• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.962-968
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• 2006

Background : Liver cirrhosis is a disease of the liver in which normal cells are replaced by scar tissue. This condition results in the failure of the liver to perform many of its usual functions. Liver cirrhosis includes ascites, jaundice, portal hypertension, varices etc. Objectives : This study was to see if there is a decrease in ascites of liver cirrhosis to under acupuncture and herbal treatment to test their validity. Methods : Measuring the response to treatment of ascites by giving pyengwie-san hap wieryungtang gamibang and treating the patient with acupuncture, these clinical symptoms were observed: weight, abdominal circumference, abdominal SONO, chest X-ray, and lab findings. Results : Over 18 days the daily average loss of weight and abdominal circumference 0.43kg and 0.56cm, respectively. Lab findings of liver functions showed improvement. Conclusions : This report shows a role for acupuncture and herbal treatment for treating ascites in liver cirrhosis.

• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• v.27 no.5
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• pp.286-297
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• 2024

Purpose: Liver cirrhosis is a major cause of hospital admission and mortality among children. Understanding the factors that influence disease severity is essential for preventing and reducing mortality. This study explored the association between hemoglobin levels and liver disease severity in children with cirrhosis. Methods: This cross-sectional study included 326 children with cirrhosis admitted to Namazi Teaching Hospital between 2015 and 2020. Clinical data, Child-Turcotte-Pugh (CTP) scores, and pediatric end-stage liver disease/model for end-stage liver disease (PELD/MELD) scores were collected to assess disease severity. Anemia was defined based on age, sex, and hemoglobin levels. Results: Among the children with cirrhosis, 275 (84.4%) were anemic, with a mean age of 5.4±4.8 years. The overall mean hemoglobin level was 9.2±2.1 g/dL. A significant inverse correlation was observed between hemoglobin levels and CTP and PELD/MELD scores in children with anemia (p<0.001). Moreover, lower hemoglobin levels were associated with more higher CTP classes (p<0.001). Conclusion: According to the data analysis, a significant correlation was observed between hemoglobin level and the severity of liver disease, and hemoglobin level decreased with increasing severity of liver disease. According to CTP class, the mean hemoglobin level decreased progressively as the disease progressed. A comparison of the mean CTP scores between children with and those without anemia revealed that those with anemia had more severe disease than those without anemia.

• Herbal Formula Science
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.161-169
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• 2007

We applied Chunggangunbi-tang-gamibang to a 64 year-old male patient who had alcoholic liver cirrhosis with ascites. Chunggangunbi-tang-gamibang has been used to treat alcoholic liver disease and because of its beneficial effects. The patient with the disease expected several symptoms induced by Alcoholic liver cirrhosis, and we diagnosised differentiation of symptoms, using Chunggangunbi-tang-gamibang while removing dampness through diuresis and invigorating the spleen. After medication we could find remarkable effects on clinical symptoms, blood test results and abdomen ultrasonographic images. From this case, it is thought that using Chunggangunbi-tang-gamibang is very effective to improve the symptom of alcoholic liver cirrhosis with ascites.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.36 no.6
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• pp.577-588
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• 2003

Severe protein-calorie malnutrition, common in patients with advanced liver disease, can seriously undermine the capacity for regeneration and functional restoration of liver. Nutritional supplementation for these patients can improve biochemical and hormonal abnormalities. However, these effects were not identified in patient with nonalcoholic liver cirrhosis. To determine effects of nutritional supplementation in patients with nonalcoholic liver cirrhosis, 77 subjects aged 29 to 69 years participated in this study for 12 weeks and were subdivided into three groups; normal diet group (Control group, n ＝ 16), branched-chain amino acid supplementation group (BCAA group, n ＝ 31), nutritional supplementation group (NS group, n ＝ 30). Anthropometric parameters, hemoglobin, hematocrit, blood cell counts, serum levels of lipids, vitamins, minerals and fatty acid composition, and plasma amino acids were examined. The mean values of age and height, and the initial values of weight and body mass index (BMI) were not different among all groups. After 12 weeks, there were no significant changes in these values in Control group. Only NS group showed significant increases in weight, lean body mass, midarm circumference, triceps skinfold thickness. Serum transferrins were increased both in BCAA and NS groups. Plasma levels of branched-chain amino acids, urea amino acids and glutamic acid were also significantly increased in these groups, but plasma levels of ammonia, serum LDL cholesterol and atherogenic index were decreased. However, there were no significant changes in serum levels of vitamin and mineral and composition of fatty acids in phospholipids in these groups. These results showed that the nutritional supplementation for patients with nonalcoholic liver cirrhosis can more improve nutritional status in these people together with increases of weight, body fat and lean body mass, compared to only BCAA supplementation. To ascertain and investigate the appropriate nutritional supplementation for patients with nonalcoholic liver cirrhosis, further studies are necessary.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.39 no.3
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• pp.293-301
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• 2018

