Background Dyslipidemia is a common complication of chronic kidney disease (CKD) and contributes to cardiovascular morbidity and mortality of CKD patients.
Aim The aim of the present study was to determine whether fluvastatin, which is mostly characterized by its pleiotropic anti-oxidant effects, has renoprotective effects in dyslipidemic patients with CKD.
Methods In 43 dyslipidemic patients with CKD taking fluvastatin 10 mg/day, 20 mg/day or 30 mg/day, renal functions as well as lipid profiles were assessed.
Results After 3 months of treatment with fluvastatin, LDL-cholesterol level significantly decreased. Serum creatinine level, estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), urinary albumin excretion (UAE), urinary liver-type fatty acid binding protein (L-FABP) level and urinary 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) level did not change in overall patients. However, in patients with microalbuminuria (baseline UAE≥30 mg/g·creatinine; n=23), the UAE significantly decreased [2.43±0.67 to 1.98±0.80 log(mg/g·creatinine), p=0.01]. In patients with high L-FABP group (baseline L-FABP≥11 μg/g·creatinine; n=18), the urinary L-FABP level was significantly decreased (1.52±0.45 to 1.26±0.43 μg/g·creatinine, p<0.01). In the limited 23 patients with microalbuminuria, the L-FABP level was significantly decreased [1.20±0.62 to 1.03±0.49 log(μg/g·creatinine), p=0.042], although the LDL-cholesterol level (139±28 to 129±23 mg/dL, p=0.08) only showed a tendency to decrease. The 8-OHdG level also was significantly decreased (13.6±9.6 to 9.8±3.8 ng/g·creatinine, p=0.043). In the overall patients, changes in the values for UAE and urinary L-FABP were not correlated with the changes in LDL-levels.
Conclusion Fluvastatin reduces both UAE and the urinary L-FABP level, and thus, has renoprotective effects, independent of its lipid lowering effects in dyslipidemic patients with CKD.

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Objective In the aged population, serum cholesterol is directly correlated with coronary heart disease (CHD) risk. We aimed to investigate the correlation between non-high density lipoprotein cholesterol (non-HDL-C) level and CHD and coronary lesions in an aged population.
Methods 1,272 cases of old patients who were more than 65 years old and accepted for coronary angiography were analyzed retrospectively. Based on the result of coronary angiography, the patients were divided into control group and CHD group. Further, 767 CHD patients were divided into subgroups according to the number of branches with pathological changes and Gensini score. Serum TC, HDL-C, LDL-C and TG were assayed to measure the level of non-HDL-C. The differences in non-HDL-C among groups were compared, and the correlation between non-HDL-C and coronary artery disease degree was also analyzed.
Results The non-HDL-C level in the CHD group was significantly higher than that in the control group (p<0.01). Further, the serum non-HDL-C showed an increasing tendency accompanied by the increase in branches with lesions. Compared with patients with single or double coronary artery branches lesions, the non-HDL-C in those with multiple lesions in branches was significantly increased (p<0.01, p<0.05). With the aggravation of coronary artery stenosis, the serum non-HDL-C level was gradually increased. The most significant increase was observed in the group with Gensini score of more than 40. There was a significant difference between Gensini score >40 group and Gensini score of 20-40 group and Gensini score <20 group, respectively (p<0.05, p<0.01). Meanwhile, there were significant positive correlations between the serum non-HDL-C level and coronary lesions area and severity (r=0.147, p<0.01; r=0.152, p<0.01).
Conclusion In conclusion, serum non-HDL-C was closely associated with development of CHD and coronary artery lesions severity.

