The antisynthetase syndrome is characterized by anti-Jo-1 antibody production, interstitial lung disease, inflammatory muscle disease, and, in many cases, fever, polyarthritis, Raynaud's phenomenon, and mechanic's hands. Joint signs and symptoms occur in up to 90% of patients with antisynthetase syndrome, occasionally as the initial manifestations. Although visual inspection of the hands shows changes that are highly suggestive of rheumatoid arthritis, notable differences exist. Antisynthetase syndrome is a predominantly nonerosive arthropathy with subluxations of the distal interphalangeal joints. It manifests as overlap syndrome with other connective tissue diseases. However, overlap syndrome of antisynthetase syndrome and rheumatoid arthritis is rare. We treated a 51-year-old male patient with overlap syndrome of antisynthetase syndrome and rheumatoid arthritis, and report the case with a review of the literature.
Antibodies, Antinuclear ; Antibody Formation ; Arthritis ; Arthritis, Rheumatoid ; Connective Tissue Diseases ; Fever ; Hand ; Humans ; Joints ; Lung Diseases, Interstitial ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Myositis ; Polymyositis

A pseudo-Cushing's state can be defined as some or all of the clinical features of Cushing's syndrome together with some evidence for hypercortisolism. It may be related to depression, alcohol abuse and obesity. Its manifestation may be transient and resolved with abstinence from causing factors. We report a case of a 70-year-old woman with unilateral nonfunctioning adrenal adenoma and geriatric depressive disorder, which diagnosed by Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS). She showed clinical and/or biochemical features of Cushing's syndrome. Low dose and high dose dexamethasone suppression tests were not identical to those in ACTH independent Cushing's syndrome. Few cases of pseudo-Cushing's syndrome were reported previously in Korea but there was no report about pseudo-Cushing's syndrome combined with nonfunctional adrenal adenoma.
Adenoma* ; Adrenal Glands ; Adrenocorticotropic Hormone ; Aged ; Alcoholism ; Cushing Syndrome ; Depression ; Depressive Disorder ; Dexamethasone ; Female ; Humans ; Korea ; Obesity

Dermatomyositis is a rare inflammatory myopathy with characteristic skin manifestations and accompanied by muscular weakness. Vesicle formation in dermatomyositis is rare. We report a case of dermatomyositis associated with ovarian cancer in a 62-year-old woman who had vesicles and bullae on her arms. She had erythema and edema on the face, chest, abdomen, and shoulder for 2 months. Diagnosis of dermatomyositis was established by clinical manifestations, muscle enzyme elevation, and a characteristic electromyogram. She was successfully treated with cyclosporin and high doses of steroids.
Abdomen ; Arm ; Blister ; Cyclosporine ; Dermatomyositis ; Edema ; Erythema ; Female ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Muscle Weakness ; Muscles ; Myositis ; Ovarian Neoplasms ; Shoulder ; Skin Manifestations ; Steroids ; Thorax

Retroperitoneal fibrosis (RPF) is a rare disease with unclear etiology, which is characterized by chronic non-specific inflammation of the retroperitoneum. This study was performed to investigate the clinical characteristics, laboratory findings, radiologic findings, treatment and outcome in Korean patients with RPF. We retrospectively reviewed medical records of 27 RPF patients who were admitted to Yonsei University Medical Center between 1998 and 2009. Twenty-two patients (81%) were male. The mean age at diagnosis was 56 yr. Nine patients had identifiable risk factors of RPF and three patients had combined autoimmune diseases. Acute phase reactants were elevated in most patients. Rheumatoid factor was positive in 3 of 16 patients (19%) and antinuclear antibody in 4 of 17 (24%). Five of 6 patients who were taken positron-emission tomography showed positive uptake. Glucocorticoids were used in 16 patients (59%) and four of them received combination therapy with azathioprine. After immunosuppressive treatment, the levels of acute phase reactants dropped, and the size of mass also decreased in most patients. In conclusion, the clinical characteristics of RPF in Korean patients are similar with other series except for higher proportion of male. Some patients with RPF have autoimmune features. The effect of immunosuppressive treatment on RPF is good.
Acute Disease ; Adult ; Aged ; Antibodies, Antinuclear/immunology/metabolism ; Azathioprine/therapeutic use ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Female ; Glucocorticoids/therapeutic use ; Humans ; Immunosuppressive Agents/therapeutic use ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Positron-Emission Tomography ; Republic of Korea ; Retroperitoneal Fibrosis/*diagnosis/drug therapy/pathology ; Retrospective Studies ; Sex Factors ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

