Thyrotoxicosis (thyroid crisis) is a known cause of sudden death; however, only a few cases of death resulting from thyrotoxicosis have been reported. Histopathologic examination and postmortem thyroid function tests may be helpful in postmortem diagnosis, but their usefulness seems to be limited. We report three autopsy cases associated with thyrotoxicosis.
Autopsy ; Death, Sudden ; Thyroid Crisis ; Thyroid Function Tests ; Thyrotoxicosis

Due to an author error the National Research Foundation of Korea Grant Number was incorrectly listed in the original online publication of this article.

Pseudoaneurysm is uncommon but a life threatening complication of chronic pancreatitis. Angiography has been the standard definitive imaging modality in the diagnosis of pseudoaneurysm. However, over the past 5 years duplux US and Dynamic CT have been proven to be valuable. The authors report a case of gastroduodenal pseudoaneurysm in chronic pancreatitis, which could be diagnosed by duplux US and Dynamic CT. Furthermore this case proved to be a pseudocyst which converted into a pseudoaneurysm by vessel rupture.
Aneurysm, False* ; Angiography ; Arteries* ; Diagnosis* ; Pancreatitis, Chronic* ; Rupture

PURPOSE:Chronic autoimmune thyroiditis is the most common thyroid disease in children and adolescents, and also is the most common cause of hypothyroidism in children and adolescents. We studied the clinical manifestations and natural courses of chronic autoimmune thyroiditis in children and adolescents. METHODS:We analyzed retrospectively twenty one children and adolescents who were diagnosed as chronic autoimmune thyroiditis before 15 years of age. The diagnoses were made from July 1997 to February 2004 at Ajou Univesity Hospital. We reviewed the clinical manifestations and thyroid functions of these patients. RESULTS:Nineteen patients were female and two were male. The mean age at diagnosis was 9.95+/-3.1 years, the mean duration of follow up was 23.52+/-22.98 months. At diagnosis, the most common chief complaint was goiter (15 patients/21 patients) and the others were short stature, easy fatigue, cardiac murmur and weight loss. Eighteen patients had goiters at diagnosis. Four had familial history of thyroid disease, Three of them had maternal history of thyroid disease and one had paternal history of thyroid disease. At diagnosis, Seven patients were euthyroid and four patients were hyperthyroid, eighteen patients had antithyroglobulin antibody, seventeen patients had antimicrosomal antibody, fourteen patients had both of them. At last follow-up, eight patients were euthyroid and ten patients were hypothyroid, three patients were hyperthyroid. CONCLUSION: Chronic autoimmune thyroiditis in children and adolescents can have the various important influences on the metabolism including the growth. The clinical manifestations and thyroid functions should be monitored in children and adolescents with chronic autoimmune thyroiditis.
Adolescent* ; Child* ; Diagnosis ; Fatigue ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Goiter ; Heart Murmurs ; Humans ; Hypothyroidism ; Male ; Metabolism ; Retrospective Studies ; Thyroid Diseases ; Thyroid Gland ; Thyroiditis, Autoimmune* ; Weight Loss

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to identify the level of distress and quality of life (QoL) in esophageal cancer patients, and to identify the factors influencing QoL METHODS: A sample of 103 patients who have esophageal cancer were included in a descriptive study. The instruments used were the Distress Thermometer and Problem List, and the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-General (FACT-G) version 4. RESULTS: The mean distress score of the subjects was 4.06±2.04 out of 10. The total mean score of quality of life was 66.39±12.86 out of 108, the highest category was physical well-being with a mean item score of 21.78±5.51, the lowest was emotional well-being with a mean item score of 14.69±3.68. The levels of distress and QoL were negatively correlated (r=−.61, p<.001). Stepwise regression analysis revealed that the QoL of the patients was explained by type of treatment and distress. These variables explained 35% of the variance in QoL. CONCLUSION: The QoL of patients with esophageal cancer was relatively low, and the type of treatment and distress was the most important factor affecting quality of life. Thus, to improve the QoL of patients with esophageal cancer, it is important to assess their distress and to provide appropriate interventions.
Esophageal Neoplasms* ; Humans ; Quality of Life* ; Thermometers

A patient with amebic colitis in which the rare complication of ameboma developed accompanying liver abscess is presented. The diagnosis was made by colonic mucosal biopsy and microscopic stool examination which revealed hematophagous trophzoites of Entamoeba histolytica. All rnanifestations of this patient's illness, including liver abscess, completley reverted to normal after appropriate therapy.
Amebiasis* ; Biopsy ; Colon ; Diagnosis ; Dysentery, Amebic* ; Entamoeba histolytica ; Humans ; Liver Abscess* ; Liver*

No abstract available.
Neurofibromatoses* ; Pseudarthrosis* ; Ulna*

PURPOSE: This prospective pilot study is a part of the Korean NIH's effort to characterize con- genital anomalies and genetic disorders in Korea and to establish a National Genetic Database. METHODS: This population-based study was conducted at all hospitals that deliver in the province of Suwon; a total of 39 hospitals from May 1, 1997 to April 30, 1999 for a two-year period. All outcome of pregnancies, including liveborn, stillborn, and TOP over 20wks gestation were subjects of this study for the presence of major congenital anomalies. Delivery records of each hospital and pediatric records of one tertiary hospital were collected and analyzed. RESULTS: The total number of pregnancy was 30,319 yielding 30,653 deliveries, including 269 still-born and 27 TOPs. The overall incidence of congenital anomalies was 1.2Yo(366 cases among 30,653 deliveries) with 0.5Yo from primary hospital, 1.4Yo of general hospital deliveries and 4.5Yo of tertiary hospital deliveries. The incidences of selective major congenital anomalies per 1,000 deliveries were 0.82 for Down syndrome, 1.79 for cleft lip with or without cleft palate, and 0.39 for open neural tube defect. CONCLUSION: This pilot study represented the first community-based population data on congenital anomalies in Korea, differing from previous studies based on selective population of relative high-risk population from tertiary hospital delivery. Search for congenital anomalies among cohort by reviewing pediatric records yielded 38Yo of total anomalies, indicating the importance of combining both delivery and pediatrics records in generating accurate data for the incidence of congenital anomalies. (J Korean Pediatr Soc 2000;43:738-745)
Cleft Lip ; Cleft Palate ; Cohort Studies ; Congenital Abnormalities* ; Databases, Genetic ; Down Syndrome ; Epidemiologic Studies* ; Gyeonggi-do ; Hospitals, General ; Incidence ; Korea ; Neural Tube Defects ; Parturition* ; Pediatrics ; Pilot Projects* ; Pregnancy ; Prospective Studies* ; Tertiary Care Centers

Heterotopic pregnancy is the coexistency of intrauterine and extrauterine pregnancy. The incidence of heterotopic pregnancy is about 1 to 30,000 pregnancy in a natural cycle. However, the frequency of heterotopic pregnancy has steadily increased because of rising incidence of pelvic inflammatory disease, pelvic surgery and the development of ovulation induction and assisted reproduction. Because heterotopic pregnancy is difficult to diagnose and it has high morbidity and mortality rate, one should always take this into consideration and should conduct careful and thorough gynecologic evaluation. We have experienced a case of heterotopic pregnancy in a 29-year old woman who presented with acute abdominal pain in a natural cycle and report this case with a brief review of literature.
Abdominal Pain ; Adult ; Female ; Humans ; Incidence ; Mortality ; Ovulation Induction ; Pelvic Inflammatory Disease ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy, Heterotopic* ; Reproduction

No abstract available.
Female ; Hydatidiform Mole* ; Pregnancy