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The hydrophilic surface of fumed nanosilica was modified to a hydrophobic surface by treating it with a trimethyl silane coupling agent, and epoxy nanocomposites were prepared by mixing the modified nanosilica (0 phr, 1 phr, 3 phr, 5 phr, and 7 phr) in an epoxy matrix, where the unit phr means the parts per one hundred grams of epoxy base resin. To apply the nanocomposites to heavy electrical equipment, the effects of the modified nanosilica on the long-term treeing phenomena and the partial discharge (PD) resistance were studied under high voltage alternating current (HVAC) conditions. The bonding of trimethyl silane on the nanosilica surface was confirmed by the appearance of new peaks for the CH2 and CH3 groups in Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy analysis. To observe the even dispersion of the modified nanosilica particles in the epoxy matrix, a transmission electron microscope was employed, and it was found that 1 phr of the modified nanosilica was uniformly dispersed; however, as the nanosilica content was increased, its aggregation became somewhat severe. The longest HVAC treeing breakdown time was found in an epoxy nanocomposite with 1 phr of alkyl-modified nanosilica, and the time was 17,412 min, which was 143.9 times longer than the 121 min required for a neat epoxy system. In a nanocomposite with 5 phr of modified nanosilica, PD resistance was found to be 12.5 times higher than that of the neat epoxy system.

Introduction: The impact of device-assisted enteroscopy (DAE) on long-term rebleeding in patients with obscure gastrointestinal bleeding (OGIB) exhibiting detectable small-bowel lesions remains unclear. We investigated the long-term rebleeding rate and predictive factors for DAE in patients with OGIB. Method: Patients with OGIB with small bowel lesions detected through DAE were enrolled at three Korean tertiary hospitals. Predictive risk factors associated with rebleeding were analyzed using the Cox regression analysis. Results: From April 2008 to April 2021, 141 patients were enrolled, including 38 patients (27.0%) with rebleeding. The rebleeding rates at 1, 2, and 3 years were 25.0%, 29.6%, and 31.1%, respectively. The Cox regression analysis revealed that multiple small-bowel lesions (hazard ratio [HR]: 2.551, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.157–5.627, p = 0.020), the need for more than five packed red blood cells (RBC) transfusions (HR: 2.704, 95% CI: 1.412–5.181, p = 0.003), and ulcerative lesions (HR: 1.992, 95% CI: 1.037–3.826, p = 0.039) were positively associated with rebleeding. Therapeutic interventions for patients with detectable lesions, overt bleeding (vs. occult bleeding), comorbidities, and medications were not associated with rebleeding. Conclusion: More than 25% of patients with OGIB having detectable small-bowel lesions had rebleeding. Patients with multiple lesions, a requirement of more than five packed RBC transfusions, and ulcerative lesions were associated with a higher risk of rebleeding.

Background: Colonoscopic polypectomy significantly reduces the incidence of colorectal cancer, but it carries potential risks, with colonic perforation being the most common and associated with significant morbidity. Objectives: This study evaluated the clinical outcomes and risk factors of microperforation during colonoscopic polypectomy. Design: A retrospective cohort study. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the patients’ records who underwent colonoscopic polypectomy and subsequent plain radiographic examination to monitor perforation. Patients with pneumoperitoneum detected on plain radiography were enrolled. Patients who underwent adverse event-free colonoscopic polypectomies within 1 week of each case and were matched 2:1 by age and sex to the cases were selected as controls. Results: Microperforations occurred in 12 patients (8 males; age: median 64.5 years). Polyps with microperforations were more frequent in the right colon (83.3% vs 33.3%). Endoscopic mucosal resection with precutting (EMR-P; 16.7% vs 0.0%) or hot-snare polypectomy (8.3% vs 0.0%) was more frequently performed in the microperforation group. Muscle fibers at the polypectomy site were more frequently visible in the microperforation group (58.3% vs 8.3%). By multivariate analysis, right colon location and visible muscle fibers were independent risk factors for microperforation. All patients with microperforation received intravenous antibiotics and were advised to fast. Patients responded well to these conservative treatments and were discharged after a median of 3 (2–6.75) days of hospital stay. Conclusion: Our data suggest that conservative treatment is feasible and could be the primary management option for selected patients with microperforations postcolonoscopic polypectomy. Right-sided colonic polyps and visible muscle fibers predispose to microperforations.

