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Background: Anti-SS-A/Ro antibody (anti-SSA), the diagnostic marker of Sjögren's syndrome (SS), is often detected in systemic sclerosis (SSc). Some patients are diagnosed with SSc/SS overlap syndromes, while there are anti-SSA-positive SSc cases without SS. In this study, we investigated the clinical characteristics of SSc with anti-SSA and clarified the clinical impact of this antibody in SSc., Methods: A retrospective chart review was conducted of 156 patients with SSc at Yokohama City University Hospital from 2018 to 2021. Clinical data, laboratory data, imaging, and autoantibody positivity status were collected and analysed to assess the association between these variables and anti-SSA using multivariable logistic regression analysis., Results: This cohort included 18 men and 138 women with SSc (median age, 69.0 years). Thirty-nine patients had diffuse cutaneous SSc (dcSSc) (25%), and 117 patients had limited cutaneous SSc (75%). Forty-four patients were anti-SSA-positive. Among them, 24 fulfilled the SS criteria. Multivariable logistic regression revealed that anti-SSA was statistically associated with interstitial lung disease (ILD; odds ratio [OR] = 2.67; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.14-6.3; P = 0.024). Meanwhile, anti-SSA positivity tended to increase the development of digital ulcer (OR = 2.18; 95% CI, 0.99-4.82, P = 0.054). In the comparative analysis of the autoantibody single-positive and anti-SSA/SSc-specific autoantibody double-positive groups, the anti-SSA single-positive group showed a significantly increased risk of ILD (OR = 12.1; 95% CI, 2.13-140.57; P = 0.003). Furthermore, patients with SSc and anti-SSA indicated that anti-SSA-positive SSc without SS was strongly associated with dcSSc when compared to that in patients with SS (OR = 6.45; 95% CI, 1.23-32.60; P = 0.024)., Conclusions: Anti-SSA positivity increases the risk of organ involvement, such as ILD, in patients with SSc. Additionally, the anti-SSA-positive SSc without SS population may have more severe skin fibrosis than others. Anti-SSA may be a potential marker of ILD and skin severity in SSc., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Aim: This study aimed to validate the revised Short Questionnaire to Assess Health-Enhancing Physical Activity (SQUASH) to measure sedentary activity in post-liver-transplant patients. The proposed scale could be useful for transplantation nurses to assess and modify sedentary lifestyles and increase physical activity., Methods: The SQUASH was modified to include items on sitting time and light-intensity physical activity (LPA-SQUASH). A pilot study was conducted with 20 liver transplant patients, and an expert panel validated the scale contents. Then, post-liver-transplant outpatients at a Japanese university hospital participated in the main study (September-October 2020), in which questionnaires were mailed twice to assess test-retest reliability, and accelerometers used to establish criterion validity. Intra-class correlation coefficients (ICC) were calculated for test-retest reliability. Spearman correlations and Bland-Altman plots were used to assess validity and measurement error., Results: In total, 173 participants returned the questionnaires, and 106 and 71 completed the reliability and validation studies, respectively. The range of LPA-SQUASH correlation coefficients for test-retest was .49-.58. ICCs ranged from .72 to .80 for items other than leisure. Accelerometer data and the LPA-SQUASH total physical activity amount and light-intensity physical activity correlated moderately., Conclusion: We modified the SQUASH, which was developed to measure physical activity in healthy adults, to assess light-intensity physical activity in post-liver-transplant patients. The LPA-SQUASH showed acceptable validity and reliability. The questionnaire may be used by transplantation nurses to examine light-intensity physical activity content/duration, deliver patient education considering patients' sedentary lifestyle, and facilitate goal setting for physical activity interventions to prevent metabolic syndrome., (© 2023 Japan Academy of Nursing Science.)

