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Allergic rhinitis (AR) is a type of rhinitis accompanied by sensitization to allergens. One of the most clinically important allergens is pollen. Recently, due to climate change and CO 2 air pollution, the flowering period starts earlier and persists longer. In addition, antigenicity due to environmental pollution is also being strengthened. As a result, the sensitization rate to pollen antigens is on the rise. It is known that the prevalence of AR especially caused by pollen is rapidly escalating. Although the causal relationship between pollen exposure and the severity of rhinitis is not precisely established, an association of rhinitis symptoms with the time of pollen scattering exists. In addition, the mixed effect of environmental pollution and pollen may play a role in the development of rhinitis symptoms. Therefore, in order to avoid pollen, it is necessary to constantly improve pollen forecast and minimize the contact with pollen indoors and outdoors. Treatment of AR should be performed according to guidelines. Also, continuous efforts to solve the environmental problems affecting the ecology of pollen are needed.
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Purpose@#This study investigated pathological complete response (pCR) according to androgen receptor (AR) in breast cancer patients undergoing neoadjuvant chemotherapy and estimated the relationship between AR expression and clinicopathological factors. @*Materials and Methods@#We identified 624 breast cancer patients who underwent surgery after neoadjuvant chemotherapy at the National Cancer Center in Goyang, Korea from April 2016 to October 2019. We retrospectively collected the clinicopathologic information and AR expression results and analyzed the data according to cancer stage, hormonal receptor (HR) status, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) status, tumor subtype, and pCR. @*Results@#Among the 624 breast cancer patients, 529 (84.8%) were AR-positive (AR+) patients and 95 (15.2%) were AR-negative (AR–) patients. AR+ patients showed more estrogen receptor (ER) positivity, progesterone receptor (PR) positivity, HER2-positivity, and HR-positive and HER2-negative (HR+/HER2–) subtype. The rate of pCR was 31.4% (196/624). AR– patients had a significantly higher rate of pCR than AR+ patients (AR– 43.2% vs. AR+ 29.3%, p=0.007). The tumor factors associated with pCR were early stage, histologic grade 3, ER-negative, PR-negative, AR-negative, HER2-positive, and high Ki-67 values. In univariable analysis, AR+ significantly decreased the state of pCR (odds ratio, 0.546; 95% confidence interval, 0.349 to 0.853; p=0.008). According to tumor subtype, AR– tumor showed higher pCR rate in HR+/HER2– subtype (AR– 28.6% vs. AR+ 7.3%, p=0.022). @*Conclusion@#AR expression is predominant in the HR+/HER2– subtype. AR– is significantly associated with the pCR rate in breast cancer patients, especially within HR+/HER2– subtype. When determining neoadjuvant chemotherapy for the HR+/HER2– subtype, AR expression can be considered as a pCR predictive marker.
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no abstract available.
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Drug rash with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms (DRESS) syndrome is a rare and severe adverse drug reaction characterized by the cutaneous eruption, fever, eosinophilia, and involvement of internal organs. It is commonly caused by aromatic anticonvulsant drugs and antibiotics in children. In this study, we presented a case of a 9-year-old boy with bipolar disorder, who developed DRESS syndrome after lamotrigine intake for 10 days. Thereafter, lamotrigine was discontinued, and systemic corticosteroid treatment was pursued for 18 days. After 3 months, a patch test for lamotrigine was performed as a confirmatory test to check drug reaction. Reports of DRESS syndrome in adults have increased over the past decade due to the increasing use of lamotrigine as a new aromatic anticonvulsant. Although there are only a few lamotrigine-related DRESS syndrome reports in children, caution is needed with its potential widespread use in the future.
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Pleomorphic dermal sarcoma (PDS), formerly known as malignant fibrous histiocytoma (MFH), is a rare mesenchymal tissue tumor. A 40-year-old male presented with a 2-month history of a well-defined, solitary, round, palpable protruding mass with central ulceration, 1.5 cm in diameter. Punch biopsy showed tumor cells of variable size and hyperchromatic nuclei with frequent bizarre atypical cells and atypical mitoses arranged in a storiform-pleomorphic pattern in the entire dermis. After complete resection, PDS was diagnosed because the lesion had invaded the deep subcutaneous fat. Because MFH has been renamed according to the World Health Organization new classification system, we reclassified the 10 cases that have been reported as MFH in Korea. Nine cases were renamed undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma, with only one being renamed mucofibrosarcoma. Herein, we report a rare case of PDS treated with surgical excision with a review of the literature.
