Characterising end-of-life decision-making of life-sustaining treatment among Japanese nurses.

Background: Often, nurses are closer to end-of-life (EOL) patients than other medical professionals, due to the time they spend with them at their bedside, which leads them to understand patients' care goals.

Aims: To investigate the importance of EOL preferences by examining nurses' EOL decision-making regarding life-sustaining treatment (LST).

Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 559 self-reported questionnaires of Japanese nurses were examined.

Method to estimate relative risk using exposed proportion and case group data.

A change in risk of an event occurring, which is affected with a factor, is a common issue in many research fields, and relative risk is widely used because of intuitive interpretation. Estimating relative risk has required data from two follow-up groups and can thus be cost and time consuming. Subjects for whom an event occurred (case group) are often observed but generally analyzed in comparison to those for whom an event did not (control group); however, estimating relative risk using case group data without approximation is hindered.

Comparative effect of fixed-dose combination tablets of candesartan cilexetil/amlodipine versus olmesartan medoxomil/azelnidipine on laboratory parameters in patients with hypertension: a retrospective cohort study.

We conducted a retrospective cohort study to evaluate and compare the long-term effects of two single-pill fixed-dose combinations (FDCs), candesartan/amlodipine and olmesartan/azelnidipine, on laboratory parameters in patients in routine clinical practice. We identified an equal number of new users (n = 182) of a candesartan/amlodipine (8/5 mg/day) FDC tablet (CAN/AML users) and a propensity-score matched cohort (n = 182) receiving an olmesartan/azelnidipine (20/16 mg/day) FDC tablet (OLM/AZ users). Generalized estimating equations were used to estimate and compare the effects of the drugs on serum levels of creatinine, estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), uric acid, sodium, potassium, aspartate aminotransferase, and alanine aminotransferase levels up to 12 months after the start of study drug administration.

Ghrelin and leptin modulate immunity and liver function in overweight children.

Background: The rising prevalence of obesity represents a growing worldwide public health problem. Interactions of adipocytokines and low-grade systemic inflammation presently are considered important in the development of obesity, as well as associated chronic disease including bronchial asthma, obesity-related liver disease and type 2 diabetes mellitus. The purpose of the present study was to investigate metabolic, hormonal, immunologic and inflammatory factors in overweight children and to further clarify possible immunomodulatory effects of obesity-related hormones and cytokines.