BACKGROUND/AIMS: The aim of this study was to evaluate the peritonitis-causing bacteria detected in peritoneal fluid using a blood culture bottle in patients undergoing continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD). METHODS: One-hundred and eleven dialysates from 43 patients suspected of peritonitis related to CAPD were retrospectively evaluated between May 2000 and February 2008. In all cases, 5 to 10 mL of dialysate was inoculated into a pair of BacT/Alert blood culture bottles, and 50 mL of centrifuged dialysate was simultaneously inoculated into a solid culture media for conventional culture. The results were compared to those of the conventional culture method. Isolated microorganisms were compared between the two methods. RESULTS: The blood culture method was positive in 78.6% (88 / 112) of dialysate specimens and the conventional culture method in 50% (56 / 112, p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The blood culture method using the BacT/Alert system is useful for culturing dialysates and improves the positive culture rate in patients with suspected peritonitis compared to the conventional culture method.
Culture Media ; Dialysis Solutions ; Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections/*diagnosis/microbiology ; Gram-Positive Bacterial Infections/*diagnosis/microbiology ; Humans ; Kidney Failure, Chronic/*therapy ; Microbiological Techniques/*methods ; Peritoneal Dialysis, Continuous Ambulatory/*adverse effects ; Peritonitis/*diagnosis/microbiology ; Sensitivity and Specificity

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Icodextrin (glucose polymer) is metabolized by a-amylase to oligosaccharides such as maltose and maltotriose. The presence of these metabolites could have an effect on the enzymatic glucose measurement especially the glucose dehydrogenase pyrroloquinolinequinone (GDH-PQQ) based method. Patients treated with icodextrin are at risk for inaccurate blood glucose measurements. In this study we measured the blood glucose with different methods and analyzed the results to determine the test accuracy. METHODS: The blood glucose was measured, in seven outpatients and in seven inpatients using icodextrin, by the glucose hexokinase laboratory technique method as well as the GDH-PQQ method (Accu Chek Active)at the same time. To estimate an icodextrin residual effect, after discontinuing icodextin, the blood glucose was measured by the two methods after 48 hours in 4 inpatients. RESULTS: In seven outpatients the blood glucose was overestimated by the Accu Chek Active method (mean difference 68 mg/dL, p value 0.012). In seven inpatients the mean difference in the glucose was 56 mg/dL at 6am, 52 mg/dL at 11am, 52 mg/dL at 4pm, and 50 mg/dL at 9pm by the two different methods. In the four inpatients after changing their dialysate, the mean difference in the glucose was 58 mg/dL after 10 hours, 45 mg/dL after 24 hours, 24 mg/dL after 34 hours, and 26 mg/dL after 48 hours. CONCLUSION: Blood glucose was overestimated by the GDH-PQQ method and the inaccuracies were observed for more than 48 hours.
Blood Glucose ; Glucans ; Glucose ; Glucose 1-Dehydrogenase ; Hexokinase ; Humans ; Hypoglycemia ; Inpatients ; Maltose ; Oligosaccharides ; Outpatients ; Peritoneal Dialysis, Continuous Ambulatory ; Trisaccharides

A 72-year-old woman presented with generalized edema and proteinuria. Renal biopsy disclosed highly organized fibrillary deposits in subendothelial area by electron microscopy. The microfibrils were 14 nm in diameter and randomly arranged. They did not have a microtubular appearance. These materials were negative for Congo red staining. Cryoglobulinemia or paraproteinemia including light chains was not found. So we can diagnose her as fibrillary glomerulonephritis (GN). In fibrillary GN serum complement levels are usually normal except in rare cases with systemic disease. Here we present a rare case of fibrillary GN with unusual hypocomplementemia.
Aged ; Biopsy ; Complement C3 ; Complement System Proteins ; Congo Red ; Cryoglobulinemia ; Edema ; Female ; Glomerulonephritis ; Humans ; Light ; Microfibrils ; Microscopy, Electron ; Paraproteinemias ; Proteinuria

Hemimegalencephaly is a rare brain malformation characterized by congenital hypertrophy of one cerebral hemisphere, ipsilateral ventriculomegaly, hemiparesis, intractable epilepsy, and mental retardation, which often results in early death. We reported a case of hemimegalencephaly in a 1-month-old male with the chief complaint of intractable focal seizure.
Brain ; Cerebrum ; Epilepsy ; Humans ; Hypertrophy ; Infant, Newborn ; Intellectual Disability ; Male ; Malformations of Cortical Development* ; Paresis ; Seizures*

