Allergen immunotherapy (AIT) has been used for over a century and has been demonstrated to be effective in treating patients with various allergic diseases. AIT allergens can be administered through various routes, including subcutaneous, sublingual, intralymphatic, oral, or epicutaneous routes. Sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) has recently gained clinical interest, and it is considered an alternative treatment for allergic rhinitis (AR) and asthma. This review provides an overview of the current evidence-based studies that address the use of SLIT for treating AR, including (1) mechanisms of action, (2) appropriate patient selection for SLIT, (3) the current available SLIT products in Korea, and (4) updated information on its efficacy and safety. Finally, this guideline aims to provide the clinician with practical considerations for SLIT.

Allergen immunotherapy (AIT) is a causative treatment of allergic diseases in which allergen extracts are regularly administered in a gradually escalated doses, leading to immune tolerance and consequent alleviation of allergic diseases. The need for uniform practice guidelines in AIT is continuously growing as the number of potential candidates for AIT increases and new therapeutic approaches are tried. This updated version of the Korean Academy of Asthma Allergy and Clinical Immunology recommendations for AIT, published in 2010, proposes an expert opinion by specialists in allergy, pediatrics, and otorhinolaryngology. This guideline deals with the basic knowledge of AIT, including mechanisms, clinical efficacy, allergen standardization, important allergens in Korea, and special consideration in pediatrics. The article also covers the methodological aspects of AIT, including patient selection, allergen selection, schedule and doses, follow-up care, efficacy measurements, and management of adverse reactions. Although this guideline suggests the optimal dosing schedule, an individualized approach and modifications are recommended considering the situation for each patient and clinic.

Background and Objectives: The de novo serine biosynthetic pathway from glucose has emerged as one of cancer metabolism; however, it is not explored the interplay between papillary thyroid cancer and metabolic flux of de novo serine synthesis. In this study, we explored the interplay between glucose utilization via GLUT1 expression and phosphoglycerate dehydrogenase (PHGDH). Materials and Methods: The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database was used to determine the association between glucose importation and the serine metabolic pathway. The effects of glucose on serine biosynthesis and the role of PHGDH were investigated in papillary thyroid cancer cell lines. PHGDH and GLUT1 expression in 230 patients with papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) was explored using immunohistochemistry to explore the impact of the de novo serine biosynthetic pathway from glucose. Results: Glucose importation was significantly correlated with the serine biosynthetic and L-serine metabolic processes. Glucose uptake and serine synthesis were significantly increased and mitochondrial complex expression was upregulated in PTC cell lines grown in high-glucose media. Knockdown and inhibition of PHGDH decreased cell migration associated with glucose utilization. High PHGDH expression is significantly related with tumor aggressiveness and GLUT1 expression in patients with PTC. Conclusion In this study, we demonstrated that de novo serine biosynthesis from glucose is highly expressed in papillary thyroid cancer and associated with cancer cell metastasis through glucose utility. Our findings suggest the link between glucose utilization PHGDH to regulate tumor aggressiveness in PTC.

In May 2023, the Committee of Clinical Practice Guidelines of the Korean Diabetes Association published the revised clinical practice guidelines for Korean adults with diabetes and prediabetes. We incorporated the latest clinical research findings through a comprehensive systematic literature review and applied them in a manner suitable for the Korean population. These guidelines are designed for all healthcare providers nationwide, including physicians, diabetes experts, and certified diabetes educators who manage patients with diabetes or individuals at risk of developing diabetes. Based on recent changes in international guidelines and the results of a Korean epidemiological study, the recommended age for diabetes screening has been lowered. In collaboration with the relevant Korean medical societies, recently revised guidelines for managing hypertension and dyslipidemia in patients with diabetes have been incorporated into this guideline. An abridgment containing practical information on patient education and systematic management in the clinic was published separately.

