OBJECTIVES: Gallium 67(Ga-67) scintigraphy has been used to diagnose inflammatory and neoplastic diseases. We undertook a study to determine the clinical value of Ga- 67 renal scan in patients with various glomerular diseases. METHODS: Ga-67 scintigraphy was performed in 48 patients with various biopsy proven forms of renal diseases. Renal uptake in 48 patients images was graded as follow: Grade 0 = not visualization at 48 hours: 1 = faintly visualize: 2 = equal to uptake in spine: 3 = greater than over the spine: 4 = greater than activity over the liver. RESULTS: 1) Of the 48 patients, 31 were male, and mean age was 32 years. 11 patients had hypertension and 29 patients had hematuria. 2) Positive scintigram were seen in 40 of 48(83%) cases. In results of renal biopsy, IgA nephropathy(IgAN) was 15 patients, minimal change disease(MCD) was 14, focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) was 8, membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis (MPGN) was 3, lupus nephritis(LN) was 3, poststreptococcal glomerulonephritis(PSGN) was 3 and membranous glomerulonephritis(MGN) was 2. 3) In 26 patients (54%) with nephrotic-range proteinuria, Grade 2 or higher renal uptake was observed in 9 (75%) of MCD, 5(100%) of FSGS, 2(100%) of LN and 3(75%) of IgAN. 4) In comparision nephrotics with non-nephrotics at biopsy, renal Ga-67 uptake in who patients had nephrotic-range proteinuria was correlated with clinical severity determined by serum albumin, serum total cholesterol and 24 hours urine protein excretion. CONCLUSIONS: Renal Ga-67 scintigraphy may be able to be a predictor in the assessment for severity of nephrotic syndrome.
Biopsy ; Cholesterol ; Gallium ; Glomerulonephritis ; Glomerulonephritis, Membranoproliferative ; Glomerulosclerosis, Focal Segmental ; Hematuria ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Immunoglobulin A ; Liver ; Male ; Nephrotic Syndrome ; Proteinuria ; Radionuclide Imaging* ; Serum Albumin ; Spine

Relapsing polychondritis is a rare disease characterized by widespread destructive inflammatory lesions, involving cartilaginous tissue throughout the body. Commonly involved organs include the external ear, nose, joints, eyes, tracheobronchial tree, cardiovascular system and cutaneous tissues. Erythema nodosum or mesenteric panniculitis have sometimes been described in association with relapsing polychondritis, but cutaneous panniculitis is rarely reported in relapsing polychondritis. We report here a relapsing polychondritis patient who developed cutaneous panniculitis, which was resolved by corticosteroid therapy.
Cardiovascular System ; Ear, External ; Erythema Nodosum ; Humans ; Joints ; Nose ; Panniculitis* ; Panniculitis, Peritoneal ; Polychondritis, Relapsing* ; Rare Diseases

PURPOSE: Sprouts of evening primrose (Oenothera laciniata, OL) were reported to have high contents of flavonoids and potent antioxidant activity. This study examined the antioxidant and antiobesity activities of OL sprouts to determine if they could be a natural health-beneficial resource preventing obesity and oxidative stress.METHODS: OL sprouts were extracted with 50% ethanol, evaporated, and lyophilized (OLE). The in vitro antioxidant activity of OLE was examined using four different tests. The antiobesity activity and in vivo antioxidant activity from OLE consumption were examined using high fat diet-induced obese (DIO) C57BL/6 mice.RESULTS: The IC₅₀ for the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picryl-hydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging and superoxide dismutase (SOD)-like activities of OLE were 26.2 µg/mL and 327.6 µg/mL, respectively. OLE exhibited the ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) activity of 56.7 µg ascorbic acid eq./mL at 100 µg/mL, and an increased glutathione level by 65.1% at 200 µg/mL compared to the control in the hUC-MSC stem cells. In an animal study, oral treatment with 50 mg or 100 mg of OLE/kg body weight for 14 weeks reduced the body weight gain, visceral fat content, fat cell size, blood leptin, and triglyceride levels, as well as the atherogenic index compared to the high fat diet control group (HFC) (p < 0.05). The blood malondialdehyde (MDA) level and the catalase and SOD-1 activities in adipose tissue were reduced significantly by the OLE treatment compared to HFC as well (p < 0.05). In epididymal adipose tissue, the OLE treatment reduced the mRNA expression of leptin, PPAR-γ and FAS significantly (p < 0.05) compared to HFC while it increased adiponectin expression (p < 0.05).CONCLUSION: OLE consumption has potent antioxidant and antiobesity activities via the suppression of oxidative stress and lipogenesis in DIO mice. Therefore, OLE could be a good candidate as a natural resource to develop functional food products that prevent obesity and oxidative stress.
Adipocytes ; Adipokines ; Adiponectin ; Adipose Tissue ; Animals ; Ascorbic Acid ; Body Weight ; Catalase ; Diet, High-Fat ; Ethanol ; Flavonoids ; Functional Food ; Glutathione ; In Vitro Techniques ; Intra-Abdominal Fat ; Leptin ; Lipogenesis ; Malondialdehyde ; Mice ; Mice, Obese ; Natural Resources ; Obesity ; Oenothera biennis ; Oxidative Stress ; RNA, Messenger ; Stem Cells ; Superoxide Dismutase ; Triglycerides

