Combination therapy of liothyronine and levothyroxine for hypothyroidism-induced dilated cardiomyopathy

Thyroid hormone plays a vital role in regulating human metabolism. They affect the functions of major organs, such as the brain, liver, skeletal muscle, and heart. Hypothyroidism can lead to dilated cardiomyopathy and decreased heart function. In this report, we describe a case of a teenage boy who developed dilated cardiomyopathy due to hypothyroidism and was considered to undergo heart transplantation. Levothyroxine monotherapy was initiated but produced no improvement. Thereafter, a combination therapy of liothyronine and levothyroxine was administered, and heart function was gradually restored; he recovered completely after 6 months. Cardiac myocytes respond more specifically to liothyronine than to levothyroxine. Therefore, we suggest that liothyronine and levothyroxine combination therapy should be considered rather than levothyroxine monotherapy for hypothyroidism accompanied by heart disease.

Hypoxia Regulates the Extracellular Matrix via Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases Pathway in Cells Retrieved from the Human Intervertebral Disc

Purpose@#The present study aimed to identify the physiological characteristics of cells by investigating the change in gene expression and protein levels during extracellular matrix (ECM) synthesis in the intervertebral disc (IVD) under hypoxic conditions. @*Materials and Methods@#To test the effect of oxygen on cell growth and ECM synthesis of chondrocyte-like cells, the cells from IVD were separated and cultured in two hypoxia-mimicking systems: chemical hypoxic conditions using deferoxamine (DFO), and physiological hypoxic conditions using a hypoxic chamber for 7 days. Chondrocyte like cells cultured without DFO and under the normal oxygen concentration (21% O2 and 5% CO2, 37°C) served as the controls. @*Results@#Chondrocyte-like cells cultured in the presence of 6% oxygen demonstrated a 100% increase in cellular proliferation compared to the control. The cells treated with chemical hypoxic conditions demonstrated a dose-dependent increase in the mRNA expression of glucose transporter-1, GAPDH, aggrecan, and type II collagen on Day 1. When treated with 100 μM DFO, the cells showed a 50% increase in the levels of proteoglycan protein on Day 7. The cells treated with chemical hypoxic condition demonstrated increase in sulfated glycosaminoglycan (GAG) protein levels on Day 7. Moreover, the cells cultured in the presence of 6% oxygen showed a 120% increase in sulfated GAG levels on Day 7. @*Conclusion@#The oxygen concentration had an important role in the viability, proliferation, and maturation of chondrocyte-like cells in IVD. In addition, chondrocyte-like cells are sensitive to the concentration of oxygen.

Hypoxia Regulates the Extracellular Matrix via Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases Pathway in Cells Retrieved from the Human Intervertebral Disc

Purpose@#The present study aimed to identify the physiological characteristics of cells by investigating the change in gene expression and protein levels during extracellular matrix (ECM) synthesis in the intervertebral disc (IVD) under hypoxic conditions. @*Materials and Methods@#To test the effect of oxygen on cell growth and ECM synthesis of chondrocyte-like cells, the cells from IVD were separated and cultured in two hypoxia-mimicking systems: chemical hypoxic conditions using deferoxamine (DFO), and physiological hypoxic conditions using a hypoxic chamber for 7 days. Chondrocyte like cells cultured without DFO and under the normal oxygen concentration (21% O2 and 5% CO2, 37°C) served as the controls. @*Results@#Chondrocyte-like cells cultured in the presence of 6% oxygen demonstrated a 100% increase in cellular proliferation compared to the control. The cells treated with chemical hypoxic conditions demonstrated a dose-dependent increase in the mRNA expression of glucose transporter-1, GAPDH, aggrecan, and type II collagen on Day 1. When treated with 100 μM DFO, the cells showed a 50% increase in the levels of proteoglycan protein on Day 7. The cells treated with chemical hypoxic condition demonstrated increase in sulfated glycosaminoglycan (GAG) protein levels on Day 7. Moreover, the cells cultured in the presence of 6% oxygen showed a 120% increase in sulfated GAG levels on Day 7. @*Conclusion@#The oxygen concentration had an important role in the viability, proliferation, and maturation of chondrocyte-like cells in IVD. In addition, chondrocyte-like cells are sensitive to the concentration of oxygen.

