著者

Harumi Morioka Kiyoko Murata Tatsuki Sugisawa Mari Shibukawa Junya Ebina Masahiro Sawada Sayori Hanashiro Junpei Nagasawa Masaru Yanagihashi Takehisa Hirayama Masayuki Uchi Kiyokazu Kawabe Satoru Ebihara Yoshitaka Murakami Takashi Nakajima Osamu Kano

出版者

The Japanese Society of Internal Medicine

雑誌

Internal Medicine (ISSN:09182918)

巻号頁・発行日

vol.61, no.10, pp.1479-1484, 2022-05-15 (Released:2022-05-15)

参考文献数

28

被引用文献数

3

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Objective To assess the long-term effects of hybrid assistive limb (HAL) treatment on gait in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Methods Three courses of treatment with HAL were administered to three women with ALS. Each course had a four- to five-week duration, during which the treatment was performed nine times, with a rest period of at least two months between each course. Gait ability (2-minutes-walk and 10-m-walk tests), ALS Functional Rating Scale-Revised, and respiratory function tests were performed before and after each treatment course. Patients Patients diagnosed with ALS, according to the updated Awaji criteria, by board-certified neurologists in the Department of Neurology and Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Toho University Omori Faculty of Medicine between January and December 2019 were recruited. Results The average time from the start to the end of the 3 courses was 319.7±33.7 days. A multiple regression analysis was performed for the 2-minutes-walk and 10-m-walk tests, using the baseline value, each participant's ID, and time point as covariates. Changes after each course were considered outcomes. Following the 3 treatment courses, the 2-minutes walk distance improved by 16.61 m (95% confidence interval, -9.33-42.54) compared with the baseline value, but this improvement was not statistically significant (p=0.21). However, cadence significantly improved by 1.30 steps (95% confidence interval, 0.17-2.42; p=0.02). Conclusion Long-term, repetitive HAL treatments may help patients with ALS maintain their gait.

著者

Junpei Nagasawa Kenichi Suzuki Sayori Hanashiro Masaru Yanagihashi Takehisa Hirayama Masaaki Hori Osamu Kano

出版者

The University of Tokushima Faculty of Medicine

雑誌

The Journal of Medical Investigation (ISSN:13431420)

巻号頁・発行日

vol.70, no.3.4, pp.411-414, 2023 (Released:2023-11-09)

参考文献数

19

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Introduction:Branch atheromatous disease (BAD) is a type of cerebral infarction caused by stenosis or occlusion at the entrance of the penetrating branch due to the presence of plaque. Despite its clinical significance, it is not clear how these plaques are formed. Focal geometrical characteristics are expected to be as important as vascular risk factors in the development of atherosclerosis. This study aimed to analyze the association between middle cerebral artery (MCA) geometric features and the onset of BAD. Shear stress results from the blood flow exerting force on the inner wall of the vessels and places with low wall shear stress may be prone to atherosclerosis. At the curvature of blood vessels, the shear stress is weak on the inside of the curve and plaque is likely to form. When this is applied to the MCA M1 segment, downward type M1 is likely to form plaques on the superior side. Because the lenticulostriate artery usually branches off from the superior side of the MCA M1 segment, in downward type M1, a plaque is likely to be formed at the entrance of the penetrating branch, and for that reason, BAD is likely to onset. Methods:We retrospectively reviewed hospitalized stroke patients with BAD and investigated the morphology of their MCA using magnetic resonance imaging. The M1 segment was classified as straight or curved. Additionally, we compared the difference between the symptomatic and the asymptomatic side. Data regarding patients’ medical history were also collected. Results:A total of 56 patients with lenticulostriate artery infarctions and BAD were analyzed. On the symptomatic side, downward type M1 accounted for the largest proportion at 44%, whereas on the asymptomatic side, it was the lowest, at 16%. Conclusion:A downward type MCA may be associated with the onset of BAD and the morphological characteristics might affect the site of plaque formation. J. Med. Invest. 70 : 411-414, August, 2023

著者

Masaru Yanagihashi Tatsuki Sugisawa Masaaki Fuchimoto Yuuichi Saotome Keiko Onozawa Yukinori Matsumoto Kota Bokuda Junya Ebina Mari Shibukawa Takehisa Hirayama Yoshitaka Murakami Naohiro Washizawa Satoru Ebihara Osamu Kano

出版者

The Japanese Society of Internal Medicine

雑誌

Internal Medicine (ISSN:09182918)

巻号頁・発行日

vol.60, no.10, pp.1519-1524, 2021-05-15 (Released:2021-05-15)

参考文献数

14

被引用文献数

4

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Objective The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has resulted in a shortage of medical resources, including ventilators, personal protective equipment, medical staff, and hospital beds. We investigated the impact of COVID-19 in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients, their families, caregivers, and medical experts. Methods We conducted a nationwide ALS webinar about COVID-19 in May 2020 and sent a questionnaire to those enrolled. Results A total of 135 participants (31 ALS patients; 23 families and caregivers of ALS patients; 81 medical experts) responded to this cross-sectional self-report questionnaire. The results showed that tracheostomy and invasive ventilation (TIV) was used in 22.6% of ALS patients, whereas 77.4% of ALS patients were not under TIV. Among non-TIV patients (n=24), 79.2% did not want TIV in the future. However, 47.4% of non-TIV patients not wanting a tracheostomy in advanced stages replied that they would want an emergency tracheostomy if they developed COVID-19-related pneumonia. These results suggest that ALS patients may be receptive to emergency treatments for reasons other than ALS. In addition, approximately half of the ALS patients agreed with the policy of not ventilating the elderly or ALS patients in case of a ventilator shortage. Furthermore, compared with medical experts, few ALS patients reported that the chance for ALS patients to obtain work was higher due to the increasing availability of remote work. Conclusions This survey indicates that the COVID-19 pandemic might be associated with increased distress about access to care and work, inducing contradictory responses and potential hopelessness among ALS patients.