• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
• /
• v.60 no.4
• /
• pp.112-117
• /
• 2017

Purpose: The aims of this study were to compare serum procalcitonin (PCT) levels between febrile children with Kawasaki disease (KD) and those with bacterial or viral infections, and assess the clinical usefulness of PCT level in predicting KD. Methods: Serum PCT levels were examined in febrile pediatric patients admitted between August 2013 and August 2014. The patients were divided into 3 groups as follows: 49 with KD, 111 with viral infections, and 24 with bacterial infections. Results: The mean PCT level in the KD group was significantly lower than that in the bacterial infection group ($0.82{\pm}1.73ng/mL$ vs. $3.11{\pm}6.10ng/mL$, P=0.002) and insignificantly different from that in the viral infection group ($0.23{\pm}0.34ng/mL$, P=0.457). The mean erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and C-reactive protein (CRP) level in the KD group were significantly higher than those in the viral and bacterial infection groups (P<0.001 and P<0.001 for ESR, P<0.001 and P=0.005 for CRP, respectively). The proportion of patients in the KD group with PCT levels of >1.0 ng/mL was significantly higher in the nonresponders to the initial intravenous immunoglobulin treatment than in the responders (36% vs. 8%, P=0.01). Conclusion: PCT levels may help to differentiate KD from bacterial infections. A combination of disease markers, including ESR, CRP, and PCT, may be useful for differentiating between KD and viral/bacterial infections.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
• /
• v.24 no.1
• /
• pp.60-64
• /
• 2017

Kawasaki disease (KD) is a systemic vasculitis that occurs predominantly in infants and young children. The etiology of KD is unknown and coronary heart disease is a major complication of KD. Acute scrotum is a rare complication of acute KD, and not as well recognized as other manifestations of the disease. We report a 2-month-old boy with acute scrotum in the acute phase of KD. He was treated with intravenous immunoglobulin (total 2 g/kg) and aspirin (50 mg/kg/day). The treatment was effective in resolving his fever and other clinical symptoms, but 2 days after starting treatment he experienced scrotal swelling. Scrotal ultrasound and transillumination were used in the diagnosis of acute scrotum. After 2 months, a follow-up testicular ultrasound revealed a remission of the acute scrotum. Subsequently, he has been followed up for KD.

• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
• /
• v.19 no.2
• /
• pp.147-151
• /
• 2016

Neonatal hemochromatosis (NH) is a severe neonatal liver injury that is confirmed by extra-hepatic iron accumulation. Although a recent study described treating NH with exchange transfusions and intravenous immunoglobulin, liver transplantation should be considered for patients with severe liver failure that does not respond to other medical treatment. Herein, we report the case of a two-month-old female infant who presented with persistent ascites and hyperbilirubinemia. Her laboratory findings demonstrated severe coagulopathy, high indirect and direct bilirubin levels, and high ferritin levels. Abdominal magnetic resonance imaging presented low signal intensity in the liver on T2-weighted images, suggesting iron deposition. The infant was diagnosed with NH as a result of the clinical findings and after congenital infection and metabolic diseases were excluded. The infant was successfully treated with a living-donor liver transplantation. Living related liver transplantation should be considered as a treatment option for NH in infants.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
• /
• v.38 no.5
• /
• pp.687-690
• /
• 2011

Purpose: Pemphigus vulgaris, a rare autoimmune blistering disease of the skin and mucous membranes remains a challenging disease to treat. Management is focused on immunotherapy against autoimmune antibodies that target keratinocyte cell adhesion molecules, and antibiotics preventing secondary infections. There is no established dressing protocol and skin is usually manipulated the least amount possible in order to minimize irritation. The authors suggest that early initiation of aggressive bathing and debridement of skin lesions, with nutritional support, is essential in accelerating resolution. Methods: A 40 year-old male previously diagnosed with pemphigus vulgaris was admitted due to exacerbation of mucocutaneous lesions involving the epidermis and mucosa of the whole body. Steroids, immunosuppressants, intravenous immunoglobulin and antibiotics were administrated, but infection and de-epithelialization progressed, while his general condition deteriorated with a weight loss of over 20 kilograms. The plastic surgery department intervened with daily bathing, debridement of unhealthy debris and non-traumatizing coverage of growing epithelium. Total parenteral nutrition and mobilization with rehabilitation therapy was initiated as early as possible. Results: After bathing, healthy epithelium gradually covered the patient's entire body, while his general condition improved with a corresponding weight gain of 14 kgs. Conclusion: Treatment of pemphigus vulgaris focuses on immunotherapy and infection control. However, an equal amount of attention should be laid on early intervention with daily dressings including bathing and irrigation, nutritional support, and exercise as this accelerates resolution of existing infections, promotes healthy epithelialization and leads to faster recovery.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
• /
• v.64 no.2
• /
• pp.68-75
• /
• 2021

The novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection has been spreading worldwide since December 2019. Hundreds of cases of children and adolescents with Kawasaki disease (KD)-like hyperinflammatory illness have been reported in Europe and the United States during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic with or without shock and cardiac dysfunction. These patients tested positive for the polymerase chain reaction or antibody test for SARS-CoV-2 or had a history of recent exposure to COVID-19. Clinicians managing such patients coined new terms for this new illness, such as COVID-19-associated hyperinflammatory response syndrome, pediatric inflammatory multisystem syndrome temporally associated with COVID-19, or COVID-19-associated multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C). The pathogenesis of MIS-C is unclear; however, it appears similar to that of cytokine storm syndrome. MIS-C shows clinical features similar to KD, but differences between them exist with respect to age, sex, and racial distributions and proportions of patients with shock or cardiac dysfunction. Recommended treatments for MIS-C include intravenous immunoglobulin, corticosteroids, and inotropic or vasopressor support. For refractory patients, monoclonal antibody to interleukin-6 receptor (tocilizumab), interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (anakinra), or monoclonal antibody to tumor necrosis factor (infliximab) may be recommended. Patients with coronary aneurysms require aspirin or anticoagulant therapy. The prognosis of MIS-C seemed favorable without sequelae in most patients despite a reported mortality rate of approximately 1.5%.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
• /
• v.62 no.6
• /
• pp.235-239
• /
• 2019

