PURPOSE: To report two patients who developed central retinal artery occlusion (CRAO) after trauma. CASE SUMMARY: A 26-year-old man complained of severe loss of vision in his left eye after falling and bumping his forehead on a staircase. His visual acuity was light perception in the left eye. Fundus examination revealed edematous white retina and a cherry red spot on the macula. Angiography showed severe stenosis in the initial segment of the ophthalmic artery with ophthalmic arterial embolus. He underwent intra-arterial thrombolysis with a clinical diagnosis of CRAO with ophthalmic artery stenosis. A 57-year-old woman presented with vision loss after falling and striking her face below her right lower eyelid on a wooden stick. Her visual acuity was hand motions in the right eye. Fundus examinations showed white retina with opacity and a cherry red spot on the macula. Fluorescein angiography and optical coherence tomography was performed, and a clinical diagnosis of CRAO was made. CONCLUSIONS: CRAO must be considered when clinically differentiating visual loss after a trauma.
Adult ; Angiography ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Diagnosis ; Embolism ; Eyelids ; Female ; Fluorescein Angiography ; Forehead ; Hand ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Ophthalmic Artery ; Prunus ; Retina ; Retinal Artery Occlusion* ; Retinal Artery* ; Strikes, Employee ; Tomography, Optical Coherence ; Visual Acuity

PURPOSE: To describe the characteristics of patients who visited Korean ophthalmology clinics complaining of visual symptoms and were diagnosed with migraine. METHODS: A retrospective study was performed by evaluating the patterns of visual symptoms, timing of headaches, and results of ophthalmologic examinations in 31 migraine patients who were recruited from a neuro-ophthalmology clinic. RESULTS: The patients consisted of 9 men and 22 women, with a mean age of 38.1 years (range, 12-71). The average age of symptom onset was 35.7 years (range, 12-64 years). The most common three visual symptoms were blurred vision (35.5%), blind spots (22.6%), and flashes of bright lights (22.6%). Visual symptoms disappeared within 5 minutes in 16 patients (51.6%) and 13 patients (41.9%) experienced visual symptoms before the onset of a headache. Brain magnetic resonance imaging findings in 14 cases revealed normal results and the remaining three patients showed minimal small vessel disease. Except for one patient who had exotropia, there was no other specific abnormality observed upon ophthalmologic examinations. CONCLUSIONS: Most of the migraine patients who first visited an ophthalmology clinic with visual symptoms had no definite ocular abnormalities. Thus, ophthalmologists must be aware that migraines could first present with various visual symptoms in order to make an early diagnosis of migraine.
Brain ; Early Diagnosis ; Exotropia ; Female ; Headache ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Migraine Disorders* ; Ophthalmology ; Optic Disk ; Retrospective Studies

Pulmonary mucoepidermoid carcinoma (MEC) is a rare form of lung cancer that originates from submucosal glands of tracheobronchial tree. Unlike low-grade tumor with benign nature, high-grade case is even rarer and has aggressive clinical features with no definite treatment option. Here, we report a case of high-grade pulmonary MEC with fulminant clinical course. A 74-year-old man presented with cough, sputum and mental change. Chest imaging showed massive mediastinal lymphadenopathy with obstructive pneumonia, and multiple metastases in lung and adrenal gland. Bronchoscopy showed polypoid masses obstructing right main bronchus and bronchus intermedius. Histopathology revealed a mixture of glandular structure lined with mucussecreting cells and nests of squamoid cells with nuclear atypia and pleomorphism, which is compatible with high-grade MEC. We intensively treated the patient with combination antibiotics and ventilator care. However, the patient did not respond to the treatment and rapidly deteriorated, and finally expired a month after diagnosis.
Adrenal Glands ; Aged ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Bronchi ; Bronchoscopy ; Carcinoma, Mucoepidermoid* ; Cough ; Diagnosis ; Humans ; Lung ; Lung Neoplasms ; Lymphatic Diseases ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Pneumonia ; Sputum ; Thorax ; Ventilators, Mechanical

Coronary artery injury after thoracic injury is very rare, but can result in serious acute myocardial infarction (MI). It can be easily mistaken for chest wall pain or cardiac contusion if relying solely on a history and physical examination. We herein report a rare case of a 60-year-old female patient who presented with inferior wall ST-segment elevation MI due to right coronary artery dissection following blunt chest trauma after a traffic accident. Successful primary percutaneous coronary intervention was performed without complications.
Accidents, Traffic ; Contusions ; Coronary Vessels ; Female ; Humans ; Myocardial Infarction ; Percutaneous Coronary Intervention ; Physical Examination ; Thoracic Injuries ; Thoracic Wall ; Thorax

