Excess mortality in COVID-19-affected solid organ transplant recipients across the pandemic.

The excess mortality of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) solid organ transplant recipients (SOTRs) throughout the pandemic remains unclear. This prospective cohort study based on the Japanese nationwide registry included 1632 SOTRs diagnosed with COVID-19 between February 1, 2020, and July 31, 2022, categorized based on dominant phases of variants of concern (VOCs): Waves 1 to 3 (Beta), 4 (Alpha), 5 (Delta), 6 (Omicron BA.1/BA.2), and 7 (Omicron BA.5). Excess mortality of COVID-19-affected SOTRs was analyzed by calculating standardized mortality ratios (SMRs). Overall, 1632 COVID-19-confirmed SOTRs included 1170 kidney, 408 liver, 25 lung, 20 heart, 1 small intestine, and 8 multiorgan recipients. Although disease severity and all-cause mortality decreased as VOCs transitioned, SMRs of SOTRs were consistently higher than those of the general population throughout the pandemic, showing a U-shaped gap that peaked toward the Omicron BA.5 phase; SMR (95% CI): 6.2 (3.1-12.5), 4.0 (1.5-10.6), 3.0 (1.3-6.7), 8.8 (5.3-14.5), and 21.9 (5.5-87.6) for Waves 1 to 3 (Beta), Wave 4 (Alpha), Wave 5 (Delta), Wave 6 (Omicron BA.1/2), and Wave 7 (Omicron BA.5), respectively. In conclusion, COVID-19 SOTRs had greater SMRs than the general population across the pandemic. Vaccine boosters, immunosuppression optimization, and other protective measures, particularly for older SOTRs, are paramount.

Epidemiology of Fontan-associated liver disease in Japan: Results from a nationwide survey in 2021.

AIM: Although the Fontan procedure has improved the survival of patients with single-ventricle heart disease, the long-term consequences of the procedure have been a concern. This study aimed to explore the patients' postoperative clinical characteristics, including a diagnosis of Fontan-associated liver disease (FALD). METHODS: A nationwide Japanese epidemiological survey of post-Fontan patients was undertaken in 2021. The survey targets were selected from all departments of pediatrics, pediatric surgery, cardiology, cardiovascular surgery, and gastroenterology using stratified random sampling by the number of beds. Each department was asked to complete a mail-back questionnaire on the numbers of patients and their clinical characteristics. The diagnosis of FALD was made by each attending physician. RESULTS: The estimated number of post-Fontan patients was 7810 (95% confidence interval, 5430-10 200) in 2020, with a period prevalence of 61.9 per million. During the follow-up of 13.8 years after the Fontan procedure, 40% of patients were diagnosed with FALD. An elevated γ-glutamyl transpeptidase level was the most common finding leading to the FALD diagnosis (41%), and 45% of the patients also showed liver fibrosis. Compared with non-FALD patients, FALD patients were older, had longer duration since the Fontan procedure, and had more severe cardiac or liver conditions. However, more than half of the non-FALD patients had elevated liver enzyme levels, suggesting underestimation of the number of FALD patients. CONCLUSIONS: In 2020, approximately 40% of post-Fontan patients underwent follow-up with a diagnosis of FALD, although the lack of established diagnostic criteria for FALD could affect the reported prevalence of FALD.

Safety and effectiveness of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines for patients with intractable hepatobiliary diseases: A multicenter, questionnaire-based, cross-sectional study.

