• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.51 no.1
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• pp.25-34
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• 2001

Background : Inhaled glucocorticoids are the medical treatment of choice in asthma patients. Fluticasone propionate is one of the most effective inhaled corticosteroids and has been reported to have minimal effect on the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis at the recommended dose. However, reports of long-term trials characterizing their systemic safety with chronic use are rare. This study was designed to evaluate the long-term safety of inhaled fluticasone propionate to the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis. Method : This study was conducted on 21 patients to evaluate the adrenal response to rapid ACTH stimulation test after 6 months of treatment with fluticasone propionate from $200\;{\mu}g$ to $750\;{\mu}g$ daily. The serum cortisol levels was measured to assess its effect on the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis just prior to the injection, at 30 minutes and 60 minutes after an intramuscular injection of synthetic ACTH. Result : The mean dose of inhaled fluticasone propionate was $355\;{\mu}g$ per day(SD=$174\;{\mu}g$, range=$200\;{\mu}g$ to $750\;{\mu}g$). The mean serum cortisol levels of the patients was $11.0\;{\mu}g/d{\ell}$(SD=$6.4\;{\mu}g/d{\ell}$) prior to the injection, $20.0\;{\mu}g/d{\ell}$ (SD=$7.7\;{\mu}g/d{\ell}$) after 30 minutes, and $23.0\;{\mu}g/d{\ell}$(SD=$6.3\;{\mu}g/d{\ell}$) after 60 minutes. Sixteen patients of the 21 patients had a normal response(> $18\;{\mu}g/d{\ell}$), and 5 out of the 21 patients had serum cortisol levels below the normal range after the rapid ACTH stimulation test. Conclusion: Adrenal suppression occurred in 5 out of 21 patients with 6 months treatment with inhaled fluticasone propionate.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.15 no.6
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• pp.3751-3758
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• 2014

This study was designed to evaluate the effects of arthritis and comorbid chronic conditions on the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in the Korean older population. The study subjects were 2,708 Korean adults aged 65 and older from the $3^{rd}$ Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys data: 1,357 persons with a single chronic condition, such as arthritis, herniations of the intervertebral disc, osteoporosis, asthma, peptic ulcers, stroke, or cataract; 886 persons with arthritis and a second chronic condition described above; and 465 persons with no chronic condition. An analysis of covariance was performed to compare the EQ-5D index among the groups. The effects of arthritis, second chronic condition and their interactions were analyzed by multiple linear regression analysis. The results are as follows. Compared to men with arthritis only, men with stroke only, stroke and arthritis, or cataract and arthritis had a lower age adjusted EQ-5D index. Women with a stroke only, asthma only, cataract only, osteoporosis and arthritis, peptic ulcer and arthritis, stroke and arthritis, or cataract and arthritis had a lower age adjusted EQ-5D index than women with arthritis only. Arthritis and comorbid conditions had additive effects on the HRQol in both genders except for arthritis and stroke in women. In conclusion, comorbid chronic medical conditions in older people with arthritis may reduce the HRQoL in an additive manner.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.51 no.3
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• pp.329-335
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• 2019

Annually, millions of children die from respiratory virus infections. Human rhinovirus (HRV) is a causative agent of severe respiratory infections in young, elderly, and asthmatic patients with weak immunity. In this study, 9,010 respiratory virus specimens were collected from January 2012 to December 2018 at Dankook University Hospital, Cheonan and examined by real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. Twelve respiratory viruses were detected. The mean detection rate was 21.3% (N=1,920/9,010), and the mean age of HRV-positive patients was 6.5 years (median age: 1.6 years, range: 0.0~96.0). The detection rate was the highest in July (32.4%) and the lowest in February (8.3%). When the detection rate was analyzed by age group, the detection rate was the second highest in patients aged 10~19 years. The co-infection rate of HRV was 35.3%, and the most common combination was with Adenovirus. Respiratory virus infections are known to occur in children and elderly people with weak immunity. However, in this study, the detection rate was second highest in patients aged 10~19 years. Indeed, the detection rate in this age group was more than 15%, except in January and February. These results suggested that steady-state studies on the infection patterns of HRV are required.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.61 no.3
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• pp.227-232
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• 2006

