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BACKGROUND: Recent advances in critical care and infection control have led to improved intensive care unit (ICU) survival rates. However, controversy exists regarding the benefits of ICU treatment for patients with lung cancer. In this study, we evaluated the clinical outcomes of patients from the Korean national database, who had been diagnosed with lung cancer and had received ICU treatment. METHODS: We investigated patients in Korea who had been newly diagnosed with lung cancer between January 1, 2008 and December 31, 2010. We classified these critically ill patients with lung cancer according to their lung cancer treatment pathways, with a specific focus on those who had undergone ICU treatment. RESULTS: We found that 31.3% of patients newly diagnosed with lung cancer had been admitted to the ICU for any reason, and 18.5% of patients with lung cancer were admitted to the ICU for reasons other than postoperative surgical lung cancer resection. The ICU mortality rate was 2.9% in patients admitted to the ICU for postoperative care and 47.5% in patients admitted for other reasons. Clinical cancer staging (HR, 7.02; 95% CI, 5.82–8.48; P

We aimed to evaluate the long-term use or effects of domiciliary non-invasive positive pressure ventilation (NIPPV) used to treat patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Databases were searched to identify randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of COPD with NIPPV for longer than 1 year. The primary outcome as mortality rates were accessed in this meta-analysis. The eight trials included in this study comprised data from 913 patients. The mortality rates for the NIPPV and control groups were 29% (118/414) and 36% (151/419); this difference was statistically significant (risk ratio (RR): 0.79, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.65-0.95). Mortality rates were reduced with NIPPV in four trials that included stable COPD patients. There was no difference in admission, acute exacerbation and quality of life (QOL) between the NIPPV and control groups. There was no significant difference in withdrawal rates between the two groups (RR 0.99, 95% CI 0.72-1.36, p = 0.94). Maintaining long-term nocturnal NIPPV for more than 1 year in COPD patients, especially stable status COPD patients, leads to a decrease in the mortality rate, and the withdrawal rate is not high compared to long term oxygen treatments.

Although several studies have reported outcome data on critically ill children, detailed reports by age are not available. We aimed to evaluate the age-specific estimates of trends in causes of diagnosis, procedures, and outcomes of pediatric admissions to ICUs in a national representative sample.A population-based retrospective cohort study.Three hundred forty-four hospitals in South Korea.All pediatric admissions to ICUs in Korea from August 1, 2009, to September 30, 2014, were covered by the Korean National Health Insurance Corporation, with virtually complete coverage of the pediatric population in Korea. Patients less than 18 years with at least one ICUs admission between August 1, 2009, and September 30, 2014. We excluded neonatal admissions (28 days), neonatal ICUs, and admissions for health status other than a disease or injury. The final sample size was 38,684 admissions from 32,443 pediatric patients.None.The overall age-standardized admission rate for pediatric patients was 75.9 admissions per 100,000 person-years. The most common primary diagnosis of admissions was congenital malformation (10,897 admissions, 28.2%), with marked differences by age at admission (5,712 admissions [54.8%] in infants, 3,994 admissions [24.6%] in children, and 1,191 admissions [9.9%] in adolescents). Injury was the most common primary diagnosis in adolescents (3,248 admissions, 27.1%). The overall in-hospital mortality was 2,234 (5.8%) with relatively minor variations across age. Neoplasms and circulatory and neurologic diseases had both high frequency of admissions and high in-hospital mortality.Admission patterns, diagnosis, management, and outcomes of pediatric patients admitted to ICUs varied by age groups. Strategies to improve critical care qualities of pediatric patients need to be based on the differences of age and may need to be targeted at specific age groups.

Background The effects of convalescent plasma (CP) infusion, one of the treatment options for severe Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) infections, have not yet been evaluated. Methods Serological responses of CP-infused MERS patients during the 2015 Korean MERS outbreak at a tertiary care centre were evaluated. Serological activity was evaluated with anti-MERS-CoV enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) immunoglobulin (Ig)G, ELISA IgA, immunofluorescence assay IgM and plaque reduction neutralization test (PRNT). Donor plasma and one or two recipient's serum samples per week of illness including one taken the day after each CP infusion were evaluated. For sensitivity and specificity analysis of ELISA IgG in predicting neutralization activity, a data set of 138 previously evaluated MERS-CoV-infected patients was used. Results Three of thirteen MERS patients with respiratory failure received four CP infusions from convalesced MERS-CoV-infected patients, and only two of them showed neutralizing activity. Donor plasma with a PRNT titre 1:80 demonstrated meaningful serological response after CP infusion, while that with a PRNT titre 1:40 did not. ELISA IgG predicted neutralization activity of a PRNT titre ≥1:80 with more than 95% specificity at a cutoff optical density (OD) ratio of 1.6, and with 100% specificity at an OD ratio of 1.9. Conclusions For effective CP infusion in MERS, donor plasma with a neutralization activity of a PRNT titre ≥1:80 should be used. ELISA IgG could substitute for the neutralization test in resource-limited situations.

This study aimed to investigate cognitive impairment and psychological distress of critically ill patients at discharge from intensive care unit (ICU). This study included 30 critically ill patients who had neither pre-existing dementia nor ongoing delirium. At ICU discharge, they performed a screening test for cognitive impairment (Mini-Cog test) and completed questionnaires for depression (Patient Health Questionnaire-2, PHQ-2) and for 4 stressful experiences during ICU stay including nightmares, severe anxiety or panic, severe pain, and trouble to breathe or feeling of suffocation (Post-Traumatic Stress Syndrome 14-Question Inventory, PTSS-14 Part A). Thirteen patients (43.3%) screened positive for cognitive impairment and 18 patients (60.0%) exhibited depressive symptoms. Twenty three patients (76.7%) recollected one or more stressful in-ICU experiences. Female patients (88.9%) was more likely to feel depressed at ICU discharge, compared to male patients (47.6%) (χ2=4.47, p=0.03). To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on cognitive and psychological outcomes of ICU survivors in Korea. In this study, we observed that a considerable number of critically ill patients had experienced cognitive impairment or psychological distress at ICU discharge.

