• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.26 no.2 s.62
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• pp.13-24
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• 2005

Objectives & methods; In order to evaluate the in vivo synergic effect of Mawhangyounpye-tang, a traditional poly-herbal formula used in the treatment of respiratory diseases in Korea, with the quinolone antibiotic ciprofloxacin (CPFX), the viable bacterial number and histopathological changes were monitored after experimental respiratory infection with Streptococcus Pneumoniae ATCC 6303. Results: 1. In CPFX groups, the viable bacterial numbers were significantly decreased compared to that of the control group, and were even more dramatically decreased in concomitant group treated with Mawhangyounpye-tang. 2. In the control group, severe infiltration of inflammatory cells, hemorrhage and hypertrophy of alveolar linings were demonstrated at microscopic levels. However, these abnormal histopathological changes were significantly decreased compared. to that of the control group in CPFX groups, and were even more dramatically decreased in concomitant groups treated with Mawhangyounpye-tang. 3. In CPFX groups, the LSA (Iuminal surface of alveoli $\%$) were significantly increased compared to that of the control group, and more dramatically in concomitant groups treated with Mawhangyounpye-tang. Conclusions: According to these results, it is considered that the in vivo antibacterial activity of CPFX against Streptococcus Pneumoniae ATCC 6303 infection of respiratory tract was dramatically increased by concomitant use of Mawhangyounpye-tang.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Laryngology, Phoniatrics and Logopedics
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.107-111
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• 2019

Background and Objectives Idiopathic unilateral vocal fold paralysis (IVFP) is believed to be due to inflammation and edema of the recurrent laryngeal nerve caused by viral diseases such as upper respiratory tract infections. Corticosteroid has a potent anti-inflammatory action which should minimize nerve damage. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of oral steroid therapy on IVFP. Materials and Method Study was performed for the IVFP patient from January 2012 to August 2017. Patient's dermography, direction and location of paralyzed vocal cords, history of hypertension, diabetes, cerebrovascular disease, and other underlying disease, smoking history, alcohol consumption and upper respiratory tract infection, and symptoms were investigated. Treatment was divided into three groups: the observation group, low-dose group, and high-dose group, and the recovery rate and time of vocal cord paralysis were analyzed in each group. Results Thirty-seven patients were enrolled in this study. There was no relationship between oral steroid use, dosage and recovery of vocal cord paralysis. Oral steroids showed a rapid recovery of vocal cord paralysis, but there was no statistically significant difference in the time of recovery of vocal palsy with or without steroids (p=0.673). In addition, there was no statistically significant difference in recovery rate between the period to start of treatment, presence of diabetes mellitus, and treatment modality, but the recovery rate was high in the group with upper respiratory tract infection history (p=0.041). Conclusion In IVFP, oral steroid therapy has no significant difference in time and extent of recovery compared to the case of spontaneous recovery.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.193-200
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• 2000

Purpose : This study was designed and performed for evaluations of clinical manifestation and course of the children under 2 year of age with respiratory tract infection and positive respiratory syncytial virus(RSV) antigen. Methods : The selection criteria of the patients were children under 24 month-of-age, Clinical manifestation of respiratory tract infection, and positive RSV antigen that was detected by Vitek ImmunoDiagnostic Assay System(VIDAS) from nasal cavity. The additional laboratory and simple chest X-ray findings were reviewed from the chart of children who were admitted Wonkwang university hospital from October 1999 to March 2000. Results : Total number of patients enrolled on this study was 102. The 48(47%) children were RSV antigen positive by VIDAS method. Abnormal chest X-ray findings were noticed in 38 cases. The male to female sex ratio of 48 RSV antigen positive cases was 1.2 : 1. The mean and range of age was $10.2{\pm}5.9$ and 1.0~24 months. The peak outbreak of cases was noticed on November, 1999. All of the cases shows coughing but rale was audible in 30 cases(60%). Dyspnea, wheezing, and intercostal retraction were noticed 11(23%), 15(31%), and 10(21%) cases respectively. The most common chest X-ray finding was scattered patch infiltration that was noticed in 30 cases(63%). The mean total white blood cell counts in peripheral blood was $12,608{\pm}4,686/mm^3$. The mean blood level of IgA and IgE were $50.8{\pm}20.9$ and $72.1{\pm}98.3mg/dL$ respectively. The C-reactive protein was $16.0{\pm}18.5mg/L$. Total 5 cases need a mechanical respiraton. The duration of admission was under 7 days in 36 cases(75%). Conclusion : The RSV antigen was detected commonly in late fall and winter season. The severity of children under 2 years old with RSV respiratory tract infection take in some degree a gave courses.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.402-410
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• 2018

