Maximum insulin dose in patients admitted to the intensive care units with severe COVID-19 in the "Cross ICU Searchable Information System" study: A multicenter retrospective cohort study.

Aims: This study aimed to determine the maximum daily insulin dose (MDI) and associated factors in critically ill patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) receiving insulin therapy, under ventilator and/or extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) management.

Materials And Methods: This cross-sectional analysis used the Cross ICU Searchable Information System data from a Japanese multicenter retrospective observational cohort study of critically ill patients with COVID-19 receiving ventilation and/or ECMO, from February 2020 to March 2022. Maximum daily insulin dose was determined, and factors associated with it and maximum daily insulin dose per body weight were assessed using linear regression analysis.

Increased national critical care demands were associated with a higher mortality of intubated COVID-19 patients in Japan: a retrospective observational study.

Background: There was no study to investigate the association between the national surge of Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients and the mortality of mechanically ventilated COVID-19 patients. The aim of this study was to assess the association between mortality in mechanically ventilated COVID-19 patients and two distinct national COVID-19 surge indices: (1) the daily number of newly confirmed COVID-19 cases, representing overall medical demands and (2) the total number of critically ill COVID-19 patients, reflecting critical care demands.

Methods: We analyzed the patient data registered in a national database of mechanically ventilated COVID-19 patients between February 6, 2020, and May 16, 2023, combined with the data officially published by the Japanese government.

Characteristics of Bleeding Complications in Patients with Severe COVID-19 Requiring Veno-venous Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation in Japan.

Background:  Complications during veno-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VV-ECMO) are associated with in-hospital mortality. Asian patients on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) have higher risks of bleeding and in-hospital mortality than Caucasian patients. This study aimed to characterize and identify bleeding complications and their associated factors related to in-hospital mortality in patients with severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) requiring VV-ECMO in Japan.

Digital marketing innovation: New business models for pharmaceutical and medical device product marketing.

Background: Within the rapidly evolving healthcare landscape in Japan, digital marketing innovations are transforming pharmaceutical and medical device marketing. This study explores the emergence of new business models in the digital marketing, highlighting a transition from traditional methods to more dynamic, data-driven strategies.

Methods: InsighTCROSS is a business model that qualitatively and quantitatively examines three steps based on stratified persona images: (1) verifying the effectiveness of product marketing promotions, (2) identifying competitors from the users' perspective, and (3) developing marketing strategies to counter competition.

Selection Criteria in the Era of Perfect Competition for Drug-Eluting Stents in Association With Operator Volumes: An Operator-Volume Analysis of the Selection DES Study.

Background: This study aimed to explore the factors influencing the drug-eluting stent (DES) selection criteria of cardiologists in association with percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) volumes and to determine whether they value further DES improvements and modifications.

Methods: The survey was conducted on a group of cardiologist operators from April 10 to 30, 2023.

Results: The analysis included 126 operators who answered the questions.

Selection criteria for anticoagulants: survey of Japanese cardiologists based on their daily clinical practice: the Selection DOAC study.

Background: In patients with atrial fibrillation (AF), direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) have been utilized as an alternative to warfarin, which is known to have several limitations. This study aimed to clarify the selection criteria for anticoagulants, considering both individual patient factors and the differences between various drugs.

Methods: This study conducted a web-based questionnaire from September 20, 2023 to October 3, 2023, among physicians who were members of a cardiology-specific website.

Association Between In-hospital Mortality and the Institutional Factors of Intensive Care Units with a Focus on the Intensivist-to-bed Ratio: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

To elucidate the relationship between in-hospital mortality and the institutional factors of intensive care units (ICUs), with a focus on the intensivist-to-bed ratio. A retrospective cohort study was conducted using a Japanese ICU database, including adult patients admitted between April 1, 2020 and March 31, 2021. We used a multilevel logistic regression model to investigate the associations between in-hospital mortality and the following institutional factors: the intensivist-to-bed ratios on weekdays or over weekends/holidays, different work shifts, hospital-to-ICU-bed ratio, annual-ICU-admission-to-bed ratio, type of hospital, and the presence of other medical staff.

