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Patients with ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament (OPLL) are often reported to have increased bone mineral density (BMD). The bone strength of the proximal femur measured by quantitative computed tomography-based finite element analysis (QCT/FEA) is reportedly comparable between healthy subjects with and without OPLL. However, the bone strength in symptomatic OPLL patients remains unknown.To investigate bone strength measured by QCT/FEA in symptomatic patients with OPLL.A single-center prospective observational study.A total of 157 patients with cervical or thoracic compressive myelopathy were included in the study.We analyzed patients' characteristics, Japanese Orthopedic Association (JOA) score, serum laboratory tests including calcium (Ca), inorganic phosphate (Pi), and bone turnover markers, BMD of the proximal femur and lumbar spine measured using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, and predicted bone strength (PBS) of the proximal femur and lumbar spine measured using QCT/FEA.Eligible patients were divided into the non-OPLL and OPLL groups. We compared the patients' characteristics, JOA scores, laboratory data, BMD, and PBS of the proximal femur and lumbar spine between the non-OPLL and OPLL groups among total, male, and female patients by performing Fisher's exact test for categorical variables and the unpaired t test for continuous variables. Then, we used the inverse probability weighted logistic regression model after calculating propensity scores to compare the bone metabolism-associated markers, BMD, and PBS measurements between the groups.Among the eligible 157 patients, 68 were in the non-OPLL group and 89 were in the OPLL group. Compared with the non-OPLL group, the OPLL group had a significantly younger age and higher BMI in the total, male, and female patients. The JOA scores in the total and female patients were significantly higher in the OPLL group than in the non-OPLL group. The OPLL group showed significantly lower Ca levels in the female patients and significantly lower Pi levels in the total or male patients compared with the non-OPLL group in the inverse probability weighting method. The BMD of the proximal femur and lumbar spine and the PBS of the proximal femur were significantly higher in the OPLL group than in the non-OPLL group. There were no significant differences in the PBS and BMD between the male subgroups. However, the BMD and PBS of the proximal femur and lumbar spine were significantly higher in the OPLL females than in the non-OPLL females.Hyperostosis of the posterior longitudinal ligament in OPLL was associated with higher bone strength by QCT/FEA, especially in female OPLL patients.

Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) caused by Dabie bandavirus (formerly SFTS virus, SFTSV), which belongs to the Bandavirus genus (formerly Phlebovirus genus) of the Phenuiviridae family (formerly Bunyaviridae family), is a tick-borne novel bunyavirus infection with high rates of mortality. SFTSV infection was diagnosed virologically in a 4-year-old dog with symptoms of lethargy and anorexia in western Japan in June 2017. The dog's owner, a man in his 40s, had taken care of the sick dog and became sick 10 days after disease onset in the dog, showing symptoms, such as fever, arthralgia, headache, nausea, and vomiting. Total blood cell counts revealed leukocytopenia and thrombocytopenia. He was treated as an outpatient. He had no scars suggesting that he had not been bitten by ticks. He was diagnosed as having SFTS via the detection of IgM and neutralizing antibodies to SFTSV. The patient was directly infected with SFTSV from the SFTSV-infected dog. In conclusion, humans can be at a risk of SFTSV infection through direct contact with sick dogs infected with SFTSV.

Survivors of hematopoietic cell transplant (HCT) are at risk for neurocognitive impairments, which can negatively affect quality of life. Given limited studies, we aimed to describe the neurocognitive outcomes in a cohort of long-term adult HCT survivors. Eligible survivors (age ≥21 years at HCT and alive ≥2 years following HCT) completed a 60-question survey of neurocognitive function and quality of life, which included the Neuro-Quality of Life Cognitive Function Short Form (Neuro-QoL) and the Childhood Cancer Survivor Study Neurocognitive Questionnaire (NCQ). Analyses of risk factors included univariate comparisons and multivariable logistic regression. Survivors (n = 1861, 47.7% female, 65.6% allogeneic HCT) were surveyed at a median age of 64.2 years (interquartile range [IQR], 56.8-70.5) and a median 12.0 years (IQR, 6.0-21.0) from HCT. Survivors reported average Neuro-QoL scores (50.0 allogeneic; 49.2 autologous survivors) compared with an expected mean of 50 in the general population. On the NCQ, 17.4% to 31.2% of survivors reported impairments (Z-score >1.28) in task efficiency, memory, emotional regulation, or organization, compared with an expected 10% in the general population (all P < .01). In multivariable regression analyses, impaired Neuro-QoL (T-score

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), which have anti-tumor effects, are currently approved for treatment of several kinds of advanced malignancies. However, with their increasing use, a variety of immune-related adverse events (irAEs) in administered patients have been reported. We herein report a rare case of the simultaneous onset of acute pancreatitis and colitis as irAEs during nivolumab treatment given to a patient with renal cell carcinoma, who then shown marked improvement with corticosteroid therapy.

Background: Hyperkalemia increases risk of cardiac arrhythmias and death and limits the use of renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system inhibitors and mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists, which improve clinical outcomes in people with chronic kidney disease or systolic heart failure. Sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors reduce the risk of cardiorenal events in people with type 2 diabetes at high cardiovascular risk or with chronic kidney disease. However, their effect on hyperkalemia has not been systematically evaluated. Methods: A meta-analysis was conducted using individual participant data from randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical outcome trials with SGLT2 inhibitors in people with type 2 diabetes at high cardiovascular risk or with chronic kidney disease in whom serum potassium levels were routinely measured. The primary outcome was time to serious hyperkalemia, defined as central laboratory–determined serum potassium ≥6.0 mmol/L, with other outcomes including investigator-reported hyperkalemia events and hypokalemia (serum potassium ≤3.5 mmol/L). Cox regression analyses were performed to estimate treatment effects from each trial with hazards ratios and corresponding 95% CIs pooled with random-effects models to obtain summary treatment effects, overall and across key subgroups. Results: Results from 6 trials were included comprising 49 875 participants assessing 4 SGLT2 inhibitors. Of these, 1754 participants developed serious hyperkalemia, and an additional 1119 investigator-reported hyperkalemia events were recorded. SGLT2 inhibitors reduced the risk of serious hyperkalemia (hazard ratio, 0.84 [95% CI, 0.76–0.93]), an effect consistent across studies ( P heterogeneity =0.71). The incidence of investigator-reported hyperkalemia was also lower with SGLT2 inhibitors (hazard ratio, 0.80 [95% CI, 0.68–0.93]; P heterogeneity =0.21). Reductions in serious hyperkalemia were observed across a range of subgroups, including baseline kidney function, history of heart failure, and use of renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system inhibitor, diuretic, and mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist. SGLT2 inhibitors did not increase the risk of hypokalemia (hazard ratio, 1.04 [95% CI, 0.94–1.15]; P heterogeneity =0.42). Conclusions: SGLT2 inhibitors reduce the risk of serious hyperkalemia in people with type 2 diabetes at high cardiovascular risk or with chronic kidney disease without increasing the risk of hypokalemia.

