• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.39 no.6
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• pp.511-516
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• 1992

Background: It is well known that cigarette smoking is the risk factor of lung cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and ischemic heart disease. But there are few reports about the immediate effect of cigarette smoking on the cardiopulmonary functions. The serum level of carbon monoxide increases during cigarette smoking. It is known that carbon monoxide increases respration rate, heart rate and cardiac output, with decrease in maximal oxygen consumption. So we have studied to determine the immediate effects of cigarette smoking on the cardiopulmonary function during exercise. Method: Thirteen healthy smoking male subjects were included in this study. Each subject was undertaken pulmonary function test and incremental exercise test on two separate days, one without smoking (control) and the other after smoking three cigarettes per hour for five hours. The order of the two tests was randomized. Results: 1) The mean age of the subjects was $25{\pm}4.9$ year-old and the mean smoking history was $6{\pm}5$ pack years. 2) The mean blood level of carbon monoxide on the smoking day was higher than that on the nonsmoking day ($5.97{\pm}1.34%$ vs. $1.45{\pm}0.83%$; p<0.01). 3) The mean maximal oxygen consumption on the smoking day was lower than that on the nonsmoking day ($2.09{\pm}0.32$ L/min vs. $2.39{\pm}0.32$ L/min; p<0.05). 4) The mean anaerobic threshold on the smoking day was lower than that on the nonsmoking day ($1.33{\pm}0.24$ L/min vs. $1.53{\pm}0.20$ L/min; p<0.05). 5) The mean heart rate at rest on the smoking day was higher than that on nonsmoking day ($84.38{\pm}11.06$ beats/min vs. $75.46{\pm}5.83$ beats/min; p<0.05). But the means of maximal heart rate on both days were not different. 6) The pulmonary function tests were similar on both days. Conclusion: There was no change in pulmonary function test, but the maximal oxygen consumption and anaerobic threshold were decreased on the smoking day. So it was concluded that cigarette smoking impaired the cardiovascular functions immediately during exercise.

• Journal of Medicine and Life Science
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.96-100
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• 2019

Postural tachycardia syndrome (POTS) is common, although not so well-known variant of cardiovascular autonomic disorder characterized by an excessive heart rate increase on standing. POTS is probably underdiagnosed due to the heterogeneity in both presentation and etiology. This study aimed to evaluate the clinical and autonomic features in patients with POTS. We reviewed the medical records of patients with POTS. Medical records include onset age, sex, presenting symptoms, body mass index (BMI) and prognosis. All patients had an autonomic function and laboratory tests. Ninety-nine patients met the inclusion criteria for POTS (51.5% male; mean±SD age, 20.0±9.7 years; mean±SD, BMI 21.9±3.9). Common presenting symptoms were a brief loss of consciousness, dizziness, blurred vision and headache. Autonomic function tests showed abnormal quantitative sudomotor axon reflex testing in 20 patients of 99 POTS patients. The abnormal post-ganglionic sympathetic sudomotor function is generally considered to reflect a neuropathic form of POTS. In treatments, 83 patients were treated by non-pharmacological management including lifestyle changes and 16 patients required the initiation of pharmacological therapies. Most patients with POTS showed a relatively favorable prognosis. POTS is a chronic disease with a substantial subset of patients recovering within a few years after the initial presentation. Future efforts should focus on better understanding of POTS pathophysiology and designing randomized controlled trials for the selection of more effective therapy.

