Spontaneous cervical epidural hematoma (SCEH) is a rare condition that causes paraparesis or quadriparesis. As spontaneous resolution is seldom expected, it usually requires surgical treatment for relieve symptoms. Even if spontaneous resolution occurs, relief from symptoms usually requires several hours to days. In contrast, hemiparesis is the most common symptom of a transient ischemic attack (TIA), and usually resolves over minutes to hours. We report here two patients with SCEH who presented with hemiparesis with severe neck pain. Both patients were taking antiplatelet drugs. Their neurological symptoms recovered spontaneously over a very short time. They were initially misdiagnosed as TIA. These cases show that patients with transient hemiparesis may have SCEH if there is severe neck pain and no cranial nerve involvement.

This report summarizes the 2019 survey results of the external quality assessment (EQA) scheme for the Transfusion Medicine Program (TMP) in Korea. Proficiency testing materials were prepared at the Asan Medical Center for the biannual distribution to participating laboratories. The average accuracy rates and number of participants (in parenthesis) for ten survey items were as follows: ABO typing, 99.4%–99.9% (N=875); RhD typing, 99.8%–100% (N=864); crossmatching, 90.8%–99.6% (N=760); ABO subtyping, 98.2% and 100% (N=58); Rh CcEe antigen testing, both 100% (N=55); weak D test, 97.9%–100% (N=232); antibody screening, 99.7%– 100% (N=316); direct antiglobulin test (DAT) using a polyspecific reagent, 99.6%–100% (N=273); DAT using an immunoglobulin-G monospecific reagent, both 100.0% (N=67); DAT using a C3d monospecific reagent, 95.6%–98.5% (N=67); antibody identification, 87.9%–99.2% (N=132); and ABO Ab titration, 85.7%–100% (N=134). The number of participants showed an average increase of 14% across the ten survey items, with the ABO antibody titration showing the highest increase at 83.6%. While results were generally excellent, antibody identification and ABO antibody titration results showed room for improvement. The 2019 EQA scheme for TMP has contributed to the improvement and maintenance of the participating laboratories to the program.

This report aimed to provide a summary of the 2023 survey results on the external quality assessment (EQA) scheme for the general transfusion medicine test and general transfusion antibody test programs in Korea. Proficiency testing materials were prepared at the Asan Medical Center for biannual distribution to participating laboratories. The accuracy rates and number of participating laboratories were as follows: ABO typing, 99.8%–100.0% (n=940, n=940); RhD typing, 99.8%–100.0% (n=924, n=918); crossmatching, 95.6%–99.4% (n=802, n=825); unexpected antibody screening, 99.4–100.0% (n=358, n=358); direct antiglobulin test (DAT) using a polyspecific reagent, 99.3%–100.0% (n=296, n=292); DAT using anti-immuno globulin G monospecific reagent, 100.0% (n=76, n=76); and DAT using antiC3d monospecific reagent, 97.3%–100.0% (n=73, n=73). The 2023 EQA scheme for transfusion medicine program has improved and maintained the standards of the participating laboratories.

Drug-induced immune hemolytic anemia (DIIHA) is a rare side effect of drugs. DIIHA may cause a systemic inflammatory response that results in acute multi-organ failure and death. Ceftizoxime belongs to the class of third generation cephalosporins, which are the most common drugs associated with DIIHA. Herein, we present a case of a 66-year-old man who developed fatal DIIHA after receiving a second dose of ceftizoxime. He was admitted to receive photodynamic therapy. He had a history of a single parenteral dose of ceftizoxime 3 months prior to admission. On the day of the procedure — shortly after the infusion of ceftizoxime — the patient's mental status was altered. The blood test results revealed hemolysis. Oliguric acute kidney injury developed, and continuous renal replacement therapy had to be applied. On the suspicion of DIIHA, the patient underwent plasmapheresis. Diagnosis was confirmed by a detection of drug-dependent antibody with immune complex formation. Although his hemolysis improved, his liver failure did not improve. He was eventually discharged to palliative care, and subsequently died.
Acute Kidney Injury ; Aged ; Anemia, Hemolytic* ; Antigen-Antibody Complex ; Ceftizoxime ; Cephalosporins ; Diagnosis ; Hematologic Tests ; Hemolysis ; Humans ; Liver Failure ; Palliative Care ; Photochemotherapy ; Plasmapheresis ; Renal Replacement Therapy

