Radial Osteotomy With Callus Distraction for the Correction of Severe Madelung Deformity.

We report a case of an 11-year-old girl with bilateral severe Madelung deformity who underwent radial osteotomy with callus distraction. The distal radial articulation was corrected at surgery, and a unilateral fixator was subsequently used for callus distraction. No postoperative complication was noted.

Systematic review and meta-analysis of the diagnostic and therapeutic yield of small bowel endoscopy in patients with overt small bowel bleeding.

Background: Small bowel endoscopy, including small bowel capsule endoscopy (SBCE) and balloon-assisted endoscopy (BAE), is useful for small bowel bleeding (SBB) assessment. However, the specific management strategy for overt SBB is not well established. This meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the pooled diagnostic yields (DYs) and therapeutic yields (TYs) of small bowel endoscopy in overt SBB and to determine the optimal endoscopy timing.

Pretreatment with inhaled procaterol improves symptoms of dyspnea and quality of life in patients with severe COPD.

Background: The clinical efficacy of short-acting β(2)-agonists administered before performing daily activities in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical effect of supplementary inhaled procaterol hydrochloride in patients with COPD.

Methods: Thirty outpatients with moderate to severe COPD (Stage II-IV) regularly using inhaled tiotropium bromide alone and with dyspnea during daily activities were enrolled.

Lacrimal dacryostenosis with severe facial pain misdiagnosed as trigeminal neuralgia.

A 47-year-old woman developed intermittent shooting pain around the right side of the nose and eyes. A neurologist initially diagnosed trigeminal neuralgia, but carbamazepine did not improve the pain. Two months later, she presented with a pus-like eye discharge and was referred to us for further examination.

Pitavastatin - a novel therapeutic milestone.

Treatment for hypercholesterolemia aims to suppress the progression of early atherosclerotic changes and prevent the onset of future cardiovascular events. Drugs to treat hypercholesterolemia should thus have sufficient longterm lipid-lowering and direct antiatherosclerotic effects. Pitavastatin is a 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase inhibitor (statin) that was developed in Japan.

Current situation of asthma therapy by allergists in primary medical facilities in Japan.

Background: To reduce deaths from asthma, further use of inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) in accordance with the guidelines is required. The present study was conducted because specialists are responsible for increasing the use of guidelines, but the current state of asthma care provided by specialists in primary clinical settings has not been clarified.

Methods: In collaboration with five primary medical facilities throughout Japan, severity of asthma, contents of asthma therapy, and the implementation rate of pulmonary function testing and peak flow measurements were analyzed for 1007 outpatients ≥40 years old with stable bronchial asthma.

Open-label, Randomized Crossover Study Between Telmisartan and Valsartan on Improving Insulin Resistance and Adipocytokines in Nondiabetic Patients with Mild Hypertension.

Objective: The comparative effect of telmisartan and valsartan upon insulin resistance and adipocytokines in nondiabetic patients with mild hypertension is unclear.

Methods: Fifty nondiabetic patients with untreated mild hypertension were randomly assigned to telmisartan (40 mg/day) and valsartan (80 mg/day) groups and were switched in a crossover manner at 3-month intervals. Serum leptin, adiponectin, hsCRP and the HOMA-R were measured before and at 3 months during each treatment period.

Pitavastatin improves plasma pentraxin 3 and arterial stiffness in atherosclerotic patients with hypercholesterolemia.

Objective: To investigate the effect of pitavastatin on asymptomatic atherosclerosis in patients with hypercholesterolemia.

Methods: Thirty-five outpatients with hypercholesterolemia (61.5+/-12.

Additional effects of pranlukast in salmeterol/fluticasone combination therapy for the asthmatic distal airway in a randomized crossover study.

Background: Salmeterol/fluticasone combination (SFC) therapy is used to control inflammation in the distal airway of patients with well-controlled asthma, but the efficacy of this approach is unclear.

Objectives: The goal of the study was to evaluate the effect of pranlukast, a leukotriene receptor antagonist (LTRA), on distal airway inflammation and pulmonary resistance in patients with asthma that was well-controlled using SFC therapy alone.

Methods: The subjects were 32 patients with well-controlled asthma (age 61.

[Examination of beneficial effects of risedronate in improving quality of life during long-term treatment of primary osteoporosis].

Background And Aims: Risedronate is a first-line medication in the therapy of osteoporosis and a substantial amount of evidence has already established the clinical efficacy of risedronate in the treatment of osteoporosis. However, studies addressing its long-term efficacy in improving patients' quality of life (QOL) are rare. The aim of this study was to evaluate the therapeutic effect of long-term treatment with risedronate on the time-course of changes in patients' QOL.

[The evaluation of the distal airway inflammation of well controlled asthmatic patients using sputum induction by inhalation of 10% hypertonic saline for 15 minutes].

