BACKGROUND: Notified tuberculosis (TB) cases in Korea have not decreased over the last decade (2001-2010). METHODS: To clarify the reasons, we analyzed an annual report on notified tuberculosis patients and age-specific population drift in Korea. RESULTS: Compared to the age-specific notified TB cases between 2001 and 2010, distinctive features in notified TB cases and new cases increased markedly in people aged 45-54 years and in patients over 65 years old, whereas those between 15-34 years in 2010 decreased drastically. In particular, notified TB individuals over 65 years old occupied 29.6% of the cases in 2010, which was 1.5 times higher than that in 2001. The main reason not to decrease in notified TB patients for the last decade (2001-2010) was due to the increasing elderly population as well as the aging of baby boomers, which have a higher risk of TB development. CONCLUSION: Korea needs to pay attention to the older population in order to successfully decrease the burden of TB in the future.
Aged ; Aging ; Humans ; Korea ; Population Dynamics ; Population Growth ; Tuberculosis

BACKGROUND: The epidemiology of tuberculosis (TB) has been assessed based on the data of the analysis of TB patients notified to the surveillance system in Korea. However, the national status of TB is not validated through this surveillance system. The objective is to determine the epidemiology of TB and to understand the accurate status of TB patients treated in private institutions. METHODS: Medical records of 53,579 patients who had been diagnosed with TB in 2008 were analyzed. RESULTS: Among 53,579 patients, the number of sputum smear positive cases was 15,639(29.2%) and the number of new cases was 39,191 (73.1%). The drug resistance rate of new cases was 5.3%, while the rate stood at 13.3% for TB patients with treatment history. The number of multi-drug resistant TB (MDR-TB) patients was 2,472 (4.6%), which consists of 2.9% of new cases and 9.3% of TB patients with prior treatment history. The number of extensively drug-resistant TB patients was 749 (1.4%), consisting of 1.1% of new cases and 2.2% of TB patients with prior treatment history. In terms of treatment outcomes, 66.4% of all TB patients, 70.5% of new cases, 64.4% of relapse cases, and 46.8% of MDR-TB cases were cured or completed. It was inferred that in 2008, the total number of TB patients reached 70,767, 145.6 per 100,000 people (95% confidence interval, 145.5~145.7). CONCLUSION: We conclude that the medical records review of the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service (HIRA) data can be very effective in promoting the understanding of the current status of TB in private institutions.
Data Collection ; Disease Notification ; Drug Resistance ; Humans ; Insurance, Health ; Korea ; Medical Records ; Recurrence ; Sputum ; Tuberculosis ; Tuberculosis, Multidrug-Resistant

BACKGROUND: The epidemiology of tuberculosis (TB) has been assessed based on the data of the analysis of TB patients notified to the surveillance system in Korea. However, the national status of TB is not validated through this surveillance system. The objective is to determine the epidemiology of TB and to understand the accurate status of TB patients treated in private institutions. METHODS: Medical records of 53,579 patients who had been diagnosed with TB in 2008 were analyzed. RESULTS: Among 53,579 patients, the number of sputum smear positive cases was 15,639(29.2%) and the number of new cases was 39,191 (73.1%). The drug resistance rate of new cases was 5.3%, while the rate stood at 13.3% for TB patients with treatment history. The number of multi-drug resistant TB (MDR-TB) patients was 2,472 (4.6%), which consists of 2.9% of new cases and 9.3% of TB patients with prior treatment history. The number of extensively drug-resistant TB patients was 749 (1.4%), consisting of 1.1% of new cases and 2.2% of TB patients with prior treatment history. In terms of treatment outcomes, 66.4% of all TB patients, 70.5% of new cases, 64.4% of relapse cases, and 46.8% of MDR-TB cases were cured or completed. It was inferred that in 2008, the total number of TB patients reached 70,767, 145.6 per 100,000 people (95% confidence interval, 145.5~145.7). CONCLUSION: We conclude that the medical records review of the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service (HIRA) data can be very effective in promoting the understanding of the current status of TB in private institutions.
Data Collection ; Disease Notification ; Drug Resistance ; Humans ; Insurance, Health ; Korea ; Medical Records ; Recurrence ; Sputum ; Tuberculosis ; Tuberculosis, Multidrug-Resistant

