A Case of Early Gastric Cancer with Nodular Tumor-like Scalp Metastasis / 대한소화기학회지

Many neoplasms, including lung cancer, breast cancer, melanoma, and gastrointestinal tract malignancy, possess potential for skin metastasis. Skin metastases can represent the first presentation of such malignancies and may be observed incidentally during routine exam. Skin metastases from gastric adenocarcinoma are uncommon, with a prevalence rate of 0.04-0.8%. Cutaneous metastases from gastric cancer are generally observed as the initial symptom of advanced gastric cancer. Early detection and treatment can increase patient survival. A 42-year-old woman visited our department with nodule about 1 cm in size on the right frontal scalp noticed incidentally after laparoscopy-assisted distal gastrectomy and adjuvant systemic chemotherapy for early gastric cancer about 16 months prior. The patient was diagnosed with skin metastasis from gastric adenocarcinoma. Complete excision of the skin lesion and additional chemotherapy were performed. Herein, we report a case of nodular tumor-like scalp metastasis from early gastric cancer with a brief review of the literature.

The AIMS65 Score Is a Useful Predictor of Mortality in Patients with Nonvariceal Upper Gastrointestinal Bleeding: Urgent Endoscopy in Patients with High AIMS65 Scores

BACKGROUND/AIMS: To validate the AIMS65 score for predicting mortality of patients with nonvariceal upper gastrointestinal bleeding and to evaluate the effectiveness of urgent ( or =2) were allocated to either the urgent or non-urgent endoscopic procedure group. In-hospital mortality, success of endoscopic procedure, recurrence of bleeding, admission period, and dose of transfusion were compared between groups. RESULTS: A total of 634 patients were analyzed. The AIMS65 score successfully predicted mortality (AUROC=0.943; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.876 to 0.99) and was superior to the Rockall score (AUROC=0.856; 95% CI, 0.743 to 0.969) in predicting mortality. The group with high AIMS65 score included 200 patients. The urgent endoscopic procedure group had reduced hospitalization periods (p<0.05) CONCLUSIONS: AIMS65 score may be useful in predicting mortality in patients with nonvariceal upper gastrointestinal bleeding. Urgent endoscopic procedures in patients with high scores may be related to reduced hospitalization periods.

A Case of Extrahepatic Metastasis of Hepatocellular Carcinoma to the Pronator Quadratus Muscle of Right Wrist

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is usually associated with chronic liver disease such as liver cirrhosis. Primary HCC lesions and even recurrent intrahepatic lesions can be treated successfully by using variable modalities applicable to intrahepatic lesions. HCC can cause intrahepatic multiple occurrence and extrahepatic metastasis. Extrahepatic metastasis occurs in up to about 60% of patients of HCC, and a major of patients with extrahepatic HCC had late intrahepatic stage of tumor. Themost frequent site of extrahepatic metastasis of HCC was the lung. HCC metastasized to soft tissues was unusually reported. Extrahepatic metastasis of HCC, especially to unusual site, should not be overlooked and must be able to be controlled. We experienced a case that HCC was metastasized to the pronator quadratus muscle of right wrist and chould be removed surgically.

Depression and Quality of Life in Patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study is to examine the prevalence of depression and its related factors including quality of life, brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), and vitamin D in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). METHODS: Depression was assessed using the center for epidemiologic studies depression (CES-D) scale. Disease activity, disease-related organ damage, the EuroQol-5 dimensions (EQ-5D), sociodemographic features, and laboratory tests including serum vitamin D level were surveyed. Serum BDNF was measured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. RESULTS: Depression was observed in 22.8% of 180 SLE patients (n=41). Patients with marital status of single/divorced/separated/widowed, a higher patient global assessment (PGA) score, and extreme pain/discomfort showed significant association with depression. The EQ-5D index showed negative correlation with CES-D score (r=-0.56, p<0.05). In each EQ-5D dimension, depression showed significant association with moderate to severe problems in self-care and usual activities, and extreme pain/discomfort. Serum BDNF levels were not associated with depression (p=0.75) but associated with SLE disease activity index (SLEDAI; r=-0.21, p<0.05). Serum vitamin D levels were not associated with depression (p=0.60) but showed negative correlation with SLEDAI (r=-0.23, p<0.05) and mean glucocorticoid dose over the previous 3 months (r=-0.21, p<0.05) after adjustment for use of vitamin D supplement. CONCLUSION: Depression was prevalent in patients with SLE and was associated with low quality of life, and a higher PGA but not with SLEDAI. Serum BDNF and vitamin D levels were not associated with depression but showed snegative correlation with SLEDAI.