Background/Aims Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is no longer a rare disease in Asia, thus it needs to prepare recommendations relevant to Asian patients. This study aimed to identify disparities in the process of the diagnosis of IBD in Asian countries/regions. Methods In line with the 2020 Asian Organization for Crohn’s and Colitis annual meeting, a multinational web-based survey about Asian physicians’ perspectives on IBD was conducted. Results A total of 384 Asian physicians (99 in China, 93 in Japan, 110 in Korea, and 82 in other Asian countries/regions) treating IBD patients from 24 countries/regions responded to the survey. Most respondents were gastroenterologists working in an academic teaching hospital. About half of them had more than 10 years of clinical experience in caring for patients with IBD. The European Crohn’s Colitis Organisation guideline was used most commonly for the diagnosis of IBD except for Japanese physicians who preferred their own national guideline. The Mayo score and Crohn’s Disease Activity Index were the most commonly used activity scoring systems for ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease, respectively. Endoscopy, not surprisingly, was the main investigation in assessing the extent and activity of IBD. On the other hand, there were disparities across countries/regions with regard to the favored modalities of small bowel and perianal evaluation of Crohn’s disease, as well as the use of serologic markers. Conclusions Results of the present survey revealed practical behaviors of Asian physicians in the diagnosis of IBD. Investigating the reasons for different diagnostic approaches among countries/regions might help us develop Asian guidelines further.

Background/Aims There have been little research on the cancer risks of patients with Peutz-Jeghers syndrome (PJS) in Korea. We aimed to investigate the clinical features of PJS patients and their cancer incidence rate. Methods Patients with PJS from nine medical centers were enrolled. In those patients diagnosed with cancer, data obtained included the date of cancer diagnosis, the tumor location, and the cancer stage. The cumulative risks of gastrointestinal cancers and extra-gastrointestinal cancers were calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method. Results A total of 96 PJS patients were included. The median age at diagnosis of PJS was 23.4 years. Cancer developed in 21 of the 96 patients (21.9%). The age of PJS diagnosis was widely distributed (0.9 to 72.4 years). The most common cancers were gastrointestinal cancer (n = 12) followed by breast cancer (n = 6). The cumulative lifetime cancer risk was calculated to be 62.1% at age 60. The cumulative lifetime gastrointestinal cancer risk was 47.1% at age 70. The cumulative lifetime extra-gastrointestinal cancer risk was 40.3% at age 60. Conclusions PJS onset may occur at any age and the risks of gastrointestinal and extra-gastrointestinal cancer are high. Thorough surveillance of PJS patients for malignancies is vital.

Ulcerative colitis (UC), a relapsing-remitting chronic inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), has a variable natural course but potentially severe disease course. Since the development of anti-tumor necrosis factor (TNF) agents has changed the natural disease course of moderate-to-severe UC, therapeutic options for patients who failed conventional treatments are expanding rapidly. IBD clinical trials have demonstrated the potential efficacy and safety of novel biologics such as anti-integrin α4β7 and anti-interleukin-12/23 monoclonal antibodies and small molecules such as a Janus kinase inhibitor. Anti-TNF biosimilars also have been approved and are widely used in IBD patients. Wise drug choices should be made considering evidence-based efficacy and safety. However, the best position of these drugs remains several questions, with limited data from direct comparative trials. In addition, there are still concerns to be elucidated on the effect of therapeutic drug monitoring and combination therapy with immunomodulators. The appropriate treatment regimens in acute severe UC and the risk of perioperative use of biologics are unclear. As novel biologics and small molecules have been approved in Korea, we present the Korean guidelines for medical management of adult outpatients with moderate-to-severe UC and adult hospitalized patients with acute severe UC, focusing on biologics and small molecules.

Abstract Background Due to sex‐specific differences in the incidence and clinical and histopathological characteristics of colorectal cancer (CRC), understanding the impact of sex on CRC may suggest sex‐targeted strategies for screening, treatment, and prevention, leading to improved prognosis of CRC. However, there have been few studies investigating the sex‐specific differences in CRC in the Republic of Korea. We aimed to assess sex differences in CRC in the Republic of Korea. Methods This was a retrospective, multicenter, cohort study of patients diagnosed with CRC between January 2012 and December 2013 at nine hospitals. Patients who had an uncertain CRC stage, were diagnosed with other cancers within 5 years, had carcinoma in situ, non‐epithelial cancer, or primary cancer other than CRC, were excluded. Factors associated with overall survival or progression‐free survival were investigated using Cox regression analysis. Cumulative probability of metachronous lesions was compared using the Kaplan–Meier estimator survival analysis and we compared the survival curves of each group using a log‐rank test. Outcomes were compared using the chi‐square, Fisher's exact, or Student's t‐test, as appropriate. Results Three thousand one hundred and forteen patients (1999 men, 1315 women) were included. There was no significant difference in the age at onset between men and women. The proportion of patients diagnosed through regular health check‐ups, and asymptomatic at time of diagnosis, was higher in men (48.9% men vs. 42.0% women, p

