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Background Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) are effective for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, there are few reports on the correlation between the clinical efficacy of ICIs and the development of immune-related adverse events (irAEs) in patients with HCC. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between irAE development and survival in patients with HCC treated with atezolizumab plus bevacizumab. Patients and Methods We enrolled 150 patients with advanced HCC treated with atezolizumab plus bevacizumab between October 2020 and October 2021 at 5 territorial institutions. We compared the efficacy of atezolizumab plus bevacizumab between patients who experienced irAEs (irAE group) and those who did not (non-irAE group). Results Thirty-two patients (21.3%) developed irAEs of any grade. Grade 3/4 irAEs were observed in 9 patients (6.0%). The median progression-free survivals (PFS) in the irAE and non-irAE groups were 273 and 189 days, respectively (P = .055). The median overall survivals (OS) in the irAE and non-irAE groups were not reached and 458 days, respectively (P = .036). Grade 1/2 irAEs significantly prolonged PFS (P = .014) and OS (P = .003). Grade 1/2 irAEs were significantly associated with PFS (hazard ratio [HR], 0.339; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.166-0.691; P = .003) and OS (HR, 0.086; 95% CI, 0.012-0.641; P = .017) on multivariate analysis. Conclusion The development of irAEs was associated with increased survival in a real-world population of patients with advanced HCC treated with atezolizumab plus bevacizumab. Grade 1/2 irAEs were strongly correlated with PFS and OS.

Objective To assess the effect of systemic vascular resistance (SVR) on the reliability of the ClearSight system (Edwards Lifesciences, Irvine, CA) for measuring blood pressure (BP) and cardiac output (CO). Design Observational study. Setting University hospital. Participants Twenty-five patients undergoing cardiac surgery. Interventions None. Measurements and Main Results BP, measured using ClearSight and an arterial line, and CO, measured using ClearSight and a pulmonary artery catheter, were recorded before (T1) and two minutes after phenylephrine or ephedrine administration. Bland-Altman analysis was used to compare BP and CO measurements at T1. A polar plot was used to assess trending abilities. Patients were divided into the following three groups according to the SVR index (SVRI) at T1: low ( 2,500 dyne s/cm5/m2). The bias in BP and CO was –4.8 ± 8.9 mmHg and 0.10 ± 0.81 L/min, respectively, which was correlated significantly with SVRI (p Conclusion The ClearSight system showed an acceptable accuracy in measuring BP and tracking BP changes in various SVR states; however, the accuracy of CO measurement and its trending ability in various SVR states was poor.

BACKGROUND In hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), detection and treatment prior to growth beyond 2 cm are important as a larger tumor size is more frequently associated with microvascular invasion and/or satellites. In the surveillance of very small HCC nodules (≤ 2 cm in maximum diameter, Barcelona clinical stage 0), we demonstrated that the tumor markers alpha-fetoprotein and PIVKA-Ⅱ are not so useful. Therefore, we must survey with imaging modalities. The superiority of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) over ultrasound (US) to detect HCC was confirmed in many studies. Although enhanced MRI is now performed to accurately diagnose HCC, in conventional clinical practice for HCC surveillance in liver diseases, unenhanced MRI is widely performed throughout the world. While, MRI has made marked improvements in recent years. AIM To make a comparison of unenhanced MRI and US in detecting very small HCC that was examined in the last ten years in patients in whom MRI and US examinations were performed nearly simultaneously. METHODS In 394 patients with very small HCC nodules, those who underwent MRI and US at nearly the same time (on the same day whenever possible or at least within 14 days of one another) at the first diagnosis of HCC were selected. The detection rate of HCC with unenhanced MRI was investigated and compared with that of unenhanced US. RESULTS The sensitivity of unenhanced MRI for detecting very small HCC was 95.1% (97/102, 95% confidence interval: 90.9-99.3) and that of unenhanced US was 69.6% (71/102, 95% confidence interval: 60.7-78.5). The sensitivity of unenhanced MRI for detecting very small HCC was significantly higher than that of unenhanced US (P < 0.001). Regarding the location of HCC in the liver in patients in whom detection by US was unsuccessful, S7-8 was identified in 51.7%. CONCLUSION Currently, unenhanced MRI is a very useful tool for the surveillance of very small HCC in conventional clinical follow-up practice.

