All issues
Predecessor
Volume 40, Issue 1
Displaying 1-19 of 19 articles from this issue
- |<
- <
- 1
- >
- >|
-
Masahiro Shigeta, Akira Homma2003 Volume 40 Issue 1 Pages 1-6
Published: January 25, 2003
Released on J-STAGE: March 02, 2011
JOURNAL FREE ACCESSDownload PDF (1323K) -
Hiroaki Matsubara2003 Volume 40 Issue 1 Pages 7-14
Published: January 25, 2003
Released on J-STAGE: March 02, 2011
JOURNAL FREE ACCESS -
Asao Hirano2003 Volume 40 Issue 1 Pages 15-18
Published: January 25, 2003
Released on J-STAGE: February 24, 2011
JOURNAL FREE ACCESSDownload PDF (3132K) -
Kozo Matsubayashi2003 Volume 40 Issue 1 Pages 19-21
Published: January 25, 2003
Released on J-STAGE: February 24, 2011
JOURNAL FREE ACCESSDownload PDF (304K) -
Hiroyuki Arai2003 Volume 40 Issue 1 Pages 22-26
Published: January 25, 2003
Released on J-STAGE: February 24, 2011
JOURNAL FREE ACCESSElderly people are concerned about changes in their cognitive functioning. Since cholinergic therapies for Alzheimer's disease have been developed and become widely accepted, elderly people have come to visit clinics to seek medical advice about whether such a subtle change in cognitive ability may represent an early manifestation of Alzheimer's disease (AD). If they are likely to develop dementia or AD, they want to receive immediate medical treatment as soon as possible to prevent further loss of cognitive functioning so that they can live independently as long as possible. The first priority in the clinical application of a biomarker is that biomarker should contribute to early diagnosis of dementia. Among such biomarkers, we believe that cerebrospinal fluid markers and functional brain imaging are clinically the most applicable procedures. Since 1993, we have collected 623 cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples at The Tohoku University Hospital for evaluation of dementia (age: 42-93). We found that CSF/phospho-tau measures produced the most adequate sensitivity (85.2%) and specificity (85.0%) in the diagnosis of AD as a sole bio-marker. The CSF levels of Aβ1-42 showed a strong positive correlation with the Mini-mental state examination score and brain glucose metabolism by positron emission tomography. The baseline levels of both total-tau and phospho-tau in CSF increased in approximately 70% of patients with mild cognitive impairment who later developed AD, suggesting that pathological change in the brain might start years before dementia becomes clinically manifested. A combined use of CSF-tau and IMP-SPECT improved the predictability of the transition from mild cognitive impairment into AD.View full abstractDownload PDF (770K) -
Mikio Shoji2003 Volume 40 Issue 1 Pages 27-29
Published: January 25, 2003
Released on J-STAGE: February 24, 2011
JOURNAL FREE ACCESS -
Yoshio Namba2003 Volume 40 Issue 1 Pages 30-31
Published: January 25, 2003
Released on J-STAGE: February 24, 2011
JOURNAL FREE ACCESSDownload PDF (373K) -
Akihiko Takashima2003 Volume 40 Issue 1 Pages 32-35
Published: January 25, 2003
Released on J-STAGE: February 24, 2011
JOURNAL FREE ACCESSDownload PDF (2689K) -
Takako Niikura, Yuichi Hashimoto, Hirohisa Tajima, Yuko Ito, Ikuo Nish ...2003 Volume 40 Issue 1 Pages 36-40
Published: January 25, 2003
Released on J-STAGE: February 24, 2011
JOURNAL FREE ACCESSNeuronal cell death accounts for the clinical manifestations in Alzheimer's disease (AD). To establish the curative therapy of AD, neuroprotection is one of the primary therapeutic targets, and the elucidation of the mechanism of neuronal cell death is mandatory. Detailed characterization of neuronal cell death caused by familial AD (FAD)-linked mutant genes revealed that different cell death pathways are evoked by different types of mutants. Humanin (HN), a newly identified neuroprotective peptide, suppresses neuronal cell death caused by all known FAD mutants and Aβ, while it has no effect on neuronal cell death caused by AD-irrelevant insults. The functional target of HN is the antagonism to neuronal death, not the modulation of Aβ production, suggesting that HN-based medication can be combined with other remedies targeting Aβ. HN is a promising seed for a novel therapy aiming at complete cure of AD through the suppression of neuronal loss.View full abstractDownload PDF (2181K) -
Hiroshi Fujimaki, Yutaka Kasuya, Shino Kagami, Sachiko Kawaguchi, Shir ...2003 Volume 40 Issue 1 Pages 41-46
Published: January 25, 2003
Released on J-STAGE: February 24, 2011
JOURNAL FREE ACCESSThe aim of the present study is to clarify relevant factors concerning acceptance of dialysis therapy in elderly patients with chronic renal failure.
