• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• 제60권3호
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• pp.337-341
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• 2006

Objectives : Endobronchial anthracofibrotic pigmentation, which presents as dark black or brown pigmentation mucosal changes of multiple bronchi combined with bronchial fibrosis and obstruction, is not a rare finding when performing diagnostic bronchoscopy for Koreans. This study was performed to define the clinical characteristics and to determine the association of these finding with the Korean life style and such other diseases as coal workers, pneumoconiosis or tuberculosis in the patients with anthracofibrotic pigmentation. Methods : This retrospective analysis was conducted on 70 (5.2%) patients with endobronchial anthracofibrotic pigmentation, among a total of 1340 patients who underwent bronchoscopy. The distinctive clinical features, the personal life style, the past medical history, the histology and microbiology, the radiologic finding and the natures of the bronchoscopic lesions were analyzed. Results : This mean age of the patients with anthracofibrotic pigmentation was $60.6{\pm}9.2$ year old and the male to female ratio was 1:1.7. The common respiratory symptoms of these patients were coughing and sputum (81%, 57/70), and this was followed in order by dyspnea and hemoptysisir. The symptoms were not related with smoking and an occupational history such as being a coal worker and so on. Pneumonia was most common finding on the radiologic studies. On bronchoscopy, the right middle lobe bronchus was most commonly involved. The most common associated disease was tuberculosis, and 40 cases (57.1%) were diagnosed by AFB staining, TB PCR, bronchoscopic guided tissue biopsy and a past history of tuberculosis. Other diseases related with anthracotic pigmentation were hypertension, diabetes, COPD, lung cancer, pneumoconiosis and asthma. Conclusion : These results suggest that endobronchial anthracofibrotic pigmentation was mostly related with pulmonary tuberculosis rather than with coal- related disease. Endobronchial anthracofibrotic pigmentation was more prevalent in older age females in Korea.

• Journal of Life Science
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• 제19권6호
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• pp.735-743
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• 2009

The common word flavonoids is often used to classify a family of natural compounds, highly abundant in all higher plants, that have received significant therapeutic interest in recent years. Naringin is associated with a reduced risk of heart disease, neurodegenerative disease, cancer and other chronic diseases; however the molecular basis of this effect remains to be elucidated. Thus we attempted to elucidate the anti-allergic effect of Naringin in ovalbumin (OVA)-induced asthma model mice. The OVA-induced mice showed allergic reactions in the airways. These included an increase in the number of eosinophils in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid, an increase in inflammatory cell infiltration into the lung around blood vessels and airways, airway luminal narrowing, and the development of airway hyper-responsiveness (AHR). The administration of Naringin before the last airway OVA challenge resulted in a significant inhibition of all asthmatic reactions. Accordingly, this study may provide evidence that Naringin plays a critical role in the amelioration of the pathogenetic process of asthma in mice. These findings provide new insight into the immunopharmacological role of Naringin in terms of its effects on asthma in mice.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• 제63권3호
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• pp.235-241
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• 2007

Background: Airway mucus hypersecretion plays an important role in the pathogenesis of asthma, and is associated with the induction of MUC5AC expression in airway secretion. The MUC5AC gene is highly polymorphic; however, there are few studies about the association between the polymorphisms of the MUC5AC gene and asthma susceptibility or asthma phenotypes. We have investigated the association of MUC5AC promoter polymorphisms with the risk of asthma and asthma phenotypes. Methods: We determined the genotypes of the MUC5AC promoter (-1274G>A) in 78 asthma patients and in 78 age, sex-matched control individuals in the Korean population. Genomic DNAs from blood were analyzed by PCR and RFLP (restriction fragment length polymorphism) determination. We examined $FEV_1$, total eosinophil count, serum IgE level, $PC_{20}$ and the presence of atopy (by a skin test) in asthma patients. Results: The mean age of the patients was $47.7{\pm}16.1$ years and 38.5% were men, and the mean $FEV_1$ was $84.4{\pm}22.3%$ of predicted in the asthma patients. The -1274G>A polymorphism of the MUC5AC promoter in asthma patients was not significantly different as compared with normal individuals (GG 57.7%, AG 34.6% and AA 7.7% in asthma patients vs. GG 56.4%, AG 38.5% and AA 5.1% in control subject, p = 0.752, Cod). Several clinical parameters in asthma patients such as $FEV_1$, total eosinophil count, serum IgE level, $PC_{20}$ and the presence of atopy, were not associated with the -1274G>A polymorphism of the MUC5AC promoter. Conclusion: The -1274G>A single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) frequency of the MUC5AC promoter was not associated with asthma in a Korean population.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• 제46권10호
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• pp.1013-1018
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• 2003