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The global worsening of air pollution has decreased the quality of life. Air pollutants can induce oxidative stress, epigenetic changes, and alterations to microRNA expression in the airway and skin, leading to immune dysregulation. Previous epidemiological studies suggest a strong association between outdoor environmental pollution and childhood allergic disease, especially allergic rhinitis (AR). Moreover, traffic-related air pollution has increased the severity and incidence of AR, and heavy traffic has been associated with an increased prevalence of AR. Thus, this review aimed to define outdoor environmental pollution and clarify the mechanisms by which air pollutants aggravate AR. In addition, we performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to summarize the findings of several domestic and international epidemiological and clinical studies about the effects of air pollution on AR in children.
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Median raphe cysts (MRCs) are rare benign lesions that occur as a result of congenital defects during the embryological development of the male genitalia in the fetal period. It can develop anywhere along the midline, from the meatus to the anus. Pigmented MRCs are rare subtypes that contain melanin pigments or melanocytes in the epithelium, and there are only eight such cases reported worldwide. We report herein a case of pigmented MRC in the perineum of a 3-year-old boy. The clinical features include a linear tubular structure and foreign body granuloma at the tip of the linear cystic lesion and rare histological findings of pigmented cuboidal epithelium and squamous epithelium. Immunohistochemical staining revealed strong positivity for c-kit in the pigmented cuboidal epithelium. In this report, we discuss a rare case of pigmented MRC with a mixed type of squamous epithelium and pigmented cuboidal epithelium and review the associated literature.
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Background@#The impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on Kawasaki disease (KD) has not yet been established. We investigated changes in the observed number and severity of KD cases and accompanying coronary artery complications during the COVID-19 pandemic in Korea. @*Methods@#This retrospective observational study included patients aged < 18 years with acute-phase KD diagnosed between March 2018 and February 2021. Data were extracted from the Clinical Data Warehouse that houses data from five affiliated university hospitals in Korea. We analyzed changes in the number of patient admissions and clinical characteristics, including cardiac complications, before and after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. @*Results@#A total of 475 admissions were included in the analysis. After March 2020, we observed a significant decrease of 33% in the number of hospitalizations for KD compared with the average number of hospitalizations during the previous 2 years. The number of admissions per month significantly decreased by 7.9 persons/month (95% confidence interval, −13.8 to −2.0; P < 0.05) compared with that before COVID-19. By contrast, the proportion of patients aged < 1 year with KD increased. The proportion of patients with refractory KD and the rate of cardiac complications did not change significantly. @*Conclusion@#Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the total number of hospital admissions for KD has decreased in Korea. Although the proportion of admissions of infants aged < 1 year increased, no changes were observed in clinical courses and complications.
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Among allergic diseases of the Korean pediatric population, allergic rhinitis shows the most rapidly increasing prevalence. Its economic burden is substantial in many Asian countries including South Korea. This investigation of its risk factors aims to reduce the socioeconomic burden by blocking exposure of susceptible individuals to identified causes. However, the risk factors of allergic rhinitis varied considerably depending on the seasons, geographical locations, and populations involved. This review article primarily deals with studies on the risk factors for allergic rhinitis in Korean children that were published during the last 10 years and additionally investigates associated large scale international studies. Our investigation identified several single-nucleotide polymorphisms, inhalant allergens, pollution, tobacco smoke, chemicals, and family affluence as risk factors for allergic rhinitis. In contrast, breastfeeding, older sibling, and microbial diversity were protective factors against allergic rhinitis. This suggests that various genetic and environmental factors might affect the manifestation and presentation of allergic rhinitis complexly. These findings are beneficial as they can provide insights into modifiable risk factors that may hinder the development of allergic rhinitis.
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Allergic rhinitis (AR) is one of the most common allergic diseases characterized by stuffy nose, rhinorrhea, sneezing, and itching. Researchers have indicated an increase in the prevalence of AR and younger-age onset during the last few decades. The increasing burden of AR has caused many researchers to investigate time trends of the prevalence of AR and to identify its risk factors. The most commonly used epidemiological studies are cross-sectional ones such as the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood study and big data from National Health Insurance Service or National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. However, these studies have many limitations including recall bias, selection bias, and deficit of objective evaluation. Furthermore, crosssectional studies cannot reflect new risk factors associated with the development of AR. New epidemiological studies will be needed to cover genetic factors, environmental changes, microbiomes, and lifestyles that are known to be risk factors for AR. Further studies will be needed to determine the prevalence, natural history, and risk factors of AR in order to advance our understanding of the pathophysiology, prevention, and management of comorbidities of AR.
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The introduction of immune checkpoint inhibitors, including anti-programmed cell death receptor-1 antibodies (anti-PD-1 Ab), such as nivolumab and pembrolizumab, represents a major breakthrough in cancer therapy. The PD-1 pathway inhibits T cell activation, maintaining a normal and balanced immune response. Anti-PD-1 Ab induces T cell activity by inhibiting the suppressive effect of PD-1 signaling on T cells. Excessive stimulation of T cells represents a potential mechanism for multiple skin lesions. To the best of our knowledge, reports on cutaneous adverse effects during treatment with anti-PD-1 Ab are limited in the dermatological literature of Korea. Herein, we report two rare cases of nivolumab-induced lichenoid drug eruption and pembrolizumab-induced psoriasis.
