PurposeThis study evaluated dog and cat allergies and their association with allergen avoidance measures in Korean adults.MethodsThe study population consisted of 537 adults who currently kept dogs or cats and participated in a pet exhibition in Korea. The subjects were asked to complete questionnaires regarding pet ownership, allergen avoidance, and allergy symptoms, and underwent skin prick tests. They were considered to have a dog or cat allergy if they suffered from one or more of allergy symptoms during contact with their pets.ResultsIn total, 103 of 407 dog owners (25.3%) and 45 of 130 cat owners (34.6%) had a dog or cat allergy, respectively. Dog owners kept 1.3±1.5 dogs; this number did not differ according to the presence of dog allergy. Dog owners with a dog allergy had owned their dogs longer than those without (88.0±72.0 vs 67.5±72.7 months, P<0.05). Cat owners kept 2.1±3.6 cats; this number did not differ according to the presence of cat allergy, nor did the duration of cat ownership. Cat owners with a cat allergy had facial contact and slept with their cats less frequently (8.6±11.9 vs 18.3±27.0 times/day, P<0.01; 71.1% vs 81.2%, P<0.05); however, they had their cats shaved and beds cleaned less frequently than those without (1.8±3.3 vs 3.2±4.4 times/year, P<0.05; 1.5±1.5 vs 3.9±6.0 times/month, P<0.01).ConclusionsCat owners with a cat allergy tried to minimize contact with their cats, but efforts to avoid indoor cat allergens were lower than those without. In comparison, dog owners with a dog allergy had kept their dogs for longer time than those without; however, current contact with their dogs and allergen avoidance measures did not differ between the 2 groups.
Background/Aims: The utility of serum pepsinogen (sPG) I and the sPGI/II ratio as biomarkers for screening individuals with gastric cancer (GC) has not been established in Korea. The aim of this study was to define the role of sPG, especially sPGII, in GC screening. Methods: This study enrolled 2,940 subjects, including patients with GC (n=1,124) or gastric dysplasia (n=353) and controls (n=1,463). Tests to determine sPG levels and Helicobacter pylori (HP) infection status were performed. Area under the curve and receiver operating characteristic curve were calculated to identify the optimal cutoff values for sPG. The usefulness of sPG levels for the detection of GC and gastric dysplasia was validated by multivariate logistic regression. Results: The sPGI/II ratio was associated with the risk of gastric dysplasia and advanced-stage intestinal-type GC (IGC). In contrast, sPGII was associated with the risk of early-stage diffuse-type GC (DGC). Significantly higher risk was indicated by an sPGI/II ratio <3 for gastric dysplasia and advanced-stage IGC and by sPGII levels ≥20 μg/L for early-stage DGC. Positive HP status showed a stronger association with DGC than with IGC. When sPGII level and HP status were combined, the prevalence of DGC was higher in the ≥20 μg/L sPGII and HP-positive group. Age younger than 40 years was strongly related to early-stage DGC, especially in females (odds ratio, 21.00; p=0.006). Conclusions: sPGII ≥20 ng/mL and positive HP status suggest a risk of earlystage DGC, particularly in young adult females in South Korea.
Background and Aims:Prominin-1 (PROM1) is known to be upregulated in hepatocytic progenitor cells (HPCs) and cholangiocytes of fibrotic livers. To understand the function of upregulated PROM1 during liver fibrosis, we analyzed liver fibrosis from global and liverspecific Prom1 knockout mice and investigated the molecular mechanism of how Prom1 protects the liver against liver fibrosis. Methods:We analyzed PROM1 expression from human liver with mild and severe liver fibrosis (n=4-9). Liver fibrosis was induced by carbon tetrachloride (CCl 4 ) treatment and bile duct ligation (BDL) from wild type and global and liver-specific knockout mice (n=3-13).The severity of liver fibrosis was determined by qRT-PCR, immunostaining and immunoblotting for fibrotic markers such as αSMA, collagen. TGFβ signaling was also analyzed from fibrotic liver and primary hepatocytes of wild type and global and liverspecific knockout mice (n=3-5). Molecular interaction between PROM1 and SMAD7 was determined by endogenous and exogenous co-immunoprecipitation.Results: PROM1 was found in the plasma membranes of both healthy and fibrotic hepatocytes and cholangiocytes. Global Prom1 knockout aggravated BDL-and CCl 4 -induced liver fibrosis. Prom1 -/hepatocytes showed increased TGFβ signaling due to reduced SMAD7 protein expression compared to that in wild-type hepatocytes. PROM1 prevented SMURF2-induced SMAD7 ubiquitination and degradation by interfering with the molecular association of SMAD7 with SMURF2. We also demonstrated that liver-specific Prom 1 knockout aggravated BDL-induced liver fibrosis due to reduced levels of SMAD7. Conclusion:Hepatocytic PROM1 stabilizes SMAD7, preventing TGFβ signaling. Thus, PROM1 is necessary for the negative regulation of TGFβ signaling during liver fibrosis.
