Synovial sarcoma most commonly affects the extremities, especially the lower thigh and knee region. However, a smaller number develops in a central or axial distribution, an area which encompasses the trunk, orofacial, cervical and parapharyngeal regions. The retroperitoneum is an extremely unusual site and has never been recorded in the literature as primary a site for synovial sarcoma. We investigated a case of retroperitoneal synovial sarcoma in a 40-year-old woman. The specimen consisted of fragmented large bulky multinodular masses separated by slit-like spaces. The tumor was 130 gm in weight. Microscopically, the tumor was composed of nests of plump ovoid to polygonal shaped cells and bundles of spindle shaped cells, which had vesicular nuclei and a small amount of cytoplasm. In some areas, there were cleft like spaces and pseudoglandular structures lined by flat or cuboidal cells. Myxoid change, collagen deposition, foci of calcification and osseous metaplasia were also present. Immunohistochemically, the polygonal cells and some of the spindle cells reacted positively for keratin. The spindle cells, especially in the perivascular area were positive for vimentin. S-100 protein and GFAP were negative in both type of cells.
Female ; Humans

Purpose: Although basophils are major effector cells involved in asthma, their pathophysiological role in asthma remains uncertain. In this study, we investigated the relationship between blood basophils, clinical features in asthmatics, and cytokines in exhaled breath condensate (EBC) which could be noninvasively obtained. Methods: A total of 13 adult asthmatics were prospectively enrolled. We obtained information on demographics, asthma control levels, history of acute exacerbation as well as the asthma control test and Quality of Life Questionnaire for Adult Korean Asthmatics (QLQAKA) scores. Peripheral blood and EBC samples were collected, and pulmonary function test was also performed. The association between blood basophil count and clinical feature and severity of asthma or inflammatory cytokines in EBC was analyzed. Results: The percentage of blood basophils was positively correlated with that of blood eosinophils (Spearman r=0.665, P=0.013). The number of acute exacerbations was significantly larger (1.2±0.6 vs. 5.3±5.8, P=0.049) in the group with blood basophils ≥50 cells/μL, while the QLQAKA score was lower (68.8±7.9 vs. 49.0±12.0, P=0.028). There were no significant differences in age, atopy status, smoking history, and forced expiratory volume in 1 second according to blood basophil count. Blood basophil count was positively correlated with interleukin-33 (IL-33) (r=0.651, P=0.016) and IL-17 (r=0.732, P=0.004) in EBC. Conclusion Blood basophils may be associated with frequent asthma exacerbations and lower quality of life due to asthma. IL-33 and IL-17 may be the key mediators that stimulate basophils to participate in the pathogenesis of asthma.

Bee pollen is a mixture of pollen, nectar collected by honeybees, and digestive enzymes secreted from honeybees, which is consumed as a dietary supplement. We experienced a case of anaphylaxis after ingestion of bee pollen in a patient with seasonal allergic rhinitis and oral allergy syndrome caused by watermelons, Korean melons, peaches, and plums. The skin prick test was positive for bee pollen, dandelion, ragweed, and mugwort, and specific IgE to honeybee venom was negative. According to the literature, bee pollen causing systemic allergic reactions mainly consists of the plant family Compositae, including dandelion, ragweed, and mugwort. Thus, ingestion of bee pollen should be closely monitored in patients with allergic rhinitis worsening in autumn, especially those with oral allergy syndrome for foods that cross-react with weed pollen.

