Acute pancreatitis as a rare complication of leptospirosis: A case report and literature review.

Leptospirosis is a zoonotic disease. We present a case of acute pancreatitis associated with leptospirosis. An 88-year-old woman was admitted to the hospital with high fever and severe myalgia of the lower extremities. Based on the clinical presentation, hepatic dysfunction with a mild increase in bilirubin, renal dysfunction, and life history, the possibility of leptospirosis was considered. Plain computed tomography of the trunk on admission revealed no special findings. Appropriate antimicrobial therapy was administered at an early stage. After treatment initiation, the clinical symptoms and blood test abnormalities began to improve, and the patient appeared to be doing well. Although no abdominal or back pain was consistently noted during hospitalization, the serum amylase level increased over time; therefore, the patient underwent another computed tomography scan on the ninth day. Acute pancreatitis, which was absent upon admission, was noted. Appropriate treatment for pancreatitis was administered, and the patient was discharged. A subsequent serum antibody test confirmed the diagnosis of leptospirosis. Herein, we also summarized previous cases of acute pancreatitis associated with leptospirosis. The time of onset for pancreatitis was inconsistent, and there were a few cases of pancreatitis without abdominal or back pain. In contrast, serum amylase or lipase levels were elevated in all patients, which could be an important trigger for suspected complications of pancreatitis. When leptospirosis is suspected, complications of pancreatitis should always be considered, even in the absence of apparent abdominal pain. Regular monitoring of pancreatic enzymes such as amylase and lipase is recommended.

Effectiveness and safety of lubiprostone after switching from stimulant laxatives in elderly patients with chronic constipation.

Background and Aim: Stimulant laxatives may cause electrolyte abnormalities, dehydration, and abdominal pain; their long-term use can lead to tolerance and subsequent refractory constipation. We investigated the effectiveness, safety, and quality of life after switching from stimulant laxatives to lubiprostone in elderly patients with chronic constipation (CC). Methods: This multicenter, interventional, open-label, single-arm, before-and-after comparison study enrolled 99 Japanese patients aged 65-90 years with CC who took stimulant laxatives for ≥2 weeks prior to switching to lubiprostone monotherapy. Results: The mean ± SD spontaneous defecations at Week 1 of 7.8 ± 6.2 times/week was not significantly different from that at baseline (8.3 ± 4.7). Spontaneous defecations were significantly reduced at Weeks 2 (-1.5 ± 4.0, P < 0.001) and 4 (-1.5 ± 3.7, P < 0.001). The Bristol Stool Form Scale score did not change from baseline (4.7 ± 0.9) at Weeks 1 (4.5 ± 1.3) or 4 (4.3 ± 1.3), but it did at Week 2 (4.3 ± 1.5, P < 0.05). The Patient Assessment of Constipation Quality of Life questionnaire score increased (0.36 ± 0.07, P < 0.001) after 28 days. Nausea was the only symptom that worsened from baseline and was the most frequently reported adverse drug reaction (15.2%). Conclusion: Switching to lubiprostone monotherapy for CC was not associated with significant concerns in short-term spontaneous defecation frequency and safety, but it might affect the efficacy and patient quality of life over 2 weeks. Careful treatment strategies facilitating gradual switching to lubiprostone monotherapy may be needed in patients using stimulant laxatives.

Duodenal Diverticular Bleeding Treated with Endoscopy or Transcatheter Arterial Embolization: A Report of Two Cases and a Literature Review.

Duodenal diverticular bleeding (DDB) is extremely rare. We herein report 2 life-threatening cases of DDB successfully treated with endoscopy or transcatheter arterial embolization (TAE) and review 13 cases of DDB reported from Japan. When upper gastrointestinal bleeding of unknown origin is encountered in middle-aged or older adults, DDB should be included in the differential diagnosis. DDB often causes massive bleeding. It is therefore important to judge which is safer and more effective, endoscopy or TAE, based on the general condition of the patient. In addition, it is critical to attempt hemostasis via various strategies, including different gastroscopes and hemostatic devices.

