Impact of lipopolysaccharide-induced acute lung injury in aged mice.

As the geriatric population rapidly expands, there has been a concurrent increase in elderly admissions to intensive care units (ICUs). Acute lung injury (ALI) is a prevalent reason for these admissions and carries poorer survival rates for the aged population compared to younger counterparts. The aging lung is subject to physiological, cellular, and immunological changes.

Effects of aging on accompanying intermittent hypoxia in a bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis mouse model.

Background/aims: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is prevalent in older patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF); however, it is underrecognized. OSA is characterized by intermittent hypoxia (IH) and sleep fragmentation. In this study, we evaluated the effects of IH in an older mouse model of bleomycin-induced lung fibrosis.

Monocyte distribution width (MDW) as a useful indicator for early screening of sepsis and discriminating false positive blood cultures.

Background: Severe sepsis and septic shock are the leading cause of in-hospital death. As sepsis progresses, expression and activity of endogenous mediators of inflammation change. Early detection of biomarkers can play a role in sepsis screening and in improvement of patient outcomes.

Associations among sleep-disordered breathing, sleep quality, and lung cancer in Korean patients.

Purpose: Intermittent hypoxia and sleep fragmentation, two main features of sleep-disordered breathing (SDB), have been shown to increase the aggressiveness of lung cancer, mainly in animal and in vitro studies. However, the association between SDB and lung cancer has not been well described in human studies. In this study, we investigated the associations among SDB, sleep quality, and lung cancer in Korean patients.

Simple Saliva Sample Collection for the Detection of SARS-CoV-2 Variants Compared With Nasopharyngeal Swab Sample.

Context.—: The use of saliva samples for diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 infection offers several advantages, including ease of sample collection, feasibility of self-collection, and minimization of medical staff exposure to infection. The emergence of new SARS-CoV-2 variants has had an impact on the viral load of specimens and the results of real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (rRT-PCR).

Usefulness of monocyte distribution width and presepsin for early assessment of disease severity in COVID-19 patients.

Early predictors of severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) would identify patients requiring intensive care. Recently, the monocyte distribution width (MDW) and presepsin level have been used for the early diagnosis of sepsis. Here, we assessed the utility of MDW and presepsin for the early assessment of COVID-19 severity.

Randomized Trial of Molnupiravir or Placebo in Patients Hospitalized with Covid-19.

BACKGROUND: Molnupiravir is an oral prodrug of β-D-N4-hydroxycytidine, active against SARS-CoV-2 in vitro and in animal models. We report data from the phase 2 component of MOVe-IN, a clinical trial evaluating molnupiravir in patients hospitalized with Covid-19. METHODS: We conducted a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind phase 2/3 trial in patients 18 years old and older requiring in-hospital treatment for laboratory-confirmed Covid-19 with symptom onset 10 or fewer days before randomization.

Impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on sleep center operations and sleep apnea treatment in Korea: A multicenter survey.

The coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has not only changed the lives of people around the world but also affected all areas of the healthcare system, including sleep medicine. However, no studies in Korea have investigated the status of domestic sleep centers and their challenges during the pandemic.An online survey was performed from December 2020 to January 2021.

Serial Screening for SARS-CoV-2 in Rectal Swabs of Symptomatic COVID-19 Patients.

We used serial rectal swabs to investigate the amount and duration of virus secretion through the gastrointestinal tract and assessed the association between fecal shedding and gastrointestinal symptoms and to clarify the clinical usefulness testing rectal swabs. We enrolled ten adult patients hospitalized with symptomatic coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Respiratory and stool specimens were collected by physicians.

Cross-sectional survey on home mechanical ventilator use: major deficiencies in a home care system in South Korea.

Background: Despite the increased use of home mechanical ventilation (HMV), data on home care services for HMV users in Asian countries are scarce. This study investigated the current status of HMV use in the Seoul metropolitan area.

Methods: This cross-sectional study involved three university-affiliated hospitals.

