Diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is one of the most common acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS)-defining malignancies among human immunodeficiency virus-infected patients, and rectal ...cancer has recently emerged as a prevalent non-AIDS-defining malignancy. We report a case of rectal squamous cell carcinoma that was metachronous with DLBCL in an HIV-infected patient who was receiving highly active antiretroviral therapy. The patient was diagnosed with DLBCL and showed complete remission after chemotherapy. Follow-up imaging showed increased uptake at the rectum, previously treated as lymphoma. Repeated biopsy was performed and squamous cell carcinoma of the rectum was reported. After concurrent chemoradiation therapy, curative resection was performed.
Surgical site infection (SSI) is a potentially morbid and costly complication of surgery. While gastrointestinal surgery is relatively common in Korea, few studies have evaluated SSI in the context ...of gastric surgery. Thus, we performed a prospective cohort study to determine the incidence and risk factors of SSI in Korean patients undergoing gastric surgery.
A prospective cohort study of 2,091 patients who underwent gastric surgery was performed in 10 hospitals with more than 500 beds (nine tertiary hospitals and one secondary hospital). Patients were recruited from an SSI surveillance program between June 1, 2010, and August 31, 2011 and followed up for 1 month after the operation. The criteria used to define SSI and a patient's risk index category were established according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Nosocomial Infection Surveillance System. We collected demographic data and potential perioperative risk factors including type and duration of the operation and physical status score in patients who developed SSIs based on a previous study protocol.
A total of 71 SSIs (3.3%) were identified, with hospital rates varying from 0.0 - 15.7%. The results of multivariate analyses indicated that prolonged operation time (P = 0.002), use of a razor for preoperative hair removal (P = 0.010), and absence of laminar flow in the operating room (P = 0.024) were independent risk factors for SSI after gastric surgery.
Longer operation times, razor use, and absence of laminar flow in operating rooms were independently associated with significant increased SSI risk after gastric surgery.
The incidence of Clostridium difficile infection is increasing worldwide, and its severity and resulting mortality are also on the rise. Metronidazole and oral vancomycin remain the treatments of ...choice, but there are concerns about treatment failure and the appearance of resistant strains. Furthermore, antibiotic therapy results in recurrence rates of at least 20%. Fecal transplantation may be a feasible treatment option for recurrent C. difficile infection; moreover, it may be an early treatment option for severe C. difficile infection. We report a case of severe C. difficile infection treated with fecal transplantation using a nasoenteric tube during an initial episode. This is the first reported case of fecal transplantation using a nasoenteric tube during an initial episode of C. difficile infection in Korea.
Background Sepsis, including severe sepsis and septic shock, is a major cause of morbidity and mortality. Albumin and C-reactive protein (CRP) are considered as good diagnostic markers for sepsis. ...Thus, initial CRP and albumin levels were combined to ascertain their value as an independent predictor of 180-day mortality in patients with severe sepsis and septic shock. Materials and Methods We conducted a retrospective cohort study involving 670 patients (>18 years old) who were admitted to the emergency department and who had received a standardized resuscitation algorithm (early goal-directed therapy) for severe sepsis and septic shock, from November 2007 to February 2013, at a tertiary hospital in Seoul, Korea. The outcome measured was 180-day all-cause mortality. A multivariate Cox proportional hazard model was used to identify the independent risk factors for mortality. A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was conducted to compare the predictive accuracy of the CRP/albumin ratio at admission. Results The 180-day mortality was 28.35% (190/670). Based on the multivariate Cox proportional hazard analysis, age, the CRP/albumin ratio at admission (adjusted HR 1.06, 95% CI 1.03-1.10, p<0.001), lactate level at admission (adjusted HR 1.10, 95% CI 1.05-1.14, p<0.001), and the Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score at admission (adjusted HR 1.12, 95% CI 1.07-1.18, p<0.001) were independent predictors of 180-day mortality. The area under the curve of CRP alone and the CRP/albumin ratio at admission for 180-day mortality were 0.5620 (P<0.001) and 0.6211 (P<0.001), respectively. Conclusion The CRP/albumin ratio was an independent predictor of mortality in patients with severe sepsis or septic shock.
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