• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.46 no.6
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• pp.846-855
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• 1999

Background : Secondary pulmonary hypertension is an important final endpoint in patients with chronic hypoxic lung disease, accompanied by deterioration of pulmonary hemodynamics. The clinical diagnosis of pulmonary hypertension and/or cor pulmonale could be difficult, and simple noninvasive evaluation of pulmonary artery pressures has been an relevant clinical challenge for many years. Doppler echocardiography might to be a more reliable method for evaluating pulmonary hemodynamics in such patients in terms of the accuracy, reproducibility and easiness for obtaining an appropriate echocardiographic window than M-mode echocardiography. The aim of this study was to assess echocardiographic parameters associated with pulmonary arterial hypertension, defined by increasing right ventricular systolic pressure(RVSP), calculated from trans-tricuspid gradient in patients with chronic hypoxic lungs. Method : We examined 19 patients with chronic hypoxic lung disease, suspected pulmonary hypertension under the clinical guidelines by two dimensional echocardiography via the left parasternal and subcostal approach in a supine position. Doppler echocardiography measured RVSP from tricuspid regurgitant velocity in continuous wave with 2.5MHz transducer and acceleration time(AT) on right ventricular outflow tract in pulsed wave for the estimation of pulmonary arterial pressure. Results : On echocardiography, moderate to severe degree of pulmonary arterial hypertension was defined as RVSP more than 40mmHg, presenting tricuspid regurgitation. Increased right ventricular endsystolic diameter and shortened AT were noted in the increased RVSP group. Increased RVSP was correlated negatively with the shortening of AT. Other clinical data, including pulmonary functional parameters, arterial blood gas analysis and M mode echocardiographic parameters were not changed significantly with the increased RVSP. Conclusion : These findings suggest that shortened AT on pulsed doppler can be useful when quantifying pulmonary arterial pressure with increased RVSP in patients with chronic lung disease with hypoxemia. Doppler echocardiography in pulmonary hypertension of chronic hypoxic lungs is an useful option, based on noninvasiveness under routine clinical practice.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.46 no.3
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• pp.317-326
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• 1999

Background: Neural control of airway function is through parasympathetic, sympathetic and non-adrenergic, non-cholinergic mechanisms. The autonomic nervous system controls the airway smooth muscle tone, mucociliary system, permeability and blood flow in the bronchial circulation and release of mediators from the mast cells and other inflammatory cells. The cardiovascular and respiratory autonomic efferent fibers have a common central origin, so altered cardiovascular autonomic reflexes could reflect the altered respiratory autonomic status. Therefore, we performed this study to assess the autonomic abnormality and determine the correlating factors of severity of autonomic neuropathy in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease(COPD) using easily reproducible cardiovascular autonomic reflex function test. Method: The study included 20 patients with COPD and 20 healthy persons obtained on Health Promotion Center in Yeungnam university hospital. All the patients had history and clinical features of COPD as defined by the American Thoracic Society. Any patients with myocardial ischemia, cardiac arrythmia, hypertension, central or peripheral nervous system disease, diabetes mellitus, or any other diseases known to produce autonomic neuropathy, has excluded. The autonomic nervous system function tests included three tests evaluating the parasympathetic system and two tests evaluating the sympathetic system. And also all subjects were subjected to pulmonary function test and arterial blood gas analysis. Results: Autonomic dysfunction was more commonly associated with patients with COPD than healthy person The parasympathetic dysfunction was frequent in patient with COPD, but sympathetic dysfunction seemed preserved. The severity of parasympathetic dysfunction in patients with COPD was correlated with the degree of duration of disease, smoking, reductions in the value of $FEV_1$ and FVC, and arterial hypoxemia but no such correlation existed for age, type of COPD, $FEV_1$/FVC, or $PaCO_s$. Conclusion: There is high frequency of parasympathetic dysfunction associated with COPD and the parasympathetic abnormality in COPD is increased in proportion to severity of airway disease. In COPD, parasympathetic dysfunction probably does not the cause of disease, but it may be an effect of disease progression.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.35 no.6
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• pp.420-429
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• 2002

