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Background: Minimally invasive surgery (MIS), such as laparoscopic and robotic surgery for rectal cancer, is performed worldwide. However, limited information is available on the advantages of MIS over open surgery for multivisceral resection for cases clinically invading adjacent organs. Patients and methods: This was a retrospective propensity score-matching study of consecutive clinical T4b rectal cancer patients who underwent curative intent surgery between 2006 and 2021 at the University of Tokyo Hospital. Results: Sixty-nine patients who underwent multivisceral resection were analyzed. Thirty-three patients underwent MIS (the MIS group), while 36 underwent open surgery (the open group). Twenty-three patients were matched to each group. Conversion was required in 2 patients who underwent MIS (8.7%). R0 resection was achieved in 87.0% and 91.3% of patients in the MIS and open groups, respectively. The MIS group had significantly less blood loss (170 vs. 1130 mL; p < 0.0001), fewer Clavien–Dindo grade ≥ 2 postoperative complications (30.4% vs. 65.2%; p = 0.0170), and a shorter postoperative hospital stay (20 vs. 26 days; p = 0.0269) than the open group. The 3-year cancer-specific survival rate, relapse-free survival rate, and cumulative incidence of local recurrence were 75.7, 35.9, and 13.9%, respectively, in the MIS group and 84.5, 45.4, and 27.1%, respectively, in the open group, which were not significantly different (p = 0.8462, 0.4344, and 0.2976, respectively). Conclusion: MIS had several short-term advantages over open surgery, such as lower complication rates, faster recovery, and a shorter hospital stay, in rectal cancer patients who underwent multivisceral resection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Juvenile myasthenia gravis (MG) is a rare autoimmune neuromuscular disease, often treated with anticholinesterases, corticosteroids, and immunosuppressants. However, optimal treatment durations remain unclear. This study investigated the clinical characteristics and treatment of juvenile MG, including medication duration. The administration period for all drugs, immunosuppressants, and prednisolone at doses greater than 0.35 mg/kg daily was extracted retrospectively from medical records. Nineteen participants (8 boys, 11 girls) aged 8 months to 14 years (median, 2.5 years) at onset were identified. Fourteen patients (73.7%) had ocular MG and five (26.3%) had generalized MG. Drug treatment was conducted in 18 cases; however, 7 patients did not complete the treatment. Among the patients who completed drug treatment, the duration of treatment ranged from 11 to 100 months (median, 47 months). In the six patients treated with continuous administration of prednisolone or immunosuppressants, the treatment duration ranged from 33 to 99 months (median, 56 months). No severe adverse effects requiring hospitalization were reported. The patients treated with prednisolone or immunosuppressants required at least 33 months of treatment. These results will help develop protocols for juvenile MG treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A better understanding of the relative contributions of various factors to patient outcomes is essential for optimal patient selection for extracorporeal CPR (ECPR) therapy for patients with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA). However, evidence on the prognostic comparison based on the etiologies of cardiac arrest is limited. What is the etiology-based prognosis of patients undergoing ECPR for OHCA? This retrospective multicenter registry study involved 36 institutions in Japan and included all adult patients with OHCA who underwent ECPR between January 2013 and December 2018. The primary etiology for OHCA was determined retrospectively from all hospital-based data at each institution. We performed a multivariable logistic regression model to determine the association between etiology of cardiac arrest and two outcomes: favorable neurologic outcome and survival at hospital discharge. We identified 1,781 eligible patients, of whom 1,405 (78.9%) had cardiac arrest because of cardiac causes. Multivariable logistic regression analysis for favorable neurologic outcome showed that accidental hypothermia (adjusted OR, 5.12; 95% CI, 2.98-8.80; P <.001) was associated with a significantly higher rate of favorable neurologic outcome than cardiac causes. Multivariable logistic regression analysis for survival showed that accidental hypothermia (adjusted OR, 5.19; 95% CI, 3.15-8.56; P <.001) had significantly higher rates of survival than cardiac causes. Acute aortic dissection/aneurysm (adjusted OR, 0.07; 95% CI, 0.02-0.28; P <.001) and primary cerebral disorders (adjusted OR, 0.12; 95% CI, 0.03-0.50; P =.004) had significantly lower rates of survival than cardiac causes. In this retrospective multicenter cohort study, although most patients with OHCA underwent ECPR for cardiac causes, accidental hypothermia was associated with favorable neurologic outcome and survival; in contrast, acute aortic dissection/aneurysm and primary cerebral disorders were associated with nonsurvival compared with cardiac causes. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adenovirus is a major pathogen causing febrile illness among children. It may also cause acute encephalitis/encephalopathy. This study aimed to elucidate the clinical features of adenovirus-associated encephalitis/encephalopathy (AdVE) among children in Japan. A nationwide survey of children with AdVE was conducted. An initial survey was distributed among pediatricians to obtain information about children with AdVE treated between January 2014 and March 2019. A second survey was used to obtain the clinical information of children with AdVE from hospitals that responded to the initial survey and those identified from a literature search of the reported cases. We collected demographic data and information about symptoms of infection, neurological symptoms, laboratory parameters, treatment, and outcomes. Outcomes were determined using the Pediatric Cerebral Performance Category Score. Clinical information was available for 23 children with a median age of 39 months. Two had preexisting neurological disorders and six had a history of febrile seizures. The outcome was good in 15 patients and poor in eight patients. Serum lactate dehydrogenase, glucose, and ammonia levels were higher among children with a poor outcome compared to those with a good outcome. Clinically mild encephalitis/encephalopathy with a reversible splenial lesion was the most common type (n = 8), followed by acute encephalopathy with biphasic seizures and late reduced diffusion (n = 7). A prior history of febrile seizures was frequent in children with AdVE. Several different subtypes of acute encephalopathy were seen in children with AdVE, and the outcome was poor in those with acute encephalopathy with biphasic seizures and late reduced diffusion and hemorrhagic shock and encephalopathy syndrome. Elevated lactate dehydrogenase, glucose, and ammonia levels on admission were found to correlate with a poor outcome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Evidence for the outcomes of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) between a basket catheter and a balloon catheter for endoscopic common bile duct stone (CBDS) removal is lacking. This study aimed to compare ERCP outcomes using a basket catheter and a balloon catheter for endoscopic CBDS removal. Methods: This multicenter retrospective study included 904 consecutive patients with native papilla who underwent endoscopic stone removal for CBDS ≤10 mm using a basket catheter and/or a balloon catheter at three institutions in Japan. ERCP outcomes between the basket and balloon groups were compared using inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) method. Results: ERCP-related adverse events occurred in 6.5% (29/449) and 7.7% (35/455) of patients in the basket and balloon groups, respectively (IPTW-adjusted p = 0.52). The incidences of post-ERCP pancreatitis, cholangitis, and perforation were similar in the basket and balloon groups (3.8% vs. 2.9%, 1.3% vs. 0.9%, and 0.7% vs. 0.7%, respectively). However, bleeding incidences were significantly higher in the balloon group than in the basket group (3.3% vs. 0.7%, IPTW-adjusted p = 0.012). Successful complete stone removal at one ERCP session using a single catheter was achieved in 17.8% (80/449) in the basket group and in 81.3% (370/455) in the balloon group (IPTW-adjusted p < 0.001). Discussion: A balloon catheter is more likely to complete stone extraction for CBDS ≤10 mm with a single catheter at one endoscopic stone removal session. However, the risk for post-ERCP bleeding is higher in the balloon group than in the basket group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Cardiac adverse events (CAEs) have become a concern as serious adverse events (AEs) of nilotinib administration. No reports have described the incidence of CAEs associated with nilotinib in Japanese patients. Thus, we conducted this study to evaluate the risk of nilotinib-induced CAEs, time to onset, incidence rates, and post hoc outcomes using the Japanese Adverse Drug Event Report database. Methods: We analysed data for the period between April 2004 and March 2022. Data on CAEs were extracted, and relative risk of AEs was estimated using the reporting odds ratio. Results: We analysed 2,021,907 reports and identified 3,545 reports of AEs caused by nilotinib. Of these, 511 reports involved CAEs. Signals were detected for 19 CAEs. Of these, electrocardiogram QT prolonged was the most frequently reported (30.9%). Fatal outcomes were observed in eight AEs: cardiac failure, atrial fibrillation, acute myocardial infarction, pericardial effusion, myocardial infarction, cardiac arrest, pericarditis, and cardiac tamponade. Of these, acute myocardial infarction, myocardial infarction, pericarditis, and cardiac tamponade exhibited mortality rates >10%. A histogram of median times to onset showed nilotinib-associated AEs occurring 3–485 days after nilotinib administration. Conclusion: We focused on CAEs caused by nilotinib as post-marketing AEs. Some cases resulted in serious outcomes. Patients should be monitored for signs of onset of these AEs not only at the start of administration but for a long period of time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Study Design. Prospective cohort study. Objective. To identify the effects of multidisciplinary approaches (MAs) to improve social functioning (SF) on 1-year surgical outcomes in patients with cervical myelopathy. Summary of Background Data. Despite significant improvement in cervical myelopathy, a patient's quality of life (QOL) sometimes does not improve postoperatively. A previous study revealed that SF, rather than myelopathy severity, correlated with QOL improvement after decompression surgery for cervical myelopathy. Patients and Methods. This study compared two prospective cohorts in Japan. Patients who underwent cervical laminoplasty for cervical myelopathy from 2018 to 2020 were enrolled in the control cohort. Patients who underwent the same surgery with the same indications between 2020 and 2021 were enrolled in the MA cohort. Patients in the control cohort were treated with a standard care protocol, and those in the MA cohort were treated with a multidisciplinary protocol that focused on SF improvement. The changes in the total Japanese Orthopedic Association (JOA) score and in the domains of the JOA scores (upper limb function, lower limb function, upper limb sensory, and lower limb sensory) from preoperatively to 1 year postoperatively were compared between the control and MA cohorts using a mixed-effect model. Results. The control and MA cohorts comprised 140 and 31 patients, respectively. The improvement in the JOA score was significantly better in the MA cohort than in the control cohort (P = 0.040). In analyses of each JOA score domain, the improvement of upper limb function was significantly better in the MA cohort than in the control cohort (P = 0.033). Similarly, the MA cohort demonstrated significantly higher patient-reported outcomes for upper extremity function than the control cohort (P < 0.001). In addition, the self-care domain of QOL score at 1 year postoperatively was significantly higher in the MA cohort than in the control cohort (P = 0.047). Conclusion. MAs to improve/rebuild a patient's SF were effective in improving cervical myelopathy and the self-care domain of QOL. This study is the first to demonstrate the effectiveness of postoperative MAs in patients with cervical myelopathy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Little is known about the natural history of comatose patients with brain injury, as in many countries most of these patients die in the context of withdrawal of life-sustaining therapies (WLSTs). The accuracy of predicting recovery that is used to guide goals-of-care decisions is uncertain. We examined long-term outcomes of patients with ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke predicted by experienced clinicians to have no chance of meaningful recovery in Japan, where WLST in patients with isolated neurological disease is uncommon. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of all patients admitted with acute ischemic stroke, intracerebral hemorrhage, or nontraumatic subarachnoid hemorrhage between January 2018 and December 2020 to a neurocritical care unit at Toda Medical Group Asaka Medical Center in Saitama, Japan. We screened for patients who were predicted by the attending physician on postinjury day 1–4 to have no chance of meaningful recovery. Primary outcome measures were disposition at hospital discharge and the ability to follow commands and functional outcomes measured by the Glasgow Outcome Scale-Extended (GOS-E), which was assessed 6 months after injury. Results: From 860 screened patients, we identified 40 patients (14 with acute ischemic stroke, 19 with intracerebral hemorrhage, and 7 with subarachnoid hemorrhage) who were predicted to have no chance of meaningful recovery. Median age was 77 years (interquartile range 64–85), 53% (n = 21) were women, and 80% (n = 32) had no functional deficits prior to hospitalization. Six months after injury, 17 patients were dead, 14 lived in a long-term care hospital, 3 lived at home, 2 lived in a rehabilitation center, and 2 lived in a nursing home. Three patients reliably followed commands, two were in a vegetative state (GOS-E 2), four fully depended on others and required constant assistance (GOS-E 3), one could be left alone independently for 8 h per day but remained dependent (GOS-E 4), and one was independent and able to return to work-like activities (GOS-E 5). Conclusions: In the absence of WLST, almost half of the patients predicted shortly after the injury to have no chance of meaningful recovery were dead 6 months after the injury. A small minority of patients had good functional recovery, highlighting the need for more accurate neurological prognostication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As there have been no comprehensive reports of human metapneumovirus-associated encephalopathy (hMPVE), this study examined the clinical features of hMPVE in children in Japan. A nationwide survey of children with hMPVE was conducted using a structured research form. An initial survey asked pediatricians about children with hMPVE treated between 2014 and 2018. A second survey obtained patient information from hospitals that responded to the initial survey and those identified as having treated cases from a literature search. We collected demographic data, symptoms of hMPV infection, neurological symptoms, laboratory data, treatment, and outcomes. Outcomes were determined using the Pediatric Cerebral Performance Category Score. Clinical information was available for 16 children. Their median age was 37 months. Six had preexisting neurological disorders. The interval between the onsets of infection and hMPVE was 4 days. Outcomes were good in 11 patients and poor in 5. There were no significant differences in demographic data, neurological symptoms, or laboratory data between the patients with good and poor outcomes. The encephalopathy subtypes were acute encephalopathy with biphasic seizures and late reduced diffusion in 3, clinically mild encephalitis/encephalopathy with a reversible splenial lesion in 3, hemorrhagic shock and encephalopathy syndrome in 2, and others in 8. The outcomes of children with hMPVE were not very different from those of acute encephalopathy due to other viruses. We found no factors associated with poor outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Some aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) patients are delayed in their presentation. This can cause a washout of the subarachnoid hematoma and a potential misdiagnosis. As a result, they may suffer rerupture of the aneurysm and preventable deterioration. We investigated the factors that influence delayed SAH presentation. Aneurysmal SAH patients treated at 9 stroke centers from 2002 to 2020 were included. Age, gender, pre-SAH modified Rankin scale, World Federation of Neurological Surgeons grade, Fisher group, day of presentation, aneurysm treatment method, past history of cerebral stroke, comorbidity of hypertension and/or diabetes mellitus, and modified Rankin scaleat discharge were assessed retrospectively. We formed 2 groups based on the day of presentation after the onset of SAH: day 0–3 (early) and other (delayed). Logistic regression analyses detected the factors that influenced the day of presentation and outcome for SAH. A P - value <0.05 was considered significant. Delayed presentation comprised 282 cases (6.3%) of 4507 included cases. Logistic regression analyses showed that patients in an urban area, of male gender, low WFNS grade and low Fisher group correlated significantly with a delayed presentation. But delayed presentation did not influence outcome at discharge. Area of residency and gender correlated with delayed presentation after SAH in Japan. Urbanization, male gender, and mild SAH lead patients to delay presentation. The factors underlying these tendencies will be analyzed in a future prospective study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The purpose was to clarify diagnostic clues and pitfalls in cranio-cervical junction arteriovenous fistulas (CCJ AVFs) with congestive myelopathy. Methods: In a multicenter observational study by the Neurospinal Society of Japan, we described the demographics, clinical courses, imaging findings, and outcomes of consecutive patients with CCJ AVFs presenting with congestive myelopathy between 2009 and 2019. Results: Twenty-seven patients were included (mean age, 70 years; male, 96%). Progressive symptoms within one day to one month were more common (63%) than chronic symptoms. Myelopathic symptoms were characterized by ascending paralysis beginning from the legs, involving the trunk and arms, and sometimes ending in the brainstem. Fifteen patients (56%) received a misdiagnosis, including acute transverse myelitis. The most common MRI findings were venous congestive edema of the cervical cord (96%) and the brainstem (63%) and surrounding vascular flow voids (100%). The mean extension of congestive edema was 5.5 ± 2.9 vertebral segments. The most common angiographic findings were a dural AVF (78%) at the C1 level (81%) with descending venous drainage (85%). Seven patients (26%) were administered steroids, which resulted in neurological decline in 3. Neurosurgical obliteration of the AVF led to improvements in MRI findings in 75% and a functional status in 67%; however, 44% remained dependent. Conclusions: The myelopathy of CCJ AVFs was characterized by acute ascending paralysis in elderly men. A misdiagnosis was common because of the acute presentation due to a longitudinally extensive spinal cord lesion. Dilated vessels on MRI were a key finding for the correct diagnosis. What is already known on this topic? Slowly progressive myelopathy is a well-known symptom that results from impaired spinal venous drainage due to thoracolumbar AVFs. Although cranio-cervical junction arteriovenous fistulas (CCJ AVFs) constitute a treatable cause of congestive myelopathy, detailed information is not currently available due to their rarity. What does this study add? CCJ AVFs often presented with acute ascending myelopathy in elderly men due to a longitudinally extending cervical cord lesion with surrounding flow voids. Steroid pulse therapy was not effective or even harmful to congestive myelopathy, while neurosurgical treatment effectively obliterated AVFs. How might this study affect research, practice or policy? The results obtained revealed diagnostic clues and pitfalls from the largest dataset of patients with CCJ AVFs in a multicenter cohort. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and objectives: To clarify whether severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection cause acute encephalopathy in children and which are the most common syndromes that cause them and what are the outcomes. Methods: A nationwide web-based survey among all members of the Japanese Society of Child Neurology to identify pediatric patients aged < 18 years who developed acute encephalopathy in Japan between 1 January 2020 and 31 May 2022 associated with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection confirmed by polymerase chain reaction or antigen tests using pharyngeal swabs. Acute encephalopathy was defined as acute onset of impaired consciousness lasting > 24 h or an altered mental state; neurological symptoms arising within 2 weeks of onset of COVID-19 or multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C)/pediatric inflammatory multisystem syndrome (PIMS); evidence of SARS-CoV-2 infection; and reasonable exclusion of other diseases. Patients were divided into the known clinico-radiological acute encephalopathy syndrome group and unexplained or unclassifiable acute encephalopathy group. Outcomes were assessed by pediatric cerebral performance category (PCPC) score at hospital discharge. Results: Of the 3,802 society members, 217 representing institutions responded, and 39 patients with suspected acute encephalopathy were reported, of which 31 met inclusion criteria. Of these patients, 14 were diagnosed with known clinicoradiological acute encephalopathy syndromes, with acute encephalopathy with biphasic seizures and late reduced diffusion (five patients) being the most common. Five developed acute encephalopathy associated with MIS-C/PIMS. Among 31 patients, 9 (29.0%) had severe sequelae or died (PCPC ≤ 4). Two of three patients with encephalopathy with acute fulminant cerebral edema and two with hemorrhagic shock and encephalopathy syndrome died. The PCPC scores were higher in the known clinico-radiological acute encephalopathy syndrome group than in the unexplained or unclassifiable acute encephalopathy group (P < 0.01). Discussion: Acute encephalopathy related to SARS-CoV-2 infection was demonstrated to be more severe than that caused by other viruses in Japan. Acute encephalopathy syndromes characterized by specific neuroradiological findings was associated with poor clinical outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Little is known about the association between poststroke cognitive impairment (PSCI) and functional outcome in the acute care phase of ischemic stroke and the influence of the clinical condition of acute stroke on this association. We examined this issue, taking into account stroke-related factors, in a hospital-based prospective study of patients with acute