Comparison of the Safety of Aspirin Monotherapy and Aspirin and P2Y12 Inhibitor Combination Therapy in Patients Post Coil Embolization During Admission: A Cross-Sectional Study Using a Nationwide Inpatient Database.

Background: Some aspects regarding the use of antiplatelet agents after coil embolization for subarachnoid hemorrhage during admission remain unclear. This study used diagnostic procedure combination (DPC) data to investigate the safety and prognostic effects of aspirin monotherapy and aspirin and P2Y12 inhibitor combination therapy on bleeding events.

Methods: This cross-sectional study used Japanese DPC data to assess patients who were hospitalized with subarachnoid hemorrhage and received aspirin monotherapy and aspirin and P2Y12 inhibitor combination therapy between April 2016 and March 2020 (n = 4421).

[The Impact of a Picture Book to Improve Medication Compliance in Pediatric Patients: A Questionnaire Survey].

Poor medication compliance in children can affect treatment efficacy. We examined the impact of a picture book created by pharmacists to improve medication compliance in children. Our study aim was to assess the effects of the pharmacist-created picture book on medication compliance in children and their parents in collaboration with an outpatient pharmacy.

[Analysis of the Effect of Nutritional Status on Pain Treatment in Cancer Patients Using Oral Opioid Analgesics].

In cancer patients, pain control is reportedly affected by the quality of their nutritional status as the disease progresses. We conducted a study of patients who were continuously using oral opioid analgesics for the treatment of cancer pain at Chibaken Saiseikai Narashino Hospital from September 2020 to August 2022. Patient characteristics and pain treatments were compared between the well-nourished group(mGPS 0 or 1, n=20)and poorly nourished group(mGPS 2, n=47).

Fasudil hydrochloride and ozagrel sodium combination therapy for patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage: a cross-sectional study using a nationwide inpatient database.

Background: Fasudil and ozagrel are drugs with the same indications for the treatment of cerebral vasospasm in Japan. However, there have been no definitive conclusions on the clinical efficacy of fasudil hydrochloride and ozagrel sodium monotherapy or their combination. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the effectiveness of the combined administration of fasudil hydrochloride and ozagrel sodium in Japanese patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH).

Association of Antipsychotic Drugs with the Risk of Recurrent Venous Thromboembolism: A Retrospective Study of Data from a Japanese Inpatient Database.

Background: Approximately a decade has passed since the addition of venous thromboembolism to the list of significant adverse reactions of antipsychotic drugs. However, only a few studies have investigated the relationship between antipsychotic use and venous thromboembolism in the Japanese population.

Purpose: We aimed to evaluate the risk of recurrent venous thromboembolism in users of antipsychotic drugs and update the evidence on venous thromboembolism in the Japanese population.

Bevacizumab-induced proteinuria and its association with antihypertensive drugs: A retrospective cohort study using a Japanese administrative database.

Proteinuria is a major side-effect of the anti-tumor drug bevacizumab, although its incidence and risk factors in the real world are still unclear. Although renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system inhibitors are used clinically to prevent proteinuria, their efficacy remains unclear. The aim of the present study was to reveal the incidence and risk factors of bevacizumab-induced proteinuria and examine the effectiveness of antihypertensive drugs in preventing proteinuria.

Effect of prednisolone and saireito co-administration on T-cells of rheumatoid arthritis patients.

Objectives: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease. Methotrexate (MTX) and prednisolone (PSL) are used in combination for severe RA therapy. However, it can increase the risk of osteoporosis and osteonecrosis.

[Analysis the Selection of Opioid Analgesics with Mild and Moderate Cancer Pain Patients for Opioid Naïve].

In 2018, the World Health Organization revised its cancer pain therapy, abolishing the three-step pain relief ladder and recommending the use of opioid analgesics(OA)according to the pain intensity. Of opioid naive patients who were admitted to Chibaken Saiseikai Narashino Hospital from July 2015 to June 2017, treatment with weak OA was initiated in 13 patients(WOA group)and low-dose strong OA in 12 patients(SOA group). The numerical rating scale values immediately before the start of OA and 3, 7 and 14 days later were not significantly different between the 2 groups.

