• Asian Journal of Atmospheric Environment
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• v.4 no.3
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• pp.157-165
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• 2010

The purpose of this study is to investigate allergic diseases related to allergy caused by the exposure to indoor and outdoor sources of air pollution in primary schools. The symptoms questionnaire of allergic diseases based on the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC) was completed by the participants. The past and present status of asthma, allergic rhinitis, eczema, and allergic conjunctivitis were investigated by providing a questionnaire to all the participating children. Questionnaires were sent to a total of 61,350 children from 438 primary schools. A total of 40,522 children responded to the questionnaire, which represents a 66.1% return rate. Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), $\underline{A}$ldehydes, and Particulate Matter ($PM_{10}$) were measured and analyzed from October to December of 2006, in 82 primary schools. The final study population comprised 35,168 children with complete data which excluded incomplete questionnaire responded by 5,354 children. Based on the survey, the level of indoor air contamination did not appear to be high, but 27.2% of the schools evaluated had exceeded the $PM_{10}$ level specified by the school health guidelines ($100\;{\mu}g/m^3$). The overall mean concentration of formaldehyde was $22.07\;{\mu}g/m^3$ and 1.0% of schools (1 school) exceeded the $100\;{\mu}g/m^3$. Statistically significant relationships have been observed between indoor air quality and prevalence rate of allergic rhinitis and conjunctivitis of primary schools in Korea.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.426-436
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• 2019

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the association between indoor environmental exposures and behavioral problems in children with allergic diseases. Methods: We used data from 2015 Panel Study of Korean Children (PSKC). The subjects of this study included 825 children aged 7 years with asthma, allergic rhinitis, or atopic dermatitis. The data was analyzed using hierarchical multiple regression. Results: Factors influencing behavioral problems in children with allergic diseases were passive smoking (β=.15, p<.001), painting from 1year after birth until 1 year ago (β=.13, p<.001), using of linoleum as floor materials (β=.09, p<.001), change of wallpaper From 2 years before pregnancy until 1year after birth (β=.08, p<.001), change of wallpaper from 1year after birth until 1 year ago (β=.07, p<.001), keeping hot food or water in plastic container (β=.06, p<.001), remodeling from 1 year after birth until 1year ago (β=.04, p<.001), using of plastic container (β=.03, p<.001), and change of floor materials from 1 year after birth until 1year ago (β=.01, p=.006) which explained about 10% of behavioral problems. Conclusion: This study showed that indoor environmental exposures were associated with behavioral problems in children with allergic diseases. Based on the findings of this study, programs focusing on controlling of indoor environmental exposures may help to prevent and reduce behavioral problems in children with allergic diseases.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.79 no.4
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• pp.295-301
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• 2016

Background: Specific immunoglobulin E (IgE) sensitization to staphylococcal enterotoxin (SE) has been recently considered to be related to allergic disease, including asthma. Despite studies on specific IgE (sIgE) to SE and its relationship to asthma diagnosis and severity, the association of sIgE to SE with airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR) remains unclear. Methods: We enrolled 81 asthma patients admitted to the Severance Hospital in Korea from March 1, 2013, to February 28, 2015 and retrospectively reviewed the electronic medical records of the enrolled subjects. The serum levels of sIgE to SE (A/B) of all subjects was measured using the ImmunoCAP 250 (Phadia) system with SE-sIgE positive defined as >0.10 kU/mL. Results: The SE-sIgE level was not significantly correlated with asthma severity (forced expiratory volume in 1 second [$FEV_1$], $FEV_1$/forced vital capacity, sputum eosinophils, and serum eosinophils), whereas the SE-sIgE level in patients with positive AHR ($mean{\pm}standard$ error of the mean, $0.606{\pm}0.273kU/mL$) was significantly higher than that in patients with negative AHR ($0.062{\pm}0.015kU/mL$, p=0.034). In regression analysis, SE sensitization (sIgE to SE ${\geq}0.010kU/mL$) was a significant risk factor for AHR, after adjustment for age, sex, $FEV_1$, and sputum eosinophils (odds ratio, 7.090; 95% confidence interval, 1.180-42.600; p=0.032). Prevalence of SE sensitization was higher in patients with allergic rhinitis and non-atopic asthma patients, as compared to patients without allergic rhinitis and atopic asthma patients, respectively, but without statistical significance. Conclusion: SE sensitization is significantly associated with AHR.

