Serum albumin redox state as an indicator of dietary protein intake among community-dwelling older adults.

Background And Aims: Serum markers capable of detecting mild levels of undernutrition, such as insufficient dietary protein intake (IDPI), have not been established among community-dwelling older adults. Although the serum albumin redox state, expressed as the ratio of reduced albumin (Alb) to total Alb (the reduced albumin ratio), has the potential to overcome this challenge, empirical epidemiological data are lacking. This study aimed to investigate the association between a serum reduced Alb ratio and dietary protein intake among community-dwelling older adults.

Preliminary results of stabilization of far distal tibia fractures with the distal tibial nail: A prospective, multicenter case series study.

Introduction: The distal tibial nail (DTN) is a novel retrograde intramedullary nail used for distal tibial fracture stabilization. We investigated the clinical results of DTN use for distal tibial fractures and compared them with those reported in the literature on locking plates and antegrade intramedullary nails.

Materials And Methods: This multicenter, prospective, observational cohort study examined distal tibial fractures with AO/OTA classification 43 types: A1, A2, A3 or C1.

Effects of overhydration, Kt/Vurea, β2-microglobulin on coronary artery calcification and mortality in haemodialysis patients.

Aim: We studied the effects of overhydration (OH), Kt/Vurea and β2-microglobulin (β2-MG) on coronary artery calcification and mortality in patients undergoing haemodialysis (HD).

Methods: The Agatston coronary artery calcium score (CACS), postdialysis body composition using bioimpedance analysis, single-pool Kt/Vurea and predialysis β2-MG at baseline were assessed and followed up for 3 years in patients undergoing HD. We performed logistic regression analyses for a CACS ≥400 and Cox proportional hazard analyses for all-cause and cardiovascular mortality.

Absolute iron deficiency, coronary artery calcification and cardiovascular mortality in maintenance haemodialysis patients.

Aim: The effects of iron on vascular calcification in rats and vascular smooth muscle cells were recently reported, but clinical studies on iron and vascular calcification are scant. We studied the associations of absolute iron deficiency, coronary artery calcification and mortality in patients with maintenance haemodialysis (MHD).

Methods: Transferrin saturation (TSAT), ferritin, mean corpuscular haemoglobin (MCH) and Agatston coronary artery calcium score (CACS) were studied at baseline in MHD patients and followed up for 3 years.

[Pathogenesis of MuSK Antibody-positive Myasthenia Gravis].

Long-term remission is rare in patients with myasthenia gravis (MG), and health-related quality of life is lower in patients with MG than in healthy individuals. Approximately 5% of patients with MG show positive results on muscle-specific kinase (MuSK) antibody testing and usually have severe symptoms, refractory disease, residual muscle atrophy, and poor prognosis. Recent studies that have investigated the pathogenesis of MuSK antibody-positive MG have reported contributors to treatment refractoriness in cases of MG.

Early arteriovenous fistula failure associated with mortality and major adverse cardiovascular events in patients undergoing incident hemodialysis.

Background: Arteriovenous fistula (AVF) patency is important for patients undergoing hemodialysis. The association between early AVF failure and the prognosis, including all-cause mortality and major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), has not been fully investigated. The present study was performed to investigate the association between early AVF failure and 3-year mortality, cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality, and MACE.

Patellofemoral Osteoarthritis Progression After Open-Wedge High Tibial Osteotomy Does Not Affect the Clinical Outcomes or Survivorship at Minimum 7 Years' Follow-Up.

Purpose: To evaluate the clinical and radiologic outcomes of open-wedge high tibial osteotomy (OWHTO) with respect to the patellofemoral joint and to assess the effects of patellofemoral osteoarthritis (OA) progression after OWHTO on clinical outcomes at minimum 7 years' follow-up.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 95 knees that underwent OWHTO and at least 7 years of follow-up. Clinical parameters including anterior knee pain, Japanese Orthopedic Association score, Oxford Knee Score, Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score, Hospital for Special Surgery patella score, and Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score-patellofemoral subscale were evaluated.

Sympathetic modulation of hindlimb muscle contractility is altered in aged rats.

It has recently been demonstrated that reflex excitation of muscle sympathetic nerves triggered by muscle contraction contributes to the maintenance of tetanic force (TF) in rat hindlimb muscles. We hypothesized that this feedback mechanism between the contraction of hindlimb muscles and the lumbar sympathetic nerves declines during aging. In this study, we examined the contribution of sympathetic nerves on skeletal muscle contractility in young adult (4-9 months old, n = 11) and aged (32-36 months old, n = 11) male and female rats.

Orthogeriatric co-management at a regional core hospital as a new multidisciplinary approach in Japanese hip fracture operation.

Background: This study aimed to evaluate the effects of orthogeriatric co-management of hip fractures at a regional core hospital.

Methods: This study included patients with proximal hip fracture. Patients were divided into two groups, conventional multidisciplinary group I including patients attending the hospital between April 2015 and March 2016 and orthogeriatric group II including patients attending the hospital between April 2016 and March 2017, which were compared retrospectively.

Low-intensity pulsed ultrasound does not promote bone healing and functional recovery after open wedge high tibial osteotomy.

Aims: To evaluate whether low-intensity pulsed ultrasound (LIPUS) accelerates bone healing at osteotomy sites and promotes functional recovery after open-wedge high tibial osteotomy (OWHTO).

