Lipocalin-2 as a prognostic biomarker and its association with systemic inflammation in small cell lung cancer.

BACKGROUND: Systemic inflammation is believed to contribute to small cell lung cancer (SCLC) progression, but the underlying relationship remains unclear. Lipocalin-2, a potential biomarker of inflammation, has been implicated in various cancers but its prognostic value in SCLC is underexplored. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed 191 patients with SCLC (72 with limited-stage [LD] and 119 with extensive-stage) treated using platinum-based chemotherapy. Lipocalin-2 expression was evaluated using immunohistochemistry. Optimal cutoff values for lipocalin-2 and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) were determined using time-dependent receiver operating characteristic curve analysis. The pectoralis muscle index was used to assess sarcopenia. RESULTS: In LD-SCLC, high lipocalin-2 expression was associated with worse progression-free survival (PFS; median: 7.0 vs. 15.9 months, p = 0.015) and overall survival (OS; median: 12.9 vs. 30.3 months, p = 0.035) compared with low lipocalin-2 expression. Patients were stratified into three prognostic groups by combining lipocalin-2 with NLR: low lipocalin-2/low NLR, high lipocalin-2/low NLR or low lipocalin-2/high NLR, and high lipocalin-2/high NLR (median PFS: 17.3 vs. 11.0 vs. 6.3 months, p = 0.004; median OS: 30.5 vs. 17.3 vs. 8.6 months, p = 0.002). Similar trends were observed when combining lipocalin-2 with the pectoralis muscle index. High lipocalin-2 expression was also associated with lower complete response rates (18.9% vs. 34.3%, p = 0.035). No significant prognostic implications were found for lipocalin-2 in extensive-stage SCLC. CONCLUSIONS: High lipocalin-2 expression is potentially associated with poorer survival in LD-SCLC. Combining lipocalin-2 with other inflammation-related markers could improve prognostic stratification.

Investigation of the status of rest facilities at industrial sites and awareness of relevant laws and regulations of South Korea.

South Korea has faced many social issues due to long working hours, lack of rest areas, and poor rest facility environments for cleaners, security guards, department store workers, etc. Discussions have been ongoing about mandating the installation of rest facilities. From August 18, 2022, Article 128-2 of the Occupational Safety and Health Act, concerning the installation of rest facilities, was enforced. Consequently, employers in all industries are required to install rest facilities, and laws have been established to ensure these facilities meet certain standards. Accordingly, this study investigated the current status of rest facility installations and the awareness of the law's enactment in Korean industrial sites. The results, analyzed by gender, age, managerial status, industry, and size of the business, indicated that younger people were less satisfied with the rest facilities. Managers were more knowledgeable about the legal regulations than workers. In the service industry, compared to other industries, smaller businesses were less likely to have rest facilities and were less aware of the legal regulations. The results of this study are expected to be used as basic data to help establish the rest facility installation laws in Korea.

Noise exposure assessment of workers inspecting construction machinery vehicles in the Republic of Korea.

Previous studies have investigated the health hazards caused by exposure to the noise of heavy equipment used at construction sites. Korea's Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport operates a registration system for construction machinery, and regular safety inspections are mandatory. Although workers inspecting construction machinery vehicles are exposed to unwanted noise, no noise exposure assessment has been made regarding these workers in Korea. The time-weighted average (TWA) daily average noise exposure level among construction machinery inspectors at 18 inspection centers was 75.3 dB(A). Among the inspection steps, the exhaust gas inspection step was found to exhibit the highest noise exposure level, up to 100 dB(A). In Korea, if the noise level of a workplace exceeds 85 dB(A) as a TWA, workers are required to undergo special medical examinations. This study found that special medical examinations were required for two of the 18 target inspection centers (approximately 115 workers) as the 8-hour TWA noise level exceeded 85 dB(A). Therefore, regular noise exposure assessment and special medical examinations for noise are required to prevent inspectors from developing hearing disorders due to noise exposure.

