• Radiation Oncology Journal
• /
• v.21 no.1
• /
• pp.54-65
• /
• 2003

Purpose : To analyze the gene expression Profiles of uterine ceulcal cancer, and its variation after radiation therapy, with or without concurrent chemotherapy, using a CDNA microarray. Materials and Methods :Sixteen patients, 8 with squamous ceil carcinomas of the uterine cervix, who were treated with radiation alone, and the other 8 treated w14h concurrent chemo-radiation, were Included in the study. Before the starling of the treatment, tumor biopsies were carried out, and the second time biopsies were peformed after a radiation dose of 16.2$\~$27 Gy. Three normal cervix tissues were used as a control group. The microarray experiments were peformed with 5 groups of the total RNAs extracted individually and then admixed as control, pre-radiation therapy alone, during-radiation therapy alone, pre-chemoradiation therapy, and during-chemoradlation therapy. The 33P-iabeled CDNAS were synthesized from the total RNAs of each group, by reverse transcription, and then they were hybridized to the CDNA microarray membrane. The gene expression of each microarrays was captured by the intensity of each spot produced by the radioactive isotopes. The pixels per spot were counted with an Arrayguage, and were exported to Microsoft Excel The data were normalized by the Z transformation, and the comparisons were peformed on the Z-ratio values calculated. Results : The expressions of 15 genes, including integrin linked kinase (ILK), CDC28 protein kinase 2, Spry 2, and ERK 3, were increased with the Z-ratio values of over 2.0 for the cervix cancer tissues compared to those for the normal controls. Those genes were involved In cell growth and proliferation, cell cycle control, or signal transduction. The expressions of the other 6 genes, Including G protein coupled receptor kinase 5, were decreased with the Z-ratio values of below -2.0. After the radiation thorapy, most of the genes, with a previously Increase expressions, represented the decreased expression profiles, and the genes, with the Z-ratio values of over 2.0, were cyclic nucleotlde gated channel and 3 Expressed sequence tags (EST). In the concurrent chemo-radiation group, the genes involved in cell growth and proliferation, cell cycle control, and signal transduction were shown to have increased expressions compared to the radiation therapy alone group. The expressions of genes involved in anglogenesis (angiopoietln-2), immune reactions (formyl peptide receptor-iike 1), and DNA repair (CAMP phosphodiesterase) were increased, however, the expression of gene involved In apoptosls (death associated protein kinase) was decreased. Conclusion : The different kinds of genes involved in the development and progression of cervical cancer were identified with the CDNA microarray, and the proposed theory is that the proliferation signal stalls with ILK, and is amplified with Spry 2 and MAPK signaling, and the cellular mitoses are Increased with the increased expression oi Cdc 2 and cell division kinases. After the radiation therapy, the expression profiles demonstrated 4he evidence of the decreased cancer cell proliferation. There was no sigificant difference in the morphological findings of cell death between the radiation therapy aione and the chemo-radiation groups In the second time biopsy specimen, however, the gene expression profiles were markedly different, and the mechanism at the molecular level needs further study.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
• /
• v.27 no.1
• /
• pp.1-10
• /
• 2002