ischemic stroke. The same analysis was also performed after subsequent rehabilitation to investigate whether the association observed in the acute care phase persisted after that. For comparison, the same analysis was performed for pre-stroke dementia (PreSD). Methods: We included in the study a total of 923 patients with acute ischemic stroke who were admitted to a hospital from 2012 to 2020 in Japan. Cognitive function was assessed using the Mini-Mental State Examination and Raven's Colored Progressive Matrices test at an average of 6.3 days after stroke onset. The subjects were divided into three groups with normal cognition, PSCI, and PreSD. Study outcome was a poor functional outcome, defined as a modified Rankin Scale score of ≥3 at the end of acute care (median 21 days after admission). Among total subjects, 460 were also assessed for poor functional outcome after rehabilitation (median 77 days after admission). A logistic regression model was applied in this study. Results: Patients with PSCI and PreSD had higher median National Institute of Health Stroke Scale scores than those with normal cognition (median [IQR]: 3 [2–6], 4 [2–12], and 2 [1–4], respectively). The age- and sex-adjusted cumulative incidence of poor functional outcome was significantly higher in patients with PSCI and PreSD than in those with normal cognition in the acute care and rehabilitation phases. In the acute care phase, these associations remained significant after adjustment for stroke-related factors and other confounders (multivariable-adjusted odds ratio [95% CI] for PSCI vs. normal cognition: 3.28 [2.07–5.20]; for PreSD: 2.39 [1.40–4.08]). Similar results were observed in the rehabilitation phase (for PSCI: 2.48 [1.31–4.70]; for PreSD: 3.92 [1.94–7.92]). Conclusions: Our findings suggest that PSCI, as well as PreSD, is possibly associated with the development of poor functional outcome in the acute care phase of ischemic stroke, and this association continues thereafter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Osteoporosis can affect the surgical outcomes of proximal humeral fractures in older people. Recently, the cortical bone thickness of the proximal humerus on plain radiograph has been proposed to reflect local osteoporosis of the proximal humerus; however, its effect on the surgical outcome of proximal humeral fractures remains unclear. The purpose of this study is to investigate the influence of cortical bone thickness on postoperative radiographic outcomes after osteosynthesis for proximal humeral fractures. Materials and Methods: We retrospectively identified 190 patients (≥50 years) who underwent osteosynthesis with an intramedullary nail or plate for proximal humeral fractures. The patients were categorized into 2 groups according to the cut-off value of an average proximal humerus cortical bone thickness of 6 mm on plain radiographs: patients with and without local osteoporosis. After propensity score matching, we compared the incidence of postoperative radiographic complications between the 2 groups. We also performed subgroup analyses of outcomes in a subgroup of patients who underwent intramedullary nailing and those who underwent plate fixation. Results: Propensity score matching yielded 60 patients in each group. No significant difference in complication rates was observed between the 2 groups. However, in the intramedullary nailing subgroup, the incidence of reduction loss was significantly higher in patients with local osteoporosis than in those without local osteoporosis (51.7% vs 14.3%, P = .002). Discussion: The proximal humeral cortical bone thickness had no significant effect on the overall radiographic outcome; however, reduction loss after intramedullary nailing was susceptible to local osteoporosis of the proximal humerus. Conclusion: Our study suggests that plate fixation is advantageous in preventing postoperative reduction loss in patients with lower cortical bone thickness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Early mobilization has been shown to promote functional recovery and prevent complications in patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH). However, the efficacy of early mobilization in patients with aSAH remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the association between early mobilization and functional outcomes in patients with aSAH., Methods: This multicenter retrospective study was conducted in Japan and included patients with aSAH who received physical therapy with or without occupational therapy from April 2014 to March 2019. The primary outcome was the modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score, with a favorable functional outcome defined as an mRS score of 0-2 and an unfavorable outcome with an mRS score of 3-5. Patients initiating walking training within 14 days of aSAH onset were classified into the early mobilization group, whereas those initiating training after 14 days were classified into the delayed mobilization group. Propensity score matching analysis was performed to assess the association between early mobilization and favorable outcomes., Results: A total of 718 patients were screened, and 450 eligible patients were identified. Before matching, 229 patients (50.9%) were in the early mobilization group and 221 (49.1%) were in the delayed mobilization group. After matching, each group consisted of 122 patients, and the early mobilization group exhibited a higher proportion of favorable outcomes than did the delayed mobilization group (81.1% vs. 52.5%, risk difference 28.7%, 95% confidence interval 17.4-39.9, p < 0.001)., Conclusions: This multicenter retrospective study suggests that initiating walking training within 14 days of aSAH onset is associated with favorable outcomes., (© 2024. Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature and Neurocritical Care Society.)

Aim: Manual fundal pressure (MFP) is still used to assist vaginal deliveries during the second stage of labor in predominantly lower‐middle income countries; however, there is insufficient evidence on the risk factors in MFP‐assisted vaginal deliveries for adverse neonatal outcomes. The aim of the present study was to investigate the association between placental location and neonatal outcomes in MFP‐assisted vaginal deliveries. Methods: The present study was a single‐center retrospective cohort study in patients with all MFP‐assisted vaginal singleton deliveries from January 2016 to December 2020. Placental location was divided into two categories: posterior‐lateral and anterior‐fundal. The primary outcome was a neonatal adverse composite including umbilical artery blood pH <7.2, Apgar score <7 at 5 min, neonatal intensive care unit admission and neonatal resuscitation. We used multivariable logistic regression models to investigate the association between placental location and neonatal outcomes. Results: We extracted 522 MFP‐assisted deliveries among 5053 vaginal deliveries. The proportion of posterior‐lateral and anterior‐fundal placentation was 239 (45.8%) and 283 (54.2%), respectively. The crude prevalence of neonatal composite outcome in the anterior‐fundal group was significantly higher than that in the posterior‐lateral group (39.6% vs. 28.9%; p = 0.013). Multivariable logistic regression analysis found that the prevalence of neonatal adverse outcome in the anterior‐fundal group was significantly higher compared with the posterior‐lateral group (adjusted odds ratio, 1.52; 95% confidence interval, 1.04–2.23). Conclusion: Anterior‐fundal placentation was significantly associated with an increased risk of neonatal adverse outcomes compared to posterior‐lateral placentation in MFP‐assisted vaginal deliveries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The hospital volume-outcome relationship in patients with severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) remains unclear. This study investigated the association between the volume of patients with severe TBI and in-hospital mortality. This observational study identified patients with severe TBI (Glasgow Coma Scale score <9 and Abbreviated Injury Scale head score ≥3) from the Japan Trauma Databank (2010–2018). Hospitals were grouped on the basis of annual patient volume as follows: low-volume (4–19 patients/year); middle-volume (20–35 patients/year); and high-volume (36–51 patients/year) groups. The association between hospital volume categories and in-hospital mortality was examined using a multivariate mixed-effect logistic regression analysis. A subgroup analysis was performed based on the presence of severe extracranial injuries. A total of 11,344 patients from 64 hospitals were included. The median age of the patients was 57 years (interquartile range, 40–77), and 7933 (70.0%) patients were men. A total of 4879 (43.1%) patients died in the hospital. The medium-volume (adjusted odds ratio [OR], 0.76; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.62–0.93) and high-volume (adjusted OR, 0.69; 95% CI, 0.52–0.94) groups were significantly associated with lower in-hospital mortality. The subgroup analysis revealed that the medium-volume (adjusted OR, 0.70; 95% CI, 0.54–0.92) and high-volume (adjusted OR, 0.64; 95% CI, 0.42–0.96) groups were significantly associated with lower in-hospital mortality for isolated TBI patients. Higher hospital volumes were significantly associated with lower in-hospital mortality after severe TBI. Regionalization and referral to higher-volume hospitals are beneficial for severe TBI patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The atherogenic characteristics of heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (HeFH) increase the risk of premature atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease including not only coronary artery disease but ischemic stroke. Asymptomatic intracranial artery stenosis/occlusion (IASO) is a major cause of ischemic stroke, but it has not yet been fully characterized in patients with HeFH., Methods and Results: This study analyzed 147 clinically diagnosed subjects with HeFH who underwent magnetic resonance imaging/magnetic resonance angiography imaging for evaluation of IASO (≥50% diameter stenosis). Major adverse cerebrovascular and cardiovascular events (cardiac death, ischemic stroke, and acute coronary syndrome) were compared in patients with HeFH with and without asymptomatic IASO. Asymptomatic IASO was observed in 13.6% of patients with HeFH. The untreated low-density lipoprotein cholesterol level (240±95 versus 244±75 mg/dL; P =0.67) did not differ between the 2 groups. Despite the use of lipid-lowering therapies (statin, P =0.71; high-intensity statin, P =0.81; ezetimibe, P =0.33; proprotein convertase subxilisin/kexin type 9 inhibitor, P =0.39; low-density lipoprotein apheresis, P =0.14), on-treatment low-density lipoprotein cholesterol level in patients with both HeFH and IASO was still suboptimally controlled (97±62 versus 105±50 mg/dL; P =0.17), accompanied by a higher triglyceride level (median, 109 versus 79 mg/dL; P =0.001). During the 12.4-year observational period (interquartile range, 6.2-24.6 years), asymptomatic IASO exhibited a 4.04-fold greater likelihood of experiencing a major adverse cardiovascular event (95% CI, 1.71-9.55; P =0.001) in patients with HeFH. This increased risk of a major adverse cardiovascular event was consistently observed in a multivariate Cox proportional hazards model adjusting clinical characteristics (hazard ratio, 4.32 [95% CI, 1.71-10.9]; P =0.002)., Conclusions: A total of 13.6% of Japanese subjects with HeFH presented with asymptomatic IASO. Despite lipid-lowering therapies, patients with both HeFH and IASO more likely had elevated risk of cerebrovascular and cardiovascular events. Our findings highlight asymptomatic IASO as a phenotypic feature of HeFH-related atherosclerosis, which ultimately affects future outcomes.

