Relationships between Chronic Cough and Asthma Control and Quality-of-Life in Patients with Severe Asthma: A 6-Month Longitudinal Analysis.

Background: The prevalence and clinical implications of chronic cough (CC) in patients with severe asthma receiving asthma treatment remain relatively unknown.

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the relationships between CC and asthma control and quality-of-life (QoL) in patients with severe asthma through longitudinal analysis.

Methods: Baseline and 6-month follow-up data from the Korean Severe Asthma Registry were analyzed.

eIF2α Phosphorylation-ATF4 Axis-Mediated Transcriptional Reprogramming Mitigates Mitochondrial Impairment During ER Stress.

Eukaryotic translation initiation factor 2α (eIF2α) phosphorylation, which regulates all three unfolded protein response pathways, helps maintain cellular homeostasis and overcome endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress through transcriptional and translational reprogramming. However, transcriptional regulation of mitochondrial homeostasis by eIF2α phosphorylation during ER stress is not fully understood. Here, we report that the eIF2α phosphorylation-activating transcription factor 4 (ATF4) axis is required for expression of multiple transcription factors (TFs) including nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) and their target genes responsible for mitochondrial homeostasis during ER stress.

Clinical Characteristics of T2-Low and T2-High Asthma-Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Overlap: Findings From COREA Cohort.

Purpose: Despite the emerging biologics, biomarkers and treatment options for asthma-chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) overlap (ACO) are still limited, requiring further research.

Methods: We enrolled 378 ACO patients from a multicenter real-world asthma cohort in Korea and compared the clinical characteristics, lung function, and exacerbation between type 2 (T2)-high and T2-low groups. We used the following comparisons: 1) low vs.

Effect of biologic therapies on quality of life in severe asthma: Findings from the PRISM study.

Background: Anti-type 2 (T2) biologic therapies (biologics) improve exacerbation rates, lung function, and asthma-related quality of life (QoL) in patients with severe T2 asthma. However, studies comparing different biologics are lacking. We evaluated the QoL in patients with severe asthma comprehensively and compare the efficacy of different T2-directed biologics using QoL questionnaires.

Serum MRGPRX2 as a Long-term Biomarker for Iodinated Contrast Media-Induced Anaphylaxis.

The diagnosis of anaphylaxis is based on the clinical history. The utility of tryptase measurements in clinical setting is limited. Mas-related G protein-coupled receptor-X2 (MRGPRX2) is expressed in mast cells and is involved in the degranulation of these cells.

The Recombinant Profilin from Free-Living Amoebae Induced Allergic Immune Responses via TLR2.

Background: Repeated exposure to recombinant profilin from (rAc-PF) induces allergic airway responses in vitro and in vivo. Based on the role of toll-like receptors (TLRs) in allergic airway diseases, TLRs play a central role in innate immune responses and the adaptive immune system and regulate responses against antigens through antigen-specific receptors. In this study, we attempted to determine the molecular mechanisms underlying rAc-PF-induced allergic inflammatory responses.

Benralizumab efficacy and safety in severe asthma: A randomized trial in Asia.

Background: Benralizumab is indicated as add-on therapy in patients with uncontrolled, severe eosinophilic asthma; it has not yet been evaluated in a large Asian population with asthma in a clinical trial.

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of benralizumab in patients with severe asthma in Asia.

Methods: MIRACLE (NCT03186209) was a randomized, Phase 3 study in China, South Korea, and the Philippines.

Generation of five induced pluripotent stem cell lines from patients with MECP2 Duplication Syndrome.

MECP2 Duplication Syndrome (MDS) is a rare, severe neurodevelopmental disorder arising from duplications in the Xq28 region containing the MECP2 gene that predominantly affects males. We generated five human induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) lines from the fibroblasts of individuals carrying between 0.355 and 11.

Skin Test-Guided Strategy to Select Alternative Iodinated Contrast Media in Patients With Immediate Hypersensitivity Reaction: A Prospective Confirmative Study.

Background: Iodinated contrast media (ICM) are a common cause of drug-induced immediate hypersensitivity reaction (IHR). Repeated use of ICM is often necessary; therefore, a standardized protocol to prevent recurrence of IHR is required.

Objective: We aimed to propose an intradermal skin test (IDT)-guided strategy for previous reactors to prevent recurrence of IHR.

Clinical outcomes of transbronchial cryobiopsy using a 1.1-mm diameter cryoprobe for peripheral lung lesions - A prospective pilot study.

Objectives: Transbronchial cryobiopsy (TBCB) is a novel technique for the diagnosis of peripheral lung lesions (PLLs). We aim to evaluate the clinical outcomes of TBCB using a new 1.1-mm diameter cryoprobe for the diagnosis of PLLs.

Development and Application of an Active Pharmacovigilance Framework Based on Electronic Healthcare Records from Multiple Centers in Korea.

