Denosumab-induced hypocalcemia in patients with solid tumors and renal dysfunction: a multicenter, retrospective, observational study.

BACKGROUND: Bone metastases are frequently observed in advanced cancer, and bone modifying agents are used to prevent or treat skeletal-related events. Zoledronic acid is contraindicated in patients with severe renal impairment (Ccr < 30 mL/min), but it is not completely known whether denosumab can be used in them. We aimed to determine the association between renal function and hypocalcemia development during denosumab treatment. METHODS: We included patients with solid cancer and bone metastases who started denosumab treatment between April 2017 and March 2019. They were classified into four groups based on creatinine clearance (Ccr; mL/min): normal (Ccr ≥ 80), mild (50 ≤ Ccr ˂80), moderate (30 ≤ Ccr ˂50), and severe (Ccr ˂30). Hypocalcemia was evaluated using the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (v5.0) based on the albumin-adjusted serum calcium levels; its incidence (stratified by renal function) and risk factors were investigated using a Chi-square test and logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: Of 524 patients (age: 69 ± 11 years; 303 men), 153 had a normal renal function and 222, 117, and 32 had mild, moderate, and severe renal dysfunction. The albumin-adjusted serum calcium level was higher than the measured (total) calcium level in most patients. The incidence of grade ≥ 1 hypocalcemia was 32.0% in the normal group and 37.4%, 29.9%, and 62.5% in the mild, moderate, and severe renal dysfunction groups, respectively. It was, therefore, higher in the severe renal dysfunction groups than in the normal group (P = 0.002). The incidence of grade ≥ 3 hypocalcemia did not differ significantly among the groups. Pre-treatment low serum calcium levels and severe renal dysfunction were risk factors for hypocalcemia. CONCLUSIONS: Evaluating denosumab-induced hypocalcemia required albumin adjustment, and its incidence was high among patients with severe renal dysfunction. Reduced serum calcium levels and severely impaired renal function were associated with an elevated hypocalcemia risk.

Association between physical activity and the N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide in a middle-aged Japanese population: The interaction with alcohol consumption, 2005-2006.

OBJECTIVE: Higher N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) levels are a strong risk factor for cardiovascular disease. The current study aimed to clarify the cross-sectional association of physical activity (PA) with NT-proBNP and to identify the interaction of PA with alcohol consumption or cigarette smoking in middle-aged individuals. METHODS: The study included 4613 individuals (1824 men and 2789 women) (November 2005-November 2006). Total PA, steps, light-intensity PA (LPA), and moderate-to-vigorous-intensity PA (MVPA) were assessed using accelerometer. Serum NT-proBNP levels were measured. Cross-sectional associations of total PA and steps with NT-proBNP were analyzed using multiple regression with adjustment for potential confounders. The isotemporal substitution model was used to assess activity intensity-specific association. The interaction between PA and alcohol consumption or smoking was also examined. RESULTS: Total PA was independently and inversely associated with NT-proBNP in the entire sample (P = 0.04). The inverse association of substituting LPA with MVPA for NT-proBNP was clearer in men than in women (Pinteraction = 0.04). Inverse associations of total PA or steps with NT-proBNP were clearer in heavy drinkers than in moderate drinkers and non-drinkers in the entire sample (Pinteraction < 0.05). In men, the inverse association of substituting LPA with MVPA for NT-proBNP was also clearer in heavy drinkers (Pinteraction = 0.02). No interactions of PA with smoking were detected. CONCLUSIONS: Higher total PA was associated with better NT-proBNP in middle-aged individuals. Additionally, the effect of substituting LPA with MVPA on NT-proBNP was greater in men than in women. Furthermore, the association between PA and NT-proBNP may be modified by alcohol consumption.

Comparison of Analgesic Efficacy and Safety of Low-Dose Transdermal Fentanyl and Oral Oxycodone in Opioid-Naïve Patients with Cancer Pain.

