Takotsubo Syndrome in Older Men - Clinical Characteristics Differ by Sex and Age.

Takotsubo syndrome (TTS) in male patients is under-studied, particularly in the older population. From 226 patients with TTS, 44 older male patients (prevalence rate: 19.5%, age: median 77 years) were compared with 182 older female patients (prevalence rate: 80.

Twenty-Four-Month Safety and Effectiveness of TCD-17187 Drug-Coated Balloon for Treatment of Atherosclerotic Lesions in Superficial Femoral and Proximal Popliteal Artery.

Purpose: In the present trial, the 24-month safety and effectiveness of the TCD-17187 drug-coated balloon (DCB) for the treatment of atherosclerotic lesions in the superficial femoral artery (SFA) and proximal popliteal artery (PA) were evaluated in Japanese patients.

Methods: This was a prospective, multicenter, core laboratory-adjudicated, single-arm trial. From 2019 to 2020, 121 patients with symptomatic peripheral artery disease were enrolled.

Acute Left Circumflex Coronary Artery Occlusion - Diagnostic Problems of Initial Electrocardiographic Changes.

Acute coronary syndrome (ACS) with occlusion of the left circumflex coronary artery (LCX) poses diagnostic problems that may lead to a delay in reperfusion. From a group of 1,269 consecutive patients with ACS, 138 patients with ACS due to LCX occlusion were analyzed for clinical, electrocardiographic, and angiographic presentations, as well as door-to-balloon (DTB) time. Electrocardiographic changes were classified into 4 patterns: ST-segment elevation in inferior/lateral leads (ST-E); ST-segment depression in V1-V4 (ST-D); no significant ST changes (No-ST); and others.

Twelve-month safety and effectiveness of TCD-17187 drug-coated balloon for the treatment of atherosclerotic lesions in the superficial femoral and proximal popliteal artery.

Purpose: The aim of this preapproval trial was to evaluate the 12-month safety and effectiveness of the TCD-17187 drug-coated balloon (DCB) for the treatment of atherosclerotic lesions in the superficial femoral artery (SFA) and/or proximal popliteal artery (PA).

Methods: This was a prospective, multicenter, core laboratory adjudicated, single-arm trial. From October 2019 to November 2020, a total of 121 symptomatic peripheral artery disease patients with SFA and/or proximal PA lesions were enrolled.

Incidence and Clinical Characteristics of Takotsubo Syndrome in Patients with Subarachnoid Hemorrhage.

Although takotsubo syndrome (TTS) has been reported in patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH), its incidence and relation to the severity of SAH are unknown.Of 319 consecutive patients with aneurysmal SAH, 245 patients who underwent both the ECG and echocardiography were analyzed.The incidence of TTS was 6.

Takotsubo Syndrome in Octogenarians and Nonagenarians.

Takotsubo syndrome (TTS) in the very elderly is poorly understood. We sought to clarify the characteristics of octogenarians and nonagenarians with TTS. From 148 patients with TTS who underwent coronary angiography, 68 very elderly patients aged ≥80 years (octogenarians/nonagenarians) were compared with 80 younger patients aged ≤79 years.

Catheter-based ultrasound renal denervation in patients with resistant hypertension: the randomized, controlled REQUIRE trial.

Renal denervation is a promising new non-pharmacological treatment for resistant hypertension. However, there is a lack of data from Asian patients. The REQUIRE trial investigated the blood pressure-lowering efficacy of renal denervation in treated patients with resistant hypertension from Japan and South Korea.

Importance of Paroxysmal Atrial Fibrillation and Sex Differences in the Prevention of Embolic Stroke in Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy.

Although atrial fibrillation (AF) is a well-known risk factor for embolic stroke in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), there is a paucity of information derived from HCM patients who have experienced embolic stroke. From 141 consecutive HCM patients who had been hospitalized between 2000 and 2018, the clinical characteristics and management of 86 patients with AF were analyzed retrospectively. The incidence of embolic stroke was 36% (n=31 patients).

Premature Onset Aortic Stenosis in Systemic Sclerosis: A Report of a Series of Cases.

