Prevalence of preoperative asymptomatic deep vein thrombosis in patients undergoing elective general surgery for benign disease.

Background: The systemic inflammatory response following surgery as well as that of malignant disease itself is associated with a hypercoagulable state, and thromboprophylaxis is thus recommended during postoperative management of cancer patients. However, limited information is available on the prevalence of preoperative deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and its risk factors in surgical candidates, especially those receiving operations for benign diseases. Methods: This is a retrospective observational study with data of all patients scheduled for elective general surgery between January 2011 and September 2020, undergoing lower extremity venous ultrasonography as preoperative screening for DVT. The prevalence of preoperative asymptomatic DVT was estimated and its associations with clinical variables were evaluated. Results: Among 1512 patients included in the study, 161 (10.6%) had asymptomatic DVT before surgery. DVT prevalence was 13.7% in patients with malignant disease, while it was 8.6% in those with benign disease. The site of the thrombus was distal type in 141 (87.6%) patients, most commonly in the soleal vein. Advanced age (>70 years), female sex, and decreased hemoglobin level were significantly associated with preoperative asymptomatic DVT by multivariate analysis. The odds ratio for advanced age was the highest and rose as age increased. Malignant disease was not an independent risk factor for preoperative DVT. Conclusion: This study showed the prevalence of asymptomatic DVT to be equal in patients with and without malignant disease undergoing elective general surgery. Preoperative DVT assessment is necessary regardless of the disease indicated for surgery, especially in patients with the risk factors identified in this study.

Association between sarcopenia and oral functions in community-dwelling older adults: A cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Few studies have examined the state of oral function in older adults with sarcopenia. We assessed the oral functions of community-dwelling older adults with sarcopenia from multiple perspectives to clarify their potentially low oral function. METHODS: A total of 1517 (86.2%; 990 women, 527 men; mean age 76.1 ± 7.6 years) participants were included in this study. Grip strength, gait speed and skeletal muscle mass index were assessed, and sarcopenia was evaluated according to the criteria of the Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia 2019. The degree of tongue coating, oral moisture, occlusal force, tongue-lip motor function, tongue pressure, masticatory function and swallowing function were assessed. The criteria for oral hypofunction (a disease that is a combination of multiple low oral functions) were used to assess oral function. Statistical analyses were performed using Kolmogorov-Smirnov test, unpaired t-test, Mann-Whitney U test, χ2 test, and univariate and multivariable logistic regression analyses, with each oral function as the dependent variable and sarcopenia as one of the independent variables. The significance level was set at P < 0.05. RESULTS: The prevalence rates of sarcopenia and severe sarcopenia were 14.2% and 3.8%, respectively. The prevalence of oral hypofunction was 39.9%. Compared with the robust group, the sarcopenia and severe sarcopenia groups tended to have a higher frequency of the following components (all P < 0.01): low occlusal force, low tongue-lip motor function, low tongue pressure, low masticatory function, low swallowing function and oral hypofunction. Univariate logistic regression analysis showed that sarcopenia was associated with low occlusal force, low tongue-lip motor function, low tongue pressure, low masticatory function, low swallowing function and oral hypofunction. The odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals of sarcopenia for each oral function were 2.62 [2.00, 3.43], 2.21 [1.69, 2.89], 3.66 [2.79, 4.81], 3.23 [2.46, 4.25], 1.66 [1.26, 2.20] and 3.59 [2.72, 4.72], respectively. Multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that sarcopenia was associated with low occlusal force (1.63 [1.10, 2.40]), low tongue pressure (2.28 [1.65, 3.15]), low masticatory function, (1.94 [1.27, 2.97]), low swallowing function (1.64 [1.17, 2.28]) and oral hypofunction (2.17 [1.52, 3.09]). CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrated that multiple aspects of oral function were low among community-dwelling older adults with sarcopenia. The potential decline in oral functions in older adults with sarcopenia may have been overlooked until now. This study indicates the need for dental perspectives in intervening with older adults with sarcopenia and the need to encourage them to see dental professionals.

Right Ventricular Outflow Tract Myxoma with Absent Pulmonary Valve.

Myxoma is the most common benign cardiac tumor. Absent pulmonary valves, often treated surgically in childhood, are associated with 3-6% of tetralogy of Fallot. It is unusual for absent pulmonary valves without other congenital heart diseases to be asymptomatic until adulthood. Here, we report the unique case of an 80-year-old female with right ventricular outflow tract myxoma and absent pulmonary valve that has, to our knowledge, never been reported. We successfully performed a simple mass resection and pulmonary valve implantation.

