• Natural Product Sciences
• /
• v.14 no.4
• /
• pp.239-243
• /
• 2008

Equisetum hyemale L. has been prescribed widely as a traditional medicine for the treatment of inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, conjunctivitis, pyelonephritis. In order to identification the mechanism, we examined an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity of 85% methanol extract of E. hyemale. In this study E. hyemale exhibited strong scavenging effect on 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical, superoxide radical, and nitric oxide. To elucidate the anti-inflammatory properties of E. hyemale, we investigated the inhibition effects of nitric oxide and IL-6 by E. hyemale in IFN-gamma and LPS-stimulated mouse peritoneal macrophages. E. hyemale suppressed nitric oxide, IL-6 production and iNOS expression dose-dependently without notable cytotoxic activity. These data suggest that E. hyemale might be useful in inflammatory diseases by inhibiting the free radicals and inflammatory mediators.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
• /
• v.33 no.5
• /
• pp.313-315
• /
• 2016

An aged (14 years old) female snow leopard exhibited renal calculi and pyelonephritis at necropsy. The animal experienced appetite loss, mild diarrhea, polydipsia, and difficulty breathing, and was curled up and staggering on its hind legs 2 days before death. Large calculi were found obstructing both sides of the renal pelvis. The left-side calculus was larger than that of the right side. These calculi had rough surfaces and were $15{\times}21mm$ and $9{\times}14mm$, respectively. The bladder was filled with dark, cloudy urine. Multiple ulcerous lesions were found in the inner layer of the bladder. Enterococcus faecalis and Proteus mirabili were identified via microbiological examination of the urine. Under microscopic examination, urine struvites were observed in the pyuria sediment in the bladder. To our knowledge, this is the first documented case of nephrolithiasis in a captive snow leopard.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
• /
• v.28 no.3
• /
• pp.168-172
• /
• 2021

Retroperitoneal infections are rarer than intra-abdominal infections in children; however, they can lead to significant morbidity in cases of missed diagnosis. We present a case of retroperitoneal abscess caused by extended-spectrum β-lactamase-producing Escherichia coli in a 10-year-old female adolescent who failed to show clinical improvement following empirical antibiotic therapy.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
• /
• v.49 no.1
• /
• pp.87-92
• /
• 2006

Purpose : It is difficult to make a distinction between lower urinary tract infection(UTI) and acute pyelonephritis(APN) during the acute phase of febrile UTI due to nonspecific clinical symptoms and laboratory findings, especially among young children. We measured the serum procalcitonin(PCT) in children with UTI to distinguish between acute pyelonephritis and lower UTI, and to determine the accuracy of PCT measurement compared with other inflammatory markers. Methods : Serum samples were taken from children who admitted with unexplained fever or were suspected of having UTI. 51 children(mean $12.2{\pm}11.4$ months) were enrolled in this study. Leukocyte counts, erythrocyte sedimentation rates(ESR) and C-reactive protein(CRP) were also measured. Renal parenchymal involvement was assessed by $^{99m}Tc$ DMSA scintigraphy in the first 7 days after admission. PCT was measured by immunoluminometric assay. Results : PCT values were significantly correlated with the presence of renal defects in children with UTI(n=16)($5.06{\pm}12.97{\mu}g/L$, P<0.05). However, PCT values were not significantly different between children with UTI without renal damage(n=18) and children without UTI(n=17). Using a cutoff of $0.5{\mu}g/L$ for PCT and 20 mm/hr for ESR, 20 mg/L for CRP, sensitivity and specificity in distinguishing between UTI with and without renal involvement were 81.3 percent and 88.9 percent for PCT 87.5 percent and 72.2 percent for ESR, and 87.5 percent and 55.6 percent for CRP, respectively. Positive and negative predictive values were 86.7 percent and 84.2 percent for PCT and 60.9 percent and 81.8 percent for CRP, respectively. Conclusion : In febrile UTI, PCT values were more specific than CRP, ESR and leukocyte count for the identification of patients who might develop renal defects.

