• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• 제57권5호
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• pp.211-216
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• 2014

Asthma comprises a heterogeneous group of disorders characterized by airway inflammation, airway obstruction, and airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR). Airway inflammation, which induces AHR and recurrence of asthma, is the main pathophysiology of asthma. The fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) level is a noninvasive, reproducible measurement of eosinophilic airway inflammation that is easy to perform in young children. As airway inflammation precedes asthma attacks and airway obstruction, elevated FeNO levels may be useful as predictive markers for risk of recurrence of asthma. This review discusses FeNO measurements among early-childhood wheezing phenotypes that have been identified in large-scale longitudinal studies. These wheezing phenotypes are classified into three to six categories based on the onset and persistence of wheezing from birth to later childhood. Each phenotype has characteristic findings for atopic sensitization, lung function, AHR, or FeNO. For example, in one birth cohort study, children with asthma and persistent wheezing at 7 years had higher FeNO levels at 4 years compared to children without wheezing, which suggested that FeNO could be a predictive marker for later development of asthma. Preschool-aged children with recurrent wheezing and stringent asthma predictive indices also had higher FeNO levels in the first 4 years of life compared to children with wheezing and loose indices or children with no wheeze, suggesting that FeNO measurements may provide an additional parameter for predicting persistent wheezing in preschool children. Additional large-scale longitudinal studies are required to establish cutoff levels for FeNO as a risk factor for persistent asthma.

• 한국환경보건학회지
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• 제46권6호
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• pp.685-693
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• 2020

Objectives: Recent data indicate that sensitization to mold contributes to the severity and persistence of asthma. The aim of this study was to investigate relationships between indoor mold concentrations and pulmonary function parameters in asthmatic children with mold sensitization. Methods: Asthmatic subjects who had a positive result in skin-prick testing to more than one mold allergen, such as Alternaria, Aspergillus, or Penicillium, were enrolled. Their pulmonary function and methacholine challenge test results were collected. Measurements of blood eosinophil, serum IgE, and fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) were taken. Indoor levels of VOC, CO2, PM10 and PM2.5 in each subject's house were measured. We counted mold and bacteria colonies from the subjects' house air samples. Results: The mean levels of FEV1, FVC, FEV1/FVC, and FEF25-75 were 82.8±19.7, 87.3±17.9, 85.8±8.3, and 82.3±28.9%, respectively. The mean FeNO level was 19.8±11.2 ppb and the geometric mean (range of one SD) of methacholine PC20 was 3.99 mg/mL (0.67-23.74 mg/mL). The average indoor air pollutant levels were below the recommended levels set by the Ministry of Environment for multiplex buildings. Indoor mold levels showed a significant inverse correlation with methacholine PC20, but not with the baseline pulmonary function parameters. Conclusion: Indoor mold concentrations are a risk factor for increased bronchial hyperresponsiveness among asthmatic children with mold sensitization. Targeted environmental intervention should be considered for selected asthmatic children with mold sensitization for avoiding severe airway hyperresponsiveness.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• 제49권6호
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• pp.581-588
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• 2006

Asthma is a chronic inflammation of the airway associated with increased bronchial hyperresponsiveness that leads to recurrent episodes of cough, wheezing, breathless, chest tightness. According the recent studies, repeated airway inflammation leads to structural changes so called 'airway remodeling' and associated with decreased pulmonary function. Airway remodeling begins form the early stage of asthma and the early diagnosis and management is very important to prevent airway remodeling. Medication for asthma can be classified into acute symptom reliever and chronic controller. Short acting beta2 agonist is a well-known reliever that reduced asthma symptoms within minutes. Controllers should be taken daily as a long-term basis to control airway inflammation. Inhaled corticosteroid(ICS) is the most effective controller in current use. However, in some patients ICS monotherapy is not sufficient to control asthma. In those cases, other medications such as long acting beta2 agonist, leukotriene modifier or sustained-release theophylline should be added to ICS, which called Add-on-Therapy. Combination inhaler devices are easy to use. Oral leukotriene modifier has a good compliance especially in children. Finally, as asthma is a chronic disease, the development of on-going partnership among health care professionals, the patients, and the patients' family is necessary for the effective management of asthma.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• 제44권1호
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• pp.146-153
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• 1997

