Publications by authors named "Toshiyuki Ota"

Objectives: The early diagnosis of seronegative rheumatoid arthritis (SNRA), characterised by the absence of rheumatoid factor and anti-citrullinated antibody, involves a greater challenge compared to seropositive RA (SPRA). This study aimed to assess the discriminatory potential of anti-human IgG hinge antibodies (AHAs) for patients with early SNRA.

Methods: DMARDs-naive patients with SPRA (n=43), SNRA (n=21), and non-RA (n=49), with disease duration < 2 years, were included.

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Article Synopsis
  • The study aimed to categorize patients with adult-onset Still's disease (AOSD) and analyze differences in their prognosis based on various factors.
  • A total of 153 patients were grouped into four clusters using characteristics like age, sex, clinical features, and lab results, revealing distinct profiles and outcomes for each group.
  • Patients in Cluster 4, who were older and had more complications, showed the lowest survival rates and drug-free remission compared to the other clusters, indicating varying severities of AOSD.
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We herein report a case of systemic sclerosis (SSc)-related pericarditis successfully treated with mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) and low-dose prednisolone (PSL). The patient was a 72-year-old woman with anti-centromere antibody. Her clinical manifestations were Raynaud phenomenon, bilateral pleural effusion, pericardial effusion and skin tightness.

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Article Synopsis
  • - The study aimed to determine how well severity classification predicts outcomes in patients with adult-onset Still's disease (AOSD) during initial treatment.
  • - Researchers categorized AOSD patients into mild, moderate, and severe groups and compared clinical features, finding that severe cases had more complications and lower rates of drug-free remission.
  • - Although survival rates were similar across groups, four of the five fatalities occurred in the severe category, suggesting that severity classification can be helpful for predicting AOSD outcomes.
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Objectives: To clarify the characteristics of patients with elderly-onset Adult-onset Still's disease (AOSD).

Methods: Patients were classified into elderly-onset (>60 years: 47 patients) and younger-onset (≤60 years: 95 patients) groups according to their age at diagnosis of AOSD. Clinical features, treatments, and prognosis were compared between the elderly-onset and younger-onset groups.

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Background: Pepsin agglutinators, discovered over 50 years ago, have been recently referred to as anti-hinge antibodies (AHAs) because of their reaction with the IgG hinge epitope. AHAs have different reactivity for each hinge epitope generated by each protease that cleaves the hinge region at different sites. Moreover, AHAs have different reactivity against different hinge epitopes derived from each IgG subclass even when the same protease is used.

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Background: Heme oxygenase (HO)-1 is a heme-degrading enzyme highly expressed in monocyte/macrophage, serum levels of which may be promising biomarker for adult-onset Still's disease (AOSD). We here report data on the use of serum ferritin and HO-1 levels in AOSD.

Methods: Under the Hypercytokinemia Study Group collaboration, we collected sera from a total of 145 AOSD patients.

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Background: Currently, although several categories of biological disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (bDMARDs) are available, there are few data informing selection of initial treatment for individual patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Therefore, tumor necrosis factor inhibitor (TNF-i) and tocilizumab (TCZ) are treated as equivalent treatments in the recent disease management recommendations. We focused on two anticytokine therapies, TCZ and TNF-i, and aimed to develop a scoring system that predicts a better treatment for each RA patient before starting an IL-6 or a TNF-i.

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Article Synopsis
  • A nationwide study in Japan in 2012 focused on monitoring the antibiotic resistance of bacterial pathogens responsible for respiratory infections in adult patients.
  • A total of 1,236 bacterial strains were tested, revealing high resistance rates, including 51.3% methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and concerning levels of antibiotic resistance in other bacteria like Klebsiella pneumoniae and Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
  • The findings highlight the importance of ongoing surveillance to understand and address the increasing resistance of bacterial respiratory pathogens to antimicrobial treatments.
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Objective: To develop enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for measurement of IgM antibody (anti-antibody) against human IgG antibody that is binding to antigen, to distinguish anti-antibody from other antiglobulins, e.g. rheumatoid factor (RF), and to search their localization of epitope on IgG molecule.

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A 24-year-old male presented with orogenital ulcers, folliculitis, and progressive painful skin ulcers with a raised inflammatory border. Colonoscopy revealed volcano-shaped intestinal ulcers in the ascending colon, and hence, he was diagnosed as intestinal Behçets disease (BD) with pyoderma gangrenosum (PG). Treatment with systemic glucocorticoids and adalimumab dramatically improved the patient's symptoms.