Background Transthoracic oesophagectomy is associated with major morbidity and mortality, which may be reduced by goal-directed therapy (GDT). The aim of this multicentre, RCT was to evaluate the impact of intraoperative GDT on major morbidity and mortality in patients undergoing transthoracic oesophagectomy. Methods Adult patients undergoing transthoracic oesophagectomy were randomised to receive either minimally invasive intraoperative GDT (stroke volume variation 90 mm Hg by pressors as necessary) or haemodynamic management left to the discretion of attending senior anaesthetists (control group; systolic BP >90 mm Hg alone). The primary outcome was the incidence of death or major complications (reoperation for bleeding, anastomotic leakage, pneumonia, reintubation, >48 h ventilation). A Cox proportional hazard model was used to examine whether the effects of GDT on morbidity and mortality were independent of other potential confounders. Results A total of 232 patients (80.6% male; age range: 36–83 yr) were randomised to either GDT (n=115) or to the control group (n=117). After surgery, major morbidity and mortality were less frequent in 22/115 (19.1%) subjects randomised to GDT, compared with 41/117 (35.0%) subjects assigned to the control group {absolute risk reduction: 15.9% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 4.7–27.2%); P=0.006}. GDT was also associated with fewer episodes of atrial fibrillation (odds ratio [OR]: 0.18 [95% CI: 0.05–0.65]), respiratory failure (OR: 0.27 [95% CI: 0.09–0.83]), use of mini-tracheotomy (OR: 0.29 [95% CI: 0.10–0.81]), and readmission to ICU (OR: 0.09 [95% CI: 0.01–0.67]). GDT was independently associated with morbidity and mortality (hazard ratio: 0.51 [95% CI: 0.30–0.87]; P=0.013). Conclusions Intraoperative GDT may reduce major morbidity and mortality, and shorten hospital stay, after transthoracic oesophagectomy. Clinical trial registration UMIN000018705

Katsuaki Ogushi,1,* Makoto Chuma,1,* Haruki Uojima,2 Hisashi Hidaka,2 Kazushi Numata,1 Satoshi Kobayashi,3 Shunji Hirose,4 Nobuhiro Hattori,5 Tomoaki Fujikawa,6 Takahide Nakazawa,2 Naohisa Wada,2 Shuitirou Iwasaki,2 Taito Fukushima,3 Yusuke Sano,3 Makoto Ueno,3 Kuniyuki Kawano,3 Kota Tsuruya,4 Masako Shomura,4 Tsunamasa Watanabe,5 Kotaro Matsunaga,5 Yosuke Kunishi,7 Yusuke Saigusa,8 Kuniyasu Irie,9 Shogo Iwabuchi,6 Makoto Kako,10 Manabu Morimoto,3 Tatehiro Kagawa,4 Katsuaki Tanaka,11 Shin Maeda9 1Gastroenterological Center, Yokohama City University Medical Center, Yokohama, Japan; 2Department of Gastroenterology, Internal Medicine, Kitasato University School of Medicine, Sagamihara, Japan; 3Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Medical Oncology, Kanagawa Cancer Center Hospital, Yokohama, Japan; 4Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Tokai University School of Medicine, Isehara, Japan; 5Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, St. Marianna University School of Medicine, Kawasaki, Japan; 6Department of Gastroenterology, Shonan Fujisawa General Hospital, Fujisawa, Japan; 7Department of Gastroenterology, Kanagawa Prefectural Ashigarakami Hospital, Kanagawa, Japan; 8Department of Biostatistics, Yokohama City University Graduate School of Medicine, Yokohama, Japan; 9Department of Gastroenterology, Yokohama City University Hospital, Yokohama, Japan; 10Department of Gastroenterology, Shonan Kamakura General Hospital, Kamakura, Japan; 11Gastroenterology Division, Hadano Red Cross Hospital, Hadano, Japan*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Makoto Chuma Gastroenterological CenterYokohama City University Medical Center, 4-57 Urafune-Cho, Minami-Ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa 2320024, JapanTel +81 45 261 5656Fax +81 45 253 9955Email chuma@yokohama-cu.ac.jpPurpose: To assess the safety, efficacy and prognostic impact of clinical factors related to lenvatinib treatment in Child-Pugh class A (CP-A) and class B (CP-B) patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (u-HCC).Methods: Patients with u-HCC who were treated with lenvatinib at multiple centers in Japan were retrospectively analyzed for treatment outcomes according to their respective CP status. Radiological objective response (OR) was assessed using modified response evaluation criteria in solid tumors (mRECIST) guidelines.Results: Baseline demographic parameters were comparable between 126 (69.6%) patients with CP-A disease and 55 patients (30.4%) with CP-B disease. Frequency of lenvatinib-related adverse events, including decreased appetite (P=0.034), diarrhea (P=0.040), elevated serum bilirubin (P=0.016) and vomiting (P=0.009), were higher in CP-B than in CP-A patients. Relative dose intensity (RDI) was significantly higher in CP-A (0.69) than CP-B patients (0.50, P < 0.001). Furthermore, OR rate (44.0%) was markedly higher in CP-A5 patients as compared to CP-A6 (25.5%), CP-B7 (22.2%), and CP-B8 patients (5.3%), respectively (P=0.002). In multivariable analysis, performance status (0 vs 1, 2, P=0.026), CP class (A vs B, P=0.045) and RDI (≥ 0.7 vs < 0.7, P=0.034) were identified as factors associated with response to lenvatinib treatment. Overall survival (OS) at 12 months was significantly different between CP-A (66.3%) and CP-B patients (30.0%, P=0.002), and between CP 5– 7 (59.2%) and CP 8 patients (34.8%, P=0.003). In multivariable analysis, CP class (A vs B, P=0.007) and Barcelona clinic liver cancer (BCLC) stage (B vs C, P=0.002) were associated with OS following lenvatinib treatment.Conclusion: Lenvatinib treatment offers significant benefits in patients with good liver function in real-world practice. The various characteristics identified in this study might be helpful as clinical predictors of response to lenvatinib and survival in clinical practice. Further studies are required to address eligibility for lenvatinib treatment in CP 7 patients.Keywords: lenvatinib, tyrosine kinase inhibitor, hepatocellular carcinoma, Child-Pugh, adverse events, overall survival

