Purpose: The classification of asthma phenotypes frequently depends on the age of onset. However, the rationale for specific age cutoffs remains unclear. This study aimed to explore the distribution of asthma onset age, to define subgroups based on onset age, and to examine their characteristics within a broad Korean population. Methods: An analysis of cross-sectional data involving 56,632 participants from the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2010–2016) was conducted. Data on asthma history, including diagnosis, self-reported age of asthma onset, and current disease status, were collected using structured questionnaires. Results: The distribution of asthma onset age showed a distinct peak in early childhood, with a decline between the ages 15 and 20.Based on this distribution, asthma was categorized into childhood-onset ( ≤ 18 years) and adult-onset ( > 18 years) for further analysis.Multivariate analyses indicated that adult-onset asthma was associated with older age, female sex, obesity, and a history of smoking, whereas childhood-onset asthma was linked to younger age, male sex, allergic rhinitis, and atopic dermatitis. Among the adultonset group, current asthma had a later onset age, increased history of smoking history, and atopic dermatitis compared to past asthma. Conclusion This analysis of nationwide general population data suggests that an age threshold around 18 years may be relevant for defining adult-onset asthma.

Purpose: The classification of asthma phenotypes frequently depends on the age of onset. However, the rationale for specific age cutoffs remains unclear. This study aimed to explore the distribution of asthma onset age, to define subgroups based on onset age, and to examine their characteristics within a broad Korean population. Methods: An analysis of cross-sectional data involving 56,632 participants from the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2010–2016) was conducted. Data on asthma history, including diagnosis, self-reported age of asthma onset, and current disease status, were collected using structured questionnaires. Results: The distribution of asthma onset age showed a distinct peak in early childhood, with a decline between the ages 15 and 20.Based on this distribution, asthma was categorized into childhood-onset ( ≤ 18 years) and adult-onset ( > 18 years) for further analysis.Multivariate analyses indicated that adult-onset asthma was associated with older age, female sex, obesity, and a history of smoking, whereas childhood-onset asthma was linked to younger age, male sex, allergic rhinitis, and atopic dermatitis. Among the adultonset group, current asthma had a later onset age, increased history of smoking history, and atopic dermatitis compared to past asthma. Conclusion This analysis of nationwide general population data suggests that an age threshold around 18 years may be relevant for defining adult-onset asthma.

Purpose: The classification of asthma phenotypes frequently depends on the age of onset. However, the rationale for specific age cutoffs remains unclear. This study aimed to explore the distribution of asthma onset age, to define subgroups based on onset age, and to examine their characteristics within a broad Korean population. Methods: An analysis of cross-sectional data involving 56,632 participants from the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2010–2016) was conducted. Data on asthma history, including diagnosis, self-reported age of asthma onset, and current disease status, were collected using structured questionnaires. Results: The distribution of asthma onset age showed a distinct peak in early childhood, with a decline between the ages 15 and 20.Based on this distribution, asthma was categorized into childhood-onset ( ≤ 18 years) and adult-onset ( > 18 years) for further analysis.Multivariate analyses indicated that adult-onset asthma was associated with older age, female sex, obesity, and a history of smoking, whereas childhood-onset asthma was linked to younger age, male sex, allergic rhinitis, and atopic dermatitis. Among the adultonset group, current asthma had a later onset age, increased history of smoking history, and atopic dermatitis compared to past asthma. Conclusion This analysis of nationwide general population data suggests that an age threshold around 18 years may be relevant for defining adult-onset asthma.

Purpose: The classification of asthma phenotypes frequently depends on the age of onset. However, the rationale for specific age cutoffs remains unclear. This study aimed to explore the distribution of asthma onset age, to define subgroups based on onset age, and to examine their characteristics within a broad Korean population. Methods: An analysis of cross-sectional data involving 56,632 participants from the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2010–2016) was conducted. Data on asthma history, including diagnosis, self-reported age of asthma onset, and current disease status, were collected using structured questionnaires. Results: The distribution of asthma onset age showed a distinct peak in early childhood, with a decline between the ages 15 and 20.Based on this distribution, asthma was categorized into childhood-onset ( ≤ 18 years) and adult-onset ( > 18 years) for further analysis.Multivariate analyses indicated that adult-onset asthma was associated with older age, female sex, obesity, and a history of smoking, whereas childhood-onset asthma was linked to younger age, male sex, allergic rhinitis, and atopic dermatitis. Among the adultonset group, current asthma had a later onset age, increased history of smoking history, and atopic dermatitis compared to past asthma. Conclusion This analysis of nationwide general population data suggests that an age threshold around 18 years may be relevant for defining adult-onset asthma.

