PURPOSE: This study investigated the relationship between body composition and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) in patients with colorectal cancer (CRC).METHODS: This retrospective study included 110 patients who underwent anthropometric measurement by bioelectrical impedance analysis before surgical treatment for CRC between May 2015 and June 2018.RESULTS: According to PLR, 45 patients (40.9%) had low PLR (PLR<150), and 65 patients (59.1%) had high PLR (PLR≥150). Serum hemoglobin (P<0.001) and albumin levels (P=0.021) were significantly lower in high PLR group. Tumor mass diameter was significantly larger in high PLR group (P=0.048) and the proportion of poorly differentiated or mucinous tumors was significantly higher in high PLR group (P=0.037). All indices related to fat (body fat mass, percent body fat, body fat mass of trunk, visceral fat area, fat mass index, measured fat thickness of abdomen) and two indices related to muscle (arm muscle circumference, measured muscle circumference of abdomen) were significantly lower in high PLR group (P<0.05). According to subgroup analysis based on the sex, all indices significantly differed between PLR groups; however, in females no index was significantly different between PLR groups.CONCLUSION: Body composition indices including fat and muscle indices measured by InBody 770 were related to PLR in CRC, especially in male patients. These results suggest that low muscle and fat indices may be related to poor prognosis of CRC.
Adipose Tissue ; Body Composition ; Colorectal Neoplasms ; Electric Impedance ; Female ; Humans ; Intra-Abdominal Fat ; Male ; Mucins ; Nutrition Assessment ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies

Purpose: This study investigated the relationship between the visceral fat area (VFA) and clinico-pathological outcomes in patients with colorectal cancer (CRC). Methods: This retrospective study included 204 patients who underwent anthropometric measurement by bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) before surgical treatment for CRC between January 2016 and June 2020. Results: According to the average value of the visceral fat area, 119 (58.3%) patients had a low visceral fat area, and 85 (59.1%) patients had a high visceral fat area. Patients with visceral obesity showed a higher BMI compared to patients without visceral obesity, (21.8±1.9 vs. 25.7±2.5, P＜0.001). There was no significant difference in the overall perioperative outcomes including total operation time, time to gas out, sips of water, soft diet, hospital stay, and morbidity between patients in the low and high VFA groups. We divided patients into two subgroups according to the degree of cancer progression and more advanced cases with low VFA showed significantly more total and positive retrieved lymph nodes (LNs) (20.9±10.3 vs. 16.1±7.1, P=0.021 and 3.3±2.9 vs. 2.2±2.3, P=0.019, respectively) and a higher proportion of more than 12 retrieved LNs compared to patients with a high VFA (95.1% vs. 90.0%, P=0.047). Body composition analysis showed that phase angle, muscle composition, and body fluid composition were not statistically different between the two groups. However, body fat mass was statistically higher in the high VFA group (22.0±4.6 vs. 12.8±3.1, P＜0.001). Conclusion Visceral obesity measured by BIA showed lower total and positive retrieved LNs and was not associated with adverse peri-operative outcomes, inflammatory and nutritional, and pathologic outcomes for CRC.

Purpose: This study investigated the relationship between the visceral fat area (VFA) and clinico-pathological outcomes in patients with colorectal cancer (CRC). Methods: This retrospective study included 204 patients who underwent anthropometric measurement by bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) before surgical treatment for CRC between January 2016 and June 2020. Results: According to the average value of the visceral fat area, 119 (58.3%) patients had a low visceral fat area, and 85 (59.1%) patients had a high visceral fat area. Patients with visceral obesity showed a higher BMI compared to patients without visceral obesity, (21.8±1.9 vs. 25.7±2.5, P＜0.001). There was no significant difference in the overall perioperative outcomes including total operation time, time to gas out, sips of water, soft diet, hospital stay, and morbidity between patients in the low and high VFA groups. We divided patients into two subgroups according to the degree of cancer progression and more advanced cases with low VFA showed significantly more total and positive retrieved lymph nodes (LNs) (20.9±10.3 vs. 16.1±7.1, P=0.021 and 3.3±2.9 vs. 2.2±2.3, P=0.019, respectively) and a higher proportion of more than 12 retrieved LNs compared to patients with a high VFA (95.1% vs. 90.0%, P=0.047). Body composition analysis showed that phase angle, muscle composition, and body fluid composition were not statistically different between the two groups. However, body fat mass was statistically higher in the high VFA group (22.0±4.6 vs. 12.8±3.1, P＜0.001). Conclusion Visceral obesity measured by BIA showed lower total and positive retrieved LNs and was not associated with adverse peri-operative outcomes, inflammatory and nutritional, and pathologic outcomes for CRC.

