Purpose: Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia (MP) is a major cause of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) in children and is associated with extrapulmonary manifestations (EPM). The incidence and risk factors for EPM in children are unknown. Methods: This was a retrospective study involving 65,243 pediatric patients with CAP between 2010 and 2015 at 23 nationwide hospitals in South Korea. Medical records were reviewed to collect information regarding the clinical characteristics, radiological results, and laboratory findings. Logistic regression with multivariate analysis was performed to evaluate the risk factors associated with EPM in MP. Results: The incidence of EPM was 23.9%, including elevation of liver enzymes (18.1%), mucocutaneous manifestations (4.4%), proteinuria (4.1%), cardiovascular and neurological manifestations (0.4%), hematologic manifestations (0.2%), and arthritis (0.2%). Statistical analysis showed that mucocutaneous manifestations significantly increased with elevated alanine aminotransferase (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 3.623; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.933-6.790) and atopic sensitization (aOR, 2.973; 95% CI, 1.615–5.475) and decreased with respiratory virus coinfection (aOR, 0.273; 95% CI, 0.084–0.887). Elevated liver enzymes were significantly associated with elevated lactate dehydrogenase (aOR, 3.055; 95% CI, 2.257–4.137), presence of pleural effusion (aOR, 2.635; 95% CI, 1.767–3.930), and proteinuria with respiratory virus coinfection (aOR, 2.245; 95% CI, 1.113–4.527). Conclusion Approximately 24% of pediatric patients with MP had various EPM. As the risk factors associated with each EPM were different, it is necessary to evaluate the various clinical aspects and findings of MP to predict and prepare for the occurrence of EPM.

PURPOSE: Childhood asthma has a considerable social impact and economic burden, especially in severe asthma. This study aimed to identify the proportion of childhood asthma severity and to evaluate associated factors for greater asthma severity. METHODS: This study was performed on 667 children aged 5–15 years with asthma from the nationwide 19 hospitals in the Korean childhood Asthma Study (KAS). Asthma was classified as mild intermittent, mild persistent, and moderate/severe persistent groups according to the National Asthma Education and Prevention Program recommendations. Multinomial logistic regression models were used to identify the associated factors for greater asthma severity. RESULTS: Mild persistent asthma was most prevalent (39.0%), followed by mild intermittent (37.6%), moderate persistent (22.8%), and severe persistent asthma (0.6%). Onset later than 6 years of age (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 1.69 for mild persistent asthma; aOR, 1.92 for moderate/severe persistent asthma) tended to increase asthma severity. Exposure to environmental tobacco smoke (aOR, 1.53 for mild persistent asthma; aOR, 1.85 for moderate/severe persistent asthma), and current dog ownership with sensitization to dog dander (aOR, 5.86 for mild persistent asthma; aOR, 6.90 for moderate/severe persistent asthma) showed increasing trends with greater asthma severity. Lower maternal education levels (aOR, 2.32) and no usage of an air purifier in exposure to high levels of outdoor air pollution (aOR, 1.76) were associated with moderate/severe persistent asthma. CONCLUSIONS: Modification of identified environmental factors associated with greater asthma severity might help better control childhood asthma, thereby reducing the disease burden due to childhood asthma.
Air Filters ; Air Pollution ; Animals ; Asthma ; Child ; Dander ; Dogs ; Education ; Environmental Exposure ; Humans ; Logistic Models ; Odds Ratio ; Ownership ; Risk Factors ; Smoke ; Social Change ; Tobacco

