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Background: Dementia-related missing and subsequent deaths are becoming serious problems with increases in people with dementia. However, there are no sufficient studies investigating the incidence rate, the mortality rate, and their risk factors. Methods: An ecological study aggregated at the Japanese prefectural level was conducted. Dementia-related missing persons cases and deaths in 2018 were extracted from the statistics of the National Police Agency in Japan. We extracted variables about older adults’ characteristics, care, and safety as candidate variables considered to be relevant to dementia-related missing persons cases and deaths. Associations of the candidate variables with the incidence and mortality rates were analyzed using the generalized linear model (family: quasi-poisson, link: log) adjusted for confounding factors (proportion of older adults and gross prefectural product). Results: The incidence rate and mortality rate per 100,000 person-year was 21.72 and 0.652 in Japan, respectively. One facility increase in the number of nursing care facilities for older adults per 100,000 persons aged 65-years-old or more was associated with a 7.9% (95% confidence interval [CI], 3.3–12.4%) decrease in the incidence rate. One increase in the number of public health nurses per 100,000 persons was associated with a 3.2% (95% CI, 1.6–4.9%) decrease in the incidence rate. A ten percent increase in the proportion of people who live in an urban area was associated with a 20.3% (95% CI, 8.7–33.2%) increase in the incidence rate and a 12.9% (95% CI, 5.6–19.8%) decrease in the mortality rate. Conclusions: Identified associated factors may be useful for managing or predicting dementia-related missing persons cases and associated deaths.

OBJECTIVEImproved outcomes in patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) treated at high-volume centers have been reported. The authors sought to examine whether hospital case volume and comprehensive stroke center (CSC) capabilities affect outcomes in patients treated with clipping or coiling for SAH.METHODSThe authors conducted a nationwide retrospective cohort study in 27,490 SAH patients who underwent clipping or coiling in 621 institutions between 2010 and 2015 and whose data were collected from the Japanese nationwide J-ASPECT Diagnosis Procedure Combination database. The CSC capabilities of each hospital were assessed by use of a validated scoring system based on answers to a previously reported 25-item questionnaire (CSC score 1–25 points). Hospitals were classified into quartiles based on CSC scores and case volumes of clipping or coiling for SAH.RESULTSOverall, the absolute risk reductions associated with high versus low case volumes and high versus low CSC scores were relatively small. Nevertheless, in patients who underwent clipping, a high case volume (> 14 cases/yr) was significantly associated with reduced in-hospital mortality (Q1 as control, Q4 OR 0.71, 95% CI 0.55–0.90) but not with short-term poor outcome. In patients who underwent coiling, a high case volume (> 9 cases/yr) was associated with reduced in-hospital mortality (Q4 OR 0.69, 95% CI 0.53–0.90) and short-term poor outcomes (Q3 [> 5 cases/yr] OR 0.75, 95% CI 0.59–0.96 vs Q4 OR 0.65, 95% CI 0.51–0.82). A high CSC score (> 19 points) was significantly associated with reduced in-hospital mortality for clipping (OR 0.68, 95% CI 0.54–0.86) but not coiling treatment. There was no association between CSC capabilities and short-term poor outcomes.CONCLUSIONSThe effects of case volume and CSC capabilities on in-hospital mortality and short-term functional outcomes in SAH patients differed between patients undergoing clipping and those undergoing coiling. In the modern endovascular era, better outcomes of clipping may be achieved in facilities with high CSC capabilities.

ObjectivesTo examine the national, 6-year trends in in-hospital clinical outcomes of patients with subarachnoid haemorrhage (SAH) who underwent clipping or coiling and the prognostic influence of temporal trends in the Comprehensive Stroke Center (CSC) capabilities on patient outcomes in Japan.DesignRetrospective study.SettingSix hundred and thirty-one primary care institutions in Japan.ParticipantsForty-five thousand and eleven patients with SAH who were urgently hospitalised, identified using the J-ASPECT Diagnosis Procedure Combination database.Primary and secondary outcome measuresAnnual number of patients with SAH who remained untreated, or who received clipping or coiling, in-hospital mortality and poor functional outcomes (modified Rankin Scale: 3–6) at discharge. Each CSC was assessed using a validated scoring system (CSC score: 1–25 points).ResultsIn the overall cohort, in-hospital mortality decreased (year for trend, OR (95% CI): 0.97 (0.96 to 0.99)), while the proportion of poor functional outcomes remained unchanged (1.00 (0.98 to 1.02)). The proportion of patients who underwent clipping gradually decreased from 46.6% to 38.5%, while that of those who received coiling and those left untreated gradually increased from 16.9% to 22.6% and 35.4% to 38%, respectively. In-hospital mortality of coiled (0.94 (0.89 to 0.98)) and untreated (0.93 (0.90 to 0.96)) patients decreased, whereas that of clipped patients remained stable. CSC score improvement was associated with increased use of coiling (per 1-point increase, 1.14 (1.08 to 1.20)) but not with short-term patient outcomes regardless of treatment modality.ConclusionsThe 6-year trends indicated lower in-hospital mortality for patients with SAH (attributable to better outcomes), increased use of coiling and multidisciplinary care for untreated patients. Further increasing CSC capabilities may improve overall outcomes, mainly by increasing the use of coiling. Additional studies are necessary to determine the effect of confounders such as aneurysm complexity on outcomes of clipped patients in the modern endovascular era.