Background: As the clinical importance of treatment to asthmatic distal airway has been recognized, this study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of the 10% hypertonic saline-induced 15 minutes long-inhaled method to assess the inflammatory situation in the distal airways.

Methods: The subjects were 16 healthy volunteers and 29 patients with well controlled asthma. They inhaled 5% or 10% hypertonic saline for 15 minutes and the sputum induction rates and induced times were measured.

Hydrofluoroalkane-beclomethasone dipropionate effectively improves airway eosinophilic inflammation including the distal airways of patients with mild to moderate persistent asthma as compared with fluticasone propionate in a randomized open double-cross study.

Background: To evaluate whether hydrofluoroalkane-beclomethasone dipropionate (HFA-BDP) controls eosinophilic inflammation, including that in the distal airways, more effectively than fluticasone propionate (FP) Diskus.

Methods: Fifty patients with well-controlled mild to moderate persistent asthma using FP for more than 6 months were randomly assigned to FP and HFA-BDP groups, and the treatment regimens of the two groups were switched twice between FP and HFA-BDP in a double cross-over manner at 3-month intervals after 2-week washout periods. Evidence of eosinophilic inflammation in blood and induced sputum samples was assessed, together with pulmonary function testing and an Asthma-related Quality of Life Questionnaire (AQLQ) survey after each treatment period.

Pitavastatin improves serum resistin levels in patients with hypercholesterolemia.

Aim: Resistin in serum is associated with high risk in patients with atherosclerosis. This clinical study aimed to investigate whether pitavastatin can regulate the serum level of resistin, together with levels of other inflammatory cytokines and adipocytokines.

Methods: Forty two outpatients (mean age 65.

[A multicenter, open-label, randomized comparison of suppressive effects on asthmatic inflammation of lower airways and improved effects on health-related QOL between HFA-BDP and fluticasone propionate].

Purpose: It is important to evaluate the effects of hydrofluoroalkane-beclomethasone dipropionate (HFA-BDP), which shows predominant deposition in the lower airways, on asthmatic inflammation in the lower airways and the Quality of Life (QOL) of asthma patients, as compared with those of fluticasone propionate (FP) Diskus.

Methods: Seventy-seven adult patients with mild persistent or more severe asthma who were being treated with FP for >/=3 months were randomly assigned to the HFA-BDP group and continued FP group. The differential count of eosinophils in the peripheral blood, the serum cortisol levels, and pulmonary function parameters were measured before the study and at 3 months after the start of the study treatment.

[A case of HER2 overexpressing recurrent breast cancer treated clinically showing a complete response to trastuzumab/paclitaxel combination therapy].

A 57-year-old female was diagnosed as local, lung, and multiple liver metastases in the 2 years and 6 months after surgery. As expression of HER2 showed 3+, we performed trastuzumab/paclitaxel combination therapy. After 3 cycles, a rapid complete response was seen clinically.

One-year evaluation of the preventative effect of hydrofluoroalkane-beclomethasone dipropionate on eosinophilic inflammation of asthmatic peripheral airways.

Background: In asthmatic patients with eosinophilic inflammation of the peripheral airways, appropriate drug delivery to the affected area is required.

Objective: It was the aim of this study to assess persistent eosinophilic inflammation of the peripheral airways in asthmatic patients, stabilized by the long-term use of dry powder type inhaled steroids, and to evaluate the clinical efficacy of hydrofluoroalkane-beclomethasone dipropionate (HFA-BDP) over 1 year.

Methods: Seventy-four outpatients with moderate stable asthma were studied for at least 6 months, 37 treated with fluticasone propionate Diskus (FP-DK) and 37 with budesonide Turbuhaler (BUD-TH).

[Results of a survey questionnaire concerning smoking conditions in 54 major Japanese pharmaceutical companies and among their employees].

Background: Despite progress in the prohibition of smoking in many hospitals, some medical representatives (MRs) still visit hospitals smelling of tobacco smoke. As few broad studies of the actual smoking conditions in pharmaceutical companies and among their employees have been conducted, this issue warrants investigation.

Methods: A total of 54 area offices.

[A case of severe persistent bronchial asthma who showed significant improvement by switching to hfa-bdp, with reducing the dosage of oral steroids].

A case, 54-year-old female teacher, has been treated for severe persistent asthma mainly with an inhaled corticosteroid, budesonide (BUD), 600 microg/day. The higher dose was considered inappropriate due to the adverse effects including hoarseness, thus, prednisolone (PSL) was frequently given when needed. In this situation, administration of hydrofluoroalkane-beclomethasone dipropionate (HFA-BDP), 400 microg/day, was started instead of BUD, and then improvement of the clinical symptoms, PEF and pulmonary function were observed promptly, followed by reduction in the dosage of PSL and a short-acting beta-stimulant.