Association Between Carotid Ultrasonography Findings and Colorectal Adenoma in Asymptomatic Adults.

BACKGROUND: Coexistence of colorectal neoplasia and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease has been reported. Subclinical atherosclerosis can be evaluated noninvasively and easily by assessing carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) and carotid plaque using ultrasonography. AIMS: We aimed to evaluate the association between carotid ultrasonography findings and colorectal conventional adenoma (AD) in health checkup examinees. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of health checkup examinees ≥ 40 years old who had undergone both carotid ultrasonography and colonoscopies at a single hospital between January 2012 and December 2016. RESULTS: The median age of 4871 eligible participants was 54 years (range, 40-89). AD was found in 2009 individuals (41.2%), with a mean number of 1.9 ± 1.7 lesions. Abnormal CIMT (≥ 1 mm) and carotid plaque were found in 1366 (28.0%) and 1255 (25.8%) individuals, respectively. AD and high-risk adenoma (HRA) were observed more frequently in those with abnormal CIMT or plaque. Moreover, abnormal CIMT and plaque were independent risk factors for the presence of AD (odds ratio [OR]: 1.21, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.06-1.39, P = 0.006; OR: 1.24, 95% CI: 1.08-1.43, P = 0.002) and HRA (OR: 1.24, 95% CI: 1.05-1.52, P = 0.034; OR: 1.35, 95% CI: 1.10-1.65, P = 0.004), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Abnormal CIMT and the presence of carotid plaque were significantly associated with AD and HRA, and each was an independent risk factor for AD and HRA. More careful observation might be needed during colonoscopies in individuals with abnormal carotid ultrasonographic findings.

Prevalence and risk factors of advanced colorectal neoplasms in asymptomatic Korean people between 40 and 49 years of age.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Current guidelines recommend colon cancer screening for persons aged over 50 years. However, there are few data on colorectal cancer screening in 40- to 49-year-olds. This study assessed the prevalence and risk factors of colorectal neoplasms in 40- to 49-year-old Koreans. METHODS: We analyzed the results of screening colonoscopies of 6680 persons 40-59 years of age (2206 aged 40-49 and 4474 aged 50-59 years). RESULTS: The prevalence of overall and advanced neoplasms in the 40- to 49-year age group was lower than in the 50- to 59-year age group (26.7% and 2.4% vs 37.8% and 3.5%, respectively). However, the prevalence of overall and advanced neoplasms increased to 39.1% and 5.4%, respectively, in 45- to 49-year-old individuals with metabolic syndrome. In the 40- to 49-year age group, age, current smoking, and metabolic syndrome were associated with an increased risk of advanced neoplasms (odds ratio [OR] 1.16, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.04-1.30; OR 3.12, 95% CI 1.20-8.12; and OR 2.00, 95% CI 1.09-3.67, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Individuals aged 40-49 years had a lower prevalence of colorectal neoplasms than those aged 50-59 years, but some 40- to 49-year-olds showed a similar prevalence to those aged 50-59 years. Age, current smoking habits, and metabolic syndrome are associated with an increased risk of advanced neoplasms in subjects aged 40-49 years. Further studies are needed to stratify the risks of colon cancer and guide targeted screening in persons younger than 50 years old.

The association between serum dehydroepiandrosterone Sulphate (DHEA-S) level and bone mineral density in Korean men.

CONTEXT: Many lines of evidence indicate that dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) plays a distinct role in bone metabolism and that its sulphated form (DHEA-S), which is easily measured in blood, may be a potential biomarker of osteoporosis-related phenotypes. However, most previous epidemiologic studies focused on postmenopausal women and reported conflicting results. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to investigate the association between the serum DHEA-S level and bone mass in men. DESIGN AND METHODS: This large cross-sectional study included 1089 healthy Korean men who participated in a routine health screening examination. Bone mineral density (BMD) at the lumbar spine, total femur, femur neck, and trochanter and serum DHEA-S level were obtained in all subjects. RESULTS: After adjustment for age, body mass index, lifestyle factors and serum levels of calcium, phosphorus, testosterone, 25-OH-vitamin D3 and cortisol, higher serum DHEA-S concentrations were associated with higher BMD values at all skeletal sites. Consistently, compared to the subjects in the highest DHEA-S quartile (Q4), those in the lowest DHEA-S quartile (Q1) showed significantly lower BMD values. Multiple logistic regression analyses revealed that the odds ratios for the risk of lower BMD (T-score <-1) increased in a dose-dependent manner across decreasing DHEA-S quartiles and the odds for the risk of lower BMD were 2·59-fold higher in Q1 than in Q4. CONCLUSION: These findings support previous evidences that DHEA-S has favourable effects on bone mass in men and suggest that a low serum DHEA-S level may be a potential risk factor for male osteoporosis.

