• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.216-221
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• 2017

Purpose: To analyze presence of Helicobacter pylori infection and environmental risk factors among children with and without allergy. Methods: Parents of children at primary health care centres/kindergartens and allergologist consultation were asked to answer a questionnaire and to bring a faecal sample. H. pylori infection was detected by monoclonal stool antigen test. Prevalence of H. pylori infection and risk factors were compared between individuals with and without allergy using ${\chi}^2$ test, ANOVA test and logistic regression. Results: Among 220 children (mean age, 4.7 years; ${\pm}standard$ deviation 2.3 years) H. pylori positivity was non-significantly lower among patients with allergy (n=122) compared to individuals without allergy (n=98): 13.9% (17/122) vs. 22.4% (22/98); p=0.106. In logistic regression analysis presence of allergy was significantly associated with family history of allergy (odds ratio [OR], 8.038; 95% confidence interval [CI], 4.067-15.886; p<0.0001), delivery by Caesarean section (OR, 2.980; 95% CI, 1.300-6.831; p=0.009), exclusive breast feeding for five months (OR, 2.601; 95% CI, 1.316-5.142; p=0.006), antibacterial treatment during the previous year (OR, 2.381; 95% CI, 1.186-4.782; p=0.015). Conclusion: Prevalence of H. pylori infection did not differ significantly between children with and without allergy. Significant association of allergy with delivery by Caesarean section and antibacterial therapy possibly suggests the role of gastrointestinal flora in the development of allergy, while association with family history of allergy indicates the importance of genetic factors in the arise of allergy.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.80 no.4
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• pp.392-400
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• 2017

Background: Most patients with influenza recover spontaneously or following treatment with an anti-viral agent, but some patients experience pneumonia requiring hospitalization. We conducted a retrospective review to determine the incidence and risk factors of pneumonia in hospitalized patients with influenza A or B. Methods: A total of 213 patients aged 18 years or older and hospitalized with influenza between January 2012 and January 2015 were included in this study. A reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction assay was used to detect the influenza A or B virus in the patients' sputum samples. We collected demographic and laboratory data, combined coexisting diseases, and radiologic findings. Results: The incidence of pneumonia was higher in patients in the influenza A group compared to those in the influenza B group (68.6% vs. 56.9%), but this difference was not statistically significant. The presence of underlying respiratory disease was significantly associated with pneumonia in the influenza A group (adjusted odds ratio [OR], 3.975; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.312-12.043; p=0.015). In the influenza B group, the white blood cell count (adjusted OR, 1.413; 95% CI, 1.053-1.896; p=0.021), platelet count (adjusted OR, 0.988; 95% CI, 0.978-0.999; p=0.027), and existence of an underlying medical disease (adjusted OR, 15.858; 95% CI, 1.757-143.088; p=0.014) were all significantly associated with pneumonia in multivariate analyses. Conclusion: The incidence of pneumonia was 65.7% in hospitalized patients with influenza A or B. The risk factors of pneumonia differed in hospitalized patients with influenza A or B.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Pharmacy
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.40-45
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• 2016

Objective: The increasing use of imaging examinations such as computed tomography (CT) results in increased contrast media use, which increases contrast media-induced adverse reactions (AR). This study investigated the risk factors of ARs to nonionic iodinated contrast media. Methods: This study evaluated patients who were administered iodinated contrast media during CT scanning in Yeouido St. Mary's Hospital in Seoul, Korea in 2012. Among the subjects, those with contrast media-induced ARs were classified as the AR group. The control group included individuals without ARs who were selected through simple random sampling. The effects of sex, age, contrast media type and dose, CT region, previous contrast media administration, allergy history, and comorbidity were analyzed in the AR and control groups. Results: Multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to evaluate the identified AR risk factors in 103 subjects in the AR group and 412 subjects in the control group. The results confirmed that the risk of developing ARs was significantly higher in females [odds ratio (OR): 2.206; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.353-3.598], in individuals administered Iohexol (OR: 9.981; 95% CI: 2.361-42.193), in individuals with an allergy history (OR: 3.982; 95% CI: 1.742-9.101), and in individuals with comorbid asthma (OR: 6.619; 95% CI: 1.377-31.826). Most of the ARs were mild and immediate. Conclusion: In patients who were administered contrast media during CT scans, female gender, Iohexol use, allergy history, and asthma were risk factors for ARs. Therefore, special care is required for patients with such risk factors to prevent ARs.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.68 no.1
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• pp.10-15
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• 2010