Aspirin has been used for decades for the primary and secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease (CVD). The effect of aspirin in secondary prevention is well-known but is still debatable for primary prevention. Despite the controversy, aspirin is believed to have a beneficial effect in primary prevention and has been widely used. However, whether the doubts concerning the wide use of aspirin are correct has resulted in the publication of data from several large clinical trials recently. There are several clinical guidelines from various international organizations on the use of aspirin for the primary prevention of CVD, and they offer some conflicting recommendations. A reduction in the overall incidence of CVD with the development of modern prevention therapies has weakened the impact of aspirin in primary prevention. Large randomized clinical trials have found decreased or no difference in CVD events but a significant increase in the risk of bleeding. Taking aspirin for the primary prevention of CVD is no longer recommended, especially for patients who have a low to moderate risk. An assessment of the balance between the benefits and risks of aspirin use should be considered.
Aspirin ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Incidence ; Primary Prevention ; Publications ; Risk Assessment ; Secondary Prevention

Thirty cases of gastric adenocarcinoma were examined immunohistochemically for expression of transforming growth factor-beta(TGF-beta) in order to analyze significant correlation with clinical stage and pathologic grade of gastric adenocarcinoma. Specific immunostaining was clearly detected in the cytoplasm of the neoplastic cells. The TGF-,6 expression in the gastric adenocarcinoma is closely related to the depth of invasion, the degree of invasiveness and the presence of metastasis. Thus, we observed the stronger immunohistochemical. expression of TGF-beta in the deeper portion of invasion and in the invasive gastric adenocarcinomas with the lymph nodal metastasis than in the superficial portion of invasion and in those without the lymph nodal metastasis. There results suggest that the transforming growth factors expression in carcinoma cells may play an important role in the carcinomatous invasion resulting in metastasis.
Adenocarcinoma ; Neoplasm Metastasis

Allopurinol is one of the causative drugs that induce fixed drug eruption (FDE). The lymphocyte transformation test (LTT) is a safe and reliable diagnostic procedure for drug allergy, but is reported to be rarely positive in patients with FDE. In the current case, we performed an LTT and successfully confirmed allopurinol as the offending drug. This case report suggests that an LTT should be an optional diagnostic tool for FDE or delayed reaction due to allopurinol.
Allopurinol ; Drug Eruptions ; Drug Hypersensitivity ; Humans ; Lymphocyte Activation ; Lymphocytes

PURPOSE: Tuberculosis (TB) is a common and possibly fatal infectious disease, and its incidence and prevalence is quite high in Korea compared to other Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development countries. Patients who have active TB can cause latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) in children, which may progress to reactivated tuberculosis. This study was performed to analyze the risk of adult TB that affects children's LTBI. METHODS: From June 2013 to May 2014, 60 children (32 boys, 28 girls) who came into close contact with adult patients diagnosed with pulmonary TB underwent LTBI tests. The children were divided into the 2 groups: the first group was finally diagnosed to LTBI, and the second group was proven not to have LTBI. We compared the risk of adult patients with pulmonary TB between children with LTBI and those without through a medical record review. RESULTS: The number of adult patients with TB was 36 (father 68%, mother 23%, grandparents 8%). The patients who came into close contact with the LTBI group were older (47.0±12.8 years vs. 41.3±6.6 years) and had higher erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) levels than those of the second group. The rate of negative acid-fast-bacilli smear with positive culture results in patients who came into contact with the LBTI group was higher than in the second group. The cutoff value of ESR for the diagnosis of LTBI was 31 mm/hr with a sensitivity of 0.75 and a specificity of 0.85 (area under curve=0.748). CONCLUSION: Adult pulmonary TB patients who are older and have higher ESR levels may be risk factors for LTBI in children coming into close contact with them.
Adult ; Blood Sedimentation ; Child* ; Communicable Diseases ; Diagnosis ; Family Characteristics* ; Grandparents ; Humans ; Incidence ; Korea ; Latent Tuberculosis* ; Medical Records ; Mothers ; Prevalence ; Risk Factors* ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Tuberculosis ; Tuberculosis, Pulmonary*