Risk factors and clinical outcomes of gastric cancer identified by screening endoscopy: a case-control study.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: A customized screening program for gastric cancer would optimize the benefits of screening endoscopy. This study investigated the risk factors for gastric cancer detected during screening and factors affecting clinical outcomes. METHODS: From April 2000 to December 2010, subjects who underwent screening endoscopy at Asan Medical Center were included. To investigate risk factors, age- and sex-matched control group was selected. The clinical outcomes of gastric cancer identified during screening (screening group) were compared with age, sex, and date of diagnosis-matched subjects who were diagnosed with gastric cancer in the outpatient clinic (outpatient group). RESULTS: Of 109 530 subjects, 327 were diagnosed with gastric cancer. The median age of the screening group was 63.6 years (interquartile range 56-71 years), and the male-to-female ratio was 2.4:1. When comparing with the control group, Helicobacter pylori seropositivity (odds ratio [OR] 2.933, P < 0.001), carcinoembryonic antigen (OR 8.633, P = 0.004), family history of gastric cancer (OR 2.254, P = 0.007), and drinking (OR 3.312, P < 0.001) were independent positive risk factors, and the use of aspirin a negative risk factor for gastric cancer (OR 0.445, P = 0.012) in multivariate analysis. Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (hazard ratio [HR] 0.987, P = 0.005), cancer antigen 19-9 (HR 21.713, P < 0.001), resectability (HR 59.833, P < 0.001), and family history (HR 0.308, P = 0.009) were independent risk factors for death. The 5-year survival rate was significantly higher in the screening group than in the outpatient group (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Early detection of gastric cancer by screening endoscopy while asymptomatic enhances patient outcomes, especially in high-risk groups.

High serum total bilirubin as a protective factor against hip bone loss in healthy middle-aged men.

Bilirubin is known to have a physiologic role as an antioxidant that efficiently scavenges peroxyl radicals and suppresses oxidation, and oxidative stress has detrimental effects on bone metabolism. In the present study, we performed a 3-year longitudinal study of healthy middle-aged men, investigating the association between serum total bilirubin concentrations and annualized changes in bone mineral density (BMD). The study enrolled a total of 917 Korean men aged 40 years or older who had undergone comprehensive routine health examinations with an average follow-up interval of 3 years. BMD at proximal femur sites was measured with dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry using the same equipment at baseline and follow-up. The overall mean annualized rates of bone loss at the total femur, femoral neck, and trochanter were -0.25 %/year, -0.34 %/year, and -0.44 %/year, respectively. After adjustment for potential confounders, the rates of bone loss at all proximal femur sites were significantly attenuated in a dose-response fashion across increasing bilirubin concentrations (P = 0.006-0.046). Moreover, compared to subjects in the lowest bilirubin quartile category, those in the highest bilirubin quartile category showed significantly less bone loss at all proximal femur sites after adjustment for confounding factors (P = 0.010-0.048). This study provides the first clinical evidence that serum total bilirubin could be a protective marker against future bone loss, especially in subjects without liver diseases.

Seroconversion rates of Helicobacter pylori infection in Korean adults.