Aims Abnormal compositional changes in low-density lipoprotein (LDL) particles, such as triglyceride (TG) enrichment and size reduction, are common in patients with diabetes. Several cohort studies have demonstrated that LDL-TG and sdLDL-cholesterol (C) are sensitive biomarkers for predicting atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases beyond LDL-C. Although sdLDL has been extensively studied, little is known about the properties of LDL-TG. We investigated similarities or differences between LDL-TG and sdLDL-C. Methods Fasting plasma was obtained from 1,085 patients with type 2 diabetes who were enrolled in the diabetes regional cohort study (ViNA Cohort). LDL-TG and sdLDL-C concentrations were measured using a homogeneous assay established by us. In a subset of subjects, LDL-TG and sdLDL-C levels were measured postprandially or after treatment with lipid-lowering drugs. Results In a quartile analysis, higher LDL-TG quartiles were associated with higher frequency of female and fibrate users, whereas sdLDL-C quartiles were associated with frequency of men, drinking, and metabolic syndrome-related measurements. Higher quartiles of LDL-TG/LDL-C were associated with smoking, drinking, fibrate users, and statin users. LDL-TG was significantly correlated with TG, LDL-C, sdLDL-C, and apolipoprotein (apo) B, with apoB being the primary determinant. LDL-TG correlated to high sensitive C-reactive protein (CRP) independently of other lipids. Mean LDL-TG did not change with fasting/non-fasting. Statin treatment reduced LDL-TG, whereas fibrates increased it, but these drugs reduced sdLDL-C equally. Conclusions LDL-TG levels were more tightly regulated by the number of LDL particles than plasma TG levels were. SdLDL-C was closely associated with metabolic syndrome-related factors, whereas LDL-TG was associated with low-grade systemic inflammation.

BACKGROUND This study sought to assess the efficacy of a deep-tissue thermal therapy system with a resonant cavity applicator (DTT-RCA), which safely heats deep joint tissue for treating osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee. METHODS Two groups of participants were recruited. The DTT-RCA group comprised 20 knees. Kellgren-Lawrence (K-L) grade was I and II in 8 knees (DTT-RCA I/II group) [mean age 73.3 years (standard deviation 11.4) ], III and VI in 12 knees (DTT-RCA III/IV group) [75.4 (8.6) years]. The control group comprised 13 knees [68.2 (10.8) years]. K-L grade was I in 7 knees and II in 6 knees. This group received exercise therapy. The DTT-RCA I/II group and the control group were imaged by MRI T2 mapping at baseline and 6 months to determine the area of cartilage degeneration. RESULTS Visual Analogue Scale improved only in the DTT-RCA I/II post-intervention (p < 0.01). Japanese Orthopedic Association knee rating scores (DTT-RCA I/II: p < 0.01, control group: p < 0.01), the Japanese Knee Osteoarthritis Measure (DTT-RCA I/II: p < 0.05, control: p < 0.01), and the Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (DTT-RCA I/II: p < 0.01, DTT-RCA III/IV: p < 0.05, control: p < 0.01) post-intervention. The magnitude of change did not differ significantly between the three groups. The area of cartilage degeneration did not change significantly post-intervention in the DTT-RCA I/II group, not even relative to the control group. CONCLUSIONS This was the first study to test a DTT-RCA system in patients with knee OA. The system reduced the clinical symptoms of knee OA and could potentially be effective for conservative therapy.

One of most challenging issues in tumor immunology is a better understanding of the dynamics in the accumulation of myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) in the tumor microenvironment (TIME), as this would lead to the development of new cancer therapeutics. Here, we show that translationally controlled tumor protein (TCTP) released by dying tumor cells is an immunomodulator crucial to full-blown MDSC accumulation in the TIME. We provide evidence that extracellular TCTP mediates recruitment of the polymorphonuclear MDSC (PMN-MDSC) population in the TIME via activation of Toll-like receptor-2. As further proof of principle, we show that inhibition of TCTP suppresses PMN-MDSC accumulation and tumor growth. In human cancers, we find an elevation of TCTP and an inverse correlation of TCTP gene dosage with antitumor immune signatures and clinical prognosis. This study reveals the hitherto poorly understood mechanism of the MDSC dynamics in the TIME, offering a new rationale for cancer immunotherapy. Cell death in the context of cancer therapies is often associated with immunogenicity. Taniguchi and colleagues instead find that release of the cellular protein TCTP following cell death triggers an immunosuppressive pathway in the tumor microenvironment.

Here, we report a 60-year-old chronically bedridden man with cerebral palsy who had septic shock following a history of urinary tract infection with extended spectrum β-lactamase-producing and auxotrophic Proteus mirabilis detected on blood and urine cultures. This auxotroph formed small colonies only on the blood agar at 24 h in 5% CO

To evaluate the impact of development of nivolumab monotherapy-induced immune-related adverse events (irAEs) and continuing nivolumab with irAEs on the survival of patients with gastric cancer (GC).Patients with unresectable advanced GC and recurrence after curative resection who received nivolumab monotherapy were included in the study. Survival was compared between patients who did and did not develop irAEs, and between those who continued and discontinued treatment due to irAEs.Of 110 GC patients, 22 developed irAEs. Grade ≥3 IrAEs included rash and diarrhoea associated with enteritis. Progression-free and overall survival (OS) were significantly better in patients with irAEs than in those without. The overall survival of patients who continued treatment despite irAEs was better than that of those who discontinued treatment.irAE development was associated with better survival in patients with GC who received nivolumab monotherapy. Continuing nivolumab with appropriate treatment in GC patients with irAEs may improve survival.

