PURPOSE: This study aimed to investigate the nutritional status of liver transplantation (LT) recipients and explore certain factors that influence nutritional status, including dietary patterns and physical activities. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional, descriptive study. The subjects included 211 LT recipients at a medical center outpatient clinic located in Seoul, Korea. The nutritional status, dietary patterns, and physical activities of each subject were measured using the body mass index (BMI), Mini Dietary Assessment (MDA), and Global Physical Activity Questionnaire. Independent t-test, one-way analysis of variance, and multiple linear regression analysis were used to analyze the data. RESULTS: The percentages of living and deceased donor LTs were 81.0% and 19.0%, respectively. The mean BMIs pre- and post-LT were 23.88 and 23.16 kg/m2, respectively, and the average MDA score was 36.55. More than 60.0% of the subjects had a moderate or high level of physical activity. In multivariate analysis, a higher BMI before LT (β=.72, p<.001), a lower Model for End-stage Liver Disease (MELD) score (β=−.18, p<.001), and being male (β=−.10, p=.024) contributed to better nutritional status post-LT. Patients within six months of LT were less engaged in muscle exercises than those post six months of LT (p=.020). CONCLUSION LT recipients in Korea have good nutritional status and a good level of physical activity. To improve recipients' post-LT nutritional status, the pre-LT nutritional status should be considered, particularly in those with a higher MELD score. In addition, physical activity including muscle-strengthening exercises should be encouraged from an earlier stage.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to investigate the nutritional status of liver transplantation (LT) recipients and explore certain factors that influence nutritional status, including dietary patterns and physical activities. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional, descriptive study. The subjects included 211 LT recipients at a medical center outpatient clinic located in Seoul, Korea. The nutritional status, dietary patterns, and physical activities of each subject were measured using the body mass index (BMI), Mini Dietary Assessment (MDA), and Global Physical Activity Questionnaire. Independent t-test, one-way analysis of variance, and multiple linear regression analysis were used to analyze the data. RESULTS: The percentages of living and deceased donor LTs were 81.0% and 19.0%, respectively. The mean BMIs pre- and post-LT were 23.88 and 23.16 kg/m2, respectively, and the average MDA score was 36.55. More than 60.0% of the subjects had a moderate or high level of physical activity. In multivariate analysis, a higher BMI before LT (β=.72, p<.001), a lower Model for End-stage Liver Disease (MELD) score (β=−.18, p<.001), and being male (β=−.10, p=.024) contributed to better nutritional status post-LT. Patients within six months of LT were less engaged in muscle exercises than those post six months of LT (p=.020). CONCLUSION: LT recipients in Korea have good nutritional status and a good level of physical activity. To improve recipients' post-LT nutritional status, the pre-LT nutritional status should be considered, particularly in those with a higher MELD score. In addition, physical activity including muscle-strengthening exercises should be encouraged from an earlier stage.
Ambulatory Care Facilities ; Body Mass Index ; Exercise ; Feeding Behavior ; Humans ; Korea ; Linear Models ; Liver Diseases ; Liver Transplantation ; Liver ; Male ; Motor Activity ; Multivariate Analysis ; Nutritional Status ; Seoul ; Tissue Donors ; Transplant Recipients

