Survey on the Status of Breastfeeding in Korean Medical Institution Workers.

BACKGROUND: Human breast milk is essential and provides irreplaceable nutrients for early humans. However, breastfeeding is not easy for various reasons in medical institution environments. Therefore, in order to improve the breastfeeding environment, we investigated the difficult reality of breastfeeding through questionnaire responses from medical institution workers. METHODS: A survey was conducted among 179 medical institution workers with experience in childbirth within the last five years. The survey results of 175 people were analyzed, with incoherent answers excluded. RESULTS: Of the 175 people surveyed, a total of 108 people (61.7%) worked during the day, and 33 people (18.9%) worked in three shifts. Among 133 mothers who stayed with their babies in the same nursing room, 111 (93.3%) kept breastfeeding for more than a month, but among those who stayed apart, only 10 (71.4%) continued breastfeeding for more than a month (P = 0.024). Ninety-five (88.0%) of daytime workers, 32 (94.1%) two-shift workers, and 33 (100%) three-shift workers continued breastfeeding for more than a month (P = 0.026). Workers in general hospitals tended to breastfeed for significantly longer than those that worked in tertiary hospitals (P = 0.003). A difference was also noted between occupation categories (P = 0.019), but a more significant difference was found in the comparison between nurses and doctors (P = 0.012). Longer breastfeeding periods were noted when mothers worked three shifts (P = 0.037). Depending on the period planned for breastfeeding prior to childbirth, the actual breastfeeding maintenance period after birth showed a significant difference (P = 0.002). Of 112 mothers who responded to the question regarding difficulties in breastfeeding after returning to work, 87 (77.7%) mentioned a lack of time caused by being busy at work, 82 (73.2%) mentioned the need for places and appropriate circumstances. CONCLUSION: In medical institutions, it is recommended that environmental improvements in medical institutions, the implementation of supporting policies, and the provision of specialized education on breastfeeding are necessary to promote breastfeeding.

Erratum: Addition of a Co-Author: Etiology of Invasive Bacterial Infections in Immunocompetent Children in Korea (2006-2010): a Retrospective Multicenter Study.

This corrects the article on e45 in vol. 33, PMID: 29349940.

Etiology of Invasive Bacterial Infections in Immunocompetent Children in Korea (2006-2010): a Retrospective Multicenter Study.

BACKGROUND: Invasive bacterial infections in apparently immunocompetent children were retrospectively analyzed to figure causative bacterial organisms in Korea. METHODS: A total of 947 cases from 25 university hospitals were identified from 2006 to 2010 as a continuance of a previous 10-year period study from 1996 to 2005. RESULTS: Escherichia coli (41.3%), Streptococcus agalactiae (27.7%), and Staphylococcus aureus (27.1%) were the most common pathogens in infants < 3 months of age. S. agalactiae was the most prevalent cause of meningitis and pneumonia and E. coli was the major cause of bacteremia without localizing signs in this group. In children 3 to 59 months of age, Streptococcus pneumoniae (54.2%), S. aureus (20.5%), and Salmonella spp. (14.4%) were the most common pathogens. S. pneumoniae was the leading cause of pneumonia (86.0%), meningitis (65.0%), and bacteremia without localizing signs (49.0%) in this group. In children ≥ 5 years of age, S. aureus (62.8%) was the predominant pathogen, followed by Salmonella species (12.4%) and S. pneumoniae (11.5%). Salmonella species (43.0%) was the most common cause of bacteremia without localizing signs in this group. The relative proportion of S. aureus increased significantly over the 15-year period (1996-2010) in children ≥ 3 months of age (P < 0.001), while that of Haemophilus influenzae decreased significantly in both < 3 months of age group (P = 0.036) and ≥ 3 months of age groups (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: S. agalactiae, E. coli, S. pneumoniae, and S. aureus are common etiologic agents of invasive bacterial infections in Korean children.

The Rate of Drug-Resistant Tuberculosis in Korean Children and Adolescents Since 2007.

