Clinical Characteristics of Kawasaki Disease in Infants Younger than Six Months: A Single-Center Study

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Kawasaki disease (KD) is the leading cause of acquired heart disease, which predominantly occurs in children under the age of 5 years. However, there are fewer cases of KD in infants younger than 6 months, which makes it difficult to diagnose. We investigated the clinical manifestations of KD in this age group and compared them with those in the older age group. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 239 patients with KD admitted to the Hallym Sacred Heart Hospital from January 2013 to June 2015. The data were categorized into 2 groups by age: Group A (≤6 months, n=26) and Group B (>6 months, n=213). RESULTS: Group A had a longer hospitalization period than Group B (6.69 vs. 5.19 days, p=0.002). Group A had fewer clinical manifestations upon admission, due to which there was a higher incidence of incomplete KD (1.88 vs. 3.54 of the diagnostic criteria, p<0.05; and 19.2% vs. 4.2% incomplete KD incidence, p=0.002). The rate of cardiac complications was higher in Group A (30.8% vs. 11.7%, p=0.011). CONCLUSION: The rate of cardiac complications of the patients younger than 6 months was significantly higher than that of the older patients. Therefore, infants younger than 6 months with unexplained fever for more than 5 days should be suspected as having KD, even if the principal clinical features are not fully presented. Echocardiography must be appropriately used for diagnosis of KD in suspected patients.

Comparison of Cervical-lymph-node-first Presentation of Kawasaki Disease and Typical Kawasaki Disease

PURPOSE: The diagnosis of Kawasaki disease depends on clinical symptoms, which makes it difficult to diagnose early in patients with only cervical lymphadenopathy. The purpose of this study is to understand the clinical characteristics of cervical-lymph-node-first presentation of Kawasaki disease and compare them with those of typical Kawasaki disease. METHODS: We surveyed 283 patients who were admitted to Hallym Sacred Heart Hospital and were diagnosed with Kawasaki disease from January 2012 to December 2014. The patients were divided into two groups: cervical-lymph-node-first presentation of Kawasaki disease (LKD, N=24) and typical Kawasaki disease (KD, N=259). The medical records were retrospectively reviewed. RESULTS: The mean age of the LKD group was higher than that of the KD group (P=0.04). At admission, the LKD patients had on average 1.62 out of 5 symptoms, whereas the KD patients had 3.47. The time from fever to diagnosis and administration of IV immunoglobulin was longer in the LKD group than in the KD group (P<0.001). The mean C-reactive protein of the LKD group was higher than that of the KD group (P=0.01). There were no statistical differences in the presence of coronary artery complications between the two groups at two weeks or at two months after diagnosis (P=0.52, P=0.08). CONCLUSIONS: The Kawasaki disease patients with fever and cervical lymphadenopathy usually do not present obvious clinical symptoms, which makes it hard to diagnose in the early phase of disease. Clinician must pay attention when examining these patients.

An Unusual Cause of Acute Maxillary Sinusitis in a 9-year-old Child: Odontogenic Origin of Infected Dentigerous Cyst with Supernumerary Teeth

Acute maxillary sinusitis is a common disorder affecting children. Untreated acute sinusitis can develop into chronic sinusitis, and complications, such as orbital cellulitis or abscess, can occur. Maxillary sinusitis of odontogenic origin is not a well-recognized condition and is frequently missed in children. As an odontogenic source of sinusitis, the dentigerous cyst is one of the most prevalent types of odontogenic cysts, and it is associated with the crown of an unerupted or developing tooth. This report concerns a nine-year-old boy who was diagnosed with maxillary sinusitis originating from a dentigerous cyst with supernumerary teeth. The boy visited our pediatric clinic presenting with rhinorrhea and nasal obstruction and was initially diagnosed with maxillary sinusitis only. With antibiotic treatment, his symptoms seemed to improve, but after 2 months, he came to our clinic with left facial swelling with persistent rhinorrhea and nasal obstruction. Radiographic examinations of the sinuses were performed, and he was diagnosed with maxillary sinusitis originating from a dentigerous cyst with supernumerary teeth. After a surgical procedure involving the removal of the dentigerous cyst with supernumerary teeth, the symptoms of sinusitis gradually diminished. There are only very few cases in the pediatric medical literature that remind us that odontogenic origin can cause maxillary sinusitis in children. Our patient can act as a reminder to general pediatricians to include dentigerous cysts in the differential diagnosis of maxillary sinusitis.