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Objective The incidence of pulmonary Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) infections with nodular/bronchiectasis lesions is increasing. However, factors determining deterioration are unknown. In the present study, we investigated quantitative MAC cultures obtained through bronchoscopic microsampling (BMS) from patients with pulmonary MAC infection and analyzed the relationship between MAC culture and the short-term natural history. We also assessed chest computed tomography (CT) findings for the deteriorating factors.
Design For this prospective study, MAC was collected from peripheral lung lesions by BMS through endobronchial ultrasonography. MAC colonies were counted on Middlebrook 7H11 agar. We compared the number of MAC colonies with laboratory data and chest CT findings.
Patients We studied 26 patients with pulmonary MAC infection.
Results The patients were divided into 2 groups: 11 patients in the non-deteriorated group and 15 patients in the deteriorated group. The number of MAC colonies was significantly correlated with deterioration of MAC infection (p<0.001). In the non-deteriorated group, chest CT scans showed nodular/bronchiectasis lesions in 8 patients (73%) and consolidated lesions in 3 patients (27%). In the deteriorated group, chest CT scans showed nodular/bronchiectasis lesions in 1 patient (7%), consolidated lesions in 6 patients (40%), and cavitary lesions in 8 patients (53%).
Conclusion The number of MAC colonies in relevant lesions investigated by BMS was significantly larger in the deteriorated group than in the non-deteriorated group. Cavitary and consolidated lesions observed from chest CT scans are thought to indicate a high risk of progression of pulmonary MAC infection.

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We describe here a case of von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) disease with a serous cystic neoplasm of the whole pancreas. The patient was a 35-year-old woman suffering from a palpable abdominal tumor. She had a history of hemangioblastomas of the cerebellum. CT revealed large solid tumors in the pancreatic head and body, and multiple cystic lesions in the whole pancreas as well as a right renal tumor. When endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) was performed, bleeding from the duodenal papilla was detected. Since she had some distinguishing clinical features, the diagnosis of VHL disease was made. The preoperative diagnosis of the pancreatic lesion was serous cystic neoplasms with hemosuccus pancreaticus and total pancreatectomy was performed. Histological examination of the specimen revealed serous cystic neoplasms which occupied the entire pancreas. VHL cases operated on for serous cystic neoplasms of the entire pancreas are very rare.

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A 34-year-old woman showed liver dysfunction for the first time at 3 months after delivery. Two years later, she was referred to our department with continued liver dysfunction. She fulfilled the criteria for primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC)-autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) overlap. Liver dysfunction improved after administration of ursodeoxycholic acid and bezafibrate. To the best of our knowledge this represents the second report of PBC-AIH overlap after delivery and we discuss immunological changes during the perinatal period.

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A 78-year-old diabetic woman experienced multiple sites of gangrene not only in fingers that were directly bitten by a dog but also in fingers and toes that had not beenbitten. Her glycemic control was fair and microvascular complications were mild. There were no clinical findings related to angitis, collagenosis or severe infection. The fingers and toes with gangrene were amputated. The pathological diagnosis was diabetic gangrene. This report presents a case of multiple sites of gangrene of the fingers and toes after a dog bite in an elderly patient with type 2 diabetes.

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Hashimoto's encephalopathy (HE) is a rare condition associated with Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT). It is characterized by neurological/psychiatric symptoms, high levels of anti-thyroid antibodies, non-specific radiological examinations or electroencephalogram abnormalities, and responsiveness to corticosteroid treatment. We describe the case of a man with HE who showed decreased mentality, cognitive impairment, dysarthria, and gait disturbance. The initial attack was improved rapidly by corticosteroid treatment. When the symptoms recurred in 7 months, the patient achieved spontaneous remission without corticosteroid treatment. The recognition of the condition was essential for the prognosis and treatment of this rare disease.

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A medullary thyroid carcinoma is a malignant tumor derived from the C-cells of the thyroid. Despite their distinct embryological origin, medullary thyroid carcinomas are exceptionally accompanied by a tumor derived from the follicular cells; this is defined as mixed medullary and follicular cell carcinoma. There have been controversies regarding the origin of this rare mixed thyroid carcinoma questioning whether or not a mixed carcinoma originates from a common cancer stem cell. We present a case of mixed medullary and follicular cell carcinoma in which two thyroid carcinomas were found intermingled in the thyroid as well as in the metastatic cervical lymph nodes. We examined the tumor by immunostaining with thyroglobulin, calcitonin, and thyroid transcription factor-1, and also reviewed the literature and discuss the origin of this rare mixed thyroid carcinoma.

