PURPOSE: We investigated whether suprarenal and infrarenal aortic angles change after the endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) procedure and during follow-up, and investigated the correlation between infrarenal aortic angle after EVAR and type Ia endoleaks. METHODS: Data collected on 70 EVAR procedures for a fusiform infrarenal aortic aneurysm performed between May 2006 and December 2012 were supplemented with a retrospective review of charts and radiographs. RESULTS: The greater the preoperative infrarenal aortic angle, the greater the suprarenal aortic angle (r = 0.72, P < 0.001). The infrarenal aortic angle decreased after the EVAR procedure and continued to decrease slowly thereafter (all P < 0.001). Suprarenal aortic angle decreased immediately after the EVAR procedure and continued to decrease during the first month (P < 0.001). No differences in angulation were observed based on stent graft type. Type Ia endoleaks occurred with significantly greater incidence in patients with a larger post EVAR infrarenal angle (P = 0.037). CONCLUSION: The infrarenal aortic angle decreased significantly immediately after the EVAR procedure and continued to decrease slowly thereafter. Suprarenal aortic angle decreased immediately after the EVAR procedure and continued to decrease during the first month. We found a correlation between infrarenal and suprarenal aortic angle. Type Ia endoleaks occurred with greater incidence in patients with a larger infrarenal angle immediately after EVAR.
Aneurysm* ; Aortic Aneurysm ; Blood Vessel Prosthesis ; Endoleak ; Endovascular Procedures ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Incidence ; Retrospective Studies

We present a case of liposarcoma related with minimal change nephrotic syndrome. A 49-year-old woman was admitted due to generalized edema and a palpable mass at epigastric area. Her laboratory data were as follows : serum creatinine 0.6mg/dl, BUN 7mg/dl, serum total protein 3.6g/dl(albumin 0.6 g/dl) serum total cholesterol 299mg/dl, 24 hour-urine protein 5.1g. A CT scan of the abdomen revealed huge adult head sized mass(15X10X15cm) consisted with mixed pattern of well enhancing solid, cystic and fat portion which is located between the liver and the stomach. A kidney biopsy showed minimal change nephropathy. At explo-laparostomy the tumor was well differentiated liposarcoma. After operation and steroid therapy, her proteinuria and hypoalbuminemia were a little improved. And then radiation therapy(daily 180 cGy, 5 fx/wk, upto 5040cGy/28 fx/42 day) was done. Complete remission of liposarcoma was followed by regression of the nephrotic syndrome. After radiation therapy, her laboratory data were serum total protein 6.7g/dl (albumin 4.3g/dl), total cholesterol 170mg/dl, 24 hour-urine protein 0.3g. She has been maintained complete remission of the nephrotic syndrome by steroid maintenance dose.
Abdomen ; Adult ; Biopsy ; Cholesterol ; Creatinine ; Edema ; Female ; Head ; Humans ; Hypoalbuminemia ; Kidney ; Liposarcoma* ; Liver ; Middle Aged ; Nephrosis, Lipoid* ; Nephrotic Syndrome ; Proteinuria ; Stomach ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

Whether the metabolic syndrome (MetS) has prognostic value for coronary artery disease (CAD) beyond its individual components is controversial. We compared the relationship between the number of MetS components and CAD severity as assessed by angiography in non-diabetic and diabetic subjects. We consecutively enrolled 527 patients who underwent their first coronary angiography. Patients were divided into four groups according to the number of MetS components: 0/1, 2, 3, and 4/5. A coronary atherosclerosis score was used to quantify the extent of atherosclerotic involvement. The relationship between the MetS score and angiographic CAD severity or clinical presentation was compared between non-diabetic and diabetic subjects. Individuals with the MetS (n = 327) had a higher prevalence of CAD (60% vs 32%, P < 0.001), multi-vessel disease (34% vs 16%, P < 0.001), and acute coronary syndromes (49% vs 26%, P < 0.001) than those without the MetS. In the non-diabetic group, atherosclerosis score increased with the MetS score (1.0 +/- 2.1, 2.0 +/- 2.9, 2.8 +/- 2.9, and 3.6 +/- 3.9, P < 0.001) whereas there was no significant difference in the diabetic group (0.5 +/- 1.0, 5.2 +/- 4.7, 4.2 +/- 2.9, and 4.4 +/- 3.5, P = 0.102). The MetS score is related to CAD severity in non-diabetic patients but the association between the MetS score and angiographic CAD severity may be obscured in the presence of diabetes.
Adult ; Aged ; *Coronary Angiography ; Coronary Artery Disease/complications/*radiography ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2/*complications ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Metabolic Syndrome X/*complications/diagnosis ; Middle Aged ; Odds Ratio ; Prognosis ; Republic of Korea ; Risk Factors ; *Severity of Illness Index