Clinical Significance of the Bacille Calmette-Guérin Site Reaction in Kawasaki Disease Patients Aged Less than 18 Months

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the clinical significance of Bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) site reaction in terms of diagnosis and outcome prediction in young children with Kawasaki disease (KD). METHODS: The incidence of BCG site reaction in the respective age ranges was investigated in 1,058 patients who were admitted at Asan Medical Center between January 2006 and February 2017. The 416 patients under 18 months of age were enrolled as subjects for the analysis of the association between BCG site reaction and other laboratory and clinical findings. The analysis was performed separately in complete and incomplete KD groups. RESULTS: The incidence rate of BCG site reaction was peaked at 6–12 months (83%) and decreased with increasing age after 12 months in 1,058 patients (P < 0.001). The incidence rate was above 70% in KD aged less than 18 months and more frequent than those of cervical lymphadenopathy. The logistic regression analyses showed that the principal clinical findings including conjunctivitis (P=0.781), red lips/oral mucosa (P=0.963), rash (P=0.510), cervical lymphadenopathy (P=0.363), changes in extremities (P=0.283) and the coronary artery aneurysm (P=0.776) were not associated with the BCG site reaction. CONCLUSIONS: The BCG site reaction could be a useful diagnostic tool independent to principal clinical findings in KD developing in children aged < 18 months, who underwent BCG vaccination. Outcome of KD patients was not different between groups with or without the BCG site reaction in both complete KD and incomplete KD.

A comparative study of established z score models for coronary artery diameters in 181 healthy Korean children / 소아과

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to investigate the statistical properties of four previously developed pediatric coronary artery z score models in healthy Korean children. METHODS: The study subjects were 181 healthy Korean children, whose age ranged from 1 month to 15 years. The diameter of each coronary artery was measured using 2-dimensional echocardiography and converted to the z score in the four models (McCrindle, Olivieri, Dallaire, and Japanese model). Descriptive statistical analyses and 1-sample t tests were performed. RESULTS: All calculated z scores had P values of ≥0.050 using the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test. The one sample t test showed that the mean z scores did not converge to zero except in 1 model, and the mean right coronary artery (RCA) z score was less than zero in all 4 models. The smaller RCA diameter in this study could be associated with the more distal measuring point used to avoid the conal branch. The percentage of subjects with extreme z score values (≥2.0 and ≥2.5) for the left main coronary artery (LMCA) seems to be higher in the Dallaire (4.9% and 3.3%) and Japanese models (7.1% and 3.8%). CONCLUSION: All 4 models showed statistical feasibility of normal distribution. More precise instructions would be needed for the measurement of the RCA. The higher percentage of extreme z scores for the LMCA is compatible with the basic understanding of anatomic variation in the LMCA.

Prediction of unresponsiveness to second intravenous immunoglobulin treatment in patients with Kawasaki disease refractory to initial treatment / 소아과

PURPOSE: This study investigated predictors of unresponsiveness to second-line intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) treatment for Kawasaki disease (KD). METHODS: This was a single-center analysis of the medical records of 588 patients with KD who had been admitted to Asan Medical Center between 2006 and 2014. Related clinical and laboratory data were analyzed by univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses. RESULTS: Eighty (13.6%) of the 588 patients with KD were unresponsive to the initial IVIG treatment and received a second dose. For these 80 patients, univariate analysis of the laboratory results obtained before administering the second-line IVIG treatment showed that white blood cell count, neutrophil percent, hemoglobin level, platelet count, serum protein level, albumin level, potassium level, and C-reactive protein level were significant predictors. The addition of methyl prednisolone to the second-line regimen was not associated with treatment response (odds ratio [OR], 0.871; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.216–3.512; P=0.846). Multivariate analysis revealed serum protein level to be the only predictor of unresponsiveness to the second-line treatment (OR, 0.160; 95% CI, 0.028–0.911; P=0.039). Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis to determine predictors of unresponsiveness to the second dose of IVIG showed a sensitivity of 100% and specificity of 72% at a serum protein cutoff level of <7.15 g/dL. CONCLUSION: The serum protein level of the patient prior to the second dose of IVIG is a significant predictor of unresponsiveness. The addition of methyl prednisolone to the second-line regimen produces no treatment benefit.

