In an epidemiological study of metal workers exposed to metalworking fluids(MWF), the prevalence time of evoultion, seasonal occurrence and clinical type of contact dermatitis were investigated. Composinal analyses of MWF with HPLC, dermatological examination and two consecutive questionnaire surveys were conducted. Study population was divided into two groups ; workers contact to cutting oil and workers contact to rust preventive oil. In the analysis of MWF, aliphatic hydrocarbons, having 12-20 carbons, was most common composition(49.04%) of cutting oil otherwise, major contents (90.99%) of the rust preventives oil were aliphatic hydrocarbons composed of 6-9 carbons. The frequency (point prevalence) of contact dermatitis(CD) was 7(12.7 per 100 subjects) in the dermatological examination of 55 workers. As the result of second survey for contact dermatitis, cumulative prevalence of oil working full-time and recent 1 year prevalence in two groups were 28.0, 16.7 and 15.1, 12.5 per 100 subjects. There were no difference in the prevalence of CD by oil, age, oil contact duration. Summer is the most common evolution season in workers exposed to cuttiogs, but not in workers exposed to rust preventive oil. Major clinical type of CD was erythematous papules in both groups. It presents the importance of preventive measures that 51.1% suffer from contact dermatitis had medical care at their own expense, and 47.1% of them felt serious about their contact dermatitis. From the fact that 68.6% think cotton gloves protective apparatus, we emphasize the need for health education.
Carbon ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Dermatitis, Contact* ; Epidemiologic Studies ; Health Education ; Humans ; Hydrocarbons ; Male* ; Prevalence ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Seasons

BACKGROUND: The accumulation of lipoprotein and monocyte in the intima of the arterial wall is the most important step of the development of coronary artery disease (CAD). Lipoprotein lipase (LPL) plays an anti-atherogenic role by lipolysis of triglyceride-rich lipoproteins, but, it may also act as a receptor of some lipoproteins and monocyte at the arterial wall and act as a atherogenic molecule. Previous studies showed somewhat contradictory results about the association of CAD and LPL polymorphisms and mutations. Racial and dietary difference may contribute to these contradictory results. In this study, we tried to find out the association of CAD and the genetic variation of the LPL (PvuII RFLP in intron 6, HindIII RFLP in intron 8 and Ser 447 Ter mutation in exon 9) in Korean population. METHOD AND RESULT: CAD patients (n=146), confirmed by coronary angiography and healthy Korean adult volunteers (n=110) were genotyped for PvuII/HindIII RFLP and Ser447Ter mutation of the LPL gene by PCR-digestion method. Between two groups, the genotype frequency of these genetic variations was not different. But, the genetic variations showed different effect on lipid profile and body mass index (BMI) in the CAD group and in the control group. In the CAD group, P1 allele carriers showed higher total cholesterol (P1P1+P1P2:P2P2=216+-51 mg/dl:198+/-38 mg/dl, p=0.039) and higher LDL cholesterol level (P1P1+P1P2:P2P2=143+/-46 mg/dl:126+/-36 mg/dl, p=0.047), and H1 allele carriers had lower Body mass index than non-carriers (23.8+/-2.3 kg/m2 :24.8+/-2.9 kg/m2 , p=0.047). In the control group, the Ser447Ter mutation carriers had higher HDL cholesterol level than non-carriers (59+/-10mg/dl versus 53+/-11mg/dl, p=0.049) and patients with P1 allele showed lower body mass index (P1P1+P1P2: P2P2=23.1+/-2.6 kg/m 2 :24.5+/-2.6 kg/m2 , p=0.006). CONCLUSION: In Korean, PvuII/HindIII RFLP and Ser447Ter mutation was not associated with CAD, and they showed different effect on the lipid profile and on the body mass index according to the study group. These results suggests that the phenotypic characteristics of the LPL gene of the Korean people are different from those of occidental people.
Adult ; Alleles ; Body Mass Index ; Cholesterol ; Cholesterol, HDL ; Cholesterol, LDL ; Coronary Angiography ; Coronary Artery Disease* ; Coronary Vessels* ; Exons ; Genetic Variation ; Genotype ; Humans ; Introns ; Lipolysis ; Lipoprotein Lipase* ; Lipoproteins* ; Monocytes ; Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length ; Volunteers

Eosinophils have long been recognized as a central effector cell in the lungs of asthmatic patients. They contribute to airway inflammation and remodeling through releasing several molecules such as cytokines, granule proteins, lipid mediators and extracellular traps/vesicles. Repeated evidence reveals that intense eosinophil infiltration in upper and lower airway mucosae contributes to the pathogenesis of aspirin-exacerbated respiratory disease (AERD). Persistent eosinophilia is found to be associated with type 2 immune responses, cysteinyl leukotriene overproduction and eosinophil-epithelium interactions. This review highlights recent findings about key mechanisms of eosinophil activation in the airway inflammation of AERD. In addition, current biologics (targeting type 2 immune responses) were suggested to control eosinophilic inflammation for AERD patients.

Asthma is commonly recognized as a heterogeneous condition with a complex pathophysiology. With advances in the development of multiple medications for patients with asthma, most asthma symptoms are well managed. Nevertheless, 5% to 10% of adult asthmatic patients (called severe asthma) are in uncontrolled or partially controlled status despite intensive treatment. Especially, severe eosinophilic asthma is one of the severe asthma phenotypes characterized by eosinophilia in sputum/blood driven by type 2 immune responses. Eosinophils have been widely accepted as a central effector cell in the lungs. Some evidence has demonstrated that persistent eosinophilia in upper and lower airway mucosa contributes to asthma severity by producing various mediators including cytokines, chemokines and granule proteins. Moreover, extracellular traps released from eosinophils have been revealed to enhance type 2 inflammation in patients with severe asthma. These novel molecules have the ability to induce airway inf lammation and hyperresponsiveness through enhancing innate and type 2 immune responses. In this review, we highlight recent insight into the function of eosinophil extracellular traps in patients with severe asthma. In addition, the role of eosinophil extracellular vesicles in severe asthma is also proposed. Finally, current biologics are suggested as a potential strategy for effective management of severe eosinophilic asthma.

