Identifying the risk factors through the development of a predictive model for gastric cancer in South Korea.

The objective of this study was to identify the main risk factors for gastric cancer in Koreans through the development of a predictive model by multivariate logistic regression analysis that could aid the development of specific guidelines for early detection. We conducted a case control study to identify the risk factors for gastric cancer. The cohorts comprised 183 patients with gastric cancer and 199 adults without gastric cancer as controls.

Effect of body weight and lifestyle changes on long-term course of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease in Koreans.

Background: Although the prevalence of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has been increasing, there have been few studies of long-term changes in NAFLD in large numbers of subjects. This study was performed to assess the long-term changes in severity of fatty liver and to analyze the association with changes in body weight and lifestyle factors.

Methods: We analyzed lifestyle factors, biochemical data, and abdominal ultrasonography in subjects who underwent voluntary medical checkups at a 5-year interval.

Immunotoxicological effects of Agent Orange exposure to the Vietnam War Korean veterans.

Immunomodulatory effects of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) demonstrated using animals are thymic atrophy, downregulation of cytotoxic T or B lymphocyte differentiation or activation, whereas human immunotoxicities have not been investigated well. This study was undertaken to evaluate overall immunologic spectrum of the Vietnam War Korean veterans exposed to Agent Orange contaminated with TCDD. Quantity of red blood cells, hemoglobin and hematocrit in the veterans suffered from chronic diseases associated with Agent Orange exposure (Veterans-patient group) were decreased in comparison with those of the veterans without the diseases and the age-matched healthy controls, but no differences in leukocyte populations.