A difficult-to-diagnose case of Borrmann type IV gastric cancer with marked transverse colon stenosis.

We report a difficult-to-diagnose case of Borrmann type IV gastric cancer with poor typical findings and marked colonic stenosis in a 47-year-old man and present a literature review.

Endoscopic ultrasound-guided internalization of a pancreaticocutaneous fistula utilizing a balloon-target technique: A case report.

RATIONALE: Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS)-guided treatment has been recently described for internalizing refractory pancreaticocutaneous fistulas (PCFs). However, the existing techniques are limited because of the difficulty in accessing nondilated pancreatic ducts or fistulas. In an attempt to overcome this limitation, we present a case where a EUS-guided intervention utilizing a balloon-target technique was employed to internalize a PCF into the stomach. PATIENT CONCERNS: A 78-year-old woman underwent percutaneous drainage and 4 percutaneous endoscopic necrosectomies for walled-off pancreatic necrosis (WOPN) after severe acute pancreatitis due to choledocholithiasis. Although the WOPN was resolved, refractory PCFs remained. DIAGNOSIS: Pancreaticocutaneous fistulas. INTERVENTIONS: An echoendoscope was introduced into the stomach, but the narrow PCF lumen made visualization of the fistula by EUS difficult. Subsequently, a balloon catheter was percutaneously inserted into the fistula, and then the inflated balloon was visualized by EUS from the stomach. The balloon was punctured with a 19-gauge fine needle through the posterior wall of the upper body of the stomach (balloon-target technique). A guidewire was then passed through the fistula to the outside of the body through the EUS scope. After dilating the gastro-fistula space with an 8-mm balloon dilation catheter, a 7-French double pigtail catheter was placed from the stomach into the PCF. OUTCOMES: The percutaneous drainage tube was removed after one week, and the patient was discharged 6 months after admission. No adverse outcomes have been observed in the 2 years since the procedure. LESSONS: PCFs can be successfully managed using EUS-guided internalization with a balloon-target technique.

The factors influencing long-term outcomes of stenting for malignant colorectal obstruction in elderly group in community medicine.

PURPOSE: Malignant bowel obstruction is a complication of colorectal carcinoma or metastasis from other carcinoma, and it causes significant damage on the condition of elderly patients; however, the self-expandable metallic stents (SEMSs) have been effectively used either for palliation or for bridging to the surgical procedure for this condition. The aim of this study was to investigate the factors influencing long-term outcomes of old-aged patients with SEMS for large bowel obstruction to develop the strategy for those patients in the community medicine. METHODS: We performed a retrospective review of 42 patients with a median age of 83.0 years (range, 65-99 years), who underwent SEMS placement for malignant colorectal obstruction between 2006 and 2015 in our hospital. Univariate and multivariate logistic regressions were performed on data from the patients to assess the factors affecting 6-month survival without stent dysfunction. RESULTS: The study population comprised 24 females (57.1%) and 18 males (42.9%). Of these, 38 patients (90.5%) received SEMS as palliation, whereas 4 patients (9.5%) underwent subsequent surgery. SEMSs were successfully inserted in 97.6% of patients. The median duration of follow-up was 205.0 days (range, 20-1377 days). On multivariate analysis, shorter stents (< 10 cm) yielded better outcomes than longer stents (≥ 10 cm) (P = 0.041), and the Cox proportional hazard model also indicated that shorter stents (P = 0.036) predicted longer event-free survival. CONCLUSIONS: Elderly patients with malignant bowel obstruction receiving shorter stents had longer event-free survival after stenting with better general condition.

