Background/Aims: To determine the association between evolutionary changes in metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) status and the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in a nationwide population-based cohort. Methods: Information on study participants was derived from the Korea National Health Insurance Service database. The study population consisted of 5,080,410 participants who underwent two consecutive biennial health screenings between 2009 and 2012. All participants were followed up until HCC, death, or 31 December 2020. The association of evolutionary changes in MASLD status, as assessed by the fatty liver index and cardiometabolic risk factors, including persistent non-MASLD, resolved MASLD, incident MASLD, and persistent MASLD, with HCC risk was evaluated using multivariable-adjusted Cox proportional hazards regression. Results: Among the 5,080,410 participants with 39,910,331 person-years of follow-up, 4,801 participants developed HCC. The incidence of HCC in participants with resolved, incident, and persistent MASLD was approximately 2.2-, 2.3-, and 4.7-fold higher, respectively, than that in those with persistent non-MASLD among the Korean adult population. When stratifying the participants according to the evolutionary change in MASLD status, persistent (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR], 2.94; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.68–3.21; P<0.001), incident (aHR, 1.85; 95% CI, 1.63–2.10; P<0.001), and resolved MASLD (aHR, 1.33; 95% CI, 1.18–1.50; P<0.001) had an increased risk of HCC compared to persistent non-MASLD. Conclusions The evolutionary changes in MASLD were associated with the differential risk of HCC independent of metabolic risk factors and concomitant medications, providing additional information on the risk of HCC stratification in patients with MASLD.

Background/Aims: Smoking is considered a risk factor for the development of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). However, the association of a weight change after a change in smoking status and the risk of NAFLD remains undetermined. Methods: This study used the Korean National Health Insurance Service-National Sample Cohort. Based on the first (2009 to 2010) and second (2011 to 2012) health examination periods, 139,180 adults aged at least 40 years were divided into nonsmoking, smoking cessation, smoking relapse, and sustained smoking groups. NAFLD was operationally defined using the fatty liver index. The adjusted odds ratio (aOR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated using multivariable-adjusted logistic regression. Results: Compared to nonsmoking with no body mass index (BMI) change, the risk of NAFLD was significantly increased among subjects with BMI gain and nonsmoking (aOR, 4.07; 95% CI, 3.77 to 4.39), smoking cessation (aOR, 5.52; 95% CI, 4.12 to 7.40), smoking relapse (aOR, 7.51; 95% CI, 4.81 to 11.72), and sustained smoking (aOR, 6.65; 95% CI, 5.33 to 8.29), whereas the risk of NAFLD was reduced among participants with BMI loss in all smoking status groups. In addition, smoking cessation (aOR, 1.76; 95% CI, 1.35 to 2.29) and sustained smoking (aOR, 1.64; 95% CI, 1.39 to 1.94) were associated with higher risk of NAFLD among participants with no BMI change.The liver enzyme levels were higher among participants with smoking cessation and BMI gain. Conclusions Monitoring and management of weight change after a change in smoking status may be a promising approach to reducing NAFLD.

Background/Aims: Accumulating evidence suggests a link between non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and brain health. However, population-based evidence on the association between NAFLD and dementia remains unclear. This study was conducted to determine the association between NAFLD and incident dementia. Methods: The study population included 608,994 adults aged ≥60 years who underwent health examinations between 2009 and 2010. Data were collected from the Korean National Health Insurance Service database. NAFLD was assessed using the fatty liver index (FLI). A Cox proportional hazards regression model was used to determine the association between NAFLD and dementia. Results: During the 6,495,352 person-years of follow-up, 48,538 participants (8.0%) developed incident dementia. The participants were classified into low (FLI <30), intermediate (FLI ≥30 and <60), and high (FLI ≥60) groups. In the overall study population, the FLI groups were associated with a risk of dementia (P for trend <0.001). After propensity score matching, a low FLI was associated with a reduced risk of dementia (adjusted hazard ration [aHR], 0.96; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.93–0.98; P=0.002), whereas a high FLI (NAFLD) was associated with an increased risk of dementia (aHR, 1.05; 95% CI, 1.02–1.08; P=0.001). A higher risk of dementia in the high FLI group than in the intermediate FLI group was attributed to Alzheimer’s disease (aHR, 1.04; 95% CI, 1.01–1.07; P=0.004) rather than vascular dementia (aHR, 0.94; 95% CI, 0.75–1.18; P=0.602). Conclusions NAFLD was associated with an increased risk of dementia, which was attributed to an increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease.

