Pneumonia Prevalence Upon Chest Radiography According to Vaccination Status Among Patients Under 50 Years of Age With Coronavirus Disease 2019.

BACKGROUND: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination is effective in preventing the disease transmission and progression. However, the relatively mild disease course of the omicron variant and the decrease in antibodies over time after vaccination raise questions about the effectiveness of vaccination, especially in young people. We compared the prevalence of pneumonia and chest X-ray severity score according to vaccination status among patients < 50 years old with COVID-19. METHODS: From January 17 to March 17, 2022, 579 patients with COVID-19, who were < 50 years old and had a known vaccination history in our institution, were all included in this study. All patients underwent initial chest radiography, and follow-up chest radiographs were obtained every two days until discharge. Pneumonia was scored from the radiographs using the Brixia scoring system. The scores of the six lung zones were added for a total score ranging from 0 to 18. Patients were divided into four groups according to 10-year age intervals. Differences between groups were analyzed using the χ² or Fisher's exact tests for categorical variables and the Kruskal-Wallis test or analysis of variance for continuous variables. RESULTS: Among patients aged 12-19 years, the prevalence of pneumonia did not differ depending on vaccination status (non-vaccinated vs. vaccinated, 1/47 [2.1%] vs. 1/18 [5.6%]; P = 0.577). Among patients in their 20s, the prevalence of pneumonia was significantly higher among non-vaccinated patients than among vaccinated patients (8/28, 28.6% vs. 7/138, 5.1%, P < 0.001), similar to patients in their 40s (32/52 [61.5%] vs. 18/138 [13.0%]; P < 0.001). The chest X-ray severity score was also significantly higher in non-vaccinated patients than that in vaccinated patients in their 20s to their 40s (P < 0.001), but not among patients aged 12-19 years (P = 0.678). CONCLUSION: In patients aged 20-49 years, vaccinated patients had a significantly lower prevalence of pneumonia and chest X-ray severity score than non-vaccinated patients.

Screening Clinic for Coronavirus Disease 2019 to Prevent Intrahospital Spread in Daegu, Korea: a Single-Center Report.

There is still a paucity of studies on real-world outcome of screening clinic for hospital protection from coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). As the number of COVID-19 cases was growing rapidly in Daegu, Korea, we started operating an active screening clinic outside the hospital premises. Over two weeks, 2,087 patients were screened using real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction testing for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, with 42 confirmed cases. Before the screening clinic period, an average of 36 beds (maximum 67 beds) per day were closed due to unrecognized COVID-19 patients entering the hospital. In contrast, after the screening clinic operated well, only one event of closing emergency room (25 beds) occurred due to a confirmed COVID-19 case of asymptomatic patient. We report the operational process of screening clinic for COVID-19 and its effectiveness in maintaining the function of tertiary hospitals.

Risk factors for interstitial lung disease: a 9-year Nationwide population-based study.

BACKGROUND: Understanding the risk factors that are associated with the development of interstitial lung disease might have an important role in understanding the pathogenetic mechanism of interstitial lung disease as well as prevention. We aimed to determine independent risk factors of interstitial lung disease development. METHODS: This was a retrospective cohort study with nationwide population-based 9-year longitudinal data. We selected subjects who were aged > 40 years at cohort entry and with a self-reported history of cigarette smoking. Cases were selected based on International Classification of Diseases codes. A cohort of 312,519 subjects were followed until December 2013. We used Cox regression analysis to calculate the hazard ratios (HRs) for interstitial lung disease development. RESULTS: Interstitial lung disease developed in 1972 of the 312,519 subjects during the 9-year period. Smoking (HR: 1.2; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.1-1.4), hepatitis C (HR: 1.6; 95% CI: 1.1-2.3), history of tuberculosis (HR: 1.5; 95% CI: 1.1-1.9), history of pneumonia (HR: 1.6; 95% CI: 1.3-2.0), and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (HR: 1.8; 95% CI: 1.6-2.1), men (HR: 1.9; 95% CI: 1.7-2.1) were significantly associated with the development of interstitial lung disease. The risk of interstitial lung disease development increases with age, and the risk was 6.9 times higher (95% CI: 5.9-8.0) in those aged over 70 than in their forties. CONCLUSIONS: Smoking, hepatitis C, history of tuberculosis, history of pneumonia, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, male sex, and older age were significantly associated with interstitial lung disease development.