Background: Monitoring appropriate medication categories can provide early warning of certain disease outbreaks. This study aimed to present a methodology for selecting and monitoring medications relevant to the surveillance of acute respiratory tract infections, such as influenza. Methods: To estimate correlations between acute febrile respiratory tract infection and some medication categories, the cross-correlation coefficient (CCC) was used and established. Two databases were used: real-time prescription trend of antivirals, anti-inflammatory drugs, antibiotics using Drug Utilization Review Program between 2012 and 2015 and physicians' number of encounters with acute febrile respiratory tract infections such as influenza outbreaks using the national level health insurance claims data. The seasonality was also evaluated using the CCC. Results: After selecting six candidate diseases that require extensive monitoring, influenza with highly specific medical treatment according to the health insurance claims data and its medications were chosen as final candidates based on a data-driven approach. Antiviral medications and influenza were significantly correlated. Conclusion: An annual correlation was observed between influenza and antiviral medications, anti-inflammatory drugs. Suitable models should be established for syndromic surveillance of influenza.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.87-94
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• 2017

Purpose: The inappropriate prescription of antibiotics in children with upper respiratory tract infection (URTI) is common. This study evaluated the factors that influence antibiotics use in hospitalized children with viral URTI confirmed by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RTPCR) assay. Methods: The medical records of admitted patients who performed RT-PCR assay for respiratory virus pathogens from January 2013 to November 2014 were examined. The demographic and clinical features were compared between patients who were administered antibiotics at admission and those who were not. We also investigated differences between children who continued antibiotics and those who stopped antibiotics after a viral pathogen was identified. Results: In the total 393 inpatients, the median age was 23 months (interquartile range, 13 to 41.3 months). Antimicrobial agents were prescribed in 79 patients (20.1%) at admission. Patients with acute otitis media (AOM) had higher rates of antibiotics prescription than those without AOM (48.1% vs. 2.2%, P<0.001), with an adjusted odds ratio of 91.1 (95% confidence interval, 30.5 to 271.7). Level of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein and the proportion of acute rhinosinusitis were also significantly associated with antibiotics use (P<0.001). Among the 44 patients with viruses identified using the RT-PCR method during hospitalization, antibiotic use was continued in 28 patients (63.6%). AOM was statistically associated with continued antibiotic use in the patients (P=0.002). Conclusions: Although the respiratory virus responsible for URTI etiology is identified, clinicians might not discontinue antibiotics if AOM is accompanying. Therefore, careful diagnosis and management of AOM could be a strategy to reduce unjustified antibiotic prescriptions for children with URTI.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.193-193
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• 2017

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.44-53
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• 1999

The resistant strains due to the extended-spectrum $\beta$-lactamase (ESBL) were susceptible to cefatrizine combined with clavulanic acid. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the in vitro and in vivo antibacterial activities of cefatrizine/clavulanic acid (CTRZ/CV) combination at a ratio of 2 : 1 in comparison with cefaclor (CCLO), cefuroxime (CRXM), cefuroxime axetil (CRXMA) and amoxicillin/clavulanic acid (AMXCCV). CTRZ/CV showed good activity against laboratory strains of gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria and exhibited excellent antibacterial activity against $\beta$-lactamase-producing strains. The bactericidal activity of CTRZ/CV was superior to that of CCLO and CRXM, and almost equal to that of AMXCCV against the $\beta$-lactamase-producing strains. The in vitro results were substantiated. by in vivo mouse experimental infection studies with $\beta$-lactamase-producing and non-producing strains. In mixed experimental infection due to $\beta$-lactamase-producing and non-producing strains, the therapeutic efficacy of CTRZ/CV was superior to that of CTRZ, CCLO, CRXMA and AMXCCV. In respiratory tract infection in mice due to Klebsiella pneumoniae EB4O, CTRZ/CV was more erective than CCLO, CRXMA and AMXCCV and also more efficacious than CCLO, CRXMA and AMXCCV in urinary tract infection in mice due to Escherichia coli EB13. These results indicate that CTRZ/CV is a useful drug for the treatment of infection caused by $\beta$-1actamase-producing strains including ESBL-producing strains.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.753-759
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• 2005