In Japan, a low-dose transdermal fentanyl (TDF; 0.5 mg) has been approved to address pain in opioid-naïve patients with cancer; however, efficacy and safety data are lacking. To determine the efficacy and safety of TDF, patients with opioid-naïve cancer pain prescribed TDF (0.5 mg/d) and oral oxycodone sustained-release formulation (OXY) 10 mg/d were extracted from electronic medical and nursing records. Overall, 40 and 101 subjects were analyzed in the TDF and OXY groups, respectively. Compared with baseline (median [minimum, maximum]) values, changes in the Numerical Rating Scale (NRS) score on days 1, 3, and 7 post-administration were as follows: TDF (0 [-5, 4]) and OXY (-1.0 [-8, 3]); TDF (-1.5 [-6, 3]) and OXY (-2.0 [-8, 4]); and TDF (-2.0[-6, 3]) and OXY (-3.0[-8, 5]), respectively. No significant difference was observed between the groups on days 1 and 3; however, the change in the NRS on day 7 was significantly higher in the OXY group than that in the TDF group. Regarding adverse events, nausea occurred in 12.5 and 13.9% of patients in the TDF and OXY groups, respectively, while 12.5% of TDF- and 10.9% of OXY-treated patients experienced somnolence, revealing similar occurrence in both groups. However, constipation was more common in the OXY group (TDF: 50.0%, OXY: 71.3%). No serious adverse events (e.g., respiratory depression) were observed in either group. Low-dose TDF (0.5 mg), available only in Japan, showed comparable efficacy and safety to OXY (10 mg/d) and can be a first choice for opioid-naïve patients with cancer pain.

Retrospective multicentre study on the effectiveness of first-line direct-acting antivirals against hepatitis C virus genotype-1.

WHAT IS KNOWN AND OBJECTIVE: In Japan, ledipasvir/sofosbuvir, elbasvir/grazoprevir and glecaprevir/pibrentasvir are recommended as first-line treatments for patients with untreated hepatitis C virus genotype 1. Although they have demonstrated a high efficacy in clinical trials, there are no direct comparative studies. Clarification of their effectiveness and safety in real-world clinical practice is required. Therefore, we conducted a retrospective multicentre study on the effectiveness of these direct-acting antivirals in real-world clinical practice. METHODS: We retrospectively evaluated the clinical data of untreated patients with persistent HCV genotype 1 infection who started first-line treatment with ledipasvir/sofosbuvir, elbasvir/grazoprevir or glecaprevir/pibrentasvir between September 2015 and January 2019 at 11 medical institutions in Japan. The primary efficacy endpoint was a sustained virologic response after 12 weeks of treatment. The secondary endpoints included sustained virologic response after 24 weeks of treatment and end of treatment response. The safety endpoint was treatment completion rate. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: During the study, 420 patients (median age, 70 years; 181 males) received ledipasvir/sofosbuvir, 48 (median age 72, years; 29 males) received elbasvir/grazoprevir and 63 (median age 66, years; 35 males) received glecaprevir/pibrentasvir. For ledipasvir/sofosbuvir, elbasvir/grazoprevir and glecaprevir/pibrentasvir, the sustained virologic response after 12 weeks of treatment was 98.6%, 97.9% and 100%; the sustained virologic response after 24 weeks of treatment was 99.0%, 97.7% and 100%; the end of treatment response was 99.8%, 97.9% and 98.4%; and the treatment completion rate was 98.3%, 91.7% and 100% respectively. WHAT IS NEW AND CONCLUSION: In real-world clinical practice, hepatitis C virus treatment with ledipasvir/sofosbuvir, elbasvir/grazoprevir and glecaprevir/pibrentasvir was effective with safety.

Habitual Light-intensity Physical Activity and ASC Methylation in a Middle-aged Population.

