BACKGROUND/AIMS: Anti-C-reactive protein (CRP) antibody has been introduced as a potential biologic marker in Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). The aim of study is to evaluate the level of anti-CRP antibody in patients with SLE. METHODS: This study investigated the relationship between levels of anti-CRP antibodies and disease activity markers, such as complement, anti-double-stranded DNA antibody, and SLE disease activity index in 34 patients with SLE. RESULTS: The serum anti-CRP antibody levels of the patients with SLE were significantly higher than those of the healthy controls (11.3 ± 5.6 µg/mL vs. 9.1 ± 2.8 µg/mL). The percentages of the positive anti-CRP antibody were 52.9% in SLE and 27.8% in controls. Disease duration of SLE showed significant correlation with the anti-CRP antibody (r = 0.234, p = 0.026). However no significant relationship was observed between the levels of anti-CRP antibodies and disease activity markers. CONCLUSIONS: These data show that the anti-CRP antibody levels of the patients with SLE were significantly higher than those of healthy controls. We observed that the presence of the anti-CRP anti-CRP antibody was not associated with disease activity of SLE.
Antibodies ; Biomarkers ; Complement System Proteins ; DNA ; Humans ; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic*

This correction is being published to correct the typo in title and introduction.

Pyoderma gangrenosum (PG) is a rare disease that causes chronic skin ulcers, and it has recently been known to be related to changes in the immune system such as dysfunction of neutrophils. Over 50% of patients with PG have an underlying systemic disease, and rarely are there various medicines causing the disease, including iodide, bromide, and isotretinoin. A 49-year-old man had recurrent skin ulcers in his lower extremities. He had a history of taking propylthiouracil (PTU) for 10 years as a treatment for Graves' disease. Here, we describe a case of PTU-induced ANCA positive PG in a patient with hyperthyroidism, who has been improved after the cessation of PTU.
Antibodies, Antineutrophil Cytoplasmic* ; Graves Disease ; Humans ; Hyperthyroidism ; Immune System ; Isotretinoin ; Lower Extremity ; Middle Aged ; Neutrophils ; Propylthiouracil* ; Pyoderma Gangrenosum* ; Rare Diseases ; Skin Ulcer

Adefovir dipivoxil (ADV) is a nucleotide used as long-term therapy of chronic hepatitis B. Many published reports have shown that long-term high-dose therapy with adefovir can be associated with proximal renal tubular dysfunction resulting in significant hypophosphatemia, renal insufficiency and osteomalacia. We have encountered two patients who developed evidence of hypophosphatemic osteomalacia while on long-term low-dose adefovir therapy for chronic hepatitis B. We report on its clinical features and its potential resolution with cessation of the drug and supplementation with phosphate. We also reviewed the other published cases associated with hypophosphatemic osteomalacia after low-dose adefovir therapy. The symptoms and the hypophosphatemia improved after cessation of the drug and supplementation with phosphate in most cases. Patients taking adefovir long-term should receive regular investigation of the phosphate level and renal function.
Fanconi Syndrome ; Hepatitis B, Chronic* ; Hepatitis, Chronic* ; Humans ; Hypophosphatemia ; Kidney Diseases ; Osteomalacia* ; Renal Insufficiency

Behcet's disease (BD) is a multisystem disorder presenting recurrent oral and genital ulcerations as well as ocular lesions, involving the nervous system in a subgroup of patients. BD develops at a young age and is frequently presented with an acute or subacute brainstem syndrome or hemiparesis, as well as with other various neurological manifestations, the syndrome is often included in the differential diagnosis of multiple sclerosis, stroke of the young adult, and other neurological disorders. Transverse myelitis (TM) is a clinical syndrome in which an immune-mediated process causes neural injury to the spinal cord, resulting in varying degrees of weakness, sensory alterations and autonomic dysfunction. Spinal Neuro-behcet's disease is rare case. We reported a 33-year old man who had been treated for BD for 3 years.
Brain Stem ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Humans ; Multiple Sclerosis ; Myelitis, Transverse ; Nervous System ; Nervous System Diseases ; Neurologic Manifestations ; Paresis ; Spinal Cord ; Stroke ; Ulcer ; Young Adult

