Yeon-A Lee

This study was performed to evaluate the contribution of adiponectin to the production of interleukin (IL)-6, IL-8, vascularendothelial growth factor (VEGF), matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-1 and MMP-13 in human endothelial cells and osteoblasts inarthritic joints. Cultured human umbilical vascular endothelial cells (HUVECs) and osteoblasts were stimulated with adiponectin(1 or 10 lgml1) or IL-1b (0.1 ng ml1) in the presence or absence of hypoxia for 24 h. The protein expression patterns wereexam

To determine whether adiponectin may have synergistic effects in combination with the proinflammatory cytokine interleukin (IL)-1β regarding the production of proinflammatory mediators during arthritic joint inflammation,synovial cells from rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients were treated with adiponectin, IL-1β, and their combination for 24 h. Culture supernatant was collected and analyzed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for levels of IL-6, IL-8, prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), vascular endothelia

Urticarial vasculitis is a rare disorder that principally manifests with recurrent urticarial, sometimes hemorrhagic, skin lesions and/or angioedema. Its clinical presentation is not always limited to cutaneous lesions and it can potentially affect other organs, such as the joints, lungs, kidneys, and eyes. Systemic involvement can either be present at the onset of disease or develop over time. In cases with systemic manifestations, urticarial vasculitis is more likely to be associated with a lo

Remission is a primary end point of in clinical practice and trials of treatments for rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The 2011 American College of Rheumatology/European League Against Rheumatism (ACR/EULAR) remission criteria were developed to provide a consensus definition of remission. This study aimed to assess the concordance between the new remission criteria and the physician’s clinical judgment of remission and also to identify factors that affect the discordance between these two approaches.

Purpose: To investigate correlations between myositis-specific autoantibodies (MSA) or myositis-associated antibodies (MAA) andclinical features, thereby demonstrating the utility of clinicoserologic classification in idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (IIM) patients. Materials and Methods: We conducted a multicenter study of 108 adult patients (age ≥18 years) who were diagnosed with IIM byPeter and Bohan criteria or 2004 European Neuromuscular Centre (ENMC) criteria. Clinical data were obtained

Background: To elucidate the achievement rates of imaging remission and to examine the characteristics associated with imaging remission status among patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) who have attained clinical remission. Methods: Ninety-seven patients with RA patients who had attained clinical remission, defined by DAS28-ESR < 2.6 were enrolled. Power Doppler ultrasonography (PDUS) was performed on 16 joints and 2 tendons, including the first to third metacarpophalangeal, second and third

형질세포종은 다양한 분화도를 보이는 형질세포로 구성된 종양으로서 조직학적으로는 다발성 골수종과 동일하며 골에 국한되어서 발생될 때 골의 형질세포종이라 한다. 강직성 척추염에서 형질세포종이나 다발성골수종이 유발된 예는 드물게 보고된 바 있으며 강직성 척추염으로 인한 지속적인 염증 및 면역반응으로 인해 형질세포가 분화되면서 종양이 발생되는 것으로 추측되고 있다. 본 환자에서는 형질세포종으로 수술과 방사선치료를 받은 후 요통이 시작되어 4년 후 강직성 척추염이 진단되었으며 아직까지 이 두 질환이 병발된 사례가 알려진 바 없어 보고하는 바이며, 양자 간의 연관성은 앞으로 더 연구가 필요할 것으로 생각한다.

Objective. The purpose of this study is to examine the difference between the numbers of patients in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) who are eligible to TNF inhibitors by the past Korean National Health Insurance reimbursement guideline and by the disease activity score with 28-joint assessment (DAS28) based criteria. Methods. Data were obtained from a multi-center registry for biologics users in Korean RA patients, BIOlogics Pharmacoepidemiologic StudY (BIOPSY). DAS28 was calculated based on either E

Background: Adult-onset Still's disease (AOSD) is a rare systemic inflammatory disease of an unknown etiology,and this is characterized by spiking fever, evanescent rash, arthritis and multiorgan involvement. Objective: This study was conducted to better understand the clinical characteristics of patients with AOSD, and especially the cutaneous features. Methods: We reviewed the medical records and cutaneous findings of 21 patients who were diagnosed with AOSD at our hospital from 2003 to 2009.

목적 : Methotrexate (MTX)로는 충분한 질병활성 억제를 보지 못했거나, 부작용으로 인해 MTX를 사용할 수 없었던 류마티스 관절염 환자에서 mizoribine의 치료 효과를 알아보고자 하였다. 방법 : Mizoribine (100 mg/day)을 투여 받은 류마티스 관절염 환자 50명을 대상으로 MTX와 mizoribine의 병합 치료군과 mizoribine 단독 치료군으로 나누어 분석하였으며, mizoribine 투여 전과 16주간의 투여 이후 평가된 질병 활성도와 부작용 등을 비교하였다. 결과 : 임상지표를 보면 MTX와 mizoribine 병합 치료 군에서 VAS, 압통관절의 수, 종창관절의 수, DAS28이 치료 전에 비해 유의하게 감소하였으나 mizoribine 단독 치료 군에서는 VAS만이 유의한 차이를 보였다. 또한, 검사실 소견에서는 병합 치료 군에서 치료 후 ESR과 CRP가 유의하게 감소하였다. 치료 약제와 관련된 부작용은 위장장애가 가장 많았고,

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a prototypic autoimmune disease with highly variable clinical and immunological manifestations. Classification and diagnosis of SLE are complicated by the multi-organ nature of the disease and by our incomplete understanding of its pathophysiology. The 1997 update of the 1982 American College of Rheumatology (ACR) criteria for SLE has been widely used for classification of SLE. In order to improve clinical relevance and early diagnosis, the Systemic Lupus Er

Purpose: We designed this study to demonstrate the pathophysiology of hemophilic arthropathy (HA) by creating an animal model for determining the effect of repeated intraarticular bleeding in the synovium and articular cartilage. Materials and Methods: 20 normal male New Zealand white rabbits were used for this study. We injected 1 ml of autologous blood from the ear vein of the rabbits into the right knee joint three timeds a week for 18 weeks, and we injected 1 ml of normal saline into the lef

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of communication competence and burnout on nursing performance in intensive care units (ICU). Method: The participants were 209 nurses from four university hospitals. Measurements included a socio-demographic and job related survey, communication competence inventory, the Maslach burnout inventory and a nursing performance scale. Data were collected from February 6 to 24, 2012, with a self-report questionnaire. The statistical a