Relationship between critical care nutrition and post-intensive care syndrome in surviving ventilated patients with COVID-19: a multicenter prospective observational study.

The impact of nutrition therapy in the acute phase on post-intensive care syndrome (PICS) remains unclear. We conducted a multicenter prospective study on adult patients with COVID-19 who required mechanical ventilation for more than three days. The questionnaire was mailed after discharge. Physical PICS, defined as less than 90 points on the Barthel index (BI), was assigned as the primary outcome. We examined the types of nutrition therapy in the first week that affected PICS components. 269 eligible patients were evaluated 10 months after discharge. Supplemental parenteral nutrition (SPN) >400 kcal/day correlated with a lower occurrence of physical PICS (10% vs 21.92%, p = 0.042), whereas the amounts of energy and protein provided, early enteral nutrition, and a gradual increase in nutrition delivery did not, and none correlated with cognitive or mental PICS. A multivariable regression analysis revealed that SPN had an independent impact on physical PICS (odds ratio 0.33, 95% CI 0.12-0.92, p = 0.034), even after adjustments for age, sex, body mass index and severity. Protein provision ≥1.2 g/kg/day was associated with a lower occurrence of physical PICS (odds ratio 0.42, 95% CI 0.16-1.08, p = 0.071). In conclusion, SPN in the acute phase had a positive impact on physical PICS for ventilated patients with COVID-19.

Resurgence of human metapneumovirus infection and influenza after three seasons of inactivity in the post-COVID-19 era in Hokkaido, Japan, 2022-2023.

Following the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak in February 2020, incidences of various infectious diseases decreased notably in Hokkaido Prefecture, Japan. However, Japan began gradually easing COVID-19 infection control measures in 2022. Here, we conducted a survey of children hospitalized with human metapneumovirus (hMPV), influenza A and B, and respiratory syncytial virus infections in 18 hospitals across Hokkaido Prefecture, Japan, spanning from July 2019 to June 2023. From March 2020 to June 2022 (28 months), only 13 patients were hospitalized with hMPV, and two patients had influenza A. However, in October to November 2022, there was a re-emergence of hMPV infections, with a maximum of 27 hospitalizations per week. From July 2022 to June 2023 (12 months), the number of hMPV-related hospitalizations dramatically increased to 317 patients, with the majority aged 3-6 years (38.2%, [121/317]). Influenza A also showed an increase from December 2022, with a peak of 13 hospitalizations per week in March 2023, considerably fewer than the pre-COVID-19 outbreak in December 2019, when rates reached 45 hospitalizations per week. These findings suggest the possibility of observing more resurgences in infectious diseases in Japan after 2023 if infection control measures continue to be relaxed. Caution is needed in managing potential outbreaks.

The potential diagnostic significance of crypt differentiation in gastric dysplasia.

AIMS: This study investigated the relationship between the differentiation of tumour cells into crypts, which is determined by cell differentiation into Paneth and neuroendocrine cells, and tumour infiltration in gastric dysplasia. METHODS AND RESULTS: The lesions were endoscopically biopsied low-grade dysplasia (LGD), endoscopically resected high-grade dysplasia (HGD) or cancer with submucosal invasion. LGD (n = 32) displayed crypt differentiation across the entire width of the tumour in all cases. Crypt differentiation was identified as a characteristic of tumours with low biological malignancy. HGD (n = 40) included tumours with a mixture of areas with and without crypt differentiation (n = 25) and tumours with crypt differentiation throughout the entire width (n = 15). Of the cancers with submucosal invasion (n = 30), the morphological progression of the HGD area with crypt differentiation, the HGD area without crypt differentiation and invasive cancer without crypt differentiation was confirmed for 23 samples. In two lesions, invasive cancer without crypt differentiation developed from HGD without crypt differentiation throughout the tumour width. In five samples, well-differentiated tubular adenocarcinoma with crypt differentiation developed from HGD with crypt differentiation and invaded with lamina propria-like stroma. CONCLUSIONS: Loss of crypt differentiation could be an objective indicator of infiltration in the progression of HGD to invasive cancer. The invasive potential of dysplasia depends upon the presence or absence of crypt differentiation.

