Malnutrition is a common problem in patients with end-stage liver disease requiring liver transplantation. The aim of this study was to evaluate nutritional status by using nutritional screening tools [Nutritional Risk Screening (NRS) 2002, Malnutrition Universal Screening Tool (MUST) and Subjective Global Assessment (SGA)] in patients before and after liver transplantation. We analyzed medical record, blood test, nutrient intake and malnutrition rate just before transplantation and at discharge, and at 3, 6, 12 months after transplantation respectively. Initially 33 patients enrolled as study subjects and finally 28 patients completed the study. Nutrients intake such as energy, fiber, calcium, potassium, vitamin C, and folate were insufficient at 12 months after transplantation. The rates of malnutrition before transplantation were very high, reported at 81.8% for the NRS 2002, 87.9% for the MUST, and 84.8% for the SGA. By 12 months after operation, malnutrition rates reported at NRS, MUST and SGA had decreased to 6.1%, 10.7%, and 10.7%, respectively. Sensitivity was 87.1% for the NRS 2002, 82.0% for the MUST, and 92.0% for the SGA. Of these screening tools the SGA was the highest sensitive tool that predict the risk of mortality in malnutrition patients who received transplantation. Further studies on nutritional status of patients and proper tools for nutrition intervention are needed to provide adequate nutritional care for patients.
Ascorbic Acid ; Calcium ; Folic Acid ; Hematologic Tests ; Humans ; Liver Diseases ; Liver Transplantation* ; Liver* ; Malnutrition* ; Mass Screening* ; Medical Records ; Mortality ; Nutritional Status ; Potassium ; Sensitivity and Specificity

This study aimed to explore the correlation between usual vitamin K intake and response to anticoagulant therapy among patients under warfarin therapy. We conducted a retrospective survey of patients (n = 50) on continuous warfarin therapy. Clinical information and laboratory parameters were sourced from medical records. Anticoagulant effect was evaluated by using the percent time in therapeutic range (TTR) and the coefficient of variation (CV) of International normalized ratio (INR). Dietary vitamin K intake was assessed using a semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire that has been developed for the purpose of assessing dietary intake of vitamin K. A total of 50 patients aged between 21 and 87 years were included in the study. The mean vitamin K intake was 262.8 +/- 165.2 microg/day. Study subjects were divided into tertiles according to their usual vitamin K intake. The proportion of men was significantly higher in second and third tertile than first tertile (p = 0.028). The mean percent TTR was 38.4 +/- 28.4% and CV of INR was 31.8 +/- 11.8%. Long-term warfarin therapy group (> or = 3 years) had a higher percentage of TTR as compared to the control group (< 3 years) (p = 0.046). No statistically significant correlation was found between usual vitamin K intake and percent TTR (p > 0.05). In conclusion, no significant association was observed between usual vitamin K intake and anticoagulant effects. Further studies are required to consider inter-individual variability of vitamin K intake. Development of assessment tools to measure inter-individual variability of vitamin K intake might be helpful.
Humans ; International Normalized Ratio ; Male ; Medical Records ; Retrospective Studies ; Vitamin K* ; Vitamins* ; Warfarin*

Recent studies suggest that inclusion of soy product in the diet may have favorable effects on relief of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) and risk factors. These effects might be associated with the presence of specific polymorphism in gene. The aim of this study was to examine the effects of consumption of soy flour fortified bread on cardiovascular risk factors in overweight and obese women according to APOE genotype. In a randomized cross-over clinical trial 30 overweight and obese women received a mild weight loss diet and assigned to a regular diet and a soy bread diet, each for 6 weeks and a washout period for 20 days. Subjects in the soy bread diet were asked to replace 120 grams of their daily usual bread intake with equal amount of soy bread. No significant effects of soy bread on serum lipid, systolic blood pressure and anthropometric indices were observed compared to the regular diet (p > 0.05). For diastolic blood pressure (DBP), comparison of mean differences between two groups showed a marginally significant effect of soy bread (p = 0.06). Compared to regular diet, soy bread had a significant effect on DBP in E2 genotype group (epsilon2/epsilon2) (p = 0.03). Having epsilon2 allele may influences responses of CVD risk factor to soy bread consumption. However more nutrigenetic studies are required.
Adult* ; Alleles ; Apolipoproteins E* ; Blood Pressure ; Bread* ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; Diet ; Diet, Reducing ; Female ; Flour* ; Genotype* ; Humans ; Obesity ; Overweight* ; Risk Factors*