Ulnar neuropathy around the elbow in patients with rheumatoid arthritis can occur by synovial invasion, flexion contracture or valgus deformity of the elbow. However, attritional rupture of the ulnar nerve by medial osteophyte with synovial invasion of the rheumatoid elbow is extremely rare. We reported a case of attritional rupture of the ulnar nerve by medial osteophyte in 62 years-old male with rheumatoid arthritis. Exact diagnosis and proper treatment are required if symptoms of ulnar neuropathy present in rheumatoid arthritis with contracture and valgus deformity of the elbow.
Arthritis, Rheumatoid ; Congenital Abnormalities ; Contracture ; Elbow ; Humans ; Male ; Osteophyte ; Rupture ; Ulnar Nerve ; Ulnar Neuropathies

Recently, subpopulations of regulatory T (Treg) cells, resting Treg (rTreg) and activated Treg (aTreg), have been discovered. The authors investigated the relationship between the change of Treg, aTreg and rTreg and autoimmune diseases. Treg cells and those subpopulations were analyzed by using the human regulatory T cell staining kit and CD45RA surface marker for 42 rheumatoid arthritis (RA), 13 systemic lupus sclerosis (SLE), 7 Behcet's disease (BD), and 22 healthy controls. The proportion of Treg cells was significantly lower in RA (3.8% +/- 1.0%) (P < 0.001) and BD (3.3% +/- 0.5%) (P < 0.01) compared to healthy controls (5.0% +/- 1.3%). The proportion of aTreg cells was also significantly lower in RA (0.4% +/- 0.2%) (P = 0.008) and BD (0.3% +/- 0.1%) (P = 0.013) compared to healthy controls (0.6% +/- 0.3%). The rTreg cells showed no significant differences. The ratio of aTreg to rTreg was lower in RA patients (0.4% +/- 0.2%) than that in healthy controls (0.7% +/- 0.4%) (P = 0.002). This study suggests that the decrement of aTreg not rTreg cells contributes the decrement of total Treg cells in peripheral blood of RA and BD autoimmune diseases. Detailed analysis of Treg subpopulations would be more informative than total Treg cells in investigating mechanism of autoimmune disease.
Adult ; Aged ; Antigens, CD4/metabolism ; Antigens, CD45/metabolism ; Arthritis, Rheumatoid/*immunology/metabolism ; Behcet Syndrome/*immunology/metabolism ; Female ; Forkhead Transcription Factors/metabolism ; Humans ; Interleukin-2 Receptor alpha Subunit/metabolism ; Leukocyte Count ; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic/*immunology/metabolism ; Male ; Middle Aged ; T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory/*cytology/immunology/metabolism

BACKGROUND: A tuberculous destroyed lung is sequelae of pulmonary tuberculosis and causes various respiratory symptoms and pulmonary dysfunction. The patients with a tuberculous destroyed lung account for a significant portion of those with chronic lung disease in Korea. However, few reports can be found in the literature. We investigated the computed tomography (CT) findings in a tuberculous destroyed lung and the correlation with lung function. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was carried out for 44 patients who were diagnosed with a tuberculous destroyed lung at the Keimyung University Dongsan Hospital between January 2004 and December 2009. RESULTS: A chest CT scan showed various thoracic sequelae of tuberculosis. In lung parenchymal lesions, there were cicatrization atelectasis in 37 cases (84.1%) and emphysema in 13 cases. Bronchiectasis (n=39, 88.6%) was most commonly found in airway lesions. The mean number of destroyed bronchopulmonary segments was 7.7 (range, 4~14). The most common injured segment was the apicoposterior segment of the left upper lobe (n=36, 81.8%). In the pulmonary function test, obstructive ventilatory defects were observed in 31 cases (70.5%), followed by a mixed (n=7) and restrictive ventilatory defect (n=5). The number of destroyed bronchopulmonary segments showed a significant negative correlation with forced vital capacity (FVC), % predicted (r=-0.379, p=0.001) and forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1), % predicted (r=-0.349, p=0.020). After adjustment for age and smoking status (pack-years), the number of destroyed segments also showed a significant negative correlation with FVC, % predicted (B=-0.070, p=0.014) and FEV1, % predicted (B=-0.050, p=0.022). CONCLUSION: Tuberculous destroyed lungs commonly showed obstructive ventilatory defects, possibly due to bronchiectasis and emphysema. There was negative correlation between the extent of destruction and lung function.
Bronchiectasis ; Cicatrix ; Emphysema ; Forced Expiratory Volume ; Humans ; Korea ; Lung ; Lung Diseases ; Lung Diseases, Obstructive ; Pulmonary Atelectasis ; Respiratory Function Tests ; Retrospective Studies ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Thorax ; Tuberculosis ; Tuberculosis, Pulmonary ; Vital Capacity

