Examination of evaluation indicators for spasticity in stroke patients using ultrasound imaging equipment.

[Purpose] To compare the muscle evaluation indices obtained by scanning the spastic muscles of stroke patients between the paretic and non-paretic sides using ultrasound imaging equipment, determine whether any features can be detected, and verify whether the evaluation indices that detect differences are valid for measuring the degree of spasticity. [Participants and Methods] The participants were 23 first-ever stroke patients with motor paralysis in one upper or lower limb, admitted to our hospital between 1 and 6 months after onset. The biceps brachii muscle and medial head of the gastrocnemius muscle were evaluated on both sides using ultrasound imaging equipment.

The First Japanese Case of Familial Hypercholesterolemia Caused by an APOE p.Leu167del Mutation: A Case Report.

We herein report the first Japanese case of familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) caused by a specific mutation in APOE (c.500_502delTCC [p.Leu167del]).

Effects of Longitudinal Changes in Anemia Status on Clinical Outcomes in Patients With Non-Valvular Atrial Fibrillation - Analysis From the Hokuriku-Plus AF Registry.

Background: Anemia, a common comorbidity in older patients with heart failure (HF) and atrial fibrillation (AF), is associated with an increased risk of adverse events. This study evaluated the prognostic effects of longitudinal changes in anemia status on clinical outcomes in patients with AF.

Methods And Results: We prospectively evaluated data of 1,388 patients with AF from the Hokuriku-Plus AF Registry (1,010 men; mean [±SD] age 72.

Coronary Artery and Carotid Artery Plaques in Patients With Heterozygous Familial Hypercholesterolemia.

Background: Little is known regarding the formation of coronary and carotid plaques and their impact on cardiovascular disease in patients with familial hypercholesterolemia (FH).

Objectives: This study aimed to determine: 1) if the development of coronary and carotid plaques is correlated; and 2) if these plaques are associated with major adverse cardiac events (MACEs) defined as cardiovascular-related death, unstable angina, myocardial infarction, or staged revascularization.

Methods: This was a retrospective review of 622 patients with heterozygous FH (HeFH) at Kanazawa University Hospital, assessed coronary and carotid plaque scores using coronary computed tomography and carotid ultrasound within 1 year.

The first Japanese case with familial combined hypolipidemia without any complications caused by loss-of function variants in : Case report.

Familial combined hypolipidemia, previously known as Familial hypobetalipoproteinemia 2 (FHBL2) is considered as an extremely rare recessive disease. Here, we present the case of familial combined hypolipidemia with homozygous loss-of function (LOF) variants in angiopoietin-like protein 3 () ((NM_014495.4) c.

Impact of changes in Achilles tendon thickening on cardiovascular events in patients with familial hypercholesterolemia.

Background: Achilles tendon thickening (ATT) can be ameliorated by lowering low-density lipoprotein (LDL) levels in patients with familial hypercholesterolemia (FH). The Japan Atherosclerosis Society (JAS) defines ATT as ≥8.0 mm in males and ≥7.

Ultrasound-assisted insertion of a small-diameter thoracic catheter for acute dorsal empyema.

Key Clinical Message: Ultrasound-assisted small catheter placement may be considered in cases where computed tomography guidance is unavailable, and ultrasound can identify pleural effusions clearly, even in cases where empyema is localized solely on the dorsal side.

Abstract: Thoracic catheter insertion for empyema can be challenging when the pleural effusion is localized dorsally and computed tomography guidance is unavailable. We report the case of a 40-year-old man with acute dorsal bacterial empyema who underwent successful ultrasound-assisted catheter placement in an orthopneic position.

Improved Efficiency of the Clinical Diagnostic Criteria for Familial Hypercholesterolemia in Children: A Comparison of the Japan Atherosclerosis Society Guidelines of 2017 and 2022.

Aims: Familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) is a genetic disorder characterized by elevated low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels, which increases the risk of premature coronary artery disease. Early detection and treatment are vital, especially in children. To improve FH diagnosis in children, the Japan Atherosclerosis Society (JAS) released new guidelines in July 2022.

Putative Pathogenic Variants of and of Sitosterolemia in Patients With Hyper-Low-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterolemia.

Objective: Sitosterolemia is a rare autosomal recessive disease caused by the deleterious variants of adenosine 5'-triphosphate (ATP)-binding cassette sub-family G member 5 () or ATP-binding cassette sub-family G member 8 (). There are only few data on the pathogenicity of and . This study aimed to propose a scheme for determining variant pathogenicity and to catalog the putative pathogenic variants in sitosterolemia.

Clinical Characteristics of Homozygous Familial Hypercholesterolemia in Japan: A Survey Using a National Database.

Background: The studies evaluating patients' characteristics and lipid-lowering therapy for patients with homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (HoFH) are scarce.

Objectives: This study aims to evaluate the characteristics of and treatments for patients with HoFH.

Methods: This study included 201 patients who were diagnosed with definite or probable HoFH from the National Database of the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour, and Welfare.

Validation of the 2022 Clinical Diagnostic Criteria of Familial Hypercholesterolemia in Japan.

Aim: In 2022, the Japan Atherosclerosis Society (JAS) has revised its clinical diagnostic criteria of familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) and adopted the use of definite, probable, possible, and unlikely FH according to the Dutch Lipid Clinic Network (DLCN) FH criteria. However, these strata have not been validated and their impact on coronary artery disease (CAD) is yet to be elucidated.

