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Yoshiko Kawabe

Publications and source records attributed to Yoshiko Kawabe.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

Social course patterns of urban dwellers with tuberculosis under fragile living conditions in Tokyo, Japan.

BACKGROUND: People under fragile-living conditions show a high rate of interruption of tuberculosis treatment. We examined the social courses of fragile-living urban dwellers with tuberculosis without customary and regular access to a conventional residence and investigated the factors associated with interruption of treatment. METHODS: One hundred and nineteen tuberculosis patients without customary and regular access to a conventional residence who were discharged from a hospital with the largest number of tuberculosis beds in Tokyo between January 1998 and October 2000 were followed up. The associations between demographic, social, and clinical characteristics and interruption of treatment were examined. RESULTS: The subjects (mean age, 51.2 years) were followed up for a median of 342 days. The percentage of cases of interruption of treatment during inpatient care among patients with alcohol problems (56%) was significantly higher than that among patients without such problems (11%). The proportion of cases of interruption of treatment during outpatient care among patients who were literally homeless before admission (40%) was significantly higher than that in others (5%), and that among those who used transient hostels after the initial inpatient treatment (55%) was significantly higher than that in others (4%). The prevalence of drug resistance was higher in cases with than without a history of tuberculosis treatment (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Factors associated with interruption of tuberculosis treatment in patients under fragile-living conditions were identified. Interruption during inpatient care was significantly associated with alcohol problems, and interruption during outpatient care was significantly associated with the use of transient hostels.

Adult↗
PubMed2006

[Case of pulmonary mycobacterium avium complex disease, showing hypersensitivity pneumonitis-like diffuse shadow].

A 59-year-old man who had just completed therapy for tuberculosis, fell down in sauna and was admitted to a hospital. As acid-fast bacilli were positive (Gaffky 2) in sputum and residual cavity was shown in the right upper lobe on chest X-ray, he was transferred to our hospital. In spite of starting antituberculous chemotherapy, small nodular shadows appeared diffusely and were changed into ground-glass appearance on chest X-ray. The trans-bronchial-lung-biopsy revealed alveolitis mainly composed of lymphocyte infiltration with non-caseous epithelioid cell granulomas and organization which are likely to appear in hypersensitivity pneumonitis. As the acid-fast bacilli were identified as Mycobacterium avium, clarithromycin and kanamycin were added to the chemotherapy, but no improvement was observed in clinical feature. Corticosteroid therapy was further added and clinical feature improved immediately. Although we did not examine the presence of Mycobacterium avium in the water of sauna bath, we suspected this case as Hot Tub Lung based on clinical features and the response to treatment.

Alveolitis, Extrinsic Allergic↗
PubMed2006

[Tuberculosis complicated with liver cirrhosis].

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study is to examine the clinical characteristics of tuberculous patients complicated with liver cirrhosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 44 patients (39 males and 5 females) admitted to Tokyo National Hospital since 1991 till 2005 were analysed. RESULTS: Eighteen patients died and liver failure was the leading cause of death (N = 10). Hepatitis C viral infection (N = 17), and excessive alcohol consumption (N = 13) were the major causes of liver cirrhosis. Twenty five patients followed-up for more than 3 months were further selected for the detailed analyses. Multi-drug combination chemotherapy including isoniazid, rifampicin and ethambutol was administered in 22 patients. Adverse effects were seen in 20 patients. The numbers of patients with leukopenia, thrombocytopenia and hyperbilirubinemia were 10, 9 and 3, respectively. They recovered following the alteration of chemotherapeutic regimen or drug desensitization. CONCLUSION: Tuberculous patients with liver cirrhosis are characterized with higher mortality rate and higher frequency of adverse effects of antituberculous chemotherapy. Multi-drug combination regimen could be tolerable under adequate surveillance of side effects even in the situation of preexisting liver dysfunction.

Adult↗
PubMed2005

[Tuberculosis and human rights].