This study was performed to evaluate the potential association between serum heavy metal levels and lung function in a cohort of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients. We analyzed data from 152 subjects enrolled in a cohort study on COPD from 2012 to 2013 and living in a dusty area. In total, 152 subjects from the cohort study were enrolled; 111 were diagnosed with OLD. There was a significant association between post-bronchodilator FEV1 and serum mercury level after adjusting for age, gender and smoking status (p=0.03). Following the adjustment, a significantly higher prevalence of OLD was observed in subjects in the highest mercury concentration tertile (p=0.03). The risk of OLD was significantly higher for subjects in the higher mercury concentration (odds ratio, 3.62; 95% confidence interval: 1.29-10.18) than in those in the lowest tertile. In conclusion, serum mercury level may be a risk factor for reduced lung function and OLD.

Background Despite the increasing importance of rehabilitation for critically ill patients, there is little information regarding how rehabilitation therapy is utilized in clinical practice. Our objectives were to evaluate the implementation rate of rehabilitation therapy in the intensive care unit (ICU) survivors and to investigate the effects of rehabilitation therapy on outcomes. Methods A retrospective nationwide cohort study with including > 18 years of ages admitted to ICU between January 2008 and May 2015 (n = 1,465,776). The analyzed outcomes were readmission to ICU readmission and emergency room (ER) visit. Results During the study period, 249,918 (17.1%) patients received rehabilitation therapy. The percentage of patients receiving any rehabilitation therapy increased annually from 14% in 2008 to 20% in 2014, and the percentages for each type of therapy also increased over time. The most common type of rehabilitation was physical therapy (91.9%), followed by neuromuscular electrical stimulation (29.6%), occupational (28.6%), respiratory, (11.6%) and swallowing (10.3%) therapies. After adjusting for confounding variables, the risk of 30-day ICU readmission was lower in patients who received rehabilitation therapy than in those who did not (P < 0.001; hazard ratio [HR], 0.70; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.65–0.75). And, the risk of 30-day ER visit was also lower in patients who received rehabilitation therapy (P < 0.001; HR, 0.83; 95% CI, 0.77–0.88). Conclusion In this nationwide cohort study in Korea, only 17% of all ICU patients received rehabilitation therapy. However, rehabilitation is associated with a significant reduction in the risk of 30-day ICU readmission and ER visit., Graphical Abstract

BACKGROUND: Multiple studies have identified COPD subtypes by using visual or quantitative evaluation of CT images. However, there has been no systematic assessment of a combined visual and quantitative CT imaging classification. We integrated visually defined patterns of emphysema with quantitative imaging features and spirometry data to produce a set of 10 nonoverlapping CT imaging subtypes, and we assessed differences between subtypes in demographic features, physiological characteristics, longitudinal disease progression, and mortality. METHODS: We evaluated 9,080 current and former smokers in the COPDGene study who had available volumetric inspiratory and expiratory CT images obtained using a standardized imaging protocol. We defined 10 discrete, nonoverlapping CT imaging subtypes: no CT imaging abnormality, paraseptal emphysema (PSE), bronchial disease, small airway disease, mild emphysema, upper lobe predominant centrilobular emphysema (CLE), lower lobe predominant CLE, diffuse CLE, visual without quantitative emphysema, and quantitative without visual emphysema. Baseline and 5-year longitudinal characteristics and mortality were compared across these CT imaging subtypes. RESULTS: The overall mortality differed significantly between groups (P < .01) and was highest in the 3 moderate to severe CLE groups. Subjects having quantitative but not visual emphysema and subjects with visual but not quantitative emphysema were unique groups with mild COPD, at risk for progression, and with likely different underlying mechanisms. Subjects with PSE and/or moderate to severe CLE had substantial progression of emphysema over 5 years compared with findings in subjects with no CT imaging abnormality (P < .01). CONCLUSIONS: The combination of visual and quantitative CT imaging features reflects different underlying pathological processes in the heterogeneous COPD syndrome and provides a useful approach to reclassify types of COPD. TRIAL REGISTRY: ClinicalTrials.gov; No.: NCT00608764; URL: www.clinicaltrials.gov

There is conflicting evidence for the clinical benefit of statin therapy in patients with vasospastic angina (VSA). We investigated the association of statin therapy with clinical outcomes in relatively large populations with clinically suspected VSA from a nationwide population-based database. Data were collected from the Health Insurance Review and Assessment database records of 4,099 patients that were in an intensive care unit with VSA between January 1, 2008 and May 31, 2015. We divided the patients into a statin group (n = 1,795) and a non-statin group (n = 2,304). The primary outcome was a composite of cardiac arrest and acute myocardial infarction (AMI). The median follow-up duration was 3.8 years (interquartile range: 2.2 to 5.8 years). Cardiac arrest or AMI occurred in 120 patients (5.2%) in the statin group, and 97 patients (5.4%) in the non-statin group (P = 0.976). With inverse probability of treatment weighting, there was no significant difference in the rate of cardiac arrest or AMI between the two groups (adjusted hazard ratio [HR], 0.99; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.76-1.30; P = 0.937), or even between the non-statin group and high-intensity statin group (adjusted HR, 1.08; 95% CI, 0.69-1.70; P = 0.75). The beneficial association of statin use with the primary outcome was consistently lacking across the various comorbidity types. Statin therapy was not associated with reduced cardiac arrest or AMI in patients with VSA, regardless of statin intensity. Prospective, randomized trials will be needed to confirm our findings.

Background The feasibility of liver transplantation (LT) in elderly recipients remains a topic of debate. Methods This cohort study evaluated the impact of recipient's age on LT outcome between January 2007 and May 2016 covered by the Korean National Health Insurance system (n = 9415). Multilevel regression models were used to determine the impact of recipient's age on in-hospital and long-term mortality after LT. Results All patients had a first LT, with 2473 transplanted with liver from deceased donors (DD) and 6942 from living donors. The mean age was 52.2 ± 9.0 years. Most LT were performed on patients in their 50s (n = 4290, 45.6%) and 0.9% (n = 84) of the LT was performed on patients older 70 years. The overall in-hospital mortality was 6.3%, and the 3-year mortality was 11.3%. The in-hospital mortality included, 13.5% associated with DDLT and 3.7% involved living donor LT. When compared with that for patients aged 51 to 55 years, the risk of death among recipients older than 70 years was about fourfold higher after adjusting for baseline liver disease (odds ratio, 4.1; 95% confidence interval, 2.21-7.58), and was nearly threefold higher after adjusting for baseline liver disease and perioperative complications (odds ratio, 2.92; 95% confidence interval, 1.37-6.24). Also, the cost of LT increased significantly with age. Conclusions The data show that age remains an important risk factor for LT, suggesting that LT should be considered with caution in elderly recipients., The authors examined mortality risk for a large cohort of liver transplant recipients between 2007 and May 2016 covered by the Korean National Health Insurance system (n = 9415). Both costs and mortality were significantly increased in the cohort over 70 years old. Supplemental digital content is available in the text.

