Platelets are essential for progression of atherosclerotic lesions, plaque destabilization, and thrombosis. They secrete and express many substances that are crucial mediators of coagulation, inflammation, and atherosclerosis. Mean platelet volume (MPV) is a precise measure of platelet size, and is routinely reported during complete blood count analysis. Emerging evidence supports the use of MPV as a biomarker predicting the risk of ischemic stroke in patients with atrial fibrillation, and as a guide for prescription of anticoagulation and rhythm-control therapy. In addition, MPV may predict the clinical outcome of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in patients with coronary artery disease and indicate whether additional adjunctive therapy is needed to improve clinical outcomes. This review focuses on the current evidence that MPV may be a biomarker of the risk and prognosis of common heart diseases, particularly atrial fibrillation and coronary artery disease treated via PCI.

Vitamin D is a molecule that is actively involved in multiple metabolic pathways. It is mostly known for its implications related to calcium metabolism. It has also been determined that it actively participates in the cardiovascular system, influencing blood pressure, coronary artery disease and other vascular diseases, such as heart failure and atrial fibrillation. Furthermore, it has been established that this vitamin is extensively involved in the regulation of both the renin angiotensin aldosterone system and the immune system. In this review, we present the different vitamin D metabolic pathways associated with the cardiovascular pathophysiology, and we include studies in animal and human models, as well as some of the controversies found in the literature. This review also incorporates an overview of the implications in the molecular biology and public health fields.

In September 2011, the Korean Society of Hematology Lymphoma Working Party held a nationwide conference to establish a consensus for assessing bone marrow (BM) involvement in patients with lymphoma. At this conference, many clinicians, hematopathologists, and diagnostic hematologists discussed various topics for a uniform consensus in the evaluation process to determine whether the BM is involved. Now that the discussion has matured sufficiently to be published, we herein describe the consensus reached and limitations in current methods for assessing BM involvement in patients with lymphoma.

Gastric cancer is associated with high morbidity and mortality rates worldwide. Identifying individuals at high risk is important for surveillance and prevention of gastric cancer. Having first-degree relatives diagnosed with gastric cancer is a strong and consistent risk factor for gastric cancer, but the pathogenic mechanisms behind this familial aggregation are unclear. Against this background, we reviewed the risk factors for gastric cancer in those with a first-degree relative with gastric cancer, and the possible causes for familial clustering of gastric cancer including bacterial factors, inherited genetic susceptibility, environmental factors or a combination thereof. Among individuals with a family history, current or past Helicobacter pylori infection, having two or more first-degree affected relatives or female gender was associated with an increased risk of developing gastric cancer. To date, no specific single nucleotide polymorphism has been shown to be associated with familial clustering of gastric cancer. H. pylori eradication is the most important strategy for preventing gastric cancer in first-degree relatives of gastric cancer patients, particularly those in their 20s and 30s. Early H. pylori eradication could prevent the progression to intestinal metaplasia and reduce the synergistic effect on gastric carcinogenesis in individuals with both H. pylori infection and a family history. Endoscopic surveillance is also expected to benefit individuals with a family history. Further large-scale, prospective studies are warranted to evaluate the cost-effectiveness and optimal time point for endoscopy in this population. Moreover, genome-wide association studies that incorporate environmental and dietary factors on a 'big data' basis will increase our understanding of the pathogenesis of gastric cancer.

Sarcopenia is an age-associated loss of muscle mass and decline in muscle strength; it is common in older adults and is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Despite its prevalence, there is currently no universally adopted definition of sarcopenia. In addition to low muscle mass measurements, recent research has recognized the importance of muscle strength and physical performance. Aging induces changes in body composition, such as an increase in visceral fat and reduced muscle mass. Recently, the new concept of sarcopenic obesity has emerged, reflecting a combination of sarcopenia and obesity. The rapidly increasing prevalence and serious consequences of sarcopenic obesity are recognized as a critical public health risk in the aging society. Sarcopenia and obesity share several pathophysiological mechanisms, and they may potentiate each other. The present paper reviews the definitions and techniques used to measure sarcopenia, as well as the health outcomes of sarcopenic obesity. It also highlights the role of diminished muscle mass and strength in cardiometabolic disease mortality. Additional research may be needed to promote the identification and management of sarcopenia and sarcopenic obesity in the elderly population.