Purpose : Bronchial hyperresponsiveness(BHR) in asthma is thought to be a consequence of underlying airway inflammation. But the mechanism responsible for persistent BHR in adolescents with long-term asthma remission is poorly understood. The aim of this study was to examine whether BHR in adolescents with asthma remission is associated with peripheral blood eosinophilia and/or increased serum levels of eosinophil cationic protein(ECP). Methods : We studied 35 adolescents with long-term asthma remission(neither symptoms nor medication during the previous two years) who have persistent BHR(remission group) and 35 adolescents with symptomatic asthma(symptomatic group) who were matched for methacholine provocative concentration producing a 20% fall in $FEV_1(PC_{20})$ with subjects in the remission group. The peripheral blood eosinophil counts and serum ECP concentrations were compared between these two groups. Correlations between $PC_{20}$ and peripheral blood eosinophil counts or serum ECP concentrations were assessed in these two groups. Results : Peripheral blood eosinophil counts and serum ECP concentrations were significantly lower in the remission group than in the symptomatic group($273{\pm}108$ vs. $365{\pm}178/{\mu}L$; $16.3{\pm}9.4$ vs. $26.5{\pm}15.1{\mu}g/L$, both, P<0.05). $PC_{20}$ was correlated with peripheral blood eosinophil counts and serum ECP concentrations in the symptomatic group(r=-0.385, P=0.022; r=-0.439, P=0.008), but not in the remission group(r=-0.292, P=0.089; r=-0.243, P=0.159). Conclusion : BHR in adolescents with long-term asthma remission is not associated with peripheral blood eosinophilia or an increase in serum ECP concentration, which suggests that BHR in this clinical setting may not be attributed to airway eosinophilic inflammation. Further studies including direct assessment of airway inflammation are needed to confirm this conclusion.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Applied Pharmacology
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• 한국응용약물학회 1994년도 춘계학술대회 and 제3회 신약개발 연구발표회
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• pp.249-249
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• 1994

PAF (Platelet-activating factor: 혈소판 활성화인자)는 1972년 Benveniste등에 의해 토끼의 호중구 배양 상청액중에서 발견되어 1979년 그 구조가 1-alkyl-2-acethyl-sn glycero-3-phosphocholine의 구조를 갖는 에테르형 인 지질임이 밝혀졌다. 그후 혈소판 이외 과립구, 단구나 macrophage, 혈관내피세포등 조직의 염증담당세포가 다양한 자극에 응하여 PAF를 생성됨이 보고되었다. PAF가 나타내는 대표적 활성으로는 혈소판, 호중구, 단구들의 활성화, 호중구의 유주 활성, 혈관투과성 항진, 혈압강하작용. 기관지 수축 등이 알려졌으며. 또한 염증, 알러지, 천식 endotoxin shock 등 여러질병에 직·간접적으로 관여함이 알려졌다. 이와같은 여러 생리 현상은 PAF의 특이적수용체를 개재하여 일어난다는 것이 밝혀졌다. 따라서 PAF의 다양한 질병의 관여가 밝혀짐으로서, PAF길항제의 개발이 활발히 진행되어왔다. 지금까지 PAF길항제의 개발은 PAF 구조 유사체. benzodiazepam유도체, thiazole유도체 등과 같은 합성품과 ginkolide, kadsurenone과 같은 천연물 유리의 것이 알려져 in vivo model에서도 그 효능이 확인되었다. 본 연구는 이와 같은 배경에서 20여 종의 생약에서 PAF 길항제를 검색하던 중 5종류의 생약에서 PAF 길항작용을 갖는 분획을 찾았기에 이에 보고한다.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• 제48권10호
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• pp.1038-1049
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• 2005

