Impact of 1-year treatment with dupilumab on work productivity in Japanese patients with atopic dermatitis.

Atopic dermatitis (AD) places a burden on work productivity. Recently, dupilumab was approved for AD, but its impact on work productivity in Japanese patients has not been reported. Furthermore, data on the effect of long-term treatment with dupilumab on work productivity are limited. We investigated the work productivity and activity in Japanese patients with moderate-to-severe AD, utilizing the Japanese version of the Work Productivity and Activity Impairment (WPAI-AD-Japan) questionnaire. Furthermore, we examined the impact of dupilumab on work productivity. Adult moderate-to-severe AD patients treated with dupilumab for more than 12 months from March 2020 to June 2022 who filled out the WPAI-AD-Japan questionnaire were included. Twenty-eight adult AD patients were analysed. Absenteeism was low (mean: 5.3%), but presenteeism, work productivity loss and activity impairment were high (36.8%, 39.7%, 48.9%, respectively). Significant positive correlations were observed between work productivity loss and visual analogue scale (VAS) score of pruritus and between activity impairment and dermatology life quality index (DLQI). Dupilumab treatment significantly reduced presenteeism, work productivity loss and activity impairment at both 6 and 12 months. The extent of their amelioration was numerically higher at 12 months than at 6 months. The reduction rates in presenteeism, work productivity loss and activity impairment were positively correlated with the reduction rates in DLQI and VAS score of pruritus at 12 months. Dupilumab improved work productivity in Japanese AD patients. Long-term remission of pruritus and improved quality of life are important for comprehensive improvement of work productivity.

Inside stent placement is suitable for preoperative biliary drainage in patients with perihilar cholangiocarcinoma.

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: Endoscopic biliary stenting (EBS) is commonly used for preoperative drainage of localized perihilar cholangiocarcinoma (LPHC). This study retrospectively compared the utility of inside stent (IS) and conventional stent (CS) for preoperative EBS in patients with LPHC. METHODS: EBS was performed in 56 patients with LPHC. EBS involved the placement of a CS (n = 32) or IS (n = 24). Treatment outcomes were compared between these two groups. RESULTS: Preoperative recurrent biliary obstruction (RBO) occurred in 23 patients (71.9%) in the CS group and 7 (29.2%) in the IS group, with a significant difference (p = 0.002). The time to RBO (TRBO) was significantly longer in IS than in CS (log-rank: p < 0.001). The number of stent replacements was significantly lower in IS than CS [0.38 (0-3) vs. 1.88 (0-8), respectively; p < 0.001]. Gemcitabine-based neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) was administered to 26 patients (46.4%). Among patients who received NAC, TRBO was longer in IS than in CS group (log-rank: p < 0.001). The IS group had a significantly shorter preoperative and postoperative hospital stay than the CS group (20.0 vs. 37.0 days; p = 0.024, and 33.5 vs. 41.5 days; p = 0.016).　 Both the preoperative and the postoperative costs were significantly lower in the IS group than in the CS group (p = 0.049 and p = 0.0034, respectively). CONCLUSION: Compared with CS, IS for preoperative EBS in LPHC patients resulted in fewer complications and lower re-intervention rates. The fact that the IS group had shorter preoperative and postoperative hospital stays and lower costs both preoperatively and postoperatively compared to the CS group may suggest that the use of IS has the potential to benefit not only the patient but also the healthcare system.

Tissue harmonic versus contrast-enhanced harmonic endoscopic ultrasonography for the diagnosis of pancreatic tumors: Prospective multicenter study.

