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.

Measurements of serum C3 levels by the single radial immunodiffusion method using Helena plates were done in 41 patients with acute poststreptococcal glomerulonephritis and in 25 healthy children. In 28 patients the sequential determination were done until returning the level above normal range. The mean value of serum C3 concentration in this group as a who1e was lower than in the control group and the difference was statistically significant (p < 0.001). The initial reduction of serum C3 concentration did not correlate with the severity of the acute phase of the disease. In those children with acute poststreptococcal glomerulonephritis, serum C3 concentration returned to normal within six weeks.
Adolescent ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Complement 3/analysis* ; Complement 3/deficiency ; Female ; Glomerulonephritis/etiology ; Glomerulonephritis/immunology* ; Human ; Male ; Streptococcal Infections/complications ; Streptococcal Infections/immunology*

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

Blood samples from mothers during labor and after delivery were tested for the occurrence of fetomaternal transfusing using Nierhaus acid elution technique. Fetomaternal transfusion had occured 1/2 of the mothers after delivery, 2/3 of the mothers during labor. The fetomateonal transfusions after delivery were most often less than 4.0?? and only few percent had fetomaternal transfusions more than 4.0??. Complicated pregnancy, duration of labor, induction of labor with oxytocics did not increased the incide- nce of fetomaternal transfusion. Manual removal of placenta increased the incidence of fetomaternal transfusion.
Female ; Fetomaternal Transfusion* ; Humans ; Incidence ; Korea* ; Mothers ; Oxytocics ; Placenta ; Pregnancy

Pleomorphic adenomas are the most common neoplasms of the salivary glands. A long-lasting pleomorphic adenoma can develop into a malignant tumor. Malignant mixed tumor of the salivary gland includes carcinoma ex pleomorphic adenoma, carcinosarcoma, and metastasizing pleomorphic adenoma. The metastasizing pleomorphic adenoma is to be distinct from the true malignant mixed tumor, because it remains histologically benign and can metastasize. We report the case of a 64-year-old female with a long-standing goose egg-sized neck mass and multiple small firm nodules on the trunk and extremities, which showed histological features metastasizing pleomorphic adenoma of the salivary gland.
Adenoma, Pleomorphic ; Carcinosarcoma ; Extremities ; Female ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Mixed Tumor, Malignant ; Neck ; Neoplasm Metastasis* ; Salivary Glands ; Submandibular Gland*