Background and Objectives: Identifying patients with high bleeding risk (HBR) is important when making decisions for antiplatelet therapy strategy. This study evaluated the impact of ticagrelor monotherapy after 3-month dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) according to HBR in acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patients treated with drug eluting stents (DESs). Methods: In this post-hoc analysis of the TICO trial, HBR was defined by 2 approaches: meeting Academic Research Consortium for HBR (ARC-HBR) criteria or Predicting Bleeding Complications in Patients Undergoing Stent Implantation and Subsequent DAPT (PRECISEDAPT) score ≥25. The primary outcome was a 3–12 months net adverse clinical event (composite of major bleeding and adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events). Results: Of the 2,980 patients without adverse events during the first 3 months after DES implantation, 453 (15.2%) were HBR by ARC-HBR criteria and 504 (16.9%) were HBR by PRECISE-DAPT score. The primary outcome rate was higher in HBR versus non-HBR patients (by ARC-HBR criteria: hazard ratio [HR], 2.87; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.76– 4.69; p<0.001; by PRECISE-DAPT score: HR, 3.09; 95% CI, 1.92–4.98; p<0.001). Ticagrelor monotherapy after 3-month DAPT was associated with lower primary outcome rate than ticagrelor-based 12-month DAPT regardless of HBR by ARC-HBR criteria, with similar magnitudes of therapy effect for HBR and non-HBR patients (p-interaction=0.400). Results were consistent by PRECISE-DAPT score (p-interaction=0.178). Conclusions In ACS patients treated with DESs, ticagrelor monotherapy after 3-month DAPT was associated with lower rate of adverse clinical outcomes regardless of HBR, with similar magnitudes of therapy effect between HBR and non-HBR.Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02494895

PURPOSE: Peritoneal carcinomatosis in gastric cancer (GC) patients results in extremely poor prognosis. Malignant ascites samples are the most appropriate biological material to use to evaluate biomarkers for peritoneal carcinomatosis. This study identified exosomal MicroRNAs (miRNAs) differently expressed between benign liver cirrhosis-associated ascites (LC-ascites) and malignant gastric cancer-associated ascites (GC-ascites), and validated their role as diagnostic biomarkers for GC-ascites. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Total RNA was extracted from exosomes isolated from 165 ascites samples (73 LC-ascites and 92 GC-ascites). Initially, microarrays were used to screen the expression levels of 2,006 miRNAs in the discovery cohort (n=22). Subsequently, quantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) analyses were performed to validate the expression levels of selected exosomal miRNAs in the training (n=70) and validation (n=73) cohorts. Furthermore, carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) levels were determined in ascites samples. RESULTS: The miR-574-3p, miR-181b-5p, miR-4481, and miR-181d were significantly downregulated in the GC-ascites samples compared to the LC-ascites samples, and miR-181b-5p showed the best diagnostic performance for GC-ascites (area under the curve [AUC]=0.798 and 0.846 for the training and validation cohorts, respectively). The diagnostic performance of CEA for GC-ascites was improved by the combined analysis of miR-181b-5p and CEA (AUC=0.981 and 0.946 for the training and validation cohorts, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: We identified exosomal miRNAs capable of distinguishing between non-malignant and GC-ascites, showing that the combined use of miR-181b-5p and CEA could improve diagnosis.
Ascites ; Biomarkers ; Carcinoembryonic Antigen ; Carcinoma ; Cohort Studies ; Diagnosis ; Down-Regulation ; Exosomes ; Humans ; Liver ; MicroRNAs ; Prognosis ; RNA ; Stomach Neoplasms

Lung transplantation is the only treatment for end-stage lung disease, but the problem of donor shortage is unresolved issue. Herein, we report the first case of living-donor lobar lung transplantation (LDLLT) in Korea. A 19-year-old woman patient with idiopathic pulmonary artery hypertension received her father's right lower lobe and her mother's left lower lobe after pneumonectomy of both lungs in 2017. The patient has recovered well and is enjoying normal social activity. We think that LDLLT could be an alternative approach to deceased donor lung transplantation to overcome the shortage of lung donors.
Female ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Korea* ; Living Donors ; Lung Diseases ; Lung Transplantation* ; Lung* ; Pneumonectomy ; Pulmonary Artery ; Tissue Donors ; Young Adult

