Clinical outcomes after tracheostomy in patients with coronavirus disease 2019: a single-center experience in Japan.

PURPOSE: Many patients with coronavirus disease 2019 require mechanical ventilation and tracheostomy. However, the timing and indications for tracheostomy are controversial. This study assessed 11 patients with coronavirus disease 2019 who underwent tracheostomy with clinical information and retrospective analyses. METHODS: A single-center retrospective observational study was performed on patients with coronavirus disease 2019 who underwent tracheostomy between 2020 and 2021. RESULTS: Failure to wean was the most common indication for tracheostomy, followed by extracorporeal membrane oxygenation decannulation and the need for secretion management. After tracheostomy, six patients (54.5%) were liberated from the ventilator. The time from intubation to tracheostomy (21.1 ± 9.14 days) was correlated with the duration of ventilator dependency (36.83 ± 20.45 days, r2 = 0.792, p = 0.018). The mean Acute Physiological and Chronic Health Evaluation II score was significantly lower in the ventilator-liberated group (23 ± 2.77) than in the non-ventilator-liberated group (31 ± 6.13, p = 0.0292). Furthermore, patients with Acute Physiological and Chronic Health Evaluation II scores of < 27 points achieved ventilator liberation and a long-term survival (p = 0.0006). CONCLUSIONS: This study describes the outcomes of a cohort of patients who underwent tracheostomy after intubation for coronavirus disease 2019. The Acute Physiological and Chronic Health Evaluation II score predicted whether or not the patient could achieve ventilator liberation.

[A survey of perioperative asthmatic attack among patients with bronchial asthma underwent general anesthesia].

BACKGROUND: We investigated the risk factor of perioperative asthmatic attack and effectiveness of preventing treatment for asthmatic attack before operation. METHODS: We performed retrospective chart review of one hundred eleven patients with asthma underwent general anesthesia and surgical intervention from January 2006 to October 2007 in our hospital. RESULTS: The rate of perioperative asthmatic attack were as follows; 10.2% (5 in 49 cases) in no pretreatment group, 7.5% (3 in 40 cases) in any pretreatments except for systemic steroid, and 4.5% (1 in 22 cases) in systemic steroid pretreatment group. Neither preoperative asthma severity nor duration from the last attack had significant relevancy to perioperative attack rate. The otolaryngological surgery, especially those have nasal polyp and oral surgery had high perioperative asthma attack rate, although there was no significant difference. CONCLUSION: We recommend the systemic steroid pretreatment for asthmatic patients, especially when they have known risk factor such as administration of the systemic steroid within 6 months, or possibly new risk factor such as nasal polyp, otolaryngological and oral surgery.

[Clinical analysis on tuberculosis cases among foreigners in our hospital].

BACKGROUND: Although the incidence rate in Japan has been decreasing since the declaration of tuberculosis emergency in 1999, the reported tuberculosis cases among foreigners have been increasing year by year (from 5.1% in 2000 to 6% in 2003). As the number of foreign residents in Japan has been increasing every year, tuberculosis cases among them are also expected to increase. PURPOSE: The aim of this study is to investigate and clarify clinical features of recent tuberculosis patients among foreigners. OBJECT: Fifty-two cases were analyzed, who were admitted to our hospital because of active tuberculosis from January 2004 to April 2007. RESULTS: Among total 52 cases, male was 29, female 23, and the mean age (SD) of the patients was 31.8 (+/- 8.8) years old. Their mother countries were China, Republic of Korea and so on. The cavitary lesions were found on chest X-ray in 54%, the drug resistant rate was 8.2%, and the treatment completion rate was 92%. DISCUSSION & CONCLUSION: Comparing with reports in the past, almost parameters about tuberculosis control have improved, for example the drug resistant rate was decreased and the treatment completion rate was increased. The promotion of DOTS strategy in Japan might be attributed to the improvement of these parameters. Because more immigrants from the developing countries are expected in near future, not only strengthening current DOTS strategy but also new countermeasures such as QFT-2G and Electronic-Nose Technology should be introduced into tuberculosis control of foreigners living in Japan to decrease tuberculosis incidence and improve treatment outcome by early detection and adherence to treatment.

Characteristics of a large cohort of patients with autoimmune pulmonary alveolar proteinosis in Japan.

RATIONALE: Acquired pulmonary alveolar proteinosis (PAP) is a syndrome characterized by pulmonary surfactant accumulation occurring in association with granulocyte/macrophage colony-stimulating factor autoantibodies (autoimmune PAP) or as a consequence of another disease (secondary PAP). Because PAP is rare, prior reports were based on limited patient numbers or a synthesis of historical data. OBJECTIVES: To describe the epidemiologic, clinical, physiologic, and laboratory features of autoimmune PAP in a large, contemporaneous cohort of patients with PAP. METHODS: Over 6 years, 248 patients with PAP were enrolled in a Japanese national registry, including 223 with autoimmune PAP. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Autoimmune PAP represented 89.9% of cases and had a minimum incidence and prevalence of 0.49 and 6.2 per million, respectively. The male to female ratio was 2.1:1, and the median age at diagnosis was 51 years. A history of smoking occurred in 56%, and dust exposure occurred in 23%; instances of familial onset did not occur. Dyspnea was the most common presenting symptom, occurring in 54.3%. Importantly, 31.8% of patients were asymptomatic and were identified by health screening. Intercurrent illnesses, including infections, were infrequent. A disease severity score reflecting the presence of symptoms and degree of hypoxemia correlated well with carbon monoxide diffusing capacity and serum biomarkers, less well with pulmonary function, and not with granulocyte/macrophage colony-stimulating factor autoantibody levels or duration of disease. CONCLUSIONS: Autoimmune PAP had an incidence and prevalence higher than previously reported and was not strongly linked to smoking, occupational exposure, or other illnesses. The disease severity score and biomarkers provide novel and potentially useful outcome measures in PAP.

[Effects of new discharge criteria incorporating DOTS on treatment outcome of patients with smear-positive tuberculosis].

BACKGROUND: Some problems remain in the treatment of tuberculosis (TB) in Japan, with a higher prevalence of TB, low percentages of completed therapy and cases given DOTS, and longer admission period compared to the United States. We defined our own new criteria for discharge as sputum smear negativity instead of culture negativity, modified according to CDC criteria with shortened admission periods. However, the effects on treatment outcome have not been evaluated. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to ensure the effectiveness of the new criteria, including DOTS undertaken after discharge. PATIENTS/METHODS: Group I comprised 459 cases hospitalized between January 2000 and December 2002 that were discharged under the old criteria, while Group II comprised 259 cases hospitalized between January 2003 and April 2004 that were discharged under the new criteria. We tried to undertake DOTS in cooperation with local health centers. The main outcome measures were admission period, treatment completion and relapse rates at 1 year after the completion of treatment. RESULTS: The new criteria enabled median admission period to be shortened from 84 days to 69 days, although patients in Group II were older and displayed more severe tuberculosis lesions compared to Group I. DOTS coverage rate increased significantly from 5.9% to 40.5%, and treatment completion rate, percentage of lost cases and relapse rate for completed cases at 1 year changed from 83.0% to 86.6%, 6.3% to 3.9%, and 2.5% to 2.5%, respectively. No significant differences in these 3 rates were noted between Groups I and II. CONCLUSION: The new criteria incorporating DOTS enabled shortened admission period without any adverse effect on treatment outcomes.