Publications by authors named "Yang Ho Kang"
Article Synopsis
- SGLT2 inhibitors, like empagliflozin (EMPA), not only help manage blood glucose levels in type 2 diabetes but may also reduce inflammation and protect against atherosclerosis by influencing M2 macrophage activity.
- EMPA was studied for its effects on hypothalamic inflammation in mice on a high-fat diet, showing regulation of astrocyte markers and inflammatory cytokines linked to the NF-κB pathway.
- The research suggests that EMPA has potential therapeutic benefits beyond glucose control, offering new strategies for tackling inflammation and neuroprotection in metabolic diseases.
Context: With rising the prevalence of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and prediabetes, the importance of 1-hour post-load plasma glucose (1-h PG) for early hyperglycemia screening is emphasized.
Objective: This study investigates the utility of 1-h PG in predicting T2DM in adults with normal fasting plasma glucose (FPG) levels.
Methods: 7,504 participants were categorized into three groups: normal glucose tolerance (NGT) with 1-h PG < 155 mg/dL, NGT with 1-h PG ≥ 155 mg/dL, and impaired glucose tolerance (IGT).
Article Synopsis
- - This study explored how empagliflozin (EMPA), an SGLT2 inhibitor used for type 2 diabetes, affects energy regulation in the hypothalamus, especially in mice with high-fat diet-induced obesity.
- - Researchers injected EMPA directly into the brains of mice and looked at how it changed the expression of key genes (POMC and AgRP) that control energy balance and glucose metabolism.
- - The findings suggest that EMPA not only affects glucose levels by inhibiting renal reabsorption but also plays a significant role in regulating energy homeostasis, making it a promising option for managing obesity and type 2 diabetes.
Aims: We explored the role of the triglyceride-glucose (TyG) index as an early and superior predictor of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in individuals with normal glucose tolerance (NGT) using a community-based Korean cohort over 18 years.
Methods: We retrospectively examined 6,072 adults with NGT from the Korean Genome and Epidemiology Study. Cox proportional hazard regression models were employed to evaluate the risk of incidence of T2DM and receiver operating characteristic analysis was used to calculate the area under the curve (AUC).
Background: The ratio of estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) based on cystatin C and creatinine (eGFRcystatin C/eGFRcreatinine ratio) is related to accumulating atherosclerosis-promoting proteins and increased mortality in several cohorts.
Methods: We assessed whether the eGFRcystatin C/eGFRcreatinine ratio is a predictor of arterial stiffness and sub-clinical atherosclerosis in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients, who were followed up during 2008 to 2016. GFR was estimated using an equation based on cystatin C and creatinine.
Article Synopsis
- The study aimed to explore the relationship between serum uric acid levels and hand grip strength in relation to components of metabolic syndrome among 5247 Korean adults.
- Results showed that women with higher serum uric acid levels had significantly lower hand grip strength compared to those with normal levels, whereas men's results were less clear-cut.
- The findings indicate a strong negative correlation between serum uric acid levels and hand grip strength in women, which persisted even after adjusting for various health factors.
Objective: This study investigated the association between relative hand grip strength (HGS) and glycemic status, such as impaired fasting glucose (IFG) and diabetes, using data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES).
Methods: We performed a cross-sectional study using the data from the KNHANES of 27,894 individuals from 2014 to 2019. Relative HGS was defined as the absolute HGS divided by body mass index and divided into quartiles in men and women.
Background: The present study investigated the role of synergistic interaction between hyperuricemia and abdominal obesity as a risk factor for the components of metabolic syndrome.
Methods: We performed a cross-sectional study using the data of 16,094 individuals from the seventh Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2016 to 2018). The adjusted odds ratios of metabolic syndrome and its components were analyzed by multivariate logistic regression analysis.
Article Synopsis
- The study investigated the prevalence of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in Korean adults, finding that 10% of participants had NAFLD, diagnosed with a fatty liver index (FLI) of 60 or higher.
- Results showed a strong association between higher FLI values and increased risk for hypertension, diabetes, and metabolic syndrome (MetS), with higher FLI groups experiencing significantly worse health outcomes.
- The study concluded that FLI could serve as an effective screening tool for identifying individuals at risk for metabolic disorders, suggesting a cutoff value of 20 for predicting MetS presence.
Purpose: Muscles play an important role in energy metabolism. Several studies have investigated the association between muscle mass and metabolic syndrome (MetS), reporting conflicting results. However, studies concerning the association between muscle strength and MetS are limited.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAssociation between serum cystatin C and bone mineral density in Korean adults.
Ther Clin Risk Manag
November 2017
Background: Serum cystatin C has been known as a novel marker of preclinical renal dysfunction, and higher cystatin C levels are associated with increased risks of hip and nonvertebral fractures. However, there are few reports on the association between serum cystatin C and bone mineral density (BMD), especially in the Asian population. We evaluated the association between cystatin C levels and BMD of the spine and hip in Korean adults.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFArticle Synopsis
- The study focuses on nonalbuminuric renal insufficiency in Korean patients with type 2 diabetes and its link to cardiovascular disease (CVD) events.