Tuberculosis (TB) patients must be hospitalized while the smear of sputum is positive because TB spreads through air. Cooperation of a patient is important in order to complete the treatment of TB. However, a small number of patients are noncooperative for the treatment and may sometimes refuse it. At this symposium, we discussed about whether we could restrict the human rights of noncooperative TB patients. Although the patients' human rights must be protected, we also have to protect the human rights of people who may receive TB infection. The balance of the both people's rights is fully considered in the TB control policy. It is epoch-making that the TB society took up the theme about the human rights' restriction of TB patients. Five speakers presented their papers from each position. There were presentations about the scientific evidence of isolation, the actual cases, the situation of the United States, and the legal view on the human rights' restriction of TB patients. The present situation and the legal problems in Japan became clear at this symposium. We need further discussion about the human rights' restriction of TB patients for the revision of the Tuberculosis Protection Act and have to obtain the national consensus on it. 1. The evidence for isolation: Emiko TOYODA (International Medical Center of Japan) To determine appropriate periods of respiratory isolation, available biological, clinical, and epidemiological issues and data were studied. Although absolute lack of infectiousness requires consecutive culture negative and it takes too long and impractical periods. There seems to be no established evidence for noncontagiousness after 2 to 3 weeks effective treatment. Practically conversion to 3 negative consecutive smear results may used as a surrogate for noninfectiousness, even though a small risk of transmission still be present. Chemical isolation has been more important and administration with DOT should be indicated to keep compliance. 2. Discontinued hospitalization in tuberculosis patient: Yoshiko KAWABE (National Hospital Organization Tokyo National Hospital) We investigated the background of tuberculosis patients who entered our hospital in 11 years from 1993 to 2003 and discontinued hospitalization. Out of 4,126 cases 76 cases (1.8 %) discontinued hospitalization. We classify three groups. One is self discharged group who leaved hospital without permission. Second is obligatory discharged group who were displaced for some trouble. Third is transferred group who were transferred to another hospital including mental hospital that have ward for tuberculosis. Major reasons were drinking during hospitalization, violence, roam because of dementia and major backgrounds were repeatedly noncompliant patients, homeless people, and suffering from senile dementia. We concluded we need some legal intervention for few cases who cannot continue hospitalization. 3. Tuberculosis control policy and human rights in public health center: Keiko FUJIWARA (Infection Diseases Control Division, Public Health Bureau, City of Yokohama) It is required for a success of the tuberculosis control policy to consider human rights. Patients' human rights should be respected, and surrounding people's human rights should also be respected. We sometimes see a tuberculosis patient who cannot continue tuberculosis treatment. A society as a whole has to share the recognition of tuberculosis as a social illness. The completion of tuberculosis treatment is not only the benefit of individual, but also it is very important as social defense. When we revise the tuberculosis control policy, we should think about both protecting a society from tuberculosis and protecting tuberculosis patients' human rights and obtain national consensus. 4. The mandatory TB control policy in the US: Hidenori MASUYAMA (Shibuya Dispensary, Japan Anti-TB Association) The mandatory TB control policy in the US was discussed. If the mandatory health policy would be applied, the following three criteria of human rights must be satisfied. 1. The health of others will be adversely affected without a mandatory program. 2. The mandatory program is the least restrictive alternative. 3. The mandatory program is implemented equitably without purposeful bias. For example, the mandatory DOT could not satisfy these criteria. Before applying the mandatory TB control policy in Japan, the TB patient's autonomy and social cooperation of TB therapy need to be considered. 5. Tuberculosis and guarantee of human rights: Shigeru TAKAHASHI (Graduate School of Law, Hitotsubashi University) In modern administrative Law the relations between Governments and peoples are regarded not as the facing relationships between Governments and the peoples, who submit to the interventions by Government, but as the triangle relationships between Governments, the peoples who submit to the interventions by Governments and the peoples who enjoy benefits from the interventions by Governments. When we make a new design of the Tuberculosis Protection Act, we must at first take considerations of the human rights of the tuberculosis patients from the view points of due Process of Law. And we must also take considerations of the human rights of the peoples who are threatened with the risks of tuberculosis infection.

Adult↗
PubMed2005

[Capsular polysaccharide antibodies after pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccination in patients with chronic respiratory disease].

We investigated the antibody response to a 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (23PSV), in 151 patients (average age: 70 years old) with chronic respiratory disease. Serotype-specific IgG antibodies to 4 pneumococcal capsular polysaccharides (6B, 14, 19F, and 23F) were analyzed by ELISA before, and one month after, 23PSV vaccination in all patients. Patients showed a significant increase in specific IgG levels to Streptococcus pneumoniae after 23PSV vaccination (5.5 times-20.9 times). Even patients aged over 80, patients with respiratory failure, and patients receiving corticosteroid therapy developed a significant immunologic response to 23PSV. Local pain or induration occurred in 9.1-14.3% and fatigue or chills occurred in 0.7-6.5% of patients. All adverse reactions disappeared in 2 or 3 days and there was no severe adverse events. Further studies are needed to confirm the exact protective antibody level and to examine the decline of antibody level after vaccination.

