Effect of empagliflozin on ventricular arrhythmias in patients with type 2 diabetes treated with an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator: the EMPA-ICD trial.

BACKGROUND: Sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors reduce the risk of hospitalization for heart failure and cardiovascular death with type 2 diabetes; however, their effect on arrhythmias is unclear. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of empagliflozin on ventricular arrhythmias in patients with type 2 diabetes. METHODS: A total of 150 patients with type 2 diabetes who were treated with an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator or cardiac resynchronization therapy defibrillator (ICD/CRT-D) were randomized to once-daily empagliflozin or placebo for 24 weeks. The primary endpoint was the change in the number of ventricular arrhythmias from the 24 weeks before to the 24 weeks during treatment. Secondary endpoints included the change in the number of appropriate device discharges and other values. RESULTS: In the empagliflozin group, the number of ventricular arrhythmias recorded by ICD/CRT-D decreased by 1.69 during treatment compared to before treatment, while in the placebo group, the number increased by 1.79. The coefficient for the between-group difference was - 1.07 (95% confidence interval [CI] - 1.29 to - 0.86; P < 0.001). The change in the number of appropriate device discharges during and before treatment was 0.06 in the empagliflozin group and 0.27 in the placebo group, with no significant difference between the groups (P = 0.204). Empagliflozin was associated with an increase in blood ketones and hematocrit and a decrease in blood brain natriuretic peptide and body weight. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with type 2 diabetes treated with ICD/CRT-D, empagliflozin reduces the number of ventricular arrhythmias compared with placebo. Trial registration jRCTs031180120.

Multisystemic Inflammation Influences Prognosis in Fulminant Lymphocytic Myocarditis.

BACKGROUND: Multisystem inflammatory syndrome (MIS) is a hyperinflammatory shock associated with cardiac dysfunction and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. However, there are no reports on using MIS criteria, such as multisystemic inflammation (MSI) in fulminant myocarditis, without SARS-CoV-2 infection. This study investigated the differences in clinical characteristics and course between patients with fulminant lymphocytic myocarditis (FLM) plus MSI and those without MSI. METHODS AND RESULTS: This multicenter retrospective cohort study included 273 patients with FLM registered in the JROAD-DPC database between April 2014 and March 2017. We evaluated the presence of MSI using criteria modified from previously reported MIS criteria and compared the characteristics and risk of mortality or heart transplantation between FLM patients with MSI and without MSI. Of the 273 patients with FLM, 107 (39%) were diagnosed with MSI. The MSI group was younger (44 vs. 57 years; P<0.0001) and had more females (50% vs. 36%; P=0.0236), a higher incidence of pericardial effusion (58% vs. 40%; P=0.0073), and a lower 90-day mortality rate (19% vs. 33%; P=0.0185) than the non-MSI group. The risk of mortality at 90 days was lower in FLM patients aged <50 years with MSI aged <50 years than in those without MSI (P=0.0463). CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that MSI may influence the prognosis of FLM, especially in patients aged <50 years.

Sex Differences in Cardiovascular Disease-Related Hospitalization and Mortality in Japan　- Analysis of Health Records From a Nationwide Claim-Based Database, the Japanese Registry of All Cardiac and Vascular Disease (JROAD).

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of cardiovascular disease (CVD) is rising in Japan with its aging population, but there is a lack of epidemiological data on sex differences in CVD, including acute coronary syndrome (ACS), acute heart failure (AHF), and acute aortic disease. METHODS AND RESULTS: This retrospective study analyzed data from 1,349,017 patients (January 2012-December 2020) using the Japanese Registry Of All Cardiac and Vascular Diseases database. ACS patients were youngest on average (70.5±12.9 years) and had the lowest female proportion (28.9%). AHF patients had the oldest mean age (79.7±12.0 years) and the highest proportion of females (48.0%). Acute aortic disease had the highest in-hospital mortality (26.1%), followed by AHF (11.5%) and ACS (8.9%). Sex-based mortality differences were notable in acute aortic disease, with higher male mortality in Stanford Type A acute aortic dissection (AAD) with surgery (males: 14.2% vs. females: 10.4%, P<0.001) and similar rates in Type B AAD (males: 6.2% vs. females: 7.9%, P=0.52). Aging was a universal risk factor for in-hospital mortality. Female sex was a risk factor for ACS and acute aortic disease but not for AHF or Types A and B AAD. CONCLUSIONS: Sex-based disparities in the CVD-related hospitalization and mortality within the Japanese national population have been highlighted for the first time, indicating the importance of sex-specific strategies in the management and understanding of these conditions.

