BACKGROUND: The risk for cardiovascular morbidity and mortality is higher in hemodialysis (HD) patients than in general population. Early diagnosis, treatment and prevention of cardiovascular disease (CVD) are the best way to reduce the most important cause of death. However, cardiac geometric and/or functional alterations including left ventricular hypertrophy, atherosclerosis and/or systolic and diastolic dysfunction are not easily known to nephrologist in the sense that diagnostic procedure is limited because cardiac angiography and echocardiography are frequently needed. METHODS: To evaluate the cardiac alteration by non-invasive tools, we measured pre- and post-HD B-type natriuretic peptide levels and performed impedance cardiography (ICG) in 40 HD patients and 10 healthy adults as control. RESULTS: Pre- and post-HD BNP level, cardiac index (CI), cardiac output (CO), stroke volume (SV), systemic vascular resistance index (SVRI), systemic vascular resistance (SVR), acceleration index (ACI), velocity index (VI) and thoracic fluid content (TFC) in patients were significantly higher than those in normal control group (p<0.05). Pre-HD BNP level, stroke index (SI), SV and TFC were significantly different after HD (p<0.05). There were significant differences in pre-HD BNP level, SI, SV and VI between diabetes and non-diabetes groups (p<0.05). Pre-HD BNP level correlated significantly with post- HD BNP level, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, CO, SVRI, SVR and TFC (p<0.05). In multiple linear regression analysis, SVR and TFC were positively associated with pre-HD BNP level (R2=0.289). The area under the ROC curve for cardiac alterations was 0.749 for pre-HD BNP level. A cut-point of 560 pg/mL for pre-HD BNP level was 80% sensitive and 72% specific in determining cardiac alterations. CONCLUSION: Even though cardiac alterations of patients were heterogeneous in our study, plasma BNP level and some parameters (SVR, TFC) of ICG seem to be available to nephrologist for detecting and monitoring cardiac conditions in HD patients.
Acceleration ; Adult ; Angiography ; Atherosclerosis ; Blood Pressure ; Cardiac Output ; Cardiography, Impedance* ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; Cause of Death ; Early Diagnosis ; Echocardiography ; Electric Impedance* ; Humans ; Hypertrophy, Left Ventricular ; Linear Models ; Mortality ; Natriuretic Peptide, Brain* ; Plasma ; Renal Dialysis* ; ROC Curve ; Stroke ; Stroke Volume ; Vascular Resistance

Three cases of pituitary apoplexy in patients with pituitary tumors are described. This uncommon condition is characterized by the sudden onset of headache, nausea, vomiting, visual impairement, diplopia, disturbance of consciousness and autonomic or hormonal dysfunction. The diagnosis is strengthened by a radiologically abnormal pituitary fossa & clinical symptoms and confirmed by the operative findings of hemorrhage necrotic tissue. Recently, CT enables the early diagnosis of pituitary apoplexy. Since CT can detect blood, it can document acute or chronic hemorrhage in pituitary adenoma. In addition, CT can discriminate between densities other than blood and can therefore be used to diagnosis those cases of pituitary apoplexy in which infarction & necrosis predominate. Finding of acute bleeding within tumor in enlarged sellar on plain CT establishes the diagnosis of pituitary apoplexy. Following three cases of pituitary apoplexy had special findings which was fluid level with faint rim enhancement of high density of dependent portion. Conculsively We agree that CT can help the early diagnosis and prompt surgical intervention of pituitary apoplexy.
Consciousness ; Diagnosis ; Diplopia ; Early Diagnosis ; Headache ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Infarction ; Nausea ; Necrosis ; Pituitary Apoplexy* ; Pituitary Neoplasms ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Vomiting

