• Korean Journal of Bronchoesophagology
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.149-153
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• 2010

Lemierre syndrome, also known as postanginal sepsis, is a severe complication of an acute oropharyngeal infection that result in septic thrombophlebitis of the internal jugular vein with subsequent septicemia. This disease is relatively rare, but it has significant morbidity and is potentially fatal. Early diagnosis based on computed tomography with contrast enhancement is mandatory and immediate treatment including intravenous antibiotics, anticoagulants, or surgical approach should be considered. We report a case of Lemierre syndrome after deep neck infection which was successfully treated using antibiotics and anticoagulants.

• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.86-89
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• 2019

Buried bumper syndrome is a rare but potentially severe complication of percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy tube insertion. Though this complication is uncommon, it may lead to pressure necrosis, bleeding, perforation, peritonitis, sepsis, or death. Each case of buried bumper syndrome is unique in terms of patient comorbidities and anatomic positioning of the buried bumper. For this reason, many approaches have been described in the management of buried bumper syndrome. In this case report, we describe the case of an adolescent Caucasian female who developed buried bumper syndrome three years after undergoing percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy insertion. We review diagnosis and management of buried bumper syndrome and describe a novel technique for bumper removal in which we use a guide wire in combination with external traction to maintain a patent gastrostomy lumen while removing the internal percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy bumper.

• Clinical Endoscopy
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• v.55 no.2
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• pp.302-304
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• 2022

Adrenal gland infection is a clinical entity of great importance, but it is a largely unrecognized pathology. Immunosuppressed individuals are at a higher risk of presentation. Herein, we describe a young female patient, recently diagnosed with HIV, who presented with severe sepsis due to methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, associated with a left adrenal abscess. She was initially treated with antibiotics; however, due to the persistence of the systemic inflammatory response and bacteremia, endoscopic ultrasound-guided drainage was performed. This procedure was successful in resolving the clinical situation. Endoscopic ultrasound-guided adrenal gland drainage can be a safe, efficacious, and minimally invasive option for managing antibiotic-refractory adrenal abscesses in immunosuppressed patients.

• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• v.23 no.5
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• pp.472-483
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• 2020

Purpose: Sodium is an essential nutritional electrolyte that affects growth. A low serum sodium concentration in healthy premature infants beyond 2 weeks of life is called late-onset hyponatremia (LOH). Here, we investigated the association between LOH severity and growth outcomes in premature infants. Methods: Medical records of premature infants born at ≤32 weeks of gestation were reviewed. LOH was defined as a serum sodium level <135 mEq/L regardless of sodium replacement after 14 days of life. Cases were divided into two groups, <130 mEq/L (severe) and ≥130 mEq/L (mild). Characteristics and growth parameters were compared between the two groups. Results: A total of 102 premature infants with LOH were included. Gestational age ([GA] 27.7 vs. 29.5 weeks, p<0.001) and birth weight (1.04 vs. 1.34 kg, p<0.001) were significantly lower in the severe group. GA was a risk factor of severe LOH (odds ratio [OR], 1.328, p=0.022), and severe LOH affected the development of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (OR, 2.950, p=0.039) and led to a poor developmental outcome (OR, 9.339, p=0.049). Growth parameters at birth were lower in the severe group, and a lower GA and sepsis negatively affected changes in growth for 3 years after adjustment for time. However, severe LOH was not related to growth changes in premature infants. Conclusion: Severe LOH influenced the development of bronchopulmonary dysplasia and developmental outcomes. However, LOH severity did not affect the growth of premature infants beyond the neonatal period.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.45 no.6
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• pp.1252-1264
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• 1998

