Biomedical subjects

Chang Keun Kim

Publications and source records attributed to Chang Keun Kim.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2007

Biomarkers of muscle and cartilage damage and inflammation during a 200 km run.

Ultra-marathon running is frequently associated with muscle fibre damage. However, ultra-marathon related information is scarce. The present study evaluated muscle and cartilage biomarkers, and cytokine secretion during a 200 km running event. Venous blood samples from 54 trained male ultra-marathon runners (mean +/- SD, 45.7 +/- 5.1 years). Plasma creatine phosphokinase (CPK), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), lactate, glucose, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (Hs-CRP), interleukin-6 (IL-6), TNF- proportional, variant and serum cartilage oligomeric matrix protein (COMP) content were determined before, midway and immediately after the race. CPK increased 90-fold (19-fold at 100 km) from pre-race value and LDH increased 3.7-fold (2.2-fold at 100 km). AST increased 15-fold (5-fold at 100 km) and ALT increased 3.9-fold (2-fold at 100 km). Blood lactate and glucose levels did not change significantly. Hs-CRP increased 23-fold (3-fold at 100 km) and IL-6 increased 121-fold at 100 km, and then remained stable up to 200 km, whereas TNF- proportional, variant did not change significantly. Serum COMP increased 3-fold (1.3-fold at 100 km). Post-run CPK was correlated with LDH (r = 0.62, P < 0.001), Hs-CRP (r = 0.45, P < 0.001), ALT (r = 0.89, P < 0.001), AST (r = 0.97, P < 0.001), and IL-6 (r = 0.61, P < 0.001). The present study demonstrated that blood biomarkers related to muscle and cartilage damage and inflammation were increased during a 200 km run and that this was particularly marked during the second half of the event. Ultra-marathon running clearly has a major impact on muscle and cartilage structures.

Adult↗

PubMed2006

Effect of L-carnitine supplementation and aerobic training on FABPc content and beta-HAD activity in human skeletal muscle.

Both regular physical exercise and carnitine supplementation exert a role in energy metabolism and may improve endurance capacity. We investigated whether a combination of long-term carnitine ingestion and exercise training reveals any interactive effects on cytosolic fatty acid-binding protein (FABPc) expression and beta-hydroxyacyl CoA dehydrogenase (beta-HAD) activity in human skeletal muscle. Twenty-eight untrained healthy males randomly divided into four experimental groups: a placebo (CON; n = 7), exercise training (ET; n = 7, 40 min session(-1), five times per week at 60% VO2max), carnitine supplementation (CS; n = 7, 4 g day(-1)), and exercise training and carnitine supplementation (CT; n = 7). Before and after 6-week treatment, muscle biopsy samples were taken from the vastus lateralis. Nonesterified carnitine and acid-soluble acylcarnitine concentrations were increased in CT (P < 0.05), and serum triacylglycerol concentration was elevated almost twofold in ET and CT (P < 0.05). No interactive effects in FABPc expression were shown from any of treatment groups. Although FABPc increased by 54% in ET compared to CON, it failed to reach statistical significance. In addition, there was no change in FABPc expression from any of experimental groups. Similar trends with FABPc contents were demonstrated in beta-HAD activity. It is concluded that the combination of exercise training and L-carnitine supplementation does not augment in FABPc expression and beta-HAD activity in human skeletal muscle indicating that combined treatment does not exert additive effect in fat metabolism. Thus L-carnitine supplementation would be unlikely to be associated with the enhanced exercise performance.

3-Hydroxyacyl CoA Dehydrogenases↗

PubMed2006

Increased levels of BAL cysteinyl leukotrienesinacute [corrected] RSV bronchiolitis.

BACKGROUND: Cysteinyl leukotrienes (CysLTs), including LTC4, LTD4 and LTE4, are pivotal mediators in the pathophysiology of asthma. AIM: To determine whether CysLT levels are increased in the lower airways of children with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) bronchiolitis, as they are in asthmatic children, and to investigate a possible heterogeneity in CysLT levels in children with RSV bronchiolitis. METHODS: Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluids were obtained from children with acute RSV bronchiolitis (n = 20), from children with acute asthma who had no identifiable virus infection (n = 16) and from control subjects (n = 14). BAL cell counts and differentials were determined, and the concentrations of CysLTs were measured by ELISA. RESULTS: CysLT levels in the asthma (70.6 +/- 52.7 pg/ml, p < 0.001) and bronchiolitis groups (21.9 +/- 23.3 pg/ml, p < 0.05) were significantly higher than in the control group (8.7 +/- 5.2 pg/ml). Among bronchiolitis subjects, the eosinophil-positive subgroup (n = 6) showed significantly higher CysLT levels (49.0 +/- 26.7 pg/ml, p = 0.001) than the control group, but this was not observed in the eosinophil-negative subgroup (n = 14, 10.3 +/- 6.3 pg/ml, p = 0.47). CONCLUSION: CysLT levels are increased in the lower airways during RSV bronchiolitis, although their intensities are lower than those in acute asthma. Among bronchiolitis subjects, high CysLT producers could be distinguished from low CysLT producers by the presence of eosinophilia in BAL fluids, suggesting a pathophysiological heterogeneity in RSV bronchiolitis.

