Aims To investigate if TSH-receptor antibody (TRAb) levels measured in early Graves' orbitopathy (GO) stages are predictive of clinical disease course beyond 1 year after initial GO diagnosis and to compare performance of two newly developed TRAb assays (third-generation thyrotropin-binding inhibitor immunoglobulin (TBII) assay vs Mc4-thyroid-stimulating immunoglobulin (TSI) bioassay) in predicting disease course. Methods Newly diagnosed, untreated GO patients whose duration of ocular symptoms was less than 6 months were included. One year after initial diagnosis, all patients were classified as presenting either a mild (Group 1) or severe course (Group 2) according to their clinical manifestations. The measurements of two TRAb assays at initial GO diagnosis were used for analysis. Results Data from 112 patients were available for analysis. Seventy-three patients (65.2%) were designated as Group 1, and 39 patients (34.8%) as Group 2. Patients with higher initial TRAb levels demonstrated a higher risk of severe disease course upon multiple regression analysis (Po0.01). The cutoff values for the prediction of severe course of the third-generation TBII and Mc4-TSI assays were 10.67 IU/l and 555.10%, respectively, with assay specificities of 84.9 and 89.0%. The TBII assay predictive power

Aim To investigate the clinical significance of Grave's ophthalmopathy-specific quality of life (GO-QOL) in Korean patients. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted at the

Aim To compare clinical characteristics and thyroid-stimulating hormone receptor antibodies (TRAbs) in thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy (TAO) in euthyroid Korean patients with those in hyperthyroid patients. Methods Clinical activity scores (CASs), modified NOSPECS scores, exophthalmometry values, prevalence of optic neuropathy, restrictive myopathy and lid retraction, and the positivity and levels of TRAb (thyrotropin-binding inhibitor immunoglobulin (TBII) and thyroidstimulating immunoglobulin (TSI)) were compared in 24 euthyroid (group A) and 139 clinical/subclinical hyperthyroid TAO patients (group B). Results Group A presented more clinically unilateral involvement than group B (79.2% vs 27.3%, Po0.001), less active (CAS 1.50 vs 2.26, P ¼ 0.014) and less severe clinical course (NOSPECS 3.38 vs 4.13, P ¼ 0.037). Lid retraction was more prevalent in group A than group B (91.7% vs 66.2%, P ¼ 0.014). Prevalence of optic neuropathy and restrictive myopathy, and the mean value of exophthalmometry were not different. Mean TBII levels were lower (7.20 IU/l) in group A than in group B (44.58 IU/l, Po0.001). A similar difference was found in the TSI bioassay (201.40% vs 425.19%, P ¼ 0.001). The positive rate of TBII in group A (34.8%) was significantly lower than in group B (90.8%, Po0.001). The positive rate of TSI was high in both group A (83.3%) and B (91.7%), with no significant difference (P ¼ 0.337).Conclusions Patients with euthyroid TAO showed a less active and severe clinical course, more unilateral involvement, and lower levels of TRAb than those in patients with hyperthyroid TAO. These distinct clinical and biochemical characteristics might be useful in assessment of euthyroid TAO, and the TSI might be more sensitive for diagnosing these patients.

Antimicrobial susceptibility of nine species and one group of bacteria isolated from patients at the hospitals of Seoul National University, Severance, Hanyang University, and Kyungpuk University were tested by agar dilution method. S. aureus was most susceptible to cefazolin, methicillin and cotrimoxazole, and enterococci to ampicillin. Isolates of Enterobacteriaceae were most frequently susceptible to aminoglycosides and cefotaxime. Cefazolin susceptibility was markedly different from species to species. Aminoglycosides and piperacillin were more active than others against P. aeruginosa, and amikachin against A. anitratus. A large proportion of strains of several different species were conditionally susceptible to either tetracycline, ampicillin, cefazolin or cotrimoxazole suggesting the usefulness of these drugs for treatment of urinary tract infection. Activity of cefotaxime was highest against E. coli, and K. pneumoniae, while lowest against A. anitratus and P. aeruginosa. Decrease in the proportion of susceptible isolate was noted in E. coli and K. pneumoniae to cefazolin, K. pneumoniae, E. cloacae and S. marcescens to cotrimoxazole, and P. aeruginosa to tobramycin and gentamicin.