OBJECTIVE To analyse malpractice litigation cases in Japan and identify the factors related to choking accidents in older people. BACKGROUND Choking while eating is common in older people and has potentially severe consequences. METHODS This study analysed court decisions related to choking accidents occurring in Japan between 2000 and 2015 that involved the death of an older person or permanent severe choking-related injury. A database of court decisions (n = 23) was constructed according to patient and caregiver characteristics, and nursing services. An analysis was performed on caregiver liability, and to identify factors related to choking accidents. RESULTS The court ruled that the caregiver was liable in 10 of the 23 cases. Liability was related to appropriate food choices, failure to monitor of eating or the non-performance of resuscitation after an accident. Prior knowledge of aspiration (P

Background Wandering behavior is one of the most troublesome behavioral disturbances in dementia. Though cognitive decline leads to wandering behavior, its effects may vary across walking ability. The purpose of this study was to investigate the joint effect of cognitive decline and walking ability on wandering behavior. Methods This retrospective cohort study in community analyzed 3920 elderly adults with dementia. The association of cognitive function and walking ability with an incidence of wandering behavior during a 5-year follow-up period were examined using a generalized linear model, and relative excess risk due to interaction was calculated. Results Compared to ‘walk independently’, adjusted risk ratios (95% confidence intervals) for ‘walk with help’ and ‘unable to walk’ were 0.51 (0.42, 0.63) and 0.21 (0.16, 0.28), respectively (P for trend < 0.001). Compared to mild cognitive decline, adjusted risk ratios (95% confidence intervals) for moderate and severe cognitive decline were 1.44 (1.17, 1.77) and 1.73 (1.36, 2.18), respectively (P for trend < 0.001). Additionally, some joint effects of cognitive decline and walking ability decline were lower than the sum of its individual effects (relative excess risk due to interaction (95% confidence interval), moderate cognitive decline × ‘walk with help’: -0.45 (-0.98, -0.01); severe cognitive decline × ‘unable to walk’: -0.95 (-1.71, -0.37)). Conclusions Effects of cognitive decline and walking ability on incidence of wandering behavior were observed, and the effects varied depending on their combination. Key messages Our results help clinicians to predict and manage wandering behavior.

This study aims to develop and validate prediction models for the number of all heatstroke cases, and heatstrokes of hospital admission and death cases per city per 12 h, using multiple weather information and a population-based database for heatstroke patients in 16 Japanese cities (corresponding to around a 10,000,000 population size). In the testing dataset, mean absolute percentage error of generalized linear models with wet bulb globe temperature as the only predictor and the optimal models, respectively, are 43.0% and 14.8% for spikes in the number of all heatstroke cases, and 37.7% and 10.6% for spikes in the number of heatstrokes of hospital admission and death cases. The optimal models predict the spikes in the number of heatstrokes well by machine learning methods including non-linear multivariable predictors and/or under-sampling and bagging. Here, we develop prediction models whose predictive performances are high enough to be implemented in public health settings., In the context of climate change, heatstroke is expected to become an increasingly relevant public health concern. Here, the authors develop and validate prediction models for the number of all heatstroke cases in different cities in Japan.

