• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.61 no.2
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• pp.121-128
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• 2006

Background: The "health-related quality of life" (HRQL) for patients with chronic respiratory disease has been emphasized, because chronic respiratory disease (CRD) is chronic and progressive, and it finally causes disability. HRQL instruments may be useful for monitoring patients' progress or for determining the most appropriate choice of treatment. We describe the adapting St George's Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ), which is a self-administered questionnaire developed by Jones et al. (1991), into the Korean version for covering three domains of health for the patients suffering with airways disease. Method: We obtained the original SGRQ from the author after gaining permission. For adaptation, we created an expert panel and translated the original questionnaire into Korean language. The translated questionnaire was then back-translated by bilingual experts and we compared it with the original questionnaire. After correction and feasibility testing, 74 patients with chronic respiratory disease (COPD, asthma, destroyed lung) completed the Korean version of the SGRQ. The clinical status of each patients was evaluated concurrently with measurement of their health status. Result: The Korean version of the SGRQ was acceptable and easy to understand. Cronbach's alpha reliability coefficient was 0.92 for the overall scale and 0.63 for the "Symptoms", subscale, 0.87 for the "Activity", subscale, and 0.89 for the "Impacts" subscales. The correlation coefficients between the overall score and the Borg scale score, oxygen saturation, and forced expiratory volume in one second ($FEV_1$) were 0.52, -0.32 and -0.26, respectively. These results support that the Korean SGRQ was correlated with other measurements. Conclusion: The Korean SGRQ was reliable and valid for patients with chronic respiratory disease, such as COPD, asthma, and destroyed lung. The SGRQ score was well correlated with other respiratory measurements as well. Although further studies should complete the adaptation work, our results suggest that the SGRQ may be used in Korea and also for international studies involving Korean CRD patients.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.54 no.1
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• pp.33-44
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• 2003

Background : Mycobacterium avium complex(MAC) is the most common respiratory pathogen in nontuberculous mycobacterial pulmonary disease. This study described the clinical characteristics of the patients with pulmonary disease caused by MAC. Materials and Methods : The clinical characteristics of 24 patients with pulmonary disease caused by the MAC, who fulfilled the 1997 American Thoracic Society diagnostic criteria for nontuberculous mycobacterial pulmonary disease, were retrospectively analyzed. Results : Fourteen patients(58%) were male and the median age at diagnosis was 61 years(range 46-75). Of the 24 patients, 16(67%) had a M. intracellulare infection, 7(29%) had a M. avium infection and one patient was not identified. Coughing (92%) and sputum (88%) were most frequently observed symptoms. The sputum smear for acid-fast bacilli was positive in 17(71%) patients. Fourteen(58%) patients had the upper lobe cavitary form and 10(42%) patients had the nodular bronchiectatic form. In a comparison between the patients with the upper lobe cavitary form and those with the nodular bronchiectatic form, significant differences were found according to sex(male 86% vs. 20%, p=0.003), smoking history(79% vs. 10%, p=0.008), the presence of an underlying disease(64% vs. 20%, p=0.036), the pulmonary function(% forced vital capacity, median 71% vs. 88%, p=0.022; % forced expiratory volume in one second, median 69% vs. 89%, p=0.051) and bilateral disease at chest radiography(29% vs. 90%, p=0.005). The time from the onset of symptoms to diagnosis was longer in those with the nodular bronchiectatic form(median 72 months, range 8-132) than those with the upper lobe cavitary form(median 22 months, range 6-60) Conclusions : MAC pulmonary disease occurs in two distinct populations with two distinct clinical presentations. For a correct diagnosis of MAC pulmonary disease, knowledge of the diverse clinical and radiological findings is essential.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.46 no.3
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• pp.284-290
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• 2003

Purpose : A new airway inflammatory marker, exhaled nitric oxide(ENO) has been reported to correlate with bronchial hyperresponsiveness(BHR) and atopy. The purpose of this study was to analyze the relationship of ENO with BHR or atopy in patients with asthma and with allergic rhinitis. Methods : The subjects consisted of 55 children with asthma, 17 with allergic rhinitis, and 14 healthy controls. The asthma group was subdivided into the atopic asthma group(n=37) and the nonatopic asthma group(n=18) and the allergic rhinitis group into BHR group(n=7) and non-BHR group(n=10). All were investigated with spirometry and measurements of ENO concentration. The correlations between ENO concentration and both methacholine $PC_{20}$(provocative concentration causing a 20% decrease in forced expiratory volume in one second) and the number of allergen skin test positivity were analyzed. Results : ENO concentrations of both asthma and allergic rhinitis groups were significantly greater than that of control(P<0.01). ENO concentration of atopic asthma was significantly greater than that of nonatopic asthma(P<0.01). In allergic rhinitis, ENO concentration did not differ according to the presence or absence of BHR(P=0.50). ENO concentrations correlated significantly with the number of skin test positivity(r=0.32, P=0.02) or methacholine $PC_{20}$(r=-0.38, P<0.01) in asthma group, but not in the allergic rhinitis group(r=0.42, P=0.09; r=-0.06, P=0.83). Conclusion : In asthma patients, some pathogenetic mechanisms associated with atopy and BHR seem to influence ENO concentration. In allergic rhinitis patients, some factors other than BHR may be important in determining ENO concentration.