Metformin induced acute pancreatitis and lactic acidosis in a patient on hemodialysis / 영남의대학술지

Metformin, commonly prescribed for type 2 diabetes, is considered safe with minimal side-effect. Acute pancreatitis is rare but potentially fatal adverse side-effect of metformin. We report a patient on hemodialysis with metformin-related acute pancreatitis and lactic acidosis. A 62-year-old woman with diabetic nephropathy and hypertension presented with nausea and vomiting for a few weeks, followed by epigastric pain. At home, the therapy of 500 mg/day metformin and 50 mg/day sitagliptin was continued, despite symptoms. Laboratory investigations showed metabolic acidosis with high levels of lactate, amylase at 520 U/L (range, 30-110 U/L), and lipase at 1,250 U/L (range, 23-300 U/L). Acute pancreatitis was confirmed by computed tomography. No recognized cause of acute pancreatitis was identified. Metformin was discontinued. Treatment with insulin and intravenous fluids resulted in normalized amylase, lipase, and lactate. When she was re-exposed to sitagliptin, no symptoms were reported.

Severe but reversible acute kidney injury resulting from Amanita punctata poisoning

Mushroom-related poisoning can cause acute kidney injury. Here we report a case of acute kidney injury after ingestion of Amanita punctata, which is considered an edible mushroom. Gastrointestinal symptoms occurred within 24 hours from the mushroom intake and were followed by an asymptomatic period, acute kidney injury, and elevation of liver and pancreatic enzymes. Kidney function recovered with supportive care. Nephrotoxic mushroom poisoning should be considered as a cause of acute kidney injury.

Renal Artery Embolization in Patients with Polycystic Kidney Disease / 대한내과학회지

Polycystic kidney disease (PCKD) is the most common life-threatening genetic disease that causes kidney failure worldwide. Patients with autosomal dominant PCKD notice an increase in abdominal size as the kidney cysts grow and present with gastrointestinal and pulmonary symptoms. Surgical therapy, percutaneous drainage, sclerotherapy, cyst decompression, and laparoscopic fenestration have been used to treat the symptoms, but the results are often unsatisfactory. We recruited five patients with PCKD. Each patient complained of severe abdominal discomfort, and had a poor quality of life. In these patients, we performed renal artery embolization. After the procedure, all of the patients were discharged without severe complications. Follow-up abdominal computed tomography was performed 3-6 months after the procedure, and we were able to confirm a reduction in the size of both kidneys. In addition, the clinical symptoms improved in all five patients.

Change of Antimicrobial Susceptibility among Escherichia coli Strains Isolated from Female Patients with Community-Onset Acute Pyelonephritis

PURPOSE: There is a concern on which antimicrobials are appropriate as empirical agents for community-onset acute pyelonephritis (APN) in regions where the fluoroquinolone resistance rate is high, such as in Korea. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Three hundred and two strains of E. coli in 2001-2002 and 349 strains in 2008-2009 were isolated from the urine cultures of female adult APN patients, and the antimicrobial susceptibility was compared according to each study period. All the patients were classified as uncomplicated or complicated APN, and a subgroup analysis was done thereafter. RESULTS: The E. coli strains isolated in 2008-2009 showed improved susceptibility to trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole compared to those isolated in 2001-2002. However, the third generation cephalosporin and gentamicin susceptibility was worsened. Of the 232 isolates from the uncomplicated APN patients, there was no difference between the two different time periods. On the other hand, of the 419 isolates from the complicated APN patients, the susceptibility to third generation cephalosporin, gentamicin and ciprofloxacin was significantly worsened. CONCLUSION: The antimicrobial susceptibility of E. coli changed over the study period, however, this change occurred mainly in the complicated APN patients. In Korea, ciprofloxacin is still useful as an empirical agent for uncomplicated APN patients, but this is not the case for patients with complicated APN because of high resistance rate to ciprofloxacin in these patients. For the complicated APN patients, the rate of resistance to ciprofloxacin is already more than 30%.

A Case of Acute Renal Failure Complicated by the Poisoning of Amanita virgineoides / 대한신장학회지

Mushroom poisonings are potentially fatal. Most fatalities are due to the amatoxin that causes fulminant hepatic failure and acute renal failure. We report a patient who developed acute renal failure after ingesting Amanita virgineoides, which required renal replacement therapy, despite recovery of liver injury. A kidney biopsy showed acute tubular necrosis. The patient was recovered with the supportive care and temporary hemodialysis.