Formaldehyde Exposure of Aquaculture Workers in Korea.

OBJECTIVES: Korea's aquaculture sector primarily cultivates aquatic life, with fish seed production as a focus. Formalin, a parasiticide, consists of 37% formaldehyde mixed with yellow No. 4 dye. Formaldehyde vaporization poses cancer risks, classified as a carcinogen. Korea regulates formaldehyde as a hazardous substance, requiring workplace environment measurements. Few aquaculture farms have conducted these checks in recent years. In this study, we investigated actual formaldehyde exposure levels among Korean aquaculture workers, highlighting a critical safety concern. METHODS: A field survey was conducted to measure formaldehyde exposure at 10 aquaculture farms in areas where Korean aquaculture is concentrated. Short-term and long-term personal samples, local samples, and direct-reading measurements were conducted. Formaldehyde exposure levels were detected in short-term personal samples from six farms and in long-term personal samples from two farms, and formaldehyde was detected in all local samples. In direct-reading measurements, a high concentration of formaldehyde was sustained for short periods. RESULTS: Long-term (8-hour) personal samples were mostly non-detectable, except for farms A and D, which had levels of 0.0009 ppm and 0.0017 ppm, respectively. Short-term (15-minute) samples were non-detectable in four farms, with an average of 0.0158 (±0.0130) ppm in the remaining six farms. Local samples from all farms had an average of 0.0384 (±0.0957) ppm of formaldehyde. For farms A and D, where long-term sampling detected formaldehyde, real-time measurements showed a sustained high concentration in farm A for about 48 minutes before decreasing. Farm D had no detectable formaldehyde throughout the monitoring period. CONCLUSION: According to the formaldehyde exposure level assessment, short term exposure to formaldehyde during and immediately after application of formalin nearly exceeded the ACGIH TLV STEL in one farm. However, concentration of long term samples appeared at 10% of ACGIH TLV TWA. Additional study is recommended to determine whether exposure to formaldehyde poses a health risk for aquaculture workers during application of formalin.

Association between cardiovascular disease risk and incident type 2 diabetes mellitus in individuals with prediabetes: A retrospective cohort study.

AIMS: In this study, we aimed to evaluate the impact of overall cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk on the development of incident T2DM in patients with prediabetes. METHODS: We retrospectively enrolled 5,908 subjects with prediabetes who underwent health check-ups at the Asan Medical Center. CVD risk was estimated using the Framingham Risk Score (FRS). We compared moderate- to high-risk groups with low-risk controls based on the FRS. Cox proportional hazards regressions were conducted to estimate the time-to-develop incident T2DM. RESULTS: Among the 5908 subjects with prediabetes, 3031 (51.8 %) were identified to have either moderate or high CVD risk scores. During a median follow-up of 5.2 years, 278 (9.2 %) patients from the moderate- to high-risk group and 171 (5.9 %) from the low-risk group were diagnosed with T2DM. The covariate-adjusted hazard ratio for the incident T2DM was 1.30 (95 % CI, 1.06-1.60, p = 0.011) in the moderate- to high-risk group compared to the low-risk controls. CONCLUSION: Among patients with prediabetes, those with high CVD risk were more likely to develop incident T2DM, as determined by the FRS. CVD risk factors should be properly evaluated and managed in individuals with prediabetes to reduce the risk of both incident T2DM and associated cardiovascular complications.

Safety and Effectiveness of Dulaglutide in the Treatment of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Korean Real-World Post-Marketing Study.