Objective: The purpose of this clinical trial is to examine the efficacy and safety of electroacupuncture on liver cirrhosis patients suffering from muscle cramps. Methods: A total of 14 liver cirrhosis patients with muscle cramps were treated by electroacupuncture three times a week for four weeks (12 times total). The electrical stimulation was a frequency of 100 Hz. Evaluation of the muscle cramps was measured by a questionnaire of subjective symptoms. The patients' condition was evaluated four times over a period of eight weeks. We also assessed the deterioration of liver disease using the Child-Pugh score and blood tests. Results: This study proves that four weeks of electroacupuncture treatment is effective in reducing the frequency of muscle cramps and that the effects of electroacupuncture treatment lasted during another four-week follow-up period after treatment. Conclusions: This study suggests that electroacupuncture treatment is beneficial for improving muscle cramps in liver cirrhosis patients (p=0.000). Electroacupuncture is thought to be a safe treatment for liver cirrhosis patients with muscle cramps without contributing to the worsening of liver function. Further study with a larger sample size is needed to confirm our findings.

• Journal of muscle and joint health
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.219-227
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• 2015

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the degree of dietary compliance, nutritional status, and stages of disease in patients with liver cirrhosis and to identify the relationships among those variables. Methods: This study used a cross-sectional design and conducted a survey of 100 patients who were treated at D-university hospital in Busan. For data analysis, descriptive statistics and Pearson's correlation coefficients were performed using SPSS/WINdow 20.0 program. Results: The mean score of dietary compliance was 3.50 in the a 5-point scale. Stage of disease was significantly correlated with dietary compliance (r=.20, p=.048), and protein as one of nutritional status (r=-.44, p<.001). Conclusion: These findings suggest that dietary compliance of patients with liver cirrhosis can have an influence on prognosis of disease. Therefore, patients should be encouraged to improve dietary compliance from the early stage of liver cirrhosis.

• Journal of muscle and joint health
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.179-186
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• 2016

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify factors that influence dietary compliance in patients with liver cirrhosis. Methods: This study used a cross-sectional design and was conducted with a survey of 141 patients in liver cirrhosis who were treated at D-university hospital in Busan. For data analysis, descriptive statistics, Pearson's correlation coefficients, and a multiple regression were performed using SPSS/WIN 20.0 Program for windows. Results: The mean score was 3.47 in dietary compliance. Dietary compliance had a positive correlation with self-efficacy, perceived-benefit medical staff support, age, drink or not but had a negative correlation with perceived barrier. As a result of multiple regression analysis, self-efficacy and perceived-benefits explained 30.1% (F=7.69, p<.001) of the variance of dietary compliance. Conclusion: Dietary compliance was suggested to consider self-efficacy and perceived-benefits when developing a nutritional education programs for patients with liver cirrhosis.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Fundamentals of Nursing
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.165-175
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• 2018

