BACKGROUND: Rapid and accurate identification of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus (MRSA) is very important for patients because they are one of the most common etiologic agents of hospital infection. Conventional identification methods for MRSA are influenced by various factors such as pH, concentration of salt, conditions of media. METHODS: 53 methicillin resistant staphylococcus strains identified by ATB plus system (Biomerieux, France) were preformed the polymerase chain reaction (PCR), Southern blot hybridization fort the detection of mec A gene, and subcultured in Meuller-Hinton media containing 4 microgram/mL oxacillin for the comparison. RESULTS: The correlation of detection rate of mec A gene PCR and ATB plus systems was 81.6%. The correlation of mec A gene PCR and MRSA on Mueller-Hinton media containing 4 microgram/mL oxacillin was 80%. We confirmed by Southern blot hybridization the amplified mer A gene originated from chromosome of MRSA. As the results of oxacillin sensitivity test, minimal inhibitory concentrations of MRSA were distributed between 40 microgram/mL and 320 microgram/mL. When compared with executing time, ATB plus system took 24 hours, but PCR took 5 hours for identification. CONCLUSION: We concluded that mec A gone PCR techniques were simple and rapid for detection of MRSA comparative to conventional methods.
Blotting, Southern ; Cross Infection ; Genes, vif ; Humans ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Methicillin Resistance* ; Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus* ; Oxacillin ; Polymerase Chain Reaction* ; Staphylococcus

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: The knowledge about the effects of the nebulized B2-agonist on serum potassium is limited. We aimed to assess the possible hypokalemia following nebulization of salbutamol. METHOD: Seven patients(mean age 60 +- 7.1years) with acute exacerbated asthma were treated with salbutamol nebulization(5mg nebulization at 1 hour interval, 3 times) without concomitant use of steroid or other bronchodilator such as theophylline. RESULTS: There was a significant increase in FEV1, from 46.41+-25.91% at baseline to 62.86+-22.38% at 3 hours after treatment. Serum potassium concentration was significantly decreased, from 3.93+-0.58mEq/L at baseline to 3.41+-0.62mEq/L and 3.46+-0.53mEq/L at 1 hour and 3 hours after third nebulization, repectively. There was a significant prolongation of the QTc interval in EKG from 454.36+-27.07msec at baseline to 479.41+-35.64msec and 505.09+-58. 69msec at 1 hour and 3 hours after third nebulization, respectively. Serum salbutamol concentration was 4.18+-3.39ng/ml at baseline, and increased to 7.69+-6.94ng/ml and 9.84+10.34ng/ ml at 1 hour and 3 hours after treatment, respectively. Magnitude of the hypokalemia and the degree of prolongation of the electrocardiographic QTc interval were significantly correlated with the level of serum salbutamol concenturation. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that cardiac complication could develop due to hypokalemia during repeated salbutamol nebulization. Caution should be done in monitoring of serum potassium concentration when using nebulized salbutamol repeatedly for the treatment of acute exacerbated bronchial asthma.
Albuterol* ; Asthma ; Electrocardiography ; Hypokalemia ; Potassium* ; Theophylline

BACKGROUND: Anesthesiologists often encounter patients who have acute, massive blood loss and severe hemodilution as the result of fluid therapy in the operating room. It is known that patients with normal heart function survive at hemoglobin 4 6 g/dl. Recently, the incidence of elderly patients with ischemic heart disease have been increasing progressively but studies about critical hematocrit level in patients with ischemic heart disease are rare. This study, therefore, was designed to evaluate the hemodynamic response of isovolemic hemodilution in myocardial ischemia-induced dogs. METHODS: In 12 anesthetized dogs, a Swan-Ganz catheter and left ventricle catheter were inserted and hemodynamic parameters were measured as control values. Myocardial ischemia was induced with a left anterior descending (LAD) coronary artery ligation. Thereafter, isovolemic hemodilutions were done several times to set the hematocrit levels of 36%, 31%, 26%, 21%, 16%, and 11%. Records and samples for hemodynamic parameters were obtained after LAD ligation and at each hematocrit level. RESULTS: There were significant decreases in diastolic blood pressures in hematocrits 21%, 16%, 11%, in mean arterial pressures in hematocrits 16%, 11% and in systolic blood pressure in hematocrit 11% (P < 0.05). Oxygen delivery progressively decreased in hematocrits 36%, 31%, 26%, 21%, 16% and 11% (P < 0.05). Oxygen extraction ratios progressively increased and were statistically significant in hematocrits 21%, 16% and 11% (P < 0.05). Arterial blood gases showed metabolic acidosis in hematocrits 16% and 11%. There was decreased PCO2 in hematocrit 11% (P < 0.05). Mixed venous blood oxy-hemoglobin saturation decreased in hematocrit 16% and 11% (P < 0.05). Other variables were not significant. CONCLUSIONS: Blood pressure decreased at hematocrit 16% so it is necessary to maintain a hematocrit level above 21% at least in cardiac depressed dogs.
Acidosis ; Aged ; Animals ; Arterial Pressure ; Blood Pressure ; Catheters ; Coronary Vessels ; Dogs* ; Fluid Therapy ; Gases ; Heart ; Heart Ventricles ; Hematocrit ; Hemodilution* ; Hemodynamics* ; Humans ; Incidence ; Ligation ; Myocardial Ischemia ; Operating Rooms ; Oxygen