연구배경 : 만성기침은 비흡연 성인호흡기환자의 14% - 23%에서 관찰되는 흔한 호흡기 증상이다. 만성기침의 원인으로는 후비루증후군이 가장 흔하며 기침형 천식도 만성기침 환자의 29%에서 보고되고 있지만 우리나라의 정확한 통계는 없다. 이에 저자들은 기관지과민성을 측정하여 만성기침의 원인이 되는 후비루 증후군, 기침형 천식, 단순 기관지염의 빈도를 조사하였고, 각 질환군에서 아토피와 흡연의 영향을 분석하였다. 대상 및 방법 : 3주이상의 만성기침을 주소로 내원하여 흉부청진과 단순 흉부사진에서 정상소견을 보이는 46명의 만성기침 환자와 기관지천식 환자 45명, 알레르기성비염 환자 16명, 정상대조군 25명을 대상으로 병력의 문진, 진찰소견, 폐기능 검사, 비특이적 기관지 유발검사, 즉시형 피부반응검사를 시행하였고 단순 흉부사진 및 부비동 사진을 촬영하였다. 결 과 : 만성기침 환자에서 기침형 천식은 17.4%, 단순기관지염은 21.7%, 후비루 증후군은 35%, 원인을 규명하지 못한 경우가 25.9% 였다. 만성기침환자중 기관지 과민반응의 양성율은 35% 로 정상 대조군과 알레르기성 비염군과 비교하여 의미있게 기관지 과민성이 증가되어 있었고, 후비루 증후군이 있는 환자중 44% 에서 기관지 과민반응에 양성이었다. 만성기침환자에서 기관지 과민성에 영향을 주는 요인으로 동반된 호흡기 증상의 유무와 관련성 있는 경향을 보일뿐, 후비루 증후군, 코증상, 흡연, 폐환기 기능이상, 피부반응검사, 부비동염의 유무와는 무관하였다. 또한 각 질환군에서 아토피나 흡연과의 연관성은 없었다. 결 론 : 만성기침환자는 정상대조군과 알레르기성 비염에 비해 기관지 과민성이 증가되어 있었으나 기관지 과민성에 영향을 주는 요인은 호흡기 증상의 유무만이 관련성 있는 경향을 보였으며 아토피와 흡연과의 연관성은 관찰할 수 없었다.

• 한국미생물·생명공학회지
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• 제36권4호
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• pp.343-352
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• 2008

프랑킨센스는 감람나무 종에서 얻어지는 gum resin으로, 성분은 5-9% 방향정 에센셜 오일, 알코올-용해성인 65-85% resin과 수용성인 gum 잔여물로 구성된 복합물이다. 프랑킨센스의 알코올 용해성인 resin 성분들의 항염증 작용은 잘 알려져 있으나, 방향성 에센셜 오일 성분이 알러지성 천식에 작용을 하는지의 여부는 보고되지 않았다. 실험은 프랑킨센스 에센설 오일(BSEO)이 ovalbumin(OVA)으로 유발된 알러지성 천식 생쥐 모델에 미치는 영향을 조사하기 위해 수행하였다. BALB/c 생쥐는 OVA로 복강감작 후 OVA 기도 투여로 면역반응을 유발시켰다. 실험그룹은 0.3% BSEO를 8주간 흡입시켰다. OVA로 감작, 유발시킨 BALB/c 생쥐에서 기도내 호산구 침윤증가, 점액분비 증가와 기도과민성이 나타났다. 이에 비하여, BSEO 처치군에서 BALF내 호산구수, 술잔세포의 과증식, 기도과민성이 감소되었다. BALF내 사이토카인 분석 결과, BSEO는 Th1 사이토카인인 IFN-$\gamma$를 증가시켰으며 Th2 사이토카인인 IL-4, IL-5와 IL-13을 감소시켰다. 또한, OVA-specific IgE와 eoxtain 분비를 억제시켰다. BSEO 흡입 군에서 종격동 림프절의 $CD4^+$, $CD3^+/CCR3^+$, 및 $B220^+/CD23^+$ 세포들 또한 감소되었다. 이상의 결과에서 BSEO는 Th1/Th2 관여 면역조절인자로 판단되며, BSEO 흡입으로 간단하고 경제적인 방법으로 알러지성 기도 염증 치료가 가능할 것으로 사료되었다.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• 제28권3호
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• pp.229-237
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• 2024

