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Arteriosclerosis leads to various serious diseases that substantially reduce the quality of life. When treating hypertension, it is important to evaluate the degree of arteriosclerosis. In recent years, the cardio-ankle vascular index and augmentation index have been frequently used as indicators of arterial wall sclerosis. However, the superiority of either the cardio-ankle vascular index or the augmentation index as an index of arteriosclerosis remains unclear. Therefore, the present study compared the usefulness of these two indices as an index of arteriosclerosis. Associations between the cardio-ankle vascular index or augmentation index and risk factors for arteriosclerosis and other indices of arteriosclerosis in 535 consecutive patients with essential hypertension were evaluated. The cardio-ankle vascular index was significantly correlated with age, hemoglobin A1c, brain natriuretic peptide, and estimated glomerular filtration rate. In contrast, the augmentation index showed significant correlations only with age, brain natriuretic peptide, and estimated glomerular filtration rate. In addition, these correlations with the augmentation index were generally weaker than those with the cardio-ankle vascular index. The cardio-ankle vascular index, but not the augmentation index, was significantly correlated with flow-mediated dilation, an index of vascular endothelial function, and carotid intima-media thickness, an index of carotid atherosclerosis. Similar results were observed in subgroups stratified by sex and age. These data indicate that the cardio-ankle vascular index is more closely associated with risk factors for arteriosclerosis and other indices of arteriosclerosis than the augmentation index, suggesting that the cardio-ankle vascular index may be superior to the augmentation index as an index of arteriosclerosis.

Purpose: Lithium (Li), which is extensively used in the treatment of mood disorders such as bipolar disorder, has been associated with hyperparathyroidism. However, the relationship between the serum Li concentration and hyperparathyroidism remains unclear. This study aimed (1) to investigate the incidence of hyperparathyroidism and hypercalcemia in consecutive patients treated with Li, (2) to assess the correlation between serum Li concentration and hyperparathyroidism/hypercalcemia, and (3) to establish cutoff values for predicting hyperparathyroidism and hypercalcemia based on serum Li concentration. Methods: This retrospective cross‐sectional study was conducted at the Department of Psychiatry and Department of Medicine at Tokyo Women’s Medical University. Ninety‐seven consecutive individuals without renal impairment and with an estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) equal to or greater than 45 mL/min/1.73 m 2 were included. Results: Hyperparathyroidism and hypercalcemia were observed in 35.1% and 9.3% of the patients on Li, respectively. The serum Li concentration showed a significant positive correlation with hyperparathyroidism and hypercalcemia, independent of other factors. The cutoff values for predicting hyperparathyroidism and hypercalcemia were 0.52 and 0.62 mEq/L, respectively. Conclusions: This study confirmed that the high incidence of hyperparathyroidism and hypercalcemia in patients treated with Li. Clinicians should be aware that Li treatment may induce hyperparathyroidism, and a serum Li concentration exceeding 0.52 mEq/L may pose an increased risk. Monitoring serum calcium and Li concentrations is recommended in patients undergoing Li treatment.