• Korean Security Journal
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• no.35
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• pp.125-149
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• 2013

In this study changes in biorhythm are observed by measuring heart rate variabilities in order to verify, compare, and evaluate stresses in guard duties of guards and CCTV monitoring works of staffs serviced in practical guard sites. Guard duties and CCTV monitoring works similar to a practical situation are implemented for nine students in the department of security at K University over 150 minutes. In the results of observing heart rate variabilities and autonomic function tests for six times with an interval of 30 minutes, the heart rate variability (HRV) in CCTV monitoring works represents lower levels than that of guard duties. Also, in a stable condition the guard duties for 30 and 60 minutes exhibit lower levels than that of 90, 120, and 150 minutes. Regarding SDNN, CCTV monitoring works show higher levels that guard duties and the guard duties for 30 and 60 minutes represent lower levels than that of 150 minutes. In autonomic function tests, there are no differences in TP between groups according to guard duties and CCTV monitoring works. Also, the guard duties for 150 minutes represent more differences in TP compared to that of 30 minutes. The interaction between the duty type and the duty duration is presented. In the case of LF, guard duties for 150 minutes show large differences in duty duration compared to that of 60 minutes. In the case of HF, the CCTV monitoring work group shows higher levels than the guard duty group in which the guard duties for 120 and 150 minutes represent higher levels than that of 30 minutes. The interaction between the duty type and the duty duration is presented. In the case of the LF/HF ratio, the guard duty group exhibits higher levels than the CCTV monitoring group. Also, there is an interaction between the duty type and the duty duration including the difference in durations. The CCTV monitoring works represent lower heart function activities than the guard duties according to increases in parasympathetic nervous activities. It shows that the long-term CCTV monitoring duty repeated everyday shows a high possibility of increasing the exposures of VDT syndrome and nervous breakdown.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.32 no.11
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• pp.1017-1022
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• 1999

Background: An increasing number of elderly are referred for open heart surgeries(OHS). These patients are assumed to have significantly increased morbidity and mortality because of compromised functional reserves in their vital organs. We reviewed the results of OHS patients who were 70 years old or older. Material and Method: Thirty six consecutive septuagenarians underwent OHS from 1995 to 1997. Operations were coronary artery bypass grafting(CABG) in 26 including 3 left main surgical angioplasty, valve replacement in 7, MVR+CABG in 2, and ASD closure+TAP in 1. Statistical tests were carried out to compare survivor group with nonsurvivor group in respect to risk factors including NYHA functional class, LVEF, emergent operation, IABP support, CPB/ACC time, ventilator time cardiac index, ICU stay and hospital stay for operative mortality. Result: Operative mortality rate and postoperative complication were 16%(6/36) and 50%(18/36). One-year and 3-year actuarial survival rates were 76%. Nine patients(25%) had major complications including third-degree A-V block(2), respiratory failure(1), stroke(3), renal failure requiring dialysis(3) and postoperative hemorrhage(2). The causes of death were pneumonia(1), bleeding(1), acute renal failure(1), low cardiac output(1), third-degree A-V block(1), and ventricular tachycardia(1). The univariate analysis of mortality shows that NYHA class IV, LVEF<40%, lesser values for C.I, and longer time for ventilatory support were associated with the risk factors(p value=0.03, 0.001, 0.007, and 0.014). The emergent operation, CPB/ACC time, IABP support, ICU stay and hospital stay were not significant. Conclusion: We conclude that cardiac operation can be performed in septuagenarians with acceptable outcomes when done in patients with normal to moderately depressed left ventricular function and adequate functional reserves in their vital organs.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.54 no.6
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• pp.260-266
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• 2011

Purpose: Infantile hepatic hemangioendothelioma (IHHE) is the most common type of hepatic vascular tumor in infancy. We conducted this study to review our clinical experience of patients with IHHE and to suggest management strategies. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the medical records of 23 IHHE patients (10 males, 13 females) treated at the Asan Medical Center between 1996 and 2009. Results: Median age at diagnosis was 38 days (range, 1 to 381 days). Seven patients (30%) were diagnosed with IHHE based on sonographically detected fetal liver masses, 5 (22%) were diagnosed incidentally in the absence of symptoms, 5 (22%) had congestive heart failure, 3 (13%) had skin hemangiomas, 2 (9%) had abnormal liver function tests, and 1 (4%) had hepatomegaly. All diagnoses were based on imaging results, and were confirmed in three patients by histopathology analysis. Six patients were observed without receiving any treatment, whereas 12 received corticosteroids and/or interferonalpha. One patient with congestive heart failure and a resectable unilobar tumor underwent surgical resection. Three patients with congestive heart failure and unresectable tumors were managed by hepatic artery embolization with/without medical treatment. At a median follow-up of 29 months (range, 1 to 156 months), 21 (91%) patients showed complete tumor disappearance or >50% decrease in tumor size. One patient died due to tumor-related causes. Conclusion: IHHE generally has a benign clinical course with low morbidity and mortality rates. Clinical course and treatment outcome did not differ significantly between medically treated and non-treated groups. Surgically unresectable patients with significant symptoms may be treated medically or with hepatic artery embolization.

