Prevalence of human papillomavirus genotypes and precancerous cervical lesions in a screening population in the Republic of Korea, 2014–2016 / 부인종양

OBJECTIVE: Knowledge regarding the prevalence and distribution of human papillomavirus (HPV) genotyping in healthy women is important in establishing strategies for cervical cancer screening and HPV vaccination. METHODS: A total of 18,170 women who visited a Korean Medical Institute for health check-ups were recruited retrospectively; they underwent HPV genotyping and conventional cervical cytology. An HPV DNA test was performed using the Anyplex™ II HPV 28 detection system (Seegene) or HPV Liquid Bead Microarray (Osang Healthcare). The distribution of HPV genotypes was assessed according to cervical cytology and age. RESULTS: HPV was detected in 3,037 (16.71%) of the 18,170 women enrolled, and 2,268 (12.48%) were positive for high-risk (HR) HPV. In total, HPV 53 (9.69% of all detected HPV viruses) was the most common type; HPV 58 (7.90%) and 52 (7.81%) were also common. HPV 54 (6.99%) was common in low-risk subjects. Overall and in the normal cytology group, the most common HPV genotype was HPV 53, whereas HPV 58 was more common in women who had atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance or low-grade squamous intraepithelial neoplasia cervical cytology. In addition, HPV 16 was the most common type in cases with high-grade squamous intraepithelial neoplasia (HSIL)/atypical squamous cells-cannot exclude HSIL. Among women with normal cytology, 76 of 231 (32.9%) women under 24 years of age were positive for HR HPV, whereas 84 of 852 (9.9%) women aged 55–59 years were positive. CONCLUSION: HPV 53 was the most prevalent genotype in healthy women. Distribution of HPV genotypes varied with cervical cytology and age. Our study provides important baseline data for the recently implemented national HPV vaccination program.

Rates of Change to a Positive Result in Subsequent Screening Mammography in Korean Women: A Retrospective Observational Study / 예방의학회지

OBJECTIVES: This retrospective cohort study aimed at calculating some parameters of changes in the findings of the subsequent screening mammography (SSM) in female Korean volunteers. METHODS: The study included screenees aged 30 to 79 years who underwent SSM voluntarily after testing negative in the baseline screenings performed between January 2007 and December 2011. A change to a positive result was defined as category 4 or 5 by using the American College of Radiology Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System. The proportion of results that had changed to positive (CP, %) was calculated by dividing the number of cases with results that were positive in the SSM by the total number of study participants. The rate of results that had changed to positive (CR, cases per 100 000 screenee-months) was calculated by dividing the number of cases with results that were positive in the SSM by the total number of months of the follow-up period. RESULTS: The overall CP and CR in all age groups (n=77 908) were 2.26% and 93.94 cases per 100 000 screenee-months, respectively. The median CP interval in the subjects who had positive SSM results was 30 to 36 months, while that in the age group of 30 to 39 years was shorter. CONCLUSIONS: Different screening intervals should be considered among women aged between 30 and 59 years. In addition, a strategy for a screening program should be developed for the age group of 30 to 39 years, in particular.

Optimal Interval for Repeated Gastric Cancer Screening in Normal-Risk Healthy Korean Adults: A Retrospective Cohort Study / Journal of the Korean Cancer Association, 대한암학회지

PURPOSE: This retrospective cohort study was conducted to estimate the optimal interval for gastric cancer screening in Korean adults with initial negative screening results. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study consisted of voluntary Korean screenees aged 40 to 69 years who underwent subsequent screening gastroscopies after testing negative in the baseline screening performed between January 2007 and December 2011. A new case was defined as the presence of gastric cancer cells in biopsy specimens obtained upon gastroscopy. The follow-up periods were calculated during the months between the date of baseline screening gastroscopy and positive findings upon subsequent screenings, stratified by sex and age group. The mean sojourn time (MST) for determining the screening interval was estimated using the prevalence/incidence ratio. RESULTS: Of the 293,520 voluntary screenees for the gastric cancer screening program, 91,850 (31.29%) underwent subsequent screening gastroscopies between January 2007 and December 2011. The MSTs in men and women were 21.67 months (95% confidence intervals [CI], 17.64 to 26.88 months) and 15.14 months (95% CI, 9.44 to 25.85 months), respectively. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that the optimal interval for subsequent gastric screening in both men and women is 24 months, supporting the 2-year interval recommended by the nationwide gastric cancer screening program.

