Publications by authors named "Itagaki H"
The impact of three-dimensional (3D) dose delivery accuracy of C-arm linacs on the planning target volume (PTV) margin was evaluated for non-coplanar intracranial stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS). A multi-institutional 3D starshot test using beams from seven directions was conducted at 22 clinics using Varian and Elekta linacs with X-ray CT-based polymer gel dosimeters. Variability in dose delivery accuracy was observed, with the distance between the imaging isocenter and each beam exceeding 1 mm at one institution for Varian and nine institutions for Elekta.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAnti-N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (anti-NMDAR) encephalitis is an autoimmune encephalitis characterized by psychiatric and neurological symptoms. It often presents as a paraneoplastic manifestation and is rarely associated with small cell lung cancer. While treatment usually involves immunotherapy and treatment of underlying malignancy, the patient's condition can complicate treatment decisions.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Pneumococcal vaccines have been available worldwide since the early 2000s; consequently, few reports exist of poststreptococcal acute glomerulonephritis (PSAGN) or complications of pneumococcal infection. We describe a patient with PSAGN and bacteremia with Streptococcus pneumoniae serotype 22F (not covered by the 13-valent pneumococcal vaccine (PCV 13)).
Case Diagnosis/treatment: A 5-year-old boy received the PCV13 vaccine and was admitted to our hospital with a fever and gross hematuria.
Article Synopsis
- Wunderlich syndrome is a rare condition that causes spontaneous kidney bleeding, typically marked by symptoms like severe abdominal pain and low blood volume shock, often linked to tumors or vascular issues.
- A case involving an 80-year-old woman highlights this syndrome's development from a kidney infection, leading to septic shock and a serious kidney hematoma.
- The report underscores the necessity of surgical treatment alongside antibiotics, especially for patients with health issues like diabetes that can complicate recovery.
Coronavirus disease (COVID-19), a viral infection caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, was first reported in China in December 2019 and has since become a global pandemic. COVID-19 is a multisystem disease with respiratory symptoms as the main presentation. There is growing awareness of the adverse prognostic impact of cardiovascular involvement caused by COVID-19.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Systemic baricitinib and corticosteroids play important roles in treating severely and critically ill patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). However, the efficacy of the combination of baricitinib and corticosteroids compared to that of corticosteroid monotherapy in severely and critically ill hospitalized patients with COVID-19 remains unclear.
Methods: We analyzed severely and critically ill hospitalized patients with COVID-19 aged >18 years between January 1, 2020 and May 31, 2023, using a Japanese multicenter inpatient database.
Background: Regulatory T (Treg) cells reportedly play crucial roles in tumor angiogenesis as well as antitumor immunity. In order to explore their therapeutic potential, we investigated the precise prognostic impact of Treg markers in endometrial carcinoma.
Methods: We performed multiplexed immunofluorescence and quantitative image analyses of CD25, FOXP3, CTLA4, and CD45RA in tumor specimens from 176 consecutive patients treated at our institution for primary endometrial carcinomas.
Article Synopsis
- Vocal fold paralysis can occur due to issues with the vagus nerve or its branch, the recurrent laryngeal nerve, and can be severe or even fatal when bilateral.
- A case study highlights a 68-year-old man hospitalized after a fall, who developed symptoms like difficulty swallowing and speaking after sustaining multiple head injuries.
- CT scans revealed that cervical vertebral osteophytes were compressing important structures, leading to his vocal fold paralysis, and emphasized the need for clinicians to recognize this rare cause, especially when trauma is involved.
Article Synopsis
- Endogenous endophthalmitis, a rare condition resulting from bacteria spreading to the eye from an infection elsewhere in the body, can be difficult for non-eye specialists to diagnose, leading to potential vision loss if not treated quickly.* -
- An 84-year-old patient initially misdiagnosed with cataracts presented with symptoms that ultimately revealed endophthalmitis due to Streptococcus mitis, highlighting the importance of a thorough examination.* -
- The case underscores the similarities in symptoms between cataracts and endophthalmitis, emphasizing the need for careful diagnosis, particularly in patients at risk for infections like endocarditis.*
Introduction: Disseminated herpes zoster (DHZ) is a severe infection associated with high incidences and mortality rates in immunocompromised patients. Although studies have shown its occurrence in immunocompetent patients, its epidemiology, clinical presentation, and treatment outcomes in this cohort remain unknown. Thus, this study aimed to examine the clinical presentation, treatment, complications, and outcomes of DHZ in immunocompetent patients and compare these findings with previous studies.
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- Infected aortic aneurysm is a rare but deadly condition that can develop during hospitalization and was observed in a 73-year-old man with chronic renal failure and pneumonia.
