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Whereas antinuclear antibodies (ANAs) detected by indirect immunofluorescence (IIF) have diagnostic significance, the dense fine speckled (DFS) pattern on HEp-2 cells may be an exclusionary marker for ANA-associated rheumatic disease (AARD). The aim of this study was to evaluate a new algorithm considering anti-DFS70 antibodies for routine ANA testing.From ANA requested sequential 10 528 sera, 181 sera samples showing the DFS pattern were additionally tested for anti-DFS70 antibodies by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA-DFS70) and for specific-ANAs. Specific-ANAs(+)/IIF-DFS(-) control sera samples (n = 50) were also tested.Of the 181 IIF-DFS-positive sera samples, 82.9% (n = 150) were from non-AARD patients and 112 (61.9%) patients had non-rheumatic diseases (NRD), including the most common clinical feature of dermatitis (18.2%). The ELISA-DFS70 was positive in 109 (60.2%) sera and was negative in all control sera. Specific-ANAs were similarly detected as 25.7% (28/109) and 22.2% (16/72) of ELISA-DFS70(+) and ELISA-DFS70(+) patients, respectively (p 0.05). The prevalence of non-AARD was 95.1% and 25.1% in the ELISA-DFS70(+)/specific-ANAs(-) and ELISA-DFS70(-)/specific-ANAs (+) groups, respectively.In patients with a HEp-2 DFS pattern, the additional ELISA-DFS70 and specific-ANAs test could improve the efficiency of diagnosing AARD. The detection of anti-DFS70 antibodies should be included in test algorithms for ANA testing.

Background Since the consensus-based diagnostic algorithm for intestinal Behcet’s disease (iBD) was proposed by the IBD Study Group of the Korean Association for the Study of Intestinal Diseases, there were few studies regarding the prognosis of iBD according to the diagnostic algorithm. Methods We reviewed the medical records of patients who had ileocecal ulcers with clinical impression of iBD from March 1986 to August 2019 in Seoul St. Mary’s Hospital and evaluated factors at the time of diagnosis which were related with adverse events (AEs, major operation or admission from iBD) and disease-free survival (DFS). Results Among 204 eligible patients, a total of 163 were included in the study after exclusion of 41 patients with ileocecal ulcers from other disorders. The male-to-female ratio was 1:1 and the mean age at the time of diagnosis was 48.9 ± 15.9. The number of definite, probable, suspected, and non-diagnostic iBD was 18 (11.0%), 64 (39.3%), 37 (22.7%), and 44 (27.0%), respectively. Patients with definite, probable, and suspected iBD developed more AEs compared with patients with non-diagnostic iBD (p = 0.026). After exclusion of patients with non-diagnostic iBD, univariate analysis showed accompanying haematologic disorders, haemoglobin Conclusion Patients with definite, probable, and suspected iBD have a poor prognosis compared with patients with non-diagnostic iBD. Accompanying with haematologic disorders, anaemia, fever, and colonic involvement at the time of diagnosis are poor prognostic factors in patients with iBD.

Background Signet ring cell carcinoma (SRCC), a subtype of gastric cancer (GC), has specific epidemiology and oncogenesis, and has poor prognosis; it still has the highest number of unmet medical needs. Cytoskeletal rearrangement and disruption of cell integrity play crucial roles in SRCC pathogenesis. Recently, many studies have been conducted on molecular alterations in SRCC; with the clarification of the clinical significance of the CLDN-ARHGAP fusion gene, a large clinical trial is underway. Herein, we examined the influence of CLDN, RhoGAP, and E-cadherin on SRCC prognosis. Methods We reviewed advanced 663 GC patients who received palliative chemotherapy. Of these, 135 patients (20.4%) were SRCC. Multiplexed immunofluorescence was performed on the tissue samples using antibodies against CLDN18, RhoGAP, and E-cadherin. Positivty was defined as the median value of H-score. Results Overall, 85 (63%) of 135 SRCC patients, were analysed based on tissue availability. Median age at GC diagnosis was 52.5 (range 20-77) years; the female-to-male ratio was 1.2. CLDN 18 showed a strong positive correlation with E-cadherin (r = 0.705, P Conclusions The correlations among CLDN18, RhoGAP, and E-cadherin may be associated with the discohesive oncogenesis seen in SRCC. We propose that these discohesive factors may be associated with prognosis of metastatic SRCC. Further functional studies are needed to clarify the role of these molecules. Legal entity responsible for the study The authors. Funding Has not received any funding. Disclosure All authors have declared no conflicts of interest.

