A case of anaphylactic shock to ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid as a drug excipient

If drug excipients hypersensitivity is not accurately recognized, the patient is at risk of experiencing repeated hypersensitivity to various drugs. Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (edetic acid, EDTA), often found as an excipient in injectable drugs and topical agents.Herein, we report a patient who developed anaphylactic shock to an injection containing EDTA and subsequently experienced both immediate and delayed hypersensitivity reactions to EDTA. A 51-year-old female was referred due to perioperative anaphylaxis. It took the patient 2 hours to return to the ward after receiving general anesthesia. Immediately after returning to the ward, the patient received injections of Mucosten (Medica), Traumeel (Saehan), and Botropase (Han Lim), and within 1 minute she experienced an anaphylactic shock. The patient had drug allergy histories to computed tomography contrast agents and injectable drugs as well as repeated contact dermatitis histories to topical agents. A month later, the patient came to the outpatient clinic. As a result, intradermal test for perioperative drugs, Mucosten, and Dexamethasone (Daewon Pharm) were positive. In addition, the 48-hour delay test for Mucosten and Dexamethasone was also positive. Under the suspicion of additive hypersensitivity, skin prick test was performed for disodium acetate, an additive containing Mucosten and Dexamethasone, which showed a positive result. However, skin prick test for N-Acetyl-L-cysteine, a main compound of Mucosten, was negative. This case is a hypersensitivity reaction to EDTA, which was confirmed by drug skin tests. In addition, this case is meaningful in that immediate and delayed hypersensitivity reactions to a single excipient appeared independently in the same patient.

Effect of omalizumab as add-on therapy to Quality of Life Questionnaire for Korean Asthmatics (KAQLQ) in Korean patients with severe persistent allergic asthma

Background/Aims@#Omalizumab is the first biologic known to be effective in patients with severe allergic asthma. @*Methods@#This study was conducted as a multicenter, single-group, open trial to evaluate the improvement in the quality of life with the additional administration of omalizumab for 24 weeks in Korean patients with severe persistent allergic asthma. @*Results@#Of the 44 patients, 31.8% were men and the mean age was 49.8 ± 11.8 years. A score improvement of 0.5 points or more in the Quality of Life Questionnaire for Korean Asthmatics (KAQLQ) was noted in 50.0% (22/44) of the patinets. In the improved group, the baseline total immunoglobulin E (IgE) level and the amount of omalizumab used were higher, and the day and night asthma symptoms were more severe, compared to those in the non-improved group. According to the Global Evaluation of Treatment Effectiveness, favorable outcomes were found in 78.6% of patients. The Korean asthma control test (p < 0.005) and forced expiratory volume in 1 second % predicted (FEV1%; p < 0.01) improved significantly in patients who received omalizumab treatment, compared to that at week 0, and the total dose of rescue systemic corticosteroids significantly decreased (p < 0.05). The improved group on KAQLQ showed a significant improvement in FEV1% (p < 0.001). @*Conclusions@#Omalizumab can be considered a biological treatment for Korean patients with severe allergic asthma. It is recommended to consider omalizumab as add-on therapy in patients with high baseline total IgE levels and severe asthma symptoms.

Effect of omalizumab as add-on therapy to Quality of Life Questionnaire for Korean Asthmatics (KAQLQ) in Korean patients with severe persistent allergic asthma

Background/Aims@#Omalizumab is the first biologic known to be effective in patients with severe allergic asthma. @*Methods@#This study was conducted as a multicenter, single-group, open trial to evaluate the improvement in the quality of life with the additional administration of omalizumab for 24 weeks in Korean patients with severe persistent allergic asthma. @*Results@#Of the 44 patients, 31.8% were men and the mean age was 49.8 ± 11.8 years. A score improvement of 0.5 points or more in the Quality of Life Questionnaire for Korean Asthmatics (KAQLQ) was noted in 50.0% (22/44) of the patinets. In the improved group, the baseline total immunoglobulin E (IgE) level and the amount of omalizumab used were higher, and the day and night asthma symptoms were more severe, compared to those in the non-improved group. According to the Global Evaluation of Treatment Effectiveness, favorable outcomes were found in 78.6% of patients. The Korean asthma control test (p < 0.005) and forced expiratory volume in 1 second % predicted (FEV1%; p < 0.01) improved significantly in patients who received omalizumab treatment, compared to that at week 0, and the total dose of rescue systemic corticosteroids significantly decreased (p < 0.05). The improved group on KAQLQ showed a significant improvement in FEV1% (p < 0.001). @*Conclusions@#Omalizumab can be considered a biological treatment for Korean patients with severe allergic asthma. It is recommended to consider omalizumab as add-on therapy in patients with high baseline total IgE levels and severe asthma symptoms.