• The Korean journal of internal medicine
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• v.33 no.6
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• pp.1210-1223
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• 2018

Background/Aims: The co-occurrence of obesity aggravates asthma symptoms. Diet-induced obesity increases helper T cell (TH) 17 cell differentiation in adipose tissue and the spleen. The 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A reductase inhibitor pravastatin can potentially be used to treat asthma in obese patients by inhibiting interleukin 17 (IL-17) expression. This study investigated the combined effects of pravastatin and anti-IL-17 antibody treatment on allergic inflammation in a mouse model of obesity-related asthma. Methods: High-fat diet (HFD)-induced obesity was induced in C57BL/6 mice with or without ovalbumin (OVA) sensitization and challenge. Mice were administered the anti-IL-17 antibody, pravastatin, or both, and pathophysiological and immunological responses were analyzed. Results: HFD exacerbated allergic airway inflammation in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid of HFD-OVA mice as compared to OVA mice. Blockading of the IL-17 in the HFD-OVA mice decreased airway hyper-responsiveness (AHR) and airway inflammation compared to the HFD-OVA mice. Moreover, the administration of the anti-IL-17 antibody decreased the leptin/adiponectin ratio in the HFD-OVA but not the OVA mice. Co-administration of pravastatin and anti-IL-17 inhibited airway inflammation and AHR, decreased goblet cell numbers, and increased adipokine levels in obese asthmatic mice. Conclusions: These results suggest that the IL-17-leptin/adiponectin axis plays a key role in airway inflammation in obesity-related asthma. Our findings suggest a potential new treatment for IL-17 as a target that may benefit obesity-related asthma patients who respond poorly to typical asthma medications.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.50 no.5
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• pp.409-415
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• 2007

Allergy skin prick test and intradermal test represent one of the major tools in the diagnosis of IgE-mediated diseases like as atopic asthma, allergic rhinitis, atopic dermatitis, food and drug allergy, and insect bite when properly performed. Skin tests are of particular importance in fields such as allergen standardization, pharmacology, and epidemiology. Even if skin tests seem easy to perform, adequate and proper interpretation requires well-trained physicians who can recognize the numerous factors that may modify the results of skin tests.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.139-143
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• 2009

The anaphylactic allergic reaction is involved in many allergic diseases such as asthma and allergic rhinitis. In this report, I investigated the effect of ripe fruits of Rubus coreanus Miq. (Rosaceae) (RFRC) on the anaphylactic allergic reaction and studied its possible mechanisms of action. RFRC inhibited compound 48/80-induced systemic anaphylactic reaction in mice. RFRC dose-dependently decreased the IgE-mediated passive cutaneous anaphylaxis. In addition, RFRC decreased the gene expression and production of tumor necrosis factor-$\alpha$ (TNF-$\alpha$) and interleukin (IL)-6 in phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) plus calcium ionophore A23187 (A23187)-stimulated human mast cells. These findings provide evidence that RFRC could be a candidate as an anti-allergic agent.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.20 no.8
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• pp.494-502
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• 2019