BACKGROUND: Studies on seroconversion and its reversion rate in Korean adults with Helicobacter pylori infection are very rare. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the overall seroprevalence, seroconversion rate, and seroreversion rate of H. pylori infection in an adult population. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We performed this retrospective cohort study on healthy adults who had visited our health screening center at Asan Medical Center more than twice between January 2000 and December 2010. We reviewed the anti- H. pylori Ab IgG profiles of the enrolled people and their family members and the results of esophagogastroduodenoscopies and a self-reported questionnaire. RESULTS: A total of 67,212 people were enrolled in this study. The mean follow-up duration was 4.6 years, and each participant visited the center for a mean of 3.8 visits. The overall proportions of participants demonstrating persistent seropositivity, persistent seronegativity, seroconversion, and seroreversion were 53.1%, 32.5%, 4.3%, and 10.1%, respectively. The annual seroconversion rate was 2.79%. The annual crude and spontaneous seroreversion rates of the entire study population were 3.64% and 2.42%, respectively. According to multivariate logistic regression, old age (HR = 1.015), smoking (HR = 1.216), alcohol consumption more than four times per week (HR = 1.263), marriage (HR = 2.735), and living with H. pylori-infected family members (HR = 1.525) were identified as statistically significant risk factors associated with seroconversion. CONCLUSION: The annual seroconversion rate was 2.79% in our study population. Marriage and living with H. pylori-infected family members were important risk factors affecting seroconversion in our adult population.

Risk stratification for advanced proximal colon neoplasm and individualized endoscopic screening for colorectal cancer by a risk-scoring model.

BACKGROUND: Only 30% to 40% of patients with advanced proximal neoplasms (APN) have distal colon neoplasms. OBJECTIVE: To develop a risk score model for APN and propose an individualized screening protocol for colorectal cancer. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study. SETTING: Tertiary-care center. PATIENTS: Derivation cohort (6200 adults) and validation cohort (1389 adults). INTERVENTION: Screening colonoscopy. MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS: An APN risk score model was developed from the derivation cohort (6200 adults) and was tested in the validation cohort (1389 adults), who underwent screening colonoscopy. RESULTS: Age, male sex, and smoking were clinical risk factors for APN. The presence of a distal neoplasm was a sigmoidoscopic risk factor for APN. We calculated APN risk scores (0-8) based on these variables and classified patients as low risk (0-2) or high risk (3-8). In the validation cohort, the relative risk of APN was 3.5-fold higher in the high-risk group than in the low-risk group. Our model suggests that colonoscopy should be performed as an initial screening test in patients with a high clinical risk for APN. Sigmoidoscopy should be performed initially in patients with low clinical risk for APN followed by supplementary colonoscopy in those with high APN risk scores based on both clinical and sigmoidoscopic risk factors. This protocol detected APN in 22 of 34 APN+ patients (64.7%) with little increase in the endoscopy burden, whereas only 16 of 34 APN+ patients (47.1%) would be identified by initial sigmoidoscopy followed by colonoscopy only in cases with distal neoplasms. LIMITATIONS: Retrospective design. CONCLUSION: Our APN risk score model provides an algorithm for efficient screening of colorectal cancer by sigmoidoscopy and colonoscopy.

High-sensitivity C-reactive protein and cancer.

BACKGROUND: High-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) is a commonly used inflammatory marker. The association between hs-CRP and cancer is less consistent than that between hs-CRP and cardiovascular diseases. This study explored the association between hs-CRP and cancer, using a large database of Korean health examination records. METHODS: A total of 80,781 Koreans who visited the health promotion center of a general hospital were included. There were 729 cases of cancer of any primary site during a 3-year period. Subjects with a known cancer or a condition capable of affecting hs-CRP were excluded. RESULTS: Serum hs-CRP was significantly higher in cancer cases (2.9 mg/L) than in non-cases (1.4 mg/L; P < 0.0001). With the lowest hs-CRP category (<1 mg/L) as reference, the crude odds ratios (ORs) for cancer were 1.36 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.16-1.62) for the second highest category (1-3 mg/L) and 2.49 (95% CI = 2.02-3.07) for the highest category (>3 mg/L), and the adjusted ORs for cancer were 1.16 (95% CI = 0.95-1.42) for the second highest category and 1.94 (95% CI = 1.51-2.51) for the highest category. After excluding cancer cases detected within 1 year after the check-up, the associations remained, although the reduced number of cancer cases (n = 88) attenuated the significance of the associations. CONCLUSIONS: Serum hs-CRP was positively associated with the risk of cancer, although causality cannot be inferred in this cross-sectional study. The results support the hypothesis that chronic inflammation plays a role in cancer.

