Experience of Metronidazole Triple Therapy After Clarithromycin Triple Therapy Failure for Eradication in Korea.

Bismuth quadruple therapy (BQT) is recommended as the best second-line regimen after failure of first-line clarithromycin triple therapy (CTT) for eradication. However, there are some limitations to this approach, including the lack of an appropriate sequel regimen after failure of BQT and complicated administration. Metronidazole triple therapy (MTT) is simple to administer, but it is not widely recommended.

Etiology and clinical characteristics of acute viral hepatitis in South Korea during 2020-2021: a prospective multicenter study.

This prospective, 12-center study investigated the etiology and clinical characteristics of acute viral hepatitis (AVH) during 2020-2021 in South Korea, and the performance of different diagnostic methods for hepatitis E virus (HEV). We enrolled 428 patients with acute hepatitis, of whom 160 (37.4%) were diagnosed with AVH according to predefined serologic criteria.

A Phase 2a, Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study to Assess the Efficacy and Safety of ALS-L1023 in Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease.

Preclinical data have shown that the herbal extract, ALS-L1023, from reduces visceral fat and hepatic steatosis. We aimed to assess the safety and efficacy of ALS-L1023 as the treatment of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). We conducted a 24-week randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled 2a study in patients with NAFLD (MRI-proton density fat fraction [MRI-PDFF] ≥ 8% and liver fibrosis ≥ 2.

Non-Inferior Efficacy of Tenofovir Disoproxil to Tenofovir Disoproxil Fumarate in Virologically Suppressed Chronic Hepatitis B Patients.

Purpose: Tenofovir disoproxil (TD), modified from tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF), was developed as a salt-free formulation, removing fumarate to improve the ease of oral intake by reducing the tablet's size. We evaluated the maintenance of antiviral effects and overall safety profile of TD 245 mg after switching from TDF 300 mg in patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB).

Patients And Methods: CHB patients with HBV-DNA <69 IU/mL after ≥24 weeks of TDF therapy were enrolled.

Langerhans Cell Histiocytosis with the Synchronous Invasion of Stomach and Colon in an Adult Patient: A Case Report.

Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH) is reported less frequently in adults than in children. The most common site of involvement in adults is the bone, accounting for 30-50% of cases. The gastrointestinal tract is very rare, accounting for approximately 2%.

Comparison of eradication rates of moxifloxacin-rifabutin triple therapy and bismuth quadruple therapy as second-line regimens in patients with peptic ulcers.

Background: Bismuth quadruple (BQ) therapy is known to have poor patient compliance and a complex dosing method, and no appropriate third-line regimen exists if second-line BQ therapy fails. In Korea, some alternative regimens have shown unsatisfactory eradication rates. Therefore, we investigated the success rates of the second-line moxifloxacin-rifabutin triple (MRT) regimen and compared it with BQ regimen in subgroup analysis of peptic ulcer patients.

Ectopic peritoneal paragonimiasis mimicking tuberculous peritonitis: A care report.

Background: The most common site of paragonimiasis is in the lungs. The migratory route passes through the duodenal wall, peritoneum, and diaphragm to the lungs; thus, the thoracic cavity and central nervous system, as well as the liver, intestine, and abdominal cavity may be involved. Here, we present a case of intraperitoneal paragonimiasis without other organ involvement, mimicking tuberculous peritonitis.

Platelet-to-White Blood Cell Ratio Is Associated with Adverse Outcomes in Cirrhotic Patients with Acute Deterioration.

Background: The platelet-to-white blood cell ratio (PWR) is a hematologic marker of the systemic inflammatory response. Recently, the PWR was revealed to have a role as an independent prognostic factor for mortality in patients with hepatitis B virus (HBV)-related acute-on-chronic failure (ACLF) and HBV-related liver cirrhosis (LC) with acute decompensation (AD). However, the prognostic role of the PWR still needs to be investigated in LC patients with AD.

Quantification of liver extracellular volume using dual-energy CT for ruling out high-risk varices in cirrhosis.

Purpose: To determine the performance of quantification of liver extracellular volume fraction (fECV) using dual-energy CT (DECT) compared with CT imaging for ruling out high-riskesophageal varices(HRV) in cirrhotic patients.

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 229 cirrhotic patients (training [n = 159] and internal validation cohorts [n = 70]) who underwent dual-source DECT, serum marker assessment, and esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) from 2017 to 2020. The fECV score was measured using iodine maps from 3-minute delayed, equilibrium-phase images at 100/140 Sn kVp.

Real-world Effectiveness and Safety of Direct-acting Antiviral Agents in Patients with Chronic Hepatitis C Genotype 2 Infection: Korean Multicenter Study.

Background: The advancement of treatment with direct-acting antiviral (DAA) agents has improved the cure rate of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection close to 100%. The aim of our study was to assess the real-world effectiveness and safety of DAA regimens for the treatment of patients with chronic HCV genotype 2.

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of patients treated with sofosbuvir plus ribavirin (SOF + RBV) or glecaprevir/pibrentasvir (G/P) for chronic HCV genotype 2 infection at seven university hospitals in the Korean southeast region.

T2 mapping in gadoxetic acid-enhanced MRI: utility for predicting decompensation and death in cirrhosis.

