Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a substantially under-diagnosed disorder, and the diagnosis is usually delayed until the disease is advanced. However, the benefit of early diagnosis is not yet clear, and there are no guidelines in Korea for doing early diagnosis. This review highlights several issues regarding early diagnosis of COPD. On the basis of several lines of evidence, early diagnosis seems quite necessary and beneficial to patients. Early diagnosis can be approached by several methods, but it should be confirmed by quality-controlled spirometry. Compared with its potential benefit, the adverse effects of spirometry or pharmacotherapy appear relatively small. Although it is difficult to evaluate the benefit of early diagnosis by well-designed trials, several lines of evidence suggest that we should try to diagnose and manage patients with COPD at early stages of the disease.
Early Diagnosis ; Humans ; Korea ; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive ; Spirometry

BACKGROUND: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a major cause of chronic morbidity and mortality throughout the world and is the only major disease that is continuing to increase in both prevalence and mortality. The second Korean National Health and Nutrition Survey revealed that the prevalence of COPD in Korean subjects aged > or =45 years was 17.2% in 2001. Further surveys on the prevalence of COPD were not available until 2007. Here, we report the prevalence of spirometrically detected COPD in Korea, using data from the fourth Korean National Health and Nutrition Survey (KNHANES IV) which was conducted in 2007~2009. METHODS: Based on the Korean Statistical Office census that used nationwide stratified random sampling, 10,523 subjects aged > or =40 years underwent spirometry. Place of residence, levels of education, income, and smoking status, as well as other results from a COPD survey questionnaire were also assessed. RESULTS: The prevalence of COPD (defined as forced expiratory volume in 1 sec/forced vital capacity <0.7 in subjects aged > or =40 years) was 12.9% (men, 18.7%; women, 7.5%). In total, 96.5% of patients with COPD had mild-to-moderate disease; only 2.5% had been diagnosed by physicians, and only 1.7% had been treated. The independent risk factors for COPD were smoking, advanced age, and male gender. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of COPD was 12.9% in the KNHANES IV data. Most patients with COPD were undiagnosed and untreated. Based on these results, a strategy for early COPD intervention is warranted in high risk subjects.
Aged ; Censuses ; Female ; Forced Expiratory Volume ; Humans ; Hypogonadism ; Korea ; Male ; Mitochondrial Diseases ; Nutrition Surveys ; Ophthalmoplegia ; Prevalence ; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Risk Factors ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Spirometry ; Vital Capacity

Social welfare services for respiratory-disabled persons in Korea are offered based on the respiratory impairment grade, which is determined by 3 clinical parameters; dyspnea, forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1), and arterial oxygen tension. This grading system has several limitations in the objective assessment of respiratory impairment. We reviewed several guidelines for the evaluation of respiratory impairment and relevant articles. Then, we discussed a new grading system with respiratory physicians. Both researchers and respiratory physicians agreed that pulmonary function tests are essential in assessing the severity of respiratory impairment, forced vital capacity (FVC), FEV1 and single breath diffusing capacity (DLco) are the primarily recommended tests. In addition, we agreed that arterial blood gas analysis should be reserved for selected patients. In conclusion, we propose a new respiratory impairment grading system utilizing a combination FVC, FEV1 and DLco scores, with more social discussion included.
Blood Gas Analysis ; Disability Evaluation ; Dyspnea ; Forced Expiratory Volume ; Humans ; Korea ; Oxygen ; Pulmonary Diffusing Capacity ; Respiratory Function Tests ; Respiratory System ; Social Welfare ; Spirometry ; Vital Capacity

BACKGROUND: Marked changes in systemic hemodynamics during liver transplantation may lead to changes in cerebral hemodynamics and metabolism. Therefore, continuous monitoring of the jugular venous oxygen saturation (SjvO2) may help the anesthetic management of liver transplantation. METHODS: We observed changes in SjvO2 using a double lumen oximetry catheter for continuous monitoring and analyzed the correlation between SjvO2 and hemodynamic measurements in thirty patients undergoing liver transplantation. RESULTS: There were no significant changes in SjvO2 compared to initial SjvO2 during liver transplantation. SjvO2, however, increased from 72.5 to 79.6 % (P < 0.05), before and after reperfusion. There was a weak correlation between changes in SjvO2 and cardiac output (r = 0.38, P < 0.05), whereas no correlation was found among changes in SjvO2 and arterial carbon dioxide tension, mean arterial pressure, central venous pressure, or mixed venous oxygen saturation before and after reperfusion. CONCLUSIONS: SjvO2 that reflects changes in cerebral oxygen demand-supply balance was well maintained during liver transplantation except the reperfusion period. Continuous monitoring of changes in SjvO2 at this period may provide further insight to understand physiology of cerebral oxygenation during liver transplantation and merits further studies.
Arterial Pressure ; Carbon Dioxide ; Cardiac Output ; Catheters ; Central Venous Pressure ; Hemodynamics ; Humans ; Liver Transplantation* ; Liver* ; Metabolism ; Oximetry ; Oxygen* ; Physiology ; Reperfusion

Supernumerary nipples or polythelia are developmental abnormalities located along the embryonic mammary lines. It occurs sporadically but familial aggregation was been reported. Polythelia has been reported in association with congenital malformations, in particular with renal anomalies. We report a case of polythelia.
Humans ; Male* ; Nipples

