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Background/Aims Improving quality of life has been gaining importance in ulcerative colitis (UC) management. The aim of this study was to investigate changes in health-related quality of life (HRQL) and related factors in patients with moderate-to-severe UC. Methods A multicenter, hospital-based, prospective study was performed using a Moderateto- Severe Ulcerative Colitis Cohort in Korea (the MOSAIK). Changes in HRQL, evaluated using the 12-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-12) and Inflammatory Bowel Disease Questionnaire (IBDQ), were analyzed at the time of diagnosis and 1 year later. Results In a sample of 276 patients, the mean age was 38.4 years, and the majority of patients were male (59.8%). HRQL tended to increase in both the IBDQ and SF-12 1 year after diagnosis. A higher partial Mayo score was significantly related to poorer HRQL on the IBDQ and SF-12 in a linear mixed model (p

Background/Aims Few studies have investigated terminal ileal lesions and their prognostic value in patients with ulcerative colitis (UC). We evaluated the clinical significance of these lesions as a prognostic factor in patients with UC who were in clinical remission. Methods We retrospectively selected 567 of 4,066 colonoscopy reports that included positive findings from orificial observations of the terminal ileum (TI) and appendix in patients with UC. We finally recruited patients who were in clinical remission (n=204). We compared the clinical courses, including relapse and other prognostic parameters associated with UC, between the groups. Results The baseline patient characteristics were not significantly different between patients with (n=69, TI+ group) and without TI lesions (n=135, TI– group), although there were more never-smokers in the TI+ group (n=57 [82.6%] in the TI+ group; n=86 [63.7%] in the TI– group; p=0.005). Of note, appendiceal orifice inflammation (AOI) was less frequently found in the TI+ group (14.5%) than in the TI– group (71.9%, p

Background/Aims Previous studies have investigated the relationship between visceral obesity and the risk of colorectal tumors. Visceral obesity may affect the outcome of colorectal cancer (CRC), including survival and metastasis. We investigated the associations between visceral adipose tissue and oncologic outcomes in stage III CRC. Methods Four hundred seventy-two patients with stage III CRC were identified. Subcutaneous and visceral adipose tissue areas were measured volumetrically via computed tomography for each patient at different levels of the lumbar spine. After adjusting for age, sex, and other clinical factors, the effects of visceral adipose tissue area on mortality and recurrence were assessed using Cox proportional hazard regression. Results In univariate and multivariate analyses, a higher visceral adipose tissue to total adipose tissue (VT) ratio (hazard ratio [HR], 1.041; 95% CI, 1.008 to 1.075; p=0.015) and higher visceral adipose tissue to subcutaneous adipose tissue (VS) ratio (HR, 1.016; 95% CI, 1.005 to 1.028; p=0.006) were both associated with poor CRC-specific survival. Interestingly, in the evaluation of each site of recurrence, a higher VT ratio (HR, 1.069; 95% CI, 1.010 to 1.131; p=0.020) and higher VS ratio (HR, 1.024; 95% CI, 1.003 to 1.045; p=0.023) were both related to a higher risk of peritoneal seeding and tumor recurrence. The VT ratio at the L3-L4 level was significantly associated with a higher risk of peritoneal seeding and tumor recurrence (HR, 4.969; 95% CI, 1.303 to 18.949; p=0.019), while other levels showed no such relationship. Conclusions Visceral obesity is closely related to increased risks of CRC-specific mortality and peritoneal seeding metastasis in stage III CRC patients.

Background and Aims Robust evidence regarding the impact of disease activity on pregnancy outcomes in women with inflammatory bowel disease [IBD] is crucial for both clinicians and patients in preparing a birth plan. We sought to perform a systematic review and meta-analysis to assess the pooled influences of disease activity on pregnancy outcomes in women with IBD. Methods We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE and the COCHRANE library to identify articles comparing pregnancy outcomes between active and inactive IBD at the time of conception or during pregnancy. A meta-analysis was performed using a random-effects model to pool estimates and report odds ratios [ORs]. Results A total of 28 studies were identified as eligible for the meta-analysis. In women with active IBD, the pooled ORs for low birth weight [LBW], preterm birth, small for gestational age [SGA], spontaneous abortion and stillbirths were respectively 3.81 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.81–8.02), 2.42 [95% CI 1.74–3.35], 1.48 [95% CI 1.19–1.85], 1.87 [95% CI 1.17–3.0] and 2.27 [95% CI 1.03–5.04] compared to women with inactive IBD. In the subgroup analysis based on disease type, women with active ulcerative colitis had an increased risk of LBW, preterm birth and spontaneous abortion. Women with active Crohn’s disease had a higher risk of preterm birth, SGA and spontaneous abortion. Conclusions Active IBD during the periconception period and pregnancy is associated with an increased risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes. Our data suggest that pregnancy should be planned when the disease is quiescent, and continuous disease control is important even during pregnancy.

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), comprised of Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, is a chronic, relapsing, and remitting disease of the gastrointestinal tract whose incidence is rising worldwide, especially in East Asian countries. The etiopathogenesis of IBD remains poorly understood. It is currently considered that a combination of genetic and environmental factors triggers an aberrant immune response against the commensal intestinal flora in IBD patients. Over the past decades, advances in the knowledge of the inflammatory cascade involved in IBD pathogenesis have expanded the pharmacological armamentarium in IBD. Actually, the introduction of specific biological therapies, including anti- tumor necrosis factor, anti-interleukin- 12/23, and anti-integrin, has revolutionized the treatment of IBD. Moreover, small molecule agents such as Janus kinase inhibitors also now under clinical use. In IBD, a substantial number of patient accompanies various articular manifestations and, rheumatic involvement is one of the most common extra-intestinal symptoms. Many of the mechanisms based drugs described above have already been used in rheumatic diseases. In addition, some of those drugs can be used to treat both IBD itself and accompanied rheumatic involvement, however there are differences in drug usage between these two indications. This review aims to briefly review the mechanism-based drug therapies of IBD with particular reference to rheumatic disease. (J Rheum Dis 2020;27:128-135)