Patient education is important for successful management of atopic dermatitis; however, due to limited time and resources, patient education remains insufficient. This study aimed to investigate the current state of education provided by Korean dermatologists, pediatric allergists, and allergists to patients with atopic dermatitis. A questionnaire survey consisting of items regarding educational programs for patients with atopic dermatitis was conducted via e-mail. In total, 153 participants responded to the questionnaires, and 26.8% indicated that they have had separate educational programs. The workforce involved in the educational program included nurses, residents or fellows, dieticians, pharmacists, and clinical psychologists. Most education protocols addressed the characteristics and natural course of atopic dermatitis and environmental management. Overall, 96.7% of the participants replied that an additional charge is needed for education; moreover, additional assistance from an academic society or association, in the form of medical staff, organized data, and advertisement, is required to develop and provide a well-structured educational program. A standardized education protocol will effectively provide appropriate education for patients with atopic dermatitis. Arrangement of education fees, covered by the National Health Insurance Service, will lead to the establishment of a structured educational program and participation of an additional medical workforce.
Dermatitis, Atopic ; Education ; Electronic Mail ; Fees and Charges ; Humans ; Korea ; Medical Staff ; National Health Programs ; Nutritionists ; Patient Education as Topic ; Pharmacists ; Psychology

PURPOSE: Croup is known to have epidemics in seasonal and biennial trends, and to be strongly associated with epidemics of parainfluenza virus. However, seasonal and annual epidemics of croup have not been clearly reported in Korea. This study aimed to examine the seasonal/annual patterns and etiologies of childhood croup in Korea during a consecutive 6-year period. METHODS: Pediatric croup data were collected from 23 centers in Korea from 1 January 2010 to 31 December 2015. Electronic medical records, including multiplex reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) results, demographics and clinical information were cross-sectionally reviewed and analyzed. RESULTS: Overall, 2,598 childhood croup patients requiring hospitalization were identified during the study period. Among them, a total of 927 who underwent RT-PCR were included in the analysis. Males (61.5%) predominated, and most (63.0%) of them were younger than 2 years of age (median, 19 months; interquartile range, 11–31 months). Peak hospitalization occurred in 2010 and 2012 in even-numbered years, and parainfluenza virus (PIV, 39.7%) was the most common cause of childhood croup requiring hospitalization, followed by respiratory syncytial virus (14.9%), human rhinovirus (12.5%), Mycoplasma pneumonaie (10.6%), and human coronavirus (7.3%). CONCLUSION: It is concluded that croup hospitalization has a biennial pattern in even-numbered years. PIV may be the most common cause of childhood croup; however, croup epidemics could be attributed to other viruses.
Child ; Coronavirus ; Croup ; Demography ; Electronic Health Records ; Hospitalization ; Humans ; Korea ; Male ; Mycoplasma ; Paramyxoviridae Infections ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Respiratory Syncytial Viruses ; Retrospective Studies ; Reverse Transcription ; Rhinovirus ; Seasons

PURPOSE: Recently, the prevalence and disease burden of asthma have increased. Thus, the need for early diagnosis and appropriate management of asthma is emerging. However, it is difficult to identify the diagnosis, symptoms and the prevalence of asthma due to lack of reliable investigating items. The purpose of this study was to develop a standardized survey format in order to assess the prevalence of asthma in Koreans. METHODS: We investigated surveys and related information that are utilized to assess asthma diagnosis and prevalence by systematic review. After that, Delphi survey was conducted on 44 Korean allergists in order to develop a standardized survey in Korea. The process consisted of 3 serial rounds across 3 age groups. Each subsequent round narrowed investigating items for the decision of standard set about asthma prevalence, current asthma, and asthma aggravation. RESULTS: Lifetime asthma was defined as “ever doctor-diagnosed asthma” in all age groups. Current asthma was defined as “treatment for asthma during the past 12 months” in all age groups, and “doctor-diagnosed asthma during the past 12 months” was added on the ≥5-year-old and adult groups. “Wheezing ever” was defined as “wheezing at any time in the past,” and current wheeze was defined as “wheezing in the last 12 months.” Asthma aggravation was defined as “visits at the emergency department or admission due to asthma attack within the last 12 months” in all age groups. CONCLUSION: We established applicable nationwide definitions of “lifetime asthma,” “current asthma,” and “asthma aggravation” in Koreans by the Delphi survey.
Adult ; Asthma ; Diagnosis ; Early Diagnosis ; Emergency Service, Hospital ; Humans ; Korea ; Prevalence