No abstract available.
Niemann-Pick Disease, Type A*

Materials and Methods: This study retrospectively included 1,415 consecutive patients who underwent spinal surgery between January 2016 and December 2021. Patients diagnosed with infectious diseases were excluded. Prophylactic antibiotics were administered intraoperatively and 24 hours postoperatively. Drains were removed when the volume of postoperative fluid drainage was <50 mL and <100 mL in patients who underwent cervical and thoracic surgery and lumbar surgery in the preceding 24 hours, respectively, and cultures were made. We evaluated the correlation between the results of positive drain tip culture and SSI. Results: Positive drain tip cultures were found in 51 cases (3.6%). SSI was identified in 34 cases (2.4%). The most frequently isolated microorganism was methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus epidermidis (61.8%). The sensitivity, specificity, and positive, and negative predictive values of drain tip culture were 50.0%, 97.4%, 32.1%, and 98.8%, respectively. The same bacteria were isolated from the surgical lesion in 16 of 17 SSI cases with a positive drain tip culture, thereby giving a bacteria matching rate between tissue culture and drain tip culture of 94.1%. The number of surgery levels, drain remaining period, and drain tip culture positivity were significantly increased in the SSI group. Conclusions Drain tip cultures might be useful for predicting SSI. Drain tip culture had a high positivity rate in the SSI group, and the coincidence rate for the causative pathogen was high.

Purpose: This study compared the clinical and radiological results of the femoral neck system (FNS) and cannulated compression screws (CCS) for the fixation of femoral neck fractures. Materials and Methods: Patients who underwent FNS or CCS internal fixation for femoral neckfractures between January 2016 and January 2022 were analyzed retrospectively. The hip joint function using the Harris hip score (HHS) was evaluated three months and one year after surgery. The operation time, fracture healing time, and associated surgical complications in the two groups were compared and analyzed statistically. Results: Seventy-nine patients were categorized into 38 FNS and 41 CCS groups. The FNS group had a longer operation time and higher postoperative HHS at three months (p<0.01). Femoral neck shortening was lower in the FNS group (p=0.022). There were no significant differences in the fracture healing time and other complications. Conclusion There were no differences in most clinical outcomes and complications between the two groups except for the three-month HHS and femoral neck shortening. This study suggests that FNS could be an alternative to CCS for treating femoral neck fractures.

OBJECTIVES: A saccular cyst is defined as a dilated saccule of the larynx, filled with mucus, and is located between the false vocal cords and the thyroid cartilage. Although this uncommon laryngeal condition is benign in nature, it could lead to dyspnea, stridor, and airway obstruction, depending on its size and location. Furthermore, some saccular cysts have been associated with laryngeal carcinoma. This study aimed to characterize this rather uncommon laryngeal condition to aid in determining the proper management of this pathology. METHODS: Medical records were retrospectively reviewed of all patients with saccular cysts diagnosed and treated between 2006 and 2017 at a tertiary otolaryngologic care center. RESULTS: Seven patients with saccular cysts were identified (male:female=2:5; mean age, 34.1 years); two were pediatric patients. Surgical intervention was performed in all patients by laryngo-microsurgery using CO2 laser. There was no recurrence after the initial surgical treatment. CONCLUSION: Saccular cysts can be managed endoscopically using CO2 laser, without requiring an external approach. Therefore, an endoscopic approach should be actively considered for an optimal treatment outcome.
Airway Obstruction ; Dyspnea ; Humans ; Larynx ; Lasers, Gas ; Medical Records ; Mucus ; Pathology ; Recurrence ; Respiratory Sounds ; Retrospective Studies ; Saccule and Utricle ; Thyroid Cartilage ; Treatment Outcome ; Vocal Cords

Since it has been named as Listeria monocytogenes after its detection in 20th century, listeriosis has been known as a microorganism to parasitize and proliferate in cytoplasm of eucaryotic cell in many researches. As listeriosis has been occurred frequently in malignancy, leukemia, alcoholism, pregnant women, neonates and patients who has been administered immunosuppressants, a declined cell- mediated immune system of these patients has gotten the clinical attention as a common pattern. Infections by listeria have been rarely reported in end stage renal disease patients with a reduction in cell- medicated immune system. Through our experience, we'd like to report a meningitis by Listeria monocytogenes which has not been submitted in Korea yet.
Alcoholism ; Cytoplasm ; Female ; Humans ; Immune System ; Immunosuppressive Agents ; Infant, Newborn ; Kidney Failure, Chronic ; Korea ; Leukemia ; Listeria monocytogenes* ; Listeria* ; Listeriosis ; Meningitis ; Meningitis, Listeria* ; Pregnant Women ; Renal Dialysis*