Acute Disease↗

PubMed2006

Bocavirus infection in hospitalized children, South Korea.

This study presents the first evidence of human bocavirus infection in South Korean children. The virus was detected in 27 (8.0%) of 336 tested specimens, including 17 (7.5%) of 225 virus-negative specimens, collected from children with acute lower respiratory tract infection.

Acute Disease↗

PubMed2006

Human metapneumovirus infection in hospitalized children with acute respiratory disease in Korea.

Human metapneumovirus (hMPV) is a recently isolated virus, mostly associated with acute lower respiratory infection in children, of which symptoms are similar to those of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection. The aim of our study was to determine the frequency of hMPV in hospitalized children with acute respiratory tract disease in Korea. Nasal aspirates from hospitalized children with respiratory infections under 15 yr old between December 2003 and February 2005 were included in the study. Each sample was analyzed for RSV, adenovirus, influenza virus A and B, and parainfluenza virus by indirect fluorescent assay (IFA). F-gene sequences were used for PCR for the detection and sequencing of hMPV. In total 381 samples, negative samples in which any viral pathogen could not be identified by IFA were 231 cases. hMPV was detected using reverse transcriptase-PCR (RT-PCR) in 28 of 231 (12.1%) children who were not infected with another respiratory viruses. The hMPV-infected children were diagnosed as having pneumonia, bronchiolitis, bronchial asthma exacerbation, croup, and upper respiratory tract infection. Most of the RT-PCR positive samples for hMPV were collected in winter season. These results suggest that hMPV may be a responsible pathogen causing acute respiratory tract infection in Korean children.

Acute Disease↗

PubMed2005

Saturated, but not n-6 polyunsaturated, fatty acids induce insulin resistance: role of intramuscular accumulation of lipid metabolites.

Consumption of a Western diet rich in saturated fats is associated with obesity and insulin resistance. In some insulin-resistant phenotypes this is associated with accumulation of skeletal muscle fatty acids. We examined the effects of diets high in saturated fatty acids (Sat) or n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) on skeletal muscle fatty acid metabolite accumulation and whole-body insulin sensitivity. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were fed a chow diet (16% calories from fat, Con) or a diet high (53%) in Sat or PUFA for 8 wk. Insulin sensitivity was assessed by fasting plasma glucose and insulin and glucose tolerance via an oral glucose tolerance test. Muscle ceramide and diacylglycerol (DAG) levels and triacylglycerol (TAG) fatty acids were also measured. Both high-fat diets increased plasma free fatty acid levels by 30%. Compared with Con, Sat-fed rats were insulin resistant, whereas PUFA-treated rats showed improved insulin sensitivity. Sat caused a 125% increase in muscle DAG and a small increase in TAG. Although PUFA also resulted in a small increase in DAG, the excess fatty acids were primarily directed toward TAG storage (105% above Con). Ceramide content was unaffected by either high-fat diet. To examine the effects of fatty acids on cellular lipid storage and glucose uptake in vitro, rat L6 myotubes were incubated for 5 h with saturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids. After treatment of L6 myotubes with palmitate (C16:0), the ceramide and DAG content were increased by two- and fivefold, respectively, concomitant with reduced insulin-stimulated glucose uptake. In contrast, treatment of these cells with linoleate (C18:2) did not alter DAG, ceramide levels, and glucose uptake compared with controls (no added fatty acids). Both 16:0 and 18:2 treatments increased myotube TAG levels (C18:2 vs. C16:0, P < 0.05). These results indicate that increasing dietary Sat induces insulin resistance with concomitant increases in muscle DAG. Diets rich in n-6 PUFA appear to prevent insulin resistance by directing fat into TAG, rather than other lipid metabolites.

