The number of senile eye cataract cases increases year by year. Recent developments in new operation techniques have brought more safety and ease i.e. ultrasonic phacoemulsication and lens replacement. However, some complications of these techniques result in troublesome outcomes. In this paper the authors report a female patient aged 74 years old who suffered from severe photophobia after cataract surgery, which was successfully treated with the Kampo formulation, ryokeikansoto. Such troublesome cases tend to be neglected to in medical journal publications when the background of the complaint is unknown.

The purpose of the present investigation was to examine the relationship between the open water swimming (OW) performance and the swimming speed at 2, 3, and 4 mmol/l of blood lactate concentration (SSLA2, SSLA3, and SSLA4) or the critical swimming speed (CSS). Six male collegiate swimmers performed the 10 kilometers of OW, as well as the multi-stage graded swimming test, in order to determine the SSLA2, SSLA3, SSLA4. Furthermore, the CSS was calculated based on the personal best records for 50 to 1500 meters of free-style indoor swimming. As a result, the SSLA2, SSLA3, SSLA4, and CSS corresponded to 102±6%, 106±6%, 110±7%, and 106±5% of the average swimming speed of the OW, respectively. Thereafter, the SSLA2 did not differ significantly in comparison to the average swimming speed of the OW, whereas the SSLA3, SSLA4, and CSS differed significantly with the average swimming speed of the OW (p＜0.05). Furthermore, the average swimming speed during the OW significantly correlated with the SSLA2, SSLA3, SSLA4, and CSS, respectively (p＜0.05). These results suggest that the OW performance significantly correlated with the swimming speed at 2 to 3 mmol/l of the blood lactate concentrations and CSS. Furthermore, regarding these parameters, the SSLA2 may accurately reflect the average swimming speed of OW.

We reported the case of a 9-year-old girl who complained of irritability with sounds, headache, nausea and ease of fatigability, who was successfully treated with the Kampo formulation, ryokito. Her irritability with sound occurred following bilateral ear pain. Her headache, nausea and antipathy towards smells appeared in conjunction with aggravation of this pain symptom. We recognized this patient as having a Ki-distribution imbalance, and so prescribed ryokito as a decoction. Following her use of this formulation, her complaints improved remarkably within about 8 weeks.

Previously, the authors reported that a painful point at the epigastrium may be closely related with the term “shinkashiketsu” for the Kampo formulation saikokeishito (SKT) which was described in the textbook, shoukanron. In order to find conclusive evidence for our hypothesis, we tried SKT in four patients, whose chief complaints were headache, epigastralgia with headache, irritable bowel syndrome, and anorexia due to Behcet's disease. In this trial, we obtained satisfactory clinical results, which strongly suggest that the symptom of a painful epigastral point correlates with the term shinkashiketsu in the shoukanron description.

Recently, the authors experienced five cases of chronic primary headache in children which were successfully treated with shokenchuto. This report describes the details of these five cases and results of references in past literature. The common physical findings in these five cases were soft abdominal walls with a spasmodic bilateral m. rectus abdominis. There was only one case report of headache which was successfully treated with shokenchuto. We believe that our case report sheds light on a new aspect of shokenchuto, which might be a useful formulation for chronic headache. In this paper, we also speculate about the mechanism of this formulation for headache from the view point of former research showing the relationship between brain orexin behavior, and ghrelin which is induced from the digestive system.

Abnormal lipid metabolism associated with various renal diseases has been known for a long time. Hypercholesterolemia is one of the characteristic features of nephotic syndrome, and hypertriglyceridemia is often observed in chronic renal failure (CRF). The role of lipid abnormalities in the pathogenesis of renal diseases has been variously discussed. However, direct evidence only recently became possible when more sophisticated analyses of renal histopathology as well as an application of molecular biology were introduced in the field of clinical nephrology. The recent identification of lipoprotein nephropathy (LPG), reported most often by Japanese authors since 1989, is particularly noteworthy. The detailed analysis of lipid profiles and renal histology has been instrumental in clarifying the relationship between lipids and the kidney not only in LPG but also in other disease entities such as familial-type dyslipidemias, CRF, focal glomerulosclerosis, and diabetic nephropathy. Dyslipidemias common to these diseases, together with the presence of hypertension, cause systemic atherosclerotic lesions (including lesions in the kidney) and terminal renal failure.
seconds ; Kidney Diseases ; lipid metabolism ; Abnormal ; Lipids

Reitakutsukito, a Kampo formulation which is described in the textbook Ranhitsu-Hizou, has been well known as a suitable formulation for sinusitis related signs and symptoms.
We reported previously three cases, i.e. chronic headache, bronchial asthma and bronchial amyloidosis with sinusitis, successfully treated with this formulation. Here we report on a clinical trial of reitakutsukito for 5 cases in which the chief complaints were pre-menstrual disorder, chronic headache, anorexia, finger dysesthe sia and chronic cough accompanied with sinusitis. We attempted to make clear the sho for this Kampo formulation by means of administering this formulation alone, or with concomitant use of supportive formulations.

IABP has been widely used as a circulatory assist device since introduction of the percutaneous insertion method. However, vascular complications associated with IABP have remained a high incidence. We developed a new sheath for IABP insertion to maintain the lower limb perfusion in the patients with tortuous or stenotic iliofemoral arteries. The new sheath has an internal diameter of 12Fr, an outer diameter of 14Fr and has 10 side holes which serve as an internal shunt. The new sheath used for IABP presented good lower limb perfusion in three patients with tortuous or stenotic iliac arteries who presented limb ischemia with an ordinary IABP sheath. The internal shunt sheath may also be useful for diagnosis of lower limb perfusion by injection of contrast medium into a side port of the sheath in cases of leg ischemia suspected after insertion of IABP.

A 67 year-old women who suffered from painful palms and soles with burning sensation for 2 years was treated. At first, she visited the department of dermatology and then consulted our department. The authors considered these symptoms as already being described in the great classic Kinkiyoryaku (Chin Keiu Yao Lueh). We then prescribed shokenchuto, which resulted immediate clinical improvement. The authors have again realized that the classical textbook is based on proper clinical observations that are useful today.

Twenty six adult patients who underwent prosthetic heart valve replacement and treated anti-thrombogenic therapy, were divided into 2 groups. One was administered Warfarin alone, another was administered Warfarin plus Aspirin (162mg/day) as antiplatelet therapy. Trapidil (300mg/day) was administered to all of the patients. Platelet aggregation, plasma level of TXB₂ (stable metabolite of thromboxane A₂), and 6-keto-PGF₁ (stable metabolite of PGI₂) were measured before and 1, 3, 6 months after Trapidil therapy. Platelet aggregability suppressed in both 2 groups. Plasma TXB₂ level, and TXB₂/6-keto-PGF₁ ratio showed a tendensy to decrease (p<0.05) 6 months after administration. In the Aspirin plus Trapidil group, platelet aggregability, serum TXB₂ level, and TXB₂/6-keto-PGF₁ ratio are significantly lower than that in the Trapidil only. These results suggest that Trapidil is clinically useful for antiplatelet agent, but the combined Aspirin plus Trapidil therapy is more efficacious than the Aspirin or Trapidil single therapy.