OBJECTIVES: This prospective multicenter study aimed to assess and compare the accuracy of tissue harmonic endoscopic ultrasonography (TH-EUS) and contrast-enhanced harmonic endoscopic ultrasonography (CH-EUS) for differentiating pancreatic carcinoma from other pancreatic tumors. METHODS: Consecutive patients with solid pancreatic tumors were prospectively enrolled between August 2013 and December 2014. To assess the accuracy of TH-EUS and CH-EUS, we compared four parameters of TH-EUS (fuzzy edge, irregular periphery, hypoechogenicity, and heterogeneous internal echogenicity) and four parameters of CH-EUS (hypoenhancement and heterogeneous enhancement in the early and late phases, respectively) to investigate which parameter of each method was most suitable to diagnose pancreatic carcinomas. Interobserver agreement and the diagnostic ability of pancreatic carcinoma using TH-EUS and CH-EUS were assessed and compared. RESULTS: A total of 204 patients were enrolled. For the diagnosis of pancreatic carcinoma, interobserver agreement by experts and nonexperts was 0.33-0.50 and 0.35-0.50 for TH-EUS, respectively, and 0.72-0.74 and 0.20-0.54 for CH-EUS, respectively. Irregular periphery was the most accurate diagnostic parameter among TH-EUS findings for differentiating pancreatic carcinomas, with sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of 95.0%, 42.9%, and 78.9%, respectively. Late phase hypoenhancement was the most accurate diagnostic parameter among CH-EUS findings for differentiating pancreatic carcinomas, with sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of 90.8%, 74.6%, and 85.8%, respectively. The accuracy of CH-EUS (late phase hypoenhancement) for diagnosis of pancreatic carcinoma was significantly higher than that of TH-EUS (irregular periphery) (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: In comparison with TH-EUS, CH-EUS increased the diagnostic ability and reproducibility for the diagnosis of pancreatic carcinoma. UMIN (000011124).

[A case of ischemic proctitis caused by impaired venous blood flow 11 months after surgery for sigmoid colon cancer].

A Japanese male in his 50s was presented to our hospital with the chief complaint of positive fecal immunochemical test. He had a history of hypertension. He underwent colonoscopy and was diagnosed with sigmoid colon cancer. He also underwent laparoscopic sigmoid colectomy with D3 lymph node dissection for sigmoid colon cancer. The inferior mesenteric artery and inferior mesenteric vein were amputated at the root of the vessels. The patient received adjuvant chemotherapy and was recurrence-free. Eleven months after the surgery, lower abdominal pain during defecation appeared. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) and colonoscopy showed marked rectal mucosal edema and increased fatty tissue density (dirty fat sign) around the anorectal side of the anastomosis. Intestinal blood flow was maintained. There were many fine blood vessels around the rectal wall, and the amputated distal part of the superior rectal artery was retrogradely contrasted. Amputated superior rectal artery and superior rectal vein were dilated than before. Colonoscopy revealed mucosal redness, edema, and easy bleeding on the anorectal side of the anastomosis. Abdominal contrast-enhanced 3D-CT showed increased arterial blood flow and increased fine blood vessels around the rectal wall. It suggested the presence of an arteriovenous fistula and venous congestion. Conservative treatment with total parenteral nutrition and prednisolone infusion did not improve the patient's condition, and a colostomy was performed. After colostomy, the pain improved, and the CT scan of the abdomen showed improvement in arterial blood flow and venous congestion. Colostomy was closed after 10 months. There has been no relapse since the closure of the colostomy. There are few reports on ischemic proctitis on the anorectal side of the anastomosis after colon cancer resection due to impaired venous blood flow.

[A case of young hepatocellular carcinoma with non-B, non-C, non-cirrhotic background].

A man in his 20s visited a local physician because of upper abdominal pain, and an abdominal ultrasonography revealed hepatic tumors. He was then referred to our hospital. The patient had no history of blood transfusion, tattoos, habitual alcohol consumption, or narcotic drug use. Physical examination revealed abdominal fullness. Biochemical tests were negative for hepatitis virus markers and autoantibodies. Liver enzyme levels were high;further, the levels of alpha-fetoprotein and protein induced by vitamin K absence or antagonist-II (PIVKA-II) were elevated. Chest and abdominal dynamic enhanced computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging scans showed multiple lung tumors and multiple liver tumors. An arterial phase contrast-enhanced computer tomography image showed multiple nodular heterogeneous hyperattenuating masses with washout in the equilibrium phase. A huge mass in the right hepatic lobe had a large area of central necrosis. We suspected hepatocellular carcinoma or undifferentiated mesenchymal tumor. Liver biopsy showed moderately differentiated hepatocellular carcinoma without fibrosis in the background liver. This patient was diagnosed with hepatocellular carcinoma that developed in a normal liver. The patient was treated with molecular-targeted drugs. Tumor enhancement decreased;however, the tumor size remained unchanged. The patient lived for 9 months. A search using the retrieval terms "non-hepatitis B virus/non-hepatitis C virus", "non-cirrhotic", "young adult", and "hepatocellular carcinoma" revealed 12 case reports in the Igaku Chuo Zasshi database. Many cases had multiple tumors that were large in size as well as had venous invasion, and surgeries were performed because liver functions were normal. The present case is noteworthy because hepatocellular carcinoma with a non-hepatitis B virus/non-hepatitis C virus and non-cirrhotic background in a young patient is rare.

