Sehyo Yune

Acute Myocardial Infarction after Radiofrequency Catheter Ablation of Typical Atrial Flutter

A 53-yr-old man underwent radiofrequency ablation to treat persistent atrial flutter. After the procedure, the chest pain was getting worse, and the electrocardiogram showed ST-segment elevation in inferior leads with reciprocal changes. Immediate coronary angiography showed total occlusion with thrombi at the distal portion of the right coronary artery, which was very close to the ablation site. Intervention with thrombus aspiration and balloon dilatation was successful, and the patient recovered without any kind of sequelae. Although the exact mechanism is obscure, the most likely explanation is a thermal injury to the vascular wall that ruptured into the lumen and formed thrombus. Vasospasm and thromboembolism can also be other possibilities. This case raise the alarm to cardiologists who perform radiofrequency ablation to treat various kinds of cardiac arrhythmias, in that myocardial infarction has been rarely considered one of the complications. Graphical Abstract

The Prevalence of Toxocariasis and Diagnostic Value of Serologic Tests in Asymptomatic Korean Adults

Purpose Toxocariasis is the most common cause of peripheral blood eosinophilia in Korea and produces eosinophilic infiltration in various organs, including the lung. However, the prevalence of toxocariasis in the general population is rarely reported. Methods We investigated the seroprevalence of Toxocara larval antibody among asymptomatic people who attended Samsung Medical Center for a health checkup, including low-dose chest computed tomography (CT) between March 2012 and December 2013. A total of 633 people (400 men and 233 women) were prospectively recruited. Results The Toxocara-seropositive rate was 51.2% using the current cutoff value based on Toxocara enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) (67.0% for men and 24.0% for women). In the multivariate-adjusted model, age (odds ratio [OR], 1.08; 95% confidence intervals [CI], 1.04-1.11), male sex (OR, 3.47; 95% CI, 2.26-5.33), rural residence (OR, 1.55; 95% CI, 1.05-2.30), and history of raw liver intake (OR, 8.52; 95% CI, 3.61-20.11) were significantly associated with Toxocara seropositivity. When subjects were divided into 3 groups using cutoff values base on weak positive and strong positive control optical densities (ODs), the ORs for peripheral blood eosinophilia and serum hyperIgEaemia were 0.31 (95% CI, 0.02-2.89) in the weakpositive group and 36.64 (95% CI, 11.73-111.42) in the strong positive group compared to the seronegative group. Similarly, ORs for the solid nodule with surrounding halo were 2.54 (95% CI, 0.60-10.84) in the weak positive group and 15.08 (95 CI 4.09-55.56) in the strong positive group compared to the seronegative group. Conclusions The study indicated that the Toxocara-seropositive rate obtained by using the current cutoff value based on ELISA was high in the asymptomatic population in Korea. The results of this study suggest that active toxocariasis may be more frequently seen in the Toxocara-strong positive group than in the Toxocara-weak positive group.

Immunoglobulin G4 Non-Related Sclerosing Disease with Intracardiac Mass Mimicking Mitral Stenosis: Case Report

The cardiovascular system may be one of the target organs of both immunoglobulin G4 related and non-related systemic multifocal fibrosclerosis. We present a case of IgG4 non-related systemic multifocal fibrosclerosis mimicking mitral stenosis on echocardiography. For a more detailed differential diagnosis, we used multimodal imaging techniques. After surgical biopsy around the abdominal aortic area in the retroperitoneum, histological examination revealed IgG4 non-related systemic multifocal fibrosclerosis. We describe the multimodal imaging used to diagnose IgG4 non-related systemic multifocal fibrosclerosis and a positive response to steroid treatment. There have been no previous case reports of IgG4 non-related systemic multifocal fibrosclerosis with intracardiac involvement. Here, we report a case of IgG4 non-related systemic multifocal fibrosclerosis mimicking mitral stenosis.

Clinical Characteristics and Treatment Response of Peripheral Neuropathy in the Presence of Eosinophilic Granulomatosis with Polyangiitis (Churg-Strauss Syndrome): Experience at a Single Tertiary Center

Background and Purpose Eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (EGPA) is a rare systemic small-vessel vasculitis accompanied by asthma, eosinophilia, and eosinophilic inflammation of various tissues including the peripheral nerves. This study investigated the clinical course and long-term outcomes of peripheral neuropathy in patients with EGPA. Methods Seventy-one patients with physician-diagnosed EGPA were identified at Samsung Medical Center between January 1995 and April 2014. Sixty-one of these patients were followed-up for more than 1 year and received corticosteroid therapy with or without intravenous cyclophosphamide pulse therapy for 6 to 18 months. Medical records of the 61 patients including demographic data, clinical features, laboratory and pathological findings, treatments, and outcomes were reviewed. Results Peripheral neuropathy as a manifestation of EGPA was present in 46 (75%) of the 61 patients. The mean follow-up duration of the patients with neuropathy was 6.4 years (range 1.2–18.8 years). The scores on the neurological functional disability scale before and after the combination treatment with corticosteroid and cyclophosphamide were 2.43±0.86 and 0.54±0.95 (mean±SD; p<0.001), respectively. The peripheral neuropathy relapsed in one patient. Conclusions The long-term clinical outcome of peripheral neuropathy in patients with EGPA receiving initial corticosteroid and cyclophosphamide combination therapy was favorable with a very low relapse rate.

