Background: Acinetobacter baumannii has emerged as an important nosocomial pathogen worldwide. The incidence of these infections has recently begun to increase. The mortality rate associated with these infections is high (bacteremia; 52% , pneumonia: 23%~73%) and multidrug resistance has been reported. For the effective control of multidrug- resistant Acinetobacter baumannii(MDR-AB), the impact of these organisms in clinical practice should be determined.This study compared the clinical characteristics, mortality and morbidity of Acinetobacter nosocomial pneumonia between MDR strain and non-MDR strain.Methods: From Jan. 1, 2002 to Nov. 1. 2004, 47 adult patients with Acinetobacter nosocomial pneumonia in Chuncheon Sacred Heart Hospital were recruited and analyzed retrospectively. MDR-AB was defined as showing in vitro resistance to all commercially available antibiotics against A. baumannii.Results: There were 47 patients with Acinetobacter nosocomial pneumonia. MDR-AB and non MDR-AB was the cause of the pneumonia in 17 and 30 patients, respectively. Mean age of the former was 69±11 years old and the latter was 70±13 years old. The mean APCHE II score, ICU days and mortality were not different between the two groups(16.1±5.4 vs. 14.9±4.8, P=0.43, 25.1±13.6 vs. 39.1±31.0, P=0.2, 58.8% vs. 40%, P=0.21).Conclusion: There are no significant differences in mortality and morbidity between MDR and non-MDR Acinetobacter baumannii. The mortality of the two groups is surprisingly high, therefore proper infection control practices are essential. (Tuberc Respir Dis 2006; 61: 13-19)
Background: Although fever is one of the most common and challenging problem in intensive care medicine(ICU), it is difficult to distinguish between infectious and non-infectious causes. Procalcitonin(PCT) has recently been reported to be an indicator of various infectious diseases. This study examined whether or not measuring the serum PCT level in patients with fever in the ICU can help distinguish fevers with infectious causes from those with non-infectious causes.Methods: ICU patients with fever at 38°C or over from March to August 2005 were prospectively enrolled. The cause of the fever was identified by the culture results and clinical course. The leukocytes, CRP, PCT, IL-6, and TNF-α in the fever patients with infectious and non-infectious causes were compared, and the PCT level in the patients with fever in the ICU were compared with those without fever.Results: 1) 42 patients were enrolled and 46 cases of fever were analyzed. 26 cases were considered to be infectious, while 13 cases were considered to be non-infectious. 7 cases were found to have no clear causes. 2) There were no significant differences in the degree of fever, leukocytes count, CRP, IL-6, and TNF-α levels in the patiemts with infectious and non-infectious causes. 3) The serum PCT level was higher in those with infectious causes than in those with non-infectious causes (15.1±32.57ng/mL vs 2 .68±3.63ng/mL) but there was no statistical significance (p=0.06). 4) The serum PCT level of the ICU patients with fever was significantly higher than in those without fever (10.94± 27.15ng/mL vs 0.45±0.49ng/mL) (p=0.02).Conclusion: The serum PCT cannot be used to distinguish the fever in ICU patients with infectious causes from that with non-infectious causes. (Tuberc Respir Dis 2006; 61: 20-25)
Background: Noninvasive positive pressure ventilation(NPPV) has been increasingly used over the past decade in the management of acute or chronic respiratory failure and weaning of mechanical ventilation. We performed this clinical study to evaluate the usefulness of NPPV in patients who developed acute respiratory failure or post-extubation respiratory failure.Methods: We analysed thirty four patients(sixteen males and eighteen females, mean ages 58 years) who applied NPPV(BIPAP S/T, Respironics co., USA) for respiratory failure or weaning difficulty at medical intensive care unit(MICU), emergency room and general ward of a tertiary hospital. We evaluated the underlying causes of respiratory failure, duration of treatment, the degree of adaptation, complication and predictive parameters of successful outcome.Results: The overall success rate of NPPV was seventy-one percent. The duration of NPPV applying time, baseline blood pressure, pulse rate, respiration rate, PaO2, PaCO2, SaO2 were not different between success group and failure group. But, the baseline pH was higher in the success group. Predictors of success were higher baseline pH, patients with underlying disease of COPD, improvement of vital sign and arterial blood gas value after NPPV application. The success rate in patients with post-extubation respiratory failure was eighty percent. There were no serious complication on applying NPPV except minor complications such as facial skin erythema, abdominal distension & dry mouth.Conclusion: NPPV may be effective treatment in patients with acute respiratory failure or post-extubation respiratory failure in selected cases. (Tuberc Respir Dis 2006; 61: 26-33)
