Longitudinal study of central sensitization and chronic low back pain in a Japanese cohort during the COVID-19 pandemic.

This study utilized a longitudinal survey in Japan to investigate whether higher Central Sensitization Inventory (CSI) scores, serving as a proxy for central sensitization-related symptoms, are associated with an increased risk of developing chronic low back pain (CLBP), focusing on the impact of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic on these conditions. Healthy volunteers (n = 227; mean age: 68.5 ± 9.

Association between central sensitization and multisite pain in the general population: A cross-sectional analysis of The Wakayama Health Promotion Study.

Background: Central sensitization (CS), which is characterized by amplified nociceptive processing within the central nervous system, is a key mechanism underlying chronic pain disorders. Chronic pain is a significant global health issue; however, the relationship between CS and pain distribution in the general population remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the association between CS and the number of locations of body pain in a representative sample of the general population.

The Japanese Clinical Practice Guidelines for Management of Sepsis and Septic Shock 2024.

The 2024 revised edition of the Japanese Clinical Practice Guidelines for Management of Sepsis and Septic Shock (J-SSCG 2024) is published by the Japanese Society of Intensive Care Medicine and the Japanese Association for Acute Medicine. This is the fourth revision since the first edition was published in 2012. The purpose of the guidelines is to assist healthcare providers in making appropriate decisions in the treatment of sepsis and septic shock, leading to improved patient outcomes.

Reduction in Length of Hospital Stays for Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem-Cell Transplantation in the Letermovir Era.

Background: In recent years, letermovir has been routinely used for cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection prophylaxis in patients receiving allogeneic hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation (HSCT). The reduction effect of letermovir on CMV infection rates and the impact on survival have been studied, but other potential benefits of letermovir remain underexplored.

Methods: This retrospective study included patients who underwent first-time allogeneic HSCT between October 2013 and August 2023.

Impact of Neoadjuvant Chemohormonal Therapy With GnRH Antagonist and Low-Dose Estramustine in Very High-Risk Prostate Cancer Undergoing Robotic Radical Prostatectomy.

Background: High-risk patients with prostate cancer (PC) frequently experience biochemical recurrence (BCR) after surgery. Thus numerous studies have investigated the efficacy of neoadjuvant therapies for high-risk PC patients; however, no protocol has been established. This study aimed to assess the effect of androgen deprivation therapy combined with low-dose estramustine phosphate (EMP) on BCR compared with androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) alone in high- and very high-risk patients with PC.