The effect of antiplatelet therapy on outcomes in patients who underwent laparoscopic radical nephrectomy: A Japanese single-center study.

OBJECTIVES: The number of patients receiving antiplatelet therapy (APT) who have undergone laparoscopic radical nephrectomy is increasing. However, it is unclear whether APT affects the outcomes of patients undergoing radical nephrectomy. We investigated the perioperative outcomes of radical nephrectomy in patients with and without APT. METHODS: We retrospectively collected data from 89 Japanese patients who underwent laparoscopic radical nephrectomy for clinically diagnosed renal cell carcinoma (RCC) at Kokura Memorial Hospital between March 2013 and March 2022. We analyzed information related to APT. We divided the patients into two groups: the APT group (patients receiving APT) and the N-APT group (patients not receiving APT). Moreover, the APT group was further divided into the C-APT group (patients with continuous APT) and the I-APT group (patients with interrupted APT). We compared the surgical outcomes of these groups. RESULTS: Among 89 patients eligible for the study, 25 received APT and 10 continued APT. Even though the patients who received APT had a high American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status and many complications, including smoking, diabetes, hypertension, and chronic heart failure, no significant difference in the intra- or postoperative outcomes, including bleeding complications, was observed regardless of whether the patients received APT or continued APT. CONCLUSIONS: We concluded that in laparoscopic radical nephrectomy, continuation of APT is an acceptable strategy for patients with thromboembolic risk caused by interruption of APT.

Achievement of Target Glycemic Goal with Simple Basal Insulin Regimen in Women with Gestational Diabetes: A Prospective Cohort Study.

There is little evidence concerning the need to treat gestational diabetes (GDM) in the same way as pregestational diabetes. We evaluated the efficacy of the simple insulin injection (SII) regimen for achieving the target glucose goal without increasing adverse perinatal outcomes in singleton pregnant women with GDM. All subjects underwent self-monitoring of blood glucose (SMBG), and insulin therapy was indicated according to the SMBG profile. Insulin was initially started with the SII regimen, in which one daily injection of NPH insulin before breakfast was used, and another NPH injection was added at bedtime, if necessary. We used the target glucose as <95 mg/dL at fasting and <120 mg/dL postprandial and accepted <130 mg/dL for the latter. If the target glucose did not reach with the regimen, we switched to the multiple daily injection (MDI) with additional prandial insulin aspart. We compared the SMBG profile before delivery as well as the perinatal outcomes between the SII and MDI groups. Among 361 women (age 33.7 years, nullipara 41%, prepregnancy body mass index 23.2 kg/m2) with GDM, 59%, 18%, and 23% were in the diet-alone, SII, and MDI groups, respectively. Consequently, regarding women requiring insulin therapy, 43% were treated with the SII regimen throughout pregnancy. The severity of baseline hyperglycemia according to the SMBG data at baseline was the MDI>the SII>the diet group. The rate of achieving target glucose levels before delivery in the SII group at fasting, postprandial < 120 mg/dL and <130 mg/dL were 93%, 54% and 87%, respectively, which were similar to that in the MDI group (93%, 57%, and 93%, respectively), with no significant differences in perinatal outcomes. In conclusion, more than 40% of women with GDM requiring insulin therapy achieved the target glucose goal with this simple insulin regimen without any increase in adverse effects.

Exponential increase of the gestational-age-specific incidence of preeclampsia onset (COPE study): a multicenter retrospective cohort study in women with maternal check-ups at <20 weeks of gestation in Japan.

According to the 2004 Japanese definition, early-onset (EO) preeclampsia (PE) is defined as PE occurring at <32 weeks of gestation. This was based on the presence of "dual peaks" (30-31 and 34-35 weeks) in the prevalence of severe forms of hypertension. In contrast, the international definition adopted a cutoff of 34 weeks based on the consensus. Our aim was to investigate whether there were "dual peaks" in the gestational-age-specific incidence or prevalence of PE onset in pregnant women who underwent maternal check-ups at <20 weeks of gestation in a multicenter retrospective cohort study. Diagnoses of PE and superimposed preeclampsia (SPE) were based on the new Japanese definition. A total of 26,567 pregnant women with singleton pregnancy were investigated. The best fitting equations for the distribution of the onset of gestational-age-specific incidence (hazard) rates of PE/SPE, PE, and PE with severe hypertension (a systolic blood pressure ≥160 and/or a diastolic blood pressure ≥110 mmHg) were investigated using the curve estimation function in SPSS. PE/SPE occurred in 1.83% of the patients. EO-PE/SPE with onset at <32 and <34 weeks of gestation and preterm PE/SPE occurred in 0.38, 0.56, and 1.07% of the patients, respectively. Gestational-age-specific incidence rates of PE/SPE, PE, and PE with severe hypertension showed exponential increases, with very high R2 values (0.975, 0.976, and 0.964, respectively). There were no "dual peaks" in the prevalence rates of women with SPE/PE, PE, and PE with severe hypertension. In conclusion, the absence of "dual peaks" refutes the previous rationale of EO-PE being defined as PE at <32 weeks of gestation. Further studies to determine an appropriate definition of EO-PE/SPE are needed.

