• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• v.31 no.8
• /
• pp.1109-1114
• /
• 2021

Chlamydia pneumoniae is a type of pathogenic gram-negative bacteria that causes various respiratory tract infections including asthma. Chlamydia species infect humans and cause respiratory infection by rupturing the lining of the respiratory which includes the throat, lungs and windpipe. Meanwhile, the function of interleukin-4 (IL-4) in Ch. pneumoniae respiratory infection and its association with the development of airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR) in adulthood and causing allergic airway disease (AAD) are not understood properly. We therefore investigated the role of IL-4 in respiratory infection and allergy caused by early life Chlamydia infection. In this study, Ch. pneumonia strain was propagated and cultured in HEp-2 cells according to standard protocol and infant C57BL/6 mice around 3-4 weeks old were infected to study the role of IL-4 in respiratory infection and allergy caused by early life Chlamydia infection. We observed that IL-4 is linked with Chlamydia respiratory infection and its absence lowers respiratory infection. IL-4R α2 is also responsible for controlling the IL-4 signaling pathway and averts the progression of infection and inflammation. Furthermore, the IL-4 signaling pathway also influences infection-induced AHR and aids in increasing AAD severity. STAT6 also promotes respiratory infection caused by Ch. pneumoniae and further enhanced its downstream process. Our study concluded that IL-4 is a potential target for preventing infection-induced AHR and severe asthma.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
• /
• v.85 no.1
• /
• pp.11-17
• /
• 2022

Background: In asthma, consistent control of chronic airway inflammation is crucial, and the use of asthma-controller medication has been emphasized. Our purpose in this study is to compare the incidence of acute exacerbation and healthcare costs related to the use of asthma-controller medication. Methods: By using data collected by the National Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service, we compared one-year clinical outcomes and medical costs from July 2014 to June 2015 (follow-up period) between two groups of patients with asthma who received different prescriptions for recommended asthma-controller medication (inhaled corticosteroids or leukotriene receptor antagonists) at least once from July 2013 to June 2014 (assessment period). Results: There were 51,757 patients who satisfied our inclusion criteria. Among them, 13,702 patients (26.5%) were prescribed a recommended asthma-controller medication during the assessment period. In patients using a recommended asthma-controller medication, the frequency of acute exacerbations decreased in the follow-up period, from 2.7% to 1.1%. The total medical costs of the controller group decreased during the follow-up period compared to the assessment period, from $3,772,692 to $1,985,475. Only 50.9% of patients in the controller group used healthcare services in the follow-up period, and the use of asthma-controller medication decreased in the follow-up period. Conclusion: Overall, patients using a recommended asthma-controller medication showed decreased acute exacerbation and reduced total healthcare cost by half.

• Journal of Sasang Constitutional Medicine
• /
• v.27 no.1
• /
• pp.82-109
• /
• 2015

Objectives This research was proposed to present Clinical Practice Guideline (CPG) for Prevention of Sasangin disease pattern of Sasang Constitutional Medicine (SCM) and diseases closely related with Sasang constitution. Each CPG was developed by the national-wide experts committee consisting of SCM professors. Methods At first, we searched the literatures related to SCM such as "Dongeuisusebowon", Textbook of SCM and Clinical Guidebook of SCM. Also we searched the articles related to the studies about risk factors for Sasangin disease pattern of both at home and abroad. Finally, we selected leading risk factors of Sasangin disease pattern and developed CPG for prevention of Sasangin disease pattern of SCM. And then, we searched the literatures related SCM such as "Dongeuisusebowon" and the articles on the correlation between disease and Sasang constitution using case-control studies, observational studies or cross sectional studies of both at home and abroad. Next, we selected diseases closely related with Sasang constitution on the basis of articles including prevalence rate and odds ratio between disease and Sasang constitution and finally developed CPG for these diseases. Results and Conclusions We categorized risk factors of Sasang disease pattern into 2 types: non-modifiable and potentially modifiable. 3 items (age, sex and genetic factors) were classified as non-modifiable risk factors of Sasang disease pattern. 6 items (original symptom, stress, diet and nutrition, physical activity, alcohol and drug misuse) were classified as less well-documented or potentially modifiable risk factors of Sasangin disease pattern. We found out Sasang constitution is more likely to develop some diseases. It was proven that Sasang constitution increase the risk of hypertension, diabetes mellitus, metabolic syndrome, stroke, nonalcoholic fatty liver and obstructive sleep apnea. And there is high probability of Sasang constitution being potential risk factor for obesity, hyperlipidemia, allergy and cancer. Also, we found out Taeeumin is independent risk factor for hypertension, diabetes mellitus, metabolic syndrome, stroke, nonalcoholic fatty liver and obstructive sleep apnea. Therefore we recommend that Taeeumin need to prevent these disease by regular checkups and aggressive management.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
• /
• v.79 no.1
• /
• pp.14-21
• /
• 2016

