Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF) Concentration Is Underestimated by Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay in the Presence of Anti-VEGF Drugs.

Purpose: Commercially available enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kits are often used to monitor vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) levels in exudative age-related macular degeneration. To test their accuracy, this study performed measurements using the ELISA kits in the presence of anti-VEGF drugs.

Methods: The concentrations of bevacizumab, pegaptanib, or ranibizumab at 28 days and aflibercept at 28 and 56 days after an injection were estimated based on previous pharmacokinetic studies.

Metabolic Syndrome Components Are Associated with Intervertebral Disc Degeneration: The Wakayama Spine Study.

Objective: The objective of the present study was to examine the associations between metabolic syndrome (MS) components, such as overweight (OW), hypertension (HT), dyslipidemia (DL), and impaired glucose tolerance (IGT), and intervertebral disc degeneration (DD).

Design: The present study included 928 participants (308 men, 620 women) of the 1,011 participants in the Wakayama Spine Study. DD on magnetic resonance imaging was classified according to the Pfirrmann system.

Use of olanzapine for the relief of nausea and vomiting in patients with advanced cancer: a multicenter survey in Japan.

Nausea and vomiting are among the most common and distressing symptoms in patients with advanced cancer. Olanzapine, an antipsychotic agent, is known to have an affinity for multiple neurotransmitter receptors. Previous studies have reported olanzapine to be efficacious in the treatment of nausea and vomiting.

Behçet's disease ocular attack score 24 and visual outcome in patients with Behçet's disease.

Aims: To investigate the ability of the Behçet's disease ocular attack score 24 (BOS24) scoring system to predict visual acuity (VA) in patients with ocular Behçet's disease.

Design: This is a retrospective study.

Methods: We included 91 eyes of 50 patients with ocular Behçet's disease (33 males, 17 females) who were referred to our hospital between 1986 and 2008 with >5 years follow-up.

Postoperative transient neurological symptoms and chronic subdural hematoma after extracranial-intracranial bypass for internal carotid/middle cerebral atherosclerotic steno-occlusive diseases: negative effect on cognitive performance.

Background: The mechanisms underlying post-extracranial to intracranial (EC-IC) bypass neurocognitive changes are poorly understood.

Methods: Data from 55 patients who underwent a unilateral EC-IC bypass for atherosclerotic internal carotid artery (ICA)/middle cerebral artery (MCA) steno-occlusive disease were retrospectively evaluated. These patients underwent neuropsychological examinations (NPEs), including assessment by the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Third Edition and Wechsler Memory Scale-Revised (WMS-R) before and 6 months after EC-IC bypass.

Quadriceps muscle strength, radiographic knee osteoarthritis and knee pain: the ROAD study.

Background: The objective of this study was to clarify the association of quadriceps muscle strength with knee pain using a large-scale, population-based cohort of the Research on Osteoarthritis/osteoporosis Against Disability (ROAD) study.

Methods: From the 2566 subjects at the third visit of the ROAD study, the present study analyzed 2152 subjects who completed radiographic examinations and measurements of muscle strength and mass (690 men and 1462 women; mean age, 71.6 ± 12.

Prevalence of radiographic hip osteoarthritis and its association with hip pain in Japanese men and women: the ROAD study.

Objective: Although hip osteoarthritis (OA) is a major cause of hip pain and disability in elderly people, few epidemiologic studies have been performed. We investigated the prevalence of radiographic hip OA and its association with hip pain in Japanese men and women using a large-scale population of a nationwide cohort study, Research on Osteoarthritis/osteoporosis Against Disability (ROAD).

Methods: From the baseline survey of the ROAD study, 2975 participants (1043 men and 1932 women), aged 23-94 years (mean 70.

Microendoscopic posterior decompression for the treatment of thoracic myelopathy caused by ossification of the ligamentum flavum: a technical report.

Purpose: Ossification of the ligamentum flavum (OLF) is a common cause of progressive thoracic myelopathy in East Asia. Good surgical results are expected for patients who already show myelopathy. Surgical decompression using a posterior approach is commonly used to treat OLF.

ASSOCIATION BETWEEN AQUEOUS HUMOR CXC MOTIF CHEMOKINE LIGAND 13 LEVELS AND SUBFOVEAL CHOROIDAL THICKNESS IN NORMAL OLDER SUBJECTS.

Purpose: To investigate the association of subfoveal choroidal thickness with intraocular inflammatory cytokines and chemokines.

Methods: The subjects consisted of 76 eyes of consecutive cataract patients at the Japan Community Health Care Organization Tokyo Shinjuku Medical Center between September 2010 and August 2012. In addition, two autopsy eyes from elderly males were used for immunohistochemical study.

Intermittent Androgen Suppression: Estimating Parameters for Individual Patients Based on Initial PSA Data in Response to Androgen Deprivation Therapy.

When a physician decides on a treatment and its schedule for a specific patient, information gained from prior patients and experience in the past is taken into account. A more objective way to make such treatment decisions based on actual data would be useful to the clinician. Although there are many mathematical models proposed for various diseases, so far there is no mathematical method that accomplishes optimization of the treatment schedule using the information gained from past patients or "rapid learning" technology.