Myocardial triglyceride content in patients with left ventricular hypertrophy: comparison between hypertensive heart disease and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H-MRS) enables the assessment of myocardial triglyceride (TG) content, which is reported to be associated with cardiac dysfunction and morphology accompanied by metabolic disorder and cardiac hemodynamic status. The clinical usefulness of myocardial TG content measurements in patients with left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) has not been fully investigated. We examined whether myocardial TG content assessed by 1H-MRS was useful for diagnosis in patients with LVH. To quantify myocardial TG content, we conducted 1H-MRS in 35 subjects with LVH. Left ventricular function was measured by cardiac magnetic resonance imaging. Patients were assigned to a hypertensive heart disease (HHD, n = 10) or hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM, n = 25) group based on the histology and/or late gadolinium enhancement pattern. The myocardial TG content was significantly higher in the HHD group than in the HCM group (2.14 ± 1.29 vs. 1.09 ± 0.72 %, P < 0.001). Myocardial TG content were significantly and negatively correlated with LV mass (r = -0.41, P < 0.04) and stroke volume (r = -0.64, P < 0.05) in the HCM group and HHD group, respectively. In a multivariate analysis, LV mass volume and diagnosis of HCM or HHD were independent factors of the myocardial TG content. The results suggest that myocardial metabolism may differ between HCM and HHD patients and that measurement of myocardial TG content by 1H-MRS may be useful for evaluating the myocardial metabolic features of LVH.

Estrogen variation during the menstrual cycle does not influence left ventricular diastolic function and untwisting rate in premenopausal women.

BACKGROUND: Although a cardioprotective effect of estrogen has been suggested by experimental studies, clinical data on the influence of estrogen on left ventricular (LV) diastolic function are sparse. The LV untwisting rate obtained by 2D speckle tracking echocardiography (2D-STE) is correlated with the time constant of LV pressure decay (tau), and this correlation is independent of left atrial pressure. Therefore, we used conventional Doppler echocardiography and 2D-STE to investigate changes in LV diastolic function during a single menstrual cycle in premenopausal women. METHODS: Twenty healthy premenopausal woman (mean age, 28.1±2.7 years) were enrolled. Clinical and echocardiographic data were obtained during the follicular phase (F-phase) and luteal phase (L-phase) of a single menstrual cycle. We compared the clinical and echocardiographic data, and estrogen levels between the two phases. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in LV diastolic parameters derived from Doppler echocardiography (E/A, p=0.295; E/e', p=0.449, DcT, p=0.178) or 2D-STE (peak untwisting rate, p=0.892; time-to-peak untwisting, p=0.951) between the two phases of the menstrual cycle. However, there was a significant decrease in estrogen levels between the F- and L-phases (177±119pg/ml vs. 35±12pg/ml, p<0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: LV diastolic function in healthy premenopausal women did not significantly change during the menstrual cycle. Estrogen does not appear to have a significant acute effect on LV diastolic function in premenopausal woman.

Effect of Helicobacter pylori eradication on elder cases: Observational study in community-based medicine.

AIM: To examine the effect of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) eradication therapy on the extra-gastrointestinal factors in elderly patients by a before-after observational study in community medicine. METHODS: Medical records (1 May 2013-31 January 2014) of 130 patients who underwent H. pylori eradication therapy with 2-year after-eradication observation in our institute were reviewed. Data on sex; age; body weight; body mass index (BMI); mean corpuscular volume (MCV); total protein; low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglyceride, haemoglobin A1c and haemoglobin levels and gastric hyperplastic polyps (GHPs) at eradication was extracted. Two-year after-eradication change in data was analysed by paired-sample t-test; relationship between GHPs and subclinical iron deficiency anaemia (IDA) improvement was evaluated. RESULTS: The mean patient age (median, interquartile range) at eradication was 69.6 (71.5, 64-77) years. Paired-sample t-tests showed that body weight, BMI and MCV increased by 0.52 kg (P = 0.018), 0.25 kg/m2 (P = 0.006) and 0.83 fL (P < 0.001), respectively. The nonparametric Mann-Whitney test showed no significant difference in the change rate of MCV after eradication between the groups with and without GHPs (P = 0.892). CONCLUSION: H. pylori eradication therapy prevented weight loss and subclinical IDA in elderly individuals. GHPs were not associated with subclinical IDA.