Xerostomia as a key predictor of physical frailty among community-dwelling older adults in Japan: a five-year prospective cohort study from The Otassha Study.

PURPOSE: To the best of our knowledge, the association between xerostomia and physical frailty has not been studied in Asian countries. This prospective cohort study aimed to investigate the longitudinal association between xerostomia and the incidence of physical frailty in Japan. METHODS: This study included community-dwelling older adults aged ≥65 years at baseline (n=609). Baseline intraoral examination, physical performance and anthropometric measurements, blood examination, a structured self-administered questionnaire survey, and face-to-face interviews were conducted. Xerostomia was defined using a dichotomous questionnaire. Following the baseline survey, data on the incidence of physical frailty were collected over 5 years. Physical frailty, the outcome variable, was defined as weakness, slowness, weight loss, low physical activity level, and exhaustion. Participants with three or more components were considered frail. The hazard ratio (HR) for physical frailty incidence according to xerostomia was calculated using Cox hazards regression analysis. RESULTS: At baseline, 166 participants (27.3 %) complained of xerostomia. During follow-up, 109 participants (17.9 %) developed physical frailty. After adjusting for confounding factors, such as sex, age, educational level, polypharmacy, comorbidities, and smoking habit, xerostomia was significantly associated with the incidence of physical frailty (adjusted HR 1.65; 95 % confidence interval [CI] 1.09-2.52). CONCLUSIONS: Xerostomia is one of the key predictors of physical frailty. Our results suggested that assessing and preventing xerostomia is important for preventing physical frailty.

Oral frailty and gait performance in community-dwelling older adults: findings from the Takashimadaira study.

Purpose This cross-sectional study compared gait performance between community-dwelling older adults with and without accumulated deficits in oral health, defined as oral frailty.Methods A total of 1,082 individuals (439 men and 643 women; mean age, 77.1 years) from the Takashimadaira study were included in the current analysis. Based on a multifaceted oral health assessment, oral frailty was defined as having three or more of the following six components: (i) fewer teeth, (ii) low masticatory performance, (iii) low articulatory oral motor skills, (iv) low tongue pressure, (v) difficulties in eating, and (vi) swallowing. Eight gait parameters were assessed using an electronic walkway. Gait characteristics comparison between groups with and without oral frailty was performed using multiple linear regression models. Models were adjusted for age, sex, educational status, income, smoking, drinking, physical activity level, height, body mass index, comorbidities, and the presence of chronic pain.Results Oral frailty was observed in 227 (21.0%) participants. After adjusting for potential confounders, the participants with oral frailty had slower gait speed, shorter stride and step length, wider step width, and longer double support duration as well as higher variability of stride length and step length.Conclusions Oral frailty was associated with poor gait performance among community-dwelling older adults.

Dietary variety is associated with sleep efficiency in urban-dwelling older adults: A longitudinal study.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Improving sleep quality is important for an aging society. However, no study has been conducted on the association between dietary variety and sleep efficiency among older Japanese adults using longitudinal data. The current study is a longitudinal study that aimed to elucidate the association between dietary variety and sleep efficiency in older Japanese adults. METHODS: This study was conducted among older adults (≥70 years old in 2016) in the metropolitan area of Tokyo, Japan, between 2016 and 2018. Dietary variety score (DVS) and sleep efficiency were determined for all participants and were used to assess dietary habits and sleep quality, respectively. A cross-lagged panel analysis was used to consider the prospective associations between DVS and sleep efficiency, and this analysis was performed before and after adjusting for possible covariates in the 2016 data. RESULTS: After adjusting for age, sex, body mass index, current drinking status, current smoking status, exercise habits, living (alone or with others) style, the Japanese version of the Geriatric Depression Scale (Short Form), sleep duration and retiring time the DVS in 2016 predicted the sleep efficiency in 2018 (ß = 0.130, p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The possibility that DVS can predict sleep efficiency 2 years later was demonstrated.

The relationship between blood pressure and cognitive function.

