Efficacy and Safety of Montelukast+Levocetirizine Combination Therapy Compared to Montelukast Monotherapy for Allergic Rhinitis in Children.

Purpose: The combination therapy of leukotriene receptor antagonists and antihistamines may alleviate allergic rhinitis (AR) symptoms better than monotherapy. This study aimed to investigate the safety and efficacy of Monterizine, a fixed-dose combination of montelukast and levocetirizine, compared to montelukast monotherapy in pediatric patients with AR.

Methods: One hundred seventy-six children aged 6 to 14 years with perennial AR symptoms were recruited.

Rapid weight gain in early life is associated with severity of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) bronchiolitis in children.

Objectives: This study aimed to investigate whether rapid weight gain in early life was associated with the severity of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) bronchiolitis in children.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 190 patients (1-24 months) hospitalized for RSV bronchiolitis. Parameters of bronchiolitis severity were compared between rapid (change in weight z-score from birth >0.

Current Status of Patient Education in the Management of Atopic Dermatitis in Korea.

Patient education is important for successful management of atopic dermatitis; however, due to limited time and resources, patient education remains insufficient. This study aimed to investigate the current state of education provided by Korean dermatologists, pediatric allergists, and allergists to patients with atopic dermatitis. A questionnaire survey consisting of items regarding educational programs for patients with atopic dermatitis was conducted via e-mail.

Multicenter Adherence Study of Asthma Medication for Children in Korea.

Purpose: Adherence is a major component of successful medical treatment. However, non-adherence remains a barrier to effective delivery of healthcare worldwide.

Methods: Twenty healthcare facilities (secondary or tertiary hospitals) belonging to the Korean Academy of Pediatric Allergy and Respiratory Diseases (KAPARD) participated.

Analysis of Epidemiology and Risk Factors of Atopic Dermatitis in Korean Children and Adolescents from the 2010 Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.

Background: Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a common chronic inflammatory skin disease, but only few studies involved samples of children and adolescents that are representative of the entire Korean population. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence and risk factors of AD among children and adolescents in Korea by using nationally representative data.

Methods: We used data from the fifth Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey in 2010 and retrospectively evaluated 2,116 children and adolescents.

Clinical Implications of Oscillatory Lung Function during Methacholine Bronchoprovocation Testing of Preschool Children.

Objective: To investigate the repeatability and safety of measuring impulse oscillation system (IOS) parameters and the point of wheezing during bronchoprovocation testing of preschool children.

Methods: Two sets of methacholine challenge were conducted in 36 asthma children. The test was discontinued if there was a significant change in reactance (Xrs5) and resistance (Rrs5) at 5 Hz (Condition 1) or respiratory distress due to airway obstruction (Condition 2).

Does Breast-feeding Relate to Development of Atopic Dermatitis in Young Korean Children?: Based on the Fourth and Fifth Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2007-2012.

Purpose: There have been conflicting reports concerning the relationship between breast-feeding and the development of atopic dermatitis (AD) in early childhood. The objective of this study was to investigate the associations between breast-feeding and the risk of AD in early childhood in Korea.

Methods: We combined the fourth and fifth Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data collected from 2007 to 2012 and analyzed 2,015 children at 1 to 3 years old.

Comorbidities and Phenotypes of Rhinitis in Korean Children and Adolescents: A Cross-sectional, Multicenter Study.

Purpose: Rhinitis is a nasal inflammatory disease in children and adolescents. However, little is known about the phenotypes and characteristics of allergic rhinitis (AR) in Korean children and adolescents. The objective of this study was to analyze the symptoms and comorbidities of rhinitis, to compare AR to non-allergic rhinitis (NAR), and to reveal the phenotypes and features of AR in a Korean pediatric population.

Socioeconomic and sociodemographic factors related to allergic diseases in Korean adolescents based on the Seventh Korea Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey: a cross-sectional study.

Background: Various international reports have shown that socioeconomic and sociodemographic variables are correlated with allergic diseases; however, little is known about how these variables affect Korean adolescents. This study was conducted to identify socioeconomic and sociodemographic risk factors for allergic diseases in Korean adolescents to provide information for preventing and managing such conditions.

Methods: Data from the 2011 Korea Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey (KYRBWS-VII) of 75,643 adolescents were used.

Clinical characteristics of lung abscess in children: 15-year experience at two university hospitals.

Purpose: Information on the clinical features of lung abscess, which is uncommon in children, at hospitalizationis helpful to anticipate the disease course and management. There is no report concerning lung abscess in Korean children. We aimed to identify the clinical characteristics of pediatric lung abscess and compare the difference between primary and secondary abscess groups.

