• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.53 no.6
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• pp.662-672
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• 2002

The lungs are frequently the site of adverse drug reactions because of their higher oxygen concentration, the distinctive properties of the pulmonary circulation, and the close proximity of the alveolar epithelium to the blood. Amiodarone, an iodinated benzofuran derivative, is an effective antiarrhythmic drug commonly used for refractory tachyarrhythmia. However, it has a wide range of adverse effects, the most serious of which is lung disease. Most patients present with the insidious onset of dyspnea and a nonproductive cough, and generally recover after withdrawing the drug. We recently experienced four fatal cases of amiodarone pulmonary toxicity. Therefore, we discuss these unusual drug-induced pulmonary toxicity cases with a review of the relevant literature.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.56 no.2
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• pp.203-209
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• 2004

Background : Methotrexate (MTX) has been used to treat a wide range of malignant and benign diseases including osteosarcoma, advanced stage non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, psoriasis, severe rheumatoid arthritis, sarcoidosis, and Wegener's granulomatosis. MTX-induced lung injury occurs in up to 10% of treated patients. Although both acute and chronic presentations have been described, typical manifestation of MTX-induced lung injury is subacute with symptoms usually developing within several months after starting therapy. Nonspecific interstitial pneumonia (NSIP) is the most common histopathologic manifestation of MTX-induced lung disease, while bronchiolitis obliterans organizing pneumonia (BOOP) and diffuse alveolar damage (DAD) are less common. Granuloma formation is reported in 34.7%. In Korea, Two reports of MTX pneumonitis have been published. The one presented with NSIP and the other with DAD. We recently experienced a case of MTX pneumonitis with presentation of hypersensitivity pneumonitis.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.65 no.6
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• pp.522-526
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• 2008

A 63-year old woman was admitted to our hospital for an evaluation of thrombocytopenia. She had been diagnosed with tuberculous pericarditis three months earlier in a local clinic and treated with anti-tuberculosis medication. Two months later, thrombocytopenia developed. The medication was subsequently stopped because it was suspected that the anti-tuberculosis medication, particularly rifampin, might have caused the severe platelet reduction. However, the thrombocytopenia was more aggravated. A bone marrow biopsy was performed, which showed moderate amounts of histiocytes with active hemophagocytosis. This finding strongly suggested that the critical thrombocytopenia had been caused by hemophagocytic syndrome, not by the side effects of the anti-tuberculosis medication. Furthermore, the development of hemophagocytosis might have been due to an uncontrolled tuberculosis infection and its associated aberrant immunity. Therefore, she was started with both standard anti-tuberculosis medication and chemotherapy using etoposide plus steroid. One month after the initiation of treatment, the thrombocytopenia had gradually improved and she was discharged in a tolerable condition. At the third month of the follow-up, her platelet level and ferritin, the activity marker of hemophagocytic syndrome, was within the normal range.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.62 no.6
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• pp.549-553
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• 2007

Sarcoidosis is a multi-systemic syndrome of an unknown etiology, and it is characterized by the formation of multiple noncaseating granulomas that disrupt the architecture and function of the tissues in which they reside. The most commonly affected organs are lung, skin and lymph nodes. Overt clinical involvement of the nervous system is uncommon and this occurs in about 5% of all patients during the course of their disease. The most common manifestations are granulomatous leptomeningitis, cranial nerve palsy, electrolyte or other endocrinologic abnormalities, but isolated memory impairment is a rare manifestation. This is a case of 59 years-old male with recent memory impairment, and he was previously diagnosed with pulmonary sarcoidosis by transbronchial lung biopsy. The brain MRI imaging revealed the leptomeningeal and parenchymal involvement of sarcoidosis. He was treated with high dose corticosteroid and his memory function was improved to nearly a normal level. We report here on a case of successful treatment of pulmonary sarcoidosis combined with neurosarcoidosis with using high dose corticosteroid, and the patient presented with recent memory impairment.

• Neonatal Medicine
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.153-157
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• 2011

Pneumopericardium is a rare form of neonatal air leakage. Tension pneumopericardium is much more infrequent, but can cause a cardiovascular deterioration with high mortality up to 80% and neurodevelopmental morbidity in half of the cases. We report two cases of preterm infants who successfully recovered from tension pneumopericardium that developed during mechanical ventilator assistance. The patients displayed a sudden increase in oxygen demand and subsequent cardiovascular deterioration. Immediate needle aspiration of the pneumopericardium performed after checking X-ray images rescued each of patient. Since the clinical symptoms are non-specific, clinicians' suspicion is most important when patients show sudden refractory cardiovascular collapse, especially in ventilator-assisted neonates. This life threatening complication demands instant diagnosis and intervention.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.52 no.5
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• pp.622-626
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• 2009

Kikuchi-Fujimoto disease was initially described as a self-limiting histiocytic necrotizing lymphadenitis in Japan in 1972, and is predominantly observed in women under the age of 30 year and in Asian populations. The pathogenesis is still poorly understood but is thought to include infections, and autoimmune and neoplastic diseases. The most common clinical manifestations are fever and painless cervical lymphadenitis. Diagnosis is based on the histopathological findings, characterized by focal necrosis in the paracortical region with abundant karyorrhexis, aggregates of atypical mononuclear cells around the zone of necrosis, absence of neutrophils and plasma cells, and usually intact lymph node capsule. There is no specific therapy for the condition, and aseptic meningitis can occur as one of the complications. Here, we report the case of a patient with Kikuchi-Fujimoto disease accompanied with aseptic meningitis, which may be confused as a case of tuberculous meningitis and lymphadenitis.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.205-213
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• 2003