BACKGROUND: Although an elevated systolic blood pressure (SBP) is associated with cognitive dysfunction, BP may decrease with advanced cognitive dysfunction; therefore, we attempted to identify the turning point in the relationship between cognitive function and SBP in elderly subjects. METHODS: In pooled datasets of general populations and outpatient clinics (age>65 years), in which the risk of frailty or cognitive dysfunction was assessed (N = 4076), the relationship between SBP and the Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) score was examined. RESULTS: Mean age was 72.5 ± 6.2 years (male 45.1%), and SBP was 133.0 ± 19.5 mmHg. In an analysis of locally weighted scatter plot smoothing, the relationship between SBP and MMSE scores changed at an MMSE score of 24 points. In subjects with preserved cognitive function (MMSE ≥24 points), MMSE scores decreased with increases in SBP (B = -0.047 per 10 mmHg increase, P = 0.002) after adjustments for age, sex, body mass index, alcohol habit, smoking status, diabetes, a history of stroke, and the geriatric nutritional index; however, in subjects with reduced cognitive function (MMSE<24 points), decreases in the MMSE score were associated with reductions in SBP (B = 1.178 per 1 point decrease in the MMSE score, P = 0.002). CONCLUSION: The relationship between SBP and cognitive function changed at a MMSE score of approximately 24 points (mild to moderate cognitive dysfunction). In patients with preserved MMSE, higher BP values were associated with a reduction of cognitive function, but this was not a case for those with impaired MMSE.

Association between anorexia and hyposalivation in community-dwelling older adults in Japan: a 6-year longitudinal study.

BACKGROUND: Hyposalivation is associated with the nutritional status. Anorexia of ageing, defined as an age-related decrease in appetite and food intake, presents even in healthy adults and is considered an independent predictor of malnutrition, frailty, and mortality. However, the relationship between anorexia and hyposalivation of ageing is unclear. Thus, the present longitudinal study aimed to investigate the incidence of hyposalivation and its relationship with anorexia in community-dwelling older people in Japan. METHODS: The study population comprised 220 individuals (80 men and 140 women) aged 65-86 years at baseline. The participants underwent comprehensive health check-ups, including dental examinations and anthropometry, and face-to-face interviews in 2013 and 2019. Hyposalivation was determined on the basis of the unstimulated salivary flow rate measured using the modified cotton roll method. Anorexia was defined as a score of ≤29 in the Japanese version of the Council on Nutrition Appetite Questionnaire. Logistic regression analyses were used to test whether the presence of anorexia at baseline was an independent predictor of hyposalivation. RESULTS: Hyposalivation developed at a rate of 19.5% during the 6-year observation period. Anorexia was observed in 95 (43.2%) participants at baseline. After adjusting for potential confounding factors, anorexia (adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 2.65; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.26-5.57) and polypharmacy (AOR, 3.29; CI, 1.06-10.19) were significant predictors of hyposalivation. CONCLUSION: Loss of appetite is independently correlated with and a risk factor for hyposalivation in older adults. Anorexia of ageing may have negative effects on the salivary flow rate in such settings. Salivation should be a standard feature in clinical assessments of the older adults.

Continued smoking and posterior vitreous adhesion in the elderly evaluated on swept-source optical coherence tomography.

In this cross-sectional study including 1150 eyes of 681 volunteers ≧ 65 years old without retinal pathology, factors affecting the progression of posterior vitreous detachment (PVD) were investigated. PVD stages were diagnosed based on swept-source optical coherence tomography (SS-OCT). Linear mixed effect model was used to determine whether age, gender, diabetes mellitus (DM), hypertension (HT), dyslipidemia (DL), and smoking status were associated with various stages of PVD. As a result, the multivariable analysis disclosed that the associations between older age and higher PVD stages (estimate [95% CI], 0.031 [0.020 to 0.042]; P < 0.0001), and current smokers and lower PVD stages (estimate [95% CI], - 0.24 [- 0.43 to - 0.056]; P = 0.011) were statistically significant. In contrast, female gender was not an independent factor affecting PVD stages in the elderly. Our analysis indicated that higher PVD stages observed in female eyes may be due to confounding effect, in which current smokers were predominantly males (i.e., 12.6% among males vs. 3.9% among females, P < 0.0001). In conclusion, our findings suggest that continuous smoking is associated with an adherent vitreoretinal interface in the elderly.

Exercise Types and the Risk of Developing Cognitive Decline in Older Women: A Prospective Study.

