Gastric cancer (GC), a prevalent disease in Asian countries, presents a substantial global health challenge. The risk factors for GC include Helicobacter pylori infection, diet, smoking, alcohol, and metabolic syndrome (MetS). This review meticulously examines the intricate connections between MetS and GC, focusing on visceral adipocytes, hormonal factors, obesity, and their impact on survival outcomes. Visceral adipocytes, which secrete inflammatory cytokines and hormones, play a pivotal role in influencing cancer development. Hormonal factors demonstrate nuanced associations with specific GC subtypes, underscoring the complexity of their impact. Large-scale studies exploring obesity-related factors reveal sex-specific nuances and underscore the importance of considering overall weight and body composition. Furthermore, the review explores the impact of eradication therapy for H. pylori infection, which is the most significant factor in the onset of GC, on the components of MetS. Additionally, the influence of MetS on postoperative outcomes and survival in GC patients highlights the interplay between therapeutic interventions and lifestyle factors. This comprehensive exploration sheds light on the multifaceted relationship between MetS and GC, providing valuable insights for future research and preventive strategies.

Endoscopic treatment of biliary strictures involving plastic stent placement has been used widely. The use of self-expandable metal stents (SEMSs) has been described for anastomotic strictures following liver transplantation (LT). This review aimed to assess and compare the efficacy of plastic stents with SEMS in LT patients. Information was retrieved regarding technical success, stricture resolution, the number of endoscopic retrograde cholangiography procedures, follow-up, immediate, and late complications. Eight studies involving plastic stents had a stricture resolution rate of 84.5%, with the rates ranging from 63% to 100%. These rates are comparable with the stricture resolution rate of 75% determined from six studies that involved 236 patients who received metal stents and the rates ranged from 53% to 81%. The observed success rate for metal stents used to manage post-LT anastomotic biliary strictures was below the reported rate for multiple plastic stents. Hence, the currently available metal stents should not be offered for the management of post-LT anastomotic biliary strictures.
Cholangiography ; Constriction, Pathologic* ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Liver Transplantation* ; Liver* ; Plastics ; Self Expandable Metallic Stents ; Stents

OBJECTS: It has been reported that the incidence of tardive dyskinesia(TD), the remarkable abnormal involuntary movement, was higher in the schizophrenics with high blood sugar levels and that TD had been improved by small amount of insulin-injection for 90 days. And also it was generally known that the blood lipids were higher in the schizophrenics with tardive dyskinesia. Thus, we tried to replicate the correlations of abnormal involuntary movements with blood sugar levels and blood lipids in chronic schizophrenics treated with antipsychotics. METHODS: Thirty-eight male schizophrenic inpatients who were stable in clinical state with medications, were included. The patients who had been already diagnosed as diabetes mellitus(DM), organic brain disorder, substance-related disorder, physical illness were excluded and also we excluded female patients to remove the hormonal effect on TD. Eleven patients who ranked higher(above five) in the Abnormal Involuntary Movement Scale(AIMS) were assigned into 2 groups, a dibenese group and a placebo group. Diabinese or placebos were administrated for 3 weeks with antipsychotics and AIMS was rechecked. RESULTS: There were no correlations between the total AIMS scores and blood sugar and lipids levels in all subjects. The means of total and subscale scores(objective, face, and extremity) of AIMS did not reveal statistical significances between diabinese and placebo groups. However(total, jaw, face, upper arm, and objective feeling), were statistically higher in the diabinese group than those in the placebo group. And correlations of total cholesterol(TC) with fast blood sugar(FBS), weight with body mass index(BMI) and waist, total glycerol (TG) with BMI were statistically significant. CONCLUSION: In this study, there were statistical significances in the changes in ratings of AIMS scores between the diabinese group and the placebo group. Application of oral hypoglycemic agent might be a way of improving abnormal involuntary movements in schizophrenics with abnormal involuntary movements or TD. Althogugh it was not certain that there were correlations of abnormal involuntary movement with blood sugar and lipids, correlations of TC/TG with AIMS, of FBS with AIMS cautiously suggest that the regular check of HbA1C, waist, and weight are recommended for schizophrenics.
Antipsychotic Agents ; Arm ; Blood Glucose* ; Brain Diseases ; Chlorpropamide ; Dyskinesias* ; Female ; Glycerol ; Humans ; Hyperglycemia ; Hyperlipidemias ; Incidence ; Inpatients ; Jaw ; Male ; Movement Disorders ; Placebos ; Schizophrenia

