• Journal of the FoodService Safety
• /
• v.4 no.2
• /
• pp.60-66
• /
• 2023

This study was to suggest the roles of social enterprises in maintaining healthy life of the socially vulnerable by creating a customized care environment through chronic disease diet management targeting the elderly at home in need of care in the community. As for the subjects of this study, 102 in-home elderly people aged 65 or older (14 males & 88 females) who needed care in the community were provided with a diet management lunch box delivery service customized for chronic diseases. Theoretical education and cooking class on chronic diseases were provided to 15 volunteers with 10 sessions, and customized lunch boxes were provided to the elderly with chronic diseases at home on that day. In conclusion, it is believed that only by increasing the level of knowledge about chronic diseases and nutritional knowledge of the elderly will it be possible to establish a proper meal plan. Since the role of volunteers is important, it is necessary to systematically seek nutritional education methods for volunteers.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
• /
• v.63 no.6
• /
• pp.475-479
• /
• 2007

• Journal of Ginseng Research
• /
• v.41 no.2
• /
• pp.113-119
• /
• 2017

The steaming process of Panax ginseng has been reported to increase its major known bioactive components, ginsenosides, and, therefore, its biological properties as compared to regular Panax ginseng. Biological functions of red Panax ginseng attenuating pro-oxidant environments associated with chronic diseases are of particular interest, since oxidative stress can be a key contributor to the pathogenesis of chronic diseases. Additionally, proper utilization of various biomarkers for evaluating antioxidant activities in natural products, such as ginseng, can also be important to providing validity to their activities. Thus, studies on the effects of red ginseng against various diseases as determined in cell lines, animal models, and humans were reviewed, along with applied biomarkers for verifying such effects. Limitations and future considerations of studying red ginseng were been discussed. Although further clinical studies are warranted, red ginseng appears to be beneficial for attenuating disease-associated symptoms via its antioxidant activities, as well as for preventing oxidative stress-associated chronic diseases.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
• /
• v.60 no.5
• /
• pp.510-515
• /
• 2006

Background : Although 17% of Korean adults over the age of 45 years have chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), there is only limited data on the cause of death in COPD patients in Korea. Therefore, this retrospective study was performed to examine the cause of death in COPD patients at a referral hospital in Korea. Methods : The medical records of 28 deceased patients diagnosed as COPD in Asan Medical Center from January to December 2003 were reviewed patients had died in Asan Medical Center and 16 patients had died outside the hospital. The Korean National Statistical Office confirmed 88 deceased patients out of 1,078 patients diagnosed as COPD in Asan Medical Center in 2003. After excluding those with tuberculous destroyed lung, bronchiectasis, and lung cancer, 28 COPD patients were evaluated. Results : The causes of death were pulmonary disease including pneumonia in 16 patients (57%), cardiac disease in 5 patients (18%), sudden death in 3 patients (11%), and other causes in 4 patients (14%). The cause of death was pulmonary disease in 83% (10 out of 12 patients) and 38% (6 out of 16 patients) of patients who died in Asan Medical Center and outside the center, respectively (P=0.05). The cause of death was pulmonary disease in 43% of patients with $FEV_1$ more than 50 % of the predicted value and in 55% of patients with $FEV_1$ less than 50 % of the predicted value (P=0.89). Conclusion : Pulmonary disease is the leading cause of death in COPD patients in Korea.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
• /
• v.43 no.3
• /
• pp.335-341
• /
• 2019

Background: Inflammation is a host-defensive innate immune response to protect the body from pathogenic agents and danger signals induced by cellular changes. Although inflammation is a host-defense mechanism, chronic inflammation is considered a major risk factor for the development of a variety of inflammatory autoimmune diseases, such as rheumatic diseases. Rheumatic diseases are systemic inflammatory and degenerative diseases that primarily affect connective tissues and are characterized by severe chronic inflammation and degeneration of connective tissues. Ginseng and its bioactive ingredients, genocides, have been demonstrated to have antiinflammatory activity and pharmacological effects on various rheumatic diseases by inhibiting the expression and production of inflammatory mediators. Methods: Literature in this review was searched in a PubMed site of National Center for Biotechnology Information. Results: The studies reporting the preventive and therapeutic effects of ginseng and ginsenosides on the pathogenesis of rheumatic diseases were discussed and summarized. Conclusion: Ginseng and ginsenosides play an ameliorative role on rheumatic diseases, and this review provides new insights into ginseng and ginsenosides as promising agents to prevent and treat rheumatic diseases.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
• /
• v.61 no.2
• /
• pp.129-136
• /
• 2006

