Gut and Liver

Translating Gut Microbiota into Diagnostics: A Multidimensional Approach for the Diagnosis of Inflammatory Bowel Disease
Lee JY, Yoo JH, Kim JE, Bae JW and Lee CK
The gut microbiota has emerged as a key factor in the pathophysiology of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), providing novel opportunities for diagnostic innovation. Traditional biomarkers, such as C-reactive protein and fecal calprotectin, are widely used in clinical practice; however, their ability to reflect disease complexity and microbial dysregulation remains limited. Recent advances in metagenomics and multi-omics integration have enabled high-resolution profiling of microbial communities and their functional capacities and associated metabolites. Differential abundance analysis and machine learning models have been used to identify microbial biomarkers that can distinguish patients with IBD from healthy individuals. Multicohort studies integrating microbiome and metabolomic data have further improved diagnostic accuracy and generalizability. Transcriptomic and proteomic analyses provide complementary insights into host-microbe interactions and disease mechanisms. In this review, we explored the potential of metagenomic biodata as diagnostic markers for IBD, with an emphasis on a multidimensional analytical approach. We highlight the recent developments in sequencing technologies, computational pipelines for microbial feature selection, and machine learning strategies applied to biomarker discovery. The integration of multi-omics data deepens our understanding of host-microbe interactions and facilitates the development of microbiota-informed diagnostic tools. As multidimensional microbial profiling evolves, its clinical utility for the diagnosis and stratification of IBD requires further investigation.
Prognostic Impact of Varices and Hemorrhagic Events in Hepatocellular Carcinoma Patients Treated with Atezolizumab Plus Bevacizumab
Park J, Lee DH, Hur MH, Lee YB, Cho EJ, Lee JH, Kim YJ, Yoon JH and Yu SJ
Although atezolizumab plus bevacizumab has significantly improved the life expectancy of patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), it also increases bleeding risks. This study aimed to identify factors associated with bleeding events and evaluate their impact on prognosis.
Prevention, Detection, and Management of Post-Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography Pancreatitis
Kang H, Park CH and Ryu K
Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) is a widely used diagnostic and therapeutic procedure for pancreaticobiliary diseases. However, its relatively invasive nature necessitates a thorough understanding of potential adverse events and appropriate preventive strategies. Post-ERCP pancreatitis (PEP), the most common ERCP-related adverse event, occurs in approximately 10% of cases. While often mild, severe cases can rapidly progress and lead to clinical deterioration and mortality. The pathogenesis of PEP involves direct tissue injury, impaired ductal drainage, inflammatory mediator release, and individual susceptibility. These insights have informed the currently employed prevention and management strategies. PEP risk factors include both patient- and procedure-related variables, underscoring the need for precise risk stratification and individualized procedural planning. Evidence-based preventive strategies-such as rectal nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, prophylactic pancreatic stent placement, aggressive intravenous hydration, guidewire-assisted cannulation, and other pharmacologic agents-have demonstrated efficacy in reducing PEP incidence. Future developments, including optimal combination strategies and machine learning-based risk prediction models, may further improve outcomes. Significantly reducing the burden of PEP requires integrating mechanistic insight and risk stratification with timely, evidence-based prevention and management.
Creation of a Durable Conduit with a Novel Self-Expandable Metal Stent for Stone Extraction in Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography: A Pilot Study
Cho E and Park CH
Despite technical advancements, various conditions such as bleeding diathesis and altered anatomy challenge the creation of a durable conduit for biliary stone removal in endoscopic retrograde Cholangiopancreatography (ERCP). A fully covered self-expandable metal stent (SEMS) has been used as a robust conduit for drainage in a wide spectrum of pancreatobiliary diseases. However, its primary use for stone removal has not been fully evaluated. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of a novel fully covered SEMS that is 3 cm in length and has a wide distal flare as a durable conduit for stone extraction through the papilla.
