OBJECTIVE: To investigate the incidence of actinomyces-like organisms in routine cervical smears of Korean women and to evaluate its association with the development of pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) in these women. METHODS: The results of cervical smears between 2011 and 2012 at a single university hospital were searched. If positive for actinomyces-like organisms, the medical record of the patient was searched and development of PID was followed. If the data were not available in the medical record, the patient was contacted by telephone. RESULTS: The incidence of actinomyces-like organisms in cervical smears was 0.26% (52/20,390). Forty-two women (80.8%) were intrauterine device (IUD) users: the copper-IUD in 25 women and the levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine system in 13 women (type unknown in 4 women). The majority (71.4%, 30/42) of the IUD users maintained the IUD. Prophylactic antibiotics were prescribed to 12 women. Two continuous IUD users were later diagnosed with PID, but these cases were not pelvic actinomycosis. CONCLUSION: It would be a reasonable option to choose the expectant management for asymptomatic women who incidentally showed actinomyces-like organisms in their cervical smear.
Actinomycosis ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Female ; Humans ; Incidence ; Intrauterine Devices* ; Medical Records ; Pelvic Inflammatory Disease* ; Telephone ; Vaginal Smears*

In connective tissue diseases, autoantibodies cause pulmonary interstitial inflammation and fibrosis, and patients require treatment with an immunosuppressive agent such as a steroid. Dermatomyositis is an incurable, uncommon form of connective tissue disease that occasionally causes diffuse pulmonary inflammation leading to acute severe respiratory failure. In such cases, the prognosis is very poor despite treatment with high-dose steroid. In the present case, a 46-year-old man was admitted to our hospital with dyspnea. He was diagnosed with dermatomyositis combined with cryptogenic organizing pneumonia (COP) with respiratory failure and underwent treatment with steroid and an immunosuppressive agent, but the COP was not improved. However, the respiratory failure did improve after treatment with intravenous immunoglobulin, which therefore can be considered a treatment option in cases where steroids and immunosuppressive agents are ineffective.
Autoantibodies ; Connective Tissue Diseases ; Cryptogenic Organizing Pneumonia* ; Dermatomyositis* ; Dyspnea ; Fibrosis ; Humans ; Immunoglobulins* ; Immunosuppressive Agents ; Inflammation ; Lung Diseases, Interstitial ; Middle Aged ; Pneumonia ; Prognosis ; Respiratory Insufficiency ; Steroids

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to compare the treatment efficacy of photodynamic therapy (PDT) and focal laser photocoagulation in chronic central serous chorio retinopathy (CSC). METHODS: A retrospective study in a clinical practice setting including 40 eyes of 40 patients with chronic CSC which were treated with PDT or focal laser photocoagulation were recruited in this study from March 2011 to December 2013. Mean change in best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), presence or absence of resolution of subretinal fluid (SRF) and pigment epithelial detachment (PED), recurrence rate, and complications were analyzed. RESULTS: PDT was performed in 23 eyes of 23 patients and focal laser photocoagulation was performed in 17 eyes of 17 patients, and all patients were followed up for more than six months. Location of leakage point and appearance of leakage showed no statistically significant difference between the two groups. Both groups showed significant improvement in BCVA at one month and six months after the treatment; however, there was no statistically significant difference in BCVA improvement between the two groups. In both groups, SRF and PED were partially or completely resolved. Resolution of SRF was better in the PDT group at one month after the treatment; however, no statistically significant difference in the resolution period was observed between the two groups. None of the patients experienced adverse events in the PDT group, but one patient developed choroidal neovascularization after treatment in the focal laser photocoagulation group. Two patients showed recurrence in the PDT group and needed retreatment. CONCLUSIONS: Both treatments are beneficial in patients with chronic CSC. Focal laser photocoagulation can be a good treatment option in terms of cost-effectiveness and convenience.
Central Serous Chorioretinopathy* ; Choroidal Neovascularization ; Humans ; Light Coagulation* ; Photochemotherapy* ; Recurrence ; Retreatment ; Retrospective Studies ; Subretinal Fluid ; Treatment Outcome ; Visual Acuity

