• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.85 no.4
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• pp.320-331
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• 2022

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has become a major health burden worldwide, with over 450 million confirmed cases and 6 million deaths. Although the acute phase of COVID-19 management has been established, there is still a long way to go to evaluate the long-term clinical course or manage complications due to the relatively short outbreak of the virus. Pulmonary fibrosis is one of the most common respiratory complications associated with COVID-19. Scarring throughout the lungs after viral or bacterial pulmonary infection have been commonly observed, but the prevalence of post-COVID-19 pulmonary fibrosis is rapidly increasing. However, there is limited information available about post-COVID-19 pulmonary fibrosis, and there is also a lack of consensus on what condition should be defined as post-COVID-19 pulmonary fibrosis. During a relatively short follow-up period of approximately 1 year, lesions considered related to pulmonary fibrosis often showed gradual improvement; therefore, it is questionable at what time point fibrosis should be evaluated. In this review, we investigated the epidemiology, risk factors, pathogenesis, and management of post-COVID-19 pulmonary fibrosis.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.45 no.4
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• pp.870-875
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• 1998

Actinomycosis is a bacterial infection that can affect virtually any site in the body. There are three major forms of actinomycosis: cervicofacial, abdominal, and thoracic. Aspergillus spp. are ubiquitous in the environment in most countries of the world. Pulmonary aspergillosis is clinically classified by aspergilloma, allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis and invasive aspergillosis. Actinomyces and Aspergillus, each of them was often reported in case, but mixed infection of both organisms have not been reported. We experienced a case of mixed infection of Actinomyces and Aspergillus involving the same area of the lung in a 62 year-old housewife presented with hemoptysis and solitary pulmonary nodule. Percutaneous needle aspiration and later surgical resection revealed sulfur granule mixed with Aspergillus hyphae in the same lesion. We report this case with a review of the literature.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.82 no.4
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• pp.306-310
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• 2019

Background: Tuberculosis (TB) is increasing in immigrants. We aimed to investigate the current status of latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) treatment for North Korean Refugees (NKR) compared to South Koreans Contacts (SKC). Methods: TB close contacts in a closed facility of SKC and NKR who underwent LTBI screening in a settlement support center for NKR were analyzed retrospectively. Results: Among tuberculin skin test (TST) ${\geq}10mm$ (n=298) reactors, the males accounted for 72.2% in SKC (n=126) and 19.5% in NKR (n=172) (p<0.01). The mean age was higher in South Korea ($42.8{\pm}9.9years$ vs. $35.4{\pm}10.0years$, p<0.01). Additionally, the mean TST size was significantly bigger in NKR ($17.39{\pm}3.9mm$ vs. $16.57{\pm}4.2mm$, p=0.03). The LTBI treatments were initiated for all screened NKR, and LTBI completion rate was only 68.0%. However, in NKR, LTBI treatment completion rate was significantly increased by shorter 4R regimen (odds ratio [OR], 9.296; 95% confidence interval [CI], 4.159-20.774; p<0.01) and male (OR, 3.447; 95% CI, 1.191-9.974; p=0.02). Conclusion: LTBI treatment compliance must be improved in NKR with a shorter regimen. In addition, a larger study regarding a focus on LTBI with easy access to related data for NKR should be conducted.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.24 no.11
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• pp.1149-1153
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• 1991

A modified procedure for the operative management of the corrected transposition of the great arteries with ventricular septal defect and pulmonary stenosis or atresia was performed in 4 patients. (age ; 18 months-9 years). The operation consists of a venous switch procedure (Senning), intraventricular baffling directing the blood flow from the morphologic left ventricle into the aorta via ventricular septal defect through the right ventriculotomy, and insertion of valved conduit between the morphologic right ventricle and the pulmonary artery. All the four patients had large non-restrictive ventriular septal defects and no evidence of significant mitral valve regurgitation. Both ventricles were well-developed. Three cases had pulmonary atresia, and the remainder had severe subpulmonic stenosis. Postperatively, all patients showed no findings of systemic or pulmonary venous obstruction withnormal sinus rhythm. One patient died of sepsis due to infection by Methicillin-resistant S. aureus on the thirteenth postoperative day. Follow-up is done on the survivors, and all of them are dong well with regular sinus rhythm, with their functional class I or II at 2 to 8 months after the operation.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.419-422
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• 1995