BACKGRUOUND: To investigate the real-world safety and effectiveness of dulaglutide in Korean adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). METHODS: This was a real-world, prospective, non-interventional post-marketing safety study conducted from May 26, 2015 to May 25, 2021 at 85 Korean healthcare centers using electronic case data. Data on patients using dulaglutide 0.75 mg/0.5 mL or the dulaglutide 1.5 mg/0.5 mL single-use pens were collected and pooled. The primary objective was to report the frequency and proportion of adverse and serious adverse events that occurred. The secondary objective was to monitor the effectiveness of dulaglutide at 12 and 24 weeks by evaluating changes in glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c ), fasting plasma glucose, and body weight. RESULTS: Data were collected from 3,067 subjects, and 3,022 subjects who received ≥1 dose (of any strength) of dulaglutide were included in the safety analysis set (53% female, mean age 56 years; diabetes duration 11.2 years, mean HbA1c 8.8%). The number of adverse events reported was 819; of these, 68 (8.3%) were serious adverse events. One death was reported. Adverse events were mostly mild in severity; 60.81% of adverse events were considered related to dulaglutide. This study was completed by 72.73% (2,198/3,022) of subjects. At 12/24 weeks there were significant (P<0.0001) reductions from baseline in least-squares mean HbA1c (0.96%/0.95%), fasting blood glucose (26.24/24.43 mg/dL), and body weight (0.75/1.21 kg). CONCLUSION: Dulaglutide was generally well tolerated and effective in real-world Korean individuals with T2DM. The results from this study contribute to the body of evidence for dulaglutide use in this population.

Preserved Muscle Strength Despite Muscle Mass Loss After Bariatric Metabolic Surgery: a Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Contrary to the previously known concept of muscle mass decrease following bariatric metabolic surgery, changes in muscle strength have been poorly investigated in systematic reviews. In this meta-analysis, we evaluated changes in handgrip strength (HGS) and lean mass (LM) after undergoing bariatric metabolic surgery. METHODS: A systematic literature review using the PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases was conducted in November 2022. Longitudinal studies reporting HGS change after bariatric metabolic surgery were eligible. Pooled estimates for changes in HGS, body mass index (BMI), LM, and fat mass (FM) were calculated. Changes from baseline to the point closest to 6 months postoperatively were analyzed in trials with multiple follow-up examinations. The risk of bias was assessed using the Joanna Briggs Institute critical appraisal checklist. RESULTS: Three randomized controlled trials and seven prospective cohort studies involving 301 patients were included. Follow-up evaluations were conducted 6 months postoperatively in all trials except for two, whose follow-up visits were at 18 weeks and 12 months, respectively. Pooled analysis showed reduced BMI (- 10.8 kg/m2; 95% confidence interval: - 11.6 to - 9.9 kg/m2), LM (- 7.4 kg; - 9.3 to - 5.4 kg), and FM (- 22.3 kg; - 25.1 to - 19.6 kg) after bariatric metabolic surgery, whereas the change in HGS was not statistically significant (- 0.46 kg; - 1.76 to 0.84 kg). CONCLUSION: Despite the decreased body composition parameters, including muscle mass, strength was not impaired after bariatric metabolic surgery; this indicates that bariatric metabolic surgery is an effective weight management intervention that does not compromise strength.

Glucometabolic control of once-weekly dulaglutide switched from DPP4 inhibitor versus daily empagliflozin add-on in patients with type 2 diabetes inadequately controlled with metformin, sulfonylurea, and DPP4 inhibitor: A randomised trial.

AIMS: To compare the effectiveness and safety of empagliflozin and dulaglutide in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) inadequately controlled by oral triple therapy. METHODS: In this 24-week, multi-center, randomized trial, patients with T2D and HbA1c level ≥7.5% (58 mmol/mol) on metformin, sulfonylurea, and dipeptidyl peptidase 4 inhibitor (DPP4-i) were randomly assigned into two groups: daily empagliflozin add-on or once-weekly dulaglutide switched from DPP4-i. The primary endpoint was changes from baseline HbA1c at 24 weeks. RESULTS: In total, 152 patients were recruited to the empagliflozin-added quadruple group (n = 76) or the switched-to-dulaglutide triple group (n = 76). At week 24, both groups showed significant reduction in HbA1c level from baseline with greater reduction with empagliflozin (the mean treatment difference: -0.27% [95% CI -0.50 to -0.04, p = 0.024]) (-2.88 mmol/mol [95% CI -5.37 to -0.39], p = 0.024). Empagliflozin significantly reduced body weight from baseline to week 24 (-1.72 kg [95% CI -1.98 to -0.59, p < 0.001]). No serious adverse events were reported with either empagliflozin or dulaglutide. CONCLUSIONS: Empagliflozin, compared with once-weekly dulaglutide switched from DPP4-i, demonstrated greater HbA1c reduction and weight loss in patients with T2D inadequately controlled with metformin, sulfonylurea, and DPP4-i. TRIAL REGISTRATION: cris.nih.go.kr (KCT0006157).