IgA nephropathy is usually localized to the kidney, however, it can accompany systemic disease, including gastrointestinal disease, skin disease, connective tissue disease, and malignant tumor. In some patients with IgA nephropathy which manifested as an extraintestinal symptom of Crohn's disease, recovery of renal function was achieved following treatment of Crohn's disease. The pathophysiology of each disease remains unclear. According to some studies, however, immunological, genetic, and environmental factors may be involved in a complex manner. In patients receiving renal replacement therapy for treatment of renal dysfunction due to IgA nephropathy, occurrence of Crohn's disease as an extrarenal symptom has not been reported. We experienced a case of Crohn's disease which developed in a patient receiving hemodialysis for treatment of end-stage renal disease due to IgA nephropathy.
Connective Tissue Diseases ; Crohn Disease ; Gastrointestinal Diseases ; Glomerulonephritis, IGA ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin A ; Kidney ; Kidney Failure, Chronic ; Renal Dialysis ; Renal Replacement Therapy ; Skin Diseases

BACKGROUND: Thrombopoietin (TPO) is a major cytokine which plays a critical role in the regulation of thrombopoiesis and megakaryopoiesis. Since the kidney is one of the TPO-producing organs, it is hypothesized that TPO deficiency in end stage renal disease can give rise to thrombocytopenia. However, serum TPO levels and their clinical significance in maintenance hemodialysis patients with thrombocytopenia are not completely evaluated. The aim of the present study was to compare the percentage of reticulated platelets and serum TPO levels between non-thrombocytopenic group (platelet count > or =150x109/L, non-T group) and thrombocytopenic group (platelet count <150x109/L, T group) and to investigate the local and/or systemic effect of the TPO on the platelet count in hemodialysis patients. METHODS: We measured the percentage of reticulated platelets and serum TPO levels in samples obtained from venous returns of arteriovenous fistula (AVF) and contralateral peripheral veins in 44 hemodialysis patients. Serum reticulated platelets were measured by flow cytometry and serum TPO levels were determined with a commercially available ELISA kit. Patients with a history of HBV/HCV infection and hepatobiliary disease were excluded. RESULTS: Reticulated platelets of T group (4.57+/-2.32%) were significantly lower than non-T group (7.79+/-3.62%) (p<0.05). Serum TPO levels obtained from venous return of AVF in T group (78.37+/-15.48 pg/mL) were lower than non-T group (98.15+/-35.05 pg/mL) (p<0.05). Serum TPO levels obtained from contralateral peripheral veins in T group (77.20+/-17.28 pg/mL) were lower than non-T group (104.73+/-38.45 pg/mL) (p<0.01). There were no statistically significant difference of serum TPO levels between venous return of AVF and contralateral peripheral veins in T group. CONCLUSION: Decreased circulating reticulated platelets and serum TPO levels despite low platelet counts in comparison with normal platelet counts in hemodialysis patients, suggesting that the feedback mechanism, the TPO producing organ and bone marrow is not working with effect in the regulation of thrombopoiesis. An alteration in the production and regulation of TPO level is not influenced by local factor like an AVF endothelium.
Arteriovenous Fistula ; Bone Marrow ; Endothelium ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Flow Cytometry ; Humans ; Kidney ; Kidney Failure, Chronic ; Platelet Count ; Renal Dialysis* ; Thrombocytopenia* ; Thrombopoiesis ; Thrombopoietin* ; Veins

Renal artery disease is one of the significant factors that lead to compromise renal function and/or aggravate hypertension in the elderly population. Since the non-surgical treatment of renal artery stenosis, percutaneous transluminal renal angioplasty, is available, it is possible to cure the decreased renal function and exacerbated hypertension. However, bilateral renal artery occlusion (BRAO) that brings about anuria and azotemia is rare. In this communication, we'd like to describe a patient who developed acute renal failure due to BRAO. His renal function was completely recovered after successful implantation of stents into both renal arteries. We are unaware of prior reports documenting the beneficial effect of a distal embolic protection device, the PercuSurge GuardWire system (Medtronic, Minneapolis, MN, USA), in a clinical setting as described here. The GuardWire arm, a device for transient distal balloon occlusion during angioplasty or stent placement, allows recovery of any liberated plaque by aspiration before restoration of antegrade flow, and thereby performs a double service. We'd like to strongly recommend that stent implantation with adjunctive distal protection is essential to obtain a complete restoration of distal blood flow although there is sufficient collateral blood flow in elderly patients with BRAO and azotemia.
Acute Kidney Injury ; Aged ; Angioplasty ; Anuria ; Arm ; Azotemia ; Balloon Occlusion ; Embolic Protection Devices* ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Renal Artery Obstruction ; Renal Artery* ; Stents*