Background/Aims: A considerable number of patients with Crohn’s disease still need intestinal resection surgery. Postoperative recurrence is an important issue in Crohn’s disease management, including the selection of high-risk patients. Eastern Asian patients showed several differences from Caucasian patients. Therefore, we investigated the postoperative surgical recurrence outcome and identified risk factors in Korean patients. Methods: Clinical data of 372 patients with Crohn’s disease who underwent first intestinal resection between January 2004 and August 2014 at 14 hospitals in Korea were retrospectively reviewed. Results: Over the follow-up period, 50 patients (17.1%) showed surgi cal recurrence. The cumulative surgical recurrence rate was 6.5% at 1 year and 15.4% at 7 years. Age under 16 (p=0.011; hazard ratio [HR], 5.136; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.576 to 16.731), colonic involvement (p=0.023; HR , 2.011; 95% CI, 1.102 to 3.670), and the presence of perianal disease at surgery (p=0.008; HR, 2.239; 95% CI, 1.236 to 4.059) were independent risk factors associated with surgical recurrence. Postoperative thiopurine treatment (p=0.002; HR, 0.393; 95% CI, 0.218 to 0.710) was a protective factor for surgical recurrence. Conclusions: Among the disease characteristics at surgery, younger age, colonic location, and perianal le sions were independent risk factors for surgical recurrence. Postoperative thiopurine treatment significantly reduced the incidence of surgical recurrence. (Gut Liver 2020;14:331-337)

The treatment of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) has been revolutionized for the last 10 years by the increasing use of im munomodulators 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 pro duced a guideline on the prevention and management of viral hepatitis in IBD. (Intest Res 2020;18:18-33)

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.

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

Background/Aims Many patients with Crohn's disease (CD) undergo intestinal resection during the disease course. Despite surgery, postoperative recurrence (POR) commonly occurs. Although postoperative use of tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) inhibitors is known to be effective in preventing POR, few studies have evaluated the effectiveness of continuing the same TNF-α inhibitors postoperatively in patients who received TNF-ɑ inhibitors before surgery. Methods This retrospective observational study was performed in a single tertiary medical center. We retrospectively reviewed patients who had undergone the first intestinal resection due to CD and divided them into two groups: TNF-α inhibitor users in both the preoperative and postoperative periods, and TNF-α inhibitor users in only the preoperative period. We compared the clinical outcomes between these two groups. Results In total, 45 patients who used TNF-α inhibitors preoperatively were recruited. Among them, TNF-α inhibitors were used postoperatively in 20 patients (44.4%). The baseline characteristics except age at diagnosis were similar in both groups. The rates of surgical and endoscopic recurrence were not different between the two groups, but the cumulative clinical recurrence rate was significantly lower in the postoperative TNF-α inhibitors group (log-rank p=0.003). In multivariate Cox regression analysis, postoperative TNF-α inhibitors use was significantly associated with a decreased risk of clinical recurrence (adjusted hazard ratio, 0.204; 95% confidence interval, 0.060 to 0.691; p=0.011). Conclusions Continuing TNF-α inhibitors postoperatively in patients who were receiving TNF-α inhibitors before surgery significantly reduced the rate of clinical recurrence. For patients with CD who received TNF-α inhibitors preoperatively, continuing their use after surgery could be recommended.

Familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) is a hereditary disease characterized by the development of numerous colorectal adenomas in young adults. Metformin, an oral diabetic drug, has been shown to have antineoplastic effects and a favorable safety profile. We performed a randomized, double-blind, controlled trial to evaluate the efficacy of metformin on the regression of colorectal and duodenal adenoma in patients with FAP. Thirty-four FAP patients were randomly assigned in a 1:2:2 ratio to receive placebo, 500 mg metformin, or 1,500 mg metformin per day orally for 7 months. The number and size of polyps and the global polyp burden were evaluated before and after the intervention. This study was terminated early based on the results of the interim analysis. No significant differences were determined in the percentage change of colorectal and duodenal polyp number over the course of treatment among the three treatment arms (P = 0.627 and P = 1.000, respectively). We found no significant differences in the percentage change of colorectal or duodenal polyp size among the three groups (P = 0.214 and P = 0.803, respectively). The overall polyp burdens of the colorectum and duodenum were not significantly changed by metformin treatment at either dosage. Colon polyps removed from the metformin-treated patients showed significantly lower mTOR signal (p-S6) expression than those from patients in the placebo arm. In conclusion, 7 months of treatment with 500 mg or 1,500 mg metformin did not reduce the mean number or size of polyps in the colorectum or duodenum in FAP patients (ClinicalTrials.gov ID: NCT01725490). Prevention Relevance: A 7-month metformin treatment (500 mg or 1,500 mg) did not reduce the number or size of polyps in the colorectum or duodenum of FAP patients as compared to placebo. These results do not support the use of metformin to promote regression of intestinal adenomas in FAP patients.

BackgroundPatients 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.MethodsWe 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.ResultsEighty 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.ConclusionsThe 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.

Interaction between a tumor and its microenvironment is important for tumor initiation and progression. Cancer stem cells (CSCs) within the tumor interact with a microenvironmental niche that controls their maintenance and differentiation. We investigated the CSC-promoting effect of factors released from myofibroblasts into the microenvironment of early colorectal cancer tumors and its molecular mechanism. By messenger RNA microarray analysis, expression of HES1, a Notch signaling target, significantly increased in Caco-2 cells cocultured with 18Co cells (pericryptal myofibroblasts), compared to its expression in Caco-2 cells cultured alone. Caco-2 cells cultured in 18Co-conditioned media (CM) showed a significant increase in CD133+CD44+ cells and HES1 expression compared to that in Caco-2 cells cultured in regular media. Significant amounts of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and IL-8 were detected in 18Co-CM compared to levels in regular media. The 18Co-CM-induced increase in CD133+CD44+ cells was attenuated by IL-6- and IL-8-neutralizing antibodies. Furthermore, these neutralizing antibodies and inhibitors of STAT3 and gamma-secretase reduced the expression of HES1 induced in Caco-2 cells cultured in 18Co-CM. Immunohistochemical analysis of human tissues revealed that IL-6, IL-8, and HES1 expression increased from normal to adenoma, and from adenoma to cancer tissues. In addition, IL-6 and HES1 expression was positively correlated in early colorectal cancer tissues. In conclusion, the increase of CSCs by myofibroblasts could be mediated by IL-6/IL-8-induced HES1 activation in the tumor microenvironment. Based on these data, the IL-6/IL-8-mediated Notch/HES1 and STAT3 pathway, through which CSCs interact with their microenvironment, might be a potential target for the prevention and treatment of colorectal tumors.