Abstract Context Cyclic Cushing syndrome is a rare variant of Cushing syndrome that demonstrates periodic cortisol excess. It has been thought that inhibition of a glucocorticoid positive-feedback loop is associated with remission of hypercortisolism in ACTH-dependent cyclic Cushing syndrome. However, the underlying mechanism that triggers the development of the hypercortisolism is still unknown. We observed a case of ACTH-dependent cyclic Cushing syndrome that was developed by exogenous glucocorticoids, possibly through a glucocorticoid positive-feedback loop. Case Description A 75-year-old woman had experienced cyclic ACTH and cortisol elevations six times in the previous 4 years. Her diagnosis was cyclic Cushing syndrome. During the hypercortisolemic phase, neither low-dose nor high-dose dexamethasone suppressed her plasma ACTH and cortisol levels. Daily metyrapone therapy decreased her plasma cortisol and ACTH levels during every hypercortisolemic phase. After the sixth remission of a hypercortisolemic phase, she took 25 mg of hydrocortisone for 4 weeks and developed ACTH-dependent hypercortisolemia. Treatment with 1 mg of dexamethasone gradually increased both plasma ACTH and cortisol levels over 2 weeks, resulting in the eighth hypercortisolemic phase. Treatment using a combination of dexamethasone and metyrapone did not increase plasma ACTH or cortisol level and successfully prevented development of ACTH-dependent hypercortisolism. Conclusion We present an interesting case of cyclic Cushing syndrome in which ACTH-dependent hypercortisolemic phases relapsed during exogenous glucocorticoid treatment. A glucocorticoid positive-feedback loop and endogenous glucocorticoid synthesis may play key roles in the periodicity of hypercortisolism in cyclic Cushing syndrome. We present a case of exogenous glucocorticoid-triggered ACTH-dependent cyclic Cushing syndrome and propose possible mechanisms for the periodicity of hypercortisolism.

Objective. Persistence of hyperparathyroidism (HPT) after renal transplantation leads to undesirable outcomes such as increase in cardiovascular events, graft dysfunction, and increased mortality. Options for therapy include medical management with calcimimetic or operative management. The present study was undertaken to evaluate the natural history of HPT after renal transplantation and to determine risk factors for persistent HPT in the era of calcimimetic. Design. The study is a retrospective review of data from 74 consecutive patients who underwent renal transplantation at our institution from April 2011 to November 2019. Methods. The natural history of HPT after renal transplantation and associations between intact parathyroid hormone (PTH) level after transplantation and clinical variables such as age, sex, duration of pretransplant dialysis, and use of calcimimetic before transplantation were evaluated. Results. Intact PTH decreased after renal transplantation in most of the patients without receiving parathyroidectomy. Known risk factors of persistent HPT did not associate with intact PTH level after renal transplantation in patients who had been receiving calcimimetic before transplantation. Conclusion. In conclusion, we have found that HPT after renal transplantation could be managed successfully by medical treatments. When predicting the prognosis of HPT after transplantation, pretransplant use of calcimimetic should be taken into consideration.

Although nesidioblastosis is the most common cause of hyperinsulinemic hypoglycemia in infants, it is rare in adults. Nesidioblastosis is pathologically characterized by diffuse neoformation of the islets of Langerhans islets from the pancreatic ductal epithelium and is a disease that does not exhibit neoplastic proliferation, unlike insulinoma. Hence, we present a rare case of adult-onset nesidioblastosis that caused repeated severe hypoglycemic symptoms and was cured by pancreatic resection twice, resulting in total pancreatectomy. A 37-year-old woman with the Whipple's triad visited our institution. In the fasting test, the plasma glucose level decreased and immunoreactive insulin levels increased after 12 h. No tumor was identified in the pancreas by imaging. A selective arterial calcium injection test revealed that step-up was detected only in the gastroduodenal artery. The patient underwent pancreatoduodenectomy with a diagnosis of adult-onset nesidioblastosis, with the pancreatic head region as the culprit. Pathological examination revealed neither tumorous islet cells nor an obvious increase in the number of islets. However, there were some isolated single insulin-producing cells in the pancreatic parenchyma, which could cause hyperinsulinemia and hypoglycemia. This patient was diagnosed with adult-onset nesidioblastosis. After the operation, the hypoglycemic symptoms improved, but 1 year later, the same symptoms recurred. The patient underwent remnant pancreatectomy and had no hypoglycemic symptoms for > 5 years after the second surgery.

