A nineteen year-old boy with progressive enlargement of the joints and distal extremities, clubbing, coarse facial features and hyperhidrosis was investigated. In physical examination, thickening of the scalp with furrowing (cutis verticis gyrata) and greasy thickening of skin (pachyderma) was prominent. His endocrine profile was normal. Radiological studies demonstrated bilateral symmetrical periosteal new bone formation with acroosteolysis and incidental microadenoma of pituitay gland. After extensive investigation to exclude systemic and endocrine causes, the patient was diagnosed as pachydermoperiostosis (PDP). PDP is a rare syndrome manifested clinically by finger clubbing, extremity enlargement, hypertrophic skin changes, and periosteal bone formation. The pathogenesis of the disorder has not been clarified though few endocrine abnormalities were seen. To aware of these clinical phenotype would help to differentiate PDP from acromegaly.
Acro-Osteolysis ; Acromegaly ; Extremities ; Fingers ; Humans ; Hyperhidrosis ; Joints ; Male* ; Osteoarthropathy, Primary Hypertrophic* ; Osteogenesis ; Phenotype ; Physical Examination ; Scalp ; Skin ; Young Adult*

PURPOSE: The admission rates for pediatric asthma are increasing annually and are partially responsible for the increased rates of readmission. Selections of children with a high-risk of readmission and aggressive treatments of them may improve treatment outcome and cost- effectiveness. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the risk factors affecting readmission in cases of bronchial asthma in children. METHODS: We reviewed the medical records of 95 cases under 14 years of age who were admitted to the Department of Pediatrics, Kyung-Hee University, from March 1996 to February 1997 and divided them into readmission and first admission group. RESULTS: Readmission cases were 52 (55%). Age, sex, duration of admission, duration of oxygen therapy, serum IgE concentration, duration of symptoms prior to admission and severity of asthma were not statistically significant compared with those of the control group (t-test) (P>0.05). Use of prophylactic agents, family history of allergic diseases and past history of bronchiolitis were significant (P<0.05), but age under 4 years and sex were not significant (X2-test). Age under 4 years, history of bronchiolitis, and history of previous hospital admission for asthma were significant (P<0.05), but sex, severity of asthma, history of frequent upper respiratory tract infection, family history, and the use of prophylactic agents were not statistically significant (P>0.05) as independent risk factors. CONCLUSION: Age under 4 years, past history of bronchiolitis, and history of previous hospital admission for asthma were significant risk factors for hospital readmission. Further study needs to be done to decrease the readmission rates.
Asthma* ; Bronchiolitis ; Child ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin E ; Medical Records ; Oxygen ; Patient Readmission ; Pediatrics ; Respiratory Tract Infections ; Risk Factors* ; Treatment Outcome

Malignant histiocytosis is a rare, usually fatal malignant neoplasm of reticuloendothelial systems. The disease is associated with fever, malaise, weight loss, hepatosplenomegaly, lymphadenopathy, pancytopenia, jaundice, and purpura. A 44-year-old female patient is described who had multiple, purple crusted nodules and plaques in the skin. In the laboratory study, pancytopenia was noted on the peripheral blood. In addition many atypical histiocytes were seen on the bone marrow aspiration. A lesional biopsy showed nodular infiltrations of atypical histiocytes in the dermis and some erythrophagocytosis was seen. Immunohistochemically, the histiocytes were weakly stained for lysozyme and α-l-antichymotrypsin, but were unstained for S-100 protein, cytokeratin, CEA(carcinoembryonic antigen), pan T/B marker CD30(ki-1), UCHL-1 LCA(leukocyte common antigen), and α-l-antitrypsin.
Adult ; Biopsy ; Bone Marrow ; Dermis ; Female ; Fever ; Histiocytes ; Histiocytic Sarcoma* ; Humans ; Jaundice ; Keratins ; Lymphatic Diseases ; Mononuclear Phagocyte System ; Muramidase ; Pancytopenia ; Purpura ; S100 Proteins ; Skin ; Weight Loss

No abstract available.

Hepatic sinusoidal obstruction syndrome (SOS) is a life-threatening syndrome that generally occurs as a complication after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation or, less commonly, after conventional chemotherapy. Regarding SOS in rhabdomyosarcoma patients who received conventional chemotherapy, the doses of chemotherapeutic agents are associated with the development of SOS. Several cases of SOS in rhabdomyosarcoma patients after receiving chemotherapy with escalated doses of cyclophosphamide have been reported. Here, we report on a 9-year-old female with rhabdomyosarcoma who developed severe SOS after receiving chemotherapy consisting of vincristine, actinomycin-D, and a moderate dose of cyclophosphamide. She was treated successfully with defibrotide without sequelae to the liver.
Child* ; Cyclophosphamide* ; Drug Therapy ; Female ; Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation ; Hepatic Veno-Occlusive Disease* ; Humans ; Liver ; Rhabdomyosarcoma* ; Vincristine*