[A case of corrosive gastritis caused by accidental ingestion of calcium chloride that resulted in gastric stenosis and penetration].

A Japanese woman in her 40s came to our emergency room with vomiting and upper abdominal pain after drinking a bottle of milk tea at home. She had a history of bipolar disorder. Blood tests revealed hypercalcemia (calcium level of 18.6mg/dl). Abdominal computed tomography depicted thickening of the gastric wall and hyperabsorbed material in the stomach. Upper gastroduodenal endoscopy showed extreme mucosal redness from the gastric body to the pylorus. The hypercalcemia improved with intravenous infusion of zoledronic acid. The patient had not been taking any medication that could have caused hypercalcemia. Later, her father drank the same bottle of milk tea at home and developed upper abdominal pain. He was admitted to the hospital because of vomiting, and computed tomography showed hyperabsorbed material in the stomach, as in his daughter's case. Computed tomography of the bottle of milk tea revealed a highly absorbent substance. The bottle was sent to the forensics laboratory for testing, and it was found to contain calcium chloride. Thus both patients had consumed a beverage containing calcium chloride, and corrosive gastritis was diagnosed. Despite fasting and intravenous drip therapy, the first patient underwent a total gastrectomy because of severe stenosis and perforation of the gastric lumen.

Evaluation of IgG4+ Plasma Cell Infiltration in Patients with Systemic Plasmacytosis and Other Plasma Cell-infiltrating Skin Diseases.

Systemic plasmacytosis is a rare skin disorder characterized by marked infiltration of plasma cells in the dermis. IgG4-related disease is pathologically characterized by lymphoplasmacytic infiltration rich in IgG4+ plasma cells, storiform fibrosis, and obliterative phlebitis, accompanied by elevated levels of serum IgG4. Reports of cases of systemic plasmacytosis with abundant infiltration of IgG4+ plasma cells has led to discussion about the relationship between systemic plasmacytosis and IgG4-related disease. This study examined IgG4+/IgG+ plasma cell ratios in 4 patients with systemic plasmacytosis and 12 patients with other skin diseases that show marked infiltration of plasma cells. Furthermore, we examined whether these cases met one of the pathological diagnostic criteria for IgG4-related disease (i.e. IgG4+/IgG plasma cells ratio of over 40%). Only one out of 4 patients with systemic plasmacytosis met the criterion. These results suggest that systemic plasmacytosis and IgG4-related disease are distinct diseases.

The Diagnosis of Esophageal Tuberculosis Through an Endoscopic Ultrasound-guided Fine-needle Aspiration Biopsy: A Case Study.

A 54-year-old woman presented with an elevated esophageal lesion. Computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging revealed a mass in the pancreatic head. Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) showed a well-defined, round, hypoechoic mass, which was considered lymph node enlargement. An EUS-guided fine-needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) was performed on the esophagus and the mass above the pancreatic head. The pathologically confirmed epithelial cells and multinucleated giant cells were positive for T-SPOT. Clinically, tuberculous lymphadenitis and esophageal tuberculosis were suspected, with successful treatment with anti-tuberculosis therapy resulting in a good response. Our findings suggest that an EUS-FNAB is useful for diagnosing esophageal tuberculosis.

