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Abstract Background In assessing the effects of smoking cessation on endothelial function, low-flow-mediated constriction (L-FMC) may provide complementary information to flow-mediated dilation (FMD). However, the value of flow-mediated total dilation (FMTD), an index that incorporates L-FMC into FMD, remains underreported. We aimed to evaluate the effect of smoking cessation on endothelial function, as assessed by FMD and FMTD, and clarify its associated clinical factors. Methods We enrolled 118 consecutive current smokers without previous coronary artery disease (72.9% were men; age: 59 ± 11 years) who underwent smoking cessation treatment. The clinical variables %FMD, %L-FMC, and %FMTD were examined before and 20 weeks after treatment initiation. A multivariate linear regression model was used to investigate the effects of smoking cessation on %FMD and %FMTD and the interaction between smoking cessation and baseline clinical variables. Results After 20 weeks, 85 smokers (69.4% were men; age: 59 ± 12 years) ceased smoking (abstainers), whereas 33 smokers (81.8% were men; age: 58 ± 11 years) did not (continued smokers). The estimated group differences (abstainers - continued smokers) in changes in the %FMD and %FMTD were 0.77% (95% confidence interval [CI], -0.22–1.77%; p = 0.129) and 1.17% (95% CI, 0.16–2.18%; p = 0.024), respectively. Smoking cessation-associated improvement in %FMTD was greater in women than in men (5.41% [95% CI, 3.15–7.67%] versus 0.24% [95% CI, -0.81–1.28%]; p-value for interaction,

Abstract Background Healthcare workers (HCWs) caring for patients with coronavirus disease‐2019 (COVID‐19) can experience physical and mental health burdens. It is imperative that hospitals reduce such burdens on frontline HCWs, protect them, and support their healthcare. This study aimed to investigate the association between occupation and the manifestation of physical or psychological symptoms among HCWs during the current COVID‐19 pandemic. Methods A twice‐weekly survey using questionnaires targeting HCWs who care for COVID‐19 patients was performed at Osaka Metropolitan University Hospital (tertiary hospital). The demographic characteristics of the participants, exposure level, and physical and psychological complaints were evaluated. Results Seventy‐one HCWs participated in this study, of whom 27 (38.0%) were doctors, 25 (35.2%) were nurses, and 19 (26.8%) were technicians. Among the HCWs, the proportions of those who experienced any physical or psychological symptoms were 28.2% and 31.0%, respectively. The frequency of depression and anxiety was obviously higher among the nurses than that among the doctors (both p

ABSTRACTExtended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing Enterobacteriaceae (ESBL-PE) bacteremia can have poor clinical outcomes. Thus, determining the predictors of mortality from ESBL-PE bacteremia is very important. The present systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to evaluate studies to determine predictors associated with ESBL-PE bacteremia mortality. We searched PubMed and Cochrane Library databases for all relevant publications from January 2000 to August 2022. The outcome measure was mortality rate. In this systematic review of 22 observational studies, 4607 patients with ESBL-PE bacteremia were evaluated, of whom 976 (21.2%) died. The meta-analysis showed that prior antimicrobial therapy (RR, 2.89; 95% CI, 1.22–6.85), neutropenia (RR, 5.58; 95% CI, 2.03–15.35), nosocomial infection (RR, 2.46; 95% CI, 1.22–4.95), rapidly fatal underlying disease (RR, 4.21; 95% CI, 2.19–8.08), respiratory tract infection (RR, 2.12; 95% CI, 1.33–3.36), Pitt bacteremia score (PBS) (per1) (RR, 1.35; 95% CI, 1.18–1.53), PBS ≥ 4 (RR, 4.02; 95% CI, 2.77–5.85), severe sepsis (RR, 11.74; 95% CI, 4.68–29.43), and severe sepsis or septic shock (RR, 4.19; 95% CI, 2.83–6.18) were found to be mortality predictors. Moreover, urinary tract infection (RR, 0.15; 95% CI, 0.04–0.57) and appropriate empirical therapy (RR, 0.39; 95% CI, 0.18–0.82) were found to be a protective factor against mortality. Patients with ESBL-PE bacteremia who have the aforementioned require prudent management for improved outcomes. This research will lead to better management and improvement of clinical outcomes of patients with bacteremia caused by ESBL-PE.

Background/purpose: Klebsiella pneumoniae bacteremia-induced sepsis is a clinically important condition with a high mortality rate and various known virulence factors. However, studies on the association of these virulence factors with the occurrence of K. pneumoniae bacteremia-induced sepsis are scarce. We aimed to investigate clinical variables and virulence factors in patients with K. pneumoniae bacteremia-induced sepsis. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 76 patients with K. pneumoniae bacteremia between January 2012 and July 2017. Patients were divided into sepsis (n = 25) and non-sepsis (n = 51) groups. Patient background characteristics, antimicrobial regimens, and prognosis were evaluated. We assessed the distribution of virulence factors related to K. pneumoniae, such as mucoviscosity, capsular polysaccharide, and siderophores. Siderophore production levels were determined by measuring the orange halo zone on chrome azurol S agar plate assay. Results: There were no intergroup differences in male-to-female ratio and age. Multivariable analysis revealed that siderophore production level (p

