Investigation of treatment continuity, usefulness, and nocebo effect in switching from the original etanercept to its biosimilar in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: A JET observational study in Japanese clinical practice.

Objectives: To assess the usefulness and onset of nocebo effects after switching from the original etanercept (ETN) to a biosimilar (BS) in routine clinical practice at rheumatology clinics in Japan (13 sites).

Methods: A total of 165 patients (87.0% women, age = 57.

Comparison of the effects of pre-dilution and post-dilution online hemodiafiltration on the levels of inflammatory markers, lymphocytes, and platelets.

Online hemodiafiltration (OL-HDF) is a blood purification therapy based on diffusion and ultrafiltration and is classified into two types according to the mode of addition of the substitution fluid: pre-dilution OL-HDF (pre-HDF) and post-dilution OL-HDF (post-HDF); we previously reported that pre-HDF is more biocompatible. However, we used lower blood and substitution flow rates in that study and may not have accurately simulated the treatment conditions used in Europe. In this study, we compared the biocompatibilities of the treatment conditions of pre-HDF, commonly used in Japan, and post-HDF, commonly used in Europe, to determine the most biocompatible treatment conditions.

Successful laparoscopy-assisted repair of a rectovaginal fistula after low anterior resection for rectal cancer: a report of two cases.

Background: Rectovaginal fistula (RVF) after low anterior resection for rectal cancer is troublesome and refractory. Although various surgical procedures have been previously described, no definitive procedure has shown a satisfactory outcome. We present two consecutive Japanese patients who underwent successful surgery for an RVF after low anterior resection.

Real-World Outcomes of Treating Advanced Breast Cancer Patients With Palbociclib: A Multicenter Retrospective Cohort Study in Japan-The KBCOG-14 Study.

Background: Clinical studies have shown that palbociclib improves progression-free survival in hormone receptor-positive (HR+), human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-negative (HER2-) patients with advanced breast cancer (ABC). However, there are insufficient data on its use in a real-world setting in Japan. The aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness, predictive factors, and safety of palbociclib among Japanese patients in routine clinical practice.

DNA analysis of benign adult familial myoclonic epilepsy reveals associations between the pathogenic TTTCA repeat insertion in SAMD12 and the nonpathogenic TTTTA repeat expansion in TNRC6A.

Benign adult familial myoclonic epilepsy (BAFME) is an autosomal dominant disease characterized by adult-onset tremulous hand movement, myoclonus, and infrequent epileptic seizures. Recently, intronic expansion of unstable TTTCA/TTTTA pentanucleotide repeats in SAMD12, TNRC6A, or RAPGEF2 was identified as pathological mutations in Japanese BAFME pedigrees. To confirm these mutations, we performed a genetic analysis on 12 Japanese BAFME pedigrees.

Evaluation of low-volume post-dilution online hemodiafiltration with Japanese high-performance hemodiafilters.

Purpose: To assess the removal performance of low-volume post-hemodiafiltration (HDF) with Japanese hemodiafilters and the removal performance with 20 % reduction in the total dialysate flow rate (Qtotal).

Methods: Subjects were 8 patients undergoing pre-HDF. Study 1: Post-HDF was performed at a blood flow rate (Q) of 250 mL/min and a total volume of substitution fluid (Vs) of 12 L/session(s) for 4 hrs using Fineflux-210Seco (FIX), ABH-21PA (ABH), and NVF-21H (NVF).

Therapeutic effect of high-efficiency online hemodiafiltration for recurrent restless legs syndrome in dialysis patients.

Two dialysis patients developed recurrent restless legs syndrome. The clinical courses and the association between the α-microglobulin removal rate and the therapeutic effects of hemodiafiltration were analyzed. Case 1: a middle-aged woman was switched from predilution online hemodiafiltration to hemodialysis, following which the α-microglobulin removal rate decreased from 39.

Effectiveness and safety of surgical glove compression therapy as a prophylactic method against nanoparticle albumin-bound-paclitaxel-induced peripheral neuropathy.

Background: We have developed a surgical glove (SG)-compression therapy and reported that this method significantly reduced the overall occurrence of grade 2 or higher nanoparticle albumin-bound-paclitaxel (nab-PTX)-induced peripheral neuropathy (PN) from 76.1% to 21.4%.

Immunogenicity and safety of the diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus and inactivated poliovirus vaccine when co-administered with the human rotavirus vaccine (Rotarix) in healthy Japanese infants: a phase IV randomized study.

Rotavirus infections have been reported to account for 40-50% of all hospitalized acute gastroenteritis cases in young children (<5 years) in Japan. Since 2011, Rotarix containing the live attenuated human rotavirus RIX4414 strain (HRV) has been licensed in Japan for infants. Vaccination against rotavirus is optional in Japan whereas administration of diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus, and inactivated poliovirus (DPT-IPV) vaccine is part of the national routine immunization program.

Current approaches to middle molecule removal: room for innovation.

