Familial amyloid polyneuropathy in Korea: the first case report with a proven ATTR Lys35Asn gene.

A 39-year-old man with progressive peripheral neuropathy and autonomic failure showed amyloid deposition on sural nerve biopsy. Direct DNA sequencing of the TTR gene revealed a G to T mutation, causing a Lys to Asn substitution at position 35. This is the first FAP case in Korea which was diagnosed by a DNA test.

Acute exacerbation of hepatitis in liver cirrhosis with very high levels of alpha-fetoprotein but no occurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma.

Aminotransferase levels do not always increase during acute hepatitis or during an acute flare-up of chronic hepatitis. Persistently increased levels of serum alpha-Fetoprotein in an adult with liver disease suggest not only the presence or progression of hepatocellular Carcinoma or its recurrence after hepatic resection or after other therapeutic approaches such as chemotherapy or chemoembolization, but also it suggests that there is an acute exacerbation of hepatitis or liver cirrhosis. We report here on two unusual cases of HBV- & HCV-related liver cirrhosis with acute exacerbation of hepatitis in which there was an insignificant elevation of the aminotransferase levels, but there were markedly increased alpha-Fetoprotein levels observed.