Aged↗
PubMed2005

[Usefulness of support during treatment by alignment with health centers and DOT during hospitalization].

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the effectiveness of patient support by alignment with public health centers and DOT during hospitalization, on treatment completion of tuberculosis patients. SUBJECTS: Four hundred seventy-seven patients (male 344, female 133) newly admitted from July 1, 2002 to June 30, 2003 to our hospital were enrolled in the study. METHOD: The patients were divided into two groups: one comprised of the patients who were discussed in the conference held by the hospital staffs and the regional public health center staffs about the necessity of support for continuing treatment regularly after discharge from our hospital (Conference (+) group; N=306), and the other who were not discussed in the conference (Conference (-) group; N=171). The Conference (+) group was further divided into two groups: One comprised of the patients who were regarded to need support after discharge (Support (+) group; N=106), and the other no need of support after discharge (Support (-) group; N=200). The patients' characteristics and backgrounds were compared between the Conference (+) and the Conference (-) groups, and between the Support (+) and the Support (-) groups. The rate of treatment completion and of default were compared between the Conference (+) and the Conference (-) group, and between the Support (+) and the Support (-) group. They were also compared between the patients with and without DOT for a month during hospitalization, and between the patients who were treated for the first time (new case) and those who had been treated previously (retreated case) or who had been treated when they were admitted to our hospital and continued treatment after admission (continuous cases). RESULTS: There is no significant differences in patients' characteristics and backgrounds between the Conference (+) and Conference (-) groups, but the ratios of male, sputum-culture positivity, far advanced lesions on chest X-ray, hypoalbuminemia, and disemployment were higher in Support (+) group than in Support (-) group. The overall (N=477) treatment outcomes were as follows: cured (defined by sputum-culture negativity at completion of chemotherapy) 300 (62.9%), completed (defined by no sputum data at completion of chemotherapy) 90 (18.9%), failed 5 (1.0%), defaulted 6 (1.3%), transfer out 6 (1.3%) and death 70 (14.7%). Therefore, the ratio of treatment success (defined by cured+completed) was 390/477 (81.8%). Because of more died cases in Conference (-) groups, treatment success rate was significantly higher in the Conference (+) groups than in the Conference (-) groups. There were no significant differences in the rate of treatment success and of default between the Support (+) and the Support (-) groups, but no defaulter case was seen in the Support (+) group. There were no differences in the rate of treatment success and of default between the groups with and without DOT for a month during hospitalization. There were no differences in the rate of treatment success and of default between the groups with the retreated and continuously treated cases and the new cases. CONSIDERATIONS: Treatment success rate was excellent in our study. DOT for a month during hospitalization didn't affect the improvement of treatment success after discharge, partly because the education on tuberculosis treatment was sufficiently done for most patients during hospitalization and a nurse made a telephone call to the patient who didn't attend the outpatient department of the hospital. CONCLUSIONS: To hold conference with regional public health center is effective for completion of tuberculosis treatment.

Aged↗
PubMed2005

[A case of malignant mesothelioma showing rapid progression during one month].

A 57-year-old man with massive right pleural effusion was admitted to our hospital. Thoracoscopy revealed, fine granulations and small nodules scattered on the parietal pleura. Biopsy specimens suggested malignant mesothelioma. We performed thoracoscopy again one month later under general anesthesia to make a definitive diagnosis. At that time, the parietal pleura was covered with a large tumor and malignant mesothelioma was diagnosed by biopsy. We could find early pleural lesions of malignant mesothelioma in thoracoscopy. While we managed to make a definitive diagnosis, the tumor progressed rapidly during one month. If malignant pleural mesothelioma is suspected, it is necessary to make all efforts, including surgical biopsy, to diagnose during the early stage of disease.

Biopsy↗
PubMed2005

[Coexistence of lung cancer and active pulmonary mycobacteriosis].

