Changes in Serum Osteocalcin are Not Associated with Changes in Glucose or Insulin for Osteoporotic Patients Treated with Bisphosphonate

BACKGROUND: Bisphosphonate is used in osteoporosis treatment to repress osteoclast activity, which then decreases levels of osteocalcin (OC). OC, a protein secreted by osteoblasts and released from the bone matrix during osteoclastic bone resorption, has been found to control blood glucose levels by increasing insulin production and sensitivity. The question addressed in this study is whether decreasing OC through bisphosphonate treatment will provoke a change in glucose homeostasis. METHODS: Eighty-four patients with osteoporosis were treated with once-weekly risedronate 35 mg and cholecalciferol 5,600 IU. We measured fasting plasma glucose (FPG), insulin, and undercarboxylated (Glu) and carboxylated (Gla) OC levels at baseline and after 16 weeks. To estimate insulin resistance (IR) and beta-cell function (B)%, homeostasis model assessment (HOMA)-IR and HOMA-B% were also calculated, respectively. RESULTS: The mean FPG level in total subjects increased significantly from 5.3 to 5.5 mmol/L, but no changes in blood glucose were noted in the 24 subjects with impaired fasting glucose. Glu and Gla OC levels declined significantly after treatment. No correlations were observed between changes in OC and changes in glucose, however. CONCLUSIONS: Bisphosphonate treatment for osteoporosis reduced OC, but this change was not associated with changes in glucose metabolism.

A Case of Early Adenocarcinoma at Esophagogastric Junction Treated with Cap-pitted Endoscopic Mucosal Resection / 이화의대지

Surgery is the primary treatment for adenocarcinoma originating from the esophagogastric junction. However, many physicians attempt various endoscopic treatments for the cases of early adenocarcinoma and high-grade dysplasia of esophagogastric junction in order to avoid the high risk of complications associated with surgical resection. Recently, there is an increasing tendency to use endoscopic mucosal resection for the management of early esophageal cancer due to low morbidity and mortality rates. We report here on a case of early adenocarcinoma at esophagogastric junction successfully treated with endoscopic mucosal resection.

A Case of Ruptured Left Gastric Artery Pseudoaneurysm Complicating Percutaneous Endoscopic Gastrostomy (PEG) / 대한소화기내시경학회지

Percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) is an effective method for delivering enteral nutrition to patients with dysphagia, cerebrovascular accidents, Parkinsonnism, dementia, and head and neck cancer. PEG is generally regarded as safe and it is associated with low risks of morbidity and mortality. The complications of the PEG are known to be mostly minor and they include wound infection, gastric leakage, bleeding, ileus, pneumoperitoneum and aspiration pneumonia. We recently experienced a ruptured pseudoaneurysm of the left gastric artery, which was occurred as a complication during PEG insertion in a 73-year-old female. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case report in Korea about successful angiographic embolization for a ruptured pseudoaneurysm of the left gastric artery and this was associated with a PEG procedure.