IgA Nephropathy Associated with Chronic Urate Nephropathy / 대한신장학회지

IgA nephropathy is the most common primary glomerulonephritis and characterized by deposition of IgA in glomerular mesangial area. Chronic urate nephropathy is characterized by precipitation of uric acid crystals in the collecting ducts and medullary interstitium. We report a case of IgA nephropathy associated with chronic urate nephropathy. A 57 year old man underwent percutaneous renal biopsy for gross hematuria, generalized edema and renal failure. Renal biopsy showed typical findings of IgA nephropathy: increased mesangial matrix, cellular proliferation and positive staining of IgA. In addition, crystalline deposits of uric acid, which is typical of chronic urate nephropathy, were seen in the medullary interstitium.

Quantitative Viral Load Monitoring and Cidofovir Therapy in BK Virus Nephropathy / 대한신장학회잡지

BACKGROUND: BK virus nephropathy (BKVN) has been increasingly recognized as an important cause of renal transplant dysfunction, but no specific antiviral therapy is currently available. Furthermore, a method evaluating the degree of viral infection has not been developed yet. Recently, there have been several case reports in which BKVN was successfully treated with cidofovir injection. In the current study, we report a case with BKVN successfully treated with cidofovir injection. In addition, we assessed the usefulness of quantitative viral load monitoring using a competitive polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in the treatment of BKVN. METHODS: A renal allograft recipient with BKVN was injected with cidofovir. To monitor BK viral load in urine and plasma, we developed a competitive PCR assay and followed the patient prospectively. RESULTS: A 49 year old renal transplant recipient developed a progressive rise in serum creatinine reaching 1.9 mg/dL at 15 months post-transplantation. Subsequently, the patient was diagnosed as BKVAN by allograft biopsy. At this time, BKV DNA was detected in plasma and urine. Despite a reduction of the dose of mycophenolate mofetil, serum creatinine continued to rise, which prompted the initiation of cidofovir trial. The patient was given intravenous cidofovir. After cidofovir treatment, BK virus associated findings disappeared on repeat biopsy, and BK virus in plasma was decreased to the undetectable level. For 7 months after cidofovir treatment, her renal function remained stable. CONCLUSION: Cidofovir therapy may be effective in the treatment for BKVN. Viral load in plasma reflected well the clinical and pathological course of the BK virus infection.

Dermatomyositis Developing in the first Trimester of Pregnancy

Dermatomyositis in pregnancy is rare. Pregnancy may be a precipitating factor at the onset or may develop during the course of dermatomyositis, which would exacerbate disease activity. In this study, we report a 22-year-old female patient who developed generalized skin rash and progressive muscle weakness in the twelfth week of pregnancy. She was diagnosed with dermatomyositis and underwent therapeutic abortion, due to the high fetal mortality rate of the disease when developed in the first trimester. Her symptoms improved with treatment of intravenous immunoglobulin and a high dose of corticosteroids.

Clinical significance of reciprocal ST segment depression in acute myocardial infarction: Analysis based on the time interval from the onset of symptoms / 대한내과학회지

BACKGROUND: To investigate the clinical significance of reciprocal ST segment depression on the presenting electrocardiogram (ECG) in patients with acute myocardial infarction (MI), in particular, this study focuses whether there is any difference according to the time interval between the onset of symptoms and initial ECG. METHODS: ECG findings in 198 patients with acute MI were retrospectively reviewed. The patients were classified into 4 subgroups based on the infarct region and reciprocal ST depression. The clinical data and angiographic finding were compared in each region. We also explored whether any differences could be recognized according to the time interval. RESULTS: Of 78 anterior MI, 16 (21%) showed a reciprocal ST depression and 62 (80%) did not. Of 120 inferior MI, 50 (41%) displayed a reciprocal ST depression and 70 (59%) did not. In each region, a reciprocal ST depression made no difference between the two groups. However, when divided by the time interval, a reciprocal ST depression more than 4 hours after MI predicted a high incidence of multivessel disease [anterior MI 5/6 (83%), 10/12 (83%): p<0.05 for each]. CONCLUSION: There was a high incidence of multivessel disease when a reciprocal ST segment depression continued for more than 4 hours after MI. The meaning of a reciprocal ST depression can be interpreted differently according to the duration after MI.

A Case of Anti-Glomerular Basement Membrane Antibody Disease without Pulmonary Hemorrhage / 대한신장학회잡지

Anti-glomerular basement membrane antibody mediated rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis is a rare autoimmune disease. It is characterized by acuterenal failure and crescentic glomeruli with linear immune deposits along glomerular basement membrane mediated by anti-GBM antibodies. We report a case of a sixty-years-old man with generalized edema and hematuria. On admission, BUN/Creatinine was 118/19.6 mg/dL, Hb was 10.2 g/dL. On urinalysis, protein was 3+, and many RBCs were found. Renal biopsy specimen which contained 8 glomeruli showed active cellular crescent formation in all glomeruli. On immunofluorescent staining specimen, there were 4 glomeruli which showed strong IgG linear staining along the glomerular basement membrane and mild C3 & C1q deposit along the capillary walls. The titer of anti-GBM antibody was 123 EU by ELISA (normal: <10 EU). We treated with high dose of corticosteroid and plasmapheresis, but renal function was not recovered even after 3 months of hemodialysis.