In order to evaluate the in vivo synergic effect of Eunkyo-san with quinolone antibiotics, rufloxacin (RUFX), the viable bacterial numbers and histopathological changes were monitored after experimental respiratory infection with Klebsiella peumoniae NCTC 9632. The obtained results were as follows : In RUFX group, the viable bacterial numbers were significantly decreased compared to those of control group and these were more dramatically decreased compared to those of single treatment with RUFX, respectively in concomitant treated groups with Eunkyo-san. In control group, severe infiltration of inflammatory cells, hemorrhage and hypertrophy of alveolar linings were demonstrated at microscopical levels. However, these abnormal histopathological changes were significantly decreased compared to those of control group in RUFX group, and these were more dramatically decreased compared to those of single treatment with RUFX, respectively in concomitant treated groups with Eunkyo-san. In RUFX group, the LSA% (luminal surface of alveolar%) were significantly increased compared to those of control group and these were more dramatically decreased compared to those of single treatment with RUFX, respectively in concomitant treated groups with Eunkyo-san. According to these results, it is considered that in vivo antibacterial activity of RUFX group was dramatically increased by concomitant use of Eunkyo-san against K. pneumoniae NCTC 9632 infection of respiratory tract.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.42 no.3
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• pp.119-138
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• 2021

Objectives: This study aimed to review the clinical research of the gut microbiome for respiratory diseases to assist the design of trials for respiratory diseases by regulating the gut microbiome with herbal medicine later. Methods: We searched three international databases (PubMed, CENTRAL and EMBASE) to investigate randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of the gut microbiome for respiratory diseases. The selected trials were analyzed by study design, subject diseases, inclusion/exclusion criteria, sample size, study period, intervention group, control group, outcome measures, and study results. Results: A total of 25 studies were included and published from 1994 to 2021 mostly in Europe and Asia. Subject diseases were many in the order of respiratory tract infection, cystic fibrosis, allergy, and so on. As outcome measures, the gut microbiome in a fecal sample was analyzed by 16S rRNA sequencing analysis method, and symptom assessment tools related each disease were used. Major intervention drugs were probiotics and the results were mostly improved in the composition and diversity of the gut microbiome. Conclusion: Clinical studies of the gut microbiome for respiratory diseases have confirmed various effects and this review provides basic data for a well-designed clinical study for respiratory diseases by regulating the gut microbiome with herbal medicine.

• The Korean Journal of Pharmacology
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.47-53
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• 1975

Pan-Korean multi-center trial of doxycycline in the treatment of upper and lower respiratory infection was carried out in the summer(from May to October) of 1975. A total of 204 patients between the ages of 3 and 75 was treated by 37 physicians including the internal medicine, pediatrics and ENT specialist in 17 general hospitals and 2 private clinics all-over the country. The dosage recommended was 200 mg on the first day of therapy followed by 100 mg daily thereafter. The pediatric dosage was 4 mg/kg on the first day and then 2mg/kg on each successive day. The subjective and objective signs of respiratory infection such as temperature, cough, sputum, pain and associated inflammatory symptoms were assessed using the carefully designed protocols and it showed rapid improvement by the fifth day (80%) of therapy. Only minor side-effects were reported and these were mild and mainly limited to gastrointestinal tract. The overall evaluation of the trial showed that 170 patients(83.3%) had a very good or good result, 13 patients (6.4%) a moderate and another 13 patients (6.4%) a negative result.