Endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA) is useful for diagnosing mediastinal lymph node lesions. Cell blocks prepared from the needle washing fluid and flow cytometry of tissue samples are helpful in making the diagnosis, but the combination of both examinations is not routinely performed. A 77-year-old woman with fever, dyspnea, and anorexia was admitted to our hospital. Computed tomography showed enlarged mediastinal lymph nodes with calcification and left ureteral calculus; however, no focus of infection was identified. We suspected lymph node tuberculosis or malignant lymphoma, and EBUS-TBNA was performed to evaluate the mediastinal lymph node lesions. Because a cell block prepared from the needle rinse fluid was suspicious for malignant lymphoma, we changed the puncture needle from 22 G to 19 G and performed a second EBUS-TBNA. Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) was diagnosed based on the results of flow cytometry of the EBUS-TBNA samples. Here we report this case of DLBCL in which mediastinal lymph node tuberculosis was suspected and cell block preparation and flow cytometry using EBUS-TBNA specimens were useful for the diagnosis.

Carpal tunnel syndrome is a common orthopedic disease. Western medicine treatments for carpal tunnel syndrome include conservative drug treatments, temporary external fixations, and operative treatments. Cases of patients being treated with Kampo medicine have been reported. The patient was an 80-year-old woman, who visited our clinic because of numbness in her right hand. She was diagnosed with carpal tunnel syndrome. She was administrated with a Kampo medicine, keishito. After 7 days, her symptoms were relieved, and after 14 days her symptoms had resolved. We could not find any reports showing that keishito was effective in treating carpal tunnel syndrome. We believe that her symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome were caused by eiefuwa (nutrient-defense disharmony) and were successfully treated with keishito.

We report a case of qi-deficiency fever that was successfully treated with hochuekkito. A 26-year-old woman presented to our clinic with a complaint of pain of her fingers. Clinical findings revealed no evidence of rheumatoid arthritis. Since she wanted treatment for the recent mild fever, additional examination was performed. Infection, malignant tumor, and collagen disease were ruled out as probable cause of the fever. Clinically, she was diagnosed with qi-deficiency fever. After treatment with hochuekkito, her body temperature normalized, indicating that treatment with hochuekkito was effective. Hochuekkito was originally prescribed for treatment of qi deficiency due to yin fire ; however, it is currently used for treatment of other diseases. In this report, we described a case using hochuekkito.

In daily medical examinations of orthopedic surgery, treatment for chronic pain is sometimes needed. We report a case of chronic pain developed after an open fracture 15 years ago and successfully treated with sokeikakketsuto. A 35­-year-­old man unfortunately sustained an open fracture in his right lower leg in a traffic accident at his age of 20 years. He underwent 12­-13 surgeries for osteosynthesis, post-­operative focal infection, and leg extension. Subsequently, he developed periodic pain in his right ankle joint. He consulted our clinic because of the severe pain; although non-­steroidal anti-­inflammatory drugs were ineffective, sokeikakketsuto was dramatically effective. To treat chronic pain after an old fracture, sokeikakketsuto may be considered as a choice of treatment.

Crowned dens syndrome (CDS) is a pseudogout of the cervical vertebra, which shows calcification around the dens of the axis. We report a case of CDS that was successfully treated with daiobotampito and shimotsuto. An 83-year-old woman visited our clinic because of neck pain. She was diagnosed with CDS and was initially administered daiobotampito and eppikajutsuto. Her neck pain improved slightly, but recurred. She was then administered daiobotampito and shimotsuto, after which her neck pain disappeared. We considered that daiobotampito and shimotsuto were effective for this prolonged illness based on persistent stasis and blood deficiency according to her treatment course and laboratory findings.

Painful orthopedic diseases are sometimes aggravated because of weather changes ; this is referred to as meteorological pain. We report two cases of great occipital neuralgia (GON) due to traffic accident in patients whose pain was aggravated by weather changes. Case 1 involved a 41-year-old woman who developed lumbago and cervical pain following a traffic accident. Two months after the accident, she had irregular occipital pain. Three months after the accident, a great typhoon occurred, and she suffered from severe occipital pain since that morning. She was diagnosed with GON as meteorological pain and was administered goreisan ; her occipital pain then improved. Case 2 involved a 31-year-old woman who developed cervical pain following a traffic accident. Three months after the accident, she experienced severe occipital pain due to weather changes. She was diagnosed with GON as meteorological pain and was administered goreisan ; her occipital pain then improved. Goreisan is dramatically effective for GON as meteorological pain caused by cervical sprain.

