No abstract available.
Humans ; Twins*

PURPOSE: The prevalence of asthma and allergic diseases is on the increase and that of obesity is on the continuous increase all over the world. There are recent studies on the association between asthma and obesity, which are still controversial. This study aimed at identifying the effect of obesity on atopy and bronchial hyperresponsiveness in children. METHODS: This study was conducted with 443 subjects ranging from six to 15 years of age, and consisted of 283 boys and 160 girls. They went through pulmonary function tests and methacholine challenge tests with their eosinophil counts within blood, total serum IgE levels, serum eosinophil cationic protein(ECP) levels, heights, and weights measured. After determining body mass index(BMI), BMI percentiles were determined by using a BMI percentile curve based on gender and age. After the classification on the basis of the 85th, 90th, and 95th BMI percentiles, a comparison was made in frequencies of atopy, total serum IgE, eosiniphil counts within blood, and serum ECPs as well as in frequencies of bronchial hyperresponsiveness for the total group, the boys, and the girls, respectively. RESULTS: Among the groups classified by BMI percentiles, there was no significant differences in total serum IgE, eosinophil counts within blood, and serum ECPs. There also was no significant differences in bronchial hyperresponsiveness or pulmonary functions among them. Effect of atopy and pulmonary function test variables on BMI did not show any statistical significance in boys, girls or the total group. CONCLUSION: There was domestically no association between obesity and atopy and bronchial hyperresponsiveness among children.
Asthma ; Body Mass Index ; Child* ; Classification ; Eosinophils ; Female ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin E ; Methacholine Chloride ; Obesity* ; Prevalence ; Respiratory Function Tests ; Weights and Measures

Congenital accessory limbs are very rare anomalies with many causative factors. We describe the case of a 1-day-old female neonate-born to a healthy, 27-year-old mother-who presented with an accessory limb (foot) attached to the buttock and an imperforate anus. We also provide a review of the relevant literature.
Adult ; Anus, Imperforate* ; Buttocks ; Extremities* ; Female ; Humans

PURPOSE: Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic multisystemic autoimmune disease with complex clinical manifestations. It probably involves genetic, environmental and immunologic factors. In this study, we investigated the clinical manifestations, laboratory findings and prognosis of pediatric SLE to aid clinical care of pediatric SLE. METHODS: The data of 45 patients who were diagnosed as pediatric SLE in Severance Children's Hospital from Jan. 1996 to Dec. 2005 were analysed retrospectively. RESULTS: The mean age at diagnosis was 10.8 (0-15) years old. And the ratio of male to female patients was 1:4. The initial manifestations were facial edema (51.1 percent), malar rash (44.4 percent), and fever (28.9 percent). The ANA (97.8 percent), anti-ds DNA antibody (82.2 percent), lupus nephritis (71.1 percent), malar rash (71.1 percent), and cytopenia (66.7 percent) were the most common findings among the classification criteria by ACR (American College of Rhematology, 1997). CONCLUSION: Clinical manifestations and prognosis are various in pediatric SLE. Intensive studies of SLE in children should be continued for more effective treatment.
Adolescent ; Autoimmune Diseases ; Child* ; Classification ; Diagnosis ; DNA ; Edema ; Exanthema ; Female ; Fever ; Humans ; Immunologic Factors ; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic* ; Lupus Nephritis ; Male ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies

A neonate may incur liver injury during spontaneous delivery. The liver is the organ most likely to be injured during the birth process. Breech presentation and manipulation are the most common causes of hepatic trauma. However, hepatic hemorrhage can occur in any infant, regardless of size and the type of delivery. Infants with subcapsular hemorrhage are usually asymptomatic at birth, and gross hepatic rupture from these lesions is unusual. In patient with primary rupture, major bleeding takes place immediately, explaining the high percentage of neonatal deaths with massive liver rupture. If subcapsular hemorrhage remain intracapsular with spontaneous resolution, the only treatment needed in subcapsular hemorrhage may be transfusion. We experienced one case of neonatal subcapsular hemorrhage with persistent hyperbilirubinemia. We report this case with the brief review of related literature.
Breech Presentation ; Female ; Hematoma* ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Hyperbilirubinemia ; Hyperbilirubinemia, Neonatal* ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Liver ; Parturition ; Pregnancy ; Rupture

Pancreatic arteriovenous malformation (PAVM) is very rare anomaly. It occurs most commonly in the pancreatic head portion and gastrointestinal bleeding is the most common symptom. The management of PAVM is rather complex, with complete treatment usually accomplished by a total extirpation of the affected organ or at least its involved portion. We report the clinical presentation and management of 64 year-old male patient with PAVM, which was developed in pancreatic tail portion with sudden abdominal pain. Pancreatic computed tomography and magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography were consistent with a vascular formation on pancreatic tail portion and simultaneously revealed with pseudocysts beside it. A subsequent superior mesenteric artery angiographic findings depicted PAVM on pancreatic tail portion. The patient underwent laparoscopic distal pancreatectomy and splenectomy and had a favorable outcome.
Abdominal Pain ; Arteriovenous Malformations* ; Cholangiopancreatography, Magnetic Resonance ; Head ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Male ; Mesenteric Artery, Superior ; Pancreas ; Pancreatectomy ; Splenectomy ; Tail