Background Patients with Epstein–Barr virus-positive gastric cancers or those with microsatellite instability appear to have a favourable prognosis. However, the prognostic value of the chromosomal status (chromosome-stable (CS) versus chromosomal instable (CIN)) remains unclear in gastric cancer. Methods Gene copy number aberrations (CNAs) were determined in 16 CIN-associated genes in a retrospective study including test and validation cohorts of patients with gastric cancer. Patients were stratified into CS (no CNA), CINlow (1–2 CNAs) or CINhigh (3 or more CNAs). The relationship between chromosomal status, clinicopathological variables, and overall survival (OS) was analysed. The relationship between chromosomal status, p53 expression, and tumour infiltrating immune cells was also assessed and validated externally. Results The test and validation cohorts included 206 and 748 patients, respectively. CINlow and CINhigh were seen in 35.0 and 15.0 per cent of patients, respectively, in the test cohort, and 48.5 and 20.7 per cent in the validation cohort. Patients with CINhigh gastric cancer had the poorest OS in the test and validation cohorts. In multivariable analysis, CINlow, CINhigh and pTNM stage III–IV (P < 0.001) were independently associated with poor OS. CIN was associated with high p53 expression and low immune cell infiltration. Conclusion CIN may be a potential new prognostic biomarker independent of pTNM stage in gastric cancer. Patients with gastric cancer demonstrating CIN appear to be immunosuppressed, which might represent one of the underlying mechanisms explaining the poor survival and may help guide future therapeutic decisions.

Aim Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) play critical roles in acute myocardial infarction (AMI). This trial was conducted to determine the potential effects of higher-dose rosuvastatin on circulating MMP levels in patients with AMI. Methods This was a multicenter, open-label, 1:1 randomized, parallel-group study. Patients with AMI were randomly assigned to the appropriate-dose group (10 mg rosuvastatin once daily) or the low-dose group (2.5 mg rosuvastatin once daily) within 24 hours after percutaneous coronary intervention. MMP-2 and MMP-9 levels were measured on day 1 and at week 4, 12, and 24 after enrollment. The primary endpoint was the change in MMP levels at 24 weeks after enrollment. The secondary endpoints were change in MMP levels at day 1 and weeks 4 and 12 after enrollment. Results Between August 2017 and October 2018, 120 patients with AMI from 19 institutions were randomly assigned to either the appropriate-dose or the low-dose group. There were 109 patients who completed the 24-week follow-up. The primary endpoint for both MMP-2 and MMP-9 was not significantly different between the two groups. The change in the active/total ratio of MMP-9 at week 12 after baseline was significantly lower in the appropriate-dose group compared with the low-dose group (0.81 [-52.8-60.1]% vs. 70.1 [-14.5-214.2]%, P=0.004), while the changes in MMP-2 were not significantly different between the two groups during the study period. Conclusions This study could not demonstrate the superiority of appropriate-dose of rosuvastatin in inhibiting serum MMPs levels in patients with AMI.

Background: Breast cancer-related lymphedema (BCRL) is a chronic swelling of the arm due to breast cancer treatment. Lymphedema is diagnosed and staged on the basis of limb circumference measuremen...

A 67-year-old man was admitted to our hospital with cough and fatigue. He had had long-term exposure to silica due to cement processing. Chest computed tomography showed bilateral centrilobular nodules, and hilar and mediastinal lymphadenopathy with calcification, suggesting chronic silicosis. Within a few months, these nodules enlarged, and bilateral patchy consolidations appeared. A lung biopsy revealed sarcoid-like granulomas with birefringent particles under polarized light without malignancy or infection. He was diagnosed with silicosis-associated sarcoid-like granulomatous lung disease, rather than sarcoidosis, according to the clinicopathological findings. His pulmonary manifestations improved after the discontinuation of silica exposure and combination therapy of corticosteroid and azathioprine.

PURPOSE Hypercalcemia has been reported as a poor prognostic factor in malignant tumors. However, no report has shown the clinical impact of serum calcium levels on patients with esophageal cancer. We evaluated the prognostic impact of preoperative serum calcium levels on patients with esophageal cancer. METHODS We evaluated 240 patients (197 men, 43 women; mean age, 66 years; age range, 34-85 years) with esophageal cancer who underwent radical surgery between September 2008 and December 2017. After assigning the patients to two groups (high calcium group, 8.8 mg/dL or more and low calcium group, 8.7 mg/dL or less), we compared the groups' overall survival and the clinicopathological features. The clinicopathological and prognostic significance of preoperative serum calcium levels were evaluated in a univariate and multivariate analysis. RESULTS The patients with deep tumors showed low serum calcium levels significantly more frequently (P

Purpose Diffusion-weighted MRI (DWI) is an essential sequence for evaluating pediatric patients with moyamoya disease (MMD); however, acoustic noise associated with DWI may lead to motion artifact. Compared with conventional DWI (cDWI), quiet DWI (qDWI) is considered less noisy and able to keep children more relaxed and stable. This study aimed to evaluate the suitability of qDWI compared with cDWI for pediatric patients with MMD. Methods In this observational study, MR examinations of the brain were performed either with or without sedation in pediatric patients with MMD between September 2017 and August 2018. Three neuroradiologists independently evaluated the images for artifacts and restricted diffusion in the brain. The differences between qDWI and cDWI were compared statistically using a chi-square test. Results One-hundred and six MR scans of 56 patients with MMD (38 scans of 15 sedated patients: 6 boys and 9 girls; mean age, 5.2 years; range, 1-9 years; and 68 scans of 42 unsedated patients: 19 boys and 23 girls; mean age, 10.7 years; range, 7-16 years) were evaluated. MR examinations were performed either with or without sedation (except in one patient). In sedated patients, no artifact other than susceptibility was observed on qDWI, whereas four artifacts were observed on cDWI (P = .04). One patient awoke from sedation during cDWI scanning, while no patient awoke from sedation during qDWI acquisition. For unsedated patients, three scans showed artifacts on qDWI, whereas two scans showed artifacts on cDWI (P = .65). Regarding restricted diffusion, qDWI revealed three cases, while two cases were found on cDWI (P = .66). Conclusion qDWI induced fewer artifacts compared with cDWI in sedated patients, and similar frequencies of artifacts were induced by qDWI and by cDWI in unsedated patients. qDWI showed restricted diffusion comparable to cDWI.

