BACKGROUND: Soft tissue sarcoma is a rare condition with many causative factors. However a soft tissue sarcoma from a metallic foreign body and injury is rare. We report a case of a soft tissue sarcoma caused by a metallic foreign body and injury. CASE: The patient had been worked as a metal cutter for 17 years. While working, his palms were constantly pricked by small metallic splinters, which were generally removed after work. On march 2004, he had palpitated mass on his right palm. On November 2006, a right hand x-ray showed a mass and metallic foreign body at the 1st volar space which was confirmed to be an epitheloid sarcoma. All metallic products of his workplace contained chromium and Nickel. which are known to cause soft tissue sarcomas. A review of the literature revealed foreign-body and injury induced oxidative and nitrative stress to be associated with a developing sarcoma. In addition, Cr and Ni are associated with the development of sarcoma. Therefore it was concluded this case of epitheloid sarcoma was associated with his employment. CONCLUSION: A soft-tissue sarcoma associated with a metal foreign-body and injury is rare and their relationship is difficult understand. If a case of sarcoma is encountered on a metal associated worker, their job association should be considered.
Chromium ; Foreign Bodies ; Hand ; Humans ; Nickel ; Sarcoma

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the musculoskeletal symptoms of migrant workers. We focused on the relationship between job stress and musculoskeletal symptoms. METHOD: A questionnaire was administered to 502 migrant workers who visited NGO migrant worker centers located in Gyung-gi province. A structured, self-reported questionnaire was administered to participants in order to capture the following information: sociodemographics, health factors including past medical history, work related characteristics, job stress, and musculoskeletal symptoms. The job stress questionnaires were used according to KOSS-26 and musculoskeletal symptoms were measured using KOSHA Code H-30-2003. We used multiple logistic regression analysis to assess the relationship between risk factors which included job stress, and musculoskeletal symptoms. RESULTS: The prevalence rate of musculoskeletal symptoms in survey subjects was 35.1%. Other than job stress factors, past medical history was the only factor that had a statistical relationship to musculoskeletal symptoms (P<0.01). In the domains of job stress, physical environment (OR 1.62, 95% CI: 1.03~2.54), job demand (OR 2.43, 95% CI: 1.46~4.03), job insecurity (OR 1.59, 95% CI: 1.03~2.47), occupational climate (OR 2.30, 95% CI: 1.27~4.19) were most likely experience musculoskeletal symptoms. CONCLUSION: The job stress factor appeared to correlate more with musculoskeletal symptoms than with sociodemographics or other factors. Hence, in order to prevent migrant worker's musculoskeletal symptoms, we believe that intervention in job stress (physical environment, job demand, job insecurity, occupational climate) is necessary.
Climate ; Humans ; Logistic Models ; Prevalence ; Questionnaires ; Risk Factors ; Transients and Migrants

BACKGROUND: Primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) is a chronic cholestatic liver disease of unknown etiology. The disease is relatively common in western countries, but so far, only about 20 cases have been reported in Korea. Thus, the purpose of our prospective study was to evaluate the clinical characteristics of PBC in Korea. METHODS: Between October 1994 and February 1999, 16 patients diagnosed as PBC at our department were enrolled in this study. We analyzed these patients for the distribution of age and sex, initial symptoms and signs, associated disorders, laboratory, endoscopic, and radiologic and histologic findings. RESULTS: Of the 16 patients, the ratio of male to female was 1:7 and the average age was 57.5 years. Pruritus (37.5%) was the most frequent presenting symptom followed by xerostomia and xerophthalmia (12.5%), jaundice (6.3%), chronic fatigue (6.3%), melena (6.3%). Associated disorders were Sj gren's syndrome (25%), arthropathy (12.5%), Raynaud's phenomenon (6.3%) and diabetes (6.3%). Abnormalities of liver function were found frequently. Antimitochondrial antibody (100%), antinuclear antibody (31.25%) and rheumatoid factor (31.25%) were found. Long-term administration of UDCA improved both clinical and biochemical signs in most patients, however, 2 patients experienced exacerbation during UDCA therapy. CONCLUSIONS: We experienced 16 cases of PBC within a short period. It is expected that we can find these patients more frequently if we suspect this disease in patients with pruritus and unexplained obstructive pattern of liver function abnormality.
Antibodies, Antinuclear ; Fatigue ; Female ; Hemolytic-Uremic Syndrome ; Humans ; Jaundice ; Korea ; Liver ; Liver Cirrhosis, Biliary* ; Liver Diseases ; Male ; Melena ; Pancreatitis ; Prospective Studies ; Pruritus ; Rheumatoid Factor ; Xerophthalmia ; Xerostomia