We report a case of a pulmonary venous malformation in a 4-year-old boy who presented with recurrent pneumonia. A radiograph revealed a right infrahilar mass and a hyperlucent right lung. Computed tomography (CT) demonstrated a mass containing intensely enhancing areas and multiple phleboliths located in the right lower lobe and encasing the right bronchus and right inferior pulmonary vein. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) precisely revealed the mass demarcation. A right lower lobectomy was performed and a pathological examination confirmed the diagnosis of a venous malformation. To the best of our knowledge, a venous malformation in pulmonary tissue has not been reported in the English literature. Herein, we report a case of a pulmonary venous malformation, with the radiograph, CT, MRI, and blood pool scan findings, along with its pathologic correlation.
Child, Preschool ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Pneumonectomy ; Pulmonary Veins/*abnormalities ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

Intussusception is a frequent cause of bowel obstruction in the first five years of life and it is one of the most common surgical emergencies in infancy and early childhood. The age of five months child was administered in Department of Pediatrics of Chunchon Sacred Heart Hospital. His main symptoms were vomiting and high fever for three days. Abdominal sonography, air reduction and abdominal computerized tomography (CT) were performed and the conclusion of these study was intussusception due to cyst mass lesion; duplication cyst, mesenteric cyst or Meckel's diverticulum. He was transferred for operation. We had performed laparotomy for reduction of the intussusception. Operative findings revealed ileocolic type of intussusception due to cystic tumor on ileocecal valve that was invaginated into the cecum, and hyperplasia of the Peyer's patch were seen. But we failed manual reduction because of the tumor in the ileocecal area. So we had performed partial resection of the ileocecum. Diverticulum of the ileum was confirmed by pathologic examination. We experienced unusual cause of the intussusception. So we report this case with a review of the literatures.
Cecum ; Child ; Diverticulum* ; Emergencies ; Fever ; Gangwon-do ; Heart ; Humans ; Hyperplasia ; Ileocecal Valve ; Ileum ; Intussusception* ; Laparotomy ; Meckel Diverticulum ; Mesenteric Cyst ; Pediatrics ; Vomiting

PURPOSE: We determine the Korean antibody titer and positive rate of tetanus by using a with qualitative test (ELISA) and a quantitative test (TQS(R)). METHODS: This study was prospective collecting study with uncontolled patients who were admitted in 21 Emergency Departments during 3 months in South Korea. We measured TQS(R) and collected the serum with a centrifuge for 5 groups, which was classified with age: 2~10 years (I), 11~20 years (II), 21~30 years (III), 31~40 years (IV), 41~60 years (V), in each hospital. The freezed serum and the protocol with TQS(R) results were taken at the Soonchunhyang University Bucheon hospital to be analyzed. RESULTS: The number of enrolled patients was 1816 (male 58%). The positive rate of TQS(R) was 835 patients (46%), and there was no relation with region or sex. In sex and age, there was a definitive decline in the group III fort males and females. The results of ELISA was showed that 62.8% (> 0.15 IU/ml) and 52.2% (> 0.2 IU/ml) had protective levels of tetanus antibody. The proportion decreased to approximately 43% and 18% among persons 40~60 years of age at each level of antibody titers. By region and population, there was no statistical relationship with TQS(R) and ELISA, but previous military service was associated with a higher prevalence of protective antibodies to tetanus (p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: A substantial portion of adults in South Korea do not have antibody levels that are protective against tetanus. Also, the mean level of tetanus antibody titers was definitively lower than those of other developed conturies and consistently decreased with aging. Therefore, an adult formulation diphteria and tetanus toxoid every 5 or 10 years is recommended for all adults between 20 and 60 years of age after being tested with TQS(R) in South Korea.
Adult ; Aging ; Antibodies ; Emergency Service, Hospital ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Epidemiology ; Female ; Gyeonggi-do ; Humans ; Korea ; Male ; Military Personnel ; Prevalence ; Prospective Studies ; Tetanus ; Tetanus Toxoid

