PURPOSE: Although eosinophilia is a common laboratory finding in many neonatal intensive care units (ICUs), its causative mechanisms remain obscure. We aimed to determine the causes of eosinophilia in the neonatal ICU environment. METHODS: Serial eosinophil counts were determined weekly for 288 hospitalized, appropriately grown neonates. Infants were divided into four groups according to gestational age, and the incidence and etiologic factors of eosinophilia were retrospectively studied. RESULTS: Absolute eosinophilia (>700/mm3) was documented in 18% (52/288) of neonates. Twenty-two infants (42.3%) exhibited mild eosinophilia (700-999 cells/mm3), 27 (51.9%) exhibited moderate eosinophilia (1,000-2,999 cells/mm3), and 3 (5.8%) exhibited severe eosinophilia (>3,000 cells/mm3). Of the 288 infants studied, 54 suffered sepsis. Thirty of these 54 infants (55.6%) showed eosinophilia, and 22 out of the remaining 234 infants (9%) without sepsis showed eosinophilia, indicating that eosinophilia was more prevalent in the sepsis group (P <0.05). All 5 infants suffering from bronchopulmonary dysplasia showed eosinophilia, and 47 out of the remaining 283 infants (16.7%) without bronchopulmonary dysplasia showed eosinophilia. Thus, eosinophilia was more prevalent in the bronchopulmonary dysplasia group (P <0.05). Furthermore, increased prevalence of eosinophilia was associated with respiratory distress syndrome, ventilator use, blood transfusion, and total parenteral nutrition (P <0.05). CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that eosinophilia is influenced by sepsis and bronchopulmonary dysplasia, although it can also occur idiopathically at birth. Moreover, the potential role of eosinophils in conditions such as wound healing and fibrosis in sepsis or chronic lung disease may be a cause of eosinophilia.
Blood Transfusion ; Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia ; Eosinophilia ; Eosinophils ; Fibrosis ; Gestational Age ; Humans ; Incidence ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Intensive Care Units, Neonatal ; Intensive Care, Neonatal ; Lung Diseases ; Parenteral Nutrition, Total ; Parturition ; Prevalence ; Retrospective Studies ; Sepsis ; Stress, Psychological ; Ventilators, Mechanical ; Wound Healing

Eosinophilic gastroenteritis is an unusual disease characterized by eosinophilic infiltration of gastrointestinal tract, peripheral eosinophilia, and gastrointestinal symptoms. There are mucosal, muscular, and subserosal types, of which the subserosal type is the rarest. We experienced a 32-year old male patient with the subserosal type of eosinophilic gastroe-nteritis, who was presented with abdominal distension. The ascitic fluid revealed increased eosinophil count. With oral prednisolone, diarrhea and ascites rapidly disappeared and eosinophils in peripheral blood returned to normal. We report this case with a review of relevant literature.
Adult ; Ascites* ; Ascitic Fluid ; Diarrhea ; Eosinophilia ; Eosinophils* ; Gastroenteritis* ; Gastrointestinal Tract ; Humans ; Male ; Prednisolone

Vocal cord dysfunction is a recently described entity in which paradoxical adduction of the vocal cords produces airflow obstruction at the level of the larynx. Recurrent wheezing results, which may imitate asthma. Inspiratory closure of the cords can also cause stridor, commonly misdiagnosed as an upper airway obstruction of undefined cause. The acute presentation is often dramatic and has led to inappropriate treatment, including intubation, tracheotomy, or high doses of steroids. We present the case of a 9 yr old boy with allergic rhinitis who was referred to us for the evaluation of wheezing and dyspnea which did not respond to asthma management. Pulmonary function tests had abnormal inspiratory phases and laryngoscopy revealed typical adduction of the vocal cord during inspiration. Psychological tests suggested anxiety and tension with repressed aggression. There have been no further episodes, possibly due to counseling and education of relaxed throat breathing as well as avoidance of inhaled medication.
Aggression ; Airway Obstruction ; Anxiety ; Asthma ; Counseling ; Dyspnea ; Education ; Humans ; Intubation ; Laryngoscopy ; Larynx ; Male ; Pharynx ; Psychological Tests ; Respiration ; Respiratory Function Tests ; Respiratory Sounds ; Rhinitis ; Spirometry ; Steroids ; Tracheotomy ; Vocal Cord Dysfunction* ; Vocal Cords*

BACKGROUND: In korea the agricultural community widely uses organophosphorous, and organophosphorous poisonings are increasing every year. We compared change in activity of acetylcholinesterase and pseudocholinesterase by organophosphorous and by the interaction of ethanol and organophosphorous. We also compared the effect of reversible anticholinesterase drugs, physostigmine and neostigmine. The object of this study is to investigate the effects of several anticholinesterase drugs and on how ethanol influences the activity of cholinesterase. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fifteen male university students were randomly selected, and blood samples were taken from the antecubital vein. The acetylcholinesterase in the RBC and the pseudocholinesterase in the serum were extracted and separated. The enzyme activity change was measured by the electrometric method. After adding acetylcholine, the pH change was measured with a pH meter. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Our results indicated that reversible anticholinesterase drugs decreased the cholinesterase activity more efficiently than organophosphorous. The acetyl cholinesterase and pseudocholinosterase activity were decreased by ethanol. When ethanol was added, oxime a cholinesterase activator, increased acetylcholinesterase activity but dose not increased pseudocholinesterase activity.
Acetylcholine ; Acetylcholinesterase ; Cholinesterase Inhibitors ; Cholinesterases* ; Ethanol* ; Humans ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Korea ; Male ; Neostigmine ; Physostigmine ; Poisoning ; Pseudocholinesterase ; Veins