Acute focal bacterial nephritis is a part of urinary tract infection and a special form of acute pyelonephritis. In most cases, it is treated well by antimicrobial therapy without severe complications. Unusual cases have been reported that renal failure and or chronic granulomatous interstitial nephritis was combined with acute focal bacterial nephritis. We describe a case of acute reanl failure complicated by acute focal bacterial nephritis in 30-year-old male. He was admitted to this hospital owing to fever, chilling, right flank pain. On admission, BUN and creatinine were 29 mg/dl, 1.8 mg/dl. Urinalysis showed leukocyturia, & bactriuria. Urine culture revealed E. coli over us. Abdominal CT and ultrasonography was represented focal hypodense area and diffuse renal enlargement so we could diagnose acute focal bacterial nephritis. The patient was improved with antimicrobial therapy and hydration. In conclusion, this case shows the possibility that unusual complication such as acute reanl failure can be happensed in acute focal bacterial nephritis in continum with acute pyelonephritis
Acute Kidney Injury* ; Adult ; Creatinine ; Fever ; Flank Pain ; Humans ; Male ; Nephritis* ; Nephritis, Interstitial ; Pyelonephritis ; Renal Insufficiency ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Ultrasonography ; Urinalysis ; Urinary Tract Infections

Aminoglycoside has a broad-spectrum bactericidal activity and especially excellent effect on gram negative bacteria. But, its harmful effect is existed about kidney and ear. Among these, many studies were done about aminoglycoside nephrotoxicity. Until now, many authors have been reported its incidence was 4.45-45%. We needed parameters monitoring about nephrotoxicity. So, our study was done using 99mTc-DTPA renal scan to evaluate nephrotoxicity. We enrolled forty patients who admitted due to infection. 32 patients received Netilmicin and 8 patients Isepamicin. Mean duration and dosage were 8 days, 200mg daily. We accomplished 99mTc-DTPA renal scan, 24hr urine study and blood sampling before starting antibiotics. After mean 8 days, same procedure was repeated. Aminoglycoside nephrotoxicity(defined as 50% GFR reduction) was presented in only one patient. She didn't have risky factor, such as hepatic dysfunction, hypotension, previous renal problem. However, duration was longer than other patients(13 days). GFR was fallen by 25-50% in 6 patients. This finding represent nephrotoxic effects of aminoglycoside indirectly. Above 6 patients had not any characteristics compared to other 33 patients. In addition to renal scan, sodium excretion was increased compared to pre-antibiotics, and glomerular filtration rate using 99mTc-DTPA renal scan was positively correlated with 24hr urine creatinine clearance, GFR by Cockcroft & Gault equation. I conclude that aminoglycoside has nephrotoxic effect when used for longer period. Thus, I suggest that DTPA renal scan including other many renal monitoring method has usefulness in revealing aminoglycoside nephrotoxicity.
Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Creatinine ; Ear ; Glomerular Filtration Rate ; Gram-Negative Bacteria ; Humans ; Hypotension ; Incidence ; Kidney ; Netilmicin ; Pentetic Acid ; Sodium

Acute renal failure secondary to acute pyelonephritis is developed rarely. But acute pyelonephritis is considered in differential diagnosis of acute renal failure, particularly in elderly patient. Elderly patient showed subtle symptoms or signs of infections and can be missed easily. We experienced two cases of acute renal failure secondary to acute pyelonephritis. In first case, one patient complained fever, chilling and right flank pain for 10 days. Three repeated blood and urine cultures showed E. coli, respectively. At admission serum creatinine showed 2.4 mg/dL and thereafter increased to 4.5 mg/dL, and then decreased to 1.7 mg/dL with antibiotic therapy and hydration at 14 days of admission. In second case, patient complained right flank pain, costovertebral tenderness and urinary difficulty at admission. Two repeated blood culture showed no growth, two repeated urine culture showed > 105 ml/dL of E. coli. At admission serum creatinine level was 2.69 mg/dL and then decreased to 1.7 mg/dL with antibiotic therapy and hydration at 14 days of admission.Acute pyelonephritis should be considered in differential diagnosis of acute renal failure in the elder ages, although this developed rarely. Early recognition and appropriate antibiotic treatment helps recover acute renal failure secondary to acute pyelonephritis.
Acute Kidney Injury* ; Aged ; Creatinine ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Fever ; Flank Pain ; Humans ; Pyelonephritis*

