Respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) among preterm infants is typically due to a quantitative deficiency of pulmonary surfactant. Aside from the degree of prematurity, diverse environmental and genetic factors can affect the development of RDS. The variance of the risk of RDS in various races/ethnicities or monozygotic/dizygotic twins has suggested genetic influences on this disorder. So far, several specific mutations in genes encoding surfactant-associated molecules have confirmed this. Specific genetic variants contributing to the regulation of pulmonary development, its structure and function, or the inflammatory response could be candidate risk factors for the development of RDS. This review summarizes the background that suggests the genetic predisposition of RDS, the identified mutations, and candidate genetic polymorphisms of pulmonary surfactant proteins associated with RDS.
Genetic Predisposition to Disease ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Infant, Premature ; Polymorphism, Genetic ; Pulmonary Surfactant-Associated Proteins ; Pulmonary Surfactants ; Risk Factors* ; Twins

Liver is generally known as an organ which is most commonly involved by the metastic tumors. According to the tendency of using fine needle aspiration in the diagnosis of hepatic tumors, the differentital diagnosis between hepatocellular carcinoma and metastatic carcinoma frequently has been a main issue in the poorly differentitated cases, especially to the pathologists of Korea, an endemic area of hepatocellular carcinoma. Until now the problem has been usually solved by the comparison of cytologic characteristics of their tumor cells but not by background cytologic features which rarely have been studied. We observed the background cytologic features helpful for the differential diagnosis through the analysis of 20 cases who had confirmed primary cancer and were diagnosed as metastatic carcinomas in the liver by fine needle aspiration cytology. Twenty cases included 9 adenocarcinomas, 7 spuamous cell carcinomas, 1 small cell carcinoma, 1 carcinoid, 1 adenoid cystic carcinoma, and 1 renal cell cacinoma. Analysis of background cytologic features revealed that 77% of adenocacinoma cases showed benign mesenchymal components and hepatocytes and spuamous cell carcinoma cases disclosed benign mesenchymal tissue (71%) and necrosis (57%). Remaining cases showed variable combinations of benign mesenchymal component, necrosis, hepatocytes, and bile duct epithelial cells. No case revealed atypical hepatocytic naked nuclei, a useful cytologic finding of hepatocellular carcinoma. In summary, the background cytologic features more commonly observed in metastatic carcinomas than in the hepatocellular carcinoma were benign mesenchymal components, hepatocytes, necrosis, and bile duct epithelium. The endothelial cells and hepatocytic naked nuclei, two relatively specific findings of hepatocellular carcinoma were not observed except for renal cell carcinoma. Above background cytologic features are thought to be helpful for the differential diagnosis between the hepatocellular carcinoma and various metastatic carcinomas in the poorly differentiated cases.
Adenocarcinoma ; Bile Ducts ; Biopsy, Fine-Needle ; Carcinoid Tumor ; Carcinoma, Adenoid Cystic ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; Carcinoma, Renal Cell ; Carcinoma, Small Cell ; Diagnosis ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Endothelial Cells ; Epithelial Cells ; Epithelium ; Hemolytic-Uremic Syndrome* ; Hepatocytes ; Korea ; Liver ; Necrosis ; Pneumococcal Infections* ; Ulnar Nerve

Respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) and bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) remain major acute and chronic postnatal lung diseases in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. RDS and BPD are multifactorial diseases influenced by genetic factors. Specific genetic variants contributing to the regulation of pulmonary development, structure and function or inflammatory response, and host defense mechanism can be risk factors for the development of RDS and/or BPD. This review summarizes recent association studies of genetic polymorphisms with RDS and BPD. In addition, we analyze the genetic differences among various study populations to identify potential candidate genes for susceptibility to RDS and BPD in Korean preterm infants.
Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Infant, Premature ; Intensive Care, Neonatal ; Lung Diseases ; Polymorphism, Genetic ; Risk Factors

No abstract available.
Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Infant, Premature ; Surface-Active Agents

Hypothermia in preterm infants on admission to neonatal intensive care units remains an issue. Initial hypothermia was found to be one of the important risk factors for increased mortality and morbidity in preterm infants. Smaller size and more immaturity are associated with increased vulnerability to the cold environment of delivery rooms. To prevent heat loss after birth, the treatment recommendations that were recently added are increasing delivery room temperature and immediate use of plastic covering and hats. This review summarizes up-to-date studies of the background and strategies for preventing hypothermia of preterm infants.
Body Temperature Regulation ; Body Temperature* ; Delivery Rooms ; Humans ; Hypothermia ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Infant, Premature* ; Intensive Care Units, Neonatal ; Mortality ; Parturition ; Plastics ; Risk Factors

