BACKGROUND: Most studies of Mycoplasma pneumonia involve a group of admitted patients in hospital, usually with major medical illness. So we investigated the epidemiologic and radiologic features during the course of outbreak of pneumonia in Chunnam coastal area. METHODS: We retrospectively studied the epidemiologic and clinical feature of 105 patients with serologically proven Mycoplasma pneumonia treated at Kwang-Yang Hospital during a epidemic period of Jun. 1993 to Dec. 1993. All cases of pneumonia developed in this period were also reviewed and compared with serologically proven group. RESULTS: 1) There were 63 males and 42 females. 2) More than half(57%) of cases belonged to 5-9 years of age group, and mean age was 6.5 years old. Mean age was steadily decreased as prevalence of Mycoplasma pneumonia had been subsided. 3) A major determinant of the outbreak seemed to .to the population density rather than the population size. 4) The common radiologic features were interstitial in type, and 67 cases was restricted to one lobe. Lobar types are more common in late childhood, and interstitial or diffuse types in early childhood. CONCLUSION: These epidemiologic and radiographic characteristics would contribute to the diagnosis of Mycoplasma pneumonia.
Diagnosis ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Mycoplasma pneumoniae* ; Mycoplasma* ; Pneumonia* ; Pneumonia, Mycoplasma* ; Population Density ; Prevalence ; Retrospective Studies

No abstract available.
Mortality* ; Tuberculosis*

Multiple factors including gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) were evaluated for a case-control study in Chonnam area to investigate the causative entity of COPD. Data on the multiple causative factors from hospital records and interview survey were analyzed in three groups of COPD(64 cases as case group), normal lung (83 cases as control group 1) and non-COPD lung disease (45 cases as control group 2). Smoking status, history of adulthood pulmonary infection and frequent history of URI, socioeconomic status, and GERD were significantly different between COPD group and control group 1. Drinking status, physical height of the subjects and GERD were significantly different between COPD group and control group 2. If control group 1 was used, odds ratio of GERD and COPD was 5.68(95%confidence interval, 95% CI:2.59-12.45) and 4.81 (95% CI:1.89-10.53) when adjusted by age and smoking status. If control group 2 was used. Odds ratio of GERD and COPD was 4.22 (95% CI:1.69-10.56) and 4.59 (95% CI:1.64-12.86) when adjusted by alcohol and adulthood respiratory infection status. In summary, there results suggested that GERD might play a causative role in the development of COPD.
Case-Control Studies ; Drinking ; Gastroesophageal Reflux* ; Hospital Records ; Jeollanam-do ; Lung ; Lung Diseases ; Odds Ratio ; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive* ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Social Class

PURPOSE: To determine whether resistive indices of the renal artery (RIR) or the splenic artery (RIS) can be used as predictors of bleeding in patients with alcoholic liver cirrhosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: According to esophageal variceal bleeding episodes, 33 patients with cirrhosis were divided into two groups, a bleeder group (n=17) and a non-bleeder group (n=16). These two groups were compared with respect to five variables (age, spleen size, Child's score, RIS, and RIR). Sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy for the detection of bleeders were calculated using a cutoff value of 0.7 for RIR. RESULTS: The mean values of variables were higher for bleeders than for non-bleeders. With the exception of age, four variables were significantly correlated with bleeding (r=0.43 for spleen size; r=0.36 for Child's score; r=0.37 for RIS; p<0.05, respectively; r=0.63 for RIR, p<0.01). Only RIR was found to be significantly a predictive variable for bleeders (adjusted Odds ratio=19.9; 95% confidence interval: 1.3-306, p<0.05) when the RIR was more than 0.7. RIR had a sensitivity of 88.3% and a specificity of 75% with an accuracy of 81.8% at a cutoff value of 0.7 for identifying bleeders. CONCLUSION: A high RIR value will be useful in predicating esophageal variceal bleeding in patients with alcoholic liver cirrhosis.
Alcoholics* ; Esophageal and Gastric Varices* ; Fibrosis ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Liver Cirrhosis ; Liver Cirrhosis, Alcoholic* ; Renal Artery* ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Spleen ; Splenic Artery

