• Childhood Kidney Diseases
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.75-80
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• 2017

Purpose: To investigate the frequency, presentation, management, and outcome of cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection in pediatric patients who underwent renal transplantation. Methods: We performed a retrospective chart review of 70 patients under the age of 18, who underwent renal transplantation between January 1990 and November 2014. A diagnosis of CMV infection was based on serology, molecular assays, antigenemia assays, and culture. CMV infection was defined as detection of virus and CMV disease was diagnosed when clinical signs and symptoms were present. Results: The number of patients with CMV infection was 18 (25.7% of renal transplant recipients). Twelve were male (66.7%), and the $mean{\pm}standard$ deviation (SD) age at infection was $13.3{\pm}3.9$ years. Median time of infection after renal transplantation was 4 months (range 1.0-31.0 months). Pretransplantation CMV status in the infected group was as follows: donor (D)+/recipient (R)+, 11 (61.1%); D+/R-, 7 (38.9%); D-/R+, 0; and D-/R- 0. Nine patients had CMV disease with fever, leukopenia, thrombocytopenia, or organ involvement such as enteritis, hepatitis, and pneumonitis. The age of disease occurrence was $13.1{\pm}3.9$ years and the median time to disease onset after renal transplantation was 8 months (range 1.0-31.0). Immunosuppressive agents were reduced or discontinued in 14 patients (77.8%), antiviral agents were used in 11 patients (61.1%), and all patients with CMV infection were controlled. Conclusions: A quarter of the patients had CMV infection about 4 months after renal transplantation. CMV infection was successfully treated with reduction of immunosuppressants or with antiviral agents.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.41 no.5
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• pp.505-512
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• 2014

Background Laryngeal allotransplantation (LA) is a technique involving transplantation of a deceased donor's larynx into a recipient, and it may be substituted for conventional laryngeal reconstruction. There are widely different views on LA, as the recipient is administered continuous, potentially life-threatening, immunosuppressive therapy for a functional or aesthetic result, which is not directly related to life extension. The purpose of this study was to analyze the difference in risk acceptance and expectations of LA between four population groups. Methods A survey was performed to examine patients' risk acceptance and expectations of LA. The survey included 287 subjects in total (general public, n=100; kidney transplant recipients, n=53; post-laryngectomy patients, n=34; doctors, n=100), using a Korean translated version of the louisville instrument for transplantation (LIFT) questionnaire. Results All four groups responded differently at various levels of their perception in risk acceptance and expectations. The kidney transplant recipients reported the highest risk acceptance and expectations, and the doctor group the lowest. Conclusions This study examined the disparate perception between specific population groups of the risks and benefits of using LA for the promotion of the quality of life. By addressing the information gaps about LA in the different populations that have been highlighted from this survey, we suggest that LA can become a more viable alternative to classical surgery with resultant improved quality of life for patients.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.51 no.5
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• pp.328-332
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• 2018

Background: Extracorporeal life support (ECLS) can be applied in brain-dead donors for organ perfusion before donation, thereby expanding the donor pool. The aim of this study was to examine the benefits and early clinical outcomes of ECLS for organ preservation. Methods: Between June 2012 and April 2017, 9 patients received ECLS with therapeutic intent or for organ preservation. The following data were collected: demographics, purpose and duration of ECLS, cause of death, dose of vasoactive drugs, and need for temporary dialysis before organ retrieval. The early clinical outcomes of recipients were studied, as well as survival and graft function at 1 month. Results: ECLS was initiated for extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation in 5 patients. The other patients needed ECLS due to hemodynamic deterioration during the assessment of brain death. We successfully retrieved 18 kidneys, 7 livers, and 1 heart from 9 donors. All organs were transplanted and none were discarded. Only 1 case of delayed kidney graft function was noted, and all 26 recipients were discharged without any significant complications. Conclusion: The benefits of protecting the vital organs of donors is significant, and ECLS for organ preservation can be widely used in the transplantation field.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.43 no.1
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• pp.35-41
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• 2010