Background Peritoneal carcinomatosis can influence clinical outcomes of patients receiving self-expandable metal stents (SEMS) for malignant colorectal obstruction, but data regarding this issue are sparse. We analyzed the clinical outcomes of post-SEMS insertion for malignant colorectal obstruction based on carcinomatosis status. Methods Stent- and patient-related clinical outcomes were compared for carcinomatosis status in a retrospective review involving 323 consecutive patients (colorectal cancer 198 patients; extracolonic malignancy 125 patients) who underwent palliative SEMS placement for malignant colorectal obstruction from January 2005 to March 2012. Severity of carcinomatosis was classified as mild, moderate, or severe. Results Carcinomatosis was observed in 190 patients (58.8 %). The rates of technical (84.7 vs. 94.7 %; P = 0.005) and clinical (73.2 vs. 83.5 %; P = 0.03) success were lower in patients with vs. without carcinomatosis. Rates of early (2.1 % vs. 3.0 %; P = 0.72) and delayed (1.6 % vs. 6.0 %; P = 0.08) perforation and stent failure (27.9 % vs. 26.3 %; P = 0.75) showed no difference. Technical and clinical success rates were significantly different based on the severity of carcinomatosis (technical success rate: mild 90.7 %, moderate 97.4 %, severe 76.3 %, P = 0.003; clinical success rate: mild 83.3 %, moderate 82.1 %, severe 63.9 %, P = 0.01). In multivariate analysis, severe carcinomatosis was identified as an independent factor related to technical (odds ratio [OR] 0.18, 95 % confidence interval [CI] 0.06 – 0.56) and clinical (OR 0.33, 95 %CI 0.15 – 0.74) success. Conclusions Peritoneal carcinomatosis was associated with decreased technical and clinical success rates in patients receiving SEMS for malignant colorectal obstruction. Moreover, the presence of severe carcinomatosis was an independent factor determining these clinical outcomes.

Primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) is a rare progressive cholestatic liver disease of unknown causes, but is strongly associated with inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs), particularly ulcerative colitis (UC). However, studies comparing risk factors and clinical courses of patients with concomitant UC and PSC with those of patients with PSC alone are lacking. We retrospectively reviewed patients with PSC diagnosed between 2005 and 2017 in four tertiary hospitals in Korea. We compared the risk factors and outcomes of concomitant UC and PSC (UC-PSC) and those of PSC alone. PSC was diagnosed in 50 patients in four different tertiary hospitals in Korea. Of them, 18 patients (36.0%) had UC-PSC and 32 patients (64.0%) had PSC alone. The median age at PSC diagnosis was younger in the UC-PSC group than that in the PSC alone group (37 vs. 54 years, P = 0.002). In multivariate analysis, older age at PSC diagnosis (P = 0.007; odds ratio [OR], 0.884; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.808–0.966) and current smoking habit (P = 0.033; OR, 0.026; 95% CI, 0.001–0.748) were determined to be independent factors for reducing the possibility of developing concomitant UC after PSC. Additionally, UC-PSC was shown to be an independent risk factor for the development of colorectal dysplasia (P = 0.044; OR, 10.829; 95% CI, 1.065–110.127). Our analysis showed that UC-PSC is more likely to be negatively associated with current smoking and older age at the time of PSC diagnosis. Moreover, UC-PSC increased the risk of colorectal dysplasia.

Background/aims We explored Korean physicians' policies for surveillance of colorectal cancer (CRC) after curative surgery. Methods Web-based self-report questionnaires were developed. Invitations to participate were emailed to physicians who diagnosed and treated CRC from October 1 to November 15, 2015. The questionnaire consisted of the role doctors played in the surveillance, examination of surveillance, and duration of postoperative surveillance according to CRC stage or primary site of the cancer. Results Ninety-one physicians participated in the online survey, and 78 completed the survey. Sixty-seven participants (13%) answered "up to 5 years" for stage I surveillance duration; and 11 (13%) responded with a duration of g 5 years for stage I. A total of 61 (75%) responded with a surveillance duration of up to 5 years for stage II; and 19 (24%) responded with a duration of g 5 years for stage II. Sixty-seven (97%) and 61 (91%) physicians monitored patients with stage II/III every 3 or 6 months by laboratory examination and by abdominopelvic computed tomography scan for the first year, respectively. A total of 43 (53%) responded with a surveillance duration of up to 5 years for stage IV; and 46 (46%) responded with a duration of g 5 years for stage IV after curative resection. Conclusions Korean physicians mostly followed up CRC using intensive postoperative surveillance. In preference to monitoring over a comparatively shorter period of time, the physicians tended to prefer monitoring patients post-operatively over a g 5 year period, particularly in cases of advanced-stage CRC.

Background Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients often experience disease flare-ups during international air travel. We aimed to evaluate the proportion of patients that experiences IBD flares during international air travel and identify risk factors associated with enhanced disease activity. Methods Patients with scheduled international air travel were enrolled in the study from the Seoul National University Bundang Hospital IBD clinic. Flight information and clinical data were collected via questionnaires and personal interviews, and risk factors associated with IBD flares were determined. Results Between May 2018 and February 2020, 94 patients were enrolled in the study (mean age, 33.0 years; males, 53.2%; mean disease duration, 56.7 months), including 56 (59.6%) with ulcerative colitis and 38 (40.4%) with Crohn’s disease. Of the 94 patients enrolled, 15 (16.0%) experienced an IBD flare-up and 79 (84.0%) remained in remission throughout travel. Logistic regression analysis revealed that high fecal calprotectin levels before travel (odds ratio [OR]: 1.001, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.000–1.001, p = 0.016), the presence of a comorbidity (OR: 6.334, 95% CI: 1.129–35.526, p = 0.036), and a prior emergency room visit (OR: 5.283, 95% CI: 1.085–25.724, p = 0.039) were positively associated with disease flare-up. The previous and current use of immunomodulators and biologics, time of flight, altitude, number countries visited, travel duration, objective of visit, and previous medical consultations were not associated with disease flare-up. Conclusion Factors including fecal calprotectin levels, prior visit(s) to the ER, and the presence of a comorbidity predicted IBD flare-up during international travel.