ECMO use has increased lately. However, differences between adult ECMO and non-ECMO patients admitted to the ICU remain unstudied. In terms of volume-outcome relationship, the impact of ECMO volume on survival has not been validated in a real world cohort.Retrospective analysis of data from the Korean Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service over 5 years, between August 1, 2009 and July 31, 2014. The ECMO group comprised patients who received ≥1 ECMO run. Data on patient demographics, ICU and hospital length of stay, cost, treatments, and in-hospital mortality were collected. Usage trends were analyzed by 5 one-year periods.Among 1, 265, 508 ICU patients, 6078 underwent ECMO during the study period. The number of ECMO patients rose by 2.5 times, and ECMO hospitals from 50 to 86 between periods 1 and 5. Compared to non-ECMO patients, the ECMO group was younger (59 years vs. 64 years, p .0001) with more comorbidities. Healthcare expenditure and in-hospital mortality in the ECMO group were higher (US $23,600 vs. $5100; 63.4% vs. 12.6%; p .0001). Using multivariable analysis, age ≥ 50 years, CRRT, and annual hospital ECMO volume 20 negatively impacted survival to discharge.The prevalence of ECMO among ICU patients was 0.5%. The expenditure and in-hospital mortality of the ECMO group were four and five times higher than non-ECMO group respectively. An annual hospital ECMO volume ≥ 20 may improve survival to hospital discharge.

The long-term prognosis of vasospastic angina (VSA) patients presenting with aborted sudden cardiac death (ASCD) is still unknown. We sought to compare the long-term clinical outcomes between VSA patients presenting with and without ASCD by retrospective analysis of a nationwide population-based database.A total of 6972 patients in the Health Insurance Review and Assessment database who were hospitalized in the intensive care unit with VSA between July 1, 2007 and May 31, 2015 were enrolled. Primary outcome was the composite of cardiac arrest and acute myocardial infarction after discharge.Five hundred ninety-eight (8.6%) VSA patients presented with ASCD. On inverse probability of treatment weighting, ASCD patients had a significantly increased risk of the composite of cardiac arrest and acute myocardial infarction (adjusted hazard ratio, 2.52; 95% confidence interval, 1.72-3.67; p 0.001) during the median follow-up duration of 4 years. The association of ASCD presentation with a worse outcome in terms of primary outcome was consistent across various subgroups, including comorbidity type and use of vasodilators (all p-values for interaction: non-significant). ASCD patients treated with an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) had a lower incidence of the composite of cardiac arrest and acute myocardial infarction during follow-up than those without an ICD (p = 0.009).VSA patients that present with ASCD are at increased risk of cardiac arrest or myocardial infarction during long-term follow-up despite adequate vasodilator therapy. An ICD is a potential therapeutic option for secondary prevention.

Background Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is potentially underrecognized by clinicians. Early recognition and subsequent optimal treatment of patients with ARDS may be facilitated by usage of biomarkers. Surfactant protein D (SP-D), a marker of alveolar epithelial injury, has been proposed as a potentially useful biomarker for diagnosis of ARDS in a few studies. We tried to validate the performance of plasma SP-D levels for diagnosis of ARDS. Methods We conducted a retrospective analysis using data from three (two in USA and one in Korea) prospective biobank cohorts involving 407 critically ill patients admitted to medical intensive care unit (ICU). A propensity score matched analysis (patients with versus without ARDS, matched 1:1) was carried out using significant variables from multiple logistic regression. The diagnostic accuracy of plasma SP-D as a diagnostic marker of ARDS was assessed by receiver operating characteristic curve analysis. Results Out of the 407 subjects included in this study, 39 (10%) patients fulfilled ARDS criteria. Patients with ARDS had higher SP-D levels in plasma (p

Background: Asian dust is known to have harmful effects on the respiratory system. Respiratory conditions are also influenced by environmental conditions regardless of the presence of pollutants. The same pollutant can have different effects on the airway when the air is dry compared with when it is humid. We investigated hospital visits for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma in relation to the environmental conditions. Methods: We conducted a retrospective study using the Korean National Health Insurance Service claims database of patients who visited hospitals in Chuncheon between January 2006 and April 2012. Asian dust, haze, mist, and fog days were determined using reports from the Korea Meteorological Administration. Hospital visits for asthma or COPD on the index days were compared with the comparison days. We used two-way case-crossover techniques with one to two matching. Results: The mean hospital visits for asthma and COPD were 59.37 ± 34.01 and 10.04 ± 6.18 per day, respectively. Hospital visits for asthma significantly increased at lag0 and lag1 for Asian dust (relative risk [RR], 1.10; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.01-1.19; p

Introduction: Although occupational exposure is an important risk factor for development of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), it has been little known about the effects of occupations exposures for progression of COPD. Aims and Objectives: To determine the effect of history for occupational exposures on lung function decline in men with COPD. Methods: Subjects were selected from a Korean COPD cohort, prospectively designed observational study and underwent yearly post bronchodilator spirometry. They were included if they underwent the spirometry at least three times. History of occupational exposures was evaluated for metal, asbestos, fiber, cereal, drugs, paper dust, and chemicals. History of occupational exposures was assessed by two blinded experts for each case. The annual decline of FEV1 was analyzed by random-slope and random-intercept mixed linear regression. Results: A total 222 patients with COPD were included, and patients with occupational exposures were 49. The mean age was 65.2 (standard deviation: 7.5) years, the mean smoking amount was 46.3 (28.1) pack-years. There were no significant differences in years of age, smoking amount, quality of life, and emphysema extent on CT, according to the presence of occupation exposures. The annual decline rates in FEV1 (ml per year) were significantly different for groups without occupational exposures of -32.9±21.9 compared to groups with occupational exposures of -25.5±19.9 (p = 0.038). Conclusions: Occupational exposures in men with COPD were associated with slower decline of lung function.