Interleukin-23 inhibitors decrease Fibrosis-4 index in psoriasis patients with elevated Fibrosis-4 index but not inteleukin-17 inhibitors.

Recent studies indicate that hepatic diseases are associated with psoriasis. Non-invasive tests, including the Fibrosis-4 (FIB-4) index, which can confidently rule out the presence of advanced fibrosis, are currently receiving attention. However, data on the FIB-4 index in psoriasis patients and the effects of biologics on the FIB-4 index are limited. We investigated the relationships between the FIB-4 index and demographic or clinical characteristics as well as the effects of biologics on the FIB-4 index in psoriasis patients. Psoriasis patients aged 36-64 years, whose treatment was initiated with interleukin (IL)-17 inhibitors or IL-23 inhibitors for psoriasis from May 2015 to December 2022, were consecutively included. Data were collected retrospectively from the patients' charts. A total of 171 psoriasis patients were included in this study. Thirty-four, 43, 21, 32, and 41 psoriasis patients were treated with secukinumab, ixekizumab, brodalumab, guselkumab, or risankizumab, respectively. In biologics-naïve patients, a significant but weak positive correlation was observed between the FIB-4 index and age (r = 0.3246, p = 0.0018). There was no significant correlation between the FIB-4 index and other demographic or clinical characteristics. Regarding the effects of biologics on the FIB-4 index, no significant change was observed in psoriasis patients treated with any biologics. However, in psoriasis patients with a baseline FIB-4 index of >1.3, patients treated with guselkumab and those treated with either IL-23 inhibitor showed significantly decreased FIB-4 index scores 6 months after initiating the biologics (p = 0.0323, p = 0.0212). In contrast, no change was observed in FIB-4 index scores in patients treated with IL-17 inhibitors. In conclusion, our study revealed that the FIB-4 index was correlated with age in psoriasis patients. Furthermore, IL-23 inhibitors (but not IL-17 inhibitors) decreased the FIB-4 index score at 6 months in psoriasis patients with elevated FIB-4 index scores at baseline. Further studies are needed to clarify whether IL-23 inhibitors improve liver fibrosis physiologically and functionally.

308-nm excimer light is effective for palmoplantar pustulosis regardless of the presence or absence of focal infection: Single-center real-world experience of treatment for palmoplantar pustulosis.

Palmoplantar pustulosis (PPP) is relatively rare and recognition of PPP is different in different countries. Therefore, real-world data are limited. Local phototherapy for the palms and the soles is commonly used to treat PPP due to tolerable safety. However, data on the effectiveness of 308-nm excimer light are limited. In our study, we retrospectively investigated the effectiveness of treatments for PPP, especially phototherapy (308-nm excimer light), in our department. In addition, we examined whether smoking status and focal infection affected responsiveness to treatment of PPP. Patients who were diagnosed with PPP by board-certified dermatologists and visited our hospital from April 2015 to August 2018 were analyzed in this study. We collected data on PPP area severity index (PPPASI) before treatment. We also collected data on PPPASI in May to August 2018 as "after treatment" from all patients. Patients who received any treatment for less than 3 months were excluded. Nineteen patients (16 women and three men) were analyzed in this study. In patients treated with phototherapy (n = 12), PPPASI significantly decreased from a mean ± SD of 16.5 ± 10.3 to 4.5 ± 3.6 (p = 0.004), whereas it did not in patients treated without phototherapy (n = 7). Patients who quit smoking showed a significant decrease in PPPASI after treatment (16.8 ± 12.7 to 2.4 ± 2.9, p = 0.008). Regarding focal infection, in patients treated without phototherapy, the reduction rate of PPPASI was significantly lower in patients with focal infection than in those without focal infection (17.7 ± 21.5%, 71.1 ± 19.3%, p = 0.035), indicating that focal infection is associated with intractability. Meanwhile, in patients treated with phototherapy, PPPASI decreased regardless of the presence or absence of focal infection. In conclusion, our study demonstrated the effectiveness of local phototherapy consisting of 308-nm excimer light, regardless of focal infection. Patients who quit smoking were responsive to any treatment, indicating the importance of smoking cessation.