A Fatal Case of Bacteremia Caused by Vibrio cholerae Non-O1/O139 / 감염과화학요법

Vibrio cholerae is a pathogen known to cause the waterborne epidemic disease cholera. Overall, V. cholerae O1 or O139 strains produce the cholera toxin that cause gastroenteritis, resulting in watery diarrhea. Most of the enterocolitis caused by V. cholerae can be easily treated with fluid therapy and conservative care. However, V. cholerae non-O1/O139 strains can cause extraintestinal infections, such as wound infection or sepsis, in immunocompromised patients. The clinical course of these infections is very similar to that of V. vulnificus infection. We report about a 52-year-old man without previous underlying disease who was diagnosed with V. cholerae non-O1/O139 infection and died within 72 hours after admission to the intensive care unit.

A Fatal Case of Bacteremia Caused by Vibrio cholerae Non-O1/O139 / 감염과화학요법

Vibrio cholerae is a pathogen known to cause the waterborne epidemic disease cholera. Overall, V. cholerae O1 or O139 strains produce the cholera toxin that cause gastroenteritis, resulting in watery diarrhea. Most of the enterocolitis caused by V. cholerae can be easily treated with fluid therapy and conservative care. However, V. cholerae non-O1/O139 strains can cause extraintestinal infections, such as wound infection or sepsis, in immunocompromised patients. The clinical course of these infections is very similar to that of V. vulnificus infection. We report about a 52-year-old man without previous underlying disease who was diagnosed with V. cholerae non-O1/O139 infection and died within 72 hours after admission to the intensive care unit.

Does oral doxycycline treatment affect eradication of urine vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus? A tertiary hospital study / 영남의대학술지

Background@#Vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus (VRE) has become more common in nosocomial infections, especially in urine samples. However, until now, no treatment regimen has been proven to effectively eradicate urine VRE colonization. Therefore, to evaluate the efficacy of doxycycline in eradicating urine VRE and shortening VRE isolation period, we compared VRE colony detection period between doxycycline-treated and untreated patients. @*Methods@#A retrospective cohort study of 83 patients with VRE colonization in urine cultures was conducted at a tertiary academic hospital from January 2011 to February 2018. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was used to evaluate eradication rates in the treatment and non-treatment groups. Factors affecting urine VRE colonization persistence were analyzed by multiple logistic regression analysis. @*Results@#The overall rate of VRE eradication during the entire hospital stay was higher in the doxycycline treatment group (90.5%) than in the non-treatment group (58.1%, p=0.014). Survival analysis showed that the 5-, 10-, and 20-day cumulative eradication rates were 78.3%, 100%, and 100% in the doxycycline treatment group, and 18.5%, 45.7%, and 67.8% in the non-treatment group, respectively, thereby indicating that eradication rates were higher in the doxycycline treatment group than in the non-treatment group (p<0.001). Only doxycycline treatment was shown to affect urine VRE colonization persistence in multivariate logistic regression analysis @*Conclusion@#Doxycycline treatment enhanced the eradication rate of urine VRE colonization and appeared to be useful in shortening VRE isolation period.

Effectiveness, Safety, and Tolerability of a Switch to Dual Therapy with Dolutegravir Plus Cobicistat-Boosted Darunavir in Treatment-Experienced Patients with Human Immunodeficiency Virus / 감염과화학요법

