BACKGROUND: Our previous observational cohort study, the Kashima Scan Study (KSS), identified associations between lifestyle, cerebral small vessel disease (SVD) as detected by magnetic resonance imaging of the brain, and disease outcomes including cognitive impairment and vascular diseases. However, established modifiers of the outcomes such as genetic background, drinking and exercise habits, and socioeconomic status were not considered. Regarding genetic factors in particular, the ALDH2 rs671 variant, East Asian-specific diversity, and APOE status are expected to have strong effects. The aim of KSS-2 is to examine the interactions of genetic background, lifestyle factors including drinking habit, socioeconomic status, and/or SVD markers for cognitive impairment, vascular disease, and death. METHOD: The KSS-2 is a prospective regional observational study of a healthy Japanese cohort that will clarify lifestyle habits to better maintain brain health from midlife by genotype. Japanese adults who underwent brain health checkups at their own expense are enrolled and will be followed-up for 10 years. We will extend the protocol of the KSS to include genetic background and potential confounding factors, including lifestyle (including drinking and exercise habit) and socioeconomic status, and perform survival analyses. The study outcomes are cognitive impairment, vascular events, and death. RESULTS: We enrolled 908 healthy adults (mean age 64.2 years; range 35 to 84 years; 41% male) from September 1, 2018 until December 31, 2024. CONCLUSION This study will provide important insights into the development of individualized health intervention strategies.
Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Cerebral Small Vessel Diseases/diagnostic imaging* ; Japan/epidemiology* ; Life Style ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Prospective Studies ; Observational Studies as Topic

Background: The authors, in collaboration with a nursing college and healthcare organizations, initiated a project, "Tama District (a suburban area in Tokyo) End-of-life Care Networking" for nurses, in order to provide networking opportunities for nurses who would like to work together in their local community. A survey was conducted to identify those nurses' needs before initiating this project. Result: The first networking meeting was held based upon the survey results, and 39 nurses participated. The participants were from 14 hospitals, six home-visit nursing stations, and one home care support office in a northern area of Tama District and its surrounding areas in Tokyo. After having this meeting, it was identified that these nurses were highly motivated in providing better end-of-life care, and they had strong desires to network together and to exchange information about challenges and opportunities in their practice. Conclusion: Future issues and implications included the following: (1) Providing continuous opportunities for nurses with such meetings, and refining and updating programs to meet their needs; (2) Facilitating face-to-face relationships among individual nurses in this local community in order to facilitate better collaboration; (3) Initiating local activities that may improve and enhance nursing practice for patients and families who have health issues in their daily life.

BACKGROUND: Recently, the usefulness of metformin as an oral hypoglycemic agent has been re-evaluated, while secondary failure of long-term treatment with sulfonylurea (SU) has become a serious problem. In this study, the usefulness of combination therapy with metformin was evaluated in patient with non-obese type 2 diabetes mellitus showing secondary failure of treatment with SU.
PATIENTS AND METHODS: Twenty non-obese patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus showed HbA_1c levels of 7% or over despite more than 5 years of treatment with SU. Metformin was administered to these patients at a dose of 500 mg/day for 3 months in combination with SU, and glycemic control was compared before and after combination therapy.
RESULTS: After combination therapy, the mean plasma glucose level obtained 2 hours postprandial was significantly decreased by 20.0% (216±41.7 mg/dl vs. 172.0±47.7 mg/dl, p<0.001) . In addition, the mean HbA_1c level was significantly decreased by 8.8% (8.0±0.8% vs. 7.3±0.8%, p<0.001) . However, the mean IRI level, the mean body mass index, and mean plasma lipid levels did not significantly change after combination therapy.
CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that combination therapy with metformin is useful for improving blood glucose levels without enhancing insulin secretion in patients with non-obese type 2 diabetes mellitus who showed secondary failure of treatment with SU. However, further studies are needed to confirm whether this combination therapy will contribute to delaying the introduction of insulin therapy.