• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.38 no.6
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• pp.1096-1100
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• 2017

The carotid artery is one of the main vessels supplying blood to the brain. Carotid artery stenosis is mostly caused by atherosclerosis, a disease where cholesterol is deposited in the arterial blood vessels. Tremor refers to rhythmic shaking of a body part. Tremor is a symptom of many diseases, including Parkinson's disease, essential tremor, orthostatic tremor, cerebellar disease, peripheral neuropathy, and alcohol withdrawal. Tremors may be classified as postural, rest, and action tremors. Tremor of a patient with stenosis of the left carotid artery decreased with acupuncture treatment. The acupoints were GB20, TE17, GV8 and GV11. This case shows that the acupuncture treatment is effective against tremor.

• BMB Reports
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• v.46 no.7
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• pp.352-357
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• 2013

Atherosclerosis, which manifests as acute coronary syndrome, stroke, and peripheral arterial diseases, is a chronic inflammatory disease of the arterial wall. Prunella vulgaris, a perennial herb with a worldwide distribution, has been used as a traditional medicine in inflammatory disease. Here, we investigated the effects of P. vulgaris ethanol extract on TNF-${\alpha}$-induced inflammatory responses in human aortic smooth muscle cells (HASMCs). We found that P. vulgaris ethanol extract inhibited adhesion of monocyte/macrophage-like THP-1 cells to activated HASMCs. It also decreased expression of intercellular adhesion molecule-1, vascular cell adhesion molecule-1, E-selectin and ROS, No production in TNF-${\alpha}$-induced HASMCs and reduced NF-${\kappa}B$ activation. Furthermore, P. vulgaris extract suppressed TNF-${\alpha}$-induced phosphorylation of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK). These results demonstrate that P. vulgaris possesses anti-inflammatory properties and can regulate TNF-${\alpha}$-induced expression of adhesion molecules by inhibiting the p38 MAPK/ERK signaling pathway.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.89-92
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• 2009

Purpose: The clinical syndrome of unilateral finger ischemia, caused by digital artery occlusions from embolization from the palmar ulnar artery associated with repetitive striking of the palm, has been called the hypothenar hammer syndrome (HHS). We report the case of a man with this unique disease probably caused by manual work. Methods: A 52 - year - old male left - hand dominant manual worker complained of pain and coldness in the left 4,5th finger. On physical examination, there was a tip necrosis and the result of Allen's test was mildly positive(sluggish filling of hand from the ulnar artery). Arteriograms confirmed occlusion of the distal ulnar artery without direct perfusion of the superficial palmar arch and distal digital artery. Surgical bypass with reverse autologous vein grafting was performed between ulnar artery and superficial palmar arch, common digital artery. Results: He had an uneventful postoperative course and has remained asymptomatic for 18 months since discharge. Patency has been confirmed by color doppler with resolution of cold intolerance and successful digital preservation. Conclusion: We introduce very unique pattern of vascular ischemic disease and recommend the arterial bypass with vein interpositional grafting.

• Journal of Korean Foot and Ankle Society
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.18-23
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• 2019

Purpose: This study compared and analyzed the risk factors that affect a wound healing group and healing failure group. Materials and Methods: From 2010 to 2018, 39 patients who had suffered a single toe amputation were evaluated retrospectively. The patients were divided into two groups (wound healing group and healing failure group - within at least 3 months following the amputation). Regarding the possible risk factors, age, gender, Wagner and Brodsky classifications, duration of diabetes mellitus, whether the patient had peripheral arterial occlusive disease (PAOD) or cardiovascular disease, body mass index, HbA1c, total cholesterol, estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), smoking, and alcohol were investigated. Results: The mean duration of diabetes mellitus was 140 months in the healing group and 227 months in the healing failure group, and the duration of diabetes was significantly longer in the failure group (p=0.009). A significant difference in eGFR was observed between the two groups ($59.17mL/min/1.73m^2$ in the healing group and $31.1mL/min/1.73m^2$ in the failure group) (p=0.022). Sixteen patients with PAOD were found, all 10 patients in the healing failure group were PAOD patients. Conclusion: To reduce the additional complications in single toe amputation patients, the underlying disease and appropriate treatment are the most important factors. In addition, a more proximal level of amputation also should be considered in cases of patients with PAOD, high BUN and low eGFR, and patients with long-term diabetes.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.81-96
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• 2024

