1.Differences in the physical activity patterns among young old adults by three residential locations in Japan
Tsubasa Iwasa ; Tomoko Takamiya ; Yumiko Ohya ; Yuko Odagiri ; Hiroyuki Kikuchi ; Noritoshi Fukushima ; Koichiro Oka ; Yoshinori Kitabatake ; Teruichi Shimomitsu ; Shigeru Inoue
Japanese Journal of Physical Fitness and Sports Medicine 2015;64(1):145-154
The purpose of this cross-sectional study is to investigate the difference in physical activity among elderly living in different areas in Japan (“Bunkyo Ward in Tokyo” (Bunkyo) and “Fuchu City in Tokyo” (Fuchu) as urban areas, and “Oyama Town in Shizuoka” (Oyama) as a non-urban area). Participants were 1859 community-dwelling residents aged 65-74 years, randomly selected from the residential registry (response rate: 68.9%). A mail survey using self-administered questionnaires was conducted. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to calculate the adjusted odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) of various types of physical activity (eg, walking (Walking), going out (Going-out), bicycling (Bicycling), exercise habits (Exercise)), according to residential areas (reference category: Fuchu), stratified by gender, adjusting for socio-demographic variables. There was a significant difference in Going-out (ORs = 0.61 (95% CI: 0.44-0.86) for men, 0.48 (0.33-0.69) for women)), and Bicycling (0.04 (0.03-0.07) for men, 0.04 (0.02-0.07) for women) in Oyama compared to Fuchu. Furthermore, for women, there was a significant difference in Walking (0.56 (0.38-0.81)) and Exercise (0.59 (0.41-0.85)) in Oyama compared to Fuchu. There was a significant difference in Bicycling and Going-out for men in Bunkyo compared to Fuchu, but there was not a significant difference in other items. Low physical activity levels were observed in the elderly in the non-urban area compared to urban areas. The association was stronger in women. Regional difference might need to be taken into account for an effective physical activity intervention.
2.Gingyo Gedokusan vs Oseltamivir for the Treatment of Uncomplicated Influenza and Influenza-like illness : An Open-label Prospective Study
Kentaro Iwata ; Wataru Igarashi ; Midori Honjo ; Takashi Nishimoto ; Kyoko Shinya ; Akiko Makino ; Kazuo Mitani ; Yoshiko Tatsumi ; Hiroyuki Ninomiya ; Kumi Higasa ; Seiichiro Usuki ; Hiroki Kagawa ; Daisuke Uchida ; Kohei Takimoto ; Rei Suganaga ; Hiroo Matsuo ; Yuichiro Oba ; Mami Horigome ; Hideaki Oka ; Goh Ohji ; Yasuhisa Abe ; Hiroyuki Yoshida ; Shohiro Kinoshita ; Midori Hirai
General Medicine 2013;14(1):13-22
Background: Gingyo-gedoku-san (GGGS) is an herbal medicine approved for upper respiratory infections in Japan. We conducted an open-label, multi-center, prospective trial, comparing GGGS with oseltamivir in patients with influenza and influenza-like illness (ILI) as a pilot study.
Methods: Subjects were healthy persons aged between 16 and 40, and were enrolled from January 12, 2010 to March 24, 2011. Fifteen patients were enrolled in this trial (8 and 7 for GGGS and oseltamivir, respectively). RT-PCR was positive for pandemic influenza A (H1N1) in 10 patients. The patients were provided with either GGGS or oseltamivir for 5 days. The primary outcome was mortality and/or hospitalization 7 days after the initial diagnosis. Body temperature and other clinical characteristics were also evaluated.
Results: All patients recovered from illness without complication or hospitalization. The mean time to resolve symptoms for the GGGS and oseltamivir groups was 3.9 days and 3.3 days, respectively (p=0.43). The GGGS group appeared to have a smaller symptom score AUC than the oseltamivir group, (p=0.26). Time to recover activity level appeared to be shorter in the GGGS group (p=0.10), with shorter time to recover health status (p=0.02). Sub-group analysis on patients with positive PCR showed similar results between the two groups.
Conclusion: GGGS was associated with symptom improvements resembling oseltamivir for both influenza and ILI. Randomized controlled trials involving larger sample sizes are needed to confirm these results.