Compatibility of hypokalaemia caused by low-dose prednisolone plus abiraterone acetate therapy for metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer.

Background: This study aimed to investigate the relationship between low-dose prednisolone (PSL) and the incidence of hypokalaemia at abiraterone acetate (abiraterone) plus PSL combination therapy targeting Japanese patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC).

Methods: This retrospective observational study included 153 Japanese patients treated with abiraterone and PSL for mCRPC at Kariya Toyota General Hospital and Gifu General Medical Center between September 2014 and October 2022. The incidence of grade ≥ 2 hypokalaemia as well as serum potassium level variations and the continuous combination therapy duration were compared between the low-dose (5 mg/day of PSL) and the standard-dose (10 mg/day of PSL) groups.

Successful pre-surgical treatment with carboplatin and gemcitabine chemotherapy for a patient with muscle-invasive bladder cancer and severe renal dysfunction.

Radical cystectomy is the standard treatment for muscle-invasive bladder cancer, and pre-surgical treatment can improve survival. Carboplatin and gemcitabine chemotherapy is considered an effective, safe treatment for patients ineligible for cisplatin-based chemotherapy owing to reduced renal function. However, there is limited evidence on pre-surgical treatment with carboplatin and gemcitabine chemotherapy with glomerular filtration rates < 30 mL/min.

Clinical outcomes and risk factors associated with drug-coated balloon treatment for femoropopliteal artery disease in patients on maintenance hemodialysis.

The effect of drug-coated balloons (DCB) on hemodialysis (HD) in patients with femoropopliteal (FP) disease remains uncertain. This study aimed to investigate the outcomes of DCB therapy in patients with FP artery disease on HD. A total of 185 patients with FP lesions (140 HD patients) who underwent DCB treatment were included in the study.

Two Cases of Exacerbation of Asthma during Treatment with Enfortumab Vedotin.

Enfortumab vedotin is an antibody-drug conjugate against nectin-4 that is recently being used in the management of patients with urothelial carcinoma. The common adverse events include rashes, peripheral neuropathy, and hyperglycemia. Only a few cases of associated respiratory symptoms have been reported.

Long-term outcomes of delayed clozapine initiation in treatment-resistant schizophrenia: a multicenter retrospective cohort study.

Background: Clozapine is the only antipsychotic medication with proven efficacy against treatment-resistant schizophrenia. This multicenter retrospective cohort study aimed to evaluate the impact of a delay in clozapine initiation on long-term outcomes.

Methods: Patients who initiated clozapine treatment between July 2009 and December 2018 were included in this study.

Association of resting left ventricular global longitudinal strain with myocardial perfusion abnormalities evaluated by N-ammonia positron emission tomography in patients with stable angina pectoris and normal left ventricular ejection fraction.

Aims: Little is known about whether resting left ventricular global longitudinal strain (GLS) impairment is associated with myocardial perfusion abnormalities evaluated using N-ammonia positron emission tomography ( N-NH -PET)-myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI). This study aimed to investigate the correlation between resting GLS and myocardial perfusion parameters in patients with a normal left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF). We evaluated whether resting GLS can predict myocardial perfusion abnormalities in these patients.

Fulminant Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus Caused by Long-Term Nivolumab Administration Followed by Nivolumab plus Cabozantinib Combination.

Nivolumab, an immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI), is now used to treat many advanced cancers, including non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and renal cancer. Immune-related adverse events are characteristic side effects of ICIs. Among them, fulminant type 1 diabetes mellitus is an infrequent but potentially life-threatening and clinically significant concern.

Comparison between biodegradable- and durable-polymer everolimus-eluting stents in hemodialysis patients with coronary artery disease.

To investigate the clinical outcomes after biodegradable-polymer (BP) and durable-polymer (DP) everolimus-eluting stent (EES) implantation in hemodialysis (HD) patients with coronary artery disease. We enrolled 221 consecutive HD patients successfully treated with EES implantation for coronary lesions. Over the following 2 years, we assessed the incidence of target lesion revascularization (TLR) and major adverse cardiac event (MACE), defined as the composite endpoint of TLR, all-cause mortality, or myocardial infarction.

Satisfaction Survey on Antipsychotic Formulations by Schizophrenia Patients in Japan.

Objective: To identify factors affecting adherence to medication, a subjective questionnaire survey was administered to schizophrenia patients regarding the prescribed antipsychotic formulations.

Methods: We evaluated the patients' satisfaction and dissatisfaction with prescribed antipsychotic formulations, and patients answered the Drug Attitude Inventory-10 Questionnaire (DAI-10). Inclusion criteria for patients are as follows: age between 20 and 75 years and taking antipsychotic agents containing the same ingredients and formulations, for at least 1 month.

A novel gene associated with small bowel bleeding in patients taking low-dose aspirin.

Objective: We have previously revealed the clinical factors and genetic polymorphisms associated with gastrointestinal mucosal injury and bleeding, induced by low-dose aspirin (LDA). After performing genome-wide analysis of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) using the Drug Metabolizing Enzymes and Transporters (DMET) system among drug metabolism and transporter genes, certain SNPs were found to increase the risk for LDA-induced small bowel bleeding. The aim of this study was to identify the SNPs involved in LDA-induced small bowel bleeding.

Outcomes after drug-coated balloon interventions for de novo coronary lesions in the patients on chronic hemodialysis.

The impact of drug-coated balloon (DCB) on hemodialysis (HD) patients with coronary lesions remains unclear. This study aimed to compare outcomes after DCB treatment between HD and non-HD patients with de novo coronary lesions. A total of 235 consecutive patients who electively underwent DCB treatment for de novo coronary lesions were included (HD group: n = 100; non-HD group: n = 135).

