The Tohoku journal of experimental medicine
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Tohoku J. Exp. Med. · Nov 2024
Disaster Pharmacists' Support and Challenges Faced by Hospital Pharmacy Departments in the Disaster Response for the 2024 Noto Peninsula Earthquake.
The 2024 Noto Peninsula Earthquake, which reached a maximum intensity of 7, led to the deterioration of critical services including electricity, water, communication, and roads, resulting in 241 fatalities. The medical response of pharmacists during disasters has gained attention since the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake. However, few studies have evaluated the challenges that hospital pharmacy departments face during disasters. ⋯ To avoid these problems, pharmacists should provide swift and continuous medical support until automated tablet dispensing machines' systems are restored after an earthquake. Additionally, it is considered beneficial for medical institutions to include in their business continuity plans a stockpile of medicines that can last for 7 days, as preparation for coping with earthquakes and similar emergencies. The findings of this report could be useful to all countries facing the possibility of disasters.
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Tohoku J. Exp. Med. · Nov 2024
Review Case ReportsFocal Light Chain Proximal Tubulopathy Complicated by Monoclonal Gammopathy of Undetermined Significance/Smoldering Multiple Myeloma Successfully Diagnosed by Immunofluorescence on Pronase-Digested Paraffin Section: Reports of Two Cases and Review of the Literature.
Light chain proximal tubulopathy (LCPT) is a rare type of paraprotein-related disease (PRDs) characterized by monoclonal free light chain (FLC) deposition in proximal tubular epithelial cells (PTECs). A diagnosis of LCPT requires identification of FLC deposition in PTECs; however, FLC luminescence defects in immunofluorescence staining using frozen tissue (IF-F), regarded as "masked LCPT", are occasionally encountered. We describe two cases of focal masked LCPT in monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) or smoldering multiple myeloma (SMM) diagnosed by IF in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue sections following pronase digestion (IF-P) rather than by IF-F. ⋯ According to a literature review of 33 cases, including our 2 cases, focal LCPT complicated by MGUS/SMM is relative rare. In PRD, evaluation with IF-P is desirable for assessing LCPT when FLC deposition is undetected by IF-F despite characteristic degenerative PTECs. We consider that early and definitive diagnosis of LCPT by IF-P rather than IF-F might result in favorite outcome since physicians could smoothly decide treatment strategy.