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Infections are major causes of both early and late death after lung transplantation (LT). The development of prophylaxis strategies has altered the epidemiology of post-LT infections; however, recent epidemiological data are limited. We evaluated infections after LT at our institution by time of occurrence, site of infections, and microbiologic etiologies. METHODS: All consecutive patients undergoing lung or heart-lung transplantation between October 2008 and August 2014 at our institution were enrolled. Cases of infections after LT were initially identified from the prospective registry database, which was followed by a detailed review of the patients' medical records. RESULTS: A total of 108 episodes of post-LT infections (56 bacterial, 43 viral, and nine fungal infections) were observed in 34 LT recipients. Within 1 month after LT, the most common bacterial infections were catheter-related bloodstream infections (42%). Pneumonia was the most common site of bacterial infection in the 2- to 6-month period (28%) and after 6 months (47%). Cytomegalovirus was the most common viral infection within 1 month (75%) and in the 2- to 6-month period (80%). Respiratory viruses were the most common viruses after 6 months (48%). Catheter-related candidemia was the most common fungal infection. Invasive pulmonary aspergillosis developed after 6 months. Survival rates at the first and third years were 79% and 73%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Although this study was performed in a single center, we provide valuable and recent detailed epidemiology data for post-LT infections. A further multicenter study is required to properly evaluate the epidemiology of post-LT infections in Korea.
Adult ; Bacterial Infections/diagnosis/*microbiology/mortality ; Catheter-Related Infections/microbiology/virology ; Cytomegalovirus Infections/virology ; Female ; Heart-Lung Transplantation/*adverse effects/mortality ; Humans ; Kaplan-Meier Estimate ; Lung Transplantation/*adverse effects/mortality ; Male ; Medical Records ; Middle Aged ; Mycoses/diagnosis/*microbiology/mortality ; Pneumonia, Bacterial/microbiology ; Registries ; Republic of Korea/epidemiology ; Risk Factors ; Time Factors ; Treatment Outcome ; Virus Diseases/diagnosis/mortality/*virology

No abstract available.

BACKGROUND: Eosinophilia may be associated with various primary and reactive conditions. The incidence and the causes of eosinophilia might have been changed according to the changes in the incidence of diseases such as cancer, chronic degenerative diseases, etc. We have conducted a retrospective study to investigate the incidence and causes of eosinophilia. METHODS: Eosinophilia and hypereosinophilia were defined when absolute eosinophil count was greater than 500/microL and 1,500/microL, respectively. Patient's clinical records were reviewed to find out the underlying clinical conditions responsible for causes of hypereosinophilia. Conventional chromosomal analysis, reverse transcriptase PCR and FISH for gene rearrangement were performed to check the presence of clonal eosinophilia. RESULTS: Out of 41,137 patients who had a hematology profile performed, 5,019 (12.2%) and 373 patients (0.9%) were found to have eosinophilia and hypereosinophilia, respectively. Among patients with hypereosinophilia, 227 patients (60.9%) had identifiable and/or possible causes. The major causes of hypereosinophilia were malignancy (35.2%), allergy and skin diseases (18.1%), infectious diseases (15.4%), hepatobiliary diseases (7.5%), bone marrow clonal diseases (6.6%) and parasite infections (6.6%). We also found a rare case of FIP1L1-PDGFRalpha positive chronic eosinophilic leukemia combined with light chain multiple myeloma. CONCLUSIONS: We found a difference in the distribution of causes of hypereosinophilia in comparison with previous Korean studies, and the most common cause of hypereosinophilia in the current study was malignancy. A rare case of clonal eosinophilia (chronic eosinophilic leukemia) associated with multiple myeloma was confirmed using molecular studies.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Age Factors ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Bone Marrow/pathology ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Eosinophilia/epidemiology/*etiology/genetics ; Female ; Hospitals, University ; Humans ; Hypereosinophilic Syndrome/epidemiology/*etiology/genetics ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Receptor, Platelet-Derived Growth Factor alpha/genetics/metabolism ; Retrospective Studies ; Sex Factors ; Young Adult ; mRNA Cleavage and Polyadenylation Factors/genetics/metabolism

BACKGROUND: The universal sample processing (USP) method has recently been introduced as a simple technique that is applicable to smear microscopy, culture, and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for the detection of Mycobaterium tuberculosis (MTB). The present study evaluated the utility of the USP method for detecting MTB by culture and PCR, and the results were compared with that of the N-acetyl L-cysteine (NALC)-NaOH (6%) method. METHODS: All sputum specimens were digested and decontaminated by both the USP and NALC-NaOH methods, and the processed samples were inoculated for MTB culture and PCR. Culture was performed (252 samples) by using the MGIT system (Becton Dickinson Microbiology Systems, Sparks, Md, USA), and PCR test was conducted (281 samples) by using Amplicor MTB kit (Roche Molecular Systems, Branchburg, N.J., USA). RESULTS: MTB culture positive rates by NALC-NaOH and USP methods were 13.5% (34/252) and 11.9% (30/252), respectively (P>0.05). There were no significant differences between the two methods for detecting MTB by PCR: the MTB PCR sensitivities by USP and NALC-NaOH methods were 77.8% (49/63) and 82.5% (52/63), respectively, and the specificities were 95.9% (209/218) and 96.3% (210/218), respectively (P>0.05). CONCLUSION: There were no significant differences between USP and NALC-NaOH methods of sample processing in enhancing the detection of MTB by culture or PCR
Collodion ; Cysteine ; Microscopy ; Mycobacterium ; Mycobacterium tuberculosis ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Sputum ; Tuberculosis

Patients with alloantibody should be transfused with specific antigen negative blood, and in the case of autoantibody, the least incompatible blood on crossmatching can be transfused. Yet any transfusion cases that possessed autoantibody with the apparent antigen specificity have been rarely reported. A 62 year-old-woman with chronic renal failure underwent tests showing that the direct antiglobulin test was positive (2+) for IgG, the autocontrol test was positive, and the Rh phenotype of her erythrocytes was typed as group CcDEe. One unit of the e-positive packed red cells (PRCs) was transfused before an antibody identification test identified this antibody as autoantibody with an apparent e antigen specificity, but the level of hemoglobin increased from 6.3 g/dL to 7.4 g/dL without a hemolytic reaction or other transfusion side-effects.
Anemia, Hemolytic, Autoimmune ; Blood Group Incompatibility* ; Coombs Test ; Erythrocytes ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin G ; Kidney Failure, Chronic ; Phenotype* ; Sensitivity and Specificity

BACKGROUND: The incidence of bone marrow (BM) metastasis might be related with the occurrence of malignant tumors in ethnic groups. So, we investigated the type and the frequency of metastatic tumors of BM and analyzed the clinicopathologic variables of BM metastasis. METHODS: This study included 932 cases of primary malignant tumor which were requested for BM study from January 1995 to June 2006 in Chonnam National University Hospital and Chonnam National University Hwasun Hospital. Peripheral blood smears (PBS); aspirates, touch prints, and trephine biopsies of BM; and medical records including other laboratory test results were reviewed. RESULTS: Overall frequency of BM metastasis was 11.9% (111/932). Primary tumors with BM involvement in children comprised neuroblastoma (74.1%), rhabdomyosarcoma (7.4%), and malignant lymphoma (7.4%). For adult patients, they consisted of malignant lymphoma (56.0%), gastrointestinal cancer (20.2%), and lung cancer (6.0%). In the case of malignant lymphoma, diffuse large cell lymphoma was the most frequent one. Laboratory findings of patients with BM metastasis commonly showed anemia and thrombocytopenia; in addition, serum LD, ALP, AST and ALT were elevated in 81.5% (75/92), 63.4% (59/93), 63.5% (61/96) and 33.3% (32/96), respectively. Leukoerythroblastosis was observed only in 19.8% (22/111) on PBS examination. CONCLUSIONS: The most common non-hematopoietic metastatic tumor was neuroblastoma in children and gastrointestinal tumors in adults. Leukoerythroblastosis, anemia, and the elevation of serum LD, ALP, and AST were useful markers for the prediction of BM metastasis.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Bone Marrow Examination ; Bone Marrow Neoplasms/diagnosis/pathology/*secondary ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Gastrointestinal Neoplasms/pathology ; Hematologic Tests ; Humans ; Infant ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neuroblastoma/pathology

Biphenotypic acute leukemia (BAL) is a subtype of leukemia of ambiguous lineage in the World Health Organization classification system. About one third of the cases have the Philadelphia chromosome, and some cases are associated with other structural abnormalities involving 11q23. BAL is known to have a poor prognosis in both children and adults. According to the previously reported BAL cases with positive BCR-ABL fusion gene, most of the BCR-ABL mRNA transcript type was e1a2. So, we describe here a 30-year-old adult BAL case with the karyotype 46,XY,t(9;22)(q34;q11.2) resulting in a very rare b3a2 type of BCR-ABL mRNA transcript.
Adult ; Child ; Classification ; Humans ; Karyotype ; Leukemia ; Leukemia, Biphenotypic, Acute* ; Philadelphia Chromosome ; Prognosis ; RNA, Messenger* ; World Health Organization