A 21-year-old woman, who had a one-year history of pancytopenia with histiocytic necrotizing lymphadenitis and hepatosplenomegaly, presented with a 5 day history of tense bullae, which were localized on the face. These clusters of tense bullae occurred on clinically normal skin, she did not have other skin lesions. A diagnosis of bullous systemic lupus erythematosus (BSLE) was established based on clinical, laboratory, histological, and immunological findings. The bullae showed good responses to dapsone (100mg, daily) and resolved within 10 days with-out scaring. Bullous lesions of SLE may be the first cutaneous manifestation in some patients with SLE and should be considered in the differential diagnosis of the other subepidermal bullous disorders.
Blister ; Dapsone ; Diagnosis ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Female ; Histiocytic Necrotizing Lymphadenitis ; Humans ; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic ; Pancytopenia ; Skin ; Transcutaneous Electric Nerve Stimulation* ; Young Adult

BACKGROUND: Due to its anatomical location and vague symptom, early diagnosis of traumatic pacreatic injury is difficult. Furthermore it is very difficult to carry out appropriate management for the injury, so morbidity and mortality rates of traumatic pancreatic injuries remain high. Patients and METHODS: We reviewed medical records of 35 cases of patients who had been diagnosed as pancreatic injury and operated at Department of Surgery, Busan National University College of Medicine between January 1995 and December 2000. RESULT: 1) The male to female ratio was 2.5:1 and the highest incidence occurred in the 4th decade(31.3%). 2) Thirty two cases(91.4%) were injured by blunt trauma and 3 cases(8.6%) were injured by penetrating trauma. 3) The most common clinical manifestation was abdominal pain. 4) Twenty two patients(62.9%) were operated within 24hours after injury, and the mean time interval between injury and operation was 26.4 hours. 5) The serum amylase levels higher than 150 somogi unit were recorded in 20 cases(57.1%) of the patients. 6) Twenty seven patients(77.1%) had another associated injury with an average of 2 associated intraabdominal injuries. The most frequently injured intraabdominal organ was mesentery. 7) Complications occurred in 20 of 35 patients(57.1%) and the most common complication was pancreas-related complications, such as fistula, pseudocyst, abscess, pancreatitis. 8) Six patients(17.1%) were died due to hypovolemic shock, sepsis, respiratory failure and renal failure. CONCLUSION: Early diagnosis and appropriate operative methods may reduce morbidity and mortality from traumatic pancreatic injury
Abdominal Pain ; Abscess ; Amylases ; Busan ; Early Diagnosis ; Female ; Fistula ; Humans ; Incidence ; Male ; Medical Records ; Mesentery ; Mortality ; Pancreatitis ; Renal Insufficiency ; Respiratory Insufficiency ; Sepsis ; Shock

Bipotent progenitors for T and natural killer (NK) lymphocytes are thought to exist among early precursor thymocytes or liver lymphocytes. The identification of such a progenitor population or mature NK cells in such organs remains undefined. Here we report the identification of a novel receptor of NK cells, p58 (HLA class I-specific inhibitory receptors), in fetal thymocytes and fetal liver lymphocytes. Our finding suggests the NK cells mature in the developmental stage during feta1 ontogeny. Flow cytometric analysis revealed p58 positive cells in thymocytes or in fetal liver lymphocytes and reverse transcription PCR also showed amplification of p58 RNA. The result of single stranded conformational polymorphism (SSCP) showed it discriminates one or two base pair differences of the p58 gene. Although the question still remains as to whether the expression of p58 is due to the NK cells or natural T cells, it is clear the p58 is expressed in fetal thymocytes or liver lymphocytes. And SSCP analysis using appropriate sets of primers used in this study, is helpful to study the diversity of p58.
Base Pairing ; Killer Cells, Natural ; Liver* ; Lymphocytes* ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Polymorphism, Single-Stranded Conformational ; Reverse Transcription ; RNA ; T-Lymphocytes ; Thymocytes*