A Pancreaticobiliary fistula is a rare complication of acute necrotizing pancreatitis or pancreatic abscess. One case is herein reported of pancreaticobiliary fistula that was found following removal of pancreatic duct stones by extracorporeal shock-wave lithotripsy and endoscopic sphincterotomy. The patient was a 53-year old woman who was admitted with epigastric pain and fever. Endoscopic retrograde pancreatography revealed multiple stones in the main pancreatic duct. Pus from the pancreatic duct was drained through the major papilla during cannulation. On balloon cholangiogram obtained after removal of the stones, a direct fistulous connection between the main pancreatic duct and distal common bile duct was noted. It is speculated that pancreatic abscess or mechanical compression of pancreatic duct stones may contribute to the destruction of the intrapancreatic bile duct, which leads to the formation of a pancreaticobiliary fistula.
Abscess ; Bile Ducts ; Catheterization ; Common Bile Duct ; Female ; Fever ; Fistula* ; Humans ; Lithotripsy ; Middle Aged ; Pancreatic Ducts* ; Pancreatitis, Acute Necrotizing ; Sphincterotomy, Endoscopic ; Suppuration

BACKGROUND: In Korea, the incidence of ulcerative colitis has been very low, but there are few epidemiologic studies about ulcerative colitis. The aim of the present study is to obtain basic epidemiologic information about the diagnostic course of ulcerative colitis in Korea. METHODS: The diagnostic course and methods of 150 patients with ulcerative coltis were analyzed by standard questionnaire and interview. RESULTS: The median time between the onset of symptoms and diagnosis was 5 months (2 weeks-10 years). The initial diagnosis made at the institution first visited was ulcerative colitis in 31.3%, hemorrhoid in 16.7%, dysentery in 8.7%, irritable bowel syndrome in 9.3%, enteritis in 12.0%, and others in 22.0%. The diagnostic rate of ulcerative colitis among institutions was 13.0% in clinics (14/108), 28.6% in hospitals (8/28), 47.9% in general hospitals (23/48), and 83.3% in academic medical centers (105/126). Among 39 patients who have received both barium study and endoscopic evaluation at the time of diagnosis at Asan Medical Center, the overall sensitivity of barium study was 76.9% (30/39) (p=0.001). Depending on the extent of the disease, the diagnostic sensitivity of barium study was 50.0% in proctitis (5/10), 69.2% in left-sided colitis (9/13), and 100% in extensive colitis (16/16). CONCLUSION: For early detection of ulcerative colitis, it should always be considered in the differential diagnosis of rectal bleeding, and sigmoidoscopy or colonoscopy is preferred to barium study for evaluation of patients with mild symptoms. We suggest that endoscopic procedures are necessary to get more accurate epidemiologic data.
Academic Medical Centers ; Barium ; Chungcheongnam-do ; Colitis ; Colitis, Ulcerative* ; Colonoscopy ; Diagnosis ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Dysentery ; Enteritis ; Epidemiologic Studies ; Hemorrhage ; Hemorrhoids ; Hospitals, General ; Humans ; Incidence ; Irritable Bowel Syndrome ; Korea* ; Proctitis ; Sigmoidoscopy ; Ulcer* ; Surveys and Questionnaires

Hepatocellular carcinoma often invades the portal or hepatic veins, but rarely proliferates in the bile duct. Since curative resection is rarely possible in these cases, conservative therapy has been the sole modality. Herein, we report a case of icteric type hepatocellular carcinoma for which cholangioscopic ethanol injection was effective. By only transcatheter arterial chemoembolization in this patient, obstructive jaundice and intermittent cholangitis were not relieved. Therefore, we performed ethanol injection into the intraductal hepatoma mass under percutaneous transhepatic cholangioscopic guidance. As a result of therapy, he had been well without jaundice and cholangitis for 9 months until die.
Bile Ducts ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; Cholangitis ; Ethanol* ; Hepatic Veins ; Humans ; Jaundice ; Jaundice, Obstructive