- Participants were analyzed based on their chronic kidney disease (CKD) stages, revealing differences in factors like diabetic duration and prior health conditions.
- Findings suggest that nonalbuminuric CKD stage ≥3 shows a strong correlation with previous CVD events, and both decreased eGFR and increased albuminuria significantly raise the risk of such events.
Article Synopsis
- Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is linked to an increased prevalence of reduced kidney function in Korean adults, as assessed by different eGFR methods (creatinine, cystatin C, and combined).
- Older age correlates with higher occurrences of reduced kidney function, particularly in individuals with MetS and its specific components like abdominal obesity and hypertension.
- The study found that cystatin C-based eGFR methods are more effective than creatinine-based methods for identifying reduced kidney function in people with MetS.
Purpose: High levels of serum total homocysteine (tHcy), often observed in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients, are a risk factor for cardiovascular disease. However, little is known about the relationship between tHcy and renal function in healthy individuals. We examined whether tHcy levels are related to renal function in Asian individuals without CKD.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFArticle Synopsis
- Cystatin C is linked to early renal impairment and is potentially associated with higher prevalence of diabetes and prediabetes among Korean adults.
- Data from 1,559 participants showed that those with elevated cystatin C levels had significantly higher rates of diabetes (10.6%) and prediabetes (30.2%) compared to those with normal levels.
- The study suggests that higher serum cystatin C levels may indicate an increased risk for diabetic conditions in Asian populations, particularly in women, although results varied after adjusting for other factors.
Background: TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) is a member of the tumor necrosis factor receptor superfamily and its serum level is known to be closely associated with future cardiovascular events and prognosis of various cardiovascular diseases. We investigated whether serum TRAIL levels are associated with the severity of acute ischemic stroke and specific stroke subtype.
Methods: We used an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay to measure the serum TRAIL levels of 293 patients with acute ischemic stroke within 7 days of onset.
Article Synopsis
- The study investigates the impact of high glucose (HG) and phosphate (HP) levels on vascular calcification in rat vascular smooth muscle cells over 2 to 4 weeks.
- It finds increased calcium deposition in VSMCs when exposed to HG and HP, with a notable decrease in OPG expression after 4 weeks, suggesting its role in vascular mineralization.
- Long-term stimulation leads to a reduction in OPG levels, potentially enhancing osteo-inductive differentiation in VSMCs, indicated by increased alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity associated with vascular calcification.
Background: Increased serum ferritin and decreased vitamin D levels associated with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). However, their association with the severity of NAFLD has not been fully evaluated. The aim of this study was to compare the association of serum ferritin and 25(OH)D₃ levels with the severity of ultrasonographically detected NAFLD (US-NAFLD) and hepatic steatosis defined by fatty liver index (FLI) in Korean adults.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Multiple hypointense vessels (MHV) on susceptibility-weighted imaging (SWI) are frequently observed in patients with acute cerebral ischemia, but their implication has not been clearly established. To elucidate the clinical significance of MHV on SWI, we investigated the association of MHV on SWI with clinical data and other MR markers in patients with acute ischemic stroke.
Methods: We enrolled acute stroke patients with internal carotid or proximal middle cerebral artery occlusion who underwent MRI including SWI within 3 days from stroke onset.
Article Synopsis
- ApoA-II, which is the second-most common apolipoprotein in HDL, has an unclear role in metabolic syndrome (MetS) and may have conflicting effects on cardiovascular health.
- The study analyzed data from 244 Korean adults and found that while apoB levels were higher and apoA-I levels were lower in those with MetS, apoA-II levels showed no significant differences or associations with MetS.
- Despite the lack of correlation, the study suggests that apoA-II could have both harmful and protective roles in cardiovascular health, differing from the clear associations seen with apoA-I and apoB.
Article Synopsis
- The study investigates the relationship between preoperative serum TSH levels and advanced features of well-differentiated thyroid cancer in a Korean population.
- Higher preoperative TSH levels were significantly linked to extrathyroidal extension and lateral lymph node metastasis in patients, indicating worsening disease characteristics.
- The findings suggest that measuring TSH levels could help predict the extent of surgery needed for thyroid cancer patients, highlighting TSH as a potential preoperative marker for better surgical planning.
Article Synopsis
- A 61-year-old woman with an incidental adrenal mass was found to have elevated serum cortisol and disturbed circadian rhythm, leading to further testing for adrenal function.
- After a dexamethasone suppression test caused severe hypertension and elevated catecholamines, she was diagnosed with pheochromocytoma, a type of adrenal tumor.
- Following a successful laparoscopic adrenalectomy, her catecholamine levels normalized, and she has remained healthy without medication, highlighting the importance of investigating potential functional masses in adrenal incidentalomas.