House dust mite is the most important causative allergens of childhood asthma and its positive rate of allergy skin test reaches up to 80% in atopic asthmatic children in Korea. Although the mite sensitization is more significant in older children(>4 years), it is also important in some younger(<4 years) asthmatic children. To identify the major allergens in Korean atopic asthmatic children and find the variations of IgE binding pattern to Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus(Dp) in younger and older age groups, we conducted IgE immunoblot. Sera were collected in 25 children with Dp-sensitive atopic asthma : GroupI(younger children aged 1-3), Goup molder children aged 442). Using our own-made crude Dp extract, we conducted IgE-immunoblot (biotin-avidine-phos-phatase system). In the group I, the 15KD protein was significantly bound by 69.2%(9/13) of sera and 98KD, 59KD, 311KD, 25KD components were bound by 8-16% of sera, respectively. In the group II, the 15KD and 25KD proteins were significant1y bound Immunob1ot by 100% and 67% of sera, and 18KD, 94KD by 33%, 98KD by 25%, 45KD by 8% of sera, respectively. In conclusion, the 15KD protein is the most prevalent IgE-binding antigen in all age groups, on the other hands, IgE-sensitization to 25KD component is confirmed mainly in the cases of older age group in this study.
Allergens ; Asthma ; Child* ; Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus* ; Hand ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity ; Immunoglobulin E* ; Korea ; Mites ; Pyroglyphidae* ; Skin Tests

Despite the necessity of surgical aortic valve replacement, many patients with symptomatic severe aortic stenosis (AS) cannot undergo surgery because of their severe comorbidities. In these high-risk patients, percutaneous transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) can be safely accomplished. However, no study has shown that TAVI can be performed for patients with severe AS accompanied by acute decompensated heart failure. In this case report, 1 patient presented a case of severe pulmonary hypertension with decompensated heart failure after diagnosis with severe AS, and was successfully treated via emergency TAVI. Without any invasive treatment, acute decompensated heart failure with severe pulmonary hypertension is common in patients with severe AS, and it can increase mortality rates. In conclusion, TAVI can be considered one of the treatment options for severe as presented as acute decompensated heart failure patients with pulmonary hypertension.
Aortic Valve Stenosis ; Aortic Valve* ; Comorbidity ; Diagnosis ; Emergencies* ; Emergency Treatment ; Heart Failure ; Heart Valve Prosthesis Implantation ; Humans ; Hypertension, Pulmonary ; Mortality

Double atrial septum is very rare atrial septal malformation which has double layered atrial septum with persistent interatrial space between the two atria. Clinically, most cases of this anomaly are asymptomatic unless manifest as thromboembolic complications, such as stroke, or transient ischemic attack, that thrombus may be originated from this interatrial space. We report a case of a 69-year-old man who was diagnosed with isolated double atrial septum by transthoracic echocardiography.
Aged ; Atrial Septum* ; Echocardiography ; Humans ; Ischemic Attack, Transient ; Stroke ; Thrombosis