Purpose: In Kawasaki disease (KD) patients, coronary artery complications, incomplete and refractory types occur more frequently in patients with streptococcal or other bacterial/viral infections. Recently, we observed a higher incidence of coronary lesions in KD patients with high anti-streptolysin O (ASO) titer. Therefore, we hypothesized that KD patients diagnosed with concurrent streptococcal infection have poor prognosis, with respect to treatment response and development of coronary artery lesions. Methods: A retrospective review was performed in 723 patients with KD who were admitted to 2 major hospitals between June 2010 and September 2017. Results: Among 723 patients with KD, 11 initially showed an elevated ASO titer (>320 IU/mL) or elevated follow-up ASO titer after treatment. Of these patients, 5 showed no response to the first intravenous immunoglobulin treatment, 3 had abnormalities of the coronary arteries. This is a significantly higher proportion of patients with a high ASO titer (n=3,27.3%) than those with a normal ASO titer (n=53 [7.4%], P=0.047). A severe clinical course was seen in 81.8% of patients in the high ASO group versus 14.5% of patients in the normal ASO group. Conclusion: It is not certain whether acute streptococcal infection may cause KD, but this study revealed that KD with high ASO titers showed higher rates of severe clinical course. It may be helpful to analyze concurrent streptococcal infection in patients with a severe clinical course.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
• /
• v.26 no.1
• /
• pp.71-79
• /
• 2019

Mycoplasma pneumoniae (MP) is the most common causative agent of community-acquired pneumonia in school-aged children. An 8-year-old boy who had been diagnosed with autism looked severely ill when he presented to our hospital due to dyspnea and lethargy. He had fever and cough 7 days prior to hospitalization. He had signs and symptoms of severe respiratory distress. The percutaneous oxygen saturation was 88% at high oxygen supply. Chest radiography showed diffusely increased opacity with moderate pleural effusion. He was intubated immediately and admitted to the intensive care unit. Under the clinical impression of mycoplasmal pneumonia, intravenous clarithromycin was started. Laboratory findings showed leukocytosis, hepatitis, decreased renal function, and presence of serum MP immunoglobulin (Ig) M (+) IgG (+) and sputum MP polymerase chain reaction (+). On hospital day 2, the patient developed multiple organ failure with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Veno-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) was performed with continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) and was weaned successfully. This is the first reported case of an ARDS due to MP infection complicated by multiple organ failure that was successfully treated with ECMO and CRRT in South Korea.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
• /
• v.38 no.2
• /
• pp.170-174
• /
• 2021

A patient diagnosed with Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS) suffering from numbness in the toes and fingers, paralysis in the face, and back pain received intravenous immunoglobulin on December 28, 2019. Without an improvement in symptoms the patient was admitted to a Korean medicine hospital on January 1, 2020 to receive combined Korean medicine treatment including herbal medicine (Sipjeondaebo-tanggami and Hyangbujasunkipalmul-tang), acupuncture treatment, moxibustion, cupping treatment, and physical therapy. Treatment was administered over 51 days, of which 17 days were during hospitalization. Paralysis of facial muscle, and numbness in fingers and toes were evaluated using the Yanagihara score and numeric rating scale (NRS) score, respectively. Facial paralysis improved (21 to 40 based on Yanagihara score) and paresthesia of the hands and feet disappeared (NRS score 6-7 to NRS score 0). There were no side effects or sequela. This study suggested combined Korean medicine treatment may be effective for the treatment of GBS.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
• /
• v.65 no.4
• /
• pp.153-166
• /
• 2022

During the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, a novel multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) has been reported worldwide since the first cases were reported in Europe in April 2020. MIS-C is temporally associated with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection and shows Kawasaki disease (KD)-like features. The epidemiological and clinical characteristics in COVID-19, KD, and MIS-C differ, but severe cases of each disease share similar clinical and laboratory findings such as a protracted clinical course, multiorgan involvement, and similar activated biomarkers. These findings suggest that a common control system of the host may act against severe disease insult. To solve the enigmas, we proposed the protein-homeostasis-system hypothesis in that every disease involves etiological substances and the host's immune system controls them by their size and biochemical properties. Also, it is proposed that the etiological agents of KD and MIS-C might be certain strains in the microbiota of human species and etiological substances in severe COVID-19, KD, and MIS-C originate from pathogen-infected cells. Since disease severity depends on the amounts of inflammation-inducing substances and corresponding immune activation in the early stage of the disease, an early proper dose of corticosteroids and/or intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) may help reduce morbidity and possibly mortality among patients with these diseases. Corticosteroids are low cost and an analogue of host-origin cortisol among immune modulators. This study's findings will help clinicians treating severe COVID-19, KD, and MIS-C, especially in developing countries, where IVIG and biologics supplies are insufficient.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
• /
• v.28 no.3
• /
• pp.181-188
• /
• 2021

Anemia commonly occurs in kidney transplantation (KT) recipients. Many factors such as viral infection, bleeding, erythropoietin deficiency, and immunosuppressants are the causes of chronic anemia in KT recipients. We report 2 cases who developed severe anemia caused by parvovirus B19 infection and were successfully treated with intravenous immunoglobulin in pediatric KT recipients.