Search

There is no standard therapy for hemodialysis (HD) patients with COVID-19. Data on remdesivir in HD patients with COVID-19 are scarce.We retrospectively analyzed 25 HD patients with COVID-19 treated with remdesivir.The median age of the patients was 78 years (range, 45-92 years) and was predominantly male (84%). A total of 44% of the patients had mild disease, 36% had moderate-1, and 20% had moderate-2. The most common symptoms were fever (76%) and coughing (44%). The most common comorbidity was renal failure (100%), followed by hypertension (60%) and cardiac disease (44%). The most frequent biomarker was elevated creatinine (100%), followed by C-reactive protein (80%), lymphopenia (76%), and D-dimer (68%). C-reactive protein levels decreased significantly before and after remdesivir administration (p0.001). Two patients showed deterioration, but none died. All patients recovered from COVID-19 and no adverse effects of treatment with remdesivir were observed.Our study suggests the safe use of remdesivir in HD patients with COVID-19.

Highlights • Red face was seen in three patients with COVID-19. • Red face may reflect a cytokine storm. • Red face may be predictive of a sudden deterioration., Japan is currently suffering the fourth wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, with the dominant type being SARS-CoV-2 alpha variant. Patients with COVID-19 variant types show more aggressive symptoms. In the present study, three patients developed a red face during treatment. Two of them suddenly worsened shortly after. We assumed that the red face reflected a cytokine storm and conjectured that it may be a specific sign of variant type COVID-19, because we have never seen it in patients with non-variant type. Moreover, we believe that red face may be predictive of a sudden deterioration.

Several clinical manifestations of COVID-19 have been reported in the literature since then. In addition to upper respiratory symptoms, dysgeusia and anosmia are relatively common neurological manifestations with COVID-19. We had five cases of hiccups in succession; therefore, we assume that hiccups might be a specific symptom of COVID-19. We retrospectively analyzed 46 patients with COVID-19 diagnosed from February 2021 to May 2021. Among the 46 patients, 5 developed hiccups (11%). All patients were male. The median age of was 56 years. None of the patients were smokers. Further, all patients exhibited pneumonia without dysgeusia or anosmia. The median onset of hiccups was 5 days after diagnosis, with a median duration of 2 days. All patients recovered from hiccups and COVID-19. Hiccups might be a specific neurological symptom in male patients with COVID-19.

Hideki Miyake,1 Yuri Kawano,2 Hiroshi Tanaka,2 Akihiro Iwata,3 Takahiro Imanaka,1 Masatsugu Nakamura1 1Ophthalmic Disease Area Strategy Department, 2Clinical Operations Department, 3Data Science Department, R&D Division, Santen Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. Osaka, Japan Purpose: We aimed to evaluate the feasibility of using a modified Schirmer test to determine the increase in tear volume after administration of 3% diquafosol ophthalmic solution (diquafosol 3%) in dry eye patients. Patients and methods: A randomized, multicenter, prospective, double-blind clinical study recruited 50 qualified subjects. They received diquafosol 3% in one eye and artificial tears in the other eye. The study protocol comprised a screening and treatment procedure completed within 1day. The Schirmer test was performed on closed eyes three times a day. The primary efficacy end points were the second Schirmer test scores 10minutes after the single dose. Secondary end points were the third Schirmer test scores 3hours and 40minutes after the single dose and the symptom scores prior to the second and third Schirmer tests. Results: According to the Schirmer test, 10minutes after administration, diquafosol 3% significantly increased tear volume compared to artificial tears. Diquafosol 3% and artificial tears both showed significant improvements in the symptom scores compared to baseline. However, there was no significant difference in the symptoms score between diquafosol 3% and artificial tears. Conclusion: The modified Schirmer test can detect a minute change in tear volume in dry eye patients. These findings will be useful in the diagnosis of dry eye, assessment of treatment benefits in daily clinical practice, and the development of possible tear-secreting compounds for dry eye. Keywords: P2Y2, efficacy, Diquas&reg