BACKGROUND: Ventilator-associated pneumonia caused by multi-drug resistant Acinetobacter baumannii has been increasing and growing as a threat in intensive care units. Limited therapeutic options have forced clinicians to choose colistin with or without combination of other antibiotics. We tried to compare the effectiveness between colistin monotherapy and combination therapy based on in vitro synergistic tests. METHODS: From January 2006 to December 2007 in medical ICU of a tertiary care hospital in Korea, We reviewed the medical records of patients treated with intravenous colistin due to ventilator-associated pneumonia caused by multi-drug resistant Acinetobacter baumannii. RESULTS: A total of 41 patients were analyzed. 22 patients had been treated with colistin monotherapy and 19 patients with colistin and combination antibiotics that were found to have in vitro synergistic effects. Baseline characteristics were similar in both groups but the mean duration of colistin administration was significantly longer in the combination group (19.1+/-11.2 days vs. 12.3+/-6.8 days, p=0.042). There were no significant differences in outcome variables between the two groups. CONCLUSION: Combination treatment based on the in vitro antimicrobial synergy test did not show better outcomes compared with colistin monotherapy in VAP caused by multi-drug resistant A. baumannii.
Acinetobacter ; Acinetobacter baumannii ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Colistin ; Drug Resistance, Multiple ; Humans ; Intensive Care Units ; Korea ; Medical Records ; Pneumonia, Ventilator-Associated ; Tertiary Healthcare

Maffucci syndrome is a rare congenital non-inherited condition characterized by multiple enchondromas and cutaneous hemangiomas. It is associated with increased risk of malignancy, including chondrosarcomas, and because of generalized mesodermal dysplasia, aneurysms can develop. We present a case of Maffucci syndrome associated with intracranial chondrosarcoma and aneurysm.
Aneurysm* ; Chondroma ; Chondrosarcoma* ; Enchondromatosis ; Hemangioma ; Intracranial Aneurysm ; Mesoderm

Mice deficient in the toll-like receptor (TLR) or the myeloid differentiation factor 88 (MyD88) are resistant to acute liver failure (ALF) with sudden death of hepatocytes. Chalcone derivatives from medicinal plants protect from hepatic damages including ALF, but their mechanisms remain to be clarified. Here, we focused on molecular basis of piperidylmethyloxychalcone (PMOC) in the treatment of TLR/MyD88-associated ALF. C57BL/6J mice were sensitized with D-galactosamine (GalN) and challenged with Escherichia coli lipopolysaccharide (LPS, TLR4 agonist) or oligodeoxynucleotide containing unmethylated CpG motif (CpG ODN, TLR9 agonist) for induction of ALF. Post treatment with PMOC sequentially ameliorated hepatic inflammation, apoptosis of hepatocytes, severe liver injury and shock-mediated death in ALF-induced mice. As a mechanism, PMOC inhibited the catalytic activity of TGF-β-activated kinase 1 (TAK1) in a competitive manner with respect to ATP, displaced fluorescent ATP probe from the complex with TAK1, and docked at the ATP-binding active site on the crystal structure of TAK1. Moreover, PMOC inhibited TAK1 auto-phosphorylation, which is an axis in the activating pathways of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) or activating protein 1 (AP1), in the liver with ALF in vivo or in primary liver cells stimulated with TLR agonists in vitro. PMOC consequently suppressed TAK1-inducible NF-κB or AP1 activity in the inflammatory injury, an early pathogenesis leading to ALF. The results suggested that PMOC could contribute to the treatment of TLR/MyD88-associated ALF with the ATP-binding site of TAK1 as a potential therapeutic target.
Adenosine Triphosphate ; Animals ; Apoptosis ; Catalytic Domain ; Chalcone ; Death, Sudden ; Escherichia coli ; Hepatocytes ; In Vitro Techniques ; Inflammation ; Liver ; Liver Failure, Acute* ; Mice ; Myeloid Differentiation Factor 88 ; Phosphotransferases ; Plants, Medicinal ; Toll-Like Receptors

