• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.40 no.3
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• pp.250-258
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• 1993

Background: After general anesthesia, decrease of functional residual capacity and lung compliance, ventilation/perfusion imbalance, and transpulmonary shunting can provoke hypoxemia during postoperative periods. Diaphragmatic dysfunction may be the main cause of these physiological abnormalities. Thus, we evaluated the change of pulmonary function after general anesthesia according to the operative sites, which could suggest clinical course and critical period of respiratory care of postoperative patients. Method: Preoperative portable spirometric evaluation and arterial blood gas analysis were performed at sitting or most-sitting position just previous day of surgery. Pulmonary function tests were also as same condition from postoperative day 1 to day 5. Results: 1) For thoracic surgery, FEV1 and FVC were not recovered at day 5, but FEV1/FVC was not decreased. $PaCO_2$ was slightly elevated at postoperative one day. 2) After upper abdominal surgery, postoperative day 5 did not show the recovery of FEV1 and FVC, but mild hypoxemia was developed at postoperative day 1. 3) Pulmonary function was recovered as preoperative value at postoperative day 5 in lower abdominal operation, but mild hypoxemia was also noted at postoperative day 1. 4) Surgery of peripheral areas did not show significant pulmonary function change and hypoxemia and hypercapnia from postoperative day 1. Conclusion: Surgery involving diaphragm provoke significant postoperative pulmonary function change after day 5. For the operation of peripheral sites adequate respiratory care during operation and postoperative period within 24 hours could prevent patients from respiratory complication.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.248-261
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• 1994

Background: Lectins are proteins or glycoproteins of non-immune origin that recognize a specific sequence of sugar residues. The availability of a large number of lectins has provided the capacity to identify selectively glycoconjugates possessing distinctive chemical structure in diverse sites of highly specialized biological activity. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the lectin binding patterns of various components in human pulmonary tubercles. Method: Biopsy specimens of tuberculous lung were obtained from male adult patients who underwent a surgical resection for severe pulmonary tuberculosis. The specimens were processed and stained with 13 kinds of biotinylated lectins according to some modification of Hsu and Raine's methods. Results: 1) In the caseous necrotic lesions, BS $I-B_4$ showed negative reaction and BS I were also negative except some irregularly-shaped cells located in the marginal zone. All other lectins, however, showed a positive reaction with various binding patterns. 2) The epithelioid cells were broadly divided into three groups according to the reaction patterns in the cytoplasms and cell membranes. 3) WGA, ECL, PHA-L, PHA-E and LCA showed strong staining in the lymphocytes. 4) SBA showed a different binding patterns between the endothelial layers located in the region beyond the fibrous layers and those located within the fibrous layers. 5) PNA showed a positive reaction in the outer 1/3 to 1/2 of the fibrous layer, but showed no staining in the inner 1/2 to 2/3 of the fibrous layers. Conclusion: The present lectin histochemical study provided a useful information to assess the characterization and distribution of various glycoconjugates in each constituent of human pulmonary tubercles. The results demonstrate structural differences in the glycoconjugate composition of various components of the tubercles and reveal changes in glycosylation in the components during soft tubercle formation. This study provides a new data useful for the studies on the pathogenesis and pathology of human pulmonary tubercles.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.54 no.1
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• pp.33-44
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• 2003

Background : Mycobacterium avium complex(MAC) is the most common respiratory pathogen in nontuberculous mycobacterial pulmonary disease. This study described the clinical characteristics of the patients with pulmonary disease caused by MAC. Materials and Methods : The clinical characteristics of 24 patients with pulmonary disease caused by the MAC, who fulfilled the 1997 American Thoracic Society diagnostic criteria for nontuberculous mycobacterial pulmonary disease, were retrospectively analyzed. Results : Fourteen patients(58%) were male and the median age at diagnosis was 61 years(range 46-75). Of the 24 patients, 16(67%) had a M. intracellulare infection, 7(29%) had a M. avium infection and one patient was not identified. Coughing (92%) and sputum (88%) were most frequently observed symptoms. The sputum smear for acid-fast bacilli was positive in 17(71%) patients. Fourteen(58%) patients had the upper lobe cavitary form and 10(42%) patients had the nodular bronchiectatic form. In a comparison between the patients with the upper lobe cavitary form and those with the nodular bronchiectatic form, significant differences were found according to sex(male 86% vs. 20%, p=0.003), smoking history(79% vs. 10%, p=0.008), the presence of an underlying disease(64% vs. 20%, p=0.036), the pulmonary function(% forced vital capacity, median 71% vs. 88%, p=0.022; % forced expiratory volume in one second, median 69% vs. 89%, p=0.051) and bilateral disease at chest radiography(29% vs. 90%, p=0.005). The time from the onset of symptoms to diagnosis was longer in those with the nodular bronchiectatic form(median 72 months, range 8-132) than those with the upper lobe cavitary form(median 22 months, range 6-60) Conclusions : MAC pulmonary disease occurs in two distinct populations with two distinct clinical presentations. For a correct diagnosis of MAC pulmonary disease, knowledge of the diverse clinical and radiological findings is essential.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.58 no.5
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• pp.498-506
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• 2005

Background : This study compared the bronchodilator efficacy and safety of tiotropium inhalation capsules ($18{\mu}g$ once daily) with a ipratropium metered dose inhaler (2 puffs of $20{\mu}g$ q.i.d.) in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Method : After the initial screening assessment and a two-week run-in period, patients received either tiotropium $18{\mu}g$ once daily or ipratropium $40{\mu}g$ four times daily over a period of 4 weeks in a double blind, double dummy, parallel group study. The outcome measures were the lung function, the daily records of the peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR), the patients' questionnaire, and the use of concomitant salbutamol. The forced expiratory volume in one second ($FEV_1$) and the forced vital capacity (FVC) were measured 5 minutes before inhalation, and 0.5, 1, 2 and 3 hours after inhaling the study drug on days 0, 14 and 28. Result : In 16 centers, 134 patients with a mean (SD) age of 66 (7) years and a predicted $FEV_1$ of 42 (12)% were analyzed. The trough $FEV_1$ response was significantly higher in the tiotropium group than in the ipratropium group after a four-week treatment period. The weekly mean morning PEFR of the tiotropium group was consistently higher than that of the ipratropium group during the 4-week treatment period with differences ranging from 12.52 to 13.88 l/min, which were statistically significant. Tiotropium was well tolerated by the COPD patients during the 4-week treatment period and had a similar safety profile to ipratropium. Conclusion : This study shows that tiotropium administrated once daily has a superior bronchodilator effect with a similar safety profile in treating COPD patients compared with ipratropium, inhaled four times daily.