Distraction osteogenesis is a well-established clinical treatment for limb length discrepancy and skeletal deformities. Appropriate mechanical tension-stress is believed not to break the callus but rather to stimulate osteogenesis. In contrast to fracture healing, the mode of bone formation in distraction osteogenesis is primarily intramembranous ossification. Although the biomechanical, histological, and ultrastructural changes associated with distraction osteogenesis have been widely described, the basic biology of the process is still not well known. Moreover, the molecular mechanisms in distraction osteogenesis remain largely unclear. Recent studies have implicated the growth factor cascade is likely to play an important role in distraction. And current reserch suggested that mechanical tension-stress modulates cell shape and phenotype, and stimulates the expression of the mRNA for bone matrix proteins. This article presents the hypotheses and current research that have furthered knowledge of the molecular biology that govern distraction osteogenesis. The gene regulation of growth factors and extracellular matrix proteins during distraction osteogenesis are discussed in this article. It is believed that understanding the biomolecular mechanisms that mediate distraction osteogenesis may guide the development of targeted strategies designed to improve distraction osteogenesis and accelerate bone healing.
Biology ; Bone Matrix ; Bony Callus ; Cell Shape ; Congenital Abnormalities ; Extracellular Matrix Proteins ; Extremities ; Fracture Healing ; Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins ; Molecular Biology* ; Osteogenesis ; Osteogenesis, Distraction* ; Phenotype ; RNA, Messenger

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the vertical distance between umbilicus to aortic bifurcation on coronal view in Korean women and their relation with body mass index (BMI) and woman's age. METHODS: This retrospective study included 257 women who visited emergency center at university-based hospital from January to December 2011. All women underwent abdomino-pelvic computerized tomography (CT) due to various symptoms in a supine position. By using the electronic coronal CT images, the vertical distance between umbilicus and aortic bifurcation was measured. If aortic bifurcation was located below umbilicus, the distance was expressed as minus value (i.e., caudal to umbilicus). Age of woman, body weight, height and calculated BMI (kg/m2) were also recorded. RESULTS: Aortic bifurcation was located caudal to umbilicus in 52.9% and cephalad to umbilicus in 37.4%. The vertical distance had a negative relationship with BMI (r=.0.180, P=0.004), as well as woman's age (r=-0.382, P<0.001). However, a multivariate analysis revealed that the vertical distance had a significant negative relationship with woman's age (P<0.001) but not with BMI (P=0.510). An equation could be drawn to estimate the vertical distance by using woman's age and BMI: vertical distance (mm)=12.6-0.3x(age)-0.2x(BMI). CONCLUSION: The vertical distance from umbilicus to aortic bifurcation on coronal view showed a significant inverse correlation with woman's age, however, the distances varied widely. Most older or obese Korean women had aortic bifurcation caudal to umbilicus.
Body Mass Index ; Body Weight ; Emergencies ; Female ; Humans ; Multivariate Analysis ; Retrospective Studies ; Supine Position ; Umbilicus*

Purpose: To evaluate the effect of the emergence of coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) on pediatric intussusception. Materials and Methods: Patients (< 18 years) who were diagnosed with intussusception and received enema reduction from 2011 to 2020 were included. We reviewed the demographics, yearly/monthly/seasonal incidence of intussusception, method and failure rate of enema reduction, recurrence rate of intussusception, surgical record, and pathologic report. Subsequently, we investigated the differences in mean age, failure rate of enema reduction, and recurrence rate of intussusception between the cases in 2020 and those in the period from 2011 to 2019. Results: A total of 859 enema reductions were performed during the past decade, more in males and in the age < 1 year (mean age, 22.2 months). The yearly incidence was highest in 2014 and lowest in 2020, and the monthly incidence was highest on December and September. The cases in 2020 (n = 27) had a lower mean age (18.1 months vs. 22.8 months), higher failure rate of enema reduction (7.4% vs. 2.4%), and higher recurrence rate of intussusception (14.8% vs 7.3%) compared with those that occurred between 2011 and 2019 (n = 832). However, these results did not show statistical significance (p = 0.07, p = 0.15, p = 0.14, respectively). Conclusion With the emergence of COVID-19, the number of enema reductions was remarkably decreased with a lower mean age, higher failure rate, and higher recurrence rate.

