BACKGROUND: Despite the development of empiric antibiotics in treatment of neutropenic fever(NF) in pediatric cancer patients, bacterial infection is still the most important cause of death in these patients. In this study the authors analyzed clinical characteristics and tried to find out the possible risk factors of the pediatric cancer patients who succumbed to the documented bacterial infection after episodes of neutropenic fever. METHODS: 17 pediatric cancer patients expired after episodes of neutropenic fever(NF) in the pediatric department of Asan Medical Center from Mar. 1990 to Feb. 1996 were grouped by the results of bacterial culture. 7 cases (Group A) had documented bacterial culture results and 10 cases (Group B) had negative culture results. The clinical characteristics of these two groups were analyzed retrospectively. RESULTS: There were no differences in the types of cancer between the two groups. All the documented bacteria were gram negative organisms and all cultured from the blood. There were no differences between the two groups in the treatment duration, known risk factors of infection before and at the onset of fever, antibiotics administered, and interval from the onset of NF to the administration of antibiotics. The response rate of initial empiric antibiotics was lower in group A(14%) compared to Group B(40%), even though all the cultured organisms except 2 cases in Group A were sensitive to initial empirical antibiotics. Septic shock was the cause of death in 86% of Group A patients, but only in 10% of Group B patients. The other causes of death were progression of cancer, bleeding, hepatic failure, adult respiratory distress syndrome and multiple organ failure, which showed no difference between the 2 groups. The interval from the onset of fever to death was significantly shorter in Group A(6.2+/-2.3 days) compared to Group B(24.9+/-18.6 days). CONCLUSIONS: Bacterial infection is still the most frequent cause of death after NF. Most patients succumbed to the documented bacterial infection showed rapid progression of bacteremia to septic shock despite administration of sensitive antibiotics. The known risk factors of infection before the onset of NF and other treatment factors shows no differences between the two groups in this study. These results suggest that the bacteremia is obvious risk factor of poor outcome after NF episode, and antibiotics alone may be insufficient to prevent the rapid progression of septic shock in these patients.
Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Bacteremia ; Bacteria ; Bacterial Infections ; Cause of Death* ; Chungcheongnam-do ; Fever* ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Liver Failure ; Multiple Organ Failure ; Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Adult ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Shock, Septic

BACKGROUND: Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis(HLH) is a rare and fatal disorder in children. Recently its clinical characteristics and etiology of uncontrolled activation of cellular immune system in genetically predirected patients have keen elucidated. The authors analyzed the clinical characteristics and response to immunosuppressive agents of HLH patients in single institute. METHODS: The authors retrospectively analyzed various clinical data including CSF and bone marrow examination at diagnosis and follow up period in the 6 patients who were diagnosed as HLH at Asan Medical Center during last 2 years. Antithymocyte globulin(ATG : 10 mg/kg/day) and methylprednisolone(methyl-PD: 5 mg/kg/day) for 5 consecutive days as induction treatment and cyclosporin A(CsA) as maintenance treatment after induction with weekly intrathecal methotrexate for 5-6 weeks were given to the recently diagnosed 3 patients. RESULTS: All the patients except one were infants. Persistent fever, hepatosplenomegaly and pancytopenia were observed in all the patients. Family history of suspicious HLH was observed in 4 patients(67%). The characteristic elevated serum triglyceride(TG) level and/or decreased fibrinogen level were noted in all. Mild to moderate CSF pleocytosls with increased lymphocytes and monocytes was also observed in all during the disease course. Variable degree of nonqr-Langerhans cell histiocytic infiltration and hemophagocytosis were observed in all the cases. Of the 3 patients treated with ATG and methyl-PD, one achieved complete remission and the others achieved partial remission within 2 weeks of treatment, but all expired after 5 months, remission with CsA. Regardless of treatment regimen, all the 6 patients expired due to CNS sequelae of HLH. CONCLUSIONS: HLH mainly developed in infants. Persistant fever, hepatosplenomegaly and pancytopenia were observed in most cases with the characteristic change of serum TG and/or fibrinogen level. HLH should be included in the differential diagnosis in patients with these features especially when the family history of suspicious HLH is present, and histologic comfirmation of HLH could be easily accomplished with bone marrow study in most cases. Remission induction of HLH could be achieved with immunosuppressive treatment but it was difficult to maintain long term remission.
Bone Marrow ; Bone Marrow Examination ; Child ; Chungcheongnam-do ; Cyclosporine ; Diagnosis ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Fever ; Fibrinogen ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Immune System ; Immunosuppressive Agents ; Infant ; Lymphocytes ; Lymphohistiocytosis, Hemophagocytic* ; Methotrexate ; Monocytes ; Pancytopenia ; Remission Induction ; Retrospective Studies

Solid pseudopapillary tumor of the pancreas is a rare tumor that affects young females with low malignant potential and good prognosis with more than 90% survival at 5 years. Metastasis is very rare. We report the case of a 74-year-old female who had pancreatic solid-pseudopapillary tumor and synchronous hepatic metastasis.
Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Pancreas ; Pancreatic Neoplasms ; Prognosis

