Purpose: To compare and analyze central corneal thickness (CCT) measurements and measurement repeatability according to the corneal thickness obtained with anterior segment optical coherence tomography (AS-OCT), ultrasound pachymetry (USP), and dual Scheimpflug imaging (Galilei G4®). Methods: CCT measurements obtained using AS-OCT, USP, and a dual rotating Scheimpflug camera in 120 eyes of 60 healthy subjects were compared and the repeatability was analyzed. Results: The average CCT measurements using AS-OCT, USP, and a dual rotating Scheimpflug camera were 511.23 ± 37.16, 525.78 ± 39.22, and 531.43 ± 41.57 μm, respectively. The CCT measurement using dual rotating Scheimpflug imaging was statistically significantly thicker than that measured using AS-OCT (p < 0.05). A significant linear correlation was observed among OCT, USP, and dual rotating Scheimpflug measurements (r > 0.900, p < 0.001). All three methods showed high repeatability (intraclass correlation coefficient ≥ 0.996) for intra-examiner CCT measurements. Conclusions The CCT measurement results using the three methods were significantly correlated and showed high repeatability. However, the AS-OCT measurement was significantly thinner than that obtained using a dual rotating Scheimpflug camera. CCT measurement with a dual rotating Scheimpflug camera is a better alternative for USP than AS-OCT. Therefore, CCT should be interpreted in the context of the instrument used.

PURPOSE: To report a case of corneal collagen cross-linking for corneal ulcer caused by the Moraxella group.CASE SUMMARY: A 77-year-old male had decreased visual acuity for several days in his right eye. The patient showed severe stromal ring infiltrates with a corneal epithelial defect measuring (5.0 × 7.0 mm), a corneal endothelial plaque, and a hypopyon measuring less than 1.0 mm in height in the anterior chamber of the right eye. There was no abnormal finding in the right eye using B-scan ultrasonography. Before starting treatment, a corneal culture was conducted. The culture tests showed the presence of the Moraxella group. Because the patient was diagnosed with a corneal ulcer caused by the Moraxella group, corneal collagen cross-linking (CXL) was performed. The antimicrobial susceptibility test confirmed that this Moraxella group was sensitive to ceftazidime, so the patient was treated with 5% ceftazidime eye drops and 0.5% moxifloxacin eye drops every 2 hours for 9 months after corneal collagen CXL. The uncorrected visual acuity was 0.1 in the right eye, and there was almost no corneal stromal melting on anterior segment optical coherence tomography.CONCLUSIONS: This is the first known case of a corneal ulcer, in the Republic of Korea, caused by the Moraxella group and treated with corneal collagen CXL. Corneal collagen CXL should be considered as a surgical treatment for patients who have an impending corneal perforation due to a corneal ulcer because it is a simple procedure and causes fewer serious complications than other treatments.
Aged ; Anterior Chamber ; Ceftazidime ; Collagen ; Cornea ; Corneal Perforation ; Corneal Ulcer ; Freezing ; Humans ; Male ; Moraxella ; Ophthalmic Solutions ; Republic of Korea ; Tomography, Optical Coherence ; Ultrasonography ; Visual Acuity

PURPOSE: Rice is the main cereal produced and consumed in large quantities in Asian countries including Korea. Several reports have suggested a role of IgE-mediated hypersensitivity in asthma and eczema associated with ingestion or inhalation of rice. In Japan, hypoallergenic rices are used as substitutes for rice in some atopic patients. We performed this study to identify major the allergens of rice and the different allergenicity in cooked rice and hypoallergenic rices. METHODS: We made crude extracts from rice of various origins: polished rice, cooked rice, hypoallergenic rice from Japan and GMO rice, and performed SDS-PAGE. Based on uni, CAP test and skin prick tests we got pooled sera, then IgE immunoblots were undertaken. We performed ELISA inhibition to rule out nonspecific binding. RESULTS: There was no difference of protein distribution between the origins of the various rices, and their "polishment". After cooking, it was difficult to see any protein distribution of rice. With the results of IgE immunoblots it was impossible to differentiate between wild and hypoallergenic rices by IgE binding itself. Even in hypoallergenic rice, there was still a binding of IgE with remaining allergen. CONCLUSION: Boiling degenerates almost all protein in rice IgE binding activities remain in hypoallergenic rice produced in Japan was no difference between wild and GMO rice in SDS-PAGE and IgE immunoblot using sensitized pooled sera. Further studies with more sensitive sera are necessary for the identification of major allergens and the development of hypoallergenic rice.
Allergens ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Asthma ; Edible Grain ; Complex Mixtures ; Cooking ; Eating ; Eczema ; Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity, Immediate ; Immunoglobulin E ; Inhalation ; Japan ; Korea ; Organisms, Genetically Modified ; Skin

OBJECTIVE: Atopic dermatitis is a chronically relapsing inflammatory skin disease. However, little is known about the prevalence of atopic dermatitis outside of North America and Europe. We evaluated the nationwide prevalence of atopic dermatitis with the comparison of prevalence between 1995 and 2000, and between Seoul and provincial cities in Korea. We also evaluated the risk factors for atopic dermatitis. METHODS: A cross-sectional ISAAC based questionnaire survey was conducted on random samples of schoolchildren (6 to 15 year olds) in 1995 and 2000. And kindergarten children (5 year olds) were surveyed in 2003, throughout South Korea. RESULTS: The lifetime and last twelve months prevalence of atopic dermatitis in Korean school-aged children was increased from 1995 to 2000. The twelve-month prevalence of atopic dermatitis was higher in Seoul than in other provincial cities in 1995, but the prevalence of atopic dermatitis in Seoul and Provincial Centers became similar in 2000. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of atopic dermatitis in Korean school-aged children was increased from 1995 to 2000. The further evaluations that include objective examination are necessary to confirm these outcomes because the environmental and risk factors may be different among the countries according to their life styles.
Child* ; Dermatitis, Atopic* ; Epidemiology ; Europe ; Humans ; Korea* ; Life Style ; North America ; Prevalence ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Risk Factors ; Seoul ; Skin Diseases