PURPOSE: We analyzed the oncological outcome and prognostic factor of the chondrosarcoma arising from benign bone tumor due to malignant transformation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From April 1986 to April 2009, 18 cases were considered eligible. We analyzed retrospectively the patient's characteristics and prognostic factors that affect to the local recurrence and distant metastasis. RESULTS: As classified by primary benign bone tumor, 4 cases were solitary osteochondroma, 11 cases were multiple osteochondromatosis and 3 cases were multiple enchondromatosis. The mean follow-up period was 85 months. The 5-year disease free survival rate of 18 patients was 85.9%. Their overall MSTS score was 25.2 (84%). There were local recurrence in 3 cases and no distant metastasis. We found that tumor location and surgical margin affected to the prognosis significantly. CONCLUSION: In secondary chondrosarcoma patients, the prognosis was good relatively and tumor location and surgical margin are important prognosis factor.
Chondrosarcoma ; Disease-Free Survival ; Enchondromatosis ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Osteochondroma ; Osteochondromatosis ; Prognosis ; Recurrence ; Retrospective Studies

Fetal thymus may be the organ for NK cell maturation, but the in vivo evidences are few, Here, by analyzing NK cell receptor, we present that NK cells develop in fetal thymus and fetal liver and that NK cell receptor appears earlier than the expression CD16 or CD56. Moreover, the finding that the repertoire of NK cell receptor is different between fetal thymus and fetal liver lymphocytes suggests that the environmental factors may influence the NK cell receptor repertoire during NK cell maturation.
Killer Cells, Natural* ; Liver* ; Lymphocytes* ; Thymocytes* ; Thymus Gland

Bilateral tubal pregnancy is the least common type of all extrauterine pregnancies, 1:725-1:1580 of pregnancies are bilateral. Simultaneous tubal pregnancies have been reported in natural cycles, recently, after ovulation induction, assisted reproductive techniques. The high incidence of ectopic pregnancy assisted with ovulation induction continues to be a problem. Bilateral tubal pregnancy associated with the ovulation induction has been reported few cases of 3.0% to 6.0% in frequency. This paper describes a case of simultaneous bilateral tubal pregnancy after ovulation induction and intrauterine insemination in a 27 year old patient. The diagnosis was confirmed by laparoscopy performed 30 days after intrauterine insemination, which revealed bilateral tubal pregnancy and mild hyperstimulated ovaries. Bilateral salpingectomy was performed. With a review of the literature on this topic, diagnostic aspect and incidence and treatment options are discussed.
Adult ; Diagnosis ; Female ; Humans ; Incidence ; Insemination* ; Laparoscopy ; Ovary ; Ovulation Induction* ; Ovulation* ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy, Ectopic ; Pregnancy, Tubal* ; Reproductive Techniques, Assisted ; Salpingectomy

Reconstructions of extensive composite scalp and cranial defects are challenging due to high incidence of postoperative infection and reconstruction failure. In such cases, cranial reconstruction and vascularized soft tissue coverage are required. However, optimal reconstruction timing and material for cranioplasty are not yet determined. Herein, we present a large skull defect with a chronically infected wound that was not improved by repeated debridement and antibiotic treatment for 3 months. It was successfully treated with anterolateral thigh (ALT) free flap transfer for wound salvage and delayed cranioplasty with a patient-specific polyetheretherketone implant. To reduce infection risk, we performed the cranioplasty 1 year after the infection had resolved. In the meantime, depression of ALT flap at the skull defect site was observed, and the midline shift to the contralateral side was reported in a brain computed tomography (CT) scan, but no evidence of neurologic deterioration was found. After the surgery, sufficient cerebral expansion without noticeable dead-space was confirmed in a follow-up CT scan, and there was no complication over the 1-year follow-up period.

BACKGROUND: The aging of the patient population is one of rhe most important factirs influencing health care delivery. Currently 5% of the Korean population is elderly, defined as older than 65years of age, with this group projected to increase to 13.1% by the year 2021. Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death and of disability in the elderly age group. mong them, coronary heart disease is the most importane. METHOD: Study population composed of 216 patients who were admittied to the hospital with first acute myocardial infarction and they were divided into two groups according to the age(older than 65 years of age vs younger). Clonical features, risk factors of coronary heart disease, in-hospital outcome and complication were compared in elderly patients and others group. Results : 1) The risk factors of coronary heart disease is similar to younger patients but pattern of chest pain is less typical than younger patients. 2) Clinical presentation of elderly patients is similar to younger patients except Killip class on admission.(1.66vs 1.91,P=0.04) 3) In-hospital mortality of elderly patients in higher than younger patients. In addition to an increased incidence of death, recurrent ischemia, stroke, AV block, ventricular arrythmia, pulmonary edema occured more frequently with advanced age. 4) Especially in the thrombolytic therapy group, in-hospital death, reinfarction and recurrent ischemia is higher than primary PTCA group in elderly patients. CONCLUSIONS: Diagnosis of acute chest pain is difficult in elderly patients and in-hospital mortality and morbidity is higher than in younger patients. Thus more accurate diagnosis and discriminative therapeutic modality is needed.
Aged ; Aging ; Arrhythmias, Cardiac ; Atrioventricular Block ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; Cause of Death ; Chest Pain ; Coronary Disease ; Delivery of Health Care ; Diagnosis ; Hospital Mortality ; Humans ; Incidence ; Ischemia ; Myocardial Infarction* ; Pulmonary Edema ; Risk Factors ; Stroke ; Thrombolytic Therapy

