• Journal of Korean Medicine Rehabilitation
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.9-17
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• 2017

Objectives This study was aimed to evaluate the effects of Daeyoungjeon (hereinafter referred to DYJ) treatment on the injury of articular cartilage induced by monosodium iodoacetate in rats. Methods Twenty-four male rats were divided into normal, osteoarthritic control and DYJ group. Rats of normal group were injected with 0.1 ml physiological saline, rats of control and DYJ groups were injected with 0.1 ml monosodium iodoacetate (3 mg/ml) into each left and right knee joint cavities. Rats of DYJ group were administrated extracts of DYJ during 60 days per orally. At 60 days after treatment, gross lesions, area and proteoglycan contents of articular cartilage, histopathological lesions, immunohistochemistry on matrix metalloproteinases (MMP-2, MMP-3, MMP-7) were evaluated. Results Grossly, degenerative changes of articular cartilages were observed weak in DYJ group. The areas of articular cartilages were broader significantly in DYJ group. The proteoglycan contents in articular cartilages were lesser significantly in DYJ group. Histopathologically, the chondrocyte score was lesser significantly in DYJ group. MMP-3 expression in articular cartilages was observed weak in DYJ group. Conclusions From above results, DYJ treatment has inhibitory effects on the injuries of articular cartilage induced by monosodium iodoacetate in rats, and it's effects may be related with down regulation of MMP-3.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.216-223
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• 2009

Background: There have been limited reports on the effectiveness of 5% lidocaine patches (L5Ps) for treating a few types of chronic pain. We utilized L5Ps for chronic pain patients with various diagnoses and who had incompletely responded to their current treatment regimen. This study aimed at describing the results of a retrospective review of an open-label L5P trial to assess L5Ps' effectiveness and safety for treating various chronic pain patients. Methods: The chronic pain patients with pain lasting longer than 6-month duration were offered a 2-week L5P treatment trial. The patients were maintained on their other analgesic regimens. The treatment effect was measured according to the change from the baseline visual analog scale (VAS) to the week 2 VAS. After a 2-week trial, the patients were asked if they perceived pain improvement with L5Ps by using a four-item Pain Relief Scale (1 = a lot of relief, 2 = slight relief, 3 = no change, 4 = worse pain). Results: In the combined patient population (n = 177), 2-week treatment with the L5Ps significantly improved the week 2 VAS (P = 0.000). Significant improvement in the VAS was reported by the chronic pain patients with postherpetic neuralgia, intercostal neuralgia, degenerative osteoarthritis at knee joint, and other maladies. A higher proportion of the chronic pain patients reported improving their pain by the L5Ps. Seven patients experienced mild or moderate patch-related adverse events. Conclusions: The L5P provided clinically meaningful pain relief in some refractory chronic pain patients without any severe adverse events.

• The Journal of Korean Orthopaedic Ultrasound Society
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.7-14
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• 2011

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to analyze the correlation between the medial joint space on weight bearing simple X-ray and the ultrasonographic articular cartilage thickness. Materials and Methods: The articular cartilage thickness of 91 osteoarthritic knees of 73 patients were measured with weight bearing simple X-ray and ultrasonography between June 2010 and September 2010. Male were 13 and female were 60. Right knees were 35, left knees were 20 and bilateral involvements were 18. Medial joint spaces on X-ray were measured in full extension view and $45^{\circ}$ PA(Rosenberg) view. Femoral cartilage thicknesses at and those at the point between the middle 1/3 and posterior 1/3 area were measured by ultrasonography, that were scanned coronally at $30^{\circ}$ flexion and $130^{\circ}$ flexion respectively. The results were analyzed statistically by Pearson correlation test and Bland-Altman plot test. Results: Medial joint spaces measured in full extension view and femoral articular cartilage thicknesses at the point between the anterior 1/3 and middle 1/3 area measured with sonography were statistically correlated and medial joint spaces measured in $45^{\circ}$ PA view and those at the point between the middle 1/3 and posterior 1/3 area measured with sonography were also correlated (P<0.05, $SD{\pm}2$). Conclusion: The measurement of articular cartilage thicknesses by the ultrasonography was easy even in the patient who are unable to take weight bearing view and was thought to be a useful diagnostic and follow up method to examine the degenerative change in addition to simple radiographic examination in the knee osteoarthritis.

