Unilateral Posterior Reversible Encephalopathy Syndrome Secondary to Renal Artery Obstruction: A Case Report / 대한소아신경학회지

Posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES, or posterior leukoencephalopahty syndrome) is a neurological condition caused by reversible cortical/subcortical vasogenic brain edema secondary to hypertension, cytotoxic drugs, immunosuppressants, autoimmune diseases, renal disease, eclampsia or pre-eclampsia. It is characterized by acute neurological symptoms such as headache, seizures, visual disturbances, and impaired levels of consciousness. Brain imaging usually reveals bilateral, cortical/subcortical vasogenic edema. Completely unilateral PRES constituted only 2.6% of the cases in a previous study. Here we report the case of a pediatric patient with completely unilateral PRES. A 13-year-old boy was admitted with acute gastroenteritis. On the fourth day of hospitalization, he started to complain of headache and vomiting. He then developed generalized tonic-clonic seizure 3 times. His blood pressure was 180/121 mmHg during the first seizure, 188/112 mmHg during the second seizure and 152/92 mmHg during the third seizure. T2-weighted imaging with fluid attenuation by inversion recovery (T2 FLAIR) demonstrated high-signal intensity in the cortical gyri of the left frontal, parietal, and occipital lobes. Follow-up magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was performed 2 weeks after the seizure onset, which indicated a significant improvement in the patient's condition. Abdominal pelvic computed tomography (CT) and renal CT angiography showed abnormal narrowing of the left renal artery. In summary, we present a case report of unilateral PRES secondary to renovascular hypertension due to left renal arterial obstruction.

A Case of Acute Pancreatitis: Portal Vein Superimposed Thrombosis in a Nephritic Syndrome Patient / 대한내과학회지

Nephrotic syndrome is characterized by hypercoagulability and thrombosis of the renal and deep veins. We describe a case of unusual thrombosis in the portal and superior mesenteric veins of a 41-year-old female, admitted for treatment of abdominal pain, who simultaneously presented with nephrotic syndrome and acute pancreatitis. Laboratory analysis revealed hypoalbuminemia, hyperlipidemia, and proteinuria. Abdominal computed tomography revealed acute pancreatitis, thrombosis at the portal and superior mesenteric veins, and ischemic changes in the colon and small intestines. Anticoagulation therapy was started immediately. Abdominal pain was subsequently reduced and the ischemic lesion disappeared. Warfarin use could not be terminated immediately. Empirical steroid therapy commenced without a kidney biopsy. Complete remission occurred after 4 weeks. Following warfarin cessation, a kidney biopsy was performed, confirming the diagnosis of minimal change disease.

Fibrillary glomerulonephritis combined with chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy

A 58-yr-old man presented with leg edema and subacute weakness of his bilateral lower extremities. Urinary and serum immunoelectrophoresis revealed the presence of lambda-type Bence Jones proteins. He was ultimately diagnosed with monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS). A renal biopsy specimen showed fibrillary glomerulonephritis (FGN), which was randomly arranged as 12-20 m nonbranching fibrils in the basement membranes. Immunofluorescence studies were negative for immunoglobulin (Ig)G, IgM, IgA, C3, and kappa light chains in the capillary walls and mesangial areas. A Congo red stain for amyloid was negative. Electromyography and nerve conduction velocity examinations results were compatible with the presence of demyelinating polyneuropathy. This case showed a rare combination of FGN, without Ig deposition, and MGUS combined with chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP).

Torsades de Pointes during Treatment of Tachycardia-Induced Cardiomyopathy / 대한구급학회지

Tachycardia-induced cardiomyopathy is caused by persistent tarchyarrhythmias and is characterized by ventricular systolic dysfunction and congestive heart failure. Tachycardia-induced cardiomyopathy is usually reversible via treatment. The cornerstone in the management of disease in these patients is to achieve a normal heart rate. We report a torsades de pointes during treatment of tachycardia-induced cardiomyopathy. Intravenous magnesium sulfate and potassium were administrated, but torsades de pointes was repeated. After overdrive right ventricular pacing, torsades de pointes was terminated. Careful monitoring of the QT interval and serum electrolyte and drug levels in such patients is warranted during treatment of tachycardia-induced cardiomyopathy.