Abstract Introduction: Renin-angiotensin system inhibitors have been reported to exert protective effects against organ damage and failure; however, the impact of the direct renin inhibitor as monotherapy has not been assessed. Here, we investigated the effects of 24-week monotherapy with aliskiren compared to amlodipine in hypertensive patients with type 2 diabetes or obesity. Methods: In this randomized intervention study, 62 adult hypertensive patients with visceral obesity (defined as a body mass index [BMI] greater than 25 kg/m2 and a visceral adipose tissue area [VFA] greater than 100 cm2) or type 2 diabetes mellitus (age 57 ± 13, 65% men, BMI 28.8 ± 4.8 kg/m2, VFA 134.8 ± 47.0 cm2, blood pressure 141 ± 16/86 ± 13 mm Hg) were randomized to receive 24-week treatment with aliskiren (max. 300 mg) or amlodipine (max. 10 mg). The primary outcome was the change in VFA at 24 weeks post-treatment. Results: Change in VFA did not differ significantly from baseline in either group. Systolic blood pressure significantly decreased at 12 weeks (−10 mm Hg, p = 0.001) and 24 weeks (−10 mm Hg, p = 0.001) in the amlodipine group and at 24 weeks (−11 mm Hg, p = 0.001) in the aliskiren group. Diastolic blood pressure significantly decreased at 24 weeks (−6 mm Hg, p = 0.009) only in the amlodipine group. Although the estimated glomerular filtration rates did not significantly change in either group, the logarithm of urinary albumin excretion significantly decreased at 24 weeks only in the aliskiren group (−0.60, p < 0.001). The 24-week changes in the urinary albumin excretion significantly correlated with the changes in the plasma renin activity in the aliskiren group (r = 0.51, p = 0.008). Conclusion: Aliskiren monotherapy did not show any superiority to amlodipine monotherapy on VFA, estimated glomerular filtration rates, or urinary albumin excretion in obese or type 2 diabetic hypertensive patients.

Abstract Context GH supplementation for GH deficiency (GHD) has been reported to decrease high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), an inflammatory marker; however, the association between GHD and hs-CRP remains unclear. Objective We aimed to clarify the impact of impaired GH secretion due to pituitary masses on hs-CRP levels. Methods We retrospectively examined the association between GH secretion, assessed using GH-releasing peptide-2, and serum hs-CRP levels before and a year after the pituitary surgery in patients with nonfunctioning pituitary neuroendocrine tumor or Rathke cleft cyst. Results Among 171 patients, 55 (32%) presented with severe GHD (peak GH response to GH-releasing peptide-2 < 9 ng/mL). Serum hs-CRP levels were significantly higher in patients with severe GHD than in those without (P < .001) and significantly correlated with the peak GH (r = −0.50, P < .001). Multiple regression analyses showed that the peak GH significantly and negatively predicted hs-CRP levels (β = −0.345; 95% CI, −0.533 to −0.158) and the lowest quartile of the peak GH (<5.04 ng/mL) were significantly associated with increase in hs-CRP levels (exp [β] = 1.840; 95% CI, 1.209 to 2.801), after controlling for other anterior hormones and metabolic parameters. Postoperative change in the peak GH (N = 60) significantly predicted change in hs-CRP levels (β = −0.391; 95% CI, −0.675 to −0.108), independent of alterations in other anterior hormones and metabolic parameters. Conclusion The inverse association between GH secretion and hs-CRP levels highlights the protective role of GH in the increase in hs-CRP.

