Sagittal spinal alignment deviation in the general elderly population: a Japanese cohort survey randomly sampled from a basic resident registry

BACKGROUND CONTEXT

It is widely recognized that sagittal spinal alignment changes with age. However, there are presently no clear benchmarks for such values or those for the cervical spine in the general population. Quality epidemiological studies are needed to establish standards for spinal alignment deviation.

Changes in knee extensor strengths before and after medial patellofemoral ligament reconstruction

Objective: Quadriceps dysfunction has been suggested as a complication after medial patellofemoral ligament (MPFL) reconstruction. The purpose of this study was to investigate changes in knee extensor strength before and after MPFL reconstruction.

Methods: Twenty patients who underwent MPFL reconstruction for unilateral recurrent patellar dislocation (18 females and 2 males; mean age 20.8 ± 7.6 years) were examined. The peak isometric torque at 60° and 90° of knee flexion and isokinetic knee extensor strength at speeds of 60°/s and 90°/s in operated and non-operated legs were measured using a dynamometer preoperatively and 6 months, 1 year, and 2 years postoperatively. The following parameters were evaluated: (1) body weight-adjusted muscle strength, (2) improvement index (post-/preoperative value × 100) (%), and (3) extensor strength ratio (operated/non-operated value × 100) (%).

Results: The mean knee extensor strength in both operated and non-operated legs significantly increased 2 years after surgery compared with that before surgery. At 2 years postoperatively, the improvement indexes of the isometric knee extensor strength at 60° and 90° and of the isokinetic knee extensor strength at 60°/s and 90°/s were 237%, 192%, 318%, and 186%, respectively, in the operated legs and 144%, 124%, 140%, and 140%, respectively, in the non-operated legs. At 2 years postoperatively, the mean isometric knee extensor strength ratios at 60° and 90° and the isokinetic knee extensor strength ratios at 60°/s and 180°/s were 81%, 84%, 81%, and 82%, respectively.

Conclusions: Knee extensor strength was improved in most patients after MPFL reconstruction, at least compared with that before surgery, although an approximately 20% deficit against the non-operated legs remained even 2 years after surgery.     

Protective Effects of a Hydrogen-Rich Preservation Solution in a Canine Lung Transplantation Model

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Phase 1 study of crisaborole in Japanese healthy volunteers and patients with atopic dermatitis

Crisaborole ointment, 2%, is a non-steroidal phosphodiesterase 4 inhibitor for the treatment of mild to moderate atopic dermatitis (AD). This parallel-cohort, phase 1 study was conducted to investigate skin irritation potential and safety of crisaborole in healthy Japanese adults (cohort 1) and the safety and pharmacokinetic profile of crisaborole and metabolites AN7602 and AN8323 in Japanese adults with mild to moderate AD (cohort 2). In cohort 1, 20 healthy volunteers received single applications of crisaborole and vehicle simultaneously on separate locations under 48-h occlusion. In cohort 2, 12 patients with mild to moderate AD received crisaborole (n = 10) or vehicle (n = 2) twice daily for 8 days. Skin irritation and safety were assessed in cohort 1. Pharmacokinetics and safety were assessed in cohort 2. Skin irritation index (scale 0–400) was 40.0 for crisaborole and 5.0 for vehicle. No treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAE) were reported in cohort 1. The most common TEAE in the crisaborole group in cohort 2 were application site irritation (n = 7) and application site pain (n = 4). Crisaborole was rapidly absorbed, with limited systemic exposure between days 1 and 8 that was comparable with that seen in US-based participants in previous trials. Crisaborole had higher skin irritation than vehicle under occlusion in healthy Japanese adults and had an acceptable safety profile in Japanese adults with mild to moderate AD.     

Clinical significance of endothelial vasodilatory function evaluated by EndoPAT in patients with systemic sclerosis

Endothelial dysfunction is a hallmark of vasculopathy associated with systemic sclerosis (SSc). Reactive hyperemia peripheral arterial tonometry is a rapid and non-invasive technique to assess peripheral microvascular endothelial function by measuring changes in digital pulse volume during reactive hyperemia. Low scores of the reactive hyperemia index (RHI) imply an impaired vasodilatory response and, accordingly, impaired endothelial and vascular health. To investigate the clinical significance of the RHI in SSc patients, RHI values were measured in 43 SSc patients and 10 healthy controls. In diffuse cutaneous SSc (dcSSc) patients, RHI values were significantly decreased compared with healthy controls, and inversely correlated with disease duration. In total SSc patients, there was a significant inverse correlation between RHI values and skin score, and interstitial lung disease was associated with the decrease in RHI values. Among vascular symptoms, the current and past history of digital ulcers was seen more frequently in patients with decreased RHI values than in those with normal RHI values. Although no SSc patients had pulmonary arterial hypertension, an inverse correlation was evident between RHI values and mean pulmonary arterial pressure measured by right heart catheterization. These results indicate that the decrease in RHI values is associated with skin fibrosis, interstitial lung disease, digital ulcers and pulmonary vascular involvement leading to pulmonary arterial hypertension, supporting the canonical idea that endothelial dysfunction is a critical event underlying the development of tissue fibrosis and vascular complications in SSc.