Late Postoperative Anterograde Jejunojejunal Intussusception after Total Gastrectomy with Loop Esophagojejunostomy

Anterograde jejunojejunal intussusception after total gastrectomy is a very rare postoperative complication. We report a 54-year-old man with a history of total gastrectomy, uncut Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, and Braun's jejunojejunal anastomosis. An upper gastrointestinal endoscopy revealed a bulky, reddish mass in the efferent loop with congestion, edema, and mucosal bleeding. An emergency computed tomography showed a target-like multilayered wall thickening in the afferent loop and a lamellar structure arranged in a concentric circle. Surgical exploration revealed an anterograde intussusception of the afferent proximal jejunum adjacent to the jejunojejunostomy site. This is a very uncommon occurrence because most intussusceptions after total gastrectomy are of the retrograde type. Moreover, anterograde jejunojejunal intussusception tends to occur in the early postoperative period. We report a case of late postoperative anterograde jejunojejunal intussusception after total gastrectomy with Braun's jejunojejunal anastomosis in a 54-year-old Korean man and review the related literature.

A Case of Pulmonary Carcinosarcoma with Persistent Mild Fever

Carcinosarcoma is defined as a malignant tumor with an admixture of carcinoma and sarcoma. Pulmonary carcinosarcoma accounts for about 0.27 percent of all lung neoplasms. It occurs frequently in males, particularly in smokers between 50 and 80 years of age. Preoperative diagnostic tests, such as sputum cytology, percutaneous fine needle biopsy and bronchoscopy, have a low yield in detection of pulmonary carcinosarcoma. The diagnosis is verified by postoperative pathologic findings and by immunohistochemical investigations in many cases. Surgical resection is the treatment of choice. As the metastasis to regional lymph nodes and distant organ is common at diagnosed time, the prognosis is quite poor. We report a case of pulmonary carcinosarcoma presented with persistent mild fever and blood-tinged sputum in a 66-year-old male.

A Case of Synchronous Primary Right Atrial Myxoma and Occult Hepatocellular Carcinoma

The incidence of cardiac metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is about 1-4% and especially metastasis to right atrium (RA) is very rare, with an incidence of only 0.7-3% in a postmortem series. But, most RA tumors associated with HCC are intracardiac metastasis and the occurrence of synchronous primary RA myxoma and HCC is extremely rare. We report one case that a cardiac mass was primary RA myxoma initially misdiagnosed as occult HCC with intracardiac metastasis.

A Case of Triple Synchronous Primary Colon Cancer Diagnosed by Colonoscopy before Operation / 대한소화기내시경학회지

Multiple primary colorectal carcinomas are not rare and occur more often than what can be ascribed to chance, but the frequencies on record vary. The tumors are usually classified as synchronous if they are present at the same time. It is often difficult to detect all these multiple lesions preoperatively:a correct diagnosis is frequently obtained only upon examination of the resected specimen. Triple synchronous primary colon cancer is an exceedingly rare disease. Despite of its rarity, multiple colon cancers should be investigated in the patients in whom clinical or laboratory evidence of colon cancer is suspected. Recently, we experienced one case of triple synchronous primary colon cancer diagnosed by colonoscopy before operation and report here with the review of the literature.

Clinical Features of Dermatomyositis/Polymyositis(DM/PM) with lung Involvement / 결핵

