• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.77-83
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• 2022

A small proportion of children with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) develop severe pneumonia. We reported the severe COVID-19 pneumonia in children aged <18 years with COVID-19 treated with remdesivir and dexamethasone from August 2021 to November 2021 by a retrospective review of their medical records. Eight children were included (5 males and 3 females). Their median age was 16 years (range: 9 to 17 years) and their median body mass index was 30.5 kg/m² (range: 22.8-38.5 kg/m²). All patients had fever and dyspnea with hypoxia. Chest radiographic findings were variable and included diffuse or multifocal consolidation, nodules, and ground-glass opacities in the lungs. After receiving intravenous remdesivir and dexamethasone, 7 of the 8 children experienced an improvement in their symptoms within 2 days. In our case series, obesity was present in 6 out of 8 children with severe COVID-19 pneumonia.

• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.153-163
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• 1999

Purpose: The purpose of our study is to provide useful information for diagnostic methods of fatty liver by childhood simple obesity and to provide correlation between serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) for screening test and abdominal computerized tomography (CT) and liver biopsy for confirmative diagnostic methods of fatty liver. Methods: Among 78 obese childrens who visited our hospital, CT was carried out in 26 childrens. Of these, liver biopsy was carried out in 15 childrens who had high obesity index or severe elevated ALT. Based on the level of serum ALT, 26 cases were classified into 3 groups, and compared with physical measurements and degree of fatty infiltration on CT and liver biopsy. Results: 1) Correlation between ALT and physical measurements: Of 26 obese children, ALT was abnormally elevated (>30 IU/L) in 17 cases (67.4%) but there was no significant correlation between ALT and physical measurements (p>0.05). 2) Correlation between degree of fatty infiltration on CT and ALT: Of 26 cases, 13 cases (50%) revealed fatty liver on CT. The degree of fatty liver on CT had significant correlation with elevation of ALT (p<0.05). 3) Correlation between the degree of fatty infiltration on liver biopsy and ALT: Liver biopsy was performed in 15 cases of which 14 cases revealed fatty liver. But one case had normal hepatic histology with severe obesity and normal ALT. Fourteen fatty liver cases on liver biopsy were classified into 3 groups by the degree of fatty infiltration and analysed with obesity index and ALT. The histologic hepatic steatosis had no significant correlation with obesity index (p>0.05), but significant correlation with ALT (p<0.05). 4) Correlation between CT and liver biopsy finding: Both CT and liver biopsy were performed in 15 cases of which 6 cases revealed normal finding on CT and 9 cases manifested fatty liver. There was significant correlation between CT and liver biopsy findings (r=0.6094). Conclusion: The results of our study suggest that abdominal CT and liver biopsy are useful and accurate methods of estimating fatty liver in the childhood obesity. But biochemical abnormalities of routine liver function tests dot not correlate well with severity of the fatty liver and liver injury.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.205-210
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• 2003

The aim of this study was to estimate the influence of 37 bp insertion/deletion (I/O) poly-morphism of the low density lipoprotein receptor-related protein-associated protein 1 (LRPAP1) gene on anthropometrical or biochemical parameters in korean general population. To determine the frequency of the genotype, we analyzed 244 samples of Korean origin. The frequency of the I allele was 0.55 in men and 0.56 in women, which were significantly higher than the frequency (0.26) that was reported in Czech population of Caucasian origin. In addition, the I allele of this polymorphism was significantly associated with higher value of body mass index (BMI) in our subjects by ANOVA test (P<0.05), and this association was maintained after controlling for age and gender by ANCOVA test (P<0.05). Thus, our results suggest that the I/O polymorphism of the LRPAP1 gene may be useful as a genetic marker for obesity in Korean general population.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.63 no.3
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• pp.110-114
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• 2020

Background: Subclinical hypothyroidism (SH) is a common condition in obese children. However, its effect on glucose and lipid metabolism in obese children remains controversial. Purpose: The present study aimed to investigate the association between SH and metabolic parameters. Methods: A total of 215 obese children and adolescents aged 6-18 years were included in this retrospective cross-sectional study. The patients' anthropometric measurements such as thyrotropin (TSH), free thyroxine (fT4), fasting plasma glucose, and insulin levels, as well as homeostasis model assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) index, and lipid profiles were evaluated. The patients were allocated to the SH group (fT4 normal, TSH 5-10 mIU/L) (n=77) or the control group (fT4 normal, TSH<5 mIU/L) (n=138). The glucose and lipid metabolisms of the 2 groups were compared. Results: SH was identified in 77 of 215 patients (36%). Mean body mass index was similar in both groups. The mean serum insulin, HOMA-IR, and triglyceride (TG) levels were higher and the mean high-density lipoprotein cholesterol level was lower in the SH group than in the control group (P=0.007, P=0.004, P=0.01, and P=0.02, respectively). A positive correlation was observed between TSH level and insulin level, HOMA-IR, and TG level. Conclusion: SH was identified in some of the obese children and adolescents. A clear association was observed between SH, insulin resistance, and dyslipidemia in obese children.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.568-575
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• 2007

Purpoes: The study was done to investigate the effects of an exercise program on body composition, cardiopulmonary function and physical fitness in obese children. Methods: Thirty nine children in grades 4, 5, and 6 in elementary school were employed: experimental group(20) and control group(19). The subjects in the experimental group participated in an exercise program for 8weeks, thirty five minutes per session, four times per week. This data was analyzed by ANCOVA and paired t-test. Result: The Height(F=2.615, p=0.027) of the experimental group was significantly different from the control group. Also, in the experimental group, there were significant differences of height(t=4 79, p=0.000), cardiac rate(t=-6.461, p=0.000), body mass index(t=-2.13 p=0.046), muscle strength(t=3.48, p=0.003), and muscle endurance(t=3.20, p=0.005). Otherwise, in the control group, there were significant differences of weight(t=2.27, p=0.036), waist-hip ratio(t=3.16, p=0.005), and muscle endurance(t=-2.38, p=0.030). Conclusion: Jumping rope improved the body composition, cardiopulmonary function, and physical fitness for obese children.

