• Journal of health informatics and statistics
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• v.41 no.1
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• pp.49-56
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• 2016

Objectives: Carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) and the presence of carotid artery plaque are widely used as preclinical markers of atherosclerosis. Due to operator dependency in measuring CIMT, it is important to evaluate the reliability of measuring CIMT and plaque between centers in a multicenter study. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the inter-rater reliability of CIMT and plaque presence among three clinical centers of the Cardiovascular and Metabolic Disease Etiology Research Center (CMERC). Methods: Twenty people without known cardiovascular disease (age 37-64) were enrolled during 2014-2015, and their left and right carotid arteries were examined repeatedly with ultrasonography for CIMT measurements at three clinical centers according to a predetermined protocol. Maximum and mean values of CIMT at distal common carotid artery were recorded. Plaque presence at a carotid artery was checked by an operator. The reliability of CIMT and carotid plaque presence was assessed using an intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and kappa statistics, respectively. Results: Calculated ICC was 0.647 (95% CI: 0.487-0.779) for maximum CIMT, and 0.758 (95% CI: 0.632- 0.854) for mean CIMT. In Bland Altman plot, most observed values were distributed within mean difference ${\pm}1.96$ SD ranges. Kappa statistics of plaque presence between two centers were 0.304 (center 1 and 2), 0.507 (center 1 and 3), and 0.606 (center 2 and 3), respectively, while Fleiss kappa for overall agreement was 0.445. Conclusions: The inter-rater reliability of CIMT measurements among three clinical centers turned out to be high, and the agreement of measuring carotid plaque presence was fair.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.81 no.1
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• pp.166-175
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• 2020

Purpose This study aimed to compare the image quality and adverse events between Iopamidol 250 and Ioversol 320 usage during transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Materials and Methods Medical records and hepatic angiography from 113 patients who underwent TACE with Iopamidol 250 (44 patients) and Ioversol 320 (69 patients) were retrospectively reviewed. Vessel perception on hepatic angiography was graded into three categories by two radiologists for hepatic subsegmental arteries, the right gastroepiploic artery, right gastric artery, and pancreaticoduodenal artery. Imaging concordance was assessed by comparing the number of detected HCCs on hepatic angiography and CT. The adverse events before and after hepatic angiography were evaluated. Results The mean vessel perception scores were 2.92 and 2.94 for Iopamidol 250 and Ioversol 320, respectively. The imaging concordance was 31 (70.5%) and 46 (66.7%) patients for Iopamidol 250 and Ioversol 320, respectively. There were no statistical differences in vessel perception or imaging concordance (p > 0.05). One and six patients experienced nausea for Iopamidol 250 and Ioversol 320, respectively. There was no statistical difference in adverse events (p = 0.24). Conclusion Iopamidol 250 can be used in hepatic angiography for TACE without significant difference in image quality or occurrence of adverse events from Ioversol 320.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.39 no.5 s.262
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• pp.359-365
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• 2006

Background: Arterial grafts have been used to achieve better long-term results for coronary revascularization. Bilateral internal thoracic artery (ITA) grafts have a better results, but it may be not used in some situations such as diabetes and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). We evaluated the clinical and angiographic results of composite left internal thoracic artery-radial artery (LITA-RA) Y graft. Material and Method: Between April 2002 and September 2004, 119 patients were enrolled in composite Y graft for coronary bypass surgery. The mean age was $62.6{\pm}8.8$ years old and female was 34.5%. Preoperative cardiac risk factors were as follows: hypertension 43.7%, diabetes 33.6%, smoker 41.2%, and hyperlipidemia 22.7%, There were emergency operation (14), cardiogenic shock (6), left ventricle ejection fraction (LVEF) less than 40% (17), and 17 cases of left main disease. Coronary angiography was done in 35 patients before the hospital discharge. Result: The number of distal anastomoses was $3.1{\pm}0.91$ and three patients (2.52%) died during hospital stay. The off-pump coronary artery bypass (OPCAB) was applied to 79 patients (66.4%). The LITA was anastomosed to left anterior descending system except three cases which was to lateral wall. The radial Y grafts were anastomosed to diagonal branches (4), ramus intermedius (21), obtuse marginal branches (109), posterolateral branches (12), and posterior descending coronary artery (8). Postoperative coronary angiography in 35 patients showed excellent patency rates (LITA 100%, and RA 88.5%; 3 RA grafts which anastomosed to coronary arteries <70% stenosed showed string sign with competitive flow). Conclusion: The LITA-RA Y composite graft provided good early clinical and angiographic results in multivessel coronary revascularization. But it should be cautiously used in selected patients.