PURPOSE: To evaluate the short-term results of two-staged delayed minimal invasive plate osteosynthesis in high-energy intraarticular fractures of the distal tibia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirteen patients, who underwent two-staged delayed minimal invasive plate osteosynthesis for intraarticular fractures of the distal tibia between January 2002 and July 2004, were followed for more than one year. The mean interval time between first stage and second stage of the procedures was 28.6 days (range, 14~34 days). By Ruedi-Allgower classification, there were two cases in type I, three cases in type II, and eight cases in type III. There were six cases in type B and seven cases in type C patients according to AO/OTA classification. Radiographs were graded by the criteria of Burwell and Charnley and ankle functions were graded by the criteria of Mast and Teipner. Union time and postoperative complications were also analysed. RESULTS: Average union time was 16.9 weeks (range, 14~20 weeks) in twelve of the thirteen fractures, but there was one fracture resulting in soft tissue complication and infected nonunion. At the latest follow-up, review of the radiographic results showed that ten cases of fractures (77%) achieved an anatomic reduction, two cases (15%) achieved fair reduction and one case (8%) achieved a poor reduction. And clinical functional assessment showed that nine cases (69%) were good results, three cases were (23%) fair results and one case (8%) was poor result. CONCLUSION: Two-staged delayed minimal invasive plate osteosynthesis is an excellent option for the treatment of high-energy intraarticular fractures of the distal tibia.
Ankle ; Classification ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Intra-Articular Fractures* ; Postoperative Complications ; Tibia*

Photodynamic therapy is a promising modality for the palliation of advanced upper gastrointestinal cancer and for the eradication of early neoplastic and pre-neoplastic lesions. It is based on the combination of a photosensitizer that is selectively localized in the target tissue and illumination of the lesion with visible light, resulting in photodamage and subsequent cell death. For early esophageal cancer, esophagectomy has been a standard modality of curative intent. However, accumulated data supports the possibility of PDT replacing surgery as a curative modality. We experienced a case of early esophageal cancer that recurred after esophagectomy. The patient was successfully treated with photodynamic therapy using porfimer sodium as a photosensitizer.
Endoscopy, Gastrointestinal ; Esophageal Neoplasms/*drug therapy/pathology/surgery ; *Esophagectomy ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; *Photochemotherapy ; Photosensitizing Agents/administration & dosage/*therapeutic use

PURPOSE: To analyze the long term follow up results of treatment with posterolateral approach and to investigate its usefulness in the patients of trimalleolar fracture with posterior fragment which is above 25% of articular involvement. MATERIALS AND METHODS: There were 34 cases of trimalleolar fracture in our hospital from May 2004 to April 2008. We investigated 20 patients who underwent operation with the posterolateral approach and over-2 years follow up cases. The mean follow up period was 34 (24~58) months. Preoperative posterior malleolar fragment involved above 25% of articular surface in all cases and displaced more than 2 mm in 11 cases. We analyzed the radiologic type of posterior malleolar fragments and evaluated the function and pain through AOFAS score and complications. RESULTS: All cases showed primary union at mean 13.1 weeks. The complications are that partial ankylosis result of soft tissue contracture is seen in 2 cases (10%) and post-traumatic arthritis is seen in 1 cases (5%) and 17 cases (85%) of all patients are showed excellent AOFAS score. CONCLUSION: The posterolateral approach is a valuable method because that it enables us to easily reduction and internal fixation of the posterior malleolus and lateral malleolus at one time and the results are satisfied for a long time follow up.
Ankle Joint ; Ankylosis ; Arthritis ; Contracture ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans

We evaluated the utility and feasibility of customizing Asthma Control Test (ACT) items to generate a Korean Asthma Control Test (KACT) specific for Korean patients. We surveyed 392 asthma patients with 19 items, selected to reflect the Korean sociocultural context. Guideline ratings were integrated with the evaluations of specialists (i.e., using both guide base rating together with specialist's rating), and items with the greatest discriminating validity were identified. Stepwise regression methods were used to select items. KACT scale scores showed significant differences between the asthma control ratings generated by integrating ratings (r=0.77, P<0.001), by specialist's evaluations (r=0.54, P<0.001), or by FEV1 percent predicted (r=0.39, P<0.001). Specialist's and guideline ratings detected 56% and 48.6% of patients with well-controlled asthma, respectively. However, the integrated ratings indicated that only 34.3% of the patients in the test sample were well controlled. The overall agreement between KACT and the integrated rating ranged from 45% to 78%, depending on the cut-off points used. It is possible to formulate a valid, useful country-specific diagnostic tool for the assessment of asthma patients based on the original ACT that reflect differences in sociocultural context.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Asthma/*diagnosis ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Questionnaires ; ROC Curve ; Socioeconomic Factors

Septic arthritis of the sternoclavicular joint is a rare condition. The predisposing risk factors include intravenous drug abuse, subclavian vein catheter placement, diabetes mellitus and trauma. Delayed or inadequate management can lead to irreversible joint damage with subsequent disability, even death. We report a 48-year-old female patient who presented with right sternoclavicular joint swelling and right shoulder pain. Magnetic resonance imaging of the sternum showed swelling of the right sternoclavicular joint with gadolinium enhancement. Synovial fluid and bone tissue culture revealed Escherichia coli (E.coli), and confirmed the diagnosis of sternoclavicular septic arthritis. She was successfully treated with surgical debridement and ciprofloxacin without recurrence. This is the first case report of E.coli sternoclavicular septic arthritis in Korea.
Arthritis, Infectious ; Bone and Bones ; Catheters ; Ciprofloxacin ; Debridement ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Escherichia ; Escherichia coli ; Female ; Gadolinium ; Humans ; Joints ; Korea ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Middle Aged ; Recurrence ; Risk Factors ; Shoulder Pain ; Sternoclavicular Joint ; Sternum ; Subclavian Vein ; Substance Abuse, Intravenous ; Synovial Fluid

OBJECTIVE: We investigated the clinical data and analyzed the significant prognostic factors for outcomes in Korean adult patients with Henoch-Schonlein Purpura (HSP). METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 52 patients over 20 years-old, who visited the Yonsei University Severance Hospital from December 1999 to November 2009, and fulfilled the classification criteria for HSP. We investigated the epidemiologic data, clinical features, renal biopsy findings, laboratory results and disease outcomes. RESULTS: The median age was 43.5 (20~83) years old and 29 out of 52 patients (55.8%) were male. HSP exhibited seasonal variation and most frequently developed in winter (42.3%), followed by spring (25.0%). Upper respiratory infection was the most common known preceding event for HSP development. Skin manifestations were observed in all subjects, followed by kidney (80.8%), gastro-intestine (57.7%) and joints (26.9%). After a median follow-up period 14.5 (1~227) months, 12 patients experienced HSP relapse (23.1%), and 7 patients had chronic renal failure (13.4%). Univariate analysis showed that renal insufficiency (p=0.002) and nephritic syndrome (p=0.026) at diagnosis were significantly related to the development of chronic renal failure. Of the two parameters, only initial renal insufficiency was found to be a significant predictive value for chronic renal failure (OR=28.7, p=0.001, 95% confidential interval 3.6~225.3). CONCLUSION: Renal insufficiency at diagnosis may be a useful predictive factor for progression to chronic renal failure in Korean adult patients with HSP.
Adult ; Biopsy ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Joints ; Kidney ; Kidney Failure, Chronic ; Male ; Medical Records ; Prognosis ; Purpura, Schoenlein-Henoch ; Recurrence ; Renal Insufficiency ; Retrospective Studies ; Seasons ; Skin Manifestations