• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
• /
• v.52 no.3
• /
• pp.265-270
• /
• 2002

Vocal cord dysfunction (VCD) is respiratory disorder characterized by paradoxical closure of the vocal cord during the respiratory cycle leading to obstructive airway symptoms. The clinical presentation of VCD is often dramatic and its misdiagnosis as asthma or exercise-induced brochospasm(EIB) has led to inappropriate treatment including high dose corticosteroids, intubation, and tracheostomy. Many VCD patients are asymptomatic at rest and require exercise challenge to elicit symptoms and vocal cord abnormalities. The "gold standard" for the diagnosis of VCD remains laryngoscopy or bronchoscopy with direct visualization of paradoxical adduction of the vocal cords. We report a case of exercise-induced Vocal cord masqueraded as exercise-induced asthma unresponsive to corticosteroids. And bronchodilator confirmed by typical bronchoscopic findings with paradoxial adduction of the vocal cords.

• Korean Journal of Bronchoesophagology
• /
• v.9 no.1
• /
• pp.83-86
• /
• 2003

Background and Objectives : Paradoxical vocal cord movement is a series of paroxysmal adduction of the anterior two-thirds of the vocal cords during respiration or during phonation. The choking, stridor, and wheezing in this condition occur primarily on inhalation, rather than on exhalation. The two pathognomonic diagnostic criterias that need to be assessed during an acute presentation are laryngoscopy with direct visualization of paradoxical adduction of the vocal cords and pulmonary function testing. Materials and Methods : A retrospective review of 3 patients who were referred to otolaryngologist from pulmonology department, and were confirmed by typical laryngoscopic findings with paradoxical adduction of the vocal cords was conducted. Results The patients were misdiagnosed as exercised-induced asthma, and unresponsive to corticosteroid and bronchodilators. Improvement was achieved only by diagnosis with paradoxial vocal cord movement. Biofeed back therapy, voice therapy, treatment for reflux laryngitis improved symptoms. Conclusion The etiology of paradoxical vocal cord movement is unknown. It may be functional or emotional. The functional factors that were proposed are neurologic deficit and gastroesophageal reflux. Management methods of this condition consist of psychological counselling, voice therapy, and antireflux medication.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
• /
• v.52 no.6
• /
• pp.680-688
• /
• 2009

Purpose : Cysteinyl leukotrienes are important proinflammatory mediators in asthma. Recently, it was suggested that a promoter polymorphism in the genes encoding for leukotriene C4 synthase (LTC4S), a key enzyme in the leukotriene synthetic pathway, and cysteinyl leukotriene receptor 1 (CysLTR1) might be associated with aspirin-intolerant asthma. We investigated whether polymorphisms in LTC4S and CysLTR1 genes or their interactions were associated with the asthma phenotype, lung function, or bronchial hyperreactivity (BHR) in Korean children. Methods : A total of 856 asthmatic children and 254 non-asthmatic controls were enrolled; a skin prick test, lung function test and bronchial provocation test were performed. Of those enrolled, 395 children underwent exercise challenge tests. The LTC4S A(-444)C and CysLTR1 T(＋927)C were genotyped by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis. Results : Of those enrolled, 699 children were classified as having atopic asthma and 277 children, as having exercise-induced asthma (EIA). LTC4S and CysLTR1 polymorphisms were not associated with atopic asthma, EIA, or asthma per se. Lung function and BHR were not significantly different between the wild type (AA or TT) and the variant (AC＋CC or TC＋CC) genotypes in asthmatics, atopic asthmatics, and EIA (＋) asthmatics, while total eosinophil counts were higher in the variant type of LTC4S than in the wild type in atopic asthmatics. There were no associations between the gene-gene interactions of LTC4S and CysLTR1 genotypes and the asthma phenotypes. Conclusion : LTC4S A(-444)C and CysLTR1 T(＋927)C polymorphisms and their gene-gene interactions are not associated with asthma phenotype, lung function, or BHR in Korean children.