Animals↗

PubMed2005

Electroacupuncture up-regulates natural killer cell activity Identification of genes altering their expressions in electroacupuncture induced up-regulation of natural killer cell activity.

As an important cellular component of the innate immune system, NK cells constitute a first line of defense against various infections and malignancies. Previous studies have reported electroacupuncture (EA) modulation of natural killer cell (NK cell) activities. Our study confirmed that EA treatment increases NK cell activity using (51)Cr release assay. Furthermore, in order to better understand the activation mechanism of NK cell by EA, we employed a cDNA microarray technique to elucidate how EA alters gene expressions in the spleen of rats. We screened EA responsive genes using a high-throughput screening and identified 154 genes. Among those genes we selected 4 genes that are known to play a crucial role in NK cell activation and examined their mRNA expressions after EA treatment using RT-PCR. Our data shows that EA treatment increased CD94, PTK and VCAM-1 expressions while decreased PTP and SHP-1. These results imply that EA treatment increase PTK expression, which increases NK cell activity, through induction of CD94 while decreases SHP-1, which inhibits NK cell activity, simultaneously so that it activates NK cell with high efficacy. It seems that increased VCAM-1 expression is due to INF-gamma produced by activated NK cell. Increased production of VCAM-1 is expected to play an important role in binding of NK cell to the target cell. The result of our study may provide key insights in understanding the mechanisms of activation of NK cell induced by EA.

Acupuncture Points↗

PubMed2005

Peak expiratory flow variability and exercise responsiveness in methacholine-hyperresponsive adolescents with asthma remission.

The aim of this study was to investigate whether bronchial hyperresponsiveness in adolescents with long-term asthma remission is associated with increased peak expiratory flow (PEF) variability and/or increased bronchial response to exercise (BRE). Twenty-nine adolescents with asthma remission (neither symptoms nor any medication used during the previous two years), but with persistent methacholine hyperresponsiveness (PC20 < 18 mg/mL; remission group), 29 methacholine PC20-matched adolescents with symptomatic asthma (symptomatic group), and 20 healthy subjects (control group) were studied. Subjects recorded PEF twice daily for 14 days and PEF variability, expressed as amplitude % mean, was calculated. Subjects also underwent a standardized exercise challenge; BRE was defined as a maximal % fall in FEV1 within 30 min after exercise. The mean (+/- SD) PEF variations in the symptomatic group and in the remission group were 12.10 +/- 6.35% and 10.02 +/- 4.73%, respectively, which were significantly higher than that (5.94 +/- 2.44%) of the control group. On the other hand, the degree of BRE (7.36 +/- 3.85%) in the remission group was significantly lower than that (22.31 +/- 10.50%) of the symptomatic group, and similar to that (5.98 +/- 2.70%) of the control group. Methacholine hyperresponsiveness in asthma remission during adolescence is associated with increased PEF variability but not with increased BRE.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2005

Bronchoalveolar lavage eosinophil cationic protein and interleukin-8 levels in acute asthma and acute bronchiolitis.

OBJECTIVE: In this study, we measured the levels of eosinophil cationic protein (ECP) and interleukin (IL)-8 in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid from patients with acute asthma and acute bronchiolitis, to determine any similarities or dissimilarities in the profiles of these biochemical markers in the two diseases. METHODS: BAL fluids were obtained from children with acute asthma (n=16), infants with acute bronchiolitis caused by respiratory syncytial virus (n=18), and control subjects (n=14). Children with asthma were selected to be free of viral infection. BAL cell counts and differentials were determined, and ECP and IL-8 levels were measured by radioimmunoassay and ELISA, respectively. RESULTS: ECP levels in BAL fluids were significantly higher in the asthma group than in the bronchiolitis (P<0.01) or control (P<0.0001) groups. However, IL-8 levels were significantly higher in the bronchiolitis group than in the asthma (P<0.01) or control (P<0.001) groups. IL-8 levels in the asthma group and ECP levels in the bronchiolitis group were similar to those of the control group. CONCLUSION: This difference in profiles of ECP and IL-8 in acute asthma and acute bronchiolitis, together with a different inflammatory cell pattern, suggests that the nature of the inflammatory process within the lower respiratory tract may be distinctive in these two diseases.

Acute Disease↗

PubMed2005

Maximal airway response to methacholine in cough-variant asthma: comparison with classic asthma and its relationship to peak expiratory flow variability.