To assess the demographic and clinical findings of measles patients during three epidemics from 1989 to 2001.A total 520 medical records of measles patients were analyzed retrospectively and divided into three groups; those who were admitted during 1989-1990 (group I, 116 patients), those admitted during 1993-1994 (group II, 127 patients), and those admitted during 2000-2001 (group III, 277 patients).For the age distribution, there was no difference in the proportion of2 years of age (61%, 58% and 57%, respectively) for the three groups. However, in each outbreak, there were significant differences in the distribution ofor = 2 years children who had mostly received one-dose measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccination. The age distribution had changed with a significant increase in older children in subsequent outbreaks. In the last 2000-2001 outbreak, there was a pattern for increased attack rates with increasing interval since the initial vaccination. There was no statistical difference between the three groups in gender ratio, MMR vaccination rate inor = 2 years of age, duration of fever, and complications. No difference was found in all the clinical and laboratory parameters between the anti-measles IgM antibody negative patients and the positive patients.The age distribution of admitted children with measles in each outbreak has changed over time since the introduction of one-dose MMR vaccination. This finding suggests that the secondary vaccine failure may have played a large role in the last measles outbreak.

Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia (MP) is responsible for 10-40% of cases of pediatric community-acquired pneumonia. Occasionally, progression to severe pneumonia occurs despite appropriate antibiotic therapy. We retrospectively evaluated the effect of prednisolone in 15 children with MP whose clinical and radiographic course worsened despite broad-spectrum antibiotics, including appropriate macrolides. The mean ( +/- SD) age was 6.1 +/- 1.9 years, and 10 were boys. All children had received macrolides at presentation, but they had persistent fever and progressively worsening radiographic findings. In addition to broad-spectrum antimicrobial therapy, we added prednisolone (1 mg/kg for 3-7 days, then tapered over 7 days) on day 6 (+/-1.5 days) of admission. Fourteen children became afebrile within 24 hr, and their clinical status and radiographic findings improved over several days. The white blood cell count at presentation was 7,500 +/- 2,000/mm3, with a proportion demonstrating lymphopenia (lymphocyte differential, 19.7 +/- 5.7%). In conclusion, corticosteroid treatment appeared to be temporally associated with clinical and radiographic improvement, and may be helpful for reducing morbidity in children with macrolide-nonresponsive severe MP. Further studies may be warranted.

The purpose of this study was to retrospectively investigate the relationship between age and clinical manifestations and laboratory findings in patients with measles. The study included 216 patients admitted to a hospital in Daejeon, 1 of the largest cities in South Korea, during the 2000-2001 measles outbreak: very young children (2 y old; 159 patients), school age children (9-11 y old; 34 patients), and young adults (16 y old; 23 patients). Few of the very young children (9%), but most of the older children (86%) had a history of a prior measles-mumps-rubella vaccination. There were no statistical differences between the 3 groups in terms of the total duration of fever, length of hospitalization, occurrence of complications (defined as hospitalization for more than 7 d) or anti-measles IgM positivity. A reduction in the number of white blood cells and lymphocytes was observed in all age groups. The levels of C-reactive protein were not different between very young children and older children, but hepatic involvement was more prevalent in young adults. In conclusion, the clinical course including the complications experienced was similar in all the measles patients regardless of age.