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study is to clarify the clinical and pathological anatomical picture of cases in which lung cancer and active pulmonary mycobacteriosis are intermingled in the same lobe of the lung. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We analyzed clinicopathological data on 11 cases in which lung cancer and active pulmonary mycobacteriosis are intermingled in the same lung lobe out of 61 admitted cases of coexisting lung cancer and active pulmonary mycobacteriosis, encountered at National Hospital Organization Tokyo National Hospital during the period from 1991 to 2003. RESULTS: The subjects were 10 men and 1 woman, with a mean age of 68 years. The species of mycobacteriosis were M. tuberculosis in 6 and nontuberculous mycobacteriosis in 5 (M. avium disease and M. abscessus disease in 2 each, and M. kansasii disease in 1). The frequency of the mixture was 13% (6/45) in patients with lung cancer and tuberculosis and was 31% (5/16) in patients with lung cancer and nontuberculous mycobacteriosis. Radiographic findings revealed that both cancer shadows and mycobacteriosis shadows are identified in 8 of the 11 patients, whereas cancer shadows were recognized but mycobacteriosis shadows could not be pointed out in the remaining 3 patients. We divided 7 cases (5 resection scases and 2 autopsy cases) with the mixture of cancer and mycobacteriosis into 2 types from the macroscopic images: (1) type A (4 cases, the foci of lung cancer and tuberculosis, which were separated originally, progressed mutually, and has adjoined), and (2) type B (2 cases, the foci of mycobacteriosis existed within or in the edge of the foci of lung cancer). There were 3 nontuberculous mycobacteriosis cases and 1 tuberculosis case in type A, and 2 tuberculosis cases and 1 nontuberculous mycobacteriosis in type B. In nontuberculous mycobacteriosis cases, cancer and mycobacteriosis had often adjoined under the conditions of preexisting lung disease, such as a lung cyst, whereas in tuberculosis cases, it was characteristically shown that the wall of encapsulated caseous nodules was destroyed by cancer invasion, and that the tuberculous nodules were reactivated. These findings seemed to be related to exogenous infection of nontuberculous mycobacteriosis to the injured lungs and to endogenous reactivation of tuberculosis from inactive tuberculous lesions. CONCLUSION: Lung cancer and active pulmonary mycobacteriosis are often seen intermingled in the same lung lobe, and the mixture pictures of the two diseases are variable. The physicians should carefully note about the mixture of lung cancer and mycobacteriosis, though the findings are not clear on the chest plain radiographs.

Adult↗
PubMed2004

Specific detection of tuberculosis infection: an interferon-gamma-based assay using new antigens.

The tuberculin skin test for immunologic diagnosis of Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection has many limitations, including being confounded by bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccination or exposure to nontuberculous mycobacteria. M. tuberculosis-specific antigens that are absent from BCG and most nontuberculous mycobacteria have been identified. We examined the use of two of these antigens, CFP-10 and ESAT-6, in a whole blood IFN-gamma assay as a diagnostic test for tuberculosis in BCG-vaccinated individuals. Because of the lack of an accurate standard with which to compare new tests for M. tuberculosis infection, specificity of the whole blood IFN-gamma assay was estimated on the basis of data from people with no identified risk for M. tuberculosis exposure (216 BCG-vaccinated Japanese adults) and sensitivity was estimated on the basis of data from 118 patients with culture-confirmed M. tuberculosis infection who had received less than 1 week of treatment. Using a combination of CFP-10 and ESAT-6 responses, the specificity of the test for the low-risk group was 98.1% and the sensitivity for patients with M. tuberculosis infection was 89.0%. The results demonstrate that the whole blood IFN-gamma assay using CFP-10 and ESAT-6 was highly specific and sensitive for M. tuberculosis infection and was unaffected by BCG vaccination status.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2004

[Thoracic malignancies in patients with chronic tuberculous empyema].

OBJECTIVES: To clarify features of thoracic malignancies occurred in patients with chronic tuberculous empyema. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We analyzed clinicopathological data of 15 patients with thoracic malignancies who had chronic tuberculous empyema, encountered at Tokyo National Hospital during the period from 1977 to 2002. RESULTS: There were 13 men and 2 women, with a mean age of 67 years. Most of all (13/15) patients had history of surgery for tuberculosis including artificial pneumothorax (9 cases). Malignancies consisted of pyothorax-associated lymphoma (PAL; 9 cases), lung cancer (4 cases), malignant fibrous histiocytoma (1 case), and angiosarcoma (1 case). There were no differences in background factors between PAL patients and the other patients. Common symptoms were chest pain (10 cases), fever (7 cases), and bloody sputum (4 cases) and it seemed that these symptoms were more evident in patients with PAL than in patients with other diseases. Plain chest X-ray films often failed to detect the tumor, and the diagnosis was often obtained by sputum cytology, bronchofiberscopy, transcutaneous biopsy, and resection with support of CT and/or MRI films. On radiographs, all tumors located in empyema cavities or around empyema walls, and a pulmonary mass adjacent to the empyema wall was characteristic of lung cancer. PAL showed certainly good outcome; 40% 5-year survival rate with resection or chemoradiotherapy. On the other hand, all of lung cancer cases were diagnosed at stage III, and had poor outcome, and the remaining patients with the other malignancies also had poor outcome. CONCLUSION: Clinicians should keep in mind occurrence of several thoracic malignancies during the follow-up of patients with chronic tuberculous empyema.