• Journal of Korean Orthopaedic Sports Medicine
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.18-28
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• 2005

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the clinical, radiological and histopathological results after microfracture surgery for degenerative arthritis of the knee. Materials and Methods: From Oct. 1997 to Dec. 1998, 48 knees in 46 patients were treated by microfracture technique. Their mean age at the time of operation was 56 years(range, 40-75 years) and mean period of follow-up study was one year(range, 7-20 months). For 24 knees in 22 patients, 'second-look' arthroscopies and biopsies were performed at 6 months following microfracture. At the last follow up clinical results were evaluated with Baumgaertner's scale. The specimens of 24 cases were stained with H-E, Safranin-O, and Masson's trichrome. Eighteen of 24 cases were stained immunohistochemically and the Western blotting test was performed on 12 cases for type II collagen. We analyzed the relationship of the Western blotting for type II collagen with clinical score, preoperative varus deformity, joint space widening in radiological result, extent of repaired articular cartilage in '2nd-look' arthroscopic findings, patient's age and weight. Results: Clinical results were excellent in 90% and good in 10%. Among the 24 knees, more than 80% of areas of chondral defect were covered with regenerated cartilage in 21 knees Histologically, the repaired tissue appears to be a hybrid of hyaline cartilage and fibrocartilage. Repaired cartilage contains variable amounts of type II collagen with immunohistochemical staining. The results of the Western blotting test were similar. The amounts of type II collagen formation had positive correlation with the extent of repaired cartilage and preoperative varus deformity. Conclusion: 'Second-look' showed that the chondral defect areas were covered with newly grown grayish white tissue. Articular cartilage repair was confirmed with histological and immunohisto-chemical study qualitatively, and the amount of type II collagen was calculated with the Western blotting test quantitatively. The exact nature and fate of repaired cartilagenous tissues need further long term follow-up study. The results of this study provide the rationale to select osteoarthritic patients indicated for microfracture surgery.

• Journal of Genetic Medicine
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.81-86
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• 2009

Multiple epiphyseal dysplasia (MED) is a clinically and genetically heterogeneous chondroplasia, characterized by delayed development of the ossification centers and, deformities of the extremities that involve only the epiphysis and result in mild short stature. Mutations in the cartilage oligomeric matrix protein (COMP) gene are most commonly found, and most of the mutations are located in the calmodulin-like repeats and the C-terminal domain. We report a Korean kindred of 12 family members with MED in four generations who were found to have a novel mutation in the COMP gene. A pedigree showed early onset osteoarthritis requiring arthroplasty that was an autosomal dominant inherited trait. Radiological examinations demonstrated the presence of osteochondral defects in the medial femoral condyles, and the knee and hip joints showed variable degrees of precocious degenerative changes. Mutation analysis of the COMP gene in the proband and five other affected family members identified a novel missense mutation, c.1280G>C (p.Gly427Ala) in exon 12, which was not found in three unaffected family members. Direct sequencing of the COMP gene may yield pathogenic mutations in dominantly inherited MED cases, and may provide opportunities of carrier detection among high-risk family members, leading to genetic counseling for early diagnosis and intervention before the onset of complications.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.84-91
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• 1995

Many clinical and laboratory tests have been employed to evaluate disease activity in rheumatioid arthritis. $^{99m}Tc$-labelled polyclonal IgG(HIG) has been demonstrated to accumulate in focal sites of infection or inflammation in both animals and human subjects. The purpose of this study was to distinguish arthritis with active inflammation from those without active inflammation and to correlate relative intensities of $^{99m}Tc$-labelled HIG uptake of the rheumatoid arthritis with clinical and MR indices of the joint inflammation. This study included twelve patients with active rheumatoid arthritis, two with ankylosing spondylitis and one with degenerative osteoarthritis without active inflammation. A Whole-body and spot images were obtained 4 hours after intravenous injection of 20mCi of $^{99m}Tc$-labelled HIG. Scintigrams were assessed visually by 3 experienced radiologists, and graded as normal or mildly and markedly increased uptake within the joints, and the degree of uptake was compared with clinical and radiologic severity of synovial inflammation. MRI studies were done on the involved joints consisted of wrist(n = 11), knee(n = 2) and hip joint(n= 2). Active synovitis was defined when marked elevation of ESR and gadolinium enhancement of synovium on MRI were demonstrated. Markedly increased radiotracer uptake was seen in 10 of 11 rheumatoid arthritic patients with active synovitis whereas normal or mildly increased uptakes were noted in others, including rheumatoid arthritic patient(n=1) and non-rheumatoid patients(n = 3) without active synovitis. This study showed that the localization of involved joints in rheumatoid arthritis could be detected with $^{99m}Tc$-labelled HIG and that the degree of uptake correlated well with the degree and activity of inflammation. In conclusion, $^{99m}Tc$-labelled HIG scan is a useful method in the evaluation of active inflammation in rheumatoid arthritis.