We evaluated the inflammatory indices according to the fever duration in children with Kawasaki disease (KD), and determined duration when the inflammatory processes in KD reach their peak. Children with KD (n=152) were classified into 7 groups according to fever duration: at the third day or earlier (n=20), fourth (n=33), fifth (n=46), sixth (n=15), seventh (n=15), eighth (n=9), and at the ninth day or later after fever onset (n= 14). The levels of various laboratory indices were determined 3 times: before, 24 hr and 7 days after intravenous immunoglobulin administration (2 g/kg). WBC and neutrophil counts, and C-reactive protein level were the highest at the sixth day. Levels of hemoglobin, albumin, and high density lipoprotein cholestrol were the lowest at the sixth day. Although these indices were not significant statistically between groups, the indices showed either bell-shaped or U-shaped distribution of which peak or trench were at the sixth day. These findiugs showed that the inflammatory processes in KD reach peak on the sixth day of fever onset. This finding is important because a higher single-dose intravenous immunoglobulin treatment before the peak day may help reduce the coronary artery lesions in KD.

Background Aseptic meningitis is a relatively frequent childhood disease and virologic data suggest that enteroviruses are the commonest etiologic agents. We evaluated the epidemiologic characteristics of aseptic meningitis in Daejeon, South Korea from 1987 to 2003. Methods 2201 medical records of children with aseptic meningitis admitted to The Catholic University of Korea, Daejeon St Mary's Hospital were retrospectively analyzed. Results Outbreaks of aseptic meningitis were observed in 1990, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2001 and 2002. The age distribution of cases was relatively uniform, with a higher incidence in those aged < 1 year and 4–7 years. The male-to-female ratio was 2:1. There was a higher incidence of disease in the summer (May to August, 74.1% of total). Comparison of the largest epidemics in 1997 and 2002 showed significant differences in the incidence in those < 1 year (11.8% vs. 4.4%, respectively; P = 0.001). Neurologic sequelae were observed in 0.7% of the patients. Conclusion Aseptic meningitis, rare before the 1980s in Korea, has since become a common clinical entity. Since 1990, outbreaks of aseptic meningitis have occurred every 1 to 3 years in Daejeon in keeping with Korea-wide epidemics. The frequency of disease affecting children less than one year of age may reflect herd immunity to the epidemic strain.

We evaluated the effects of high-dose intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) administration on various protein parameters, including inflammatory profiles, in children with Kawasaki disease (KD). Sixty-three children with KD were treated with IVIG at 2 g/kg over 12 h. Serial examinations of laboratory indices were performed three times: before IVIG treatment, 24 h after IVIG treatment, and 7 days after IVIG treatment. The white blood cell and neutrophil counts showed significant decreases 24 h and 7 days after IVIG administration. The erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) increased significantly 24 h after IVIG, and the elevated level was sustained for 7 days. The levels of hemoglobin, albumin and inflammation-associated proteins, including C-reactive protein, decreased 24 h after IVIG treatment. Inflammation-associated proteins, except transferrin, decreased further to near normal levels after 7 days. On the other hand, IgM and IgA were not affected after 24 h, rather increased significantly after 7 days. High-dose IVIG causes immediate changes in the levels of various proteins, except IgA and IgM, and downregulates the activated levels of inflammatory indices, except ESR, in the acute stage of KD.

PURPOSE We evaluated the epidemiology and a range of clinical characteristics in children with Kawasaki disease (KD) in one area of South Korea. METHODS We retrospectively analyzed 506 medical records of children with KD, who were admitted at Daejeon St. Mary's Hospital from January 1987 through December 2000. RESULTS The mean annual frequency was 36.1 +/- 11.1 cases per year. There were 55 cases (10.9%) in 1993, 50 cases (9.9%) in 1994 and 47 cases (9.3%) in 2000. There was a slightly higher occurrence in summer with no significant difference in seasonal frequency. Age distribution ranged from 2 months to 13 years of age (mean, 2.4 +/- 1.7 years) and 485 children (95.8%) were