Prognosis of preoperative positron emission tomography uptake in hepatectomy patients.

Purpose: Preoperative F-18-fluoro-2-deoxy-glucose positron emission tomography (18F-FDG PET) imaging results appear to predict tumor recurrence and patient survival. The present study compared outcomes between PET-positive and PET-negative groups with HBV-related hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) who underwent curative hepatectomy and assessed the prognostic value of positive PET-CT for HCC recurrence and death.

Methods: This study included patients who underwent liver resection of solitary HCC between 2007 and 2014 based on preoperative radiological images.

Patient Selection by Tumor Markers in Liver Transplantation for Advanced Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

Although far advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is generally considered a contraindication for liver transplantation (LT), biologically favorable tumors among them could show acceptable results. However, it is still unclear which tumors can be treated with LT. Data were collected on adult patients who underwent LT for HCC beyond the Milan criteria in 8 Korean LT centers between January 2000 and June 2013.

Tuberculosis Relief Belt Supporting Project (Tuberculosis Patient Management Project for Poverty Group).

Background: The "Tuberculosis Relief Belt Supporting Project (Tuberculosis Patient Management Project for Poverty Groups)" is a national program for socioeconomically vulnerable tuberculosis (TB) patients. We sought to evaluate the clinical and socioeconomic characteristics of poverty-stricken TB patients, and determined the need for relief.

Methods: We examined in-patients with TB, who were supported by this project at the National Medical Center from 2014 to 2015.

Bacterial infection monitoring in the early period after liver transplantation.

Purpose: Infection remains the main cause of morbidity and mortality in liver transplantation (LT) recipients; however infection is notoriously difficult to diagnose because its usual signs and symptoms of infection may be masked or absent. This study comprises an analysis of bacterial infections in the early period after LT.

Methods: This is a study of 129 adults who underwent LT from January 2013 to December 2013, and it includes patients who were followed daily from the day of transplantation to 1-week posttransplantation using bacteriological cultures of blood, urine, sputum, and drained ascites.

Early disseminated recurrence after liver resection in solitary hepatocellular carcinoma.

Purpose: Although few hepatectomy patients develop unexpected early diffuse and multinodular recurrence in the remnant liver, the prognosis in such cases is often dismal. The aim of this study was to evaluate the risk factors of early disseminated multinodular hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) recurrence within 3 months after liver resection for solitary HCC.

Methods: Eighty-four patients who were diagnosed with recurrent HCC within 3 months after hepatectomy for solitary HCC were retrospectively reviewed.

ABO-incompatible Living Donor Liver Transplantation With Rituximab and Total Plasma Exchange Does Not Increase Hepatocellular Carcinoma Recurrence.

Background: ABO-incompatible (ABO-I) living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) has a high success rate. This study compares hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) recurrence in ABO-I LDLT with that in ABO-compatible (ABO-C) LDLT and explores the effects of rituximab prophylaxis and total plasma exchange on HCC recurrence after LDLT.

Methods: Two hundred forty patients with a diagnosis of HCC underwent LDLT between 2010 and 2015.

Interaction between frailty and nutritional status on mortality and long-term hospitalization in older Koreans: A retrospective analysis of data from the 2008 Survey on Health and Welfare Status of the Elderly in Korea.

Objectives: Although it is well known that nutritional deficiency influences frailty, and both nutritional status and frailty are closely related to mortality and morbidity in older people, there are no studies concerning this interaction. In this study, we evaluated whether the interaction of frailty and nutritional deficiency is additive and/or multiplicative.

Methods: We analyzed data from 8907 individuals (≥65 years old) who took part in the 2008 Survey on Health and Welfare Status of the Elderly in Korea.

Hybrid treatment of multilevel revascularization in patients with peripheral arterial disease - a multi-centre study in Korea.

Background: Endovascular treatment is an alternative first-line management for peripheral artery disease (PAD). Hybrid treatment (HT) is defined as a combined treatment for patients with PAD using endovascular and open surgery, simultaneously performed in an operating room. The results of HT are reportedly good for multilevel revascularization (MR) in patients with chronic limb ischaemia, and even in older high-risk patients.