Asthma is characterized by a chronic inflammatory disorder of the airways that leads to tissue injury and subsequent structural changes collectively called airway remodelling. Characteristic changes of airway remodelling in asthma include goblet cell hyperplasia, deposition of collagens in the basement membrane, increased number and size of microvessels, hypertrophy and hyperplasia of airway smooth muscle, and hypertrophy of submucosal glands. Apart from inflammatory cells, such as eosinophils, activated T cells, mast cells and macrophages, structural tissue cells such as epithelial cells, fibroblasts and smooth muscle cells can also play an important effector role through the release of a variety of mediators, cytokines, chemokines, and growth factors. Through a variety of inflammatory mediators, epithelial and mesenchymal cells cause persistence of the inflammatory infiltrate and induce airway structural remodelling. The end result of chronic airway inflammation and remodelling is an increased thickness of the airway wall, leading to a increased the bronchial hyperresponsiveness and fixed declined lung function.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• 제59권6호
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• pp.591-599
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• 2005

Asthma is the most common disease of the lungs, and one that poses specific challenges for the physicians including radiologist. This article reviews for the clinical diagnosis, Radiologic features, and differential diagnosis of asthma, and outlines the radiologic features of the complications of asthma. Bronchial wall thickening and hyperinflation characterize the chest radiograph of the patients with asthma. On CT scan one may see airway wall thickening, thickened centrilobular structures, and focal or diffuse hyperlucency. Apparent bronchial dilatation may be seen, but the diagnosis of bronchiectasis should be made with caution. Quantification of changes in the airway wall and lung parenchyma may be valuable in understanding the mechanisms of asthma and in evaluating the effects of treatment. The challenge for the physician evaluating the images of a patient with asthma is to find complications.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• 제31권1호
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• pp.82-85
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• 1998

Benign tumors of the trachea are rare and are usually misdiagnosed as bronchial asthma because of the similarity of the symptoms and signs. Although the prognosis of neurofibroma which originats from Schwann cells is good, it may recur or undergo malignant change, so segmental resection of the trachea is recommended. Recently, we experienced a case of primary neurofibroma of the trachea treated successfully by segmental resection of the trachea and end-to-end anastomosis. We report it with a brief review of literatures.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• 제8권2호
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• pp.331-335
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• 1995

Asthma is a disease of the airways that is characterized by increased responsiveness of the tracheobronchial tree to a multiplicity of stimuli. A number of causes have been postulated for the increased airway reactivity of asthma is conservative as beta-adrenergic agonist, methylxanthines, glucocorticoids, anticholinergics and mast cell stabilizing agent. Stellate ganglion block for the treatment of bronchial asthma has its controversies. Stellate ganglion block was performed for the treatment of 3 patients with bronchial asthma. After stellate ganglion blocks, dyspnea, coughing and wheezing was markedly reduced. Lung function test improved with 1 st case. Two asthma cases were able to discontinue medication for asthma. No severe aggrevation of bronchial symptoms were noted after stellate ganglion blocks. It suggested that stellate ganglion block can be safely performed on bronchial asthmatic patients.

• Advances in pediatric surgery
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• 제14권1호
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• pp.94-97
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• 2008

A 19-month-old boy suffered from stridor and dysphagia. He was taking asthma medication for a few months, but symptoms did not improve. After admission, a chest CT showed a posterior mediastinal mass, which compressed the trachea and esophagus. The removed mass via open thoracotomy was a bronchogenic cyst on histopathology. Postoperatively, stridor and dysphagia disappeared. In case of persistent and refractory stridor or dysphagia in children, congenital lesions including bronchogenic cyst need to be ruled out.