Objectives: To determine whether T2 mapping in liver MRI can predict decompensation and death in cirrhotic patients.

Methods: This retrospective study included 292 cirrhotic patients who underwent gadoxetic acid-enhanced MRI, including T1 and T2 mapping at 10-min hepatobiliary phase by using the Look-Locker and radial turbo spin-echo sequences, respectively. T1 and T2 values of the liver and spleen were measured.

Impact of acute kidney injury on survival in patients with chronic hepatitis C: a retrospective cohort study.

Background: Acute kidney injury (AKI) is expected to occur commonly in patients with chronic hepatitis C. In addition, AKI may affect the survival of patients with chronic hepatitis C. However, few studies are available on this topic.

Clinical significance of endothelial progenitor cells in patients with liver cirrhosis with or without hepatocellular carcinoma.

Background And Objective: The role of endothelial progenitor cells in patients with cirrhosis has seldom been investigated. This study was conducted to assess the clinical significance of circulating endothelial progenitor cells in patients with liver cirrhosis with or without hepatocellular carcinoma.

Methods: A blood sample was collected once from patients with cirrhosis alone (n = 34) or cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (n = 46) and healthy controls (n = 27) for assessing levels of endothelial progenitor cells and vascular endothelial growth factor.

Hepatitis C virus genotype affects survival in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma.

Background: There is currently no evidence that hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype affects survival in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). This study aimed to investigate whether the HCV genotype affected the survival rate of patients with HCV-related HCC.

Methods: We performed a retrospective cohort study using the data of patients with HCV-related HCC evaluated at two centers in Korea between January 2005 and December 2016.

Chronic Hepatitis B Infection Is Significantly Associated with Chronic Kidney Disease: a Population-based, Matched Case-control Study.

Background: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection leads to hepatic and extrahepatic manifestations including chronic kidney disease (CKD). However, the association between HBV and CKD is not clear. This study investigated the association between chronic HBV infection and CKD in a nationwide multicenter study.

Long-term Prognosis of Acute-on-Chronic Liver Failure Survivors.

Goals: We aimed to investigate significant factors influencing the long-term prognosis of patients who survived acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF).

Background: The mortality of ACLF is predominantly affected by the organ failure severity. However, long-term outcomes of patients who survive ACLF are not known.

Validation of prognostic scores to predict short-term mortality in patients with acute-on-chronic liver failure.

Background And Aim: The aim of this study was to validate the chronic liver failure-sequential organ failure assessment score (CLIF-SOFAs), CLIF consortium organ failure score (CLIF-C OFs), CLIF-C acute-on-chronic liver failure score (CLIF-C ACLFs), and CLIF-C acute decompensation score in Korean chronic liver disease patients with acute deterioration.

Methods: Acute-on-chronic liver failure was defined by either the Asian Pacific Association for the study of the Liver ACLF Research Consortium (AARC) or CLIF-C criteria. The diagnostic performances for short-term mortality were compared by the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve.

Clinical features of hepatitis B and C virus infections, with high α-fetoprotein levels but not hepatocellular carcinoma.

The appropriate α-fetoprotein (AFP) level to confirm hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) could be 100 ng/mL; however, the clinical significance of falsely elevated AFP in patients without HCC has not been fully studied. We investigated the clinical features and outcome of patients without HCC but with high AFP levels (100 ng/mL), especially with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) or C (CHC).The sample included 124 consecutive patients with CHB (n = 97) or CHC (n = 27), with AFP levels >100 ng/mL and without HCC at baseline.

Usefulness of ascitic fluid lactoferrin levels in patients with liver cirrhosis.

Background: Although elevated levels of lactoferrin provide a biomarker for inflammatory bowel diseases and colorectal cancer, the clinical significance of these elevated levels in ascitic fluid of patients with ascites caused by liver cirrhosis is limited. The aims of our study were to investigate the usefulness of ascitic fluid lactoferrin levels for the diagnosis of spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP) in patients with cirrhosis and to evaluate the association between lactoferrin levels and the development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Methods: A total of 102 patients with ascites caused by cirrhosis were consecutively enrolled into the study, from December 2008 to December 2011.

Prediction of the Risk of Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Chronic Hepatitis C Patients after Sustained Virological Response by Aspartate Aminotransferase to Platelet Ratio Index.

Background/aims: Following sustained virological response (SVR) for chronic hepatitis C (CHC) infection, patients with advanced fibrosis require regular monitoring for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The aspartate aminotransferase to platelet ratio index (APRI) is a simple noninvasive surrogate marker known to reflect fibrosis.

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 598 patients who achieved SVR with interferonbased therapy for CHC.

Clinical Features and Outcomes of Patients With Genotype 3 Hepatitis C Virus Infection in Korea: A Retrospective Observational Study.

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype 3 infection is very rare in high-income Asia Pacific. The aim of our retrospective observational study was to evaluate the incidence, clinical features, and treatment outcomes of patients with a genotype 3 HCV infection in the Gyeongnam Province of Korea. Ninety-eight consecutive patients diagnosed with a genotype 3 HCV infection at Gyeongsang National University Hospital, between January 2005 and December 2014, were enrolled into the study.