Effect of ischemic compression performed by family caregivers on myofascial pain syndrome and the care burden of the families of patients: a multicenter open-label randomized comparative study.

Background: Ischemic compression is a manual therapy technique for myofascial pain. This study aimed to verify the effect of ischemic compression performed by family caregivers on myofascial pain syndrome (MPS) in patients and on the family's care burden.

Methods: This multicenter, open-label, randomized, comparative study included patients with myofascial pain and their family caregivers who were randomized into the following groups: ischemia compression (performed by a family caregiver), sham ischemia compression, or untreated control.

Carnitine Profile by Tandem Mass Spectrometry and Dialysis Patients.

Background: Carnitine deficiency is a common condition in hemodialysis patients. Therefore, abnormalities in fatty acid metabolism and organic acid metabolism are also common in dialysis patients. Tandem mass spectrometry is a standard technique in pediatric and neonatal medicine.

Aortic Arch Calcification and Bone-Associated Molecules in Peritoneal Dialysis Patients.

Background/aims: Aortic arch calcification (AoAC) is a fatal complication in dialysis. AoAC progression-related molecules in continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) remain unclear.

Methods: AoAC was estimated using plain chest radiography scoring (AoACS) in 30 CAPD patients (age 49.

Ferritin: Diversity and Management of Ferritin Measurement Methods.

Background: Serum ferritin is one of the most important and widely used markers of iron metabolism, and is a recommended standard index of iron dynamics in guidelines for renal anemia in many countries. However, serum ferritin measurement has several disadvantages. For example, it is prone to being influenced by underlying disease, and there is considerable systematic bias among different methods of measurement.

Association between Increases in Normalized Protein Catabolic Rate and Increases in Creatinine Generation Rate in Dialysis Patients.

The older dialysis population is growing, and malnutrition and wasting syndrome are great concerns in this population. The management of these syndromes includes appropriate nutritional intake and physical activity. However, whether management in the form of an increase in protein intake has a beneficial effect on muscle mass has not been demonstrated.

Identification of ribonucleotide reductase mutation causing temperature-sensitivity of herpes simplex virus isolates from whitlow by deep sequencing.

Herpes simplex virus 2 caused a genital ulcer, and a secondary herpetic whitlow appeared during acyclovir therapy. The secondary and recurrent whitlow isolates were acyclovir-resistant and temperature-sensitive in contrast to a genital isolate. We identified the ribonucleotide reductase mutation responsible for temperature-sensitivity by deep-sequencing analysis.

Effects of the ankle-brachial blood pressure index and skin perfusion pressure on mortality in hemodialysis patients.

Objective: Clinically, the ankle-brachial blood pressure index (ABI) and skin perfusion pressure (SPP) are used to screen for subclinical peripheral artery disease. However, the association between the SPP and mortality in hemodialysis patients has not been previously reported. We investigated these factors and compared the ABI and SPP in patients receiving hemodialysis.

Flowcytometric analysis of lymphocytapheresis in a patient with recurrent FSGS after renal transplant.

Frequently, focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) recurs after renal transplantation, resulting in poor graft survival. Pathological mechanisms of the recurrence are still unknown, but both B and T cell disorders are suspected based on much evidence. This supports theoretical benefits using plasma exchange (PE) and lymphocytapheresis (LCAP).

Correlation of new bone metabolic markers with conventional biomarkers in hemodialysis patients.

Background: New bone metabolic markers have become available clinically for evaluating chronic kidney disease mineral and bone disorders (CKD-MBD). The aim of this study was to correlate these new bone metabolic markers with conventional markers in regular hemodialysis (HD) patients.

Methods: One hundred forty three HD patients underwent cross-sectional assessment.

Successful cinacalcet treatment of refractory secondary hyperparathyroidism due to multiple lung parathyroid adenomas.

We describe a 56-year-old woman who presented with end-stage renal disease due to pregnancy-induced hypertension and secondary hyperparathyroidism (sHPT). She had started hemodialysis and underwent a subtotal parathyroidectomy (PTx). However, intact parathyroid hormone (iPTH) levels increased gradually.

Psoas abscess in hemodialysis patients.

Background: The insidious onset and occult characteristic of psoas abscess can cause diagnostic delays, resulting in high mortality and morbidity rates. Here, we investigated the characteristics of psoas abscess in hemodialysis patients.

Methods: This study was carried out in eight patients with psoas abscess who were admitted in our hospital.

The importance of low blood urea nitrogen levels in pregnant patients undergoing hemodialysis to optimize birth weight and gestational age.

Most published reports indicate that intensified hemodialysis results in better pregnancy outcomes. Here we studied clinical characteristics and the outcomes of 28 pregnant women receiving hemodialysis. We found an association between maternal blood data and birth weight, and gestational age and outcomes.

Patterns in the prevalence of hepatitis C virus infection at the start of hemodialysis in Japan.