Enhanced circulating blood periostin levels positively correlate with disease severity in　patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc). Monocytes/macrophages are predominantly associated with the pathogenesis of SSc, but the effect of periostin on immune cells, particularly monocytes and macrophages, still remains to be elucidated. We examined the effect of periostin on monocytes and monocyte-derived macrophages (MDM) in the pathogenesis of SSc. The modified Rodnan total skin thickness score in patients with dcSSc was positively correlated with the proportion of CD80-CD206+ M2 cells. The proportion of M2 macrophages was significantly reduced in rPn-stimulated MDMs of HCs compared to that of SSc patients. The mRNA expression of pro-fibrotic cytokines, chemokines, and ECM proteins was significantly upregulated in rPn-stimulated monocytes and MDMs as compared to that of control monocytes and MDMs. A similar trend was observed for protein expression in the respective MDMs. In addition, the ratio of migrated cells was significantly higher in rPn-stimulated as compared to control monocytes. These results suggest that periostin promotes inflammation and fibrosis in the pathogenesis of SSc by possible modulation of monocytes/macrophages., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2023 Suzuki et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Purpose: This study evaluated the reliability, validity, and responsiveness of the Japanese version of the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) QLQ-ELD14 and measured the health-related quality of life (HRQOL) of elderly Japanese patients with cancer aged ≥ 60 and ≥ 70 years., Methods: The study recruited elderly Japanese patients with cancer aged ≥ 60 (≥ 70) years (n = 1803 [n = 1236]). The EORTC QLQ-ELD14 was evaluated for reliability, validity, responsiveness, and correlations of changes in score between the EORTC QLQ-ELD14 and the EORTC QLQ-C30 before and after the commencement of the COVID-19 pandemic., Results: In both age groups, the proportion of missing items was low (< 3%). Cronbach's α was good at ≥ 0.70, except for two of the seven items. All the intraclass coefficient constants were good at ≥ 0.70. The concurrent validity was good but correlation with the EORTC QLQ-C30 was not strong, except for the hypothesis items. Regarding the assessment of responsiveness, only one item ("maintaining purpose") of the EORTC QLQ-ELD14 worsened (- 6.14 ± 29.20, standard response of mean > 0.2) after the commencement of the COVID-19 pandemic. The changes in score between the EORTC QLQ-ELD14 and the "global health status/QOL" and "summary score" of the EORTC QLQ-C30 had moderate-to-high negative correlations for all items, except two. Hypotheses to evaluate construct validity were accepted at 90%, while responsiveness was accepted at 80%., Conclusion: The Japanese version of the EORTC QLQ-ELD14 questionnaire appears to have acceptable reliability, validity, and responsiveness to evaluate HRQOL in elderly Japanese people with cancer., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Post-orgasmic illness syndrome (POIS) is a rare disease characterized by flu-like symptoms persisting for 2-7 days after ejaculation. POIS has been chiefly attributed to allergic reactions to autologous seminal plasma. However, the exact pathophysiology remains unclear, and there is no effective treatment. We present the case of a 38-year-old man with a 10-year history of recurrent episodes of flu-like symptoms of 1-week duration after ejaculation. The patient was diagnosed with irritating bowel syndrome because of fatigue, myalgia, and lateral abdominal pain. After starting infertility treatment and increasing the frequency of intercourse with his wife, the patient noticed these symptoms after ejaculation. Based on these episodes and symptoms, POIS was suspected. To diagnose POIS, a skin prick test and an intradermal test were performed using his seminal fluid, with the latter yielding a positive result. The patient was diagnosed with POIS, and treatment with antihistamines was continued. Due to its rarity, POIS is often underdiagnosed and underreported; however, the skin test can be a valid diagnostic tool. In this case, the intradermal test result was positive according to the broadly accepted criteria for POIS. Although quality of life is often severely affected in patients with POIS, a lack of a clear understanding of the pathogenesis of POIS prevents early diagnosis. To make diagnoses earlier, it is undoubtedly important to take a detailed medical history and perform skin allergy tests, although the latter requires further validation., (© 2023 Japanese Dermatological Association.)

Comprehensive pharmacology education in nursing based on the "Patient-oriented Pharmacology" is effective against the improvement of quality of pharmacotherapy and patient satisfaction. Two active learning programs of practical pharmacotherapy for nursing students have been performed in School of Nursing, University of Miyazaki; (1) pharmacotherapy role-play for interprofessional education (IPE) and (2) practical excise for Kampo medicine. Pharmacotherapy role-play for IPE was performed as joint lecture both medical students and nursing students. This pharmacotherapy role-play is named Case & Communication based approach (C&C approach), since it is studied through communication between physicians, nurses and patients based on cases presented beforehand. In the practical excise for Kampo medicine, nursing students studied Kampo medicines and tried to taste 9 frequently used Kampo medicines. These active-learning programs in nursing pharmacology education may be effective for better understanding of pharmacotherapy and patient's feeling, and improvement of students' motivation as a nurse.