This study aimed to examine nutritional status and similarities of diets between Vietnamese female immigrants and Korean spouses and dietary changes of Vietnamese females after immigration. Subjects were 608 couples visiting 13 medical centers for the Cohort of Intermarried Women in Korea from November 2006 to November 2007. Anthropometric and biochemical measurements were obtained and dietary intakes were assessed using one-day 24-hour recall. Sixty-eight percent of wives answered there have been changes in their diets and consumptions of meats, fish, dairy products, vegetables, and fruits increased after immigration. Energy intakes of wives and spouses were 1491.7 kcal and 1788.8 kcal, respectively, showing most couples (80.1%) consumed less than the Korean estimated energy requirements. More than half of the couples were below the Korean estimated average requirements of zinc, vitamin B2, and folate. The correlation coefficients between couples ranged 0.15-0.38 for unadjusted, 0.22-0.35 for per 1000 kcal, and 0.21-0.40 for energyadjusted, respectively. The proportions of couples in the same quartiles of each nutrient intake and in the same answers of each question of Mini Dietary Assessment were about 30% across nutrients and around 50% across questions. The length of residence is related to similarities of nutrient intakes between couples: similarities decreased after 3 years of residence in Korea. In conclusion, nutritional intakes of inter-married couples were inadequate although wives reported that their dietary intakes increased after immigration. Inadequate nutrient intakes of wives were partly explained by similar diets between couples because these wives without enough adjustment to Korean culture were more likely to follow what their spouses ate. Findings from this study may be helpful to improve the nutritional status of inter-married couples and make policies and programs for them. A follow-up study should identify factors affecting inadequate nutritional status of intermarried couples and similarities of their diets.
Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Cohort Studies ; Dairy Products ; Diet ; Eating ; Emigrants and Immigrants ; Emigration and Immigration ; Family Characteristics ; Feeding Behavior ; Female ; Folic Acid ; Fruit ; Humans ; Korea ; Marriage ; Meat ; Nutritional Status ; Riboflavin ; Spouses ; Vegetables ; Zinc

Cryptococcosis is a systemic fungal infection caused by Cryptococcus neoformans. This mycosis is best known for meningeal involvement, yet, this disease rarely can be limited to the lungs. The usual portal of entry is respiratory tract. The recently rising incidence of the disease can be attributable to wide use of steroid, immunosuppressive agents and advent of AIDS. We experienced one case of pulmonary cryptococcosis in healthy person, who was admitted to the our hospital because of cough. Cryptococcus neoformans was isolated in the sputum, and lung tissue obtained by CT guide needle aspiration biopsy. Clinical improvement was noted after 6weeks of medical therapy with fluconazole.
Biopsy, Needle ; Cough ; Cryptococcosis* ; Cryptococcus neoformans ; Fluconazole ; Humans ; Immunosuppressive Agents ; Incidence ; Lung ; Needles ; Respiratory System ; Sputum

We report a 4.7 kg infant who received a therapeutic leukapheresis as an immediate treatment for acute lymphoblastic leukemia with severe hyperleukocytosis. By decreasing the number of circulating white blood cells, therapeutic leukapheresis helps prevent the risks of hyperviscosity and cerebrovascular and pulmonary leukostasis. In addition, it potentially reduces metabolic and renal complications associated with rapid cell lysis when applied before chemotherapy. This six-week-old female presented with vomiting for 15 days. Initial WBC count was 1,532,800/muL. After placement of 4 french two-lumen central venous catheter in both femoral vein, the CS 3000 plus was primed with 250 mL of paternal whole blood mixed with 150 mL of normal saline. After therapeutic leukapheresis, the CBC showed WBC count of 560,000/muL. Our successful experience in performing this procedure suggests that therapeutic leukapheresis be a feasible treatment even for very young infants with hyperleukocytosis.
Central Venous Catheters ; Drug Therapy ; Female ; Femoral Vein ; Humans ; Infant* ; Leukapheresis* ; Leukocytes ; Leukostasis ; Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma* ; Vomiting

Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) is a fatal, systemic inflammatory syndrome that characteristically presents hemophagocytic histiocytes infiltrating into various organs. Common features of HLH are abrupt onset of high fever, malaise, lymphadenopathy, hepatosplenomegaly, and abnormal laboratory findings including pancytopenia, hypertriglyceridemia, hypofibrinogenemia, and high ferritin levels. Cutaneous manifestations, which occur in 6~65% of patients, can develop at any moment in the clinical course of the syndrome. Most skin eruptions in HLH patients are generalized, transient maculopapular rashes. We describe an HLH patient who first manifested cutaneous symptoms as a large purpuric patch on her thigh. A skin biopsy found high levels of hemophagocytic histiocytes.
Biopsy ; Exanthema ; Ferritins ; Fever ; Histiocytes ; Humans ; Hypertriglyceridemia ; Lymphatic Diseases ; Lymphohistiocytosis, Hemophagocytic* ; Pancytopenia ; Purpura ; Skin ; Thigh

BACKGROUND: A variety of dermatological disorders develop in hospitalized patients and the need for dermatological consultations is on the rise. OBJECTIVE: We analyzed 2 years of dermatological consultation data from a tertiary medical center in Korea and compared dermatological problems among individual departments. METHODS: We reviewed 3,102 dermatological inpatient consultations by performing a retrospective chart review. RESULTS: Contact dermatitis (11.4%), drug eruption (9.6%), tinea pedis (5.5%), xerotic eczema (5.3%), and seborrheic dermatitis (5.2%) were the 5 dermatological disorders that were most commonly referred to dermatologists. Patients in the allergy and pulmonology departments had higher rates of drug eruptions. Endocrinology-admitted patients, especially diabetic patients, frequently complained of foot dermatitis. The cardiology, gastroenterology, and hemato-oncology departments referred many patients with purpuric dermatosis to dermatologists. Patients from the surgical departments consulted more frequently consulted contact dermatitis and drug eruptions. The neurology and rehabilitation medicine departments referred more seborrheic dermatitis patients than other departments. Pediatric patients commonly consulted for atopic dermatitis, viral exanthemata, and seborrheic dermatitis. Regardless of department, patients who suffered from severe illness and underwent major surgery developed herpes zoster and cutaneous fungal infections more frequently than other patients. Personal hygiene was closely related to the development of follicular disorders. CONCLUSION: Dermatologists should be familiar with the diverse dermatological complaints of patients admitted to various departments and be actively involved in the diagnosis, treatment, and education of doctors and patients to improve the quality of inpatient care.
Cardiology ; Dermatitis ; Dermatitis, Atopic ; Dermatitis, Contact ; Dermatitis, Seborrheic ; Diagnosis ; Drug Eruptions ; Eczema ; Education ; Foot ; Gastroenterology ; Herpes Zoster ; Humans ; Hygiene ; Hypersensitivity ; Inpatients* ; Korea ; Neurology ; Pulmonary Medicine ; Referral and Consultation ; Rehabilitation ; Retrospective Studies ; Skin Diseases ; Tinea Pedis

No abstract available.
Carcinoid Tumor* ; Lymph Nodes* ; Neoplasm Metastasis*

Necrobiosis lipoidica is a chronic granulomatous disease that has a well-known association with diabetes mellitus. It usually affects the bilateral lower legs of middle-aged women. Over time, the clinical features vary from red-brown papules to sharply demarcated yellow-brown plaque with atrophic center. Some of the lesions may become ulcerated, especially in diabetic patients. A 61-year-old Korean female with a history of diabetes, ischemic heart disease, and pancreatic cancer was referred to our clinic for evaluation of the painful papulovesicles on her left lower leg. Under the assumptive diagnosis of herpes zoster, we immediately started an antiviral agent. However, her skin lesions rapidly increased in size and in number, and progressed to the multiple ulcerations in 9 days. Histopathologic examination showed several poorly circumscribed necrobiotic granulomas in the deep dermis and subcutis levels of the skin. In addition, prominent vascular ectasia and vasculitis were observed. We diagnosed the patient as having necrobiotic lipoidica, and treated her with oral dapsone, colchicine, phentoxifylline and antiplatelets. Her leg ulcerations healed after four weeks of treatment.
Colchicine ; Dapsone ; Dermis ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Dilatation, Pathologic ; Female ; Granuloma ; Granulomatous Disease, Chronic ; Herpes Zoster ; Humans ; Leg ; Leg Ulcer ; Myocardial Ischemia ; Necrobiosis Lipoidica ; Necrobiotic Disorders ; Pancreatic Neoplasms ; Skin ; Ulcer ; Vasculitis

