BACKGROUND: The incidence of asthma exacerbation (AE) and the predictive value of spirometry and fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) in school children have not been evaluated.OBJECTIVE: We sought to evaluate the efficacy of spirometry measurement and FeNO monitoring for predicting AE in school children in the Cheongju area in Korea.METHODS: With parental agreement, we studied 170 students aged 7–12 years. Children were evaluated by an asthma specialist using baseline spirometry, skin prick test, seasonal FeNO measurement, and asthma control test. The study participants underwent a physical examination and their medical history was also evaluated by the specialist. They were assessed for asthma control status during regular doctor visits for 1 year.RESULTS: In total, 160 children (94.1%) completed follow-up and FeNO monitoring. Of which, 26 children (16.3%) had AE. AE was associated with male children and children with allergic rhinitis (p < 0.05). While, children with AE tended to have higher FeNO than those without AE, no significant difference was found. The maximum value of FeNO ≥35 ppb was associated with AE (p < 0.05). Children with AE had a significantly decreased baseline forced expiratory volume in 1 second/forced vital capacity (FEV₁/FVC), %predicted, forced expiratory flow at 25%–75% of FVC (FEF(25%–75%)). FEV₁/FVC < 80% was associated with AE in children regardless of inhalant allergen sensitization (all p < 0.05).CONCLUSION: Baseline spirometry had a predictive value of AE in school children. Sensitive spirometric parameters such as FEV₁/FVC and FEF(25%–75%) can be used as prognostic factors to predict future childhood AE. FeNO value ≥ 35 ppb during monitoring was associated with AE in school children.
Asthma ; Child ; Chungcheongbuk-do ; Follow-Up Studies ; Forced Expiratory Volume ; Humans ; Incidence ; Korea ; Male ; Nitric Oxide ; Parents ; Physical Examination ; Rhinitis, Allergic ; Seasons ; Skin ; Specialization ; Spirometry ; Vital Capacity

OBJECTIVES: This study examined the association of the sleep quality and patterns with the dietary behavior, including snack and beverage consumption, taste preferences, as well as lifestyle of university students. METHODS: The subjects were 406 university students in Cheongju, Korea, and the data were collected using a self-administered questionnaire. They were divided into two groups according to the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI): good-quality sleepers (PSQI score ≤ 5) and poor-quality sleepers (PSQI score > 5). The data were analyzed using a χ2-test, independent t-test, and analysis of covariance using the SPSS 25.0 program. RESULTS: Fifty-two percent of university students were categorized as poor-quality sleepers by the PSQI. Students classified as poor-quality sleepers had delayed bedtimes, and a shorter duration in bed and total sleep hours than the good-quality sleepers did. Poor-quality sleepers were more prevalent among those who were female, having irregular mealtimes, or frequent late night meals. They also consumed fast food frequently, such as fried chicken and hamburgers, and noodles when adjusted for gender. In addition, drinks with caffeine over milk were dominant among poor-quality sleepers. Furthermore, the preferences for spicy and salty tastes and longer smartphone usage were more prevalent in those with poor-sleep quality. CONCLUSIONS: These results showed that more than 50% of university students reported disturbed sleep and poor quality sleep was associated with less desirable snack consumption and taste preference, more smartphone usage, and others. Therefore, nutrition education program along with lifestyle changes promoting sufficient sleep are encouraged to provide for university students, particularly those who have poor sleep quality.
Beverages ; Caffeine ; Chickens ; Chungcheongbuk-do ; Education ; Fast Foods ; Female ; Food Habits ; Humans ; Korea ; Life Style ; Meals ; Milk ; Smartphone ; Snacks

Chungcheongbuk-do, a total of 29 participants took part in a 10-week Web-CoT program. The Korean version of the Consortium to Establish a Registry for Alzheimer's Disease (CERAD-K) Assessment Packet 2nd edition and short form of Geriatric Depression Scale (SGDS) were evaluated before and after the program.RESULTS: Total SGDS scores have decreased and a significant increase in CERAD-K total scores was confirmed. Details including word list memory, word list recall, constructional praxis, trail making, and stroop tests, improved. Especially in the case of free recall test, the greater increase of scores in elderly with high risk of dementia was shown.CONCLUSION: Participation in this program has confirmed improvements in verbal memory registration and retrieval ability, attention and executive function. Since the improvement was especially prominent in memory retrieval ability in elderly with high risk of dementia, it can be said that early application of the program before the diagnosis of dementia is important.]]>
Aged ; Alzheimer Disease ; Chungcheongbuk-do ; Dementia ; Depression ; Diagnosis ; Education ; Executive Function ; Humans ; Memory ; Mild Cognitive Impairment ; Program Development ; Stroop Test