Background Many patients with Crohn’s disease undergo major abdominal surgery during the disease course. Despite surgery, postoperative recurrence (POR) commonly occurs. Although postoperative use of biologic agents is known to be effective in preventing POR, few studies have evaluated the effectiveness of continuing the same biologic agents postoperatively in patients who received biologic agents preoperatively. Methods This retrospective observational study was performed in a single tertiary medical center. We retrospectively reviewed patients who underwent the first major abdominal surgery due to Crohn’s disease and divided them into two groups: biologics users both in the preoperative and postoperative periods and biologics users only in the preoperative period. We compared data between the groups according to endoscopic, clinical, and surgical recurrences. Results In total, 49 patients who used biologic agents preoperatively were recruited. Among them, biologics were used postoperatively in 24 patients (49.0%, Figure 1). Baseline characteristics except the median age and age at diagnosis were similar in both groups. Kaplan–Meier analysis revealed that the cumulative clinical recurrence rate was significantly lower in the postoperative biologics group (log-rank 0.012, Figure 2). On multivariate Cox regression analysis, postoperative biologics use was significantly associated with a decreased risk of clinical recurrence (adjusted hazard ratio 0.160, 95% confidence interval 0.037–0.692, p = 0.014). Conclusion Continuing biologics use postoperatively in patients who were receiving biologics preoperatively significantly reduced the rate of clinical recurrence. For patients with Crohn’s disease who were receiving biologic agents before surgery, continuing their use after surgery is recommended.

We aimed to evaluate whether obesity was associated with a certain clinicopathologic characteristics of metachronous CRA. This retrospective longitudinal cohort study included 2,904 subjects who had at least one resected CRA at index colonoscopy and who subsequently underwent one or more surveillance colonoscopies within 5 years. Of the 2,904 subjects, 60.9% (n = 1,769) were normal, 35.8% (n = 1,040) were overweight, and 3.3% (n = 95) were obese. Patients with any metachronous CRA were 53.7% (n = 1,559). In multivariate analyses, higher BMI at index colonoscopy was significantly associated with any metachronous CRA (overweight, OR = 1.07; obese, OR = 1.82; p for trend = 0.049). Regarding the multiplicity, the ORs of ≥ 3, ≥ 4 and ≥ 5 metachronous CRAs significantly increased as index BMI increased (p for trend p for trend = 0.016). Higher index BMI was significantly associated with the risk of multiple metachronous CRAs on surveillance colonoscopy within 5 years.

Background/Aims We aimed to estimate the cumulative incidence of advanced colonic neoplasia and analyze the risk factors for advanced colonic neoplasia according to risk components and adenoma location at index colonoscopy. Methods We reviewed 1,974 subjects who underwent a follow-up colonoscopy after a complete screening colonoscopy and the removal of all polyps. We estimated the cumulative incidence of a subsequent advanced neoplasia according to risk groups (normal, low-risk, and high-risk). Risk factors were analyzed by risk components (≥3 adenomas, adenoma ≥1 cm, and villous-type adenoma) and adenoma location. Results Overall, 111 advanced neoplasias (5.6%) were newly diagnosed at the follow-up colonoscopy. The 3-year cumulative incidences of advanced neoplasia were 0.8%, 3.1%, and 10.2% in the normal, low-risk, and high-risk groups, respectively (p

Background and Aim There is controversy about the surveillance interval after colonoscopy when 5–10 adenomas have been found on index colonoscopy. This study aimed to investigate the risk of colorectal neoplasm (CRN) according to the number of adenomas at index colonoscopy. Methods A retrospective, multicenter study was conducted at 10 university hospitals in Korea. We included 1394 patients with ≥ 3 adenomas at index colonoscopy. The risk of advanced CRN was compared according to the number of adenomas (intermediate risk group, 3–4 small adenomas or at least one ≥ 10 mm, and high risk group, ≥ 5 small adenomas or ≥ 3 at least one ≥ 10 mm). Results Overall, 164 (11.8%) developed an advanced CRN after a mean of 4.0 years from baseline colonoscopy. The 3-year and 5-year risk of advanced CRN was 2.1% (95% CI 2.09–2.11) and 14.4% (95% CI 14.36–14.44) in intermediate risk group and 3.2% (95% CI 3.19–3.21) and 23.3% (95% CI 19.15–19.25) in high risk group (P = 0.01). Having ≥ 5 adenomas (OR = 1.57, 95% CI 1.11–2.23, P = 0.01) detected at index colonoscopy was a significant risk factor for developing advanced CRN. Conclusions Although risk of advanced CRN in patients with 5–10 adenomas was significantly higher than that in patients with 3–4 adenomas, the cumulative risk at 3 years was low at 3.2%. Thus, we suggest that a 3-year surveillance interval might be appropriate for the patients with 5–10 adenomas, and further prospective studies are needed to investigate whether more intensive surveillance is needed in this group.

Sarcopenia is defined as skeletal muscle attenuation and has an association with metabolic syndrome. Metabolic syndrome, which includes obesity, is one of known predictive factors for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). This study aimed to elucidate the association between sarcopenia and GERD. We retrospectively reviewed electronic medical records of 8,218 patients who were performed an upper gastrointestinal endoscopy at check-up center of the Gangnam Severance Hospital. GERD was diagnosed by endoscopic findings. Erosive reflux disease (ERD) included Barrett's esophagus and reflux esophagitis, with the exception of minimal change esophagitis. Sarcopenia was defined by appendicular skeletal muscle (skeletal muscle in the upper and lower limbs). Sarcopenic obesity was defined as the presence of both sarcopenia and obesity. Associations between sarcopenia and GERD, as well as between sarcopenic obesity and ERD, were analyzed. A total of 3,414 patients were diagnosed with GERD, and 574 (16.8%) had sarcopenia. Sarcopenia was independent predictive factor for GERD (odds ratio [OR] = 1.170, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.016–1.346, P = 0.029). In addition, male sex, smoking, alcohol, and diet, including sweets and fatty food, had a significant association with GERD. A total of 1,423 (17.3%) of 8,218 patients were diagnosed with ERD, and 302 (21.2%) had sarcopenia. Male sex, smoking, and fatty food consumption had a significant association with ERD. Moreover, sarcopenia (OR = 1.215, 95% CI: 1.019–1.449, P = 0.030), obesity (OR = 1.343, 95% CI: 1.163–1.552, P P