Synovial sarcoma is a rare malignancy in the thoracic cavity, especially in the mediastinum. In this paper, a case of primary mediastinal synovial sarcoma is reported. A 34-year-old woman was hospitalized with dyspnea. Her chest X-ray and computed tomography (CT) showed a 16x13x11 cm mass in her anterior mediastinal space. Surgical resection was performed but was incomplete. The pathological and immunohistochemical analysis confirmed the diagnosis of monophasic spindle cell synovial sarcoma. The patient underwent adjuvant radiotherapy for two months, but local recurrence and metastasis occurred in her pleural cavity. She eventually underwent chemotherapy for one year and died 18 months after her operation.
Dyspnea ; Female ; Humans ; Mediastinum ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Pleural Cavity ; Radiotherapy, Adjuvant ; Recurrence ; Sarcoma ; Sarcoma, Synovial ; Thoracic Cavity ; Thorax

BACKGROUND: The role of the phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase signaling pathway in the development of acral melanoma has recently gained evidence. Phosphatase and tensin homologue (PTEN), one of the key molecules in the pathway, acts as a tumor suppressor through either an Akt-dependent or Akt-independent pathway. Akt accelerates degradation of p53. OBJECTIVE: We assessed the expression of PTEN, phospho-Akt (p-Akt), and p53 by immunohistochemistry in benign acral nevi, acral dysplastic nevi, and acral melanomas in the radial growth phase and with a vertical growth component. METHODS: Ten specimens in each group were included. Paraffin-embedded specimens were immunostained with antibodies for PTEN, p-Akt, and p53. We scored both the staining intensity and the proportion of positive cells. The final score was calculated by multiplying the intensity score by the proportion score. RESULTS: All specimens of benign acral nevi except one showed some degree of PTEN-negative cells. The numbers of p-Akt and p53-positive cells were higher in acral dysplastic nevi and melanoma than in benign nevi. P-Akt scores were 1.7, 1.8, 2.6, and 4.4, and p53 scores were 2.0, 2.1, 3.8, and 4.1 in each group. PTEN and p-Akt scores in advanced acral melanoma were higher than in the other neoplasms. CONCLUSION: The expression of PTEN was decreased and the expression of p-Akt was increased in acral melanoma, especially in advanced cases. The PTEN-induced pathway appears to affect the late stage of melanomagenesis. Altered expression of p-Akt is thought to be due to secondary changes following the loss of PTEN.
Antibodies ; Dysplastic Nevus Syndrome* ; Immunohistochemistry ; Melanoma ; Nevus* ; Phosphotransferases

Pulmonary mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma is a rare disease and usually presents as pulmonary masses, mass-like consolidation, or pulmonary nodules on chest images. We report a case of a 43-year-old man with symptoms of chronic cough for 1 year, showing bilateral diffuse bronchovascular bundle thickening and focal ground glass opacities on a chest computed tomography scan. Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery was performed and the final pathologic diagnosis was pulmonary MALT lymphoma. Concurrent involvement of the pancreas was discovered during staging workup. After diagnosis, he was treated with cytotoxic chemotherapy and rituximab and showed improvements in his lung lesion and pancreas.
Adult ; Cough ; Diagnosis ; Drug Therapy ; Glass* ; Humans ; Lung ; Lymphoid Tissue ; Lymphoma ; Lymphoma, B-Cell, Marginal Zone* ; Pancreas* ; Rare Diseases ; Rituximab ; Thoracic Surgery, Video-Assisted ; Thorax