• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.107-120
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• 2012

Objectives: Clinically, patients with dyspepsia often complain of several gastrointestinal (GI) and extra-GI symptoms. However, there have been few studies investigating the relationship between GI symptoms and extra-GI symptoms. The aim of this study was to characterize the clinical features of the 991 outpatients with GI and extra-GI symptom and the relationships between GI and extra-GI symptoms. Methods: 991 patients newly visiting Weedahm Oriental Hospital for GI symptoms were included. Those who had disorders caused by the hepatobiliary-pancreatic system were excluded. The 991 outpatients were interviewed with a standardized questionnaire inquiring about demography, past medical history, past institutional care, GI symptoms and extra-GI symptoms. Results: Among 991 patients, 780 (78.7%) had more than three GI symptoms and 451 (45.5%) had more than five. Among 991 patients, 545 (55.0%) had more than three extra-GI symptoms and 285 (28.8%) had more than five. There was a statistically significant correlation between GI symptoms and extra-GI symptoms such as headache, fatigue, forgetfulness, eyeball pain, unrest, dizziness, muscle pain, chest pain, and dyspnea. Conclusions: We found that there was statistically significant correlation between GI symptoms and extra-GI symptoms, which suggests the possibility of main common pathophysiology between GI symptoms and extra-GI symptoms. Further studies will be required to elucidate the main common pathophysiology between GI symptoms and extra-GI symptoms.

• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.34-39
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• 2015

Mood disorder is a common psychiatric illness with a high lifetime prevalence in the general population. A serious problem such as suicide is commonly occurring in the patients with depression. Till now, the monoamine hypothesis has been the most popular theory of pathogenesis for depression. However, the more specific pathophysiology of depression and cellular molecular mechanism underlying action of commercial antidepressants have not been clearly defined. Several recent studies demonstrated that glial cells, especially astrocytes, are a promising answer to the pathophysiology of depression. In this article, current understanding of biology and molecular mechanisms of glial cells in the pathology of mood disorder and new research on the pathophysiology of depression will be discussed.

• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 2016

The spine is the most common location for skeletal metastases, and the incidence of spinal metastasis shows an increasing tendency. Because metastatic spinal tumors progress from an anterior element to a posterior element resulting in continuing destruction of the pedicles, epidural extension and involvement of neural structures of the metastatic tumor are eventually visible. Therefore, it is clinically significant for radiologists to understand the pathophysiology of spinal metastasis and to assess the involvement of neural structures and the disintegration of spinal instability related to the pathophysiology. As MRI is also the best imaging modality for diagnosing spinal metastasis, radiologists should accurately assess spinal metastasis and provide practical information to physicians. Therefore, we will describe some analysis points focusing on the understanding of pathophysiology of spinal metastasis and the next step toward a more extensive clinical approach using MR imaging.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.53 no.1
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• pp.1-6
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• 2010

Transient tachypnea of the newborn (TTN), respiratory distress syndrome (RDS), and persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn (PPHN) are the three most common disorders that cause respiratory distress after birth. An understanding of the pathophysiology of these disorders and the development of effective therapeutic strategies is required to control these conditions. Here, we review recent papers on the pathogenesis and treatment of neonatal respiratory disease.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.275-281
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• 2015

Orthostatic hypotension is most common in elderly people, and its prevalence increases with age. Attenuation of the vestibulo-sympathetic reflex (VSR) is commonly associated with orthostatic hypotension. In this study, we investigated the role of glutamate on the vestibulo-solitary projection of the VSR pathway to clarify the pathophysiology of orthostatic hypotension. Blood pressure and expression of both pERK and c-Fos protein were evaluated in the nucleus tractus solitarius (NTS) after microinjection of glutamate into the medial vestibular nucleus (MVN) in conscious rats with sodium nitroprusside (SNP)-induced hypotension that received baroreceptor unloading via sinoaortic denervation (SAD). SNP-induced hypotension increased the expression of both pERK and c-Fos protein in the NTS, which was abolished by pretreatment with glutamate receptor antagonists (MK801 or CNQX) in the MVN. Microinjection of glutamate receptor agonists (NMDA or AMPA) into the MVN increased the expression of both pERK and c-Fos protein in the NTS without causing changes in blood pressure. These results indicate that both NMDA and AMPA receptors play a significant role in the vestibulo-solitary projection of the VSR pathway for maintaining blood pressure, and that glutamatergic transmission in this projection might play a key role in the pathophysiology of orthostatic hypotension.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.57 no.12
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• pp.505-513
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• 2014

