Enhanced A-FABP expression in visceral fat: potential contributor to the progression of NASH

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Adipose tissue is an active endocrine organ that secretes various metabolically important substances including adipokines, which represent a link between insulin resistance and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). The factors responsible for the progression from simple steatosis to steatohepatitis remain elusive, but adipokine imbalance may play a pivotal role. We evaluated the expressions of adipokines such as visfatin, adipocyte-fatty-acid-binding protein (A-FABP), and retinol-binding protein-4 (RBP-4) in serum and tissue. The aim was to discover whether these adipokines are potential predictors of NASH. METHODS: Polymerase chain reaction, quantification of mRNA, and Western blots encoding A-FABP, RBP-4, and visfatin were used to study tissue samples from the liver, and visceral and subcutaneous adipose tissue. The tissue samples were from biopsy specimens obtained from patients with proven NASH who were undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy due to gallbladder polyps. RESULTS: Patients were classified into two groups: NASH, n=10 and non-NASH, n=20 according to their nonalcoholic fatty liver disease Activity Score. Although serum A-FABP levels did not differ between the two groups, the expressions of A-FABP mRNA and protein in the visceral adipose tissue were significantly higher in NASH group than in non-NASH group (104.34 vs. 97.05, P<0.05, and 190.01 vs. 95.15, P<0.01, respectively). Furthermore, the A-FABP protein expression ratio between visceral adipose tissue and liver was higher in NASH group than in non-NASH group (4.38 vs. 1.64, P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: NASH patients had higher levels of A-FABP expression in their visceral fat compared to non-NASH patients. This differential A-FABP expression may predispose patients to the progressive form of NASH.

Usefulness of Model for End-stage Liver Disease Score for Predicting Mortality after Intra-abdominal Surgery in Patients with Liver Cirrhosis in a Single Hospital / 대한소화기학회지

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Recent studies have suggested that the model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) score is superior to the Child-Turcotte-Pugh (CTP) score as a predictor of postoperative mortality, especially up to 90 days. This study aimed to determine whether MELD score can predict the postoperative outcome of patients with liver cirrhosis in Korea. METHODS: We reviewed the medical records of 98 patients with liver cirrhosis who underwent intra-abdominal surgery under generalized anesthesia between March 2003 and December 2008 at Kangbuk Samsung Hospital. Univariate and multivariate cox proportional hazards analyses were performed to determine the correlation between risk factors and mortality. RESULTS: Eighty-two percent of patients (n=80) were male. Mean MELD score was 10.82+/-3.84. Common causes of liver cirrhosis were hepatitis B (57.2%) and alcohol (22.4%). Ninety-day mortality ranged from 2.1% (MELD score, or =17). By multivariate analysis, MELD score>9 (HR 2.490; [95% CI 1.116-5.554; p=.026]) and American Society of Anesthesiologists Class > or =IV (HR 2.433; [95% CI 1.039-5.695; p=.041]) predicted mortality at 30 days after surgery. Only MELD score was a predictor of prognosis at 90 days (HR 2.446; [95% CI 1.118-5.352; p=.025]). Etiology of cirrhosis and CTP score were not predictors of mortality. CONCLUSIONS: MELD score was a useful predictive parameter of postoperative mortality at 30 days and 90 days, independent of the etiology of cirrhosis.

A Case of Tuberculous Peritonitis Confirmed by Laparoscopic Biopsy in a Patient Receiving Maintenance Hemodialysis Patient after Renal Transplantation / 대한이식학회지

Tuberculosis is an opportunistic infection that causes significant morbidity and mortality in recipients of renal transplants. Although tuberculous peritonitis is easily diagnosed by paracentesis, it is difficult to diagnosis in the absence of ascites. Laparotomy and laparoscopic biopsies are needed for the diagnosis of tuberculous peritonitis. According to recent reports, the latter has a better outcome because of fewer associated complications. A case of tuberculous peritonitis in a renal transplant patient is reported that was diagnosed by laparoscopic peritoneal biopsy

A Case of Cronkhite-Canada Syndrome Conducted with Capsule Endoscopy of Small Intestine / 대한소화기내시경학회지

Cronkhite-Canada syndrome is a very rare syndrome. This non-familial hamartomatous polyposis syndrome is characterized by multiple polyps on the entire gastrointestinal tract, nail dystrophy, skin pigmentation and systemic alopecia. The courses of this syndrome could be classified into five types according to clinical symptoms; diarrhea, taste disturbance, xerostomia, abdominal pain and alopecia. Cronkhite-Canada syndrome has a high mortality rate up to 45~60% due to nutritional absorption disturbance, hypoalbuminemia, recurrent infection, sepsis, heart failure and gastrointestinal bleeding. A pathogenesis of Cronkhite-Canada syndrome is still unknown, and only conservative treatment is available. We diagnosed a 55 years-old female with Cronkhite-Canada syndrome based on the clinical symptoms of nail change, taste disturbance and alopecia, and the histologic finding of polyps in the entire gastrointestinal tract; these polyps were found in the stomach, small intestine and large intestine via capsule endoscopy. We report on this case and we review the relevant medical literature.

A case of hepatocellular carcinoma combined with solitary parathyroid metastasis / 대한내과학회지

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the third leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide1). Extrahepatic metastasis of HCC is now increasing due to prolonged survival. Most extrahepatic HCC occurs in patients with advanced stages. The lung, abdominal lymph nodes, and bone are common sites of extrahepatic metastasis. However, the parathyroid gland has not been reported as a metastatic focus. We report the first case of parathyroid metastasis as the first single metastasis site of HCC and microscopic tumor-to-tumor metastasis to a parathyroid adenoma.

A Case of Metachronous Metastasis to the Breast from Non-Small Cell Lung Carcinoma / Journal of the Korean Cancer Association, 대한암학회지

Breast metastases from an extramammary primary tumor are very rare and the prognosis for such patients is generally poor. We report here on a case of a 42-year-old female with metastasis of non-small cell lung cancer to the breast, and she is now being followed up on an outpatient basis. In 2004, she presented with a solitary pulmonary nodule in the left lung, and this lesion had been noted to have gradually increased in size over time. The final pathological diagnosis was adenocarcinoma, and the diagnosis was made by performing percutaneous needle aspiration and lobectomy of the left upper lobe. Adjuvant chemotherapy and radiotherapy were given. Unfortunately, a nodule in the left breast was noted three years later, and metastatic non-small-cell lung cancer to the breast was diagnosed by excisional biopsy. Making the correct diagnosis to distinguish a primary breast carcinoma from a metastatic one is important, because the therapeutic plan and outcome for these two types of cancer are quite different.

Comorbid diseases in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease / 대한내과학회지

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a wide spectrum of diseases that are ranging from simple steatosis to nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and cirrhosis. NAFLD has been recognized as a hepatic feature of metabolic syndrome linked with insulin resistance. Recent evidence supports that NAFLD is associated with numerous systemic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, chronic kidney disease, type 2 diabetes, obesity, metabolic syndrome. Therefore, NAFLD should be newly considered not only an liver specific disease, but also early mediator of systemic metabolic disease. The underlying mechanism and pathogenesis of harmful effect of NAFLD on other medical disorders are yet to be fully understood and major questions remain that must be solved to decreased morbidity and mortality from the spectrum of NAFLD. So further research is needed for future therapeutic strategies of NAFLD. This review focuses on the relationship between NAFLD and various comorbid disease.