• The Korean journal of internal medicine
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.25-33
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• 2024

A high level of particulate matter (PM) in air is correlated with the onset and development of chronic respiratory diseases. We conducted a systematic literature review, searching the MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Cochrane databases for studies of biomarkers of the effect of PM exposure on chronic respiratory diseases and the progression thereof. Thirty-eight articles on biomarkers of the progression of chronic respiratory diseases after exposure to PM were identified, four of which were eligible for review. Serum, sputum, urine, and exhaled breath condensate biomarkers of the effect of PM exposure on chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma had a variety of underlying mechanisms. We summarized the functions of biomarkers linked to COPD and asthma and their biological plausibility. We identified few biomarkers of PM exposure-related progression of chronic respiratory diseases. The included studies were restricted to those on biomarkers of the relationship of PM exposure with the progression of chronic respiratory diseases. The predictive power of biomarkers of the effect of PM exposure on chronic respiratory diseases varies according to the functions of the biomarkers.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.155-158
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• 2015

Lymphangioma is a congenital abnormality of the lymphatic system detected primarily in early childhood. There are rare reports of mediastinal lymphangioma in older adults. We hereby report on a 66-year-old female patient who underwent kidney transplantation 20 years previously and who developed pathologically confirmed solitary mediastinal lymphangioma 1 year ago. Chest radiography showed a mediastinal nodule, which was not observed 2 year previously, therefore she was referred to the pulmonary division. She had no symptoms, and chest computed tomography demonstrated a 25-mm, well-defined, low-density nodule located at the anterior mediastinum. The size of the nodule had increased from 25 mm to 34 mm 1 year later, and it was completely resected via video-assisted thoracic surgery. The histological diagnosis was cystic lymphangioma. Therefore, we recommend that clinicians consider cystic lymphangioma as a possible diagnosis even in older patients with a mediastinal cystic mass that shows progressive enlargement.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.59 no.3
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• pp.227-233
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• 2021

Eosinophilic meningitis is defined as the presence of more than 10 eosinophils per µl in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), or eosinophils accounting for more than 10% of CSF leukocytes in patients with acute meningitis. Parasites are the most common cause of eosinophilic meningitis worldwide, but there is limited research on patients in Korea. Patients diagnosed with eosinophilic meningitis between January 2004 and June 2018 at a tertiary hospital in Seoul, Korea were retrospectively reviewed. The etiology and clinical characteristics of each patient were identified. Of the 22 patients included in the study, 11 (50%) had parasitic causes, of whom 8 (36%) were diagnosed as neurocysticercosis and 3 (14%) as Toxocara meningitis. Four (18%) patients were diagnosed with fungal meningitis, and underlying immunodeficiency was found in 2 of these patients. The etiology of another 4 (18%) patients was suspected to be tuberculosis, which is endemic in Korea. Viral and bacterial meningitis were relatively rare causes of eosinophilic meningitis, accounting for 2 (9%) and 1 (5%) patients, respectively. One patient with neurocysticercosis and 1 patient with fungal meningitis died, and 5 (23%) had neurologic sequelae. Parasite infections, especially neurocysticercosis and toxocariasis, were the most common cause of eosinophilic meningitis in Korean patients. Fungal meningitis, while relatively rare, is often aggressive and must be considered when searching for the cause of eosinophilic meningitis.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.33-39
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• 1983

Sixty-nine patients with diffuse lung uptake of $^{99m}Tc-tin$ colloid were evaluated to determine the kinds of associated diseases, the incidence of associated liver scan abnormalities, and prognosis. The results were as follows: 1) Diseases associated with diffuse lung uptake included malignancies in 31 patients, infectious diseases in 19, chronic liver diseases in 14, and others in 5. It appeared that the marked degree of lung uptake was associated with severe diseases. 2) Thirty-one of the 69 patients(45%) had abnormal liver size, 43(62%) had space occupying lesions or nonhomogeneity in liver image, 37(54%) had splenomegaly and 45(65%) had increased splenic uptake. Increased bone marrow uptake was found in 48(70%) and renal uptake in 15(22%). As the degree of lung uptake increased, there was a statistically significant (p<0.05) tendency for the incidences of the abnormal liver image and renal uptake to increase. 3) Sixty-two of the 69 patients were followed up for one to 439 days(mean 44 days) after liver scanning. Eleven(18%) were dead, 10(16%) were aggravated, and 13(21%) were improved. Most of improved patients had infectious diseases. It appeared that diffuse lung uptake of $^{99m}Tc-Tn$ colloid was found in the various diseases including malignancies, infections, and chronic liver diseases, and that it was strongly associated with other liver scan abnormalities, but was not necessarily associated with a poor prognosis, particularly when underlying diseases were infections.