Background: To interpret lung function tests, it is necessary to determine the lower limits of normal (LLN) and to derive a consensus on the interpretative algorithm. '0.7 of LLN for the $FEV_1$/FVC' was suggested by the COPD International Guideline (GOLD) for defining obstructive disease. A consensus on a new interpretative algorithm was recently achieved by ATS/ERS in 2005. We evaluated the accuracy of '0.7 of LLN for the $FEV_1$/FVC' for diagnosing obstructive diseases, and we also determined the effect of the new algorithm on diagnosing ventilatory defects. Methods: We obtained the age, gender, height, weight, $FEV_1$, FVC, and $FEV_1$/FVC from 7362 subjects who underwent spirometry in 2005 at the Asan Medical Center, Korea. For diagnosing obstructive diseases, the accuracy of '0.7 of LLN for the $FEV_1$/FVC' was evaluated in reference to the $5^{th}$ percentile of the LLN. By applying the new algorithm, we determined how many more subjects should have lung volumes testing performed. Evaluation of 1611 patients who had lung volumes testing performed as well as spirometry during the period showed how many more subjects were diagnosed with obstructive diseases according to the new algorithm. Results: 1) The sensitivity of '0.7 of LLN for the $FEV_1$/FVC' for diagnosing obstructive diseases increased according to age, but the specificity was decreased according to age; the positive predictive value decreased, but the negative predictive value increased. 2) By applying the new algorithm, 34.5% (2540/7362) more subjects should have lung volumes testing performed. 3) By applying the new algorithm, 13% (205/1611) more subjects were diagnosed with obstructive diseases; these subjects corresponded to 30% (205/681) of the subjects who had been diagnosed with restrictive diseases by the old interpretative algorithm. Conclusion: The sensitivity and specificity of '0.7 of LLN for the $FEV_1$/FVC' for diagnosing obstructive diseases changes according to age. By applying the new interpretative algorithm, it was shown that more subjects should have lung volumes testing performed, and there was a higher probability of being diagnosed with obstructive diseases.

• Health Policy and Management
• /
• v.30 no.2
• /
• pp.231-244
• /
• 2020

Background: As the population is aging, chronic diseases and depression are becoming the main problems in a country's healthcare system. In this study, we aimed to explore the associations between chronic diseases and depression among the elderly in South Korea. Methods: We analyzed 9,975 (men, 4,147; women, 5,828) respondents obtained from the 2014 National Survey of Living Conditions and Welfare Needs of Korean Older Persons. Our dependent variable was either 1 or 0 according to whether a respondent had depression or not, where depression was defined when the Short Form of Geriatric Depression Scale score was 8 or more points. Variables of interest were 24 types of chronic diseases and covariates included various socio-demographic and health behavior characteristics. We performed Rao-Scott chi-square tests and hierarchal logistic regression analyses by gender, reflecting the characteristics of the survey. Results: A significant difference was found in the proportion of having depression between genders (men 18.9% vs. women 23.4%). According to fully adjusted, multivariable analyses, for elderly men, relative to those without any chronic disease, the odds ratio of depression was 1.56 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.10-2.22) in the stroke patients group and 1.82 (95% CI, 1.01-3.25) in the osteoporosis patients group. For elderly women, the odds ratio was 1.96 (95% CI, 1.28-3.00) in the fracture/dislocation and aftereffects patients group and 1.30 (95% CI, 1.03-1.64) in the group of patients with other diseases. Conclusion: Even after being adjusted for diverse characteristics, some chronic diseases were significantly associated with depression in the elderly and the association differed between genders. Therefore, public health and medical interventions are needed to manage such chronic diseases together with curing depression symptoms.