Purpose To evaluate unbiased information on the characteristics, procedures, and outcomes of intensive care unit (ICU) admissions in a long-term nationwide study. Materials and methods Cohort study of all ICU admissions in patients > 18 years of age in Korea between August 1, 2009 and September 30, 2014 (1,553,673 ICU admissions in 1,265,509 patients). Results From August 2009 to September 2014, the age-standardized ICU admission rate was 744.6 per 100,000 person-years (869.5 per 100,000 person-years in men and 622.0 per 100,000 person-years in women). The overall in-hospital mortality was 13.8% (14.1% in men and 13.5% in women). Among all Koreans, the ICU mortality rate was 102.9 per 100,000 person-years (122.5 per 100,000 person years in men and 83.8 per 100,000 person years in women). The median ICU and hospital length of stay were 4 and 13 days, respectively. The median cost per ICU admission was $5051, which increased steadily over the study period. There were marked differences by gender in ICU admission rates, aggressive support, and outcomes. Conclusions Our study identified increasing trends in ICU admissions and utilization of advance life support systems that add to the burden of care in a developed society.

Background: The appropriate calorie intake to be provided to critically ill patients via enteral nutrition (EN) remains unclear. We performed a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials to compare the effect of initial underfeeding and full feeding in acutely critically ill patients. Materials and Methods: We searched the Medline, EMBASE, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials databases to identify randomized controlled trials that compared underfeeding with full feeding in critically ill patients. The primary outcome was overall mortality. The secondary outcomes included length of hospital stay, length of intensive care unit (ICU) stay, duration of mechanical ventilation, incidence of pneumonia, Clostridium difficile colitis, other infectious complications, and gastrointestinal intolerance. Results: In total, 4 studies were included in this meta-analysis. There was no significant difference in overall mortality between the underfeeding and full-feeding groups (odds ratio [OR], 0.94; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.74–1.19; I 2 = 26.6%; P = .61). Subgroup analysis of the underfeeding subgroup that was fed ≥33.3% of the standard caloric requirement indicated that overall mortality was significantly lower in this underfeeding subgroup than in the full-feeding group (OR, 0.63; 95% CI, 0.40–1.00; I 2 = 0%; P = .05). In contrast, no difference in overall mortality was noted between the underfeeding subgroup that was fed

Background: Understanding the burden of disease is important to establish cost-effective treatment strategies and to allocate healthcare resources appropriately. However, little reliable information is available regarding the overall economic burden imposed by chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in Korea. Methods: This study is a multicenter observational research on the COPD burden in Korea. Total COPD costs were comprised of three categories: direct medical, direct non-medical, and indirect costs. For direct medical costs, institutional investigation was performed at 13 medical facilities mainly based on the claims data. For direct non-medical and indirect costs, site-based surveys were administered to the COPD patients during routine visits. Total costs were estimated using the COPD population defined in the recent report. Results: The estimated total costs were approximately 1,245 million US dollar (1,408 billion Korean won). Direct medical costs comprised approximately 20% of the total estimated costs. Of these, formal medical costs held more than 80%. As direct non-medical costs, nursing costs made up the largest percentage (39%) of the total estimated costs. Costs for COPD-related loss of productivity formed four fifths of indirect costs, and accounted for up to 33% of the total costs. Conclusion: This study shows for the first time the direct and indirect costs of COPD in Korea. The total costs were enormous, and the costs of nursing and lost productivity comprised approximately 70% of total costs. The results provide insight for an effective allocation of healthcare resources and to inform establishment of strategies to reduce national burden of COPD.

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a chronic, progressive fibrosing interstitial pneumonia, which presents with a progressive worsening dyspnea, and thus a poor outcome. The members of the Korean Academy of Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases as well as the participating members of the Korea Interstitial Lung Disease Study Group drafted this clinical practice guideline for IPF management. This guideline includes a wide range of topics, including the epidemiology, pathogenesis, risk factors, clinical features, diagnosis, treatment, prognosis, and acute exacerbation of IPF in Korea. Additionally, we suggested the PICO for the use of pirfenidone and nintendanib and for lung transplantation for the treatment of patients with IPF through a systemic literature review using experts' help in conducting a meta-analysis. We recommend this guideline to physicians, other health care professionals, and government personnel in Korea, to facilitate the treatment of patients with IPF.

Supplemental Digital Content is available in the text, Although chronic cough is very common, its prevalence and causes have been rarely reported in the large general population including smokers. This study aimed to identify the prevalence of possible causes of chronic cough and their clinical impact. From Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) data including 119,280 adults aged over 40 years, 302 individuals with chronic cough were recruited irrespective of smoking status. Data from questionnaire, laboratory tests including spirometry, chest radiographs, and otorhinolaryngologic examination were analyzed. The prevalence of chronic cough in adults was 2.5% ± 0.2%. Current smokers occupied 47.7% ± 3.8% of study population and 46.8% ± 3.9% of the subjects showed upper airway cough syndrome (UACS). Based on spirometry, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) was identified in 26.4% ± 3.5%. Asthma explained for 14.5% ± 2.8% of chronic cough. Only 4.1% ± 1.6% showed chronic laryngitis suggesting gastro-esophageal reflux-related cough. Abnormalities on chest radiography were found in 4.0% ± 1.2%. Interestingly, 50.3% ± 4.5% of study subjects had coexisting causes. In multivariate analysis, only current smoking (odds ratio [OR] 3.16, P

Summary Background After the 2015 Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) outbreak in Korea, prediction of pneumonia development and progression to respiratory failure was emphasized in control of MERS outbreak. Methods MERS-CoV infected patients who were managed in a tertiary care center during the 2015 Korean MERS outbreak were reviewed. To analyze predictive factors for pneumonia development and progression to respiratory failure, we evaluated clinical variables measured within three days from symptom onset. Results A total of 45 patients were included in the study: 13 patients (28.9%) did not develop pneumonia, 19 developed pneumonia without respiratory failure (42.2%), and 13 progressed to respiratory failures (28.9%). The identified predictive factors for pneumonia development included age ≥45 years, fever ≥37.5 °C, thrombocytopenia, lymphopenia, CRP ≥ 2 mg/dL, and a threshold cycle value of PCR less than 28.5. For respiratory failure, the indicators included male, hypertension, low albumin concentration, thrombocytopenia, lymphopenia, and CRP ≥ 4 mg/dL (all P, Highlights • Predictive factors for pneumonia progression in MERS patients were investigated. • Clinical variables measured within three days from symptom onset were used. • Six predictive factors for pneumonia development and respiratory failure were found. • With ≥ two predictive factors for pneumonia, 100% of patients developed pneumonia. • Patients lacking the predictive factors did not progress to respiratory failure.

