PURPOSE: To investigate the incidence of breast arterial calcification in Korean women, and to determine its association with systemic diseases and carotid arterial atherosclerosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: One thousand seven hundred and thirteen female subjects who underwent mammography at a health care center between May 1999 and May 2000 were included in this study. Of the total, 172 were found to have breast arterial calcification, and were classified according to age. The coincidence of hypertension, diabetes mellitus and hyperlipidemia was examined in both the subject group and the control group selected on the same age basis. To investigate the presence and degree of carotid atherosclerosis, sonographic maging was performed and the findings were compared between the two groups. RESULTS: The incidence of breast arterial calcification showed statistically significant differences according to age, with a higher incidence in older patients (p<0.05). However, there was no statistical difference in the incidence of hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and diabetes mellitus between groups. Carotid atherosclerosis was subjects more prevalent among subjects than in the control group (p<0.05), though there was no statistically significant difference in the degree of luminal stenosis. CONCLUSION: The most common pathologic cause of breast arterial calcification is arteriosclerosis. Breast arterial calcification is demonstrated at mammography, along with other clinical risk factors for atherosclerosis or coincidental neurologic symptoms. We stress that further evaluation of the carotid artery is necessary.
Arteriosclerosis ; Atherosclerosis* ; Breast* ; Carotid Arteries ; Carotid Artery Diseases ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Delivery of Health Care ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Female ; Humans ; Hyperlipidemias ; Hypertension ; Incidence ; Mammography ; Neurologic Manifestations ; Phenobarbital ; Risk Factors ; Ultrasonography*

Purpose: To report a case of contact lens-related infectious keratitis caused by three different bacterial species.Case summary: A 40-year-old man presented with pain and redness in his left eye. His best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) in the affected eye was 20/25. Slit-lamp examination revealed a 3 × 3 mm corneal epithelial defect with infiltration located 1 mm inferior to the pupil. Following admission, a microbial culture test was performed, and empirical antibiotic therapy was initiated. On the fourth day, Pseudomonas aeruginosa was isolated from the corneal sample and the contact lens, while Serratia marcescens and Stenotrophomonas maltophilia were isolated from the contact lens case. Based on the results of the antibiotic susceptibility tests, 0.5% moxifloxacin, fortified amikacin, and ceftazidime were administered topically and intravenously. The corneal epithelial defect reduced to 1 × 1 mm by the eleventh day of admission. After two months, BCVA improved to 20/20 with no remaining corneal epithelial defect, although an inactive corneal opacity persisted at the previous ulcer site. Conclusions Contact lens wear can be associated with polymicrobial keratitis involving three distinct Gram-negative bacteria, which may present greater treatment challenges compared to monomicrobial keratitis. Microbial culture testing of the contact lens, its case, and corneal scrapings is essential for identifying the causative organisms and selecting appropriate antibiotic therapy.

Purpose: To evaluate the potential advantages of using topical rebamipide 2% to manage dry eye following cataract surgery. Methods: Patients who underwent cataract surgery (phacoemulsification and intraocular lens insertion) were evaluated for dry eye 1 week postoperatively. Randomly selected patients were divided into the rebamipide group, who received 2% rebamipide eye drops, and the control group, who did not receive rebamipide. Various dry eye-related tests, including Schirmer’s test, the tear break-up time (TBUT), ocular surface staining, tear film osmolarity, tear lipid layer thickness, and the ocular surface disease index (OSDI) were performed in both groups 1 week, and 1 and 2 months postoperatively. Results: In the rebamipide group, we observed significant improvement in TBUT, the ocular surface staining score, and OSDI at 2 months postoperatively, as compared to 1 week (p = 0.002, 0.014, and 0.013, respectively). Schirmer’s test, tear film osmolarity, and tear lipid layer thickness remained unchanged in the rebamipide group. Throughout the entire follow-up period, the rebamipide group had a significantly prolonged TBUT (1 month: p = 0.007, 2 months: p = 0.000), and lower ocular surface staining score (1 month: p = 0.000, 2 months: p = 0.000), as compared to the control. Conclusions Following cataract surgery, the use of rebamipide eye drops produced improvements in TBUT, ocular surface staining scores, and OSDI. This suggests that rebamipide offers benefits in managing dry eye that can occur after cataract surgery.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effectiveness and complications of temporary inferior vena cava filters in deep vein thrombosis. METHOD: We retrospectively evaluated the clinical data of 35 patients who underwent percutaneous insertion of a temporary, retrievable IVC filter during treatment of deep vein thrombosis between 2003 and 2006. A Tulip(R) was used in 25 patients, and an OptEase(R) was used in 10 patients. Indications for filter insertion included thrombolytic therapy (n=29), long floating IVC thrombosis (n=4), and pulmonary thromboembolism history with recurrent venous-thromboembolism (n=2). Deep vein thrombosis was treated with an endovascular procedure in 33 patients and anticoagulation therapy in 2 patients. RESULT: Complete symptom resolution was achieved in all patients. The temporary IVC filters were successfully retrieved in 28 of 35 patients (mean duration of filter placement: 9.57 days), but retrieval failed in 7 patients (thrombus in filter, 3 cases; remnant IVC thrombosis, 1 case; remnant iliac vein thrombosis/venous stenosis in high risk patient, 2 cases; in-hospital mortality due to underlying heart disease, 1 case). There were no cases of pulmonary embolism and no serious IVC filter-related complications during insertion, retraction, or remnant IVC filter follow-up. CONCLUSION: Temporary, retrievable IVC filters were effective in the prevention of pulmonary embolism. Further investigations are necessary to determine long-term outcome data for filters left in place.
Constriction, Pathologic ; Endovascular Procedures ; Heart Diseases ; Hospital Mortality ; Humans ; Iliac Vein ; Pulmonary Embolism ; Retrospective Studies ; Thrombolytic Therapy ; Thrombosis ; Veins ; Vena Cava Filters ; Vena Cava, Inferior ; Venous Thrombosis