Hyodeoxycholic Acid (HDCA) Prevents Development of Dextran Sulfate Sodium (DSS)-Induced Colitis in Mice: Possible Role of Synergism between DSS and HDCA in Increasing Fecal Bile Acid Levels.

Secondary bile acids (SBAs) with high hydrophobicity are abundant in the colonic lumen. However, both aggravating and protective roles of SBAs have been proposed in the pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs). We observed that oral administration of hyodeoxycholic acid (HDCA), a hydrophilic bile acid, prevented the development of dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis in mice. We then examined the individual effects of DSS and HDCA as well as their combined effects on fecal bile acid profile in mice. HDCA treatment increased the levels of most of fecal bile acids, whereas DSS treatment had limited effects on the levels of fecal bile acids. The combined treatment with DSS and HDCA synergistically increased the levels of fecal chenodeoxycholic acid (CDCA) and deoxycholic acid (DCA) in feces, which are potent activators of the farnesoid X receptor (FXR) and Takeda G-protein-coupled receptor 5 (TGR5). The overall hydrophobicity of fecal bile acids was not modified by any treatments. Our data suggest that the preventive effect of HDCA on DSS-induced colitis in mice is due to the synergism between DSS and HDCA in increasing the levels of the fecal bile acids with potencies to activate FXR and TGR5.

Effect of Continuous Feeding of Ayu-Narezushi on Lipid Metabolism in a Mouse Model of Metabolic Syndrome.

Ayu-narezushi, a traditional Japanese fermented food, comprises abundant levels of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and free amino acids. This study aimed to examine the potential beneficial effects of ayu-narezushi and investigated whether ayu-narezushi led to improvements in the Tsumura Suzuki obese diabetes (TSOD) mice model of spontaneous metabolic syndrome because useful LAB are known as probiotics that regulate intestinal function. In the present study, the increased body weight of the TSOD mice was attenuated in those fed the ayu-narezushi-comprised chow (ayu-narezushi group) compared with those fed the normal rodent chow (control group). Serum triglyceride and cholesterol levels were significantly lower in the Ayu-narezushi group than in the control group at 24 weeks of age. Furthermore, hepatic mRNA levels of carnitine-palmitoyl transferase 1 and acyl-CoA oxidase, which related to fatty acid oxidation, were significantly increased in the ayu-narezushi group than in the control group at 24 weeks of age. In conclusion, these results suggested that continuous feeding with ayu-narezushi improved obesity and dyslipidemia in the TSOD mice and that the activation of fatty acid oxidation in the liver might contribute to these improvements.

Sarcopenia Is an Important Prognostic Factor in Patients With Cervical Cancer Undergoing Concurrent Chemoradiotherapy.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate the correlation of sarcopenia findings with prognostic factors in patients with cervical cancer (CC) undergoing concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT). METHODS: We retrospectively collected data on body composition and clinicopathological features from the medical records of 60 patients with CC who underwent CCRT and analyzed correlations between prognosis and changes in body composition as measured by computed tomography (skeletal muscle and iliopsoas muscle [IM]). Statistical analyses were performed using the Mann-Whitney U test. Progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were analyzed using the Kaplan-Meier method. Cox proportional hazard regression was used for univariate and multivariate analyses. RESULTS: The median follow-up for all patients who were alive at the last follow-up was 33.5 months (range, 1-104 months). The PFS and OS rates were worse for patients with at least 15.0% than for those with less than 15.0% loss of skeletal muscle and IM from baseline (P < 0.001 for both). Furthermore, multivariate analyses showed that at least 15.0% loss of IM was an independent prognostic factor for PFS and OS (P = 0.002 for both). CONCLUSIONS: Sarcopenia (≥15.0% loss of IM from baseline) was revealed to be an important prognostic factor in patients with CC undergoing CCRT.

