Infection involving the spinal cord and cauda equina are much less common than intracranial infection. Among the above, bacterial infection in spinal epidural space are relatively uncommon but well recognized entity in adult and children. More than 300 cases with spinal epidural abscess are described in the literatures. Because of its rarity, there is delay in diagnosis and irreversible neurological sequelae in high percentage of cases. Infection of the spinal epidural space are accompanied by fever, tachycardia, headache, pain and tenderness in the back, weakness of the lower extremities and finally a complete paraplegia. The modes of infection are 1) direct extension from inflammatory process in adjacent tissues 2) perforating wounds or lumbar puncture 3) hematogenous route from the remote origin. The most frequent causative organism is staphylococcus aureus always, but pneumococcus, streptococcus, pseudomonas, typhoid bacillus, pyocyanus, oidium coccidioides and fungus are causative organisms occasionally. In spinal epidural abscess with complete paraplegia, the neurologic sequelae are permanent and unhappy. So the spinal epidural abscess is neurosurgical emergency in which early diagnosis and prompt surgery are necessary to avert permanent cord damage. Recently, the spinal epidural abscess has increasing tendency. We have treated 5 cases with spinal epidural abscesses from Nov. 1974 to Apr. 1976. The followings are results ; 1) Sex incidence showed male 2, female 3 and age incidence ranged from 21 years to 38 years, but 4th decade was most common. 2) Most common mode of infection was unknown though all cases have been applied the acupunture for the back pain several times. 3) Most avaliable procedures of diagnosis were the usual infectious symptoms, leukocytosis, increased erythrocyte sedimentation rate, obstructive responce by Queckenstedt test and findings of myelography, including increased protein and pleocytosis in cerebrospinal fluid. 4) All 5 cases had been performed total laminectomy from T3-L3, according to the lesions commonly in thoracic spine with spinal epidural abscess and had been treated with penicillin G, Methicillin and Geopen. 5) The prognosis was poor in 4 cases with complete paraplegia but 1 case with incomplete paralysis recovered completely.
Adult ; Bacillus ; Back Pain ; Bacterial Infections ; Blood Sedimentation ; Carbenicillin ; Cauda Equina ; Cerebrospinal Fluid ; Child ; Coccidioides ; Diagnosis ; Early Diagnosis ; Emergencies ; Epidural Abscess* ; Epidural Space ; Female ; Fever ; Fungi ; Headache ; Humans ; Incidence ; Laminectomy ; Leukocytosis ; Lower Extremity ; Male ; Methicillin ; Myelography ; Paralysis ; Paraplegia ; Penicillin G ; Prognosis ; Pseudomonas ; Spinal Cord ; Spinal Puncture ; Spine ; Staphylococcus aureus ; Streptococcus ; Streptococcus pneumoniae ; Tachycardia ; Typhoid Fever ; Wounds and Injuries

This study was performed to observe the present status of intestinal parasitic infections in a remote island, Yondo, located in southern part of Jeonranam-do(province), Korea. In February and May 1988, total 1,011 individual stool samples were collected and examined for intestinal helminths and protozoa using formalin-ether centrifugal sedimentation technique. The results are summarized as follows: Of 1,011 ingabitants examined, 398(39.4%) were positive for intestinal parasites. Helminth positives were 372(36.8%), and protozoan cyst positives were 56(5.5%). Ten species of parasites were found. Trichuris trichiura revealed the highest infection rate of 27.5%, Ascaris lumbricoides 17.4%, Taenia sp. 5.8%, Entamoeba coli 3.3%, Giardia lamblia 1.5%, Endolimax nana 0.8%, Hymenolepis nana 0.4%, hookworm 0.2%, Trichostrongylus orientalis 0.2%, and Entamoeba histolytica 0.2%, respectively. The female group showed higher positive rate (44.0%) than males (34.7%). Also, higher positive rates were observed among adults as compared with the group younger than 10 years old. Average value of E.P.G. was 1,876(range 200-17,800) in A. lumbricoides positives, and 327(range 200-1,600) in T. trichiura positive cases. In helminth egg positive cases, single infection was 63.4%, double infection 34.7%, and triple infection 1.9%, respectively. Among protozoan cyst positives, single infection was 94.6%, and double infection was 5.4%. The present study revealed that the prevalence of intestinal parasites among inhabitants in Yondo island is still so high that special control measures should be performed.
parasitology-helminth-trematoda ; cestoda-nematoda-protozoa ; epidemiology ; Ascaris lumbricoides ; Taenia sp. ; Entamoeba coli ; Giardia lamblia ; Endolimax nana ; hookworm ; Trichostrongylus orientalis ; Entamoeba histolytica

