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Background/PurposeWhether serum proteome changes can predict treatment response in chronic hepatitis C remains unclear. We investigated the association between serum proteome changes and virological responses in chronic hepatitis C virus genotype 1b (HCV-1b) patients treated with pegylated interferon (PegIFN) plus ribavirin (RBV).MethodsOne hundred and thirty-six HCV-1b patients who had completed a course of PegIFN plus RBV for 24 weeks, had a 24-week follow-up, and had pretreatment serum available were enrolled. These patients were divided into training and validation groups. We used matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI–TOF/MS) for peptide profiling and ClinPro Tools version 2.0 bioinformatics software for data analysis.ResultsSeventy-four patients (54%) had a sustained virological response (SVR), whereas 62 did not. We identified three protein peaks in pretreatment sera where the expression levels significantly differed between SVR and non-SVR (p

Pemberton osteotomy is commonly used for correction of hip-dysplasia. Its application in treating hip dislocation is rarely reported. The purpose of this study was to determine the efficacy of one-stage open reduction and Pemberton osteotomy of neglected developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH).We retrospectively reviewed the clinical and radiographic results of one-stage total correction in 75 patients with neglected DDH (86 hips) from 1984 through 1996. Sixty-nine patients (77 hips) aged 13 to 76 months (mean, 21.5 mo) underwent open reduction, Pemberton osteotomy, and hip spica for 8 weeks. Seven patients (9 hips) aged 29 to 73 months (mean, 46.6 mo) underwent additional femoral shortening (another hip in one bilaterally involved patient underwent only open reduction and Pemberton osteotomy).Acetabular index improved markedly from 40.4 degrees (range, 25-60 degrees) preoperatively to 16.2 degrees (range, 0-30 degrees) postoperatively. Complications included redislocation in four patients (4 hips) and avascular necrosis in three patients (3 hips). Reoperation was performed in four patients (4 hips). All patients were followed up for at least 3 years. By Severin's classification, all operated hips had excellent (18) or good (68) final radiographic results. The functional results, evaluated by McKay's criteria, were also excellent (52 patients/60 hips) and good (23 patients/26 hips).Neglected DDH was safely and effectively treated by open reduction, Pemberton osteotomy, and optional femoral shortening with limited complications.

Anemia is generally attributed to zidovudine therapy in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients, although parvovirus B19 infection has been reported as a rare cause. We report on a 24-year-old homosexual man infected with HIV who presented with anemia. He had received aggressive daily antiretroviral therapy (zidovudine 600 mg, lamivudine 300 mg, and saquinavir 1,800 mg) for 2 years. At the time of admission, his CD4+ count was 10 x 10(6) cells/L. A bone marrow aspirate smear showed a marked decrease in erythropoiesis and immunocytochemical staining for parvovirus B19 was positive. Parvovirus B19 viral DNA was detected in the peripheral blood using a polymerase chain reaction-based assay. Serologic studies were positive for parvovirus B19 immunoglobulin (Ig)M antibodies, but negative for IgG antibodies. The patient was treated with packed red blood cell transfusion. Zidovudine was stopped and replaced with zalcitibine 2.25 mg daily after anemia occurred. He did not receive intravenous Ig therapy because of its cost. After discontinuation of zidovudine for 1 year, anemia persisted and the patient depended on regular blood transfusions to control the anemia. This case emphasizes that, in addition to drug-related causes, parvovirus B19 infection should be included in the differential diagnosis of chronic anemia in HIV-infected individuals.

We reviewed the records of 16 patients with true macrodactyly and analyzed the typical clinical features and methods of treatment. Fourteen feet were involved in 13 patients (one was bilaterally affected). Three hands were involved in three patients. Clinically, all lesions in the hands and lesions in 11 of 14 feet involved the preaxial side. There was multiple digit involvement in two hands and 11 feet. Progressive macrodactyly (10 feet and two hands) was more common than the static type (four feet and one hand). Proximal involvement of the sole or palm occurred in seven feet and one hand; all cases were of progressive macrodactyly. Enlargement of the metatarsals or the metacarpals was frequent (11 feet and two hands). The growth behavior and extent of bony involvement were similar in patients with hand involvement and those with foot involvement. Fourteen patients had additional clinodactyly, either medial or lateral. The toes of eight feet had angular deformities in the sagittal plane; most were angulated dorsally. Nine patients underwent surgery and two had repeated surgery. The reduction procedures included debulking, ray resection, toe resection, phalangeal resection, and phalangeal epiphysiodesis; the corrective procedures included wedge osteotomy, interdigitalization, and split thickness skin graft. Of the nine patients surgically treated, five had good results and four had fair results. Of the seven patients without surgical repair, three had fair results and four had poor results. Surgical debulking, phalangeal resection, ray resection, and phalangeal epiphysiodesis produced significant improvement in macrodactyly of the feet and hands. Toe resection was not as beneficial.

To analyze the risk factors for coronary artery stenosis among patients who were admitted to the hospital with chest pain in eastern Taiwan, we retrospectively reviewed the clinical data of 444 patients who received coronary arteriography, including 62 aborigines. Results indicated that there were 268 patients (64%) with coronary stenosis. Male to female ratio, mean age, pack-years of cigarette smoking, and hypertension were significantly higher in patients with coronary stenosis (CS group) than in patients without coronary stenosis (control group). There were also significant differences in the serum levels of total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol between the CS and control groups. The total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol of both the CS and control groups were lower than those reported in western Taiwan. The prevalence of coronary stenosis among Taiwanese patients who presented with chest pain was significantly higher than in aborigines (64% vs 38%), although there were no significant differences in common risk factors between these two ethnic groups. These results revealed that the common risk factors in eastern Taiwan were the same as those reported here and suggest that race may be an important risk factor for coronary stenosis.

