• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.213-221
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• 2001

Propose : Tsutsugamushi fever is a acute febrile disease, which is caused by O. tsutsugamushi. Recently, this disease is increasingly reported in children. This study was undertaken to investigate clinical features of tsutsugamushi fever in children. Methods : This study involved 17 children with tsutsugamushi fever who were admitted to Masan Samsung hospital between September 1997 and December 2000. We investigated the age, sex ratio, clinical manifestations, laboratory findings, response of therapy and prognosis. Results : The age of patients was $6.9{\pm}3.6$ years, ranging from 6 months to 12 years and male predilection(58.8%) was noted and all cases of patients occured in October or November. The most common symptoms were fever in all cases and headache in 8(47.1%). The most common signs were skin rash in all cases, eschar in 14(82.4%) and lymphadenopathy 8(47.1%). Locations of the eschars were back and inguinal area in each 3 cases, neck and chest in each 2, popliteal area in 2, scalp and thigh in each 1. Laboratory findings included anemia in 1 case, leukopenia and thrombocytopenia in each 5, hematuria and proteinuria in each 1, ESR elevation in 2 and positive CRP in 12, AST elevation in 9 and ALT elevation in 7. Serologic diagnosis was made by passive hemagglutination assay(PHA) in 8 cases(47%) on admission, 4 cases in initial negative group were performed follow-up test at 2nd or 3rd weeks of illness and then all cases of 4 were converted to positive reaction. Clinical improvement was noticed in all cases after treatment to chloramhenicol or doxycycline. Mean duration for defervescence after treatment was $1.4{\pm}0.8$ days. Complications were interstitial pneumonia in 1 case and aseptic meningitis in 3, but all cases of patients were recovered without sequelae or recurrence. Conclusions : Tsutsugamushi fever in children was similiar to adult in the clinical features except male predilection. Early diagnosis and empirical treatment based on clinical manifestations such as fever, skin rash, eschar, lymphadenopathy is important and serologic diagnosis need to perform follow-up test at 2nd or 3rd weeks of illness.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.64-72
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• 1997

Purpose : The incidence of tuberculous meningitis in Korean children has been markedly decreased after 1980s, but this disease has still occurred with low rate. Therefore, it may be suspected that delayed diagnosis and treatment will be happened because of lacking of clinical experiences and indistinguishable other meningitis, so it is important to make early diagnosis and treatment of tuberculous meningitis concerning with the prognosis. In this aspect, we conducted study to concern and investigate sustainly about the diagnostic criteria, clinical characteristics, radiological findings, complications, and prognosis of typical or atypical tuberculous meningitis in children. Methods : Forty four children who were hospitalized and treated due to tuberculous meningitis in pediatric wards of Our Lady of Mercy Hospital, St. Holy Hospital, St. Vincent Hospital and Uijungbu St. Mary Hospital from January 1985 to June 1996 were included in this study. We reviewed medical records of these patients retrospectively. Results : 1) The tuberculous meningitis has occured continuosly since mid-1980s. The highest 2) The diagnosis was made by contact history of active tuberculous patients, positive tuberculin test, responses of antituberculous antibiotics and discovery of Mycobacterium tuberculosis from CSF or other specimens. Among patients, 7 children(16%) were not vaccinated with BCG, and only 18 children(40%) were positive in tuberculin test. 3) The symptoms and signs of our patients on initial examinations were fever, vomiting, headache, lethargy, poor feeding, weight loss, neck stiffness, convulsion, abdominal pain and motor deficits. 4) The findings of initial CSF samples revealed leukocyte $239.5/mm^3$(mean) with lymphocyte predominant, elevated protein levels(mean;259.5mg%) and low sugar level(mean;40.7mg%). And the ratio of CSF/blood sugar was 0.407. But, atypical CSF findings were seen in 31.8% patients. 5) On brain imaging study, 34 out of 39 children had findings of hydrocephalus, basilar meningeal enhancement, infarction and subarachnoidal inflammations etc. On chest X-ray, the findings of miliary tuberculosis(34.1%), normal finding(29.5%), parenchymal infiltrations (11.4%) and calcifications(9.1%) were showed. 6) In neurological clinical stage, there were twenty-six children(59%) in stage 1, fourteen children(32%) in stage 2 and four children(9%) in stage 3. The late sequeles were encountered by 29.5% with mild and 4.6% with severe neurological injury. The most common neurological injury was quadriplegia and the mortality rate was 6.8%. 7) The SIADH was developed in 20 children(45.5%) after the 4th hospital day. Half of all SIADH patients were symptomatic. Conclusion : Tuberculosis meningitis is still an important extrapulmonary disease with high morbidity and mortality. Early diagnosis with clinical contact history of active tuberculosis and radiological imaging examinations and early treatments are essential in order to prevent and decrase the rate of late sequeles and death.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.48 no.8
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• pp.832-838
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• 2005