High energy photon beams from medical linear accelerators produce large scattered radiation by various components of the treatment head, collimator and walls or objects in the treatment room including the patient. These scattered radiation do not provide therapeutic dose and are considered a hazard from the radiation safety perspective. Scattered dose of therapeutic high energy radiation beams are contributed significant unwanted dose to the patient. ICRP take the position that a dose of 500mGy may cause abortion at any stage of pregnancy and that radiation detriment to the fetus includes risk of mental retardation with a possible threshold in the dose response relationship around 100 mGy for the gestational period. The ICRP principle of as low as reasonably achievable (ALARA) was recommended for protection of occupation upon the linear no-threshold dose response hypothesis for cancer induction. We suggest this ALARA principle be applied to the fetus and testicle in therapeutic treatment. Radiation dose outside a photon treatment filed is mostly due to scattered photons. This scattered dose is a function of the distance from the beam edge, treatment geometry, primary photon energy, and depth in the patient. The need for effective shielding of the fetus and testicle is reinforced when young patients ate treated with external beam radiation therapy and then shielding designed to reduce the scattered photon dose to normal organs have to considered. Irradiation was performed in phantom using high energy photon beams produced by a Varian 2100C/D medical linear accelerator (Varian Oncology Systems, Palo Alto, CA) located at the Yonsei Cancer Center. The composite phantom used was comprised of a commercially available anthropomorphic Rando phantom (Phantom Laboratory Inc., Salem, YN) and a rectangular solid polystyrene phantom of dimensions $30cm{\times}30cm{\times}20cm$. the anthropomorphic Rando phantom represents an average man made from tissue equivalent materials that is transected into transverse 36 slices of 2.5cm thickness. Photon dose was measured using a Capintec PR-06C ionization chamber with Capintec 192 electrometer (Capintec Inc., Ramsey, NJ), TLD( VICTOREEN 5000. LiF) and film dosimetry V-Omat, Kodak). In case of fetus, the dosimeter was placed at a depth of loom in this phantom at 100cm source to axis distance and located centrally 15cm from the inferior edge of the $30cm{\times}30cm^2$ x-ray beam irradiating the Rando phantom chest wall. A acryl bridge of size $40cm{\times}40cm^2$ and a clear space of about 20 cm was fabricated and placed on top of the rectangular polystyrene phantom representing the abdomen of the patient. The leaf pot for testicle shielding was made as various shape, sizes, thickness and supporting stand. The scattered photon with and without shielding were measured at the representative position of the fetus and testicle. Measurement of radiation scattered dose outside fields and critical organs, like fetus position and testicle region, from chest or pelvic irradiation by large fie]d of high energy radiation beam was performed using an ionization chamber and film dosimetry. The scattered doses outside field were measured 5 - 10% of maximum doses in fields and exponentially decrease from field margins. The scattered photon dose received the fetus and testicle from thorax field irradiation was measured about 1 mGy/Gy of photon treatment dose. Shielding construction to reduce this scattered dose was investigated using lead sheet and blocks. Lead pot shield for testicle reduced the scatter dose under 10 mGy when photon beam of 60 Gy was irradiated in abdomen region. The scattered photon dose is reduced when the lead shield was used while the no significant reduction of scattered photon dose was observed and 2-3 mm lead sheets refuted the skin dose under 80% and almost electron contamination. The results indicate that it was possible to improve shielding to reduce scattered photon for fetus and testicle when a young patients were treated with a high energy photon beam.