Background: Methotrexate monotherapy is recommended as a maintenance therapy for Crohn’s disease (CD). However, long-term follow-up data are scarce. Objectives: We aimed to examine the effectiveness and tolerability of methotrexate monotherapy in 94 CD patients from three inflammatory bowel disease Clinics in Korea. Design: This was a multicenter retrospective observational study. Methods: Patients with active CD treated with methotrexate monotherapy were included. Clinical characteristics, laboratory indicators, endoscopy indices were evaluated at baseline, 6, 12, and 24 months. Independent factors associated with long-term clinical and endoscopic outcomes were determined. Results: Methotrexate was administered orally (70.2%) or parenterally (29.8%). The mean methotrexate induction dose was 15.3 ± 0.4 mg/week, and the mean duration of therapy was 26.2 months. Of 76 patients who were treated for >6 months, the clinical remission rates were 76.3%, 74.6%, and 80.0% at 6, 12, and 24 months, respectively, by per-protocol analysis. The mean CRP levels were 7.5 ± 1.3, 5.3 ± 1.2, 3.8 ± 0.7, and 2.6 ± 0.5 mg/L at 0, 6, 12, and 24 months, respectively. Of 31 patients who underwent follow-up endoscopy after 27.5 months, the endoscopic remission rate was 38.7%. Baseline hemoglobin level

Background/Aims The optimal tools for monitoring Crohn’s disease (CD) are controversial. We compared radiology plus ileocolonoscopy and radiology alone in terms of prognosis prediction and evaluated the agreement between radiologic and ileocolonoscopic findings in patients with CD. Methods Patients with CD who were followed up with computed tomography enterography (CTE) or magnetic resonance enterography (MRE) alone or CTE or MRE plus ileocolonoscopy were retrospectively recruited. Time to relapse was investigated to evaluate the difference in prognosis using the log-rank and Cox regression tests, and the agreement between radiologic and ileocolonoscopic findings was determined using a kappa value. Results A total of 501 patients with CD in clinical remission who underwent CTE or MRE and/or ileocolonoscopy were analyzed. Of these, 372 (74.3%) patients underwent CTE or MRE alone and 129 (25.7%) patients underwent CTE or MRE plus ileocolonoscopy. The cumulative maintenance rate of clinical remission between the two groups was not significantly different (p = 0.526, log-rank test). In multivariate analysis, age

Abstract Background Therapeutic options for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) have increased since the introduction of tumour necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitors a few decades ago. However, direct comparisons of the effectiveness of second-line biological agents in patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn’s disease (CD) are lacking. Methods Patients with UC or CD who experienced anti-TNF treatment failure and subsequently used vedolizumab, ustekinumab, or tofacitinib as a second-line drug were retrospectively recruited. The primary outcomes were the clinical remission rate at week 16 and the cumulative relapse rate 48 weeks after receiving induction therapy. Results A total of 94 patients with UC or CD experienced anti-TNF treatment failure and received vedolizumab (UC: 37; CD: 28), ustekinumab (CD: 16), or tofacitinib (UC: 13). The clinical remission rates were not significantly different between the vedolizumab and tofacitinib groups in UC patients (56.8% vs. 46.2%, p = 0.509). In CD patients, the clinical remission rates were not significantly different between the vedolizumab and ustekinumab groups (53.6% vs. 50.0%, p = 0.820). Moreover, the cumulative rates of clinical relapse were not significantly different between the vedolizumab and tofacitinib groups in UC patients and between the vedolizumab and ustekinumab groups in CD patients (p = 0.396 and p = 0.692, respectively). Safety profiles were also similar among the treatment groups in both UC and CD patients. Conclusions After prior anti-TNF therapy failure, vedolizumab and tofacitinib in UC patients and vedolizumab and ustekinumab in CD patients were not significantly different in terms of the efficacy in inducing and maintaining a clinical response.

