A multicenter anaphylaxis registry in Korea: Clinical characteristics and acute treatment details from infants to older adults

BACKGROUND: Although the prevalence of anaphylaxis is increasing worldwide, the large-scale studies in Asia evaluating anaphylaxis in all age groups are limited. We aimed to collect more precise and standardized data on anaphylaxis in Korea using the first multicenter web-based registry. METHODS: Twenty-two departments from 16 hospitals participated from November 2016 to December 2018. A web-based case report form, designed by allergy specialists, was used to collect anaphylaxis data. RESULTS: Within the 2-year period, 558 anaphylaxis cases were registered. The age of registered patients ranged from 2 months to 84 years, and 60% were aged <18 years. In children and adolescents, foods (84.8%) were the most common cause of anaphylaxis, followed by drugs (7.2%); in adults, drugs (58.3%) were the most common cause, followed by foods (28.3%) and insect venom (8.1%). The onset time wa

Luminescence studies on intrazeolitic migration of Tb(III) ions by thermal treatments. 2. LTA-type zeolites

Analysis of the luminescence spectra obtained from TbNa-LTA zeolites with different framework Si/Al ratios treated as a function of temperature reveals that the Tb(III) ions located at site S5 in supercages migrate ineversibly to site S2' in sodalite cages by heating at 373 K. In particular, the cations in LTA zeolites with Si/Al ratios higher than unity are rearranged inside the sodalite cages when treated at temperatures higher than 573 K. This can be qualitatively correlated to differences in local environment of Tb(III) ion sites in sodalite cages.114sciescopu

Luminescence studies on intrazeolitic migration of Tb(III) ions by thermal treatments. 1. FAU-type zeolites

It is observed from the luminescence measurements that the intrazeolitic migration of Tb(III) ions arising from thermal treatments in FAU-type zeolites is strongly dependent on the framework Si/Al ratio. For a low-silica FAU zeolite (Si/Al = 1.37) most of the Tb(III) ions exchanged into supercages begin to migrate directly to hexagonal prisms at 423 K without staying at sodalite cages; by contrast, the cations in a high-silica FAU zeolite (Si/Al = 3.40) migrate first to sodalite cages at 373 K and in turn to hexagonal prisms at temperatures higher than 373 K.119sciescopu

Epicatechin inhibits radiation-induced auditory cell death by suppression of reactive oxygen species generation.

Radiation-induced toxicity limits the delivery of high-dose radiation to head and neck lesions. The aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of epicatechin (EC), a minor component of green tea extract, on radiation-induced ototoxicity in vitro and in vivo. The effect of EC on radiation-induced cytotoxicity was analyzed in the organ of Corti-derived cell lines, HEI-OC1 and UB-OC1. The cell viability, apoptosis, reactive oxygen species generation, and mitochondrial membrane potential as well as changes in the signal pathway related to apoptosis were investigated. Then, the therapeutic effects of hearing protection and drug toxicity of EC were explored in a zebrafish and rat model. Radiation-induced apoptosis and altered mitochondrial membrane potential in HEI-OC1 and UB-OC1 were observed. EC inhibited radiation-induced apoptosis and intracellular reactive oxygen species generation. EC markedly attenuated the radiation-induced embryotoxicity and protected against radiation-induced loss and changes of auditory neuromast in the zebrafish. In addition, intratympanic administration of EC was protective against radiation-induced hearing loss in the rat model, as determined by click-evoked auditory brainstem (P<0.01). EC significantly reduced the expression of p-JNK, p-ERK cleaved caspase-3, and cleaved PARP compared to their significant increase after radiation treatment. The results of this study suggest that EC significantly inhibited radiation-induced apoptosis in auditory hair cells and may be a safe and effective candidate treatment for the prevention of radiation-induced ototoxicity

Eligibility for Lecanemab Treatment in the Republic of Korea: Real-World Data From Memory Clinics

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: We aimed to determine the proportion of Korean patients with early Alzheimer's disease (AD) who are eligible to receive lecanemab based on the United States Appropriate Use Recommendations (US AUR), and also identify the barriers to this treatment. METHODS: We retrospectively enrolled 6,132 patients with amnestic mild cognitive impairment or mild amnestic dementia at 13 hospitals from June 2023 to May 2024. Among them, 2,058 patients underwent amyloid positron emission tomography (PET) and 1,199 (58.3%) of these patients were amyloid-positive on PET. We excluded 732 patients who did not undergo brain magnetic resonance imaging between June 2023 and May 2024. Finally, 467 patients were included in the present study. RESULTS: When applying the criteria of the US AUR, approximately 50% of patients with early AD were eligible to receive lecanemab treatment. Among the 467 included patients, 36.8% did not meet the inclusion criterion of a Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) score of &gt;/=22. CONCLUSIONS: Eligibility for lecanemab treatment was not restricted to Korean patients with early AD except for those with an MMSE score of &gt;/=22. The MMSE criteria should therefore be reconsidered in areas with a higher proportion of older people, who tend to have lower levels of education

Current status of Oriental medicine in treating Korean allergy patients.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the prevalence, compliance, pattern of use, and economic cost of OM in Korean allergy patients. METHODS: A total of 647 allergy patients were enrolled from 10 general hospitals, and were surveyed by the questionnaire. It consisted of 12 items and regarded the prescription rates, reasons for referring, their opinions for the efficacy of OM, and economic costs. RESULTS: A total of 259 (40.5%) patients had used OM, and 35.5% of these patients experienced two or more kinds of these practices. A patients&#39; income or education level did not affect the prescription rates of OM. Of the patients that used OM, 34.6% of them were satisfied with the effect of OM treatment, and 40.9% of them were inclined to continue with their OM treatments. The most frequent reasons for choosing OM were the patient&#39;s belief that OM can predispose &#39;allergic constitution to normal&#39; (30.2%), worries about the possible adverse reactions of the long-term administration of the proven drugs (20.2%), and the safety of OM (15.6%). However, 18.9% of these patients experienced perceived adverse events to their OM treatment such as skin rashes, gastrointestinal discomfort, and hepatitis. The patients that have used OM spent on average $915 US dollars annually for OM treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Many Korean allergy patients are cliental to OM. Some patients experienced a satisfactory treatment effect from OM, however, others had no treatment effect, even adverse event. Therefore, it is important to educate people to use OM appropriately to make harmony with modern medicine