Impact of Maternal Hepatitis B Virus Infection on Congenital Heart Disease Risk in Offspring: A National Cohort Study.

Maternal hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection influence both maternal and fetal health. Recent studies reported increased congenital anomalies in offspring of HBV-infected mothers. This study investigated whether maternal HBV infection was associated with higher risk of congenital heart disease (CHD) in children.

Serum Ferritin Levels and Liver-Related Events in Individuals With Steatotic Liver Disease: A Longitudinal Cohort Study.

Background: Serum ferritin has been suggested as a potential biomarker associated with disease progression in metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD).

Aims: We investigated the association between serum ferritin levels and liver-related events (LREs) in individuals with steatotic liver disease (SLD).

Methods: This cohort study included 17,560 adults with SLD (MASLD [n = 15,744], MASLD with increased alcohol intake (MetALD) [n = 1103] and cryptogenic SLD [n = 713]) without LRE at baseline.

Cardiometabolic risk factors and coronary atherosclerosis progression in patients with metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease: the influential role of quantity over type.

Background And Aim: Individuals with metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) who are at an increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) are critical to identify and manage. We aimed to assess whether the risk of CVD in patients with MASLD differed according to the type or number of cardiometabolic risk factors.

Methods: This longitudinal cohort study involved 5674 adults who underwent at least two health checkups between 2004 and 2021.

New nomenclature and subclassification of steatotic liver disease and loss of skeletal muscle mass: A longitudinal cohort study.

Aims: Identifying risk factors for sarcopenia is important due to its significant effect on health. The association between sarcopenia and the newly proposed steatotic liver disease (SLD) and its subclassification has largely been unexplored.

Methods: This longitudinal cohort study included 67 905 adults who underwent at least two health checkup examinations.

Risk of Hepatocellular Carcinoma by Steatotic Liver Disease and Its Newly Proposed Subclassification.

Introduction: Steatotic liver disease (SLD) is a new overarching term proposed to replace nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease. Subclassification includes metabolic dysfunction-associated SLD (MASLD), MASLD with increased alcohol intake (MetALD), and cryptogenic SLD. This study aimed to investigate whether SLD and its subclassification could stratify hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) risk.

Glycemic Burden and Clinical Outcomes of Early Stage Hepatocellular Carcinoma after Curative Treatment.

Early-stage hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is still difficult to cure for its high recurrence rate. This study aimed to examine whether glycemic burden management could be one way to improve outcomes of early-stage HCC. A total of 137 very early or early-stage HCC patients who underwent resection or ablation at Samsung Medical Center and had glycemic burden assessment were analyzed.

Hepatocellular carcinoma outcomes and potential implications for surveillance in elderly patients.

International liver societies recommend hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) surveillance for those at high-risk of developing HCC. While previous studies have shown the benefits of surveillance for middle-aged patients, but its necessity for elderly patients is unclear. This study aimed to assess the benefits of HCC surveillance in the elderly by comparing diagnosis mode of HCC.

Analysis of Factors Predicting the Real-World Efficacy of Atezolizumab and Bevacizumab in Patients with Advanced Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

Background/aims: Atezolizumab and bevacizumab have shown promising results for the treatment of advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in clinical trials. In this study, the real-world efficacy and safety of atezolizumab and bevacizumab in treating advanced HCC were evaluated.

Methods: In this retrospective study of patients at a Korean tertiary cancer center, 111 patients with Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer stage B or C HCC received atezolizumab and bevacizumab as first-line therapy from May 2022 to June 2023.

Role of transarterial chemoembolization for hepatocellular carcinoma with extrahepatic metastases in the era of advancing systemic therapy.

Backgrounds/aims: Systemic therapy is the current standard treatment for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with extrahepatic metastasis (EHM). However, some patients with HCC and EHM undergo transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) to manage intrahepatic tumors. Herein, we aimed to explore the appropriateness of TACE in patients with HCC and EHM in an era of advanced systemic therapy.

Prevalence and predictors of multidrug-resistant bacteremia in liver cirrhosis.

Background/aims: Improved knowledge of local epidemiology and predicting risk factors of multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria are required to optimize the management of infections. This study examined local epidemiology and antibiotic resistance patterns of liver cirrhosis (LC) patients and evaluated the predictors of MDR bacteremia in Korea.

Methods: This was a retrospective study including 140 LC patients diagnosed with bacteremia between January 2017 and December 2022.