Exposure and outcomes of aortic valve change in patients initiating dialysis.

BACKGROUND: Aortic stenosis (AS) and aortic valve calcification (AVC) are occasionally observed in patients receiving maintenance dialysis. However, their prevalence and factors associated with them in patients undergoing dialysis remain unknown. We aimed to elucidate the aortic valve status at the time of dialysis initiation and patient prognosis based on aortic valve status. METHODS: We analyzed 289 patients initiating dialysis (hemodialysis: peritoneal dialysis = 275:14) between 2016 and 2023. "AS and/or AVC" was detected using echocardiography. AS was defined as a maximum transaortic velocity > 2.0 m/s. Statistical analyses including multivariable logistic regression and Cox regression were used to assess the association between patient characteristics and survival outcomes. RESULTS: Aortic valve changes were observed in 121 (42%) patients, among which 33 (11%) met the AS criteria. The mean age of patients in the AS, AVC without AS, and control groups was 79.1 ± 8.9, 75.9 ± 9.2, and 68.3 ± 12.9, respectively (P < 0.001). Multivariable logistic regression models showed that only age was associated with aortic valve changes (P < 0.001). Age and other important factor-adjusted multivariable Cox regression models showed that AS was an independent risk factor for death after dialysis initiation (hazard ratio (HR): 1.95, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.06 - 3.59, P = 0.04). However, aortic valve changes ("AS and/or AVC") were not a risk factor for death (HR: 1.51, 95% CI 0.95 - 2.39, P = 0.08). CONCLUSIONS: With the growing older population undergoing dialysis, aortic valve changes should be closely monitored. Particularly, AS is crucial because of its impact on patient prognosis.

Effect of rifampicin administration on CYP induction in a dermatomyositis patient with vasospastic angina attributable to nilmatrelvir/ritonavir-induced blood tacrolimus elevation: A case report.

Ritonavir (RTV), which is used in combination with nilmatrelvir (NMV) to treat coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), inhibits cytochrome P450 (CYP) 3A, thereby increasing blood tacrolimus (TAC) levels through a drug-drug interaction (DDI). We experienced a case in which a DDI between the two drugs led to markedly increased blood TAC levels, resulting in vasospastic angina (VSA) and acute kidney injury (AKI). Rifampicin (RFP) was administered to induce CYP3A and promote TAC metabolism. A 60-year-old man with dermatomyositis who was taking 3 mg/day TAC contracted COVID-19. The patient started oral NMV/RTV therapy, and he was admitted to the hospital after 4 days because of chest pain and AKI. On day 5, his blood TAC level increased markedly to 119.8 ng/mL. RFP 600 mg was administered once daily for 3 days, and his blood TAC level decreased to the therapeutic range of 9.6 ng/mL on day 9, leading to AKI improvement. Transient complete atrioventricular block and nonsustained ventricular tachycardia were present during chest pain. In the coronary spasm provocation test, complete occlusion was observed in the right coronary artery, leading to a diagnosis of VSA. VSA and AKI are possible side effects of high blood TAC levels caused by DDI, and attention should be paid to cardiovascular side effects such as VSA and AKI associated with increased blood levels of TAC when it is used together with NMV/RTV. When blood levels of TAC increase, oral RFP can rapidly decrease TAC blood levels and potentially reduce its toxicity.

Lack of impact of ipragliflozin on endothelial function in patients with type 2 diabetes: sub-analysis of the PROTECT study.

