Severe Hyponatremia Associated with the Use of Angiotensin II Receptor Blocker/thiazide Combinations.

There are several widely used combinations of angiotensin II receptor blocker (ARB)/thiazide. The complimentary mechanism of action for such anti-hypertensive therapies is that, while ARB inhibits the vasoconstricting and aldosterone-secreting effects of angiotensin II, hydrochlorothiazide affects the renal tubular mechanisms of electrolyte reabsorption and increases excretion of sodium and chloride in the distal tubule, consequently promoting water excretion. In addition, hypokalemia, which may be triggered by a hydrochlorothiazide-induced increase in urinary potassium loss, is resisted by the use of ARB.

Occult hepatitis B virus infection in Korean patients with isolated anti-HBc.

Serological detection of isolated anti-hepatitis B core antibody (anti-HBc) can occur in various scenarios, but the most clinically relevant situation is occult hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection (OBI). The purpose of this study was to evaluate the prevalence and clinical relevance of isolated anti-HBc and of OBI with isolated anti-HBc from an unselected hospital population. A total of 14,253 patients referred for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg)/anti-HBs testing were classified into either the Health Promotion Center (HPC) group or the patient group.

N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT proBNP) as a predictive indicator of initial intravenous immunoglobulin treatment failure in children with Kawasaki disease: a retrospective study.

Intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) administered in the acute stage of Kawasaki disease (KD) is the standard therapy. Few reports describe nonresponders to initial treatment with IVIG in KD, which remains the most consistent risk factor for coronary artery lesions (CALs). This study aimed to investigate whether the serum level of N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) can be a predictive indicator for identifying patients with KD at higher risk of IVIG treatment failure.

Comparison of indirect immunofluorescence and line immunoassay for autoantibody detection.

Objectives: The aim of the present paper is to evaluate the diagnostic performance of indirect immunofluorescence (IIF) and line immunoassay (LIA) for autoantibody (autoAb) detection and provide sufficient information to interpret the results of autoAb tests.

Methods: The study included 1,052 patients for whom IIF and LIA tests had been performed simultaneously for a systemic autoimmune disease work-up. All patients were divided into either the systemic autoimmune group or non-autoimmune group, and the systemic autoimmune group was further divided into systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), rheumatoid arthritis (RA), Sjögren's syndrome, systemic sclerosis (SSc), and dermatomyositis/polymyositis (DM/PM).

Bloodstream infections and clinical significance of healthcare-associated bacteremia: a multicenter surveillance study in Korean hospitals.

Recent changes in healthcare systems have changed the epidemiologic paradigms in many infectious fields including bloodstream infection (BSI). We compared clinical characteristics of community-acquired (CA), hospital-acquired (HA), and healthcare-associated (HCA) BSI. We performed a prospective nationwide multicenter surveillance study from 9 university hospitals in Korea.

Analysis of parasitic diseases diagnosed by tissue biopsy specimens at KyungHee Medical Center (1984-2005) in Seoul, Korea.

We analyzed parasitic diseases diagnosed by tissue biopsy specimens at KyungHee Medical Center (KMC) from 1984 to 2005. The total number of parasite infection cases was 150 (0.07%) out of the total 211,859 biopsy specimens submitted for histopathological examinations.

A case of ruptured peripheral aneurysm of the anterior inferior cerebellar artery associated with an arteriovenous malformation : a less invasive image-guided transcortical approach.

A 47-year-old man presented with a subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) and right cerebellar hematoma was referred for evaluation. Cerebral angiography revealed a distal anterior inferior cerebellar artery (AICA) aneurysm associated with an arteriovenous malformation (AVM). Successful obliteration and complete removal of the aneurysm and AVM were obtained using transcortical approach under the guidance of neuronavigation system.

Abdominal aortic aneurysm rupture with vertebral erosion presenting with severe refractory back pain in Behçet's disease.

Behçet's disease is a chronic recurrent inflammatory disorder that affects many organs. A 48-year-old man with known Behçet's disease was admitted to the emergency department with aggravating severe back pain and left lower quadrant pain. A contained rupture of infrarenal abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) was discovered with a maximum diameter of 10 cm.