Prevention of well-leg compartment syndrome following lengthy medical operations in the lithotomy position.

PURPOSE: Compartment syndrome that occurs after lengthy surgery in the lithotomy position is known as well-leg compartment syndrome. It has serious consequences for patients, including amyotrophic renal failure, limb loss, and sometimes even death. This study aimed to identify effective preventive measures against well-leg compartment syndrome using a retrospective cohort study of 1,951 patients (985 and 966 in the prevention and control groups, respectively). MATERIAL AND METHODS: The following preventive interventions were analyzed: (1) changing from the lithotomy position to the open-leg position, (2) removing lower leg pressure caused by the lithotomy position, (3) limiting leg elevation based on the height of the right atrium, (4) horizontally repositioning the operating table every 3 hours, and (5) decompressing the contact area of the lower leg in the lithotomy position during operation. RESULTS: Eight cases of well-leg compartment syndrome occurred in the control group, whereas no well-leg compartment syndrome occurred in the prevention group. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that the five interventions assessed can prevent the development of well-leg compartment syndrome.

Fetal sex and maternal insulin resistance during mid-pregnancy: a retrospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Recent studies have suggested that fetal sex influences maternal glucose and insulin metabolism during pregnancy. We examined whether fetal sex is associated with maternal insulin resistance and the ß-cell function during mid-pregnancy. METHODS: This retrospective study included singleton pregnant women who underwent a 75-g oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) at 24-34 weeks of gestation due to positive diabetic screening. In addition to plasma glucose (PG), we measured plasma insulin during the OGTT to obtain surrogate indices associated with insulin resistance (IR), including homeostasis assessment model (HOMA) -IR and insulin sensitivity index (IsOGTT), and ß-cell function, including insulinogenic index (II), HOMA-ß, and area under the curve of insulin response. We compared these indices between women carrying male fetuses to those carrying female fetuses. RESULTS: The study population included 617 women (mean age, 32.4 ± 4.9 years) with a mean pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI) of 22.6±4.5. They underwent the 75g-OGTT at 29.0 ± 2.5 weeks. Two hundred fifty-eight (42%) women were diagnosed with gestational diabetes (GDM). There was no significant difference in maternal age, pre-pregnancy BMI, gestational age at OGTT, PG at OGTT, or the prevalence of GDM between women with a male fetus (n=338) (male group) and those with a female fetus (n=279) (female group). Regarding the indices of IR, IR was significantly higher and insulin sensitivity was lower in the female group than in the male group (HOMA-IR: 7.0 [5-9.6] vs. 6.2 [4.6-8.8], p< 0.05; IsOGTT: 5.86 [4.29-7.83] vs. 6.29 [4.59-8.84], p< 0.01) (median [quartile range]). These differences remained significant after adjustment for maternal age, pre-pregnancy BMI, gestational age and fasting PG at OGTT, and the diagnosis of GDM. In contrast, the ß-cell function did not differ between the two groups. CONCLUSION: Maternal IR during mid-pregnancy was significantly higher in women carrying a female fetus than in those with a male fetus. The sex of the fetus may affect maternal insulin sensitivity during mid-pregnancy.

Risk factors associated with the development of postpartum diabetes in Japanese women with gestational diabetes.

BACKGROUND: Although the onset of gestational diabetes (GDM) is known to be a significant risk factor for the future development of type 2 diabetes, this risk specifically in women with GDM diagnosed by the International Association of Diabetes and Pregnancy Study Group (IADPSG) criteria has not yet been thoroughly investigated. This study was performed to investigate the risk factors associated with the development of postpartum diabetes in Japanese women with a history of GDM, and the effects of the differences in the previous Japanese criteria and the IADPSG criteria. METHODS: This retrospective cohort study included Japanese women with GDM who underwent at least one postpartum oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) between 2003 and 2014. Cases with overt diabetes in pregnancy were excluded. We investigated the risk factors including maternal baseline and pregnancy characteristics associated with the development of postpartum diabetes. RESULTS: Among 354 women diagnosed with GDM during the study period, 306 (86%) (116/136 [85.3%] and 190/218 [87.2%] under the previous criteria and the IADPSG criteria, respectively) who underwent at least 1 follow-up OGTT were included in the study. Thirty-two women (10.1%) developed diabetes within a median follow-up period of 57 weeks (range, 6-292 weeks). Eleven (9.5%) and 21 (11.1%) were diagnosed as GDM during pregnancy based on the previous Japanese criteria and the IADPSG criteria, respectively, which did not significantly differ between those criteria. A multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that HbA1c and 2-h plasma glucose (PG) at the time of the diagnostic OGTT during pregnancy were independent predictors of the development of diabetes after adjusting for confounders. The adjusted relative risk of HbA1c ≥5.6% for the development of diabetes was 4.67 (95% confidence interval, 1.53-16.73), while that of 2-h PG ≥183 mg/dl was 7.02 (2.51-20.72). CONCLUSIONS: A modest elevation of the HbA1c and 2-h PG values at the time of the diagnosis of GDM during pregnancy are independent predictors of the development of diabetes during the postpartum period in Japanese women with a history of GDM. The diagnostic criteria did not affect the incidence of postpartum diabetes.

