• Korean Journal of Clinical Oncology
• /
• v.14 no.2
• /
• pp.135-141
• /
• 2018

Purpose: Axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) and sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) are important for staging of patients with node-positive breast cancer. However, these can be avoided in select micrometastatic diseases, preventing postoperative complications. The present study evaluated the ability of axillary lymph node maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax) on positron emission tomography-computed tomography (PET-CT) to predict axillary metastasis of breast cancer. Methods: The records of invasive breast cancer patients who underwent pretreatment (surgery and/or chemotherapy) PET-CT between January 2006 and December 2014 were reviewed. ALNs were preoperatively evaluated by PET-CT. Lymph nodes were dissected by SLNB or ALND. SUVmax was measured in both the axillary lymph node and primary tumor. Student t-test and chi-square test were used to analyze sensitivity and specificity. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) and area under the ROC curve (AUC) analyses were performed. Results: SUV-tumor (SUV-T) and SUV-lymph node (SUV-LN) were significantly higher in the triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) group than in other groups (SUV-T: 5.99, P<0.01; SUV-LN: 1.29, P=0.014). The sensitivity (0.881) and accuracy (0.804) for initial ALN staging were higher in fine needle aspiration+PET-CT than in other methods. For PET-CT alone, the subtype with the highest sensitivity (0.870) and negative predictive value (0.917) was TNBC. The AUC for SUV-LN was greatest in TNBC (0.797). Conclusion: The characteristics of SUV-T and SUV-LN differed according to immunohistochemistry subtype. Compared to other subtypes, the true positivity of axillary metastasis on PET-CT was highest in TNBC. These findings could help tailor management for therapeutic and diagnostic purposes.

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
• /
• v.19 no.3
• /
• pp.315-328
• /
• 2019

Purpose: To investigate the clinical value of serum miR-221-3p and miR-122-5p expression levels in the diagnosis and prognosis of gastric cancer. Materials and Methods: Serum samples from 141 gastric cancer cases (gastric cancer group), 110 gastric polyps (gastric polyp group), and 75 healthy people (healthy control) were used to detect miR-221-3p and miR-122-5p expression using real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. Results: Serum miR-221-3p expression was significantly higher in the gastric cancer group than in the gastric polyp group, and it was significantly lower than that before operation. The miR-221-3p expression was significantly higher in the death group than in the survival group. The proliferation and migration ability significantly increased and the apoptosis rate significantly decreased by miR-221-3p transfection in gastric cancer cells. In contrast, the function of miR-122-5p in gastric cancer cells was opposite of miR-221-3p. Serum miR-221-3p expression was negatively correlated with that of miR-122-5p in gastric cancer. Serum miR-221-3p and miR-122-5p expressions were significantly correlated with the degree of differentiation, tumor, node, metastasis stage, lymph node metastasis, and invasion depth. miR-221-3p and miR-122-5p expression levels were independent prognostic factors for postoperative gastric cancer. In the diagnosis and predicting prognosis of gastric cancer, receiver operating characteristic analysis revealed that the area under curve of combined detection of serum miR-221-3p and miR-122-5p expression had a greater diagnostic effect than either single maker. Conclusions: The miR-221-3p and miR-122-5p are involved in the development of gastric cancer, and they have important clinical values in gastric cancer diagnosis and prognosis.

• Journal of the Korea Convergence Society
• /
• v.11 no.12
• /
• pp.283-290
• /
• 2020

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of the triglyceride and glucose(TyG) index to predict the risk of hyperuricemia in Korean adults. This study included 14,266 men and 9,033 women over 20 years old who underwent health screenings from 2017 to 2019 at a general hospital in Seoul. To confirm the risk of hyperuricemia and predictive ability of the TyG index, logistic regression analysis and ROC curves were obtained. The accuracy of the TyG index for predicting hyperuricemia was 0.68, 0.61 for men and 0.67 for women(respectively p<0.001). The risk of hyperuricemia in the TyG index was 1.69 times higher in the fourth quartile than in the first quartile, 2.03 times higher in men and 2.07 times higher in women(respectively p<0.05). Thus the TyG index was not of high diagnostic usefulness as a screening test for hyperuricemia, but it was related to the TyG index and hyperuricemia.