• Childhood Kidney Diseases
• /
• v.16 no.2
• /
• pp.102-108
• /
• 2012

Purpose: We investigated the clinical presentation of febrile pediatric patients with acute pyelonephritis (APN) with a mixed urine culture from an aseptic urine sample, and compared with that of those with a single culture. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the medical charts of 95 patients diagnosed as APN with fever between January 2008 and October 2010 at Korea University Medical Center. We classified the patients with APN into two groups with a positive single culture (S group) and a positive mixed culture (M group) from an aseptic urine sample of suprapubic bladder aspiration or urethral catheterization and compared the fever duration, laboratory markers such as serum white blood cell (WBC) counts and C-reactive protein (CRP) values in peripheral blood, and the presence of hydronephrosis, renal scar and vesicoureteral reflux (VUR) between the two groups (If presence of hydronephrosis, scar and VUR=1 and no=0). Results: Total pediatric patients with febrile APN were 95 patients, a positive S group was 89 patients and a positive M group was 6 patients. Fever duration (S vs. M, $4.7{\pm}3.1$ vs. $6{\pm}5.7$ days), serum WBC (S vs. M, $18,630{\pm}6,483$ vs. $20,153{\pm}7,660/{\mu}L$) and CRP (S vs. M, $100.6{\pm}2.46$ vs. $81.1{\pm}0.09\;mg/L$) values, and the presence of hydronephrosis, renal scar and VUR were not different between the two groups. Conclusion: Our data shows that there were no specific differences of clinical manifestation between a positive single urine culture and a positive mixed urine culture in pediatric APN. A mixed urine culture from an aseptic urine sample should be interpreted cautiously.

• Childhood Kidney Diseases
• /
• v.11 no.2
• /
• pp.212-219
• /
• 2007

Purpose : It is difficult to diagnose acute pyelonephritis(APN) in young children, because of their nonspecific symptoms. The younger the age, the higher the risk of renal scars after APN, which can be prevented by early diagnosis and treatment. We compare the significance of renal imaging studies by age for diagnosis of APN in febrile urinary tract infection(UTI) in children. Methods : Fifty-three hospitalized children(34 patients under age 2 and 19 patients over age 2) with febrile UTI and who had undergone dimercaptosuccinic acid(DMSA) scan, renal ultra sonography(RUS) and voiding cystourethrography(VCUG) during the acute stage were re-viewed. We compared the renal imaging studies between the different age groups. Results : The DMSA scan showed cortical defects in 23.5% of patients under age 2, which was significantly lower than 63.2% of patents over age 2(P<0.05). The renal cortical defects on DMSA scan were associated only with a high peripheral leukocyte count, but not with fever duration, erythrocyte sedimentation rate(ESR), and C-reactive protein(CRP). And there was no correlation between the DMSA scan, VCUG or RUS findings. Conclusions : The DMSA scan is not sensitive for diagnosis of APN in children less than 2 years of age and the findings cannot predict the presence of vesicoureteral reflux(VUR). VCUG may be necessary for proper management in this age group.

