Kye Sook Kwon

Background/Objectives: Malnutrition is a critical determinant of adverse outcomes in geriatric patients. Infectious colitis, which often requires hospitalization due to dehydration and poor oral intake, frequently necessitates parenteral nutrition (PN) when enteral feeding is not feasible. However, evidence regarding the optimal caloric threshold for PN in geriatric patients with infectious colitis remains limited. Methods: In this single-center retrospective observational study, we analyzed 278 geriatric patients (≥65 years) admitted with infectious colitis to a tertiary hospital between 2008 and 2018. Patients hospitalized for more than 7 days or with alternative colitis etiologies were excluded. Daily PN caloric intake was categorized as >1000 kcal/day or ≤1000 kcal/day. Clinical and laboratory data were collected, and logistic regression was used to identify risk factors for prolonged hospitalization (>4 days). Results: Patients receiving > 1000 kcal/day PN had a significantly shorter mean length of stay compared with those receiving ≤ 1000 kcal/day (3.8 ± 1.5 vs. 4.2 ± 1.8 days, p = 0.03). In multivariable analysis, inadequate caloric intake (OR 1.90, 95% CI 1.08–3.34, p = 0.03), admission from a long-term care facility (OR 5.65, 95% CI 1.11–28.87, p = 0.04), elevated ESR (OR 1.74, 95% CI 1.03–2.94, p = 0.04), and lymphopenia (OR 1.95, 95% CI 1.06–3.61, p = 0.03) were independently associated with prolonged hospitalization. No significant difference in in-hospital mortality was observed between groups. Conclusions: Adequate PN supplementation exceeding 1000 kcal/day was associated with a shorter hospital stay in geriatric patients with infectious colitis.

Background/Aims: Propofol is widely used for sedation during upper endoscopy; however, oversedation may increase the risk of complications, including aspiration pneumonia. This study aimed to determine whether propofol overdose is a risk factor for suspected postendoscopic infectious fever (SPIF).Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 1,474 in-patients who underwent upper endoscopy at Inha University Hospital between October 2021 and October 2022. After excluding 400 patients who received interventional procedures, SPIF was defined as new-onset fever (≥38 °C) within three days post-endoscopy with at least one of the following: intravenous antibiotic initiation, leukocytosis (white blood cell≥10,000/mm³), positive blood or sputum cultures, or pneumonia on chest X-ray. The risk factors assessed included comorbidities, sedative type and dosage, procedure duration, and endoscopist’s experience.Results: New-onset fever occurred in 40 patients (3.7%), with 20 (1.9%) meeting SPIF criteria. Multivariable analysis showed propofol overdose (>2.2 mg/kg) significantly increased risks of new-onset fever (odds ratio [OR], 1.03; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.00–1.06; p=0.023) and SPIF (OR, 1.04; 95% CI, 1.00–1.04; p=0.034). Dementia (OR, 1.11, p5 minutes; OR, 1.01; p=0.012) were also risk factors for SPIF.Conclusions: Propofol overdose significantly increases the risk of SPIF. Careful sedation management is essential, especially for patients with dementia or prolonged procedures.

Jongbeom Shin, Boram Cha, Ji Taek Hong, Jin Hee Maeng, and Kye Sook Kwon. Int J Gastrointest Interv 2025;14:103-7. https://doi.org/10.18528/ijgii250041

Seokchan Hong, Ji Hyeon Ju, Sang-Heon Lee, Seung-Jae Hong, Sang-hyon Kim, Ga Young Ahn, Jae Hyun Jung, Jin-Wuk Hur, You-Jung Ha, Jin Kyun Park, Hyun-Sook Kim, Sung Won Lee, Yong-Beom Park, Mie Jin Lim, Yun Sung Kim, Jung Soo Song, Chan-Bum Choi, Seong-Ho Kim, In Ah Choi, Kee Don Choi, Tae Hee Lee, Young Sin Cho, Yong Chan Lee, Kye Sook Kwon, Hyejung Lee, Mihee Park, Junga Heo, Song Baek, Chang-Keun Lee. Gut and Liver -0001;0:. https://doi.org/10.5009/gnl250019