OBJECTIVE: This study examined the clinical characteristics of suicide attempters who exposed their suicidal intension to suggest an active intervention strategy for suicide prevention based on the regional emergency medical service system. METHODS: A prospective database of suicide attempters who visited the emergency department of Chungbuk National University Hospital between October 2013 and December 2017 was used. All of the adult patients who provided consent for the initial assessment for suicidal attempters were eligible, excluding cases with unknown exposure of suicidal intension. The primary and secondary endpoints were the risk factors affecting exposure to the suicidal intension and characteristics of the exposure group. The adjusted odds ratios (AORs) of exposure to suicidal attempts after adjusting for potential confounders was calculated. RESULTS: Of a total 1,035 suicidal attempters enrolled, 332 (32.1%) were included in the exposure group. The exposure group was more likely to have an educational level above high school and no religion, and have suicidal characteristics at night time (18:00–08:00), under the influence of alcohol, suicidal plan before 1 week, and suicidal method involving asphyxia (P<0.05). The exposure group was more likely to have no guardian (AORs, 1.46; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.00–2.12), use methods involving asphyxia (AORs, 2.07; 95% CI, 1.46–2.91), and attempt suicide at night (18:00 to 08:00) (AORs, 1.38; 95% CI, 1.05–1.83) compared to the no exposure group. CONCLUSION: Models need to be established, where regional mental health welfare center, local government, fire headquarter, and tele-communication companies can participate in the implementation of an active intervention strategy.
Adult ; Asphyxia ; Chungcheongbuk-do ; Emergency Medical Services ; Emergency Service, Hospital ; Fires ; Humans ; Local Government ; Mental Health ; Methods ; Odds Ratio ; Prospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Suicidal Ideation ; Suicide ; Suicide, Attempted

OBJECTIVE: This study examined the clinical effects of discharge against medical advice (DAMA) on suicide reattempts and clarified the risk factors related to DAMA. METHODS: A cross-sectional observational study was conducted in the emergency department (ED) of Chungbuk National University Hospital from 2015 to 2017. The medical records of suicide attempters from the National Emergency Department Information System were reviewed. The primary outcome was the ED revisit rate. The characteristics of the patients associated with DAMA were also examined. RESULTS: Among 889 eligible suicide attempters, 328 patients (36.9%) were reported to have DAMA at least once during the study period. Patients who were discharged against medical advice were more likely to reattempt suicide compared to normal disposition patients (11.0% vs. 3.7%, adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 3.002; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.71–5.28). The independent risk factors for DAMA were age≤60 (AOR, 1.77; 95% CI, 1.20–2.59), female (AOR, 1.45; 95% CI, 1.09–1.91), ED visit at night time (AOR, 1.41; 95% CI, 1.03–1.92), and ED discharge at night time (AOR, 1.40; 95% CI, 1.06–1.85). CONCLUSION: Patients who were discharged against medical advice revisited the ED more after suicide attempts. Public efforts will be needed for patients who are discharged against medical advice considering those risk factors.
Chungcheongbuk-do ; Emergencies ; Emergency Medical Services ; Emergency Service, Hospital ; Female ; Humans ; Information Systems ; Medical Records ; Observational Study ; Odds Ratio ; Patient Discharge ; Risk Factors ; Suicide ; Suicide, Attempted

