1.A case of referred pain in end-stage primary generalized amyloid light-chain amyloidosis effectively treated by ketamine
Tomoyo Kajino ; Kyouko Yanagida ; Norio Yoshida ; Norio Takimoto ; Takashi Sakakibara ; Masako Makino ; Marina Takagi ; Masanao Miura ; Fujio Nakamura
Palliative Care Research 2012;7(2):581-584
Introduction: Amyloidosis is a variety of symptoms, such as organ failure and peripheral neuropathy amyroid protein is deposited in the systemic organs. We report a case of ketamine was effective for vulba referred pain in end stage. Case report: A 72-year-old male patient in end-stage primary generalized amyloid light-chain amyloidosis experienced excruciating pain in his genitalia about four times daily, lasting from tens of seconds to three minutes. No abnormal findings were noted in the genitalia. Bowel movement and large amounts of peritoneal dialysis fluid triggered excessive traction of the glans penis, which caused the excruciating pain. Referred pain originating from the pelvic plexus was suspected. Continuous infusion of ketamine was started at 50 mg/day for pain relief, which eliminated his pain, and the patient passed away 17 days later. Conclusion: The reason a small dosage of ketamine was effective, we consider there is a possibility of recovery from central sensitization effect of NMDA receptor antagonist worked effectively.
2.Visual Recognition of the Elderly Concerning Risks of Falling or Stumbling Indoors in the Home
Toshiki Katsura ; Norio Miura ; Akiko Hoshino ; Kanae Usui ; Yasuro Takahashi ; Seiichi Hisamoto
Journal of Rural Medicine 2011;6(2):71-80
Objective: The objective of this study was to verify the recognition of dangers and obstacles within a house in the elderly when walking based on analyses of gaze point fixation.Materials and Methods: The rate of recognizing indoor dangers was compared among 30 elderly, 14 middle-aged and 11 young individuals using the Eye Mark Recorder.Results: 1) All of the elderly, middle-aged and young individuals showed a high recognition rate of 100% or near 100% when ascending outdoor steps but a low rate of recognizing obstacles placed on the steps. They showed a recognition rate of about 60% when descending steps from residential premises to the street. The rate of recognizing middle steps in the elderly was significantly lower than that in younger and middle-aged individuals. Regarding recognition indoors, when ascending stairs, all of the elderly, middle-aged and young individuals showed a high recognition rate of nearly 100%. When descending stairs, they showed a recognition rate of 70-90%. However, although the recognition rate in the elderly was lower than in younger and middle-aged individuals, no significant difference was observed. 2) When moving indoors, all of the elderly, middle-aged and young individuals showed a recognition rate of 70%-80%. The recognition rate was high regarding obstacles such as floors, televisions and chests of drawers but low for obstacles in the bathroom and steps on the path. The rate of recognizing steps of doorsills forming the division between a Japanese-style room and corridor as well as obstacles in a Japanese-style room was low, and the rate in the elderly was low, being 40% or less.Conclusion: The rate of recognizing steps of doorsills as well as obstacles in a Japanese-style room was lower in the elderly in comparison with middle-aged or young individuals.
