"J waves" induced after short coupling intervals: a manifestations of latent depolarization abnormality?

Aims: To confirm the presence of tachycardia-induced slur or notch in the terminal portion of the QRS complexes in a general patient population.

Methods And Results: A tachycardia-induced J wave was defined as a slur or notch in the terminal portion of the QRS complexes newly induced at short RR intervals during atrial premature contractions (APCs) or atrial electrical stimulation in the electrophysiological study (EPS). Twenty-three out of 2000 patients with general diseases were involved.

Formulation for Effective Screening and Management of Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis: Noninvasive NAFLD Management Strategy.

To establish a versatile means for screening and management of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), shear wave velocity was measured in 20 normal controls and 138 consecutive nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) cases. Referencing biochemical properties in 679 healthy volunteers, a formula to distinguish NASH suspects was established and validated in another cohort of 138 histologically proven NAFLD cases. NASH and simple steatosis (SS) suspects were selected based on a plot of shear wave velocity against age.

Intracerebral Hematoma Occurring During Warfarin Versus Non-Vitamin K Antagonist Oral Anticoagulant Therapy.

The neuroradiological findings and its outcomes of intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) were compared between the non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulant (NOAC) therapy and warfarin therapy. In the latest 3 years, 13 cases of nonvalvular atrial fibrillation on NOAC therapy were admitted for ICH. For comparison, 65 age- and gender-comparable patients with ICH on warfarin therapy were recruited.

[Surgical Outcomes of Aortic Root Repair in Type A Acute Aortic Dissection].

We carried out a retrospective evaluation of the early and long-term outcomes of aortic root reconstruction for type A acute aortic dissection. Between January 2001 and March 2015, a total of 21 patients underwent aortic root reconstruction. Bentall operation was performed in 9 patients( B group) and Patch plasty of sinus of Valsalva patients was performed in 12 patients (V group).

Early and midterm outcomes of triple patch technique for postinfarction ventricular septal defects.

Objective: Early and midterm outcomes were evaluated in patients who had postinfarction ventricular septal defect (VSD) and underwent VSD repair using the triple patch technique.

Methods: Twenty-one patients underwent VSD repair for postinfarction VSD between April 2004 and September 2015. A retrospective analysis of all in-hospital and postdischarge data was performed.

A case of brugada syndrome presenting with ventricular fibrillation storm and prominent early repolarization.

A 21-year-old man developed ventricular fibrillation (VF) while drinking alcohol and was admitted to our hospital. An electrocardiogram (ECG) on admission revealed remarkably prominent slurs on the terminal part of QRS complexes in the left precordial leads and a coved type ST elevation at higher intercostal spaces. After hypothermia therapy, he underwent implantation of an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD).

Low Vital Capacity Was Associated with Incident Diabetes in a Japanese Health Screening Population in Whom Obesity Was Not Prevalent.

Objectives: There have been few studies regarding the relationship between respiratory function and incident diabetes in East Asian populations in whom obesity is not prevalent.

Methods: This is a 6-year follow-up study in a Japanese health-screening population that included 1874 men and 1093 women. Using Cox regression models, hazard ratios (HRs) of incident diabetes for percent vital capacity (%VC) and forced expiratory volume in 1 second divided by forced vital capacity (FEV1/FVC) were calculated.

Cross-Sectional and Longitudinal Associations between Serum Bilirubin and Prediabetes in a Health Screening Population.

Objectives: Longitudinal associations between total bilirubin (TB) and prediabetes have not been reported. This study investigated cross-sectional and longitudinal associations between TB and prediabetes.

Methods: Cross-sectional associations between TB and prediabetes were investigated in 3681 nondiabetic subjects.

Early and Late Outcomes of Aortic Valve Replacement Using Bioprosthetic Versus Mechanical Valve in Elderly Patients: A Propensity Analysis.

Background And Aim Of The Study: There is still controversy on the use of mechanical valves to treat elderly patients with a small aortic annulus who require aortic valve replacement (AVR). We compared our results in elderly patients who underwent AVR with a bioprosthetic or mechanical valve. Propensity matching adjusted for baseline differences in this study.

Topical spraying of cefazolin and gentamicin reduces deep sternal wound infections after heart surgery: a multicenter, large volume, retrospective study.

Objective: The use of topical antimicrobials applied to the sternum during cardiac procedures in combination with intravenous agents to prevent mediastinitis has been reported to yield good results. The objective of this study is to provide optimal method of topical antimicrobials for the prevention of sternal wound infection after cardiac surgery.

Methods: We retrospectively evaluated the patients undergoing adult cardiac surgery at five institutions between January 1994 and August 2013 for the incidence of deep sternal wound infection (DSWI).

