Does clinical T1N0 GGN really require checking for distant metastasis during initial staging for lung cancer?

Background: Accurate clinical staging is crucial for selection of optimal oncological treatment strategies in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Although brain MRI, bone scintigraphy and whole-body PET/CT play important roles in detecting distant metastases, there is a lack of evidence regarding the indication for metastatic staging in early NSCLCs, especially ground-grass nodules (GGNs). Our aim was to determine whether checking for distant metastasis is required in cases of clinical T1N0 GGN.

Proximal ligation technique prevents thrombus formation in the pulmonary vein stump after lobectomy.

Purpose: To assess the risk factors for thrombosis in the pulmonary vein stump (PVT) and the efficacy of proximal ligation in preventing PVT after lobectomy.

Methods: In total, 649 surgical patients with lung cancer were retrospectively reviewed. To compare the clinical effectiveness of PV proximal ligation, the simple stapler group (290 patients) and the proximal ligation group (359 patients who underwent thread ligation at the pericardial reflection with/without a stapler) were analyzed.

Tracheal bifurcation repair for blunt thoracic trauma in a patient with COVID-19.

Background: Tracheobronchial injury (TBI) is a rare but potentially life-threatening trauma that requires prompt diagnosis and treatment. We present a case in which a patient with COVID-19 infection was successfully treated for a TBI through surgical repair and intensive care with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) support.

Case Presentation: This is the case of a 31-year-old man transported to a peripheral hospital following a car crash.

Choice of and response to treatment in patients with early-diagnosed rheumatoid arthritis: Real-world data from an inception cohort in Japan (NICER-J).

Objective: Various guidelines recommend that patients with early rheumatoid arthritis (RA) try to achieve clinical remission within 6 months, and early therapeutic intervention is important to this end. This study aimed to investigate short-term treatment outcomes of patients with early-diagnosed RA in clinical practice and to examine predictive factors for achieving remission.

Methods: Of the 210 patients enrolled in the multicenter RA inception cohort, 172 patients who were followed up to 6 months after treatment initiation (baseline) were included.

A VS ultrasound diagnostic system with kidney image evaluation functions.

Purpose: An inevitable feature of ultrasound-based diagnoses is that the quality of the ultrasound images produced depends directly on the skill of the physician operating the probe. This is because physicians have to constantly adjust the probe position to obtain a cross section of the target organ, which is constantly shifting due to patient respiratory motions. Therefore, we developed an ultrasound diagnostic robot that works in cooperation with a visual servo system based on deep learning that will help alleviate the burdens imposed on physicians.

Reasons and risk factors for discontinuation of treatment with any biological disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: A long-term observational study.

Objectives: Patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) usually switch to a second biological disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (bDMARDs) when the first has proven to be ineffective, although some may discontinue bDMARDs treatment altogether. We investigated the total rate of bDMARDs retention and the risk of bDMARDs discontinuation in patients with RA.

Methods: The study included 564 patients with RA who started bDMARDs treatment before 2008 (<65 years old, n = 413; ≥65, n = 151).

Higher doses of methotrexate associated with discontinuation of oral glucocorticoids after initiation of biological DMARDs: A retrospective observational study based on data from a Japanese multicenter registry study.

Objective: Glucocorticoids are important drugs used to treat rheumatoid arthritis. We recommend glucocorticoid discontinuation as soon as possible given the associated side-effects, but many patients continue to take oral glucocorticoids long-term. The present study aimed to explore factors associated with glucocorticoid discontinuation at 52 weeks after initiating biological disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (bDMARDs).

A retrospective analysis of the relationship between anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide antibody and the effectiveness of abatacept in rheumatoid arthritis patients.

This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of abatacept (ABA) by anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide (ACPA) status on disease activity as well as radiographic progression in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in clinical settings. A retrospective cohort study was conducted using data from a multicenter registry. Data from a total of 553 consecutive RA patients treated with intravenous ABA were included.

Improvement in matrix metalloproteinase-3 independently predicts low disease activity at 52 weeks in bio-switch rheumatoid arthritis patients treated with abatacept.

Objectives: To explore predictive factors including MMP-3 for achievement of low disease activity (LDA) at 52 weeks in bio-switch rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients treated with abatacept, for whom obtaining a good clinical response can be difficult.

Methods: Participants were 423 consecutive patients with RA treated with abatacept who were observed for longer than 52 weeks and registered in the TBCR, a Japanese multicentre registry system. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to study factors that predict the achievement of LDA at 52 weeks in bio-naïve (n=234) and bio-switch (n=189) groups.

Clinical effectiveness and safety of additional administration of tacrolimus in rheumatoid arthritis patients with an inadequate response to abatacept: A retrospective cohort study.

Objective: Abatacept (ABT) demonstrates good clinical efficacy and retention in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients. However, no rescue treatment option against inadequate response to ABT exists. Since tacrolimus (TAC) and ABT suppress T lymphocytes via different mechanisms and a combination of these agents could potentially be effective, this study aimed to examine the efficacy and safety of add-on TAC therapy in RA patients with inadequate response to ABT.

Discontinuation of concomitant methotrexate in Japanese patients with rheumatoid arthritis treated with tocilizumab: An interventional study.

