Influence of corticosteroid therapy on the serum antibody response to influenza vaccine in elderly patients with chronic pulmonary diseases.

Annual influenza vaccination is strongly recommended for patients with chronic pulmonary diseases, such as bronchial asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and interstitial pulmonary diseases. However, many of these patients regularly receive systemic and/or inhaled corticosteroid therapy, and the impact of corticosteroid therapy on influenza vaccine efficacy and safety is unclear. Patients with chronic pulmonary diseases were enrolled in the study and divided into three groups based on their maintenance therapy: (A) without corticosteroid therapy (17 males, three females; mean age, 72.

MR imaging-based localized intra-arterial thrombolysis assisted by mechanical clot disruption for acute ischemic stroke due to middle cerebral artery occlusion.

Background And Purpose: LIT-MCD is used in our institution for acute stroke due to MCA occlusion, with the goal of reducing symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage by maintaining recanalization of the occluded vessels. The purpose of the study was to investigate the safety and efficacy of LIT-MCD and to identify factors associated with a poor outcome in patients undergoing this procedure.

Materials And Methods: LIT-MCD for MCA occlusion was performed in 90 of 1907 consecutive patients with acute stroke admitted to our institution.

Relationship between habit of cigarette smoking and airflow limitation in healthy Japanese individuals: the Takahata study.

Background: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is characterized by chronic airflow limitation. The prevalence of airflow limitation in Japan is 10.9% (16.

Vesnarinone represses the fibrotic changes in murine lung injury induced by bleomycin.

We investigated the potential usefulness of vesnarinone, a novel cytokine inhibitor, for the treatment of lung fibrosis using a murine model of bleomycin (BLM)-induced pulmonary fibrosis. Mice were fed a control diet (n=42), or a diet containing low (n=42) or high (n=42) dose of vesnarinone. Dietary intake of vesnarinone minimized the BLM toxicity as reflected by significant decreases in numbers of inflammatory cells, KC, and soluble TNF receptors in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid.

Gly80Ser polymorphism of phospholipase A2-IID is associated with cytokine inducibility in A549 cells.

Background: The Gly80Ser polymorphism in phospholipase A2-IID (PLA2G2D, NCBI SNP reference: rs584367) is associated with a loss in body weight in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The T allele missense mutation results in the 80th amino acid of the PLA2G2D protein changing from a glycine (Gly; C allele) to a serine (Ser; T allele). COPD patients carrying Ser lose a significant amount of weight compared with those carrying Gly.