Introduction: With the availability of retrospective pharmacovigilance data, the common data model (CDM) has been identified as an efficient approach towards anonymized multicenter analysis; however, the establishment of a suitable model for individual medical systems and applications supporting their analysis is a challenge.

Objective: The aim of this study was to construct a specialized Korean CDM (K-CDM) for pharmacovigilance systems based on a clinical scenario to detect adverse drug reactions (ADRs).

Methods: De-identified patient records (n = 5,402,129) from 13 institutions were converted to the K-CDM.

The prevalence of multiple chronic conditions and medical burden in asthma patients.

Background: The prevalence of multiple chronic conditions (MCC), defined as several coexisting chronic conditions, has increased with the aging of society. MCC is associated with poor outcomes, but most comorbid diseases in asthma patients have been evaluated as asthma-associated diseases. We investigated the morbidity of coexisting chronic diseases in asthma patients and their medical burdens.

Real-world evaluation of atezolizumab and etoposide-carboplatin as a first-line treatment for extensive-stage small cell lung cancer.

Background/aims: Despite the obvious benefits of adding immune checkpoint inhibitors to platinum-etoposide chemotherapy in patients with extensive-stage small-cell lung cancer (ES-SCLC), real-world data remain scarce.

Methods: This retrospective study included 89 patients with ES-SCLC treated with platinum-etoposide chemotherapy alone (chemo-only group; n = 48) or in combination with atezolizumab (atezolizumab group; n = 41) and compared the survival outcomes between these two groups.

Results: Overall survival (OS) was significantly longer in the atezolizumab group than in the chemo-only group (15.

Toll-like receptor 2 mediates Acanthamoeba-induced allergic airway inflammatory response in mice.

Background: Repeated intranasal exposure to Acanthamoeba has been revealed to induce allergic airway inflammatory responses in mice. Based on the role of toll-like receptors (TLRs) in the pathogenesis of allergic asthma, TLRs form a link between innate and adaptive immune responses, and play an important role in the activation of various cells in the innate immune system.

Methodology/principal Findings: To determine the TLRs that are related to these immune responses, we assessed the expression levels of inflammation-related genes in mouse lung epithelial (MLE)-12 cells treated with excretory-secretory proteins (ES-P) of the Acanthamoeba strain (KA/E2) with or without the TLR antagonists.

Clinical aspects of severe cutaneous adverse reactions caused by beta-lactam antibiotics: A study from the Korea SCAR registry.

Background: Although beta-lactams are 1 of the major causative agents of severe cutaneous adverse reactions (SCAR), their epidemiology and clinical aspects have been poorly studied. This study aimed to investigate the characteristics of SCAR caused by beta-lactams in the Korean SCAR registry.

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed beta-lactam-induced SCAR cases collected from 28 tertiary university hospitals in Korea between 2010 and 2015.

Clinical predictors of treatment response to tiotropium add-on therapy in adult asthmatic patients: From multicenter real-world cohort data in Korea.

Background: Tiotropium, a long-acting muscarinic antagonist, is recommended for add-on therapy to inhaled corticosteroids (ICS)-long-acting beta 2 agonists (LABA) for severe asthma. However, real-world studies on the predictors of response to tiotropium are limited. We investigated the real-world use of tiotropium in asthmatic adult patients in Korea and we identified predictors of positive response to tiotropium add-on.

TonEBP in Myeloid Cells Promotes Obesity-Induced Insulin Resistance and Inflammation Through Adipose Tissue Remodeling.

The phenotypic and functional plasticity of adipose tissue macrophages (ATMs) during obesity plays a crucial role in orchestration of adipose and systemic inflammation. Tonicity-responsive enhancer binding protein (TonEBP) (also called NFAT5) is a stress protein that mediates cellular responses to a range of metabolic insults. Here, we show that myeloid cell-specific TonEBP depletion reduced inflammation and insulin resistance in mice with high-fat diet-induced obesity but did not affect adiposity.

Adverse drug events leading to emergency department visits: A multicenter observational study in Korea.

Adverse drug events are significant causes of emergency department visits. Systematic evaluation of adverse drug events leading to emergency department visits by age is lacking. This multicenter retrospective observational study evaluated the prevalence and features of adverse drug event-related emergency department visits across ages.

High-throughput profiling of histone post-translational modifications and chromatin modifying proteins by reverse phase protein array.

Epigenetic variation plays a significant role in normal development and human diseases including cancer, in part through post-translational modifications (PTMs) of histones. Identification and profiling of changes in histone PTMs, and in proteins regulating PTMs, are crucial to understanding diseases, and for discovery of epigenetic therapeutic agents. In this study, we have adapted and validated an antibody-based reverse phase protein array (RPPA) platform for profiling 20 histone PTMs and expression of 40 proteins that modify histones and other epigenomic regulators.