BACKGROUND/AIMS: Endogenous endophthalmitis (EE) is rare. However, the visual outcome of patients with EE is very poor. Many cases of EE caused by Gram-negative bacterial infections have recently been reported. This study was conducted to explore the most frequent pathogens, diagnosis, and treatment outcomes of EE. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was carried out in 23 patients diagnosed with EE through clinical manifestations and ophthalmic examinations in three hospitals between January 2000 and April 2011. Samples from 23 patients with EE were analyzed microbiologically. RESULTS: Pathogens were identified in 18 (78%) of the 23 blood, liver aspirate, and/or vitreous humor samples. Klebsiella pneumoniae was the most frequent organism (13/23, 57%). Abdomino-pelvic imaging (21/23, 91%) was performed to evaluate the primary site of infection. The most common primary infection was liver abscess (14/23, 61%). Despite administration of intravenous antibiotics and intravitreal injection, only six of 23 patients showed improvements in visual acuity. Thirteen (57%) experienced worse visual acuity. Four (17%) were eventually enucleated. CONCLUSIONS: In patients diagnosed with EE, abdomino-pelvic CT is required to exclude the presence of liver abscess. If a liver abscess is identified, percutaneous drainage should be considered. Considering the rapid progression and poor prognosis of EE, early diagnosis and immediate management are vital. We currently suggest that empiric antibiotics for treatment of EE should have activity against Gram-negative bacilli such as K. pneumoniae.
Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Drainage ; Early Diagnosis ; Endophthalmitis ; Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections ; Humans ; Intravitreal Injections ; Klebsiella ; Klebsiella pneumoniae ; Liver ; Liver Abscess ; Pneumonia ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Visual Acuity ; Vitreous Body

BACKGROUND: We conducted a case-control study to evaluate the potential association between SERPINA1 genotypes (M1Val, M1Ala, S, and Z) and the risk COPD. METHODS: The study population consisted of 93 patients with COPD and 112 healthy controls. The polymerase chain reaction and restriction fragment length polymorphism for detecting the SERPINA1 variants. RESULTS: The M2 allele of the SERPINA1 gene was significantly associated with the risk of COPD in Koreans. The effect of the M2 allele on the risk of COPD was more pronounced in the subgroup <64 years. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that SERPINA1 polymorphisms may contribute to a genetic predisposition for COPD. However, additional studies with larger sample sizes are required to confirm our findings.
Alleles ; Case-Control Studies ; Genetic Predisposition to Disease ; Genotype ; Humans ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length ; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive ; Sample Size

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the usefulness of the ultrasonography as a screening test for thyroid diseases. MATERIALS AND METHODS: For 7 months, thyroid ultrasonography (7.5 MHz linear array) was performed prospectively by radiologists on 1,316 subjects who do not have a history of the thyroid disease. We analyzed the morphological abnormalities of thyroid gland and these were classified as the nodulal, cystic and diffuse types in accordance with the gender and ages of the patients. We performed ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration in 21 patients who had sonographic features that were suggestive of malignant thyroid nodules. Physical examination was performed for all subjects by clinicians before the thyroid ultrasonography, and we compared the detectability of thyroid lesions between ultrasonography and physical examination. RESULTS: Thyroidal abnormalities were detected in 94 (7.1%) of 1,316 subjects. Among the 94 patients, 72 (5.5%) showed as nodules, 18 (1.4%) showed as cysts and 4 (0.3%) showed as diffuse abnormalities. The result of the ultrasound-guided aspiration on 21 patient showed 4 malignant nodules, 16 benign nodules and 1 undetermined nodule. Physical examination detected abnormalities in only 12 patients (12.8%) of the 94 patients, which were showed as nodules, cysts and the diffuse type by ultrasonography. CONCLUSION: Thyroid disease of the general population was relatively common and the detection rate with performing physical examination for the thyroid nodule, cyst and the diffuse type was lower than that for ultrasonography. Thyroid ultrasonography is a useful screening modality for detecting thyroid diseases.
Biopsy, Fine-Needle ; Early Detection of Cancer ; Humans ; Mass Screening* ; Physical Examination ; Prospective Studies ; Thyroid Diseases ; Thyroid Gland* ; Thyroid Nodule ; Ultrasonography*