In 2015, a large outbreak of Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) occurred in the Republic of Korea. Half of the cases were associated with a tertiary care university hospital.To document the outbreak and successful control measures.Descriptive study.A 1950-bed tertiary care university hospital.92 patients with laboratory-confirmed MERS and 9793 exposed persons.Description of the outbreak, including a timeline, and evaluation of the effectiveness of the control measures.During the outbreak, 92 laboratory-confirmed MERS cases were associated with a large tertiary care hospital, 82 of which originated from unprotected exposure to 1 secondary patient. Contact tracing and monitoring exposed patients and assigned health care workers were at the core of the control measures in the outbreak. Nontargeted screening measures, including body temperature screening among employees and visitors at hospital gates, monitoring patients for MERS-related symptoms, chest radiographic screening, and employee symptom monitoring, did not detect additional patients with MERS without existing transmission links. All in-hospital transmissions originated from 3 patients with MERS who also had pneumonia and productive cough.This was a retrospective single-center study. Statistical analysis could not be done. Because this MERS outbreak originated from a superspreader, effective control measures could differ in endemic areas or in other settings.Control strategies for MERS outbreaks should focus on tracing contacts of persons with epidemiologic links. Adjusting levels of quarantine and personal protective equipment according to the assumed infectivity of each patient with MERS may be appropriate.Samsung Biomedical Research Institute.

Dear Editor, Korea suffered from an outbreak of the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) in May 2015 [1]. This endemic was the largest to have occurred outside of Saudi Arabia. Currently, a curative treatment for MERS is unavailable. Passive immunotherapy using convalescent plasma from recovering patients is suggested for positive clinical effects [2,3]. However, the use of human plasma has potential risks including anaphylactic shock, transfusion-associated circulatory overload (TACO), and transfusion-related acute lung injury (TRALI) [4]. We describe our experience with administering a convalescent plasma infusion to a MERS patient that resulted in possible TRALI, which might have further accelerated the pulmonary manifestation of MERS in the patient. A previously healthy, 32-yr-old male subject had contact with a MERS patient on May 28, 2015. He developed symptoms of productive cough and fever on June 8 and was admitted for evaluation. After confirmation of MERS-CoV by detection of the upE and ORF1a genes of MERS-CoV with a real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) assay (Kogene Biotech, Seoul, Korea), he was treated with oral administration of ribavirin and lopinavir/ritonavir with a single dose of interferon α-2a. However, the patient's clinical manifestation showed a stagnant course. Therefore, convalescent plasma therapy was planned. The convalescent plasma donor was a cured 22-yr-old female patient. She had no previous history of gestation, and no record of transfusion was found. The donor's blood was screened for hemoglobin (>12.0 g/dL), hepatitis B virus, HIV, and hepatitis C virus by both serologic and nucleic acid testing (negative), for syphilis (negative) by serologic test, alanine aminotransferase (

Background Cerebrovascular diseases are a frequent cause of neurological symptoms in patients with cancer. The clinical characteristics of ischemic stroke (IS) in patients with cancer have been reported in several studies; however, limited data are available regarding critically ill patients with cancer who develop IS during their stay in the intensive care unit (ICU). Methods All consecutive patients who underwent brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for suspicion of IS with acute abnormal neurologic symptoms or who developed signs of IS while in the ICU were retrospectively evaluated. We compared the clinical characteristics and diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) lesion patterns between patients finally diagnosed as having or not having IS. Results Over the study period, a total of 88 patients underwent brain MRI for suspicion of IS, with altered mental status in 55 (63%), hemiparesis in 28 (32%), and seizure in 20 (23%). A total of 43 (49%) patients were ultimately diagnosed with IS. Multiple DWI lesions (41%) were more common than single lesions (8%). The etiologies of IS were not determined in the majority of patients (n = 27, 63%). In the remaining 16 (37%) patients, the most common aetiology of IS was cardioembolism (n = 8), followed by large-vessel atherosclerosis (n = 3) and small-vessel occlusion (n = 2). However, brain metastases were newly diagnosed in only 7 (8%) patients. Univariate comparison of the baseline characteristics between patients with or without IS did not reveal any significant differences in sex, malignancy type, recent chemotherapy, vascular risk factors, or serum D-dimer levels at the time of suspicion of IS. Thrombotic events were more common in the IS group than in the non-IS group (P = 0.028). However, patients who were ultimately diagnosed with IS had more hemiparesis symptoms at the time of suspicion of IS (P = 0.001). This association was significant even after adjusting for potentially confounding factors (adjusted odds ratio 5.339; 95% confidence interval, 1.521–19.163). Conclusions IS developed during ICU stays in critically ill patients with cancer have particular features that may be associated with cancer-related mechanism.

We performed a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) to determine if daily bathing with chlorhexidine decreased hospital-acquired BSIs in critically ill patients. We searched the MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials databases to identify randomized controlled trials that compared daily bathing with chlorhexidine and a control in critically ill patients. This meta-analysis included five RCTs. The overall incidence of measured hospital-acquired BSIs was significantly lower in the chlorhexidine group compared to the controls 0.69 (95 % CI 0.55–0.85; P

Background: Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) remain undiagnosed and potentially unknown until the more advanced stages of the disease. The rate of FEV1 decline was greater in patients with less severe disease than those with more severe disease. We aim to investigate the cost-effectiveness of inhaled treatment in early COPD. Methods: We reviewed the database of Korean adults recording less than 0.7 of FEV1/FVC from the Korean National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey (KNHANES) and Korean National Health Insurance (NHI) from 2007 to 2009. The early COPD was determined with more than 50% of FEV1. Results: 0f 1,919 patients who identified with early COPD in KNANES, 120 patients were confirmed that they visited hospital within the next year after diagnosis in NHI database. 58 (48%) patients were on inhaler for COPD. The others took only oral medications. In patients using inhaler regularly, medical costs of outpatient clinic were significantly higher(P=0.012). However, totally medical costs including admission and emergency room were not different whether using inhaler or not. Multiple linear regression adjusting with age, sex, using inhaler, FEV1, income showed that only smoking status was significant factors affecting the number of medical utilizations(s=4.26, P=0.008) and cost(s=658352, P=0.022). Conclusions: In early COPD patient, using inhaler increase medical cost of only outpatient clinic. Using inhaler in early COPD patients did not increase total medical cost because they decrease admission and emergency room visit. The uncontrolled aggravating factors such as smoking increased directly medical costs in early COPD.