Objective: The purpose of this study was to explain the experiences of caregivers of patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) receiving invasive ventilation in Japan. Methods: Subjects were 12 primary caregivers of ALS patients receiving invasive ventilation. Subjects were selected by theoretical sampling. Semi-structured interviews were undertaken with each subject. The data were analyzed using a grounded theory approach. Results: Caregivers tried to ‘find a meaning in prolonging life,’ which represented a core category. Two subcategories relate directly to the core category. These were ‘hesitation and regret over the decision’ and ‘feeling of being supported’. Each subcategory had four internal dimensions: ‘uncertainty of the future’, ‘communication’, ‘maintaining their own life’ and ‘support’. Conclusions: The process of caring for ALS patients is dynamic. The success or failure of continuing care depends on ‘finding a meaning of prolonged life’. It is important for nurses to be aware of that. Further investigation is required into appropriate intervention for caregivers of ALS patients.

applicability of the effort-reward imbalance model, particularly if statistical approaches that measure the model's core notion are extended, and recommendation of repeated measures for exposure. Cross-cultural research on occupational stress is instructive in terms of health science. (J Occup Health 2002; 44: 398-407) Abstract: The Effort-reward Imbalance Model: Experience in Japanese Working Population: Akizumi TSUTSUMI, et al. Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine and Dentistry—The validity of Siegrist's effort-reward imbalance model was examined in Japanese workers: 105 dental technicians, 902 employees of production companies, and 2,827 selected from staff of hospitals. After controlling for possible confounders, levels of the two stress measures, 'effort-reward imbalance' and 'overcommitment', were similar for both genders. The effort-reward imbalance was most prevalent in the 25- 30 age employees and then decreased with age, but the level of overcommitment increased with age. Those with lower educational attainment and others who reported working long hours were more often exposed to effort-reward imbalance and those in the private sector reported higher overcommitment levels than their respective counterparts. Hospital staff (predominantly nurses) had almost twice as high a level of effort-reward imbalance as production workers. A review of empirical studies confirmed validity of the criterion with respect to a self-reported health outcome and the responsiveness of the measures to organizational changes. Nevertheless, the low prevalence of an effort-reward imbalance (originally formulated by Siegrist's group on European samples) in Japanese employees seemed to reduce the statistical power of these tests. A subsequent change in exposure prevalence by defining the top quintile of the distribution of the logarithmic-transformed effort- reward ratio resulted in an improvement in the statistical fit. The Japanese evidence indicates promising

The present study examined degrees of job-related stress factors as well as mental and physical symptoms among Japanese hospital nurses in various departments, and clarified associations of departments and job-related stress factors with those symptoms. A self-administered anonymous questionnaire was distributed to 1,882 full-time nurses at four acute care hospitals in Japan. The survey included demographic factors, and the Brief Job Stress Questionnaire. Among 1,599 nurses who completed all items relevant to the present study, we analyzed data from 1,551 female nurses. The results show that working in operating rooms was associated with fatigue, that working in intensive care units (ICU) was associated with anxiety, and that working in surgery and internal medicine was associated with anxiety and depression independently of demographic factors and job-related stress factors. The physical and mental health of nurses might affect their time off, quality of nursing care and patient satisfaction in acute care hospitals. Therefore, job-related stress factors should be minimized, to improve the physical and mental health of nurses, considering unique departmental demands.

We describe the design and proof of concept of a pair of chemical probes for investigating DNA-protein interactions-specifically, the incorporation of 7-bromo-7-deazaadenine and 3-bromo-3-deazaadenine 2'-deoxynucleosides (Br(7)C(7)dA and Br(3)C(3)dA) into oligodeoxynucleotides (ODNs)-and their utility. Whereas the bromo substituent of the Br(7)C(7)dA unit in an ODN duplex acts sterically to inhibit binding with NF-kappaB, which interacts with the duplex in its major groove, the bromo substituent of the Br(3)C(3)dA unit acts sterically to inhibit binding with RNase H, which interacts with the duplex in its minor groove. In addition, the utilization of ODNs containing 7-deazaadenine and 3-deazaadenine 2'-deoxynucleosides (C(7)dA and C(3)dA), together with the pair of chemical probes, afforded valuable information on the requirement for nitrogen atoms located in either the major or minor grooves. Accordingly, we were able to show the utility of ODNs containing Br(7)C(7)dA, Br(3)C(3)dA, C(7)dA, and C(3)dA for the investigation of DNA-protein interactions.