• Sleep Medicine and Psychophysiology
• /
• v.3 no.2
• /
• pp.32-42
• /
• 1996

Objectives : Upper airway resistance syndrome(UARS) is a sleep-related breathing disorder characterized by abnormal negative intrathoracic pressure during sleep. Abnormally increased negative intrathoracic pressure results in microarousal and sleep fragmentation which underlay UARS-associated complaints of daytime fatigue and sleepiness. Although daytime dysfunction in patients with UARS is comparable to that of sleep apnea syndrome, UARS has been relatively unnoticed in clinical setting. That is why UARS is apt to be excluded in diagnosing of sleep-related breathing disorders since its respiratory disturbance index and arterial oxygen saturation are within normal limits. The current study presents a summary of clinical and polysomnographic characteristics found in patients with UARS. The present study aims (1) to explore characteristics of patients diagnosed with UARS, (2) to characterize the polysomnographic findings of UARS patients, and (3) to enhance the understanding of UARS through those clinical and laboratory characteristics. Methods : This was a retrospective study of 20 UARS patients (male 15, female 5) and 30 obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) patients (male 21, female 9) at the Stanford Sleep Disorders Clinic. We diagnosed patients as having UARS when they met critenia, RDI < 5 characteristic findings of an elevated esophageal pressure($<-10\;cmH_2O$), frequent arousals secondary to an elevated esophageal pressure, and symptoms of daytime fatigue and sleepiness. We used polysomnographic value, which is standardized by Williams et al(1974), as normal control. Statiotical test were done with student t-tests. Results : (1) Mean age of UARS was $41.0\;{\pm}\;14.8$ years and OSA was $50.9\;{\pm}\;12.0$ years. UARS subject was significantly younger than OSA subject (p<0.05). (2) The total score of Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) was UARS $9.7\;{\pm}\;6.3$ and OSAS $11.2\;{\pm}\;6.3$. There was no significant difference between two groups. (3) The mean body mass index was UARS $28.1\;{\pm}\;5.7\;kg/m^2$ and OSAS $32.9\;{\pm}\;7.0\;kg/m^2$. UARS had significantly lower meen body man index than OSAS subjects (p<0.05). (4) The polysomnographic parameters of UARS were not significantly different from those of OSA except RDI(p<0.001), $SaO_2$ (p<0.001) and slow wave sleep latency (p<0.05). (5) Compared with normal control, Total sleep time in UARS subjects was significantly shorter (p<0.001), sleep efficiency index was significantly lower (p<0.001), total awakening percentage was significantly higher (p<0.001), and sleep stage 1 (p<0.001) were significantly higher. (6) OSA patients showed poor sleep quality and distinct abnormal sleep architectures compared with normal control. Conclusions : Conclusions from the above results are as follows : (1) UARS patients were younger and had lower body mass index when umpared with OSA patients. (2) The quality of sleep and sleep architectures of the UARS and OSA patients are significantly different from those of normal control. (3) ESS scores and awakening frequencies of UARS are similar with those of OSA, suggesting that daytime dysfunction of UARS patients may be comparable to those of OSA patients. (4) The RDI and the $SaO_2$ which are important indicators in diagnosing sleep-related breathing disorders, of UARS subjects are close to normal value. (5) According to the the above results, we unclude that despite the absence of $SaO_2$ drops and the absence of an elevated number of apnea and hypopnea, subjects developed clinical complaints which were associated with laborious breathing, elevated Pes nadir, and frequently snoring. (6) Accordingly, we suggest including LIARS in the differential diagnosis list when sleep related breathing disorder is suspected clinically and overnight polysomnographic findings except snoring and frequent microarousal are within normal limits.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
• /
• v.6 no.1
• /
• pp.51-63
• /
• 1973

This paper illustrate residual hearing and socio-medical background on the hearing impaired children, 207 comming to Deaf School. attached to Hankuk Social Work College, Taegu, Korea. The survey was performed through interview with their parents and testing by diagnostic audio-meter (TRIO, AS 105 type) at soundproof room from March 10, to November 28, 1973. The results obtained were as follows. 1) The attendance rate of the compulsory primary school was markedly lower tendency in female than male according to directly proportional to prevalence rate of deafness among them. If was showed the deeper gap in the more superior school (middle and high school). 2) Who entered at the suitable age to each school (six years old to primary school, 12 years to middle and 15 years to high) was 11.3%. And who were enrolled in school age to each school (6-11 years for primary. 12-14 years for middle and 15-17 years for high) was 45.9% (43.7% in male, 50.0% in female). 3) As causative disease, congenital case, were 23.6% included of 13.5% of heredity and 10.1% of troubles during pregnancy; the total acquired cases were 47.9%, it was classified as 11.6% of convulsion from any other diseases, 7.7% of measles, 7.7% of other febrile diseases, 3.4% of drug (the most of streptomycin) intoxication, 2.4% of meningitis, 1.5% of epidemic encephalitis and 31.3% of other diseases; and unknown cases were 28.5%. 4) 31.4% of who included congenital cases lost their hearing within six months old, 11.6% in 6-11 months. 9.7% in 1-2 years old and 14.0% in 2-3years old. Consequently we obtained that the most cases 90.0% were lost their hearing within 3 years after birth. 5) According to qualities of hearing leases the most of cases were perceptive, 197(97.5%), only two cases were conductive, and eight cases were mixed. 6) The status of residual hearing according to average grade of hearing loss. $B(=\frac{a+2b+c}{4}$ as table 13) were as follows. Two cases were normal (one was mute and another was severe speach disorder). Ten cases, moderate. Moderately severe cases were 40 (19.3%). Severe cases, 38(18.4%). Scale out, profound cases, 48 (23.3%). And impossible testing cases because that were infantile or had some mental disorder were 69 (33.3%). 7) The using rate of hearing aides was only 12.0%. Among them who had some more residual hearing and could showed hearing effect with hearing aide have used more many proportionary but who were difficult to expect that effect were rare.

