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Biomedical subjects

S Kusano

Publications and source records attributed to S Kusano.

At least 109 records · Page 6Linked to original sources
PubMed1995

Antihypertensive effect of levcromakalim in patients with essential hypertension. Study by 24-h ambulatory blood pressure monitoring.

Levcromakalim (BRL 38227, CAS 94535-50-9) is a new antihypertensive drug with vasodilator activity due to activation of potassium channels in vascular smooth muscle. In this study, we treated 14 patients with essential hypertension on an out-patient basis to investigate the antihypertensive effect of levcromakalim by 24-h blood pressure monitoring for a 12-weeks treatment period. Levcromakalim significantly lowered blood pressure for 24 h without affecting standard deviation, range of variation and pulse rate. When 24-h monitoring period was divided into daytime (6:00-22:00) and nighttime (22:30-5:30), there were no statistically significant differences in magnitude of fall in blood pressure at night between baseline and end of treatment values. Four patients (28.5%) reported 6 adverse events, including headache, facial hot flushes, oedema and floating feeling. All symptoms were mild or moderate. These data show that levcromakalim controls ambulatory blood pressure both in the daytime and nighttime without changing the circadian rhythm of blood pressure, and suggest that levcromakalim will be an efficacious and safe antihypertensive drug.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

Prediction of the time to peak hepatic enhancement to optimize contrast-enhanced spiral CT.

A technique for the prediction of the time to peak hepatic enhancement to optimize contrast-enhanced spiral CT has been developed. The procedures are (a) to inject a small amount of contrast medium rapidly via the antecubital vein and measure aortic transit time (ATT) of the bolus by single slice dynamic CT; (b) to inject contrast medium at a high rate, expecting peak hepatic enhancement to occur at ATT plus 8 seconds after the end of injection; (c) to perform spiral scanning of the liver using thin collimation and caudo-cranial table movement beginning at ATT after the end of contrast medium injection.

Aorta, Abdominal↗
PubMed1994

Double-contrast barium enema study with computed radiography: assessment in detection of colorectal polyps.

Feasibility and diagnostic performance of digital radiography in gastrointestinal imaging have not been fully investigated. We performed double-contrast barium enema study with computed radiography (CR-DCBE) on a routine basis, and the efficacy of this system for detection of colorectal polyps was investigated. The files of 76 patients, who had undergone both CR-DCBE and colonoscopy, were reviewed by two observers who were blinded to the colonoscopic findings. The radiation dose of CR-DCBE was reduced to 50% of conventional film-screen system. By using colonoscopic findings as a reference, the sensitivity and positive predictive value for colorectal polyps were 66% to 71% and 32% to 41%, respectively. There was no significant interobserver difference. The use of postprocessing with gray-scale reversal and edge enhancement did not significantly improve the results. The sensitivity for polyps smaller than 1 cm was comparable with published data of conventional film-screen systems. Our preliminary results show that CR-DCBE has an acceptable sensitivity for detection of colorectal polyps. It is suggested that the use of CR is a promising approach to digital gastrointestinal radiography.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

[Roxithromycin treatment in patients with chronic lower respiratory tract disease--its clinical efficacy and effect on cytokine].

We demonstrated the efficacy of "long term" roxithromycin (RXM) treatment in 15 patients with chronic lower respiratory tract disease (11 with diffuse panbronchiolitis and 4 with sinobronchial syndrome). (1) Fourteen (93.3%) of the 15 patients showed improvement when assessed by the comprehensive improvement score, and they showed significant improvements in PaO2 (74.2 +/- 10.4 Torr to 84.3 +/- 10.9 Torr, p < 0.01), %VC (86.9 +/- 20.2% to 96.0 +/- 21.9%, p < 0.001) and FEV1 (1.81 +/- 0.87 L to 2.14 +/- 1.08 L, p < 0.01) after RXM treatment. (2) Neutrophils accumulated in the pre-RXM treatment bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid and decreased in BAL fluid of patients responding to RXM treatment (49.8 +/- 28.3% to 17.1 +/- 15.7%, p < 0.01). Additionally, the levels of interleukin 1 beta and interleukin 8 were significantly higher in BAL fluid of these patients than those in the healthy volunteers (p < 0.025, p < 0.01 respectively), and correlated with the neutrophil accumulation (r = 0.619, p < 0.05). These cytokines showed a decrease after RXM treatment. These results indicated that RXM acts by reducing pulmonary inflammation through reduction of neutrophil migration to inflammatory sites, and is effective on chronic lower respiratory tract disease.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

