BACKGROUND: In Korea, the prevalence of tuberculosis and hepatitis is high, and combined therapy with rifampicin and pyrazinamide is used in tuberculosis, so drug induced hepatitis is not only problem of tuberculosis therapy but also cause of treatment failure. However most of recent reports on drug induced hepatitis during antituberculosis medication have dealt with its pathogenesis and have stressed the biochemical, and histopathological aspects of the disorder, whereas this study was designed primarily to provide information on the clinical features. METHOD: The subjects of study were 1414 patients treated with antituberculosis drugs on the department of chest medicine at National Medical Center during the 5-year 6-month period from January 1, 1988, to June 30, 1993. Retrospective analysis of clinical features for the 29 patients who developed drug induced hepatitis was done. RESULTS: 1) The incidence of antituberculosis drug induced hepatitis was 2.1%. 2) Male to female ratio of antituberculosis drug induced hepatitis was 2:1, but case rates among males and females were not significantly different. 3) Rates of drug induced hepatitis according to age distribution shows the most common incidence between 35 to 49 year old age group, but rates among groups of age were not significantly different. 4) Drug induced hepatitis was most common in the case of moderate advanced Pulmonary tuberculosis(rate is 2.78%), but rates among types of tuberculosis were not significantly different. 5) 18 cases(62%) of antituberculosis drug induced hepatitis patients had no signs or symptoms. In remaining cases, they were nausea, vomiting, jaundice, hepatomegaly, icteric sclera, right upper quadrant -tenderness in order 6) 22 cases(76%) of antituberculosis drug induced hepatitis cases had occurred within the first month. 7) The duration of abnormal liver function was 28±5(Mean±SD), ranged from 5 days to 180 days. 8) One case of antituberculosis drug induced hepatitis died. 9) The levels of abnormal GOT ranged from 64 to 1055U/L and GPT from 68 to 931U/L. CONCLUSION: There are no decided predisposing factors of antituberculosis drug induced hepatitis, so it should be done biochemical monitoring as week as close monitoring for overt signs or symptoms of hepatitis to avoid the development of irreversible hepatic reaction, especially at the treatment of the first month.
Age Distribution ; Causality ; Female ; Hepatitis* ; Hepatomegaly ; Humans ; Incidence ; Jaundice ; Korea ; Liver ; Male ; Nausea ; Prevalence ; Pyrazinamide ; Retrospective Studies ; Rifampin ; Sclera ; Thorax ; Treatment Failure ; Tuberculosis ; Vomiting

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) colitis occurs almost exclusively in immune-compromised patients namely, HIV infection, immunosuppressant therapy after organ transplantation, anti-cancer chemotherapy, and long- term steroid user. Some patients with solid tumor have gastrointestinal CMV disease without anti-cancer chemotherapy. A 64-year-old male patient underwent surgery due to sigmoid colon cancer. On histopathologic examination of surgical specimen, CMV colitis was found in the colon. The AJCC tumor stage was II. Although CMV colitis is rarely associated with colon cancer, it maybe considered in patients with combined colitis with colorectal cancer.
Adenocarcinoma* ; Colitis* ; Colon* ; Colonic Neoplasms ; Colorectal Neoplasms ; Cytomegalovirus ; Drug Therapy ; HIV Infections ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Organ Transplantation ; Sigmoid Neoplasms ; Transplants

PURPOSE: Regular monitoring of serum carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) has been used as a tool to detect recurrence of colorectal cancer postoperatively. This study aimed to evaluate the significance of perioperative serum CEA level in patients with curative colorectal cancer. METHODS: We analyzed the data obtained from the 420 patients with colorectal cancer who underwent curative resection. Preoperative serum CEA level (ng/ml) was divided into 3 groups, i.e. groups I: or=20. Each group of preoperative serum CEA level was analyzed in accordance with location, histologic differentiation, stage of tumor, recurrence and survival. Postoperative serum CEA level was analyzed in accordance with preoperative serum CEA level and recurrence. RESULTS: Preoperative serum CEA level correlated with tumor stage (P=0.009). Ninety six patients among 420 patients showed recurred and recurrences were more common in patients with high preoperative serum CEA level (P =0.002). Systemic recurrences were more common in patients with high preoperative serum CEA levels than normal levels (P=0.029). In recurrence cases, 75 patients (78.1%) had elevated serum CEA levels and 55 patients had high preoperative serum CEA levels (P=0.008). The disease free 5-year survival rate in preoperative serum CEA group I, II, and III were 91.4%, 70.5%, and 58.3% respectively (P= 0.000) CONCLUSION: Preoperative serum CEA levels seemed to be closely correlated with distant metastasis and survival. Meticulous follow-up evaluation and generous use of adjuvant therapy are recommanded in patients with high preoperative CEA level.
Carcinoembryonic Antigen* ; Colorectal Neoplasms* ; Humans ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Recurrence ; Survival Rate