BACKGROUND: We assessed the impact of 24 months of treatment with ipragliflozin, a sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitor, on endothelial function in patients with type 2 diabetes as a sub-analysis of the PROTECT study. METHODS: In the PROTECT study, patients were randomized to receive either standard antihyperglycemic treatment (control group, n = 241 ) or add-on ipragliflozin treatment (ipragliflozin group, n = 241) in a 1:1 ratio. Among the 482 patients in the PROTECT study, flow-mediated vasodilation (FMD) was assessed in 32 patients in the control group and 26 patients in the ipragliflozin group before and after 24 months of treatment. RESULTS: HbA1c levels significantly decreased after 24 months of treatment compared to the baseline value in the ipragliflozin group, but not in the control group. However, there was no significant difference between the changes in HbA1c levels in the two groups (7.4 ± 0.8% vs. 7.0 ± 0.9% in the ipragliflozin group and 7.4 ± 0.7% vs. 7.3 ± 0.7% in the control group; P = 0.08). There was no significant difference between FMD values at baseline and after 24 months in both groups (5.2 ± 2.6% vs. 5.2 ± 2.6%, P = 0.98 in the ipragliflozin group; 5.4 ± 2.9% vs. 5.0 ± 3.2%, P = 0.34 in the control group). There was no significant difference in the estimated percentage change in FMD between the two groups (P = 0.77). CONCLUSIONS: Over a 24-month period, the addition of ipragliflozin to standard therapy in patients with type 2 diabetes did not change endothelial function assessed by FMD in the brachial artery. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Registration Number for Clinical Trial: jRCT1071220089 ( https://jrct.niph.go.jp/en-latest-detail/jRCT1071220089 ).

Attitude of Emergency Medical Technicians Toward Electrocardiogram　- Needs of Electrocardiogram Training Courses and Other Learning Opportunities.

BACKGROUND: Early intervention in prehospital settings is important for treating patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS). Emergency medical technicians (EMTs) are the essential first responders who treat these patients, and their current attitudes towards electrocardiograms (ECGs) have not been identified. This study investigated the awareness of EMTs of ECGs to shorten hospital arrival time, improving patient prognosis.Methods and Results: An anonymous questionnaire survey, with 27 statements about ECG and ACS response, was administered to 395 EMTs. The statements were related to interest, motivation, learning status, confidence, and norms pertaining to ECGs, a sense of perceived behavioral control, and training courses. The primary outcome was the perception of EMTs that their interpretation of an ECG affected patient prognosis (Statement [S] 1). Participants assigned scores for each statement using a scale ranging from 1 (strongly disagree) to 10 (strongly agree). The mean score for S1 was 7.09. Mean scores for statements regarding confidence and learning status were 3.96 and 3.53, respectively. The participants had a positive impression of training courses (score >5.5). CONCLUSIONS: The EMTs experience was that their interpretation of an ECG could affect the prognosis of patients with ACS. Conversely, they lacked confidence reading ECGs, but were willing to attend ECG training courses. Therefore, efficient training programs need to be established to achieve a better prognosis for ACS patients.

Association Between the Development of Thrombosis and Worsening of Disease Severity in Patients With Moderate COVID-19 on Admission　- From the CLOT-COVID Study.

BACKGROUND: The worsening of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) severity is a critical issue in current clinical settings and may be associated with the development of thrombosis.Methods and Results: This study used patient data obtained in the CLOT-COVID study, a retrospective multicenter cohort study. The demographics of patients with moderate COVID-19 on admission with and without worsened severity during hospitalization were compared and predictors were identified. Of 927 patients with moderate COVID-19 on admission, 182 (19.6%) had worsened severity during hospitalization. Patients with worsening of severity were older, more likely to have hypertension, diabetes, heart disease, and active cancer, and more likely to use pharmacological thromboprophylaxis. Patients with worsening of severity had higher D-dimer levels on admission and were more likely to develop thrombosis and major bleeding during hospitalization than those without worsening. Increased age (odds ratio [OR]: 1.02, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.01-1.03, P=0.005), diabetes (OR: 1.63, 95% CI: 1.11-2.33, P=0.012), D-dimer levels >1.0 µg/mL on admission (OR: 2.10, 95% CI: 1.45-3.03, P<0.001), and thrombosis (OR: 6.28, 95% CI: 2.72-14.53, P<0.001) were independently associated with worsening of COVID-19 severity. CONCLUSIONS: Approximately 20% of patients with moderate COVID-19 had worsened severity during hospitalization. Increased age, diabetes, D-dimer levels >1.0 µg/mL on admission, and the development of thrombosis during hospitalization were significantly associated with worsened COVID-19 severity.

Pathological features of biopsied myocardium in patients clinically diagnosed with peripartum cardiomyopathy.

The etiology of peripartum cardiomyopathy (PPCM) is unknown. Therefore, we evaluated the etiology of patients clinically diagnosed with PPCM using endomyocardial biopsy. We studied five patients diagnosed with PPCM following endomyocardial biopsy (age, 28-42 years; mean age, 35 years). Biopsied samples were evaluated using microscopy, including immunostaining and electron microscopy. The pathological findings were as follows: myocardial hypertrophy, myocardial fibrosis, and cell infiltration. Two patients were diagnosed with lymphocytic myocarditis, one with eosinophilic myocarditis, one with hypertensive heart disease, and one with a combination of hypertension and myocarditis. Endomyocardial biopsy suggested that the causes of PPCM were varied and related to myocarditis and myocardial overload due to hypertension.