Alteration of Nitric Oxide/cyclic-GMP pathway in patients with exaggerated systolic blood pressure response during exercise test / 대한내과학회지

BACKGROUND: The diagnostic and prognostic implication of exaggerated blood pressure response to exercise has not been well characterized. Endothelial dysfunction has been demonstrated in patients with atherosclerosis or with risk factors for coronary artery disease. However, whether the cause of exercise induced hypertension might be due to endothelial dysfunction has not been well elucidated. Therefore, we designed this study to evaluate the endothelial function in patients with exaggerated blood pressure response during exercise. METHODS: Exercise hypertension is defined as a systolic blood pressure >or= 210 mmHg in men and >or= 190 mmHg in female, during treadmill exercise test. The endothelial function of the brachial artery, in 35 patients with exercise hypertension and 35 control subjects (mean age of 45.5+/-8.1) were measured by a high resolution ultrasound technique. The concentrations of nitrite and cyclic-GMP were measured from exercise hypertension group and control subjects during, before and after treadmill exercise. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in the clinical variables between the control and exercise hypertension group. The LVH on ECG was detected more frequently in exercise hypertension group (14 % vs. 40 %, p0.05), a significant difference of cyclic GMP level during the maximal exercise was noted between the groups (10+/-1.8 vs. 8.3+/-2.5 pmol/mL, p<0.05). CONCLSUION: Patients with exercise induced hypertension have impaired endothelium-dependent vasodilation. This study supports the concept that endothelial dysfunction may play a significant role in exercise induced hypertension.

A Case of Supravalvular Mitral Ring

No abstract available.

Attitudes toward Complementary and Alternative Medicine in Suwon City / 예방의학회지

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to investigate the attitudes toward complementary and alternative medicine among 1,490 residents(339 households) in Suwon city. METHODS: All respondents were asked about types, frequency, effects, side-effects, views, and cost of complementary or alternative medicine through a questionnaire from July 24th to 27th. Six therapies were investigated: diet; acupuncture/ massage/ chiropractic etc.; mind control such as Ki/ Yoga/ spiritual therapy/ relaxation therapy etc.; nutritional supplements, cultural remedies; and Herb medications. RESULTS: The results of this survey were as follows: 35.6% of respondents had experiences with at least one or more types of complementary and alternative medicine. The average number of different types of therapies used was 3.4. More experience with various types of therapies were found among those respondents of higher education, older age group, higher income, married group, religious group than among the opposite groups of respondents. Herb medications were used most frequently(39.8%), followed by minor grains(37.9%), Ginseng(23.8%), Boshintang(21.5%), acupuncture(20.3%), Gaesojou (15.3%), Gingko nut(12.0%), mushroom(11.5%), Cupping therapy(10.2%), and black goat(0.0%). Acupuncture and Herb medications were used for treatment of hypertension the most frequently; minor grains or silkworm for treatment of diabetic mellitus; vegetables for treatment of obesity; acupuncture, Cupping Therapy, Herb medications for treatment of rheumatism; and acupuncture, Herb medications, or exercises for treatment of Cerebro Vascular Accident(CVA). The average costs of treatment were 108,000 Won for hypertension, 87,200 Won for diabetic mellitus, 16,800 Won for obesity, 68,800 Won for rheumatism, and 87,500 Won for CVA. Among 10.9% of respondents, there were 13 cases of side-effects with acupuncture, Herb medications, and Gaesojou. Among the cases of side-effects, majority was due to Herb medications. Respondents reported that Cupping Therapy was the most effective, followed by acupuncture, Ginseng, Gingko nut, Boshintang, black goat, minor grains, Gaesojou, Herb medications, vegetables, and mushroom. In response to the views of complementary and alternative medicine which they had used, they recommended minor grains first, followed by Ginseng, acupuncture, Gingko nut, Cupping Therapy, vegetables, Boshintang, black goat, mushroom and Herb medications. In contrast, they did not recommend Herb medications, acupuncture, nor Gaesojou. CONCLUSIONS: These findings indicate that many people use various complementary and alternative medicine without any guidelines for treatment of serious chronic diseases not even to invigorate themselves. It is, therefore, suggested that medical doctors or scientists verify the true effects or side-effects from the most common complementary or alternative therapies through experiments. Also medical doctors should provide a comfortable atmosphere for discussion among doctors and patients who would like to try these therapies.