Objectives: Tegoprazan is an alternative to proton pump inhibitors (PPIs). This study evaluated the occurrence of upper gastrointestinal (GI) and cardiovascular (CV) complications in patients with ischemic heart disease undergoing antiplatelet therapy after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) who were treated with tegoprazan or PPIs. Methods: Data from 604 patients who received antiplatelet therapy with tegoprazan or PPIs for >6 months after PCI between March 2019 and November 2023 were retrospectively analyzed. The primary GI endpoints were symptomatic gastroduodenal ulcers and upper GI bleeding, while the primary CV endpoints comprised major adverse cardiac events (MACEs), nonfatal myocardial infarction (MI), target vessel revascularization, and death from CV-related causes. Results: Among the 604 patients, 265 received tegoprazan and 339 received PPIs. During a mean follow-up of 17 months, seven patients experienced a GI event (0.4% with tegoprazan vs. 1.8% with PPIs; p=0.112) and 12 experienced MACEs (1.1% with tegoprazan vs. 2.7% with PPIs; p=0.183). Subgroup analysis indicated that target vessel revascularization occurred in six patients, with event rates of 0.8% (n=2) for tegoprazan and 1.2% (n=4) for PPIs (p=0.598). Tegoprazan was associated with similar rates of nonfatal MI (0.8% vs. 2.4%; p=0.125) and death from CV-related causes (0.4% vs. 0%; p=0.258) as PPIs. Conclusions There were no significant differences in GI- or CV-related complications between patients treated with tegoprazan and those treated with PPIs.

Ectopic pancreas refers to presence of pancreatic tissue in locations other than the pancreas (the usual anatomical site). This condition is often asymptomatic but can occasionally cause abdominal pain or other gastrointestinal symptoms. Ectopic pancreatic tissue is mainly observed in the stomach and duodenum and may be accompanied by complications, such as hemorrhage, pancreatitis, gastric outlet obstruction due to pseudocyst, and malignant transformation. We report a rare case of gastric ectopic pancreas accompanied by a pseudocyst that led to gastric outlet obstruction, which improved after endoscopic ultrasonography guided fine-needle aspiration in a young woman with habitual excessive alcohol consumption.

Objectives: Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) is a widely used approach for the resection of superficial gastric neoplastic lesions. Endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR) is acceptable for lesions <10–15 mm in size. Herein, we compared the clinical outcomes of ESD with those of EMR after circumferential precutting (EMR-P) for gastric adenomas ≤15 mm. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the data of 213 patients with 228 gastric adenomas ≤15 mm in size who were treated endoscopically at a single tertiary hospital in Korea between November 2018 and October 2022. We evaluated the complete endoscopic resection rate, recurrence rate, procedurer-elated complications, and procedure time according to the procedure used. Results: Among the 228 gastric adenomas, 49 were treated with EMR-P and 179 with ESD. The histological complete resection rate was higher in the ESD group than in the EMR-P group (87% vs. 57%, p<0.001). No significant between-group differences were observed in endoscopic en bloc resection rates (ESD vs. EMR-P, 96% vs. 90%; p=0.081). The procedure time was significantly shorter in the EMR-P group than in the ESD group (28.9±19.7 min vs. 8.8±5.9 min, p<0.001). The local recurrence rate in patients with histologically incomplete resection did not differ between the two groups (ESD vs. EMR-P, 8.7% vs. 9.5%; p=0.924). Conclusions For gastric adenomas ≤15 mm, EMR-P may be the preferable treatment method considering the en bloc resection rate, procedure time, and local recurrence rate. However, considering the complete resection rate, ESD is recommended as the treatment of choice for high-grade adenomas and early gastric cancer lesions.

Phlebosclerotic colitis is a rare form of intestinal ischemia. It is caused by calcified peripheral mesenteric veins and a thickened colonic wall. These characteristic findings can be identified on CT and colonoscopy. A 37-year-old female with a history of long-term herbal medicine use presented with acute lower abdominal pain and vomiting of sudden onset. Colonoscopic findings showed dark-blue discolored edematous mucosa and multiple ulcers from the ascending colon to the sigmoid colon. Abdominal CT findings showed diffuse thickening of the colonic wall and calcifications of the peripheral mesenteric veins from the ascending colon to the sigmoid colon. Based on these findings, the patient was diagnosed with phlebosclerotic colitis. We report this rare case of phlebosclerotic colitis in a healthy young female patient with a history of long-term herbal medicine use and include a review of the relevant literature.