Aged↗
PubMed2004

[Leukopenia due to anti-tuberculous chemotherapy including rifampicin and isoniazid].

OBJECTIVES: To examine the incidence rate by age and gender of leukopenia caused by chemotherapy including rifampicin (RFP) and isoniazid (INH), and to study the relationships between the leukopenia and the hepatic side effect or other haematological disorders such as thrombocytopenia. SUBJECTS: Out of the tuberculosis patients who were admitted to our hospital in 1987-88, 1991-92, and 1996-2000, 1,525 patients (1,153 men, 372 women) were chosen for our study who had the white blood cell counts (WBC) in the peripheral blood more than 3,000/mm3 before chemotherapy, and underwent haematologic examination at least twice within 3 months after starting chemotherapy. METHODS: The definition of leukopenia was as follows: 1) WBC became less than 3,000/mm3 during chemotherapy for patients with pre-treatment WBC more than 4,000/mm3, or 2) WBC decreased more than 1,000/mm3 in patients with pre-treatment WBC between 3,000 and 4,000/mm3. The incidence rates of leukopenia by age, gender, and regimens of chemotherapy were calculated. The case-control study was done between the control and the leukopenia groups excluding patients suffered from agranulocytosis to clarify the hematological and biochemical characteristics of the leukopenia group. The control patients were chosen in the following way. For each patient with leukopenia, a patient with the same admission year, same gender, same regimen of chemotherapy, and the nearest age was chosen as a control patient. The changes in counts of white blood cell, granulocyte, and platelet, in hemoglobin concentration, and in hepatic enzyme levels before and during chemotherapy were compared between the leukopenia and the control groups. Thrombocytopenia was defined as platelet count less than 15 x 10(4)/mm3 and hepatic dysfunction as either asparate aminotransferase (AST) higher than 31 IU/l or alanine aminotransferase (ALT) higher than 34 IU/l. RESULTS: (1) Incidence rate of leukopenia The leukopenia appeared in 36 patients (14 men, 22 women), two (one man, one woman) of whom showed agranulocytosis. The incidence rate was 1.2% (14/1,153) for men and 5.9% (22/372) for women. The incidence rate of women was higher than that of men in the age groups between 20 to 79 y.o., but no difference was seen in the age groups elder than 80 y.o. There were no differences in the incidence rate among groups treated with HRE (E: ethambutol), HRS (S: streptomycin), and HREZ (Z: pyrazinamide). The chemotherapy was continued in 30 patients after the appearance of leukopenia, and the natural recovery from leukopenia was seen in 19 patients, while the leukopenic state lasted during the chemotherapy in the remaining 11 patients. In two patients who exhibited agranulocytosis all drugs were discontinued. In the remaining 4 patients one or more drugs were discontinued. (2) Case-control study between leukopenia (N = 34) and the control (N = 34) groups There were no differences in age, sputum culture positivity on admission, degree of roentgenographic extent of the disease, ratio of cavity formation, and quantity of daily doses between the two groups. There was also no difference between the days until leukopenia appeared after starting chemotherapy (47.6 +/- 29.5 days) in the leukopenia group, and the days until WBC count became minimum within 3 months after starting chemotherapy (41.7 +/- 21.0 days) in the control group. The negativity of tuberculin skin testing was higher in the leukopenia group [7/14 (50%)] than in the control group [1/10 (10%)], however, the difference was statistically not significant due to rather small size of cases. Before the starting chemotherapy, the counts of WBC (7,230 +/- 1,530 vs 5,500 +/- 1,510/mm3, p < 0.001), neutrophil (5,230 +/- 1,450 vs 4,320 +/- 1,620/mm3, p < 0.05), lymphocyte (1,440 +/- 830 vs 830 +/- 440/mm3, p < 0.001) and platelet (34.9 +/- 12.2 vs 24.1 +/- 6.4 x 10(4)/mm3, p < 0.001) in the peripheral blood and the globulin level (3.71 +/- 0.61 vs 3.35 +/- 0.61 g/dl, p < 0.05) in the serum were significantly higher in the control group than in the leukopenia group. The decrements in the counts of WBC and granulocyte during chemotherapy were larger in the leukopenia group than in the control group (delta WBC: 2,880 +/- 1,530 vs 1,910 +/- 1,520/mm3, and delta Neut: 2,840 +/- 1,510 vs 1,820 +/- 1,380/mm3, p = 0.01, respectively), but the counts of lymphocyte were similar in both groups. The platelet counts also decreased in both groups, but to the mid-normal level in the control group, and to the lowest normal level in the leukopenia group, in which 15 out of 34 patients (44%) showed thrombocytopenia. The levels in the serum of hepatic enzymes such as AST, ALT, and gamma-GTP (gamma-glutamyl aminotransferase) increased during chemotherapy in the leukopenia group, while decreased in the control group, and the facts indicate that in the former not only bone marrow cells but also hepatic cells were impaired by anti-tuberculosis drugs. CONSIDERATIONS: Leukopenia may occur in the course of treatment with anti-tuberculosis drugs, but it is not necessary to stop the chemotherapy immediately, because the WBC count recovers spontaneously or remains under stable leukopenic state during chemotherapy in most cases. But when leukopenia appears, the peripheral blood counts must be checked cautiously, and the chemotherapy should be stopped if the WBC count progressively decreases. The patients who showed leukopenia due to anti-tuberculosis drugs may have had weaker natural and acquired (cell-mediated) immunologic response to tuberculosis infection, and more vulnerable bone marrow cells and hepatic cells to anti-tuberculosis drugs than the control.