Two once-daily inhaled bronchodilators, indacaterol and tiotropium, are widely used as first-line therapy in stable COPD patients. This study was performed to compare the clinical efficacy and safety between indacaterol and tiotropium in patients with moderate-to-severe COPD. MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials were searched to identify all published randomized controlled trials (RCTs). The primary outcome was trough forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) at week 12. Four RCTs were eligible for inclusion (three RCTs with moderate-to-severe COPD patients and one RCT with only severe COPD patients). Trough FEV₁ at weeks 12 and 26 were not significantly different between indacaterol and tiotropium by the standardized mean difference with 0.014 (95% CI, -0.036, 0.063, I²= 23.5%) and with 0.037 (95% CI, -0.059 to 0.133, I²= 0%) along with differences in means of 0.003L and 0.014L, respectively. Indacaterol and tiotropium also showed similar St. George's Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ) total scores and percentages of patients with SGRQ improvement (≥ 4 units) at week 26. The incidences of nasopharyngitis, serious cardiovascular events, and serious adverse events were not different between indacaterol and tiotropium, while those of cough (OR = 1.68, P < 0.001, and RR = 1.63) and COPD worsening (OR = 1.18, P = 0.003, and RR = 1.12) were higher for indacaterol than tiotropium. However, when one study with only severe COPD patients was removed from the meta-analysis, the difference in the incidence of COPD worsening between indacaterol and tiotropium became non-significant (OR = 1.13, P = 0.204, and RR = 1.09). The clinical efficacy and serious adverse events between indacaterol and tiotropium were equivocal in patients with moderate-to-severe COPD. Cough is a common complaint associated with indacaterol, and COPD worsening needs to be carefully monitored in severe COPD patients when treated with indacaterol.

Since the first imported case of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) infection was reported on May 20, 2015 in Korea, there have been 186 laboratory-confirmed cases of MERS-CoV infection with 36 fatalities. Ninety-seven percent (181/186) of the cases had exposure to the health care facilities. We are reporting a superspreading event that transmitted MERS-CoV to 81 persons at a hospital emergency room (ER) during the Korean outbreak in 2015. The index case was a 35-yr-old man who had vigorous coughing while staying at the ER for 58 hr. As in severe acute respiratory syndrome outbreaks, superspreading events can cause a large outbreak of MERS in healthcare facilities with severe consequences. All healthcare facilities should establish and implement infection prevention and control measure as well as triage policies and procedures for early detection and isolation of suspected MERS-CoV cases.

Background: Low levels of serum vitamin D is associated with several lung diseases. The production and activation of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) may play an important role in the pathogenesis of emphysema. The aim of the current study therefore is to investigate if vitamin D modulates the expression and activation of MMP-2 and MMP-9 in human lung fibroblasts (HFL-1) cells. Methods: HFL-1 cells were cast into three-dimensional collagen gels and stimulated with or without interleukin-1 β (IL1β) in the presence or absence of 100 nM 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) or 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D (1,25(OH) 2D) for 48 hours. Trypsin was then added into the culture medium in order to activate MMPs. To investigate the activity of MMP2 and MMP-9, gelatin zymography was performed. The expression of the tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase (TIMP1, TIMP-2) was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Expression of MMP-9 mRNA and TIMP-1, TIMP-2 mRNA was quantified by real time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. Results: IL-1β significantly stimulated MMP-9 production and mRNA expression. Trypsin converted latent MMP2 and MMP-9 into their active forms of MMP-2 (66 kDa) and MMP-9 (82 kDa) within 24 hours. This conversion was significantly inhibited by 25(OH)D (100 nM) and 1,25(OH)2D (100 nM). The expression of MMP-9 mRNA was also significantly inhibited by 25(OH)D and 1,25(OH)2D. Conclusion: Vitamin D, 25(OH)D, and 1,25(OH)2D play a role in regulating human lung fibroblast functions in wound repair and tissue remodeling through not only inhibiting IL-1β stimulated MMP-9 production and conversion to its active form but also inhibiting IL-1β inhibition on TIMP-1 and TIMP-2 production.

Cough is one of the most common symptom of many respiratory diseases. The Korean Academy of Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases organized cough guideline committee and cough guideline was developed by this committee. The purpose of this guideline is to help clinicians to diagnose correctly and treat efficiently patients with cough. In this article, we have stated recommendation and summary of Korean cough guideline. We also provided algorithm for acute, subacute, and chronic cough. For chronic cough, upper airway cough syndrome (UACS), cough variant asthma (CVA), and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) should be considered. If UACS is suspicious, first generation anti-histamine and nasal decongestant can be used empirically. In CVA, inhaled corticosteroid is recommended in order to improve cough. In GERD, proton pump inhibitor is recommended in order to improve cough. Chronic bronchitis, bronchiectasis, bronchiolitis, lung cancer, aspiration, angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor, habit, psychogenic cough, interstitial lung disease, environmental and occupational factor, tuberculosis, obstructive sleep apnea, peritoneal dialysis, and idiopathic cough can be also considered as cause of chronic cough. Level of evidence for treatment is mostly low. Thus, in this guideline, many recommendations are based on expert opinion. Further study regarding treatment for cough is mandatory.

