Prognosis and Outcomes of Clinically Diagnosed Cardiac Sarcoidosis Without Positive Endomyocardial Biopsy Findings.

Background: Diagnosis of cardiac sarcoidosis (CS) is sometimes difficult due to a low positive rate of epithelioid granulomas by endomyocardial biopsy (EMB). Accordingly, Japanese guidelines can allow the CS diagnosis using clinical data alone without EMB results (clinical CS) since 2006. However, little is known about prognosis and outcome of clinical CS.

Recurrence patterns and progression-free survival after chemoradiotherapy with or without consolidation durvalumab for stage III non-small cell lung cancer.

Chemoradiotherapy followed by consolidation durvalumab (CCRT+D) improves survival in patients with stage III non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). We compared recurrence patterns and survival in the CCRT+D and CCRT cohorts. We conducted a multicenter, retrospective study in Japan.

Causes of long-term mortality in patients with venous thromboembolism in the real world: From the COMMAND VTE registry.

Introduction: There is still a scarcity of data on causes of long-term mortality in patients with venous thromboembolism (VTE).

Materials And Methods: The COMMAND VTE Registry is a physician-initiated, retrospective, multicenter cohort study in which consecutive 3027 patients with acute symptomatic VTE among 29 centers in Japan were included between January 2010 and August 2014. We investigated detailed causes and risk factors for long-term mortality.

Atrial fibrillation in patients with severe aortic stenosis.

Background: There has been no previous report evaluating the long impact of atrial fibrillation (AF) on the clinical outcomes stratified by the initial management [conservative or aortic valve replacement (AVR)] strategies of severe aortic stenosis (AS).

Methods: We analyzed 3815 patients with severe AS enrolled in the CURRENT AS registry. Patients with AF were defined as those having a history of AF when severe AS was found on the index echocardiography.

Intermittent endoleak via an aneurysm-iliac venous fistula after endovascular aneurysm repair.

We have reported the rare case of an intermittent endoleak via an aneurysm-venous fistula (AVF). An 89-year-old woman had experienced postoperative sac expansion 6 years after she had undergone endovascular aneurysm repair. During aneurysmorrhaphy, we detected a small AVF, which was the source of the endoleak responsible for the aneurysmal sac expansion.

A case of laparoscopic distal gastrectomy and median arcuate ligament release for a gastric cancer patient with median arcuate ligament syndrome.

Background: The median arcuate ligament syndrome (MALS) is a disease in which the celiac artery is compressed by the arcuate ligament and causes stenosis. If abdominal pain or an aneurysm is observed in the head of the pancreas, it is necessary to release the arcuate ligament, and recently laparoscopic surgery has been reported. However, the indication for treatment in asymptomatic cases is unknown.

[Hemobilia due to ruptured superior pancreaticoduodenal pseudoaneurysm after chemoradiotherapy for pancreatic head cancer: an autopsy case report].

A 78-year-old man came to our department because of obstructive jaundice, and was diagnosed as pancreatic head cancer. He underwent chemoradiation therapy. A metal stent was inserted into the common bile duct and the patient was followed up on an outpatient basis.

Novel Management for Severe Odontogenic Maxillary Sinusitis Based on Pathophysiology.

Endoscopic sinus surgery is commonly performed to treat odontogenic maxillary sinusitis. However, recurrence and natural ostium reclosure often occur due to the inadequate patency of the excretory route. Furthermore, classical maxillary sinus radical surgery is still performed for odontogenic maxillary sinusitis even though it can cause postoperative maxillary sinus deformation, loss of function, and a postoperative maxillary cyst.

Optimal quality of vitamin K antagonist therapy in Japanese patients with venous thromboembolism.

Background: Vitamin K antagonist (VKA) remains an essential option for venous thromboembolism (VTE), although direct oral anticoagulants have become available. However, there is a paucity of data on the optimal intensity and quality of control for VKA in Japanese.

Methods: The COMMAND VTE Registry is a multicenter registry enrolling consecutive 3027 patients with acute symptomatic VTE among 29 centers in Japan.

Serum immune modulators associated with immune-related toxicities and efficacy of atezolizumab in patients with non-small cell lung cancer.

Purpose: Identifying patients at high risk of immune-related adverse events (irAEs) that impede the achievement of durable efficacy of programmed cell death 1 (PD-1)/programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) blockade therapy is important in improving their management. Identification of a novel predictive factor of therapeutic benefit is also important in improving patient selection for treatment with PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors. Further determinants driving response and linking with irAEs are urgently required.

Comparison of Direct Oral Anticoagulants and Warfarin in Patients With Atrial Fibrillation and an Aortic Bioprosthetic Valve.

Background: Current guidelines equally recommend direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) and warfarin for atrial fibrillation (AF) patients with a bioprosthetic valve (BPV); however, there are limited data comparing DOACs and warfarin in AF patients with an aortic BPV.

Methods and results: This post-hoc subgroup analysis of a multicenter, prospective, observational registry (BPV-AF Registry) aimed to compare DOACs and warfarin in AF patients with an aortic BPV. The primary outcome was a composite of stroke, systemic embolism, major bleeding, heart failure requiring hospitalization, all-cause death, or BPV reoperation.

