The positive effect of student-oriented clinical clerkship rounds employing role-play and peer review on the clinical performance and professionalism of clerkship students.

Background: Role-play (RP) and peer review (PR) are occasionally used in training and evaluating communication skills in clinical clerkship (CC). Thus, we evaluated the effect of combining RP and PR during student-oriented CC rounds.Methods: Clerkship students conducted medical interviews with and performed physical examinations on their patients, which were reviewed by five peer students who observed their performance while role-playing as senior physicians or patients' families. The peer reviewers then provided feedback to the students. The performance of the students was evaluated based on a mini-clinical evaluation exercise (Mini-CEX) and a professionalism mini-evaluation exercise (P-MEX) before and after the rounds by two attending physicians. After the CC, the students responded to questionnaires about the rounds.Results: Seventy-five students completed the rounds, and the duration of each round was 41.7 ± 7.1 min. Their communication skills and professionalism abilities on Mini-CEX and P-MEX showed significant improvement after the rounds. Improvements in medical interviewing and physical examinations were also noted. Additionally, the students recognized the importance of multiple viewpoints in patient care through experiences of the rounds.Conclusions: Combining RP and PR with CC rounds improves the students' clinical performance and professionalism and promotes their awareness of the importance of multiple viewpoints in patient care.

Circulating autoantibodies against neuroblastoma suppressor of tumorigenicity 1 (NBL1): A potential biomarker for coronary artery disease in patients with obstructive sleep apnea.

OBJECTIVE: Although severe obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is an important risk factor for atherosclerosis-related diseases including coronary artery disease (CAD), there is no reliable biomarker of CAD risks in patients with OSA. This study aimed to test our hypothesis that circulating autoantibodies against neuroblastoma suppressor of tumorigenicity 1 (NBL1-Abs) are associated with the prevalence of CAD in patients with OSA. METHODS: Eighty-two adults diagnosed with OSA by polysomnography, 96 patients with a diagnosis of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) and 64 healthy volunteers (HVs) were consecutively enrolled. Serum samples were collected from patients with OSA at diagnostic polysomnography and from patients with ACS at disease onset. Serum NBL1-Ab level was measured by amplified luminescence proximity homogeneous assay and its association with clinical variables related to atherosclerosis was evaluated. RESULTS: NBL1-Ab level was significantly elevated in patients with both OSA and ACS compared with HVs. Subgroup analyses showed that NBL1-Ab level was markedly higher in patients with severe OSA and OSA patients with a history of CAD. Weak associations were observed between NBL1-Ab level and apnea-hypopnea index, age, mean SpO2 and arousal index, whereas significantly higher NBL1-Ab levels were observed in OSA patients with a history of CAD than in those without a history of CAD. Sensitivity analysis using a logistic regression model also demonstrated that increased NBL1-Ab levels were associated with the previous history of CAD in patients with OSA. CONCLUSIONS: Elevated NBL1-Ab levels may be associated with the prevalence of CAD in patients with OSA, which needs to be confirmed further.

Impact of Arterial Stiffness on WatchPAT Variables in Patients With Obstructive Sleep Apnea.

STUDY OBJECTIVES: The WatchPAT is a wrist-worn portable device that creates integration data regarding peripheral arterial tone (PAT), oxyhemoglobin saturation, heart rate, and actigraphy to diagnose or screen for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Previous studies have demonstrated the efficacy and validity of respiratory variables measured by the WatchPAT compared to those using polysomnography (PSG). However, the effects of arterial stiffness or atherosclerosis on WatchPAT parameters remain to be elucidated. METHODS: Sixty-one consecutive patients with suspected OSA who underwent home-based testing with the WatchPAT 200, standard in-laboratory overnight polysomnography (PSG), and pulse wave velocity (PWV) as an index of arterial stiffness were studied. All PSG recordings were scored manually using the American Academy of Sleep Medicine criteria, whereas WatchPAT data were analyzed by an automatic algorithm. We evaluated how arterial stiffness affected respiratory event index data in WatchPAT (WP-AHI), because WP-AHI could be partly influenced by PAT, comparing WP-AHI and the apneahypopnea index measured by PSG (PSG-AHI) in consideration of PWV result. RESULTS: Overall, WP-AHI was moderately correlated to PSG-AHI, but WP-AHI was significantly lower than PSG-AHI (28.4 ± 19.2 versus 53.6 ± 30.2 events/h, P < .0001). For the lower PWV group, there was a significant correlation and good agreement between the WP-AHI and PSG-AHI, but as the PWV increased, there was low correlation between the WP-AHI and PSG-AHI. CONCLUSIONS: Arterial stiffness may affect the respiratory variables measured by WatchPAT in patients with OSA. COMMENTARY: A commentary on this article appears in this issue on page 301.