Background: There have been limited data on the changes in clinical outcomes after the introduction of direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) for venous thromboembolism (VTE) in real clinical practice. We evaluated the changes in management strategies and long-term outcomes from the warfarin era to the DOAC era., Methods and Results: We compared the 2 series of multicenter COMMAND VTE (Contemporary Management and Outcomes in Patients With Venous Thromboembolism) registries in Japan enrolling consecutive patients with acute symptomatic VTE: Registry 1: 3027 patients in the warfarin era (2010-2014) and Registry 2: 5197 patients in the DOAC era (2015-2020). The prevalence of DOAC use increased more in Registry 2 than in the Registry 1 (Registry 1: 2.6% versus Registry 2: 79%, P <0.001). The cumulative 5-year incidence of recurrent VTE was significantly lower in Registry 2 than in Registry 1 (10.5% versus 9.5%, P =0.02), and the risk reduction of recurrent VTE in Registry 2 remained significant even after adjusting the confounders (hazard ratio [HR], 0.78 [95% CI, 0.65-0.93]; P =0.005). The cumulative 5-year incidence of major bleeding was not significantly different between the 2 registries (12.1% versus 13.7%, P =0.26), and the risk of major bleeding between the 2 registries was not significantly different even after adjusting the confounders (HR, 1.04 [95% CI, 0.89-1.21]; P =0.63)., Conclusions: Along with the shift from warfarin to DOACs, there was a lower risk of recurrent VTE in the DOAC era than in the warfarin era, whereas there was no apparent change in the risk of major bleeding, which might still be an unmet need even in the DOAC era.

Purpose: The underlying difference between intermittent claudication (IC) and critical limb-threatening ischemia (CLTI) still remains unclear. This prospective multicenter observational study aimed to clarify differences in clinical features and prognostic outcomes between IC and CLTI, and prognostic factors in patients undergoing endovascular therapy (EVT)., Materials and Methods: A total of 692 patients with 808 limbs were enrolled from 20 institutions in Japan. The primary measurements were the 3-year rates of major adverse cardiovascular event (MACE) and reintervention., Results: Among patients, 79.0% had IC and 21.0% had CLTI. Patients with CLTI were more frequently women and more likely to have impaired functional status, undernutrition, comorbidities, hypercoagulation, hyperinflammation, distal artery disease, short single antiplatelet and long anticoagulation therapies, and late cilostazol than patients with IC. Aortoiliac and femoropopliteal diseases were dominant in patients with IC and infrapopliteal disease was dominant in patients with CLTI. Patients with CLTI underwent less frequently aortoiliac intervention and more frequently infrapopliteal intervention than patients with IC. Longitudinal change of ankle-brachial index (ABI) exhibited different patterns between IC and CLTI (pinteraction=0.002), but ABI improved after EVT both in IC and in CLTI (p<0.001), which was sustained over time. Dorsal and plantar skin perfusion pressure in CLTI showed a similar improvement pattern (pinteraction=0.181). Distribution of Rutherford category improved both in IC and in CLTI (each p<0.001). Three-year MACE rates were 20.4% and 42.3% and 3-year reintervention rates were 22.1% and 46.8% for patients with IC and CLTI, respectively (log-rank p<0.001). Elevated D-dimer (p=0.001), age (p=0.043), impaired functional status (p=0.018), and end-stage renal disease (p=0.019) were independently associated with MACE. After considering competing risks of death and major amputation for reintervention, elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate (p=0.003) and infrainguinal intervention (p=0.002) were independently associated with reintervention. Patients with CLTI merely showed borderline significance for MACE (adjusted hazard ratio 1.700, 95% confidence interval 0.950-3.042, p=0.074) and reintervention (adjusted hazard ratio 1.976, 95% confidence interval 0.999-3.909, p=0.05)., Conclusions: The CLTI is characterized not only by more systemic comorbidities and distal disease but also by more inflammatory coagulation disorder compared with IC. Also, CLTI has approximately twice MACE and reintervention rates than IC, and the underlying inflammatory coagulation disorder per se is associated with these outcomes., Clinical Impact: The underlying difference between intermittent claudication (IC) and critical limb-threatening ischemia (CLTI) still remains unclear. This prospective multicenter observational study, JPASSION study found that CLTI was characterized not only by more systemic comorbidities and distal disease but also by more inflammatory coagulation disorder compared to IC. Also, CLTI had approximately twice major adverse cardiovascular event (MACE) and reintervention rates than IC. Intriguingly, the underlying inflammatory coagulation disorder per se was independently associated with MACE and reintervention. Further studies to clarify the role of anticoagulation and anti-inflammatory therapies will contribute to the development of post-interventional therapeutics in the context of peripheral artery disease., Competing Interests: Declaration of Conflicting InterestsThe author(s) declared the following potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: O.K. has received a research grant and consulting fees from Terumo and has received lecture fees from Medicon, Otsuka Pharmaceutical, and Kowa Pharmaceutical. H.O. has received lecture fees from Bayer Pharmaceutical, Bristol-Meyers Squibb, Eisai, Novartis Pharma, Pfizer, Towa Pharmaceutical, and Toa Eiyo. S.Y. has received remuneration for lecture from Bristol-Meyers, Bayer, and Daiichi-Sankyo; has received trust research/joint research funds from Takeda, NEC, Daiichi-Sankyo, Bayer, and Abbott; and is affiliated with endowed department sponsored by Abbott, Terumo, Nihon-Kohden, Medtronic, Japan Lifeline, Otsuka, Ono, Boehringer Ingelheim, Takeda, Kowa, Zeon, Shionogi, Nippon-Shinyaku, Mochida, and Tesco. The remaining authors have nothing to disclose.

Background: Women with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) often present a worse risk profile and experience a higher rate of in-hospital mortality than men. However, sex differences in post-discharge prognoses remain inadequately investigated. We examined the impact of sex on 1-year post-discharge outcomes in patients with AMI undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention., Methods and results: We extracted patient-level data for the period January 2017-December 2018 from the J-PCI OUTCOME Registry, endorsed by the Japanese Association of Cardiovascular Intervention and Therapeutics. One-year all-cause and cardiovascular mortality and major adverse cardiovascular events were compared between men and women. In all, 29,856 AMI patients were studied, with 6,996 (23.4%) being women. Women were significantly older and had a higher prevalence of comorbidities than men. Crude all-cause mortality was significantly higher among women than men (7.5% vs. 5.4% [P<0.001] for ST-elevation myocardial infarction [STEMI]; 7.0% vs. 5.2% [P=0.006] for non-STEMI). These sex-related differences in post-discharge outcomes were attenuated after stratification by age. Multivariate analysis demonstrated an increase in all-cause mortality in both sexes with increasing age and advanced-stage chronic kidney disease (CKD)., Conclusions: Within this nationwide cohort, women had worse clinical outcomes following AMI than men. However, these sex-related differences in outcomes diminished after adjusting for age. In addition, CKD was significantly associated with all-cause mortality in both sexes.

Background: Limited research has evaluated the long-term outcomes of prospective audit and feedback (PAF) led by pharmacists. We assessed pharmacist-led PAF processes and outcome measures over 8 years., Methods: This study was conducted at a single public hospital in Japan. Between 2014 and 2021, pharmacists conducted weekday PAFs for hospitalized patients and annually evaluated the process and outcome measures. The endpoints included detection of drug-resistant bacteria, drug susceptibility rates, duration of antimicrobial therapy, and proportion of long-term administration., Results: Among inpatients, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus significantly decreased from 50.9% in 2014 to 32.8% in 2021 (P < .001). The susceptibility rate of Pseudomonas aeruginosa to meropenem significantly increased from 91.2% in 2014 to 94.4% in 2021 (P < .001) and levofloxacin increased from 84.9% in 2014 to 89.3% in 2021 (P < .001). Antimicrobial therapy duration did not differ significantly between 2014 and 2016, but decreased significantly from 2017 onwards (P < .001), except in 2018. The number of patients receiving intravenous antimicrobials for >10 days decreased significantly between 2014 and 2021 (P < .001)., Conclusions: Long-term continuous PAF interventions by pharmacists contribute to improving and maintaining process and outcome indicators and prevent the spread of drug-resistant bacteria., (Copyright © 2024 Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Using the out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) registry in Japan, we evaluated the effectiveness of physicians' presence in pre-hospital settings after adjusting in-hospital treatments.Methods: This was a multicenter cohort study. We registered all consecutive OHCA patients in Japan who, from 1 June 2014 through 31 December 2017, were transported to institutions participating in the Japanese Association for Acute Medicine OHCA registry. We included OHCA patients aged at least 18 years, with medical etiology, and who received resuscitation from emergency medical services (EMS) personnel and medical professionals in hospitals. The primary outcome was one-month favorable neurological survival. We estimated the propensity score by fitting a logistic regression model that was adjusted for several variables before the arrival of EMS personnel and/or pre-hospital physician. A multivariable logistic regression analysis in propensity score-matched patients was used to adjust confounders, including extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, percutaneous coronary intervention, intra-aortic balloon pumping, and targeted temperature management.Results: We analyzed 19,247 patients. Among them, 5.4% (N = 1040) had a neurologically favorable outcome. The adjusted odds ratio (AOR) of the physicians' presence compared with their absence for primary outcome was 1.84 (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.43-2.37). Among first documented non-shockable cardiac rhythm, the AOR was 1.51 (95% CI: 1.04-2.22). Among first documented shockable cardiac rhythm, the AOR of the physicians' presence for primary outcome was 1.15 (95% CI: 0.83-1.59).Conclusion: The improved one-month favorable neurological survival was significantly associated with the physicians' presence in pre-hospital settings, compared with the physicians' absence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Risk factors for death from invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) have not been clearly established in patients aged under 65 years. We aimed to evaluate contributions of host and bacterial factors to the risk of death from IPD in patients aged under 65 years in Japan. In this prospective, observational, multicenter cohort study, patients with IPD (n = 581) aged 6–64 years were enrolled between 2010 and 2017. We investigated the role of host and bacterial factors in 28-day mortality. The mortality rate increased from 3.4% to 6.2% in patients aged 6–44 years to 15.5%–19.5% in those aged 45–64 years. Multivariable analysis identified the following risk factors for mortality: age 45–64 years (hazard ratio [HR], 3.4; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.6–6.8, p = 0.001), bacteremia with unknown focus (HR, 2.0; 95% CI, 1.1–3.7, p = 0.024), meningitis (HR, 2.1; 95% CI, 1.1–4.0, p = 0.019), underlying multiple non-immunocompromising conditions (HR, 2.6; 95% CI, 1.1–7.4, p = 0.023), and immunocompromising conditions related to malignancy (HR, 2.4; 95% CI, 1.0–5.2, p = 0.039). Pneumococcal serotype was not associated with poor outcomes. Host factors, including age of 45–64 years and underlying multiple non-immunocompromising conditions, are important for the prognosis of IPD. Our results will contribute to the development of targeted pneumococcal vaccination strategies in Japan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Embolization is widely used for controlling arterial hemorrhage associated with pelvic fracture. However, the effect of a delay in embolization among hemodynamically stable patients at hospital arrival with a pelvic fracture is unknown. Therefore, our aim was to investigate the association between the time to embolization and mortality in hemodynamically stable patients at hospital arrival with a pelvic fracture. Methods: A multicenter, retrospective cohort study was undertaken using data from the Japan Trauma Data Bank between 2004 and 2018. Hemodynamically, stable patients with a pelvic fracture who underwent an embolization within 3 h were divided into six groups of 30-min blocks of time until pelvic embolization (0–30, 30–60, 60–90, 90–120, 120–150, and 150–180 min). We compared the adjusted 30-day mortality rate according to time to embolization. Results: We studied 620 hemodynamically stable patients with a pelvic fracture who underwent pelvic embolization within 3 h of hemorrhage. The median age was 68 (48–79) years and 55% were male. The median injury severity score was 26 (18–38). Thirty-day mortality was 8.9% (55/620) and 24-h mortality was 4.2% (26/619). A Cochran–Armitage test showed that a 30-min delay for embolization was associated with increased 30-day (p = 0.0186) and 24-hour (p = 0.033) mortality. Mortality within 0–30 min to embolization was 0%. The adjusted 30-day mortality rate increased with delayed embolization and was up to 17.0% (10.2–23.9) for the 150–180 min group. Conclusion: Delayed embolization was associated with increased mortality in pelvic fracture with hemodynamic stability at hospital arrival. When you decide to embolize pelvic fracture patients, the earlier embolization may be desirable to promote improved survival regardless of hemodynamics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Correct identification of futile prehospital resuscitation for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) may reduce unnecessary transports. Prehospital return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) is considered by many to be an important predictor of outcome. The purpose of this study was to evaluate OHCA victims without prehospital ROSC characteristics and their outcomes in relation to the universal Termination of Resuscitation (TOR) rule.Methods: A retrospective, population-based review of OHCA victims without prehospital ROSC from January 1, 2010 to December 31, 2017 in the All-Japan Utstein Registry. We compared those that met the universal TOR rule and those that did not for the primary outcome: one-month survival with neurologically favorable Cerebral Performance Category (CPC) 1 or 2.Results: 989,929 OHCA cases, 18 years of age or older, were registered in the All-Japan Utstein Registry and 525,801 cases were of presumed cardiac origin and had no prehospital ROSC. Of these, the one-month CPC was 1 or 2 for 3957 cases (0.8%). In the 'no ROSC' group who also met the TOR rule, the number of cases was 433,571 with a one-month survival of 0.9% (3799 cases), and the proportion with a CPC 1or 2 was 0.2% (699 cases).Conclusions: Continued resuscitation and transport of cases with no field ROSC who fulfill the TOR rule is futile and could be considered for adoption in Japan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a paucity of data on the influence of low body weight on clinical outcomes in patients with acute venous thromboembolism (VTE). The COMMAND VTE registry is a multicenter cohort study enrolling 3027 consecutive patients with acute symptomatic VTE. The current study population consisted of 2778 patients with available body weight value, who were divided into 2 groups; 1705 patients with lower body weight (≤60 kg) and 1073 patients with higher body weight (>60 kg). Patients with lower body weight were older (70.8 versus 60.9 years, P < 0.001), and more often women (75% versus 38%, P < 0.001), and more often had active cancer (27% versus 19%, P < 0.001) than those with higher body weight. The cumulative 5-year incidence of recurrent VTE was not significantly different between the 2 groups (10.6% versus 10.7%, P = 0.51). The cumulative 5-year incidences of major bleeding and all-cause death were significantly higher in patients with lower body weight than in those with higher body weight (14.6% versus 9.6%, P < 0.001, and 35.8% versus 19.8%, P < 0.001, respectively). The excess adjusted risk of patients with lower body weight relative to those with higher body weight remained significant for major bleeding and all-cause death (HR 1.57, 95%CI: 1.16–2.12, P = 0.003, and HR 1.50, 95%CI: 1.24–1.81, P < 0.001, respectively). In the current Japanese real-world registry, there were a high proportion of patients with low body weight, who had a higher risk for major bleeding and mortality without significant excess risk for recurrent VTE. • Patients with low body weight less than 60 kg was common in Japan. • Lower body weight showed a higher risk for major bleeding and all-cause death. • Lower body weight had similar long-term risk for recurrence as higher body weight. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The effectiveness and safety of carotid artery stenting (CAS) are comparable to those of carotid endarterectomy in both symptomatic and asymptomatic patients with carotid artery stenosis, but real-world outcomes are not well-known., Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate the real-world clinical outcomes of CAS in symptomatic and asymptomatic patients with carotid artery stenosis., Methods: We conducted a nationwide retrospective registry study of 156 centers between January 2015 and December 2019. We enrolled consecutive patients with CAS managed by certified specialists from the Japanese Society of Neuroendovascular Therapy. Outcomes between symptomatic and asymptomatic patients were compared. The primary outcome was a composite of ischemic stroke and all-cause death at 30 days after CAS. Secondary outcomes were ischemic stroke, all-cause death, intracranial hemorrhage (ICH), and procedural complications., Results: We analyzed 9,792 patients (symptomatic, n = 5,351; asymptomatic, n = 4,441). The mean age was 73.5 years, and men were dominant (86.4%). Embolism protection devices were used in 99% of patients. The primary outcome was not significantly different between the symptomatic and asymptomatic groups (120 [2.2%] vs 65 [1.5%]; adjusted OR: 1.30; 95% CI: 0.92-1.83). The incidences of symptomatic ICH, any ICH, acute in-stent occlusion, and hyperperfusion syndrome were significantly more prevalent in the symptomatic group (47 [0.9%] vs 8 [0.2%], aOR: 4.41 [95% CI: 1.68-11.6]; 73 [1.4%] vs 12 [0.3%], aOR: 3.56 [95% CI: 1.71-7.39]; 45 [0.8%] vs 19 [0.4%], aOR: 2.18 [95% CI: 1.08-4.40]; and 102 [1.9%] vs 36 [0.8%], aOR: 1.78 [95% CI: 1.17-2.71], respectively). Other secondary outcomes were not significantly different between the 2 groups., Conclusions: The complication rate after specialist-involved CAS at 30 days was low in real-world practice., Competing Interests: Funding Support and Author Disclosures This study was supported in part by a research grant from the Japanese Society of Neuroendovascular Therapy and the Kobayashi Foundation. Dr Uchida has received lecturer fees from Daiichi-Sankyo, Bristol Myers Squibb, Stryker, and Medtronic. Dr Sakakibara has received a manuscript fee from Medicus Shuppan. Dr N. Sakai has received a research grant from Biomedical Solutions, Medtronic, Terumo, and TG Medical; has received lecturer fees from Asahi-Intec, Biomedical Solutions, Daiichi-Sankyo, Kaneka, Medtronic, and Terumo; and has served on the Advisory Boards for Johnson & Johnson, Medtronic, and Terumo outside the submitted work. Dr Iihara has received a research grant from Idorsia Pharmaceutical Japan outside the submitted work. Dr Imamura has received lecturer fees from Medtronic, Daiichi Sankyo, Stryker, Johnson & Johnson, Terumo, and Asahi Intecc. Dr Ishii has received a research grant from Fuji Film; and has received lecture fees from Medtronic, Stryker, Terumo, and Johnson & Johnson. Dr Matsumaru has received lecturer fees from Medtronic, Stryker, Terumo, Kaneka, Biomedical Solution, E.P. Medical, B Braun, Daiichi-Sankyo, and Idorsia Pharmaceutical Japan outside of the submitted work. Dr Satow has received research grants from Canon Medical Systems; has received lecturer fees from Medtronic; and has received consulting fees from Kaneka Medix. Dr Yamada has received a research grant from the Terumo Life Science Foundation; and has received lecturer fees from Johnson & Johnson and Daiichi-Sankyo. Dr Shirakawa has received lecturer fees from Stryker, Terumo, Johnson & Johnson, and Medtronic. Dr Yoshimura has received research grants from Medico’s Hirata, Medtronic, and Terumo; and has received lecturer fees from Medtronic, Kaneka, Stryker, Daiichi-Sankyo, Bristol Myers Squibb, and Johnson & Johnson. Dr C. Sakai has reported that she has no relationships relevant to the contents of this paper to disclose., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