BACKGROUND: Dual regimen with dolutegravir plus cobicistat-boosted darunavir (DTG/DRV/c) is reasonable alternative option for patients with existing resistance and/or intolerance to nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs). MATERIAL AND METHODS: All patients who switched to DTG/DRV/c among treatment-experienced patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in a tertiary university hospital were selected. We analyzed the effectiveness, safety, and tolerability based on serial laboratory data and clinical findings. The primary endpoint was defined as the proportion of patients with plasma HIV RNA below 50 copies/mL at week 48 after switch. Secondary endpoints included evaluation of safety and tolerability. RESULTS: Thirty-one patients were retrospectively analyzed. The main reasons for the change to DTG/DRV/c were treatment failure in 13 patients (41.9%), simplification in 12 patients (38.7%), and adverse drug reaction in 6 patients (19.4%). Among the 13 patients who switched owing to treatment failure, the proportion of patients in whom the viral loads were suppressed to less than 50 copies/mL increased from 0% at baseline to 45% at 4 weeks, 50% at 12 weeks, 50% at 24 weeks, and 66.7% at 48 weeks. HIV virus levels decreased and CD4⁺ T cell counts increased during the follow-up period. In non-treatment failure patients (18 patients), the levels of viral suppression and CD4⁺ T cells were maintained. There were no significant differences in renal function, liver function, glucose levels, and lipid profile before and after regimen changes. The tolerability was very good: 30 patients (96.8%) tolerated the drugs well and only 1 patient discontinued owing to no improvement in renal insufficiency. Two patients (6.4%) in treatment failure group failed to reach viral suppression. CONCLUSION: The use of DTG/DRV/c in HIV treatment-experienced patients appears to be a very good regimen for switch therapy that is effective and well tolerated, without significant adverse drug reaction.

Analysis of Klebsiella as a Prognostic Factor of Ocular Outcomes in Endogenous Endophthalmitis with Decision Tree Analysis / 감염과화학요법

BACKGROUND: Endogenous endophthalmitis (EE) is a fulminant ocular disease. This study was conducted to explore frequent pathogens and significant prognostic factors associated with poor ocular outcomes. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective analysis was performed in a tertiary hospital in Korea. Thirty-nine patients, treated between January 2000 and June 2017, were eligible for the analysis. Ocular outcomes were classified as follows: 1) no light perception (NLP), 2) light perception (LP), 3) hand motion (HM), 4) counting fingers (CF), and 5) 20/200 or better. Logistic regression and decision tree analyses were used to identify risk factors that were associated with poor outcomes. RESULTS: Pathogens were identified in 23 (58.9%) samples from blood, liver aspirate, and/or vitreous humor. Klebsiella pneumoniae was the most frequent organism (12/39, 30.8%), followed by Candida species (3/39, 8.3%). The most common combined infection was liver abscess (16/39, 41.0%). Acute pyelonephritis occurred in 30.8% of cases (12/39). Final ocular outcomes were as follows: 35.9% (14/39) NLP, 15.4% (6/39) LP, 15.4% (6/39) HM, 7.7% (3/39) CF, and 25.6% (10/39) 20/200 or better. K. pneumoniae was a poor prognostic factor in univariate (odds ratio [OR], 13.3; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.1–130.9) and multivariate (OR, 17.5; 95% CI, 2.1–398.8) regression analyses (NLP and LP vs. HM, CF, and 20/200 or better). Other factors did not reach statistical difference. Decision tree analysis identified K. pneumoniae as a node that divided ocular outcomes (P = 0.017). CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, K. pneumoniae is the most frequent causative pathogen of EE. Considering the poor prognosis and rapid progression of K. pneumoniae EE, physicians should test for K. pneumoniae EE in patients who experience acute systemic infections with ocular signs and symptoms.

Effectiveness, Safety, and Tolerability of a Switch to Dual Therapy with Dolutegravir Plus Cobicistat-Boosted Darunavir in Treatment-Experienced Patients with Human Immunodeficiency Virus / 감염과화학요법