• The Korean Journal of Pharmacology
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.323-334
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• 1996

Male Mongolian gerbils $(60{\sim}80g)$ were given DL-difluoromethylornithine (DFMO; 250mg/kg, ip) and methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) (MGBG; 50 mg/k, ip), respectively, 1 h prior to transient (7 min) occlusion of bilateral common carotid arteries (OBC7) and a daily dose of one of them for 6 days after recirculation, and the polyamine contents, activities of ornithine and S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylases (ODC and SAM-DC), and light microscopic findings of the hippocampus were evaluated. The hippocampal putrescine (PT) levels of the control gerbils treated with saline (STGr), markedly increased after OBC7, showing a peak level at 24 h after recirculation. The peak PT level was reduced in DFMO treated gerbils (DTCr) and in MGBG treated gerbils (MTGr). And 7 days after recirculation, the PT level of DTGr was decreased to about 75% of the PT level in the sham operated group (nonTGr) and to about 55% of the STGr level, respectively. The hippocampal spermidine (SD) level of STGr tended to decline, showing the lowest value at 8 h after recirculation. But the spermidine (SD) level of DTGr was somewhat higher at 8 h after OBC7 than those of STGr and MTGr The hippocampal spermine (SM) levels of all the experimental groups were little changed for 7 days after OBC. OBC7 markedly increased the hippocampal ODC activity. reaching a maximum (about 3 times higher than preischemic level) at 8 h and rapidly recovered to the control value by 24 h in STGr gerbils, and the OBC7-induced increase of ODC activity was significantly attenuated by DFMO or MGBG treatment. Whereas OBC7 induced a rapid decrease of the hippocampal SAMDC activity follwed by gradual recovery to the preischemic level, and the decrease of the SAMDC activity was slightly attenuated by DFMO or MGBG treatment. 7 Days after OBC7 the histological finding of the hippocampal complex stained with cresyl violet showed an extensive delayed neuronal damage in the CA1 region and to a lesser extent, in the dentate gyrus, sparing the CA3 region. And the neuronal death was aggevated by DFMO but significantly attenuated by MGBG. The immunochemical reactivity of hippocampus to anti-GFAP antibody was significantly increased in the CA1 region and to a lesser extent, in the dentate gyrus 7 days after OBC7, but was little changed in the CA3. And the increase of the anti-GFAP immunoreactivity was moderately enhanced by DFMO and significantly suppressed by MGBG. These results suggest that the polyamine metabolism may play a modulatory role in the ischemic brain damage.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.42 no.4
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• pp.480-486
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• 2009

Background: The Fogarty thromboembolectomy catheter technique was devised to extract distal arterial emboli and it represents a milestone for the treatment of patients with acute arterial occlusion since the 1960s. The major causes of arterial occlusion have changed from emboli of a heart origin to atherosclerosis over the past 30 years. Accordingly, questions have been raised about the effectiveness of simple Fogarty thromboembolectomy. Material and Method: During the period from March 1990 through August 2008, 156 patients who requiring Fogarty thromboembolectomy were analyzed. The patients were divided into two groups: those with simple Fogarty thromboembolectomy (Group 1, 79 patients) and those with additional vascular bypass graft surgery (Group 2, 77 patients). The duration of symptoms, the cause of thrombi, admission via the emergency room, a history of acupuncture or misdiagnosis, combined diseases, the anatomic occlusion site and the cause of death were analyzed using T-tests, cross tab tests, Chi square tests and Kaplan-Meier tests, respectively. Result: The mean age was 64$\pm$10 years in the 2 groups. The duration of symptoms (pain) in Group 1 vs Group 2 was 12$\pm$4 days vs 71$\pm$14 days (p=0.001). 50 (63%) patients in Group 1 were admitted via the emergency room vs 18 (23%) patients in Group 2 (p=0.005). Misdiagnosis and the treatment for herniated intervertebral disc or acupuncture were given to, 20 (25%) patients in Group 1 vs 30 (39%) patients in Group 2. Anticoagulation treatment before admission was performed in 22 (28%) patients in Group 1 vs 11 (14%) patients in Group 2. The causes of thrombi were heart disease in, 24 (30%) patients in Group 1 vs 6 (8%) patients in Group 2 (p=0.001), atherosclerosis in 46 (58%) patients in Group 1 vs 67 (87%) patients in Group 2 (p=0.001) and trauma in 9 (11%) patients in Group 1 vs 6 (8%) patients in Group 2. The combined diseases were cerebrovascular accident, hypertension and diabetes mellitus in 22 $\sim$ 37% of the total patients. The occlusion sites were mainly in the iliac and femoral arteries. Endarterectomy was performed in 7 (9%) patients in Group 1 vs 18 (23%) patients in Group 2 (p=0.012). Treatment was successful in 27 (34%) patients in Group 1 and in 40 (52%) patients in Group 2 (p=0.019). Reocclusion occurred in 37(47%) patients in Group 1 vs 20 (26%) patients in Group 2 (p=0.000), Amputation was done in 4 (5%) patients in Group 1 vs 12 (16%) patients in Group 2 (p=0.012) and death occurred in 10 (13%) patients (Group 1) vs 3(4%) patients (Group 2) (p=0.044). Conclusion: The recent past has shown a decline in the effectiveness of simple Fogarty thromboembolectomy with a changing pattern of acute arterial occlusion from a rheumatic heart origin to atherosclerosis. Additional bypass procedures play a role for the treatment of arterial occlusion instead of always performing simple Fogarty thromboembolectomy.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.49 no.3
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• pp.317-325
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• 2006