PURPOSE: The platinum-based modified FOLFOX-6 has been reported as an acceptable chemotherapeutic regimen in treatment of advanced gastric cancer patients. The response rate and drug-induced toxicity of platinum-based chemoagents is different according to several gene polymorphism such as ERCC1, XRCC1 and GSTP1 genes, which were related with therapeutic mechanisms. We aimed to evaluate the effect of gene polymorphism and determine the possibility as prediction factor for responsibility in advanced and recurrent gastric cancer patients treated with modified FOLFOX-6 regimen. METHODS: This study was conducted with 55 patients. We sampled 20 ml of peripheral blood to isolate DNA from lymphocytes, and identified genotypes of 3 genes (ERCC1, XRCC1, GSTP1) by PCR-RFL of extracted DNA. Based on medical records, retrospective analysis was made on the patients' clinical characteristics. RESULTS: The overall response rate to modified FOLFOX-6 was 40.0% (22/55). In polymorphism of ERCC1 C8092A, the wild type (CC) showed a statistically significantly lower response rates to chemoagents than the mutant type (CA/AA). In the subtypes of ERCC1 C118T, however, the wild type (CC) showed statistically significantly lower hematological toxicity than the mutant type (CA/AA). But, there was no statistically significance in survival analysis. CONCLUSION: We suggest that ERCC1 gene polymorphism is clinically more adequate as a feasible factor for predicting the response rate and toxicity of modified FOLFOX-6 regimen in gastric cancer patients.
DNA ; Genotype ; Humans ; Lymphocytes ; Medical Records ; Organoplatinum Compounds ; Retrospective Studies ; Stomach Neoplasms

BACKGROUND: Accumulating evidence shows that interleukin(IL)-1 plays a critical role in inflammation and connective tissue destruction observed in both osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. IL-1 induces gene expression related to cytokines, chemokines and matrix metalloproteinases by activation of many different transcription factors. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The chondrosarcoma cell line, SW1353, is known to be a valuable in vitro system for investigating catabolic gene regulation by IL-1beta in chondrocytic cells. To explore and analyze the changes in gene expression by IL-1 responsible for arthritis, SW1353 was treated with IL-1 for 1, 6 and 24 h and then total RNAs were purified for each time. The changes in gene expression were analyzed with 17k human cDNA microarrays and validated by semi-quantitative RT-PCR. RESULTS: Greater than a two-fold change was observed in 1,200 genes including metallothioneins, matrix metalloproteinases, extracellular matrix proteins, antioxidant proteins, cytoskeleton proteins, cell cycle regulatory proteins, proteins for cell growth and apoptosis, signaling proteins and transcription factors. These changes appeared to be correlate with the pathophysiological changes observed in early osteoarthritis. CONCLUSION: cDNA microarray analysis revealed a marked variability in gene expression, and provided insight into the overall molecular changes. The result of this study provide initial information for further studies to identify therapeutic targets in osteoarthritis pathogenesis.
Apoptosis ; Arthritis ; Arthritis, Rheumatoid ; Cell Cycle Proteins ; Cell Line ; Chemokines ; Chondrosarcoma* ; Connective Tissue ; Cytokines ; Cytoskeleton ; DNA, Complementary* ; Extracellular Matrix Proteins ; Gene Expression ; Humans* ; Inflammation ; Interleukin-1 ; Interleukin-1beta ; Interleukins* ; Matrix Metalloproteinases ; Metallothionein ; Microarray Analysis ; Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis* ; Osteoarthritis ; RNA ; Transcription Factors