• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.46 no.2
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• pp.204-214
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• 1999

Background: Resting pulmonary function tests(PFTs) are routinely used in the evaluation of pulmonary impairment/disability. But the significance of the cardiopulmonary exercise test(CPX) in the evaluation of pulmonary impairment is controvertible. Many experts believe that dyspnea, though a necessary part of the assessment, is not a reliable predictor of impairment. Nevertheless, oxygen requirements of an organism at rest are different from at activity or exercising, and a clear relationship between resting PFTs and exercise tolerance has not been established in patients with chronic pulmonary disease. As well, the relationship between resting PFTs and dyspnea is complex. To investigate the relationship of dyspnea, resting PFTs, and CPX, we evaluated the patients of stabilized chronic pulmonary disease with clinical dyspnea rating(baseline dyspnea index, BDI), resting PFTs, and CPX. Method: The 50 patients were divided into two groups: non-severe and severe group on basis of results of resting PFTs(by criteria of ATS), CPX(by criteria of ATS or Ortega), and dyspnea rating(by focal score of BDI). Groups were compared with respect to pulmonary function, indices of CPX, and dyspnea rating. Results: 1. According to the criteria of pulmonary impairment with resting PFTs, $VO_2$max, and focal score of BDI were significantly low in the severe group(p<0.01). According to the criteria of $VO_2$max(ml/kg/min) and $VO_2$max(%), the parameters of resting PFTs, except $FEV_1$ were not significantly different between non-severe and severe(p>0.05). According to focal score($FEV_1$(%), FVC(%), MW(%), $FEV_1/FVC$, and $VO_2$max were significantly lower in the severe group(p<0.01). However, in the more severe dyspneic group(focal score<5), only $VO_2$max(ml/kg/min) and $VO_2$max(%) were low(p<0.01). $FEV_1$(%) was correlated with $VO_2$max(%)(r=0.52;p<0.01), but not predictive of exercise performance. The focal score had the correlation with max WR(%) (r=0.55;p<0.01). Sensitivity and specificity analysis were utilized to compare the different criteria used to evaluate the severity of pulmonary impairment, revealed that the classification would be different according to the criteria used. And focal score for dyspnea showed similar sensitivity and specificity. Conclusion : According to these result, resting PFTs were not superior to rating of dyspnea in prediction of exercise performance in patients with chronic pulmonary diseases and less correlative with focal score for dyspnea than $VO_2$max and max WR. Therefore, if not contraindicated, CPX would be considered to evaluate the severity of pulmonary impairment in patients with chronic pulmonary diseases, including with severe resting PFTs. Current criteria used to evaluate the severity of impairment were insufficient in considering the degree of dyspnea, so new criteria, including the severity of dyspnea, may be necessary.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.37-44
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• 2010

We sought to confirm an independent factor about in-stent restenosis (ISR) in the patients who underwent drug-eluting stent (DES) and know a possibility as a predictor of measured coronary artery calcium score by MDCT. A total of 178 patients (159 men, $61.7{\pm}10.0$ years of age) with 190 coronary artery lesions were included in this study out of 1,131 patients who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with DES implantation for significant stenosis on MDCT at Chonnam National University Hospital between May 2006 and May 2009. All lesions were divided into two groups with the presence of ISR : group I (re ISR, N = 57) and group II (no ISR, N = 133). Compared to group II, group I was more likely to be older ($65.8{\pm}9.0$ vs. $60.2{\pm}9.9$ years, p = 0.0001), diabetic (21.8% vs. 52.6%, p = 0.0001), have old myocardial infarction (8.8% vs. 2.3%, p = 0.040), left main stem disease (5.3% vs. 0.8%, p = 0.047), and smaller stent size ($3.1{\pm}0.3\;mm$ vs. $3.3{\pm}0.4\;mm$, p = 0.004). Group II was more likely to be smokers (19.3% vs. 42.1%, p = 0.003), have dyslipidemia (8.8% vs. 23.3%, p = 0.019). Left ventricular ejection fraction, lesion complexity, and stent length were not different between the two groups. Total CAC score was $389.3{\pm}458.3$ in group I and $371.2{\pm}500.8$ in group II (p = 0.185). No statistical difference was observed between the groups in CAC score in the culprit vessel, left main stem, left anterior descending artery, left circumflex artery, and right coronary artery. On multivariate logistic regression analysis, left main stem disease (OR = 168.0, 95% CI = 7.83-3,604.3, p = 0.001), male sex (OR = 36.5, 95% CI = 5.89-2,226.9, p = 0.0001), and the presence of diabetes (OR = 2.62, 95% CI = 1.071-6.450, p = 0.035) were independent predictors of ISR after DES implantation. In patients who underwent DES implantation for significant coronary stenosis on MDCT, ISR was associated with left main stem disease, male sex, and the presence of diabetes. However, CAC score by MDCT was not a predictor of ISR in this study population.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.51 no.6
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• pp.559-569
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• 2001

Background : Pleural effusion is one of the most common clinical manifestations associated with a variety of pulmonary diseases such as malignancy, tuberculosis, and pneumonia. However, there are no useful laboratory tests to determine the specific cause of pleural effusion. Therefore, an attempt was made to analyze the various types of pleural effusion and search for useful laboratory tests for pleural effusion in order to differentiate between the diseases, especially between a malignant pleural effusion and a non-malignant pleural effusion. Methods : 93 patients with a pleural effusion, who visited the Severance hospital from January 1998 to August 1999, were enrolled in this study. Ultrasound-guided thoracentesis was done and a confirmational diagnosis was made by a gram stain, bacterial culture, Ziehl-Neelsen stain, a mycobacterial culture, a pleural biopsy and cytology. Results : The male to female ratio was 56 : 37 and the average age was $47.1{\pm}21.8$ years. There were 16 cases with a malignant effusion, 12 cases with a para-malignant effusion, 36 cases with tuberculosis, 22 cases with a para-pneumonic effusion, and 7 cases with transudate. The LDH2 fraction was significantly higher in the para-malignant effusion group compared to the para-pneumonic effusion group [$30.6{\pm}6.4%$ and $20.2{\pm}7.5%$, respectively (p<0.05)] and both the LDH1 and LDH2 fraction was significantly in the para-malignant effusion group compared to those with tuberculosis [$16.4{\pm}7.2%$ vs. $7.6{\pm}4.7%$, and $30.6{\pm}6.4%$ vs.$17.6{\pm}6.3%$, respectively (p<0.05)]. The pleural effusion/serum LDH4 fraction ratio was significantly lower in the malignant effusion group compared to those with tuberculosis [$1.5{\pm}0.8$ vs. $2.1{\pm}0.6$, respectively (p<0.05)]. The LDH4 fraction and the pleural effusion/serum LDH4 fraction ratio was significantly lower in the para-malignant effusion group compared to those with tuberculosis [$17.0{\pm}5.8%$ vs. $23.5{\pm}4.6%$ and $1.3{\pm}0.4$ vs. $2.1{\pm}0.6$, respectively (p<0.05)]. Conclusion : These results suggest that the LDH isoenzyme was the only useful biochemical test for a differential diagnosis of the various diseases. In particular, the most useful test was the pleural effusion/serum LDH4 fraction ratio to distinguish between a para-malignant effusion and a tuberculous effusion.