PURPOSE: To determine whether differences in arterial and end-tidal carbon dioxide [P(a-et)CO2], shock index, and serum lactate levels are helpful for predicting the outcome of resuscitation in hypovolemic shock patients in the emergency department. METHODS: A prospective study of end-tidal carbon dioxide (EtCO2)-derived variables and patient outcomes in hypovolemic shock was conducted in the emergency department of a university hospital from January 2005 to February 2006. A total of fifty-eight hypovolemic shock patients over 20 years old were included. During resuscitation, patients received volume replacement including blood transfusions, as well as vasopressor or inotropic therapy if needed. RESULTS: Twenty-one patients died in the hospital. At the time of admission (hour 0) and after resuscitation (hour 4), there were no differences related to age, respiration and heart rate, CVP, arterial blood gases, or EtCO2 between survivors and non-survivors. Non-survivors had significantly higher shock index scores, serum lactate levels, and P(a-et) CO2 than the survivors. The Receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curves at hour 4 hour for P(a-et)CO2 were as effective for predicting mortality as were the shock index and serum lactate levels. Shock index > 1.0, P(a-et)CO2 > 4 mmHg, and serum lactate > 5.0 mmol/L after resuscitation were all associated with a high early mortality rate (p=0.074, 0.001, 0.000, respectively). CONCLUSION: P(a-et)CO2, shock index, and serum lactate levels are predictive of in-hospital mortality and may be useful as guidelines in the resuscitation of hypovolemic shock patients in the emergency department.
Blood Gas Analysis ; Blood Transfusion ; Capnography ; Carbon Dioxide* ; Carbon* ; Emergency Service, Hospital ; Gases ; Heart Rate ; Hospital Mortality* ; Humans ; Hypovolemia* ; Lactic Acid* ; Mortality ; Prospective Studies ; Respiration ; Resuscitation* ; Shock* ; Survivors ; Young Adult

Despite the frequent occurrence of peritonitis in patients with continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD), fungal peritonitis is uncommon and usually associated with antibiotics and immunodeficiency. Most of the fungal isolates are usually Candida albicans, Candida parapsilosis, Candida guilliermondii or Candida torulopsis. The authors report a case of fungal CAPD related peritonitis due to Candida zeylanoides that occurred in a patient with the absence of the usual risk factors for fungal peritonitis. Treatment with intravenous fluconazole was successful.
Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Candida ; Candida albicans ; Candida glabrata ; Candidiasis ; Fluconazole ; Humans ; Peritoneal Dialysis ; Peritoneal Dialysis, Continuous Ambulatory ; Peritonitis ; Risk Factors

BACKGROUND: Current researeh indicates that making among young adults tends to persist into later life. Furthermare, numerous studies have proven the harmful effects of female stmoking on their offspring. These trends have produced a wide variety of(social, medical and economic) problems. This study is aimed at obtaining basic information to help prevent patential smokers from trying their first cigarette as well as to instruct to stop smoking. This study involves the following: a) investigating general factors affecting the smoking status of college students in addition to the deterents to smoking b) seeking to understand the familial influence on smoking status c) resesrching how smokers, ex-smokers and non-smakers perceive their familial influence on their smoking status. METHODS: In June 1998, a self-administered questiannaire was distributed to 800 students of two junior colleges by random sampling in Po'hang. 720 were returned and 642 displayed adequate respanses. The questionnaires were analyzed using SPSS and EXCEL software. RESULTS: Among the tatal of 642 subjects studied, 220 were males(34.3%) and 422 femaks(66.7%). Of the male subjets 149(67%) were smokers, 46(21% ) were ex-smokers and 25(11.3%) were non smokers. Of the female subjcts 22(5.2%) were smokers, 399(92.9%) were ex-smokers and 11(2.6%) were non smokers. The number of cigarettes smoked per day was as follows:79 subjects(46.2%) smoked 10-20 cigarettes, 55(33.2%) smoked less than 10 and 37(21.6%) smoked more than a pack of cigarette. When considering the related factors which affect student smoking it is evident that there is a growing tendency toward smoking among male students when they have dose friends who are smokers and who cansume alcohol on a weekly basis. About the motives of smoking, there was a significant difference between the following two cases. Those(36.2%) who successfully quit smoking had started to smoke through solicitation by friends, but only 2.7% were successful if they had started to smoke to relieve stress When it comes to the influence of familial factors on successful versus unsuccessful attempts to quit smoking, the status of family smokers, whether or not smokers made their habit obvious to family members and whether or not the family allowed smoking did nat have any noticeable statistical difference between continuation of smoking and smoking cessation. However there was an obviaus difference among ex-smokers, non smokers and smokers when they responded as to whether or not their family had an effect on smoking status and smoking cessation:ex-smokers(38.4%), non-smokers(30.6%) and smokers(17.0%). CONCLUSIONS: In the light of the related factors attributed to the continuation of smoking in this study, it was revealed that there was a higher possibility of current smoking when the subject were a male and have close friends who smoked and had a higher level of average alcohol cansumption. this study also indicated that the continued smoking rate was higher among irdividuals who started smoking because of stress than those who began smoking as a result of peer pressure. There was no significant relatianship between smoking status and familial influence on smoking cessation between smokers and ex-smokers, but ex-smokers and non smokers had more awarness of familial influence than smokers.
Female ; Friends ; Humans ; Male ; Smoke* ; Smoking Cessation ; Smoking* ; Tobacco Products ; Young Adult ; Surveys and Questionnaires

