Acute eosinophilic pneumonia (AEP) represents a clinical entity distinct from chronic eosinophilic pneumonia (CEP). In contrast with CEP, AEP is characterized by duration of symptoms less than 5 days, hypoxemic respiratory failure, no blood eosinophilia at presentation, no atopic background or history of asthma, and no recurrence. However, we report a case of AEP with some features of CEP. A 33-year-old man presented with respiratory symptoms for 4 days. He was diagnosed with AEP based on hypoxemic respiratory failure, diffuse alveolar-interstitial chest X-ray infiltrates, and eosinophilia, lymphocytosis and neutrophilia from bronchoalveolar lavages. However, he had two atopic diseases, asthma and atopic dermatitis. In addition, he presented with blood eosinophilia, which are all features of CEP. Thus, there might be some overlap of clinical features between AEP and CEP. The presence of increased lymphocytes and neutrophils in the bronchoalveolar lavage can be an important finding to help distinguish between AEP versus CEP in difficult cases.
Adult ; Asthma ; Bronchoalveolar Lavage ; Dermatitis, Atopic ; Eosinophilia ; Eosinophils ; Humans ; Lymphocytes ; Lymphocytosis ; Neutrophils ; Pulmonary Eosinophilia ; Recurrence ; Respiratory Insufficiency ; Thorax

Self expandable metal stent can be used both as palliative treatment for malignant colorectal obstruction and as a bridge to surgery in patients with potentially resectable colorectal cancer. Here, we report a case of successful relief of malignant stomal obstruction using a metal stent. A 56-year-old man underwent loop ileostomy and was given palliative chemotherapy for ascending colon cancer with peritoneal carcinomatosis. Eight months after the surgery, he complained of abdominal pain and decreased fecal output. Computed tomography and endoscopy revealed malignant stomal obstruction. Due to his poor clinical condition, we inserted the stent at the stomal orifice, instead of additional surgery, and his obstructive symptoms were successfully relieved. Stent insertion is thought to be a good alternative treatment for malignant stomal obstruction, instead of surgery.
Abdominal Pain ; Carcinoma ; Colon ; Colon, Ascending ; Colonic Neoplasms ; Colorectal Neoplasms ; Endoscopy ; Humans ; Ileostomy ; Middle Aged ; Palliative Care ; Stents

Vascular ectasia is a well-known cause of lower gastrointestinal bleeding in the elderly. Endoscopically, it usually appears as a flat or elevated bright red lesion. We report on an extremely rare case of a large, pedunculated, polypoid vascular ectasia in an asymptomatic patient. A large pedunculated polypoid mass in the sigmoid colon was observed on colonoscopy during a regular health check-up, and a polypectomy was performed using a detachable snare. In histology, vessels with massive dilation were found mainly in the submucosa, which was consistent with vascular ectasia.
Aged ; Colon, Sigmoid ; Colonoscopy ; Dilatation, Pathologic ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; SNARE Proteins

Local reaction to allergen-specific immunotherapy (SIT) usually appears within 30 minutes, but cases with exercise-induced urticaria at the SIT site 2-3 weeks after the last allergen injection have been reported. A 28-year-old man was treated with house dust mite-SIT for 5 years, due to asthma when he was an 11-year-old boy. On a treadmill exercise test for 50 minutes, erythema, swelling, and pruritus occurred at the SIT site, which lasted for one hour. There was no evidence of complement activation, and the skin biopsy specimens showed no apparent difference between the lesion and normal sites in the distribution of inflammatory cells and in mast cell degranulation. However, the morphine, but not the histamine, skin test responses were increased after the exercise. There must be a remaining long-term sequela of the SIT, including an increased releasability of mast cells, even after more than 10 years.
Adult ; Asthma/*therapy ; *Exercise ; Exercise Test ; Humans ; *Hypersensitivity, Delayed ; *Immunotherapy ; Injections, Subcutaneous ; Male ; Urticaria/*etiology

