• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.76 no.4
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• pp.160-162
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• 2014

Increasing incidence of pleural infection has been reported worldwide in recent decades. The pathogens responsible for pleural infection are changing and differ from those in community acquired pneumonia. The main treatments for pleural infection are antibiotics and drainage of infected pleural fluid. The efficacy of intrapleural fibrinolytics remains unclear, although a recent randomized control study showed that the novel combination of tissue plasminogen activator and deoxyribonuclease had improved clinical outcomes. Surgical drainage is a critical treatment in patient with progression of sepsis and failure in tube drainage.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.61 no.10
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• pp.315-321
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• 2018

Purpose: To investigate the effectiveness of transient intubation for surfactant administration and extubated to nasal continuous positive pressure (INSURE) for treatment of respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) and to identify the factors associated with INSURE failure in extremely premature infants. Methods: Eighty-four infants with gestational age less than 28 weeks treated with surfactant administration for RDS for 8 years were included. Perinatal and neonatal characteristics were retrospectively reviewed, and major pulmonary outcomes such as duration of mechanical ventilation (MV) and bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) plus death at 36-week postmenstrual age (PMA) were compared between INSURE (n=48) and prolonged MV groups (n=36). The factors associated with INSURE failure were determined. Results: Duration of MV and the occurrence of BPD at 36-week PMA were significantly lower in INSURE group than in prolonged MV group (P<0.05), but BPD plus death at 36-week PMA was not significantly different between the 2 groups. In a multivariate analysis, a reduced duration of MV was only significantly associated with INSURE (P=0.001). During the study period, duration of MV significantly decreased over time with an increasing rate of INSURE application (P<0.05), and BPD plus death at 36-week PMA also tended to decrease over time. A low arterial-alveolar oxygen tension ratio (a/APO2 ratio) was a significant predictor for INSURE failure (P=0.001). Conclusion: INSURE was the noninvasive ventilation strategy in the treatment of RDS to reduce MV duration in extremely premature infants with gestational age less than 28 weeks.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.71-79
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• 2019

Mycoplasma pneumoniae (MP) is the most common causative agent of community-acquired pneumonia in school-aged children. An 8-year-old boy who had been diagnosed with autism looked severely ill when he presented to our hospital due to dyspnea and lethargy. He had fever and cough 7 days prior to hospitalization. He had signs and symptoms of severe respiratory distress. The percutaneous oxygen saturation was 88% at high oxygen supply. Chest radiography showed diffusely increased opacity with moderate pleural effusion. He was intubated immediately and admitted to the intensive care unit. Under the clinical impression of mycoplasmal pneumonia, intravenous clarithromycin was started. Laboratory findings showed leukocytosis, hepatitis, decreased renal function, and presence of serum MP immunoglobulin (Ig) M (+) IgG (+) and sputum MP polymerase chain reaction (+). On hospital day 2, the patient developed multiple organ failure with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Veno-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) was performed with continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) and was weaned successfully. This is the first reported case of an ARDS due to MP infection complicated by multiple organ failure that was successfully treated with ECMO and CRRT in South Korea.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.65 no.3
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• pp.136-141
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• 2022

Background: High-flow nasal cannula (HFNC) is a noninvasive respiratory support that provides the optimum flow of an air-oxygen mixture. Several studies demonstrated its usefulness and good safety profile for treating pediatric respiratory distress patients. However, the cost of the commercial HFNC is high; therefore, the modified high-flow nasal cannula was developed. Purpose: This study aimed to compare the effectiveness, safety, and nurses' satisfaction of the modified system versus the standard commercial HFNC. Methods: This prospective comparative study was performed in a tertiary care hospital. We recruited children aged 1 month to 5 years who developed acute respiratory distress and were admitted to the pediatric intensive care unit. Patients were assigned to 2 groups (modified vs. commercial). The effectiveness and safety assessments included vital signs, respiratory scores, intubation rate, adverse events, and nurses' satisfaction. Results: A total of 74 patients were treated with HFNC. Thirtynine patients were assigned to the modified group, while the remaining 35 patients were in the commercial group. Intubation rate and adverse events did not differ significantly between the 2 groups. However, the commercial group had higher nurses' satisfaction scores than the modified group. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that our low-cost modified HFNC could be a useful respiratory support option for younger children with acute respiratory distress, especially in hospital settings with financial constraints.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.276-285
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• 2000