Cushing's syndrome in pregnant women is rare and difficult to be diagnosed because of the syndrome's association with oligomenorrhea or amenorrhea and the changes in cortisol metabolism during normal pregnancy. Cushing syndrome in pregnancy is usually confused with complicated pregnancy, such as preeclampsia or gestational diabetes, and its rarity leads to a low degree of clinical suspicion, often delaying diagnosis. We experienced a case of Cushing's syndrome in pregnancy, which had been considered as the severe preeclampsia and gestational diabetes due to uncontrolled hypertension and hyperglycemia. The pregnancy was terminated with an emergency cesarean operation at 30 weeks of gestation because of severe preeclampsia. In consequence of the evaluation about the Cushing's syndrome after delivery, the adrenal cortical adenoma of right adrenal gland was diagnosed and laparoscopic adrenalectomy was performed.
Adenoma, Adrenal Cortical/*complications/radiography/surgery ; Adrenal Cortex Neoplasms/*complications/radiography/surgery ; Adrenalectomy ; Adult ; Cushing Syndrome/*etiology/radiography/surgery ; Female ; Human ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Complications, Neoplastic/*radiography ; Pregnancy Outcome

The 46, XX male syndrome is rare disease that is characterized by a phenotypic male who has a 46, XX female karyotype. Since the first report by de la Chapelle and associates in 1964, several cases have been reported, but it is still a rare entity. Recently we examined a 20-year-old XX male who had the symptoms of gynecomastia, an infantile appearance of the external genitalia, scanty pubic hair, no Adams apple, and no axillary hair. We presently describe a patient with the 46, XX male syndrome who showed a 46, XX karyotype on chromosomal study and review the literatures.
46, XX Testicular Disorders of Sex Development* ; Female ; Genitalia ; Gynecomastia ; Hair ; Humans ; Karyotype ; Male ; Rare Diseases ; Young Adult

No abstract available.
Catheters

BACKGROUND: The early diagnosis of candidemia is critical for the management. The candidemia is known to be associated with 10% of candiduria. But the risk factors in patients with candiduria who are associated with candidemia are not known. We analyzed the risk factors in patients with candiduria who are associated with candidemia. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed 164 patients with candiduria in Yonsei Medical Center from January 1998 to December 1998. Candiduria patients were divided into two groups. Candiduria patients without candidemia (Group I, 147 patients) and candiduria patients with candidemia (Group II, 17 patients). RESULTS: 1) The mean age of the patients were 57.5 years in group I and 62.5 years in group II. There were no significant differences in the sex ratio between the two groups. 2) Central venous catheter insertion (53%, 100% in group I, II), hypotension (14%, 59% in group I, II), other associated infections (64%, 100% in group I, II), intensive care (41, 76% in group I, II) and fever (46%, 82% in group I, II) were the very significant risk factors in patients with candiduria who were associated with candidemia. 3) Urinary tract procedure (11%, 88% in group I, II), urinary catheter insertion (63%, 94% in group I, II), thrombocytopenia (17%, 41% in group I, II) and DM (8%, 24% in group I, II) were the significant risk factors of candidemia. 4) Candida colony count (cfu/mL) of urine culture was not a significant risk factor. 5) Mortality rate (27%, 59% in group I, II) was significantly high in patients with candidemia. CONCLUSION: Central venous catheter insertion, hypotension, other associated infections, intensive care and fever were the very significant risk factors of candidemia in patients with candiduria.
Candida ; Candidemia* ; Candidiasis ; Central Venous Catheters ; Early Diagnosis ; Fever ; Humans ; Hypotension ; Critical Care ; Mortality ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors* ; Sex Ratio ; Thrombocytopenia ; Urinary Catheters ; Urinary Tract

BACKGROUND: The early diagnosis of candidemia is critical for the management. The candidemia is known to be associated with 10% of candiduria. But the risk factors in patients with candiduria who are associated with candidemia are not known. We analyzed the risk factors in patients with candiduria who are associated with candidemia. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed 164 patients with candiduria in Yonsei Medical Center from January 1998 to December 1998. Candiduria patients were divided into two groups. Candiduria patients without candidemia (Group I, 147 patients) and candiduria patients with candidemia (Group II, 17 patients). RESULTS: 1) The mean age of the patients were 57.5 years in group I and 62.5 years in group II. There were no significant differences in the sex ratio between the two groups. 2) Central venous catheter insertion (53%, 100% in group I, II), hypotension (14%, 59% in group I, II), other associated infections (64%, 100% in group I, II), intensive care (41, 76% in group I, II) and fever (46%, 82% in group I, II) were the very significant risk factors in patients with candiduria who were associated with candidemia. 3) Urinary tract procedure (11%, 88% in group I, II), urinary catheter insertion (63%, 94% in group I, II), thrombocytopenia (17%, 41% in group I, II) and DM (8%, 24% in group I, II) were the significant risk factors of candidemia. 4) Candida colony count (cfu/mL) of urine culture was not a significant risk factor. 5) Mortality rate (27%, 59% in group I, II) was significantly high in patients with candidemia. CONCLUSION: Central venous catheter insertion, hypotension, other associated infections, intensive care and fever were the very significant risk factors of candidemia in patients with candiduria.
Candida ; Candidemia* ; Candidiasis ; Central Venous Catheters ; Early Diagnosis ; Fever ; Humans ; Hypotension ; Critical Care ; Mortality ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors* ; Sex Ratio ; Thrombocytopenia ; Urinary Catheters ; Urinary Tract

Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are pattern-recognition receptors that are important in innate immune responses to bacterial infection. The purpose of this study is to describe the prevalence of TLRs genetic variations in the bacteremic patients in Korea. A total of 154 patients with bacteremia and 179 healthy volunteers were included. The Asp299Gly and Thr399Ile allele of the TLR4 gene and Arg753Gln and Arg677Trp allele of the TLR2 gene were tested by PCR-RFLP. The DNA sequences were determined to confirm the PCR-RFLP results. Contrary to the expectation, no genetic polymorphisms were detected in both groups of this study, suggesting that it is very rare in Korean.
Toll-Like Receptor 4/blood/*genetics ; Toll-Like Receptor 2/blood/*genetics ; Risk Factors ; Risk Assessment/*methods ; Prevalence ; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide/genetics ; Middle Aged ; Male ; Korea/epidemiology ; Humans ; Genetic Screening/methods ; Genetic Predisposition to Disease/epidemiology/genetics ; Female ; DNA Mutational Analysis ; Biological Markers/blood ; Bacteremia/blood/*epidemiology/*genetics

Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are pattern-recognition receptors that are important in innate immune responses to bacterial infection. The purpose of this study is to describe the prevalence of TLRs genetic variations in the bacteremic patients in Korea. A total of 154 patients with bacteremia and 179 healthy volunteers were included. The Asp299Gly and Thr399Ile allele of the TLR4 gene and Arg753Gln and Arg677Trp allele of the TLR2 gene were tested by PCR-RFLP. The DNA sequences were determined to confirm the PCR-RFLP results. Contrary to the expectation, no genetic polymorphisms were detected in both groups of this study, suggesting that it is very rare in Korean.
Toll-Like Receptor 4/blood/*genetics ; Toll-Like Receptor 2/blood/*genetics ; Risk Factors ; Risk Assessment/*methods ; Prevalence ; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide/genetics ; Middle Aged ; Male ; Korea/epidemiology ; Humans ; Genetic Screening/methods ; Genetic Predisposition to Disease/epidemiology/genetics ; Female ; DNA Mutational Analysis ; Biological Markers/blood ; Bacteremia/blood/*epidemiology/*genetics

BACKGROUND: Physicians find fever of unknown origin (FUO) a difficult problem to solve. Analysis of the causes of FUO may be useful in the diagnosis of FUO. We investigated the causes of FUO in the last two decades from 1980 to 1999 and compared the two decades to seek for a trend of changes of the causes of FUO. METHODS: Among 854 patients diagnosed as FUO on discharge, we retrospectively reviewed 278 patients compatible with the Petersdorf's criteria through inpatient and outpatient medical records. RESULTS: There were 144 (51.5%) men and 134 (48.2%) women. Among the 98 patients in the 1980s, infectious disease was the cause in 37 (37.8%) patients, collagen vascular disease in 17 (17.3%), malignancy in 8 (8.2%), miscellaneous in 11 (11.2%), and unidentifiable cause in 25 (25.5%) patients. Among the 180 patients in the 1990s, infectious disease was the cause in 45 (25.0%) patients, collagen vascular disease in 37 (20.5%), malignancy in 34 (18.9%), miscellaneous in 45 (25.0%), and unidentifiable cause in 19 (10.6%) patients. According to the order of frequency, the causes of infectious disease were pulmonary tuberculosis (19.4%), extrapulmonary tuberculosis (8.2%), liver abscess (4.1%) in the 1980s and extrapulmonary tuberculosis (17.2%), pulmonary tuberculosis (4.4%), liver abscess (1.1%) in the 1990s. The diagnostic methods for evaluation of FUO were culture (45.6%), radiology (17.6%), serology (16.2%), and biopsy (10.3%) in the 1980s and radiology (31.5%), biopsy (26.9%), culture (21.5%) and serology (20.0%) in the 1990s. CONCLUSION: Among the causes of FUO, infectious disease decreased and collagen disease and malignancy increased with time. The most common cause of infectious disease was pulmonary tuberculosis in the 1980s but extrapulmonary tuberculosis in the 1990s. Use of radiology and biopsy as diagnostic methods for FUO increased.
Biopsy ; Collagen ; Collagen Diseases ; Communicable Diseases ; Diagnosis ; Female ; Fever of Unknown Origin* ; Fever* ; Humans ; Inpatients ; Liver Abscess ; Male ; Medical Records ; Outpatients ; Retrospective Studies ; Tuberculosis ; Tuberculosis, Pulmonary ; Vascular Diseases