BACKGROUND: Although hypochlorhydria, hypergastrinemia and antiparietal cell antibody have been well documented in the patients with hyperthyroidism, a cause of hypochlorhydria or hypergastrinemia is unknown at the present time. Therefore, in order to clarify an inhibitory mechansim of gastric acid secretion in the patients with hyperthyroidism, interrelationship among hypochlorhydria, hypergastrinemia and antiparietal cell antibody was investigated in this study. METHODS: The gastric secretory function, fasting and postprandial plasma concentrations of gastrin and titer of antiparietal cell antibody in the plasma were determined in the patients with hyperthyroidism and normal subjects. Immunoblot analysis was performed to identify the gastric membrane protein, a possible gastric antigen to antiparietal cell antibody. Using a immunocytochemical technique with electron microscopy, intracellular structure of the parietal cell reacted with antiparietal cell antibody was observed. RESULTS: The basal and pentagastrin-stimulated maximal acid output were reduced in the patients with hyperthyroidism. The fasting and postprandial plasma concentrations of gastrin were markedly elevated in the patients. The plasma gastrin concentration in the patients with the antiparietal cell antibody was higher than that of the norrnal subjects as well as the patients without the antibody not only in the fasting state but also in the postprandial state. However, the plasma gastrin concentration of the patients without the antiparietal cell antibody was elevated in the fasting state only. There was no difference in the gastrin content of the antral mucosa between the norrnal subjects and the patients. The antiparietal cell antibody was detected in 5 (38.5 %) out of 13 patients by using the indirect immunofluorescence method. Patient IgG dose-dependently inhibited rabbit gastric H (+),K (+)-ATPase activity. Among proteins of the rabbit gastric mucosa membrane, four high molecular weight proteins (91, 140, 170 and 210 K dalton) were reacted to the patient IgG. The patient IgG positive peroxidase-antiperoxidase (PAP) activity was electron microscopically detected on the intracellular cannalicular membrane of the parietal cell CONCLUSION: We conclude that hypochlorhydria and hypergastrinemia in the patients with hyperthyroidism are partially related to the antiparietal cell antibody and that the antigen to the antiparietal cell antibody may be H (+),K (+)-ATPase in the intracellular canalicular membrane of the parietal cell.
Achlorhydria ; Fasting ; Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect ; Gastric Acid* ; Gastric Mucosa ; Gastrins ; Humans ; Hyperthyroidism* ; Immunoglobulin G ; Membrane Proteins ; Membranes ; Microscopy, Electron ; Molecular Weight ; Mucous Membrane ; Plasma ; Rabeprazole

Background: Bullous pemphigoid (BP) is an autoimmune blistering disease. Studies have focused on eosinophils for their significant role in the pathogenesis of BP, as they not only secrete proteases and proinflammatory cytokines but also recruit other inflammatory cells. Objective: To investigate the correlation among peripheral eosinophil count, clinical severity, and laboratory findings in patients with BP. Methods: A total of 59 patients with BP were included in this study. Correlation analyses between peripheral eosinophil count and bullous pemphigoid disease activity index (BPDAI) score, duration of hospitalization, anti-bullous pemphigoid antigen 180 (anti-BP180) immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibody, anti-bullous pemphigoid antigen 230 (anti-BP230) IgG antibody, immunoglobulin E (IgE), C-reactive protein, and procalcitonin levels were performed. Simple and multiple linear regression analyses were conducted to evaluate whether peripheral eosinophil counts could independently affect the BPDAI score and hospitalization duration. Results: The peripheral eosinophil count was positively correlated with the initial skin, mucosa, total BPDAI score (p＜0.001, p=0.027, and p＜0.001, respectively), hospitalization days (p=0.032), anti-BP180 IgG antibody (p ＜0.001), anti-BP230 IgG antibody (p＜0.001), and IgE (p＜0.001). Furthermore, not only peripheral eosinophil count but also anti-BP180 IgG antibody, anti-BP230 IgG antibody, and IgE levels independently affected both the initial total BPDAI score (p＜0.05) and hospitalization duration (p＜0.05). Conclusion Based on our results, the peripheral eosinophil count can influence both clinical severity and laboratory findings. Additionally, it can indicate the clinical severity and prognosis of BP. Therefore, we suggest that the peripheral eosinophil count could be a useful marker for predicting clinical outcomes in patients with BP.

