• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.43 no.6
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• pp.478-490
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• 2017

Objectives: The association of air pollution levels and land-use types with changes in the prevalence of allergic diseases (allergic conjunctivitis, allergic rhinitis, asthma, and atopic dermatitis) was investigated for seven metropolitan cities in Korea Methods: Data on daily hospital visits and admissions (of those under 19 years old) for 2003-2012 were obtained from the National Health Insurance Cooperation. Meteorological data on daily mean temperature, humidity, and air pressure were obtained from the Korea Meteorological Administration. Daily mean or maximum concentration data for five pollutants ($PM_{10}$, $O_3$, $NO_2$, $SO_2$, and CO) as measured at air quality monitoring sites operated by the Ministry of Environment were used. We estimated excess risk and 95% confidence intervals for the increasing interquatile range (IQR) of each air pollutant using Generalized Additive Models (GAM) appropriate for time series analysis. Results: In this study, we observed a significant association between the IQR increases of air pollutants and the prevalence risk of allergic diseases (allergic conjunctivitis, allergic rhinitis, asthma, and atopic dermatitis) in all metropolitan cities after adjusting for temperature, humidity, and air pressure at sea level. Among the air pollutants, $NO_2$ and $PM_{10}$ were associated with the prevalence of asthma, and $O_3$ was associated with only allergic conjunctivitis in regression analysis. However, in GAM analysis considering land-use, $O_3$ and $SO_2$ were associated with allergic conjunctivitis, PM10, O3, NO2, and CO were associated with allergic rhinitis, and $PM_{10}$, $O_3$ and $NO_2$ were associated with asthma in industrial area. Conclusion: This study found a significant association between air pollution and the prevalence of allergic related diseases in industrial areas. More detailed research considering mixed traffic-related air pollution (TRAP) and conducting meta-analyses combining data of the all cities is required.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.49 no.7
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• pp.763-768
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• 2006

Purpose : We investigated the risk of aspiration using the lipid-laden macrophage index(LLMI) from laryngeal lavages in infants with bronchiolitis. Methods : Laryngeal lavages from 22 infants with acute bronchiolitis caused by respiratory syncytial virus(RSV) were evaluated during the acute stage. Repeat studies were performed at 3 to 4 weeks after the initial study(remission stage). Lavage cell counts and differentials were determined. The amount of lipid per single macrophage was evaluated and the LLMI was determined by evaluating 100 cells. Comparisons between acute stage and remission stage were made. Twenty-four hour pH monitoring(pHm) was performed in 12 patients. Results : The total cell number was significantly higher in the acute stage compared with the remission stage(P<0.05). The LLMIs in the acute stage were significantly higher than those in the remission stage(P<0.05). The neutrophils percentage of laryngeal lavage correlated with the LLMI(r=0.69, P<0.001). Four children had positive pHm recordings(pH-positive infants) and eight had negative pHm recordings(pH-negative infants). The pH-positive infants had higher LLMI and higher neutrophils percentage than those of the pH-negative infants(P<0.05). Conclusion : These findings suggest that there is a transient increased risk of aspiration during bronchiolitis. The LLMI from laryngeal lavage may be a useful marker for pulmonary aspiration in infants with bronchiolitis.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.47 no.3
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• pp.279-291
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• 2021

Objectives: This study investigated the association between air pollutant levels and medical usage rates for environmental disease in a general residential area during the period 2015-2017. Methods: Air pollutant (PM₁₀, PM_2.5, SO₂, NO₂, CO, O₃) data were collected from Air-Korea. Medical usage data on environmental disease (asthma, allergic rhinitis, atopic dermatitis) for the period 2015-2017 in a general residential area in Gyeongsangnam-do Province were provided by the National Health Insurance Corporation. Pearson correlation analysis and multiple regression analysis were conducted to investigate the association between air pollutant levels and medical usage rates (SAS 9.4). In the multiple regression analysis, environmental disease was set as the dependent variable and air pollutants were set as independent variables and analyzed using the General Linear Model. Results: Except for PM_2.5, the average concentration of air pollutants in the surveyed area was below than the air environment standards of Korea. NO₂ was higher than Korea's national average, but CO was similar. The others were lower than the Korea's national average. The daily medical usage rates for environmental disease were 1.38‰ for asthma, 9.90‰ for allergic rhinitis, and 0.32‰ for atopic dermatitis. As a result of correlation analysis, PM₁₀ and SO₂, NO₂ and CO were significantly correlated with asthma, PM₁₀ and NO₂ and CO were correlated with allergic rhinitis, and PM₁₀ and PM_2.5, SO₂, NO₂ and CO were correlated with atopic dermatitis. As a result of multiple regression analysis, PM₁₀ and SO₂ were found to have a higher effect on asthma, PM₁₀ and NO₂ on allergic rhinitis, and SO₂ and NO₂ on atopic dermatitis, compared to other air pollutants. Conclusion: According to these results, air pollutants such as PM₁₀ and SO₂ and NO₂ were associated with the medical usage rates of environmental disease even in relatively low concentrations. Therefore, continuous monitoring will be required for general residential areas.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.45 no.4
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• pp.489-497
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• 2002

