Association of visceral adiposity and insulin resistance with colorectal adenoma and colorectal cancer

BACKGROUND/AIMS: To examine whether visceral adiposity serves as a risk factor for colorectal cancer (CRC) and colorectal adenomas. METHODS: Two hundred healthy subjects, 200 patients with colorectal adenoma, and 151 patients with CRC (46 with early-stage and 105 with advanced-stage cancers) were enrolled at a tertiary referral hospital. All subjects underwent colonoscopy, and had laboratory data, and computed tomography (CT) scan available for abdominal fat measurement. An abdominal CT scan taken 1 to 4 years (mean interval, 20.6 months) before the diagnosis of CRC was also available in the 42 CRC patients. RESULTS: The mean areas of visceral adipose tissue (VAT) areas in the control, adenoma, early- and advanced-stage CRC groups were 94.6, 116.8, 110.4, and 99.7 cm², respectively (P0.05). The risk of both adenoma and CRC positively correlated with fasting plasma glucose levels (P for trend <0.05). In patients with early-stage cancer (n=17), VAT area decreased when the CT scan at diagnosis was compared with that taken before the diagnosis of CRC, but superficial adipose tissue area did not, so visceral-to-total fat ratio significantly decreased (46.6% vs. 50.7%, respectively, P=0.018) CONCLUSIONS: VAT area is related to the risk of colorectal adenoma. However, VAT decreases from the early stages of CRC. Impaired fasting glucose has a role in colorectal carcinogenesis.

Clinical outcomes of surveillance colonoscopy for patients with sessile serrated adenoma

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Sessile serrated adenomas (SSAs) are known to be precursors of colorectal cancer (CRC). The proper interval of follow-up colonoscopy for SSAs is still being debated. We sought to determine the proper interval of colonoscopy surveillance in patients diagnosed with SSAs in South Korea. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of patients diagnosed with SSAs who received 1 or more follow-up colonoscopies. The information reviewed included patient baseline characteristics, SSA characteristics, and colonoscopy information. RESULTS: From January 2007 to December 2011, 152 SSAs and 8 synchronous adenocarcinomas were identified in 138 patients. The mean age of the patients was 62.2 years and 60.1% patients were men. SSAs were located in the right colon (i.e., from the cecum to the hepatic flexure) in 68.4% patients. At the first follow-up, 27 SSAs were identified in 138 patients (right colon, 66.7%). At the second follow-up, 6 SSAs were identified in 65 patients (right colon, 66.7%). At the 3rd and 4th follow-up, 21 and 11 patients underwent colonoscopy, respectively, and no SSAs were detected. The total mean follow-up duration was 33.9 months. The mean size of SSAs was 8.1±5.0 mm. SSAs were most commonly found in the right colon (126/185, 68.1%). During annual follow-up colonoscopy surveillance, no cancer was detected. CONCLUSIONS: Annual colonoscopy surveillance is not necessary for identifying new CRCs in all patients diagnosed with SSAs. In addition, the right colon should be examined more carefully because SSAs occur more frequently in the right colon during initial and follow-up colonoscopies.

Partial Androgen Insensitivity Syndrome Presenting with Gynecomastia

Gynecomastia is a benign enlargement of the male breast caused by the proliferation of glandular breast tissue. Determining the various causes of gynecomastia such as physiological causes, drugs, systemic diseases, and endocrine disorders is important. Androgen insensitivity syndrome (AIS) is a rare endocrine disorder presenting with gynecomastia and is a disorder of male sexual differentiation caused by mutations within the androgen receptor gene. All individuals with AIS have the 46 XY karyotype, although AIS phenotypes can be classified as mild, partial or complete and can differ among both males and females including ambiguous genitalia or infertility in males. We experienced a case of partial AIS presenting with gynecomastia and identified the androgen receptor gene mutation.

Papular Mucinosis in a Renal Transplantation Recipient / 대한이식학회지

Papular mucinosis (PM, scleromyxoedema) is a rare dermatologic disease. It is histologically characterized by a focal dermal deposit of mucin within the skin. Although PM is accepted as an idiopathic disease in most cases, some authors argued that it may be a cutaneous manifestation of a systemic disease. Here, we describe a 68-year-old male kidney transplantation recipient with a complaint of intractable itching sensation on the forehead. We diagnosed the skin lesions as PM, which were improved after cyclosporine dose reduction.

