1.Cluster analysis of laryngomalacia in infants: insights into prognostic factors from a 10-year cohort
Younga KIM ; Jeongeun KANG ; Mi Sook YUN ; Sungsu JUNG
Allergy, Asthma & Respiratory Disease 2026;14(2):84-92
Purpose:
Laryngomalacia exhibits diverse morphological patterns, severities, and comorbidities. Defining clinical phenotypes could improve management and prognosis. This study aimed to identify and characterize phenotypes using cluster analysis and to evaluate prognostic factors.
Methods:
We retrospectively reviewed records of 195 children diagnosed with laryngomalacia between 2014 and 2023 using flexible laryngoscopy or bronchoscopy. Demographics, endoscopic findings, comorbidities, and outcomes up to 1 year of age were collected. Hierarchical cluster analysis was conducted using 10 clinical variables.
Results:
Four phenotypes emerged: cluster 1 (n= 75, 38.5%), Groningen Laryngomalacia Classification System (GLCS) type 1 dominant-mild; cluster 2 (n= 35, 17.9%), GLCS type 2 dominant-mild; cluster 3 (n= 40, 20.5%), severe with multiple comorbidities; and cluster 4 (n = 45, 23.1%), GLCS combined-type moderate. Distinct clinical courses were observed. Cluster 3 showed the highest rates of surgical intervention (32.5%, P < 0.001), pediatric intensive care unit admission (17.5%, P = 0.016), and Emergency Department (ED) visits (60.0%, P= 0.013) for respiratory problems during the first year. When stratified by comorbidities, children with multiple comorbidities, particularly those with major feeding problems had a higher risk of hospitalization (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 2.65;95% confidence interval [CI], 1.11–6.33) and ED visits (aOR, 3.17; 95% CI, 1.39–7.23), even after adjusting for sex and severity.
Conclusion
Four clinically meaningful phenotypes of laryngomalacia were identified from the cluster analysis based on morphology, comorbidities, and disease severity. Children with multiple comorbidities accompanied by feeding problems had the greatest risk of hospitalization and ED visits for respiratory problems within the first year, even after adjusting for the severity of laryngomalacia.
2.Association between cardiovascular health measured by Life’s Essential 8 and depressive symptoms
Jeong Hyun AHN ; Hyejin KIM ; Hyeon Chang KIM ; Hokyou LEE ; Younga Heather LEE ; Donald M. LLOYD-JONES ; Sun Jae JUNG
Epidemiology and Health 2026;48(1):e2026013-
OBJECTIVES:
Poor cardiovascular health (CVH) and the high prevalence of depressive symptoms represent significant public health concerns, underscoring the importance of examining their association. This study aimed to investigate the association between CVH, as defined by the American Heart Association’s 2022 Life’s Essential 8 (LE8) framework, and depressive symptoms.
METHODS:
This study used data from the 2014, 2016, 2018, and 2020 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Overall CVH, measured using LE8, was categorized into 3 groups: low score (0–<50), moderate score (50–<80), and high score (80–100). LE8 comprises 2 subdomains: health behaviors and health factors. Depressive symptoms were defined as a total score ≥10 on the Patient Health Questionnaire-9. Multiple logistic regression analyses were performed, adjusting for sex, age, socioeconomic status, and current drinking status.
RESULTS:
Among 17,294 adults, 257 male and 681 female reported significant depressive symptoms. Compared with individuals in the low LE8 category (reference), the odds ratio (OR) for depressive symptoms was 0.29 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.21 to 0.40) for those in the high LE8 category. The OR for depressive symptoms was 0.39 (95% CI, 0.29 to 0.53) for individuals with a high health behavior score compared with those with a low health behavior score. In contrast, the health factor score was not significantly associated with depressive symptoms.
CONCLUSIONS
These findings suggest that overall CVH, particularly the health behavior subdomain, was associated with lower odds of depressive symptoms. Prospective longitudinal studies are warranted to validate these findings and clarify the directionality of the observed associations.
3.Pediatric Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation in Korea: A Multicenter Retrospective Study on Utilization and Outcomes Spanning Over a Decade
Yu Hyeon CHOI ; Won Kyoung JHANG ; Seong Jong PARK ; Hee Joung CHOI ; Min-su OH ; Jung Eun KWON ; Beom Joon KIM ; Ju Ae SHIN ; In Kyung LEE ; June Dong PARK ; Bongjin LEE ; Hyun CHUNG ; Jae Yoon NA ; Ah Young CHOI ; Joongbum CHO ; Jaeyoung CHOI ; Hwa Jin CHO ; Ah Young KIM ; Yu Rim SHIN ; Joung-Hee BYUN ; Younga KIM
Journal of Korean Medical Science 2024;39(3):e33-
Background:
Over the last decade, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) use in critically ill children has increased and is associated with favorable outcomes. Our study aims to evaluate the current status of pediatric ECMO in Korea, with a specific focus on its volume and changes in survival rates based on diagnostic indications.
