Expression of CD44 according to Clinicopathologic Characteristics of Gastric Cancer / 이화의대지

OBJECTIVES: Cancer stem cells are defined as focal cluster of cells within a tumor that possess the capacity for self-renewal and differentiation into phenotypically heterogeneous cells. Cluster of differentiation 44 (CD44) is considered one of the gastric cancer stem cell markers. We aimed to investigate how the expression of CD44 varies according to the clinicopathologic characteristics in gastric cancer. METHODS: For this study, 157 patients who received an operation due to gastric cancer between May 1998 and December 2009 were selected. CD44 immunohistochemistry was reviewed using the semi-quantitative scoring of intensity and proportion. The sum of the intensity and proportion scores was calculated, and a score of 2 or less was deemed ‘CD44-negative’ and 3 or more as ‘CD44-positive.’ RESULTS: Among the final 143 subjects, 69 (48.3%) were CD44 positive. Older age, intestinal type gastric cancer, lymphatic invasion, and lymph node metastasis were significantly correlated with expression of CD44. In the multivariate analysis, older age was the only independent factor associated with CD44 expression (P=0.028). CD44 expression was correlated with overall survival, 5-year survival, and disease-free survival. In the multivariate analysis, older age, male gender, and lymphatic invasion were independent predictors of poor overall survival. Also, older age and lymphatic invasion were significant factors in 5-year survival, and lymphatic invasion was an independent factor of poor disease-free survival. CONCLUSION: Older age (≥60 years) was independently associated with CD44 expression in gastric cancer patients. Also, CD44 expression was correlated with poor prognosis in gastric cancer patients.

Multidisciplinary Approach to Refractory Upper Gastrointestinal Bleeding: Case Series of Angiographic Embolization

Although medical and endoscopic hemostasis is now considered as the first-line therapy for nonvariceal upper gastrointestinal (UGI) bleeding, refractory bleeding still occurs in 5%–10% of the patients. In these patients, transcatheter arterial embolization (TAE) or surgery is required, but research on embolization for unmanageable UGI bleeding in Korea is scanty. We reviewed the medical records of 518 patients who underwent endoscopic hemostasis during 4 years. Among these subjects, 8 patients who required embolization due to failure of endoscopic hemostasis were enrolled. Mean patient age was 74.00 ± 8.25 years, and rebleeding occurred in 4 patients within 48 hours after TAE. Three patients with duodenal rebleeding underwent surgery, and the other patient with a gastric ulcer underwent endoscopic hemostasis. Nonvariceal UGI bleeding remains a serious clinical challenge, especially in older patients. A multidisciplinary approach including endoscopists, interventional radiologists, and surgeons may be important for the treatment of nonvariceal UGI bleeding.

Clinical Dimensions of Bloating in Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Bloating is common bothersome symptoms and most studies conducted in the Western countries found that bloating was frequently associated with lower gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms but many patients complaint bloating as upper GI symptoms in the clinical setting. This study was conducted to assess the prevalence of bloating, and to identify symptom grouping and finally document the impact of bloating in the diagnosis of functional GI disorders. METHODS: Participants in a comprehensive health-screening cohort were enrolled. They were asked about demographic, medical, and social history and upper and lower GI symptoms by using a validated questionnaire. Factor analysis with principal component analysis method with varimax rotation was used. RESULTS: Among the total of 1050 subjects (mean age, 44.6 ± 10.2 years; females, 46.4%), significant bloating symptoms were found in 282 (26.9%); the prevalence of functional bloating was 6.9%. Factor analysis revealed a 5-component structure with upper GI symptoms, constipation, diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), constipation-predominant IBS, and fecal incontinence. Abdominal bloating loaded on both the upper GI symptoms (0.51 of loadings) and constipation (0.40). On logistic regression analysis, bloating was more predictable for IBS (OR, 7.5; P < 0.001) than functional dyspepsia (FD; OR, 3.7; P = 0.002). Bloating was more frequently combined with IBS according to their severity, but this association was not detected in patients with FD. CONCLUSIONS: Abdominal bloating is common symptom in about a quarter of patients and appears as upper as well as lower GI symptoms. However, abdominal bloating is more predictable for IBS, especially constipation-predominant IBS, than FD.

A Fatal Case of a Large Abdominal Wall Muscle Hematoma Secondary to Low-Molecular-Weight Heparin Injections / 대한구급학회지

The use of low-molecular-weight heparin (LMWH) can lead to major life threatening complications, including hematomas. Abdominal wall muscle hematomas are rarely fatal, and encompass a wide spectrum of severity depending on size, etiology, and associated complications; but because of their rarity may be misdiagnosed clinically. We report a fatal case of an 80-year-old female who received LMWH after an episode of pulmonary thromboembolism and was subsequently diagnosed with a large right abdominal wall hematoma complicated with hypovolemic shock and acute kidney injury.

