Colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer in Korea and the third leading cause of death from cancer. Treatment outcomes for colon cancer are steadily improving due to national health screening programs with advances in diagnostic methods, surgical techniques, and therapeutic agents.. The Korea Colon Cancer Multidisciplinary (KCCM) Committee intends to provide professionals who treat colon cancer with the most up-to-date, evidence-based practice guidelines to improve outcomes and help them make decisions that reflect their patients’ values and preferences. These guidelines have been established by consensus reached by the KCCM Guideline Committee based on a systematic literature review and evidence synthesis and by considering the national health insurance system in real clinical practice settings. Each recommendation is presented with a recommendation strength and level of evidence based on the consensus of the committee.

Background/Aims: Quick sequential organ failure assessment (qSOFA) is believed to identify patients at risk of poor outcomes in those with suspected infection. We aimed to evaluate the ability of modified qSOFA (m-qSOFA) to identify high-risk patients among those with acutely deteriorated chronic liver disease (CLD), especially those with acute-onchronic liver failure (ACLF). Methods: We used data from both the Korean Acute-on-Chronic Liver Failure (KACLiF) and the Asian Pacific Association for the Study of the Liver ACLF Research Consortium (AARC) cohorts. qSOFA was modified by replacing the Glasgow Coma Scale with hepatic encephalopathy, and an m-qSOFA ≥2 was considered high. Results: Patients with high m-qSOFA had a significantly lower 1-month transplant-free survival (TFS) in both cohorts and higher organ failure development in KACLiF than those with low m-qSOFA (Ps<0.05). Subgroup analysis by ACLF showed that patients with high m-qSOFA had lower TFS than those with low m-qSOFA. m-qSOFA was an independent prognostic factor (hazard ratios, HR=2.604, 95% confidence interval, CI 1.353–5.013, P=0.004 in KACLiF and HR=1.904, 95% CI 1.484– 2.442, P<0.001 in AARC). The patients with low m-qSOFA at baseline but high m-qSOFA on day 7 had a significantly lower 1-month TFS than those with high m-qSOFA at baseline but low m-qSOFA on day 7 (52.6% vs. 89.4%, P<0.001 in KACLiF and 26.9% vs. 61.5%, P<0.001 in AARC). Conclusions Baseline and dynamic changes in m-qSOFA may identify patients with a high risk of developing organ failure and short-term mortality among CLD patients with acute deterioration.

Background/Aims: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of ledipasvir/sofosbuvir (LDV/SOF) therapy in hepatitis C virus (HCV)-infected Korean patients in a real clinical setting. Methods: A total of 273 patients who received LDV/SOF therapy between May 2016 and February 2021 were consecutively enrolled and analyzed. A per-protocol analysis was performed to evaluate the virologic response. Results: Seventy-five percent were infected with genotype 1, and 25% were infected with genotype 2. A hundred eightyone (66.3%) patients had chronic hepatitis, 74 (27.1%) had compensated cirrhosis, eight (2.9%) had decompensated cirrhosis, and 10 (3.7%) had undergone liver transplantation. Undetectable HCV RNA at week 4 was achieved in 90.2% (231/256) of patients, 99.2% (250/252) achieved the end of treatment response, and 98.1% (202/206) achieved sustained virologic response at 12 weeks post-treatment (SVR12). According to liver function, the SVR12 rates were 99.3% (135/136) in chronic hepatitis, 96.4% (53/55) in compensated cirrhosis, and 100% (6/6) in decompensated cirrhosis. The SVR12 rates according to the genotype were 98.2% (167/170) for genotype 1 and 97.2% (35/36) for genotype 2. An 8-week LDV/SOF treatment in treatment-naïve chronic hepatitis patients with HCV RNA < 6,000,000 IU/mL at baseline resulted in 100% (23/23) SVR12 rates. Overall, LDV/SOF was tolerated well, with a 0.7% (2/273) discontinuation rate due to adverse events that were unrelated to LDV/SOF. Conclusions LDV/SOF is effective and safe for treating HCV-infected Korean patients with high SVR12 rates.

Background/Aims: To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of direct acting antivirals (DAAs) available in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in Korea. Methods: In a retrospective, multicenter cohort study, 362 patients were enrolled from 2015 to 2019. The effectiveness and safety of DAAs including glecaprevir/pibrentasvir, sofosubvir/ribavirin, ledipasvir/sofosbuvir, and daclatasvir/asunaprevir were analyzed for patients according to CKD stage. We evaluated sustained virologic response at week 12 after treatment (SVR12) as primary endpoint. The effectiveness and safety were also evaluated according to CKD stage. Results: Among 362 patients, 307 patients completed DAAs treatment and follow-up period after end of treatment. The subjects comprised 87 patients (62 with CKD stage 3 and 25 with CKD stage (4–5), of whom 22 were undergoing hemodialysis). HCV patients with CKD stage 1 and 2 (estimated glomerular filtration rate [eGFR] ≥ 60 mL/min/1.73 m2) showed SVR12 of 97.2% and 95.4% respectively. SVR12 of CKD stage 3 and 4–5 (eGFR < 60 mL/min/1.73 m2) patients was 91.9% and 91.6% respectively. Patients undergoing hemodialysis achieved SVR12 (90.9%). Treatment failure of DAAs in stage 1, 2, 3, and 4–5 was 2.8%, 2.7%, 1.6%, and 4%. DAAs showed good safety profile and did not affect deterioration of renal function. Conclusions DAAs shows comparable SVR12 and safety in CKD patients (stage 3, 4, and 5) with HCV compared with patients with stage 1 and 2. The effectiveness and safety of DAAs may be related to the treatment duration. Therefore, it is important to select adequate regimens of DAAs and to increase treatment adherence.

