Cigarette Smoking, Smoking Cessation, and Heart Failure Subtypes: Insights From the Jackson Heart Study.

Background: Cigarette smoking has been associated with incident heart failure (HF). However, the association between cigarette smoking and smoking cessation with HF subtypes has not been well elucidated, particularly among Black people.

Methods And Results: We investigated 4189 (never smoker n=2934, former smoker n=761, current smoker n=464) Black participants (mean age 54 years, 64% women) without a history of HF or coronary heart disease at baseline in the Jackson Heart Study.

Anti-epileptic drug use and subsequent degenerative dementia occurrence.

Introduction: The use of anti-epileptic drugs (AEDs) in degenerative dementia (DD) remains uncertain. We aimed to evaluate the association of early AED administration with subsequent DD occurrence.

Methods: Using a large nationwide database, we enrolled patients newly diagnosed with epilepsy from 2014 to 2019 ( = 104,225), and using propensity score matching, we divided them into treatment (those prescribed AEDs in 2014) and control groups.

Effectiveness of upfront triple oral combination therapy with additional pirfenidone in a patient with severe pulmonary hypertension associated with lung diseases.

Diagnosis and treatment of pulmonary hypertension (PH) in patients with lung diseases (PH-LD) remain unestablished and pose significant challenges. In this report, we present a case of a 77-year-old patient with an indeterminate for usual interstitial pneumonia pattern along with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, who developed groups 1 and 3 PH. Following diagnosis, upfront triple oral combination therapy (UTOCT) with macitentan, sildenafil, and selexipag was initiated.

A diagnostically challenging case of inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor primary to the peritoneum.

Introduction: Inflammatory myofibroblastic tumors are difficult to diagnose because of the lack of specific indicators. We describe a diagnostically challenging case of an inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor primary to the peritoneum.

Case Presentation: The patient was a 25-year-old male who presented at our hospital with lower abdominal pain.

Identifying the unmet physical and psychological intimacy and sexual needs of partners of patients with terminal cancer.

Background: Palliative care aims to improve the quality of life of patients who are terminally ill, but support for the sexuality of these patients is often inadequate.

Aim: To identify factors related to the unmet needs of bereaved partners whose significant others died of cancer during hospitalization.

Methods: Bereaved individuals in Japan aged >50 years who had lost their partners to cancer in a hospital in the last 5 years answered a questionnaire on the support desired for "time to nurture love with your partner.

Association of obesity paradox with prognosis of veno-venous-extracorporeal membrane oxygenation in patients with coronavirus disease 2019.

Aim: Although the obesity paradox is known for various diseases, including cancer and acute respiratory distress syndrome, little is known about veno-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VV-ECMO) in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). In this study, we aimed to investigate the association between body mass index (BMI) and prognosis in critical patients with COVID-19 requiring VV-ECMO.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective observational single-center study at Yokohama City University Civic General Medical Center between March 2020 and October 2021.

A case of cardiac arrest due to postpartum hemorrhage treated with hysterectomy and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation.

Although extracorporeal membrane oxygenation is relatively contraindicated in patients with severe disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC), it can be safely introduced by providing adequate anti-DIC therapy.

Case of suspected lobular endocervical glandular hyperplasia in a cervical cystic lesion during pregnancy.

Lobular endocervical glandular hyperplasia (LEGH) is characterized by clinically profuse and watery vaginal discharge. In pregnancy with LEGH, with watery fluid leakage persisting throughout pregnancy, it is often difficult to visually diagnose PROM. Adding to this difficulty, auxiliary diagnostic tests might also show positive results, complicating treatment and management.

Rapid progression of hepatocellular carcinoma in a pregnant woman: A case report.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in pregnant women is rare; however, a recurrence of the disease is followed by rapid lesion progression during pregnancy. We experienced a case in which HCC recurred during pregnancy and rapidly worsened. After delivery at 33 weeks, she underwent chemotherapy and made a good progress.

Decision aid development and its acceptability among adults with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorders regarding treatment discontinuation after remission.

Aim: Current clinical guidelines for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) put shared decision making (SDM) at the center of care. However, there remain challenges in SDM in ADHD management, particularly regarding the decision to continue or discontinue medication after ADHD remission in adult patients. We aimed to develop a decision aid (DA) for adult patients with ADHD regarding the continuation or discontinuation of their ongoing ADHD medications after they have attained remission.

Comparison of long-term prognosis between non-obese and obese patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

Background And Aim: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) can progress in non-obese patients as in obese patients. Reports on long-term prognosis in non-obese NAFLD patients are controversial. Therefore, we aimed to examine the long-term prognosis of non-obese patients with NAFLD.

Case of inverted papillary urothelial carcinoma in the ureter.

Introduction: Urothelial neoplasms with a varus growth pattern are rare, and few urologists have encountered inverted urothelial carcinoma of the ureter.