Objectives: In Korea, the top 10% of Medical Aid recipients represent nearly 60% of total payment, with the costs for those disabled for over 365 days representing approximately 30% of total payment. The purpose of this study was to compare Medical Aid use of the disabled with non-disabled recipients, and to identify contributing factors to the total payment in the top 2% of recipients identified as Medical Aid overusers. Methods: Subjects (n=2,211) selected were ${\geq}18$-years-of-age and received >1000 days of co-payment-free type I Medical Aid. Case managers (n=200) conducted interviews in December 2006, and collected data from Health Insurance Review & Assessment Service. Amounts over the 9 months from January September 2006 were analyzed descriptively and using Chi-square, ANCOVA, and robust multiple linear regression. Results: Disabled individuals (mean age 61.3 years) composed 36.6% of subjects; 44.8% of the disabled were male. On a monthly basis per capita, the disabled group averaged 10.5 outpatient days, total payment of 523,000 Korean Won(￦), inpatient payment of ￦359,000, and outpatient payment of ￦183,000. All values exceeded the monthly average for non-disabled individuals. Contributing factors were identified as male gender (￦82,000), elementary school or lower educational level (￦64,000), residence in a small city (￦82,000), lack of family support (￦61,000), kidney disability (￦673,000), intellectual disability (￦151,000), and multiple disabilities (￦119,000). Conclusions: The identification of contributing factors to Medical Aid use by those defined as disabled supports the adoption of comprehensive alternative policies such as strengthening of education and consultation services, provision of alternative facilities, and promotion of self-care.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.82 no.4
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• pp.348-356
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• 2019

Background: Recently, the number of lung transplants in South Korea has increased. However, the long-term outcome data is limited. In this study, we aimed to investigate the long-term outcomes of adult lung transplantation recipients. Methods: Among the patients that underwent lung transplantation at a tertiary referral center in South Korea between 2008 and 2017, adults patient who underwent deceased-donor lung transplantation with available follow-up data were enrolled. Their medical records were retrospectively reviewed. Results: Through eligibility screening, we identified 60 adult patients that underwent lung (n=51) or heart-lung transplantation (n=9) during the observation period. Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (46.7%, 28/60) was the most frequent cause of lung transplantation. For all the 60 patients, the median follow-up duration for post-transplantation was 2.6 years (range, 0.01-7.6). During the post-transplantation follow-up period, 19 patients (31.7%) died at a median duration of 194 days. The survival rates were 75.5%, 67.6%, and 61.8% at 1 year, 3 years, and 5 years, respectively. Out of the 60 patients, 8 (13.3%) were diagnosed with chronic lung allograft dysfunction (CLAD), after a mean duration of $3.3{\pm}2.8years$ post-transplantation. The CLAD development rate was 0%, 17.7%, and 25.8% at 1 year, 3 years, and 5 years, respectively. The most common newly developed post-transplantation comorbidity was the chronic kidney disease (CKD; 54.0%), followed by diabetes mellitus (25.9%). Conclusion: Among the adult lung transplantation recipients at a South Korea tertiary referral center, the long-term survival rates were favorable. The proportion of patients who developed CLAD was not substantial. CKD was the most common post-transplantation comorbidity.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Pharmacy
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.14-22
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• 2006

Purpose: To determine the short (1 year of transplant) and long-term (1-5 years of transplantation) risk factors affecting the graft and patient survival in kidney transplantation recipients. Methods: Records of 149 patients who received kidney transplantation in 1996 from Asan Medical Center were followed for 5 years retrospectively. Results: All patients initiated triple immunosuppressive therapy with cyclosporine, prednisone and azathioprine. One, two, three, four, five year patient and graft survival rates were 98.7%, 98.0%, 98.0%, 97.3%, 97.3%, and 96.6%, 95.2%, 94.6%, 92.5%, 91.8%, respectively. There were 30 cases of acute rejection (AR) and 6 cases of chronic rejection (CR) within $2.1{\pm}3.2$ months and $42.1{\pm}13.2$ months of transplantation, respectively. The risk factors for AR were donor's age older than 30 years (p=0.02) and cardiovascular disease (p=0.05). The risk factors for CR were AR (p=0.0169) and episode of complications (p=0.0330). Increasing period of dialysis (p=0.0473), episodes of AR (p<0.0001) and complication (p=0.0317) were significant factors for graft loss. Seven grafts were lost from noncompliance during 1-5 year period. The most com- mon cause of the graft loss for both periods was the graft rejection. The graft survival rate was significantly lower in patients with than without rejection episodes (77.4% vs. 90.0%, p=0.002). Conclusions: Survival rate of the graft with rejection was significantly lower. The risk factors affecting AR were donor's age older than 30years and CVD. AR and episode of complications within 1year were the risk factors for CR and graft loss.

• Journal of Digital Convergence
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.259-266
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• 2017

The purpose of this study was to survey the effects of convergence factors and time elapsed after kidney transplantation on self-care adherence. The study included 235 patients; the data was collected from September, to October, 2014. Old age, female gender and duration of transplantation were identified as factors significantly affecting self-care adherence. Self-care adherence also showed significant differences depending on the elapsed time, and the decrease in self-care compliance was most evident between 1 and 5 years after kidney transplantation. Therefore, development of a nursing strategy that would provide education and self-care improvement programs is needed to improve self-care based on convergence factors and elapsed time.