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Background@#Cobalt is an important contact allergen and is contained mainly in metal products. Recent studies have reported an association between leather exposure and cobalt allergic contact dermatitis. However, there is no study on this subject in Korea. @*Objective@#The aim of this study is to examine cobalt content and release from leather sofas, shoes, watch straps, and gloves sold in Korea, and to investigate leather exposure in cobalt allergic contact dermatitis. @*Methods@#We collected 38 leather samples of leather sofa, 15 leather shoes, 8 leather watch straps, and 10 leather gloves sold in Korea. The cobalt spot test and inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry were used to confirm cobalt content and release from leather samples. @*Results@#All 71 leather samples were negative for cobalt in the spot test. No cobalt was found in the 35 leathers tested by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry. @*Conclusion@#Unlike previous studies, cobalt was not identified in leather in this study. Therefore, the possibility of cobalt allergic contact dermatitis caused by leather is relatively low in Korea. However, further studies with larger numbers of leather samples are needed to obtain more accurate results.
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The introduction of immune checkpoint inhibitors, including anti-programmed cell death receptor-1 antibodies (anti-PD-1 Ab), such as nivolumab and pembrolizumab, represents a major breakthrough in cancer therapy. The PD-1 pathway inhibits T cell activation, maintaining a normal and balanced immune response. Anti-PD-1 Ab induces T cell activity by inhibiting the suppressive effect of PD-1 signaling on T cells. Excessive stimulation of T cells represents a potential mechanism for multiple skin lesions. To the best of our knowledge, reports on cutaneous adverse effects during treatment with anti-PD-1 Ab are limited in the dermatological literature of Korea. Herein, we report two rare cases of nivolumab-induced lichenoid drug eruption and pembrolizumab-induced psoriasis.
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Background@#Cobalt is an important contact allergen and is contained mainly in metal products. Recent studies have reported an association between leather exposure and cobalt allergic contact dermatitis. However, there is no study on this subject in Korea. @*Objective@#The aim of this study is to examine cobalt content and release from leather sofas, shoes, watch straps, and gloves sold in Korea, and to investigate leather exposure in cobalt allergic contact dermatitis. @*Methods@#We collected 38 leather samples of leather sofa, 15 leather shoes, 8 leather watch straps, and 10 leather gloves sold in Korea. The cobalt spot test and inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry were used to confirm cobalt content and release from leather samples. @*Results@#All 71 leather samples were negative for cobalt in the spot test. No cobalt was found in the 35 leathers tested by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry. @*Conclusion@#Unlike previous studies, cobalt was not identified in leather in this study. Therefore, the possibility of cobalt allergic contact dermatitis caused by leather is relatively low in Korea. However, further studies with larger numbers of leather samples are needed to obtain more accurate results.
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Differences in the prevalence and severity of allergic diseases exist among racial and ethnic groups. However, influence of population admixing on allergic disease has not been studied. This review aimed to review studies in the literature which examined the difference in the prevalence and severity of allergic disease among populations with different ancestry and to discuss the effect of population admixing on the occurrence and severity of allergic disease. Several studies have shown that the prevalence and severity of asthma, allergic rhinitis, and atopic dermatitis were different according to ethnicity. However, there have been only a few studies evaluating the effect of population admixing on allergic disease. Ethnicity and environmental effect should be considered in the diagnosis and treatment of allergic disease.
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Honey is a food ingested worldwide. Allergic reaction to honey is rare and only a few cases have been reported in the literature. A 20-month-old boy developed angioedema 30 minutes after eating rice cake containing honey. After 2 weeks, we performed food challenge tests with honey which resulted in anaphylaxis. This is the first case report on anaphylaxis to honey in Korea.
