No abstract available.
Asthma* ; Humans ; Prednisolone* ; Theophylline*

BACKGROUND: The implementation of intraoperative normovolemic hemodilution is a strategy used in an attempt to diminish the need for or obviate allogeneic transfusion and to avert the potential complications. The goal of this study was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of moderate intraoperative normovolemic hemodilution. METHODS: Fifteen patients scheduled for posterolateral spinal fusion underwent intraoperative normovolemic hemodilution with 10% pentastarch to a target hematocrit level of 25% (hemodilution group). All units of blood procured by hemodilution and additional allogeneic blood was transfused in the perioperative period to maintain the hematocrit level of>25%. We investigated the effect of hemodilution on whole blood coagulation as measured by the thromboelastography and, evaluated its efficacy of decreasing the need for allogeneic blood transfusion as compared to the nonhemodilution group, retrospectively. RESULTS: Hemodilution with pentastarch caused a decrease in response and coagulation time (p<0.01) but did not influence on the alpha angle and maximum amplitude on thromboelstogram. Amount of transfusion of allogeneic blood was 4.1 1.7 units for the hemodilution group and 5.0 1.5 units for the nonhemodilution group. Net red blood cell volume ""saved"" from hemodilution was about 120 ml. CONCLUSION: Moderate intraoperative normovolemic hemodilution with pentastarch does not affect the coagulability of whole blood. But its efficacy of decreasing the need for allogeneic blood transfusion is minimal.
Blood Coagulation ; Blood Transfusion ; Erythrocytes ; Hematocrit ; Hemodilution* ; Humans ; Hydroxyethyl Starch Derivatives ; Perioperative Period ; Retrospective Studies ; Spinal Fusion* ; Thrombelastography

PURPOSE: A colorectal adenoma (CRA) is a well-defined precursor to colorectal cancer (CRC). Additionally, smoking is a potent risk factor for developing a CRA, as well as CRC. However, the association between exposure to environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) and the risk for developing a CRA has not yet been fully evaluated in epidemiologic studies. We performed a cross-sectional analysis on the association between exposure to ETS at the workplace and the risk for developing a CRA. METHODS: The study was conducted on subjects who had undergone a colonoscopy at a health promotion center from January 2012 to December 2012. After descriptive analyses, overall and subgroup analyses by smoking status were performed by using a multivariate logistic regression. RESULTS: Among the 1,129 participants, 300 (26.6%) were diagnosed as having CRAs. Exposure to ETS was found to be associated with CRAs in all subjects (fully adjusted odds ratio [OR], 1.95; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.08-2.44; P = 0.001). In the subgroup analysis, exposure to ETS in former smokers increased the risk for developing a CRA (fully adjusted OR, 4.44; 95% CI, 2.07-9.51; P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Exposure to occupational ETS at the workplace, independent of the other factors, was associated with increased risk for developing a CRA in all subjects and in former smokers. Further retrospective studies with large sample sizes may be necessary to clarify the causal effect of this relationship.
Adenoma* ; Colonoscopy ; Colorectal Neoplasms ; Cross-Sectional Studies* ; Epidemiologic Studies ; Health Promotion ; Logistic Models ; Odds Ratio ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Sample Size ; Smoke* ; Smoking ; Tobacco Smoke Pollution ; Tobacco*

Background: Although the older adult population in Korea is growing, few studies have investigated the profile of late-onset vitiligo (onset at 50 years of age or above) to date. Objective: The present study aimed to describe the clinical characteristics and course of patients with late-onset vitiligo in Korea. Methods: The present single-center retrospective study included 132 patients with late-onset vitiligo from January 1, 2009 to November 30, 2022. We analyzed patient demographics and vitiligo characteristics. Further, we evaluated the progress of late-onset vitiligo using the Vitiligo Area Severity Index (VASI) score. Results: The study included more females (n=83, 62.9%) than males (n=49, 37.1%), with an average age of onset 60.9±7.4 years. The average duration of the disease before presentation was 15.0±27.3 months. A family history of vitiligo was identified in eight patients (6.1%), and seven patients (5.3%) had associated autoimmune diseases.Acrofacial vitiligo was the most common type (n=56, 43.1%), and the head and neck area were the commonly affected site at disease onset (n=93, 70.5%). The Koebner phenomenon was observed in seven patients (5.3%), and chemical-induced vitiligo was suspected in three patients (2.3%). Treatment was administered to 131 patients (99.2%). The VASI score decreased in 93 patients (83.0%), with an average decline rate of 58.56%. Conclusion Late-onset vitiligo tends to be of the acrofacial vitiligo subtype in the Korean population. Patients demonstrated a strong desire to treat vitiligo, and treatment response was promising. Further larger-scale studies to elucidate the characteristics and progression of late-onset vitiligo may be needed.

