Background: Chronic cough is a common symptom encountered by healthcare practitioners.The global prevalence of chronic cough is 9.6%, with a female predominance. The aim of our study is to reveal the sex differences in prevalence and severity of chronic cough in South Korea, stratified by age and etiology. Methods: This study included adult patients with chronic cough who were recruited from 19 respiratory centers in South Korea. Patients completed the cough numeric rating scale (NRS) and COugh Assessment Test (COAT) questionnaire to assess the severity and multidimensional impact of cough. Results: Among the 625 patients, 419 (67.0%) were females, with a male-to-female ratio of 1:2.03. The mean age was 49.4 years, and the median duration of cough was 12 weeks. The mean NRS and COAT scores were 5.5 ± 1.8 and 9.5 ± 3.6, respectively. Female patients were older (45.3 ± 15.4 vs. 51.6 ± 15.2, P < 0.001) and more likely to have asthma/cough variant asthma (CVA) (26.7% vs. 40.8%, P = 0.001) than male patients. There was no difference in the duration or severity of cough between sexes, regardless of the cause. The male-tofemale ratio was lower for upper airway cough syndrome (UACS), asthma/CVA, and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), but not for eosinophilic bronchitis (EB) or unexplained cough. The mean age of female patients was higher in UACS and asthma/CVA, but not in EB, GERD, or unexplained cough. The majority (24.2%) fell within the age category of 50s. The proportion of females with cough increased with age, with a significant rise in the 50s, 60s, and 70–89 age groups. The severity of cough decreased in the 50s, 60s, and 70–89 age groups, with no significant sex differences within the same age group. Conclusion The sex disparities in prevalence and severity of cough varied significantly depending on the age category and etiology. Understanding the specific sex-based difference could enhance comprehension of cough-related pathophysiology and treatment strategies.

BACKGROUND: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection leads to hepatic and extrahepatic manifestations including chronic kidney disease (CKD). However, the association between HBV and CKD is not clear. This study investigated the association between chronic HBV infection and CKD in a nationwide multicenter study. METHODS: A total of 265,086 subjects who underwent health-check examinations in 33 hospitals from January 2015 to December 2015 were enrolled. HBV surface antigen (HBsAg) positive cases (n = 10,048), and age- and gender-matched HBsAg negative controls (n = 40,192) were identified. CKD was defined as a glomerular filtration rate (GFR) < 60 mL/min/1.73 m² or proteinuria as at least grade 2+ of urine protein. RESULTS: HBsAg positive cases showed a significantly higher prevalence of GFR < 60 mL/min/1.73 m² (3.3%), and proteinuria (18.9%) than that of the controls (2.6%, P < 0.001, and 14.1%, P < 0.001, respectively). In the multivariate analysis, HBsAg positivity was an independent factor associated with GFR < 60 mL/min/1.73 m² along with age, blood levels of albumin, bilirubin, anemia, and hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c). Likewise, HBsAg positivity was an independent factor for proteinuria along with age, male, blood levels of bilirubin, protein, albumin, and HbA1c. A subgroup analysis showed that HBsAg positive men but not women had a significantly increased risk for GFR < 60 mL/min/1.73 m². CONCLUSION: Chronic HBV infection was significantly associated with a GFR < 60 mL/min/1.73 m² and proteinuria (≥ 2+). Therefore, clinical concern about CKD in chronic HBV infected patients, especially in male, is warranted.
Anemia ; Antigens, Surface ; Bilirubin ; Case-Control Studies* ; Female ; Glomerular Filtration Rate ; Hepatitis B Surface Antigens ; Hepatitis B virus ; Hepatitis B, Chronic* ; Hepatitis, Chronic* ; Humans ; Male ; Multivariate Analysis ; Prevalence ; Proteinuria ; Renal Insufficiency, Chronic*