Background: Extubation failure was associated with poor prognosis and high hospital mortality. Cuff leak test (CLT) has been proposed as a relatively simple method for detecting laryngeal obstruction that predispose toward postextubation stridor (PES) and reintubation. We examined the risk factors of extubation failure and evaluated the usefulness and limitation of CLT for predicting PES and reintubation. Methods: Thirtyfour consecutive patients intubated more than 24 hours were examined. The subjects were evaluated daily for extubation readiness, and CLT was performed prior to extubation. Several parameters in the extubation success and failure group were compared. The accuracy and limitation of CLT were evaluated after choosing the thresholds values of the cuff leak volume (CLV) and percentage (CLP).Results: Of the 34 patients studied, 6 (17.6%) developed extubation failure and 3 (8.8%) were accompanied by PES. The patients who had extubation failure were more likely to have a longer duration of intubation and more severe illness. The patients who developed PES had a smaller cuff leak than the others: according to the CLV (22.5±23.8 vs 233.3±147.1ml, p=0.020) or CLP (6.2±7.3 vs 44.3±24.7%, p=0.013). The best cut off values for the CLV and CLP were 50ml and 14.7%, respectively. The sensitivity, negative predictive value, and specificity of CLT were relatively high, but the positive predictive value was low.Conclusion: The likelihood of developing extubation failure increases with increasing severity of illness and duration of intubation. A low CLV or CLP (<50ml or 14.7%) is useful in identifying patients at risk of PES, but the CLT is not an absolute predictor and should not be used an indicator for delaying extubation.(Tuberc Respir Dis 2006; 61: 34-40)
Background; Several clinical scoring systems are currently being used to predict the outcome of sepsis, but they all have certain limitations. Therefore, we sought to identify the proteomic biomarkers, with wsing proteomic tools, that differed according to the outcome of sepsis patients.Methods; Upon admission to the ICU, blood samples were obtained from the 16 patients with sepsis who were enrolled in this study. Surface-enhanced laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (SELDI TOF MS) was used to identify the markers that could predict the outcome of sepsis.Results; We found six peaks, by using cation and anion chips, that statistically differed between those patients who died and those who survived.Conclusion; The biomarkers we found by using proteomic tools may help predict the prognosis and also plan the treatment of sepsis. (Tuberc Respir Dis 2006; 61: 41-45)
Background: Intra-abdominal hypertension (IAH) is defined as the presence of either an intra-abdominal pressure (IAP) ≥ 12 mmHg or an abdominal perfusion pressure (APP = mean arterial pressure IAP) ≤ 60 mmHg. Abdominal compartment syndrome (ACS) is defined as the presence of an IAP ≥ 20 mmHg together with organ failure. The purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence of IAH and ACS on the day of admission and the effects of these maladies on the prognosis of critically ill patients in the ICU.Methods: At the day of admission to the ICU, the IAP was recorded by measuring the intravesicular pressure via a Foley catheter. The APACHE II and III scores were checked and SAPS II was also scored during the days the patients were in the ICU. The primary end point was the prevalence of IAH and ACS at the day of admission and the correlation between them with the 28-days mortality rate. The measurement of IAP continued until the 7th day or the day when the patient was transferred to the general ward before 7th day, unless the patient died or a Foley catheter was removed before 7th day. Patients were observed until death or the 28th day.Results: A total of 111 patients were enrolled. At the day of admission, the prevalence of IAH and ACS were 47.7% and 15.3%, respectively and the mean IAP was 15.1 ± 8.5 mmHg. The rates of IAH for the survivor and the non-survivor groups were 56.5% and 71.4%, respectively, and these were not significantly different (p=0.593). Yet the rates of ACS between these two groups were significantly different (4/62, 6.5% vs. 13/49, 26.5%; Odds Ratio = 5.24, 95% CI = 1.5817.30, p=0.004). Conclusion: In the present study, the prevalence of IAH was 47.7% and the prevalence of ACS was 15.3% on the day of admission. ACS was associated with a poor outcome for the critically ill patients in the ICU.(Tuberc Respir Dis 2006; 61: 46-53)