Humidifier disinfectant-associated children's interstitial lung disease.

Rationale: Beginning in 2006, epidemics of a fatal lung injury of unknown cause in children were observed in Korea every spring. A recent study demonstrated that this type of children's interstitial lung disease (chILD) is associated with humidifier disinfectant use.

Objectives: To determine the clinical characteristics of this type of chILD and to assess whether the nationwide suspension of humidifier disinfectant sales in the autumn of 2011 affected its incidence.

Rocuronium anaphylaxis in a 3-year-old girl with no previous exposure to neuromuscular blocking agents.

During the perioperative period, anaphylactic reactions rarely occur. Neuromuscular blocking agents (NMBAs) are responsible for 60-70% of perioperative anaphylactic reactions. This case, we report a case of rocuronium-induced anaphylaxis in a 3-year-old girl with no previous exposure to NMBAs.

Predisposing factors associated with chronic and recurrent rhinosinusitis in childhood.

Purpose: There is currently no information regarding predisposing factors for chronic and recurrent rhinosinusitis (RS), although these are considered to be multifactorial in origin, and allergic diseases contribute to their pathogenesis. We evaluated the predisposing factors that may be associated with chronic and recurrent RS.

Methods: In this prospective study, we examined patients with RS younger than 13 years of age, diagnosed with RS at six tertiary referral hospitals in Korea between October and December, 2006.

Impact factor of Korean Journal of Pediatrics on Korean Medical Citation Index and Science Citation Index of Web of Science.

Purpose: The total number of times a paper is cited, also known as the impact factor (IF) of a medical journal, is widely implied in evaluating the quality of a research paper. We evaluated the citation index data as an IF of Korean J Pediatr in Korean Medical Citation Index (KoMCI) and JCI of Web of Science.

Methods: We calculated the IF of Korean J Pediatr at KoMCI supervised by Korean Association of Medical Journal Editors.

Easy diagnosis of asthma: computer-assisted, symptom-based diagnosis.

Diagnosis of asthma is often challenging in primary-care physicians due to lack of tools measuring airway obstruction and variability. Symptom-based diagnosis of asthma utilizing objective diagnostic parameters and appropriate software would be useful in clinical practice. A total of 302 adult patients with respiratory symptoms responded to a questionnaire regarding asthma symptoms and provoking factors.

Naturally occurring lung CD4(+)CD25(+) T cell regulation of airway allergic responses depends on IL-10 induction of TGF-beta.

Peripheral tolerance to allergens is mediated in large part by the naturally occurring lung CD4(+)CD25(+) T cells, but their effects on allergen-induced airway responsiveness have not been well defined. Intratracheal, but not i.v.

Inhibition of early airway neutrophilia does not affect development of airway hyperresponsiveness.

The effect of modifying early neutrophil-mediated inflammation on the development of airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR) was investigated using an interleukin (IL)-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1Ra), an anti-IL-18 antibody (anti-IL-18) or a p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) inhibitor (M39). Balb/c mice were sensitized to ovalbumin (OVA) and challenged with a single intranasal dose of OVA. Treatment with the IL-1Ra or anti-IL-18 was initiated 20 min before challenge, whereas M39 was administered 4 h before the challenge.

Inhibition of complement activation decreases airway inflammation and hyperresponsiveness.

Studies in murine models have suggested the involvement of the complement anaphylatoxins (C3a and C5a) in the development of allergic asthma. We investigated the effects of inhibiting complement activation after sensitization but before allergen challenge on the development of allergic airway inflammation and airway hyperresponsiveness. To prevent complement activation, we used a recombinant soluble form of the mouse membrane complement inhibitor complement receptor-related gene y (Crry) fused to the IgG1 hinge, CH2 and CH3 domains (Crry-Ig), which has decay-accelerating activity for both the classic and alternative pathways of complement as well as cofactor activity for factor I-mediated cleavage of C3b and C4b.

Surfactant protein D regulates airway function and allergic inflammation through modulation of macrophage function.

The lung collectin surfactant protein D (SP-D) is an important component of the innate immune response but is also believed to play a role in other regulatory aspects of immune and inflammatory responses within the lung. The role of SP-D in the development of allergen-induced airway inflammation and hyperresponsiveness (AHR) is not well defined. SP-D levels progressively increased up to 48 hours after allergen challenge of sensitized mice and then subsequently decreased.