We reported that a patient with ascites arising from liver cirrhosis was successfully treated with Dai-kentyu-to. The case was a 67-year-old woman who was diagnosed as having C-type chronic hepatitis. After the operation of gastric cancer, ascites appeared. She was treated by diureatics, but ascites increased. When she was operated on for an abdominal hernia, the liver was cirrhotic. She lost appetite and was fatigued. She visited our clinic to undergo Kampo therapy. Hochu-ekki-to, Gorei-san, Sho-kenchu-to were given for her symptoms, but had no effects. However, since she began taking Dai-kenchu-to for her cold and rumbling abdomen, her ascites decreased gradually, and diuretics were stopped.

 As globalization also influences medical education, Chiba University has provided extensive study abroad programs. This paper reports a medical student's methods to prepare for using such programs and improve his English level, and outlines his actual experience of studying abroad during a 6-year period. It also discusses the significance of medical study abroad, focusing on the following 3 points: meeting medical leaders in other countries; establishing friendships with international medical students of similar age groups, while comparing Japanese students' abilities with international standards; and taking full advantage of being a student, as one is allowed to flexibly develop global perspectives only in his/her school days before starting a long career as a medical professional, to provide guidance for medical students toward such experience and career development based on it.

A 56-year-old man, who was admitted with cerebral infarction in our hospital, was infected with MRSA, probably through the gastrointestinal endoscopy. Taking advantage of this episode, we reevaluated the procedure of cleaning and disinfection for endoscopes by bacteriological examination. Before encountering the MRSA case, we had routinely used a simple cleaning procedure. After an examination was over, an endoscope was wiped up with ethanol-soaked gauze, sucked an enzymatic detergent, water and positive soap solution through the biopsy-suction channel, and lastly was washed by the automated reprocessor (3-5 minutes for total process), if the patient was free of infectious diseases such as hepatitis B, C and syphilis. In this symple method, bacteria were detected in 10 out of 46 samples from after-cleaning endoscopes. The results were such that we adopted the new procedure for cleaning and disinfection as follows ; after wiping the surface of an endoscope by propanol-wet gauze, an endoscope was washed by neutral detergent manually, and the biopsy-suction channel was brushed up three times. Then, the endoscope was completely immersed in a 2% glutar aldehyde solution. In this procedure, no bacterium was detected in the samples from the endoscopes. However, as the concentration of glutar aldehyde rapidly decreased, it is necessary to use a test strip specific for the minimum effective concentration of glutar aldehyde frequently to monitor the potency of such solution

BACKGROUND: There has been no reported case of arsine poisoning in Korea so far. This article presents the first reported case of arsine poisoning with hemolytic anemia accompanied by acute renal failure. Initially we suspected an infectious agent to be the cause of this case but later discovered that it was arsine poisoning suffered while working at a zinc-smelting industry in the process of recovering the cadmium by-product. We report this case and discuss the arsine poisoning. CASE REPORT: A 27-year-old man employed at a zinc-smelting industry was exposed to arsine while working in the process to recover the cadmium by-product.On the 4th day at work, he had to redissolve defected by-product into a pot and began to experience febrile sensation, diarrhea, upper quadrant abdominal pain, jaundice, and anorexia.After he was admitted to a hospital, the laboratory results showed hemolytic anemia, acute renal failure and elevated concentration of arsenic. He was thus diagnosed as suffering from arsine-poisoning and underwent hem dialysisand supportive therapy.He recovered from the poisoning after51 days and was discharged from the hospital. DISCUSSION: When workers dealing with arsenic-containing material present with hematuria, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and dyspnea followed by hemolysis with acute renal failure, arsine poisoning must be suspected and diagnosis followed by treatment must commence immediately. If any future cases occur, blood and urine samples should be kept in storage so any necessary analysis can be processed later.
Abdominal Pain ; Acute Kidney Injury* ; Adult ; Anemia, Hemolytic* ; Arsenic ; Cadmium ; Diagnosis ; Diarrhea ; Dyspnea ; Hematuria ; Hemolysis ; Humans ; Jaundice ; Korea ; Nausea ; Poisoning* ; Sensation ; Vomiting

