• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.1411-1414
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• 2016

Background: Eosinophilic pleural effusion (EPE) is an eosinophil count more than 10% on cytology of pleural samples. Recently, it was reported that malignancy had been the most prevalent cause inducing EPE. Therefore, we conducted an analysis on the prevalence and etiology of EPE and investigated the relationship between EPE and malignancy. Materials and Methods: Data for pleural cell differential count from patients receiving thoracentesis during the period from January 2008 to December 2013 were compared with clinical data and established diagnosis of patients obtained via electronic chart review. Results: A total of 6,801 requests of pleural cytology from 3,942 patients with pleural effusion who had received thoracentesis were available at Far Eastern Memorial Hospital from 2008 to 2013, and of these subjects, 115 (2.9%) were found to have EPE. The most frequent cause of EPE was malignancy (33.0%, n=38), followed by parapneumonic effusions (27.8%, n=32), tuberculosis pleuritis (13.9%, n=16), transudate effusions (12.2%, n=14) and the presence of blood or air in pleural space (10.4%, n=12). Additionally, an inverse relationship of eosinophilia in pleural fluid was identified in patients with malignancy and EPE. The cut-off eosinophil count in pleural fluid was 15% for the most accurate discrimination between malignancy and benign disorders in patients with EPE. At the cut-off level, the sensitivity and specificity were 65.8% and 67.5%, respectively. Conclusions: Pleural fluid eosinophilia was a speculative negative predictor for malignancy, despite the fact that cancers, including lung cancers and metastatic cancers to lung, were the most leading cause of pleural fluid eosinophilia. An inverse correlation was observed between the pleural eosinophil percentage and the likelihood of malignancy in patients with EPE.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.30 no.12
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• pp.1225-1231
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• 1997

Spontaneous pneumothorax is the sudden collapse of a lung usually caused by air leakage from a subvisceral pleural blob. Responses to closed thoracostomy,thoracentesls and simple observation are usually prompt and effective. But in some cases, these are unsucceful and open thoracotomy is indicated. A clinical evaluation was performed on 242 cases(236 patients) of open thoracotomy in spontaneous pneumoth rax who were admitted and treated at department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery. Masan Samsung General Hospital during the past 9 years from January 1988 to December 1996. The results were as follows 1. The sex ratio was male predominance(M:F=11.7:1) 2. The most common age group were 2nd, 3rd decades(2nd=29.3%, 3rd=30.2%). 3. The most common chief complaints were chest pain and dyspnea(chest pain=41.7%. dryspnea= 36.8). 4. The etiologic factors of spontaneous pneumothorax were primary spontaneous pneumothorax(86.4%), tuberculosis(9.1%), COPD(3.7%) and pleuritis(0.8%). 5. The site of spontaneous pneumothorax was 52.1% in right, 45.4% in left and 2.5% in both. 6. The common indications of open thoracotomy were recurrence(44.2%), persistent air leakage(31.8%) and inadequate expansion(15.7%). 7. The operative procedures were bullectomy or mechanical pleurodesis through posterolateral thoracotomy or median sternotomy. 8. The most frequent location of bulla or blob were apical segme t oi RUL(35.1%) and apicoposterior segment of LUL(41.3 %). 9. The number of bulla or blob were mainly 1 to 5(88%), and there were no significant differences among operation indications. 10. The size of bulla or bleb were mainly below 5cm(81%)and small bulla($\leq$1cm) were predominant in recurrence group but large bulla(>5cm)were predominant in persistent air leakage and inadequate expansion group. 11. The pleural adhesion was seen in 54.5%.(Recurrence group 64.1%,Persistent air leakage group 51.9%,Inadequate expansion group 47.4%).

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.62 no.1
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• pp.5-10
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• 2007

Background: Korean national guidelines for examining contacts with active pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) are a tuberculin skin test (TST) and chest radiographs. The treatment of a latent TB infection as performed only in those younger than six years of age who test positive for TST. Although there is a high incidence of active TB in young Korean soldiers, the current national guidelines for controlling contacts with active TB in soldiers are insufficient. This study highlights the problems with the Korean guidelines for controlling a TB outbreak in a small military unit. Material and Methods: In December of 2005, there was a tuberculosis outbreak in a military unit with a total of 464 soldiers in Kyung Gi province. The chest radiographs were taken of all the soldiers, and TST were carried out on 408 candidates. Results: In the first screening of the chest radiographs, two active TB patients were detected. By August of 2006, four additional cases were detected, making a total of six cases after the outbreak. All the patients showed active pulmonary TB or TB pleuritis. When the results of TST in the close contacts and non-close contacts were compared, there was a significant difference in the absolute size of the induration($9.70{\pm}7.50mm$ vs. $6.26{\pm}7.02mm$, p<0.001) as well as the ratio of patients showing an induration > 10mm (50.0% vs. 32.0%, p<0.001) and 15mm (33.2% vs. 20.9%, p= 0.005). Conclusion: Although the national guidelines for managing a TB outbreak in a military unit were followed, there were continuous instances of new active TB cases. This highlights the need for new guidelines to prevent the spread of TB.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.53 no.4
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• pp.401-408
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• 2002

Background : Tuberculin skin test is a method to examine M. tuberculosis infection and has been used all over the world. But various factors make it difficult to understand testing results. In 2000, the American Thoracic Society recommended that skin test results should be decided by considering risk factors of the tested. In Korea, high tuberculosis infection rate and BCG vaccination rate make it difficult to differentiate current infection, past infection, and no infection by the skin test. This study was attempted to examine a negative predictive value of the skin test to understand how the skin test acts on deciding administration of anti-tuberculosis drug. Methods : From Mar. 1 to Jul. 31 in 2001, the test was performed for patients hospitalized in Department of Internal Medicine, Hallym University College of Medicine, Chunchon, Korea by administering Tuberculin PPD RT23 2 TU (0.1 ml)to them that has been currently used in Korea based on Mantoux method. They were decided to be infected with tuberculosis bacilli by following diagnostic standard: 1) tuberculosis bacilli was cultured in sputum by microbiological diagnostic standard or Acid-fast bacilli was proven on a microscopic examination or 2) tuberculosis bacilli was not proven in the aforesaid microbiological test by clinical diagnostic standard, while there was opinion or symptom suitable for tuberculosis by radiographic or histological standard so the doctor decided to apply the tuberculosis treatment. Results : In this study, total 210 patients except 20 patients (8.7%) among 230 hospitalized patients were evaluated. Their average age was 60±16.8 years, and male-female rate was 1.28 : 1 (male: 118, female: 92). Number of patient, who was diagnosed and decided as tuberculosis, was 53(25.2%). Pulmonary tuberculosis was found in 45 patients (84.9%); 22 patients were decided to be positive in the Acid-fast bacilli smear test by microbiological examination (culture positive: 13, culture negative: 9), and 23 patients were decided to be tuberculosis patients by clinical diagnosis standard. Tuberculosis pleuritis was found in 8 patients (15.1%); 4 patients were diagnosed and decided by histological standard, and 4 patients were decided and treated by clinical standard. In differentiating patients into 'Negative' and 'Positive' by the skin test standard of the American Thoracic Society, negative predictive value 92.3%, positive predictive value 47.3%, sensitivity and specificity were 83%, 68.8%, respectively. Conclusion : In hospitalized respiratory patients, there was high negative predictive vlaue 92.3% by tuberculin skin test, therefore skin test would be a important factor for deciding administration of anti-tuberculosis drug on negative skin test patient.