Association between Physical Activity and Health-Related Quality of Life in Korean: The Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey IV / 가정의학회지

BACKGROUND: Numerous studies have identified that physical activity (PA) has positive influences on quality of life. However, there has been little domestic research about the relation of PA to health-related quality of life (HRQoL) among the general population. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of PA on HRQoL in Korean adults aged 40 years or over. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was based on data acquired from the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey IV. Final study subjects were 10,392 adults aged 40 years or over. According to the severity and frequency of PA, the subjects were divided into three PA groups as follows: high-activity, mid-activity, and low-activity group. We compared the HRQoL estimated by the EuroQoL 5-dimension (EQ-5D), the EQ visual analogue scale (EQ-VAS), and EQ-5D index between three PA groups. RESULTS: The odds ratios for mid-activity group and high activity group compared with low activity group were significantly decreased in the dimension of mobility of EQ-5D (mid-activity group, 0.81 [0.69-0.94]; high activity group, 0.81 [0.67-0.99]). EQ-VAS was decreased as PA level was lowered from high activity group and mid-activity to low activity group. EQ-5D index was the highest in mid-activity group and the lowest in low activity group. CONCLUSION: PA above mid-activity group showed better HRQoL compared than low activity group.

Relationship between Exhaled Nitric Oxide and Levels of Asthma Control in Asthma Patients Treated with Inhaled Corticosteroid / 결핵및호흡기질환

BACKGROUND: While asthma control is defined as the extent to which the various manifestations of asthma are reduced by treatment, current guidelines of asthma recommend assessment of asthma control without consideration of airway inflammation. Our aim was to investigate the relationships between fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO), a reliable marker of airway inflammation, and levels of asthma control in patients treated with inhaled corticosteroids (ICS). METHODS: We enrolled 71 adult patients with asthma who had been treated with ICS for more than four months. FeNO was measured and spirometry was performed at the time of enrollment. Asthma control was assessed (a) by the physician based on the Global Initiative for Asthma guidelines, (b) by the patients, and (c) by using the Asthma Control Test (ACT). Statistical analyses were done to analyze the relationships between (i) FeNO and (ii) measures of asthma control and clinical indices for asthma manifestations. RESULTS: There was no significant difference in FeNO levels between the three groups according to levels of asthma control (controlled, partly controlled and uncontrolled) as determined by the physician (p=0.81), or by the patients (p=0.81). In addition, FeNO values were not significantly correlated with the ACT scores (r=0.031, p=0.807), while FeNO showed a correlation with peripheral blood eosinophil counts (p<0.001). CONCLUSION: These findings demonstrate that FeNO levels are not associated with measures of asthma control in patients treated with ICS. Information on airway inflammation from FeNO concentrations seems to be unrelated to levels of asthma control.