ABSTRACT
Clustered occurrences of ankylosing spondylitis (AS) in family have been noticed. We evaluated patients with AS confirmed by the modified New York criteria for familial history of AS (one or more first to third degree relatives). The clinical characteristics and the recurrence risks (number of AS patients/number of familial members) of the familial AS compared to sporadic AS were investigated. Out of a total of 204 AS patients, 38 patients (18.6%) reported that they had a familial history of AS. The recurrence risks in the familial AS patients for first, second and third degree family members were 14.5%, 5.2%, and 4.4% respectively. Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) (22.6+/-22.2 vs 35.4+/-34.4, P=0.029) and C-reactive protein (CRP) (1.24+/-1.7 vs 2.43+/-3.3, P=0.003) at diagnosis, body mass index (21.9+/-2.7 vs 23.7+/-3.3, P=0.002) and frequency of oligoarthritis (13.2% vs 33.7%, P=0.021) were significantly lower in the familial form. The presence of HLA-B27 (97.4% vs 83.1%, P=0.044) was significantly higher in familial AS. In conclusion, Korean familial AS patients show a lower frequency of oligoarthritis, lower BMI, lower ESR and CRP at diagnosis and higher presence of HLA-B27.
Subject(s)
Adult , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Age Factors , Arthritis, Juvenile/diagnosis , Blood Sedimentation , Body Mass Index , C-Reactive Protein/analysis , Demography , Family , HLA-B27 Antigen/metabolism , Interviews as Topic , Phenotype , Recurrence , Republic of Korea , Risk Factors , Severity of Illness Index , Sex Factors , Spondylitis, Ankylosing/diagnosisABSTRACT
Strongyloides stercoralis is an intestinal nematode which infects a large portion of the world's population especially in tropical areas and other hot, humid regions. Because of an opportunistic nature of the parasite, the infection is confined to the intestinal tract in immunocompetent hosts. But, in individuals having immunocompromised state, the parasite is augmented by autoinfection, resulting in hyperinfection and/or systemic dissemination. In Korea, several cases of strongyloides hyperinfection were reported since 1959, especially who had corticosteroid therapy and other immunosuppressive medications. We experienced a case of strongyloides hyperinfection, accompanied with terminal stage of stomach cancer. The patient responded to treatment with albendazole. After one month later, repeated follow-up stool exam revealed clearance of the larvae from the patient' feces. So, we report this case with the literature.