The Importance of Esophageal and Gastric Diseases as Causes of Chest Pain / 대한소아소화기영양학회지

PURPOSE: Pediatric chest pain is considered to be idiopathic or caused by benign diseases. This study was to find out how much upper gastrointestinal (UGI) diseases are major causes of chest pain in pediatric patients. METHODS: The records of 75 children (42 boys and 33 girls, aged 3-17 years old) who have presented with mainly chest pain from January 1995 to March 2015 were retrospectively reviewed. Chest X-ray and electrocardiography (ECG) were performed in all aptients. Further cardiologic and gastrointestinal (GI) evaluations were performed in indicated patients. RESULTS: Chest pain was most common in the children of 6 and 9 to 14 years old. Esopha-gogastric diseases were unexpectedly the most common direct causes of the chest pain, the next are idiopathic, cardiac diseases, chest trauma, respiratory disease, and psychosomatic disease. Even though 21 showed abnormal ECG findings and 7 showed abnormalities on echocardiography, cardiac diseases were determined to be the direct causes only in 9. UGI endoscopy was performed in 57 cases, and esophago-gastric diseases which thereafter were thought to be causative diseases were 48 cases. The mean age of the children with esophago-gastric diseases were different with marginal significance from that of the other children with chest pain not related with esophago-gastric diseases. All the 48 children diagnosed with treated with GI medicines based on the diagnosis, and 37 cases (77.1%) subsequently showed clinical improvement. CONCLUSION: Diagnostic approaches to find out esophageal and gastric diseases in children with chest pain are important as well as cardiac and respiratory investigations.

Evaluation of Immune Response after Vaccinations Post-chemotherapy in Childhood Cancer Survivors / 임상소아혈액종양

BACKGROUND: Survivors of childhood cancers are recommended to receive revaccinations after chemotherapy, although the universally recommended vaccination schedule for such children has not been established. We evaluated immune response following post-chemotherapy vaccinations in childhood cancer survivors. METHODS: The study included 59 patients who survived at least 5 years after completion of chemotherapy without evidence of recurrence. The patients received hepatitis-B virus (HBV) and measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccines 1 year after finishing chemotherapy according to our institutional protocol. Immune response to HBV and MMR vaccines was measured and seropositivity and factors hindering immune response to HBV and MMR vaccines were analyzed. RESULTS: The seropositivity for HBV was 88%; with a higher rate in patients with non-hematologic malignancies (100%, 18/18) than those with hematologic malignancies (78.3%, 18/23) (P=0.05) and reciprocally associated with the duration of chemotherapy (P=0.0043). The seropositivity for MMR viruses was 61%, 37% and 83% respectively, showing significantly lower response to mumps and was not different between hematologic malignancy group and non-hematologic malignancy group. Unlike HBV, the duration of chemotherapy did not affect seropositivity for MMR viruses. Ten children who failed to be immune to any of the MMR viruses received booster vaccination which resulted in seropositivity of 60% (3/5), 56% (4/9), 100% (2/2) respectively. CONCLUSION: Longer duration of chemotherapy and underlying hematologic malignancies were adversely associated with achieving immune response to HBV vaccine, but not to MMR vaccine. Our results also underline the need for booster vaccinations in non-responders to vaccinations post-chemotherapy.