Exendin-4 protects dopaminergic neurons by inhibition of microglial activation and matrix metalloproteinase-3 expression in an animal model of Parkinson's disease.

Exendin-4 is a naturally occurring more potent and stable analog of glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) that selectively binds at the GLP-1 receptor. It has been recently demonstrated that GLP-1 receptor stimulation preserves dopaminergic neurons in cellular and rodent models of Parkinson's disease (PD). 1-Methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) causes nigrostriatal dopaminergic neurotoxicity in rodents; previous studies suggest that activated microglia actively participate in the pathogenesis of PD neurodegeneration.

Ghrelin regulates hippocampal neurogenesis in adult mice.

The aim of our study was to investigate the effect of the peripheral administration of ghrelin, a peptide hormone secreted from the stomach, on cellular proliferation and differentiation of progenitor cells in the adult hippocampus. Double immunohistochemical staining revealed that Ki-67-positive hippocampal progenitor cells expressed ghrelin receptors. In mice treated with ghrelin (80 microg/kg, i.

Expression of human peroxiredoxin isoforms in response to cervical carcinogenesis.

Despite considerable progress in understanding the function of peroxiredoxin (Prx) in cancer, its expression patterns have not been extensively studied in response to cervical carcinogenesis. We evaluated the expression of Prx isoforms in normal tissue, cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN1, CIN2, and CIN3), and cervical cancer. We found strong pattern of increased Prx II and III immunostaining with increasing severity of the lesion.

Neuroprotective effect of ghrelin in the 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine mouse model of Parkinson's disease by blocking microglial activation.

Ghrelin is an endogenous ligand for growth hormone (GH) secretagogue receptor 1a (GHS-R1a) and is produced and released mainly from the stomach. It was recently demonstrated that ghrelin can function as a neuroprotective factor by inhibiting apoptotic pathways. 1-Methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) causes nigrostriatal dopaminergic neurotoxicity in rodents; previous studies suggest that activated microglia actively participate in the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease (PD) neurodegeneration.

Neuroprotective effect of ghrelin is associated with decreased expression of prostate apoptosis response-4.

Ghrelin is known to promote neuronal defense and survival against ischemic injury by inhibiting apoptotic processes. In the present study, we investigated the role of prostate apoptosis response-4 (Par-4), a proapoptotic gene the expression of which is increased after ischemic injury, in ghrelin-mediated neuroprotection during middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO). Both ghrelin and des-acyl ghrelin protected cortical neurons from ischemic injury.

Role of Glucocorticoids in Fasting-induced Changes in Hypothalamic and Pituitary Components of the Growth Hormone (GH)-axis.

To directly test if elevated glucocorticoids are required for fasting-induced regulation of growth hormone (GH)-releasing hormone (GHRH), GHRH receptors (GHRH-R) and ghrelin receptors (GHS-R) expression, male rats were bilaterally adrenalectomized or sham operated. After 7 days, animals were fed ad libitum or fasted for 48 h. Bilateral adrenalectomy increased hypothalamic GHRH to 146% and decreased neuropeptide Y (NPY) mRNA to 54% of SHAM controls.

Phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase/Akt/glycogen synthase kinase-3 beta and ERK1/2 pathways mediate protective effects of acylated and unacylated ghrelin against oxygen-glucose deprivation-induced apoptosis in primary rat cortical neuronal cells.

Only acylated ghrelin (AG) binds GH secretagog receptor 1a (GHS-R1a) and has central endocrine activities. An anti-apoptotic effect of AG in neuronal cells has recently been reported. However, whether there is a neuroprotective effect of unacylated ghrelin (UAG), the most abundant form of ghrelin in plasma, is still unknown.

Acute effects of glucagon-like peptide-1 on hypothalamic neuropeptide and AMP activated kinase expression in fasted rats.

Intracerebroventricular (icv) administration of glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) inhibits food intake and induces c-fos expression in the hypothalamus. However, the effects of GLP-1 on hypothalamic neuronal activity or neuropeptide mRNA expression are unknown. In this study, we examined the effects of GLP-1 on fasting-induced changes in the expression of hypothalamic orexigenic and anorexigenic neuropeptide.

[Pathogenesis and treatment of intestinal Behçet's disease].

