• Clinical Nutrition Research
• /
• v.12 no.4
• /
• pp.293-303
• /
• 2023

Patients with chronic renal failure, many of which treated with hemodialysis, present a high prevalence of impaired muscle strength which suggest that muscle mass parameters may be used as markers for changes in muscle in these patients. Measurement of handgrip strength (HGS) is a common, simple, and quick measure of muscle function an indicator of overall muscle strength which has been associated with physical activity and several anthropometric traits. Intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) and insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) are biochemical markers associated with inflammatory processes which are a common consequence of dialysis. Additionally, hemodialysis patients frequently present signs of malnutrition and depression. This cross-sectional study aimed to evaluate if muscle and biochemical markers could be used to predict the risk of depression in hemodialysis patients. Several anthropometric parameters, nutrient intake, depression state and the serum levels of ICAM-1 and IGF-1 were determined and Pearson's correlation coefficient and/or Spearman's correlation coefficient were used to test the correlation between them. Our results do not show a correlation between HGF, IGF-1 and ICAM-1 with the depression status of the patients, but mid-arm muscle circumference (MAMC) was statistically and positively correlated with depression. Additionally, ICAM-1 levels were negatively correlated with HGS, MAMC, and IGF-1. Overall, the results of the present study suggest that HGS may be used as an indicator of cardiovascular diseases and MAMC may be a good predictor of the level of depression in hemodialysis patients, although further studies are required.

• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
• /
• v.20 no.4
• /
• pp.119-128
• /
• 2013

Objectives Memory impairment is a very important mental health issue for elderly and adults. Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is a prodromal stage of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Early detection of the prodromal stage of patients with AD is an important topic of interest for both mental health clinicians and policy makers. Methods Electroencephalograpgy (EEG) has been used as a possible biological marker for patients with MCI, and AD. In this review, we will summarize the clinical implications of EEG and ERP as a biological marker for AD and MCI. Results EEG power density, functional coupling, spectral coherence, synchronization, and connectivity were analyzed and proved their clinical efficacy in patients with the prodromal stage of AD. Serial studies on late event-related potentials (ERPs) were also conducted in MCI patients as well as healthy elders. Even though these EEG and ERP studies have some limitations for their design and method, their clinical implications are increasing rapidly. Conclusion EEG and ERP can be used as biological markers of AD and MCI. Also they can be used as useful tools for early detection of AD and MCI patients. They are useful and sensitive research tools for AD and MCI patients. However, some problems remain to be solved until they can be practical measures in clinical setting.

• Animal cells and systems
• /
• v.8 no.1
• /
• pp.41-47
• /
• 2004

The kallikrein-kinin system affects regulation of blood pressure, and genes encoding for the components of this system have been considered as good candidates for hypertension. To evaluate the relationship between genetic polymorphisms of candidate genes involved in this system and hypertension, we performed case-control studies using genetic markers in Korean normotensives and hypertensives, respectively. By association study, there was a marginal association with hypertension in AA genotype distribution of A1789G polymorphism in the hKLK1 gene (P=0.0754). Thus, this genetic polymorphism may weakly contribute to the susceptibility to hypertension in Koreans. We also observed that significant linkage disequilibrium exists among three polymorphic sites in the hKLK1 gene studied, suggesting that the three genetic polymorph isms can be useful as genetic markers in clinical association studies. Further studies using larger sample sizes and more genetic markers will be needed to clarify genetic influence of kallikrein-kinin system for hypertension.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• v.15 no.15
• /
• pp.6295-6300
• /
• 2014

Our aim was to investigate the value of combined detection of serum carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), carbohydrate antigen (CA) 19-9, CA 242 and CA 50 in diagnosis and assessment of prognosis in consecutive gastric cancer patients. Clinical data including preoperative serum CEA, CA 19-9, CA 242, and CA 50 values and information on clinical pathological factors were collected and analyzed retrospectively. Univariate and multivariate survival analyses were used to explore the relationship between tumor markers and survival. Positive rates of tumor markers CEA, CA 19-9, CA 242 and CA 50 in the diagnosis of gastric cancer were 17.7, 17.1, 20.4 and 13.8%, respectively, and the positive rate for all four markers combined was 36.6%. Patients with elevated preoperative serum concentrations of CEA, CA 19-9, CA 242 and CA 50, had late clinical tumor stage and significantly poorer overall survival. Five-year survival rates in patients with elevated CEA, CA 19-9, CA 242 and CA 50 were 28.1, 25.8, 27.0 and 24.1%, respectively, compared with 55.0, 55.4, 56.4 and 54.5% in patients with these markers at normal levels (p<0.01). In multivariate Cox proportional hazards analyses, an elevated CA 242 level was determined to be an independent prognostic marker in gastric cancer patients. Combined detection of four tumor markers increased the positive rate for gastric cancer diagnosis. CA 242 showed higher diagnostic value and CA 50 showed lower diagnostic value. In resectable gastric carcinoma, preoperative CA 242 level was associated with disease stage, and was found to be a significant independent prognostic marker in gastric cancer patients.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
• /
• v.60 no.1
• /
• pp.24-29
• /
• 2017

