ABSTRACT
Purpose@#The albumin-to-globulin ratio (AGR) is a recognized chronic inflammation marker. No evidence regarding the relationship between AGR level and ulcerative colitis (UC) exists. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between AGR and clinical outcomes among Japanese subjects with UC. @*Methods@#The study subjects consisted of 273 Japanese individuals with UC. AGR was divided into 4 categories (low, moderate, high, and very high). The definition of complete mucosal healing (MH) was based on the Mayo endoscopic subscore of 0. Clinical remission (CR) was defined as no rectal bleeding and no abnormally high stool frequency (<3 times per day). @*Results@#The percentage of MH was 26.4%. High AGR and very high AGR were significantly positively correlated with CR (adjusted odds ratio [OR], 5.85; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.52–14.18 and adjusted OR, 4.97; 95% CI, 2.14–12.04) and complete MH (adjusted OR, 4.03; 95% CI, 1.56–11.51 and adjusted OR, 5.22; 95% CI, 1.97–14.89), respectively after adjustment for confounding factors (P for trend=0.001). Only in the low C-reactive protein (CRP) group (≤0.1 mg/dL), very high AGR was significantly positively correlated with complete MH but not CR (adjusted OR, 4.38; 95% CI, 1.06–21.77; P for trend=0.017). In the high CRP group, no correlation between AGR and complete MH was found. @*Conclusion@#Among Japanese patients with UC, AGR may be independently positively correlated with complete MH. In particular, among UC patients with low CRP, AGR might be a useful complementary marker for complete MH.
ABSTRACT
Background/Aims@#Functional dyspepsia (FD) may be a common digestive disease worldwide and reduces the quality of life of patients. However, only a few studies have investigated the association between eating behavior and FD. The purpose of this cross-sectional study is to examine the association between eating behavior and prevalence of FD in a young Japanese cohort. @*Methods@#In this study, we enrolled 8923 Japanese university students. FD is diagnosed based on the Rome III criteria. Eating habits and frequency of meals were investigated using a self-administered questionnaire. @*Results@#The FD subjects had a younger mean age, a lower body mass index, and a lower proportion of men compared to the non-FD subjects.An independent positive association between skipping breakfast and/or lunch and FD was found (adjusted ORs were 1.60 [95% CI, 1.10-2.32] for breakfast and 2.52 [95% CI, 1.04-5.18] for lunch). Skipping dinner, extra meals (snacks) or midnight snacks was not associated with FD. The prevalence of FD in subjects eating 1, 2, and 3 meals per day was 4.8%, 2.2%, and 1.7%, respectively. The frequency of meals was independently inversely associated with prevalence of FD (adjusted ORs were 1 per day: 2.72 [95% CI, 1.19-5.42], and 2 per day: 1.69 [95% CI, 1.16-2.43], P for trend = 0.001). @*Conclusions@#In the young Japanese people, the frequency of meals may be independently inversely associated with prevalence of FD. In particular, skipping breakfast and/or lunch was associated with the prevalence of FD.
ABSTRACT
Objective: To determine whether severe kyphosis is one of the risk factors of umbilical trichophytosis in elderly people.Patients and Methods: Four cases with umbilical trichophytosis in the last 3 years and all 143 patients who visited to our clinic during from April 2018 to March 2019 were included in this study. The relationship between the condition of umbilical region and kyphosis was investigated. As regards the levels of senile kyphosis, simple visual classification of the kyphosis method was used (Level 0–4).Results: All four cases with umbilical trichophytosis were elderly women aged ≥80 years, had severe kyphosis, skin overlaps, filthy umbilical region, and lumps of dirt in the umbilical region and had nail tinea. Only two cases had umbilical trichophytosis among 143 patients who visited our clinic during the 1 year study period, with incidence is of 1.4%/year. About 65.7%, 60%, and 37.1% of 35 patients with kyphosis with forward-bent posture had skin overlap, moist, and filthy umbilical regions, respectively. However, these symptoms were not found in patients without severe kyphosis.Conclusion: Severe kyphosis with forward-bent posture could be one of the risk factors of umbilical trichophytosis in elderly people.