Purpose : This study was carried out to elucidate the effects of nitric oxide synthase(NOS) inhibitor, NG-monomethyl-L-arginine(L-NMMA) and nitric oxide precursor, L-arginine(L-Arg) on cerebral hemodynamics and energy metabolism during reoxygenation-reperfusion(RR) after hypoxia-ischemia(HI) in newborn piglets. Methods : Twenty-eight newborn piglets were divided into 4 groups; Sham normal control(NC), experimental control(EC), L-NMMA(HI & RR with L-NMMA), and L-Arg(HI & RR with L-Arg) groups. HI was induced by occlusion of bilateral common carotid arteries and simultaneously breathing with 8 percent oxygen for 30 mins, and followed RR by release of carotid occlusion and normoxic ventilation for one hour. All groups were monitored with cerebral hemodynamics and cytochrome $aa_3$ (Cyt $aa_3$) using near infrared spectroscopy(NIRS). $Na^+$, $K^+$-ATPase activity, lipid peroxidation products, and tissue high energy phosphate levels were determined biochemically in the cerebral cortex. Results : In experimental groups, mean arterial blood pressure, $PaO_2$, and pH decreased, and base excess and blood lactate level increased after HI compared to NC group(P<0.05). These variables subsequently returned to baseline after RR except pH. There were no differences among the experimental groups. In NIRS, oxidized hemoglobin($HbO_2$) decreased and hemoglobin(Hb) increased during HI(P<0.05) but returned to base line immediately after RR; 40 min after RR, the $HbO_2$ had decreased significantly compared to NC group(P<0.05). Changes of Cyt $aa_3$ decreased significantly compared to NC after HI and recovered at the end of the experiment. Significantly reduced cerebral cortical cell membrane $Na^+$, $K^+$-ATPase activity and increased lipid peroxidation products(P<0.05) were not improved with L-NMMA or L-Arg. Conclusion : These findings suggest that NO is not involved in the mechanism of HI and RR brain damage during the early acute phase of RR.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.40 no.4 s.273
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• pp.264-272
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• 2007

