Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Presenting with Idiopathic Retroperitoneal Fibrosis / 대한내과학회지

Retroperitoneal fibrosis (RPF) is a rare inflammatory fibrotic condition affecting the peri-aortic retroperitoneum in which fibrosis of the surrounding tissue can encase the ureters, resulting in obstructive uropathy. RPF is generally idiopathic in nature, but may also arise in response to other conditions, such as malignancies, infections, surgery, radiotherapy, or drugs. Idiopathic RPF is commonly seen in association with various autoimmune diseases, such as autoimmune thyroiditis, autoimmune pancreatitis, rheumatoid arthritis, and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Here, we describe the first case of RPF in Korea. A 44-year-old man with SLE presenting with pain in both flanks due to RPF is discussed, along with a review of the relevant literature.

Healthcare-associated Endocarditis by PVL-negative ST 72 SCCmec Type IV MRSA / 대한내과학회지

The prevalence of community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA) has been increasing worldwide. In Korea, the most common genotype of CA-MRSA is the Panton-Valentine leukocidin-negative, sequence type 72 Staphylococcal cassette chromosome (SCC) mec type IV clone. However, within Korean hospitals, this strain is still not commonly reported. In this study, we describe a case of infective endocarditis caused by Panton-Valentine leukocidin-negative MRSA (ST72-SCCmec type IV A clone). Infection occurred after open reduction and internal fixation due to a right humerus fracture with cerebral hemorrhage. Initially, the patient was treated with linezolid, but with the onset of severe thrombocytopenia, the patient was switched to vancomycin therapy.

Myocardial Ischemia by Aggravation of Myocardial Bridging

Myocardial bridging (MB) occurs when the myocardium covers a segment of a major epicardial coronary artery, resulting in a tunneled arterial segment. Although MB is generally considered benign, it has been associated with myocardial ischemia. A 70-year-old man with MB (50% luminal narrowing during systole) at the mid-left anterior descending artery (LAD) on previous coronary angiography (CAG) visited our hospital with worsening chest pain. His blood pressure (BP) was not well controlled because of poor compliance. Follow-up CAG showed that MB at the mid-LAD progressed to severe stenosis (>90% luminal narrowing during systole) and the total length of tunneled artery extended from 22.5 to 23.9 mm. His chest pain was relieved by BP control. This is the first report of myocardial ischemia secondary to progression of MB demonstrated by CAG in Korea.

A Case of Acute Cholecystitis Caused by Plasmodium vivax Infection / 대한췌담도학회지

Acute cholecystitis as a complication of malarial disease is a rare condition, especially with Plasmodium vivax infection. A 62 year-old-female was admitted via emergency room (ER) due to high fever (40.3degrees C) and epigastric pain. Initial abdominal ultrasound and computed tomography (CT) scan showed edematous gallbladder with stone, which suggested acute calculous cholecystitis. Emergency percutaneous transhepatic gallbladder drainage (PTGBD) was done with systemic antibiotic therapy. The clinical course, however, unusually worsened with hypotension and intensive care unit (ICU) management was done. Four days after admission multi-focal splenic infarction was developed and Plasmodium vivax infection was diagnosed afterward. The clinical symptoms and laboratory results, including fever and epigastric pain, improved dramatically after anti-malarial treatment and cholecystectomy was done. The resected gallbladder (GB) specimen shows vasculitis pattern with capillary red blood cell (RBC) engorgement, which suggests the cause of cholecystitis was due to Plasmodium vivax rather than GB stone.

The Relationship between Metabolic Syndrome and Cognitive Function / 가정의학회지

BACKGROUND: Metabolic syndrome has been reported to have adverse effects on cognitive function, although the results are conflicting. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between metabolic syndrome and cognitive function in elderly Korean participants older than 60 years. METHODS: We examined elderly participants who visited the health promotion center in Gyeonggi-do province. We categorized the participants into two groups based on the presence of metabolic syndrome (48 participants in the metabolic syndrome group and 45 in the control group). Cognitive function was assessed in all participants using the Korean version of the Consortium to Establish a Registry for Alzheimer's Disease (CERAD-K). RESULTS: Compared with those without metabolic syndrome, participants with metabolic syndrome had lower mean total CERAD-K scores (64.2 +/- 11.1 vs. 69.8 +/- 9.2, P = 0.010). In the comparison of CERAD-K items, significantly lower scores were observed in the verbal fluency test, the construction recall test, the word list learning test, and trail making B in the group with metabolic syndrome. After controlling age, sex, education, smoking, alcohol, physical activity and the Korean version of the Short Geriatric Depression Scale of Korean, multiple regression analysis showed that metabolic syndrome was independently associated with cognitive function (P = 0.014). Alcohol intake (P = 0.002) and education years (P = 0.001) were also contributing factors to cognitive function. CONCLUSION: This study found a significant relationship between cognitive function and metabolic syndrome. It will be necessary to perform a prospective study to determine whether metabolic syndrome causes cognitive dysfunction or if the correction of metabolic syndrome can improve cognitive function.