Background: Although poor oral health is a common comorbidity in individuals with airflow limitation (AFL), few studies have comprehensively evaluated this association. Furthermore, the association between oral health and the severity of AFL has not been well elucidated. Methods: Using a population-based nationwide survey, we classified individuals according to the presence or absence of AFL defined as pre-bronchodilator forced expiratory volume in 1 second/forced vital capacity < 0.7. Using multivariable logistic regression analyses, we evaluated the association between AFL severity and the number of remaining teeth; the presence of periodontitis; the Decayed, Missing, and Filled Teeth (DMFT) index; and denture wearing. Results: Among the 31,839 participants, 14% had AFL. Compared with the control group, the AFL group had a higher proportion of periodontitis (88.8% vs. 79.4%), complete denture (6.2% vs. 1.6%), and high DMFT index (37.3% vs. 27.8%) (P < 0.001 for all). In multivariable analyses, denture status: removable partial denture (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 1.12; 95% confidence interval [95% CI], 1.04–1.20) and complete denture (aOR, 1.52; 95% CI, 1.01– 2.05), high DMFT index (aOR, 1.13; 95% CI, 1.02–1.24), and fewer permanent teeth (0–19;aOR, 1.32; 95% CI, 1.12–1.52) were significantly associated with AFL. Furthermore, those with severe to very severe AFL had a significantly higher proportion of complete denture (aOR, 2.41; 95% CI, 1.11–3.71) and fewer remaining teeth (0–19; aOR, 2.29; 95% CI, 1.57–3.01). Conclusion Denture wearing, high DMFT index, and fewer permanent teeth are significantly associated with AFL. Furthermore, a reduced number of permanent teeth (0–19) was significantly related to the severity of AFL. Therefore, physicians should pay attention to oral health in managing patients with AFL, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Since a novel beta-coronavirus, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) was first reported in December 2019, there has been a rapid global spread of the virus. Genomic surveillance was conducted on samples isolated from infected individuals to monitor the spread of genetic variants of SARS-CoV-2 in Korea. The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency performed whole genome sequencing of SARS-CoV-2 in Korea for 1 year (January 2020 to January 2021). A total of 2,488 SARSCoV-2 cases were sequenced (including 648 cases from abroad). Initially, the prevalent clades of SARSCoV-2 were the S and V clades, however, by March 2020, GH clade was the most dominant. Only international travelers were identified as having G or GR clades, and since the first variant 501Y.V1 was identified (from a traveler from the United Kingdom on December 22 nd , 2020), a total of 27 variants of 501Y.V1, 501Y.V2, and 484K.V2 have been classified (as of January 25 th , 2021). The results in this study indicated that quarantining of travelers entering Korea successfully prevented dissemination of the SARS-CoV-2 variants in Korea.

Idiopathic interstitial pneumonia (IIP) is a histologically identifiable pulmonary disease without a known cause that usually infiltrates the lung interstitium. IIP is largely classified into idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, idiopathic non-specific interstitial pneumonia, respiratory bronchiolitis-interstitial lung disease (ILD), cryptogenic organizing pneumonia, desquamative interstitial pneumonia, and acute interstitial pneumonia. Each of these diseases has a different prognosis and requires specific treatment, and a multidisciplinary approach that combines chest high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT), histological findings, and clinical findings is necessary for their diagnosis. Diagnosis of IIP is made based on clinical presentation, chest HRCT findings, results of pulmonary function tests, and histological findings. For histological diagnosis, video-assisted thoracoscopic biopsy and transbronchial lung biopsy are used. In order to identify ILD associated with connective tissue disease, autoimmune antibody tests may also be necessary. Many biomarkers associated with disease prognosis have been recently discovered, and future research on their clinical significance is necessary. The diagnosis of ILD is difficult because patterns of ILD are both complicated and variable. Therefore, as with other diseases, accurate history taking and meticulous physical examination are crucial.
Biomarkers ; Biopsy ; Classification ; Connective Tissue Diseases ; Cryptogenic Organizing Pneumonia ; Diagnosis ; Idiopathic Interstitial Pneumonias ; Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis ; Lung ; Lung Diseases ; Lung Diseases, Interstitial ; Physical Examination ; Prognosis ; Respiratory Function Tests ; Thorax