The clinical characteristics of congenital toxoplasmosis cases with poor outcomes in Japan were analyzed. Ten cases were selected, identified from a nationwide survey by the Japan Society for Neonatal Health and Development and a literature review. Based on outcomes, two fatal cases showed generalized symptoms at birth; four cases with neurological sequelae showed the three main congenital toxoplasmosis manifestations (chorioretinitis, intracranial calcification, hydrocephalus); four cases with ophthalmological sequelae showed only one or two of the three main manifestations. Eight cases with poor outcomes were not prenatally diagnosed with congenital toxoplasma infection or suspected maternal toxoplasma infection. The outcome of congenital toxoplasmosis might differ depending on the symptomology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The efficacy and safety of diaphragm pacing (DP) for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients has not been elucidated. Aim: To investigate the efficacy and safety of DP for ALS in Japan. Materials and Methods: We implanted the NeuRx RA/4 Diaphragm Pacing SystemR (NeuRx) in 5 ALS patients without tracheostomy mechanical ventilation and conditioned subsequently. Participants could combine NeuRx with non‐invasive ventilation such as biphasic positive airway pressure (BIPAP). The primary endpoint was overall survival, defined as the period from implantation to the administration of mechanical ventilation with tracheostomy or death. Results: Three men and 2 women (59.6 ± 9.6 years old, 44 to 70 years old) underwent laparoscopic implantation of NeuRx. The survival differed considerably among individuals (20.7 ± 18.6 months, 5.0‐48.7 months). However, 2 patients with BIPAP showed longer survival. Breakage of the external cord connector occurred in 3 patients and focal epidermal infection occurred in two patients: however, these complications did not lead to serious conditions. An autopsy of one patient revealed no severe damage to the adjacent diaphragm tissue. Conclusion: The efficacy of NeuRx varied between individuals. The combination use of NeuRx with BIPAP might lead to longer survival than NeuRx alone. No serious safety issues were observed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The present study aimed to characterize factors associated with patients issued DNR orders during hospitalization who are discharged alive without any instruction orders by physicians regarding end-of-life treatment, with a focus on the timing of DNR order issuance. Methods: In total, 2997 DNR cases from all 61,037 patients aged ≥20 years admitted to a representative general hospital in Tokyo were extracted and divided into two groups by patient hospital release status (discharged alive/deceased). Study items included age, sex, disease type (non-cancer/cancer), hospital department (internal medicine/others), timing of DNR order issuance, implementation (or not) of life-sustaining treatment (LST) or the presence of any restrictions on LST and hospital length of stay. We conducted multiple logistic regression analysis, setting hospital release status as the dependent variable and each above study item as explanatory variables. Results: DNR orders were issued at a rate of 4.9%. The analysis revealed that patients with a DNR who were ultimately discharged alive were statistically more likely to be those for whom DNR orders are issued early after admission (adjusted odds ratio: AOR, 13.7), non-cancer patients (AOR, 3.4), internal medicine department patients (AOR, 1.63), females (AOR, 1.34), and elderly (aged ≥85 years; AOR, 1.02); these patients were also less likely to be receiving LST (AOR, 0.36). Conclusions: By focusing on those with DNR orders who were ultimately discharged alive, we discovered that these patients were likely to have DNR orders issued early after admission, and that they were more likely to be elderly, female, non-cancer patients, or those in internal medicine departments. Further examination of these data may help to elucidate why these particular DNR-related characteristics (including socio-economic and cultural factors) are evident in patients who end up being discharged alive. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Data on long-term outcomes of familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) are unclear in Japan because a nationwide registry system is lacking. We assessed overall survival, incidence of neoplasms, fecal incontinence, and postoperative follow-up status of patients with FAP treated surgically in our hospital. Methods: In total, 154 patients with FAP who underwent radical surgery from 1981 to 2017 in our department were available for the questionnaire. Sixty-five patients, 36 of whom were followed at our hospital, were assessed using clinical records and the questionnaire. Results: The median follow-up time was 187 months (interquartile range, 93.5–296 months). The median age at surgery was 36 years (range, 12–69 years). The 5-, 10-, 15-, and 20-year overall survival rate was 100%, 98%, 95%, and 89%, respectively. All five deaths were caused by diseases other than colorectal cancer. FAP-related neoplasms comprised 23 colorectal cancers, five duodenal cancers, three gastric cancers, five thyroid cancers, two ileal pouch cancers, and nine desmoid tumors. The incidence of desmoid tumors was significantly associated with the operation date. The duration from radical surgery to neoplasm onset significantly differed by neoplasm type. Forty-five of 54 patients (excluding those who died or underwent ileostomy) developed fecal incontinence (median Wexner score of 8). Surgical procedures involving hand-sewn sutures with rectal mucosal stripping were significantly associated with fecal incontinence and the Wexner score. Fifty-eight of the 60 surviving patients underwent follow-up examinations. Conclusion: Overall survival was favorable. Fecal incontinence depended on the surgical procedures. Most patients continued to receive follow-up examinations. Trial registration: No. 3112 by Institutional Review Board of Hyogo College of Medicine [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The characteristics and clinical implications of posterior cerebral artery (PCA) involvement in unilateral moyamoya disease (U-MMD), such as laterality, frequency of the RNF213 p.R4810K mutation, and clinical outcomes, have not been well studied., Population and Methods: We analyzed a cohort of 93 patients with U-MMD who participated in the SUPRA Japan study. Clinical characteristics and radiological examinations were collected from medical records. The presence of the p.R4810K mutation was determined using a TaqMan assay. The clinical outcome was assessed using the modified Rankin Scale (mRS). Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to assess the associations., Results: Among the patients with U-MMD, PCA involvement was observed in 60.0 % (3/5) of patients with homozygous mutation, 11.3 % (7/62) of those with heterozygous mutation, and 3.8 % (1/26) of those with wild type, showing a significant linear trend (p < 0.001 for trend). PCA involvement was observed exclusively on the same side as the affected anterior circulation. Dyslipidemia and cerebral infarction at initial onset were independently associated with mRS ≥1. Hypertension was associated with mRS ≥1 and it was also linked to infarction at initial onset, suggesting a potential confounding effect. Although PCA involvement showed a trend for higher mRS, it was not statistically significant., Conclusions: Our findings indicate a gene dose effect of the p.R4810K mutation on PCA involvement, with the homozygous state showing the most significant effect. Both genetic and modifiable factors such as dyslipidemia may influence the progression of U-MMD., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors report no conflict of interest concerning the materials or methods used in this study or the findings specified in this paper., (Copyright © 2023. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

The Japanese version of high bleeding risk (J-HBR) criteria was domestically proposed to identify patients at HBR after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). The applicability of J-HBR on bleeding events has been validated, while whether J-HBR predicts ischemic events is uncertain. This bi-center registry included 904 patients with acute myocardial infarction (MI) undergoing primary PCI. Patients were stratified by the J-HBR major (1 point) and minor (0.5 point) criteria. Patients with J-HBR ≥ 1 point were diagnosed as having HBR. The primary endpoint was major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), a composite of cardiovascular death, recurrent MI, and ischemic stroke, after discharge. Of the 904 patients, 451 (49.9%) had the J-HBR. The primary endpoint more frequently occurred in patients with J-HBR than in those without (10.9% vs. 4.9%, p < 0.001) during the median follow-up period of 522 days. Probability of MACE was progressively increased with the increase in the number of J-HBR major and minor criteria, in which severe anemia, severe chronic kidney disease, prior heart failure, peripheral artery disease, and prior ischemic stroke were identified as significant factors associated with MACE. In patients with acute MI undergoing PCI, the J-HBR criteria were predictive for ischemic outcomes after discharge, suggesting that the J-HBR criteria may be useful to identify patients at high bleeding and ischemic risks., (© 2023. Springer Nature Japan KK, part of Springer Nature.)