The relationship between certain lifestyle habits and schoolchildren’s health has previously been reported on, but the exact pathway of the effects lifestyle habits have on physical/psychosocial health (PPH) has not been investigated nor has the relative influence of different habits on schoolchildren’s health. In this study, schoolchildren were recruited from a primary school in Toyama Prefecture, Japan ( n = 576), and the relevant data were collected in June/July 2017. Path analysis was used to examine the relationships of lifestyle habits and physical fitness with PPH among schoolchildren in grades 1–4 and 5–6. Body weight and total fitness scores were found to be not related to the children’s PPH. The pathway via which lifestyle habits influenced PPH was determined successfully. Among children in grades 1–4, sex ( p < .05), age ( p < .01), and breakfast intake ( p < .05) were related to PPH. Among schoolchildren in grades 5–6, the duration of sleep ( p < .05) was related to PPH. Thus, factors related to schoolchildren’s PPH vary by school grade. The identification of the predictors of the PPH of schoolchildren should inform the design of tailored, grade-specific health promotion interventions in Japanese elementary schools.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Tobacco use and co-prescription of sedative hypnotics are risk factors for misuse of prescribed opioids among patients with non-cancer pain. However, the association between tobacco use and these co-prescriptions has not been clarified. We aimed to assess differences in the prescription and co-prescription rates of opioid analgesics with muscle relaxants and/or benzodiazepines between tobacco users and non-users. METHODS Visit data were obtained from the 2006 to 2009 National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey, an annual cross-sectional survey of visits to office-based physicians in outpatient settings in the United States. Our sample patients were aged ≥18 years and diagnosed with non-cancer back and neck pain. The χ2 test and multiple logistic regression analysis were used to assess bivariate and multivariate associations between prescription or co-prescription rates and tobacco use status. RESULTS We analyzed a total of 114,199,536 weighted visits (unweighted number: 3,521). Significant odds ratios (ORs) of tobacco users (vs non-users) for medical prescriptions were as follows: opioid analgesics, OR 2.14, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.64-2.80; muscle relaxants and opioid analgesics, OR 2.57, 95%CI 1.76-3.74; benzodiazepines and opioid analgesics, OR 3.66, 95%CI 2.11-6.35, and muscle relaxants, benzodiazepines, and opioid analgesics, OR 7.02, 95%CI 2.98-16.57. CONCLUSIONS AND SCIENTIFIC SIGNIFICANCE Tobacco users were more likely to receive prescriptions for opioid analgesics with muscle relaxants and/or benzodiazepines than non-users. Healthcare professionals need to limit co-prescription of opioid analgesics with muscle relaxants and/or benzodiazepines among tobacco users and provide a comprehensive approach to pain management. (Am J Addict 2019;XX:1-8).

Background Several studies have examined the association between environmental factors and traffic accidents. However, the role of a full moon in triggering emergency ambulance transport due to road traffic casualties is unclear. Thus, we aimed to examine whether a full moon contributes to the incidence of emergency transport due to road traffic crashes. Methods We acquired nationwide data on daily emergency transport due to road traffic crashes from all 47 prefectures of Japan from 2010 to 2014. We conducted a time-stratified case-crossover study using conditional Poisson regression to examine the relationship between the occurrence of a full moon and emergency transport due to road traffic crashes for each prefecture. Prefecture-level results were combined using a random-effects meta-analysis to evaluate nation-level estimates. Results There were 842,554 cases of emergency transport due to road traffic crashes across 1826 nights (62 full moon nights: n = 29,584; 1764 control nights: n = 812,970). On days with a full moon, the pooled adjusted relative risk (RR) of emergency transport due to traffic accidents was 1.042 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.021–1.063). Overall, 4.03% (95% CI: 2.06–5.93) of the cases (1192 cases) were attributable to full moon nights. Stratified analyses revealed a significant increase in emergency transport due to traffic accidents on full moon nights for males, people aged ≥40 years, and before midnight. Conclusions Full moon nights are associated with an increase in the incidence of emergency transport due to road traffic crashes. These results indicate that public health strategies should account for full moon nights to decrease emergency transport due to traffic accidents.

To determine whether increasing thrombectomy-capable hospitals with moderate comprehensive stroke center (CSC) capabilities is a valid alternative to centralization of those with high CSC capabilities. This retrospective, nationwide, observational study used data from the J-ASPECT database linked to national emergency medical service (EMS) records, captured during 2013–2016. We compared the influence of mechanical thrombectomy (MT) use, the CSC score, and the total EMS response time on the modified Rankin Scale score at discharge among patients with acute ischemic stroke transported by ambulance, in phases I (2013–2014, 1461 patients) and II (2015–2016, 3259 patients). We used ordinal logistic regression analyses to analyze outcomes. From phase I to II, MTs increased from 2.7 to 5.5%, and full-time endovascular physicians per hospital decreased. The CSC score and EMS response time remained unchanged. In phase I, higher CSC scores were associated with better outcomes (1-point increase, odds ratio [95% confidence interval]: 0.951 [0.915–0.989]) and longer EMS response time was associated with worse outcomes (1-min increase, 1.007 [1.001–1.013]). In phase II, neither influenced the outcomes. During the transitional shortage of thrombectomy-capable hospitals, increasing hospitals with moderate CSC scores may increase nationwide access to MT, improving outcomes.

