Effect of an Air Cleaner with Electrostatic Filter on the Removal of Airborne House Dust Mite Allergens

PURPOSE: The effects of air cleaners on the removal of airborne indoor allergens, especially house dust mites (HDM), are still controversial. The objective of this study is to evaluate the effect of an air cleaner with an electrostatic filter on the removal of airborne mite allergens. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A dried HDM culture medium that contained mite body particles and excretions was dispersed in a chamber equipped with an electrostatic air cleaner. The number of airborne particles was recorded continuously by a dust spectrometer for 60 minutes. Airborne particles in the chamber were collected on a sampling filter at a flow rate of 10 L/min and the Der f 1 concentration in the filter extracts was measured by two-site ELISA. RESULTS: The air cleaner efficiently removed airborne HDM particles. The air cleaner removed airborne HDM particles (size 2-12.5 microm) 11.4 +/- 2.9 fold (cleaner operating for 15 minutes), 5.4 +/- 0.7 fold (cleaner operating for 30 minutes), and 2.4 +/- 0.2 fold (cleaner operating for 60 minutes) more than the removal of HDM particles by natural settle down. Removal kinetics differed according to the particle size of the airborne particles. The air cleaner decreased the concentration of Der f 1 in the extraction of airborne particles collected on the air sampling filter by 60.3%. CONCLUSION: The electrostatic air cleaner can remove airborne HDM allergens and may be useful as a supplementary environmental control tool for HDM sensitized respiratory allergic patients.

A Study on the Health Status of Korean Vietnam Veterans' Children: A Result of Questionnaire Survey on Vietnam Veterans of Pusan Area Who Diagnosed as Cases by Korean Veteran's Hospital Diagnostic Criteria / 예방의학회지

OBJECTIVES: To propose the referential data to evaluate the health impacts of Vietnam veterans' children whose father were exposed to herbicides in Vietnam War. METHODS: Vietnam veterans who visited to Pusan Veteran Hospital for medical care were recruited from April to October, 1998. They were 71 and asked about their own combat history, symptoms and illness, and health status of their 182 children. The informations were collected by direct and phone interview. Exposure estimation was also performed as exposure score depending on year and unit of participation, and personal episodes related to exposure to herbicide in the war. It classified into three groups; lower( or =53) exposure group. RESULTS: The mean age and the period into the combat of the veterans were 52.8 years and 15.0 months. The mean exposure score was 18.1+/-9.9, and mainly distributed in lower (46.5%) and moderate(52.1%) exposure group. Most(90.1%) of them were diagnosed as sequelae(21 cases) and suspected sequelae(43 cases) of the herbicides by Korean veteran's hospital diagnostic criteria. The major sequelae was peripheral neuropathy 13 cases, chloracne 5 cases, and the major suspected sequelae was hypertension 20 cases, diabetes mellitus 18 cases, liver disease 12 cases, central neuropathy 11 cases, etc. About birth, 42.2% and 16.9% experienced spontaneous abortion and stillbirth, respectively. The mean exposure score was higher in stillbirth experience group(p0.05). CONCLUSIONS: These results were depend on their own answers, and expectation for compensation did not excluded, therefore, this study may have limitations: inaccuracy of informations due to recall bias and response bias. Nevertheless, through this study, we could image the fundamental aspect for health impacts of Vietnam veterans' children for preparing the national control program and policy. A large scale epidemiologic study with valid exposure assessment on the health impacts of Vietnam veterans' children is recommneded.

Availability of Maternal Serum CA 125 in Diagnosis of Abruptio Placentae / 대한산부인과학회잡지

The diagnosis of abruptio placentae is frequently difficult despite advanced diagnostic tool because of symptomatic diversity, so additional diannostic parameter would be useful. Maternal serum CA 125, which is derived from decidua, shows an increase by the tenth weeks and then decreases, remaining low level until delivery.However, within 1 hour after term delivery, CA 125 level shows a second increase, probably because of decidual disruption. Serum CA 125 level was measured in 45 patients between 29 and 41 weeks gestation who were seen with vaginal bleeding and in 30 control patients of same gestational age.Mean(+/-SD) CA levels were higher(p < 0.05) among patients with abruptio placentae(61.2+/-52.9U/ml) than among those with bleeding due to placenta previa(17.4+/-8.5U/ml) or control patients(20.3+/-21.3U/ml).Mean(+/-SD) serum CA 125 level in 17 control patients within 6 hours postpartum(81.7+/-102.6U/ml) were higher than those among patients with palcenta previa or normal pregnancy(p < 0.05).Sensitivity and specificity of maternal serum level of CA 125 for diagnosis of abruptio placentae were 73% and 92% on cut off level of 30U/ml, respectively.

Availability of Maternal Serum CA 125 in Diagnosis of Abruptio Placentae / 대한산부인과학회잡지

The diagnosis of abruptio placentae is frequently difficult despite advanced diagnostic tool because of symptomatic diversity, so additional diannostic parameter would be useful. Maternal serum CA 125, which is derived from decidua, shows an increase by the tenth weeks and then decreases, remaining low level until delivery.However, within 1 hour after term delivery, CA 125 level shows a second increase, probably because of decidual disruption. Serum CA 125 level was measured in 45 patients between 29 and 41 weeks gestation who were seen with vaginal bleeding and in 30 control patients of same gestational age.Mean(+/-SD) CA levels were higher(p < 0.05) among patients with abruptio placentae(61.2+/-52.9U/ml) than among those with bleeding due to placenta previa(17.4+/-8.5U/ml) or control patients(20.3+/-21.3U/ml).Mean(+/-SD) serum CA 125 level in 17 control patients within 6 hours postpartum(81.7+/-102.6U/ml) were higher than those among patients with palcenta previa or normal pregnancy(p < 0.05).Sensitivity and specificity of maternal serum level of CA 125 for diagnosis of abruptio placentae were 73% and 92% on cut off level of 30U/ml, respectively.