OBJECTIVES: This study was performed to investigate the factors predicting recidivism within 6 months after release in arrested juvenile delinquents for proper screening and intervention of high-risk subjects. METHODS: The subjects consisted of 125 arrested male adolescents who were released after legal procedure in prosecutor office and court. The socio-demographic and crime-related characteristics were evaluated by police records, and the familial, psychopathology and personality characteristics, and the level of moral development measured by the Conflict Tactics Scale(CTS), Family Environment Scale(FES), Parental Behavioral Inventory, Symptom Checklist-90-Revised(SCL-90-R), Beck Depression Inventory, Beck Anxiety Inventory, Korean form of Moral Developmental Inventory for adolescents, and Personality Disorder Questionnaire-Revised(PDQ-R). RESULTS: The recidivism rate within 6 months after release was 44% of the initial sample. Recidivists were younger and had higher scores on Anger-hostility scale of SCL-90-R and lower principle morality score than nonrecidivists. More recidivists had history of physical abuse and antisocial personality disorder on PDQ-R than nonrecidivists. They also showed the crimerelated characteristics of lower percent of violence crime, higher incidence of previous conviction, younger age of the first crime. Among those variables, logistic regression showed that age of first crime, antisocial personality disorder, and history of physical abuse best predicted the recidivism within 6months after release. CONCLUSION: These results of present study suggest that the recidivism rate of arrested male adolescents is very high, and the age of first crime, antisocial personality disorder and history of physical abuse were key factors predicting recidivism. To prevent repeated crime of delinquent adolescents, the development of programs for those high-risk groups to help rehabilitation and adaptation in community would be essential.
Adolescent* ; Antisocial Personality Disorder ; Anxiety ; Crime ; Depression ; Humans ; Incidence ; Logistic Models ; Mass Screening ; Moral Development ; Morals ; Parents ; Personality Disorders ; Police ; Psychopathology ; Rehabilitation ; Violence

BACKGROUND: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease is the most common form of chronic liver disease in industrialized countries. Recent studies have highlighted the association between peroxisomal dysfunction and hepatic steatosis. Peroxisomes are intracellular organelles that contribute to several crucial metabolic processes, such as facilitation of mitochondrial fatty acid oxidation (FAO) and removal of reactive oxygen species through catalase or plasmalogen synthesis. Statins are known to prevent hepatic steatosis and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), but underlying mechanisms of this prevention are largely unknown. METHODS: Seven-week-old C57BL/6J mice were given normal chow or a methionine- and choline-deficient diet (MCDD) with or without various statins, fluvastatin, pravastatin, simvastatin, atorvastatin, and rosuvastatin (15 mg/kg/day), for 6 weeks. Histological lesions were analyzed by grading and staging systems of NASH. We also measured mitochondrial and peroxisomal FAO in the liver. RESULTS: Statin treatment prevented the development of MCDD-induced NASH. Both steatosis and inflammation or fibrosis grades were significantly improved by statins compared with MCDD-fed mice. Gene expression levels of peroxisomal proliferator-activated receptor α (PPARα) were decreased by MCDD and recovered by statin treatment. MCDD-induced suppression of mitochondrial and peroxisomal FAO was restored by statins. Each statin's effect on increasing FAO and improving NASH was independent on its effect of decreasing cholesterol levels. CONCLUSION: Statins prevented NASH and increased mitochondrial and peroxisomal FAO via induction of PPARα. The ability to increase hepatic FAO is likely the major determinant of NASH prevention by statins. Improvement of peroxisomal function by statins may contribute to the prevention of NASH.
Animals ; Atorvastatin Calcium ; Catalase ; Cholesterol ; Developed Countries ; Diet ; Fatty Liver* ; Fibrosis ; Gene Expression ; Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors* ; Inflammation ; Liver Diseases ; Liver* ; Metabolism ; Mice* ; Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease ; Organelles ; Peroxisomes ; Pravastatin ; Reactive Oxygen Species ; Rosuvastatin Calcium ; Simvastatin

Immunoglobulin G4 (IgG4)-related disease is a newly recognized condition characterized by fibroinflammatory lesions with dense lymphoplasmacytic infiltration, storiform-type fibrosis and obliterative phlebitis. The pathogenesis is not fully understood but multiple immune-mediated mechanisms are believed to contribute. This rare disease can involve various organs and pleural involvement is even rarer. We report a case of IgG4-related disease involving pleura. A 66-year-old man presented with cough and sputum production for a week. Chest radiography revealed consolidation and a pleural mass at right hemithorax. Treatment with antibiotics resolved the consolidation and respiratory symptoms disappeared, but the pleural mass was unchanged. Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery was performed. Histopathology revealed dense lymphoplasmacytic infiltration and storiform fibrosis with numerous IgG4-bearing plasma cells. The serum IgG4 level was also elevated. Further examination ruled out the involvement of any other organ. The patient was discharged without further treatment and there is no evidence of recurrence to date.
Aged ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Autoimmune Diseases ; Cough ; Fibrosis ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin G ; Immunoglobulins* ; Phlebitis ; Plasma Cells ; Pleura ; Pleural Neoplasms ; Radiography ; Rare Diseases ; Recurrence ; Sputum ; Thoracic Surgery, Video-Assisted ; Thorax