Background/Aims: Sensitization to staphylococcal superantigens (SAgs) could contribute to asthma severity. However, its relevance with eosinophilic phenotype has not yet been clarified. This study aimed to investigate associations between serum specific IgE levels to SAg and eosinophilic airway inflammation in adult asthmatics. Methods: The serum specific IgE levels to 3 SAgs, including staphylococcal enterotoxin A (SEA) and B (SEB), and toxic shock syndrome toxin-1 (TSST-1) were measured by ImmunoCAP in 230 adult asthmatic patients and 50 healthy controls (HCs). Clinical characteristics and laboratory parameters, including serum total/free IgE, and 2 eosinophil-activation markers, eosinophil cationic protein (ECP), and eosinophil-derived neurotoxin (EDN), were analyzed according to blood eosinophil counts (BEC; 150 cells/μL) and serum specific IgE levels to 3 SAgs (0.35 kU/L). Results: Asthmatic patients showed higher serum specific IgE levels to 3 SAgs than HCs (p < 0.05 for all). The serum total/clinfree IgE levels were significantly higher in asthmatics with positive IgE responses to 3 SAgs than those without (p < 0.05 for all). There were no significant differences in clinical parameters including age, asthma severity, comorbidities, or smoking according to IgE responses to 3 SAgs. Patients with positive IgE responses to SEB (not to SEA/TSST-1) had higher serum specific IgE levels to house dust mites and ECP/EDN as well as higher BEC with positive correlations between serum SEB-specific IgE levels and BEC/ECP/EDN (p < 0.05 for all). Conclusions These findings suggest that serum SEB-specific IgE levels could contribute to eosinophil activation as well as IgE production in adult asthma.

OBJECTIVE: Drug compliance is closely related to progress and prognosis of psychiatric disease. We investigated drug compliance in psychiatric outpatients and factors that influence their compliance. METHODS: Patients who visited a university hospital were asked about drug information and drug compliance using questionnaires. Medical records of the patients were reviewed. Demographic variables, clinical characteristics and drug compliance related variables were compared between non-compliance group and compliance group. Logistic regression analysis was performed to clarify predictors of poor compliance. RESULTS: One hundred eighty one patients participate in this study. 150 patients (82.9%) were compliance group, 31 patients (17.1%) were included in non-compliance group. Patient-related, illness-related and treatment-related factors, DAI total score and knowledge of side effect did not show any difference in both groups. However, illness severity was relatively higher in non-compliance group (p = 0.070) and patient's satisfaction about explanation of side effect was lower in noncompliance group (p = 0.061). Moreover, patients who negatively answered for question about negative recognition to psychiatric medication in DAI questionnaire were more common in non-compliance group (p = 0.075). In logistic regression, answering negatively to question about negative recognition to psychiatric medication in DAI questionnaire was related to non-compliance, but did not reached statistical significance (p = 0.086). CONCLUSION: This study suggests that improving negative recognition about psychiatric medication through drug education and good doctor patient relationship could enhance drug compliance.
Compliance ; Humans ; Logistic Models ; Medical Records ; Outpatients ; Prognosis ; Surveys and Questionnaires

Asthma is considered the hallmark of chronic airway inflammation, in which several inflammatory cells of the innate and adaptive immune system act together. The disease is thought to be caused by a combination of genetic and environmental factors; however, precise mechanisms for airway inflammation remain unclear. The human microbiota provides an increasingly favored explanation for inflammatory diseases; an altered microbiota composition has been shown to regulate immune responses. However, given the complexity of the microbiota, additional research is needed to elucidate its role in the development of disease. One of the candidate molecules that link microbiota to disease is the extracellular vesicles (EVs). EVs are secreted by diverse cell types and they possess the pathophysiological function of delivering signals between bacteria and host. We discuss the role of the microbiota in the development of asthma through releasing EVs.
Asthma ; Bacteria ; Extracellular Vesicles* ; Humans ; Immune System ; Inflammation ; Microbiota*

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to compare the discontinuation rate of widely prescribed atypical antipsychotics when administered to newly admitted, acutely ill patients with schizophrenia or bipolar mania. METHODS: Medical records of patients admitted to psychiatric ward of two university hospitals between January 2007 and December 2008 were retrospectively reviewed. Subjects were eligible for inclusion if they prescribed olanzapine, risperidone or aripiprazole for their psychotic or manic symptom control. Patient groups (olanzapine/risperidone/aripiprazole) were compared for rate of antipsychotics discontinuation and duration of treatment continuation. RESULTS: There was no statistically significant difference in the rates of discontinuation during hospitalized period between olanzapine, risperidone and aripiprazole. Rates of discontinuation were 14.5% for olanzapine, 18.6% for aripiprazole and 24.0% for risperidone. Predictor of treatment discontinuation was short titration period and long illness duration. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated that risperidone, olanzapine and aripiprazole were comparable with no difference found on the discontinuation rate in treating acutely ill psychiatric patients. However, the small number of patients who participated in this study made it difficult to establish significance.
Antipsychotic Agents ; Benzodiazepines ; Bipolar Disorder ; Hospitals, University ; Humans ; Medical Records ; Piperazines ; Quinolones ; Retrospective Studies ; Risperidone ; Schizophrenia ; Aripiprazole