No abstract available.
Reticulocytes*

A clinical analysis was done on 134 cases with bronchial asthma who were admitted to the Department of Pediatrics Yeungnam University from May 1987 to October 1991. The results were as follows: 1) The peak age of bronchial asthma was under 2 years. The sex ratio of male to female was 2.9:1. 2) The outbreak of bronchial asthma was most common in fall, especially in September. 3) The past history of other allergic diseases were present in 22.4% of patients (30/134 cases), and the previous bronchiolitis in infancy were experienced in 12.7% of patients (17/134 cases). 4) According to the skin test for allergens done by RAST, the most common allergens were Mites and House dust. 5) Eosinophilia (T.E.C>250/min) was found in 29.1%t of patients, and elevated lgE level (>200 IU/ml) was found in 63.2% of patients. 6) No significant differences in the serum lgE level were found between male and female patients. No significant differences in the serum lgE level were found between asthma patients with and without other allergic diseases. 7) The serum lgE level of school aged patients was significant higher than that of preschool aged (p<0.01).
Allergens ; Asthma* ; Bronchiolitis ; Dust ; Eosinophilia ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Mites ; Pediatrics ; Sex Ratio ; Skin Tests

No abstract available.
Leukemia, Neutrophilic, Chronic*

STUDY DESIGN: The authors reviewed 14 patients with neurologic deficits caused by ossification of ligamentum flavum(OLF) of thoracic and thoracolumbar spine. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the clinical and roentgenographic characteristics and suggest the treatment method of the OLF in the thoracic and thoracolumbar spine. SUMMARY OF LITERATURE REVIEW: The reported OLF mainly developed at the thoracolumbar area. It compressed the spinal cord and resulted to the symptoms of thoracic myelopathy. The methods of treatment were posterior decompression including laminectomy or laminoplasty, and sometimes anterior and posterior decompression, with or without fusion. The OLF was not common disease yet and many surgeons have met a problem in making the decision of the extent of posterior decompression multiple or selective. METHODS: The authors reviewed 14 patients with the OLF using clinical reports and roentgenographic studies. We checked the plain roentgenograms, computed tomograms, and magnetic resonance imagings. We performed the posterior decompression using total laminectomy without fusion. We divided three groups according to the operative methods. Group I included the patients with one or two levels of OLF treated with posterior extensive laminectomy. Group II included the patients with OLF in three or more levels, or combined other cord-compressing diseases. They had been treated with multiple posterior or anterior decompression for the entire cord-compressing levels. Group III included the patients with same conditions as group II but they had been treated with selective decompression for the mainly symptomatic levels of OLF. RESULTS: We found the OLF at 54 segments of 14 patients. The involvement of OLF was 29 segments(53.7%) in thoracolumbar and 25 segments(46.3%) in thoracic area. The most commonly involved segment was T10-11(16.7%) and the second was T11-12(14.8%). Clinically the most common neurologic deficit was motor weakness and sensory deficit. The most symptomatic level of OLF was T10-11 and T12-Ll segment(28.6% at each) and the next was T11-12 segment(21.4%). We got the favorable results in group I and group III. But the final results of group II were not good. CONCLUSION: The OLF was most common at the thoracolumbar area and the symptoms and signs were revealed same as those of the thoracic myelopathy. We obtained favorable clinical results after posterior laminectomy without fusion in cases with the OLF in 1-2 segments. In the cases with multiple OLF in three or more segments, or the cases with other cord-compressing diseases, we could get more favorable results in the patients with the selective decompression than the patients with multiple decompression for the entire cord-compressing diseases.
Decompression ; Humans ; Laminectomy ; Ligamentum Flavum* ; Neurologic Manifestations ; Spinal Cord ; Spinal Cord Diseases ; Spine*

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the clinical manifestations and 5-year natural course of recurrent bronchiolitis or reactive airways disease (RAD) in infants. METHODS: We reviewed the medical records of infants with recurrent bronchiolitis from January 2007 to December 2007 at The Catholic University of Korea St. Mary's Hospital in Incheon, South Korea. Additionally, we telephoned their parents to confirm their present medical statuses. RESULTS: Sixty-three subjects with recurrent bronchiolitis were identified. The mean age at admission was 8.1 months and the number of males was 44 (69.8%). Of the 63 infants with recurrent bronchiolitis, inhaled corticosteroids, bronchodilators, and antibiotics were given to 62 (98.4%), 53 (84.1%), and 40 (63.5%), respectively. Among the total 63 subjects, we were able to contact the parents of 45 children by telephone. None of these children had been hospitalized during the previous one year period due to respiratory infections or for other medical reasons. Of the 45 subjects we were able to contact, 38 (84.4%) had not experienced any further respiratory difficulties at all. Five (11.1%) had been diagnosed with allergic rhinitis while two (4.4%) were being managed for asthma. CONCLUSION: Most children who presented with recurrent episodes of bronchiolitis in infancy did not show any further respiratory difficulties after five years of age.
Adrenal Cortex Hormones ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Asthma ; Bronchiolitis* ; Bronchodilator Agents ; Child ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Incheon ; Infant* ; Korea ; Male ; Medical Records ; Parents ; Respiratory Tract Infections ; Rhinitis ; Telephone

