Earticle

Central Cancer Registry of Korean National Cancer Center in 1999 reported that mortality from lung cancer is higher than mortality from stomach cancer or hepatocellular carcinoma in Korean male. Lung cancer is classified into small cell cancer and non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), and NSCLC patients account for of the whole lung cancer patients. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and toxicity of docetaxel and cisplatin combination in Korean patients with NSCLC. All patients who had received the combination therapy of docetaxel and cisplatin for histologically confirmed NSCLC in Ajou University Hospital between 2000. . 4 were retrospectively evaluated for the responses and toxicities of that combination therapy. Nineteen patients were treated with docetaxel 75 on Day 1 and cisplatin 25 on Day 1-3 every 4 weeks. The response for combination regimen was evaluated by CT scans after 2 or 3 cycles of treatments. Seventeen patients were evaluated for the responses and the 19 patients far the toxicities. Among the 19 patients (14 men and 5 women), there were one patient with stage I disease, 4 patients with stage III disease, and 14 patients with stage IV disease. Of the 17 patients who were evaluable for response, complete response (CR) was not observed in any patient while partial response (PR) was observed in 5 patients . The overall response rate (CR+PR) was . Stable disease (SD) was observed in 11 patients and progressive disease (PD) in 1 patient . The toxicities were graded by NCI (National Cancer Institute) Common Toxicity Criteria for the evaluable 70 cycles. Grade 3 or 4 neutropenia occurred in 53 cycles . Four patients were hospitalized due to febrile neutropenia. The combination chemotherapy of docetaxel and cisplatin was effective as NSCLC treatments, however, the regimen must be administered carefully due to its hematological side effects.

Pharmacokinetic parameters and dosage of aminoglycosides (AGs) were studied retrospectively in 36 patients with neutropenic fever after stem cell transplantation in Seoul National University Hospital from July 1996 to June 2001. AGs pharmacokinetic parameters were calculated with steady-state peak and trough serum drug concentrations by the method of Sawchuk and Zaske et at. The calculated aminoglycosides volume of distribution and clearance were greater than population value . The average dosage of aminoglycosides required to maintain optimal serum AGs concentration was also greater than recommended dose in insert paper. The average dosage of amikacin was mg/kg every 12 hours (In case of tobramycin, mg/kg every 8 hours or mg/kg every 12 hours). The relationship between AGs volume of distribution and sex, serum albumin (g/dl), body mass index , body weight change , the amount of fluid inpu (ml/kg/day), the degree of hematocrit decrease were studied respectively. Univariate anlysis revealed that body mass index , the amount of fluid input (ml/kg/day) and the degree of hematocrit decrease had significant correlation with aminoglycosides volume of distribution. But sex, serum albumin, body weight change had no significant correlation with aminoglycosides volume of distribution.

After the introduction of cyclosporin, the graft survival rate of renal transplant and patients' life expectancy have been greatly improved. However, cyclosporin is known to cause several undesirable side effects, one of which is hyperuricemia, which may subsequently cause gouty nephropathy and graft dysfunction. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the frequency and predisposing factors of hyperuricemia in cyclosporin-treated patients within one year of kidney transplantation and uricosuric efficacy of benzbromarone. The patients who were treated with cyclosporin after kidney transplantation in 1998 and the patients who were treated with benzbromarone for the control of cyclosporin-induced hyperuricemia in 1999 were investigated retrospectively. Among the 76 patients in cyclosporin-treated patients in 1998, hyperuricemia occurred in 55 patients and the mean time from kidney transplantation to occurrence of hyperuicemia was months. In 1999, 22 patients were treated with benzbromarone for hyperuricemia and their mean time from kidney transplantation to occurrence of hyperuricemia was months. Acute rejection developed in one patient out of 21 normo-uricemic patients and 11 patients out of 55 hyperuricemic patients in 1998. The difference of rejection rate in these two groups was significant (p<0.001). There was no difference of rejection rate between before and after treatment of benzbromarone. Cyclosporin trough levels did not show a significant correlation with the serum uric acid levels among the three groups. However, hyperuricemic patients showed significantly higher serum creatinine levels than patients with normal uric acid levels (p<0.001). Benzbromarone decreased serum uric acid levels from (p<0.0001) and normalizing serum uric acid in all of 22 patients. Except for one patient who experienced diarrhea, no significant side effect was noted.

