Liver function tests before treatment showed abnormalities of liver function tests during treatment, while 15(68. 2%) of 22 patients who had abnormal liver function tests before treatment showed abnormalities during treatment. In 12 of the 25 patients who showed abnormalities of liver function tests during treatment with allopurinol, allopurinol was stopped and all patients showed improvement of liver function tests. In remaining 13 patients, 10 patients were improved and other 2 patients showed only mild abnormalities of liver function tests despite of continuing allopurinol and 1 patient was lost during follow-up. CONCLUSION: Abnormalities of liver function tests were common during treatment with allopurinol. Most patiensts who had mild abnormalities of liver functions tests during treatment with allopurinol were improved regardless of continuing allopurinol.
Allopurinol* ; Follow-Up Studies ; Gout* ; Humans ; Liver Function Tests* ; Liver*

BACKGROUND: Many physicians hesitate to discuss do-not-resuscitate (DNR) orders with patients or family members in critical situations. In the intensive care unit (ICU), delayed DNR decisions could cause unintentional cardiopulmonary resuscitation, patient distress, and substantial cost. We investigated whether the timing of DNR designation affects patient outcome in the medical ICU. METHODS: We enrolled retrospective patients with written DNR orders in a medical ICU (13 bed) from June 1, 2014 to May 31, 2015. The patients were divided into two groups: early DNR patients for whom DNR orders were implemented within 48 h of ICU admission, and late DNR patients for whom DNR orders were implemented more than 48 h after ICU admission. RESULTS: Herein, 354 patients were admitted to the medical ICU and among them, 80 (22.6%) patients had requested DNR orders. Of these patients, 37 (46.3%) had designated DNR orders within 48 hours of ICU admission and 43 (53.7%) patients had designated DNR orders more than 48 hours after ICU admission. Compared with early DNR patients, late DNR patients tended to withhold or withdraw life-sustaining management (18.9% vs. 37.2%, p = 0.072). DNR consent forms were signed by family members instead of the patients. Septic shock was the most common cause of medical ICU admission in both the early and late DNR patients (54.1% vs. 37.2%, p = 0.131). There was no difference in in-hospital mortality (83.8% vs. 81.4%, p = 0.779). Late DNR patients had longer ICU stays than early DNR patients (7.4 ± 8.1 vs. 19.7 ± 19.2, p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Clinical outcomes are not influenced by the time of DNR designation in the medical ICU. The late DNR group is associated with a longer length of ICU stay and a tendency of withholding or withdrawing life-sustaining treatment. However, further studies are needed to clarify the guideline for end-of-life care in critically ill patients.
Advance Directives ; Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation ; Consent Forms ; Critical Illness* ; Hospital Mortality ; Humans ; Intensive Care Units ; Resuscitation Orders* ; Retrospective Studies ; Shock, Septic

OBJECTIVE: Adult onset Still s disease is an acute systemic inflammatory disorder. There are no pathognomonic symptoms or specific laboratory abnormalities. In recent reports, serum ferritin concentration is increased in active disease phase and decreased after defervescence. Our purpose was to determine the clinical significance of serum ferritin as an indicator for disease activity. METHODS: Seven patients who were diagnosed as adult onset Still s disease at Samsung Medical Center between October 1994 and March 1997, were reviewed. In these patients we checked leukocyte count, ESR, CRP and serum ferritin concentrations at the time of diagnosis and during follow-up periods and recorded febrile events during follow-up periods. RESULTS: At the time of diagnosis and during febrile periods, the concentrations of ferritin were extremely high(927ng/ml to 96,650ng/ml normal 10-290.8 ng/ml). The values were unrelated to other manifestations of the disease or laboratory findings. The ferritin concentrations decreased rapidly after adequate treatment. Eleven febrile reattacks happened in 7 patients. Serum ferritin concentrations were increased in 8 febrile attacks, while leukocyte count, ESR, and CRP were increased in 5, 5, 6 febrile attacks respectively, There were 10 events of increased serum ferritin concentrations in 7 patients during follow-up periods and 8 events were related with fever. The increases of other laboratory tests were similar. CONCLUSIONS: In all patients, serum ferritin concentrations were increased at the time of diagnosis and closely related to fever. During follow-up periods, serum ferritin concentrations are helpful in monitoring disease activity and guiding decisions about treatment.
Adult* ; Diagnosis ; Ferritins* ; Fever ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Leukocyte Count ; Still's Disease, Adult-Onset*

No abstract available.

