RESUMO
BACKGROUND/AIMS: There are increasing numbers of North Korean defectors, and their health status differs from that of the South Korean population. This study was performed to investigate the clinical characteristics of North Korean defectors visiting a single tertiary hospital in South Korea. METHODS: The medical records of North Korean defectors who visited Dankook University Hospital, Cheonan, South Korea from 1 February 2006 to 30 April 2014 were retrospectively reviewed. Their comorbidities, main reasons for the visit, and most common diseases were investigated. RESULTS: A total of 169 North Korean defectors (163 females, 6 males) visited our hospital. Sixty-eight patients (40.24%) had comorbidities, the most common of which was tuberculosis (13.60%), followed by chronic hepatitis B (10.06%) and chronic hepatitis C (9.47%). North Korean refugees visited the department of ophthalmology (15.71%) most frequently, followed by gastroenterology (15.18%). Cataracts, chronic hepatitis C, chronic hepatitis B, and pulmonary tuberculosis were the most common reasons for the hospital visit. Chronic hepatitis B and chronic hepatitis C were diagnosed in 19.32% and 17.58% of the patients, respectively. Sixteen patients (9.47%) were diagnosed with tuberculosis, and eight of these patients showed multidrug resistance. Of all 169 patients, 17 underwent colonofibroscopy or stool examination, and parasites (Trichuris trichiura, n = 6; Clonorchis sinensis, n = 1) were found in 7 patients (41.18%). CONCLUSIONS: Most North Korean defectors who visited this tertiary hospital in South Korea were female, and they mainly visited the departments of ophthalmology, gastroenterology, and pulmonology. Compared with South Koreans, they showed high rates of chronic hepatitis B, chronic hepatitis C, pulmonary tuberculosis with multidrug resistance, and parasite infection.
Assuntos
Feminino , Humanos , Catarata , Clonorchis sinensis , Comorbidade , República Democrática Popular da Coreia , Resistência a Múltiplos Medicamentos , Gastroenterologia , Hepatite B Crônica , Hepatite C Crônica , Coreia (Geográfico) , Prontuários Médicos , Oftalmologia , Parasitos , Pneumologia , Refugiados , Estudos Retrospectivos , Centros de Atenção Terciária , Tuberculose , Tuberculose PulmonarRESUMO
BACKGROUND: Few reports have documented the clinical characteristics and treatment outcomes of adult patients with Elizabethkingia meningoseptica infection. METHODS: Medical records of patients over 18 years of age and suspected of having an E. meningoseptica infection from March 1, 2006 to February 28, 2013 were reviewed retrospectively. Their clinical characteristics, antimicrobial susceptibility results, and treatment outcomes were analyzed. RESULTS: E. meningoseptica was isolated from 30 patients. Median age was 68.5 years, and infections were more frequent in males (17, 56.7%). The most common isolation source was sputum (23, 76.7%), and pneumonia was the most common condition (21, 70%) after excluding two cases of colonization. This bacterium was most susceptible to minocycline (27, 90%) and fluoroquinolones, including levofloxacin (20, 66.7%) and ciprofloxacin (18, 60%). The mortality rate due directly to E. meningoseptica infection was 20% (6/30), and uncontrolled pneumonia was the only cause of death. After isolating E. meningoseptica, the numbers of patients with pneumonia (9/9, 100% vs. 12/21, 57.1%), history of hemodialysis (5/9, 55.6% vs. 3/21, 14.3%), tracheostomy (8/9, 88.9 vs. 10/21, 47.6%), and median Charlson comorbidity index score (6 [range, 3-9] vs. 4 [range, 0-9]) were significantly higher in non-survivors than those in survivors (p < 0.05, for each). However, only 12 (40%) patients received appropriate antibiotics. CONCLUSIONS: E. meningoseptica infection most commonly presented as pneumonia in adults with severe underlying diseases. Despite the high mortality rate, the rate of appropriate antibiotic use was notably low.
Assuntos
Adulto , Humanos , Masculino , Antibacterianos , Causas de Morte , Chryseobacterium , Ciprofloxacina , Colo , Comorbidade , Infecção Hospitalar , Fluoroquinolonas , Levofloxacino , Prontuários Médicos , Minociclina , Mortalidade , Pneumonia , Diálise Renal , Estudos Retrospectivos , Escarro , Sobreviventes , Centros de Atenção Terciária , TraqueostomiaRESUMO
PURPOSE: Adverse cutaneous reactions to antituberculous drugs (ATD), such as maculopapular eruption (MPE), are the most common causes of discontinuation of scheduled treatment of tuberculosis. We previously reported that tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha genetic polymorphism -308G/A is significantly associated with ATD-induced hepatitis. This study aimed to investigate associations between TNF-alpha -308G/A and ATD-induced MPE. METHODS: Patients with ATD-induced MPE and controls without any adverse reactions to ATD were recruited from the database of the Adverse Drug Reaction Pharmacogenomic Research Group database of Korea. We compared the genotype frequency of TNF-alpha-308G/A between patients with ATD-induced MPE and ATD-tolerant controls. RESULTS: A total of 69 patients with ATD-induced MPE and 229 control subjects were enrolled for this study. There were no significant differences in genotype frequency between the patients and the controls, suggesting lack of associations between TNF-alpha-308G/A and ATD-induced MPE. CONCLUSION: The TNF-alpha genetic polymorphism -308G/A may not be related to the development of ATD-induced MPE, in contrast to ATD-induced hepatitis. These findings suggest that associations between TNF-alpha-308G/A and ATD-induced adverse reactions can be phenotype-specific.
Assuntos
Humanos , Antituberculosos , Toxidermias , Efeitos Colaterais e Reações Adversas Relacionados a Medicamentos , Genótipo , Hepatite , Coreia (Geográfico) , Polimorfismo Genético , Tuberculose , Fator de Necrose Tumoral alfaRESUMO
BACKGROUND: Few reports have documented the clinical characteristics and treatment outcomes of adult patients with Elizabethkingia meningoseptica infection. METHODS: Medical records of patients over 18 years of age and suspected of having an E. meningoseptica infection from March 1, 2006 to February 28, 2013 were reviewed retrospectively. Their clinical characteristics, antimicrobial susceptibility results, and treatment outcomes were analyzed. RESULTS: E. meningoseptica was isolated from 30 patients. Median age was 68.5 years, and infections were more frequent in males (17, 56.7%). The most common isolation source was sputum (23, 76.7%), and pneumonia was the most common condition (21, 70%) after excluding two cases of colonization. This bacterium was most susceptible to minocycline (27, 90%) and fluoroquinolones, including levofloxacin (20, 66.7%) and ciprofloxacin (18, 60%). The mortality rate due directly to E. meningoseptica infection was 20% (6/30), and uncontrolled pneumonia was the only cause of death. After isolating E. meningoseptica, the numbers of patients with pneumonia (9/9, 100% vs. 12/21, 57.1%), history of hemodialysis (5/9, 55.6% vs. 3/21, 14.3%), tracheostomy (8/9, 88.9 vs. 10/21, 47.6%), and median Charlson comorbidity index score (6 [range, 3-9] vs. 4 [range, 0-9]) were significantly higher in non-survivors than those in survivors (p < 0.05, for each). However, only 12 (40%) patients received appropriate antibiotics. CONCLUSIONS: E. meningoseptica infection most commonly presented as pneumonia in adults with severe underlying diseases. Despite the high mortality rate, the rate of appropriate antibiotic use was notably low.