Although autoantibodies are routinely screened in patients with idiopathic interstitial pneumonia, there are no reliable data on their clinical usefulness. The aim of this study was to investigate the prognostic value of autoantibodies for predicting the development of new connective tissue disease in these patients and also mortality. We conducted retrospective analysis of the baseline, and follow-up data for 688 patients with idiopathic interstitial pneumonia (526 with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, 85 with nonspecific interstitial pneumonia, and 77 with cryptogenic organizing pneumonia) at one single tertiary referral center. The median follow-up period was 33.6 months. Antinuclear antibody was positive in 34.5% of all subjects, rheumatoid factor in 13.2%, and other specific autoantibodies were positive between 0.7%-6.8% of the cases. No significant difference in patient survival was found between the autoantibody-positive and -negative groups. However, the presence of autoantibodies, especially antinuclear antibody with a titer higher than 1:320, was a significant predictor for the future development of new connective tissue diseases (relative risk, 6.4), although the incidence was low (3.8% of all subjects during follow-up). In conclusion, autoantibodies are significant predictors for new connective tissue disease development, although they have no prognostic value.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) includes pulmonary components with increased comorbidity rates, as well as being a systemic disease. Comorbidities may frequently occur in COPD patients over 40 yr old. We report the comorbidities of patients with COPD, diagnosed by spirometry, in a population-based epidemiologic survey in Korea. Data were derived from the fourth Korean Health and Nutrition Examination Survey in 2008, a stratified multistage clustered probability design survey of a sample representing the entire population of Korea. Results of spirometry and various health-related questionnaires were analyzed in 2,177 subjects aged ≥ 40 yr. The prevalence of COPD (FEV(1)/FVC < 0.7) in subjects ≥ 40 yr of age was 14.1%. Multivariate analysis showed that underweight (odds ratio [OR] 3.07, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.05-8.98), coronary heart disease (OR, 0.43; 95% CI, 0.20-0.93) and dyslipidemia (OR, 0.61; 95% CI, 0.45-0.82) were significantly associated with COPD, whereas allergic rhinitis, anemia, arthritis, chronic renal failure, depression, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, gastrointestinal ulcer, and osteoporosis were not. Underweight might be more prevalent but coronary heart disease and dyslipidemia are less prevalent in Koreans with than without COPD in population setting.

Moderate sedatives have been increasingly used to improve patient comfort during flexible bronchoscopy (FB). However, routine use of moderate sedation during FB is controversial because its efficacy and safety are not well established. This study aims to evaluate the efficacy and safety of moderate sedation during FB. A search was made of Medline, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library to May 2014. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and quasi-RCTs were included. The main analysis was designed to examine the efficacy of moderate sedation during FB in sedation than no-sedation. The willingness to repeat FB was significantly more in sedation than no-sedation (odds ratio [OR] 2.30; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.11-4.73; P = 0.02; I2 = 22.5). The duration of FB was shorter in sedation group than no-sedation group (standardized mean difference [SMD] -0.21; 95% CI -0.38 to -0.03; P = 0.02; I2 = 78.3%). Event of hypoxia was not significantly different between sedation and no-sedation groups (OR 0.86; 95% CI 0.42-1.73; P = 0.67; I2 = 0%). The SpO2 during procedure was not different between sedation and no-sedation groups (SMD -0.14; 95% CI -0.37 to 0.08; P = 0.21; I2 = 49.9%). However, in subgroup analysis without supplemental oxygen, the SpO2 was significantly lower in sedation than no-sedation group (SMD -0.45; 95% CI -0.78 to -0.11; P = 0.01; I2 = 0.0%). According to this meta-analysis, moderate sedation in FB would be useful in patients who will require repeated bronchoscopies as well as safe in respiratory depression. To our knowledge, although the various sedative drugs are already used in the real field, this analysis was the first attempt to quantify objective results. We anticipate more definite and studies designed to elucidate standardized outcomes for moderate sedation in FB.

We investigated the effects of indacaterol on cough and phlegm in patients with stable chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). We performed a meta-analysis with five randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of indacaterol in stable COPD patients. The symptom severity was defined using the St. George's Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ). We analyzed patients treated with 150 µg (n = 945) and 300 µg (n = 832) out of 3,325 patients who completed the SGRQ from five RCTs. After a 12-week treatment of 150 µg indacaterol, cough improvement was reported in 36.5% (316/866) of patients treated with indacaterol vs. 32.2% (259/804) patients treated with placebo (Relative Ratio [RR], 1.13; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.99-1.29). Phlegm improvement was reported in 31.0% (247/798) of patients treated with indacaterol vs. 30.6% (225/736) of patients treated with placebo (RR, 1.01; 95% CI, 0.87-1.18). Dyspnea improvement was reported in 39.5% (324/820) of patients treated with indacaterol vs. 31.5% (237/753) patients treated with placebo (RR, 1.33; 95% CI, 1.03-1.71; P = 0.001, I2 = 55.1%). Only dyspnea improvement was significant compared to placebo even at the 300 µg indacaterol dose. Compared to placebo, a 12-week treatment of the long-acting beta-agonist, indacaterol might not have a significant effect on cough or phlegm in stable COPD. Graphical Abstract

Purpose Asthma is prevalent in many countries. Few studies have investigated the association between asthma and concomitant diseases. We retrospectively analyzed the fourth Korean National Health and Nutrition Survey database, performed in 2008 using nationwide stratified random sampling to obtain a representative cohort of the Korean population. Methods We evaluated the association between both self-reported ever-asthmatics and wheezers and concomitant diseases such as arthritis, hypertension, gastrointestinal (GI) ulcers, dyslipidemia, diabetes mellitus, rhinitis, depression, stroke, and obesity in subjects aged ≥40 years. A multivariate analysis was performed to identify concomitant diseases independently associated with asthma, after adjustment for age, gender, income, cigarette smoking, and other chronic diseases. Results Of the total of 4,445 subjects, 2,596 (58.4%) were female and the mean age was 58.3 years. Of the 4,445 subjects, 195 (4.4%) had been diagnosed with asthma at some point, and 444 (10%) were wheezers. Multivariate analysis showed that arthritis (odds ratio [OR] 1.74, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.26-2.42), rhinitis (OR 1.78, 95% CI 1.14-2.78), depression (OR 1.45, 95% CI 1.05-2.07), and obesity (OR 1.61, 95% CI 1.08-2.40) were significantly associated with self-reported ever-asthma, and arthritis (OR 1.50, 95% CI 1.19-1.909), hypertension (OR 1.34, 95% CI 1.07-1.67), GI ulcers (OR 1.48, 95% CI 1.05-2.08), rhinitis (OR 1.60, 95% CI 1.16-2.19), depression (OR 1.94, 95% CI 1.51-2.48), and obesity (OR 1.56, 95% CI 1.17-2.09) were significantly associated with wheezers. Conclusions These findings indicate that arthritis, rhinitis, depression, and obesity may be associated with both self-reported ever asthma and wheezers in the Korean population.

