Serum uric acid and chronic kidney disease: the Severance cohort study.

Background: Both serum uric acid (SUA) and chronic kidney disease (CKD) are associated with the risk of cardiovascular disease; however, it is unclear whether SUA independently increases the risk of CKD based on longitudinal data.

Methods: To investigate the relationship between SUA levels and CKD development, we initiated a 10.2-year prospective cohort study.

Recombinant interferon-Beta-1alpha plus ribavirin for the treatment of chronic HCV infection: a prospective, randomized, comparative pilot study.

Background/aims: Interferon beta (IFN-beta) has been shown to have antiviral activity, and thus could be useful in treating viral infections. Therefore, we compared the efficacy and safety of recombinant IFN-beta (IFN-beta-1a) plus oral ribavirin versus interferon alpha (IFN-alpha) plus ribavirin therapy for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C (HCV).

Methods: Twenty treatment-naïve patients were randomized into two equal-sized treatment groups.

Combination therapy of thymosin alpha-1 and lamivudine for HBeAg positive chronic hepatitis B: A prospective randomized, comparative pilot study.

Background And Aim: Monotherapy of lamivudine, interferon-alpha (IFN-alpha), and thymosin alpha-1 (Talpha1) is unlikely to be sufficient for the eradication of a chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. The aim of our study is to elucidate whether the combination of Talpha1 and lamivudine is superior to lamivudine monotherapy in hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) positive naïve patients with chronic hepatitis B.

Methods: Sixty-seven patients were assigned to two different groups in a randomized manner.

[The efficacy and safety of telbivudine in korean patients with chronic hepatitis B].

Background And Aims: Telbivudine is an L-nucleoside analogue with potent antiviral activity against hepatitis B virus (HBV). Clinical trials have shown that telbivudine is more potent than lamivudine for suppressing virus.

Methods: A total 101 Korean patients among 1,367 patients who participated in the phase III GLOBE trial were randomized in this study.

Prediction of microvascular invasion before curative resection of hepatocellular carcinoma.

Background: The accurate staging of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is important in establishing treatment strategies and prognosis. Among tumor factors, microvascular invasion, one of TNM staging components and prognostic factors, is underestimated preoperatively, due to inaccuracy of imaging modalities. We investigated preoperative predictors of microvascular invasion.

Telbivudine versus lamivudine in patients with chronic hepatitis B.

Background: Reducing hepatitis B virus (HBV) replication to minimal levels is emerging as a key therapeutic goal for chronic hepatitis B.

Methods: In this double-blind, phase 3 trial, 1370 patients with chronic hepatitis B were randomly assigned to receive 600 mg of telbivudine or 100 mg of lamivudine once daily. The primary efficacy end point was noninferiority of telbivudine to lamivudine for therapeutic response (i.

Persistent hepatitis B viral replication affects recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma after curative resection.

Background: Elevated serum hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA increases the development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Rather than instantaneous DNA level, the duration of persistent HBV replication is more important in carcinogenesis. Nevertheless, most investigators evaluated the DNA level at study entry.

[Clinical features and treatment outcome of advanced hepatocellular carcinoma with inferior vena caval invasion or atrial tumor thrombus].

Background/aims: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with an extension to the inferior vena cava (IVC) or right atrium is uncommon, and its prognosis remains unclear due to the few case reports. In order to elucidate the natural history and treatment outcome, this study investigated advanced HCC patients with an IVC invasion or atrial tumor thrombus.

Methods: Between November 1987 and June 2004, a total of 41 patients were diagnosed as having HCC with IVC or right atrial involvement using the new imaging techniques including a two-dimensional echocardiography.

Noninvasive models to predict liver cirrhosis in patients with chronic hepatitis B.

Objectives: Few noninvasive models of chronic hepatitis B (CHB) to predict liver cirrhosis have been studied. The aim of the current study is to investigate the diagnostic accuracy of two simple novel models of spleen-platelet ratio index (SPRI) and age-spleen-platelet ratio index (ASPRI) in patients with CHB.

Patients And Methods: A total of 346 consecutive treatment-naïve patients with CHB were retrospectively studied.

Repetitive short-course hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy with high-dose 5-fluorouracil and cisplatin in patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma.

Background: Hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy (HAIC) has often been selected as a therapeutic option for patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The objective of the current study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of repetitive HAIC with high-dose 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and cisplatin given for 3 days in patients with advanced HCC.

Methods: Between January 2001 and December 2004, a total of 41 patients with unresectable advanced HCC were enrolled.

Changes in serum and ascitic monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1) and IL-10 levels in cirrhotic patients with spontaneous bacterial peritonitis.

Spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP) is a prototypical infectious disease of cirrhotic patients. It has been suggested that cirrhotic patients' response to infection is less effective because of differences in the inflammatory and immune reactions. This study aimed to investigate the expression of the inflammatory cytokines monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1) and interleukin-10 (IL-10) in cirrhotic patients with SBP.

Long-term outcome of chronic hepatitis B based on histological grade and stage.

Background And Aim: This study evaluated the long-term outcome and prognostic factors of chronic hepatitis B, based on histological grade and stage.

Methods: A total of 188 patients with chronic hepatitis B were followed for a mean 119.8 months.

Efficacy and long-term follow up of combination therapy with interferon alpha and ribavirin for chronic hepatitis C in Korea.

Combination therapy with interferon alpha (IFN-alpha) and ribavirin for 24 or 48 weeks according to HCV genotype has improved the overall sustained virological response (SVR) rates to approximately 40%. The aim of this study was to investigate the long-term efficacy of combination therapy with IFN-alpha and ribavirin for chronic hepatitis C in Koreans. One hundred thirty-eight patients with chronic hepatitis C who received this combination therapy between 1995 and 2003 were analyzed retrospectively.