Background/Aims: Besifovir dipivoxil maleate (BSV), an acyclic nucleotide phosphonate, shows potent antiviral activity against hepatitis B virus. Our previous 48-week trial revealed that BSV has comparable antiviral efficacy to tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) and better safety profiles in terms of improved renal and bone safety. This extension study evaluated the prolonged efficacy and safety of BSV in treatment-naive chronic hepatitis B patients. Methods: Patients continued to participate in an open-label BSV study after an initial 48-week double-blind comparison of BSV and TDF treatment. The antiviral efficacy and drug safety was evaluated up to 192 weeks in two groups: patients continuing BSV treatment (BSV-BSV) and patients switching from TDF to BSV after 48 weeks (TDF-BSV). Results: Among 197 patients receiving randomized treatments, 170 (86%) entered the open-label phase and 152 (77%) entered the 192-week extension study. Virological response rates over 192 weeks were 92.50% and 93.06% in the BSV-BSV and TDF-BSV groups, respectively (P=0.90). Hepatitis B envelop antigen seroconversion and alanine aminotransferase normalization rates were similar between the groups (P=0.75 and P=0.36, respectively). There were no drug-resistant mutations to BSV. Bone mineral density and renal function were well preserved in the BSV-BSV group, whereas these initially worsened then recovered after switching therapy in the TDF-BSV group. Conclusions BSV maintained potent antiviral efficacy after 192 weeks and showed no evidence of drug resistance. BSV was safe, well tolerated, and effective in patients who switched from TDF to BSV. Trial Registration Number: NCT01937806 (date: 10 Sep 2013).

Background/Aims: Besifovir dipivoxil maleate (BSV), an acyclic nucleotide phosphonate, shows potent antiviral activity against hepatitis B virus. Our previous 48-week trial revealed that BSV has comparable antiviral efficacy to tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) and better safety profiles in terms of improved renal and bone safety. This extension study evaluated the prolonged efficacy and safety of BSV in treatment-naive chronic hepatitis B patients. Methods: Patients continued to participate in an open-label BSV study after an initial 48-week double-blind comparison of BSV and TDF treatment. The antiviral efficacy and drug safety was evaluated up to 192 weeks in two groups: patients continuing BSV treatment (BSV-BSV) and patients switching from TDF to BSV after 48 weeks (TDF-BSV). Results: Among 197 patients receiving randomized treatments, 170 (86%) entered the open-label phase and 152 (77%) entered the 192-week extension study. Virological response rates over 192 weeks were 92.50% and 93.06% in the BSV-BSV and TDF-BSV groups, respectively (P=0.90). Hepatitis B envelop antigen seroconversion and alanine aminotransferase normalization rates were similar between the groups (P=0.75 and P=0.36, respectively). There were no drug-resistant mutations to BSV. Bone mineral density and renal function were well preserved in the BSV-BSV group, whereas these initially worsened then recovered after switching therapy in the TDF-BSV group. Conclusions BSV maintained potent antiviral efficacy after 192 weeks and showed no evidence of drug resistance. BSV was safe, well tolerated, and effective in patients who switched from TDF to BSV. Trial Registration Number: NCT01937806 (date: 10 Sep 2013).

Background/Aims: This study examined the risk factors associated with mortality in cirrhotic patients hospitalized with variceal bleeding, and evaluated the effects of acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) on the prognosis of these patients. Methods: This study was retrospectively conducted on patients registered in the Korean acute-on-chronic liver failure study cohort, and on 474 consecutive cirrhotic patients hospitalized with variceal bleeding from January 2013 to December 2013 at 21 university hospitals. ACLF was defined as described by the European Association for the Study of Liver-Chronic Liver Failure Consortium. Results: Among a total of 474 patients, 61 patients were diagnosed with ACLF. The cumulative overall survival (OS) rate was lower in the patients with ACLF than in those without (P<0.001), and patients with higher ACLF grades had a lower OS rate (P<0.001). The chronic liver failure-sequential organ failure assessment (CLIF-SOFA) score was identified as a significant prognostic factor in patients hospitalized with variceal bleeding (hazard ratio [HR], 1.40; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.30–1.50; P<0.001), even in ACLF patients with variceal bleeding (HR, 1.32; 95% CI, 1.19–1.46, P<0.001). Concerning the prediction of the mortality risk at 28- and 90-day using CLIF-SOFA scores, c-statistics were 0.895 (95% CI, 0.829–0.962) and 0.897 (95% CI, 0.842–0.951), respectively, and the optimal cut-off values were 6.5 and 6.5, respectively. Conclusions In cirrhotic patients hospitalized with variceal bleeding, the prognosis was poor when accompanied by ACLF, especially depending upon CLIF-SOFA score. CLIF-SOFA model well predicted the 28-day or 90-day mortality for cirrhotic patients who experienced variceal bleeding.