PURPOSE: Almost 80% of primary lung cancers are non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), and their prognosis is very poor since only one-fourth of patients with NSCLC present with a resectable disease at the time of diagnosis. During the last 10 years, the role of chemotherapy for NSCLC has been expanding as an adjunctive to radiation and surgery, as well as to palliative therapy for stage IV NSCLC. This study is a retrospective analysis of two chemotherapeutic regimens for the treatment of advanced NSCLC. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between January 1999 and December 2001, 109 patients with histologically proven NSCLC (> or = stage IIIA), who received either the DP (Docetaxel 75 mg/m2 +Cisplatin 75 mg/m2, n=63, 57.8%) or the TC (Paclitaxel 175 mg/m2+ Carboplatin 5* AUC mg, n=46, 42.2%) combination chemotherapies were included. RESULTS: The patients ages ranged from 46 to 77 years, and the patients in the DP group (56.3+/-8.6 years) were younger than those in the TC group (62.1+/-8.8 years) (p<0.05). Seventy (DP: 39 and TC: 31) of 109 patients were eligible for their response to the combination chemotherapies. There were 2 complete responses (CR) (5.1%) and 19 partial responses (PR) (46.2%) documented in the DP group (response rate, RR: 51.3%), and 11 PR (35.5%) in the TC group (RR: 35.5%). The survival was longer in the DP group compared to the TC group (median survival 19.5 months vs. 17.1 months, p< 0.05). Grade 4 neutropenia occurred in 30 patients (47.6%) treated with the DP regimen and in 10 (21.7%) treated with the TC regimen (p<0.05). Grade 3~4 nausea and vomiting occurred in 11 patients (17.5%) in the DP group and 4 (8.7%) in the TC group (p>0.05). Grade 3~4 peripheral neuropathy occurred in 5 patients (7.9%) in the DP group and in 8 (17.4%) in the TC group (p>0.05). CONCLUSION: The combination chemotherapies of docetaxel plus cisplatin and paclitaxel plus carboplatin are active against advanced stage NSCLC, with acceptable toxicities. As there are differences in the baseline characteristics between the two groups, no differences in survivals or response rates could be concluded.
Area Under Curve ; Carboplatin* ; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung* ; Cisplatin* ; Diagnosis ; Drug Therapy ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Humans ; Lung Neoplasms ; Nausea ; Neutropenia ; Paclitaxel* ; Palliative Care ; Peripheral Nervous System Diseases ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Vomiting

BACKGROUND/AIMS: In patients with occlusive colorectal cancers, a complete preoperative evaluation of the colon proximal to the obstruction is often impossible. We aimed to evaluate the feasibility of preoperative colonoscopy after stent placement and to determine whether the success rate of colonoscopy differs between covered and uncovered stents. METHODS: Seventy-three patients with malignant colorectal obstruction were enrolled prospectively. In patients with a resectable cancer, a preoperative colonoscopy was performed after insertion of a self-expandable metal stent (SEMS). The success rate of complete preoperative colonoscopy was compared between covered and uncovered stents. RESULTS: Forty-five of 73 patients who underwent stent placement had a resectable cancer (61.6%). A complete preoperative colonoscopy was possible in 40 of 45 patients (88.9%). The success rate of complete preoperative colonoscopy was significantly lower in the covered-stent group when the obstructing mass lesion was located in the sigmoid colon (p=0.024). Synchronous cancer was detected in one patient (2.2%). Stent migration was observed in four patients with a covered stent. CONCLUSIONS: A preoperative complete colonoscopy after SEMS placement was feasible and safe in most patients with malignant colorectal obstruction. Uncovered stents seem to have more advantages than covered stents in preoperative colonoscopy proximal to the obstruction.
Colon ; Colon, Sigmoid ; Colonoscopy ; Colorectal Neoplasms ; Humans ; Neoplasms, Multiple Primary ; Prospective Studies ; Stents