Pulmonary actinomycosis is a chronic pulmonary infection characterized by suppuration, abscess formation, and dense scarring. The causative agent, Actinomyces israelii, is a gram-positive, microaerophilic bacterium that resemble fungi. We recently treated two cases of pulmonary actinomycosis. A patient was underwent right lower lobectomy under the impression of bronchiectasis. Pulmonary actinomycosis was diagnosed of postoperatively. He was medicated with high-dose penicillin parenterally. The other patient was also undergone right lower lobectomy under the impression of broncholithiasis and received parenteral penicillin and oral roxythromycin. There was no recurrence or development of empyema. The purpose of this paper is to review of our experience and to enhance consideration of pulmonary actinomycosis.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.517-528
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• 1985

Pulmonary function studies today are generally accepted as an integral part of the evaluation of poor-risk patients who are to have pulmonary surgery. The effect of various pulmonary surgery on lung function was investigated in 54 patients in whom comprehensive lung function test were performed before and between 2 months and 14 months after operation at the Department of Thoracic Surgery, Seoul National University Hospital. According to the result of analysis, the effect of pulmonary resection on forced flow rate was keeping with the change of lung volume, and the preoperative level of ventilatory function plays a major role in determining postoperative loss of functioning lung. Although all measures of expiratory flow [FVC, FEV1, FEFO.2-1.2, MEF50, FEF25-75] have the same percentage of reproducibility, but FEV1 shows most sensitive, reliable linear correlation with the functioning pulmonary tissue loss than other parameters. The linear regression lines derived from the correlation between preoperative [X] and postoperative [Y] FEV1 on various surgical procedures were as follows: 1. Y = 0.57X 0.03. in pneumonectomy group of lung cancer[r=0.84]. 2. Y = 0.56X + 0.33. in lobectomy group of lung cancer[r=0.79]. 3. Y = 0.69X + 0.25. in lobectomy group of pulmonary infection[r=0.91].

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.245-251
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• 2000

Backround: Pulmonary aspergilloma is a potential life-threatening disease resulting from massive hemoptysis. Pulmonary aspergilloma has been treated surgically for many years, however, it has also had higher risk of mortality and complication rate. The purpose of this study is to analyze the operative methods and the types of complications. Material and Method: Sixty patients who underwent surgical resection for pulmonary their medical reconrds. Result: The mean age was 46.3$\pm$13.4 years(range 20 to 76 years). The most common clinical presentation was hemoptysis which occurred in 48 patients(80%). Pulmonary tuberculosis was the most common pre-existing disease, occurri9ng in 28 patients(46.7%). The other associated lung diseases were bronchiectasis(n=11), silicosis(n=2), and chronic pnumonia(n=1). Operative proceudres wer lobectomy in 35 patients, pneumonectomy in 6, segmentectomy in 5, lobectomy and thoracoplasty in 3, segmentectomy and thoracopasty in 1, and cavernostomy in 10. The operative mortality was 6%(n=3) in lung resection patients but 0% in cavernostomy patients. The most common complications were prolonged air leakage, wound infection and postoperative bleeding. Conclusion: In most cases of pulmonary aspergilloma surgical resectin remains the only effective therapy. However, cavernostomy may be more effective for pulmonary aspergilloma patients with decreased pulmonary functions and for patients with high risk for lung resection.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.231-237
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• 2017

Background: Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE) are conditions with significant morbidity and mortality. Proximal DVT has a significant association with PE and possible fatal outcomes. Traditionally, PE is subdivided into symptomatic PE and asymptomatic PE, which have different treatments, preventions and prognoses. The growing utilization of computed tomography pulmonary angiography has led to increased detection of PE in DVT patients. This study examined the clinical characteristics and compared symptomatic PE and asymptomatic PE following proximal DVT. Methods: The medical records of 258 DVT inpatients from July, 2012 to June, 2015 were reviewed retrospectively. After excluding the patients who did not performed PE evaluation and were not diagnosed with PE, 95 patients diagnosed with PE following proximal DVT were enrolled in this study. They were divided into the symptomatic PE group and asymptomatic PE group. Results: The body weight, body mass index, thrombus size, thrombus length and location were similar in the two groups. The symptomatic PE following proximal DVT group showed an older age, higher incidence of emergency department access (85.0% vs. 38.7%, p<0.001) and preceding infection (25.0% vs. 1.3%, p<0.001) as well as a higher incidence of immobilization (45.0% vs 13.3%, p=0.016). In the multivariate logistic regression study, preceding infection and emergency department access showed significant association with symptomatic PE. Conclusion: In proximal DVT inpatients, symptomatic PE was associated with emergency department access and preceding infection. The possibility of a symptomatic PE event should be considered in proximal DVT patients, especially those who were admitted through the emergency department and had preceding infection.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.52 no.2
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• pp.107-116
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• 2002