Drug-induced immune hemolytic anemia (DIIHA) is a rare side effect of drugs. DIIHA may cause a systemic inflammatory response that results in acute multi-organ failure and death. Ceftizoxime belongs to the class of third generation cephalosporins, which are the most common drugs associated with DIIHA. Herein, we present a case of a 66-year-old man who developed fatal DIIHA after receiving a second dose of ceftizoxime. He was admitted to receive photodynamic therapy. He had a history of a single parenteral dose of ceftizoxime 3 months prior to admission. On the day of the procedure — shortly after the infusion of ceftizoxime — the patient's mental status was altered. The blood test results revealed hemolysis. Oliguric acute kidney injury developed, and continuous renal replacement therapy had to be applied. On the suspicion of DIIHA, the patient underwent plasmapheresis. Diagnosis was confirmed by a detection of drug-dependent antibody with immune complex formation. Although his hemolysis improved, his liver failure did not improve. He was eventually discharged to palliative care, and subsequently died.
Acute Kidney Injury ; Aged ; Anemia, Hemolytic ; Antigen-Antibody Complex ; Ceftizoxime ; Cephalosporins ; Diagnosis ; Hematologic Tests ; Hemolysis ; Humans ; Liver Failure ; Palliative Care ; Photochemotherapy ; Plasmapheresis ; Renal Replacement Therapy

Hereditary spherocytosis (HS) is the most common inherited red cell membrane disorder. Its main laboratory finding is anemia with reticulocytosis. However, in the case of an aplastic crisis, there may be no reticulocytosis, making the diagnosis of HS difficult. We present the case of a 4-year-old boy who initially presented with persistent fever and sore throat. His 8-year old brother also had anemia of unknown etiology, and his father had a history of splenectomy in his 20s. Physical examination revealed anemic conjunctivae and hepatosplenomegaly, and laboratory findings showed anemia with decreased reticulocyte count and elevated ferritin and lactate dehydrogenase levels. A peripheral blood smear showed microcytic hypochromic anemia with severe poikilocytosis (spherocytes, acanthocytes, schistocytes), and bone marrow examination revealed decreased erythroid cells and increased hemophagocytosis. Increased osmotic fragility was observed, and parvovirus B19 was detected using polymerase chain reaction. Hence, we established the diagnosis of hereditary spherocytosis manifested as an aplastic crisis caused by parvovirus B19 infection

Para-Bombay phenotypes are rare blood groups that have inherent defects in producing H antigens associated with FUT1 and/or FUT2. We report the first case of para-Bombay blood type in a Southeast Asian patient admitted at a tertiary hospital in Korea. A 23-year-old Indonesian man presented to the hospital with fever and was diagnosed with a disseminated nontuberculous mycobacterium infection and anemia. During blood group typing for blood transfusion, cell typing showed no agglutination with both anti-A and anti-B reagents. Serum typing showed strong reactivity against B cells and trace agglutination pattern with A1 cells. His red blood cells failed to react with anti-H reagents. Direct sequencing of FUT1 and FUT2 revealed a missense variation, c.328G>A (p.Ala110Thr, rs56342683, FUT1*01W.02), and a synonymous variant, c.390C>T (p.Asn130=, rs281377, Se³⁵⁷), respectively. This highlights the need for both forward and reverse grouping.
ABO Blood-Group System ; Agglutination ; Anemia ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; B-Lymphocytes ; Blood Group Antigens ; Blood Transfusion ; Erythrocytes ; Fever ; Humans ; Indicators and Reagents ; Korea ; Mycobacterium Infections, Nontuberculous ; Phenotype ; Tertiary Care Centers ; Young Adult

No abstract available.
Alleles ; Korea

Invasive fungal infection (IFI) is a serious threat to pediatric patients with cancer given high morbidity and mortality. We present an 18-year-old male with precursor T-cell lymphoblastic leukemia who developed Pancoast syndrome, presented with paresthesia and numbness in the right shoulder and arm during a neutropenic fever period. He was diagnosed with pneumonia in the right upper lung field. He was later found to have an invasive pulmonary fungal infection caused by multiple fungi species, including Rhizomucor, confirmed by histology and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) (proven infection), Penicillium decumbens diagnosed by PCR, and Aspergillus suspected from galactomannan assay (probable infection). Unfortunately, the patient's condition further worsened owing to the aggravation of leukemia, chemotherapy-induced neutropenia, and bacterial coinfection, leading to multiorgan failure and death. Here, we report a case of IFI caused by multiple fungal species that presented as Pancoast syndrome.

Invasive fungal infection (IFI) is a serious threat to pediatric patients with cancer given high morbidity and mortality. We present an 18-year-old male with precursor T-cell lymphoblastic leukemia who developed Pancoast syndrome, presented with paresthesia and numbness in the right shoulder and arm during a neutropenic fever period. He was diagnosed with pneumonia in the right upper lung field. He was later found to have an invasive pulmonary fungal infection caused by multiple fungi species, including Rhizomucor, confirmed by histology and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) (proven infection), Penicillium decumbens diagnosed by PCR, and Aspergillus suspected from galactomannan assay (probable infection). Unfortunately, the patient's condition further worsened owing to the aggravation of leukemia, chemotherapy-induced neutropenia, and bacterial coinfection, leading to multiorgan failure and death. Here, we report a case of IFI caused by multiple fungal species that presented as Pancoast syndrome.