MVR and tricupid annuloplasty (TAP) in 8, MVR with AV repair in 3, MV repair in 11, MVR and coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) in 2, MVR and AVR and CABG in 1, redo-MVR in 10, redo-MVR and redo-AVR in 2 patients. The rate of hospital mortality was 1.4%(1/70). Perioperative recurrence of AF was seen in 44(62.9%), and atrial tachyarrhythmias in 10(14.3%), low cardiac output syndrome in 4(5.7%), postoperative bleeding that required mediastinal exploration in 4(5.7%) patients. Other complications were acute renal failure in 2, aggravation of preoperative hemiplegia in 1, and transient delirium in 1 patient. We followed up all the survivors for 16.4 months(3-44months) on an average. Sinus rhythm has been restored in 65(94.2%) patients. AF has been controlled by operation alone in 73.9% and operation plus medication in 20.3%. Two patients needed permanent pacemaker implantation; one with sick sinus syndrome, and the other with tachycardia- bradycardia syndrome. Only two patients remained in AF. We followed up our patients with transthoracic echocardiography to assess the atrial contractilities and other cardiac functions. Right atrial contractility could be demonstrated in 92% and left atrial contractility in 53%.We compared our non-redo cases with redo cases. Although the duration of AF was significantly longer in redo cases, there was no differences in ACC time, CPB time, postoperative bleeding amount and sinus conversion rate. Conclusions: In conclusion, the CMP concomitant with MV operation demonstrated a high sinus conversion rate under the acceptable operative risk even in case of reoperation.