Impact of Underdosing of Direct Oral Anticoagulants on Clinical Outcomes in Patients With Atrial Fibrillation Undergoing Percutaneous Coronary Intervention.

Background: Underdoses of direct oral anticoagulants (DOAC) are sometimes prescribed due to bleeding risk concerns in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). We investigated the prevalence of DOAC underdosing and its impact on clinical outcomes in AF patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).

Methods And Results: This multicenter observational cohort study enrolled patients with AF on DOAC undergoing PCI between January 2015 and March 2021 at 15 institutions across Japan.

Brucella anthropi bacteremia: persistent bacteremia with minimal symptoms.

Brucella anthropi, an aerobic, glucose-nonfermenting gram-negative rod, is predominantly an opportunistic pathogen affecting immunosuppressed patients. This case report describes a 27-year-old woman with systemic lupus erythematosus who developed persistent B. anthropi bacteremia following a pregnancy termination.

A Novel Approach to Study Cranial Shape in Children with Normal and Sagittal Synostosis: An Application of Geometric Morphometrics.

To provide appropriate treatment, neurosurgeons and pediatricians must understand the chronological changes of the cranial morphology in normal children and the differences between normal and sagittal synostosis children. However, this issue has remained unresolved due to the traditional methods of analyzing cranial morphology. Therefore, we applied a new and precise method, geometric morphometrics, to understand cranial morphology in children with normal and sagittal synostosis.

Prediction of Intestinal Perforation by Daily Radiographic Findings in Very Low Birth Weight Infants With Meconium Ileus.

Background: This study aimed to develop a prediction model for intestinal perforation from meconium ileus (MI) based on findings from plain X-ray images.

Methods: Very low birth weight (VLBW) infants with MI hospitalized in two tertiary centers between 2011 and 2022 were included in this study. We retrospectively reviewed clinical parameters and assessed plain X-ray images from 0 to 5 days of age.

Clinical Course of Residual Ventricular Septal Defects After Congenital Heart Disease Repair.

The clinical course of residual ventricular septal defects after congenital heart disease repair is not completely elucidated in the medical literature. This study assessed the incidence, size, and clinical course of residual defects.This single-center retrospective study included 132 patients who survived after ventricular septal defect patch closure (n = 107) and intracardiac repair of double-outlet right ventricle (n = 16) and tetralogy of Fallot (n = 9).

Assessing associated factors for failure of nonoperative management in pediatric blunt liver and spleen injuries: a secondary analysis of the SHIPPs study.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to describe the characteristics of pediatric patients who underwent nonoperative management (NOM) for blunt splenic and hepatic injuries and to explore factors associated with NOM failure.

Methods: This was a secondary analysis of a multicenter cohort study of pediatric patients with blunt liver and spleen injuries in Japan. Participants included pediatric trauma patients aged 16 years or younger between 2008 and 2019 with NOM, which was defined as no surgery provided within 6 h of hospital arrival.

Prognosis of anemic patients with atrial fibrillation undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention.

Background: There are limited data regarding whether anemia is associated with adverse clinical outcomes in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).

Methods: Patients with AF undergoing PCI at 15 institutions between January 2015 and March 2021 were included in this analysis. Based on the baseline hemoglobin levels, moderate to severe anemia was defined as hemoglobin levels <11 g/dL, and mild anemia was defined as hemoglobin levels 11-12.

The Japanese Pediatric Continuous Renal Replacement Therapy (jpCRRT) Registry: Study Protocol.

Background: The use of continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) in critically ill children is rapidly increasing, but the standard of care has not yet been established and prognosis remains poor. To develop optimal CRRT strategies, we launched a research project generating the Japanese Pediatric CRRT registry, a multicenter registry of CRRT in Japanese pediatric intensive care units (PICUs), to investigate the actual status of CRRT in recent years in PICUs, where data are lacking.

Methods: This manuscript presents a protocol for planning a multicenter prospective registry.

Peripartum cardiomyopathy in patients with psychiatric disorders successfully treated with bromocriptine: Two case reports.

Unlabelled: Peripartum cardiomyopathy (PPCM) is a rare disorder in which left ventricular systolic dysfunction and heart failure symptoms occur during the peripartum period. Inhibition of prolactin secretion by bromocriptine mediates beneficial effects on cardiac function in PPCM. Mental disorders are also associated with the onset of PPCM.

Comparison of facet fusion rates and clinical outcomes between cortical bone trajectory screw and percutaneous pedicle screw fixation for degenerative lumbar spondylolisthesis.