Right Ventricular Dyssynchrony in Patients With Chronic Thromboembolic Pulmonary Hypertension and Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension.

BACKGROUND: Chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) and pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) are characterized by elevated pulmonary arterial pressure resulting in right heart failure. Right ventricular (RV) dyssynchrony may be associated with early-stage RV dysfunction; however, the differences in RV dyssynchrony between CTEPH and PAH and the factors contributing to RV dyssynchrony remain unclear.Methods and Results: Forty-four patients (CTEPH, 26; PAH, 18) were enrolled in this study. RV dyssynchrony was assessed by determining the standard deviation of the intervals from the peak QRS to peak systolic strain for 6 segments of the RV free and septal wall by using 2-dimensional speckle-tracking echocardiography (RV-6SD). The RV-6SD, pulmonary hemodynamics, echocardiographic findings, and patient demographics in CTEPH and PAH patients were compared and their correlations with RV-6SD were investigated. CTEPH patients were older and had significantly higher pulse pressure of the pulmonary artery (PP), tricuspid valve regurgitation pressure gradient, and RV-6SD, and lower pulmonary arterial compliance (PAC), despite showing comparable pulmonary arterial pressures. Age-adjusted multiple logistic analysis showed that RV-6SD and PAC were predictors of CTEPH rather than PAH. RV-SD6 was positively correlated with PP and RV dimension and negatively correlated with PAC. CONCLUSIONS: CTEPH patients showed more evident RV dyssynchrony than PAH patients. Low PAC and a widened PP may delay RV free wall motion and cause RV dyssynchrony.

Effect of Infarction-Related Artery Location on Clinical Outcome of Patients With Acute Myocardial Infarction in the Contemporary Era of Percutaneous Coronary Intervention　- Subanalysis From the Prospective Japan Acute Myocardial Infarction Registry (JAMIR).

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have reported that acute myocardial infarction (AMI) related to left anterior descending (LAD) lesion is associated with worse outcomes than left circumflex artery (LCX) or right coronary artery (RCA) lesions. However, it is unknown whether those relationships are still present in the contemporary era of primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), using newer generation drug-eluting stents and potent antiplatelet agents.Methods and Results:This study is a sub-analysis of the Japan AMI Registry (JAMIR), a multicenter, prospective registry enrolling 3,411 AMI patients between December 2015 and May 2017. Among them, 2,780 patients undergoing primary PCI for only a culprit vessel were included and stratified based on infarction-related artery type (LAD, LCX, and RCA). The primary outcome was 1-year cardiovascular death. The overall incidence of cardiovascular death was 3.4%. Patients with LAD infarction had highest incidence of cardiovascular death compared to patients with LCX and RCA infarction (4.8%, 1.3%, and 2.4%, respectively); however, landmark analysis showed that culprit vessel had no significant effect on cardiovascular death if a patient survived 30 days after primary PCI. LAD lesion infarction was an independent risk factor for cardiovascular death in adjusted Cox regression analysis. CONCLUSIONS: The present sub-analysis of the JAMIR demonstrated that LAD infarction is still associated with worse outcomes, especially during the first 30 days, even in the contemporary era of PCI.

Effect of Novel Stratified Lipid Risk by "LDL-Window" and Flow-Mediated Dilation on the Prognosis of Coronary Artery Disease Using the FMD-J Study A Data.

BACKGROUND: Elevated levels of triglyceride (TG) and non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (non-HDL-C) are regarded as a residual lipid risk in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C)-lowering therapy. This study investigated the association between lipid risk stratified by TG and non-HDL-C and the prognosis of patients with coronary artery disease (CAD), and the association between stratified lipid risk and flow-mediated dilatation (FMD) index.Methods and Results: The 624 CAD patients enrolled in flow-mediated dilation (FMD)-J study A were divided into 4 groups: low-risk group (n=413) with TG <150 mg/dL and non-HDL-C <170 mg/dL; hyper-TG group (n=180) with TG ≥150 mg/dL and non-HDL-C <170 mg/dL; hyper-non-HDL group (n=12) with TG <150 mg/dL and non-HDL-C ≥170 mg/dL; and high-risk group (n=19) with TG ≥150 mg/dL and non-HDL-C ≥170 mg/dL. Comparison of the groups showed the cumulative incidence of a 3-point major adverse cardiovascular event (MACE) was different and highest in the high-risk group in all the patients (P=0.009), and in patients with a FMD index ≥7.0% (P=0.021), but not in those with a FMD index <7.0%. Multivariable regression analysis showed that high lipid risk (P=0.019) and FMD <7.0% (P=0.040) were independently correlated with the incidence of a 3-point MACE. CONCLUSIONS: Novel stratification of lipid risk, simply using TG and non-HDL-C levels, combined with FMD measurement, is useful for predicting cardiovascular outcomes in patients with CAD.

