Merkel cell carcinoma is a rare aggressive primary skin cancer which mostly occurs in the elderly on sun-exposed skin. It usually presents as a solitary dome-shaped red or purple nodule on the head, neck and extremities. The mortality rate is higher than the rate for malignant melanoma because its local recurrence is common. Agent Orange, an herbicide widely used as a defoliant in the Vietnam War, contains dioxin contaminants and can cause several dermatoses and skin cancers. We report a case of multiple Merkel cell carcinoma in a 65-year-old male with lesions on the head and neck, who had been exposed to Agent Orange during Vietnam War.
2,4,5-Trichlorophenoxyacetic Acid ; 2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic Acid ; Aged ; Carcinoma, Merkel Cell ; Citrus sinensis ; Extremities ; Head ; Humans ; Male ; Melanoma ; Neck ; Recurrence ; Skin ; Skin Diseases ; Skin Neoplasms ; Tetrachlorodibenzodioxin ; Veterans ; Vietnam

Mycobacterium (M.) fortuitum is a rapidly growing mycobacterium. It is classified as Runyon's group IV with M. abcessus and M. chelonae that are mostly found in water and soil. M. fortuitum infection usually occurs after trauma, surgery or procedures such as acupuncture that cause cutaneous or soft tissue manifestations. We report a case of cutaneous infection due to M. fortuitum in a 72-year-old woman with erythematous deep-seated nodules on her left hand. She inflicted a minor injury to her left hand in a farm. Culture from skin biopsy specimens on 3% Ogawa medium yielded bacterial colonies after 5 days. The microorganism was subsequently identified as M. fortuitum by PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis. The skin lesions were improved by antibiotic therapy with clarithromycin for 6 months.
Acupuncture ; Aged ; Biopsy ; Clarithromycin ; Female ; Hand ; Humans ; Mycobacterium ; Mycobacterium fortuitum ; Skin ; Soil

Syphilid has been called the "great imitator" of skin disease, and it can have protean clinical manifestations and it may present with unusual lesions. Annular syphilid, which can mimic sarcoid, granuloma annulare, Sweet syndrome or tinea corporis, is a rare variant of syphilid. We report here on a case of annular syphilid that mimicked tinea corporis in a 29-year-old female who showed a three month history of multiple, pruritic, well-demarcated annular scaly erythematous patches with central clearing and an elevated border on the trunk and both upper extremities. Direct mycological examination and culture did not result in finding any fungal elements, and annular syphilid was confirmed according to the histopathologic and serologic findings. She and her boyfriend were treated with benzathine penicillin G, and the skin lesions disappeared completely.
Adult ; Ethylenediamines ; Female ; Granuloma Annulare ; Humans ; Hydrazines ; Penicillin G Benzathine ; Skin ; Skin Diseases ; Sweet Syndrome ; Syphilis, Cutaneous ; Tinea ; Upper Extremity

Nocardiosis is an uncommon, potentially life-threatening infectious disease caused by several species of the genus Nocardia, which are Gram-positive branched bacilli. Most infections enter through the respiratory tract and then disseminate systemically but rarely has a primary infection occurred resulting from direct inoculation. Isolation of Nocardia from clinical specimens and identification of species is difficult and require a specialized microbiologist. We report a case of primary cutaneous nocardiosis caused by N. brasiliensis in a 68-year-old man who was diagnosed by bacterial culture and 16S ribosomal RNA sequencing. The skin lesions improved with trimethoprim- sulfamethoxazole antibiotic therapy for 6 months.
Aged ; Communicable Diseases ; Humans ; Nocardia ; Nocardia Infections ; Respiratory System ; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S ; Skin ; Sulfamethoxazole