Association of genetic variations in CCR5 and its ligand, RANTES with clearance of hepatitis B virus in Korea.

Immunogenetic factors may play a role in determining the susceptibility of an individual to viral infection. The aim of current study was to investigate the association of clearance of hepatitis B virus (HBV) with promoter polymorphisms within the CC chemokine receptor 5 (CCR5) and its major ligand, regulated upon activation, normal T cells expressed and secreted (RANTES) genes. Five chemokine system polymorphisms (CCR5 Delta32, CCR5 promoter 59029G/A, 59353C/T, RANTES -403G/A, and -28C/G) were studied in a total of 698 subjects.

The clinical impact of early detection of the YMDD mutant on the outcomes of long-term lamivudine therapy in patients with chronic hepatitis B.

The early emergence of lamivudine (3TC)-resistant tyrosine-methionine-aspartate-aspartate (YMDD) mutants has been reported during 3TC therapy in patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) in hepatitis B virus (HBV)-endemic areas; however, its clinical impact during long-term 3TC therapy is unknown. This study was performed to investigate the impact of the early emergence of YMDD mutants 3 months after the initiation of treatment on the outcomes of long-term 3TC therapy in HBV e antigen (HBeAg)-positive CHB. We analysed YMDD genotypes in consecutive samples from 30 patients with HBeAg positive CHB throughout 3TC treatment using both restriction fragment length polymorphism and mass spectrometric assays.

[Natural history of HBeAg negative chronic hepatitis B virus infection: a cohort study].

Background/aims: The long-term virologic and biochemical changes in patients with HBeAg negative HBV infection, especially in Asia, remain unclear. To address this issue, we conducted a 3 year- retrospective, cohort study.

Methods: A total of 157 patients with HBeAg negative HBV infection who were monitored without treatment were reviewed between January 1999 and March 2004.

Hepatic stellate cells primed with cytokines upregulate inflammation in response to peptidoglycan or lipoteichoic acid.

Gram-positive bacterial products such as peptidoglycan (PGN) and lipoteichoic acid (LTA) are potent stimulators of innate inflammatory responses. We previously reported that lipopolysaccharide (LPS), a major biologically active agent of gram-negative bacteria, induces a proinflammatory response via the Toll-like receptor (TLR) 4 in hepatic stellate cells (HSCs). Here we investigated the mechanism of proinflammatory action by PGN and LTA in activated human HSCs.

Long-term clinical outcome of phase IIb clinical trial of percutaneous injection with holmium-166/chitosan complex (Milican) for the treatment of small hepatocellular carcinoma.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the long-term tumor response after phase IIb clinical study and the safety of percutaneous holmium-166 ((166)Ho)/chitosan complex injection (PHI) therapy for small hepatocellular carcinoma as a local ablative treatment. (166)Ho is a radioactive isotope derived from natural holmium-165. We developed a (166)Ho/chitosan complex (Milican, Dong Wha Pharmaceutical Co.

[Clinical outcome of pulmonary resections in patients with pulmonary metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma].

Background/aims: Although the lung is the most common site of extrahepatic spread from hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the role of surgery for pulmonary metastasis remains unclear. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of pulmonary resection in patients with pulmonary metastasis from HCC.

Methods: Between July 2000 and July 2004, a total of 6 patients with pulmonary metastasis from HCC underwent curative pulmonary resections.

Usefulness of urine strip test in the rapid diagnosis of spontaneous bacterial peritonitis.

Purpose: Rapid and accurate diagnosis of spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP) is mandatory for timely treatment in cirrhotic patients. The purpose of this study was to assess the usefulness of two different reagent strips, the UriSCAN and the Multistix10SG, for the rapid bedside diagnosis of SBP.

Methods: A total of 75 paracenteses in 53 cirrhotic patients with ascites were performed.

[Efficacy of repeated hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy in advanced hepatocellular carcinoma with portal vein tumor thrombosis].

Background/aims: The aim of this study is to elucidate the efficacy of repeated hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy (HAIC) and different chemotherapeutic regimens for treating patients having advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with portal vein tumor thrombosis (PVTT).

Methods: From Jan. 1999 and Dec.

Long-term clinical outcome of large volume paracentesis with intravenous albumin in patients with spontaneous bacterial peritonitis: a randomized prospective study.

Background And Aim: Large volume paracentesis (LVP) with plasma volume expansion has been used for tense or refractory ascites. However, still in question is whether it is safe and effective for the treatment of spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP). We addressed this issue and conducted a study to assess safety and long-term outcome of LVP in cirrhotic patients with SBP.

Comparison of rifaximin and lactulose for the treatment of hepatic encephalopathy: a prospective randomized study.

Rifaximin has been reported to be effective for the treatment of hepatic encephalopathy (HE) in Europe. However, it is unknown whether Rifaximin is effective for the treatment of HE in Koreans, therefore we conducted a open-label prospective randomized study to evaluate the efficacy of rifaximin versus lactulose in Korean patients. Fifty-four patients with liver cirrhosis and hepatic encephalopathy were enrolled.

[HBV-specific CD8+ T cells for sustained HBeAg seroconversion after lamivudine therapy].

Background/aims: Viral suppression of the hepatitis B virus (HBV) can be induced by lamivudine, but the relapse seen in many patients after cessation of lamivudine therapy is troublesome. We thought that the host immune response is important to prevent viral relapse. We compared the frequency of HBV-specific CD8+ T cells in the peripheral blood and their expansion capacity after exposure to viral antigen between the patients showing sustained HBeAg seroconversion after use of lamivudine and those patients without sustained response.