3.Usefulness of Gd-EOB-DTPA-enhanced MRI for evaluating the potential for early development of hepatocellular carcinoma after HCV eradication by direct-acting antiviral treatment
Naoki MORIMOTO ; Kouichi MIURA ; Shunji WATANABE ; Mamiko TSUKUI ; Yoshinari TAKAOKA ; Hiroaki NOMOTO ; Kozue MURAYAMA ; Takuya HIROSAWA ; Rie GOKA ; Naoki KUNITOMO ; Hiroyasu NAKAMURA ; Hideharu SUGIMOTO ; Norio ISODA ; Hironori YAMAMOTO
Journal of Rural Medicine 2019;14(1):78-86
Objective: The development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is not uncommon in patients who achieve eradication of the hepatitis C virus through direct-acting antiviral (DAA) treatment. The aim of this study was to identify the patients at high risk for novel HCC development after a sustained virologic response (SVR) by DAA treatment.Patients and Methods: A total of 518 patients with no history of HCC treatment and who achieved SVR by DAA treatment were evaluated retrospectively. The correlations between HCC development and the patients’ characteristics were evaluated. For patients who underwent gadolinium-ethoxybenzyl-diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid (Gd-EOB-DTPA)-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or dynamic contrast-enhanced computed tomography, the relationship between the imaging findings and subsequent HCC development was also assessed.Results: HCC developed newly in 22 patients, and the 1-year and 3-year cumulative HCC rates were 2.0% and 8.5%, respectively. In multivariate analysis, a FIB-4 index >4.0 and a post-treatment α-fetoprotein >4.0 ng/ml were significant risk factors for HCC. In 26 of 118 patients who underwent an MRI before DAA treatment, a non-hypervascular hypo-intense nodule was seen in the hepatobiliary phase, and in 6 of 182 patients who underwent a CT, a non-hypervascular hypo-enhanced nodule was seen in the delayed phase. The sensitivity and specificity of the MRI-positive findings for the subsequent development of HCC were 0.92 and 0.87, respectively, and those of the CT were 0.40 and 0.99, respectively. In multivariate analysis of patients who underwent an MRI, a non-hypervascular hypo-intense nodule was the only factor that was significantly related to HCC development (HR 32.4, p = 0.001).Conclusion: Gd-EOB-DTPA-enhanced MRI was found to be reliable for risk evaluation of subsequent HCC development in patients after SVR by DAA treatment. Patients with a non-hypervascular hypo-intense nodule need more careful observation for incident HCC.
4.Efficacy and safety of glecaprevir and pibrentasvir combination therapy in old-aged patients with chronic hepatitis C virus infection
Shunji WATANABE ; Naoki MORIMOTO ; Kouichi MIURA ; Toshimitsu MUROHISA ; Toshiyuki TAHARA ; Takashi SATO ; Shigeo TANO ; Yukimura FUKAYA ; Hidekazu KURATA ; Yukishige OKAMURA ; Norikatsu NUMAO ; Keita UEHARA ; Kozue MURAYAMA ; Katsuyuki NAKAZAWA ; Hitoshi SUGAYA ; Hiroaki YOSHIZUMI ; Makoto IIJIMA ; Mamiko TSUKUI ; Takuya HIROSAWA ; Yoshinari TAKAOKA ; Hiroaki NOMOTO ; Hiroshi MAEDA ; Rie GOKA ; Norio ISODA ; Hironori YAMAMOTO
Journal of Rural Medicine 2020;15(4):139-145
Objective: Combination therapy with glecaprevir and pibrentasvir (G/P) has been shown to provide a sustained virologic response (SVR) rate of >97% in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in the first published real-world Japanese data. However, a recently published study showed that the treatment was often discontinued in patients ≥75 years old, resulting in low SVR in intention-to-treat (ITT) analysis. Thus, our aim was to evaluate real-world data for G/P therapy in patients ≥75 years of age, the population density of which is high in “rural” regions.Patients and Methods: We conducted a multicenter study to assess the efficacy and safety of G/P therapy for chronic HCV infection, in the North Kanto area in Japan.Results: Of the 308 patients enrolled, 294 (95.5%) completed the treatment according to the protocol. In ITT and per-protocol analyses, the overall SVR12 rate was 97.1% and 99.7%, respectively. The old-aged patients group consisted of 59 participants, 56 of whom (94.9%) completed the scheduled protocol. Although old-aged patients tended to have non-SVR factors such as liver cirrhosis, history of HCC, and prior DAA therapies, the SVR12 rates in old-aged patients were 98.3% and 100% in the ITT and PP analyses, respectively. Of 308 patients enrolled, adverse events were observed in 74 patients (24.0%), with grade ≥3 events in 8 patients (2.6%). There was no significant difference in any grade and grade ≥3 adverse events between the old-aged group and the rest of the study participants. Only one patient discontinued the treatment because of adverse events.Conclusion: G/P therapy is effective and safe for old-aged patients.