Distribution of dense breasts using screening mammography in Korean women: a retrospective observational study / 한국역학회지

OBJECTIVES: This retrospective observational study evaluated the distribution of dense breasts by age group among healthy Korean women. METHODS: Participants were women aged 30 years and older who voluntarily underwent screening mammography between January 2007 and December 2011. Women who received the Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System for mammographic density of 3 or 4 were defined as having dense breasts. The proportion of women with dense breasts (PDB, %) was calculated by dividing the number of participants with dense breasts by the total number of participants. RESULTS: Among the 231,058 women who participated, 78.15% were classified as having dense breasts. PDB was highest in the youngest age group (PDB=94.87%) and lowest in the oldest age group. The greatest difference in PDB between adjacent age groups was observed in the group aged 60-64 years. CONCLUSIONS: The results show that the proportion of dense breasts by age group increased in all age groups, except in those aged 35-39 years. These findings suggest an association between the age distribution of dense breasts and trends in breast cancer incidence. Further studies are needed to estimate the change in breast cancer incidence rate by age and the accumulation of fatty breast tissue in Korean women.

Mean Sojourn Time of Preclinical Gastric Cancer in Korean Men: A Retrospective Observational Study / 예방의학회지

OBJECTIVES: This retrospective cohort study aimed to estimate the mean sojourn time (MST) of preclinical gastric cancer in Korean men. METHODS: The subjects consisted of voluntary male screenees aged 40 to 69 years who underwent subsequent screening gastroscopies after testing negative at a baseline screening performed between January 2007 and December 2011. A new case was defined if gastric cancer cells were present in the biopsy specimens obtained from gastroscopy. The follow-up period was calculated as the number of person-years between the date of baseline screening gastroscopy and positive findings at a subsequent screening. The MST was calculated using transition rates of gastric cancer to determine the best screening interval. RESULTS: Of the 171 979 voluntary male screenees, 61 688 (36%) underwent subsequent screening gastroscopies between January 2007 and December 2011. A total of 91 incident cases were found during 19 598 598 person-years of follow-up. The MST of gastric cancer was 2.37 years (95% confidence intervals, 1.92 to 2.96), and those aged 40 to 49 years had a shorter MST than those 50 to 69 years did. CONCLUSIONS: These findings support the 2-year interval of screening recommended by the nationwide gastric cancer screening program in Korea. Further studies for the age-specific MST among women are needed.

An Atypical Case of Plasmodium vivax Malaria after Initiating Adalimumab Therapy

We report an unusual case of Plasmodium vivax malaria that occurred in a 22-year-old ankylosing spondylitis patient after initiating adalimumab therapy. P. falciparum malaria was initially included as a possible differential diagnosis due to hyperparasitemia and similar features in the peripheral blood smear. The patient was successfully treated with conventional therapy for P. vivax malaria.

Is it Acceptable to Select Antibiotics for the Treatment of Community-acquired Acute Cystitis Based on the Antibiotics Susceptibility Results for Uropathogens from Community-acquired Acute Pyelonephritis in Korea? / 감염과화학요법

BACKGROUND: Uncomplicated acute cystitis (CA-UAC) is one of the most common infections treated with antibiotics in the community. However, few data on etiology of CA-UAC and its susceptibility to antibiotics are available, primarily because, in Korea, insurance does not allow reimbursement for microbiological evaluation of CA-UAC. However, microbiologic data on community-acquired uncomplicated acute pyelonephritis (CA-UAPN) are available. The objective of the study was to evaluate the question of whether microbiologic data on CA-UAPN can be used for treatment of CA-UAC; therefore, etiology and antimicrobial susceptibility were compared between pathogens of CA-UAC and those of CA-UAPN. MATERIALS AND METHODS: During 2008, 538 CA-UACs and 1,265 CA-UAPNs were recruited retrospectively from 14 hospitals (UTI research group). Microbiologic data on etiology and susceptibility to antibiotics were collected retrospectively. RESULTS: Urine culture was positive in 131 CA-UACs (131/469, 27.9%) and 719 CA-UAPNs (719/1249, 57.6%). Escherichia coli was the most common pathogen in both groups [83.2% (109/131) in CA-UAC vs. 91.9% (661/719) in CA-UAPN]. Susceptibility to common UTI regimens, such as ciprofloxacin, extended-spectrum cephalosporins, and trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole did not differ between urinary pathogens of CA-UACs and CA-UAPNs, however, a significant difference was observed in rates of resistance to ampicillin/sulbactam (16.5% vs. 42.9%, P<0.001, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Rates of resistance of E. coli from CA-UAC and CA-UAPN to most antibiotics did not differ. For proper treatment, further microbiological evaluation for CA-UAC is mandatory.

