Efficacy and safety of tacrolimus treatment for rheumatoid arthritis patients undergoing hemodialysis.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disorder characterized by progressive joint destruction that requires aggressive treatment using appropriate disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs). RA patients with renal failure, however, are intolerant to most DMARDs due to the potential toxicity. In Japan, tacrolimus was approved for the treatment of RA in 2005.

Generalized peritonitis due to spontaneously perforated pyometra presenting as pneumoperitoneum: report of a case.

We report a rare case of generalized peritonitis due to a ruptured pyometra in an 86-year-old woman, and also conduct a review of the previous Japanese literature. The patient presented with muscle guarding and rebound tenderness. Computed tomography (CT) disclosed a cystic mass in the peritoneal cavity, in which an air-fluid level was noted.

Mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma of the thyroid: report of a case.

The patient was 59-year-old Japanese woman who presented with a neck swelling. Ultrasonography and computed tomography demonstrated a round tumor in the thyroid right lobe measuring 2.5 x 1.