Clinical Investigation of Recurrent Pneumonia in Adults: Analysis of Patients From Hallym University Medical Center / 결핵및호흡기질환

BACKGROUND: Recurrent pneumonia in adults is not uncommon. However, there is no domestic data about recurrent pneumonia in adults. Therefore, we investigated the associated diseases and clinical findings of recurrent pneumonia in adults. METHODS: Among 5513 patients who were treated in five teaching hospitals of Hallym medical center?over a 5-year period, we retrospectively reviewed the medical records of the 58 who were compatible with diagnostic criteria of recurrent pneumonia. RESULTS: The number of patients with recurrent pneumonia was 58 (1.05%, 58/5513) during the 5 years. Thirty- seven patients were male and 21 were female. Mean age was 66.4 (+/-14.9) years. Median interval between each pneumonic episode was 18.5 months. Associated diseases were 25 cases of respiratory diseases, 13 of heart diseases, 13 of diabetes mellitus, 7 of lung malignancies, 11 of malignancies other than lung, 7 of neurologic disease, and 8 of miscellaneous diseases. Three cases had no underlying illness. Of the 8 cases with 2 or more times of recurrence, 4 were associated with respiratory diseases, 2 with aspiration pneumonia due to neurologic diseases, 1 with heart disease and 1 with no underlying illness. Recurrent pneumonic episodes affecting the same location were 30 of the total recurrent pneumonic episodes (30/67, 47.8%) and common associated diseases were respiratory diseases including lung malignancies. The etiology of recurrent pneumonia was Streptococcus pneumoniae, methicillin- resistant Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumoniae, atypical organisms, etc. CONCLUSION: Recurrent pneumonia in adults had a low incidence rate compared with children, but most cases had associated illness. Respiratory diseases including lung cancer were the most common associated illness of recurrent pneumonia.

The SOFA Score to Evaluate Organ Failure and Prognosis in the Intensive Care Unit Patients / 결핵및호흡기질환

BACKGROUND: The Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score can help to assess organ failure over time and is useful to evaluate morbidity. The aim of this study is to evaluate the performance of SOFA score as a descriptor of multiple organ failure in critically ill patients in a local unit hospital, and to compare with APACHE III scoring system. METHODS: This study was carried out prospectively. A total of ninety one patients were included who admitted to the medical intensive care unit (ICU) in Chuncheon Sacred Heart Hospital from May 1 through June 30, 2000. We excluded patients with a length of stay in the ICU less than 2 days following scheduled procedure, admissions for ECG monitoring, other department and patients transferred to other hospital. The SOFA score and APACHE III score were calculated on admission and then consecutively every 24 hours until ICU discharge. RESULTS: The ICU mortality rate was 20%. The non-survivors had a higher SOFA score within 24 hours after admission. The number of organ failure was associated with increased mortality. The evaluation of a subgroup of 74 patients who stayed in the ICU for at least 48 hours showed that survivors and non-survivors followed a different course. In this subgroup, the total SOFA score increased in 81% of the non-survivors but in only 21% of the survivors. Conversely, the total SOFA score decreased in 48% of the survivors compared with 6% of the non-survivors. The non-survivors also had a higher APACHE III score within 24 hours and there was a correlation between SOFA score and APACHE III score. CONCLUSION: The SOFA score is a simple, but effective method to assess organ failure and to predict mortality in critically ill patients. Regular and repeated scoring enables patient's condition and clinical course to be monitored and better understood. The SOFA score well correlates with APACHE III score.

A case of primary endobronchial actinomycosis associated with a foreign body / 대한내과학회지

Actinomycosis is an indolent, slowly progressive infection caused by anaerobic bacteria, primarily of the genus Actinomyces, that colonize the mouth, colon, and vagina. A vital step in the development of actinomycosis is disruption of the mucosal barrier. Actinomycosis occurs most frequently at a cervicofacial, abdominal, and pelvic region. Thoracic actinomycosis usually follows an indolent progressive course with involvement of the pulmonary parenchyma and/or the pleural space. Rarely, pulmonary nodules or endobronchial lesions can occur. We report a case of a 62-year-old woman of chronic cough with sputum and pulmonary mass with consolidation at the right lower lobe on chest radiography. Fiberoptic bronchoscopic findings revealed a polypoid tumor like mass completely obstructing RLL lobar bronchus and a hard bony material embedded there. Histologic examination of the biopsy specimens demonstrated acute and chronic inflammation with calcified material and a sulfur granule, which led to the diagnosis of endobronchial actinomycosis. The patient responded to several bronchoscopic procedures and intravenous penicillin G.