A Hypervascular Inflammatory Myofibroblastic Tumor in the Mediastinum Resected Completely Following Embolization of the Feeding Vessels / 임상소아혈액종양

Inflammatory myofibroblastic tumors (IMTs) are rare tumors of intermediate malignant potential that can occur anywhere in the body. We describe an interesting case of a hypervascular IMT in the mediastinum that could be resected completely following embolization of the feeding vessels. A 17-month-old girl with complaints of cough and fever for 3 months was referred to our hospital. Computed tomography (CT) scan showed a large mass in the right hemithorax that shifted the mediastinum to the left. Primary excision was considered but not performed because there was very active capsule wall bleeding due to the hypervascular tumor. After embolization of the feeding vessels, successful complete resection was carried out. Approximately 6 weeks after the operation, follow-up CT scan showed no evidence of recurrent disease. Preoperative embolization is a good option for performing complete resection of hypervascular IMTs that could reduce the recurrence rate.

Full mouth rehabilitation with a few remaining teeth and implants for a patient with chronic periodontitis: a case report

Chronic periodontitis involves subsequent loss of teeth, and if left untreated, can lead to adjacent teeth drifting and supraeruption of the rest dentition. Careful consideration has to be given when deciding extraction of remaining teeth in treatment of periodontally compromised dentitions. For tooth-supported fixed partial dentures or removable partial dentures, periodontally compromised teeth are extracted due to possible early failure from functional overload, but for implant restoration, the teeth could be used as supports for fixed partial dentures because implants can reduce overload on teeth. The remaining natural teeth can help clinicians restoring vertical dimension and normal occlusal plane in full mouth rehabilitation because it conserves patients' proprioceptive response. This clinical report describes treatment of a patient who has a few remaining teeth and supraeruption of the rest dentition from severe chronic periodontitis. Satisfactory clinical result was achieved with full mouth rehabilitation using a few teeth and implants.

Overdentures of the patient with Parkinson's disease: A case report / 대한치과보철학회지

The retention of complete dentures in patients with Parkinson's disease is often poor due to their constant dislodgement by involuntary movements of the tongue and lips. Furthermore, insertion of the overdenture is expected to be difficult due to their limited voluntary movements. This case is about the bimaxillary overdenture restoration where its retention and stability are improved, using magnetic attachment of remained roots of maxilla and two implant Locator(R) attachments of mandible in patients with Parkinson's disease. This report describes the fabrication of this functionally improved prosthesis.

Evaluation of Immune Response after Vaccinations Post-chemotherapy in Childhood Cancer Survivors / 임상소아혈액종양

BACKGROUND: Survivors of childhood cancers are recommended to receive revaccinations after chemotherapy, although the universally recommended vaccination schedule for such children has not been established. We evaluated immune response following post-chemotherapy vaccinations in childhood cancer survivors.METHODS: The study included 59 patients who survived at least 5 years after completion of chemotherapy without evidence of recurrence. The patients received hepatitis-B virus (HBV) and measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccines 1 year after finishing chemotherapy according to our institutional protocol. Immune response to HBV and MMR vaccines was measured and seropositivity and factors hindering immune response to HBV and MMR vaccines were analyzed.RESULTS: The seropositivity for HBV was 88%; with a higher rate in patients with non-hematologic malignancies (100%, 18/18) than those with hematologic malignancies (78.3%, 18/23) (P=0.05) and reciprocally associated with the duration of chemotherapy (P=0.0043). The seropositivity for MMR viruses was 61%, 37% and 83% respectively, showing significantly lower response to mumps and was not different between hematologic malignancy group and non-hematologic malignancy group. Unlike HBV, the duration of chemotherapy did not affect seropositivity for MMR viruses. Ten children who failed to be immune to any of the MMR viruses received booster vaccination which resulted in seropositivity of 60% (3/5), 56% (4/9), 100% (2/2) respectively.CONCLUSION: Longer duration of chemotherapy and underlying hematologic malignancies were adversely associated with achieving immune response to HBV vaccine, but not to MMR vaccine. Our results also underline the need for booster vaccinations in non-responders to vaccinations post-chemotherapy.

