Machine learning-based prediction for incidence of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography after emergency laparoscopic cholecystectomy: A retrospective, multicenter cohort study.

Background: Laparoscopic cholecystectomy is the preferred treatment for symptomatic cholelithiasis and acute cholecystitis, with increasing applications even in severe cases. However, the possibility of postoperative endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) to manage choledocholithiasis or biliary injuries poses significant clinical challenges. This study aimed to develop a predictive model for ERCP incidence following emergency laparoscopic cholecystectomy using advanced machine learning techniques.

Safety Assessment of Influenza Vaccination for Neurological Outcomes Among Older Adults in Japan: A Self-Controlled Case Series Study.

Purpose: To assess adverse neurological risks following influenza vaccination in older adults.

Methods: Using a linked database of healthcare administrative claims data and vaccination records from an urban city in Japan (April 1, 2014, to March 31, 2020), we conducted an observational study utilizing a self-controlled case series design. We identified individuals aged ≥ 65 years who experienced adverse neurological outcomes, defined as hospitalizations related to epilepsy, paralysis, facial paralysis, neuralgia, neuritis, optic neuritis, migraine, extrapyramidal disorders, Guillain-Barre syndrome, or narcolepsy.

Effects of incentivising dialysis facilities on peripheral arterial disease care in patients undergoing haemodialysis: a claims-based cohort study.

Background: Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) occurs frequently in patients undergoing dialysis, but early intervention for PAD may not be fully implemented. We evaluated the effects of financially incentivising dialysis facilities that provided early detection and management of PAD on outcomes of PAD care.

Methods: This retrospective cohort study identified patients aged 18-74 years who received maintenance haemodialysis between April 2016 and March 2021 from the JMDC Claims Database.

The role of psychotropics on the associations between extreme temperature and heat-related outcomes among people with mental health conditions: population-based study.

Background: The association between heatwave and heat-related outcomes in people with mental health conditions with and without psychotropics was unclear.

Methods: We identified people with severe mental illness (SMI) and depression, respectively, using Japanese claim data of Ibaraki prefecture during 1/1/2014-31/12/2021. We conducted self-controlled case series to estimate the incidence rate ratio (IRR) of heat-related illness, myocardial infarction and delirium, respectively, during 5-day pre-heatwave, heatwave, and 5-day post-heatwave periods all other periods (baseline) within an individual, stratified by periods prescribed psychotropics and periods not prescribed psychotropics, respectively.

Platelet dysfunction in heatstroke-induced coagulopathy: A retrospective observational study.

Purpose: Severe heatstroke is often complicated by disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC). The aim of this study was to evaluate platelet function assessed through thromboelastography (TEG) at the emergency department (ED) and DIC severity among patients with heatstroke.

Materials And Methods: We performed a retrospective single-tertiary hospital cohort study.

Regional disparities in home health care utilization for older adults and their associated factors at the secondary medical area level: A Nationwide study in Japan.

Aim: As aging populations shift health care from hospitals to communities, Japan has implemented policies to promote home health care. This study explored regional differences in home health care recipients among older adults and related factors.

Methods: We used nationwide data from 2020 to describe the proportion of older adults receiving regular home visits and the medical institutions utilized across secondary medical areas: urban, middle and depopulated areas.

Factors Associated with Non-attendance at a Follow-up Visit for Dyslipidemia Identified at Health Checkups: A Retrospective Cohort Study in a Japanese Prefecture.

Introduction: Dyslipidemia increases the risk of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. Visiting a physician for follow-up is essential when dyslipidemia is detected during health checkups. We investigated factors associated with non-attendance at a follow-up visit for dyslipidemia.

Estimating and Predicting the Rate of Kidney Function Decline over 10 Years in the General Population.

Key Points: This study estimated the kidney function decline rate over 10 years in the general population. We also developed a machine learning prediction model based on annual health checkup results and claims for the first 5 years. Prediction models for kidney function decline would be useful for stratifying the general population and identifying rapid decliners.

When and how to split the follow-up time in the analysis of epidemiological or clinical studies with follow-ups.

