Effect of Biliary Drainage on the Prognosis of Patients with Hepatocellular Carcinoma and Bile Duct Invasion.

Background/aims: Bile duct invasion (BDI) is rarely observed in patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), leading to hyperbilirubinemia. However, the efficacy of pretreatment biliary drainage for HCC patients with BDI and obstructive jaundice is currently unclear. Thus, the aim of this study was to assess the effect of biliary drainage on the prognosis of these patients.

Switching from tenofovir disoproxil fumarate to tenofovir alafenamide in virologically suppressed patient with chronic hepatitis B.

Background And Aim: Our study evaluated the outcomes of switching from tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) to tenofovir alafenamide (TAF) in patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB). We assessed viral and biochemical responses as well as changes in the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and bone mineral density (BMD).

Methods: This retrospective multicenter study included CHB patients who achieved virologic response (VR) (HBV DNA < 20 IU/mL) while on TDF and were subsequently switched to TAF between April 2018 and October 2021.

A Real-World Comparative Analysis of Atezolizumab Plus Bevacizumab and Transarterial Chemoembolization Plus Radiotherapy in Hepatocellular Carcinoma Patients with Portal Vein Tumor Thrombosis.

This study aimed to compare the treatment outcomes of atezolizumab-plus-bevacizumab (Ate/Bev) therapy with those of transarterial chemoembolization plus radiotherapy (TACE + RT) in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients with portal vein tumor thrombosis (PVTT) and without metastasis. Between June 2016 and October 2022, we consecutively enrolled 855 HCC patients with PVTT. After excluding 758 patients, 97 patients (n = 37 in the Ate/Bev group; n = 60 in the TACE + RT group) were analyzed.

Change in skeletal muscle mass is associated with hepatic steatosis in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.

The association between nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and sarcopenia is known. We aimed to determine the association between skeletal muscle mass changes and NAFLD status. This retrospective single-center study analyzed patients who underwent health screening twice between November 2009 and December 2017, with a temporal gap of 6 ± 0.

Safety and effectiveness of direct-acting antivirals in patients with chronic hepatitis C and chronic kidney disease.

Background/aims: To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of direct acting antivirals (DAAs) available in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in Korea.

Methods: In a retrospective, multicenter cohort study, 362 patients were enrolled from 2015 to 2019. The effectiveness and safety of DAAs including glecaprevir/pibrentasvir, sofosubvir/ribavirin, ledipasvir/sofosbuvir, and daclatasvir/asunaprevir were analyzed for patients according to CKD stage.

Real-life experience of ledipasvir and sofosbuvir for HCV infected Korean patients: a multicenter cohort study.

Background/aims: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of ledipasvir/sofosbuvir (LDV/SOF) therapy in hepatitis C virus (HCV)-infected Korean patients in a real clinical setting.

Methods: A total of 273 patients who received LDV/SOF therapy between May 2016 and February 2021 were consecutively enrolled and analyzed. A per-protocol analysis was performed to evaluate the virologic response.

Association between serum tumor necrosis factor-α and sarcopenia in liver cirrhosis.

Background/aims: Sarcopenia is an independent prognostic factor of liver cirrhosis (LC). However, the association between LC-related systemic inflammation and sarcopenia is unclear.

Methods: Sprague-Dawley rats were treated with thioacetamide (TAA) or saline as a control.

Definition of Sarcopenia in Chronic Liver Disease.

Sarcopenia, which is characterized by decline in muscle mass, muscle strength, and physical performance, is common in patients with chronic liver disease (CLD) and is associated with poor clinical outcomes. Several consensus definitions for community-dwelling elderly people have been proposed, and these recommend the use of various tools and tests to assess muscle properties and performance. These measurement tools have also been applied in patients with CLD and have been useful for predicting prognosis.

Prediction of Hepatocellular Carcinoma by On-Therapy Response of Noninvasive Fibrosis Markers in Chronic Hepatitis B.

Introduction: Antiviral therapy improves hepatic fibrosis and reduces hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) incidence. This study aimed to evaluate whether on-therapy changes in scores for fibrosis index based on 4 factors and aspartate aminotransferase-to-platelet ratio index are associated with HCC development and establish an HCC risk score model incorporating noninvasive fibrosis marker (NFM) response.

Methods: This multicenter study recruited 5,147 patients with chronic hepatitis B (4,028 for derivation cohort and 1,119 for validation cohort) who were given entecavir/tenofovir for >12 months between 2007 and 2018.

Effectiveness of sorafenib dose modifications on treatment outcome of hepatocellular carcinoma: Analysis in real-life settings.

Controlling adverse events (AEs) through dose reduction can enhance drug adherence and treatment response. Currently, there is no guide for sorafenib dosing. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether sorafenib dosing could affect treatment outcomes.

Noninvasive Serum Fibrosis Markers are Associated with Coronary Artery Calcification in Patients with Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease.