Predictive value of the Framingham steatosis index for cardiovascular risk: a nationwide population-based cohort study.

Background: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is common and is associated with cardiovascular (CV) disease and mortality. The Framingham steatosis index (FSI) was recently proposed as a diagnostic marker of NAFLD and was calculated from age, body mass index, triglyceride, aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, diabetes history, and hypertension status. We aimed to evaluate the predictive ability of FSI for CV risk using a large-scale population dataset from the Korean National Health Insurance Service-National Health Screening Cohort (NHIS-HEALS). Methods: Among 514,866 individuals in the NHIS-HEALS, we excluded those who died, had a history of admission due to a CV event, and were heavy drinkers. The final study cohort comprised 283,427 participants. We employed both unadjusted and covariate-adjusted models in Cox proportional hazards regression analyses to determine the association between FSI and major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs), CV events, and CV mortality. Results: During a median follow-up of 5.9 years, we documented 9,674, 8,798, and 1,602 cases of MACEs, CV events, and CV mortality, respectively. The incidence of MACEs was 1.28%, 2.99%, 3.94%, and 4.82% in the first to fourth quartiles of FSI, respectively. The adjusted hazard ratios (95% confidence interval) for MACEs gradually and significantly increased with the FSI quartiles [1.302 (1.215-1.395) in Q2, 1.487 (1.390-1.590) in Q3, and 1.792 (1.680-1.911) in Q4], following an adjustment for conventional CV risk factors, including age, sex, smoking, drinking, physical activities, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, estimated glomerular filtration rate, and waist circumference. Participants in the higher quartiles of FSI exhibited a noteworthy increase in the occurrence of CV event. However, upon adjusting for relevant risk factors, the association between FSI and CV mortality did not reach statistical significance. Conclusion: Our study suggests that the FSI, which is a surrogate marker of NAFLD, has a prognostic value for detecting individuals at higher risk of CV events.

Association Between Insulin Resistance and Myosteatosis Measured by Abdominal Computed Tomography.

CONTEXT: Ectopic fat deposition in skeletal muscle, termed myosteatosis, is a key factor in developing insulin resistance. OBJECTIVE: This work aimed to evaluate the association between insulin resistance and myosteatosis in a large Asian population. METHODS: A total of 18 251 participants who had abdominal computed tomography were included in this cross-sectional study. Patients were categorized into 4 groups according to quartiles of Homeostatic Model Assessment for Insulin Resistance (HOMA-IR). The total abdominal muscle area (TAMA) at the L3 vertebral level was segmented into normal-attenuation muscle area (NAMA), low-attenuation muscle area (LAMA), and intermuscular adipose tissue (IMAT). The absolute values of TAMA, NAMA, LAMA, and IMAT and the ratios of NAMA/BMI, LAMA/BMI, and NAMA/TAMA were used as myosteatosis indices. RESULTS: The absolute values of TAMA, NAMA, LAMA, and IMAT appeared to increase with higher HOMA-IR levels, and LAMA/BMI showed a similar upward trend. Meanwhile, the NAMA/BMI and NAMA/TAMA index showed downward trends. As HOMA-IR levels increased, the odds ratios (ORs) of the highest quartile of NAMA/BMI and NAMA/TAMA index decreased and that of LAMA/BMI increased. Compared with the lowest HOMA-IR group, the adjusted ORs (95% CI) in the highest HOMA-IR group for the lowest NAMA/TAMA quartile were 0.414 (0.364-0.471) in men and 0.464 (0.384-0.562) in women. HOMA-IR showed a negative correlation with NAMA/BMI (r = -0.233 for men and r = -0.265 for women), and NAMA/TAMA index (r = -0.211 for men and r = -0.214 for women), and a positive correlation with LAMA/BMI (r = 0.160 for men and r = 0.119 for women); P was less than .001 for all. CONCLUSION: In this study, a higher HOMA-IR level was significantly associated with a high risk of myosteatosis.