Potential survival benefit of polymyxin B hemoperfusion in patients with septic shock: a propensity-matched cohort study.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to investigate whether polymyxin B hemoperfusion (PMX-HP) improves the survival of patients with septic shock. METHODS: This was a retrospective, multicenter study conducted on patients treated during a 3-year period. We performed propensity-score analyses of the Japan Septic Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation (JSEPTIC DIC) study database. The study included data on 1723 patients with septic shock aged 16 years or older. Furthermore, we divided patients into to PMX-HP- and non-PMX-HP-treated groups. The primary endpoint was all-cause hospital mortality; secondary endpoints included intensive care unit (ICU) mortality and number of ICU-free days (ICUFDs) in the first 28 days. RESULTS: Of 1,723 eligible patients, 522 had received PMX-HP. Propensity score matching created 262 matched pairs (i.e., 262 patients in each of the non-PMX-HP and PMX-HP groups). The proportion of all-cause hospital mortality was significantly lower in the PMX-HP group than in the non-PMX-HP group (32.8% vs. 41.2%; odds ratio (OR): 0.681; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.470-0.987; P = 0.042). The number of ICUFD in the first 28 days was significantly higher in the PMX-HP group than in the non-PMX-HP group (18 (0-22) vs. 14 (0-22) days, respectively; P = 0.045). On the other hand, there was no significant difference in ICU mortality between the two groups (21.8% vs. 24.4%; OR: 0.844; CI: 0.548-1.300; P = 0.443). CONCLUSIONS: Our results strongly suggest that PMX-HP reduces all-cause hospital mortality and length of ICU stay in patients with septic shock.

The Influence of Adverse Effects on Quality of Life of Survivors of Gynecologic Cancer.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this observational study was to investigate correlations between adverse effects (lower-extremity lymphedema [LEL], dysuria, and severe gastrointestinal symptoms) and quality of life (QOL) (physical well-being [PWB], social well-being, emotional well-being [EWB], and functional well-being) before treatment, at least 6 weeks after treatment (posttreatment1), and 3 or 6 months after treatment (posttreatment2) of patients with gynecologic cancer (GC). METHODS: From August 2012 to October 2016, questionnaire responses and clinical data of 75 patients with GC were collected and assessed by treatment received. The χ test was used to determine the significance of correlations. RESULTS: Participants with LEL had significantly poorer QOL than did those without it in the domains of PWB at posttreatment1 (P = 0.026) and EWB at posttreatment2 (P = 0.020). Moreover, patients with 2 adverse effects (LEL plus dysuria or severe gastrointestinal symptoms) had significantly poorer QOL than did those with no or single adverse effect in the domains of PWB at posttreatment1 and posttreatment2 (posttreatment1: P = 0.049, P = 0.001; posttreatment2: P = 0.002, P = 0.028) and poorer QOL compared with those with no adverse effect in the domain of EWB at posttreatment1 (P = 0.017). CONCLUSIONS: Poorer QOL in emotional and physical domains is associated with adverse effects of treatment in patients with GC. It is important to consider the effects of radical therapy not only on survival but also on the QOL of survivors.

The possibility of the treatment for long-acting injectable antipsychotics induced severe side effects.

We present the case of a 47-year-old man with schizophrenia who developed acute and persistent circulatory failure after receiving injections of paliperidone palmitate. We measured blood concentrations of paliperidone and performed resection of hip tissues, where paliperidone palmitate was suspected to be present, in order to reduce the side effects. Unfortunately, the resection could not save the patient from prolonged and severe side effects and he died of multiple organ failure. We suggest that resection of the tissues suspected of containing paliperidone palmitate can help reduce its severe side effects. However, identifying the site of injection is essential.

Return to work after cancer treatment of gynecologic cancer in Japan.