Relationship between critical care nutrition and post-intensive care syndrome in surviving ventilated patients with COVID-19: a multicenter prospective observational study.

The impact of nutrition therapy in the acute phase on post-intensive care syndrome (PICS) remains unclear. We conducted a multicenter prospective study on adult patients with COVID-19 who required mechanical ventilation for more than three days. The questionnaire was mailed after discharge.

Association between regional critical care capacity and the incidence of invasive mechanical ventilation for coronavirus disease 2019: a population-based cohort study.

Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has exposed critical care supply shortages worldwide. This study aimed to investigate the association between regional critical care capacity and the incidence of invasive mechanical ventilation following novel COVID-19 during the pandemic in Japan, a country with a limited intensive care unit (ICU) bed capacity of a median of 5.1 ICU beds per 100,000 individuals.

Effect of the Japanese medical office system on job satisfaction, loyalty, engagement, and organizational commitment of medical practitioners: a survey of cardiologists in the acute care setting.

Background: In Japan, medical doctors have traditionally been assigned from university medical offices, under the medical office system. The present study examined the effects of the medical office system on job satisfaction, engagement, loyalty, and organizational commitment among cardiologists.

Methods: In this study, a survey of 156 cardiologists was conducted, from April 22, 2023, to May 21, 2023, to examine the effect of the medical office system on employee job satisfaction, employee engagement, and organizational commitment.

Defining the Standard of the Terminology of the Mechanical Ventilation Data in Japan.

To effectively use data from intensive care unit patient information systems at multiple hospitals, it is necessary to standardize the data into a well-ordered form. However, terms often vary between devices. We designed a mechanical ventilation concept model and applied data to that model using existing tools and expert opinions.

National ICU Registries as Enablers of Clinical Research and Quality Improvement.

Objectives: Clinical quality registries (CQRs) have been implemented worldwide by several medical specialties aiming to generate a better characterization of epidemiology, treatments, and outcomes of patients. National ICU registries were created almost 3 decades ago to improve the understanding of case-mix, resource use, and outcomes of critically ill patients. This narrative review describes the challenges, proposed solutions, and evidence generated by National ICU registries as facilitators for research and quality improvement.

Multisystem inflammatory syndrome in adults with COVID-19 requiring mechanical ventilation: A retrospective cohort study.

Aim: Multisystem inflammatory syndrome in adults (MIS-A) is a hyperinflammatory multisystem condition associated with coronavirus disease (COVID-19). Critically ill COVID-19 patients may develop multiorgan damage and elevated inflammatory responses, thus making it difficult to differentiate between progression to organ damage due to COVID-19 itself or MIS-A. This study aimed to explore the characteristics and complications of MIS-A in critical COVID-19 patients.

Clinical efficacy and safety of multipotent adult progenitor cells (invimestrocel) for acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) caused by pneumonia: a randomized, open-label, standard therapy-controlled, phase 2 multicenter study (ONE-BRIDGE).

Background: Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is a life-threatening inflammatory lung injury with high mortality; no approved medication exists. Efficacy and safety of bone marrow-derived, allogeneic, multipotent adult progenitor cells (invimestrocel) plus standard treatment in patients with ARDS caused by pneumonia was evaluated.

Methods: A randomized, open-label, standard therapy-controlled, phase 2 study (January 2019-September 2021) conducted in 29 centers in Japan.

Non-COVID-19 intensive care admissions during the pandemic: a multinational registry-based study.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in a large number of critical care admissions. While national reports have described the outcomes of patients with COVID-19, there is limited international data of the pandemic impact on non-COVID-19 patients requiring intensive care treatment.

Methods: We conducted an international, retrospective cohort study using 2019 and 2020 data from 11 national clinical quality registries covering 15 countries.