Conventional and Kampo Medicine Treatment for Mild-to-moderate COVID-19: A Multicenter, Retrospective, Observational Study by the Integrative Management in Japan for Epidemic Disease (IMJEDI Study-observation).

Objective Patients in whom coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) was suspected or confirmed between January 1, 2020, and October 31, 2021, were enrolled from Japanese hospitals in this multicenter, retrospective, observational study. Methods Data on the treatment administered (including conventional and Kampo medicine) and changes in common cold-like symptoms (such as fever, cough, sputum, dyspnea, fatigue, and diarrhea) were collected from their medical records. The primary outcome was the number of days without a fever (with a body temperature <37°C). The secondary outcomes were symptomatic relief and the worsening of illness, defined as the presence of a condition requiring oxygen inhalation. The outcomes of patients treated with and without Kampo medicine were compared. Patients We enrolled 962 patients, among whom 528 received conventional and Kampo treatment (Kampo group) and 434 received conventional treatment (non-Kampo group). Results Overall, after adjusting for the staging of COVID-19 and risk factors, there were no significant between-group differences in the symptoms or number of days being afebrile. After performing propensity score matching and restricting the included cases to those with confirmed COVID-19 who did not receive steroid administration and initiated treatment within 4 days from the onset, the risk of illness worsening was significantly lower in the Kampo group than in the non-Kampo group (odds ratio=0.113, 95% confidence interval: 0.014-0.928, p=0.0424). Conclusion Early Kampo treatment may suppress illness worsening risk in COVID-19 cases without steroid use. Further randomized controlled studies are needed to confirm the clinical benefit of Kampo medicine for COVID-19.

Short-term effect of argon plasma coagulation of the inferior turbinate in patients with perennial nasal allergy.

The aim of this study was to clarify the short-term effects of argon plasma coagulation (APC) of the inferior turbinate in patients with perennial nasal allergy. In a retrospective study, 32 patients with perennial allergic rhinitis were treated by inferior turbinate reduction using APC. Grades of nasal stuffiness, rhinorrhea, sneezing, nasal airflow resistance (NAR) and overall seriousness were evaluated before and then 1-4 and 8 weeks after APC. Subjective symptoms were assessed using a questionnaire in which nasal stuffiness, rhinorrhea and sneezing were graded on a four-point scale (severe, moderate, mild and none) using the Severity Criteria of Symptoms of Nasal Allergy issued by the Japanese Society of Allergology. NAR was measured using active anterior rhinomanometry (AAR) at the 100 Pa point; this was deemed to be an objective measurement of nasal obstruction. The numbers of patients examined before and 1-4 and 8 weeks after APC were 32, 31, 25, 17, 18 and 14, respectively. Both nasal stuffiness and NAR were significantly improved 2 weeks after APC, overall seriousness was significantly improved after 3 weeks and rhinorrhea was improved after 4 weeks. Sneezing did not significantly improve during this study. There was no significant change in the grades of the examined parameters during the period between 4 and 8 weeks after APC. The beneficial effects of APC begin to appear within 2 weeks after APC and no further improvement after about 4 weeks.

Expression of CLC-KB gene promoter in the mouse cochlea.

SUMMARY: We have investigated the expression of chloride channels by examining the cochlea of mice harboring the enhanced green fluorescence protein (EGFP) gene driven by an 11 kbp human CLC-KB gene promoter. CLC-KB was seen not only on the stria vascularis but on spiral ligament and limbal fibrocytes, interdental cells and satellite cells of spiral ganglion neurons that are known to possess both Na,K-ATPase and the Na-K-Cl co-transporter (NKCC). These results suggest that some fibrocytes possessing both the CLC-KB and the NKCC may be involved in the regulation of cell volume, transport and recycling of Cl- such as is seen in the stria vascularis. Moreover, these fibrocytes may recycle Cl- through CLC that accompany Na+ and K+ into the cell via NKCC.