Objectives: The effectiveness of drugs currently used in medication, which is important in the treatment of alcohol use disorders, is limited. Recently, ondansetron which acts as 5-HT3 receptor antagonist, has been studied and proved possibility as new medication for alcohol use disorder. Meanwhile, there are studies supporting that 5-HT1A receptors are related to addictive behavior. Considering those studies, we expect that vortioxetine, which acts as both 5-HT3 receptor antagonist and 5-HT1A receptor agonist, may be effective in treatment of alcohol use disorder. The purpose of this study is to examine the effect of vortioxetine on alcohol intake of C57BL/6 mice. Methods: In this study C57BL/6 mice were randomly assigned to normal saline group, vortioxetine 10 mg/kg group and vortioxetine 1 mg/kg group. To study effect of vortioxetine on alcohol, water, food intake and body weight of mice, we administered each medication for 14 days. Results: The overall alcohol intake was different between the three groups (PGroup=0.021), and alcohol intake in vortioxetine 10 mg/kg group was significantly lower than one in placebo group. Change across time points (PTime<0.001) and the interaction between group and time (PGroup×Time =0.016) were also significant. However, there were no significant differences between the three groups in water, food intake and body weight. Conclusions These results indicated that administration of high dose vortioxetine reduced alcohol intake of mice.Therefore, it is necessary to conduct clinical studies to examine the effectiveness of vortioxetine as a new treatment for alcohol use disorder.

Purpose: Surgical resection, the primary treatment for colorectal cancer (CRC), is often linked with postoperative complications that adversely affect the overall survival rates (OS). The pan-immune-inflammation value (PIV), a novel biomarker, is promising in evaluating cancer prognoses. We aimed to explore the impact of preoperative immune inflammation status on postoperative and long-term oncological outcomes in patients with CRC. Methods: A retrospective analysis of 203 patients with CRC who underwent surgery (January 2016–June 2020) was conducted. The preoperative PIV was calculated as [(neutrophil count + platelet count + monocyte count) / lymphocyte counts]. The PIV optimal cutoff value was determined based on the OS using the Contal and O’Quigley methods. Results: A PIV value ≥155.90 was defined as high. Patients were categorized into low-PIV (n = 85) and high-PIV (n = 118) groups. Perioperative clinical outcomes (total operation time, time to gas out, sips of water, soft diet, and hospital stay) were not significantly different between the groups. The high-PIV group exhibited more postoperative complications (P = 0.024), and larger tumor size compared with the low-PIV group. Multivariate analysis identified that American Society of Anesthesiologists grade III (P = 0.046) and high-PIV (P = 0.049) were significantly associated with postoperative complications. The low-PIV group demonstrated higher OS (P = 0.001) and disease-free survival rates (DFS) (P = 0.021) compared with the high-PIV group. Advanced N stage (P = 0.005) and high-PIV levels (P = 0.047) were the identified independent prognostic factors for OS, whereas advanced N stage (P = 0.045) was an independent prognostic factor for DFS. Conclusion Elevated preoperative PIV was associated with an increased incidence of postoperative complications and served as an independent prognostic factor for OS.

Purpose: This study was performed to evaluate the safety and feasibility of skin adhesives and to compare postoperative and cosmetic outcomes after wound closure in single-port laparoscopic appendectomy (SPLA) between skin adhesives and steri-strips. Methods: This was a single-center retrospective study. We included 22 and 47 patients in whom skin adhesive and steri-strips were used respectively, for skin closure after subcuticular suturing in SPLA between August 2014 and 2020. The patient scar assessment questionnaire (PSAQ) was completed postoperatively to assess postoperative cosmetic outcomes. Results: On the postoperative day, patients in whom skin adhesive was used had significantly lower numeric rating scores than in whom steri-strips were used (2.8 ± 0.8 vs. 3.9 ± 0.8, p < 0.001). The frequency of analgesic administration within 24 hours and between 24 and 48 hours after surgery was significantly lower in the skin adhesive group compared to the wound closure strip group (1.4 ± 0.8 vs. 2.7 ± 1.2, p = 0.013 and 0.2 ± 0.4 vs. 0.7 ± 0.9, p = 0.002, respectively). In the PSAQ, “satisfaction with appearance” and “satisfaction with symptoms” subitem scores were significantly lower in patients in whom skin adhesive was used (11.3 ± 3.0 vs. 15.1 ± 4.5, p = 0.006 and 6.5 ± 1.8 vs. 9.5 ± 3.3, p = 0.003), whereas, “appearance” and “consciousness” subitems revealed no statistically significant differences between the groups. Conclusion Liquid skin adhesive closures seem to be safe and feasible and cause less postoperative pain, resulting in greater patient satisfaction with postoperative scars than wound closure strip closure after subcuticular suturing in SPLA.

PURPOSE: To describe the CT findings and charicteristic clinical manifestation of primary malignant pulmonarymesenchymal tumors. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study involved nine histopathologically proven cases of malignantprimary pulmonary mesenchymal tumors, as follows : MFH(n=2), leiomyosarcoma(n=2), pulmonary blastoma(n=1),neurogenic sarcoma(n=1), rhabdomyosarcoma(n=1), liposarcoma(n=1) and hemangiopericytoma(n=1). Two patients weremale and seven were female; their median age was 45. We retrospectively analyzed tumor size, location,characteristic of the peripheral margin, relationship to airways, and whether there was distal atelectasis orobstructive pneumonitis and lymph node involvement. We also reviewed distant metastasis, tumor growth rate and theinterval between surgery and recurrence, as seen on follow-up CT scans(n=6). RESULTS: Lesions were located at theright upper (n=2), right middle (n=1), right lower (n=1) and left lower lobe (n=2); in three cases, the whole leftlung (left upper + left lower lobe) was involved. CT findings showed that in all cases, the largest diameter ofmasses ranged from 3 to 15 cm; a well-demarcated margin was seen (smooth in eight cases, psiculated in one) andthis was well enhanced(inhomogeneous in six cases, homogeneous in three). In six cases, masses encircled ordisplaced the peritumoral small bronchus, and in five cases, were located in the peripheral lung field. In fourpatients who underwent endobronchoscopy, no endobronchial lesions were present, and in six cases scans initial CTscans showed no lymph-node involvement. In two cases, mass size doubled within one month. On initial diagnosis,distant metastasis was seen in seven cases, and in three, recurrent lesions were detected within postoperative sixmonths. CONCLUSION: If in the differential diagnosis of lung cancer, a mass seen on CT images is well demarcated,large, peripheral, inhomogeneously enhanced, encircles or displaces the peritumoral small bronchus, shows earlydistant metastasis, is high locally invasive, and recurs early with relative sparing of the lymph nodes, thepossibility of primary malignant pulmonary mesenchymal tumor shouldbe considered.
Bronchi ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Lung ; Lung Neoplasms ; Lymph Nodes ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Pneumonia ; Pulmonary Atelectasis ; Recurrence ; Retrospective Studies

PURPOSE: We aimed to determine whether Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) would show neural abnormality of the social reward system using functional MRI (fMRI). MATERIALS AND METHODS: 27 ASDs and 12 typically developing controls (TDCs) participated in this study. The social reward task was developed, and all participants performed the task during fMRI scanning. RESULTS: ASDs and TDCs with a social reward learning effect were selected on the basis of behavior data. We found significant differences in brain activation between the ASDs and TDCs showing a social reward learning effect. Compared with the TDCs, the ASDs showed reduced activity in the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, right orbitofrontal cortex, right parietal lobe, and occipital lobe; however, they showed increased activity in the right parahippocampal gyrus and superior temporal gyrus. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that there might be neural abnormality of the social reward learning system of ASDs. Although this study has several potential limitations, it presents novel findings in the different neural mechanisms of social reward learning in children with ASD and a possible useful biomarker of high-functioning ASDs.
Brain/*physiopathology ; Brain Mapping ; Case-Control Studies ; Child ; Child Development Disorders, Pervasive/*physiopathology ; Female ; Functional Neuroimaging/*methods ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging/methods ; Male ; Neural Pathways/*physiopathology ; Psychiatric Status Rating Scales ; Republic of Korea ; *Reward ; *Social Behavior

Down syndrome (DS) is associated with a higher incidence of leukemia than general population; the subtype is acute megakaryoblastic leukemia (AMKL) in 50% of cases. DS is also strongly associated with transient myeloproliferative disorder (TMD), which is usually diagnosed during newborns and infants. Due to its difficulty in distinguishing TMD from acute leukemia (AL), the diagnosis of TMD should be made with extreme caution. Unlike AL, most cases of TMD resolve spontaneously within 3 months; blast cells disappear within 8 weeks in 80% and within 10 weeks in 90% of the surviving patients. Some infants with TMD, however, may have a severe complication leading into life-threatening clinical course with hepatosplenomegaly, lymphadenopathy, liver impairment, respiratory distress, anemia, infection and hemorrhage. Rarely, AL can develop after remission of TMD. We report a case of TMD with DS in newly born infant who presented hepatosplenomegaly on prenatal sonography and improved with exchange transfusion, steroid.
Anemia ; Diagnosis ; Down Syndrome* ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Incidence ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Leukemia ; Leukemia, Megakaryoblastic, Acute ; Liver ; Lymphatic Diseases ; Myeloproliferative Disorders*

OBJECTIVES: The American Diabetes Association (ADA) has recently recommended the HbA1c assay as one of four options for making the diagnosis of diabetes mellitus, with a cut-point of > or =6.5%. We compared the HbA1c assay and the fasting plasma glucose level for making the diagnosis of diabetes among Korean adults. METHODS: We analyzed 8710 adults (age 45-74 years), who were not diagnosed as having diabetes mellitus, from the Namwon study population. A fasting plasma glucose level of > or =126 mg/dL and an A1c of > or =6.5% were used for the diagnosis of diabetes. The kappa index of agreement was calculated to measure the agreement between the diagnosis based on the fasting plasma glucose level and the HbA1c. RESULTS: The kappa index of agreement between the fasting plasma glucose level and HbA1c was 0.50. CONCLUSIONS: The agreement between the fasting plasma glucose and HbA1c for the diagnosis of diabetes was moderate for Korean adults.
Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Anemia, Aplastic/*diagnosis ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Platelet Count/*standards ; Purpura, Thrombocytopenic, Idiopathic/*diagnosis ; Reference Values ; Reproducibility of Results ; Sex Factors