Adult↗
PubMed2004

[Pulmonary nontuberculous mycobacteriosis in patients with lung cancer].

OBJECTIVES: To clarify the clinical features of the coexisting lung cancer and nontuberculous mycobacteriosis of the lung. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We analyzed clinical data on 11 admitted cases of coexisting lung cancer and pulmonary non-tuberculous mycobacteriosis at National Organization Tokyo Hospital during the period from 1997 to 2002. RESULTS: There were 10 men and 1 woman, with a mean age of 66 years. Five of 11 patients had underlying pulmonary disorders, such as healed tuberculosis and lung cyst. Histological types of lung cancer were squamous cell carcinoma in 4, adenocarcinoma and small cell carcinoma in 3 each, and 8 out of 11 cases were in stages III to IV. We classified the 11 cases into 2 groups: (1) lung cancer concurrently detected with mycobacteriosis (8 cases) and (2) lung cancer sequentially detected during the follow-up of mycobacteriosis (3 cases). Lung cancers in the latter group were in relatively early stages and all patients of this group received resection of the cancer, while most of lung cancers in the concurrent group were in far-advanced, and palliative and/or supportive treatment for lung cancer were frequently selected. The strains of mycobacteria were as follows: M. avium complex (6 cases) and M. kansasii (5 cases). The incidence of lung cancer among patients with nontuberculous mycobacteriosis was 2.5 percent (2 percent of M. avium complex diseases patients and 8.2 percent of M. kansasii disease patients), while the incidence of nontuberculous mycobacteriosis in untreated lung cancer patients was 1.4 percent. Analysis of anatomical relationship between lung cancer and non-tuberculous mycobacteriosis revealed that the two diseases located in the same lung in 8 cases, and also in the same lobe in 4 out of the 8 cases. Outcome of treatment for nontuberculous mycobacteriosis was good especially in patients with M. kansasii disease, and it seemed that coexisting nontuberculous mycobacteriosis did not influence on the prognosis of lung cancer patients. CONCLUSION: In the management of lung cancer, physicians should consider the possibility of coexisting pulmonary non-tuberculous mycobacteriosis, as well as coexisting pulmonary tuberculosis.

