Yang Won Min

BACKGROUND: The risk of spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP) associated with proton pump inhibitor (PPI) use has been raised in cirrhotic patients with ascites. However, this is based on case-control studies, often with a small series. AIM: To determine whether PPI use increases the risk of SBP using a large cohort. METHODS: This retrospective cohort study included 1965 cirrhotic patients with ascites diagnosed between January 2005 and December 2009. The SBP incidence rate was compared betwee

VCE did not have a significant impact on the long-term outcome of patients with OGIB. Patients with angiodysplasia on VCE or OGIB>3 months need to be closely followed even after interventional treatment. In patients who are taking anticoagulants, discontinuation of drugs is necessary in order to lower the risk of rebleeding.

BACKGROUND: Anastomotic leak is the most common and serious complication following esophagectomy. Endoscopic vacuum-assisted closure (EVAC) is a promising method for treating anastomotic leak. We aimed to evaluate the efficacy of EVAC and to identify factors associated with longer treatment duration for esophageal anastomotic leak following esophagectomy for cancer. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed 20 esophageal cancer patients who had undergone EVAC for anastomotic leak after esophagectomy.

Gastric cancer remains one of the most common causes of cancer death. However the proportion of early gastric cancer (EGC) at diagnosis is increasing. Endoscopic treatment for EGC is actively performed worldwide in cases meeting specific criteria. Endoscopic mucosal resection can treat EGC with comparable results to surgery for selected cases. Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) increases the en bloc and complete resection rates and reduces the local recurrence rate. ESD has been performed wi

Our data suggest that composite yogurt enriched with acacia fiber and B. lactis has greater therapeutic effects in patients with IBS than standard yogurt.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Surgical resection (SR) and transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) have been commonly applied for patients with huge hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, optimal treatment has not been established. METHODS: Between 2000 and 2009, 267 patients with huge HCC (≥ 10 cm) underwent TACE and 84 underwent SR as the first treatment. Propensity score matching generated a matched cohort composed of 152 patients. We investigated overall survival and possible prognostic factors. RESU

Gut microbiota and their metabolites like bile acid (BA) have been investigated as causes of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) symptoms. Primary BAs are synthesized and conjugated in the liver and released into the duodenum. BA biotransformation by gut microbiota begins in the intestine and results in production of a broad range of secondary BAs. Deconjugation is considered the gateway reaction for further modification and is mediated by bile salt hydrolase, which is widely expressed by the gut mic

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a common and chronic gastrointestinal disorder. Probiotics may have the potential to impact the management of IBS; however, the results of trials are conflicting. This study aimed to investigate whether a mixture of lactobacilli probiotics could improve abdominal symptoms in patients with unconstipated IBS. Fifty Vietnamese patients with unconstipated IBS were randomly assigned to either the probiotics or placebo groups. During the intervention, participants too

BACKGROUND AND AIM: The present study aimed to assess the real impact of proton pump inhibitor (PPI) use on incidence of recurrent spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP) in a homogenous population composed of cirrhotic patients with a previous SBP where differences related with SBP incidence between PPI users and non-users are less likely to exist. METHODS: This retrospective cohort study enrolled 307 cirrhotic patients taking diuretics for ascites control and had a previous SBP. Patients who t

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Acute hepatic failure (AHF) is one of the most serious complications of transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE). The aims of this study were to investigate risk factors of AHF after TACE and to establish a predictive model for AHF. METHODS: In the evaluation set, a total of 820 patients who underwent TACE as a first treatment for hepatocellular carcinoma were included. The demographic, laboratory, radiological and treatment-related factors were analysed to identify risk

The clinical significance of ineffective esophageal motility (IEM) together with multiple rapid swallow (MRS) has not been yet evaluated in the Chicago Classification v3.0. This study evaluated the adjunctive role of MRS in IEM and determined the criteria of abnormal MRS to maximize the utility of IEM. We analyzed 186 patients showing IEM or normal esophageal motility (NEM), who underwent esophageal high-resolution impedance-manometry for esophageal symptoms. Two different criteria for abnormal