BACKGROUND: Early detection of vascular change may improve prediction of subclinical stage of cardiovascular disease, allowing intervention to prevent overt vascular damage. High heart rate is known to increase cardiovascular morbidity and mortality rate in the general population and in individuals with cardiovascular disease. We aimed to investigate the association between resting heart rate (RHR) measured using electrocardiogram (ECG) and arterial stiffness measured using the cardio-ankle vascular index (CAVI) in men. METHODS: Data were collected from 5,629 men aged between 20 and 78 years who visited a single-site health promotion center. RHR was measured in a supine posture after resting for 10 minutes using an ECG. Arterial stiffness was measured using the CAVI. The cutoff value for high CAVI was ≥9.0. RESULTS: RHR was one of the major determinants of high CAVI after adjusting for age, waist circumference, mean arterial pressure, glycosylated hemoglobin level, triglyceride level, white blood cell count, and lifestyle factors. When RHR groups were defined according to the RHR quartiles, the odds ratio of group with RHR ≥70 bpm, for high CAVI was 3.62 (95% confidence interval [CI], 2.21–5.91) after adjusting for age and lifestyle factors. This association was not changed after adjusting for all other covariates (odds ratio, 2.39; 95% CI, 1.36–4.19). CONCLUSIONS: RHR measured using ECG is significantly associated with arterial stiffness in men not taking medications for hypertension, dyslipidemia, or diabetes. These findings suggest that RHR may be useful in assessing cardiovascular risk in men.
Arterial Pressure ; Arteriosclerosis ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; Dyslipidemias ; Electrocardiography ; Health Promotion ; Heart Rate ; Heart ; Hemoglobin A, Glycosylated ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Leukocyte Count ; Life Style ; Male ; Mortality ; Odds Ratio ; Posture ; Risk Assessment ; Triglycerides ; Vascular Stiffness ; Waist Circumference

Background: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease fibrosis score (NFS) is a scoring system applied in clinical practice to predict advanced fibrosis in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Evidence shows that progression of steatohepatitis and liver fibrosis reduces the production of verylow- density lipoprotein. The aim of this study was to identify the association of NFS and serum low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels and in adults with NAFLD. Methods: Data were gathered from 24,889 subjects who had visited a health promotion center. NFS was calculated to assess the severity of fibrosis in all the subjects. Serum LDL-C levels were measured using a direct method. Results: Serum LDL-C levels tended to decrease with increasing NFS quartiles (P for trend<0.01). NFS was one of the major determinants of serum LDL-C level after adjusting for age, sex, lifestyle-related factors, and other covariates. The estimated mean serum LDL-C level was significantly lower in the highest quartile of NFS than in the lowest quartile of NFS. Conclusion NFS had a negative association with serum LDL-C levels in adults with NAFLD. Elevated LDL-C level is not only a risk factor of cardiovascular disease but also a predictive indicator of NAFLD severity.

BACKGROUND: Early detection of vascular change may improve prediction of subclinical stage of cardiovascular disease, allowing intervention to prevent overt vascular damage. High heart rate is known to increase cardiovascular morbidity and mortality rate in the general population and in individuals with cardiovascular disease. We aimed to investigate the association between resting heart rate (RHR) measured using electrocardiogram (ECG) and arterial stiffness measured using the cardio-ankle vascular index (CAVI) in men. METHODS: Data were collected from 5,629 men aged between 20 and 78 years who visited a single-site health promotion center. RHR was measured in a supine posture after resting for 10 minutes using an ECG. Arterial stiffness was measured using the CAVI. The cutoff value for high CAVI was ≥9.0. RESULTS: RHR was one of the major determinants of high CAVI after adjusting for age, waist circumference, mean arterial pressure, glycosylated hemoglobin level, triglyceride level, white blood cell count, and lifestyle factors. When RHR groups were defined according to the RHR quartiles, the odds ratio of group with RHR ≥70 bpm, for high CAVI was 3.62 (95% confidence interval [CI], 2.21–5.91) after adjusting for age and lifestyle factors. This association was not changed after adjusting for all other covariates (odds ratio, 2.39; 95% CI, 1.36–4.19). CONCLUSIONS RHR measured using ECG is significantly associated with arterial stiffness in men not taking medications for hypertension, dyslipidemia, or diabetes. These findings suggest that RHR may be useful in assessing cardiovascular risk in men.

No abstract available.
Animals ; Hyaluronic Acid* ; Keratinocytes* ; Mice*

Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) is a widely used chemical for production of plastics. However occupational asthma (OA) caused by PVC has been reported only rarely. We report a 34-yr-old male wallpaper factory worker with OA due to PVC and nickel (Ni) whose job was mixing PVC with plasticizers. He visited the emergency room due to an asthma attack with moderate airflow obstruction and markedly increased sputum eosinophil numbers. A methacholine challenge test was positive (PC20 2.5 mg/mL). Bronchoprovocation tests with both PVC and Ni showed early and late asthmatic responses, respectively. Moreover, the fractional concentration of exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) was increased after challenge with PVC. To our knowledge, this is the first case of OA in Korea induced by exposure to both PVC and Ni. We suggest that eosinophilic inflammation may be involved in the pathogenesis of PVC-induced OA and that FeNO monitoring can be used for its diagnosis.
Adult ; Asthma, Occupational/*chemically induced/*diagnosis ; Breath Tests ; Bronchial Provocation Tests ; Environmental Exposure ; Eosinophilia/*diagnosis ; Exhalation ; Humans ; Leukocyte Count ; Male ; Nickel ; Nitric Oxide/metabolism ; Occupational Exposure ; Plasticizers ; Polyvinyl Chloride

