Far Eastern countries including Korea show the high prevalence of hepatitis B virus carriers, so that the incidence of liver cirrhosis is higher than in western countries. But pregnancies with liver cirrhosis are rarely encountered in clinical settings, since liver cirrhosis usually develops after childbearing ages and often causes the disturbance of estrogen metabolism, resulting in severe menstrual irregularity and infertility. Therefore, little is known about the interactions between liver cirrhosis and pregnancy. Liver cirrhosis and portal hypertension are not contraindications to pregnancy but necessitate intensive monitoring throughout pregnancy because the complications of liver cirrhosis, which pose additional risks during pregnancy, are numerous and unpredictable. We report 3 cases of pregnancies in patients with liver cirrhosis with brief review of the literature.
Estrogens ; Hepatitis B virus ; Humans ; Hypertension, Portal ; Incidence ; Infertility ; Korea ; Liver Cirrhosis* ; Liver* ; Metabolism ; Pregnancy* ; Prevalence

Implant prostheses were classified into screw-retained prosthesis and cement-retained prosthesis by their method of retaining, and there is screw and cement retained implant prosthesis (SCRP) which has been made reflecting the strengths of these two. The advantages of the SCRP technique are easy retrievability and passive fit of implant prostheses. However, the occlusal screw holes of implant prostheses can be thought as a disadvantage with respect to esthetics and occlusion. Inappropriately positioned implants also limited the use of the SCRP technique. The present study is reporting about the case where nine implants (US II, OSSTEM, Seoul, Korea) were placed in maxilla and eight in mandible respectively in fully edentulous patients. Then, the cement-retained prosthesis was applied for the part in which the screw hole positioned improperly, and screw-retained prosthesis for properly positioned implants so that the combined screw-cement prosthesis has been produced where the satisfying result has shown in both function and esthetics. Three-year follow-up has been done for the patient.
Denture, Partial, Fixed ; Esthetics ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Mandible ; Maxilla ; Prostheses and Implants

We present the cytologic features of a case of solid and papillary neoplasm of the pancreas. Cytologically, the tumor was composed of a monotonous population of polygonal cells containing ecentrically located round nuclei with one or two distinct small nucleoli and a finely stippled chromatin pattern. The tumor cells were similar to those of the islet cell tumor and showed isolated loosety aggregated and solid sheedts or large cell clumps. The large cell clumps revealed a branching papillary structure containing fibrovascular central core, which is characteristic histologic feature of solid and papillary neoplasm of the pancreas. The case was confirmed by tissue examination including histochemical immunohistochemical and electron microscopical studies. Utrastructurally, the tumor cells contanined a few membrane-bound electron dense granules.
Adenoma, Islet Cell ; Biopsy, Fine-Needle* ; Chromatin ; Pancreas*

A 35-year-old man, previously hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) carrier, presented with gross hematuria and heavy proteinuria that he had been suffering from for 1 month. Serum creatinine was 4.4 mg/dL. Renal biopsy showed pauci-immune crescentic glomerulonephritis. He received plasmapheresis and was treated with high-dose steroids and cyclophosphamide. Lamivudine was started for the prevention of hepatitis B virus (HBV) activation. Serum creatinine and proteinuria were ameliorated one week after the treatment. There was no sign of HBV activation after six months of treatment. We report a case of rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis in a HBV carrier successfully treated with high dose immunosuppressive therapy and prophylactic lamivudine.
Adult ; Biopsy ; Creatinine ; Cyclophosphamide ; Glomerulonephritis ; Hematuria ; Hepatitis ; Hepatitis B ; Hepatitis B Surface Antigens ; Hepatitis B virus ; Humans ; Lamivudine ; Plasmapheresis ; Proteinuria ; Steroids ; Stress, Psychological

Primary pulmonary non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) account for 0.4% of all types of lymphoma. Most cases are of the mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) type, low grade B-cell lymphoma, but cases of the T-cell type are rare. The radiological findings frequently show hilar or mediastinal lymphadenopathy, but lung parenchymal involvement is uncommon. Here, a case of a patient, who presented with fever, generalized erythema, diffuse pulmonary infiltration and pleural effusion, diagnosed as a peripheral T-cell lymphoma, is reported.
Erythema ; Exanthema* ; Fever ; Humans ; Lung ; Lymphatic Diseases ; Lymphoid Tissue ; Lymphoma ; Lymphoma, B-Cell ; Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin ; Lymphoma, T-Cell, Peripheral* ; Pleural Effusion ; T-Lymphocytes