Circulating Anti-Coatomer Protein Complex Subunit Epsilon (COPE) Autoantibodies as a Potential Biomarker for Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular Events in Patients with Obstructive Sleep Apnea.

STUDY OBJECTIVES: Although moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is an independent risk factor for severe arteriosclerotic diseases such as cardiovascular disease (CVD) and stroke, the development of atherosclerosis-related diseases cannot yet be predicted in patients with OSA. In a pilot study, we identified autoantibodies against the coatomer protein complex, subunit epsilon [circulating anti-coatomer protein complex subunit epsilon autoantibody (COPE-Ab)], a cytosolic complex that mediates protein transport in the Golgi compartment, as a potential novel biomarker of atherosclerosis. This study aimed to evaluate whether COPE-Ab levels had an association with cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events in patients with OSA. METHODS: Eighty-two adult patients with a diagnosis of OSA via polysomnography and 64 healthy donors were studied. Serum COPE-Ab levels were measured using an amplified luminescence proximity homogeneous assay. Then, clinical factors related to atherosclerosis were evaluated with respect to COPE-Ab levels. RESULTS: Significant differences in COPE-Ab levels were observed in terms of OSA severity. COPE-Ab levels were significantly higher in patients with OSA and also CVD and/or stroke, hypertension, and a high body mass index. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses of patients with OSA identified elevated COPE-Ab level as a significant predictor of CVD and/or stroke. CONCLUSIONS: An elevated COPE-Ab level may be a potential predictor of the risks of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events in patients with OSA. Therefore, patients with higher COPE-Ab levels may require more careful and intensive treatment. COMMENTARY: A commentary on this article appears in this issue on page 361.

Noninvasive assessment of pulmonary vascular resistance by echocardiography in chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension.

BACKGROUND: Pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) is an important parameter in the management of patients with chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH), and numerous noninvasive methods for PVR prediction have been proposed. However, a systematic evaluation of the methods that are specific for CTEPH has not been conducted. We compared a variety of echocardiography-derived prediction indices with direct right heart catheterization (RHC) to identify the most reliable noninvasive indicator of PVR in patients with CTEPH. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Echocardiography and RHC were performed sequentially in 40 patients (mean age: 62.4±11.4 years; 30 females) with CTEPH. We measured the peak flow velocity of tricuspid regurgitation (TRV), tricuspid regurgitation pressure gradient (TRPG), right ventricular outflow tract (RVOT) time-velocity integral (TVIRVOT), left ventricular outflow tract (LVOT) time-velocity integral (TVILVOT), cardiac output at RVOT (CORVOT), and the LVOT (COLVOT) using echocardiography. The parameters TRV/TVIRVOT, TRV/TVILVOT, TRV/CORVOT, TRV/COLVOT, TRPG/TVIRVOT, TRPG/TVILVOT, TRPG/CORVOT, and TRPG/COLVOT were then calculated to predict the PVR. Finally, correlations between these echocardiographic predictors of PVR and the PVR data obtained from RHC (PVRRHC) were assessed. RESULTS: The mean pulmonary arterial pressure and PVRRHC were 32.1±11.4mmHg and 5.4±2.9 Wood units, respectively. TRV/TVIRVOT, TRV/TVILVOT, TRV/COLVOT, TRPG/TVIRVOT, TRPG/TVILVOT, TRPG/CORVOT, and TRPG/COLVOT were all significantly correlated with the PVRRHC, and TRPG/COLVOT was the most strongly correlated with the PVRRHC (r=0.807, p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Echocardiographic measurement of TRPG/COLVOT is a reliable noninvasive predictor of PVR in CTEPH patients.

Influence of pulmonary emphysema on COPD assessment test-oriented categorization in GOLD document.