BACKGROUND: Gynecologic cancer is one of the most common malignant diseases in working-age women. This study investigated whether several characteristics influence return to work after treatment of gynecologic cancer. METHODS: We investigated the correlations between return to work and several other characteristics in 199 gynecologic cancer survivors. Questionnaires were distributed to patients with cancer (≥1 year after treatment and age of <65 years) who visited Okayama University. Logistic regression analysis and receiver operating characteristic curves were used to determine whether each characteristic influenced return to work (no return to work or job change) in these gynecologic cancer survivors. RESULTS: For all patients, the mean age at the time of diagnosis was 47.0 years, and the average number of years after treatment was 4.5. Forty-four patients (53.7 %) who were non-regular employees continued to be employed at the same workplace. Non-regular employment had a significantly higher area under the curve (AUC) (0.726) than other characteristics in terms of negatively affecting return to work. Additionally, non-regular employment tended to have a higher AUC (0.618) than other characteristics in terms of job changes. CONCLUSIONS: Non-regular employment was the variable most likely to negatively affect return to work and job changes in employed patients who underwent treatment for gynecologic cancer.

Aberrant iron metabolism might have an impact on progression of diseases in Tsumura Suzuki obese diabetes mice, a model of spontaneous metabolic syndrome.

Tsumura Suzuki obese diabetes (TSOD) mice spontaneously develop obesity and type 2 diabetes with aberrant accumulation of excessive iron in the spleen. Aberrantly accumulated iron may cause oxidative stress and result in various symptoms of metabolic syndrome in the mice. We investigated iron metabolism and oxidative stress in TSOD mice. Male TSOD and control mice were killed at 2, 3, 6, and 8 months of age, and blood and tissue samples were collected. The serum levels of ferritin and oxidized low-density lipoprotein (OxLDL) were measured. Total glutathione concentrations of liver and spleen were also measured. Serum ferritin and OxLDL were higher in TSOD mice than in control mice at 2 and 6 months. In addition, the glutathione concentrations in TSOD mice were lower in the liver and higher in the spleen at 3 and 6 months than those in control mice. These results suggest that abnormal iron metabolism and imbalanced oxidative stress occurs in young and old TSOD mice. We propose herein that TSOD mice might be a unique and valuable model for investigating the role of iron metabolism in pathogenesis of metabolic syndrome.

Fibrinogen and base excess levels as predictive markers of the need for massive blood transfusion after blunt trauma.

BACKGROUND: Assessment blood consumption and trauma-associated severe hemorrhage scores are useful for predicting the need for massive transfusion (MT) in severe trauma patients. However, fibrinogen (Fbg) and base excess (BE) levels might also be useful indicators for the need for MT. We evaluated the accuracy of prediction for MT of the scoring system vs. Fbg and BE. METHODS: The subjects of this retrospective single center observational study were patients with injury severity score ≥16 trauma, divided into a non-MT group and an MT group. We compared variables, including the scoring system (comprising vital signs and focused assessment with sonography for trauma; FAST) and Fbg between the groups. We then performed a multiple logistic regression modeling and a receiver operating characteristic analysis to clarify which value was the most useful predictive indicator for MT. RESULTS: There were 114 patients in the non-MT group and 39 in the MT group. The level of Fbg and BE were independent predictors of MT. The area under the curve values for Fbg and BE were 0.765 and 0.845, respectively, and the optimal cutoff values of Fbg and BE were 211 mg/dL and -1.4, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Fbg and BE levels can be used as an independent predictor for MT.

The Glasgow Prognostic Score Determined During Concurrent Chemoradiotherapy Is an Independent Predictor of Survival for Cervical Cancer.