While the survival of extremely premature infants with respiratory distress syndrome has increased due to advanced respiratory care in recent years, necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) remains the leading cause of neonatal mortality and morbidity. NEC is more prevalent in lower gestational age and lower birth weight groups. It is characterized by various degrees of mucosal or transmural necrosis of the intestine. Its exact pathogenesis remains unclear, but prematurity, enteral feeding, bacterial products, and intestinal ischemia have all been shown to cause activation of the inflammatory cascade, which is known as the final common pathway of intestinal injury. Awareness of the risk factors for NEC; practices to reduce the risk, including early trophic feeding with breast milk and following the established feeding guidelines; and administration of probiotics have been shown to reduce the incidence of NEC. Despite advancements in the knowledge and understanding of the pathophysiology of NEC, there is currently no universal prevention measure for this serious and often fatal disease. Therefore, new potential techniques to detect early biomarkers or factors specific to intestinal inflammation, as well as further strategies to prevent the activation of the inflammatory cascade, which is important for disease progression, should be investigated.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.149-160
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• 2017

Streptococcus pneumoniae, pneumococcus, is the most common cause of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP). CAP is an important infectious disease with high morbidity and mortality, and it is still one of the leading causes of death worldwide. Many genetic factors of the host and various environmental factors surrounding it have been studied as important determinants of the pathophysiology and outcomes of pneumococcal infections. Various cytokines, including transforming growth factor $(TGF)-{\beta}1$, are involved in different stages of the progression of pneumococcal infection. $TGF-{\beta}1$ is a cytokine that regulates a wide range of cellular and physiological functions, including immune and inflammatory responses. This cytokine has long been known as an anti-inflammatory cytokine that is critical to preventing the progression of an acute infection to a chronic condition. On the other hand, recent studies have unveiled the diverse roles of $TGF-{\beta}1$ on different stages of pneumococcal infections other than mitigating inflammation. This review summarizes the recent findings of the role of $TGF-{\beta}1$ on the pathophysiology of pneumococcal infections, which is fundamental to developing novel therapeutic strategies for such infections in immune-compromised patients.

• Journal of Dental Anesthesia and Pain Medicine
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• v.21 no.5
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• pp.431-440
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• 2021

Background: Neurovascular compression (NVC) is a well-known cause of trigeminal neuralgia (TN). However, patients with idiopathic TN (ITN) do not have evidence of NVC on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and other patients may remain asymptomatic despite evidence of NVC on MRI. This suggests that there may be additional risk factors for TN development other than NVC. Although epidemiological factors, such as age and sex differences, are useful for understanding the pathophysiology of TN, detailed statistics for each TN subtype are currently unavailable. Therefore, this study aimed to classify patients with TN into the following groups based on data extracted from past medical records: classical TN (CTN), secondary TN, and ITN. Methods: The characteristics of the groups and their differences were explored. Results: CTN was more common in women than in men, as previously reported, whereas ITN was more common in men than in women. The ratio of pain sites located on the right side of the face was high in all groups. Patients with CTN were also prone to NVC on the asymptomatic side. Conclusion: By investigating TN subtype, it may be possible to elucidate the pathophysiology of TN. This would greatly improve treatment outcomes.

• Clinics in Shoulder and Elbow
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.209-217
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• 2014

Most studies on the pathophysiology, natural history, diagnosis by imaging and outcomes after operative or nonoperative treatment of rotator cuff tear have focused on those of full-thickness tears, resulting in limited knowledge of partial-thickness rotator cuff tears. However, a partial-thickness tear of the rotator cuff is a common disorder and can be the cause of persistent pain and dysfunction of the shoulder joint in the affected patients. Recent updates in the literatures shows that the partial-thickness tears are not merely mild form of full-thickness tears. Over the last decades, an improved knowledge of pathophysiology and surgical techniques of partial-thickness tears has led to more understanding of the significance of this tear and better outcomes. In this review, we discuss the current concept of management for partial-thickness tears in terms of the pathogenesis, natural history, nonoperative treatment, and surgical outcomes associated with the commonly used repair techniques.

• Annals of Clinical Neurophysiology
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.68-72
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• 2022

Posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES) and reversible cerebral vasoconstriction syndrome (RCVS) are relatively uncommon neurological disorders. These two independent syndromes can be concurrent as a part of a continuum process; however, the specific mechanism is not well known. Although the relationship between RCVS and PRES is currently unclear, they could share a common pathophysiology. This case report aimed to determine the pathophysiology underlying the co-occurrence of PRES and RCVS in a patient with an acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.