A Hypervascular Inflammatory Myofibroblastic Tumor in the Mediastinum Resected Completely Following Embolization of the Feeding Vessels / 임상소아혈액종양

Inflammatory myofibroblastic tumors (IMTs) are rare tumors of intermediate malignant potential that can occur anywhere in the body. We describe an interesting case of a hypervascular IMT in the mediastinum that could be resected completely following embolization of the feeding vessels. A 17-month-old girl with complaints of cough and fever for 3 months was referred to our hospital. Computed tomography (CT) scan showed a large mass in the right hemithorax that shifted the mediastinum to the left. Primary excision was considered but not performed because there was very active capsule wall bleeding due to the hypervascular tumor. After embolization of the feeding vessels, successful complete resection was carried out. Approximately 6 weeks after the operation, follow-up CT scan showed no evidence of recurrent disease. Preoperative embolization is a good option for performing complete resection of hypervascular IMTs that could reduce the recurrence rate.

Full mouth rehabilitation with maxillary implant overdenture using prefabricated bar attachment system: a case report / 대한치과보철학회지

In conventional bar- and clip-retained overdentures, all errors during impression making and cast fabrication result in non-passive fit of bars. SFI bar is prefabricated and assembled in the patient's mouth without the use of soldering, laser welding or conventional bonding techniques, thus reducing stress transmission to, bone loss around the implants and leading to fewer errors and lower costs. A clinical case will be presented below to demonstrate the use of the SFI Bar (Stress Free on Implant Bar) to restore an severe atrophy edentulous maxilla. In this case, no lateral stress could be applied to the implants due to the telescopic design of the bar joints. However, periodic recall check is necessary and long-term clinical results are required.

Factors Affecting Unused Remaining Volume of Intravenous Patient-controlled Analgesia in Patients Following Laparoscopic Gynecologic Surgery

PURPOSE: This study was undertaken to evaluate the factors affecting the unused remaining volume of intravenous patient-controlled analgesia (IV PCA) in patients who had undergone laparoscopic gynecologic surgery. METHODS: We retrospectively collected patient records from pre-existing PCA log sheets from 98 patients. Surgical factors and IV PCA-related data including remaining volume, administration duration, early discontinuation (yes or no), and adverse reactions were recorded. Chi-square test, one-way analysis of variance, and multiple linear regression were applied for data analysis. RESULTS: The average age of the 98 patients was 40.0 +/- 8.24 years. The incidence of postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) and early discontinuation were not statistically significant among the different surgical groups (p = .540 and p = .338, respectively). Twenty-eight patients wanted discontinuation of IV PCA and the remaining volume was 33.6 +/- 7.8 mL (range 20-55 mL). The significant determinants of remaining volume were whether IV PCA was discontinued due to PONV and duration of surgery (p < .001). The surgical duration was inversely correlated with the remaining volume. CONCLUSION: Early discontinuation of IV PCA due to PONV is a major contributing factor to wastage of medicine. Prevention and treatment of PONV is needed to encourage patients to maintain PCA use for pain control.

Effects of a Peer Gatekeeper Training Program on Self-esteem, Interpersonal Relationships with Friends, and Suicide Probability for High School Students / 정신간호학회지

PURPOSE: This study was done to investigate the effects of a Peer Gatekeeper Training Program on self-esteem, interpersonal relationships with friends and suicide probability for high school students. METHODS: The recruited participants were forty-three students a vocational high school in G city. The study was done from August 31, 2012 to September 25, 2012. To test the effects of the Peer Gate Keeper Training Program, the participants were divided into two groups, an experimental group (22) and a control group (21). The Peer Gate Keeper Training Program was provided to the control group after the posttest was completed. Data were analyzed using chi2-test, t-test, and Fisher exact test with the SPSS/WIN 18.0 program. RESULTS: After attending the Peer Gate Keeper Training Program, significant differences were found in self-esteem, interpersonal relationships with friends, and suicide probability scores between the experimental group and the control group (t=3.24, p=.002) (t=2.16, p=.036) (t=-2.95, p=.006). CONCLUSION: The results indicate that the Gate Keeper Training Program enhances self-esteem and interpersonal relationships with friends and reduces suicide probability in high school students. Therefore, this program is a good strategy that teachers and community mental health nurses can use for suicide prevention in high school students.