OBJECTIVE: The Glasgow prognostic score (GPS) determined at pretreatment is important in the prediction of prognosis in various cancers. We investigated if the GPS used both at pretreatment and during concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) could predict the prognosis of patients with cervical cancer. METHODS: We collected GPS and clinicopathological data from the medical records of 91 patients who underwent CCRT for cervical cancer; their GPSs at pretreatment and during CCRT were retrospectively analyzed for correlations with recurrence and survival. Statistical analyses were performed using the Mann-Whitney U test. Disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) were analyzed using the Kaplan-Meier method. Cox's proportional hazard regression was used for univariate and multivariate analyses. RESULTS: The median follow-up for all patients who were alive at the time of last follow-up was 38.0 months (range, 1-108 months). The DFS and OS rates of patients with a high GPS during CCRT (GPS 1 + 2; 55 patients; 60.4%) were significantly shorter than those for patients with a low GPS (GPS 0; 36 patients; 39.6%) (DFS, P < 0.001; OS, P < 0.001). Furthermore, multivariate analyses showed that high GPS during CCRT was an independent prognostic factor of survival for OS (P = 0.008). CONCLUSIONS: During CCRT, a high GPS was revealed to be an important predictor of survival for cervical cancer.

Potential use of procalcitonin as biomarker for bacterial sepsis in patients with or without acute kidney injury.

INTRODUCTION: There are few investigations regarding the relationships between procalcitonin (PCT) and the acute kidney injury (AKI) in the diagnosis of sepsis. The purpose of this study was to clarify the diagnostic accuracy of the use of PCT levels in patients with or without AKI. METHODS: This study was conducted as a single-center retrospective study. We enrolled 393 patients in whom PCT were measured on admission. We grouped the patients into non-AKI and AKI, and those with AKI were classified according to the RIFLE criteria (Risk, Injury, Failure). The patients in each group were further classified into the sepsis and the non-sepsis group. We subsequently investigated the diagnostic accuracy of the PCT for detecting sepsis in these groups. RESULTS: The levels of PCT were significantly higher in the sepsis group than in the non-sepsis group among the non-AKI and each AKI patients (p < 0.0001). The diagnostic accuracy of the PCT for detecting sepsis was determined according to a ROC analysis; AUC value was 0.958 in the non-AKI group, in the Risk, Injury and Failure groups were 0.888 and 0.917, 0.857, respectively. AUC value for non-AKI group was significantly different from that of Failure group (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: In Failure AKI patients, the diagnostic accuracy of the PCT level is significantly lower than non-AKI patients. It is therefore suggested that we should be careful in using PCT value to diagnose sepsis in patients with Failure under RIFLE criteria.

Pure Choriocarcinoma of the Ovary in Silver-Russell Syndrome.

Pure ovarian choriocarcinoma is an extremely rare malignancy that can be gestational or non-gestational in origin. Silver-Russell syndrome (SRS) is a rare congenital developmental disorder characterized by pre- and postnatal growth failure, relative macrocephaly, a triangular face, hemihypotrophy, and fifth-finger clinodactyly. We report a rare case of pure ovarian choriocarcinoma occurring in a 19-year-old woman with SRS. Following surgery, multiple chemotherapy courses were effective and she was free of disease at the 10-month follow-up.

New diagnostic strategy for sepsis-induced disseminated intravascular coagulation: a prospective single-center observational study.

INTRODUCTION: Inflammation and coagulation are closely interrelated pathophysiologic processes in the pathogenesis of sepsis. However, the diagnostic criteria of sepsis and disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) are different. This study aimed to define a biomarker panel to predict sepsis-induced DIC in emergency department patients. METHODS: Eighty-two patients who were admitted to the emergency department of a tertiary university hospital were included in this study. The inclusion criteria were as follows: (1) age >18 years; (2) ≥1 systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) criteria. Patients were excluded if they lacked biomarker data or apparent clinical manifestations. Eleven biomarkers were assayed from blood drawn on ED admission. Receiver operating curve (ROC) analysis including the area under the ROC and multivariable logistic regression were used to identify an optimal combination of biomarkers to create a diagnostic panel. The derived formula for weighting biomarker values was used to determine the severity of sepsis-induced DIC, which was divided into three categories: mild, moderate, and severe. We also investigated the ability of this classification to predict secondary outcome measures of rates of sepsis and DIC, DIC score, acute physiology and chronic health evaluation (APACHE) II score, sequential organ failure score (SOFA) score, and 28-day all-cause mortality. RESULTS: Among the 11 biomarkers tested, the optimal 2-marker panel comprised presepsin and protein C. The area under the curve for the accuracies of predicting sepsis and DIC from these two biomarkers were 0.913 and 0.880, respectively. When patients were divided according to the severity of sepsis-induced DIC, all secondary outcomes except for mortality were significantly higher depending on the severity (P < .0001). The overall mortality rates of mild, moderate, and severe sepsis-induced DIC were 7.14%, 15.4%, and 28.6%, respectively (P = .0994). CONCLUSIONS: A biomarker panel of presepsin and protein C is predictive of the severity of sepsis-induced DIC in suspected ED patients. These criteria for sepsis-induced DIC are very simple, easy to implement, and can be used in intensive care units as a point-of-care test.

