OBJECTIVES: Outbreaks of pneumonia caused by Mycoplasma pneumoniae (MP) occur every 3-4 years in Korea, most recently in 2011. The aim of our study was to determine the optimal time to perform indirect particle agglutination antibody assays to improve early diagnosis of MP pneumonia in children. METHODS: A database of 206 pediatric patients treated for pneumonia at the Hanyang University Hospital from June to October 2011 was analyzed retrospectively for demographic characteristics and laboratory test results. RESULTS: Among the 206 patients treated for pneumonia during the study period, there were 160 children (mean age, 5.44 years) diagnosed with MP pneumonia, who were studied further. The mean age of these MP pneumonia patients was 5.44 years. Antibody titers increased with increasing time between symptom onset and the collection of serum collection: MP titers were <1:640 for sera collected after 5.44 days and titers > or =1:640 for those collected after 8.58 days; P<0.001). Antibody titers were considered positive when they reached > or =1:640. In 42 MP pneumonia patients in whom there was a four-fold or greater increase in titer between successive serum samples, the optimal cut-off time-point for distinguishing between the initial and second titer groups was 7.5 days after the onset of symptoms (sensitivity, 90.5%; specificity, 92.9%). CONCLUSIONS: Negative MP antibody titers earlier than 8 days after the onset of symptoms in children with pneumonia may require repeating to confirm the diagnosis. This finding could optimize diagnosis and result in better therapeutic outcomes of MP pneumonia in children.
Agglutination ; Child ; Disease Outbreaks ; Early Diagnosis ; Humans ; Korea ; Mycoplasma ; Mycoplasma pneumoniae ; Pneumonia ; Pneumonia, Mycoplasma ; Retrospective Studies ; Sensitivity and Specificity

A case of toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN) was presented in 46 year-old male patient. The characteristic skin lesions of TEN were developed after some medictions and tetanus anti-toxin (TAT) injection due to trauma. Probably, the cause of the disease was drugs, TAT injection or trauma inself. On the pathologic findings, lower epidermis and dermo-epidermal cleavage were noticed. He was treated with massive antibiotics and steroid. About 7 days after therapy, much improvement achived. However foul odorous yellowish discharge was noticed since 20 days of hospitalization. Wide debridement of necrotic tissue was carried without improvement. Patient expired on 48th hospital day due to sepsis and impending hepatic coma.
Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Debridement ; Epidermis ; Hepatic Encephalopathy ; Hospitalization ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Odors ; Sepsis ; Skin ; Stevens-Johnson Syndrome* ; Tetanus

Incontinentia pigmenti is an uncommon genodermatosis. It affects female infants predominantly, described first by Bardach in l925, with the diagnosis of systematized nevus and Bloch in 1926, and Sulzberger in 1928 rnore compIetely. Skin lesions are characterized by 3 stages such as vesicobullous, verucous and finally pigmentary lesions and leave brownish pigmentation on the extremities and trunk. Hesides skin lesions some ectodermaI and mesodermal organs are affected and show developmental abnormalities. We experienced a case of incontinentia pigmenti in a 45-day-old female infant and present it with the review of literature. She showed extensive vesicobullopustular eruption with linear and reticular pigmentation on the extremities and trunk. Clinical and histopathologic findings of these lesions are compatible with Bloch-Sulzberger type of incontinentia pigmenti.
Diagnosis ; Extremities ; Female ; Humans ; Incontinentia Pigmenti* ; Infant ; Mesoderm ; Nevus ; Pigmentation ; Skin

No abstract available.

Serum zinc is an essential element in men and animals. Recently on the dermatologic fields, the serum and the skin levels and the roles of zinc have been studied especially in acne vulgaris, but the results were controversial. So to confirm the previous reports and for evaluation of the relationship between the various aspects of acne vulgaris and the serum levels of zinc, the serum levels of zinc were measured by atomic absorption spectrophotometer in 13 healthy controls and 46 patients with acne vulgaris. In the healthy controls, their mean values of zinc were 0.843+0.251 ppm in total, 0.920+0.219 ppm, in females and 0.777+0.260 ppm in males. There was no statistical difference attributable to sex. In the 46 patients with acne vulgaris, their mean value of zinc was 0.741+0.195 ppm. There was no significant difference in the mean serum zinc level compared with the controls. In the males with acne, the mean va1ue of zinc was 0.727+0.166 ppm, and 0.748+0.208 ppm in females with acne. There was no significant statistical difference between males and females with acne. And females, but not males, with acne had significantly lower serum zinc levelss than controls of the corresponding sex. (p<0.1) By clinical severity, classifying the 46 patients with acne vulgaris into three groups: mild type (only comedones), moderate type (comedones with pa.pules) and severe type (includes pustules, comedones, and papules, etc.), the serum zinc levels of each group were 0.774+0.185 ppm, 0.7880. 200 ppm and 0.666+0.176 ppm. The significant statistical difference was found only in the severe type of acne compared with the healthy controls (p<0.05). Also classifying the patients into three groups (acute, moderate and chronic types of acne) by duration of acne, the serum values of zinc were 0.738+0.158 ppm, 0.692+0.283 ppm and 0.769+0.241 ppm, respectively. Only in the moderate type of acne, the mean serum level of zinc was significantly reduced compared with the control group (p<0.1)
Absorption ; Acne Vulgaris* ; Animals ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Skin ; Zinc*