Background/Aims: Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) of a superficial esophageal neoplasm (SEN) is a technically difficult procedure. We investigated the clinical outcomes of ESD to determine its feasibility and effectiveness for the treatment of SEN. Methods: Patients who underwent ESD for SEN between August 2005 and June 2014 were eligible for this study. The clinical features of patients and tumors, histopathologic characteristics, adverse events, results of endoscopic resection, and survival were investigated. Results: ESD was performed in 225 patients with 261 lesions, including 70 cases (26.8%) of dysplasias and 191 cases (73.2%) of squamous cell carcinomas. The median age was 65 years (range, 44 to 86), and the male to female ratio was 21.5:1. Median tumor size was 37 mm (range, 5 to 85) and median procedure time was 45 minutes (range, 9 to 160). En bloc resection was performed in 245 of 261 lesions (93.9%), with complete resection in 234 lesions (89.7%) and curative resection in 201 lesions (77.0%). Adverse events occurred in 33 cases (12.6%), including bleeding (1.5%), perforation (4.6%), and stricture (6.5%). During a median follow-up period of 35.0 months (interquartile range, 18 to 62), none of the patients showed local recurrence. The 5-year overall and disease-specific survival rates were 89.7% and 100%, respectively. Conclusions: ESD is a feasible and effective procedure for the treatment of SEN based on our 10-year experience, which showed favorable outcomes.

Background/Aims: To compare the diagnostic accuracy of endoscopic ultrasound-guided core needle aspiration with that of standard fine-needle aspiration by systematic review and meta-analysis. Methods: Studies using 22/25-gauge core needles, irrespective of comparison with standard fine needles, were comprehensively reviewed. Pooled sensitivity, specificity, diagnostic odds ratio (DOR), and summary receiver operating characteristic curves for the diagnosis of malignancy were used to estimate the overall diagnostic efficiency. Results: The pooled sensitivity, specificity, and DOR of the core needle for the diagnosis of malignancy were 0.88 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.84 to 0.90), 0.99 (95% CI, 0.96 to 1), and 167.37 (95% CI, 65.77 to 425.91), respectively. The pooled sensitivity, specificity, and DOR of the standard needle were 0.84 (95% CI, 0.79 to 0.88), 1 (95% CI, 0.97 to 1), and 130.14 (95% CI, 34.00 to 495.35), respectively. The area under the curve of core and standard needle in the diagnosis of malignancy was 0.974 and 0.955, respectively. The core and standard needle were comparable in terms of pancreatic malignancy diagnosis. There was no significant difference in procurement of optimal histologic cores between core and standard needles (risk ratio [RR], 0.545; 95% CI, 0.187 to 1.589). The number of needle passes for diagnosis was significantly lower with the core needle (standardized mean difference, -0.72; 95% CI, -1.02 to -0.41). There were no significant differences in overall complications (RR, 1.26; 95% CI, 0.34 to 4.62) and technical failure (RR, 5.07; 95% CI, 0.68 to 37.64). Conclusions: Core and standard needles were comparable in terms of diagnostic accuracy, technical performance, and safety profile.

Background/Aims: This study appraised the long term clinical outcomes of patients treated with percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for unprotected left main coronary artery (ULMCA) disease. There are limited data regarding long-term clinical outcomes after PCI for ULMCA disease. Methods: From 2001 to 2011, a total of 448 patients who underwent PCI for ULMCA disease and had 2-year clinical follow-up, were analyzed. The study patients were divided into two groups: group I (stable angina pectoris [SAP], n = 60, 48 men, $62{\pm}10years$) and group II (acute coronary syndrome [ACS], n = 388, 291 men, $64{\pm}10years$). We evaluated clinical and angiographic characteristics and major adverse cardiac events (MACE) during 2-year clinical follow-up. Results: Mean age of studied patients was $64{\pm}10years$ with 339 male patients. Average stent diameter was $3.6{\pm}0.4mm$ and stent length was $19.7{\pm}6.3mm$. Stent implantation techniques and use of intravascular ultrasound guidance were not different between two groups. In-hospital mortality was 0% in group I and 7% in group II (p = 0.035). One-month mortality was 0% in group I and 7.7% in group II (p = 0.968). Two-year survival rate was 93% in the group I and 88.4% in the group II (p = 0.921). Predictive factors for 2-year MACE were hypertension, Killip class ${\geq}3$, and use of intra-aortic balloon pump by multivariate analysis. Conclusions: Although in-hospital mortality rate was higher in ACS than in SAP, clinical outcomes during 2-year clinical follow-up were similar between SAP and ACS after PCI of ULMCA.

