Myasthenia gravis is an autoimmune disorder, caused by the presence of anti-ac- etylcholine receptor antibody or acetylcholine-receptor deficiency and involved neuro- muscular endplate. The clinical course and outcome of myasthenia gravis are variable during pregnancy. The special caution and adequate management for myasthenic mother and myasthenia gravis occurred newborn of myasthenic mother are essential for good perinatal outcomes. We experienced a case of myasthenia gravis associated with pregnancy who underwent cesarean section. We present this case with a brief review of literatures.
Cesarean Section ; Female ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Mothers ; Myasthenia Gravis* ; Myasthenia Gravis, Neonatal ; Pregnancy*

Pernicious anemia is a macrocytic anemia that is caused by vitamin B12 deficiency, itself a result of the absence of intrinsic factors due to autoimmune destruction of parietal cells. We report here the case of a 43-year-old female with spontaneous remission of pernicious anemia. The patient presented with fatigue. Her serum vitamin B12 level was low, hemoglobin level was 7.6 g/dL, and serologic tests for anti-intrinsic factor and anti-parietal cell antibodies were positive. We diagnosed her with pernicious anemia, but did not administer vitamin B12 because her hemoglobin level increased spontaneously. Since then, the patient's hemoglobin and serum vitamin B12 levels have been within the normal range.
Adult ; Anemia, Macrocytic ; Anemia, Pernicious* ; Antibodies ; Fatigue ; Female ; Humans ; Intrinsic Factor ; Rabeprazole ; Reference Values ; Remission, Spontaneous* ; Serologic Tests ; Vitamin B 12 ; Vitamin B 12 Deficiency

No abstract available.

BACKGROUND: Sarcoidosis is a systemic granulomatous disorder of unknown origin and characterized by accumulation of T cells and macrophages. Various cytokines may play crucial roles In the activation of T cells and macrophages, and thereby in the formation of granulomas. However, little is known about the balance between proinflammatory cytokines and antiinflamatory cytokines in the development of sarcoid granulomas and disease activities. In the present study, we measured IL-6, IL-8 and IL-10 in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid(BALF) from patients with pulmonary sarcoidosis 13 find out whether there is an imbalance between proinflammatory cytokines and antiinflammatory cytokines in the lung. METHODS: Fourteen subjects with the diagnosis of sarcoidosis and six healthy volunteers were included. BALF was concentrated ten-fold by pressure ultrafiltration and each cytokine levels were measured by ELISA method. Active sarcoidosis was defined by major organ involvement or clinically progressive diseases. RESULTS: The mean IL-6 love]s in the BALF of the active sarcoidosis group were significantly increased than in controls or inactive sarcoidosis group(p < 0.05). Meanwhile, the IL-8 levels were increased and IL-10 levels were decreased in the active sarcoidosis group than in controls or inactive sarcoidosis group without significance(p>0.05). In active pulmonary sarcoidosis patients, the IL-6 love]s in BALF correlated with the BALF CD4/CD8 ratio(r=0.768, p < 0.05) and IL-8 levels(r=0.564, p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The data presented showed that proinflammatory cytokine IL-6 is important in the pathogenesis of sarcoidosis and decreased tendency of anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 might also be involved in the development of granulomatous inflammation in sarcoidosis.
Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid* ; Bronchoalveolar Lavage* ; Cytokines ; Diagnosis ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Granuloma ; Healthy Volunteers ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Interleukin-10 ; Interleukin-6 ; Interleukin-8 ; Interleukins* ; Lung ; Macrophages ; Sarcoidosis ; Sarcoidosis, Pulmonary* ; T-Lymphocytes ; Ultrafiltration

No abstract available.
Budesonide* ; Humans

No abstract available.
Granuloma, Plasma Cell*

Symptomatic primary heart tumors are rare in newborn. Cardiac rhabdomyoma is the most common lesion of the primary heart tumors and over half of them are related to kthe tuberous s clerosis. We described a case of cardiac rhabdomyoma, in a 2 day-old female newborn who presented with dyspnea and cyanosis. A 2D Echocardiogram demonstrated two masses; one is in the rt. ventricle and another is in the interventricular septum. Additional cardiac masses and cerebral tubers and subependymal giant cell astrocytoma were found at autopsy.
Astrocytoma ; Autopsy ; Cyanosis ; Dyspnea ; Female ; Heart Neoplasms* ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn* ; Rhabdomyoma ; Tuberous Sclerosis*

Leopard syndrome, a feature of a syndrome, is a acronym of Lentiginosis, Electrocardiographic conduction abnormalities, Ocular hypertelorism, Pulmonic stenosis, Abnormal genitalia, Retardation of growth, and Deafness. It is one of the autosomal dominant neurocutaneous traits accompanied by neurologic abnormality. We have experienced a case of Leopoard syndrome associated with 46,XX pure gonadal dysgenesis, which was diagnosed by laparoscopic biopsy, karyotyping, and dermatologic consultation. So we report this case with a brief review of literatures. In our knowledge, this very rare case is presented for the first time in Korea.
Biopsy ; Deafness ; Electrocardiography ; Genitalia ; Gonadal Dysgenesis* ; Gonads* ; Hypertelorism ; Karyotyping ; Korea ; Lentigo ; LEOPARD Syndrome* ; Panthera* ; Pulmonary Valve Stenosis

Tumor of the trachea are uncommon. Trachea tumor are usually diagnosed late in their natural history, because the tracheal lumen may be extensively involved before symptoms occur, and because symptoms may be confused with those of asthma. Some 19% to 29% of the trachea tumor have laryngeal or lung malignancy. Squamous carcinoma is by far the most frequent among tracheal tumor, although adenocarcinoma and oat cell carcinoma have been described so. Oat cell carcinoma in the trachea are aggressive tumors as. they are in the lung and elsewhere. Oat cell carcinoma as well as squamous cell carcinoma are related with tobacco exposure. We presented a case of small cell carcinoma nearly obstructing the trachea and right main bronchus which was partially removed after bronchoscopic ethanol injection, along with a review of the literature.
Adenocarcinoma ; Asthma ; Bronchi ; Carcinoma, Small Cell ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; Ethanol ; Lung ; Natural History ; Tobacco ; Trachea*

No abstract available.
Eosinophils* ; Histamine*