Purpose: Previously, Kawasaki disease (KD) treatment with low-dose aspirin was administered for 6-8 weeks after the acute phase. However, inflammatory marker levels normalize before 6-8 weeks. In this study, we aimed to investigate the clinical outcome of short-term low-dose aspirin treatment based on inflammatory and thrombotic marker levels. Methods: We performed a retrospective review of the medical records of patients with KD who were hospitalized at Chungnam National University Hospital between September 2012 and May 2014. When fever subsided, low-dose aspirin treatment was started. Inflammatory (white blood cell count, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, and C-reactive protein) and thrombotic markers (D-dimer) were monitored at follow-ups conducted in 1- to 2-week intervals. The low-dose aspirin administration was terminated when both markers were normalized and no cardiovascular complications were observed. Results: Eighty-four patients with KD (complete KD, n=49; incomplete KD, n=35) were enrolled. The inflammatory and thrombotic marker levels were normalized within 3-4 weeks on average. At the beginning the low-dose aspirin treatment, 9 patients had coronary artery lesions but 75 did not. When the low-dose aspirin administration was terminated at the time the inflammatory marker levels were normalized, no new CALs developed during the follow-up at 6-8 weeks. Conclusion: Most of the inflammatory marker levels were normalized within 3-4 weeks after the acute phase of KD. New cardiovascular complications did not develop during the course of the short-term aspirin treatment based on the inflammatory marker levels, clinical findings, and echocardiography.

• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
• /
• v.11 no.1
• /
• pp.33-39
• /
• 2004

Objective:Nitric oxide(NO) has been known to be associated with tolerance and preference to alcohol. It has also been known to affect various alcohol drinking behavior, alcohol withdrawal symptoms and alcohol- induced brain damage. The purpose of this study was to determine the difference, among alcohol dependence group, alcohol drinking group and abstinence group, in serum concentration of nitrite, a stable metabolite of NO, and it's relationship to clinical and biochemical markers of alcoholism. Methods:Forty subjects diagnosed as alcohol dependence according to DSM-IV diagnostic criteria were evaluated for the clinical characteristics and biochemical markers of alcohol dependence including nitrite with their CIWA-Ar scores checked just after admission. Thirty-nine healthy controls were also evaluated, divided into twenty-three alcohol drinking group and sixteen abstinence group. Clinical characteristics were evaluated by CIWA-Ar, CAGE and AUDIT questionnaires. Aspartate aminotransferase(AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), gamma glutamyltransferase(GGT) and mean corpuscular volume(MCV) were used as the biochemical markers of alcohol dependence. Serum nitrite concentrations were measured by Griess reaction. Results:1) The concentrations of nitrite in alcohol dependence patients were not different from those in the control subjects. 2) There were no significant association between the nitrite concentrations and the CIWA-Ar scores in alcohol dependence patients. 3) Nitrites are significantly increased in alcohol dependence group and alcohol drinking group compared with abstinence group. Conclusions:These findings suggest that serum nitrite concentration has no relation with alcohol withdrawal symptoms, but alcohol drinking increases serum nitrite concentration influenced by general condition of the body.

• Journal of Korean Traditional Oncology
• /
• v.24 no.1
• /
• pp.19-28
• /
• 2019

Objective : The purpose of this study is to report and observe effects of Integrative Cancer Treatment (ICT) on metastatic breast cancer patient. Method : A left breast cancer patient diagnosed with recurrence on liver and bones April 2018. The patient had received paclitaxel chemotherapy for two months and discontinued it because of tumor progression and side effects. The patient has been treated with ICT since March 2018 and has been taking capecitabine since October 2018. The clinical outcomes were measured by computed tomography, laboratory findings including tumor markers (CEA, CA15-3). The clinical outcomes were measured by computed tomography, laboratory findings including tumor markers (CEA, CA15-3), liver function test (AST, ALT), Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status (ECOG PS), and numeric rating scales (NRS). Results : After the ICT, tumor size was partially decreased accompanying by reducing the levels of tumor markers. Major clinical symptoms induced by paclitaxel chemotherapy were improved. There were no severe adverse events induced by ICT based on National Cancer Institute Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (NCI CTCAE) version 5.0. Conclusion : This case suggests that ICT may have synergistic effect for the treatment of metastatic breast cancer patient in conjunction with capecitabine.

