Reference values for the locomotive syndrome risk test quantifying mobility of 8681 adults aged 20–89 years: A cross-sectional nationwide study in Japan

Background The locomotive syndrome risk test was developed to quantify the decrease in mobility among adults, which could eventually lead to disability. The purpose of this study was to establish reference values for the locomotive syndrome risk test for adults and investigate the influence of age and sex. Methods We analyzed 8681 independent community dwellers (3607 men, 5074 women). Data pertaining to locomotive syndrome risk test (the two-step test, the stand-up test, and the 25-question geriatric locomotive function scale [GLFS-25]) scores were collected from seven administrative areas of Japan. Results The reference values of the three test scores were generated and all three test scores gradually decreased among young-to-middle-aged individuals and rapidly decreased in individuals aged over 60 years. The stand-up test score began decreasing significantly from the age of 30 years. The trajectories of decrease in the two-step test score with age was slightly different between men and women especially among the middle-aged individuals. The two physical test scores were more sensitive to aging than the self-reported test score. Conclusion The reference values generated in this study could be employed to determine whether an individual has mobility comparable to independent community dwellers of the same age and sex

A Method for Detecting Street Parking Using Dashboard Camera Videos

In recent years, street parking in prohibited areas has become a social problem, especially in urban and tourist areas. In addition, because street parking can cause traffic congestion and accidents, real-time detection is required. The detection of street parking has been previously implemented on the basis of comparisons of videos recorded by fixed-point cameras. However, this approach has a limited detection area and low accuracy. To overcome these problems, this study aims towards a real-time street parking detection system that uses dashboard camera videos. We propose a machine learning method based on the characteristics of on-street parked vehicles derived by transforming images into text. The object detection model YOLOv3 was used to analyze videos. We created a dataset based on the coordinate information of 1765 vehicles and the recording vehicle information. We also created a model using random forest and logistic regression algorithms and evaluated it using the holdout and stratified 5-fold validation methods. F-measure values of up to 92% and 89% were obtained for the two types of model, respectively. These results confirm the effectiveness of the proposed street parking detection method based on bounding boxes and recording vehicle data

Comparison of the Estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate (eGFR) in Diabetic Patients, Non-Diabetic Patients and Living Kidney Donors

Background/Aims: We have reported that the eGFR overestimates renal function when glycemic control is poor. It has been reported that eGFR calculated by serum creatinine underestimates GFR in living kidney donors. We compared the utility of the eGFR in diabetic patients, non-diabetic patients and living kidney donors. Forty diabetic patients, 40 non-diabetic patients, and 40 living kidney donors were enrolled. Methods: GFR was measured by inulin clearance (Cin). eGFR was calculated based on serum creatinine (eGFRcr) or serum cystatin C (eGFRcys). We compared the agreements between each of the eGFR and Cin in each group. Results: There were significant and positive correlations between each eGFR and Cin in diabetic patients and non-diabetic patients. However, the intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) between each eGFR and Cin in diabetic patients (ICC: eGFRcr 0.699, eGFRcys 0.604) were weaker than those in non-diabetic patients (ICC: eGFRcr 0.865, eGFRcys 0.803). The correlation coefficients between each eGFR and Cin (eGFRcr; r = 0.422, p = 0.0067 and eGFRcys; r = 0.358, p = 0.0522) in living kidney donors were significantly weaker than those in non-diabetic patients. The ICCs between each eGFR and Cin (ICC: eGFRcr 0.340, eGFRcys 0.345) in living kidney donors were significantly weaker than those in non-diabetic patients. Conclusions: Based on Cin, eGFR was accurate in non-diabetic patients. However, eGFR was inaccurate in living kidney donors and relatively inaccurate in diabetic patients

Relationship Between Serum Uric Acid Levels and Intrarenal Hemodynamic Parameters