Adult↗
PubMed2004

[Evaluation of quantitative fit-testing of N95 filtering facepiece respirators using Mask-Fitting Tester and improvement of mask fitting by instruction].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate quantitative fitness of N95 filtering facepiece respirators (N95 Mask) using Mask Fitting Tester and improvement of fitness by instruction. MATERIALS AND METHODS: One hundred and thirty-three health care workers working at our hospital were tested as to quantitative fitness of N95 Mask using Mask Fitting Tester Model MT-02, Roken type that counts particles more than 0.7 microm in diameter. Based on counting the number of particles more than 0.7 microm in diameter of the air inside and outside the mask, leakage rate is calculated. Permissible range of leakage rate is 10% or below. In case of leakage rate more than 10%, we instructed way of wearing N95 Mask or change a type of N95 Mask. We usually provide three types of N95 Mask. RESULTS: Eighty-seven (65.4%) out of 133 health care workers achieved leakage rate 10% or below at the first test. Forty-six (34.6%) who did not achieve leakage rate 10% or below at the first test received instruction or changed a mask type. Twenty-one (15.8%) achieved desired value by instruction and 19 (14.3%) by changing a mask type. But 6 (4.5 %) could not achieve desired value in spite of instruction or changing to another type of masks available to us. Leakage rate changed from 20.5 +/- 10.9% (10.1-58.6) to 6.3 +/- 4.9% (0-29.5) by instruction or changing a type of mask (p < 0.001). At the first test, mask fitness is better in male than female, and worse in workers who always use N95 Mask at isolation ward or laboratory room than workers who usually do not use N95 Mask. Main problems were choice of mask, fitness to nose, incorrect use of headband. CONCLUSION: It is useful to evaluate N95 Mask quantitative fitness using Mask Fitting Tester Model MT-02, Roken type. At the first test, 34.6% of health care workers have large amount of leakage more than 10%, and by instruction or changing a mask type, most of them could achieve 10% or below. But 4.5% could not achieve desired value. On Infection control, it is important to test quantitative fitness of N95 Mask and to provide more than three types of N95 Mask.

Equipment Design↗
PubMed2004

[A case of pulmonary aspergillosis with bone invasion and destruction in an AIDS patient].

A 59-year-old HIV-infected man who had been treated for pulmonary cryptococcosis in another hospital was suffering from pulmonary tuberculosis. He was admitted to our hospital for treatment of tuberculosis. The chest radiograph on admission showed a large cavity in the left lower lung field. Chest CT showed a mass like a fungus ball in the cavity. Pulmonary aspergillosis was diagnosed from the sputum mycology and serum immunoprecipitins. During the treatment of pulmonary tuberculosis and cryptococcosis, thickening of the wall of the cavity was seen together with adjacent bone destruction. In an autopsy, Aspergillus spp. Were found to have invaded the bone tissue and caused bone destruction. Pulmonary aspergillosis in an AIDS patient is infrequent, and is rare in additional association with bone invasion and destruction.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗
PubMed2003

[Secular increase in the incidence rate of drug-induced hepatitis due to anti-tuberculosis chemotherapy including isoniazid and rifampicin].

To investigate the secular change in the incidence rate of drug-induced hepatitis (DIH) due to anti-tuberculosis chemotherapy including isoniazid (INH) and rifampicin (RFP), but not including pyrazinamide (PZA), we retrospectively studied the incidence rates of DIH in patients treated with chemotherapy including INH and RFP in four periods 1980-83, 87-88, 91-92, and 1998-2000. The criteria for selection of the patients were as follows. 1. The serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) were measured before, and one month (20-40 days) and 2 months (45-75 days) after starting anti-tuberculosis chemotherapy. When the serum AST and ALT were measured twice or more during period 20-40 days or 45-75 days after starting anti-tuberculosis chemotherapy, the data obtained nearest to 30 or 60 days after were chosen as those of one or two months after starting chemotherapy, respectively. 2. The serum AST and ALT were within normal range before starting anti-tuberculosis chemotherapy. The normal range of serum AST and ALT were < or = 40 K-A and < or = 35 K-A (in 1980-83) or < or = 31 IU/l and 34 IU/l (in 1987-2000), respectively. 3. Chronic active hepatitis and cirrhosis patients were excluded. 4. All alive after completion of anti-tuberculosis chemotherapy. The numbers of the subjects who fulfilled the above criteria were 113, 135, 128 and 154 in 1980-83, 1987-88, 1991-92 and 1998-2000, respectively. DIH was defined serologically by serum AST > or = 40 K-A and/or ALT > or = 35 K-A (in 1980-83), or AST > or = 40 IU/l and/or ALT > or = 40 IU/l (1987-2000). The DIH incidence rate of the subjects classified by the year of treatment and age were examined, and the contributions of the risk factors for DIH, such as age, sex, alcoholics, previous liver disease history, HBs ag positivity, anti-HCV ab positivity, and hypoalbuminenia were studied, and none except the age over 80 y.o. was found to be a risk factor to DIH, in our subjects. In patients with the age over 80 y.o., daily doses of antituberculosis drugs RFP, INH and ethambutol (EB) were significantly higher in patients with DIH than those without DIH, but body weight and serum albumin level were not significantly different between these two groups. There was no risk factor to DIH in our patients less than 80 y.o. and this could be explained by the above-mentioned criteria of study patients selection. To exclude the age dependence of the incidence rate of DIH in our subjects, the incidence rates of DIH were calculated in patients less than 80 y.o. by the period of treatment, and they were 10/111 (9.0%), 23/131 (17.6%), 26/123 (21.1%) and 32/117 (27.4%) in 1980-83, 87-88, 91-92, and 1998-2000, respectively. The secular increase of the incidence rate of DIH was statistically significant (p = 0.01). It is quite clear that this secular increase was not at all attributable to the above-mentioned risk factors. It is suspected that human liver has become more easily affected with INH and RFP in recent years. It is suggested that the new chemical compounds present in our increasingly complicated human milieu give heavier burdens on human liver, weaken the liver function, and enhance the capacity of INH and RFP to cause DIH.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2003

