1.Association between a High-fat Low-carbohydrate Diet and Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: Truth or Myth?.
Hyunwoo OH ; Jaehee AHN ; Dae Won JUN
Korean Journal of Medicine 2017;92(2):112-117
Reducing caloric intake is important for weight loss and obesity; a reduction of ~500-700 kcal/day has been recommended previously. However, only a minority of individuals can successfully sustain such a reduced caloric intake. Therefore, many specialized diet programs have been proposed. Until now, many experts have recommended low-fat diets in various countries, but very-low-carbohydrate diets have recently garnered attention in Korea. The various effects of changing the dietary compositions of macro- and micronutrients have been debated. The majority of large-scale studies have demonstrated that total caloric intake, rather than the composition of macronutrients or the consumption of a specialized diet, is important for successful weight loss. While many cross-sectional studies have investigated specialized diet programs for patients with non-alcoholic liver disease, no randomized controlled studies have been performed, except for some that investigated the effect of high consumption of unsaturated fatty acids as part of the Mediterranean diet.
Cross-Sectional Studies
;
Diet*
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Diet, Fat-Restricted
;
Diet, Mediterranean
;
Energy Intake
;
Fatty Acids, Unsaturated
;
Humans
;
Korea
;
Liver Diseases
;
Micronutrients
;
Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease*
;
Obesity
;
Weight Loss
2.Mixed plant extract-dependent exercise-induced anaphylaxis.
Jin Wha CHOI ; Jeong Ok LEE ; Jaehee CHOI ; Youngshin HAN ; Jihyun KIM ; Kangmo AHN
Allergy, Asthma & Respiratory Disease 2015;3(3):219-223
Food-dependent exercise-induced anaphylaxis (FDEIA) is a potentially life-threatening clinical reaction in which anaphylaxis develops when physical activity occurs within a few hours after ingesting a specific food. An 18-year-old girl experienced generalized urticaria, periorbital swelling, and dyspnea repeatedly by exercise after intake of a red ginseng health supplement. A confirmed diagnosis was established in this case by using an exercise challenge test after ingesting mixed-plant extract containing red ginseng health supplement. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case of FDEIA caused by components in a red ginseng health supplement.
Adolescent
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Anaphylaxis*
;
Diagnosis
;
Dyspnea
;
Female
;
Humans
;
Motor Activity
;
Panax
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Plants*
;
Urticaria
3.A Case of Metastatic Endobronchial Melanoma from an Unknown Primary Site.
Jaehee LEE ; Shin Yup LEE ; Seung Ick CHA ; Byeong Cheol AHN ; Jae Yong PARK ; Tae Hoon JUNG ; Chang Ho KIM
Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases 2012;72(2):169-172
Melanoma can occur as a metastasis within subcutaneous tissue, lymph nodes, or viscera without a detectable primary tumor. Among patients with metastatic melanoma of unknown primary lesion, those with endobronchial metastasis are exceedingly rare. Herein we report a case of an endobronchial and pulmonary metastasis in a patient with melanoma originating from an unknown primary site. The patient without a previous history of melanoma presented with blood-tinged sputum. Fiberoptic bronchoscopy revealed a black polypoid tumor obstructing the posterior basal segmental bronchus of the right lower lobe. A final diagnosis of the malignant melanoma was made based on an immunohistochemical study of the bronchoscopic biopsy specimen. Skin, ophthalmic, oral, and nasal examinations failed to identify occult primary lesions. Subsequent evaluation including positron emission tomography/computed tomography scans did not uncover any abnormalities other than the metastatic pulmonary melanoma. We also describe the characteristic bronchoscopic features of melanoma.
Biopsy
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Bronchi
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Bronchoscopy
;
Electrons
;
Humans
;
Lymph Nodes
;
Melanoma
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Neoplasm Metastasis
;
Skin
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Sputum
;
Subcutaneous Tissue
;
Viscera
4.Diagnostic Decision Points of Specific IgE Concentrations in Korean Children With Egg and Cow's Milk Allergies.