Clinical benefits of bortezomib-containing regimens for newly diagnosed AL amyloidosis with severe cardiac impairment.

Cardiac amyloid light-chain amyloidosis (AL amyloidosis) is a rare disease with a very poor prognosis, associated with plasma cell dyscrasias such as monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance and multiple myeloma. Though bortezomib-containing regimens have achieved high hematologic response rates, there are still few reports describing the outcomes of Japanese patients. Six patients with severe cardiac AL amyloidosis were treated with bortezomib-containing regimens. Involved free light chain (iFLC) decreased immediately in most of these cases. However, the condition of heart failure and N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) worsened in the early phase of this treatment and then improved several months later. At 29 months, the median duration of follow-up (2-47months), all patients remain alive except one who died of sudden cardiac arrest. Bortezomib-containing regimens are considered to be among the effective treatments for severe cardiac AL amyloidosis.

When and how aortic stenosis is first diagnosed: A single-center observational study.

BACKGROUND: The development of clinical symptoms is associated with cardiovascular events in patients with aortic stenosis (AS). Thus, early diagnosis of AS is clinically important. However, there are few data on symptom status or the severity of AS when patients are first diagnosed, or on how AS is detected in routine practice. We aimed to investigate when and how AS patients are first diagnosed in our hospital. METHODS: We retrospectively enrolled 198 AS patients diagnosed from 1989 to 2009, and identified their symptoms and AS severity at the time of the first diagnosis. We also assessed the reasons why they came to the hospital based on their medical records. RESULTS: Of the 198 patients, 82 (41.6%) had voluntarily visited or been referred to our hospital after developing clinical symptoms (Symptomatic group). The remaining 116 patients (58.4%) had been asymptomatic, and cardiovascular disease was suspected during an annual or occasional health checkup (Asymptomatic group). The initial findings in the Asymptomatic group that led to the diagnosis of AS were: a systolic murmur on auscultation (62%), abnormal electrocardiography (27%), or abnormal echocardiography (11%). The Symptomatic group had significantly greater AS severity and an increased left ventricular mass index, and experienced more cardiac events (valve replacement or cardiac death) during the follow-up period. CONCLUSIONS: About 40% of the AS patients in this study were not diagnosed until they developed clinical symptoms, suggesting that many other patients in the community might have a latent risk of cardiovascular events. Auscultation plays an important role in the early diagnosis of AS.

Significance of Coronary Artery Disease and Left Ventricular Afterload in Unoperated Asymptomatic Aortic Stenosis.

BACKGROUND: Because the covariates of cardiovascular events in unoperated patients with asymptomatic aortic stenosis (AS) have not been adequately evaluated, we aimed to identify them. METHODS AND RESULTS: A total of 230 patients with asymptomatic severe AS were retrospectively enrolled. The patients were divided into 2 groups based on aortic valve replacement (AVR) after enrollment: a non-AVR group (n=112), and an AVR group (n=118). The primary clinical endpoint was cardiovascular events, which were defined as cardiovascular death or hospitalization. Coronary artery disease [hazard ratio (HR): 3.62, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.585-8.245, P<0.01] and high valvulo-arterial impedance (HR: 3.08, 95% CI: 1.261-7.532, P<0.05) were identified as independent covariates of cardiovascular events in the non-AVR group. The relative risk of cardiovascular events rose with an increase in the number of risk factors (P<0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: In unoperated patients with asymptomatic AS, the presence of coronary artery disease and increased global left ventricular afterload may be associated with a poor prognosis.

