There are some clinical evidences that hepatitis B virus(HBV) infection may cause IgA nephropathy. To evaluate clinical significances and pathogenetic roles of HBV infection in patients with IgA nephropathy, we studied that varius clinical and lab- oratory findings in 172 patients with IgA nephrop-athy as serum hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) positive (19 cases) and negative group (153 cases). The result was as following: 1) The incidence of positive serum HRsAg was 11.0%(19/172 cases) in patients with IgA nephropathy and it was higher than that of the randomized age-sex matched general population(4.1%) but has no significance statistically. 2) There was no significant differences in incidence of hypertension, serum levels of IgA, C3, SGOT, SGFf between HBsAg postive and negative group. 3) The cases of nephrotic range proteinuria (3.5g/ day) was more prevalent in HBsAg positive group (31.6%) than that in negative group(7.2%). significantly (p<0.05). 4) The cases of impaired renal function (serum creatinine more than 1.4mg/dL) were more frequent in HBsAg positive group (42.19%) than that in neg-ative group (13.1%) significantly(p<0.05).
Aspartate Aminotransferases ; Creatinine ; Glomerulonephritis, IGA* ; Hepatitis B Surface Antigens* ; Hepatitis B* ; Hepatitis* ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Immunoglobulin A* ; Incidence ; Prognosis ; Proteinuria

BACKGROUND: As health screening examinations are becoming more popular, increasing number of patients are found to have hematuria. In case of isolated microscopic hematuria, when to refer these patients to urologists for cystoscopy to find bladder cancer has been a matter of debate. METHODS: From January 1998 to May 2004, 287 patients older than 50 years of age visited our clinic for the evaluation of hematuria. Of these patients, 50 isolated asymptomatic microscopic patients underwent cystoscopy for the evaluation of bladder cancer. Additionally, 275 patients were retrospectively analyzed who had been found to have urologic malignancy during the same period. RESULTS: There were 50 patients (9 men, 41 women) with asymptomatic isolated microscopic hematuria who agreed to undergo cystoscopy examinations. Cystoscopic findings included normal in 41 patients, benign prostatic hyperplasia in 2 patients, cystitis in 2 patients, ureterocele in 1 patient, bladder neck contracture in 1 patient, urethral stricture in 1 patient, bladder diverticulum in 1 patient and ureter stone in 1 patient, but no bladder cancer was detected. In retrospective analysis, among 22 patients with bladder cancer and initial asymptomatic microscopic hematuria, one patient was found to have bladder cancer by cystoscopy after negative findings on radiologic examinations and urine cytology. CONCLUSION: Cystoscopy in patients with asymptomatic isolated microscopic hematuria to diagnose bladder cancer seems to be limited in the cost and efficacy aspect in the current study. A prospective multicenter study is needed establish the criteria for cystoscopy in these patients.
Contracture ; Cystitis ; Cystoscopy* ; Diverticulum ; Hematuria* ; Humans ; Male ; Mass Screening ; Neck ; Prostatic Hyperplasia ; Retrospective Studies ; Ureter ; Ureterocele ; Urethral Stricture ; Urinary Bladder ; Urinary Bladder Neoplasms

A 78-year-old woman was referred to this hospital because of exertional dyspnea for 2 weeks. Although she was treated with anti-tuberculous medication under the assumption that she had tuberculous pleuritis, her dyspnea continued. Physical examination revealed diminished breath sounds over the left lung field. Chest radiography showed a large left pleural effusion. The pleural effusion revealed malignant cell dominant exudates with a high adenosine deaminase level. Serological tests were negative for HIV. Computed tomography scan of the chest and abdomen showed pleural effusion, but no mass or pathological lymph nodes were detected. The biopsy specimen of the pleura was diagnosed as malignant B cell lymphoma with plasmacytoid features, suggesting a possibility of primary effusion lymphoma. Polymerase chain reaction assay of tumor was positive for HHV-8 DNA. She underwent pleurodesis during Video-Assisted Thoracic Surgery, and her dyspnea subsequently improved.
Abdomen ; Adenosine Deaminase ; Aged ; Biopsy ; DNA ; Dyspnea ; Exudates and Transudates ; Female ; Herpesvirus 8, Human ; HIV ; Humans ; Lung ; Lymph Nodes ; Lymphoma, B-Cell ; Lymphoma, Primary Effusion ; Physical Examination ; Pleura ; Pleural Effusion ; Pleurisy ; Pleurodesis ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Serologic Tests ; Thoracic Surgery, Video-Assisted ; Thorax