Association of Visceral Fat Obesity, Sarcopenia, and Myosteatosis with Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease without Obesity.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: To investigate whether non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in individuals without generalized obesity is associated with visceral fat obesity (VFO), sarcopenia, and/or myosteatosis. METHODS: This cross-sectional analysis included 14,400 individuals (7,470 men) who underwent abdominal computed tomography scans during routine health examinations. The total abdominal muscle area (TAMA) and skeletal muscle area (SMA) at the 3rd lumbar vertebral level were measured. The SMA was divided into the normal attenuation muscle area (NAMA) and low attenuation muscle area, and the NAMA/TAMA index was calculated. VFO was defined by visceral to subcutaneous fat ratio, sarcopenia by body mass index-adjusted SMA, and myosteatosis by the NAMA/TAMA index. NAFLD was diagnosed with ultrasonography. RESULTS: Of the 14,400 individuals, 4,748 (33.0%) had NAFLD, and the prevalence of NAFLD among non-obese individuals was 21.4%. In regression analysis, both sarcopenia (men: odds ratio [OR] 1.41, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.19-1.67, P<0.001; women: OR=1.59, 95% CI 1.40-1.90, P<0.001) and myosteatosis (men: OR=1.24, 95% CI 1.02-1.50, P=0,028; women: OR=1.23, 95% CI 1.04-1.46, P=0.017) were significantly associated with non-obese NAFLD after considering for VFO and other various risk factors, whereas VFO (men: OR=3.97, 95% CI 3.43-4.59 [adjusted for sarcopenia], OR 3.98, 95% CI 3.44-4.60 [adjusted for myosteatosis]; women: OR=5.42, 95% CI 4.53-6.42 [adjusted for sarcopenia], OR=5.33, 95% CI 4.51-6.31 [adjusted for myosteatosis]; all P<0.001) was strongly associated with non-obese NAFLD after adjustment with various known risk factors. CONCLUSION: In addition to VFO, sarcopenia and/or myosteatosis were significantly associated with non-obese NAFLD.

Association between sarcopenic obesity and poor muscle quality based on muscle quality map and abdominal computed tomography.

OBJECTIVE: This study evaluated whether sarcopenic obesity is closely associated with muscle quality using abdominal computed tomography. METHODS: This cross-sectional study included 13,612 participants who underwent abdominal computed tomography. The cross-sectional area of the skeletal muscle was measured at the L3 level (total abdominal muscle area [TAMA]) and segmented into normal attenuation muscle area (NAMA, +30 to +150 Hounsfield units), low attenuation muscle area (-29 to +29 Hounsfield units), and intramuscular adipose tissue (-190 to -30 Hounsfield units). The NAMA/TAMA index was calculated by dividing NAMA by TAMA and multiplying by 100, and the lowest quartile of NAMA/TAMA index was defined as myosteatosis (<73.56 in men and <66.97 in women). Sarcopenia was defined using BMI-adjusted appendicular skeletal muscle mass. RESULTS: The prevalence of myosteatosis was found to be significantly higher in participants with sarcopenic obesity (17.9% vs. 54.2%, p < 0.001) than the control group without sarcopenia or obesity. Compared with the control group, the odds ratio (95% CI) for having myosteatosis was 3.70 (2.87-4.76) for participants with sarcopenic obesity after adjusting for age, sex, smoking, drinking, exercise, hypertension, diabetes, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein. CONCLUSIONS: Sarcopenic obesity is significantly associated with myosteatosis, which is representative of poor muscle quality.