BACKGROUND: Dual regimen with dolutegravir plus cobicistat-boosted darunavir (DTG/DRV/c) is reasonable alternative option for patients with existing resistance and/or intolerance to nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs). MATERIAL AND METHODS: All patients who switched to DTG/DRV/c among treatment-experienced patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in a tertiary university hospital were selected. We analyzed the effectiveness, safety, and tolerability based on serial laboratory data and clinical findings. The primary endpoint was defined as the proportion of patients with plasma HIV RNA below 50 copies/mL at week 48 after switch. Secondary endpoints included evaluation of safety and tolerability. RESULTS: Thirty-one patients were retrospectively analyzed. The main reasons for the change to DTG/DRV/c were treatment failure in 13 patients (41.9%), simplification in 12 patients (38.7%), and adverse drug reaction in 6 patients (19.4%). Among the 13 patients who switched owing to treatment failure, the proportion of patients in whom the viral loads were suppressed to less than 50 copies/mL increased from 0% at baseline to 45% at 4 weeks, 50% at 12 weeks, 50% at 24 weeks, and 66.7% at 48 weeks. HIV virus levels decreased and CD4⁺ T cell counts increased during the follow-up period. In non-treatment failure patients (18 patients), the levels of viral suppression and CD4⁺ T cells were maintained. There were no significant differences in renal function, liver function, glucose levels, and lipid profile before and after regimen changes. The tolerability was very good: 30 patients (96.8%) tolerated the drugs well and only 1 patient discontinued owing to no improvement in renal insufficiency. Two patients (6.4%) in treatment failure group failed to reach viral suppression. CONCLUSION: The use of DTG/DRV/c in HIV treatment-experienced patients appears to be a very good regimen for switch therapy that is effective and well tolerated, without significant adverse drug reaction.

Analysis of Klebsiella as a Prognostic Factor of Ocular Outcomes in Endogenous Endophthalmitis with Decision Tree Analysis / 감염과화학요법

BACKGROUND: Endogenous endophthalmitis (EE) is a fulminant ocular disease. This study was conducted to explore frequent pathogens and significant prognostic factors associated with poor ocular outcomes. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective analysis was performed in a tertiary hospital in Korea. Thirty-nine patients, treated between January 2000 and June 2017, were eligible for the analysis. Ocular outcomes were classified as follows: 1) no light perception (NLP), 2) light perception (LP), 3) hand motion (HM), 4) counting fingers (CF), and 5) 20/200 or better. Logistic regression and decision tree analyses were used to identify risk factors that were associated with poor outcomes. RESULTS: Pathogens were identified in 23 (58.9%) samples from blood, liver aspirate, and/or vitreous humor. Klebsiella pneumoniae was the most frequent organism (12/39, 30.8%), followed by Candida species (3/39, 8.3%). The most common combined infection was liver abscess (16/39, 41.0%). Acute pyelonephritis occurred in 30.8% of cases (12/39). Final ocular outcomes were as follows: 35.9% (14/39) NLP, 15.4% (6/39) LP, 15.4% (6/39) HM, 7.7% (3/39) CF, and 25.6% (10/39) 20/200 or better. K. pneumoniae was a poor prognostic factor in univariate (odds ratio [OR], 13.3; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.1–130.9) and multivariate (OR, 17.5; 95% CI, 2.1–398.8) regression analyses (NLP and LP vs. HM, CF, and 20/200 or better). Other factors did not reach statistical difference. Decision tree analysis identified K. pneumoniae as a node that divided ocular outcomes (P = 0.017). CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, K. pneumoniae is the most frequent causative pathogen of EE. Considering the poor prognosis and rapid progression of K. pneumoniae EE, physicians should test for K. pneumoniae EE in patients who experience acute systemic infections with ocular signs and symptoms.

A New Scoring System for the Differential Diagnosis between Tuberculous Meningitis and Viral Meningitis

BACKGROUND: Tuberculous meningitis (TBM) is associated with high mortality and morbidity despite administering anti-tuberculous chemotherapy to the patients. Differential diagnosis between TBM and viral meningitis (VM) is difficult in some clinical situations. METHODS: We reviewed and analyzed records of adult patients who were admitted and diagnosed with TBM or VM at a tertiary hospital in Korea, between January 2006 and December 2015. Diagnostic criteria for TBM were categorized into three groups: definite, probable, and possible TBM. The VM group included patients with no evidence of other meningitis who achieved complete recovery with only conservative treatments. Clinical, laboratory and radiological findings, as well as outcomes, were compared between the TBM and VM groups. RESULTS: Ninety-eight patients were enrolled. Among the study patients, 47 had TBM and 51 had VM. Based on univariate analysis and multivariate logistic regression, sodium 70 (U/L) in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), protein > 160 (mg/dL) in CSF, voiding difficulty, and symptoms of cranial nerve palsy were significant predictive factors for TBM in the final model. We constructed a weighted scoring system with predictive factors from multiple regression analyses. Receiver operating characteristic curve analyses and decision tree analyses were plotted to reveal an optimum cutoff point as 4 with this scoring system (range: 0–13). CONCLUSION: For differential diagnosis between TBM and VM, we created a new weighted scoring system. This scoring system and decision tree analysis are simple and easy to apply in clinical practice to differentiate TBM from VM.