Abstract Background Patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and intestinal Behçet’s disease (BD) are vulnerable to micronutrient deficiencies due to diarrhea-related gastrointestinal loss and poor dietary intake caused by disease-related anorexia. However, few studies have investigated the incidence and risk factors for micronutrient deficiency. Methods We retrospectively analyzed 205 patients with IBD who underwent micronutrient examination, including folate, vitamin B12, 25-OH-vitamin D, and/or ferritin level quantification, with follow-up blood tests conducted 6 months later. Results Eighty patients (39.0%), who were deficient in any of the four micronutrients, were classified as the deficiency group, and the remaining 125 (61.0%) were classified as the non-deficient group. Compared to those in the non-deficiency group, patients in the deficiency group were much younger, had more Crohn's disease (CD) patients, more patients with a history of bowel operation, and significantly less 5-amino salicylic acid usage. Multivariate analysis revealed that CD and bowel operation were significant independent factors associated with micronutrient deficiency. Conclusions The incidence of micronutrient deficiency was high (39.0%). Factors including CD, bowel operation, and younger ages were found to be associated with higher risks of deficiency. Therefore, patients with IBD, especially young patients with CD who have undergone bowel resection surgery, need more attention paid to micronutrition.

The treatment of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) has been revolutionized for the last 10 years by the increasing use of immunomodulators and biologics. With immunosuppression of this kind, opportunistic infection is an important safety concern for patients with IBD. In particular, viral hepatitis is determined by the interaction between the virus and the host’s immunity, and the risk of reactivation increases if immunity is compromised by immunosuppression therapy. Parts of Asia, including Korea, still show intermediate endemicity for the hepatitis A virus and hepatitis B virus compared with the United States and Western Europe. Thus, members of IBD research group of the Korean Association for the Study of Intestinal Diseases have produced a guideline on the prevention and management of viral hepatitis in IBD.

In patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), ocular extraintestinal manifestations (EIM) are less common than EIM of other systems, but they are clinically important because they can lead to complications that can cause catastrophic damage to the visual acuity and ocular structure. Anterior uveitis and episcleritis are the most common ocular EIM. Involvement of the orbit, posterior segment, and optic nerve can also occur. A variety of treatments are available ranging from topical steroids to systemic immunosuppressive therapies. The treatment of IBD is also essential if the activity of inflammatory bowel disease affects the ocular symptoms.

Colon cancer is one of the three most common cancers in both men and women in Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development countries. Approximately one-quarter of colon cancer patients have a metastasis at the time of diagnosis, and systemic therapy is used in many of them as a first line therapy. In addition to existing cytotoxic drugs, target therapy has been introduced in colon cancer and immunotherapy has shown clinical benefits in the treatment of metastatic colon cancer. The purpose of this review was to briefly summarize the National Comprehensive Cancer Network guidelines for systemic therapy in colon cancer with special reference to targeted agents and novel agents.

Aim: This study examined the real-world effectiveness and safety outcomes of vedolizumab in ulcerative colitis (UC) patients who had failed anti-tumor necrosis factor (anti-TNF) therapy in Korea. Methods: A retrospective chart review study was conducted in adults with moderate to severely active UC who had failed anti-TNF agents and subsequently received vedolizumab. Clinical response and clinical remission at week 6 and 14 after vedolizumab initiation was evaluated. Safety outcomes were also reported. Outcome rates were compared with a matched sub-cohort derived from the open-label sub-cohort of the GEMINI 1 trial using the optimal matching method. Results: A total of 105 patients (mean age, 45.3 years; 63.8% male) were included. At week 6, 55.8% ( n = 43/77) achieved a clinical response and 18.2% ( n = 14/77) achieved clinical remission. At week 14, 73.2% ( n = 52/71) achieved a clinical response and 39.4% ( n = 28/71) achieved clinical remission. When non-response imputation was used, the clinical response rate at week 6 and week 14 were 40.1% ( n = 43/105) and 49.5% ( n = 52/105) respectively. Of the 105 patients, 16 (15.2%) experienced at least one adverse event. The matched analysis showed that the clinical response rate at week 6 was higher in the matched sub-cohort of this study (24/47, 51.1%) versus the matched sub-cohort from the GEMINI 1 open-label cohort (12/47, 34.3%, p = 0.019). The clinical remission rates at week 6 were similar (7/47, 14.9% versus 9/47, 19.1%, p = 0.785). Conclusions: In the real-world setting, vedolizumab is effective and well tolerated within the first 14 weeks of use in Korea. The proportion of patients experiencing clinical response and clinical remission at 6 and 14 weeks appeared to be largely consistent with that observed in real-world studies from other regions and populations.