• Journal of Veterinary Science
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• v.22 no.5
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• pp.64.1-64.12
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• 2021

Background: Pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction (PPID), a neurodegenerative disease leading to reduced dopamine production, is a common disease in aged horses. The treatment is based on administration of the dopamine agonist pergolide. This drug has been related to valvular fibrosis in humans, but the cardiovascular effect of this drug has not yet been investigated in horses. Objectives: To determine whether pergolide induces valvular disease in horses or affects the cardiac function. Methods: Standard, tissue Doppler (TDE) and two-dimensional speckle tracking (STE) echocardiography were performed in horses with diagnosed PPID based on adrenocorticotropic hormone dosage. Measurements taken in horses treated with pergolide were compared with those from untreated horses with nonparametric t-tests. Furthermore, measurements from follow-up examinations performed at least three months after the initial exam were compared with a Wilcoxon signed rank test for repeated measurements in each group. Results: Twenty-three horses were included. None of the 12 horses under treatment developed valvular regurgitation. Furthermore, no differences in the measurements of the left ventricular systolic or diastolic function could be seen between the group of horses with treatment and those without treatment. Measurements taken in the follow-up exam did not differ compared to those taken in the initial exam in both groups. Conclusions: No changes of the left ventricular function assessed by TDE and STE could be shown in a small population of horses with confirmed PPID. Treatment with pergolide did not affect the ventricular function nor induce valvular disease.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers B
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• v.38 no.9
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• pp.739-745
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• 2014

Although medication is given to heart disease patients, conventional medication alone is not sufficient to treat heart disease. However, it has been reported that left ventricular assist device (LVAD) transplantation is an effective bridge to heart transplantation by assisting cardiac function. This study used long-term animal testing and emergency situations with a bovine model (Holstein) and canine model (Labrador-retriever) to evaluate the biocompatibility of LibraHeart-I (LH-1), which is a bent-tube type of LVAD that was developed in a previous study. In the long-term animal testing with the bovine model, the subjects survived for 49 days with no irregularities observed in their complete blood cell counts or the vital sign tests that were carried out during the test period. In short-term animal testing with the canine model, it was observed that blood did not remain inside the LH-I even without power support from an external drive source. In this study, the biocompatibility of the LH-I that was developed in a previous study was verified by the ejection performance during long-term animal testing and emergency situations.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.55 no.1
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• pp.9-15
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• 2023

The purpose of this study was to analyze the relationship between diabetes and liver function test results. Unlike type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), hepatogenous diabetes is caused by abnormal liver function. In this study, the relationship between liver enzymes, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine transaminase (ALT), and the AST/ALT ratio (De Ritis ratio), indicating liver function, and diabetes-related tests was analyzed. The results of the study showed a positive correlation between AST and glucose (r=0.14, P<0.01), ALT and glucose (r=0.21, P<0.01), AST and glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) (r=0.15, P<0.01), and ALT and HbA1c (r=0.20, P<0.01). The De Ritis ratio showed a negative correlation with glucose (r=-0.20, P<0.01) and HbA1c (r=-0.14, P<0.01). The results of regression analysis with AST, ALT, and the De Ritis ratio as independent variables and glucose (R²=0.05) and HbA1c (R²=0.04) as dependent variables revealed that the independent variables had a statistically significant effect on the dependent variables. AST showed a lower correlation between blood glucose and glycated hemoglobin than ALT, and an increase in ALT caused a decrease in the De Ritis ratio. Therefore, the De Ritis ratio can be said to be meaningful in relation to diabetes-related tests.

• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.148-158
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• 2011

Objectives The eye movement (EM) has been reported to play a role in enhancing the retrieval of episodic memories and reducing effects of fearful episodes in the past and worries for the futures. However, it is still unclear in the mechanism of EM in normal subjects. We examined the horizontal eye movement (HEM) effect using an aiding apparatus on mental health indices including negative and positive psychological factors, and psychophysiological measures such as heart rate variability and quantitative electroencepaholography (qEEG) in healthy subjects. Methods Twenty eight healthy subjects were recruited and randomly allocated into two groups : active HEM group and control group. The active HEM group conducted the HEM training with usual stress management audio-intervention using the apparatus inducing eye movement once a day for 14 days. The control group also conducted the same training once a day for 14 days, however, the saccadic eye movement was not included in this training. Psychological measurements, neurocognitive function tests, heart rate variability measurement and qEEG were conducted before and after the training in both groups. Results In the active HEM group, sleep status using Sleep Quality Scale (SQS) positive factors significantly increased after the training. By contrast, scores on the negative items of Psychological Well-Being Scale (PWBS), and negative items of the Life Orientation Test-Revised (LOT-R) were significantly decreased after the training. The percentage of delta amplitude (1-3 Hz) in qEEG significantly decreased after the HEM training. The percentage of alpha amplitude (8-12 Hz) significantly increased after HEM training. The change of delta amplitude in the active HEM group was positively correlated with the change of sleep satisfaction of Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), and the change of alpha amplitude was negatively correlated with depression of VAS, anxiety of VAS and Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI). Conclusions The HEM training improved sleep quality and well-being, and sense of optimism. The HEM training also increased alpha amplitude and decreased delta amplitude in qEEG. The qEEG changes were well correlated with subjective improvement of mental health indices in healthy subjects. These results suggest some evidences that HEM training using the apparatus that induces EM would be helpful in improving subjective mental health in healthy subjects. Further study with larger samples size would be needed.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.49-59
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• 2023

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) involves multi-factorial conditions linked to an elevated risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular disease. Pre-metabolic syndrome (pre-MetS) possesses two MetS components but does not meet the MetS diagnostic criteria. Although cardiac autonomic derangements are evident in MetS, there is little information on their status in pre-MetS subjects. In this study, we sought to examine cardiac autonomic functions in pre-MetS and to determine which MetS component is more responsible for impaired cardiac autonomic functions. A total of 182 subjects were recruited and divided into healthy controls (n=89) and pre-MetS subjects (n=93) based on inclusion and exclusion criteria. We performed biochemical profiles on fasting blood samples to detect pre-MetS. Using standardized protocols, we evaluated anthropometric data, body composition, baroreflex sensitivity (BRS), heart rate variability (HRV), and autonomic function tests (AFTs). We further examined these parameters in pre-MetS subjects for each MetS component. Compared to healthy controls, we observed a significant cardiac autonomic dysfunction (CAD) through reduced BRS, lower overall HRV, and altered AFT parameters in pre-MetS subjects, accompanied by markedly varied anthropometric, clinical and biochemical parameters. Furthermore, all examined BRS, HRV, and AFT parameters exhibited an abnormal trend and significant correlation toward hyperglycemia. This study demonstrates CAD in pre-MetS subjects with reduced BRS, lower overall HRV, and altered AFT parameters. Hyperglycemia was considered an independent determinant of alterations in all the examined BRS, HRV, and AFT parameters. Thus, hyperglycemia may contribute to CAD in pre-MetS subjects before progressing to MetS.