Purpose: Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is the most common hematologic malignancy worldwide. Although substantial improvement has been achieved by the frontline rituximab-based chemoimmunotherapy, up to 40%-50% of patients will eventually have relapsed or refractory disease, whose prognosis is extremely dismal. Materials and Methods: We have carried out two prospective cohort studies that include over 1,500 DLBCL patients treated with rituximab plus CHOP (#NCT01202448 and #NCT02474550). In the current report, we describe the outcomes of refractory DLBCL patients. Patients were defined to have refractory DLBCL if they met one of the followings, not achieving at least partial response after 4 or more cycles of R-CHOP; not achieving at least partial response after 2 or more cycles of salvage therapy; progressive disease within 12 months after autologous stem cell transplantation. Results: Among 1,581 patients, a total of 260 patients met the criteria for the refractory disease after a median time to progression of 9.1 months. The objective response rate of salvage treatment was 26.4%, and the complete response rate was 9.6%. The median overall survival (OS) was 7.5 months (95% confidence interval, 6.4 to 8.6), and the 2-year survival rate was 22.1%±2.8%. The median OS for each refractory category was not significantly different (p=0.529). Conclusion In line with the previous studies, the outcomes of refractory DLBCL patients were extremely poor, which necessitates novel approaches for this population.

PURPOSE: Although asymptomatic coronary artery occlusive disease is common in stroke patients, the long-term advantages of undergoing evaluation for coronary arterial disease using multi-detector coronary computed tomography (MDCT) have not been well established in stroke patients. We compared long-term cardio-cerebrovascular outcomes between patients who underwent MDCT and those who did not. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a retrospective study in a prospective cohort of consecutive ischemic stroke patients. Of the 3117 patients who were registered between July 2006 and December 2012, MDCT was performed in 1842 patients [MDCT (+) group] and not in 1275 patients [MDCT (−) group]. Occurrences of death, cardiovascular events, and recurrent stroke were compared between the groups using Cox proportional hazards models and propensity score analyses. RESULTS: During the mean follow-up of 38.0±24.8 months, 486 (15.6%) patients died, recurrent stroke occurred in 297 (9.5%), and cardiovascular events occurred in 60 patients (1.9%). Mean annual risks of death (9.34% vs. 2.47%), cardiovascular events (1.2% vs. 0.29%), and recurrent stroke (4.7% vs. 2.56%) were higher in the MDCT (−) group than in the MDCT (+) group. The Cox proportional hazards model and the five propensity score-adjusted models consistently demonstrated that the MDCT (−) group was at a high risk of cardiovascular events (hazard ratios 3.200, 95% confidence interval 1.172–8.735 in 1:1 propensity matching analysis) as well as death. The MDCT (−) group seemed to also have a higher risk of recurrent stroke. CONCLUSION: Acute stroke patients who underwent MDCT experienced fewer deaths, cardiovascular events, and recurrent strokes during follow-up.
Asymptomatic Diseases ; Coronary Artery Disease/*diagnostic imaging/mortality ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Male ; Multidetector Computed Tomography/*utilization ; Propensity Score ; Proportional Hazards Models ; Prospective Studies ; Recurrence ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Assessment ; Risk Factors ; Stroke/*complications/mortality

Intussusception is the most common abdominal emergency in children younger than 2 years old. It is often considered idiopathic. However, an underlying disease can cause a pathological lead point for the intussusception. Its incidence after trauma is uncommon, and traumatic intussusception in children is even rarer. In Korea, traumatic intussusception in a child has never been reported. We experienced a case of traumatic intussusception in a 3-year-old girl. The patient was injured by a plastic bar while playing, and she soon complained of abdominal pain. We identified an ileo-ileal intussusception on computed tomogram. The intussusception was reduced successfully by air reduction in the emergency department. She was sent to home without complication after three hospital days.
Abdominal Injuries ; Abdominal Pain ; Child* ; Child, Preschool ; Emergencies ; Emergency Service, Hospital ; Female ; Humans ; Incidence ; Intussusception* ; Korea ; Plastics

PURPOSE: This study was conducted in order to describe how intern physicians in the emergency department (ED) spent their time, and the frequency of tasks performed by them. METHODS: This was an observational, time-motion study for 15 intern physicians in 15 emergency centers. Observers in each hospital shadowed interns for a 60-minute period, two times, both day and night shift. They recorded time spent on various activities, type and number of activities. The proportion of activity that can be replaced by other staff members was calculated. RESULTS: Average number of duty hours of interns was 80.9 hours (63~87.8) per week. A total of 662 activities were observed during 30 hours. Interns' activities were classified as direct patient care 28.2%, personal time 24.2%, documentation 17.0%, procedures 16.7%, communication 8.1%, transportation 2.6%, indirect patient care 2.0%, learning activity 0.8%, and administrative work 0.4%. The proportion of procedural task showed negative correlation with the number of emergency medical technicians (r=-0.710, p=0.003). The proportion of activity that can be replaced by staff members other than doctors was 24.3% (0~47%) of time, except personal or learning activity. CONCLUSION: Results of this study showed that only 24.3% of interns' activity in the emergency department could be replaced by staff members other than doctors. Because the proportion of activities that could be replaced was variable among hospitals, each hospital should perform task analysis of interns' activity in order to forecast alternative manpower.
Cross-Sectional Studies* ; Emergencies ; Emergency Medical Technicians ; Emergency Service, Hospital* ; Humans ; Internship and Residency ; Learning ; Patient Care ; Time and Motion Studies ; Transportation