To evaluate the efficacy and safety of methotrexate (MTX) discontinuation in Japanese rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients with sustained low disease activity undergoing combination therapy with tocilizumab (TCZ) plus MTX. This multicenter, open-label, uncontrolled, prospective study included RA patients maintaining low disease activity (Clinical Disease Activity Index (CDAI) ≤10) for ≥12 weeks with TCZ plus MTX. Methotrexate was discontinued following 12 weeks of biweekly administration while continuing TCZ therapy.

Association between seropositivity and discontinuation of tumor necrosis factor inhibitors due to ineffectiveness in rheumatoid arthritis.

Introduction/objectives: Discontinuation of biologic therapy in rheumatoid arthritis is attributable to various reasons, with the most important cause being insufficient response. In this study, we investigated the association between rheumatoid factor (RF) and anti-citrullinated protein autoantibody (ACPA) status and the discontinuation of tumor necrosis factor inhibitors (TNFi) therapy due to insufficient response in bio-naïve rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients.

Method: This study included patients enrolled in the Tsurumai Biologic Communication Registry in Japan.

Concomitant methotrexate has little effect on clinical outcomes of abatacept in rheumatoid arthritis: a propensity score matching analysis.

Objective: To compare the clinical outcomes of abatacept between rheumatoid arthritis patients with and without concomitant methotrexate (MTX) treatment in daily clinical practice.

Methods: A retrospective cohort study was performed using data from a multicentre registry. A total of 176 consecutive rheumatoid arthritis patients treated with abatacept were included.

Clinical effectiveness and long-term retention of abatacept in elderly rheumatoid arthritis patients: Results from a multicenter registry system.

To study the clinical effectiveness and long-term retention rate of abatacept (ABA) in elderly rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients in daily clinical practice. A retrospective cohort study was performed using data from a multicenter registry. Our study population comprised 500 consecutive RA patients treated with ABA.

Feasibility and psychometric properties of the UCLA PTSD reaction index for DSM-5 in japanese youth: A multi-site study.

The purpose of this study was to determine the reliability and validity of the UCLA PTSD Reaction Index for DSM-5 (PTSD-RI-5) among Japanese youth. This is the first study to explore psychometrics of the DSM-5 version of the PTSD-RI-5, as well as the first multisite study of an Asian population. This article presents psychometric characteristics of the PTSD-RI-5 derived from a sample of Japanese children and adolescents (N = 318).

Predictors of biologic discontinuation due to insufficient response in patients with rheumatoid arthritis who achieved clinical remission with biologic treatment: A multicenter observational cohort study.

Objective: This study aimed to investigate predictors of biologic discontinuation due to insufficient response as a surrogate for relapse in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) who achieved clinical remission with biologic treatment.

Methods: This study was performed based on data from a multicenter registry, and included 404 patients who achieved clinical remission within the first year of treatment with their first biologic. Cumulative retention rate of the first biologic was estimated using Kaplan-Meier curves, and the impact of patient characteristics on biologic discontinuation was assessed with Cox proportional hazards models.

High rate of improvement in serum matrix metalloproteinase-3 levels at 4 weeks predicts remission at 52 weeks in RA patients treated with adalimumab.

Objective: This study aimed to determine whether serum matrix metalloproteinase-3 (MMP-3) levels can predict remission in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients treated with adalimumab (ADA).

Methods: Subjects were 114 RA patients continuously treated with ADA for 52 weeks. Predictive factors at baseline and 4 weeks after initiation of ADA therapy for the achievement of remission (28-point count Disease Activity Score-CRP (DAS28-CRP) < 2.

Muscle Damage After Total Hip Arthroplasty Through the Direct Anterior Approach for Developmental Dysplasia of the Hip.

Background: Total hip arthroplasty (THA) through the direct anterior approach (DAA) is known to cause less muscle damage than other surgical approaches. However, more complex primary cases, such as developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH), might often cause muscle damage. The objective of the present study was to clarify the muscle damage observed 1 year after THA through the DAA for DDH using magnetic resonance imaging.

Longterm Retention Rate and Risk Factors for Adalimumab Discontinuation Due To Efficacy and Safety in Japanese Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis: An Observational Cohort Study.

Objective: To evaluate the rates of retention and discontinuation of adalimumab (ADA) due to efficacy and safety in Japanese patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Methods: All patients with RA (n = 476) who were treated with ADA in the Tsurumai Biologics Communication Registry were enrolled.

Results: The retention rate of ADA was 46% at 5 years.

Improved safety of biologic therapy for rheumatoid arthritis over the 8-year period since implementation in Japan: long-term results from a multicenter observational cohort study.

This study aimed to compare the long-term safety of biologics by initiation year of treatment in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in Japan. RA patients who started their first biologics including infliximab, etanercept, adalimumab, and tocilizumab between 2003 and 2008 were identified in the Tsurumai Biologics Communication Registry (TBCR), multicenter observational cohort, and followed for 2 years or until discontinuation of the drugs. We identified baseline predictors for adverse events (AEs) resulting in discontinuation of the first TNFI using Cox proportional hazards regression analysis.

Predictive factors for achieving low disease activity at 52 weeks after switching from tumor necrosis factor inhibitors to abatacept: results from a multicenter observational cohort study of Japanese patients.

This study aimed to identify predictive factors for achieving low disease activity (LDA) in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients switching from tumor necrosis factor inhibitors (TNFis) to abatacept (ABT). Patients who were registered in the multicenter observational Tsurumai Biologics Communication Registry (TBCR) were enrolled in this study. Predictive factors for LDA achievement at each time point were determined by univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses.