Background: Clostridioides (Clostridium) difficile is an important pathogen that causes diarrhea in people who take antibiotics. The recent status of C. difficile infection is not wellknown in Korea. Methods: The long-term trend of C. difficile infection in Korean hospitals was analyzed using a nationwide sample cohort. The data also included sociodemographic characteristics, disease severity, and healthcare facilities. C. difficile infection was defined by the prescription of oral vancomycin or all metronidazole prescriptions under C. difficile infectious disease code (A047). Results: The rate of C. difficile infection has steadily increased from 0.030% in 2006 to 0.317% in 2015. The increased rate correlated to age (0.033% for <50 years, 0.421% for 70-79 years, and 0.758% for >80 years of age) and the Charlson comorbidity index score (0.048% for zero versus 0.378% for three or more points). It differed by the type of medical institution (0.270 % at referral hospitals versus 0.056 % at general hospitals and mental hospitals). Conclusion The rate of C. difficile infection in Korea is significant in patients with advanced age and disease severity. The results show that C. difficile infection trend has been increasing steadily in Korea.

OBJECTIVES: Despite severe oligospermia, males with Y chromosome microdeletion can achieve conception through ICSI (Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection). However, ICSI may not only result in the transmission of microdeletions but also the expansion of deletion to the offspring. The purpose of this study was to screen vertical transmission, expansion of microdeletions and de novo deletion in male fetuses conceived by ICSI. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 32 ICSI treated patients with their 33 (a case of twin) male fetuses conceived by ICSI were used to make this study group. Sequence-tagged sites (STSs)-based PCR analyses were performed on genomic DNA isolated from peripheral blood of fathers and from the amniocytes of male fetuses. Ten primer pairs namely, sY134, sY138, MK5, sY152, sY147, sY254, sY255, SPGY1, sY269 and sY158 were used. The samples with deletions were verified at least three times. RESULTS: We detected a frequency of 12.5% (4 of the 32 patients) of microdeletions in ICSI patients. In 4 patients with detected deletions, two patients have proven deletions on single STS marker and their male fetuses have the identical deletion in this region. Another two patients have two and three deletions, but their male fetuses have more than 3 deletions which include deletions to their father's. Meanwhile, seven male fetuses, whose fathers were analyzed to have all 10 STS markers present, have deletions present in at least one or more of the markers. CONCLUSIONS: Although the majority of deletions on the Y chromosome are believed to arise de novo, in some cases a deletion has been transmitted from the fertile father to the infertile patient. In other cases the deletion was transmitted through ICSI treatment, it is likely that one sperm cell is injected through the oocyte's cytoplasm and fertilization can be obtained from spermatozoa. Our tests for deletion were determined by PCR and our results show that the ICSI treatment may lead to vertical transmission, expansion and de novo Y chromosome microdeletions in male fetuses. Because the sample group was relatively small, one should be cautious in analyzing these data. However, it is important to counsel infertile couples contemplating ICSI if the male carries Y chromosomal microdeletions.
Cytoplasm ; DNA ; Family Characteristics ; Fathers ; Fertilization ; Fetus* ; Humans ; Male* ; Oligospermia ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Sequence Tagged Sites ; Sperm Injections, Intracytoplasmic* ; Spermatozoa ; Y Chromosome*

Although digital gangrene is an uncommon clinical feature, it may lead to serious complications, such as amputation. Therefore, it requires prompt evaluation and treatment. Digital gangrene is often seen in systemic sclerosis, but is rare in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). In SLE, digital gangrene results from vasculitis, vasospasm, and thromboembolism. Here, we report a 15-year-old male SLE patient who initially presented with digital gangrene, and present a review of the relevant literature.
Amputation ; Gangrene ; Humans ; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic ; Male ; Scleroderma, Systemic ; Thromboembolism ; Vasculitis

This study reports a case who presented with swallowing difficulty after orthognathic surgery. A female patient, who had undergone orthognathic surgery for esthetic purpose, presented with dysphagia. Administration of botulinum toxin injection to the cricopharyngeus muscle did not relieve or improve the severe dysphagia. The patient required nasogastric tube feeding for about three months. Swallowing ability was recovered after daily rehabilitation therapy and prescribing pyridostigmine. Injuries to the suprahyoid muscles (involved in laryngeal elevation during the pharyngeal phase of swallowing) during orthognathic surgery, and the inadvertent dissemination of inadequately injected botulinum toxin to adjacent muscles, are possible mechanisms of the severe dysphagia experienced by this patient. The authors also reviewed literature on the prevention and management of dysphagia following the orthognathic surgery.