AIM: There are few data regarding the safety and effectiveness of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) vaccines in patients with intractable hepatobiliary diseases. We conducted a multicenter, questionnaire-based, cross-sectional study to determine the safety and effectiveness of the SARS-CoV-2 vaccines in Japanese patients with intractable hepatobiliary disease. METHODS: Patients aged ≥18 years with autoimmune hepatitis (AIH), primary biliary cholangitis, primary sclerosing cholangitis, Budd-Chiari syndrome, idiopathic portal hypertension, and extrahepatic portal vein obstruction at each center were consecutively invited to join the study. Participants were asked to complete a questionnaire regarding their characteristics, vaccination status, post-vaccination adverse effects, and SARS-CoV-2 infection. Additionally, liver disease status, treatment regimens, and liver function test values pre- and post-vaccination were collected. RESULTS: The survey was conducted from September 2021 to May 2022, and 528 patients (220 AIH, 251 primary biliary cholangitis, 6 AIH- primary biliary cholangitis/primary sclerosing cholangitis overlap, 39 primary sclerosing cholangitis, 4 Budd-Chiari syndrome, 5 idiopathic portal hypertension, and 3 extrahepatic portal vein obstruction) participated in the study. Post-vaccination adverse effects were comparable to those observed in the general population. Post-vaccination liver injuries classified as grade 1 or higher were observed in 83 cases (16%), whereas grades 2 and 3 were observed in only six cases (1.1%); AIH-like liver injury requiring treatment was not observed. Overall, 12 patients (2.3%) were infected with SARS-CoV-2, and only one patient was infected 6 months after the second vaccination. CONCLUSION: SARS-CoV-2 vaccines demonstrated satisfactory safety and effectiveness in Japanese patients with intractable hepatobiliary diseases.

Comparison of BNT162b2 and mRNA1273 vaccines in solid organ transplant recipients: Post-Hoc analysis of a Japanese national prospective study.

The coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) vaccine efficacy and immunogenicity in the immunocompetent population are well established. However, in solid organ transplant (SOT) recipients, because of their use of immunosuppressive medication, the immunogenicity of these severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) vaccines remains suboptimal. Both BNT162b2 and mRNA1273 have been used for some time, but their immunogenicity has not been directly compared in this immunocompromised patient group. We performed a post-hoc analysis of a previous prospective cohort study. The inclusion criteria were adult SOT recipients with active grafts at least 1 month after SOT. After giving consent, participants chose to receive either BNT162b2 or mRNA1273 vaccine. Anti-spike-protein-S antibody against SARS-CoV-2 was measured. Propensity scores were calculated via logistic regression to transform the probability of having received either BNT162b2 or mRNA1273 vaccine, and a model was developed. We enrolled 623 SOT recipients. In the propensity score-matched analysis, 100 recipients were selected for BNT162b2 and 100 for mRNA1273. SARS-CoV-2 anti-spike protein antibody positivity with BNT162b2 versus mRNA1273 at 3 weeks after the first dose, 1 month after the second dose, 3 months after the second dose, and 6 months after the second dose were 10% versus 19% (P = .07), 51% versus 58% (P = .30), 74% versus 88% (P = .01), and 78% versus 87% (P = .13), respectively. We conducted a propensity score-matched comparison of BNT162b2 and mRNA1273 vaccines as the primary series of COVID-19 vaccines in SOT recipients. We found significantly better immunogenicity with the mRNA1273 vaccine than with BNT162b2.

Pretreatment serum monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 as a predictor of long-term outcome by ustekinumab in patients with Crohn's disease.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Ustekinumab has been proven to be effective for treatment of patients with Crohn's disease; however, 30-40% of patients have been reported to lose clinical response within 2 years. We aimed to evaluate the efficacy of ustekinumab and identify predictors of short-term and long-term efficacy in Crohn's disease. METHODS: Patients with Crohn's disease receiving their first ustekinumab infusion in our hospital between June 2017 and September 2020 were prospectively enrolled. Concentrations of serum cytokines and chemokines were measured using a multiplex bead array assay. RESULTS: Fifty-nine Crohn's disease patients were enrolled in this study. Among 34 clinically active patients, 38.2% achieved a clinical response at week 8. None of the assayed factors were associated with short-term clinical response. Cumulative persistence rates of ustekinumab were 77.6% at 1 year and 58.9% at 2 years. Univariate Cox regression analysis revealed that Harvey-Bradshaw Index scores at baseline, concomitant immunomodulator treatment, and concentrations of interferon gamma-induced protein-10, monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), and interleukin (IL)-1RA, IL-4, IL-6, and IL-8 were significantly associated with loss of efficacy. Multivariate Cox regression analysis found that biologic naïve status (hazard ratio [HR]: 0.1191, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.02458-0.5774) and MCP-1 concentrations (HR: 1.038, 95% CI: 1.015-1.062) were significantly and associated with loss of sustained efficacy for ustekinumab treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that pretreatment serum MCP-1 analysis, combined with a history of biologic use, could be a novel biomarker for predicting the long-term efficacy of ustekinumab in patients with Crohn's disease.