Background/Aims: Because of the inflammatory nature of coronary artery disease (CAD), both platelets and white blood cells have been investigated for years. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationships between some prominently hematologic blood count parameters (mean platelet volume [MPV], neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio [NLR]) and the severity of CAD by using Gensini scores. Methods: A total of 194 patients, who had undergone coronary angiography, enrolled in this study. The control group consisted of 42 patients who had normal coronary arteries. Remaining CAD patients were divided into two groups according to their Gensini scores. Results: NLR and MPV were higher in the severe atherosclerosis group compared with the mild atherosclerosis group (p = 0.007, p = 0.005, respectively). The Gensini score showed significant correlations with NLR (r = 0.20, p = 0.011), MPV (r = 0.23, p = 0.004) and high density lipoprotein cholesterol (r = -0.161, p = 0.047). Using a cut-off level of 2.54, NLR predicted severe atherosclerosis with a sensitivity of 74% and specificity of 53% (area under curve [AUC], 0.627; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.545 to 0.704; p = 0.004). MPV values above 10.4 predicted severe atherosclerosis with a sensitivity of 39% and specificity of 90% (AUC, 0.631; 95% CI, 0.549 to 0.708; p = 0.003). In the multiple logistic regression analysis, high levels of NLR (odds ratio [OR], 1.450; 95% CI, 1.080 to 1.945; p = 0.013) and MPV (OR, 1.622; 95% CI, 1.147 to 2.295; p = 0.006) were found to be independent predictors of severe atherosclerosis. Conclusions: Our study suggests that both NLR and MPV are predictors of severe atherosclerosis and may be used for the prediction and identification of cardiac risks in CAD patients.

Background/Aims: The pulmonary abnormalities (principally restrictive abnormalities) are characteristic of renal transplant recipients or those with end-stage renal disease. Our aim was to explore whether the prevalence of spirometric abnormalities was influenced by the estimated glomerular filtration rates (GFRs) in a Korean general population. Methods: We used data obtained during the 2010 to 2012 Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, a national cross-sectional survey. We analyzed data from subjects for whom spirometric assays and estimated GFRs were of acceptable quality. Results: A total of 8,809 subjects (3,868 male and 4,941 female) was included. In both males and females with GFR values < $60mL/min/1.73m^2$, the linear trends toward the presence of obstructive and restrictive patterns were significant. However, the percent predicted forced vital capacity (FVC) decreased with a decline in the estimated GFR, but only in males (p for trend < 0.0031). Multivariate linear regression analysis showed a decline in the estimated GFR was independently associated with falls in the percent predicted FVC and the forced expiratory volume in 1 second/FVC ratio in both males and females. However, the percent predicted FVC was independently predictive only in males (p = 0.002). Conclusions: Impaired pulmonary function was associated with a decline in the estimated GFR. The percent predicted FVC decrease paralleled the decline in estimated GFR in male only. Careful interpretation of pulmonary function test data is required in patients with decreased GFRs or impaired renal function, especially males.

Background/Aims: Elevated lipoprotein(a) (Lp[a]) level is known to be a risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD). However, the data that has been reported on the association between the Lp(a) level and CVD in type 2 diabetes has been limited and incoherent. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between the Lp(a) concentration and new onset CVD in type 2 diabetes. Methods: From March 2003 to December 2004, patients with type 2 diabetes without a prior history of CVD were consecutively enrolled. CVD was defined as the occurrence of coronary artery disease or ischemic stroke. Cox proportional hazards models were used to identify the associations between the Lp(a) and CVD after adjusting for confounding variables. Results: Of the 1,183 patients who were enrolled, 833 participants were evaluated with a median follow-up time of 11.1 years. A total of 202 participants were diagnosed with CVD (24.2%). The median Lp(a) level for 1st and 4th quartile group was 5.4 (3.5 to 7.1) and 55.7 mg/dL (43.1 to 75.3). Compared with patients without CVD, those with CVD were older, had a longer duration of diabetes and hypertension, and used more insulin and angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors/angiotensin receptor blockers at baseline. A Cox hazard regression analysis revealed that the development of CVD was significantly associated with serum Lp(a) level (hazard ratio, 1.92; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.26 to 2.92; p < 0.001, comparing the 4th vs. 1st quartile of Lp[a]). Conclusions: Elevated Lp(a) level was an independent predictable risk factor for CVD in type 2 diabetes. Other cardiovascular risk factors should be treated more intensively in type 2 diabetic patients with high Lp(a) levels.