Some patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) have pulmonary hypertension (PH) that adversely affects survival. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to assess whether PH-specific therapies have an effect for stable COPD. Data sources were Medline, EMBASE, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Korea med and references from relevant publications. Randomized prospective trials that compared PH specific therapy in COPD for more than 6 weeks with placebo were included. The outcomes were the exercise capacity and adverse events. Four randomized controlled trials involving 109 subjects were included in the analysis. Two trials involved bosentan, one sildenafil and one beraprost. The studies varied in duration of treatment from 3 to 18 months. In a pooled analysis of four trials, exercise-capacity was not significantly improved with PH-specific treatment for COPD (risk ratio, -5.1; 95% CI, -13.0 to 2.8). COPD with overt PH significantly improved the exercise capacity (mean difference, 111.6; 95% CI, 63.3 to 159.9) but COPD with PH unknown did not (mean difference, 26.6; 95% CI, -24.3 to 77.5). There was no significant difference in hypoxemia (mean difference, 2.6; 95% CI, -3.7 to 8.8). PH specific treatments have a significant effect in improving exercise capacity in COPD with overt PH.

Background: A dramatic decrease in circulating lymphocyte number is observed after septic shock. In this study, we assessed whether circulating lymphocyte subpopulations influence the severity and prognosis of septic shock. Methods: 133 patients (median 65 years, range 27−88; male 63.2%) receiving intensive care for septic shock were enrolled in this study. Flow cytometry phenotyping of circulating lymphocyte subpopulations, including helper T cells, suppressor T cells, total B cells, and natural killer (NK) cells, was performed within 24 hours after the diagnosis of septic shock. After measuring the white blood cell (WBC) and differential leukocyte count, the lymphocyte subsets were analyzed. The following data were recorded: general characteristics, severity of illness as assessed by the Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score, and 28-day mortality. Results: The overall mortality rate at 28 days was 33.8%. SOFA score was negatively correlated with the T cell count (r = −0.175) and helper T cell count (r = −0.223). However, only low a helper T cell count was associated with the severity of septic shock (odds ratio 0.995, 95% confidence interval 0.992−0.999, p = 0.014). Using multiple logistic regression analysis for 28-day mortality, there was no significant prognostic factor among the lymphocyte subset. Conclusions: The low helper T cell count appeared to be associated with severity, but did not show significant association with mortality.

Mediastinal lymphadenopathy associated with extrathoracic malignancy or a metastasis of unknown origin (MUO) requires pathological verification. Surgical exploration or endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration is limited to application. We investigated the effectiveness of endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle biopsy (EBUS-TBNA) for evaluating mediastinal lymphadenopathy in patients with an extrathoracic malignancy. We retrospectively analyzed data from 59 patients who underwent EBUS-TBNA with a core biopsy because of a suspected mediastinal metastasis between September 2008 and August 2010. All patients had previously been diagnosed with an extrathoracic malignancy (n = 39, 66.1%) or a suspected MUO without a thoracic lesion (n = 20, 33.9%). A total of 88 lymph nodes was analyzed. EBUS-TBNA findings indicated malignancies in 34 patients (57.6%). The EBUS-TBNA sensitivity and specificity for the detection of mediastinal malignancy in patients with a previous extrathoracic malignancy were 96.3% and 100%, respectively. For MUO patients without a thoracic lesion, the sensitivity and specificity were 61.5% and 100%, respectively. The overall sensitivity and specificity were 81.0% and 100%, respectively (P = 0.053). EBUS-TBNA is a safe and effective modality for evaluating mediastinal lymphadenopathy in patients with a previous extrathoracic malignancy or a MUO without a thoracic lesion. The application of this diagnostic tool is likely to have significant clinical implications.

Background: Lung cancer is usually diagnosed at an advanced stage, resulting in a poor prognosis. The detection of these lesions at an earlier stage would be a clear benefit to patients. However, it is extremely difficult to detect carcinomatous lesions in the bronchial mucosal sites during a routine bronchoscopy. Methods: This study employed a novel optical technique, known as narrowband imaging (NBI), which allows noninvasive visualization of the microvascular structure of an organ`s surface using reflected light. Results: Narrow band imaging was performed on 10 patients who were radiologically suspicious or had a high risk of lung cancer. The median age of the patients was 57.5 years (range, 44∼81 years), and 80% of the patients were male. All lesions showed a microvascular proliferation pattern (dotted, tortuous and abruptly ending vessel) on the magnified NBI. Two lesions were confirmed histologically to be adenocarcinoma and the remaining lesions were squamous cell carcinomas. Two lesions were confirmed histologically to be a carcinoma in situ. Conclusion: NBI is a promising and potentially powerful tool for identifying carcinomas at an earlier stage or a central lesion during a routine bronchoscopy examination.

Background: The increasing rate of drug-resistant tuberculosis (TB) is a threat to the public health and TB control. In Korea, about 75∼80% of TB patients are treated in private hospitals and the rate has been continuously increasing since 2000. Methods: On a retrospective basis, we enrolled 170 newly diagnosed with or retreated for multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB) in 2004 from 21 private hospitals. We extracted the following demographics and treatment history from patient medical records: initial treatment outcomes, cumulative survival rates, treatment outcomes, and prognostic factors. Results: Of the 170 patients, the majority were male (64.1%), the mean age was 44.5 years old, and mean body- mass-index was 20.2 kg/m 2 . None of the patients tested positive for HIV. Eleven (6.5%) were confirmed to have extensively drug-resistant TB (XDR-TB) at treatment initiation. Treatment success rates were not different between XDR-TB (36.4%, 4/11) and non-XDR MDR-TB (51.6%, 82/159). Default rate was high, 21.8% (37/170). Far advanced disease on X-ray was a significant negative predictor of treatment success; advanced disease and low BMI were risk factors for all-cause mortality. Conclusion: In private hospitals in Korea, the proportion of XDR-TB in MDR-TB was comparable to previous data. The treatment success rate of MDR-/XDR-TB remains poor and the failure rate was quite high. Adequate TB control policies should be strengthened to prevent the further development and spread of MDR-/XDR-TB in Korea.