Anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-associated vasculitis, large vessel vasculitis and Kawasaki disease in Japan.

Based on studies comparing the prevalence of anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis (AAV) between Japan and Europe, we have learned that the difference may be due to genetic background and environmental factors, but not to diagnosis or ELISA system for myeloperoxidase and proteinase-3 ANCA. In Japan, microscopic polyangiitis is the most common among AAV, but Wegener's granulomatosis was present in less than 2 per million patients. Also, one study from Hokkaido reported only 16 patients in a 27-year time frame.

Antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies against myeloperoxidase, proteinase 3, elastase, cathepsin G and lactoferrin in Japanese patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

Antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (ANCAs) against myeloperoxidase (MPO), proteinase 3 (PR-3), lactoferrin (LF), cathepsin G (CG) and elastase (EL) were determined to investigate whether the presence of ANCAs is closely related to extra-articular manifestations in Japanese patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Antibodies against MPO, PR-3, LF, CG and EL were determined in sera from 125 patients with RA and 83 sera from patients with other rheumatic diseases by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Clinical manifestations and laboratory parameters of the patients were studied from medical records.

[Limbic encephalitis caused by herpes simplex virus infection after vaccination against the influenza virus].

Various causative factors, including viral infection, autoimmunity, and paraneoplasia, are considered to be involved in the pathomechanism of limbic encephalitis. We encountered a patient who developed limbic encephalitis after vaccination against the influenza virus. In Japan, an influenza epidemic occurs every winter, and vaccination against the influenza virus is recommended.

Eradication of Helicobacter pylori in hemodialysis patients.

Background: Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) are a causative agent of digestive disease. Although a proton pump inhibitor combined with amoxicillin-clarithromycin is the accepted drug treatment for H.

Case reports and literature review: the association between reactivation of human herpes virus-6 and peripheral white blood cell count in patients with carbamazepine-induced hypersensitivity syndrome.

Eruptions induced by anticonvulsants can often be experienced clinically, and the clinical diagnosis of "drug induced hypersensitivity syndrome (HS)" was proposed to characterize these drug eruptions. Reactivation of human herpes virus-6 seems to be an integral component of HS. Previously, we experienced two cases of carbamazepine (an anticonvulsant) induced HS and both cases did not show a reactivation of human herpes virus-6 infection (no elevation of anti-human herpes virus-6 IgG titres).

Second-line treatment for Helicobacter pylori infection in Japan: proton pump inhibitor-based amoxicillin and metronidazole regimen.

Background: Recent studies have reported that proton pump inhibitor (PPI)/amoxicillin (A) metronidazole (M) therapy for Helicobacter pylori infection provides a sufficient cure rate in Japan in patients who have failed first-line treatment with PPI/amoxicillin and clarithromycin (AC). To validate the efficacy of this regimen as second-line therapy, our experience with second-line treatment using a PPI/AM regimen was reviewed.

Methods: We analyzed data on 151 patients who had been prescribed a 10-day PPI/AM re-treatment regimen after eradication failure of 1 to 2 weeks' first-line PPI/AC therapy.

Haloperidol plasma concentration in Japanese psychiatric subjects with gene duplication of CYP2D6.

Aims: The cytochrome P-450 2D6 (CYP2D6) gene duplication/multiduplication producing an increase in enzyme activity, and the common Japanese mutation, CYP2D6*10A producing a decrease of enzyme activity were screened in a large number of Japanese psychiatric subjects (n = 111) in order to investigate whether these mutated alleles affected the plasma concentration of haloperidol.

Methods: Polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) method was performed to identify the CYP2D6*10A and CYP2D6*2 genotypes in subjects who had been taking haloperidol. For the screening of duplicated active CYP2D6 gene, allele-specific long PCR was performed.

Repeated cocaine administration differentially affects NMDA receptor subunit (NR1, NR2A-C) mRNAs in rat brain.

We investigated the effects of intermittent intraperitoneal (i.p.) injections of cocaine (20 mg/kg) on subunit mRNAs of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors (NR1/NR2A-2C) in the rat brain by in situ hybridization using phosphor screen analysis.