Recovery and Adsorption Rate of Murine Norovirus Using NanoCeram(R) Filters

This study investigated the recovery and absorption rates of murine norovirus, a surrogate for human norovirus, by using NanoCeram(R) filters which served as a tool for recovering viruses. In the study, two types of NanoCeram(R) filters were employed: one was a cartridge type and the other was a disc type (phi 47 mm) whose surface area is 75 times smaller than the cartridge type. The analytical method was the real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The study found that the average recovery rates of the cartridge type and the disc type were 30.9% and 29.5% respectively. Since these two rates were very close to each other, the adsorption rate of the cartridge type could be predicted with the disc type. Analyzing recovery and absorption rates of the disc type based on different filtered volumes showed that when the volume increased from 0.5 L to 20 L, the average recovery rate rose from 14.78% to 30.41 %, while the average absorption rate dropped from 56.33% to 10.48%. The increase in turbidity from less than 1 NTU to less than 3 NTU raised the average recovery rate from 47.23% to 82.84%.

Serial Changes in Plasma Cytokine Levels in Hemorrhagic Fever with Renal Syndrome / 대한신장학회잡지

Hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) in Korea is caused by 2 serotypes of hantavirus, Hantaan and Seoul. Even though the number of peripheral CD8' T-lymphocytes is markedly elevated in the acute phase of HFRS, the pathogenetic role of this phenomena is not clear. To elucidate the role of cell-mediated immune response in HFRS, we measured concentrations of cytokines, such as IL-1, IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-10 and IFN-r in plasma samples obtained from 15 patients (15 men, 20-24 years old) at various phase of illness. Cytokines were measured by ELISA in plasma samples. The plasma concentration of IL-10 was elevated in 13/15 patients. The median maximum value, during days 4-8, was 23 ng/L (range, 0-70.2). The maximum values were significantly higher(p=0.005) than the baseline. IL-1 and IL-6 was detected in 6 patients. Other cytokine responses (IL-2, IL-4, IFN-r ) were negligible. There was no significant correlation between maximum levels of IL-10 and maximum serum concentration of creatinine (r=0.118, p=0.675), and lowest plate#let count (r=-0.088, p=0.765). Kinetics of IL-10 were quite similar in HFRS patients with maximum creatinine values >3 mg/dL and in those with values <3 mg/dL. In conclusion, plasma IL-10 levels, but not IL-2, IL-4 or INF-r were elevated in acute phase of HFRS, and it suggests that the systemic immunosuppressive activities of IL-10 might have some pathogenetic role in HFRS.

The Prognostic Factors in the Survival of Adult CAPD Patients / 대한신장학회잡지

As a single CAPD center in Korea, we, at the department of internal medicine, Seoul National University Hospital, conducted a retrospective study in CAPD patients for the causes of death, patient survival rate, technique success rate, and risk factors. We enrolled in our study 167 patients who had began CAPD as an initial replacement therapy for end stage renal disease from March 1992 to July 1997 and survived for more than 2 months. As the prognostic factors of patient survival and technique success, we analyzed demographic features, clinical features including comorbid conditions at the beginning of CAPD, and laboratory findings at the beginning and 6 months after the start of CAPD. The mean age of patients was 49.8 12.5, and sex ratio was 1.4: 1(M: F). The mean follow-up period was 24.0 +/- 14.4 months. Cerebrovasular accident(CVA), the patient giving up on the treatment, cardiac dis- eases and peritonitis were the main causes of death in CAPD patients. Among the causes of death, although CVA and the patient giving up on the treatment were relatively important, the most im- portant causes of death were cardiovascular diseases. The 2 year survival rate and 4 year survival rate of CAPD patients were 89.4% and 55.579o respectively ; the 2 year technique success rate and 4 year technique success rate of CAPD were 87.37% and 63.18% respectively ; and the mean survival period and technique success period were 50.57 +/- 2.42 and 49.37 +/- 2.85 rnonths, respectively. We determined the independent prognostic factors for patient survival to be diabetes mellitus(p=0.0004, relative risk=5.9263) and liver cirrhosis(p=0.0032, RR=5.3211) using multivariate analysis with Cox proportional hazard model. Although the results were statistically insignificant, the patients with cardiac diseases(p=0.0961, RR= 2.0116) and older patients who were over 60 years old(p=0.1312, RR=1.8431) had a poor prognosis. The probable prognostic factors for 2 year survival of patients, considered marker of risk factors for early death, were DM, liver cirrhosis, and cardiac diseases, though statistically insignificant, and they were similar to prognostic factors for the patient survival during the entire period. The independent prognostic factor of technique failure of CAPD was DM(p= 0.0150, RR=2.6762). The patient survival rate and technique success rate of CAPD patients were similar to the outcomes reported in other countries. However, the fact that liver cirrhosis was included as one of the independent prognostic factors seems to reflect a disease characteristic of Korean population in whom chronic liver diseases are prevalent. Due to ever increasing pro- portions of DM, cardiac diseases, and older patients in CAPD patients and the prevalence of liver cirrhosis in Korea, more intensive management is necessary for CAPD patients with these disorders/ conditions.