A Longitudinal SPECT Study of Different Patterns of Regional Cerebral Blood Flow in Alzheimer's Disease with or without Diabetes

Aims: To determine the effect of diabetes mellitus (DM) on regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) patterns in patients with Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Methods: We investigated the initial rCBF of 71 AD patients (36 without DM and 35 with DM) and the final rCBF of 23 AD patients (12 without DM and 11 with DM) after an average of 32 months. Single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) data were analyzed by statistical brain imaging. Results: The initial SPECT showed that AD patients without DM had lower rCBF in the left and right inferior temporal gyri than AD patients with DM. A follow-up SPECT demonstrated that rCBF decreased in more widespread regions, including the parietal, temporal, frontal, and limbic lobes, in AD patients without than with DM. Conclusion: This study suggests that functional brain abnormalities in AD differ depending on the DM status at baseline and during follow-up, reflecting neuropathologic differences

The lectin‐like domain of thrombomodulin is a drug candidate for both prophylaxis and treatment of liver ischemia and reperfusion injury in mice

Ischemia and reperfusion injury (IRI) can occur in any tissue or organ. With respect to liver transplantation, the liver grafts from donors by definition experience transient ischemia and subsequent blood reflow. IRI is a problem not only in organ transplantation but also in cases of thrombosis or circulatory disorders such as mesenteric ischemia, myocardial, or cerebral infarction. We have reported that recombinant human soluble thrombomodulin (rTM), which is currently used in Japan to treat disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC), has a protective effect and suppresses liver IRI in mice. However, rTM may not be fully safe to use in humans because of its inherent anticoagulant activity. In the present study, we used a mouse liver IRI model to explore the possibility that the isolated lectin-like domain of rTM (rTMD1), which has no anticoagulant activity, could be effective as a therapeutic modality for IRI. Our results indicated that rTMD1 could suppress ischemia and reperfusion-induced liver damage in a dose-dependent manner without concern of associated hemorrhage. Surprisingly, rTMD1 suppressed the liver damage even after IR insult had occurred. Taken together, we conclude that rTMD1 may be a candidate drug for prevention of and therapy for human liver IRI without the possible risk of hemorrhage

Management of Occluded Metallic Stents in Malignant Hilar Biliary Stricture

Background/Aims: Little is known about the management of occluded multiple metallic stent (MS) deployed in malignant hilar biliary strictures (HBS). The purpose of this study was to evaluate the endoscopic management of occluded multiple MSs deployed in HBS. Methodology: Fifty-five patients with unresectable biliary tract carcinoma had multiple MSs inserted due to HBS. The endoscopic intervention through the duodenal papilla was performed on 30 cases that had MS occlusion. The procedure success rate, the survival time after the procedure and the number of endoscopic interventions before death were analyzed, retrospectively. Results: The causes of MS obstruction were tissue ingrowth (n=20), sludge (n=7), tumor overgrowth (n=2), and hemobilia (n=1). Endoscopic cleaning or deployment of plastic stents or metallic stents was performed on these patients and was successfully accomplished only via the transpapillary approach. The survival time after MS obstruction was 219 days. The median number of endoscopic interventions before death was 3. The median interval of endoscopic intervention after the first plastic stent occlusion was 84 days. Conclusions: Our long-term data regarding the endoscopic management of occluded MSs deployed in malignant hilar biliary strictures are acceptable although the patency time of plastic stents deployed after MS occlusion was relatively short

Monitoring of CA19-9 and SPan-1 can facilitate the earlier confirmation of progressing pancreatic cancer during chemotherapy

Background: Measurement of objective response to chemotherapy using imaging modalities is sometimes difficult in pancreatic cancer (PC). We aimed to verify whether monitoring of serum tumor markers (TMs), namely carcinoembryonic antigen, CA19-9, DUPAN-2, SPan-1, can facilitate earlier confirmation of treatment failure. Methods: Monitoring of serum TMs and computed tomography were performed every 4 weeks until progression of disease in 90 patients with PC undergoing gemcitabine therapy. In Group A (January 2006 October 2007), we analyzed the fluctuation rates of TMs with high pretreatment positive rates, and defined the criteria of progressive disease under TM monitoring (TM-PD). In Group B (November 2007 October 2008), we calculated the time to progression (TTP) under this TM-PD criteria, which was compared with the UP under the RECIST criteria. Results: CA19-9 and SPan-1 had the highest pretreatment positive rates: 83% and 90%, respectively. In Group A (CA19-9, n = 38; SPan-1, n = 36), TM-PD criteria were defined as follows: fluctuation rates were >25% for a month or >= 10% for 2 consecutive months in CA19-9, and >= 10% for a month in SPan-1. In Group B (CA19-9, n = 18; SPan-1, n = 17), under these criteria, one-month earlier confirmation of treatment failure was feasible in 61% by CA19-9 and 59% by SPan-1. Furthermore, the combination could facilitate this determination in 72% (35/49), significantly better than CA19-9 alone (P = 0.004). Conclusion: Monitoring of serum CA19-9 and Span-1 is helpful for earlier confirmation of treatment failure during gemcitabine therapy in PC

Field Effect of Alcohol, Cigarette Smoking, and Their Cessation on the Development of Multiple Dysplastic Lesions and Squamous Cell Carcinoma: A Long-term Multicenter Cohort Study

[Background and Aims] Multiple developments of squamous dysplasia and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) in the upper aerodigestive tract have been explained by field cancerization phenomenon and were associated with alcohol and cigarette use. Second primary SCC development after curative treatment impairs patients’ quality of life and survival; however, how these consumption and cessation affect field cancerization is still unknown. [Methods] This is a multicenter cohort study including 331 patients with superficial esophageal SCC (ESCC) treated endoscopically and pooled data from 1022 healthy subjects for comparison. Physiological condition in the background esophageal mucosa was classified into 3 groups based on the number of Lugol-voiding lesions (LVLs) per endoscopic view: grade A, 0; grade B, 1–9; or grade C, ≥10 LVLs. Lifestyle surveys were conducted using a self-administered questionnaire. Patients were counseled on the need for alcohol and smoking cessation by physicians and were endoscopically surveyed every 6 months. [Results] LVL grades were positively associated with alcohol drinking intensity, flushing reactions, smoking, and high-temperature food and were negatively associated with eating green and yellow vegetables and fruit. Second primary ESCC and head/neck SCC were significantly more prevalent in the grade C LVL (cumulative 5-y incidences 47.1%, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 38.0–57.2 and 13.3%, 95% CI = 8.1–21.5, respectively). Alcohol and smoking cessation significantly reduced the development of second primary ESCC (adjusted hazard ratios 0.47, 95% = CI 0.26–0.85 and 0.49, 95% CI = 0.26–0.91, respectively). [Conclusion] Alcohol drinking, smoking, flushing reaction, and high-temperature food were closely associated with field cancerization, and cessation of alcohol and smoking significantly reduced the risk of development of second primary cancer. UMIN Clinical Trials Registry ID:UMIN000001676

マウス肝虚血再灌流障害におけるガレクチン-9の保護効果

京都大学0048新制・課程博士博士(医学)甲第20251号医博第4210号新制||医||1020(附属図書館)京都大学大学院医学研究科医学専攻(主査)教授 妹尾 浩, 教授 湊谷 謙司, 教授 江藤 浩之学位規則第4条第1項該当Doctor of Medical ScienceKyoto UniversityDFA