Access to the craniofacial skeleton and skull base requires osteotomies. An adequate exposure of neoplasms occupying the skull base and the oral cavity and oropharynx, especially retromolar trigone, is very important for precise tumor ablation. The demonstration by Tessier of the capacity for large segments of bone to survive removal and replacement has enabled skull base tumor surgery to grow into a subspeciality. Through the refined craniofacial exposure osteotomies, the surgery is safer, the operation shorter, and the result better both oncologically and reconstructively. We experienced 24 cases of exposure osteotomies consisting of 12 cases transzygomatic approaches, 1 case tranglabellar osteotomy, 1 case lateral transmaxillary approach, 1 case Le Fort II & midline splitting, and 9 cases mandibulotomy. There was no significant complication except a local wound infection in transzygomatic approach and one case of minimal malocclusion after parasymphyseal mandibulotomy. The orthotopic bone graft and the rigid fixation enables the postoperative morbidity to decrease. It seems that the previously inaccessible craniofacial tumors can be treated through the various exposure osteotomies.
Malocclusion ; Mouth ; Oropharynx ; Osteotomy* ; Skeleton ; Skull Base ; Transplants ; Wound Infection

No abstract available.
Hyperbilirubinemia, Neonatal*

No abstract available.
Female ; Ovulation* ; Pregnancy*

Among multple injured patients, the incidence of head injuries combined with long bone fracture is high. In adults who present with long bone fracture and concomitant head injury, the exuberant callus at fracture site was formed. The authors analyzed 26 cases of lower extremity fracure with severe head injury from January 1987 to December 1988. For the control group, we analyzed each 20 patients of only femur and tibia fractures. The results of this study are as follows:1. The mean age of experimental and control group were 38.4 yrs old and 40.1 yrs old, respectively. The sex ratio between male and female of experimental and control group were 2.3:1 and 2.7:1, respectively. 2. The initial level of consciousness by Glasgow coma scale was mild impairement 12%, moderate impairement 65% and severe impairement 23%. 3. Serum calium and phosphate level were no specific difference between the head injury with lower extremity fractured patients and only lower extremity fractured patients, but there was increment of serum alkaline phosphatase level on post-trauma 1 month in head injury cases. 4. The pattern of callus formation in experimental group was different compared with control group. 5. The formation of callus was exuberant in the severe head iniury with femur fracture. 6. In experimental group, there was evidence of early bony union time compared with control group, but there was no statistical significance (p<0.05). In conclusion, the callus formation was exuberant in the head injury with femur fractured patient, there was different healing response compared with control group.
Adult ; Alkaline Phosphatase ; Bony Callus ; Consciousness ; Craniocerebral Trauma ; Extremities ; Female ; Femur ; Fractures, Bone ; Glasgow Coma Scale ; Head ; Humans ; Incidence ; Lower Extremity ; Male ; Sex Ratio ; Tibia

No abstract available.
Acromioclavicular Joint* ; Classification* ; Dislocations*

Severe sepsis and septic shock are the main causes of death in critically ill patients. Early detection and appropriate treatment according to guidelines are crucial for achieving favorable outcomes. Endotoxin is considered to be a main element in the pathogenic induction of gram-negative bacterial sepsis. Polymyxin B hemoperfusion can remove endotoxin and is reported to improve clinical outcomes in patients with intra-abdominal septic shock, but its clinical efficacy for pneumonic septic shock remains unclear. Here, we report a case of a 51-year-old man with pneumonic septic shock caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa, who recovered through polymyxin B hemoperfusion.
Cause of Death ; Critical Illness ; Gram-Negative Bacteria* ; Hemoperfusion* ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Polymyxin B* ; Polymyxins* ; Pseudomonas aeruginosa ; Sepsis ; Shock, Septic*