Apoptosis-associated, speck-like protein containing a caspase recruitment domain (ASC) plays an important role in inflammatory cytokine synthesis in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), and the expression of ASC is suppressed by increased methylation of its CpG sites. The current study investigated the longitudinal association of replacing sedentary time with light-intensity physical activity (LPA) or moderate to vigorous-intensity physical activity (MVPA) on the ASC methylation in middle-aged people. We investigated 1 238 individuals who participated in baseline and 5-year follow-up surveys of a population-based cohort study. Sedentary, LPA and MVPA time were objectively measured using accelerometers. ASC methylation in PBMCs was measured by pyrosequencing. Using a multiple linear regression and employing an isotemporal substitution model, the longitudinal associations of changes in the sedentary time, LPA and MVPA on the changes in the ASC methylation were analyzed after adjusting for potential confounders. Substituting 60 min per day of LPA for sedentary time was associated with 1.17 times (95% confidence interval 1.07, 1.27) higher ASC methylation levels (mean of 7 CpG sites, P<0.001). However, such effects were not seen for MVPA. These results suggest that substituting LPA for sedentary time may be linked with increased (favorable) ASC methylation as a potential biomarker of systemic inflammation.

Dietary patterns and serum gamma-glutamyl transferase in Japanese men and women.

BACKGROUND: Although specific foods and nutrients have been examined as potential determinants of serum gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT) concentrations, the relationship between dietary patterns and GGT remains unknown. The present cross-sectional study aimed to determine relationships between dietary patterns and GGT concentrations, and the effects of lifestyle factors on GGT. METHODS: Relationships between dietary patterns and GGT were analyzed in 9803 Japanese individuals (3723 men and 6080 women age 40-69 years) without a history of liver diseases or elevated serum aminotransferase. We examined major dietary patterns by factor analysis of 46 items determined from a validated, short food frequency questionnaire. RESULTS: We defined dietary patterns as healthy, Western, seafood, bread, and dessert. The healthy pattern was inversely related to GGT in men (odds ratio [OR] for highest vs lowest quartile, 0.72; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.57-0.92; P < 0.01 for trend) and women (OR 0.82; 95% CI, 0.66-1.0; P = 0.05 for trend), whereas the seafood pattern was positively related to GGT in men (OR 1.27; 95% CI, 1.01-1.61; P = 0.03 for trend) and women (OR 1.21; 95% CI, 0.98-1.49; P = 0.05 for trend). Male-specific inverse associations with GGT were found for bread and dessert patterns (OR 0.63; 95% CI, 0.50-0.80 and OR 0.53; 95% CI, 0.41-0.68, respectively; P < 0.01 for both trends). Seafood or bread patterns and alcohol consumption significantly interacted with GGT in men (P = 0.03 and <0.01 for interaction, respectively) and between the dessert pattern and body mass index or smoking habit in women (P = 0.03 and <0.01, respectively, for interaction). CONCLUSIONS: Dietary patterns may be important determinants of GGT, and their possible clinical implications warrant further investigation.

Objectively measured physical activity and inflammatory cytokine levels in middle-aged Japanese people.

OBJECTIVE: Studies using self-reported physical activity (PA) showed that higher PA is associated with lower circulating levels of C-reactive protein; in contrast, studies investigating associations of objective PA and other inflammatory markers are limited. We investigated cross-sectional associations of accelerometer-determined PA with circulating levels of myokine-type inflammatory cytokines in a middle-aged Japanese population. METHOD: A total of 1838 individuals (737 men and 1101 women) aged 40 to 69 years participated in the baseline survey of a population-based cohort study in Saga, Japan (2005-2007). Habitual PA was assessed by a single-axis accelerometer. Serum interleukin (IL)-4, IL-6, IL-8, IL-15, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α were measured by a multiplex enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Associations between PA and cytokine levels were assessed by multiple regression analysis and analysis of covariance, with adjustment for potential confounders. RESULTS: Step count and PA level (PAL) were inversely associated with TNF-α and IL-15 even after adjusting for BMI. Similarly, greater PA indices were also independently associated with a lower level of inflammatory cytokine z score as an index of overall inflammation. CONCLUSION: The current results suggest that greater engagement in daily PA may be linked with reduced levels of myokine-type cytokines including IL-15, irrespective of body weight in middle-aged Japanese people.

