• Sleep Medicine and Psychophysiology
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.30-34
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• 2015

Obesity hypoventilation syndrome (OHS) is characterized by severe obesity, excessive daytime sleepiness, hypoxemia and hypercapnea. Because OHS mimics pulmonary hypertension or cor pulmonale, clinicians should recognize and treat this syndrome appropriately. A 58-year-old female visited the emergency room because of dyspnea. She was obese and had kyphoscoliosis. The patient also experienced snoring, recurrent choking during sleep and daytime hypersomnolence which worsened after gaining weight in the recent year. The arterial blood gas analysis showed she experienced hypoxemia and hypercapnea not only during nighttime but also daytime. We suspected OHS and the patient underwent polysomnography to confirm whether obstructive sleep apnea was present. During the polysomnography test, sleep obstructive apnea was observed and apnea-hypopnea index was 9.2/hr. The patient was treated with bilevel positive airway pressure therapy (BiPAP). After BiPAP for 4 days, hypoxemia and hypercapnia were resolved and she is currently well without BiPAP. We report a case successfully treated with clinical improvement by presuming OHS early in a patient who had typical OHS symptoms, even while having other conditions which could cause hypoventilation.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.48 no.9
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• pp.969-975
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• 2005

Purpose : We performed a study of clinical findings of Mycoplasma Pneumonia in children, to know differences between recent clinical manifestations of Mycoplasma pneumonia and previous studies. Methods : The subjects of this study were 393 children who were diagnosed as Mycoplasma pneumonia with high titers of Mycoplasma antibody(${\geq}1$ : 160) or fourfold rises of Mycoplasma antibody at Chung Ang University Hospital from January 1998 to December 2003. We practiced a retrospective study on the clinical manifestations of Mycoplasma pneumonia based on their medical records. Results : Male to female ratio was 1.06 to 1 and mean age was $4.32{\pm}2.94years$. The highest incidence was in the age of 2 to 3 years(18.6 percent). Most frequent months were October, and November in 2000, April in 2002, and October and, December in 2003. Twenty six point seven percent showed allergic diseases. Second degree relatives of 10.7 percent patients had allergic diseases. Forty three point three percent were admitted before this admission for pneumonia. Allergic tests were positive in 65.7 percent. Cough, and sputum were the most common symptoms and abdominal pain, and vomiting were the most frequent extrapulmonary symptoms. Atelectasis and pleural effusion were seen in 2.5 percent and 1.8 percent. Infiltrations were more common on the right side. Titers of each simultaneous test for cold agglutinin and mycoplasma antibody were not in proportion to each other (P=0.163). Conclusion : The onset age of mycoplasma pneumonia was found to be lower than it used to be. More patients had a past medical history or a family history of allergic disease, and more wheezing was heard and associated with recurrent pneumonia.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.53 no.3
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• pp.392-396
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• 2010

Purpose : The association between iron deficiency anemia and febrile convulsion in infants has been examined in several studies with conflicting results. Therefore, the authors aimed to evaluate the precise relationship involved. Methods : In this case-control study, the authors assessed 100 children with a diagnosis of febrile convulsion, aged between 9 months and 2 years, during January 2007 to July 2009. The control group consisted of 100 febrile children without convulsion; controls were closely matched to the cases by age, gender, and underlying disease. Results : The mean ages of the febrile convulsion and control group were $16.3{\pm}7.4$ and $15.8{\pm}6.1$ months, respectively, and the two groups had no differences in clinical features. Iron deficiency anemia (Hb <10.5 gm/dL) was more frequent in the febrile convulsion group than in the control group, although there was no statistical significance. Unexpectably, the RDW (red blood cell distribution width) was significantly lower and the MCNC (mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration) was significantly higher among seizure cases than among the controls (P <0.05). There is no statistical difference between simple and complex febrile groups in the clinical and laboratory profiles. On multiple logistic regression analysis, iron deficiency anemia was more frequent, but the RDW was lower, among the cases with febrile convulsion, compared with the controls. Conclusions : Our study suggests that the iron deficiency anemia is associated with febrile convulsion, and screening for iron deficiency anemia should be considered in children with febrile convulsions.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.42 no.6
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• pp.923-933
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• 1995

Background: Pleural abnormality is the the most common respiratory change caused by asbestos dust inhalation and also develop other asbestos related disease after cessation of asbestos exposure. So we conducted epidemiologic study to investigate if the pleural abnormality is associated with pulmonary function change and what factors are influenced on pulmonary function impairment. Methods: Two hundred and twenty two asbestos workers from 9 industries using asbestos in Korea were selected to measure the concentration of sectional asbestos fiber. Ouestionnaire, chest X-ray, PFT were also performed. All the data were analyzed by student t-test and chi-square test using SAS. Regressional analysis was performed to evaluate important factors, for example smoking, exposure concentration, period and the existence of pleural thickening, affecting to the change of pulmonary function. Results: 1) All nine industries except two, airborn asbestos fiber concentration was less than an average permissible concentration. PFT was performed on 222 workers and the percentage of male was 88.3%, their mean age was $41{\pm}9$ years old, and the duration of asbestos exposure was $10.6{\pm}7.8$ yrs. 2) The chest X-ray showed normal(89.19%), pulmonary Tb(inactive)(2.7%), pleral thickening (7.66%), suspected reticulonodular shadow(0.9%). 3) The mean values of height, smoking status, concentration of asbestos fiberwere not different between the subjects with pleural thickening and others, but age, cumulative pack-years, the duration of asbestos exposure were higher in subjects with pleural thickening. 4) All the PFT indices were lower in the subjects with pleural thickening than in the subjects without pleural thickening. 5) Simple regression analysis showed there was a significant correlation between $FEF_{75}$ which is sensitive in small airway obstruction and cumulative smoking pack-years, the duration of asbestos exposure and the concentration of asbestos fiber. 6) Multiple regression analysis showed all the pulmonary function indices were decreased as the increase of cumulative smoking pack-years and especially in the indices those are sensitive in small airway obstruction. Pleural thickening was associated with reduction in FVC, $FEV_1$, PEFR and $FEF_{25}$. Conclusion: The more concentration of asbestos fiber and the more duration of asbestos exposure, the greater reduction in $FEF_{50}$, $FEF_{75}$. Therefore PFT was important in the evaluation of early detection for small airway obstruction. Furthermore pleural thickening without asbesto-related parenchymal lung disease is associated with reduction in pulmonary function.