Objectives: This study aimed to investigate arterial stiffness index, physical activity, and food and nutrient intake in middle-aged adults over 40 years when the incidence of cardiovascular disease begins to increase. Methods: This study included 106 subjects (48 males and 58 females) aged between 40 and 64 years. The arterial stiffness index (brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity [baPWV], and ankle-brachial index [ABI]) were measured using a blood pressure pulse wave testing device. Physical activity was assessed using the Korean version of the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire, and food and nutrient intake was calculated using the Food Frequency Questionnaire. Results: The mean age of the subjects was 54.4 years. Although the ABI of the subjects was within the normal range, they were divided into tertiles to compare physical activity and food and nutrient intake. In males, the time spent on moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) was significantly higher in T3 (600.6 min/week) than in T1 (304.4 min/week). In females, the time spent in sedentary behavior was significantly lower in T3 (294.5 min/week) than in T1 (472.1 min/week). In addition, the frequency of fish consumption was significantly higher in T3 (1.27 frequency/day) than in T1 (0.64 frequency/day) in females. Polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) and ω-3 fatty acid intake, adjusted for energy intake, were significantly positively correlated with ABI (r = 0.200 and r = 0.218, respectively). Conclusions: High MVPA (in males), low sedentary behavior (in females), and PUFA and ω-3 fatty acid intake through fish consumption may be associated with low peripheral artery stiffness. Therefore, arteriosclerosis can be prevented through physical activity and proper dietary therapy.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.212-218
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• 2010

Korean red ginseng (KRG) has been shown to enhance endothelium-dependent vasorelaxation in experimental animals; however, little is known about its pharmacological effects on vascular stiffness in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover trial was carried out to determine whether KRG has beneficial effects on arterial stiffness, cardiovascular risk factors such as plasma lipid profiles and blood pressure (BP), and Rho-associated kinase (ROCK) activity. Twenty patients (mean age, 62.5 years) with stable angina pectoris were given KRG (2.7 g/day) and a placebo alternatively for 10 weeks. Blood biochemical analysis and pulse wave velocity (PWV) recording were performed on day 0 and after the completion of each treatment. ROCK activity was assessed based on the level of phospho-$Thr^{853}$ in the myosin-binding subunit of myosin light chain phosphatase, determined by Western blot analysis of peripheral blood mononuclear cells. KRG significantly decreased the systolic BP, brachial ankle PWV, and heart femoral PWV in the patients (all p<0.05), but did not significantly alter the serum lipid profiles, including triglycerides and total, high-density lipoprotein, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels. The ROCK activity tended to decrease (p=0.068) following KRG treatment. The placebo did not significantly alter any of the variables. In conclusion, KRG decreased systolic BP and arterial stiffness, probably via the inhibition of ROCK activity, in patients with CAD, but had a neutral effect on serum lipid profiles. Our data suggest that KRG has a therapeutic effect on CAD.

• Proceedings of the PSK Conference
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• 2002.10a
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• pp.402.3-403
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• 2002

Cilostazol. a quinolinone derivative that inhibits phosphodiesterase. is used for the treatment of intermittent claudication resulting from peripheral arterial disease. In order to perform pharmacological and pharmacokinetic studies of cilostazol, specific. sensitive and reproducible analysis methods are demanded. Therefore. in the present study. an analytical method of cilostazol in human plasma was developed using semi-microbore HPLC equipped with automated column switching system. (omitted)

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.242-246
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• 2017