Aim Lusutrombopag is approved for thrombocytopenia in chronic liver disease patients planned to undergo invasive procedures. In previous clinical studies, lusutrombopag treatment was stopped in patients with an increase in platelet count (PC) of ≥20×109 /L from baseline and whose PC was ≥50×109 /L (discontinuation criteria). We assessed the influences of platelet monitoring during lusutrombopag administration in lusutrombopag naive patients. Methods In this open-label study, Child-Pugh class A and B (A/B) patients were enrolled and treated with lusutrombopag (3 mg/day) for 7 days. In the treatment-naive A/B-1 group, the discontinuation criteria were applied on Day 6. In the treatment-naive A/B-2 group, the criteria were not applied. In a non-naive A/B group, the criteria were applied on Days 3 and 5-7. The main efficacy endpoint was the proportion of patients without platelet transfusion (PT) before the primary invasive procedure. Results In the A/B-1, A/B-2, and non-naive A/B groups, the proportions of patients without PT were 80.9% (38/47), 83.0% (39/47), and 75.0% (6/8), respectively. The mean durations of PC ≥50×109 /L without PT were 20.7, 20.3, and 22.8 days, respectively. Excessive PC increases (≥200x109 /L) were not detected in any group. Treatment-related adverse events occurred in 4.3%, 6.4%, and 0% of A/B-1, A/B-2, and non-naive A/B patients, respectively. Severe portal vein thrombosis occurred in one A/B-2 patient (PC 75×109 /L at onset). Conclusions No meaningful efficacy and safety differences were observed among the groups with or without discontinuation criteria and the non-naive group. These findings support lusutrombopag administration without platelet monitoring and retreatment with lusutrombopag.

Propofol is commonly used to induce general anesthesia; however, the pain caused during propofol injection is a disadvantage. This study aimed to assess whether deep breathing attenuates propofol injection pain.This prospective, single-blind, randomized controlled study included 200 patients who were scheduled to undergo elective surgery under general anesthesia and randomly and equally divided them into group D and group C. The observers were not blinded to the pain-relieving modality, but each patient was blinded. Group D patients were requested to repeatedly take deep breaths throughout general anesthesia induction with propofol. Group C patients were requested to breathe in the usual manner. The intensity of propofol injection pain was evaluated using the visual analog scale (VAS). Furthermore, we recorded the patients' pain expressions, including grimace or hand-withdrawal, and the recalled pain measured using a VAS in the post-anesthetic care units (PACU).Compared with patients in group C, those in group D showed significantly reduced VAS scores for propofol injection pain (20 [interquartile range (IQR): 0-48] vs. 37 [IQR 9-65], P = 0.017) and recalled pain in the PACU (16 [IQR 0-32] vs. 26 [IQR 0.5-51], P = 0.031). Further, the grimace incidence was significantly lower in group D (18%) than in group C (45%) (P 0.001). There was no significant difference in the incidence of pain at induction, recalled pain, or hand-withdrawal.Deep breathing could be an easy, safe, and inexpensive method for reducing pain during propofol injection.