[A clinical study on tuberculosis among young adults in Japan: analysis on patients admitted to national hospitals in Kanto- and Kinki-areas in the year 2000].

Considering the high social activity, the trend of tuberculosis among young adults appears to be one of the key factors that influence the future morbidity rate of tuberculosis in Japan. To investigate its current characteristics, we analyzed new cases of tuberculosis aged 20 to 29 who were admitted to 7 national hospitals in Kanto- and Kinki-areas during the period of January 1st to December 31st, 2000. Data on the following items were compiled: sex, age, body height and weight, nationality; background factors such as life style, complications; course of the disease before the diagnosis; result of PPD skin test; severity of the disease estimated by the amount of M. tuberculosis in sputum and the grade of chest X-ray findings; therapeutic regimens and the response rate. Data were collected from 234 patients (129 males and 105 females) and the results were as follows: 1) about 80% of the patients were symptomatic and in 50% of patients who presented with cough, more than one month was needed before establishing the diagnosis as TB, 2) the disease was found in advanced stage in more than half of the patients, 3) foreigner patients, most of them were from Kanto-area, accounted for 11%, and were in advanced stage, some with drug-resistant tuberculosis, 4) INH resistance was noted in 7.7%, 5) pyrazinamide was included in the therapeutic regimens in 84.0% of the smear positive patients, 6) the admission period was within 90 days in 63.7% of the patients, however, the duration of treatment was 6 months in only 48.0% of patients who were treated with regimens containing pyrazinamide. More efforts for early detection of patients is needed to prevent the transmission of the disease, and more extensive use of directly observed therapy is essential for the prevention of dropout. We also argued about the shortening of the admission and duration of treatment in these patients.

Adult↗
PubMed2003

[Comparative evaluation of the isothermal and chimeric primer-initiated amplification of nucleic acids (ICAN) and Roche Amplicor PCR and culture for detecting Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex in sputum samples].

We compared the ability of the newly developed ICAN MTB Detection Kit (TaKaRa Bio Inc.), which uses the Isothermal and Chimeric primer-initiated Amplification of Nucleic acid (ICAN), with that of COBAS Amplicor PCR System (Roche Diagnostics) to directly detect Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTB) in sputum samples. A total of 142 sputum samples from 120 patients were examined in this study. The results were compared with those of acid-fast staining and MGIT liquid culture system (BD) following identification by the probe test (DDH Mycobacteria Kit). A total of 68 specimens were MGIT positive for MTB. In addition, 62 specimens were positive by the combination of staining and MGIT assay for MTB. When compared with that for MGIT, the sensitivity of each assay system was 88.2% for ICAN and 92.6% for COBAS Amplicor, respectively. The specificity of each assay system was 65.7% for ICAN and 62.7% for COBAS Amplicor, respectively. Coincidence between ICAN and COBAS Amplicor assay results was 96.3% (130 of 135 samples). No significant difference was observed between the results of the two assay methods. It is concluded that although both nucleic acid amplification methods are sensitive and specific for the detection of MTB in the respiratory specimens, ICAN system appeared to be more rapid (within 3.5 h from the specimen collection) than Amplicor system. The ICAN system will be useful in clinical laboratories for the rapid detection of MTB without specially programmed thermo-cycler.

Adult↗