Purpose: We explored the role of parental social class in preterm birth (PTB) and low birth weight (LBW) in association with child mortality in Korea. Materials and Methods: A total of 7,302,732 births in Korea between 1995 and 2007 were used for designing the national retrospective cohort study. Kaplan-Meier survival curves and Cox proportional hazard models were used to determine the risk of child death after adjusting for covariates. Results: Parental social class was associated with adverse birth outcomes and child mortality in Korea. Parental social class increased the strength of the relationship of adverse birth outcomes with child mortality. Child mortality was higher among PTB and LBW infants from parents with a lower social class than normal births from parents with a higher social class. In particular, the disparity in child mortality according to parental social class was greater for LBW and PTB than intrauterine growth retardation births.When one of the parents had a middle-school education or lower, the disparity in child mortality due to adverse birth outcomes was large regardless of the other spouse’s educational status. Inactive economic status for the father, as well as an occupation in manual labor by the mother, increased the risk of child mortality. Conclusion Strong relationships for social inequalities and adverse birth outcomes with inequalities in child mortality in South Korea were found in this study. Tackling social inequalities, as well as reducing adverse birth outcomes, are needed to reduce the disparities in child mortality in South Korea.

Since severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) was noted to cause coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in 2019, there have been many trials to develop vaccines against the virus. Messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) vaccine as a type of the vaccine has been developed and commercialized rapidly, but there was not enough time to verify the long-term safety. An 82-year-old female patient was admitted to the emergency room with dyspnea accompanied by stridor three days after the 3rd COVID-19 mRNA vaccination (Comirnaty, Pfizer-BioNTech, USA). The patient was diagnosed with bilateral vocal fold paralysis (VFP) by laryngoscope. Respiratory distress was improved after the intubation and tracheostomy in sequence. The brain, chest, and neck imaging tests, serological tests, cardiological analysis, and immunological tests were performed to evaluate the cause of bilateral VFP. However, no definite cause was found except for the precedent vaccination.Because bilateral VFP can lead to a fatal condition, a quick evaluation is necessary in consideration of VFP when dyspnea with stridor occurs after vaccination.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) epidemic originated in Wuhan, China and spread rapidly worldwide, leading the World Health Organization to declare an official global COVID- 19 pandemic in March 2020. The upper aero-digestive tract is known to be the highest viral load reside. The infection spreads via droplets or direct contact with contaminated surfaces via aeorsol. The otolaryngologists deal with diseases of the upper-aerodigestive tract and routinely are engaged in respiratory droplet and aerosol-generating procedures (AGP). In particular, because airborne transmission occurs during examination and AGP, otolaryngologists are considered to be at a high risk of contracting COVID-19 during this pandemic. Therefore otolaryngologists need to do precautions to protect staff and patients and minimize transmission of the disease. We also need to wear adequate personal protective equipment according to the examination and procedure. This article discusses the disease transmission and clinical characteristics of COVID-19 as well as precaution guidelines in outpatient clinics of otorhinolaryngology.