Background : Patients with established ARDS have a mortality rate that exceeds 50 percent despite of intensive care including artificial ventilation modality, Mortality has been associated with sepsis and organ failure preceding or following ARDS ; APACHE II score ; old age and predisposing factors. Revised ventilator strategy over last 10 years especially at ARDS appeared to improve the mortality of it. We retrospectively investigated 40 ARDS patients of respiratory-care unit to examine how these factors influence outcome. Methods : A retrospective investigation of 40 ARDS patients in respiratory-care unit with ventilator management over 46 months was performed. We investigated the clinical characteristics such as a risk factor, cause of death and mortality, and also parameters such as APACHE II score, number of organ dysfunction, and hypoxia score (HS, $PaO_2/FIO_2$) at day 1, 3, 7 of severe acute lung injury, and simultaneously the PEEP level and tidal volume. Results : Clinical conditions associated with ARDS were sepsis 50%, pneumonia 30%, aspiration pneumonia 20%, and mortality rate based on the etiology of ARDS was sepsis 50%, pneumonia 67%(p<0.01 vs sepsis), aspiration pneumonia 38%. Overall mortality rate was 60%. In 28 day-nonsurvivors, leading cause of death was severe sepsis(42.9%) followed by MOF(28.6%), respiratory failure(19.1 %), and others(9.5%). There were no differences in variables of age, sex, APACHE II score, HS, and numbers of organ dysfunction at day 1 of ARDS between 28-days survivor and nonsurvivors. In view of categorized variables of age(>70), APACHE II score(>26), HS(<150) at day 1 of ARDS, there were significant differences between 28-days survivor and nonsurvivors(p<0.05). After day 1 of ARDS, the survivors have improved their APACHE II score, HS, numbers of organ dysfunction over the first 3d to 7d, but nonsurvivors did not improve over a seven-day course. There were significant differences in APACHE II score and numbers of organ dysfunction of day 3, 7 of ARDS, and HS of day 7 of ARDS between survivors and nonsurvivors(p<0.05). Fatality rate of ARDS has been declined from 68% to less than 40% between 1995 and 1998. There were no differences in APACHE II score, HS, numbers of organ dysfunction, old age at presentation of ARDS. In last years, mean PEEP level was significantly higher and mean tidal volume was significantly lower than previous years during seven days of ARDS(p<0.01). Conclusions : Improvement of HS, APACHE II score, organ dysfunction over the first 3d to 7d is associated with increased survival Decline in ARDS fatality rates between 1995 and 1998 seems that this trend must be attributed to improved supportive therapy including at least high PEEP instead of conventional-least PEEP approach in ventilator management of acute respiratory distress syndrome.

• Journal of Korean Clinical Nursing Research
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.384-394
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• 2014

Purpose: To improve professional intensive care by analyzing admission causes, causes of death, disease conditions, and treatment processes in patients with hematological malignancies admitted to intensive care units (ICUs) in South Korea. Methods: This was a retrospective study approved by IRB, and conducted on admission with 559 adults, in the hematology ICU of a hospital located in Seoul. The study was carried out from April 2009 to March 2012. Data were analyzed using SAS. Results: Pneumonia was the most frequent cause of ICU admission and death, followed by sepsis. The condition at discharge was death (53.6%), recovery (39.9%), or hopeless (5.1%). Mortality of patients in states of incomplete remission was higher than that of patients with complete remission and of patients with multiple myeloma, severe aplastic anemia, and lymphoma. Conclusion: Results show that pneumonia and sepsis are the most frequent causes of ICU admission and for the death of patients with hematological malignancies. The most frequent status at discharge of patients with hematological malignancies was death (53.6%), with mortality of patients at Incomplete Remission status, of mechanically ventilated patients, and of patients on continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) being higher than others.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.59 no.7
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• pp.308-311
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• 2016

We report a human parechovirus-3 (HPeV-3) infection in 2 neonates who had prolonged fever (>5 days) with palmar-plantar erythema. This distinctive rash was observed 4-5 days after fever onset, just before defervescence. Elevated aspartate aminotransferase, lactate dehydrogenase, and ferritin levels were characteristic laboratory findings in the 2 cases, suggesting tissue damage caused by hypercytokinemia. Case 1 was treated with intravenous immunoglobulin, considering the possibility of severe systemic inflammatory responses. The initial ferritin level was 385 ng/mL (range, 0-400 ng/mL); however, the level increased to 2,581 ng/dL on day 5 after fever onset. Case 2 presented with milder clinical symptoms, and the patient recovered spontaneously. HPeV-3 was detected in cerebrospinal fluid and/or blood samples, but no other causative agents were detected. The findings from our cases, in accordance with recent studies, suggest that clinical features such as palmar-plantar erythema and/or hyperferritinemia might be indicators of HPeV-3 infection in neonates with sepsis-like illness. In clinical practice, where virology testing is not easily accessible, clinical features such as palmar-plantar erythema and/or hyperferritinemia might be helpful to diagnose HPeV-3 infection.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.41 no.2
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• pp.242-248
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• 2013