Analysis of First Clinical Skills Examination in the Korean Medical Licensing Examination: Focus on Examinees' Experience in a Medical School / 한국의학교육

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the experience of examinees who took the first clinical skill examination in Korea. METHODS: The data were collected by written survey, telephone, and face-to-face interviews with 46 examinees who took a clinical skills examination test at Jeju National University School of Medicine. Thirty-two questionnaires were valid for analysis. RESULTS: Examinees' self-evaluation scores with regard to the level of difficulty of the CPX was 2.83 on average (1 for very easy, 5 for very difficult), and the score on the degree of adequate time for the CPX was 2.69 on average (1 for enough, 5 for very short). Examinees' self-evaluation scores on the level of difficulty of the OSCE was 2.37 on average (1 for very easy, 5 for very difficult), and the score on the degree of adequate time for the OSCE was 2.56 on average (1 for enough, 5 for very short). CONCLUSION: We hope that our study provides useful information on practical questions in the development and review of exams and will be used to develop educational content and teaching methods in medical education.

Bloodstream Infections and Clinical Significance of Healthcare-associated Bacteremia: A Multicenter Surveillance Study in Korean Hospitals

Recent changes in healthcare systems have changed the epidemiologic paradigms in many infectious fields including bloodstream infection (BSI). We compared clinical characteristics of community-acquired (CA), hospital-acquired (HA), and healthcare-associated (HCA) BSI. We performed a prospective nationwide multicenter surveillance study from 9 university hospitals in Korea. Total 1,605 blood isolates were collected from 2006 to 2007, and 1,144 isolates were considered true pathogens. HA-BSI accounted for 48.8%, CA-BSI for 33.2%, and HCA-BSI for 18.0%. HA-BSI and HCA-BSI were more likely to have severe comorbidities. Escherichia coli was the most common isolate in CA-BSI (47.1%) and HCA-BSI (27.2%). In contrast, Staphylococcus aureus (15.2%), coagulase-negative Staphylococcus (15.1%) were the common isolates in HA-BSI. The rate of appropriate empiric antimicrobial therapy was the highest in CA-BSI (89.0%) followed by HCA-BSI (76.4%), and HA-BSI (75.0%). The 30-day mortality rate was the highest in HA-BSI (23.0%) followed by HCA-BSI (18.4%), and CA-BSI (10.2%). High Pitt score and inappropriate empirical antibiotic therapy were the independent risk factors for mortality by multivariate analysis. In conclusion, the present data suggest that clinical features, outcome, and microbiologic features of causative pathogens vary by origin of BSI. Especially, HCA-BSI shows unique clinical characteristics, which should be considered a distinct category for more appropriate antibiotic treatment.

Calcific Tendinitis of the Longus Colli Muscle in a Patient with Rheumatoid Arthritis / 대한류마티스학회지

No abstract available.

A Case of Acute Pulmonary Thromboembolism Complicated Pandemic Influenza (H1N1 2009) / 감염과화학요법

During the pandemic, few patients have suffered from severe pneumonia leading to acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and multiple organ dysfunction necessitating prolonged intensive care with higher mortality. Although sepsis and ARDS represent hypercoagulable states, acute pulmonary thromboembolism is rarely encountered in influenza infection. Fifty five year old female patient admitted with pneumonia associated with influenza A infection, progressed into ARDS. Pulmonary thromboembolism was detected by CT scan and treated with anticoagulants. This is the first case report of acute pulmonary thromboembolism in a patient with pandemic influenza (H1N1 2009) in Korea.

A case of soft tissue infection by Stenotrophomonas maltophilia manifesting as subcutaneous nodules in a patient with leukemia / 대한내과학회지

Stenotrophomonas maltophilia is a ubiquitous, Gram-negative organism. It is an emerging causative pathogen for severe hospital- acquired infections, particularly in debilitated or immunocompromised patients because of its resistance to various antibiotics. Soft tissue infection caused by S. maltophilia, however, is uncommon. A patient with leukemia was referred for the evaluation of subcutaneous nodules that developed after chemotherapy. With the pathological finding of neutrophilic panniculitis, S. maltophilia was confirmed in a bacteriological study of the biopsied tissue. The nodules regressed spontaneously with recovery from the neutropenia. We report a case of S. maltophilia infection that manifested as soft tissue nodules, which resolved spontaneously in a patient with leukemia.

Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis and Stevens-Johnson Syndrome Caused by Topical Ophthalmic Use of Dorzolamide / 대한피부과학회지

Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS) and toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN) are the potentially life-threatening, acute hypersensitivity reaction to inciting drugs. These diseases have been often associated with systemic carbonic anhydrase inhibitor such as acetazolamide or methazolamide in Korean and Japanese patients. Dorzolamide is a recently developed topical carbonic anhydrase inhibitor with few significant systemic adverse effects. To the best of our knowledge, there have been only a few reports of SJS or TEN caused by topical dorzolamide in the literature. We herein present two cases of TEN and one case of SJS related with topical use of dorzolamide. It should be emphasized that although rarely, topical dorzolamide may cause serious sulfonamide hypersensitivity such as SJS or TEN in the susceptible patient through the systemic absorption.

Staphylococcal Scalded Skin Syndrome in an Immunocompetent Adult / 대한피부과학회지

Staphylococcal scalded skin syndrome (SSSS) is an exfoliative infectious disorder caused by the exfoliative toxins of Staphylococcus aureus. The condition usually affects infants and children younger than 5 years of age. However, SSSS is rarely observed in adults. Adult SSSS is usually associated with renal failure, immunosuppression, malignancy, alcohol abuse, or HIV infection. In contrast to infant cases, adult SSSS is often accompanied with a high mortality rate, sepsis and poor prognosis. We report a rare case of SSSS in an immunocompetent 34-year-old man without renal failure.

The Etiologic Agents and Clinical Outcomes of Adult Community-acquired Pneumonia in Jeju / 결핵및호흡기질환

BACKGROUND: The appropriate empirical antimicrobial choice in the treatment of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) should be advocated by community-based information on the etiologic pathogens, their susceptibility to antimicrobials, clinical characteristics and outcomes. Jeju is a geographically isolated and identical region in Korea. However, there is no regional reference on adult CAP available. This study investigated the etiologic agents and clinical outcomes of adult patients diagnosed with CAP in Jeju, Korea, to help guide the empirical antimicrobial choice. METHODS: A prospective observational study for one year in a referral hospital in Jeju, Korea. Patients diagnosed with CAP were enrolled with their clinical characteristics. Microbiological evaluations to identify the etiologic agents in the adult patients with CAP were performed with blood culture, expectorated sputum smear and culture, antibody tests for mycoplasma, chlamydophila, and antigen tests for legionella and pneumococcus. The clinical outcomes of the initial empirical treatment were analyzed. RESULTS: Two hundred and three patients with mean age of 64 and 79 females were enrolled. Ten microbials from 90 cases (44.3%) were isolated and multiple isolates were confirmed in 30. Among the microbial isolates, S. pneumoniae (36.3%) was the most common, followed by M. pneumoniae (23.0%), C. pneumoniae (17.0%), S. aureus (9.6%) and P. aeruginosa (5.9%). The initial treatment failure (23.8%) was related to the isolation of polymicrobial pathogens, elevated inflammatory markers, and the presence of pleural effusion. Among the 30 isolates of S. pneumoniae, 16 (53.3%) were not susceptible to penicillin, and 19 isolates (63.3%) to erythromycin and clarithromycin. However, 29 isolates (96.7%) were susceptible to levofloxacin and ceftriaxone. CONCLUSION:S. pneumoniae, M. pneumoniae, S. aureus, and P. aeruginosa are frequent etiologic agents of adult CAP in Jeju, Korea. The clinical characteristics and antibiotic resistance should be considered when determining the initial empirical antimicrobial choice. Respiratory quinolone or ceftriaxone is recommended as an empirical antimicrobiotic in the treatment of adult CAP in Jeju, Korea.

Delftia acidovorans Isolated from the Drainage in an Immunocompetent Patient with Empyema / 결핵및호흡기질환

Delftia acidovorans is a gram-negative motile rod found ubiquitously in soil and in water. Confirmed isolation from clinical infections is rare, and has been documented mostly in immunocompromised patients or those with indwelling catheters. A 53-year-old man was referred for the evaluation of a huge mass-like lesion found incidentally by chest X-ray. The lesion occupied more than half of the right lung and was diagnosed as a large loculated pleural effusion by CT scan. Bloody pus was drained through a percutaneous catheter, and D. acidovorans, identified by the Vitek GN card and confirmed by amplification of 16S ribosomal RNA and sequencing analysis, was isolated repeatedly from the drained pus. The patient was treated with imipenem/cilastatin to which the organism was sensitive. This is a rare report of chronic empyema associated with D. acidovorans in the respiratory system of an immunocompetent patient.

