Genetic control of CCL24, POR, and IL23R contributes to the pathogenesis of sarcoidosis.

Sarcoidosis is a genetically complex systemic inflammatory disease that affects multiple organs. We present a GWAS of a Japanese cohort (700 sarcoidosis cases and 886 controls) with replication in independent samples from Japan (931 cases and 1,042 controls) and the Czech Republic (265 cases and 264 controls). We identified three loci outside the HLA complex, CCL24, STYXL1-SRRM3, and C1orf141-IL23R, which showed genome-wide significant associations (P < 5.

[Clinical features of foreign-born tuberculosis patients treated at our hospital].

Introduction: There has been an increase in the number of foreign-born tuberculosis (TB) patients residing in Japan. The purpose of this study is to clarify the clinical features of the foreign-born TB patients treated at our hospital.

Materials And Methods: This study included foreign-born TB patients treated at our hospital between 2000 and 2009.

Circulating levels of both Th1 and Th2 chemokines are elevated in patients with sarcoidosis.

Background: In sarcoidosis, the T helper type 1 (Th1) response tends to predominate at affected disease sites; however, whether Th1/Th2 polarization occurs in the peripheral circulation is unknown.

Methods: Fifty-two patients with sarcoidosis and 21 healthy volunteers were investigated. The concentrations of interferon-inducible protein 10 (IP-10)/CXCL10 and thymus- and activation-regulated chemokine (TARC)/CCL17 in the serum, bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and culture supernatant were measured by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

Circulating IL-12 p40 is increased in the patients with sarcoidosis, correlation with clinical markers.

Objective: Sarcoidosis is considered to be provocated by highly activated Th1 lymphocytes. Because interleukin 12 (IL-12) is one of the most important cytokines for promoting Th1 reaction, we tried to detect IL-12 and its ligand IL-12 receptor in sarcoidosis patients.

Patients And Methods: We measured the serum concentration of IL -12 p40 and IL-12 p70 by ELISA method with serum obtained from 60 sarcoidosis patients, and compared the serum concentration of IL-12 p40 with other clinical markers of disease activity.

Virus associated hemophagocytic syndrome accompanied by acute respiratory failure caused by influenza A (H3N2).

A 40-year-old Japanese woman was admitted to Oita University Hospital with progressive dyspnea, consciousness disturbance and severe cytopenias. Her chest roentgenogram showed diffuse bilateral infiltrates. She was therefore forced to receive mechanical ventilation.

Links between bronchial asthma and allergic rhinitis in the Oita Prefecture, Japan.

Recent studies have strengthened the concept that bronchial asthma and allergic rhinitis are manifestations of an inflammatory process within a continuous airway. This study was performed to compare clinical findings in asthma with or without rhinitis in Japan. Nasal symptoms were present in 99.

National survey on status of steroid therapy for cardiac sarcoidosis in Japan.

Aim: This investigation was undertaken to clarify the current status of steroid therapy for cardiac sarcoidosis in Japan.

Methods: A questionnaire survey was conducted throughout Japan concerning cases in which steroid therapy had been administered. Replies describing 52 cases (15 men, 37 women; mean age +/- SD, 59.

Clinical characteristics of 195 Japanese sarcoidosis patients treated with oral corticosteroids.

Questionnaires were sent to 46 hospitals of all over Japan in order to obtain the clinical data on sarcoidosis patients who were treated with oral corticosteroids. The number of female patients was greater than that of male patients (1.5:1), and the average age was 44.