Background Cancer Information and Support Centers (CISCs), which are set up at designated cancer care hospitals (DCCHs) according to the national cancer control programs in Japan, are expected to provide cancer patients and their families with information and counseling, but their public recognition remains low. Therefore, it is necessary to evaluate the publicity activities of CISCs. Methods In this study, we evaluated two types of activities for publicizing CISCs conducted inside and outside one of the DCCHs (‘Inside Activity’ and ‘Outside Activity’, respectively) by multi-attribute utility technology (MAUT). Seven types of stakeholders, including physicians (n = 5), nurses (n = 4), CISC cancer counselors (n = 5), executives (n = 5), office department staff (n = 5), and licensed social insurance consultants in the hospital (n = 5), as well as patients and citizens (n = 19) were involved in the evaluation. Results Eight goals of the program for publicizing CISCs were determined. The utility score for each goal was separately calculated for Inside Activity and Outside Activity, and those of the eight goals were summed up to obtain an overall utility score for each activity. Finally, no substantial difference in overall utility score was found between the activity types (Inside Activity = 82.00 vs. Outside Activity = 81.18). Conclusions It is implied that omitting or reducing either activity should be avoided in streamlining publicity activities at the CISCs. Despite the limited external validity of the finding, the methodology presented in this study is widely applicable to evaluate other multifaceted programs under an increasingly tight budget in the oncology setting. As the MAUT approach enables us to obtain numerical data for priority settings, it will contribute to rationalized healthcare management, especially in the oncology setting in which objective evaluations of the national cancer-related control programs are lacking and a broad range of stakeholders is involved.

ObjectivesComprehensive stroke centre (CSC) capabilities are associated with reduced in-hospital mortality due to acute stroke. However, it remains unclear whether there are improving trends in the CSC capabilities or how hospital-related factors determine quality improvement. This study examined whether CSC capabilities changed in Japan between 2010 and 2018 and and whether any changes were influenced by hospital characteristics.DesignA hospital-based cross-sectional study.SettingWe sent out questionnaires to the training institutions of the Japan Neurosurgical Society and Japan Stroke Society in 2010, 2014 and 2018.Participants749 hospitals in 2010, 532 hospitals in 2014 and 786 hospitals in 2018 participated in the J-ASPECT study, a nationwide survey of acute stroke care capacity for proper designation of a comprehensive stroke centre in Japan.Main outcome measuresCSC capabilities were assessed using the validated scoring system (CSC score: 1–25 points) in 2010, 2014 and 2018 survey. The effect of hospital characteristics was examined using multiple logistic regression analysis.ResultsAmong the 323 hospitals that responded to all surveys, the implementation of 13 recommended items increased. The CSC score (median and IQR) was 16 (13–19), 18 (14–20) and 19 (15–21) for 2010, 2014 and 2018, respectively (pConclusionsThere was a significant improvement in CSC capabilities between 2010 and 2018, which was mainly related to the availability of endovascular treatment and multidisciplinary care. Our findings may be useful to determine which hospitals should be targeted to improve CSC capabilities in a defined area.

Objectives: To examine whether hospital case volume and comprehensive stroke centre(CSC) capabilities affect patient outcomes of clipping and coiling for subarachnoid haemorrhage (SAH). Methods: We conducted a nationwide retrospective cohort study. Using the J-ASPECT Diagnosis Procedure Combination database, we identified 27,490 SAH patients who underwent clipping or coiling in 621 institutions between 2010 and 2015. The CSC capabilities of each hospital were assessed using a validated scoring system (CSC score: 1-25 points). We classified the hospitals into quartiles based on CSC score and case volume of clipping or coiling for SAH. Results: In clipped patients, a high case volume ( > 14 cases / year) was significantly associated with reduced in-hospital mortality (Q1 as control, Q4 odds ratios (ORs) 0.71 [95% confidence interval 0.55 - 0.90]) but not poor outcome. In coiled patients, a high case volume ( > 9 cases / year) was associated with reduced in-hospital mortality (Q4 0.69 [0.53 - 0.90]) and poor outcomes (Q3 ( > 5 cases / year) 0.75 [0.59 - 0.96], Q4 0.65 [0.51 - 0.82]). A high CSC score ( > 19 points) was significantly associated with reduced in-hospital mortality of clipped (0.68 [0.54 - 0.86]) but not coiled patients. There was no association between CSC capabilities and poor outcomes. Conclusions: The effect of case volume and CSC capabilities on in-hospital mortality and short-term functional outcomes in SAH patients was different between clipping and coiling. In the modern endovascular era, better outcomes of clipping may be achieved in facilities with high CSC capabilities.

