No abstract available.
Cesarean Section* ; Female ; Pregnancy

No abstract available.
Candidemia* ; Humans

In vitro ethylene-diamine-tetra-acetic acid (EDTA) dependent satellitism and phagocytosis of platelets by neutrophils have been considered to be rare phenomena. It is associated with pseudothrombocytopenia, abnormal histogram of platelets and pseudoleukocytosis on complete blood cell count (CBC) by automated blood cell counter, but these findings are not found in heparinized or sodium citrated blood. It has no clinical significance such as bleeding tendency or abnormal platelet function. EDTA dependent platelet satellitosis and phagocytosis must be differentiated from true thrombocytopenia. We report a case of EDTA dependent platelet phagocytosis by neutrophils in a 68 year-old male patient who was diagnosed as mycosis fungoides. His EDTA blood smear showed frequent phagocytosis of platelets by neutrophils and occasional platelet satellitism. The bood cell counts were within normal limits without pseudothrombocytopenia. Phagocytized platelets were confirmed by immunohistochemistry using GpIIb/IIIa antibody and transmission electron micrographs.
Aged ; Blood Cell Count ; Blood Platelets* ; Cell Count ; Edetic Acid* ; Hemorrhage ; Heparin ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Male ; Mycosis Fungoides* ; Neutrophils* ; Phagocytosis* ; Sodium ; Thrombocytopenia

Bone marrow necrosis is infrequently diagnosed during life, and its presence often signifies a poor prognosis. It has been associated with a variety of disease, including acute and chronic leukemia, carcinoma, malignant lymph oma, infection and sickle cell disease. About 5-26% of acute myeloid leukemia has been reported to express lymphoid differentiation markers, of which CD7 is ex pressed very early during T-cell ontogeny. A 46-year-old male complaining severe bone pain had pancytopenia, leukoerythroblastosis and bone marrow necrosis. Peripheral blood immature cells expressed CD7 as well as myeloid markers such as CD13 and CD33 on immunophenotypic studies. We report a case of CD7 positive acute myeloid leu kemia associated with bone marrow necrosis, confirmed by bone marrow biopsy and immunophenotypic study.
Anemia, Sickle Cell ; Antigens, Differentiation ; Biopsy ; Bone Marrow* ; Humans ; Leukemia ; Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute* ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Necrosis* ; Pancytopenia ; Prognosis ; T-Lymphocytes

BACKGROUND: Post-transplantation lymphoproliferative disorder (PTLD) after liver transplantation is a rare but potentially fatal disease. Clinical manifestations and prevalence of PTLD after liver transplantation in Korea have not been investigated thoroughly. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective chart review was done for 284 liver transplant recipients at Samsung Medical Center, Seoul, Korea during the period from 1996 to 2003. RESULTS: The incidence of PTLD after liver transplantation was 3.9% (11/284). PTLDs were more prevalent in children (9/55, 16.4%) than in adults (2/237, 0.9%; P<0.01). Among the PTLD patients, four cases were male (36.3%) and seven were female (63.7%). Median time from the transplantation to PTLD diagnosis was 9 months. The type of PTLD was as follows:early lesion (6 cases, 54.5%), polymorphic PTLD (3 cases, 27.3%), and B cell lymphoma (2 cases, 18.2%). PTLDs were more prevalent in the patients with cyclosporine use (OR 13.28, 95% CI:1.29-136.31, P=0.03), acute rejection (OR 5.63, 95% CI:1.03-30.62, P=0.04), and negative serology for EBV VCA IgG (OR 19.15, 95% CI:1.99-183.98, P=0.01) by multivariate logistic regression. Three patients (27.3%) died of B cell lymphoma (2 cases) and polymorphic PTLD (1 case). The remaining patients were improved with reduction of immunosuppression and treatment with acyclovir. CONCLUSION: The incidence of PTLD was high in children. The risk factors of PTLD were negative serology for EBV VCA IgG, history of acute rejection, and cyclosporine use. Considering the poor prognosis of PTLD, effective strategies for prevention and early diagnosis for early treatment should be emphasized.
Acyclovir ; Adult ; Child ; Cyclosporine ; Diagnosis ; Early Diagnosis ; Female ; Herpesvirus 4, Human ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin G ; Immunosuppression ; Incidence ; Korea ; Liver Transplantation* ; Liver* ; Logistic Models ; Lymphoma, B-Cell ; Lymphoproliferative Disorders* ; Male ; Prevalence ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Seoul ; Transplantation