Immunogenicity and safety of influenza vaccine in patients with lung cancer receiving immune checkpoint inhibitors: A single-center prospective cohort study.

INTRODUCTION: Patients with lung cancer have a high risk of influenza complications. International guidelines recommend annual influenza vaccination for patients with cancer. Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) are progressively used to treat lung cancer. Data regarding immunogenicity and safety of influenza vaccine are limited in patients with lung cancer receiving ICIs; therefore, we conducted this single-center, prospective observational study in the Japanese population. METHODS: Patients with lung cancer receiving ICIs and influenza immunization were enrolled. Blood samples were collected from patients for serum antibody titer measurement pre- and 4 ± 1 weeks post-vaccination. The primary endpoint was seroprotection rate (sP) at 4 ± 1 weeks post-vaccination. The secondary endpoints were geometric mean titer (GMT), mean fold rise, seroresponse rate (sR), seroconversion rate (sC), and immune-related adverse events (irAEs), defined as adverse effects caused by ICI administration, 6 months post-vaccination. RESULTS: Influenza vaccination in the 23 patients included in the immunogenicity analyses significantly increased GMT for all strains, and sP, sR, and sC were 52%-91%, 26%-39%, and 26%-35%, respectively. In the 24 patients included in the safety analyses, 7 (29%) and 5 (21%) patients exhibited systemic and local reactions, respectively. Only one patient (4%) (hypothyroidism, grade 2) showed post-vaccination irAEs. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, influenza vaccination in patients with lung cancer receiving ICIs showed acceptable immunogenicity and safety, thus supporting annual influenza vaccination in this population.

Incidence of Mumps Deafness in Japan, 2005-2017: Analysis of Japanese Insurance Claims Database.

BACKGROUND: Mumps deafness causes serious problems, and incidence data are needed to identify its disease burden. However, such data are limited, and the reported incidence is highly variable. Nationwide studies in Japan with a large age range are lacking. METHODS: This was a retrospective observational investigation of the 2005-2017 mumps burden using employment-based health insurance claims data. Data were analyzed for 5,190,326 people aged 0-64 years to estimate the incidence of mumps deafness. RESULTS: Of 68,112 patients with mumps (36,423 males; 31,689 females), 102 (48 males; 54 females) developed mumps deafness-an incidence of 15.0 per 10,000 patients (1 in 668 patients). Fifty-four (52.9%) patients had mumps deafness in childhood (0-15 years), and 48 (47.1%) had mumps deafness in adolescence and adulthood (16-64 years); most cases occurred in childhood, the peak period for mumps onset. The incidence of mumps deafness per 10,000 patients was 73.6 in adolescence and adulthood, 8.4 times higher than the incidence of 8.8 in childhood (P < 0.001). In childhood, the incidence of mumps deafness was 7.2 times higher among 6-15-year-olds (13.8; 95% CI, 10.2-18.2) than among 0-5-year-olds (1.9; 95% CI, 0.6-4.5), and this difference was statistically significant (P < 0.001). No sex difference was observed. CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of mumps deafness per 10,000 patients aged 0-64 years was 15.0 (1 in 668 patients). A secondary risk of deafness following mumps virus infection was identified not only for children, but also for adolescents and adults.