The Trend of First-Line and Second-Line Eradication Rates for Helicobacter pylori Infection in a Single Institute in Seoul / 이화의대지

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the rate of first-line eradication and the rate of second-line eradication of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) from 2001 to 2010 in a single institute in Seoul. METHODS: Among the 2,717 patients who received H. pylori eradication treatment from 2001 to 2010 at Ewha Womans University Mokdong Hospital, the medical records of 1,466 patients who satisfied the condition of execution of upper gastrointestinal endoscopy, positive H. pylori eradication results at 6~8 weeks after eradication therapy were reviewed retrospectively. Then the first-line and second-line eradication rates and the eradication rates according to endoscopy findings were also compared. RESULTS: The first-line eradication rate was 77% H. pylori eradication rate for the last 5 years was continuously increasing and no sign of decline was observed even for the whole 10 years. The rates of eradication related to endoscopic findings showed statistical significance (P<0.001) of 79.8% and 70.1% each for peptic ulcer and non-ulcerative gastric diseases, respectively. CONCLUSION: In this study, no decrease in tendency of first-line eradication rate could be found. In addition, the patients with the non-ulcerative gastric disease seemed to show significantly lower eradication rate. This finding suggests eradication treatment may be affected by the category of gastric diseases, and careful considerations should be taken assessing the effects and needs for the H. pylori eradication treatment.

Antiphospholipid Syndrome Presenting Variceal Bleeding in Patient with Systemic Anaerobic Bacterial Infection / 이화의대지

Antiphospholipid antibody syndrome (APS) is characterized by raised levels of antiphospholipid antibodies (aPL), in association with thrombosis, recurrent fetal loss, and thrombocytopenia. Development of APS is related with idiopathic origin, autoimmune disease, malignancy and, on rare occasions, infection. However, in secondary APS combined with bacterial infections, aPL is usually shown with low titer and rarely associated with thrombotic events. A 52-year-old male was admitted due to pneumonia and multiple hepatosplenic abscesses. He had been treated with proper antibiotics, but he presented ascites and sudden variceal bleeding because of portal vein thrombosis. The bleeding was controlled by endoscopic variceal ligation. Acute portal vein thrombosis was successfully managed by low molecular weight heparin and hepatosplenic abscesses were completely resolved by antibiotics. This case suggests that systemic bacterial infection in immunocompetent patients possibly develops into secondary APS.

A Case of Endoscopic Closure to Postoperative Leak after Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy in Patient with Morbid Obesity / 이화의대지

Laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy can reduce morbidity and mortality in patients with morbid obesity, but it can cause complications such as a gastrointestinal leak. A 30-year-old morbidly obese female who had type 2 diabetes mellitus and hypertension with estimated body mass index of 40.2 kg/m2 was admitted. Laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy was performed. On postoperative day 19, a leak was suspicious on physical examination and radiologic findings. Conservative management was performed, but the patient was hemodynamically unstable and imminently septic. After laparoscopic drainage procedure, esophagogastroduodenoscopy was performed and revealed the fistula opening at staple line just below gastroesophageal junction. Fibrin tissue adhesive was injected around the fistula and the esophageal covered stent was inserted to cover the leak. At 14th days after stent insertion, the barium study confirmed no more leak. In this case, we experienced that the esophageal stent insertion with fibrin tissue adhesive injection may reduce recovery time of the fistula developed after laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy.

Recurred Cryptogenic Liver Abscess Secondary to Colon Cancer in a Non-diabetic Man / 이화의대지

The causes of pyogenic liver abscess has been known as biliary tract disease or intrabadominal infection but the large proportions of the patients has no apparent underlying disorders. Recently colonic mucosal lesions were reported in patients with cryptogenic liver abscess and it has been suggested that colonic mucosal break may play a role in developing liver abscess in otherwise healthy patients. We experienced a patient of severe recurrent liver abscess complicated with endophthalmitis only 3 months after successful treatment of initial cryptogenic liver abscess and a polypoid colon cancer was discovered by chance. It seems prudent to proceed colonoscopic examination in patients with cryptogenic liver abscess especially when it is recurrent.

A Case of Staphylococcal Tricuspid Valve Endocarditis With Para-Aortic Abscess in a Patient With Bicuspid Aortic Valve

Paravalvular abscess is a serious complication of infective endocarditis. The aortic valve and its adjacent ring are more susceptible to abscess formation and paravalvular extension than the mitral valve. A 15-years old patient with bicuspid aortic valve presented with staphylococcal tricuspid valve endocarditis complicated by para-aortic abscess that ruptured into the aortic sinus. We report the clinical, laboratory and echocardiographic features and treatment of this patient and conduct a literature review on this subject.