A panel of nanobodies recognizing conserved hidden clefts of all SARS-CoV-2 spike variants including Omicron.

We are amid the historic coronavirus infectious disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Imbalances in the accessibility of vaccines, medicines, and diagnostics among countries, regions, and populations, and those in war crises, have been problematic. Nanobodies are small, stable, customizable, and inexpensive to produce.

Chemotherapy for patients with advanced lung cancer with interstitial lung disease: a prospective observational study.

Introduction: Although recent advances in chemotherapy for lung cancer are remarkable, most clinical trials have excluded patients with interstitial lung disease (ILD) due to the concern of developing acute exacerbation (AE) of ILD. Hence, accumulating original evidence of cancer treatment for this population is important.

Methods: Between 2016 and 2020, a prospective observational study was conducted across 11 Japanese hospitals.

C-reactive Protein Levels and Cardiovascular Outcomes After Febuxostat Treatment in Patients with Asymptomatic Hyperuricemia: Post-hoc Analysis of a Randomized Controlled Study.

Purpose: Inflammation plays an important role in the initiation and progression of atherosclerosis, leading to poor clinical outcomes. Hyperuricemia is associated with the activation of the Nod-like receptor protein 3 inflammasome. Here, we investigated whether inhibition of inflammation using febuxostat lowered the risk of cardiovascular events.

Case of an octogenarian with an asymptomatic double aortic arch undergoing CABG.

Double aortic arch is a rare congenital anomaly of the aortic arch system where a complete vascular ring is formed around the trachea and esophagus. Case reports of elderly patients are extremely rare. We report a case of coronary bypass grafting in an elderly patient with right-dominant DAA.

Clinicopathological features and programmed death-ligand 1 immunohistochemical expression in a multicenter cohort of uterine and ovarian melanomas: a retrospective study in Japan (KCOG-G1701s).

The objective of this study was to propose prognostic factors and optimal treatment strategies by analyzing the clinicopathological features and programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression. We analyzed 31 patients diagnosed with uterine or ovarian melanoma between 1997 and 2017 in the Kansai Clinical Oncology Group/Intergroup. Twenty-four and seven patients with cervical and ovarian melanomas were included, respectively.

Cutaneous branch of the nerve to the mylohyoid muscle: Potential cause of postoperative sensory alteration in the submental area.

Background: Previous studies suggest that the nerve to the mylohyoid muscle could have a cutaneous branch. However, its clinical relevance has rarely been discussed because there is insufficient evidence for it. Our aim in this study was to investigate the anatomy of the cutaneous branch of the nerve to the mylohyoid muscle and extend the discussion to surgical management.

Sex-related differences in the prognosis of patients with cardiac sarcoidosis treated with cardiac resynchronization therapy.

Background: Past studies have shown the sex-related difference in the efficacy of cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT). However, the data for cardiac sarcoidosis (CS) are limited.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to assess the sex-related prognostic differences in CS patients with CRT.

Preoperative Localization of Parathyroid Adenomas with Diffusion MR Imaging: Readout-segmented versus Single-shot Echo-planar Imaging.

Purpose: To evaluate whether readout-segmented echo-planar imaging (RS-EPI) diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) can reduce image distortion and improve the lesion identification in parathyroid adenomas (PTAs) compared to single-shot EPI (SS-EPI) DWI, and to determine whether PTAs can be differentiated from other soft tissue structures of the head and neck region by using the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) value.

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the preoperative MR images including DWI of 24 patients with surgically confirmed PTA. RS-EPI and SS-EPI DWI were evaluated by two independent readers for the identification of the lesions and distortion.

Multicentre, prospective, observational study investigating the most appropriate surgical option that can prevent the recurrence of primary spontaneous pneumothorax after surgery: the PATCH study, protocol.

Introduction: Thoracoscopic surgery is performed for refractory or recurrent primary spontaneous pneumothorax (PSP). To reduce postoperative recurrence, additional treatment is occasionally adopted during surgery after bulla resection. However, the most effective method has not been fully elucidated.

Effect of febuxostat on clinical outcomes in patients with hyperuricemia and cardiovascular disease.

Background: We previously reported on the FREED study, which found that febuxostat reduced the risk of adverse clinical outcome in patients with asymptomatic hyperuricemia without gout. We have now investigated outcomes in subgroups of FREED patients with and without a history of cardiovascular disease (CVD).

Methods: We performed a post hoc subgroup analysis of 1070 patients randomized to the febuxostat or non-febuxostat group and followed for 36 months.

Coronary Artery Disease Without Standard Cardiovascular Risk Factors.

Recently, one observational study showed that patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) without standard cardiovascular risk factors were associated with increased mortality compared with patients with risk factors. This unexpected result should be evaluated in other populations including those with non-ST-segment elevation acute coronary syndrome (NSTE-ACS) and chronic coronary syndrome (CCS). Among 30,098 consecutive patients undergoing first coronary revascularization in the CREDO-Kyoto PCI/CABG (Coronary Revascularization Demonstrating Outcome Study in Kyoto Percutaneous Coronary Intervention/Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting) registry cohort-2 and 3, we compared clinical characteristics and outcomes between patients with and without risk factors stratified by their presentation (STEMI n = 8,312, NSTE-ACS n = 3,386, and CCS n = 18,400).