A 73-year-old man previously treated with rituximab for his mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma suffered a suboptimal humoral immune response against an acquired SARS-CoV-2 infection. A detailed serological description revealed discrepant antigen-specific humoral immune responses. The titer of spike-targeting, “viral-neutralizing” antibodies remained below the detection level, in contrast to the anti-nucleocapsid, “binding” antibody response, which was comparable in both magnitude and kinetics. Accordingly, viral neutralizability and clearance was delayed, leading to prolonged RNAemia and persistent pneumonia. The present case highlights the need to closely monitor this unique population of recipients of B-cell-targeted therapies for their neutralizing antibody responses against SARS-CoV-2.

We classified kidney macrophages (Mφs) into bone marrow-derived (BM-) macrophages expressing high CD11b and tissue-specific resident (Res-) macrophages expressing low CD11b. In diabetic nephropathy (DN) model mice, TLR9 expression and TNF-α production via TLR9 activation in BM-Mφs and ROS production in Res-Mφs were enhanced. Furthermore, CCR2 antagonist suppressed the kidney infiltration of BM-Mφs and their function and the ROS production by Res-Mφs, with concomitant TLR9 suppression. Our study presents a new therapeutic strategy for DN.

Due to the considerable success of cancer immunotherapy for leukemia, the tumor immune environment has become a focus of intense research; however, there are few reports on the dynamics of the tumor immune environment in leukemia. Here, we analyzed the tumor immune environment in pediatric B cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia by analyzing serial bone marrow samples from nine patients with primary and recurrent disease by mass cytometry using 39 immunophenotype markers, and transcriptome analysis. High‐dimensional single‐cell mass cytometry analysis elucidated a dynamic shift of T cells from naïve to effector subsets, and clarified that, during relapse, the tumor immune environment comprised a T helper 1‐polarized immune profile, together with an increased number of effector regulatory T cells. These results were confirmed in a validation cohort using conventional flow cytometry. Furthermore, RNA transcriptome analysis identified the upregulation of immune‐related pathways in B cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia cells during relapse, suggesting interaction with the surrounding environment. In conclusion, a tumor immune environment characterized by a T helper 1‐polarized immune profile, with an increased number of effector regulatory T cells, could contribute to the pathophysiology of recurrent B cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia. This information could contribute to the development of effective immunotherapeutic approaches against B cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia relapse., Tumor immune environment characterized by a T helper 1‐polarized immune profile was observed in recurrent B cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Regulatory T cells were activated in recurrent B cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

AIMS/INTRODUCTION Diabetic kidney disease (DKD) exacerbates dyslipidemia and increases the incidence of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. DKD is a concept that includes typical diabetic nephropathy and an atypical phenotype without proteinuria. We investigated dyslipidemia in different DKD phenotypes that have not been fully studied. MATERIALS AND METHODS Fasting plasma was obtained from 1,073 diabetes patients enrolled in the regional diabetes cohort (ViNA cohort). Non-proteinuric and proteinuric DKD were defined as an estimated glomerular filtration rate 300 mg/g. Novel lipid risk factors, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) triglyceride (TG) and small dense LDL cholesterol were measured using our established homologous assay. RESULTS The proportion of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease patients was higher in non-proteinuric DKD and even higher in proteinuric DKD than in non-DKD. Increased estimated glomerular filtration rate grade and albuminuric stage were independently correlated with higher TG, TG-rich lipoprotein cholesterol and apolipoprotein CIII. Therefore, proteinuric DKD had the highest of these levels. Small dense LDL cholesterol and LDL-TG were higher in the proteinuria without renal dysfunction group in the lipid-lowering drug-free subset. Lipoprotein(a) was higher in DKD regardless of proteinuria. CONCLUSIONS Proteinuria was associated with an atherogenic subspecies of LDL, whereas renal dysfunction was associated with increased lipoprotein(a). Proteinuria and renal dysfunction independently exacerbated TG-rich lipoprotein-related dyslipidemia. This is in good agreement with the results of large-scale clinical studies in which proteinuria and renal dysfunction synergistically increased the risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease in populations with diabetes.

Background We repaired aortic coarctation and interrupted aortic arch with extended end-to-end anastomosis (EAA) through median sternotomy and performed lesser curvature augmentation with a pulmonary autograft patch (PAP) in selected patients with a long gap between anastomotic sites. We reviewed these outcomes and geometric implications. Methods All neonates and infants with biventricular morphology who underwent aortic arch reconstruction through median sternotomy between 2005 and 2019 were evaluated. Aortic arch geometry was analyzed with computed tomography routinely performed before and after surgery from 2009 on. Results There were 91 consecutive patients (median age, 1.2 months). Ten patients received PAP. One early death and no late deaths were noted. Overall survival was 98.9% at 10 years. Two left bronchomalacia and 1 recoarctation occurred in patients with EAA. Freedom from recoarctation was 97.4% at 10 years. We examined 68 patients with computed tomography. We used PAP in patients with a significantly longer gap between anastomotic sites indexed by the square root of the body surface area; its cutoff value was 29.0 mm/m (area under the curve, 0.86 mm/m). The PAP created a significantly greater arch angle (median, 91° versus 83°) and arch/descending diameter ratio (median, 1.2 versus 1.0) and preserved the arch width indexed by the square root of the body surface area (median, before surgery: 35.7 versus 34.4 mm/m; after surgery: 36.5 versus 29.9mm/m), compared with EAA. Conclusions Aortic arch reconstruction with the current combined strategy provides satisfactory outcomes. Guided by geometric analysis, lesser curvature augmentation can be applied to patients who might experience recoarctation or airway compression with a directly anastomosed aortic arch.

The coronavirus infection 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has led to the development of mRNA vaccines with proven efficacy. However, it remains unclear whether patients who developed pericarditis after the first COVID-19 mRNA would be fit to receive the second vaccination. Herein, we present the case of a 64-year-old man who visited our emergency department with substernal chest discomfort that began 4 days after his first mRNA COVID-19 vaccination. Acute pericarditis was diagnosed based on symptoms and ST-segment elevation on an electrocardiogram. Chest pain improved 2 days after treatment.Since there are no guidelines on whether to administer an additional vaccination to a patient who developed pericarditis after the initial vaccination, we considered whether or not to administer the additional vaccination. We informed the patient about the risks and benefits and decided to administer the second dose. He did not experience any major adverse reactions. The indications for the second vaccination need to be thoroughly considered.