Moderate hypothermic cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) has commonly been used in cardiac surgery. Several cardiac centers recently practice normothermic CPB in cardiac surgery, However, the clinical effect and safety of normothermic CPB on cerebral metabolism are not established and not fully understood. This study was prospectively designed to evaluate the clinical influence of normothermic CPB on brain metabolism and to compare it with that of moderate hypothermic CPB. Material and Method: Thirty-six adult patients scheduled for elective cardiac surgery were randomized to receive normothermic (nasopharyngeal temperature ＞34.5 $^{\circ}C$, n=18) or hypothermic (nasopharyngeal temperature 29~3$0^{\circ}C$, n=18) CPB with nonpulsatile pump. Middle cerebral artery blood flow velocity (VMCA), cerebral arteriovenous oxygen content difference (CAVO$_{2}$), cerebral oxygen extraction (COE), modified cerebral metabolic rate for oxygen (MCMRO$_{2}$), cerebral oxygen transport (TEO$_{2}$), cerebral venous desaturation (oxygen saturation in internal jugular bulb blood$\leq$50 %), and arterial and internal jugular bulb blood gas analysis were measured during six phases of the operation： Pre-CPB (control), CPB-10 min, Rewarm-1 (nasopharyngeal temperature 34 $^{\circ}C$ in the hypothermic group), Rewarm-2 (nasopharyngeal temperature 37 $^{\circ}C$ in the both groups), CPB-off and Post-CPB (skin closure after CPB-off). Postoperaitve neuropsychologic complications were observed in all patients. All variables were compared between the two groups. Result： VMCA at Rewarm-2 was higher in the hypothermic group (153.11$\pm$8.98%) than in the normothermic group (131.18$\pm$6.94%) (p＜0.05). CAVO$_{2}$ (3.47$\pm$0.21 vs 4.28$\pm$0.29 mL/dL, p＜0.05), COE (0.30$\pm$0.02 vs 0.39$\pm$0.02, p＜0.05) and MCMRO$_{2}$ (4.71 $\pm$0.42 vs 5.36$\pm$0.45, p<0.05) at CPB-10 min were lower in the hypothermic group than in the normothermic group. The hypothermic group had higher TEO$_{2}$ than the normothermic group at CPB-10 (1,527.60$\pm$25.84 vs 1,368.74$\pm$20.03, p＜0.05), Rewarm-2 (1,757.50$\pm$32.30 vs 1,478.60$\pm$27.41, p＜0.05) and Post-CPB (1,734.37$\pm$41.45 vs 1,597.68$\pm$27.50, p＜0.05). Internal jugular bulb oxygen tension (40.96$\pm$1.16 vs 34.79$\pm$2.18 mmHg, p＜0.05), saturation (72.63$\pm$2.68 vs 64.76$\pm$2.49 %, p＜0.05) and content (8.08$\pm$0.34 vs 6.78$\pm$0.43 mL/dL, p<0.05) at CPB-10 were higher in the hypothermic group than in the normothermic group. The hypothermic group had less incidence of postoperative neurologic complication (delirium) than the normothermic group (2 vs 4 patients, p＜0.05). Lasting periods of postoperative delirium were shorter in the hypothermic group than in the normothermic group (60 vs 160 hrs, p<0.01). Conclusion: These results indicate that normothermic CPB should not be routinely applied in all cardiac surgery, especially advanced age or the clinical situations that require prolonged operative time. Moderate hypothermic CPB may have beneficial influences relatively on brain metabolism and postoperative neuropsychologic outcomes when compared with normothermic CPB.