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A 17-year-old woman was previously diagnosed with autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) by liver biopsy. Adult-onset Still's disease (AOSD) was subsequently diagnosed on the basis of high fever, arthralgia, erythema, leukocytosis (>80% granulocytes), cervical lymph node swelling, splenomegaly, and hyperferritinemia. Her symptoms and liver dysfunction improved with prednisolone of 60 mg daily and subsequently methotrexate was added.

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Although the etiology of rheumatic diseases has not been elucidated, it seems to be involved in excessive autoimmune responses. In 1976, we began to research rheumatic diseases, especially rheumatoid arthritis. Anti-human immunoglobulin allotype antibodies in Japanese sera were collected from blood donors or patients by hemagglutination and the hemagglutination inhibition method using anti-D sensitized erythrocytes.

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Objective: The efficacy of biologics in treating adult Still's disease (ASD) is suggested, but the information is still lacking and the validation is insufficient. To determine the efficacy of several biologic agents in refractory ASD in Japan, a multicenter survey was performed.

Method: Clinical data on 16 ASD patients who had been treated with at least 1 of the biological agents (total 24 occasions) were collected retrospectively.

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Musculoskeletal ultrasonography (MSUS) possessing grey-scale and Doppler mode has become an established imaging modality for the diagnosis and follow up of patients with rheumatic diseases. Among rheumatic diseases, rheumatoid arthritis (RA) has been recognized as a good disorder to examine the joint inflammation as known synovitis. Early diagnosis and therapeutic intervention have given good outcomes to patients with RA.

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The medical insurance system in Japan has been focusing on how to reduce the annual increases in medical expenses. In this context, the circumstances in the laboratory department in large hospitals have been growing more strict. Therefore, medical staff working in large hospitals need to know how to reduce the expenditure consumed in laboratory tests.

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For the purpose of nationwide surveillance of the antimicrobial susceptibility of bacterial respiratory pathogens collected from patients in Japan, the Japanese Society of Chemotherapy conducted a third year of nationwide surveillance during the period from January to April 2008. A total of 1,097 strains were collected from clinical specimens obtained from well-diagnosed adult patients with respiratory tract infections. Susceptibility testing was evaluable with 987 strains (189 Staphylococcus aureus, 211 Streptococcus pneumoniae, 6 Streptococcus pyogenes, 187 Haemophilus influenzae, 106 Moraxella catarrhalis, 126 Klebsiella pneumoniae, and 162 Pseudomonas aeruginosa).

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Background: Precise evaluation of the aortic root geometry prior to transcatheter aortic valve implantation is important for procedural success in patients with aortic stenosis (AS). To determine the potential for 3-dimensional transesophageal echocardiography (3DTEE), the aims of the present study were: (1) to assess the accuracy of 3DTEE measurements of the aortic root using multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) as a reference, and (2) to examine whether aortic root geometry differs between patients with and without AS.

Methods And Results:   3DTEE and contrast-enhanced MDCT were performed in 35 patients.

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Background: Aging and westernization of lifestyle has accelerated the prevalence and severity of atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases in the Japanese population. The aim of this study was to examine the prevalence of complex plaque formation in the descending thoracic aorta (DTA) as assessed by real-time 3-dimensional transesophageal echocardiography (3DTEE) and its relation to clinical factors.

Methods And Results: A prospective analysis of atherosclerotic plaque in the DTA of 350 consecutive patients who were clinically indicated for real-time 3DTEE was performed.

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Background: Mitral inflow patterns reflect not only left ventricular diastolic function but also left atrial (LA) remodeling. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of left ventricular diastolic dysfunction on LA volumetric and functional parameters assessed using two-dimensional speckle-tracking echocardiography.

Methods: Two-dimensional speckle-tracking analysis of the LA wall in the apical four-chamber view was performed in 268 subjects.

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To compare magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and ultrasonography (US) in the detection of joint inflammation of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), 6 patients with RA were examined by US and low-field 0.3-T nonenhanced dedicated extremity MRI (compacTscan). All patients were females, with mean age of 50.

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With the aging of the Japanese population, an increase in the number of elderly patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) has been noted in recent years. Although rheumatoid factor (RF) is found in a high proportion of RA patients, it is also known to be present in non-rheumatoid patients. However, no studies have investigated the rate of RF positivity in elderly non-rheumatoid individuals.

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The recent clinical practices for rheumatoid arthritis have changed greatly. First, biologic agents such as tumor necrosis factor blocker have been developed as well as disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs, with great efficacy in intractable RA. On the other hand, the importance of early effective therapeutic intervention has been recognized since early treatment prevents the progression of joint damage.

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