Intrahepatic portosystemic venous shunt(IPVS) is an uncommon pathologic condition which occurs mostly in adult patients with portal hypertension and cirrhosis of the liver with only scattered reports are on children. However, asymptomatic IPVS have been detected in an increasing number of patients with recent advances in imaging techniques, such as sonography, CT, MR imaging, and color Doppler sonography. The cause of IPVS remains unknown, but two probable origins have been proposed, congenital and acquired origin. In the congenital origin, it has been proposed that the IPVS develops from embryologic vascular remnants. Acquired IPVS can develop into intrahepatic collateral pathway in the presence of portal hypertension and cirrhosis of the liver. We report a case of congenital IPVS with suspicious sepsis in a 6-day-old female patient. An abdominal ultrasonography and color Doppler sonography demonstrated an aneurysmal type of anomalous shunt connecting the right portal vein to the right hepatic vein. The patient continued to be symptomatic after discharge and a follow-up ultrasonography 3 months later revealed the disappearance of the previous IPVS.
Adult ; Aneurysm ; Child ; Female ; Fibrosis ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hepatic Veins ; Humans ; Hypertension, Portal ; Liver ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Portal Vein ; Sepsis ; Ultrasonography

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to analyze the status of split tablet prescription in South Korea. METHODS: We conducted this analysis using 2016 National Patient Sample data from the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service. We computed split tablet prescription rates by sex and age and determined which medicine and medical specialties had the highest split tablet prescribing rates. RESULTS: The proportion of prescriptions that included split tablets was 15.6% (n=6,687,35). The proportion of prescriptions that included split tablets was higher for females (56.7%) than for males (43.3%), while that of prescriptions including split tablets versus total prescriptions for each sex was higher for males (16.4%) than for females (14.9%) (p<0.001). In the age group under 19 years, the proportion of prescriptions including split tablets (53.7%) was more than half of the total. The highest tablet splitting rate was found to be 89.9% for formoterol fumarate (40 µg), and pseudoephedrine hydrochloride (60 mg) had the highest number of prescriptions. Pediatrics (65.6%) was the medical field with the highest rate of split tablet prescription. CONCLUSION Split tablets were most prescribed to pediatric patients. To minimize the use of split tablets, it is necessary to develop lower dose tablets and establish a policy that promotes prescription of these lower-dose tablets.

Bullous pemphigoid (BP) is a chronic, autoimmune blistering disease that has concerning morbidity and mortality rates. Recently, several studies have focused on eosinophils due to their significant role in the pathogenesis of BP, considering that they are ubiquitous in the serum, tissue, and blister fluids of patients with BP. With this context, precision therapy that targets mediators of eosinophil activity could be a possible novel therapeutic strategy.Interleukin (IL)-5 is crucial for B-cell maturation, which consequently results in immunoglobulin production, and promotes eosinophil differentiation, proliferation, and activation. To our best knowledge, reslizumab has not yet been reported to treat BP. Herein, we report a case of steroid- and omalizumab-resistant BP treated successfully using reslizumab. Our data suggest that IL-5 could be a novel specific biologic target within the entire immunopathogenesis of BP, and reslizumab would be a novel therapeutic modality.

