Minimal Change Disease Associated with Gastric Adenocarcinoma and Multiple Liver Metastasis / 대한신장학회잡지

A 35-years-old man was hospitalized with gene-ralized edema. 6 months ago, the patient was operated by radical subtotal gastrectomy for advanced gastric adenocarcinoma. The patient presented with multiple liver metastasis and the massive proteinuria. The patients renal biopsy revealed minimal change nephrotic syndrome and treated with prednisolone and diuretics. The patient was improved clinical symptome and decreased 24 hours urine protein. In literature reviewed, gastric carcinoma was not associated with minimal change nephrotic syndrome. We experienced advanced gastric carcinoma associated with minimal change nephrotic syndrome, thus we report it.

Comparison of Dialysis Efficiency Between Hemodialysis Using Heparin Bound Hemophan and Routine Hemodialysis with Systemic Heparinization / 대한신장학회잡지

Although hemodialysis using heparin bound Hemophan(HBH-HD) has been reported to be a possible modality that can be used in patients at high risk of bleeding, the efficiency of HBH-HD is not certain. To investigate the efficiency of HBH- HD, we compared the total blood compartment volume(TBCV), Kt/V and urea clearance of dialyzer(K) of HBH-HD with those of routine hemodialysis with systemic heparinization(R-HD) in the same patients. HBH-HD was switched to R-HD as soon as the bleeding risk had ceased. Before each HBH-HD, heparin solution(1liter, 20IU/ml saline) was recirculated through the Hemophan(Gambro dialyzer, GFS Plus 11) for 1 hour while removing saline solution(700ml/hr) by applying transmembrane pressure gradient, followed by a single pass rinse with 1 liter of saline solution. Then we performed 10 HBH-HD on 10 patients at risk of bleeding. The dilayzer had to be changed due to severe clotting in one patient during HBH-HD so the comparison of above parameters was possible in 9 patients. The duration of each dialysis was possible in 9 patients. The duration of each dialysis was standardized to 4 hours at blood flow of 200 to 250ml/min. During HBH-HD, there was a slight increase in activated partial thromboplastin time(aPTT)(45.02.6 sec) at 15 min after initiation of dialysis from predialysis level (35.81.3 sec), but no increase in aPTT was observed at 60min, 120min, and the end of dialyses. The loss of TBCV(%) of dialyzers was greater in HBH-HD (174%) than in R-HD(51%). The Kt/V and K of HBH-HD, however, were 1.25+/-0.10 and 143+/-3ml/ min, respectively, which did not differ from those of R-HD which were 1.28+/-0.07 and 145+/-4ml/min, respectively. We conclude that the use of heparin bound Hemophan can be an efficient hemodialysis technique in patients at high risk of bleeding, but clotting of the dialyzer should be observed carefully during hemodialysis(values are mean+/-SE).

Bronchial Hyperresponsiveness in Liver Cirrhosis / 결핵

BACKGROUND: Arterial hypoxemia has been noted in patients with liver cirrhosis because of bronchial vessel dilatation. Cabenes et al. reported that bronchial hyperresponsiveness to the metacholine inhalation was observed in patients of left side heart failure, he suggested that one of the mechanism was bronchial vessel dilatation. We hypothesized that patients of liver cirrhosis might have bronchial hyperresponsiveness to metacholine inhalation due to portal hypertension. We evaluate the relationship between bronchial responsiveness and severity of liver cirrhosirs, severity of portal hypertension. METHODS: In the 22 patients of the liver cirrhosis with clinical portal hypertension metacholine provocation test was done and determined PC20 FEV1. We classified lifter cirrhosis according to Pugh- Child classification Esophagogastroscopies were performed for the evaluation of the relationship between bronchial hyperresponsiveness and severity of esophageal varix. RESULTS: In the 22 cases of the liver cirrhosis with clinical portal hypertension. The causes of liver cirrhosis, alcoholic hepatitis was 9 cases. hepatitis B virus was 12 cases, hepatitis C virus was 1 case. and 151 cases (68.18%) of total 22 cases were positive in metacholine provocation test. In positive cases There was no significant relationship between PC20FEV1 and severity of liver cirrhosis which were classified by Pugh-Child classification or severity of esophageal varix(p<0.05). CONCLUSION: we observed that bronchial responsiveness to metacholine increased in the patients of liver cirrhosis and there was no significant relationship between the severity of liver cirrhosis and the severity of esophageal varix.