• Childhood Kidney Diseases
• /
• v.3 no.2
• /
• pp.161-169
• /
• 1999

Purpose : The urinary mass screening program for the detection of proteinuria in school aged population has been performed in Seoul since 1981. Systematic evaluation in corporation with the Seoul School Health Center for students with proteinuria identified in the mass screening has been performed from 1987. The results of urinary mass screening up to 1994 was reported. I report here the results of urinary mass screening from 1995 to 1997 and compare them with previous results and attempt to reveal the significance of urinary mass screening. Objects and Methods : In the 3-year period between 1995 and 1997, annually about 460,000 students comprising 3 different age groups; 5th grade of elementary school, 2nd grade of middle school and 2nd grade of high school were chosen, corresponding to the approximate ages of 11, 14, and 17 years, respectively. These subjects accounted for 26% of total school aged children in Seoul. The screening program was carried out in 3 steps. The 1st test was performed with dipstick at school and the 2nd at the Seoul School Health Center. Those students who showed proteinuria in the 1st and 2nd tests were referred to the hospital. Laboratory examinations including renal biopsies were performed to those students with pathologic proteinuria to clarify the incipient renal diseases. Results : 1) The prevalence of asymptomatic proteinuria was 0.28% in the 1st test. It peaked at the group of 14 years old as 0.34%, compared with 0.26% at the group of 11 years old and 0.24% at the group of 17 years old. It reached to 0.26% in male and 0.30% in female. 2) 25 percent of those having proteinuria at the first test were positive at the second test. 3) The proportion of patients with proteinuria by 3rd test were as follows; 25% of transient proteinuria, 55% of orthostatic proteinuria, 6% of constant proteinuria, 12% of proteinuria with hematuria, and 2% of transient proteinuria with isolated hematuria. Pathologic proteinuria were totaled as 20%. The prevalence of renal diseases among the age group of 7-18 years old was estimated to be 1.4 per 10,000. 4) Renal biopsy performed on 38 children with proteinuria at the third test revealed IgA nephropathy in 17(44%), focal segmental glomerusclerosis in 5(13%), minimal change disease in 4(11%), membranoproliferative glomeronephritis in 3(8%), $Henoch-Sch\"{o}nlein$ purpura nephritis in 3(8%), and others in 6(16%). Therefore, the prevalence of IgA nephropathy among the age group of 7-18 years old was estimated to be 0.64 per 10,000. 5) The prevalence of chronic renal failure was estimated to be 5.7 per 1 million of 7 to 18 years age group. Conclusions : 1) The prevalence of proteinuria in the first screening test was 0.28% and finally only 5% of them showed the pathologic proteinuria at the third test. 2) The prevalence of IgA nephropathy and chronic renal failure were 0.63 per 10,000 and 5.7 per 1 million, respectively among school-aged children in Seoul.

