Publications by authors named "Koji Unoura"

A 47-year old man presented to our hospital with a 6-month history of malaise, cough and dyspnea on exertion. Laboratory testing revealed the severe hyponatremia. A chest X-ray showed bilateral diffuse micronodules.

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We report two family members, a 64-year-old woman (patient 1) and her 37-year-old son (patient 2) diagnosed with summer-type hypersensitivity pneumonitis (SHP). Both patients had high serum titers of anti-Trichosporon asahii antibody. The patients lived in the same house and worked in the same barbershop.

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The incidence and mortality of lung cancer have increased worldwide over the last decades, with an observed increased incidence particularly among elderly populations. It has not yet been determined whether erlotinib therapy exhibits the same efficacy and safety in elderly and younger patients with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The aim of this retrospective subgroup analysis of data from a population-based observational study was to assess the efficacy and safety of erlotinib in an elderly (≥75 years, n=74) and a younger group of patients (<75 years, n=233) who received treatment for NSCLC.

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Background: Recent research has suggested that the Th1 and Th2 chemokine/cytokine axis contributes to the development of chronic hypersensitivity pneumonitis (HP). Acute exacerbations (AE) are significant factors in the prognosis of chronic HP. Little is known, however, about these biomarkers in association with AE in chronic HP patients.

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To evaluate the efficacy and safety of bevacizumab-containing chemotherapy for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), we performed a population-based observational study. The efficacy and safety of bevacizumab-containing chemotherapy for NSCLC patients were evaluated at 14 sites (17 hospital departments) in a prefecture of Japan between December 2009 and August 2011. Complete data sets were obtained from 159 patients with NSCLC.

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Chronic hypersensitivity pneumonitis (HP) causes progressive and irreversible pulmonary fibrosis, a disease also observed in conjunction with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). Previous studies have demonstrated that the myofibroblast, a cell type whose origins involve the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), may play a role in the pathogenesis of IPF. The goal of this study was to determine whether EMT has a role in the pathogenesis of chronic HP.

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Since the avian antigen is one of the important causative antigens in hypersensitivity pneumonitis, measurement of bird-specific antibody should be readily available. We measured IgG and IgA antibodies against pigeons and budgerigars by the ImmunoCap system in bird-related hypersensitivity pneumonitis (BRHP) to evaluate their diagnostic utility. In acute BRHP, antibodies markedly increased and showed high sensitivity and specificity ranging from 75-100% based on the cut-off values determined by ROC analysis.

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Background: In Japan, a major type of home-related hypersensitivity pneumonitis (HP) is summer-type HP, which is caused by Trichosporon asahii (T. asahii) or Trichosporon mucoides. Some patients with home-related HP test negative for antibodies against Trichosporon; yet, a causative mold antigen cannot be identified.

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A part of catamenial pneumothorax is associated with endometriosis. Several cases were reported where CA125 levels were high in blood or pleural effusion. A case of female pneumothorax, the bleb and diaphragm showed positive for CA125, was reported.

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