Tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) is a potent nucleotide analogue that is recommended as first-line therapy for patients with chronic hepatitis B. The results of a longitudinal study of TDF treatment demonstrated no development of resistance. We observed one treatment-naïve chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patient who developed TDF resistance after complete viral suppression during long-term TDF treatment. A 37-year-old HBeAg-positive man received TDF 300 mg/d for 43 mo. The hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA titer was 8 log10 copies/mL at baseline and became undetectable at 16 mo after treatment. However, the HBV DNA titer rebounded to 7.5 log10 copies/mL at 43 mo after treatment. We performed full sequencing to find mutation sites associated with virologic breakthrough. The results showed 9 mutation sites, most of which had not been well-known as mutation sites. We changed the therapy from tenofovir to entecavir with a regimen of 0.5 mg once daily. After 4 mo, the HBV DNA titer decreased to 267 copies/mL, and the liver enzyme levels were normalized.
Superior vena cava syndrome (SVCS) is usually caused by extrinsic compression or invasion of the superior vena cava (SVC) by malignant tumors involving mediastinal structures. Although thymomas are well-known causes of SVCS, cases of SVCS caused by malignant thymomas protruding into adjacent vessels draining the SVC with thrombosis have been very rarely reported worldwide. We experienced a 39-year-old female patient with SVCS that developed after the direct invasion of the left brachiocephalic vein (LBCV) and SVC by an anterior mediastinal mass with a high maximum standardized uptake value on the chest computed tomography (CT) and positron emission tomography-CT. Based on these results, she underwent en bloc resection of the tumor, including removal of the involved vessels, and was eventually diagnosed as having a type B2 thymoma permeating into the LBCV and SVC. We present this case as a very rare form of SVCS caused by an invasive thymoma.
Peutz-Jeghers syndrome is an autosomal dominant inherited disease that manifests as a combination of mucocutaneous pigmentation and gastrointestinal hamartomatous polyps that usually cause intussusception and intestinal hemorrhage. We report the case of a 40-year-old male patient who was diagnosed 20 years ago and had previously undergone 3 intestinal resection surgeries. This time, with the use of combined operative and endoscopic polypectomy, more than 100 polyps were removed. This technique is useful for providing a "clean" small intestine that allows the patient a long interval between laparotomies and reduces the complications associated with multiple laparotomies and resections.
Background/Aims: Colonic diverticular diseases are increasing in Korea due to aging of the population and westernization of people' s lifestyle. The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical predictors associated with the severity of colonic diverticulitis in Korea. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 107 patients who were hospitalized with diverticulitis and underwent abdominopelvic computerized tomography at Dankook University Hospital between March 2002 and August 2011. The severity of colonic diverticulitis was evaluated by using Modified Hinchey classification, stage 0 to stage Ia were classified as mild group and stage Ib to stage IV were classified as severe group. Patients' records were assessed for age, sex, underlying diseases, history of diverticulitis, associated symptoms, location of diverticulitis, white blood cells, and C-reactive protein (CRP). Results: Male to female ratio was 1.6:1 with the mean age of 43.1 years. Eighty-three patients (77.6%) were in the mild group and 24 patients (22.4%) were in the severe group. In multivariated analysis, the clinical predictors associated with the severity of colonic diverticulitis were left location (odds ratio [OR], 7.268; P=0.030), duration of symptoms (≥3 days; OR, 4.174; P=0.022), and elevated CRP (≥5 mg/dL; OR, 4.576; P=0.018). Conclusions: Left location, duration of symptom, and elevated CRP were the meaningful predictors for severity of colonic diverticulitis. When confronting with patients with these risk factors, we should keep in mind about the possibility of severe diverticulitis.
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