No abstract available.
Mediastinum*

No abstract available.
Animals ; Macrophages ; Macrophages, Peritoneal* ; Mice* ; Signal Transduction*

No abstract available.
Animals ; Cricetinae* ; Macrophage Activation* ; Macrophages* ; Macrophages, Peritoneal* ; Mice* ; Nitric Oxide ; Phagocytosis

BACKGROUND: The dominant innervation of airway smooth muscle is parasympathetic fibers which are carried in the vagus nerve. Activation of these cholinergic nerves releases acetylcholine which binds to M3 muscarinic receptors on the smooth muscle causing bronchocontraction. Acetylcholine also feeds back onto neuronal M2 muscarinic receptors located on the postganglionic cholinergic nerves. Stimulation of these receptors further inhibits acetylcholine release, so these M2 muscarinic receptors act as autoreceptors. Loss of function of these M2 receptors, as it occres in animal models of hyperresponsiveness, leads to an increase in vagally mediated hyperresponsiveness. However, there are limited data pertaining to whether there are dysfunctions of these receptors in patients with asthma. The aim of this study is to determine whether there are dysfunction of M2 muscarinic receptors in asthmatic patients and difference of function of these receptors according to severity of asthma. METHODS: We studied twenty-seven patients with asthma who were registered at Pulmonology Division of Korea University Hospital. They all met asthma criteria of ATS. Of these patients, eleven patients were categorized as having mild asthma, eight patients moderate asthma and eight patients severe asthma according to severity by NAEPP Expert Panel Report 2(1997). All subjects were free of recent upper respiratory tract infection within 2 weeks and showed positive methacholine challenge test(PC 20<16mg/ml). Methacholine provocation tests performed twice on separate days allowing for an interval of one week. In the second test, pre-treatment with the M2 muscarinic receptor agonist pilocarpine(180µg) through inhalation was performed before the routine procedures. RESULTS: Eleven subjects with mild asthma and eight aubjects with moderate asthma showed significant increase of PC20 from 5.30±5.23mg/ml(mean±SD) to 20.82±22.56mg/ml(p=0.004) and from 2.79±1.5mg/ml to 4.67±3.53mg/ml(p=0.012) after pilocarpine inhalation, respectively. However, in the eight subjects with severe asthma significant increase of PC20 from 1.76±1.50mg/ml to 3.18±4.03mg/ml(p=0.161) after pilocarpine inhalation was not found. CONCLUSION: In subjects with mild and moderate asthma, function of M2 muscarinic receptors was normal, but there was a dysfunction of these receptors in subjects with severe asthma. These results suggest that function of M2 muscarinic receptors is different according to severity of asthma.
Acetylcholine ; Asthma ; Autoreceptors ; Humans ; Inhalation ; Korea ; Methacholine Chloride ; Models, Animal ; Muscle, Smooth ; Neurons* ; Pilocarpine ; Pulmonary Medicine ; Receptors, Muscarinic* ; Respiratory Tract Infections ; Vagus Nerve

Wegener's granulomatosis is a small vessel vasculitis characterized by necrotizing granulomatous inflammation of the upper and lower respiratory tracts and kidney. Early diagnosis and immediate treatment are very important for a better prognosis, but the nonspecific, variable clinical manifestations and radiologic findings make the diagnosis difficult. A positive proteinase 3-antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody test is helpful for the diagnosis of Wegener's granulomatosis. Here, we report a case of Wegener's granulomatosis in 54-year-old man who initially presented with fever and multiple cavitary consolidations on the chest radiograph suggestive of a lung abscess. The final diagnosis of Wegener's granulomatosis was based on the medical history of otitis media, gradually developed microscopic hematuria, necrotizing granulomatous inflammation on lung histopathology, and a positive proteinase 3-antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody test.
Antibodies, Antineutrophil Cytoplasmic ; Cytoplasm ; Early Diagnosis ; Fever ; Glycosaminoglycans ; Hematuria ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Kidney ; Lung ; Lung Abscess ; Lung Diseases, Interstitial ; Middle Aged ; Otitis Media ; Prognosis ; Respiratory System ; Thorax ; Vasculitis ; Wegener Granulomatosis

Diffuse pulmonary nodular lesions have many causes. When they are caused by infection, the likely organisms are M. tuberculosis and various fungi. Silicosis, eosinophilic granuloma and pulmonary metastasis should be considered for differential diagnosis. Differential diagnosis needs detailed clinical history, physical examination and various laboratory tests. A case of persistent diffuse pulmonary nodular lesions which had persisted 5 years is reported. The patient was a 25 years old man with minimal pulmonary symptoms. Detailed past history and physical examination suggested thyroid tumor. Chest radiography showed numerous evenly sized well-defined nodules scattered in entire lung fields. Previous chest X-rays showed similar nodular lesions, which had lasted for 5 years. The number of nodules was slightly increased. Neck CT showed heterogenous mass in left lobe of thyroid gland and multiple lymphadenopathies along both internal jugular chains. Total thyroidectomy was performed. A case of lung metastasis which progressed slowly in papillary thyroid cancer is reported.
Diagnosis, Differential ; Eosinophilic Granuloma ; Fungi ; Humans ; Lung ; Neck ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Physical Examination ; Radiography ; Silicosis ; Thorax ; Thyroid Gland ; Thyroid Neoplasms ; Thyroidectomy ; Tuberculosis