Rhabdomyolysis and diabetic ketoacidosis after bee sting: A case report

Bee stings result in diverse clinical manifestations from localized pain, rash to life-threatening systemic allergic reactions or toxic reactions. Toxic reactions include skin necrosis, pancreatitis, acute renal failure, hemolysis or coagulopathy, while systemic allergic reactions present with IgE-mediated anaphylaxis. We experienced a 63-year-old woman who developed rhabdomyolysis and diabetic ketoacidosis after bee sting. The patient was accompanied by pulmonary edema due to acute kidney injury, which was recovered by intensive hemodialysis treatment. Here, we report a rare and serious case induced by bee sting with a review of the literature.

Awareness and Acceptance of HIV Pre-exposure Prophylaxis among Medical Personnel and Men Who Have Sex with Men in Korea

BACKGROUND: We aimed to investigate the awareness of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection among high-risk individuals, including men who have sex with men (MSM) and medical personnel (MP) in Korea through a cross-sectional survey, identify possible obstacles hindering their access to pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). METHODS: In 2016, the first questionnaire survey was sent to randomly selected MSM and MP. To compare the changes in attitudes and knowledge of MSM, a second questionnaire survey was conducted in August 2017. RESULTS: More than half of MSM (61.3% in 2016, 88.6% in 2017) were aware of PrEP. However, MP who offered PrEP had less knowledge regarding PrEP (23.4%). The background knowledge and experience with PrEP among MSM and MP in this survey was low (3.4% in 2016 and 5.7% in 2017, 1.9% in MP). The major obstacles that MSM reported were lack of insurance coverage (29% in 2016 and 32% in 2017), concern regarding adverse effects of PrEP (19% and 21%), and risk of exposing HIV-positive status to other people (15% and 18%). Among MP, lack of knowledge regarding the efficacy of PrEP was the most common obstacle (30%), followed by lack of insurance coverage (22%), and concern regarding adverse effects (20%). CONCLUSION: Our study showed that PrEP is required among MSM in Korea; however, most MP were not aware of PrEP. Lack of insurance coverage and knowledge regarding PrEP were major hindrances in the access to PrEP; therefore, further studies on how to make PrEP information more accessible are needed to help prevent HIV infection.

Patterns of Inhalant Allergen Sensitization and Geographical Variation in Korean Adults: A Multicenter Retrospective Study

PURPOSE: Inhalant allergen sensitization is one of the major factors involved in the pathogenesis of allergic respiratory diseases. However, the sensitization is determined by interactions between genetic and environmental factors. Thus, testing panels of inhalant allergens may differ among geographical areas. Here we aimed to determine 10 common inhalant allergens in Korean adult patients with suspected respiratory allergies and to examine the variation between different geographical locations. METHODS: A total of 28,954 patient records were retrieved for retrospective analysis, from 12 referral allergy clinics located in 9 different areas. Inclusion criteria were Korean adults (≥18 years old) who underwent the inhalant allergen skin prick test for suspected history of respiratory allergy. The primary outcome was inhalant allergen skin prick response. Demographic and clinical information were also collected. Positive skin prick responses to allergens were defined as allergen-to-histamine wheal ratio ≥1. Based on skin test results, the most prevalent aeroallergens were determined. RESULTS: The overall prevalence of allergic sensitization was 45.3%. Dermatophagoides farinae and Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus were the most commonly sensitized allergens. Other common inhalant allergens were cat epithelium (8.1%), birch (7.7%), mugwort (6.9%), alder (6.7%), hazel (6.7%), beech (6.7%), oak (6.6%), and Tyrophagus putres (6.2%), in decreasing order frequency. These 10 inhalant allergens explained 90% of inhalant allergen sensitization in the study participants. However, distinct patterns of the 10 inhalant sensitization were observed in patients living in Chungnam and Jeju. American cockroach, Gernam cockroach, and Trichophyton metagrophytes were unique in Chungnam. Orchard, Japanese cedar, and Velvet were unique in Jeju. CONCLUSIONS: The present analysis suggests a panel of 10 most common inhalant allergens in Korean adult patients with suspected respiratory allergies, which explained 90% of inhalant allergen sensitization. This panel can be utilized as a practical and convenient tool for primary practice and epidemiological surveys of respiratory allergic diseases.