BACKGROUND: Participation in exercise may be useful for dementia prevention; however, the specific exercise types which may best to reduce the risk of developing cognitive decline have remained unidentified in the literature. OBJECTIVE: To examine the relationships of specific exercise types with the risk of developing cognitive decline in older women. METHODS: This 1- to 2-year population-based cohort study included 687 community-dwelling older Japanese women without disability, neurological disease, dementia, or cognitive impairment assessed as <24 points on the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) at the baseline survey. Developing cognitive decline was defined as a decrease of ≥3 points in the participant's MMSE score during the follow-up. We classified individuals into participation (≥3 months) and non-participation (<3 months) groups for 17 different exercise types. Log-binominal regression analyses were applied to compare risk ratios and confidence intervals of developing cognitive decline between the two groups. RESULTS: Thirty-nine participants (5.7%) developed cognitive decline during the follow-up period. After adjusting for confounders (age, MMSE score, depressive symptoms, body mass index, heart disease, hypertension, diabetes, smoking, low educational level, and the follow-up period in the baseline survey), those who participated in calisthenics demonstrated a significantly lower risk of developing cognitive decline than those who did not participate in calisthenics. No significant relationships between other exercise types and the risk of developing cognitive decline were found. CONCLUSION: Participation in calisthenics significantly reduced the risk of cognitive decline in community-dwelling older Japanese women, indicating that calisthenics may be a useful type of exercise for promoting dementia prevention.

Cross-sectional study of age-specific differences in salivary occult blood test results in older adults.

This study aimed to identify factors associated with poor oral health status, as indicated by salivary occult blood (SOB) level, in community-dwelling older adults. A total of 592 community-dwelling participants aged 70 to 84 years with 20 to 28 teeth participated in the survey and SOB evaluation. Survey items included behaviors during dental visits, systemic diseases, smoking habit, cognitive function, and findings of intraoral examination. To identify factors associated with high SOB levels, binomial logistic regression analysis was performed after classifying participants as having high and low SOB on the basis of 75th-percentile SOB measurements. Presence of dental plaque (odds ratio [OR]: 2.26), poor subjective oral health (OR: 2.99) (for the age group 70 to 74 years), fewer remaining teeth (OR: 0.80), no dental visits during the previous year (OR: 2.80) (for the age group 75 to 79 years), and no dental visits during the previous year (OR: 3.93) (for the age group 80 to 84 years) were significantly associated with high SOB levels. The factors associated with high SOB, which indicates poor oral health status, differed by age group in community-dwelling older adults. Therefore, oral health management may improve oral health by providing different age groups with care that accounts for their physical and social functional abilities.

Association between oral, social, and physical frailty in community-dwelling older adults.

OBJECTIVES: Oral frailty (OF) has been shown to be a predictor of disability. Therefore, it is important to be able to identify factors associated with OF in order to prevent long-term dependence. The purpose of this study was to clarify the relationships between OF, social frailty (SF), and physical frailty (PF) in community-dwelling older adults, with the overarching aim of informing the future development of effective measures to prevent frailty. METHODS: Oral, physical, and social function, nutritional and psychological status, and medical history were examined in 682 community-dwelling individuals (267 men, 415 women) aged ≥ 65 years. Ordinal logistic regression analysis with SF and PF as independent variables was performed with pass analysis to determine the relationship between the different types of frailty. RESULTS: Logistic regression analysis revealed significant associations between OF and decline in social function, physical function, and nutritional status, and an increase in the number of medications used. Path analysis showed that SF was directly related to OF and that OF and SF were directly related to PF. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that a decline in social function may directly influence a decline in oral and physical function. The results of this study provide initial evidence, that may guide the future development of measures that aim to prevent and manage OF.

Development and validity of the Computer-Based Cognitive Assessment Tool for intervention in community-dwelling older individuals.