Association of Myosteatosis with Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease, Severity, and Liver Fibrosis Using Visual Muscular Quality Map in Computed Tomography.

BACKGROUND: The association of myosteatosis measured using visual muscular quality map in computed tomography (CT) with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), its severity, and fibrosis was analyzed in a large population. METHODS: Subjects (n=13,452) with abdominal CT between 2012 and 2013 were measured total abdominal muscle area (TAMA) at L3 level. TAMA was segmented into intramuscular adipose tissue and skeletal muscle area (SMA), which was further classified into normal attenuation muscle area (NAMA) and low attenuation muscle area (LAMA). The following variables were adopted as indicators of myosteatosis: SMA/body mass index (BMI), NAMA/BMI, NAMA/TAMA, and LAMA/BMI. NAFLD and its severity were assessed by ultrasonography, and liver fibrosis was measured by calculating the NAFLD fibrosis score (NFS) and fibrosis-4 index (FIB-4) scores. RESULTS: According to multiple logistic regression analyses, as quartiles of SMA/BMI, NAMA/BMI, and NAMA/TAMA increased, the odds ratios (ORs) for NAFLD decreased in each sex (P for trend <0.001 for all). The ORs of moderate/severe NAFLD were significantly higher in the Q1 group than in the Q4 group for SMA/BMI, NAMA/BMI, and NAMA/TAMA in men. The ORs of intermediate/high liver fibrosis scores assessed by NFS and FIB-4 scores increased linearly with decreasing quartiles for SMA/BMI, NAMA/BMI, and NAMA/TAMA in each sex (P for trend <0.001 for all). Conversely, the risk for NAFLD and fibrosis were positively associated with LAMA/BMI quartiles in each sex (P for trend <0.001 for all). CONCLUSION: A higher proportion of good quality muscle was associated with lower risks of NAFLD and fibrosis.

An Integrated Digital Health Care Platform for Diabetes Management With AI-Based Dietary Management: 48-Week Results From a Randomized Controlled Trial.

OBJECTIVE: We investigated the efficacy of an integrated digital health care platform with artificial intelligence (AI)-based dietary management in adults with type 2 diabetes (T2D). RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: In this 48-week, open-label, randomized, multicenter clinical trial, overweight or obese adults with T2D were randomly assigned to one of three groups in a 1:1:1 ratio: group A received routine diabetes care; group B used the digital integrated health care platform by themselves; and group C used the platform with feedback from medical staff and intermittently applied personal continuous glucose monitoring. The primary end point was the difference of change in HbA1c from baseline to 24 weeks between groups A and B, while secondary end points included changes in HbA1c from baseline to 48 weeks and changes in body weight during follow-up. RESULTS: A total of 294 participants were randomly assigned to group A (n = 99), B (n = 97), or C (n = 98). The decreases in HbA1c from baseline to 24 and 48 weeks in group B (-0.32 ± 0.58% to 24 weeks and -0.28 ± 0.56% to 48 weeks) and group C (-0.49 ± 0.57% to 24 weeks and -0.44 ± 0.62% to 48 weeks) were significantly larger than those in group A (-0.06 ± 0.61% to 24 weeks and 0.07 ± 0.78% to 48 weeks). Groups B and C exhibited greater weight loss than group A from baseline to 24 weeks, and group C demonstrated more weight loss than group A from baseline to week 48. CONCLUSIONS: Among adults with T2D, use of an integrated digital health care platform with AI-driven dietary management resulted in better glycemia and more weight loss.

Association between hypertension and myosteatosis evaluated by abdominal computed tomography.