Protein phosphatase 6 (PP6) is an essential serine/threonine protein phosphatase that acts as an important tumor suppressor. However, increased protein levels of PP6 have been observed in some cancer types, and they correlate with poor prognosis in glioblastoma. This raises a question about how PP6 protein levels are regulated in normal and transformed cells. In this study, we show that PP6 protein levels increase in response to pharmacologic and genetic inhibition of autophagy. PP6 associates with autophagic adaptor protein p62/SQSTM1 and is degraded in a p62‐dependent manner. Accordingly, protein levels of PP6 and p62 fluctuate in concert under different physiological and pathophysiological conditions. Our data reveal that PP6 is regulated by p62‐dependent autophagy and suggest that accumulation of PP6 protein in tumor tissues is caused at least partially by deficiency in autophagy., Protein phosphatase 6 (PP6) is an essential serine/threonine protein phosphatase that acts as an important tumor suppressor. However, increased protein levels of PP6 have been observed in some cancer types, and correlate with poor prognosis in glioblastoma. Our data reveal that PP6 is regulated by p62‐dependent autophagy and suggest that accumulation of PP6 protein in tumor tissues is caused at least partially by deficiency in autophagy.

Background/aim Population aging results in increasing numbers of elderly persons undergoing surgery for colorectal cancer. We sought to identify objective preoperative indicators of outcomes, with a view toward development of safe, effective treatments for such patients. Patients and methods The study included 99 patients aged 80 years or more, who were treated surgically for stage I- III colorectal cancer. Preoperative nutritional status was compared retrospectively between those who suffered postoperative complications (n=40) and those who did not (n=59). Results Univariate analysis revealed low prealbumin (PreAlb) concentration (p=0.032) and low platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (p=0.116) as risk factors for postoperative complications. Multivariate analysis showed preoperative PreAlb concentration to be an independent risk factor (OR=0.884; 95% confidence interval=0.791-0.989; p=0.024) associated with postoperative length of hospital stay (coef.=-0.336, p=0.002). Conclusion PreAlb, a rapid turnover protein, shows promise as a simple predictor of postoperative complications in elderly patients treated for colorectal surgery.

Summary Purpose Central polydactyly of the foot is rare, with few reports on surgical methods and treatment indications. In this study, based on the experience of central polydactyly in our department, we will consider morphological classification and describe our treatment plan. Method In this retrospective study, 11 patients (11 digits) with central polydactyly were identified among 136 patients of polydactyly of the foot (2009–2018). They were classified according to morphologic characteristics: type I, the duplicated digits are independent of each other; type II, digits of the same size are duplicated; and type III, digits of different sizes are duplicated. Results In morphologic classification, there were 4 cases of type II and 7 cases of type III, but there was no case of type I. For type II, surgery was performed using the Bilhaut-Cloquet (BC) procedure in 2 patients, bone-removing flap (flap) method in 1 patient, and simple ablation in 1 patient. For type III, surgery was performed using the BC procedure in 1 patient, flap method in 3 patients, simple ablation in 2 patients, and ligation in 1 patient with floating type. Conclusion In order to obtain good cosmetic results in digits of morphologic classifications type II and III, it is necessary to select the surgical approach with careful consideration of every feature.

Objective To compare the clinical and radiographic outcomes and complications in patients undergoing multilevel posterior cervical fusion surgery, ending at C7 or crossing the cervicothoracic junction (CTJ). Methods A total of 96 patients undergoing multilevel posterior cervical fusion surgery ending at C7, T1, or T2 were screened. The patients who fulfilled the inclusion criteria were divided into 2 groups based on the lower instrumented vertebra (LIV) level: group C7 (ending at C7) and group T1-T2 (crossing the CTJ). The radiographic and clinical outcomes were compared between the 2 groups, and the risk factors for instrument failure at LIV were investigated. Results In total, 73 patients (76%) completed at least 1 year follow-up and divided into group C7 (n = 43) and group T1-T2 (n = 30). Preoperative and postoperative radiographic parameters, the Japanese Orthopaedic Association score, and patient-reported outcomes were not significantly different between the 2 groups. Significantly longer surgical time, increased blood loss, and higher incidence rates of perioperative or postoperative complications were noted in group T1-T2. On the other hand, the incidence of instrument failures at LIV was significantly higher in group C7. Multivariate analysis showed that ending at C7, skipping screw insertion at the proximal vertebra adjacent to LIV, and a large postoperative cervical sagittal vertical axis (>40 mm) were risk factors for instrument failure at LIV. Conclusions Crossing the CTJ during multilevel posterior cervical fusion surgery reduced instrument failures at LIV, but increased the surgical invasiveness and perioperative and postoperative complications.

Background/aim The chemokine receptors C-X-C chemokine receptor type 4 (CXCR4) and C-C chemokine receptor type 7 (CCR7) play an important role in the invasion and metastasis of cancer. This study investigated the relationship between relative expression of CXCR4 and CCR7 mRNA, clinicopathological factors, and outcomes in patients with colorectal cancer (CRC). Patients and methods We studied 202 patients who underwent surgery for CRC. The expression levels of CXCR4 and CCR7 mRNA in cancerous tissue were measured using quantitative real-time reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction. Results High CCR7 mRNA expression levels in CRC tissues were positively associated with tumour size and were more frequently associated with cancer of the rectum than of the colon. Moreover, outcomes were significantly poorer in patients with high CCR7 mRNA expression than in those with low expression. On multivariate Cox regression analysis, a higher CCR7 mRNA expression level was a significant independent predictor of poorer overall survival in patients with CRC. Conclusion Overexpression of CCR7 mRNA may be a useful independent prognostic factor in patients with CRC.