Case Presentation: An 82-year-old man was referred to our hospital for investigation of gross hematuria. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed nodules measuring 1-2 mm in diameter in the left upper ureter with slight reduction in signal intensity on diffusion-weighted imaging.

Gastroesophageal varices evaluation using spleen-dedicated stiffness measurement by vibration-controlled transient elastography.

Background And Aim: Liver stiffness measurement (LSM) and spleen stiffness measurement (SSM@50 Hz) using standard vibration-controlled transient elastography (VCTE) have been studied as a noninvasive test for screening of gastroesophageal varices (GEV) in chronic liver disease (CLD). Recently, a novel spleen-dedicated VCTE (SSM@100 Hz) has been developed. We evaluated the diagnostic performance of SSM@100 Hz, SSM@50 Hz, LSM, and other noninvasive tests using esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) as the reference as well as the correlation with hepatic venous pressure gradient (HVPG).

Untreated Hypertension and Subsequent Incidence of Colorectal Cancer: Analysis of a Nationwide Epidemiological Database.

Background Studies of the association of hypertension with incident colorectal cancer (CRC) may have been confounded by including individuals taking antihypertensive medication, at high risk for CRC (ie, colorectal polyps and inflammatory bowel disease), or with shared risk factors (eg, obesity and diabetes). We assessed whether adults with untreated hypertension are at higher risk for incident CRC compared with those with normal blood pressure (BP), and whether any association is evident among individuals without obesity or metabolic abnormalities. Methods and Results Analyses were conducted using a nationwide health claims database collected in the JMDC Claims Database between 2005 and 2018 (n=2 220 112; mean age, 44.

Objective and Personalized Assessment of Disease-Related Knowledge Among Patients With Congenital Heart Disease - Development and Validation of the Japanese Version of the Leuven Knowledge Questionnaire for Congenital Heart Disease.

Disease understanding in patients with congenital heart disease is important in transitional and lifelong care. This study aimed to develop the Japanese version of the Leuven Knowledge Questionnaire for Congenital Heart Disease (LKQCHD) and identify factors associated with disease-related knowledge. After confirming the content and face validity of the scale, a questionnaire including the LKQCHD was distributed to 59 eligible patients aged >16 years attending a university hospital.

A case of successful pregnancy in a septate uterus after discharge of decidual tissue in the second trimester.

In pregnant patients with a divided uterine cavity, the decidual tissue on the nonpregnant side may be discharged prior to the delivery of the fetus. The pregnancy can continue if the uterine contractions and vaginal bleeding are controlled and the fetus is not in distress.

Spontaneous rupture of a degenerated leiomyoma causing peritonitis and ileus during pregnancy: A case report.

Degenerated leiomyomas can rupture during pregnancy, and leakage of the fluid causes peritonitis in rare cases. If peritonitis associated with a degenerated leiomyoma is observed, the occurrence of rupture of the leiomyoma should be considered.

A case of incarcerated gravid uterus with a history of cesarean section was a good candidate for manual reduction: A case report.

Because the anterior lower uterine segment is stretched, the incarcerated gravid uterus case with a history of cesarean section is a good candidate for manual reduction.

"Guidebook on Doctors' Behaviors for Death Diagnosis Created by Community Healthcare Providers" Changed Residents' Mind for Death Diagnosis.

Education regarding death diagnosis is not often included in the medical education. To investigate the change minds at the time of death diagnosis among residents after lectures based on our guidebook. Uncontrolled, open-label, multi-center trial.

Environmental maintenance with effective and useful zoning to protect patients and medical staff from COVID-19 infection.

Aim: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has accelerated all over the world, and global health-care systems have become overwhelmed with potentially infectious patients seeking testing and care. It is essential to set up effective and useful zoning to prevent the spread of infection to and from medical staff or other patients with effective use of standard precautions with personal protective equipment (PPE).

Methods: We repurposed a general ward into an acute care unit for severe COVID-19 patients taking into consideration airflow, the direction of movement of medical staff, and prevention of the spread of infection to medical staff and other patients.

Prenatal diagnosis of vasa previa and the course of the cord vessels contribute to the safety of cesarean sections: A case report.

Vasa previa can occur even in cases without placental malposition and the precise diagnosis of vasa previa, and the course of the cord vessels contributes to a safe delivery. The color Doppler is a useful and easy-to-use device to confirm the presence of vasa previa.

Massive subchorionic hematoma (Breus' mole) presents a variety of ultrasonic appearances: A case report and literature review.

Massive subchorionic hematoma (MSH) presents a variety of ultrasonic appearances. Placentomegaly with fetal growth restriction should be included as one of the differential diagnoses for intraplacental MSH. Care management of MSH requires to be tailored to each individual's responses while taking the NICU's capabilities and the patient's wishes into consideration.