The Diagnostic Usefulness of Endoscopic Findings and Detection Rates of CLO and HpKit Test for Helicobacter pylori Infection in Children

PURPOSE: We performed this study to evaluate the diagnostic usefulness of endoscopic finding of nodular gastritis, CLO and HpKit test for H. pylori infection in children. METHODS: Gastroduodenal endoscopy and mucosal biopsy were performed on 212 children who visited our hospital between Jul. 1999 and May 2000 due to abdominal pain. We performed CLO and HpKit test for H. pylori with the time interval of 15, 30 minutes, 1, 2, 3, 24, 48, 72, 96, 120 and 144 hours. Histological examination of H. pylori was made by H-E or Alcian yellow stain with biopsy specimens. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive and negative predictive value of nodular gastritis, CLO and HpKit test were calculated from the analysis of above data. RESULTS: Sensitivity and specificity of 3 hour-CLO test was 68.4% and 100% respectively. Sensitivity and specificity of 3 hour-HpKit test was 65.8% and 100% respectively. No significant difference in sensitivity and specificity was found between in 3 hour-CLO and HpKit test(P>0.05). Sensitivity of CLO test increased as time lapsed, but corresponding specificity did not decrease as time lapsed(sensitivity and specificity at 144 hours : 89.5% and 94.8% respectively). However, sensitivity of HpKit test increased as time lapsed, but specificity markedly decreased. Sensitivity and specificity of the nodular gastritis was 78.9% and 93.7% respectively. CONCLUSION: Both CLO and HpKit test have relatively low sensitivity and specificity for the detection of H. pylori in 3 hours of testing in children. The endoscopic finding of nodular gastritis is another good standard in the diagnosis of H. pylori infection in children.

Analysis of Children with Unilateral Multicystic Dysplastic Kidney ( MCDK )

In a six-year period(1988. 5-1994. 4), fine needle aspiration cytology(FNAC) of 322 pulmonary lesions from 296 patients were performed at Soonchunhyang University Hospital. Of these 322, malignancy was diagnosed cytologically in 139(43.2%), suspicious malignancy in 7(2.2%), negative in 164(50.8%), and insufficient material in 12(3.8%). Malignant lesions consisted of 54 cases of adenocarcinoma, 50 cases of squamous cell carcinoma, 18 cases of small cell carcinoma. They were verified by histologic examination in 70 cases. There were 2(0.6%) false positive cases due to florid bronchoalveolar hyperplasia and atypical bronchial epithelial cells associated with granulomatous lesion. The overall accuracy rate was 90%, the sensitivity 84.3% and the specificity 94.7%.

Current Status of Children Born from Renal Transplanted Mother

Fine needle aspiration of the breast is an important diagnostic tool in malignant lesions, but is also useful in differentiation of inflammatory breast diseases mimicking carcinoma clinically and radiologically. Recently, the authors have experienced eight biopsy-proven cases of chronic inflammatory diseases of the breast, which consisted of 4 cases of duct ectasia, 2 cases of fat necrosis, and a case of tuberculous mastitis and granulomatous mastitis respectively, Their cytoiogic features mainly based on the components and the relative frequency of inflammatory cells were evaluated for differential diagnosis of chronic inflammatory breast diseases. The results are as follows ; 1. In cases of duct ectasia, varying amount of neutrophils, mononuclear leukocytes, histiocytes and multinucleated giant cells were intermixed with benign epithelial cell clusters. 2, Abundant fat tissue fragments were diagnostic for fat necrosis. Histiocytes and mononuclear cells were main components but not rich, and neutrophils and giant cells were infrequently observed. 3. Characteristic granulomas composed of epithelioid cells, mononuclear leukocytes and Langhans' type giant cells and lymphocytic infiltrates were conspicuous in tuberculous mastitis, and occasionally neutrophils, necrotic materials and epithelial cell clusters were found. 4. In granulomatous mastitis, epithelioid cell granulomas were also noted but numerous neutrophils and histiocytes were intermingled within or outside the granulomas.