The authors regret that there were errors in the article. The errors were in one co-author's affiliation and funding source.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to discover ways to screen urine culture specimens through Gram stains, urine stick analyses and microscopic examinations for the laboratory cost saving. METHODS: One hundred and fifty-eight urine specimens for culture were included. Fifty uL of urine were inoculated onto one well each of 10-well slide, dried on the hot plate, and Gram-stained. The results combined with routine urinalyses including urine nitrite and leukocyte esterase, and pyuria, were compared with the routine culture results. RESULTS: The screening of bacteriuria by Gram stains, urinalyses and microscopic examinations revealed the high sensitivity (91.9%) and negative predictive value(95.5%) with cost saving of 41.8% of inoculating media. Not considering the Gram stains, the screening revealed 83.8% sensitivity and 92.5% negative predictive value, even if the cost saving of inoculating media were as high as 50.1%. CONCLUSION: It was demonstrated that it was sensitive and economic and produced rapid preliminary results to screen bacteriuria by the Gram stains combined with urinalyses and microscopic examinations.
Bacteriuria ; Coloring Agents ; Cost Savings ; Leukocytes ; Mass Screening* ; Pyuria ; Urinalysis*

Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura(TTP) is a rare but life-threatening multi-system disorder characterized by the classic pentad of clinical features that includes fever, microangiopathic hemolytic anemia, thrombocytopenia, neurologic abnormalities and renal dysfunction. TTP has been rarely reported to simultaneously present with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). While it is important to distinguish between the two diseases of therapeutic implication, cases of concurrent TTP and SLE help to elucidate the pathophysiology that underlies each condition. We describe two adolescents with synchronous TTP and SLE, and review the literature.
Adolescent ; Anemia, Hemolytic ; Fever ; Humans ; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic* ; Plasmapheresis ; Purpura, Thrombotic Thrombocytopenic* ; Thrombocytopenia

No abstract available.
Esophagus*

No abstract available.
Arteriovenous Fistula* ; Renal Dialysis*

Mauriac syndrome consists of a triad of poorly controlled diabetes, profound growth retardation and hepatomegaly. We experienced a case of Mauriac syndrome in an 18-year-old girl who had poorly controlled diabetes mellitus, short stature, hepatomegaly and central obesity. Also at the time of examination, she had complications of diabetic cataract and nephropathy. Fourteen years prior to admission, she was diagnosed as diabetes mellitus at a hospital. Thereafter, she had been managed with irregular insulin injection. On physical examination at admission, her height was 135cm(<3 percentile) and her weight was 39kg(<3 percetile). She was short and obese. The liver was 5 cm palpable below the right subcostal margin. Her sexual maturation was Tanner stage I. On ophthalmologic examination, the cataracts were observed on both eyes and diabetic retinopathy was absent. Diabetic nephropathy could not be confirrned by kidney biopsy due to her mother's refusal. We studied the hormonal, radiographic and histological abnormalities. The hormonal study was normal and the bone age was by delayed as much as 10 years. The liver biopsy revealed glycogen accumulation in hepatocyte. She was consistent with Mauriac syndrome. She was managed by strict diabetic control with insulin therapy, diabetic diet and intensive education. She was discharged with well controlled blood glucose. Five months later, growth acceleration and sexual maturation have not been observed, but hepatomegaly subsided. (J Korean Pediatr Soc 2000;43-837-841)
Acceleration ; Adolescent ; Biopsy ; Blood Glucose ; Cataract ; Diabetes Mellitus* ; Diet, Diabetic ; Diabetic Nephropathies ; Diabetic Retinopathy ; Disulfiram ; Education ; Female ; Glycogen ; Hepatocytes ; Hepatomegaly ; Humans ; Insulin ; Kidney ; Liver ; Obesity, Abdominal ; Physical Examination ; Sexual Maturation

BACKGROUND: To prevent a hemolytic transfusion reaction caused by an unexpected antibody, a crossmatch following ABO/Rh typing and antibody screening test is performed before a red cell transfusion. The conventional crossmatch method is usually performed using the room temperature saline method, 37degrees C albumin method, and anti-globulin method. With growth and development of techniques for laboratory and records management, demand for reduction of work load is on the rise, therefore, use of the "type and screen" method and Immediate spin crossmatch as a pretransfusion test is recommended. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was performed using records from the Pusan National University Hospital blood bank from 2008 to 2012. Room temperature saline method omitting the anti-globulin crossmatch has been used in order to issue a compatible red cell product, when antibody screening performed using a cell panel (DiaCell I-II-Dia) in all patients where a request for a red cell transfusion was sent to the blood bank is negative, without previously identified unexpected antibodies. RESULTS: In total, 107,569 units of PRBCs were requested, 100,978 units (93.88%) were issued only immediate-spin crossmatch following type and screen method, and exclusion criteria were indicated in 6.12% of the total. There was no single case where the antibody screen was negative with guarantee of compatibility and hemolytic transfusion reaction occurred. CONCLUSION: The "Type and Screen" method based on antibody screening test including Dia cells and Immediate spin crossmatch application can contribute to safe, efficient transfusion service in the blood bank.
Antibodies ; Blood Banks ; Blood Group Incompatibility ; Busan ; Forms and Records Control ; Growth and Development ; Humans ; Mass Screening* ; Methods ; Retrospective Studies

The Dia and Mia antigens have been detected in Koreans with a frequency of 6.4∼14.5% and 0.9%, respectively. This study evaluated the effectiveness of different screening cells using the cells with Diaand Mia antigens for unexpected antibody screening. An unexpected antibody-screening test was performed separately using different screening cells, including the Dia antigen (Panel D) and Mia antigen (Panel M). A total of 2,077 specimens from 1,847 patients were collected, among which 49 (2.32%) and 43 (2.08%) were positive using Panel D and Panel M, respectively. Twenty-seven patients were positive with both panels, 2012 were negative with both panels, and thirty-eight patients showed a discordant result. The suspected anti-Diaand anti-Mia were detected in 4 (0.19%) and 5 (0.24%) patients, respectively. Therefore, the frequency of anti-Dia and anti-Mia antibodies in this study may be helpful for selecting unexpected antibody screening reagents.

The anti-K antibody has a role in transfusion reactions or hemolytic disease of the fetus and newborns. The K antigen is rarely expressed in Koreans. On the other hand, the distribution of blood group antigens has changed in recent years owing to the increased number of immigrants. This study examined the prevalence of the Kell group antigens according to their parents’ birth region. In this study, 4% of participants whose parents were born in America, Europe, South Asia, and other countries expressed the K antigen. No participants whose parents were born in Korea or East Asia expressed the K antigen. The frequency of the anti-K is expected to increase because of blood donors with the K antigen. Therefore, it is necessary to consider the K antigen frequency and anti-K in transfusions and pregnancy cases in Korea.

The anti-K antibody has a role in transfusion reactions or hemolytic disease of the fetus and newborns. The K antigen is rarely expressed in Koreans. On the other hand, the distribution of blood group antigens has changed in recent years owing to the increased number of immigrants. This study examined the prevalence of the Kell group antigens according to their parents’ birth region. In this study, 4% of participants whose parents were born in America, Europe, South Asia, and other countries expressed the K antigen. No participants whose parents were born in Korea or East Asia expressed the K antigen. The frequency of the anti-K is expected to increase because of blood donors with the K antigen. Therefore, it is necessary to consider the K antigen frequency and anti-K in transfusions and pregnancy cases in Korea.