Impact of the Antithrombotic Effects of Prasugrel on Mid-Term Vascular Healing in Acute Coronary Syndrome vs. Stable Coronary Artery Disease.

Background: The impact of antiplatelet drug effects on mid-term local arterial responses following percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) remains uncertain. We evaluated the impact of the platelet reactivity of prasugrel on mid-term vascular healing between acute coronary syndrome (ACS) and stable coronary artery disease (CAD).

Methods and results: We conducted a prospective, 12-center study in 125 patients with ACS and 126 patients with stable CAD who underwent PCI with an everolimus-eluting stent (EES) and received dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) with prasugrel and aspirin.

Fentanyl compared to buprenorphine for atrial fibrillation ablation analgesia and sedation: a retrospective cross-sectional study.

Background: The effects of general anesthesia with deep sedation and conscious sedation have been compared for sedation management in the perioperative period for radiofrequency catheter ablation of the heart to treat atrial fibrillation. However, there is no consensus as to which drug to use for conscious sedation. This study aimed to investigate analgesic and sedative drugs suitable for perioperative ablation.

Long-term clinical outcomes after self-expandable bare nitinol stent implantation for femoropopliteal occlusive disease in hemodialysis patients.

Objectives: To compare the long-term clinical outcomes after self-expandable bare nitinol stent (BNS) implantation between hemodialysis (HD) and non-HD patients with femoropopliteal (FP) disease.

Background: Although a BNS has been commonly used in patients with FP disease, the long-term efficacy of BNSs in HD patients remains unknown.

Methods: In total, 427 HD patients treated with a BNS for FP disease were enrolled, along with 157 non-HD patients as a control group.

Impact of dual antiplatelet therapy with adjusted-dose prasugrel on mid-term vascular response in patients undergoing elective percutaneous coronary intervention with everolimus-eluting stents.

The impact of dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) with adjusted-dose (3.75 mg/day) prasugrel for Japanese patients has not been fully investigated in terms of local arterial healing following the elective percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). The ROUTE-01 elective study was a prospective, 12-center and single-arm registry that enrolled 123 patients who underwent elective PCI with everolimus-eluting stents (EESs) under DAPT with a combination of adjusted-dose prasugrel and aspirin.

Colonic endoscopic mucosal resection in patients taking anticoagulants: Is heparin bridging therapy necessary?

Objective: Heparin bridging therapy (HBT) reportedly increases the risk of post-procedural bleeding, and its safety during endoscopic interventions remains unclear. We aimed to evaluate the effects of peri-procedural HBT in patients taking anticoagulants who underwent colonic endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR) for polyps.

Methods: Patients who underwent colonic EMR while taking a single anticoagulant agent were enrolled in this study.

Long-term clinical outcomes after coronary artery bypass graft versus everolimus-eluting stent implantation in chronic hemodialysis patients.

Background: It remains controversial whether coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) or percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) should be optimized to treat coronary artery disease in patients on chronic hemodialysis (HD). Recently, further refinement of drug-eluting stents, such as the everolimus-eluting stent (EES), has led to marked development in this field. We compared long-term clinical outcomes after CABG versus PCI with EES implantation in patients on chronic HD.

Clinical Outcomes after Isolated Infrapopliteal Revascularization in Hemodialysis Patients with Critical Limb Ischemia: Endovascular Therapy versus Bypass Surgery.

Aim: To investigate the long-term clinical outcome of endovascular therapy (EVT) or bypass surgery in patients on hemodialysis (HD) with critical limb ischemia due to isolated infrapopliteal disease.

Methods: We enrolled 254 consecutive HD patients successfully undergoing infrapopliteal revascularization by EVT (126 patients) and bypass surgery (128 patients). They were followed up for five years.

Hypergastrinemia in Long-Term Use of Proton Pump Inhibitors.

Background/aim: The use of proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) is known to lead to hypergastrinemia; however, the data in patients with atrophic gastritis is still lacking. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of long-term PPIs use on the gastrin levels in patients with atrophic gastritis and to determine factors affecting hypergastrinemia in long-term users of PPIs.

Methods: Serum Helicobacter pylori IgG, gastrin and pepsinogen levels were measured.

The Association of Ankle Brachial Index, Protein-Energy Wasting, and Inflammation Status with Cardiovascular Mortality in Patients on Chronic Hemodialysis.

Protein-energy wasting (PEW) is highly prevalent in hemodialysis (HD) patients. We investigated the association of abnormal ankle brachial index (ABI), PEW, and chronic inflammation status with clinical prognosis in HD patients. A total of 973 HD patients were enrolled and were followed-up for 8 years.

Reverse association of omega-3/omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids ratios with carotid atherosclerosis in patients on hemodialysis.

Background And Aims: Omega-3 (n-3) polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) are widely recognized to have beneficial effects against cardiovascular disease. We investigated the association of n-3 PUFAs levels with carotid atherosclerosis in patients on hemodialysis (HD), who are at high risk for cardiovascular events.

Methods: Carotid ultra-sound was performed in a total of 461 patients on HD (male 67%, age 67 ± 12years, diabetes rate 46%).

Histopathological evaluation of the ocular-irritation potential of shampoos, make-up removers and cleansing foams in the bovine corneal opacity and permeability assay.

The bovine corneal opacity and permeability (BCOP) assay is an alternative method to the in vivo Draize eye test in rabbits for evaluating eye irritation in vitro. Here, we compared the numerical results of the BCOP assay with the corresponding histopathology for three different corneas for each test substance, including commercially available shampoos, make-up removers and cleansing foams that contained surfactants and other ingredients. The histopathological score was defined based on the severity of lesions in the corneal epithelium.