[Lymphadenitis possibly due to human herpesvirus 7 during methotrexate therapy for rheumatoid arthritis].

A 75-year-old woman who was treated with methotrexate (MTX) for rheumatoid arthritis was admitted to our hospital because of fever and loss of appetite. Physical examination revealed exanthems in the upper limbs and systemic lymphadenopathy. Her blood test showed elevated levels of serum lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and soluble interleukin-2 receptor (sIL-2R).

Relationship between the Responsiveness of Amyloid β Protein to Platelet Activation by TRAP Stimulation and Brain Atrophy in Patients with Diabetes Mellitus.

Type 2 DM is a risk factor for dementia, including Alzheimer's disease (AD), and is associated with brain atrophy. Amyloid β protein (Aβ) deposition in the brain parenchyma is implicated in the neurodegeneration that occurs in AD. Platelets, known as abundant storage of Aβ, are recognized to play important roles in the onset and progression of AD.

[Successful treatment of chronic idiopathic neutropenia in an elderly with ciclosporin].

An 83-year-old man with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, hypothyroidism, and osteoporosis developed neutropenia. He was diagnosed with agranulocytosis based on suppression and maturation arrest of myeloid series in the bone marrow. All of his prescriptions were stopped, and he was given granulocyte colony-stimulating factor because he was suspected to have drug-induced agranulocytosis.

Correction to: Thalidomide maintenance therapy in Japanese myeloma patients: a multicenter, phase II clinical trial (COMET study).

The authors would like to correct the errors in the publication of the original article. The correction details are given below.

Thalidomide maintenance therapy in Japanese myeloma patients: a multicenter, phase II clinical trial (COMET study).

A prospective, multicenter, phase II study was performed to assess the efficacy and safety of thalidomide maintenance therapy at different doses in Japanese multiple myeloma (MM) patients. This study included 34 patients (median age, 74 years) who were previously treated with not more than three prior therapies and whose response status was evaluated as at least stable disease. They were randomized into Group A (no maintenance; 12 patients), Group B (50 mg thalidomide maintenance; 12 patients), and Group C (100 mg thalidomide maintenance; 10 patients), respectively.

High HDL cholesterol level after treatment with pitavastatin is an important factor for regression in carotid intima-media thickness.

This study is a prospective multicenter study designed to investigate the effects of lipid-lowering therapy with pitavastatin on atherosclerotic plaque in patients with coronary heart disease, and to determine which factor is more closely associated with plaque regression. Participants (n = 63) were treated with pitavastatin for 12 months, and the carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) was measured by ultrasound before and after treatment. Mean IMT slightly but significantly decreased (from 0.

Rapidly progressive symptom development of pulmonary arterial hypertension: a case report of Trousseau syndrome.

Trousseau syndrome is most commonly defined as a hypercoagulability syndrome associated with mucin-producing adenocarcinoma. We report here a rare case of Trousseau syndrome presenting as pulmonary arterial hypertension. The patient complained of cough and increasing exertional dyspnea.

Small low-density lipoprotein cholesterol concentration is a determinant of endothelial dysfunction by peripheral artery tonometry in men.

Aim: Endothelial dysfunction is an initial step in the progression of atherosclerosis. Precise measurements of lipoprotein subclass distribution by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) have been established. Here, we investigated the potential associations between lipoprotein subclass cholesterol concentrations and endothelial dysfunction evaluated by digital reactive hyperemia peripheral arterial tonometry (PAT).

Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation on the PC-5 and PC-6 Points Alleviated Hypotension after Epidural Anaesthesia, Depending on the Stimulus Frequency.

Neuraxial blockade causes arterial hypotension. Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) at the Neiguan (PC-6) and Jianshi (PC-5) reduces the severity of hypotension after spinal anaesthesia, but did not clarify the optimal stimulus frequency. We hypothesized that the stimulus frequency of TENS at the PC-6 and PC-5 points would influence the severity of hypotension after epidural anaesthesia.

Folate in smokers.

Blood folate concentration is decreased by tobacco smoking and presumably secondhand smoke. Because low folate concentration is associated with hyperhomocysteinemia, both are emerging as important and independent risk factors for atherosclerosis as well as prediction of early coronary artery disease. The primary cause of low folate concentration in smokers might be related to lifestyle and dietary habits.

Focal pulmonary interstitial opacities adjacent to thoracic spine osteophytes.

Objective: The purpose of our study was to determine whether osteophytes of the thoracic vertebrae cause focal fibrosis in the subpleural region.

Conclusion: Osteophytes of the thoracic vertebrae appear to cause focal fibrosis in the adjacent pulmonary tissue.

Muscular sarcoidosis.

There are four types of muscular sarcoidosis: nodular, chronic myopathy, acute myositis, and asymptomatic. The nodular type is important because it may be confused with a soft tissue tumor. Magnetic resonance (MR) imaging provides specific findings.