Gamma‐synuclein (SNCG) promotes invasive behavior and is reportedly a prognostic factor in a range of cancers. However, its role in biliary tract carcinoma (BTC) remains unknown. Consequently, we investigated the clinicopathological significance and function of SNCG in BTC. Using resected BTC specimens from 147 patients with adenocarcinoma (extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma [ECC, n = 96]; intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma [ICC, n = 51]), we immunohistochemically evaluated SNCG expression and investigated its correlation with clinicopathological factors and outcomes. Furthermore, cell lines with high SNCG expression were selected from 16 BTC cell lines and these underwent cell proliferation and migration assays by siRNAs. In the results, SNCG expression was present in 22 of 96 (22.9%) ECC patients and in 10 of 51 (19.6%) ICC patients. SNCG expression was significantly correlated with poorly differentiated tumor in both ECC and ICC (p = 0.01 and 0.03, respectively) and with perineural invasion and lymph node metastases in ECC (p = 0.04 and 0.003, respectively). Multivariate analyses revealed that SNCG expression was an independent poor prognostic factor in both OS and RFS in both ECC and ICC. In vitro analyses showed high SNCG expression in three BTC cell lines (NCC‐BD1, NCC‐BD3, and NCC‐CC6‐1). Functional analysis revealed that SNCG silencing could suppress cell migration in NCC‐BD1 and NCC‐CC6‐1 and downregulate cell proliferation in NCC‐CC6‐1 significantly. In conclusion, SNCG may promote tumor cell activity and is potentially a novel prognostic marker in BTC., This study revealed for the first time the clinicopathological roles of gamma‐synuclein (SNCG) in biliary tract carcinoma (BTC). SNCG was identified as a strong independent poor prognostic factor of overall and recurrence‐free survival and was also significantly correlated with poor differentiation and perineural invasion in BTC.

The prevalence of primary axillary hyperhidrosis in Japan is 5.75% (males, 6.60%; females, 4.72%) in the population aged 5–64 years. No study on comprehensively evaluated direct medical costs, hygiene product costs, and productivity loss in axillary hyperhidrosis patients has been published in Japan. The aim of this study was to estimate the cost of illness for axillary hyperhidrosis in Japan by conducting a nationwide insurance claims database analysis and a cross‐sectional Web‐based survey. Among patients diagnosed with primary axillary hyperhidrosis at least once between November 2012 and October 2019, health insurance receipt data of 1447 patients were analyzed. A cross‐sectional Web‐based survey was conducted on 321 patients aged 16–59 years with axillary hyperhidrosis to calculate hygiene product costs and productivity loss using a Work Productivity and Activity Impairment questionnaire. Furthermore, nationwide estimation was performed for the hygiene product costs and productivity loss based on the number of patients estimated from the prevalence. The annual direct medical costs per axillary hyperhidrosis patient were ¥91 491 in 2016, ¥93 155 in 2017, and ¥75 036 in 2018. In all of these years, botulinum toxin type A injection accounted for approximately 90% of the total costs. The annual total cost of hygiene products per axillary hyperhidrosis patient was ¥9325. The overall work impairment (%) of working patients with axillary hyperhidrosis was 30.52%, and its monthly productivity loss was ¥120 593/patient. The activity impairment (%) of full‐time housewives with axillary hyperhidrosis was 49.05% and its monthly productivity loss was ¥176 368/patient. The annual hygiene product cost based on the nationwide estimation was ¥24.5 billion and the monthly productivity loss was ¥312 billion. The significant cost associated with axillary hyperhidrosis was clarified. If out‐of‐pocket expenses for treatments not covered by health insurance are included in the estimation, the cost will further increase.

Background Little is known about the survival outcomes of and predictive factors for survival in hemodialysis patients undergoing surgery for gastric cancer. Methods We performed a multicenter retrospective study from 9 institutions to investigate the survival outcomes of 75 hemodialysis patients with gastric cancer. Patient characteristics included demographic data, hemodialysis- and gastric cancer-related variables. Multivariate Cox hazards models were applied to determine independent predictors of poor overall survival and non-gastric cancer related death. Results Stage I disease was predominant (58.7%) in our series. The overall morbidity and the 30-day mortality rates were 25.3% and 1.3%, respectively. The 5-year overall survival rates of patients with pStages I, II, III, and IV disease were 59.2%, 42.9%, 32.3%, and 0%, respectively. Eleven (14.7%) patients died of gastric cancer, whereas many more (40.0%) died owing to causes other than gastric cancer. Non-gastric cancer-related death was especially prevalent in patients with pStages I (95.2%) and II (75.0%) disease. Multivariable analysis revealed advanced age, long duration of hemodialysis (> 5 years), total gastrectomy, and pStage IV disease to be independently associated with poor overall survival. Notably, advanced age, long duration of hemodialysis, and the presence of cardiovascular disease were all independent predictors of non-gastric cancer-related death. Patients with all 3 factors had very poor survival outcomes (3-year overall survival; 14.3%). Conclusion The survival outcomes of hemodialysis patients with gastric cancer, especially those with early-stage gastric cancer, were clearly poor, largely owing to the increased risk of non-gastric cancer-related death. Preoperative comorbidities and hemodialytic features were useful for predicting long-term outcomes of this vulnerable population.

Background Sodium zirconium cyclosilicate (SZC), a newly‐developed selective potassium binder, has been clinically available to treat hyperkalemia. SZC might be a promising option to manage hyperkalemia, particularly in patients with heart failure, who often require potassium‐sparing medications. However, the optimal initial dose of SZC therapy at a loading dose (30 g per day for the initial 2 days) versus a maintenance dose (5 g per day) remains unknown. Methods Consecutive patients with heart failure and hyperkalemia who received 2‐day SZC therapy were retrospectively included. Safety and efficacy of SZC therapy were compared between the two strategies (maintenance versus loading). Results We had 16 patients (76 years old, 11 men) who received 2‐day SZC therapy (4 maintenance dose group and 12 loading dose group). Serum potassium decreased 0.7 mEqL/L by 2‐day maintenance dose therapy and 1.3 mEq/L by 2‐day loading dose therapy. Following 2‐day SZC therapy, 25% of patients had hypokalemia, which was defined as serum potassium

A 68-year-old male patient with lung adenocarcinoma, who was treated with chemotherapy and immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), developed lymphadenopathy during treatment. His para-aortic lymph nodes increased to 2.0 cm in diameter. Both inguinal lymph nodes were 1.5 cm in diameter, and multiple hepatic masses appeared. After the ICI readministration, both inguinal lymph nodes increased to 2.0 cm in diameter, but the para-aortic lymph nodes and hepatic masses remained. Angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma (AITL) diagnosis was established after the right inguinal lymph node biopsy, which was accompanied by an infiltration of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-encoded small ribonucleic acid-positive B-cells. After the ICI discontinuation, the inguinal lymph nodes decreased to 1.5 cm in diameter, but the para-aortic lymph nodes remained, and hepatic masses increased. Hepatic lesions were possibly lung cancer metastasis. The ICI administration and EBV reactivation were potentially associated with AITL development in the present case. The natural shrinkage of lymphoma after the ICI cessation implied the immunological mechanism like that of the methotrexate-related lymphoproliferative disease.