Background: Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) plays an important role in angiogenesis, including stimulating the proliferation and migration of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs). It has been known that diabetes is associated with accelerated cellular proliferation via VEGF, as compared to that under a normal glucose concentration. We investigated the effects of selective blockade of a VEGF receptor by using anti-Flt-1 peptide on the formation and hyperplasia of the neointima in balloon injured-carotid arteries of OLETF rats and also on the in vitro VSMCS' migration under high glucose conditions. Material and Method: The balloon-injury method was employed to induce neointima formation by VEGF. For f4 days beginning 2 days before the ballon injury, placebo or vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-1 (VEGFR-1) specific peptide (anti-Flt-1 peptide), was injected at a dose of 0.5mg/kg daily into the OLETF rats. At 14 days after balloon injury, the neointimal proliferation and vascular luminal stenosis were measured, and cellular proliferation was assessed by counting the proliferative cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) stained cells. To analyze the effect of VEGF and anti-Flt-1 peptide on the migration of VSMCs under a high glucose condition, transwell assay with a matrigel filter was performed. And finally, to determine the underlying mechanism of the effect of anti-Flt-1 peptide on the VEGF-induced VSMC migration in vitro, the expression of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) was observed by performing reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Result: Both the neointimal area and luminal stenosis associated with neointimal proliferation were significantly decreased in the anti-Flt-1 peptide injected rats, ($0.15{\pm}0.04 mm^2$ and $ 36.03{\pm}3.78%$ compared to $0.24{\pm}0.03mm^2\;and\;61.85{\pm}5.11%$, respectively, in the placebo-injected rats (p<0.01, respectively). The ratio of PCNA(+) cells to the entire neointimal cells was also significantly decreased from $52.82{\pm}4.20%\;to\;38.11{\pm}6.89%$, by the injected anti-Flt-1 peptide (p<0.05). On the VSMC migration assay, anti-Flt-1 peptide significantly reduced the VEGF-induced VMSC migration by about 40% (p<0.01). Consistent with the effect of anti-Flt-1 peptide on VSMC migration, it also obviously attenuated the induction of the MMP-3 and MMP-9 mRNA expressions via VEGF in the VSMCS. Conclusion: Anti-Flt-1 peptide inhibits the formation and hyperplasia of the neointima in a balloon-injured carotid artery model of OLETF rats. Anti-Flt-1 peptide also inhibits the VSMCs' migration and the expressions of MMP-3 and MMP-9 mRNA induced by VEGF under a high glucose condition. Therefore, these results suggest that specific blockade of VEGFR-1 by anti-Flt-1 peptide may have therapeutic potential against the arterial stenosis of diabetes mellitus patients or that occurring under a high glucose condition.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.29 no.5
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• pp.495-503
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• 1996

The bidirectional cavopulmonary shunt may be useful as an intermediate procedure before Fontal oper- ation in high-risk patients, because it provides adequate relief of cyanosis and relief of ventricular volume overload. But there are no established theory about the effects of bidirectional cavopulmonary shunt on pulmonary arterial development. The purpose of this article is a study of changes of pulmonary artery size after bidirectional cavopulmonary shunt. Ca diac catheterization and angiography procedures were done on 19 patients who underwent bidirectional cavopulmonary shunt from February 1992 to July 1994, their results were reviewed. Preoperative cardiac catheterization and angiography procedures were performed at a mean interval of ).8 $\pm$4.8($\pm$SEM) months before surgery and following catheterization at a mean postoperative interval of 19.6 $\pm$4.8 months. Pulmonary arterial sixte measurement were standardized for body surface area(Pulmon- arty artery index), and for diameter of descending thoracic aorta(McGoon ratio). Patient's age, body stir- face area, pulmonary angioplasty, preoperative McGoon ratio and follow-up intervals were considered as variables. Before bidirectional cavopulmonary shunt, patient's mean age, body surface area, arterial 02 saturation, diameter of right pulmonary artery, diameter of left pulmonary artery, pulmonary artery Index, McGoon ratio were 13.7$\pm$15.6 months, 0.40$\pm$0.12m2, 71.4$\pm$12.4m2, 7.1$\pm$1.7mm, 6.2$\pm$1 , 191.8$\pm$82.7mm21m2, 1.73 $\pm$0.49, respectively. After bidirectional cavopulmonary shunt, the values were changed to 39.9 $\pm$ 16.2 months, 0.58$\pm$0.07 m2, 83.0$\pm$3.8m2, 9.0$\pm$ 1.5 mm, 7.7$\pm$2.0, 197.3$\pm$57.1 mm2/m2, 1.76$\pm$0.32, respect- ively With patients'development (age, body surf'ace area), diameters of pulmonary arteries were increased, but pulmonary artery indices and McGoon ratios were not changed. And there were no effects of age, body surf'ace area, amount of increased 02 saturation, pulmonary angiography and follow-up duration on the increment of pulmonary ar- tery size. But when the McGoon ratio was as low as 1.2, there were significant increase in postoperative pulmonary artery sizes. There was a significant correlation between preoperative pulmonary artery index (PAI) and McGoon ratio (MGR) ; PAI : MGRxl18.0-12.4 In conclusion, bidirectional cavopulmonary shunt provides adequate increment of arterial 02 saturation and does not increase the pulmonary artery size. Further investi ation is mandatory to evaluate the effect of pulsatile bidirectional cavopulmonary shunt on pulmonary artery growth.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.31-40
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• 1995

