• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.46 no.11
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• pp.1095-1100
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• 2003

Purpose : Children with acute colonic diverticulitis(ACD), can be misdiagnosed with acute appendicitis. Methods : We reviewed 15 cases of ACD during five years, from January 1998 to June 2002 retrospectively. Results : Most patients(80%) with ACD in children presented with right lower quadrant pain. The primary diagnosis on admission was mostly acute appendicitis(87%), and all ACD in children occurred in the right colon. Fourteen patients were managed by conservative treatment including antibiotics. A follow-up study was performed in 15 patients. There were symptomatic recurrences in two patients, but no significant complication was noted. The frequency of ACD was 11.7 per 1000 acute appendicitis. Conclusion : ACD in children can mostly be cured by conservative treatment. It is prudent to choose the management through the diagnostic work up, including abdominal sonography and computed tomography, because there was no significant difference of clinical findings between ACD and acute appendicitis.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.249-258
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• 1994

Recently, the importance of toxoplasmosis is raised as a complication in immunosuppressed or AIDS patients. Our study focused on the identification of a variety of Toxoplasma antigens by immunoblotting. Rabbits and BALB/c mice were immunized with Toxoplosmo Iysate (RH strain) , frozen tachyzoites (RH strain) or cysts (Beverly and Fukaya strain) . Blood were collected from ear vein, heart or orbital plexus for detecting the serum antibody levels. For excretory-secretory (E.S) antigens, T gondii (RH) tachyzoite were cultured in CHL (Chinese hamster lung) cells with MEM containing of 5% FCS. After 72hrs, culture supernatant was collected. BALB/c mice were inoculated with RH tachyzoite intraperitoneally and peritoneal fluids were extracted three days later. E.S antigens were detected in culture supernatant and infected mouse peritoneal fluid by EITB. Serum IgG levels in rabbit were 1 :512 of 10 days after primary immunization, 1 : 2,048 of 10 days after secondary immunization, 1: 1,024 of 20 days after secondary immunization by IFAT, respectively. Serum IgG levels of immunized mice were 1:128 after 7 weeks. Tachyzoite antigens of the RH strain were detected 25 protein bands ranging 10 kDa-220 kDa of molecular weights with Coomassie blue stain. Toxoplcsma major antigens corresponding to n of 24 kDa, 27 kDa,30 kDa, 35 kDa, 38 kDa were recognized by IgG and IgM antibodies. Excretory-secretory antigens present in culture supernatant with M. W. of 20, 30 kDa and in infected mouse peritoneal fluid with M.W. of 33 (P30), 45 kDa. When RH tachyzoite antigen was probed with different mice sera immunized with 2 strains of T gondii, the IgG antibody bud of Fukaya and Beverly strain (8 week-serum) is identical to those of RH strain. It is considered that the 30 kDa polypeptide detected in excretory- secretory materials and Iysate was important major antigen of T gondii (RH).

• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.61-73
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• 2004

Purpose: Liver function test abnormalities have been reported frequently in patients receiving total parenteral nutrition (TPN). In adults, it is known that liver complications decrease with the use of cyclic parenteral nutrition (CPN), especially if the shift to cycling was not too late. However, there are few studies about the effects of cycling on liver injury in children beyond the neonatal period. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of the early use of CPN on total parenteral nutrition induced hepatic dysfunction. Methods: Twelve sets of CPN in 11 children (2 months to 17 years) were included in this study. Data on underlying diseases, age, length of time on TPN, macronutrient intake, complications, and biochemical parameters were collected from clinical records. All children had received CPN in the early period of persistent transaminase elevation or cholestasis complicated by previous continuous PN. The duration of infusion off-time in CPN was 2 hours in patients less than 3 months of age and 4 hours in the older children. Results: All 12 cases showed elevated aminotransferase and 5 of them also showed cholestasis. Serum total bilirubin concentration was normalized in all 5 cases with median periods of 8 days (p<0.05) after initiation of CPN. ALT either decreased significantly or was normalized in all cases with median periods of 30 days (p<0.05) on CPN. The CPN was well tolerated without significant complication except for one case of hyperglycemia. Conclusion: The early use of cyclic parenteral nutrition had a beneficial effect in improving hepatic dysfunction complicated by TPN in children.

• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.8-15
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• 2004

Purpose: This study was conducted to identify potential dangers involved in procedure and evaluate complications of percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) comparing to surgical gastrostomy (SG). Methods: A retrospective study of 66 children with feeding gastrostomy between 1994 and 2002 was done. Results: Of 66 children, 23 (mean age 29 months) had PEG and 43 (mean age 49 months) had SG. 31 cases of SG group had fundoplication for gastroesophageal reflux disease. PEG groups were followed up with an average 13 months and SG groups with 21 months. Major complications occurred in 33% of PEG group (8/23) and 55% of SG group (24/43). Major complications were significantly lower in PEG group than SG group and minor complications, too (p<0.05). Of major complications, aspiration pneumonia was the most common but paralytic ileus was significantly higher in SG group than PEG group. 8 patients died of underlying disease but not related to gastrostomy. Removals of stomata were done in 5 of PEG group and 3 of SG group. GER recurred in 25% of SG group with fundoplication and newly developed in 17% of SG group. GER persisted in 17% and newly developed in 5% of PEG group. Conclusion: The gastrostomy was a significant procedure with the potential to produce complications. PEG is recommended as an initial procedure in children requiring a feeding gastrostomy but should be considered a major undertaking.

• Journal of Genetic Medicine
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.74-80
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• 2009

Purpose: To assess the value of first-trimester pregnancy-associated plasma protein-A (PAPP-A), nuchal translucency (NT) and second-trimester alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), unconjugated estriol (uE3), and inhibin-A in predicting pregnancy complications other than fetal aneuploidy. Materials and Methods: A retrospective study in 3,121 singleton pregnancies with integrated testing was performed at Kangnam CHA hospital between January 2005 and December 2006. Baseline characteristics, pregnancy outcomes, and serum marker levels were obtained by review of the medical records. We analyzed the data to identify associations between the integrated screening markers and adverse pregnancy outcomes. Statistical analyses were performed with the SPSS program. Results: In preterm labor and preeclampsia, high AFP, hCG, and inhibin-A levels and low PAPP-A and NT levels were found to be significantly correlated (P<0.05). Elevated second-trimester inhibin-A levels were associated with preeclampsia (odds ratio 2.843), low birth weight (odds ratio 1.446), and preterm labor (odds ratio 1.287), and while decreased first-trimester PAPP-A levels were associated with preeclampsia (odds ratio 0.51) and preterm labor (odds ratio 0.75). Conclusion: First- and second-trimester maternal serum markers screening can be used for predicting high-risk pregnancies.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.161-167
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• 2013

Purpose: This study was performed to describe the clinical manifestations of hospitalized children due to varicella-zoster virus (VZV) infection Methods: This study included 40 children who were hospitalized for varicella or herpes zoster at Seoul National University Children's Hospital, 2009-2012. Diagnosis of VZV infection was confirmed by VZV PCR or culture from vesicular fluid. Medical records were reviewed to collect clinical features and outcome, antiviral treatment, history of varicella vaccination, and underlying diseases. Results: Sixteen patients with varicella and 24 patients with herpes zoster were included. Their median age was 10.5 years (16 days-19 years). Thirty-five (87.5%) patients had underlying diseases. Among 24 patients with herpes zoster, 11 patients had previous history of varicella and 1 had herpes zoster. Twenty patients (50%) had a history of varicella vaccination, and 19 immunocompromised patients had VZV infection despite of vaccination. Most (95%) patients were treated by intravenous or oral acyclovir, and no treatment failure of intravenous acyclovir was found. The median duration of fever was 4.4 days (1-10 days), and that of antiviral treatment was 12 days (7-23 days) in immunocompromised patients. Immunocompromised patients received longer duration of antiviral treatment than imunocompetent patients (P=0.014). Eleven (27.5 %) immunocompromised patients had postherpetic neuralgia, 2 (5%) had proven co-infection by Streptococcus pyogenes and Klebsiella oxytoca, and 1 (2.5%) complicated with pneumonia. Conclusion: Immunocompromised children require longer duration of treatment and are at risk of severe complication associated with VZV infection. Early initiation of antiviral therapy and close monitoring are necessary for those in immunocompromised conditions.