Caustic Injury of Upper Gastrointestinal Tract: 20 Year Experience at a Tertiary Referral Center / 대한소화기학회지

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Caustic ingestion can cause severe injury to upper gastrointestinal tract. There were few studies about clinical characteristics and treatments of caustic injury in Korea. We investigated the changes in clinical features of caustic injury over the past 20 years including pattern of endoscopic mucosal injury and treatment modality. METHODS: This study was a retrospective review of medical records from patients with caustic injury from September 1993 through December 2012. Patients were classified into two groups based on the year when caustic ingestion occurred: patients who visited the hospital from 1993 to 2002 (early group) and patients who visited the hospital from 2003 to 2012 (late group). RESULTS: A total 140 patients were included (early group [n=50] vs. late group [n=90]). Annual number of caustic ingestions did not show decreasing tendency over the past 20 years. Alkali ingestion increased (20.0% vs. 65.6%, p<0.001) and cases with more than grade 2b of esophageal mucosal injury decreased (41.3% vs. 20.7%, p=0.012) in late group. There were no differences between two groups in sex, age, proportion of accidental ingestion, and systemic/gastrointestinal complications. Use of gastric lavage (p<0.01) and broad spectrum antibiotics (p=0.03) decreased in late group. However, there was no difference in use of steroid between two groups. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, overall caustic ingestion did not decrease and ingestion of alkali agents increased over the past 20 years. Tighter legislation on caustic agents is required and we need to be alert to the best management of caustic injury.

What's the Clinical Features of Colitis in Elderly People in Long-Term Care Facilities?

BACKGROUND/AIMS: As life expectancy has increased, the number of elderly patients who need long-term care has grown rapidly. Mortality in patients with colitis in long-term care facilities (LTCFs) is increasing. We intend to investigate the main causes of colitis in LTCFs compared to those of colitis in local communities, and to identify the clinical features and risk factors of patients with colitis in LTCFs. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed epidemiology, medical conditions, laboratory values, diagnoses, and clinical courses of elderly patients aged > or =65 who were admitted to the Ewha Womans University hospital with colitis between January 2007 and July 2012. RESULTS: Patients with colitis in LTCFs (n=20) were compared with elderly patients with colitis in local communities (n=154). Fifty-five percent of colitis in LTCFs was caused by Clostridium difficile infection (CDI), 30% was due to ischemic colitis, and 15% was due to non-specific colitis. Non-specific colitis was the most common (63%) in the community group. Clinical outcomes were also significantly different between both groups: higher mortality (10.0% vs. 0.64%, P=0.021), higher requirement for intensive care units care (50.0% vs. 18.8%, P<0.01) in LTCFs group. In univariate analysis, the most significant risk factor for death in patients in LTCFs was decreased mental faculties. CONCLUSIONS: Patients in LTCFs showed worse clinical outcomes and a much higher prevalence of CDI compared to patients from local communities. We suggest early and active evaluation, such as endoscopic examination, for differential diagnosis in patients in LTCFs.

What's the Clinical Features of Colitis in Elderly People in Long-Term Care Facilities?

BACKGROUND/AIMS: As life expectancy has increased, the number of elderly patients who need long-term care has grown rapidly. Mortality in patients with colitis in long-term care facilities (LTCFs) is increasing. We intend to investigate the main causes of colitis in LTCFs compared to those of colitis in local communities, and to identify the clinical features and risk factors of patients with colitis in LTCFs. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed epidemiology, medical conditions, laboratory values, diagnoses, and clinical courses of elderly patients aged > or =65 who were admitted to the Ewha Womans University hospital with colitis between January 2007 and July 2012. RESULTS: Patients with colitis in LTCFs (n=20) were compared with elderly patients with colitis in local communities (n=154). Fifty-five percent of colitis in LTCFs was caused by Clostridium difficile infection (CDI), 30% was due to ischemic colitis, and 15% was due to non-specific colitis. Non-specific colitis was the most common (63%) in the community group. Clinical outcomes were also significantly different between both groups: higher mortality (10.0% vs. 0.64%, P=0.021), higher requirement for intensive care units care (50.0% vs. 18.8%, P<0.01) in LTCFs group. In univariate analysis, the most significant risk factor for death in patients in LTCFs was decreased mental faculties. CONCLUSIONS: Patients in LTCFs showed worse clinical outcomes and a much higher prevalence of CDI compared to patients from local communities. We suggest early and active evaluation, such as endoscopic examination, for differential diagnosis in patients in LTCFs.