BACKGROUND: In asthmatic subjects, not only airway sensitivity but maximal airway response are increased on the dose-response curve to methacholine, and peak expiratory flow (PEF) variability is closely related to airway hypersensitivity and maximal airway response. OBJECTIVE: The aims of this study were to compare the prevalence and the level of maximal response plateau between patients with cough-variant asthma (CVA) and those with classic asthma (CA), and to examine the relationship between airway hypersensitivity or maximal airway response and PEF variability in patients with CVA. METHODS: A high-dose methacholine inhalation test was performed on 83 patients with CVA and on 83 patients with CA matched for provocative concentration of methacholine causing a 20% fall in FEV1 (PC20). PEF was recorded in the morning and evening for 14 consecutive days in 78 CVA patients, and the amplitude percentage mean was used to express the diurnal PEF variation. RESULTS: Fifty-two CVA subjects (62.7%) but only 33 CA subjects (39.8%) showed a maximal response plateau. This difference was significant after correction by the Bonferroni method (corrected p = 0.024). Subjects in the CVA and CA groups showing a plateau had significantly different plateau levels (38.0 +/- 5.9% vs 42.9 +/- 3.9%, corrected p = 1.0 x 10(-4)). In patients with CVA, no significant relationship was found between PC20 and PEF variability. However, the absence of a maximal response plateau and a higher plateau level were associated with increased PEF variability. CONCLUSIONS: Maximal airway response may be an important confounder in the relationship between airway hypersensitivity and the clinical expression of asthma. The identification of a maximal response plateau and the level of this plateau in patients with CVA provide information relevant to PEF variability.

Age Factors↗

PubMed2005

Muscle characteristics in career breath-hold divers: effect of water temperature.

INTRODUCTION: In a previous study we reported that Korean female breath-hold divers (BHD) with life-long experience of diving in cold water (10-12 degrees C in winter and 25-27 degrees C in summer) had reduced muscle fiber size and increased capillary density. The hypothesis tested in the present study was whether prolonged habitual diving at a moderate water temperature (MWT, 29-30 degrees C all year round) similarly caused a reduction in muscle fiber size. METHODS: The subjects were 14 Indonesian BHDs with long experience of diving at MWT, and a control group of 10 age-matched non-diving Indonesian men (CON), selected from the same tribe among which the BHDs lived. Muscle samples obtained from the middle portion of the vastus lateralis muscle were analyzed for muscle morphology by histochemical analysis and the levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) protein by Western blotting. RESULTS: Muscle fiber type composition was identical in both groups, and no difference in cross-sectional area (CSA), VEGF protein, or capillarity between the BHD and the CON was observed. CONCLUSION: The present study demonstrated that prolonged habitual breath-hold diving at MWT does not cause any alteration in muscle fiber composition, fiber size, or capillarity.

Adaptation, Physiological↗

PubMed2004

Effect of exercise training on muscle glucose transporter 4 protein and intramuscular lipid content in elderly men with impaired glucose tolerance.

This study determined the effects of exercise training on adaptations of skeletal muscle including fibre composition, capillarity, intra-muscular triglyceride concentration (IMTG), as well as glucose transporter 4 protein (GLUT4) and metabolic enzyme activities. Percutaneous muscle biopsies from the vastus lateralis muscle were obtained from non-obese elderly Korean men (n = 10; age range 58-67 years) with impaired glucose tolerance. Subjects performed 12 weeks of endurance exercise training (60-70% of the heart rate reserve). The training program improved the total GLUT4 protein expression (P < 0.01), decreased the IMTG, increased the fatty acid oxidation capacity, and the number of capillaries around type 1 fibres (P < 0.05), whereas no significant alteration was observed around type II fibres. All data are presented as the means together with the standard deviation. The results suggest that endurance training evokes morphological and biochemical changes in the skeletal muscle of elderly men with impaired glucose tolerance that may be considered to limit the development of type 2 diabetes.

Adaptation, Physiological↗

PubMed2004

Sputum tests in the diagnosis and monitoring of asthma.

OBJECTIVE: To review the techniques of sputum analysis with relevance to the diagnosis and monitoring of asthma. DATA SOURCES: MEDLINE databases were searched to identify all publications involving sputum studies related to the diagnosis and treatment of asthma from 1990 to October 2003. We also used internal reference files related to sputum and searched bibliographies of relevant articles. The review was limited to human data in English-language publications. STUDY SELECTION: Studies were selected by the expert opinions of the authors for quality and relevance to the evaluation of asthmatic inflammation by induced sputum. RESULTS: During the past 10 years, there have been an increasing number of publications concerning the diagnosis and treatment of asthma using sputum analysis. Analysis of induced sputum provides similar data to secretions obtained through bronchial wash, bronchoalveolar lavage, and, to some extent, bronchial biopsy. The techniques of cellular counting and immunochemical analysis are described along with potential problems and pitfalls of these methods. Clinical application of sputum analysis is discussed as it pertains to the diagnosis and monitoring of asthma and asthma-related conditions. CONCLUSIONS: Analysis of induced sputum is increasingly being considered as a noninvasive means of evaluating airway inflammation and may provide useful information with regard to the diagnosis and monitoring of asthma in select individuals.