• Journal of Convergence for Information Technology
• /
• v.10 no.12
• /
• pp.146-155
• /
• 2020

This study was to evaluate the usefulness of gamma glutamyl transferase (GGT) as a surrogate marker predicting metabolic syndrome. 7,155 non obese men over the age of 20 were studied as subjects. The criteria for diagnosing MetS were the National Cholesterol Education Program - Third Adult Treatment Panel (NCEP-ATP III). The risk of developing MetS according to GGT was conducted logistic regression analysis, and the ROC (receiver operating characteristic) curve was obtained to confirm GGT ability to predict the risk of MetS. Regardless of age and body mass index, MetS had a 7.09 times higher risk of onset in the fourth quartile than in the first quartile of GGT (p<0.001). The AUC (area under the curve) of GGT for the diagnosis of MetS was 0.715, and the cutoff value of GGT was 40.0 U/L, the sensitivity was 65.0%, and the specificity was 70.2%. Therefore, GGT is considered to be a useful diagnostic index for diagnosing MetS.

• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
• /
• v.25 no.1
• /
• pp.23-34
• /
• 2021

Purpose: Differentiating between glioblastoma and solitary metastasis is very important for the planning of further workup and treatment. We assessed the ability of various morphological parameters using conventional MRI and diffusion-based techniques to distinguish between glioblastomas and solitary metastases in tumoral and peritumoral regions. Materials and Methods: We included 38 patients with solitary brain tumors (21 glioblastomas, 17 solitary metastases). To find out if there were differences in the morphologic parameters of enhancing tumors, we analyzed their shape, margins, and enhancement patterns on postcontrast T1-weighted images. During analyses of peritumoral regions, we assessed the extent of peritumoral non-enhancing lesion on T2- and postcontrast T1-weighted images. We also aimed to detect peritumoral neoplastic cell infiltration by visual assessment of T2-weighted and diffusion-based images, including DWI, ADC maps, and exponential DWI, and evaluated which sequence depicted peritumoral neoplastic cell infiltration most clearly. Results: The shapes, margins, and enhancement patterns of tumors all significantly differentiated glioblastomas from metastases. Glioblastomas had an irregular shape, ill-defined margins, and a heterogeneous enhancement pattern; on the other hand, metastases had an ovoid or round shape, well-defined margins, and homogeneous enhancement. Metastases had significantly more extensive peritumoral T2 high signal intensity than glioblastomas had. In visual assessment of peritumoral neoplastic cell infiltration using T2-weighted and diffusion-based images, all sequences differed significantly between the two groups. Exponential DWI had the highest sensitivity for the diagnosis of both glioblastoma (100%) and metastasis (70.6%). A combination of exponential DWI and ADC maps was optimal for the depiction of peritumoral neoplastic cell infiltration in glioblastoma. Conclusion: In the differentiation of glioblastoma from solitary metastatic lesions, visual morphologic assessment of tumoral and peritumoral regions using conventional MRI and diffusion-based techniques can also offer diagnostic information.

• Journal of the Korean Orthopaedic Association
• /
• v.55 no.3
• /
• pp.210-221
• /
• 2020

Spinal block procedures are useful methods that reduce the need for surgical treatment. In addition to their therapeutic aspects of pain relief, in many patients, they are also used for diagnostic purposes to distinguish from symptoms originating from extra-spinal areas. Therefore, these procedures are the most basic technique for orthopedic surgeons dealing with diseases from limbs and spine. On the other hand, despite the simplicity of the instruments and drugs used, the overall understanding of them and the lack of knowledge of the possible side effects and complications can cause serious harm to the patient at the beginning of the trial. Therefore, it is necessary to understand the types of drugs used in the spinal block procedures, pharmacokinetic properties, and the side effects of each drug. In addition, efforts should be made to identify their indications, as well as advantages and disadvantages of each procedure to avoid possible complications. The purpose of this review was to provide basic knowledge and skills necessary for lumbar spinal block procedures as well as provide the reader with the ability to perform themselves.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
• /
• v.42 no.2
• /
• pp.215-223
• /
• 2021

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to report the effects of Korean medicine treatment, including Onkyung-tang, on fibromyalgia. Methods: The patient was treated with herbal medicine, acupuncture, pharmacopuncture, and chuna manual therapy for 13 days. To evaluate the improvements, we used a numeric rating scale (NRS), the American College of Rheumatology Preliminary Diagnostic Criteria (ACR), the neck disability index (NDI), and the Oswestry disability index (ODI). Results: After treatment, the scores for the NRS, ACR, NDI, and ODI all decreased compared with baseline. Conclusion: This study suggests that Korean medicine treatment that includes Onkyung-tang can be effective in reducing pain and increasing ability to function in patients with fibromyalgia.