Comparison between the Effectiveness of Oral Phloroglucin and Cimetropium Bromide as Premedication for Diagnostic Esophagogastroduodenoscopy: An Open-Label, Randomized, Comparative Study

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Suppression of gastrointestinal (GI) peristalsis during GI endoscopy commonly requires antispasmodic agents such as hyoscine butylbromide, atropine, glucagon, and cimetropium bromide. This study examined the efficacy of oral phloroglucin for the suppression of peristalsis, its impact on patient compliance, and any associated complications, and compared it with intravenous or intramuscular cimetropium bromide administration. METHODS: This was a randomized, investigator-blind, prospective comparative study. A total of 172 patients were randomized into two groups according to the following medications administered prior to upper endoscopy: oral phloroglucin (group A, n=86), and cimetropium bromide (group B, n=86). The numbers and the degrees of peristalsis events at the antrum and second duodenal portion were assessed for 30 seconds. RESULTS: A significantly higher number of gastric peristalsis events was observed in group A (0.49 vs. 0.08, p<0.001), but the difference was not clinically significant. No significant difference between both groups was found in the occurrence of duodenal peristalsis events (1.79 vs. 1.63, p=0.569). The incidence of dry mouth was significantly higher with cimetropium bromide than with phloroglucin (50% vs. 15.1%, p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Oral phloroglucin can be used as an antispasmodic agent during upper endoscopy, and shows antispasmodic efficacy and adverse effects similar to those of cimetropium bromide.

Treatment of Proximal Esophagobronchial Fistula with an Anti-migration Esophageal Stent

An esophagobronchial fistula is a life threatening complication of esophageal carcinoma. Although placement of esophageal stents is the preferred treatment for esophagobronchical fistula, experience of stenting at the proximal esophagus is limited due to technical difficulties, patients' discomfort and high risk of complications. We report here a patient with an esophagobronchial fistula at the proximal esophagus who was successfully treated by insertion of a self expandable metal stent and earlobe fixation by a connective tube for preventing stent migration. A 46-year-old man had an inoperable esophageal carcinoma and lung abscess due to esophagobronchial fistula. Our first placement of stent at the proximal esophagus failed because of foreign-body sensations and stent migration to the proximal region. For the second time, treatment adding an earlobe fixation tool for anti-migration to the esophageal stent was successful with no serious procedure-related complications. The stent completely sealed off the fistula in the patient without further aspiration and serious discomfort symptoms. Lung abscess and pneumonia gradually improved. Anti-migration esophageal stents can be effective in preventing stent migration for the treatment of proximal esophagobronchial fistula due to malignancy.

Role of 18F 2-fluoro-2-deoxyglucose Positron Emission Tomography in Upper Gastrointestinal Malignancies / 대한소화기학회지

The 18F 2-fluoro-2-deoxyglucose (FDG) PET/CT scan is an imaging modality used in the management of patients with various types of malignancies. 18F-FDG PET/CT has demonstrated significant efficacy in the staging and detection of metastatic disease in malignancies of the gastrointestinal tract. The assessment of the metabolic response to chemotherapy and improvements of overall survivals in malignancies of esophagus and stomach has been demonstrated in several studies. This review focuses on the role of 18F-FDG PET/CT scan in staging, metastasis, predict of recurrence and assessment of metabolic response in malignancies of the upper gastrointestinal tract.

Hemorrhagic cystitis with massive bleeding from nontyphoidal Salmonella infection: A case report

Hemorrhagic cystitis is defined by lower urinary tract symptoms that include dysuria, hematuria, and hemorrhage and is caused by viral or bacterial infection or chemotherapeutic agents. Reports of hemorrhagic cystitis caused by non-typhoidal salmonella (NTS) are extremely rare. We report a case of a 41-year-old man with hemorrhagic cystitis from NTS that caused massive bleeding and shock. The patient was hospitalized for uncontrolled diabetes and obstructive uropathy related to severe cystitis. A urine culture was positive for group D NTS. This case demonstrated that hemorrhagic cystitis in a patient with a risk factor such as diabetes can be a manifestation of local extraintestinal NTS infection.