Validation of the α-fetoprotein Model for Hepatocellular Carcinoma Recurrence After Transplantation in an Asian Population.

Background: This study was designed to validate the α-fetoprotein model for predicting recurrence after liver transplantation in Korean hepatocellular carcinoma patients.

Methods: Patients who underwent liver transplantation for hepatocellular carcinoma at Samsung Medical Center between 2007 and 2015 were included. Recurrence, overall survival, and disease-specific survival of patients divided by both the Milan criteria and the α-fetoprotein model were compared using Kaplan-Meier log-rank test.

Higher Risk of Posttransplant Liver Graft Failure in Male Recipients of Female Donor Grafts Might Not Be Due to Anastomotic Size Disparity.

Background: Posttransplant liver graft failure occurs most often in male recipients of livers from female donors. The respective role of donor sex itself and the size disparity in graft vessels/bile ducts according to donor sex are unclear. Thus, we aimed to evaluate the importance of donor sex with adjustment for anastomotic size disparity between female and male donor grafts.

Laparoscopic Versus Open Right Posterior Sectionectomy for Hepatocellular Carcinoma in a High-Volume Center: A Propensity Score Matched Analysis.

Background: While minimal invasive surgery is becoming popular in liver resection, right posterior sectionectomy (RPS) is still considered as a difficult procedure. We summarize the clinical data and investigate the feasibility of laparoscopic right posterior sectionectomy (LRPS) in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) by comparing its outcomes with those of open right posterior sectionectomy (ORPS).

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 191 patients who underwent RPS for HCC during January 2009 to August 2016 at Samsung Medical Center.

Hepatobiliary MRI as novel selection criteria in liver transplantation for hepatocellular carcinoma.

Background & Aims: Hepatobiliary magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) provides additional information beyond the size and number of tumours, and may have prognostic implications. We examined whether pretransplant radiological features on MRI could be used to stratify the risk of tumour recurrence after liver transplantation (LT) for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Methods: A total of 100 patients who had received a liver transplant and who had undergone preoperative gadoxetic acid-enhanced MRI, including the hepatobiliary phase (HBP), were reviewed for tumour size, number, and morphological type (e.

Prognostic Prediction Models for Resection of Large Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Korean Multicenter Study.

Background: We developed a prognostic prediction model (PPM) using 4 factors for hepatic resection (HR) of large hepatic cellular carcinoma (HCC). Multiplication of α-fetoprotein (AFP), des-γ-carboxy prothrombin, and tumor volume (TV) (ADV score) is a surrogate marker for post-resection prognosis. This study intended to validate the predictive power of 4-factor PPM and to develop new ADV score-based PPM.

Increased survival in hepatitis c patients who underwent living donor liver transplant: a case-control study with propensity score matching.

Purpose: There is no consensus regarding the difference in outcomes of HCV in patients who receive living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) or compared to deceased donor liver transplantation (DDLT). The aims of this study were to compare characteristics between LDLT and DDLT groups and to identify risk factors affecting patient survival.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the multicenter records of 192 HCV RNA-positive patients who underwent liver transplantation.

Efficacy and safety of everolimus with reduced tacrolimus in living-donor liver transplant recipients: 12-month results of a randomized multicenter study.

In a multicenter, open-label, study, 284 living-donor liver transplant patients were randomized at 30 ± 5 days posttransplant to start everolimus+reduced tacrolimus (EVR+rTAC) or continue standard tacrolimus (TAC Control). EVR+rTAC was non-inferior to TAC Control for the primary efficacy endpoint of treated BPAR, graft loss or death at 12 months posttransplant: difference -0.7% (90% CI -5.

A Multicenter Phase III Study to Evaluate the Efficacy and Safety of Hepabulin, a New Hepatitis B Immunoglobulin, in Liver Transplantation Recipients with Hepatitis B.

BACKGROUND This study was performed to evaluate the effects and stability of the new hepatitis B immunoglobulin (HBIG), Hepabulin, in patients undergoing liver transplantation for hepatitis B. MATERIAL AND METHODS A total of 87 patients undergoing liver transplantation for hepatitis B-related liver disease were enrolled in this multicenter, phase III, open-label, single-arm study. Seventy (80.