Background: In the measurement of bronchodilator reversibility, the forced expiratory volume in one second($FEV_{1}$) and the forced vital capacity(FVC) are commonly used parameters and recommended criteria for the reversibility requiring an increase of more than 200ml and 12% above the baseline, respectively. However, aged patients do not often meet the criteria of an increase in volume(>200ml) even though the medical history of that patient is adequate for asthma. This study investigated the role of the forced expiratory volume in six seconds($FEV_{6}$) in the bronchodilator reversibility test in elderly patients. Methods: A total of 236 patients more than 65 years of age with a $FEV_{1}$/FVC ratio<80% were enrolled in this study. The bronchodilator revesibility tests were examined. With the setting $FEV_{1}$ as the baseline, the patients were divided into three groups; Group I : $$FEV_{1}{\geq_-}80%$$ of the predicted value, Group II : 60%<$FEV_{1}$<80% of the predicted value, Group III : $$FEV_{1}{\leq_-}60%$$ of the predicted value. Results: Positive reversibility in the $FEV_{1}$, $FEV_{6}$, and FVC was in 33(14.0%), 49(20.8%) and 55(23.3%). However, Group III presented with reversibility in the $FEV_{1}$, $FEV_{6}$, and FVC in 15(22.4%), 30(44.8%) and 32(47.8%) respectively. Conclusions: The $FEV_{6}$ might be used as a complementary parameter in bronchodilatror reversibility in elderly patients. However, more study will be needed to determine the usefulness of $FEV_{6}$ in bronchodilator reversibility test.

• Korea journal of population studies
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.205-217
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• 2005

Purpose: To evaluate the factors affecting hospital utilization for respiratory diseases by ecological study design and GIS tool. To raise the social concern for respiratory disease by the result. Methods: Hospital admission data supported by national health insurance cooperation were transformed to spread sheet data format and combined with air monitoring dataset. Air pollution data were collected from the annual report of air monitoring published by Korea Ministry of Environment. Socioeconomic statistics including population density, age distribution, forest ratio etc.. were filed using Korea National Statistical Office database. Multiple linear regression analysis was performed to evaluate the factors affecting hospital utilization for respiratory diseases. Analytical unit was 52 cities. Results: The factors affecting hospital utilization for respiratory diseases were the proportion of population 60 years and over, seaside city, $O_3$ level, smoking rate. Conclusions: However, outdoor pollutants monitoring data and smoking rate have weakness in reflecting individual exposure. Further research is required to propose more illustrative means to evaluate causal relationship between air pollution and respiratory health effect factors.

• Journal of Convergence for Information Technology
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• v.9 no.6
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• pp.194-201
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• 2019

This cohort study aimed to identify the effects of daily PM10 exposure on the hospital admission of patients with respiratory diseases, during the nine-year period (2002-2010), in Seoul, Korea. The research subjects were 13,974 patients who had been hospitalized with respiratory diseases, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma, and pneumonia. During the follow-up period, an increase of 10 ug/m3 in PM10 under the threshold of 50 ug/m3 of PM10 led to hospital admission in 1.38% of the age group younger than 15 years, 1.62% in those 65 years or older, 2.87% in patients 75 years or older and in 1.50% of pneumonia patients, 1.51% of COPD patients, and 1.55% of pneumonia and asthma patients. Under the threshold of 80 ug/m3 of PM10, there was a 3.71% increase in new patients admitted in the age group 65 years or older and 4.25% in those at least 75 years old. Our study found that high PM10 was associated with increased risk of admission of respiratory patients, especially in the elderly. People who already have a respiratory disease should refrain from exposure to particulate matter when there is a high concentration of PM10, especially older patients.

• Sleep Medicine and Psychophysiology
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.38-45
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• 2017

Objectives: Sleep disturbance is a very rapidly growing disease with aging. The purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence of sleep disturbances and its predictive factors in a three-year cohort study of people aged 60 years and over in Korea. Methods: In 2012 and 2014, we obtained data from a survey of the Korean Social Life, Health, and Aging Project. We asked participants if they had been diagnosed with stroke, myocardial infarction, angina pectoris, arthritis, pulmonary tuberculosis, asthma, cataract, glaucoma, hepatitis B, urinary incontinence, prostate hypertrophy, cancer, osteoporosis, hypertension, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, or metabolic syndrome. Cognitive function was assessed using the Mini-Mental State Examination for dementia screening in 2012, and depression was assessed using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale in 2012 and 2014. In 2015, a structured clinical interview for Axis I psychiatric disorders was administered to 235 people, and sleep disturbance was assessed using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. The perceived stress scale and the State-trait Anger Expression Inventory were also administered. Logistic regression analysis was used to predict sleep disturbance by gender, age, education, depression score, number of coexisting diseases in 2012 and 2014, current anger score, and perceived stress score. Results: Twenty-seven percent of the participants had sleep disturbances. Logistic regression analysis showed that the number of medical diseases three years ago, the depression score one year ago, and the current perceived stress significantly predicted sleep disturbances. Conclusion: Comorbid medical disease three years previous and depressive symptoms evaluated one year previous were predictive of current sleep disturbances. Further studies are needed to determine whether treatment of medical disease and depressive symptoms can improve sleep disturbances.