Objectives: To determine whether the clinical aspect of aplastic anemia is influenced by pregnancy. METHODS: We reviewed 37 cases of pregnant aplastic anemia patients during Jan. 1989 to Dec. 1998, and examined age, parity, progress of pregnancy, termination methods, obstetrics & neonatal complications, hematologic change, and treatment modality by medical records. RESULTS: According to onset of disease, patients were divided into pre-pregnant diagnosed group(n=12) and during-pregnancy diagnosed group(n=25). Mean age of diagnosis was 29.4yr, 89.2% were nulliparous, and 51.4% were severe aplastic anemic patients. All patients underwent 50 pregnancy. Mean gestational period was 37wks, birth weight was 2569gram, and, except in 7 cases of abortion, 43 cases were delivered transvaginally or transabdominally(51.2% vs. 48.8%). Preeclampsia, eclampsia, preterm labor, restricted growth, and distress were complicated and decreased hemoglobin, hematocrit, reticulocyte, platelet were reversed after termination in pregnancy associated group. Treatment modality during pregnancy included transfusion, steroid, anti-lymphocytic globulin, anti-thymocytic globulin and IVGV, and remission rate was 45.5% in pregnancy associated group. CONCLUSION: We concluded that pregnancy is associated with aplastic anemia as a high risk factor, and intensive treatment is needed.
Anemia, Aplastic* ; Birth Weight ; Blood Platelets ; Diagnosis ; Eclampsia ; Female ; Hematocrit ; Humans ; Medical Records ; Obstetric Labor, Premature ; Obstetrics ; Parity ; Pre-Eclampsia ; Pregnancy* ; Reticulocytes ; Risk Factors

Pseudomonas infections can occur from inadequate chemical treatment of water, prolonged exposure to the water source and excessive numbers of bathers in the pool or hot tub. Therefore, pseudomonas folliculitis is also called 'hot tub folliculitis'. We report a 3-year-old boy with Pseudomonas aeruginosa folliculitis suggestively caused by water from the bathing tub of a Hotel. According to the sanitary code of the United States of America, pool staff should regularly check both chlorine and pH levels to prevent swimmers from recreational water infection. However, in Korea, there is no definite regulation regarding chlorine or pH level of recreational water. Thus, we report this issue with a review of the literature.
Americas ; Baths ; Chlorine ; Folliculitis ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Korea ; Preschool Child ; Pseudomonas ; Pseudomonas aeruginosa ; Pseudomonas Infections ; United States ; Water

Extramedullary plasmacytoma (EMP) is a plasma cell tumor located outside of the bone marrow. It most often occurs in the upper respiratory tract (85%), as well as the head and neck, and very rarely occurs in the retroperitoneum. Here we report the case of a 57-year-old woman with retroperitoneal EMP.
Bone Marrow ; Female ; Head ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Multiple Myeloma ; Neck ; Plasmacytoma* ; Respiratory System ; Retroperitoneal Fibrosis ; Retroperitoneal Space

Various treatment modalities are available for mycosis fungoides including topical steroids, topical chemotherapy, phototherapy, and spot radiation therapy. However, these modalities do not always result in optimal effects, with efficacy depending on lesion size, number, and location. Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a recently introduced therapeutic modality that proved effective in patients with unilesional mycosis fungoides. A 58-year-old woman presented with a seven-year history of a pruritic erythematous scaly patch on her right thigh. Through skin biopsy, we verified the lesion as mycosis fungoides. The lesion did not respond well to a topical steroid. We opted for topical PDT with methyl-aminolevulinate (MAL). MAL cream was applied for 4 hours following irradiation with a red light. Four sessions were administered, separated by five weeks. The lesion clinically improved after treatment without severe side effects. PDT using MAL could be considered an effective and tolerable treatment for mycosis fungoides.
Biopsy ; Drug Therapy ; Female ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Mycosis Fungoides* ; Photochemotherapy* ; Phototherapy ; Skin ; Steroids ; Thigh

The incidence of anomalous aortic origin of the coronary arteries in the general papulation is unknown. In recent reports from various laboratories, the incidence was between 0.6-12% in patients referred for coronary arteriogtaphy. Anomalous origin of the right coronary artery from the left sinus of Valsalva is reported to constitute from 6% to 27% of all coronary anomalies, For many years pathologists classified it as a minor anomaly of no clinical importance. Recently, manifstations of myocardial ischemia have been described in patients with this anomaly in the absence of additional atherosclerotic or other disease processes. These manifestations have included acute myocardial infarction, angina pectoris, syncope, nonfatal ventricular fibrillation, and sudden death. We report a case of 56-year-old male with the anomalous origin of the right coronary artery from the left sinus of Valsalva, who had been admitted due to severe substernal chest pain and acute inferior wall myocardial infarction. The coronary angiography revealed that the right coronary artery originated from the left coronary sinus without significant atheroscleotic narrowing. The anomalous right coronary artery passed anteriorly between pulmonary artery and aortic root without significant coronary obstruction.
Angina Pectoris ; Chest Pain ; Coronary Angiography ; Coronary Sinus ; Coronary Vessels ; Death, Sudden ; Humans ; Incidence ; Inferior Wall Myocardial Infarction* ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Myocardial Infarction ; Myocardial Ischemia ; Pulmonary Artery ; Sinus of Valsalva ; Syncope ; Ventricular Fibrillation