Mumps-Related Disease Burden in Japan: Analysis of JMDC Health Insurance Reimbursement Data for 2005-2017.

BACKGROUND: Mumps vaccination coverage is low in Japan, partly because of its voluntary nature. Although pediatric cases of mumps virus infection are captured by the National Epidemiological Surveillance of Infectious Diseases program under the Infectious Disease Law, there are currently no data regarding the occurrence of mumps and its complications in adults. METHODS: We investigated the annual incidence rates of mumps and its complications based on health insurance reimbursement data for 5,209,660 individuals aged 0-64 years for 2005-2017, obtained from JMDC Inc., to estimate the mumps-related disease burden during this period. RESULTS: There were three mumps outbreaks (2006, 2010, and 2016) during 2005-2017. The annual incidence of mumps was highest in individuals aged 0-5 years (808-3,792 per 100,000 persons), followed by those aged 6-15 years (658-2,141 per 100,000 persons). The incidence of mumps was higher in females than in males (male/female ratio, 0.90). Among mumps-related complications, the overall incidence (per 1,000 mumps cases) was highest for orchitis (6.6), followed by meningitis (5.8), deafness (1.3), pancreatitis (0.5), and encephalitis (0.3). No cases of oophoritis were noted. The overall incidence of mumps-related complications was 2.5 times higher in males than in females. CONCLUSIONS: This study revealed the disease burden due to mumps and its complications in Japan during 2005-2017. These data suggest the need for mumps-prevention measures in adolescents and adults, as well as in children.

Estimated Prevalence of Cronkhite-Canada Syndrome, Chronic Enteropathy Associated With SLCO2A1 Gene, and Intestinal Behçet's Disease in Japan in 2017: A Nationwide Survey.

BACKGROUND: Cronkhite-Canada syndrome (CCS), chronic enteropathy associated with SLCO2A1 gene (CEAS), and intestinal Behçet's disease (BD) are classified as intractable intestinal disorders in Japan. However, the national prevalence of these diseases remains unknown. We performed a nationwide survey to estimate the patient numbers and prevalence rates of these diseases throughout Japan in 2017. METHODS: We conducted a mail-based survey targeting hospitals across Japan to estimate the annual numbers of patients with CCS, CEAS, and intestinal BD in 2017. Using a stratified random sampling method, we selected 2,979 hospital departments and asked them to report the number of patients who met specific diagnostic criteria. The total number of patients for each disease was estimated by multiplying the reported numbers by the reciprocal of the sampling rate and response rate. The corresponding prevalence rates per 1,000,000 population were calculated based on the mid-year population of Japan in 2017. RESULTS: The overall survey response rate was 68.1% (2,029 departments). The estimated numbers of patients with CCS, CEAS, and intestinal BD were 473 (95% confidence interval [CI], 357-589), 388 (95% CI, 289-486), and 3,139 (95% CI, 2,749-3,529), respectively; the prevalence rates per 1,000,000 population were 3.7 (male: 4.0; female: 3.5), 3.1 (male: 3.0; female: 3.1), and 24.8 (male: 24.5; female: 25.0), respectively. The male-to-female ratios were 1.10, 0.94, and 0.93 for patients with CCS, CEAS, and intestinal BD, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Estimates of the national prevalence of CCS, CEAS, and intestinal BD in Japan were generated and found to be higher than those previously reported.

Lifestyles Associated with Prognosis After Eradication of Hepatitis C Virus: A Prospective Cohort Study in Japan.