Purpose : The objectives of this study were to investigate the causes of chronic cough and to establish the appropriate diagnostic approach to chronic cough in children. Methods : One hundred and thirty two cases of chronic cough were prospectively evaluated. They visitors to pediatric chronic cough clinics at Kang-nam saint Mary's Hospital of Catholic University from August 2000 to July 2001 for 12 months. Careful history taking by questionnaire, physical examination, radiologic studies of chest and sinus, hematologic and immunologic studies, allergic skin tests, and methacholine challenge tests were performed. Color doppler(CD) ultrasonography were performed and compared with simultaneous 24 Hr. esophageal pH monitoring to diagnose gastroesophageal reflux disease(GERD). Results : Age distributions were demonstrated that nine in infants, 82 in early childhood, 38 in late childhood, and three in adolescence. Common causes of chronic cough were bronchial asthma in 40 cases, chronic sinusitis in 22 cases, GERD in seven cases, bronchial asthma combined with sinusitis in 28 cases, bronchial asthma combined with GERD in 14 cases, psychogenic cough in two. cases, foreign body in one case, chronic bronchitis in one case, and bronchiolitis in one case. Comparing with 24 Hr. pH monitoring, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive values of CD ultrasonography were 88%, 69%, 85 %, and 73% respectively. Conclusion : The most common causes of chronic cough in children were bronchial asthma, sinusitis and GERD in order. We suggest that CD ultrasonography can be used as a good, convenient screening method for patients with suspected GERD in outpatient settings.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.50 no.3
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• pp.310-319
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• 2001

Background : The peak flowmeter is very useful in monitoring of out-patients as well as those in emergency departments because of its convenience and simplicity with low cost. There have been many studies aimed at determining the accuracy and reproducibility of the peak flow meter in normal population. However, there is a paucity of reports regarding its accuracy in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease(COPD) or asthma. The accuracy of the peak expiratory flow(PEF) measured with a mini-Wright peak flowmeter was assessed by a comparison with the results of a mass flow sensor. Methods : The PEF measurements were performed in 108 patients aged 19-82 years presenting with either a chronic obstructive lung disease or asthma before and after inhaling salbutamol. The PEF measurements from the mini-Wright flowmeter were compared with those obtained by the calibrated mass flow sensor. Results : The average of the readings taken by the mini-Wright meter were 37-39 l/min higher than those taken by the mass flow sensor. The average percentage error of the mini-Wright meter were higher, ranging less than 300 l/min. The mean of the differences between the values obtained using both instruments (the bias)$\pm$limits of agreement(${\pm}2$ SD) were $37.1{\pm}90\;l/min$ for the PEF(p<0.001). Conclusions : The mini-Wright peak flowmeter overestimated the flows in patients with COPD or asthma. It was also found that the accuracy of the mini-Wright peak flowmeter decreased in its mid to low range. The limits of agreement are wide and the difference between the two instruments is significant. Therefore, the measurements made between the two types of machines in patients with asthma or COPD cannot be used interchangeably.

• Journal of Digestive Cancer Research
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.108-113
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• 2023

Dyspnea is a common symptom among patients with gastrointestinal cancer, and a comprehensive evaluation of their respiratory function is essential. Self-reporting aids in the assessment of the degree of dyspnea, while objective examination methods are performed to identify the potential underlying causes when subjective symptoms are present. Standard treatment protocols should be followed for potentially reversible and common causes of dyspnea, such as pleural effusion, pneumonia, airway obstruction, anemia, asthma, exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, pulmonary thromboembolism, or drug-induced interstitial lung disease. Careful and close monitoring is required due to the high frequency of pulmonary thromboembolism and the risk of cardiovascular accidents, drug-induced interstitial lung disease, or other complications from some anticancer drugs. In case of hypoxemia with an oxygen saturation of 90% or less, palliative treatment should comprise standard oxygen therapy such as nasal cannula, mask, or high-flow nasal cannula. If non-pharmacological oxygen therapy is not effective, pain control through systemic narcotic analgesics and anti-anxiety therapy with benzodiazepines may be helpful.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.29 no.5
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• pp.528-535
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• 2013