BACKGROUND: Cystic tumors of the pancreas are uncommon, and frequently mistaken for pancreatic pseudocysts. Recently if the patient is a good surgical candidate and is symptomatic, resection is the treatment of the choice without the cytological and chemical analysis by the fine needle aspiration. But, we have no data in Korean population. The aim of this study was to evaluate the subclassification of the cystic tumors of the pancreas and the differential points between pancreatic pseudocysts and cystic tumors of the pancreas which had to be operated. METHODS: fifty-nine patients with cystic lesions of the pancreas have been operated at the Samsung Seoul Hospital from 1994 to 1999 and evaluated about the subclassification, frequency and the difference between pseudocysts and cystic tumors retrogradely. RESULTS: There were 14 mucinous cystic neoplasms (mucinous cystadenomas : 11 cases, mucinous cyst-adenocarcinomas : 3 cases), 10 serous cystadenomas, 9 solid and papillary epithelial neoplasms, 8 intra-ductal papillary mucinous neoplasms, 5 pseudocysts, 4 retention cysts, 3 endocrine tumors, 1 pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma with cystic change, 1 solid pseudopapillary tumor, 1 pancreatic ductal adenocarci-noma with pseudocyst, 1 cavernous lymphangioma, 1 lymphoepithelial cyst and 1 simple cyst. 57.6% of the patients were females and the mean age was 50.0 years (16 years-77 years). The characteristics between pseudocysts and cystic tumors of the pancreas (sex differentiation, mean age, previous history of alcohol drinking and pancreatitis, communication with the main duct on the pancreatogram and the sign of the pancreatitis on the radiologic study) had no differences. CONCLUSION: We conclude there were no other methods to differentiate accurately the pseudocyst from the cystic tumor of the pancreas other than the operation.
Adenocarcinoma ; Alcohol Drinking ; Biopsy, Fine-Needle ; Cystadenoma ; Cystadenoma, Serous ; Female ; Humans ; Lymphangioma ; Mucins ; Neoplasms, Glandular and Epithelial ; Pancreas* ; Pancreatic Ducts ; Pancreatic Pseudocyst ; Pancreatitis ; Seoul

The solitary form of primary hepatic tuberculosis is a rare disease. We report an unusual case of primary solitary hepatic tuberculosis treated with surgical resection and second-line antituberculosis chemotherapy due to the recurrence after first-line antituberculosis chemotherapy alone. A 36-year-old man was presented with right upper abdominal discomfort, chills and weight loss for 2 months. Computerized tomography demonstrated the solitary space occupying lesion on the left lobe of liver suggesting a malignant disease. The open biopsy revealed chronic granulomatous inflammation with multinucleated giant cells and caseous necrosis. The patient was treated with antituberculosis chemotherapy for nine months and eighteen months respectively with the interval of eighteen months. But the hepatic lesion had become larger and symptoms were aggravated after the discontinuation of therapy. He underwent surgical excision of the lesioin. With second-line antituberculosis chemotherapy, the symptoms improved in postoperative days. Twenty four months later, no evidence of recurrence was noted in symptoms, laboratory findings and imaging studies.
Adult ; Biopsy ; Chills ; Drug Therapy* ; Giant Cells ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Liver* ; Necrosis ; Rare Diseases ; Recurrence ; Tuberculoma* ; Tuberculosis, Hepatic ; Weight Loss

