Clinical Characteristics of Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease Associated with Marked Bradycardia / 대한신장학회잡지

Since profound hyperkalemia induces fatal arrhythmias, the recognition of its electrocardiographic manifestations is very important. The changes on the ECG correlated roughly with the severity of hyperkalemia. It has been, however, less recognized that severe hyperkalemia is associated with bradycardia. We present 14 patients with chronic kidney disease manifesting marked bradycardia in the presence or absence of hyperkalemia. It is interesting that diabetes mellitus which was complicated in 10 of 14 patients in the present study might exaggerate bradycardia with or without hyperkalemia. 9 patients, who were taking drugs such as diltiazem, beta-blocker, alpha, beta-blocker, and digoxin, developed bradycardia even when their plasma potassium concentration were moderate (<6.5 mEq/L). Therefore, we suggest that synergistic action of these drugs, hyperkalemia, diabetes mellitus, and uremic toxin in patient with chronic kidney disease might play a role in inducing bradycardia.

The Use of FDG PET for Nodal Staging of Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer / 대한흉부외과학회지

BACKGROUND: Positron emission tomography(PEFT) using fluorine-18 deoxyglucose(FDG), showing increased FDG uptake and retention in malignant cells, has been proven to be useful in differentiating malignant from benign tissues. We indertook the prospective study to compare the accuracy of the whole-body FDG PET with that of the conventional chest computed tomography(CT) for nodal staging of non-small-cell lung cancers(NSCLC). MATERIAL AND METHOD: FDG PET and contrast enhanced CT were performed in 36 patients with potentially resectable NSCLC. Each Imaging study was evaluated independently, and nodal stations were localized according to the AJCC regional lymph nodes mapping system. Extensive lymph node dissection(1101 nodes) of ipsi- and contralateral mediastinal nodal stations was performed at thoracotomy and/or mediastinoscopy. Image findings were compared with the histopathologic staging results and were analyzed with the McNema test(p) and Kappa value(k). RESULT: The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of CT for ipsilateral mediastinal nodal staging were 38%, 68%, 25%, 79%, and 61%, and those of PET were 88%, 71%, 47%, 95%, and 75%(p>0.05, K=0.29). When analyzed by individual nodal group(superior, aortopulmonary window, and inferior), the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of CT were 27%, 82%, 22%, 85%, and 73%, and those of PET were 60%, 87%, 92%, and 82%(p<0.05, k=0.27). CONCLUSION: FDG PET in addition to CT appears to be superior to CT alone for mediastinal staging of non-small cell lung cancers.