Patients with advanced renal failure aged 60 years and over (152 cases) were investigated. The male/female ratio was 85: 67. The age was 76±7 years (mean±standard deviation). The proportion of patients with acceptance of dialysis to patients with non-acceptance was 121:31.
In all patients, the cause of renal failure (non-diabetes/diabetes), serum albumin level, comorbid conditions, ambulation, cognitive function, marital status, and presence of younger cohabitants were surveyed. The patients were divided into two groups for each category. Patients were categorized as the young-old (aged 60 to 74 years) and the old-old (aged 75 years and over) . Serum albumin level was categorized as either low (less than 3.5g/dl) or normal (3.5g/dl and over). The number of patients who accepted dialysis therapy was evaluated for each group. Intergroup comparisons were carried out by the X2 test. Statistically significant factors were age (p<0.0001), serum albumin level (p=0.016), ambulation (p=0.011), cognitive function (p<0.0001), and marital status (p=0.009).
Multivariant logistic regression analysis was also performed using background factors as explanatory variables and acceptance or non-acceptance of dialysis therapy as a dependent variable. The factors presented by the nominal scale were converted to dummy variables. Statistically significant factors were age (p<0.0001) and cognitive function (p<0.0001). Serum albumin level, ambulation, and marital status were significant only in the X2 test. This could be explained by the close correlations of these factors with age and cognitive function.
The old-old category and poor cognitive function were dominant factors with regard to non-acceptance of dialysis therapy.View full abstractDownload PDF (930K) -
Yoshiharu Yokokawa, Ichiro Kai, Yayoi Usui, Fumitoshi Kosoda, Taiki Fu ...2003 Volume 40 Issue 1 Pages 47-52
Published: January 25, 2003
Released on J-STAGE: February 24, 2011
JOURNAL FREE ACCESSThe purpose of this study was to determine the effects of a fall prevention program for old-old elderly in a rural community in Japan.
The subjects were 71 inhabitants aged 75 and over who used community health and welfare services such as day services and social activity classes. They were divided into two groups: 34 in the experimental group, and 37 controls. Physical therapists and care staff instructed the experimental group in fall prevention exercises once per two weeks from December 2000 to March 2001. The control group utilized the usual services without any special instructions. All subjects were evaluated by physical performance tests and a self-administered questionnaire before and after 4 months following the intervention. Collected data were analyzed by two-way ANOVA using intervention and time as independent variables, and physical performance tests as dependent variables.
Twenty-three of the experimental group and 26 of the control group completed both baseline and follow-up surveys. There were no significant differences in physical ability between the two groups at the time of the baseline survey. The experimental group showed excellent compliance and participated in all sessions during the intervention period. Interaction effects on body mass index and Timed Up and Go Test were shown to be significant (F=5.623, P<0.01; F=6.541, P<0.05). There were no changes in terms of other physical and psychological factors.
