• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.61 no.4
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• pp.330-338
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• 2006

Background: The main factors associated with weight loss in patients with COPD are not well known. Since chronic inflammation and oxidative stress play a major pathogenic role in COPD, these factors may be responsible for the patients' weight loss. Therefore, this study measured the body mass index (BMI) in COPD patients and evaluated the variables, such as systemic inflammatory marker, oxidative stress and lung function, that correlate with the BMI. Method: The stable COPD patients (M:F=49:4, mean age=$68.25{\pm}6.32$) were divided into the lower (<18.5), normal (18.5-25) and higher (>25) BMI group. The severity of the airway obstruction was evaluated by measuring the $FEV_1$. The serum IL-6 and TNF-$\alpha$ levels were measured to determine the degree of systemic inflammation, and the carbonyl protein and 8-iso-prostaglandin $F_2{\alpha}$ level was measured to determine the level of oxidative stress. Each value in the COPD patients and normal control was compared with the BMI. Results: 1) Serum 8-iso-prostaglandin $F_2{\alpha}$ in COPD patients was significantly higher ($456.08{\pm}574.12pg/ml$) than that in normal control ($264.74{\pm}143.15pg/ml$) (p<0.05). However, there were no significant differences in the serum IL-6, TNF-$\alpha$, carbonyl protein between the COPD patients and normal controls. 2). In the COPD patients, the $FEV_1$ of the lower BMI group was significantly lower ($0.93{\pm}0.25L$) than that of the normal BMI ($1.34{\pm}0.52L$) and higher BMI groups ($1.72{\pm}0.41L$) (p<0.05). The lower $FEV_1$ was significantly associated with a lower BMI in COPD patients (p=0.002, r=0.42). The BMI of very severe COPD patients was significantly lower ($19.8{\pm}2.57$) than that of the patients with moderate COPD ($22.6{\pm}3.14$) (p<0.05). 3). There were no significant differences in the serum IL-6, TNF-$\alpha$, carbonyl protein and 8-iso-prostaglandin $F_2{\alpha}$ according to the BMI in the COPD patients. Conclusion: The severity of the airway obstruction, not the systemic inflammatory markers and oxidative stress, might be associated with the BMI in stable COPD patients. Further study will be needed to determine the factors associated with the decrease in the BMI of COPD patients.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.194-197
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• 2010

A 14-year-old gelded dressage horse weighing 500 kg was presented to the Equine Medical Center of the Seoul Racecourse of Korea Racing Authority (KRA) due to coughing and mucopurulent nasal discharge. The horse was initiated with empirical antibiotic in the first place. However, the clinical signs did not improve but were rather exacerbated even after 3 weeks of therapy. Extensive diagnostic procedures including transtracheal wash (TTW) fluid cytology were undertaken. The localized wheezes and crackles were auscultated and an increase in the amount of mucopurulent exudate in trachea was observed at endoscopy. Infiltration of neutrophils was observed in the TTW fluid cytology implying chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Therefore, the systemic glucocorticoid therapy was to be given for 3 weeks with improved ventilation provided at the same time. The respiratory symptoms started to improve in 7 days of therapy and were fully resolved by when the therapy was terminated. The horse is clinically normal now and being monitored for development of any signs of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

• Journal of Convergence for Information Technology
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• v.11 no.11
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• pp.248-255
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• 2021

This study confirmed the effects of improving lung damage of celecoxib using an animal model of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease(COPD). It was induced in models LPS + CSE and performed in vitro and in vivo. MTT assay and real-time PCR were performed in MRC5 cells as in vitro, and mRNA expression, BALF, collagen content, and protein expression were confirmed as in vivo. Celecoxib reduced the number of inflammatory cells, cytokine and soluble protein accumulation in BALF, decreased body weight and lung weight in animal models, and improved lung collagen deposition. In addition, the reduction of EMT markers was confirmed through Western blotting and real-time PCR. Consequently, celecoxib is thought to improve lung damage of COPD induced to LPS+CSE by regulating EMT.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.54 no.4
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• pp.386-394
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• 2003

Background : ATS(American Thoracic Society) defined new guidelines for COPD(chronic obstructive lung disease) in April 2001, following the results of the global initiative for chronic obstructive lung disease. The most important concept of COPD is an airflow limitation which is not fully reversible compared to bronchial asthma(BA). The criteria for COPD are postbronchodilator $FEV_1$ less than 80% of the predicted value and an $FEV_1$ per FVC ratio less than 70%. The global initiative for asthma(GINA) study defined asthma, which included immune-mediated chronic airway inflammatory airway disease, and found that airflow limitation was wide spread, variable and often completely reversible. Taken together COPD and BA may be combined in airflow limitation. This study was designed to evaluate the prevalence of BA in patients with COPD of moderate to severe airflow limitation. Methods : COPD was diagnosed by symptoms and spirometry according to ATS guidelines. Enrolled subjects were examined for peak flow meters(PFM), sputum eosinophils and eosinophil cationic protein(ECP) levels, serum total IgE with allergy skin prick test, and methacholine bronchial provocation test(MBPT). Results : About 27% of COPD patients with moderate to severe airflow limitation were combined with BA. There was significantly decreased response to PFM in severe COPD. However, there was no significant relationship between BA and COPD according to the degree of severity. The BA combined with COPD group showed significantly high eosinophil counts and ECP level in induced sputum. However, neutrophil counts in induced sputum showed significant elevation in the pure COPD group. Conclusion : Twenty-seven percent of COPD patients with moderate to severe ventilation disorder were combined with BA, but there were no significant differences according to the degree of severity.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.49 no.3
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• pp.214-219
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• 2017