Asthma↗

PubMed2003

Absence of association of peripheral blood eosinophilia or increased eosinophil cationic protein with bronchial hyperresponsiveness during asthma remission.

BACKGROUND: The mechanisms responsible for persistent bronchial hyperresponsiveness (BHR) in adolescents with long-term asthma remission are poorly understood. OBJECTIVE: To determine whether BHR in adolescents with asthma remission is associated with peripheral blood eosinophilia, increased serum levels of eosinophil cationic protein (ECP), or both findings. METHODS: We classified 51 adolescents with long-term asthma remission (neither asthma-related symptoms nor medication during the previous 2 years) into 28 BHR-positive patients (methacholine PC20 [provocative concentration causing a 20% decrease in forced expiratory volume in 1 second] <18 mg/mL) and 23 BHR-negative patients. The peripheral blood eosinophil counts and serum ECP concentrations were compared between these 2 groups. Twenty-eight patients with symptomatic asthma (symptomatic group), matched for methacholine PC20 level with study subjects in the BHR-positive remission group, and 28 healthy adolescents (control group) were also studied. RESULTS: No significant differences in the peripheral blood eosinophil counts (262.1 +/- 117.0/microL vs 253.9 +/- 165.0/microL) and the serum ECP levels (15.6 +/- 10.0 microg/L vs 15.8 +/- 11.9 microg/L) were found between the BHR-positive and BHR-negative remission groups, respectively. The BHR-positive remission group differed from the symptomatic group (372.9 +/- 190.3/microL, P < 0.05; 26.6 +/- 11.3 microg/L, P < 0.01) in both blood indices but resembled the control group (214.6 +/- 118.6/microL and 12.1 +/- 4.8 microg/L; both, no significant difference). CONCLUSIONS: BHR in adolescents with long-term asthma remission is not associated with peripheral blood eosinophilia or an increase in serum ECP concentration. This finding suggests that the mechanism underlying BHR in this clinical setting may differ from that in symptomatic asthma.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2003

Bronchoalveolar lavage cytokine profiles in acute asthma and acute bronchiolitis.

BACKGROUND: The pathogenetic basis for the relationship between acute bronchiolitis and asthma has not yet been completely elucidated. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to compare these 2 diseases in terms of their patterns of airway cytokine response (T(H)1 or T(H)2). METHODS: By using a bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) technique, this study investigated the cytokine levels of BAL fluid in children with acute asthma who had no identifiable respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection (n = 18) and in infants with acute bronchiolitis caused by RSV (n = 22). Comparisons were made with normal control subjects (n = 14). IFN-gamma (T(H)1) and IL-4 and IL-5 (T(H)2) levels were measured in concentrated BAL fluids by means of ELISA. RESULTS: The IL-5 level (P <.001) and IL-5/IFN-gamma ratio (P <.001) were significantly increased in the asthmatic group with no identifiable RSV infection and in the RSV-induced bronchiolitis group compared with values in the control group. When infants in the bronchiolitis group were divided into eosinophil-positive and eosinophil-negative subgroups, the eosinophil-positive subgroup had significantly increased IL-5 levels (P <.001) and IL-5/IFN-gamma ratios (P <.01) compared with those in the control group, but similar cytokine responses were not induced in the eosinophil-negative subgroup. The percentage of BAL eosinophils correlated significantly with levels of BAL IL-5 in both the asthma group (r = 0.80, P =.000) and the bronchiolitis group (r = 0.82, P =.000). CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that a subgroup of the RSV-induced bronchiolitis group results in a T(H)2-type response, and this could provide a valuable framework to explain the link between RSV-induced bronchiolitis and asthma.

