Prognostic Value of Sarcopenia Definitions and Outcomes Consortium Criteria in Older Patients with Heart Failure.

Objectives: The Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia in 2019 (AWGS 2019) emphasized muscle mass measurements. In contrast, the Sarcopenia Definitions and Outcomes Consortium (SDOC) prioritizes functional strength and mobility. Therefore, this study aimed to compare the prognostic utility of the SDOC and AWGS 2019 criteria for all-cause mortality in older patients with heart failure.

Prognostic value of Borg scale following 6-min walk test in hospitalized older patients with heart failure.

Aims: The 6-min walk test (6MWT) is a widely accepted tool for evaluating exercise tolerance and physical capacity, and the 6-min walk distance (6MWD) is an established prognostic factor in patients with heart failure (HF). However, the prognostic implications of post-6MWT dyspnoea remain unknown. We aimed to investigate the prognostic value of Borg scores after the 6MWT in patients with HF.

The Effects of Corticosteroids on Survival in Pediatric and Nonelderly Adult Patients Undergoing Cardiac Surgery: A Meta-analysis of Randomized Studies.

Objective: Cardiac surgery can be complicated by the development of a systemic inflammatory response syndrome related to cardiopulmonary bypass. This potentially contributes to the occurrence of postoperative morbidity and mortality. Corticosteroids can be used to reduce such inflammation, but the overall balance between potential harm and benefit is unknown and may be age-dependent.

Lymphocyte-to-C-reactive protein ratio and score in patients with heart failure: Nutritional status, physical function, and prognosis.

Aims: In heart failure (HF), inflammation is linked to malnutrition and impaired physical function. In this study, we aimed to assess how novel nutritional-inflammatory markers and lymphocyte-to-C-reactive protein ratio (LCR) and score (LCS) are associated with the nutritional status, physical function, and prognosis of patients with HF.

Methods And Results: This study was a secondary analysis of the FRAGILE-HF study, a prospective observational study conducted across 15 hospitals in Japan.

Prognostic Value of Objective Social Isolation and Loneliness in Older Patients With Heart Failure: Subanalysis of FRAGILE-HF and Kitasato Cohort.

Background: Social factors encompass a broad spectrum of nonmedical factors, including objective (social isolation [SI]) and perceived (loneliness) conditions. Although social factors have attracted considerable research attention, information regarding their impact on patients with heart failure is scarce. We aimed to investigate the prognostic impact of objective SI and loneliness in older patients with heart failure.

Predictors of improvement of radial-endobronchial ultrasonography findings from "adjacent to" to "within" in endobronchial ultrasonography using a guide sheath: a retrospective cohort study.

Background: In flexible bronchoscopy, endobronchial ultrasonography using a guide sheath (EBUS-GS) has varying diagnostic yield depending on the findings of radial-endobronchial ultrasonography (R-EBUS). The diagnosis rate is lower when the ultrasound probe is "adjacent to", than when it is "within" the lesion. However, these findings are inconsistent, and the imaging status may change from "adjacent to" to "within" as examination progresses.

Association and Prognostic Value of Multidomain Frailty Defined by Cumulative Deficit and Phenotype Models in Patients With Heart Failure.

Background: Frailty is associated with a poor prognosis in older patients with heart failure (HF). However, multidomain frailty assessment tools have not been established in patients with HF, and the association between the frailty phenotype and the deficit-accumulation frailty index in these patients is unclear. We aimed to understand this relationship and evaluate the prognostic value of the deficit-accumulation frailty index in older patients with HF.

Fatal thrombotic microangiopathy with rhabdomyolysis as an initial symptom after the first dose of mRNA-1273 vaccine: A case report.

We report a case of a Japanese man with severe rhabdomyolysis and multiple thrombosis of arterioles after the first dose of mRNA-1273 vaccine. He developed rapidly progressive rhabdomyolysis and infarctions of multiple organs. Antiplatelet factor 4 antibody test was negative.

Acute Phase Pilot Evaluation of Small Diameter Long iBTA Induced Vascular Graft "Biotube" in a Goat Model.