Coal workers' pneumoconiosis (CWP) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are characterized as chronic inflammation of the lung in miners exposed to coal mine dust. The aim of the present study was to compare the levels of serum lactate dehydrogenase (LD) and C-reactive protein (CRP) as the inflammatory indices between subjects with CWP and those with CWP and COPD (CWP+COPD), among a total of 97 subjects (27 control, 40 CWP, and 30 CWP+COPD patients). The mean levels of serum LD (165.7 vs 184.6 U/L, p=0.016) and CRP (0.08 vs 0.15 mg/dL, p=0.002) in subjects with CWP were higher than those of in subjects without CWP. The mean level of serum CRP (0.10 vs 0.19 mg/dL, p=0.008) in subjects with COPD was higher than that in subjects without COPD. In an analysis of covariance adjusted by age, the mean level of serum CRP showed statistical significance among the study groups, control, CWP, and CWP+COPD (0.07 vs 0.13 vs 0.19 mg/dL, p=0.005); the mean level of serum CRP in the CWP+COPD group was significantly higher than that of the control group (p=0.001). The results suggest that a high level of CRP in the serum may be associated with CWP and COPD in retired coal miners.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.41 no.5
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• pp.475-483
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• 1994

Background: N-acetylcysteine(ACE) is used both orally and intravenously in a variety of experimental pathologies resembling human disease states which exhibit endothelial toxicity as a result of oxidative stress, including acute pulmonary oxygen toxicity, septicemia and endotoxin shock. Despite these observations in vivo, it is not certain how this thiol drug produces its protective effects. ACE is a cysteine derivative which is able to direct1y react with oxygen radicals and may also act as a cysteine and glutathione(GSH) precursor following deacetylation. In this paper, we tried to know whether the therapeutic doses of ACE can modify the inflammatory function of the neutrophils and can increase the glutathione level of plasma in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease(COPD) patients. In addition, the effect of ACE to the purified neutrophil in terms of superoxide release and glutathione synthesis were observed. Method: Firstly, we gave 600mg of ACE for seven days and compare the release of superoxide, luminol-enhanced chemiluminescence from the neutrophils, neutrophil chemotaxis, and plasma GSH levels before and after ACE treatment in COPD patients. Secondly, we observed the dose dependent effect of ACE to the purified neutrophil's superoxide release and GSH levels in vitro. Results: 1) Usual oral therapeutic doses(600mg per day) of ACE for seven days did affect neither on the neutrophil's superoxide release, chemiluminescence, chemotaxis, nor on the plasma GSH concentration in the COPD patients. 2) ACE decreases the purified neutrophil's superoxide release and increase the GSH production in dose dependent fashion in vitro. Conclusion: Despite the fact that oral ACE treatment did not affect on the neutrophil's inflammatory function and plasma GSH concentration in COPD patients in usual therapeutic doses, it decreases the superoxide release and increases the GSH production from the isolated neutrophils in high molar concentrations. These findings suggest that to obtain an antioxidative effects of ACE, it might be needed to increase the daily dosage of ACE or therapeutic duration or change the route of adminisration in COPD patients.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.60 no.6
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• pp.638-644
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• 2006

Backgrounds: This study investigated whether or not a polymorphism in the gene encoding the surfactant protein A(SP-A) has any bearing on the individual susceptibility to the development of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease(COPD) in a genetically homogenous Korean population. Methods: The genotypes of 19 COPD patients and 20 healthy neonates as controls were tested using a polymerase chain reaction followed by restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis for the SP-A gene. Results: The specific frequencies of the 6A2 and 6A18 alleles of SP-A1 and the 1A2 allele of SP-A2 were much higher in the COPD group than control group (p<0.05). However, the frequencies of the 6A3 and 6A4 alleles of SP-A1 and the 1A0 allele of SP-A2 in the COPD group were significantly lower than the control group. In the COPD group, the frequencies of the +50 locus genotypes GG of SP-A1 and the +9 locus genotypes CC of SP-A2 were 85.0% and 60.6%, respectively, and 19.7% and 24.8% in the control group, respectively. The frequencies of the polymorphic genotypes or alleles showed a statistically significant difference between the COPD group and the control group (P<0.05). Conclusion: A genetic polymorphism in SP-A is associated with the development of COPD in the Korean population.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.39 no.6 s.263
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• pp.462-469
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• 2006