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: External auditory canal osteoma is an uncommon benign lesion and represents as unilateral solitary pedunculated mass. The aim of this study is to evaluate the clinical symptoms of osteoma and its treatment outcomes over a 10-year period in a tertiary hospital. SUBJECTS AND METHOD: Eight patients underwent operation to remove an external auditory canal osteoma at Chungbuk National University Hospital from 2008 to 2017. The medical records were retrospectively reviewed with regard to clinical characteristics, size and location of osteoma, method of surgery and treatment outcomes. RESULTS: The average age of patients was 41.8 years with the male predominance of 6:2. All of the lesions in the osteoma were unilateral and solitary (average size 5.0 mm). All of the eight cases were pedunculated: in four cases, the stalks of the osteoma were found on the tympanomastoid suture line and in three cases, it was found on the tympanosquamous suture line. Four patients were asymptomatic, where the lesions were found incidentally during unrelated evaluations. No patients were found with conductive hearing loss in the pure tone audiometry. Transcanal and endaural approach were used in five and three cases, respectively. Most of the cases were removed by curettage only, except for the two who needed additional drilling. The average surgery time was 15.6 minutes. There was no postoperative complication or recurrence. CONCLUSION: The external auditory canal osteoma was mostly unilateral and solitary. The removal of osteoma in the early stage was relatively easy with no recurrence or complication.
Audiometry ; Chungcheongbuk-do ; Curettage ; Ear Canal ; Exostoses ; Hearing Loss, Conductive ; Humans ; Male ; Medical Records ; Methods ; Osteoma ; Postoperative Complications ; Recurrence ; Retrospective Studies ; Sutures ; Tertiary Care Centers

A clonorchiasis case in a captive leopard cat, Prionailurus bengalensis euptilurus, was confirmed by ultrasonographic findings and egg morphologies found in the bile juice sample in the Korea. The leopard cat was introduced from the wild habitat of Gyeongsangnam-do, to Cheongju Zoo in Cheongju-si, Chungcheongbuk-do, Korea in August 2014. Physical examinations were basically performed for quarantine and check-up health. The cat was comparatively good in health except anorexia. The cyst-like bile duct dilation and the increased echogenicity of gall bladder wall and hepatic parenchyma were observed by ultrasonography. Ultrasound-guided needle biopsy was conducted for collecting bile juice and the specimens were observed under light microscope. The numerous small trematode eggs were detected in the bile juice sample of the light microscopy. The eggs were 25–33 (28±3) μm by 18–22 (20±1) μm in size and showed typical characteristics of Clonorchis sinensis egg, i.e., a dominantly developed operculum, shoulder rim and dust-like wrinkles in surface. To treat the liver fluke infection, 20 mg/kg of praziquantel was orally administered only once to the case. Follow-up studies including fecal examinations were conducted during 2 years after treatment. But no more eggs were detected from the case. In the present study, we described the first clonorchiasis case of leopard cat, which was confirmed by ultrasonographic findings and egg morphologies from the bile juice sample in Korea.
Animals ; Anorexia ; Bile ; Bile Ducts ; Biopsy, Needle ; Cats ; Chungcheongbuk-do ; Clonorchiasis ; Clonorchis sinensis ; Ecosystem ; Eggs ; Fasciola hepatica ; Follow-Up Studies ; Gyeongsangnam-do ; Korea ; Microscopy ; Ovum ; Panthera ; Physical Examination ; Praziquantel ; Quarantine ; Republic of Korea ; Shoulder ; Ultrasonography ; Urinary Bladder

BACKGROUND: Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is the most serious microvascular complication of diabetes mellitus and is one of the leading causes of end stage renal failure. In previous studies, the contribution of genetic susceptibility to DN showed inconsistent results. In this study, we investigated the association between the solute carrier family 2 facilitated glucose transporter member 1 (SLC2A1) HaeIII polymorphism and DN in Korean patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) according to disease duration. METHODS: A total of 846 patients with T2DM (mean age, 61.3 ± 12.3 years; mean duration of T2DM, 10.3 ± 7.9 years; 55.3% men) who visited the Chungbuk National University Hospital were investigated. The HaeIII polymorphism of the SLC2A1 gene was determined by the real time polymerase chain reaction method. Genotyping results were presented as GG, AG, or AA. A subgroup analysis was performed according to duration of T2DM (≤ 10 years, < 10 years). RESULTS: The AG + AA genotype showed a significantly higher risk of DN compared with the GG genotype in patients with a type 2 DM duration less than 10 years (12.4% vs. 4.2%; P < 0.001). No significant differences were observed in terms of other diabetic complications, including retinopathy, peripheral neuropathy, cardiovascular disease, cerebrovascular disease or peripheral artery disease, according to the genotypes of the SLC2A1 HaeIII polymorphism. CONCLUSION: The SLC2A1 HaeIII polymorphism was associated with DN in Korean patients with T2DM, particularly in the group with a relatively short disease duration.
Cardiovascular Diseases ; Cerebrovascular Disorders ; Chungcheongbuk-do ; Diabetes Complications ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 ; Diabetic Nephropathies ; Genetic Predisposition to Disease ; Genotype ; Glucose Transport Proteins, Facilitative ; Humans ; Methods ; Peripheral Arterial Disease ; Peripheral Nervous System Diseases ; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide ; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Renal Insufficiency