AIM: The Mini-Mental State Examination is a widely used cognitive assessment tool. However, it has several limitations, including the learning effect and interrater reliability. Therefore, we developed a Computer-Based Cognitive Assessment Tool (CompBased-CAT), which runs on a tablet or personal computer. In this study, we examined the validity and discrimination ability of the CompBased-CAT. METHODS: Participants were recruited from the Otasha-Kenshin study carried out in 2016. We included 773 community-dwelling older individuals in Japan (332 men, 441 women, aged 65-97 years). CompBased-CAT scores were converted to z-scores, and the correlation with Mini-Mental State Examination scores was examined using Pearson's correlation coefficient. Furthermore, the ability to discern cognitive impairment was examined using the receiver operating characteristic curve. RESULTS: The Pearson's correlation coefficient for the Mini-Mental State Examination scores and each task component of the CompBased-CAT ranged from 0.24 to 0.41 (P < 0.001), and the correlation coefficient of the total z-scores was 0.51 (P < 0.001). The sensitivity, specificity and area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of the discriminating ability of the CompBased-CATool for cognitive impairment were 0.81, 0.77 and 0.85, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The CompBased-CAT certainly possesses validity, discriminating ability and utility as a new cognitive assessment tool in community-dwelling older individuals. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2020; ••: ••-••.

Limitations of SARC-F in the diagnosis of sarcopenia in community-dwelling older adults.

PURPOSE: The SARC-F is a recommended screening tool for sarcopenia; however, its sensitivity is reported to be very low. This study aimed to confirm the diagnostic efficacy of the SARC-F and whether it is affected by population characteristics. METHODS: In this study, 2 cohorts of 1060 community-dwelling older adults, who were monitored by the Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology, were included. In addition to the overall dataset, receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was performed to obtain the SARC-F results for sarcopenia among the datasets for only those older in age (over 75 years), those with higher frailty points (above the median total score for the Kihon Checklist points), those with lower grip strength (below the median), lower gait speed (below the median), and those with comorbidities (hypertension, cerebral vascular disease, heart disease, and diabetes mellitus). RESULTS: In the overall dataset, sensitivity and specificity were 3.9% and 97.3%, respectively. In analyzing the area under the curve, sensitivity and specificity for older age and low physical function datasets were significant, but had low values. The diabetes dataset had higher values but did not effectively diagnose sarcopenia at a cutoff value of 4. CONCLUSION: The SARC-F had high specificity for the diagnosis of sarcopenia in community-dwelling older adults with low physical function. However, its sensitivity was low. Despite these limitations, it may be used as a screening tool for sarcopenia in selected populations, such as adults in hospitals or nursing homes.

SARC-F: A validation study with community-dwelling older Japanese adults.

AIM: The SARC-F is a useful clinical index for sarcopenia screening; however, this measure has low sensitivity. Furthermore, this tool has never been validated on community-dwelling older Japanese adults. The goal of the present study was to validate a Japanese version of the SARC-F and confirm its suitability for Japanese samples. METHODS: Participants were 734 community-dwelling older adults in the Itabashi Ward, Japan. Bioimpedance measures, walking speed, grip strength and instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) were measured. Sarcopenia was defined using the European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People, the Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia criteria and Japanese-adjusted Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia. SARC-F receiver operating characteristic curves for each sarcopenia measure were used to evaluate diagnostic accuracy. Physical functioning, IADL and sarcopenia screening tools were compared with the SARC-F. RESULTS: A total of nine men (3.1%) and 15 women (3.4%) were classified into a SARC-F sarcopenia group. The sarcopenia group had lower physical functioning and Mini Sarcopenia Risk Assessment scores and higher frailty status than the control group. The Cronbach's alpha for the SARC-F was 0.610, suggesting insufficient internal consistency. SARC-F scores were related to physical functioning, IADL, and Mini Sarcopenia Risk Assessment scores. Receiver operating characteristic analyses of the SARC-F based on each criterion showed low sensitivity, but high specificity. CONCLUSIONS: The Japanese version of the SARC-F appears to be a useful index for reflecting physical functioning and IADL. However, it is necessary to further determine whether this tool is useful for detecting sarcopenia among community-dwelling older adults. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2019; 19: 1172-1178.

Postoperative Dysphagia in Debranching Thoracic Endovascular Aortic Repair with Retroesophageal Carotid-Carotid Bypass.

A carotid-carotid bypass is commonly used in debranching thoracic endovascular aortic repair. When the bypass graft is placed in the retroesophageal position, the esophagus may be compressed by the graft from behind. Therefore, dysphagia may occur postoperatively as a serious complication. To avoid this issue, we recommend placing the bypass graft below the cricoid cartilage.

Mid-Term Outcomes of a Modification of Extended Aortic Arch Anastomosis with Pulmonary Artery Banding in Single Ventricle Neonates with Hypoplastic Transverse Arch.