Supplemental Digital Content is available in the text, The potential relationship between coronary artery calcium (CAC) and colorectal adenoma has been widely indicated. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between the risk of colorectal adenoma and CAC progression in asymptomatic Korean adults who underwent serial assessments by colonoscopy and CAC scan. A total of 754 asymptomatic participants, who had undergone serial CAC scans and colonoscopies for screening, were enrolled. Changes in CAC were assessed according to the absolute change between baseline and follow-up results. CAC progression was defined using Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis method. Risk for adenoma at follow-up colonoscopy was determined using hazard ratio (HR) by Cox regression. The area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was measured. The mean follow-up duration was 3.4 ± 2.5 years. CAC progression was found in 215 participants (28.5%). Participants with adenoma at index colonoscopy showed a higher rate of CAC progression than those without (38.8% vs 23.6%, P

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

Low-volume polyethylene glycol (PEG) plus ascorbic acid solutions are widely used for bowel cleansing before colonoscopy. This study aimed to investigate the pre-endoscopic predictive factors for inadequate preparation in subjects receiving low-volume PEG plus ascorbic acid. A prospective study was performed at Gangnam Severance Hospital, Korea, from June 2016 to December 2016. All participants received low-volume PEG plus ascorbic acid solutions for outpatient colonoscopy. The split-dose bowel preparation was administered in subject with morning colonoscopy while same day bowel preparation was used for afternoon colonoscopy. 715 patients were enrolled (mean age 56.1 years, 54.4% male), of which 138 (19.3%) had an inadequate bowel preparation. In multivariable analysis, cirrhosis (OR 4.943, 95% CI 1.191–20.515), low (less than 70%) compliance for three-day low-residual diet (OR 2.165, 95% CI 1.333–3.515), brown liquid rectal effluent (compared with clear or semi-clear effluent) (OR 7.604, 95% CI, 1.760–32.857), and longer time interval (≥2 hours) between last defecation and colonoscopic examination (OR 1.841, 95% CI, 1.190–2.849) were found as an independent predictors for inadequate preparation. These predictive factors may be useful in guiding additional intervention to improve quality of bowel preparation.

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. Conclusion After prior anti-TNF therapy failure, vedolizumab and tofacitinib in UC patients and vedolizumab and ustekinumab in CD patients showed similarities in terms of the efficacy in inducing and maintaining a clinical response.

Background/aims A limited number of studies are available regarding the long-term natural history of post-infectious irritable bowel syndrome (PI-IBS). We aimed to investigate the long-term clinical course of PI-IBS. Methods A prospective cohort study was conducted from a 2001 shigellosis outbreak in a Korean hospital with about 2000 employees. A cohort of 124 hospital employees who were infected by Shigella sonnei due to contaminated food in the cafeteria, and 105 sex- and age-matched, non-infected, controls were serially followed for their bowel symptoms by questionnaire surveys for 10 years. Results The Shigella -infected cohort showed significantly higher odds ratio for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) at 1-year (11.90; 95% CI, 1.49-95.58) and 3-year (3.93; 95% CI, 1.20-12.86) follow-up, compared to their controls. However, corresponding odds ratio for PI-IBS was not significantly increased at 5-year (1.88; 95% CI, 0.64-5.54) and 8-year (1.87; 95% CI, 0.62-5.19) follow-up. At 10-year follow-up survey, the prevalence of IBS was similar for the Shigella -infected cohort and their controls (23.3% versus 19.7%, P = 0.703). Risk factors which were independently associated with PI-IBS among the Shigella -infected cohort included younger age, previous history of functional bowel disorder, and longer duration of diarrhea at baseline. Conclusions Patients who were infected by Shigella sonnei experienced significantly increased risk of IBS until 3 years after shigellosis, and modestly increased risk until 8 years, but showed similar risk of IBS with uninfected controls at 10 years post-infection. PI-IBS is quite a chronic disorder, and follows a long-term natural course.

Background/Aims: Endoscopic treatment has been broadly applied to superficial esophageal neoplasms. Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) allows for high rates of en bloc resection, precise histological assessment, and low rates of local recurrence. The aim of this study was to evaluate the outcomes of ESD for superficial esophageal neoplasms. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 36 esophageal ESDs for superficial squamous neoplasms in 32 patients between March 2009 and August 2014 at Gangnam Severance Hospital. Results: The median patient age was 64 years, and 30 men were included. The indications were early squamous cell carcinoma in 26 lesions, adenoma with high-grade dysplasia in five lesions, and low-grade dysplasia in five lesions. The en bloc resection and R0 resection rates were 97.2% (35 of 36) and 91.7% (33 of 36), respectively. Microperforation and post-ESD bleeding occurred in 5.6% (2 of 36) and 5.6% (2 of 36), respectively. Post-ESD esophageal strictures developed in five patients (13.9%). Five patients (15.6%) had an additional treatment after ESD (concurrent chemoradiation therapy in three, radiation therapy in one, and surgery in one patient). There was no disease-specific mortality during the median follow-up of 31 months. Conclusions: Favorable clinical outcomes were observed in ESD for superficial esophageal squamous neoplasms. Esophageal ESD could be a good treatment option in terms of efficacy and safety.