Colonoscopy Quality and Strategies for Improvement
Lee HJ and Ladabaum U
Colonoscopy plays a pivotal role in colorectal cancer (CRC) screening and reduces CRC incidence and mortality. Its effectiveness depends on colonoscopist performance, which can vary. Missed lesions during colonoscopy can lead to post-colonoscopy CRC (PCCRC), making high-quality colonoscopy essential for maximizing the preventive benefit of CRC screening. This review highlights the significance of colonoscopy quality indicators and practices for improvement. Bowel preparation, cecal intubation, and withdrawal time are key process indicators for procedure quality and are closely associated with the adenoma detection rate (ADR) and PCCRC risk. Given the role of colonoscopy in preventing CRC through the removal of precancerous lesions, the ADR serves as the core quality metric and the most reliable predictor of PCCRC. Serrated polyps have gained attention in colonoscopy quality research, as 15% to 30% of CRCs arise from serrated lesions, with an increased detection rate inversely associated with PCCRC risk. This emphasizes the critical need for continuous efforts by colonoscopists to enhance performance quality. Systemic interventions, audits and feedback during endoscopist education, basic and enhanced withdrawal and inspection techniques, and technologies such as mucosal exposure devices and computer-aided detection have demonstrated efficacy in increasing the ADR. While artificial intelligence has shown promise in increasing the ADR, inconsistent outcomes in real-world studies underscore the continued importance of the fundamental aspects of high-quality colonoscopy techniques, including complete mucosal exposure. Understanding quality indicators and ensuring high-performance quality in daily practice will ultimately lead to better CRC prevention outcomes.
Serial Liver Stiffness Measurement and Serum Biomarkers Are Not Strong Predictors of the Regression of Fibrosis among Chronic Hepatitis B Patients Receiving Antiviral Therapy Based on Triple Liver Biopsies
Zhang J, Chen S, Zhou J, Wang B, Wu X, Xu X, Zhao X, Kong Y, Ou X, Sun Y and You H
Noninvasive indexes can be used to diagnose and stage liver fibrosis caused by chronic hepatitis B (CHB). We aimed to evaluate whether changes in the liver stiffness measurement (LSM) and serum biomarkers can predict liver fibrosis regression in CHB patients based on triple liver biopsies.
Efficacy and Safety of Bowel Cleansing with Mini S-Oral Sulfate Tablet versus the Conventional Oral Sulfate Tablet: A Prospective, Randomized, Investigator-Blinded, Multicenter, Noninferior, Phase 3 Trial
Park SK, Jeon SR, Yang DH, Chun J and Cha JM
Conventional oral sulfate tablets (OSTs) and mini-OSTs have gained popularity for bowel preparation in South Korea. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy, tolerability, and safety of mini S-OSTs, which have fewer tablets and include simethicone compared to the mini-OSTs.
Incidence of Chronic Kidney Disease According to Steatotic Liver Disease and Its Subclassifications: A Longitudinal Cohort Study
Kim A, Kang D, Choi SC, Sinn DH, Jang HR and Gwak GY
Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a significant health problem worldwide, and identifying risk factors for CKD is crucial. We investigated the association between steatotic liver disease (SLD) and the incidence of CKD.
Structured Integration of an Artificial Intelligence-Based System for the Optical Diagnosis of Colorectal Polyps
Kang HY, Kang S, Chung GE, Baek DH, Lee HS, Park J, Yang SY, Lim SH, Choi JM, Kim J and Bae JH
Recent advances in computer-aided diagnosis (CADx) systems have demonstrated expert-level accuracy in the optical diagnosis of colorectal polyps. High-confidence (HC) diagnoses have been defined as those made within 3 seconds without hesitation, and these systems have been shown to improve diagnostic accuracy. We aimed to evaluate the performance of endoscopists with varying levels of experience in diagnosing colorectal polyps with the assistance of a new CADx system applying the 3-second rule and without artificial intelligence assistance.
Mucosal Brush Sampling Increases the Detection Rate of the Rapid Urease Test: A Pilot Study
Bang CS, Choi AI, Choi JG, Lee JJ and Gong EJ
Accurate diagnosis of and timely eradication therapy for are crucial for managing and preventing adverse clinical outcomes associated with infection. infection is typically diagnosed using endoscopic biopsy-based tests such as the rapid urease test (RUT). In this study, we investigated the usefulness of mucosal brush sampling for detection using the RUT and culture.
