Characteristics of young-onset hypertension identified by targeted screening performed at a university health check-up.

Since the prevalence and clinical characteristics of young-onset hypertension are still to be elucidated, we performed targeted-screening at an annual university health check-up for two consecutive years. Out of 16,464 subjects in 2003 and 17,032 in 2004 that were aged less than 30 years, 22 and 26 students (all males) exhibited high blood pressure (BP), respectively, on three occasions during casual BP measurements at the Tohoku University Health Center (systolic and diastolic BP of 140 and/or 90 mmHg or greater, respectively). These students were asked to measure their BP at home, and 9 subjects in total were diagnosed as having essential hypertension (EH). The remaining students were diagnosed as having white coat hypertension (WCH). In 8 out of 9 EH students, their father and/or mother had also been treated with antihypertensive medication. Adjustment by attendance ratio for each BP measurement suggested that the incidence of EH was around 0.1% and that of hypertension (EH and WCH) was around 0.5% in university students aged less than 25 years, since most of the subjects and hypertensive students were between 18 and 24 years old. Body mass index of the EH, which was more than 25 kg/m2 (overweight), was significantly higher than that with WCH. In conclusion, the combination of repeated casual BP measurements and home BP effectively identified young-onset EH. The clinical parameters indicated that male gender, genetic background, and excessive weight were risk factors for young-onset hypertension.     

A study on personal information system using movable media for effective welfare services]

A data system which enables utilization of individual patient data by public health nurses, physicians and home helpers, is required both for the continuous and comprehensive monitoring of the various needs of the aged receiving care services at home in the local district and for facilitating welfare services. Therefore, an experimental and comprehensive system for public health, medical services and welfare was put into practice for district public health services for the aging society. The results of this trial system shows that this system is useful indeed for the welfare services, though it also has several problems.     

Effect of TRK-100, a prostacyclin analogue, on endotoxin-induced enhancement of blood coagulation in rats

TRK-100 (0.03, 0.1 and 0.3 mg/kg, p.o.), a chemically stable analogue of prostacyclin, dose-dependently prevented blood coagulation and glomerular fibrin deposition which were enhanced by 4 hr infusion of endotoxin (100 mg/kg) in rats. In addition, TRK-100 suppressed the generation of endotoxin-induced tissue thromboplastin like activity in cultured human endothelial cells.     

Studies on oxacephem antibiotics: comparison of the effects of 1-oxa and 1-thia cephalosporins on blood coagulation activities and vitamin K metabolism in rats

Oxacephem antibiotics have been developed to increase the antibacterial activity of cephem antibiotics, but the effect of 1-oxygen replacement of cephem antibiotics on blood coagulation activities is not yet known. Therefore, latamoxef (LMOX), flomoxef (FMOX) and their 1-S congeners were examined for their effects on prothrombin time, activated partial thromboplastin time, plasma prothrombin and Factor VII levels, plasma and liver descarboxyprothrombin (PIVKA-II) levels, and liver microsomal vitamin K epoxide reductase activities in rats kept on a vitamin K-deficient diet. Under the vitamin-deficient states, LMOX, FMOX and their 1-S congeners inhibited the vitamin K epoxide reductase, although the effect of FMOX or its congener was much less than that of LMOX, and they decreased the blood clotting activities in rats fed a vitamin K-deficient diet. However, no difference was found in these effects between LMOX and its 1-S congener or between FMOX and its 1-S congener. This result suggests that the 1-oxygen replacement of cephem antibiotics is not responsible for the hypoprothrombinemic effect of the antibiotics.     

Familial Juvenile Nephronophthisis in Two Siblings — Histological Findings at an Early Stage —

We present two female siblings with familial juvenile nephronophthisis (FJN) which was diagnosed at the early stage of renal failure. Diagnosis was made during the investigation of anemia in case 1 and by a subsequent family survey in case 2. Most patients with FJN are not identified until the terminal stage of renal failure and such cases have rarely been reported in Japan. Case 2 had a reduction in the maximum urinary concentration ability but no azotemia, and among the FJN patients reported in Japan so far she has the least advanced renal disease. Histological examination of the renal biopsy in case 1 showed typical findings of FJN, such as thickening and lamination of the tubular basement membrane (TBM), interstitial fibrosis, and round cell infiltration of the interstitium. In case 2, renal biopsy revealed an irregular marked thickening of the TBM with trivial interstitial changes and a normal glomerular appearance. The histology of these two cases suggests that the TBM may be the primary site affected in FJN.