Background: Lung cancer is the most common cause of cancer mortality in Korea. The TNM stage at presentation in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) has the greatest impact on prognosis. Patients who undergo a complete resection for NSCLC are likely to develop recurrent and/or metastatic disease. There are several factors influencing the development of recurrence. We explored risk factors of recurrence in patients with stages I and II NSCLC, who had undergone curative resection. Methods: We reviewed patients who had complete surgical resection as definitive treatment for stage I or II. Patients followed up for more than 36 months. We evaluated several factors which might have relationship with recurrence, such as patient's demographic factors, TNM staging, pathologic finding, tumor markers and surgical technique. Results: A total of 75 patients were enrolled for analysis, of whom 58 were men and 17 were women with mean age of 61 (range, 37 to 76) years. The average size of tumors was 3.9 cm (0.7 to 10 cm). There were 64 patients with stage I NSCLC and 11 with stage II NSCLC. Among 64 patients with stage I NSCLC, 35 patients showed recurrences whereas 8 patients have recurred in stage II NSCLC. Grade of differentiation of tumor was closely related to the recurrence. Seventy-five percent of patients who had poor tumor differentiation experienced a recurrence. In contrast, 3 patients of twelve had recurrences, who revealed differentiation in their tissue (p<0.05). Conclusion: Tumor differentiation could be a predictive factor for tumor recurrence in patients who have undergone curative resection for stage I or II NSCLC.

• The Korean Nurse
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.87-92
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• 1998

Immdeiate hypersensitivity reactions to natural rubber and latex products pose a significant threat to patients, healthcare workers, and the general population. The purpose of this study is to summarize the clinical syomptoms of latex rubber allergy and provide guidelines for the management of latex allergy. Contact dermatitis from the nearly constant use of latex gloves during the workday has become a real problem for many health care professionals. Moreover, the patient who come in contact with these gloves or with other latex-containing equipment may show reactons. Far worse than skin problems is life-threatening anaphyaxis, which can be the first indication that a person has latex sensitivity. In conclusion, nurses shold know the latex precautions such as risk factors, adverse reactons to latex, emergent treatment and so on.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.81 no.3
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• pp.247-255
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• 2018

Background: Patients with acute respiratory failure secondary to tuberculous destroyed lung (TDL) have a poor prognosis. The aim of the present retrospective study was to develop a mortality prediction model for TDL patients who require mechanical ventilation. Methods: Data from consecutive TDL patients who had received mechanical ventilation at a single university-affiliated tertiary care hospital in Korea were reviewed. Binary logistic regression was used to identify factors predicting intensive care unit (ICU) mortality. A TDL on mechanical Ventilation (TDL-Vent) score was calculated by assigning points to variables according to ${\beta}$ coefficient values. Results: Data from 125 patients were reviewed. A total of 36 patients (29%) died during ICU admission. On the basis of multivariate analysis, the following factors were included in the TDL-Vent score: age ${\geq}65$ years, vasopressor use, and arterial partial pressure of oxygen/fraction of inspired oxygen ratio <180. In a second regression model, a modified score was then calculated by adding brain natriuretic peptide. For TDL-Vent scores 0 to 3, the 60-day mortality rates were 11%, 27%, 30%, and 77%, respectively (p<0.001). For modified TDL-Vent scores 0 to ${\geq}3$, the 60-day mortality rates were 0%, 21%, 33%, and 57%, respectively (p=0.001). For both the TDL-Vent score and the modified TDL-Vent score, the areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve were larger than that of other illness severity scores. Conclusion: The TDL-Vent model identifies TDL patients on mechanical ventilation with a high risk of mortality. Prospective validation studies in larger cohorts are now warranted.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.58 no.4
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• pp.413-419
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• 2020