BACKGROUND: Public perceptions and personal characteristics are heterogeneous between countries and subgroups, which may have different impacts on health-protective behaviors during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. To assess whether self-reported perceptions of COVID-19 and personal characteristics are associated with protective behaviors among general adults and to compare patterns in six different countries. METHODS: This cross-sectional study uses the secondary data collected through an online survey between 15 and 23 April 2020 across six countries (China, Italy, Japan, Korea, the UK, and the USA). A total of 5945 adults aged 18 years or older were eligible for our analysis. A logistic regression model was used to estimate odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (95%CI) of three recommended behaviors (wearing a mask, handwashing, and avoiding social gatherings). RESULTS: In most countries except for China, the participants who perceived wearing a mask as being extremely effective to curtail the pandemic were more likely to wear a mask (OR, 95%CI: Italy: 4.14, 2.08-8.02; Japan: 3.59, 1.75-7.30; Korea: 7.89, 1.91-31.63: UK: 9.23, 5.14-17.31; USA: 4.81, 2.61-8.92). Those who perceived that handwashing was extremely effective had higher ORs of this preventive behavior (OR, 95%CI: Italy: 16.39, 3.56-70.18; Japan: 12.24, 4.03-37.35; Korea: 12.41, 2.02-76.39; UK: 18.04, 2.60-152.78; USA: 10.56, 2.21-44.32). The participants who perceived avoiding social gathering as being extremely effective to curtail the pandemic were more likely to take this type of preventive behavior (OR, 95%CI: China: 3.79, 1.28-10.23; Korea: 6.18, 1.77-20.60; UK: 4.45, 1.63-11.63; USA: 4.34, 1.84-9.95). The associations between personal characteristics, living environment, psychological status, and preventive behaviors varied across different countries. Individuals who changed their behavior because of recommendations from doctors/public health officials were more likely to take preventive behaviors in many countries. CONCLUSIONS These findings suggest that higher perceived effectiveness may be a common factor to encourage preventive behaviors in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. These results may provide a better understanding of the homogeneity and heterogeneity of factors related to preventive behaviors and improve public health policies in various countries and groups.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Attitude to Health ; COVID-19/psychology* ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Female ; Hand Disinfection ; Health Behavior ; Humans ; Male ; Masks ; Middle Aged ; Physical Distancing ; SARS-CoV-2 ; Self Report ; Social Conformity ; Young Adult

Eruption as a dermatological disease is often localized, which is not fully explained by Western medicine. However, localization of eruption is interpreted in Kampo medicine according to meridian and collateral theo­ries, and here, we report two cases of successful treatment with Kampo medicine. Case 1 was of a 32-year-old woman who visited our clinic because of localized eruption around her mouth and was diagnosed with acne vulgaris. She was administered rikkunshito effectively. Case 2 was of a 37-year-old man who visited our clinic because of localized eruption in the anterior portion of the neck and was diagnosed with atopic dermatitis. He was administered shin'iseihaito effectively. Rikkunshito and shin'iseihaito are generally not adapted for dermatological diseases but were effective. After treatment we considered meridian and collateral theories. These two cases are depended on stomach meridian of foot-yangming and large intestine meridians of hand­-yangming, rikkunshito and shin'iseihaito were consisted of herbs concerning with spleen and lung meridians. Two cases were successfully treated through spleen meridian of greater yin and hand great yin lung meridian, which make exterior and interior with stomach meridian of foot-yangming and large intestine meridians of hand-yangming. Kampo medicine was effective for treating these diseases based on meridian and collateral theories.

Tokishakuyakusan is well-known to be useful in infertility. We report 3 cases of infertility that resulted in pregnancy and childbirth due to oral administration of tokishakuyakusan after being led to tokishakuyakusan pattern by symptomatic treatment resolving blood stasis or regulating qi. Case 1 was a 39-year-old woman with unexplained infertility. She visited our hospital because of irritability and was initially administered keishibukuryogankayokuinin and yokukansankachinpihange, and then tokishakuyakusan. After a month of treatment, she conceived. Case 2 was a 33-year-old woman who was diagnosed with ovarian dysfunction and received ovarian stimulation. To support infertility therapy she was administered keishibukuryogan, and subsequently, tokishakuyakusan based on her pattern. After 3 months of treatment, she conceived. Case 3 was a 37-year-old woman who was diagnosed with unexplained infertility and was administered kamishoyosan and hochuekkito for premenstrual syndrome at another hospital. She visited our hospital because of sensitivity to cold and fatigability. The previous treatment was discontinued, and she was administered tokishakuyakusan based on her pattern. After 2 months of treatment, she conceived. All 3 patients continued tokishakuyakusan treatment during pregnancy and successfully delivered live babies. These 3 cases initially received other Kampo medicines and then, tokishakuyakusan, according to the changed Kampo medical pattern. It is important to administer tokishakuyakusan to patients with infertility, following administration of appropriate Kampo medicine to correct their imbalance of qi, blood and fluid and after further confirming the abdominal signs suitable for tokishakuyakusan.

A 74-year-old woman presented to our clinic with a history of vascular-and stent-graft insertion for aortic dissection developed a tendency to bleed from a palmar wound due to chronic disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC). Initially, she sustained the palmar wound due to a fall. On the second day after the injury, she experienced continuous bleeding and consulted the orthopedic department of a general hospital, where her dressing was changed. On the third day after injury, she sought consultation at our clinic. The clot and wound remained intact even 12 days after the injury. Therefore, the clot was removed and the bleeding was stopped surgically. On the same day, 5 hours after the surgical treatment, the patient presented to our clinic because of continuous bleeding. She was then administered kyukikyogaito and kamikihito to stop the bleeding. Her laboratory findings revealed thrombocytopenia, and additional inspection was performed. The bleeding stopped on the next day. On the third day after administration, the bleeding remained controlled and an additional inspection revealed DIC. In the cardiology hospital, the cause of tendency to bleed of chronic DIC was pointed out as being due to a leakage at the end of the stent-graft. Kampo medicine was thought to be useful for temporal hemostasis for bleeding due to chronic DIC.