Associations between hOGG1 Ser326Cys polymorphism and increased body mass index and fasting glucose level in the Japanese general population.

BACKGROUND: Evidence suggests that Ser326Cys, a genetic polymorphism of human 8-oxoguanine glycosylase 1 (hOGG1), is associated with insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes; however, the underlying mechanism is unclear. Recently, an animal study showed a significant association between the hOGG1 genotype and obesity, although evidence for such an association in humans is limited. The purpose of this study was to examine the association between the hOGG1 genotype and body mass index (BMI) and fasting blood glucose (FBG) levels. METHODS: Cross-sectional analysis was conducted using the baseline survey data from a Japan Multi-Institutional Collaborative Cohort Study, which included 1793 participants aged 40-69 years. The hOGG1 polymorphism was detected using a multiplex polymerase chain reaction-based invader assay. Multiple linear regression, analysis of covariance, and logistic regression were used to control for confounding variables. RESULTS: The Cys allele was significantly associated with increased BMI, FBG level, and total cholesterol (TC) level, even after adjustment for gender, age, energy intake, alcohol, smoking, physical activity, and family history of diabetes. An association with BMI was still observed after further adjustment for FBG and TC, but not for the study area (Amami or the mainland). The Cys/Cys genotype was significantly more prevalent in the participants with higher BMI (>27.5 kg/m(2)). However, the impact of genotype decreased and significance disappeared after adjusting for the study area. CONCLUSIONS: The present results suggest that the study area being inside Japan confounds the association between hOGG1 genotype and obesity.

Gender-specific associations of perceived stress and coping strategies with C-reactive protein in middle-aged and older men and women.

BACKGROUND: Perceived stress and coping strategies may influence the risk of cardiovascular disease through their possible association with inflammation, but data remain controversial for perceived stress or scanty for coping strategies. PURPOSE: We examined the associations of perceived stress and coping strategies with serum high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (CRP) in a Japanese general population. METHODS: This cross-sectional study included 2,971 men and 4,902 women aged 40-69 years who were enrolled between 2005 and 2007. Subjects with possible inflammation-related disease, CRP levels ≥3,000 ng/mL, or currently used analgesics or lipid-lowering drugs were excluded. Analyses were performed by gender with adjustment for lifestyle, socioeconomic, and psychosocial factors. RESULTS: Unexpectedly, elevated perceived stress was significantly associated with lower CRP levels in men (P trend < 0.001) but not in women (P trend = 0.90) after adjustment for age and covariates. Among five items of coping strategies evaluated, "disengagement" showed a significant inverse association with CRP in men only (P trend = 0.027). In addition, a possible interaction between "emotional support seeking" and perceived stress on CRP was detected in men (P interaction = 0.021); "emotional support seeking" was associated with lower CRP at the high stress level only (P trend = 0.028). CONCLUSIONS: Both perceived stress and coping strategies may be associated with systemic inflammation in Japanese men, yet caution must be exercised before accepting the stress-inflammation-disease pathway.

Associations of apolipoprotein A5 (APOA5), glucokinase (GCK) and glucokinase regulatory protein (GCKR) polymorphisms and lifestyle factors with the risk of dyslipidemia and dysglycemia in Japanese - a cross-sectional data from the J-MICC Study.