Background/Aims: Metabolic dysfunction (MD)-associated fatty liver disease is a new positive diagnostic criterion based on hepatic steatosis and MD. However, a comprehensive evaluation on the association of MD and hepatic steatosis with incident cardiovascular disease (CVD) has yet to be performed. Methods: This retrospective cohort study included 333,389 participants from the Korean National Health Insurance Service database who received a health examination between 2009 and 2010. Hepatic steatosis was defined using the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey-derived nonalcoholic fatty liver disease scoring system. Cox proportional hazards regression was adopted to determine the adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) with 95% confidence interval (CI) for CVD according to the presence of hepatic steatosis and MD, as well as the composite term. Results: This study included 179,437 men and 153,952 women with a median age of 57 years.Hepatic steatosis with MD (aHR, 2.00; 95% CI, 1.89 to 2.13) and without MD (aHR, 1.30; 95% CI, 1.10 to 1.54) significantly increased the risk of CVD compared to no steatosis without MD (reference). However, steatosis revealed no significant difference in the risk of CVD compared to no steatosis among participants with one MD (aHR, 1.09; 95% CI, 0.91 to 1.30). In participants with steatosis, the presence of one and ≥2 MDs had aHR values of 1.25 (95% CI, 0.87 to 1.79) and 1.71 (95% CI, 1.22 to 2.41), respectively, compared to no MD. Conclusions Combined consideration of hepatic steatosis and MD was significantly associated with increased CVD risk and showed better predictive performance for CVD than hepatic steatosis or MD alone.

Background: and Purpose: Blood pressure (BP) control is strongly recommended, but BP control rate has not been well studied in patients with stroke. We evaluated the BP control rate with fimasartan-based antihypertensive therapy initiated in patients with recent cerebral ischemia. Methods: This multicenter, prospective, single-arm trial involved 27 centers in South Korea. Key inclusion criteria were recent cerebral ischemia within 90 days and high BP [systolic blood pressure (SBP) >140 mm Hg or diastolic blood pressure (DBP) >90 mm Hg]. BP lowering was initiated with fimasartan. BP management during the follow-up was at the discretion of the responsible investigators. The primary endpoint was the target BP goal achievement rate (<140/90 mm Hg) at 24 weeks. Key secondary endpoints included achieved BP and BP changes at each visit, and clinical events (ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03231293). Results: Of 1,035 patients enrolled, 1,026 were included in the safety analysis, and 951 in the efficacy analysis. Their mean age was 64.1 years, 33% were female, the median time interval from onset to enrollment was 10 days, and the baseline SBP and DBP were 162.3±16.0 and 92.2±12.4 mm Hg (mean±SD). During the study period, 55.5% of patients were maintained on fimasartan monotherapy, and 44.5% received antihypertensive therapies other than fimasartan monotherapy at at least one visit. The target BP goal achievement rate at 24-week was 67.3% (48.6% at 4-week and 61.4% at 12-week). The mean BP was 139.0/81.8±18.3/11.7, 133.8/79.2±16.4/11.0, and 132.8/78.5±15.6/10.9 mm Hg at 4-, 12-, and 24-week. The treatment-emergent adverse event rate was 5.4%, including one serious adverse event. Conclusions Fimasartan-based BP lowering achieved the target BP in two-thirds of patients at 24 weeks, and was generally well tolerated.

Aging has become a global problem, and the interest in healthy aging is growing. Healthy aging involves a focus on the maintenance of the function and well-being of elderly adults, rather than a specific disease. Thus, the management of frailty, which is an accumulated decline in function, is important for healthy aging. The adaptation method was used to develop clinical practice guidelines on frailty management that are applicable in primary care settings. The guidelines were developed in three phases: preparation (organization of committees and establishment of the scope of development), literature screening and evaluation (selection of the clinical practice guidelines to be adapted and evaluation of the guidelines using the Korean Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation II tool), and confirmation of recommendations (three rounds of Delphi consensus and internal and external reviews). A total of 16 recommendations (five recommendations for diagnosis and assessment, 11 recommendations for intervention of frailty) were made through the guideline development process. These clinical practice guidelines provide overall guidance on the identification, evaluation, intervention, and monitoring of frailty, making them applicable in primary care settings. As aging and “healthy aging” become more and more important, these guidelines are also expected to increase in clinical usefulness.