Two Cases of Severe Fever with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome Manifested with Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis Successfully Treated with Steroids / 계명의대학술지

Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) is an emerging and potentially life-threatening tick-borne virus disease in Korea. It can be presented with hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) as severe complicated cases. Here, we report two cases of SFTS associated HLH patients fully recovered with steroids and conservative treatment, even though they had high risk factors of poor prognosis.

A Case of Pranlukast-Induced Anaphylactic Shock

Leukotriene receptor antagonists, which are generally considered safe with a few adverse drug reactions, are increasingly used in the treatment of various allergic diseases, including asthma and allergic rhinitis. Although a few anaphylactic reactions to montelukast have been reported worldwide, there is still a lack of reports about severe adverse drug reactions associated with pranlukast. Here, we report a case of severe hypersensitivity reaction associated with pranlukast. A 65-year-old woman developed anaphylactic shock that presented as generalized urticaria, angioedema, collapse, and loss of consciousness after receiving pranlukast. A positive response to oral challenge and skin prick testing with pranlukast was observed in the patient. In this case, it was demonstrated that pranlukast can induce anaphylaxis, possibly mediated by the IgE-dependent pathway.

Impact of Self-Efficacy on Medication Adherence among People Living with Human Immunodeficiency Virus / 대한내과학회지

BACKGROUND/AIMS: It is very important that people living with HIV (PLWH) maintain 95% medication adherence to increase health-related quality of life and prevent transmitting HIV. In this study, we analyzed factors influencing medication adherence among PLWH and used the basic data for practical interventions to increase medication adherence. METHODS: A total of 190 PLWH, who were taking highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) from nine hospitals in South Korea, were included. The data were collected by self-administered questionnaire between April 1 and June 31, 2014. RESULTS: About 92% of the subjects were male and 72.9% of the subjects belonged to the high compliance group. Medication-taking self-efficacy was significantly related to compliance. Efficacy expectancy, which is a subscale of medication-taking self-efficacy, indicated that a score of 1 point higher on a 10-point scale increased compliance by 2.63 times. CONCLUSIONS: Medication adherence is associated with increased medication-taking self-efficacy. Therefore, it is necessary to promote self-efficacy to improve compliance considering the infection period and adverse reactions to HAART among PLWH.

Validation of the Korean version of the European Community Respiratory Health Survey screening questionnaire for use in epidemiologic studies for adult asthma

BACKGROUND: Standardized questionnaire is one of key instruments for general population surveys. OBJECTIVE: The present study aimed to develop and validate the Korean version of the European Community Respiratory Health Survey (ECRHS) screening questionnaire for adult asthma surveys. METHODS: The ECRHS screening questionnaire was translated into Korean language according to the international criteria. Study participants were prospectively recruited from six referral hospitals and one health check-up center. Comprehensibility of the translation was tested in a pilot study of 10 patients. The reliability was evaluated by internal consistency and test-retest repeatability. Validity was assess with regard to physician-diagnosed asthma. RESULTS: A total of 100 adult asthma patients and 134 volunteers were recruited. Reliability was examined for 10 items in 100 asthmatics; Cronbach α coefficients were 0.84, and test-retest repeatability was good (Cohen κ coefficient, 0.71-1.00). Validity was assessed for 8 items in 234 participants; in particular, 'recent wheeze' showed a high sensitivity (0.89) for physician-diagnosed asthma. 'Recent asthma attack' and 'current asthma medication' showed high specificity (0.96-0.98). CONCLUSION: The present study demonstrated that the Korean version of the ECRHS screening questionnaire was comprehensible, reliable and valid. We suggest the questionnaire to be utilized in further epidemiological studies for asthma in Korean adult populations.

