BACKGROUND: A and B transferase are glycosyltransferase that transfer N-acetylgalactosamine and D- galactose to H antigen, respectively and lead to the expression of A and B phenotypes in ABO blood group system. Reduced or no activities of serum A and B transferase were observed in some A and B subgroup individuals. Determining the activities of serum A and B transferase can be useful in discriminating rare A and B subgroups. MATERIALS AND METHODS: ABO typing, saliva test, adsorption elution test and serum transferase assay were performed on samples from 12 individuals showing ABO discrepancy or weakened cell typing reactions which were referred to the Seoul National University Hospital to confirm their ABO blood types. Serum transferase activity was assayed by determining the ability of serum to convert group 0 RBCs into A or B cells. RESULTS: Determination of serum ABO transferase activity was useful in the identification of Ael (3 cases), B. (2 cases), Bm (1 case), Am (1 case), Bx (1 case), 0 with weakened anti-A or anti-B (3 cases), and A without anti-B due to hypogammaglobulinemia (1 case). CONCLUSION: Determining serum A and B glycosyltransferase activity was proven to be a simple and useful tool for the classification of several ABO subgroups.(Korean J Blood Transfusion 10(1): 27-33, 1999)
ABO Blood-Group System ; Adsorption ; Agammaglobulinemia ; B-Lymphocytes ; Blood Transfusion ; Classification* ; Galactose ; Phenotype ; Saliva ; Seoul ; Transferases

Nodular regenerative hyperplasia (NRH) of the liver is an uncommon disease entity, especially in the pediatricage group. A few cases have been reported in the radiologic literature, but follow-up imaging studies are rare. We describe a case of NRH, diagnosed by ultrasound-guided needle biopsy, in a seven-month-old infant with cri-du-chat syndrome. Initial ultrasound revealed several small hypoechogenic nodules in the liver, but CT and MR failed to demonstrate their presence. Two follow-up sonographic examinations were performed 7 and 20 months later, revealing increases in the size and number of the nodules.
Biopsy, Needle ; Cri-du-Chat Syndrome ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Hyperplasia* ; Infant* ; Liver* ; Ultrasonography

No abstract available.
Lymphoma*

Argyria is a rare cause of cutaneous discoloration due to silver deposition. We report a case of argyria occurring in a 38-year-old man due to excessive silver pill intake. He had a diffuse, bluish-gray pigmentation on his face and finger nails. ICPMS (inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry) revealed that an excess of silver was present in the patient's blood, liver and skin tissue.
Adult ; Argyria* ; Fingers ; Humans ; Liver ; Pigmentation ; Plasma ; Silver* ; Skin

BACKGROUND: A and B transferase are glycosyltransferase that transfer N-acetylgalactosamine and D-galactose to H antigen, respectively and lead to the expression of A and B phenotypes in ABO blood group system. Reduced or no activities of serum A and B transferase were observed in some A and B subgroup individuals. Determining the activities of serum A and B transferase can be useful in discriminating rare A and B subgroups. MATERIALS AND METHODS: ABO typing, saliva test, adsorption elution test and serum transferase assay were performed on samples from 12 individuals showing ABO discrepancy or weakened cell typing reactions which were referred to the Seoul National University Hospital to confirm their ABO blood types. Serum transferase activity was assayed by determining the ability of serum to convert group O RBCs into A or B cells. RESULTS: Determination of serum ABO transferase activity was useful in the identification of Ael (3 cases), B3 (2 cases), Bm (1 case), Am (1 case), Bx (1 case), O with weakened anti-A or anti-B (3 cases), and A without anti-B due to hypogammaglobulinemia (1 case). CONCLUSION: Determining serum A and B glycosyltransferase activity was proven to be a simple and useful tool for the classification of several ABO subgroups.
ABO Blood-Group System ; Adsorption ; Agammaglobulinemia ; B-Lymphocytes ; Classification* ; Galactose ; Phenotype ; Saliva ; Seoul ; Transferases

