Design and Rationale of the RELAXED (Recurrent Embolism Lessened by rivaroxaban, an Anti-Xa agent, of Early Dosing for acute ischemic stroke and transient ischemic attack with atrial fibrillation) Study.

Background: In the acute phase of cardioembolic stroke in patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF), the recurrence rate is high. Nonvitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants may be appropriate for prevention of early recurrence because they have a much lower risk of hemorrhagic stroke than warfarin.

Methods: RELAXED (Recurrent Embolism Lessened by rivaroxaban, an Anti-Xa agent, of Early Dosing for acute ischemic stroke and transient ischemic attack with atrial fibrillation) study is an observational study designed to investigate the optimal timing to start administration of rivaroxaban for prevention of recurrence in NVAF patients in the acute phase of cardioembolic stroke (ClinicalTrials.

Efficacy and Safety of Sustained Release Donepezil High Dose versus Immediate Release Donepezil Standard Dose in Japanese Patients with Severe Alzheimer's Disease: A Randomized, Double-Blind Trial.

Background: Donepezil is an established treatment for mild, moderate, and severe Alzheimer's disease (AD). An international study demonstrated superior efficacy of sustained release (SR) 23 mg/day donepezil over immediate release (IR) 10 mg/day donepezil for cognitive function, but not global function in moderate-to-severe AD.

Objective: To demonstrate the superiority of SR 23 mg/day donepezil over IR 10 mg/day donepezil in Japanese patients with severe AD (SAD).

Influenza 2014-2015 among pregnant Japanese women: primiparous vs multiparous women.

This study was performed to determine whether multiparous pregnant women are prone to influenza. A questionnaire survey was conducted at 19 centres located throughout Japan, targeting all 6,694 postpartum women within 7 days after birth before leaving the hospital. All women gave birth during the study period between March 1, 2015, and July 31, 2015.

Nutritional Status is Associated with Inflammation and Predicts a Poor Outcome in Patients with Chronic Heart Failure.

Aim: Malnutrition has been identified to be an independent predictor of morbidity and mortality in patients with chronic heart failure (CHF). However, the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying this pathway remain unclear.

Methods: Nutritional screening was performed using the controlling nutritional status (CONUT) score, which was calculated using the serum albumin and total cholesterol levels and lymphocyte number, in 114 CHF patients with a mean left ventricular ejection fraction of 26.

Association between toothbrushing and risk factors for cardiovascular disease: a large-scale, cross-sectional Japanese study.

Objectives: To clarify the association between toothbrushing and risk factors for cardiovascular disease--namely, hypertension (HT), diabetes mellitus (DM), dyslipidaemia (DL), hyperuricaemia (HUA) and chronic kidney disease (CKD).

Design: A large-scale, single-centre, cross-sectional study.

Setting: St Luke's International Hospital, Center for Preventive Medicine, Tokyo, Japan, between January 2004 and June 2010.

Secondary Prevention of Stroke with Warfarin in Patients with Nonvalvular Atrial Fibrillation: Subanalysis of the J-RHYTHM Registry.

Background: Prior ischemic stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA) is a high risk for thromboembolism in patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF). To clarify rates of thromboembolic and hemorrhagic events, and target intensities of warfarin for secondary prevention, a subanalysis was performed using data from the J-RHYTHM Registry.

Methods: Of 7937 outpatients with atrial fibrillation, 7406 with NVAF (men 70.

Urinary protein-to-creatinine ratio in pregnant women after dipstick testing: prospective observational study.

Background: The dipstick test is widely used as a primary screening test for detection of significant proteinuria in pregnancy (SPIP). However, it often shows a false positive test result. This study was performed to determine which pregnant women should be recommended to undergo determination of urinary protein-to-creatinine ratio (mg/mg, P/Cr test) after dipstick test for confirmation of SPIP.

Randomized trial of ultrasound-indicated cerclage in singleton women without lower genital tract inflammation.

Aim: This is the first report of a randomized trial of cerclage on pure cervical shortening without vaginosis or cervicitis. The objective of our multicenter randomized controlled trial was to assess the benefits of ultrasound-indicated cervical cerclage in the mid-trimester to prevent preterm birth in women who have no signs of infection or inflammation of the lower genital tract.

Material And Methods: Women with a short cervical length < 25 mm between 16 and 26 weeks of gestation were randomly assigned to receive a Shirodkar cerclage, McDonald cerclage, or bedrest (no cerclage).

Osteoprotegerin is Associated With Endothelial Function and Predicts Early Carotid Atherosclerosis in Patients With Coronary Artery Disease.

Osteoprotegerin (OPG) is a soluble glycoprotein belonging to the tumor necrosis factor receptor superfamily and is linked to vascular atherosclerosis and calcification. The carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) correlates with carotid atherosclerosis and is a significant predictor of cardiovascular events. The OPG levels are associated with the CIMT in coronary artery disease (CAD) patients.

Atypical Fast-Slow Atrioventricular Nodal Reentrant Tachycardia Incorporating a "Superior" Slow Pathway: A Distinct Supraventricular Tachyarrhythmia.

Background: The existence of an atypical fast-slow (F/S) atrioventricular nodal reentrant tachycardia (AVNRT) including a superior (sup) pathway with slow conductive properties and an atrial exit near the His bundle has not been confirmed.

Methods And Results: We studied 6 women and 2 men (age, 74 ± 7 years) with sup-F/S-AVNRT who underwent successful radiofrequency ablation near the His bundle. Programmed ventricular stimulation induced retrograde conduction over a superior SP with an earliest atrial activation near the His bundle, a mean shortest spike-atrial interval of 378 ± 119 milliseconds, and decremental properties in all patients.

Low-dose corticosteroid treatment and mortality in refractory abdominal septic shock after emergency laparotomy.

Background: The role of low-dose corticosteroid as an adjunctive treatment for abdominal septic shock remains controversial.

Methods: We identified refractory septic shock patients who required noradrenaline and at least one of other vasopressor/inotropic (dopamine, dobutamine or vasopressin) following emergency open laparotomy for perforation of the lower intestinal tract between July 2010 and March 2013 using the Japanese Diagnosis Procedure Combination inpatient database. In-hospital mortality was compared between the low-dose corticosteroid and control groups.

Changes in Therapeutic Hypothermia and Coronary Intervention Provision and In-Hospital Mortality of Patients With Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest: A Nationwide Database Study.

Objectives: To evaluate the change in provision of therapeutic hypothermia and coronary intervention (postresuscitation care) over time and to clarify the association between these provisions and in-hospital mortality in patients with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest.

Design: A nationwide retrospective cohort study using multiple propensity score analyses.

Setting: Japanese Diagnosis Procedure Combination inpatient database.

Prophylactic Antibiotics May Improve Outcome in Patients With Severe Burns Requiring Mechanical Ventilation: Propensity Score Analysis of a Japanese Nationwide Database.

Background: The use of prophylactic antibiotics for severe burns in general settings remains controversial and is not suggested by recent guidelines owing to lack of evidence for efficacy. We examined the hypothesis that prophylactic systemic antibiotic therapy may reduce mortality in patients with severe burns.

Methods: We identified 2893 severe burns patients (burn index ≥ 10) treated at 583 hospitals between July 2010 and March 2013 using the Japanese diagnosis procedure combination inpatient database.

Use of warfarin in elderly patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation -- subanalysis of the J-RHYTHM Registry.

Background: To clarify the effects of warfarin therapy in very old patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF), a post-hoc analysis was performed using the data of the J-RHYTHM Registry.

Methods and results: A consecutive series of AF outpatients was enrolled from 158 institutions. Of 7,937 patients, 7,406 with NVAF (men, 70.

Normative Data and Predictive Equation of Interrupter Airway Resistance in Preschool Children in Japan.

Measurement of interrupter airway resistance (Rint) is a convenient alternative to standard spirometry for assessing respiratory function in uncooperative young children. The aim of the present prospective study was to establish the normative data and predictive equation of Rint in Japanese preschool children. A total of 214 children were enrolled from a single kindergarten; however, 129 were excluded because they met at least 1 of the exclusion criteria, such as wheezing history or recent common cold.

Utility of immunohistochemistry with an antibody against MYC at the initial diagnosis of follicular lymphoma, grade 3A, for predicting a more aggressive clinical course: a case report and review of the literature.

Follicular lymphoma (FL) is the most common indolent lymphoma, and associated with the chromosomal translocation t(14;18)(q32;q21). While, FL harboring both BCL2 and MYC translocation at diagnosis is very rare. The evaluation of MYC expression in typical FL at presentation using southern blot, G-banded karyotyping or fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) analyses has been described so far.

Non-valvular atrial fibrillation patients with low CHADS2 scores benefit from warfarin therapy according to propensity score matching subanalysis using the J-RHYTHM Registry.

Introduction: Recently, direct-acting oral anticoagulants (DOACs) have been introduced, with increasing use in patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF). However, warfarin continues to be widely used and the benefits and risks of warfarin in NVAF patients warrant closer inspection.

Materials And Methods: Thromboembolism, major hemorrhage, and total and cardiovascular mortalities were analyzed in 7,406 NVAF patients in the J-RHYTHM Registry from January to July 2009, prior to DOAC introduction.

Differential Effects of Atorvastatin and Pitavastatin on Inflammation, Insulin Resistance, and the Carotid Intima-Media Thickness in Patients with Dyslipidemia.

Aims: 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase inhibitors (statins) have multiple pleiotropic effects, such as anti-inflammatory and vascular endothelium protection, that are independent of their low-density-lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol lowering effects. However, whether different statins exert diverse effects on inflammation, insulin resistance, and the progression of carotid atherosclerosis [as indicated by the intima-media thickness (CIMT)] in patients with dyslipidemia remains unclear.

Methods: A total of 146 patients with hypercholesterolemia without known cardiovascular disease were randomly assigned to receive 5 mg/day of atorvastatin (n=73) or 1 mg/day of pitavastatin (n=73).