BACKGROUND: Tacrolimus (Tac) can cause impaired insulin release and dyslipidemia, and may affect the development of post-transplant diabetes mellitus. However, these effects on insulin sensitivity and lipid profile have not been compared in renal transplant recipients receiving traditional twice-daily tacrolimus (TacBID) or cyclosporine and those receiving once-daily prolonged release formulation of tacrolimus (TacOD). METHODS: We conducted an observational prospective study of 15 stable non-diabetic renal transplant recipients to observe the changes in insulin sensitivity and lipid profiles for 1 year at a tertiary hospital. We evaluated the levels of hemoglobin A1c, total cholesterol, high density lipoprotein, low density lipoprotein, triglycerides, apolipoprotein A1, apolipoprotein B, serum creatinine, fasting plasma glucose, fasting insulin, homeostatic model assessment of β-cell (HOMA-β) and HOMA-insulin resistance index at baseline and at 2 and 4 months. To analyze differences in parameters, we conducted a Wilcoxon rank sum test and general linear model (GLM)-repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) in both groups (cyclosporine to TacOD conversion group/TacBID to TacOD conversion group). RESULTS: At baseline, parameters did not differ between groups. GLM-repeated measures ANOVA revealed no change in insulin sensitivity or lipid profile after conversion at baseline or at 2 and 4 months. There were no complications after conversion from standard TacBID or cyclosporine to TacOD. CONCLUSIONS: There was no change in insulin sensitivity or lipid profile in renal transplant recipients. Any conversion from TacBID to TacOD should be performed in a controlled manner under close surveillance.
Apolipoprotein A-I ; Apolipoproteins ; Blood Glucose ; Cholesterol ; Creatinine ; Cyclosporine* ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Dyslipidemias ; Fasting ; Insulin Resistance* ; Insulin* ; Kidney Transplantation ; Linear Models ; Lipoproteins ; Prospective Studies ; Tacrolimus* ; Tertiary Care Centers ; Transplant Recipients* ; Triglycerides

Increased or decreased pulmonary blood flow (PBF) and an increased pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR), represent common and important change in pulmonary hemodynamics. In this study, we constructed 3 hemodynamic models in 5 dogs, that is, an increased and a decreased PBF model, and an increased PVR model. A CT perfusion scan was performed in each hemodynamic model. Perfusion parameters including blood flow (BF), blood volume (BV), mean transit time (MTT), and maximal slope (MS) were calculated automatically by specialized software and analyzed for changes according to hemodynamic status. In terms of the normal state, blood flow was affected by gravity and dependent area showed higher BF and BV and lower MS and MTT than the non-dependent area. The decreased PBF model showed a significant increase in BF and MS (p=0.046, 0.005) but no significant change in BV (p > 0.05), and a slight elongation of MTT (p > 0.05) versus the normal state. The increased PBF model showed a slightly increased BV and a slightly decreased MTT (p > 0.05). The increased PVR model showed significant reduction in BF, BV, and MS (p < 0.000, 0.007, 0.000) and a slight increase in MTT, but without statistical significance (p > 0.05). However, it was noticeable that the distribution of MTT with respect to gravity in the normal lung was completely reversed in the increased PVR model. In conclusion, based on our understanding of perfusion characteristic in normal state, abnormal regional hemodynamic changes in the lung can be detected and evaluated. Predicting changes in pulmonary vascular resistance should be possible by a thorough analysis of CT perfusion parameters.
Animals ; Dogs ; *Hemodynamic Phenomena ; *Pulmonary Circulation ; *Radiography, Thoracic ; *Tomography, X-Ray Computed

Itraconazole, new triazole agent with a broader antifungal spectrum than fluconazole, has been prescribed widely in the treatment and prophylaxis for fungal infection. Itaconazole has been reported to have gastrointestinal disturbance (4%) and headache (1%) as its most common side-effects. However, allergic reactions caused by this drug are rare. A 53-year-old woman with myelodysplastic syndrome received prophylactic antibiotic therapy including itraconazole solution before chemotherapy. She complained of hive on the face with angioedema at 6 hours after taking them. The symptoms were more aggravated on the next day and reversed by stopping itraconazole solution and injection of antihistamine and steroids. Skin prick tests with itraconazole solution, itraconazole tablet, and ketoconazole showed all the negative responses. The oral challenge test with itraconazole solution was performed and resulted in urticaria and angioedema 6 hours later. Next, the oral challenge test with intraconazole tablet was performed and showed negative response. The patient was finally diagnosed as adverse reaction by additives contained intraconazole solution. We report, a case of delayed onset urticaria and angioedema caused by components of itraconazole solution.
Angioedema* ; Drug Therapy ; Female ; Fluconazole ; Headache ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity ; Hypersensitivity, Delayed ; Itraconazole* ; Ketoconazole ; Middle Aged ; Myelodysplastic Syndromes ; Skin ; Steroids ; Urticaria*

