BACKGROUND/AIMS: New definitions of acute kidney injury (AKI) have recently emerged. Some studies have suggested that duration of AKI is an additional predictive parameter for mortality. Here, we evaluated whether AKI duration was predictive of long-term mortality in patients with hospital-acquired acute kidney injury (HAAKI). METHODS: We prospectively enrolled patients who developed HAAKI at an urban university hospital, from September 2007 to August 2008 and followed them until December 2011. Patients were divided into two groups by duration of the AKI (1 to 5 days vs. > or = 6 days), and long-term mortality was compared. RESULTS: HAAKI developed in 1.2% of patients during the enrollment period. The median follow-up period was 240 days (interquartile range, 53 to 1,428). In 42.3% of patients (n = 52), the AKI lasted 1 to 5 days, while it lasted > or = 6 days in 57.7% (n = 71). Survival analysis showed that a longer duration of AKI increased the risk of death. Long-term survival was significantly different in the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: The duration of AKI influenced mortality rates in hospitalized patients. Thus, AKI duration is a parameter affecting mortality in HAAKI.
Acute Kidney Injury/diagnosis/etiology/*mortality/therapy ; Aged ; Female ; *Hospitalization ; Hospitals, University ; Humans ; Kaplan-Meier Estimate ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prognosis ; Proportional Hazards Models ; Prospective Studies ; Republic of Korea ; Risk Factors ; Time Factors

The aim of this paper was to propose a new method of bimaxillary orthognathic surgery planning and model surgery based on the concept of 6 degrees of freedom (DOF). A 22-year-old man with Class III malocclusion was referred to our clinic with complaints of facial deformity and chewing difficulty. To correct a prognathic mandible, facial asymmetry, flat occlusal plane angle, labioversion of the maxillary central incisors, and concavity of the facial profile, bimaxillary orthognathic surgery was planned. After preoperative orthodontic treatment, surgical planning based on the concept of 6 DOF was performed on a surgical treatment objective drawing, and a Jeon's model surgery chart (JMSC) was prepared. Model surgery was performed with Jeon's orthognathic surgery simulator (JOSS) using the JMSC, and an interim wafer was fabricated. Le Fort I osteotomy, bilateral sagittal split ramus osteotomy, and malar augmentation were performed. The patient received lateral cephalometric and posteroanterior cephalometric analysis in postretention for 1 year. The follow-up results were determined to be satisfactory, and skeletal relapse did not occur after 1.5 years of surgery. When maxillary and mandibular models are considered as rigid bodies, and their state of motion is described in a quantitative manner based on 6 DOF, sharing of exact information on locational movement in 3-dimensional space is possible. The use of JMSC and JOSS will actualize accurate communication and performance of model surgery among clinicians based on objective measurements.
Congenital Abnormalities ; Dental Occlusion ; Facial Asymmetry ; Follow-Up Studies ; Freedom ; Humans ; Incisor ; Malocclusion ; Mandible ; Mastication ; Orthognathic Surgery ; Osteotomy ; Osteotomy, Sagittal Split Ramus ; Recurrence

Gitelman's sydnrome is a heritable renal disorder characterized by hypomagnesemia, hypokalemia and hypocalciuria. As compared to those with Bartter's syndrome, reduced urinary excretion of calcium and magesium wasting are essential features of Gitelman's syndrome. Interestingly, we have experienced a case of 32-year old man with a mixed type of Gitelman's syndrome and Bartter's syndrome, which includes normomagnesemia, normal renal magnesium excretion, and hypocalciuria. Herein we report the case of atypical Gitelman's syndrome with brief review of related literature.
Adult ; Bartter Syndrome ; Calcium ; Gitelman Syndrome* ; Humans ; Hypokalemia ; Magnesium*

Although hypertension is a well-known risk factor for chronic kidney disease (CKD), the blood pressure (BP) at which antihypertensive interventions should be initiated remains to be determined. Therefore, we investigated the association between BP and CKD in treatment-naïve individuals. Methods: This prospective cohort study considered 7,343 individuals in the Korean Genome and Epidemiology Study who were not taking antihypertensive medications. Subjects were categorized into six groups according to their systolic BP (SBP) and five groups according to their diastolic BP (DBP). The primary outcome was incident CKD, which was defined as an estimated glomerular filtration rate of <60 mL/min/1.73 m2 or the development of proteinuria. The secondary outcome was incident cardiovascular disease (CVD). Results: In the time-varying Cox models, the hazard ratios (95% confidence interval [CI]) for CKD were 1.39 (1.10–1.77) with SBP 130–139 mmHg, 1.79 (1.40–2.28) with SBP 140–159 mmHg, and 3.22 (2.35–4.40) with SBP ≥ 160 mmHg, compared with SBP 100–119 mmHg. In addition, the hazard ratios (95% CI) for CKD were 1.88 (1.48–2.37) with DBP 90–99 mmHg and 4.30 (3.20– 5.76) with DBP ≥ 100 mmHg, compared with DBP 70–79 mmHg. A significantly increased CVD risk was also observed in subjects with SBP ≥ 130 mmHg or DBP ≥ 90 mmHg. Conclusion: Our findings indicate that SBP ≥ 130 mmHg and DBP ≥ 90 mmHg are associated with an increased risk of CKD. Therefore, BP-lowering strategies should be considered starting at those thresholds to prevent CKD development.