Methods: In this study, we retrospectively examined the patients with FH aged ≥ 15 years (N=857, male=431) who were admitted to Kanazawa University Hospital between 2010 and 2022.

Effect of newly developed scissors-attached micro-forceps on the recipient clamp time and occurrence of anastomotic site infarction after bypass surgery for moyamoya disease.

Introduction: This study aimed to examine the effect of newly developed scissors-attached micro-forceps in superficial temporal artery-to-middle cerebral artery (STA-MCA) anastomosis for moyamoya disease (MMD).

Materials And Methods: Of 179 consecutive STA-MCA anastomoses on 95 hemispheres of 71 MMD patients at the University of Fukui Hospital between 2009 and 2023, 49 anastomoses on 26 hemispheres of 21 patients were enrolled in this retrospective cohort clinical trial intraoperative indocyanine green video-angiography did not demonstrate bypass patency in three anastomoses in two patients who were excluded. Twenty-one anastomosis in 19 hemispheres of 16 patients were performed using the conventional micro-forceps (conventional group, CG), and 25 anastomoses in 22 hemispheres of 19 patients were performed using scissors-attached micro-forceps (scissors group, SG).

Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Predicts Thromboembolism and Heart Failure in Patients With Nonvalvular Atrial Fibrillation - A Prospective Analysis From the Hokuriku-Plus AF Registry.

Background: The prognostic effect of concomitant hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) on adverse events in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) has not been evaluated in a multicenter prospective cohort study in Japan.

Methods and results: Using the Hokuriku-Plus AF Registry, 1,396 patients with nonvalvular AF (1,018 men, 72.3±9.

Healthy lifestyle, lipoprotein (a) levels and the risk of coronary artery disease.

Background: Lipoprotein (a) [Lp(a)] is associated with coronary artery disease (CAD). However, the role of healthy lifestyle against the risk of CAD with consideration of high Lp(a) levels remains unclear.

Methods: This study examined 4512 participants who underwent serum Lp(a) level assessment at Kanazawa University Hospital from 2008 to March 2016.

Home high-flow nasal therapy in a patient with pleuroparenchymal fibroelastosis: A case report.

A 62-year-old man with pleuroparenchymal fibroelastosis (PPFE), who had been under observation for 19 years, was admitted due to headache, fatigue, and dyspnea. Although no acute findings were detected, his symptoms were attributed to hypercapnia and exertional hypoxemia. He had a history of pneumothorax, but chose not to undergo positive airway pressure ventilation.

Impact of providing genetics-based future cardiovascular risk on LDL-C in patients with familial hypercholesterolemia.

Background: Familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) is an autosomal dominant monogenic disease characterized by high low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels. Although carrying causative FH variants is associated with coronary heart disease (CHD), it remains unclear whether disclosing its associated cardiovascular risk affects outcomes in patients with FH.

Objective: We aimed to evaluate the efficacy of providing future cardiovascular risk based on genetic testing in addition to a standard FH education program.

Streptococcal Toxic Shock Syndrome Caused by Streptococcus dysgalactiae subsp. equisimilis-related Empyema: A Novel Case Report.

Streptococcal toxic shock syndrome (STSS) caused by Streptococcus dysgalactiae subsp. equisimilis (SDSE)-related empyema is rare but can result in shock vitals, acute kidney injury, and extensive erythema. In the present case, a 92-year-old woman with empyema caused by SDSE developed STSS after pleural drainage and antibiotic therapy.

Medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw leading to sepsis in a patient with rheumatoid arthritis: A case report and clinical implications.

Key Clinical Message: Chronic use of bisphosphonates, in combination with immunosuppressive therapy, increases the risk of jaw osteonecrosis. When sepsis occurs in patients receiving bisphosphonate, osteonecrosis of the jaw should be considered a potential source of infection.

Abstract: Reports of medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw (MRONJ) accompanied by sepsis are limited.

Coronary artery calcium among patients with heterozygous familial hypercholesterolaemia.

Aims: We aimed to determine if coronary artery calcium (CAC) is associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD) events, defined as CVD-related death, unstable angina, myocardial infarction, or staged revascularization among patients with heterozygous familial hypercholesterolaemia (HeFH) under primary prevention settings.

Methods And Results: Data of patients with FH admitted to Kanazawa University Hospital between 2000 and 2020, who underwent CAC measurement and were followed up ( = 622, male = 306, mean age = 54 years), were retrospectively reviewed. Risk factors for CVD events were determined using the Cox proportional hazard model.

Paradoxical contralateral hemiparesis in spontaneous spinal epidural hematoma: a case report.

Background: Hemiparesis associated with spontaneous spinal epidural hematoma (SSEH) usually occurs ipsilateral to the hematoma. We here report the case of a patient with paradoxical hemiparesis contralateral to a spinal lesion due to SSEH.

Case Presentation: A 70-year-old woman was identified in routine clinical practice; she presented with acute-onset neck pain and left hemiparesis.

Attainment of the low-density lipoprotein cholesterol treatment target and prognosis of heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia.

Background And Aims: No previous study has investigated the association between attainment of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol treatment target and better prognosis in patients with familial hypercholesterolemia (FH). The current research aimed to examine the association between attainment of LDL cholesterol treatment target and major adverse cardiac events (MACEs) in patients with FH to validate the current LDL cholesterol treatment targets in primary (<100 mg/dL) and secondary (<70 mg/dL) prevention settings.

Methods: The data of patients with FH who were admitted to Kanazawa University Hospital between 2000 and 2020 and who were followed-up were retrospectively reviewed.