Intestinal Behçet's disease (BD) refers to colonic ulcerative lesions documented by objective measures in patients with BD. Although the causes of intestinal BD are unknown, genetic, environmental, and immunological factors have been suggested. Intestinal BD is common in BD patients from Far East, while it is uncommon in those from the Middle East.

IGF-I inhibition of apoptosis is associated with decreased expression of prostate apoptosis response-4.

The neuronal damage caused by ischemic brain injury is associated with increased apoptosis. IGF-I exposure promotes neuronal defense and survival against ischemic insult by inhibiting apoptotic processes. We investigated the role of prostate apoptosis response-4 (Par-4), a proapoptotic gene the expression of which is increased after ischemic injury, in IGF-I-mediated inhibition of apoptosis using PC12 cells exposed to oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD).

Ghrelin inhibits apoptosis in hypothalamic neuronal cells during oxygen-glucose deprivation.

Ghrelin is an endogenous ligand for the GH secretagogue receptor, produced and secreted mainly from the stomach. Ghrelin stimulates GH release and induces positive energy balances. Previous studies have reported that ghrelin inhibits apoptosis in several cell types, but its antiapoptotic effect in neuronal cells is unknown.

Differential responses of the growth hormone axis in two rat models of streptozotocin-induced insulinopenic diabetes.

The impact of streptozotocin (STZ)-induced, insulinopenic diabetes on the GH axis of rats and mice differs from study to study, where this variation may be related to the induction scheme, severity of the diabetes and/or the genetic background of the animal model used. In order to begin differentiate between these possibilities, we compared the effects of two different STZ induction schemes on the GH axis of male Sprague-Dawley rats: (1) a single high-dose injection of STZ (HI STZ, 80 mg/kg, i.p.

Effect of gsp oncogene on somatostatin receptor subtype 1 and 2 mRNA levels in GHRH-responsive GH3 cells.

Growth hormone releasing hormone (GHRH) signals via G protein-coupled receptors (GHRH-R) to enhance intracellular Galphas/adenylyl cyclase/cAMP signaling, which in turn has positive effects on GH synthesis and release, as well as proliferation of the GH-producing cells of the anterior pituitary gland. Some GH-producing pituitary tumors express a constitutively active mutant form of Galphas (gsp oncogene). It has been reported that these tumors are more responsive to octreotide therapy.

Fasting-induced changes in the hypothalamic-pituitary-GH axis in the absence of GH expression: lessons from the spontaneous dwarf rat.

Fasting results in a reciprocal shift in hypothalamic neuropeptide Y (NPY) and GH-releasing hormone (GHRH) expression in the adult male rat. It is hypothesized that the fasting-induced rise in NPY is responsible for the GHRH decline and subsequent attenuation of pulsatile GH release. Fasting also leads to a decrease in circulating IGF-I, attributed to both reduced GH release and peripheral GH resistance.

Role of glucocorticoids in the regulation of pituitary somatostatin receptor subtype (sst1-sst5) mRNA levels: evidence for direct and somatostatin-mediated effects.

Glucocorticoids can differentially regulate somatostatin (SRIH) receptor subtype expression depending on the duration of treatment, dose used and tissue type examined. In order to determine if glucocorticoids are critical regulators of pituitary SRIH receptor synthesis in vivo, we examined the effect of adrenalectomy (ADX), with and without dexamethasone (DEX; 200 microg/day for 8 days) treatment, on the relative expression levels of the SRIH receptor subtypes, sst1-sst5, by multiplex RT-PCR. ADX increased pituitary sst2 mRNA levels, but did not significantly alter mRNA levels of the other SRIH receptor subtypes.

Acute hyperglycemia and activation of the beta-adrenergic system exhibit synergistic inhibitory actions on growth hormone (GH) releasing hormone-induced GH release.

Objective: Acute hyperglycemia stimulates somatostatin (SRIH) release by the hypothalamus which, in turn, suppresses growth hormone (GH) secretion from the anterior pituitary gland. Although it has been suggested that the cholinergic pathway mediates glucose-induced SRIH release, other regulatory systems have not been examined. Therefore, we investigated whether blocking or activating the beta-adrenergic pathway alters glucose-mediated inhibition of GH release.