Background & Aims Thiopurine-related myelosuppression (most frequently leukopenia) interferes with thiopurine therapy for patients with inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD). We investigated whether pretreatment analyses genetic variants associated with thiopurine-induced leukopenia could be used to effectively identify patients who required dose adjustments. Methods We performed a multicenter, prospective study of patients with IBD at 5 tertiary medical centers in Korea, from January 2016 through September 2018. Seventy-two patients were randomly assigned to a group that underwent genotype analysis for the NUDT15 variant (rs116855232) and FTO variant (rs79206939) and 3 common TPMT variants (rs1800460, rs1800462, rs1142345) associated with myelosuppression and 92 patients were assigned to a group that did not undergo genotype analysis (non-genotyping group). Patients heterozygous for any variant received 50 mg azathioprine equivalents, whereas those who were homozygous for any variant received alternative drugs. Patients who did not carry any of the genetic variants and patients in the non-genotyping group received 50 mg azathioprine equivalents followed by dose escalation up to 2–2.5 mg/kg. Myelosuppression was defined as white blood cell counts below 3000/μL, levels of hemoglobin 10 g/dL, or platelet counts below 100 K/μL. Results Twelve patients (16.7%) in the genotype analysis group and 33 patients (35.9%) in the non-genotyping group developed myelosuppression (P=.005). A multivariate analysis revealed that body mass indices above 21 kg/m2 (hazard ratio [HR], 0.43; 95% CI, 0.22–0.81; P = .009), pretreatment genotype analysis (HR, 0.37; 95% CI, 0.18–0.77; P = .008), and the maximum dose of thiopurines (HR, 0.34; 95% CI, 0.19–0.59; P Conclusions In a randomized controlled study of patients undergoing thiopurine therapy for IBD, we found that selection of therapy based on genetic variants associated with thiopurine-induced leukopenia significantly reduced the proportion of patients with myelosuppression during treatment. ClinicalTrials.gov no: NCT03719118 .

Background and purpose Based on the 6th edition of the American Joint Commission on Cancer (AJCC) staging system for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC), M1a node involvement was classified as regional node involvement in the revised 7th/8th edition. However, the clinical significance of M1a node involvement is unclear. Thus, we analyzed the prognostic value of M1a node involvement in patients with ESCC after definitive concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT). Materials and methods In total, 188 patients with ESCC had M0 disease according to the 7th/8th edition AJCC. We reclassified 31 (16.5%) of these patients as having M1a disease according to the 6th edition. After definitive CCRT, we compared baseline characteristics between the two groups and analyzed the rates of responders and recurrence. Finally, we compared prognoses according to overall survival (OS), disease-specific OS, and disease-free survival (DFS). Results Among 31 patients reclassified to have M1a disease, 21 (67.7%) had supraclavicular lymph node metastasis and 10 (32.3%) had celiac lymph node metastasis. The number of responders was significantly lower for M1a disease based on univariate (p = 0.004) and multivariate (p = 0.011) analyses. Significantly lower survival rates were observed in individuals with M1a disease (median OS, 16.4 vs. 42.7 months; 5-year OS, 10.8% vs. 41.2%). Conclusions M1a node involvement should be differentiated from regional node involvement.

Background Thiopurine-related myelosuppression (most frequently leukopenia) interferes with thiopurine therapy for patients with inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD). We investigated whether pre-treatment analyses genetic variants associated with thiopurine-induced leukopenia could be used to effectively identify patients who required dose adjustments. Methods We performed a multicentre, prospective study of patients with IBD at 5 tertiary medical centres in Korea, from January 2016 through September 2018. Seventy-two patients were randomly assigned to a group that underwent genotype analysis for the NUDT15 variant (rs116855232) and FTO variant (rs79206939) and 3 common TPMT variants (rs1800460, rs1800462, rs1142345) associated with myelosuppression and 92 patients were assigned to a group that did not undergo genotype analysis (non-genotyping group). Patients heterozygous for any variant received 50 mg azathioprine equivalents, whereas those who were homozygous for any variant received alternative drugs. Patients who did not carry any of the genetic variants and patients in the non-genotyping group received 50 mg azathioprine equivalents followed by dose escalation up to 2–2.5 mg/kg. Myelosuppression was defined as white blood cell counts below 3000/μL, levels of haemoglobin 10 g/dl, or platelet counts below 100 K/μl. Results Twelve patients (16.7%) in the genotype analysis group and 33 patients (35.9%) in the non-genotyping group developed myelosuppression (p = .005). A multivariate analysis revealed that body mass indices above 21 kg/m2 (hazard ratio [HR], 0.43; 95% CI, 0.22–0.81; p = 0.009), pre-treatment genotype analysis (HR, 0.37; 95% CI, 0.18–0.77; p = 0.008), and the maximum dose of thiopurines (HR, 0.34; 95% CI, 0.19–0.59; p < 0.001) independently decreased risk of myelosuppression. Pre-treatment genotype analysis reduced numbers of outpatient clinic visit and numbers of patients with drug discontinuation or dose reductions. Conclusion In a randomised controlled study of patients undergoing thiopurine therapy for IBD, we found that selection of therapy based on genetic variants associated with thiopurine-induced leucopoenia significantly reduced the proportion of patients with myelosuppression during 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.

Data regarding outcomes for patients with multiple findings for high-risk adenomas are scarce. To compare the risk for colorectal neoplasm (CRN) recurrence according to the number of high-risk findings. This was a retrospective and multicenter study. Patients who had one or more high-risk adenomas at the index colonoscopy and underwent follow-up colonoscopy 2.5 or more years after the index colonoscopy were included. The number of high-risk findings was defined as follows: number of adenomas larger than 1 cm + number of adenomas with HGD + number of adenomas with a villous component + existence (counted as 1) or nonexistence (counted as 0) of three or more adenomas. A total of 1646 patients were included, and the mean duration between index and follow-up colonoscopy was approximately 4 years. The cumulative incidence rate of recurrent advanced CRN in patients with three or more high-risk findings was higher than that in patients with one or two high-risk findings (p

Background and Aim: Advanced adenoma (> 10 mm in diameter, villous structure, or high-grade dysplasia) in young patients may have different characteristics and prognosis compared with those in older patients. We aimed to compare the incidence of colorectal neoplasms in young patients with older patients after removing high-risk adenoma (advance adenoma or ≥ 3 adenomas). Methods: A retrospective, multicenter study was conducted at 13 university hospitals in Korea. The 1479 patients who removed high-risk adenoma at index colonoscopy and followed by surveillance colonoscopy ≥ 2.5 years after were included. The cumulative incidence of overall and advanced colorectal neoplasms was compared according to the age groups (group 1

Hepatologists and colonoscopists often hesitate to perform a colonoscopic polypectomy in patients with chronic liver disease (CLD), especially those with cirrhosis, because of the risk of postpolypectomy bleeding (PPB). We aimed to investigate the incidence and risk factors of delayed PPB after a colonoscopic polypectomy in patients with CLD.In total, 152 patients with CLD who underwent colonoscopic polypectomy from December 2005 to December 2012 were retrospectively reviewed.Cirrhosis was identified in 80 (52.6%) patients. During the study period, 442 polyps were removed and delayed PPB developed in 14 (9.2%) patients. The incidence of delayed PPB was significantly higher in patients with cirrhosis than in those without the disease (13.8% [n = 11] vs. 4.2% [n = 3], p = 0.041). The polyp size (odds ratio, 1.087; 95% confidence interval, 1.009-1.172) and cirrhosis (odds ratio, 8.535; 95% confidence interval, 2.417-30.140) were independent risk factors for delayed PPB. In patients with cirrhosis, the optimal cut-off size to identify high-risk polyps for delayed PPB was 10 mm (area under the receiver operating characteristics curve, 0.737; sensitivity, 52%; specificity, 88%).Caution is needed when colonoscopic polypectomy is planned in patients with CLD who have larger polyps and cirrhosis.