BACKGROUND: This scientific statement is intended to provide a systematic review of new evidences in dyslipidemia and inflammation for primary stroke prevention. METHODS: Using a structured literature search, we identified major observational studies, clinical trials, meta-analyses, and updated major guidelines published between July 2007 and November 2010. In addition to the brief summary of earlier evidences employed in the first edition of Korean clinical practice guideline for primary prevention of stroke, we summarized the newly identified evidences. RESULTS: For dyslipidemia, observational studies further support a strong association between ischemic stroke and high total and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol. Two clinical trials and 6 meta-analyses confirm statin efficacy for primary prevention of stroke in high risk patients. Efficacy of other lipid-lowering agents is not established. For inflammation, inflammatory markers might help to identify patients having high risk for stroke or cardiovascular event and to decide whether statin therapy is indicated, but its usefulness for broad population needs to be confirmed. CONCLUSIONS: Writing committee will continue to keep an eye on upcoming evidences to timely update the guideline for primary stroke prevention in dyslipidemia and inflammation.
Cholesterol ; Dyslipidemias ; Eye ; Humans ; Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors ; Inflammation ; Lipoproteins ; Meta-Analysis as Topic ; Practice Guidelines as Topic ; Primary Prevention ; Stroke ; Writing

PURPOSE: Immunosuppressive regimen based on reduced-dose Tacrolimus (TAC) is widely accepted in the field of renal transplantation. However, optimal targetsfor TAC whole blood trough concentrations during the early period after kidney transplantation remain uncertain. METHODS: A total of 184 consecutive adult renal transplant recipients with triple immunosuppression (TAC/Mycophenolate/corticosteroid) were included in this study. According to the trough level of TAC at day 7 after transplantation, patients were classified as low TAC concentration (LT, <10 ng/ml, n=85), intermediate TAC concentration (IT, 10~15 ng/ml, n=75), and high TAC concentration (HT, >15 ng/ml, n=24) groups. Rate of acute rejection, graft function and side effects of TAC within 1 yr after transplantation were evaluated. RESULTS: There was no difference in trough concentrations of TAC at 2 weeks, 1 month, 3 months, 6 months and 12 months after transplantation among the three groups. Significantly higher incidence of acute rejection within 2 weeks after transplantation was observed in LT group compared with IT and HT groups (17.4%, 5.6% and 4.8%, respectively, P=0.037). HT patients showed significantly better estimated glomerular filtration rates until 6 months after transplantation than IT and LT patients (75.5+/-24.8 vs. 63.8+/-12.8 and 64.3+/-15.2 ml/min at 6 months, P=0.03). There was no significant difference in TAC toxicity in terms of post-transplant diabetes and renal toxicity. CONCLUSION: Short-term high TAC exposure immediately after kidney transplantation may provide lower incidence of acute rejection and better restoration of graft function compared with low or intermediate TAC exposure.
Adult ; Glomerular Filtration Rate ; Graft Rejection ; Humans ; Immunosuppression ; Incidence ; Kidney Transplantation ; Rejection (Psychology) ; Tacrolimus ; Transplants

We reviewed clinical manifestation of 12 patients from three Korean families. They showed mild to moderate bone fragility, and suggested an autosomal dominant inheritance pattern. Significant intrafamilial phenotype variability was obvious. Clinical, radiological, and histopathologic characteristics that distinguished this subtype from others include ossification of interosseous membrane of the forearm with radial head dislocation, hyperplastic callus formation, no evidence of type I collagenopathy and an abnormal histopathologic pattern. Severity of the interosseous membrane ossification was correlated with increasing age (p<0.01) and the radial head dislocation was thought to be a developmental problem rather than a congenital problem. Four children who had bisphosphonate treatment showed improved bone mineral density, radiological changes, and biochemical responses. Osteogenesis imperfecta type V was a distinctive subtype of osteogenesis imperfecta, which caused mild to moderate disability clinically.
Range of Motion, Articular ; Pedigree ; Osteogenesis Imperfecta/genetics/*pathology/physiopathology ; Middle Aged ; Male ; Infant ; Humans ; Fractures, Bone/radiography ; Female ; Family Health ; Dislocations/radiography ; Child, Preschool ; Child ; Bone and Bones/abnormalities/*radiography ; Aged ; Adult