No abstract available.

PURPOSE: Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic inflammatory skin disorder with a association of genetic, environmental, and immunologic factors in the development of AD. And AD can be classified into IgE mediated and non-IgE mediated. We investigated a difference of clinical characteristics and immune response between the two groups. METHODS: From January 2008 to December 2011, we enrolled 125 children who visited Dong-A University Medical Center and Busan Medical Center, and were diagnosed as AD with the Haniffin and Rajka's criteria. We checked the history of combined asthma and allergic rhinitis and allergic disease of family in patients. We measured serum total IgE, specific IgE by ImmunoCAP or skin prick test. We measured serum interleukin (IL) 4 (IL-4), interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma), IL-10, and IL-17, which are associated with chronic inflammatory disorder by flow cytometry method (Luminex). RESULTS: Eighty (64%) were included in the IgE mediated group, while forty-five (36%) were included in the non-IgE mediated group. The frequency of combined allergic disorder and serum total eosinophil count were relatively higher in IgE mediated group (P=0.023, P=0.032). The incidence of a family history in allergic disease and the mean of SCORing Atopic Dermatitis index had no difference between the two groups. Serum IL-4, IFN-gamma, IL-10, IL-17 were higher in the IgE mediated group, but there were no statistically significant differences between two groups (P>0.05). CONCLUSION: IgE mediated AD showed higher total eosinophil count and higher incidence of bronchial asthma and allergic rhinitis than non IgE mediated AD.
Academic Medical Centers ; Asthma ; Busan ; Child* ; Dermatitis, Atopic* ; Eosinophils ; Flow Cytometry ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin E* ; Immunologic Factors ; Incidence ; Interferon-gamma ; Interleukin-10 ; Interleukin-17 ; Interleukin-4 ; Interleukins ; Methods ; Rhinitis ; Skin

PURPOSE: To investigate the difference of optical coherence tomography (OCT) findings between the aflibercept treatment group and the ranibizumab treatment group. METHODS: This study includes patients diagnosed with treatment-naïve neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD), and they were treated with aflibercept (n = 23, 23 eyes) or ranibizumab (n = 26, 26 eyes) monthly for 3 months. In this study, the aflibercept treatment group patients were treated from March 2014 to April 2015, and the ranibizumab treatment group patients were treated from December 2008 to April 2015. After three initial injections, they were followed up monthly for an additional 3 months, and additional treatments were performed if necessary. We compared the changes of the two groups before the treatment and after 6 months of treatment, beginning with the OCT findings, such as serous pigment epithelium detachment, fibrovascular pigment epithelium detachment, subretinal fluid, intraretinal fluid, dense zone of outer retina, classic neovascularization, and hyper- reflective dots. We also compared the changes of best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and inner segment/outer segment (IS/OS) length, external limiting membrane length, and central foveal thickness with optical OCT between the two groups. RESULTS: In the aflibercept group, 46% of serous epithelial detachments disappeared, while 33% disappeared in the ranibizumab group, and there was significant difference between the two groups (p = 0.01). There was no significant difference in BCVA change or OCT findings between the two groups, but there was a significant difference in serous pigment epithelium detachment. CONCLUSIONS: For treatment of neovascular AMD patients, aflibercept might be more effective in serous pigment epithelium detachment than ranibizumab. Because there was no significant difference in visual acuity improvement in serous pigment detachment for both treatments, it might be necessary to further study the relationship between visual acuity and serous pigment detachment improvement.
Epithelium ; Humans ; Intravitreal Injections* ; Macular Degeneration* ; Membranes ; Ranibizumab* ; Retina ; Subretinal Fluid ; Tomography, Optical Coherence ; Visual Acuity

