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Haruhito Kikuchi

Publications and source records attributed to Haruhito Kikuchi.

12 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2005

Assessment of tailor-made prevention of atherosclerosis with folic acid supplementation: randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trials in each MTHFR C677T genotype.

This study aimed at assessing the effect of folic acid supplementation quantitatively in each MTHFR C677T genotype and considered the efficiency of tailor-made prevention of atherosclerosis. Study design was genotype-stratified, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trials. The setting was a Japanese company in the chemical industry. Subjects were 203 healthy men after exclusion of those who took folic acid or drugs known to effect folic acid metabolism. Intervention was folic acid 1 mg/day p.o. for 3 months. The primary endpoint was plasma total homocysteine level (tHcy). In all three genotypes, there were significant tHcy decreases. The greatest decrease was in the TT homozygote [6.61 (3.47-9.76) micromol/l] compared with other genotypes [CC: 2.59 (1.81-3.36), CT: 2.64 (2.16-3.13)], and there was a significant trend between the mutated allele number and the decrease. The tHcy were significantly lowered in all the genotypes, but the amount of the decrease differed significantly in each genotype, which was observed at both 1 and 3 months. Using these time-series data, the largest benefit obtained by the TT homozygote was appraised as 2.4 times compared with the CC homozygote. Taking into account the high allele frequency of this SNP, this quantitative assessment should be useful when considering tailor-made prevention of atherosclerosis with folic acid.

Alleles↗
PubMed2005

Off-pump coronary artery bypass attenuates transient hepatocellular damage after myocardial revascularization.

OBJECTIVE: Cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) affects hepatocellular integrity and occasionally results in liver dysfunction after cardiac surgery. Performing coronary artery bypass graft surgery without CPB may help to reduce the risk of this complication and better preserve perioperative liver function. This study compared perioperative hepatocellular damage in patients undergoing on-pump and off-pump bypass surgery. DESIGN: Prospective study. SETTING: University hospital. PARTICIPANTS: Patients scheduled for elective on-pump (n = 21) and off-pump (n = 17) coronary artery bypass surgery. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Liver function was assessed by serum levels of alcohol dehydrogenase (AD) and alpha-glutathione S-transferase (alpha-GST), which serve as more sensitive indices of hepatocellular injury than do conventional transaminases. Arterial blood was sampled at 6 stages: after induction of anesthesia (baseline); at the end of CPB in the on-pump group or on completion of the last distal anastomosis in the off-pump group; at the end of surgery; and 6 hours, 12 hours, and 24 hours after the end of anesthesia. The off-pump patients showed significantly lower increases in serum AD and alpha-GST levels than did the on-pump group. AD and alpha-GST values increased in the on-pump patients after the initiation of CPB and peaked at the end of surgery, with a return to baseline at 12 hours and 24 hours after the end of anesthesia. No clinically relevant liver dysfunction was observed in either group. CONCLUSIONS: CPB induced transient subclinical hepatocellular damage, whereas off-pump revascularization attenuated this damage.

Aged↗
PubMed2005

[Consulting work performed by the hospital laboratory. The usefulness of the Laboratory Information Office in Keio University Hospital].

To establish a consultation office for handling questions from physicians and other hospital staff is one way to provide laboratory information for effective utilization of laboratory data. Here I introduce the basis of our Laboratory Information Office in Keio University Hospital. A full-time specialized, technologist is stationed in the office. She answers inquiries using a computer database, informs physicians of abnormal laboratory findings and maintains information exhibited on the web site of the clinical laboratory in the intranet of our hospital. The number of consultations is about 280 per month. The most common area of inquiry that of immuno-serology. Cooperation between the technologist and the clinical pathologists makes it possible to respond more efficiently to the inquiries, and in the future could lead to more useful consultations with clinical physicians. In the future, mutual communication between laboratory consultation offices could be arranged to share knowledge. Also, direct consultation with patients concerning laboratory examinations should be considered, though this may be difficult to implement.

Clinical Laboratory Information Systems↗
PubMed2005

[Analysis of small dense LDL in patients with type 2 diabetic mellitus by the modified Krauss method using an internal standard].

In patients with Type 2 diabetes mellitus (Type 2 DM), the relationship between the prevalence rate of small dense LDL (sdLDL) and parameters of lipid metabolism was analyzed using the method devised by modified Krauss method using apoferritin as an internal standard. The prevalence rate of sdLDL was 34% compared with it of normal subjects in this study. When the severity of Type 2 DM was classified into three groups of the HbA1c value, neither the sdLDL size nor its prevalence rate differed significantly depending upon the severity of the Type 2 DM. Also, when the prevalence rate of sdLDL was analyzed in relation to the severity of complications, i.e., of microangiopathy (retinopathy and nephropathy) or macroangiopathy (cerebral infarction), there was no significant difference in the prevalence rate of sdLDL depending on the severity of any of these complications. On the other hand, the prevalence rate of sdLDL was found to be correlated with the serum TG level. The serum level of TG-rich remnants (metabolites of TG) was also high in patients with sdLDL. It should take notice that the assessment of sdLDL should be used the authorized method for the evaluation. Thus it is concluded that the levels of sdLDL were important in evaluation of Type 2 DM. The prevalence rate of sdLDL did not correlate with the severity, nor the modalities for the complications of Type 2 DM.

Aged↗
PubMed2004

[Tumor markers of urinary tract carcinoma].

