A Clinical study on the Hypercalcemia in Primary Bronchogenic Carcinoma / 영남의대학술지

BACKGROUND: Lung cancer-associated hypercalcemia is one of the most disabling and life-threatening paraneoplastic desorders. Humoral hypercalcemia is responsible for most lung cancer-associated hypercalcemia. Patients with hypercalcemia are usually in the advenced atage with obvious bulky tumor and carry a poor prognosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Total 29 patients satisfied the following criteria: histologically proven primary lung cancer, corrected calcium level> or =10.5 mg/dL, and symptons which could possibly be attributed to hypercalcemia. In this retrospective study, we evalluated the various clinical aspects of hypercalcemia, in relation to cancer stage, histologic cell type, mass size, bone metastasis, performance status, and other possible characteristics RESULTS: Total 29 lung cancer patients with hypercalcemia were studied, and most of them had squamous cell carcinoma in their histologic finding. The incidence of hypercalcemia was significantly higher between 50 and 69 years of age, and in the advancement of cancer stage. Although serum calcium level showed positive correlation with mass size, performance statusm and bone ore frequent in the patients with higher serum calcium level. There were no differences in effectiveness among therapeutic regimens. Hypercalcemia was more frequently in the later stage of disease than during the initial diagnosis of lung cancer. Most of the patients died within 1 month after development of hypercalcemia. CONCLUSION: We concluded that hypercalcemia in lung cancer is related to extremely poor prognosis, and may be one of the causes of drath and should be treated aggressively to prevent sudden deterioration or death.

The Clinical Effects of Cefpirome for the Treatment of Acute Lower Respiratory Infection / 영남의대학술지

BACKGROUND: In contrast to a healthy person, patients who have acute lower pespiratory tract infection with underlying pulmonary diseases have various pathogens, a rapidly progressie downhill course, and a poor response to prior antimicrobial therapy. Broad spectrum antivacterial therapy is needed for full evaluation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of cefpirome, we administered 1gm cefpirome, twice a day to 30 patients who had signs and symptoms of acute lower repiratory infection regardless of their underlying disease, except to those who had an allergic history to antibiotics or severe systemic diseases. RESULTS: The results were as follows : 1) Among 30 cases, 21 cases(70.0%) showed excellent improvement, and 7 cases(23.3%) showed good improvement in their symptoms and signs of acute lower respiratory infection. 2) In 14 cases with isolated pathogens, we observed bacteriologic eradication in 11 cases(78.6%). 3) Significant side effects were not found CONCLUSION: Above results suggest that cefpirome was effective as a monotherapy in patients with acute lower respriatory infection, especially on those with as underlying chronic obstructive pulmonary disease(COPD).

Clinical Aspects in Patients with Thyrotoxic Periodic Hypokalemic Paralysis / 영남의대학술지

BACKGROUND: Thyrotoxic periodic paralysis is an uncommon illness characterized by intermittent flaccid paralysis of skeletal muscle, usually accompanied by hypokalemia, in patient with hyperthyroidism. However. the pathophysiology of thyrotoxic periodic paralysis remains largely unexplained and controversial. This report describes the clnical and biochemical findings in 19 patients with thyrotoxic periodic paralysis who were examined at the Yeungnam University Medical Center (YUMC) during the past decade. METHODS: The medical records of 997 YUMC patients, seen between 1986 and 1996, with dignosis of hyperthyroidism were reviewed. Nineteen patients out of 997 hyperthyrodism patients were diagnosed, and examined by history, physical examination, serum electrolyte value, and thyroid function test during paralysis. On the basis of these results, compasons were made on age. sex, precipitating factors, timing, affected limbs, prognosis, serum potassium and serum phosphate and thyroid hormone levels. RESULTS: the prevalence of periodic paralysis in hyperthyroidism was 1.9 percent and the male to female prevalence ratio was 30:1 and in all patients, the development of perodic paralysis was correlated with hyperfuntional state of the throid gland. Eleven cases of periodic paralysis were associated with hypokalemia and their throid hormon levels were significantly more increased than those of the patients without hypokalemia. interestingly, our study shows the recurrence of paralysis after treatment. CONCLUSION: Although the precise pathophysiology of the disease is as yet undefined and controversial, it occurs primarily in Asians with an overwhelming male preponderance and prevalence of 2 percent in hyperthyrodism. The interactive roles of thyroid hormon. Na-K pump. and genetically inherited defect in the celluar membrance potential of the skeletal muscle can be speculated. Further investigation will be neede to firmly establish the mechanism of thyrotoxic periodic paraysis.