BACKGROUND: Hepatocellular carcinoma develops in some patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV), even after achieving sustained virological response (SVR). AIMS: We examined factors associated with liver disease progression in a prospective cohort study of SVR patients. METHODS: Participants were patients who had visited a hospital for clinical follow-up of chronic HCV infection in 2005 and had reached SVR as a result of subsequent antiviral treatment. Baseline information including lifestyle and dietary habits before SVR was collected in 2005 using self-administered questionnaires, and clinical information before SVR was collected from medical records in 2005. Study outcome was liver disease progression such as liver cirrhosis, hepatocellular carcinoma, and/or liver disease-related death after SVR. Proportional hazard models were employed to calculate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals for each variable. RESULTS: Of 180 SVR patients, 27 patients (15%) showed liver disease progression after SVR: 26 (14%) were diagnosed with liver cirrhosis, two (1%) with hepatocellular carcinoma, and/or one (0.6%) with liver-disease-related death. Besides older age at SVR (HR = 11.9, P < 0.01) and aspartate aminotransferase-to-platelet ratio index score ≥ 1.0 before SVR (HR = 2.63, P = 0.03), alcohol drinkers before SVR (HR = 2.82, P = 0.06) were suggested to be associated with liver disease progression after SVR, whereas higher consumption of vitamin B12 before SVR showed a decreased HR for liver disease progression (HR = 0.41, P = 0.09). CONCLUSIONS: Alcohol drinking might be associated with liver disease progression, whereas vitamin B12 intake might have protective effects against liver disease progression after eradication of HCV. Further studies are needed to confirm these findings.

Thoracoscopic repair of congenital diaphragmatic hernia in neonates: findings of a multicenter study in Japan.

PURPOSE: We compared the efficacy of thoracoscopic repair (TR) with that of open repair (OR) for neonatal congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH). METHODS: The subjects of this multicenter retrospective cohort study were 524 infants with left-sided isolated CDH, diagnosed prenatally, and treated at one of 15 participating hospitals in Japan between 2006 and 2018. The outcomes of infants who underwent TR and those who underwent OR were compared, applying propensity score matching. RESULTS: During the study period, 57 infants underwent TR and 467 underwent OR. Ten of the infants who underwent TR required conversion to OR for technical difficulties and these patients were excluded from the analysis. The survival rate at 180 days was similar in both groups (TR 98%; OR 93%). Recurrence developed after TR in 3 patients and after OR in 15 patients (TR 7%, OR 3%, p = 0.40). The propensity score was calculated using the following factors related to relevance of the surgical procedure: prematurity (p = 0.1), liver up (p < 0.01), stomach position (p < 0.01), and RL shunt (p = 0.045). After propensity score matching, the multivariate analysis adjusted for severity classification and age at surgical treatment revealed a significantly shorter hospital stay (odds ratio 0.50) and a lower incidence of chronic lung disease (odds ratio 0.39) in the TR group than in the OR group. CONCLUSIONS: TR can be performed safely for selected CDH neonates with potentially better outcomes than OR.

Optimal timing of surgery in infants with prenatally diagnosed isolated left-sided congenital diaphragmatic hernia: a multicenter, cohort study in Japan.

PURPOSE: To date, there is no compelling evidence of the optimal timing of surgery for congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH). This study aimed to establish the optimal timing of surgery in neonates with isolated left-sided CDH. METHODS: This multicenter cohort study enrolled 276 patients with isolated left-sided CDH at 15 institutions. Based on the timing of surgery, the patients were classified into four groups [< 24 h (G1), 24-47 h (G2), 48-71 h (G3), and ≥ 72 h (G4)]. The clinical outcomes were compared among the groups using a logistic regression model, after adjusting for potential confounders, such as disease severity. RESULTS: Multivariate analyses showed that G2 also had a lower mortality rate than the other groups. In mild and severe cases, there were no significant differences in mortality across the four groups. In moderate cases, G2 resulted in significantly increased survival rates, compared with G1. CONCLUSION: The study results suggest that surgery within 24 h of birth is not recommended for patients with moderate severity CDH, that there is no benefit in the delay of surgery for more than 72 h in mild severity CDH patients, and that there is no definite optimal time to perform surgery in severe cases of CDH.

