• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.50 no.7
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• pp.613-621
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• 2007

Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) has expanded and evolved substantially in the last decades to treat various malignant and nonmalignant diseases. However, the conditioning regimen can lead to transplantation related death by major organ dysfunction, severe infection and bleeding. In the allogeneic setting, graft versus host disease may also develop, making post-transplant management complex. To overcome these problems, new stem cell sources, stem cell mobilizing agents and new skills, nonmyeloablative stem cell transplantation including reduced intensity stem cell transplantation has been introduced in clinical practice, but problems remained so far. Recipients of stem cell transplant may be severely immunocompromised for many months after transplantation. Furthermore, long-term complications (endocrine, metabolic, relapse, second malignancies, etc) can develop. Pediatrician is open called on to participate in the evaluation and consideration of patients for possible transplant and long-term follow-up of HSCT patients. This review is intended as a basic overview of HSCT relevant to general pediatrician.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.77 no.2
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• pp.94-97
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• 2014

Empyema necessitatis is a rare complication of an empyema. Although the incidence is thought to be decreased in the post-antibiotic era, immunocompromised patients such as patients with chronic kidney disease on dialysis are still at a higher risk. A 56-year-old woman on peritoneal dialysis presented with an enlarging mass on the right anterior chest wall. The chest computed tomography scan revealed an empyema necessitatis and the histopathologic findings revealed a granulomatous inflammation with caseation necrosis. The patient was treated with anti-tuberculous medication.

• Electrolytes & blood pressure
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.27-29
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• 2018

Peritoneal dialysis (PD)-related peritonitis is a major cause of injury and technique failure in patients undergoing PD. Aeromonas hydrophila is ubiquitous in the environment, and is a Gram-negative rod associated with infections in fish and amphibians in most cases; however, it can also cause opportunistic infections in immunocompromised patients. We report a case of A. hydrophila peritonitis in a 56-year-old male on automated PD. Peritonitis may have been caused by contamination of the Set Plus, a component of the automated peritoneal dialysis device. Although Set Plus is disposable, the patient reused the product by cleansing with tap water. He was successfully treated with intraperitoneally-administered ceftazidime and has been well without recurrence for more than 2 years.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.55 no.1
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• pp.99-103
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• 2017

Toxoplasma gondii is an important opportunistic agent especially in immunocompromised hosts and can cause significant morbidity and mortality. Hence, detection and monitoring of anti-Toxoplasma antibodies are of a great interest in HIV-infected patients. A study on the prevalence of toxoplasmosis and associated risk factors was carried out among HIV-infected patients in Jahrom, southern Iran. The prevalence of anti-Toxoplasma IgG antibodies was 21.1% in HIV-infected patients by ELISA. PCR was performed on all of the samples, and 1 of the blood samples was positively detected. Among the HIV patients, anti-Toxoplasma IgG antibodies were significantly higher in age group of 30-39 years old (P=0.05). The seroprevalence of toxoplasmosis in patients with $CD4^+$ < $100cells/{\mu}l$ was 33.3% that was significantly higher than the other groups (P=0.042) with or without IgG antibodies. The $CD4^+$ count mean of seropositive patients was lower than that of seronegative patients. The seroprevalence of toxoplasmosis in patients with highly active antiretroviral therapy was significantly less than patients without therapy (P=0.02). In conclusion, this study showed low seroprevalence of latent toxoplasmosis among HIV-infected patients in the region and confirmed the need for intensifying prevention efforts among this high-risk population and also the risk of toxoplasmosis reactivation which could be important among this population.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Laryngology, Phoniatrics and Logopedics
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.5-10
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• 2016

Variable systemic diseases affect larynx and vocal fold and result in voice change. Asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease make increase of intra-abdomimal pressure followed by reflux of gastric acid, which stimulate vagal-bronchopulomary reflex aggravating cough and respiratory disturbance. Fungal laryngitis in the general population is extremely rare, but can occur in immunocompromised AIDS patients. Although, initially, empirical antifungal therapy for candidiasis is often given without biopsy, diagnostic direct laryngoscopy and biopsy is imperative if a substantial clinical response is not rapidly achieved. In the highly active anti-retroviral therapy era, HIV-positive patients are living longer and are at higher risk for developing non-AIDS-defining malignancies. The incidence of head and neck cancer (HNC) which is related with human papilloma virus infection has increased. The survival is significantly lower among the AIDS-HNC patients with CD4 counts ${\leq}200cells/{\mu}L$. Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) cause voice disturbance by developing cricoarytenoid joints fixation or nodule on vocal fold. Post-menopausal voice disorder (PMVD) is caused by decreased secretion of estrogen-progesterone resulting in decrease of fundamental frequency (F0). Hormonal replacement therapy is helpful to reduce F0 decrease. RA and PMVD result in slight voice change, but it could crucial in professional voice user.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.46 no.11
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• pp.1139-1142
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• 2003

