Background: This study aimed to determine the parameters for worsening oxygenation in non-severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pneumonia. Methods: This retrospective cohort study included cases of confirmed COVID-19 pneumonia in a public hospital in South Korea. The worsening oxygenation group was defined as that with SpO2 ≤94% or received oxygen or mechanical ventilation (MV) throughout the clinical course versus the non-worsening oxygenation group that did not experience any respiratory event. Parameters were compared, and the extent of viral pneumonia from an initial chest computed tomography (CT) was calculated using artificial intelligence (AI) and measured visually by a radiologist. Results: We included 136 patients, with 32 (23.5%) patients in the worsening oxygenation group; of whom, two needed MV and one died. Initial vital signs and duration of symptoms showed no difference between the two groups; however, univariate logistic regression analysis revealed that a variety of parameters on admission were associated with an increased risk of a desaturation event. A subset of patients was studied to eliminate potential bias, that ferritin ≥280 μg/L (p=0.029), lactate dehydrogenase ≥240 U/L (p=0.029), pneumonia volume (p=0.021), and extent (p=0.030) by AI, and visual severity scores (p=0.042) were the predictive parameters for worsening oxygenation in a sex-, age-, and comorbid illness-matched case-control study using propensity score (n=52). Conclusion Our study suggests that initial CT evaluated by AI or visual severity scoring as well as serum markers of inflammation on admission are significantly associated with worsening oxygenation in this COVID-19 pneumonia cohort.

Although pharmacological treatment constitutes the main therapeutic approach for depression, non-pharmacological treatments (self-care or psychotherapeutic approach) are usually regarded as more essential therapeutic approaches in clinical practice. However, there have been few clinical practice guidelines concerning self-care or psychotherapy in the management of depression. This study introduces the 'Evidence-Based, Non-Pharmacological Treatment Guideline for Depression in Korea.' For the first time, a guideline was developed for non-pharmacological treatments for Korean adults with mild-to-moderate depression. The guideline development process consisted of establishing several key questions related to non-pharmacologic treatments of depression, searching the literature for studies which answer these questions, assessing the evidence level of each selected study, drawing up draft recommendation, and peer review. The Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network grading system was used to evaluate the quality of evidence. As a result of this process, the guideline recommends exercise therapy, bibliotherapy, cognitive behavior therapy, short-term psychodynamic supportive psychotherapy, and interpersonal psychotherapy as the non-pharmacological treatments for adult patients with mild-to-moderate depression in Korea. Hence, it is necessary to develop specific methodologies for several non-pharmacological treatment for Korean adults with depression.
Adult ; Bibliotherapy/*methods ; Clinical Protocols ; Cognitive Therapy/*methods ; Combined Modality Therapy/*methods ; Depression/*drug therapy/psychology/*therapy ; Exercise Therapy ; Humans ; Placebos/therapeutic use ; Questionnaires ; Republic of Korea

Amebic liver abscess (ALA) has been diagnosed in travelers to endemic areas or in patients with immunosuppression secondary to human immunodeficiency virus infection since the late 1990s. Further, it is a rare disease in Korea. ALA should be considered in patients present with fever and right upper quadrant pain along with a risk of exposure to amebiasis. We report an 82-year-old man with symptoms of fever, gross hematuria and severe renal impairment as having amebic liver abscess complicated with the obstruction of the inferior vena cava. Amebic liver abscess was successfully treated with antibiotics alone. Also, hematuria disappeared and renal dysfunction improved after treatment.
Aged, 80 and over ; Amebiasis ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Fever ; Hematuria ; HIV ; Humans ; Immunosuppression ; Korea ; Liver Abscess, Amebic* ; Rare Diseases ; Renal Insufficiency ; Vena Cava, Inferior*