Effectiveness and Tolerability of Anti-Tumor Necrosis Factor Alpha Therapy in Refractory Intestinal Behçet's Disease: A Large Single-Center Study
Chang JY, Kim J, Park SJ, Park JJ, Kim TI, Cheon JH and Park J
Intestinal Behçet's disease (BD) is a rare, chronic intestinal vascular disorder often refractory to conventional therapy. We aimed to assess the effectiveness and tolerability of anti-tumor necrosis factor alpha (anti-TNF-α) therapy in patients with moderate to severe refractory intestinal BD.
Establishing Epidemiological Cutoff Values for Strains in Korea: A Model-Based Analysis of Antibiotic Resistance Patterns
Noh JH, Kim JM, Jung HY, Ahn JY, Lee SM, Jeon SW, Kwon YH, Lee JH, Choi KD and Gong EJ
The absence of standardized clinical minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) breakpoints for infection has resulted in inconsistent resistance definitions, even within the same research group in Korea. Therefore, establishing epidemiological cutoff values (ECOFFs) is essential for standardization.
Challenging the Tradition of Fasting: Early Oral Refeeding After Post-Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography Pancreatitis Shows Safety and Efficiency
Lee YS and Yoon JH
Clinical Efficacy of Real-Time Artificial Intelligence-Assisted Colonoscopy in Colorectal Polyp Detection: A Prospective Multicenter Randomized Controlled Trial
Jeon HJ, Keum B, Jeong ES, Kim SE, Moon CM, Lee B, Kim S, Choi HS, Lee JM, Kim ES and Jeen YT
Early detection and removal of colon polyps are critical for preventing colorectal cancer. Computer-aided detection (CADe) systems have been introduced to increase the polyp detection rate (PDR) during colonoscopy, potentially enhancing its effectiveness. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of a CADe system in colorectal neoplasm detection.
Is Negative Fecal Immunochemical Test Reassuring? The Cumulative Risk of Colorectal Cancer after Multiple Negative Tests
Wen CP, Tsai MK, Wen C, Chu TD and Chen CH
Colorectal cancer (CRC) risk is approximately 0.1% according to registry data, and fecal immunochemical tests (FITs) identify approximately 5% of screened individuals as positive. We evaluated whether a negative FIT result is reassuring regarding CRC risk.
Diagnostic Performance and Potential Harms of Population-Based Esophagogastroduodenoscopy for Gastric Cancer Screening
Choi HI and Cha JM
Effective implementation of population-based esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) screening requires careful evaluation of its diagnostic performance and potential harms. This study aimed to assess the diagnostic performance and potential harms of EGD for gastric cancer screening under the National Cancer Screening Program.
Mortality and Cardiovascular Outcomes in Patients with MAFLD Compared with Patients with MASLD: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Yang J, Kim YR, Na SK, Kim S, An J and Shim JH
Although metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) and metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) represent the updated nomenclature and diagnostic criteria for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, studies comparing the prognostic implications of these conditions remain limited. This meta-analysis aimed to quantify the associations among MAFLD, MASLD, and long-term clinical outcomes.
Long-term Outcomes after the Complete Resection of Rectal Neuroendocrine Tumors: A Multicenter Cohort Study
Kim ER, Jeong ES, Kim MJ, Kim SJ, Kim B, Soh JS, Kim JH, Lee HS, Kim JE and Kim JH
Although rectal neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) ≤1 cm in size are generally considered low-risk tumors that are suitable for endoscopic resection, the long-term outcomes after histologically complete resection remain unknown.
In-Hospital Hepatitis C Alarm System: A Strategy to Enhance Linkage to Care for Hepatitis C Virus Infection
Jeong J, Lee CH, Kim BS and Song JE
The World Health Organization aims to eliminate hepatitis C virus (HCV) by 2030; however, linkage to care rates remain suboptimal. To address this, an in-hospital HCV alarm system integrated into electronic medical records (EMRs) was implemented to increase confirmatory testing and referral rates.
Real-World Experience of Switching from Intravenous to Subcutaneous Vedolizumab in Korean Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease
Jun YK, Choi Y, Shin CM, Park YS, Kim N, Lee DH, Hwang SW and Yoon H
Subcutaneous (SC) vedolizumab (VDZ) has recently become available for patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in Korea. This retrospective observational study aimed to evaluate the clinical outcomes and safety of switching from intravenous (IV) to SC VDZ.
Is Vaccination a Risk Factor for Hepatitis B Reactivation?
Solay AH and Kul G