BACKGROUND: In vitro detection of the allergen-specific IgE antibody (sIgE) is a useful tool for the diagnosis and treatment of allergies. Although multiple simultaneous allergen tests offer simple and low-cost screening methods, these platforms also have limitations with respect to multiplexibility and analytical performance. As an alternative assay platform, we developed and validated a microarray using allergen extracts that we termed “GOLD” chip. METHODS: Serum samples of 150 allergic rhinitis patients were used in the study, and the diagnostic performance of the microarray was compared with that of AdvanSure (LG Life Sciences, Daejun, Korea) and ImmunoCAP (Phadia, Uppsala, Sweden). Standard IgE samples were used for the quantitative measurement of sIgEs. RESULTS: The microarray-based assay showed excellent performance in the quantitative measurement of sIgEs, demonstrating a linear correlation within the range of sIgE concentrations tested. The limit of detection (LOD) was lower than 0.35 IU/mL, which is the current standard for the LOD cut-off. The assay also provided highly reproducible sets of data. The total agreement percentage of positive and negative calls was 92.2% compared with ImmunoCAP. Moreover, an outstanding correlation was observed between the microarray and the ImmunoCAP results, with Cohen's kappa and Pearson correlation coefficient values of 0.80 and 0.79, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The microarray-based in vitro diagnostic platform offers a sensitive, reproducible, and highly quantitative method to detect sIgEs. The results showed strong correlations with that of ImmunoCAP. These results suggest that the new allergen microarray can serve as a useful alternative to current screening platforms, ultimately becoming a first-line screening method.
Biological Science Disciplines ; Diagnosis ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity* ; Immunoglobulin E ; In Vitro Techniques* ; Limit of Detection ; Mass Screening ; Methods ; Rhinitis, Allergic

OBJECTIVE: Based on the constant associations made between major depressive disorder (MDD) and alpha asymmetry, and MDD and suicide, this study aimed to examine the relationship between frontal alpha asymmetry and suicide in MDD patients. METHODS: Sixty-six MDD patients, of whom fifteen were male and fifty-one were female, were recruited. Independent groups were created based on the median score of frontal alpha asymmetry: the left dominant (LD) group and the right dominant (RD) group. The alpha band (8–12 Hz) and its sub-bands (i.e., low alpha band: 8–10 Hz; high alpha band: 10–12 Hz) were of interest. Source level alpha asymmetry was calculated as well. RESULTS: Suicidal behavior was positively correlated with the asymmetry indices of the low alpha band and the alpha band in the LD group and that of the high alpha band in the RD group. Source level analysis revealed positive correlations between suicidal behavior and the asymmetry index of the low alpha band in the LD group. CONCLUSION: Frontal alpha asymmetry, especially that of the low alpha band, might reflect the cognitive deficits associated with suicidal behaviors in MDD patients.
Cognition Disorders ; Depression ; Depressive Disorder, Major ; Electroencephalography ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Suicide

Antibody-mediated rejection (ABMR) is associated with poor renal allograft survival. It shows poor response to conventional treatment with plasmapheresis, rituximab, and intravenous immunoglobulin. Bortezomib, a proteasome inhibitor used for treatment of multiple myeloma, has recently been reported as a treatment alternative for recipient desensitization and ABMR. A 58-year-old man was diagnosed with mixed-type ABMR with donor specific antibodies and acute T cell-mediated rejection early after kidney transplantation. Conventional therapy was administered, including antithymocyte globulin, plasmapheresis, and rituximab; however, his condition was found to be refractory to these antihumoral therapies. Following administration of bortezomib, his serum creatinine level returned to baseline with stable graft function. His serum creatinine level remains stable at 1.3 mg/dL at 10 months posttransplantation. Bortezomib is effective for treatment of refractory ABMR following kidney transplantation.
Allografts ; Antibodies ; Antilymphocyte Serum ; Bortezomib ; Creatinine ; Humans ; Immunoglobulins ; Kidney Transplantation ; Kidney* ; Middle Aged ; Multiple Myeloma ; Plasmapheresis ; Proteasome Inhibitors ; Rituximab ; Tissue Donors ; Transplantation* ; Transplants