No abstract available.
Humans ; Infant, Newborn*

PURPOSE: This study was designed to determine whether transabdominal ultrasound can detect different hepatic stiffness between patients with cirrhosis and control subjects. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sevent-three patients (Child-Pugh class A stage) with liver cirrhosis and 57 control subjects were included in this study. All patients were subdivided arbitrarily into two groups: early cirrhosis (n = 53) and overt cirrhosis (n = 20). Two sagittal images of the left lobe of the liver were obtained in the left hepatic vein level during the resting state and at full inspiration while pushing their belly out, by abdominal US (i.e., resting and stress image). The length between the inferior hepatic angle and the midpoint of the liver dome was measured in all images for the evaluation of liver distortion. The elongation was calculated by a formula: (L2-L1/L1) x 100(%); where L1 and L2 are the length of the liver for both the resting and stress image. The calculated elongated length (L2-L1, EL) and elongation rate were compared between cirrhotic patients and control subjects. RESULTS: For the control subjects, early cirrhosis, and overt cirrhosis groups, the mean ELs (elongation rate) were 2.34+/-0.98 cm (30.2+/-13.2%), 1.18+/-0.73 cm (14.9+/-9.5%) and 0.53+/-0.54 cm (6.3+/-6.6%), respectively. This difference among the three groups was statistically significant (p < 0.05). A possible best cut-off value of liver elongation rate is 17% for the prediction of cirrhosis (sensitivity: 90%, specificity: 75.3%). CONCLUSION: The liver of patients with liver cirrhosis is stiffer than that of control subjects. Calculation of the elongation rate in the left lobe of the liver during a respiratory maneuver may be used as an ancillary method of US for the evaluation of liver cirrhosis.
Fibrosis ; Hepatic Veins ; Humans ; Liver ; Liver Cirrhosis ; Respiration

PURPOSE: We wanted to assess the usefulness of the splenic artery resistive index (RIS) for differentiating between alcoholic cirrhosis (AC) and hepatitis B-virus related cirrhosis (VC). MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 109 subjects (28 normal healthy controls, 38 patients with VC and 43 patients with AC) were included in this study. The spleen sizes, Child-Pugh scores and RISs were compared between the two cirrhotic groups. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to determine an RIS cutoff value for the differentiation of the two cirrhotic groups. RESULTS: The mean spleen size and mean RIS in the controls were less than those of the two cirrhotic groups (p < 0.05), and the mean spleen sizes and Child-Pugh scores were not different between the two groups (AC vs. VC), (13.1 +/- 3.2 cm vs. 12.9 +/- 2.6 cm, p > 0.05; 6.6 +/- 1.9 vs. 5.9 +/- 1.6, p > 0.05, respectively). In contrast, the mean RIS of the AC patients was significantly higher than that of the VC patients (0.72 +/- 0.07 vs. 0.62 +/- 0.06, respectively, p < 0.01). The sensitivity, specificity and accuracy at an RIS cut-off value of 0.7 for differentiating the two cirrhotic groups were 76.7%, 68.4% and 72.8, respectively. CONCLUSION: The RIS is useful factor for differentiating the patients with AC from the patients with VC.
Alcoholics* ; Fibrosis* ; Hepatitis* ; Humans ; Liver Cirrhosis ; Liver Cirrhosis, Alcoholic* ; ROC Curve ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Spleen ; Splenic Artery* ; Ultrasonography*

Cystic lymphangioma is uncommon angiomatous tumor that mainly occurs in the neck. Less than 1% of these tumors affect the mesentery, retroperitoneum and greater omentum. In particular, the cystic lymphangioma involving the mesentery and the retroperitoneum is a rare lesion. We report here on an uncommon case of cystic lymphangioma that presented as a multilocular mass involving the mesentery and the retroperitoneum, and we also present a brief review of the relevant literature.
Lymphangioma ; Lymphangioma, Cystic* ; Mesentery* ; Neck ; Omentum