The aim of this study was to examine dietary pattern, nutritional intake, and diet quality of Korean pregnant women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). Between October 2008 and May 2012, 166 pregnant women diagnosed with GDM completed a questionnaire and dietary intake was assessed using a 3-day food record. Blood pressure, fasting plasma glucose, and glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) concentrations were measured and oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) was performed. Two major dietary patterns ("carbohydrate and vegetable" and "western" patterns) were identified through factor analysis. Dietary pattern scores for each dietary pattern were categorized into tertiles. The dietary quality index-international (DQI-I) was used to measure overall diet quality. Subjects with higher carbohydrate and vegetable pattern scores reported less physical activity (p < 0.05) and have higher diastolic blood pressure levels (p = 0.05). After adjusting for age and energy intake, higher carbohydrate and vegetable pattern scores were associated with higher sodium intakes (p = 0.02), but lower intakes of fat (p = 0.002) and other micronutrients. On the other hand, higher western pattern scores were associated with higher fat intake (p = 0.0001), but lower intakes of sodium (p = 0.01) and other micronutrients. Higher scores for both dietary patterns were associated with lower scores in the moderation category of the DQI-I (p < 0.0001). HbA1c and fasting plasma glucose levels were significantly lower among participants with high DQI-I than those with low DQI-I (p < 0.05). The study findings suggest that many Korean women with GDM do not consume nutritionally adequate or balanced diets, regardless of dietary pattern.
Blood Glucose ; Blood Pressure ; Diabetes, Gestational* ; Diet* ; Energy Intake ; Fasting ; Female ; Glucose Tolerance Test ; Hand ; Hemoglobin A, Glycosylated ; Humans ; Micronutrients ; Motor Activity ; Pregnancy ; Pregnant Women ; Sodium ; Vegetables

"Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food", as said by the father of medicine, Hippocrates in 431 B.C. Nature has provided us with a variety of treatment modalities in the form of food. For the first 5,000 years of civilization, humans relied on herbs and foods for medicine. Only in the past 60 years have we forgotten our medicinal "roots" in favor of patented medicines. While pharmaceutical ingredients have their value, we should not overlook the well-documented, non-toxic and inexpensive healing properties of food. As an individual we consume food several times a day without a complete understanding of its innate qualities. As part of a daily diet, food plays a significant role in helping our bodies function at their best. There are hundreds of extremely nutritious foods, but the items in this article do more than providing healthy nutrients. Many of them consist of ingredients with hidden pharmaceutical qualities ranging from anti-inflammatory to anti-carcinogenic agent. They not only boost our innate immunity but also act as an adjunct to medicines for specific treatment. Prevention and management of symptoms can often be improved significantly through the foods we consume regularly. This paper overviews these beneficial traits of food ingredients, consumed on a daily basis, in various oral diseases.
Diet ; Humans ; Immunity, Innate ; Mouth Neoplasms ; Oral Health* ; Plants, Medicinal ; Spices*

The objectives of this study were to investigate the status of vitamin D in Korean adolescents and to determine the association between serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) concentration and consumption frequencies of vitamin D food sources by season (June to November and December to May). The subjects were 1,579 adolescents aged 12-18 years participating in the 2008-2009 Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES). Consumption frequencies of vitamin D food sources were estimated by using a qualitative food frequency questionnaire (FFQ). Thirteen food items were selected as vitamin D food sources including beef, egg, mackerel, tuna, yellow corvine, pollack, anchovy, mushroom, milk, yoghurt, ice cream, all fish and dairy products from the FFQ based on previous research. The data was analyzed using proc survey procedures. The deficiency (5.25-12 ng/mL), inadequacy (12-20 ng/mL) and sufficiency (> 20 ng/mL) proportions of serum 25(OH)D from June to November and December to May were 9.9%, 51.4%, 38.7%, and 39.4%, 51.4%, 9.2%, respectively. Mean serum 25(OH)D concentration was positively related to the consumption frequencies of mackerel, anchovy, all fish and milk. These results suggest high proportion (> 61%) of Korean adolescents were vitamin D deficiency or inadequacy, and serum 25(OH)D was associated with the consumption of vitamin D food sources including fish and milk.
Adolescent* ; Agaricales ; Dairy Products ; Humans ; Ice Cream ; Milk ; Nutrition Surveys ; Ovum ; Perciformes ; Seasons ; Tuna ; Vitamin D Deficiency ; Vitamin D* ; Vitamins* ; Yogurt ; Surveys and Questionnaires

The present study was performed to evaluate the relationship between dietary quality indices including the Diet Quality Index-International (DQI-I), Alternate Healthy Eating Index (AHEI), and Healthy Diet Indicator (HDI) and glycemic status in Korean patients with type 2 diabetes. A total of 110 consecutive outpatients with type 2 diabetes who visited 2 university hospitals in Seoul and Seongnam from April 2004 to November 2006 were enrolled as subjects. At the time of enrollment, anthropometric parameters, dietary habits, experience of exercise, and metabolic parameters were obtained. Experienced registered dietitians collected one-day dietary intake using the 24-hour recall method. The mean scores for DQI-I, AHEI, and HDI were 68.9 +/- 8.2, 39.4 +/- 8.9, and 5.0 +/- 1.3, respectively. After adjustment for age, body mass index, and energy intake, DQI-I and HDI were found to have a significant correlation with hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) (r = -0.21, p < 0.05; r = -0.28, p < 0.05), fasting plasma glucose (r = -0.21, p < 0.05; r = -0.23, p < 0.05), and postprandial 2-h glucose (r = -0.30, p < 0.05; r = -0.26, p < 0.05, respectively). However, AHEI did not have a significant correlation with HbA1c. In conclusion, the DQI-I and HDI may be useful tools in assessing diet quality and adherence to dietary recommendations in Korean patients with type 2 diabetes. Future research is required to determine whether the dietary quality indices have predictive validity for dietary and glycemic changes following diet education in a clinical setting.
Blood Glucose ; Body Mass Index ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Diet ; Diet Therapy ; Eating ; Education ; Energy Intake ; Fasting ; Food Habits ; Glucose ; Glycemic Index ; Gyeonggi-do ; Hospitals, University ; Humans ; Nutritionists ; Outpatients ; Seoul