The Incidence and Clinical Characteristics of Acute Serum Creatinine Elevation more than 1.5 mg/dL among the Patients Treated with Tenofovir/Emtricitabine-containing HAART Regimens / 감염과화학요법

BACKGROUND: The combination of tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) and emtricitabine (FTC) has been the first choice nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NRTI) according to many reliable antiretroviral treatment (ART) guidelines because of its high efficacy. However, TDF-related renal toxicity reported in Western countries is a challenging issue regarding clinical use. We conducted this study to evaluate the incidence and characteristics of an acute increase in serum creatinine (Cr) level > 1.5 mg/dL among TDF/FTC-based highly active antiretroviral treatment (HAART)-treated patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 205 HIV-infected patients treated with TDF/FTC-containing regimens between 1 February 2010 and 30 April 2014. Three groups of TDF/FTC + ritonavir-boosted protease inhibitor (PI/r), TDF/FTC + non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NNRTI), and TDF/FTC + integrase strand transfer inhibitor (INSTI), and three PI/r subgroups of TDF/FTC + lopinavir (LPV)/r, TDF/FTC + atazanavir (ATV)/r, TDF/FTC + darunavir (DRV)/r were evaluated. RESULTS: A total 136 patients (91 in the TDF/FTC + PI/r group, 20 in the TDF/FTC + NNRTI group and 25 in the TDF/FTC + INSTI group) were included in the statistical analysis. Four cases (4.9%; all in the TDF/FTC + PI/r group) among 136 patients showed an acute increase in serum Cr more than 1.5 mg/dL, so the overall incidence was 2.8 cases per 100 patient-years. One case was a patient treated with TDF/FTC + LPV/r, and the others were treated with TDF/FTC + ATV/r. No case of an acute increase in serum Cr was observed in the TDF/FTC + DRV/r group. The incidence of serum Cr increase more than 1.5 mg/dL in TDF/FTC + PI/r group was 4.0 cases per 100 patient-years. CONCLUSION: Although only a small number of patients were evaluated retrospectively from a single center, the TDF/FTC + PI/r regimen may have been related with relatively higher tendency of increment of serum Cr level. These findings reinforce the importance of close follow-ups of HIV-infected patients treated with the TDF/FTC + PI/r regimens.

Comparison of Antiretroviral Regimens: Adverse Effects and Tolerability Failure that Cause Regimen Switching / 감염과화학요법

BACKGROUND: The efficacy of antiretroviral therapy (ART) has improved, and the adverse effects of antiretroviral drugs have been reduced. However, these adverse effects still significantly influence patient compliance, increasing the risk of tolerability failure. Therefore, we investigated the adverse effects and tolerability failure causing changes in the first ART regimen, and identified the regimens that were most vulnerable to switching. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We enrolled patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) who commenced their first ART between January 1, 2011 and July 30, 2014. Patients who started their first ART regimen at the Kyungpook National University Hospital were included in the study if they were aged > or =18 years and were followed-up for > or =12 weeks. The primary dependent variable was the duration of treatment on the same ART regimen. We analyzed the maintenance rate of the first ART regimen based on the treatment duration between these groups using survival analysis and log rank test. The frequency of the adverse effects of ART regimens was analyzed by multiple response data analysis. RESULTS: During the investigation period, 137 patients were enrolled. Eighty-one patients were maintained on the initial treatment regimen (59.1%). In protease inhibitor (PI)-based regimen group, 54 patients were maintained on the initial treatment regimen (54/98, 55.1%). In non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NNRTI)-and integrase inhibitor (II)-based regimen group, 15 (15/26, 57.7%) and 12 (12/13, 92.3%) patients were maintained on the initial treatment regimen, respectively. Adverse effects that induced ART switching included rash (16/35, 45.7%), gastrointestinal discomfort or pain (7/35, 20%), diarrhea (7/35, 20%), hyperbilirubinemia (6/35, 17.1%), headache or dizziness (3/35, 8.5%). Among the treatment regimens, the group receiving an II-based regimen showed the least switching. The group receiving PI-and NRTI-based regimens were most likely to switch due to adverse effects during the early treatment period. However, after about 18 months, switching was rarely observed in these groups. Among the PI drugs, darunavir/ritonavir showed fewer drug changes than atazanavir/ritonavir (P = 0.004, log rank test) and lopinavir/ritonavir (P = 0.010). Among the NNRTI drugs, rilpivirne produced less switching than efavirenz (P = 0.045). CONCLUSION: Adverse effects to ART resulted in about a quarter of patients switching drugs during the early treatment period. II-based regimens were advantageous because they were less likely to induce switching within 18 months of treatment commencement. These findings indicated the importance of considering and monitoring the adverse effects of ART in order to improve adherence.