Korean J Intern Med

Role of hyperinsulinemia and glucose intolerance in the pathogenesis of nonalcoholic fatty liver in patients with normal body weight.

Year 1998
Lee JH. Rhee PL. Lee JK. Lee KT. Kim JJ. Koh KC. Paik SW. Rhee JC. Choi KW.
Department of Medicine, Sung Kyun Kwan University College of Medicine, Samsung Medical Center, Seoul, Korea.
OBJECTIVES: The pathogenesis of nonalcoholic fatty liver in non-obese persons is poorly understood. We aimed to elucidate whether hyperinsulinemia and glucose intolerance are associated with development of fatty liver in patients with normal body weight. METHODS: Forty-seven patients with fatty liver were divided into non-obese (n = 25) and obese groups (n = 22) according to age adjusted body mass index. Inclusion criteria were as follows: (1) elevated transaminase levels during more than 3 months of follow up period, (2) no detectable HBsAg or anti-HCV in the serum, (3) alcohol consumption less than 40 gm/week, (4) no use of potential hepatotoxic drugs within 3 months and (4) sonographic evidence of fatty liver(moderate to severe degree). Baseline insulin levels and oral glucose tolerance test using 75gm of glucose were performed and the results were compared in each group of patients. RESULTS: Mean baseline insulin levels were elevated in both groups above the reference value, 9.3 +/- 3.5 microU/L in non-obese group and 9.9 +/- 3.5 microU/L in obese group (p = 0.26). Seventeen of non-obese patients (68%) had elevated basal insulin level and 16 of obese patients (73%) had elevated basal insulin level (p = 0.39). In oral glucose tolerance test, there was no difference in glucose level between non-obese and obese groups from O minute to 180 minutes (p > 0.05). Eleven patients from the non-obese group (44%) and 8 patients from the obese group (36%) had either impaired glucose tolerance or diabetes (p = 0.29). CONCLUSION: Our data suggest that hyperinsulinemia and glucose intolerance may play a role in the pathogenesis of fatty liver in patients with normal body weight as well as in patients with obesity.

Massive bleeding from left colonic arteriovenous malformation in a young patient with ventricular septal defect.

Year 1998
Jung GM. Bak YT. Know OS. Oh JH. Kim JS. Kim JH. Keum JH. Park CM. Cha IH. Kim KI. Kim HK.
Department of Internal Medicine, Korea University Guro Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
Arteriovenous malformation of the gut is well known to have been an important bleeding focus in past ages. We report a young Korean male patient, who had been known to have ventricular septal defect, presenting massive lower gastrointestinal bleeding from an arteriovenous malformation involving a long segment of the left colon. Angiographic, gross and histologic findings are presented and the literature is reviewed.

A case of Behcets syndrome with supeior vena cava syndrome.

Year 1998
Han DS. Kim JB. Lee OY. Sohn JH. Park KN. Park CK.
Department of Internal Medicine, Radiology Hanyang University Kuri Hospital, Korea.
Behcet's syndrome is a multi-systemic and chronic disorder that affects many organs. It has been suggested that the diagnosis was based on the presence of the 'major' and 'minor' clinical criteria. When thromobophlebitis, arthritis, central nervous system or gastrointestinal lesions are also present. Behcet's syndrome will be thought to be present in the appropriate geographic area. We report a case of superior vena cava syndrome caused by Behcet's disease in a 40-year-old man with recurrent oral aphthous ulcers and skin rashes on the anterior chest wall. There were multiple thrombosis of the superior vena cava, innominate and subclavian veins. This patient also had a solitary cecal ulcer with an ileocecal fistula and downhill varix. The chest CT, veno-cavography, pulmonary angiography and colon study were taken and follow-up was performed.