Recent studies have suggested a relationship of the increased circulating adipokines and inflammatory cytokine, and the risk of metabolic syndrome (MetS). The objective of this study was to identify adiposity-related factors that reflect MetS in order to establish early intervention targets. We performed a cross-sectional study which included 108 MetS subjects and 91 controls. Blood adiponectin, leptin, vascular-, and intercellular adhension molecules (VCAM, ICAM), monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 (MCP1), high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP), oxidized LDL (oxLDL), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) were measured. The correlation analysis indicated that the MetS score (sum of the number of MetS risk factors) had an inverse relationship with adiponectin (p < 0.0001), and positive correlations with leptin (p < 0.05), ICAM (p < 0.01), MCP1 (p < 0.05), oxLDL (p < 0.05), TNF-alpha (p < 0.0001), IL-6 (p < 0.05) and hsCRP (p < 0.01). In multivariate logistic regression analyses, plasma triglyceride (TG) was independently associated with adiponectin, ICAM and TNF-alpha with the standardized beta coefficients of -0.213, 0.197, and 0.193, respectively. Plasma HDL-cholesterol was independently associated with ICAM and hsCRP with the standardized beta coefficients of -0.150 and -0.173. Adiponectin, TNF-alpha, and hsCRP were the most proximate markers reflecting MetS. Among MetS components, TG and HDL-cholesterol concentrations displayed the relationship with inflammatory markers measured in this study.
Abdominal Fat ; Adipokines ; Adiponectin ; Adiposity ; Biomarkers* ; C-Reactive Protein ; Chemokine CCL2 ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Early Intervention (Education) ; Interleukin-6 ; Leptin ; Logistic Models ; Plasma ; Triglycerides ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha

Adequate intake of nutrients by pregnant women diagnosed with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) or type 2 diabetes (T2DM) is very important for appropriate weight gain and maintenance of normoglycemia without ketonuria. The aim of this study was to investigate the nutritional intake of pregnant women with GDM or T2DM who had not been provided with nutritional education regarding blood glucose management. Between June 2008 and May 2010, 125 pregnant women who had been diagnosed with GDM or T2DM and had not received any nutrition education regarding glycemic control and proper diet during pregnancy were interviewed to collect data regarding background characteristics, health-related behaviors, and course of pregnancy and instructed to record their dietary intake using a 24-hour recall method for one day. Using the collected data, the index of nutritional quality, nutrient adequacy ratio, and mean adequacy ratio values of the subjects were calculated. Analysis of the values indicated that the majority of the subjects did not meet recommended intake levels for most micronutrients and consumed an undesirable ratio of macronutrients, specifically a higher percentage of total carbohydrates than the current recommendation level. The GDM and T2DM groups obtained 56.6% and 63.6%, respectively (p = 0.012), of their calories by carbohydrate intake, which exceeded the recommended levels (125.8% in GDM groups, 141.3% in T2DM groups).
Blood Glucose ; Carbohydrates ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2* ; Diabetes, Gestational* ; Diet ; Education ; Female ; Humans ; Ketosis ; Micronutrients ; Nutritive Value ; Pregnancy ; Pregnant Women* ; Weight Gain

Wheat is a common cause of food allergy. Wheat-induced anaphylaxis (WIA) and wheat-dependent exercise induced anaphylaxis (WDEIA) are severe forms of immunoglobulin E (IgE) mediated allergic reaction to wheat protein. As the diagnosis of WIA or WDEIA is not easy because of the risk of oral challenge, identification of specific IgE of various wheat proteins is helpful for diagnosis. In Korea, there are only a few reports on WIA in adults. We report six cases of WIA diagnosed on the basis of clinical history and specific IgE of wheat proteins or provocation test. For immunologic evaluation of severe wheat allergy including WIA and WDEIA, it is important to measure specific IgE to each component of wheat including gluten and omega-5 gliadin not just measuring wheat-specific IgE.
Adult* ; Anaphylaxis* ; Diagnosis ; Food Hypersensitivity ; Gliadin ; Glutens ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity ; Immunoglobulin E ; Immunoglobulins ; Korea ; Triticum ; Wheat Hypersensitivity