BACKGROUND: It has been reported that Mentha arvensis water extract (MAWE) inhibited systemic anaphylaxis and histamine release from the rat peritoneal mast cells (RPMC) by compound 48/80. OBJECTIVE AND METHOD: This study was undertaken to determine the inhibitory effects of immunoglobulin E (IgE)-mediated anaphylactic reaction by MAWE. This paper deals with an evaluation of the effect of MAWE on the anti-dinitrophenyl (DNP) IgE antibody induced anaphylactic reaction in rats. We also investigated the influence of MAWE on anti-DNP IgE antibody-induced tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) production. RESULTS: MAWE inhibited passive cutaneous anaphylaxis (PCA) when intravenously, intrap- eritoneally, and orally administered. MAWE dose-dependently inhibited histamine release from RPMC activated by anti-DNP IgE antibody. Moreover, MAWE had an inhibitory effect on anti-DNP IgE antibody induced TNF-alphaproduction from RPMC. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that MAWE inhibits the IgE-mediated anaphylactic reaction in rats.
Anaphylaxis* ; Animals ; Histamine Release ; Immunoglobulin E ; Immunoglobulins ; Mast Cells ; Mentha* ; Passive Cutaneous Anaphylaxis ; Rats* ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; Water

Primary epiploic appendagitis (PEA) occurs due to inflammation of an epiploic appendage, which is a peritoneal pouch that arises from the serosal surface of the colon. PEA is often associated with infarction caused by torsion or spontaneous venous thrombosis. PEA is a self-limited disease with a course of approximately 10 days, and it requires only symptomatic management for pain. But it clinically manifests with localized abdominal pain that is often mistaken for appendicitis, diverticulitis, or cholangitis. Therefore, PEA had been diagnosed at surgery for the past few decades. Making the preoperative diagnosis of PEA through ultrasound and computed tomography (CT) has recently become possible. We report here on four cases of PEA that were diagnosed and treated by symptomatic management.
Abdomen, Acute ; Abdominal Pain ; Appendicitis ; Cholangitis ; Colon ; Colonic Diseases ; Diverticulitis ; Infarction ; Inflammation ; Peas ; Venous Thrombosis

As popularity of dental implantation is increasing, the number of cases associated with complications also increase. Evaluation on diabetes mellitus is often neglected due to the disease's irrelevance to implantability. However, patients with diabetes mellitus are susceptible to infection due to impaired bactericidal ability of neutrophils, cellular immunity and activity of complements. Due to this established connection between diabetes mellitus and infection, a couple of cases were selected to present patients with diabetes mellitus with glycemic incontrollability, suffering from post-implantation dentigerous inter-fascial space abscess.
Abscess* ; Complement System Proteins ; Dental Implantation* ; Dental Implants* ; Diabetes Mellitus* ; Humans ; Immunity, Cellular ; Klebsiella pneumoniae ; Neutrophils

Administration of oral PEG electrolyte lavage solution for colonoscopy preparation has been well tolerated by patients and physicians. Overall incidence of adverse reactions of PEG is low. Nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain are relatively common side effects and serious adverse reactions are rare. PEG is absorbed by intestinal mucosa in very small amount but this minimal absorption could be sufficient to provoke the appearance of systemic reaction in susceptible patients. Allergic reaction manifested as the contact dermatitis in patient treated with the local preparation containing PEG is rarely reported and the case of hypersensitivity response followed oral PEG lavage is more rare. We report a patient who had experienced the urticaria reaction mainly at the trunk after oral PEG intake for colonoscopy preparation.
Abdominal Pain ; Absorption ; Colonoscopy ; Dermatitis, Contact ; Eating* ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity ; Incidence ; Intestinal Mucosa ; Nausea ; Polyethylene Glycols* ; Polyethylene* ; Therapeutic Irrigation ; Urticaria* ; Vomiting

BACKGROUND: Endoscopic variceal ligation (EVL) has been widely used to control acute variceal bleeding. However, eradication of varices with EVL is difficult and rebleeding following successful EVL is frequently problematic. Our aims were to assess the efficacy of EVL for treatment of acute variceal bleeding and to evaluate risk factors associated with rebleeding during follow-up period. METHODS: One-hundred and five patients were included, who had undergone EVL due to bleeding of esophageal varices. Retrospective analysis was performed about hemostatic success rate, rebleeding rate and risk factors for rebleeding. RESULTS: Hemostatic success rate was 84.8% (89/105). During follow-up period, eradication of varices was observed in 5.7% (6/105), downgrading in 44.8% (47/105), no change of grade in 35.2% (37/105), and progression of varices was observed in 3.8% (4/105). Mean number of sessions for eradication were 3.3 (range, 2 to 8). Rebleeding was observed in 55.2% (58/105), and rebleeding rate increased with lapse of time, as 24.5% after 3 months, and 37.1% in 6 months, and 50.7% in 12 months, respectively. Multivariate analysis for risk factors of rebleeding showed that number of sessions of variceal ligation was associated with significant reduction of rebleeding (p=0.01, OR 0.184). CONCLUSION: EVL was effective for hemostasis of acute variceal bleeding, but progression of varices and rebleeding episodes were common. Adequate follow-up evaluation is mandatory, and repeated variceal ligation is required for eradication of varices and secondary prevention of bleeding.
Esophageal and Gastric Varices* ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hemorrhage ; Hemostasis ; Humans ; Ligation* ; Multivariate Analysis ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Secondary Prevention ; Varicose Veins

Purpose: Data on the distribution and impact of panel reactive antibodies (PRA) and donor specific antibodies (DSA) before lung transplantation in Asia, especially multi-center-based data, are limited. This study evaluated the prevalence of and effects of PRA and DSA levels before lung transplantations on outcomes in Korean patients using nationwide multicenter registry data. Materials and Methods: This study included 103 patients who received a lung transplant at five tertiary hospitals in South Korea between March 2015 and December 2017. Mortality, primary graft dysfunction (PGD), and bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome (BOS) were evaluated. Results: Sixteen patients had class I and/or class II PRAs exceeding 50%. Ten patients (9.7%) had DSAs with a mean fluorescence intensity (MFI) higher than 1000, six of whom had antibodies with a high MFI (≥2000). DSAs with high MFIs were more frequently observed in patients with high-grade PGD (≥2) than in those with no or low-grade (≤1) PGD. In the 47 patients who survived for longer than 9 months and were evaluated for BOS after the transplant, BOS was not related to DSA or PRA levels. One-year mortality was more strongly related to PRA class I exceeding 50% than that under 50% (0% vs. 16.7%, p=0.007). Conclusion Preoperative DSAs and PRAs are related to worse outcomes after lung transplantation. DSAs and PRAs should be considered when selecting lung transplant recipients, and recipients who have preoperative DSAs with high MFI values and high PRA levels should be monitored closely after lung transplantation.