Impacts of Coronary Artery Calcification on Intradialytic Blood Pressure Patterns in Patients Receiving Maintenance Hemodialysis / 전남의대학술지

Intradialytic blood pressure abnormalities are associated with adverse outcomes in patients with end-stage renal disease on dialysis. Vascular calcification is a common complicating feature, but whether this complication results in intradialytic blood pressure abnormalities remains uncertain. Therefore, this study investigated the relationship between coronary artery calcium score and intradialytic blood pressure abnormalities in patients with end-stage renal disease on maintenance hemodialysis. Thirty-six patients who received nongated chest computed tomography scans were included. Intradialytic hypotension was defined as a minimum intradialytic systolic blood pressure of <100 mmHg or a pre-dialysis blood pressure – minimum intradialytic systolic blood pressure >30 mmHg. Intradialytic hypertension was defined as >10 mmHg increase in systolic blood pressure (pre- to post-dialysis). Patients were classified as 22 (61.1%) with coronary artery calcium score <400 and 14 (38.9%) with coronary artery calcium score ≥400. Median systolic and diastolic blood pressures were equivalent, but median pulse pressure was higher in patients with coronary artery calcium score ≥400 than in those with scores <400. Coronary artery calcium score was comparable according to both intradialytic hypotension and hypertension, and had no correlation with systolic blood pressure fall and nadir systolic blood pressure. Coronary artery calcium score predicted the occurrence of cardiovascular events and all-cause mortality (hazard ratio 1.001 and 1.001; p=0.058 and 0.010). Coronary vascular calcification could be irrelevant to intradialytic blood pressure abnormalities in patients with end-stage renal disease on dialysis.

Non-umbilical Cutaneous Metastasis of Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma as the First Clinical Manifestation: A Case Report / 대한소화기학회지

Non-umbilical cutaneous metastases from pancreatic adenocarcinomas are extremely rare. Only a few cases have been reported in the literature. An 83-year-old Korean woman, with no previous medical history, presented with a painful nodule on her scalp. Histologic examination of the nodule revealed a metastatic adenocarcinoma, and immunohistochemical staining was positive for cytokeratin (CK) 7 and CK 19. These findings were consistent with a metastatic carcinoma of pancreatic origin. An abdominal computed tomography scan identified a mass on the pancreatic head and multiple enlarged lymph nodes. Pathological examination of an endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine needle biopsy of the pancreatic mass determined that it was a poorly differentiated carcinoma. The patient refused any treatment owing to her old age and short life expectancy. Four months later, the disease progressed rapidly, and the patient died.

Allergic reaction to recombinant human insulin

Insulin-induced allergy is a rare adverse drug reaction since the introduction of recombinant human insulin. However, recombinant insulin-induced allergy is still being reported in 0.1% to 2% of all patients treated with insulin. This allergic reaction varies from mild localized skin reactions to life-threatening anaphylaxis. It has been shown that one-third of insulin allergy cases is related to insulin itself and the remaining occur due to preservatives contained in the insulin preparations, such as protamine, zinc, or metacresol. This case report describes a 75-year-old woman with poorly controlled diabetes who experienced insulin allergy. She complained of urticaria with itching after the injection of insulin. Allergic skin tests showed positive responses to all available human insulin preparations, and specific IgE to human insulin was also detected, which suggested that her urticaria was developed by insulin itself. This is the first case of insulin allergy that was sensitive to all available human insulin preparations and confirmed by the presence of specific IgE to human insulin. It is important to remember that allergic reactions to insulin may be directly associated with adherence and can be the reason of poor glucose control.