The imidazopyridine, zolpidem, a non-benzodiazepine hypnotic drug, is widely-prescribed for insomnia. It is regarded as a good alternative to benzodiazepine because of the reduced possibility for abuse and development of dependence. However, more recently, due to the reduced possibility for abuse and development of dependence, it is regarded as a good alternative to benzodiazepine. adverse effects of zolpidem have been recognized. The objective of this report is to provide information on the potential for occurrence of benzodiazepine-like withdrawal seizure in patients who chronically take zolpidem continually. We present and discuss a case of seizure after sudden interruption of the protracted use of an abusively high dose of zolpidem. Zolpidem may not be the ideal drug for long-term pharmacotherapeutic management of insomnia. Clinicians should administer zolpidem at a low-dose for a short period of time for prevention of drug abuse and dependence and the potential for occurrence of benzodiazepine-like withdrawal seizure.
Benzodiazepines ; Humans ; Seizures* ; Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders ; Substance-Related Disorders

Foreign bodies that migrate outside the esophagus into the mediastinum or soft tissues usually cause respiratory symptoms. Also, esophageal foreign body granulomas that cause tracheal stenosis, lobar atelectasis, and bronchoesophageal fistulas are reported as complications. Foreign bodies can become lodged above esophageal strictures, and chronically-embedded esophageal foreign bodies can induce stricture formation, although these are less common. This is rare case report that the trachea was directly compressed due to impacted esophagus by foreign body.
Constriction, Pathologic ; Dyspnea ; Esophagus ; Fistula ; Foreign Bodies ; Granuloma, Foreign-Body ; Mediastinum ; Pulmonary Atelectasis ; Trachea ; Tracheal Stenosis

PURPOSE: To study tissue adhesive effectiveness in with laceration at various body sites. METHODS: From January 2007 to December 2009, we collected the data of laceration patients treated using tissue adhesive in the emergency department of a university hospital. Data concerning treatment satisfaction were collected twice and analyzed. RESULTS: Of the 8665 patients with laceration, 196 (mean age 23 years, 106 males) were treated using tissue adhesive. Many of the 196 patients were <15-years-of-age. Involved body sites mainly comprised head/neck, followed by the upper extremities. The procedure was the most rapid of all treatments. CONCLUSION: Emergency physicians can reliably use tissue adhesive treatment for various lacerations in the emergency setting.
Emergencies ; Humans ; Lacerations ; Tissue Adhesives ; Upper Extremity

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to determine whether continuous capnography monitoring detects adverse respiratory and airway events earlier than pulse oximetry and the clinical exam can during intramuscular ketamine for procedural sedation in children. METHODS: This study was a prospective observational study conducted from April 2009 to March 2010 in an urban Korean teaching hospital. Pediatric patients who needed procedural sedation for primary closure were enrolled. After patients received intramuscular ketamine, they were monitored using clinical ventilation assessment, pulse oximetry and capnography. Adverse respiratory and airway events were recorded RESULTS: A total of 91 patients were enrolled. Of the 91 patients, 16 (17%) had adverse respiratory events; 5 had hypoxia. Capnography was 100% sensitive for predicting hypoxia and apnea. CONCLUSION: When intramuscular ketamine is administered for procedural sedation in children, capnography allows early detection of adverse respiratory events.
Anoxia ; Apnea ; Capnography ; Child ; Conscious Sedation ; Hospitals, Teaching ; Humans ; Ketamine ; Oximetry ; Prospective Studies ; Ventilation

Symptomatic bradycardia might be regarded as a serious emergency disease and it requires prompt emergency treatments. The American Heart Association has recommended transcutaneous pacing as a gold standard of treatment and also atropine, epinephrine or dopamine as the first line drugs. We report here on a case of symptomatic bradycardia that was treated with norepinephrine and the patient was not treated with pacing, atropine and dopamine.
American Heart Association ; Atropine ; Bradycardia ; Dopamine ; Emergencies ; Emergency Service, Hospital ; Emergency Treatment ; Epinephrine ; Humans ; Norepinephrine

Cardiac tamponade is a potentially acute, life threatening emergency that can cause death if it is not promptly diagnosed and treated. Cardiac tamponade is a comparatively uncommon presentation to the emergency department and it is usually associated with penetrating trauma. We report here on a case of cardiac tamponade due to suture material that was used for colectomy ten years previously. A 17-year-old male was admitted to an emergency department with a complaint of loss of consciousness and convulsion. He also complained of chest pain, dyspnea and hypotension. After a while, he displayed cyanosis and his jugular veins were distended. The emergency echocardiogram showed a large amount of pericardial effusion with features of tamponade. Pericardiocentesis was immediately performed. Although 800 cc of fresh blood was drained from the pericardial cavity, his bleeding wouldn't stop. So, the patient was moved immediately to the operation room, and pericardiectomy and median sternotomy were performed. The surgeon found that the foreign suture material had penetrated the pericardium and he successfully removed it. The removed foreign body was a bundle of thread. The patient was discharged without any complications after 9 days.
Adolescent ; Cardiac Tamponade ; Chest Pain ; Colectomy ; Cyanosis ; Dyspnea ; Emergencies ; Foreign Bodies ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Hypotension ; Jugular Veins ; Male ; Pericardial Effusion ; Pericardiectomy ; Pericardium ; Seizures ; Sternotomy ; Sutures ; Unconsciousness