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The number of hemodialysis patients and dialysis centers is increasing each year, but there are no quality standards for facilities. Thus, the Korean Society of Nephrology carried out a pilot project regarding a hemodialysis center accreditation system. This study was aimed at surveying the prevalence of anemia and abnormalities of calcium or phosphorus metabolism in hemodialysis patients in southwestern Seoul. METHODS: We investigated anemia, serum calcium, and phosphorus levels in 1,524 patients in 25 hemodialysis units. The rate of iron injections in patients with iron deficiency was also evaluated. Each item was compared between accredited (n = 12) and non-accredited centers (n = 13). RESULTS: The mean hemoglobin in subjects was 10.5 +/- 1.5 g/dL. The prevalences of anemia and iron deficiency were 27.4% and 25.2%, respectively. The rate of iron injection in patients with iron deficiency was 48.1%. The mean phosphorus level was 5.1 +/- 1.9 mg/dL and the proportion of patients with Ca x P < 55 mg2/dL2 was 70.7%. The prevalence of anemia, iron deficiency, and Ca x P were similar between accredited and non-accredited centers. The rate of iron injection in iron deficiency was higher in accredited (65.6%) than non-accredited centers (30.9%). CONCLUSIONS: Management of anemia and levels of calcium or phosphorus were acceptable in hemodialysis patients in southwestern Seoul, although some facilities should make more efforts to improve iron deficiency. The availability of data from a hemodialysis center accreditation system allowed us a unique opportunity to further explore the relationships between anemia, abnormalities of mineral metabolism, and outcomes.
Accreditation ; Anemia ; Anemia, Iron-Deficiency ; Calcium ; Dialysis ; Hemoglobins ; Humans ; Iron ; Nephrology ; Phosphorus ; Pilot Projects ; Prevalence ; Renal Dialysis

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The number of hemodialysis patients and dialysis centers is increasing each year, but there are no quality standards for facilities. Thus, the Korean Society of Nephrology carried out a pilot project regarding a hemodialysis center accreditation system. This study was aimed at surveying the prevalence of anemia and abnormalities of calcium or phosphorus metabolism in hemodialysis patients in southwestern Seoul. METHODS: We investigated anemia, serum calcium, and phosphorus levels in 1,524 patients in 25 hemodialysis units. The rate of iron injections in patients with iron deficiency was also evaluated. Each item was compared between accredited (n = 12) and non-accredited centers (n = 13). RESULTS: The mean hemoglobin in subjects was 10.5 +/- 1.5 g/dL. The prevalences of anemia and iron deficiency were 27.4% and 25.2%, respectively. The rate of iron injection in patients with iron deficiency was 48.1%. The mean phosphorus level was 5.1 +/- 1.9 mg/dL and the proportion of patients with Ca x P < 55 mg2/dL2 was 70.7%. The prevalence of anemia, iron deficiency, and Ca x P were similar between accredited and non-accredited centers. The rate of iron injection in iron deficiency was higher in accredited (65.6%) than non-accredited centers (30.9%). CONCLUSIONS: Management of anemia and levels of calcium or phosphorus were acceptable in hemodialysis patients in southwestern Seoul, although some facilities should make more efforts to improve iron deficiency. The availability of data from a hemodialysis center accreditation system allowed us a unique opportunity to further explore the relationships between anemia, abnormalities of mineral metabolism, and outcomes.
Accreditation ; Anemia ; Anemia, Iron-Deficiency ; Calcium ; Dialysis ; Hemoglobins ; Humans ; Iron ; Nephrology ; Phosphorus ; Pilot Projects ; Prevalence ; Renal Dialysis

A prostatic abscess is a rare, but potentially serious disease. The mainstay of treatment for the prostatic abscess is antibiotic administration and drainage. Here, we experienced a 66-year-old man with a prostatic abscess caused by Providencia rettgeri, which has not been reported as a pathogenic agent of a prostatic abscess. He was cured using antibiotics, without surgical drainage. This case suggests that the appropriate selection of patients for antibiotic therapy may provide an excellent prognosis.
Abscess ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Drainage ; Humans ; Prognosis ; Prostate ; Providencia

