The purpose of this study was to identify dietary patterns among children and adolescents in Korea and to examine their associations with obesity and some blood profiles. One day food consumption data measured by 24-hour recalls on 2704 subjects aged 1 to 19 were used from 2001 Korea National Health and Nutrition Survey. The data of blood profiles available in the ages of 10 or older was also used. After categorizing each food consumed into 29 food or food groups, five dietary patterns were derived through a factor analysis and subjects were classified into three major dietary patterns via a cluster analysis using the factor scores. Three dietary patterns were identified as 'traditional diet' (25.6%), 'westernized-fast food' (6.2%), and 'mixed diet' (68.2%). The 'traditional diet' pattern had a higher percentage in boys. Both the 'traditional diet' and the 'westernized-fast food' had higher proportions of adolescents (12-19 y) than younger children, while the 'mixed diet' had a higher percentage of preschool children (1-5 y). Obesity rate analyzed within each age group showed no differences among 3 dietary pattern clusters. Blood pressure and all plasma profiles were not different among dietary patterns when adjusted with age and gender. Conclusively, children and adolescents in Korea had three distinct dietary patterns, which were associated with gender and age. These patterns could be useful to plan nutrition interventions for teenager health promotion.
Adolescent* ; Blood Pressure ; Child* ; Child, Preschool ; Health Promotion ; Humans ; Korea* ; Nutrition Surveys* ; Obesity ; Plasma

Animals ; Bone and Bones ; Dogs ; Finite Element Analysis ; Mandible ; Osseointegration ; Osteogenesis

The increased aging of the population in the developed world is an accepted fact. Consequently, the number of patients aged 90 years or above (super-old age: from 90 to 99), and centenarians (above 100) will increase in the coming years. The objective was to determine the prevalence and characteristics of skin diseases in the population of super-old ages and centenarians. A total of 50 volunteers, aged from 90 to 106 years, were enrolled on this study. They completed a questionnaire about skin diseases and underwent a cutaneous examination during the period of July 26 to 30, and Aug 23 to 28, 2004. The average age of the volunteers was 96.3 years. 28 volunteers were women and 22 were men. The common diseases were found to be senile lentigo, seborrheic keratosis, idiopathic guttate hypomelanosis, xerosis, telangiectasia, onychomycosis, tinea pedis, and cherry hemangioma. Wrinkle grading of men was less severe than in women. The degree of pigmentation was independent of age and sex. However, activity and pigmentation scale showed a significant statistical correlation. Gray hair and alopecia in men was more severe than in women. As for aging factors, smoking, activity, location, and occupation did not appear to play an important role in wrinkle formation. The incidence of skin disorders increased with age, due to changes in skin structure and lifelong exposure to environmental aggravations. Super-old aged people often have many skin diseases. However, only a small number of volunteers were included in this study. Therefore, further dermatologic studies need to be conducted.
Aged, 80 and over* ; Aging ; Alopecia ; Female ; Hair ; Hemangioma ; Humans ; Hypopigmentation ; Incidence ; Keratosis, Seborrheic ; Lentigo ; Male ; Occupations ; Onychomycosis ; Pigmentation ; Prevalence ; Prunus ; Skin Diseases* ; Skin* ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Telangiectasis ; Tinea Pedis ; Volunteers ; Surveys and Questionnaires

Although hepatomegaly is reported to occur occasionally in patients with mixed connective tissue disease (MCTD) or Sjogren's syndrome (SS), autoimmune liver diseases such as primary biliary cirrhosis, sclerosing cholangitis, and autoimmune hepatitis in association with MCTD or SS have rarely been described. We report a case of severe cholestatic autoimmune hepatitis presenting with acute liver failure in a 40-yr-old female patient suffering from MCTD and SS. The diagnosis of MCTD and SS was made at the age of 38. The patient presented severe jaundice and elevation of conjugated bilirubin. The patient denied alcohol and drug use and had no evidence of viral hepatitis. On the 8th day of her hospitalization, the patient developed grade III hepatic encephalopathy. She was diagnosed as autoimmune hepatitis presenting with acute liver failure based on clinical features, positive FANA and anti-smooth muscle antibodies, negative anti-mitochondrial antibodies, high titers of serum globulin, liver biopsy findings, and a good response to corticosteroid therapy, The patient was managed with prednisolone and the clinical symptoms, liver function test results, and liver biopsy findings showed much improvement after steroid therapy.
Adult ; Cholestasis/*etiology ; Female ; Hepatitis, Autoimmune/*etiology ; Human ; Liver Failure, Acute/*etiology ; Mixed Connective Tissue Disease/*complications ; Sjogren's Syndrome/*complications

