Infectious complications in adults undergoing intensive chemotherapy for acute myeloid leukemia in 2001-2005 using the Japan Adult Leukemia Study Group AML201 protocols.

Purpose: The Japan Adult Leukemia Study Group (JALSG) AML201 protocols are regimens for remission induction and consolidation chemotherapy of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and have been widely accepted in Japan since 2001. Management of infectious complications during chemotherapy has a key role in the supportive care of AML patients.

Methods: By using case report forms collected in December 2001 and December 2005, we retrospectively analyzed the infectious complications in adult patients treated by using the JALSG AML201 protocols against AML (excluding promyelocytic leukemia).

Management of infection during chemotherapy for acute leukemia in Japan: a nationwide questionnaire-based survey by the Japan Adult Leukemia Study Group.

Purpose: We performed a nationwide questionnaire-based survey to evaluate the current clinical practices of infectious complications during chemotherapy for acute leukemia in Japan.

Methods: We e-mailed a questionnaire to member institutions of the Japan Adult Leukemia Study Group in September, 2013. The questionnaire consisted of 50 multiple-choice questions covering therapeutic environment, antimicrobial prophylaxis, screening test during neutropenia, empirical therapy for febrile neutropenia, and the use of granulocyte-colony stimulating factor.

Spontaneous pneumothorax due to bronchopleural fistula following reirradiation for locoregionally recurrent squamous cell lung cancer.

Spontaneous pneumothorax following radiotherapy for pulmonary malignancy is an unusual clinical condition. Here, we report a case of a 78-year-old male suffering from dyspnea during radiotherapy for squamous cell lung cancer of the right main bronchus. Imaging studies and fiberoptic bronchoscopy revealed that pneumothorax was due to a bronchopleural fistula.

Randomized phase III study of bevacizumab plus FOLFIRI and bevacizumab plus mFOLFOX6 as first-line treatment for patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (WJOG4407G).

Background: FOLFIRI and FOLFOX have shown equivalent efficacy for metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC), but their comparative effectiveness is unknown when combined with bevacizumab.

Patients And Methods: WJOG4407G was a randomized, open-label, phase III trial conducted in Japan. Patients with previously untreated mCRC were randomized 1:1 to receive either FOLFIRI plus bevacizumab (FOLFIRI + Bev) or mFOLFOX6 plus bevacizumab (mFOLFOX6 + Bev), stratified by institution, adjuvant chemotherapy, and liver-limited disease.

Mild forms of toxic shock syndrome toxin-1-mediated exanthematous disease related to Staphylococcus aureus infection.

The present report describes three patients with toxic shock syndrome toxin (TSST)-1-associated exanthematous disease. In all patients, fever and systemic erythema without hemodynamic disturbance occurred following cellulitis of the lower limbs. At the site of infection, TSST-1 producing Methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus was detected.

Differential Progression of Dysphagia in Heredity and Sporadic Ataxias Involving Multiple Systems.

Sporadic ataxia affecting multiple systems, such as cerebellar, extrapyramidal, and autonomic systems, is known as multiple system atrophy cerebellar type (MSA-C), while similar multisystem involvements are seen in certain types of hereditary ataxia, such as spinocerebellar ataxia type 3 (SCA3). Dysphagia is a common symptom that can predispose to aspiration pneumonia, a major cause of death in patients with these diseases. Although the progressions of dysphagia in patients with MSA-C have been reported sporadically, those in SCA3 have not been reported.

The First Nationwide Survey and Genetic Analyses of Bardet-Biedl Syndrome in Japan.

Bardet-Biedl syndrome (BBS) is an autosomal recessive disorder characterized by central obesity, mental impairment, rod-cone dystrophy, polydactyly, hypogonadism in males, and renal abnormalities. The causative genes have been identified as BBS1-19. In Western countries, this disease is often reported, but remains undiagnosed in many patients until later in life, while only a few patients with no mutations identified have been reported in Japan.

Primary leiomyosarcoma of the colon.

Primary leiomyosarcomas of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract are extremely rare and highly aggressive neoplasms, and only a small number of true cases have been reported since the concept of GI stromal tumors was established. Here, we report a case of a primary leiomyosarcoma of the transverse colon. A 46-year-old Japanese male with a large mass in the right upper abdomen was admitted to our hospital.

Rotigotine Transdermal Patch Improves Swallowing in Dysphagic Patients with Parkinson's Disease.

Abnormal swallowing, dysphagia, is a potentially fatal symptom in Parkinson's disease (PD) and is characterized by frequent silent aspiration, an unrecognized risk of suffocation and aspiration pneumonia. Several studies have reported that the injection of apomorphine, a dopamine agonist, alleviated dysphagia in some patients with PD. The effects of other antiparkinson medications against dysphagia remain controversial.

Multiple system involvement in a Japanese patient with a V31A mutation in the SOD1 gene.

The superoxide dismutase-1 (SOD1) gene is the first gene for familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) with autosomal dominant inheritance. We describe a Japanese patient who had slowly progressive motor neuron disease with autonomic and sensory disturbances, urine incontinence and sensory neuropathy. This patient was found to have V31A mutation in the SOD1 gene.

A case of severe ganciclovir-induced encephalopathy.

Background: Ganciclovir, a drug against cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection, is generally well tolerated, but can cause neurotoxicity such as encephalopathy. Although ganciclovir-induced encephalopathy has been described in several reports, a literature search revealed that ganciclovir concentrations in the blood or cerebrospinal fluid were previously measured in only 3 patients with encephalopathy. Symptoms usually include confusion and disturbed consciousness, which mimic CMV encephalitis.

Efficacy of short-term postoperative perfluoro-n-octane tamponade for pediatric complex retinal detachment.

Purpose: To evaluate the efficacy of perfluoro-n-octane as a postoperative short-term tamponade after vitrectomy in pediatric cases with complex retinal detachment (RD) and proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR).

Design: Prospective, noncomparative, interventional case series.

Methods: The medical records of 10 eyes of 9 children (6 boys and 3 girls), whose age ranged from 3 months to 11 years, with a median of 7.

Clinical Outcome of Small Renal Cell Carcinoma after Delayed Surgery versus Immediate Surgery.

Background: This study was undertaken to investigate the growth rate and clinical outcome of patients with a small renal mass (SRM) after delayed surgery versus immediate surgery.

Methods: We reviewed the clinical records of 328 patients with SRM ≦ 4cm at diagnosis, who underwent delayed or immediate surgical intervention from January 2000 to December 2011. Radiographic evaluation using CT scan and MRI were performed at least every 6 months and the tumor size was determined at least twice in the delayed surgery group.

Clinical outcome of incidentally discovered small renal cell carcinoma after delayed surgery.

Background: This study was undertaken to investigate the growth rate and clinical outcome of patients with a small renal mass (SRM) after delayed surgery.

Methods: We reviewed the clinical records of 34 patients with SRMs ≤ 4 cm at diagnosis, who underwent delayed surgical intervention during surveillance from January 2000 to December 2011. Radiographic evaluations using computed tomography (CT) scan and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were performed at least every 6 months, and the tumor size was determined at least twice.

Efficacy of Ramelteon in Patients with Insomnia and Nocturia.

Objectives: To study the efficacy of ramelteon for patients with insomnia and nocturia.

Methods: Forty-nine patients experiencing insomnia and two or more nocturnal voids were included. The degree of lower urinary tract symptoms and sleep disorders was evaluated using the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS), Pittsburg Sleep Quality Index (PSQI)(1) score, and frequency/volume chart (FVC).

Cytomegalovirus infection after prophylactic valganciclovir therapy post-kidney transplantation: case reports.

This report describes three patients who developed cytomegalovirus infection 4 months after high-risk donor+/recipient-(D+/R-) kidney transplantation, despite treatment with valgancyclovir (VGCV) for 3 months at low dose (450 mg/d).

Quantification of tumor vascularity with contrast-enhanced ultrasound for early response of transcatheter arterial chemoembolization for hepatocellular carcinoma: a report of three cases.

Many contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CE-US) studies have been conducted by qualitative analysis of blood flow, such as classification of enhancement pattern. We evaluated early response of transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) by quantitative analysis of intratumoral vascularity with CE-US in three patients. Three patients (one man, two women) with HCCs were treated in July 2009.

A novel mutation in the calcium channel gene in a family with hypokalemic periodic paralysis.

Hypokalemic periodic paralysis (HypoPP) type 1 is an autosomal dominant disease caused by mutations in the Ca(V)1.1 calcium channel encoded by the CACNA1S gene. Only seven mutations have been found since the discovery of the causative gene in 1994.

Abnormal cystatin C levels in two patients with bardet-biedl syndrome.

Bardet-Biedl syndrome (BBS) is an autosomal recessive disorder characterized by central obesity, mental impairment, rod-cone dystrophy, polydactyly, hypogonadism in males, and renal abnormalities. The causative genes have been identified as BBS1-14. In the Western countries, the prevalence of this disease ranges from 1/13,500 to 1/160,000, while only a few Japanese patients have been reported in the English-language literature.