ABSTRACT
Background: Coronavirus disease (COVID-19), an infectious disease caused by the novel coronavirus severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has spread worldwide since early 2020, and there are still no signs of resolution. The Japanese Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Management of Sepsis and Septic Shock (J-SSCG) 2020 Special Committee created the Japanese Rapid/Living recommendations on drug management for COVID-19 using the experience of creating the J-SSCG. Methods: The Grades of Recommendation, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) approach was used to determine the certainty of the evidence and strength of recommendations. The first edition of this guideline was released on September 9, 2020, and this is the revised edition (version 5.0; released on July 15, 2022). Clinical questions (CQs) were set for the following 10 drugs: favipiravir (CQ1), remdesivir (CQ2), corticosteroids (CQ4), tocilizumab (CQ5), anticoagulants (CQ7), baricitinib (CQ8), casirivimab/imdevimab (CQ9-1), sotrovimab (CQ9-2), molnupiravir (CQ10), and nirmatrelvir/ritonavir (CQ11). Recommendations: Favipiravir is not suggested for all patients with COVID-19 (GRADE 2C). Remdesivir is suggested for patients with mild COVID-19 who do not require oxygen, and patients with moderate COVID-19 requiring supplemental oxygen/hospitalization (both GRADE 2B). Corticosteroids are recommended for moderate and severe COVID-19 (GRADE 1B, 1A). However, their administration is not recommended for mild COVID-19 (GRADE 1B). Tocilizumab is suggested for moderate and severe COVID-19 (GRADE 2B, 2C). Anticoagulant administration is recommended for moderate and severe COVID-19 (Good Practice Statement). Baricitinib is suggested for moderate and severe COVID-19 (both GRADE 2C). Casirivimab/imdevimab and sotrovimab are recommended for mild COVID-19 (both GRADE 2C). Molnupiravir and nirmatrelvir/ritonavir are recommended for mild COVID-19 (both GRADE 2C). SARS-CoV-2 mutant strains emerge occasionally, and each time, the treatment policy at clinics is forced to change drastically. We ask health-care professionals in the field to refer to the recommendations in these guidelines and use these to keep up to date with COVID-19 epidemiological information.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has spread worldwide since early 2020, and there are still no signs of resolution. The Japanese Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Management of Sepsis and Septic Shock (J-SSCG) 2020 Special Committee created the Japanese rapid/living recommendations on drug management for COVID-19 using the experience of creating the J-SSCG. METHODS: The Grades of Recommendation, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) approach was used to determine the certainty of the evidence and strength of the recommendations. The first edition of this guideline was released on September 9, 2020, and this document is the revised edition (version 4.0; released on September 9, 2021). Clinical questions (CQs) were set for the following seven drugs: favipiravir (CQ1), remdesivir (CQ2), corticosteroids (CQ4), tocilizumab (CQ5), anticoagulants (CQ7), baricitinib (CQ8), and casirivimab/imdevimab (CQ9). Two CQs (hydroxychloroquine [CQ3] and ciclesonide [CQ6]) were retrieved in this updated version. RECOMMENDATIONS: Favipiravir is not suggested for all patients with COVID-19 (GRADE 2C). Remdesivir is suggested for patients with moderate COVID-19 requiring supplemental oxygen/hospitalization (GRADE 2B). Corticosteroids are recommended for patients with moderate COVID-19 requiring supplemental oxygen/hospitalization (GRADE 1B) and for patients with severe COVID-19 requiring mechanical ventilation/intensive care (GRADE 1A); however, their administration is not recommended for patients with mild COVID-19 not requiring supplemental oxygen (GRADE 1B). Tocilizumab is suggested for patients with moderate COVID-19 requiring supplemental oxygen/hospitalization (GRADE 2B). Anticoagulant administration is recommended for patients with moderate COVID-19 requiring supplemental oxygen/hospitalization and patients with severe COVID-19 requiring mechanical ventilation/intensive care (good practice statement). Baricitinib is suggested for patients with moderate COVID-19 requiring supplemental oxygen/hospitalization (GRADE 2C). Casirivimab/imdevimab is recommended for patients with mild COVID-19 not requiring supplemental oxygen (GRADE 1B). We hope that these updated clinical practice guidelines will help medical professionals involved in the care of patients with COVID-19.