The incidence of drug-resistant tuberculosis (DR-TB) in pediatric populations is a critical indicator of national TB management and treatment strategies. Limited data exist regarding the rate of pediatric DR-TB. In this study, we aimed to analyze the status of DR-TB in Korean children from 2007 to 2013. We analyzed specimens submitted to the Korean Institute of Tuberculosis using Mycobacterium tuberculosis culture and drug susceptibility tests (DSTs) from January 2007 through December 2013. Specimens from patients ≤ 19 years of age were included. Among the 2,690 cases, 297 cases were excluded because of insufficient data, leaving 2,393 cases for the final analysis. In total, resistance to one or more TB drugs was 13.5%. The resistance rates of each of the drugs were as follows: isoniazid (INH) 10.2%, rifampin (RFP) 5.1%, ethambutol (EMB) 3.7%, and pyrazinamide (PZA) 3.1%. The resistance rate of multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB) was 4.2%, and that of extensively drug-resistant TB (XDR-TB) was 0.8%. The overall drug resistance rate demonstrated significant increase throughout the study period (P < 0.001) but showed no significant difference compared to previous study from 1999 to 2007. The drug resistance rate of PZA in ≤ 15 years of age group was significantly greater than that of > 15 years (P < 0.001). The drug resistance rate has increased throughout the study period.

Sleep Patterns among South Korean Infants and Toddlers: Global Comparison.

The purpose of this study was to examine sleep patterns in a large sample of infants and toddlers (ages birth to 36 months) in Korea, and to compare sleep patterns, sleep problems, sleep ecology, and parental behaviors to global sleep data on young children in both predominantly Asian (P-A) and predominantly Caucasian (P-C) countries/regions. We additionally examined parent and child demographic information, parental behaviors, and aspects of the sleep ecology as predictors of sleep patterns among infants and toddlers in Korea. Parents/caregivers of 1,036 Korean infants and toddlers completed an expanded, internet-based version of the brief infant sleep questionnaire. Consistent with other studies of sleep in early childhood, sleep/wake patterns became increasingly consolidated with older child age for the Korea sample. Compared to both P-A and P-C infants and toddlers, children in Korea had the latest bedtimes, shortest total sleep and daytime sleep durations, and the least frequent rates of napping. Even though half of parents perceive their children's sleep problematic, parental perceptions of severe child sleep problems were the lowest. Within Korea, breastfeeding and bottle-feeding at sleep resumption were associated with increased nocturnal awakenings. Evening television viewing was associated with later bedtimes, which may have implications for sleep hygiene recommendations in clinical practice. The current study provides important information about sleep/wake patterns, parental behaviors, and aspects of the sleep ecology for infants and toddlers for physicians to support healthy sleep in Korea.

Characteristics of anaphylaxis patients who visited emergency departments in Korea: Results from a national emergency department information system.

BACKGROUND: Anaphylaxis is an allergic disease with fatal respiratory or cardiovascular symptoms that require immediate emergency treatment. We aimed to understand the characteristics and frequency of emergency department (ED) visits of patients with anaphylaxis in Korea. METHODS: Between 2007 and 2013, using data from 147 ED from the National Emergency Department Information System in Korea, we retrospectively evaluated patients with a primary diagnosis of anaphylaxis. RESULTS: During the study, a total 23,313 patients visited the ED due to anaphylaxis. The number of patients with anaphylaxis who visited the ED increased from 3.0 per 100,000 population in 2007 to 11.6 per 100,000 population in 2013 (P<0.001). Overall, the frequency of anaphylaxis emergency department visits increased by 1.24 times each year (95% CI 1.23-1.25). The risk of visiting ED due to anaphylaxis by population-based age-specific group was highest in the 60-69 years old (OR 2.30, 95% CI 1.96-2.70). Deaths from anaphylaxis increased by 1.35 times per year (95% CI 1.13-1.62). The causes of anaphylaxis were unknown (80.8%; 95% CI 80.35-81.38), drugs (8.9%; 95% CI 8.47-9.24), food (4.1%; 95% CI 3.87-4.39), bees (3.2%; 95% CI 3.02-3.48) and arthropods (2.3%; 95% CI 2.11-2.48). In 2009, drugs were the most common cause of anaphylaxis in November (35.5%), followed by food in May (15.5%) (P<0.001). Between July and September, stings from insects were the most common causes (P<0.001). By age, food was the most common cause in children aged <6 years (7.6%, <12 months; 9.0%, 1-6 years) and drugs in those aged ≥7 years. The 7-year overall mortality rate was 0.104 case per 1,000,000 population; men accounted for 77.8% of the deaths. By region, the number of cases was the highest in metropolitan areas, Gyeonggi and Seoul; however, the number of anaphylaxis cases per 100,000 population was the highest in Jeju and Gangwon. CONCLUSION: Based on ICD-10 codes, the number of ED visits due to anaphylaxis is increasing in Korea, and the incidence of anaphylaxis varies by region, season, and age.