Background: Although there have been several studies regarding the clinical value of an automated TB-PCR study using sputum, bronchial washing, and other body fluid samples for the detection of pulmonary tuberculosis, there are only a few reports on the use of fresh tissue samples.Materials and methods: The acid-fast bacilli stain(AFB), tuberculosis culture, automated TB-PCR study, and histopathology examination were performed in 42 fresh tissue samples.Results: Among the 42 cases, 18 cases were diagnosed with tuberculosis based on the clinical findings. Sixteen of the 18 cases were TB-PCR positive and of these 16 cases, only 2 cases were positive in the AFB stain or culture study. However, all 18 cases showed the histopathology findings of chronic granulomatous inflammation that was compatible with tuberculosis. Based on the clinical findings, the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictability, and negative predictability of the automated TB-PCR study were 88.9%, 100%, 100%, and 92.3% respectively.Conclusion: An automated TB-PCR assay is an important diagnostic tool for diagnosing tuberculosis in fresh tissue samples. (Tuberc Respir Dis 2006; 61: 54-59)
Pulmonary aspergillosis presents as the following three different types depending on the immune status of the host: invasive aspergillosis, allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA), and aspergilloma. Aspergilloma develops as a result of an aspergillus growth inside a pre-existing lung cavity. However, endobronchial aspergilloma without a lung parenchymal lesion is quite rare. We encountered a case of endobronchial aspergilloma that developed in a healthy 75 year-old woman that led to necrotizing pneumonia of the right lower lobe. The chief complaints were fever, cough and yellowish sputum. The chest film revealed haziness with cavity-like shadows on the right lower lobe, and the chest CT scan showed endobronchial calcified density in the basal bronchus of the right lower lobe with peribronchial lymph node enlargement. Bronchoscopy revealed an obstruction of the basal orifice of the right lower lobe by blackish stone-like material, and the aspergilloma was confirmed by the bronchoscopic biopsy. The pneumonia improved after bronchoscopic removal of this lesion. We report this case along with a review of the relevant literature.(Tuberc Respir Dis 2006; 61: 60-64)
Behcet’s disease is a systemic vasculitis of an unknown etiology involving the arteries and veins of all sizes. There are reports showing that a pulmonary artery aneurysm or thromboembolism and superior vena cava thrombosis are present in 5-10% of patients with Behcet's disease and that lung parenchymal lesions are mainly airway consolidations resulting from hemorrhage or infarction. We encountered a patient with increasing pulmonary cavitary changes and localized aspergilloma. The patient was a 43-year-old man diagnosed with Behcet’s disease with a history of recurrent oro-genital ulceration and uveitis, and who was administered methotrexate, colchicines, prednisolone. During the follow up he developed progressive dyspnea upon exertion and finger clubbing. Therefore further evaluations were performed. Chest computed tomography showed more advanced consolidations and cavitations than the previous film with the previously known aspergilloma still observable. An open lung biopsy was carried out to determine the presence of malignant changes, which revealed nonspecific vasculitis. Azathioprine was added resultion in an improvement of symptoms.(Tuberc Respir Dis 2006; 61: 65-69)
Alpha-fetoprotein(AFP) is a plasma protein produced in the fetal liver, yolk sac and gastrointestinal tract. The plasma level of AFP decreases markedly 1 year after birth. The AFP level is usually increased in hepatocellular carcinoma and yolk sac tumor but is rare in a primary lung cancer. We report a case of primary adenocarcinoma of lung producing high levels of AFP. (Tuberc Respir Dis 2006; 61: 70-73)
Idiopathic fibrosing mediastinitis is, an uncommon cause of pulmonary hypertension this is characterized by excessive fibrosis of the mediastinum with an unknown etiology. Steroid therapy has been suggested for individuals with progressive symptoms, bu there is littlet data demonstrating the efficacy of such therapy are lacking. We present a case of pulmonary hypertension secondary to a compression of a main pulmonary artery by fibrosing mediastinitis which was confirmed by a biopsy with a thoracotomy. The chest CT scan and 2D echocardiography performed before and after a trial of steroid therapy demonstrated improvement after steroid therapy. (Tuberc Respir Dis 2006; 61: 74-79)
Herpes zoster is well-known viral disease in immune compromised that produces inflammatory lesions in the posterior root ganglia and is characterized clinically by pain and skin eruptions along the distribution of the affected ganglia. However, motor involvement after a herpes zoster is an uncommon complication. We report a case of diaphragmatic paralysis that occurred after a herpes zoster in 63-year-old woman. The diaphragmatic paralysis occurred one month after the typical herpes zoster eruptions affecting the C3 and C4 dermatomes in the right neck, shoulder and back area. (Tuberc Respir Dis 2006; 61: 80-82)