BACKGROUND: Recently, serologic techniques for tuberculosis have been developed and some of them, which are focusing on detection of serum antibodies mainly directed against specific 38-kDa Mycobacterium tuberculosis, have already been introduced into the market. In this study, diagnostic significance of a new serologic test(ELISA kit) for pulmonary tuberculosis was evaluated. METHODS: Serologic test with newly developed ELISA kit was performed upon 474 individuals, who include 333 active pulmonary tuberculosis patients, 80 healthy cases, and 61 tuberculosis contact cases. This serologic test was based on the ELISA technique and designed to detect antibodies to mixed complex antigens including 38-kDa, which were developed by Erume Biotech Co.,Seoul.Active pulmonary tuberculosis was diagnosed by sputum AFB smear and culture methods. RESULTS: The seropositivities using this ELISA kit were 82.1% and 73.6% in smear-positive and negative groups among active pulmonary tuberculosis, respectively. And, it also showed that seronegativities were 97.5% and 85.2% in healthy and contact groups, respectively. As a whole, the results of our study suing the ELISA kit as a diagnostic methiod for pulmonary tuberculosis showed 80.0% sensitivity for active pulmonary tuberculosis, 97.5% specificity, 96.1% positive predictive value, and 65.0% negative predictive value when the prevalence of tuberculosis in the samples was 60.1%. CONCLUSION: Our results reveal that the detection of antibody its reaction with 38-kDa antigen of M.tuberculosis is not sufficient to be accepted as single diagnostic method for pulmonary tuberculosis. However, they suggest that ELISA kit may be considered as an adjunctive test to standard diagnostic techniques of pulmonary tuberculosis.
Antibodies ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay* ; Humans ; Mycobacterium tuberculosis* ; Mycobacterium* ; Prevalence ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Serologic Tests* ; Sputum ; Tuberculosis ; Tuberculosis, Pulmonary*

Neonatal Gaves disease is a relatively rare condition due to transplacental passage of Thyroid-stimulating antibody(TSAb) from a mother with active or inactive Graveses disease or autoimmune thyroiditis. A 11-day-old female newborn was referred to our department of pediatrics from a local clinic because of low level T4(3.55microg/dl) concurrent with high level TSH (501.74uIU/ml) on the 5th day neonatal metabolic screening. But, our repeated laboratory data showed very high serum T4(59.6microg/dl), T3(1,600ng/dl), suppressed TSH(0.43uIU/ml), and the presence of TSH receptor antibody. Her mother was treated with propylthiouracil(PTU) for Graves disease during pregnancy. Therefore, we thought it was a delayed-onset neonatal hyperthyroidism, because the fetal thyroid gland was initially suppressed by antithyroid drug taken during pregnancy. After initiating antithyroid drug therapy for the hyperthyroid nature, TSH levels became elevated again, while thyroid hormone levels decreased. Maternal and infant blood samples at the 23th day after birth were examined for serum autoantibodies directed towards the TSH receptor(Thyrotropin-binding inhibitory immunoglobulin:TBII, Thyroid-stimulating antibody:TSAb, Thyroid-stimulating blocking antibody:TSBAb) and high levels of TBII and TSAb were detected. About 2 months after birth, TBII and TSAb decreased within normal limit, and then we could stop antithyroid medication in safety. We report here a case of neonatal Graveses disease with very high level of T4 and T3, but firstly presented as hypothyroid nature on neonatal screening because of the maternally transferred antithyroid drug, PTU.
Autoantibodies ; Drug Therapy ; Female ; Graves Disease ; Humans ; Hyperthyroidism ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Mass Screening ; Mothers ; Neonatal Screening ; Parturition ; Pediatrics ; Pregnancy ; Receptors, Thyrotropin ; Thyroid Gland ; Thyroiditis, Autoimmune

No abstract available.
Child* ; Giant Cell Tumors* ; Giant Cells* ; Humans ; Tendons*

