Effect of influenza vaccine on pulmonary function in stable asthma / 천식및알레르기

BACKGROUND: Influenza infection causes significant morbidity and mortality in asthma patients. Accordingly, annual vaccination against influenza is recommended. However, there is concern that vaccination may trigger exacerbations. Colds and insufficient asthma control cause exacerbations, which may be mistaken for vaccine related events. METHODS: We undertook a placebo-controlled crossover study to assess the effect of influenza vaccine on pulmonary function in stable asthma, we enrolled 20 patients, aged 18-65 years, who recorded daily peak flow (PEF), respiratory symptoms, medication, and additional medical consultation for each 2 weeks after placebo and vaccine injection. The primary outcome measure was an exacerbation of lung function within 72h of injection. RESULTS: There was no significant difference in the numbers with falls of more than 20% between vaccine and placebo injection (two vs none, p>0.05). Symptom score, medication doses and additional medical consultation were also indifferent after vaccine and placebo injection. CONCLUSION: The influenza vaccine is safe to administer to adult stable asthmatics.

A Case of Pulmonary Sequestration Diagnosed by Doppler Sonography / 결핵

Pulmonary sequestration is a rare congenital malformation during embryouic development which results in a cystic mass of nonfunctioning lung tissue. A diagnosis of a pulmonary sequestration has traditionally relied upon identifying the pathological arterial vessels by arteriography, computed tomography, and magnetic resonance imaging. We reported a case of pulmonary sequestration diagnosed by Doppler sonography and subsequent CT angiography. A 21-year-old-woman admitted to hospital for an investigation of recurrent pneumonia with left lower chest pain. A doppler ultrasound sonography showed an aberrant blood supply from the descending thoracic aorta to the left lower chest lesion. The pulmonary sequestration was confirmed by the subsequent CT angiograph.

A New Strategy to Predict the Neoplastic Polyps of the Gallbladder Based on a Scoring System Using Endoscopic Ultrasonography / 대한소화기내시경학회지

No abstract available.

A Case of Murine Typhus Acquired in a Laboratory / 감염

Rickettia typhi is an obligate intracellular organism and usually seen microscopically as gram-negative pleomorphic coccobacilli. Murine typhus is an acute febrile illness caused by R. typhi and transmitted to human by fleas. Fever, skin rash, headache, and myalgia characterize the clinical illness. The risk for laboratory personnel is from exposure to infectious aerosols, accidental inoculation, or exposure to bites by infected ectoparasites. A 27-year old man was admitted to the hospital because of fever and myalgia. He had worked with R. typhi in a laboratory and was exposed to R. typhi 10 days ago. The present illness began seven days before admission, when he developed high fever and conjunctival injection. One day before admission, he developed generalized erythematous skin rash and generalized edema. Immunofluorescence test with rickettsial antigen was positive at 1:4,096 on admission. He received 200 mg of doxycycline for 7 days and became afebrile on the third day after treatment.