• The Korean Journal of Malacology
• /
• v.1 no.1
• /
• pp.24-50
• /
• 1985

Five different populations of Parafossarulus manchouricus (Chongpyung, Chinju and Kunsan, Korea; and Japan and Taiwan), a population of Bitbynia (Gabbia) misella (Gongju, Korea) and two different populations of Bithynta tentaculata (Michigan, U.S.A. and Bodensee, Germany) were compared in regard to eff-laying characteristics, morphology, chromosome cytology, natural infections of parasites and ecology of habitats. A satisfactory culture method was devised for laboratory rearing of the snails. Tropical fish food (Terra SML) and powdered green leaves (Ceralife) were used as the main food sources for the snails. Benthic diatoms such as Navicula and Gomphonema from the periphyton were also essential for satisfactory growth, especially for the baby snails. The aquaria were stabilized with small stones from a local stream. Young P. manchouricus snails grew to adult size in about 54 days after hatching. They laid eggs 150-156 days after hatching. The whole cycle (birth to egg-laying) took approximately 5 months. The three species of bithyniid snails are iteroparous and lay eggs once a year. There were no major morphological differences in the shells of genera or subgenera studied here. They did exhibit the following rather minor differences. The shell of Parafossarulus has spirally raised ridges, and its apex is usually eroded; the other two genera lack these characteristics. The shell of B. (Gabbia) misella is small, nor exceeding 7.5 mm in length, while the shells of the other two species are larger, being more than 10 mm in length. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) of the protoconch of P. manchouricus reveals nearly smooth sculpture with small, low, spiral wrinkles. This sculpture is quite different from that of the Hydrobiidae, a family to which the bithyniids are frequently assigned. Scanning electron microscopy of the radulae of the three bithyniid species showed that their radular morphologies are very similar, but there are some small differences, which may be species-specific. There were some statistical differences in shell heights between the Korean and the other populations of P. manchouricus, and between this species and the other two bithyniids as well. The shell differences between the several populations of Korean P. manchouricus may be related to environment. Edtails of the chromosome cycle of these bithyniid snails are similar to those reported for other snails. No specific differences were observed in the chromosome cycle between the various species and populations of snails employed in this study. Reporred for the first time in molluscs are two darkly stained "nucleolar organizers" during pachyterne stages of meiosis. Two different chromosome numbers were observed in the three bithyniid species: n=17 in B. tentaculata and P. manchouricus, and n=18 in B. (G.) misella. no sex chromosomes or supernumerary chromosomes were seen. There were no morphological differences in karyotypes of three Korean strains of P. manchouricus. The infection rates of cercariae of Clonorchis sinensis in Chinju and Kunsan strains of P. manchouricus were 0.14% and 1.25%, respectively. However, Clonorchis cercariae were found in Chongpyung strain of P. manchouriceu and Gongju strain of B. (G.) misella. The habitats of P. manchouricus around Jinyang Lake were relatively clean without any heavy pollution of aquatic microorganisms and organic materials during the period of this study. The levels of dissolved oxygen (D.O.) and biochemical oxygen demand (B.O.D.) of the water specimens sampled from the study areas ranged from 6.0 to 9.6 ppm and from 0.4 to 1.6 ppm, respectively. Eight metalic constituents from the water samples were also assayed, and all metalic ions detercted were remarkably low below the legal criteria. However, calcium ion in the water samples from the habitats of P. manchouricus was considerably higher than others.