Air pollution in large cities is reduced through the environmental health policies, but due to increased population and automobile, some pollutants are still a problem. These air pollutants are known to cause asthma and respiratory diseases. According to an OECD report, the number of premature deaths will increase. Hazardous air pollutants should be managed through a systematic monitoring, risk assessment, and many studies are in progress. In order to manage hazardous air pollutants, transformation of policy for the protection of human health is required. management policy through the calculation of the excess number of deaths that occur from hazardous air pollutants for the public health is necessary. Korea has put a lot of efforts for air quality, but health risk assessment should be more considered.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.44 no.6
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• pp.563-571
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• 2018

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate the environmental pollution caused by exposure to air pollution in Korea. Therefore, it is necessary to investigate environmental and health factors through big data. Methods: Among the environmental diseases, the data centered on "percentage per day in 2015 to 2018". Data of environmental diseases and concentrations of air pollution monitoring network were analyzed. Results: Lung cancer and bronchiolitis obliterans were correlated with 0.027 and 0.0158, respectively, in the contamination concentration of fine dust ($PM_{10}$). Ozone, COPD, allergic rhinitis, and bronchiolitis obliterans were correlated with 0.0022, 0.0028 and 0.0093, respectively. At the concentration of $SO_2$ and the diseases of asthma, atopic dermatitis, lung cancer and bronchiolitis obliterans were 0.0008, 0.0523, 0.0016 and 0.0126, respectively. Conclusions: We surveyed the trends of air pollution according to the characteristics of Seoul area in Korea and evaluated the perception of Korea and the world. As a result, respiratory lung disease is thought to be a major factor in exposure to environmental pollution.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.11 no.8
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• pp.14-22
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• 2011

It is important for the strategy of service to provide the health information in the environment that the healthcare has been changed focusing on the preventive medicine. Recently, the various applications of u-healthcare have been presented by researchers. In this paper, we proposed the health information monitoring system using the context sensors based band. By wearing the proposed hand, the health status is gathered and vital signals are transmitted to the connected UMPC. It can be easily monitored according to the user locations in real time. To provide the health index according to the temperature, the air conditioning, the illumination, the humidity, and the ultraviolet rays, we use the various XML links extracted from RSS of the Korea Meteorological Administration. The health information is analyzed in terms of factors, such as, the asthma index, the stroke index, the skin disease index, the pulmonary disease index, the pollen concentration index, and the city high temperature index. Ultimately, this paper suggests empirical application to verify the adequacy and the validity with the proposed system. Accordingly, the satisfaction and the quality of services will be improved the healthcare.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.372-378
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• 1991

Some kinds of newer fluoroquinolone antibiotics are known to interact with theophylline, which is widely used as a potent bronchodilator in asthma or chronic obstructive lung disease. To evaluate the effect of enoxacin and ciprofloxacin on the metabolism of theophylline, aminophylline was administered intravenously in bolus (6 mg/kg) over 30 minutes to 6 healthy volunteers (age: $23.3{\pm}4.2$ year, body weight: $63.2{\pm}9.0\;kg$, height: $169.0{\pm}6.5\;cm$, female 3, male 3) before and after per oral 5-day medication of enoxacin and ciprofloxacin, respectively and we measured the level of theophylline in serum. The results were as follows: 1) Enoxacin and ciprofloxacin did not influence the volume of distribution significantly. 2) Enoxacin decreased the clearance of theophylline significantly (from $42.9{\pm}14.6\;ml/min$ to $30.1{\pm}6.3\;ml/min$: p<0.05), but ciprofloxacin did not cause significant decrease (to $32.8{\pm}6.2\;ml/min$: p>0.005). 3) Enoxacin increased the elimination half life of theophylline significantly (from $496{\pm}83\;min$ to $693{\pm}32\;min$: p<0.001), but ciprofloxacin did not cause significant increase (to $687{\pm}222\;min$: p>0.05). These results suggested that enoxacin influenced clearance and elimination half life significantly and thorough monitoring of the level of theophylline in patients with coadminstration of enoxacin and theophylline was necessary. In case of ciprofloxacin, the influence on the metabolism of theophylline was not statistically significant, but one exceptionally large decrease of the clearance and increase of the elimination halflife of theophylline suggested the necessity of monitoring of theophylline level during coadministration of ciprofloxacin and theophylline.