The identification code of a drug is defined as “a code for identifying tablets, etc.” and is described in the “Composition/Properties” section of the package insert. We investigated whether the Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Agency (PMDA) website, which allows users to search package insert information, can be used for drug identification using identification codes in 2019 before the new package insert guidelines were implemented, and in 2022, during the revision period. Approximately 30% of the investigated high-risk drugs were unidentifiable in both years. The most common reason was that images were used to register identification codes on the PMDA website, and character strings were not searchable. We then conducted a questionnaire survey of pharmaceutical companies, and only approximately half of the respondents opined that it would be preferable if the registration format for identification codes was established within the pharmaceutical industry. However, hospital pharmacists urged for more simplified identification of drugs on the PMDA website.

In this study, we investigated the effects of severe hemolysis (hemoglobin [Hb] > 500 mg/dL) in blood specimens by classifying them into non-hemolysis, hemolysis (Hb ≤ 500 mg/dL), and severe hemolysis. Investigated items were total protein (TP), albumin (ALB), total bilirubin (T-Bil), direct bilirubin (D-Bil), aspartate transaminase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), lactate dehydrogenase (LD), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), gamma-glutamyl transferase (γ-GT), creatine kinase (CK), amylase (AMY), cholinesterase (ChE), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), creatinine (Cre), sodium (Na), potassium (K), chloride (Cl), calcium (Ca), uric acid (UA), triglycerides (TG), total cholesterol (T-Cho), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), lowdensity lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and C-reactive protein (CRP), and actual clinical test results were used. Based on the results, we were able to classify the error relationships into three groups according to hemolysis status. Group A shows an error between non-hemolysis and hemolysis, and an even stronger error in severe hemolysis (T-Bil, AST, LD, Na, K, Ca, and UA). Group B showed no error between non-hemolysis and hemolysis, but errors in strong hemolysis (ALB, D-Bil, ALT, γ-GT, CK, AMY, TG, T-Cho, HDL-C, and LDL-C). Group C shows no errors in either hemolysis or strong hemolysis (TP, ALP, ChE, BUN, Cre, Cl, and CRP). Among these, the Group B classification was a new finding. In situations where the measurement of hemolyzed specimens is unavoidable, it is important that clinical laboratory technologists be aware of its impact and provide the results in a way that can be used in clinical practice.

PURPOSE: Due to adverse events, dose reduction or withdrawal of adjuvant chemotherapy is required for some patients. To identify the predictive factors for tolerability to postoperative adjuvant S-1 monotherapy in gastric cancer (GC) patients, we evaluated the predictive values of blood indicators. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We analyzed 98 patients with pStage II/III GC who underwent postoperative adjuvant S-1 monotherapy. We retrospectively analyzed correlations between 14 parameters obtained from perioperative routine blood tests to assess their influence on the withdrawal of postoperative adjuvant S-1 monotherapy, within 6 months after discontinuation. RESULTS: Postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy was discontinued in 21 patients (21.4%) within 6 months. Univariable analysis revealed that high preoperative albumin-bilirubin (ALBI) scores had the highest odds ratio (OR) for predicting the failure of adjuvant S-1 chemotherapy (OR, 6.47; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.08–20.1; cutoff value, –2.696). The high ALBI group had a significantly shorter time to failure of postoperative adjuvant S-1monotherapy (hazard ratio, 3.48; 95% CI, 1.69–7.25; P=0.001). Multivariable analysis identified high preoperative ALBI score as an independent prognostic factor for tolerability (OR, 10.3; 95% CI, 2.33–45.8; P=0.002). CONCLUSIONS: Preoperative ALBI shows promise as an indicator associated with the tolerability of adjuvant S-1 monotherapy in patients with pStage II/III GC.
Chemotherapy, Adjuvant ; Drug Therapy ; Gastrectomy ; Hematologic Tests ; Humans ; Odds Ratio ; Retrospective Studies ; Stomach Neoplasms

Coffee administration has been shown to increase maximum voluntary contraction and muscular endurance. However, no study has addressed the association between daily consumption of coffee with muscular function. This cross sectional study aimed to investigate the association between frequency of coffee consumption (CC) in daily life and muscle strength among a population of working adult men. This cross sectional study included men (n = 516, mean age: 47.1) who participated in an annual health examination conducted in Sendai. The monthly frequency of coffee consumed was reported by a brief-type self-administered dietary history questionnaire. Leg extension power (LEP) was measured as an index of muscle strength. Subjects were divided into tertile levels according to CC. Analysis of covariance was used to examine the relation between the tertile levels of CC and LEP. After adjustment for potential confounders (including all lifestyle factors), the adjusted means (95% confidence interval) of LEP across the tertiles of CC were 17.4 (16.6 - 18.1) for the lowest tertile, 17.9 (17.4 - 18.5) for the mid tertile, and 18.9 (18.3 - 19.5) for the highest tertile (p for trend = 0.007). Higher frequency of monthly coffee consumption was associated with higher muscle strength.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The gastrointestinal motility effects of endogenous incretin hormones enhanced by dipeptidyl peptidase-IV (DPP-IV) inhibitors have not yet been sufficiently investigated. The aim of this study was to determine whether single pre-prandial sitagliptin, the DPP-IV inhibitor, administration might have an effect on the rate of liquid gastric emptying using the 13C-acetic acid breath test. METHODS: Ten healthy male volunteers participated in this randomized, two-way crossover study. The subjects fasted for overnight and were randomly assigned to receive 50 mg sitagliptin 2 hours before ingestion of the liquid test meal (200 kcal per 200 mL, containing 100 mg 13C-acetate) or the test meal alone. Under both conditions, breath samples were collected for 150 minutes following the meal. Liquid gastric emptying was estimated by the values of the following parameters: the time required for 50% emptying of the labeled meal (T1/2), the analog to the scintigraphy lag time for 10% emptying of the labeled meal (Tlag), the gastric emptying coefficient and the regression-estimated constants (beta and kappa), calculated by using the 13CO2 breath excretion curve using the conventional formulae. The parameters between the 2 test conditions were compared statistically. RESULTS: No significant differences in the calculated parameters, including T1/2, Tlag, gastric emptying coefficient or beta and kappa, were observed between the 2 test conditions. CONCLUSIONS: The present study revealed that single-dose sitagliptin intake had no significant influence on the rate of liquid gastric emptying in asymptomatic volunteers.
Breath Tests ; Cross-Over Studies ; Eating ; Gastric Emptying ; Gastrointestinal Motility ; Humans ; Incretins ; Male ; Meals ; Pyrazines ; Triazoles ; Sitagliptin Phosphate

