Objectives: ：The purpose of this study is to compare the psychosocial characteristics of patients diagnosed with functional gastrointestinal disorder (FGID) by classifying them into irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), functional dyspepsia (FD), functional constipation (FC), functional heartburn (FH) groups, and overlap group (two or more functional diseases) and to examine the factors associated with the quality of life (QoL) of patients with FGID. Methods: ：A total of 144 patients who were diagnosed with FGID were selected as the subjects. The demographical factors were investigated; Korean-Beck Depression Inventory-II (K-BDI-II), Korean-Beck Anxiety Inventory (K-BAI), Korean version of Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (K-CTQ), Multi-dimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS), Korean Version of Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (K-CD-RISC), and World Health Organization Quality of Life Assessment Instrument Brief Form (WHOQOL-BREF) were used to evaluate the psychosocial factors. Results: ：TThe overlap group had a significantly higher K-BDI-II score (F=11.09, p<0.001) and K-BAI score (F=8.93, p<0.001) compared to other groups. In childhood trauma, the IBS patients had a difference in emotional neglect (F=2.54, p=0.04) than the FD patients. The QoL of FGID patients had a negative correlation with depression (r=-0.196, p<0.01), anxiety (r=-0.235, p<0.01), and childhood trauma (r=-0.222, p<0.01), and a positive correlation with social support (r=0.512, p<0.01) and resilience (r=0.581, p<0.01). Conclusions ：Overlap group had a higher level of depression and anxiety, and the IBS patient group had a higher level of emotional neglect than the FD patient group in terms of childhood trauma.

Objectives: ：The aim of this study was to compare psychosocial characteristics of the functional gastrointestinal disorders FGID group, non-FGID group, and control group and determine factors affecting the QOL of patients with FGID. Methods: ：135 patients diagnosed with FGID were selected. 79 adults had no observable symptoms of FGID (control group) and 88 adults showed symptoms of FGID (non-FGID group). Demographic factors were investigated. The Korean-Beck Depression Inventory-II, Korean-Beck Anxiety Inventory, Korean-Childhood Trauma Questionnaire, Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale, Patient Health Questionnaire-15 and WHO Quality of Life Assessment Instrument Brief Form were used to assess psychosocial factors. A one-way ANOVA was used to compare differences among groups. Pearson correlation test was performed to analyze the correlation of psychosocial factors and QOL of the FGID group. Further, a hierarchical regression analysis was conducted to determine factors affecting the QOL of the FGID group. Results: ：Between-group differences were not significant in demographic characteristics. Depression (F=48.75, p<0.001), anxiety (F=14.48, p<0.001), somatization (F=24.42, p<0.001) and childhood trauma (F=12.71, p<0.001) were significantly higher in FGID group than in other groups. Social support (F=39.95, p< 0.001) and resilience (F=17.51, p<0.001) were significantly lower in FGID group than in other groups. Resilience (β=0.373, p<0.01) was the most important explanatory variable. The explained variance was 47.2%. Conclusions ：Significantly more symptoms of depression, anxiety, childhood trauma, and somatization were observed for the FGID group. This group also had less social support, resilience, and quality of life than the non- FGID and control groups. The key factor for quality of life of the FGID group was resilience.

Asthma ; Bronchitis ; Cohort Studies ; Cough ; Diagnosis ; Disease Management ; Eosinophils ; Epidemiology ; Female ; Gastroesophageal Reflux ; Humans ; Korea ; Lung Diseases ; Multivariate Analysis ; Observational Study ; Pregnant Women ; Retrospective Studies ; Tuberculosis

BACKGROUND: Chronic cough is defined as a cough lasting more than 8 weeks and socio-economic burden of chronic cough is enormous. The characteristics of chronic cough in Korea are not well understood. The Korean Academy of Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases (KATRD) published guidelines on cough management in 2014. The current study evaluated the clinical characteristics of chronic cough in Korea and the efficacy of the KATRD guidelines. METHODS: This was a multi-center, retrospective observational study conducted in Korea. The participants were over 18 years of age. They had coughs lasting more than 8 weeks. Subjects with current pulmonary diseases, smokers, ex-smokers with more than 10 pack-years or who quit within the past 1 year, pregnant women, and users of cough-inducing medications were excluded. Evaluation and management of cough followed the KATRD cough-management guidelines. RESULTS: Participants with chronic cough in Korea showed age in the late forties and cough duration of more than 1 year. Upper airway cough syndrome was the most common cause of cough, followed by cough-variant asthma (CVA). Gastro-esophageal reflux diseases and eosinophilic bronchitis were less frequently observed. Following the KATRD cough-management guidelines, 91.2% of the subjects improved after 4 weeks of treatment. Responders were younger, had a longer duration of cough, and an initial impression of CVA. In univariate and multivariate analyses, an initial impression of CVA was the only factor related to better treatment response. CONCLUSION The causes of chronic cough in Korea differed from those reported in other countries. The current Korean guidelines proved efficient for treating Korean patients with chronic cough.