Our results showed specific exercises could improve some aspects of physical performance. Since the group exercise program can be effective for old-old elderly, it might contribute to decreasing falls and prolong independent living.View full abstractDownload PDF (1027K) -
Michiya Igase, Mie Kobayashi, Katsuhiko Kohara, Tetsurou Miki2003 Volume 40 Issue 1 Pages 53-57
Published: January 25, 2003
Released on J-STAGE: February 24, 2011
JOURNAL FREE ACCESSWith the rapid aging of Japan's population, medical professionals who specialize in geriatric medicine are in unprecedented demand. At Ehime University School of Medicine, the Department of Geriatric Medicine was established on April 1, 1997. To assess the status of geriatric medicine in undergraduate education, we surveyed the opinions of medical students on geriatric medicine. A questionnaire was sent to both fourth-year medical students before their classes on internal medicine and geriatric medicine had ended and to sixth-year medical students after their classes had already ended. Medical students of Ehime University School of Medicine had significantly more interest in geriatric medicine than students at other medical schools. From a clinical viewpoint of problems in old age, they considered that cerebrovascular disease, cardiovascular disorders, neurocognitive disorders and pulmonary disease were important. A total of 60% agreed that all medical schools should have classes in geriatric medicine, which is a higher rate than that of previous reports. To study the opinions of medical students on textbooks on geriatrics, we also conducted a questionnaire among medical students. Although 90% of students had their own textbooks of internal medicine and almost half (42%) had textbooks on physical examination, none had their own textbook of geriatric medicine. The most frequent reason was “hard to choose the best textbook”. The present study indicates that to develop education in geriatric medicine, it is important to make a recommendable text book for medical students, which is easily understood with high quality and originality.View full abstractDownload PDF (758K) -
Taichi Akisaki, Akinori Yamaguchi, Shinichirou Nishikawa, Masahito Kas ...2003 Volume 40 Issue 1 Pages 58-61
Published: January 25, 2003
Released on J-STAGE: February 24, 2011
JOURNAL FREE ACCESSWe report our experience with five cases of acute hemorrhagic rectal ulcer in aged patients. The patients included two men and three women whose ages ranged from 73 to 86 with a mean of 79.6. All cases had underlying disorders, including cerebral vascular disease, fracture of the fibula, senile dementia, chronic rheumatoid arthritis, or were recuperating from a cardiovascular operation. All cases were in bed rest and complained of sudden anal bleeding without pain. Endoscopic examination showed rectal ulcer localized in the lower rectum close to the dentate line. Four cases were treated by HSE injection and ligation by clipping devices with endoscopy and one case was surgically ligated by a transanal approach. All cases had good outcomes. Emergency colonoscopic examination is considered essential for the diagnosis and treatment of acute hemorrhagic rectal ulcers, especially in aged patients with severe underlying disorders.View full abstractDownload PDF (2441K) -
Makoto Saito, Yuji Hara, Yuji Shigematsu, Tomoaki Ohtsuka, Hideyuki Sa ...2003 Volume 40 Issue 1 Pages 62-64
Published: January 25, 2003
Released on J-STAGE: February 24, 2011
JOURNAL FREE ACCESSA 72-year-old woman who had idiopathic interstitial pneumonia was admitted due to general fatigue. Echocardiography revealed asymmetric septal hypertrophy and systolic anterior movement of the mitral valve. In addition, Doppler echocardiography revealed a pressure gradient of 52mmHg in the left ventricular outflow tract. Hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy was diagnosed. Because she had a respiratory disease, she was treated with cibenzoline instead of beta-blockers. After treatment her pressure gradient decreased to 10mmHg, but respiratory symptom remained unchanged. This finding suggests that cibenzoline is useful for patients with hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy complicated with respiratory disease.View full abstractDownload PDF (2404K) -
Katsuhiko Takauchi, Hidekazu Kono, Tatsuya Ito, Kazuo Zaima, Satoshi O ...2003 Volume 40 Issue 1 Pages 65-68
Published: January 25, 2003
Released on J-STAGE: February 24, 2011
JOURNAL FREE ACCESSA 65-year-old woman was admitted due to epigastralgia. The presence of a tumor mass in the umbilical portion of the liver was recognized by abdominal ultrasonography and computed tomography scan. Needle biopsy of the tumor showed non Hodgkin's lymphoma (diffuse large B cell type) by histology and histoimmunology. She was treated by the THP-COP protocol, and complete remission was achieved after the third cycle.
Primary hepatic lymphoma is so infrequent that standard treatments are not established yet. Most cases of primary hepatic lymphoma are treated by surgical resection in Japan; however our conservative approach to remission is considered as very helpful for discussing how to treat primary hepatic lymphoma.View full abstractDownload PDF (4049K) -
2003 Volume 40 Issue 1 Pages 69-75
Published: January 25, 2003
Released on J-STAGE: February 24, 2011
JOURNAL FREE ACCESSDownload PDF (1559K) -
2003 Volume 40 Issue 1 Pages 75-76
Published: January 25, 2003
Released on J-STAGE: February 24, 2011
JOURNAL FREE ACCESSDownload PDF (416K) -
2003 Volume 40 Issue 1 Pages 77a
Published: 2003
Released on J-STAGE: March 02, 2011
JOURNAL FREE ACCESSDownload PDF (74K) -
2003 Volume 40 Issue 1 Pages 77b
Published: 2003
Released on J-STAGE: March 02, 2011
JOURNAL FREE ACCESSDownload PDF (74K)
- |<
- <
- 1
- >
- >|