BACKGROUND: It seems that herpes zoster is caused by reactivation of the varicella-zoster virus and its incidence is increasing. The reactivation of the varicella zoster virus is thought to be associated with the disturbance of the state of immunity in patients with herpes zoster. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to elucidate the state of immunity in patients with herpes zoster in its acute phase(less than 7 days). METHODS: 1. Thirty patients with acute phase herpes zoster matched by age and sex against a control group, were checked for Helper/Inducer T cell(CD4), Suppressor/Cytotoxic T cell(CD8), NK cell, B cell and activated T cell by three color flow cytometric analysis. 2. Forty patients with herpes zoster measured delayed cutaneous hypersensitivity by means of Multitest' CMI. 3. Thirty patients with herpes zoster measured Ig G, M, A by means of N-antisera method.
Herpes Zoster* ; Herpesvirus 3, Human ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity ; Immunity, Cellular ; Immunity, Humoral* ; Incidence ; Killer Cells, Natural

Intestinal intussusception is rare in adults. Intestinal intussusception is distinct from pediatric intussusception in that an identifiable leading lesion alters normal bowel peristalsis and forms the leading edge of the intussusceptum. The occurrence of lipomas is most common in the colon, followed by the small intestine, and then the stomach. Large lipomas may be associated with complications, such as intussusception or intestinal hemorrhage. In this case, a 77-year-old man was admitted to the hospital with a 10-day history of intermittent abdominal cramping. Computed tomography showed an intussusception of the transverse colon due to a primary mass with a dominant fatty density. The patient's obstructive symptoms resolved after colonoscopic reduction. Colonoscopy plays a useful role in the diagnosis and management of intussusception. The clinical, radiographic, and endoscopic findings are described herein with a brief review of the pertinent literature.
Adult ; Aged ; Colic ; Colon ; Colon, Transverse ; Colonoscopy ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Ileum ; Intestine, Small ; Intussusception ; Lipoma ; Peristalsis ; Stomach

Intestinal intussusception is rare in adults. Intestinal intussusception is distinct from pediatric intussusception in that an identifiable leading lesion alters normal bowel peristalsis and forms the leading edge of the intussusceptum. The occurrence of lipomas is most common in the colon, followed by the small intestine, and then the stomach. Large lipomas may be associated with complications, such as intussusception or intestinal hemorrhage. In this case, a 77-year-old man was admitted to the hospital with a 10-day history of intermittent abdominal cramping. Computed tomography showed an intussusception of the transverse colon due to a primary mass with a dominant fatty density. The patient's obstructive symptoms resolved after colonoscopic reduction. Colonoscopy plays a useful role in the diagnosis and management of intussusception. The clinical, radiographic, and endoscopic findings are described herein with a brief review of the pertinent literature.
Adult ; Aged ; Colic ; Colon ; Colon, Transverse ; Colonoscopy ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Ileum ; Intestine, Small ; Intussusception ; Lipoma ; Peristalsis ; Stomach

Primary gastrointestinal lymphoma is a rare disease, and a primary rectal diffuse large B cell lymphoma is rarely encountered. We report a case of a 60-year-old woman with diffuse large B cell lymphoma in the rectum. The patient underwent a low anterior resection six years ago due to a sigmoid colonic adenocarcinoma. The patient had multiple polypoid lesions on the rectum, and the patient was diagnosed with primary rectal diffuse large B cell lymphoma after a biopsy. There were no other lesions detected on a chest and abdomen CT scan. After the administration of combination chemotherapy, the polypoid lesions disappeared.
Abdomen ; Adenocarcinoma ; Biopsy ; Colon, Sigmoid ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Female ; Humans ; Lymphoma ; Lymphoma, B-Cell ; Middle Aged ; Rare Diseases ; Rectum ; Thorax

Intestinal metaplasia is often found in the clinical situation in Korea and was reported as a pre-cancerous lesion by several previous studies. Intestinal metaplasia is mainly caused by infection of Helicobacter pylori, but whether intestinal metaplasia improves or reverses after eradication of H. pylori has not been agreed upon. Most randomized clinical studies reported that intestinal metaplasia improved or did not progress after H. pylori eradication therapy. But, infection rates and antibiotic resistance rates of H. pylori infection and the prevalence of intestinal metaplasia varies according to the region and race, therefore large prospective randomized studies are needed before we can reach any conclusions.
Continental Population Groups ; Drug Resistance, Microbial ; Helicobacter pylori ; Humans ; Korea ; Metaplasia ; Prevalence

Xanthogranulomatous inflammation is a rare condition characterized by aggregation of foamy histiocytes, fibrosis and parenchymal destruction. A 53-year-old man presented suffering from dyspepsia. Endosonography revealed a submucosal lesion that was a 2.6 cm-sized hypoechoic mass. We could not differentiate the lesion as a benign or malignant mesenchymal tumor, particularly a gastrointestinal stromal tumor, necessitating a wedge resection. The stomach wall was focally thickened, measuring 1.0 cm in size. No definite mass was grossly evident. Microscopic examination revealed multiple foamy histiocytes and subserosal fibrosis. Xanthogranulomatous inflammation of the gastric wall was diagnosed.
Dyspepsia ; Endosonography ; Fibrosis ; Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors ; Histiocytes ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Liver Neoplasms ; Mesenchymoma ; Middle Aged ; Stomach ; Stress, Psychological