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The predictory factors of the response to initial steroid therapy in active Crohn's disease has been controversial in numerous literature reviews. We evaluated any predictory factor of the response to initial steroid therapy in active Crohn's disease patients. METHODS: The medical records of 32 patients with active Crohn's disease who clinically responded to oral steroid therapy were retrospectively reviewed. The steroid responsive group was defined as the one showing maintenance of response for more than one month from steroid withdrawal and the steroid dependent group as the one showing relapse or exacerbation during steroid tapering or within 30 days from steroid withdrawal. The clinical, biochemical, and pathologic factors were evaluated. RESULTS: There were 22 male and 10 female patients. The mean age was 28.9 years. The number of steroid responsive and dependent group was 22 (68.8%) and 10 (31.2%), respectively. There were no significant differences between these two groups in age, sex, time to diagnosis, perianal lesion, extent of disease, extraintestinal manifestations, presence of granuloma, presenting features, hemoglobin, ESR, and CRP, except serum albumin level. CONCLUSIONS: Serum albumin level was significantly lower in steroid dependent group than steroid responsive group, reflecting severe inflammation in steroid dependent group.
Crohn Disease* ; Diagnosis ; Female ; Granuloma ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Male ; Medical Records ; Recurrence ; Retrospective Studies ; Serum Albumin

Allogeneic stem cell transplantation (allo-SCT) using related or unrelated donor could eradicate paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH) clones and may cure the disease. Chronic graft-versus host disease (GVHD) is a major complication of patients who have undergone allo-SCT. Nephrotic syndrome has been described as one of the rare manifestations of chronic GVHD following the usual myeloablative allo-SCT. We report a case of nephrotic syndrome that developed 25 months after non-myeloablative allo-SCT for PNH. The patient had grade II acute GVHD and extensive chronic GVHD after non-myeloablative allo-SCT. Typically the patient presented with preserved renal function and full nephrotic syndrome including generalized edema, proteinuria, hypoalbuminemia, and hypercholesterolemia. Renal biopsy revealed findings of membranous glomerulopathy (MG). The patient is alive with a stable engraftment and full donor chimerism under the administration of tacrolimus for control of chronic GVHD and MG without refractory hemolysis and cytopenia.
Adult ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Female ; Glomerulonephritis, Membranous/drug therapy/*etiology/pathology ; Graft vs Host Disease/drug therapy/*etiology/pathology ; Hemoglobinuria, Paroxysmal/*therapy ; Human ; *Stem Cell Transplantation/*adverse effects ; Treatment Outcome

We investigated the effectiveness of lamivudine to prevent hepatitis flare up due to reactivation of hepatitis-B virus (HBV) in hepatitis-B surface antigen (HBsAg)-positive patients with Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) during cytotoxic chemotherapy. HBsAg-positive patients with NHL were identified from the lymphoma database of the Asan Medical Center from January 1995 to August 2002, and their medical records were reviewed. We found that 31 patients were received cytotoxic chemotherapy among 41 NHL patients with HBsAg-positive during same period. We divided them into 2 groups of HBsAg patients with NHL as follows: Group A who received cytotoxic chemotherapy with lamivudine 100 mg daily; Group B without any prophylactic antiviral therapy. There were no significant differences between Group A and B in several clinical variables. Seventeen patients (85%) in group B and one patient (9%) in Group A had hepatitis due to reactivation of HBV (p<0.001), with one hepatic failure related death in Group B and none in group A. The mean dose intensity of adriamycin actually delivered was 13.3 mg/m2/week (80% Relative Dose intensity (RDI)) in Group A and 9.1 mg/m2/week (55% RDI) in Groups B (p<0.001). Our data suggest that the frequency of chemotherapy-related HBV reactivation may be significantly decreased by lamivudine prophylaxis with maintenance of the dosage of adriamycin.
Adult ; Aged ; Antibiotics, Antineoplastic/*therapeutic use ; Doxorubicin/*therapeutic use ; Female ; Hepatitis B/complications/diagnosis/*drug therapy ; Hepatitis B Surface Antigens/*analysis ; Hepatitis B Virus/metabolism ; Human ; Lamivudine/*therapeutic use ; Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin/complications/*drug therapy/metabolism ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors/*therapeutic use ; Survival Rate ; Virus Activation