Purpose: The classification of asthma phenotypes frequently depends on the age of onset. However, the rationale for specific age cutoffs remains unclear. This study aimed to explore the distribution of asthma onset age, to define subgroups based on onset age, and to examine their characteristics within a broad Korean population. Methods: An analysis of cross-sectional data involving 56,632 participants from the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2010–2016) was conducted. Data on asthma history, including diagnosis, self-reported age of asthma onset, and current disease status, were collected using structured questionnaires. Results: The distribution of asthma onset age showed a distinct peak in early childhood, with a decline between the ages 15 and 20.Based on this distribution, asthma was categorized into childhood-onset ( ≤ 18 years) and adult-onset ( > 18 years) for further analysis.Multivariate analyses indicated that adult-onset asthma was associated with older age, female sex, obesity, and a history of smoking, whereas childhood-onset asthma was linked to younger age, male sex, allergic rhinitis, and atopic dermatitis. Among the adultonset group, current asthma had a later onset age, increased history of smoking history, and atopic dermatitis compared to past asthma. Conclusion This analysis of nationwide general population data suggests that an age threshold around 18 years may be relevant for defining adult-onset asthma.

Background: Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is the most common metabolic complication of pregnancy. To define the altered pathway in GDM placenta, we investigated the transcriptomic profiles from human placenta between GDM and controls. Methods: Clinical parameters and postpartum complications were reviewed in all participants.Differentially expressed canonical pathways were analyzed between the GDM and control groups based on transcriptomic analysis. CD4 + T, CD8 + T, and senescent T cell subsets were determined by flow cytometry based on staining for specific intracellular cytokines. Results: Gene ontology analysis revealed that the placenta of GDM revealed upregulation of diverse mitochondria or DNA replication related pathways and downregulation of T-cell immunity related pathways. The maternal placenta of the GDM group had a higher proportion of CD4 + T and CD8 + T cells than the control group. Interestingly, senescent CD4 + T cells tended to increase and CD8 + T cells were significantly increased in GDM compared to controls, along with increased programmed cell death-1 (CD274 + ) expression. Programmed death-ligand 1 expression in syncytotrophoblasts was also significantly increased in patients with GDM. Conclusion This study demonstrated increased proinflammatory T cells, senescent T cells and immune-check point molecules in GDM placentas, suggesting that changes in senescent T cells and immune-escape signaling might be related to the pathophysiology of GDM.

Background: This study compared the treatment outcomes of patients with multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) before and after the implementation of public–private mix (PPM). Factors affecting treatment success were also investigated. Methods: Data from culture-confirmed pulmonary MDR-TB patients who commenced MDR-TB treatment at Pusan National University Hospital between January 2003 and December 2017 were retrospectively reviewed. Patients were divided into two groups in terms of PPM status: pre-PPM period, patients who commenced MDR-TB treatment between 2003 and 2010; and post-PPM period, patients treated between 2011 and 2017. Results: A total of 176 patients were included (64 and 112 in the pre- and post-PPM periods, respectively). 36.9% of the patients were resistant to a fluoroquinolone or a second-line injectable drug, or both. The overall treatment success rate was 72.7%. The success rate of post-PPM patients was higher than that of pre-PPM patients (79.5% vs. 60.9%, p=0.008). Also, loss to follow-up was lower in the post-PPM period (5.4% vs. 15.6%, p=0.023). In multivariate regression analysis, age ≥65 years, body mass index ≤18.5 kg/m2, previous TB treatment, bilateral lung involvement, and extensively drug-resistant (XDR)- or pre-XDR-TB were associated with poorer treatment outcomes. However, the use of bedaquiline or delamanid for ≥1 month increased the treatment success. Conclusion The treatment success rate in MDR-TB patients was higher in the post-PPM period than in the pre-PPM period, particularly because of the low rate of loss to follow-up. To ensure comprehensive patient-centered PPM in South Korea, investment and other support must be adequate.

Freeman-Sheldon syndrome (FSS) is a rare distal arthrogryposis syndrome. There are few reports on the respiratory insufficiency of FSS. Additionally, there is no detailed information on pulmonary functional evaluation. A 17-year-old male patient with FSS developed respiratory failure, leading him to be admitted to hospital several times for evaluation and treatment. Of those times he was admitted, two were due to pneumonia. His pulmonary functions were indicative of a restrictive lung disease potentially caused by severe scoliosis. After a non-invasive ventilatorwas applied correctly to the patient, pulmonary hypertension was normalized. His pulmonary function has been maintained for 13 years. Since receiving proper respiratory care, which includes assisted coughing methods, the patient has not developed pneumonia. It is important to properly evaluate the pulmonary function of patients who have FSS and scoliosis to eliminate the risk of long-term respiratory complications.