This study is the first nationwide survey for the prevalence of MS in Korea utilizing a national database in complementary way. We found an increase in the prevalence of MS that is consistent with reports from neighboring Asian countries.

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Objectives: Carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning from coal briquette combustion has been a significant public health problem of the South Korea in the past decades. This study estimated the time trend of the consumption of anthracite coal and the number of victims from CO poisoning due to changes in heating facilities over seven decades. Methods: Using Population and Housing Census data and energy statistics, we estimated the number of houses using briquette as heating fuel over seven decades. After estimating the incidence of CO poisoning in a housing unit by type of heating facility, we determined the ratio of members of the household who experienced CO poisoning. Finally, the distribution of the victims was estimated according to the severity of the CO poisoning, excluding victims of intentional exposure. Results: We estimated that total over 26 million people experienced CO poisoning from 1951 to 2018. The household consumption of anthracite peaked in 1986, but the number of victims from CO poisoning reached a peak of about 1 million people in 1980. From 1951 to 2018, a cumulative number of victims of CO poisoning comprised approximately 22,830,000 mild cases, 3,570,000 severe cases, and 65,000 deaths. Conclusions: The peak number of victims from CO poisoning occurred 6 years earlier than when the number of people using briquettes for heating peaked. This time gap is caused by an improvement in the briquette heating system. This finding provides a quantitative basis for the epidemiological studies on the health outcome of CO poisoning in the population.

Purpose: We investigated the prevalence and risk factors of allergic rhinitis (AR), nationwide in random children and adolescents of Korea. Methods: A modified International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC) questionnaire survey was done in 1,820 children from elementary, middle, and high school nationwide in Korea. The subjects were selected by the stratifying sampling method by school grade and five regions. Current AR was defined as having AR symptoms during the last 12 months with a history of physician-diagnosed AR. Skin prick tests for 18 common allergens were performed. Results: The number of males was 945, and that of females was 875. The mean age of the patients was 12.61± 3.40 years. The prevalence of current AR and atopic current AR were 29.0% and 18.7%, respectively. Risk factors for current AR were male (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 1.486; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.189-1.856), family history of paternal AR (aOR, 3.208; 95% CI, 2.460-4.182), family history of maternal AR (aOR, 3.138; 95% CI, 2.446-4.025), antibiotic use in infancy (aOR, 1.547; 95% CI, 1.228-1.949), mold exposure during infancy (aOR, 1.416; 95% CI, 1.103-1.819), mold exposure during the last 12 months (aOR, 1.285; 95% CI, 1.012-1.630), and sensitization on skin prick tests (aOR, 2.596; 95% CI, 2.055-3.279). Risk factors for atopic current AR were the same as those of current AR, whereas breast-milk feeding (aOR, 0.720; 95% CI, 0.530-0.976) was a protective factor. Sensitized allergens as risk factors for current AR were Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus, Dermatophagoides farina, ragweed, mugwort, oak, alder, birch, Japanese hop, cat, and dog.