Adrenomedullin in pulmonary hypertension.

Adrenomedullin (AM) exerts strong pulmonary vasodilatory effects. These effects are mediated in part by nitric oxide. Plasma AM levels are increased in patients with pulmonary hypertension and correlate with disease severity and poor outcomes.

Age and sex differences in sarcopenic dysphagia: A secondary data analysis.

Background: Age and sex differences in sarcopenic dysphagia are unknown. The purpose is to characterize age and sex differences in sarcopenic dysphagia.

Methods: A cross-sectional and retrospective cohort study using information from the Japanese database on sarcopenic dysphagia was performed.

Impact of Hospital Dentistry on Patients' Food Intake Status in Convalescent Rehabilitation Ward.

Background: Treating oral problems with dentist intervention during hospitalisation may improve patients' food intake status.

Objectives: This study aimed to clarify whether convalescent rehabilitation ward inpatients in a hospital with hospital dentistry (HHD) had a better diet at discharge than those in a hospital without hospital dentistry (HNHD).

Methods: Retrospective observational study including inpatients with dental involvement in a HHD with dentists and dental hygienists and HNHD with dental hygienist and visiting dental service between 1 March and 31 August 2022.

Relationship between Improvement in Physical Activity and Three Nutritional Assessment Indicators in Patients Admitted to a Convalescent Rehabilitation Ward.

We investigated the relationship between three nutritional indicators, the Mini Nutritional Assessment-Short Form (MNA-SF), Geriatric Nutritional Risk Index (GNRI), and Controlling Nutrition Status (CONUT), and physical activity at discharge in patients admitted to convalescent rehabilitation wards. The study included 1601 patients (77 ± 12 years, male 46.2%) discharged from convalescent rehabilitation wards between April 2018 and September 2023.

Effect of comorbid heart failure assessed by plasma B-type natriuretic peptide level on the activities of daily living in patients with hospitalization-associated disability after aspiration pneumonia.

Purpose: We investigated the effects of comorbid heart failure on rehabilitation outcomes in patients with hospitalization-associated disability after aspiration pneumonia (AP).

Methods: This study included 134 patients with hospitalization-associated disability after AP. Patients were classified into heart failure (B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) ≧100 pg/ml, n = 39) and non-heart failure (BNP < 100 pg/ml, n = 95) groups, and the rehabilitation outcomes of both groups were compared.

Impact of registered dietitian and dental hygienist involvement on functional outcomes in patients with dysphagia: triad of rehabilitation, nutrition, and oral management.

Purpose: To investigate whether the involvement of both registered dietitians and dental hygienists results in greater improvement in swallowing function and activities of daily living (ADL) in patients with dysphagia undergoing rehabilitation.

Methods: Of 467 patients enrolled in the Japanese Sarcopenic Dysphagia database, 433 met the study eligibility criteria in a retrospective cohort study. Patients were divided into two groups based on whether or not they received intervention by both registered dietitians and dental hygienists.

Association of Existence of Sarcopenia and Poor Recovery of Swallowing Function in Post-Stroke Patients with Severe Deglutition Disorder: A Multicenter Cohort Study.

Background: The effect of sarcopenia on the recovery of swallowing function, and the interaction among sarcopenia, nutrition care, and rehabilitation therapy are inconclusive.

Methods: This multicenter cohort study was conducted between November 2018 and October 2020 in convalescent rehabilitation hospitals in Japan and included post-stroke patients aged ≥65 years with dysphagia. All participants were assigned to sarcopenia and non-sarcopenia groups.

B-Type Natriuretic Peptide (BNP) Revisited-Is BNP Still a Biomarker for Heart Failure in the Angiotensin Receptor/Neprilysin Inhibitor Era?

Myocardial wall stress, cytokines, hormones, and ischemia all stimulate B-type (or brain) natriuretic peptide (BNP) gene expression. Within the myocardium, ProBNP-108, a BNP precursor, undergoes glycosylation, after which a portion is cleaved by furin into mature BNP-32 and N-terminal proBNP-76, depending on the glycosylation status. As a result, active BNP, less active proBNP, and inactive N-terminal proBNP all circulate in the blood.

CNP, the Third Natriuretic Peptide: Its Biology and Significance to the Cardiovascular System.

The natriuretic peptide family consists of three biologically active peptides: ANP, BNP, and CNP. CNP is more widely expressed than the other two peptides, with significant levels in the central nervous system, osteochondral system, and vascular system. The receptor that is mainly targeted by CNP is GC-B, which differs from GC-A, the receptor targeted by ANP and BNP.

Association between denture use and food form in older adults requiring long-term care: A multicenter cross-sectional study.

Purpose: This study aimed to determine whether denture use contributes to maintaining and improving food forms in long-term care facility (LTCFs) residents.

Methods: In 888 residents of 37 LTCFs in Japan, the following were investigated: nutritional intake status, food forms, age, sex, Barthel index (BI), clinical dementia rating (CDR), number of teeth present, number of occlusal supports, swallowing function, and use of dentures. Among all residents, those who were well-nourished and had ≤9 occlusal supports were analyzed.

Effect of short-duration, limited rehabilitation on maintenance of the activities of daily living in patients with acute phase of COVID-19.