This study examined the associations of the APOA5 T-1131C (rs662799), G553T (Cys185Gly, rs2075291), GCK G-30A (rs1799884), GCKR A/G at intron 16 (rs780094) and T1403C (Leu446Pro, rs1260326) polymorphisms with serum lipid and glucose levels in Japanese, considering lifestyle factors. Study subjects were 2,191 participants (aged 35-69 years, 1,159 males) enrolled in the Japan Multi-Institutional Collaborative Cohort (J-MICC) Study. Dyslipidemia was defined as fasting serum triglycerides (FTG) ≥ 150 mg/dL and/or HDL-cholesterol (HDL-C) < 40 mg/dL, while dysglycemia was as fasting blood sugar (FBS) ≥ 110 mg/dL. When those with APOA5 -1131 T/T or 553 G/G were defined as references, those with APOA5 -1131 T/C, C/C or 553 G/T, T/T demonstrated significantly elevated risk of dyslipidemia (age- and sex-adjusted odds ratio: 1.77 [95% confidence interval:1.39-2.27], 3.35 [2.41-4.65], 2.23 [1.64-3.02] and 13.78 [3.44-55.18], respectively). Evaluation of FTG, HDL-C or FBS levels according to the genotype revealed that FTG and HDL-C levels were significantly associated with the APOA5 T-1131C and G553T polymorphisms, FTG with the GCKR rs780094 and rs1260326 polymorphisms, and FBS with the GCKR rs780094 and rs1260326 polymorphisms. Moreover, a significant positive interaction between APOA5 553 G/T+T/T genotypes and fat intake ≥ 25% of total energy for the risk of dyslipidemia was observed. Our cross-sectional study confirmed the essential roles of the polymorphisms of the APOA5, GCK and GCKR in the lipid or glucose metabolism disorders, and suggested the importance of fat intake control in the individualized prevention of dyslipidemia.

Sedentary time, physical activity, and serum SPARC in a middle-aged population.

The influence of habitual physical activity (PA) on the circulating levels of secreted protein acidic and rich in cysteine (SPARC) remains unclear. The purpose of the current study was to clarify the effects of sedentary time, light-intensity PA (LPA), and moderate- to vigorous-intensity PA (MVPA) on the serum SPARC in a general middle-aged population. The current study is a cross-sectional study of 4,000 men and 6,040 women (40-69 years). Sedentary time, LPA, and MVPA were objectively measured by an accelerometer. The serum SPARC concentration was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Using an isotemporal substitution model, cross-sectional associations of replacing sedentary time with either LPA or MVPA on serum SPARC levels were analysed according to sex. Interactions with subject characteristics, such as the body mass index (BMI), smoking, and alcohol consumption, were also examined. In men, replacing 60 min of sedentary time with 60 min of MVPA was significantly associated with 23 ng/mL lower serum SPARC levels (confidence interval: -43, -2) after adjusting for confounders, including the BMI (P = 0.028). A significant interaction between replacing sedentary behaviour with LPA and the BMI on SPARC was detected in women (P = 0.029), although the stratified associations for each BMI level (<25 or ≥25 kg/m2) did not reach significance. The current study suggests that replacing sedentary time with MVPA is associated with reduced serum SPARC levels in middle-aged men, but not in women. In addition, a potential interaction between LPA and the BMI on SPARC was also found in women.Highlights An isotemporal substitution analysis showed that replacing sedentary behaviour with moderate- to vigorous-intensity physical activity (MVPA) is associated with decreased serum SPARC levels in men.Such an inverse association between replacing sedentary behaviour with MVPA and the SPARC levels was not observed in women.A potential interaction between replacing sedentary behaviour with light-intensity PA and the body mass index on the serum SPARC levels was also found in women.

Association between dietary pattern and serum C-reactive protein in Japanese men and women.

BACKGROUND: Dietary pattern may influence the risks of cardiovascular disease, atherosclerosis, type 2 diabetes, and metabolic syndrome through its effects on inflammation. We evaluated the association between dietary pattern and serum high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) in a Japanese population. METHODS: In this cross-sectional analysis, we used baseline data from 3905 men and 5640 women (age 40-69 years) who participated in a population-based cohort study between November 2005 and December 2007. Participants with possible inflammation-related diseases, current analgesic use, high hs-CRP levels (≥3000 ng/mL) or extreme dietary energy intake were excluded. We used 46 items from a validated short food frequency questionnaire and examined major dietary patterns by factor analysis. RESULTS: We identified 5 dietary patterns: healthy (high in vegetables and fruit), Western (high in meat and fried foods), seafood (high in shellfish, squid, fish, etc.), bread (high in bread and low in rice), and dessert (high in confections and fruit). After adjustment for age, alcohol use, smoking, physical activity, and body mass index, hs-CRP levels in men were inversely associated with the healthy, bread, and dessert patterns (P-trend: 0.01, 0.06, and <0.01, respectively) and positively associated with the seafood pattern (P-trend = 0.02). In women, hs-CRP levels were inversely associated with the healthy pattern (P-trend = 0.06) and positively associated with the Western pattern (P-trend = 0.06). CONCLUSIONS: The healthy dietary pattern may be associated with suppressed inflammation in Japanese men and women, independently of body mass index and other factors. The sex-specific associations of hs-CRP with other dietary patterns (eg, the seafood pattern) require further study.