In epidemiological or clinical studies with follow-ups, data tables generated and processed for statistical analysis are often of the "wide-format" type-consisting of one row per individual. However, depending on the situation and purpose of the study, they may need to be transformed into the "long-format" type-which allows for multiple rows per individual. This tutorial clarifies the typical situations wherein researchers are recommended to split follow-up times to generate long-format data tables.

The impact of COVID-19 on hay fever treatment in Japan: A retrospective cohort study based on the Japanese claims database.

Background: Hay fever (HF) presents with various symptoms, including allergic conjunctivitis and rhinitis, and requires cross-organ treatment. This study assessed the impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on HF treatment trends.

Methods: This retrospective cohort study utilized data from the JMDC database collected between January 2018 and May 2021.

Risk of postoperative pneumonia after extubation with the positive pressure versus normal pressure technique: a single-center retrospective observational study.

Purpose: A normal pressure extubation technique (no lung inflation before extubation), proposed by the Japanese Society of Anesthesiologists to prevent droplet infection during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, could theoretically increase postoperative pneumonia incidence compared with a positive pressure extubation technique (lung inflation before extubation). However, the normal pressure extubation technique has not been adequately evaluated. This study compared postoperative pneumonia incidence between positive and normal pressure extubation techniques using a dataset from the University of Tsukuba Hospital.

Impact of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 Pandemic on Outpatient Visits for Diabetic Retinopathy in Japan: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

Purpose: Long-term ramifications of the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic on various care-seeking characteristics of patients with diabetic retinopathy remain unclear. This study aimed to identify risk factors for dropout from regular fundus examinations (RFEs) in patients with diabetic retinopathy in Japan.

Methods: We extracted demographic and health checkup data (April 2018 to March 2021) from the JMDC database.

Polypharmacy and potentially inappropriate medications in older adults who use long-term care services: a cross-sectional study.

Background: Older adults requiring care often have multiple morbidities that lead to polypharmacy, including the use of potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs), leading to increased medical costs and adverse drug effects. We conducted a cross-sectional study to clarify the actual state of drug prescriptions and the background of polypharmacy and PIMs.

Methods: Using long-term care (LTC) and medical insurance claims data in the Ibaraki Prefecture from April 2018 to March 2019, we included individuals aged ≥ 65 who used LTC services.

Comparison of machine-learning and logistic regression models for prediction of 30-day unplanned readmission in electronic health records: A development and validation study.

It is expected but unknown whether machine-learning models can outperform regression models, such as a logistic regression (LR) model, especially when the number and types of predictor variables increase in electronic health records (EHRs). We aimed to compare the predictive performance of gradient-boosted decision tree (GBDT), random forest (RF), deep neural network (DNN), and LR with the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LR-LASSO) for unplanned readmission. We used EHRs of patients discharged alive from 38 hospitals in 2015-2017 for derivation and in 2018 for validation, including basic characteristics, diagnosis, surgery, procedure, and drug codes, and blood-test results.

Characteristics to consider for home pharmaceutical care for older adults who initiate visiting pharmacist services in Japan.

This study aimed to clarify patient characteristics regarding medication-taking behaviors, their understanding of medication instructions and specific medication management for older adults who initiated visiting pharmacist services. By analyzing long-term care certification data, participants using visiting pharmacist services required more medication-taking support and had a poorer understanding of daily schedules.

Assessment of cancer risk associated with 7-nitroso-3-(trifluoromethyl)-5,6,7,8-tetrahydro[1,2,4] triazolo-[4,3-a]pyrazine-contaminated sitagliptin use: A retrospective cohort study.

Aims/introduction: A recent US Food and Drug Administration report highlighted concerns over nitrosamine (7-nitroso-3-(trifluoromethyl)-5,6,7,8-tetrahydro[1,2,4] triazolo-[4,3-a]pyrazine [NTTP]) impurities in sitagliptin, prompting investigations into its safety profile. The present study aimed to determine if the use of NTTP-contaminated sitagliptin, in comparison with other dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitors, is associated with an increased cancer risk.

Materials And Methods: This retrospective cohort study secondarily used the National Database of Health Insurance Claims and Specific Health Checkups of Japan, encompassing data on >120 million individuals.