Cryptococcal meningitis is rare but, often fatal complication of systemic lupus erythematosus(SLE). It is difficult to differentiate cryptococcal meningitis from neuropsychiatric lupus due to similarity of clinical symptoms and laboratory findings of cerebrospinal fluid(CSF). Earlier diagnosis and effective antifungal therapy improve the prognosis of cryptococcal meningitis in SLE patients. We report a case of cryptococcal meningitis in a patients with SLE who had been medicated with low dose steroid.
Diagnosis ; Humans ; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic* ; Meningitis, Cryptococcal* ; Prognosis

It has been considered that the nutrition affects the mortality of chronic renal failure patients. Thus, several studies reported the method of examination about nutritional status in chronic renal failure patients. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the nutritional status of 32 chronic renal failure patients, and recommend DEXA as a objective method. Thirty two chronic renal failure patients and 24 disease-free persons on kidney(control group) were included in this syudy. There were no difference in mean age, sex, weight, height, body mass index between two groups. We measured % total body fat, fat-free mass, limb fat, trunl fat, limb fat/trunk fat ratio with Hologic QDR 4500. The results were as follows. 1)% Total body fat of chronic renal failure patients was 20.7+/-7.9%. That was lower than 26.3+/-7.9% of control group(P<0.05). 2)Fat-free mass of chronic renal failure patients revealed lower result compared with control group. Each result was 40.2+/-12.2kg, 46.2+/-9.1kg(P<0.05). 3)Despite of no significant difference between two groups in ratio of limb fat and trunk fat, limb fat and trunk fat were statistically different(Limb fat:CRF-5.6+/-2.4kg, Control-7.1+/-1.9kg, Trunk fat:CRF- 5.2+/-3.0kg, Control-7.7+/-2.7kg)(P<0.05). 4)Triceps skinfold thockness was positively correlated with % total body fat, limb fat, trunk fat, and negatively correlated with fat-free mass. Mid- arm muscle area circumference had inverse relationship above(P<0.05). 6)Severe malnurished patients(SGA-C group) had lower result compared to mild-moderate malnurished patients(SGA-B group) about %TBF, LF,TF, total lymphocyte count. In addition to DEXA, we examined triceps skinfold thickness and mid-arm muscle area circumference. The result showed significant comparison between two groups, too. But albumin, cholesterol, potassium level was no statistical significant difference, except lymphcyte count. In conclusion, as suggested by above results, chronic renal failure patients has protein-calorie malnutrition. This nutritional status affects long-term survival of chronic renal failure patients. DEXA can give objective data accompanied with simple anthropometric measurement in nutriti onal status. Thus, we recommend DEXA as objective method of nutritional examination. In future, more precise method will be discovered, and that contribute more long-term survival of chronic renal failure patients.
Adipose Tissue ; Arm ; Body Height ; Cholesterol ; Equidae* ; Extremities ; Humans ; Kidney Failure, Chronic* ; Lymphocyte Count ; Malnutrition ; Mortality ; Nutritional Status ; Potassium ; Protein-Energy Malnutrition ; Skinfold Thickness

Although the most of mushroom poisoning have a clinical menifestation of mild to moderate gastroenteritis, some mushroom may cause a serious illness; acute renal failure, hepatic necrosis. We experienced two cases of acute renal failure complicated by the poisoning of amanita virosa. Amanita virosa have a amatoxin. Amatoxin deteriorate hepatocytes, renal tubular cells, intestinal mucosal cells, and pancreas. They were transferred from local hospital for renal failure management. On admission, blood urea nitrogen and serum creatinine were highly elevated. We diagnosed acute renal failure complicated by poisoning of amanita virosa. In one case, renal function was further deteriorated compared with initial laboratory findings after creatinine was normalized at fifth day. Thus, we did a kidney biopsy. Light microscopy and EM showed interstitial inflammation and moderate tubular atrophy. They were recovered with the supportive management. We report two cases of mushroom poisoning-induced acute renal failure with review of literature.
Acute Kidney Injury* ; Agaricales ; Amanita* ; Atrophy ; Biopsy ; Blood Urea Nitrogen ; Creatinine ; Gastroenteritis ; Hepatocytes ; Inflammation ; Kidney ; Microscopy ; Mushroom Poisoning ; Necrosis ; Pancreas ; Poisoning* ; Renal Insufficiency