PURPOSE: Although anaphylaxis is recognized as an important, life-threatening condition, data are limited regarding its triggers in different age groups. We aimed to identify anaphylaxis triggers by age in Korean children. METHODS: We performed a retrospective review of medical records for children diagnosed with anaphylaxis between 2009 and 2013 in 23 secondary or tertiary hospitals in South Korea. RESULTS: A total of 991 cases (mean age=5.89±5.24) were reported, with 63.9% involving patients younger than 6 years of age and 66% involving male children. Food was the most common anaphylaxis trigger (74.7%), followed by drugs and radiocontrast media (10.7%), idiopathic factors (9.2%), and exercise (3.6%). The most common food allergen was milk (28.4%), followed by egg white (13.6%), walnut (8.0%), wheat (7.2%), buckwheat (6.5%), and peanut (6.2%). Milk and seafood were the most common anaphylaxis triggers in young and older children, respectively. Drug-triggered anaphylaxis was observed more frequently with increasing age, with antibiotics (34.9%) and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (17.9%) being the most common causes. CONCLUSIONS: The most common anaphylaxis trigger in Korean children was food. Data on these triggers show that their relative frequency may vary by age.
Anaphylaxis* ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Arachis ; Child* ; Contrast Media ; Egg White ; Epidemiology ; Fagopyrum ; Humans ; Juglans ; Korea ; Male ; Medical Records ; Milk ; Retrospective Studies* ; Seafood ; Tertiary Care Centers ; Triticum

PURPOSE: Necrotizing pneumonitis is a complication of severe invasive lobar pneumonia characterized by necrotic foci in consolidated areas and its development may be due to excessive host cell-mediated immune response. Necrotizing pneumonitis caused by Mycoplasma pneumoniae (M. pneumoniae) in children and its successful treatment have been reported. We reviewed 5 cases to determine the disease course and outcome in pediatric patients with necrotizing pneumonitis resulting from M. pneumoniae infection. METHODS: Five patients with necrotizing pneumonitis caused by M. pneumoniae who were diagnosed and treated in the Department of Pediatrics, Uijeongbu St. Mary`s Hospital from January 2003 to December 2006 were reviewed in this study. Sex, age, clinical manifestations, laboratory and radiologic findings, treatments, and long-term follow-up outcomes of these patients were analysed retrospectively. RESULTS: One patient was a boy and others were girls. All were less than 5 years of age and had no immunocompromised conditions. Lower pH and glucose, higher protein and LDH were observed in pleural fluid. On the radiologic examinations, all had multilobar pneumonic involvements, especially in the right lobes and lower lobes. Necrotizing pneumonitis was diagnosed on chest CTs taken between two and 20 days following admission. The necrotic foci were identified as multiple low-attenuation changes within the contrast-enhanced consolidation areas mainly in the lower lobes of the affected side of lung. Cavitary necrosis was shown in 3 patients and persisted as pneumatoceles, which disappeared on the follow-up chest radiographs nearly up to 7 months following admission. Macrolide and broad-spectrum antibiotics were administered in all patients and chest tube drainage was performed in 2 patients. Systemic steroid therapy was added in 4 patients. Of those four, 2 patients, both under 2 years of age, improved more rapidly than others in clinical status and radiographic findings. In spite of steroid therapy, one patient died of acute respiratory distress syndrome. Consequently 4 patients were improved and discharged. Two patients who were under 2 ears were normalized and 2 patients who were 4 years of age showed remaining cavitation or fibrosis in the last follow-up chest radiographs. CONCLUSION: Our results may suggest though they are not yet proven nor have they been discussed extensively that younger patients show better prognoses than older children. Further well-designed and large scale studies may be warranted.
Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Chest Tubes ; Child* ; Drainage ; Ear ; Female ; Fibrosis ; Follow-Up Studies ; Glucose ; Humans ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Lung ; Male ; Mycoplasma pneumoniae* ; Mycoplasma* ; Necrosis ; Pediatrics ; Pneumonia* ; Pneumonia, Mycoplasma* ; Prognosis ; Radiography, Thoracic ; Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Adult ; Retrospective Studies ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

