PURPOSE: Data are lacking on the association between the allergic rhinitis (AR) phenotype and sensitization to specific allergens or bronchial hyperresponsiveness (BHR) in children. We here investigated risk factors and comorbidities, including sensitization to specific allergens and BHR, for the AR phenotype by AR and its Impact on Asthma (ARIA) classification in a general population-based birth cohort study. METHODS: We enrolled 606 children aged 7 years from the Panel Study of Korean Children. The AR phenotype was assigned in accordance with the ARIA classification in children. Skin prick tests and Provocholine provocation test were performed. Risk factors and comorbidities for AR phenotypes were then analyzed. RESULTS: The prevalence of mild and moderate to severe AR in our study cohort was 37.2% and 8.8%, respectively. Recent use of analgesics or antipyretics and current cat ownership were associated with the risk of mild persistent AR. Sensitizations to Dermatophagoides Pteronyssinus (Der p), Japanese hop and cat were associated with moderate to severe persistent AR. Children with moderate to severe AR had a higher risk of current asthma and BHR compared to mild AR cases (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 5.26; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.77–15.62). Moderate to severe AR with allergic sensitization was associated with the highest risk of BHR (aOR, 11.77; 95% CI, 3.40–40.74). CONCLUSIONS: Moderate to severe-persistent AR is more closely related to respiratory comorbidities and sensitizations than mild AR. Stratifying the AR phenotype by ARIA classification may assist in disease management.
Allergens ; Analgesics ; Animals ; Antipyretics ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Asthma ; Bronchial Hyperreactivity ; Cats ; Child ; Classification ; Cohort Studies ; Comorbidity ; Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus ; Disease Management ; Humans ; Methacholine Chloride ; Odds Ratio ; Ownership ; Parturition ; Phenotype ; Prevalence ; Rhinitis, Allergic ; Risk Factors ; Skin

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Brain ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; Cohort Studies ; Firefighters ; Follow-Up Studies ; Health Surveys ; Hospitals, University ; Humans ; Killer Cells, Natural ; Korea ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Mental Disorders ; Mental Health ; Neuropsychological Tests ; Polycyclic Hydrocarbons, Aromatic ; Prospective Studies ; Republic of Korea ; Risk Factors

Biopsy ; Biopsy, Fine-Needle ; Biopsy, Large-Core Needle ; Humans ; Methods ; Retrospective Studies ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Thyroid Gland ; Thyroid Neoplasms ; Thyroid Nodule ; Ultrasonography

Adult ; Amenorrhea ; Congenital Abnormalities ; Drug Therapy ; Dysgerminoma ; Female ; Humans ; Karyotype ; Uterus

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

PURPOSE: Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is a deadly disease in which precision medicine needs to be incorporated. We aimed to implement next-generation sequencing (NGS) in determining actionable targets to guide appropriate molecular targeted therapy in HNSCC patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Ninety-three tumors and matched blood samples underwent targeted sequencing of 244 genes using the Illumina HiSeq 2500 platform with an average depth of coverage of greater than 1,000×. Clinicopathological data from patients were obtained from 17 centers in Korea, and were analyzed in correlation with NGS data. RESULTS: Ninety-two of the 93 tumors were amenable to data analysis. TP53 was the most common mutation, occurring in 47 (51%) patients, followed by CDKN2A (n=23, 25%), CCND1 (n=22, 24%), and PIK3CA (n=19, 21%). The total mutational burden was similar between human papillomavirus (HPV)–negative vs. positive tumors, although TP53, CDKN2A and CCND1 gene alterations occurred more frequently in HPV-negative tumors. HPV-positive tumors were significantly associated with immune signature-related genes compared to HPV-negative tumors. Mutations of NOTCH1 (p=0.027), CDKN2A (p < 0.001), and TP53 (p=0.038) were significantly associated with poorer overall survival. FAT1 mutations were highly enriched in cisplatin responders, and potentially targetable alterations such as PIK3CA E545K and CDKN2A R58X were noted in 14 patients (15%). CONCLUSION: We found several targetable genetic alterations, and our findings suggest that implementation of precision medicine in HNSCC is feasible. The predictive value of each targetable alteration should be assessed in a future umbrella trial using matched molecular targeted agents.
Biomarkers ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell* ; Cisplatin ; Epithelial Cells* ; Head* ; Humans ; Korea ; Molecular Targeted Therapy ; Neck* ; Precision Medicine ; Statistics as Topic

The Committee on Pediatric Obesity of the Korean Society of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition newly developed the first Korean Guideline on the Diagnosis and Treatment of Obesity in Children and Adolescents to deliver an evidence-based systematic approach to childhood obesity in South Korea. The following areas were systematically reviewed, especially on the basis of all available references published in South Korea and worldwide, and new guidelines were established in each area with the strength of recommendations based on the levels of evidence: (1) definition and diagnosis of overweight and obesity in children and adolescents; (2) principles of treatment of pediatric obesity; (3) behavioral interventions for children and adolescents with obesity, including diet, exercise, lifestyle, and mental health; (4) pharmacotherapy; and (5) bariatric surgery.
Adolescent ; Bariatric Surgery ; Child ; Diagnosis* ; Diet ; Drug Therapy ; Gastroenterology* ; Humans ; Korea ; Life Style ; Mental Health ; Obesity ; Overweight ; Pediatric Obesity*

We evaluated the neutralizing activity in serum from three patients >1 year after recovery from Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) associated with mild pneumonia treated with antivirals during the MERS outbreak in South Korea at 2015. The neutralizing activity in serum was measured by pseudovirus inhibition assays. Three-fold diluted serum of subjects showed only 9.7%, 10.3%, and 2.2% reductions in relative light units. So, significant neutralizing activity was not demonstrated in any sera of three patients with mild pneumonia >1 year after being successfully treated with antiviral agents and recovering from MERS coronavirus infection.
Antibodies, Neutralizing ; Antiviral Agents* ; Coronavirus Infections ; Humans ; Korea* ; Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus ; Pneumonia

PURPOSE: Croup is a common respiratory disease in children. The aim of this study was to analyze the epidemiology, etiology, and seasonal variations of respiratory virus infections in children with croup. METHODS: From October 2009 to September 2017, children admitted with croup to Gachon University Gil Medical Center under the age of 18 years were enrolled in this study. We retrospectively reviewed patients' medical records. RESULTS: A total of 1,053 of 27,330 patients (3.9%) infected with lower respiratory infections were diagnosed as having croup. In the age distribution, croup was most common (50.0%) in children aged 1 to <2 years. There were 2 peaks, the major in summer (July to August) and the minor in spring (March to May). Parainfluenza virus type 1 (15.8%) was most prevalent and coincided with the summer peaks of croup. Influenza virus type B and parainfluenza virus type 3 were the most frequent etiologic agents in a spring peak of croup. Although parainfluenza virus type 1 was predominant of all ages, human coronavirus was a significant cause of croup in children younger than 1 year, whereas influenza virus played an important role in children above the age of 3 years. CONCLUSION: Seasonality and epidemiology of croup varied with age and regions. Two peaks of seasonal fluctuation were in summer and spring, which were related to the seasonality of respiratory viruses in croup. These results may be helpful in planning clinical and research needs.
Age Distribution ; Child ; Coronavirus ; Croup* ; Epidemiology ; Humans ; Medical Records ; Orthomyxoviridae ; Parainfluenza Virus 1, Human ; Parainfluenza Virus 3, Human ; Respiratory System* ; Respiratory Tract Infections* ; Retrospective Studies ; Seasons*

The approval number of Institutional Review Board (IRB) was wrong in the article.