Aim: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the out‐of‐hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) characteristics of patients stratified by age who had resuscitation attempted and were transported to tertiary emergency medical institutions in Osaka Prefecture, Japan; especially those of advanced age. Methods: A prospective, population‐based, observational review was carried out of consecutive OHCA patients with emergency responder resuscitation attempts from July 2012 to December 2016 in Osaka, Japan. Patients were classified into four groups: (i) 18–64 years; (ii) 65–74 years; (iii) 75–84 years; and (iv) ≥85 years. Patient, event and treatment characteristics were examined for patients with presumed cardiac etiology of OHCA. The primary outcome was the 1‐month survival with a neurologically favorable outcome. Results: A total of 4636 patients with OHCA of presumed cardiac origin were transported to tertiary emergency medical institutions. The number of patients in the four groups was as follows: (i) 1290 (27.8%); (ii) 1102 (23.8%); (iii) 1420 (30.6%); and (iv) 824 (17.8%). The 1‐month survival with a neurologically favorable outcome was: (i) 207 (16.0%); (ii) 96 (8.7%); (iii) 60 (4.2%); and (iv) seven (0.85%). In a multivariate analysis for 1‐month survival with a neurologically favorable outcome, increased age was a significant prognostic factor (≥85 years; adjusted odds ratio 0.08, 95% confidence interval 0.03–0.23) for poor outcomes. Conclusions: In this population, advanced age (≥85 years) was strongly associated with poor outcomes. Further discussion of policies directed at resuscitation of very elderly OHCA patients is required, considering limited medical resources and the rapidly aging population in Japan. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2019; 19: 1088–1095. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Purpose: The elderly population is increasing in the world, especially in developed countries. The gain in life expectancy is remarkable in Japan, consequently incidence of aneurysms increases in this population. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the surgical treatment and outcome of patients aged more than 75 years treated for unruptured intracranial aneurysms. Patients and Methods: We conducted a retrospective study for unruptured cerebral aneurysms operated between September 2014 and August 31, 2018, in Fujita Health University, Banbuntane Hotokukai Hospital, for people aged more than 75 years. A demographic study was done. We also studied aneurysm location, aneurysm size, outcome, duration of stay, and complications. Results: About 61 patients aged more than 75 years were operated in 4 years, comprising 12 males and 45 females. The mean age was 79.32 ± 3.29 years. Mean size of the aneurysm was 6.22 ± 3.28. Aneurysm location (P = 0.0037), associated risk factors (P = 0.006), and association of hypertension and diabetes (P = 0.0362) influence outcome. Length of stay is directly correlated with outcome (P = 0.009). Conclusions: Elder patients with hypertension and diabetes or associated risk factors having a posterior circulation aneurysm have a poor diagnosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Objecive To clarify the neuroimaging findings of children with acute flaccid myelitis during an outbreak of EV-D68 infection. Methods We performed a detailed review of the spinal and cranial MRI results of 54 children with acute flaccid myelitis. We focused on the range of longitudinal lesions, the localization and appearance of lesions within a horizontal section, Gadolinium-enhancement, and changes over time. Results All children had longitudinal spinal lesions involving central gray matter. Twenty-six children had lesions spanning the entire spine. Six of them had weakness in all limbs, whereas seven had weakness of only one limb. Thirty-eight children had lesions in both gray and white matter and limb weakness tended to be more severe in these children. During the acute period, spinal lesions showed bilateral ill-defined widespread T2 hyperintensity. During the subacute period, lesions were well defined and confined to the anterior horn. The distribution of limb weakness was correlated with the appearance of lesions during the subacute period. Gadolinium enhancement was performed in 37 children, and enhancement was seen in the cauda equina in 29 children. Enhancement was infrequent within 2 days after onset but was seen in almost all children thereafter. Twenty-two children had brainstem lesions continuous with spinal lesions. Conclusion Extensive longitudinal spinal lesions were characteristic in children with acute flaccid myelitis. Lesions were usually bilateral and widespread during the acute period, whereas localization to the anterior horn could become obvious. Although enhancement of the cauda equina was often observed, its appearance was sometimes delayed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anterior communicating artery (A.com.A) aneurysm projection is an important factor in determining the outcome of aneurysm clipping. The objective of this study was to analyze the outcome of A.com.A aneurysm projection and prognostic factors influencing it and comparing them with Glasgow outcome scale. A retrospective analysis of 47 patients from hospital records who have got admitted in the Banbuntanke Hotokokai Hospital, Nagoya, Japan, from 2014 to 2017, with unruptured A.com.A aneurysm and subsequently operated in the hospital. Demographic factors such as age, sex, and associated with other aneurysms and the morphological characteristics such as aneurysm size, projection, and height were analyzed with postoperative complications and Glasgow outcome scale. Totally 47 cases have been operated in which 26 (55.3%) are female and 21 (44.6%) are male, and the median age is 68 years, 7 (14.89%) patients had middle cerebral artery aneurysm along with A.com.A aneurysm and 1 had internal carotid artery-posterior communicating artery junction aneurysm. Four (8.5%) had chronic subdural hematoma and 1 (2.12%) had epilepsy, 1 (2.12%) case got reoperated, and 1 (2.12%) had hydrocephalus. Moreover, the overall complication rate is 14.89%. For six patients, motor-evoked potential monitoring was used. Forty-six patients had Glasgow outcome scale of 5 and 1 patient had Glasgow outcome scale of 4. There was no mortality in this study. Mean size of the aneurysm was 6.68 mm and the range was 2–25 mm. Mean height was 4.14 mm, 26 (56.52%) A.com.A aneurysm were anteriorly projecting, 9 (19.56%) were superiorly projecting, 8 (17.32%) were inferiorly projecting, and 3 (6.38%) were posteriorly projecting. Morphological parameters such as size, height, and projection were not only highly associated with A.com.A aneurysm rupture and also complications due to clipping of aneurysm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: There is lack of evidence regarding nutritional management among intensive care unit (ICU) patients in a population with relatively low body mass index. Therefore, we conducted an observational study to assess the nutritional management in Japanese ICUs. Also, we investigated the impact of nutritional management and rehabilitation on physical outcome. Methods: The study population comprised 389 consecutive patients who received mechanical ventilation for at least 24 h and those admitted to the ICU for > 72 h in 13 hospitals. The primary outcomes were caloric and protein intake in ICU on days 3 and 7, and at ICU discharge. The secondary outcome was the impact of nutritional management and rehabilitation on physical status at ICU discharge. We defined good physical status as more than end sitting and poor physical status as bed rest and sitting. We divided the participants into 2 groups, namely, the good physical status group (Good group) and poor physical status group (Poor group) for analysis of the secondary outcome. Data were expressed as median (interquartile range). Results: The median amount of caloric intake on days 3 and 7, and at ICU discharge via enteral and parenteral routes were 8.4 (3.1–15.6), 14.9 (7.5–22.0), and 11.2 (2.5–19.1) kcal/kg/day, respectively. The median amount of protein intake on days 3 and 7, and at ICU discharge were 0.2 (0–0.5), 0.4 (0.1–0.8), and 0.3 (0–0.7) g/kg/day, respectively. The amount of caloric intake on day 3 in the Poor group was significantly higher than that of the Good group (10.1 [5.8, 16.2] vs. 5.2 [1.9, 12.4] kcal/kg/day, p < 0.001). The proportion of patients who were received rehabilitation in ICU in the Good group was significantly higher than that of the Poor group (92 vs. 63%, p < 0.001). The multivariate analysis revealed that caloric intake on day 3 and rehabilitation in ICU were considered independent factors that affect physical status (OR 1.19; 95% CI 1.05–1.34; p = 0.005 and OR 0.07; 95% CI 0.01–0.34; p = 0.001). Conclusions: The caloric and protein intakes in Japanese ICUs were 15 kcal/kg/day and 0.4 g/kg/day, respectively. In addition, critically ill patients might benefit from low caloric intake (less than 10 kcal/kg/day) until day 3 and rehabilitation during ICU stay. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) treatment has progressed, and patients are rapidly aging in Japan. Consequently, dynamic changes must have emerged in the clinical practice of SAH. This study aimed to elucidate chronological changes of aneurysmal SAH and the prognostic factors in the previous quarter century in Japan. We conducted a retrospective survey regarding aneurysmal SAH in eight institutions in Japan. The study included 848, 863, and 781 patients in the first (1989-1993), second (1999-2003), and third (2009-2013) periods, respectively. The chronological changes of factors that influenced the poor outcomes and differences between the nonelderly (<75 years) and elderly patients were investigated. Mean age was significantly higher in patients in the third period (61.4 years) than in those in the other two periods (first, 57.8 years; second, 59.5 years). During these periods, the proportion of good outcomes did not change; however, the mortality rate significantly decreased from 19% in the first period to 11% and 9.2% in the second and third periods, respectively. The poor outcome was mainly caused by the significantly higher incidence of systemic complication and procedural complication in the first period and the significantly lower incidence of delayed ischemic neurological deficit in the third period. The elderly patients had significantly poorer clinical outcomes than the nonelderly ones. During the last 25 years, the age of patients with aneurysmal SAH has rapidly increased. The study results may contribute to the improvement of the treatment strategy of SAH in advanced countries with a rapidly aging population.

Aim: Anti‐neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody‐associated vasculitis (AAV) is commonly seen in older patients. The present study intended to clarify whether elderly‐onset AAV (at age ≥75 years) shows any specific clinical features and outcomes in Japanese patients. Methods: This study was a retrospective cohort study. A total of 36 AAV patients who were initially treated at the Department of Rheumatology, Fukushima Medical University Hospital (Fukushima, Japan) between 2004 and 2016 were included. AAV patients were divided into an elderly group (≥75 years) and a younger group (<75 years), and their clinical records were reviewed. Results: Elderly AAV patients showed similar clinical features to younger AAV patients, except that they were more often women, weighed less, had an increased frequency of kidney involvement and had lower serum ferritin levels. Kaplan–Meier analyses showed significantly lower 1‐year survival in elderly AAV (P =0.008) as well as AAV patients enrolled not receiving additional immunosuppressive treatment (P =0.023). The cause of death was disease progression itself or infection. Conclusions: The clinical features of AAV are similar between elderly and younger patients, except for increased kidney involvement and lower serum ferritin levels. Proper monitoring of the disease and adverse events, and providing conventional immunosuppressive therapy is suggested to avoid a poor outcome, especially in elderly AAV patients. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2018; 18: 1453–1457. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: With the population aging, development of safe and effective treatments for elderly patients with cancer is needed. Although old age is considered a poor prognostic factor, this is not only because of the patient's disease condition or response to treatment, but also because of treatment strategy and intensity. The purpose of this study was to clarify the influence of age on treatment and prognosis in patients with cervical cancer.Methods: Women with stage Ib-IV cervical cancer treated at our institution between 1997 and 2014 were retrospectively analyzed. Patients were stratified by age into groups for analysis, <65 years and ≥65 years. Categorical variables were compared using chi-squared and Fisher's exact tests. Survival analyses were performed using the Kaplan-Meier method, and comparisons were made using the log-rank test. Subsequently, Cox proportional hazards models were developed to find independent prognostic factors.Results: Of 959 patients included in our study, 247 were ≥65 and 712 were <65 years of age. Elderly patients tended to be at a more advanced stage than younger patients (p < 0.001). Elderly patients more commonly had comorbidities. More received standard treatment in the younger patient group at any disease stage than in the elderly patient group (p < 0.001). Similar rates of adverse effects caused by surgery or radiotherapy were seen in patients from both groups. Although overall survival was statistically shorter in elderly patients (74.7 vs. 57.1%, p < 0.001), there was no significant difference in disease-specific survival for patients treated only with standard treatment. In multivariate analyses, clinical stage, histological type, treatment intensity, and primary surgery remained independent prognostic factors. Age was not an independent prognostic factor.Conclusions: The influence of age on prognosis in patients with cervical cancer was less than we expected. Elderly patients might have better outcomes depending on the type of standard treatment they receive. The appropriate modality and intensity of treatment should be based on the patient's general condition and background. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: To improve the outcome of living donor liver transplantation (LDLT), a scoring system that could predict accurately the patient and graft survival posttransplant is necessary. The aim of this study is to evaluate our previously proposed Muscle-model for end-stage liver disease (M-MELD) score and to compare it with the other available scores to find the best system that correlates with postoperative outcome after liver transplant. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the data of 199 patients who underwent LDLT from January 2010 to July 2016 and calculated the preoperative MELD, MELD Na, the product of donor age and MELD (D-MELD), M-MELD, integrated MELD, and the balance of risk (BAR) score in all patients. The area under the receiver operating characteristics curves (AUCs) of each score was computed and compared at 3-, 6-months, and 1-year after LDLT. Results: The M-MELD, D-MELD, and integrated MELD had a good discriminative performance in predicting 3-month mortality after LDLT with AUCs > 0.7, while the M-MELD was the only score that showed a good discriminative performance in predicting 6-month and 1-year mortality after LDLT with AUCs > 0.7. Conclusion: Muscle-MELD score is a simple and useful predictor of patient survival after LDLT which showed a better predictive performance than other available scores. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: Prognostic models for hospitalized heart failure (HHF) were developed predominantly for patients of European origin in the United States of America; it is unclear whether they perform similarly in other health care systems or for different ethnicities. We sought to validate published prediction models for HHF in the United Kingdom (UK) and Japan.Methods and Results: Patients in the UK (n =894) and Japan (n =3158) were prospectively enrolled and were similar in terms of sex (∼60% men) and median age (∼77 years). Models predicted that British patients would have a higher mortality than Japanese, which was indeed true both for in-hospital (4.8% vs. 2.5%) and 180-day (20.7% vs. 9.5%) mortality. The model c-statistics for the published/derivation (range 0.70-0.76) and Japanese (range 0.75-0.77) cohorts were similar and higher than for the UK (0.62-0.75) but models consistently overestimated mortality in Japan. For in-hospital mortality, the OPTIMIZE-HF model performed best, providing similar discrimination in published/derivation, UK and Japanese cohorts [c-indices: 0.75 (0.74-0.77); 0.75 (0.68-0.81); and 0.77 (0.70-0.83), respectively], and least overestimated mortality in Japan. For 180-day mortality, the c-statistics for the ASCEND-HF model were similar in published/derivation (0.70) and UK [0.69 (0.64-0.74)] cohorts but higher in Japan [0.75 (0.71-0.79)]; calibration was good in the UK but again overestimated mortality in Japan.Conclusion: Calibration of published prediction models appears moderately accurate and unbiased when applied to British patients but consistently overestimates mortality in Japan. Identifying the reason why patients in Japan have a better than predicted prognosis is of great interest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: In patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH), increased glucose variability (GV) is associated with increased mortality and cerebral infarction; however, there are no reports demonstrating an association between GV and neurological outcome. This study investigated whether GV had an independent effect on neurological outcomes in patients with SAH in the intensive care unit. Materials and Methods: Consecutive adult patients hospitalized with SAH between January 1, 2009, and May 31, 2015 (N = 122) were retrospectively reviewed. Univariate/multivariate analyses were performed to identify independent predictors of poor neurological outcome. Patients were divided according to the mean glucose level (80-139 vs 140-200 mg/dL) and further subdivided using quartiles (Q) of the standard deviation (SD, representing variability) of the glucose level (Q1, Q2 + 3, and Q4). Results: Unfavorable neurological outcomes occurred in 44.2% of the patients. On multiple regression analysis, age, Hunt and Kosnik grade, SD of glucose (odds ratio [OR], 1.09; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.02-1.17; P < .01), and minimum blood glucose level (OR, 0.95; 95% CI, 0.91-0.99; P < .01) were significantly associated with unfavorable neurological outcomes. Both groups (mean glucose levels: 80-139 and 140-200 mg/dL groups) had increasing unfavorable neurological outcomes with increasing SD of glucose (Q1, 15.0%; Q2 + 3, 40.0%; Q4, 52.4% and Q1, 44.4%; Q2 + 3, 50%; Q4, 88.9% in the 80-139 and 140-200 mg/dL groups, respectively). Patients with minimum glucose of <90 mg/dL comprised >50% of unfavorable neurological outcome. Conclusion: Increased GV was an independent predictor of unfavorable neurological outcomes in patients with SAH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of sex on survival and short-term outcomes of very low-birthweight infants ( VLBWI) born in Japan. Methods This study included VLBWI who were admitted to neonatal intensive care units participating in the Neonatal Research Network of Japan, between 2003 and 2012. The primary outcome was a composite of mortality or any major morbidity, including neurologic injury, bronchopulmonary dysplasia ( BPD), necrotizing enterocolitis ( NEC), or retinopathy of prematurity requiring treatment. Results The composite primary outcome was worse in male infants. Male infants were also more likely to develop BPD. This difference reached statistical significance in neonates born at ≥26 weeks of gestation. In contrast, significant difference in the incidence of NEC was more likely to be seen at 23-25 weeks of gestation. Conclusion Male neonates are more likely to die and are at a higher risk of respiratory and gastrointestinal complications than female neonates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We conducted a study of the clinical presentation and outcome in patients with avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID), aged 15-40years, and compared this group to an anorexia nervosa (AN) group in a Japanese sample. A retrospective chart review was completed on 245 patients with feeding and eating disorders (FEDs), analyzing prevalence, clinical presentation, psychopathological properties, and outcomes. Using the DSM-5 criteria, 27 (11.0%) out of the 245 patients with a FED met the criteria for ARFID at entry. All patients with ARFID were women. In terms of eating disorder symptoms, all patients with ARFID had restrictive eating related to emotional problems and/or gastrointestinal symptoms. However, none of the ARFID patients reported food avoidance related to sensory characteristics or functional dysphagia. Additionally, none of them exhibited binge eating or purging behaviors, and none of them reported excessive exercise. The ARFID group had a significantly shorter duration of illness, lower rates of admission history, and less severe psychopathology than the AN group. The ARFID group reported significantly better outcome results than the AN group. These results suggest that patients with ARFID in this study were clinically distinct from those with AN and somewhat different from pediatric patients with ARFID in previous studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Little is known about the association between respiratory events prior to diagnosis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and future clinical outcomes in Japan. We investigated the association between pre-COPD diagnosis respiratory events and the incidence of exacerbations in a cohort of newly diagnosed COPD patients in Japan., Patients and Methods: Data were retrieved from the JMDC claims database. Patients ≥40 years old with a first COPD diagnosis (≥1 hospitalization or ≥2 outpatient claims for COPD) between 2010 and 2016 were included. The incidence rate (IR) of exacerbations in patients with or without any respiratory event (including lower respiratory tract infection and respiratory failure) in the year preceding diagnosis was compared. A negative binomial model explored the association between pre-diagnosis respiratory event and IR ratio (IRR) of exacerbations., Results: A total of 20,212 patients newly diagnosed with COPD were identified: 61% male, mean age 55 years (SD 9); of these, 955 (4.7%) had experienced ≥1 respiratory event in the year preceding diagnosis. Median duration of follow-up was 3.3 years during which the IR of exacerbations was 0.31 per patient-year (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.29-0.33) in patients with respiratory event, and 0.11 (95% CI 0.10-0.13) in patients without. The IR for severe exacerbation was nearly 10 times greater in patients with respiratory event versus without. Experiencing respiratory event pre-diagnosis was independently associated with an increased IRR of future moderate-to-severe exacerbation (adjusted IRR, 2.7; 95% CI 2.3-3.1)., Conclusion: Patients experiencing respiratory events in the year preceding COPD diagnosis should be considered at-risk of worse clinical COPD outcomes., Competing Interests: BD, NM, CN, and HM are employees of AstraZeneca and hold stock and/or options in the company. RZ is a former employee of Evidera, which was contracted by AstraZeneca to conduct the study. SG, DL, and SH are employees of Evidera, which was contracted by AstraZeneca to conduct the study. SM has received lecture fees from AstraZeneca, GSK, Nippon Boehringer Ingelheim, Novartis Pharma, Teijin Pharma and grants from ROHTO Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. The authors report no other conflicts of interest in this work., (© 2023 Ding et al.)

Objectives: Rituximab (RTX) efficacy for anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis (AAV) has been reported in large randomized studies; however, the efficacy of RTX in Japanese AAV patients, especially the elderly, is not well known. We aimed to determine the clinical efficacy of RTX in Japanese AAV patients including elderly patients., Methods: This study included 78 AAV patients newly diagnosed with AAV and treated in Fukushima Medical University Hospital or Ohta-Nishinouchi Hospital from April 2004 to September 2019. Clinical records were retrospectively reviewed, and clinical efficacy and outcome (1-year survival) between the RTX treatment group (23 cases) and the conventional therapy group (immunosuppressive therapy other than RTX, 55 cases) were compared. We also analysed the clinical efficacy and outcome in elderly-onset (>75 years) AAV patients., Results: The RTX group showed similar efficacy and 1-year survival compared to the conventional therapy group. Conversely, after 6 months of treatment, prednisolone doses significantly decreased in the RTX group compared to the conventional therapy group (p < 0.01). In the elderly-onset AAV patients, clinical efficacy and outcome were not significantly different., Conclusions: RTX was effective in Japanese AAV patients and may be useful for prompt tapering of prednisolone doses, even in elderly-onset AAV patients., (© Japan College of Rheumatology 2022. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Conclusion:Red cell distribution width (RDW) can predict outcome in patients with idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss (ISSNHL). Further studies are required to clarify the potential pathophysiological explanations for these findings. Objectives:RDW is one of the parameters reported in a complete blood count, and is elevated in direct proportion to variation in red cell size (anisocytosis). High RDW values are strongly associated with poor clinical outcomes in various diseases, including inflammatory and thrombotic diseases. To identify a prognostic biomarker that better predicts outcomes after ISSNHL, the association between RDW values at hospitalization and prognosis in patients with ISSNHL was assessed. Method:This study measured RDW and performed hearing assessments in 89 consecutive patients with ISSNHL. Patients were then divided into two groups (‘recovered’ and ‘unrecovered’), according to their response to the treatment, and further analysis undertaken. Results:Mean RDW was significantly higher in the unrecovered group (13.2% ± 1.0% compared with 12.7% ± 0.7% in the recovered group,p = 0.031). After adjusting for potentially confounding factors in a binary logistic regression model, only RDW was associated with recovery from ISSNHL (odds ratio = 2.33, 95% confidence interval = 1.20–4.51,p = 0.012). [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]