A Middle East respiratory syndrome screening clinic for health care personnel during the 2015 Middle East respiratory syndrome outbreak in South Korea: A single-center experience.

Background: Transmission of Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) to health care personnel (HCP) is a major concern. This study aimed to review cases of MERS-related events, such as development of MERS-like symptoms or exposure to patients.

Methods: A MERS screening clinic (MSC) for HCP was setup in the National Medical Center during the MERS outbreak in 2015.

Independent Factors Predicting Postoperative 30-Day Mortality in 101 Infants Following Liver Transplantation.

BACKGROUND Liver transplantation (LT) in infants is a challenging procedure. This study was designed to identify risk factors of 30-day mortality of infant LT recipients. MATERIAL AND METHODS A total of 101 infants treated between May 1997 and March 2015 were assigned to one of two groups, a deceased infant group (n=9) or a live infant group (n=92), according to their mortality status at 30 days after LT.

Cell-surface major vault protein promotes cancer progression through harboring mesenchymal and intermediate circulating tumor cells in hepatocellular carcinomas.

Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) play a major role in the metastasis and recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Here, we found that major vault protein (MVP) is expressed on the surface of HCC cells and further induced under stressful environments. MVP knockdown reduces cell proliferation and induces apoptosis in HCC cells.

Postoperative changes of liver enzymes can distinguish between biliary stricture and graft rejection after living donor liver transplantation: A longitudinal study.

There is no known useful clinical parameter that can specifically predict a biliary stricture and differentiate it from other related complications after living donor liver transplantations (LDLT). The aims of this study were to determine whether the changes of liver enzymes can predict postoperative biliary stricture apart from other complications. We reviewed the medical records of 203 patients who underwent LDLT with duct to duct anastomosis from 2008 to 2010.

Clinical importance of TERT overexpression in hepatocellular carcinoma treated with curative surgical resection in HBV endemic area.

This study was designed to investigate the associations between TERT overexpression and the clinicopathologic factors of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). A total of 291 patients with HCC were enrolled. The site of first recurrence (anywhere in the liver) was classified as intrahepatic recurrence (IHR).

T cell-mediated antitumor immune response eliminates skin tumors induced by mouse papillomavirus, MmuPV1.

Previous studies of naturally occurring mouse papillomavirus (PV) MmuPV1-induced tumors in B6.Cg-Foxn1 mice suggest that T cell deficiency is necessary and sufficient for the development of such tumors. To confirm this, MmuPV1-induced tumors were transplanted from T cell-deficient mice into immunocompetent congenic mice.

Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation support for refractory septic shock in liver transplantation recipients.

Purpose: This study was designed to assess the outcome of the extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) in liver transplantation (LT) recipients with refractory septic shock and predict the prognosis of those cases.

Methods: From February 2005 to October 2012, ECMO was used in 8 cases of refractory septic shock. Laboratory values including lactate and total bilirubin level just before starting ECMO were obtained and sepsis-related organ failure assessment (SOFA) score, acute physiology and chronic health evaluation (APACH) II score and simplified acute physiology score (SAPS) 3 were calculated.

A multi-institutional analysis of intraoperative radiotherapy for early breast cancer: Does age matter?

Background: Single-session intraoperative radiation therapy (IORT) minimizes treatment demands associated with traditional whole breast radiation therapy (WBRT) but outcomes on local disease control and morbidity among the elderly is limited.

Methods: A multi-institutional retrospective registry was established from 19 centers utilizing IORT from 2007 to 2013. Patient, tumor, and treatment variables were analyzed for ages <70 and ≥70.

Evaluation of a Rapid Molecular Drug-Susceptibility Test for Tuberculosis.

Background: Fluoroquinolones and second-line injectable drugs are the backbone of treatment regimens for multidrug-resistant tuberculosis, and resistance to these drugs defines extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis. We assessed the accuracy of an automated, cartridge-based molecular assay for the detection, directly from sputum specimens, of Mycobacterium tuberculosis with resistance to fluoroquinolones, aminoglycosides, and isoniazid.

Methods: We conducted a prospective diagnostic accuracy study to compare the investigational assay against phenotypic drug-susceptibility testing and DNA sequencing among adults in China and South Korea who had symptoms of tuberculosis.