Background Context: Cortical bone trajectory (CBT) screws have been introduced as an alternative technique for pedicle screw (PS) insertion because they have greater contact with the cortex and a greater uniaxial pullout load than traditional PS. CBT screwing can also minimize muscle dissection. However, CBT screws and traditional PSs have not yet been compared in terms of fusion rates and clinical outcomes for particular operative procedures.

Short-term and long-term outcomes of patients with anti-melanoma differentiation-associated gene 5 antibody-positive dermatomyositis.

Objectives: Anti-melanoma differentiation-associated gene 5 (MDA5) antibody-positive dermatomyositis (MDA5-DM) is a subtype of dermatomyositis characterized by frequent interstitial lung disease and reduced muscle involvement. This study aimed to determine the short-term and long-term outcomes of patients with MDA5-DM.

Methods: Information on baseline characteristics, treatments, and short-term and long-term outcomes of patients with MDA5-DM including survival, relapse, and the titer of anti-MDA5 antibody, was retrospectively collected.

Metroplasty increases the take-home baby rate by reducing pregnancy loss without changing the chance of conception in women with septate uterus: a retrospective, single-center, observational study.

Background: Although abdominal or hysteroscopic metroplasty for septate uterus is considered to reduce pregnancy loss and increase the take-home baby (THB) rate in women with a history of recurrent pregnancy loss, there exists an inherent risk of impaired fertility. This study aimed to clarify the reproductive outcomes of women with septate uterus who underwent abdominal and hysteroscopic metroplasty in a single center.

Methods: This retrospective observational study enrolled 27 women who underwent metroplasty between 2007 and 2019.

Two salvage techniques using a large dilation balloon: Endoscopic recovery of a migrated biliary metal stent and endoscope passage through a difficult duodenal stricture in combination with a duodenal stent.

There have been several reports of endoscopic removal of biliary metal stents using forceps or stent-in-stent techniques. Nishikawa and colleagues describe the endoscopic recovery of a proximally migrated biliary metal stent using a large dilation balloon and endoscope passage through a difficult duodenal stricture in combination with a duodenal stent.

A Prospective Study Exploring the Safety and Efficacy of Lenvatinib for Patients with Advanced Hepatocellular Carcinoma and High Tumor Burden: The LAUNCH Study.

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the safety and efficacy of lenvatinib in real-world settings, including patients excluded from the REFLECT trial, a phase III trial that compared lenvatinib with sorafenib.

Patients And Methods: This multicenter, nonrandomized, open-label prospective study was conducted at 10 medical facilities in Japan (jRCTs031190017). Eligible patients had advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and were suitable for lenvatinib therapy.

Lymphocytic Infundibuloneurohypophysitis Diagnosis Owing to Positive Anti-rabphilin-3A Antibody Test Result in an 8-year-old Boy with Early-onset Central Diabetes İnsipidus.

Childhood-onset lymphocytic infundibuloneurohypophysitis (LINH) has rarely been reported. Pathological evaluation via pituitary biopsy is necessary for a definitive diagnosis of LINH. However, pituitary biopsy is a highly invasive procedure.

Reduced-dose versus high-dose glucocorticoids added to rituximab on remission induction in ANCA-associated vasculitis: predefined 2-year follow-up study.

Objectives: The LoVAS trial reported non-inferiority in remission induction rates between the reduced-dose and conventional high-dose glucocorticoid regimens plus rituximab for antineutrophil cytoplasm antibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis at 6 months; however, maintenance glucocorticoid requirements and long-term outcomes are unknown.

Methods: A total of 140 patients with new-onset ANCA-associated vasculitis without severe glomerulonephritis or alveolar haemorrhage were randomised to receive reduced-dose prednisolone (0.5 mg/kg/day) plus rituximab (375 mg/m/week×4) or high-dose prednisolone (1 mg/kg/day) plus rituximab.

Early restricted oxygen therapy after resuscitation from cardiac arrest (ER-OXYTRAC): protocol for a stepped-wedge cluster randomised controlled trial.

Introduction: Cardiac arrest is a critical condition, and patients often experience postcardiac arrest syndrome (PCAS) even after the return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC). Administering a restricted amount of oxygen in the early phase after ROSC has been suggested as a potential therapy for PCAS; however, the optimal target for arterial partial pressure of oxygen or peripheral oxygen saturation (SpO) to safely and effectively reduce oxygen remains unclear. Therefore, we aimed to validate the efficacy of restricted oxygen treatment with 94%-95% of the target SpO during the initial 12 hours after ROSC for patients with PCAS.