Survival Outcomes Associated With Radiological Progressive Disease Subtypes in Patients With Atezolizumab and Bevacizumab-Treated HCC.

Background And Aim: To assess the relationship between survival outcomes and subtypes of radiological progressive disease (PD) in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) treated with atezolizumab and bevacizumab (Atezo/Bev).

Methods: A total of 462 patients with Atezo/Bev-treated HCC diagnosed with radiological PD during follow-up were enrolled. PD was classified into three categories: progression or emergence of intrahepatic lesions (PD-IH), macroscopic vascular invasion (PD-MVI), and extrahepatic spread lesions (PD-EHS).

Evaluation of Treatment Outcomes Using dNLR and GNRI in Combination Therapy With Atezolizumab and Bevacizumab for Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

Aim: This study aims to investigate the clinical utility of the derived neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (dNLR) and the Geriatric Nutritional Risk Index (GNRI) in predicting treatment outcomes for patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) undergoing combination therapy with atezolizumab and bevacizumab (Atez/Bev).

Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on 310 patients. The dNLR, NLR, and GNRI were calculated, and their impact on progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) was assessed.

Scoping review of initiation criteria for inhaled nitric oxide in preterm infants (born <34 weeks) after 7 days of age.

Objectives: Inhaled nitric oxide (iNO) is a known treatment for pulmonary hypertension (PH) associated with bronchopulmonary dysplasia in preterm infants after 7 days of age (postacute phase). However, a consensus regarding the optimal criteria for initiating iNO therapy in this population in the postacute phase is currently lacking. This study, therefore, aimed to identify the criteria for initiating iNO therapy, alongside the associated clinical and echocardiographic findings, in this population.

High-flow nasal cannula versus nasal continuous positive airway pressure on postnatal growth and feeding in preterm infants: a secondary analysis of the NIPPN study.

Objective: High-flow nasal cannula (HFNC) is generally considered to have fewer enteral feeding problems than nasal continuous positive airway pressure (NCPAP) or nasal intermittent positive-pressure ventilation (NIPPV). However, the effects of HFNC on the feeding outcomes in preterm infants are still controversial. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of HFNC on postnatal growth and feeding.

Epidemiology and treatment trends for acute encephalopathy under the impact of SARS-CoV-2 pandemic based on a prospective multicenter consecutive case registry.

Background: Acute encephalopathy is a severe condition predominantly affecting children with viral infections. The purpose of this study was to elucidate the epidemiology, treatment, and management of acute encephalopathy. The study also aimed to understand how the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic has affected epidemiological trends.

Reliable Performance of mALBI Grade-Based Risk Models for Predicting the Prognosis of Patients With Hepatocellular Carcinoma Receiving Atezolizumab Plus Bevacizumab as First-Line Treatment: Comparative Analysis of 13 Risk Models.

Aim: This study aimed to compare the prognostic performance of the risk models for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) receiving atezolizumab and bevacizumab (Atez/Bev) as first-line treatment.

Methods: Among 449 patients included in this retrospective multicenter study, we compared the prognostic performance of 13 risk models for the 12-month and 18-month survival status using area under the curve (AUC), net reclassification improvement (NRI), and relative integrated discrimination improvement (IDI) analysis. We also constructed a calibration plot to assess the fitness of each model.

Efficacy and safety of nivolumab and ipilimumab with or without chemotherapy for unresectable non-small cell lung cancer: a multicenter retrospective observational study.

Introduction: Compared to platinum-based therapies, a combination of ipilimumab (anti-CTLA-4) and nivolumab (anti-PD-1) has demonstrated improved outcomes in advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), albeit with higher rates of immune-related adverse events (irAEs). This multicenter retrospective study evaluated the efficacy and safety of nivolumab and ipilimumab with or without chemotherapy (NI and NICT) in real-world clinical settings.

Methods: We enrolled 215 treatment-naïve NSCLC patients who received NI or NICT between December 2020 and May 2023 at 14 institutions in Japan.

Geriatric nutritional risk index and newly developed scoring system as prognosis prediction for unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma patients treated with lenvatinib.

In the current era of immune therapy, lenvatinib (LEN) continues to be vital for treating unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (uHCC) patients. This study investigates the importance of nutritional status in the prognosis of uHCC patients receiving LEN and evaluates a new prognostic scoring system that combines the geriatric nutritional risk index (GNRI) and systemic inflammatory response. From 2018 to 2022, 484 uHCC patients treated with LEN (384 males, median age 73).

Predicting recurrent Clostridioides difficile infection by assessing antimicrobial treatment based on days of antibiotic spectrum coverage and ATLAS scores.

Introduction: We aimed to determine the impact of prior antimicrobial treatment on recurrent Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) based on days of antibiotic spectrum coverage (DASC) and predict the risk of recurrence to guide the selection of appropriate initial therapeutic agents.

Methods: We assessed the antimicrobial treatment administered to 195 patients with a history of CDI for 28 days before testing positive for C. difficile using DASC and illness severity using ATLAS scores.

Comparison of Single Antiplatelet Therapy and Dual Antiplatelet Therapy after Endovascular Therapy in Patients with Lower Extremity Artery Disease.

Evidence for antithrombotic therapy after endovascular therapy (EVT) is limited. This retrospective, multicenter, observational study enrolled 732 consecutive patients with lower extremity artery disease who underwent EVT between January 2018 and December 2019. Overall, 570 patients who received single antiplatelet therapy (SAPT) and dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) were selected and divided into the SAPT (n = 189) and DAPT (n = 381) groups.

Impact of Below-the-Knee Runoff in Patients With Lower Extremity Artery Disease Who Underwent Endovascular Therapy Using Drug-Coated Balloons in Femoropopliteal Lesions.

Background: The impact of below-the-knee (BK) runoff after drug-coated balloon (DCB) treatment in femoropopliteal (FP) lesions has not been well investigated.

Methods: This retrospective multicenter observational study enrolled 291 consecutive patients with lower extremity artery disease who underwent endovascular therapy with DCBs for FP lesions between January 2018 and December 2021. Patients were classified into four groups based on the BK runoff.

Successful surgical treatment of left main coronary stenosis with CABG and cardiac resynchronization therapy in a patient after the modified Bentall procedure: A case report.

We present a case of an 82-year-old woman who developed sustained heart failure with left ventricular dyssynchrony after the modified Bentall procedure. Persistent circulatory instability and complete atrioventricular block suggested coronary artery stenosis. Multidetector computed tomography revealed stenosis of the grafted portion of the coronary artery.

Differential linea alba width in pediatric umbilical hernias: a comparative analysis.

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the relationship between linea alba width and unclosed pediatric umbilical hernias.

Methods: A retrospective chart review was conducted on patients with pediatric umbilical hernias persisting beyond the age of 2, from April 2014 to March 2021. Additionally, data from children who underwent computed tomography (CT) for other conditions or injuries, such as diarrhea or traffic accidents, were collected from April 2010 to March 2022.

Sarcomere gene variants did not improve cardiac function in pediatric patients with dilated cardiomyopathy from Japanese cohorts.

Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) is a progressive myocardial disorder characterized by impaired cardiac contraction and ventricular dilation. However, some patients with DCM improve when experiencing left ventricular reverse remodeling (LVRR). Currently, the detailed association between genotypes and clinical outcomes, including LVRR, particularly among children, remains uncertain.

Investigation of pure lung microbiota in patients with lung cancer after eliminating upper airway contamination: a prospective cohort study.

Background: While the relationship between gut microbiota and gastrointestinal cancer has been elucidated, the relationship between lung microbiota and lung cancer remains unclear. Previous study findings are inconclusive due to the possibility of contamination by upper airway microbiota in samples obtained from the oropharynx, such as saliva and sputum, and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) collected during bronchoscopy. Therefore, this study aimed to detect pure lung microbiota in patients with lung cancer using BALF samples from resected lung specimens.

The Safety and Anti-Reflex Effect of Robotic Double-Tract Reconstruction After Proximal Gastrectomy for Gastric Cancer.

Purpose: Double-tract reconstruction (DTR) is one of the major procedures following proximal gastrectomy (PG) with anti-reflex function for the esophagus. Although many studies demonstrated the feasibility of laparoscopic DTR, there is a lack of research on robotic DTR. We aimed to assess the safety and feasibility of robotic DTR following PG.

Real-world data of first-line treatment with pembrolizumab for NSCLC with high PD-L1 expression in elderly patients: a subgroup analysis of HOT/NJLCG2001.

Background: In the first-line treatment of elderly patients with advanced-stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with high programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression (tumor proportion score ≥ 50%), this study aimed to determine whether pembrolizumab monotherapy (MONO) or pembrolizumab plus platinum-based chemotherapy (COMB) should be selected.

Methods: We performed a retrospective multicenter study (sub-analysis of the HOT/NJLCG2001 trial) of 299 patients with NSCLC with high PD-L1 expression who received MONO or COMB as the first-line treatment between December 2018 and January 2020. We selected patients aged 75 years and older and assessed the clinical efficacy and toxicity.

Clinical profile of IgG4-related disease in Japan based on the rare disease data registry.

We started a registry for cases of immunoglobulin (Ig)G4-related disease (IgG4-RD) in December 2019 to clarify the clinical profile of IgG4-RD. In this study, clinical information from 854 cases registered by February 16, 2024 was analyzed from multiple perspectives. Diagnosis of IgG4-RD was made in 808 cases, comprising 638 definite, 38 probable, and 132 possible.

Safety of Crovalimab Versus Eculizumab in Patients With Paroxysmal Nocturnal Haemoglobinuria (PNH): Pooled Results From the Phase 3 COMMODORE Studies.

Objectives: To evaluate the tolerability of crovalimab versus eculizumab in C5 inhibitor (C5i)-naive and -experienced patients with PNH from COMMODORE 2, 3 and 1 (NCT04434092, NCT04654468 and NCT04432584).

Methods: Pooled safety data were assessed in the total crovalimab and eculizumab populations and by C5i-naive versus C5i-switched status in patients receiving crovalimab. Analyses include 6.

Efficacy of durvalumab plus tremelimumab treatment for unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma in immunotherapy era clinical practice.

Aim: Since the development of tremelimumab plus durvalumab (Dur/Tre) for unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (uHCC), it has been used as not only an initial but also later line treatment in clinical practice. This study aimed to elucidate clinical prognostic factors for progression-free survival (PFS) in Dur/Tre treatment cases.

Methods: Enrolled were 183 uHCC patients treated with Dur/Tre from 2023 to May 2024 (median age, 74 years; male patients, 152; Child-Pugh class A:B, 150:33; Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer stage B:C, 59:124; initial line use, 64).

Impact of Nutritional Therapy during Intensive Care Unit Admission on Post-Intensive Care Syndrome in Patients with COVID-19.

Introduction: Nutritional therapy is an important component of intensive care. We investigated the associations of nutritional therapy in the acute phase of severe COVID-19 with the long-term outcomes of post-intensive care syndrome (PICS) and post-COVID-19 conditions.

Methods: A questionnaire on the health status after COVID-19 was sent to patients 1 year after infection and PICS was evaluated.