Endotoxins are part of the outer membrane of the cell wall of gram-negative bacteria and are continuously released during bacterial growth. Endotoxins typically induce severe sepsis and septic shock, which cause more than 50% of mortalities. Endotoxins are easily measured in the serum by the limulus amebocyte lysate (LAL) test. However, a nonspecific result is obtained, because the high concentration of serum proteins disturbs the enzyme reaction of the LAL test. In order to solve this problem, the LAL test was performed in this study after the centrifugation of the boiled serum samples to remove the impurities. As a result, among the various conditions examined, endotoxin measurement with the LAL test was the most accurate and repeatable after centrifugation of the boiled serum at $100^{\circ}C$. Moreover, the endotoxin was accurately and repeatedly measured from the prepared sera of mice that had been administered an intraperitoneal injection of purified lipopolysaccharides (LPS) or E. coli. Therefore, the application of centrifugation to remove impurities from boiled serum gives an accurate measurement of endotoxins in the sera of normal subjects or patients, and this will lead to the improved diagnosis and prevention of diseases caused by endotoxins. In addition, the centrifugation of boiled serum samples should be considered and included in the development of endotoxin test kits.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.28 no.6
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• pp.565-570
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• 1995

Seventy-three patients with isolated total anomalous pulmonary venous connection the patients associated with other major cardiac anomalies such as single ventricle, DORV[Double Outlet Right Ventricle and large VSD[Ventricular Septal Defect were excluded were underwent surgical repair from January 1980 through October 1993. There were 45 boys and 28 girls. The mean age at operation was 19.9 months[range 6 days to 24 years and mean body weight was 7.1kg[range 2.6kg to 45kg . The anomalous locations of connection were supracardiac in 38, cardiac in 21, infracardiac in 5, and mixed in 9. In 38 patients[52% , the venous drainage was obstructed. The obstruction ratios according to the connection type were as follows: 53%[28/38 in supracardiac, 52%[11/21 in cardiac, 100%[5/5 in infracardiac, 22%[2/9 in mixed type. The associated cardiac anomalies were persistent left SVC[2 , tricuspid valve regurgitation[3 , cor triatriatum[1 , and mitral cleft[1 . And associated noncardiac anomalies were imperforate anus[1 and Neil Weightman syndrome[1 . The operative mortality was 23%. The causes of death were pulmonary hypertensive crisis, perioperative myocardial failure, pneumonia with sepsis, arrhythmia and etc. The statistically significant factors in postoperative mortality were the pulmonary venous obstruction and age [p<0.01 . The operative mortality was high in groups of age under 1 month and pulmonary venous obstruction. The mean follow-up was 27.1 months. There were two late deaths. The first patient was three months old boy with supracardiac type and severe obstructive symptoms. The postoperative echocardiography was showed anastomotic stenosis and reoperations were performed twice but the patients expired due to pneumonia and sepsis. The second patient was three month old boy with supracardiac type and total correction was done and was doing well postoperatively. Eight years later, he expired suddenly due to arrhythmia. But all the other patients were in NYHA Fc I and received no medications. The 5-year survival rate excluding early expired patients is 97.1 $\pm$ 0.03 %. In conclusion, although the operative mortality of total anomalous pulmonary venous connection was relatively high compared to other major cardiac anomalies, we could expect excellent long-term results by early surgical correction.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.35 no.10
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• pp.2955-2962
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• 2014

Asian ginseng is used as a treatment for cardiovascular diseases, ischemia, and cancers. High mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) protein acts as a late mediator of severe vascular inflammatory conditions. However, the effect of ginsenosides from Asian ginseng on HMGB1-induced inflammatory responses has not been studied. We addressed this question by monitoring the effects of ginsenoside treatment on lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and cecal ligation and puncture (CLP)-mediated release of HMGB1, and HMGB1-mediated regulation of proinflammatory responses. Ginsenoside treatment suppressed LPS-mediated release of HMGB1 and HMGB1-mediated cytoskeletal rearrangements. Ginsenosides also inhibited HMGB1-mediated inflammatory responses. In addition, ginsenosides inhibited the production of tumor necrosis factor-${\alpha}$ (TNF-${\alpha}$) and activation of protein kinase B (Akt), nuclear factor-${\kappa}B$ (NF-${\kappa}B$), and extracellular-regulated kinases (ERK) 1/2 by HMGB1. Ginsenosides also decreased CLP-induced release of HMGB1, production of interleukin (IL) $1{\beta}/6$, and mortality. These results suggested that ginsenosides may be potential therapeutic agents for treatment of vascular inflammatory diseases through inhibition of the HMGB1 signaling pathway.