Multicenter investigation of the incidence of inferior vena cava filter fracture.

Purpose: Inferior vena cava filter fracture (FF) may cause life-threatening complications, including cardiac tamponade, although the actual prevalence remains unclear. Therefore, we investigated the incidence of FF.

Materials And Methods: Data on fracture incidence with filter brands, filter positions [suprarenal (SR) vs.

Atrophy of the parahippocampal gyrus is prominent in heart failure patients without dementia.

Aims: The exacerbation of heart failure (HF) induces brain damage and cognitive impairment (CI), which frequently attenuates the effects of treatment. However, it is not clear whether HF patients without clinical dementia demonstrate increased risk of CI. We examined whether local atrophy in the parahippocampal gyrus, a potential predictor of CI, is prominent in HF patients without clinical dementia.

Multidetector-row computed tomography-based clinical assessment of fondaparinux for treatment of acute pulmonary embolism and acute deep vein thrombosis in Japanese patients.

Background: Unfractionated heparin (UFH) is the standard drug for the initial treatment of pulmonary embolism (PE) and deep vein thrombosis (DVT) in Japan, whereas fondaparinux is the standard drug in Europe and the United States. Here, we examine the efficacy and safety of fondaparinux in Japanese patients.

Methods And Results: In 2 randomized, open-label, multicenter studies, 80 Japanese patients with acute PE or DVT received either subcutaneous fondaparinux or intravenous UFH as a non-comparative reference, in a 3:1 ratio, for 5-10 days.

Effects of long-acting beraprost sodium (TRK-100STP) in Japanese patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension.

The long-acting beraprost preparation TRK-100STP is formulated to provide sustained release of an orally active prostacyclin derivative to maintain the optimal plasma concentration for a longer period of time compared with the currently used conventional beraprost sodium. In the present study, we evaluated the efficacy of this newly developed formulation for pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH).An open-label, 12-week multicenter clinical trial was performed in 46 patients with PAH.

Acute pulmonary embolism after an earthquake in Japan.

There have been no reports on acute pulmonary embolism (APE) after earthquakes. Our aim was to clarify the actual the occurrence of APE following the 2004 Mid Niigata Prefecture earthquake in Japan, and to assess the risk factors for APE after the event. We sent questionnaires to 122 hospitals in the Niigata Prefecture after the earthquake.

Diagnostic and therapeutic strategy for acute pulmonary thromboembolism.

Background: The diagnostic and therapeutic strategy for acute pulmonary thromboembolism (APTE) was published by the Japanese Circulation Society. But in Japan, there has been no report on how to improve the pre-test probability in APTE-suspected cases, to determine a practically available diagnostic strategy, nor has been a report that compares diagnostic methods and therapies for APTE by decision analysis.

Methods And Results: APTE was found in 66.

Risk factors of acute pulmonary thromboembolism in Japanese patients hospitalized for medical illness: results of a multicenter registry in the Japanese society of pulmonary embolism research.

Background: Although the prophylaxis of acute pulmonary thromboembolism (APTE) in hospitalized patients has been improving in Japan, there is no report concerning APTE of Japanese medical patients. Therefore, the present study was designed to investigate the characteristics of APTE in Japanese patients hospitalized for medical illness, through a retrospective study.

Methods: In a total of 1,438 registry patients with pulmonary thromboembolism for recent 10 years, 1,027 patients with APTE were analyzed with respect to underlying diseases or predisposing factors, and clinical course.

Clinical characteristics, diagnosis and management of patients with pulmonary thromboembolism who are not diagnosed in the acute phase and not classified as chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension.

Background: There have been many cases of pulmonary thromboembolism (PTE) that were not diagnosed in the acute phase and not classified as chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH). The aim of the present study was clarify the clinical characteristics of chronic PTE.

Methods And Results: The study subjects were 601 patients (chronic PTE = 92, acute PTE = 456, CTEPH = 53) who were clinically diagnosed before their death.

Descriptive patterns of severe chronic pulmonary hypertension by chest radiography.

Background: To find chest roentgenographic (CXR) features to help differentiate two representative diseases with severe chronic pulmonary hypertension (PH).

Study Subjects: Thirty-six consecutive patients with chronic thromboembolic PH (CTEPH), 38 with primary PH (PPH), and 37 with left heart disease and PH.

Methods: CXRs were reviewed about 6 features (left 2nd arc protrusion, right descending pulmonary artery diameter (rPAD), cardiothoracic ratio (CTR), right 2nd arc width, avascular area and pleural abnormality).

Effectiveness and safety of the thrombolytic therapy for acute pulmonary thromboembolism: results of a multicenter registry in the Japanese Society of Pulmonary Embolism Research.

Objective: To assess the effectiveness and safety of thrombolytic treatment for acute pulmonary thromboembolism (APTE), especially in the hemodynamically stable patients with right ventricular afterload stress.

Methods And Results: In a total of 221 patients with APTE, the association between thrombolytic treatment and the clinical outcomes were investigated. Thrombolysis was given to 121 patients (Thrombolytic Group), and the remaining 100 patients were treated with anticoagulation alone (Anticoagulation Group).

Effects of the endothelin receptor antagonist bosentan on hemodynamics, symptoms and functional capacity in Japanese patients with severe pulmonary hypertension.

Background: Endothelin (ET)-1 has a pathogenic role in pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). Recent clinical studies carried out in Western populations showed that blockade of the ET receptors by bosentan improves pulmonary hemodynamics and exercise capacity. In the present study, the efficacy of bosentan was assessed in Japanese patients with PAH.

Inferior vena cava filter is a new additional therapeutic option to reduce mortality from acute pulmonary embolism.

Background: There are few reports that examine the current imaging and management techniques according to the severity of acute pulmonary embolism (APE) or that clarify whether the management strategy ameliorated the mortality from APE.

Methods And Results: The study group were 456 patients with APE who were clinically diagnosed before their death. The severity at diagnosis, and the imaging and management techniques were analyzed.

Recent developments in diagnostic imaging techniques and management for acute pulmonary embolism: multicenter registry by the Japanese Society of Pulmonary Embolism Research.

Objective: There are many reports on the diagnosis and management of acute pulmonary embolism (APE), but there have been no investigations concerning the actual conditions in which recent developments in diagnostic imaging techniques and therapies have been applied in clinical practice. The present study was designed to investigate the changes in diagnostic imaging techniques and therapies for APE.

Methods And Patients: Three hundred and nine APE patients diagnosed during January 1994-October 1997 (Group 1) were compared with 257 APE patients diagnosed during November 1997-October 2000 (Group 2) in terms of the diagnostic imaging techniques and therapies for APE.

Incidence and clinical characteristics of chronic pulmonary thromboembolism in Japan compared with acute pulmonary thromboembolism: results of a multicenter registry of the Japanese Society of Pulmonary Embolism Research.

The incidence of acute pulmonary thromboembolism (APTE) in Japan is quoted as being extremely low compared with the United States, and the incidence and clinical characteristics of chronic pulmonary thromboembolism (CPTE) in Japan is unknown, so this study investigated these aspects of CPTE in 309 patients with APTE and 68 patients with CPTE. The ratio of the incidence of CPTE to APTE was 0.22 and there was no significant difference in age or sex between the APTE and CPTE patients.