Renal Artery Thrombosis in a Patient with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus without Antiphospholipid Antibody Syndrome: A Case Study / 대한류마티스학회지

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a multisystemic inflammatory autoimmune disease caused by various autoantibodies and immune complexes. SLE and antiphospholipid antibodies are associated with thrombotic manifestations. However, renal artery thrombosis which causes renal artery occlusion is uncommon even in SLE patients with antiphospholipid antibodies. A 27-year-old woman with SLE suddenly developed left flank pain and generalized edema. From the laboratory workup, the woman was negative for antiphospholipid antibody and nephrotic-range proteinuria was detected. Computed tomography revealed renal artery thromboembolism and multiple renal infarctions with parenchymal perfusion defects in the left kidney. Renal biopsy showed WHO classification III and V lupus nephritis. Left flank pain, generalized edema and proteinuria were resolved and the thromboembolism resolved itself after a high dose of steroid and anticoagulation therapy. In SLE patients, sudden onset of unexplained flank pain is considered as a possible symptom of renal vessel thromboembolism even if the antiphospholipid antibody is negative.

Imported Malaria in Korea: a 13-Year Experience in a Single Center

The incidence of imported malaria has been increasing in Korea. We reviewed data retrospectively to evaluate the epidemiology, clinical features, and outcomes of imported malaria from 1995 to 2007 in a university hospital. All patients diagnosed with imported malaria were included. Imported malaria was defined as a positive smear for malaria that was acquired in a foreign country. A total of 49 patients (mean age, 35.7 year; M : F = 38 : 11) were enrolled. The predominant malarial species was Plasmodium falciparum (73.5%), and the most frequent area of acquisition was Africa (55.1%), followed by Southeast Asia (22.4%) and South Asia (18.4%). Fourteen-patients (30.6%) suffered from severe malaria caused by P. falciparum and 1 patient (2.0%) died of multiorgan failure. Most of the patients were treated with mefloquine (79.2%) or quinine (10.2%); other antimalarial agents had to be given in 13.2% treated with mefloquine and 44.4% with quinine due to adverse drug events (ADEs). P. falciparum was the most common cause of imported malaria, with the majority of cases acquired from Africa, and a significant number of patients had severe malaria. Alternative antimalarial agents with lower rates of ADEs might be considered for effective treatment instead of mefloquine and quinine.

Diagnostic validity of weighted diagnostic index scores for tuberculous meningitis in adults / 대한내과학회지

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Tuberculous meningitis is a common, occasionally fatal infectious disease of the central nervous system. We evaluated the diagnostic validity of weighted diagnostic index scores (WDIS), which have been suggested to aid in the diagnosis of adult patients with tuberculous meningitis, on the basis of simple clinical and laboratory findings. METHODS: The microbiological and clinical data of adult patients with either tuberculous or bacterial meningitis were reviewed retrospectively. Diagnostic validity and WDIS cut-off values were evaluated by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. RESULTS: A total of 77 cases were included: 47 with tuberculous meningitis and 30 with bacterial meningitis. For the diagnosis of tuberculous meningitis, the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV) of WDIS suggested by Thwaites (cut-off value of < or =4) were 100, 90, 94 and 100%, respectively. Based on ROC curve analysis (area under ROC curve=0.993), a cut-off value of < or =3 was most appropriate for the diagnosis of tuberculous meningitis. The sensitivity and specificity of WDIS with a cut-off value of < or =3 were 100 and 93.3%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Our study demonstrated that WDIS are highly predictable and acceptable for the early diagnosis of tuberculous meningitis in Korea, based on our analysis of clinical and laboratory findings. A cut-off value of < or =3 showed the best diagnostic validity.

A Case of Pellagra that Initially Mimics Vibrio Sepsis / 감염과화학요법

Pellagra is a disease caused by a deficiency of niacin. It is usually found among chronic alcoholics in Korea. Dermatitis, dementia and diarrhea are characteristic symptoms of pellagra. Vibrio sepsis is due to a virulent, gram-negative rod infection caused by Vibrio vulnificus. It is generally acquired in coastal areas near warm water. Underlying disease and initial clinical presentations of pellagra are very similar to that of vibrio sepsis. Herein, we report a case of pellagra that initially mimicked vibrio sepsis.