An endobronchial leiomyoma is extremely rare benign tumor of the lung. Most endobronchial leiomyomas reported in the literature have been resected by either a lobectomy or a pneumonectomy. Herein is report a case whose tumor was successfully removed using a fiberoptic bronchoscope without surgical resection. A 64-year-old female presented with a fever, and a cough with purulent sputum of 10 days duration. The bronchoscopy revealed a 1cm sized, glistening, light yellow colored mass lesion totally obstructing the orifice of the superior segment of the right lower lobe. During the bronchoscopic biopsy procedures, the mass lesion was completely removed. A diagnosis of a leiomyoma was made from a histological examination of the obtained specimen. The early diagnosis and appropriate treatment including bronchoscopic removal may prevent respiratory complications.
Biopsy ; Bronchoscopes* ; Bronchoscopy ; Cough ; Diagnosis ; Early Diagnosis ; Female ; Fever ; Humans ; Leiomyoma* ; Lung ; Middle Aged ; Pneumonectomy ; Pneumonia ; Sputum

BACKGROUND: This study assessed the efficacy and toxicity of etoposide and carboplatin(EC) combination regimen as a first line therapy for small cell lung cancer(SCLC), and determined the efficacy and toxicity of topotecan for relapsed SCLC. METHODS: One hundred and ten patients with previously untreated SCLC received etoposide(100mg/m2 i.v., day 1 to 3) and carboplatin(300mg/m2 i.v., day 1) combination chemotherapy every 3 weeks. For patients with relapsed SCLC after EC therapy, topotecan(1.5mg/m2) was administered for 5 consecutive days every 3 weeks. Response rate, survival and toxicity profiles were assessed. Response was recorded as CR(complete remission), PR(partial remission), SD(stable disease) and PD(progressive disease). RESULTS: One hundred and one patients were assessed for response to EC. Overall response rate to EC was 57.4%(CR 15.8%, PR 41.6%) with a time to progression of 10.3 months(median). The toxicity was tolerable and there was no treatment-related death. Twenty one relapsed SCLC patients were treated with topotecan. Of those who relapsed within 3 months of EC(refractory relapse, RR), 15.4%(2/13) showed PR, while of those who relapsed after 3 months(sensitive relapse, SR), 25%(2/8) exhibited PR. Grade 4 neutropenia was noted in 9.5% and 14.3% showed thrombocytopenia(G4). CONCLUSION: The EC regimen showed a moderate response rate for SCLC with minimal toxicity. The use of topotecan for relapsed SCLC warrants further investigation.
Carboplatin* ; Drug Therapy* ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Etoposide* ; Humans ; Lung ; Neutropenia ; Recurrence ; Small Cell Lung Carcinoma* ; Survival Rate ; Topotecan*

BACKGROUND: Although smoking is a major cause of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), only 10-20% of cigarette smokers develop symptomatic COPD, which suggests the presence of genetic susceptibility. This genetic susceptibility to COPD might depend on variations in the activities of the enzyme that detoxify hazardous chemical products, such as microsomal epoxide hydrolase (mEPHX) and glutathione-S transferase M1 subunit (GSTM1) genes. METHODS: The genotypes of 58 patients with COPD, and 79 age matched control subjects, were determined by a polymerase chain reaction, followed by restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) for the mEPHX, and multiplex PCR for the GSTM1. RESULTS: GSTM1 was deleted in 53.3% of the subjects. There was no difference in GSTM1 deletion rates between the COPD patients (32/58, 55.2%) and the control subjects (41/79, 51.9%). The combination patterns of two polymorphisms of mEPHX showed slow enzyme activity in 29(21.2%), normal in 73(53.3%) and fast in 32(23.4%). The COPD group (7/57, 12.3%) showed a significantly lower incidence of slow enzyme activity compared to the control subjects (22/77, 28.6%, p<0.05). However, when the COPD and control groups were compared with smokers only, there were no significant differences in the genotypes of GSTM1 and mEPHX. CONCLUSION: The genotypes of GSTM1 and mEPHX were not significant risk factors of COPD in this cohort of study.
Cohort Studies ; Epoxide Hydrolases ; Genetic Predisposition to Disease ; Genotype ; Humans ; Incidence ; Multiplex Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Polymorphism, Genetic* ; Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length ; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive* ; Risk Factors ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Tobacco Products ; Transferases