Two-color analysis of lymphocyte subsets of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and peripheral blood in Japanese patients with sarcoidosis.

Analysis of T-cell surface markers was carried out in peripheral blood and bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid of Japanese patients with sarcoidosis to examine the influence of differing racial background. The subjects were 26 untreated patients in whom a diagnosis of active sarcoidosis had recently been established and 9 healthy volunteers, and two-color immunofluorescence analysis was performed. CD3+HLA-DR+ cells, CD4+HLA-DR+ cells, and CD4+CD29+ cells in peripheral blood and BAL fluid were significantly increased in the patients compared with the healthy volunteers, and the mean percentages increased in parallel with the extent of the radiologic stage. The percentage of CD3+HLF-DR+ cells in peripheral blood and lavage fluid also significantly correlated with serum activity of angiotensin-converting enzyme (r = 0.69, p < 0.001; r = 0.61, p < 0.001, respectively). Thus, the evaluation of these antigens' expression is an important clinical approach for the staging of the disease. However, no significant differences were found in CD3+CD25+, CD4+CD45RA+, or CD8+CD11+ cells in either peripheral blood or BAL fluid between the patients and volunteers. Our results indicated that in Japanese patients with sarcoidosis, circulating T cells are activated but CD25+ cells are not increased in peripheral blood and BAL fluid, but there is not a significant association with racial background.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

[Detection and localization of multiple metastases from differentiated thyroid carcinoma with 99mTc-MIBI whole body scintigraphy: a case report].

A 79-year-old male with a history of total thyroidectomy due to follicular thyroid carcinoma developed multiple metastases in the lung, bone, and lymph nodes. In order to detect and localize every metastases, 99mTc-MIBI whole body scintigraphy was performed, and clearly depicted all metastatic lesions except tiny pulmonary nodules. 99mTc-MIBI whole body scintigraphy may be useful in detecting metastases from differentiated thyroid carcinoma, because of a good quality of scintigram and no need of patient preparation. This article is the first report on 99mTc-MIBI localization in multiple metastases from differentiated thyroid carcinoma.

Adenocarcinoma, Follicular↗
PubMed1994

[Thyroid scintigraphy in patients with thyroid tumors using 99mTc-hexakis 2-methoxy isobutyl isonitrile].

Early and delayed thyroid scintigraphy with 99mTc-hexakis 2-methoxy isobutyl isonitrile (99mTc-MIBI) was performed in 18 patients with thyroid tumor, including 8 with papillary carcinoma, 1 each with follicular carcinoma, anaplastic carcinoma, and malignant lymphoma, and 7 with thyroid adenoma. Scintigrams obtained were compared with those taken with other radionuclides. In all 11 patients with malignant tumors, increased 99mTc-MIBI uptake was noted in the tumors on early images, although anaplastic carcinoma and malignant lymphoma had mild uptake. On delayed images, 99mTc-MIBI washout was noted in 45.4% (5/11). In one patient with extensive cervical lymph node metastasis, 99mTc-MIBI concentration was evident in the metastatic foci. In the 4 where, the thyroid adenoma consisted mainly of cystic degeneration, a focal defect was noted, but two of the three patients whose thyroid adenoma consisted mainly of a solid component had an intense tracer uptake in the tumors on early and delayed images. In conclusion, there were increased 99mTc-MIBI accumulations in all of the 14 solid thyroid tumors. The quality of 99mTc-MIBI scintigraphic images of thyroid tumors was equal or slightly superior to that taken with 201Tl scintigraphy. 99mTc-MIBI thyroid scintigraphy may be useful in detecting a solid thyroid tumor and its metastasis, although it cannot be used to differentiate between benign and malignant tumors.

