A Simplified Mortality Score Using Delta Neutrophil Index and the Thrombotic Microangiopathy Score for Prognostication in Critically Ill Patients.

BACKGROUND: This study was conducted to assess the prognostic value of a simplified mortality score (SMS) using the delta neutrophil index (DNI) and thrombotic microangiopathy (TMA) score, both easily obtained from the complete blood count, to identify critically ill patients at high risk of death. METHODS: This was a retrospective study performed in the medical ICU at Yonsei University College of Medicine from June 2015 to February 2016. The primary end point was 28-day all-cause mortality. Participants were divided into two groups: a training (n = 232) and a test (n = 57) set. We used Cox proportional-hazards analysis, Harrell's C index, and Kaplan-Meier survival analysis to derive the SMS and test its internal validity. RESULTS: We enrolled 289 patients. The 28-day mortality rate was 31.1% (n = 90). Nonsurvivors had higher APACHE II, SOFA, and TMA scores, and DNI. The SMS, derived by Cox proportional-hazards analysis, consisted of age, sex, DNI, and TMA score. We assigned a weighted point to each variable in the SMS, as follows: age + 11 if male + (2 × DNI) + (61 [TMA = 1], 76 [TMA = 2], 74 [TMA = 3], 26 [TMA = 4], 99 [TMA = 5]). Nonsurvivors had a higher median SMS than survivors, and the Harrell's C index was 0.660. Analysis of survival by risk group according to SMS (low, intermediate, high risk) showed a significant difference among these three groups (P < 0.001). We then investigated this SMS in the test set to determine internal validity; the results were similar to those of the training set. CONCLUSIONS: The SMS is a more rapid, simple prognostic score for predicting 28-day mortality and stratifying risk than the APACHE II or SOFA scores. However, external validation using a larger sample is needed.

Prevalence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in Korea: the fourth Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2008.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Because the mortality and social burden associated with COPD is increasing, repeated surveys of the prevalence of COPD have been used to assess risk factors, detect potential patients, and establish early diagnoses and management protocols. We report the prevalence of spirometrically detected COPD in Korea in 2008, using data from the fourth Korean National Health and Nutrition Survey. METHODS: Using nationwide stratified random sampling, based on the Korean Statistical Office census, 6840 subjects aged ≥19years underwent spirometry, which was performed by four trained technicians, during 2008. The place of residence, levels of education and income and smoking status, as well as other results from a COPD survey questionnaire were also assessed. RESULTS: Airflow obstruction (FEV(1) /FVC<0.7) was detected in 8.8% of subjects aged ≥19years (11.6% of men and 5.9% of women) and COPD was detected in 13.4% of subjects aged ≥40years (19.4% of men and 7.9% of women). Of the 6840 subjects, 27.3% were current smokers and 17.2% were former smokers, and the prevalence of COPD was higher in current and former smokers than in never smokers. Approximately 94% of patients with COPD had mild-to-moderate disease, without apparent symptoms; only 2.4% had been diagnosed by a physician and only 2.1% of patients had been treated. The independent risk factors for COPD were smoking, advanced age and male gender. CONCLUSIONS: Although the prevalence of COPD in Korea is high, the disease is underdiagnosed and most COPD patients are under-treated.

Pulmonary involvement in Erdheim-Chester disease.

Erdheim-Chester disease is a disseminated non-Langerhans' cell histiocytosis involving multiple organs with characteristic sclerotic musculoskeletal lesions. This is the report of the case of a 53-year-old woman with extensive and progressive pulmonary disease. Computed tomography scans revealed diffuse infiltrative lung disease. Thoracoscopic lung biopsy and a biopsy of the right femur lesion were performed. The histopathology revealed that she had non-Langerhans' cell histiocytosis; Erdheim-Chester disease. The characteristic lesions of Erdheim-Chester disease, including involvement of the orbit, pericardium, periaorta, and bone were detected. This helped to further confirm that the patient had Erdheim-Chester disease with associated pulmonary involvement. As Erdheim-Chester disease is a rare non-Langerhans' cell histiocytosis that may be misdiagnosed as interstitial lung disease or other pulmonary disorders, this diagnosis should be considered in the differential diagnosis of such lung lesions.