Safety of live attenuated varicella-zoster vaccine in patients with underlying illnesses compared with healthy adults: a prospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: In Japan, freeze-dried live attenuated varicella-zoster vaccine is available for adults aged ≥50 years to prevent herpes zoster. However, limited evidence has been accumulated regarding vaccine safety for patients with underlying illnesses, who have been considered as the high-risk group for herpes zoster. METHODS: A prospective cohort study of 1200 healthy adults and 300 patients with underlying illnesses such as malignancy, diabetes mellitus, autoimmune diseases, and renal diseases was conducted. All subjects were vaccinated and then their adverse events (AEs) were followed for 28 days after vaccination. Key safety measures included any AEs, severe AEs (SAEs), and vaccine-related AEs such as injection-site AEs and systemic AEs. The frequencies and 95% confidence intervals of AEs were calculated. RESULTS: During the follow-up period, 2 SAEs (bone fracture and acute cholecystitis) among healthy adults and 1 SAE (disseminated mycobacteriosis) among patients with underlying illnesses were reported, although none of them was diagnosed as vaccine-related. Vaccine-related AEs were reported in 42% of healthy adults and patients with underlying illnesses, and the proportions were similar between the groups. The most frequent AEs were injection-site AEs in both groups (i.e., 41 and 39%), and systemic AEs were observed in 4% of both groups. Only among healthy adults, those with a history of herpes zoster were more likely to report injection-site AEs than those without a history of herpes zoster (53% vs 39%). CONCLUSIONS: The present study confirmed the safety of freeze-dried, live attenuated varicella-zoster vaccine even in patients with underlying illnesses. A history of herpes zoster might be related to development of injection-site AEs in healthy adults. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The study was prospectively registered on Japic-Clinical Trials Information as JapicCTI-163415 on October 31, 2016.

Nationwide epidemiologic study of norovirus-related hospitalization among Japanese older adults.

BACKGROUND: Older adults are vulnerable to hospitalization or death from norovirus infection, but the actual disease burden remains unknown. Therefore, we conducted a nationwide survey to estimate the number of inpatients with norovirus gastroenteritis and associated deaths among Japanese older adults. METHODS: We performed a nationwide two-step query targeting 4184 hospital departments selected from 17,575 departments using stratified random sampling according to the number of beds. We asked each department to complete a mail-back questionnaire on the annual numbers of inpatients with infectious gastroenteritis and associated deaths between administrative years 2012 and 2014, and the implementation status of norovirus infection testing. In a second query, we investigated the annual number of inpatients with norovirus gastroenteritis and associated deaths in departments that had reported infectious gastroenteritis inpatients in the first query. Clinical information was collected for inpatients with norovirus gastroenteritis in administrative year 2014. RESULTS: Norovirus testing for patients hospitalized for acute gastroenteritis was routinely conducted in 16% of the responding departments. Although half the departments responded that some acute gastroenteritis inpatients received such testing but others did not. In this situation, numbers of inpatients with norovirus gastroenteritis in Japan were estimated as 31,800 (95% CI: 25,700-37,900) in administrative year 2012, 21,600 (95% CI: 17,700-25,500) in administrative year 2013, and 15,700 (95% CI: 12,900-18,500) in administrative year 2014. The estimated number of associated deaths was approximately 600 in each administrative year. Factors associated with death included higher age, living in long-term care facilities, underlying illnesses such as chronic respiratory diseases, and complications such as aspiration pneumonia. CONCLUSIONS: The actual number of norovirus inpatient would be higher than the estimated here due to the low rate of routinely implemented norovirus testing. Considering Japan's rapidly aging society and the disease burden of norovirus infection among Japanese older adults, it is important to protect this high-risk population from norovirus infection.

Japanese periodical nationwide epidemiologic survey of aberrant portal hemodynamics.