Clinical data on the efficacy and safety of the dual delayed-release formulation of 10-mg esomeprazole (HIP2101) are currently limited. Therefore, this study compared the efficacy and safety of HIP2101 and 20-mg famotidine (RLD2101) in patients with gastric erosions. In this multicenter, randomized, double-blind, active-control, phase III study, 326 patients with endoscopically proven gastric mucosal erosion were randomly assigned to receive either HIP2101 or RLD2101 once daily for 2 weeks. The primary endpoint was the rate of improvement of erosion. Secondary endpoints (rate of cure of erosion and edema, and rate of improvement of hematin and gastrointestinal symptoms) and treatment-emergent adverse events were compared between the groups. Based on the per-protocol set (PPS) analysis, the improvement rates for erosion were 64.9% (98/151) and 63.7% (100/157) in the HIP2101 and RLD2101 groups, respectively (95% confidence interval, -9.5 to 11.9). The lower bound of the 95% confidence interval was greater than the noninferiority margin of -14%. These results were similar to those of the full analysis set (FAS) (HIP2101 group, 64.6%; RLD2101 group, 62.7%). Based on the PPS and FAS analyses, the cure rates for erosion and edema and the improvement rates for hematin and gastrointestinal symptoms were comparable between the groups. The number of adverse events did not differ significantly between the groups. The efficacy and safety of HIP2101 were comparable to those of RLD2101 in the treatment of gastric erosions and symptomatic improvement. These findings suggest that HIP2101 may be a novel treatment option for gastritis (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT05024721).

Recently, fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) has been introduced as an effective treatment option for Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI). However, the risk factors associated with FMT treatment failure have not been well demonstrated. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the risk factors of treatment failure or recurrence after FMT for CDI. This retrospective study included 124 patients with CDI who underwent FMT at Inha University Hospital between November 2017 and August 2021 and were followed up for 8 weeks after FMT for symptoms of CDI. FMT failure was defined as diarrhea recurrence or a positive stool test. We assessed the risk factors for treatment failure, including comorbidities, antibiotic use pre- and post-FMT, and the number of CDI episodes before FMT. Ninety-three patients (75%) experienced symptom improvement <7 days after FMT, while treatment failure occurred in 40 patients (32.3%). Multivariate analysis revealed that males had a lower symptom improvement rate <7 days after FMT (p = 0.049). Patients using antibiotics after FMT showed a higher rate of recurrence or treatment failure in <8 weeks (p = 0.032). Patients requiring antibiotics after FMT should be considered at higher risk of treatment failure. Careful antibiotic stewardship, particularly minimizing non-essential antibiotic use before and after FMT, may significantly enhance treatment outcomes. Further large-scale prospective studies are warranted to confirm these findings and develop targeted antibiotic management protocols for improving the efficacy of FMT in CDI treatment.

In patients with ulcerative colitis (UC), the development of an antidrug antibody (ADA) to anti-tumor necrosis factor (TNF)α agent is a crucial problem which aggravates the clinical course of the disease, being cited as one of the most common causes for discontinuing anti-TNFα treatment. This is due to ADA eventually causing secondary LOR, leading to discontinuation of anti-TNFα treatment. Recently, research on the microbiome and relationship between worsening UC and dysbiosis has been conducted. Further, investigations on the association between the microbiome and secondary LOR are increasing. Here, we present the therapeutic effect of fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) on a 42-year-old man with secondary LOR and high ADA levels. FMT has recently been used for the treatment of, and for overcoming, drug resistance through microbiome modification. Stool samples were collected from the patient before and 4 weeks after FMT. Symptoms, including hematochezia and Mayo endoscopy sub-scores, improved after FMT, while ADA levels decreased by one-third to less than half the value (29 ng/mL) compared to before FMT (79 ng/mL). Additionally, the trough level of infliximab became measurable, which reflects the improvement in the area under the concentration (AUC). Butyricicoccus, Faecalibacterium, Bifidobacterium, Ligilactobacillus, Alistipes, and Odoribacter, which regulate immune responses and alleviate inflammation, also increased after FMT. We report a case in which microbiome modification by FMT increased the AUC of anti-TNFα in a patient who developed secondary LOR during anti-TNFα treatment, thereby improving symptoms and mucosal inflammation.

