Changing Features of Liver Injury in COVID-19 Patients: Impact of Infection with the SARS-CoV-2 Delta (B.1.617.2) Variants.

Background: There is growing evidence that abnormal liver function tests (LFTs) are common in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). However, it is not known whether viral involvement in the liver differs according to the strain. We investigated the impact on liver injury in patients with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) Delta (B.

COVID-19 Sequelae and Their Implications on Social Services.

Background: The impact of persistent coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) symptoms on quality of life remains unclear. This study aimed to describe such persistent symptoms and their relationships with quality of life, including clinical frailty and subjective health status.

Methods: A prospective longitudinal 3-month follow-up survey monitored symptoms, health quality, support needs, frailty, and employment.

Clinical Characteristics and Treatment Outcomes of Patients with Hepatitis C Virus and Human Immunodeficiency Virus Coinfection: Experience at a Single Center in Korea.

Background: Because of the very low incidence of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) coinfection in Korea, data on hepatitis C virus (HCV)/HIV coinfection are limited. This study aimed to investigate the clinical characteristics and treatment outcomes of patients with HCV/HIV coinfection in Korea.

Methods: We performed a retrospective cohort study of all HCV-monoinfected and HCV/HIV-coinfected patients treated with antivirals at National Medical Center in Seoul, Korea, between January 2009 and March 2020.

Safety Monitoring after the BNT162b2 COVID-19 Vaccine among Adults Aged 75 Years or Older.

Background: Older adults are given high priority for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination; however, little is known about the safety of vaccines. This study was conducted to examine the safety of the COVID-19 vaccine for people who were ≥ 75 years of age, specifically those who first took two doses of the vaccine at the COVID-19 central vaccination center in South Korea.

Methods: Safety monitoring after the BNT162b2 vaccine was conducted in three ways for older adults who received the first dose of the vaccine at our center between April 5 and April 23, 2021.

Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis and HCC in a Hyperphagic Mouse Accelerated by Western Diet.

Background & Aims: How benign liver steatosis progresses to nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), fibrosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains elusive. NASH progression entails diverse pathogenic mechanisms and relies on complex cross-talk between multiple tissues such as the gut, adipose tissues, liver, and the brain. Using a hyperphagic mouse fed with a Western diet (WD), we aimed to elucidate the cross-talk and kinetics of hepatic and extrahepatic alterations during NASH-HCC progression, as well as regression.

Metastatic endophthalmitis and thyroid abscess complicating liver abscess.

The thyroid is resistant to infection due to its anatomical and physiological characteristics. We present a rare case of invasive liver abscess with metastatic thyroid abscess and endogenous endophthalmitis in a previously healthy 55-year-old female patient without diabetes or other medical illness. This report raises an important question of the virulence of as an increasingly common causative agent of liver abscess.

Characteristics and Discrepancies in Acute-on-Chronic Liver Failure: Need for a Unified Definition.

Background & Aim: To investigate the prevalence, mortalities, and patient characteristics of Acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) according to the AARC (Asian Pacific Association for the Study of the Liver ACLF Research Consortium) and European Association for the Study of the Liver CLIF-C (Chronic Liver Failure Consortium) definitions.

Methods: We collected retrospective data for 1470 hospitalized patients with chronic liver disease (CLD) and acute deterioration between January 2013 and December 2013 from 21 university hospitals in Korea.

Results: Of the patients assessed, the prevalence of ACLF based on the AARC and CLIF-C definitions was 9.

Emergence of adefovir-resistant mutants after reversion to YMDD wild-type in lamivudine-resistant patients receiving adefovir monotherapy.

Background: To evaluate the effect of reversion to YMDD wild-type on emergence of adefovir (ADV)-resistant mutation and antiviral activity of ADV in lamivudine (LAM)- resistant patients.

Methods: We determined YMDD mutations and ADV-resistant mutations before and every 3 months during ADV monotherapy in 33 LAM-resistant patients using the restriction fragment mass polymorphism (RFMP) method.

Results: Reversion to pure YMDD wild-type hepatitis B virus (HBV) occurred in 6% (2/33), 9% (3/33), 20% (4/20) and 35% (6/17) of patients after 12, 24, 36 and 48 weeks, respectively.

Association of lamivudine-resistant mutational patterns with the antiviral effect of adefovir in patients with chronic hepatitis B.

Adefovir has a potent antiviral activity as a rescue treatment against lamivudine-resistant strains. The aim of this study was to assess the patterns of lamivudine-resistant mutations and their influence on the virologic response to adefovir rescue therapy in patients with lamivudine-resistant chronic hepatitis B. Sixty-seven patients with lamivudine-resistant chronic hepatitis B were treated with adefovir monotherapy.

[Effect of low dose 5-fluorouracil and cisplatin intra-arterial infusion chemotherapy in advanced hepatocellular carcinoma with decompensated cirrhosis].

Background/aims: Advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with portal vein thrombosis (PVT) has a poor prognosis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of repeated arterial infusions of low dose cisplatin and 5-fluorouracil (FU) in patients with advanced HCC with decompensated cirrhosis.

Methods: Between January 1995 and December 2003, a total of 79 decompensated cirrhotic patients having HCC and PVT were enrolled and divided into 2 groups.