PURPOSE: The reticuloendothelial system is composed of sinusoidal capillaries, through which even large protein molecules are freely movable between plasma and interstitial space, including the lymphatic system. Therefore, high-dose intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) would cause a redistribution of proteins between two compartments. To investigate this hypothesis, we measured plasma protein and lipid levels in patients with Kawasaki disease before and after high-dose IVIG treatment. METHODS: Thirty four children with Kawasaki disease who had complete responses to high-dose IVIG treatment (1 g/kg/day for two consecutive days), were analyzed. Before and after the administration of IVIG, serum analyses were performed for such parameters as total protein, albumin, gamma-globulins (IgG, IgM, IgA), alpha1-, alpha2-, and beta-globulin fractions, and lipid profiles (total cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol and triglyceride). RESULTS: The levels of gamma-globulins including IgG, IgM, IgA were significantly increased, and IgG was increased by 1,779+/-304 mg/dL after two-dose of IVIG infusion. The levels of albumin, alpha1-, alpha2-, and beta-globulin fractions were significantly decreased by 18 percent, 24 percent, 19 percent and 12 percent, respectively. HDL-cholesterol level was significantly decreased by 20 percent, while LDL-cholesterol and triglyceride levels were significantly increased by 21 percent and 50 percent, respectively. The total cholesterol level was not changed. CONCLUSION: High-dose IVIG treatment decreased the levels of a variety of proteins except immunoglobulins, and the increase of IgG after IVIG treatment was lower than expected. Our results suggest that a part of infused IVIG and plasma proteins, including etiologic proteins for Kawasaki disease, may be distributed to the extravascular compartments. The rapid improvement of symptoms induced by IVIG in Kawasaki disease might be explained by this mode of action of IVIG.
Beta-Globulins ; Blood Proteins ; Capillaries ; Child ; Cholesterol ; gamma-Globulins ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin A ; Immunoglobulin G ; Immunoglobulin M ; Immunoglobulins* ; Immunoglobulins, Intravenous ; Lymphatic System ; Mononuclear Phagocyte System ; Mucocutaneous Lymph Node Syndrome* ; Plasma* ; Triglycerides

Cerebral palsy (CP) usually arises in the prenatal period, interferes with normal development of the brain and presents as a disorder of motor dysfunction. It is a common cause of severe neurologic disability in children with incidence of 2 per 1000 live births in Canada. Presently, with the persistent increase in premature births and improved care in the perinatal period, the incidence of CP is strikingly augmented. According to neurologically impaired motor ability, they commonly have feeding difficulties, like swallowing, leading to frequent aspiration pneumonia and gastroesophageal reflux. Therefore, improvement of feeding techniques should be an urgent requirement to correct the risk of poor growth. We report a case of CP due to kernicterus who have recurrent pneumonia and growth failure, experience a jejunostomy to overcome the feeding problems.
Brain ; Canada ; Cerebral Palsy* ; Child ; Deglutition ; Gastroesophageal Reflux ; Humans ; Incidence ; Jejunostomy* ; Kernicterus ; Live Birth ; Pneumonia ; Pneumonia, Aspiration* ; Premature Birth

A 4-year-old boy showed two episodes of encephalitis/encephalopathy involving disturbed consciousness, convulsion, and paresis associated with the elevated levels of protein and no pleocytosis of the cerebrospinal fluid. MRI studies of the brain revealed symmetrical lesions in the brain stem and thalamus at the first episode, and their sizes were regressed. The lesions were enlarged to the previous size in the second episode. These episodes were not followed by an elevation of the anti-viral antibody titer. In the second episode, intravenous methylprednisolone therapy and intravenous immunoglobulin therapy were introduced.
Brain ; Brain Stem ; Cerebrospinal Fluid ; Child, Preschool ; Consciousness ; Humans ; Immunization, Passive ; Leukocytosis ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Methylprednisolone ; Paresis ; Seizures ; Thalamus