BACKGROUND: The causes of exertional desaturation in patients with COPD can be multifactorial. We aimed to investigate factors predict exertional desaturation in patients with moderate to severe COPD. METHODS: We tested 51 consecutive patients with stable COPD (FEV1/FVC, 40+/-13% predicted). Patients performed a six minute walk test (6MWT). Pulse oxymetric saturation (SpO2) and pulse rate were recorded. RESULTS: Oxygen desaturation was found in 15 subjects after 6MWT, while 36 subjects were not desaturated. Lung diffusing capacity was significantly lower in desaturation (DS) group (62+/-18% predicted) compared with not desaturated (ND) group (84+/-20, p<0.01). However there was no statistical difference of FEV1/FVC ratio or residual volume between two groups. The pulse rate change was significantly higher in the desaturated compared with the not desaturated group. Six minute walking distance, subjective dyspnea scale, airflow obstruction, and residual volume did not predict exertional oxygen desaturation. Independent factors assessed by multiple logistic regression revealed that a pulse rate increment (odd ratio [OR], 1.19; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.01~1.40; p=0.02), a decrease in baseline PaO2 (OR, 1.105; 95% CI, 1.003~1.218; p=0.04) and a decrease in lung diffusing capacity (OR, 1.10; 95% CI, 1.01~1.19; p=0.01) were significantly associated with oxygen desaturation. Receiver operator characteristic (ROC) analysis showed that an absolute increment in pulse rate of 16/min gave optimal discrimination between desaturated and not desaturated patients after 6MWT. CONCLUSION: Pulse rate increment and diffusion capacity can predict exertional oxygen desaturation in stable COPD patients with moderate to severe airflow obstruction.
Anoxia ; Diffusion ; Discrimination (Psychology) ; Dyspnea ; Heart Rate ; Humans ; Logistic Models ; Lung ; Oxygen ; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive ; Residual Volume ; Walking

BACKGROUND: Pulmonary embolism (PE) is a common clinical problem in the West that is associated with substantial morbidity and mortality. The diagnostic modality has been changed since 2001. This study retrospectively reviewed the PE mortality with the aim of identifying the risk factors associated with mortality since the multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) was introduced. METHODS: We analyzed 105 patients with acute PE proven by multidetector CT or ventilation perfusion scan. The primary outcome measure was the all-cause mortality at 3 months. The prognostic effect of the baseline factors on survival was assessed by multivariate analysis. RESULTS: The main risk factors were prolonged immobilization, stroke, cancer and obesity. Forty nine percent of patients had 3 or more risk factors. The overall mortality at 3 months was 18.1%. Multivariate analysis revealed low diastolic blood pressure and the existence of cancer to be independent factors significantly associated with mortality. Forty two PE patients were examined for the coagulation inhibitors. Four of these patients had a protein C deficiency (9.5%), and 11 had a protein S deficiency (26%). CONCLUSION: PE is an important clinical problem with a high mortality rate. Close monitoring may be necessary in patients with the risk factors.
Blood Pressure ; Hospitals, Teaching ; Humans ; Immobilization ; Multidetector Computed Tomography ; Multivariate Analysis ; Obesity ; Outcome Assessment (Health Care) ; Perfusion ; Prognosis ; Protein C Deficiency ; Protein S Deficiency ; Pulmonary Embolism ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Stroke ; Thrombophilia ; Venous Thrombosis ; Ventilation