Associations of Dietary Intake with Cardiovascular Disease, Blood Pressure, and Lipid Profile in the Korean Population: a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

OBJECTIVE: Previous studies have separately reported the contributions of dietary factors to the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and its markers, including blood pressure (BP) and lipid profile. This study systematically reviewed the current evidence on this issue in the Korean population.METHODS: Sixty-two studies from PubMed and Embase were included in this meta-analysis. We performed a random-effects model to analyze pooled odds ratios (ORs) and hazard ratios (HRs) and their 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the consumption of 14 food items, three macro- and eight micro-nutrients, two dietary patterns, and three dietary indices.RESULTS: An analysis of pooled effect sizes from at least four individual study populations showed significant associations between coffee consumption and CVD (OR/HR, 0.71; 95% CI, 0.52–0.97) and elevated/high triglycerides (TG) (OR, 0.84; 95% CI, 0.78–0.90), sugar-sweetened beverage intake and elevated BP (OR/HR, 1.20; 95% CI, 1.09–1.33), and milk and dairy intake and elevated/high TG and elevated high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) (OR/HR, 0.82; 95% CI, 0.76–0.89 for both). Carbohydrate consumption and the low-carbohydrate-diet score were consistently related to an approximately 25% risk reduction for elevated TG and HDL-C. A lower risk of elevated total cholesterol, but not low-density lipoprotein, was additionally observed for those with a higher low-carbohydrate-diet score. A healthy dietary pattern was only associated with a reduced risk of elevated TG in the Korea National Cancer Screenee Cohort (OR, 0.81; 95% CI, 0.67–0.98).CONCLUSION: This study showed that milk and dairy and coffee had protective effects for CVD and its risk factors, such as BP and lipid profile, while sugar-sweetened beverages exerted harmful effects.

Nutritional Support for Patients with Radiation-induced Dysphagia / 대한연하장애학회지

Radiation therapy is a common and effective treatment for various types of head and neck cancers. On the other hand, it usually leads to radiation therapy-induced dysphagia, which manifests as symptoms of obstruction or difficulty in swallowing. Dysphagia may cause several clinical problems, including depression and anxiety disorder, which can degrade a patient's quality of life (QOL). Furthermore, dysphagia may result in malnutrition, dehydration and weight loss, and eventually accelerate the disease. Therefore, it is important to identify the options for measurement and monitoring the nutritional status of dysphagia patients and determine clinically feasible interventions for nutritional supplement. A careful review of the literature provided several important implications. A nasogastric (NG) tube and percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) are useful options for providing nutritional supplement. In addition, continuous monitoring should be given to patients undergoing enteral nutritional support to check the degree to which nutrition supply, aspiration pneumonia or intrinsic enteral nutrition is supplemented. Several special forms of dysphagia diets may also serve as well-balanced nutrition care. Dysphagia patients may be provided with oral nutrition supplement (ONS), including intensified nutritional element, coupled with their preference for tastes and types of viscosity texture.

A Case of Acute Hepatitis B by Occult HBV Infection without HbsAg Seroconversion / 대한내과학회지

Many studies have recently reported reactivation in hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg)-negative subjects with the use of biologic agents such as rituximab. However, occult hepatitis B virus infection itself has little clinical impact. We experienced a case of acute exacerbation caused by occult hepatitis B infection without HBsAg seroconversion. No mutation was found on the major hydrophilic loop of the S protein. The patient recovered from acute exacerbation after antiviral therapy. In conclusion, acute exacerbation can be induced by occult hepatitis B virus infection itself without reactivation. In such a case, antiviral therapy should be considered.

A Case of Dengue Fever with Maculopathy / 감염과화학요법

Dengue fever is transmitted principally by Aedes aegypti, which is not infested in Korea. Therefore, all Korean patients with dengue fever are imported cases from endemic areas such as Southeast Asia. Although disease manifestation and complication of dengue fever are various, ocular involvement is rare. We encountered a patient infected with dengue virus, imported from the Philippines. After defervescence from dengue fever, he complained of blurred vision. Blot hemorrhage with retinal infiltration in the macular area was observed in both eyes. Maculopathy by dengue fever was treated with systemic and intraocular glucocorticoid for two weeks; his ocular condition then showed improvement.

A Case of Peritoneal Tuberculosis Developed after Infliximab Therapy for Refractory RA / 결핵및호흡기질환

Recently, interferon gamma releasing assay has been recommended to compensate the tuberculin skin test (TST) for screening for latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI). Although it improved the detection of LTBI before treatment with tumor necrosis factor blocker, its application to immune suppressed patients is limited. We report a case of peritoneal tuberculosis (TB) developed in a patient who tested positive for TST and QuantiFERON-TB Gold (QFT-G) before infliximab therapy, to emphasize the importance of monitoring during treatment. A 52-year-old woman presented with abdominal distension. She had been diagnosed with seropositive rheumatoid arthritis six years ago. She had started taking infliximab six months ago. All screening tests for TB were performed and the results of all were negative. At admission, the results of repeated TST and QFT-G tests were positive. Histopathological examination confirmed peritoneal TB. The patient started anti-TB therapy and the symptoms were relieved.