OBJECTIVES: There is still no consensus on the optimal treatment for primary gastrointestinal lymphoma (PGIL). The aim of this study was to compare surgery combined with chemotherapy and chemotherapy alone in PGIL. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed and analyzed the treatment outcomes of 107 patients with primary gastrointestinal lymphoma diagnosed between March 1999 and December 2009 at Kosin University Gospel Hospital. Patients were divided into two groups: 35 patients who underwent surgery combined with chemotherapy (group A) and 72 patients who were treated with chemotherapy alone (group B). And we analyzed prognostic factors associated with short survival. RESULTS: The 5-year progression free survival rates (PFS) of group A and B were 86.7% and 66.1%, respectively (P = 0.037), while the 5-year overall survival rates (OS) were 86.8% and 68.4%, respectively (P = 0.129). In multivariate analysis, Both PFS and OS were not changed by treatment strategies (surgery combined with chemotherapy or chemotherapy only). The international prognostic index (IPI) was the only independent predictive factor for PFS. CONCLUSIONS: In our study, surgery combined with chemotherapy and chemotherapy only make no difference of survival rate. And further randomized prospective studies are needed to confirm a treatment strategies at improving survival outcomes in PGIL patients.
Consensus ; Disease-Free Survival ; Drug Therapy* ; Humans ; Lymphoma* ; Multivariate Analysis ; Retrospective Studies ; Survival Rate

Cardiac involvement in hypereosinophilia is rare; when present, it manifests as ventricular thickening, usually with fibrous tissue and mural thrombosis. We present a case of a 57-year-old man with an abnormal right ventricular apex with eosinophilia, which was caused by Toxocara canis infection.
Echocardiography ; Eosinophilia ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Thrombosis ; Toxocara canis ; Toxocariasis*

IgA nephropathy is usually localized to the kidney, however, it can accompany systemic disease, including gastrointestinal disease, skin disease, connective tissue disease, and malignant tumor. In some patients with IgA nephropathy which manifested as an extraintestinal symptom of Crohn's disease, recovery of renal function was achieved following treatment of Crohn's disease. The pathophysiology of each disease remains unclear. According to some studies, however, immunological, genetic, and environmental factors may be involved in a complex manner. In patients receiving renal replacement therapy for treatment of renal dysfunction due to IgA nephropathy, occurrence of Crohn's disease as an extrarenal symptom has not been reported. We experienced a case of Crohn's disease which developed in a patient receiving hemodialysis for treatment of end-stage renal disease due to IgA nephropathy.
Connective Tissue Diseases ; Crohn Disease ; Gastrointestinal Diseases ; Glomerulonephritis, IGA ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin A ; Kidney ; Kidney Failure, Chronic ; Renal Dialysis ; Renal Replacement Therapy ; Skin Diseases

PURPOSE: Positron Emission Tomography (PET) is an imaging method that can diagnose diseases by detecting physiologic and biochemical changes of the body. In this study, we attempted to evaluate the value of PET in the postoperative follow-up of breast cancer. METHODS: From September, 1994 to December, 2001, postoperative PET was performed 67 times at Samsung Medical Center on 66 patients who underwent curative operation for breast cancer. Clinical outcomes were confirmed by clinicoradiologic courses, fine needle aspiration cytology, biopsy and operation. We reviewed the medical records and PET reports of these patients. RESULTS: The time interval between operation and PET ranged from 1 to 88 months with a median of 26.5 months. The PET results were abnormal physical examination (23 cases, 34.3%), equivocal result of bone scan (22 cases, 2.8%), other radiologic abnormalities (9 cases, 13.4%), abnormal laboratory findings (4 cases, 6.0%), and symptoms of patients (4 cases, 6.0%). Among the 67 PET studies, 48 were confirmed as having metastasis or recurrence, while 19 did not have metastasis or recurrence. Forty-five of the studies produced true positive results, 16 true negative, 3 false positive and 3 false negative. Therefore, in the detection of postoperative metastasis or recurrence of breast cancer the parameters for the use of PET were 93.8% sensitivity, 84.3% specificity, 93.8% positive predictive value, 84.3% negative predictive value and 91.0% accuracy. On the basis of the lesion site, the accuracy of PET in the detection of bone (98.5%), lung (100%) and liver (98.5%) metastases was superior to that of local recurrence (85.1%) or lymph node metastasis (86.6%). CONCLUSION: PET may be diagnostically helpful in a select subgroup of patients for whom findings remain inconclusive after performning conventional postoperative follow-up methods for breast cancer, especially in the detection of bone, lung and liver metastases.
Biopsy ; Biopsy, Fine-Needle ; Breast Neoplasms* ; Breast* ; Electrons* ; Follow-Up Studies* ; Humans ; Liver ; Lung ; Lymph Nodes ; Medical Records ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Physical Examination ; Positron-Emission Tomography* ; Recurrence ; Sensitivity and Specificity

