Anti-nuclear matrix protein 2 antibody-positive dermatomyositis with gastrointestinal ulcers: A case report.

Gastrointestinal manifestations are a very rare complication of dermatomyositis (DM) and are much less frequent in adult cases than in juvenile cases. Only a few previous papers have reported adult patients who had DM with anti-nuclear matrix protein 2 (anti-NXP2) antibodies and who developed gastrointestinal ulcers. Herein, we report a similar case of a 50-year-old man who had DM with anti-NXP2 antibodies followed by relapsing multiple gastrointestinal ulcers.

Risk factors of poor prognosis and impairment of activities of daily living in patients with hemorrhagic gastroduodenal ulcers.

Background: Impairment of activities of daily living (ADL) due to hemorrhagic gastroduodenal ulcers (HGU) has rarely been evaluated. We analyzed the risk factors of poor prognosis, including mortality and impairment of ADL, in patients with HGU.

Methods: In total, 582 patients diagnosed with HGU were retrospectively analyzed.

Risk Factors for Acute Cholangitis Caused by and .

Background/aims: Acute cholangitis (AC) is a potentially life-threatening bacterial infection, and timely antimicrobial treatment, faster than that achieved with bacterial cultures, is recommended. Although the current guidelines refer to empirical antimicrobial treatment, various kinds of antimicrobial agents have been cited because of insufficient analyses on the spectrum of pathogens in AC. spp.

Long-term survival after palliative argon plasma coagulation for intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm of the bile duct.

Intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm of the bile duct (IPNB) is an epithelial tumor that can cause obstructive jaundice and cholangitis due to mucin production. Although the effectiveness of argon plasma coagulation in IPNB treatment has been demonstrated, the long-term effect of the therapy is largely unknown. Here, we have presented a patient with IPNB who underwent argon plasma coagulation with a follow-up period of more than 2 years.

Hepatitis C virus relapse after successful treatment with direct-acting antivirals, followed by sarcomatous changes in hepatocellular carcinoma: a case report.

Background: Combination therapy of interferon and ribavirin has traditionally been used to eradicate hepatitis C virus. The sustained virologic response achieved with interferon-related therapy is persistent, and late relapses after achieving sustained virologic response at 24 weeks using this therapy are reportedly rare (< 1%). In 2014, interferon-free therapy with direct-acting antivirals was developed, and the rate of sustained virologic response was improved.

Impact of the Sensitivity to Empiric Antibiotics on Clinical Outcomes after Biliary Drainage for Acute Cholangitis.

Background/aims: Empiric antibiotics are given in combination with biliary drainage for acute cholangitis but sometimes turn out to be insensitive to microorganisms in blood and bile. Clinical outcomes were compared according to sensitivity to microorganisms detected in blood and bile culture to evaluate the impact of sensitivity to empiric antibiotics in cholangitis.

Methods: Consecutive patients who underwent biliary drainage for acute cholangitis were retrospectively studied.

Incidence and risk factors of contrast-induced nephropathy after transcatheter arterial chemoembolization in hepatocellular carcinoma.

Background: Transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) is widely used for unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The purpose of this study was to investigate incidence and risk factors of contrast-induced nephropathy (CIN) after TACE in patients with HCC.

Methods: In this single-center retrospective study, we examined 461 consecutive TACE sessions in 260 patients between January 2003 and October 2015.

Paraneoplastic dermatomyositis appearing after nivolumab therapy for gastric cancer: a case report.

Background: While dermatomyositis is often associated with malignancy, several autoimmune diseases like myositis can be caused by immune checkpoint inhibitors. Differentially diagnosing malignancy-associated dermatomyositis or myositis caused by immune checkpoint inhibitors is sometimes difficult, particularly when a patient with malignancy shows the symptoms of myositis after checkpoint inhibitor administration. We experienced such a case in which we had difficulties in diagnosing paraneoplastic dermatomyositis or drug-associated myositis.

Pancreaticoduodenectomy for an Ampullary Region Carcinoma Occurred in Annular Pancreas Coexistent with Replaced Common Hepatic Artery.

Introduction: Annular pancreas is a rare congenital abnormality characterized by a ring of pancreatic tissue surrounding the descending portion of the duodenum. Annular pancreas coexisting with replaced common hepatic artery which is also a rare anatomical variation has not been reported previously.

Case Presentation: A 53-year-old man visited our hospital complaining of epigastric pain.

Evaluation of the Efficacy of Sorafenib on Overall Survival in Patients with Hepatocellular Carcinoma using FT Rate: A Devised Index.