AIM: Idiopathic portal hypertension (IPH), extrahepatic portal obstruction (EHO), and Budd-Chiari syndrome (BCS) are characterized by aberrant portal hemodynamics of unknown etiology. The aim of this study was to explore trends in the descriptive epidemiology of these diseases through periodical nationwide surveys. METHODS: Nationwide epidemiologic surveys were undertaken in 1999, 2005, and 2015 using the same protocol. The survey targets were selected from all departments of gastrointestinal medicine, surgery, pediatrics, and pediatric surgery in Japan by stratified random sampling according to the number of beds. We asked each department to complete a mail-back questionnaire on the annual numbers of patients with IPH, EHO, and BCS during the preceding year. RESULTS: The estimated number of BCS patients increased from 280 (95% confidence interval, 200-360) in 1999 survey to 410 (300-530) in 2015 survey, whereas the number of IPH and EHO patients has remained largely unchanged during the 15 years (IPH was approximately 1000; EHO was approximately 770 in 2015 survey). The mean age at symptom onset was approximately 45 years for IPH, 30 years for EHO, and 40 years for BCS over the past 15 years. Those who described disease aggravation from the time of diagnosis accounted for approximately 10% of IPH, 15% of EHO, and 20% of BCS patients in each of the three surveys. CONCLUSIONS: In Japan, the prevalence of BCS is increasing, while those of IPH and EHO appear to be stable. Clinical characteristics, including prognoses, have remained largely unchanged in the past 15 years.

Association between dietary iron and zinc intake and development of ulcerative colitis: A case-control study in Japan.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: The prevalence of ulcerative colitis (UC) has been increasing in Japan. Trace elements, such as iron, zinc, magnesium, and copper, can cause digestive symptoms where there is a deficiency or excess. We focused on the dietary intake of trace elements and their associations with UC development. METHODS: A multicenter, hospital-based case-control study was conducted in Japan. Cases were 127 newly diagnosed UC patients, and 171 age-matched and sex-matched hospital controls were recruited. We considered that UC patients had potentially changed their dietary habits due to disease symptoms. The dietary habits were investigated using a self-administered diet history questionnaire to analyze the dietary intakes and frequencies at two points, the previous 1 month and 1 year before. RESULTS: In the assessment of dietary habits 1 year before, the highest intake of iron showed an increased odds ratio (OR) for UC on multivariate analysis (OR = 4.05, 95% confidence interval, 1.46-11.2, P < 0.01). The highest intake of zinc 1 year before showed a decreased OR for UC (OR = 0.39, 95% confidence interval, 0.18-0.85, P = 0.01). Intakes of magnesium and copper had no significant association with UC. Because most UC cases had experienced the first symptom of UC within the previous 11 months, these intakes at 1 year before represented an association with pre-illness dietary habits. CONCLUSION: A high intake of iron has some effect on the development of UC. In contrast, a high intake of zinc has a protective effect on the development of UC.

Nationwide Survey of Pediatric Inpatients With Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease, Herpangina, and Associated Complications During an Epidemic Period in Japan: Estimated Number of Hospitalized Patients and Factors Associated With Severe Cases.

BACKGROUND: Severe pediatric cases of hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD), herpangina (HA), and associated complications caused by enterovirus 71 (EV71) infection have brought substantial public health impact in Asia. This study aimed to elucidate the epidemiology of these pediatric cases in Japan. METHODS: A nationwide survey was conducted using stratified random sampling of hospital pediatric departments. We estimated the number of inpatients with HFMD, HA, and associated complications between April 1 and September 30, 2010, during which EV71 was circulating predominantly. Factors associated with severe cases with ≥7 days of admission, sequelae, or outcome of death were analyzed using multivariate logistic regression. RESULTS: During the 6-month epidemic period, the number of pediatric inpatients aged <15 years was about 2,900 (estimated cumulative incidence of hospitalized cases: 17.0 per 100,000 population). Severe cases were significantly associated with younger age. Compared to patients ≥5 years of age, the odds ratios (ORs) for <1 year of age and 1 to <3 years of age were 5.74 (95% confidence interval [CI], 2.14-15.4) and 2.94 (95% CI, 1.02-8.51), respectively. Elevated ORs for hyperglycemia (plasma glucose level of ≥8.3 mmol/L) on admission (OR 3.60; 95% CI, 0.94-13.8) were also observed. CONCLUSIONS: Disease burden of pediatric inpatients with HFMD, HA, and associated complications in Japan was described for the first time. During an EV71 epidemic, younger age and, suggestively, hyperglycemia may have been critical factors requiring more careful treatment.