BACKGROUND: The pericytes in the blood vessel wall have recently been identified to be important in regulating vascular formation, stabilization, remodeling, and function. We isolated and identified pericyte-like platelet-derived growth factor receptor beta-positive (PDGFRβ+) cells from the stromal vascular fraction (SVF) of adipose tissue from critical limb ischemia (CLI) patients and investigated their potential as a reliable source of stem cells for cell-based therapy. METHODS: De-identified subcutaneous fat tissues were harvested after amputation in CLI patients. Freshly isolated SVF cells and culture-expanded adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) were quantified using flow cytometry. A matrigel tube formation assay and multi-lineage differentiation were performed to assess pericytic and mesenchymal stem cell (MSC)-like characteristics of PDGFRβ+ ADSCs. RESULTS: PDGFRβ+ cells were located in the pericytic area of various sizes of blood vessels and coexpressed mesenchymal stem cell markers. PDGFRβ+ cells in freshly isolated SVF cells expressed a higher level of stem cell markers (CD34 and CXCR4) and mesenchymal markers (CD13, CD44, CD54, and CD90) than PDGFRβ– cells. In vitro expansion of PDGFRβ+ cells resulted in enrichment of the perivascular mesenchymal stem-like (PDGFRβ+/CD90+/CD45–/CD31–) cell fractions. The Matrigel tube formation assay revealed that PDGFRβ+ cells were located in the peritubular area. CONCLUSIONS: PDGFRβ+ ADSCs cells demonstrated a good multilineage differentiation potential. Pericyte-like PDGFRβ+ cells from the SVF of adipose tissue from CLI patients had MSC-like characteristics and could be amplified by in vitro culture with preservation of their cell characteristics. We believe PDGFRβ+ cells in the SVF of adipose tissue can be used as a reliable source of stem cells even in CLI patients.
Adipose Tissue ; Adipose Tissue, White* ; Adult Stem Cells ; Amputation ; Blood Vessels ; Extremities* ; Flow Cytometry ; Humans ; In Vitro Techniques ; Ischemia* ; Mesenchymal Stromal Cells ; Pericytes ; Platelet-Derived Growth Factor* ; Receptors, Platelet-Derived Growth Factor ; Stem Cells ; Subcutaneous Fat

BACKGROUND: Korea set up new diagnosis related group (DRG) as demonstration project in 2009. The new DRG was reformed in 2016. The main purpose of study is to identify the effect of reform on accuracy of payment. METHODS: This study collected inpatient data from a hospital which contains medical information and cost from 2015 to 2016. The dependent variables were accuracy of total, bundled, unbundled payment, and payment for procedures. To analyze the effect of reform, this study conducted a multi-variate regression analysis adjusting for confounding variables. RESULTS: The accuracy of payment increased after policy reform. The accuracy of total, bundled, unbundled payment, and payment for procedures significantly increased 3.90%, 2.92%, 9.03%, and 14.57% after policy reform, respectively. The accuracy of unbundled payment showed the largest increase among dependent variables. CONCLUSION: The results of study imply that policy reform enhanced the accuracy of payment. The government needs to monitor side effects such as increase of non-covered services. Also, leads to a considerable improvement in the value of cost unit accounting as a strategic play a role in development of DRG.
Confounding Factors (Epidemiology) ; Diagnosis ; Diagnosis-Related Groups ; Humans ; Inpatients ; Korea

BACKGROUND: Korea set up new diagnosis related group (DRG) as demonstration project in 2009. The new DRG was reformed in 2016. The main purpose of study is to identify the effect of reform on accuracy of payment. METHODS: This study collected inpatient data from a hospital which contains medical information and cost from 2015 to 2016. The dependent variables were accuracy of total, bundled, unbundled payment, and payment for procedures. To analyze the effect of reform, this study conducted a multi-variate regression analysis adjusting for confounding variables. RESULTS: The accuracy of payment increased after policy reform. The accuracy of total, bundled, unbundled payment, and payment for procedures significantly increased 3.90%, 2.92%, 9.03%, and 14.57% after policy reform, respectively. The accuracy of unbundled payment showed the largest increase among dependent variables. CONCLUSION: The results of study imply that policy reform enhanced the accuracy of payment. The government needs to monitor side effects such as increase of non-covered services. Also, leads to a considerable improvement in the value of cost unit accounting as a strategic play a role in development of DRG.
Confounding Factors (Epidemiology) ; Diagnosis ; Diagnosis-Related Groups ; Humans ; Inpatients ; Korea