A 75-year-old man with mild renal impairment was started on sunitinib for a metastatic gastrointestinal stromal tumor. After 7 months of this therapy, proteinuria became aggravated. Serum creatinine concentration was increased from 1.34 to 2.57 mg/dL 24 months after sunitinib administration. Hematologic features of thrombotic microangiopathy (TMA) were absent. Renal histology revealed endothelial swelling and plasmatic insudation of the glomeruli. Proteinuria and renal function improved after discontinuation of sunitinib. Our experience suggests that TMA associated with sunitinib can be diverse in onset and severity, and that the hematologic features of TMA may be absent.
Aged ; Creatinine ; Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors ; Humans ; Indoles ; Proteinuria ; Pyrroles ; Thrombotic Microangiopathies ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A

Catastrophic antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) is an accelerated subtype of APS that results in multiorgan failure. Although catastrophic APS represents about 0.8% of all APS cases, it is usually a life-threatening medical condition that requires high clinical awareness. Catastrophic APS has been managed by various therapies, including anticoagulation, corticosteroids, plasma exchange and IV immunoglobulin, but it still has a high mortality rate. A few cases treated by anticoagulation and steroids have been reported in Korea. In this paper, we report a case of catastrophic APS that improved after anticoagulation therapy alone. Thus, we consider hat our case shows another clinical aspect of catastrophic APS.
Adrenal Cortex Hormones ; Antiphospholipid Syndrome ; Immunoglobulins ; Korea ; Plasma Exchange ; Steroids

Charcoal has been commonly used for enteral detoxication although it causes few adverse effects. The major causes of morbidity and mortality secondary to activated charcoal therapy are pulmonary aspiration, gastrointestinal complication, and fluid and electrolyte abnormalities. Aspiration of charcoal is associated with pulmonary compromise due to increased microvascular permeability with concomitant lung edema, surfactant depletion, atelectasis, and obliterative bronchiolitis. Herein we report the case of a patient with acute respiratory distress syndrome with chemical pneumonitis after aspiration of activated charcoal in sorbitol with a review of the related literatures.
Bronchiolitis ; Capillary Permeability ; Charcoal ; Edema ; Humans ; Lung ; Pneumonia ; Pulmonary Atelectasis ; Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Adult ; Sorbitol

It is generally accepted that one-year post-transplant proteinuria over 0.5 gm per day has a negative impact on renal graft survival. In this study, the effects of minimal proteinuria less than 0.5 g/day were analyzed in 272 renal recipients who had survived for one year with a functioning graft. Recipients were classified by one-year posttransplant proteinuria: no proteinuria group (<0.2 g/day), minimal proteinuria group (0.2-0.5 g/day), and overt proteinuria group (> or =0.5 g/day). Recipients were followed up for 87.1+/-21 months after transplantation and 38 (13.9%) lost their graft during follow-up. Fifteen percent of patients had minimal proteinuria and 7.8% had overt proteinuria. Five-year graft survival in the minimal proteinuria group was 83.0%, and that in the overt proteinuria group was 70%, in contrast to 97.1% in the no proteinuria group (p=0.01 for trend). In a multivariate analysis, the minimal proteinuria group (relative risk [RR], 4.90; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.09-11.46) and the overt proteinuria group (RR, 8.75; 95% CI, 3.29-23.29) had higher risks of graft failure than the no proteinuria group. Even minimal proteinuria at one year after transplantation was strongly associated with poor graft outcome. Therefore, it appears logical to consider a low level of proteinuria as a risk factor for graft survival in renal recipients.
Adult ; Female ; Graft Rejection ; Graft Survival ; Humans ; Immunosuppressive Agents/therapeutic use ; Kidney Transplantation/*adverse effects ; Living Donors ; Male ; Nephrology/*methods ; Proteinuria/*diagnosis/etiology ; Risk ; Risk Factors ; Time Factors ; Treatment Outcome