Adenocarcinoma, Follicular↗
PubMed1994

Partial splenic embolization with Y-shaped silicone particles.

We have developed an embolizing material consisting of Y-shaped silicone particles for partial splenic embolization. Wide spaces for blood flow are left around the particles when these are lodged in arterial branches. We embolized one kidney in each of 3 dogs with the particles and observed a slowly induced occlusion of renal arterial branches during one month. The particles were also used for partial splenic embolization in 14 patients. The average portion of infarcted spleen tissue 7 days after embolization was 51% calculated from CT images. In 6 patients who had CT both 2 and 7 days after embolization, the average rate of splenic infarction increased from 29% at 2 days to 60% at 7 days. Our patients required analgesics for only 2.3 days on average. The Y-shaped silicone particles by slowly occluding splenic arterial branches produce ischemia in a gradual fashion which may minimize the pain after embolization.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1994

[Differential diagnosis between osseous metastasis and degenerative joint disease of the vertebrae by bone SPECT: analysis by accumulation pattern].

To find whether or not bone SPECT can differentiate osseous metastasis from degenerative joint disease (DJD) of the vertebrae, 43 patients with increased vertebral uptake on bone scan, including 25 lesions with bone metastasis, 24 with DJD, and 4 with compression fractures due to osteoporosis, underwent bone planar scanning and SPECT. Increased accumulation in the vertebral lesions on bone SPECT transaxial images was classified into five accumulation patterns; mosaic, large hot, diffuse, peripheral and articular pattern. Mosaic, large hot and diffuse patterns were more frequently noted in patients with osseous metastasis (82%, 67% and 62%, respectively). On the other hand, 80% of the lesions with peripheral pattern and 70% of those with articular pattern were ascribed to DJD. In conclusion, bone SPECT provided much better anatomic information on the extent of 99mTc-MDP. Differential diagnosis between osseous metastasis and DJD of the vertebrae may be improved by bone SPECT.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1994

[Association between diffuse panbronchiolitis and HTLV-I infection].

To determine whether HTLV-I infection is associated with diffuse panbronchiolitis (DPB), we investigated T-cell surface markers of peripheral blood and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) in 9 healthy volunteers, 6 HTLV-I seronegative DPB patients (HTLV-I(-)DPB) and 8 HTLV-I seropositive DPB patients (HTLV-I(+)DPB). In peripheral blood, no significant difference was observed between HTLV-I(-)DBP and healthy volunteers. However, in BALF, HTLV-I(-)DPB showed a significant decrease of the CD4/CD8 ratio and an increase of CD8+HLA-DR+ cells compared with healthy volunteers. CD3+CD25+ and CD4+HLA-DR+ cells in peripheral blood were significantly increased in HTLV-I(+)DPB compared with those in HTLV-I(-)DPB. No significant difference was observed in BALF cells between HTLV-I(-) and HTLV-I(+)DPB with the exception of CD3+CD25+ cells. The most striking result was a marked elevation of CD3+CD25+ cells in 2 of 8 HTLV-I seropositive patients. Microscopic findings of open lung biopsy specimens obtained from the 2 patients differed from the typical microscopic findings in DPB. From these findings, we consider that HTLV-I infection may be associated with pulmonary lesions like DPB, but of a different, pathologically distinct, type.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

Depressor effect of intraventricular administration of calcium on spontaneously hypertensive rats.