Profile of participants and genotype distributions of 108 polymorphisms in a cross-sectional study of associations of genotypes with lifestyle and clinical factors: a project in the Japan Multi-Institutional Collaborative Cohort (J-MICC) Study.

BACKGROUND: Most diseases are thought to arise from interactions between environmental factors and the host genotype. To detect gene-environment interactions in the development of lifestyle-related diseases, and especially cancer, the Japan Multi-institutional Collaborative Cohort (J-MICC) Study was launched in 2005. METHODS: We initiated a cross-sectional study to examine associations of genotypes with lifestyle and clinical factors, as assessed by questionnaires and medical examinations. The 4519 subjects were selected from among participants in the J-MICC Study in 10 areas throughout Japan. In total, 108 polymorphisms were chosen and genotyped using the Invader assay. RESULTS: The study group comprised 2124 men and 2395 women with a mean age of 55.8 ± 8.9 years (range, 35-69 years) at baseline. Among the 108 polymorphisms examined, 4 were not polymorphic in our study population. Among the remaining 104 polymorphisms, most variations were common (minor allele frequency ≥0.05 for 96 polymorphisms). The allele frequencies in this population were comparable with those in the HapMap-JPT data set for 45 Japanese from Tokyo. Only 5 of 88 polymorphisms showed allele-frequency differences greater than 0.1. Of the 108 polymorphisms, 32 showed a highly significant difference in minor allele frequency among the study areas (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: This comprehensive data collection on lifestyle and clinical factors will be useful for elucidating gene-environment interactions. In addition, it is likely to be an informative reference tool, as free access to genotype data for a large Japanese population is not readily available.

Optimal cutoff values of waist circumference and the discriminatory performance of other anthropometric indices to detect the clustering of cardiovascular risk factors for metabolic syndrome in Japanese men and women.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the pertinent cutoffs of waist circumference (WC) and the discriminatory performance of other anthropometric indices to detect clustering cardiovascular risk factors for metabolic syndrome (MetS) in Japan, where the current WC cutoffs for MetS (85 cm for men and 90 cm for women) remain controversial. METHODS: We analyzed the baseline data from 844 subjects (330 men and 514 women) aged 40-69 years who participated in a cohort study in Saga city, Japan, between November 2005 and December 2007. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analyses were performed to find an appropriate cutoff (defined as the point nearest to the upper left corner of the ROC curve) of each anthropometric index for the presence of multiple risk factors among dyslipidemia, hypertension, and hyperglycemia [which was defined as hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) levels at and above 5.2, 5.5, or 5.8%, values approximately corresponding to fasting plasma glucose levels of 100, 110, and 120 mg/dL, respectively]. RESULTS: The optimal WC cutoff was 88 cm (sensitivity 60%, specificity 70%) for men and 82 cm (sensitivity 78%, specificity 62%) for women; changing the HbA1c cutoff affected the results in women only (~85 cm). For the currently defined WC cutoffs in Japan, specificity was low (53-57%) in men, whereas sensitivity was very low (32-42%) in women. Body mass index, proportion of body fat, waist-to-height ratio, and waist-to-hip ratio showed area under the curve values similar to that of WC. CONCLUSION: The current Japanese criteria of WC for MetS may be low for men and too high and insensitive for women in our study population. Other anthropometric indices such as waist-to-height ratio did not confer an improved discriminatory performance compared with WC.