No abstract available.
Bacteroides fragilis* ; Bacteroides* ; Enterotoxins* ; Epithelial Cells* ; Gene Expression* ; Humans* ; Intestinal Mucosa*

The use of recombinant DNA technology to produce human growth hormone has resulted in a marked increase in availability of Growth Hormone(GH) to treat short stature due to GH deficiency and other conditions, such as Turner syndrome, familial short stature, chronic renal insufficiency and intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR). But, the GH therapy may result in the adverse events such as sodium and water retention, pseudotumor cerebri, slipped capital femoral epiphysis, growth of nevi, recurrence of tumor. We experienced a case of severe hypertension associated with GH therapy in a 14-year-old male who presented high blood pressure up to 190/100 mmHg and normalized at 2-3 weeks after discontinuation of GH. Therefore, we think that the blood pressure should be carefully monitored during GH therapy.
Adolescent ; Blood Pressure ; DNA, Recombinant ; Fetal Growth Retardation ; Growth Hormone* ; Human Growth Hormone ; Humans ; Hypertension* ; Male ; Nevus ; Noonan Syndrome ; Pseudotumor Cerebri ; Recurrence ; Renal Insufficiency, Chronic ; Slipped Capital Femoral Epiphyses ; Sodium

Abdominal cystic lymphangioma is a rare congenital malformation of lymphatics. Prognosis is excellent with exact diagnosis and complete surgical excision. The aughors analysed 10 US scans and 9 CT scans of surgically proven cystic lymphangiom for the last 5 years. US scan showed it as a septated cystic mass and 2 cases showed fluid-fluid level. CT scan showed a huge unilocular or multilocular density mass with uniformly thickened septae. A huge unilocular or multilocular cystic mass with uniformly thickened septae could suggest cystic lymphangioma would be differentiated from the other cystic masse.
Diagnosis ; Lymphangioma, Cystic* ; Prognosis ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

2 patients of forearm deformities with ulnar defect and radial head dislocation were treated with the Ilizarov apparatus at Chungnam University Hospital. One patient had a severe hypoplastic remnant-like ulnar fragment and a anterolaterally dislocated radial head due to complicated osteomyelitis of ulnar. We applied an Ilizarov apparatus to transport the radial head distally, and fixed to remaining proximal ulnar fragment. The other had a large bony defect at the ulnar shaft and a dislocated radial head due to complicated osteomyelitis of ulna. We performed internal transport of ulna to decreased the ulnar defect and to descend the dislocated radial head. The clinical-radiological features and functional results of those 2 forearm deformities were described with brief review of the articles about the Ilizarov method for correction of forearm defor- mities.
Chungcheongnam-do ; Congenital Abnormalities ; Dislocations ; Forearm ; Head ; Humans ; Ilizarov Technique ; Osteomyelitis ; Ulna

Acidic primer is the bonding agent which combines the conditioning and priming agent into the single solution and was originally developed for the dentin bonding system. It is less harmful to the tooth structure and more convenient to manipulate than the traditional etching procedure. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the shear bond strength of various bonding materials when the enamel is treated with acidic primer for the bracket bonding procedure. Fifty recently extracted human premolars were randomly separated into five groups : Group I using Clearfil Liner Bond 2 adhesive system to the enamel treated with acidic primer, Group II using Transbond XT adhesive system to the enamel treated with acidic primer, Group III using panavia 21 adhesive system to the enamel treated with acidic primer, Group IV using Fuji-Ortho LC adhesive system to the enamel treated with acidic primer, Group V using Transbond XT adhesive system to the enamel treated with 37% phosphoric acid. The shear bond strength was measured with Instron universal testing machine after storing in 37oC water bath for 48 hours. After debonding, the teeth and brackets were examined under scanning electron microscope (SEM) and assessed with the adhesive remnant index (ARI). The results were as follows : 1. There were no significant differences in shear bond strength between group III (8.69 +/- 2.72 MPa), group IV (9.7 +/- 3.16 MPa), and group V (10.48 +/- 2.60 Mpa) (p>0.05). 2. The shear bond strength of group III and group IV was significantly higher than that of group I (1.09 +/- 0.53 Mpa), and Group II (2.70 +/- 1.46Mpa) (p<0.05). 3. The ARI of group IV (2.1 +/- 1.1) and group V (2.9 +/- 0.3) was significantly higher than that of group I (0.2 +/- 0.4), group II (0.3 +/- 0.9) and group III (0.2 +/- 0.4) (p<0.05). 4. There were no significant difference between the ARI of group IV and group V (p>0.05). This result suggests that the combination of acidic primer and some bonding adhesive can provide sufficient shear bond strength for clinical orthodontics.
Adhesives ; Baths ; Bicuspid ; Dental Cements* ; Dental Enamel ; Dentin ; Humans ; Orthodontics ; Tooth ; Water