Risk of mortality associated with respiratory syncytial virus and influenza infection in adults.

BACKGROUND: Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection constitutes a substantial disease burden in the general population. However, the risk of death for RSV infection has been rarely evaluated with confounders or comorbidities adjusted. We aimed to evaluate whether RSV infection is associated with higher mortality than seasonal influenza after adjusting for confounders and comorbidities and the effect of oseltamivir on the mortality in patients with influenza infection. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study was conducted on adult (≥18 years) patients admitted to the emergency department and ward of a university teaching hospital for suspected viral infection during 2013-2015 (N = 3743). RSV infection was diagnosed by multiplex PCR (N = 87). Adults hospitalized for seasonal influenza during the study period were enrolled as a comparison group (n = 312). The main outcome was 20-day all-cause mortality.We used Cox proportional hazard regression analyses to calculate the relative risk of death. RESULTS: Adult patients were less likely to be diagnosed with RSV than with influenza (2.3 vs 8.3%, respectively), were older and more likely to be diagnosed with pneumonia, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, hypoxemia, and bacterial co-infection. In patients with RSV infection, the 20-day all-cause mortality was higher than that for influenza, (18.4 vs 6.7%, respectively). RSV infection showed significantly higher risk of death compared to the seasonal influenza group, with hazard ratio, 2.32 (95% CI, 1.17-4.58). Oseltamivir had no significant effect on mortality in patients with influenza. CONCLUSIONS: RSV infection was significantly associated with a higher risk of death than seasonal influenza, adjusted for potential confounders and comorbidities.

Inappropriate Peak Inspiratory Flow Rate in the Patients with Stable Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease in Korea.

Background: Inhalation therapy efficacy hinges on proper peak inspiratory flow rate (PIFR) attainment, yet the prevalence of inappropriate PIFR among patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) remains unstudied in Korea. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of inappropriate PIFR, its correlation with COPD assessment test (CAT) scores, and factors associated with suboptimal PIFR. Methods: We enrolled 108 patients with COPD who had been using the same inhaler for at least one year without exacerbations. PIFR was measured using an inspiratory flow meter (In-Check™ DIAL G16). Demographic, clinical, pulmonary function, and CAT score data were collected. Inappropriate was defined as PIFR < 60L/min for dry power inhaler (DPI) users or > 90L/min for aerosol device users. Results: The cohort comprised 87 (80.6%) men, mean age 71.0 ± 8.5 years, with mean post-bronchodilator forced expiratory volume in one second of 69.1 ± 1.8% predicted. Twenty-nine (26.9%) used aerosol devices, 76 (70.4%) used DPIs, and three (2.8%) used both. Inappropriate PIFRs were found in 17.2% of aerosol device users and 42.1% of DPI users. CAT scores were significantly higher in inappropriate PIFR group than appropriate PIFR group (11.2 ± 7.7 vs 7.5 ± 4.9, P = 0.003). In DPI users, female, shorter height, lower body weight and MVV (maximal voluntary ventilation) were associated with inappropriate PIFR. Conclusions: Prevalence of inappropriate PIFR among patients with COPD is 17.2% for aerosol device users and 42.1% for DPI users. Suboptimal PIFR correlates with female gender, shorter stature, lower weight and MVV in DPI users.

Durvalumab Consolidation After Chemoradiotherapy in Elderly Patients With Unresectable Stage III NSCLC: A Real-World Multicenter Study.

BACKGROUND: The PACIFIC trial demonstrated survival benefit of durvalumab after concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) in unresectable stage III non-small-cell lung cancer. Data on the effectiveness and safety of durvalumab in elderly patients is lacking. METHODS: This retrospective study was conducted between September 2017 and September 2022. Progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), recurrence patterns, first subsequent treatment after recurrence, factors associated with survival outcomes, and adverse events (AEs) were compared. RESULTS: Of the 286 patients, 120 (42.0%) were ≥ 70 years and 166 (58.0%) were < 70 years. The median PFS (17.7 vs. 19.4 months; P = .43) and median OS (35.7 months vs. not reached; P = .13) were similar between 2 groups. Proportion of patients who completed durvalumab was lower in elderly patients (27.5% vs. 39.2%; P = .040). In elderly patients, ECOG PS 0 or 1 was associated with better PFS, and being male and having received a cisplatin-based regimen during CCRT were factors associated with better and worse OS, respectively. In patients aged < 70 years, a PD-L1 ≥ 50% was associated with improved PFS and OS. Elderly patients experienced more treatment-related AEs, grade 3/4 AEs, permanent discontinuation of durvalumab, and treatment-related deaths. Among the AEs leading to permanent discontinuation or death, pulmonary AE was significantly more common in elderly patients. CONCLUSION: Durvalumab demonstrated similar outcomes in elderly compared to younger patients. However, AEs were more common in elderly patients. Thus, judicious selection of patients and chemotherapy regimens, coupled with careful AE monitoring, are important factors for ensuring optimal durvalumab treatment.

Performance and economic efficiency analysis of an integrated, outdoor fan-ventilated cooling device.

Recently, the importance of mechanical facilities in charge of the safety and comfort of occupants in buildings has once again been highlighted in accordance with global social issues such as the spread of COVID-19. In response, various ventilation systems are being developed to improve indoor air quality, and efforts are being made to satisfy the indoor comfort of the occupants. Such advanced facilities allow occupants to secure indoor air quality, while frequent ventilation systems can affect the cooling and heating load in the building, and there is also a problem that it can occupy a relatively large amount of space in the building. This study proposes an integrated, outdoor fan-ventilated cooling device and analyzes its performance and economic efficiency. The EnergyPlus simulation program was used to model two types of systems for comparison: an existing (base) model with a condenser located in the outdoor unit, and a developed model with the condenser integrated within the cooling system. The state of the air passing through the condenser was analyzed prior to comparing the efficiency of the integrated, outdoor fan-ventilated cooling device, followed by an in-depth analysis of the performance and economic efficiency based on total energy consumption. In Case 1, the air passing through the cooling system was approximately 5  °C lower than the base model and showed 11% peak load reduction in comparison to the maximum energy consumption. Additionally, a comparison between regions with different outdoor air temperatures showed an average cost reduction of 16% in Daejeon and Busan City.

Outcomes of the electromagnetic navigation bronchoscopy using forceps for lung lesion suspected malignancy: A retrospective study.

Many studies have reported electromagnetic navigation bronchoscopy (ENB) diagnostic yields and the importance of size and computed tomography (CT) bronchus sign. This study aimed to determine the diagnostic yield of ENB alone, using forceps biopsy and cytology. We analyzed the factors associated with yield and complications according to gross specimen size. This retrospective study included patients who underwent ENB using forceps for suspected lung lesions on CT between January 2020 and December 2022 in South Korea. Factors related to the ENB diagnostic yield and complications were evaluated, and the impacts of gross specimen size and cytology were analyzed. A total of 276 patients were analyzed. The final diagnostic yield was 75.5% after excluding indeterminate cases. Sensitivity and specificity were 74.2% and 100%, respectively. Pneumothorax developed in 1.4% (4/276) of cases, with no grade 3 or higher bleeding. Univariable analysis showed that the number of biopsies and the size of the gross specimen were related to the diagnosis. Multivariable analyses showed that a larger lesion size on CT was a significant factor for diagnosis. The gross size of the specimens was not significantly associated with epinephrine use. ENB had acceptable diagnostic yield and safety for diagnosing lung lesions with suspected malignancy. Obtaining more tissue through biopsy may not increase bleeding or pneumothorax complications. Identifying patients with lesion characteristics, including CT bronchus sign, would help increase ENB diagnostic yield.

Development of lung cancer risk prediction models based on F-18 FDG PET images.

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to evaluate whether the degree of F-18 fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) uptake in the lungs is associated with an increased risk of lung cancer and to develop lung cancer risk prediction models using metabolic parameters on F-18 FDG positron emission tomography (PET). METHODS: We retrospectively included 795 healthy individuals who underwent F-18 FDG PET/CT scans for a health check-up. Individuals who developed lung cancer within 5 years of the PET/CT scan were classified into the lung cancer group (n = 136); those who did not were classified into the control group (n = 659). The healthy individuals were then randomly assigned to either the training (n = 585) or validation sets (n = 210). Clinical factors including age, sex, body mass index (BMI), and smoking history were collected. The standardized uptake value ratio (SUVR) and metabolic heterogeneity (MH) index were obtained for the bilateral lungs. Logistic regression models including clinical factors, SUVR, and MH index were generated to quantify the probability of lung cancer development using a training set. The prediction models were validated using a validation set. RESULTS: The lung SUVR and lung MH index in the lung cancer group were significantly higher than in the control group (p < 0.001 and p < 0.001, respectively). In the combined prediction model 1, age, sex, BMI, smoking history, and lung SUVR were significantly associated with lung cancer development (age: OR 1.07, p < 0.001; male: OR 2.08, p = 0.015; BMI: OR 0.93, p = 0.057; current or past smoker: OR 5.60, p < 0.001; lung SUVR: OR 1.13, p < 0.001). In the combined prediction model 2, age, sex, BMI, smoking history, and lung MH index showed a significant association with lung cancer development (age: OR 1.06, p < 0.001; male: OR 1.87, p = 0.045; BMI: OR 0.93, p = 0.010; current or past smoker: OR 4.78, p < 0.001; lung MH index: OR 1.33, p < 0.001). In the validation data, combined prediction models 1 and 2 exhibited very good discrimination [area under the receiver operator curve (AUC): 0.867 and 0.901, respectively]. CONCLUSIONS: The metabolic parameters on F-18 FDG PET are related to an increased risk of lung cancer. Metabolic parameters can be used as biomarkers to provide information independent of the clinical parameters, related to lung cancer risk.

Randomized, Multicenter, Phase 3 Study of Accelerated Fraction Radiation Therapy With Concomitant Boost to the Gross Tumor Volume Compared With Conventional Fractionation in Concurrent Chemoradiation in Patients With Unresectable Stage III Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: The Korean Radiation Oncology Group 09-03 Trial.

PURPOSE: We designed the Korean Radiation Oncology Group 09-03 phase III clinical trial to compare accelerated hypofractionated radiation therapy (RT) using a concomitant boost to the gross tumor volume (GTV) with conventionally fractionated 60-Gy RT in patients with stage III unresectable non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). METHODS AND MATERIALS: A conventionally fractionated RT group (arm 1; 124 patients) received a 2-Gy daily dose to a total cumulative dose of 44 Gy to the planning target volume (PTV) in 22 fractions and 60 Gy to the GTV in 30 fractions over 6 weeks. A hypofractionated RT group (arm 2; 142 patients) received a 1.8-Gy daily dose to the PTV with a synchronous boost of 0.6 Gy to the GTV, for total cumulative doses of 45 Gy to the PTV and 60 Gy to the GTV in 25 fractions over 5 weeks. All patients received concurrent weekly chemotherapy consisting of paclitaxel and cisplatin. RESULTS: The objective response rate of all patients was 86.5% (arm 1, 84.6%; arm 2, 88.1%; P = .612). The median overall survival was 26 months (arm 1, 26 months; arm 2, 27 months; P = .508). The median progression-free survival was 11 months (arm 1, 10 months; arm 2, 13 months; P = .295). The local tumor control rates at 2 and 5 years were 58.3% and 50.7%, respectively (arm 1, 62.4% and 51.0%, respectively; arm 2, 54.0% and 48.6%, respectively; P = .615). There were no significant between-group differences in the cumulative incidence of grade ≥3 radiation pneumonitis (P = .134) or radiation esophagitis (P = .539). CONCLUSIONS: This clinical trial did not confirm the superiority of accelerated 2.4-Gy hypofractionated RT compared with conventional 2-Gy fractionation in patients with unresectable stage III NSCLC undergoing concurrent chemoradiation therapy.