• Neonatal Medicine
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.320-327
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• 2011

Purpose: To determine the effect of changing practice guidelines designed to avoid hyperoxia or hypoxia in very low birth weight or very preterm infants. Methods: We analyzed a database of <1,500 g birth weight or <32 weeks of gestation infants who were born and admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit of Chungnam National University Hospital from January 2007 to July 2010. First, we defined the relationship between arterial partial pressure of oxygen ($PaO_2$) and pulse oxygen saturation ($SpO_2$). When we evaluated 96 pairs of $PaO_2$ and $SpO_2$ measurements, oxygen saturation was 90-94% at a $PaO_2$ of 43-79 mmHg on the oxyhemoglobin dissociation curve, according to pulse oximetry. Based on this observation, a change in practice was instituted in August 2008 with the objective of avoiding hypoxia and hyperoxia in preterm infants with targeting a $SpO_2$ 90-94% (period II). Before the change in practice, high alarms for $SpO_2$ were set at 100% and low alarms at 95% (period I). Results: Sixty-eight infants the met enrollment criteria and 38 (56%) were born during period II, after the change in $SpO_2$ targets. Demographic characteristics, except gender, were similar between the infants born in both periods. After correcting for the effect of confounding factors, the rates for mortality, severe retinopathy of prematurity, and IVH attended to be lower than those for infants in period II. No difference in the rate of patent ductus arteriosus needed to treat was observed. Conclusion: A change in the practice guidelines aimed at avoiding low oxygen saturation and hyperoxia did not increase neonatal complication rates and showed promising results, suggesting decreased mortality and improvements in short term morbidity. It is still unclear what range of oxygen saturation is appropriate for very preterm infants but the more careful saturation targeting guideline should be considered to prevent hypoxemic events and hyperoxia.

• Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.42 no.6
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• pp.618-628
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• 1998

Pure CaO, Mn-doped CaO, Mn/CaO, and K/CaO catalysts were prepared and tested as catalysts for the oxidative coupling of methane in the temperature range of 600 to 800$^{\circ}C$ to investigate the effects of Mn- and K-addition on the catalytic activity of calcium oxide. To characterize the catalysts, X-ray powder diffraction(XRD), XPS, SEM, DSC, and TG analyses were performed. The catalytic reaction was carried out in a single-pass flow reactor using on-line gas chromatography system. Normalized reaction conditions were generally $p(CH_4)/p(O_2)=250$ Torr/50 Torr, total feed flow rate=30 mL/min, and 1 atm of total pressure with He being used as diluent gas. Among the catalysts tested, 6.3 mol% Mn-doped CaO catalyst showed the best $C_2$ yield of 8.0% with a selectivity of 43.2% at 775$^{\circ}C$. The $C_2$ selectivity increased on lightly doped CaO catalysts, while decreased on heavily doped CaO([Mn] > 6.3 mol%) catalysts. 6 wt.% Mn/CaO and 6 wt.% K/CaO catalysts showed the $C_2$ selectivities of 13.2% and 30.9%, respectively, for the reaction. Electrical conductivities of CaO and Mn-doped CaO were measured in the temperature range of 500 to 1000$^{\circ}C$ at Po2's of $10^{-3}\; to\;10^{-1}\;atm.$ The electrical conductivity was decreased with Mn-doping and increased with increasing $P0_2$in the range of $10^{-3}\;to\;10^{-1}\;atm,$ indicating the specimens to be p-type semiconductors. It was suggested that the interstitial oxygen ions formed near the surface can activate methane and the formation of interstitial oxygen ions was discussed on the basis of solid-state chemistry.

• Journal of the korean academy of Pediatric Dentistry
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.441-446
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• 2001

Flumazenil is a competitive antagonist of benzodiazepines. It is usually administered intravenously. However, if the intravenous route is not available then other routes of drug administration should be considered. This study was designed to evaluate the reversal effects of flumazenil after nasal administration. Twenty-five young, healthy adult volunteers participated in this clinical trial. The dosage of 0.08mg/kg midazolam was administered intravenously to induce deep sedation. Ten minutes after midazolam administration, 0.5mg of flumazenil was dropped nasally, over a period of one minute. Blood samples were taken to measure the concentration of midazolam and flumazenil at 0, 5, 10, and 20min after nasal administration of flumazenil, using High Performance Liquid Chromatography. The degree of sedation was evaluated with sedation score and bispectral index (BIS), Statistical analysis was performed by multivariate ANOVA and correlation analysis (P<0.05). Peak serum flumazenil concentration was reached in 10min. Sedation score decreased after midazolam administration and showed a significant increase after flumazenil administration. However, BIS decreased during the first 10min after midazolam administration and then no significant changes after flumazenil administration. There were two instances representing rapid and complete reversal of midazolam after intranasal administration of flumazenil. In conclusion, intranasal flumazenil administration may be effective in some patients when intravenous route is not available in condition of benzodiazepine overdose.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.45 no.6
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• pp.1223-1235
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• 1998