Background/aims: Advanced hepatic fibrosis is associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD) in patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). We investigated the association between noninvasive serum fibrosis markers and the coronary artery calcium score (CACS) in subjects with NAFLD.

Methods: We analyzed 665 NAFLD subjects without chronic liver disease or heart disease between 2011 and 2015.

Efficacy and Safety of Tenofovir Disoproxil Fumarate in Treatment-Naïve Patients with Chronic Hepatitis B in Korea.

Aims: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of 144-week tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) therapy in treatment-naïve chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients in Korean.

Methods: In total, 579 treatment-naïve CHB patients at 11 medical centers were enrolled retrospective and prospective from September 2015 to January 2016 by design (NCT02533544). We evaluated the complete virologic response (CVR) rate and the renal safety of TDF.

Clinical outcomes after the introduction of direct antiviral agents for patients infected with genotype 1b hepatitis C virus depending on the regimens: A multicenter study in Korea.

Background: A real-life study is essential outside clinical trials. The aim is to evaluate the clinical outcomes of direct acting agents (DAA) for patients with chronic hepatitis C (CHC) in real practice.

Methods: We analyzed 590 consecutively enrolled patients with CHC-1b who received DAAs since 2015, when DAAs were introduced in Korea.

Effect of antiviral therapy in reducing perinatal transmission of hepatitis B virus and maternal outcomes after discontinuing them.

Background/aims: There have been numerous efforts to reduce mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) of hepatitis B virus (HBV) with antiviral agents during pregnancy. However, there are limited data regarding the outcomes of pregnant women after delivery. This study was performed to evaluate the efficacy of antiviral agents in preventing MTCT of HBV and maternal long-term outcomes.

Heavy Alcohol Consumption with Alcoholic Liver Disease Accelerates Sarcopenia in Elderly Korean Males: The Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2008-2010.

Background And Aim: Although a few studies have reported that sarcopenia is associated with alcoholic liver disease (ALD), no studies have investigated this association in a large sample representative of the elderly Korean population.

Methods: This was a cross-sectional study that used data from the Fourth and Fifth Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (KNHANES) on subjects aged 65 years and older. Sarcopenia was defined as a skeletal muscle index (SMI) more than 1 SD below the gender-specific mean for young adults; SMI was calculated as the appendicular muscle mass divided by height squared (ASM/Ht2).

Use of cefuroxime for women with community-onset acute pyelonephritis caused by cefuroxime-susceptible or -resistant Escherichia coli.

Background/aims: Efforts to decrease the use of extended-spectrum cephalosporins are required to prevent the selection and transmission of multi-drug resistant pathogens, such as extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Enterobacteriaceae. The objectives of this study were to assess the clinical efficacy of intravenous cefuroxime as an empirical antibiotic for the treatment of hospitalized women with acute pyelonephritis (APN) caused by Escherichia coli.

Methods: We analyzed the clinical and microbiologic database of 328 hospitalized women with community-onset APN.

Comparison of Second- and Third-Generation Cephalosporin as Initial Therapy for Women with Community-Onset Uncomplicated Acute Pyelonephritis.

Purpose: This study examined the clinical effectiveness of parenteral cefuroxime and cefotaxime as empirical antibiotics for treating hospitalized women with uncomplicated acute pyelonephritis (APN).

Materials And Methods: This study was based on the clinical and microbiologic data of 255 hospitalized women with APN. Of these 255 women, 144 patients received cefuroxime and 111 received cefotaxime.

A comparison of the clinical characteristics of elderly and non-elderly women with community-onset, non-obstructive acute pyelonephritis.

Background/aims: Acute pyelonephritis (APN) is the most common cause of community-onset bacteremia in hospitalized elderly patients. The objectives of this study were to investigate the differences in the clinical and microbiological data of hospitalized elderly and non-elderly women with community-onset APN.

Methods: Women with community-onset APN as a discharge diagnosis were identified from January 2004 to December 2013 using an electronic medical records system.

Propensity-matched analysis to compare the therapeutic efficacies of cefuroxime versus cefotaxime as initial antimicrobial therapy for community-onset complicated nonobstructive acute pyelonephritis due to Enterobacteriaceae infection in women.

This study was performed to compare the therapeutic efficacy of cefuroxime with that of cefotaxime as initial antimicrobial therapies in women with complicated nonobstructive acute pyelonephritis (APN) caused by Enterobacteriaceae infections. The clinical characteristics and outcomes of a cefuroxime-treated group (n = 156) were compared with those of a cefotaxime-treated group (n = 166). Of these 322 women, 90 from each group were matched by propensity scores.

Comparison of the clinical characteristics of diabetic and non-diabetic women with community-acquired acute pyelonephritis: a multicenter study.

Objectives: Purpose of this study was to compare clinical characteristics and treatment outcomes in diabetic and non-diabetic women with community-acquired APN (CA-APN).

Methods: We prospectively collected and analyzed clinical data of women with CA-APN who attended 11 hospitals in South Korea from March 2010 to February 2012.

Results: Of a total of 775 patients, 246 (31.