We experienced 5 cases of acute rubella encephalitis, a serious complication of rubella. The patients presented with convulsions and a deteriorated mental state, both of which occurred with a vanishing maculopapular rash and a low grade fever. The cerebrospinal fluid analysis showed pleocytosis and increased protein and normal glucose levels. We diagnosed the rubella encephalitis by detection of IgM in the serum. Rubella encephalitis is known to be a serious complication of rubella, and with poor prognosis. The mortality rate may reached as high 20%. Our cases recovered without any sequelae.
Cerebrospinal Fluid ; Encephalitis* ; Exanthema ; Fever ; Glucose ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin M ; Leukocytosis ; Mortality ; Prognosis ; Rubella* ; Seizures

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effectiveness of foam sclerotherapy, we compared the clinical data and results of foam sclerotherapy with conventional sclerotherapy. METHOD: Ninety-three cases of varicose veins were retrospectively reviewed; these were treated by sclerotherapy from January 2000 to September 2005 (women: 82 cases, men: 12 cases, mean age: 43.7 years old). The enrolled cases were divided into the conventional sclerotherapy (CS) group (n=53) and the foam sclerotherapy (FS) group (n=40) according to the applied technique. We assessed the results with the disappearance scoring scale (DSS) and the satisfaction scoring scale (SSS). RESULT: In DSS, complete disappearance was reported as 28.3% by physicians and 30.2% by the patients in CS group and as 47.5% and 52.5% in the FS group, respectively. On the SSS, a satisfaction score scale above 3 (4: Good, 5: Very good) was reported for 79.1% in the CS group and 90.0% in the FS group, retrospectively. The average amounts of sclerosants used were significantly lower in the FS group (1.2+/-0.4 vials) than in the CS group (2.1+/-0.5 vials)(P=0.001). Post injection complications were retrospectively observed in 16.1% of all the patients, in 20.7% of the CS group and in 10.0% of the FS group. CONCLUSION: Sclerotherapy is a very effective and sufficient treatment for telangiectases or reticular varicose veins. Especially, foam sclerotherapy is more effective than conventional liquid sclerotherapy for the clinical results and the patient satisfaction, and it shows a with lower incidence of complications.
Humans ; Incidence ; Lower Extremity* ; Male ; Patient Satisfaction ; Retrospective Studies ; Sclerosing Solutions ; Sclerotherapy* ; Telangiectasis ; Varicose Veins*

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effectiveness of foam sclerotherapy, we compared the clinical data and results of foam sclerotherapy with conventional sclerotherapy. METHOD: Ninety-three cases of varicose veins were retrospectively reviewed; these were treated by sclerotherapy from January 2000 to September 2005 (women: 82 cases, men: 12 cases, mean age: 43.7 years old). The enrolled cases were divided into the conventional sclerotherapy (CS) group (n=53) and the foam sclerotherapy (FS) group (n=40) according to the applied technique. We assessed the results with the disappearance scoring scale (DSS) and the satisfaction scoring scale (SSS). RESULT: In DSS, complete disappearance was reported as 28.3% by physicians and 30.2% by the patients in CS group and as 47.5% and 52.5% in the FS group, respectively. On the SSS, a satisfaction score scale above 3 (4: Good, 5: Very good) was reported for 79.1% in the CS group and 90.0% in the FS group, retrospectively. The average amounts of sclerosants used were significantly lower in the FS group (1.2+/-0.4 vials) than in the CS group (2.1+/-0.5 vials)(P=0.001). Post injection complications were retrospectively observed in 16.1% of all the patients, in 20.7% of the CS group and in 10.0% of the FS group. CONCLUSION: Sclerotherapy is a very effective and sufficient treatment for telangiectases or reticular varicose veins. Especially, foam sclerotherapy is more effective than conventional liquid sclerotherapy for the clinical results and the patient satisfaction, and it shows a with lower incidence of complications.
Humans ; Incidence ; Lower Extremity* ; Male ; Patient Satisfaction ; Retrospective Studies ; Sclerosing Solutions ; Sclerotherapy* ; Telangiectasis ; Varicose Veins*