Four newborn infants with hyperbilirubinemia, caused by ABO blood group incompatibility, were treated with high-dose intravenous immune globulin(IVIG). As soon as the diagnosis was clinically suspected, these infants received conventional treatment including phototherapy and were monitored closely for bilirubin levels. When bilirubin concentrations reached the risk point in spite of phototherapy, IVIG was given at a dose of 1g/kg for 6 hours. In all cases, bilirubin levels declined within 12 hours after LVIG therapy, and to rebound effect was seen, No side effects of IVIG treatment were observed. We suggest that high-dose IVIG therapy may be useful in the treatment of hyperbilirubinemia due to ABO incompatibility, and reduce the need for exchange transfusion.
Bilirubin ; Blood Group Incompatibility ; Diagnosis ; Humans ; Hyperbilirubinemia* ; Hyperbilirubinemia, Neonatal ; Immunoglobulins, Intravenous* ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Phototherapy

OBJECTIVES: A healthcare decision-making support model and rule management system is proposed based on a personalized rule-based intelligent concept, to effectively manage chronic diseases. METHODS: A Web service was built using a standard message transfer protocol for interoperability of personal health records among healthcare institutions. An intelligent decision service is provided that analyzes data using a service-oriented healthcare rule inference function and machine-learning platform; the rules are extensively compiled by physicians through a developmental user interface that enables knowledge base construction, modification, and integration. Further, screening results are visualized for the self-intuitive understanding of personal health status by patients. RESULTS: A recommendation message is output through the Web service by receiving patient information from the hospital information recording system and object attribute values as input factors. The proposed system can verify patient behavior by acting as an intellectualized backbone of chronic diseases management; further, it supports self-management and scheduling of screening. CONCLUSIONS: Chronic patients can continuously receive active recommendations related to their healthcare through the rule management system, and they can model the system by acting as decision makers in diseases management; secondary diseases can be prevented and health management can be performed by reference to patient-specific lifestyle guidelines.
Chronic Disease* ; Decision Support Systems, Clinical ; Delivery of Health Care* ; Expert Systems ; Health Records, Personal ; Humans ; Knowledge Bases ; Life Style ; Mass Screening ; Self Care

Ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunt insertion is the standard treatment for hydrocephalus; shunt-associated infection is the most common complication after surgery. However, fungal infections are unusual. We present a case of cryptococcal meningitis complicated by a brain abscess and an infected intra-abdominal pseudocyst that developed 14 weeks after VP shunt insertion to treat hydrocephalus in a 74-year-old patient. Cryptococcal central nervous system (CNS) infection has a high mortality rate; however, diagnosis is challenging. Therefore, prompt diagnosis and treatment are required when a cryptococcal CNS infection is suspected in patients with VP shunts.
Aged ; Brain Abscess ; Brain ; Central Nervous System ; Cryptococcus ; Diagnosis ; Humans ; Hydrocephalus ; Meningitis, Cryptococcal ; Mortality ; Ventriculoperitoneal Shunt

Ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunt insertion is the standard treatment for hydrocephalus; shunt-associated infection is the most common complication after surgery. However, fungal infections are unusual. We present a case of cryptococcal meningitis complicated by a brain abscess and an infected intra-abdominal pseudocyst that developed 14 weeks after VP shunt insertion to treat hydrocephalus in a 74-year-old patient. Cryptococcal central nervous system (CNS) infection has a high mortality rate; however, diagnosis is challenging. Therefore, prompt diagnosis and treatment are required when a cryptococcal CNS infection is suspected in patients with VP shunts.

Surgery for pathologic hip fracture poses significant challenges regarding the fixation of fracture and management of the original tumor lesion. An extensive destruction of the femoral neck and intertrochanteric region by benign or malignant lesions complicated by a pathological fracture generally necessitates total hip arthroplasty; however, in adolescents and young adults, preservation of the hip is preferable. We present a 14-year-old female patient, who sustained a pathological intertrochanteric fracture through a pre-existing aneurysmal bone cyst. Several operative interventions with internal fixation and bone graft were unsuccessful, and combined nonunion and progression of osteolysis around the compression hip screw eventually caused femoral head collapse, mimicking osteonecrosis. Hip preservation and resolution of the original tumor were achieved by free vascularized fibular graft.
Adolescent ; Aneurysm ; Arthroplasty, Replacement, Hip ; Bone Cysts ; Female ; Femur Neck ; Fractures, Spontaneous ; Head* ; Hip ; Humans ; Osteolysis ; Osteonecrosis ; Transplants* ; Young Adult

Atypical fibroxanthoma (AFX) is a rare fibrohistiocytic tumor usually observed on ultraviolet light-exposed areas of the body, such as the face or scalp in elderly individuals. Despite its clinically benign course, AFX presents with malignant features on histopathological evaluation. A 12-year-old male adolescent presented with a 3-month history of an asymptomatic, skin-colored, oval-shaped nodule on his right thigh. Histopathological examination showed a dermal tumor adjacent to the epidermis, without epidermal invasion. The tumor was composed of numerous pleomorphic spindle cells and large atypical histiocytes with abundant vacuolated cytoplasm and pleomorphic nuclei. Immunohistochemical analysis revealed tumor cells, which were immunopositive for vimentin, CD68, CD10 and immunonegative for desmin, pan-cytokeratin antibody (AE1/AE3), and S-100. Therefore, the patient was diagnosed with AFX. We report a rare case of AFX that occurred on the thigh (an unusual site) in an adolescent (an uncommon age group). Immunohistochemical analysis is important in patients with suspected AFX, regardless of the patient’s age and site of lesion, for accurate diagnosis to differentiate this condition from other diseases with a similar presentation.