Jihyun KIM ; Hye Young KIM ; Mi Ran PARK ; Jaehee CHOI ; Ji Yeon SHIM ; Min Ji KIM ; Youngshin HAN ; Kangmo AHN
Allergy, Asthma & Immunology Research 2015;7(4):332-338
PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the utility of specific IgE (sIgE) concentrations for the diagnosis of immediate-type egg and cow's milk (CM) allergies in Korean children and to determine the optimal cutoff levels. METHODS: In this prospective study, children > or =12 months of age with suspected egg or CM allergy were enrolled. Food allergy was diagnosed by an open oral food challenge (OFC) or through the presence of a convincing history after ingestion of egg or CM. The cutoff levels of sIgE for egg white (EW) and CM were determined by analyzing the receiver operating characteristic curves. RESULTS: Out of 273 children, 52 (19.0%) were confirmed to have egg allergy. CM allergy was found in 52 (23.1%) of 225 children. The EW-sIgE concentration indicating a positive predictive value (PPV) of >90% was 28.1 kU/L in children <24 months of age and 22.9 kU/L in those > or =24 months of age. For CM-sIgE, the concentration of 31.4 kU/L in children <24 months of age and 10.1 kU/L in those > or =24 months of age indicated a >90% PPV. EW-sIgE levels of 3.45 kU/L presented a negative predictive value (NPV) of 93.6% in children <24 months of age, while 1.80 kU/L in those > or =24 months of age presented a NPV of 99.2%. The CM-sIgE levels of 0.59 kU/L in children <24 months of age and 0.94 kU/L in those > or =24 months of age showed NPVs of 100% and 96.9%. CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicate that different diagnostic decision points (DDPs) of sIgE levels should be used for the diagnosis of egg or CM allergy in Korean children. The data also suggest that DDPs with high PPV and high NPV are useful for determining whether OFC is required in children with suspected egg or CM allergy.
Child*
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Diagnosis
;
Eating
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Egg Hypersensitivity
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Egg White
;
Food Hypersensitivity
;
Humans
;
Hypersensitivity
;
Immunoglobulin E*
;
Milk
;
Milk Hypersensitivity*
;
Ovum*
;
Prospective Studies
;
ROC Curve
5.Significance of 40-, 45-, and 48-kDa Proteins in the Moderate-to-Severe Clinical Symptoms of Buckwheat Allergy.
Joongbum CHO ; Jeong Ok LEE ; Jaehee CHOI ; Mi Ran PARK ; Dong Hwa SHON ; Jihyun KIM ; Kangmo AHN ; Youngshin HAN
Allergy, Asthma & Immunology Research 2015;7(1):37-43
PURPOSE: This study was aimed to investigate the relationship between the allergen components and moderate-to-severe allergic reactions in patients with buckwheat allergy. METHODS: Fifteen patients with a history of buckwheat ingestion and a buckwheat specific IgE level> or =0.35 kU/L were enrolled. They were divided into 2 groups according to clinical severity scores, with 0-1 being asymptomatic-to-mild and 2-4 being moderate-to-severe symptoms. Immunoblotting was performed to investigate IgE reactivity toward buckwheat allergens and to measure intensity of each component by using a reflective densitometer. RESULTS: The proportions of positive band to the 16 kDa (62.5% vs 0%, P=0.026) and 40-50 kDa (87.5% vs 28.6%, P=0.041) buckwheat allergens in the grade 2-4 group were higher than those in grade 0-1 group. The level of buckwheat specific IgE of grade 2-4 group was higher than that of grade 0-1 group (41.3 kU/L vs 5.5 kU/L, P=0.037). The median optical densities (ODs) of IgE antibody binding to 40-50 kDa protein were higher in the grade 2-4 group, compared with those in the grade 0-1 group (130% OD vs 60.8% OD, P=0.037). CONCLUSIONS: The 40-50 kDa protein is implicated as an important allergen to predict moderate-to-severe clinical symptoms in Korean children with buckwheat allergy.
Allergens
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Child
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Eating
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Fagopyrum*
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Food Hypersensitivity
;
Humans
;
Hypersensitivity*
;
Immunoblotting
;
Immunoglobulin E
6.Analysis of regional prevalence of allergic diseases in Korean school children.