From a young age, males are at higher cardiovascular risk than females. Dyslipidemia, including a higher burden related to small low-density lipoproteins (LDL), plays an important role in precipitating atherosclerosis in both males and females. We investigated sex differences in atherogenic lipoprotein burden and the independent predictors of LDL particle size in children and adolescents. We measured the concentrations of total testosterone, sex hormone-binding globulin, estradiol, total cholesterol, triglyceride, LDL cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, and LDL particle size in 135 children and adolescents (67 boys, 68 girls). The free androgen index was significantly and negatively correlated with LDL particle size (r = -0.273, P = 0.026) in boys, but estrogen and LDL particle size were not related. In a stepwise multiple regression analysis adjusted for body mass index, age, and homeostasis model assessment for insulin resistance, free androgen index was still an independent predictor of LDL particle size in boys (R2 = 0.075, P = 0.026). The prominent decrease in LDL particle size along with increased testosterone concentrations in males might explain why they are more likely to display atherogenic dyslipidemia from adolescence.
Adolescent ; Age Factors ; Atherosclerosis/blood ; Body Mass Index ; Cholesterol, HDL/blood ; Cholesterol, LDL/blood ; Estradiol/blood ; Female ; Humans ; Lipoproteins, LDL/*blood ; Male ; Particle Size ; Puberty/blood ; Regression Analysis ; Risk ; Sex Factors ; Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin/analysis ; Testosterone/*blood ; Triglycerides/blood

Fundic gland polyps (FGPs) are the most common type of gastric polyps, found primarily in the fundus and body of stomach. Long term use of proton pump inhibitor (PPI) is known to be associated with certain histological changes of the normal gastric mucosa including parietal cell hyperplasia and fundic gland cysts. We experienced a patient who showed spontaneous resolution of multiple FGPs after the cessation of omeprazole. Two years ago, the patient showed only endoscopically confirmed erosive esophagitis without FGPs. Multiple FGPs developed one year after the use of omeprazole and spontaneously disappeared with the cessation of omeprazole.
Aged ; Anti-Ulcer Agents/therapeutic use ; Gastric Fundus/pathology ; Humans ; Male ; Omeprazole/*adverse effects ; Polyps/*chemically induced/*diagnosis ; Stomach Neoplasms/*chemically induced/*diagnosis

PURPOSE: To investigate gastric juice nitrate/nitrite concentration according to mucosal surface pH extent (area) of gastric corpus intimately contacting the gastric juice. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We included ninety-nine patients with dyspepsia. To evaluate gastric mucosal surface pH and its extent, gastric chromosocpy was performed by spraying phenol red dye on the corpus mucosa and estimating the extent of area with color changed. Nitrate/nitrite concentrations and pH of gastric juice were measured by ELISA and pH meter, respectively. Silver staining was done to histologically confirm the presence of Helicobacter pylori. RESULTS: Intragastric nitrate/nitrite concentrations in patients, showing phenol red staining mucosa were higher than those of unstaining mucosa (p=0.001): the more extensive in the area of phenol red staining area of corpus, the higher gastric juice pH found (r=0.692, p<0.001). Furthermore, the intragastric nitrate/nitrite concentrations correlated positively with gastric juice pH (r=0.481, p<0.001). CONCLUSION: The changes of mucosal surface pH and its extent in gastric corpus might affect either pH or nitrate/nitrite level of gastric juice.
Adult ; Aged ; Dyspepsia/*metabolism/microbiology ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Female ; Gastric Juice/*metabolism ; Gastric Mucosa/*metabolism/microbiology ; Helicobacter pylori/isolation & purification ; Humans ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Nitrates/*metabolism ; Nitrites/*metabolism ; Young Adult

BACKGROUND: Most patients with hepatic encephalopathy have their protein intake restricted. Therefore, protein-calorie malnutrition becomes more severe and may cause more serious problems, such as infection and poor prognosis. The aim of this study is to determine better biochemical parameters for the assessment of nutritional status in patients with hepatic encephalopathy. METHODS: A total 109 patients (30 normal controls and 79 chronic hepatitis B) were enrolled. 79 patients were divided into three groups: chronic HBV infection (hepatitis group, n=28), liver cirrhosis without past history of hepatic encephalopathy (cirrhosis group, n=27), liver cirrhosis with present or past history of hepatic encephalopathy (encephalopathy group, n=24). Serum albumin, total lymphocyte count, IGF-1, growth hormone, retinol binding protein, leptin and fibronectin were measured. RESULTS: Serum albumin level, total lymphocyte count, IGF-1, and growth hormone were significantly lower in encephalopathy group than other groups (p<0.001, p=0.003, p<0.001, and p<0.001, respectively). However, RBP, leptin, and fibronectin were not different among the groups. The level of serum albumin and IGF-1 were significantly lower in encephalopathy group than cirrhosis group (p=0.002, p<0.001, respectively), but growth hormone was not significantly different between cirrhosis group and encephalopathy group. CONCLUSIONS: The level of serum albumin and IGF-1 may be important parameter for nutritional support in chronic liver disease, especially in patients with hepatic encephalopathy, because the level of serum albumin and IGF-1 relate with hepatic encephalopathy as well as reflect the progression of chronic liver disease.
Carrier Proteins ; Fibronectins ; Fibrosis ; Growth Hormone ; Hepatic Encephalopathy* ; Hepatitis, Chronic ; Humans ; Insulin-Like Growth Factor I ; Leptin ; Liver Cirrhosis ; Liver Diseases ; Lymphocyte Count ; Malnutrition ; Nutritional Status ; Nutritional Support ; Prognosis ; Protein-Energy Malnutrition* ; Serum Albumin ; Vitamin A

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Long-term use of proton pump inhibitor (PPI) induces hypergastrinemia, which results from the suppression of gastric acid secretion. Hypergastrinemia causes enterochromaffin-like (ECL) cell hyperplasia, which is a predisposing factor of carcinoid tumor of stomach. The aim of this study was to identify the effect of long-term gastric acid suppression on the gastric peptides levels, such as gastrin, chromogranin A, or ghrelin. METHODS: Control group included patients who had no medication over six months. Both H2RA (H2 receptor antagonist) and PPI groups had medication at least for six months. Fasting blood was taken from each patient to assay serum gastrin, chromogranin A, and ghrelin by RIA and ELISA techniques. RESULTS: The patients with the above reference range of serum gastrin and chromogranin A were more commonly found in PPI group compared to control and H2RA group. However, serum ghrelin level was within the reference range in all the patients regardless of groups. There was no difference in the ratio of serum gastrin/chromogranin A among three groups. Both average serum levels of gastrin and chromogranin A were significantly elevated in PPI group compared to control and H2RA group. There was a significant correlation between the level of serum gastrin and chromogranin A. CONCLUSIONS: Long-term administration of H2RA does not affect the serum gastrin and chromogranin A level. However, long-term administration of PPI increases serum gastrin and chromogranin A. Ghrelin may influence gastric acid secretion in other pathway than ECL cell-mediated pathway such as gastrin or chromogranin A.
Adult ; Aged ; Anti-Ulcer Agents/*therapeutic use ; Chromogranin A/*blood ; Female ; Gastrins/*blood ; Ghrelin/*blood ; Histamine H2 Antagonists/*therapeutic use ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Proton Pump Inhibitors/*therapeutic use ; Time Factors

BACKGROUND: Infection with hepatitis B virus has been a major health problem. Chronic viral hepatitis B is the principal cause of chronic liver disease, cirrhosis, and hepatoma. A number of studies have showed that a course of interferon (INF) treatment induces a long-term remission in 20~40% of patients. Compared with the use of lamivudine, INF therapy is followed by delayed clearance of HBsAg and the treatment improves the natural history of chronic hepatitis B. The aim of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of the use of different dosages of alpha-interferon treatment in patients with chronic hepatitis B. METHODS: We conducted a one-and-a-half year, randomized clinical trial of interferon in 24 Korean chronic hepatitis B patients with a positive HBeAg, and excluded other liver problems with biopsies. The patients were randomly assigned to receive 5 million units (n=10) of interferon-alpha2b and 10 million units (n=14) of interferon-alpha2b three times weekly for 16/24 weeks. Patients were followed for 12 months after the cessation of the therapy, and the patients received a second biopsy. RESULTS: After treatment with interferon, 29.2% of the patients became negative for HBeAg and the presence of HBV DNA. Fifty percent of the patients showed histological improvement. The differences of the loss of HBeAg, HBV DNA and histological improvement between the two groups were not significant. HBV DNA and ALT were not valuable as predictive variables in treatment efficacy. However, the rate of histological improvement in patients with a low ALT level was higher. CONCLUSIONS: The administration of different doses of interferon-alpha2b during treatment in patients with chronic hepatitis B did not show a significant difference in efficacy.
Biopsy ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; DNA ; Fibrosis ; Hepatitis B ; Hepatitis B e Antigens ; Hepatitis B Surface Antigens ; Hepatitis B virus ; Hepatitis B, Chronic* ; Hepatitis, Chronic* ; Humans ; Interferon-alpha* ; Interferons ; Lamivudine ; Liver ; Liver Diseases ; Natural History ; Treatment Outcome