The effects of short-term application of calcium hydroxide on dentin fracture strength / 대한치과보존학회지

OBJECTIVES: This in vitro study investigated whether short-term application of calcium hydroxide in the root canal system for 1 and 4 wk affects the fracture strength of human permanent teeth. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty two mature human single rooted mandibular premolars in similar size and dentin thickness without decay or restorations were hand and rotary instrumented and 16 teeth vertically packed with calcium hydroxide paste and sealed coronally with caviton to imitate the endodontic procedure and the other 16 teeth was left empty as a control group. The apicies of all the samples were sealed with resin, submerged in normal saline and put in a storage box at 37degrees C to mimic the oral environment. After 1 and 4 wk, 8 samples out of 16 samples from each group were removed from the storage box and fracture strength test was performed. The maximum load required to fracture the samples was recorded and data were analysed statistically by the two way ANOVA test at 5% significance level. RESULTS: The mean fracture strengths of two groups after 1 wk and 4 wk were similar. The intracanal placement of calcium hydroxide weakened the fracture strength of teeth by 8.2% after 4 wk: an average of 39.23 MPa for no treatment group and 36.01 MPa for CH group. However there was no statistically significant difference between experimental groups and between time intervals. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that short term calcium hydroxide application is available during endodontic treatment.

Intestinal Helminthic Infections Diagnosed by Colonoscopy in a Regional Hospital during 2001-2008

The present study investigated characteristics of 24 parasite infection cases detected during colonoscopy in a regional hospital from January 2001 to December 2008. Sixteen patients were confirmed with Trichuris trichiura infection, 6 patients were with Ascaris lumbricoides infection, 1 patient with Enterobius vermicularis infection, and 1 patient with Anisakis infection. Among them, 7 patients (43.8%) were asymptomatic. Colonoscopy findings were normal in 18 patients (75.0%). Among the patients with T. trichiura infection, colonoscopy showed several erosions in 2 patients (8.3%) and non-specific inflammation of the affected segment of the colon in 3 patients (12.5%). In 1 patient with anisakiasis, colonoscopy revealed a markedly swollen colonic wall. Stool examinations were performed before treatment in 7 patients (29.2%) and were all negative for parasite eggs or worms. These results suggest that colonoscopy is a useful diagnostic approach for parasitic infections even for asymptomatic patients and for patients with negative stool examinations.

Four cases of chloroma treated with hematopoietic stem cell transplantation / 대한내과학회지

Chloroma is an invasive extramedullary tumor composed of immature myeloid cells, which complicates the clinical course in a minority of patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML). The presence of myeloid sarcoma is known to be a poor prognostic indicator in patients with AML. However, the optimal treatment of AML with concurrent chloroma has not been determined. We report four patients with AML accompanied by concurrent chloroma from the time of initial diagnosis. All of the patients underwent hematopoietic stem cell transplantation after complete remission. We also present a review of the literature.

A Case of Dysphagia Lusoria Caused by an Aberrant Right Subclavian Artery in an Adolescent / 대한소화기내시경학회지

Dysphagia lusoria is used to describe the symptomatic compression of the esophagus from an anomalous vessel of the aortic arch. A right aortic arch with an aberrant left subclavian artery is the most common type of aortic arch abnormalities, followed by double aortic arch, and then an aberrant right subclavian artery. These anomalous vessels may cause dysphagia from the compression of the esophagus in adults, but they usually do not produce symptoms and they are usually found incidentally. Several cases of adult dysphagia lusoria have been reported in Korea, but there has been no reported case in an adolescent. We experienced a case of a 17-year-old female who suffered from dysphagia. We evaluated the possible causes of her dysphagia by performing esophagogastroduodenoscopy, esophagoraphy, esophageal manometry and chest computed tomography. We finally diagnosed this case as dysphagia lusoria caused by an aberrant right subclavian artery.