Factors Associated for Mild Cognitive Impairment in Older Korean Adults with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to identify factors associated with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) in older Korean adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus. METHODS: A total of 226 older (age > or =65 years) adults without a history of cerebrovascular disease or dementia participated in this study. Cognitive function was assessed with the Montreal Cognitive Assessment-Korean version (MoCA-K). A MoCA-K score or =74 years old vs. 65-68 years old; odds ratio [OR], 3.69; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.55 to 8.82; P=0.003), educational background (college graduation vs. no school or elementary school graduation; OR, 0.16; 95% CI, 0.05 to 0.46; P=0.001), and systolic blood pressure (> or =135 mm Hg vs. < or =120 mm Hg; OR, 3.25; 95% CI, 1.29 to 8.17; P=0.012) were associated with MCI. CONCLUSION: More concentrated efforts focused on early detection and appropriate management of MCI may be required in older Korean adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

The Validity of Ultrasonography-Guided Fine Needle Aspiration Biopsy in Thyroid Nodules 4 cm or Larger Depends on Ultrasonography Characteristics

BACKGROUND: The objective of this study was to evaluate the validity of fine needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) according to ultrasonography (US) characteristics in thyroid nodules 4 cm and larger. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the cases of 263 patients who underwent thyroid surgery for thyroid nodules larger than 4 cm between January 2001 and December 2010. RESULTS: The sensitivity of US-FNAB was significantly higher in nodules with calcifications (micro- or macro-) than those without (97.9% vs. 87.% P<0.05). The accuracy of US-FNAB was higher in large thyroid nodules with US features suspicious of malignancy, such as a solid component, ill-defined margin, hypoechogenicity or marked hypoechogenicity, or any calcifications (micro- or macro-) compared to thyroid nodules with none of these features. Furthermore, the accuracy improved as the number of these features increased. The overall false negative rate (FNR) was 11.9%. The FNR of thyroid nodules that appeared benign on US, such as mixed nodules (7.7%) or nodules without calcification (9.8%), trended toward being lower than that of solid nodules (17.9%) or nodules with any microcalcification or macrocalcification (33.3%). In nodules without suspicious features of malignancy, the FNR of US-FNAB was 0% (0/15). CONCLUSION: We suggest individualized strategies for large thyroid nodules according to US features. Patients with benign FNAB can be followed in the absence of any malignant features in US. However, if patients exhibit any suspicious features, potential false negative results of FNAB should be kept in mind and surgery may be considered.

Uveitis and Rheumatic Diseases in a Community Based Practice - Korean Population

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to investigate the frequency of rheumatic diseases within uveitis patients visiting the department of Ophthalmology and evaluated the clinical value of serological testing and ophthalmologic findings in patients with uveitis in a community-based practice in Korean population. METHODS: On a retrospective basis, we reviewed the medical records of patients with uveitis, who had been treated at the Department of Ophthalmology of Inje University Ilsan Paik Hospital between January 2005 and March 2010. All patients with uveitis were reviewed regarding their ocular histories and findings, rheumatologic medical histories and manifestations, and pelvis anteroposterial view of plain radiographies to identify the sacroilitis. In addition, we tested for rheumatoid factor, antinuclear antibody, and HLA-B27. RESULTS: A total of 107 patients with uveitis were included in the study. HLA-B27 associated uveitis was present in 64 patients (59.8%) the number of patients with sacroilitis on plain pelvis radiography was 38 patients (37.8%). Fifty-one patients (47.7%) were diagnosed as having systemic rheumatic diseases. The majority of these patients had anklylosing spondylitis (AS) (70.3%) and Bechet's disease (18.9%). The most common type of uveitis was anterior uveitis (90.7%), followed by panuveitis (3.7%) and posterior uveitis (3.7%). The recurrence rate and number of floating cells were greater in patients with rheumatic diseases than patients without rheumatic diseases. CONCLUSION: The majority of rheumatic disease related with uveitis were AS and Bechet's disease. HLA-B27 and pelvis plain radiography can be useful tools for screening the spondyloarthropathies with uveitis. Recurrent and severe uveitis might represent an accompanying rheumatic disease.

Spontaneous Bacterial Peritonitis Caused by Hafnia alvei in a Patient with Liver Cirrhosis / 감염과화학요법

Hafnia alvei is a gram-negative bacillus that is rarely isolated from human clinical specimens and is rarely pathogenic. This organism is an extremely uncommon cause of spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP). We report a case of an 83-year-old male with hepatitis C-associated liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma who was diagnosed with SBP caused by H. alvei. He was admitted to an university-affiliated hospital with fever and abdominal pain. There were 2 episodes of SBP during 2 months. Although isolates of H. alvei from ascitic fluid were shown to be susceptible to cefotaxime, responses for cefotaxime treatment were inadequate in both episodes. Therefore, cefotaxime was switched to imipenem in the first episode and to ciprofloxacin in the second, according to the results of antimicrobial susceptibility. After the antibiotics was changed, SBP was resolved.