Lower dietary variety is a relevant factor for malnutrition in older Japanese home-care recipients: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Nutritional status of the older people is affected by various life-style factors. Although dietary habit is one of the life-style factors, it is unknown which of older home-care recipients' dietary habits are associated with malnutrition. The purpose of this study was to examine the association of dietary variety, as an evaluation index for dietary habits, with malnutrition in Japanese older home-care recipients. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted in a single city, Hyogo Prefecture, Japan between July and October 2016. Three hundred thirty-three community-dwelling older care recipients (aged 65 years or older who were receiving home-visit nursing care services) were enrolled. Their nutritional status (Mini Nutritional Assessment®-short form: MNA®-SF), dietary variety (Food frequency score [FFS]), socio-demographic characteristics (age, sex, marital status, etc.), health indicators (comorbidity [Charlson Comorbidity Index] and dysphagia status [Dysphagia Severity Scale]) were assessed. The participants were classified into two groups: malnourished (0-7 points) and non-malnourished (8-14 points), according to their MNA®-SF scores. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to examine the factors associated with malnutrition. RESULTS: A total of 317 participants were analyzed (118 men, 199 women, median age: 84 years). Compared to the fourth (highest) quartile of FFS, odds ratios (OR) (95% confidence intervals [CI]) of the third, second, and first (lowest) quartiles of FFS were 1.08 (0.42-2.80), 1.29 (0.56-2.98), and 2.30 (1.02-5.19), respectively (p for trend = 0.049). Higher Charlson Comorbidity Index score and the presence of dysphagia were also significantly associated with malnutrition (OR: 2.08, 95% CI: 1.08-4.00 and OR: 3.86, 95% CI: 2.08-7.17, respectively). CONCLUSION: Lower dietary variety was significantly associated with malnutrition in Japanese older home-care recipients.

Protective Effect of Maternal Influenza Vaccination on Influenza in Their Infants: A Prospective Cohort Study.

Background: Infants <6 months of age are too young to receive influenza vaccine, despite being at high risk for severe influenza-related complications. Methods: To examine the effectiveness of maternal influenza vaccination in preventing influenza in their infants, we conducted a prospective cohort study of 3441 infants born at participating hospitals before the 2013-2014 influenza season. At the time of recruitment, their mothers completed a questionnaire about influenza vaccination status for the 2013-2014 season. A follow-up survey was conducted after the end of the 2013-2014 season to collect information regarding influenza diagnosis and hospitalization among infants. Results: During the 2013-2014 influenza season, 71 infants (2%) had influenza diagnosed, and 13 infants (0.4%) were hospitalized with influenza. Maternal influenza vaccination (especially prenatal vaccination) decreased the odds of influenza among infants. The effectiveness of prenatal vaccination was 61% (95% confidence interval, 16%-81%), whereas that of postpartum vaccination was 53% (-28%-83%). Although maternal influenza vaccination was also associated with a decreased odds of influenza-related hospitalization among infants, vaccine effectiveness (73%) did not reach statistical significance, owing to the limited number of infants hospitalized because of influenza. Conclusions: The present findings indicated that pregnant women and postpartum women should receive influenza vaccination to protect their infants.