Objectives: The authors intended to evaluate long-term outcome of group cognitive behavioral therapy(GCBT) for panic disorder and examined the variables to predict high end-state functioning in 12 months follow-up. Methods: 236 patients meeting DSM-IV criteria for panic disorder were assessed by STAI, ASI, BDI, BSQ, PBQ, ACQ at pre & post treatment, and were asked about the frequency of panic attacks during recent one month. We executed stepwise discriminant analysis on the clinical variables at pre treatment assessment to find the variables for discriminating between high end-state function(HES) and low end-state function(LES). Results: After GCBT, 82.6% of panic patients maintained high end-state functioning at 12 months follow-up. The results of discriminant analysis showed that BDI and BSQ at pre treatment assessment were significant variables to predict end-state functioning at 12 months follow-up. The hit ratio of discriminant analysis was 69.2%. Conclusion: These results suggest that the therapeutic effect of GCBT can be maintained through 12 months. Especially, it is likely that patients who were less depressed and who had less experienced the fear of physical symptoms at pre-treatment can maintain HES.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.50 no.2
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• pp.209-212
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• 2007

Acrodermatitis enteropathica (AE) is a rare autosomal recessive disorder of early infancy, and is characterized by periorificial dermatitis, alopecia, and intractable diarrhea. Serum zinc levels are usually low in untreated patients and the oral administration of zinc sulfate can clear skin lesions and other symptoms. Although premature and cow's milk-fed infants are at particular risk of developing AE, there have been a few reports about AE in term and breast-fed infants. We report a case of transient AE in a 4-month-old breast-fed infant. This patient suffered from diarrhea and dermatitis for more than a month. Her skin lesions were erythematous, scaly, crusted, psoriasiform, eczematous, with an eruption at the chin, and a periorificial disposition with involvement of the flexural areas of lower extremities. Her serum zinc level was almost normal at $129{\mu}g/dL$ (reference range: $60-121{\mu}g/dL$), but the zinc level in her hair was low: 8 mg percent (reference range: 10-21 mg percent). Skin biopsy findings were consistent with AE. Seven days after zinc supplementation, the skin lesions and diarrhea improved. The authors recommend that a clinical trial of zinc supplementation be considered in cases where there are suspicious of AE, even when the serum zinc level is normal.

• Childhood Kidney Diseases
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.93-98
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• 2008

Rare cases of IgG associated mesangial glomerulonephritis(IgG GN) defined by exclusive or predominant mesangial IgG deposits were reported first by Sato et al.(1993). and subsequently 10 pediatric cases were reported by Yoshikawa et al.(1994). Previous reports suggested that the prognosis of IgG GN is relatively benign course but recent report suggested that prognosis of IgG GN is highly variable. Also the recurrence of IgG GN in a renal transplant was reported by Fakhouri et al. (2002). Such a recurrence highlights the specificity of this type of glomerulonephritis. We experienced two pediatric cases of IgG GN proven by renal biopsy. Case 1. 4-year-old girl with nephrotic syndrome admitted because of general edema. The patient's urinalysis showed proteinuria and microscopic hematuria. Renal biopsy was performed because of relapsed nephritic syndrome. Light microscopic finding was nonspecific with almost normal histology. Immunofluorescent findings showed diffuse segmental IgG(+) and IgM(+) deposits in the capillary walls, and focal segmental spotty C4(trace), C1q(trace) deposits. Electron microscopic findings showed focal portion of mesangial electron dense deposits without mesangial widening. Case 2. 11-year-old girl admitted for evaluation of microsopic hematuria detected through mass school urinary screening program. Renal biopsy was performed for exact diagnosis. Immunofluorescent findings showed focal segmental IgG(+), IgM(+/-) and C3(+/-) deposits. Electron microscopic findings showed focal portion of mesangial electron dense deposits without mesangial widening.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.21-25
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• 2003

Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) for decortication or debridement in the management of empyema thoracis has increased the available treatment options but requires validation. We present and evaluate our technique and experience with thoracoscopic management of pleural empyema, irrespective of chronicity. Material and Method : VATS debridement or decortication was performed with endoscopic shaver system in 40 consecutive patients presented with pleural space infections. A retrospective review was performed and the effect of this technique on perioperative outcome was assessed. Result : VATS evacuation of infected pleural fluid and decortication was successfully performed in 35 of 40 patients. The mean duration of preoperative symptoms before referral was 23$\pm$1.8 days. The mean duration of hospitalization before transfer was 13.5$\pm$1.5 days. Blood loss was 250 to 200 mL. Intercostal drainage was required for 5$\pm$3 days. The postoperative hospital stay was 5 $\pm$0.7 days. There were no operative mortalities. Conclusion : Video-assisted evacuation of infected pleural fluid and decortication is an effective modality in the management of the fibropurulent stage of empyema. An organized empyema should be approached thoracosco-pically, but may require open decortication.