Purpose: The purposes of this study were to examine symptom experiences, perceived health status, disease status, and self-care compliance of patients with liver cirrhosis and to identify the factors that affect their self-care compliance. Methods: The study design was a cross-sectional design and 148 patients who were being treated at D-university hospital in Busan participated in the survey. The data were analyzed using t-test, ANOVA, Bonferroni test, Pearson correlation coefficients, and multiple linear regression analysis. Results: The factors affecting self-care compliance were symptom experiences, disease status, age, and gender. These factors explained 21.6% of the variance in self-care compliance of patients with liver cirrhosis. Conclusion: The findings indicate that nursing interventions that prevent patients' symptoms are needed to promote self-care compliance in patients with liver cirrhosis. The patient should also be helped to recognize the need for self-care compliance from an early stage.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.7-18
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• 1971

The liver function test was performed by means of two radioisotope tracer techniques in 20 normal subjects and in 63 patients with hepatobiliary diseases. The blood disappearance rates of $^{131}I$-rose bengal and of $^{198}Au$ colloid were determined by external counting method. The hepatocellular function and the hepatic blood flow were estimated from the observed data and the results were compared with those of the conventional liver function tests. The results obtained were as follows: 1. The mean blood disappearance half time of $^{131}I$-rose bengal was $6.6{\pm}0.63$ minutes in normal control, $17.7{\pm}6.93$ in cirrhosis of the liver, $16.6{\pm}4.80$ in acute hepatitis, and $14.7{\pm}3.46$ in obstructive jaundice. It was markedly prolonged in the hepatobiliary diseases as compared with the normal control, but there was no significant difference among the hepatobiliary diseases. 2. The mean blood disappearance half time of $^{198}Au$ colloid was $4.0{\pm}0.66$ minutes in normal control, $9.8{\pm}3.42$ in cirrhosis of the liver, $4.4{\pm}0.82$ in acute hepatitis, and $5.0{\pm}1.42$ in obstructive jaundice. The difference between cirrhosis of the liver and normal control Was statistically significant. However, there was no definite difference among acute hepatitis, obstructive jaundice, and normal control. The mean blood disappearance rate constant (K value) was $0.177{\pm}0.028/minute$ in normal control. In cirrhosis of the liver, it was markedly decreased which was suggestive of the reduced hepatic blood flow. 3. The ratio of $^{131}I$-rose bengal blood disappearance half time to $^{198}Au$ colloid disappearance half time was $1.68{\pm}0.20$ in normal control, $1.82{\pm}0.31$ in cirrhosis of the liver, $3.80{\pm}0.82$ in acute hepatitis, and $3.01{\pm}0.54$ in obstructive jaundice. The ratios in acute hepatitis and obstructive jaundice were remarkably higher than those in normal control and cirrhosis of the liver. 4. There was a significant correlation between the blood disappearance half time of $^{131}I$-rose bengal and that of $^{198}Au$ colloid in cirrhosis of the liver. 5. In cirrhosis of the liver, the blood disappearance half times of $^{131}I$-rose bengal and of $^{198}Au$ colloid were inversely correlated to the serum albumin level. In acute hepatitis, there was a good positive correlation between the blood disappearance half time of $^{131}I$-rose bengal and the serum transaminase activities. In obstructive jaundice, the blood disappearance half time of $^{131}I$-rose bengal was correlated to the serum bilirubin level.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.515-522
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• 2020

Objectives: This study aimed to describe whether Saenggangunbi-tang supports clinical management of a patient with decompensated liver cirrhosis without unfavorable side effects. Methods: A 78-year-old woman diagnosed with unspecified liver cirrhosis in 2014, who had undergone abdominal paracentesis twice until 2014 and variceal ligation twice until 2017, took Saenggangunbi-tang from July 25, 2019 to March 23, 2020. We observed clinical changes, such as fatigue, leg edema, and gingival bleeding, as well as laboratory findings. Results: After taking Saenggangunbi-tang for about eight months, the patient's symptoms and serum levels of liver enzymes were improved in comparison to her symptoms and serum levels at the first visit. Moreover, there was no occurrence of any complications, such as ascites and gastroesophageal variceal bleeding by portal hypertension. Conclusions: This study suggests that Saenggangunbi-tang might be effective in the treatment of decompensated liver cirrhosis.