A nationwide study of children and adolescents with pneumonia who visited Emergency Department in South Korea in 2012.

Purpose: Acute respiratory infection, particularly pneumonia, is the most common cause of hospitalization and death among children in developing nations. This study aimed to investigate the characteristics of children and adolescents with pneumonia who visited Emergency Department (ED) in South Korea in 2012.

Methods: We analyzed National Emergency Department Information System (NEDIS) records from 146 EDs in South Korea for all pediatric patients aged ≤18 years who were diagnosed with pneumonia between January and December 2012.

Seasonal Patterns of Asthma in Children and Adolescents Presenting at Emergency Departments in Korea.

Purpose: Seasonal variations in asthma-related hospitalizations and emergency department visits have long been recognized. This study aimed to investigate the seasonal patterns of asthma in children and adolescents who presented at emergency departments in Korea.

Methods: We analyzed the National Emergency Department Information System records from 117 emergency departments in Korea that comprised all of the patients with asthma who were aged 3-18 years and who presented at the emergency departments from 2007 to 2012.

Clinical characteristics of children and adolescents with croup and epiglottitis who visited 146 Emergency Departments in Korea.

Purpose: Croup is a common pediatric respiratory illness with symptoms of varying severity. Moreover, epiglottitis is a rare disease that can rapidly progress to life-threatening airway obstruction. Although the clinical course and treatments differ between croup and epiglottitis, they are difficult to differentiate on presentation.

A case of hypersensitivity to mosquito bite associated with Epstein-barr viral infection and natural killer cell lymphocytosis.

Hypersensitivity to mosquito bites (HMB) is a disorder characterized by a necrotic skin reaction and generalized symptoms subsequent to mosquito bites. It has been suggested that HMB is associated with chronic Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection and natural killer cell leukemia/lymphoma. We describe here a Korean child who had HMB associated with chronic EBV infection and natural killer cell lymphocytosis.

A useful predictor of early atherosclerosis in obese children: serum high-sensitivity C-reactive protein.

Childhood obesity seems to contribute to the development of vascular inflammation and the progression of arterial wall changes. High-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) has recently emerged as a useful biomarker for vascular inflammation associated with atherosclerosis. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the association of the serum hs-CRP level with ultrasonic findings of early atherosclerosis, carotid intima-media wall thickness (IMT) and brachial flow-mediated dilation (FMD), in obese children.