Summary: Background/Objective: Infliximab is regarded as an effective therapeutic to treat Crohn's disease. This study aimed to assess the efficacy of infliximab combined with surgery and to analyze clinical manifestations according to fistula subtypes in patients with fistulizing perianal Crohn's disease. Methods: From April 2013 to December 2015, 47 patients with perianal Crohn's disease in two hospitals of South Korea (Goo Hospital, Gangnam Severance Hospital) were evaluated retrospectively. Patients were categorized into two groups as simple fistula (n = 20) and complex fistula group (n = 27). All patients received 5 mg/kg of infliximab intravenously at 0, 2, and 6 weeks after surgical treatments. Then every eight weeks, the responders continued to receive 5 mg/kg infliximab for maintenance therapy. Results: Complete response of induction therapy was 72.3%, and partial response was 27.7%. After maintenance therapy, complete response was 97.9% and partial response was 2.1%. There was no patient without a response to infliximab in this study. The median time to the first fistula closure was 6.00 ± 8.00 weeks. Infliximab was used on average 2.13 ± 0.71 times until the first fistula closure. The rate of recurrence was 8.5% and adverse events were 4.2%. In comparison with clinical manifestations between simple and complex fistula groups, there was no significant difference except for the coexistence of perianal abscess. Conclusions: Combined surgical and infliximab therapy was efficacious to treat fistulizing perianal Crohn's disease with rapid treatment response and favorable clinical outcomes. It is expected that this top-down strategy with combining surgeries can overcome previous limitations in treating perianal Crohn's disease. Keywords: Crohn's disease, Infliximab, Perianal fistula, Biologics

Summary of Event: A 2 cm-sized colonic perforation occurred during diagnostic colonoscopy. Endoscopic closure was performed immediately using detachable snare and conservative management with intravenous antibiotics was followed for several days. However, abdominal computed tomography showed huge abscess and its connection to the sigmoid colon. The patient underwent segmental colectomy, which revealed the incomplete closure of perforated lesion with severe serosal fibrotic change. Teaching Point: Endoscopic treatment of large-sized colonic perforations should be undertaken with caution since the possibility of incomplete closure is high. For large-sized colonic perforations, early surgical treatment should be preferentially considered over endoscopic treatment.

Background/Aims: This study was performed to evaluate the relationship between family history of gastrointestinal (GI) cancers and incidence of any GI cancer in the Korean population. Methods : : Between January 2015 and July 2016, 711 GI cancer patients and 849 controls in 16 hospitals in Korea were enrolled. Personal medical histories, life styles, and family history of GI cancers were collected via questionnaire. Results: There was a significant difference in the incidence of family history of GI cancer between GI cancer patients and controls (p=0.002). Patients with family history of GI cancer tended to be diagnosed as GI cancer at younger age than those without family history (p=0.016). The family members of GI cancer patients who were diagnosed before 50 years of age were more frequently diagnosed as GI cancer before the age of 50 years (p=0.017). After adjusting for major confounding factors, age (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] 1.065, 95% confidence interval [CI]; 1.053-1.076), male gender (AOR 2.270, 95% CI; 1.618-3.184), smoking (AOR 1.570, 95% CI; 1.130-2.182), and sibling’s history of GI cancer (AOR 1.973, 95% CI; 1.246-3.126) remained independently associated with GI cancers. Conclusions: GI cancer patients tended to have a first relative with a history of concordant GI cancer. Personal factors (old age and male) and lifestyle (smoking) contribute to the development of GI cancer, independently. Individuals with high risk for GI cancers may be advised to undergo screening at an earlier age.

Background/Aims: Although several studies have suggested that tooth loss is associated with the risk of gastric cancer, the association between oral health and gastric cancer remains a controversial issue. Thus, we investigated whether oral health is associated with the risk of gastric neoplastic lesions. Materials and Methods: We retrospectively evaluated 391 patients who underwent upper gastrointestinal endoscopic examination between March 2010 and February 2013. The tooth number and the age-related periodontal bone loss score (ArB score) were investigated as parameters of oral health. Gastric neoplastic lesions included adenomas and cancer detected on biopsy examination. Results: We identified 10 patients (2.6%) with neoplastic lesions. Older age, a higher body mass index, and the presence of Helicobacter pylori infection were significantly associated with neoplastic lesions. However, there was no significant correlation about Kimura-Takemoto classification, ArB score, and tooth number. Multivariate analyses showed that age was significantly associated with neoplastic lesions. Conclusions: Our findings demonstrate that oral health (assessed using parameters such as tooth number and ArB score) may not be significantly associated with gastric neoplastic lesions.