ABSTRACT
The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has spread worldwide since early 2020, and there are still no signs of resolution. The Japanese Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Management of Sepsis and Septic Shock (J-SSCG) 2020 Special Committee created the Japanese rapid/living recommendations on drug management for COVID-19 using the experience of creating the J-SSCGs. The Grades of Recommendation, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) approach was used to determine the certainty of the evidence and strength of the recommendations. The first edition of this guideline was released on 9 September, 2020, and this document is the revised edition (version 3.1) (released 30 March, 2021). Clinical questions (CQs) were set for the following seven drugs: favipiravir (CQ1), remdesivir (CQ2), hydroxychloroquine (CQ3), corticosteroids (CQ4), tocilizumab (CQ5), ciclesonide (CQ6), and anticoagulants (CQ7). Favipiravir is recommended for patients with mild COVID-19 not requiring supplemental oxygen (GRADE 2C); remdesivir for moderate COVID-19 patients requiring supplemental oxygen/hospitalization (GRADE 2B). Hydroxychloroquine is not recommended for all COVID-19 patients (GRADE 1B). Corticosteroids are recommended for moderate COVID-19 patients requiring supplemental oxygen/hospitalization (GRADE 1B) and severe COVID-19 patients requiring ventilator management/intensive care (GRADE 1A); however, their use is not recommended for mild COVID-19 patients not requiring supplemental oxygen (GRADE 1B). Tocilizumab is recommended for moderate COVID-19 patients requiring supplemental oxygen/hospitalization (GRADE 2B). Anticoagulant therapy is recommended for moderate COVID-19 patients requiring supplemental oxygen/hospitalization and severe COVID-19 patients requiring ventilator management/intensive care (GRADE 2C). We hope that these clinical practice guidelines will aid medical professionals involved in the care of COVID-19 patients.
ABSTRACT
An early diagnosis is important for improving the prognosis of cardiac amyloidosis (CA). We herein describe the utility of two-dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography (2-D STE) in diagnosing CA at a less advanced stage. A 63-year-old woman with exertional dyspnea was suspected of having CA based on her echocardiographic and electrocardiographic findings. A myocardial biopsy was negative for amyloid deposits, while the relative apical sparing pattern was detected on 2-D STE, which was highly suggestive of CA. Chemotherapy was initiated as a treatment for CA, and the patient's symptoms were immediately relieved. Thereafter, amyloid deposits were detected in a skin biopsy specimen.
Subject(s)
Amyloidosis/diagnostic imaging , Cardiomyopathies/diagnostic imaging , Echocardiography/methods , Myocardium/pathology , Aged , Amyloidosis/diagnosis , Early Diagnosis , Female , Humans , PrognosisABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: Patients who had undergone gastric resection are considered to be high risk of developing tuberculosis. We investigated the factors leading to pulmonary tuberculosis after gastrectomy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively examined 654 pulmonary tuberculosis patients discharged from Chiba-East National Hospital from January 1999 to December 2001. RESULTS: Fifty-five patients (31-84 years old, mean 63.5 +/- 12.5 years, 48 males and 7 females) had the history of gastric resection. The proportion of patients receiving gastrectomy among patients with pulmonary tuberculosis was 8.4 percent. The mean age of patients received gastric resection was 50.2 +/- 16.6 years, and the mean interval from gastrectomy to the development of pulmonary tuberculosis was 13.6 +/- 11.0 years. On admission to our hospital, 34 out of 55 cases were smear positive by sputum examination for acid-fast bacilli and 39 cases had cavitary lesions on chest X-ray. Gastrectomy was done due to carcinoma of the stomach in 31 cases, peptic ulcer in 21 cases, adenomatous polyp in two cases, and accidental injury in one case. Out of total 55 cases, 52 patients improved, but three cases died of pulmonary tuberculosis. None had the recurrence of carcinoma of the stomach. Body weight, Body mass index, Prognostic nutritional index (PNI; 10 x serum albumin concentration + 0.005 x peripheral lymphocyte count) which was proposed by Onodera, serum albumin level and serum total cholesterol level were lower in the gastrectomy group than in the non-gastrectomy group. The odds ratio of developing tuberculosis among gastrectomy patients compared with the appropriate controls in 30 to 59 year-old-men was 3.8. CONCLUSION: This study confirms that gastrectomy is one of the risk factors of developing tuberculosis in 30 to 59 year-old-men. However, whether gastrectomy in itself is a risk factor or whether it is secondarily associated with another risk factor such as underweight status and/or inadequate nutrition following surgery remains unclear.