Methylmalonic acidemia (MMA) is a heterogeneous inborn error of propionate metabolism and its management frequently includes a low-protein diet to minimize precursors of methylmalonic acid and reduce its concentration in body tissues. In the long- term follow-up, renal dysfunction in these patients has been increasingly recognized. Tubulointerstitial nephritis is the most frequent renal complications and has been reported in the small number of renal biopsy specimens from young children previously by others. We report a case of a 18-year-old girl with MMA and renal dysfunction in whom renal biopsy demonstrated chronic tubulointerstitial nephritis.
Adolescent ; Biopsy ; Child ; Diet, Protein-Restricted ; Diethylpropion ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Metabolism ; Methylmalonic Acid ; Nephritis, Interstitial*

No abstract available.
Anemia ; Gaucher Disease* ; Humans ; Siblings* ; Thrombocytopenia

Much has been learned of the pathogenesis and pathophysiology of the toxic shock syndrome (TSS) since the initial description in 1978 by Dr. James K, Todd. The clinical illness is defined by the criteria listed in the case definition formulated for epidemiologic studies. With the advent of widespread recognition of TSS, there have been numerous published reports describing the clinical and laboratory findings, primarily in menstruating females. And there have been also reported about six cases in Korea. Moreover, TSS is uncommon in the prepubertal age group and no case report in infant in Korea. We experienced two cases of TSS in infants aged 11/2 yrs and 9 months associated with respiratory infection-pneumonia, pyopneumothorax and localized skin abscess that were confused with Kawasaki disease (KD). The diagnosis was made on the basis of clinical features and laboratory findings, and the cases met the Centers of Disease Control case definition of TSS. And thus we report these cases and review related literatures.
Abscess ; Diagnosis ; Female ; Humans ; Infant* ; Korea ; Mucocutaneous Lymph Node Syndrome ; Shock, Septic* ; Skin

The purpose of this study was(1) to determine the prevalence of some causes by which dental occlusion might be affected, (2) to determine the prevalence of malocclusion, and types of molar, vertical incisor and horisontal incisor frlationships, and (3) to examine the sex difference in the prevalence ratios, and (4) to determint the between-examiner differences in asseassing types of dental occlusion. The material consisted of 1281 males and 811 females, total 2091 persons, aged 17 to 21 years. Tow examiners who were graduate students in the orthodontic course, examined independently dental occlusion of the material. Before calculating the statistics, the subjects consisted of 156 males and 164 females, total 320 persons, having any one or more causes suspected to affect dental occlusion, was eliminated. Than the remained subjects, 1124 males and 647 females, total 1771 persons, were assessed. The results were as follows 1. The prevalence of some causes by which dental occlusion might be affected was 15.32 per cent. The missing rate of any one or more first molars was 8.85 percent, that of any one or more teeth positioned anterior to the first molar was 3.83 per cent. The prevalence of crossbite of the first molat 0.48 per cent, that of retained primary teeth was 0.77 percent, and that of orthodontic treatment was 0.43 per cent. 2. The rate of between-examiner difference was 12.35 per cent in assessing the types of molar relationship, 18.86 percent in assessing the types of horziontal incisor relationship, and 26.37 percent in assessing the types of horizontal incisor relationship. 3. There was no sex difference in the prevalence ratios of the types of molar relationship . The pervalence of Class I molar relationship was 80.91 percert, that of Class II was 5.03, that of Class II subdivision was 4.01, percent, that of Class III was 5.99 percent and that of Class III subdivision was 4.07 percent. 4. In the prevalence of the types of horizontal incisor felationship, there were no sex differences except that of Class II division 2. The prevalence of Class I horizontal incisor relationship was 73.12 percent, that of Class II division 1 was 12.03 percent, that of Class II division 2 was 6.58 percent in male and 4.33 percent in female, and that of Class III was 9.09 percent. 5. In the pervalence of the types of vertical incisor relationship, there were no sex difference except that of deep bite. the prevalence of open bite was 2.20 per cent, that of edge-to-edge bite was 9.15 percent, that of normal bite was 76.34 percent, and that of deep bite was 14.15 percent in male and 9.12 percent in female. 6. There was no sex difference in the prevalence of malocclusion the prevalence of maloccusion was 82.67 percent and that of normal occlusion was 17.33 percent. 7. There was a tendedcy that when Class I molar relationship vhanged to Class II, incisor-ships were to be larger overjet or upright upper incisors and deep bite, but when that changed to Class III molar relationship, these were to be cross bite and openbite.
Dental Occlusion ; Female ; Humans ; Incisor ; Male ; Malocclusion ; Molar ; Open Bite ; Overbite ; Prevalence ; Sex Characteristics ; Tooth* ; Tooth, Deciduous

In the initial published version of this article, there was a mistake in the title. The correct title should be “Impact of Day 14 Peripheral Blood Chimerism after Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation on the Treatment Outcome of Non-Malignant Disease”.