Purpose : Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection is relatively common in childhood. Its extrapulmonary manifestations have been reported so much, but hepatitis associated with it has been reported rarely in Korea. Methods : A clinical study was performed on 556 patients of M. pneumoniae pneumonia diagnosed serologically at Gil hospital from January 2001 to December 2004. We reviewed 65 cases among these patients, who had elevated level of serum AST and ALT greater than 50 IU/L respectively without evidence of hepatitis A, B, C, Cytomegalovirus and Ebstein-Barr virus infections. Results : Hepatitis occurred in 11.7% of Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia, especially in fall and winter times. Male to female ratio was 1.2 : 1 and the mean age was 4 years and 3 months. Besides hepatitis, cough(95.4%), sputum(52.3%) and dyspnea(12.3%) were common as pulmonary manifestations. And among gastrointestinal manifestations, nausea/vomiting(26.2%) was the most common symptom, followed by poor oral intake(12.3%), diarrhea(12.3%) and abdominal pain(6.2%). In addition to hepatomegaly(4.6%) and splenomegaly(4.6%), coarse breathing sound was the most common physical manifestation, followed by rale(63.1%), pharyngeal injection(26.2%), and rash(10.8%). Anemia was noted in 20.0%, neutrophilia in 10.8%, eosinphilia in 38.5% and thrombocytosis in 6.2%, respectively. Mean level of ESR and CRP was 32.02 mm/hr and 6.69 mg/dL, respectively. Mean level of AST and ALT was 293.80 IU/L and 181.48 IU/L, respectively. Hyperbilirubinemia was noted in 7.7% and hypoalbuminemia was noted in 58.5%. Lobar or lobular pneumonia(78.5%) was the most common finding in chest X-ray and left lower lobe(39.2%) was most commonly affected. Pleural effusion was noted in 26.2%. Mean duration of hospitalization was 9.91 days. Serum AST/ALT level was normalized within 9.94 days and pulmonary consolidation resolved within 14.29 days. Conclusion : The prognosis of M. pneumoniae hepatitis is good. However, liver function should be considerately checked in M. pneumoniae infection because its incidence is not so low.

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
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• v.6 no.3
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• pp.146-153
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• 2006

Purpose: Gastrointestinal stromal tumorsm (GISTs) are the most common mesenchymal tumors that arise anywhere in the tubular GI tract. The prognosis for GSTIs is important because f GISTs may metastasiwx in the liver or the abdominal cavity in an early stage. For the reason we examined the tumor size, the mitotic number, ki 67, p53, and c-kit mutation as independent prognostic factor for GISTs. Materials and Methods: A retrospective study was conducted in 76 patients who had been re-evaluated for confirmation of diagnosis between Jan 1998 and Dec. 2001. at Catholic University of medicine. Results: There were significant difference between the turner size, mitotic indices, ki 67, c-kit mutations and the 5-years survival rates. Tumor size (${\geq}5\;cm$) and mitotic index (${\geq}5/50\;HPF$) were statistically related to a significantly poor prognosis (P=0.017 and P=0.042, respectively). c-kit mutations in exon 11 were found in 7 cases c-kit mutation was observed more frequently in high risk patients, and there was a significant difference between c-kit mutation and survival (P=0.037). Elevated ki 67 was noted in 34 out of the 76 cases. High risk patients showed elevated ki67 index more frequently and there was significant relation with the survival rate (P=0.0417). Conclusion: We think that tumor size, mitotic index, Ki 67 and c-kit mutation are as independent prognostic factors for GISTs, but more research is needed.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.230-238
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• 1998

