Discontinuation and remission rates and social functioning in patients with schizophrenia receiving second-generation antipsychotics: 52-week evaluation of JUMPs, a randomized, open-label study.

AIM: Globally, evidence from short-term studies is insufficient for the guidelines to uniformly recommend a particular antipsychotic(s) for the maintenance treatment of schizophrenia. Therefore, long-term comprehensive evaluation of antipsychotics is required from a social rehabilitation perspective, especially for drugs that have not yet been studied. The Japan Useful Medication Program for Schizophrenia (JUMPs) is a large-scale, long-term naturalistic study to present pivotal 52-week data on the continuity of second-generation antipsychotics (SGA: aripiprazole, blonanserin, and paliperidone). METHODS: JUMPs was an open-label, three-arm, randomized, parallel-group, 52-week study. Enrolled patients had schizophrenia, were ≥20 years old, and required antipsychotic treatment or switched from previous therapy. The primary endpoint was treatment discontinuation rate over 52 weeks. Secondary outcomes included remission rate, social functioning, and quality-of-life scores [Personal and Social Performance Scale (PSP) and EuroQol-5 dimensions], and safety. RESULTS: In total, 251 patients received aripiprazole (n = 82), blonanserin (n = 85), or paliperidone (n = 84). The discontinuation rate (P = 0.9771) and remission rates (P > 0.05) over 52 weeks did not differ significantly between the three treatment groups. The discontinuation rates were 68.3%, 68.2%, and 65.5% in the aripiprazole, blonanserin, and paliperidone groups, respectively. Significant improvements (all P < 0.05) from baseline in PSP scores were observed at start of monotherapy, week 26, and week 52 in the overall cohort and blonanserin group and at week 26 in the aripiprazole group. The adverse event profile favored blonanserin. CONCLUSION: All three SGAs evaluated in this study showed similar treatment discontinuation rates in patients with chronic schizophrenia in Japan.

Enhancement of the Ivy Sign during an Ischemic Event in Moyamoya Disease.

We herein report a case of increased and expanded ipsilateral ivy sign paralleling the expansion of cerebral infarction in a patient with moyamoya disease. A 67-year-old woman visited our hospital with symptoms of left hemiplegia, left homonymous hemianopia, and left unilateral spatial neglect. Magnetic resonance imaging of the head showed cerebral infarction in the right parietal lobe. In addition, ivy signs were evident on fluid-attenuated inversion recovery imaging. These findings were enhanced by the expansion of cerebral infarction and disappeared once the ischemia resolved, implying hemodynamic changes. As a result of continuing medical treatment without antithrombotic therapy, the patient obtained a good outcome. Treatment for moyamoya disease in the acute phase is considered to require complex knowledge of multiple factors, such as the anatomical background of the individual patient and the progression grade of ischemia.

Plaque Protrusion in a Patient with Left Common Carotid Artery Stenting after Radiation Therapy: A Case Report.

Objective: We report a case of additional carotid artery stenting (CAS) for plaque protrusion occurring after initial CAS for radiation-induced common carotid artery (CCA) stenosis. Case Presentation: A 69-year-old man with a history of radiotherapy for laryngeal cancer presented to our hospital with sudden-onset right hemiparesis. Since vulnerable plaque of the left CCA was considered the embolic source for ischemic stroke, CAS was performed for left CCA stenosis. No perioperative complications were observed and the patient was discharged with a modified Rankin Scale score of 0. However, 1 month after CAS, cerebral embolism recurred. As protruding plaque was found on CTA, additional endovascular treatment was performed with intravascular ultrasonography. He was discharged without complications and showed a good outcome at 3 months. Conclusion: In CCA stenosis after radiotherapy, accelerated arteriosclerosis may cause drug-resistant cerebral embolism and plaque protrusion after CAS, making determination of the treatment strategy difficult. Appropriate treatment options need to be based on individual underlying diseases and plaque instability.