A case of primary endobronchial actinomycosis associated with a foreign body / 대한내과학회지

Actinomycosis is an indolent, slowly progressive infection caused by anaerobic bacteria, primarily of the genus Actinomyces, that colonize the mouth, colon, and vagina. A vital step in the development of actinomycosis is disruption of the mucosal barrier. Actinomycosis occurs most frequently at a cervicofacial, abdominal, and pelvic region. Thoracic actinomycosis usually follows an indolent progressive course with involvement of the pulmonary parenchyma and/or the pleural space. Rarely, pulmonary nodules or endobronchial lesions can occur. We report a case of a 62-year-old woman of chronic cough with sputum and pulmonary mass with consolidation at the right lower lobe on chest radiography. Fiberoptic bronchoscopic findings revealed a polypoid tumor like mass completely obstructing RLL lobar bronchus and a hard bony material embedded there. Histologic examination of the biopsy specimens demonstrated acute and chronic inflammation with calcified material and a sulfur granule, which led to the diagnosis of endobronchial actinomycosis. The patient responded to several bronchoscopic procedures and intravenous penicillin G.

Usefulness of Tuberculin Skin Test by Tuberculin PPD RT23 2 TU / 결핵

BACKGROUND: Tuberculin skin test is a method to examine M. tuberculosis infection and has been used all over the world. But various factors make it difficult to understand testing results. In 2000, the American Thoracic Society recommended that skin test results should be decided by considering risk factors of the tested. In Korea, high tuberculosis infection rate and BCG vaccination rate make it difficult to differentiate current infection, past infection, and no infection by the skin test. This study was attempted to examine a negative predictive value of the skin test to understand how the skin test acts on deciding administration of anti-tuberculosis drug. METHOD: From Mar. 1 to Jul. 31 in 2001, the test was performed for patients hospitalized in Department of Internal Medicine, Hallym University College of Medicine, Chunchon, Korea by administering Tuberculin PPD RT23 2 TU (0.1 ml)to them that has been currently used in Korea based on Mantoux method. They were decided to be infected with tuberculosis bacilli by following diagnostic standard: 1) tuberculosis bacilli was cultured in sputum by microbiological diagnostic standard or Acid-fast bacilli was proven on a microscopic examination or 2) tuberculosis bacilli was not proven in the aforesaid microbiological test by clinical diagnostic standard, while there was opinion or symptom suitable for tuberculosis by radiographic or histological standard so the doctor decided to apply the tuberculosis treatment. RESULTS: In this study, total 210 patients except 20 patients (8.7%) among 230 hospitalized patients were evaluated. Their average age was 60 16.8 years, and male-female rate was 1.28 : 1 (male: 118, female: 92). Number of patient, who was diagnosed and decided as tuberculosis, was 53(25.2%). Pulmonary tuberculosis was found in 45 patients (84.9%); 22 patients were decided to be positive in the Acid-fast bacilli smear test by microbiological examination (culture positive: 13, culture negative: 9), and 23 patients were decided to be tuberculosis patients by clinical diagnosis standard. Tuberculosis pleuritis was found in 8 patients (15.1%); 4 patients were diagnosed and decided by histological standard, and 4 patients were decided and treated by clinical standard. In differentiating patients into 'Negative' and 'Positive' by the skin test standard of the American Thoracic Society, negative predictive value 92.3%, positive predictive value 47.3%, sensitivity and specificity were 83%, 68.8%, respectively. CONCLUSION: In hospitalized respiratory patients, there was high negative predictive vlaue 92.3% by tuberculin skin test, therefore skin test would be a important factor for deciding administration of anti-tuberculosis drug on negative skin test patient.

Two cases of successful management of paraquat poisoning with pulmonary fibrosis / 대한내과학회지

Paraquat, a very potent herbicide, has produced many fatalities through indiscriminate usage and suicides. It is known that with ingestion of more than one mouthful of 20% paraquat, death usually occurs by pulmonary fibrosis. We experienced two cases of successful outcome in patients with paraquat poisoning complicated with pulmonary fibrosis through active, intensive treatment from the early phase after ingestion. They swallowed one to two mouthfuls of the 20% commercial paraquat, and received hemoperfusion within 2-3 hours after ingestion. Then, combination therapy with steroid, vitamin C, D-penicillamine, allopurinol, colchicine was administered from the early phase. They showed moderate to severe hypoxemia and pulmonary fibrosis on chest HRCT during hospital course, but recovered from hypoxemia and remained very well on follow up over 3 months and 12 months after ingestion, respectively. We report these cases with literature review on treatment and prognosis of paraquat poisoning.

Two cases of successful management of paraquat poisoning with pulmonary fibrosis / 대한내과학회지

Paraquat, a very potent herbicide, has produced many fatalities through indiscriminate usage and suicides. It is known that with ingestion of more than one mouthful of 20% paraquat, death usually occurs by pulmonary fibrosis. We experienced two cases of successful outcome in patients with paraquat poisoning complicated with pulmonary fibrosis through active, intensive treatment from the early phase after ingestion. They swallowed one to two mouthfuls of the 20% commercial paraquat, and received hemoperfusion within 2-3 hours after ingestion. Then, combination therapy with steroid, vitamin C, D-penicillamine, allopurinol, colchicine was administered from the early phase. They showed moderate to severe hypoxemia and pulmonary fibrosis on chest HRCT during hospital course, but recovered from hypoxemia and remained very well on follow up over 3 months and 12 months after ingestion, respectively. We report these cases with literature review on treatment and prognosis of paraquat poisoning.