We investigated the incidence of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) in very-low-birth-weight (VLBW) infants in Korea using the Korean Neonatal Network (KNN) data. In total, 2,386 VLBW infants born from January 2013 to June 2014 were prospectively registered. BPD was defined as supplemental oxygen or positive pressure support at 36 weeks postmenstrual age (PMA). The overall incidence of BPD was 28.9%, and the overall mortality rate in the neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) was 11.9%. To investigate recent changes in the incidence of BPD among VLBW infants, we compared the BPD rate in the present study with the latest nationwide retrospective survey conducted between 2007 and 2008. For comparison, we selected infants (23-31 weeks of gestation) (n=1,990) to adjust for the same conditions with the previous survey in 2007-2008 (n=3,841). Among the limited data on VLBW infants (23-31 weeks of gestation), the incidence of BPD increased by 85% (from 17.8% to 33.0%) and the mortality rate in the NICU decreased by 31.4% (from 18.8% to 12.9%) compared to those in the study conducted in 2007-2008. The current trend of increase in the incidence of BPD among infants can be attributed to the increase in the survival rate of VLBW infants.
Apgar Score ; Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia/*epidemiology/mortality ; Databases, Factual ; Female ; Gestational Age ; Humans ; Incidence ; Infant ; Infant Mortality ; Infant, Newborn ; *Infant, Very Low Birth Weight ; Intensive Care Units, Neonatal ; Male ; Odds Ratio ; Republic of Korea/epidemiology ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Survival Rate

Pulmonary aspergilloma is potentially a life threatening disease resulting from the colonization of lung cavities by Aspergillus fumigatus. A case is reported: a 43-year-old man with symtomatic cavitary aspergilloma presenting with severe productive coughing, hemoptysis, occasional fever, and chilling. On preoperative plain chest radiograph and CT scan, we could find a rounded irregular opacity in a large pulmonary cavity. He received 2 separate operations for therapeutic need. At the first opertion, we performed cavernostomy and thoracoplasty because of severe pleural adhesions, tearing of cavity wall, and high risk of respiratory insufficiency. At the second operation, we performed myoplasty and omentoplasty for closure of remaining air space and complete wrapping of the BPF site. All symptoms of dyspnea and hemoptysis have since resolved. We believed that in the high risk patients who have severe respiratory symptoms, such as in aspergilloma and open cavity with a risk of respiratory insufficiency, cavernostomy followed by myoplasty or omentoplasty should be recommended.
Adult ; Aspergillus fumigatus ; Colon ; Cough ; Dyspnea ; Fever ; Hemoptysis ; Humans ; Lung ; Pulmonary Aspergillosis ; Radiography, Thoracic ; Respiratory Insufficiency ; Surgical Flaps ; Thoracoplasty ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

A 50-year-old male patient was admitted due to right ventricular and aortic foreign bodies with ascending aortic pseudoaneurysm. The patient had a history of Kirschner wire fixation of right sternoclavicular joint 3 months ago. Under cardiopulmonary bypass, two K-wires were removed and injured pulmonary valve leaflet and aortic wall were repaired successfully. The postoperative course was uneventful and the patient was discharged on the 14th postoperative day.
Aneurysm, False ; Cardiopulmonary Bypass ; Foreign Bodies* ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pulmonary Valve ; Sternoclavicular Joint

PURPOSE: Iron deficiency anemia (IDA) and sleep problems are prevalent in infancy and early childhood and are more associated with poor cognitive, motor, and social-emotional development. The aim of this study was to access the relationship between IDA and sleep disorders in a population of Korean children <36 months. METHODS: One hundred and ninety six children, who visited the outpatient clinic for a routine check-up were consecutively enrolled from March 2011 to March 2012. All parents answered a questionnaire about sleep patterns of their children using a modified expanded version of the Brief Infant Sleep Questionnaire. Among the subjects, 93 children with strong evidence of sleep disordered breathing were excluded. Hundred three children were then divided into the IDA group (n=23) and the control group (n=80). Sleep-wake parameters and prevalence of sleep disturbances were compared between the two groups. A multivariate analysis was performed to determine the independent risk factors for sleep disturbances in children. RESULTS: Children with IDA had more frequent nocturnal waking, restless sleep, and inconsolable crying during sleep than those in the control. Children with IDA also had more inappropriate sleep onset associations. No difference in sleep-wake parameters was observed between the two groups. The presence of IDA in children and maternal anemia were significant independent risk factors for sleep disturbances in children <36 months. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that prevention, early detection, and treatment of IDA would be important for good sleep in young children <36 months.
Ambulatory Care Facilities ; Anemia ; Anemia, Iron-Deficiency ; Child ; Crying ; Humans ; Infant ; Iron ; Multivariate Analysis ; Parents ; Prevalence ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Risk Factors ; Sleep Apnea Syndromes ; Sleep Wake Disorders

Vitelline veins are a pair of embryonic structures. The veins develop the portal vein system. Serious problems occur if the vitelline vein does not regress and becomes an aneurysm. Thrombus formation in the vitelline vein aneurysm could lead to portal vein thrombosis and portal hypertension unless promptly and correctly treated. Though vitelline vein aneurysm is an extremely rare anomaly, it rapidly progresses to portal vein thrombosis that requires prompt diagnosis and treatment. We reported a case of neonatal vitelline vein aneurysm and thrombosis that was cured by prompt operation.
Aneurysm* ; Diagnosis ; Embryonic Structures ; Humans ; Hypertension, Portal ; Infant, Newborn ; Portal Vein ; Thrombosis* ; Veins* ; Venous Thrombosis ; Vitellins*