- The patient showed symptoms like fever, anemia, and low platelet counts, and was treated with antibiotics for methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA) pneumonia, resulting in a brief improvement.
- Despite initial treatment success, the patient later exhibited signs of an infected aortic aneurysm that continued to worsen, ultimately leading to his death on the 25th day of hospitalization.
Article Synopsis
- The GOTIC-VTE trial in Japan aimed to assess the effectiveness of continuous anticoagulant therapy for preventing postoperative pulmonary embolism (PE) in gynecologic cancer patients with asymptomatic venous thromboembolism (VTE).
- The study enrolled 99 patients and focused on the incidence of symptomatic PE and other related events over 28 days post-surgery, with no PE incidents reported.
- The results suggest that the approach used in the trial greatly reduces the risk of postoperative PE, demonstrating the effectiveness of consistent anticoagulant management in these patients.
A female patient in her 50 s was found to have a 10-cm tumor resulting from locally advanced cervical cancer (LACC). Three-year relapse-free survival was achieved following a multimodal treatment strategy integrating chemoradiotherapy (CRT), regional hyperthermia (RHT), and interstitial brachytherapy (ISBT). Given the large size of the tumor, enhancement of the geometrical dose distribution was anticipated using ISBT.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFDNA metabarcoding on a single organism is a promising approach to clarify the biological interactions (e.g., predator-prey relationships and symbiosis, including parasitism) of difficult-to-culture protists.
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- Post-splenectomy patients face an increased risk of serious infections known as overwhelming post-splenectomy infection (OPSI), which can lead to high mortality rates.
- A case study details an elderly man who experienced septic shock and died shortly after being admitted to the ICU, highlighting the dangers of OPSI following a splenectomy.
- Physicians should be vigilant in monitoring these patients for potential rapid declines in health due to compromised immune response and educate them about the risks of severe infections.
Aortitis is a rare complication of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and is often treated empirically with steroids. We present a case of spontaneous resolution of aortitis without treatment. A 65-year-old man was admitted to our intensive care unit for severe COVID-19 pneumonia and underwent rehabilitation in the general ward.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe aim of this study was to determine which type of prophylaxis was effective for postoperative symptomatic venous thromboembolism (VTE) in patients with gynecological malignancies. A total of 1756 consecutive patients undergoing laparotomy as first-line treatment were included. In Period 1 (2004-2009), low-molecular weight heparin (LMWH) was not available for postoperative VTE prophylaxis, but available in after Period 2 (2009-2013).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSome Asian fungi are morphologically very similar to European species but belong to different species. A fungus that resembles , which commonly occurs on the petioles of in Europe, was found on the petioles of spp. and other tree leaves in Japan.
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- Gastric antral vascular ectasia (GAVE) is a rare condition that can cause significant upper gastrointestinal bleeding and lead to dependency on blood transfusions.
- A 62-year-old man with cirrhosis and chronic kidney failure was diagnosed with GAVE after experiencing recurrent bloody stool and undergoing argon plasma coagulation, which ultimately failed to control his anemia.
- After receiving over 40 units of blood, the medical team opted for distal gastrectomy with Billroth II reconstruction, resulting in the patient being anemia-free for over a year post-surgery.
Background: Cellular angiofibroma (CA) is a rare, benign mesenchymal tumor first described by Nucci et al. (Am J Surg Pathol 21:636-644, 1997. 10.
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- - Takotsubo syndrome (TTS) is a temporary heart condition often triggered by stress, but in this case, it recurs due to severe hypoglycemia in a 51-year-old woman with anorexia nervosa.
- - The patient presented to the emergency room with shock and impaired consciousness, where tests confirmed severe low blood sugar and abnormal heart activity leading to the TTS diagnosis.
- - This case marks the first reported instance of recurrent TTS resulting from hypoglycemia, suggesting doctors should consider TTS in similar situations involving repeated shock and low blood sugar episodes.
Article Synopsis
- Spinal cord infarction is a rare but serious condition affecting the central nervous system, often caused by various factors; this case study focuses on a patient who suffered from it after a heart incident.
- The patient, a 78-year-old man with several health issues, experienced myocardial infarction, underwent emergency procedures including VA-ECMO, and stabilized in the ICU, but later displayed lower limb weakness.
- The conclusion highlights the rarity and poor prognosis of spinal cord infarction related to VA-ECMO, emphasizing the need for regular neurological checks and blood pressure management in affected patients for better care.
Background: The aim of the trial is to evaluate the effectiveness of interventions provided by online support program apps, adopting health-related quality of life (HR-QOL) scores as indicators.
Methods: The design is as an open, randomized, parallel-group trial with longitudinal data collection. The subjects will be female cancer patients receiving treatment in a Japanese National Cancer Hospital.