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Background: The relationship between sarcopenia and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) has been increasingly reported, and there is some overlap regarding their clinical features and pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) strategies. No Korean study has reported the actual prevalence of sarcopenia in patients with stable COPD who are recommended for pulmonary rehabilitation. This study evaluated the prevalence and clinical features of sarcopenia in older adult outpatients with stable COPD and the changes after 6 months., Methods: In this cross-sectional and 6-month follow-up study, we recruited 63 males aged ≥ 65 diagnosed with stable COPD. Sarcopenia was diagnosed using the AWGS 2019 criteria, which included hand grip strength testing, bioelectrical impedance analysis, Short Physical Performance Battery administration, and Strength, Assistance with walking, Rising from a chair, Climbing stairs, and Falling screening tool administration. A 6-minute walk test (6 MWT) was conducted, forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV 1 ), maximal inspiratory and expiratory pressures (MIP and MEP, respectively) and peak expiratory flow (PEF) were assessed, and patient-reported questionnaires were administered., Results: At baseline, 14 (22%) patients were diagnosed with possible sarcopenia, and eight (12.6%) were diagnosed with sarcopenia. There were significant differences in the age; body mass index; Body mass index, airflow Obstruction, Dyspnea, and Exercise index; modified Medical Research Council dyspnea scores; and International Physical Activity Questionnaire scores between the normal and sarcopenia groups. Whole-body phase angle, MIP, MEP, PEF, and 6-minute walk distance (6 MWD) also showed significant differences. Over 6 months, the proportion of patients with a reduced FEV 1 increased; however, the proportion of patients with sarcopenia did not increase., Conclusion: A relatively low prevalence of sarcopenia was observed in older adult outpatients with stable COPD. No significant change in the prevalence of sarcopenia was found during the 6-month follow-up period., Trial Registration: The study was registered with the Clinical Research Information Service (KCT0006720). Registration date: 30/07/2021., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: Poor uptake to pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) is still challenging around the world. There have been few nationwide studies investigating whether PR impacts patient outcomes in COPD. We investigated the change of annual PR implementation rate, medical costs, and COPD outcomes including exacerbation rates and mortality between 2015 and 2019., Research Question: Does PR implementation improve outcomes in patients with COPD in terms of direct cost, exacerbation, and mortality?, Study Design and Methods: Data of patients with COPD extracted from a large Korean Health Insurance Review and Assessment service database (2015-2019) were analyzed to determine the trends of annual PR implementation rate and direct medical costs of PR. Comparison of COPD exacerbation rates between pre-PR and post-PR, and the time to first exacerbation and mortality rate according to PR implementation, were also assessed., Results: Among all patients with COPD in South Korea, only 1.43% received PR. However, the annual PR implementation rate gradually increased from 0.03% to 1.4% during 4 years, especially after health insurance coverage commencement. The direct medical cost was significantly higher in the PR group than the non-PR group, but the costs in these groups showed decreasing and increasing trends, respectively. Both the incidence rate and frequency of moderate-to-severe and severe exacerbations were lower during the post-PR period compared with the pre-PR period. The time to the first moderate-to-severe and severe exacerbations was longer in the PR group than the non-PR group. Finally, PR implementation was associated with a significant decrease in mortality., Interpretation: We concluded that health insurance coverage increases PR implementation rates. Moreover, PR contributes toward improving outcomes including reducing exacerbation and mortality in patients with COPD. However, despite the well-established benefits of PR, its implementation rate remains suboptimal., Competing Interests: Financial/Nonfinancial Disclosures None declared., (Copyright © 2023 American College of Chest Physicians. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a respiratory disease characterized by chronic inflammation. Acute exacerbation of COPD (AECOPD) manifests as acute worsening of respiratory symptoms and is associated with high morbidity and mortality. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the predictive value of white blood count (WBC) and its derived inflammatory biomarkers for AECOPD., Methods: From the Korean COPD Subgroup Study cohort, a prospective and multicenter observational study, 826 patients who had baseline complete blood count (CBC) and 3-year AECOPD data were included. Follow-up CBC data at 1 (n = 385), 2 (n = 294), and 3 (n = 231) years were collected for available patients. The primary outcome was the occurrence of AECOPD at 3 years. The risk of AECOPD was evaluated using a binary logistic analysis., Results: The cumulative incidences of 12-, 24-, and 36-month AECOPD were 47.6%, 60.5%, and 67.6%, respectively. Patients with AECOPD at 3 years had higher baseline WBC counts, neutrophil counts, neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (NLR), and neutrophil/monocyte ratio than those without AECOPD. Higher WBC count, neutrophil count, and NLR were associated with the 3-year occurrence of AECOPD in the univariate analysis, but only the higher neutrophil count was a significant risk factor (odds ratio [OR] = 1.468; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.024-2.104) in the covariates-adjusted analysis. In the analysis of changes in inflammatory parameters, a decrease in the platelet count (OR = 0.502; 95% CI: 0.280-0.902) and NLR (OR = 0.535; 95% CI: 0.294-0.974) at 2 years and an increase in the eosinophil count (OR = 2.130; 95% CI: 1.027-4.416) at 3 years were significantly associated with AECOPD in the adjusted analysis., Conclusion: Our data suggest that a high baseline WBC count, particularly neutrophil count, was associated with a higher incidence of long-term AECOPD., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interests., (© 2024 Yoon et al.)

Purpose: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is characterized by airflow limitation and persistent respiratory symptoms. Several symptom-related questionnaires have been validated to improve understanding for patient with COPD. We aimed to systematically translate the English version of the Lung Information Needs Questionnaire (LINQ) into Korean and to verify the reliability, validity and clinical implications in comprehensive pulmonary rehabilitation (PR)., Methods: The original version of LINQ was translated into Korean by two translators and reviewed by the translation committee. It was then reverse translated back into English. The committee compared the reconciled version in Korean and the original version in English. A cognitive debriefing was performed on the pre-final version, and a final version, K-LINQ, was obtained. A test-retest method for the analysis of reliability was performed within 2 weeks. Concurrent validity analysis was performed using Pearson correlation test of the K-LINQ and other evaluation tools., Results: A total of 110 patients were enrolled. The length, readability, understanding and suitability of the questionnaire rated well in scores for face validity of 52 Korean patients with COPD. No significant correlation was derived from the total K-LINQ and each domain with other scales such as mMRC, K-CAT and K-LCADL. The intra-class correlation coefficient of total score K-LINQ showed high reliability. Patients who attended PR showed significantly poor pulmonary function or more severe symptoms. In addition, a significantly lower score in total score and exercise domain of K-LINQ were confirmed in the group of PR attendees., Conclusions: We translated the LINQ into Korean, implemented cross-cultural adaptation and verified its validity and reliability. K-LINQ can now be useful in various clinical and research fields in the Republic of Korea and could serve a complementary role and become an axis of successful treatment strategies, including a comprehensive PR programme., (© 2022 The Authors. The Clinical Respiratory Journal published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Background: Allergen sensitization and its influence on allergic disease can vary depending on ethnicity and geography., Objective: To investigate aeroallergen sensitization patterns and their effect on airway hyper-responsiveness (AHR) in Busan, Korea., Methods: We reviewed data for subjects who attended for evaluation of respiratory symptoms between 2011 and 2016. The skin test results of 16 allergens (Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus, Dermatophagoides farinae, cat, dog, Alternaria, Aspergillus fumigatus, early blossoming tree pollen mix, late blossoming tree pollen mix, alder, birch, oak, grass mix, mugwort, ragweed, and Japanese hop) were analyzed. Age was categorized as group I (15 to < 65 years) or group II (≥ 65 years)., Results: A total of 2,791 subjects were analyzed (mean age: 50.9 years, female 61.3%). AHR was demonstrated in 15.8%; sputum eosinophilia in 12.1%; and atopy in 31.2%. The most commonly sensitizing allergen was house dust mite (17.4% to D. pteronyssinus and 17.9% to D. farinae), followed by late blossoming tree pollen mix (8.8%) and early blossoming tree pollen mix (8.6%). AHR was associated with sensitization to D. pteronyssinus, D. farina, Alternaria, dog, cat, alder, birch, oak, and mugwort. However, group II did not show any associations between AHR and any of the aeroallergens except D. farina. Multiple logistic regression analyses showed that the independent factors for AHR were ever-smoker status, D. farina, and oak sensitization., Conclusions: Sensitization to house dust mites and tree pollen was found to be common in Busan. These aeroallergens significantly affected AHR, particularly in the younger group.

Background: Disease-specific knowledge is associated with outcomes of patients, but the knowledge level of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients is known to be low., Objective: We measured the level of disease-specific knowledge and defined factors associated with poor disease knowledge in COPD patients., Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional survey was performed in five hospitals in South Korea. At enrolment, all patients completed the Bristol COPD Knowledge Questionnaire (BCKQ), Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS), Personal Resource Questionnaire (PRQ), St. George's Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ), 36-item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36), and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). The data were analyzed via linear regression to identify factors associated with low-level knowledge of COPD., Results: A total of 245 COPD patients were enrolled in this study. The mean total BCKQ score was 28.1 (SD, 7.4). The lowest scores were seen for items exploring knowledge of "Oral steroids" and "Inhaled steroids". In univariate analysis, higher level of education (r = 0.17), low income (r = 0.13), the post-bronchodilator FEV 1, % predicted (r = -0.24), the post-bronchodilator FEV 1 /FVC ratio (r = -0.13), SWLS (r = 0.15), PRQ (r = 0.16), SF-36 MCS (r = 0.13), HADS-A (r = -0.17), and HADS-D (r = -0.28) scores correlated with the BCKQ score (all p < 0.05). FEV 1 (r = -0.25, p < 0.001) and HADS-D score (r = -0.29, p < 0.001) were significantly associated with the total BCKQ score in multivariate analysis., Conclusion: Our Korean patients with COPD lacked knowledge on oral and inhaled steroid treatments. In particular, patients with higher-level lung function and/or depressive symptoms exhibited poorer disease-specific knowledge; such patients may require additional education., Competing Interests: The authors declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship and/or publication of this article., (© 2020 Lee et al.)

Background/aims: Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-f light mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) is a new diagnostic tool for microorganism identification. The clinical usefulness of this approach has not been widely examined in Korea. This retrospective pre-post-intervention quasi-experimental study examined the effect of MALDI-TOF MS on patients with multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteremia in the intensive care unit (ICU)., Methods: All consecutive patients with MDR bacteremia in the ICU of a tertiary care hospital between March 2011 and February 2013 and between March 2014 and February 2016 were enrolled. MALDI-TOF MS was introduced between these periods. In the pre-intervention and intervention groups, microorganisms were identified by conventional means and by MALDI-TOF MS, respectively. The groups were compared in terms of time from venipuncture to microorganism identification and antimicrobial susceptibility test results., Results: In total, 187 patients (mean age, 61.0 years; 56.7% male) were enrolled. Of these, 97 and 90 were in the pre-intervention and intervention groups, respectively. The intervention group had a significantly shorter time from venipuncture to microorganism identification and antimicrobial susceptibility test results (82.5 ± 21.6 hours vs. 92.3 ± 40.4 hours, p = 0.038). The antibiotics were adjusted in 52 patients (26 each in the pre-intervention and intervention groups) based on these results. These groups did not differ in terms of time from venipuncture to antibiotic adjustment, and multivariate regression analysis showed that MALDI-TOF MS-based microorganism identification was not associated with 28-day mortality., Conclusion: Our study showed that MALDI-TOF MS accelerated microorganism identification in patients with MDR bacteremia, but did not inf luence 28-day mortality.

