Propensity-Score Matched Analysis of the Effectiveness of Baricitinib in Patients With Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Using Nationwide Real-World Data: An Observational Matched Cohort Study From the Japan COVID-19 Task Force.

Background: To determine the effectiveness of baricitinib in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), investigate whether baricitinib prevents the need for invasive mechanical ventilation and identify patient subgroups that would benefit from baricitinib. Methods: This observational matched-cohort study was conducted by the Japan COVID-19 Task Force, a nationwide multicenter consortium. Patients with COVID-19 aged ≥18 years were identified from 70 hospitals in Japan. Among patients with confirmed COVID-19 from February 2020 to September 2021, those receiving baricitinib were propensity-score matched with controls. Results: Among 3309 patients, 144 propensity score-matched pairs were identified. Thirteen (9.0%) patients in the baricitinib group and 27 (18.8%) in the control group required invasive mechanical ventilation during the disease course (odds ratio, 0.43). Although the baricitinib group had more severe disease, there were no significant differences in the intensive care unit admission rates (odds ratio, 1.16) and mortality rates (odds ratio, 0.74) between groups. In subgroup analyses, baricitinib was associated with a significant reduction in the need for invasive mechanical ventilation in patients requiring oxygen support (odds ratio, 0.28), with rapid shadow spread on chest radiography (odds ratio, 0.11), or treated with remdesivir (odds ratio, 0.27), systemic corticosteroids (odds ratio, 0.31), or anticoagulants (odds ratio, 0.17). Conclusions: Baricitinib is effective at preventing the need for invasive mechanical ventilation in patients with COVID-19.

Multiple infected lung bullae associated with Mycobacterium intracellulare in a Japanese man.

Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC)-infected lung bulla was a rare type of pulmonary non-tuberculous mycobacterial (NTM) infection. A 29-year-old man with a history of tetralogy of Fallot was admitted to our hospital because of a high fever and left chest pain. Chest computed tomography showed two bullae with intrabullous fluid in both the lower lobes and centrilobular small nodular shadow in the right upper lobe and the left lower lobe. Culture of bronchoscopic washing specimen from the right upper lobe bronchus and left lower lobe one and purulent fluid drained from the bulla in the left lower lobe revealed Mycobacterium intracellulare. Percutaneous drainage from the left bulla and anti-NTM treatment were performed. Afterwards, symptoms improved and two intrabullous fluid disappeared. Therefore, a diagnosis of multiple infected lung bullae associated with M. intracellulare was made. This is the first documented case of multiple infected lung bullae associated with MAC.

Multi-drug-resistant tuberculosis with galaxy and cluster signs on high-resolution computed tomography.

The galaxy sign and cluster sign were first reported in pulmonary sarcoidosis. From those reports, these two signs became known as one of the characteristic computed tomography (CT) findings of sarcoidosis. We report a patient with pulmonary tuberculosis who had these two signs. A 44-year-old man was referred to our hospital for general fatigue, cough, and low-grade fever lasting about two months. Thoracic CT showed a large parenchymal nodule arising from coalescent small nodules (galaxy sign) and clusters composed of numerous small nodules (cluster sign) in the bilateral lungs. Three specimens of sputum acid-fast smear were negative. However, we performed a bronchoscopy, and Mycobacterium tuberculosis was proven to be positive by the acid-fast culture test of the obtained bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. Moreover, drug sensitivity testing revealed this to be a case of multi-drug-resistant tuberculosis. Patients with these signs must be examined carefully to differentiate tuberculosis from pulmonary sarcoidosis.

Investigation of Obstructive Sleep Apnea Using Portable Monitors and Health Check Data in Japanese Drivers.

AIMS: The identification and appropriate management of commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers with unrecognized obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a major public health concern and priority; OSA among drivers has not been fully investigated in Japan, and a better understanding of this undiagnosed disease is warranted. Therefore, we evaluated the prevalence of OSA and the factors related to apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) in Japanese CMV drivers. METHODS: This retrospective study included 1309 Japanese CMV drivers aged 40-69 years. All the subjects received type Ⅳ portable sleep monitors (PMs) with Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) and a periodic health check including anthropometrical and laboratory measurements, and a questionnaire of medical history, smoking status, and life style, following which variables related to AHI were analyzed. RESULTS: Of all the subjects, 23.9% had moderate to severe OSA (AHI ≥15). Age, body mass index (BMI), LogeHbA1c and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) showed significance with AHI in 1309 subjects. The following factors were found to have significant odds ratio (OR) for AHI of ≥15 in 1309 subjects: age, ESS, DBP, and LogeHbA1c. CONCLUSION: Notably, drivers with undiagnosed OSA exist. In these subjects, AHI was related to obesity, hypertension, and diabetes. For the early diagnosis and intervention of OSA, BMI, blood pressure, and HbA1c measurements may be helpful, particularly for drivers. Furthermore, when performing an objective assessment of the suspected OSA, evaluating these parameters during routine medical check-ups may be useful and feasible in the detection of drivers with latent OSA.

Detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) in Fecal Specimens From Adults Diagnosed With Pulmonary Tuberculosis Using the Xpert MTB/Rifampicin Test.