Saireito (114) Increases IC50 and Changes T-Cell Phenotype When Used in Combination with Prednisolone Therapy in Human Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells.

Prednisolone (PSL), a type of corticosteroid used to treat autoimmune diseases, can increase the risk of infection and osteoporosis. Saireito (114), a Kampo medicine, has an immunosuppressive effect; with its use, the dose of steroids can be reduced. However, its mechanism when used with PSL is still unclear.

Thiamine Deficiency and Neurological Symptoms in Patients with Hematological Cancer Receiving Chemotherapy: A Retrospective Analysis.

 Patients with hematological cancer receiving chemotherapy have a high risk of thiamine deficiency due to accelerated thiamine usage by tumor cells. Mild or severe thiamine deficiency can lead to varying degrees of neurological symptoms. We evaluated the relationship between thiamine deficiency and neurological symptoms, including mild or nonspecific symptoms, and the influence of chemotherapy on thiamine serum levels in patients with hematological cancer receiving chemotherapy.

Immunological Differences in Human Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells Treated with Traditional Japanese Herbal Medicines Hochuekkito, Juzentaihoto, and Ninjin'yoeito from Different Pharmaceutical Companies.

Hochuekkito (HET), Juzentaihoto (JTT), and Ninjin'yoeito (NYT) have been used as Hozai, a group of traditional Japanese herbal medicines, to treat physically and mentally weak cancer patients. Their compositions are quite different, and Japanese pharmaceutical companies have been using different types or quantities of herbs for formulations with the same name. Here, we compared the immunological differences between HET, JTT, and NYT with respect to the induced T cell subsets and cytokines.

Cytotoxic Effects of Hellebrigenin and Arenobufagin Against Human Breast Cancer Cells.

Development of new therapeutic strategies for breast cancer is urgently needed due to the sustained emergence of drug resistance, tumor recurrence and metastasis. To gain a novel insight into therapeutic approaches to fight against breast cancer, the cytocidal effects of hellebrigenin (Helle) and arenobufagin (Areno) were investigated in human estrogen receptor (ER)-positive breast cancer cell line MCF-7 and triple-negative breast cancer cell line MDA-MB-231. Helle exhibited more potent cytotoxicity than Areno in both cancer cells, and MCF-7 cells were more susceptible to both drugs in comparison with MDA-MB-231 cells.

Association between thiamine decrease and neuropsychiatric symptoms in gastrointestinal and hematological cancer patients receiving chemotherapy.

Background: Clinical evidence of thiamine-related neuropsychiatric symptoms, including the initial stage, is limited because serum thiamine levels tend to be evaluated only for patients who develop severe neuropsychiatric symptoms suspected to be related to severe thiamine deficiency. This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between thiamine decline and neuropsychiatric symptoms, including initial symptoms, and the effect of chemotherapy on serum thiamine levels in gastrointestinal and hematological cancer patients receiving chemotherapy.

Method: We retrospectively identified 87 patients who were diagnosed with gastrointestinal and hematological cancers at our hospital.

Healthcare utilization associated with adherence to antibiotics for abdominal surgeries in Japan: cross-sectional analysis of administrative database.

Background: Since patients receiving surgery may experience surgical site infections, therapeutic guidelines for reducing hospitalization time and cost include appropriate antibiotic use. However, the association between adherence to therapeutic guidelines and healthcare utilization is currently unclear.

Objectives: This study aimed to confirm the positive association between the adherence to guidelines of antibiotic therapy and a reduction in the length of stay and cost of hospitalization, especially considering the high infection rates in abdominal surgery.

[Optimization of Preparation, and Stability of Indomethacin Mouth Wash for Oral Mucositis Caused by Cancer Therapy].

Objective: Severe oral mucositis caused by chemo- and radio-therapy is a common adverse event in patients with cancer. In this study, we investigated the development of an indomethacin mouth wash(IM-MW)as a novel approach to treat pain due to oral mucositis.

