A clinical study was done on 42 cases of inpatients, who had been admitted for foreign body aspiration form January 1979 to June 1992. We obtained the following results by analysing the records of their treatment during that time. 1) 31(73.8%) of these cases were below the age of 3 years. 25(59.4%) were below the age of 2. The ratio of male to female was 2:1 2) In 23 cases(54.8%) onset of the symptoms and diagnosis was less than 24 hours after aspiration. 3) Most of the cases(83.3%) had a history of foreign body aspiration; 7 other cases did not. 4) The most common symptoms of bronchial foreign bodies were cough, dyspnea and fever, whereas those of laryngotracheal foreign bodies were dyspnea and cough, in that order. 5) Common complications were obstructive emphysema, pneumonia and atelectasis, in that order. These complications were observed more frequently in the cases of vegetable foreign bodies. 6) Chest X-ray at the time of admission showed obstructive emphysema (42.9%) and pneumonia(40.5%). 11 cases(26.2%) were normal. 7) The most comon site of foreign body enlodgement was the right main bronchus(38.1%), and 4 cases(9.5%) were discovered in other bronchial sites. 8) Vegetable foreign bodies occupied 54.8% of the cases, peanuts being the most common.
Arachis ; Child* ; Cough ; Diagnosis ; Dyspnea ; Emphysema ; Female ; Fever ; Foreign Bodies* ; Humans ; Infant* ; Inpatients ; Male ; Pneumonia ; Pulmonary Atelectasis ; Thorax ; Vegetables

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Ambulatory blood pressure (BP) monitoring has been widely recommended for evaluating the status of BP, but is lacking in practicality. Determination of the specific time points for BP measurement that are representative of 24-hour mean BP could be useful and convenient in hypertensive patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). METHODS: A total of 1,317 patients for whom 24-hour ambulatory BP monitoring was performed were enrolled in a multicenter study on hypertensive CKD. We analyzed the time points at which systolic blood pressure (SBP) values exhibited the smallest differences from 24-hour mean SBP (mSBP). We included office mSBP and analyzed the relationships between SBPs at the office and the time points with the smallest differences from 24-hour mSBP using several methods. RESULTS: The time points with the smallest differences from 24-hour mSBP were 7:00 AM, 2:00 PM, and 9:30 PM. In regression analysis, SBPs at 7:00 AM and 9:30 PM were better correlated with 24-hour mSBP than SBPs at 2:00 PM and the office. The proportions of patients with SBPs within 30% of 24-hour mSBP were higher at 7:00 AM and 9:30 PM. The best consistency between the uncontrolled hypertensive groups, defined as > or = 135 mmHg of 24-hour mSBP and higher values of SBPs corresponding to 135 mmHg of 24-hour mSBP, were observed at the 7:00 AM and 9:30 PM time points. CONCLUSIONS: The specific time points for SBPs that correlated well with 24-hour mSBP in hypertensive CKD patients were 7:00 AM and 9:30 PM.
Adult ; Aged ; *Blood Pressure ; Blood Pressure Monitoring, Ambulatory/*methods ; Circadian Rhythm ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Female ; Humans ; Hypertension/*diagnosis/physiopathology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Office Visits ; Predictive Value of Tests ; Prospective Studies ; Renal Insufficiency, Chronic/*diagnosis/physiopathology ; Republic of Korea ; Time Factors ; Young Adult

This study was performed to determine the incidence and serogroups of meningococcal disease in the Korean Army. From August 2000 to July 2001, we identified prospective cases in the Korean Army. Meningococcal disease was confirmed by isolation of Neisseria meningitidis or detection of its antigen by latex agglutination from cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) or blood. Polymerase chain reactions (PCRs) were performed in the crgA gene to identify N. meningitidis regardless of its serogroup, and then in orf-2 (serogroup A) and siaD (serogroups B, C, Y, and W135) respectively for serogroup prediction. During the study period, twelve patients (four meningitis and eight septicaemia) were identified. The annual incidence was 2.2 per 100,000 (95% confidence interval, 1.3-3.8) among 550,000 private soldiers. Latex agglutinations were positive to A/C/Y/W135 polyvalent latex, but not to B latex in all patients. PCRs of crgA gene were positive in ten patients, whose samples (2 isolates from CSF, 2 CSFs, and 6 sera) were stored. In PCRs for serogroup prediction, one isolate was serogroup A, and one isolate and two sera were serogroup C. The need for meningococcal vaccination would be considered in the Korean Army through the cost-benefit analysis based on the result of this study.
Adult ; Human ; Korea/epidemiology ; Male ; Meningococcal Infections/epidemiology* ; Meningococcal Infections/physiopathology ; Military Personnel* ; Neisseria meningitidis/genetics ; Serotyping