Background. The Xpert Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB)/rifampicin (RIF) is a fully automated diagnostic test that allows for the detection of MTB including its RIF resistance. Although the test is used for the diagnosis of tuberculosis (TB) in sputum samples worldwide, studies using fecal specimens are scarce. We therefore evaluated the efficacy of the Xpert MTB/RIF test for detection of MTB in fecal specimens obtained from adult pulmonary TB patients, confirmed by culture and/or molecular diagnostic methods. Methods. We conducted a retrospective case-control study to provide proof-of-concept regarding the efficacy of the Xpert MTB/RIF test using fecal samples for diagnosing pulmonary TB via detection of MTB in adult patients (≥20 years) at the Fukujuji Hospital in Tokyo, Japan. Results. Fecal specimens were obtained from 56 active pulmonary TB patients (including 48 sputum smear-positive and 8 sputum smear-negative patients), 10 non-TB patients (including 4 Myocobacterium avium complex infections), and 27 healthy individuals who were exposed to active pulmonary TB patients. The sensitivity of the fecal Xpert MTB/RIF was 100% (81.7%-100%) for detection of MTB in specimens from sputum smear-positive (1+ to 3+) patients, 81.0% (58.1%-94.6%) in specimens from sputum smear scanty positive patients, and 50.0% (15.7%-84.3%) in specimens from sputum smear-negative patients. Meanwhile, each of the fecal specimens from the non-TB group was negative for MTB (specificity 100%; 95% confidence interval, 86.2-100). Conclusions. The fecal Xpert MTB/RIF test could detect MTB in a large proportion of smear-positive pulmonary TB patients, without frequent false-positive results at a TB referral hospital in Japan.

[Factors related to the occurrence of multi- (extensively-) drug resistant tuberculosis (M/XDR-TB) in our hospital].

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the clinical characteristics of multi- (extensively-) drug-resistant tuberculosis (M/XDR-TB) in our hospital. MATERIALS AND METHODS: One-hundred and forty-one cases diagnosed with MDR-TB and thirteen cases with XDR-TB admitted to our hospital over the last nine years were enrolled in this study. RESULTS: The gender distribution was: ninety-nine males and forty-two females in MDR-TB and nine males and four females in XDR-TB. The mean age was 52.0 years in males and 43.1 years in females in the MDR-TB patients, and 49.1 years in males and 42.0 years in females in the XDR-TB patients. There were 11 Chinese patients and 7 Koreans, as well as 8 patients from other countries abroad. Eighty-four (59.6%) MDR-TB patients and 9 (69.2%) XDR-TB patients had a smoking history. Diabetes mellitus was seen in 30 MDR-TB and 3 XDR-TB patients. The period from manifestation to the first visit to our hospital was 41.5 months on average in the MDR-TB patients, and 79.6 months in the XDR-TB patients. The average period from first diagnosis of TB to that of M/XDR-TB was 30.9 months in the MDR and 56.8 months in the XDR. Thirty (21.3%) MDR-TB patients and one (7.7%) XDR-TB patient were first diagnosed in our hospital. One-hundred and fifteen patients (81.6%) with MDR-TB and 6 (46.1%) with XDR-TB achieved negative sputum bacteriological conversion. Fifty-six cases (48.7%) of 115 MDR-TB and all (100%) of the XDR-TB patients underwent surgical treatment. Sixteen (11.3%) MDR-TB and 3 (23.1%) XDR-TB patients died. Thirty of the MDR-TB and 1 of the XDR-TB patients had never been previously treated for tuberculosis. Twelve (8.5%) MDR-TB and 5 (38.5%) XDR-TB patients had been treated with four drugs including isoniazid (INH), rifampicin (RFP), pyrazinamide (PZA), and either ethambutol (EB) or streptomycin (SM) in previous hospitals. Twenty-five (17.7%) MDR-TB and 5 (38.5%) XDR-TB patients had been treated with three drug regimens not including PZA in previous hospitals. CONCLUSION: M/XDR-TB is a man-made disease and can be infectious. Even the current standard regimens can produce M/ XDR-TB, if they are used improperly and carelessly. Great care should be taken to prevent XDR and MDR-TB.

Clinical factors on cavitary and nodular bronchiectatic types in pulmonary Mycobacterium avium complex disease.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Pulmonary Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) disease is the most common pulmonary non-tuberculous mycobacteriosis (NTM). The clinical and radiological findings were similar to those of pulmonary tuberculosis, both of which are characterized by upper lobe cavities. On the other hand, the presence of middle and lower field lesions with centrilobular nodules and bronchiectasis has been noted. We analyzed the clinical feature of these two radiologically different types and identified their prognostic factors. METHODS: The clinical, laboratory and radiological findings of 273 cases of MAC disease, newly diagnosed during the recent 7 years periods, were investigated. They were radiologically classified into cavitary (Cav) and nodular bronchiectasis (NB) types at the time of diagnosis. The findings of 44 fatal cases were compared with those of the newly diagnosed cases. RESULTS: A prominent increase in the number of cases was recently found only in females. Low body mass index (BMI) and moderately reduced serum albumin were found at the time of first hospital visit in both newly diagnosed and fatal cases. In the latter, peripheral blood lymphocyte count was slightly decreased, and tuberculin skin test was negative in 57.7% of the cases. Radiologically, Cav type was prevalent in males and NB type in females in the newly diagnosed cases, while in the fatal cases Cav type was frequently found in both males and females. The two radiological patterns did not change during the entire disease course. CONCLUSION: Cav type in females was one of the pathogenetic factors. Deterioration of cell-mediated immunity may underlie MAC disease.