Disseminated Tuberculosis in a Patient with Chronic Renal Failure / 이화의대지

Patients with chronic renal failure (CRF) are known to be more susceptible to tuberculosis infection due to impairment of the host defense mechanism. Although extrapulmonary tuberculosis is more prevalent in those subjects and it may induce dismal outcome, its diagnosis has been challenging since there is no specific symptoms of the disease and the clinical course is usually atypical. Herein, We report a case of disseminated tuberculosis diagnosed by ultrasound-guided liver biopsy in a 31-year-old CRF patient presenting sustained fever despite broad-spectrum antimicrobial therapy and progressive cholestatic jaundice.

The Impact of Radiation Exposure on the Prevalence of Functional Dyspepsia and Irritable Bowel Syndrome in Hospital Radiation Workers

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Health care workers inevitably encounter many physical hazards including ionizing radiation, and have increased levels of psychological disturbance. This study was designed to investigate the prevalence of functional gastrointestinal disorders among hospital radiation workers and to determine significant factors associated with these results. METHODS: Whole body radiation doses of radiation workers were evaluated using the electronic dosimeter. The prevalence of functional dyspepsia (FD) and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) were assessed by the bowel symptom questionnaire. The subjects were classified according to radiation dose, sleep quality, and psychological stress level, and the prevalence of FD and IBS was comparatively analyzed. RESULTS: A total of 70 subjects were recruited. The prevalence of FD and IBS was 31.4% and 22.9%, respectively. The average radiation dose per exposed worker for 1 year was 0.56+/-0.92 mSv. By multivariate logistic regression analysis, a significant factor associated with the prevalence of FD was their high level of stress (odds ratio, 6.37; 95% confidence interval, 1.38-29.53). Between radiation workers with IBS and those without IBS, there was no significant difference in radiation exposure level, sleep quality, and stress level. There was no difference in the prevalence of IBS (40.0% vs. 15.8%, P=0.09) and FD (30.0% vs. 31.6%, P=0.92) between the relatively high-dose (total dose accumulated during the 3 years > or =9.4 mSv) and low-dose exposed group (<9.4 mSv). CONCLUSIONS: Occupational exposure to low levels of radiation does not seem to be significantly related to IBS and FD, but high stress level seems to be related to FD.

A Case of Double Primary Cancers in the Esophagus and Stomach / 이화의대지

Double primary cancers are two independently developed cancers in an individual. There have been some reports on double primary cancer since Billroth reported it for the first time in 1879. Double primary cancer of the stomach and esophagus has been revealed a very low incidence worldwide. The incidence of an esophageal cancer with another primary cancer is reported to be 9.5~27%, but double primary cancers in the esophagus and stomach have been rarely reported to our knowledge. In this study, we present here a case of double primary esophageal and stomach cancer in a 66-year-old man because of progressive dysphagia.

A Case of Jejunal Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumor Diagnosed by Videocapsule Endoscopy and Single-Balloon Enteroscopy / 이화의대지

Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) are common mesenchymal tumors that arise in the wall of the gastrointestinal tract. We report a case of obscure gastrointestinal bleeding due to a GIST of the jejunum successfully documented by videocapsule endoscopy (VCE) and single-balloon enteroscopy (SBE). A 36-year-old man with hematochezia was referred for further evaluation of no evidence of bleeding focus on esophagogastroduodenoscopy and colonoscopy. A VCE showed a suspicious ulcerative hyperemic mass that located in about 1 hour apart from duodenal second portion. SBE revealed a nonbleeding 4x2 cm mass with an ulcer at the proximal jejunum. The patient underwent laparoscopic resection without complication. Histological examination revealed a well circumscribed, dumbbell-shaped firm mass comprised of spindle cells. Immunohistochemical staining for CD 117 was diffusely positive, whereas staining for S-100, CD 34 and MIB-1 was all negative. It was confirmed to be a low-grade GIST at the proximal jejunum.

A Case of Double Pylorus Presenting with Ulcer Bleeding / 이화의대지

Double pylorus is one of the rare anomalies of gastrointestinal tract, which have an accessory canal connecting the distal stomach to the duodenal bulb. The majority of the cases is thought to be acquired lesions from ulcer disease except some congenital cases. We report a case of a 77 year-old male who was visited the hospital because of the melena and diagnosed double pylorus. The relevant literatures on subject were reviewed.