Error grid analysis was recently proposed to compare blood pressure obtained by 2 measurement methods. This study aimed to compare continuous noninvasive blood pressure (CNBP) with invasive blood pressure (IBP) using the error grid analysis and investigate the confounding risk factors attributable to the differences between CNBP and IBP.Sixty adult patients undergoing general anesthesia were prospectively enrolled. Simultaneous comparative data regarding CNBP and IBP were collected. The Bland-Altman analysis was conducted to compare CNBP and IBP for systolic blood pressure (SBP) and mean blood pressure (MBP; acceptable accuracy: mean bias5 mm Hg; standard deviation8 mm Hg). The clinical relevance of the discrepancies between CNBP and IBP was evaluated by the error grid analysis, which classifies the differences into 5 zones from "no risk" (A) to "dangerous risk" (E). Additionally, an ordinal logistic regression analysis was performed to evaluate the relationship between the risk zones for MBP, classified by the error grid analysis and covariates of interest.A total of 10,663 pairs of CNBP/IBP were finally analyzed. The Bland-Altman analysis showed an acceptable accuracy with a bias of -3.3 ± 5.6 mm Hg for MBP but a poor accuracy with a bias of 5.4 ± 10.5 mm Hg for SBP. The error grid analysis showed the proportions of zones A to E as 96.7%, 3.2%, 0.1%, 0%, and 0% for SBP, respectively, and 72.0%, 27.9%, 0.1%, 0%, and 0% for MBP, respectively. The finger cuff missed 23.9% of epochs when SBP90 mm Hg and 55.3% of epochs when MBP65 mm Hg. The ordinal logistic regression analysis revealed that older age (adjusted odds ratio for decade: 1.54, 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.15-2.08; P = .004) and length of time from the initiation of finger cuff inflation (adjusted odds ratio for 60 minutes: 1.40, 95% CI, 1.13-1.73; P = .002) were significant factors of being in a more dangerous zone of the error grid.The error grid analysis revealed the larger clinical discrepancy between CNBP and IBP in MBP compared with that in SBP. Old age and longer finger cuff inflation time were significant factors of being in a more dangerous zone of the error grid, which could affect the hemodynamic management during surgery.

Lusutrombopag is a thrombopoietin receptor agonist approved to treat thrombocytopenia in patients with chronic liver disease (CLD). ThisIn L-PLUS 1, Pearson's correlation coefficients were used to evaluate correlations between platelet count and spleen index, thrombopoietin concentration, white blood cell (WBC) counts, and red blood cell counts (intent-to-treat [ITT] population). Associations between platelet count increase after lusutrombopag treatment and each parameter were assessed by regression analysis and mixed-effect model for repeated measures (MMRM). Associations between time-dependent changes in platelet count increase and each parameter were also examined in the L-PLUS 2 lusutrombopag ITT population by MMRM.In L-PLUS 1, the baseline platelet count was correlated with pretreatment spleen index (This

Background The present study aimed to evaluate the reliability of hemodynamic changes induced by lung recruitment maneuver (LRM) in predicting stroke volume (SV) increase after fluid loading (FL) in prone position. Methods Thirty patients undergoing spine surgery in prone position were enrolled. Lung-protective ventilation (tidal volume, 6–7 mL/kg; positive end-expiratory pressure, 5 cmH2O) was provided to all patients. LRM (30 cmH2O for 30 s) was performed. Hemodynamic variables including mean arterial pressure (MAP), heart rate, SV, SV variation (SVV), and pulse pressure variation (PPV) were simultaneously recorded before, during, and at 5 min after LRM and after FL (250 mL in 10 min). Receiver operating characteristic curves were generated to evaluate the predictability of SVV, PPV, and SV decrease by LRM (ΔSVLRM) for SV responders (SV increase after FL > 10%). The gray zone approach was applied for ΔSVLRM. Results Areas under the curve (AUCs) for ΔSVLRM, SVV, and PPV to predict SV responders were 0.778 (95% confidence interval: 0.590–0.909), 0.563 (0.371–0.743), and 0.502 (0.315–0.689), respectively. The optimal threshold for ΔSVLRM was 30% (sensitivity, 92.3%; specificity, 70.6%). With the gray zone approach, the inconclusive values ranged 25 to 75% for ΔSVLRM (including 50% of enrolled patients). Conclusion In prone position, LRM-induced SV decrease predicted SV increase after FL with higher reliability than traditional dynamic indices. On the other hand, considering the relatively large gray zone in this study, future research is needed to further improve the clinical significance. Trial registration UMIN Clinical Trial Registry UMIN000027966. Registered 28th June 2017.