BACKGROUND: Vascular access failure, a major cause of morbidity in hemodialysis (HD) patients, occurs mainly at stenotic endothelium following an acute thrombotic event. Microparticles (MPs) are fragments derived from injured cell membrane and are closely associated with coagulation and vascular inflammatory responses. METHODS: We investigated the relationship between levels of circulating MPs and vascular access patency in HD patients. A total of 82 HD patients and 28 healthy patients were enrolled. We used flow cytometry to measure endothelial MPs (EMPs) identified by CD31+CD42- or CD51+ and platelet-derived MPs (PMPs) identified by CD31+CD42+ in plasma samples of participants. Vascular access patency was defined as an interval from the time of access formation to the time of first access stenosis in each patient. MP counts were compared according to access patent duration. RESULTS: The levels of EMP (both CD31+CD42- and CD51+) and CD31+CD42+PMP were significantly higher in patients than in healthy participants. Levels of CD31+CD42-EMP and CD31+CD42+PMP showed a positive correlation. In nondiabetic HD patients, CD31+CD42-EMPs and CD31+CD42+PMPs were more elevated in the shorter access survival group (access survival <1 year) than in the longer survival group (access survival > or = 4 years). CONCLUSION: Elevated circulating EMP or PMP counts are influenced by end-stage renal disease and increased levels of EMP and PMP may be associated with vascular access failure in HD patients.
Blood Platelets ; Cell Membrane ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Endothelial Cells ; Endothelium ; Flow Cytometry ; Humans ; Kidney Failure, Chronic ; Plasma ; Renal Dialysis

PURPOSE: Siewert's classification of adenocarcinoma of the esophagogastric junction (AEG) has been widely adopted, but there is a wide discrepancy of the clinicopathological features of AEG of the Asian patients as compared to that of the Western patients. The aim of this study was to investigate the clinicopathological characteristics of AEG according to the Siewert classification. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Among the patients who underwent surgery for gastric carcinoma in our institution between May 2004 and February 2008, the AEG patients were selected based on their operation records and the photographs according to Siewert's classification. RESULTS: There were 70 AEG patients (3.9%) among the total of 1,778 patients. There were 3 patients (4.3%) with type I, 30 patients (42.8%) with type II and 37 patients (52.8%) with type III. Curative resection (R0) was achieved in 68 cases (97.1%). No significant differences in gender, stage, Barrett's esophagus and the proximal margin were found between the patients with type II and type III AEG. The patients with type III were younger than the patients with type II (59 vs 64 years, respectively, P=0.049). Well differentiated histology (P=0.045) and the intestinal type (P=0.055) were significantly more frequent in the patients with type II as compared with that in the patients with type III. CONCLUSION: There was a striking difference of the Asian patients from the Western patients for the incidence of AEG (and especially type I). Some of the differences between type II and type III patients were similar to those of the previous Western studies. A large study is needed to investigate whether these features are typical in the Korean population.
Adenocarcinoma ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Barrett Esophagus ; Esophagogastric Junction ; Humans ; Incidence ; Strikes, Employee

This article was initially published on the Journal of Breast Cancer with a misspelled name of the first author. His name should be corrected as "Yoonseok Kim".