Purpose : Worldwidely, the incidence of the hepatitis A has been markedly decreased in the past years. Also in Korea, there has been only a few sporadic cases without evidence of epidemics since the mid 1980s. However, the incidence of the hepatitis A in young adults and childen has been in trends of increasing since 1996. So, we retrospectively performed the study on the epidemiolgical changes and the clinical feature of hepatitis A in childen, living in Kyung-gi province, since 1988 to 1998. Methods : The four affiliated hospitals of the Catholic University of Korea, Our lady of Mercy's hospital, Holy family hospital, Eui-Jung-bu St. Mary's hospital, and St. Vincent hospital, were enrolled in this study. We conducted statistical analysis on the incidence of hepatitis A since 1988 to 1998, concerning with the period (monthly, annually), age, sex and related epidemiological property, by reviewing the hospital records of the patients with hepatitis A. We simultaneously performed the study concerning with the clinical characteristics of hepatitis A. Results : 1) During the study period, 46 children was diagnosed as hepatitis A, and among them 28 children (60.1%) developed sporadically in the 1998. And sex ratio was 1.2(male):1(female). 2) Most of the patients developed between March and July, and hepatitits A were mainly developed in the patients above the 10 year old ages(37 patients; 80.4%). 3) The socioeconomic and educational status of the patient's parents was almostly below the middle and low class. Although, we could not find the etiological factors in most cases, but we found the evidence of interfamilial transmission in one family. 4) The patients complained the symptoms of nausea and vomiting, jaundice, poor appetite, mild fever, fatigueness, abdominal pain, URI symptom, dyspepsia, dark urine, headache and diarrhea in order, and findings of jaundice, hepatomegaly, RUQ tenderness, splenomegaly and LLQ tenderness in order were seen. 5) All patients showed abnormal findings of the liver function tests, and the pattern of cholestatic hepatitis were seen in most cases, but these findings were normalized within the 2~4 weeks. The findings of the gall bladder wall thickening, hepatomegaly, splenomegaly and ascites were seen on abodominal sonogram. 6) The prognosis of all patients were good without complications, except in one case who had the episode of transient recuurence. And the mean hospitalization dates were 11.1 days. Conclusion : We found that the incidence of hepatitis A showed the increasing trend, and peaked in the 1998 in Kyung-gi province children. And hepatitis A mainly developed in children above the 10 year old ages. The scioeconomic and educational status of patient's family was almostly below the middle class. All of them showed abnormal liver function, and clinically cholestatic hepatitis features were seen in most cases. But, the prognosis was excellent without complication in all cases.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.158-169
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• 2004

Purpose : Although influenza is one of the most important cause of acute respiratory tract infections in children, virus isolation is not popular and there are only a few clinical studies on influenza and diagnostic methods. We evaluated the epidemiological and clinical features of influenza in children and rapid antigen detection test(QuickVue influenza test) on fist half of the year 2004 in Busan. Methods : From January 2004 to June 2004, throat swab and nasal secretion were obtained and cultured for the isolation of influenza virus and tested by rapid antigen detection test(QuickVue influenza test) in children with suspected influenza infections. The medical records of patients with influenza virus infection were reviewed retrospectively. Results : Influenza viruses were isolated in 79(17.2%) out of 621 patients examined. Influenza virus was isolated mainly from March to April 2004. The ratio of male and female with influenza virus infection was 1.2 : 1 with median age of 4 years 6month. The most common clinical diagnosis of influenza virus infection was bronchitis. There was no difference between influenza A and B infection in clinical diagnosis and symptoms. All patients recovered without severe complication. The sensitivity obtained for rapid antigen detection test (QuickVue influenza test) was 93.6% and the specificity was 80.2%, the positive predictive value 40.8%, the negative predictive value 98.8%. Conclusion : With rapid antigen detection test, it is possible early detection of influenza in children. reduction in use of antimicrobial agent and early use of antiviral agent.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.209-216
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• 1999

Purpose : To evaluate the effectiveness of external radiation therapy and the prognostic factors, we retrospectively analyzed therapeutic results of malignant extrahepatic biliary obstruction (EHBO). Methods and Materials : We analyzed the results of the external radiation therapy in 59 patients of inoperable malignant EHBO who had been treated with more than 10 Gy of external radiation therapy from April 1984 to December 1990. There were 21 stomach cancer ($35.6\%$), 12 pancreas cancer ($20.3\%$), 15 extrahepatic biliary cancer ($18.0\%$) and 11 another cancer ($18.0\%$). Their pathologies were confirmed in 31 patients ($52.5\%$). They divided into 27 adenocarcinoma and 4 nonadenocarcinoma. Their chief complaints were jaundice in 47 patients ($79.7\%$) and abdominal pain in 15 patients ($49.2\%$). Twelve patients had slightly increased bilirubin level in liver function test without jaundice. We treated twenty four patients ($40.6\%$) with percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage (PTBD) and 32 patients ($54\%$) with systemic chemotherapy (CT). We performed external radiation therapy (ERT) upto $10.8\~55.8$ Gy (median 37.8 Gy) with palliative aim. Results : Overall median survival duration was $7.80\pm1.15$ months. The response rates of jaundice were $81.8\%$ in PTBO group and $66.7\%$ in non-PTBD group without statistical significance. The improving rate of jaundice was not significantly different in decreased ratio of total bilirubin level. But abdominal pain was more decreased in CT group than non-CT group (p<0.05). The significant prognostic factors were high performance status (Karnofski Performance Status >70), total radiation dose more than 35 Gy and good response of pain after therapy. There were increased in bacterial cholagitis in PTBD group and gastrointestinal complications in CT group. Conclusion : External radiotheapy could improve jaundice and abdominal pain in malignant EHBO patients, Overall survival duration was prolonged in patients with higher performance status and patients who had been treated with more than 35 Gy of total radiation dose. In the future, we expect not only better palliative role but also the prolongation of survival of using the ERT combined with other treatment method. But to achieve certain conclusion, we need luther study consisted with many kinds of treatment methods including new technologies in RT.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.191-202
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• 1995