Summary of Event A 65-year-old women underwent endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS) to evaluate the gastric submucosal tumor. The EUS scope was inserted into the esophagus after two attempts. A neck computed tomography (CT) scan showed a pneumomediastinum and an air bubble deep in the neck, suggesting an esophageal rupture. The patient was hospitalized and maintained conservative treatment including broad-spectrum antibiotics and withholding oral feeding. Teaching Point Endoscopists should consider an imaging modality when a patient complains of moderate to severe neck pain after an upper endoscopy. Prompt surgical management should be considered in patients with a delayed diagnosis (> 24 hours), those with signs of systemic toxicity, and those who have eaten between the time of the procedure and when the perforation was detected.

Background: Sarcopenia, defined as skeletal muscle loss, has been known as a poor prognosis factor in various malignant diseases The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of sarcopenia on prognosis in patients with esophageal cancer who received concurrent chemo- and radiotherapy (CCRT).Methods: We retrospectively collected clinical data of 287 patients with esophageal cancer who were treated by definite CCRT at Gangnam Severance and Severance hospital from August 2005 to December 2014. The cross-sectional area of muscle at the level of the third lumbar vertebra was measured using pre- and post-CCRT computed tomography images. Sarcopenia was defined as skeletal muscle index

Crohn's disease (CD) is a chronic, progressive, and disabling inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) with an uncertain etiopathogenesis. CD can involve any site of the gastrointestinal tract from the mouth to the anus, and is associated with serious complications, such as bowel strictures, perforations, and fistula formation. The incidence and prevalence rates of CD in Korea are still lower compared with those in Western countries, but they have been rapidly increasing during the recent decades. Although there are no definitive curative modalities for CD, various medical and surgical therapies have been applied for the treatment of this disease. Concerning CD management, there have been substantial discrepancies among clinicians according to their personal experience and preference. To suggest recommendable approaches to the diverse problems of CD and to minimize the variations in treatment among physicians, guidelines for the management of CD were first published in 2012 by the IBD Study Group of the Korean Association for the Study of Intestinal Diseases. These are the revised guidelines based on updated evidence, accumulated since 2012. These guidelines were developed by using mainly adaptation methods, and encompass induction and maintenance treatment of CD, treatment based on disease location, treatment of CD complications, including stricture and fistula, surgical treatment, and prevention of postoperative recurrence. These are the second Korean guidelines for the management of CD and will be continuously revised as new evidence is collected.

Background/Aims: Increased prevalence of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) has been reported. However, the effects of NAFLD on the outcome of IBD remains unclear. We investigated whether the presence of NAFLD could influence the outcomes of patients with IBD. Methods: We recruited 3,356 eligible patients with IBD into our study between November 2005 and November 2020. Hepatic steatosis and fibrosis were diagnosed using hepatic steatosis index of ≥30 and fibrosis-4 of ≥1.45, respectively. The primary outcome was clinical relapse, defined based on the following: IBD-related admission, surgery, or first use of corticosteroids, immunomodulators, or biologic agents for IBD. Results: The prevalence of NAFLD in patients with IBD was 16.7%. Patients with hepatic steatosis and advanced fibrosis were older, had a higher body mass index, and were more likely to have diabetes (all p<0.05). Conclusions: Hepatic steatosis was independently associated with increased risks of clinical relapse in patients with ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease, whereas fibrotic burden in the liver was not. Future studies should investigate whether assessment and therapeutic intervention for NAFLD will improve the clinical outcomes of patients with IBD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tumor burden is important to predict clinical behaviors of cancer such as lymph node metastasis (LNM). Tumor size has been used as a parameter of tumor burden such as indication of endoscopic resection in early gastric cancer (EGC) to predict LNM. Thus, we aimed to investigate whether tumor area can be more helpful to predict clinical behaviors than longest diameter of tumor in EGC.3,059 patients who underwent gastrectomy for EGC were reviewed retrospectively. Tumor area was calculated by multiplying long and short diameter of the tumor in surgical specimen. Longest diameter means maximal longitudinal diameter of tumor in specimen. Clinicopathologic features were compared between longest diameter and area using area under receiver operating characteristic (AUROC) curves.Longest diameter and area of tumor showed a strong correlation (correlation coefficient 0.859, p