Yeonhee LEE ; Jaehee CHOI ; Mi Ran PARK ; Jihyun KIM ; Woo Kyung KIM ; Yong Mean PARK ; So Yeon LEE ; Man Young HAN ; Yoomi CHAE ; Myung Il HAM ; Kee Jae LEE ; Ho Jang KWON ; Kangmo AHN
Allergy, Asthma & Respiratory Disease 2015;3(1):62-69
PURPOSE: This study aimed to analyze the prevalence of allergic diseases in Korean schoolchildren according to their residential areas in 2010. METHODS: A nationwide, cross-sectional study was conducted in children aged 6-7 years (n=4,003) and adolescents aged 12-13 years (n=4,112) who were randomly selected. Demographic and disease-related information was obtained through a Korean version of ISAAC (International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood) questionnaire, and skin prick tests for 18 inhalant allergens were performed. RESULTS: There was statistically significant regional difference in the prevalence of allergic rhinitis (AR) (P<0.05). The regions with highest and lowest prevalence in 12- to 13-year-old children were as follows: Chungcheong and Honam in "Diagnosis of AR, ever" (33.7% vs. 24.5%), Jeju and Yeongnam in "Treatment of AR, last 12 months" (25.5% vs. 18.0%), Chungcheong and Yeongnam in "Rhinitis with sensitization" (31.6% vs. 23.6%). The regions with highest and lowest prevalence in 6-7 years old children were as follows: Yeongnam and Seoul in "Diagnosis of AR, ever" (42.1% vs. 31.0%), Yeongnam and Jeju in "Treatment of AR, last 12 months" (31.8% vs. 21.9%), Jeju and Seoul in "Rhinitis with sensitization" (26.0% vs. 18.4%). We also found a regional difference in inhalant allergens among the children with "rhinitis with sensitization" CONCLUSION: The prevalence of AR in children differs according to residential areas in a nationwide survey in 2010 while there is no significant regional difference in the prevalence of asthma and AD.
Adolescent
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Allergens
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Asthma
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Child*
;
Cross-Sectional Studies
;
Dermatitis, Atopic
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Humans
;
Hypersensitivity
;
Prevalence*
;
Rhinitis
;
Seoul
;
Skin
;
Surveys and Questionnaires
7.Reference Values and Utility of Serum Total Immunoglobulin E for Predicting Atopy and Allergic Diseases in Korean Schoolchildren.
Hye Young KIM ; Jaehee CHOI ; Kangmo AHN ; Myung Il HAHM ; So Yeon LEE ; Woo Kyung KIM ; Yoomi CHAE ; Yong Mean PARK ; Man Yong HAN ; Kee Jae LEE ; Ho Jang KWON ; Seonwoo KIM ; Heejin YOO ; Jihyun KIM
Journal of Korean Medical Science 2017;32(5):803-809
The present study aimed to investigate the distribution of total serum immunoglobulin E (IgE) levels in Korean schoolchildren and to evaluate its utility in the prediction of atopy and allergic diseases. A nationwide, cross-sectional survey was conducted in first grade students from randomly selected elementary and middle schools. Total IgE levels were measured by ImmunoCAP. Skin prick tests were performed for 18 common inhalant allergens to determine the presence of atopy. Children aged 12–13 years and parents of children aged 6–7 years were asked to complete questionnaire assessing allergic diseases. The cut-off levels of total IgE were determined by analyzing receiver operating characteristic curves. The median total IgE level was 86.7 kU/L (range: 1.5–4,523.1) in 3,753 children aged 6–7 years and 94.7 kU/L (range: 1.5–3,000.0) in 3,930 children aged 12–13 years. Total IgE concentrations were higher in children with atopy or allergic diseases than in those without (all P < 0.001). At the cut-off value of 127.7 kU/L, sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values (PPV and NPV) were 67.1%, 75.4%, 65.4%, and 76.7%, respectively, in elementary schoolchildren. At the cut-off value of 63.0 kU/L, sensitivity, specificity, PPV, and NPV were 81.9%, 66.6%, 75.0%, and 75.1%, respectively, in middle schoolchildren. PPV and NPV were ≥ 70% when cut-offs of 258.8 kU/L and 38.4 kU/L were used for the diagnosis of atopy in 6–7 year-olds and 12–13 year-olds, respectively. This nationwide population-based study provided the first normal reference ranges of total IgE in Korean schoolchildren.