Few studies have examined the relationship between myosteatosis and hypertension, and no studies have enrolled an Asian population. Existing studies also found discordant results, possibly due to the use of conventional myosteatosis indices that are not sufficiently reliable and representative. Therefore, we investigated the association between myosteatosis and hypertension in Asian individuals using novel, objective computed tomography (CT) markers. The total abdominal muscle area (TAMA) was determined from abdominal CT scans taken at the L3 level. Based on the mean CT attenuation, the TAMA was divided into intramuscular adipose tissue and skeletal muscle area (SMA), which was further segmented into normal attenuation muscle area (NAMA) and low attenuation muscle area (LAMA). Among SMA/body mass index (BMI), NAMA/BMI, LAMA/BMI, and the NAMA/TAMA index, NAMA/BMI was chosen through receiver operating characteristic curves as the best predictive marker for hypertension. The hypertension risk for each quartile of NAMA/BMI was calculated by logistic regression analysis. Among the 19,766 participants, 40.3% of men and 23.8% of women had hypertension. People with hypertension showed unhealthier myosteatosis profiles than normotensive controls. Similarly, a lower NAMA/BMI was significantly associated with a greater hypertension risk. The lowest quartile group of NAMA/BMI exhibited 2.3- and 2.6-fold higher risks of hypertension than the highest quartile in men and women, respectively. In conclusion, advanced myosteatosis assessed by abdominal CT was significantly correlated with a higher risk of hypertension. Improving myosteatosis may be a new approach for preventing cardiovascular diseases, including hypertension. Advanced myosteatosis measured by abdominal CT taken at the L3 level was significantly correlated with a higher risk of hypertension even after adjusting for health behaviors, intake of lipid-lowering drugs, plasma lipid levels, and other ectopic fat distribution.

Association of serum gamma-glutamyl transferase with myosteatosis assessed by muscle quality mapping using abdominal computed tomography.

PURPOSE: Myosteatosis, which is associated with a variety of cardiometabolic illnesses, represents muscle quality, an important aspect of sarcopenia. A new laboratory marker for myosteatosis has been required to more readily identify it. We investigated whether serum gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT) levels are associated with myosteatosis measured by computed tomography (CT). METHODS: The total abdominal muscle area (TAMA) of 13,452 subjects was measured at the L3 level with abdominal CT. TAMA was segmented into intramuscular adipose tissue and skeletal muscle area (SMA), which was further classified into normal attenuation muscle area (NAMA) and low attenuation muscle area (LAMA). The following variables were adopted as indicators of myosteatosis: SMA/body mass index (BMI), NAMA/BMI, LAMA/BMI, and NAMA/TAMA. Logistic regression analysis was used to examine the odds ratio (OR) of each GGT quartile for the highest quartile of myosteatosis indices in each sex. RESULTS: The mean age and serum GGT levels were 53.7 years and 32.8 IU/L (standard deviation [SD], 37.6), respectively, in men, and 53.2 years and 18.4 IU/L (SD, 19.8) in women. In both sexes, the ORs of all myosteatosis indices differed significantly between GGT quartiles. Indices of good- and poor-quality muscle were negatively and positively correlated with GGT levels, respectively. CONCLUSION: Higher GGT levels were significantly associated with advanced myosteatosis defined by reliable CT indices. This result opens the possibility for using GGT as a cost-effective indicator of myosteatosis. Further prospective research on changes to GGT levels with myosteatosis alleviation will validate GGT as a monitoring marker.

Efficacy of intermittent short-term use of a real-time continuous glucose monitoring system in non-insulin-treated patients with type 2 diabetes: A randomized controlled trial.