Background: A novel topical phosphodiesterase-4 inhibitor E6005 shows potential as effective treatment option for atopic dermatitis (AD); however, systemic exposure may cause potentially undesirabl...

Introduction There is compelling evidence for an association between influenza epidemics and major adverse cardiovascular events. However, the role of extreme influenza epidemics as a trigger of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) is unclear. Thus, we evaluated the potential association between extreme influenza epidemics and incidence of OHCA. Methods We used a quasi-experimental design with time-series analysis of national registry data for cases of OHCA from all 47 prefectures of Japan during influenza seasons between 2005 and 2014. A Poisson regression time-series model with a distributed lag non-linear model was used to estimate prefecture-specific effects of influenza epidemics on OHCA. A multivariate meta-analysis was conducted for nationally pooled estimates. Results In total, 481,516 OHCAs of presumed cardiac origin were reported during the study period. The minimum morbidity percentile (MMP) was estimated as the 0th percentile for influenza incidence. The overall cumulative relative risk versus the MMP was 1.25 (95% confidence interval, 1.16–1.34) for extreme influenza epidemics (at the 99th percentile of influenza incidence). The effect of extreme influenza epidemics was significant for lag periods of 1.5–7.1 and 17.9–21 days. Multivariate random-effects meta-analysis indicated significant spatial heterogeneity among prefectures (Cochran Q test, p = 0.011; I2 = 23.2%). Conclusion Extreme influenza epidemics are associated with higher risk of OHCA. Our findings suggest that several weeks' prevention for extreme influenza infections should be implemented to reduce the risk of OHCA.

OBJECTIVEAlthough heterogeneity in patient outcomes following subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) has been observed across different centers, the relative merits of clipping and coiling for SAH remain unknown. The authors sought to compare the patient outcomes between these therapeutic modalities using a large nationwide discharge database encompassing hospitals with different comprehensive stroke center (CSC) capabilities.METHODSThey analyzed data from 5214 patients with SAH (clipping 3624, coiling 1590) who had been urgently hospitalized at 393 institutions in Japan in the period from April 2012 to March 2013. In-hospital mortality, modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score, cerebral infarction, complications, hospital length of stay, and medical costs were compared between the clipping and coiling groups after adjustment for patient-level and hospital-level characteristics by using mixed-model analysis.RESULTSPatients who had undergone coiling had significantly higher in-hospital mortality (12.4% vs 8.7%, OR 1.3) and a shorter median hospital stay (32.0 vs 37.0 days, p < 0.001) than those who had undergone clipping. The respective proportions of patients discharged with mRS scores of 3–6 (46.4% and 42.9%) and median medical costs (thousands US$, 35.7 and 36.7) were not significantly different between the groups. These results remained robust after further adjustment for CSC capabilities as a hospital-related covariate.CONCLUSIONSDespite the increasing use of coiling, clipping remains the mainstay treatment for SAH. Regardless of CSC capabilities, clipping was associated with reduced in-hospital mortality, similar unfavorable functional outcomes and medical costs, and a longer hospital stay as compared with coiling in 2012 in Japan. Further study is required to determine the influence of unmeasured confounders.

Although particulate matter (PM) is reported to affect the rate of emergency admissions for schizophrenia, no study has examined the relationship between particulate matter less than 2.5 μm in diameter (PM2.5) and the severity of schizophrenia. We obtained data on patients with schizophrenia at a psychiatric hospital, and on air pollution in Sakai, Japan between Feb 1, 2013 and April 30, 2016. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to estimate the relationship between PM2.5 concentrations and scores on the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS) of schizophrenia patients at admission, with a lag of up to 7 days. During the study period, there were 1193 schizophrenia cases. The odds ratio (OR) for a BPRS score ≥ 50 at admission was 1.05 [95% confidence interval 1.00–1.10] and the effect of PM2.5 concentration was significant for lag period of 2 days. The ORs associated with PM2.5 concentration increased substantially for patients over 65 years of age. Ambient PM2.5 concentration was associated with exacerbation of schizophrenia. Our results suggest that protection for several days should be considered for controlling PM2.5-related schizophrenia, especially among elderly patients.