BACKGROUND: IgA nephropathy (IgAN) is the most frequent primary glomerulonephritis in the world. Despite 20 years of research into this condition, much remains unknown about its pathogenesis and therapy. One major problem is that the prognostic evaluation and renal survival of IgAN is unreliable. METHODS: A retrospective study was performed to clarify the prognostic factors and the long-term renal survival rates of this disease. RESULTS: One hundred fifty-two patients with IgAN who followed-up at least 3 years after renal biopsy were included in this study. During a mean followed-up of 9.3 years after their renal biopsy (range:36-215 months), 33 of them (21.7%) had progressed to end-stage renal disease (ESRD). The actuarial renal survival rate was 97% at 5 years, and 85% at 10 years. Using univariate analysis, 5 risk factors for developing ESRD were identified:male sex, hypertension, heavy proteinuria, renal insufficiency at the time of biopsy, severe histopathologic findings such as subclass IV/V lesions by Haas' subclassification were associated with significant risk factors for developing ESRD. In multivariate regression analysis, only Haas' subclass IV/V lesions and renal insufficiency at the time of biopsy were the independent prognostic factors of IgAN. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, further long-term prospective study with larger number of patients would be necessary to assess the prognostic factors in IgAN.
Biopsy ; Glomerulonephritis ; Glomerulonephritis, IGA ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Immunoglobulin A* ; Kidney Failure, Chronic ; Prognosis* ; Proteinuria ; Renal Insufficiency ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Survival Rate

PURPOSE: The correct classification of seizure is necessary for appropriate evaluation and treatment. Recent development in Magnetic Resonance Imaging(MRI) can provide critical data for classifying epilepsy. But there is limited information about its diagnostic efficacy and current use in the initial evaluation of pediatric epilepsy. So we studied the diagnostic efficacy of MRI in pediatric seizure and analyzed whether MRI could be an appropriate screening procedure. METHODS: EEG and MRI of 236 children with seizure admitted at Keimyung University Hospital from January 1997 to June 2002 were reviewed retrospectively. Patients were classified by clinical information:neonatal, generalized and partial seizure groups. We comparatively analyzed EEG findings and MRI findings in each group. RESULTS: According to the MRI findings, the rate of abnormalities of the neonatal seizure group was 50%, 31% in the generalized seizure group and 41% in the partial seizure group. Correlation between the abnormalities of EEG and MRI findings was identified in partial the seizure group(P<0.05). CONCLUSION: We concluded that MRI is an essential diagnostic tool when a neonatal or partial seizure is investigated. And it will be also useful for some patients with generalized seizure who are suspected of partial seizure.
Child ; Classification* ; Electroencephalography ; Epilepsy ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Mass Screening ; Retrospective Studies ; Seizures*

PURPOSE: Renal tubular aicdosis (RTA) is a disorder of renal acidification out of porportion to the reduction in glomerular filtration rate. Type IV RTA refers to hyperkalemic metabolic acidosis resulting from aldosterone deficiency or resistance. The incidence of each type RTA has not been reported exactly, however reports on type IV RTA have been recently increasing. METHODS: A retrospective clinical analysis was performed in 50 patients with hyperkalemic distal renal tubular acidosis diagnosed between Jan. 1984 and Feb. 2003 at Department of Internal Medicine, Keimyung University, Dongsan Medical Center. RESULTS: From 1984 to 2003, 50 cases of hyperkalemic distal renal tubular acidosis were diagnosed. The mean age was 50.8+/-19.5 years. The two most common conditions were posttransplantation (28%), and diabetes mellitus (22%), which were followed by hypertension (12%), systemic lupus erythematosus (12%), chronic renal failure (12%), and others (26%). Asymptomatic hyperkalemia (34%), and muscle weakness (28%) were the two most common clinical presentations. All patients demonstrated normal anion gap acidosis with positive urine anion gap. The mean creatinine clearance was 25.6+/-16.4 mL/min. The mean baseline PRA and aldosterone levels were 3.82+/-7.16 ng/mL/hr and 110.02+/-108.2 ng/mL, respectively. Hyperkalemia was well responded to 9-alpha-fludrocortisone, furosemide, K-exchane resin, and combinations of these regimens. CONCIUSION: Type IV RTA is the most common type of RTA in children and adults, and can be an important cause of asymptomatic hyperkalemia. Therefore, type IV RTA should be included in the diffrential diagnosis of unexplained hyperkalemia in various clinical settings.
Acid-Base Equilibrium ; Acidosis ; Acidosis, Renal Tubular* ; Adult ; Aldosterone ; Child ; Creatinine ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Diagnosis ; Furosemide ; Glomerular Filtration Rate ; Humans ; Hyperkalemia ; Hypertension ; Hypoaldosteronism ; Incidence ; Internal Medicine ; Kidney Failure, Chronic ; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic ; Muscle Weakness ; Retrospective Studies