Background: An association between environmental pollutants and alcohol-related liver disease (ALD) has not been determined until now. The objectives of this study were to examine the association of the pollutants with ALD, and whether the pollutants together increased the risk of ALD. Methods: Data were extracted from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2010–2013 and 2016–2017; n = 11,993). Blood levels of lead, cadmium, and mercury were measured. ALD was defined by a combination of excessive alcohol consumption and ALDon-alcoholic fatty liver disease index > 0. The aspartate aminotransferase-to-platelet ratio index and fibrosis (FIB)-4 score were used to evaluate ALD FIB. Results: The odds ratios (ORs) of ALD for the highest versus the lowest quartiles of exposure were for lead, 7.39 (95% confidence interval [CI], 5.51–9.91); cadmium, 1.68 (95% CI, 1.32–2.14); and mercury, 5.03 (95% CI, 3.88–6.53). Adjusting for age, gender, smoking, occupation, education, and personal income attenuated the associations but indicated significant positive trends (all P trend < 0.001). A positive additive interaction between cadmium and lead was observed. The relative excess OR due to the interaction was 0.96 (95% CI, 0.41–1.51); synergy index = 2.92 (95% CI, 0.97–8.80). Among 951 subjects with ALD, advanced FIB was associated with lead and cadmium (OR, 3.46, 95% CI, 1.84–6.53; OR, 8.50, 95% CI, 2.54–28.42, respectively), but not with mercury. The effect estimates for lead and cadmium remained significant even after adjustment for daily alcohol intake. Conclusion Blood levels of lead, cadmium, and mercury were significantly associated not only with the risk of ALD but also with ALD FIB. Cadmium and lead have synergistic effects that increase the risk of ALD.

Background: Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, from 2020, many pharmaceutical companies have developed vaccines. To determine the efficacy of AstraZeneca's and Pfizer's vaccines, which were the first and second vaccines to be approved in Korea, respectively, we developed a method to measure their antibody-generating efficacies using immunology analyzers and a rapid antibody test available in Korea. Methods: The antibody-stimulating efficacies of the Pfizer and AstraZeneca vaccines were evaluated using Centaur® XPT SARS-CoV-2 (Siemens Healthineers, Germany), Elecsys® AntiSARS-CoV-2 S (Roche Diagnostics, Germany), and STANDARD F SARS-CoV-2 nAb FIA (SD Biosensor, Korea). Healthcare workers were enrolled in two groups: the Pfizer (121) and AstraZeneca (117) groups. Antibody levels were measured pre-vaccination, three weeks after vaccination, and 16 weeks after vaccination. Results: The Pfizer group comprised 41 males and 80 females, while the AstraZeneca group comprised 38 males and 79 females. Antibody results were analyzed after excluding four individuals who had recovered from COVID-19. Between weeks 3 and 16, there was no significant difference (P= 0.5, 1.0) between the results of the Roche and Siemens antibody tests in the Pfizer vaccine group. However, the SD biosensor results comparing with the Roche and Siemens antibody tests at three weeks after the initial vaccination showed a significant difference (P < 0.0001). Analysis of the Roche antibody test results before, at three weeks, and at 16 weeks after the administration of the Pfizer and AstraZeneca vaccines revealed a statistically significant difference between before and at three weeks after the first injection (P < 0.0001). Conclusion After two doses of the Pfizer and AstraZeneca vaccines, antibody formation was above the 90 th percentile of the measurement range in all subjects.

Natural killer (NK) cell enteropathy is not well understood. Although NK-cell enteropathy is typically benign, aggressive NK-cell lymphoma is an important differential diagnosis. This paper reports a rare case of NK-cell enteropathy of the stomach presenting with dyspepsia and weight loss. In this case, upper endoscopy revealed an ulcer-like lesion (approximately 7 mm) surrounded by erythema, edema, and mucosal hemorrhage. The biopsy revealed atypical lymphocyte cells expressing CD56 without an Epstein-Barr virus infection, which is consistent with NK-cell enteropathy. Follow-up endoscopy 2 months later revealed lesion regression with mild erythema. The patient was observed closely for 6 months, with no evidence of lymphoma.