PURPOSE: Mycoplasma pneumoniae (MP) is a major cause of community-acquired pneumonia in children. Since 2000, emerging macrolide-resistant MP has been reported. Three epidemics of MP pneumonia have occurred in Korea during the past 10 years: 2006–2007, 2011, and 2015. We investigated the differences in MP pneumonia of each epidemic in terms of clinical, laboratory, and radiologic perspectives. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed 529 medical records of children (1–18 years of age) who were admitted and diagnosed with MP pneumonia at Kangbuk Samsung Hospital during the past 3 epidemic periods. We compared the clinical, laboratory, and radiologic characteristics of MP pneumonia among individual epidemics and between children younger and older than 6 years of age. RESULTS: The mean age of the patients was 5.7 years old, which had increased by each epidemic and showed the highest (6.3 years old) in 2015 compared to previous epidemics. Among 3 epidemics, there were no sex differences. The duration of fever after admission and hospitalization, and the percentage of lobar pneumonia and use of systemic steroids increased significantly in 2015 epidemic. Since 2006, the mean levels of erythrocyte sedimentation rate and lactate dehydrogenase had increased and in 2015 it marked the highest. Children older than 6 years showed a higher proportion of lobar pneumonia and pleural effusion as well as longer duration of fever (before and after admission) and hospitalization days than those younger than 6 years. CONCLUSION: This study suggests an increasing incidence of refractory MP pneumonia which required a more frequent use of systemic steroids over the past 10 years, and children older than 6 years were found to have more severe pneumonia than those younger than 6 years.
Blood Sedimentation ; Child* ; Fever ; Hospitalization ; Humans ; Incidence ; Korea ; L-Lactate Dehydrogenase ; Medical Records ; Mycoplasma pneumoniae* ; Mycoplasma* ; Pleural Effusion ; Pneumonia* ; Pneumonia, Mycoplasma* ; Retrospective Studies ; Sex Characteristics ; Steroids

Gastric type mucinous endocervical adenocarcinomas of the uterine cervix (GAC) are a newly classified mucinous subtype with morphologically in 2014, WHO. They have a much more aggressiveness and show unusual metastatic patterns compared to usual type endocervical adenocarcinoma. They tend to present at higher stage and even in stage I, they have worse survival. Therefore, differential diagnosis of GAC from the usual type of endocervical adenocarcinoma is very important because they are related to a significant risk of recurrence and decreased 5-year disease-specific survival. Besides, GACs are mostly not associated with human papillomavirus (HPV) infection and p16 immunohistochemistry is also typically negative in GAC that is HPV-unassociated tumor. We report a very rare and interesting case of stage IB1 GAC with negative HPV DNA and p16.
Adenocarcinoma ; Cervix Uteri ; Diagnosis, Differential ; DNA ; Female ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Mucins ; Recurrence

PURPOSE: This study investigated the possible relationship between viral infection and first trimester pregnancy loss. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A prospective study was performed on 51 gravidas with missed abortion, fetal anomaly, pre-term delivery, and full-tem delivery at Hanyang University Hospital. Enteroviruses were detected by semi-nested reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and immunohistochemistry in abortive tissues and placentas. Enterovirus serotypes were confirmed by genome sequencing. Herpesviruses were detected by PCR. RESULTS: Coxsackievirus B3 (CVB3) was detected in 8 of 14 missed abortion cases, 1 of 27 full-term cases, and none of the 9 pre-term cases. Coxsackievirus B1 (CVB1) was detected in an encephalocele case. Herpes simplex virus type 1 was found in 4 full-term cases, 3 pre-term cases, and none of the missed abortion cases. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of CVB3 was significantly higher in missed abortion cases compared to full-term or pre-term delivery cases. CVB infection may therefore be an important etiological agent of missed abortion.
Abortion, Missed/*etiology ; Adult ; Coxsackievirus Infections/complications/*diagnosis/virology ; Enterovirus B, Human/genetics/*isolation & purification ; Female ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Placenta/virology ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Complications, Infectious/*virology ; Pregnancy Trimester, First ; Prevalence ; Prospective Studies ; Republic of Korea ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Sequence Analysis, DNA ; Uterus/*virology