Natural history of human prostate gland: Morphometric and histopathological analysis of Japanese men

BACKGROUND: To clarify the pathology of the development of prostatic disorders such as inflammation, cancer, and hyperplasia, we compared histopathological findings of the prostate according to age group. METHODS: Whole-mount sections of prostates were used to assess the relationship between age and prostate weight (n=962), prostate histological composition in the transition zone (TZ) and in the peripheral zone (PZ) (n=68), prostate histopathological findings by zone (n=102), and comparison of latent tumor development by age group (n=1,815). RESULTS: A rapid increase in prostate weight from birth to the 20s was followed by a slow rise thereafter. Volume increases (P<0.01) were observed in all components of glandular epithelium, glandular lumen, and stroma in the TZ from the 40s to 70s inclusive. In the PZ, the epithelial and stromal volumes tended to decrease in an age-dependent manner (P<0.05). Calculi and lymphocyte infiltration were detected at a relatively early age, with a tendency towards an age-dependent increase. Glandular dilation and nodular hyperplasia were noted first in the 30s group, also with a tendency towards age-dependent increase. Latent tumors were first detected in the 30s group (5.6%), and slowly increased thereafter. CONCLUSIONS: There was an age-dependent trend towards prostate glandular dilation and prostate enlargement with inflammation. It was demonstrated that tumor and hyperplasia have a long natural history, usually starting in the fourth decade of life, accompanied by dynamic changes with age in glandular tissue composition as well as cell proliferation activity.     

In Vitro Validation of Tissue Doppler Left Ventricular Regional Wall Velocities by Using a Novel Balloon Phantom

Velocity data from tissue Doppler imaging (TDI)can provide valuable information on regional leftventricular wallmotion. Validation of TDImyocardialvelocity measurements has been carried out indirectlyfrom gray- scale M- mode images,and discrepancieshave been reported.Mc Dicken[1] and Miyatake etal[2 ]have reported the accuracy and validity of the TDIsystem using a rotating sponge model.However theoverall motion of the heart should be considered.Inthe present study,we described a new TDI…     

Eosinophilic pustular folliculitis: A review of the Japanese published works

Eosinophilic pustular folliculitis (EPF), also known as Ofuji's disease, is an inflammatory dermatosis that was first described in Japan in 1970. More than 300 cases have been reported so far, and 113 Japanese cases have been reported in Japan since 1980. To comprehend the characteristics of Japanese EPF cases, we classified these cases into three types: classic, immunosuppression‐associated (IS‐EPF), and infancy‐associated (I‐EPF). Trends in age of onset and in distribution and characterization of eruptions differed between the types. We found 91 cases of classic EPF (mean age, 39.7 years), consisting of 66 males (73%) and 25 females (27%), in most of which eruptions primarily affected the face; 18 cases of IS‐EPF (44.2 years), consisting of 15 males (83%) and three females (17%), in which eruptions affected the face less predominantly; and four cases of I‐EPF (7.0 years), consisting of two males (50%) and two females (50%), primarily affecting the scalp. The number of IS‐EPF cases has increased since the late 1990s, reflecting the increasing number of HIV‐positive patients in Japan. Systemic non‐steroidal anti‐inflammatory drugs were effective in more than 70% of cases. Dimethyl diphenyl sulfone, antibiotics including minocycline, psoralen plus ultraviolet A therapy and ultraviolet B treatments worked in some cases. Topical steroids and tacrolimus were also effective in some cases of EPF, while topical indomethacin was less effective.     

Nailfold capillary abnormality and pulmonary hypertension in systemic sclerosis

Background Patients with systemic sclerosis (SSC) show a capillary abnormality of nailfolds with controversial correlation with organ involvement. Our purpose was to study the correlation between this nailfold capillary abnormality and pulmonary hypertension in patients with SSC. Methods We studied the nailfold capillaries, using capillary microscopy, and the pulmonary arterial pressure, using right-heart catheterlzation, in 44 patients with SSC. Canonical discriminant analysis was used to define the capillary abnormality in patients with SSC, which was then compared with that of 40 normal controls. The correlations between the patterns of nailfold capillaries and the cardiopulmonary findings. Including the pulmonary arterial pressure, were examined using Fisher's test. Results Thirty-two of 44 patients with SSC could be differentiated from normal controls by our definition of the SSC pattern. The SSC pattern correlated significantly with elevated pulmonary vascular resistance, as well as with pulmonary fibrosis, eiectrocardiographic abnormalities, decreased vital capacity, and decreased diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide. All SSC patients with pulmonary hypertension showed this SSC pattern. In patients with elevated pulmonary arterial pressure, capillary microscopy and diffusion capacity for carbon monoxide (DCCM) showed the highest rate of abnormalities. A limited-type SSC significantly correlated with DCCM and with anticentromere antibody, and the diffuse-type SSC with pulmonary fibrosis and anti-sci-70 antibody. Conclusion Our data suggest that in patients with SSC, nailfold capillary abnormalities correlate with pulmonary arterial hypertension as well as with clinical and laboratory findings indicating pulmonary hypertension.     

Microscopic polyangiitis associated with diffuse panbronchiolitis

There are several case reports of systemic vasculitis associated with chronic suppurative lung diseases. We describe a 46-year-old female, previously diagnosed as having diffuse panbronchiolitis (DPB), presenting with hemosputum and dyspnea. Her serum titer of MPO-ANCA was positive together with a high titer of BPI-ANCA. Chest X-ray and chest CT scan showed pulmonary hemorrhage, and the renal biopsy specimen revealed necrotizing, crescentic glomerulonephritis. She was diagnosed as having ANCA-associated vasculitis, and more specifically, microscopic polyangiitis accompanied by DPB. She was treated with methylprednisolone pulse therapy, followed by intravenous cyclophosphamide. This case suggested a possible association with chronic bacterial infection, which may play a role in the pathogenesis of ANCA-associated vasculitis.