• Clinical Endoscopy
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• v.55 no.3
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• pp.369-371
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• 2022

• 대한예방의학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2000.10a
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• pp.286-287
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• 2000

• Journal of Korean Medical classics
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.421-426
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• 2006

Objective To learn if there were different characteristics of tongue demonstration between diseases caused by exogenous pathogenic factor and disorder of internal organs. Methods Choosing 3059 cases from 51 medical records of Qing Dynasty, in which 1397 cases were diagnosed as diseases caused by exogenous pathogenic factor and 1110 were disorder of internal organs. Contrasting the constituent ratio of tongue demonstration using chi-square test. Results There were significant deviation between diseases caused by exogenous pathogenic factor and disorder of internal organs in color of tongue, color of fur and quality of fur (p<0.01). Conclusions the characteristics of tongue demonstration in diseases caused by exogenous pathogenic factor were high frequency of bright red tongue, yellow fur, blank fur and dry fur; and which in disorder of internal organs were high frequency of white tongue, thin fur, greasy fur and exfoliative fur.

• Journal of Korean Medical classics
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.69-91
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• 2023

Objectives : This study investigates the association between disease behind the Beijing Epidemic of 1232 and fever causing internal damages as mentioned in the Neiwaishang Bianhuolun. Methods : In order to narrow the fever causing diseases in the Neiwaishang Bianhuolun, the retrospective diagnostic method was used in analysis. Disease behind the 1232 Beijing Epidemic and the fever causing internal damages were categorized. Results : Fever causing diseases in the Neiwaishang Bianhuolun could be categorized as infectious disease, inflammatory disease, irritable bowel syndrome, and fever of unknown origin. The Beijing Epidemic was limited in scale with high fatality, of which possible diseases include infectious disease and inflammatory disease with epidemic medium. Fever from internal damage has a mild prognosis, is non-epidemic, and lacks accompanying symptoms such as acute stomachache, even when it happens with external damage. This narrows the possible diseases to IBS and fever of unknown origin. Conclusions : Among internal damage fever cases treated by Li Dongyuan, there were infectious diseases from the 1232 epidemic and inflammatory diseases with mild prognosis.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.40 no.6
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• pp.1237-1247
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• 2019

Post-stroke oculomotor nerve palsy occurs more frequently than previously reported, but only a few studies of traditional Korean medicine treatments have been reported. The symptoms are severe and difficult to treat, and current treatments are high-cost, short-lasting, insufficient for shortening the therapeutic period and promoting better recovery, or involve the risk of post-operative over-correction or under-correction. Traditional Korean medicine treatments may be comparatively effective at lower cost and less harmful. Thus, we report three cases of post-stroke oculomotor nerve palsy treated with traditional Korean medicine.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.72 no.3
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• pp.284-292
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• 2012

Background: The aim of this study was to investigate therapeutic outcomes and assess factors associated with therapeutic outcomes in hematologic patients with invasive pulmonary aspergillosis (IPA). Methods: We analyzed all consecutive cases of IPA in adults with hematologic diseases from January 2008 to January 2009 at a Catholic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation (HSCT) Center in Seoul, Korea. Results: A total of 54 patients were identified. Underlying diseases were acute myelogenous leukemia (n=25), acute lymphoblastic leukemia (n=10), myelodysplastic syndrome (n=7), chronic myelogenous leukemia (n=3), multiple myeloma (n=3), severe aplastic anemia (n=2) and other hematologic diseases (n=4). Twenty six patients (48.2%) were assessed as having a favorable response, of which 16 patients (29.6%) showed complete response. Overall 12-week mortality and IPA attributable mortality were 38.9% (n=21) and 33.3% (n=18), respectively. In multivariate analysis, uncontrolled underlying disease (odds ratio [OR], 7.31; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.49~35.94; p=0.014) was associated with an unfavorable response, and for 12-week mortality, uncontrolled underlying disease (OR, 11.79; 95% CI, 1.49~93.46; p=0.020) and hypoalbuminemia (OR, 9.89; 95% CI, 1.42~68.99; p=0.021) were significantly poor prognostic factors. Conclusion: IPA still remains as a poor therapeutic outcome, especially in patients with refractory hematologic diseases.