AIMS Early tumor recurrence (ETR) after hepatic resection is a crucial predictor of poor prognosis in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The aim of this study was to identify clinically significant serum microRNAs (miRNAs) involved in the ETR of HCC. METHODS We compared expression profiles of circulating miRNAs from serum samples between five HCC patients with ETR (recurrence within 12 months after hepatectomy) and five HCC patients without recurrence using microarray analysis of miRNA. The identified miRNA associated with ETR was further verified in 121 HCC patients, 73 liver disease patients, and 15 health controls by real-time quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (PCR). RESULTS Of the approximately 2000 miRNAs analyzed, we identified 15 miRNAs for which expression levels correlated significantly with ETR. Of these miRNAs, we further investigated expression of miRNA-1246 (miR-1246). Quantitative PCR confirmed that miR-1246 was upregulated in HCC with ETR, compared to the level in HCC without ETR (P

Potentially curative treatments for early-stage hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) have drawbacks and contraindications. Recently, radiotherapy has achieved good outcomes. We compared the outcomes of radiotherapy and radiofrequency ablation (RFA) for early-stage HCC. Consecutive patients with ≤3 early-stage HCC lesions and tumor diameters ≤3 cm treated with RFA or radiotherapy were reviewed. RFA was the first choice for HCC unsuitable for surgery. Otherwise, stereotactic body radiotherapy in five fractions was mainly performed. For HCC adjacent to the gastrointestinal tract, radiotherapy with mild hypofractionation was performed. Propensity score matching was performed to reduce the selection bias between the RFA and radiotherapy groups. Between 2012 and 2016, a total of 231 patients with 474 tumors and 143 patients with 221 tumors were eligible and were treated with RFA and radiotherapy, respectively. In an unmatched comparison, the 3-year local recurrence rate was significantly lower for radiotherapy than for RFA (5.3%; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.7-9.2; versus 12.9%, 95% CI, 9.9-16.2) (P < 0.01). A propensity score matching analysis of 106 patients in each group successfully matched the two treatment groups with regard to Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer staging, T stage, and tumor size but not the adjacency of the tumor to risk organs or first or salvage treatment. The 3-year overall survival rates for RFA and radiotherapy patients were comparable (69.1%; 95% CI, 58.2-77.7; and 70.4%; 95% CI, 58.5-79.4, respectively; P = 0.86). Conclusion: Radiotherapy has excellent local control and comparable overall survival in patients with well-compensated liver function, exhibiting advantageous characteristics and compensating for the deficiencies of other treatment modalities; radiotherapy appears to be an acceptable alternative treatment option for patients who are not candidates for RFA.

Background Esophageal perforation is a rare but serious complication of transesophageal echocardiography (TEE). An enlarged left atrium (LA), which is commonly associated with mitral stenosis (MS), is an under-recognized risk factor for esophageal perforation after intraoperative TEE. Case presentation We describe a case of TEE-induced esophageal perforation after cardiac surgery in a 79-year-old woman with a giant LA due to MS. Esophageal perforation was detected on postoperative day 6. After surgical repair, the patient gradually recovered with prolonged conservative treatment. Retrospectively constructed three-dimensional chest computed tomography images revealed an unusually distorted esophagus that was possibly vulnerable to injury. Conclusion A giant LA can markedly distort the esophagus. It should be recognized as a risk factor for TEE-induced esophageal perforation.