Assessment of variables associated with prolonged admission duration in children with Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia.

INTRODUCTION: Macrolide-resistant Mycoplasma pneumoniae (MRMP) has become prevalent in children. This study investigated the clinical and laboratory variables of MRMP and macrolide-sensitive M. pneumoniae (MSMP) and identified factors associated with prolonged hospital admission in children. METHODS: A prospective multicenter study was conducted in 1063 children <18 years old in July 2018-June 2020. The 454 had a positive M. pneumoniae polymerase chain reaction assay. RESULTS: Most subjects had MRMP (78.4%), and all mutated strains had the A2063G transition. We defined MRMP* (n = 285) as MRMP pneumonia requiring admission and MSMP* (n = 72) as MSMP pneumonia requiring admission. Patients with MRMP pneumonia were older, more likely to have segmental/lobar pneumonia, and had more febrile days than those with MSMP pneumonia. C-reactive protein (CRP), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), and percentage neutrophils were more strongly associated with MRMP* than MSMP* groups. Percentage neutrophils, CRP, and alanine aminotransferase significantly changed between admission and follow-up measurements in patients with MRMP* (P < 0.05). The duration of admission positively correlated with the number of febrile days after initiation of antibiotic medication and laboratory variables (white blood cell count, CRP, and aspartate aminotransferase [AST]) (P < 0.05). Random forest analysis indicated that the number of febrile days after initiation of antibiotic medication, AST, and percentage neutrophils at admission was over five. CONCLUSIONS: This study indicated that children with M. pneumoniae pneumonia with a higher number of febrile days after initiation of antibiotic medication, AST, and percentage neutrophils at admission were more likely to have prolonged admission duration.

Renoprotective effect of Tanshinone IIA, an active component of Salvia miltiorrhiza, on rats with chronic kidney disease.

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a common cause of end-stage renal disease. Antihypertensive agents are used clinically to inhibit the progression of CKD, but cannot prevent eventual renal failure. This study investigated the effect of Tanshinone IIA, an active component of Salvia miltiorrhiza, in rats suffering from CKD induced by 5/6 nephrectomy. After development of renal insufficiency, the rats were treated with Tanshinone IIA (10 mg/kg) for 8 weeks. Serum creatinine, angiotensin II (Ang II), transforming growth factor ß1 (TGF-ß1) and collagen IV levels were significantly reduced in Tanshinone IIA treated rats compared with a control group. In addition, Tanshinone IIA suppressed increases in urinary protein excretion in CKD rats. These findings suggest that chronic oral administration of Tanshinone IIA can improve renal dysfunction associated with CKD.

Clinical Manifestations and Risk Factors of Anaphylaxis in Pollen-Food Allergy Syndrome.

PURPOSE: Many studies have reported that pollen-food allergy syndrome (PFAS) can cause anaphylaxis. No comprehensive investigations into anaphylaxis in PFAS have been conducted, however. In this study, we investigated the clinical manifestations and risk factors for anaphylaxis in PFAS in Korean patients with pollinosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Data were obtained from a nationwide cross-sectional study that previously reported on PFAS in Korean patients with pollinosis. Data from 273 patients with PFAS were collected, including demographics, list of culprit fruits and vegetables, and clinical manifestations of food allergy. We analyzed 27 anaphylaxis patients and compared them with patients with PFAS with oropharyngeal symptoms only (n=130). RESULTS: The most common cause of anaphylaxis in PFAS was peanut (33.3%), apple (22.2%), walnut (22.2%), pine nut (18.5%), peach (14.8%), and ginseng (14.8%). Anaphylaxis was significantly associated with the strength of sensitization to alder, hazel, willow, poplar, timothy, and ragweed (p<0.05, respectively). Multivariable analysis revealed that the presence of atopic dermatitis [odds ratio (OR), 3.58; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.25-10.23; p=0.017]; sensitization to hazel (OR, 5.27; 95% CI, 1.79-15.53; p=0.003), timothy (OR, 11.8; 95% CI, 2.70-51.64; p=0.001), or ragweed (OR, 3.18; 95% CI, 1.03-9.87; p=0.045); and the number of culprit foods (OR, 1.25; 95% CI, 1.15-1.37; p<0.001) were related to the development of anaphylaxis in PFAS. CONCLUSION: The most common culprit foods causing anaphylaxis in PFAS were peanut and apple. The presence of atopic dermatitis; sensitization to hazel, timothy, or ragweed; and a greater number of culprit foods were risk factors for anaphylaxis in PFAS.