Objective: There is a need for small diameter vascular substitutes in the absence of available autologous material. A small diameter, long tissue engineered vascular graft was developed using a completely autologous approach called "in body tissue architecture technology (iBTA)". The aim of this pilot study was to evaluate "Biotubes", iBTA induced autologous collagenous tubes, for their potential use as small diameter vascular bypass conduits.

Recipient Venule Selection and Anastomosis Configuration for Lymphaticovenular Anastomosis in Extremity Lymphedema: Algorithm Based on 1,000 Lymphaticovenular Anastomosis.

Background:  The lymphaticovenular anastomosis (LVA) has three components, lymphatics, venules, and anastomosis, and all of them influence the anastomotic pressure gradient. Although it has been demonstrated that venule flow dynamics has an independent impact on the outcomes regardless the degeneration status of lymphatic vessels, recipient venules (RV) have been mainly neglected in literature.

Methods:  From January 2016 to February 2020, 232 nonconsecutive patients affected by extremity lymphedema underwent LVA, for a total of 1,000 LVAs.

Risk factors for early-phase clozapine discontinuation: A nested case-control study.

Objectives: Safe and efficient methods for introducing clozapine to patients with treatment-resistant schizophrenia (TRS) are needed. We investigated risk factors for clozapine discontinuation in the early phase of its introduction.

Methods: We conducted a nested case-control study at 14 psychiatric hospitals in Chiba, Japan.

Total diffusion volume in MRI vs. total lesion glycolysis in PET/CT for tumor volume evaluation of multiple myeloma.

Objective: This study compared the tumor burden and prognostic impact of total diffusion volume (tDV) and total lesion glycolysis (TLG) in the same patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma (NDMM) simultaneously. We also examined the relationship between these imaging tumor volumes (TVs) and plasma cell (PC) TV in bone marrow (BM) specimens.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the data of 63 patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma (NDMM) from April 2016 to March 2018.

PD-L1 (SP142) expression in neoplastic cells predicts a poor prognosis for patients with intravascular large B-cell lymphoma treated with rituximab-based multi-agent chemotherapy.

Background: Intravascular large B-cell lymphoma (IVLBCL) is a rare form of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) arising in extranodal sites. PD-L1 expression of tumor cells has been reported in IVLBCL cells, but its clinicopathological relevance remains to be elucidated.

Aims: This study was aimed to reveal the characteristics of PD-L1 IVLBCL.

Pre-treatment metabolic tumour volume and total lesion glycolysis are superior to conventional positron-emission tomography/computed tomography variables for outcome prediction in patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma in clinical practice.

Metabolic tumour volume (MTV) and total lesion glycolysis (TLG) are positron-emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) variables for predicting multiple myeloma's (MM) outcome. We retrospectively investigated and compared the predictive value of MTV, TLG and high-risk PET/CT variables in clinical practice in 185 patients with newly diagnosed symptomatic MM. High-risk PET/CT findings were defined as the presence of at least one of the following: more than three focal lesions, maximum standardised uptake value (SUV ) >4·2 and extramedullary disease.

Use of intraarticular injections of platelet-rich plasma in the treatment of knee osteoarthritis: A review article.

Osteoarthritis is one of the most common degenerative conditions affecting knee joint. As our understanding in the disease pathogenesis is evolving, so do the treatment modalities. One of the postulated mechanisms suggests the production of inflammatory cytokines secondary to repeated micro trauma than in turn lead to cartilage damage overtime.

Factors associated with disabling low back pain among nursing personnel at a medical centre in Japan: a comparative cross-sectional survey.

Objectives: Low back pain (LBP) is a common cause of disability among nursing personnel. Although many studies regarding the risk factors for LBP among nursing staff have focused on the physical load at work, multidimensional assessments of risk factors are essential to identify appropriate preventive strategies. We aimed to investigate the association of multidimensional factors (individual, physical, psychological and occupational) with disabling LBP among nursing personnel in Japan.