Methods: We examined the appropriate preparation methods for IM-MW with suitable stability.

Potent antitumor activity of cepharanthine against triple-negative breast cancer spheroids compared with tetrandrine.

Cepharanthine (CEP) is a bis-bynzelisoquinoline alkaloid from the same class as the anticancer agent tetrandrine (TET). However, the effects of CEP against breast cancer have not been extensively studied, despite its long therapeutic history with low toxicity against other types of cancer. 3D culture systems more accurately mimic the human body and address the limitations of determining drug effectiveness compared with 2D culture systems.

JNK and Autophagy Independently Contributed to Cytotoxicity of Arsenite combined With Tetrandrine Modulating Cell Cycle Progression in Human Breast Cancer Cells.

Novel therapeutic strategies for breast cancer are urgently needed due to the sustained development of drug resistance and tumor recurrence. Trivalent arsenic derivative (arsenite, As) has been reported to induce cytotoxicity in breast cancer cells. We recently demonstrated that As plus tetrandrine (Tetra), a Chinese plant-derived alkaloid, exerted potent antitumor activity against human breast cancer cells, however, the underlying mechanisms for their action have not been well defined.

Differentiation induction of human breast cancer cells by arsenite in combination with tetrandrine.

Background: To provide novel insight into the development of new therapeutic strategies to combat breast cancer, differentiation-inducing activity of clinically achievable concentrations of arsenite (As) and tetrandrine (Tetra) was investigated in breast cancer cell lines MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7.

Methods: Differentiation induction of cancer cells was analyzed by flow cytometer. Alterations of genes related to differentiation, and proliferation of human normal peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were analyzed using western blotting and cell viability assay, respectively.

Arsenic Disulfide Combined with L-Buthionine-(S, R)-Sulfoximine Induces Synergistic Antitumor Effects in Two-Dimensional and Three-Dimensional Models of MCF-7 Breast Carcinoma Cells.

Three-dimensionally (3D) cultured tumor cells (spheroids) exhibit more resistance to therapeutic agents than the cells cultured in traditional two-dimensional (2D) system (monolayers). We previously demonstrated that arsenic disulfide (As exerted significant anticancer efficacies in both 2D- and 3D-cultured MCF-7 cells, whereas 3D spheroids were shown to be resistant to the AsS treatment. L-buthionine-(S, R)-sulfoximine (BSO), an inhibitor of glutathione (GSH) synthesis, has been regarded to be a potent candidate for combinatorial treatment due to its GSH modulation function.

Tobacco cessation training in 6-year pharmacy schools in Japan: a cross-sectional survey.

Objectives: This study aimed to identify the extent of tobacco cessation training content, including the introduction of a comprehensive programme; and the presence of tobacco-related topics, including new tobacco products, school years and course of training, educators, and attitudes and policies relevant to tobacco education in pharmacy schools in Japan.

Design: A cross-sectional survey.

Setting: All pharmacy schools in Japan with a 6-year course of training were invited to participate.

Arsenic disulfide‑induced apoptosis and its potential mechanism in two‑ and three‑dimensionally cultured human breast cancer MCF‑7 cells.

In China, arsenic disulfide (As2S2) has been used for the treatment of hematological malignancies. The present study aimed to evaluate the effects of As2S2 on the human breast cancer MCF‑7 cell line cultured in both two‑dimensional (2D) monolayers and three‑dimensional (3D) spheroids to explore its therapeutic potential in breast cancer treatment. Cellular viability and the induction of apoptosis were examined with a cell counting kit‑8 (CCK‑8) assay and flow cytometric analysis, respectively.

[Evaluation of the Association between Topical Prostaglandin F2α Analogs and Asthma Using the JADER Database: Comparison with β-Blockers].

　Prostaglandin F2α (PGF2α) analog formulations are the most commonly used drugs for glaucoma treatment. They are known to be superior to β-blockers for reducing intraocular pressure and can be effective all through the day. Because of the action, topical β-blockers are contraindicated for patients with bronchial asthma.