Immunotherapy Following Anaplastic Lymphoma Kinase Inhibitor Therapy for Patients with Anaplastic Lymphoma Kinase‑Positive Non‑small Cell Lung Cancer in Japan.

Background: Although anaplastic lymphoma kinase inhibitors (ALKis) are the effective initial treatment for patients with anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK)-positive non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), most patients experience resistance to ALKis, leading to the need for alternative therapies. Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) are a standard NSCLC treatment. On the other hand, their efficacy remains unclear for ALK-positive NSCLC.

Real world treatment patterns in patients with eosinophilic esophagitis in Japan.

The management of eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) has not been completely established yet. There is a controversy over the universal maintenance therapy for EoE to prevent esophageal fibrostenotic complications. Using an employer-based insurance claim database from January 2005 to September 2022, we investigated the treatment patterns of EoE and the occurrence of esophageal complications.

Immunotherapy and Overall Survival Among Patients With Advanced Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer and Obesity.

Importance: The association between obesity and response to cancer treatment and survival remains unclear, with conflicting findings from various studies. The optimal choice between conventional chemotherapy and immunotherapy for first-line treatment remains uncertain in patients with obesity who potentially have an inadequate therapeutic response to immunotherapy.

Objective: To investigate whether body mass index (BMI) modifies the association of immunotherapy or conventional therapy with overall survival in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (aNSCLC).

Incidence and risk factors for coronavirus disease 2019-associated pulmonary aspergillosis using administrative claims data.

Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)-associated pulmonary aspergillosis (CAPA) is one of the noticeable complications of COVID-19 and its incidence varies widely. In Japan, research on the incidence, risk factors and mortality associated with CAPA is limited.

Objectives: This study aimed to explore the incidence and potential risk factors for CAPA in patients with severe or critical COVID-19 and evaluate the relationship between CAPA and mortality of patients with severe or critical COVID-19.

Incidence and potential risk factors of human cytomegalovirus infection in patients with severe and critical coronavirus disease 2019.

Background: Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) infection occurs in immunosuppressed individuals and is known to increase mortality. Patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) are often treated with steroids, require intensive care unit (ICU) treatment, and may therefore be at risk for HCMV infection. However, which factors predispose severely ill patients with COVID-19 to HCMV infection and the prognostic value of such infections remain largely unexplored.

Evaluating the association of body mass index with COVID-19 severity and mortality using Japanese administrative claims data.

Introduction: Obesity is a risk factor for aggravation of and mortality from coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). We aimed to investigate the relationship between COVID-19 and Body Mass Index (BMI) in the Japanese population.

Methods: We used administrative claims data from an advanced treatment hospital in Japan and extracted data from patients hospitalized for COVID-19.

Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor Is Associated with Improved Survival in Advanced Non-small Cell Lung Cancer Occurring in Patients with Autoimmune Disease.

The use of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) has revolutionized the treatment of advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, clinical trials often exclude those with a history of autoimmune diseases (ADs) because of concerns regarding immune-related adverse events. Therefore, the efficacy of ICIs in advanced NSCLC patients with ADs should be evaluated.

Seasonal variations for newly prescribed urate-lowering drugs for asymptomatic hyperuricemia and gout in Japan.

Urate-lowering drugs (ULDs) have been approved for treatment of asymptomatic hyperuricemia and gout in Japan. Although serum urate levels and rates of gout onset are known to have seasonal variations, no survey results regarding the seasonality of ULD prescriptions for asymptomatic hyperuricemia and gout have been reported. A large-scale database of medical claims in Japan filed between January 2019 and December 2022 was accessed.

Treatment sequencing after failure to alectinib in patients with anaplastic lymphoma kinase-positive non-small-cell lung cancer.

Alectinib is the first-line therapy for anaplastic lymphoma kinase-positive non-small-cell lung cancer. Although some guidelines have recommended using other anaplastic lymphoma kinase inhibitors after alectinib failure, evidence for such regimens in patients who fail to respond to alectinib is limited. This study involved using administrative claims data from acute care hospitals in Japan.

Association of plasma xanthine oxidoreductase activity with vascular endothelial function independent of serum uric acid level: MedCity21 health examination registry.

Background: Xanthine oxidoreductase (XOR) inhibitor administration, known to reduce uric acid and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, also improves vascular endothelial function (VEF). This cross-sectional study examined our hypothesis that XOR contributes to impaired VEF through ROS but not uric acid production.

Methods: In 395 subjects (196 males, 199 females) without urate-lowering agent administration who underwent a health examination, plasma XOR activity was determined using our highly sensitive assay based on [C,N] xanthine and liquid chromatography/triple quadrupole mass spectrometry.

Inflammation Related to Association of Low Uric Acid and Progression to Severe Disease in Patients Hospitalized for Non-Severe Coronavirus Disease 2019.

Uric acid has antioxidant properties. To examine whether a low uric acid level is associated with severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) progression via inflammation, alveolar damage, and/or coagulation abnormality, a retrospective observational study of 488 patients with non-severe COVID-19 and serum uric acid level ≤7 mg/dL at admission was conducted. Serum C-reactive protein (CRP), serum Krebs von den Lungen 6 (KL-6), and plasma D-dimer levels were also measured as markers of inflammation, alveolar damage, and coagulation abnormality, respectively.

Reduced Risk of Progression from Non-Severe to Severe COVID-19 in Hospitalized Dialysis Patients by Full COVID-19 Vaccination.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination reduces the risk of progression to severe COVID-19 in the general population. To examine that preventive effect in dialysis patients, the association of vaccination status with severe COVID-19 progression was investigated in this retrospective observational study conducted from December 2020 to May 2022 of 100 such patients hospitalized for non-severe COVID-19 at Inoue Hospital (Suita, Japan). Fifty-seven were fully vaccinated, defined as receiving a COVID-19 vaccine second dose at least 14 days prior to the onset of COVID-19, while 43 were not.