Antithyroid drugs are generally selected as the first-line treatment for Graves' Disease (GD); however, the existence of patients showing resistance or severe side effects to these drugs is an important issue to be solved. The (pro)renin receptor [(P)RR] is a multi-functional protein that activates the tissue renin-angiotensin system and is an essential constituent of vacuolar H+-ATPase, necessary for the autophagy-lysosome pathway. (P)RR is cleaved to soluble (s)(P)RR, which reflects the status of (P)RR expression. In this retrospective study, we aimed to investigate whether serum s(P)RR concentration can be used as a biomarker to predict the outcome of antithyroid drug treatment in GD patients. Serum s(P)RR levels were measured in 54 untreated GD patients and 47 control participants. Effects of medical treatment with antithyroid drugs on these levels were investigated in GD patients. Serum s(P)RR levels were significantly higher in patients with Graves' disease than in control subjects (P<0.005) and were significantly reduced after medical treatment for Graves' disease. High serum s(P)RR levels were associated with resistance to antithyroid drug treatment, suggesting that serum s(P)RR concentration can be used as a useful biomarker to predict the outcome of antithyroid drug treatment in these patients. Patients with Graves' disease with low body mass index showed higher levels of serum soluble (pro)renin receptor levels than those with high body mass index. In addition, in patients with Graves' disease, serum triglyceride levels were negatively correlated with serum soluble (pro)renin receptor levels. All these data indicated an association between low nutrient condition due to hyperthyroidism and increased (pro)renin receptor expression in these patients, suggesting that (pro)renin receptor expression could be increased in the process of stimulating intracellular energy production via activating autophagy function to compensate energy loss.

Background Clostridium ramosum is a generally non-pathogenic enteric anaerobe, and Fournier’s gangrene is a rare necrotizing soft tissue infection with male predisposition affecting the perineum and the genital area. We report, to our knowledge, the first case of Fournier’s gangrene caused by C. ramosum in a female patient with multiple underlying conditions. Case presentation A 44-year-old woman with a 6-year history of insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus after total pancreatectomy and an 11-year history of central diabetes insipidus developed a pain in the genital area after a month of urinary catheter use. The lower abdominal pain worsened gradually over 2 weeks, and the pain, general fatigue, and loss of appetite prompted the patient’s hospital admission. As she had severe edema in her pelvic and bilateral femoral areas, ceftriaxone was started empirically after collecting two sets of blood cultures. On hospital day 2, CT examination revealed the presence of necrotizing faciitis in the genital and pelvic areas, and the antibiotics were changed to a combination of meropenem, vancomycin, and clindamycin. Gram-positive cocci and gram-positive rods were isolated from blood cultures, which were finally identified as Streptococcus constellatus and C. ramosum using superoxide dismutase and 16S rDNA sequencing. An emergent surgery was performed on hospital day 2 to remove the affected tissue. Despite undergoing debridement and receiving combined antimicrobial chemotherapies, the patient’s clinical improvement remained limited. The patient’s condition continued to deteriorate, and she eventually died on hospital day 8. In the present case, the underlying diabetes mellitus, urinary incontinence due to central diabetes insipidus, undernutrition, and edema served as the predisposing conditions. Conclusions C. ramosum is a potentially opportunistic pathogen among immunosuppressed persons and a rare cause of necrotizing fasciitis.

Thyroid storm is a life-threatening condition causing multiorgan failure, including liver dysfunction. Potassium iodide (KI) is one of the key drugs used to control thyroid hormone levels. While thionamides sometimes cause drug-induced liver injury (DILI), KI has not been reported to cause DILI. Herein, we report a case of likely KI-induced DILI during treatment for thyroid storm due to Graves disease. A 30-year-old man presented with thyrotoxicosis due to Graves disease, with hyperbilirubinemia and elevated liver transaminases. The patient was diagnosed with thyroid storm, and treatment was initiated with methimazole, KI, corticosteroids, and beta-blockers. Although the thyroid hormone levels improved during the treatment, total bilirubin levels increased to 32.4 mg/dL (SI: 553 µmol/L) (reference range, <1.2 mg/dL [SI: <20.5 µmol/L]). DILI was suspected, and methimazole was discontinued; however, bilirubin levels remained elevated. Plasma exchange also failed to improve the liver injury. After KI was discontinued, the bilirubin levels rapidly decreased. Lymphocyte transformation tests for methimazole and KI were negative and positive, respectively, confirming the diagnosis of KI-induced DILI. This case highlights that KI should be recognized as a potential cause of DILI in patients with KI therapy who present with abnormal liver function.