[Purpose] To determine whether short-duration, limited rehabilitation is effective in patients with COVID-19. [Participants and Methods] Single-center, retrospective, observational study. Thirty-six inpatients were classified into the three groups: a close contact (CC) group with a negative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test (n=14); a PCR-positive (PP) group (n=15); and a PCR-positive and transfer (PT) group with severe COVID-19 patients who were transferred to an acute care hospital for treatment and then returned to our hospital (n=7).

Cardiac Peptides-Current Physiology, Pathophysiology, Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, and Clinical Application.

The heart has long been considered a pumping organ, consisting of muscles [...

Improvement of swallowing-related muscle mass assessed by ultrasonography in malnourished patient with Wallenberg syndrome: A case report.

We experienced a malnourished 62-year-old male patient with Wallenberg syndrome whose swallowing-related muscle mass was shown to improve on ultrasound following aggressive nutritional therapy used to improve malnutrition. Dysphagia improved from no oral intake at admission to regular oral intake at discharge by aggressive rehabilitation nutrition. Rate increases in body weight, skeletal muscle index, and coronal cross-section of geniohyoid muscle area assessed by ultrasound during the 131 days of hospitalization were 15%, 21%, and 33%, respectively.

Association between Weight Loss and Food Form in Older Individuals Residing in Long-Term Care Facilities: 1-Year Multicenter Longitudinal Study.

Changing the food form for older adults requiring nursing care from a regular to dysphagia diet is thought to impact their nutritional status. We assessed the association between changes in food form and weight loss over 1 year in older adults. Older adults residing in long-term care facilities in Japan ( = 455) who participated in the baseline (2018) and follow-up (2019) surveys were divided into two groups (regular diet, = 284; dysphagia diet, = 171).

Effect of heart failure and malnutrition, alone and in combination, on rehabilitation effectiveness in patients with hip fracture.

Background & Aims: Heart failure and malnutrition are known to each negatively affect a patient's ability to improve their activities of daily living (ADL) through rehabilitation. Here, we investigated whether the negative effects of malnutrition and heart failure on ADL are additive in patients after hip fracture.

Methods: This retrospective observational cohort study included 155 patients with hip fracture admitted to convalescent rehabilitation wards.

Potential pitfalls when interpreting plasma BNP levels in heart failure practice.

B-type (or brain) natriuretic peptide (BNP) is synthesized in cardiac myocytes and released constitutively into the circulation. Pressure/volume overload, neurohumoral factors, cytokines, and ischemia enhance BNP gene expression, and then precursor proBNP is produced. It has been thought that proBNP is cleaved into active BNP molecule and inactive marker molecule NT-proBNP intracellularly by processing enzyme furin, and they are released into the circulation.

Effects of Banafine , a fermented green banana-derived acidic glycoconjugate, on influenza vaccine antibody titer in elderly patients receiving gastrostomy tube feeding.

Immunosenescence can negatively affect cytokine production in elderly and may impair poor antibody responses to influenza vaccination and infection. Herein, the effects of Banafine administration on influenza vaccine antibody titer in elderly patients (average age ∼80 years) receiving gastrostomy tube feeding were examined. In the double-blind, single-center, randomized clinical studies, 30 elderly bedridden patients were administered Banafine or placebo for 8 weeks.

Effects of Lee Silverman Voice Treatment (LSVT LOUD) on Swallowing in Patients with Progressive Supranuclear Palsy: A Pilot Study.

Objectives: Progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) is an uncommon progressive neurodegenerative disease with no effective cure at present. The initial symptoms resemble those of Parkinson's disease; however, the prevalence of PSP is about one-tenth that of Parkinson's disease. In many cases, dysphagia is severe, and the development of dysphagia is an early predictor of life expectancy.

Diagnosis and Treatment of Sarcopenic Dysphagia: A Scoping Review.

Background: Sarcopenic dysphagia is a swallowing disorder due to sarcopenia involving the whole-body skeletal muscles and swallowing muscles. This scoping review aimed to explore the currently known information on the diagnosis and treatment of sarcopenic dysphagia and to clarify the types of research required to develop the field.

Methods: We searched the PubMed, MEDLINE, CINAHL, and Cochrane databases from their inception to October 2020, using the search terms "(sarcopenia or sarcopenic or myopenia or dynapenia) and (dysphagia or swallowing or deglutition) and (diagnosis or treatment)".

Improvement of oral hypofunction by a comprehensive oral and physical exercise programme including textured lunch gatherings.

The deterioration of oral function to a state of oral hypofunction (OHF) is reportedly associated with malnutrition and frailty. Thus, we Investigated the association of OHF with physical characteristics and function and test the effects of a programme including comprehensive oral and physical exercises and textured lunch gatherings (COPE-TeL programme) on oral and physical function in older adults with OHF. Eighty-six community-dwelling older adults were randomly assigned into control (n = 43) or intervention (n = 43) groups.

Heart failure assessed based on plasma B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) levels negatively impacts activity of daily living in patients with hip fracture.

Several studies have shown that nutrition and muscle strength were associated with functional recovery in patients with hip fracture. However, the impact of heart failure on the improvement of activity of daily living (ADL) in patients with hip fracture have not been fully investigated. The purpose was investigating the effect of heart failure on the ADL improvement by rehabilitation in patients with hip fracture.