Association of des-γ-carboxy prothrombin production and Sonazoid-enhanced ultrasound findings in hepatocellular carcinomas of different histologic grades

Purpose

We previously reported that hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) changes to a phenotype producing des-γ-carboxy prothrombin (DCP) during epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT) in vitro. To confirm this change in vivo, we evaluated the association between DCP production and HCC hemodynamics in patients undergoing resection as EMT and hemodynamic changes are closely associated with each other.

Methods

We evaluated HCC hemodynamics by employing Sonazoid-enhanced ultrasound (SEUS) before surgical resection, and sought associations with histological grade and immunohistochemical staining of DCP in 19 areas from 11 patients.

Results

In 10 HCC areas showing early washout (3 min ≥) using SEUS, three areas corresponded to poorly differentiated HCC and the remaining seven areas corresponded to moderately differentiated HCC, and positive DCP staining was observed in only two of the seven moderately differentiated HCC areas, whereas no staining was observed in poorly differentiated HCC areas. Six HCC areas showing intermediate washout (3–10 min) using SEUS were moderately differentiated, of which five demonstrated positive DCP staining (83.3%, 5/6). However, all HCC areas without enhancement in the arterial phase were well-differentiated and did not show DCP staining.

Conclusion

Our preliminary findings suggest that HCC hemodynamics evaluated by SEUS are associated with histological grade and/or DCP production.

     

Cost-utility Analysis of Screening for Diabetic Retinopathy in Japan: A Probabilistic Markov Modeling Study

ABSTRACT

Purpose: To evaluate the cost-effectiveness for a screening interval longer than 1 year detecting diabetic retinopathy (DR) through the estimation of incremental costs per quality-adjusted life year (QALY) based on the best available clinical data in Japan.

Methods: A Markov model with a probabilistic cohort analysis was framed to calculate incremental costs per QALY gained by implementing a screening program detecting DR in Japan. A 1-year cycle length and population size of 50,000 with a 50-year time horizon (age 40–90 years) was used. Best available clinical data from publications and national surveillance data was used, and a model was designed including current diagnosis and management of DR with corresponding visual outcomes. One-way and probabilistic sensitivity analyses were performed considering uncertainties in the parameters.

Results: In the base-case analysis, the strategy with a screening program resulted in an incremental cost of 5,147 Japanese yen (¥; US$64.6) and incremental effectiveness of 0.0054 QALYs per person screened. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio was ¥944,981 (US$11,857) per QALY. The simulation suggested that screening would result in a significant reduction in blindness in people aged 40 years or over (?16%). Sensitivity analyses suggested that in order to achieve both reductions in blindness and cost-effectiveness in Japan, the screening program should screen those aged 53–84 years, at intervals of 3 years or less.

Conclusions: An eye screening program in Japan would be cost-effective in detecting DR and preventing blindness from DR, even allowing for the uncertainties in estimates of costs, utility, and current management of DR.     

Angioscopic assessments and clinical outcomes one year after polymer-free biolimus A9-coated coronary stent implantation

BackgroundPolymer-free biolimus A9-coated coronary stent (DCS) has novel features which lead to the expectation of better arterial healing. However, comparisons of intravascular status between DCS and drug-eluting stents (DES), and robust real-word clinical assessments of DCS have been lacking to date.MethodsFrom September 2017 to September 2018, we evaluated the intra-vascular status of 74 DCS implanted in 55 lesions from 43 patients using coronary angioscopy (CAS) approximately one year after implantation from a cohort of 219 lesions in 158 patients. We set 239 second-generation durable-polymer DES (DP-DES) implanted in 211 lesions from 180 patients from a cohort of 2652 lesions in 1914 patients as the control. Angioscopic images were analyzed to determine (1) the dominant degree of neointimal coverage (NIC) over the stent; (2) the heterogeneity of NIC; (3) yellow color grade of the stented segment; and (4) the presence of intra-stent thrombus. The primary outcome was the incidence of thrombus and secondary outcomes were the other CAS findings, and the 1-year clinical outcomes which included target lesion revascularization (TLR) and major adverse cardiac events (MACE). To minimize inter-group differences in baseline characteristics, propensity score matching was performed for clinical outcomes.ResultsIncidence of thrombus adhesion was similar in DCS and DP-DES groups (28.4% versus 22.6%, p = 0.31). However, the dominant NIC grade was significantly higher in DCS (p < 0.001), while NIC was more heterogeneous in DCS than in DP-DES (p = 0.001). Maximum yellow color grade was similar (p = 0.22). After propensity score matching, 202 lesion pairs from 146 patient pairs were retained for analysis. The cumulative incidence of TLR (4.6% versus 3.8%, p = 0.38) and MACE (11.6% versus 11.7%, p = 0.84) was similar for DCS and DP-DES.ConclusionsDCS showed thrombus adhesion and clinical outcomes at 1 year similar to DP-DES. DCS can thus be used with similar safety and efficacy as DP-DES.     

Severe respiratory distress caused by dental foreign object]

A 77-year-old man hospitalized in a bedridden state for cerebral infarction and left hemiparesis experienced the sudden onset of dyspnea and cyanosis. Chest X-ray films detected a foreign object in the hilum of the left lung. Emergency bronchoscopy revealed a dental crown lodged in the second carina. It was not possible to remove the crown with bronchoscopy forceps. The patient suffered severe respiratory failure the following day. Bronchoscopy again was performed, and the foreign object was removed with basket-type forceps. It was the patient's first molar, covered with a crown. The patient's respiratory failure was caused by atelectasis of the left lower lobe and overinflation, of the right lung, both of which resulted from postoperative edema of bronchial mucous membrane. Dental foreign objects do not cause pulmonary atelectasis or pneumonia as easily as other types of bronchial foreign objects. Therefore, there is usually enough time for thorough examination prior to removal procedures. It is important to accurately identify the shape of the foreign object, choose appropriate forceps, and successfully remove the object in the first operation. Moreover, adequate dental treatment of caries and loose teeth is important as a means of preventing dental foreign objects, especially in elderly people and bedridden patients.     