BACKGROUND: Post-transplantation lymphoproliferative disorder (PTLD) after liver transplantation is a rare but potentially fatal disease. Clinical manifestations and prevalence of PTLD after liver transplantation in Korea have not been investigated thoroughly. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective chart review was done for 284 liver transplant recipients at Samsung Medical Center, Seoul, Korea during the period from 1996 to 2003. RESULTS: The incidence of PTLD after liver transplantation was 3.9% (11/284). PTLDs were more prevalent in children (9/55, 16.4%) than in adults (2/237, 0.9%; P<0.01). Among the PTLD patients, four cases were male (36.3%) and seven were female (63.7%). Median time from the transplantation to PTLD diagnosis was 9 months. The type of PTLD was as follows:early lesion (6 cases, 54.5%), polymorphic PTLD (3 cases, 27.3%), and B cell lymphoma (2 cases, 18.2%). PTLDs were more prevalent in the patients with cyclosporine use (OR 13.28, 95% CI:1.29-136.31, P=0.03), acute rejection (OR 5.63, 95% CI:1.03-30.62, P=0.04), and negative serology for EBV VCA IgG (OR 19.15, 95% CI:1.99-183.98, P=0.01) by multivariate logistic regression. Three patients (27.3%) died of B cell lymphoma (2 cases) and polymorphic PTLD (1 case). The remaining patients were improved with reduction of immunosuppression and treatment with acyclovir. CONCLUSION: The incidence of PTLD was high in children. The risk factors of PTLD were negative serology for EBV VCA IgG, history of acute rejection, and cyclosporine use. Considering the poor prognosis of PTLD, effective strategies for prevention and early diagnosis for early treatment should be emphasized.
Acyclovir ; Adult ; Child ; Cyclosporine ; Diagnosis ; Early Diagnosis ; Female ; Herpesvirus 4, Human ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin G ; Immunosuppression ; Incidence ; Korea ; Liver Transplantation* ; Liver* ; Logistic Models ; Lymphoma, B-Cell ; Lymphoproliferative Disorders* ; Male ; Prevalence ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Seoul ; Transplantation

Henoch-Schonlein purpura is an immunologically mediated systemic leukocytoclastic vasculitis of small vessels that is characterized by symmetric nontraumatic, nonthrombocytopenic, painless palpable purpura on the lower extremities and buttock, arthralgias on usually the knees and ankles, gastrointestinal symptoms and glomerulonephritis. Although the jejunum and ileum are most frequently affected, any portion of gastrointestinal tracts may be involved. Generally, gastrointestinal manifestations of Henoch-Schonlein purpura are the edematous wall of involved bowel, submucosal hemorrhage and erosion. We experienced a 56-year-old man with Henoch-Schonlein purpura who initially presented acute abdominal pain with portal vein and superior mesenteric vein thrombosis.
Abdominal Pain ; Ankle ; Arthralgia ; Buttocks ; Gastrointestinal Tract ; Glomerulonephritis ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Ileum ; Jejunum ; Knee ; Lower Extremity ; Mesenteric Veins* ; Middle Aged ; Portal Vein* ; Purpura ; Purpura, Schoenlein-Henoch* ; Thrombosis* ; Vasculitis ; Venous Thrombosis

BACKGROUND: Invasive pulmonary aspergillosis (IPA) is an important cause of morbidity and mortality in immunocompromised patients. However, few data on clinical characteristics and outcomes of IPA in Korea have been reported. We conducted a nationwide multicenter study in Korea for evaluation of the epidemiology and clinical outcomes of invasive pulmonary aspergillosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective cohort study was conducted in 10 hospitals in Korea. We reviewed all adult patients who met the revised EORTC/MSG definitions between 2008 and 2010. RESULTS: A total of 334 cases, which included proven (26, 8%), probable (159, 48%), or possible (149, 44%) IPA, were identified. Patients with proven or probable IPA were evaluated, and, of these 185 IPA patients, 105 (57%) had neutropenia, 30 (16%) underwent hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, 25 (14%) underwent solid organ transplantation, and 32 (17%) without neutropenia and transplantation received immunosuppressive agents or corticosteroid. Aspergillus spp. were isolated from 42 patients (23%), and positive fungal culture rates from sterile fluid, sputum, and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BAL) were 67% (6/9), 21% (32/150), and 20% (9/44), respectively. Results of assays for sensitivity of serum and BAL galactomannan were 84% (155/184) and 89% (25/28), respectively. Amphotericin-B deoxycholate and itraconazole were most commonly administered as a primary therapy in 107 (58%) and 34 (19%) patients, respectively. Of 133 patients (73%) who received salvage therapy after primary antifungal therapy for a median period of six days (IQR 3-12), 82 (62%) patients were treated with voriconazole. Of 185 patients, 82 (44%) died within three months after diagnosis of IPA. CT findings, including small airway lesions and micronodules, ground glass opacities, and pleural effusion and persistent positive galactomannan status showed an independent association with worse outcome, while proven diagnosis of IPA showed an independent association with better outcome. CONCLUSIONS: Microbiologic confirmation of IPA was low in Korea; therefore, many Korean physicians were dependent on the galactomannan assay for microbiologic diagnosis. Primary therapy with Amphotericin-B deoxycholate followed by salvage therapy with voriconazole was the most common antifungal strategy for treatment of patients with IPA in Korea. Overall mortality and IPA-related mortality were comparable with data from Western clinical trials.
Adult ; Aspergillus ; Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid ; Cohort Studies ; Deoxycholic Acid ; Glass ; Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation ; Humans ; Immunocompromised Host ; Immunosuppressive Agents ; Invasive Pulmonary Aspergillosis ; Itraconazole ; Korea ; Mannans ; Neutropenia ; Organ Transplantation ; Pleural Effusion ; Pyrimidines ; Retrospective Studies ; Salvage Therapy ; Sputum ; Transplants ; Triazoles