Association between new indices in the locomotive syndrome risk test and decline in mobility: third survey of the ROAD study.

Background: We aimed to clarify the association between new indices in a locomotive syndrome risk test and decline in mobility.

Methods: In the third survey of the Research on Osteoarthritis/osteoporosis Against Disability (ROAD) study, data on the indices were obtained from 1575 subjects (513 men, 1062 women) of the 1721 participants in mountainous and coastal areas. As outcome measures for decline in mobility, we used the five-times-sit-to-stand test (FTSST) and walking speed with cutoff values of 12 s and 0.

Visceral adipose tissue measured by computed tomography and high-grade prostate cancer after radical prostatectomy.

We assessed the association between obesity measurements including visceral adipose tissue (VAT), measured by computed tomography, and the risk of high-grade prostate cancer after radical prostatectomy. We investigated 296 patients who were diagnosed with prostate cancer and underwent radical prostatectomy. Data extracted from medical records included age, body mass index (BMI), VAT, pretreatment prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels and Gleason score (GS).

Factors affecting changes in the serum levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D: a 3-year follow-up of the ROAD study.

Unlabelled: In this 3-year population-based cohort study, among 1346 subjects, the mean annual change in the serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels was 7.6 %/year, which tended to increase during the 3-year period. Multivariate regression analysis indicated that the L2-4 bone mineral density and total daily energy intake were significant independent associated factors.

Urinary 8-iso-prostaglandin F2α as a marker of metabolic risks in the general Japanese population: The ROAD study.

Objective: To determine whether 8-iso-prostaglandin F2α (8-iso-PGF2α) is a reliable biomarker of the accumulation of metabolic risks [e.g., overweight, hypertension, impaired glucose tolerance (IGT), and dyslipidemia].

The incremental burden of pain in patients with depression: results of a Japanese survey.

Background: Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a chronic mental illness which affects an estimated 3% of the Japanese population. Many patients with MDD report painful physical symptoms, and research outside of Japan suggests such patients may represent a subtype of depression which is more severe and difficult to treat. There is no evidence available about the characteristics or incremental burden of these patients in Japan.

Prospective evaluation of the safety of transrectal ultrasound-guided transperineal prostate biopsy based on adverse events.

Background: Although transperineal (TP) prostate biopsy is growing in popularity, its safety has not been evaluated based on extensive studies. We prospectively assessed the adverse events associated with transrectal ultrasound (TRUS)-guided TP 16-core prostate biopsy at a single institution.

Patients And Methods: We enrolled 2,086 males who underwent first-time TRUS-guided TP prostate biopsy under lumbar spinal anesthesia at Chiba Cancer Center between 2009 and 2013.

Effect of posterior vitreous detachment on aqueous humor level of vascular endothelial growth factor in exudative age-related macular degeneration patients.

Background: To investigate the association of posterior vitreous detachment (PVD) with aqueous levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in eyes with exudative age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

Methods: This is a prospective comparative study. Subjects are 33 eyes with exudative AMD.

Effects of Concomitant Methotrexate on Large Joint Replacement in Patients With Rheumatoid Arthritis Treated With Tumor Necrosis Factor Inhibitors: A Multicenter Retrospective Cohort Study in Japan.

Objective: To determine the effects of concomitant methotrexate (MTX) on the incidence of large joint replacement resulting from the progression of large joint destruction in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) treated with tumor necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitors.

Methods: A retrospective cohort study was performed using a multicenter registry. In total, 803 patients with RA who received etanercept or adalimumab were included.

Association between pain severity, depression severity, and use of health care services in Japan: results of a nationwide survey.

Background: Depression is often associated with painful physical symptoms. Previous research has seldom assessed the relationship between the severity of physical symptoms and the severity of mental and emotional symptoms of depression or other health outcomes, and no such studies have been conducted previously among individuals with depression in Japan. The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between the severity of physical pain and depression and other outcomes among individuals in Japan diagnosed with depression.

Glasgow prognostic score predicts prognosis for cancer patients in palliative settings: a subanalysis of the Japan-prognostic assessment tools validation (J-ProVal) study.

Purpose: The Glasgow prognostic score (GPS), which uses C-reactive protein and albumin levels, is a good predictor of prognosis in cancer patients undergoing anti-tumor therapy. The objective of this study was to investigate the correlation between GPS and survival among cancer patients in palliative settings, as findings in such populations have not been well described.

Methods: This was a subanalysis of a multicenter, prospective, cohort study in patients who were adults, diagnosed with advanced cancer, and first referred to palliative care service in Japan.

Comparison of efficacy and safety of tacrolimus and methotrexate in combination with abatacept in patients with rheumatoid arthritis; a retrospective observational study in the TBC Registry.

Objectives: Tacrolimus (TAC) and abatacept (ABT) inhibit T-cells via different mechanisms and, in combination, may be effective against rheumatoid arthritis. However, they may also disrupt normal immune functions. We compared the efficacy and safety of ABT administered to patients in combination with TAC, methotrexate (MTX), or other drugs.