• Proceedings of the KOR-BRONCHOESO Conference
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• 1982.05a
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• pp.14.2-15
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• 1982

Serous otitis media (SOM) is one of the most common otologic diseases which was first discribed by Politzer in 1869. Currentely, among many methods introduced to treat SOM, ventilation tube insertion is considered to be the most popular and standard method being used. However due to complication of it, there remains many disputable various problems. In order to review the clinical aspect of SOM and search for the effects and safety of ventilation tube, we studied 97 SOM patients, who had performed V-tube from Jan. 1981 to Feb. 1982 at ENT dept. of Severance Hospital. Analizing the clinical symptoms, age distribution, associated disease, otoscopic findings of ear drum, degree of hearing loss, hearing gain after insertion of V-tube and complications, following results were obtained. 1) As a subjective symptom, among 29 cases all patients had hearing loss, 19 cases (65.6%) had tinnitus, 12 cases (44.4%) had autophony and 10 cases (34.5%) of the patients had sensation of ear fullness. 2) In age distribution, 6 to 10 year old group was most numerous up to 42 cases (43.3%) and 20 years and over was 23 cases (23.5%) 3) In adult group SOM tend to be involved unilaterally whereas young child group had tendency involving bilaterally. 4) 49 cases (50.05%) were associated with tonsillitis and adenoid vegetation, 15 cases (15.5%) were associated with sinusitis, 4 cases (4.1%) had nasal allergy. 5) In preoperative otoscopic findings, 62 ears (47.7%) had retraction, 37 ears (23.6%) had bulging, 34 ears (21.7%) had color change, and 29 ears (19.7%) had no significant findings. 6) In characteristics of middle ear fluid, child group was tend to have mucinous content (84.2%) while adult group had serous content (62.5%). 7) Average preoperative air-bone gap of pure tone was 25.3 dB. 8) 24 ears (72.7%) had over 10 dB of postoperative hearing gain and average hearing gain was 17.2 dB. 9) There were 44 ears (28.1%) of complications. Among them 37 ears (23.6%) had infection, 3 ears had atelectasis, 2 ears had granulation tissue, 2 ears had permanent perforations. 10) Among 37 ears suffered from post-op. infection, 19 ears (51.4%) had initial infection just after insertion of ventilation tube, 18 ears (48.6%) were infected during the course of post-ventilation tube. Of 37 infected ears, 26 ears (70.3%) responded to conservative care, while 11 ears (29.7%) was cured after removal of ventilation tube.

• Sijohaknonchong
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• v.25
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• pp.49-73
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• 2006

The poetic theme is a unified principle of which a poet writes poems out in his work. Theme is a poet's central thought expressed in his works. And it was described on the basis of writer's view of the world and life. In this study, I divided the themes of modern Sijo into three kinds according to the materials for a poem. Especially I am interested not so much in the poems taking outer problems of human life for the subject of a poem as in poems dealing with fundamental problems of human life such as self-consciousness, death, God's presence. Firstly, in modern Sijo which deals with poet's self-reflection and self-consciousness as a poet, poets examine himself. And he intends to write poems more severely. The more poet reflects self-consciousness, the more earnestly he tries hard to write good poems. As a poet. he feels complication between real-self and ideal self, so he tries to conquer the shame made in the gab of them. And he takes writing poems into his divinely appointed work in life. A kind of meta-Sijo is written in this circumstances. Secondly, there are modern Sijo, which shows deep concerns in death problems of human life. Thanatopsis expressed in modern Sijo is connected with poet's personal experiences. In most cases, poet describes fragmentary thoughts, sorrows and agony after death of his intimate persons. In Sijo, however, poets don't dig Into the death problem deep enough because of the characteristics of genre. But it is very significant work to take various materials of death into poetic themes in Sijo in that it makes us to reflect of human attitude of life. Thirdly, the poetic themes of dealing with fundamental problems of human and God are expressed in Sijo based on Christian view of the world. In such a poems, poet complains to God who looks in illogical human situations as a spectator of vulgar realities of life. But ultimately. poet expresses deep affirmation and obedience of God in his poems. So he manifests Christianity by the poetic paradox. Such poems change over the theme of modern Sijo the superficial Problems of reality to the deep situation of life.