BACKGROUND: Accumulating evidence has suggested that nitric oxide (NO) is involved in the regulation of insulin sensitivity in skeletal muscle. Recent studies also suggested NO as an important molecule regulating mitochondrial biogenesis. This study examined the effect of the NO donor, 3-morpholinosydnonimine (SIN-1), on glucose metabolism in skeletal muscle and tested the hypothesis that NO's effect on glucose metabolism is mediated by its effect on mitochondrial function. METHODS: In Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats treated with SIN-1 for 4 weeks, insulin sensitivity was measured by a glucose clamp study. Triglyceride content and fatty acid oxidation were measured in the skeletal muscle. In addition, mitochondrial DNA content and mRNA expression of mitochondrial biogenesis markers were assessed by real-time polymerase chain reaction and expression of insulin receptor substrate (IRS)-1 and Akt were examined by Western blot analysis in skeletal muscle. In C2C12 cells, insulin sensitivity was measured by 2-deoxyglucose uptake and Western blot analysis was used to examine the expression of IRS-1 and Akt. RESULTS: SIN-1 improved insulin sensitivity in C2C12 cells and skeletal muscles of SD rats. In addition, SIN-1 decreased triglyceride content and increased fatty acid oxidation in skeletal muscle. Mitochondrial DNA contents and biogenesis in the skeletal muscle were increased by SIN-1 treatment. Moreover, SIN-1 increased the expression of phosphor-IRS-1 and phosphor-Akt in the skeletal muscle and muscle cells. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that NO mediates glucose uptake in skeletal muscle both in vitro and in vivo by improving mitochondrial function and stimulating insulin signaling pathways.
Animals ; Organelle Biogenesis ; Blotting, Western ; Deoxyglucose ; DNA, Mitochondrial ; Glucose ; Glucose Clamp Technique ; Humans ; Insulin ; Insulin Resistance ; Mitochondria ; Muscle Cells ; Muscle, Skeletal ; Muscles ; Nitric Oxide ; Rats ; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Receptor, Insulin ; RNA, Messenger ; Signal Transduction ; Tissue Donors

OBJECTIVE: Neurodegeneration with brain iron accumulation (NBIA) represents a group of inherited movement disorders characterized by iron accumulation in the basal ganglia. Recent advances have included the identification of new causative genes and highlighted the wide phenotypic variation between and within the specific NBIA subtypes. This study aimed to investigate the current status of NBIA in Korea. METHODS: We collected genetically confirmed NBIA patients from twelve nationwide referral hospitals and from a review of the literature. We conducted a study to describe the phenotypic and genotypic characteristics of Korean adults with atypical pantothenate kinase-associated neurodegeneration (PKAN). RESULTS: Four subtypes of NBIA including PKAN (n = 30), PLA2G6-related neurodegeneration (n = 2), beta-propeller protein-associated neurodegeneration (n = 1), and aceruloplasminemia (n = 1) have been identified in the Korean population. The clinical features of fifteen adults with atypical PKAN included early focal limb dystonia, parkinsonism-predominant feature, oromandibular dystonia, and isolated freezing of gait (FOG). Patients with a higher age of onset tended to present with parkinsonism and FOG. The p.R440P and p.D378G mutations are two major mutations that represent approximately 50% of the mutated alleles. Although there were no specific genotype-phenotype correlations, most patients carrying the p.D378G mutation had a late-onset, atypical form of PKAN. CONCLUSIONS: We found considerable phenotypic heterogeneity in Korean adults with atypical PKAN. The age of onset may influence the presentation of extrapyramidal symptoms.
Adult ; Age of Onset ; Alleles ; Basal Ganglia ; Brain ; Dystonia ; Freezing ; Gait ; Gene Frequency ; Genetic Association Studies ; Humans ; Iron ; Korea ; Movement Disorders ; Neurodegenerative Diseases ; Pantothenate Kinase-Associated Neurodegeneration* ; Parkinsonian Disorders ; Phenotype ; Population Characteristics* ; Referral and Consultation ; Weather

Background: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)-infected pneumonia emerged in Wuhan, China in December 2019. In this retrospective multicenter study, we investigated the clinical course and outcomes of novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) from early cases in Republic of Korea. Methods: All of the cases confirmed by real time polymerase chain reaction were enrolled from the 1st to the 28th patient nationwide. Clinical data were collected and analyzed for changes in clinical severity including laboratory, radiological, and virologic dynamics during the progression of illness. Results: The median age was 40 years (range, 20–73 years) and 15 (53.6%) patients were male. The most common symptoms were cough (28.6%) and sore throat (28.6%), followed by fever (25.0%). Diarrhea was not common (10.7%). Two patients had no symptoms. Initial chest X-ray (CXR) showed infiltration in 46.4% of the patients, but computed tomography scan confirmed pneumonia in 88.9% (16/18) of the patients. Six patients (21.4%) required supplemental oxygen therapy, but no one needed mechanical ventilation. Lymphopenia was more common in severe cases. Higher level of C-reactive protein and worsening of chest radiographic score was observed during the 5–7 day period after symptom onset. Viral shedding was high from day 1 of illness, especially from the upper respiratory tract (URT). Conclusion The prodromal symptoms of COVID-19 were mild and most patients did not have limitations of daily activity. Viral shedding from URT was high from the prodromal phase. Radiological pneumonia was common from the early days of illness, but it was frequently not evident in simple CXR. These findings could be plausible explanations for the easy and rapid spread of SARS-CoV-2 in the community.