Purpose: Mutations in the PIK3CA gene occur frequently in breast cancer patients. Activating PIK3CA mutations confer resistance to human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-targeted treatments. In this study, we investigated whether PIK3CA mutations were correlated with treatment response or duration in patients with HER2-positive (HER2+) breast cancer. Materials and Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the clinical information of patients with HER2+ breast cancer who received HER2-targeted therapy for early-stage or metastatic cancers. The pathologic complete response (pCR), progression-free survival (PFS), and overall survival were compared between patients with wild-type PIK3CA (PIK3CAw) and those with mutated PIK3CA (PIK3CAm). Next-generation sequencing was combined with examination of PFS associated with anti-HER2 monoclonal antibody (mAb) treatment. Results: Data from 90 patients with HER2+ breast cancer were analyzed. Overall, 34 (37.8%) patients had pathogenic PIK3CA mutations. The pCR rate of the PIK3CAm group was lower than that of the PIK3CAw group among patients who received neoadjuvant chemotherapy for early-stage cancer. In the metastatic setting, the PIK3CAm group showed a significantly shorter mean PFS (mPFS) with first-line anti-HER2 mAb. The mPFS of second-line T-DM1 was lower in the PIK3CAm group than that in the PIK3CAw group. Sequencing revealed differences in the mutational landscape between PIK3CAm and PIK3CAw tumors. Conclusion Patients with HER2+ breast cancer with activating PIK3CA mutations had lower pCR rates and shorter PFS with palliative HER2-targeted therapy than those with wild-type PIK3CA. Precise targeted-therapy is needed to improve survival of patients with HER2+/PIK3CAm breast cancer.

Background: The World Health Organization has declared the end of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) public health emergency. However, this did not indicate the end of COVID-19. Several months after the infection, numerous patients complain of respiratory or nonspecific symptoms; this condition is called long COVID. Even patients with mild COVID-19 can experience long COVID, thus the burden of long COVID remains considerable. Therefore, we conducted this study to comprehensively analyze the effects of long COVID using multi-faceted assessments. Materials and Methods: We conducted a prospective cohort study involving patients diagnosed with COVID-19 between February 2020 and September 2021 in six tertiary hospitals in Korea. Patients were followed up at 1, 3, 6, 12, 18, and 24 months after discharge. Long COVID was defined as the persistence of three or more COVID-19-related symptoms. The primary outcome of this study was the prevalence of long COVID after the period of COVID-19. Results: During the study period, 290 patients were enrolled. Among them, 54.5 and 34.6% experienced long COVID within 6 months and after more than 18 months, respectively. Several patients showed abnormal results when tested for post-traumatic stress disorder (17.4%) and anxiety (31.9%) after 18 months. In patients who underwent follow-up chest computed tomography 18 months after COVID-19, abnormal findings remained at 51.9%. Males (odds ratio [OR], 0.17; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.05–0.53; P=0.004) and elderly (OR, 1.04; 95% CI, 1.00–1.09; P=0.04) showed a significant association with long COVID after 12–18 months in a multivariable logistic regression analysis. Conclusion Many patients still showed long COVID after 18 months post SARS-CoV-2 infection. When managing these patients, the assessment of multiple aspects is necessary.