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship of the DNA ploidy, S-phase fraction to other clinicopathologic factors including age, stage, architecture grade, nuclear grade, lymph node involvement, myometrial invasion in patients with endometrial cancer. METHODS: A prospective analysis was performed on 66 endometrial cancer cases treated at our hospital from Jan. 2000 to Nov. 2004. Of these 66 cases, 41 cases were analyzed by flow cytometry. Fresh tissues for analysis were obtained by dilatation and curettage or surgery as hysterectomy. All specimens for histopathologic grading and stage were classified according to WHO criteria and FIGO stage. DNA ploidy groups were divided into two groups, diploidy and aneuploidy. Fraction more than 6% was classified as high percentage S-phase fraction (SPF). DNA ploidy and SPF were analyzed by flow cytometry in fresh surgical specimens from endometrial cancer. RESULTS: Of the 41 cases, 5cases were aneuploidy, and 16 cases were high percentage SPF. With regard to DNA ploidy and clinicopathologic prognostic factors, aneuploidy was significantly increased as stage, histological type, nuclear grade, architecture grade, and myometrial invasion increased. With regard to DNA ploidy and clinical prognostic factors, aneuploidy was not increased as age, lymph node involvement increased. With regard to SPF and clinicopathologic prognostic factors, high percentage SPF (>6%) was significantly increased as stage, histological type, and nuclear grade increased. With regard to SPF and clinicopathologic prognostic factors, high percentage SPF (>6%) was not increased as age, lymph node involvement, architecture grade, and myometrial invasion increased. CONCLUSION: The DNA ploidy by flow cytometry has shown to have a close relationship to stage, histological type, myometrial invasion, and nuclear and architecture grade. Also, the SPF has shown to have a close relationship to stage, histological type, and nuclear grade. Our results were consistent with the concept that aneuploidy or high percentage SPF could predict the poor prognosis of disease course. The flow cytometric DNA quantification in endometrial cancer may provide major information about tumor prognosis.
Aneuploidy ; Dilatation and Curettage ; Diploidy ; DNA* ; Endometrial Neoplasms* ; Female ; Flow Cytometry ; Humans ; Hysterectomy ; Lymph Nodes ; Ploidies ; Prognosis ; Prospective Studies

Oxidative stress plays various roles in the development and progression of IgA nephropathy, while bilirubin is known as a potent antioxidant. We therefore hypothesized that serum bilirubin would be associated with renal prognosis in IgA nephropathy. The study subjects comprised 1,458 adult patients with primary IgA nephropathy in Korea. We grouped patients according to the following quartile levels of bilirubin: <0.4 mg/dL (Q1), 0.4-0.5 mg/dL (Q2), 0.6-0.7 mg/dL (Q3), and >0.8 mg/dL (Q4). The outcome data were obtained from the Korean Registry of end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Eighty patients (5.5%) contracted ESRD during a mean follow-up period of 44.9 months. The ESRD incidences were 10.7% in Q1, 8.2% in Q2, 2.8% in Q3, and 2.8% in Q4 (p<0.001). The relative risk of ESRD compared to that in Q1 was 0.307 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.126-0.751) in Q3 and 0.315 (95% CI, 0.130-0.765) in Q4. The differences of ESRD incidence were greater in subgroups of males and of patients aged 35 yr or more, with serum albumin 4.0 g/dL or more, with normotension, with eGFR 60 mL/min/1.73 m2 or more, and with proteinuria less then 3+ by dipstick test. In conclusion, higher bilirubin level was negatively associated with ESRD incidence in IgA nephropathy.
Adult ; Bilirubin/*blood ; Disease Progression ; Female ; Glomerular Filtration Rate ; Glomerulonephritis, IGA/*blood/complications ; Humans ; Hypertension/complications ; Incidence ; Kidney Failure, Chronic/*blood/complications ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Risk ; Risk Factors ; Treatment Outcome