The role of central Ca2+ in the regulation of blood pressure (BP) was investigated in conscious spontaneously hypertensive (SHR) and Wistar-Kyoto rats (WKY). Ten microliters of a high Ca2+ solution (Ca2+: 32.6 mM) administered intracerebroventricularly (i.c.v.) decreased the mean arterial pressure (MAP) for more than 20 min in SHR (n = 7, P < 0.005), while no change of MAP was observed in the WKY (n = 6). This depressor response to Ca2+ i.c.v. was dose-dependent at Ca2+ concentrations between 16.3 and 65.2 mM. We also investigated the effect of high Ca2+ i.c.v. in SHR after pretreatment with Ca2+ channel blockers, diltiazem (60 micrograms/10 microliters) or nisoldipine (4, 8, 16 and 32 micrograms/10 microliters), administered i.c.v., the autonomic ganglion blocker, hexamethonium (50 mg/kg), administered i.v. and alpha-methyl-p-tyrosine (100 and 400 micrograms/10 microliters) delivered i.c.v. Pretreatment with i.c.v. diltiazem (n = 8) or nisoldipine (n = 5 for 8 micrograms, n = 6 for 4, 16, 32 micrograms) abolished and/or blunted the decrease of MAP due to high Ca2+. Hexamethonium administered i.v. (n = 6) also canceled the depressor action of i.c.v. Ca2+. Pretreatment with 100 micrograms of i.c.v. alpha-methyl-p-tyrosine could not prevent the depressor action of i.c.v. Ca2+; however, 400 micrograms of alpha-methyl-p-tyrosine administered i.c.v. abolished the effect of i.c.v. Ca2+. Furthermore Ca2+ channel blockers administered i.c.v. in themselves increased MAP in SHR (P < 0.05). These results suggest that central Ca2+ is involved in the central regulation of BP in SHR. This effect may be mediated through changes in sympathetic activity.

Animals↗
PubMed1993

Augmented central pressor action of magnesium in SHR.

This study attempted to determine whether central magnesium (Mg) influences the regulation of blood pressure (BP). An intracerebroventricular (icv) injection of a high Mg2+ solution (190.0 mEq/L, 10 microL), made by adding MgC12 to artificial cerebrospinal fluid, increased the mean BP in both conscious spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR; n = 17, p < 0.001) and Wistar Kyoto rats (WKY; n = 8, p < 0.005). Spontaneously hypertensive rats showed a greater pressor response than WKY (+11.7 +/- 0.9 mm Hg versus +3.5 +/- 1.1 mm Hg, p < 0.001). This pressor response to Mg2+ given icv was dose-dependent in the range of Mg2+ concentration between 47.5 and 190.0 mEq/L in SHR. A high Mg2+ solution (190.0 mEq/L), made by adding MgSO4 given icv, also increased the mean BP in SHR (n = 7, p < 0.001) and WKY (n = 6, p < 0.01), whereas the high osmolarity solution (340 mOsm/kg H2O) given icv did not change the mean BP in either SHR or WKY. Also administered was a high Mg2+ solution icv after either hexamethonium bromide (Hx; 50 mg/kg intravenously) or arginine vasopressin antagonist (aAVP, (CH2)5Tyr(Me)AVP, 30 micrograms/kg i.v.). The pressor response to the high Mg2+ solution was abolished by arginine vasopressin antagonist both in SHR and WKY, although it was not canceled by Hx. A high Mg2+ solution administered icv caused a 3.5-fold increase in plasma arginine vasopressin concentration in SHR (n = 5, p < 0.001).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals↗
PubMed1993

[Effect of erythromycin on neutrophil adhesion molecules].

The mechanisms of erythromycin (EM) in chronic lower respiratory tract diseases including diffuse panbronchiolitis (DPB) has been reported. In this study we investigated the effect of EM on peripheral neutrophil adhesion molecules such as LFA-1 and Mac-1 obtained from six healthy subjects. Pretreatment of neutrophils with each concentration (10 ng/ml approximately 100 micrograms/ml) of EM resulted in no significant reduction in the expression of LFA-1 alpha, beta and Mac-1. Moreover, EM had no capability of reducing these expressions even when neutrophils were pretreated with 1 microgram/ml of EM at time from 0 to 60 min. These findings indicate that EM does not directly reduce the expression of LFA-1 alpha, beta and Mac-1 on peripheral neutrophil obtained from healthy subjects.

Adult↗