• The Korean journal of internal medicine
• /
• v.39 no.1
• /
• pp.68-76
• /
• 2024

Background/Aims: We aimed to evaluate the histologic features predictive of prognosis and correlate them with endoscopic findings in patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) having complete or partial mucosal healing (MH). Methods: We prospectively collected and reviewed data from patients with UC who underwent colonoscopy or sigmoidoscopy with biopsy. Complete and partial MH were defined as Mayo endoscopic subscores (MESs) of 0 and 1, respectively. Histologic variables, including the Nancy index (NI), predicting disease progression (defined as the need for medication upgrade or hospitalization/surgery), were evaluated and correlated with endoscopic findings. Results: Overall, 441 biopsy specimens were collected from 194 patients. The average follow-up duration was 14.7 ± 7.4 months. There were 49 (25.3%) and 68 (35.1%) patients with MESs of 0 and 1, respectively. Disease progression occurred only in patients with an MES of 1. NI ≥ 3 was significantly correlated with disease progression during follow-up. Mucosal friability on endoscopy was significantly correlated with NI ≥ 3 (61.1% in NI < 3 vs. 88.0% in NI ≥ 3; p = 0.013). Conclusions: Histological activity can help predict the prognosis of patients with UC with mild endoscopic activity. Mucosal friability observed on endoscopy may reflect a more severe histological status, which can be a risk factor for disease progression.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
• /
• v.64 no.10
• /
• pp.511-518
• /
• 2021

The prevalence of childhood obesity is increasing worldwide at an alarming rate. While obesity is known to increase a variety of cardiovascular and metabolic diseases, it also acts as a risk factor for the development and progression of chronic kidney disease (CKD). During childhood and adolescence, severe obesity is associated with an increased prevalence and incidence of the early stages of kidney disease. Importantly, children born to obese mothers are also at increased risk of developing obesity and CKD later in life. The potential mechanisms underlying the association between obesity and CKD include hemodynamic factors, metabolic effects, and lipid nephrotoxicity. Weight reduction via increased physical activity, caloric restriction, treatment with angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, and judicious bariatric surgery can be used to control obesity and obesity-related kidney disease. Preventive strategies to halt the obesity epidemic in the healthcare community are needed to reduce the widespread deleterious consequences of obesity including CKD development and progression.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• v.17 no.3
• /
• pp.927-932
• /
• 2016

Bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs), belonging to the transforming growth factor-${\beta}$ superfamily, regulate many cellular activities including cell migration, differentiation, adhesion, proliferation and apoptosis. Use of recombinant human bone morphogenic protein-2 (rhBMP-2) in oral and maxillofacial surgery has seen a tremendous increase. Due to its role in many cellular pathways, the influence of this protein on carcinogenesis in different organs has been intensively studied over the past decade. BMPs also have been detected to have a role in the development and progression of many tumors, particularly disease-specific bone metastasis. In oral squamous cell carcinoma - the tumor type accounting for more than 90% of head and neck malignancies- aberrations of both BMP expression and associated signaling pathways have a certain relation with the development and progression of the disease by regulating a range of biological functions in the altered cells. In the current review, we discuss the influence of BMPs -especially rhBMP-2- in the development and progression of oral squamous cell carcinoma.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
• /
• v.46 no.1
• /
• pp.54-61
• /
• 2022

Ginseng has been widely studied due to its various therapeutic properties on various diseases such as cardiovascular disease (CVD). Cardiovascular disease has been canonically known to be caused by high levels of low-density lipoproteins (LDL) in the bloodstream, in addition to the impaired vasodilatory effects of cholesterol. However, current research on CVD has revealed a cascade of mechanisms involving a series of events that contribute to the progression of CVD. Although this has been elucidated and summarized in previous studies the detailed correlation between platelet aggregation and innate immunity that plays an important role in CVD progression has not been thoroughly summarized. Furthermore, immune cell subtypes also contribute to the progression of plaque formation in the subendothelial layer. Thrombus formation and the coagulation cascade also have a vital role in the progression of atherosclerosis. Hence, in this mini review we aim to elucidate, summarize, and propose the potent therapeutic effect of ginseng on CVD, mainly on platelet aggregation, plaque formation, and thrombus formation.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• v.15 no.7
• /
• pp.3151-3156
• /
• 2014

Background: Sorafenib is a promising drug for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC); however, treatment may be discontinued for multiple reasons, such as progressive disease, adverse events, or the cost of treatment. The consequences of sorafenib discontinuation and continuation are uncertain. Materials and Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 88 HCC patients treated with sorafenib from July 2007 to January 2013. Overall survival (OS), post-disease progression overall survival (pOS), and time to disease progression (TTP) were compared for survival analysis. Cox proportional hazard regression was performed to assess the effect of important factors on OS in the overall patient population and on pOS in patients who continued sorafenib treatment. Results: Sorafenib was discontinued and continued in 24 and 64 patients, respectively. The median OS (355 vs 517 days respectively; p=0.015) and median post-PD OS (260 vs 317 days, respectively; p=0.020) were statistically different between the discontinuation and continuation groups. Neither the median time to first PD nor the time to second PD were significantly different between the 2 groups. In the discontinuation group, 3 of the 24 patients (12.5%) suffered disease outbreaks. In Cox proportional hazard regression analysis after correction for confounding factors, BCLC stage (p=0.002) and PD site (p=0.024) were significantly correlated with pOS in patients who continued sorafenib treatment. Conclusions: Sorafenib discontinuation may cause HCC flares or outbreaks. It is advisable to continue sorafenib treatment after first PD, particularly in patients with Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer stage B disease or only intrahepatic PD.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
• /
• v.42 no.6
• /
• pp.349-355
• /
• 2009