PURPOSE: There is less certainty regarding the best strategy for treating neonates with functional single ventricle (SV) and hypoplastic aortic arch. We have applied a modified extended aortic arch anastomosis (EAAA) and main pulmonary artery banding (PAB) as an initial palliation in neonates with transverse arch hypoplasia and assessed the mid-term outcomes. METHODS: In total, 10 neonates with functional SV and extensive hypoplasia or interruption of the arch underwent a modified EAAA (extended arch anastomosis with a subclavian flap) concomitant with main PAB through a thoracotomy without cardiopulmonary bypass. Patient age and weight ranged from 4 to 14 days and 2.3 to 3.8 kg, respectively. RESULTS: There were no hospital deaths although there were two late deaths. Gradients across the arch were 0 to 7 mmHg at postoperative day 1 and no arch reoperations were required. Two patients required balloon aortoplasty. Nine underwent bidirectional cavopulmonary shunt and two of them needed concomitant Damus-Kaye-Stansel (DKS) anastomosis. Six have completed Fontan. CONCLUSION: Our modification of EAAA with main PAB for SV neonates may benefit a certain population with transverse arch hypoplasia as an option to be considered. Patients with the potential for developing outflow obstruction may be best managed with an initial DKS-type palliation.

[Aortic Valve Replacement Concomitant with Right and Left Ventricular Outflow Tract Repair Eight Years after Arterial Switch Operation for Double Outlet Right Ventricle;Report of a Case].

We report a case of successful aortic valve replacement and relief of right and left ventricular outflow tract obstruction 8 years after an arterial switch operation for double outlet right ventricle. Since the surgical access to the ascending aorta was limited because of the anatomical feature and the adhesion after the arterial switch operation, arterial infusion site for cardiopulmonary bypass was secured at the right common carotid artery ahead of the sternal re-entry. After cardiopulmonary bypass was established, the right pulmonary artery was divided and then dissection of the ascending aorta was completed to secure the space for aortic valve replacement. A discrete membrane of the left ventricular outflow and muscle bands of the right ventricular outflow were completely resected. The right pulmonary artery was reconstructed by interpose of a prosthetic graft. Our experience would provide a technical option how to handle complex late complications after the arterial switch operation.

The need and availability of dental services for terminally ill cancer patients: a nationwide survey in Japan.

OBJECTIVE: Considering the high incidence of oral complications in terminally ill cancer patients, dental services are necessary for high-quality palliative care. However, to our knowledge, there have been no nationwide studies examining the need and availability of dental services in palliative care. In this study, a nationwide survey was conducted to clarify the need and availability of dental services for physicians and nurses engaged in palliative care in Japan. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A questionnaire was distributed to 436 certified palliative care units and palliative care teams registered with Hospice Palliative Care Japan. The questionnaire consisted of questions related to (1) background, (2) need of dental services, and (3) availability of dental services. RESULTS: The response rate was 48.2% (n = 210). As a whole, 93% of all respondents indicated that dental services were absolutely necessary, highly necessary, or necessary. In addition, 94% of respondents thought dental treatment by dentists was often or sometimes necessary; 96% of respondents thought oral care provided by specialists was often or sometimes necessary. As a whole, 71% of the respondents reported that dental services were always available, but 28% reported that dental services were available only sometimes. In actuality, in 31% of the institutions, dental services were available 1 day/week or less, and in 39%, dental services were dispatched from outside the institution. CONCLUSION: The results of this study revealed that Japanese palliative care units and teams have a markedly high need of dental services, but there is insufficient availability. To improve oral complications of terminally ill cancer patients, dentistry professionals should be more available in palliative care.

A case of autoimmune epilepsy associated with anti-leucine-rich glioma inactivated subunit 1 antibodies manifesting electrical shock-like sensations and transparent sadness.

Autoimmune epilepsy is an isolated phenotype of autoimmune encephalitis, which may be suspected in patients with unexplained adult-onset seizure disorders or resistance to antiepileptic drugs (AEDs). Antibodies against leucine-rich glioma inactivated subunit 1 of the voltage-gated potassium channel (VGKC) complex, recently termed anti-LGI-1 antibodies, are one of the causes of autoimmune epilepsies. Bizarre symptoms with extremely short duration and high frequency are clues to the possible presence of autoimmune epilepsy with anti-LGI-1 antibodies. Precise diagnosis is important because autoimmune epilepsy is treatable and the prognosis can be predicted.