Clinical utility of computed tomographic lung volumes in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Background: Published data concerning the utility of computed tomography (CT)-based lung volumes are limited to correlation with lung function.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical utility of the CT expiratory-to-inspiratory lung volume ratio (CT Vratio) by assessing the relationship with clinically relevant outcomes.

Methods: A total of 75 stable chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients having pulmonary function testing and volumetric CT at full inspiration and expiration were retrospectively evaluated.

The health care burden of high grade chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in Korea: analysis of the Korean Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service data.

Background: Patients with high grade chronic pulmonary obstructive disease (COPD) account for much of the COPD-related mortality and incur excessive financial burdens and medical care utilization. We aimed to determine the characteristics and medical care use of such patients using nationwide data from the Korean Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service in 2009.

Materials And Methods: Patients with COPD were identified by searching with the International Classification of Diseases-10th Revision for those using medication.

Medical utilization and cost in patients with overlap syndrome of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and asthma.

Background: Little information is available regarding medical utilization and cost in patients with overlap syndrome of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma. The purpose of this study is to analyze medical utilization and cost in patients with overlap syndrome and to compare them to COPD patients without asthma.

Methods: Using the 2009 Korean National Health Insurance (NHI) database, COPD patients were identified.

Severity of systemic calcified atherosclerosis is associated with airflow limitation and emphysema.

Objective: We investigated the association between systemic calcified atherosclerosis and airflow limitation.

Methods: A prospective cohort of 134 patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (male:female = 124:10; mean age, 65.4 years) and 101 smokers without airflow limitation (male:female = 87:14; mean age, 51.

Combination therapy of temporary tracheal stenting and radiofrequency ablation for multinodular thyroid goiter with airway compression.

We report a case of multinodular thyroid goiter in an 80-year-old man who successfully underwent tracheal stent placement for respiratory distress caused by the thyroid goiter and following two radiofrequency (RF) ablation sessions performed for thyroid volume reduction. This sequential treatment allowed elective stent removals four weeks after the second RF ablation session because the thyroid volume had been progressively reduced. Combination therapy of temporary airway stenting and RF ablation for the treatment of thyroid goiter has two advantages, i.

The association between inhaled long-acting bronchodilators and less in-hospital care in newly-diagnosed COPD patients.

Background: Although the efficacy of inhaled long-acting bronchodilators has been well documented in randomised controlled studies, whether similar effects are obtained in real-life clinical practice is not clear. In this study, we analysed the effect of inhaled long-acting bronchodilators in newly-diagnosed COPD patients.

Methods: The Korean Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service databases were used.

Systematic review and meta-analysis of pulmonary hypertension specific therapy for exercise capacity in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Some patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) have pulmonary hypertension (PH) that adversely affects survival. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to assess whether PH-specific therapies have an effect for stable COPD. Data sources were Medline, EMBASE, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Korea med and references from relevant publications.

Association between chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and gastroesophageal reflux disease: a national cross-sectional cohort study.

Background: Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is one of the most common causes of chronic cough and a potential risk factor for exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence and risk factors of GERD in patients with COPD and association between GERD and COPD exacerbation.

Methods: Data were collected from the National Health Insurance Database of Korea.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease assessment test can predict depression: a prospective multi-center study.

This study was conducted to investigate the association between the chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) assessment test (CAT) and depression in COPD patients. The Korean versions of the CAT and patient health questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) were used to assess COPD symptoms and depressive disorder, respectively. In total, 803 patients with COPD were enrolled from 32 hospitals and the prevalence of depression was 23.

A case of isolated pulmonary mucormycosis in an immunocompetent host.

Mucormycosis is a rare fungal disease that holds a fatal opportunistic fungal infection in diabetes mellitus, hematological malignancy, and immunocompromised host. Isolated pulmonary mucormycosis is extremely rare. Optimal therapy is a combined medical-surgical approach and a management of the patient's underlying disease.

Genetic variants in HHIP are associated with FEV1 in subjects with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Background And Objective: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a complex disease in which multiple genes and their interaction with environmental factors contribute to disease development. Recent genome-wide association studies in COPD revealed the chromosome 4 region near hedgehog interacting protein (HHIP). However, these studies were mostly performed in Caucasians, and additional studies in multiple ethnic groups are needed.

Longitudinal lung volume changes in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Background: The progression of lung hyperinflation in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) has not been studied in a long-term prospective cohort. We explored the longitudinal changes in lung volume compartments with the aim of identifying predictors of a rapid decline of the inspiratory capacity to total lung capacity ratio (IC/TLC).

Methods: The study population comprised 324 patients with COPD who were recruited prospectively.