No abstract available.
Shock, Septic*

BACKGROUND: Rifampin is sometimes used in combination with other anti-staphylococcal agents to treat methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections but few reports are available about the usefulness of rifampin against MRSA infections, especially in soft tissue and bone infections. Thus, we evaluated the efficacy of rifampin as switch therapy for soft tissue and bone infections caused by MRSA and assessed the risk factors for treatment failure. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively studied 44 patients who had soft tissue and bone infections caused by MRSA and were treated with rifampin in combination or as monotherapy as switch therapy from January 2001 to September 2004. RESULTS: The mean age of the subjects was 50.2 years and the number of male and female were 34 and 10, respectively. Median duration of rifampin use was 32 days and 25% of the patients had artificial prostheses. Thirty one patients (79.5%, 31/39) were cured with parenteral glycopeptide followed by rifampin in combination or as monotherapy. Eight patients (8/39) recurred after the completion of treatment. The presence of hip prosthesis was the only significant risk factor (P= 0.027) in multivariate logistic regression test. Rifampin was tolerable in all cases. CONCLUSION: Rifampin as switch therapy for soft tissue and bone infection caused by MRSA was effective in 79.5% (31/39) of sujects. The treatment failure seems to be associated with unremovable infected prosthesis.
Female ; Hip Prosthesis ; Humans ; Logistic Models ; Male ; Methicillin Resistance* ; Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus* ; Prostheses and Implants ; Retrospective Studies ; Rifampin* ; Risk Factors ; Treatment Failure

PURPOSE: To investigate the etiologic microorganisms of external ventricular drain (EVD)-related ventriculitis and the appropriateness of using ceftazidime and vancomycin as an empiric therapy in neurosurgical patients with EVD-related ventriculitis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Retrospective analysis of 39 patients with EVD-related ventriculitis among 340 neurosurgical patients to whom EVD had been placed during December 2000 and October 2003 at Kyungpook National University Hospital. RESULTS: Thirty-nine EVD-related infections (39/340, 11.5%) occurred and the attributable mortality rate was 10.3% (4/39). The average duration from the ventricular catheter placement to the development of ventriculitis was 8.4 days. All patients with EVD infection had fever and 89.7% (35/39) of the patients showed nuchal rigidity. The positive culture rate in CSF was 87.1% (34/39) and the frequency of individual organism is as follows:Acinetobacter 45% (19 cases), methicillin-resistant coagulase negative Staphylococcus 22% (9 cases), methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus 22% (9 cases), Enterococcus 5% (2 cases), Streptococcus pneumoniae 3% (1 case), non-fermenting gram-negative bacilli 3% (1 case). The polymicrobial infection rate was 15.4% (6/39). Among 19 cases of Acinetobacter infection, 42.1% (8/19) of the strains showed resistance to ceftriaxone and 15.7% (3/11) to ceftazidime. However, all cases were sensitive to meropenem. CONCLUSION: These findings show that the major etiologic organisms causing EVD-related ventriculitis have recently changed to Gram-negative non-fermenters, especially Acinetobacter. Because Gram-negative non-fermenting rods resistant to ceftazidime are increasing, an immediate change from ceftazidime plus vancomycin, the widely accepted empiric antibiotic therapy, to meropenem plus vancomycin should be considered when clinical symptoms and signs show no improvement or even deterioration.
Acinetobacter ; Acinetobacter Infections ; Catheters ; Ceftazidime ; Ceftriaxone ; Central Nervous System Infections ; Coagulase ; Coinfection ; Enterococcus ; Fever ; Gyeongsangbuk-do ; Humans ; Meningitis ; Methicillin Resistance ; Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus ; Mortality ; Muscle Rigidity ; Neurosurgical Procedures ; Retrospective Studies ; Staphylococcus ; Streptococcus pneumoniae ; Vancomycin

BACKGROUND: Rifampin is sometimes used in combination with other anti-staphylococcal agents to treat methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections but few reports are available about the usefulness of rifampin against MRSA infections, especially in soft tissue and bone infections. Thus, we evaluated the efficacy of rifampin as switch therapy for soft tissue and bone infections caused by MRSA and assessed the risk factors for treatment failure. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively studied 44 patients who had soft tissue and bone infections caused by MRSA and were treated with rifampin in combination or as monotherapy as switch therapy from January 2001 to September 2004. RESULTS: The mean age of the subjects was 50.2 years and the number of male and female were 34 and 10, respectively. Median duration of rifampin use was 32 days and 25% of the patients had artificial prostheses. Thirty one patients (79.5%, 31/39) were cured with parenteral glycopeptide followed by rifampin in combination or as monotherapy. Eight patients (8/39) recurred after the completion of treatment. The presence of hip prosthesis was the only significant risk factor (P= 0.027) in multivariate logistic regression test. Rifampin was tolerable in all cases. CONCLUSION: Rifampin as switch therapy for soft tissue and bone infection caused by MRSA was effective in 79.5% (31/39) of sujects. The treatment failure seems to be associated with unremovable infected prosthesis.
Female ; Hip Prosthesis ; Humans ; Logistic Models ; Male ; Methicillin Resistance* ; Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus* ; Prostheses and Implants ; Retrospective Studies ; Rifampin* ; Risk Factors ; Treatment Failure