Background: Reports of metastatic sarcoma to the pancreas are limited. We reviewed the clinicopathologic characteristics of such cases. Methods: We reviewed 124 cases of metastatic tumors to the pancreas diagnosed at Asan Medical Center between 2000 and 2017. Results: Metastatic tumors to the pancreas consisted of 111 carcinomas (89.5%), 12 sarcomas (9.6%), and one melanoma (0.8%). Primary sarcoma sites were bone (n = 4); brain, lung, and soft tissue (n = 2 for each); and the uterus and pulmonary vein (n = 1 for each). Pathologically, the 12 sarcomas comprised 2 World Health Organization grade III solitary fibrous tumors/hemangiopericytomas, and one case each of synovial sarcoma, malignant solitary fibrous tumor, undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma, osteosarcoma, mesenchymal chondrosarcoma, intimal sarcoma, myxofibrosarcoma, myxoid liposarcoma, rhabdomyosarcoma, subtype uncertain, and high-grade spindle-cell sarcoma of uncertain type. The median interval between primary cancer diagnosis and pancreatic metastasis was 28.5 months. One case manifested as a solitary pancreatic osteosarcoma metastasis 15 months prior to detection of osteosarcoma in the femur and was initially misdiagnosed as sarcomatoid carcinoma of the pancreas. Conclusions The metastatic sarcoma should remain a differential diagnosis when spindle-cell malignancy is found in the pancreas, even for solitary lesions or in patients without prior history.

BACKGROUND: Metabolic health is an emerging concept that is highly correlated with various metabolic complications, and adipocytokines have been causally linked to a wide range of metabolic diseases. Thus, this study compared serum adipocytokine levels according to metabolic health and obesity status. METHODS: Four hundred and fifty-six nondiabetic subjects (mean age, 40.5 years) were categorized into four groups according to metabolic health and obesity status: metabolically healthy nonobese (MHNO), metabolically healthy obese (MHO), metabolically unhealthy nonobese (MUHNO), and metabolically unhealthy obese (MUHO). Being metabolically healthy was defined as the presence of fewer than two of the following five metabolic abnormalities: high blood pressure, high fasting blood glucose, high triglyceride, low high density lipoprotein cholesterol, and being in the highest decile of the homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance index. Obesity status was assessed using body mass index (BMI), with obesity defined as a BMI higher than 25 kg/m2. Levels of serum interleukin-6 (IL-6), monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha), and adipocyte fatty acid binding protein (A-FABP) were also evaluated. RESULTS: Of the 456 subjects, 247 (54.2%) were in the MHNO group, 66 (14.5%) were in the MHO group, 66 (14.5%) were in the MUHNO group, and 77 (16.9%) were in the MUHO group. There were no significant differences in IL-6 or MCP-1 levels among the groups, but levels of TNF-alpha and A-FABP were significantly higher in the MUHNO group compared to the MHNO group. CONCLUSION: High TNF-alpha and A-FABP levels are significantly associated with metabolically unhealthiness in nonobese Korean individuals.
Adipocytes ; Adipokines ; Blood Glucose ; Body Mass Index ; Carrier Proteins ; Chemokine CCL2 ; Cholesterol, HDL ; Fasting ; Hypertension ; Insulin Resistance ; Interleukin-6 ; Metabolic Diseases ; Obesity* ; Triglycerides ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha

BACKGROUND/AIMS: This study was conducted to establish a guideline on the utilizing of feeding pump in patients requiring enteral tube feeding. METHODS: As a first step, textbooks on nutrition and guidelines from regional clinical nutrition societies were analyzed. Afterwards, data on the efficacy, safety, and practicality of feeding pump application were collected and evaluated by systematically reviewing the related literature. As data sources, 8 domestic databases including KoreaMed and global databases such as Ovid-MEDLINE, Ovid-EMBASE, and Cochrane Library were utilized. A total of 2,016 related articles was selected by applying the keyword "(enteral feeding.mp AND pump.mp)". RESULTS: Textbooks and guidelines were not able to draw conclusions on the effects of the feeding pump because the injection speed, tube size, and etcetera were different for enteral feeding. Feeding pump assisted enteral tube feeding was an efficient, safe, and practical procedure for reducing maladjustment-related complications of enteral tube feeding, which are obvious obstacles for maintaining nutritional balances in patients requiring tube feeding. CONCLUSIONS: Feeding pump application can be considered an efficient and safe measure that is acceptable in patients on small intestinal tube feeding, critically-ill patients on gastro-intestinal tube feeding, premature babies, and critically-ill or severely malnourished children (recommendation grade D).
Critical Illness ; Databases, Factual ; *Enteral Nutrition ; Guidelines as Topic ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Intubation, Gastrointestinal