Background The aim of this study was to investigate the trends of atrophy and intestinal metaplasia (IM) in 2002 subjects without significant gastroduodenal diseases. Materials and Methods A total of 2002 subjects were prospectively enrolled and divided into three periods (2003‐2007, 2008‐2012, and 2013‐2018). Trends of H pylori and atrophy/IM scored by Updated Sydney System were analyzed according to sex, and multivariate logistic analysis was performed for the risk factors for atrophy/IM. Results H pylori‐negative and H pylori‐positive subjects were 1220 (61.0%) and 782 (38.0%), respectively. H pylori positivity decreased from 149/303 (49.2%), 207/515 (40.2%) and 426/1184 (36.0%), in the three periods, respectively (P < 0.001). The prevalence of atrophy (P < 0.001) and IM in the corpus (P < 0.001) significantly decreased over 15 years in females, but not in males. The mean grade of atrophy and IM was higher in males (0.36 and 0.51) than in females (0.28 and 0.41) in the corpus (P = 0.027) and in the antrum (P = 0.006), respectively. Similarly, the mean grade of IM in males (0.34) was higher in females (0.19; P < 0.001) in the corpus. Multivariate analysis showed that old age, study period, and H pylori were statistically significant in atrophy of antrum and corpus, and IM in the corpus. In cases of IM of antrum, old age, H pylori, and smoking were statistically significant. Conclusion A significant decrease in atrophy and IM in the corpus in females over 15 years suggests sex‐ or gender‐specific characteristics.
Background/Aims: The incidence of gastric cancer (GC) in Korea is very high compared to that in other countries. The aim of this study was to investigate the trends of GC in patients for over 16 years. Materials and Methods: A total of 1,227 patients with GC were prospectively enrolled at Seoul National University Bundang Hospital between 2003 and 2018. Age, sex, histologic type (Lauren classification), and Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection status were compared between three periods (2003~2007, 2008~2012, and 2013~2018). H. pylori infection status was evaluated based on histology, rapid urease test, culture, serology, and history of H. pylori eradication. Patients with severe atrophy or intestinal metaplasia based on histology were assumed to have previous H. pylori infection. Results: Most patients with GC underwent endoscopic mucosal resection/endoscopic submucosal dissection or another type of surgery. Early GC (EGC) and advanced GC (AGC) were detected in 769 (62.7%) and 458 (37.3%) patients, respectively, and intestinal and diffuse types were detected in 714 (58.2%) and 485 (39.5%) patients, respectively. The prevalence of EGC increased from 54.0% (252/467) to 63.5% (359/565) to 81.0% (158/195) in 2003~2007, 2008~2012, and 2013~2018, respectively. The prevalence of H. pylori-positive GC decreased from 93.4% (436/467) to 88.5% (500/565) to 82.1% (160/195) during these three periods, respectively (P<0.001). Multivariate logistic analysis showed that diffuse-type GC was continuously more prevalent in those who were younger than 50 years, who were female, and who harbored the predominant AGC type. Conclusions: Over 16 years, the prevalence of EGC increased with a decrease in H. pylori infection rate. Diffuse-type GC was continuously more common in young and female patients.
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