The widespread application of coronary angiography and poen heart surgery have resulted in more frequent detection of patients with coronary artery anomaly. In 0.6 to 1.2 percent of individials, the coronary arteries arise aberrantly from the aorta. Anomalous origin of the left coronary artery from the fight coronary sinus with subsequent coursing between the aorta and pulmonary artery is a rare and sometimes fatal coronary amonaly. This anomaly has been reported in young and healthy men who died suddenly during or immediately forllowing vigorous physical exercise. The exact mechanism of sudden death is unclear. It is believed to be related to either extrinsic compression of the left coronary artery or distorsion of the vessel orifice, with resultant global ischemia and ventricular fibrllation. A 13-years old healthy boy, who was completely asymptomatic until he had sudden chest pain after running, arrived at hospital with typical clinical picture of acute myocardial infarction. The electrocardiography taken on admission demonstrated pathologic Q wave changes on lead I, aVL, V2, V3 and V4. Cardiac enzymes were elevated. The selective coronary angiography demonstrated that left coronary artery arose from the right coronary sinus. The anomalous left coronary artery passed posterioly around aortic root to reach its normal position in the interventricular groove. We report the patient with anomalous origined left coronary artery which causes the acute myocardial infarction.
Adolescent ; Aorta ; Chest Pain ; Coronary Angiography ; Coronary Sinus* ; Coronary Vessels* ; Death, Sudden ; Electrocardiography ; Exercise ; Humans ; Ischemia ; Male ; Myocardial Infarction* ; Pulmonary Artery ; Running ; Thoracic Surgery

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical and abdominal ultrasonogra- phic (US) features of spontaneously reduced transient small bowel intussusception in chlidren. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the clinical and US findings of 98 children with intussusception who were admitted to the Pediatric Department of Ulsan Dong-Kang General Hospital from Mar. 1999 to Feb. 2000. RESULTS: 1) Among 98 cases, there were 12 cases (12.3%) of transient small bowel intussusception (TSBI) and 86 cases (87.7%) of classic intussusception (CI). 2) The peak incidence of age in TSBI was over 3 years, which was older than that in CI. With regard to sex distribution, male predominated in both type. 3) Clinical symptoms and signs including cyclic irritability, vomiting, bloody stool, and abdominal mass in TSBI group were less common than those in CI group (41.7%, 33.4%, 0.0%, 0.0% vs 91.9%, 59.3%, 41.9%, 26.7%, respectively) but persistent abdominal pain was more common in TSBI group than in CI group (58.5% vs 11.2% ). 4) The size of total target sign and surrounding peripheral hypoechoic rim of TSBI group on US were smaller than those of CI group (11.9±2.61 mm, 2.08±1.15 mm vs 26.91±5.98 mm, 7.86±2.77 mm, respectively). 5) Concomittant illness was found more frequently in TSBI group than in CI group (66.7% vs 26.7%). 6) All case of TSBI group were reduced spontaneouly, which were confirmed by US, but none of CI group. CONCLUSION: Transient small bowel intussusception is probably more common than generally thought and its clinical and US findings is quite different from classical obstructing intussus-ception. Because all of our cases resulted in spontaneous reduction, we recommend careful observation and repeat examination rather than an immediate operation in transient small bowel intussusception.
Abdominal Pain ; Child ; Hospitals, General ; Humans ; Incidence ; Intussusception ; Male ; Retrospective Studies ; Sex Distribution ; Ulsan ; Ultrasonography ; Vomiting