Effects of cytochrome P450 2E1 polymorphism on hepatic injury in patients with alcoholic liver cirrhosis / 대한내과학회지

BACKGROUND: There is an individual variation in the hepatic injuries following alcohol abuse, which may be partly caused by the diverse activities of enzymes participating in the degradation of alcohol. Polymorphism of cytochrome P450 2E1 (CYP2E1) gene has been reported to affect the degradating activity of the enzyme, which may be eventually associated with the severity of alcoholic liver disease. In this study we were to evaluate the effects of genetic polymorphism of CYP2E1 on hepatocellular injury or fibrosis. METHODS: We analyzed the relationship of CYP2E1 genotypes to the biochemical and clinical characteristics as well as TGFbeta1 expressions in a total of 33 patients (M:F=32:1) with advanced alcoholic liver cirrhosis. CYP2E1 genotypes were determined by RFLP using RsaI and PstI. The amounts of serum TGFbeta1 were measured by ELISA (TGFbetta1 ELISA system, Promega, USA). RESULTS: Out of 33, 23 (70%) had the CYP2E1 of genotype A and all of the remaining 10 (30%) were type B; there was no one who had type C. The serum albumin levels of patients with type A of CYP2E1 gene were lower than those with type B (p=0.01); the Child-Pugh scores were also higher in patients with type A than B (p=0.03). However, there was no difference between the two groups in the serum AST, ALT, gamma-GTP and bilirubin levels. The patients expressed similar amount of serum TGFbetta1 regardless of their CYP2E1 genotypes. CONCLUSION: Our data indicates that the most common genotype of CYP2E1 is type A (70%) in patients with advanced alcoholic liver cirrhosis in Korea. It is also suggested that patients with enotype A of CYP2E1 may be associated with more advanced alcoholic liver cirrhosis compared to those with type B.

A case of disseminated intravascular coagulation after tooth extraction in abdominal aortic aneurysm / 대한내과학회지

Disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) is the result of a severe underlying disorder that initiates massive activation of the coagulation system. We report an unusual case of 79-year-old man who developed DIC after tooth extraction in abdominal aortic aneurysm. He was referred to our hospital because of persistent bleeding after tooth extraction. Physical examination indicated a pulsating mass in abdomen. Abdominal computerized tomography (CT) scan revealed 70 mm diameter aneurysm of the abdominal aorta, extending from the renal infrahilar level to the common iliac artery, and his coagulation profile showed the features of DIC by revealing thrombocytopenia, hypofibrinogenemia, and increased level of fibrinogen degradation product (FDP). After he had received blood component therapy including fresh frozen plasma and continuous intravenous heparin infusion (4,800 U/day), the bleeding diathesis and coagulopathy improved. He refused to have definitive surgery for the aneurysm.

Hemoperfusion and continuous veno-venous hemofiltration for treatment of paraquat poisoning / 대한내과학회지

BACKGROUND: In Korea, paraquat accounts for most of fatal poisoning with 500 or more deaths per year. It has been known that patients who ingested more than 1/2 mouthful of 20% concentrate paraquat usually die of multiorgan failure and pulmonary fibrosis. But the effect of charcoal hemoperfusion which can enhance elimination of paraquat remains controversial. Because acute paraquat poisoning is also characterized by multiorgan failure including kidney and marked rebound in plasma paraquat level after hemoperfusion, Continuous veon-venous hemofiltration(CVVH) may have theoretical benefits in the treatment of paraquat poisoning. So we evaluated the effect of early charcoal hemoperfusion and prophylactic CVVH after hemoperfusion in patients with paraquat poisoning. METHODS: There were 80 patients with paraquat poisoning admitted within 24 hours after ingestion (August 1996 - March 1998). All of them were treated with hemoperfusion (duration of hemoperfusion, 6.4+/-3.0 hours) within 24 hours of ingestion. The amount of ingestion was 2.1+/-1.0 mouthful (as 20% concentrate) and 78 (98%) were urine sodium dithionite test positive which is a poor prognosis factor. Forty-four patients received hemoperfusion only and 36 were followed by CVVH (duration, 50.4+/-20.9 hours; ultrafiltration volume, 33.8+/-3.9 L/day) after hemoperfusion. RESULTS: There was no difference between the hemoperfusion group and hemoperfusion+CVVH group in age, sex, initial serum creatinine, arterial oxygen saturation, severity of poisoning (as assessed by serum paraquat level determined by HPLC and amount of ingestion), or in the time elapsed from ingestion to the beginning of hemoperfusion. The total mortality was 65% (52/80) with no difference between the hemoperfusion group (64%, 28/44) and hemoperfusion+CVVH group (67%, 24/36). The mortality according to amount of ingestion was as follows: or = 3 mouthful, 82% (27/33); unknown, 60% (6/10). CONCLUSION: Early hemoperfusion can be effective in reducing mortality in patients who ingest less than 2 mouthful. Even though prophylactic CVVH after hemoperfusion has no additional benefit in reducing mortality in paraquat poisoning, it prolonged the time to death after ingestion.