Cough is one of the most common symptom of many respiratory diseases. The Korean Academy of Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases organized cough guideline committee and cough guideline was developed by this committee. The purpose of this guideline is to help clinicians to diagnose correctly and treat efficiently patients with cough. In this article, we have stated recommendation and summary of Korean cough guideline. We also provided algorithm for acute, subacute, and chronic cough. For chronic cough, upper airway cough syndrome (UACS), cough variant asthma (CVA), and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) should be considered. If UACS is suspicious, first generation anti-histamine and nasal decongestant can be used empirically. In CVA, inhaled corticosteroid is recommended in order to improve cough. In GERD, proton pump inhibitor is recommended in order to improve cough. Chronic bronchitis, bronchiectasis, bronchiolitis, lung cancer, aspiration, angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor, habit, psychogenic cough, interstitial lung disease, environmental and occupational factor, tuberculosis, obstructive sleep apnea, peritoneal dialysis, and idiopathic cough can be also considered as cause of chronic cough. Level of evidence for treatment is mostly low. Thus, in this guideline, many recommendations are based on expert opinion. Further study regarding treatment for cough is mandatory.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
• /
• v.85 no.2
• /
• pp.185-194
• /
• 2022

Background: The Korea Interstitial Lung Disease Study Group has made a new nationwide idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) registry because the routine clinical practice has changed due to new guidelines and newly developed antifibrotic agents in the recent decade. The aim of this study was to describe recent clinical characteristics of Korean IPF patients. Methods: Both newly diagnosed and following IPF patients diagnosed after the previous registry in 2008 were enrolled. Survival analysis was only conducted for patients diagnosed with IPF after 2016 because antifibrotic agents started to be covered by medical insurance of Korea in October 2015. Results: A total of 2,139 patients were analyzed. Their mean age at diagnosis was 67.4±9.3 years. Of these patients, 76.1% were males, 71.0% were ever-smokers, 14.4% were asymptomatic at the time of diagnosis, and 56.9% were at gender-age-physiology stage I. Occupational toxic material exposure was reported in 534 patients. The mean forced vital capacity was 74.6% and the diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide was 63.6%. Treatment with pirfenidone was increased over time: 62.4% of IPF patients were treated with pirfenidone initially. And 79.2% of patients were treated with antifiboritics for more than three months during the course of the disease since 2016. Old age, acute exacerbation, treatment without antifibrotics, and exposure to wood and stone dust were associated with higher mortality. Conclusion: In the recent Korean IPF registry, the percentage of IPF patients treated with antifibrotics was increased compared to that in the previous IPF registry. Old age, acute exacerbation, treatment without antifibrotics, and exposure to wood and stone dust were associated with higher mortality.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
• /
• v.14 no.2
• /
• pp.67-72
• /
• 2014

The herpes virus entry mediator (HVEM) is a member of the tumor necrosis factor receptor superfamily (TNFRSF), and therefore it is also known as TNFRSF14 or CD270 (1,2). In recent years, we have focused on understanding HVEM function in the mucosa of the intestine, particularly on the role of HVEM in colitis pathogenesis, host defense and regulation of the microbiota (2-4). HVEM is an unusual TNF receptor because of its high expression levels in the gut epithelium, its capacity to bind ligands that are not members of the TNF super family, including immunoglobulin (Ig) superfamily members BTLA and CD160, and its bi-directional functionality, acting as a signaling receptor or as a ligand for the receptor BTLA. Clinically, Hvem recently was reported as an inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) risk gene as a result of genome wide association studies (5,6). This suggests HVEM could have a regulatory role influencing the regulation of epithelial barrier, host defense and the microbiota. Consistent with this, using mouse models, we have revealed how HVEM is involved in colitis pathogenesis, mucosal host defense and epithelial immunity (3,7). Although further studies are needed, our results provide the fundamental basis for understanding why Hvem is an IBD risk gene, and they confirm that HVEM is a mucosal gatekeeper with multiple regulatory functions in the mucosa.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
• /
• v.64 no.4
• /
• pp.309-313
• /
• 2008