Background: This study investigated the time to appropriate treatment and factors affecting late treatment initiation in patients with multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) in South Korea., Methods: Data from patients with culture-confirmed pulmonary MDR-TB who received treatment at Pusan National University Hospital (PNUH) between January 2010 and July 2018 were reviewed retrospectively. Patients were divided into two groups according to the first institution they visited [patients who were transferred to PNUH after diagnosis of MDR-TB (Group A) and patients who were initially diagnosed with TB at PNUH (Group B)]., Results: A total of 100 patients were included (53 in Group A and 47 in Group B). The percentage of patients in whom line probe assays (LPAs) for isoniazid and rifampin or Xpert MTB/RIF assays were performed was higher in Group B than in Group A [20.8 vs. 57.4% (P < 0.001) and 17.0 vs. 46.8% (P = 0.001), respectively]. The median time from the first visit to appropriate treatment initiation was longer in Group A (102.0 vs. 77.0 days, P = 0.002). However, a subgroup analysis of patients with pre-extensively or extensively drug-resistant TB (pre-XDR- or XDR-TB) revealed that the time to appropriate treatment did not differ between Groups A and B. Although the time to appropriate treatment decreased during the study period in both Groups A and B, this trend was not evident in patients with pre-XDR- or XDR-TB in Group B. Based on multivariate analyses, performance of LPAs for isoniazid and rifampin, performance of Xpert MTB/RIF assays, and the presence of uncomplicated MDR-TB were protective against delays in appropriate treatment initiation., Conclusions: The time to appropriate treatment in patients with MDR-TB in South Korea was not acceptable, particularly for patients diagnosed outside of PNUH and for patients with pre-XDR- or XDR-TB. The use of rapid molecular drug susceptibility tests in various healthcare settings and introduction of second-line LPAs are required., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Background: Risk of exacerbations in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) associated with biomass smoke has not been well addressed, although biomass smoke is similar in composition to tobacco smoke., Methods: To investigate whether the risk of exacerbations in COPD associated with biomass smoke differs from that in COPD associated with tobacco smoke, we recruited patients with COPD from two Korean multicenter prospective cohorts. In a multiple linear regression model, the standardized regression coefficient (β) of biomass smoke exposure ≥25 years was most similar to that (β ' ) of tobacco smoke exposure ≥10 pack-years (β = - 0.13 and β ' = - 0.14). We grouped patients with COPD into four categories based on the above cut-offs: Less Tobacco-Less Biomass, Less Tobacco-More Biomass, More Tobacco-Less Biomass, and More Tobacco-More Biomass. The main outcome was the incidence of moderate or severe exacerbations., Results: Among 1033 patients with COPD, 107 were included in Less Tobacco-Less Biomass (mean age: 67 years, men: 67%), 40 in Less Tobacco-More Biomass (mean age: 70 years, men: 35%), 631 in More Tobacco-Less Biomass (mean age: 68 years, men: 98%), and 255 in More Tobacco-More Biomass (mean age: 69 years, men: 97%). The incidence rates of exacerbations were not significantly different between Less Tobacco-More Biomass and More Tobacco-Less Biomass (adjusted incidence rate ratio, 1.03; 95% confidence interval, 0.56-1.89; P = 0.921). No interaction between sex and tobacco and biomass smoke was observed. When propensity score matching with available covariates including age and sex was applied, a similar result was observed., Conclusions: Patients with COPD associated with biomass smoke and those with COPD associated with tobacco smoke had a similar risk of exacerbations. This suggests that patients with COPD associated with biomass smoke should be treated actively.