Steatotic liver disease and its newly proposed sub-classifications correlate with progression of the coronary artery calcium score.

Background & Aims: A new nomenclature, Steatotic Liver Disease (SLD), has been proposed by consensus with sub-classifications and requires evidence-based validation. We assessed whether the presence and severity of SLD, as well as its sub-classifications, are associated with the progression of coronary atherosclerosis.

Methods: This longitudinal cohort study included 13,811 adults who participated in repeated regular health screening examinations between January 1, 2004 and December 31, 2021 that included assessments of their coronary artery calcium (CAC) scores.

Impact of Intrahepatic External Beam Radiotherapy in Advanced Hepatocellular Carcinoma Patients Treated with Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors.

Introduction: We aimed to investigate whether concurrent use of intrahepatic external beam radiotherapy (EBRT) is a viable option for patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) undergoing tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) therapy.

Methods: A total of 453 patients with Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer stage C (BCLC C) HCC, who started first-line treatment with TKI with intrahepatic EBRT (TKI + RT, = 97) or TKI without intrahepatic EBRT (TKI, = 356) were analyzed. The overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) were compared in the overall cohort, patients who received at least 8 weeks of TKI treatment and a propensity score-matched cohort.

Metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease and the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma.

Background & Aims: The metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) is a new inclusive term proposed to replace non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). We analysed whether hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) risk differs by MAFLD or NAFLD status in a large sample of asymptomatic adults.

Methods: A cohort comprising 73,691 adults were followed up for the development of HCC.

Regression of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease is associated with reduced risk of incident diabetes: A longitudinal cohort study.

Objective: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is potentially reversible. However, whether improvement of NAFLD leads to clinical benefits remains uncertain. We investigated the association between regression of NAFLD and the risk of incident diabetes in a longitudinal way.

Effect of lifestyle modification on hepatocellular carcinoma incidence and mortality among patients with chronic hepatitis B.

Background: Research exploring the influence of healthier lifestyle modification (LSM) on the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) is limited.

Aim: To emulate a target trial to determine the effect of LSM on HCC incidence and mortality among patients with CHB by large-scale population-based observational data.

Methods: Among the patients with CHB enrolled in the Korean National Health Insurance Service between January 1, 2009, and December 31, 2017, those aged ≥ 20 years who drank alcohol, smoked cigarettes, and were sedentary were analyzed.

Improved on-treatment fibrosis-4 during antiviral therapy and lower hepatocellular carcinoma risk in cirrhotic patients with hepatitis B.

Normalization of serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels is one of the goals of hepatitis B treatment. However, ALT levels in cirrhosis patients might be normal or mildly elevated regardless of ongoing inflammation. Therefore, we examined whether on-treatment ALT and other potential on-treatment indicators could be clinical surrogates of antiviral therapy in HBV-related cirrhosis.

Validation of non-invasive diagnosis of CSPH in patients with compensated advanced chronic liver disease according to Baveno VII.

Background And Aims: Baveno VII consensus introduced the non-invasive criteria of clinically significant portal hypertension (CSPH) using liver stiffness measurement (LSM). We evaluated the usefulness of the Baveno VII criteria to predict the risk of decompensation in patients with compensated advanced chronic liver disease (cACLD).

Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of 1966 patients with cACLD.

Clinical Outcomes and Validation of Ursodeoxycholic Acid Response Scores in Patients with Korean Primary Biliary Cholangitis: A Multicenter Cohort Study.

Background/aims: The ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) response score (URS) was developed to identify poor responders to UDCA before treatment, in order to offer timely and proactive intervention. However, validation of the URS in Asian population is warranted.

Methods: A total of 173 Asian patients diagnosed with primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) between 2007 and 2016 at seven academic institutions in Korea who started UDCA treatment were analyzed to validate the performance of URS.

Associations of physical activity domains and muscle strength exercise with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: a nation-wide cohort study.

It is unclear if various types and domains of exercise have an identical effect on non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Thus, this study aimed to investigate associations of different physical activity domains and muscle strength exercise with NAFLD using a nation-wide cohort database. Adults aged 20-79 years who participated in the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey between 2014 and 2018 were analyzed.

The association of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease between parents and adolescent children.

Background: Data reporting the heritability of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) are highly variable.

Aims: To investigate the association of NAFLD between parents and their adolescent children using a nationwide, population-based cohort.

Methods: We analysed 1737 families with both parents and adolescent children aged 12-18 who participated in Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (KNHANES) between 2010 and 2019.