Despite significant advances in obstetric and pediatric health care, Streptococcus agalactiae(Lancefield group B β-hemolytic Streptococcus, GBS) remains one 91 the most prevalent and devastating pathogens in peripartum women and their newborn infants. It may cause urinary tract infection, chorioamnionitis and endometritis, bacteremia, and cesarean wound infection in the peripartum period. It was Pasteur who first identified microbes in the blood and lorchia of septic women. After that, in 1938 the isolation of S. agalactiae from three mortally ill women was reported, thereby implicating it as another cause of puerperal sepsis. S. agalactiae is now one of the most common causes of neonatal sepsis and meningitis in the United States. However, in Korea there have been only twenty-three cases of neonatal meningitis and/or sepsis due to group B β-hemolytic streptococcus reported. Recent studies have noted other serious infections in adults, including bacteremia, pneumonia, cellulitis, osteomyelitis, meningitis, and endocarditis. In Korean adults no case of pneumonia due to S. agalactiae has been reported till now. As minimal inhibitory concentration of penicillin was reported to be higher for S. agalactiae than for S. pyogenes, minimal inhibitory concentration of penicillin for S. agalactiae should be tested. Herein we describe the course of a case of S. agalactiae pneumonia and bacteremia in a 74-year-old diabetic man, and we review the literatures.
Adult* ; Aged ; Bacteremia ; Cellulitis ; Chorioamnionitis ; Delivery of Health Care ; Endocarditis ; Endometritis ; Female ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Korea ; Meningitis ; Osteomyelitis ; Penicillins ; Peripartum Period ; Pneumonia* ; Pregnancy ; Sepsis ; Streptococcus agalactiae* ; Streptococcus* ; United States ; Urinary Tract Infections ; Wound Infection

No abstract available.
Busan* ; Eclampsia* ; Female ; Pregnancy ; Singing*

PURPOSE: This study was a descriptive survey research to identify the impact of bowel function, anxiety and depression on quality of life in patients with rectal cancer who had a sphincter-preserving resection. METHODS: articipants were 100 patients who had rectal cancer surgery at W hospital in Korea. Bowel function, anxiety & depression, and quality of life were measured using the BFI (Bowel Function Instrument), HADS (Hospital Anxiety-Depression Scale) and the FACT-C (Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Colorectal). RESULTS: The mean scores were 39.81+/-5.16 for bowel function, 6.15+/-3.25 for anxiety, 7.24+/-3.13 for depression, and 72.50+/-13.27 for quality of life. There were significant negative correlations between quality of life and anxiety (r= -.59, p <.001) and between quality of life and depression (r= -.53, p <.001). But the correlation between quality of life and bowel function was significantly positive (r=.22, p =.025). The influence of the independent variables on the total quality of life was examined using multiple regression analysis. Anxiety (beta= -.38, p =.002), bowel function (beta= -.25, p =.028) and occupation (beta=.16, p =.048) were identified as factors affecting quality of life. The explanation power of this regression model was 44% and it was statistically significant (F=16.53, p <.001). CONCLUSION: The results of this study indicate that in order to improve the bowel function of patients after sphincter-preserving resection for rectal cancer, effective nursing interventions should be developed. As psychological problem such as anxiety and depression can relate to quality of life for these patients, nurses should work on improving the situation by providing continuous emotional nursing.
Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; *Anxiety ; Depression/*etiology ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; *Quality of Life ; Rectal Neoplasms/*psychology/surgery

We successfully closed the isolated patent ductusarteriosus(PDA) in 2 female patients using the Rashkind Double-Disc Occlusion system. nonsurgical closure of PDA usin plug was introduced by Porstmann in 1968 through transfemoral artery catheter and using umbrella by Rashkind in 1977 througth venous site. There has been continued improvement and simplification of the equipment as well as in the implantation technique. Nowaday, a multicenter study was conducted to test the safety and effectiveness of this interventioal method in States. Successful closure rate was high but some problems were reported such as embolization, abnormal deployment and residual shunt. Residual shunt was visualized by aortography in our both cases immediately after intervention but continuous murmur could not be heard in both cases. Oxygen step-up disappeared immediately after occluder implantation in both cases. Complete occlusion was expected with thrombus in near future.
Aortography ; Arteries ; Catheters ; Ductus Arteriosus, Patent* ; Female ; Humans ; Oxygen ; Thrombosis

Myasthenia gravis (MG) and inflammatory myopathy are both rare autoimmune disorders that present with signs of muscle weakness and can sometimes be accompanied by other connective-tissue diseases such as Sjogren's syndrome. However, the simultaneous occurrence of MG and inflammatory myopathy is very rare. We describe the case of a 68-year-old woman with MG occurring simultaneously with inflammatory myopathy in Sjogren's syndrome.
Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Muscle Weakness ; Myasthenia Gravis* ; Myositis* ; Sjogren's Syndrome*

No abstract available.