Aggressive removal of middle molecules or larger low-molecular-weight proteins (LMWPs) has been a growing concern following studies on their harmful effects on the mortality and morbidity of chronic dialysis patients. To remove larger LMWPs and some protein-bound uremic toxins (PBUTs), high- and medium-cutoff (HCOs and MCOs, respectively) membranes, convective therapy and protein adsorptive membranes are available. When we use HCO or MCO membranes for convective therapy, we have to take care to avoid massive albumin leakage during a dialysis session.

Successful Switch to Golimumab for Eosinophilia and Skin Symptoms Related to Multiple Biologics in a Patient with Rheumatoid Arthritis.

Biologics used in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) rarely cause eosinophilia. We herein report a patient with RA being treated with infliximab, adalimumab, and tocilizumab who developed eosinophilia with skin symptoms. Interestingly, the marked eosinophilia and skin symptoms did not reappear after the patient's medication was switched to golimumab.

Assessment of 2012 EULAR/ACR new classification criteria for polymyalgia rheumatica in Japanese patients diagnosed using Bird's criteria.

Aim: The 2012 European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR)/American College of Rheumatology (ACR) classification criteria for polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) were published in 2012. The present study aimed to assess the 2012 EULAR/ACR classification criteria for PMR in Japanese patients diagnosed with PMR using Bird's criteria.

Methods: The study included 75 patients diagnosed using Bird's criteria.

Body mass index and menopausal disorders during menopause affect vasomotor symptoms of postmenopausal Japanese breast cancer patients treated with anastrozole: a prospective multicenter cohort study of patient-reported outcomes.

Background: Adverse events related to endocrine therapies have a major impact not only on patients' quality of life but also on treatment discontinuation. Although vasomotor symptoms induced by aromatase inhibitors are frequently recognized, risk factors, especially for Japanese women, are not well reported. To identify risk factors for vasomotor symptoms of Japanese breast cancer patients treated with adjuvant anastrozole, we conducted a prospective cohort study based on patient-reported outcomes (PROs).

Evaluation of the effect of compression therapy using surgical gloves on nanoparticle albumin-bound paclitaxel-induced peripheral neuropathy: a phase II multicenter study by the Kamigata Breast Cancer Study Group.

Purpose: To investigate the efficacy of using surgical glove (SG) compression therapy to prevent nanoparticle albumin-bound paclitaxel (nab-PTX)-induced peripheral neuropathy.

Patients And Methods: Patients with primary and recurrent breast cancer who received 260 mg/m of nab-PTX were eligible for this case-control study. Patients wore two SGs of the same size, i.

Risk factors for joint symptoms in postmenopausal Japanese breast cancer patients treated with anastrozole: a prospective multicenter cohort study of patient-reported outcomes.

Background: Endocrine treatment-related adverse events have a strong impact on patients' quality of life and sometimes result in treatment discontinuation. Since joint symptoms are the most frequently recognized side effect of aromatase inhibitors, evaluation of associated risk factors may yield significant findings.

Patients And Methods: A total of 391 postmenopausal Japanese women with estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer and treated with adjuvant anastrozole were enrolled from 28 centers for assessment of patient-reported outcomes (PROs) in this prospective cohort study (SAVS-JP, UMIN000002455).

Clinical effect of pre-dilution hemodiafiltration based on the permeation of the hemodiafilter.

The removal characteristics of on-line pre-dilution hemodiafiltration (HDF) were compared with those of hemodialysis using so-called 'super high-flux' or 'class V' dialyzers. A strong correlation between the reduction rate (RR) of α1-microglobulin (MG) and relief of clinical symptoms was found. The treatment conditions, including flow rates as well as selection of diafilter performance, were determined in consideration of the target symptoms to be removed and the target RR of α1-MG or, alternately, the albumin loss.

Rapid decrease in salivary epidermal growth factor levels in patients with Sjögren's syndrome: A 3-year follow-up study.

Objectives: To assess changes in salivary epidermal growth factor (EGF) levels within three years and investigate the correlation between these changes and the severity of intraoral manifestations in patients with Sjögren's syndrome (SS).

Methods: Twenty-three SS patients (14 primary SS and 9 secondary SS) and 14 controls were followed up for three years. Salivary EGF concentration was measured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and intraoral manifestations were evaluated using a short version of the Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP-14).

Biomarkers for evaluation of clinical outcomes of hemodiafiltration.

β2-Microglobulin (β2-MG) is the substance that causes dialysis amyloidosis, and its predialysis value is useful for evaluating the quality of dialysis therapy itself. In addition, β2-MG is also an important biomarker for evaluating the removal performance of hemodialysis and hemodiafiltration (HDF). However, since β2-MG has a molecular weight of 11.

Comparison of the effects of predilution and postdilution hemodiafiltration on neutrophils, lymphocytes and platelets.

Numerous studies have been carried out to investigate the solute removal efficiency of hemodiafiltration (HDF). However, the effect of the dilution mode on blood cell damage during HDF has not yet been examined in detail. Here, we compared predilution and postdilution HDF with respect to their effects on blood cells.