PURPOSE: The aim of this study is to investigate the usefulness of intestinal ultrasonography (US) and upper gastrointestinal endoscopy in the early diagnosis of Henoch-Schonlein purpura (HSP) with the gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms preceding the emergence of the skin lesion. METHODS: The clinical, intestinal US and upper gastrointestinal endoscopic records of 85 patients (88 cases) with GI symptoms relating to HSP presenting between January 1999 and April 2001 were reviewed. RESULTS: 1) GI symptoms were observed in 52 cases (59%) and skin, joint, renal and scrotal manifestations were observed in 88 (100%), 64 (73%), 15 (17%), 3 cases (3%) respectively. 2) Out of 52 cases with GI symptoms, abdominal pain was observed in all cases (100%). Positive stool occult blood, nausea and vomiting, abdominal tenderness, melena or tarry stool, diarrhea, hematemesis, rebound tenderness and rigidity were observed in 28 (50%), 17 (33%), 17 (33%), 12 (23%), 6 (12%), 4 (8%), 1 (2%) and 1 case (2%) respectively in order of frequency. 3) Intestinal US examination was performed in 27 cases with HSP and GI symptoms (52 cases). Out of 27 sonographic examinations 22 showed abnormal findings. Thickening of the duodeno-jejunal wall was observed in 16 cases (73%). Free peritoneal fluid, enlarged mesenteric lymph node, ileus and abnormal gall bladder were seen in 8 (36%), 8 (36%), 4 (18%) and 1 case (5%) respectively. In three cases of HSP without GI symptoms, those changes were absent. 4) In all of five cases with HSP and GI symptoms, endoscopic study showed mucosal edema and multiple hemorrhagic erosions especially at the second portion of the duodenum. Biopsy specimens from the duodenum of 2 cases out of 5 endoscopic examinations showed acute inflammatory infiltrates in the mucosa with hemorrhage. 5) Both intestinal US and endoscopic studies were performed in 4 cases with HSP and GI symptoms simultaneously. Out of 4 those cases, 3 cases showed the thickened duodeno-jejunal wall on the intestinal US, which suggested erosive hemorrhagic duodenitis by endoscopic findings. CONCLUSION: The typical but nonpathognomonic intestinal US findings including the thickening of the duodeno-jejunal wall and upper gastrointestinal endoscopic findings including hemorrhagicerosive duodenitis, in children with GI symptoms, should be considered a manifestation of HSP, even in the absence of skin lesion.
Abdominal Pain ; Ascitic Fluid ; Biopsy ; Child ; Diarrhea ; Duodenitis ; Duodenum ; Early Diagnosis ; Edema ; Endoscopy ; Endoscopy, Gastrointestinal ; Hematemesis ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Ileus ; Joints ; Lymph Nodes ; Melena ; Mucous Membrane ; Nausea ; Occult Blood ; Purpura, Schoenlein-Henoch* ; Skin ; Ultrasonography ; Urinary Bladder ; Vomiting

Stump appendicitis is an acute inflammation of the residual appendix and a rare complication after an appendectomy. Although the signs and symptoms do not differ from acute appendicitis, the diagnosis is often not considered because of the past surgical history. Only a small number of stump appendicitis cases have been reported, but there has been no report of stump appendicitis in Korea. Herein, we report a case of stump appendicitis. A 28-year-old female was admitted to our hospital due to right lower quadrant abdominal pain. Fifteen months ago, the patient had a laparoscopic appendectomy under the diagnosis of an acute appendicitis, but she subsequently suffered from intermittent abdominal pain and fever. Abdominal ultrasonography and CT scan showed an inflamed appendiceal stump. Laparoscopic stump appendectomy was done and the biopsy revealed stump appendicitis.
Acute Disease ; Adult ; *Appendectomy ; Appendicitis/*diagnosis/surgery/ultrasonography ; Appendix/surgery ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Female ; Humans ; Postoperative Complications/*diagnosis/ultrasonography ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to identify nature of regenerated articular cartilage after microfracture surgery. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From Oct. 1997 to Nov. 1998, 40 knees were treated for osteoarthritis by arthroscopic microfracture technique. In the 18 knees, during the second arthroscopic procedure, biopsy specimens extending to the subchondral bone were taken and immunohistochemical staining was done to identify type of collagen. One patient was man and 17 patients were women. Average age of the patients were 58 years (range, 40-75 years). RESULTS: Type II collagen in articular cartilage appeared to be brown color with this staining. Degree of staining were +3 in 4 knees(22%), +2 in 2 knees(11%), +1 in 7 knees(39%) and trace in 5 knees(28%). CONCLUSION: Microfracture surgery restores the function of the joint by forming predominantly hyaline-like cartilage containing type II collagen. As analyzing amounts of type II collagen with an immunohistochemical staining in regenerated cartilage, we can presume the prognosis of regenerated cartilage tissue after microfracture surgery.
Biopsy ; Cartilage* ; Cartilage, Articular ; Collagen ; Collagen Type II* ; Female ; Humans ; Joints ; Knee ; Osteoarthritis ; Prognosis