BACKGROUND: Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBL) category in the REAL classification includes histologically heterogeneous subtypes in Working Formulation or Kiel classification. Some investigators insist that the prognosis of B-cell immunoblastic lymphoma (IBL) is worse than other types of DLBL. This study was performed to determine the clinical significance of histological subclassification of DLBL. METHODS: All non-Hodgkin's lymphomas diagnosed at 3 hospitals in Korea between 1989 and 1995 were reclassified according to the REAL classification. Medical records of 404 patients with DLBL were reviewed. Their pathologies were categorized into IBL or non-IBL according to Working Formulation. We compared clinical characteristics and treatment outcomes of IBL with those of non-IBL. RESULTS: Of 404 DLBL patients, 341 cases (84%) were classified as non-IBL and 63 cases (16%) as IBL. Male patients were more common in IBL than in non-IBL (76% vs. 62%). IBL presented more often with advanced stage (III or IV) and B-symptoms than non-IBL (57% vs. 42%, 40% vs. 27%, respectively). In other clinical characteristics, no significant differences were found between the two groups. Complete response rates were 59% in IBL and 68% in non-IBL (p=0.137). With a median follow-up of 52 months (range 1-108 months), the median progression-free survival was 11 (95% confidence interval [95% CI] 8-14) months for IBL and 41 (95% CI 18-64) months for non-IBL (p=0.004). The median overall survival was 21 (95% CI 13-29) months for IBL and 72 months for non-IBL (p=0.002). A multivariate analysis for progression-free survival and overall survival showed that histological subtype (non-IBL vs. IBL) was a significant prognostic factor independent of International Prognostic Index (p=0.013 for progression-free survival, p=0.003 for overall survival). CONCLSUION: DLBL includes heterogeneous subtypes with different prognosis. Subclassification of DLBL into IBL and non-IBL has prognostic significance. IBL needs to be separated from other types of DLBL.
B-Lymphocytes* ; Classification* ; Disease-Free Survival ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Korea ; Lymphoma ; Lymphoma, B-Cell* ; Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin ; Male ; Medical Records ; Multivariate Analysis ; Pathology ; Prognosis ; Research Personnel

Lymphoepithelial cysts of the pancreas are extremely rare cystic lesion characterized by the presence of a mature, squamous epithelial lining surrounded by dense lymphoid tissue. They were first described in 1985 by Lchtrath and Schriefers. A 70-year-old male was admitted with a four month history of intermittent right upper quadrant abdominal pain radiating to the right subscapular area. Physical examination and laboratory studies did not show any abnormal findings. Computed tomography of the abdomen revealed a 2.7 cm well-circumscribed, uniloculated cystic lesion on the tail of the pancreas. Endoscopic retrograde pancreatography showed no abnormalities in the duct system. A distal pancreatectomy with a splenectomy was performed, with a suspected diagnosis of cystic neoplasms of the pancreas. Histopathologic diagnosis was a lymphoepithelial cyst of the pancreas. Although the histogenesis of lymphoepithelial cysts is not fully disclosed, they are benign and can be cured by local excision. This case is reported herein with a review of relevant literature.
Abdomen ; Abdominal Pain ; Aged ; Diagnosis ; Humans ; Lymphoid Tissue ; Male ; Pancreas* ; Pancreatectomy ; Physical Examination ; Splenectomy