Background/Aims There are limited studies comparing the outcomes of catheter angiography and colonoscopy following a positive computed tomography angiography (CTA) in patients with severe lower gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding. This study aimed to examine the clinical outcomes and predictive factors of rebleeding by comparing the catheter angiography group with the colonoscopy group. Methods We enrolled 254 patients with positive CTA results in the lower GI tract from Severance hospital, South Korea, between 2014 and 2024. We investigated confirmation yield, therapeutic yield, time to procedure, length of hospital stay, and re-bleeding rate comparing the catheter angiography group (n=108) and the colonoscopy group (n=146). Results Confirmation yield (59.3% vs. 47.9%), therapeutic yield (64.8% vs. 56.2%), and mean hospitalization duration (20.1 days vs. 21.3 days) were not statistically different between the catheter angiography and colonoscopy groups. However, the mean time to procedure (12.3 hours vs. 19.2 hours) and re-bleeding rate (36.1% vs. 48.6%) were lower in the catheter angiography group compared to the colonoscopy group. Logistic regression revealed that time to procedure was the only predictive factor for confirmation yield (odds ratio[OR]: 0.988, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.969-0.991, p=0.001) and therapeutic yield (OR: 0.991, 95% CI: 0.981-1.000, p=0.049). In the multivariate Cox regression analysis, patients receiving more than 5units of packed red blood cells experienced significantly higher rebleeding events compared to those receiving fewer than 5 units (hazards ratio[HR]: 1.711, 95% CI: 1.025-2.857, p=0.040), as did patients in the colonoscopy group compared to those in the catheter angiography group (HR: 1.922, 95% CI: 1.242-2.974, p=0.003). Conclusion High transfusion requirements and the use of colonoscopy instead of catheter angiography were significant risk factors for rebleeding after a positive CTA result. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The presence of ulcer in early gastric cancer (EGC) is important for the feasibility of endoscopic resection, only a few studies have examined the clinicopathological implications of endoscopic ulcer in EGC.To determine the role of endoscopic ulcer as a predictor of clinical behaviors in EGC.Data of 3,270 patients with EGC who underwent surgery between January 2005 and December 2012 were reviewed. Clinicopathological characteristics were analyzed in relation to the presence and stage of ulcer in EGC. Based on endoscopic findings, the stage of ulcer was categorized as active, healing, or scar. Logistic regression analysis was performed to analyze factors associated with lymph node metastasis (LNM).2,343 (71.7%) patients had endoscopic findings of ulceration in EGC. Submucosal (SM) invasion, LNM, lymphovascular invasion (LVI), perineural invasion, and undifferentiated-type histology were significantly higher in ulcerative than non-ulcerative EGC. Comparison across different stages of ulcer revealed that SM invasion, LNM, and LVI were significantly associated with the active stage, and that these features exhibited significant stage-based differences, being most common at the active stage, and least common at the scar stage. The presence of endoscopic ulcer and active status of the ulcer were identified as independent risk factors for LNM.Ulcerative EGC detected by endoscopy exhibited more aggressive behaviors than non-ulcerative EGC. Additionally, the endoscopic stage of ulcer may predict the clinicopathological behaviors of EGC. Therefore, the appearance of ulcers should be carefully evaluated to determine an adequate treatment strategy for EGC.

PURPOSE:After endoscopic resection (ER) of gastric tumors, eradication of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection is advised to reduce metachronous recurrence. Optimal timing of such therapy (yet to be established) was investigated herein, examining early active and late scarring stages of post-ER iatrogenic ulcers. MATERIALS AND METHODS:Analysis included 514 patients who received proton-pump inhibitor (PPI)-based triple therapy for H. pylori eradication after ER for gastric neoplasms between January 2008 and June 2015. Clinicopathologic characteristics, particularly the timing of triple therapy, were used to compare eradication rates, assigning patients to early- (≤2 weeks), intermediate- (2-8 weeks), and late-phase (≥8 weeks) treatment groups. RESULTS:H. pylori eradication rates differed significantly by timing of triple therapy after ER (early, 90.0%; intermediate, 76.2%, late, 72.4%; p