Small-bowel angioedema during screening computed tomography due to intravenous contrast material.

We describe patients with isolated small-bowel angioedema caused by allergic reactions to intravenous contrast media. Computed tomography (CT) revealed circumferential thickening of the walls of the duodenum or jejunum. Follow-up small-bowel follow-through, small-bowel endoscopy, and CT showed normalized small-bowel loops. Transient findings of circumferential thickening of the small-bowel walls on CT suggest isolated small-bowel angioedema.

Short-term efficacy of 1-month and 3-month gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist depots in girls with central precocious puberty.

PURPOSE: Gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist (GnRHa) has been the mainstay of central precocious puberty (CPP) treatment for decades, but few reports have compared the efficacy of 1-month and 3-month depot GnRHa formulations. This study investigates the short-term efficacy of 1-month and 3-month GnRHa depots in girls with CPP. METHODS: Overall, 150 girls with CPP were included in a retrospective review of medical records. Subjects in group 1 (n=105) were treated with 1-month GnRHa depots for ≥12 months, and those in group 2 (n=45) were treated with 1-month GnRHa depots for 6 months followed by 3-month GnRHa depots for ≥6 months. Anthropometric and biochemical data were compared between the groups at 3-time points (after 0, 6, and 12 months of GnRHa treatment). RESULTS: Demographic and clinical characteristics did not differ between the groups at baseline or after 6 months of GnRHa treatment. After 12 months of GnRHa treatment, patients in the both groups showed no difference in bone age (BA), chronological age (CA), BA-CA difference, height standard deviation score (SDS) for CA and BA, or body mass index SDS for CA and BA. The sexual maturity rate of the breast was prepubertal at 12 months in most of subjects. GnRH-stimulated luteinizing hormone (LH) level was suppressed during GnRHa treatment in both groups at 6 and 12 months, although the LH level in group 2 was higher than that in group 1. CONCLUSION: Treating CPP with a 3-month GnRHa depot showed short-term efficacy comparable to that with a 1-month depot in anthropometric parameters and pubertal suppression.

Negative association between metabolic syndrome and bone mineral density in Koreans, especially in men.

Cardiovascular disease and osteoporosis are thought to share common risk factors, and metabolic syndrome (MS) is composed of major risk factors for cardiovascular disease. This study was performed to investigate the relationships between specific MS components and bone mineral density (BMD). BMD was measured at the femoral neck of Korean men aged 40 years or more (n = 1,780) and postmenopausal women (n = 1,108) using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. We identified subjects with MS as defined by two criteria, International Diabetes Federation (IDF) and American Heart Association/National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (AHA/NHLBI). Body fat and lean mass were measured via bioimpedance analysis. The prevalence of MS was 19.8% and 7.7% in men and 20.8% and 11.6% in postmenopausal women according to the AHA/NHLBI definition and the IDF definition, respectively. After multivariate adjustment, femoral neck BMD was significantly lower in subjects with MS regardless of diagnostic criteria. BMD decreased as the number of MS components increased (P < 0.001 for trends in both sexes). Among MS components, waist circumference was the most important factor in this negative association. When multiple linear regression models were applied to each 5-kg weight stratum to test for a linear trend, waist circumference and fat mass were negatively associated with BMD and lean mass was positively associated with BMD in men but not in women. MS was associated with a lower BMD in Korean men and postmenopausal women, suggesting that visceral fat may lead to bone loss, especially in men.

Isolated terminal ileal ulcerations in asymptomatic individuals: natural course and clinical significance.