PURPOSE: The authors of the present study report treatment experience of acute myopia and branch retinal vein occlusion associated with phendimetrazine, a drug used for weight reduction. CASE SUMMARY: Case 1: A 32-year-old woman, previously devoid of ocular problems, visited our hospital with bilateral visual disturbance after taking phendimetrazine for weight reduction. Ciliochoroidal effusion and anterior shifting of the lens-iris diaphragm were observed, which resulted in a shallow anterior chamber, myopic shifting and an increase in intraocular pressure due to angle closure. The symptoms were relieved by discontinuing the use of phendimetrazine and administration of intraocular pressure-lowering agents. Case 2: A 26-year-old woman, previously devoid of ocular problems, visited our hospital with left superior visual field disturbance after taking phendimetrazine for weight reduction. The examinations revealed papilledema, disc hemorrhage and tortuous vascular changes in her left eye. Fluorescein angiography was performed, and retinal vein occlusion was diagnosed. The patient discontinued weight reduction agents and recovered while under observation. CONCLUSIONS: Phendimetrazine, used for weight reduction, can cause acute myopia via prostaglandin synthesis and retinal venous occlusion due to vascular constriction.
Adult ; Anterior Chamber ; Constriction ; Diaphragm ; Eye ; Female ; Fluorescein Angiography ; Glaucoma ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Intraocular Pressure ; Morpholines ; Myopia ; Papilledema ; Retinal Vein Occlusion ; Retinaldehyde ; Visual Fields ; Weight Loss

PURPOSE: To report a case of maculopathy after exposure to a high-voltage spark. CASE SUMMARY: A 40-year-old male patient visited our clinic complaining of visual disturbance in both eyes 1 day after exposure to a high voltage arc discharge. His best corrected visual acuity was 4/20 in both eyes. On fundus examination, a yellowish retinal scar was observed at the foveal area. The spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) showed inner segment/outer segment line disruption. The best corrected visual acuity was 4/20 in both eyes and SD-OCT showed a remaining inner segment/outer segment line disruption after 3 years. CONCLUSIONS: Maculopathy can result from exposure to a high voltage arc discharge exposure.
Adult ; Cicatrix ; Humans ; Male ; Retinaldehyde ; Tomography, Optical Coherence ; Visual Acuity

PURPOSE: To report the first case of the Raoultella planticola endophthalmitis after the phacoemulsification and posterior chamber multi-focused intraocular lens (IOL) implantation. CASE SUMMARY: A healthy 49-year-old male visited our clinic with a sudden visual disturbance and ocular pain 2 days after phacoemulsification and multi-focused IOL implantation in his right eye. On initial ophthalmic examination, severe corneal edema and hypopyon were observed. The retina could not be visualized due to vitreous opacity and anterior chamber inflammation. Therefore, the patient immediately underwent pars plana vitrectomy. Vancomycin hydrogen chloride (HCl) 0.3 mg/0.1 mL was injected into the anterior part and vancomycin HCl 1.0 mg/0.1 mL and ceftazidime 2.0 mg/0.1 mL were injected into the intravitreal part. The culture test of aqueous humor and vitreous body fluid revealed Raoultella planticola, thus, systemic antibiotic (ceftazidime) and antibiotic eye drops (vancomycin and ceftazidime) were administered. After 4 months of follow-up, best-corrected visual acuity improved to 20/20 in the affected eye after surgery. CONCLUSIONS: In the present case, we found that endophthalmitis due to Raoultella planticola can be successfully treated. We suggest that atypical bacteria should be considered in the differential diagnosis of endophthalmitis after cataract surgery.
Anterior Chamber ; Aqueous Humor ; Bacteria ; Cataract* ; Ceftazidime ; Corneal Edema ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Endophthalmitis* ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Hydrochloric Acid ; Inflammation ; Lenses, Intraocular ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Ophthalmic Solutions ; Phacoemulsification ; Retina ; Vancomycin ; Visual Acuity ; Vitrectomy ; Vitreous Body

PURPOSE: To report a case of a young male patient with retinitis pigmentosa (RP) accompanied by vitritis and neovascularization of the optic disk in both eyes who underwent unilateral vitrectomy for the treatment of vitreous hemorrhage in the right eye. CASE SUMMARY: An 8-year-old boy visited our clinic with a complaint of night blindness. Both eyes showed inflammatory cells in the anterior vitreous and neovascularization of the optic disk confirmed by fluorescein angiography. Extensive vitreous hemorrhage developed in his right eye and he underwent unilateral vitrectomy. His final visual acuity was 0.6 in both eyes. CONCLUSIONS: Vitreous hemorrhage may be related to chronic inflammation in the vitreous and is a very rare RP complication. Vitrectomy can be an effective treatment option for RP complicated by vitreous hemorrhage.
Eye ; Fluorescein Angiography ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Male ; Night Blindness ; Optic Disk ; Retinitis ; Retinitis Pigmentosa ; Visual Acuity ; Vitrectomy ; Vitreous Hemorrhage

BACKGROUND Coagulation assays can be easily affected by preanalytical variables, including the factors associated with the blood collection tube. Recently the Sekisui Trank Insepack (Sekisui Chemical Co., Ltd, Osaka, Japan; Insepack) blood collection tubes were introduced into Korea. The aim of this study was to compare the results of routine coagulation assays using the Insepack with those using BD Vacutainer (BD, Franklin Lakes, NJ, USA; Vacutainer) tubes, which are most widely used in Korea. METHODS: Paired blood samples from 64 patients were drawn into Insepack and Vacutainer 3.2% citrate tubes. The results of prothrombin time (PT), activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), fibrinogen, and fibrin/fibrinogen degradation product (FDP) were determined in parallel. RESULTS: No statistically significant differences were observed between Insepack and Vacutainer tubes for PT, fibrinogen, and FDP tests. For APTT which showed the significant differences between the results in the two tubes the mean difference was small (0.8 seconds), and it was not considered clinically significant. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study suggest that Insepack tubes can be used in place of Vacutainer tubes for routine coagulation assays.
Citric Acid* ; Fibrinogen ; Humans ; Japan ; Korea ; Lakes ; Partial Thromboplastin Time ; Plastics* ; Prothrombin Time