Background: Matrix metalloproteinases(MMP) are essential enzymes for tumor invasion and metastasis. Among the MMP family, elevated MMP-9 and stromelysin-3(STR-3) expression have been reported to be poor prognostic factors in lung cancer patients. To evaluate the possibility of a molecular diagnosis of lung cancer using peripheral blood, the mRNA expression level of MMP-9 and STR-3 was measured using a reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) in patients with lung cancer. Methods : Ninety six patients(44 patients with lung cancer, 19 pulmonary infection, and 33 control) were included. To detect MMP-9 and STR-3 mRNA expression, RT-PCR was performed in peripheral blood mononuclear cells. ELISA was also used to measure the serum level of MMP-9. Results : MMP-9 was expressed more frequently in patients with a pulmonary infection(18/19, 94.7%) compared to lung cancer patients(26/44, 59.1%) or the controls (23/33, 69.7%) (p=0.018). On the other hand, STR-3 expression was observed more frequently in patients with lung cancer(37/44, 84.1%) compared to the lung infection patients(8/19, 42.1%) or control(20/33, 60.6%) (p=0.003). Among the lung cancer patients, MMP-9 was expressed more frequently when a tumor invaded the lymph nodes(17/24, 70.8%) compared to when a tumor did not(3/13, 23.1%) (p=0.005). The MMP-9 and STR-3 expression levels had no relationship with age, sex, tumor size, distant metastasis, or tumor histology. The serum MMP-9 concentration was not higher in lung cancer patients compared to patients with a pulmonary infection or the control subjects. Conclusion : STR-3 may be used as a diagnostic marker in the peripheral blood of lung cancer patients using RT-PCR. Further studies to evaluate the clinical significance of elevated STR-3 expression in lung cancer patients is recommended.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.142-152
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• 1981

One hundred and thirteen healed pulmonary tuberculosis patients and 11 patients with other underlying diseases were studied for evidence of pulmonary fungal infection because of persisting hemoptysis or chronic cough. Rediological, mycological and serological investigations revealed that 54 out of 124 patients were evidently infected with one or more species of fungi. A. fumigatus was isolated from 4 out of 70 patients whose sera did not react with antigens from this fungus, while it was isolated from 43 out of 47 serological reactors to this fungus. Chest radiography showed a distinct fungus ball in a cyst of one patient and in a preformed cavity in the lung of 17 healed tuberculosis patients and two other patients. The latter two patients were infected with A.flavus. Two patients, who were under the long period of immunosuppressive therapy, apparently succumbed to invasive aspergillosia due to A.fumigatus. A single or dual infection with A. flavus, A. nidulans, A.nidulans var. latus, C. albicans, and P. boydii were noticed in some patients without mycetomal shadow on chest radiographs. Young mycelial extract (ME) of A.fumigatus detected antibody in 95.8 percent of the sera from patients infected with this fungus, while it was isolated from 43 out of 47 serological reactors to this fungus. Chest radiography showed a distinct fungus ball in a cyst of one patient and in a performed cavity in the lung of 17 healed tuberculosis patients and two other patients. The latter two patients were infected with A. flavus. Two patients, who were under the long period of immunosuppressive therapy, apparently succumbed to invasive aspergillosis due to A.fumigatus. A single or dual infection with A. flavus, A. nidulans, A. niduans var. latus, C. albicans, and P. boydii were noticed in some patients without mycetomal shadow on chest radiographs. Young mycelial extract (ME) of A.fumigatus detected antibody in 95.8 percent of the sera from patients infected with this fungus, while the commercial culture filtrate antigen (GL) yielded 78.7 per cent positive result. Culture filtrate antigen, however, was comparable with ME. There was no single antigen with which all the serum specimens reacted. Fractionation of ME resulted in a loss of some activity although it excluded substances that reacted with C-reactive protein in a loss of some activity although it excluded substances that reacted with C-reactive protein. Most reactive and specific precipitinogens distributed in the fraction (FB) which was precipitable at 75 percent saturation with ammonium sulfate and eluted in a second peak in order from gel-filtration and which contained mostly proteinic components. Glycoproteins or polysaccharides rich fractions (FA and ASI) were relatively less effective in detecting antibody. Demonstration of antibody in the serum from patients using a battery of fungal antigens and of etiologically related fungi from clinical specimens are very useful laboratory procedures for the diagnosis of pulmonary fungal infection which is a common complication of tuberculosis.