BACKGROUND: Although several hospital-based stroke studies were published, there has not been any reliable data representing the clinical characteristics of stroke in Korea. We analyzed the clinical characteristics of patients with ischemic stroke registered in the Korean Stroke Registry (KSR), which is the largest prospective hospital-based nation-wide stroke registry in Korea. METHODS: The KSR provided standardized protocols for collecting data, which includes the data of demographics, subtypes of stroke, risk factors, and neurological outcome at discharge. The brain imaging studies, including CT or MRI, were performed in all cases. RESULTS: KSR registered 10,811 patients of acute ischemic stroke between Nov. 2002 and Jun. 2004. The large-artery atherosclerosis was the most common subtype (37.3%), followed by small vessel occlusion (30.8%). Hypertension (65.4%) was the most common risk factor, followed by smoking (34.5%) and diabetes (28.3%). Although most of the hypertensive and diabetic patients had been diagnosed before the stroke, less than 45.4% and 32.5% of them were under regular control. The steno-occlusive lesion of extracranial carotid artery was only 29.3% and the ratio of intra- to extracranial artery disease was more than 2 in KSR. Only 20.5% of patients were admitted within 3 hours after stroke onset and 2.1% were treated with intravenous thrombolysis. In-hospital case-fatality was 5.2%, which is relatively comparable to those of previous studies. CONCLUSIONS: The KSR provided informative data in understanding the clinical characteristics of ischemic stroke in Korea. Further analysis of KSR will facilitate clinical trials and development of guidelines for the management of stroke patients.
Arteries ; Atherosclerosis ; Carotid Arteries ; Cerebrovascular Disorders ; Demography ; Epidemiology ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Korea ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Neuroimaging ; Prospective Studies* ; Registries ; Risk Factors ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Stroke*

PURPOSE: We investigated if there was any change of the growth plate after recovery of bone length by distraction osteogenesis in the shortened long bone. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Three groups of 15 immature rabbits underwent shortening osteotomy of their right tibia by 20, 30, 40%, with minimal injury to the surrounding soft tissue, and distraction osteogenesis was performed to recover the original length. Radiographic, histomorphometric, and immunohistochemical studies were done to evaluate the activity of the growth plate. RESULTS: No significant difference was found between the lengths of both tibiae when the rabbits became mature. Three groups also showed no difference in the activity of the growth plate regardless of the amount of lengthening. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that distraction osteogenesis to recover the original length of bone does not disturb the physeal growth activity if the soft tissue envelope remains intact.
Growth Plate* ; Osteogenesis, Distraction* ; Osteotomy ; Rabbits ; Tibia*

BACKGROUND: Intraoperative neurophysiologic monitoring(INM) is well known to be useful method to reduce intraoperative complications during tumor surgery in cerebellopontine angle(CPA). We investigated the changes of INM during the surgery. It might be helpful to keep one's eyes on which monitoring modalities are reluctant to change during the operation. METHODS: We included 49 subjects who had undergone CPA tumor surgery under INM. Their pathology was as follows; vestibular schwannoma in 37, other cranial nerve schwannoma in 3, meningioma in 5 , cyst in 2. The modalities of monitoring were short latency auditory evoked potentials(AEP), somatosensory evoked potentials(SEP) , facial and trigeminal nerve EMG(EMG). Stimulation of SEP was on left or right median, posterior tibial nerves. We studied the frequency of abnormal INM changes and the factors affecting it. RESULTS: The subjects who had abnormal changes in at least one monitoring modality were 19(38.8.%). AEP changes were in 6.1%, SEP in 12.2% and EMG in 24.5%. The AEP monitoring had no potentials from II through V wave in 28 subjects(57.1%). SEP monitoring had improvement in 2 subjects and aggravation in 6, especially involved in median nerve SEP. Tonic EMG activities were observed in 3 facial muscles of 3 subjects, 2 of 4, 1 of 5. Regarding the pathology of tumor, meningioma had much more changed INM than vestibular schwannoma. The volume of tumor was bigger in abnormal INM group than normal group although it is not statistically significant. Also abnormal SEP and EMG group had bigger mass than normal group. CONCLUSIONS: INM has frequent electrophysiologic changes during tumor surgery in CPA. Especially EMG can be changed the most frequently. The larger tumor are, the more frequently abnormal changes in INM of CPA tumor surgery are.
Cerebellopontine Angle* ; Cranial Nerves ; Facial Muscles ; Intraoperative Complications ; Median Nerve ; Meningioma ; Monitoring, Intraoperative ; Neurilemmoma ; Neuroma, Acoustic ; Pathology ; Tibial Nerve ; Trigeminal Nerve