With the wide and extensive use of immunosuppressive agents and broad-spectrum antibiotics, opportunistic fungla infections have been increased. Fusarium spp. are known to be significant emerging pathogens of opporthunistic local infection. But very rarely it may cause fatalc systemic infection. A 4-year-old boy with acute lymphocytic leukemia develped asymptomatic disseminated purpura with high fever unresponsive to the antibiotics during chemotherapy. The skin lesions gradually increased in size and number, and prgreassed to forming central necrosis. Many septated hyphae and variable sized spore-like fungal elements are found in the epidrmis, dermis and subcuit on histologic sections. The pathogenic fungus was idenified as Fusarium oxysporum by culture and scanning electronic microscopic findings.
Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Child, Preschool ; Dermis ; Drug Therapy ; Fever ; Fungi ; Fusarium* ; Humans ; Hyphae ; Immunocompromised Host* ; Immunosuppressive Agents ; Male ; Necrosis ; Opportunistic Infections ; Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma ; Purpura ; Skin

The location of the sigmoid colon varies within the abdominal cavity, but its mesocolon is fixed to the left side. Right side fixation of the sigmoid colon is a very rare congenital positional anomaly. In addition, it has been reported that hepatocolic fistula is also a very rare disease that may present lower gastrointestinal bleeding. Here, the authors describe a case of a 71-year-old man who underwent surgery for hepato-sigmoidocolic fistula complicated by hepatocellular carcinoma and the right side fixation of the sigmoid colon.
Abdominal Cavity ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; Colon, Sigmoid ; Fistula ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Mesocolon ; Rare Diseases

BACKGROUND: Unilateral spinal anesthesia prolongs sensory blockade and provides hemodynamic stability. Intrathecal opioids enhance spinal anesthesia without prolonging motor recovery or hemodynamic side effects. The author evaluated the effect of intrathecal fentanyl on unilateral spinal blockade with hyperbaric bupivacaine for knee arthroscopy. METHODS: Thirty-six healthy patients undergoing unilateral knee arthroscopy randomly received unilateral spinal anesthesia with 0.5% hyperbaric bupivacaine 4 mg (Group I) or 0.5% hyperbaric bupivacaine 4 mg combined with fentanyl 10 microgram (Group II). A lateral decubitus position was maintained for 15 minutes after intrathecal injection. The level and duration of sensory and motor blockade were recorded. RESULTS: The regression time of sensory block by two segments on dependent site was prolonged on Group II more than Group I (P < 0.05). There was no significant difference between two groups in recovery time of sensory and motor block. Unilateral sensory block was observed in 18 patients in Group I (100%) and in 2 patients in Group II (11%). Hemodynamic side effects were minimal in both groups, but pruritus was observed in 6 patients in Group II (33%). CONCLUSIONS: Small dose of intrathecal fentanyl with bupivacaine unilateral spinal anesthesia prolonged the duration of sensory block on operated site, but did not increase side effects and the duration of motor block and recovery. But intrathecal fentanyl with bupivacaine made disturbance of successful unilateral spinal block by the sensory block of nonoperated site.
Analgesics, Opioid ; Anesthesia, Spinal* ; Arthroscopy* ; Bupivacaine* ; Fentanyl* ; Hemodynamics ; Humans ; Injections, Spinal ; Knee* ; Pruritus

PURPOSE: The study was to explore the level of low back pain and characteristic factors influencing low back pain (LBP) and mental health during pregnancy. METHODS: The subjects were a total of 383 healthy pregnant women in S City and K-Do. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-test, ANOVA, and Pearson's correlation. RESULTS: 82.5% of the pregnant women answered the existence of LBP and 19.7% of them had high LBP. The preferred method of controlling LBP was 'Just endure' (42.3%). There were significant differences in pregnancy level (p < .05) and discomfort condition related to pregnancy (p < .01) according to low back pain. There were significant differences in pain intensity according to mental health. The correlation between pain level and pregnancy weeks (p < .001) and BMI in previous pregnancy (p < .001) was significant. The correlation between mental health and age was significant (p < .001). CONCLUSION: The majority of the pregnant women experienced LBP during pregnancy. However, they were not offered the best method of controlling the pain. Thus, for preventing LBP during pregnancy, we recommend regular exercises and BMI control.
Exercise ; Female ; Humans ; Low Back Pain* ; Mental Health* ; Pregnancy ; Pregnant Women*

We evaluated CT findings of bronchial carcinoid and accuracy of preoperative pathological diagnosis according to two subtypes. The subjects were 10 cases (typical;5, atypical;5), confirmed by surgery and tissue pathology. Sputum cytology (n=10), percutaneous aspiration (n=1) and bronchoscopic biopsy (n=8) were performed, preoperatively. The CT findings were analysed according to two subtypes. Typical carcinoid shows central location in all, and bronchial lumens just proximal to tumor were widened in two, whereas atypical carcinoid presented as peripheral leison in two. Among central atypical carcinoid, two cases showed flat meniscus appearance of lumen. Remaining one showed diffuse wall thickening. Intratumoral low density by necrosis was noted in one. Both subtypes show contrast enhancement. For preoperative diagnosis, sputum cytology & percutaneous aspiration were not conclusive at all. As for bronchoscopic biopsy, only 3 cases were accurately diagnosed as typical carcinoid. Typical carcinoid presented as endobronchial mass in all, whereas atypical carcinoid presented in various appearance. In all atypical & some typical carcinoid were misdiagnosed as primary lung cancer, preoperatively. However, in typical carcinoid, conservative surgery was possible. In conclusion, if there is discrepancy between CT findings & preoperative pathological diagnosis, full understanding of CT findings of bronchial carcinoid is imperative to choose appropriate surgical modality.
Biopsy ; Carcinoid Tumor* ; Diagnosis* ; Lung Neoplasms ; Necrosis ; Pathology ; Sputum