Establishment of Novel Protein Interaction Assays between Sin3 and REST Using Surface Plasmon Resonance and Time-Resolved Fluorescence Energy Transfer.

Repressor element-1 (RE-1) or neural restrictive silencer element (NRSE) bound with a zinc finger transcription repressor, RE-1 silencing transcription factor (REST, also known as neural restrictive silencer factor, NRSF) has been identified as a fundamental repressor element in many genes, including neuronal genes. Genes regulated by REST/NRSF regulate multifaceted neuronal phenotypes, and their defects in the machinery cause neuropathies, disorders of neuron activity), autism and so on. In REST repressions, the N-terminal repressor domain recruits Sin3B via its paired amphipathic helix 1 (PAH1) domain, which plays an important role as a scaffold for histone deacetylase 1 and 2. This machinery has a critical role in maintaining neuronal robustness. In this study, in order to establish protein-protein interaction assays mimicking a binding surface between Sin3B and REST, we selected important amino acids from structural information of the PAH1/REST complex and then tried to reconstitute it using recombinant short peptides derived from PAH1/REST. Initially, we validated whether biotinylated REST interacts with glutathione S-transferase (GST)-tagged PAH1 and whether another PAH1 peptide (PAH1-FLAG) competitively binds with biotinylated REST using surface plasmon resonance (SPR). We observed a direct interaction and competitive binding of two PAH1 peptides. Secondly, in order to establish a high-throughput and high-dynamic-range assay, we utilized an easily performed novel time-resolved fluorescence energy transfer (TR-FRET) assay, and closely monitored this interaction. Finally, we succeeded in establishing a novel high-quality TR-FRET assay and a novel interaction assay based on SPR.

Pathological findings of myocardium in a patient with cardiac conduction defect associated with an SCN5A mutation.

A 16-year-old Japanese man was admitted to our hospital because of syncope during exercise. His father and his younger brother had permanent pacemaker implantation because of sick sinus syndrome. Several examinations revealed first-degree atrioventricular block, complete right bundle branch block, sick sinus syndrome, and ventricular tachycardia with normal cardiac function. As no abnormalities were evident on coronary angiography, right ventricular endomyocardial biopsy was performed. It showed myocardial disarrangement and lipofuscin accumulation in hypertrophic myocytes. Moreover, electron microscopy showed a few degenerative myocytes, Z-band streaming, disarrangement, increased small capillaries with Weibel-Palade bodies in endothelial cells, and endothelial proliferations. Genetic analysis of the proband, his father, and his younger brother revealed a missense mutation, D1275N, in SCN5A, a gene which encodes sodium ion channel protein, are related to cardiomyopathy and arrhythmia. The proband was diagnosed with a cardiac conduction defect (CCD) and underwent permanent pacemaker implantation. These pathological findings suggest various myocardial changes presented in CCD patients with a missense mutation, D1275N, in SCN5A.

Histopathological changes of myocytes in restrictive cardiomyopathy.

Restrictive cardiomyopathy (RCM) is a rare primary myocardial disease, and its pathological features are yet to be determined. Restrictive cardiomyopathy with MHY7 mutation was diagnosed in a 65-year-old Japanese woman. Electron microscopy of a myocardial biopsy revealed electron-dense materials resulting from focal myocyte degeneration and necrosis as well as tubular structures and pseudo-inclusion bodies in some nuclei. These features may be associated with the pathogenesis of RCM.