The aim of this study is to clarify whether the combined evaluation of resting hyperinflation and emphysema confers any additional advantages in terms of predicting clinical outcomes in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients. We included COPD patients from the Korean Obstructive Lung Disease (KOLD) cohort. Patients with a residual volume/total lung capacity (RV/TLC) over the upper limit of normal were defined as having resting hyperinflation, and those with an emphysema index >10% were defined as having emphysema. We investigated the impacts of resting hyperinflation and emphysema on exacerbations and mortality. A total of 310 COPD patients were analyzed over a mean of 61.1 months. After adjustment for covariates, resting hyperinflation was an independent predictor of earlier exacerbation (HR = 1.66, CI = 1.24-2.22), more frequent exacerbation (IRR = 1.35, CI = 1.01-1.81), and higher mortality (HR = 2.45, CI = 1.16-5.17) risk. Emphysema was also significantly associated with earlier exacerbation (HR = 1.64, CI = 1.15-2.35), and higher mortality (HR = 3.13, CI = 1.06-9.27) risk. Participants with both resting hyperinflation and emphysema had an additively higher risk of earlier exacerbations (HR = 1.71, 95% CI = 1.26-2.33) and mortality (HR = 3.75, 95% CI = 1.81-7.73) compared with those in other groups. In conclusion, resting hyperinflation and emphysema had additional worse impacts on exacerbations and mortality in COPD patients.

Background: The diagnostic yields and safety profiles of transbronchial lung biopsy have not been evaluated in inexperienced physicians using the combined modality of radial probe endobronchial ultrasound and a guide sheath (EBUS-GS). This study assessed the utility and safety of EBUS-GS during the learning phase by referring to a database of performed EBUS-GS procedures., Methods: From December 2015 to January 2017, all of the consecutive patients who underwent EBUS-GS were registered. During the study period, two physicians with no previous experience performed the procedure. To assess the diagnostic yields, learning curve, and safety profile of EBUS-GS performed by these inexperienced physicians, the first 100 consecutive EBUS-GS procedures were included in the evaluation., Results: The overall diagnostic yield of EBUS-GS performed by two physicans in 200 patients with a peripheral lung lesion was 73.0%. Learning curve analyses showed that the diagnostic yields were stable, even when the procedure was performed by beginners. Complications related to EBUS-GS occurred in three patients (1.5%): pneumothorax developed in two patients (1%) and resolved spontaneously without chest tube drainage; another patient (0.5%) developed a pulmonary infection after EBUS-GS. There were no cases of pneumothorax requiring chest tube drainage, severe hemorrhage, respiratory failure, premature termination of the procedure, or procedure-related mortality., Conclusions: EBUS-GS is a safe and stable procedure with an acceptable diagnostic yield, even when performed by physicians with no previous experience.

Purpose: To evaluate the performance of the Prognosis for Prolonged Ventilation (ProVent) 14 score in patients requiring prolonged mechanical ventilation (PMV)., Materials and Methods: Data were obtained from 366 patients receiving at least 14days of MV between January 2011 and December 2015 at a university-affiliated tertiary care hospital in Korea. ProVent 14 scores were assessed using the six standard variables. Model discrimination was assessed with the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve. Kaplan-Meier estimates were stratified according to the ProVent 14 score to predict 1-year survival., Results: The median age of the study group was 62years (range, 50-72years); 65% were male, and medical patients comprised 66% of the group. Overall mortality at 1year was 43%. For ProVent 14 scores ranging from 0 to ≥4, 1-year mortality rates were 7%, 22%, 41%, 52%, and 75%, respectively (log-rank test, P<0.001). The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of the ProVent 14 score predicting 1-year mortality was 0.74 (95% confidence interval, 0.69-0.78)., Conclusions: The ProVent 14 score accurately identified patients receiving PMV with a high 1-year mortality risk. Further validation in a larger sample is required., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: The purpose of the study is to evaluate outcomes and objective parameters related to poor prognosis in patients who were defined as prolonged acute mechanical ventilation (PAMV; ventilator care ≥96 hours) in