Background and Objectives: Little is known about the outcomes of outpatient clinic-based elective external cardioversion (OPC-ECV) for persistent atrial fibrillation (PeAF). We investigated the acute, short-term, and long-term elective external cardioversion (ECV) outcomes. Methods: We included 1,718 patients who underwent OPC-ECV (74% male, 61.1±11.0 years old, 90.9% long-standing PeAF, 9.1% after atrial fibrillation [AF] ablation) after excluding patients with atrial tachycardia or inappropriate antiarrhythmic drug medication, and in-patient ECV. Biphasic shocks were delivered sequentially until successful cardioversion was achieved (70-100-150-200-250 J). If ECV failed at 150 J, we administered intravenous amiodarone 150 mg and delivered 200 J. Results: ECV failed in 11.4%, and the complication rate was 0.47%. Within 3 months, AF recurred in 55.5% (44.7% as sustaining AF, 10.8% as paroxysmal AF), and the AF duration was independently associated (odds ratio [OR], 1.01 [1.00–1.02]; p=0.006), but amiodarone was independently protective (OR, 0.46 [0.27–0.76]; p=0.002, Log rank p<0.001) against an early recurrence. Regarding the long-term recurrence, pre-ECV heart failure was protective against an AF recurrence (hazard ratio, 0.63 [0.41–0.96], p=0.033) over 32 (9–66) months of follow-up. ECV energy (p<0.001) and early recurrence rate within 3 months (p=0.007, Log rank p=0.006) were significantly lower in post-ablation patients than in those with long-standing persistent AF. Conclusions The success rate of OPC-ECV was 88.6%, and the complication rate was low. However, AF recurred in 55.5% within 3 months. Amiodarone was protective against short-term AF recurrences, and long-term AF recurrences were less in patients with baseline heart failure.

We report a rare case of dyspnea caused by a cardiac tumor in a 53-year-old woman. The patient had undergone a cardiac tumor (inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor, 6.2 × 4.2 × 3.3 cm) resection at our institute 13 months earlier. We performed preoperative evaluations which revealed a cardiac tumor originating from the posterior wall of the left atrium. Cardiac autotransplantation surgery (cardiac explantation, ex vivo tumor resection, cardiac reconstruction, and cardiac reimplantation) was successfully performed for the complete resection of the recurrent tumor without major postoperative complications. The patient showed good physical conditions for 21 months after the surgery. Cardiac autotransplantation is a safe and feasible technique for the complete resection of complex left atrial tumors.
Autografts* ; Dyspnea ; Female ; Heart Atria ; Heart Neoplasms ; Heart* ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Myofibroblasts* ; Postoperative Complications ; Transplantation ; Transplantation, Autologous*

Background: Symptom burden is an important factor in determining the treatment of atrial fibrillation (AF). AF is frequently accompanied by heart failure (HF). This study investigated the characteristics of AF symptoms with concomitant HF. Methods: A total of 4885 patients with AF were consecutively enrolled through a prospective observational registry (the Comparison Study of Drugs for Symptom Control and Complication Prevention of Atrial Fibrillation [CODE-AF] registry). Clinically diagnosed HF was divided into three categories (preserved, mid-range, and reduced ejection fraction [EF]). Symptom severity was assessed using the European Heart Rhythm Association (EHRA) classification. Results: The presence of AF-related symptoms was comparable irrespective of concomitant HF. Patients with HF with reduced EF demonstrated severe (EHRA classes 3 and 4) and atypical symptoms. HF with preserved EF was also associated with atypical symptoms. Female sex and AF type were associated with the presence of symptoms in AF without HF, and non-maintenance of sinus rhythm and increased left atrial pressure (E/e′ ≥ 15) were factors related to the presence of symptoms in AF with HF. Conclusion AF with concomitant HF presented with more severe and atypical symptoms than AF without HF. Maintaining the sinus rhythm and reducing the E/e’ ratio are important factors for reducing symptoms in AF with concomitant HF.