Background/Aims: An updated chronic kidney disease (CKD) definition and classification were proposed by Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO), with adoption of a new equation to estimate glomerular filtration rate (GFR) and albuminuria to evaluate kidney structural damage. This study was performed to estimate the prevalence of CKD in the Korean adult population as defined and classified by the KDIGO guidelines. Methods: Cross-sectional samples of the fifth Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey for 2011 to 2012 were examined for adults $aged{\geq}19years$. CKD prevalence was determined based on decreased GFR and albuminuria. The GFR was estimated using the CKD Epidemiology Collaboration creatinine equation, and albuminuria was evaluated using the albumin-to-creatinine ratio (ACR) in spot urine. Results: Of the 16,576 subjects participating in the survey, 10,636 (4,758 men, 5,878 women) were included in the present study. The prevalence of CKD was estimated as 7.9% (7.8% in 2011 and 8.0% in 2012, p = 0.770). The prevalence of low, moderately increased, high, and very high CKD risk prognosis was 92.0%, 6.3%, 1.1%, and 0.6%, respectively. The prevalence of albuminuria ($ACR{\geq}30mg/g$) in individuals with $GFR{\geq}60mL/min/1.73m^2$ has reached 5.7%. The odds ratios of hypertension and diabetes to CKD were 3.4 and 3.1 in men, and 2.9 and 2.0 in women (all p < 0.001), respectively. Conclusions: A large percentage of CKD patients had albuminuria prior to a decrease in GFR. Regular laboratory tests for albuminuria for the high-risk group, and especially for hypertensive or diabetic patients, might improve detection of CKD at an early stage.

Background/Aims: Inadequacy of dialysis is associated with morbidity and mortality in chronic hemodialysis (HD) patients. Blood flow rate (BFR) during HD is one of the important determinants of increasing dialysis dose. However, the optimal BFR is unclear. In this study, we investigated the impact of the BFR on all-cause mortality in chronic HD patients. Methods: Prevalent HD patients were selected from Clinical Research Center registry for end-stage renal disease cohort in Korea. We categorized patients into two groups by BFR < 250 and ${\geq}250mL/min$ according to the median value of BFR 250 mL/min in this study. The primary outcome was all-cause mortality. Results: A total of 1,129 prevalent HD patients were included. The number of patients in the BFR < 250 mL/min was 271 (24%) and in the $BFR{\geq}250mL/min$ was 858 (76%). The median follow-up period was 30 months. Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that the mortality rate was significantly higher in patients with BFR < 250 mL/min than those with $BFR{\geq}250mL/min$ (p = 0.042, log-rank). In the multi-variate Cox regression analyses, patients with BFR < 250 mL/min had higher all-cause mortality than those with $BFR{\geq}250mL/min$ (hazard ratio, 1.66; 95% confidence interval, 1.00 to 2.73; p = 0.048). Conclusions: Our data showed that BFR < 250 mL/min during HD was associated with higher all-cause mortality in chronic HD patients.

Background/Aims: Pretreatment nutritional status is an important prognostic factor in patients treated with conventional cytotoxic chemotherapy. In the era of target therapies, its value is overlooked and has not been investigated. The aim of our study is to evaluate the value of nutritional status in targeted therapy. Methods: A total of 2012 patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) were reviewed and 630 patients with activating epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutation treated with EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) were enrolled for the final analysis. Anemia, body mass index (BMI), and prognostic nutritional index (PNI) were considered as nutritional factors. Hazard ratio (HR), progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) for each group were calculated by Cox proportional analysis. In addition, scores were applied for each category and the sum of scores was used for survival analysis. Results: In univariable analysis, anemia (HR, 1.29; p = 0.015), BMI lower than 18.5 (HR, 1.98; p = 0.002), and PNI lower than 45 (HR, 1.57; p < 0.001) were poor prognostic factors for PFS. Among them, BMI and PNI were independent in multi-variable analysis. All of these were also significant prognostic values for OS. The higher the sum of scores, the poorer PFS and OS were observed. Conclusions: Pretreatment nutritional status is a prognostic marker in NSCLC patients treated with EGFR TKI. Hence, baseline nutritional status should be more carefully evaluated and adequate nutrition should be supplied to these patients.