Many adults with migraine who require preventive therapy are often not prescribed the proper medications. The most likely reason is that primary care physicians are unacquainted with preventive medications for migraine. The present study assessed the migraine-preventive prescription patterns in office visits using data from the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey from 2006 to 2009 in the United States. Patients who were 18 years or older and diagnosed with migraine were included in the analysis. In accordance with the recommendations of the headache guidelines, we included beta-blockers, antidepressants, triptans for short-term prevention of menstrual migraine, and other triptans for acute treatment. Weighted visits of adults with migraine prescribed with preventive medication ranged from 32.8% in 2006 to 38.6% in 2009. Visits to primary care physicians accounted for 72.6% of the analyzed adult migraine visits. Anticonvulsants (odds ratio [OR] 0.29, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.14–0.57, p, Highlights • Anticonvulsants were less used by primary care physicians than specialty care physicians. • Triptans for prevention were also less used by primary care physicians. • No differences were found in patterns of antidepressants and beta-blockers. • Beta-blockers were used for patients with comorbidity of hypertension. • Antidepressants were used for patients with comorbidity of depression.

ObjectivesThis cross-sectional survey explored the characteristics and outcomes of direct oral anticoagulant (DOAC)–associated nontraumatic intracerebral hemorrhages (ICHs) by analyzing a large nationwide Japanese discharge database.MethodsWe analyzed data from 2,245 patients who experienced ICHs while taking anticoagulants (DOAC: 227; warfarin: 2,018) and were urgently hospitalized at 621 institutions in Japan between April 2010 and March 2015. We compared the DOAC- and warfarin-treated patients based on their backgrounds, ICH severities, antiplatelet therapies at admission, hematoma removal surgeries, reversal agents, mortality rates, and modified Rankin Scale scores at discharge.ResultsDOAC-associated ICHs were less likely to cause moderately or severely impaired consciousness (DOAC-associated ICHs: 31.3%; warfarin-associated ICHs: 39.4%; p = 0.002) or require surgical removal (DOAC-associated ICHs: 5.3%; warfarin-associated ICHs: 9.9%; p = 0.024) in the univariate analysis. Propensity score analysis revealed that patients with DOAC-associated ICHs also exhibited lower mortality rates within 1 day (odds ratio [OR] 4.96, p = 0.005), within 7 days (OR 2.29, p = 0.037), and during hospitalization (OR 1.96, p = 0.039).ConclusionsThis nationwide study revealed that DOAC-treated patients had less severe ICHs and lower mortality rates than did warfarin-treated patients, probably due to milder hemorrhages at admission and lower hematoma expansion frequencies.

Aim Early biphasic defibrillation is effective in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) cases. In the resuscitation of patients with OHCA, it is not clear how the defibrillation waveform interacts with the time to defibrillation to influence patient survival. The second, and any subsequent, shocks need to be administered by an on-line physician in Japan. Thus, we investigated the interaction between the defibrillation waveform and time to or the number of defibrillation on resuscitation outcomes. Methods This prospective observational study used data for all OHCAs that occurred between 2005 and 2014 in Japan. To investigate the interaction effect between the defibrillation waveform and the time to defibrillation or the number of defibrillations on the return to spontaneous circulation (ROSC), 1-month survival, and cerebral performance category (CPC) (1, 2), we assessed the modifying effects of the defibrillation waveform and the time to or the number of defibrillation on additive scale (i.e., the relative excessive risk due to interaction, RERI) and multiplicative scale (i.e., ratio of odds ratios (ORs)). Results In total, 71,566 cases met the inclusion criteria. For the measure of interaction between the defibrillation waveform and the time to defibrillation, ratio of ORs for ROSC was 0.84 (0.75–0.94), implying that the effect of time to first defibrillation on ROSC was negatively modified by defibrillation waveform. For the interaction between the defibrillation waveform and the number of defibrillations, RERI and ratio of ORs for CPC (1, 2) was −0.25 (−0.47 to −0.06) and 0.79 (0.67–0.93), respectively. It is implied that the effect of number of defibrillation on CPC (1, 2) was negatively modified by defibrillation waveform. Conclusions An increased number of defibrillations was associated with a decreased ROSC in the case of biphasic and monophasic defibrillation, while an increased number of defibrillations was related to an increased 1-month survival rate and CPC (1, 2) only in the case of biphasic defibrillation. When two or more defibrillations were performed, a biphasic waveform was more effective in terms of long-term survival than a monophasic waveform.

