Seo Hee Yoon

Vitamin D levels in allergic rhinitis: a systematic review and meta-analysis

We aimed to systematically review observational studies investigating the relationship between vitamin D levels and allergic rhinitis (AR).

Relationship between Sputum Clusterin Levels and Childhood Asthma

Clusterin is a sensitive cellular biosensor of oxidative stress and has been studied as a biomarker for inflammation‐associated diseases. Clusterin levels in childhood asthma have not been evaluated.

High-Sensitivity C-Reactive Protein Can Reflect Small Airway Obstruction in Childhood Asthma

Purpose High-sensitivity assays enabled the identification of C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) at levels that were previously undetectable. We aimed to determine if hs-CRP could reflect airway inflammation in children, by comparing hs-CRP with spirometry and impulse oscillometry (IOS) parameters and symptomatic severities. Materials and Methods A total of 276 asthmatic children who visited Severance Childrens Hospital from 2012–2014 were enrolled. Serum hs-CRP and pulmonary function tests were performed on the same day. Patients were divided into hs-CRP positive and negative groups (cut-off value, 3.0 mg/L). Results Of the 276 asthmatic children [median age 7.5 (5.9/10.1) years, 171 boys (62%)], 39 were hs-CRP positive and 237 were negative. Regarding spirometry parameters, we observed significant differences in maximum mid-expiratory flow, % predicted (FEF25–75) (p=0.010) between hs-CRP positive and negative groups, and a negative correlation between FEF25–75 and hs-CRP. There were significant differences in the reactance area (AX) (p=0.046), difference between resistance at 5 Hz and 20 Hz (R5–R20) (p=0.027), resistance at 5 Hz, % predicted (R5) (p=0.027), and reactance at 5 Hz, % predicted (X5) (p=0.041) between hs-CRP positive and negative groups. There were significant positive correlations between hs-CRP and R5 (r=0.163, p=0.008), and X5 (r=0.164, p=0.007). Spirometry and IOS parameters had more relevance in patients with higher blood neutrophil levels in comparison to hs-CRP. Conclusion Hs-CRP showed significant correlation with FEF25–75, R5, and X5. It can reflect small airway obstruction in childhood asthma, and it is more prominent in neutrophil dominant inflammation.

Serum clusterin level in children with atopic dermatitis.

BACKGROUND Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic inflammatory skin disease. Clusterin is a sensitive cellular biosensor of oxidative stress and has been studied as a marker to assess inflammatory diseases. The clusterin levels in AD have not been evaluated thus far. OBJECTIVE We evaluated serum clusterin levels in children with AD and assessed the relationship between serum clusterin levels and the severity of AD. METHOD The study enrolled a total 140 children, of whom 100 had AD (n = 100) and 40 were healthy (n = 40). The severity of AD was scored by using the SCORing Atopic Dermatitis (SCORAD). Total serum immunoglobulin E and specific immunoglobulin E levels against egg whites, cows milk, peanuts, soybeans, wheat, and Dermatophagoides farinae were measured. Clusterin levels in serum were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. RESULTS The mean (interquartile range) age of the children was 5.1 years (1.3-8.4 years), and 92 (69.3%) of the children were boys. The mean (standard deviation) SCORAD index was 50.4 ± 17. The mean (standard deviation) clusterin level of children with AD was higher than that in the healthy control group children (148.13 ± 4.3 pg/mL versus 144.85 ± 5.1 pg/mL; p = 0.001). Serum clusterin levels were correlated with the SCORAD index (r = 0.327, p = 0.002). CONCLUSIONS The serum clusterin level was higher in children with AD than in the healthy control group and increased with the severity of AD. Serum clusterin may be a candidate molecule that reflects AD and its severity.