A retrospective study comparing interventions by oncology and non-oncology pharmacists in outpatient chemotherapy.

BACKGROUND: The differences in the clinical pharmacy services (CPS) provided by oncology and non-oncology pharmacists have not been sufficiently explained. AIM: This study aimed to demonstrate the differences in direct CPS provided by oncology and non-oncology pharmacists for patients and physicians, and to assess the potential impact of these services on medical costs. METHODS: We retrospectively examined CPS provided by oncology and non-oncology pharmacists for outpatients who underwent chemotherapy between January and December 2016. RESULTS: In total, 1177 and 1050 CPS provided by oncology and non-oncology pharmacists, respectively, were investigated. The rates of interventions performed by oncology and non-oncology pharmacists for physicians-determined treatment were 18.5% and 11.3%, respectively (p < .001). The rates of oncology and non-oncology pharmacist interventions accepted by physicians were 84.6 and 78.8%, respectively (p = .12). Level 4 and Level 5 interventions accounted for 64.6% of all oncology pharmacist interventions and 53.0% of all non-oncology pharmacist interventions (p = .03). The rates of improvement in symptoms from adverse drug reactions among patients resulting from interventions by oncology and non-oncology pharmacists were 89.4 and 72.1%, respectively (p = .02). Conservative assessments of medical cost impact showed that a single intervention by an oncology and by a non-oncology pharmacist saved ¥6355 and ¥3604, respectively. CONCLUSION: The results of the present study suggested that CPS by oncology pharmacists enable safer and more effective therapy for patients with cancer and indirectly contribute to reducing health care fees.

Factors influencing participation rate in a baseline survey of a genetic cohort in Japan.

BACKGROUND: Although many studies have examined factors that influence the response to postal questionnaires, few have addressed baseline recruitment for cohort studies involving genetic analyses. The aim of this study was to describe the method used for a baseline survey, the Japan Multi-institutional Collaborative Cohort Study (J-MICC Study), in Saga Prefecture, and to examine the factors that might influence the recruitment of participants in such studies. METHODS: The Saga J-MICC Study is an ongoing population-based prospective cohort study of the genetic and environmental interactions associated with lifestyle-related disease. From 2005 through 2007, a total of 61 447 residents between the ages of 40 and 69 were invited by mail to participate in this study. The survey date and time were arranged by telephone. RESULTS: Among that population, 31 002 (50.5%) responded and 12 078 (19.7%) agreed to participate. A completed questionnaire and blood pressure and anthropometric data were collected from all participants; blood, DNA specimens, and accelerometer measures were obtained from the great majority of them. Female sex and older age were associated with a higher participation rate. In addition, the convenience of the survey location and the sending of a reminder significantly improved the participation rate (odds ratio, 1.3). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that making the survey location as convenient as possible and sending a reminder can both substantially improve participation rate in population-based studies.

Intensity-Specific and Modified Effects of Physical Activity on Serum Adiponectin in a Middle-Aged Population.

CONTEXT: The effects of intensity-specific physical activity (PA) and its interaction with other lifestyle factors on serum adiponectin are currently unclear. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of replacing sedentary time with either light-intensity PA (LPA) or moderate- to vigorous-intensity PA (MVPA) on total and high-molecular-weight (HMW) adiponectin and to examine interactions with smoking, alcohol drinking, coffee consumption, and menopausal status in a general population. DESIGN/SETTING: Cross-sectional study of 4013 men and 6050 women (40 to 69 years of age). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The associations of replacing sedentary time with LPA or MVPA on total and HMW adiponectin were analyzed using an isotemporal substitution model. RESULTS: In men, reallocating 60 minutes of sedentary time to 60 minutes of LPA was associated with 9% and 13% higher total and HMW adiponectin levels even after adjusting for confounders, although such associations were not observed for MVPA. A similar pattern of results was also seen in women. The effect of replacing sedentary time with LPA on adiponectin was clearer in middle/high coffee consumers than in low coffee consumers among women. Although increasing the effect of replacing sedentary time with MVPA on adiponectin was clearer in former/current smokers than in never smokers among men, the replacement effect for MVPA on total adiponectin was clearer in premenopausal women than in postmenopausal women. CONCLUSIONS: Replacing sedentary time with LPA resulted in increased levels of total and HMW adiponectin. The replacement effects for LPA or MVPA were found to be multiply modified by smoking, coffee consumption, and menopausal status.