Biomarkers are characteristic biological properties that can be detected and measured in a variety of biological matrices in the human body, including the blood and tissue, to give an indication of whether there is a threat of disease, if a disease already exists, or how such a disease may develop in an individual case. Along the continuum from exposure to clinical disease and progression, exposure, internal dose, biologically effective dose, early biological effect, altered structure and/or function, clinical disease, and disease progression can potentially be observed and quantified using biomarkers. While the traditional discovery of biomarkers has been a slow process, the advent of molecular and genomic medicine has resulted in explosive growth in the discovery of new biomarkers. In this review, issues in evaluating biomarkers will be discussed and the biomarkers of environmental exposure, early biologic effect, and susceptibility identified and validated in epidemiological studies will be summarized. The spectrum of genomic approaches currently used to identify and apply biomarkers and strategies to validate genomic biomarkers will also be discussed.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
• /
• v.32 no.4
• /
• pp.266-271
• /
• 2014

In the clinical state of oligometastases or oligorecurrence, a transitional state between localized and widespread systemic disease, local control of the disease may yield improved systemic control. Radiotherapy may be a good means for controlling oligometastatic tumors, particularly in very old patients for whom surgery may be infeasible. A combination of systemic therapy and local therapy is necessary to prevent systemic progression. Some kinds of cancers found in the elderly are known to be somewhat indolent for systemic progression. So, for very old patients who refuse or cannot tolerate chemotherapy, the use of radical radiotherapy alone to treat oligorecurrences may be very helpful. We successfully treated an 87-year-old patient who had been diagnosed with oligorecurrences three times over six years with radiotherapy alone. The patient is now, about four years after his first radiotherapy for liver metastasis, alive without any evidence of cancer and with fully active performance status.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
• /
• v.54 no.5
• /
• pp.411-414
• /
• 2013

The authors present a rare case of adult moyamoya disease in which a patient experienced rapid progression of cerebral infarction after intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH). A healthy 39-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital with sudden headache, a decreased level of consciousness and mild tetraparesis. Initial magnetic resonance imaging revealed small cerebral infarction and IVH. Although the patient underwent conservative therapy including hypervolemia, hemodilution, keeping moderate hypertension and administration of a free radical scavenger, she showed a fulminant clinical course of cerebral infarction. The authors discuss the possible pathophysiology and suggest the treatment for such cases.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
• /
• v.29 no.4
• /
• pp.365-372
• /
• 2021

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) leads to many health problems like diabetic nephropathy (DN). One of the key factors for chronic kidney disease and end-stage renal disease (ESRD) is T2DM. Extensive work is being done to delineate the pathogenesis of DN and to extend possible remedies. This review is intended to understand the nature of DN risk factors, progression, effects of glycemic levels, and stages of DN. We also explored the novel diagnostic and therapeutic approaches for DN such as gene therapy and stem cell treatments.

• Korean Journal of Radiology
• /
• v.23 no.1
• /
• pp.89-100
• /
• 2022

Objective: To improve the N biomarker in the amyloid/tau/neurodegeneration system by radiomics and study its value for predicting cognitive progression in individuals with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Materials and Methods: A group of 147 healthy controls (HCs) (72 male; mean age ± standard deviation, 73.7 ± 6.3 years), 197 patients with MCI (114 male; 72.2 ± 7.1 years), and 128 patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) (74 male; 73.7 ± 8.4 years) were included. Optimal A, T, and N biomarkers for discriminating HC and AD were selected using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. A radiomics model containing comprehensive information of the whole cerebral cortex and deep nuclei was established to create a new N biomarker. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarkers were evaluated to determine the optimal A or T biomarkers. All MCI patients were followed up until AD conversion or for at least 60 months. The predictive value of A, T, and the radiomics-based N biomarker for cognitive progression of MCI to AD were analyzed using Kaplan-Meier estimates and the log-rank test. Results: The radiomics-based N biomarker showed an ROC curve area of 0.998 for discriminating between AD and HC. CSF Aβ42 and p-tau proteins were identified as the optimal A and T biomarkers, respectively. For MCI patients on the Alzheimer's continuum, isolated A+ was an indicator of cognitive stability, while abnormalities of T and N, separately or simultaneously, indicated a high risk of progression. For MCI patients with suspected non-Alzheimer's disease pathophysiology, isolated T+ indicated cognitive stability, while the appearance of the radiomics-based N+ indicated a high risk of progression to AD. Conclusion: We proposed a new radiomics-based improved N biomarker that could help identify patients with MCI who are at a higher risk for cognitive progression. In addition, we clarified the value of a single A/T/N biomarker for predicting the cognitive progression of MCI.