No abstract available.
Antigens, CD/metabolism ; Cell Adhesion Molecules/metabolism ; Female ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Peritoneum/metabolism/pathology ; Sarcoma, Ewing/*diagnosis/pathology/radiography ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Young Adult

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a multifactorial disease characterized by abnormal immunologic responses to intestinal antigen, and its causes have not yet been clarified. IBD is known to be due to a complexity of environmental, genetic, and abnormal immunological responses. The hygiene hypothesis remains the key hypothesis for explaining the increase in the incidence of IBD, and smoking is the strongest of the known external environmental factors. Since the detection of the NOD2/CARD15 gene in 2001, rapid progress has occurred, and recently, an important relation between the IL23R gene and IBD has been established. Although studies of normal flora in IBD have some difficulties in methodology, the theory that the loss of immune tolerance to normal flora in the bowel results in IBD is still believed. Incomplete adaptation of innate and adaptive immunity is also one of the important pathogenesis. The toll-like receptor family and the NOD-like receptor family have a important role in the pathologic condition. As to adaptive immunity, in Crohn's disease, the Th1 phenotype is known to be involved, and in ulcerative colitis, the Th2 phenotype cytokines are known to be involved. However, recently, the roles of new cytokines and variable phenotypic lymphocytes have attracted interest. We can clarify the relations of inflammatory pathway-specific and molecular classification of the phenotypes of patients in 10~20 years if progress continues at the same rate as during the last 10 years. We also expected to develop a new therapeutic approach based on these efforts.
Adaptive Immunity ; Colitis, Ulcerative ; Crohn Disease ; Cytokines ; Humans ; Hygiene Hypothesis ; Immune Tolerance ; Incidence ; Inflammatory Bowel Diseases ; Lymphocytes ; Phenotype ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Toll-Like Receptors

We report a case of multiple agminated Spitz nevi in a 16-year-old boy who presented with multiple nodules on the right side of his face. His past history revealed that there had been erythematous and brown colored papules on the same site at the age of four. At that time one lesion was excised and histopathological findings showed fairly well circumscribed spindle and epithelioid cell nests consistent with a Spitz nevus. Twelve years later, he presented with multiple agminated brown to black colored nodules on the face. Microscopic evaluation revealed nevus cells diffusely distributed throughout the dermis showing no or little junctional activity. In addition, these cells were embedded in a strikingly desmoplastic stroma which consisted of acellular collagen fiber. Immunohistochemical staining for S-100 protein was positive. To our knowledge this is the first report of multiple agminated Spitz nevi in Korea.
Adolescent ; Collagen ; Dermis ; Epithelioid Cells ; Humans ; Korea ; Male ; Nevus* ; Nevus, Epithelioid and Spindle Cell ; S100 Proteins

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Mesenteric microvascular thrombosis has been implicated as a contributing factor to the pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The aim of the current study was to assess the possibility of subclinical atherosclerosis in patients with IBD by measuring their carotid intima-media thickness (c-IMT). METHODS: Thirty-eight patients with IBD who were followed-up for at least 3 years participated. Patients with a history of cardiovascular disease and known risk factors for atherosclerosis were excluded. As a control group, 38 healthy patients matched for age and gender without atherosclerosis risk factors were included. Carotid ultrasonography was performed in all patients and controls. Patient baseline characteristics and laboratory parameters were recorded to evaluate atherosclerosis risk factors. RESULTS: The mean age of patients with IBD was 38.5+/-6.62 years. Twenty-three patients with IBD were diagnosed with ulcerative colitis and the other 15 cases were diagnosed with Crohn's disease. The median duration of disease was 52.0 months. Serologic markers such as erythrocyte sedimentation rate, C-reactive protein (CRP), and cholesterol levels differed significantly, however, there was no significant difference in c-IMT between patients with IBD and those in the control group (0.53+/-0.10 mm vs. 0.53+/-0.07; P=0.85). Multivariate analysis revealed that body mass index, CRP, disease duration, and age were significantly correlated with c-IMT in patients with IBD. CONCLUSIONS: The results of the current study did not show an increase in c-IMT in patients with IBD. Further studies that include more subjects and a longer follow-up period will be necessary in order to evaluate the risk of atherosclerosis in Korean patients with IBD.
Atherosclerosis ; Blood Sedimentation ; Body Mass Index ; C-Reactive Protein ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; Carotid Intima-Media Thickness* ; Cholesterol ; Colitis, Ulcerative ; Crohn Disease ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Inflammatory Bowel Diseases* ; Multivariate Analysis ; Risk Factors ; Thrombosis ; Ultrasonography