Aceclofenac, 2-[(2',6'-dichlorphenyl)amino]phenylacetoxiacetic acid, is a new nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug that belongs to the family of phenylacetic acids. It shows good tolerance and potent analgesic/antiinflammatory properties, and acts on cartilaginous chondriocytes, stimulating their repair mechanism. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the bioequivalence of two aceclofenac products, tablet (Daewoong Pharmaceutical Co.) and capsule (Kyungdong Pharmaceutical Co.), according to the guideliner of Korea Food and Drug Administration (KFDA). The aceclofenac release from the two aceclofenac products in vitro was tested using KP VII Apparatus II method at pH 7.8 dissolution media. Sixteen normal male volunteers, years in age and kg in body weight, were divided into two groups and a randomized cross-over study was employed. After one tablet or capsule containing 100 mg of aceclofenac was orally administered, blood was taken at predetermined time intervals and the concentrations of aceclofenac in serum were determined using HPLC with UV detector. The dissolution profiles of the two aceclofenac products were very similar at pH 7.8 dissolution media. The pharmacokinetic parameters such as were calculated and ANOVA test was utilized for the statistical analysis of the parameters. The results showed that the differences in between two products were respectively, when calculated against the tablet. The powers , respectively. Minimum detectable differences were less than , ). The confidence intervals were within . Two parameters met the criteria of KFDA for bioequivalence, indicating that capsule is bioequivalent to tablet.

Hypertension is an important public health problem because it increases the risk of stroke, angina, myocardial infarction, heart failure, and end-stage renal disease. If it is not actively treated, morbidity and mortality increase with hypertension-induced complications and quality of life decreases. This study was to evaluate the use of antihypertensive drugs and blood pressure changes and to compare algorithms chosen (or the 1st and 2nd line therapy of hypertension based on the JNC VI recommendations. The medical charts of 222 patients with essential hypertension at St. Vincent's Hospital in Suwon from January 1997 to January 2000 were reviewed retrospectively. Data collection and analysis included baseline BP underlying diseases and complications, administered antihypertensives, BP changes, changes of antihypertensive regimen, and adverse effects with treatments. As results, the higher BP the patients had, the more frequent they had target organ damages and clinical cardiovascular diseases. Mean duration to reduce blood pressure less than 140/90 mmHg was 8 weeks in of the patients. The rate of control in BP was at 6 months. The major antihypertensive drugs prescribed were calcium channel blockers , ACE inhibitors and diuretics as the 1st-line monotherapy. The methods of treatment used as the 1st-line therapy were monotherapy and combination therapy . Blood pressure change was significantly greater for combination therapy than monotherapy mmHg for systolic blood pressure; P<0.003, mmHg for diastolic blood pressure; p<0.001). When blood pressure was not completely controlled with the first antihypertensive selected, the 2nd line therapy had 4 options: addition of 2nd agent from different class; , substitution with another drug, increase dose continue first regimen Calcium channel blockers were the most frequently prescribed agents. This was not comparable to the JNC VI guideline which recommended diuretics and for the 1st-line therapy. Most of patients achieved the goal BP and maintained it until 6 months, but the remaining patients should be controlled more tightly to improve their BP with combination of life style modification, patient education, and pharmacotherapy.

Hypercholesterolemia is one of main causes of coronary heart disease(CHD). Clinical trials demonstrated that lowering serum cholesterol levels would reduce incidence of new cardiovascular events and mortality by primary or secondary preventions. The objective of this retrospective study was to compare efficacy and side effects of lovartatin and simvastatin in treatement of hypercholesterolemia. In Boramae Hospital, patients were included when they have taken lovastatin 20 mg or simvastatin 10 mg for 52 weeks with laboratory monitoring for cholesterol at baseline, 3, 6 and 12 month period. As results, total 128 outpatients were included with their total cholesterol level <240 mg/dl and triglyceride level <400 mg/dl at baseline. Total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol of lovastatin group (n=60) and simvastatin group (n=68) were significantly reduced from baseline (p=0.001). Lovastatin maximally reduced total cholesterol by , LDL cholesterol by and increased HDL cholerterol by and simvastatin reduced by and HDL increased by . There were no significant differences between lovastatin and simvastatin in mean percent change of lipid levels at 12, 24 and 52 weeks from baseline. Cumulative percentage of patients reaching the target LDL cholesterol concentration by 24 weeks was in lovastatin and in simvastatin. Average time to reach the target LDL goal was 100.1 days in lovastatin and 99.8 days in simvastatin. Both lovastatin and simvastatin also significantly reduced total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol in all subgroups (diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and coronary heart disease). In this study, treatment efficacy in patients with coronary heart disease was lower than other patients. Considering clinical importance of secondary prevention, more intensive treatment is necessary to decrease LDL cholesterol level of 100 mg/dl or lower in patients with coronary heart disease or other clinical atherosclerotic disease. There were no serious side effects during the study period. Digestive side effects were most frequently reported (lovastatin ). In conclusion, both lovastatin and simvastatin were similar in lipid lowering effects and there was no difference in incidence of side effects.