Background: Although hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a persistent public health concern in hemodialysis patients, there seem to have been only a few reports on the prevalence of HCV at the start of hemodialysis. In this study we investigated whether patients starting on hemodialysis therapy are positive for anti-HCV antibody or not.

Methods: The 400 patients who began regular hemodialysis between February 2003 and June 2007 were enrolled in this study.

Achievement of the Japanese Society for Dialysis Therapy guideline targets for mineral metabolism measures: one Japanese university center result.

A consensus conference for the Guidelines for the Management of Secondary Hyperparathyroidism in Chronic Dialysis Patients was conducted in the general meeting of the Japanese Society for Dialysis Therapy (JSDT) in June 2006, and the guidelines were proposed in the Journal of JSDT in 4 months later. The aim of this study was performed on the status of observance with the data, based on 6 months later proposal of the guidelines. Only 48.

An overview of regular dialysis treatment in Japan (as of 31 December 2004).

A statistical survey of 3932 nationwide hemodialysis (hereafter, dialysis) facilities was carried out at the end of 2004, and 3882 facilities (98.73%) responded. The population undergoing dialysis at the end of 2004 was 248 166, an increase of 10 456 patients (4.

IDO expression on decidual and peripheral blood dendritic cells and monocytes/macrophages after treatment with CTLA-4 or interferon-gamma increase in normal pregnancy but decrease in spontaneous abortion.

Recent data demonstrated that CD4+CD25+ regulatory T (Treg) cells and an enzyme called indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO) mediate maternal tolerance to the fetus. Interestingly, Treg cells express the CTLA-4 molecule on their surface, and B7 (CD80/86) ligation by CTLA-4 enhanced IDO activity of dendritic cells (DCs) and monocytes by the induction of interferon gamma (IFN-gamma) production. In this study, we studied the IDO expression on peripheral blood monocytes and decidual monocytes or DCs after treatment with CTLA-4/Fc fusion protein or IFN-gamma using flow cytometry.

Cytokine profile of natural killer cells in early human pregnancy.

Problem: To examine whether the NK1/NK2/NK3/NKr1 paradigm can be adapted in natural killer (NK) cells.

Method Of Study: Mononuclear cells were isolated from peripheral blood and/or decidua in healthy non-pregnant women (n = 17), early pregnant women (6-12 weeks of gestation, n = 17) and miscarriage cases (6-11 weeks of gestation, n = 10). We investigated the production of transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta, interleukin (IL)-4, IL-5, IL-10, IL-13, interferon (IFN)-gamma and tumor necrosis factor-alpha from peripheral blood- and decidual-CD56bright NK cells and -CD56dim NK cells by flow cytometry.

Comparative efficacy of acyclovir and vidarabine on the replication of varicella-zoster virus.

Acyclovir and less frequently, vidarabine are (or have been) used in the treatment of varicella-zoster virus (VZV) infection and are administered either intravenously (vidarabine) or orally (acyclovir, up to five times per day). The pharmacological bases of the administration interval were modeled in vitro in this study. Incubation of VZV-infected cultures with acyclovir or vidarabine for 24, 48, 72 and 96h showed similar duration-dependent anti-viral activities as assessed by a plaque-reduction assay.

[The medical treatment strategy of secondary hyperparathyroidism use of vitamin D in Europe and America].

The medical treatment strategies of vitamin D appeared in the guideline of K/DOQI (Kidney Disease Outcomes Quality Initiative) in the U.S. and Clinical algorithms on renal osteodystrophy in Europe.

[Cause of death in dialysis patient--according to the survey of the Japanese Society for Dialysis Therapy].

Major causes of death in dialysis patients are heart failure, infection, cerebro-vascular accident, malignancy, myocardial infarction, and cardiovascular disturbance; they are 43.7% of all causes of death. Hyperphosphatemia and increased calcium-phosphorus product aggravate ectopic calcification, and raise mortality rate.

Therapeutic basis of vidarabine on adenovirus-induced haemorrhagic cystitis.

When adenovirus causes haemorrhagic cystitis in immunocompromised patients, vidarabine is used for its treatment because therapeutic choice is limited. Although vidarabine has been reported to be effective for these patients, its therapeutic basis has not yet been established. Vidarabine dose-dependently inhibited viral replication as assessed by a yield reduction assay.

Trends in incidence of end-stage renal disease in Japan, 1983-2000: age-adjusted and age-specific rates by gender and cause.

Background: Trends in age-adjusted or age-specific incidence rates of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) have never been examined in Japan, a major ESRD epidemic area.

Methods: A nationwide registry has provided the number of ESRD patients commencing maintenance renal replacement therapy for time period from 1983 to 2000. We computed gender- and age-specific incidence rates of ESRD over 2-year periods, in total or by cause.

An overview of regular dialysis treatment in Japan (as of 31 December 2001).

Questionnaire forms for an annual survey conducted at the end of 2001 were sent out to 3520 institutions, and 3485 replies were received (response rate, 99.00%). According to the survey, the dialysis population of Japan at year end was 219 183 patients, up 6.