Background: Pneumonectomy for inflammatory lung disease has been of major concern because of its associated morbidity and mortality, particularly with respect to pleuropneumonectomy. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the surgical outcomes, and identify the risk factors contributing to postoperative complications in patients undergoing pleuropneumonectomy. Material and Method: Ninety-eight patients underwent pneumonectomy for benign inflammatory lung disease were retrospectively analyzed. Pleuropneumonectomy (Group A) was done in 48 patients and standard pneumonectomy (Group B) was done in 50 patients. Clinical characteristics, postoperative complications were examined and compared between 2 groups. In pleuropneumonectomy group, postoperative risk factors affecting morbidity were evaluated. Result: There was one in-hospital death. Twenty-three major postoperative complications occurred in 21 patients (21.4%). The common complications were empyema and bronchopieural fistula (BPF) in 8 (8.4%), re-exploration due to bleeding in 8. At least one postoperative complication occurred in 14 of 48 patients from Group A (29.2%) and in 7 of 50 patients from Group B (14%). In Group A, empyema and BPF encountered in 6 and re-exploration for bleeding in 6 were the most common complication. In univariate analysis, right pneumonectomy, completion pneumonectomy, large amount of blood loss (>1,000 mL), and intrapleural spillage were risk factors contributing to postoperative complications in Group A. In multivariate analysis, intrapleural contamination during operation was a risk factor of postoperative complication. Conclusion: The morbidity and mortality rates of pneumonectomy for chronic inflammatory lung disease are acceptably. However, we confirm that pleuropneumonectomy is a real technical challenge and a high-risk procedure and technically demanding. Meticulous surgical techniques are very important in preventing serious and potentially lethal complications.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.404-413
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• 2019

Objectives: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease(COPD) is an important cause of mortality in workers exposed to hazardous dust, such as crystalline silica or coal, and COPD is related to inflammation and oxidative stress in the lung. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association of oxidative stress and inflammation to COPD in retired workers exposed to mineral dust. Methods: The levels of malondialdehyde(MDA) in EBC as biomarkers for oxidative stress and C-reactive protein(CRP) and lactate dehydrogenase(LD) as biomarkers for inflammation were measured in 107 male subjects(63 pneumoconiosis and 42 COPD subjects). Results: Mean levels of EBC MDA(2.03 nmol/L vs. 4.65 nmol/L, p=0.010) and serum LD(170.3 U/L vs. 185.9 U/L, p=0.022) were significantly higher in subjects with COPD, but mean levels of serum CRP(p=0.469) did not show a statistical difference between the study groups. Level of EBC MDA was negatively correlated with ${%}FEV_1$ predicted(r=-0.279, p=0.004) and ${%}FEV_1/FVC$ ratio(r=-0.397, p<0.001). Conclusions: These results suggest that EBC is a useful biological matrix for investigation of respiratory oxidative stress. High levels of EBC MDA and serum LD are related to COPD in retired workers exposed to mineral dust.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.46 no.5
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• pp.685-696
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• 1999

Background : Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a diffuse inflammatory and fibrosing process that occurs within the interstitium and alveolus of the lung with invariably poor prognosis. The major problem in management of IPF results from the variable rate of disease progression and the difficulties in predicting the response to therapy. The purpose of this retrospective study was to evaluate the short-term efficacy of steroid and immunosuppressive therapy for IPF and to identify the pre-treatment determinants of favorable response. Method : Twenty patients of IPF were included. Diagnosis of IPF was proven by thoracoscopic lung biopsy and they were presumed to have active progressive disease. The baseline evaluation in these patients included clinical history, pulmonary function test, bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL), and chest high resolution computed tomography (HRCT). Fourteen patients received oral prednisolone treatment with initial dose of 1mg/kg/day for 8 to 12 weeks and then tapering to low-dose prednisolone (0.25mg/kg/day). Six patients who previously had experienced significant side effects to steroid received 2mg/kg/day of oral cyclophosphamide with or without low-dose prednisolone. Follow-up evaluation was performed after 6 months of therapy. If patients met more than one of followings, they were considered to be responders : (1) improvement of more than one grade in dyspnea index, (2) improvement in FVC or TLC more than 10% or improvement in DLco more than 20% (3) decreased extent of disease in chest HRCT findings. Result : One patient died of extrapulmonary cause after 3 month of therapy, and another patient gave up any further medical therapy due to side effect of steroid. Eventually medical records of 18 patients were analyzed. Nine of 18 patients were classified into responders and the other nine patients into nonresponders. The histopathologic diagnosis of the responders were all nonspecific interstitial pneumonia (NSIP) and that of nonresponders were all usual interstitial pneumonia (UIP) (p<0.001). The other significant differences between the two groups were female predominance (p<0.01), smoking history (p<0.001), severe grade of dyspnea (p<0.05), lymphocytosis in BAL fluid ($23.8{\pm}16.3%$ vs $7.8{\pm}3.6%$, p<0.05), and less honeycombing in chest HRCT findings (0% vs $9.2{\pm}2.3%$, p<0.001). Conclusion : Our results suggest that patients with histopathologic diagnosis of NSIP or lymphocytosis in BAL fluid are more likely to respond to steroid or immunosuppressive therapy. Clinical results in large numbers of IPF patients will be required to identify the independent variables.