Pancreatic arteriovenous malformation with pancreatitis involving a pancreatico-venous fistula

An arteriovenous malformation of the pancreas is a very rare disease, but its presentation is distinct and unique. In this report, we describe a patient who presented with this malformation which was localized in the tail of pancreas and demonstrated by abnormal angiography findings. The patient was a 60-year-old male with severe left hypochondralgia. Angiography revealed an increased blood volume in the tail of the pancreas with arteriovenous shunting. Secondary pancreatitis caused by the arteriovenous malformation was suspected by abnormal laboratory data, and confirmed by histology from the resected tail of the pancreas. This is a very rare report in which pancreatic arteriovenous malformation involving a pancreaticovenous fistula was confirmed by endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP).     

Epidemiological study of peptic ulcer disease among Japanese and Koreans in Japan.

Peptic ulcer among Japanese and Koreans in Japan has rarely been studied. In this 10-year study of hospital-based endoscopy, we focused on the epidemiology of peptic ulcer among these ethnic groups in Japan. Between 1980 and 1990, 81.2% of all patients examined via endoscopy at Saikyo Hospital in Kyoto completed a life-style questionnaire: 1,264 Japanese (70.5%), 503 Koreans (28.1%), and 25 persons of unknown ethnicity (1.4%). Characteristics of ulcer disease were almost identical for Koreans and Japanese. Like other world-wide patterns, the male to female ratio was 2.3:1. Unlike results from Western countries, however, the overall gastric ulcer rate was 1.5 times higher than for duodenal ulcer. This higher rate was due to the relatively high rate of gastric ulcer in the older age groups; among persons less than 40 years of age, duodenal ulcer was diagnosed more often than gastric ulcer. The mean age at diagnosis of duodenal ulcer (40.7 years) was significantly lower (p less than 0.005) than that for gastric ulcer (53.7 years). Multivariate-adjusted odds ratios were calculated using a multiple logistic regression model. Cigarette smoking significantly increased the risk for both gastric ulcer (odds ratio = 3.10, 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.1-4.6) and duodenal ulcer (odds ratio = 1.9, 95% CI 1.2-2.9). Age greater than or equal to 40 years (odds ratio = 2.3, 95% CI 1.6-3.3) and consumption of salty foods (odds ratio = 1.5, 95% CI 1.0-2.1) also significantly increased the risk for gastric ulcer.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Elderly-onset rheumatoid arthritis: ageing as an independent marker for better joint prognosis

To study the contribution of age to the outcome of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), 133 elderly-onset RA (ERA) patients (onset above 60-year-old) were selected out of 2164 out-patients with RA who (i) first visited the hospital within 2 years after onset of the disease, (ii) received no remission inducing drugs previously and (iii) who were treated in this hospital regularly without interruption for more than 2 years. The joint score of ERA patients between initial visit and final visit to the hospital was compared with that of matched 133 younger-onset RA (YRA) patients (onset below 60-year-old). Results indicated that, in ERA, the patients with no active joints requiring no remission inducing drugs were increased on final visit (P<0.001). Joint score at disease onset or on initial visit to the hospital was similar in the two groups, whereas joint score on final visit was significantly decreased in ERA (P=0.0001). In ERA, progression of the small joint disease and joint erosion was not accelerated, and the small joint disease was in fact decelerated as compared with YRA (P<0.0001) during initial visit and final visit. Discriminant function analysis of patients with or without no active joints on final visit reveals that joint erosion, in small joints on initial visit is a predictor of joint prognosis in ERA. The two groups were similar with regards to sex, disease duration, onset type and rheumatoid factor/antinuclear antibody positivity. Thus, older age is an independent marker of better joint prognosis of RA     

Hepatic resection under in situ hypothermic hepatic perfusion

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Temporary inflow occlusion of the portal triad has been used frequently in hepatectomy to minimize bleeding. On the other hand, Pringle's maneuver produces ischemic-reperfusion injury especially in patients with underlying liver disease. METHODOLOGY: Thirty-seven cases of hepatic resections were performed with intermittent Pringle's maneuver (IP group; n = 17) and in situ hypothermic perfusion (CP group; n = 20). In the CP group, hepatic inflow was continuously occluded, and 4-degree Centigrade Ringer's lactate was administered by drip during resection. Hepatic outflow occlusion was not performed. RESULTS: All patients tolerated the procedures well. Cold perfusion technique significantly decreased both the times required and the blood loss in hepatectomy (p < 0.05). Serum hyaluronic acid levels gradually increased after the induction of hepatectomy and peaked 10 minutes after reperfusion in the both groups. Thereafter, it decreased and showed a significantly lower level in the CP group until 60 minutes after reperfusion (p < 0.05). Hepaplastin levels remained significantly higher in the CP group one week after operation (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Using the technique of in situ hypothermic perfusion, we can prolong the ischemic time safely with minimal systemic influence even in cases with underlying liver diseases. This may compare favorably with intermittent Pringle's maneuver in terms of reducing hepatic sinusoidal endothelial cell damage during hepatectomy and reperfusion.