Coronary microvascular function is independently associated with left ventricular filling pressure in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

BACKGROUND: Left ventricular (LV) diastolic dysfunction is known as an early marker of myocardial alterations in patients with diabetes. Because microvascular disease has been regarded as an important cause of heart failure or diastolic dysfunction in diabetic patients, we tested the hypothesis that coronary flow reserve (CFR), which reflects coronary microvascular function, is associated with LV diastolic dysfunction in patients with type 2 diabetes. METHODS: We studied asymptomatic patients with type 2 diabetes but without overt heart failure. Transthoracic Doppler echocardiography was performed that included pulsed tissue Doppler of the mitral annulus and CFR of the left anterior descending artery (induced by adenosine 0.14 mg/kg/min). The ratio of mitral velocity to early diastolic velocity of the mitral annulus (E/e') was used as a surrogate marker of diastolic function. We also evaluated renal function, lipid profile, parameters of glycemic control and other clinical characteristics to determine their association with E/e'. Patients with LV ejection fraction <50%, atrial fibrillation, valvular disease, regional wall motion abnormality, renal failure (serum creatinine >2.0 mg/dl) or type 1 diabetes were excluded. Patients with a CFR <2.0 were also excluded based on the suspicion of significant coronary artery stenosis. RESULTS: We included 67 asymptomatic patients with type 2 diabetes and 14 non-diabetic controls in the final study population. In univariate analysis, age, presence of hypertension, LV mass index, estimated glomerular filtration rate and CFR were significantly associated with E/e'. Multivariate analysis indicated that both LV mass index and CFR were independently associated with E/e'. In contrast, there were no significant associations between parameters of glycemic control and E/e'. CONCLUSIONS: CFR was associated with LV filling pressure in patients with type 2 diabetes. This result suggests a possible link between coronary microvascular disease and LV diastolic function in these subjects.

Factors responsible for elevated plasma B-type natriuretic peptide levels in severe aortic stenosis: comparison between elderly and younger patients.

BACKGROUND: Elevated plasma B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) is a predictor of outcome and helpful for risk stratification in aortic stenosis (AS). However, left ventricular (LV) diastolic dysfunction progresses with aging and may also influence plasma BNP levels in elderly patients. We hypothesized that plasma BNP levels may be influenced by age in severe AS, and that factors that affect the elevation of plasma BNP levels may be different between elderly and younger patients with AS. METHODS: We performed echocardiography in 341 patients with severe AS [aortic valve area (AVA)<1.0cm(2)] and classified them into two groups by age (elderly ≥75 years old, n=201; younger patients <75 years old, n=140). We used multivariate linear regression analysis to assess the factors that determine plasma BNP levels in both groups. RESULTS: Age was found to be one of the independent determinants of plasma BNP levels in all patients (ß=0.135, p=0.005). Although AVA was similar in the two groups, plasma BNP levels and E/e' were significantly higher in elderly than younger patients [133.0 (IQR, 73.3-329.7)pg/dl vs 92.8 (IQR, 40.6-171.8)pg/dl, p<0.01; 20±8 vs 16±6, p<0.01, respectively). In multivariate stepwise linear regression analysis, AVA index, LV ejection fraction, mass index, E/e', estimated systolic pulmonary artery pressure (eSPAS), and the presence of atrial fibrillation were independent determinants of plasma BNP levels in younger patients. In contrast, the independent determinants of plasma BNP levels in elderly patients were LV ejection fraction, mass index, E/e', eSPAS, the presence of atrial fibrillation, age, and hemoglobin levels, but not AVA index. CONCLUSIONS: There may be differences in the factors that influence plasma BNP levels between elderly and younger patients with severe AS. In elderly patients, plasma BNP levels may be influenced more by these factors than AS severity compared with younger patients.

Early hemodynamic performance of the trifecta bioprosthetic valve in patients with aortic valve disease.