We report two cases of endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) for recurrent or residual esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) lesions after chemoradiotherapy for advanced esophageal cancer. Case 1 involved a 64-year-old man who had previously undergone chemoradiotherapy for advanced ESCC and achieved a complete response (CR) for 22 months, until metachronous recurrent superficial ESCC was detected on follow-up esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD). We performed ESD and found no evidence of recurrence for 24 months. Case 2 involved a 59-year-old man who had previously undergone chemoradiotherapy for advanced ESCC. He responded favorably to treatment, and most of the tumor had disappeared on follow-up EGD 4 months later. However, there were two residual superficial esophageal lugol-voiding lesions. We performed ESD, and he had a CR for 32 months thereafter. ESD can be considered a viable treatment option for recurrent or residual superficial ESCC after chemoradiotherapy for advanced esophageal cancer.

Endoscopic resection is performed in undifferentiated-type early gastric cancer (UD-EGC), including poorly differentiated (PD) adenocarcinoma and signet ring cell (SRC) carcinoma. We previously found that different approaches are needed for PD adenocarcinoma and SRC carcinoma for curative resection. However, according to the 2010 WHO classification, diffuse-type PD adenocarcinoma and SRC carcinoma are categorized in the “poorly cohesive carcinomas.” Thus, we assessed whether the WHO classification is helpful when endoscopic resection is performed for treatment of UD-EGC. We analyzed clinicopathological features of 1295 lesions with SRC carcinoma and PD adenocarcinoma treated by open surgery. We recategorized them into intestinal-type PD adenocarcinomas and poorly cohesive carcinomas (SRC carcinoma, diffuse-type PD adenocarcinoma). We also recategorized 176 lesions treated by endoscopic resection into intestinal-type PD adenocarcinomas and poorly cohesive carcinomas. According to the open surgery data, the rates of lymph node metastasis (LNM) and lymphovascular invasion were significantly lower in SRC carcinoma than in diffuse-type and intestinal-type PD adenocarcinomas. The rates of LNM and lymphovascular invasion were significantly higher in diffuse-type PD adenocarcinoma than in SRC carcinoma. Endoscopic resection data showed no recurrence if the carcinoma was curatively resected. However, the commonest cause of noncurative resection was different in SRC carcinoma and PD adenocarcinoma. A positive lateral margin was the commonest cause in SRC carcinoma versus a positive vertical margin in both intestinal-type and diffuse-type PD adenocarcinoma. The clinical behavior differs in diffuse-type PD adenocarcinoma and SRC carcinoma. On the basis of LNM and outcomes of endoscopic resection, the recent WHO classification may not be helpful when endoscopic resection is performed for treatment of UD-EGC.

Timed barium esophagogram (TBE) and esophageal transit scintigraphy (ETS) have been adopted as useful ways to evaluate achalasia patients. TBE has merit as a simple, non-invasive, and convenient method. The study sought to compare the results of these two tests and verify their usefulness in evaluating treatment response. In addition, we assessed whether TBE could effectively replace ETS through correlation analysis. The medical records of 50 achalasia patients treated between September 2011 and June 2014 were reviewed retrospectively. The height and width of the barium column at 1, 2, and 5 min were measured by TBE. Half-life (T 1/2, min) and R 30 (percentage of remaining radioactivity 30 s after radioisotope ingestion) were measured by ETS. Both tests were performed before and after treatment, and the tests were carried out 1 and 2 days after procedures. And we analyzed the correlation between the parameters from the two tests. The parameters of TBE and ETS were improved after treatment (p

Background and aim 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. Patients and methods 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. Results Longest diameter and area of tumor showed a strong correlation (correlation coefficient 0.859, p

Background/Aims: Benign intestinal strictures are common complications in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). This study aimed to assess the long-term prognosis of endoscopic balloon dilation (EBD) to treat benign strictures in IBD patients. Methods: Patients with IBD who had benign strictures and who underwent EBD in four tertiary referral university hospitals between January 2004 and February 2014 were retrospectively reviewed. Technical success was defined as the ability to pass the scope through the stricture after balloon dilation, and clinical success was defined as improved obstructive symptoms. Results: Forty-two benign strictures were identified in 30 patients (15 males and 15 females). Technical success was achieved in 26 patients (86.7%) at the first EBD attempt and in all 30 patients (100%) at the second EBD attempt. Clinical success was seen in 28 patients (93.3%). The median follow-up duration was 134.8 months (range, 10.2 to 252.0 months), and recurrence occurred in eight patients (26.7%), who required repeat EBD. The median duration to relapse was 1.7 months (range, 0.2 to 6.3 months). During repeat EBD, perforation occurred in two cases (6.7%), which were both clipped successfully. Finally, only one patient (3.3%) underwent surgery for the relief of recurrent obstructive symptoms during the follow-up period. Conclusions: The experience of 10 years shows that EBD is safe and effective for the treatment of benign strictures in IBD patients. Importantly, EBD may allow long-term effective palliation of the symptoms associated with benign intestinal strictures in IBD patients. (Gut Liver 2018;12:530-536)