BACKGROUND: This study compared the bronchodilator efficacy and safety of tiotropium inhalation capsules (18microgram once daily) with a ipratropium metered dose inhaler (2 puffs of 20microgram q.i.d.) in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). METHOD: After the initial screening assessment and a two-week run-in period, patients received either tiotropium 18microgram once daily or ipratropium 40microgram four times daily over a period of 4 weeks in a double blind, double dummy, parallel group study. The outcome measures were the lung function, the daily records of the peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR), the patients' questionnaire, and the use of concomitant salbutamol. The forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) and the forced vital capacity (FVC) were measured 5 minutes before inhalation, and 0.5, 1, 2 and 3 hours after inhaling the study drug on days 0, 14 and 28. RESULT: In 16 centers, 134 patients with a mean (SD) age of 66 (7) years and a predicted FEV1 of 42 (12)% were analyzed. The trough FEV1 response was significantly higher in the tiotropium group than in the ipratropium group after a four-week treatment period. The weekly mean morning PEFR of the tiotropium group was consistently higher than that of the ipratropium group during the 4-week treatment period with differences ranging from 12.52 to 13.88 l/min, which were statistically significant. Tiotropium was well tolerated by the COPD patients during the 4-week treatment period and had a similar safety profile to ipratropium. CONCLUSION: This study shows that tiotropium administrated once daily has a superior bronchodilator effect with a similar safety profile in treating COPD patients compared with ipratropium, inhaled four times daily.
Adult* ; Albuterol ; Bronchodilator Agents ; Capsules ; Forced Expiratory Volume ; Humans ; Inhalation ; Ipratropium* ; Lung ; Mass Screening ; Metered Dose Inhalers ; Outcome Assessment (Health Care) ; Peak Expiratory Flow Rate ; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive* ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Vital Capacity ; Tiotropium Bromide

The provocation test of variant angina are known as ergonovine test, hyperventilation, acetylcholine, exercise and cold pressor test, but beta-blocker provocation test has not been reported as a case. So, this paper reports on the diagnosis of variant angina by beta-blocker provocation test and the case of subendocardial infarcion induced by this test. This study reports with literature and investigation about the following case : A 45-year-old man with a history of recurrent episode of typical angina on the early morning for the past 20 days. He was administrated beta-blocker given by oral route, and on the next morning there was chest pain as same degree as before, Holter EKG displayed ST segment elevation and ventricular tachycardia. It was confirmed focal spasm on coronary angiography, ST segment elevation on EKG, and newly developed hypokinesia on left ventriculogram and followed-up echocardiagraphy. When the chest pain is absent, EGK was normal. And we confirmed that elevation of cardiac enzyme was absent as a result of serial follow up study.
Acetylcholine ; Chest Pain ; Coronary Angiography ; Diagnosis ; Electrocardiography ; Ergonovine ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Hyperventilation ; Hypokinesia ; Infarction* ; Middle Aged ; Spasm ; Tachycardia, Ventricular

Heart failure is the most common cause of death of infective endocarditis. The contributing factors of heart failure include valve destruction, myocarditis, coronary artery emboli with myocardial infarction and abscess. Recently, we experienced a thiry nine year-old man who was hospitalized at Inha University Hospital because of fever, chill and dyspnea (NYHA functional class I-II). The grade IV/Vi systolic murmur was heard at the right upper sternal border and the apex and the grade III/VI diastolic murmur was heard at Erb's area. No crackles were heard. Blook cultures grew Streptococcus viridans. Chest X-ray showed mild cardiomegaly without pulmonary congestion sign. Echocardiogram showed aortic valve vegetations, abscess and grade II/IV aortic regurgitation. Aortic valve replacement and abscess removal were performed. Findings included henegg sized abscess which reduced 70% of cross sectional area of left ventricular outflow tract and located between posterior wall of left ventricle and right and left coronary rings.
Abscess ; Aortic Valve ; Aortic Valve Insufficiency ; Cardiomegaly ; Cause of Death ; Coronary Vessels ; Dyspnea ; Endocarditis ; Estrogens, Conjugated (USP) ; Fever ; Heart Failure ; Heart Murmurs ; Heart Ventricles ; Heart ; Myocardial Infarction ; Myocarditis ; Respiratory Sounds ; Systolic Murmurs ; Thorax ; Viridans Streptococci

No abstract available.
Aged* ; Ebstein Anomaly* ; Female* ; Humans

Typically, patients afflicted with syndrome X complained of stress induced angina pectoris, and their electrocardiograms show corresponding ST-segment depressions during exercise. However, angiography is unable to demonstrate significant coronary artery luminal narrowing and significant coronary artery spasm to provocation test. And left ventricular performance at rest remains remarkably unimpaired. Syndrome X is characterized by reduction of coronary vascular reserve but without depression of left ventricular performance or negative effect on survival. The reduction of coronary vascular response is supposed to be resulted from reduced coronary vasodilator reponse due to abnormal contraction of coronary prearteriolar vessels. This case is a 43-year-old female who has had exertional chest pain since 5 months ago. The chest pain was relieved by rest and subligual nitroglycerin administration. The exercise electrocardiography showed significant ST segment depressions on lead II, III aVF and V4-V6 at stage 1, when she experienced chest pain. On 24 hour ambulatory electrocardiogram, significant ST segment depression was recorded at the time when the patient had chest pain. But coronary arteriography demonstrated normal coronary artery and no significant coronary artery spasm to provocation test with ergonovine maleate. On exercise thallium-201 scintigraphy, perfusion decrease was suspected on anterolateral wall of left ventricle. The patient was diagnosed as a syndrome X and was managed with isosorbide and nifedipine and her exercise tolerance increased significantly on follow up exercise test performed 1 month later. But she has complained of a few of attack of chest pain until now.
Adult ; Angina Pectoris ; Angiography ; Chest Pain ; Coronary Vessels ; Depression ; Electrocardiography ; Ergonovine ; Exercise Test ; Exercise Tolerance ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Heart Ventricles ; Humans ; Isosorbide ; Nifedipine ; Nitroglycerin ; Perfusion Imaging ; Phenobarbital ; Spasm