Farmer's lung is a form of hypersensitivity pneumonitis, which is manifested mainly as an occupational disease among dairy farmers exposed to organic dusts from moldy hay and compost in silos and lofts. In Europe and America, it has been known for many years. In Japan, it frequently occurs in Hokkaido, Iwate and Hokuriku districts during winter months from November to March. The culprit antigens are spores of actinomycetes thermophilus such as Micropolyspora faeni and Thermoactinomyces vulgaris. In recent years, various preventive measures have been taken. For instance, in order to prevent hay from heating by fermentation and the thermophile from thriving, farmers desiccate hay as much as possible and keep it in air-tight plastic containers. The result is a notable decrease in the prevalence rate of this ailment. Nonetheless, with graying the rural population, pulmonary fibrosis caused by chronic exposure to low levels of organic dust is posing a grave health problem in the dairy farming communities. As a prophylactic measure against chronic fibrotic lung disease, there is a need to implement a comprehensive heath control program consisting of continual sanitary checkups at workplace and counseling at an early stage in addition to periodic health examinations. Another health threat which has more recently loomed up in the dairy farming communities is environmental pollution.

Background/Aims: Cholecystitis can occur after the placement of covered self-expandable metallic stents for distal malignant biliary obstructions. We aimed to identify risk factors for cholecystitis following covered self-expandable metallic stent placement. Methods: We investigated risk factors related to cholecystitis following covered self-expandable metallic stent placement in 118 patients with distal malignant biliary obstructions between January 1, 2015 and April 30, 2019. Endoscopic assessments and tumor invasion to the arteries feeding the gallbladder were determined by a pancreaticobiliary endoscopist and a radiologist, respectively. Results: The median patient age was 72 years (men, 61.0%). The flow of the contrast agent into the gallbladder and tumor involvement in the orifice of the cystic duct were observed in 35 (29.7%) and 35 (29.7%) patients, respectively. During the observation period (median, 179 days), cholecystitis occurred in 18 (15.3%) patients. Multivariate analysis revealed the flow of the contrast agent into the gallbladder (p=0.023) and tumor involvement in the orifice of the cystic duct (p=0.005) as significant independent risk factors associated with cholecystitis. Conclusions The flow of the contrast agent into the gallbladder and tumor involvement in the orifice of the cystic duct are potential independent risk factors for cholecystitis following the placement of covered self-expandable metallic stents. A follow-up prospective study is warranted to validate their influence.

Background/Aims: Cholecystitis can occur after the placement of covered self-expandable metallic stents for distal malignant biliary obstructions. We aimed to identify risk factors for cholecystitis following covered self-expandable metallic stent placement. Methods: We investigated risk factors related to cholecystitis following covered self-expandable metallic stent placement in 118 patients with distal malignant biliary obstructions between January 1, 2015 and April 30, 2019. Endoscopic assessments and tumor invasion to the arteries feeding the gallbladder were determined by a pancreaticobiliary endoscopist and a radiologist, respectively. Results: The median patient age was 72 years (men, 61.0%). The flow of the contrast agent into the gallbladder and tumor involvement in the orifice of the cystic duct were observed in 35 (29.7%) and 35 (29.7%) patients, respectively. During the observation period (median, 179 days), cholecystitis occurred in 18 (15.3%) patients. Multivariate analysis revealed the flow of the contrast agent into the gallbladder (p=0.023) and tumor involvement in the orifice of the cystic duct (p=0.005) as significant independent risk factors associated with cholecystitis. Conclusions The flow of the contrast agent into the gallbladder and tumor involvement in the orifice of the cystic duct are potential independent risk factors for cholecystitis following the placement of covered self-expandable metallic stents. A follow-up prospective study is warranted to validate their influence.