BACKGROUND: Since the bioavailability of itraconazole capsule is influenced by patients gastric acidity, it results in treatment failure due to its low dissolution and subsequent low absorption when administered in fasting. Itraconazole Melt-Extrusion tablet has been lately developed in order to improve its dissolution profile. It is the first clinical study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of itraconazole Melt-Extrusion tablet in Korea. OBJECTIVE: This study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy and safety of itraconazole melt-extrusion tablet 400mg daily for 1 week(pulse therapy) for hyperkeratotic type of tinea pedis and manus. METHODS: A clinical and mycological investigation was made of 812 outpatients with hyperkeratotic type of tinea pedis and/or tinea manus who had visited at 52 general hospitals under the lead of the Korean Dermatological Association from June to December, 1998. Patients confirmed by clinically and microscopically as hyperkeratotic type of tinea pedis and/or tinea manus were administered 2 tablets twice a day for one week and followed up for 8 weeks from the start of the medication. RESULTS: The results were summarized as follows; 1. Clinical symptoms of hyperkeratotic type of tinea pedis and/or tinea mauns were significantly improved at the end of study, week 8(p<0.001). 2. Clinical response rate, defined as more than 50% decrease of the sum of the clinical symptom scores, was 79.3%(512/646). 3. Mycological cure rate, dafined as both culture and KOH negative at week 8, was 78.2%(244 /312). 4. 40(5.5%) patients, of the 727 patients evaluable for drug safety evaluation, were reported to have adverse event. CONCLUSION: Itraconazole Melt-Extrusion tablet 400mg/day for 1 week (pulse therapy) is effective and safe in the treatment of hyperkeratotic type of tinea pedis and/or tinea manus.
Absorption ; Biological Availability ; Fasting ; Gastric Acid ; Hospitals, General ; Humans ; Itraconazole* ; Korea ; Outpatients ; Tablets ; Tinea Pedis* ; Tinea* ; Treatment Failure

BACKGROUND: Estrogen deficiency is linked to cardiovascular disease (CVD) and osteoporosis in women. Ovarian hormones are also presumed to play a key role in Alzheimer's disease (AD). This study was designed to investigate the clinical evidences of estrogen deficiency and therapeutic efficacy of hormone replacement (HRT) in women with AD. METHODS: Clinical tests indicative of ovarian insufficiency were performed in 44 female patients with AD (age: 49-81: 68.0+1.2, Mean+SEM). Out of 40 patients treated with HRT, 16 completed one-year follow-ups. Modification of risk factors for CVD and changes in bone mineral density with HRT were assessed. Periodic MMSE was performed to evaluate changes in cognitive function under HRT. RESULTS: All the patients except two were postmenopausal, and years since menopause were 18.2+1.8. Six patients had early menopause. Hypertension was detected in 9 patients, and one had history of CVD. Prevalence of osteoporosis at lumbar vertebrae or femur neck and that of fragility fracture were 57% and 39%, respectively. Sixteen patiens who completed one-year HRT were analyzed separately: HRT reduced significantly blood levels of total cholesterol, Lp(a), and glucose and increased HDL-cholesterol. HRT also prevented bone loss at both lumbar spine and femur neck. MMSE scores at 3, 6, and 12 months of HRT revealed no significant decline compared with baseline score. CONCLUSIONS: Female AD is late problem after menopause, and frequently associated with osteoporosis. In addition to beneficial modification of risk factors for CVD and prevention of further bone loss, HRT might inhibit cognitive decline assessed by MMSE in AD.
Alzheimer Disease* ; Bone Density ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; Cholesterol ; Dementia ; Estrogens ; Female ; Femur Neck ; Follow-Up Studies ; Glucose ; Hormone Replacement Therapy* ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Lumbar Vertebrae ; Menopause ; Osteoporosis ; Prevalence ; Risk Factors ; Spine