Background: The effect of sarcopenia on the recovery of swallowing function, and the interaction among sarcopenia, nutrition care, and rehabilitation therapy are inconclusive. Methods: This multicenter cohort study was conducted between November 2018 and October 2020 in convalescent rehabilitation hospitals in Japan and included post-stroke patients aged ≥65 years with dysphagia. All participants were assigned to sarcopenia and non-sarcopenia groups. The primary outcome was the achievement of ≥2 Food Intake Level Scale [FILS] gain, and the secondary outcomes included Functional Independence Measure (FIM) gain and efficiency. Considering the effect modification of energy intake and rehabilitation duration, logistic regression analyses were performed. Results: Overall, 153 participants with (median age, 82 years; 57.5% women) and 40 without (median age 75 years; 35.0% women) sarcopenia were included. The non-sarcopenia group had more patients who achieved an FILS gain of ≥2 (75.0%) than the sarcopenia group (51.0%). Sarcopenia was independently associated with a poor FILS gain (odds ratio:0.34, 95% confidence intervals: 0.13–0.86) but not associated with FIM gain or efficiency. This association was not affected by the rehabilitation duration or energy intake. Conclusions: In conclusion, sarcopenia was negatively associated with the recovery of swallowing function in stroke patients without interaction by energy intake and rehabilitation duration.

Heatstroke can cause acute kidney injury (AKI), which reportedly progresses to chronic kidney disease. Kidney macrophages may be involved in such injury. Although heat acclimation (HA) provides thermal resilience, its renoprotective effect and mechanism remain unclear. To investigate heat stress-induced kidney injuries in mice and the mitigating effect of HA on them, male C57/BL6J mice were exposed to heat stress (40°C, 1 h) with or without 5-day HA (38°C, 3 h/day) prior to heat stress. Heat stress damaged kidney proximal tubules with an elevation of urinary kidney injury molecule-1. Kidney fibrosis was observed on

Background To restore neutral limb alignment in total knee arthroplasty (TKA), the procedure usually starts with removing osteophytes in varus osteoarthritic knees. However, the exact effect on alignment correction is unknown. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of osteophyte removal alone during TKA for varus knees on correction of limb alignment on the coronal plane. Methods Fifteen knees with medial osteoarthritis and varus malalignment scheduled for TKA were studied. After registration in a navigation system, each knee was tested at maximum extension, and at 30, 40, and 60 degrees of flexion, before and after osteophyte removal. External loads of 10 N·m valgus torque at each angle and in both states were applied. Later, the widths of the resected osteophytes were measured. Results The average preoperative hip-knee-ankle angle was -14.2 degrees. The average width of osteophytes was 7.6 mm in the femur and 5.3 mm in the tibia. Angle corrections after osteophyte removal were 3.4 degrees at maximum extension, 3.4 degrees at 30 degrees flexion, and 3.6 degrees at 60 degrees flexion; the difference was significant for all angles. There was a positive correlation between osteophyte width and the degree of angle correction at 30 degrees. Conclusion At 30 degrees of knee flexion, osteophyte width was correlated with the degree of angle correction on the coronal plane in TKA. The degree of angle correction per 1 mm of width of removed osteophytes was 0.4 degrees.

Summary One of the most severe complications of auricular reconstruction for microtia is exposure of the cartilage framework. Recently, negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) has become popular for a variety of complex wounds but reports on methods for microtia reconstruction are scarce. Thus, we aimed to detail the use of NPWT for cartilage exposure in microtia reconstruction. We retrospectively analyzed 7 cartilage exposure wounds in 6 patients treated by NPWT after auricular reconstruction for microtia. All wounds appeared from postoperative days 3 to 30 with 3 on the antihelix, 2 on the helix, 1 on the triangular fossa and 1 on the scaphoid fossa. Skin defect sizes ranged from 1 to 24 mm2 and 2 cartilage frames were infected at onset. Our NPWT system was the KCI Negative Pressure Wound Therapy with V.A.C.Ⓡ GranuFoam Black™ or Silver™ and continuous suction was applied in a range of 25–125 mmHg. All wounds healed within 8 to 39 days with NPWT antecedent cases taking longer than surgery ones. All cartilage frames survived but partial cartilage atrophies remained in 4 cases. Although a secondary infection occurred in an NPWT antecedent case it was still useful as a continuous external drainage system to remove dead space exudate and stimulate granulated tissue formation. In addition to vigilance against secondary infection, surgeons should consider an additional surgical intervention if the wound fails to improve within 7 days.

Although favourable surgical outcomes for myelopathy caused by cervical ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament (OPLL) have been reported, factors significantly associated with post-operative neck pain attenuation still remain unclear. The primary aim of the present study was to determine factors significantly associated with post-operative neck pain attenuation in patients with cervical OPLL using a prospective multi-centre registry of surgically treated cervical OPLL. Significant postoperative neck pain reduction (50% reduction of neck pain) was achieved in 31.3% of patients. There was no significant difference in neck pain attenuation between surgical procedures. Statistical analyses with univariate analyses followed by stepwise logistic regression revealed neurological recovery as a factor having a significant positive association with post-operative neck pain attenuation (p = 0.04, odds ratio 5.68 (95% confidence interval: 1.27–22.2)). In conclusion, neurological recovery was an independent factor having a significant positive association with post-operative neck pain attenuation in patients with cervical myelopathy caused by OPLL who underwent cervical spine surgery.