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

Purpose Wnt and mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) are major molecular signaling pathways associated with the development and progression of tumor, as well as the maintenance and proliferation of cancer stem cells (CSCs), in colorectal cancer (CRC). Identifying patients at risk of poor prognosis is important to determining whether to add adjuvant treatment in stage II CRC and thus improve survival. In the present study, we evaluated the prognostic value of Wnt, mTOR, and CSC markers as survival predictors in stage II CRC. Materials and methods We identified 148 cases of stage II CRC and acquired their tumor tissue. Tissue microarrays for immunohistochemical staining were constructed, and the expressions of CD166, CD44, EphB2, β-catenin, pS6 were evaluated using immunohistochemical staining. Results The expressions of CD166 (p=0.045) and pS6 (p=0.045) and co-expression of pS6/CD166 (p=0.005), pS6/CD44 (p=0.042), and pS6/CD44/CD166 (p=0.013) were negatively correlated with cancer-specific survival. Cox proportional hazard analysis showed the combination of CD166/pS6 [hazard ratio, 9.42; 95% confidence interval, 2.36-37.59; p=0.002] to be the most significant predictor related with decreased cancer-specific survival. In addition, co-expression of CD44/CD166 (p=0.017), CD166/β-catenin (p=0.036), CD44/β-catenin (p=0.001), and CD44/CD166/β-catenin (p=0.001) were significant factors associated with liver metastasis. Conclusion Specific combinations of CSC markers and β-catenin/mTOR signaling could be a significant predictor of poor survival in stage II CRC.

Although current guideline recommends selective use of pre-endoscopic prokinetics to increase diagnostic yield in upper gastrointestinal bleeding (UGIB) patients, no data to guide the use of these drugs are available. We aimed to investigate predictive factors for endoscopic visibility and develop simple and useful strategies for pre-endoscopic prokinetics use in UGIB patients. A total of 220 consecutive patients who underwent upper endoscopy for suspicious UGIB were enrolled. Patients were randomly allocated to either a training or a validation set at a 2:1 ratio. Significant parameters on univariate analysis were subsequently tested by a classification and regression tree (CART) analysis. Time to endoscopy and nasogastric aspirate findings were independently related to endoscopic visibility. The CART analysis generated algorithms proposed sequential use of time to endoscopy (≤5.2 vs. >5.2 h) and nasogastric aspirate findings (red blood or coffee rounds vs. clear aspirate) for predicting endoscopic visibility. Prediction of unacceptable visibility in the validation set produced sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of 75.8, 67.5, 65.8, and 77.1 %, respectively. Accurate prediction for visibility was identified in 52 of 73 patients (71.2 %). Time to endoscopy and nasogastric aspirate findings were independently related to endoscopic visibility in patients with UGIB. A decision-tree model incorporating these two variables may be useful for selecting UGIB patients who benefit from pre-endoscopic prokinetics use.

Little is known about the role of follow-up endoscopy in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The present study aimed to evaluate whether repeated endoscopies would be beneficial in improving outcomes of patients with IBD. Patients who had been initially confirmed to have IBD at two tertiary hospitals in Korea were regularly followed and included in this study. The clinical impact as assessed by the presence or absence of a change in management after endoscopy and cumulative hospitalization rate was compared between two groups classified according to the presence or absence of indications. A total of 188 patients with IBD were enrolled [69 patients with Crohn’s disease (CD) and 119 with ulcerative colitis (UC)]. Of these patients, 130 underwent follow-up endoscopy (48 with CD and 82 with UC). The rate of management change was significantly higher in the group with indications for follow-up endoscopy (p = 0.001 in CD and

Introduction Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a disease with chronic inflammation in large bowel, which consists of Crohn's disease (CD) and Ulcerative colitis (UC). The incidence rate of IBD is the highest in Western countries, but the number of IBD cases is rising in Asia. Although IBD is believed to be associated with urbanization, such mechanism is not fully understood. Korea has a national health insurance system covering over 97% of the population. This study aims to find out the regional difference related to urbanization as well as the secular trends in IBD incidence by age and sex in Korea. Methods We extracted all claim data of IBD patients in National Health Insurance Database (NHID) from 2002 to 2015, which was defined as those who had main diagnostic code of Crohn's disease (CD) [K50] or Ulcerative colitis (UC) [K51] and have been prescribed relevant drugs simultaneously. We excluded patients who were diagnosed as IBD patients between 2002 and 2003 to select incident cases only. Annual age-standardized incidence rate was calculated as the number of incident IBD cases divided by the number of population who were registered in NHIS in the same year and stratified by age, sex, and region (metropolitan area or non-metropolitan area). Joinpoint regression was used for statistical analysis to compute annual percent changes (APC) in incidence rates. Results A total of 55,613 IBD patients (17,178 for CD and 38,435 for UC) were identified from 2004 to 2015. The age-specific incidence rate of CD peaked at 10–29 years old in both men (9.04/100,000) and women (3.37/100,000) between 2004 and 2015. The incidence rate of CD was significantly increased in men aged 10–19 (APC = 12.2%), 20–29 (5.8%), and 30–39 (2.3%) and women aged 10–19 (11.4%), and 20–29 (3.0%), whereas significant decreases were observed for men aged 50–59 (−2.5%), and 80+ years (−9.8%) and women aged 40–49 (−4.9%), 50–59 (−4.0%), and 60–69 years (−4.9%). The age-specific incidence rate of UC peaked in 60–69 years old in both men (12.87/100,000) and women (9.86/100,000) between 2004 and 2015. Significant increase in incidence rates of UC was observed in men aged 10–19 (6.8%), 20–29 (5.5%), and 30–39 (2.0%), and women aged 10–19 (9.7%), and 20–29 (3.7%), whereas significant decrease was observed for men aged 80+ years (−4.8%) and women aged 40–49 (−2.2%), 50–59 (−3.1%), 60–69 (−4.6%), and 70–79 (−4.8%) years old. The incidence rate of CD was 3.29/100,000 in metropolitan area and 2.96/100,000 in non-metropolitan area, which were both annually increasing (APC of CD in metropolitan area: 4.7%, non-metropolitan area: 4.0%). The incidence rate of UC was 7.15/100,000 in metropolitan area and 7.02/100,000 person-years in non-metropolitan area, which were increasing in both areas (APC of UC in metropolitan area: 1.6%, non-metropolitan area: 1.1%). Conclusion The incidence of both CD and UC in Korea was increased between 2004 and 2015. Metropolitan area showed higher incidence rate than non-metropolitan area. The most prominent increase of CD incidence was observed in 10–39 years old men and 10–29 years old women during the study period.