Angiopoietin-2 expression in patients with an acute exacerbation of idiopathic interstitial pneumonias.

Background And Objective: We hypothesized that increased pulmonary vascular permeability may play a role in the pathogenesis of an acute exacerbation of the idiopathic interstitial pneumonias (AE-IIPs). Angiopoietin-2 (Ang-2) promotes endothelial activation, destabilization, and inflammation. The purpose of this study was to examine whether Ang-2 expression was associated with the pathogenesis of AE-IIPs.

Subcutaneous sarcoidosis: a clinical analysis of nine patients.

Subcutaneous sarcoidosis is the specific subset of cutaneous sarcoidosis frequently associated with systemic disease. However, the disease activity, severity, and prognosis have not yet been elucidated due to the limited number of reported cases. The purpose of this study was to identify the clinical, laboratory, and prognostic differences between subcutaneous sarcoidosis and other type of cutaneous sarcoidosis.

Interventricular septal thickening as an early manifestation of cardiac sarcoidosis.

We report an unusual case of cardiac sarcoidosis demonstrated by interventricular septal thickening. A 64-year-old woman was diagnosed with sarcoidosis involving the lungs, eyes, and skin. Three years later, renal dysfunction was detected during a periodic examination and a renal biopsy revealed non-caseating granulomas.

Hard metal lung disease successfully treated with inhaled corticosteroids.

We herein report a case of hard metal lung disease that was successfully treated with inhaled corticosteroids. A 46-year-old man was admitted to our hospital due to coughing and an abnormal shadow on a chest radiograph. He had worked as a hard metal tool sharpener for five years.

[Delayed massive hemothorax due to diaphragmatic injury by lower rib fracture].

We report a case of delayed massive hemothorax, a 72-year-old women, due to diaphragmatic injury by multiple lower rib fracture on 4th day aftrer traffic injury. We tried to stop bleeding by transcatheter arterial embolization, but the control of bleeding was difficult, necessitating the emergency surgery. The diaphragmatic injury about 3 cm diameter was found, and was sutured with absorption thread.