The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of depression, discomfort, spirituality, physical care, and opioid use on pain with terminally ill cancer patients residing in hospice units. The convenient sample of this study consisted of 41 terminally ill cancer patients at three hospice units in university affiliated hospitals. Patients were interviewed with structured questionnaires three times at predetermined intervals: admission to the hospice unit (Time 1), one week later (Time 2), and two weeks later (Time 3). The data was collected from January 1998 to January 1999 and was analyzed using ANOVA, Pearson correlation coefficient, and multivariate multiple regression. The results of this study were as follows: 1. The mean age of the participants was approximately 55 years old. In terms of diagnosis, lung cancer showed the highest frequency (19.5%), followed by stomach cancer and rectal cancer (17.1%). The motive of seeking hospice unit admission was control (72. 2%), followed by spiritual care (50%), and symptom relief (38.9%). 2. Regarding the type of pain felt, the highest pain frequency the participants experienced was deep pain (55%), followed by multiple pain (25%), intestinal pain (10%), then superficial (5%) and neurogenic pain (5%). For the level of pain measured by VAS, there was no significant difference among the three time points; Time 1 (5.04 +/-2.21), Time 2 (4.82+/-2.58) and Time 3(4.73+/-2.51). 3. There was significant change seen in spirituality and physical care in each time interval. Namely, the longer the length of admission at the hospice unit, the higher the importance of spirituality (p=0.0001) and the more the physical care the participants received (p=0.01). The opioid use at the three time points showed the following frequencies : Time 1 (75.6%), Time 2 (85.4%) and Time 3 (75.6%). 4. Regarding factors influencing pain, the pain level was significantly affected by the depression level (p <0.01) and the opioid use (p <0.1). These results were the most significant at the two time points (Time 1 and Time 2). At Time 3 (two weeks later), the pain level was significantly affected by the depression level (p <0.05) and the amount of physical care the participants received (p <0.1). In conclusion, the terminally ill cancer patients had moderate pain, were generally depressed, and were treated with opioid analgesics. As approaching death, the patients received more physical care due to increased physical symptoms experienced and they had a higher perception of the importance of spirituality. Thus, health care professionals need to provide continuous care for each of them to die comfortably physically, psycho- logically, and spiritually.
Analgesics, Opioid ; Delivery of Health Care ; Depression ; Diagnosis ; Hospices* ; Humans ; Logic ; Lung Neoplasms ; Middle Aged ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Rectal Neoplasms ; Spirituality ; Stomach Neoplasms ; Terminally Ill*

Purpose: This report presents a case of repeated toxic conjunctival necrosis caused by amikacin eye drops in a patient with a corneal ulcer induced by Mycobacterium abscessus (M. abscessus).Case summary: During treatment for herpetic keratitis with complaints of conjunctival hyperemia and eye pain in the right eye for 1 month. Slit-lamp microscopy revealed a circular corneal epithelial defect and stromal infiltration of her right eye. Gram staining and culture were performed, and eye drops were prescribed for empirical treatment. The bacterial culture grew M. abscessus. Antibiotic susceptibility tests showed resistance to quinolone. The patient was prescribed amikacin eye drops and the corneal epithelial defects improved. Two weeks later, circular conjunctival epithelial defects and hyperemia were observed on the inferior conjunctiva. Conjunctival necrosis caused by amikacin was suspected. The amikacin eye drops were discontinued and the conjunctival lesion improved. However, the patient’s corneal ulcer recurred. The amikacin eye drops were restarted, but conjunctival toxicity recurred, so she was treated with topical clarithromycin and moxifloxacin. The eye drops were gradually reduced and the lesion healed leaving mild corneal opacity. Conclusions M. abscessus-induced keratitis resistant to quinolone antibiotics requires long-term combined therapy with multiple drugs. Amikacin eye drops should be used carefully as conjunctival toxicity may occur.

No abstract available.
Transplants

OBJECTIVE: To compare the objective and subjective image quality indicators and radiation doses of computed tomography (CT) venography performed using model-based iterative reconstruction (MBIR) at 80 kVp and adaptive statistical iterative reconstruction (ASIR)-V at 70 kVp. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Eighty-three patients who had undergone CT venography of the lower extremities with MBIR at 80 kVp (Group A; 21 men and 20 women; mean age, 55.5 years) or ASIR-V at 70 kVp (Group B; 18 men and 24 women; mean age, 57.3 years) were enrolled. Two radiologists retrospectively evaluated the objective (vascular enhancement, image noise, signal-to-noise ratio [SNR], contrast-to-noise ratio [CNR]) and subjective (quantum mottle, delineation of contour, venous enhancement) image quality indicators at the inferior vena cava and femoral and popliteal veins. Clinical information, radiation dose, reconstruction time, and objective and subjective image quality indicators were compared between groups A and B. RESULTS: Vascular enhancement, SNR, and CNR were significantly greater in Group B than in Group A (p ≤ 0.015). Image noise was significantly lower in Group B (p ≤ 0.021), and all subjective image quality indicators, except for delineation of vein contours, were significantly better in Group B (p ≤ 0.021). Mean reconstruction time was significantly shorter in Group B than in Group A (1 min 43 s vs. 131 min 1 s; p < 0.001). Clinical information and radiation dose were not significantly different between the two groups. CONCLUSION: CT venography using ASIR-V at 70 kVp was better than MBIR at 80 kVp in terms of image quality and reconstruction time at similar radiation doses.
Female ; Humans ; Image Enhancement ; Image Processing, Computer-Assisted ; Lower Extremity ; Male ; Noise ; Phlebography ; Popliteal Vein ; Retrospective Studies ; Signal-To-Noise Ratio ; Veins ; Vena Cava, Inferior ; Venous Thrombosis