Febuxostat does not delay progression of carotid atherosclerosis in patients with asymptomatic hyperuricemia: A randomized, controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: An elevated level of serum uric acid (SUA) is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. Pharmacological intervention with urate-lowering agents, such as the conventional purine analogue xanthine oxidase (XO) inhibitor, allopurinol, has been used widely for a long period of time in clinical practice to reduce SUA levels. Febuxostat, a novel non-purine selective inhibitor of XO, has higher potency for inhibition of XO activity and greater urate-lowering efficacy than conventional allopurinol. However, clinical evidence regarding the effects of febuxostat on atherosclerosis is lacking. The purpose of the study was to test whether treatment with febuxostat delays carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) progression in patients with asymptomatic hyperuricemia. METHODS AND FINDINGS: The study was a multicenter, prospective, randomized, open-label, blinded-endpoint clinical trial undertaken at 48 sites throughout Japan between May 2014 and August 2018. Adults with both asymptomatic hyperuricemia (SUA >7.0 mg/dL) and maximum IMT of the common carotid artery (CCA) ≥1.1 mm at screening were allocated equally using a central web system to receive either dose-titrated febuxostat (10-60 mg daily) or as a control-arm, non-pharmacological lifestyle modification for hyperuricemia, such as a healthy diet and exercise therapy. Of the 514 enrolled participants, 31 were excluded from the analysis, with the remaining 483 people (mean age 69.1 years [standard deviation 10.4 years], female 19.7%) included in the primary analysis (febuxostat group, 239; control group, 244), based on a modified intention-to-treat principal. The carotid IMT images were recorded by a single sonographer at each site and read in a treatment-blinded manner by a single analyzer at a central core laboratory. The primary endpoint was the percentage change from baseline to 24 months in mean IMT of the CCA, determined by analysis of covariance using the allocation adjustment factors (age, gender, history of type 2 diabetes, baseline SUA, and baseline maximum IMT of the CCA) as the covariates. Key secondary endpoints included changes in other carotid ultrasonographic parameters and SUA and the incidence of clinical events. The mean values (± standard deviation) of CCA-IMT were 0.825 mm ± 0.173 mm in the febuxostat group and 0.832 mm ± 0.175 mm in the control group (mean between-group difference [febuxostat - control], -0.007 mm [95% confidence interval (CI) -0.039 mm to 0.024 mm; P = 0.65]) at baseline; 0.832 mm ± 0.182 mm in the febuxostat group and 0.848 mm ± 0.176 mm in the control group (mean between-group difference, -0.016 mm [95% CI -0.051 mm to 0.019 mm; P = 0.37]) at 24 months. Compared with the control group, febuxostat had no significant effect on the primary endpoint (mean percentage change 1.2% [95% CI -0.6% to 3.0%] in the febuxostat group (n = 207) versus 1.4% [95% CI -0.5% to 3.3%] in the control group (n = 193); mean between-group difference, -0.2% [95% CI -2.3% to 1.9%; P = 0.83]). Febuxostat also had no effect on the other carotid ultrasonographic parameters. The mean baseline values of SUA were comparable between the two groups (febuxostat, 7.76 mg/dL ± 0.98 mg/dL versus control, 7.73 mg/dL ± 1.04 mg/dL; mean between-group difference, 0.03 mg/dL [95% CI -0.15 mg/dL to 0.21 mg/dL; P = 0.75]). The mean value of SUA at 24 months was significantly lower in the febuxostat group than in the control group (febuxostat, 4.66 mg/dL ± 1.27 mg/dL versus control, 7.28 mg/dL ± 1.27 mg/dL; mean between-group difference, -2.62 mg/dL [95% CI -2.86 mg/dL to -2.38 mg/dL; P < 0.001]). Episodes of gout arthritis occurred only in the control group (4 patients [1.6%]). There were three deaths in the febuxostat group and seven in the control group during follow-up. A limitation of the study was the study design, as it was not a placebo-controlled trial, had a relatively small sample size and a short intervention period, and only enrolled Japanese patients with asymptomatic hyperuricemia. CONCLUSIONS: In Japanese patients with asymptomatic hyperuricemia, 24 months of febuxostat treatment did not delay carotid atherosclerosis progression, compared with non-pharmacological care. These findings do not support the use of febuxostat for delaying carotid atherosclerosis in this population. TRIAL REGISTRATION: University Hospital Medical Information Network Clinical Trial Registry UMIN000012911.

Relationship between resting full-cycle ratio and fractional flow reserve in assessments of coronary stenosis severity.