Neonatal monosodium glutamate treatment causes obesity, diabetes, and macrovesicular steatohepatitis with liver nodules in DIAR mice.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is the hepatic manifestation of metabolic syndrome (MS). Monosodium glutamate (MSG)-treated ICR mice is a useful model of MS and NASH, but it shows the different patterns of steatosis from human NASH. Because inbred aged DIAR (ddY, Institute for Animal Reproduction) mice spontaneously show the similar pattern of steatosis as NASH, we analyzed their liver pathology after administering MSG. METHODS: MSG-treated DIAR mice (DIAR-MSG) and untreated DIAR mice (DIAR-controls) were sacrificed and assessed histopathologically at 29, 32, 40, 48, and 54 weeks of age. The NASH activity score, body mass index, blood glucose level, and oral glucose tolerance test were also assessed. RESULTS: The body mass index and blood glucose levels of DIAR-MSG were significantly higher than controls. The oral glucose tolerance test revealed a type 2 diabetes pattern in DIAR-MSG. The livers of DIAR-MSG mice showed macrovesicular steatosis, lobular inflammation with neutrophils, and ballooning degeneration after 29 weeks. At 54 weeks, mild fibrosis was observed in 5/6 DIAR-MSG and 2/5 DIAR-control mice. In imaging mass spectrometry analysis, cholesterol as well as triglyceride accumulated in the liver of DIAR-MSG mice. Atypical liver nodules were also observed after 32 weeks in DIAR-MSG, some with cellular and structural atypia mimicking human hepatocellular carcinoma. The NASH activity score of DIAR-MSG after 29 weeks was higher than that of control mice, suggesting the development of NASH. CONCLUSIONS: DIAR-MSG had NASH-like liver pathology and liver nodules typically associated with MS symptoms. DIAR-MSG provides a valuable animal model to analyze NASH pathogenesis and carcinogenesis.

Presepsin as a powerful monitoring tool for the prognosis and treatment of sepsis: a multicenter prospective study.

Presepsin is a protein whose levels increase specifically in the blood of patients with sepsis. It is proposed as a diagnostic and prognostic marker for assessing the degree of sepsis severity. The present multicenter prospective study compared the clinical utility of presepsin with other conventional sepsis biomarkers including procalcitonin, interleukin-6, and C-reactive protein for evaluating the severity of sepsis during follow-up. Patients with sepsis (n = 103) admitted to the emergency room or intensive care unit were enrolled in this study and classified into 3 diagnostic groups: sepsis, severe sepsis, and septic shock. Blood samples were obtained from each patient on admission and after 1, 3, 5, and 7 days. The patients were further divided into the favorable and unfavorable prognosis groups on the basis of several indicators of sepsis severity (i.e., Sequential Organ Failure Assessment score, and Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II score). The patients in the favorable prognosis group exhibited significant decreases in all biomarker levels on days 3 and 7 after admission. In the unfavorable prognosis group, only presepsin levels did not decrease significantly during follow-up. The period of antibiotics treatment in the unfavorable prognosis group was significantly longer than those in the favorable prognosis group (P < 0.05). The unfavorable prognosis group had significantly higher 28-day mortality than the favorable prognosis group (P < 0.05). Therefore, the results suggest that presepsin levels correlated with the severity of sepsis during follow-up in comparison with other conventional sepsis biomarkers.