Long-term Treatment Outcomes for Autoimmune Hepatitis in Korea

Immunosuppressive therapy can improve clinical, biochemical and histological features and considerably prolong survival in patients with autoimmune hepatitis. Although ethnicity may affect disease severity and presentation, the long-term outcome of immunosuppression in Korean populations is unknown. This study was aimed to assess the efficacy of immunosuppressive therapy and determine the prognosis of autoimmune hepatitis in Korean populations. We reviewed the medical records of 86 patients diagnosed as having autoimmune hepatitis at the Samsung Medical Center between 1994 and 2008. Seventy-two (83.7%) patients reached remission after a median treatment duration of 3.5 months (range 1 to 44 months). Attempts to withdraw medications were made in 24 cases after the median treatment duration of 36 months (median 6 to 125 months). Thirteen of 24 (54.1%) patients relapsed after treatment withdrawal. Of the 86 patients, 6 (7.2%) experienced disease progression and the overall 5-and 10-yr progression-free survival rates were 91.2% and 85.5%, respectively. In conclusion, immunosuppressive therapy for autoimmune hepatitis results in a favorable rate of remission and excellent progression-free survival, but the relapse rate after treatment withdrawal is high. This suggests that long-term immunosuppressive therapy may be particularly important for treatment of Korean patients.

Contrast-induced Nephropathy in Patients Undergoing Percutaneous Coronary Angiography and its Clinical Characteristics / 대한신장학회지

PURPOSE: Contrast media-induced nephropathy (CIN) following coronary angiography is associated with an increased mortality and morbidity. We investigated the incidence of nephrotoxicity, clinical characteristics, laboratory characteristics and risk factors of CIN in patients undergoing coronary angiography. METHODS: We retrospectively evaluated the medical records of 555 patients who had undergone coronary angiography at the Sanggye Paik Hospital, from January 2004 to December 2005. We defined CIN as any increase in the creatinine value of more than 0.5 mg/dL or 50% of baseline value. RESULTS: Among 555 patients, CIN developed in 10 of 48 patients (20.8%) with renal insufficiency (serum creatinine > or =1.4 mg/dL) and in 7 of 507 patients (1.4%) without renal insufficiency (p or =65 years were the significant predictors of CIN. There were no statistical differences in contrast type and volume according to the development of CIN. CONCLUSION: Our data supported the assumption that renal insufficiency, congestive heart failure, hyperuricemia and anemia may be the risk factors of developing CIN.

Mucocele of the Appendix Secondary to Obstruction by Cecal Endometriosis / 대한소화기내시경학회지

The mucocele of the appendix is an uncommon abnormality caused by a dilatation of the appendiceal lumen caused by the abnormal accumulation of mucus. It can be associated with other colorectal tumors. Endometriosis of the gastrointestinal tract is also rare, particularly in the cecum. An appendiceal mucocele is usually diagnosed by a radiological study or surgery, however, recently, a colonoscopy is becoming an important diagnostic tool for colon diseases. We report a case of appendiceal mucocele. It is believed that the condition developed as a result of an obstruction of the appendicecal lumen caused by endometriosis, and might have been the cause of the intermittent right lower quadrant pain experience by the patient, which was aggravated during the menstrual period.

A Case of Wegener's Granulomatosis with Colitis / 대한류마티스학회지

Wegener's granulomatosis is an uncommon disease that is characterized by granulomatous necrotizing vasculitis affecting small vessels. It typically targets the upper and lower respiratory tract and the kidney, but gastrointestinal involvement is rare. A 41-year-old man who has been already diagnosed with Wegener's granulomatosis by nasal cavity biopsy was admitted with bloody diarrhea and high fever. He had discontinued taking the immunosuppressive medication. His colonoscopic finding revealed colitis and ulcer lesions which biopsies show vasculitis and ill-defined granuloma. Therefore he was treated with systemic steroid and improved dramatically.