BACKGROUND: Cardiovascular risk factors have been divided into 2 categories, modifiable risk factors, and nonmodifiable risk factors. Clustering of risk factors may increase the risk of CAD more than any of the factors alone and often related to each other. We conducted this study to examine clustering of modifiable risk factors, to analyse associated factors with the clustering of metabolic risk factors, and to evaluate the risk of CAD according to the number of cardiovascular risk factors. METHODS: The case series comprised of 166 patients with angiographically confirmed coronal artery disease, who were admitted to the Division of Cardiology of a Medical Center in Seoul. The controls were 137 persons composed of patients with normal coronary arteriogram or patients with normal myocardial SPECT for chest pain. We surveyed their life style habits, measured anthropometric variables, and analyzed biochemical markers among CAD patients and controls. RESULTS: Modifiable risk factors, smoking, hypertension, diabetes, hyperchesterolemia, and low HDL-C were clustering each others among middle-aged Korean. Clustering of metabolic risk factors, hypertension diabetes, hyperchesterolemia, and low HDL-C were associated with white-collar griup, low physucal activity, non-exercise, high BMI(body mass index) and high WHR(waist-hip ratio). The odds ratios for CAD in men with 3,4 more than 5 risk factors were 2.0(95% Cl : 0.9-4.5), 2.9(95% Cl : 1.2-6.7), and 12.2(95% Cl 3.5-42.0) respectively, compared with men with less than 2risk factors. The corresponding odds ratios in women were 3.4(95% Cl : 1.3-9.0),71(95% Cl : 1.2-13.5), and 4.5(95% Cl : 1.0-21.5) respectively. CONCLUSION: These findings show that modifiable cardiovascular risk factors cluster among middle-aged Korean. The more the cardivascular risk factors, the higher the CAD risk in men and not only for clustering cardiovascular risk factors but also for CAD risk.
Arteries* ; Biomarkers ; Cardiology ; Chest Pain ; Cluster Analysis* ; Coronary Artery Disease ; Female ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Life Style ; Male ; Odds Ratio ; Risk Factors* ; Seoul ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon

OBJECTIVES: Pneumoconisis and noise-induced hearing loss(NIHL) have been reported as main occupational diseases by the Special Health Examination. The Industrial Accident Compensation Insurance has reported various work-related diseases, however, these two diseases occupied almost a half of compensated cases. Therefore, it was not well known about the status of occupational diseases other than pneumoconiosis, NIHL, and cardiocerebrovascular accident(CVA). This study was conducted to analyze claimed cases as an occupational disease, that was requested to the Korea Industrial Safety and Health Agency (KOSHA). METHODS: The local office of the Korea Labor Welfare Corporation(KLWC) has asked the KOSHA for confirmation of claimed cases as an occupational disease. We analyzed 379 cases requested from KLWC, the Ministry of Labor, employers, unions and occupational health agencies from 1992 to 1999. RESULTS: Male was 80. 7 % of the requested cases. Their mean age was 42 years old and 75. 5 % of them were more than 35 years old. The requested cases were increased rapidly from 25 cases in 1992 to 108 cases in 1999 and the accept rate was 50. 7 %. The majority of requested cases were respiratory diseases(22.4 %), cancers(18.5 %), Neuropsychiatric problems (14. 5 %), and musculoskeletal problems (13. 5 %). The accept rate was high in reproductive, respiratory, musculoskeletal and digestive disorders and low in neuropsychiatric, renal and otologic problems and occupational cancers. 73. 6 % of them were caused by chemical agents, especially 28. 5 % were by organic solvents. 67 % of them were clinically confirmed at university hospitals. A half of the cases were from KyongIn area, even the request came from the whole country. CONCLUSIONS: A claim was common in workers whose age was over 35 years old and exposure history was over 10 years. The respiratory diseases and neuropsychiatric disorders were still main problems in occupational health and occupational cancers was increasing even though its accept rate was not high yet.
Accidents, Occupational ; Adult ; Compensation and Redress ; Hearing ; Hospitals, University ; Humans ; Insurance ; Korea* ; Male ; Occupational Diseases* ; Occupational Health* ; Pneumoconiosis ; Solvents

OBJECTIVE: Cardiopulmonary exercise test is a useful tool to evaluate the operative risk and to plan exercise treatment for the patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease(COPD). In cardiopulmonary exercise test, most of the measured parameters are recorded at the time of peak exercise, which are hard to attain in COPD patients. So we evaluated the usefulness of the parameter, breathing reserve index(BRI=minute ventilation [VE]/maximal voluntary ventilation[MVV]) at the time of anaerobic threshold(BRIAT) for the differentiation of COPD patients with normal controls. METHODS: Thirty-six COPD patients and forty-two healthy subjects underwent progressive, incremental exercise test with bicycle ergometer upto possible maximal exercise. All the parameters was measured by breath by breath method. RESULTS: The maximal oxygen uptake in COPD patients (mean+/-SE) was 1061.2+/-65.6ml/min which was significantly lower than 2137.6+/-1.4ml/min of normal subjects(p<0.01). Percent predicted maximal oxygen uptake was 54.3% in COPD patients and 86.0% in normal subjects(p<0.01). Maximal exercise(respiratory quotient; VCO2/VO2 > or =1.09) was accomplished in 7 of 36 COPD patients(19.4%) and in 18 of 42 normal subjects(42.9%). The BRIAT of COPD patients was higher(0.50+/-0.03) than that of control subject(0.28+/-0.02, p<0.01), reflecting early hyperventilation in COPD patient during exercise. The correlation between BRIAT and BRI at maximal exercise in COPD patients was good(r=0.9687, p<0.01). CONCLUSION: The BRIAT could be a useful parameter for the differentiation of COPD patients with normal controls in the submaximal cardiopulmonary exercise test.
Anaerobic Threshold* ; Exercise Test* ; Humans ; Hyperventilation ; Oxygen ; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive* ; Respiration* ; Ventilation