Background: As an influenza epidemic poses a serious public health threat, it is important for the public to adopt behaviors that effectively prevent influenza infection. Methods: In the winter of 2009, by using a structured questionnaire, we conducted an Internet survey with respect to residents (n = 2788) in Fukui prefecture, Japan. The main aim is to obtain information about effective prevention, factors related to preventive awareness and behaviors during the influenza epidemic. A factor analysis and linear regression models were used in the analysis. Results: Three types of preventive awareness were identified by factor analysis: “avoidance of influenza infection,” “awareness of the benefits of mask use,” and “awareness of the need for a rapid diagnosis.” Gender, age, residence, being medical person and being vaccinated were related to these preventive awareness and behaviors. Avoidance of influenza Infection was related to all preventive behavior, awareness of the benefits of mask use was related to hand disinfectant use, and awareness of the need for a rapid diagnosis was related to avoidance of face touch, gargling and attention to health care, respectively. Conclusion: Three types of preventive awareness during the influenza epidemic were emerged, and were related to preventive behaviors against influenza infection. Keywords: Infection, Influenza, Epidemic, Preventive awareness, Preventive behavior

Although an interaction between gender and age has been shown to influence resuscitation outcomes in patients with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA), this interaction has not been investigated in Asian populations. In this prospective, observational study, data from all cases of OHCA in Japan between 2005 and 2012 were obtained from the Japanese National Registry. We determined the relative excess risk due to interaction and the ratio of odds ratios (ORs) to assess the interaction effect of gender and age on the incidence of return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) before hospital arrival, 1-month survival, and neurologically intact survival 1 month after OHCA. Male gender was associated with decreased ROSC and lower 1-month survival rates in patients with OHCA of presumed cardiac origin. Older age was associated with lower 1-month and neurologically intact survival rates in male patients with OHCA of presumed cardiac and noncardiac origin and with increased ROSC in male patients with OHCA of presumed cardiac origin. The relative excess risk due to interaction for ROSC in patients with OHCA of presumed cardiac origin was statistically significant (OR 0.19, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.06 to 0.32). The ratio of ORs for ROSC was statistically significant in patients with OHCA of presumed cardiac origin (OR 1.25, 95% CI 1.05 to 1.47) and of noncardiac origin (OR 0.40, 95% CI 0.17 to 0.92). In conclusion, the interaction effect between age and gender on ROSC was positive in OHCA cases of presumed cardiac origin and negative in those of noncardiac origin.

Providing information related to medication has many benefits for patients. However, patients' conflicting perceptions about medical information provided by physicians and pharmacists may be associated with their psychological distress regarding treatment and medication. This study investigated associations between patients' perceptions of agreement between physicians and pharmacists about medical information and improvements in their psychological distress. It also clarified the specific relationships of their perceptions with psychological distress. A cross-sectional survey was conducted in Japanese community pharmacy settings. Pharmacists approached 1,500 patients visiting community pharmacies and provided them with questionnaire packages. Patients completed the questionnaires at home and returned them to the researchers by mail. Multivariate logistic regression analysis and signal detection analysis were conducted to examine associations of patients' perceptions of information agreement with improvement in psychological distress. Measures of improvement in worry and anxiety about disease, improvement in worry and anxiety about medication, and improvement in depressive mood were used to assess alleviation of psychological distress. A total of 645 patients returned the questionnaires; 628 contributed to the data. Multivariate logistic regression analyses clarified that patients' perceptions of agreement in information regarding need for medication, methods for adverse drug reaction reduction, adverse drug reaction symptoms, coping with forgetting to take medication, and advice for daily life were significantly associated with improvements in psychological distress. Furthermore, signal detection analysis showed that several combinations of patients' perceptions of agreement between physicians and pharmacists about specific medical information were also significantly associated with improvement in psychological distress. Consistent information provision by physicians and pharmacists could contribute to decreased psychological distress in patients, and consequently to adherence to treatment and taking medication.

Aim To evaluate operating room nurses' perception of teamwork performance and their level of mental stress and to identify related factors. Background Little is known about the factors affecting teamwork and the mental stress of surgical nurses, although the performance of the surgical team is essential for patient safety. Methods The questionnaire survey for operation room nurses consisted of simple questions about teamwork performance and mental stress. Multivariate analyses were used to identify factors causing a sense of teamwork performance or mental stress. Results A large number of surgical nurses had a sense of teamwork performance, but 30–40% of operation room nurses were mentally stressed during surgery. Neither the patient nor the operation factors were related to the sense of teamwork performance in both types of nurses. Among scrub nurses, endoscopic and abdominal surgery, body mass index, blood loss and the American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status class were related to their mental stress. Conversely, circulating nurses were stressed about teamwork performance. Conclusions The factors related to teamwork performance and mental stress during surgery differed between scrub and circulating nurses. Implications for nursing management Increased support for operation room nurses is necessary. The increased support leads to safer surgical procedures and better patient outcomes.