Purpose: Contrast sensitivity, the ability to distinguish the relative difference in luminance of an object from its surrounding or adjacent objects, is a useful measure of visual function. In granular corneal dystrophy type 2 (GCD2), opacity of the corneal stroma causes deterioration in visual function. We compared the contrast sensitivity of GCD2 patients before and after phototherapeutic keratectomy (PTK) to evaluate the perioperative visual function in these patients. Methods: This study included 22 eyes of heterozygote GCD2 patients. The visual acuity and contrast sensitivity were measured before and after PTK. The contrast sensitivity was measured in mesopic and photopic background luminances, with glare (G) levels of 0-2 (G0, G1, and G2, respectively) and spatial frequencies at 1.5, 3, 6, 12, and 18 cycles per degree (cpd). Results: The contrast sensitivity increased after PTK at 1.5 and 3 cpd in mesopic and photopic conditions with G0-2 glare (p < 0.05). At 6 cpd, the contrast sensitivity increased in the mesopic condition with G1 glare, and in the photopic condition with G0-2 glare (p < 0.05). However, there was no change in contrast sensitivity at any glare level at 12 and 18 cpd after PTK. Conclusions In GCD2 patients, the contrast sensitivity increased significantly after PTK. The vision of GCD2 patients, which is decreased due to corneal opacity, is improved after PTK.

The combination therapy of pegylated interferon and ribavirin is the mainstay of treatment for chronic hepatitis C patients. Anti-viral therapy is commonly associated with side effects such as headache, fever, myalgia, and arthralgia. However, anti-viral therapy can continue because these side effects are mostly mild and can be improved with supportive management. Anti-viral therapy should be stopped promptly if serious side effects, such as interstitial pneumonitis or hemolytic anemia occur, although those serious side effects are rare. There were a few case reports of interferon-related interstitial pneumonitis worldwide. In Korea, one atypical case report of interstitial pneumonitis has been reported, which followed the combination therapy of interferon-alpha and ribavirin in a patient with chronic hepatitis C. We present a case of interstitial pneumonitis and pancytopenia following the combination therapy of pegylated interferon and ribavirin in a patient with chronic hepatitis C.
Anemia, Hemolytic ; Arthralgia ; Fever ; Headache ; Hepatitis C, Chronic ; Humans ; Interferon-alpha ; Interferons ; Korea ; Lung Diseases, Interstitial ; Pancytopenia ; Polyethylene Glycols ; Recombinant Proteins ; Ribavirin

The combination therapy of pegylated interferon and ribavirin is the mainstay of treatment for chronic hepatitis C patients. Anti-viral therapy is commonly associated with side effects such as headache, fever, myalgia, and arthralgia. However, anti-viral therapy can continue because these side effects are mostly mild and can be improved with supportive management. Anti-viral therapy should be stopped promptly if serious side effects, such as interstitial pneumonitis or hemolytic anemia occur, although those serious side effects are rare. There were a few case reports of interferon-related interstitial pneumonitis worldwide. In Korea, one atypical case report of interstitial pneumonitis has been reported, which followed the combination therapy of interferon-alpha and ribavirin in a patient with chronic hepatitis C. We present a case of interstitial pneumonitis and pancytopenia following the combination therapy of pegylated interferon and ribavirin in a patient with chronic hepatitis C.
Anemia, Hemolytic ; Arthralgia ; Fever ; Headache ; Hepatitis C, Chronic ; Humans ; Interferon-alpha ; Interferons ; Korea ; Lung Diseases, Interstitial ; Pancytopenia ; Polyethylene Glycols ; Recombinant Proteins ; Ribavirin