BACKGROUND/AIMS: There are few reports on the correlation between chewing gum and the gastrointestinal functions. But previous report showed use of chewing gum to be an effective method for controlling gastrointestinal symptoms. The aim of this study was to determine the correlation between chewing gum and gastric emptying using the continuous real time 13C breath test (BreathID system). METHODS: Ten healthy male volunteers participated in this randomized, 2-way crossover study. The subjects fasted overnight and were randomly assigned to chewing gum (Xylish, 2-3/1 tablet) for an hour following intake of a test meal (200 kcal/200 mL) or intake of the test meal alone. Gastric emptying was monitored for 4 hours after administration of the test meal by the 13C-acetic acid breath test performed continually using the BreathID system. RESULTS: No significant differences in the calculated parameters, namely, T1/2 (median, 111.82 vs 109.26 minutes; P = 0.575), Tlag (median, 53.28 vs 56.53 minutes; P = 0.333), gastric emptying coefficient (median, 3.58 vs 3.65; P = 0.285), regression-estimated constant beta (median, 1.85 vs 1.80; P = 0.575) and regression-estimated constant kappa (median, 0.61 vs 0.62; P = 0.959) were observed between the test meal alone group and the test meal and chewing gum group. CONCLUSIONS: This study showed that chewing gum had no effect on the rate of gastric emptying. Therefore, since chewing gum did not enhance the speed of gastric emptying, it may ameliorate gastrointestinal symptoms through other mechanisms, such as saliva and autonomic nervous system.
Autonomic Nervous System ; Breath Tests ; Chewing Gum ; Cross-Over Studies ; Gastric Emptying ; Humans ; Male ; Mastication ; Meals ; Saliva

Background: Lung cancer screening by chest X-rays and/or cytological tests of sputum has been practiced for many years. Nonetheless the number of deaths from lung cancer was kept increasing all this while. We wanted to find a way to decrease the mortality from lung cancer by investigating the screening methods or lifestyle to prevent the lung cancer.
Methods: I. The detection rate of lung cancer was investigated according to each method of screening-helical CT, chest X-rays or sputum tests, from 1998 to 2000.
II. Seventy-nine cases of lung cancer detected by the screening carried from 1995 to 2000 at our institute were compared with control cases matched with respect to age, sex and seasons of screening.
Results: I. The detection rate by helical CT in 1998, 1999, and 2000 was 0.29%, 0.24%, and 0.19%, respectively, while the detection rate by chest X-rays was 0.01%, 0.02% and 0.2%. There was no detection of lung cancer by sputum tests in those three years.
II. The ingestion of vegetables was the only one statistical difference between the lung cancer group and the control group. A lesser ingestion of vegetables increased the risk for lung cancer.
Conclusions: The detection rate of lung cancer by helical CT is remarkably higher than chest X-rays or cytological tests of sputum. People who eat a lot of vegetables have a lesser chance to suffer from lung cancer.

To test the hypothesis that neutrophils play a role in lung injury during cardiopulmonary bypass, granulocyte elastase and myeloperoxidase release from pulmonary circulation were measured, as well as the respiratory index, before and after cardiopulmonary bypass. The production of granulocyte elastase and myeloperoxidase in the pulmonary circulation, and the respiratory index also elevated significantly after cardiopulmonary bypass. Furthermore, the level of granulocyte elastase and myeloperoxidase released from pulmonary circulation correlated with the changes of the respiratory index and preoperative pulmonary artery pressure. These data indicate that neutrophils play a major role in pulmonary dysfunction occurring after cardiopulmonary bypass, which is accentuated in patients with pulmonary hypertension.

The purpose of this study was to detemine the effect of water intake on themoregulatory response during a round of golf (18 holes) in the heat (30-33°C, 55-70% RH) . Ten middle-aged male subjects participated in two separate golf rounds. During the first round the subjects played without fluid replacement (D), while in the second they received water replacement equal to weight loss in D (R) . With D, body weight loss of 3.8% was accompanied by a 13.3% reduction in calculated plasma volume (PV), while a small loss of body weight (0.5%) with an increase in PV of 4.6% was observed in R. A third round of golf by 5 of the subjects in cooler weather (20.4°C) without fluid replacement two months later resulted in heart rate and rectal temperature changes only slightly lower than during R. Golfing with D significantly elevated rectal temperatures and heart rates as compared to R. The rectal temperatures and heart rates at end of the 4.5-hr rounds were 39.4°C and 145 bpm, and 38.6°C and 116 bpm, in D and R, respectively. The serum enzymes, aspaartate aminotransferase, alamine aminotransferase, lactate dehydrogenase, and creatine kinase were measured at rest and after golfing. All enzyme levels increased signijicantly after golfing in D and to a lesser extent in R. The advantages of frequent fluid replacement during golf in high environmental temperatures was clearly demonstrated.