We summarize herein our 14-year experience of conventional treatment outcomes before the era of molecular-targeted therapy and immunotherapy. Specifically, we conducted a retrospective review of our 252 patients with primary cutaneous melanoma (acral lentiginous melanoma [ALM], n = 121; non-acral lentiginous melanoma [non-ALM], n = 131), and compared the prognostic factors between ALM and non-ALM. Melanoma-specific survival and disease-free survival were estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method. Regarding the results, all patients were Japanese (106 male and 146 female), with a mean age of 60.1 years. Among ALM patients, age was elder and primary tumor size was larger than non-ALM. As for tumor thickness, in situ lesions were more frequently observed in ALM. There was no significant difference in the distribution of tumor thickness between the two groups when excluding the in situ lesions. For treatment of the primary melanoma, 248 patients (98.4%) had undergone curative surgical excision and 120 patients with more than 1 mm or ulcerated melanoma had undergone sentinel lymph node biopsy. Patients with systemic metastasis primarily underwent dacarbazine-based chemotherapy. The Kaplan-Meier survival curves revealed no significant difference in melanoma-specific survival and disease-free survival between those with ALM and non-ALM. The results also showed that both ALM and non-ALM, when they initially metastasize, first affect the regional lymph nodes. Incisional biopsy was not an adverse prognostic factor. These results suggest that ALM does not differ in its biological behavior from non-ALM, so we can consider ALM as being equivalent to non-ALM. The initial treatment for ALM and non-ALM can involve the same strategy.

Background Although several studies have estimated the effect of extreme temperatures on out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) in a single city or region, few have investigated variations in this association on a national level in Japan. Methods Daily data on OHCAs and weather variations were obtained from the 47 prefectures of Japan between 2005 and 2014. A time-series Poisson regression model with a distributed lag non-linear model was used to estimate the prefecture-specific effects. A multivariate meta-analysis was applied to pooled estimates on a national level. Results A total of 659,752 OHCA cases of presumed-cardiac origin met the inclusion criteria. The minimum morbidity percentile (MMP) was identified as the 84th percentile for temperature, ranging from 20.8 °C in Hokkaido to 28.8 °C in Okinawa. The overall pooled relative risk versus the MMP was 2.10 (95% CI: 1.84, 2.40) at extremely low temperatures (1st percentile) and 1.06 (95% CI: 1.01, 1.12) at extremely high temperatures (99th percentile). The effects of extremely high temperatures were acute and disappeared after a few days, while those of extremely low temperatures were also acute, but persisted for several days. The multivariate Cochran's Q test indicated no heterogeneity between prefectures ( p = 0.699; I 2 = 1.0%). Conclusions Extreme temperatures are associated with an increased risk of OHCA. Timely prevention strategies might reduce the risk of OHCA during extreme temperatures. Several days prevention should be also implemented for extremely low temperatures.

BackgroundLimited national-level information on temporal trends in comprehensive stroke center capabilities and their effects on acute ischemic stroke patients exists.AimsTo examine trends in in-hospital outcomes of acute ischemic stroke patients and the prognostic influence of temporal changes in comprehensive stroke center capabilities in Japan.MethodsThis retrospective study used the J-ASPECT Diagnosis Procedure Combination database and identified 372,978 acute ischemic stroke patients hospitalized in 650 institutions between 2010 and 2016. Temporal trends in patient outcomes and recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rt-PA) and mechanical thrombectomy usage were examined. Facility comprehensive stroke center capabilities were assessed using a validated scoring system (comprehensive stroke center score: 1–25 points) in 2010 and 2014. The prognostic influence of temporal comprehensive stroke center score changes on in-hospital mortality and poor outcomes (modified Rankin Scale: 3–6) at discharge were examined using hierarchical logistic regression models.ResultsOver time, stroke severity at admission decreased, whereas median age, sex ratio, and comorbidities remained stable. The median comprehensive stroke center score increased from 16 to 17 points. After adjusting for age, sex, comorbidities, consciousness level, and facility comprehensive stroke center score, proportion of in-hospital mortality and poor outcomes at discharge decreased (from 7.6% to 5.0%, and from 48.7% to 43.1%, respectively). The preceding comprehensive stroke center score increase (in 2010–2014) was independently associated with reduced in-hospital mortality and poor outcomes, and increased rt-PA and mechanical thrombectomy use (odds ratio (95% confidence interval): 0.97 (0.95–0.99), 0.97 (0.95–0.998), 1.07 (1.04–1.10), and 1.21 (1.14–1.28), respectively).ConclusionsThis nationwide study revealed six-year trends in better patient outcomes and increased use of rt-PA and mechanical thrombectomy in acute ischemic stroke. In addition to lesser stroke severity, preceding improvement of comprehensive stroke center capabilities was an independent factor associated with such trends, suggesting importance of comprehensive stroke center capabilities as a prognostic indicator of acute stroke care.