• The Korean journal of internal medicine
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.25-33
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• 2024

A high level of particulate matter (PM) in air is correlated with the onset and development of chronic respiratory diseases. We conducted a systematic literature review, searching the MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Cochrane databases for studies of biomarkers of the effect of PM exposure on chronic respiratory diseases and the progression thereof. Thirty-eight articles on biomarkers of the progression of chronic respiratory diseases after exposure to PM were identified, four of which were eligible for review. Serum, sputum, urine, and exhaled breath condensate biomarkers of the effect of PM exposure on chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma had a variety of underlying mechanisms. We summarized the functions of biomarkers linked to COPD and asthma and their biological plausibility. We identified few biomarkers of PM exposure-related progression of chronic respiratory diseases. The included studies were restricted to those on biomarkers of the relationship of PM exposure with the progression of chronic respiratory diseases. The predictive power of biomarkers of the effect of PM exposure on chronic respiratory diseases varies according to the functions of the biomarkers.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.81 no.1
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• pp.88-90
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• 2018

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.49-56
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• 2002

Objectives : To identify the relationship between the use of medical services by workers with three types of respiratory diseases(total respiratory diseases, acute upper respiratory infections and chronic lower respiratory diseases) and exposure to hazardous agents after controlling for other factors affecting medical services use, such as characteristics of the enterprises(scale, industry type) and employee demographics (sex, age). Methods : The study population comprised 28,882 workers who had undergone general or special medical examinations at the industrial health center at least once between Jan 1995 and Dec 1997 and had possessed medical insurance during the period. We combined medical examination data with medical insurance data in order to analyze the relationship between exposure to hazardous agents and respiratory diseases, Results : Among the 28,882 study subjects, 17,454 employees(60.4%) used medical services more than once during 3-year study period, owing to more than one kind of respiratory diseases. In logistic regression analysis, sex, age and the size of the enterprises proved to be significant variables on the use of medical services for all three types of respiratory disease; The use of medical services increased with employee age. Women used more medical services than men and the employees in the large-scale enterprises used more services than employees in small-scale enterprises. However, exposure to dust or organic solvents did not affect medical service use due to total respiratory diseases or acute upper respiratory infections. Only in the case of chronic lower respiratory diseases did workers exposed to dusts(OR=1.12, 95% CI=1.01-1.24) or organic solvents(OR=1.19, 95% CI=1.05-1.35) use more medical services than those not exposed. Conclusions : Workers exposed to dusts or organic solvents are particularly apt to suffer from chronic lower respiratory diseases and use medical services more often than those not exposed. That is, chronic exposure to hazardous agents such as dusts and organic solvents is believed to be harmful and to cause respiratory symptoms and diseases.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.54 no.1
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• pp.6-10
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• 2011

Many patients assume that allergic reactions against foods are responsible for triggering or worsening their allergic symptoms. Therefore, it is important to identify patients who would benefit from an elimination diet, while avoiding unnecessary dietary restrictions. The diagnosis of food allergy depends on the thorough review of the patients's medical history, results of supplemented trials of dietary elimination, and in vivo and in vitro tests for measuring specific IgE levels. However, in some cases the reliability of such procedures is suboptimal. Oral food challenges are procedures employed for making an accurate diagnosis of immediate and occasionally delayed adverse reactions to foods. The timing and type of the challenge, preparation of patients, foods to be tested, and dosing schedule should be determined on the basis of the patient's history, age, and experience. Although double-blind, placebo-controlled food challenges(DBPCFC) are used to establish definitively if a food is the cause of adverse reactions, they are time-consuming, expensive and troublesome for physician and patients. In practice, An open challenge controlled by trained personnel is sufficient especially in infants and young children. The interpretation of the results and follow-up after a challenge are also important. Since theses challenges are relatively safe and informative, controlled oral food challenges could become the measure of choice in children.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Industry Convergence
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• v.27 no.2_2
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• pp.457-465
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• 2024

This study used Korea's cause of death statistical data to identify the scale and characteristics of deaths from respiratory diseases in Jeollabuk-do over the past five years ('18~'22). The average number of deaths due to respiratory diseases in Jeollabuk-do over the past five years was approximately 11.5% of all deaths, and pneumonia accounted for 81.0% of deaths due to respiratory diseases. Deaths from respiratory diseases were highest among men, those in their 80s, those who were widowed, and those with elementary school education. The highest number of deaths by occupation were skilled agricultural, forestry and fishery workers, but when standardized by age, the highest number of deaths were among technicians and related workers. The main place of death due to respiratory diseases was found to be medical institutions. In order to reduce the occurrence and death of respiratory diseases, it is necessary to establish resident health promotion and disease management health policies that reflect regional characteristics.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.21.1-21.21
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• 2022