Acute limb ischemia (ALI) due to an embolism is associated with high mortality rate and poor prognosis, and early diagnosis with prompt revascularization is required to reduce the risk of limb amputation or even death. The etiologies of ALI are diverse, and it includes an embolism from the heart and thrombotic occlusion of the atherosclerotic native vessels, stents, or grafts. An uncommon cause of ALI is acute arterial thromboembolism, and atrial fibrillation (AF) is the single most important risk factors for systemic thromboembolism. It is important to correctly identify the source of ALI for secondary prevention, as it depends on the underlying cause. Percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) has been proven to be a safe and effective treatment for focal atherosclerotic and thrombotic occlusive diseases of the aorta and its major extremity branches. Herein, we report on a 77-year-old female patient with acute upper limb ischemia, treated by PTA using a catheter-guided thrombectomy. He was newly diagnosed with paroxysmal AF (PAF) while evaluation the cause of his acute arterial thromboembolism. We recommend that cardiologists always consider PAF as a possible diagnosis even in patients without any history of AF under ALI because it is possible to develop thromboembolism in clinical practice.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Pharmacy
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.198-204
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• 2021

Background: Cardiovascular (CV) disease is known as one of the major causes of death from disease worldwide. Statin therapy plays a pivotal role in atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) lowering the LDL-cholesterol level effectively. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the association of the intensity of statin therapy in adult patients of Korea and the risk of ASCVD of the patient group. Methods: We used data from sample of patients from the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service (HIRA-NPS-2018). We analyzed the patterns of prescribing statins including types of statin, statin intensity, and number of patients with ASCVD or risk of ASCVD. Results: 155,512 patients were included in the analysis, and 27,950 patients (18.0%) was over 75 years. High-intensity statin usage was increased in ASCVD patients compared with the low-intensity statin use. The OR (odds ratio) of high-intensity statin were increased in myocardial infarction patients compared with low-intensity statin use showing the highest OR; 12.40 (95% CI; 9.48-16.22). At patient groups of angina, ischemic heart disease and carotid disease, high-intensity statin prescription rate was increased compared with low-intensity statin. However, there was no statistical significance between both statin prescription rates in patients of peripheral arterial disease, abdominal aneurysm, diabetic mellitus and atherosclerosis. Conclusion: The statin prescription rate showed intensity increasing tendency according to the risk of ASCVD. More aggressive statin therapy might be beneficial for the ASCVD patients based on the recent guidelines of dyslipidemia.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.21 no.6
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• pp.970-978
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• 1988

There is tendency of increasing number and decreasing age of patients who are indicated for Rastelli operation for their cyanotic congenital heart disease. So there is the need to find the criterion which saves the patients from early postoperative hemodynamic disturbances. We reviewed the 26 patients who had been performed Rastelli operation at Seoul national University Hospital from January 1981 to June 1988. mean age of the patients was 7.8*3.4 years[range 2.5-15years], mean body surface area[BSA] 0.79*0.25m2[range 0.49-1.51m2] and mean hematocrit 57.95*12%[range 48-80%]. We divided these patients into survived group and died group before postoperative 72 hours, and analyzed preoperative arterial oxygen saturation[SaO2], the ratio of diameter of right pulmonary artery to ascending aorta[RPA/AA], the ratio of both right and left pulmonary artery diameter to descending thoracic aorta[RPA+LPA/DTA], pulmonary artery index[PA index], cardiopulmonary bypass time, aorta cross-clamping time, postoperative perfusion state and total amount of dopamine infused postoperatively. The results showed that RPA+LPA/DTA and PA index were statistically significant factors to influence early postoperative cardiac death rate[P< 0.05]. Especially there were good linear correlations between PA index[X] and peripheral perfusion index[Y][Y= - 1.15+0.02 X, r=0.86, P<0.01]and between PA index[X] and total amount of dopamine infused before postoperative 72 hours[mg/kg, Y][Y=61.94 - 0.15 X, r=-0.80, P < 0.01]. Also there were tendencies that the higher RPA+LPA/DTA[Y], the better peripheral perfusion [X] and the lower need of dopamine[X], but no statistical significance.[Y=0.78+1.60 X, r =0. 49, P >0.05] And the discriminate analysis showed that patients with PA index over 221 mm2/BSA could undergo correction with 25 per cent of error rate. In conclusion, early postoperative hemodynamic states could be predicted by preoperatively measured PA index, and which can be used as a criterion for Rastelli operation performed on cyanotic congenital heart disease.