Objectives: Regression, while not a core symptom of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), has been suggested to be a distinct subtype by previous studies. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the prevalence and clinical differences between those with and without regression in children with ASD. Methods: This study includes data from toddlers and young children aged 2–7 years acquired from other projects at Seoul National University Bundang Hospital. The presence and characteristics of regression were explored using question items #11–28 from the Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised. Chi-square and independent t-tests were used to compare various clinical measurements such as autistic symptoms, adaptative behavior, intelligence, and perinatal factors. Results: Data from 1438 young children (1020 with ASD) were analyzed. The overall prevalence rate of regression, which was mainly related to language-related skills, was 10.2% in the ASD group, with an onset age of 24 months. Regarding clinical characteristics, patients with ASD and regression experienced ASD symptoms, especially restricted and repetitive interests and behaviors, with greater severity than those without regression. Furthermore, there were significant associations between regression and hypertension/placenta previa. Conclusion In-depth surveillance and proactive interventions targeted at young children with ASD and regression should focus on autistic symptoms and other areas of functioning.

No abstract available.
Aphasia, Broca* ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 ; Hyperglycemic Hyperosmolar Nonketotic Coma

PURPOSE: This study was a comparative study to understand the levels of anxiety, pain and maternal-fetal attachment between women who became pregnant after infertility treatment and became pregnant naturally. METHODS: This study used a comparative survey design. Data were collected by 50 couples of natural pregnancy and of who became pregnant after infertility treatment who visited delivery room in C Medical hospital, Seoul. These couples were to have first baby, and cervix dilatation of women was less than 3 cm regardless of diagnosis. RESULTS: The score of anxiety of infertile women was significantly higher than that of naturally pregnant women; however, that of spouses showed no difference. The pain score for infertile women was significantly higher in both the active and transition phases. Pain scores that reported by their spouses did not show differences in either phase. The score of maternal-fetal attachment showed no difference between two groups of women. CONCLUSION: The result showed the importance of nursing intervention to reduce women's anxiety and pain, through both antenatal-childbirth education programs and assertive nursing interventions. It is necessary to develop and evaluate new intervention which would be more effective for reducing pain and anxiety for couples who became pregnant after infertility treatment.
Anxiety* ; Cervix Uteri ; Delivery Rooms ; Diagnosis ; Dilatation ; Education ; Family Characteristics ; Female ; Humans ; Infertility* ; Nursing ; Pregnancy ; Pregnant Women ; Seoul ; Spouses

Background: A rapid increase in bone turnover and bone loss has been observed in response to the discontinuation of denosumab. It led to an acute increase in the fracture risk, similar to that observed in the untreated patients. We aimed to investigate the effect of denosumab on osteoclast (OC) precursor cells compared to that of zoledronate. Methods: The study compared the effects of denosumab (60 mg/24-week) and zoledronate (5 mg/48-week) over 48 weeks in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis. From patients’ peripheral mononuclear cells, CD14+/CD11b+/vitronectin receptor (VNR)- and CD14+/CD11b+/VNR+ cells were isolated using fluorescent-activated cell sorting, representing early and late OC precursors, respectively. The primary endpoint was the changes in OC precursors after 48 weeks of treatment. Results: Among the 23 patients, 11 were assigned to the denosumab group and 12 to the zoledronate group (mean age, 69 years). After 48 weeks, the changes in OC precursors were similar between and within the groups. Serum C-terminal telopeptide of type I collagen levels were inversely correlated with OC precursor levels after denosumab treatment (r=-0.72, P<0.001). Lumbar spine, femur neck, and total hip bone mineral density (BMD) increased in both groups. Lumbar spine BMD increased more significantly in the denosumab group than in the zoledronate group. Conclusions Denosumab and zoledronate treatments induced similar changes in OC precursors. During denosumab treatment, old age and suppressed bone turnover were associated with increased OC precursor cell populations. Further validation studies with prospective designs are required.

BACKGROUND: We performed the study on the changes of beta2-microglobulin(beta2M) clearance and urea reduction ratio after reuse of dialyzers with three different membranes. METHODS: 9 patients who had received regular hemodialysis more than five years were enrolled. Three kinds of dialyzer membrane were used; i.e. : Two of them were high-flux and the other was low-flux. Dialyzer reprocessing was performed by an automated machine using glutaraldehyde and bleach. Each dialyzer was reused 10 times. Solute clearance was determined for each dialyzer after the 1st, 5th, 8th and 10th reuse. RESULTS: Urea clearance was well maintained after reuse with both high-flux and low-flux membrane but beta2M clearance was significantly greater with high-flux dialyzers than low-flux dialyzer. Effects of each dialyzer reuse on beta2M clearance showed no significant decrease until the 10th reuse and no significant difference in beta2M clearance between the two high-flux dialyzers(polyamide vs PEPA membrane, p= 0.197). CONCLUSION: Reuse of dialyzers was cost-effective. After reuse of dialyzer, clearance of solute was maintained in both small and large solutes until the 10 th reuse. Further study is needed regarding the maintenance of solute clearance with increased number of reuses.
Blood Urea Nitrogen* ; Cellulose ; Glutaral ; Humans ; Membranes* ; Nylons ; Renal Dialysis ; Urea