BACKGROUND: Betatrophin is a newly identified hormone derived from the liver and adipose tissue, which has been suggested to regulate glucose and lipid metabolism. Circulating levels of betatrophin are altered in various metabolic diseases, although the results are inconsistent. We aimed to examine whether betatrophin is a useful biomarker in predicting the development of diabetes. METHODS: A nested case-control study was performed using a prospective Chungju Metabolic disease Cohort Study. During a 4-year follow-up period, we analyzed 167 individuals who converted to diabetes and 167 non-converters, who were matched by age, sex, and body mass index. Serum betatrophin levels were measured by an ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay). RESULTS: Baseline serum betatrophin levels were significantly higher in the converter group compared to the non-converter group (1,315±598 pg/mL vs. 1,072±446 pg/mL, P < 0.001). After adjusting for age, sex, body mass index, fasting plasma glucose, systolic blood pressure, total cholesterol, and family history of diabetes, the risk of developing diabetes showed a stepwise increase across the betatrophin quartile groups. Subjects in the highest baseline quartile of betatrophin levels had more than a threefold higher risk of incident diabetes than the subjects in the lowest quartile (relative risk, 3.275; 95% confidence interval, 1.574 to 6.814; P=0.010). However, no significant relationships were observed between serum betatrophin levels and indices of insulin resistance or β-cell function. CONCLUSION: Circulating levels of betatrophin could be a potential biomarker for predicting new-onset diabetes. Further studies are needed to understand the underlying mechanism of this association.
Adipose Tissue ; Blood Glucose ; Blood Pressure ; Body Mass Index ; Case-Control Studies ; Cholesterol ; Chungcheongbuk-do ; Cohort Studies ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Fasting ; Follow-Up Studies ; Glucose ; Humans ; Insulin Resistance ; Lipid Metabolism ; Liver ; Metabolic Diseases ; Prospective Studies

PURPOSE: To find the effect of visual feedback of head angle with using a mobile posture-aware system on craniocervical angle and neck and shoulder muscles fatigue for preventing or decreasing the forward head posture. METHODS: Twenty-four healthy young adults in Chungbuk to participate in this study. The subjects started to watch a movie clip for 10 minutes with visual feedback in 0°, 30°, and 60° of head angles. During the task, surface electromyography (EMG) was used to collect data from the upper trapezius (UT), sternocleidomasetoid muscle (SCM), cervical erecter spinae (CES) during watching the smartphone. Craniocervical angles were measured using a sagittal-view photograph of the subject in a sitting posture. A one-way repeated analysis of variance with a significant level of 0.05 used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: Craniocervical angle with 0° visual feedback was significantly greater than 30°and 60°. Craniocervical angle with 30° visual feedback was significantly greater than 60°. In addition, MDF of UT muscles in 0° and 30° of visual feedback was significantly greater than 60°. CONCLUSION: We concluded that 0° visual feedback of head angle with using a mobile posture-aware system would be beneficial to prevent or decrease forward head posture during watching a smartphone. We also could recommend using of 30° visual feedback in case of caring UT muscle fatigue primarily.
Chungcheongbuk-do ; Electromyography ; Fatigue* ; Feedback, Sensory* ; Head* ; Humans ; Muscle Fatigue ; Muscles* ; Neck* ; Posture ; Shoulder* ; Smartphone* ; Superficial Back Muscles ; Young Adult