Acute Poststreptococcal glomerulonephritis is generally stated to be the most common cause of acute nephritis in childhood. The activity of serum complement has been studied in various diseases in an attempt to accumulate evidence of antigen-antibody reaction. In acute poststreptococcal glomerulonephritis, several investigators have reported a decrease in serum complement early in the course of disease. This paper reports on observation of serum C3 levels in 41 cases of poststreptococcal glomerulonephritis which were collected from department of pediatrics, Yonsei University Medical College, from Aug 1978 to March 1979 The results were as follows : 1. The mean value of serum C3 concetration in this group as a whole was lower than in the control group and the difference was statistically significant(p<0.001) 2. The initial reduction of serum C3 concentration did not correlate with the severity of the acute phase of the disease. 3. In those children with acute poststreptococcal glomerulonephritis, Serum C3 concentration returned to normal within 6 weeks.
Antigen-Antibody Reactions ; Child ; Complement System Proteins ; Glomerulonephritis* ; Humans ; Nephritis ; Pediatrics ; Research Personnel

A clinical study was carried out on 575 cases with tuberculous meningitis who were admitted to the department of pediatrics, Yonsei University College of Medicine during the 18 years from January 1959 to December 1976. The following results were obtained. 1.The age incidence was highest in the age of 2 to 5 and 89.1% were under the age of 8 years. Male to female ratio was 1.5:1 2.The seasonal incidence in order of frequency were spring (30.9%), summer (25.9%), autumn(20.8%) and winter (22.4%). 3. 25% out of the 575 cases had the source of infection infamily members. 4. The tuberculous skin test showed positive reaction in 53.5% 5. The common chief complaints in order of frequency were fever, vomiting, convulsion, unconsciousness and headache. 6. At the time of admission, 80% of 575 cases were diagnosed as meningitis. 7. The major neurologic findings were unconsciousness (34.7%) neck stiffness (86.2%) and positive Kernings sign(62.7%) 8. Chest X-Ray showed normal in 11.6% an miliary tuberculous in 13.7% 9. According to the findings of C.S.F., increased pressure, high protein and low sugar level were associated with poor prognosis. But there were no significant differences on mortality in relation with cell count and chloride level. 10.Mortality rate was 17.5%. Highest mortality was noted in young infants.
Cell Count ; Female ; Fever ; Headache ; Humans ; Incidence ; Infant ; Male ; Meningitis ; Mortality ; Neck ; Neurologic Manifestations ; Pediatrics ; Prognosis ; Seasons ; Seizures ; Skin Tests ; Thorax ; Tuberculosis, Meningeal* ; Unconsciousness ; Vomiting

PURPOSE: To evaluate the value and the radiologic findings of CT discography in the diagnosis of the far lateral disk herniation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed 7 cases of surgically proven far lateral lumbar disc herniation. CT discography was performed for all cases. Four cases underwent conventional CT and three cases MRI as a primary diagnostic imaging method. Far lateral diac herniation was divided into 3 groups by location;Intraforaminal herniation, extraforaminal herniation, and mixed type. We analyzed the findings of CT discography including location and extent of far lateral disc herniation. RESULTS: In all 7 cases, CT discography clearly demonstrated the filling of contrast media in laterally-protruded disc material. Intraforaminal and extraforminal types were seen in 2 cases each, and mixed type in 3 cases. Subligamentous herniated nucleus pulposus was present in 6 cases and extruded disc in 1 case. Far lateral disc herniation was located at L4-5 in 5 cases and L5-S1 in 2 cases. CONCLUSION: CT discography can help establishing accurate preoperative diagnosis for far lateral disc herniation.
Contrast Media ; Diagnosis ; Diagnostic Imaging ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Retrospective Studies

Twenty one infants and children were entered into the study protocol when bacteriologic diagnosis of shigellosis was made by stool culture indenification. Fifteen patients were treated at Inje Hospital in Kangwon Do and six patients were treated at Severance Hospital in Seoul. Susceptibility studies were revealed that ampicillin was resistant in all cases. Gentamicin and Panimycin which are aminoglycosides were quite effective. But their use was limited because of their nephrotoxicity and those antibiotics should be used only by parenteral route. A daily dose of 20microgram per kilogram of body weight of rifampin was given by mouth divided every 6 hrs for 7 days routinely except 2 cases. After that follow up stool culture were performed on 13 patient. The results were negative except one case. There was no untoward reaction of rifampin during therapy except for the red coloring of urine and stool. To prevent developing the resistance of shigella to rifampin, it is necessary to confirm that negative conversion of stool cultures has been achieved. Our experience should encourge the use of rifampin in the treatment of shigellosis.
Aminoglycosides ; Ampicillin ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Body Weight ; Child ; Diagnosis ; Dysentery, Bacillary* ; Follow-Up Studies ; Gangwon-do ; Gentamicins ; Humans ; Infant ; Mouth ; Rifampin* ; Seoul ; Shigella