• Korean Journal of Human Ecology
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.15-25
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• 2012

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between (1) differences in parents' interest in their children's weight, appearance orientation, eating habits and appearance evaluation, and depression based on children's gender, and (2) the pathway to children's depression. The participants in this research included 641 fourth-grade children (300 boys and 341 girls) who participated in a Korean Survey on Obesity of Youth and Children in 2009. Data were analyzed through frequency, percentage, Pearson's correlations using SPSS 19.0 and path analysis with AMOS 7.0. The findings are as follows. First, girls demonstrated higher scores in all variables except depression when compared to boys. Second, all variables indicated a direct or indirect influence on boys' depression, and appearance orientation had the greatest total effect on boys' depression. For girls, all variables again indicated a direct or indirect influence on depression, and again appearance orientation had the greatest total effect on girls' depression. However, the pathways to depression were different based on children's gender. The implications for future studies are also discussed.

• Journal of Korean Public Health Nursing
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.289-300
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• 2020

Purpose: This study aimed to identify gender differences associated with weight related teasing by parents, and development of anti-fat attitudes among Korean children aged 5 to 7 years. Methods: This study used a descriptive cross-sectional design. Questionnaire interviews were conducted by enrolling 222 healthy children having normal development and living with their parents in South Korea. Results: Results showed gender and parental weight-related teasing was significantly associated with anti-fat attitudes among children. Significance of the association between parental weight-related teasing and anti-fat attitudes among kindergarten children differed according to the child's gender. Among girls, the higher level of parental weight-related teasing was associated with greater anti-fat attitude. However, parental weight-related teasing was not associated with increased anti-fat attitude among boys. Conclusion: Considering our study results, we recommend developing programs aimed towards decreasing teasing in the family environment, such as changing the gender-specific weight norms to prevent anti-fat attitudes in Korean girls.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Fundamentals of Nursing
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.333-344
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• 2013

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate prevalence and factors influencing constipation in school age children in order to help prevent and manage this problem. Methods: The participants were 618 elementary school students (4th, 5th, and 6th grade) selected from five elementary schools. Data were gathered using questionnaires and analyzed using $x^2$ test, independent t-test and binary logistic regression with the PASW 18.0 program. Results: The prevalence of constipation was 15.2% for these school age children. Factors influencing constipation in this population were high stress (OR: 5.77), daily intake of meat (OR: 5.42), more than 3 hours using the internet (OR: 4.50), more than 3 hours of private academy classes (OR: 2.83), obesity (OR: 2.34), and negative perceptions of school toilet environment (OR: 2.26). Conclusion: Psychological factors and physical activities have an important effect on constipation in school age children. Thus, there is a need to educate both children and their parents on prevention of constipation by decreasing stress, decreasing meat intake, increasing active movement and increasing positive perception of school toilet environment.

• The Journal of Korean Academic Society of Nursing Education
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.64-74
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• 2004

This study was conducted to investigate what contents nurses want in the intensive major course of junior nursing college. Data were collected for four months from October 2002 to February 2003 by structured questionnaires. Subjects were 240 registered nurses in working at five hospitals and four public health centers and elementary or middle schools in the capital and its suburbs and country. The collected data were analyzed using SPSS 8.0 program. The results of this study were summarized as follows : 1. Nurses working at hospitals want the programs which involve the contents as follows : emergency nursing/CPR, infection control, critical care, caner pt. care, pain control, hospice, pulmonary disease pt. care, analysis of lab. exam, heart disease pt. care, chronic disease pt. care, DM pt. care, digestive-system disease pt. care, nervous-system disease pt. care, elderly pt. care, immune-system disease pt. care, endocrine-system disease pt. care. 2. Nurses working at public health centers want the programs which involve the contents as follows : home nursing, family nursing, management of DM, HT, degenerative disease, and chronic liver disease, elderly pt. care, health education, maternity nursing, rehabilitation nursing. 3. Nurses working at elementary or middle schools want the programs which involve the contents as follows : prevention of drug abuse or misuse, sex education and consultation, health education, consultation technique, emergency care, prevention of child obesity, prevention and management of adult disease in children, teaching method, method of school health room management.

• Journal of the Korean Society of School Health
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.181-193
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• 2017

Purpose: This is a qualitative descriptive study with the purpose of identifyng the health problems and related factors of socially vulnerable school-age children in Seoul, South Korea. Methods: Two focus group interviews and two individual interviews were conducted with eleven participants. They were two class teachers, three school nurses and two daycare teachers working at elementary schools and three social workers and a welfare worker working at community childcare centers. Data were analyzed using qualitative content analysis. Results: The identified psychosocial problems were 'distracting and excessive behavior', 'depression and helplessness,' 'aggression and violent behaviors', and 'internet overdependence'. The revealed physical health problems were 'poor hygiene', 'obesity', and 'gastrointestinal problems'. In addition, the fact that physical and psychosocial problems are closely inter-linked was reaffirmed through practical examples. Meanwhile, socioeconomic, family environmental, social experiential and individual factors were found to affect children's health. Relationships within a family or a peer group and healthy lifestyle were considered critical issues to deal with in order to improve the childrens' health status. Conclusion: It was proved that socially vulnerable school-age children have various physical and mental health problems due to multiple factors. Therefore, it is required to design nursing approaches that help them achieve optimal health status.