Pleural effusion is not a rare disease in Korea. The diagnosis of pleural effusion is very difficult, even though the patients often complain of typical symptoms indicating of pleural diseases. Pleural effusion is characterized by the pleural cavity filled with transudative or exudative pleural fluids, and it is developed by various etiologies. The presence of pleural effusion can be confirmed by radiological studies including simple chest radiography, ultrasonography, or computed tomography. Identifying the causes of pleural effusions by pleural fluid analysis is essential for proper treatments. This review article provides information on the diagnostic approaches of pleural effusions and further suggested ways to confirm their various etiologies, by using the most recent journals for references.
Diagnosis ; Humans ; Korea ; Pleural Cavity ; Pleural Diseases ; Pleural Effusion* ; Pleurisy ; Radiography ; Rare Diseases ; Thorax ; Ultrasonography

OBJECTIVE: Expectorated sputum examination applied first in all patients with suspected pulmonary tuberculosis is low sensitivity. Bronchoscopy is applied next in patients with smear negative sputum. In some instances, bronchoscopy can not be available in patients because of poor conditions or cooperations. The aim of this study was to determine whether sputum induction is more simple and more convenient method than bronchoscopy or not to diagnose pulmonary tuberculosis in AFB smear-negative patients. METHODS: The objects of this study were 47 patients whose smear results of expectorated sputum were negative or could not produce expectorated sputum. Consecutive patients underwent sputum induction with 3% hypertonic saline delivered by ultrasonic nebulizer at least 24 hour before bronchial washing by fiber-optic bronchoscopy. All specimens were examined for acid-fast bacilli with Ziehl-Neelsen stain and cultured for mycobacteria. RESULTS: 1) Sensitivity of AFB smear were 36% (17/47) in induced sputum, 53%(25/47) in bronchoscopy, but statistically not significant(p>0.05). 2) Sensitivity of mycobacterial culture were 53%(25/47) in induced sputum, 68%(32/47) in bronchoscopy, statistically not significant(p>0.05). 3) Positive AFB smear in endobronchial tuberculosis(n=9) were 5 in induced sputum, and 9 in bronchoscopy. 4) In 10 patients who were not obtainable sputum initially, AFB smear were positive in 7 in induced sputum and 9 in bronchoscopy 5) In 11 patients who cultured in expectorated sputum later, positive culture were 10 patients both in induced sputum and bronchoscpy. 6) All 5 patients who didn't undergo bronchoscopy were positive AFB smear in induced sputum CONCLUSION: In suspected active pulmonary tuberculosis patients with negative AFB smear of expectorated sputum, induced sputum does not replace bronchoscopy to diagnose active pulmonary tuberculosis. But, sputum induction is useful diagnostic method to detect mycobacteria before or in not available bronchoscopy.
Bronchoscopy* ; Diagnosis* ; Humans ; Nebulizers and Vaporizers ; Sputum* ; Tuberculosis, Pulmonary* ; Ultrasonics

BACKGROUND: Tuberculous pleurisy treatment improve symptoms such as fever, chest pain, cough, and prevents the progression to active pulmonary tuberculosis and the development of residual pleural thickening that decrease diaphragm and rib cage movement. This study investigated how the degree of residual pleural thidkening affects the pulmonary function. METHODS: Fifty seven patients who were initially diagnosed as having tuberculous pleurisy, were treated with anti-tuberculous medication for 6 months and had residual pleural thickening between May 1998 and January 2000 at the Eulji university hospital were reviewed. A chest X-ray and pulmonary function test(PFT, Sensormedics 2200) were perfored. The predicted value (%) of the forced vital capacity(FVC), forced inspiratory vital capacity(FIVC) and total lung capacity(TLC) were measured. The residual pleural thickening was defined the average of the summation in the lateral chest at the level of the imaginary line intersecting from the cardiophrenic angle to the diaphragmatic dome and the lowest part of the costophrenic angle between them. The results were sorted into three grades according to pleural thickness; <2mm(grade I), 2~10mm(grade II), 10mm(grade III). RESULTS: 1. FVC(% pred) and FIVC(% pred) were statistically different between grade I and III, and II and III. However, there was no difference between the TLC(% pred) between each of the groups. 2. The pleural thickness that cause restrictive dysfunction(FVC<80%) and a statisticall difference, is 3 mm. CONCLUSION: The larger the extent of the residual pleural thickness after antituberculous medication, the greater the reduction in the FVC, FIVC, TLC. A pleural thickness of 3 mm is recommended as a guideline for diagnosing a restrictive pulmonary dysfunction.
Chest Pain ; Cough ; Diaphragm ; Fever ; Humans ; Lung ; Respiratory Function Tests ; Ribs ; Thorax ; Tuberculosis, Pleural* ; Tuberculosis, Pulmonary

BACKGROUND: Several antibiotics can be used to treat ventilator-associated pneumonia caused by carbapenem-resistant A. baumannii (CRAB-VAP) including high-dose sulbactam. However, the effectiveness of high-dose sulbactam therapy is not well known. We report our experience with high-dose sulbactam for treatment of CRAB-VAP. METHODS: Medical records of patients with CRAB-VAP who were given high-dose sulbactam between May 2013 and June 2015 were reviewed. RESULTS: Fifty-eight patients with CRAB-VAP were treated with high-dose sulbactam. The mean age was 72.0 ± 15.2 years, and the acute physiology and chronic health evaluation II (APACHE II) score was 15.1 ± 5.10 at the time of CRAB-VAP diagnosis. Early clinical improvement was observed in 65.5% of patients, and 30-day mortality was 29.3%. Early clinical failure (odds ratio [OR]: 8.720, confidence interval [CI]: 1.346-56.484; p = 0.023) and APACHE II score ≥ 14 at CRAB-VAP diagnosis (OR: 10.934, CI: 1.047-114.148; p = 0.046) were associated with 30-day mortality. CONCLUSIONS: High-dose sulbactam therapy may be effective for the treatment of CRAB-VAP. However, early clinical failure was observed in 35% of patients and was associated with poor outcome.
Acinetobacter baumannii* ; Acinetobacter* ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; APACHE ; Diagnosis ; Humans ; Medical Records ; Mortality ; Pneumonia, Ventilator-Associated* ; Sulbactam*