Purpose: Acute febrile illness in children frequently accompanies with abdominal symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain, even if its etiology is not occured from the gastrointestinal tract. If the etiology of fever was unknown and the fever was accompanied with abdominal symptoms, we should be concerned about whether the etiology of fever was originated from the gastrointestinal tract or interpretated from the abnormality in the gastrointestinal tract. This study was performed to evaluate the diagnostic value of abdominal ultrasonography in patients with fever and abdominal symptoms. Methods: We reviewed retrospectively the medical records of abdominal ultrasonographic (US) findings of 60 cases of acute febrile illness with abdominal symptoms at department of Pediatrics, Ulsan Dongang General Hospital during the period from January 1994 to June 1995. Results: The abnormal abdominal US findings obtained were as follows. 1) The abnormal US findings were seen in 56 cases (93.3%). 2) The most common abnormal US finding was the enlarged mesenteric lymph nodes in 52 cases (86.7%) 3) The enlarged mesenteric lymph nodes with or without intra-abdominal fluid were seen in 30 cases (50.0%) of a wide variety of illnesses, so their diagnostic values were absent. 4) The enlarged mesenteric lymph nodes and splenomegaly with or without ileocecitis were seen in 7 cases. Among them, 4 cases (6.7%) were confirmed as typhoid fever. 5) The US findings in 6 cases of typhoid fever were the enlarged mesenteric lymph nodes in all cases (100%), splenomegaly in 4 cases (66.7%), ileocecitis in 1 case (16.7%), enlarged mesenteric lymph nodes and splenomegaly in 4 cases (66.7%), enlarged mesenteric lymph nodes, splenomegaly and ileocecitis in 1 cases (16.7%). 6) The enlarged mesenteric lymph nodes and the abnormalities around the appendix were seen in 7 cases (11.7%), which were confirmed as appendicitis all. 7) The thickening of wall in urinary bladder was seen in 2 cases (3.3%) of acute cystitis and acute hemorrhagic cystitis. 8) The subtle thickening of wall in colon was seen in 1 cases (1.7%) of shigellosis. Conclusions: The enlarged mesenteric lymph nodes, splenomegaly and ileocolitis on the abdominal ultrasonography in patients with fever and abdominal symptoms aree suggestive findings of typhoid fever. The enlarged mesenteric lymph nodes and the abnormalities around the appendix on abdominal ultrasonography make the rapid diagnosis of acute appendicitis and its complications, when physical examination is difficult in small children and diagnosis of their illnesses is obscure in patients with fever and abdominal pain.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Culture
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• v.22 no.6
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• pp.721-741
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• 2007