Background: Healthcare workers (HCWs) who manage patients with the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) are at an increased risk and fear of contracting the infection themselves. Hospitals must reduce both the physical and mental burden of HCWs on the front lines and ensure their safety. No prospective study has focused on the physical health complaints among HCWs engaged in the care of critically ill COVID-19 patients. This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of various physical symptoms experienced by HCWs following their exposure to COVID-19 patients and investigate the association between occupation and the manifestation of physical symptoms among HCWs at a tertiary hospital in Japan during the current ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: A twice-weekly questionnaire targeting HCWs who care for COVID-19 patients was performed at Osaka City University Hospital from April 30 to May 31, 2020. The demographic characteristics of the participants, frequency of exposure to at-risk care, and physical complaints were evaluated. Results: Seventy-six HCWs participated in this study, of whom 24 (31.6%) were doctors, 43 (56.6%) were nurses, and 9 (11.8%) were technicians. The frequency of experiencing any physical symptom was 25.0% among HCWs. Exposure to at-risk care was significantly higher among nurses than among doctors (p < 0.001). Notably, the frequency of physical symptoms among the nurses was very high at 39.5% and obviously higher than that of physical symptoms among the doctors (p < 0.01). Conclusions: Our results indicate that hospital occupational health care must be provided to HCWs who are engaged in the care of COVID-19 patients and are thus highly exposed to at-risk care.

Abstract Background After the A/H1N1 influenza pandemic in 2009, two new drugs against influenza, namely laninamivir and peramivir, were released in 2010 in Japan. We investigated prescription trends of four neuraminidase inhibitors (NAIs), which are laninamivir, peramivir, oseltamivir, and zanamivir, and assessed clinical data related to influenza for 8 years. Methods Patients living in Osaka Prefecture and diagnosed with influenza responded to a postcard questionnaire that collected data regarding their demographic characteristics, symptoms including fever, prescribed drugs, and influenza type. Results Laninamivir was most prescribed to patients aged ≥ 10 years, and oseltamivir was most prescribed to patients aged

Abstract Background A few Japanese cases of hypermucoviscous Klebsiella pneumoniae (K. pneumoniae) invasive syndrome have recently been reported. Although extrahepatic complications from bacteremic dissemination have been observed, infected aneurysms are rare. Furthermore, the primary source of infection is generally a liver abscess, and is rarely the prostate. Therefore, we report two atypical cases of hypermucoviscous K. pneumoniae invasive syndrome. Case presentation The first case was an 81-year-old Japanese man with no significant medical history, who was referred to our hospital for vision loss in his right eye. Contrast-enhanced whole-body computed tomography revealed abscesses in the liver and the prostate, and an infected left internal iliac artery aneurysm. Contrast-enhanced head magnetic resonance imaging revealed brain abscesses. Cultures of the liver abscess specimen and aqueous humor revealed K. pneumoniae with the hypermucoviscosity phenotype, which carried the magA gene (mucoviscosity-associated gene A) and the rmpA gene (regulator of mucoid phenotype A). We performed enucleation of the right eyeball, percutaneous transhepatic drainage, coil embolization of the aneurysm, and administered a 6-week course of antibiotic treatment. The second case was a 69-year-old Japanese man with diabetes mellitus, who was referred to our hospital with fever, pollakiuria, and pain on urination. Contrast-enhanced whole-body computed tomography revealed lung and prostate abscesses, but no liver abscesses. Contrast-enhanced head magnetic resonance imaging revealed brain abscesses. The sputum, urine, prostate abscess specimen, and aqueous humor cultures revealed K. pneumoniae with the hypermucoviscosity phenotype, which carried magA and rmpA. We performed enucleation of the left eyeball, percutaneous drainage of the prostate abscess, and administered a 5-week course of antibiotic treatment. Conclusions Hypermucoviscous K. pneumoniae can cause infected aneurysms, and the prostate can be the primary site of infection. We suggest that a diagnosis of hvKP invasive syndrome should be considered in all patients who present with K. pneumoniae infection and multiple organ abscesses.

Smoking is associated with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Varenicline, a nicotinic receptor partial agonist, is used to aid smoking cessation. The purpose of this study was to prospectively examine the long-term benefits of smoking cessation on GERD and health-related quality of life (HR-QOL).Patients treated with varenicline were asked to fill out a self-report questionnaire about their smoking habits, gastrointestinal symptoms, and HR-QOL before and 1 year after smoking cessation. The prevalence of GERD, frequency of symptoms, and HR-QOL scores were compared. We also investigated associations between clinical factors and newly-developed GERD.A total of 141 patients achieved smoking cessation (success group) and 50 did not (failure group) at 1 year after the treatment. The GERD improvement in the success group (43.9%) was significantly higher than that in the failure group (18.2%). The frequency of reflux symptoms significantly decreased only in the success group. There were no significant associations between newly developed GERD and clinical factors including increased body mass index and successful smoking cessation. HR-QOL significantly improved only in the success group.Smoking cessation improved both GERD and HR-QOL. Smoking cessation should be recommended for GERD patients.