In China there are 1,923,842 Korean Chinese, who live mostly (92.27%) in the country's three northeast provinces. In spite of this sizeable number, no spirometric data are available at present on them. The present study investigated normal spirometric reference values for the Korean Chinese children and adolescents. Spirometry was performed in 443 healthy Korean Chinese children and adolescents aged 8-18 yr with measurements of forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1), peak expiratory flow (PEF) and maximum mid-expiratory flow (MMEF). Reference equations for FEV1, FVC, PEF and MMEF were derived by using multiple regression analysis. All of the measured spirometric parameters correlated positively with height and age significantly (P < 0.001). The predicted values of FVC and FEV1 were higher than values obtained by using Caucasian and other Asian equations (P < 0.001). A set of spirometric reference equations has been derived using a relatively large, healthy, non-smoking young Korean Chinese population with a wide range of ages and heights, the results of which differ from those gained from several other reference equations. These reference equations should be used for evaluation of lung function in this population.
Adolescent ; Child ; China ; Female ; *Forced Expiratory Volume ; Humans ; Lung/*physiology ; Male ; Maximal Expiratory Flow Rate ; Peak Expiratory Flow Rate ; Reference Values ; Republic of Korea/ethnology ; Spirometry/*standards ; *Vital Capacity

The objective of this study was to develop new spirometric reference equations for the Korean population using the raw data of the fourth Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES IV, 2007-2009). A total of 4,753 healthy lifelong nonsmokers without respiratory diseases and symptoms were selected as the reference population. Spirometric reference equations were derived through multiple regression analysis. The newly developed reference equations for spirometry parameters were as follows: FEV1 (L) = -0.00025410 x (Age [years])2 + 0.00012644 x (Height [cm])2 - 0.00262 x Weight (kg) + 0.61493 (Men); FEV1 (L) = -0.00017538 x Age2 + 0.00009598 x Height2 - 0.00231 x Weight + 0.46877 (Women); FVC (L) = -0.00000219 x Age3 + 0.0000006995642 x Height3 + 1.19135 (Men); FVC (L) = 0.0167 x Age - 0.00030284 x Age2 + 0.0000005850287 x Height3 + 0.77609 (Women); FEV1/FVC (%) = -0.00289 x Age2 - 0.16158 x Height3 + 114.13736 (Men); FEV1/FVC (%) = -0.21382 x Age - 0.00000143 x Height3 + 97.62514 (Women). The newly developed spirometric reference equation in this study can be used as criteria for the interpretation of spirometry results and the diagnosis of respiratory diseases in Korean adults.
Adult ; Aged ; *Algorithms ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Female ; Forced Expiratory Volume/physiology ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; *Nutrition Surveys ; Reference Values ; Regression Analysis ; Republic of Korea ; Spirometry/*standards ; Young Adult

Knowledge of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) as a common, preventable and treatable condition has advanced in the last two decades, as evidenced by the increase in scientific literature. Tobacco smoking still remains a predominant risk factor for COPD. Thus smoking cessation management should be obligatory in every case. Although spirometry is integral to the diagnosis of COPD, one should also be aware of its limitations. COPD is a chronic disease associated with comorbidities that define its extrapulmonary manifestations. Systemic inflammation provides the biological link, while exacerbations play a prominent role in the current approach to disease evaluation. This paper reviews the latest Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease revision, focusing on the paradigm shift in assessment that would directly influence therapeutic decisions. Also discussed are the newer drugs and combinations of existing inhaler therapies that now present clinicians with more options, as well as bronchoscopic interventions that may perhaps offer a lower-morbidity alternative than surgical lung volume reduction. Finally, this review highlights how integrated care models can bridge the gap between components and complete a comprehensive sphere of COPD care.
Comorbidity ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive ; diagnosis ; physiopathology ; therapy ; Pulmonary Medicine ; methods ; standards ; trends ; Risk Factors ; Smoking ; adverse effects ; Spirometry ; Treatment Outcome

The purpose of this study was to compare the Korean COPD guideline to GOLD consensus report in terms of acute exacerbation. A total of 361 patients were enrolled in this study, and 16.9% of them experienced acute exacerbation during the follow-up. A total of 6.3% of patients in GOLD A, 9.5% in GOLD B, 7.7% in GOLD C and 17.0% of GOLD D experienced exacerbation during the first year of follow-up, respectively (P=0.09). There was no one who experienced exacerbation during the first year of follow-up in the Korean group 'ga'. The 12-month exacerbation rates of Korean group 'na' and 'da' were 4.5% and 16.0%, respectively (P<0.001). We explore the experience of exacerbation in patients with change of their risk group after applying Korean COPD guideline. A total of 16.0% of the patients who were reclassified from GOLD A to Korean group 'da' experienced acute exacerbation,and 15.3% from GOLD B to Korean group 'da' experienced acute exacerbation. In summary, the Korean COPD guideline is useful to differentiate the high risk from low risk for exacerbation in terms of spirometry. This indicates that application of Korean COPD guideline is appropriate to treat Korean COPD patients.
Acute Disease ; Aged ; Disease Progression ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; *Practice Guidelines as Topic ; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive/*classification/*diagnosis ; Pulmonary Medicine/*standards ; Reproducibility of Results ; Republic of Korea ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; *Severity of Illness Index ; Spirometry/*standards