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Aim The aim of the present study was to examine the influence of medical history and reproductive factors on the development of systemic lupus erythematosus ( SLE) among Japanese females. Methods One hundred and sixty female SLE patients and 660 female volunteers were studied in a case-control study. Unconditional logistic regression was used to compute odds ratios ( OR) and 95% confidence intervals ( CIs). Results The present study demonstrated that medical histories of operations without blood transfusion ( OR = 1.64, 95% CI = 1.10-2.44) and operations with blood transfusion ( OR = 4.44, 95% CI = 1.93-10.23) increased the risk of SLE with adjustment for age, region, smoking and alcohol drinking. Among 91 SLE patients and 284 control subjects who had the experience of married life, nulliparity ( OR = 2.29, 95% CI = 1.05-5.17), increased the risk of SLE, while the risk decreased according to the number of children (one to two vs. none, OR = 0.27, 95% CI = 0.10-0.73; three or more vs. none, OR = 0.14, 95% CI = 0.04-0.51; P for trend < 0.01). Conclusions Several factors are suggested to be associated with the development of SLE among Japanese females. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conclusion: An epidemiological survey of hospitals and private clinics in Japan regarding idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL) revealed that the incidence of SSNHL was 60.9 per 100 000 population. There were more females than males in the younger generation. Objective: The incidence of SSNHL varies largely by country. Because the Japanese criteria for diagnosing SSNHL have changed in accordance with those widely used in other parts of the world, a clinicoepidemiological study was undertaken using the new criteria. Methods: Ehime, Aichi, and Iwate Prefectures were selected from the western, central, and northeastern regions of Japan, respectively. The subjects for this study were patients who suffered SSNHL between April 1, 2012 and March 31, 2013. Questionnaires were mailed to all hospitals and private clinics in which ENT doctors were working. Initial and final audiograms were requested for 10% of the patients. Results: In all, 78 of 90 hospitals (87%) and 303 of 407 private clinics (74%) responded. It was reported that 1663 patients visited hospitals and 3090 patients visited only private clinics. It was estimated that 6205 SSNHL patients visited hospitals or private clinics in 1 year from a population of 10 145 000. Also, 23% of patients suffered acute low-tone SNHL (female to male ratio; 3:1 in definite cases). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives. Daily psychological stress has been proposed as a risk factor for systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in Western countries. However, there is little information about the relationship between daily psychological stress and the risk of SLE in a Japanese population. We examined the association between SLE and daily psychological stress. Methods. A case-control study was conducted to examine the relationship between daily psychological stress and SLE in Japanese females. The participants were 160 female SLE patients and 660 female volunteers. Unconditional logistic regression was used to compute OR and 95% confidence interval (CI), with adjustment for several covariates. Results. Smoking (OR = 2.59; 95% CI, 1.74-3.86), walking (OR = 1.75; 95% CI, 1.81-2.56) and daily psychological stress (OR = 1.88; 95% CI, 1.14-3.10) were increased in patients with SLE after adjusting for age, region and all factors. Smokers with daily psychological stress (OR = 4.70; 95% CI = 2.53-8.77) were more prevalent than nonsmokers without daily psychological stress in SLE. The multiplicative interaction measures between smoking status and daily psychological stress did not reach statistical significance. Conclusions. The present study suggests the possibility that daily psychological stress as well as smoking might be associated with an increased risk of SLE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives:To present the cardiovascular risk factors in idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL) patients enrolled in a nationwide epidemiological survey of hearing disorders in Japan. Materials and methods:We compiled the cardiovascular risk factors in 3073 idiopathic SSNHL subjects (1621 men and 1452 women) and compared their proportions with controls as part of the National Health and Nutrition Survey in Japan, 2014. The cardiovascular risk factors consisted of drinking and smoking habits, a history of five conditions related to cardiovascular disease and body mass index. Results:The proportion of current smokers was significantly higher among men aged 50–59, 60–69 and 70+ and among women aged 30–39, 40–49 and 60–69. The proportion of patients with a history of diabetes mellitus was significantly higher among men aged 50–59, 60–69 and 70+, but not in women. In addition, male and female SSNHL subjects aged 60–69 showed lower proportions of current drinking; and female SSNHL subjects aged 60–69 showed higher proportions of overweight (BMI ≥25 kg/m2). Conclusions:The present cross-sectional study revealed showed significantly higher proportions of current smokers among both men and women as well as those with a history of diabetes mellitus among men across many age groups in patients with idiopathic SSNHL compared with the controls. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Purpose: We examined the associations between lifestyle factors and the risk of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) using a case-control study in Aichi Prefecture, Japan. Methods: The study comprised 183 ALS patients diagnosed by the El Escorial World Federation of Neurology criteria as well as 366 gender- and age-matched controls randomly selected from the general population with the use of the basic register of residents. Detailed information on lifestyle factors was obtained through a mailed self-administered questionnaire. The strength of association between ALS and a potential risk factor was assessed by calculating odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Results: Vigorous physical activity, self reported stress, a type A behavior pattern, and less frequent intakes of green-yellow vegetables were significantly associated with increased risk of ALS, whereas smoking and drinking habits were not. The greatest effect on risk for ALS was posed by the combination of a type A behavior pattern and less frequent intakes of green-yellow vegetables (adjusted OR, 11.2; 95% CI, 3.8 to 33.0). Conclusion: These data suggested that imbalances between excessive productions of oxidants as patient-specific factors and a diminished or missing antioxidant defense system in motor neurons may increase the risk of ALS. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]