Basal Serum Biochemical Markers as a Predictor of Survival in Patients Undergoing Hemodialysis / 대한신장학회잡지

To investigate the influence of first six-month mean for serum biochemical markers, albumin, cholesterol, triglyceride, inorganic phosphate, BUN, creatinine, on survival in hemodialysis, we retrospectively analyzed the 57 patients who were monitored from the start of HD for more than 6 months between January 1988 and December 1995. Exclusion criteria were as follows: transfer to CAPD, transplantation or another dialysis center, HD for less than 6 months, non-compliant, death due to malignant disease, accident and self-withdrawal. The patients were divided into two groups according to the demographic characteristics and the median value of first six-month mean for serum biochemical markers. The mean age was 46.7+/-11.7 year, male-to female ratio was 1.6:1, diabetics were 12 (21.1%), and mean follow-up duration was 39.0+/-26.4 months. Among them 30 patients (52.6%) were died. Diabetic patients had significantly lower 1 year (63.6 vs. 88.8%, p<0.05) and 3 year survival rate (19.1 vs. 62.2%, p<0.05) than non-diabetic patients. Low serum albumin(<3.5g/dl), low serum cholesterol(<130mg/dl) and low serum P (<5.0mg/dl) groups were significantly lower 1 and 3 year survival rate than high serum albumin (63.6 vs. 97.0%; 25.5 vs. 74.6%, p<0.05), cholesterol (71.4 vs. 88.0%; 38.1 vs. 60.8%, p<0.05) and p (71.9 vs. 96.3% ; 47.1 vs. 62.9%, p<0.05) groups, respectively. There were no differences in survival rate according to sex, BUN, TG, and creatinine. By Cox's proportional hazard model, low serum albumin(odds ratio 1.98), cholesterol(odds ratio 1.60), and P(odds ratio 2.09) group were independent risk factors for early death. Low serum albumin level at the start of HD maintained during the follow-up period. Cholesterol and P showed similar results. In conclusion, basal serum biochemical markers associated with visceral protein depletion such as low serum albumin, cholesterol and P seem to be early predictors of mortality in hemodialysis patients.

A Case of Bilateral Renal Angiomyolipoma Associated with Tuberous Sclerosis / 대한신장학회잡지

Renal angiomyolipoma is a rare entity, usually associated with tuberous sclerosis. Until a few years ago it was almost impossible to arrive at a correct diagnosis preoperatively, and most of the case underwent nephrectomy with the wrong diagnosis of renal carcinoma. Recently, abdominal computerized tomography and renal sonography have made it possible to reach the correct preoperative diagnosis in many cases, and thus to avoid unnecessary nephrectomies. We herein present a case of bilateral renal angiomyolipoma with tuberous sclerosis which was preoperatively diagnosed by abdominal ultrasound and CT. A 54 years old woman was admitted with pain on the left flank since 4 months ago. She has had multiple erythematous papules on the face, a small nodule like fibroma on the right third toe. Laboratory findings were normal range. Abdominal ultrasound revealed multiple, variable sized homogenous hyperechogenic mass in the both kidney. Abdominal CT scan showed multiple, variable sized low dense mass in both kidney. Biopsy specimens of the mass of the left kidney revealed fibronecrotic material and blood clots, in which was no evidence of malignancy. Biopsy specimen from the face revealed adenoma sebaceum.

The Predictors of Effectiveness on Urokinase Instillation Therapy into Loculated Pleural Effusion / 결핵

BACKGROUND: As the pleural inflammation progresses, exudative pleural fluid becomes loculated rapidly with pleural thickening. Complete drainage is important 13 prevent pleural fibrosis, entrapment and depression of lung function Intrapleural urokinase instillation therapy has been advocated as a method to facilitate drainage of gelatinous pleural fluid and to allow enzymatic debriment of pleural surface. This study was designed to investigate the Predictors of effeotiveness of intrapleural urokinase in treatment of loculated pleural effusion METHOD: Thirty-five patients received a single radiographically guided pig-tail catheter ranging in size from 10 to 12 French Twenty-two patients had tuberculous pleural effusions, and 13 had non-tuberculous postpneumonic empyemas. A total of 240,000 units of urokinase was dissolved in 240 ml of normal saline and the aliquots of 80mL was instilled into the pleura1 cavity via pig-tail catheter per every 8hr. Effectiveness of intrapleural urokinase instillation therapy was assessed by biochemical markers, ultrasonography, and technical details. A greater than 50% improvement on follow-up chest radiographs was defined as success group. RESULT: Twenty-seven of 35 (77.1%) patients had successful outcome to urokinase instillation therapy. Duration of symptoms before admission was shorter in sucess group (11.8α6.9day) than in failure group (26.62α16.5day) (P<0.05). Amount of drained fluid during urokinsse therapy was larger in success group (917.1α392.7ml) than in failure group (613.8α259.7ml) (P<0.05). Pleural fluid glucose was higher in success group (89.7 α35.9mg/dl) than in failure group (41.2α47.1mg/dl) (P<0.05). Pleural fluid LDH was lower in success group (878.4α654.31U/L) than in failure group (2711.1α973.1IU/L) (P<0.05). Honeycomb septated pattern on chest ultrasonography was observed in six of eight failure group, but none of success group(P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Longer duration of symptoms before admission smaller amount of drained fluid during urokinase therapy, lower glucose value, higher LDH value in pleural fluid examination and honeycomb septation pattern on chest ultrasonography were predictors for failure group of intrapleural urokinase instillation therapy.

A Case of Pyloric Obstruction Due to Gastric Tuberculosis / 대한소화기내시경학회지

Gastric tuberculosis is a rare disease. It usually occurs secondarily to another lesions and mainly in the lungs. Only a few cases of primary gastric tuberculosis have been reported in the literature. Most commonly, gastric tuberculosis lesion locates in the lesser curvature side of the antrum. Therefore the clinical picture is similar to the peptic ulcer. A 24-year-old women visited to the Inha university hospital complaining of vomiting and epigastric discomfort. Gastrofiberscopy showed multiple polypoid mass around the pylorus with stenotic pyloric channel. Subtotal gastrectomy was performed and histologic examination revealed chronic granulomatous inflammation with caseation necrosis. That is compatible with tuberculosis. The patient was taken antituberculosis medication without complication. So we report the case of pyloric obstruction due to gastric tuberculosis with review of the literature.