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Purpose@#We aimed to evaluate the postoperative complications of laparoscopic colorectal cancer (CRC) surgery and the adverse events of postoperative chemotherapy in elderly patients compared to younger patients and to identify the factors influencing the termination of postoperative chemotherapy. @*Methods@#Between June 2015 and May 2018, 188 patients with CRC underwent laparoscopic surgery with curative intent.Patients aged ≥ 70 were defined as elderly. Postoperative complications and adverse events of chemotherapy were assessed by using the Clavien-Dindo classification and the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events, respectively. The clinicopathological factors were analyzed retrospectively. @*Results@#Seventy-eight patients were considered elderly with a mean age of 77.5 ± 5.5 years. Overall postoperative complications occurred in 68 patients (36.2%). Age and primary tumor location were independent predictors of overall postoperative complications. Smoking history was the only independent predictor of major postoperative complications. Of 113 patients who were recommended postoperative chemotherapy, 90 patients (79.6%) received postoperative chemotherapy.Overall adverse events occurred in 40 patients (44.4%). The American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status classification and chemotherapy regimen were significantly associated with overall adverse events. The chemotherapy regimen was the only factor significantly associated with severe adverse events. Of 90 patients, postoperative chemotherapy could not be completed in 11 (12.2%). Age was the only factor significantly associated with stopping postoperative chemotherapy (P = 0.003). @*Conclusion@#This study shows that laparoscopic CRC surgery and postoperative chemotherapy were feasible in elderly patients. Further efforts are needed to ensure that elderly patients have the opportunity to make informed decisions regarding postoperative chemotherapy.
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PURPOSE: Allergic rhinitis is the most common atopic disease and the most common chronic disease of children. Eosinophil count and percentage in nasal smear are useful for differential diagnosis of allergic rhinitis. The aim of this study is to investigate the correlation between nasal eosinophil count and percentage.METHODS: Between January 2017 and August 2018, 221 children patients with a clinical history of rhinitis were tested at the outpatient respiratory and allergy unit of the Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea. Nasal secretion was collected by swabbing a children's nasal inferior turbinate 3–4 times with a cotton swab and then placed on to a glass slide. Later, the smear was stained by Giemsa stain.RESULTS: This is the first study to assess the comparison of nasal eosinophil count and percent. There is a positive correlation between nasal eosinophil count and percent Y=1.02 X+2.82 (Y=Eosinophil count, X=Eosinophil percentage). To determine the usefulness of nasal eosinophil count and percentage in the diagnosis of allergic rhinitis, we analyzed receiver operating characteristic curves. The cutoff value of the nasal eosinophil count was 6.5/high-power field, and that of the nasal eosinophil ratio was 3% for the diagnosis of allergic rhinitis.CONCLUSION: In patients with suspected rhinitis, one of the values of nasal eosinophil count or percentage can be used in clinical practice.
Subject(s)
Child , Humans , Azure Stains , Chronic Disease , Diagnosis , Diagnosis, Differential , Eosinophils , Glass , Hypersensitivity , Korea , Outpatients , Pediatrics , Rhinitis , Rhinitis, Allergic , ROC Curve , TurbinatesABSTRACT
With increasing need to prevent serious food allergy reactions, Korean food allergen labeling regulation has been revised repeatedly. This paper aims to summarize current statuses of food allergen labeling in Korea and foreign countries and to analyze the issue of food allergen labeling regulation. Korean food labeling regulation currently requires 19 items and 22 foods to be reported on labels (eggs, milk, buckwheat, peanut, soybean, wheat, mackerel, crab, shrimp, pork, peach, tomato, sulfite, walnut, chicken, beef, squid, shellfish, and pine nut). However, some common food triggers (for example, almond, cashew nut, and kiwi fruit) are not included in the current labeling regulation. Another issue is that the Korean labeling regulation has not yet been fully implemented for nonprepacked foods; thus, consumers still have difficulty in correctly identifying allergenic ingredients in food. It should be assessed whether warning statements for cross-contamination are reasonable. To prevent the occurrence of serious reactions from accidental ingestion, efforts must be made to solve recently raised issues including the items required to be listed on food labels, the system of standards for labeling and display methods.
Subject(s)
Anacardium , Arachis , Chickens , Decapodiformes , Eating , Fagopyrum , Food Hypersensitivity , Food Labeling , Hypersensitivity , Juglans , Korea , Solanum lycopersicum , Milk , Nuts , Perciformes , Prunus dulcis , Prunus persica , Red Meat , Shellfish , Soybeans , TriticumABSTRACT
PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to identify minimum data sets for oral mucous integrity-related documentation and to analyze nursing records for oral care.METHODS: To identify minimum data sets for oral status, the authors reviewed 26 assessment tools and a practical guideline for oral care. The content validity of the minimum data sets was assessed by three nurse specialists. To map the minimum data sets to nursing records, the authors examined 107 nursing records derived from 44 patients who received chemotherapy or hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in one tertiary hospital.RESULTS: The minimum data sets were 10 elements such as location, mucositis grade, pain, hygiene, dysphagia, exudate, inflammation, difficulty speaking, and moisture. Inflammation contained two value sets: type and color. Mucositis grade, pain, dysphagia and inflammation were recorded well, accounting for a complete mapping rate of 100%. Hygiene (100%) was incompletely mapped, and there were no records for exudate (83.2%), difficulty speaking (99.1%), or moisture (88.8%).CONCLUSION: This study found that nursing records on oral mucous integrity were not sufficient and could be improved by adopting minimum data sets as identified in this study.