Background Prognosticating disease progression in patients with diabetic kidney disease (DKD) is challenging, especially in the early stages of kidney disease. Anemia can occur in the early stages of kidney disease in diabetes. We therefore postulated that serum hemoglobin (Hb) concentration, as a reflection of incipient renal tubulointerstitial impairment, can be used as a marker to predict DKD progression. Methods Drawing on nationally representative data of patients with biopsy-proven DKD, 246 patients who had an estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) ≥60 mL/min/1.73 m2 at renal biopsy were identified: age 56 (45–63) years; 62.6% men; Hb 13.3 (12.0–14.5) g/dL; eGFR 76.2 (66.6–88.6) mL/min/1.73 m2; urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio 534 (100–1480) mg/g Crea. Serum Hb concentration was divided into quartiles: ≤12, 12.1–13.3, 13.4–14.5 and ≥14.6 g/dL. The association between serum Hb concentration and the severity of renal pathological lesions was explored. A multivariable Cox regression model was used to estimate the risk of DKD progression (new onset of end-stage kidney disease, 50% reduction of eGFR or doubling of serum creatinine). The incremental prognostic value of DKD progression by adding serum Hb concentration to the known risk factors of DKD was assessed. Results Serum Hb levels negatively correlated with all renal pathological features, especially with the severity of interstitial fibrosis (ρ = −0.52; P Conclusions Serum Hb concentration, which reflects incipient renal fibrosis, can be useful for predicting DKD progression in the early stages of kidney disease.

Osteonecrosis (ON), a long-term complication of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) treatment affects patients' quality of life. Although the incidence of any ON, including asymptomatic, was 21.7% among children with ALL in the U.S., the actual incidence and risk factors in Asia remain unknown. For over 11 years, we performed hip magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) screening to detect asymptomatic ON while initiating maintenance chemotherapy in newly diagnosed children with ALL. Overall, 164 of 175 patients underwent hip MRI screening. The incidence of symptomatic or any ON was 3.0% and 11.6%, respectively. Asymptomatic ON in patients 10 and ≥ 10 years old was 4.0% and 35.9%, respectively (P 0.001). In multivariate analysis, age ≥ 10 years was the only significant risk factor. Asymptomatic ON with necrosis of 30% of the epiphyseal surface of the femoral head was detected in four patients (2.4%). All were ≥ 10 years. Three of them progressed to severe symptomatic ON. The incidence of any ON in Asia may be lower than that seen in the only screening study in the U.S. Future studies should clarify factors affecting such regional differences and develop an effective approach to avoid the progression of ON in children with ALL.

We report a novel NIPBL-NACC1 gene fusion in a rare primary hepatic neoplasm previously described as the "cholangioblastic variant of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma." The 2 index cases were identified within our consultation files as morphologically distinctive primary hepatic neoplasms in a 24-year-old female and a 54-year-old male. The neoplasms each demonstrated varied architecture, including trabecular, organoid, microcystic/follicular, and infiltrative glandular patterns, and biphasic cytology with large, polygonal eosinophilic cells and smaller basophilic cells. The neoplasms had a distinctive immunoprofile characterized by diffuse labeling for inhibin, and patchy labeling for neuroendocrine markers (chromogranin and synaptophysin) and biliary marker cytokeratin 19. RNA sequencing of both cases demonstrated an identical fusion of NIBPL exon 8 to NACC1 exon 2, which was further confirmed by break-apart fluorescence in situ hybridization assay for each gene. Review of a tissue microarray including 123 cases originally diagnosed as well-differentiated neuroendocrine neoplasm at one of our hospitals resulted in identification of a third case with similar morphology and immunophenotype in a 52-year-old male, and break-apart fluorescence in situ hybridization probes confirmed rearrangement of both NIPBL and NACC1. Review of The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) sequencing data and digital images from 36 intrahepatic cholangiocarcinomas (http://www.cbioportal.org) revealed one additional case with the same gene fusion and the same characteristic solid, trabecular, and follicular/microcystic architectures and biphasic cytology as seen in our genetically confirmed cases. The NIPBL-NACC1 fusion represents the third type of gene fusion identified in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma, and correlates with a distinctive morphology described herein.

Drug-induced thrombocytopenia occurs through immune-mediated platelet destruction, and its management is challenging during tuberculosis treatment. Although rifampicin is the most common drug causing thrombocytopenia, isoniazid can also cause thrombocytopenia. We herein report a 75-year-old man who developed thrombocytopenia during tuberculosis treatment. Platelet-associated immunoglobulin G and a drug-induced lymphocyte stimulation test for isoniazid were positive; no other causes of thrombocytopenia were identified. The patient was diagnosed with isoniazid-induced immune thrombocytopenia, and the platelet count normalized after isoniazid discontinuation. We describe the immunological mechanism of thrombocytosis due to isoniazid, an uncommon cause of thrombocytopenia that physicians should be aware exists.

Data are limited regarding risk factors for lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI) caused by seasonal human coronaviruses (HCoVs) and the significance of virologic documentation by bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) on outcomes in hematopoietic cell transplant (HCT) recipients. We retrospectively analyzed patients undergoing allogeneic HCT (4/2008-9/2018) with HCoV (OC43/NL63/HKU1/229E) detected by polymerase chain reaction during conditioning or post-HCT. Risk factors for all manifestations of LRTI and progression to LRTI among those presenting with HCoV upper respiratory tract infection (URTI) were analyzed by logistic regression and Cox proportional hazard models, respectively. Mortality rates following HCoV LRTI were compared according to virologic documentation by BAL. A total of 297 patients (61 children and 236 adults) developed HCoV infection as follows: 254 had URTI alone, 18 presented with LRTI, and 25 progressed from URTI to LRTI (median, 16 days; range, 2-62 days). Multivariable logistic regression analyses showed that male sex, higher immunodeficiency scoring index, albumin 150 mg/dL, and presence of respiratory copathogens were associated with occurrence of LRTI. Hyperglycemia with steroid use was associated with progression to LRTI (P < .01) in Cox models. LRTI with HCoV detected in BAL was associated with higher mortality than LRTI without documented detection in BAL (P < .01). In conclusion, we identified factors associated with HCoV LRTI, some of which are less commonly appreciated to be risk factors for LRTI with other respiratory viruses in HCT recipients. The association of hyperglycemia with LRTI might provide an intervention opportunity to reduce the risk of LRTI., Key Points • We demonstrate risk factors for HCoV LRTI in allogeneic HCT recipients and significance of virologic documentation by BAL on mortality. • Hyperglycemia associated with steroid use appears to be a strong predictor of HCoV disease progression.