To validate the prevalence rate of symptoms of asthma produced by the phase I ISAAC (International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood) study, hypertonic saline challenge test was carried out during the phase II study at a year after the phase I study. For the phase II study, six middle schools from three cities in the phase I study were selected. Finally, 499 children who responded to both studies were analyzed. All subjects were asked to complete the written questionnaire (WQ) first, followed by a video questionnaire (AVQ 3.0) during the phase I study. Of the 499 children, only 19 (3.8%) were positive to the hypertonic saline bronchial challenge test. The degree of agreement between responses to the two corresponding questions "wheezing at rest" and "nocturnal wheeze" in the AVQ 3.0 and WQ were moderate and weak with a Kappa indices of 0.45 and 0.23, respectively. The question on "severe wheeze" in the AVQ 3.0 had the highest Youden's index among the five questions related to asthma symptoms in the previous 12 months, but its specificity was low whereas it 's sensitivity was 1.0. There was no consistency of priority between the two questionnaires in predicting bronchial hyperreactivity in a group of Korean schoolchildren. Therefore we need to develop more appropriate WQ or AVQ to compare the prevalences of asthma to other countries.
Adolescent ; Asthma/diagnosis* ; Asthma/epidemiology ; Asthma/etiology ; Bronchial Hyperreactivity/complications ; Bronchial Hyperreactivity/diagnosis* ; Bronchial Hyperreactivity/epidemiology ; Bronchial Provocation Tests ; Comparative Study ; Female ; Human ; Korea/epidemiology ; Language ; Male ; Prevalence ; Questionnaires* ; Random Allocation ; Respiratory Sounds ; Saline Solution, Hypertonic/diagnostic use ; Sampling Studies ; Videotape Recording ; Writing

PURPOSE: Acute respiratory distress syndrome(ARDS) is the final course of acute lung injury. It results from various etiological origins and pathophysiologic mechanisms, and has a mortality rate of approximately 60-70%. Although the confirmative incidence of ARDS in children is yet unknown, the increasing incidence of ARDS has been reported in Korea. In the present study, we report ARDS diagnosed at the Clinic for Pediatric Allergy and Respiratory Disease in eleven medical centers nationwide. METHODS: The study was conducted on 42 patients diagnosed with ARDS in Pediatric Allergy and Respiratory Clinics from January, 1995 to August, 1997. We analyzed the clinical course and treatment modalities of the 42 cases of ARDS retrospectively. RESULTS: The total number of patients recruited was 42, including seventeen(40.4%) below 1-year-old. The mean age was 2.0+/-2.3(mean+/-standard deviation) years with a range of 2 months to 10 years, and there was no sex predominance(male/female : 27/15). Twenty-one cases(50.0%) occured during the spring(March, April and May). The major triggering factors of ARDS were viral pneumonia(59.5%) and bacterial pneumonia (19.1%). Mechanical ventilation was used in 37 cases(88.1%). Major complications included pneumothorax, DIC, and gastrointestinal bleeding. The mortality rate was 61.9% of which 16 case (61.5%) occurred before 2 years of age. CONCLUSION: We conducted this study to make a rapid diagnosis and appropriate treatment of ARDS in children, who have major risk factors, to reduce its mortality rate.
Acute Lung Injury ; Child* ; Dacarbazine ; Diagnosis ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity ; Incidence ; Korea ; Mortality ; Pneumonia, Bacterial ; Pneumothorax ; Respiration, Artificial ; Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Adult* ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors

PURPOSE: Acute respiratory distress syndrome(ARDS) is the final course of acute lung injury. It results from various etiological origins and pathophysiologic mechanisms, and has a mortality rate of approximately 60-70%. Although the confirmative incidence of ARDS in children is yet unknown, the increasing incidence of ARDS has been reported in Korea. In the present study, we report ARDS diagnosed at the Clinic for Pediatric Allergy and Respiratory Disease in eleven medical centers nationwide. METHODS: The study was conducted on 42 patients diagnosed with ARDS in Pediatric Allergy and Respiratory Clinics from January, 1995 to August, 1997. We analyzed the clinical course and treatment modalities of the 42 cases of ARDS retrospectively. RESULTS: The total number of patients recruited was 42, including seventeen(40.4%) below 1-year-old. The mean age was 2.0+/-2.3(mean+/-standard deviation) years with a range of 2 months to 10 years, and there was no sex predominance(male/female : 27/15). Twenty-one cases(50.0%) occured during the spring(March, April and May). The major triggering factors of ARDS were viral pneumonia(59.5%) and bacterial pneumonia (19.1%). Mechanical ventilation was used in 37 cases(88.1%). Major complications included pneumothorax, DIC, and gastrointestinal bleeding. The mortality rate was 61.9% of which 16 case (61.5%) occurred before 2 years of age. CONCLUSION: We conducted this study to make a rapid diagnosis and appropriate treatment of ARDS in children, who have major risk factors, to reduce its mortality rate.
Acute Lung Injury ; Child* ; Dacarbazine ; Diagnosis ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity ; Incidence ; Korea ; Mortality ; Pneumonia, Bacterial ; Pneumothorax ; Respiration, Artificial ; Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Adult* ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors