SARS-CoV-2 airborne infection probability estimated by using indoor carbon dioxide.

Airborne transmission is one of the main routes of SARS-CoV-2 spread. It is important to determine the circumstances under which the risk of airborne transmission is increased as well as the effective strategy to reduce such risk. This study aimed to develop a modified version of the Wells-Riley model with indoor CO to estimate the probability of airborne transmission of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron strains with a CO monitor and to evaluate the validity of this model in actual clinical practices.

Anti-melanoma Differentiation-associated Gene 5 Antibody-positive Dermatomyositis Presenting as Refractory Gingivitis at the First Clinical Manifestation.

We herein report a case of melanoma differentiation-associated gene 5 (MDA5) antibody-positive dermatomyositis that developed in a patient with refractory gingivitis. The diagnosis of anti-MDA5 antibody-positive dermatomyositis was made based on a characteristic skin rash, weakness of proximal muscles, interstitial pneumonia, and positivity for anti-MDA5 antibody. The patient was started on triple therapy with high-dose prednisolone, tacrolimus, and intravenous cyclophosphamide.

[A case of extensive digestive tract metastasis from invasive lobular carcinoma of the breast].

A 59-year-old female patient underwent surgery for invasive lobular carcinoma of the right breast 12 years ago. The final diagnosis was invasive lobular carcinoma (T4N1M0 stage IIIB). She underwent chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and hormonal therapy after surgery.

Association between hypogammaglobulinaemia and severe infections during induction therapy in ANCA-associated vasculitis: from J-CANVAS study.

Objectives: To investigate the association between decreased serum IgG levels caused by remission-induction immunosuppressive therapy of antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-associated vasculitis (AAV) and the development of severe infections.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of patients with new-onset or severe relapsing AAV enrolled in the J-CANVAS registry, which was established at 24 referral sites in Japan. The minimum serum IgG levels up to 24 weeks and the incidence of severe infection up to 48 weeks after treatment initiation were evaluated.

Hypocomplementemic urticarial vasculitis case with hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis following SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccination.

A 61-year-old man with no previous record of autoimmune disease developed fever, polyarthralgia, purpura, and urticaria-like rash 2 weeks after the first dose of the Moderna mRNA-1273 vaccine, and symptoms deteriorated following the second dose. He presented reduced erythrocyte and platelet counts, hyperferritinemia, high sIL-2R levels, and severe hypocomplementemia. We diagnosed hypocomplementemic urticarial vasculitis (HUVS), and his symptoms as well as laboratory findings improved following treatment with mPSL 1000 mg/day for 3 days and PSL 40 mg/day.

Comparison of risks of cancer, infection, and MACEs associated with JAK inhibitor and TNF inhibitor treatment: a multicentre cohort study.

Objectives: The objective of this study was to compare the incidence rates (IRs) of infectious diseases, major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs), and malignancies in RA patients treated with tofacitinib, baricitinib or a TNF inhibitor.

Methods: We retrospectively analysed the cases of 499 RA patients treated with tofacitinib (n = 192), baricitinib (n = 104), or a TNF inhibitor (n = 203). We determined the IRs of infectious diseases and the standardized incidence ratio (SIR) of malignancies and investigated factors related to infectious diseases.

Management of Arteriovenous Graft Infection.

: Arteriovenous graft (AVG) infection influences the survival and quality of life of patients, causing life-threatening sepsis reducing dialysis access. This study aimed to evaluate an appropriate treatment strategy for AVG infection. : We analyzed 61 cases involving AVG infections identified at a single center.

Immune complexome analysis of a rich variety of serum immune complexes identifies disease-characteristic immune complex antigens in systemic sclerosis.

Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is an autoimmune disease characterized by vascular endothelial dysfunction and skin fibrosis. Recently, the presence and pathogenic role of immune complexes (ICs) of SSc patients were reported. However, the identities of antigens in these ICs are unknown.

Spontaneous Obliteration of a Dissecting Aneurysm of Recurrent Artery of Heubner Monitored by Serial Magnetic Resonance Vessel Wall Imaging.

Aneurysms of the recurrent artery of Heubner (RAH) are known to be one of the uncommon cerebral aneurysms, predominantly presenting with bleeding symptoms. Previously, nine cases of the RAH aneurysms have been reported, all of which were treated surgically or endovascularly and most cases developed postoperative cerebral infarct in the ipsilateral caudate nucleus. Herein, we report a man presenting with transient ischemic attack due to diffuse cerebral vasospasm from a minor non-disabling subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) from an RAH aneurysm.

Outcomes and risk factors for mortality in Pneumocystis pneumonia patients with rheumatoid arthritis: A multicentre retrospective cohort study.

Objectives: The aim is to evaluate outcomes and risk factors for death in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) who developed Pneumocystis pneumonia (PCP).

Methods: We included RA patients who were diagnosed with PCP at seven participating community hospitals between July 2005 and October 2020. Clinical features were compared between survivors and non-survivors.

Long-term outcomes after discontinuing biological drugs and tofacitinib in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: A prospective cohort study.

Objective: This study examined long-term outcomes of biological disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (bDMARDs) and tofacitinib discontinuation in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Methods: Ninety-seven RA patients who desired drug discontinuation after sustained remission or low disease activity for at least 48 weeks due to stable treatment with biological drugs or tofacitinib were enrolled into this study. All patients were prospectively followed until disease flare or the end of the study.

The Association of Increase of Human T-Cell Leukemia Virus Type-1 (HTLV-1) Proviral Load (PVL) With Infection in HTLV-1-Positive Patients With Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Longitudinal Analysis of Changes in HTLV-1 PVLs in a Single Center Cohort Study.

Objective: We evaluated changes of HTLV-1 proviral loads (PVLs) during treatment for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and investigated whether these changes affect the clinical course in HTLV-1-positive RA patients.

Methods: A total of 41 HTLV-1-positive RA patients were analyzed. Their clinical picture including disease activity [Disease Activity Score in 28 joints-erythrocyte sedimentation rate (DAS28-ESR), DAS28-CRP, simplified disease activity index (SDAI), and clinical disease activity index (CDAI)] and comorbidity were evaluated over a 2-year period.

Comparison of complications during 1-year follow-up between remitting seronegative symmetrical synovitis with pitting edema syndrome and elderly-onset rheumatoid arthritis.

Remitting seronegative symmetrical synovitis with pitting edema syndrome (RS3PE), a rheumatic disease affecting the elderly, responds well to corticosteroids; however, our RS3PE patients' corticosteroid therapy is longer than expected. Elderly-onset rheumatoid arthritis (EORA) patients are reported to be at a significantly increased risk for steroid-related side effects including cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). To clarify the complications during a 1-year follow-up in corticosteroid-treated RS3PE patients compared to EORA patients.

Impact of Janus kinase inhibitors on antibody response to 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

Objectives: To evaluate the antibody response to 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis receiving Janus kinase inhibitors (JAKIs).

Methods: Fifty-three patients receiving methotrexate (MTX; n = 10), JAKI (n = 20), or MTX + JAKI (n = 23) were vaccinated with PCV13. Serum concentrations of immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies to 13 pneumococcal serotype capsular polysaccharides were quantified before and 4-6 weeks after vaccination.

Clinical Characteristics of Patients With IgG4-Related Disease Complicated by Hypocomplementemia.

Background: A proportion of patients with immunogloblin G (IgG) 4-related disease (IgG4-RD) have hypocomplementemia. We aimed to identify characteristics of such patients.

Methods: We analyzed the demographic and clinical data and complement levels of 85 patients with IgG4-RD.

Associations between Chest CT Abnormalities and Clinical Features in Patients with the Severe Fever with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome.

Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) is an emerging infectious disease caused by the SFTS virus. It involves multiple organ systems, including the lungs. However, the significance of the lung involvement in SFTS remains unclear.

A case of arteriovenous malformation in the inferior mesenteric artery region resected surgically under intraoperative indocyanine green fluorescence imaging.

Introduction And Importance: An arteriovenous malformation (AVM) is defined as a vascular malformation with a short, non-capillary communication between the arteries and veins. Most gastrointestinal AVMs are solitary, occurring predominantly in the stomach, small intestine and right colon, and rarely in the inferior mesenteric artery (IMA) region.

Case Presentation: A 70-year-old man was first diagnosed with ischemic enteritis two years earlier, and was hospitalized several times with the same diagnosis.

Effect of hemodialysis on short-term outcomes after colon cancer surgery.

Background: Hemodialysis patients who undergo surgery have a high risk of postoperative complications. The aim of this study was to determine whether colon cancer surgery can be safely performed in hemodialysis patients.

Methods: This multicenter retrospective study included 1372 patients who underwent elective curative resection surgery for colon cancer between April 2016 and March 2020.

A case of two traumatic penetrations of a duodenal diverticulum caused by a kick to the upper abdomen.

Introduction And Importance: A duodenal diverticulum is a pseudodiverticulum that lacks a proper muscular layer. Cases of traumatic penetration or perforation of a duodenal diverticulum are relatively rare.

Case Presentation: A 67-year-old woman was injured when her roommate kicked her in the upper abdomen, and was transferred to our hospital 6 h after the injury with upper abdominal pain and lethargy.

RR interval variability in the evaluation of ventricular tachycardia and effects of implantable cardioverter defibrillator therapy.

Background: An implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) is the most reliable therapeutic device for preventing sudden cardiac death in patients with sustained ventricular tachycardia (VT). Regarding its effectiveness, targeted VT is defined based on the tachyarrhythmia cycle length. However, variations in RR interval variability of VTs may occur.

Real-world comparative effectiveness and safety of tofacitinib and baricitinib in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

Objective: To compare the efficacy and safety of tofacitinib and baricitinib in patients with RA in a real-world setting.

Methods: A total of 242 patients with RA who were treated with tofacitinib (n = 161) or baricitinib (n = 81) were enrolled. We evaluated efficacy and safety between tofacitinib and baricitinib using multivariable analyses to avoid confounding.