The objective of this study was to determine the nutritional support in patients treated in medical intensive care units (MICUs) by evaluating the extent of current nutritional support using the patient care plan and considering the association between nutritional status and the amount of nutrition supplied. From April to December 2010, 114 patients (age > or = 18 years) admitted to the MICU and who underwent nutritional support for > 5 days were included. Descriptive statistics showed that the 114 patients received nutritional support within 1.2 +/- 0.7 days and for 16.2 +/- 11.7 days in the MICUs. The total delivered/required caloric ratio was 81.08 +/- 27.31%, and the protein ratio was 80.32 +/- 28.93%. Patients who received > 80% of required calories and protein showed improved nutritional status (p < 0.05). The results showed that adequate nutritional support is crucial to critically ill patients. We suggest early nutritional screening using simple tools such as periodic monitoring and management to recalculate nutritional status and nutritional requirements and nutritional support using a multidisciplinary method. Systematic nutritional support teams are needed to provide adequate nutritional support for patients in the MICU.
Critical Illness ; Humans ; Intensive Care Units ; Mass Screening ; Nutritional Requirements ; Nutritional Status ; Nutritional Support ; Patient Care

Intestinal T-cell lymphomas are fairly uncommon, and can sometimes be associated with enteropathy. Enteropathy-associated T-cell lymphoma (EATL) is commonly accompanied by a nonspecific mucosal ulceration, similar to that observed as a complication of celiac disease. The clinical course of EATL is quite unfavorable, and tends to have a generally poor prognosis. When a tumor invades the bowel wall and is treated with corticosteroids and chemotherapy, cell lysis with perforation often occurs, particularly in case of lymphoma. Recent data indicate that extensive resection may improve local control, and eliminate the risk of early mortality due to visceral perforation or hemorrhaging in unresected lesions during chemotherapy. Here, we report the case of a 51-year-old male who was diagnosed with primary gastrointestinal lymphoma after colonoscopy, and presented with EATL after emergent exploratory laparatomy. We also include a review of the literature regarding this uncommon entity.
Adrenal Cortex Hormones ; Celiac Disease ; Colonoscopy ; Drug Therapy* ; Enteropathy-Associated T-Cell Lymphoma* ; Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Lymphoma* ; Lymphoma, T-Cell ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Mortality ; Prognosis ; Ulcer

Background/Aims: Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is closely related to gut-microbiome. There is a paucity of research on which strains of gut microbiota affect the progression of NAFLD. This study explored the NAFLD-associated microbiome in humans and the role of Lactobacillus in the progression of NAFLD in mice. Methods: The gut microbiome was analyzed via next-generation sequencing in healthy people (n=37) and NAFLD patients with elevated liver enzymes (n=57). Six-week-old male C57BL/6J mice were separated into six groups (n=10 per group; normal, Western, and four Western diet + strains [109 colony-forming units/g for 8 weeks; L. acidophilus, L. fermentum, L. paracasei, and L. plantarum]). Liver/body weight ratio, liver pathology, serum analysis, and metagenomics in the mice were examined. Results: Compared to healthy subjects (1.6±4.3), NAFLD patients showed an elevated Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio (25.0±29.0) and a reduced composition of Akkermansia and L. murinus (P<0.05). In the animal experiment, L. acidophilus group was associated with a significant reduction in liver/body weight ratio (5.5±0.4) compared to the Western group (6.2±0.6) (P<0.05). L. acidophilus (41.0±8.6), L. fermentum (44.3±12.6), and L. plantarum (39.0±7.6) groups showed decreased cholesterol levels compared to the Western group (85.7±8.6) (P<0.05). In comparison of steatosis, L. acidophilus (1.9±0.6), L. plantarum (2.4±0.7), and L. paracasei (2.0±0.9) groups showed significant improvement of steatosis compared to the Western group (2.6±0.5) (P<0.05). Conclusions Ingestion of Lactobacillus, such as L. acidophilus, L. fermentum, and L. plantarum, ameliorates the progression of nonalcoholic steatosis by lowering cholesterol. The use of Lactobacillus can be considered as a useful strategy for the treatment of NAFLD.