A Case of Duodenal Diverticulitis Mimicking Cholangitis / 대한소화기내시경학회지

The duodenum ranks second to the colon as the most common site of diverticulosis in the gastrointestinal tract with a prevalence of more than 20%. It is usually asymptomatic, and rarely requires treatments for complications, including diverticulitis, hemorrhage, and luminal obstructions. Unlike diverticulosis, duodenal diverticulitis is extremely rare. Given that the radiological appearance and clinical presentation of duodenal diverticulitis often mimic those of pancreaticobiliary neoplasms or inflammations, it is a challenge for clinicians to diagnose it correctly, which often leads to misdiagnosis and inappropriate management. Here we report a case of a 69 year-old female patient with duodenal diverticulitis, whose clinical symptoms and radiological images were similar to those of acute cholangitis. We also briefly review the literature.

No Association of TGF-beta Gene Polymorphism with the Progression of Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease(ADPKD) in Korean Patients / 대한신장학회잡지

BACKGROUND: Two genetic loci, PKD1 and PKD2, have been identified as being responsible for ADPKD, and PKD1 is known to be associated with poor prognosis. However, the presence of intrafamilial clinical diversity suggests the presence of disease-modifying loci. Because the mechanism of renal failure in ADPKD includes cystic growth and tubulointerstitial atrophy and fibrosis, we studied the associations between two cytokine gene polymorphisms in the TGF-beta gene, which are known to be related with chronic tubulointerstitial inflammation, and ADPKD progression in Korean patients. METHODS: 47 normal controls and 114 individuals with ADPKD were genotyped by PCR-RFLP, and the TGF-beta gene leader sequence of T869C(Leu10Pro) variant was compared with MspA1I and G915C (Arg25Pro) with BglI. Statistic significances were determined using the Chi-square test. RESULTS: The distribution of alleles for the TGF-beta Leu10Pro polymorphism in ADPKD was : T 52%, C 48%, which was similar to the Korean(56 : 44, p= 0.670) and Western controls(65 : 35), and in addition, no differences were found between the CRF and the non-CRF groups(p=0.571) or the early hypertension and the normotension groups(p=0.252). The distribution of alleles for the TGF-beta Arg25Pro polymorphism was all GG type, which was different from Western controls(90 : 10, p=0.000). CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that the polymorphism at Arg25Pro of TGF-beta in Korean population has different allele distribution from Western, and the polymorphism at Leu10Pro of TGF-beta has no association with the renal progression of Korean ADPKD patients.

Motor Unit Numbers Estimation in Abductor Pollicis Brevis Muscle of Normal Adult

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the motor unit numbers in normal adult hand muscles using manual incremental technique and F-wave technique. METHOD: We estimated the motor unit numbers in abductor pollicis brevis muscles of twenty normal adults. In manual incremental technique, we estimated the motor unit numbers using motor unit count program setted in electrodiagnostic equipment (Dantec, Keypoint). In F-wave technique, we estimated the motor unit numbers dividing maximal M-potential amplitude by mean amplitude of surface motor unit action potential. RESULTS: There was no significant difference of motor unit numbers between right and left abductor pollicis brevis in both manual incremental and F-wave technique. Motor unit numbers using F-wave technique were significantly greater than motor unit numbers using manual incremental technique. CONCLUSION: The difference of motor unit numbers using manual incremental technique and F-wave technique was considered as a difference of functional electrical stimulation. F-wave technique was more physiologic and functional method of motor unit numbers estimation than manual incremental technique.