Background/Aims: Inhaled corticosteroids are the most effective treatment currently available for asthma, but their beneficial effect against airway remodeling is limited. The tyrosine kinase inhibitor nilotinib has inhibitory activity against c-kit and the platelet-derived growth factor receptor. We compared the effects of fluticasone and nilotinib on airway remodeling in a chronic asthma model. We also examined whether co-treatment with nilotinib and fluticasone had any synergistic effect in preventing airway remodeling. Methods: We developed a mouse model of airway remodeling, including smooth muscle thickening, in which ovalbumin (OVA)-sensitized female BALB/c-mice were repeatedly exposed to intranasal OVA administration twice per week for 3 months. Mice were treated with fluticasone and/or nilotinib intranasally during the OVA challenge. Results: Mice chronically exposed to OVA developed eosinophilic airway inflammation and showed features of airway remodeling, including thickening of the peribronchial smooth muscle layer. Both f luticasone and nilotinib attenuated airway smooth muscle thickening. However, only nilotinib suppressed fibrotic changes, demonstrating inhibition of collagen deposition. Fluticasone reduced pro-inflammatory cells, such as eosinophils, and several cytokines, such as interleukin 4 (IL-4), IL-5, and IL-13, induced by repeated OVA challenges. On the other hand, nilotinib reduced transforming growth factor ${\beta}1$ levels in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and inhibited fibroblast proliferation significantly. Conclusions: These results suggest that fluticasone and nilotinib suppressed airway remodeling in this chronic asthma model through anti-inflammatory and anti-fibrotic pathways, respectively.

Background/Aims: Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) in critically ill patients with prolonged length of hospital stay and increased medical costs. The aim of this study is to assess whether daily chlorhexidine gluconate (CHG) bathing will significantly reduce the rates of HAIs in adult intensive care units (ICUs). Methods: PubMed, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials were systematically searched until December 31, 2014 to identify relevant studies. Two authors independently reviewed and extracted data from included studies. All data was analyzed by Review Manager version 5.3. Results: Fifteen studies including three randomized controlled trials and 12 quasi-experimental studies were available in this study. The outcomes showed that daily CHG bathing were associated with significant reduction in the rates of primary outcomes: catheter-related bloodstream infection (risk ratio [RR], 0.44; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.32 to 0.63; p < 0.00001), catheter-associated urinary tract infection (RR, 0.68; 95% CI, 0.52 to 0.88; p = 0.004), ventilator-associated pneumonia (RR, 0.73; 95% CI, 0.57 to 0.93; p = 0.01), acquisition of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (RR, 0.78; 95% CI, 0.68 to 0.91; p = 0.001) and vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus (RR, 0.56; 95% CI, 0.31 to 0.99; p = 0.05). Conclusions: Our study suggests that the use of daily CHG bathing can significantly prevent HAIs in ICUs. However, more well-designed studies are needed to confirm these findings.

Background/Aims: Neuropsychiatric systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) includes a broad spectrum of neurologic and psychiatric manifestations. One of the most commonly observed neuropsychiatric symptoms is headache. However, the lack of specific clinical distinctions for headache in SLE has made it difficult to elucidate its pathophysiology. The aim of this study is to evaluate the neurometabolic changes using Proton Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy ($^1H-MRS$) in patients with SLE who suffer from chronic daily headache (CDH). Methods: SLE and fibromyalgia patients with CDH and healthy controls were recruited (n = 9, n = 5, and n = 6, respectively). $^1H-MRS$ metabolite ratios were evaluated in bilateral basal ganglia (BG) and bilateral peritrigonal white matter (PWM). Results: $^1H-MRS$ showed a significantly decreased N-acetylaspartate (NAA)/creatine (Cr) ratio in right BG in SLE patients with CDH compared to fibromyalgia patients with CDH and normal controls (p = 0.029 and p = 0.020, respectively). Left PWM NAA/Cr and choline/Cr ratios in SLE patients with CDH were lower than those in fibromyalgia patients with CDH (p = 0.019 and p = 0.029, respectively). Conclusions: This study suggests the possibility that CDH in patients with SLE might be associated with neuronal dysfunction and neurometabolic changes.