Hemodialysis Using Heparin Bound Hemophan in Chronic Dialysis Patients with High Risk of Bleeding / 대한신장학회잡지

Systemic anticoagulation in routine hemodialysis is not desirable in patients with high risk of bleeding. Since heparin can bind to Hemophan, we evaluated the risk of bleeding and efficiency of hemodialysis using heparin bound Hemophan membranes in patients with high risk of bleeding. Heparin solution (1liter, 20IU/ml saline) was recirculated through the Hemophan(Gambro dialyzer, GFS Plus 11) for 1hour while removing saline solution(700ml/hr) by application of transmembrane pressure gradient, followed by a single pass rinse with 1 liter of saline solution. As a pilot study, we performed 17 hemodialyses on 15 chronic dialysis patients with contraindication to systemic anticoagulation. The duration of each dialysis was standardized to 4 hours at blood flow of 200 to 250ml/min. Blood samples were obtained to measure activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT), and heparin concentrations (HC) before dialysis, at 15min, 60min, 120min after initiation of dialysis and at the end (240min) of dialysis. Dialysis efficiency was assessed by measuring Kt/V and urea clearance of dialyzer (K) by the direct quantification of dialysate urea and then compared with the 25 control dialyses with systemic anticoagulation. We successfully completed all 17 hemodialyses without severe clotting defined as, requiring replacement of the dialyzer and/or the extracorporeal blood lines. There was a slight increase in the aPTT (mean+/-SD, 42.9+/-4.4sec) and HC (0.15+/-0.03IU/ml) taken at 15min from predialysis levels of 36.3+/-6.3sec and 0.11+/-0.03U/ml, respectively. But no increase in aPTT, HC was observed in measurements taken at 60min, 120min, and at the end of dialyses. The value (mean+/-SD) of Kt/V and K was 1.27+/-0.25 and 134+/-19ml/min respectively, which did not differ from those of the control dialyses which was 1.24+/-0.21 and 136+/-13ml/min respectively. We performed 82 hemodialyses using such treated Hemophan on 27 patients for 4 hours basing the result of the pilot study. Clotting of dialyzer necessitating termination of dialysis occurred in 1 dialysis(1.2%) at 150min and clotting in the venous blood lines requiring change of blood lines occurred in 6 dialyses(7.3%) on 4 patients from 180min to 230min after initiation of dialysis. We conclude that the use of heparin bound Hemophan can be a safe and effective technique of hemodialysis with careful monitoring of extracorporeal clotting in patients with high risk of bleeding.

A Case of Listeria Monocytogenes Endocarditis in Apparently Healthy Adult

About 50 cases of Listeria monocytogenes endocarditis were reported in worldwide literature in 1950-1995. Though clinical and laboratory data suggest a similarity with other types of bacterial endocarditis, the prognosis is more unfavorable and the mortality rate is higher. However, there has not been a report in Korean literature. We report a case of 55 year-old male with rapidly progressive native aortic endocarditis caused by L. monocytogenes. He had neither history of underlying cardiac disease nor definitive predisposing factor. He presented mild dyspnes, chest pain and febrile sensation for a week. Echocardiography showed large vegetation in aortic valve and severe aortic regurgitation. L. monocytogenes grew on blood culture. We underwent artificial aortic valve replacement due to rapidly progessive heart failure. A thromboembolism occured at right femoral artery on postoperative 2nd day was removed successfully. He discharged without any sequellae.