This study aimed to compare the prognostic performance of the ratio of mixed and central venous–arterial CO2 tension difference to arterial–venous O2 content difference (Pv-aCO2/Ca-vO2 and Pcv-aCO2/Ca-cvO2, respectively) with that of the mixed and central venous-to-arterial carbon dioxide gradient (Pv-aCO2 and Pcv-aCO2, respectively) for adverse events after cardiac surgery. One hundred and ten patients undergoing cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass were enrolled. After catheter insertion, three blood samples were withdrawn simultaneously through arterial pressure, central venous, and pulmonary artery catheters, before and at the end of the operation, and preoperative and postoperative values were determined. The primary end-point was set as the incidence of postoperative major organ morbidity and mortality (MOMM). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to evaluate the prognostic reliability of Pv-aCO2, Pcv-aCO2, Pv-aCO2/Ca-vO2, and Pcv-aCO2/Ca-cvO2 for MOMM. MOMM events occurred in 25 patients (22.7%). ROC curve analysis revealed that both postoperative Pv-aCO2/Ca-vO2 and Pcv-aCO2/Ca-cvO2 were significant predictors of MOMM. However, postoperative Pv-aCO2 was the best predictor of MOMM (area under the curve [AUC]: 0.804; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.688–0.921), at a 5.1-mmHg cut-off, sensitivity was 76.0%, and specificity was 74.1%. Multivariate analysis revealed that postoperative Pv-aCO2 was an independent predictor of MOMM (odds ratio [OR]: 1.42, 95% CI 1.01–2.00, p = 0.046) and prolonged ICU stay (OR: 1.45, 95% CI 1.05–2.01, p = 0.024). Pv-aCO2 at the end of cardiac surgery was a better predictor of postoperative complications than Pv-aCO2/Ca-vO2 and Pcv-aCO2/Ca-cvO2.

OBJECTIVES We evaluated the detection rates for perfusion defects in hypervascular hepatocellular carcinomas comparing the low mechanical index (MI) and high MI contrast modes during the post-vascular phase (PVP) of contrast-enhanced ultrasonography. METHODS Seventy-eight patients with 84 hypervascular hepatocellular carcinomas (mean diameter, 23.4 ± 11.2 mm) were selected for this retrospective study. All the patients underwent whole-liver scanning using conventional ultrasonography before injection of a perflubutane-based contrast agent (Sonazoid), and all the detected nodules were classified as either hypoechoic or hyperechoic nodules. Next, hypoechoic and hyperechoic nodules were evaluated using contrast-enhanced ultrasonography, and the presence of a perfusion defect was assessed for each nodule using both the low MI (0.2-0.3) and the high MI (0.7-1.2) contrast modes during the PVP (10 minutes after injection). The data were analyzed using the McNemar test. RESULTS Forty-four nodules were classified as hypoechoic nodules, and the remaining 40 nodules were classified as hyperechoic nodules using conventional ultrasonography. The detection rate for perfusion defects determined using the high MI contrast mode was higher than that determined using the low MI contrast mode in hyperechoic nodules during the PVP (low MI, 58% [23 of 40]; high MI, 90% [36 of 40]; P

Objectives To assess whether a tissue Doppler imaging (TDI)-based parameter consisting of the sum of early diastolic velocities of the mitral annulus (Me’) and tricuspid annulus (Te’) can serve as a predictor of adverse outcomes after cardiac surgery. Design Prospective, observational study. Setting University hospital. Participants The study comprised 100 patients undergoing cardiac surgery. Interventions None. Measurements and Main Results After anesthetic induction, transesophageal echocardiography was performed to obtain the values of the early transmitral flow velocity (E), Me’, and Te’. The primary endpoint was the incidence of postoperative major organ morbidity and mortality (MOMM) events, including death, redo surgery, prolonged ventilation, stroke, sternal infection, and dialysis. Receiver operating characteristic and multivariate logistic analyses were used to examine the prognostic performance of TDI-based parameters for predicting MOMM incidence. The secondary endpoint was the incidence of death or rehospitalization for cardiovascular disease within 1 year post-discharge. TDI-based parameters were measured in 87 of the 100 patients enrolled. Me’ plus Te’ had better prognostic ability (area under the curve 0.771; threshold 13 cm/s; sensitivity 86.7%; specificity 64.9%) than that of Me’ or E to Me’ (E/Me’)% and was an independent predictor of MOMM (odds ratio 0.45; 95% confidence interval 0.28-0.74, p = 0.001), whereas Me’ was not. Lower Me’ plus Te’ (≤13 cm/s) was associated with a significantly higher incidence and earlier onset of cardiovascular events within 1 year post-discharge (p = 0.012). Conclusions Compared with Me’ and E/Me’, which traditionally are used for assessing diastolic function, Me’ plus Te’ showed better prognostic ability for both short- and long-term outcomes of cardiac surgery.

Objective: Mucopolysaccharidosis (MPS) are a group of rare systemic lysosomal storage diseases associated with severe airway obstruction and cardiac disease, making anesthesia management difficult. Contemporary treatment extends the lifespan of affected individuals, increasing the need for major surgery in adulthood. Clinical Presentation and Intervention: We provided general anesthesia for 6 adult MPS patients undergoing spine surgery. The airway was assessed as difficult in all, with 2 receiving awake fiberoptic intubation and 1 successfully undergoing video-laryngoscopy, while 3 video-laryngoscopy procedures failed and required conversion to fiberoptic intubation. One patient developed ventricular fibrillation. Conclusion: Adult MPS patients have substantial anesthesia risk.

