Detection of colorectal neoplasm using promoter methylation of ITGA4, SFRP2, and p16 in stool samples: a preliminary report in Korean patients.

Background/aims: Colorectal cancer (CRC) screening using stool DNA has yielded a greater detection rate than conventional fecal occult blood testing. The aim of this study was to determine the sensitivity and specificity of this detection method for colorectal adenomas and carcinomas using ITGA4, SFRP2 and p16 promoter methylation.

Methods: The methylation status of ITGA4, SFRP2 and p16 promoters in bisulfite-modified stool DNA was investigated in a blinded manner with methylation specific PCR (MSP) from 31 endoscopically diagnosed healthy controls, 25 patients with adenomas and 30 patients with CRC.

The risk of metabolic syndrome according to the high-sensitivity C-reactive protein in apparently healthy Koreans.

Background: Recently, considerable interest has been focused on the positive relationship between inflammation and the metabolic syndrome (MS). Therefore, we investigated whether the baseline plasma levels of the high-sensitivity C-reactive protein could be associated with future risk for MS in apparently healthy Koreans.

Methods: A total of 1132 subjects (767 men, 365 women with a mean age of 49 years), who underwent health examination at this hospital in both 2002 and 2005 were enrolled.