BACKGROUND: Although isolated terminal ileal ulcerations (ITIUs) are occasionally observed on colonoscopic examination of asymptomatic individuals, their clinical course and guidelines for treatment are unclear. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the clinical course and significance of ITIUs in asymptomatic individuals. DESIGN: Single-center retrospective analysis. SETTING: University hospital. PATIENTS AND INTERVENTIONS: All patients diagnosed with ITIUs on colonoscopy from July 2001 to December 2007 were identified. Patients with colorectal symptoms, a history of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug consumption, a history of colorectal surgery, oral or genital ulcerations, and coincidental ulceration in the ileocecal valve or colon were excluded. MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS: Colonoscopic findings and clinical courses of patients were analyzed. RESULTS: Of the 148 included patients, 93 were followed (mean duration, 29.9 months). Of these, 62 showed resolution of ITIU on follow-up colonoscopy, including 60 who resolved without any treatment and 2 who resolved after antituberculosis medication. Follow-up colonoscopy continued to show ITIUs in the remaining 31 patients, only 1 of whom developed typical Crohn's disease, whereas the other 30 showed no significant changes in the lesions (n = 22), partial improvement (n = 6), or waxing and waning endoscopic appearance (n = 2). LIMITATIONS: Retrospective design, relatively short-term follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: Most ITIUs incidentally observed in asymptomatic individuals resolve without any treatment. Even if these lesions persist, it is unusual for them to progress or to cause any symptoms.

A case report with lymphangiomatosis of the colon.

The incidence of lymphangiomas in the gastrointestinal tract is low, particularly in the colon and rectum, and most cases are solitary. Lymphangiomatosis of the colon are encountered infrequently with only one report in the English literature, and polypectomy was performed for the diagnosis in that case report. However, trends in the diagnosis of lymphangiomatosis of colon have been changing since the development of endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS), and this case is the first in that lymphangiomatosis of the colon was diagnosed without invasive procedures. Here we describe the case of 31-yr-old woman with lymphangiomatosis of the colon with numerous polyposis-like appearing lesions diagnosed by endoscopic ultrasonography and a colonoscopy.

Prospective randomized trial of six-month versus nine-month therapy for intestinal tuberculosis.

Intestinal tuberculosis (TB) continues to be a common disease worldwide. However, the optimal duration of anti-TB medication has not been well established. We therefore compared the efficacy of 6-month and 9-month therapy in the treatment of intestinal TB. Ninety patients definitely diagnosed with intestinal TB were randomized into 6-month (n = 45) or 9-month (n = 45) treatment groups, prospectively. The primary end point was complete response, defined as endoscopic healing of active lesions. Patients were followed up monthly for 3 months after therapy initiation, then every 3 months until the end of therapy, and finally 1 year later. Relapse was assessed 1 year after the end of therapy by patient interview and colonoscopy. Baseline characteristics were similar in the 6-month and 9-month groups. Intention-to-treat analysis revealed no significant differences between the two groups in complete response (6-month group, 93.3%; 9-month group, 91.1%; P = 1.00) or recurrence rate (6-month group, 2.4%; 9-month group, 0.0%; P = 1.00). Median follow-up duration was 39 months in the 6-month group and 32 months in the 9-month group. No surgery was performed on any patient in either group. In conclusion, the 6-month therapy was as effective as 9-month therapy in patients with intestinal TB and may have the additional benefits of reduced treatment cost and increased compliance.

Giant mesenteric lipoma as an unusual cause of abdominal pain: a case report and a review of the literature.

We report a rare case of giant mesenteric lipoma presenting with colicky abdominal pain. A 29-yr-old woman underwent laparoscopic resection for a giant mesenteric lipoma causing compression of the ileal loop. The resected ileal segment was encased by a giant fatty tissue, and normal mucosal fold patterns of the resected ileum were effaced by the mass. Microscopically, the mass was characterized by homogenous mature adipose tissue without cellular atypia, which was compatible with the diagnosis of a mesenteric lipoma. Despite the benign nature of this tumor, total excision with or without the affected intestinal loop should be considered if intestinal symptoms such as abdominal pain are present.

Granular cell tumor of the descending colon treated by endoscopic mucosal resection: a case report and review of the literature.