BACKGROUND: The COPD assessment test (CAT) score is a key component of the multifactorial assessment of COPD in the Global initiative for chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) guidelines of 2014. Nevertheless, little is known regarding the differences among COPD categories in terms of clinical parameters such as pulmonary function or radiological findings. Thus, our aims in this study were to evaluate the associations between CAT scores and pulmonary clinical parameters, and to investigate factors that could discriminate between a "less symptomatic group" (categories A and C) and a "more symptomatic group" (categories B and D) among stable COPD patients. METHODS: We enrolled 200 outpatients at Chiba University Hospital. Study subjects were assessed by CAT, pulmonary function testing, and multidetector computed tomography (MDCT). We assessed possible correlations between these indices. RESULTS: CAT scores were negatively correlated with percentage of the forced expiratory volume in 1 second predicted value (FEV1 %predicted) and percentage of the diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide per liter of lung volume predicted value (DLCO/VA [%predicted]) results and positively correlated with low attenuation volume percentage (LAV%) and residual volume to total lung capacity ratios (RV/TLC). In the "more symptomatic group" (category B or D), the mean DLCO/VA (%predicted) was significantly lower and the mean LAV% and RV/TLC was significantly higher than those in the "less symptomatic group" (category A or C), respectively. Interestingly, those in category B had higher mean LAV% compared to those in category C. CONCLUSION: CAT scores were significantly correlated with pulmonary function parameters and emphysematous changes on MDCT. The new GOLD classification system would be a step toward a phenotypic approach, especially taking into account the degree of emphysema and hyperinflation.

Features of REM-related Sleep Disordered Breathing in the Japanese Population.

OBJECTIVE: Rapid eye movement (REM)-related sleep disordered breathing (SDB) is an entity in which the cessation or reduction of breathing occurs primarily during the REM period. Most studies have shown that REM-related SDB more frequently affects women, younger people and patients with mild or moderate SDB. The aim of this study was to prospectively investigate the prevalence and features of REM-related SDB in Japanese subjects compared with the findings of previous reports. METHODS: A total of 468 patients were evaluated in this study. The diagnosis of SDB was established using polysomnographic monitoring. The patient variables included age, gender, body characteristics, comorbidities, etc. RESULTS: REM-related SDB was more prevalent in women than non-REM-related SDB (male ratio; 66.3% vs. 79.5%, p=0.03). Moreover, the patients with REM-related SDB had lower body mass indexes (25.9 ± 6.9 vs. 28.5 ± 7.7; p=0.003), arousal indexes (31.8 ± 10.7 vs. 61.0 ± 29.1; p<0.001), apnea hypopnea indexes (15.0 ± 8.0 vs. 54.9 ± 35.9) and glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels (5.5 ± 0.9 vs. 5.9 ± 2.6; p=0.02) than the patients with non-REM-related SDB. However, the overall and female gender prevalence of REM-related SDB among the Japanese subjects was lower than that shown in previous reports. The finding that REM-related SDB was not prevalent in younger individuals or severely obese patients was not consistent with the results of previous studies. CONCLUSION: The present findings suggest that REM-related SDB may have different clinical characteristics in the Japanese population than that observed in previous reports.

Electrocardiogram-gated 320-slice multidetector computed tomography for the measurement of pulmonary arterial distensibility in chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension.

BACKGROUND: We aimed to study whether pulmonary arterial distensibility (PAD) correlates with hemodynamic parameters in chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) using electrocardiogram (ECG)-gated 320-slice multidetector computed tomography (MDCT). METHODS AND FINDINGS: ECG-gated 320-slice MDCT and right heart catheterization (RHC) was performed in 53 subjects (60.6±11.4 years old; 37 females) with CTEPH. We retrospectively measured the minimum and maximum values of the cross sectional area (CSA) of the main pulmonary artery (mainPA), right pulmonary artery (rtPA), and left pulmonary artery (ltPA) during one heartbeat. PAD was calculated using the following formula: PAD = [(CSAmaximum-CSAminimum)/CSAmaximum]×100(%). The correlation between hemodynamic parameters and PAD was assessed. Mean pulmonary arterial pressure (mPAP) and pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) were 40.8±8.7 mmHg and 8.3±3.0 wood units, respectively. PAD values were as follows: mainPA (14.0±5.0%), rtPA (12.8±5.6%), and ltPA (9.7±4.6%). Good correlations existed between mainPAD, with mPAP (r = -0.594, p<0.001) and PVR (r = -0.659, p<0.001). The correlation coefficients between rtPAD and ltPAD with pulmonary hemodynamics were all lower or equal than for mainPAD. CONCLUSIONS: PAD measured using ECG-gated 320-slice MDCT correlates with pulmonary hemodynamics in subjects with CTEPH. The mainPA is suitable for PAD measurement.