PURPOSE: Kidney length and volume are important parameters in the diagnosis of kidney disease. There has been no study for kidney volume in Korea. Therefore, we investigated the normal kidney volume and length using multidetector-row computerized tomography (MDCT). METHODS: One hundred and twenty-three Koreans were scanned for various medical reasons by MDCT. We measured kidney volume with three dimensional reconstruction programs. In the coronal section, we measured the craniocaudal length of both kidneys. Cross sectional kidney size was defined the sum of both sides of the rectangle enclosing the kidney at the level of the renal (hilum) vessel. Patients were excluded when they have the estimated GFR, calculated by modification of diet in renal disease, less than 90 ml/min/1.73m2, diabetes, any urinary abnormalities, renal anatomical abnormality, renal artery disease, more than three cysts and larger than 3 cm of cyst. RESULTS: Kidney volumes were 177+/-34 mL for men and 146+/-28 mL for women. There were no volume differences among age groups. Kidney lengths were 10.5+/-0.9 cm for left and 10.0+/-0.8 cm for right. The cross sectional kidney size was 10.8+/-1.1 cm for left and 10.7+/-1.0 cm for right. There was a high correlation between the kidney volumes and the cross sectional sizes (r=0.80). CONCLUSION: We suggest the reference values for kidney volume and length using MDCT. Measurement of kidney volumes may be more helpful to determine diagnosis and treatment of chronic kidney disease as compared with that of simple measuring kidney length.
Adult ; Diet ; Female ; Glycosaminoglycans ; Humans ; Kidney ; Kidney Diseases ; Korea ; Male ; Reference Values ; Renal Artery ; Renal Insufficiency, Chronic

BACKGROUND/AIMS: While surgical resection remains the standard of care in the treatment of upper urinary tract malignancies, nephrectomy is a risk factor for the development of chronic kidney disease (CKD). The aim of this study was to determine whether histologic evaluation of non-neoplastic kidney could enable early identification of unrecognized kidney disease and could be of prognostic value in predicting postoperative renal outcomes. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed 51 patients with upper urinary tract malignancies who received uninephrectomy or uninephroureterectomy. A thorough pathologic evaluation of non-neoplastic kidney including special stains, immunofluorescence, and electron microscopic studies was performed. The degree of parenchymal changes was graded from 0 to 15. RESULTS: Of 51 patients, only 13 showed normal kidney pathology. Fifteen patients showed glomerular abnormalities, 14 showed diabetic nephropathy, and 11 showed vascular nephropathy. There was one case each of reflux nephropathy and chronic pyelonephritis. The median histologic score was 5 points. Only 25.4% of patients had ≤ 3 points. Score more than 5 was observed in 47.1% of patients. Postoperative estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) at 3 to 36 months were obtained from 90.2% of patients, and of those, 34.8% had de novo CKD. Since no one had CKD in partial nephrectomized patients, we determined risk factors for CKD in radical nephrectomized patients. Cox regression analysis revealed that postoperative AKI, preoperative eGFR, and histologic score of non-neoplastic kidney were the independent predictors for CKD. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that routine pathologic evaluation of non-neoplastic kidney provides valuable diagnostic and prognostic information.
Coloring Agents ; Diabetic Nephropathies ; Fluorescent Antibody Technique ; Glomerular Filtration Rate ; Humans ; Kidney Diseases ; Kidney Neoplasms ; Kidney* ; Nephrectomy ; Pathology ; Pyelonephritis ; Renal Insufficiency, Chronic ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Standard of Care ; Urinary Tract*

A 65-year-old man was transferred from the Department of Vascular Surgery to Nephrology because of cardiac arrest during hemodialysis. He underwent incision and drainage for treatment of a buttock abscess. Nafamostat mesilate was used as an anticoagulant for hemodialysis to address bleeding from the incision and drainage site. Sudden cardiac arrest occurred after 15 minutes of dialysis. The patient was treated in the intensive care unit for 5 days. Continuous veno-venous hemodiafiltration was started without any anticoagulant in the intensive care unit. Conventional hemodialysis was reinitiated, and nafamostat mesilate was used again because of a small amount of continued bleeding. Ten minutes after hemodialysis, the patient complained of anaphylactic signs and symptoms such as dyspnea, hypotension, and facial swelling. Epinephrine, dexamethasone, and pheniramin were injected under the suspicion of anaphylactic shock, and the patient recovered. Total immunoglobulin E titer was high, and skin prick test revealed weak positivity for nafamostat mesilate. We first report a case of anaphylactic shock caused by nafamostat mesilate in Korea.
Abscess ; Aged ; Anaphylaxis ; Buttocks ; Death, Sudden, Cardiac ; Dexamethasone ; Dialysis ; Drainage ; Dyspnea ; Epinephrine ; Heart Arrest* ; Hemodiafiltration ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Hypotension ; Immunoglobulin E ; Immunoglobulins ; Intensive Care Units ; Korea ; Mesylates* ; Nephrology ; Renal Dialysis ; Skin