The tumor markers for malignant tumors arisen from urinary system including prostate cancer were reviewed. As for renal cell carcinoma there was no good marker used in routine test level at present. In the diagnosis of urothelial (transitional cell) carcinoma, mainly bladder cancer, 3 methods (urinary BTA, NMP22 and BFP) are used now in Japan. They all seem to be not fully sufficient in respect of the specificity. In foreign countries, new tests such as urinary telomerase and BLCA-4 are used and have been evaluated. On the diagnosis of prostate cancer, serum total PSA is well established and used. Various PSA relation markers have been advocated for the differentiation between benign prostate hypertrophy and carcinoma in so called "gray zone" level of total PSA. In methods based on the molecular forms of PSA, the ratio of free PSA to total PSA (f/T) is widely use, and proPSA is a test that is expected. Other approaches such as volume of index PSA, age specific PSA reference range and PSA velocity are also in practical application. Human glandular kallikrein 2, which belong to the human kallikrein family as well as PSA, is expected as a tumor specific marker.

Antigens, Neoplasm↗
PubMed2004

[Urinary pH].

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

Humans↗
PubMed2003

Alport syndrome-like basement membrane changes in Frasier syndrome: an electron microscopy study.

Frasier syndrome (FS) is a rare disease characterized by male pseudohermaphroditism and slowly progressing nephropathy. FS originates from heterozygous mutation in the intron 9 splicing donor site of Wilms' tumor suppressor gene (WT1). Focal segmental glomerular sclerosis is common in FS, but there have not been so many detailed pathologic investigations. The authors examined the kidneys of 3 patients with FS. The results showed that nephropathy started as mesangial proliferative glomerulonephritis, and later a concomitant focal segmental lesion developed. In all cases, electron microscopy results showed widespread thinning, splitting, and lamellation of the glomerular basement membrane, which mimicked hereditary nephritis. Throughout adulthood, WT1 protein expresses on glomerular podocytes. Recent reports described that podocytes expressing WT1 play an important role in maintaining the glomerular basement membrane. Hereditary nephritis-like glomerular basement membrane findings in FS suggest that one of the important functions of podocytes is to form and maintain the glomerular basement membrane.

Basement Membrane↗
PubMed2003

Hemophagocytic syndrome associated with fulminant hepatitis A: a case report.

A 37-year-old man had a sore throat and pyrexia since January 1999. He was treated at a nearby hospital, but not improved. Jaundice was indicated there, and the patient was referred transferred to our hospital, where he was admitted for treatment with a diagnosis of severe acute hepatitis with acute renal failure. Thereafter the patient was revealed to have had a past history of heavy drinking, and he underwent the treatment with a diagnosis of acute fulminant hepatitis due to hepatitis A virus (HAV). He showed a tendency toward improvement. During the course, however, viral associated hemophagocytic syndrome (VAHS) developed. Various treatments were conducted, but it was not improved, and the patient died on Hospital Day 66. On pathologic autopsy, remarkable hepatosplenomegaly associated with marked bone marrow abnormalities compatible with VAHS was observed. Aspergillus abscesses were also observed in many organs, and they were considered as an adverse reaction to potent immunosuppressive therapy. Since there have been only a few reports on HAV-related VAHS, discussing VAHS related to HAV, the present case was considered valuable.

Adult↗
PubMed2003

[Effective cooperation between clinical physicians and laboratory consultation division].

With the increase in clinical examination items, and with the specialization of clinical medicine, physicians' requests for consultations on laboratory medicine is getting more evident. However, at present in many hospitals laboratory staff do not always make appropriate answers to the questions from physicians in various fields because the laboratories are divided in terms of examination fields. In our hospital, we established a consultation division responding to every inquiry from clinical staff with a full-time technologist. At present the division is functioning very well, suggesting that laboratory technologists must build close relations with clinical staff and that the technologist's task is very diverse, not confined to just analyzing samples.

Clinical Laboratory Information Systems↗
PubMed2002

[Study of genotype frequencies of ANP 664G/A polymorphism in normal subjects and CVD patients, and its association with plasma ANP levels].

Atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) plays a crucial role in regulating body fluid volume and blood pressure, by promoting natriuresis and vasodilatation and by inhibiting the renin-angiotensin system. Plasma levels of ANP are elevated in heart failure and hypertension, and ANP is thus believed to be involved in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular disorders. Previous case-control studies have shown that a single nucleotide polymorphism in the first exon of ANP gene, 664G/A, is associated with a risk of cerebrovascular disease (CVD) in white populations. Plasma ANP levels, however, were not evaluated in these studies in relation to the 664G/A, although the nucleotide substitution causes an amino-acid change in the propeptide of ANP. In this study, we analyzed the genotype frequencies of the 664G/A in Japanese patients with CVD (n = 199) and age- and gender-matched control subjects(n = 176). Genotypes with the 664A allele in the Japanese control subjects (G/A and A/A 12.5%) were apparently more frequent compared to the published frequency of the white control population (G/A and A/A 6.6%, p = 0.0437). Genotypes with the 664A allele, however, were not significantly different between our CVD patients(15.1%) and controls (12.5% p = 0.4714). In the control group (n = 137), the mean plasma ANP levels were not different between the 664G/G (15.7 +/- 10.7 pg/ml) and 664G/A genotypes (15.6 +/- 6.8 pg/ml, p = 0.9708). These results suggest that there is a racial difference in the allele frequency of 664G/A, and that this polymorphism may not be a major risk factor for CVD in the Japanese, nor is it a major determinant of plasma ANP level.

Atrial Natriuretic Factor↗