The effects of emphysema on airway disease: correlations between multi-detector CT and pulmonary function tests in smokers.

BACKGROUND: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is characterized by airflow limitation caused by emphysema and small airway narrowing. Quantitative evaluation of airway dimensions by multi-detector computed tomography (MDCT) has revealed a correlation between airway dimension and airflow limitation. However, the effect of emphysema on this correlation is unclear. OBJECTIVE: The goal of this study was to determine whether emphysematous changes alter the relationships between airflow limitation and airway dimensions as measured by inspiratory and expiratory MDCT. METHODS: Ninety-one subjects underwent inspiratory and expiratory MDCT. Images were evaluated for mean airway luminal area (Ai), wall area percentage (WA%) from the third to the fifth generation of three bronchi (B1, B5, B8) in the right lung, and low attenuation volume percent (LAV%). Correlations between each airway index and airflow limitation were determined for each patient and compared between patients with and without evidence of emphysema. RESULTS: In patients without emphysema, Ai and WA% from both the inspiratory and expiratory scans were significantly correlated with FEV1. No correlation was detected in patients with emphysema. In addition, emphysematous COPD patients with GOLD stage 1 or 2 disease had significantly lower changes in B8 Ai than non-emphysematous patients. CONCLUSIONS: A significant correlation exists between airway parameters and FEV1 in patients without emphysema. Emphysema may influence airway dimensions even in patients with mild to moderate COPD.

Spontaneously remitted pulmonary arterial hypertension associated with the herbal medicine "bofutsushosan".

Although the link between pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) and exposure to certain drugs has already been identified, we herein present the first case of herbal medicine-associated PAH in which the patient demonstrated spontaneous remission. A 38-year-old woman took the herbal medicine "bofutsushosan" for two weeks then stopped taking it due to exertional dyspnea. However, her dyspnea continued, and right heart catheterization revealed a mean pulmonary arterial pressure of 41 mmHg with a normal wedge pressure. Several months after treatment with oxygen therapy, the patient's dyspnea disappeared, and her pulmonary arterial pressure normalized. Further studies focusing on susceptibility factors to drug-induced pulmonary arterial hypertension are needed.

Quantitative assessment of cross-sectional area of small pulmonary vessels in patients with COPD using inspiratory and expiratory MDCT.

OBJECTIVES: Structural and functional changes in pulmonary vessels are prevalent at the initial stages of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). These vascular alterations can be assessed using cross-sectional area (CSA) of small pulmonary vessels. However, neither in non-COPD smokers nor in COPD patients it has been defined whether the structural changes of pulmonary vessels detected by paired inspiratory and expiratory CT scans are associated with emphysematous changes. We quantified the CSA and low attenuation area (LAA) and evaluated the changes in these parameters in the inspiratory and expiratory phases. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fifty consecutive non-COPD smokers and COPD patients were subjected to multi detector-row CT and the percentage of vessels with a CSA less than 5 mm(2) as well as the percentage LAA for total lung area (%CSA<5, %LAA, respectively) were calculated. RESULTS: The %CSA<5 correlated negatively with %LAA. The %CSA<5 was lower in COPD patients with emphysema as compared with non-COPD smokers and COPD patients with or without mild emphysema. In addition, the %CSA<5 was lower in the no/mild emphysema subgroup as compared with non-COPD smokers. The respiratory phase change of %CSA<5 in COPD patients was greater than that in non-COPD smokers. CONCLUSION: The percentage of small pulmonary vessels decreased as emphysematous changes increase, and this decrease was observed even in patients with no/mild emphysema. Furthermore, respiratory phase changes in CSA were higher in COPD patients than in non-COPD smokers.