Although cardiovascular involvement is a well-known complication correlated with a poor prognosis in patients with systemic sclerosis, there are few reports on valvular heart disease. Forty patients with systemic sclerosis were retrospectively analyzed. Valvular heart disease was found in six patients, five of whom had severe tri-leaflet aortic stenosis.

Unilateral cardiogenic pulmonary edema.

A 45-year-old man presented with fatigue for the previous two days. Because of severe hypoxemia and chest radiograph showing severe consolidation only in the right lung field, he was admitted to a near-by district hospital under the diagnosis of acute pneumonia. Since his respiratory condition rapidly deteriorated, he was transferred to our hospital.

Right ventricular mobile thrombus in end-stage hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

We report the first case of a mobile right ventricular apical thrombus in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy in the absence of right ventricular apical aneurysm. An 87-year-old man who had been diagnosed as having hypertrophic cardiomyopathy presented with gross peripheral edema and exertional dyspnea. He had been on warfarin, β-blockade, and diuretics.

Comparison of outcomes using the sirolimus-eluting stent in calcified versus non-calcified native coronary lesions in patients on- versus not on-chronic hemodialysis (from the j-Cypher registry).

The impact of lesion calcium on long-term outcomes after drug-eluting stent implantation has not been adequately addressed. In 10,595 patients (16,803 lesions) who were exclusively treated with sirolimus-eluting stents in the j-Cypher registry, 5-year outcomes were compared between patients with ≥1 lesion with moderate or severe calcification (the calcium group) and those with noncalcified lesions only (the noncalcium group). Analyses were stratified by hemodialysis (HD) status (non-HD stratum [calcium n = 3,191, noncalcium n = 6,824] and HD stratum [calcium n = 415, noncalcium n = 165]).

Endoscopic thermal ablation therapies for hepatocellular carcinoma: a multi-center study.

Aim: The differing efficacies of radiofrequency ablation and microwave coagulation for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are unknown. Therefore, we performed a multi-center study to assess the factors contributing to survival and local recurrences of HCC among patients with solitary tumors who underwent endoscopic thermal ablation as their primary treatment.

Methods: From six institutions, 391 patients with solitary HCC who were first treated by endoscopic thermal ablation were enrolled in this study and assessed retrospectively.

Does a late evening meal reduce the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma among patients with chronic hepatitis C?

Aim: Some studies have suggested that nutritional support might protect against the recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) among postoperative HCC patients. However, no epidemiological studies have evaluated the effect of nutritional support on HCC incidence. This study aimed to investigate the association between a late evening meal and HCC.

Mutational patterns of hepatitis B virus genome and clinical outcomes after emergence of drug-resistant variants during lamivudine therapy: analyses of the polymerase gene and full-length sequences.

It remains unclear whether mutational patterns of the hepatitis B virus (HBV) genome are associated with the development of severe hepatitis after the emergence of tyrosine-methionine-aspartate-aspartate (YMDD) variants during lamivudine treatment. Thirty patients with chronic hepatitis B who had YMDD variants during lamivudine therapy and were followed up subsequently while receiving lamivudine alone for at least 6 months were examined retrospectively. The lamivudine resistant mutations in the HBV polymerase gene were detected by a line probe assay, and the full-length sequences of HBV DNA were determined in some patients.

Lamivudine and IFN-beta sequential therapy in HBe antigen-positive patients with chronic hepatitis B virus genotype C infection.

Sequential treatment with lamivudine and interferon (IFN) has induced sustained biochemical and virologic responses in the majority of patients with chronic hepatitis B in France. However, the efficacy of sequential treatment in patients with chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) genotype C infection has not been evaluated. Twenty-four HBe antigen-positive patients were treated with 100 mg lamivudine alone for 16-32 weeks, then with both 6 MU IFN-beta and lamivudine for 4 weeks, and lastly with IFN-beta alone for 20 weeks.

Usefulness of noninvasive transient elastography for assessment of liver fibrosis stage in chronic hepatitis C.

Aim: To evaluate the method of noninvasive transient elastography for assessment of histological stage of liver fibrosis in patients with chronic hepatitis C (CHC).

Methods: Two hundred and thirty-seven patients with CHC were included in this study. Liver biopsy was performed under ultrasonography on 217 of the patients, excluding twenty with clear clinical evidence of liver cirrhosis.