Background and Objective : Although prone positioning has been reported to improve gas exchange, prone positioning alone does not seem to be sufficient to increase systemic oxygen transport in an acute lung injury. The objective of this study was to investigate whether the combined therapy of low dose nitric oxide (NO) inhalation and prone positioning has an additive effect on the oxygenation and hemodynamics in patients with severe ARDS. Patients and Methods : Twelve patients with ARDS were included. Prone positioning alone, later combined with nitric oxide inhalation (5~10 ppm) from the supine position (baseline) were performed with serial measurement of gas exchange, respiratory mechanics and hemodynamic at sequential time points. The patient was regarded as a responder to prone positioning if an increase in $PaO_2/FiO_2$ of more than 20 mm Hg at 30 min or 120 min intervals after prone positioning was observed compared to that of the baseline. The same criterion was applied during nitric oxide inhalation. Results : Eight patients (66.5%) responded to prone positioning and ten patients (83.3%) including the eight just mentioned responded to the addition of NO inhalation. The $AaDO_2$ level also decreased promptly with the combination of prone positioning and NO inhalation compared to that of prone positioning alone ($191{\pm}109$ mm Hg vs. $256{\pm}137$ mm Hg, P<0.05). Hemodynamic parameters and lung compliance did not change significantly during prone positioning only. Following the addition of NO inhalation to prone positioning, the mean pulmonary artery pressure and pulmonary artery occlusion pressure decreased and cardiac output, stroke volume and oxygen delivery increased (P < 0.05) compared to those of prone 120 min. Conclusion : These findings indicate that NO inhalation would provide additional improvement in oxygenation and oxygen transport to mechanically ventilated patients with ARDS who are in a prone position.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.43 no.2
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• pp.221-227
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• 1996

Background : Measurement of pleural fluid constituents are of value in the diagnosis of pleural effusions and in the seperation of exudates from transudates. The position of the patient(sitting or lying) prior to thoracentesis may result in difference in the measurement of these constituents. The purpose of this study is to determine whether postural differences in pleural fluid constituents exist, and if so, whether they are of any clinical significance. Method : 41 patients with pleural effusions on chest roentgenography were prospectively studied. The fluid cell counts, partial gas tension, and concentrations of chemical constituents were compared in the supine and upright positions. Results : 1) A total of 10 patients were found to have an transudative effusion. In the transudates there was no significant difference in pleural fluid constituents according to posture change. 2) A total of 31 patients were found to have an exudative effusion. Statistically significant postural changes were noted in pH, WBC counts, protein, and LDH concentrations in the exudates. It may be due to postural sedimentary effect in the pleural space. 3) The PCO2 measurements and glucose concentration were not affected by changes in position in exudates or transudates. Conclusion : Postural sedimentary effect occurs in the pleural space with reference to the measurement of certain pleural fluid constituents when an inflammatory process is present. Therefore it is recommended that thoracentesis after 30 minutes in the sitting position should be performed.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.201-209
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• 2004