BACKGROUND: Grafts survive despite blood group antigens on the transplant being continuously exposed to antibodies in the blood of recipients in ABO-incompatible kidney transplantation (ABOi KT), owing to the mechanism of accommodation. We analyzed the immunodynamics of soluble ABH antigens in allografts from secretor donors and the influence of such immunodynamics on accommodation and subsequent graft survival in ABOi KT. METHODS: The genotype of a known human β-galactoside α-1,2-fucosyltransferase gene (FUT2), which determines soluble ABH antigen secretor status, was established in 32 donors for ABOi KT at the Severance Hospital, from June 2010 to July 2015. Clinical outcomes of recipients, such as anti-A/B antibody titer change, renal function, and graft survival, were evaluated. RESULTS: Twenty-five donors were secretors (78.1%), and seven were nonsecretors (21.9%). The frequency of anti-A/B IgG or IgM antibody titer elevation or reduction post-transplantation was not significantly related to donor secretor status. However, IgM titer was rapidly reduced in recipients transplanted from nonsecretor donors (P=0.01), which could be explained by the lack of absorption effect of soluble antigens, enhancing the binding of antibodies to antigens in the allografts. Interestingly, soluble ABH antigens did not affect rejection-free graft survival, which may be due to the nature of β-galactoside α-1,2-fucosyltransferase. CONCLUSIONS: Soluble ABH antigens produced by transplanted kidneys from secretor donors played a role in inducing accommodation within three months of KT through neutralization; however, major graft outcomes were not affected.
Absorption ; Allografts ; Antibodies ; Blood Group Antigens ; Blood Group Incompatibility ; Genotype ; Graft Survival ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin G ; Immunoglobulin M ; Kidney Transplantation ; Kidney* ; Tissue Donors* ; Transplants

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Although several studies have suggested that tooth loss is associated with the risk of gastric cancer, the association between oral health and gastric cancer remains a controversial issue. Thus, we investigated whether oral health is associated with the risk of gastric neoplastic lesions. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively evaluated 391 patients who underwent upper gastrointestinal endoscopic examination between March 2010 and February 2013. The tooth number and the age-related periodontal bone loss score (ArB score) were investigated as parameters of oral health. Gastric neoplastic lesions included adenomas and cancer detected on biopsy examination. RESULTS: We identified 10 patients (2.6%) with neoplastic lesions. Older age, a higher body mass index, and the presence of Helicobacter pylori infection were significantly associated with neoplastic lesions. However, there was no significant correlation about Kimura-Takemoto classification, ArB score, and tooth number. Multivariate analyses showed that age was significantly associated with neoplastic lesions. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings demonstrate that oral health (assessed using parameters such as tooth number and ArB score) may not be significantly associated with gastric neoplastic lesions.
Adenoma ; Alveolar Bone Loss ; Biopsy ; Body Mass Index ; Classification ; Helicobacter pylori ; Humans ; Multivariate Analysis ; Oral Health ; Retrospective Studies ; Stomach Neoplasms ; Tooth ; Tooth Loss

Anaphylactic transfusion reaction is caused by deficiency of certain protein(s) in the recipient. We report on the experience of platelet count recovery using washed platelets for transfusion in a patient who developed an anaphylactic transfusion reaction. A 50-year old male diagnosed with angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma was treated with chemotherapy followed by autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Immediately after starting transfusion of apheresis platelets, he began sweating and complained of visual impairment, chest discomfort, and abdominal pain. Both systolic and diastolic blood pressures and oxygen saturation monitored by pulse oximetry were decreased. Platelet transfusion was discontinued immediately and hydrocortisone was administered, and the symptoms and signs were resolved within two hours. Laboratory test using post-transfusion blood showed no apparent evidence of hemolysis. Platelet washing procedure using normal saline three times was newly set to prevent anaphylactic reaction in the patient. Transfusions of washed platelets were performed 20 times for 60 days, and the patient showed no anaphylactic reaction during this period. He showed no evidence of immunoglobulin A, haptoglobin, C3, or C4 deficiencies. We confirmed that washed platelet transfusion is highly effective for prevention of anaphylactic transfusion reaction.
Abdominal Pain ; Anaphylaxis ; Blood Component Removal ; Blood Group Incompatibility* ; Blood Platelets* ; Drug Therapy ; Haptoglobins ; Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation ; Hemolysis ; Humans ; Hydrocortisone ; Immunoglobulin A ; Lymphoma, T-Cell ; Male ; Oximetry ; Oxygen ; Platelet Count ; Platelet Transfusion* ; Sweat ; Sweating ; Thorax ; Vision Disorders