Factors associated with patients with gestational diabetes in Japan being at increased risk of requiring intensive care.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate factors associated with high-risk gestational diabetes (GDM) among patients with GDM. METHODS: The present retrospective study included women with singleton pregnancies diagnosed with GDM using International Association of Diabetes and Pregnancy Study Group criteria at a single tertiary perinatal care center in Japan between July 1, 2010, and October 31, 2014. High-risk GDM was defined as patients who required at least 20 units of insulin therapy a day, delivering a large-for-gestational age neonate regardless of insulin therapy, or both. Maternal characteristics and diagnostic test results were investigated to identify associations with the high-risk criteria, and odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated. RESULTS: Among 217 patients, 95 (43.8%) were categorized as high risk. After adjusting for confounders, a fasting plasma glucose level at diagnosis of at least 4.66 mmol/L (adjusted OR 2.88, 95% CI 1.51-5.58) and pre-pregnancy body mass index (calculated as weight in kilograms divided by the square of height in meters) of at least 24 (adjusted OR 3.27, 95% CI 1.60-6.90) were independently associated with meeting the high-risk criteria. CONCLUSION: Among Japanese patients with GDM, pre-pregnancy body mass index and fasting plasma glucose levels could be used to identify high-risk patients requiring intensive care during pregnancy.

Influence of the interval between antenatal corticosteroid therapy and delivery on respiratory distress syndrome.

AIM: In spite of the recommendation for rescue antenatal corticosteroids (ACS), the optimal time interval between primary and rescue courses has not been clearly demonstrated. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of the interval between a single ACS course and delivery on the incidence of respiratory distress syndrome (RDS). METHODS: In this retrospective study, we included singleton pregnant women who received a single course of ACS and delivered beyond 48 h after ACS administration between 24 and 33 weeks' gestation. The risk of RDS was compared between patients who delivered within seven days (Group I), 7-14 days (Group II) and beyond 14 days (Group III) after ACS administration. RESULTS: We included 83, 14 and 20 patients in Groups I, II and III, respectively. After adjusting for confounders, the ACS delivery interval was significantly associated with RDS in Group II (adjusted odds ratio 12.8, 95% confidence interval 1.31-164.7) and Group III (adjusted odds ratio 64.0, 95% confidence interval 1.32-5808.6). CONCLUSION: A longer ACS delivery interval is associated with a higher risk of RDS. Thus, the use of a rescue course could be expected to reduce the incidence of RDS in patients beyond seven days after ACS administration who remain at risk for preterm delivery within seven days, especially in cases of placenta previa and/or women bearing a male fetus.

Risk factors associated with abnormal glucose tolerance in the early postpartum period among Japanese women with gestational diabetes.

OBJECTIVE: To identify the risk factors associated with abnormal glucose tolerance (AGT) on the first postpartum oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) among Japanese women with gestational diabetes (GDM). METHODS: In a retrospective study, data were analyzed from women with GDM who underwent their first postpartum OGTT 6-8weeks post partum at a center in Omura, Japan, between January 1, 2007, and December 31, 2011. Women with diabetes or impaired glucose tolerance were deemed to have postpartum AGT. The association between postpartum AGT and various risk factors was analyzed. RESULTS: Among 169 women who underwent a postpartum OGTT, 58 (34.3%) had AGT. The significant risk factors associated with postpartum AGT in univariate analysis were pre-pregnancy body mass index (P=0.096), 1-hour plasma glucose (P=0.006), hemoglobin A1c (P<0.001), insulinogenic index (P=0.05), an insulinogenic index of less than 0.4 (P=0.006), and insulin therapy during pregnancy (P<0.001). Independent risk factors identified by multivariate logistic regression models were insulinogenic index (odds ratio [OR] 0.10, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.01-0.74; P=0.002), an insulinogenic index of less than 0.4 (OR 5.70, 95% CI 1.69-21.66; P=0.005), and insulin therapy during pregnancy (OR 3.43, 95% CI 1.03-12.55; P=0.044). CONCLUSION: Among Japanese women with GDM, a lower insulinogenic index and use of insulin therapy during pregnancy are associated with early postpartum AGT.