BACKGROUND: Although lung involvement has been reported in 5 to 46% of dermatomyositis/polymyositis (DM/PM) patients, reports of the condition in Korea are rare. This study evaluated the clinical features of lung involvement in DM/PM patients. METHODS: The medical records, laboratory results and radiologic findings of 79 DM/PM patients, who attended the Seoul National University Hospital (SNUH) between 1989 and 1999, were reviewed retrospectively. RESULTS: A total 79 patients of whom 24 patients(33%) showed lung involvement, were enrolled in this study. More patients with lung involvement were female(F:M=11:1), and older compared with those without lung involvement. Patients with lung involvement presented with dyspnea(79%), coughing(67%), an elevated ESR, and CK/LD. Anti-Jo 1 antibody test was positive in 30%, which is significantly higher in patients with lung involvement. A simple chest X-ray of the patients with lung involvement exhibited reticular opacity(50%), reticulonodular opacity(30%), patchy opacity(29%), nodular opacity(13%) and linear opacity(4%). HRCT(n=24) showed ground glass opacity(75%), linear or septal thickening(50%), patchy consolidation(42%), honey-combing(33%) and nodular opacity(17%). The pulmonary function test showed a restrictive ventilatory pattern(77%) and a lower diffusing capacity(62%). The patients were followed up during a mean duration of 30±28 months. They were treated with steroid only(50%) or a combination of steroids and cytotoxic agents(46%). Muscle symptoms were improved in 89% with treatment, but an improvement in the respiratory symptoms or in the pulmonary function test was rare. Patients with lung involvement had a higher mortality rate(21%) than those without lung involvement(10%) during the follow-up periods. CONCLUSION: DM/PM patients with lung involvement were mostly female, older and had a higher positive rate Anti-Jo 1 antibodies, but there was no significant difference in prognosis.

A Comparision Between Bucillamine And D-Penicillamine In The Treatmnt Of Rheumatoid Arthritis / 대한류마티스학회지

OBJECTIVE: In order to compare the clinical effect and frequency of side effects between d-penicillamine and bucillamine, a chemical derivative of d-penicillamine, we conducted a randomized, controlled clinical trial. METHODS: 22 and 24 patients were allocated in each treatment arm, after stratification according to functional class, anatomical stage, and concomittant steroid use. We evaluated tender joint count, swollen joint count, tenderness score, duration of morning stiffness, and grip strength every 4 weeks. Westergren ESR, hemoglobin, leucocyte and platelet count were also checked every 4 weeks, and C-reactive protein(CRP)quantitation and rheumatoid factor(RF) titration were checked at baseline and 16 weeks. Study period spanned 16 weeks. RESULTS: At the end of the trial, both swollen joint count and tenderness score decreased significantly from baseline in both groups, whereas tender joint count decreased siginficantly in bucillamine-treated group only. Grip strength also improved significantly in bucillamine group. Duration of morning stiffness decreased in both groups. When we arbitrarily defined response as more than 30% decrease in both tender and swollen joint count from baseline, 27% of bucillamine group and 33% of d-penicillamine group responded. The response rate did not differ significantly between the 2 groups. ESR and RF decreased in both groups, whereas CRP decreased significantly only in bucillamine group. The frequency of side effects lasting more than 1 day and possibly related to drug was 14% and 37% in bucillamine and d-penicillamine group, respectively. The difference was statistically not significant. CONCLUSIONS: Bucillamine is as effective as d-penicillamine in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. The frequency of side effect tended to be lower.

A clinical study on 55 patients with fever of undetermined origin / 감염

No abstract available.

Thoracic aortic aneurysm associated with aortitis--case reports and histological review

Ten cases of post-inflammatory aneurysm of the thoracic aorta were studied morphologically using aortic wall and aortic valve tissue resected during the surgical repair of the lesions. Four cases of aortic aneurysm in Behcet's disease showed massive perivascular infiltration of the lymphocytes and plasma cells in adventitia and vasa vasorum. Fibrous obliteration of the vasa vasorum was seen, and neutrophilic infiltration was also associated in two cases with recurrent prosthetic valve failure. Three cases of aortic aneurysm associated with Takayasu's arteritis showed similar histologic features, but giant cells and histiocytic reactions were additional findings. Plasma cell infiltration was more pronounced compared to the Behcet's aortitis. One case of luetic aortitis showed a non-specific chronic inflammatory reaction with florid endothelial cell proliferation. One case of ankylosing spondylitis showed fibrous thickening at the periannular portion of the aortic valve cusps, but this finding was also seen in an aortic valve of a patient with Behcet's disease. One case without any disease association showed similar features of chronic inflammation with granuloma formation. The findings suggest that they have similar histologic features indistinguishable in terms of the clinical disease association, but a granulomatous reaction could be expected in Takayasu's arteritis.