• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.74 no.2
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• pp.51-55
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• 2013

Acute eosinophilic pneumonia is a severe and rapidly progressive lung disease that can cause fatal respiratory failure. Since this disease exhibits totally different clinical features to other eosinophilic lung diseases (ELD), it is not difficult to distinguish it among other ELDs. However, this can be similar to other diseases causing acute respiratory distress syndrome or severe community-acquired pneumonia, so the diagnosis can be delayed. The cause of this disease in the majority of patients is unknown, even though some cases may be caused by smoke, other patients inhaled dust or drugs. The diagnosis is established by bronchoalveolar lavage. Treatment with corticosteroids shows a rapid and dramatic positive response without recurrence.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.148-156
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• 1976

Acute respiratory failure has become an increasingly frequent cause of death following shock or trauma. Interstitial or diffuse alveolar edema, as chief pathophysiologic change of acute respiratory insufficiency, can be the result of sepsis, fat embolism, cardiac failure, lung congestion, and oxygen toxicity. These pulmonary problems are extremely difficult to treat without early recognition of their development and aggressive management. If the treatment is delayed, the progressive respiratory failure is almost uniformly fatal. Authors have experienced two cases of acute respiratory insufficiency following the blunt chest trauma, which were healed uneventfully. Literatures were briefly reviewed.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.286-295
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• 2020

Respiratory infections are very common and highly contagious. Respiratory infectious diseases affect not only the person infected but also the family members and the society. As medical sciences advance, several diseases have been conquered; however, the impact of novel infectious diseases on the society is enormous. As the clinical presentation of respiratory infections is similar regardless of the pathogen, the causative agent is not distinguishable by symptoms alone. Moreover, it is difficult to develop a cure because of the various viral mutations. Various respiratory infectious diseases ranging from influenza, which threaten the health of mankind globally, to the coronavirus disease 2019, which resulted in a pandemic, exist. Contrary to human expectations that development in health care and improvement in hygiene will conquer infectious diseases, humankind's health and social systems are threatened by novel infectious diseases. Owing to the development of transport and trading activity, the rate of spread of new infectious diseases is increasing. As respiratory infections can threaten the members of the global community at any time, investigations on preventing the transmission of these diseases as well as development of effective antivirals and vaccines are of utmost importance and require a worldwide effort.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.69 no.5
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• pp.361-367
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• 2010

Background: Difficult-to-treat asthma afflicts a small percentage of the asthma population. However, these patients remain refractory to treat, and account for 40% to 50% of the health costs of asthma treatment, incurring significant morbidity. We conducted a multi-center cross-sectional study to characterize difficult-to-treat asthma in Korea. Methods: Subjects with difficult-to-treat asthma and subjects with controlled asthma were recruited from 5 outpatient clinics of referral hospitals. We reviewed medical records of previous 6 months and obtained patient-reported questionnaires composed of treatment compliance, asthma control, and instruments for stress, anxiety, and depression. Results: We recruited 21 subjects with difficult-to-treat asthma and 110 subjects with controlled asthma into the study. The subjects with difficult-to-treat asthma were associated with longer treatment periods, more increased health care utilization, more medication (oral corticosteroids, number of medication), and more anxiety disorder compared to those of well-controlled asthmatics. There was no difference in age, gender, history of allergy, serum IgE, blood eosinophil count, or body mass index between the 2 groups. Conclusion: Difficult-to-treat asthma is characterized by increased health care utilization and more co-morbidity of anxiety.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.31-37
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• 2023

PURPOSE: This study aimed to investigate the relationship between being underweight and respiratory function indicators such as pulmonary function, respiratory muscle strength, and diaphragm thickness in normal adults without lung disease. METHODS: The participants in this experiment were thirty young adults. To compare the respiratory function between the underweight and normal weight individuals, 15 participants were selected from each of the underweight and normal weight groups based on body mass index. Respiratory function tests were conducted through pulmonary function tests and respiratory muscle strength tests. Diaphragm thickness was measure with ultrasonography, and physical characteristics were obtained from grip strength and waist circumference. An independent t-test was used to compare the averages of the parameters measured in the two groups. RESULTS: In the respiratory function tests between the two groups, statistically significant differences (p < .05) emerged in the ratio of the predicted forced vital capacity (%FVC), the ratio of the predicted forced expiratory volume in one second (%FEV1), maximal expiratory pressure (MEP), and diaphragm thickness at the functional residual capacity (FRC). There was no statistically significant difference in the forced vital capacity, forced expiratory volume in one second, maximal inspiratory pressure, diaphragm thickness at the total lung capacity, and thickening ratio (p > .05). CONCLUSION: Decreases in some variables of respiratory function, such as the %FVC, %FEV1, MEP, and diaphragm thickness at the FRC were observed in underweight subjects. However, it is difficult to determine whether it affected the overall respiratory function. Future studies are needed to clearly identify the relationship between being underweight and respiratory function.