PURPOSE: To investigate the etiologic microorganisms of external ventricular drain (EVD)-related ventriculitis and the appropriateness of using ceftazidime and vancomycin as an empiric therapy in neurosurgical patients with EVD-related ventriculitis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Retrospective analysis of 39 patients with EVD-related ventriculitis among 340 neurosurgical patients to whom EVD had been placed during December 2000 and October 2003 at Kyungpook National University Hospital. RESULTS: Thirty-nine EVD-related infections (39/340, 11.5%) occurred and the attributable mortality rate was 10.3% (4/39). The average duration from the ventricular catheter placement to the development of ventriculitis was 8.4 days. All patients with EVD infection had fever and 89.7% (35/39) of the patients showed nuchal rigidity. The positive culture rate in CSF was 87.1% (34/39) and the frequency of individual organism is as follows:Acinetobacter 45% (19 cases), methicillin-resistant coagulase negative Staphylococcus 22% (9 cases), methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus 22% (9 cases), Enterococcus 5% (2 cases), Streptococcus pneumoniae 3% (1 case), non-fermenting gram-negative bacilli 3% (1 case). The polymicrobial infection rate was 15.4% (6/39). Among 19 cases of Acinetobacter infection, 42.1% (8/19) of the strains showed resistance to ceftriaxone and 15.7% (3/11) to ceftazidime. However, all cases were sensitive to meropenem. CONCLUSION: These findings show that the major etiologic organisms causing EVD-related ventriculitis have recently changed to Gram-negative non-fermenters, especially Acinetobacter. Because Gram-negative non-fermenting rods resistant to ceftazidime are increasing, an immediate change from ceftazidime plus vancomycin, the widely accepted empiric antibiotic therapy, to meropenem plus vancomycin should be considered when clinical symptoms and signs show no improvement or even deterioration.
Acinetobacter ; Acinetobacter Infections ; Catheters ; Ceftazidime ; Ceftriaxone ; Central Nervous System Infections ; Coagulase ; Coinfection ; Enterococcus ; Fever ; Gyeongsangbuk-do ; Humans ; Meningitis ; Methicillin Resistance ; Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus ; Mortality ; Muscle Rigidity ; Neurosurgical Procedures ; Retrospective Studies ; Staphylococcus ; Streptococcus pneumoniae ; Vancomycin

We report a case of a patient who presented with hemophagocytic syndrome (HPS) and adrenal crisis associated with bilateral adrenal gland tuberculosis, and resulted in a poor outcome. A 50-year-old man was transferred to our hospital from a local clinic due to fever, weight loss, and bilateral adrenal masses. Laboratory findings showed leukopenia, mild anemia, and elevated lactate dehydrogenase. Computed tomography (CT) of the abdomen revealed bilateral adrenal masses and hepatosplenomegaly. CT-guided adrenal gland biopsy showed numerous epithelioid cells and infiltration with caseous necrosis consistent with tuberculosis. Bone marrow aspiration and biopsy showed significant hemophagocytosis without evidence of malignancy, hence HPS associated with bilateral adrenal tuberculosis was diagnosed. During anti-tuberculosis treatment the patient showed recurrent hypoglycemia and hypotension. Rapid ACTH stimulation test revealed adrenal insufficiency, and we added corticosteroid treatment. But pancytopenia, especially thrombocytopenia, persisted and repeated bone marrow aspiration showed continued hemophagocytosis. On treatment day 41 multiple organ failure occurred in the patient during anti-tuberculous treatment and steroid replacement.
Adrenal Gland Diseases/*complications/drug therapy/radiography ; Antitubercular Agents/therapeutic use ; Histiocytosis, Non-Langerhans-Cell/*etiology/pathology ; Human ; Isoniazid/therapeutic use ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Tuberculosis, Endocrine/*complications/drug therapy/radiography

BACKGROUND: Sensitization to food allergens is associated with development of food allergy. Although rates of sensitization to food allergens are different according to countries, there has not been surveyed on the sensitization rate to each food allergen in Korean population. The aim of this study was to evaluate the food allergen sensitization rate among patients who visited allergy clinics at several university hospitals in Korea. METHODS: This study was carried out on 1,425 patients who visited allergy clinics with various allergic symptoms. They had skin prick test for 62 items to evaluate sensitization to food allergens. RESULT: The food allergens of which sensitization rate was above 1% were pupa of a silkworm, shrimp, chestnut, curry, potato, soybean, rice flour, buckwheat, cabbage, mackerel, abalone, lobster, turban shell, arrowroot in decreasing order. The sensitization rate of pupa was highest among them by 9.4% and that of shrimp followed by 5.8%. The sensitization rates of food allergens were generally higher in males and young adults than in those of females and old people. Atopic patients for inhalant allergens showed higher sensitization rates of food allergens than non-atopic patients for inhalant allergens. CONCLUSION: Common food allergens sensitized in a Korean population were different from those in other countries. Pupa of a silkworm, shrimp, chestnut, curry, potato, soybean, rice flourbuckwheat, cabbage, mackerel were the 10 most common food allergens sensitized in Korean population above 10 years old.
Allergens* ; Bombyx ; Brassica ; Child ; Fagopyrum ; Female ; Flour ; Food Hypersensitivity ; Hospitals, University ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity ; Korea ; Male ; Marantaceae ; Perciformes ; Pupa ; Skin ; Solanum tuberosum ; Soybeans ; Young Adult