Cough is a common symptom of several respiratory diseases. However, frequent coughing from acute to chronic often causes great pain to patients. It may turn into cough variant asthma, which seriously affects people's quality of life. For cough treatment, it is dominated by over-the-counter antitussive drugs, such as asmeton, but most currently available antitussive drugs have serious side effects. Thus, there is a great need for the development of new drugs with potent cough suppressant. BALB/c mice were used to construct mice model with cough to investigate the pharmacological effects of pectolinarigenin (PEC). Hematoxylin-eosin and Masson staining were used to assess lung injury and airway remodeling, and ELISA was used to assess the level of inflammatory factor release. In addition, inflammatory cell counts were measured to assess airway inflammation. Airway hyperresponsiveness assay was used to assess respiratory resistance in mice. Finally, we used Western blotting to explore the potential mechanisms of PEC. We found that PEC could alleviate lung tissue injury and reduce the release of inflammatory factors, inhibit of cough frequency and airway wall collagen deposition in mice model with cough. Meanwhile, PEC inhibited the Ras/ERK/c-Fos pathway to exhibit antitussive effect. Therefore, PEC may be a potential drug for cough suppression.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• 제53권2호
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• pp.121-128
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• 2010

In recent years, environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) has become an important worldwide public health issue. Children are particularly vulnerable to ETS because they are still developing. ETS exposure causes a wide range of adverse health effects on childhood asthma. There is convincing evidence that ETS exposure is causally associated with an increased prevalence of asthma, increased severity of asthma and worsening asthma control in children who already have the disease, even though a causal relationship with asthma onset is not yet established for asthma incidence. Mechanisms underlying these adverse effects of ETS are not clearly elucidated but e studies on this issue suggest that genetic susceptibility, impaired lung function, and augmented airway inflammation and remodeling may be involved. Children with asthma are just as likely to be exposed to ETS as children in general and there is no risk-free level of exposure. Therefore, providing a smoke-free environment may be of particular importance to the asthmatic children exposed to ETS who have adverse asthma outcomes, as well as to children with genetic susceptibility who are at increased risk of developing asthma upon exposure to ETS in early childhood.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• 제7권1호
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• pp.18-25
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• 2007

Background: Although glucocorticoids (GCs) are effective in controlling asthma in the majority of patients, a subset of asthmatics fails to demonstrate a satisfactory response, even to systemic GC therapy. This population is referred to as being "steroid-resistant". The actual mechanism underlying steroid resistance in asthma remains to be elucidated. Methods: We have investigated how dexamethasone (DEX) regulates asthmatic phenotypes in a murine model of asthma, in which mice received i.p. immunization twice, followed by two bronchoprovocations with aerosolized OVA with a one-week interval, which we have recently described. Results: Pretreatment with DEX resulted in an inhibition of NF-${\kappa}B$ activation in asthmatic lungs, and also inhibited bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) levels of NF-${\kappa}B$-dependent cytokines such as TNF-${\alpha}$ and CC chemokines [eotaxin and monocyte chemotactic protein (MCP)-1]. DEX was effective in suppressing airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR) at 10 h, Th2-dependent asthmatic phenotypes such as airway eosinophilia, BAL levels of Th2 cytokines (IL-5 and IL-13), and mucin production. However, DEX failed to suppress BAL levels of CXC chemokines [macrophage inflammatory protein-2 (MIP-2) and keratinocyte-derived chemokine (KC)] and airway neutrophilia. Conclusion: Airway neutrophilia is among the phenomena observed in patients with severe GC-resistant asthma. This study will provide insight into the molecular basis for airway neutrophila seen in steroid-resistant asthma. Further studies are required to delineate the underlying mechanism of CXC chemokine expression in asthma.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• 제82권1호
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• pp.71-80
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• 2019