As far the current severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), respiratory disease is still the biggest threat to human health. In addition, infectious respiratory diseases are particularly prominent. In addition to killing and clearing the infection pathogen directly, regulating the immune responses against the pathogens is also an important therapeutic modality. Sirtuins belong to NAD+-dependent class III histone deacetylases. Among 7 types of sirtuins, silent information regulator type-1 (SIRT1) played a multitasking role in modulating a wide range of physiological processes, including oxidative stress, inflammation, cell apoptosis, autophagy, antibacterial and antiviral functions. It showed a critical effect in regulating immune responses by deacetylation modification, especially through high-mobility group box 1 (HMGB1), a core molecule regulating the immune system. SIRT1 was associated with many respiratory diseases, including COVID-19 infection, bacterial pneumonia, tuberculosis, and so on. Here, we reviewed the latest research progress regarding the effects of SIRT1 on immune system in respiratory diseases. First, the structure and catalytic characteristics of SIRT1 were introduced. Next, the roles of SIRT1, and the mechanisms underlying the immune regulatory effect through HMGB1, as well as the specific activators/inhibitors of SIRT1, were elaborated. Finally, the multitasking roles of SIRT1 in several respiratory diseases were discussed separately. Taken together, this review implied that SIRT1 could serve as a promising specific therapeutic target for the treatment of respiratory diseases.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.30 no.7
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• pp.573-584
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• 2021

To analyze the effects of PM₁₀ and PM_2.5 on daily mortality cases, the relations of death counts from natural causes, respiratory diseases, and cardiovascular diseases with PM₁₀ and PM_2.5 concentrations were applied to the generalized additive model (GAM) in this study. From the coefficients of the GAM model, the excessive mortality risks due to an increase of 10 ㎍/m³ in daily mean PM₁₀ and PM_2.5 for each cause were calculated. The excessive risks of deaths from natural causes, respiratory diseases, and cardiovascular diseases were 0.64%, 1.69%, and 1.16%, respectively, owing to PM₁₀ increase and 0.42%, 2.80%, and 0.91%, respectively, owing to PM_2.5 increase. Our result showed that particulate matter posed a greater risk of death from respiratory diseases and is consistent with the cases in Europe and China. The regional distribution of excessive risk of death is 0.24%-0.81%, 0.34%-2.6%, and 0.62%-1.94% from natural causes, respiratory diseases, and cardiovascular diseases, respectively, owing to PM₁₀ increase, and 0.14%-1.02%, 1.07%-3.92%, and 0.22%-1.73% from natural causes, respiratory diseases, and cardiovascular diseases, respectively, owing to PM_2.5 increase. Our results represented a different aspect from the regional concentration distributions. Thus, we saw that the concentration distributions of air pollutants differ from the affected areas and identified the need for a policy to reduce damage rather than reduce concentrations.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.84 no.1
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• pp.22-34
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• 2021

The coronavirus pandemic, known as coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), is an infectious respiratory disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), a novel coronavirus first identified in patients from Wuhan, China. Since December 2019, SARS-CoV-2 has spread swiftly around the world, infected more than 25 million people, and caused more than 800,000 deaths in 188 countries. Chronic respiratory diseases such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) appear to be risk factors for COVID-19, however, their prevalence remains controversial. In fact, studies in China reported lower rates of chronic respiratory conditions in patients with COVID-19 than in the general population, while the trend is reversed in the United States and Europe. Although the underlying molecular mechanisms of a possible interaction between COVID-19 and chronic respiratory diseases remain unknown, some observations can help to elucidate them. Indeed, physiological changes, immune response, or medications used against SARS-CoV-2 may have a greater impact on patients with chronic respiratory conditions already debilitated by chronic inflammation, dyspnea, and the use of immunosuppressant drugs like corticosteroids. In this review, we discuss importance and the impact of COVID-19 on asthma and COPD patients, the possible available treatments, and patient management during the pandemic.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.56 no.6
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• pp.593-599
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• 2004

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.80 no.1
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• pp.95-95
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• 2017