BACKGROUND: The Trifecta valve (St Jude Medical) is a novel supra-annular aortic bioprosthesis designed to improve hemodynamic performance. We hypothesized that the Trifecta may offer better hemodynamic performance in Japanese patients, in whom the annulus is smaller, compared with Western populations. We compared the early results of hemodynamic performance between the Trifecta and the Magna (Edwards Lifescience) valves at our institution. METHODS AND RESULTS: The Trifecta was implanted in 33 patients and the Magna was implanted in 41 patients who had aortic valve disease. Postoperative echocardiography was performed just before discharge, and the mean pressure gradient (MPG), effective orifice area (EOA) index and energy loss coefficient (ELCo) index were compared between the 2 groups. The average prosthesis size was similar between the 2 groups (21.1 vs. 21.3mm). The Trifecta group had a significantly lower MPG (P=0.001) and larger EOA index and ELCo index than the Magna group (P<0.001 for both). On multivariate linear regression analysis, use of the Trifecta was the strongest independent determinant of postoperative MPG, EOA and ELCo index. CONCLUSIONS: The Trifecta valve provides excellent early postoperative hemodynamic performance in Japanese patients. Patients with a small annulus size relative to body size may benefit more from the Trifecta in terms of postoperative hemodynamic performance.

Prognostic value of coronary flow reserve assessed by transthoracic Doppler echocardiography on long-term outcome in asymptomatic patients with type 2 diabetes without overt coronary artery disease.

BACKGROUND: Cardiovascular risk stratification of asymptomatic diabetic patients is important and remains a difficult clinical problem. Our aim was to test the hypothesis that coronary flow reserve (CFR) assessed by noninvasive transthoracic Doppler echocardiography predicts prognosis in those patients. METHODS: From February 2002 to January 2005, we evaluated 135 consecutive asymptomatic patients (74 male; mean age, 63 ± 9 years) with type 2 diabetes without a history of coronary artery disease. Adenosine triphosphate (0.14 mg/kg/min) stress Doppler echocardiography was performed to evaluate CFR of the left anterior descending artery. Patients with a CFR < 2.0 were also excluded based on the suspicion of significant coronary artery stenosis in the left anterior descending artery. RESULTS: There were 111 patients (60 male; mean age, 64 ± 9 years) enrolled. During a median follow-up of 79 months, 20 events (5 deaths, 7 acute coronary syndromes, 8 coronary revascularizations) occurred. The optimal cut-off value of CFR to predict events was 2.5 (area under the receiver-operating characteristic curve = 0.65). Multivariate analysis showed that the independent prognostic indicators were male gender (p < 0.05) and a CFR < 2.5 (p < 0.01). Kaplan-Mayer analysis revealed that the event rate was significantly higher (log-lank, p < 0.01) in patients with CFR < 2.5 than in those with CFR ≥ 2.5. CONCLUSIONS: CFR obtained by transthoracic Doppler echocardiography provides independent prognostic information in asymptomatic patients with type 2 diabetes without overt coronary artery disease. Patients with CFR < 2.5 had a worse long-term outcome.

Diagnosis and management of giant hepatic hemangioma: the usefulness of contrast-enhanced ultrasonography.

Giant hepatic hemangiomas, though often asymptomatic, may require intervention if rapid growth occurs. The imaging studies including the computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, and ultrasonography, and so on are effective for the diagnosis and the management of this tumor; however, due to its size and various patterns of these studies, we need to carefully consider the therapeutic methods. Compared to the cost needed for these modalities, recently developed and approved Perflubutane- (Sonazoid-) based contrast agent enhanced ultrasonography is reasonable and safe. The major advantage is the real-time observation of the vascular structure and function of the Kupffer cells. By this procedure, we can carefully follow the tumor growth or character change in a hemangioma and decide the timing of therapeutic intervention, since abdominal pain, abdominal mass, consumptive coagulopathy, and hemangioma growth are the signs for the therapeutic intervention. We reviewed recent reports about Sonazoid-based enhancement and also showed the representative images collected in our department. This is the first review showing the detailed findings of the giant hemangiomas using Perflubutane (Sonazoid). This review will help the physician in making the decision, and we hope that Sonazoid will gain widespread acceptance in the near future.