PURPOSE: To evaluate mortality and morbidity of very low birth weight (VLBW) infants born in Busan from 1996 to 2001. METHOD: Seven neonatal intensive care units (including 3 university hospitals and 4 general hospitals) in Busan participated for this study. We performed retrospective review of 756 VLBW infants who were born in this area during study period was done to assess their mortality and morbidity. RESULT: The total number of VLBW infant was 756 (incidence: 0.97%, mean gestational age: 29.5 +/- 2.9 wk, mean birth weight: 1165+/-232 g) including 187 extremely low birth weight infants who were less than 1, 000 g birth weight (24.7%). The survival rate was 61.0% (461 of 756). It increased from 56.4% in early period (1996 to 1998) to 65.2% in late period (1999 to 2001) (P<0.01). The incidence of respiratory distress syndrome was 61.5% (466 of 756), patent ductus arteriosus 12.3% (93 of 756), blood culture positive sepsis 10.2% (77 of 756), bronchopulmonary dysplasia 9.3% (70 of 756), severe intracranial hemorrhage 6.5% (49 of 756), necrotizing enterocolitis 4.9% (37 of 756), severe retinopathy of prematurity 3.7 % (28 of 756). The main causes of death were respiratory distress syndrome and sepsis. CONCLUSION: The survival rate of VLBW infant in Busan area during recent 6 years was 61.0%, which is lower than other single unit result of our country, recent Japanese or North American data. We think both modernized facilities in NICU and well-trained medical personnel are needed to improve survival.
Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Birth Weight ; Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia ; Busan* ; Cause of Death ; Ductus Arteriosus, Patent ; Enterocolitis, Necrotizing ; Gestational Age ; Hospitals, University ; Humans ; Incidence ; Infant* ; Infant, Low Birth Weight ; Infant, Newborn ; Infant, Very Low Birth Weight* ; Intensive Care Units, Neonatal ; Intracranial Hemorrhages ; Mortality* ; Retinopathy of Prematurity ; Retrospective Studies ; Sepsis ; Survival Rate

OBJECTIVE: In this study, we tested the correlation between the body temperature measured by non-contact temporal artery thermometer which has been developed recently and the rectal temperature using conventional glass mercury thermometer, also evaluate the reliability of non-contact temporal artery thermometer by comparing with other methods of temperature measurement. METHODS: One-hundred-and-seventeen newborn infants who were born at Samsung Cheil Hospital were included in this study. Tympanic and forehead temperatures were taken three times each with tympanic thermometer and non-contact infrared temporal artery thermometer respectively on a newborn infant by two authors. we also measured the rectal and axillary temperatures by using a mercury-in-glass thermometer. RESULTS: The normal body temperature measured by non-contact temporal artery thermometer was 36.2 +/- 0.22degrees C, and rectal, axillary and tympanic temperatures were 36.8 +/- 0.30degrees C, 36.7 +/- 0.30 and 36.1 +/- 0.27degrees C, respectively. There was a significant correlation between temperatures measured by non-contact temporal artery thermometer and rectal temperature (p<0.01, r=0.891). The differences between repeated measurements by non-contact temporal artery thermometer were significantly less than those by tympanic thermometer (p<0.01). CONCLUSION: Forehead temperature measured by non-contact temporal artery thermometer is correlated with rectal temperature and has good reproducibility. It can be used to measure body temperature in newborn infants.
Body Temperature* ; Forehead ; Glass ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn* ; Temporal Arteries* ; Thermometers*

PURPOSE: To analyze which sonographic features of thyroid nodules with macrocalcifications were predictable of thyroid malignancy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We reviewed sonographic findings of 854 macrocalcified thyroid nodules in patients who underwent fine needle aspiration biopsy between December 2009 and January 2011. There were 171 non-diagnostic aspirations, 34 nodules with category 3, 4, 5 based on Bethesda system, which were not confirmed by surgery, and these nodules were excluded from the analysis. Sonographic characteristics of the macrocalcifications including its thickness, interruption, and existence of soft tissue rim outside the macrocalcification were analyzed. Other sonographic characteristics of nodules such as shape, margin, composition, echo pattern, vascularity, and underlying parenchymal echogenicity were also evaluated. The correlation of sonographic features with cytopathologic results and the diagnostic performance of sonographic features for the prediction of malignancy were analyzed. RESULTS: Among 649 nodules, 179 (27.6%) nodules were malignant and 470 (72.4%) nodules were benign. Among the features of the macrocalcification, interruption, irregular thickness, or the presence of soft tissue outside calcification rim were associated with malignancy (p<0.001). A high sensitivity and negative predictive values for the prediction of malignancy was found in sonographic characteristics of irregular thickness (92.2% and 91.0%, respectively) and the presence of soft tissue (88.5% and 88.8%, respectively). CONCLUSION: Sonographic characteristics of macrocalcification such as interruption, irregular thickness and the presence of soft tissue rim were associated with malignancy in thyroid nodules with macrocalcifications.
Aspirations (Psychology) ; Biopsy ; Biopsy, Fine-Needle ; Humans ; Methods ; Thyroid Gland* ; Thyroid Nodule* ; Ultrasonography*