AIM: Comparisons between the resting full-cycle ratio (RFR), a new physiological resting index, and fractional flow reserve (FFR) in terms of prognostic value are limited. We aimed to identify the prognostic value of concordance between RFR and FFR and to determine the stability of measured RFR. METHODS AND RESULTS: We measured FFR and RFR in 161 coronary arteries of 119 patients and classified the data using known cutoffs for FFR (≤0.80) and RFR (≤0.89) into groups; high FFR and high RFR (high FFR/low RFR) group, high FFR and low RFR (high FFR/low RFR) group, low FFR and high RFR (low FFR/high RFR) group, and low FFR and low RFR (low FFR/low RFR) group. The concordance rates in these groups were 42.2% (68/161), 4.4% (7/161), 14.3% (23/161), and 39.1% (63/161), respectively. The concordance between FFR and RFR was 81.4%. The prevalence of females was significantly higher, values for hemoglobin values were significantly lower, and average E/E' (an index of left ventricular (LV) diastolic function by echocardiography) was significantly higher in high FFR/low RFR group than in low FFR/high RFR group (p = .008, .050, and .028, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: The RFR and FFR values consistently agreed. Female, anemia, and LV diastolic dysfunction may be related to the difference of discordance between high FFR/low RFR and low FFR/high RFR.

A case of chronic myocarditis.

Chronic myocarditis is sometimes difficult to diagnose using several clinical diagnostic modalities. A 43-year-old Japanese man was admitted to our hospital with heart failure due to a diffusely hypokinetic left ventricle. No abnormal accumulation was seen on 18 F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography. Coronary angiography showed no abnormalities. Endomyocardial biopsy was performed on suspicion of dilated cardiomyopathy, revealing diffuse cell infiltration (more T lymphocytes associated with macrophages than B cells on immunohistochemical staining), myocyte damage, and replacement fibrosis. The pathological diagnosis of biopsy specimen was difficult to differentiate between chronic myocarditis and inflammatory dilated cardiomyopathy without immunohistochemistry. Endomyocardial biopsy offers one of the most useful methods for diagnosing chronic myocarditis.

Collapse of VBX Balloon-Expandable Endoprosthesis in Bilateral Common Iliac Arteries in a Lean, Elderly Patient with Bent Back.

An 87-year-old woman who had previously received bare nitinol self-expandable stent implantation twice into the bilateral common iliac artery (CIA) due to repeated in-stent restenosis presented with acute onset of intermittent claudication. Computed tomography (CT) showed bilateral CIA obstruction with thrombus. Because thrombectomy and ballooning did not achieve recanalization, kissing VBX balloon-expandable endoprostheses were deployed in both CIAs, which resolved the patient's symptoms. However, the symptoms recurred 9 days later, and CT revealed collapsed VBX stent grafts surrounded by blood thrombus. X-rays showed spinal compression of the VBX stent while standing, which might have caused the collapse. We report a case of the collapse of a VBX balloon-expandable endoprosthesis in the bilateral CIAs of an elderly patient with a bent back. Physicians should consider that a bent back could be the cause of VBX collapse even in the CIA when elderly persons present with this deformity.

Establishment of Novel High-Standard Chemiluminescent Assay for NTPase in Two Protozoans and Its High-Throughput Screening.

Toxoplasma gondii is a major protozoan parasite and infects human and many other warm-blooded animals. The infection leads to Toxoplasmosis, a serious issue in AIDS patients, organ transplant recipients and pregnant women. Neospora caninum, another type of protozoa, is closely related to Toxoplasma gondii. Infections of the protozoa in animals also causes serious diseases such as Encephalomyelitis and Myositis-Polyradiculitis in dogs or abortion in cows. Both Toxoplasma gondii and Neospora caninum have similar nucleoside triphosphate hydrolases (NTPase), NcNTPase and TgNTPase-I in Neospora caninum and Toxoplasma gondii, respectively. These possibly play important roles in propagation and survival. Thus, we targeted the enzymes for drug discovery and tried to establish a novel high-standard assay by a combination of original biochemical enzyme assay and fluorescent assay to determine ADP content. We then validated whether or not it can be applied to high-throughput screening (HTS). Then, it fulfilled criterion to carry out HTS in both of the enzymes. In order to identify small molecules having inhibitory effects on the protozoan enzyme, we also performed HTS using two synthetic compound libraries and an extract library derived from marine bacteria and then, identified 19 compounds and 6 extracts. Nagasaki University collected many extracts from over 18,000 marine bacteria found in local Omura bay, and continues to compile an extensive collection of synthetic compounds from numerous drug libraries established by Japanese chemists.