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Background/Aims: Previous data suggest that vitamin D has a significant role in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). We inves tigated the incidence of vitamin D deficiency in Korean patients with IBD and the correlation between serum vitamin D level and disease activity. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the medical records of patients with IBD whose serum vitamin D levels were checked. Deficiency of 25-hydroxyvitamin D was defined as

Raoultella species are gram-negative, non-motile, aerobic bacilli that are primarily considered as environmental bacteria. Raoultella planticola is reportedly a rare cause of human infections. Also, the definite pathological mechanism of Raoultella planticola is currently unknown. We report a case of pneumonia caused by Raoultella planticola.

Wernicke's encephalopathy (WE) caused by thiamine deficiency is an acute neurological disorder. Clinically, the classic triad of WE consists of ophthalmoplegia, ataxia, and mental status changes. Thiamine deficiency is known to occur commonly in chronic alcoholic patients. Sometimes, it can occur in patients after gastrointestinal surgery and in those with malabsorption. In addition, patients undergoing renal dialysis, suffering from hyperemesis gravidarum, receiving total parenteral nutrition (TPN), and being treated with chemotherapeutic agents are also prone to develop thiamine deficiency. Herein, we report two cases of WE that developed following simultaneous 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) chemotherapy and TPN in colon cancer patients which was successfully treated with thiamine administration.

A 73-year-old female with diabetes admitted for treatment of an intertrochanter fracture of the femur and a urinary tract infection (UTI) with Escherichia coli developed thrombosis in her right azygos vein, which was thought to be associated with antiphospholipid and immunoglobulin M anticardiolipin antibodies. After antibiotic therapy, antiphospholipid antibody was undetectable, and a repeat chest computed tomography showed complete resolution of the azygos vein thrombosis. A wide variety of infections can be associated with thrombotic events in patients with transient antiphospholipid syndrome (APS), and this case serves as a reminder that the possibility of transient APS should be considered in patients with venous thrombosis in the setting of a UTI. (J Rheum Dis 2016;23:118-121)

Spontaneous pneumomediastinum is an uncommon disease that is defined as the presence of free air in the mediastinum in the absence of any obvious precipitating cause. This condition occurs as a rare complication of acute exacerbation of asthma. Classic symptoms include retrosternal chest pain, dyspnea and cough, but are not specific. Spontaneous pneumomediastinum complicated by asthma is usually self-limiting and well controlled with conservative management, but this condition can be potentially life threatening. We report a case of 18-year-old woman with asthma who presented with spontaneous pneumomediastinum. The patient was treated conservatively with oxygen and steroid therapy, and her clinical conditions were improved. Spontaneous

Antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) is an autoimmune disease that involves vascular thrombosis and pregnancy morbidity associated with elevated titers of antiphospholipid antibodies. APS can affect any organ and has a variety of clinical manifestations. Infections can be associated with thrombotic events in APS, including the potentially fatal subset catastrophic APS. We report a case of extensive symmetrical peripheral gangrene complicating Escherichia coli sepsis associated with antiphospholipid antibodies in a patient with lupus nephritis. (Korean J Med 2014;87:379-382)

Objectives: Since the 1990s, drug-resistant bacteria have become common pathogens of hospital-acquired infections. In recent years, healthcare-associated infections have come to the fore, and it is reported that distribution rates of these bacteria are comparable to those of hospital-acquired infections. However, there have been few studies on differences in resistant bacteria depending on the size of hospitals. Thus, the authors studied differences in drug-resistant bacteria between a tertiary hospital and smaller medical institutions. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the clinical findings and sputum culture results of patients transferred from tertiary hospitals (group A, n=74) and those transferred from smaller medical institutions (group B, n=65). Results: The number of patients with malignancy was higher in group A than in group B. The length of intensive care unit stay was longer in group A than in group B. Antibiotic therapy and mechanical ventilation were more frequently used in group A than in group B. There were no significant differences between the 2 groups in bacterial species (Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa) and their resistance rates to carbapenem, while there were significant differences between the 2 groups in the bacterial species (Acinetobacter baumannii) and its resistance rate to carbapenem. Conclusion: In this study, there were significant differences between the 2 groups in the bacterial species and resistance rates to carbapenem for A. baumannii infection unlike other bacterial infections. Further studies on risk factors and patient classification are needed to confirm our results. (Ewha Med J 2013;36(2):126-131) Received May 1, 2013, Accepted June 27, 2013