Various international reports have shown strong proof that socioeconomic and sociodemographic variables are correlated with allergic diseases, yet little is known about how these variables affect Korean adolescents. This study was conducted to identify the socioeconomic and sociodemographic risk factors for allergic diseases of Korean adolescents, and to provide information for preventing and managing such conditions. Data from the 2018 Korean Youth Risk Behavior Survey (KYRBS) of 60,040 adolescents was used for this study. An anonymously administered online survey was conducted to collect information on the dependent variables. The independent variables were asthma, allergic rhinitis and atopic dermatitis. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to analyze the correlations between the dependent variables and the independent variables. Low economic status, living with mother, high education level of parents, high school record, obesity, drinking and smoking were the risk factors for asthma. Low economic status, the place of residence, living with mother, high education level of the parents, gender, high school record, obesity, drinking and smoking were the risk factors for allergic rhinitis. Low economic status, living with mother, high education level of parents, genderhigh school record, obesity and drinking were the risk factors for atopic dermatitis. We found that low socioeconomic status and unhealthy behavior were the risk factor for allergic diseases of Korean adolescents. Balanced economic growth in the community and controlling unhealthy behavior can help reduce the prevalence of allergic diseases.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.48 no.1
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• pp.96-108
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• 2018

Purpose: This study aimed to construct and test a hypothetical model of the quality of life of school-age children with asthma based on the health-related quality of life model by Wilson and Cleary. Methods: Data were collected from 205 pairs of pediatric outpatients diagnosed with asthma and their parents in Seoul and Gyeonggi-do from July 2016 to April 2017. The exogenous variables were asthma knowledge, number of accompanying allergic diseases, and social support. The endogenous variables were asthma self-efficacy, asthma symptom control, perceived health status, parental quality of life, and children's quality of life. For data analysis, descriptive statistics, factor analysis, and structural equation modeling were performed. Results: Eighteen of the twenty-four hypotheses selected for the hypothetical model were attentive and supported statistically. Quality of life was explained by asthma self-efficacy, asthma symptom control, perceived health, parental quality of life, and asthma knowledge with 83.5%. Conclusion: Strategies for promoting self-efficacy and enforcing asthma knowledge will be helpful for the improvement of health-related quality of life with school-aged asthmatic children.

• Journal of Korean Biological Nursing Science
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.53-61
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• 2008

Purpose: This study was conducted to estimate the prevalence of asthma and its risk factors in childhood asthma. Method: Random samples of 10,236 were selected from 43 kindergarten (1,418) and 57 elementary (8,718) in K city between september and November (2007). 1,079 (kindergarten children) and 7,271 (elementary children) were in the final analysis. The Korean-translated modified version of the questionnaire for the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood was used in this cross-sectional survey. Parents were surveyed to answer for the questionnaire. Result: The lifetime and 12-month prevalence of wheezing were 11.50%; 11.06% in kindergarten children and 19.24%; 4.80% in elementary children. The lifetime prevalence of asthma diagnosis and the 12-month prevalence of asthma treatment were 11.59%; 4.43% in kindergarten children and 4.43%; 10.78% in elementary children. The 12-month prevalence of night cough and exercise-induced wheezing were 12.90%; 3.33% in kindergarten children and 20.72%; 4.74% in elementary children. Risk factors analysis showed that age, paternal and maternal asthma, allergic disease, carpet use, monthly income, indoor environment were associated with a higher risk of asthma. Conclusion: The study suggests that prevalence of asthma has increased among the community children. These data have been used to manage a possible role of risk factors as predictors of childhood asthma.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.376-382
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• 2015

Allergic diseases have rapidly increased in recent years. Mast cells play a critical role in IgE-mediated allergy responses and, therefore, closely associated with rhinitis, asthma, and atopic dermatitis. We studied anti-allergic effect of Penthorum chinense extract (PCE) in vitro and in vivo. PCE inhibited the degranulation of mast cells by antigen stimulation and its effect was dose-dependent and reversible in mast cells. PCE also suppressed the production of inflammatory cytokines such as TNF-${\alpha}$ and IL-4 by antigen in mast cells. Mechanistically, PCE inhibited the activation of Syk/LAT pathway which is a key signaling pathway for the activation of mast cells by antigen. Notably, PCE suppressed IgE-mediated allergic responses by antigen in mice. These results strongly suggest that PCE is a potential candidate for anti-allergic treatment.