The Hidden Culprit: A Case of Repeated Anaphylaxis to Cremophor

Drug-induced anaphylaxis is a big pitfall in patients receiving antineoplastic chemotherapy. We report a case of lung cancer patient who experienced two near-fatal anaphylactic reactions that resulted from paclitaxel and multivitamin, seperately. Recurrent severe reactions to different agents led to further investigation to which material the patient was hypersensitive. The skin prick test revealed sensitization to cremophor, which is a commonly used emulsifying agent. This case emphasizes the importance of correctly identifying the culprit drug of anaphylaxis to avoid potentially fatal reaction.

Fractional exhaled nitric oxide: comparison between portable devices and correlation with sputum eosinophils.

This study was performed to compare the 2 different portable devices measuring fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) and to see the correlation between FeNO and induced sputum eosinophil count (ISE). Forty consecutive subjects clinically suspected to have asthma underwent FeNO measurement by NIOX-MINO® and NObreath® concurrently. All also had induced sputum analysis, methacholine provocation test or bronchodilator response test, and spin prick test. Agreement between the 2 devices was evaluated. The correlation between FeNO and ISE was assessed, as well as the cut-off level of FeNO to identify ISE ≥3%. The intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) between FeNO levels measured by NIOX-MINO® (FeNONIOX-MINO) and NObreath® (FeNONObreath) was 0.972 with 95% confidence interval of 0.948-0.985. The 95% limits of agreement were -28.9 to 19.9 ppb. The correlation coefficient between ISE and FeNONIOX-MINO was 0.733 (P<0.001), and 0.751 between ISE and FeNONObreath (P<0.001). The ROC curve found that the FeNONIOXMINO of 37.5 ppb and the FeNONObreath of 36.5 ppb identified ISE ≥3% with 90% sensitivity and 81% specificity. Age, sex, body mass index, smoking history, atopy, and the presence of asthma did not affect the FeNO level and its correlation with ISE. The NIOX-MINO ® and NObreath® agree with each other to a high degree. Both devices showed close correlation with ISE with similar cut-off value in identifying ISE ≥3%.

Unusual Manifestation of Intravascular Large B-Cell Lymphoma: Severe Hypercalcemia with Parathyroid Hormone-Related Protein

Intravascular large B-cell lymphoma (IVLBCL) is a rare subtype of non-Hodgkin lymphoma. It usually presents with nonspecific symptoms, such as fever, rather than with overt lymphadenopathy. Reports of hypercalcemia, as the initial presentation of IVLBCL, are limited in the literature, despite it being a well-known complication of various solid cancers. We present a 68-year-old male with severe hypercalcemia and increased levels of serum parathyroid hormone-related protein. He was diagnosed with IVLBCL, involving the bone marrow and spleen, and was successfully treated with rituximab-containing chemotherapy. A few previous case reports have shown hypercalcemia in patients with IVLBCL. Much like our case, previous cases with hypercalcemia had advanced diseases, including bone marrow invasion. Although it was an extremely rare manifestation of IVLBCL, we suggest that IVLBCL should be a part of the differential diagnosis in patients with unexplained hypercalcemia. Therefore, an active work-up might be recommended, including positron emission tomography/ computed tomography scan and bone marrow examination, which may be useful for early diagnosis.

Community-Acquired Necrotizing Pneumonia Caused by ST72-SCCmec Type IV-Methicillin- Resistant Staphylococcus aureus in Korea

Methcillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) has emerged as an important cause of community-acquired infections, which has been recently designated as community-associated (CA) MRSA. Panton-Valentine leukocidin (PVL)-negative multilocus sequence type 72 (ST72)-staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec (SCCmec) type IV has been reported as the predominat CA-MRSA strain in Korea and is commonly associated with skin and soft tissue infections in addition to healthcare-associated pneumonia. However, community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) for this strain has not yet been reported. We hereby report two cases of CAP caused by PVL-negative ST72-SCCmec type IV strain in patients who had no risk factors for MRSA acquisition. While CA-MRSA infections are not yet prevalent in Korea, our cases suggest that CA-MRSA should be considered in cases of severe CAP, especially for cases associated with necrotizing pneumonia.

A concise tool for measuring care coordination from the provider’s perspective in the hospital setting

BACKGROUND: To support hospital efforts to improve coordination of care, a tool is needed to evaluate care coordination from the perspective of inpatient healthcare professionals. OBJECTIVES: To develop a concise tool for assessing care coordination in hospital units from the perspective of healthcare professionals, and to assess the performance of the tool in measuring dimensions of care coordination in 2 hospitals after implementation of a care coordination initiative. METHODS: We developed a survey consisting of 12 specific items and 1 global item to measure provider perceptions of care coordination across a variety of domains, including teamwork and communication, handoffs, transitions, and patient engagement. The questionnaire was distributed online between October 2015 and January 2016 to nurses, physicians, social workers, case managers, and other professionals in 2 tertiary care hospitals. RESULTS: A total of 841 inpatient care professionals completed the survey (response rate = 56.6%). Among respondents, 590 (75%) were nurses and 37 (4.7%) were physicians. Exploratory factor analysis revealed 4 subscales: (1) Teamwork, (2) Patient Engagement, (3) Handoffs, and (4) Transitions (Cronbach’s alpha 0.84‐0.90). Scores were fairly consistent for 3 subscales but were lower for patient engagement. There were minor differences in scores by profession, department, and hospital. CONCLUSION: The new tool measures 4 important aspects of inpatient care coordination with evidence for internal consistency and construct validity, indicating that the tool can be used in monitoring, evaluating, and planning care coordination activities in hospital settings.