A phase II, multicenter study of lazertinib as consolidation therapy in patients with locally advanced, unresectable, EGFR mutation-positive non-small cell lung cancer (stage III) who have not progressed following definitive, platinum-based, chemoradiation therapy (PLATINUM trial).

INTRODUCTION: The PACIFIC study demonstrated that durvalumab consolidation therapy significantly improved progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) in patients with unresectable stage III non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) after concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT). However, there was no clinical benefit in both PFS and OS in epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutation-positive patient groups in a post hoc exploratory analysis. Moreover, the clinical effects of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) in EGFR mutation-positive stage IV NSCLC were demonstrated to be poor. Personalized treatment according to the mutation status is also required in stage III NSCLC. Lazertinib, a third-generation EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI), is newly developed and approved for use in Korea. METHODS: This prospective, open, single-arm, multicenter, phase II clinical trial aims to evaluate the efficacy and safety of lazertinib as a consolidative therapy after CCRT treatment in unresectable, EGFR mutation-positive NSCLC stage III patients. The primary endpoint of this study is PFS, and the secondary endpoints are OS, objective response rate (ORR), duration of response (DoR), time to death or distant metastasis (TTDM), and safety profiles. DISCUSSION: Our study may extend the indications for third-generation EGFR-TKIs to treat patients with stage III NSCLC. Moreover, using this drug to treat stage III NSCLC would emphasize the value of mutation analysis and personalized medicine.

Robust response of pulmonary pleomorphic carcinoma to pembrolizumab and sequential radiotherapy: A case report.

Pulmonary pleomorphic carcinoma (PPC) is a rare type of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with a more aggressive clinical course and a worse outcome than other types of NSCLC. Pembrolizumab, a monoclonal antibody targeting programmed cell death-1 (PD-1), has been approved as the first-line treatment for advanced NSCLC with robust PD-L1 expression in at least 50% of tumour cells, without epidermal growth factor receptor gene (EGFR) mutations or anaplastic lymphoma kinase gene (ALK) rearrangement. Here, we report the case of an 81-year-old man with multiple comorbidities who was diagnosed with PPC and showed a robust response to pembrolizumab followed by radiation therapy without adverse effects. In the absence of randomized clinical trials for PPCs, our case report demonstrates the potential application of pembrolizumab and radiation therapy for the treatment of PPCs.

Real-world outcomes of anti-PD1 antibodies in platinum-refractory, PD-L1-positive recurrent and/or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer, and its potential practical predictors: first report from Korean Cancer Study Group LU19-05.