Central vertigo of cerebellar origin may present the syndromes similar to those of peripheral vertigo such as vestibular neuronitis. The character of those vertigo syndrome depend on the location, extent, and the etiology of the lesion such as stroke, inflammation, mass. Cavernous hemangioma may be clinically silent, but can cause variable neurologic manifestations including central vertigo if it affects the vestibular system. We report a rare case of cerebellar cavernous hemangioma with the vertigo syndrome closely mimicked vestibular neuronitis.
Cerebellum ; Hemangioma ; Hemangioma, Cavernous ; Inflammation ; Neurologic Manifestations ; Stroke ; Vertigo ; Vestibular Neuronitis

PURPOSE: To investigate the clinical features and treatment outcomes between methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus epidermidis (MSSE) and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus epidermidis (MRSE) keratitis groups. METHODS: A retrospective analysis of case series was conducted of all patients with keratitis caused only by Staphylococcus epidermidis from January 1997 through December 2008. Sex, age, history of trauma, systemic disease, previous ocular history, antibiotic sensitivity test results, and treatment outcomes were evaluated. Patients were categorized into two groups as MSSE and MRSE according to methicillin-sensitivity result, and a comparative analysis was performed. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in clinical features, such as risk factors or size or location of keratitis between the two groups. All MSSE and MRSE isolates were sensitive to vancomycin, moxifloxacin, and levofloxacin. All MSSE and 17%, 50%, 52%, and 57% of MRSE isolates were sensitive to cephalothin, norfloxacin, ciprofloxacin, and erythromycin, respectively (p < 0.05). There was no significant difference in visual acuity between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: All MSSE and MRSE isolates were sensitive to vancomycin and to third- or fourth-generation fluoroquinolones In addition, approximately 50% of MRSE isolates were sensitive to norfloxacin and ciprofloxacin. There were no significant differences in clinical features of keratitis caused by MSSE versus those of MRSE isolates. Both keratitis groups had relatively good visual prognoses.
Aza Compounds ; Cephalothin ; Ciprofloxacin ; Epidemiologic Studies ; Erythromycin ; Fluoroquinolones ; Humans ; Keratitis ; Methicillin Resistance ; Norfloxacin ; Ofloxacin ; Prognosis ; Quinolines ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Staphylococcus ; Staphylococcus epidermidis ; Vancomycin ; Visual Acuity

It is not a common case for neurosurgery department and the other departments to perform joint operation at the same time. Patients with severe head injury are a condition in which vital signs are unstable due to severe brain swelling and increased intracranial pressure, and emergency surgery is required. A 44-year-old man visited the trauma center with a motorcycle accident. The Glasgow Coma Scale score at the time of emergency department was 3 points, and the pupil was fixed at 6 mm on both sides. His medical history was unknown. His vital signs including blood pressure (BP), heart rate, respiratory rate and oxygen saturation were stable. Associated injuries included multiple fractures of whole body. Brain computed tomography revealed subarachnoid hemorrhage, intraventricular hemorrhage and severe cerebral edema. During the preparation of the craniectomy, abdominal ultrasonography performed because of decreased BP resulted in a large amount of hemoperitoneum. The bi-coronal craniectomy and splenectomy were performed simultaneously for about 4 hours. After fifty days of treatment, he was discharged with Glasgow Outcome Scale-extended 4 points and is undergoing rehabilitation. In severe polytrauma patients, active concurrent surgery is a good method to save their lives.
Adult ; Blood Pressure ; Brain ; Brain Edema ; Craniocerebral Trauma* ; Emergencies ; Emergency Service, Hospital ; Fractures, Multiple ; Glasgow Coma Scale ; Head* ; Heart Rate ; Hemoperitoneum ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Intracranial Pressure ; Joints ; Methods ; Motorcycles ; Multiple Trauma ; Neurosurgery ; Oxygen ; Pupil ; Rehabilitation ; Respiratory Rate ; Splenectomy* ; Subarachnoid Hemorrhage ; Trauma Centers ; Ultrasonography ; Vital Signs