Sae-jun Lee

Rifaximin has been reported to be effective for the treatment of hepatic encephalopathy (HE) in Europe. However, it is unknown whether Rifaximin is effective for the treatment of HE in Koreans, therefore we conducted a open-label prospective randomized study to evaluate the efficacy of rifaximin versus lactulose in Korean patients. Fifty-four patients with liver cirrhosis and hepatic encephalopathy were enrolled. Thirty-two patients were randomized to receive rifaximin and 22 to receive lactulos

BACKGROUND: Biliary tract carcinoma is an aggressive cancer, with median survival rarely exceeding 6 months. There is currently no established palliative standard of care. A Phase II trial was conducted to study a combination of oral capecitabine and gemcitabine (CapGem) as first-line therapy in patients with advanced and/or metastatic biliary carcinoma. METHODS: Patients with unresectable or metastatic intrahepatic or extrahepatic biliary duct carcinoma and gallbladder carcinoma were enrolled.

OBJECTIVE: MMP is a key enzyme in the degradation of extracellular matrices, and its expression plays important roles in inflammatory diseases. Cordycepin (3'-deoxyadenosine), a bioactive compound of Cordyceps militaris, has been shown to exhibit many pharmacological activities, such as anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory and anti-infection activities. In this study, we aimed at the inhibitory effect of cordycepin on IL-1beta-induced MMP-1 and MMP-3 expression as well as the molecular basis using RA

Rifaximin has been reported to be effective for the treatment of hepatic encephalopathy (HE) in Europe. However, it is unknown whether Rifaximin is effective for the treatment of HE in Koreans, therefore we conducted a open-label prospective randomized study to evaluate the efficacy of rifaximin versus lactulose in Korean patients. Fifty-four patients with liver cirrhosis and hepatic encephalopathy were enrolled. Thirty-two patients were randomized to receive rifaximin and 22 to receive lactulos

Collagen is the most excessive extracellular matrix protein in hepatic fibrosis. Activated, but not quiescent, hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) have a high level of collagen and a smooth muscle actin (alpha SMA) expression. HSCs play a key role in the pathogenesis of hepatic fibrosis. We analyzed a mechanism leading to HSC activation by evaluating the role of oxidative stress and the expression of NFkB. In vitro study HSCs were proliferated (PCNA:2% vs 68%) and activated (alpha SMA: 5% vs 78%) by a

BACKGROUND: Endoscopic papillary large balloon dilatation (EPLBD) after endoscopic sphincterotomy (EST) has recently become widely used for common bile duct (CBD) stone removal, but many clinicians remain concerned about post-procedural pancreatitis with increasing the balloon size to over 15 mm. AIMS: We aimed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of EPLBD with a relatively large balloon (15-20 mm) after EST and to evaluate the factors related to post-EPLBD pancreatitis. METHODS: A retrospective

A transmural defect of the upper gastrointestinal (UGI) tract is a life-threatening condition associated with high morbidity and mortality. Recently, endoscopic vacuum therapy (EVT) was used for managing UGI defects and showed promising results. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to synthesize evidence on the efficacy of EVT in patients with transmural defects of the UGI tract. We searched the PubMed, Cochrane Library, and Embase databases for publications on the effect of EVT on

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to evaluate the outcome of adjuvant therapy on the overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) after curative resection (RO) of patients with TNM stage II gallbladder (GB) cancer. METHODS: A total of 160 patients who had received curative resection (RO) between January 2000 and December 2009 were retrospectively reviewed. Among 61 stage II GB cancer patients, 43 received adjuvant therapy, while 18 others received surgery alone. The median follow-up

Multidetector computed tomography was sufficiently accurate for evaluating the vertical extents, but radial extents of EHD cancer. The addition of coronal reformatted images did not improve the accuracy for staging of EHD cancer.

There were no significant differences in stent patency or patient survival in MSCPM-II and CMS patients with malignant biliary obstructions.

Esophageal leiomyoma derived from the muscularis mucosae (MM) is a rare condition, and the optimal modality for diagnosis and treatment is controversial. Endoscopic ultrasonography can provide an accurate image of esophageal layer structure, providing information on lesion suitability for potential endoscopic therapy. We attempted to investigate the diagnostic value of a transendoscopic balloon-tipped miniature ultrasonic endoprobe for small esophageal leiomyomas derived from MM. We resected 7 s

Lipopolysaccharide (LPS), given in vivo, modulates opossum esophageal motor functions by inducing the inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), which increases nitric oxide (NO) production. Superoxide, a NO scavenger, is generated during this endotoxemia. Superoxide is cleared by superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) to protect the physiological function of NO. This study examined whether lower esophageal sphincter (LES) motility, NO release, and iNOS and nitrotyrosine accumulation in the