PURPOSE: Although immune-checkpoint inhibitors have become a new therapeutic option for recurrent/metastatic non-small cell lung cancers (R/M-NSCLC), its clinical benefit in the real-world is still unclear. METHODS: We investigated 1181 Korean patients with programmed death-1 ligand 1 (PD-L1)-positive [tumor proportion score (TPS) ≥ 10% by the SP263 assay or ≥ 50% by the 22C3 assay] R/M-NSCLC treated with pembrolizumab or nivolumab after failure of platinum-based chemotherapy. RESULTS: The median age was 67 years, 13% of patients had ECOG-PS ≥ 2, and 27% were never-smokers. Adenocarcinoma was predominant (61%) and 18.1% harbored an EGFR activating mutation or ALK rearrangement. Pembrolizumab and nivolumab were administered to 51.3% and 48.7, respectively, and 42% received them beyond the third-line chemotherapy. Objective response rate (ORR) was 28.6%. Pembrolizumab group showed numerically higher ORR (30.7%) than the nivolumab group (26.4%), but it was comparable with that of the nivolumab group having PD-L1 TPS ≥ 50% (32.4%). Median progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were 2.9 (95% CI 0-27.9) and 10.7 months (95% CI 0-28.2), respectively. In multivariable analysis, concordance of TPS ≥ 50% in both PD-L1 assays and the development of immune-related adverse events (irAEs) were two significant predictors of better ORR, PFS, and OS. EGFR mutation could also predict significantly worse OS outcomes. CONCLUSION: The real-world benefit of later-line anti-PD1 antibodies was comparable to clinical trials in patients with R/M-NSCLC, although patients generally were more heavily pretreated and had poorer ECOG-PS. Concordantly high PD-L1 TPS ≥ 50% and development of irAE could independently predict better treatment outcomes, while EGFR mutation negatively affected OS.

Interstitial Lung Disease and Lung Cancer Development: A 5-Year Nationwide Population-Based Study.

PURPOSE: In this nationwide 5-year longitudinal population-based study, we aimed at investigating the incidence of lung cancer among patients with interstitial lung disease. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Data was collected from the Korean National Health Insurance Research Database from 49,773,195 Korean residents in 2009. Thirteen thousand six hundred and sixty-six patients with interstitial lung disease diagnosed January-December 2009. The end of follow-up was June 30, 2014. Up to four matching chronic obstructive pulmonary disease controls were selected to compare the lung cancer high-risk group based on age, sex, diagnosis date (within 30 days), and hospital size. The number of patients with newly developed lung cancer was determined. RESULTS: The incidences of lung cancer were 126.98, 156.62, and 370.38 cases per 10,000 person-years (2,732, 809, and 967 cases of cancer, respectively) in the chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, interstitial lung disease, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease with interstitial lung disease groups, respectively. Of the 879 patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, 112 developed lung cancer (incidence, 381.00 cases per 10,000 person-years). CONCLUSION: Incidence of lung cancer among patients with interstitial lung disease was high. Interstitial lung diseases have a high potential for developing into lung cancer, even when concurrent with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Prevalence of lung cancer in patients with interstitial lung disease is higher than in those with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

We aimed to explore lung cancer prevalence in interstitial lung disease (ILD) patients with or without connective tissue disorder (CTD) and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) in comparison with chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD).We evaluated lung cancer prevalence associated with ILD and IPF using Korean Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service (HIRA) data from January to December 2011. This database (HIRA-NPS-2011-0001) was sampled using random sampling of outpatients; 1,375,842 sample cases were collected, and 670,258 (age ≥ 40 ys) were evaluated. Patients with ILDs, IPF, CTD, or COPD were identified using the International Classification of Disease-10 diagnostic codes.Lung cancer prevalence rates per 100,000 persons for the sample population and those with ILD, IPF, CTD-ILD, and COPD were 420, 7334, 7404, 7272, and 4721, respectively. Lung cancer prevalence was significantly higher in those with ILD than in those with COPD (P < .01).More attention should be paid to lung cancer development in those with ILD as well as COPD.

Pulmonary embolism is more prevalent than deep vein thrombosis in cases of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and interstitial lung diseases.