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) pneumonia is a serious opportunistic infection in an immunocompromised host such as an AIDS patient or transplant recipient undergoing immunosuppressive therapy. Diffuse alveolar hemorrhage (DAH) is a relatively uncommon condition and it occurs most often in patients with systemic autoimmune disease. However, various types of infectious pneumonia with Mycoplsma hominis, Stenotrophomonas maltophilia and Pneumocystis jirovecii have been reported to be associated with the development of DAH. The association of CMV infection with the development of DAH has rarely been reported. We experienced a case of DAH associated CMV pneumonia and the patient was successfully treated with the use of antiviral agents and steroids.

• Journal of Dairy Science and Biotechnology
• /
• v.30 no.1
• /
• pp.31-36
• /
• 2012

Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG(ATCC 53103) is one of the best researched probiotic strains in the world. Studies in children have shown that Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG effectively prevents early atopic disease in patients with high risk. The active molecules associated with the immunostimulatory sequence and anti-allergy effects of L. rhamnosus GG have not yet been identified. Unmethylated CpG motifs in bacterial DNA have a mitogenic effect in mouse immune cells, CpG-containing ISS oligodeoxynucleotides are potent Th1 adjuvants, effective in both preventing and reversing Th2-biased immune deviation in allergy models. The genomic DNA of L. rhamnosus GG is a potent inducer of murine B cell and dendritic cell immunoactivation. In L. rhamnosus GG genomic DNA, ID35 shows high activity in ISS assays in both mice and humans. The effects of ID35 result from a unique TTTCGTT motif located at its 5'-end, and its effects are comparable with murine prototype CpG 1826. L. rhamnosus GG is known to secrete proteinaceous pili encoded by the spaCBA gene cluster. The presence of pili structures may be essential for its adhesion to human intestinal mucus, explaining the prolonged duration of intestinal residence of this bacterium, compared to that of non-piliated lactobacilli.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
• /
• v.83 no.2
• /
• pp.116-121
• /
• 2020

Particulate matter (PM) is suspended dust that has a diameter of <10 ㎛ and can be inhaled by humans and deposited in the lungs, particularly the alveoli. Recent studies have shown that PM has an adverse effect on respiratory diseases. The aim of this article is to review respiratory diseases associated with PM. According to existing studies, PM is associated with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, bronchial asthma, and several other respiratory diseases and increases the mortality rates of these diseases. Moreover, increased exposure in the high concentration of atmospheric PM is associated with the development of lung cancer. The most simple and common way to protect an individual from airborne PM is to wear a face mask that filters out PM. In areas of high concentration PM, it is recommended to wear a face mask to minimize the exposure to PM. However, the use of N95 or KF94 masks can interfere with respiration in patients with chronic respiratory diseases who exhibit low pulmonary function, leading to an increased risk of respiratory failure. Conclusionally, reduction of the total amount of PM is considered to be important factor and strengthening the national warning notification system to vulnerable patients and proper early management of exacerbated patients will be needed in the future.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
• /
• v.20 no.6
• /
• pp.1649-1653
• /
• 2006

Allergic diseases are the result of Th2-dominated responses to single or multiple environmental allergens. Th2 cytokines regulate these mechanisms of allergic disease at many levels, including initiation, progression, and persistence. The effect of hwangryun-Hae-Dok-Tang (HRHDT) on tumor necrosis factor-${\alpha}$ (TNF-${\alpha}$) and interleukin-4 (IL-4) stimulated inflammation was investigated using 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5- diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay, thymus and activation-regulated chemokine (TARC), eotaxin, regulated on activation normal T cells expressed and secreted (RANTES) immunoassay on the human bronchial epithelial microglial cells. From the present study, the crude extract of Hwangryun-Hae-Dok-tang suppressed the TNF-${\alpha}$ and IL-4 stimulated TARC, eotaxin, and RANTES production in the human bronchial epithelial A549 cells. Based on the present results, Hwangryun-Hae-Dok-tang may be useful in the treatment asthmatic allergy by inhibiting TARC, eotaxin, and RANTES chemokines.