In connective tissue diseases, autoantibodies cause pulmonary interstitial inflammation and fibrosis, and patients require treatment with an immunosuppressive agent such as a steroid. Dermatomyositis is an incurable, uncommon form of connective tissue disease that occasionally causes diffuse pulmonary inflammation leading to acute severe respiratory failure. In such cases, the prognosis is very poor despite treatment with high-dose steroid. In the present case, a 46-year-old man was admitted to our hospital with dyspnea. He was diagnosed with dermatomyositis combined with cryptogenic organizing pneumonia (COP) with respiratory failure and underwent treatment with steroid and an immunosuppressive agent, but the COP was not improved. However, the respiratory failure did improve after treatment with intravenous immunoglobulin, which therefore can be considered a treatment option in cases where steroids and immunosuppressive agents are ineffective.
Autoantibodies ; Connective Tissue Diseases ; Cryptogenic Organizing Pneumonia ; Dermatomyositis ; Dyspnea ; Fibrosis ; Humans ; Immunoglobulins ; Immunosuppressive Agents ; Inflammation ; Lung Diseases, Interstitial ; Middle Aged ; Pneumonia ; Prognosis ; Respiratory Insufficiency ; Steroids

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the correlation between serum levels of anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH) and ovarian response to mild stimulation in normoovulatory women and anovulatory women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). METHODS: Seventy-four cycles of mild stimulation (clomiphene citrate+gonadotropin followed by timed intercourse or intrauterine insemination) performed in normoovulatory women (57 cycles) and anovulatory women with PCOS (17 cycles). Ovarian sensitivity was defined by the number of mature follicles (> or =14 mm) on triggering day per 100 IU of gonadotropin. A correlation between ovarian sensitivity and the baseline serum AMH level (absolute or multiples of the median [MoM] value for each corresponding age) was calculated. Correlation between ovarian response and serum AMH level was evaluated. RESULTS: Ovarian sensitivity to mild stimulation was positively correlated with absolute serum AMH (r=0.535, p<0.001) or AMH-MoM value (r=0.390, p=0.003) in normoovulatory women, but this correlation was not observed in anovulatory women with PCOS (r=0.105, p>0.05, r=-0.265, p>0.05, respectively). CONCLUSION: Ovarian response to mild stimulation is possibly predicted by the serum AMH level in normoovulatory women, but not in anovulatory women with PCOS.
Anti-Mullerian Hormone ; Female ; Gonadotropins ; Humans ; Ovulation Induction ; Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

A 76 year-old female who was diagnosed with multiple myeloma (IgG, lambda) had received bortezomib, melphalan and prednisolone as first-line treatment. After completing six cycles of chemotherapy, her serum monoclonal protein level decreased from 7.28 g/dL to 0.65 g/dL, indicating a partial response. However, at the next scheduled visit she complained of slowly progressing dyspnea. On chest X-ray, newly developed pleural effusion was found, and rapidly progressing extramedullary plasmacytoma was detected in the anterior mediastinum on chest computerized tomography. However, there was no change in her serum monoclonal protein level. In Korea, extramedullary involvement is encountered in 5% of patients with multiple myeloma. However, evaluation of treatment response using solely the serum monoclonal protein level may not accurately reflect disease status in these patients.
Drug Therapy ; Dyspnea ; Female ; Humans ; Korea ; Mediastinum ; Melphalan ; Multiple Myeloma* ; Plasmacytoma* ; Pleural Effusion ; Prednisolone ; Thorax ; Bortezomib

Interstitial lung disease, mostly chronic lung disorder, is usually characterized by diffuse infiltrates and disordered gas exchange, is a very rare disease in children. Chronic pneumonitis of infancy (CPI) is a recently described entity representing a distinct form of interstitial lung disease affecting infants and young children. The histologic findings suggest marked alveolar septal thickening, striking alveolar pneumocyte hyperplasia, and alveolar exudates containing numerous macrophages and foci of eosinophilic debris. A 3-year-old boy visited a local clinic with cough and tachypnea for a duration of 3 weeks. His clinical symptoms were aggravated and he was referred to our hospital. He was diagnosed with chronic pneumonitis of infancy after undergoing open lung biopsy. We herein present the case with review of literature.
Biopsy ; Child ; Child, Preschool* ; Cough ; Eosinophils ; Exudates and Transudates ; Humans ; Hyperplasia ; Infant ; Lung ; Lung Diseases, Interstitial ; Macrophages ; Male* ; Pneumocytes ; Pneumonia* ; Rare Diseases ; Strikes, Employee ; Tachypnea