Human parvovirus(HPV) B19 infection causes erythema infectiosum in children, sometimes red cell aplastic crisis with hemolytic anemia and chronic bone marrow failure in immunocompromised hosts. HPV B19 is directly cytotoxic for erythroid progenitor cells and inhibits erythropoiesis. Infrequently, HPV B19 inhibits hematopoiesis of three cell lineages and causes transient pancytopenia in patients with hemolytic disorders. We report three patients with hereditary spherocytosis who developed transient aplastic crisis. A HPV B19 infection was confirmed by IgM anti-B19 parvovirus titers and characteristic findings of bone marrow examination as the causative agent associated with severe pancytopenia. Three patients recovered spontaneously after a short period of supportive care with red cell transfusions and intravenous immunoglobulin.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.56 no.5
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• pp.196-201
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• 2013

Fluoroquinolones are an important class of antibiotics that are widely used in adult patients because of their broad spectrum of activity, good tissue penetration, and oral bioavailability. However, fluoroquinolone use in children is limited because juvenile animals developed arthropathy in previous experiments on fluoroquinolone use. Indications for fluoroquinolone use in patients younger than 18 years, as stated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, include treatment of complicated urinary tract infections and postexposure treatment for inhalation anthrax. In Korea, the systemic use of fluoroquinolones has not been approved in children younger than 18 years. Although concerns remain regarding the adverse musculoskeletal effects of fluoroquinolones in children, their use in the pediatric population has increased in many circumstances. While pediatricians should be aware of the indications and adverse effects of fluoroquinolones, recent studies have shown that the risk for musculoskeletal complications in children did not significantly increase following fluoroquinolone treatment. In addition, fluoroquinolones may be particularly helpful in treating multidrug-resistant infections that have not responded to standard antibiotic therapy in immunocompromised patients. In the present article, we provide an updated review on the safety and current recommendations for using fluoroquinolones in children.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.81 no.6
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• pp.1529-1536
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• 2020

Invasive pulmonary aspergillosis (IPA) has been known to occur in immunocompromised patients, but has been rarely reported in immunocompetent patients. In immunocompetent patients, pulmonary fungal infections are not initially considered. This results in diagnosis and treatment delays, as well as poor prognosis. We report a case and serial CT findings of IPA in an immunocompetent 29-year-old male after congenital heart disease surgery.

• Childhood Kidney Diseases
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.143-147
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• 2015

Purpose: Burkholderia cepacia is an aerobic, glucose-non-fermenting, gram-negative bacillus that mainly affects immunocompromised and hospitalized patients. Burkholderia cepacia has high levels of resistance to many antimicrobial agents, and therapeutic options are limited. The authors sought to analyze the incidence, clinical manifestation, risk factors, antimicrobial sensitivity and outcomes of B. cepacia urinary tract infection (UTI) in pediatric patients. Methods: Pediatric patients with urine culture-proven B. cepacia UTI between January 2000 and December 2014 at Samsung Medical Center, a tertiary referral hospital in Seoul, Republic of Korea, were included in a retrospective analysis of medical records. Results: Over 14 years, 14 patients (male-to-female ratio of 1:1) were diagnosed with B. cepacia UTI. Of 14 patients with UTI, 11 patients were admitted to the intensive care unit, and a bladder catheter was present in 9 patients when urine culture was positive for B. cepacia. Patients had multiple predisposing factors for UTI, including double-J catheter insertion (14.2%), vesico-ureteral reflux (28.6%), congenital heart disease (28.6%), or malignancy (21.4%). Burkholderia cepacia isolates were sensitive to piperacillin-tazobactam and sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim, and resistant to amikacin and colistin. Treatment with parenteral or oral antimicrobial agents including piperacillin-tazobactam, ceftazidime, meropenem, and sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim resulted in complete recovery from UTI. Conclusion: Burkholderia cepacia may be a causative pathogen for nosocomial UTI in pediatric patients with predisposing factors, and appropriate selection of antimicrobial therapy is necessary because of high levels of resistance to empirical therapy, including aminoglycosides.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.49 no.3
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• pp.397-404
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• 2022

Background Excessive use of corticosteroids therapy along with gross immunocompromised conditions in the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has raised the risks of contracting opportunistic fungal infections. Here, we describe our experience with the implementation of a surgical protocol to treat and reconstruct rhino-orbital-cerebral mucormycosis. Methods A retrospective review of our prospectively maintained database was conducted on consecutive patients diagnosed with mucormycosis undergoing immediate reconstruction utilizing our "Mucormycosis Management Protocol." All patients included in this study underwent reconstruction after recovering from COVID-19. Wide local excision was performed in all cases removing all suspected and edematous tissue. Reconstruction was done primarily after clear margins were achieved on clinical assessment under a cover of injectable liposomal amphotericin B. Results Fourteen patients were included. The average age was 43.6 years and follow-up was 24.3 days. Thirteen patients had been admitted for inpatient care of COVID-19. Steroid therapy was implemented for 2 weeks in 11 patients and for 3 weeks in 3 patients. Eight patients (57.1%) had a maxillectomy and mucosal lining resection with/without skin excision, and six patients (42.8%) underwent maxillectomy and wide tissue excision (maxillectomy and partial zygomatic resection, orbital exenteration, orbital floor resection, nose debridement, or skull base debridement). Anterolateral thigh (ALT) flaps were used to cover defects in all patients. All flaps survived. No major or minor complications occurred. No recurrence of mucormycosis was noted. Conclusion The approach presented in this study indicates that immediate reconstruction is safe and reliable in cases when appropriate tissue resection is accomplished. Further studies are required to verify the external validity of these findings.