BACKGROUND: Chronic lung diseases may have an influence on pulmonary vessel walls as well as on pulmonary haemodynamics. However, there is limited data on the occurrence of pulmonary embolism (PE) and deep vein thrombosis (DVT) in patients with chronic lung diseases, which have the potential to contribute to the development of pulmonary vascular abnormalities. We aimed to explore the prevalence of PE and DVT in patients with COPD and ILD. METHODS: We evaluated the venous thromboembolism prevalence associated with COPD and ILD using Korean Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service (HIRA) data from January 2011 to December 2011. This database (HIRA-NPS-2011-0001) was created using random sampling of outpatients; 1,375,842 sample cases were collected, and 670,258 (age ≥40) cases were evaluated. Patients with COPD, ILDs, or CTD were identified using the International Classification of Disease-10 diagnostic codes. RESULTS: The PE prevalence rates per 100,000 persons for the study population with COPD, ILD, CTD, and the general population were 1185, 1746, 412, and 113, respectively, while the DVT prevalence for each group was 637, 582, 563, and 138, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: PE prevalence was significantly higher than that of DVT in patients with COPD or ILDs, while the prevalence of PE was lower than that for DVT in the general population or in patients with CTD.

A prospective cohort study of latent tuberculosis in adult close contacts of active pulmonary tuberculosis patients in Korea.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The objective of this prospective study was to evaluate the diagnosis and treatment of latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) in adult close contacts of active pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) patients in Korea. METHODS: Adult close contacts of active pulmonary TB patients were recruited at a regional tertiary hospital in Korea. The participants were tested for LTBI using the tuberculin skin test (TST) and/or QuantiFERON-TB Gold (QFT-G) test. LTBI patients, who consented to treatment, were randomly assigned to receive isoniazid for 9 months (9INH) or rifampin for 4 months (4RIF). RESULTS: We examined 189 adult close contacts (> 18 years) of 107 active pulmonary TB patients. The TST and QFT-G were positive (≥ 10 mm) in 75/183 (39.7%) and 45/118 (38.1%) tested participants, respectively. Among 88 TST or QFT-G positive LTBI participants, 45 participants were randomly assigned to receive 4RIF (n = 21) or 9INH (n = 24), respectively. The average treatment duration for the 4RIF and 9INH groups was 3.3 ± 1.3 and 6.1 ± 2.7 months, respectively. Treatment was completed in 25 participants (4RIF, n = 16; 9INH, n = 9). LTBI participants who accepted treatment were more likely to be women and have more cavitary lesions on the chest radiographs of index cases and positive TST and QFT-G results compared to those who refused treatment. CONCLUSIONS: About 40% of adult close contacts of active pulmonary TB patients had LTBI; about 50% of these LTBI participants agreed to treatment.

[Aspartate And Alanine Aminotransferase In Fasciola Hepatica]

The activity and distribution of aspartate aminotransferase (EC 2.6.1.1) and alanine aminotransferase (EC 2.6.1.2) in adult Fasciola hepatica have been studied. Fasciola hepatica was fractionated by differential centrifugation into nuclear, mitochondrial and cytosolic fractions. The activity of GOT and GPT was measured by the method of Reitman and Frankel. Isozyme patterns of those enzyme were also examined by DEAE-cellulose column chromatography. The results obtained were as follows: 1. The activity of aspartate and alanine aminotransferase was about 0.55 unit and 0.92 unit per 1 g of Fasciola hepatica, respectively. 2. The activity of those enzymes was relatively low compared with those in mammalian tissues. 3. The distribution of aspartate aminotransferase in the subcellular organelles showed that 71 % of the activity was in cytosolic, 24 % in mitochondrial and 5 % was in nuclear fraction. 4. About 22 % of the total alanine aminotransferase activity was found in the mitochondrial fraction, about 66 percent in the cytosolic fraction. 5. Aspartate aminotransferase from cytosolic fraction was separated into two types of isozymes, whereas alanine aminotransferase from cytosolic fraction gave only one active peak on DEAE-cellulose column chromatography.