Objective : To investigate end-of-life care at the Department of General Medicine of Saku Central Hospital (DGSCH).
Methods : A retrospective survey of medical records of patients who died at DGSCH in 2011.
Results : 101 patients died in that year. The average age was 85.2, and 73% patients lived in Saku city. The main causes of death were pneumonia (30%), cancer (20%) and senility (20%). Cardiopulmonary resuscitation was performed in 4% of patients. Total parenteral nutrition was performed in 8% and tube feeding therapy was performed in 12%.
Conclusion : Patients who died at DGSCH were elderly patients who lived near the hospital, and most died without invasive medical procedures.

  In Japan, there are many hospitals which do not have departments specializing in infectious diseases. Treatment of critical nosocomial infections such as candidemia is not sufficient and varies greatly from one institution to another. We reviewed the cases of candidemia in Saku Central Hospital from 2004 to 2008, and examined fungal species, clinical background, therapy, prognosis and the rate of treatment in accordance with the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) guidelines for candida infection. Blood culture revealed 43 cases diagnosed as candidemia. Candida albicans was the most common fungus. Antibiotics were administered to 84% of the patients and 79% had central venous catheters (CVC). The empirical antifungal administration included fosfluconazole and micafungin, but 23% of the patients did not receive any appropriate antifungal therapy. CVCs were removed from 23 of 34 patients, and 42% of the patients underwent ophthalmologic examination. Some of the patients (42%) were treated according to the IDSA guidelines, but most were not. The 28-day mortality rate was 33%. This study demonstrated that the strategy for treating candidemia in our hospital was insufficient, and also suggested that critical nosocomial infections cases were treated in adequately in many other regional hospitals in Japan. In conclusion, a well-organized and guideline-based therapeutic system is necessary in hospitals without the infectious diseases department.

Introduction : The objective of this research was to evaluate and to seek out factors that affect the usefulness and necessity of postgraduate community-based training programs in Saku Central Hospital (SCH) after the implementation of the New Postgraduate Training System for Physicians (NPTSP)
Methods : A questionnaire survey of physicians who entered the residency program of SCH between 1996 and 2007 was conducted.
Results : The questionnaire was sent to 111 physicians, and responses were received from 73 (65.8%). Of the reasons for selecting SCH for residency training, three showed significant increases after the implementation of NPTSP : the training system, the general medicine department/general outpatient clinic, and the overall ambience of the SCH staff. The usefulness of the community-based training program showed a 3.77 times higher odds ratio (OR) in male residents (95% CI, 1.31-10.9). Necessity was decreased after the implementation of NPTSP, showing an OR (95% CI) of 2.99 (1.05-8.55).
Conclusion : Of the reasons why residents selected SCH, the management system for the residency program and the environment for general practice in the hospital became more important after the implementation of NPTSP. The need for a community-based training program in SGH was decreased after NPTSP emphasized primary care.

Objective: To investigate an impact of the new coronavirus infection on cancer peer support in hospitals. Methods: A 14-item, self-administered, unannounced questionnaire was administered at the consultation and support centers of Designated Cancer Care Hospitals from February 16, 2023, to March 17, 2023. Results: Of the 451 hospitals, 220 responded (48% response rate). In the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, 89% of hospitals suspended patients support and 36% continued to do so. The following characteristics of the pandemic’s impact were identified: (1) stagnation of peer support, (2) introduction of online support, and (3) the need to develop hybrid support activities and acquire online support response skills. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the operational structure of peer support was already facing challenges. Conclusion: This study suggests the need to establish an operational system for in-hospital peer support, including the use of the new online system introduced during the COVID-19 pandemic.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Left-sided diverticulitis is increasing in Japan, and many studies report that left-sided diverticulitis is more likely to be severe. Therefore, it is important to identify the features and risk factors for left-sided diverticulitis. We hypothesized that left-sided diverticulitis in Japan is related to obesity and conducted a study of the features and risk factors for this disorder in Japan. METHODS: Right-sided diverticulitis and left-sided diverticulitis patients (total of 215) were compared with respect to background, particularly obesity-related factors to identify risk factors for diverticulitis. RESULTS: There were 166 (77.2%) right-sided diverticulitis patients and 49 (22.8%) left-sided diverticulitis patients. The proportions of obese patients (body mass index > or =25 kg/m2, p=0.0349), viscerally obese patients (visceral fat area > or =100 cm2, p=0.0019), patients of mean age (p=0.0003), and elderly patients (age > or =65 years, p=0.0177) were significantly higher in the left-sided-diverticulitis group than in the right-sided-diverticulitis group. The proportion of viscerally obese patients was significantly higher in the left-sided-diverticulitis group than in the left-sided-diverticulosis group (p=0.0390). CONCLUSIONS: This study showed that obesity, particularly visceral obesity, was a risk factor for left-sided diverticulitis in Japan.
Aged ; Diverticulitis ; Humans ; Japan ; Obesity ; Obesity, Abdominal ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors

Patients with heart failure often have difficulty in stopping cardiotonic drugs as the disease stage progresses, and long-term hospitalization is a factor that significantly reduces quality of life. To solve this problem, in September 2017, our hospital started an initiative to support overnight stays at home by using a portable precision infusion pump and continuously injecting cardiotonic drugs with the approval of the hospital’s medical ethics committee. Since there are few case reports of similar efforts in Japan, here we describe the use of drugs and the content of the intervention by pharmacists. The drug is administered via a peripherally inserted central venous catheter using an ambulatory precision infusion pump. The pharmacist calculates the drug dose and flow rate required during the at-home period using spreadsheet software, and proposes a prescription to the doctor. In addition, if multiple cardiotonics and diuretics are administered, the presence or absence of compounding changes is confirmed, and the feasibility of mixing should be examined, and then prepared aseptically on a clean bench on the day of administration. We started to administer catecholamine while in the hospital on the day before the stay at home. Then we prepared the catecholamine in a portable precision infusion pump and administered it during stay at home. To date, we have supported 8 cases in stays at home without emergency hospitalization or sudden death due to exacerbation of heart failure.