We report the first two indigenously acquired cases of melioidosis in Taiwan, diagnosed by positive culture and biochemically identified using the ID 32 GN system (BioMerieux Vitek Inc, Hazelwood, MO, USA). The first patient was a 75-year-old Chinese woman who had not travelled abroad since her arrival from mainland China (San-Tung province) 47 years ago. She presented with spontaneous bacterial peritonitis and hepatitis C-related liver cirrhosis with septic shock. Burkholderia pseudomallei (formerly Pseudomonas pseudomallei) was isolated from cultures of both blood and ascites fluid. The second patient, a 70-year-old Chinese man, presented with right lower lobar pneumonia complicated with empyema and septic shock. Blood cultures grew B. pseudomallei. Both patients had underlying diabetes mellitus; one also had liver cirrhosis and chronic renal failure, while the other had a renal stone. The first patient died of refractory septic shock prior to diagnosis. The second patient survived with the use of intravenous ceftazidime for 30 days, followed by oral amoxicillin-clavulanic acid for a further 3 months. These cases serve as a reminder to clinical physicians that melioidosis is now no longer exclusive to patients with a history of travel to endemic areas. A high index of clinical suspicion is required for early diagnosis and treatment in order to reduce the mortality and improve clinical outcome.

Metastatic bacterial endophthalmitis caused by Klebsiella pneumoniae is a unique but well-known phenomenon in Taiwan, where most cases occur in diabetic patients with pyogenic liver abscesses. However, endogenous Escherichia coli endophthalmitis is quite rare. The most common primary site of this infection is the urinary tract and the incidence of concurrent systemic infections, such as abscess formation and infective endocarditis, is high. This illness has a rapidly progressive clinical course associated with a poor prognosis for recovery of visual acuity. This is a report of a case of endogenous E. coli endophthalmitis originating from a renal abscess in a diabetic woman. Despite aggressive local and systemic treatment, evisceration was required to prevent the infection from spreading.

This report outlines our experience with streptococcal toxic shock syndrome (STSS) at the Veterans General Hospital-Kaohsiung during the period October 1990 to November 1993. Group A streptococci were isolated from blood or normally sterile tissue in association with hypotension and multi-organ failure in the eight cases studied. A primary focus of infection was identified in seven cases, including pneumonia (1), septic arthritis (1) and soft-tissue infections (5). The remaining patient suffered from hyperglycemic hyperosmolar non-ketotic coma and Group A streptococcal bacteremia, without an obvious focus of infection. There were four cases of bacteremia. Clinical complications included acute renal failure in all eight cases, disseminated intravascular coagulation in five cases, liver involvement in two cases, adult respiratory distress syndrome in one case and soft-tissue necrosis in five cases. All isolates were sensitive to penicillin, and most patients were treated with intravenous penicillin G, with or without other antibiotics (gentamicin or clindamycin). Of the six patients with soft-tissue infection, two underwent amputation of the infected limb, and one patient underwent sono-guided pigtail drainage of psoas muscle abscess. Three of the patients died. STSS may be uncommon in Taiwan, but it is not rare. Early recognition of STSS (facilitated by Gram stain and culture), prompt debridement and drainage, and adequate antibiotic treatment with penicillin or clindamycin, or both, are necessary for control of such lethal infections.

We report a 67-year-old male with pneumonia in which Chlamydia pneumoniae was identified by serologic studies as the causative agent. After initial treatment failure with amoxicillin + clavulanic acid, pneumonia was successfully treated with the administration of oral azithromycin, 500 mg per day, for three days. Azithromycin is a new macrolide which has a long half-life and superior action to erythromycin. It provides a new and alternative choice in the treatment of Chlamydia pneumoniae infection in the future.

A 61-year-old pig farmer was found to be suffering from meningitis caused by Streptococcus suis type II. He was successfully treated with intravenous penicillin G but was left with permanent deafness. B-cell lymphoma was also diagnosed one year later. S. suis is a zoonotic pathogen which causes meningitis, septicemia and endocarditis in pigs. Human infection is rare and often presents as meningitis with the sequela of permanent deafness. It has previously been reported in pig rearing countries such as Holland or Hong Kong. This is the second documented case of human meningitis caused by S. suis in Taiwan, which is also a major pig rearing country in Asia. Infections caused by viridans streptococci or other beta-hemolytic streptococci in Taiwan may therefore actually be due to S. suis. Further investigation of the possibility of the underlying deficiency of humoral immunity is warranted.

A 70-year-old retired fisherman presented with fever, chills and headache for four days. The clinical presentation was mild, including a self-limiting fever, pneumonia and elevated liver enzyme levels. Acute Q fever was proved by a four-fold rise of phase II IgG antibodies. Interestingly, the man denied any animal contact or travelling over the past year. This case may suggest that Q fever should be added to the list of differential diagnoses for acute febrile disease in Taiwan.

Pyeloduodenal fistula is a rare event, which can occur spontaneously or be caused by trauma. We present two such cases, of which, one was complicated by percutaneous nephrolithotomy for a right renal stone and the other occurred spontaneously from right renal and perirenal abscesses. Its etiology, pathogenesis, clinical manifestations, diagnosis and treatment are discussed. We emphasize that with the increasing use of interventional uroradiologic procedures, particularly percutaneous nephrolithotomy, we may encounter more traumatic pyeloduodenal fistulae.