Paraquat is a very potent herbicide which causes fatal toxicity when ingested, and there is no specific antidote against it. Human ingestion induces acute renal failure, hepatic dysfunction and progressive respiratory failure with high mortality rate. Clinical investigation and medical treatment were done on two cases of acute renal failure caused by paraquat poisoning admitted to the Department of Internal Medicine, Wonkwang University Oriental Chonju Medical Hospital. We report two cases of patients who survived after acute paraquat intoxication, by means of oriental medicine such as Gamdutang, a typical antidote of toxins, chinese ink as an absorbent and burned powder of Rhei Radix et Rhizoma for laxative and so on, western medicine such as gastric lavage, diuretics and fluid therapy. We suggest more experiments and studies related to such treatment for paraquat poisoning be conducted.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.46 no.1
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• pp.42-50
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• 2003

Purpose : The acute respiratory distress syndrome(ARDS), an acute form of severe alveolar-capillary injury evolving after a direct or indirect lung insult is thought to be a common cause of respiratory failure though not many clinical studies on the subject have been made yet. Methods : Between January 1992 and December 2001, we conducted a retrospective study on 33 children who fulfilled the definition of the ARDS recommended by the American-European Consensus Conference in 1994. Results : A total of 33 patients(20 boys and 13 girls) were selected. Their age ranged from 4 months to 12 years with seven children younger than 1 year. The overall mortality rate was 78.8% and no significant difference was noted based on age or sex. Concerning seasonal variation, incidence of the ARDS increased in spring, especially in May(21.2%). Pneumonia(66.7%) was found to be the most common risk factor of the ARDS followed by sepsis(24.2%) and aspiration(3.0%). In immune compromised children(six cases), including a recipient of bone marrow transplantation, the mortality rate was 100%. Compared with children with multiple organ failure recording a 83.3% mortality rate, those with isolated respiratory failure, showed a lower mortality rate of 33.3%, although stastistically insignificant. Between survivor and non-survivor groups, significant differences were shown in hematocrit, $PaO_2$, $PaCO_2$, PEEP, and $PaO_2/FiO_2$ on the seventh day after the onset of the ARDS. Conclusion : According to our study, respiratory failure proved to have a great effect on mortality rate in the ARDS. More aggressive intervention and further studies on this subject should be done to improve the survival rate.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.44 no.2
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• pp.329-337
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• 1997

Background : Since endotracheal tube is the most important factor involved in the imposed work of breathing during mechanical ventilation, extubation of endotracheal tube is supposed to reduce respiratory work of patient. However, some patients show labored breathing after extubation despite acceptable blood gases. We investigated the changes of work of breathing before and after extubation and the factors involved in the change of WOB after extubation. Methods : The subjects were 34 patients(M : F = 20 : 14, mean age = $61{\pm}17yre$) who recovered from respiratory failure after ventilatory support and were considered to be ready for extubation. The patients with clinical or radiologic evidences of upper airway obstruction before endotracheal intubation for mechanical ventilation were excluded. Vital sign, physical examination, chest X-ray, work of breathing and other respiratory mechanic indices were measured prior to, immediately, 6, 24 and 48 hours after extubation serially. Definition of weaning failure after extubation was resumption of ventilatory support or reintubation of endotracheal tube within 48 hour after extubation because of respiratory failure. The patients were classified into group 1(decreased work of breathing), group 2(unchanged work of breathing) and group 3(increased work of breathing) depending on the statistical difference in the change of work of breathing before and after extubation. Results : Work of breathing decreased in 33%(11/34, group 1), unchanged in 41%(14/34, group 2) and increased in 26%(9/34, group 3) of patients after extubation compared with before extubation. Weaning failure occurred 9%(1/11) of group, 1, 28.6%(4/14) of group 2 and 44%(4/9) of group 3 after extubation(p = 0.07). The change of work of breathing after extubation was positively correlated with change of mean airway resistance(mRaw). (r = 0.794, p > 0.01). In three cases of group 3 whose respiratory indices could be measured until 48 hr after extubation, the change in work of breathing paralleled with the sequential change of mRaw. The work of breathing was peaked at 6 hr after extubation, which showed a tendency to decrease thereafter. Conclusions : Reversible increase of work of breathing after extubation may occur in the patients who underwent extubation, and the increase in mRaw could be responsible for the increase in work of breathing. In addition, the risk of weaning failure after extubation may increase in the patients who have increased WOB immediately after extubation.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.39 no.4 s.261
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• pp.323-327
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• 2006

Lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM) is a rare disease in women of childbearing ages that eventually leads to respiratory failure. Lung transplantation is the only conclusive therapeutic modality in end-stage LAM. While single-lung transplantation is the preferred operation, the graft failure or recurrence of LAM was reported. We performed a single lung transplantation on a 36-year-old woman suffering from respiratory failure due to lymphangioleiomyomatosis. After a 1-year follow up, the patient was readmitted because of graft failure with collapsed transplanted lung. The lung volume reduction surgery (LVRS), tracheostomy and ventilator care were performed. However, neither the medical nor surgical treatment had any effect. Subsequently, we performed a contralateral single lung re-transplantation and had a good postoperative results.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.52 no.3
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• pp.278-283
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• 2020

Central sleep apnea (CSA) is characterized by respiratory failure of at least 10 seconds without any effort of the chest and abdomen in the absence of upper airway resistance during sleep. In this case, the patient experiences respiratory failure that does not meet the CSA diagnostic criteria and CSA symptoms. Magnetic resonance imaging diffusion-weighted imaging (MRI DWI) scans revealed a lateral medullary infarction. Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) was applied as a primary treatment for CSA and respiratory failure. During the titration of CPAP, the apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) and arousal index (AI) were worse than the results before its use (AHI: 42.5/hr→82.8/hr, AI: 21.7/hr→40.8h). As a result, adaptive servo-ventilation (ASV) was chosen as the secondary treatment. Compared to the night-polysomnography results before the ASV treatment, the AHI improved (42.5/hr→8.6/hr). Therefore, ASV is a potential treatment for CSA and respiratory failure in these patients.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.40 no.6
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• pp.694-699
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• 1993

Background: After the introduction of more potent antituberculous drugs and the nation-wide tuberculosis management the prevalence rate and mortality rate of pulmonary tuberculosis has been reduced continuously. But we still experienced many patients who succumbed to this disease. So we investigated the causes of treatment failure and death of patients with pulmonary tuberculosis to delineate the problems in the management of these patients. Methods: Retrospective analysis of medical records of 55 patients who died of pulmonary tuberculosis in Kyung-Hee University Hospital during the period of Mar. 1979-Feb. 1990. Results: 1) Average duration of illness was $11.9{\pm}10.1$ years. 2) The mortality rate of in-patients with pulmonary tuberculosis was 2.09%. 3) 47.3% of patients had been treated more than twice and the sputum positive rate was 52.7%. 4) Causes of death were acute respiratory failure(56.4%), asphyxia by hemoptysis(14.6%), cor pulmonale(9.1%), tension pneumothotax(7.3%), vital organ involvement(9.1%) and coexisting diseases(3.5%). Conclusion: Many of these patients had long duration of illness, persistant sputum AFB and high incidence of acute respiratory failure as a fatal complication. It seemed that patient's neglect of their disease and inadequate treatment had caused aggravation of tuberculosis.