Purpose: Quantitative elastography methods, such as ultrasound two-dimensional shear-wave elastography (2D-SWE) and magnetic resonance elastography (MRE), are used to diagnose liver fibrosis. The present study compared liver stiffness determined by 2D-SWE and MRE within individuals and analyzed the degree of agreement between the two techniques. Methods: In total, 888 patients who underwent 2D-SWE and MRE were analyzed. Bland-Altman analysis was performed after both types of measurements were log-transformed to a normal distribution and converted to a common set of units using linear regression analysis for differing scales. The expected limit of agreement (LoA) was defined as the square root of the sum of the squares of 2D-SWE and MRE precision. The percentage difference was expressed as (2D-SWEMRE)/ mean of the two methods×100. Results: A Bland-Altman plot showed that the bias and upper and lower LoAs (ULoA and LLoA) were 0.0002 (95% confidence interval [CI], -0.0057 to 0.0061), 0.1747 (95% CI, 0.1646 to 0.1847), and -0.1743 (95% CI, -0.1843 to -0.1642), respectively. In terms of percentage difference, the mean, ULoA, and LLoA were -0.5944%, 19.8950%, and -21.0838%, respectively. The calculated expected LoA was 17.1178% (95% CI, 16.6353% to 17.6002%), and 789 of 888 patients (88.9%) had a percentage difference within the expected LoA. The intraclass correlation coefficient of the two methods indicated an almost perfect correlation (0.8231; 95% CI, 0.8006 to 0.8432; P<0.001). Conclusion Bland-Altman analysis demonstrated that 2D-SWE and MRE were interchangeable within a clinically acceptable range.

This case report describes our first experience performing percutaneous epicardial catheter ablation for Burugada syndrome in our hospital. We describe the good results achieved in this case. The patient was a man in his 30s with no remarkable medical history. However, his family history was notable for the sudden death of his grandfather at age 37 years and his father at age 27 years. While asleep, the patient experienced convulsions and lost consciousness. During emergency transportation, defibrillation was performed 7 times by the ambulance crew. When the patient arrived at our hospital, sinus rhythm was observed on ECG. During resuscitation, Burugada syndrome was diagnosed based on ECG findings. On hospital day 6, an internal cardioverter defibrillator was implanted. After discharge, the defibrillator operated 10 times, so we opted for ablation treatment. Fractionated potential of over 150 ms was confirmed in the right ventricular outflow tract. A low voltage zone of <1 mV could be mapped, and the same site was cauterized a total of 46 times. As a result, ST segment amplitude decreased significantly in lead V1 on ECG. Percutaneous epicardial catheter ablation performed with reference to Nademanee’s report achieved good results in this case of Burugada syndrome.

Objectives: “Adverse Drug Reaction Relief System” (hereinafter called the Relief System) has been established to provide prompt relief to patients experiencing health damage caused by adverse drug reactions. Since 2018, the Relief System has required community pharmacies that acquire additional points as local support system to actively report adverse drug reactions. Here, we investigated the recognition and utilization of the relief system among community pharmacists.Method: A questionnaire survey was conducted among community pharmacists between August 1 and September 30, 2019.Results: The survey achieved a response rate of 58.1%. The recognition rates of the relief system and Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Agency (PMDA) as its application destination were 98.9 and 74.5%, respectively. Of the community pharmacists, 2.6% had experience in utilizing the relief system; and 8.8% did not want to recommend the utilization of the relief system for patients mainly because of the “low recognition of the system” and “the complicated and troublesome preparation of the necessary documents such as medical certificates.” The community pharmacists who acquire additional points as local support system, compared with those who do not, achieved significantly higher rates in two items, including that for preparation of the documented procedures pertaining to adverse drug reactions.Conclusion: Despite the high recognition of the relief system among community pharmacists, the percentage of pharmacists with experience in actually utilizing the relief system and applying to the PMDA was low. One reason that the use of the relief system was not widespread was the low recognition particularly of the destination and procedures of reports on adverse drug reactions. In the future, educational campaigns to improve pharmacists’ comprehension of the relief system will be needed. Moreover, pharmacists must play a central role in enhancing the recognition of the public relief system and promoting medical safety.