Extracorporeal life support (ECLS) system is a device for respiratory and/or heart failure treatment, and there have been many trials for development and clinical application in the world. Currently, a non-pulsatile blood pump is a standard for ECLS system. Although a pulsatile blood pump is advantageous in physiologic aspects, high pressure generated in the circuits and resultant blood cell trauma remain major concerns which make one reluctant to use a pulsatile blood pump in artificial lung circuits containing a membrane oxygenator. The study was designed to evaluate the hypothesis that placement of a pressure-relieving compliance chamber between a pulsatile pump and a membrane oxygenator might reduce the above mentioned side effects while providing physiologic pulsatile blood flow. The study was performed in a canine model of oleic acid induced acute lung injury (N=16). The animals were divided into three groups according to the type of pump used and the presence of the compliance chamber, In group 1, a non-pulsatile centrifugal pump was used as a control (n=6). In group 2 (n=4), a single-pulsatile pump was used. In group 3 (n=6), a single-pulsatile pump equipped with a compliance chamber was used. The experimental model was a partial bypass between the right atrium and the aorta at a pump flow of 1.8∼2 L/min for 2 hours. The observed parameters were focused on hemodynamic changes, intra-circuit pressure, laboratory studies for blood profile, and the effect on blood cell trauma. In hemodynamics, the pulsatile group II & III generated higher arterial pulse pressure (47$\pm$ 10 and 41 $\pm$ 9 mmHg) than the nonpulsatile group 1 (17 $\pm$ 7 mmHg, p<0.001). The intra-circuit pressure at membrane oxygenator were 222 $\pm$ 8 mmHg in group 1, 739 $\pm$ 35 mmHg in group 2, and 470 $\pm$ 17 mmHg in group 3 (p<0.001). At 2 hour bypass, arterial oxygen partial pressures were significantly higher in the pulsatile group 2 & 3 than in the non-pulsatile group 1 (77 $\pm$ 41 mmHg in group 1, 96 $\pm$ 48 mmHg in group 2, and 97 $\pm$ 25 mmHg in group 3: p<0.05). The levels of plasma free hemoglobin which was an indicator of blood cell trauma were lowest in group 1, highest in group 2, and significantly decreased in group 3 (55.7 $\pm$ 43.3, 162.8 $\pm$ 113.6, 82.5 $\pm$ 25.1 mg%, respectively; p<0.05). Other laboratory findings for blood profile were not different. The above results imply that the pulsatile blood pump is beneficial in oxygenation while deleterious in the aspects to high pressure generation in the circuits and blood cell trauma. However, when a pressure-relieving compliance chamber is applied between the pulsatile pump and a membrane oxygenator, it can significantly reduce the high circuit pressure and result in low blood cell trauma.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.66 no.3
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• pp.192-197
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• 2009

Background: Despite the benefits of home oxygen therapy in patients suffering chronic respiratory failure, previous reports in Korea revealed lower compliance to oxygen therapy and a shorter time for oxygen use than expected. However, these papers were published before oxygen therapy was covered by the national insurance system. Therefore, this study examined whether there were some changes in compliance, using time and other clinical features of home oxygen therapy after insurance coverage. Methods: This study reviewed the medical records of patients prescribed home oxygen therapy in our hospital from November 1, 2006 to September 31, 2008. The patients were interviewed either in person or by telephone to obtain information related to oxygen therapy. Results: During study period, a total 105 patients started home oxygen therapy. The mean age was 69 and 60 (57%) were male. The mean oxygen partial pressure in the arterial blood was 54.5 mmHg and oxygen saturation was 86.3%. Primary diseases that caused hypoxemia were COPD (n=64), lung cancer (n=14), Tb destroyed lung (n=12) and others. After oxygen therapy, more than 50% of patients experienced relief of their subjective dyspnea. The mean daily use of oxygen was 9.8${\pm}$7.3 hours and oxygen was not used during activity outside of their home (mean time, 5.4${\pm}$3.7 hours). Twenty four patients (36%) stopped using oxygen voluntarily 7${\pm}$4.7 months after being prescribed oxygen and showed a less severe pulmonary and right heart function. The causes of stopping were subjective symptom relief (n=11), inconvenience (n=6) and others (7). Conclusion: The prescription of home oxygen has increased since national insurance started to cover home oxygen therapy. However, the mean time for using oxygen is still shorter than expected. During activity of outside their home, patients could not use oxygen due to the absence of portable oxygen. Overall, continuous education to change the misunderstandings about oxygen therapy, more economic support from national insurance and coverage for portable oxygen are needed to extend the oxygen use time and maintain oxygen usage.