AIM: To evaluate the efficacy of intermittent short-term use of a real-time continuous glucose monitoring (RT-CGM) system in non-insulin-treated patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) uncontrolled with oral antidiabetic drugs (OADs). MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this multicentre, randomized prospective study, 61 participants were randomly assigned to treatment group 1 (one session of RT-CGM), treatment group 2 (two sessions of RT-CGM with a 3-month interval between sessions) and a control group. All participants used blinded continuous glucose monitoring for up to 6 days with education before randomization, and RT-CGM was additionally applied for 1 week in the intervention groups. The primary outcome was change in HbA1c at 6 months. RESULTS: Among 61 participants, 48 subjects completed the study (baseline HbA1c 8.2% ± 0.5%). At 3 months, a significant HbA1c reduction was observed in treatment group 1 (adjusted difference = -0.60%, P = .044) and treatment group 2 (adjusted difference = -0.64%, P = .014) compared with the control group. However, at 6 months, only treatment group 2 achieved a significant HbA1c reduction (adjusted difference = -0.68%, P = .018). Especially in the treatment groups, patients performing self-monitoring of blood glucose (SMBG) at least 1.5 times/day showed a significant HbA1c improvement, at both 3 and 6 months, but those performing SMBG less than 1.5 times/day showed no significant improvement. CONCLUSIONS: In non-insulin-treated patients with T2D uncontrolled with OADs, intermittent short-term use of RT-CGM was an effective method for glucose control, especially in those performing SMBG frequently.

Implications of metabolic health status and obesity on the risk of kidney cancer: A nationwide population-based cohort study.

Purpose: This study evaluated the association between metabolic health status and incident kidney cancer among obese participants. Materials and methods: A total of 514,866 individuals were included from the Korean National Health Insurance Service-National Health Screening Cohort. Changes in metabolic health status and obesity from the baseline examination in 2009-2010 to the next biannual examination in 2011-2012 were determined. Based on the status change, obese participants were divided into four groups: stable metabolically healthy obesity, metabolically healthy obesity to metabolically unhealthy obesity, metabolically unhealthy obesity to metabolically healthy obesity, and stable metabolically unhealthy obesity. Results: The stable metabolically healthy obesity phenotype did not confer an increased risk of incident kidney cancer, compared to the stable metabolically healthy non-obese group. In contrast, the metabolically healthy obesity to metabolically unhealthy obesity group had a significantly higher risk of incident kidney cancer than the stable metabolically healthy non-obese group. Among patients with metabolically unhealthy obesity at baseline, those who transitioned to the metabolically healthy obese group had no increased risk of kidney cancer, whereas those who remained in metabolically unhealthy obesity status had a higher risk of incident kidney cancer than the stable metabolically healthy non-obese group. The transition or maintenance of metabolic health was a decisive factor for kidney cancer in obese patients. Conclusions: Maintaining or restoring metabolic health should be stressed upon in obese patients to reduce the risk of kidney cancer.

Durability of glucose-lowering effect of dulaglutide in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus: A real-world data study.

Introduction: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a chronic, progressive disease requiring lifelong treatment, and durable medication is essential for maintaining stable glycemic control. This study aimed to evaluate the long-term efficacy of dulaglutide in participants who have continued the drug for more than one year. Methods: We conducted a retrospective study on 605 participants, who used dulaglutide for over one year between 2016 and 2020. Changes in glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c), fasting plasma glucose, and bodyweight from baseline to last prescription day were assessed. Adherence was evaluated by the proportion of days covered (PDC), and a PDC value ≥ 0.80 was considered adherent. Results: The mean age was 54.0 ± 11.1 years, and 46.1% were female. The mean baseline HbA1c, bodyweight, and duration of diabetes were 8.8% (72.7 mmol/mol), 75.6 kg, and 12.2 years, respectively. During the mean follow-up of 33.1 months, HbA1c and bodyweight decreased by 1.28% (14 mmol/mol, P < 0.001) and by 3.19 kg (P < 0.001), respectively. The participants were highly adherent with PDC ≥ 0.80 in 92.4% of the participants. Conclusion: In T2DM patients, long-term dulaglutide treatment was effective in maintaining HbA1c and weight reduction. Dulaglutide could be a favorable option of long-term treatment in real-world clinical practice.