Eosinophilia occurs commonly in many diseases including allergic diseases and helminthic infections. Toxocariasis has been suggested as one cause of eosinophilia. The present study was undertaken to examine the prevalence of toxocariasis in patients with eosinophilia and to identify the risk factors for toxocariasis. This prospective cohort study recruited a total of 81 patients with eosinophilia (34 males and 47 females) who visited the outpatient clinic at Seoul National University Hospital from January 2017 to February 2018 and agreed to participate in this study. The prevalence of toxocariasis was examined by T. canis-specific ELISA, and the various risk factors for toxocariasis were evaluated by a questionnaire survey. Among 81 patients with eosinophilia, 18 were positive for anti-T. canis antibodies (22.2%); 88.9% were male (16/18) and 11.1% were female (2/18). Multivariate statistical analysis revealed that males (OR 21.876, 95% CI: 1.667-287.144) with a history of consuming the raw meat or livers of animals (OR 5.899, 95% CI: 1.004-34.669) and a heavy alcohol-drinking habit (OR 8.767, 95% CI: 1.018-75.497) were at higher risk of toxocariasis in patients with eosinophilia. Toxocariasis should be considered a potential cause of eosinophilia when the patient has a history of eating the raw meat or livers of animals in Korea. A single course of albendazole is recommended to reduce the migration of Toxocara larvae in serologically positive cases with eosinophilia.

• Allergy, Asthma & Respiratory Disease
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• v.6 no.6
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• pp.295-302
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• 2018

Purpose: It is thought that Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection is more prevalent and causes more severe pneumonia in school-age children and young adults than in preschool children; however, recent studies suggest that the infection may be underdiagnosed and more severe in preschool children. This study investigated the clinical characteristics of Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia (MPP) and the risk factors of refractory MPP (RMPP) by age. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 353 children admitted due to MPP from January 2015 to December 2016. Demographics, clinical information, laboratory data and radiological findings were collected from all patients in this study. The patients were divided into 2 groups by the age of 6 years. Also, both preschool (< 6 years old) and school-age (${\geq}6$ years old) children were divided into RMPP and non-RMPP patients. Results: Total febrile days, febrile days before admission and the duration of macrolide antibiotic therapy were significantly longer in school-age children than in preschool children. School-age children had significantly greater risk of lobar consolidation (P=0.036), pleural effusion (P=0.001) and extrapulmonary complications (P=0.019). Necrotizing pneumonia and bronchiolitis obliterans tended to occur more frequently in preschool children than in school-age children. In both preschool and school-age children, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) levels were significantly higher in RMPP patients than in non-RMPP patients. In preschool children, LDH > 722 IU/L (odds ratio [OR], 3.02; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.44-6.50) and ferritin > 177 ng/mL (OR, 5.38; 95% CI, 1.61-19.49) were significant risk factors for RMPP, while LDH > 645 IU/L (OR, 4.12; 95% CI, 1.64-10.97) and ferritin > 166 ng/mL (OR, 5.51; 95% CI, 1.59-22.32) were so in school-age children. Conclusion: Clinical features of MPP were significantly different between preschool and school-age children. LDH and ferritin may be significant factors of RMPP in preschool and school-age children.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.69 no.6
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• pp.434-441
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• 2010

Background: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a major health problem resulting in significant burden for patients and families. However, family caregivers' burden has not been well recognized. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the level of caregivers' burden and to explore the related factors based on family, patient, and social support factors. Methods: A face-to-face interview with 86 family caregivers who had been taking care of COPD patients was conducted. The participants answered a self-administered questionnaire. The questionnaire included the level of family caregivers' burden, health status and the relationship within the family, functional limitation of patients perceived by family caregivers and the social support. Results: The level of caregivers' burden among participants was considerably high. Risk factors for caregivers' burden included low educational level of family caregivers, low family income, hours of caregiving, and functional limitation of the patients. Protective factors for caregivers' burden were good relationship within the family and support from other family members or friends. Conclusion: It is proved that family caregivers are facing significant burden in taking care of COPD patients. To reduce family caregivers' burden, it is necessary to address socioeconomic status of the family and to provide various community resources including financial support and nursing services.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.63 no.6
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• pp.203-210
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• 2020

The drug allergy "label" may have a lifetime of consequences for a child. Many children with alleged drug allergies are proven to be tolerant to the culprit medication when challenged. The field of drug hypersensitivity is a recently evolving field of research, but studies on its epidemiology and diagnostic tools are lacking in children. Clinical history is significant in the diagnosis and classification of drug hypersensitivity in children. Diagnostic tools have been evaluated in a limited number of children; therefore, the guidelines are mainly in line with those for adults. Here, we review the clinical characteristics, main drugs, risk factors, and diagnosis of drug hypersensitivity to aid in its accurate diagnosis in children.