Sungkyunkwan University · Medicine
Professor Geum-Youn Gwak's research lab focuses on the pathophysiological links between non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and systemic metabolic and cardiovascular diseases. The lab investigates how NAFLD, even in the absence of obesity or traditional risk factors, contributes to the development of atherosclerosis, insulin resistance, diabetes, and colorectal neoplasia. A key research direction involves identifying high-risk subgroups—particularly those with 'lean NAFLD'—to enable early intervention and improve clinical outcomes. The lab also explores prognostic factors in hepatocellular carcinoma, especially in advanced-stage disease, to refine patient stratification and treatment strategies.
Figures are computed from collected data and may differ slightly.
In this large cohort study of adult men and women with no history of CVD, NAFLD was significantly associated with the development of CAC independent of cardiovascular and metabolic risk factors. NAFLD may play a pathophysiological role in atherosclerosis development and may be useful to identify subjects with a higher risk of subclinical disease progression.
US-NAFLD was an independent predictor for IR, irrespective of the number of metabolic components of MetS in the non-obese, non-diabetic middle-aged Asian adults. US-NAFLD could identify individuals with IR that cannot be identified by MetS in this population.
In this large cohort study, NAFLD was associated with an increased incidence of myocardial infarction independently of established risk factors. In addition, this association was similar in participants with and without evidence of more advanced NAFLD as indicated by the NFS. NAFLD patients may need to be carefully monitored and managed early to prevent myocardial infarction.
The presence and severity of NAFLD were closely associated with any colorectal neoplasia and advanced colorectal neoplasia, suggesting that clinicians should be aware of the increased risk of colorectal neoplasia in patients with NAFLD.
In this large cohort study, the presence and severity of NAFLD in normal weight adults was associated with an increased incidence of diabetes independently of established risk factors. Indeed, isolated lean NAFLD was a stronger risk factor for incident diabetes than the presence of overweight/obesity without NAFLD. Subjects with lean NAFLD require careful monitoring for the development of metabolic abnormalities.
Portal vein invasion (PVI) and extrahepatic spread (ES) are two tumor-related factors that define advanced stage in the Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) staging system (BCLC stage C), and the recommended first line therapy in this stage is sorafenib. However, the extent of PVI and the type of ES may affect patient prognosis as well as treatment outcome. This study analyzed survival of BCLC stage C HCC patients in order to see whether sub-classification of BCLC stage C is necessary. A total o
HBV-related and HCV-related HCC have clear differences in clinical manifestation, requiring different screening strategy according to etiology to optimize HCC surveillance in HBV-endemic area. However, etiology did not affect treatment outcomes and long-term survival within the same stage except for far advanced tumors.
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