PURPOSE: The locoregional recurrence (LRR) in breast cancer, without distant metastasis has traditionally been regarded as a predictor of subsequent distant metastasis. This study was designed to attain the survival rate, disease progress in patients with a LRR only and to approve a locoregional treatment able to increase the survival in specific locoregional recurrent breast cancer. METHODS: The records of 223 patients with LRR, after initial treatment at the Asan Medical Center, between 1989 and 2003, were retrospectively reviewed. The patients were classified into the LRR only and simultaneous distant metastasis groups with the LRR group subdivided into the operable and inoperable groups. The data were analyzed using SPSS 11.0. RESULTS: There were 152 and 71 patients in the LRR only and simultaneous distant metastasis groups respectively: 105 patients in the LRR only group were operable cases. The 5-year survival rate of LRR was 42.5%, but this was 50.1% in the LRR only group. The 5-year survival rates following a recurrence in the operable and inoperable groups were 66.2% and 21.1%. On multivariate analysis, age at the primary surgery, tumor size, hormone receptor status and DFI were independent prognostic factors for survival. The operable group indicated less tumor size at the primary surgery, less lymph node metastasis and more chest wall or axillary lymph node recurrences, compared to the inoperable group. CONCLUSION: In some of the LRR only cases, the survival rate was relatively good, especially in the operable group. Age at the primary surgery, tumor size, hormone receptor status and DFI were independent prognostic factors for survival. Surgical treatment could be resulted in good responses to the LRR patients with early stage or chest wall or axillary recurrences.
Breast Neoplasms* ; Breast* ; Chungcheongnam-do ; Humans ; Lymph Nodes ; Multivariate Analysis ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Recurrence* ; Retrospective Studies ; Survival Rate ; Thoracic Wall

PURPOSE : Anti-cancer chemotherapeutic agents act by inhibiting tumor cell proliferation through cytotoxic action, therefore the generally tolerated maximum dose is administered to patients. However, this often results in the production of undesirable toxicities, such as bone marrow suppression, and a long interruption of treatment is necessary for recovery to occur before additional cycles of treatment are administered. Paclitaxel and cisplatin are well known effective chemotherapeutic agents used for the treatment of Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NCSLC), however, they have substantial toxicities. To evaluate efficacy and safety of a therapy consisting of a weekly low dose of paclitaxel and therapy in elderly patients with advanced NSCLC. MATERIALS AND METHODS : Thirteen treatment-naive, elderly patients over 65 years old who were diagnosed with stage IV NSCLC at Konyang University from April 2005 to October 2006 were enrolled in the present study. Paclitaxel at a dose of 55 mg/m2 in combination with cisplatin at a dose of 20 mg/m2 was administered intravenously on day 1, 8, and 15 with 1 week of interruption for a total of six cycles of chemotherapy. RESULTS : The mean age of the ten patients included in this study was 69.5 years. Following treatment, 50 % of the patients exhibited a partial response to treatment, whereas the disease remained stable in 40% of the patients, and progressed in 10% of the patients. The median survival time (Kaplan-Meier method) was 15 months (4~24 months), and the 6-month, 1-year, and 2-year survival rates were 80%, 50%, and 10%, respectively. The median progression survival time was 8 months (2~14 months) and the 6- and 12-month progression free survival rates were 60% and 10%, respectively. Grade 3 neutropenia occurred in only 1 case (10%). CONCLUSION : The results of this study indicated that chemotherapy consisting of a weekly low dose of paclitaxel and cisplatin could be more effective and have lesser toxicity when administered to elderly patients with advanced NSCLC. In addition, this treatment regimen showed a promising response rate
Aged* ; Bone Marrow ; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung ; Cell Proliferation ; Cisplatin* ; Disease-Free Survival ; Drug Therapy ; Humans ; Neutropenia ; Paclitaxel* ; Survival Rate

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the efficacy and safety of risperidone in the treatment of Korean schizophrenic patients. METHOD: This multicenter open study included 377 schizophrenic patients drawn from 39 university hospitals. After a wash-out period of 1 week, the schizophrenic patients were treated with risperidone for 8 weeks and evaluated at 5 points: at baseline, and 1,2,4 and 8 weeks of treatment. The dose was increased from 2mg/day(1mg twice daily) to 6mg/day(3mg twice daily) during the first week and adjusted to a maximum of 16mg/day over the next 7 weeks according to the patient's clinical response. Medication to control extrapyramidal symptoms was permitted. The psychiatric and neurological status of the patients was assessed by PANSS, CGI, and ESRS scales. RESULTS: 343(91%) of 377 patients completed the 8-week trial period. Clinical improvement, as defined by a 20% or more reduction in total PANSS score at end point, was shown by 81.3% of patients. The predictors of response to risperidone were associated older age, shorter duration of illness, fewer previous hospitalization. Risperidone had rapid onset of action: a significant decrease of the total PANSS and three PANSS factor(positive, negative, general), and CGI was already noticed at the end of first week. For the ESRS, parkinsonism rating scores were significantly increased until week 4 comparing with baseline. Dystonia rating scores were significantly increased until week 1, and dyskinesia rating scores were not significantly changed during the study. Laboratory parameters including vital sign, EKG, hematological, and biochemical values showed no significant changes during the trial. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that risperidone is generally safe and effective against both the positive and negative symptoms in our group of patients.
Dyskinesias ; Dystonia ; Electrocardiography ; Hospitalization ; Hospitals, University ; Humans ; Parkinsonian Disorders ; Risperidone* ; Schizophrenia* ; Vital Signs ; Weights and Measures