Clinical Impacts of Isolation in Patients with Bronchiectasis: Findings from KMBARC Registry.

isolation in bronchiectasis is associated with a poor prognosis, including increased hospital admissions, exacerbation, and mortality. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the clinical characteristics and outcomes of isolation from patients with bronchiectasis in South Korea. This multicenter prospective cohort study analyzed 936 patients with bronchiectasis.

Longitudinal mortality of preserved ratio impaired spirometry in a middle-aged Asian cohort.

Background: Although preserved ratio impaired spirometry (PRISm) has been determined to have poor prognosis, it is a heterogeneous state, and studies regarding its prognosis in Asians are limited. This study investigated the long-term all-cause and cardiovascular mortality of patients with PRISm compared with those of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and normal individuals in the Korean middle-aged general population.

Methods: Participants were recruited between 2001 and 2002 from a community-based prospective cohort in South Korea.

Association between plasma sRAGE and emphysema according to the genotypes of AGER gene.

Background: Higher soluble receptor for advanced glycation end product (sRAGE) levels are considered to be associated with severe emphysema. However, the relationship remains uncertain when the advanced glycation end-product specific receptor (AGER) gene is involved. We aimed to analyse the association between sRAGE levels and emphysema according to the genotypes of rs2070600 in the AGER gene.

Prevalence of depression and its associated factors in bronchiectasis: findings from KMBARC registry.

Background: With the emergence of bronchiectasis as a common respiratory disease, epidemiological data have accumulated. However, the prevalence and impact of psychological comorbidities were not sufficiently evaluated. The present study examined the prevalence of depression and its associated factors in patients with bronchiectasis.

A genome-wide association study of quantitative computed tomographic emphysema in Korean populations.

Emphysema is an important feature of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Genetic factors likely affect emphysema pathogenesis, but this question has predominantly been studied in those of European ancestry. In this study, we sought to determine genetic components of emphysema severity and characterize the potential function of the associated loci in Korean population.

Prognosis of nontuberculous mycobacterial pulmonary disease according to the method of microbiologic diagnosis.

Microbiological criteria for nontuberculous mycobacterial pulmonary disease (NTM-PD) require cultures from two separate sputum or one non-sputum specimen. However, there is limited data on the progression of NTM-PD following non-sputum culture-based diagnosis. We compared the disease progression of NTM-PD diagnosed with non-sputum vs sputum cultures.

Metabolic Syndrome and Risk of Lung Cancer: An Analysis of Korean National Health Insurance Corporation Database.

Introduction: Metabolic syndrome is known to increase the risk of several cancers. However, the association between lung cancer and metabolic syndrome remains unclear. Thus, we investigated the impact of metabolic syndrome on the incidence of lung cancer.

Mortality risk and causes of death in patients with non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis.

Background: All-cause mortality risk and causes of death in bronchiectasis patients have not been fully investigated. The aim of this study was to compare the mortality risk and causes of death between individuals with bronchiectasis and those without bronchiectasis.

Methods: Patients with or without bronchiectasis determined based on chest computed tomography (CT) at one centre between 2005 and 2016 were enrolled.

Characteristics and Outcomes of Potentially Inappropriate Admissions to the Intensive Care Unit.

Background: Admission of patients perceived as potentially inappropriate for intensive care is a very sensitive and controversial issue. We aimed to evaluate the use of medical resources in the intensive care unit (ICU) and outcomes of patients according to a physician's judgment of appropriateness.

Methods: ICU physicians classified patients who were admitted to the medical ICU of a tertiary hospital as appropriate or inappropriate for intensive care within 24 hours of admission.

Impact of mediastinal lymph node enlargement on the prognosis of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.

Background: Mediastinal lymph node enlargement (LNE) is common in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and is known to be associated with the severity of lung fibrosis. However, the relationship between mediastinal LNE and the prognosis of IPF has not been determined to date.

Methods: This study included patients with IPF from the interstitial lung disease registry at Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, from January 2012 to March 2016.

Pulmonary Histoplasmosis Identified by Video-Assisted Thoracic Surgery (VATS) Biopsy: a Case Report.

Histoplasmosis is a common endemic mycosis in North, Central, and South America, but Korea is not known as an endemic area. We treated an immunocompetent Korean patient who had histoplasmosis. A 65-year-old Korean man presented with multiple pulmonary clumps of tiny nodules in the both lungs.