A basilar artery dissection (BAD) is an extremely rare disease. It can lead to hemorrhage or infarction involving the brain stem, and is often associated with grave outcome. However, little is known about the pathophysiology of BAD, and its proper managements are yet in controversy. Herein, we report on two rare cases of basilar artery dissection from strenuous physical effort; one from sexual intercourse and another from defecation. The treatment modalities and the outcomes are also discussed.
Basilar Artery* ; Brain Stem ; Coitus* ; Defecation* ; Hemorrhage ; Infarction* ; Physical Exertion* ; Rare Diseases

A basilar artery dissection (BAD) is an extremely rare disease. It can lead to hemorrhage or infarction involving the brain stem, and is often associated with grave outcome. However, little is known about the pathophysiology of BAD, and its proper managements are yet in controversy. Herein, we report on two rare cases of basilar artery dissection from strenuous physical effort; one from sexual intercourse and another from defecation. The treatment modalities and the outcomes are also discussed.
Basilar Artery* ; Brain Stem ; Coitus* ; Defecation* ; Hemorrhage ; Infarction* ; Physical Exertion* ; Rare Diseases

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to determine whether the combination of B-mode ultrasonography (BUS), acoustic radiation force impulse (ARFI) elastography, and strain ratio (SR) provides better diagnostic performance of breast lesion differentiation than BUS alone. METHODS: ARFI elastography and SR evaluations were performed on patients with 157 breast lesions diagnosed by BUS from June to September 2013. BUS images were classified according to the Breast Imaging-Reporting and Data System. ARFI elastography was performed using Virtual Touch(TM) tissue imaging (VTI) and Virtual Touch(TM) tissue quantification (VTQ). In VTI mode, we evaluated the color-mapped patterns of the breast lesion and surrounding tissue. The lesions were classified into five categories by elasticity score. In VTQ mode, each lesion was assessed using shear wave velocity (SWV) measurements. SR was calculated from the lesion and comparable lateral fatty tissue. We compared the diagnostic performance of BUS alone and the combination of BUS, ARFI elastography, and SR evaluations. RESULTS: Among the 157 lesions, 40 were malignant and 117 were benign. The mean elasticity score (3.7+/-1.0 vs. 1.6+/-0.8, p<0.01), SWV (4.23+/-1.09 m/sec vs. 2.22+/-0.88 m/sec, p<0.01), and SR (5.69+/-1.63 vs. 2.69+/-1.40, p<0.01) were significantly higher for malignant lesions than benign lesions. The results for BUS combined with ARFI elastography and SR values were 97.5% sensitivity, 92.3% specificity, 93.6% accuracy, a 79.6% positive predictive value (PPV), and a 99.1% negative predictive value. The combination of the 3 radiologic examinations yielded superior specificity, accuracy, and PPV compared to BUS alone (p<0.01 for each). CONCLUSION: ARFI elastography and SR evaluations showed significantly different mean values for benign and malignant lesions. Moreover, these two modalities complemented BUS and improved the diagnostic performance of breast lesion detection. Therefore, ARFI elastography and SR evaluations can be used as complementary modalities to make more accurate breast lesion diagnoses.
Acoustics* ; Adipose Tissue ; Breast Neoplasms* ; Breast* ; Complement System Proteins ; Diagnosis ; Elasticity ; Elasticity Imaging Techniques* ; Humans ; Information Systems ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Ultrasonography

Dermal melanocytosis is characterized by the presence of ectopic melanocytes in the dermis. Dermal melanocytosis assumes several morphologic forms, including the Mongolian spot, the blue nevus, the nevus of Ota, the nevus of Ito and dermal melanocytic hamartoma. Differential diagnostic features of these dermal melanocytic lesions depend on onset, course, distribution, histologic features, uniformity of pigmentation, etc. In our case, an 18-year-old girl had asymptomatic 5x3cm sized ill-defined bluish patch on left forearm since birth. Histologic examinations revealed marked increased infiltrate of pigment cells mainly in the upper dermis in Hematoxylin & eosin stain . Fontana-Masson stain and Gp 100 stain revealed marked infiltrate of melanin-containing cells in upper dermis. We report a rare case of dermal melanocyte hamartoma.
Adolescent ; Dermis ; Eosine Yellowish-(YS) ; Female ; Forearm ; Hamartoma* ; Hematoxylin ; Humans ; Melanocytes* ; Mongolian Spot ; Nevus ; Nevus of Ota ; Nevus, Blue ; Parturition ; Pigmentation