Trend of drug-resistant HIV type 1 emergence among therapy-naive patients in Nagoya, Japan: an 8-year surveillance from 1999 to 2006.

We studied the emergence of drug-resistant human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) with major amino acid mutations in 402 therapy-naive patients at Nagoya Medical Center, Japan, between 1999 and 2006. The mean prevalence of drug-resistant HIV-1 was 6.7% (range, 2.3-10.0%; n = 27). HIV-1 variants with protease inhibitor (PI)-resistant mutations alone were most frequently found (3.5%, n = 14), followed by those with nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NNRTI)-resistant mutations alone (1.7%, n = 7). Variants with nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NRTI)-resistant mutations alone were sporadically found (1.0%, n = 4). A variant possessing both NRTI- and PI-resistant mutations was detected in one patient (0.2%) and a variant possessing both NNRTI- and PI-resistant mutations was identified in another patient (0.2%). In addition, another 17 variants (4.2%, n = 17) with only 215-revertant mutations (T215C/D/G/L/S) that can easily reconvert to the nucleoside analogue-associated mutation of T215Y/F were found. The 402 viruses were phylogenetically analyzed, revealing three independent clusters comprising PI-resistant variants with the M46I or L90M mutation, NNRTI-resistant variants with the K103N mutation, and 215-revertant variants. The PI-resistant and 215-revertant strains have been spreading since 2000, and the NNRTI-resistant strain has started spreading since 2003. The nature of the epidemic and information for successfully blocking the spread of drug-resistant HIV-1 were clarified in this study.

[Conversion ratio between intravenous oxycodone/hydrocotarnine and sustained-release oral oxycodone in patients with cancer pain].

The demand for oxycodone increases in the treatment of patients with cancer pain, but there is no injection formulation containing oxycodone as a single ingredient in Japan. Instead, we have an oxycodone/hydrocotarnine compound product. Long ago, hydrocotarnine was added to enhance the analgesic effect of oxycodone. However, the mechanism of hydrocotarnine is unclear, and few studies have mentioned the conversion ratio between intravenous and oral oxycodone. In the present study, in order to define the conversion ratio between them, we investigated 18 patients treated by intravenous or oral oxycodone and changed to another administration route during their treatment. We surveyed the change in pain level and adverse effects before and after changing the administration route. The conversion ratio from oral oxycodone to intravenous oxycodone/hydrocotarnine was 0.71+/-0.12 (mean+/-S. D.), and no obvious change in adverse effect was observed.

[Pharmacokinetics of controlled-release oxycodone in patients with cancer pain].

Oxycodone is a useful analgesic for cancer patients in pain. However, its pharmacokinetics have not been sufficiently examined and there is a lack of information, with very few reports on pharmacokinetics concerning the absorption process in particular. With this in mind, we studied the pharmacokinetics of controlled-release oxycodone (Oxy contin). We measured its serum concentration in patients with cancer pain, and calculated parameters derived using the nonlinear least-squared method program (MULTI). In the result, pharmacokinetic parameters calculated at CL/F were: 45.6+/-22.0 L/hr (Mean+/-SD), Vd/F: 473.0+/-19 6.7 L, t(1/2): 7.2+/- 6.2 hr, kel: 0.103+/-0.034, kal: 1.082+/-0.604, Lag time: 0.9 9+/-0.40 hr. In addition, the serum oxycodone concentration hardly rose until 1 hour after and just before medication, whereupon a rapid increase was evident after 1 hour. The pharmacokinetics of controlled-release oxycodone in patients with cancer pain were clarified in this study. Especially during the absorption process, the lag time was calculated specifically at about 1 hour, making it approximately equal to MS contin.