Clinical Correlation between Serum Cytokeratin-18 and Metabolic Parameters in Patients with Sonographic Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease / 대한소화기학회지

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The serum cytokeratin-18 (CK-18) has been suggested to be a surrogate marker of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). The aim of this study was to investigate the correlation between CK-18 and metabolic parameter in NAFLD patients. Correlation between CK-18 and macronutrient composition was also assessed. METHODS: A total of 212 subjects were recruited. Blood chemistry including fasting glucose, cholesterol level, AST, ALT, and CK-18 were compared. Data on calorie intake and carbohydrate consumption were acquired by five-day-diet diary using 24 hour recall method. RESULTS: Plasma CK-18 were markedly increased in patient with NAFLD compared with control group (420.4+/-282.3 vs. 313.6+/-179, p<0.001). Plasma CK-18 were positively correlated with systolic blood pressure (r=0.130), ALT (r=0.503) and negatively correlated with HDL cholesterol (r=-0.246). NAFLD patients with metabolic syndrome had higher CK-18 level than those without metabolic syndrome (484.0 vs. 372.1 U/L, p=0.021). When NAFLD patients were subdivided into two groups with CK-18 cut-off value of 400 U/L, patients with CK-18 level over 400 U/L showed higher body mass index (28.0+/-4.5 vs. 25.5+/-4.3), subcutaneous abdominal fat (283.5+/-172.2 vs. 195.7+/-147.8), AST (52.7+/-26.3 vs. 40.7+/-23.5) and ALT (102.0+/-52.6 vs. 61.2+/-32.2). Calorie intake (r=0.301) and carbohydrate intake (r=0.305) also showed positive correlation with CK-18. CONCLUSIONS: Plasma CK-18 showed positive correlation with metabolic parameters as well as calorie and carbohydrate intake when its cut-off value of greater than 400 U/L was used.

Corrigendum: Clinical Correlation between Serum Cytokeratin-18 and Metabolic Parameters in Patients with Sonographic Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease / 대한소화기학회지

This correction is being published to correct the third author's Korean name.

Disseminated Cryptococcosis with Cutaneous Manifestation in a Renal Transplant Recipient: A Case Report / 대한이식학회지

Cryptococcosis commonly affects patients with immune dysfunction, as in the case of immunosuppression in organ transplant patients or as acquired immunodeficiency syndrome in patients afflicted with human immunodeficiency virus. The varied appearance of cryptococcal skin lesion makes clinical diagnosis of cutaneous cryptococcosis difficult. Cryptococcosis proves to be a fatal fungal infection in the immunocompromised patient. Therefore, diagnosis and early treatment of cryptococcosis become vital. A 56-year-old renal transplant recipient, with an ongoing immunosuppression regimen of cyclosporine, prednisolone, and mycophenolate mofetil, was admitted with a 2-week history of pain and edema of right arm without respiratory symptoms. Despite empiric antibiotic therapy, the patient continued to complain of severe tenderness of the involved arm and fever persisted as well. On the third day of hospital stay, a biopsy of the erythematous skin lesion was acquired. On the eighth day of hospital stay, results of both skin biopsy and blood cultures showed the presence of Cryptococcus neoformans. The treatment was begun with intravenous fluconazole (400 mg/day). After 4 days of antifungal treatment, the patient developed fever along with cough with purulent sputum. As the new developing symptoms were suggestive of pneumonia, especially of pulmonary cryptococcosis, the antifungal agent was changed from fluconazole to amphotericin B treatment (0.8 mg/kg, 50 mg/day). Chest computer tomography showed improvement in the pneumonic infiltration and consolidation after 4 weeks of amphotericin B treatment. In conclusion, cellulitis in immunocompromised patients should be suspected in case of highly atypical infectious etiology, and skin biopsy should not be delayed if empiric antibiotic therapy does not control the inflammatory response. Additionally, the patient should be treated with intravenous amphotericin B treatment in case of severe cryptococcosis.

A Case of Ischemic Steal Syndrome in a Renal Transplantation Recipient / 대한이식학회지

Ischemic steal syndrome (ISS) is one of the serious complications that can occur after construction of an arteriovenous fistula (AVF) for hemodialysis (HD). Because AVF-related ISS symptoms are usually aggravated during HD sessions, a few cases of ISS in kidney transplantation (KT) recipients have been reported in the literature. We describe a 63-year-old male with diabetic nephropathy who created AVF for maintenance HD and presented with pain at rest and tissue necrosis of the left distal fingers at 10 years post-KT. Brachial angiography revealed the presence of attenuated blood flow through the distal ulnar artery. He underwent finger amputation and AVF ligation, leading to complete relief of ischemic symptoms. The aim of this case report is to help clinicians to diagnosis a steal syndrome in kidney transplantation with a careless AVF for a long period of time.

A Case of Colonic Giant Lipoma Removed by Endoscopic Resection / 대한소화기내시경학회지

Colonic lipomas represent mesenchymal origin tumors that are second most common benign colonic tumor after hyperplastic polyps and adenomatous polyps. The patho-genesis of them is not clear. Most patients are asymptomatic and the lesion is often detected incidentally at colonoscopy, operation, and autopsy. According to the size and the location of lipoma, it may cause intestinal obstruction, perforation, intussusception, and life-threatening bleeding. There have been many reports of small colonic lipomas removed by endoscopic resection. Giant lipoma which is greater than 2 cm in size has been associated with higher risk of perforation, thus it has been removed by surgery until now. We report a case of colonic giant lipoma inducing intussusception which could be removed by endoscopic resection.