Utilization of pain and sedation therapy on noninvasive mechanical ventilation in Korean intensive care units: a multi-center prospective observational study.

Background: The use of sedative drugs may be an important therapeutic intervention during noninvasive ventilation (NIV) in intensive care units (ICUs). The purpose of this study was to assess the current application of analgosedation in NIV and its impact on clinical outcomes in Korean ICUs.

Methods: Twenty Korean ICUs participated in the study, and data was collected on NIV use during the period between June 2017 and February 2018.

The Effects of Chronic Intermittent Hypoxia in Bleomycin-Induced Lung Injury on Pulmonary Fibrosis via Regulating the NF-κB/Nrf2 Signaling Pathway.

Background: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is associated with pulmonary fibrosis. Chronic intermittent hypoxia (CIH) is considered to be a surrogate of OSA. However, its exact role in pulmonary fibrosis remains uncertain.

Containment of a healthcare-associated COVID-19 outbreak in a university hospital in Seoul, Korea: A single-center experience.

Background: Our hospital experienced the first healthcare-associated COVID-19 outbreak in Seoul at the time the first COVID-19 cases were confirmed in Korea. The first confirmed COVID-19 patient was a hospital personnel who was in charge of transferring patients inside our hospital. To contain the virus spread, we shutdown our hospital, and tested all inpatients, medical staff members, and employees.

Effects of chronic intermittent hypoxia caused by obstructive sleep apnea on lipopolysaccharide-induced acute lung injury.

Aim Of The Study: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a common disease associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Sleep quality is an important issue; some patients with acute lung injury (ALI) have underlying OSA. However, the potential influences of OSA on ALI have not been reported until now.

Association between triglyceride glucose index and obstructive sleep apnea risk in Korean adults: a cross-sectional cohort study.

Background: Triglyceride glucose (TyG) index is a reliable marker of insulin resistance, which is linked to obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). However, the relationship between TyG index and OSA has not been adequately assessed. This study aimed to evaluate the association between TyG index and OSA.

Non-invasive ventilation for acute respiratory failure: pressure support ventilation pressure-controlled ventilation.

Background: The best ventilator mode for patients receiving non-invasive ventilation (NIV) has not been clarified. This study compared the effectiveness of two pressure-targeted modes, i.e.

Utilization of a rapid response team and associated outcomes in patients with malignancy.

Background: Recent advances in diagnosis and treatment have improved long-term outcomes in cancer patients. As a result, the requirement for a rapid response team (RRT) for cancer patients is also increasing. This study aimed to analyze utilization of an RRT and the associations between related factors and mortality in a population of cancer patients.

Effects of long term normobaric hyperoxia exposure on lipopolysaccharide-induced lung injury.

Prolonged exposure to hyperoxia can cause injury to normal lung tissue. However, patients with acute hypoxic respiratory failure are frequently exposed to very high oxygen levels. This study investigated the effects of long term normobaric hyperoxia exposure in a mouse model of acute severe lung injury (SLI).

Intermittent hypoxia exacerbates tumor progression in a mouse model of lung cancer.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether obstructive sleep apnea (OSA)-related chronic intermittent hypoxia (CIH) influences lung cancer progression and to elucidate the associated mechanisms in a mouse model of lung cancer. C57/BL6 mice in a CIH group were exposed to intermittent hypoxia for two weeks after tumor induction and compared with control mice (room air). Hypoxia inducible factor 1α (HIF-1α), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and metastasis-related matrix metalloproteinases (MMP) were measured.

Normobaric hyperoxia inhibits the progression of lung cancer by inducing apoptosis.

Hypoxia is a critical characteristic of solid tumors with respect to cancer cell survival, angiogenesis, and metastasis. Hyperoxic treatment has been attempted to reverse hypoxia by enhancing the amount of dissolved oxygen in the plasma. In this study, we evaluated the effects of normobaric hyperoxia on the progression of lung cancer to determine whether oxygen toxicity can be used in cancer therapy.