• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.52 no.1
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• pp.76-85
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• 2002

A primary pulmonary malignant lymphoma is a rare disease. It is thought to be a category of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma arising from the bronchous-associated lymphoid tissue (BALT). The majority of primary pulmonary lymphomas are low-grade, small B-cell lymphomas, which are associated with Sjogren's syndrome and similar autoimmune disorders. A case of primary pulmonary low-grade B-cell lymphoma arising from the BALT was encountered in a patient with systemic lupus erythematosus. A 54-year-old man was admitted to the hospital for the evaluation of left pleuritic chest pain and multiple joint pain in both hands. Serologic tests for collagen vascular disease were performed. The results of ANA and anti-ds-DNA were all positive. The computed tomography of the chest showed patchy consolidations in the left lower lobe with a pleural effusion and a video-assisted thoracoscopic biopsy was performed. Here we report a case of a low-grade B-cell lymphoma of BALT in a patient with systemic lupus erythematosus with a review of the relevant literatures.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.67 no.1
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• pp.32-36
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• 2009

We report a case of disseminated Mycobacterium intracellulare infection in a 31-year-old man who had been diagnosed as having dermatomyositis and systemic lupus erythematosus 3-years prior. The patient developed a left pleural effusion M. intracellulare was repeatedly isolated from the pleural fluid. After antimycobacterial treatment, the patient's pleural effusion resolved, but a left knee joint effusion developed newly and M. intracellulare was cultured from the joint fluid. At present, the patient has been taking antimycobacterial medication for 15 months but his left knee joint fluid remains positive for M. intracellulare. To our knowledge, this is the second reported case of disseminated NTM infection in a non-HIV infected patient in Korea.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.44 no.4
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• pp.907-913
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• 1997

Background : Congenital bronchoesophageal fistula(BEF) presented in adult life is a rare disorder and has characteristic clinical findings such as paroxysmal cough after water ingestion and recurrent respiratory infections. It usually manifested recurrent pneumonia and chronic cough with purulent phlegmon which was mis-or under-diagnosed as chronic bronchitis, bronchiectasis or lung abscess so forth. Methods : We reviewed retrospectively 13 cases of congenital BEF in adult of Paik Hospital, College of Medicine, Inje University including 22 cases of congenital BEF previously reported in literature of Korea from 1979 through 1995. Results : The mean age at diagnosis was $40.2{\pm}14.3$. There was no difference in sex ratio(Male : Female 18 : 17). The most common symptom was cough(91.4%), followed by chronic sputum(74.3), hemoptysis(25.7), and paroxysmal nocturnal cough at specific position(20%). Twenty one of 31 patients who were able to review have the most specific sign, Ono's sign presented as paroxysmal cough after liquid ingestion. By classification of Braimbridge-Keith, Fourteen(45.1%) of 31 patients were group I (associated with esophageal diverticulum), 15(48.4%) were group II (simple fistula), and group Ill and IV was one case in each. The opening of fistula confined to right lower lobe in 26(76.5%), left lower lobe in 6(17.6%), and left main bronchus in 2(5.9%) cases. Conclusion : Congenital bronchoesophageal fistula is uncommon disorder which has characteristic histories and specific symptoms such as chronic and recurrent lower respiratory infections, and paroxysmal cough after liquid ingestion. Medical attention and careful history should be done in patients who have localized recurrent lower respiratory infections in right lower lobe.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.58 no.1
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• pp.83-88
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• 2005

Leflunomide is a new disease modifying anti rheumatic drug (DMARD) for the treatment of active rheumatoid arthritis. Its mechanism of action differs from other DMARDs in that it inhibits the de novo pyrimidine synthesis by inhibiting dihydroorotate dehydrogenase and therefore prevents the proliferation of activated lymphocytes. As it has been prescribed worldwide, there is a great deal of much concerns regarding its potential adverse effects. Because leflunomide has an active metabolite with a long elimination half-life of approximately 2 weeks, serious adverse reactions may occur even after the leflunomide treatment has been stopped. The profile of serious reactions includes liver dysfunction, hematological disorders, severe skin reactions and respiratory dysfunction. Respiratory dysfunctions with leflunomide therapy are very rare and its incidence is lower than that of methotrexate therapy. However, there are reports in Japan showing that 5 patients died of interstitial pneumonitis and another 11 patients developed serious lung complications associated with leflunomide. This suggests the possibility of fatal respiratory toxicity of leflunomide. There are no reports of interstitial pneumonitis associated with leflunomide in Korea. We report a case of a 62-year old woman who developed interstitial pneumonitis, which might have been induced by leflunomide during the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.42 no.6
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• pp.878-887
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• 1995

Background: It is reported that frequency of pulmonary involvement in the patients with rheumatoid arthritis reaches 10 to 50% and pulmonary involvement is a principal cause of death. As immunology and radiology has developed, interest for the early diagnosis of pulmonary involvement is increasing. Method: Among the patients at Hanyang University Hospital from March, 1990 to July, 1995, we compared the 29 patients having pulmonary involvement with the 18 patients controls in clinical and chest high resolution computed tomography(HRCT) findings by immunological markers and findings of pulmonary function test. We sought useful markers for early diagnosis of pulmonary involvement with noninvasive investigations. Results: The ratio of males to females was 14 : 15 in the group of pulmonary involvement, and all of the 18 patients were females in the control group. Smoking history was 31%(9/29) in the former group and none in the latter group. Rheumatoid factor(RF) was positive in 95.5%(28/29) of the pulmonary involvement group and in 100%(18/18) of the control group(p=0.12). Antiperinuclear factor(APF) showed a significant difference: 86.9%(20/23, average value: 2.0) was positive in the pulmonary involvement group and 50%(8/16, average value: 1.1) in the control group(p=0.04). Antinuclear antibody(ANA) was positive in 60.7%(17/28) of the pulmonary involvement group and in 72.2%(13/18) of the control group(p=0.33). Cryoglobulin also showed a significant difference: 72%(18/25) in the pulmonary involvement group was positive and 56.2%(9/16) in the control group was positive(p=0.02). Bony erosion was positive in 61.5%(16/26) of the pulmonary involvement group and in 77.7%(14/18) of the control group(p=0.8). On the pulmonary function test, the average value of alveolar volume corrected diffusion capacity and residual volume in the pulmonary involvement group and in the control group were 1.07mmol/rnin/KPa(predicted value: 64.2%), 1.32L(predicted value: 70%) and 1.44mmol/min/KPa, 3.75L(predicted value: 86.6%), respectively(p=0.003, p=0.004), showing a significant difference. Conclusion: APF or cryoglobulin on the serological test, the measurement of residual volume and alveolar volume corrected diffusion capacity may be used as effective markers in the diagnosis of pulmonary involvement of the patients with rheumatoid arthritis.