Transcatheter Closure of Atrial Septal Defect

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: We report our initial experience with percutaneous transvenous closure of atrial septal defects (ASD). MATERIALS AND METHOD: Between September 1997 and May 2000, we attempted transcatheter closure of ASD in 18 patients using CardioSEALTM (8), STARFlexTM (4) and Amplatzer septal occluder (6). The ages of patients ranged from 4.5-64.8 (mean 32.8) years, body weight ranging from 16-76 (mean 51) kg, Qp/Qs ratio from 1.3-3.4 (mean 2.2). RESULTS: Embolization of device occurred in two patients; right pulmonary artery in one and left atrium in the other. In one patient, the device slipped into the right atrium before detachment. After retrieval of the device, the defect seemed too large for transcatheter closure. There were no other complications apart from a transient aggravation of pre-existing atrial premature beats in two patients. There was no significant size difference between the data measured by transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiography. The stretched ASD diameter was larger (5.1 3.2 mm) than the size measured by transesophageal echocardiography. In the remaining 15 patients, complete closure of defects was confirmed by transthoracic echocardiography on the 1 day or 1 month follow-up. During the same period, transcatheter closure of patent foramen ovale(PFO) was also attempted in 7 patients with stroke. The guidewire could not be passed in 2 of the patients. In the other 5 patients, transcatheter closure was successfully performed without any problems. Though the follow-up period may have been short, no patients were found with further stroke attack. CONCLUSION: Transcatheter closure of ASD can be performed with high efficiency and safety if patient selection is adequate. The indication for ASD closure can be extended to patients with larger defects. Transcatheter closure of PFO is an easy and safe procedure, but the indications of PFO closure in patients with stroke is still unclear. Further evaluation is necessary for long-term results.

The Management of Three Infants with Critical Valvular Aortic Stenosis by Transcarotid Balloon Aortic Valvuloplasty

Critical valvular aortic stenosis(AS) is a life threatening congenital heart anomaly in neonates or infants. The main cause of death is rapidly progressing left ventricular failure. The treatment goal of critical AS is to save left ventricular function early. Before the 1980s, the preferred treatment was surgical valvotomy, however, that operative method had a high mortality rate and risk of re- procedure. These surgical problems encouraged balloon aortic valvuloplasty technique for initial life saving. There were some vascular approaches for balloon aortic valvuloplasty(e.g. femoral artery and vein, umbilical artery and vein, carotid artery). Each approach has some advantages and disadvantages. Balloon aortic valvuloplasty through the right carotid artery makes access to the aortic valve easy, has less vascular complication, and short procedure time and effect of saving femoral artery for reballooning. We had three cases of transcarotid balloon aortic valvuloplasty in infants with critical AS. In our long-term follow up, we had good results, except carotid artery thrombosis in one case. We report the first three Korean cases of balloon aortic valvuloplasty though carotid artery cutdown procedure for critical AS with a brief review of literatures. (J Korean Pediatr Soc 2000;43:820-827)

Outcome of 274 Cases with Prenatal Diagnosis of Congenital Heart Disease: Multicenter Study of Korean Fetal Cardiology Study Group in 1998 / 대한주산의학회잡지

OBJECTIVE: Prenatal diagnosis of congenital heart disease(CHD) has been made by fetal echocardiography and its clinical impact on the outcome of affected cases has been reported. METHODS: A multicenter retrospective study was performed by our study group for the fetal diagnosis of CHD, confirmed postnatally or at second study and/or at autopsy and/or follow up. 274 cases out of 8 centers operating fetal echocardiography in high risk pregnancies were analyzed and their outcome was analyzed according to the presence of associated factors and with respect to the types of the CHD. RESULTS: There were 179 cases of significant CHD, 72 cases of miscellaneous CHD, 23 cases of fetal arrhythmias. Significant CHD consisted of 42 cases of ventricular septal defect(VSD), 17 cases of heterotaxia induding asplenia and polysplenia, 15 cases of complete atrioventricular septal defect(AVSD), 15 cases of coarctation of aorta, 14 cases of hypoplastic left heart syndrome(HLHS), 13 cases of tetralogy of Fallot(TOF), 11 cases of double outlet right ventricle(DORV). These 6 frequent CHDs consisted of 70.9% of significant CHD. The gestational age of the fetuses at diagnosis was 20-41 weeks(83 cases from 5 hospitals: Kangnam and Bundang CHA hospital, Ewha women's university hospital and Samsung medical center). 28.9%(24 out of 83 cases with known gestational age at diagnosis) had been diagnosed before 25 weeks of pregnancy. The most common indication of fetal echocardiography was abnormal obstetric ultrasound findings. Associated extracardiac and chromosomal anomaly was 27.9% and 11.7% respectively. The rate of termination of pregnancy(TOP)/significant CHD was 34.1%. Perinatal mortality was 39.7% induding 61 TOP, 5 fetal death in utero(FDIU), 4 neonatal death and 1 neonatal operative death. The most common factors of TOP were extracardiac and chromosomal anomaly. Five cases of d-transposition of great arteries with intact ventricular septum had been diagnosed prenatally at 3 hospitals, all of them had planned delivery and all survived arterial switch operation in the neonatal period. CONCLUSION: This study represents the impact of fetal echocardiograhpy on the outcome of CHD in Seoul and part of Kyung-Gi area in 1998. The data suggested that significant CHDs could be diagnosed accurately in most hospital But the prenatal detection rates of CHD were relatively low in several hospitil compared to the number of livebirth, probably due to inaccurate prenatal ultrasound screening.