Effects of home-based pulmonary rehabilitation with a metronome-guided walking pace in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Despite documented efficacy and recommendations, pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) has been underutilized. Home-based PR was proposed as an alternative, but there were limited data. The adequate exercise intensity was also a crucial issue.

Is daily headache related to asthma? Results from a population-based survey.

Objective: Despite the high worldwide prevalence of asthma and headache, little is known about the association between these conditions. The objective of our study was to evaluate the association between asthma and daily headache in a representative sample of the general population of South Korea.

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 7984 individuals included in the Second Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES II), a prospectively administered survey performed in 2001 by a government organization within the Ministry of Health and Welfare.

A possible role for CD8+ and non-CD8+ cell granzyme B in early small airway wall remodelling in centrilobular emphysema.

Background And Objective: CD8(+) cell infiltration and apoptosis of airway epithelial cells are increased in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). CD8(+) T cells induce apoptosis by releasing granzymes, which can also cause extracellular matrix degradation and remodelling. Granzyme B levels and T cells expressing granzyme B are increased in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid of COPD patients, which suggests that granzyme B may contribute to the pathogenesis of COPD.

Diseases concomitant with asthma in middle-aged and elderly subjects in Korea: a population-based study.

Purpose: Asthma is prevalent in many countries. Few studies have investigated the association between asthma and concomitant diseases. We retrospectively analyzed the fourth Korean National Health and Nutrition Survey database, performed in 2008 using nationwide stratified random sampling to obtain a representative cohort of the Korean population.

Exertional desaturation as a predictor of rapid lung function decline in COPD.

Background: To date, no clinical parameter has been associated with the decline in lung function other than emphysema severity in COPD.

Objectives: The main purpose of this study was to explore whether the rate of lung function decline differs between COPD patients with and without exertional desaturation.

Methods: A total of 224 subjects were selected from the Korean Obstructive Lung Disease cohort.

CHRNA3 variant for lung cancer is associated with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in Korea.

Background: Genome-wide association studies have identified CHRNA3 as a lung cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) candidate gene in non-Hispanic Caucasian cohorts. However, there are differences in minor allele frequencies among ethnic groups, and limited data exists for Asian populations.

Objectives: The aim of this case-control study was to determine whether there is an association between COPD and genetic variation in CHRNA3 in the Korean population.

Validity and Reliability of CAT and Dyspnea-12 in Bronchiectasis and Tuberculous Destroyed Lung.

Background: The objective of this study was to assess the validity and reliability of the Korean version of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease assessment test (CAT) and Dyspnea-12 Questionnaire for patients with bronchiectasis or tuberculous destroyed lung.

Methods: For 62 bronchiectasis patients and 37 tuberculous destroyed lung patients, 3 questionnaires including St. George's Respiratory Questionnaires (SGRQ), CAT, and Dyspnea-12 were obtained, in addition to spirometric measurements.

Synchronization of oxygen delivery with breathing pattern for enhanced comfort: a bench study.

Background: Oxygen has been widely used for COPD patients because long-term oxygen therapy can improve survival duration of COPD patients with severe hypoxemia. The typical oxygen delivery methods used for long-term oxygen therapy are continuous flow oxygen (CFO) and demand oxygen delivery (DOD). Currently, DOD is preferred to CFO in oxygen conserving devices because waste of oxygen is substantial in CFO.

Comorbidities of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in Koreans: a population-based study.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) includes pulmonary components with increased comorbidity rates, as well as being a systemic disease. Comorbidities may frequently occur in COPD patients over 40 yr old. We report the comorbidities of patients with COPD, diagnosed by spirometry, in a population-based epidemiologic survey in Korea.

Impaired colony-forming capacity of circulating endothelial progenitor cells in patients with emphysema.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is classified into emphysema and chronic bronchitis, which are thought to result from different pathophysiological pathways. Smoking-induced lung parenchymal destruction and inadequate repair are involved in the pathogenesis of emphysema. In addition, decreased expression of vascular endothelial growth factor and increased endothelial cell apoptosis in the lung may participate in emphysema pathogenesis.

Bortezomib alleviates experimental pulmonary arterial hypertension.

Vascular remodeling and endothelial dysfunction are important pathogenic features of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). There is a growing body of evidence that proteasome inhibitors may be beneficial in vascular diseases by inhibiting proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) and ameliorating endothelial dysfunction. Here, we evaluated whether bortezomib (BTZ) could alleviate hypoxia- and monocrotaline (MCT)-induced PAH.

Improved correlation between CT emphysema quantification and pulmonary function test by density correction of volumetric CT data based on air and aortic density.

Objectives: To determine the improvement of emphysema quantification with density correction and to determine the optimal site to use for air density correction on volumetric computed tomography (CT).

Methods: Seventy-eight CT scans of COPD patients (GOLD II-IV, smoking history 39.2±25.