the medical intensive care unit of a university-affiliated tertiary care hospital in Korea., Material and Methods: We analyzed retrospectively clinical data gathered from the medical records on day 4 of MV between 2008 and 2013. In total, 311 were categorized as PAMV., Results: Their median age was 67 years (range, 18-93 years), and 71.7% were male. The 28-day mortality rate after intensive care unit admission was 34.7%. Four variables on day 4 of mechanical ventilation (need for neuromuscular blockers [hazard ratio {HR}, 2.432; 95% confidence interval, 1.337-4.422], need for vasopressors [HR, 2.312; 95% confidence interval, 1.258-4.248], need for hemodialyses [HR, 1.913; 95% confidence interval, 1.018-3.595], and body mass index ≤21 kg/m(2) [HR, 1.827; 95% confidence interval, 1.015-3.288]) were independent factors associated with mortality based on a Cox proportional hazards model. As the number of these prognostic factors increased, the survival rate decreased., Conclusions: Four clinical factors (body mass index ≤21, requirement for neuromuscular blockers, vasopressors, and hemodialysis) on day 4 of mechanical ventilation were associated with 28-day mortality in PAMV patients., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The aim of the study was to evaluate the prevalence of restrictive ventilatory defect and to determine the risk factors in subjects with spirometrically-defined restrictive ventilatory defect. We used the population-based, fourth-2, 3 (2008, 2009) and fifth (2010-2012) Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) to analyze 15,073 subjects, aged ≥40 yr who underwent spirometry. Chest radiographs were also analyzed to identify restrictive lung disease. Spirometrically-defined restrictive ventilatory defect (FEV1/FVC≥70% and FVC<80% of mean predicted value) was detected in 11.3% (n= 1,709) of subjects aged ≥40 yr. The prevalence increased to 12.3% on using the lower limit of normal (LLN) criteria. Approximately 99.4% of subjects were classified as mild restrictive. Among these, 11.3% had inactive tuberculosis (TB) lesion, 2.2% cardiac disease, 2.0% previous operation scar or radiation injury and/or mediastinal disease, and 7.4% other pulmonary disease suggestive of restrictive lung diseases on chest radiograph. Evidence of previous TB history was independently associated with restrictive ventilatory defect (odds ratios [OR], 1.78; 95% confidence interval, 1.45-2.18) after adjustment for gender, age, smoking, area for residence and body mass index. The prevalence of restrictive ventilatory defect among the nationwide population in Korea was 11.3% with fixed ratio criterion and 12.3% with LLN criterion. Most cases were of the mild restrictive category and previous TB history is the independent risk factor for restrictive ventilatory defect.

Purpose: Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which is predicted to be the third most common cause of death worldwide by 2020, often suffer from depression, one of the most common and modifiable comorbidities of COPD. This study assessed the prevalence of depression in patients with COPD and the association of depression with disease severity., Methods: This was a multicenter, prospective cross-sectional study of 245 patients with stable COPD. Disease severity was assessed using two scales: the global initiative for chronic obstructive lung disease (GOLD) stage and BODE index. Depression was measured using the Centers for Epidemiologic Studies Depression (CES-D) scales. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Spearman correlation, and multivariate logistic regression., Results: Depression defined as a CES-D score of 24 and higher was observed in 17.6 % of patients with COPD. The prevalence of depression increased with disease severity based on the BODE quartile (r = 0.16; P = 0.014). By contrast, no difference was observed in the prevalence of depression among the severity groups using the GOLD staging system (r = - 0.01; P = 0.898). Elementary school graduates were more likely to experience depression than graduates of high school and above [odds ratio (OR) = 3.67; 95 % confidence interval (CI) 1.37-9.85] and patients in BODE quartile II were more likely to experience depression than those with BODE quartile I (OR = 2.5; 95 % CI  1.04-6.06)., Conclusions: Depression was associated with disease severity according to the BODE quartile in patients with COPD. BODE quartile II was a significant predictor of depression. Screening patients with a high risk of depression and proactive intervention for those patients are needed.