Background: Mental assessment for patients in a palliative care unit with no regular psychiatrist tends to depend on subjective judgments by other health professionals. We introduced the 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) to screen major depression from patients in a palliative care unit and assessed the usefulness of the questionnaire. Methods: The subjects were all patients who were admitted to a palliative care unit. Each patient was asked to answer the PHQ-9 on admission and then was interviewed by a psychiatrist. When PHQ-9 score was of 10 points and above, the case was judged to be positive for depressive disorder. A psychiatrist diagnosed according to Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-5 (DSM-5). Results: A total of 83 patients were hospitalized between January 2016 and October 2016. 50 patients completed PHQ-9 and psychiatrist’s interview. Nine cases were positive by PHQ-9 and diagnosed as depressive disorder by a psychiatrist. Seven cases were positive by the PHQ-9 but not diagnosed as depressive disorder. Although 34 cases were judged to be negative by the PHQ-9, 2 cases of them were diagnosed as depressive disorder. The sensitivity and specificity of the PHQ-9 were 81.8% and 82.1% respectively. Conclusion: We found that the PHQ-9 was useful screening test for depression even in palliative care settings.

　　Hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) therapy for acute carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning is performed after oxygen therapy and breathing therapy. The usefulness of HBO therapy in emergency treatment has been reported. In this study, we examined the effectiveness of HBO for CO poisoning that was performed at our hospital over the past 5 years. Subjects were 23 patients who had HBO therapy for CO poisoning in the period January 2008-November 2013. The male to female ratio of the cases was 14:9 and the mean age was 54.6±20.8 years. The cause was suicide in 39.1% of cases and accident in 60.9%. The mean number of treatments was 5.4±6.8. The atmosphere absolute was 2ATA:2.8ATA=12:11. The ratio of direct conveyance of the patient to our hospital to indirect conveyance of the patient from another hospital was 15:8. The effectiveness of HBO therapy at the time of discharge was 73.9%. However, delayed neuropsychiatric sequelae (DNS) was detected in 3 of the 23 cases of CO poisoning. No correlations were found between elapsed time after CO inhalation and various blood parameters. However, time to start of therapy is important for DNS, and our results suggest that early treatment at a hospital with a hyperbaric chamber is necessary.

In Kampo medicine, a tongue examination, whereby the shape and color of the tongue is observed, is thought to reveal the constitution and condition of the patient. In Japan, numerous books on this tongue examination have been published. However, tongue findings are expressed differently in these books, and a standard description for such findings has yet to be established. A standard description would be useful when examining the tongue, and when educating students of Kampo medicine. We therefore compared how tongue colors and shapes were expressed in the Japanese literature on tongue examinations (12 publications).
Using these results, we have arrived at a standardized description for tongue findings in accordance with Kampo specialists of tongue diagnoses at many facilities. In the process, we focused on easily recognizable findings that can be noted with short clinical examination times, and that can also be understood by beginners.

We experienced a case of post-operative complication and chronic pain due to left pyeloplasty and uterine myomectomy successfully treated with Kampo medicine. A 55-year-old woman underwent pyeloplasty for ureteropelvic junction obstruction, and ureteral stent for ureteral stenosis caused by synechia after uterine myomectomy. She suffered from post-operative complication and chronic pain, which was becoming severe, and had a depressed mood. She visited our outpatient clinic for Kampo therapy. We prescribed bukuryoingohangekobokuto on the diagnoses such as qi deficiency, qi stagnation, and water retention. Her symptoms disappeared with this formulation. This case suggests the importance of considering qi disturbance when we treat patients with chronic pain using Kampo medicine.

In the Guideline for treatment of chronic headache published by Japanese Headache Society, Ibuprofen and Acetaminophen are proposed for the acute treatment of migraine in children. But prophylactic treatment of pediatric migraine is not established. We report the efficacy of Kampo medicine for preventing migraine in children and childhood periodic syndromes. We use a variety of Kampo medicine for 9 pediatric migraine and periodic syndromes patients from 8 to 15 years old. All 9 patients improve their headache and associated symptoms including abdominal pain, vertigo, nausea and vomiting. After treatment the mean average of Headache Impact Test-6 (HIT-6) improve from 63.66 points to 45.77 points. Kampo medicines is effective for migraine in children and childhood periodic syndromes.

Boiogito is mentioned in Synopsis of the Golden Chamber, in which it is written to add ephedra herb for patients with cough at the end of the chapter. We experienced 4 chronic cough cases of wind-wetness syndrome or edema caused by pathogenic Wind successfully treated with boiogitokamao. Subjective symptoms such as heaviness when moving, heavy sweating, and body chills, as well as objective findings such as pallor, and a weak pulse in the most distal region of the right wrist were common in these patients. Moreover, not only cough, but also accompanying symptoms such as obesity, dysmenorrhea, and eczema were improved. Observation of these four cases suggests that boiogitokamao can be effective for the treatment of the patients with chronic cough due to wind-wetness syndrome / edema caused by the pathogenic Wind.