The association between maternal insulin resistance in mid-pregnancy and neonatal birthweight in uncomplicated pregnancies.

There have been few studies performed to address the association between the degree of physiological increase in maternal insulin resistance during pregnancy and neonatal birthweight in non-diabetic pregnancy. We attempted to determine whether maternal insulin resistance, as measured by homeostasis model assessment-insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), in mid-pregnancy is associated with neonatal birthweight in normal pregnancies. In this retrospective observational study, we measured HOMA-IR in singleton healthy pregnant women who underwent a 75 g oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) in mid-pregnancy because of a positive diabetes screen. Using multivariate analyses to adjust for maternal parity, pre-gestational obesity, gestational weight gain, plasma glucose levels, and gestational age at delivery, we tested the association between HOMA-IR and birthweight in their offspring. We also tested the association HOMA-IR and a risk of large-for-gestational-age (LGA) infants. In 655 Japanese women, HOMA-IR was positively associated with birthweight after adjusting for these confounders (p<0.05). A higher HOMA-IR was significantly associated with an increased incidence of LGA infants with an adjusted odds ratio of 1.53 (95% confidence interval, 1.10-2.15) per 1 unit of HOMA-IR. The degree of maternal insulin resistance in mid-pregnancy was associated with birthweight and the risk of giving birth to an LGA infant in normal pregnancies, independent of maternal obesity and glucose levels.

Prevalence of symptomatic and asymptomatic rotator cuff tears in the general population: From mass-screening in one village.

PURPOSE: Rotator cuff tear is the most common shoulder disease in patients with shoulder problems, but its prevalence is not well known. METHODS: We performed a health care check-up of locomotive organs in 664 residents (21.3% of the population) in one village. Ultrasonography on bilateral shoulders was performed in all the participants. RESULTS: One hundred and forty seven out of 664 subjects (22.1%) had full-thickness rotator cuff tears. The prevalence of tear in each decade was 0% in the 20s to 40s, 10.7% in the 50s, 15.2% in the 60s, 26.5% in the 70s, and 36.6% in the 80s. Symptomatic rotator cuff tears accounted for 34.7% of all tears and asymptomatic tears for 65.3%. The prevalence of asymptomatic rotator cuff tears was one-half of all tears in the 50s, whereas it accounted for two-thirds of those over the age of 60. The prevalence of tear was significantly greater in male than in female in the 50s and 60s, but not in the 70s and 80s. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of rotator cuff tear in the general population was 22.1%, which increased with age. Asymptomatic tear was twice as common as symptomatic tear.

Development of a peritoneal sclerosis rat model using a continuous-infusion pump.

OBJECTIVE: Encapsulating peritoneal sclerosis (EPS) is a serious complication of continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis. Previous studies have created peritoneal sclerosis rat models using daily intraperitoneal injection of chlorhexidine gluconate (CG), but this technique is cumbersome and thickening of the peritoneum makes it difficult to evaluate the injection site. We therefore aimed to make a rat model using a continuous-infusion pump. METHODS: Various concentrations of CG (5%, 8%, 10%, 12%, and 14%) in ethanol were dissolved in saline within the infusion pumps, each of which was placed in the lower abdominal cavity of a male Wister rat. After a peritoneal equilibration test was performed, the rats were sacrificed and the lower anterior parietal and visceral peritoneum was removed. Each excised peritoneum was analyzed by macroscopic and microscopic examinations, including immunohistochemistry for the expression of transforming growth factor-beta 1 (TGF-beta1), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and alpha-smooth muscle actin (alphaSMA). The results were compared with those of control rats injected with ethanol dissolved in saline within the infusion pump and with no-pump rats. RESULTS: Two of the 5 rats in the 12% CG group and 3 of the 5 rats in the 14% CG group died of ileus within 14 days. All the rats in the 5%, 8%, and 10% CG groups survived to 28 days. Macroscopic examination in the 10% CG group showed bowel dilatation, bowel adhesion, and bloody ascites, similar to those seen in human EPS patients. All rats in each CG group showed the same extent of thickening of the submesothelial compact zone, proliferation of collagen fibers, and presence of numerous cells and neovascularization. Within same CG groups, an equal degree of thickening was observed at all sites of the peritoneum. TGF-beta1, VEGF, and alphaSMA were highly expressed in the peritoneum of the 10% CG group. CONCLUSION: We developed a novel method of creating a peritoneal sclerosis rat model using a continuous-infusion pump. Our technique is simple and highly reproducible, and will be useful in the study of peritoneal sclerosis mechanisms.