• Childhood Kidney Diseases
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.59-64
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• 2007

Purpose : Suprapubic aspiration(SPA) has been considered the "gold standard" for obtaining urine in non-toilet trained infants. Ultrasound(US)-guided SPA improves the success rate of the procedure and reduces the complications. However, many physicians perceive SPA as invasive and prefer the use of urethral catheterization (Ucat). We compared the success rate, complications and accuracy of US-guided SPA and Ucat. Methods : 121 infants who visited Ewha Womans University Mokdong Hospital with suspected urinary tract infection(UTI) were investigated. For the first study, the study infants were randomly assigned to either the US-guided SPA(n=32) or Ucat(n=32) groups. The success rate and complications of both procedures were compared. For the second study, US-guided SPA and Ucat were performed simultaneously(n=57). The accuracy of urethral catheterization was subsequently analyzed. The criteria for success was defined as the collection of more than 0.5 mL of urine. UTI was diagnosed by the presence of uropathogens over 105 colony-forming units (CFU)/mL. Results : The overall success rate of the US-guided SPA was 96.9%(71.9% in first attempts, 25.0% in second attempts) which was not significantly different compared to 96.9%(90.6% in first attempts, 6.3% in second attempts) in the Ucat(P>0.05) group. The aspirated urine volume was $7.4{\pm}3.7mL$ in the US-guided SPA group, which was not significantly different to $4.5{\pm}2.6mL$ in the Ucat(P>0.05) group. The accuracy of Ucat in comparison to the US guided SPA was low with sensitivity 59.5%, specificity 86.6%, false-positive rate 13.3% and false-negative rate 40.5%. Conclusion : US-guided SPA should be encouraged as the best method to collect the urine in non-toilet trained infants with UTI.

• Childhood Kidney Diseases
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.41-50
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• 2007

Purpose : Dialysis in children with chronic renal failure presents with many difficulies. The purpose of this study is to find an improved method in chronic dialysis in infants and children less than 2 years of age by analyzing the experience with 10 cases. Methods : A retrospective review of the medical records of 10 patients(6 boys and 4 girls) was conducted. The patients had chronic renal failure and underwent chronic dialysis at Samsung medical center from March 1999 to February 2007. Results : At Initiation of dialysis, the median age was 3 months old(22 days-20 months), the median body weight was 3.75 kg(2.2-10.3 kg), and the median serum creatinine level was 4.3 mg/dL(2.0-11.4 mg/dL). The median duration of dialysis was 29.5 months(3-62 months). Dysplastic kidney disease was the most common underlying renal disease. Two patients were treated with hemodialysis, 4 patients with peritoneal dialysis, and 4 patients eventually switched dialysis modality. Nine of the 10 patients took erythropoietin and anti-hypertensive drugs. At the end of the follow up period, 1 patient received kidney transplantation, 2 patients died due to sepsis, and 5 patients were treated with peritoneal dialysis. Two patients were lost to follow up. The most common complication of dialysis was infection. Achieving vascular access and maintaining proper catheter function were the most important factors in treating patients with hemodialysis. The growth status of patients was aggravated after 6 month of dialysis but improved after 1 year of dialysis. Patients showed better growth on peritoneal dialysis than hemodialysis. Conclusion : Chronic dialysis can be performed successfully in infants and children under 2 years of age. Vascular access was the main limitation of hemodialysis, and infection was the common problem in both hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis. To improve the patients survival rate and quality of life, major efforts should be directed toward the prevention of infection and preservation of catheter function. (J Korean Soc Pediatr Nephrol 2007;11:41-50)