Erratum: Pollen-Food Allergy Syndrome in Korean Pollinosis Patients: A Nationwide Survey.

This corrects the article on p. 648 in vol. 10, PMID: 30306747.

Outbreak of rotavirus variant P[8] in Seoul, South Korea.

An epidemiologic study was performed to determine the genetic variability of rotaviruses in Seoul, South Korea. In 3,174 stool specimens from children with acute diarrhea at five referral hospitals, 571 (18%) possessed the antigen of group A rotavirus detectable by ELISA--10.8% in 2004 and 28.1% in 2005. VP7 genotyping revealed that the G3 type was found in 25.6% of all typed isolates, G4 in 23.8%, G2 in 21.6%, and G1 in 17.6%. VP4 genotyping showed that the P[8] type was detected in 66.7%, P[6] in 15.6%, P[4] in 13.0%, and P[9] in 0.2%. Because the variant P[8] type could not be amplified initially by conventional P typing primers (1T-1), PCR were performed using newly designed 1T-1S primer, which revealed that 307 specimens were the variant P[8] type. Uncommon combinations such as G4P[6] and G2P[8] were also found with relatively high prevalence, 14.6% and 12.8%, respectively. Variant P[8] types were associated with an outbreak of rotavirus in 2005.

Pollen-Food Allergy Syndrome in Korean Pollinosis Patients: A Nationwide Survey.

PURPOSE: Pollen-food allergy syndrome (PFAS) is an immunoglobulin E (IgE)-mediated allergy in pollinosis patients caused by raw fruits and vegetables and is the most common food allergy in adults. However, there has been no nationwide study on PFAS in Korea. In this study, we investigated the prevalence and clinical characteristics of PFAS in Korea. METHODS: Twenty-two investigators participated in this study, in which patients with allergic rhinoconjunctivitis and/or bronchial asthma with pollen allergy were enrolled. The questionnaires included demographic characteristics, a list of fruits and vegetables, and clinical manifestations of food allergy. Pollen allergy was diagnosed by skin prick test and/or measurement of the serum level of specific IgE. RESULTS: A total of 648 pollinosis patients were enrolled. The prevalence of PFAS was 41.7% (n = 270). PFAS patients exhibited cutaneous (43.0%), respiratory (20.0%), cardiovascular (3.7%) or neurologic symptoms (4.8%) in addition to oropharyngeal symptoms. Anaphylaxis was noted in 8.9% of the PFAS patients. Seventy types of foods were linked to PFAS; e.g., peach (48.5%), apple (46.7%), kiwi (30.4%), peanut (17.4%), plum (16.3%), chestnut (14.8%), pineapple (13.7%), walnut (14.1%), Korean melon (12.6%), tomato (11.9%), melon (11.5%) and apricot (10.7%). Korean foods such as taro/taro stem (8.9%), ginseong (8.2%), perilla leaf (4.4%), bellflower root (4.4%), crown daisy (3.0%), deodeok (3.3%), kudzu root (3.0%) and lotus root (2.6%) were also linked to PFAS. CONCLUSIONS: This was the first nationwide study of PFAS in Korea. The prevalence of PFAS was 41.7%, and 8.9% of the PFAS patients had anaphylaxis. These results will provide clinically useful information to physicians.

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma Pro12Ala polymorphism is associated with the susceptibility to ischemic stroke in Taeeumin classified by Sasang medicine.

BACKGROUND: Sasang constitutional medicine classifies mankind into four constitutional types according to individual psychologic and physical traits. We hypothesized that differences among constitutional types might be explained by genetic variations. METHODS: To evaluate the hypothesis, we determined the possible association in ischemic stroke patients (n = 134) of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)-gamma with four constitutional types of Sasang medicine. The constitutional type of each patient and control subject (n = 129) was classified and genotyped for PPAR-gamma polymorphism Pro12Ala by polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) methods. RESULTS: The distribution of the Pro/Ala genotypes in the ischemic stroke patients was not significantly different from that of healthy controls [odds ratio (OR)= 0.46; p = 0.1214]. However, very interestingly, we observed that all six Pro/Ala genotypes in ischemic patients were Taeeumin, one of four constitutional types of Sasang medicine. Statistical analysis revealed that Pro/Ala genotype in Taeeumin increases almost 15-fold the susceptibility to ischemic stroke compared to other constitutional types, Taeyangin, Soyangin or Soeumin (OR= 14.72; p = 0.0110). CONCLUSION: From the results in this study, we might suggest that Pro/Ala genotype in Taeeumin is associated with the susceptibility to ischemic stroke. To the author's best knowledge, this is the first report to study on genetic level the potential relationship between ischemic stroke and Sasang constitutional medicine, one of traditional Korean medicines (TKM). Authors hope that this study could provide a new approach for the study of ischemic stroke and merit further research.

