A single-institution pre-post comparison of subcutaneous immunoglobulin replacement therapy in allogeneic haematopoietic cell transplantation recipients.

Immunoglobulin replacement therapy (IgRT) reduces the risk of infection in hypogammaglobulinaemia secondary to chronic lymphocytic leukaemia and multiple myeloma. However, the benefit of IgRT, especially subcutaneous IgRT (ScIgRT), has not been assessed in hypogammaglobulinaemia after allogeneic haematopoietic cell transplantation (allo-HCT). We performed a pre-post comparison of the clinical impact of ScIgRT after allo-HCT in a retrospective analysis of 209 patients who underwent allogeneic HCT at our institution from 2011 to 2019.

Efficacy and safety of glecaprevir/pibrentasvir in patients with hepatitis C virus infection aged ≥75 years.

Aim: Opportunities to treat older patients with hepatitis C virus infection have increased. We investigated the efficacy and safety of glecaprevir/pibrentasvir in patients with HCV infection aged ≥75 years.

Methods: We retrospectively evaluated 131 patients with hepatitis C virus infection treated with glecaprevir/pibrentasvir at nine institutions in Japan.

GVHD prophylaxis by tacrolimus and mini-MTX in single-unit CBT: a single institute experience.

Tacrolimus (TAC) combined with short-term methotrexate (MTX) is widely used to prevent graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) in cord blood transplantation (CBT). As short-term MTX aggravates mucositis and delays engraftment, we reduced the dose of MTX, as previously reported in the non-CBT setting. Here, we retrospectively analyze outcomes of 20 patients who received CBT from April 2017 to December 2018.

Real-world efficacy of elbasvir and grazoprevir for hepatitis C virus (genotype 1): A nationwide, multicenter study by the Japanese Red Cross Hospital Liver Study Group.

Aim: The present study aimed to determine the real-world efficacy and safety of the non-structural protein (NS)5A inhibitor elbasvir (EBR) combined with the NS3/4A protease inhibitor grazoprevir (GZR) in patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype 1 (GT1) infection.

Methods: This study retrospectively evaluated the rate of sustained virologic response at 12 weeks post-treatment (SVR12) and the safety of EBR/GZR treatment in 159 men and 194 women with a median age of 72 years, and it assessed factors associated with the SVR12 rate. The attending physicians were responsible for selecting candidate patients for EBR/GZR in this retrospective study.

Alpha-Blockers As Colorectal Cancer Chemopreventive: Findings from a Case-Control Study, Human Cell Cultures, and Preclinical Testing.

A retrospective case-controlled analysis was performed to identify drug candidates in the current use that may prevent colorectal cancer, outside of aspirin. A total of 37,510 patients aged ≥20 years were assessed to identify subjects who had been diagnosed with colorectal cancer by colonoscopy without a previous diagnosis of colorectal cancer, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), or gastrointestinal symptoms; 1,560 patients were identified who were diagnosed with colorectal cancer by colonoscopy. The patients with colorectal cancer were matched with 1,560 age, gender, family history of colorectal cancer and comorbidity-matched control patients who were not diagnosed with colorectal cancer at colonoscopy.

Does interferon-free direct-acting antiviral therapy for hepatitis C after curative treatment for hepatocellular carcinoma lead to unexpected recurrences of HCC? A multicenter study by the Japanese Red Cross Hospital Liver Study Group.

Background And Aim: This study aimed to elucidate whether interferon (IFN)-free direct-acting antiviral (DAA) therapy for hepatitis C after curative treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) promotes HCC recurrence in a real-world large-scale cohort.

Methods: This multicenter study was conducted by the Japanese Red Cross Hospital Liver Study Group. This retrospective study analyzed 516 patients who underwent antiviral treatment for hepatitis C with either IFN (n = 148) or IFN-free DAA (n = 368) after curative HCC treatment; 78 IFN-treated patients and 347 IFN-free DAA-treated patients achieved sustained virological response (SVR).

Efficacy and safety of twice-daily rabeprazole maintenance therapy for patients with reflux esophagitis refractory to standard once-daily proton pump inhibitor: the Japan-based EXTEND study.

Background: Rabeprazole at 10 or 20 mg twice daily (b.i.d.

Colonoscopy reduces colorectal cancer mortality: A multicenter, long-term, colonoscopy-based cohort study.

Background: There are limited colonoscopy-based cohort data concerning the effectiveness of colonoscopy in reducing colorectal cancer deaths. The aim of this study was to clarify whether colonoscopy reduces colorectal cancer mortality.

Methods: A cohort of 18,816 patients who underwent colonoscopy without a diagnosis of colorectal cancer between 2001 and 2010 at high colonoscopy procedure volume centers was selected.

Systematic cytological evaluation and immunocytochemistry of minichromosome maintenance protein 2 and p53 significantly improve cytological diagnosis of pancreaticobiliary adenocarcinoma.

Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) brushing cytology often cannot distinguish adenocarcinoma from reactive epithelial changes. We attempted to improve the diagnostic sensitivity of ERCP using the following methods: systematic cytological evaluation, immunocytochemical examination of minichromosome maintenance proteins (MCM) 2 and p53, and a combination of these methods. ERCP specimens from 53 patients (13 benign and 40 malignant cases) were studied.

Bilateral Subclavian Vein Occlusion in a SAPHO Syndrome Patient Who Needed an Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator.