BACKGROUND: Ethyl pyruvate (EP) is a derivative of pyruvate that has recently been identified by both various in vitro and in vivo studies to have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of EP on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced acute lung injury (ALI). METHODS: 5 weeks old, male BALB/c mice were used. ALI was induced by an intratracheal instillation of LPS 0.5mg/Kg/50microliter of saline. The mice were divided into the control, LPS, EP+LPS, and LPS+EP groups. In the control group, balanced salt solution was injected intraperitoneally 30 minutes before or 9 hours after the intratracheal instillation of saline. In the LPS group, a balanced salt solution was also injected intraperitoneally 30 minutes before or 9 hours after instillation the LPS. In the EP+LPS group, 40mg/Kg of EP was injected 30 minutes before LPS instillation. In the LPS+EP group, 40mg/Kg of EP was injected 9 hours after LPS instillation. The TNF-alpha and IL-6 concentrations in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF), and that of NF-KappaB in the lung tissue were measured in the control, LPS and EP+LPS groups at 6 hours after instillation of saline or LPS, and the ALI score and myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity were measured in all four groups 24 and 48 hours after LPS instillation, respectively. RESULTS: The TNF-alpha and IL-6 concentrations were significantly lower in the EP+LPS group than in the LPS group (p<0.05). The changes in the concentration of these inflammatory cytokines were strongly correlated with that of NF-kappaB (p<0.01). The ALI scores were significantly lower in the EP+LPS and LPS+EP groups compared with the LPS group (p<0.05). In the EP+LPS group, the MPO activity was significantly lower than the LPS group (p=0.019). CONCLUSION: EP, either administered before or after LPS instillation, has protective effects against the pathogenesis of LPS-induced ALI. EP has potential theurapeutic effects on LPS-induced ALI.
Acute Lung Injury* ; Animals ; Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid ; Cytokines ; Humans ; Interleukin-6 ; Lung ; Male ; Mice ; NF-kappa B ; Peroxidase ; Pyruvic Acid* ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha

BACKGROUND: Recently, there have been several studies showing that irinotecan hydrochloride, a topoisomerase I inhibitor, is effective against extensive disease(ED) small cell lung cancer (SCLC). We conducted a phase II trial to evaluate the efficacy and toxicity of irinotecan plus cisplatin as a 1st line therapy for both limited and extensive disease SCLC. METHODS: The study was conducted between January 2002 and June 2004. Patients were treated with 60mg/m2 irinotecan on day 1, 8, 15 and 60mg/m2 cisplatin on day 1, every 4 weeks. During concurrent thoracic irradiation for limited disease (LD)-SCLC patients, dose of irinotecan was reduced to 40mg/m2. Prophylactic cranial irradiation was given to patients with complete remission (CR) after chemotherapy. RESULTS: Median ages of LD- and ED-SCLC were 64 years and performance status (PS) was 0-2. In patients with LD-SCLC, the response rate after concurrent chemoradiotherapy was 85% (CR, 6; Partial response [PR], 11). The median survival was 20 months (95% CIs, 15.6 to 24.4) with 1-and 2-year survival rates of 85% and 35%, respectively. Median progression free survival (PFS) was 12 months (95% CIs, 6.2 to 18.1) with 1-year PFS of 36%. In ED-SCLC, the response rate was 83.4% (CR, 1; PR, 14). The median survival was 14.5 months (95% CIs, 8.8 to 20.1) with 1-year survival rates of 75%. Median PFS was 6.3 months (95% CIs, 5.6 to 7.1) with 1-year PFS of 20%. The major toxicities (grade 3 or 4) of this regimen included leukopenia, anemia, thrombocytopenia, nausea/vomiting, and diarrhea without life threatening complication. CONCLUSION: Our data shows that the combination of irinotecan plus cisplatin as a first line therapy is effective and tolerable in the treatment of both LD- and ED-SCLC.
Anemia ; Chemoradiotherapy ; Cisplatin* ; Cranial Irradiation ; Diarrhea ; Disease-Free Survival ; DNA Topoisomerases, Type I ; Drug Therapy ; Humans ; Leukopenia ; Small Cell Lung Carcinoma* ; Survival Rate ; Thrombocytopenia