Non-invasive methods to assess patients’ fluid responsiveness during lung-protective ventilation are needed. We hypothesized changes in the corrected carotid flow time induced by the recruitment maneuver predict fluid responsiveness under general anesthesia. Thirty patients undergoing general anesthesia in the supine position were prospectively enrolled. The study protocol was conducted when the patient was hemodynamically stable during surgery. Flow time was measured on Doppler images of the common carotid artery. Carotid flow time, heart rate, stroke volume, stroke volume variation, and pulse pressure variation were recorded before and after a recruitment maneuver at a continuous airway pressure of 30 cmH2O for 30 s, and before and after volume expansion with 250 mL for 10 min. Patients were defined as fluid responders if the increase in stroke volume was > 10% after volume expansion. Twenty patients (67%) were fluid responders. All Doppler images for carotid flow time were obtained within 30 s. Changes in the corrected flow time accurately predicted fluid responsiveness (area under the curve: 0.82, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.64–0.94, p = 0.002). The optimal threshold for changes in the corrected flow time was − 11.7% with a sensitivity of 95.0% (95% CI 75.1–99.9%) and a specificity of 80.0% (95% CI 44.4–97.5%). The gray-zone of changes in the corrected flow time was from − 25.1 to − 12.2% and included 12 patients (40%). Changes in the corrected carotid flow time were a useful, technically easy-to-perform, and non-invasive method to predict fluid responsiveness without a need for hemodynamic monitoring or arterial cannulation.

BACKGROUND We aimed to evaluate the ability of lung recruitment maneuver-induced hemodynamic changes to predict fluid responsiveness in patients undergoing lung-protective ventilation during one-lung ventilation (OLV). METHODS Thirty patients undergoing thoracic surgery with OLV (tidal volume: 6 mL/kg of ideal body weight and positive end-expiratory pressure: 5 cm H2O) were enrolled. The study protocol began 30 minutes after starting OLV. Simultaneous recordings were performed for hemodynamic variables of heart rate, mean arterial pressure (MAP), stroke volume (SV), pulse pressure variation (PPV), and stroke volume variation (SVV) were recorded at 4 time points: before recruitment maneuver (continuous airway pressure: 30 cm H2O for 30 seconds), at the end of recruitment maneuver, and before and after volume loading (250 mL over 10 minutes). Patients were recognized as fluid responders if the increase in SV or MAP was >10%. Receiver operating characteristic curves for percent decrease in SV and MAP by recruitment maneuver (ΔSVRM and ΔMAPRM, respectively) were generated to evaluate the ability to discriminate fluid responders from nonresponders. The gray-zone approach was applied for ΔSVRM and ΔMAPRM. RESULTS Of 30 patients, there were 17 SV-responders (57%) and 12 blood pressure (BP)-responders (40%). Area under the curve (AUC) for ΔSVRM to discriminate SV-responders from nonresponders was 0.84 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.67-0.95; P < .001). The best threshold for ΔSVRM to discriminate the SV-responders was -23.7% (95% CI, -41.2 to -17.8; sensitivity, 76.5% [95% CI, 50.1-93.2]; specificity, 84.6% [95% CI, 54.6-98.1]). For BP-responders, AUC for ΔMAPRM was 0.80 (95% CI, 0.61-0.92, P < .001). The best threshold for ΔMAPRM was -17.3% (95% CI, -23.9 to -5.1; sensitivity, 75.0% [95% CI, 42.8-94.5]; specificity, 77.8% [95% CI, 52.4-93.6]). With the gray-zone approach, the inconclusive range of ΔSVRM for SV-responders was -40.1% to -13.8% including 13 (43%) patients, and that of ΔMAPRM was -23.9% to -5.1%, which included 16 (53%) patients. CONCLUSIONS ΔSVRM and ΔMAPRM could predict hemodynamic responses after volume expansion during OLV.