• Clinical Nutrition Research
• /
• v.11 no.3
• /
• pp.171-182
• /
• 2022

As a result of a nutrition transition, chronic diseases, including diabetes, have increased in Iran. Nutrition education is a cost-effective method for modifying diet and controlling diabetes. This study aimed to examine the effect of nutrition education using MyPlate recommendations on glycemic and lipid profiles and inflammatory markers in Iranian adults diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. A 12-week randomized clinical trial was conducted on 44 adults aged 30-50 years from Ahvaz, Iran. The participants were divided into education and control groups. The education participants were taught the MyPlate recommendations. Serum levels of fasting blood sugar (FBS), hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), lipid profiles, and inflammatory markers, including high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), tumor necrosis factor-α, and adiponectin, were measured at the baseline and the end of the study. The results showed that serum levels of FBS (p = 0.014) and HbA1c (p < 0.001) decreased significantly in the education group at the end of the study. The serum level of low-density lipoprotein in the education group declined significantly at the end of the study (p = 0.043). Furthermore, the serum level of hs-CRP (p = 0.005) declined significantly while the level of adiponectin (p = 0.035) increased in the education group at the end of the study. The evidence of this study showed that nutrition education using MyPlate recommendations is an effective method for controlling diabetes complications. A longitudinal analysis with a larger sample size is recommended to confirm the evidence of this study.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
• /
• v.52 no.6
• /
• pp.621-629
• /
• 2014

Malaria is one of the most widespread infectious diseases of tropical countries with an estimated 207 million cases globally. In India, there are endemic pockets of this disease, including Aligarh. Hundreds of Plasmodium falciparum and P. vivax cases with severe pathological conditions are recorded every year in this district. The aim of this study is to find out changes in liver enzymes and kidney markers. Specific diagnosis for P. falciparum and P. vivax was made by microscopic examination of Giemsa stained slides. Clinical symptoms were observed in both of these infections. Liver enzymes, such as AST, ALT, and ALP, and kidney function markers, such as creatinine and urea, were estimated by standard biochemical techniques. In Aligarh district, P. vivax, P. falciparum, and mixed infections were 64%, 34%, and 2%, respectively. In case of P. falciparum infection, the incidences of anemia, splenomegaly, renal failure, jaundice, and neurological sequelae were higher compared to those in P. vivax infection. Recrudescence and relapse rates were 18% and 20% in P. falciparum and P. vivax infections, respectively. Liver dysfunctions and renal failures were more common in P. falciparum patients, particularly in elderly patients. Artesunate derivatives must, therefore, be introduced for the treatment of P. falciparum as they resist to chloroquine as well as sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine combinations.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
• /
• v.32 no.1
• /
• pp.17-25
• /
• 2019

Purpose: We investigated how prehospital, emergency room (ER), and delta shock indices (SI) correlate with outcomes including mortality in patients with polytrauma. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 1,275 patients who visited the emergency department from January 2015 to April 2018. A total of 628 patients were enrolled in the study. Patients were divided into survivor and non-survivor groups, and logistic regression analysis was used to investigate independent risk factors for death. Pearson coefficient analysis and chi-square test were used to examine the significant relationship between SI and clinical progression markers. Results: Of 628 enrolled patients, 608 survived and 27 died. Multivariate logistic regression analysis reveals "age" (p<0.001; OR, 1.068), "pre-hospital SI >0.9" (p<0.001; OR, 11.629), and "delta SI ${\geq}0.3$" (p<0.001; OR, 12.869) as independent risk factors for mortality. Prehospital and ER SIs showed a significant correlation with hospital and intensive care unit length of stay and transfusion amount. Higher prehospital and ER SIs (>0.9) were associated with poor clinical progression. Conclusions: SI and delta SI are significant predictors of mortality in patients with polytrauma. Moreover, both prehospital and ER SIs can be used as predictive markers of clinical progression in these patients.