BACKGROUND: Recently, there have been several studies showing that irinotecan hydrochloride, a topoisomerase I inhibitor, is effective against extensive disease(ED) small cell lung cancer (SCLC). We conducted a phase II trial to evaluate the efficacy and toxicity of irinotecan plus cisplatin as a 1st line therapy for both limited and extensive disease SCLC. METHODS: The study was conducted between January 2002 and June 2004. Patients were treated with 60mg/m2 irinotecan on day 1, 8, 15 and 60mg/m2 cisplatin on day 1, every 4 weeks. During concurrent thoracic irradiation for limited disease (LD)-SCLC patients, dose of irinotecan was reduced to 40mg/m2. Prophylactic cranial irradiation was given to patients with complete remission (CR) after chemotherapy. RESULTS: Median ages of LD- and ED-SCLC were 64 years and performance status (PS) was 0-2. In patients with LD-SCLC, the response rate after concurrent chemoradiotherapy was 85% (CR, 6; Partial response [PR], 11). The median survival was 20 months (95% CIs, 15.6 to 24.4) with 1-and 2-year survival rates of 85% and 35%, respectively. Median progression free survival (PFS) was 12 months (95% CIs, 6.2 to 18.1) with 1-year PFS of 36%. In ED-SCLC, the response rate was 83.4% (CR, 1; PR, 14). The median survival was 14.5 months (95% CIs, 8.8 to 20.1) with 1-year survival rates of 75%. Median PFS was 6.3 months (95% CIs, 5.6 to 7.1) with 1-year PFS of 20%. The major toxicities (grade 3 or 4) of this regimen included leukopenia, anemia, thrombocytopenia, nausea/vomiting, and diarrhea without life threatening complication. CONCLUSION: Our data shows that the combination of irinotecan plus cisplatin as a first line therapy is effective and tolerable in the treatment of both LD- and ED-SCLC.
Anemia ; Chemoradiotherapy ; Cisplatin* ; Cranial Irradiation ; Diarrhea ; Disease-Free Survival ; DNA Topoisomerases, Type I ; Drug Therapy ; Humans ; Leukopenia ; Small Cell Lung Carcinoma* ; Survival Rate ; Thrombocytopenia

BACKGROUND: The role of combination therapy of inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) plus long-acting beta2-agonist (LABA) in asthma is well established, but nor much is known about this treatment in COPD. Recent studies have revealed that combining therapy is associated with fewer acute exacerbations in COPD, but in most of the studies, high-dose combination therapies have been employed. The current study assessed the effect of moderate or high-dose combination therapy of ICS plus LABA on the frequency of acute exacerbations in COPD. METHODS: Between January 1, 2001 and August 31, 2004, 46 patients with COPD (moderate, severe, very severe) were enrolled who received either fluticasone/salmeterol (flu/sal) 250 microgram/50 microgram twice a day (group A) or flu/sal 500 microgram/50 microgram twice a day (group B) for more than a year. We divided them into two groups depending on the dosage of ICS plus LABA. Effect of drugs was compared based on the factors such as symptom aggravation, number of admission, and time to first exacerbation during a year after use. RESULTS: Eleven of twenty-six patients in group A (42.3%) experienced acute exacerbation and eleven of twenty patients in group B (55%) experienced acute exacerbation during 1 year. Mean exacerbation rate of Group A was 0.96 and Group B was 1.05. Mean admission rate was 0.15 and 0.30, respectively. There was no statistically significant difference of aggravation rate, number of administration and time to first exacerbation between the two treatment groups. CONCLUSION: There was no significant difference between moderate and high dose combined inhaler therapy to reduce acute exacerbation in COPD patients (moderate, severe, very severe). Hence, the effective dose of combination therapy needs further study in patients with COPD.
Adrenal Cortex Hormones* ; Asthma ; Humans ; Nebulizers and Vaporizers ; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive*

Bronchial carcinoid tumors are relatively uncommon neoplasms that are considered to be malignant tumors of low to intermediate grade. They are classified by pathologic features as typical or atypical carcinoids and have distinctly different prognoses and therapeutic options. Surgery is the treatment of choice in typical and atypical carcinoid tumors but the approach has been changing. Recently, several studies have described experiences using other technologies as adjuncts to bronchoscopic resection, technologies such as laser and cryotherapy with curative intent in endoluminal typical carcinoids. Here we present a case of atypical bronchial carcinoid that was treated with bronchoscopic cryotherapy.
Bronchoscopy ; Carcinoid Tumor ; Cryotherapy ; Prognosis