OBJECTIVES: The project Seoul Atopy ∙ Asthma-friendly School investigated the current status of childhood asthma to enable formulation of a preventative policy. We evaluated the current prevalence of childhood asthma in Seoul and its trends and related factors. METHODS: The project was conducted annually from 2011 to 2016 and involved around 35 000 children aged 1-13 years. Based on the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood guidelines, the survey involved parents. The associations of the particulate matter (PM10) concentration, and the number of days on which the daily air quality guidance level was exceeded in the 25 districts of Seoul, with the prevalence of asthma were assessed. RESULTS: The age-standardized asthma prevalence in 2011 and 2016 was 6.74 and 4.02%, respectively. The prevalence of lifetime asthma treatment and treatment during the last 12 months tended to decrease from 2011 to 2016. Asthma treatment was significantly correlated with the number of days on which the daily air quality guidance level was exceeded, but not with the PM10 concentration. CONCLUSIONS: This study reports the prevalence of asthma among children in Seoul and confirmed the relationship between childhood asthma and known risk factors in a large-scale survey.
Asthma* ; Child ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity ; Korea* ; Parents ; Particulate Matter ; Prevalence* ; Risk Factors ; Seoul*

The occurrence of knots and loops is a potential hazard of a balloon-tipped, flow-directed pulmonary artery (PA) catheter placement if excessive catheter length is passed into the right atrium or ventricle. Knotting of a balloon-tipped, flow-directed PA catheter leading to difficulty in its removal is a rare but serious complication. A case of knotted catheter in right atrium in a patient undergoing aortic valve replacement is presented. By passing a spring guidewire into PA catheter, we have untied the loose knotted catheter under simple fluoroscopic guidance in the intensive care unit.
Aortic Valve ; Catheters* ; Heart Atria ; Humans ; Intensive Care Units ; Pulmonary Artery*

BACKGROUND: During recent two decades of crucial revision of some cornerstone concepts has opened new horizons in neurosciences. Modern basic viewpoints include the idea of high CNS plasticity which means not only rearrangement of neurons and their interconnections, but also the formation of new neural cells in humans and animals during their whole life span. The purpose of this study is to harvest neural stem cell from the adult rat brain using the high speed centrifugation method and study the characteristics of these cell. METHODS: 60 rats (Fisher 344, 150-160 g) brain were saved under inhalation anesthesia and dissect the subventricular zone under the microscope. The brain tissue was digested with enzyme to make a cell suspension. The cell suspension was processed high speed centrifugation to separate the neural stem/progenitor cells according to the buoyancy. After 2 weeks culture, immuno-staining (O4, GFAP, Nestin, beta-tubulin III and DAPI) were performed and replated the cultured cells. RESULTS: The 2 weeks culture cells were positive 92.8% in Nestin, 91.5% in O4 and 87.6% in Gal-C. But only positive 1.4% in beta-tubulin III and 5.5% in GFAP. And replated cell culture shows similar results compared to the primary culture. CONCLUSIONS: With this high speed centrifugation method, authors can harvest neural stem/progenitor cells from the adult rat brain. Although we have many limitations using these cell in clinical trial, but we can afford to next step on neural stem cell research.
Adult ; Anesthesia, Inhalation ; Animals ; Brain* ; Cell Culture Techniques ; Cells, Cultured ; Centrifugation* ; Hippocampus ; Humans ; Nestin ; Neural Stem Cells* ; Neurons ; Neurosciences ; Plastics ; Rats* ; Tubulin

BACKGROUND: Varicose veins are the most common venous condition of the lower extremities. Treatment for varicose veins varies from surgery to minimally invasive techniques such as radiofrequency endovenous occlusion (RFEO), ambulatory phlebectomy (AP), sclerotherapy and endovenous laser treatment (EVLT). However, there is no method to assess the quality of life (QOL) of patients with varicose veins and the effect of treatment on the QOL. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to assess the QOL of patients with varicose veins and to evaluate the effect of treatment on the QOL. METHOD: A total of 72 patients with varicose veins were interviewed with the Aberdeen varicose vein questionnaire (AVVQ), was asked 25 questions relating to the symptoms and concerns of their condition. Follow-up was done with questionnaires again, 8 weeks after treatment. RESULTS: The results obtained are summarized as follows: 1. Of the 32 patients the distribution of age was 40-49 years of age (37.5%), followed by 50-59 years of age (27.8%) and 30-39 years of age (19.4%). The mean age was 47.7 years old. 2. 30 patients (41.8%) had suffered with varicose veins for less than 5 years, and 24 patients (33.3%) for 6-10 years. 3. According to the CEAP classification, the most common type of varicose vein was the C1AEPAS (31.9%). 4. Treatment method of varicose veins were sclerotherapy in 60 patients (83.3%), AP in 10 patients (13.9%), and RFEO in 2 patients (2.8%). 5. AVVQ scores correlated with symptoms and concern scores, and also with the clinical grade. 6. After treatment, AVVQ scores demonstrated a highly significant increase. CONCLUSION: This study confirms that varicose veins have a significant impact on the overall QOL, and that QOL shows a significant improvement after treatment. Therefore, assessment of QOL in patients with varicose veins can be a valid measure for the evaluation of treatment effect.
Classification ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Lower Extremity ; Quality of Life* ; Sclerotherapy ; Varicose Veins* ; Surveys and Questionnaires