Methods: Overall, 90 patients who underwent OWHTO without bone grafting were enrolled in this nonrandomized retrospective study, and 45 patients treated with LIPUS were compared with 45 patients without LIPUS treatment in terms of bone healing and functional recovery postoperatively. Clinical evaluations, including the pain visual analogue scale (VAS) and Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA) score, were performed preoperatively as well as six weeks and three, six, and 12 months postoperatively.

α1- and β2-Microglobulin reduction ratios and survival in patients on predilution online haemodiafiltration.

Aim: β2-Microglobulin (β2-MG) and α1-microglobulin (α1-MG) have molecular weights of 11,800 and 33,000 Da, respectively. We studied the α1-MG and β2-MG reduction ratios (RRs) and survival in patients on predilution online haemodiafiltration (Pre-OL-HDF).

Methods: Participants were 247 Pre-OL-HDF patients.

Differences in age-related characteristics among elderly patients with hip fractures.

Background: Incidence of hip fracture among aging patients has been increasing annually in Japan; patients aged ≤74 years may be inappropriately classified as elderly. This study aimed to identify differences in the incidence of serious perioperative complications and in-hospital, 90-day, 6-month, and 1-year mortality rates according to three age groups among patients with hip fractures.

Methods: Patients aged ≥65 years treated for hip fracture by our multidisciplinary treatment system were included in this study.

Postoperative Urinary Retention in Japanese Elderly Males with a Femoral Neck or Trochanteric Fracture.

We assessed risk factors for postoperative urinary retention (UR) in elderly males with femoral bone fractures: 169 Japanese males (mean age 81.95 ± 1.19 years) who had undergone hip surgery at a municipal hospital (Toyama, Japan).

Coronary artery calcification is a risk factor for intradialytic hypotension in patients undergoing hemodialysis.

Introduction: We investigated the association between intradialytic hypotension (IDH) and coronary artery calcification and their effects on mortality in hemodialysis (HD) patients.

Methods: Consecutive patients undergoing maintenance HD were enrolled. The study timeline included the baseline (day 1), exposure assessment (day 1-day 22), and outcome assessment (day 23-3 years) periods.

Convection volume, β2-microglobulin and α1-microglobulin reduction ratios, and body composition in pre-dilution online haemodiafiltration.

Aim: The effect of convection volume (CV) in patients on pre-dilution online haemodiafiltration (Pre-OL-HDF) was evaluated.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective, cross-sectional study in 126 patients on Pre-OL-HDF. Dialysis conditions, laboratory data, and same day post-dialysis body composition measurements using bioimpedance spectroscopy were assessed.

Influence of lateral hinge fractures on biplanar medial closing-wedge distal femoral osteotomy for valgus knee: a new classification of lateral hinge fracture.

Background: The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of lateral hinge fractures in medial closing-wedge distal femoral osteotomy (MCWDFO) on bone union.

Methods: Twenty-one patients were followed-up for more than 1 year after MCWDFO. The incidence and type of hinge fracture, as well as the course of bone healing, were investigated.

Maintenance of contractile force of the hind limb muscles by the somato-lumbar sympathetic reflexes.

This study aimed to clarify whether the reflex excitation of muscle sympathetic nerves induced by contractions of the skeletal muscles modulates their contractility. In anesthetized rats, isometric tetanic contractions of the triceps surae muscles were induced by electrical stimulation of the intact tibial nerve before and after transection of the lumbar sympathetic trunk (LST), spinal cord, or dorsal roots. The amplitude of the tetanic force (TF) was reduced by approximately 10% at 20 min after transection of the LST, spinal cord, or dorsal roots.

Multidisciplinary care model for geriatric patients with hip fracture in Japan: 5-year experience.

Introduction: Japan is a super-aging society, the geriatric care system establishment for hip fractures is at an urgent task. This report described our concept of multidisciplinary care model for geriatric hip fractures and 5-year outcomes at the Toyama City Hospital, Japan.

Methods: In this retrospective cohort study, a multidisciplinary treatment approach was applied for elderly patients with hip fracture since 2014.

Iron, coronary artery calcification, and mortality in patients undergoing hemodialysis.

Objective: A high coronary artery calcification score (CACS) may be associated with high mortality in patients undergoing hemodialysis (HD). Recently, effects of iron on vascular smooth muscle cell calcification have been described. We aimed to investigate the relationships between iron, CACS, and mortality in HD patients.

Muscle fiber type specific alterations of mitochondrial respiratory function and morphology in aged female mice.

Mitochondrial dysfunction is considered to be a major cause of sarcopenia, defined as age-related muscle fiber atrophy and muscle weakness, as reduced mitochondrial respiration and morphological changes such as ragged red fibers (RRFs) are observed in aging muscles. However, the role of mitochondrial dysfunction in sarcopenia is not fully elucidated. Although previous studies have suggested that aging has a fiber type-specific effect on mitochondrial function, little is known about mitochondrial changes in individual fiber types.

Factors Associated With Patient Satisfaction After Opening-Wedge High Tibial Osteotomy.

Background: Opening-wedge high tibial osteotomy (OWHTO) is expected to result in higher patient satisfaction compared with knee arthroplasty due to joint preservation. However, patient satisfaction rates as well as factors associated with satisfaction after OWHTO remain unclear.

Purpose: To evaluate patient subjective satisfaction after OWHTO and determine factors associated with patient satisfaction after OWHTO.