• BMB Reports
• /
• v.36 no.1
• /
• pp.95-109
• /
• 2003

Inflammatory lung diseases are characterized by chronic inflammation and oxidant/antioxidant imbalance. The sources of the increased oxidative stress in patients with chronic inflammatory lung diseases such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) derive from the increased burden of inhaled oxidants, and from the increased amounts of reactive oxygen species (ROS) generated by several inflammatory, immune and various structural cells of the airways. Increased levels of ROS produced in the airways is reflected by increased markers of oxidative stress in the airspaces, sputum, breath, lungs and blood in patients with lung diseases. ROS, either directly or via the formation of lipid peroxidation products such as 4-hydroxy-2-nonenal may play a role in enhancing the inflammation through the activation of stress kinases (JNK, MAPK, p38) and redox sensitive transcription factors such as NF-${\kappa}B$ and AP-1. Recent evidences have indicated that oxidative stress and pro-inflammatory mediators can alter nuclear histone acetylation/deacetylation allowing access for transcription factor DNA binding leading to enhanced pro-inflammatory gene expression in various lung cells. Understanding of the mechanisms of redox signaling, NF-${\kappa}B$/AP-1 regulation, the balance between histone acetylation and deacetylation and the release and expression of pro- and anti-inflammatory mediators may lead to the development of novel therapies based on the pharmacological manipulation of antioxidants in lung inflammation and injury. Antioxidants that have effective wide spectrum activity and good bioavailability, thiols or molecules which have dual antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity, may be potential therapeutic agents which not only protect against the direct injurious effects of oxidants, but may fundamentally alter the underlying inflammatory processes which play an important role in the pathogenesis of chronic inflammatory lung diseases.

• Health Policy and Management
• /
• v.26 no.3
• /
• pp.185-194
• /
• 2016

Background: The purpose of this study is to forecast changes in the prevalence of chronic diseases and health expenditure by age group. Methods: Based on the Future Elderly Model, this study projects the size of Korean population, the prevalence of chronic diseases, and health expenditure over the 2014-2040 period using two waves (2012, 2013) of the Korea Health Panel and National Health Insurance Service database. Results: First, the prevalence of chronic diseases increases by 2040. The population with hypertension increases 2.04 times; the diabetes increases 2.43 times; and the cancer increases 3.38 times. Second, health expenditure on chronic diseases increases as well. Health expenditure on hypertension increases 4.33 times (1,098,753 million won in 2014 to 4,760,811 million won in 2040); diabetes increases 5.34 times (792,444 million won in 2014 to 4,232,714 million won in 2040); and cancer increases 6.09 times (4,396,223 million won in 2014 to 26,776,724 million won in 2040). Third, men and women who belong to the early middle-aged group (44-55 years old) as of 2014, have the highest increase rate in health spending. Conclusion: Most Korean literature on health expenditure estimation employs a macro-simulation approach and does not fully take into account personal characteristics and behaviors. Thus, this study aims to benefit medical administrators and policy makers to frame effective and targeted health policies by analyzing personal-level data with a microsimulation model and providing health expenditure projections by age group.

• Journal of Convergence for Information Technology
• /
• v.11 no.1
• /
• pp.183-190
• /
• 2021

The purpose of this study was to determine the change trend of emergency department visits among elderly patients with chronic diseases. Using the National Emergency Department Information System data, from January 1, 2014 to December 31, 2019, the selected patient data were evaluated for the emergency department discharge main diagnosis codes for eight chronic diseases. The incidence of elderly chronic diseases, emergency department visits, and admission rates were analyzed. Since 2014, there has been a consistent increase in the number of elderly patients visiting the emergency department, especially among those aged over 85 years. The number of emergency department visits among the elderly chronically ill patients also increased, with a significant increase in ischemic heart disease and arthrosis cases. Furthermore, there was a significant difference in the number of chronically ill patients in each year from 2014-2019 (P<0.001). With respect to the trend of admission rates to the emergency department by chronic disease, most diseases showed an increasing trend (P<0.001). however, hyperlipidemia showed a continuous decreasing trend in all age groups since 2014 (P<0.001). Among the elderly chronically ill patients, a greater increase in the admission rate following emergency department visits was noted in those over 85 years of age, with a significant difference in all diseases, except for hyperlipidemia, hypertension, and tuberculosis (P<0.001). As the aging population grows, the emergency department admission rates among the elderly chronically ill patients will rise rapidly. This could create issues with respect to the use and consumption of emergency medical resources. Hence, it is necessary to manage chronic diseases effectively in the elderly.