Methods:
This multicenter study retrospectively analyzed the indications and outcomes of pediatric ECMO over 10 years in patients at 14 hospitals in Korea from January 2012 to December 2021. Four diagnostic categories (neonatal respiratory, pediatric respiratory, postcardiotomy, and cardiac-medical) and trends were compared between periods 1 (2012–2016) and 2 (2017–2021).
Results:
Overall, 1065 ECMO runs were performed on 1032 patients, with the annual number of cases remaining unchanged over the 10 years. ECMO was most frequently used for post-cardiotomy (42.4%), cardiac-medical (31.8%), pediatric respiratory (17.5%), and neonatal respiratory (8.2%) cases. A 3.7% increase and 6.1% decrease in pediatric respiratory and post-cardiotomy cases, respectively, were noted between periods 1 and 2.Among the four groups, the cardiac-medical group had the highest survival rate (51.2%), followed by the pediatric respiratory (46.4%), post-cardiotomy (36.5%), and neonatal respiratory (29.4%) groups. A consistent improvement was noted in patient survival over the 10 years, with a significant increase between the two periods from 38.2% to 47.1% (P = 0.004). Improvement in survival was evident in post-cardiotomy cases (30–45%, P = 0.002).Significant associations with mortality were observed in neonates, patients requiring dialysis, and those treated with extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation (P < 0.001). In pediatric respiratory ECMO, immunocompromised patients also showed a significant correlation with mortality (P < 0.001).
Conclusion
Pediatric ECMO demonstrated a steady increase in overall survival in Korea;however, further efforts are needed since the outcomes remain suboptimal compared with global outcomes.
4.Successful Treatment of VancomycinResistant Enterococcus Bacteremia With a Combination of Daptomycin and Tigecycline in an Infant who Underwent Heart-Lung Transplantation
Jeong Eun KANG ; Joung-Hee BYUN ; Younga KIM ; Su Eun PARK
Pediatric Infection & Vaccine 2022;29(2):105-109
The treatment of invasive infections caused by multidrug-resistant vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) is challenging, particularly in pediatric patients with underlying medical conditions. Newer antibiotics used to treat VRE infections in pediatric patients are insufficiently studied. This report presents the case of a 6-month-old infant who underwent heart–lung transplantation and was successfully treated with a combination of daptomycin and tigecycline for recurrent VRE bacteremia shortly after the discontinuation of linezolid.
5.Development of Korean Version of Developmental Coordination Disorder Questionnaire (DCDQ-K)
JooYeon KO ; WanHee LEE ; JungJee WOON ; YoungA KIM
Journal of Korean Physical Therapy 2020;32(1):44-51
Purpose:
This study translated the developmental coordination disorder questionnaire’07 (DCDQ’07) into Korean and investigated the psychometric properties of the Korean DCDQ (DCDQ-K) using validation processes.
Methods:
The subjects were 300 parents with typically developing children aged 5-15 years (162 girls and 138 boys, mean age 9.24 years, SD 2.59) across the country. To develop the Korean DCDQ, a forward-backward-original author feedback-panel meeting-pilot study with parents was done. The internal consistency, test-retest reliability performed two weeks apart, content validity, discriminative validity, convergent validity, and constructive validity were examined with the pre-version of the DCDQ-K.
Results:
Approximately 15.33% of the subjects were probably shown DCD using DCDQ-K. Significant differences in age and province were observed in the DCDQ-K total score. The reliabilities and validities were good in the DCDQ-K.
Conclusion
The DCDQ-K is a reasonable screening tool for DCD children.
6.Development of Korean Version of Developmental Coordination Disorder Questionnaire (DCDQ-K)
JooYeon KO ; WanHee LEE ; JungJee WOON ; YoungA KIM
Journal of Korean Physical Therapy 2020;32(1):44-51
Purpose:
This study translated the developmental coordination disorder questionnaire’07 (DCDQ’07) into Korean and investigated the psychometric properties of the Korean DCDQ (DCDQ-K) using validation processes.
Methods:
The subjects were 300 parents with typically developing children aged 5-15 years (162 girls and 138 boys, mean age 9.24 years, SD 2.59) across the country. To develop the Korean DCDQ, a forward-backward-original author feedback-panel meeting-pilot study with parents was done. The internal consistency, test-retest reliability performed two weeks apart, content validity, discriminative validity, convergent validity, and constructive validity were examined with the pre-version of the DCDQ-K.
Results:
Approximately 15.33% of the subjects were probably shown DCD using DCDQ-K. Significant differences in age and province were observed in the DCDQ-K total score. The reliabilities and validities were good in the DCDQ-K.
Conclusion
The DCDQ-K is a reasonable screening tool for DCD children.

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