Background: The Korean Society of Nephrology (KSN) has maintained a nationwide end-stage renal disease (ESRD) registry data from Korean Renal Data System (KORDS) since 1985, as the representative registry of ESRD patients in Korea. This review is aimed to update the status of domestic ESRD and to provide evidence on the direction of dialysis therapy. Methods: The KORDS Committee of KSN has collected data on dialysis centers and patients through an online registry program, and the data from 1986 to 2019 were analyzed. Results: The incidence and prevalence of ESRD patients in Korea are increasing. The ESRD population numbered more than 100,000 in 2019, doubling during the 10 years since 2010. The proportion of diabetes mellitus as a major cause of ESRD seems to have reached a plateau. The increasing number of elderly dialysis patients is a constant trend, with more than half for the proportion of patients older than 65 years old in 2019. All-cause mortality decreased for the last approximately 20 years, regardless of sex, age, and cause of ESRD. The 5-year patient survival rate in both hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis increased from 2001 to 2013. Since 2013, the patient survival rates in peritoneal dialysis were similar to those in hemodialysis. Cardiovascular complications were the leading cause of death in ESRD patients. Conclusions The incidence and prevalence of Korean ESRD patients have increased over time, although patient survival has also steadily increased. The establishment of a surveillance method to address the major cause of mortality in ESRD patients will help improve outcomes.

Background/Aims: Steatohepatitis related to metabolic syndrome is a chronic liver disease prevalent in patients not only with non-alcoholic steatohepatitis but also with alcoholic liver disease and chronic viral hepatitis. On the other hand, there is limited data on the effects of hepatotonic agents in these patients. Therefore, this study evaluated the efficacy of a combined hepatotonic agent in this population. Methods: Thirty-three adults with chronic hepatitis and one or more components of metabolic syndrome were assigned randomly to receive biphenyl dimethyl dicarboxylate/ursodeoxycholic acid or a placebo for 24 weeks. The primary outcome was the normalization of ALT (≤40 U/L). The secondary outcomes were the change in controlled attenuation parameter, transient elastography, and Chronic Liver Disease Questionnaire score. Results: The 33 patients were assigned randomly to two groups. Eight (50%) of 16 patients who received the intervention drug showed the normalization of ALT, whereas only one (6%) of 17 patients in the placebo group did so. In contrast, the change in controlled attenuation, transient elastography, and Chronic Liver Disease Questionnaire were similar in the two groups. ALT was changed significantly during the four assessment periods, and this change was affected by the group. The interaction between the group and time was also significant. AST was changed significantly during the same period. This change was not affected by the group. Conclusions Biphenyl dimethyl dicarboxylate/ursodeoxycholic acid combination reduced ALT in chronic liver disease related to metabolic syndrome. On the other hand, there is no evidence that this leads to improved hepatic steatosis and fibrosis within 6 months.

Background/Aims: Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), including Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, is a chronic inflammatory disorder of the gastrointestinal tract that requires lifetime management. Many studies have attempted to establish questionnaires and/or parameters to assess the quality of care for IBD patients. However, no study to date has investigated patients using the Q-methodology, which is subjective and has been studied systematically, to identify and categorize their opinions and subjective thinking about their disease and treatment. We have therefore aimed here to conduct a preliminary study of the Q-methodology to investigate the subjective thinking of IBD patients in Korea. Methods: Q-methodology, a method of analyzing the subjectivity of questionnaire items, was examined in this study. Inputs from 50 IBD patients were classified into 34 normalized statements using a 9-point scale with a normal distribution. The collected data were analyzed using the QUANL PC program. Results: Using the Q-methodology, IBD patients were classified into type I, II, III, and IV treatment needs: medical staff-dependent, relationship-oriented, information-driven, and social awareness, respectively. Conclusions The subjective needs of IBD patients and their thoughts about the treatment can be classified into four types. Our findings suggest that we can establish a systematic strategy for personalized care according to patient type.