• Korean Journal of Transplantation
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.182-192
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• 2017

Background: In recent years, introduction of novel immunosuppressive agents and its proper implementation for clinical practice have contributed to improving clinical outcomes of kidney transplantation (KT). Here, we report clinical outcomes of KTs and related risk factors. Methods: From July 1998 to June 2016, 354 KTs (182 from living and 172 from deceased donors) have been performed at Ulsan University Hospital. We retrospectively reviewed the clinical characteristics and outcomes of KT recipients, then estimated graft and patient survival rate were estimated and analyzed risk factors using Cox-regression. Results: The median follow-up period was 53 months (range; 3 to 220 months). The mean ages of recipients and donors were 45.0 years (SD, 12.5) and 44.7 years (SD, 13.6) years, respectively. During follow-up, 18 grafts were lost and 5- and 10-year death-censored graft survival was 96.7% and 91.5%, respectively. Biopsy-proven acute rejection (BPAR) occurred in 71 patients (55 cases of acute cellular rejection and 16 of antibody-mediated rejection). Cox-regression analysis showed that BPAR was a risk factor related to graft loss (hazard ratio [HR], 14.38; 95% confidence interval [CI], 3.79 to 54.53; P<0.001). In addition, 15 patients died, and the 5- and 10-year patient survival was 97.2% and 91.9%, respectively. Age ≥60 years (HR, 6.03; 95% CI, 1.12 to 32.61; P=0.037) and diabetes (HR, 6.18; 95% CI, 1.35 to 28.22; P=0.019) were significantly related to patient survival. Conclusions: We experienced excellent clinical outcomes of KT in terms of graft failure and patient survival despite the relatively high proportion of deceased donors. Long-term and short-term clinical outcomes have improved in the last two decades.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Pharmacy
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.44-52
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• 2021

Background: Post-transplant immunosuppression with calcineurin inhibitors (CNIs) is associated with kidney function impairment while mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) inhibitors, such as everolimus, can be used for its renal-sparing effects. In this study, we compared the efficacy and safety of everolimus with low dose tacrolimus (EVR+Low TAC) and conventional dose tacrolimus (TAC) in liver transplantation recipients. Methods: Medical records of recipients who received liver transplantation at Seoul National University Bundang Hospital from January 1st 2009 to December 31st 2018 were retrospectively reviewed. Cohort entry date was defined as the day everolimus was initiated and tacrolimus dosage was reduced. All patients were followed up for 1 year. Indicator of efficacy was the incidence of rejection and safety was evaluated by incidence of drug adverse events including renal function. Results: Among 118 patients, there were 40 patients (33.9%) in EVR+Low TAC group. Incidence of rejection, including both biopsy proven acute rejection and clinical rejection, was similar in two groups [7.5% (n=3) vs. 6.4% (n=5), p=1.000]. Renal dysfunction was less frequent in EVR+Low TAC [17.5% (n=7) vs. 35.9% (n=28), p=0.038]. However, incidence rates of dyslipidemia, oral ulcer were more frequent in EVR+Low TAC [45.0% (n=18) vs. 21.8% (n=17), p=0.009; 15.0% (n=6) vs. 1.3% (n=1), p=0.006]. Conclusions: In terms of prevention of rejection, EVR+Low TAC was as effective as TAC and had renal-sparing effect but was associated with increased risk of dyslipidemia and oral ulcer. This study demonstrates that EVR+Low TAC could be an alternative to liver transplant recipients with nephrotoxicity after administration of conventional dose tacrolimus.

• Journal of the Korean Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.186-190
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• 2003

Kaposi's sarcoma was first descrided by Kaposi in 1872 as an idiopathic multiple hemorrhagic sarcoma. Its clinical features revealed to be erythematous red or purple macule started out, and developing into palpable dome-shaped nodules. Etiology is not defined to detail at present. Kaposi's sarcoma is classified to 4 categories; Classical, African, Epidemic and Transplant type. Epidemic or AIDS categories is found approximately 20 % of all AIDS and has strong predilection for head and neck region. The first case of Kaposi's sarcoma observed in patients with kidney transplants was reported in 1969. Kaposi's sarcoma now accounts for 5% of all tumors associated with transplanted patients and alteration of the immunosuppression may have played a key role in these recipients. The most common site of Kaposi's sarcoma in transplanted patients are extremities but rare in head and neck area. We report a case of Kaposi's sarcoma on the hard palate in the kidney transplantation patient.