• Childhood Kidney Diseases
• /
• v.7 no.2
• /
• pp.166-173
• /
• 2003

Purpose : The cause and pathogenesis of $Henoch-Sch\"{o}nlein$ purpura has been studied for many years but the results are disappointing. Recently the hypothesis that abnormalities involving the glycosylation of the hinge region of immunoglobulin Al(IgAl) may have an important role in the pathogenesis of $Henoch-Sch\"{o}nlein$ purpura is being approved. $Henoch-Sch\"{o}nlein$ purpura is the most common vasculitis Ihat affects children and the prognosis is good. But if kidney invovement occurs, the course may be chronic and troublesome. So we evaluated children with $Henoch-Sch\"{o}nlein$ purpura especially from the point of epidemiology and clinical manifestations. Methods : Investigation of 124 children who were diagnosed with $Henoch-Sch\"{o}nlein$ purpura at Inje University Ilsan Paik Hospital from December 1999 to July 2003 was performed retrospectively through chart review. Efforts were made to get informations about the profile, epidemiology, clinical manifestations, progress of the disease and recurrence rate of patients. Results : The patients were 69 boys and 55 girls, with a mean age of $6.1{\pm}2.7$ years at the time of data collection. The male to female ratio was 1.25 : 1. The occurrence rate was much higher in autumn(from September to November, 31.5%) and winter(from December to February, 28.2%) than in spring and summer, with a peak in November. Joint involvement was shown in 66.9% of patients mostly on the foot/ankle(75.9%), knee(39.8%). Seventy(56.5%) out of 124 patients had abdominal pain and 10 patients(8.1%) showed bloody stools. Renal involvement was observed in 24 patients(19.4%) after 21.1 days on the average. IgA was elevated in 10 of 21 patients(47.6%). $C_3$ and $C_4$ levels were normal in 40 of 49 patients (81.7%) and 47 of 48 patients(97.9%), respectively Antistreptolysin-O(ASO) titer was elevated over 250 Todd units in 29 of 62 Patients(46.8%). Mycoplasma antibody titer was elevated in 21 of 49 patients(42.9%) equal or greater than 1:80. Radiologic studies were peformed in 23 patients. Seven patients(30.4%) showed bowel wall thickening and one of them received intestinal resection and anastomosis operation due to terminal ileum necrosis. Eighty four patients took steroid 1.4 mg/kg/day in average. Recurrence rate was 2.5 in 37 patients(29.8%). Conclusion : $Henoch-Sch\"{o}nlein$ purpura in childhood appears most in about 6 years of age. The occurrence rate is much higher in autumn and winter relatively. Diagnosis can be made through the perspective history taking and the inspection of clinical manifestations, but the laboratory findings are not of great help. A small portion of the patients might show abdominal pain or arthritis before purpura develops, therfore various diagnosis can be made. Radiologic evaluation should be performed to avoid surgical complications in cases accompanying abdominal pain, and long term follow up should be needed especially in patients suffering from kidney involvement. In about 30% of the patients $Henoch-Sch\"{o}nlein$ purpura would recur. Steroid can be used safely without side effects.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
• /
• v.28 no.1
• /
• pp.45-52
• /
• 1990

Intestinal histopathological changes due to infection with Echinostcma hortense (Trematoda) were studied in rats after experimental infection with the metacercariae. The metacercariae were obtained from the tadpoles of Rana nigrcmaculata, a second intermediate host infected in the laboratory. Total 18 albino rats(Sprague-Dawley) were given 200 matacercariae each and sacrificed on the day 1, 3, 7, 11, 22 or 44 post-infection(PI) Segments of- the small intestine at 1, 3, 5, 8 and 30 cm posterior to the pylorus(PTP) were rejected and studied histopathologically. 1. The flukes were seen to have intruded into the intervillous space in the upper small intestine at early stages(1∼3 days PI), however, they were located mainly in the intestinal lumen at later stages(7∼44 days PI) . The flukes were sucking and destroying the epithelial layers of villi with their oral and ventral suckers. 2. Histopathological changes of the intestine were recognizable in as early as 1∼3 days after infection, and the changes became severer as the infection progressed. 3. The intestinal mucosa was histopathologically characterized by villous atrophy and crypt hyperplasia throughout the infection period. Major villous changes were blunting, fusion, severe destruction and loss of epithelial layers of villi. Villous/crypt(V/C) height ratio was remarkably reduced from 3 : 1 in controls to 1 : 1 in severely infected animals. In the stroma of villi, inaamma- tory cell infiltrations, vascular congestion, edema, and/or fibrosis were recognized. The goblet cells were increased in number after 11 days PI. It was revealed in the present study that the pathological changes in the intestine of rats infected with E. hortense were chieay confined to the mucosal layer of the upper small intestine, however, the changes were very severe accompanying remarkable destruction of villi and loss of mucosal integrity, and persistent until 44 days PI.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
• /
• v.31 no.4
• /
• pp.389-399
• /
• 2008

