A Study of Serum HSP in Heart Transplanted Rats / 대한이식학회지

PURPOSE: This study was performed to investigate the availability of the serum HSP72 and HSP27 as serologic markers of cardiac allograft rejection through rat heterotopic heart transplatation model. METHODS: Inbred Lewis rats were randomly divided into three groups: the allograft heart transplant group, the isograft heart transplant group, and the sham-operated group. Six animals were studied in each group. In allograft heart tranplant group, the Brown Norway rats were used as donors and in isograft heart tranplant group, the Lewis rats were used as donors. The sera of the allograft heart transplanted rats, isograft heart transplanted rats, and sham- operated rats were collected at preoperative time, 3 days after operation and 6 days after operation, and analyzed for HSP72 and HSP27 by Western blots. Quantifications of band densities were carried out by laser densitometer and the results were expressed as % preoperative densities. RESULTS: The levels of serum HSP72 of 3 days and 6 days after heart transplantation significantly increased in the allograft heart transplant group than in the isograft heart transplant group, respectively (160.2+/-44.8% vs. 109.0+/-34.7%, 276.0+/-72.1% vs. 175.0+/-44.2%, P<0.05). The levels of seum HSP27 of 3 days and 6 days after heart transplantation significantly increased in the allograft heart transplant group than in the isograft heart transplant group, respectively (162.3+/-62.7% vs. 118.4+/-37.0%, 235.7+/-67.1% vs. 127.9+/-40.8%, P<0.05). CONCLUSION: It is concluded that serum HSP72 and HSP27 are useful markers to detect the cardiac allograft rejection.

A Case of Acute Pancreatitis Associated with Fasciola Hepatica / 대한소화기내시경학회지

Fascioliasis is a zoonotic helminthiasis caused by the trematode Fasciola hepatica, which is a parasite that infects the hepatobiliary system of herbivorous animals such as cattle and sheep. Humans are accidentally infected after ingestion of the water, raw aquatic plants and raw liver of herbivorous animals that are all contaminated by metacercaria. Fascioliasis produces no symptoms in most patients, but adult Fasciola hepatica occasionally gives rise to intestinal obstruction or pancreatobiliary disease. The metacercaria can migrate along the vessels or lymphatic ducts, and they can induce disease of the liver, lung and heart. We report here on a rare case of a 68-year-old male who presented with acute abdominal pain. He was diagnosed as acute pancreatitis associated with Fasciola hepatica.

A Case of Rifampicin-Associated Pseudomembranous Colitis / 대한소화기내시경학회지

Pseudomembranous colitis is a rare disease and is caused by abnormal overgrowth of toxin producing Clostridium difficile colonizing the large bowel of patients undergoing antibiotic therapy. Rifampicin is one of the first line anti-tuberculous agents, used worldwide. However, pseudomembranous colitis related to rifampicin usage is rare. We report a case of pseudomembranous colitis which developed in a 70-year-old male patient during the first line anti-tuberculous therapy including rifampicin. The patient was diagnosed with active pulmonary tuberculosis thirty days earlier. On admission, he suffered watery diarrhea and intermittent abdominal pain for 10 days. Sigmoidoscopic examination revealed diffusely scattered whitish to yellowish pseudomembrane with skipped areas or edematous hyperemic mucosa from rectum to descending colon, and histopathologic findings were consistent with pseudomembranous colitis with typical volcano-like exudate. Symptoms improved after excluding rifampicin and treatment with metronidazole. In patients with persistent diarrhea and abdominal pain receiving anti-tuberculous therapy including rifampicin, rifampicin-associated pseudomembranous colitis should be considered.