We compared stress/rest myocardial Tc-99m-MIBl tomographic image findings with rest/stress rubidium-82 tomographic images. In 23 patients with coronary artery disease (12 of them received bypass grafts before) and 6 normal subjects, rest rubidium PET study was performed : rubidium-82 and Tc-99m-MIBI were injected simultaneously to each patient after dipyridamole stress for rubidium PET and MIBI SPECT; and rest MIBI SPECT was performed 4 hours thereafter. We scored segmental decrease of rubidium or MIBI uptakes into 5 grades for 29 segments from 3 short-axis, vertical and horizontal slices. Scores were summed for each major arterial territory. When more score than two grade-2's or one grade-3 was considered as the cue for significant stenosis for major arterial territories, 67% of 46 stenosed arteries were found with MIBI studies and 78% of them by rubidium studies. Fourteen among 28 grafted arterial territories of 12 post-CABG patients were found normal with both rubidium and MIBI. Segmental scores were concordant between rubidium and MIBI in 72% of 709 stress segments and in 80% of 825 rest segments. Stress rubidium segmental scores were less than stress MIBI scores in 9%, so were rest rubidium scores. Stress rubidium scores were more than stress MIBI scores in 20% of segments, and rest rubidium segmental scores were more than rest MIBl scores in 11%. Rank correlations (Spearman's rho's more than 0.7(stress) and 0.5(rest), slopes (MIBI/rubidium) around 0.7(stress) and 0.9 (rest)) suggested deeper and wider defects in stress with rubidium. Slope over 1 (MIBI/rubidium) with LAD segemental scores at rest and 7 territories which had much larger score with MIBI revealed exaggeration of rest defects with rest MIBI in same-day stress/rest study. Difference scores (stress-rest for each territory) suggesting Ischemia were larger with rubidium (slope of MIBI/rubidium around 0.45). As has been implied by animal or separate-day-human studies, these segmental analyses with simultaneous examination in patients told that rubidium PET flow studies disclose ischemia more often than MIBI studies and that rest MIBI studies in same-day stress/rest-sequence gave a little larger rest defect than they would have shown.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.95-103
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• 1996

Reverse redistribution(RRD) refers to a perfusion defect that develops or becomes more evident on rest imaging compared with the stress imaging. This phenomenon was not uncommonly noted on myocardial perfusion single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT). However, the clinical significance and pathophysiological mechanism of RRD were unclear. The aim of this study was to evaluate the incidence and clinical significance of RRD on either dipyridamole T1-201 or Tc-99m MIBI myocardial perfusion SPECT. RRD was defined as ${\geq}10%$ decrease in relative T1-201 and Tc-99m MIBI uptakes on rest images compared to the stress images or as an appearance of new perfusion defects on rest images. It was observed in both T1-201 (44/463, 9.5%) and Tc-99m MIBI (124/999, 12.4%) myocardial SPECTs similarly, with an overall incidence of 11.5%(168/1462). Many apparent)y unrelated disease groups showed the finding: post-revascularization(53.9%), coronary artery disease(24.6%), myocardial infarction(12.3%), and those with normal coro-nary arteries (9.2%). Clinical and angiographic characteristics of 65 consecutive patients who underwent coronary arteriography in 168 patients who had RRD on myocardial perfusion SPECT were reviewed. Tc-99m MIBI was used in 44 patients, and T1-201 was used in 21 patients. Of the 81 myocardial segments analyzed which showed RRD, 32 segments(39.5%) were in septum, 24(29.5%) in inferior wallL, 12(14.8%) in anterior wall, 7(8.7%) in apex and 6(7.4%) in lateral wall. There was no clear association between RRD and coronary arterial stenosis or Presence of collateral circulations. Ventriculographical wall motion was evaluated in 27 regions with RRD; it was normal in 12 regions, hypokinetic in 12 regions and dyskinetic in 3 regions. In 14 of 21 patients who showed RRD on T1-201 myocardial SPECT, T1-201 reinjection was performed immediately after the 3-4 hour redistribution studies. Ten of 14 (71.4%) showed enhanced T1-201 activity(${\geq}10%$ increased) after reinjection. We conclude that RRD is not related to mode of stress or radiopharmaceuticals. RRD might represent many inhomogeneous pathophysiological processes.