BACKGROUNDS: Pancreaticoduodenectomy has been applied to diseases of periampullary region since 1935 by Whipple and associates, but this procedure is so complexed that associated with high morbidity and mortality. In the treatment of periampullary cancer, curative surgical resection only promises the possibilities of cure, because other methods of treatment including chemotherapy and radiation therapy have been of little or no benefit to improve the survival rate. METHODS: We performed the clinical analysis on 123 cases of pancreaticoduodenectomies at the department of Surgery, Chonnam University Hospital, during the past 11 years from June 1986 to May 1997 to assess the associated factors with postoperative complications and the survival rate. RESULTS: Among 123 cases, 104 cases(84.6%) were malignant tumor of periampullary region, 16 cases were benign lesion, and 3 cases were type IV pancreatic injury. Pancreaticoduodenectomy was performed in 115 cases, pylorus-preserving pancreaticoduodenectomy in 4 cases, total pancreatectomy in 2 cases and extended pancreaticoduodenectomy in 2 cases. Postoperative complications were developed in 28 cases(22.8%) and the major cause of postoperative complication was the anastomotic leakage, especially in the pancreatico-jejunostomy site. The overall operative and hospital mortality rate was 7.3%. Preoperative percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage(PTBD) and the serum level of albumin and bilirubin were not related to the development of postoperative complications. Factors affecting survival after resection of malignant tumor were the size of tumor, presence of lymph node metastasis and tumor infiltration to adjacent tissue, but the level of CEA, alphaFP, and CA 19-9 and tumor differentiation were not related to the survival rate statistically. CONCLUSION: Optimal preoperative preparation of the patient and a meticulous and standarized operative technique are mandatory to minimize the operative morbidity and mortality after pancreaticoduodenectomy. In the treatment of periampullary cancer, radical surgical resection is recommended for long-term survival, as well as the development of other treatment modalities to prevent the postoperative recurrence.
Anastomotic Leak ; Bilirubin ; Drug Therapy ; Hospital Mortality ; Humans ; Jeollanam-do ; Lymph Nodes ; Mortality ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Pancreatectomy ; Pancreaticoduodenectomy* ; Postoperative Complications ; Recurrence ; Survival Rate

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the indications, clinical features, cytogenetic results and complications of amniocentesis and to determine the efficacy of antenatal genetic amniocentesis. METHODS: We analyzed retrospectively maternal age, gestational age, indications, transplacental puncture, frequency, discoloration of amniotic fluid, karyotype and complications in 325 cases of prenatal genetic amniocentesis performed at Chungnam National University Hospital from January 2000 to December 2002. RESULTS: The most common age group was from 30 to 34 (31.4%) and mean age was 32.7 years old. 85.3% of cases were performed at 16th-20th gestational weeks. Abnormal maternal serum markers were the most common indication of amniocentesis (56.0%) and the second most common indication was maternal age over 35 (33.2%). Abnormal karyotypes were found in 12 cases (3.6%) and normal variants were 21 cases (6.5%). Numerical aberration were 9 cases (2.7%) and structural aberration were 3 cases (0.3%). Among the autosomal aberrations, Down syndromes were 5 cases and Edward syndrome was 1 case. Among the sex chromosomal aberrations, 47,XXX were 2 cases and Turner syndrome was 1 case. As the increasing maternal age, the incidence of abnormal karyotype was increased. Procedure-related complications occurred in 11.7% of cases and fetal loss rate was 7.4%. No significant associations were found between procedure-related complications and maternal age, gestational age, transplacental puncture, frequency, discoloration of amniotic fluid, and antibiotic treatment. CONCLUSION: Amniocentesis is useful for prenatal genetic diagnosis in pregnancies with increasing risk of chromosome aberrations, such as advanced maternal age, abnormal maternal serum markers or abnormal US findings. Further studies are necessary to identify risk factors of complications after invasive procedure.
Abnormal Karyotype ; Amniocentesis* ; Amniotic Fluid ; Biomarkers ; Chromosome Aberrations ; Chungcheongnam-do ; Cytogenetic Analysis* ; Cytogenetics* ; Diagnosis ; Female ; Gestational Age ; Humans ; Incidence ; Karyotype ; Maternal Age ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Trimester, Second* ; Punctures ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Turner Syndrome