BACKGROUND: Chronic cough is defined as a cough lasting more than 8 weeks and socio-economic burden of chronic cough is enormous. The characteristics of chronic cough in Korea are not well understood. The Korean Academy of Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases (KATRD) published guidelines on cough management in 2014. The current study evaluated the clinical characteristics of chronic cough in Korea and the efficacy of the KATRD guidelines. METHODS: This was a multi-center, retrospective observational study conducted in Korea. The participants were over 18 years of age. They had coughs lasting more than 8 weeks. Subjects with current pulmonary diseases, smokers, ex-smokers with more than 10 pack-years or who quit within the past 1 year, pregnant women, and users of cough-inducing medications were excluded. Evaluation and management of cough followed the KATRD cough-management guidelines. RESULTS: Participants with chronic cough in Korea showed age in the late forties and cough duration of more than 1 year. Upper airway cough syndrome was the most common cause of cough, followed by cough-variant asthma (CVA). Gastro-esophageal reflux diseases and eosinophilic bronchitis were less frequently observed. Following the KATRD cough-management guidelines, 91.2% of the subjects improved after 4 weeks of treatment. Responders were younger, had a longer duration of cough, and an initial impression of CVA. In univariate and multivariate analyses, an initial impression of CVA was the only factor related to better treatment response. CONCLUSION The causes of chronic cough in Korea differed from those reported in other countries. The current Korean guidelines proved efficient for treating Korean patients with chronic cough.

In the originally published version of this article, complete anonymity was not achieved.

BACKGROUND: Folliculotropic mycosis fungoides (FMF) is a variant of mycosis fungoides (MF) that is characterized clinically by variable types of skin eruptions, including plaques, acneiform lesions, and alopecic patches. Histopathologically, FMF is characterized by folliculotropic infiltrates. OBJECTIVE: This study was conducted to scrutinize the clinical and histopathologic features of FMF in Koreans and the responses to phototherapy. METHODS: Twenty Koreans diagnosed with MF who had histopathologic evidence of folliculotropism were enrolled. RESULTS: Eighteen patients had head-and-neck-region infiltration, while five had solitary lesion. In all patients, the atypical lymphocytic infiltrate had a perifollicular distribution. Twelve patients were treated with ultraviolet A (UVA)-1. Eleven of these 12 patients with early-stage FMF experienced >80% improvement (8: complete remission; 3: partial remission). Four patients, including 2 who relapsed after UVA-1, were treated with photodynamic therapy (PDT), reaching complete remission after PDT. CONCLUSION: As FMF has variable clinical presentations, skin biopsy is required to confirm the diagnosis. And both UVA-1 and methyl aminolevulinate-PDT are clinically effective in treatment of early-stage FMF.
Biopsy ; Diagnosis ; Humans ; Mycosis Fungoides* ; Photochemotherapy* ; Phototherapy ; Skin

BACKGROUND: An epidermal cyst is a common keratin-filled epithelial-lined cyst. The treatment of choice for epidermal cysts is surgical excision. If the cyst becomes ruptured, incision and drainage with oral antibiotic therapy or intralesional steroid injection are required. OBJECTIVE: To analyze the dermoscopic features that can differentiate between ruptured and unruptured epidermal cysts. METHODS: The clinical and dermoscopic features of the pathologically confirmed epidermal cysts of two subgroups of 38 patients, 20 with unruptured cysts and 18 with ruptured cysts, were reviewed. RESULTS: With regard to the dermoscopic features, an ivory- white background color and punctum were commonly found in both groups (p>0.05). The unruptured-cyst group showed higher frequencies of pore sign (p<0.05), blue-white veil (p>0.05), no vascular structure, and arborizing telangiectasia (p<0.05), but the ruptured-cyst group usually had red lacunae (p>0.05) and peripheral linear branched vessels (with an erythematous rim) (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: Dermoscopy is helpful in differentiating between ruptured and unruptured epidermal cysts.
Dermoscopy* ; Diagnosis, Differential* ; Drainage ; Epidermal Cyst* ; Humans ; Telangiectasis