Acute Disease↗

PubMed2003

The development of asthma in patients with allergic rhinitis.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: We will review data supporting the link between allergic rhinitis and asthma, examine recent progress made towards understanding the influence of allergic rhinitis on asthma regarding future development or progression of asthma, and discuss possible mechanisms through which this occurs and potential preventive measures. RECENT FINDINGS: Several recent reviews have concluded that a close relationship exists between allergic rhinitis and asthma. It has even been proposed that allergic rhinitis and asthma are manifestations of the same disease entity and that they represent a continuum of disease. Allergic rhinitis often precedes the onset of clinical asthma and is a risk factor for the development of asthma. Recognition of this relationship between allergic rhinitis and asthma is highlighted by the recent development of guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of these disorders by the international Allergic Rhinitis and Its Impact on Asthma workshop. The mechanisms by which allergic rhinitis may be a risk factor for asthma are not entirely understood, although a few recent studies have addressed this question. Some clues in regard to the identification of subjects at risk of developing asthma have been provided by recent studies. Several recent reports support the belief that early introduction of immunotherapy in patients with allergic rhinitis reduces subsequent development of asthma, whereas it remains to be studied whether timely pharmacotherapy for allergic rhinitis may prevent the progression to asthma. SUMMARY: Because asthma is generally permanent at the time of diagnosis, it would be of great benefit to identify individuals at increased risk of developing asthma in order to provide a window of opportunity in which the progression to asthma could be prevented. As recognition and early treatment of allergic rhinitis could have important consequences in terms of reducing the prevalence and severity of asthma, there is a need to perform further clinical studies that address this issue.

Asthma↗

PubMed2003

Bronchial hyperresponsiveness in adolescents with long-term asthma remission: importance of a Family history of bronchial hyperresponsiveness.

BACKGROUND: The mechanisms responsible for bronchial hyperresponsiveness (BHR) in symptomatic asthma include genetic predisposition and airway inflammation, but the causes of BHR in adolescents with asthma remission are poorly understood. It has been shown that BHR in adolescents with asthma remission was not reduced by prolonged treatment with inhaled corticosteroids, in contrast to the BHR of symptomatic asthma. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate whether family history of BHR may contribute to the persistence of BHR in asthma remission during adolescence. METHODS: One hundred twenty-six adolescents with long-term asthma remission (neither symptoms nor any medication used during the previous 2 years) and their parents underwent a methacholine inhalation test. The provocative concentration of methacholine causing a 20% fall in FEV(1) (PC(20)) and the bronchial responsiveness (BR) index were calculated for each individual. RESULTS: Sixty-nine adolescents (54.8%) were found to have persisting BHR (PC(20) < 18 mg/mL). The frequency of BHR and the BR index were significantly higher in parents (n = 138) of the BHR-persisting group (28.3% and 1.150 +/- 0.103, respectively [mean +/- 1 SD]) than in parents (n = 114) of BHR-nonpersisting group (16.7% [p = 0.030] and 1.124 +/- 0.088 [p = 0.029], respectively). Furthermore, adolescents (n = 56) with at least one BHR-positive parent were found to have a higher frequency of BHR (66.1% vs 45.7%, p = 0.023) and a higher BR index (1.244 +/- 0.090 vs 1.204 +/- 0.082, p = 0.011) than adolescents (n = 70) with non-BHR parents. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that adolescents in asthma remission are more likely to have BHR when there is a family history of BHR. Further studies are needed to examine the possible involvement of genetic factors in the BHR of adolescents in asthma remission.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2003

Chemotaxis of blood neutrophils from patients with primary ciliary dyskinesia.

Primary ciliary dyskinesia is characterized by chronic upper and lower respiratory infections which are caused by the grossly impaired ciliary transport. Since the cilia and neutrophils both utilize microtubular system for their movement, it has been speculated that neutrophil motility such as chemotaxis might be impaired in patients with primary ciliary dyskinesia. Neutrophils were purified from whole blood from 16 patients with primary ciliary dyskinesia and from 15 healthy controls. Chemotactic responses of neutrophils to leukotriene B(4) (LTB(4)), complement 5a (C5a), and formylmethionylleucylphenylalanine (fMLP) were examined using the under agarose method. The chemotactic differentials in response to LTB4, C5a, and fMLP in neutrophils from the patient group were significantly lower than the corresponding values in neutrophils from the control group (p<0.05 for all comparisons). The difference in chemotactic index between the two groups was statistically significant for LTB4 and fMLP (p<0.05 for both comparisons), but not for C5a (p=0.20). Neutrophils from patients with primary ciliary dyskinesia showed a decreased chemotactic response as compared with those from normal subjects. It is concluded that the increased frequency of respiratory tract infection in patients with primary ciliary dyskinesia is possibly due to the defective directional migration of neutrophils, as well as to the defective mucociliary clearance of the airways.

Adolescent↗