Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease is associated with coronary artery disease in Koreans

AIM:To investigate whether nonalcoholic fatty liver disease(NAFLD)affects coronary artery disease(CAD)and identify candidate mediators.METHODS:Patients who underwent coronary angiography were consecutively recruited.The patients were classified into four groups by coronary artery stenosis:A,insignificant;B,one-vessel disease;C,two-vessel disease;and D,three-vessel disease.Abdominal ultrasonography was performed to determine the presence of a fatty liver and categorize by grade:0,no evidence;1,mild;2,moderate;and 3,severe.We measured not only known CAD risk factors,but also serum insulin,HOMA-index,adiponectin,interleukin-6,tumor necrosis factor-αand high-sensitivity C-reactive protein levels.RESULTS:Of the 134 patients who met the inclusion criteria,82(61.2%)had ultrasonographically diagnosed NAFLD.Among the 46 patients with CAD,37(80.4%)had evidence of a fatty liver.The two groups(A vs B-D)were significantly different in terms of age,total cholesterol,triglycerides,low-density lipoprotein levels and fatty liver.Coronary artery stenosis was strongly associated with fatty liver in a grade-dependent manner(P=0.025).In binary logistic regression,NAFLD was a significant independent predictor of CAD(P=0.03,OR=1.685;95%CI:1.051-2.702).Among the candidate mediators,the serum adiponectin level showed a trend toward lowering based on CAD progression(P=0.071).CONCLUSION:NAFLD is an independent risk factor for CAD in a grade-dependent manner.Moreover,adiponectin might be related to the pathogenesis of NAFLD.

Treatment of pediatric average-risk medulloblastoma using craniospinal irradiation less than 2500 cGy and chemotherapy: single center experience in Korea

Background:Although craniospinal irradiation (CSI) of 2340 cGy plus tumor booster with chemotherapy have been established as a standard treatment of childhood average-risk (AvR) medulloblastoma (MBL) in Western counties,there are a few recent reports in outcomes ofAvR MBL using this strategy in Korean and other Asian children.We investigated the outcome of the Korean children with AvR MBL who were treated with CSI <2500 cGy and chemotherapy.Methods:Between January 2001 and December 2010,clinical characteristics and outcomes of 42 patients who were diagnosed with AvR MBL postoperatively and treated with radiation including CSI <2500 cGy and chemotherapy in Seoul National University Children's Hospital were analyzed.Results:Their median age was 9 years (range:3-18.8),and 29 were male.Histological subtypes were classic type in 28 patients,nodular/desmoplastic in 7,and large cell/anaplastic (LCA) in 7.All the patients received adjuvant radiotherapy (CSI with median 2340 cGy and booster) and multiagent chemotherapy as the first-fine treatment.With a median follow-up of 54 months,12 patients experienced relapse or progression of the tumor.The 3-and 5-year disease-free survival (DFS) rates were 78.0%±6.5% and 75.0%±6.9%,respectively,and overall survival (OS) rates were 85.3%±5.6% and 76.8%±6.9%,respectively.The LCA subtype was associated with poorer DFS (P=0.023) and OS (P=0.008),compared with non-LCA subtypes.Conclusion:The outcomes of children and adolescents with AvR MBL treated with radiation including CSI <2500 cGy and chemotherapy,are compatible to those in Western countries;however,the LCA subtype has a poor outcome with this strategy.