• Journal of Veterinary Science
• /
• v.21 no.2
• /
• pp.14.1-14.10
• /
• 2020

African swine fever (ASF) is a highly contagious disease of domestic pigs and wild boars (WBs). Without a vaccine, early antibody and antigen detection and rapid diagnosis are crucial for the effective prevention of the disease and the employment of control measures. In Sardinia, where 3 different suid populations coexisted closely for a long time, the disease persists since 1978. The recent ASF eradication plan involves more stringent measures to combat free-ranging pigs and any kind of illegality in the pig industry. However, critical issues such as the low level of hunter cooperation with veterinary services and the time required for ASF detection in the WBs killed during the hunting season still remain. Considering the need to deliver true ASF negative carcasses as early as possible, this study focuses on the evaluation and validation of a duplex pen-side test that simultaneously detects antibodies and antigens specific to ASF virus, to improve molecular diagnosis under field conditions. The main goal was to establish the specificity of the two pen-side tests performed simultaneously and to determine their ability to detect the true ASF negative carcasses among the hunted WBs. Blood and organ samples of the WBs hunted during the 2018/2019 hunting seasons were obtained. A total of 160 animals were tested using the pen-side kit test; samples were collected for virological and serological analyses. A specificity of 98% was observed considering the official laboratory tests as gold standards. The new diagnostic techniques could facilitate faster and cost-effective control of the disease.

• Korean Journal of Exercise Nutrition
• /
• v.25 no.3
• /
• pp.1-7
• /
• 2021

[Purpose] We aimed to identify the effects of marine oligomeric polyphenol (MOP) intake in elderly individuals with sarcopenia. [Methods] Older adults (aged 65 years or older) were recruited based on the diagnostic criterion for sarcopenia and were randomly assigned to the MOP intake group (n=10) or the placebo (PBO) intake group (n=10). To determine the effect of MOP intake received for four weeks, the pre- and post-intake body composition (weight, skeletal muscle mass, and bone density) and senior fitness tests were assessed. [Results] Our results showed there were significant differences in the skeletal muscle mass (p=0.039), bone density (p=0.020), fat-free mass index (p=0.026), and 2.4 m up and go test (p=0.001) between pretest and post-test. There was a significant difference between the pre-test and post-test and an interaction effect for the one-leg stand test (p=0.010 and p=0.049, respectively). However, there were no significant differences in body fat percentage, calf circumference, grip strength, or the chair rise test. [Conclusion] Some variables exhibited significant differences in the pre- and post-assessments, and there was an interaction effect for the one-leg stand. However, this was insufficient to prove the effectiveness of MOP intake in improving sarcopenia. Therefore, additional studies are essential to examine the effects of MOP intake and exercise intervention on the body composition and fitness of patients over a longer period.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Integrative Medicine
• /
• v.11 no.3
• /
• pp.185-194
• /
• 2023

Purpose : This study aimed to investigate the relationship between the characteristics of hemodialysis patients and the occurrence of sarcopenia through a comprehensive literature review. Methods : A systematic literature search was conducted to identify eligible studies in the Cochrane library, PubMed and Embase. In this review, we included all papers published since the initiative's inception and summarized results as of december 2022. Studies that investigated association between sarcopenia diagnosis and hemodialysis patients (aged≥18 years) were included. Ultimately, 16 studies met our selection criteria. The risk of bias was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa scale. Results : Fourteen of the sixteen studies (88 %) reported that significant association between sarcopenia diagnosis and hemodialysis patients. However, two studies reported no association between sarcopenia diagnosis and hemodialysis patients. As a factor statistically related to sarcopenia in hemodialysis patients, Mortality (6 studies, 38 %), age (5 studies, 31 %), body composition (4 studies, 25 %), physical activity (2 studies, 13 %), diabetes (2 studies, 13 %), cardiovascular abnormalities (1 studies, 6 %), nutritional status (3 studies, 19 %), and gender (3 studies, 19 %). Conclusion : Our findings highlight the necessity of developing a physical therapy program that accurately reflects the health status of hemodialysis patients. To further investigate the association between the diagnosis of sarcopenia and hemodialysis patients, it is recommended to conduct large-scale longitudinal studies using standardized diagnostic criteria and evaluation methods, as well as analyze potential risk factors. Consequently, this study emphasizes the importance and potential of developing physical therapy programs that effectively address the health consequences associated with hemodialysis. The significance of this research lies in its ability to provide valuable insights and lay the foundation for future studies focused on developing preventive and therapeutic interventions targeting muscle wasting syndrome resulting from hemodialysis.