BACKGROUNDS: As life expectancy is increasing, it is necessary to evaluate the health and nutritional status in elderly, especially in tube-fed elderly patients whose malnutritional status is related to the increase in mortality. This study was conducted to improve the nutritional status in tube-fed elderly patients. METHODS: Effects of nutritional support on tube-fed elderly patients(> or =65years) for 8 weeks were investigated by biochemical assessment and weight. RESULTS: When comparing the biochemical changes of the control group(n=8) with those of the case group(n=8), it showed significant differences in total protein, serum albumin and TLC(p<0.05), not in serum transferrin, serum iron, hemoglobin, hematocrit and weight(p>0.05). CONCLUSION: This study suggests the in tube-fed elderly patients can be improved if nutritional support is properly administrated.
Aged* ; Hematocrit ; Humans ; Iron ; Life Expectancy ; Mortality ; Nutritional Status ; Nutritional Support* ; Serum Albumin ; Transferrin

Autoimmune neutropenia is characterized by severe neutropenia with cell-bound neutrophil antibodies or circulating antibodies for neutrophils. Diagnosis of disease is made of the basis of the presence of antibodies for neutrophil. Corticosteroid or rhG-CSF have been reported to be effective in some patients. Recently we experienced one case of autoimmune neutropenia patient who was admitted to our hospital in 1997 because of stomach cancer and degenerative joint disease. She had severe neutropenia without underlying autoimmune disease. And cell-bound neutrophil antibodies were detected by indirect immunofluorescence test. Treatments with rhG-CSF and steroid result in transient improvement of neutropenia and subtotal gastrectomy was done successfully. We herein report one case of autoimmune neutro- penia patient, to our best knowledge, the first report in Korea, with a brief review of literature.
Antibodies ; Autoimmune Diseases ; Diagnosis ; Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect ; Gastrectomy ; Humans ; Joint Diseases ; Korea ; Neutropenia* ; Neutrophils ; Stomach Neoplasms

De novo B-cell prolymphocytic leukemia (B-PLL) is a distinct clinicopathologic entity that was first described in 1974 by Galton et al. B-PLL is characterized by marked lymphocytosis with predominance of prolymphocytes, often massive splenomegaly, minimal lymphadenopathy, often aggressive clinical course and frequently poor prognosis.We experienced a case of B-PLL associated with false-positive direct antiglobulin test. The patient was 52 year-old man who presented with marked leukocytosis (160.2x103/(mu)L) and 60% of characteristic prolymphocytes in the peripheral blood. The bone marrow aspirate showed dry tap and the PAS stain of peripheral blood smear showed positivity of prolymphocytes. The immunophenotyping of the leukemic prolymphocytes revealed the positivity of surface immunoglobulin (IgM, lambda type), HLA-DR, CD19 and CD5.
Bone Marrow ; Coombs Test* ; HLA-DR Antigens ; Humans ; Immunoglobulins ; Immunophenotyping ; Leukemia ; Leukemia, Prolymphocytic* ; Leukemia, Prolymphocytic, B-Cell ; Leukocytosis ; Lymphatic Diseases ; Lymphocytosis ; Middle Aged ; Splenomegaly

Dyskeratosis congenita is a rare form of ectodermal dysplasia consisting of dystrophic nails, reticular hyperpigmentation and leukoplakia, that is often associated with aplastic anemia. We have experienced a 17 year-old-man who had reticular pigmentation of the skin and dystrophic changes of the fingers and toe nails. The tongue was smooth and lingual papillae disappeared with formation of adherent white leukoplakic patches. Laboratory data revealed pancytopenia. Bone marrow study showed mild hypocellular marrow with dyserythropoiesis, suggesting the refractory anemia of myelodysplastic syndrome. We report one case of dyskeratosis congenita with myelodysplastic syndrome with a review of literature.
Anemia, Aplastic ; Anemia, Refractory ; Bone Marrow ; Dyskeratosis Congenita* ; Ectodermal Dysplasia ; Fingers ; Hyperpigmentation ; Leukoplakia ; Myelodysplastic Syndromes* ; Pancytopenia ; Pigmentation ; Skin ; Toes ; Tongue