Herbal Acupuncture for the Treatment of Obesity.

Obesity is the state of excessive body fat accumulation and is mainly caused by consuming more calories than are burned through physical activity. Herbal acupuncture (HA), also known as pharmacopuncture, has been increasingly used in clinics of Korean medical to alleviate obesity. This review analyzed four clinical studies and 16 animal studies on the effectiveness of HA as a treatment for obesity. Clinical evidence suggests that various kinds of HA might be beneficial for treating obesity; however, further investigations with well-designed, evidence-based, randomized clinical trials are needed. Animal studies support the idea that HA might be beneficial for the treatment of obesity and provide possible mechanisms, such as anti-inflammation, antioxidation, modulating lipid metabolism and so on, to explain the effect of HA on obesity. This review, based on the evidence collected, suggests that HA could have a beneficial effect for alleviating obesity by modulating inflammation, oxidative stress, lipid metabolism, leptin, and the insulin signal.

A Multicenter Retrospective Case Study of Anaphylaxis Triggers by Age in Korean Children.

PURPOSE: Although anaphylaxis is recognized as an important, life-threatening condition, data are limited regarding its triggers in different age groups. We aimed to identify anaphylaxis triggers by age in Korean children. METHODS: We performed a retrospective review of medical records for children diagnosed with anaphylaxis between 2009 and 2013 in 23 secondary or tertiary hospitals in South Korea. RESULTS: A total of 991 cases (mean age=5.89±5.24) were reported, with 63.9% involving patients younger than 6 years of age and 66% involving male children. Food was the most common anaphylaxis trigger (74.7%), followed by drugs and radiocontrast media (10.7%), idiopathic factors (9.2%), and exercise (3.6%). The most common food allergen was milk (28.4%), followed by egg white (13.6%), walnut (8.0%), wheat (7.2%), buckwheat (6.5%), and peanut (6.2%). Milk and seafood were the most common anaphylaxis triggers in young and older children, respectively. Drug-triggered anaphylaxis was observed more frequently with increasing age, with antibiotics (34.9%) and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (17.9%) being the most common causes. CONCLUSIONS: The most common anaphylaxis trigger in Korean children was food. Data on these triggers show that their relative frequency may vary by age.

Acupuncture for the treatment of urinary incontinence: A review of randomized controlled trials.

The aim of this study was to examine the effects of acupuncture on urinary incontinence and to discuss why these acupoints were selected. Seven databases were searched for any randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that investigated the use of acupuncture or acupressure as a treatment for urinary incontinence, and the Cochrane risk of bias tool was utilized to evaluate the risk of bias in each study. Four RCTs met all the inclusion criteria. The results from the selected RCTs failed to demonstrate any statistically significant improvements in urinary incontinence, although acupuncture or acupressure did exhibit favorable effects on overactive bladder symptoms and quality of life, in comparison with other conventional therapies. There have been limited results supporting acupuncture or acupressure as an effective treatment method for urinary incontinence; therefore, further RCTs are required to confirm the effectiveness of acupuncture or acupressure in the treatment of urinary incontinence.

Sleep education in pediatric residency programs: a cross-cultural look.

BACKGROUND: The objective of this study was to assess the prevalence of education about sleep and sleep disorders in pediatric residency programs and to identify barriers to providing such education. METHODS: Surveys were completed by directors of 152 pediatric residency programs across 10 countries (Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand, United States-Canada, and Vietnam). RESULTS: Overall, the average amount of time spent on sleep education is 4.4 hours (median = 2.0 hours), with 23% responding that their pediatric residency program provides no sleep education. Almost all programs (94.8%) offer less than 10 hours of instruction. The predominant topics covered include sleep-related development, as well as normal sleep, sleep-related breathing disorders, parasomnias, and behavioral insomnia of childhood. CONCLUSIONS: These results indicate that there is still a need for more efforts to include sleep-related education in all pediatric residency programs, as well as coverage of the breadth of sleep-related topics. Such education would be consistent with the increased recognition of the importance of sleep and under-diagnosis of sleep disorders in children and adolescents.