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the influence of phenobarbital (PB) on hepatotoxic effect of carbon tetrachloride (CCI4) which induces centrilobular necrosis in liver. Rats were injected intraperitoneally CCI4 dissolved in olive oil by a dose of 0.4 mg/kg. For change related to PB pretreatment, rats were injected CCI₄ 0.4mg/kg after PB pretreatment. The liver samples were taken in 6, 12, 24, 48, 72 and 120 hours after CCI₄ and/ or PB injection. Extracted liver tissue was examined with light and electron microscopes. The results were summarized as follows: 1. Light microscopic findings: In CCI₄ group, centrilobular necrosis developed from 6 hours after injection, was the most severe in 48 hours, and recovered after 72 hours. In addition to necrosis, fatty change and pale cell change were accompanied. In PB-CCI4 group, necrosis occurred from 6 hours after CCI₄ injection and continued to 72 hours, and the degree of necrosis was more severe than that of CCI₄ group and pale cell change was decreased. 2. Electron microscopic findings: In CCI4 group, the early principal change was clumping and vesicular dilatation of endoplasmic reticulum. In PB-CCI₄ group, the degenerative change of endoplasmic reticulum was aggravated and the mitochondria also revealed severe degenerative change. According to the results, it was revealed that CCI₄ hepatotoxicity primarily began with the damage of endoplasmic reticulum, then damage of other cell organelles and cell necrosis followed, and these cytotoxic effects were aggravated by PB pretreatment.
Animals ; Carbon Tetrachloride* ; Carbon* ; Dilatation ; Endoplasmic Reticulum ; Liver ; Mitochondria ; Necrosis ; Olive Oil ; Organelles ; Phenobarbital* ; Rats*

PURPOSE: Non-specific ulceration of colon is a rare disease of unknown etiology. To establish correctly the diagnosis of nonspecific colon ulcer preoperatively is difficult, but with more wide spread use of colonoscopy and complementary diagnostic aids, this lesion may be accurately diagnosed more often. The presentating symptoms were mainly lower abdominal pain, which mimic such conditions as acute appendicitis, diverticulitis, intestinal obstruction, and colon cancer. If its serious complications (perforation, abscess formation, or uncontrolled bleeding) were developed, resection of ulcerated segment or more extensive colectomy was recommended. The purpose of this study was to establish correctly the diagnosis of nonspecific colon ulcer preoperatively and to identify definitive treatment of complicated colon ulcer. METHODS: 6 cases, surgically treated as non-specific colon ulcer at Chosun University hospital from January 1995 to December 1999 were studied retrospectively. RESULTS: The ages of the patient ranged from 35 to 70 years; the ratio of male to female is 2: 1. The main clinical symptoms were abdominal pain (6 cases), nausea and vomiting (4 cases), hematochezia (3 cases), constipation (2 cases) and palpable mass (1 case). The preoperative diagnosis was generalized peritonitis (2 cases), colon cancer (2 cases), acute appendicitis (1 case), mechanical obstruction (1 case). 3 cases had past medication history, one was anti-hypertensive drug and the two were nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug. The preoperative diagnostic study were simple abdomen (6 cases), abdominal CT (6 cases), colon study (3 cases), abdominal sonograph (4 cases) and selective angiogram (1 cases), The location of ulcer were cecum (2 cases), sigmoid colon (2 cases), transversecolon (1 case) and descending colon (1 case). The methods of operation were hemicolectomy (3 cases), segmental resection (1 case) and anterior resection (2 case). There was one death, but 5 cases were completely recovered. CONCLUSIONS: Non-specific ulcer of the colon is not detected until complicated by bleeding, perforation, or obstruction. The patient who has chronic abdominal pain and rectal bleeding can be diagnosed preoperatevely by colonoscopy and colon study. The recommended therapy of complicated cases is resection of the ulcerated segment or more extensive colectomy. Non-specific colonic ulcer should be suspected as one of colonic disease in the patients with complications.
Abdomen ; Abdominal Pain ; Abscess ; Appendicitis ; Cecum ; Colectomy ; Colon* ; Colon, Descending ; Colon, Sigmoid ; Colonic Diseases ; Colonic Neoplasms ; Colonoscopy ; Constipation ; Diagnosis ; Diverticulitis ; Female ; Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Intestinal Obstruction ; Male ; Nausea ; Peritonitis ; Rare Diseases ; Retrospective Studies ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Ulcer* ; Vomiting