Despite the improvements in supportive care, early and late hematopoietic stem cell transplantation-related complications still remain a significant cause of morbidity and mortality. Pulmonary complications occur in 40~60% of patients who undergo allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Late-onset noninfectious pulmonary complications can occur months and even years after transplantation. Interstital lung disease has also been reported to be a late post-transplant complication. Exposure to cytotoxic drugs and/or irradiation has been implicated as a cause of pulmonary toxicity including pulmonary fibrosis. We report a case of an 18-year-old female with non-classifiable interstitial pneumonia that manifested eight and a half years after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. The condition worsened rapidly and the patient eventually died.
Adolescent ; Female ; Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation ; Hematopoietic Stem Cells ; Humans ; Lung Diseases ; Lung Diseases, Interstitial ; Pneumothorax ; Pulmonary Fibrosis ; Transplants

Syphilis is a sexually transmitted disease caused by Treponema pallidum. The prevalence of this disease has recently increased worldwide. However, pulmonary involvement in secondary syphilis is extremely rare. A 51-year-old heterosexual male patient presented with multiple pulmonary nodules with reactive serology from the Venereal Disease Research Laboratory test and positive fluorescent treponemal antibody absorption testing. A hematogenous metastatic malignancy was suspected and an excisional lung biopsy was performed. Histopathological examination showed only central necrosis with abscess and plasma cell infiltration, but no malignant cells. The patient reported sexual contact with a prostitute 8 weeks previously and a penile lesion 6 weeks earlier. Physical examination revealed an erythematous papular rash on the trunk. Secondary syphilis with pulmonary nodules was suspected, and benzathine penicillin G, 2.4 million units, was administered. Subsequently, the clinical signs of syphilis improved and the pulmonary nodules resolved. The final diagnosis was secondary syphilis with pulmonary nodular involvement.
Anti-Bacterial Agents/therapeutic use ; Biopsy ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Humans ; Lung Neoplasms/diagnosis ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Multimodal Imaging ; Multiple Pulmonary Nodules/diagnosis/drug therapy/*microbiology ; Penicillin G Benzathine/therapeutic use ; Predictive Value of Tests ; Prostitution ; Respiratory Tract Infections/diagnosis/drug therapy/*microbiology/transmission ; Sex Workers ; Syphilis/*diagnosis/drug therapy/*microbiology/transmission ; Syphilis Serodiagnosis ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Treatment Outcome ; Unsafe Sex

Transjugular intrahepatic portasystemic shunt (TIPS) is a procedure that inserts an expandable metallic stent into the liver parenchyme by transjugular catheterization. During the past decade, TIPS has been accepted as an alternative to the surgical shunt procedure for controlling the complications of portal hypertension and has become more widely performed. Complications of TIPS include encephalopathy, bleeding, deterioration of liver function and infection. Although periprocedual sepsis has been known since the early days of TIPS stenting, infection by the TIPS device itself has only recently been recognized because of its rare occurrence. The definition of endotipsitis makes it possible to classify it into two groups: definite and probable infection. We report a case of probable endotipsitis with relapsing bacteremia after TIPS for uncontrolled varix bleeding. If relapsing bacteremia without any other clearly attributable source occurs in a patient with TIPS, the possibility of endotipsitis is considered.
Bacteremia ; Catheterization ; Catheters ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Hypertension, Portal ; Liver ; Portasystemic Shunt, Surgical ; Portasystemic Shunt, Transjugular Intrahepatic* ; Sepsis ; Stents ; Varicose Veins

BACKGROUND: Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis(IPF) is a devastating illness for which there is little effective treatment. The key cytokines currently implicated in the fibrotic process are the transforming growth factor-β1(TGF-β1), tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α), endothelin-1(ET-1) and interferon-γ(IFN-γ). The rat model for paraquat-induced pulmonary fibrosis was chosen to investigate the role of ET-1 in this disease. Both ET-1 and TGF-β1 expression in lung lesions were examined using immunohistochemical staining. After Bosentan® administration, an orally active ET-1A and ET-1B receptor antagonist, the degree of pulmonary fibrosis and ET-1 and TGF-β1 expression were analyzed. METHOD: Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into three groups, the control group, the fibrosis group, and the fibrosis-Bosentan®-treated group. The animals were sacrificed periodically at 1, 3, 5, 7, 10, 14 days after administering saline or paraquat. The effects between groups were compared with the results of light microscopy and immunohistochemical staining for ET-1 and TGF-β1. The degree of fibrosis was evaluated by H&E and Masson's trichrome staining, which were graded by a computerized image analyzer. The degree of immunohistochemical staining was categorized by a semi-quantitative analysis method. RESULTS: The lung collagen content had increased in the paraquat instillated animals by day 3, and continued to increase up to day 14. A daily treatment by gavage with Bosentan®(100mg/kg) did not prevent the increase in collagen deposition on the lung that was induced by paraquat instillation. There were increased imunohistochemical stains of ET-1 on the exudate, macrophages, vascular endothelial cells and pneumocytes in the paraquat instillated group. Furthermore, TGF-β1 expression was higher on the exudate, macrophages, some infalmmatory cells, pneumocytes(type I, and II), vascular endothelium and the respiratory epithelial cells around the fibrotic area. After Bosentan treatment, there were no definite changes in ET-1 and TGF-β1 expression. CONCLUSION: Fibrosis of the Paraquat instillated group was more advanced when compared with the control group. In addition, there was increased ET-1 and TGF-β1 expression around the fibrotic area. ET-1 is associated with lung fibrosis but there was little effect of the ET-1 receptor blocker(Bosentan®) on antifibrosis.
Animals ; Collagen ; Coloring Agents ; Cytokines ; Endothelial Cells ; Endothelin-1* ; Endothelium, Vascular ; Epithelial Cells ; Exudates and Transudates ; Fibrosis ; Lung ; Macrophages ; Microscopy ; Models, Animal ; Necrosis ; Paraquat* ; Pneumocytes ; Pulmonary Fibrosis* ; Rats* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Receptor, Endothelin A*