Background/Aims: Hyperuricemia has been reported to affect renal hemodynamics in rat models. We evaluate the relationship between serum uric acid and intrarenal hemodynamic parameters in humans, utilizing the plasma clearance of para-aminohippurate (CPAH ) and inulin (Cin). Methods: Renal and glomerular hemodynamics were assessed by simultaneous measurement of CPAH and Cin in 58 subjects. Of these, 19 subjects were planned to provide a kidney for transplantation; 26 had diabetes without proteinuria; and 13 had mild proteinuria. Renal and glomerular hemodynamics were calculated using Gomez`s formulae. Results: Cin was more than 60 ml/min/1.73m2 in all subjects. Serum uric acid levels correlated significantly with vascular resistance at the afferent arteriole (Ra) (r = 0.354, p = 0.006) but not with that of the efferent arteriole (Re). Serum uric acid levels (β = 0.581, p = a after adjustment for several confounders (R2 = 0.518, p = Conclusions: These findings suggest, for the first time in humans, that higher serum uric acid levels are associated significantly with Ra in subjects with Cin > 60 ml/min/1.73m2. The increase in Ra in subjects with higher uric acid levels may be related to dysfunction of glomerular perfusion

Prospective randomized comparison of effect on coronary endothelial and renal function between febuxostat and benzbromarone in hyperuricemic patients with coronary artery disease: EFEF study

Abstract Background and Aims There are two types of serum uric acid‐lowering agents, the xanthine oxidoreductase (XO) inhibitor and non‐XO inhibitor. We investigated whether febuxostat, XO inhibitor, could produce more favorable effects on coronary endothelial function (CEF) and renal function than benzbromarone, non‐XO inhibitor, in hyperuricemic coronary artery disease (CAD) patients. Methods We divided 21 hyperuricemic patients with stenting for left anterior descending (LAD) or left circumflex (LCX) artery into patients started on febuxostat (F group) and those on benzbromarone (B group). After 8 months, all patients underwent CEF evaluations (acetylcholine provocation test) and optical coherence tomography (OCT) for non‐culprit vessels (e.g. if patients received LAD stenting, we evaluated LCX). We compared the diameter ratio induced by acetylcholine and baseline (CEF ratio), thin‐cap fibroatheroma and calcified plaque by OCT, uric acid, oxidative stress biomarkers, and renal function including estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) between F and B groups. Creatinine 2 days after stenting was measured to evaluate contrast‐induced nephropathy (CIN). Results Change of eGFR was significantly lower in F group (n= 11) than B group over 8 months while the other parameters including CEF ratio were similar. F group showed favorable effects for CIN. Conclusion In conclusion, 8‐months of febuxostat, XO inhibitor, does not significantly protect CEF but can protect the renal function including CIN in hyperuricemic patients with CAD compared to benzbromarone, non‐XO inhibitor

Temporal Change in Renoprotective Effect of Tolvaptan on Patients with Heart Failure: AURORA Study

(1) Background: It has been reported that tolvaptan (TLV) has a renoprotective effect in acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF) patients, but whether this effect is continued for a long time is unclear. Thus, we evaluated the time course of the renoprotective effect of TLV, in addition to the prognosis, in ADHF patients. (2) Methods: We investigated 911 ADHF patients from the AURORA (Acute Heart Failure Registry in Osaka Rosai Hospital) registry. After propensity score matching, 58 patients who started to receive TLV at least two days after the hospitalization (TLV group) and 58 who did not (non-TLV group) were examined. We compared the changes in the creatinine (Cr) and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) between baseline and each time point (five days, discharge, and one year) as the index of the renoprotective effect, and rate of rehospitalizations and all-cause mortality for one year between the two groups. (3) Results: The change in Cr and eGFR levels was significantly higher in the TLV group than the non-TLV group five days after admission but the difference between the two groups gradually diminished. A Kaplan–Meier analysis showed that the survival and rehospitalization rates in the TLV and non-TLV groups were similar up to one year. (4) TLV revealed a temporal change in the renoprotective effect, which may be correlated with no long-term beneficial effect of TLV