PURPOSE: The cold ischemia augments the inflammatory cell infiltration in the rat kidney allograft by increasing expression of ICAM-1. The ICAM-1 proteins and ICAM-1 mRNA were overexpressed and upregulated on the tubular epithelium and endothelium of renal allografts that were preserved in the cold preservation solution such as University of Wisconsin (UW) solution. The aims of this study was to examine whether perfusion of kidney with anti ICAM-1 antibody (1A29) prevent inflammations and injuries of graft even in long ischemic time. METHODS: Rat kidneys were perfused in situ with 60 mL of cold UW solution without or with anti-rat ICAM-1 antibody and nephrectomized. The kidneys were exposed to 48 hour cold (4 degrees C storage time) ischemia and examined for the counts of necrotic tubules and apoptotic cells on the high power fields by terminal deoxynucleotidyltransferase mediated nick-end labeling (TUNEL) assay. RESULTS: The number of necrotic tubules per high power field of the allograft treated by anti ICAM-1antibody (6.97+/-4.25) was significantly less than that of the other control allograft (12.71+/-6.42) (P<0.001). The number of apoptotic cells per high power field of antibody treated graft (4.27+/-4.11) was significantly less than that of the other control graft (8.43+/-5.56) (P<0.001). CONCLUSION: Rat anti ICAM-1 antibody (1A29) inhibits ICAM-1 mediated allograft tubular necrosis as well as apoptosis. These results are expected to contribute to prevent allograft rejection and delayed graft function when used for pretreatment of allografts with anti ICAM-1 antibody mixtures of the perfusion and preserving solution clinically.
Allografts ; Animals ; Apoptosis ; Cold Ischemia ; Delayed Graft Function ; DNA Nucleotidylexotransferase ; Endothelium ; Epithelium ; Inflammation ; Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1* ; Ischemia ; Kidney* ; Necrosis ; Perfusion ; Rats* ; RNA, Messenger ; Transplantation ; Transplants ; Wisconsin*

Purpose: The present study aims to determine the clinical outcome of kidney transplantation and to provide data of long-term graft and patient survival. Methods: Between 1969 and 2005, 1,500 kidney transplants were performed at the Kangnam st. Mary's hospital. We analyzed the clinical characteristics and outcomes of kidney transplant recipients retrospectively. Results: The mean follow-up period was 112 months. Chronic glomerulonephritis was the leading cause of primary renal diseases, but the proportion of has increased from 1 % before 1985 to 6% afterwards. First renal transplantation was 94.5% (n=1418), and retransplantation was 5.4% (n=82). Type of donor source was mostly living-related, with the recent decrease in the number of living- unrelated donors. Currently, 72l patients are alive with functioning grafts, 297 cases had graft failure, 277 cases died, 205 cases were transferred or lost during follow-up. Main cause of graft failure was chronic allograft nephropathy (n=316). Overall, 1-, 5-, 10-, and 20-year graft survival were 92%, 81%, 66%, and 29% respectively. 1-, 5-, 10-, and 20-year patient survival were 93%, 88%, 81%, and 69% respectively. Conclusion: This review of 36-years experience in a single center showed that the graft survival has improved compared to the initial transplantation era.
Allografts ; Follow-Up Studies ; Glomerulonephritis ; Graft Survival ; Humans ; Kidney Transplantation ; Kidney* ; Korea* ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Tissue Donors ; Transplantation ; Transplants ; Unrelated Donors