Background/Aims: Although risk factors of reflux esophagitis (RE) have been investigated in numerous cross-sectional studies, little is known about predictive factors associated with future onset of RE. We investigated time courses of clinical parameters before RE onset by a longitudinal case-control study using health checkup records. Methods: We used health checkup records between April 2004 and March 2014 at 9 institutions in Japan. A multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to evaluate associations of baseline clinical parameters with RE. The time courses of the clinical parameters of RE subjects were compared with those of non-RE subjects by the mixed-effects models for repeated measures analysis or longitudinal multivariate logistic analysis. Results: Initial data were obtained from 230 056 individuals, and 2066 RE subjects and 4132 non-RE subjects were finally included in the analysis. Body mass index, alanine aminotransferase, smoking, acid reflux symptoms, hiatal hernia, and absence of atrophic gastritis at baseline were independently associated with RE. The time courses of body mass index, fasting blood sugar, triglyceride, aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, γ-glutamyl transpeptidase, percentages of acid reflux symptoms, feeling of fullness, and hiatal hernia in the RE group were significantly worse than in the non-RE group. Conclusions The RE group displayed a greater worsening of the clinical parameters associated with lifestyle diseases, including obesity, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, and fatty liver for 5 years before RE onset compared with the non-RE group. These results suggest that RE is a lifestyle disease and thus lifestyle guidance to at-risk person may help to prevent RE onset.

OBJECTIVE: It is important to develop an easy means of diagnosing lumbar foraminal stenosis (LFS) in a general practice setting. We investigated the use of the Japanese Orthopaedic Association Back Pain Evaluation Questionnaire (JOABPEQ) to diagnose LFS in symptomatic patients. METHODS: Subjects included 13 cases (mean age, 72 years) with LFS, and 30 cases (mean age, 73 years) with lumbar spinal canal stenosis (LSCS) involving one intervertebral disc. The visual analogue scale score for low back pain and leg pain, the JOABPEQ were evaluated. RESULTS: Those with LFS had a significantly lower JOA score (p<0.001), while JOABPEQ scores (p<0.05) for lumbar dysfunction and social functioning impairment (p<0.01) were both significantly lower than the scores in LSCS. The following JOABPEQ questionnaire items (LFS vs. LSCS, p-value) for difficulties in: sleeping (53.8% vs. 16.6%, p<0.05), getting up from a chair (53.8% vs. 6.6%, p<0.001), turning over (76.9% vs. 40%, p<0.05), and putting on socks (76.9% vs. 26.6%, p<0.01) such as pain during rest, and signs of intermittent claudication more than 15 minutes (61.5% vs. 26.6%, p<0.05) were all significantly more common with LFS than LSCS. CONCLUSION: Results suggest that of the items in the JOABPEQ, if pain during rest or intermittent claudication is noted, LFS should be kept in mind as a cause during subsequent diagnosis and treatment. LFS may be easily diagnosed from LSCS using this established patient-based assessment method.
Asian Continental Ancestry Group* ; Back Pain* ; Constriction, Pathologic* ; Diagnosis ; General Practice ; Humans ; Intermittent Claudication ; Intervertebral Disc ; Leg ; Low Back Pain ; Methods ; Spinal Canal

STUDY DESIGN: Case series. PURPOSE: To determine the utility of "PainVision" apparatus for the assessment of low back pain. OVERVIEW OF LITERATURE: A newly developed device, the PainVision PS-2100 (Nipro, Osaka, Japan), has been used to assess the perception of pain in a quantitative manner. In the current study, we aimed to evaluate the efficacy of PainVision for the assessment of low back pain. METHODS: We assessed 89 patients with low back pain. The numeric rating scale (NRS) score, McGill Pain Questionnaire (MPQ) score and the degree of pain calculated by PainVision were measured twice at 4-week intervals in each patient. An electrode was patched on the forearm surface of the patients and the degree of pain was automatically calculated (degree of pain=100x[current producing pain comparable with low back pain-current at perception threshold/current at perception threshold]). Correlations between NRS and MPQ scores and the degree of pain were determined using Spearman's rank correlation test. RESULTS: There was a strong correlation between the NRS and MPQ scores at each time point (rs =0.60, p<0.0001). The degree of pain also showed a moderate correlation with NRS and MPQ scores at each time point (rs =0.40, p<0.03). The change in the degree of pain over 4 weeks showed a moderate correlation with changes in the NRS and MPQ scores (rs =0.40, p<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: PainVision as self-reported questionnaires is a useful tool to assess low back pain.
Electrodes ; Forearm ; Humans ; Low Back Pain* ; Pain Measurement ; Surveys and Questionnaires