Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is associated with multiple comorbidities, including depression, which carries a higher risk of exacerbation and hospitalization in patients with stable COPD. A newly developed questionnaire, the COPD Assessment Test (CAT), was developed as an alternative to other complex, time-consuming tools for quantifying the symptom burden of COPD in routine practice. It is possible that the correlation between the CAT and depression scales could be useful for early evaluation and management of depression in COPD patients. Thus, we investigated the relationship between the CAT and depression as measured by the Patient Health Questionnaires-9 (PHQ-9). We performed a retrospective observational COPD cohort study. A total of 97 patients were enrolled. The Korean versions of the CAT and PHQ-9 were completed for stable patients. A correlation analysis was performed between the PHQ-9 and CAT scores. Significant depression among the groups based on the 2011 GOLD guidelines occurred only in class Gold B and D patients (40% and 60%, respectively). The frequency of depression was significantly higher in the group with higher CAT scores (20~29 versus ≥30; odds ratio: 5.67 versus 22.66). Significant association was observed between the PHQ-9 and CAT scores (r=0.545 and P<0.001). As a result, the PHQ-9 score was significantly higher in COPD patients with a higher CAT score. The CAT is a simple and valuable predictor of depression in COPD patients, and it should be frequently used to detect COPD patients with depression in clinical practice.

담도 과오종과 선천성 간섬유증은 태생기에 간판 기형에 의해 생기는 섬유 낭성 질환에 속한다. 담도 과오종은 증상 을 유발하지 않고 우연히 발견되는 질환이지만, 선천성 간섬 유증은 25%에서 담관염이 발생하고 증상이 발생하면 항생 제 투여부터 수술까지 적극적 치료가 필요하다. 저자들은 복부 영상 소견으로 담도 과오종으로 진단하고 경과 관찰하던 64세 남자가 2년간 반복적인 담관염이 발생한 원인을 찾기 위해 시행한 간 생검에서 담도 과오종과 선천성 간섬유증이 병합된 것으로 진단한 증례를 경험하여 문헌고찰과 함께 보고한다.

Although bombesin (BN) regulates colonic motility, the associated mechanism of action remains unclear. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of BN on colonic motility using isolated rat colon. An isolated rat colon was perfused with Krebs solution via the superior mesenteric artery. Intraluminal pressure was measured via microtip catheter pressure transducers at both proximal and distal portions of the isolated colon. After a control period, BN was administered intraarterially in concentrations of 13, 26, 130, and 260 pM. After pretreatment with hexamethonium (10-3 M), atropine (10-5 M), or tetrodotoxin (10-6 M), BN was administered at a concentration of 260 pM (proximal colon) or 130 pM (distal colon); intraluminal pressure was then monitored. Changes in motility were expressed as the percentage change of motility index (MI) over the basal period. As a result, BN increased colonic motility and a dose-dependent increase in proximal colonic motility was observed. The stimulant effect of BN was almost completely abolished by atropine and tetrodotoxin at both the proximal and distal colon. However, BN was not inhibited by hexamethonium at both the proximal and distal colon. Therefore, the stimulant action of BN may be mediated by local cholinergic muscarinic receptors.

Pneumatosis cystoides intestinalis (PCI) is a rare condition characterized by multiple intramural pockets of gas filled cysts in the intestinal wall. PCI is usually found incidentally on an imaging study. Many different causes of PCI have been suggested, including mechanical, pulmonary, and bacterial causes. Treatment is usually conservative, including oxygen and antibiotic therapy. We report on two cases of PCI, without symptoms, in a 62-year-old male and a 72-year-old male. Computed tomography showed numerous, small, round, and air densities on the sigmoid colon. Colonoscopy showed numerous, variable-sized, sessile polypoid, balloon-like distended, and protruding subepithelial masses covered with normal colonic mucosa on the sigmoid colon. We observed that when the cyst was stuck with a needle, the size of the cyst was reduced and showed a flat termination. Therefore, we made a diagnosis of PCI and report on the case with references.