Internal medicine
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We herein report a 40-year-old Japanese man with chronic hepatitis B genotype C (viral load 6.7 Log copies/mL) who developed hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) despite achieving undetectable hepatitis B virus (HBV)-DNA levels with nucleos(t)ide analog (NA) treatment (entecavir). Notably, his hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) level remained elevated at 388.4 IU/mL. Given the continued risk of carcinogenesis associated with HBsAg positivity, we initiated pegylated interferon (PEG-IFN) therapy one month after HCC surgery. Following three periods of PEG-IFN treatment, HBsAg seroclearance (HBsAg-negative state) was achieved.
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Objective Frailty is common in patients with heart failure (HF). Given that gardening demands regular physical activity and offers therapeutic relaxation benefits, this activity may reduce frailty. We investigated the association between gardening activities and frailty in patients with HF. ⋯ After adjusting for multiple confounding factors, gardening activities showed an inverse association with frailty [odds ratio=0.723, 95% confidence interval (0.533-0.981)]. Moreover, frailty and the frailty index showed an inverse association with more extended and large-scale gardening activities. Conclusion Gardening activities were thus found to be associated with a low prevalence of frailty in patients with HF.
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Objective Many vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) pathway inhibitors are used in the treatment of patients with various advanced cancers; however, treatments induce cardiovascular adverse events (CVAEs), such as hypertension, heart failure, arrhythmia, arterial or venous embolism, and hemorrhage. Some studies have suggested a correlation between efficacy and CVAEs; however, further evidence is required. This study evaluated real-world data concerning the frequency and degree of CVAEs and possible associations between CVAEs and efficacy in such patients. ⋯ Furthermore, the PFS of patients with a CVAE grade ≥3 in the early period was favorable compared to that of those with CVAEs of grades 0-2. Taken together, a higher degree of CVAE was correlated with favorable patient outcomes. Conclusion This study revealed the frequency and degree of CVAEs in patients with solid cancers who received VEGF pathway inhibitors in a real-world setting and added evidence regarding the correlation between CVAEs and efficacy of VEGF pathway inhibitors.
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We herein report an 80-year-old man showing a downsloping TP segment together with an increase in the height of the T wave in the precordial leads on a standard 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG). Separately, an 87-year-old woman showed only a downsloping TP segment in the precordial leads on a standard 12-lead ECG. ⋯ This downsloping TP segment in the precordial leads on the standard 12-lead ECG is thought to be due to a cardiac impulse-tapping artifact. Differential diagnoses are also discussed.