Background: Efficacy and safety of tiotropium bromide, a muscarinic receptor antagonist, in treatment of asthma have been reported. However, its effect on airway remodeling in chronic asthma of the elderly has not been clearly verified. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of tiotropium and expression of muscarinic receptors as its related mechanism in an aged mouse model of chronic asthma with airway remodeling. Methods: BALB/c female mice age 6 weeks, 9 and 15 months were sensitized and challenged with ovalbumin (OVA) for three months. Tiotropium bromide was administered during the challenge period. Airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR) and pulmonary inflammation were measured. Parameters of airway remodeling, and expression levels of $M_2$ and $M_3$ receptors were examined. Results: Total cell with eosinophils, increased in the OVA groups by age, was decreased significantly after treatment with tiotropium bromide, particularly in the age group of 15 months. AHR and levels of interleukin (IL)-4, IL-5, and IL-13 were decreased, after tiotropium administration. In old aged group of 9- and 15-months-treated groups, hydroxyproline contents and levels of ${\alpha}$-smooth muscle actin were attenuated. Tiotropium enhanced the expression of $M_2$ but decreased expression of $M_3$ in all aged groups of OVA. Conclusion: Tiotropium bromide had anti-inflammatory and anti-remodeling effects in an aged mouse model of chronic asthma. Its effects seemed to be partly mediated by modulating expression $M_3$ and $M_2$ muscarinic receptors. Tiotropium may be a beneficial treatment option for the elderly with airway remodeling of chronic asthma.

• 대한본초학회지
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• 제28권6호
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• pp.15-23
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• 2013

Objectives : To clarify the possible effects of Sinapis Semen and Raphani Semen on the development of pulmonary eosinophilic inflammation in a asthmatic mouse model. Methods : BALBav/c mice were sensitized to OVA followed intratracheally and by aerosol allergene challenges. We investigated the effect of Sinapis Semen and Raphani Semen on airway hyperresponsiveness, eosinophiic infitratio, immune cell phenotype, The2 cytokine product, and OVA-spedific IgE production. Results : Total lung cells, eosinophils, and lung leukocytes, OVA specific IgE levels, and Th 2cytokine levels such as IL-5, IL-13, IL-17, TNF-alpha, and eotaxin in BALF were reduced compared with those of OVA sensitized asthma mice (control). The absolute numbers of $CD3^+$, $CD3^+/CD69^+$, $CD3^-/CCR3^+$, $CD4^+$, $CD8^+$, $Gr-1^+/CD11b^+$, $B220^+/CD22^+$, $B220^+/IgE^+$ cells in lung tissiues significantly reduced compared to those of control. Specially total lung cells in BALF and the absolute number of $CD3^+/CD69^+$ and, $B220^+/IgE^+$ cells in lung tissiue effectively reduced in Sinapis Semen plus Raphani Semen compared to those of Sinapis Semen and Raphani Semen. Conclusions : These results indicate that Sinapis Semen plus Raphani Semen has deep inhibitory effects on airway inflammation and hyperresponsiveness in asmatic mouse model and also has effect of suppression of IL-5, IL-13, IL-17, OVA specific IgE production in BALF. The results verified that Sinapis Semen, Raphani Semen, and Sinapis Semen plus Raphani Semen could act as a immunomodulator which possess anti-inflammatory and anti-asthmatic property by modulating the relationship of Th1/Th2 cytokine imbalance.