1. For the types of boiled rice, there were 1 type of bap, 1 type of jebap cooked with glutinous rice, 13 types of boiled rice cooked by mixing grains and nuts such as daemakban, somakban, jobap, cheongryangmiban, jobap, gijangbap, yulmubap, hyeonmibap, boribap and patmulbap as well as patbap, congbap, byeolbap and bambap etc as ogokbap. Also, there were 12 types of bap cooked by mixing herb medicinal ingredients such as cheongjeong, oban, boksungabap, gumeunsaekbap, hwanggukgamchobap, yeongeunbap, okjeongbap, gogumabap, dububap, samssibap, dorajibap, gamjabap, songibap and jukshilbap. There were 7 types bap cooked as unique one bowl dish at the present as bapby mixing fish, meat, shellfish and milk as ingredients are hwangtang, gyejanggukbap, janggukbap, gulbap, kimchibap, chusaban and bibimbap, etc and the types of bap that have been analyzed are 34 total. 2. For the food ingredients used in bap types 23 types of miscellaneous grains, 5 types of nuts and 11 types of meat, 6 types of fish, 35 types of vegetables, 2 types of fruit including pears or peaches were used. Garlic wasn't used perhaps because of it being boiled rice 3. Types of Sap by Cooking Methods. (1) The ssalbap was cooked by first boiling water, putting in rice grains and boiling hard to be cooked as overcooked bap (rice). (2) The japgokbap (boiled cereals) has used buckwheat, barley job's tear, etc to be boiled down by soaking the ones with large grains (beans) first in advance to be boiled down or cooked by crushing into fine pieces. The red bean, etc was boiled down in advance or placed at the bottom of pot by cutting into two pieces while jujube or nut was cut into three pieces to cook the bap by pouring a lot of water and mixing other ingredients. (3) The gukbap (soup boiled rice), etc were cooked by squeezing out the yellow chrysanthemum that has dried chrysanthemum to cook the boiled rice by putting in rice and gukbap, meat or bones, etc were boiled down for a long time and decorated with meat or wild greens by mixing the bap in the meat juice. For gulbap (oyster boiled rice), etc, it was cooked as ingredients were stir fried in advance or washed and put in when the bap was about half cooked. (4) For bibimbap (mixed boiled rice), after the bap was overcooked first with rice, the wild greens were mixed lightly with bap beforehand, then the wild greens, decorations and garnishings were laid above rice and red pepper powder was sprinkled. (5) Namchok leaves, etc were boiled to cook the boiled rice with rice after being cooled while namchok stem and leaves were pounded to make juice and cooked the bap with rice. The peach, lotus root and yams were cut into fine pieces to be put in together when rice was about half done. The bellflower was soaked in water to be boiled down for a long time while potatoes and pine mushrooms, etc were cut into fine pieces to cook the bap (boiled rice) with rice.

• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.56-78
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• 1998

Objective: Chronic hepatitis B infection (CHB) occurs in 6% to 10% of population in Korea. In ethinic communities where prevalence of chronic infection is high such as Korea, transmission of hepatitis B infection is either vertical (ie, by perinatal infection) or by close family contact (usually from mothers or siblings) during the first 5 years of life. The development of chronic hepatitis B infection is increasingly more common the earlier a person is exposed to the virus, particularly in fetal and neonatal life. And it progress to cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma, especially in severe liver damage and perinatal infection. Histopathology of CHB is important when evaluating the final outcomes. A numerical scoring system which is a semiquantitatively assessed objective reproducible classification of chronic viral hepatitis, is a valuable tool for statistical analysis when predicting the outcome and evaluating antiviral and other therapies. In this study, a numerical scoring system (Ludwig system) was applied and compared with the conventional histological classification of De Groute. And the comparative analysis of cinical findings, family history, serology, and liver function test by histopathological findings in chronic hepatitis B of children was done. Methods: Ninety nine patients [mean age=9 years (range=17 months to 16 years)] with clinical, biochemical, serological and histological patterns of chronic HBV infection included in this study. Five of these children had hepatocelluar carcinoma. They were 83 male and 16 female children. They all underwent liver biopsies and histologic evaluation was performed by one pathologist. The biopsy specimens were classified, according to the standard criteria of De Groute as follows: normal, chronic lobular hepatitis (CLH), chronic persistent hepatitis (CPH), mild to severe chronic active hepatitis (CAH), or active cirrhosis, inactive cirrhosis, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). And the biopsy specimens were also assessed and scored semiquantitatively by the numerical scoring Ludwig system. Serum HBsAg, anti-HBs, HBeAg, anti-HBe, anti-HBc (IgG, IgM), and HDV were measured by radioimunoassays. Results: Male predominated in a proportion of 5.2:1 for all patients. Of 99 patients, 2 cases had normal, 2 cases had CLH, 22 cases had CPH, 40 cases had mild CAH, 19 cases had moderate CAH, 1 case had severe CAH, 7 cases had active cirrhosis, 1 case had inactive cirrhosis, and 5 cases had HCC. The mean age, sex distribution, symptoms, signs, and family history did not differ statistically among the different histologic groups. The numerical scoring system was correlated well with the conventional histological classification. The histological activity evaluated by both the conventional classification and the scoring system was more severe as the levels of serum aminotransferases were higher. In contrast, the levels of serum aminotransferases were not useful for predicting the degree of histologic activity because of its wide range overlapping. When the histological activity was more severe and especially the cirrhosis more progressing, the prothrombin time was more prolonged. The histological severity was inversely related with the duration of seroconversion of HBeAg. Conclusions: The histological activity could not be accurately predicted by clinical and biochemical findings, but by the proper histological classification of the numerical scoring system for the biopsy specimen. The numerical scoring system was correlated well with the conventional histological classification, and it seems to be a valuable tool for the statistical analysis when predicting the outcome and evaluating effects of antiviral and other therapies in chronic hepatitis B in children.