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.111-121
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• 2008

Objectives : The present study was carried out to investigate the effects of Astragali radix on the asthma treatment. EAR-I is an extract of astragali radix cultured for one year and EAR-III is an extract of astragali radix cultured for three years. Methods : Two asthma-induced groups mice group was treated respectively with EAR- I and EAR- III. The other group was not. Each group was analyzed in vivo and in vitro experiments. Results : In asthma-induced mice by OVA treatment, the weight of lung, total cell number of leukocyte and eosinophil in BALF, both EAR- I and EAR- III treated groups were significantly decreased compared to control group. IL-4, IL-5, IL-13, histamine, IgE in BLAF of group treated with both EAR-I and EM-III were significantly decreased compared to control group. In FACS analyzing, granulocytes, $CD3e^-$/$CCR3^+$, $CD3^+$/$CD19^$, $CD3e^+$/$CD69^+$, $CD4^+$, $CD8^+$ and $GR-1^+$/$CD11b^+$ were significantly increased in asthma induced mice group by OVA treatment compared to control group, and decreased in group treated with both EAR- I and EAR-III. Conclusions : The present data proves that extract of astragali radix has an effect on the inhibiting asthma. Moreover, astragali radix cultured for three years was proved to be superior to the one cultured for one year.

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.99-109
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• 2008

Objectives : The present study was to investigate the effect of extract of Chelidonii herba (ECH) on the proliferation and activation of eosinophils which were prepared from lung cells of asthma-induced mouse by ovalbumin (OVA) treatment. Methods : C57BL/6 mouse was exposed to OVA three times a week for 6 weeks. The mouse lung tissues were dissected out, chopped and dossiciated with collagenase (1 ${\mu}g$/ml). Eosinophils were activated by rIL-3/rmIL-5 co-treatments. The lung cells were treated with ECH, incubated for 48 hr at $37^{\circ}C$, and analyzed by flow cytometery, ELISA, RT-PCR, and immuno-histochemical analysis. Results : In FACS analysis, number of granulocyte/lymphocyte, $CD3e^-$/$CCR3^+$, $CD3e^+$/$CD69^+$, $CD4^+$ and $CD23^+$/$B220^+$ in asthma-induced lung cells were significantly decreased by ECH treatment compared to the control group. And mRNA expression for IL-4, IL-5, IL-13, CCR3 and eotaxin in asthma-induced lung cells, which was induced by rIL-3 plus rmIL-5 treatments, was significantly decreased by ECH treatment. In ELISA analysis, production levels of IL-3, IL-5, IL-13 and histamine in asthma-induced lung cells, which were induced by rIL-3 plus rmIL-5 co-treatment, were significantly decreased by ECH treatment. ECH treatments significantly inhibited the proliferation of eosinohils prepared from asthma-induced mouse lung tissues compared to the non-ECH treated control cells. Immunohistochemical analysis revealed that ECH treatment significantly decreased the levels of eosipnphil activation compared to non-treated cells. Conclusions : The present data suggested that Chelidonium majus L. may have an effect on the inhibition of parameters associated with asthma responses in eosinpophils, and thus implicate the possibility for the clinical application of Chelidonium majus L.

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.51-56
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• 2006

Objectives : To clarify the effects of Actinidia polygama and CsA on OVA-induced asthma model, we examined the influence of Actinidia polygama fructus extract (APF) and CsA on the number of regulatory T cells, NKT cells and ${\gamma}{\delta}$ T cells in murine model of asthma. Methods : All mice were immunized on two different days (21 days and 7 days before inhalational exposure) by i.p. injections of OVA in PBS. Seven days after the second sensitization, mice were exposed to aerosolized ovalbumin for 30 min/day on 3 days/week for 12 weeks and APF (400, 40 mg/kg) were orally administered 3 times a week for 8 weeks. Results : The suppressive effects of APF on asthma model were demonstrated by the increase the number of regulatory T cells, ${\gamma}{\delta}$ T cells and by reducing the number of NK T cells. Conclusion : These results indicate that APF has a deep inhibitory effect on airway inflammation and hyperresponsiveness in murine model of asthma by increase the number of regulatory T cells, and ${\gamma}{\delta}$ T cells and by reducing the number of NK T cells.