Allergens
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Child
;
Cross-Sectional Studies
;
Diagnosis
;
Humans
;
Hypersensitivity
;
Immunoglobulin E*
;
Immunoglobulins*
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Korea
;
Parents
;
Reference Values*
;
ROC Curve
;
Sensitivity and Specificity
;
Skin
8.Single-Channel Recording of TASK-3-like K+ Channel and Up- Regulation of TASK-3 mRNA Expression after Spinal Cord Injury in Rat Dorsal Root Ganglion Neurons.
Inseok JANG ; Jun Ho LA ; Gyu Tae KIM ; Jeong Soon LEE ; Eun Jin KIM ; Eun Shin LEE ; Su Jeong KIM ; Jeong Min SEO ; Sang Ho AHN ; Jae Yong PARK ; Seong Geun HONG ; Dawon KANG ; Jaehee HAN
The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology 2008;12(5):245-251
Single-channel recordings of TASK-1 and TASK-3, members of two-pore domain K+ channel family, have not yet been reported in dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons, even though their mRNA and activity in whole-cell currents have been detected in these neurons. Here, we report single-channel kinetics of the TASK-3-like K+ channel in DRG neurons and up-regulation of TASK-3 mRNA expression in tissues isolated from animals with spinal cord injury (SCI). In DRG neurons, the single-channel conductance of TASK-3-like K+ channel was 33.0+/-0.1 pS at -60 mV, and TASK-3 activity fell by 65+/-5% when the extracellular pH was changed from 7.3 to 6.3, indicating that the DRG K+ channel is similar to cloned TASK-3 channel. TASK-3 mRNA and protein levels in brain, spinal cord, and DRG were significantly higher in injured animals than in sham-operated ones. These results indicate that TASK-3 channels are expressed and functional in DRG neurons and the expression level is up-regulated following SCI, and suggest that TASK-3 channel could act as a potential background K+ channel under SCI-induced acidic condition.
Acidosis
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Animals
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Brain
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Clone Cells
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Diagnosis-Related Groups
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Ganglia, Spinal
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Humans
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Hydrogen-Ion Concentration
;
Kinetics
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Neurons
;
Rats
;
RNA, Messenger
;
Spinal Cord
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Spinal Cord Injuries
;
Spinal Nerve Roots
;
Up-Regulation
9.The Clinical Characteristics and Outcomes of Patients with Moderate-to-Severe Coronavirus Disease 2019 Infection and Diabetes in Daegu, South Korea
Mi Kyung KIM ; Jae-Han JEON ; Sung-Woo KIM ; Jun Sung MOON ; Nan Hee CHO ; Eugene HAN ; Ji Hong YOU ; Ji Yeon LEE ; Miri HYUN ; Jae Seok PARK ; Yong Shik KWON ; Yeon-Kyung CHOI ; Ki Tae KWON ; Shin Yup LEE ; Eon Ju JEON ; Jin-Woo KIM ; Hyo-Lim HONG ; Hyun Hee KWON ; Chi Young JUNG ; Yin Young LEE ; Eunyeoung HA ; Seung Min CHUNG ; Jian HUR ; June Hong AHN ; Na-young KIM ; Shin-Woo KIM ; Hyun Ha CHANG ; Yong Hoon LEE ; Jaehee LEE ; Keun-Gyu PARK ; Hyun Ah KIM ; Ji-Hyun LEE
Diabetes & Metabolism Journal 2020;44(4):602-613
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a global pandemic that had affected more than eight million people worldwide by June 2020. Given the importance of the presence of diabetes mellitus (DM) for host immunity, we retrospectively evaluated the clinical characteristics and outcomes of moderate-to-severe COVID-19 in patients with diabetes. We conducted a multi-center observational study of 1,082 adult inpatients (aged ≥18 years) who were admitted to one of five university hospitals in Daegu because of the severity of their COVID-19-related disease. The demographic, laboratory, and radiologic findings, and the mortality, prevalence of severe disease, and duration of quarantine were compared between patients with and without DM. In addition, 1:1 propensity score (PS)-matching was conducted with the DM group. Compared with the non-DM group ( DM is a significant risk factor for COVID-19 severity and mortality. Our findings imply that COVID-19 patients with DM, especially if elderly, require special attention and prompt intensive care.