• Journal of the Korean Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
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• v.48 no.4
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• pp.232-236
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• 2022

A ranula is a pseudocyst that originates from the sublingual gland after trauma. Acute cases of ranulas that progress rapidly and cause respiratory distress are rare. Holoprosencephaly is a complex brain malformation caused by incomplete cleavage of the prosencephalon. Children with holoprosencephaly may experience upper airway obstruction due to the associated dentoalveolar malformations and oromotor dysfunctions. We present the case of an eight-year-old female patient with holoprosencephaly and a plunging ranula that manifested as an acute course due to difficult airway management. She required gastrostomy for oromotor dysfunctions related to feeding and swallowing and difficulty managing oral secretions. The sublingual gland and ranula were removed under general anesthesia. Postoperatively, urgent reintubation and close monitoring in the intensive care unit were required due to upper airway obstruction. We successfully managed the patient with close cooperation of a pediatrician and an anesthetist, and no recurrence was observed at the one-year follow-up. A ranula can be caused by trauma to the floor of the mouth in association with lingually inclined mandibular teeth, a type of dentoalveolar compensation seen in maxillary hypoplasia associated with holoprosencephaly. Careful consideration is needed in such cases since airway management can be difficult due to postoperative swelling and oromotor dysfunctions.

• Journal of the Korea Institute of Information and Communication Engineering
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• v.24 no.9
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• pp.1138-1143
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• 2020

MRI scans in the abdominal area are difficult to achieve optimal images due to artificial respiration. Among 45 patients (male:female = 30:15) who underwent abdominal MRI examination, a metronome-based examination method was studied for patients whose breathing is difficult and difficult to examine. The images examined without using a metronome were divided into group A, and the images examined using a metronome were divided into group B. Image quality improvement (30%) and inspection time (approximately 50 seconds) were reduced in images using metronome. During abdominal magnetic resonance imaging (ABD MRI), the images examined using a metronome had differences in quality and examination time compared to the unused images. It is more effective to use a metronome brace that controls the patient's respiratory rate during abdominal magnetic resonance imaging under respiratory induction in patients with difficulty in respiratory-gated.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.45 no.2
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• pp.261-266
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• 2002

Vascular ring, originating from abnormal regression of the aortic arch during fetal life, can cause prolonged and recurrent respiratory symptoms and dysphagia when the diagnosis is delayed. We report a 4 month old girl with vascular ring, who had been treated for persistent respiratory symptoms including stridor, wheezing, and dyspnea soon after birth. Initially her respiratory symptoms were thought to be due to bronchiolitis, for which respiratory syncytial virus was confirmed by immunofluorescent staining. Her clinical course was again complicated with tracheitis and pneumonia due to Haemophilus influenzae type b. The possibility of anatomical anomaly was investigated when it was felt to be difficult to insert a suction catheter deep down through a endotracheal tube which was placed for adequate ventilatory management. A three-dimensional chest CT revealed a vascular ring consisting of a double aortic arch. For 5 months following surgery, her respiratory symptoms have slowly been improving. She developed another episode of pneumonia which was milder than the one which occurred before the surgery.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.76 no.5
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• pp.199-210
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• 2014

Pleural effusion is not a rare disease in Korea. The diagnosis of pleural effusion is very difficult, even though the patients often complain of typical symptoms indicating of pleural diseases. Pleural effusion is characterized by the pleural cavity filled with transudative or exudative pleural fluids, and it is developed by various etiologies. The presence of pleural effusion can be confirmed by radiological studies including simple chest radiography, ultrasonography, or computed tomography. Identifying the causes of pleural effusions by pleural fluid analysis is essential for proper treatments. This review article provides information on the diagnostic approaches of pleural effusions and further suggested ways to confirm their various etiologies, by using the most recent journals for references.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.79 no.4
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• pp.234-240
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• 2016

Transmission of tuberculosis (TB) is a recognized risk to patients and healthcare workers in healthcare settings. The literature review suggests that implementation of combination control measures reduces the risk of TB transmission. Guidelines suggest a three-level hierarchy of controls including administrative, environmental, and respiratory protection. Among environmental controls, installation of ventilation systems is a priority because ventilation reduces the number of infectious particles in the air. Natural ventilation is cost-effective but depends on climatic conditions. Supplemented intervention such as air-cleaning methods including high efficiency particulate air filtration and ultraviolet germicidal irradiation should be considered in areas where adequate ventilation is difficult to achieve. Personal protective equipment including particulate respirators provides additional benefit when administrative and environmental controls cannot assure protection.