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We treated two patients with male infertility due to 21-hydroxylase deficiency. Endocrinologic examinations disclosed low levels of LH and FSH, with elevated ACTH and 17-OH-progesterone in both. In addition, a small testicular tumor was found in Case 1, which disappeared after adrenal replacement. Suppressed gonadotropin levels caused by increased androgen seemed to underlie the sperm dysfunction in these patients. Dexamethasone and then clomiphene were administered in Case 1, and dexamethasone in Case 2. Spermatogenesis was somewhat improved in both patients and pregnancy achieved in Case 2, though spontaneous abortion later occurred.

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Pulmonary veno-occlusive disease (PVOD) is a rare and usually survival poor disorder. We report a patient with a long history of progressive dyspnea of over 8 years, who with a diagnosis of chronic cor pulmonale confirmed elsewhere, was ultimately diagnosed as PVOD via histological analysis of a lung biopsy. After treatment with combined bosentan, diuretics and digoxin, his symptoms and function improved. This case highlights that PVOD is an under-recognised and often misdiagnosed disease, especially in its chronic form. Understanding its pathogenesis, its poor response to medical therapy and its dismal prognosis remain challenges for the treatment of PVOD.

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The combination of acute urinary retention and aseptic meningitis has not been well recognized. This combination can be referred to as meningitis-retention syndrome (MRS), when accompanied by no other abnormalities. However, the responsible site of lesions for urinary retention in MRS remains obscure, despite the areflexic detrusor at the time of urinary retention. We recently encountered a man with MRS in whom a urodynamic study was performed twice. In that case, an initially areflexic detrusor became overactive after a 4-month period, suggesting an upper motor neuron bladder dysfunction.

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In this report, we present 3 cases of abscess caused by Citrobacter koseri. All infected patients recovered after initial empirical antibiotic treatment and percutaneous drainage of the abscess. We reviewed the literature and found 9 adult cases of C. koseri abscess. Most of these patients recovered after timely antibiotic treatment and drainage.

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Infection of Scedosporium apiospermum is very rare but is now emerging as an important cause of both localized and disseminated infections in immunocompromised patients. A 62-year-old woman, who had undergone steroid therapy for refractory idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura and had a history of diffuse large B cell lymphoma, developed a deep skin ulcer complicated with lymphangitis. After culture study demonstrated the presence of S. apiospermum, voriconazole (VRCZ) was administered and prompt improvement was observed. Because it is difficult to distinguish S. apiospermum from Aspergillus by histopathology and S. apiospermum is resistant to amphotericin B, VRCZ should be selected as the first choice of antifungal agent when mold is considered to be the causative organism.

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The symptoms of Takayasu arteritis (TA) are related to end organ ischemia. Here we present a patient with convulsions and intracranial involvement. A 15-year-old young woman was admitted with the complaint of convulsions since one and a half months previously. Her physical examination showed absent pulses and unobtainable blood pressure in both arms. Electroencephalography was normal. An arcus aorto-abdominal aortography, performed for TA prediagnosis, revealed that the subclavian artery ended as a stump at its origin on the right and was occluded by tapering on the left. Arcus aorta was normal. The right renal artery was occluded up to 80-90%. Magnetic resonance imaging of the brain revealed abnormal signal intensity in the deep white matter bilaterally. Cerebral catheter angiography showed focal stenosis of cerebral vessels; it was classified as type V according to the classification of the Takayasu Conference of 1994. A diagnosis of TA was made and 1 mg/kg steroid was given, and after a month methotrexate (15 mg/week) was added. On the tenth treatment day her pulse could be revealed. During the control period she had no convulsion. In young patients TA should be kept in mind as a rare cause in convulsion etiology. Intracranial involvement of TA must be evaluated especially if there is a headache and convulsion.

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