No abstract available.
Alopecia ; Humans ; Male

Compared to cutaneous benign fibrous histiocytoma (BFH), deep-seated BFH is very rare and poorly recognized. Both cutaneous and deep-seated BFH are usually asymptomatic. We herein report a 25 year-old woman who presented with a painful mass in her foot that was poorly controlled by analgesics and associated with walking difficulty. After preoperative ultrasonographic evaluation, the mass was completely excised and histologic exam showed spindle cells loosely arranged in storiform architecture, with CD34-, desmin-, S-100-, focal CD68+, vimentin+, smooth muscle actin+, and factor XIIIa+. The patient was diagnosed with deep-seated BFH based on the histologic, radiologic and intraoperative findings.
Analgesics ; Female ; Foot ; Histiocytoma, Benign Fibrous ; Humans ; Muscle, Smooth ; Walking

In the 1960s, Sir John Charnley introduced to clinical practice his concept of low-friction total hip arthroplasty (THA). Although early designs were plagued by poor performance and even failure, there have been steady advances in implant designs, biomaterials, surgical techniques and an understanding of the biomechanical restoration of the hip; these advances have contributed to improvements in implant survival and clinical outcomes of THA in the past three decades. With improved wear resistance and mechanical reliability, a potential to last for at least 25 to 30 years are now available for THA. In this review, we focus on the evolution of THA and review current controversies and future directions of this procedure based on a single surgeon's 29-year of experience at a single institution.
Arthroplasty, Replacement, Hip ; Biocompatible Materials ; Hip

Extramammary Paget's disease (EMPD) is an uncommon intraepithelial adenocarcinoma, primarily affecting the apocrine-bearing skin. Bowen disease is an intraepithelial squamous cell carcinoma having the potential to become invasive carcinoma. The histopathological concomitant features between EMPD and Bowen disease have been described. One theory is that primary EMPD arises multicentrically, within the epidermis from the pluripotent stem cells. Herein, we describe a case of EMPD that had bowenoid features, and review the previous cases associated with the origin of EMPD.
Adenocarcinoma ; Bowen's Disease ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; Epidermis ; Genitalia ; Genitalia, Male ; Male ; Paget Disease, Extramammary ; Pluripotent Stem Cells ; Skin

Extramammary Paget's disease (EMPD) is an uncommon intraepithelial adenocarcinoma, primarily affecting the apocrine-bearing skin. Bowen disease is an intraepithelial squamous cell carcinoma having the potential to become invasive carcinoma. The histopathological concomitant features between EMPD and Bowen disease have been described. One theory is that primary EMPD arises multicentrically, within the epidermis from the pluripotent stem cells. Herein, we describe a case of EMPD that had bowenoid features, and review the previous cases associated with the origin of EMPD.
Adenocarcinoma ; Bowen's Disease ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; Epidermis ; Genitalia ; Genitalia, Male ; Male ; Paget Disease, Extramammary ; Pluripotent Stem Cells ; Skin

Darier's disease is a genetic disorder of keratinization with autosomal dominant inheritance. Its appearance is usually in the form of greasy, crusted, keratotic yellow-brown papules and plaques found particularly on seborrheic areas of the body. However, there are some clinical variants showing atypical skin lesions. Here we report an unusual case of Darier's disease, which mainly showed prominent comedonal papules over the face.
Darier Disease ; Keratins ; Skin ; Wills

Granular cell tumors (GCTs) can be divided into neural type with S-100 reactivity and non-neural type without that. The latter has not been widely recognized and there are only fewer reports available when compared to conventional GCT. A 65-year-old man was presented with the presence of a painless mass on his back. The mass had developed into a small nodule on the scar developed because of previous surgery carried out 2 years ago. The tumor consisted of large, polygonal cells comprising of an enormous number of faintly eosinophilic small granules in the cytoplasm. The cytoplasmic granules were stained positively for periodic acid-Schiff stain. Immunohistochemical stains for S-100 protein and neuron-specific enolase were found to be negative. Herein, we report the appearance of a very rare case of non neural GCT developed on the surgical scar in support with relevant literature reviews.
Aged ; Cicatrix ; Coloring Agents ; Cytoplasm ; Cytoplasmic Granules ; Eosinophils ; Granular Cell Tumor ; Humans ; Phosphopyruvate Hydratase ; S100 Proteins