Older patients with multiple comorbidities often necessitate prolonged hospital stays and antibiotic treatment in the intensive care unit (ICU), leading to a rise in multidrug-resistant organisms like carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE). This study examined risk factors for carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae colonization in the ICU and assessed probiotics’ preventive role. In this single-center, retrospective study, 9099 ICU patients were tested for stool CRE culture from March 2017 to April 2022. We excluded 136 patients with CRE colonization within one week post-admission and 26 who received probiotics before CRE colonization. Ultimately, 8937 CRE-negative patients were selected. Logistic analysis identified CRE colonization risk factors and evaluated probiotics’ influence, including Saccharomyces boulardii or Lactobacillus rhamnosus, used by 474 patients (5.3%) in the ICU. Compared with data on initial admission, 157 patients (1.7%) had newly discovered CRE colonization before discharge. In a multivariate analysis, coronavirus disease 2019, the ICU, tube feeding, antibiotics such as aminoglycoside, extended-spectrum penicillin, stool vancomycin-resistance enterococci colonization, and chronic kidney disease were significantly associated with de novo CRE infection. However, probiotic use was negatively correlated with CRE infection. Managing risk factors and administering probiotics in the ICU may help prevent CRE colonization; large randomized prospective studies are needed.

Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) could decolonize multidrug-resistant organisms. We investigated FMT effectiveness and safety in the eradication of carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) and vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) intestinal colonization. A prospective non-randomized comparative study was performed with 48 patients. FMT material (60 g) was obtained from a healthy donor, frozen, and administered via endoscopy. The primary endpoint was 1-month decolonization, and secondary endpoints were 3-month decolonization and adverse events. Microbiota analysis of fecal samples was performed using 16S rRNA sequencing. Intention-to-treat analysis revealed overall negative conversion between the FMT and control groups at 1 (26% vs. 10%, p = 0.264) and 3 (52% vs. 24%, p = 0.049) months. The 1-month and 3-month CRE clearance did not differ significantly by group (36% vs. 10%, p = 0.341; and 71% vs. 30%, p = 0.095, respectively). Among patients with VRE, FMT was ineffective for 1-month or 3-month negative conversion (13% vs. 9%, p > 0.999; and 36% vs. 18%, p = 0.658, respectively) However, cumulative overall negative-conversion rate was significantly higher in the FMT group (p = 0.037). Enterococcus abundance in patients with VRE significantly decreased following FMT. FMT may be effective at decolonizing multidrug-resistant organisms in the intestinal tract.

After fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) to treat Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI), cognitive improvement is noticeable, suggesting an essential association between the gut microbiome and neural function. Although the gut microbiome has been associated with cognitive function, it remains to be elucidated whether fecal microbiota transplantation can improve cognition in patients with cognitive decline. The study included 10 patients (age range, 63–90 years; female, 80%) with dementia and severe CDI who were receiving FMT. Also, 10 patients (age range, 62–91; female, 80%) with dementia and severe CDI who were not receiving FMT. They were evaluated using cognitive function tests (Mini-Mental State Examination [MMSE] and Clinical Dementia Rating scale Sum of Boxes [CDR-SB]) at 1 month before and after FMT or antibiotics treatment (control group). The patients’ fecal samples were analyzed to compare the composition of their gut microbiota before and 3 weeks after FMT or antibiotics treatment. Ten patients receiving FMT showed significantly improvements in clinical symptoms and cognitive functions compared to control group. The MMSE and CDR-SB of FMT group were improved compare to antibiotics treatment (MMSE: 16.00, median, 13.00–18.00 [IQR] vs. 10.0, median, 9.8–15.3 [IQR]); CDR-SB: 5.50, median, 4.00–8.00 [IQR]) vs. 8.0, median, 7.9–12.5, [IQR]). FMT led to changes in the recipient’s gut microbiota composition, with enrichment of Proteobacteria and Bacteroidetes. Alanine, aspartate, and glutamate metabolism pathways were also significantly different after FMT. This study revealed important interactions between the gut microbiome and cognitive function. Moreover, it suggested that FMT may effectively delay cognitive decline in patients with dementia.