BACKGROUND: Prevotella species is one of the major microoranism responsible for invasive anaerobic bacterial infection. This study was performed to investigate the clinical characteristics and outcome of invasive Prevotella infection in a University affiliated, tertiary care Hospital. METHODS: We obtained the information from the computerized data base of the clinical microbiology laboratory from January 1997 to December 2000, and identified patients whose sterile clinical specimen culture had yielded Prevotella species. We then reviewed the patients' medical records, and studied demographic, clinical, and microbiologic data. RESULTS: The total of 34 patients with invasive Prevotella infection were enrolled for the analysis. Seventeen strains were isolated from blood, 13 from the pleural fluid, 5 from the ascites, and 1 from both the ascites and blood. Half of the cases of Prevotella infection were mixed-infection and 22 cases (64.7%) were of community origin. Twenty-six patients (76%) were men and the mean age was 59 years. Most common underlying disease was malignant neoplasms (19/34, 55.9%). A portal of entry could be determined in 29 patients (85.3%) with the most common being the respiratory tract (12/34, 35.3%), followed by the gastrointestinal tract (6/34, 14.4%), and the wound site (6/34, 14.4%). Surgical procedure was necessary for 21 cases (63.5%). One-month mortality was 32.3%. The mortality was significantly associated with the underlying chronic renal failure (p=0.028) and ICU care (p=0.002). Surgical therapy had a protective effect (54% vs 14%, p=0.022) CONCLUSION: Invasive Prevotella Infections were more prevalent among old age patients with underlying malignancy than younger people and frequently necessitated surgical procedure. Early surgical treatment would decrease mortality.
Aged ; Ascites ; Bacterial Infections ; Gastrointestinal Tract ; Humans ; Kidney Failure, Chronic ; Male ; Medical Records ; Mortality ; Prevotella* ; Respiratory System ; Tertiary Healthcare ; Wounds and Injuries

Congenital cysts of the gallbladder are extremely rare, hence only a few ciliated foregut cysts of gallbladder have been reported. We report a case of a 20-year-old woman presenting with mild right upper quadrant abdominal discomfort, with normal levels of serum bilirubin and liver function tests. Abdominal ultrasonography revealed a well-defined cystic mass measured about 2 cm attached to the neck of gallbladder, with internal echogenic debris suggesting a complicated cyst, such as a hemorrhagic cyst. Abdominal computed tomography and magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography revealed similar findings. Laparoscopic cholecystectomy showed a slightly distended gallbladder. The size of cyst on the neck was 1.6x1.2 cm, and it contained mucosa lined by ciliated pseudostratified columnar epithelium and underlying smooth muscle layers. Histopathology identified a ciliated foregut cyst of gallbladder.
Abdomen/diagnostic imaging ; Cholangiopancreatography, Magnetic Resonance ; Cholecystectomy, Laparoscopic ; Cysts/diagnostic imaging/pathology/surgery ; Female ; Gallbladder/pathology/surgery ; Gallbladder Diseases/*diagnosis ; Humans ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Ultrasonography ; Young Adult

A 73-year-old man who had undergone a right pneumonectomy and open window thoracostomy due to tuberculous empyema, presented with purulent discharge from the previous operation site. The computed tomography of the chest showed diffuse pleural thickening and a low attenuated lesion, with air bubbles in a dependent portion of the right hemithorax. These air bubbles were revealed to be due to 7 pieces of retained surgical gauze by flexible bronchoscopy. The patient showed marked clinical improvement with diminished purulent discharge after removal of the foreign bodies.
Aged ; Bronchoscopy ; Empyema, Tuberculous ; Foreign Bodies ; Humans ; Pneumonectomy ; Thoracostomy* ; Thorax

There have been a few reported cases of pancreatic pseudocyst with involvement of adjacent structures including the stomach, duodenum, and even the mediastinum. An intrasplenic pancreatic pseudocyst is an uncommon complication of acute or chronic pancreatitis. We report a case of pancreatic pseudocyst with splenic involvement in a 69-year-old man with a review of literatures. Abdominal CT revealed a 4 cm sized cyst at the pancreatic tail which was extending into the splenic hilum and splenic parenchyma. Distal pancreatectomy and splenectomy was performed. Pathologic findings demonstrated a pseudocyst of pancreatic tail which communicated with the infacted splenic parenchyma. Also vasculitis, endothelial hyperplasia and medial calcification of the splenic artery were observed.
Male ; Humans