[Early and Late Outcomes of Valve Surgery in Active Infective Endocarditis Patients with Cerebral Complications].

We carried out a retrospective evaluation of the early and late outcomes of valve surgery for acute endocarditis patients with cerebrovascular disease. Between January 2002 and August 2014, a total of 17 patients (early group, n=10;delayed group, n=7) underwent valve surgery with or without an additional procedure. Craniotomy was performed in 1 patient in the early group and 2 patients in the delayed group before valve surgery.

Latent association between low urine pH and low body weight in an apparently healthy population.

Low urine pH, a plausible predictor for chronic kidney disease and metabolic disorders, is often observed in obese individuals. However, the association between low urine pH and low body weight is equivocal. We examined clinical parameters including urine pH and body mass index (BMI) in a cross-sectional study of 3629 apparently healthy Japanese adults aged 25-80 years who underwent a health-screening check-up.

The association of serum sodium and chloride levels with blood pressure and estimated glomerular filtration rate.

Background: High serum sodium (sNa) concentrations may be associated with hypertension, which deteriorates kidney function. However, it is equivocal whether high sNa concentrations are associated with impaired kidney function independently of blood pressure (BP) or serum chloride (sCl). Therefore, we addressed this issue in an apparently healthy population.

Serum Cholinesterase Is Inversely Associated with Body Weight Change in Men Undergoing Routine Health Screening.

Objective: The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationships between serum cholinesterase and body weight change, in addition to incident obesity defined as a body mass index (BMI) of 25 kg/m(2) or greater.

Methods: A retrospective 5-year follow-up study was conducted. The crude incidence and hazard ratios (HRs) of obesity adjusted for the BMI and other confounders were calculated for cholinesterase quartiles in 1,412 men and 921 women.

Early and Late Outcomes of Aortic Valve Replacement with Aortic Annular Enlargement: A Propensity Analysis.

Objectives Early and late outcomes were evaluated in Japanese patients undergoing aortic valve replacement (AVR) with or without aortic annular enlargement (AAE). Propensity matching adjusted for baseline differences in this study. Methods Between January 2001 and July 2014, 589 patients underwent AVR for aortic stenosis.

Conservative treatment of esophageal perforation related to a peptic ulcer with pyloric stenosis.

We report a case of esophageal perforation (Boerhaave syndrome) caused by vomiting related to a duodenal ulcer with pyloric stenosis. A 45-year-old male presented with left chest pain and dyspnea after forceful vomiting. Chest radiography and computed tomography (CT) revealed a massive left pleural effusion and left tension pneumothorax.

High-sensitivity C-reactive protein, but not white blood cell count, independently predicted incident diabetes in a Japanese health screening population.

Aims: To compare high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) and white blood cell count (WBC) as a predictor of incident diabetes in a population where obesity is not prevalent.

Methods: This is a retrospective 6-year follow-up study in a Japanese health screening population including 1874 men and 1094 women. Using Cox regression methods, hazard ratios (HRs) of incident diabetes for hs-CRP and WBC adjusting for fasting plasma glucose (FPG), hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) and other confounders were calculated, and using areas under receiver operating characteristic curve (AUCs), diabetes-predicting abilities of hs-CRP and WBC were compared.

Electrical alternans induced by a brief period of myocardial ischemia during percutaneous coronary intervention: The characteristic ECG morphology and relationship to mechanical alternans.

Background: Electrical alternans (EA) has not been fully studied in the current percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) procedure.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate visible EA and the morphology of ST segment during PCI.

Methods: The incidence of visible EA and ST-segment morphology were studied while the coronary artery was occluded for 20 seconds.

Early and late outcomes of AVR with aortic annular enlargement in octogenarian.

Objective: There is no clear consensus on the procedures for octogenarians with a small aortic annulus who require aortic valve replacement (AVR). We evaluated surgical results in octogenarians who underwent AVR with aortic annular enlargement, Nicks procedure, for aortic stenosis with a small aortic annulus.

Methods: Between January 2001 and March 2014, 131 octogenarian patients were treated at our institution.

Associations between serum cholinesterase and incident hyper-LDL cholesterolemia, hypertriglyceridemia and hypo-HDL cholesterolemia as well as changes in lipid levels in a health screening population.

Objective: To investigate longitudinal associations between serum cholinesterase (ChE) and lipid status.

Methods: Hazard ratios (HRs) of incident hyper-LDL cholesterolemia, hypertriglyceridemia and hypo-HDL cholesterolemia for baseline ChE and correlation coefficients between baseline ChE and changes in LDL cholesterol, log triglycerides and HDL cholesterol during 5 years were calculated in a health screening population.

Results: During the 5-year follow-up period, 337 men (22.