PURPOSE: To report a case of a patient with cytomegalovirus (CMV) retinitis who was treated with oral valganciclovir. CASE SUMMARY: A 34-year-old man who had undergone anti-cancer chemotherapy for Non-Hodgkin lymphoma was referred to the ophthalmologic oncology clinic because of decreased vision in both eyes. Fundus examination showed white, opaque, and granular retinal lesions in both eyes, and a serologic test showed a positive response to CMV antibody IgG and a negative response to CMV antibody IgM. The patient received induction therapy with intravenous ganciclovir and maintenance therapy with oral valganciclovir 900 mg once daily. CMV retinitis reactivated 4 weeks after maintenance therapy was discontinued. At that point, the patient received induction therapy with oral valganciclovir 900 mg twice daily for 3 weeks and maintenance therapy with 900 mg once daily for 5 weeks. The retinal lesion disappeared and did not recur after oral administration of valganciclovir. The patient discontinued valganciclovir after 5 weeks of maintenance therapy, and CMV retinitis did not reactivate during 6 months of follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: Oral valganciclovir was clinically effective in the treatment of CMV retinitis in a patient who was treated with anti-cancer chemotherapy for non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
Administration, Oral ; Adult ; Cytomegalovirus ; Cytomegalovirus Retinitis ; Eye ; Follow-Up Studies ; Ganciclovir ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin G ; Immunoglobulin M ; Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin ; Retinaldehyde ; Retinitis ; Serologic Tests ; Vision, Ocular

Verruciform xanthoma is an uncommon benign lesion. The most common presentation occurs in the oral cavity; however, it has also been described in other sites, especially the penis. Herein is reported the first case of verruciform xanthoma of the penis in China, the fourteenth case in the literature. Clinically, genital verruciform xanthoma is often confuses with papillomas, verrucous carcinomas and squamous cell carcinomas, and therefore a histopathological diagnosis is necessary.
Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; Carcinoma, Verrucous ; China ; Diagnosis ; Male ; Mouth ; Papilloma ; Penis* ; Xanthomatosis*

No abstract available.
Spleen*

Addisons disease is relatively rare than secondary adrenal insufficiency and result from progressive adrenocortical destruction. The common causes are idiopathic autoimmune atrophy and tuberculosis of adrenal glands. It is generally regarded as incurable in the sense that substitution therapy is required for the rest of the patients life. We report a case of tuberculous primary adrenal insufficiency which was confirmed by biopsy. This case was treated with antituberculous medication and showen to have improved adrenocortical function after six months.
Addison Disease* ; Adrenal Glands ; Adrenal Insufficiency ; Atrophy ; Biopsy ; Humans ; Tuberculosis

PURPOSE: To analyze the difference of the ganglion cell-inner plexiform layer (GCIPL) thickness in diabetic and normal eyes of patients using spectral domain optical coherence tomography (OCT) (Carl Zeiss Meditec, Dublin, CA, USA). METHODS: The authors compared and analyzed the difference of the GCIPL thickness measured with spectral domain optical coherence tomography (OCT) in 42 diabetic and 92 normal subjects. RESULTS: The study subjects were divided into 3 groups: 92 normal subjects, 22 diabetic patients without diabetic retinopathy, and 26 diabetic patients with diabetic retinopathy. Presence of diabetes mellitus (DM) or diabetic retinopathy did not influence the retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness. The GCIPL thickness tended to be thinner especially in the superior sector GCIPL. The GCIPL thickness of normal subjects, diabetes patients without diabetic retinopathy, and diabetic retinopathy patients was 82.24 +/- 7.21 microm, 81.86 +/- 9.53 microm, and 76.77 +/- 14.13 microm, respectively, especially in the superior sector GCIPL (p = 0.029). CONCLUSIONS: Retinal ganglion cell layer thinning was induced by diabetes and diabetic retinopathy, and originated specifically from the superior part of the retina.
Diabetes Mellitus ; Diabetic Retinopathy ; Ganglion Cysts ; Humans ; Nerve Fibers ; Retina ; Retinal Ganglion Cells ; Retinaldehyde ; Tomography, Optical Coherence

PURPOSE: To report a patient with Coats' disease who presented with a premacular membrane that was peeled off after laser photocoagulation. CASE SUMMARY: A 17-year-old male presented with decreased visual acuity of the right eye, and showed serous elevation, subretinal hemorrhage, telangiectasis and thick premacular membrane upon fundus examination. Upon diagnosis with Coats' disease, the telangiectatic area was treated with argon laser photocoagulation. Two weeks later, the premacular membrane was peeled off spontaneously and the decrease of macular thickness was verified by optical coherence tomography (OCT). The patient's visual acuity was improved to 1.0. CONCLUSIONS: The visual acuity of the patient with Coats' disease was improved by spontaneous peeling of the premacular membrane after photocoagulation.
Adolescent ; Argon ; Eye ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Light Coagulation ; Male ; Membranes ; Telangiectasis ; Tomography, Optical Coherence ; Visual Acuity