Yonsei medical journal
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Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an ongoing global pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Type I and III interferon (IFN) responses act as the first line of defense against viral infection and are activated by the recognition of viruses by infected cells and innate immune cells. Dysregulation of host IFN responses has been known to be associated with severe disease progression in COVID-19 patients. ⋯ In the absence of a highly efficacious antiviral drug, clinical studies have evaluated recombinant type I and III IFNs, as they have been successfully used for the treatment of infections caused by two other epidemic coronaviruses, SARS-CoV-1 and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS)-CoV. In this review, we describe the strategies by which SARS-CoV-2 evades IFN responses and the dysregulation of host IFN responses in COVID-19 patients. In addition, we discuss the therapeutic potential of type I and III IFNs in COVID-19.
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Yonsei medical journal · Apr 2021
ReviewSerological Biomarkers and Indices for the Current Activity and Prognosis of ANCA-Associated Vasculitis: Experience in a Single Centre in Korea.
Small vessel vasculitis is composed of two types of vasculitis based on immune-complex deposits, immune-complex vasculitis and antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-associated vasculitis (AAV) according to the 2012 Chapel Hill Consensus Conferences Nomenclature of Vasculitis. In general, the current disease-states are assessed in three ways in real clinical practice such as activity, damage and functional status. Birmingham vasculitis activity score (BVAS, version 3) and five-factor score were calculated for assessing the cross-sectional activity and for predicting the prognosis of AAV, respectively. ⋯ It is practically difficult to discover new biomarkers or indices that exceed the reliability of AAV-specific indices or acute-phase reactants established by long clinical experience. However, efforts to discover and develop new biomarkers or indices are expected to complement the clinical unmet need of existing AAV-specific indices and acute-phase reactants. In this review, we reviewed the serological biomarkers and indices that have been reported to date and introduced studies that investigated serological biomarkers and indices in Korean patients with AAV.
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Yonsei medical journal · Mar 2021
ReviewOptimal Complete Rectum Mobilization Focused on the Anatomy of the Pelvic Fascia and Autonomic Nerves: 30 Years of Experience at Severance Hospital.
The primary goal of surgery for rectal cancer is to achieve an oncologically safe resection, i.e., a radical resection with a sufficient safe margin. Total mesorectal excision has been introduced for radical surgery of rectal cancer and has yielded greatly improved oncologic outcomes in terms of local recurrence and cancer-specific survival. Along with oncologic outcomes, functional outcomes, such as voiding and sexual function, have also been emphasized in patients undergoing rectal cancer surgery to improve quality of life. ⋯ With the adoption of minimally invasive surgery, visualization of nerve structure and meticulous dissection for the mesorectum are now possible. As the leading hospital employing this technique, we have adopted minimally invasive platforms (laparoscopy, robot-assisted surgery) in the field of rectal cancer surgery and standardized this technique globally. Here, we review a standardized technique for rectal cancer surgery based on our experience at Severance Hospital, suggest some practical technical tips, and discuss a couple of debatable issues in this field.
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Yonsei medical journal · Feb 2021
ReviewIncidence and Prevalence of Inflammatory Bowel Disease across Asia.
Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), including ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn's disease (CD), are chronic inflammatory disorders of the gastrointestinal tract caused by interactions between genetic, environmental, immunological, and microbial factors. While the incidence and prevalence of IBD in Asian populations were relatively lower than those in Western countries, they appear to be gradually increasing. ⋯ This review describes the latest trends in the incidence and prevalence of IBD in Asia. Studying the epidemiology of IBD in Asia may unravel the etiopathogenesis of and risk factors for IBD.
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Yonsei medical journal · Jan 2021
ReviewA Comprehensive Review of Coronavirus Disease 2019: Epidemiology, Transmission, Risk Factors, and International Responses.
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has caused a worldwide pandemic. The first reports of patients with COVID-19 were provided to World Health Organization on December 21, 2019 and were presumably associated with seafood markets in Wuhan, China. As of October 25, 2020, more than 42 million cases have been confirmed worldwide, with more than 1.1 million deaths. ⋯ Moreover, effective control measures should be further identified by comprehensive evaluation of hospital and community responses. In this review, we provide a comprehensive update on the epidemiology, presentation, transmission, risk factors, and public health measures associated with COVID-19. We also review past insights from previous coronavirus epidemics [i.e., severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS)] to suggest measures to reduce transmission.