Corrections of attenuation, scatter and resolution are important in order to improve the accuracy of single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) image reconstruction. Especially, the heart movement by respiration and beating cause the errors in the corrections. Myocardial phantom is used to verify the correction methods, but there are many different parts in the current phantoms in actual human body. Therefore the results using a phantom are often considered apart from the clinical data. We developed a new phantom that implements the human body structure around the thorax more faithfully. The new phantom has the small mediastinum which can simulate the structure in which the lung adjoins anterior, lateral and apex of myocardium. The container was made of acrylic and water-equivalent material was used for mediastinum. In addition, solidified polyurethane foam in epoxy resin was used for lung. Five different sizes of myocardium were developed for the quantitative gated SPECT (QGS). The septa of all different cardiac phantoms were designed so that they can be located at the same position. The proposed phantom was attached with liver and gallbladder, the adjustment was respectively possible for the height of them. The volumes of five cardiac ventricles were 150.0, 137.3, 83.1, 42.7 and 38.6ml respectively. The SPECT were performed for the new phantom, and the differences between the images were examined after the correction methods were applied. The three-dimensional tomography of myocardium was well reconstructed, and the subjective evaluations were done to show the difference among the various corrections. We developed the new cardiac and torso phantom, and the difference of various corrections was shown on SPECT images and QGS results.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
• /
• v.14 no.1
• /
• pp.47-54
• /
• 2007

Purpose : Viral respiratory tract infection is most common cause for admission to hospital in children. There are many cases with elevated transaminase level in patients with viral lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI). The aim of this study was to compare indexes of disease severity such as duration of assisted ventilation, length of hospital stay and Respiratory Distress Assessment Instrument (RDAI) score in children with viral LRTI with and without elevated transaminase levels and to determine the etiology related to elevated transaminase levels in this patients group. Methods : Virological analysis was done from respiratory specimens obtained from patients with LRTI admitted to Kangnam Sacred Heart Hospital from Jan. 2003 to Jun. 2005. Viral diagnosis was made by isolation of viruses employing HEp-2 cell culture from nasopharyngeal aspiration. Medical records of children were reviewed retrospectively. We compared age, sex, RDAI score, Respiratory Rate (RR) score and mean duration of hospital stay between patients with elevated transaminase levels (Patient Group) and patients with normal transaminase levels (Control Group). Results : Viruses were isolated from 181 children with LRTI. 16 cases were excluded according to criteria. 28 cases (17.0%) had elevated transaminase levels (Patient group) and 137 cases (83.0%) had normal transaminase levels (Control group). There were no significant difference in duration of fever, RR score, RDAI score, incidence of $O_2$ inhalation and duration of hospital stay between patient group and control group. We found 17 (60.7%) cases of RSV, 4 cases (14.3%) of parainfluenza, 4 cases (14.3%) of influenza B virus, 3 cases (10.7%) of adenovirus and 1 case (3.6%) of influenza A virus infection in patient group and 78 cases (56.9%) of RSV, 28 cases (20.4%) of parainfluenza virus, 13 cases (9.5%) of influenza A virus, 9 cases (6.6%) of influenza B virus, 6 cases (4.4%) of adenovirus and 3 cases (2.2%) of coxsackie virus infection in control group. Conclusion : There were 28 cases (17.0%) with elevated transaminase level among patients with virus isolated LRTI. There was no relation between elevated transaminase level and severity of disease. The viral etiologies in two groups were not significantly different. There was no significant difference of age distribution between two groups.