Anti-glomerular basement membrane antibody mediated rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis is a rare autoimmune disease. It is characterized by acuterenal failure and crescentic glomeruli with linear immune deposits along glomerular basement membrane mediated by anti-GBM antibodies. We report a case of a sixty-years-old man with generalized edema and hematuria. On admission, BUN/Creatinine was 118/19.6 mg/dL, Hb was 10.2 g/dL. On urinalysis, protein was 3+, and many RBCs were found. Renal biopsy specimen which contained 8 glomeruli showed active cellular crescent formation in all glomeruli. On immunofluorescent staining specimen, there were 4 glomeruli which showed strong IgG linear staining along the glomerular basement membrane and mild C3 & C1q deposit along the capillary walls. The titer of anti-GBM antibody was 123 EU by ELISA (normal: <10 EU). We treated with high dose of corticosteroid and plasmapheresis, but renal function was not recovered even after 3 months of hemodialysis.
Antibodies ; Autoimmune Diseases ; Basement Membrane* ; Biopsy ; Capillaries ; Edema ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Glomerular Basement Membrane ; Glomerulonephritis ; Hematuria ; Hemorrhage* ; Immunoglobulin G ; Plasmapheresis ; Renal Dialysis ; Urinalysis

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Atrial fibrillation (AF) has long been recognized as a random phenomenon. Recent studies, however, suggest that activation sequence during atrial fibrillation is not entirely disorganized and organized activations as the transitional rhythm exists in the process of conversion from atrial fibrillation to atrial flutter. The purpose of this study is to characterize the process and significance of transitional rhythm during conversion of atrial fibrillation to atrial flutter. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In 9 patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation, 13 episodes that atrial fibrillation spontaneously converted to atrial flutter during electrophysiological study were analyzed. To map the right atrium (RA), 10 bipolar Halo catheter was positioned in the lateral free wall of the RA and multielectrode catheters were positioned in the coronary sinus, high RA, and His bundle area, respectively. Calculation of cycle length (CL) was performed with digital caliper during atrial fibrillation and atrial flutter. Direction of activation sequences was compared between transitional rhythm and following atrial flutter. RESULTS: During conversion of atrial fibrillation to atrial flutter, characteristic findings were observed as follows. 1) There was a gradual increase in atrial fibrillation cycle length before transitional rhythm. 2) A pause appeared in atrial fibrillation immediately prior to transitional rhythm, and between transitional rhythm and following atrial flutter. 3) Direction of activation sequences of the transitional rhythm to atrial flutter was concordant in 9 episodes and discordant in 4 episodes. 4) Spontaneous termination of atrial flutter (n=3) was also preceded by organized rhythm showing different sequence of activations from those of atrial flutter. CONCLUSION: A stereotypical pattern of activation sequence exists in the process of conversion of atrial fibrillation to atrial flutter. The occurrence of transitional rhythm influences the activation sequence of atrial flutter. Spontaneous termination of atrial flutter also preceded by transiently changing pattern of activation.
Atrial Fibrillation* ; Atrial Flutter* ; Bundle of His ; Catheters ; Coronary Sinus ; Heart Atria ; Humans

Dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa (DEB) is a rare group of heritable mechanobullous disorders that are characterized by blistering and scarring of the skin and mucosae and these lesions are induced by minor trauma, DEB is also associated with nail dystrophy. DEB can be inherited either in an autosomal recessive or dominant fashion. Regardless of the mode of inheritance, DEB is caused by defects of the ultrastructural entity known as the anchoring fibril, which results in separation of the sublamina densa. Recessive DEB (RDEB) is classified into Hallopeau-Siemens and non- Hallopeau-Siemens. We herein report on a case of non- Hallopeau-Siemens RDEB and there was no family history of this malady, and we present the clinical, histological and electron microscopy findings.
Blister ; Cicatrix ; Epidermolysis Bullosa Dystrophica ; Humans ; Microscopy, Electron ; Mucous Membrane ; Nails ; Skin ; Wills