A 79-year-old Asian man was hospitalized because of progressive exertional dyspnea with decreasing left ventricular ejection fraction and frequent non-sustained ventricular tachycardia. Pre-procedure venography for implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) implantation showed occlusion of the bilateral subclavian veins. In consideration of subcutaneous humps in the sterno-clavicular area and palmoplantar pustulosis, we diagnosed him as having synovitis, acne, pustulosis, hyperostosis, osteitis (SAPHO) syndrome and speculated that it induced peri-osteal chronic inflammation in the sterno-clavicular area, resulting in occlusion of the adjacent bilateral subclavian veins.

Successful Endosonography-Guided Drainage of an Intra-Abdominal Abscess in a 1-Year-Old Infant.

Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS)-guided intervention has been established as a safe, effective and minimally invasive procedure for various diseases in adults, but there have been limited reports in pediatric patients. Herein, we report our experience with successful EUS-guided drainage of an intraabdominal abscess in a 1-year-old infant concomitant with disseminated intravascular coagulation. The abscess was punctured via the stomach using a standard, convex-type echoendoscope, and the patient's condition improved after naso-cystic catheter placement.

Early Gastric Cancer Recurrence Following Curative Resection Presenting as Biliary Tract Dilatation, Pancreatic Duct Dilatation and Intestinal Wall Thickening.

Early gastric cancer, especially cancer confined to the mucosa (stage T1a), is known to have a high cure rate with rare recurrence. We herein report the case of a 40-year-old female who initially presented with biliary tract dilatation, pancreatic duct dilatation and intestinal wall thickening 3 years after curative resection of pT1aN0 stage gastric cancer. The intestinal resection specimen revealed tumor cells spreading through the subserosa to the submucosa sparing mucosal membrane, which made exploratory laparotomy the only approach to confirm the diagnosis.

Impact of Preoperative Biliary Drainage on Surgical Outcomes in Periampullary and Hilar Malignancy: A Single-Center Experience.

The role of preoperative biliary drainage (PBD) for periampullary and hilar malignancy is still controversial. We retrospectively studied consecutive 144 patients (92 periampullary and 52 hilar malignancy) undergoing surgical resection to evaluate the effects of PBD on surgical outcomes. The rate of PBD was 59% and 56%, and postoperative complications developed in 27% and 19% in periampullary and hilar malignancy, respectively.

Cyberknife treatment for advanced or terminal stage hepatocellular carcinoma.

Aim: To investigate the safety and efficacy of the Cyberknife treatment for patients with advanced or terminal stage hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Methods: Patients with HCC with extrahepatic metastasis or vascular or bile duct invasion were enrolled between May 2011 and June 2015. The Cyberknife was used to treat each lesion.

Generation of Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells From Patients With Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy and Their Induction to Cardiomyocytes.

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is caused by mutations in the DMD gene which encodes dystrophin protein. Dystrophin defect affects cardiac muscle as well as skeletal muscle. Cardiac dysfunction is observed in all patients with DMD over 18 years of age, but there is no curative treatment for DMD cardiomyopathy.

Acute Myocardial Infarction That Resulted From Poor Adherence to Medical Treatment for Giant Coronary Aneurysm.

Coronary arterial complications associated with Kawasaki disease (KD), such as a giant coronary aneurysm, determine the relative risk of future cardiac events and require lifelong medical treatment. Here, we describe a 24-year-old man who developed myocardial infarction due to poor adherence to medical treatment for a giant coronary aneurysm in the chronic phase of KD. He was hospitalized two hours after the onset of chest pain.

Preparation of keratin and chemically modified keratin hydrogels and their evaluation as cell substrate with drug releasing ability.

Keratin was extracted as a reduced form from wool, which was then subjected to acetamidation, carboxymethylation or aminoethylation at abundant free cysteine residues to give acetamidated keratin (AAK), carboxymethylated keratin (CMK) and aminoethylated keratin (AEK). Hydrogels were prepared from intact and three chemically modified keratins simply by concentrating their aqueous solution and subsequent cooling. The lowest concentration to form a hydrogel without fluidity was 110 mg/ml for AAK, 120 mg/ml for AEK, 130 mg/ml for keratin and 180 mg/ml for CMK.

Preparation of keratin hydrogel/hydroxyapatite composite and its evaluation as a controlled drug release carrier.

Infection after artificial joint replacement is a serious problem, which requires the re-implantation of prosthesis. To aim at developing bone filling materials having both osteoconductivity and ability as a sustained drug release carrier, composites of wool keratin or carboxymethylated (CM) keratin hydrogels with hydroxyapatite were prepared and evaluated as a sustained drug release carrier. CM-keratin was prepared by the reaction of keratin extracted from wool with iodoacetic acid.

Percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage using a ligated catheter for recurrent catheter obstruction: antireflux technique.

Percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage (PTBD) is an established procedure for biliary obstruction. However, duodenobiliary or jejunobiliary reflux of the intestinal contents through a PTBD catheter sometimes causes recurrent catheter obstruction or cholangitis. A 64-year-old female patient with a history of choledochojejunostomy was referred to our department with acute cholangitis due to choledochojejunal anastomotic obstruction.

Endoscopic papillary balloon dilation for the management of bile duct stones in patients 85 years of age and older.

Background: Endoscopic papillary balloon dilation (EPBD) is a possible alternative to endoscopic sphincterotomy for the treatment of bile duct stones. However, little information is available in the elderly.

Objective: Our purpose was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of EPBD for bile duct stones in patients of 85 years of age and older.