Background: and Purpose: Blood pressure (BP) control is strongly recommended, but BP control rate has not been well studied in patients with stroke. We evaluated the BP control rate with fimasartan-based antihypertensive therapy initiated in patients with recent cerebral ischemia. Methods: This multicenter, prospective, single-arm trial involved 27 centers in South Korea. Key inclusion criteria were recent cerebral ischemia within 90 days and high BP [systolic blood pressure (SBP) >140 mm Hg or diastolic blood pressure (DBP) >90 mm Hg]. BP lowering was initiated with fimasartan. BP management during the follow-up was at the discretion of the responsible investigators. The primary endpoint was the target BP goal achievement rate (<140/90 mm Hg) at 24 weeks. Key secondary endpoints included achieved BP and BP changes at each visit, and clinical events (ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03231293). Results: Of 1,035 patients enrolled, 1,026 were included in the safety analysis, and 951 in the efficacy analysis. Their mean age was 64.1 years, 33% were female, the median time interval from onset to enrollment was 10 days, and the baseline SBP and DBP were 162.3±16.0 and 92.2±12.4 mm Hg (mean±SD). During the study period, 55.5% of patients were maintained on fimasartan monotherapy, and 44.5% received antihypertensive therapies other than fimasartan monotherapy at at least one visit. The target BP goal achievement rate at 24-week was 67.3% (48.6% at 4-week and 61.4% at 12-week). The mean BP was 139.0/81.8±18.3/11.7, 133.8/79.2±16.4/11.0, and 132.8/78.5±15.6/10.9 mm Hg at 4-, 12-, and 24-week. The treatment-emergent adverse event rate was 5.4%, including one serious adverse event. Conclusions Fimasartan-based BP lowering achieved the target BP in two-thirds of patients at 24 weeks, and was generally well tolerated.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The quality of anticoagulation is critical for ensuring the benefit of warfarin, but this has been less well studied in Korean ischemic stroke patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). METHODS: This study retrospectively analyzed the data of patients who had an AF-related ischemic stroke and were treated with long-term warfarin therapy in 16 Korean centers. The quality of warfarin therapy was primarily assessed by the time in therapeutic range [TTR; international normalized ratio (INR), 2.0–3.0] and additionally by the proportion of INR values within the therapeutic range. RESULTS: The long-term warfarin-treated cohort comprised 1,230 patients. They were aged 70.1±9.7 years (mean±SD), 42.5% were female, and their CHA₂DS₂-VASc score was 4.75±1.41. The TTR analysis included 33,941 INR measurements for 27,487 months: per patients, 27.6 (SD, 22.4) INR measurements for 22.4 (SD, 12.9) months. The mean TTR of individual patients was 49.1% (95% confidence interval, 47.9–50.3%), and the TTR quartiles were <34.5, 34.5–49.1, 49.1–64.5%, and >64.5%. None of the 16 centers achieved a mean TTR of >60%. Of all INR measurements, 44.6% were within the therapeutic range, 41.7% were <2.0, and 13.7% were >3.0. CONCLUSIONS: In Korean ischemic stroke patients who had AF, the quality of warfarin therapy was low and might be inadequate to effectively prevent recurrent stroke or systemic embolism.
Atrial Fibrillation* ; Cohort Studies ; Embolism ; Female ; Humans ; International Normalized Ratio ; Observational Study* ; Retrospective Studies* ; Stroke* ; Warfarin*

Patients with severe stroke due to acute large cerebral artery occlusion are likely to be severely disabled or dead without timely reperfusion. Previously, intravenous tissue plasminogen activator (IV-TPA) within 4.5 hours after stroke onset was the only proven therapy, but IV-TPA alone does not sufficiently improve the outcome of patients with acute large artery occlusion. With the introduction of the advanced endovascular therapy, which enables more fast and more successful recanalization, recent randomized trials consecutively and consistently demonstrated the benefit of endovascular recanalization therapy (ERT) when added to IV-TPA. Accordingly, to update the recommendations, we assembled members of the writing committee appointed by the Korean Stroke Society, the Korean Society of Interventional Neuroradiology, and the Society of Korean Endovascular Neurosurgeons. Reviewing the evidences that have been accumulated, the writing members revised recommendations, for which formal consensus was achieved by convening a panel composed of 34 experts from the participating academic societies. The current guideline provides the evidence-based recommendations for ERT in patients with acute large cerebral artery occlusion regarding patient selection, treatment modalities, neuroimaging evaluation, and system organization.
Arteries ; Cerebral Arteries ; Consensus ; Humans ; Neuroimaging ; Patient Selection ; Reperfusion ; Stroke* ; Tissue Plasminogen Activator ; Writing

Patients with severe stroke due to acute large cerebral artery occlusion are likely to be severely disabled or dead without timely reperfusion. Previously, intravenous tissue plasminogen activator (IV-TPA) within 4.5 hours after stroke onset was the only proven therapy, but IV-TPA alone does not sufficiently improve the outcome of patients with acute large artery occlusion. With the introduction of the advanced endovascular therapy, which enables more fast and more successful recanalization, recent randomized trials consecutively and consistently demonstrated the benefit of endovascular recanalization therapy (ERT) when added to IV-TPA. Accordingly, to update the recommendations, we assembled members of the writing committee appointed by the Korean Stroke Society, the Korean Society of Interventional Neuroradiology, and the Society of Korean Endovascular Neurosurgeons. Reviewing the evidences that have been accumulated, the writing members revised recommendations, for which formal consensus was achieved by convening a panel composed of 34 experts from the participating academic societies. The current guideline provides the evidence-based recommendations for ERT in patients with acute large cerebral artery occlusion regarding patient selection, treatment modalities, neuroimaging evaluation, and system organization.
Arteries ; Cerebral Arteries ; Consensus ; Humans ; Neuroimaging ; Patient Selection ; Reperfusion ; Stroke* ; Tissue Plasminogen Activator ; Writing