Platycodon grandiflorum modifies adipokines and the glucose uptake in high-fat diet in mice and L6 muscle cells.

OBJECTIVES: Obesity and diabetes have become the most common human health problems worldwide. Obesity's contribution to type 2 diabetes might be due to dysregulation of adipokines and glucose uptake. METHODS: In this study, we performed in-vivo and in-vitro studies to evaluate the effects of Platycodon grandiflorum extract (PGE) on adipokines and glucose uptake. Before study, platycodin D concentrations were analysed by HPLC in PGE prepared in water, in 50% ethanol and in 80% ethanol, and we selected the 80% ethanol extract as the PGE for this study based on the HPLC results. KEY FINDINGS: We found that inclusion of PGE in the high-fat diet (HFD) markedly attenuated food intake, body weight, epididymal fat weight, adipocyte size and blood glucose levels by the oral glucose tolerance test in mice, and maintained serum levels of adiponectin, resistin, leptin, fructosamine and triglycerides. Gene expression analysis revealed that PGE up-regulated adiponectin, and down-regulated TNF-α and leptin in fat tissue. In L6 muscle cells in vitro, PGE increased insulin-stimulated glucose uptake. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that PGE may improve obesity in mice fed an HFD and glucose uptake in L6 muscle cells by modifying adipokines, and could offer clinical benefits as a supplement to treat obesity and diabetes.

Association between subclinical hypothyroidism and Sasang constitution in a Korean population.

Serum thyroid-stimulating hormone screening of asymptomatic individuals to diagnose subclinical hypothyroidism remains controversial. We evaluated the potential role of Sasang constitutional discrimination and ryodoraku testing as an alternative and complementary diagnostic tool for subclinical hypothyroidism. Among 1,105 potential subjects, 1,073 were included in this study. Of these, 134 subjects had subclinical hypothyroidism (SCH) and 939 were healthy (euthyroid; EU) control subjects. Blood parameters, including serum thyroid hormone levels, were measured. We classified the participants into the four Sasang constitutional types, Taeyang-type individuals, Taeeum-type individuals, Soyang-type individuals and Soeum-type individuals, and measured their ryodoraku scores (RS). The mean levels of free thyroxine (FT4), glucose, red blood cells and hematocrit in the SCH group were significantly lower compared to those in the EU group (p<0.0183, p=0.0006, p=0.0162 and p=0.0224, respectively). The mean FT4 level of the Soeum-type SCH patients was significantly lower compared to the Soeum-type EU patients (p=0.0423). The total RS was significantly higher in the Taeeum-type SCH patients (p=0.0253) and lower in the Soeum-type SCH patients (p=0.0094) compared to controls. Ryodoraku testing and Sasang constitutional discrimination have the potential to serve as alternative and complementary diagnostic tools for subclinical hypothyroidism.

Predisposing factors associated with chronic and recurrent rhinosinusitis in childhood.

PURPOSE: There is currently no information regarding predisposing factors for chronic and recurrent rhinosinusitis (RS), although these are considered to be multifactorial in origin, and allergic diseases contribute to their pathogenesis. We evaluated the predisposing factors that may be associated with chronic and recurrent RS. METHODS: In this prospective study, we examined patients with RS younger than 13 years of age, diagnosed with RS at six tertiary referral hospitals in Korea between October and December, 2006. Demographic and clinical data related to RS were recorded and analyzed. RESULTS: In total, 296 patients were recruited. Acute RS was the most frequent type: 56.4% of the patients had acute RS. The prevalences of other types of RS, in descending order, were chronic RS (18.9%), subacute RS (13.2%), and recurrent RS (11.5%). Factors associated with recurrent RS were similar to those of chronic RS. Patients with chronic and recurrent RS were significantly older than those with acute and subacute RS. The prevalences of allergic rhinitis, atopy, and asthma were significantly higher in patients with chronic and recurrent RS than those with acute and subacute RS. CONCLUSIONS: An association between atopy and chronic/recurrent RS, compared to acute and subacute RS, suggests a possible causal link.