Although colorectal granular cell tumors (GCTs) are rare, their incidental finding has increased as the use of diagnostic colonoscopy has become more common. Here we describe the case of a 41-yr-old man with a GCT in the descending colon that was detected after a screening colonoscopy. Endoscopic examination revealed a yellowish submucosal tumor, 13x12 mm in diameter, in the descending colon. Endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR) followed by histological examination revealed that the tumor was composed of plump histiocyte-like cells with an abundant granular eosinophilic cytoplasm and small round nuclei. The tumor cells expressed S-100 protein and stained with periodic acid-Schiff, but were negative for desmin and cytokeratin. The resected tumor was diagnosed as a GCT. Colonoscopists should consider the possibility of GCT in the differential diagnosis of yellowish submucosal tumors of the colon. In such patients, EMR seems to be a feasible and safe approach for diagnosis and treatment.

[A case of recurrent intestinal obstruction caused by Meckel's diverticulum].

Meckel's diverticulum is the most common anomaly of the intestine. It is usually asymptomatic but approximately 4% are symptomatic with complications such as bleeding, intestinal obstruction, and inflammation. Gastrointestinal bleeding is the most common presenting symptoms of Meckel's diverticulum in children, however, intestinal obstruction is the most common complications in adult patients. Reported mechanism of intestinal obstruction in Meckel's diverticulum include intussusception, adhesion, and volvulus. Recently, we experienced a case with Meckel's diverticulum associated with ileal stricture causing recurrent partial intestinal obstruction in a 48-year-old man. In contrast to other published cases of small bowel obstruction in Meckel's diverticulum, this case was caused by ileal stricture associated with Meckel's diverticulum.

Method evaluation of pepsinogen I/II assay based on chemiluminescent immunoassays and comparison with other test methods.

BACKGROUND: Serum pepsinogen (PG) I and the PG I/PG II ratio have been used for atrophic gastritis (AG) diagnosis for decades. Low levels of PG I and/or PG I/PG II are closely related to AG and predict the risk of gastric cancer. We evaluated the performance of the chemiluminescent immunoassay-based Architect Pepsinogen I/II assay. METHODS: The evaluation consisted of determination of the precision, linearity, limit of blank (LoB), limit of detection (LoD) and method comparison with Eiken and Biohit assays. RESULTS: The total CVs were below 5% for both PG I and PG II. Acceptable linearity was observed for PG I and PG II in their respective reportable ranges. The PG I LoB was 0.317ng/mL and the PG II LoB was 0.418ng/mL, and LoDs were 0.412ng/mL and 0.497ng/mL, respectively. Correlation analysis indicated that results of the Architect assay were comparable to those of the Eiken and Biohit assays, but the three methods lead to different estimations of the cancer risk. CONCLUSION: The overall analytical performance of Architect Pepsinogen I/II assay is acceptable for the detection of patients with suspected AG. The categorization results of gastric cancer risk showed some difference among test methods suggesting the need for harmonization among the methods from vendors.

High serum total homocysteine levels accelerate hip bone loss in healthy premenopausal women and men.

INTRODUCTION: Despite extensive evidence demonstrating the direct, detrimental role of homocysteine on bone metabolism, the effects of serum total homocysteine (tHcy) on bone loss are still equivocal. In the present study, we performed a longitudinal study on healthy participants of various ages of both sexes in order to investigate the association between serum tHcy concentrations and annualized changes in bone mineral density (BMD). METHODS: A total of 460 Koreans ≥ 30 years of age received comprehensive, routine health examinations for an average period of 3 years. The BMD at proximal femur sites was measured with dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry using the same equipment at baseline and follow-up. RESULTS: After adjusting for potential confounders, the rates of bone loss at the proximal femur sites were significantly accelerated in a dose-response fashion across increasing tHcy concentrations in premenopausal women and men, but not in postmenopausal women. Consistently, compared with subjects in the lowest tHcy quartile, premenopausal women in the third and/or highest tHcy quartile and men in the highest tHcy quartile showed significantly higher rates of bone loss at all proximal femur sites (p=0.015-0.048) and at the total femur and femur neck (p=0.008-0.013), respectively. In contrast, there were no differences in terms of bone loss among the tHcy quartiles for postmenopausal women. CONCLUSION: These data provide the first clinical evidence that increased tHcy levels could be an independent risk factor for the future deterioration of bone mass in premenopausal women and men.