• Childhood Kidney Diseases
• /
• v.23 no.1
• /
• pp.36-42
• /
• 2019

Purpose: We investigated whether a renal size discrepancy on a renal sonogram (US) in children with febrile urinary tract infection (UTI) was correlated with the presence of cortical defects on their dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA) renal scan. Methods: We examined 911 children who were admitted consecutively to our hospital with their first episode of febrile UTI from March 2001 to September 2014. All enrolled children underwent a US and DMSA scan during admission. According to the US findings, including the renal size discrepancy, data were compared between children with positive and negative DMSA scan results. A positive DMSA scan result was defined as reduced or absent tracer localization and indistinct margins that did not deform the renal contour. Results: Mean renal lengths of the right and left kidneys were larger in children with positive DMSA scan results than in children with negative DMSA scan results ($63.2{\pm}11.3mm$ vs. $58.4{\pm}7.8mm$, P<0.001; $64.9{\pm}11.2mm$ vs. $59.9{\pm}7.9mm$, P<0.001; respectively). A significant difference was observed in both renal lengths between children with positive and negative DMSA scan results ($4.6{\pm}3.8mm$ vs. $3.3{\pm}2.6mm$, P<0.001). A multiple logistic regression analysis, revealed that a small kidney, cortical thinning, and a renal length discrepancy on US findings were significant factors for predicting the presence of cortical defects on an acute DMSA scan [P=0.028, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.054-2.547; P= 0.004, 95% CI 1.354- 4.810; P<0.001, 95% CI 1.077-1.190, respectively]. Conclusion: In conclusion, a renal size discrepancy on US findings in children with their first episode of febrile UTI was a helpful tool for predicting the presence of cortical defects on an acute DMSA scan.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• v.13 no.9
• /
• pp.4431-4433
• /
• 2012

Aim: The aim of the present study was to evaluate retrospectively histopathologically-diagnosed lesions that were detected in the kidney after radical nephrectomy for a preoperative diagnosis of kidney cancer. Methods: The medical records of 83 patients (51 male, 32 female) were included. Preoperative staging was accomplished by various methods including physical examination, blood hemography and biochemistry, abdominal ultrasonography (US), chest x-ray, abdominal computed tomography (CT) and abdominal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Results: Totals of 70 patients underwent radical nephrectomy and 13 nephron sparing surgery. Of the 83 patients, 70 had malignant lesions (renal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma or other malignancies) 13 had a variety of benign lesions, the most frequently detected being oncoytoma (6), angiomyolipoma (3), xanthogranulamatous pyelonephritis (2), cortical cyst (1) and chronic pyelonephritic change (1). Conclusion: It was concluded that in spite of great technological developments regarding radiological imaging modalities such as US, CT and MRI, benign lesions might still be detected pathologically in patients who undergo radical nephrectomy with the preoperative diagnosis of renal cancer. But, all renal masses should be regarded as malignant and should be managed surgically otherwise proven benign.

• Childhood Kidney Diseases
• /
• v.24 no.1
• /
• pp.27-35
• /
• 2020

Purpose: Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are the most common and serious bacterial infections in children. Therefore, early diagnosis of vesicoureteral reflux (VUR) for treatment planning and the identification of noninvasive markers that can predict renal injury are important in patients with UTIs. We analyzed the clinical features of pediatric UTIs commonly encountered by general practitioners and reinterpreted the blood tests and imaging findings to identify the important clinical predictive markers of VUR in order to selectively perform VCUG. Methods: This retrospective study was performed among 183 children diagnosed with a UTI or acute pyelonephritis. Results: The most significant predictor of high grade and bilateral VUR identified using area under the curve analyses was hydronephrosis on kidney ultrasound images with renal cortical defects on dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA) kidney scan simultaneously, followed by hydronephrosis only on kidney ultrasound. Conclusion: The presence of hydronephrosis on kidney ultrasound images or cortical defects or asymmetric kidneys on the DMSA kidney scans can be predictive markers of VUR, reducing the need for VCUG. Our study can thus help minimize the exposure to radiation among patients through selective VCUG.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
• /
• v.9 no.1
• /
• pp.104-109
• /
• 2002

Ecthyma gangrenosum is usually seen in immunocompromised patients, particularly in those with underlying malignant disease. Ecthyma gangrenosum is rapidly progressing skin infection characterized by edema, hemorrhage, bullae and necrosis. We experienced the case of a 13-month-old male who had Ecthyma gangrenosum associated with liver abscess and renal abscess. The patient initially presented with skin lesions of multiple well defined central necrotic black colored large erythematous bullae. The multiple liver abscess with hepatomegaly and multifocal pyelonephritis with focal renal abscess revealed by abdominal ultrasonogram and computed tomogram. In the bacterial cultures of skin, urine and liver aspiration fluid, Pseudomonas aeruginosa was grown. The patient had no immune deficiency disease. We report this case with a review of related literatures.