We developed a small robot with Inline Archimedean Screw Mechanism in response to the demands of surveying Invasive Alien Species (IAS). There are some harmful IAS in wetlands such as snapping turtles. The current method for the survey is net-trap (“Mondori-wana”) and fumbling search by humans. Both methods are inefficient and unsafe for humans. To improve the efficiency and safety of surveying IAS in wetlands, the mobile robot system is demanded. The target environment is configured with soft ground, covered with water, dense water plants and side hole. There is no mobile robot that can move in such an environment. We proposed Inline Archimedean Screw Mechanism to realize locomotion performance at the target environment. The robot can move on a soft land as if cutting a screw. Furthermore, pushing aside water plants, the robot can prevent itself from getting stuck by dense water plants. Using Inline Archimedean Screw Mechanism, we developed the robot, named WANGOT (WAseda Native species Guardian robOT). WANGOT has the size of W85 × H85 × L460 [mm], the weight of 1.4 [kg] and two actuators and four Archimedean screws. It was possible to move forward at a speed of 27 [mm/s] on artificial turf, and the movement performance on the environment of simulated dense water plant area was confirmed.

BACKGROUND In hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), detection and treatment prior to growth beyond 2 cm are relevant as a larger tumor size is more frequently associated with microvascular invasion and/or satellites. AIM To examine the impact of the tumor marker alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) or PIVKA-II in detecting very small HCC nodules (≤ 2 cm in maximum diameter, Barcelona stage 0) in the large number of very small HCC. The difference in the behavior of these tumor markers in HCC development was also examined. METHODS A total of 933 patients with single-nodule HCC were examined. They were subdivided into 394 patients with HCC nodules ≤ 2 cm in maximum diameter and 539 patients whose nodules were > 2 cm. The rates of patients whose AFP and PIVKA-II showed normal values were examined. RESULTS The positive ratio of the marker PIVKA-II was significantly different (P < 0.0001) between patients with nodules ≤ 2 cm in diameter and those with nodules > 2 cm, but there was no significant difference in AFP (P = 0.4254). In the patients whose tumor was ≤ 2 cm, 50.5% showed normal levels in AFP and 68.8% showed normal levels in PIVKA-II. In 36.4% of those patients, both AFP and PIVKA-II showed normal levels. The PIVKA-II-positive ratio was markedly increased with an increase in the tumor size. In contrast, the positivity in AFP was increased gradually and slowly. CONCLUSION In the surveillance of very small HCC nodules (≤ 2 cm in diameter, Barcelona clinical stage 0) the tumor markers AFP and PIVKA-II are not so useful.

We investigated the clinical course of individuals with 2019 novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) who were transferred from the Diamond Princess cruise ship to 12 local hospitals. The conditions and clinical courses of patients with pneumonia were compared with those of patients without pneumonia. Among 70 patients (median age: 67 years) analyzed, the major symptoms were fever (64.3%), cough (54.3%), and general fatigue (24.3%). Forty-three patients (61.4%) had pneumonia. Higher body temperature, heart rate, and respiratory rate as well as higher of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels and lower serum albumin level and lymphocyte count were associated with the presence of pneumonia. Ground-glass opacity was found in 97.7% of the patients with pneumonia. Patients were administered neuraminidase inhibitors (20%), lopinavir/ritonavir (32.9%), and ciclesonide inhalation (11.4%). Mechanical ventilation and veno-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation was performed on 14 (20%) and 2 (2.9%) patients, respectively; two patients died. The median duration of intubation was 12 days. The patients with COVID-19 transferred to local hospitals during the outbreak had severe conditions and needed close monitoring. The severity of COVID-19 depends on the presence of pneumonia. High serum LDH, AST and CRP levels and low serum albumin level and lymphocyte count were found to be predictors of pneumonia. It was challenging for local hospitals to admit and treat these patients during the outbreak of COVID-19. Assessment of severity was crucial to manage a large number of patients.

This study aimed to investigate the efficacy of the ClearSight™ system (Edwards Lifesciences, Irvine, CA) for reducing the incidence of hypotension compared with the traditional oscillometric blood pressure monitoring in cesarean delivery under spinal anesthesia. Forty patients undergoing cesarean delivery under spinal anesthesia were enrolled. The patients were randomly divided into two groups (Control and ClearSight groups). All patients received spinal anesthesia using 0.5% hyperbaric bupivacaine (11.5 mg) and fentanyl (10 µg). Blood pressure was managed with the same protocol using the ClearSight™ system (ClearSight group) and oscillometric blood pressure monitoring (Control group). Furthermore, we compared the accuracy of the ClearSight™ system with the traditional oscillometric monitoring for blood pressure measurement using Bland–Altman, four-quadrant plot, and polar plot analyses. The incidence of hypotension was significantly lower in the ClearSight group from induction to delivery (45% vs. 0%, p