Introduction: Transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) is the first-line treatment for intermediate stage hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and prolongs survival in HCC patients. However, repeated TACE results in diminished therapeutic response. In addition, the superiority of sorafenib to TACE monotherapy or combined therapy in patients with HCC is still controversial.

Gemcitabine and S-1 versus gemcitabine and cisplatin treatment in patients with advanced biliary tract cancer: a multicenter retrospective study.

Objective This study aimed to compare the safety and efficacy of the combination therapy of gemcitabine and S-1 (GS) versus gemcitabine and cisplatin (GC) in patients with advanced biliary tract cancer (BTC). Methods In this multicenter retrospective cohort study, a total of 212 patients with advanced BTC receiving GS (n = 125) or GC (n = 87) between July 2006 and August 2015 were analyzed. The primary endpoint was overall survival (OS).

Potential Effectiveness of Tolvaptan to Improve Ascites Unresponsive to Standard Diuretics and Overall Survival in Patients with Decompensated Liver Cirrhosis.

Background And Objective: After tolvaptan was approved for the treatment of cirrhosis patients with ascites, only a few studies have reported its efficacy in the real clinical setting, and no studies have reported its contribution to overall survival. This study clarified the clinical outcomes of tolvaptan treatment in terms of improving ascites unresponsive to standard diuretics (AUS) and overall survival.

Methods: We retrospectively enrolled 80 decompensated cirrhosis patients with AUS who were administered tolvaptan from October 2012 to December 2014.

Multicenter study of endoscopic preoperative biliary drainage for malignant distal biliary obstruction.

Aim: To determine the optimal method of endoscopic preoperative biliary drainage for malignant distal biliary obstruction.

Methods: Multicenter retrospective study was conducted in patients who underwent plastic stent (PS) or nasobiliary catheter (NBC) placement for resectable malignant distal biliary obstruction followed by surgery between January 2010 and March 2012. Procedure-related adverse events, stent/catheter dysfunction (occlusion or migration of PS/NBC, development of cholangitis, or other conditions that required repeat endoscopic biliary intervention), and jaundice resolution (bilirubin level < 3.

Effectiveness of Ipragliflozin, a Sodium-Glucose Co-transporter 2 Inhibitor, as a Second-line Treatment for Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Who Do Not Respond to Incretin-Based Therapies Including Glucagon-like Peptide-1 Analogs and Dipeptidyl Peptidase-4 Inhibitors.

Background: We previously reported that incretin-based drugs, such as dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitors or glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) analogs, improved glycemic control and liver inflammation in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). However, the effect on alanine aminotransferase (ALT) normalization was still limited.

Aims: The aim of this study is to elucidate the effectiveness of sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 (SGLT-2) inhibitors as second-line treatments for NAFLD patients with T2DM who do not respond to incretin-based therapy.

Efficacy of transcatheter arterial chemoembolization followed by sorafenib for intermediate/advanced hepatocellular carcinoma in patients in Japan: a retrospective analysis.

Background: Sorafenib might prevent hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) recurrence caused by the promotion of neoangiogenesis after transarterial chemoembolization (TACE).

Objectives: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of TACE followed by sorafenib for treating advanced HCC.

Patients And Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 95 advanced HCC patients treated with TACE between July 2008 and December 2012 at our institution.

Efficacy of tolvaptan in patients with refractory ascites in a clinical setting.

Aim: To elucidate the efficacies of tolvaptan (TLV) as a treatment for refractory ascites compared with conventional treatment.

Methods: We retrospectively enrolled 120 refractory ascites patients between January 1, 2009 and September 31, 2014. Sixty patients were treated with oral TLV at a starting dose of 3.

Ledipasvir and sofosbuvir fixed-dose combination with and without ribavirin for 12 weeks in treatment-naive and previously treated Japanese patients with genotype 1 hepatitis C: an open-label, randomised, phase 3 trial.

Background: Compared with other countries, patients with chronic hepatitis C infection in Japan tend to be older, have more advanced liver disease, and are more likely to have been previously treated for hepatitis C. We aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of an all-oral, fixed-dose combination of the hepatitis C virus NS5A inhibitor ledipasvir and the NS5B nucleotide polymerase inhibitor sofosbuvir with and without ribavirin for 12 weeks in treatment-naive and previously treated Japanese patients with chronic genotype 1 hepatitis C virus infection.

Methods: In this randomised, open-label study, we enrolled patients from 19 clinical Japanese centres.