The JSH Morning Hypertension Eradication Program Project.

Hypertension is the greatest risk factor for cardiovascular diseases and significantly contributes to cardiovascular mortality. In Japan, the hypertensive population is estimated at 43 million, with only 27% achieving well-controlled blood pressure (BP). The onset of major cardiovascular events, including stroke, myocardial infarction, heart failure, and aortic dissection, frequently occurs during the early morning hours.

A Concise and Modular Approach to Generate Novel RORγ Agonists.

A variety of RORγ inhibitors have been identified, including clinical compounds such as VTP-43742 and JTE-151. In contrast, RORγ agonists have been less explored and LYC-55716 is, to the best of our knowledge, the sole example reached a human clinical investigation. To generate a novel RORγ agonist, functionality switching from preceding RORγ inhibitors has been considered as a rational strategy.

Triple Assessments of Atherosclerosis in Patients With Heterozygous Familial Hypercholesterolemia.

Background: Data on the appropriate timing and impact of atherosclerosis assessment in patients with heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (HeFH) are limited.

Objectives: The authors aimed to determine when atherosclerotic changes occur and the utility of triple assessments of carotid plaque, coronary plaque, and coronary artery calcium (CAC) in patients with HeFH.

Methods: Data from patients with HeFH in the primary prevention setting admitted to Kanazawa University Hospital between 2000 and 2020 who underwent triple atherosclerosis assessment and were followed up were retrospectively reviewed (n = 622, male = 306, mean age = 54 ± 13 years).

App-Recorded Daily Step Counts, Sex Differences, and Risk of Cardiovascular Outcomes Among Middle-Aged Population.

Background: Limited data are available on sex-specific associations between daily step counts and cardiovascular events in middle-aged adults.

Methods: This study used the KenCoM Healthcare Database to evaluate sex-specific differences in cardiovascular event risk associated with daily step counts (DSC). The database incorporates DSC data from the KenCoM smartphone app, along with health checkup records and Japanese health insurance claims data.

Contemporary clinical characteristics and management patterns in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy: insights from baseline enrolment data in a nationwide prospective Japanese registry.

Background: The Japanese Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Registry Study was designed to provide comprehensive, real-world insights into the clinical characteristics and management of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) in Japan.

Methods: This multicentre, prospective study enrolled consecutive patients with HCM from 24 referral hospitals across Japan starting in 2016. The baseline characteristics of 1485 patients enrolled by December 2019 are presented in this analysis.

Usefulness of the LAVITA Telemonitoring System in Patients With Heart Failure - A Feasibility Study.

Background: Heart failure (HF) hospitalization is increasing in Japan's aging population. Current guidelines recommend daily biometric monitoring for patients with HF to facilitate early clinical intervention. However, promoting patient self-management remains insufficient.

Digitalomics: Towards Artificial Intelligence / Machine Learning-Based Precision Cardiovascular Medicine.

Recent advances in traditional "-omics" technologies have provided deeper insights into cardiovascular diseases through comprehensive molecular profiling. Accordingly, digitalomics has emerged as a novel transdisciplinary concept that integrates multimodal information with digitized physiological data, medical imaging, environmental data, electronic health records, environmental records, and biometric data from wearables. This digitalomics-driven augmented multiomics approach can provide more precise personalized health risk assessments and optimization when combined with conventional multiomics approaches.

Impact of Genetic Testing and Sex Differences among Patients with Familial Hypercholesterolemia: The Hokuriku-plus Familial Hypercholesterolemia Registry Study.

Aim: We aimed to clarify the degree and factors associated with low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol treatment target attainment among patients with heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (HeFH) using the Hokuriku-plus FH registry.

Methods: The Hokuriku-plus FH registry (UMIN000038210) was a prospective, observational, multicenter cohort study that enrolled consecutive patients with FH who fulfilled the clinical criteria for FH in Japan from 37 participating hospitals, mostly in the Hokuriku region, from April 2020 to March 2024. This registry collects data on clinical parameters, including lipid levels, physical findings, genetic background, and clinical events.

Digital therapeutics in Japan: Present and future directions.

Digital therapeutics (DTx) represent an innovative approach to healthcare, leveraging software applications (apps) delivered through digital devices to treat medical conditions. This review focuses on three DTx apps approved in Japan, targeting nicotine dependence, hypertension, and insomnia. CureApp SC, the DTx system for nicotine dependence, comprises a patient smartphone app, an Internet of Things device for exhaled carbon monoxide measurement, and a Web-based physician app.

Outpatient characteristics in a pediatric otolaryngology department during COVID-19 pandemic: A retrospective study.

Objectives: To investigate the characteristics of outpatients in the pediatric otolaryngology department of a tertiary Japanese hospital before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods: In this retrospective study conducted at a tertiary center in Japan, pediatric patients aged 0-15 years who visited the pediatric otolaryngology department between 2017 and 2022 were included. The number of outpatients in the department was compared between before and during the COVID-19 pandemic (January 2017-December 2022) by year, age, sex, and the disease for which the patient was examined.

The First Japanese Case of Familial Hypercholesterolemia Caused by an apolipoprotein E (APOE) p.Leu167del Mutation.

We herein report the first Japanese case of familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) caused by a specific mutation in apolipoprotein E (APOE) [c.500_502delTCC (p.Leu167del)].

Impact of body mass index on mortality, limb amputation, and bleeding in patients with lower extremity artery disease undergoing endovascular therapy.

The relation between Body Mass Index (BMI) and adverse outcomes after endovascular therapy (EVT) for patients with lower extremity artery disease (LEAD) remains incompletely understood. From April 2010 to March 2020, 199 consecutive patients who underwent EVT for LEAD were retrospectively analyzed. The patients were divided into three groups based on BMI; underweight < 18.

Effects of Longitudinal Changes in Anemia Status on Clinical Outcomes in Patients With Non-Valvular Atrial Fibrillation - Analysis From the Hokuriku-Plus AF Registry.

Background: Anemia, a common comorbidity in older patients with heart failure (HF) and atrial fibrillation (AF), is associated with an increased risk of adverse events. This study evaluated the prognostic effects of longitudinal changes in anemia status on clinical outcomes in patients with AF.

Methods And Results: We prospectively evaluated data of 1,388 patients with AF from the Hokuriku-Plus AF Registry (1,010 men; mean [±SD] age 72.

Danon Disease Presenting with Slowly Progressive Cardiomyopathy and Harboring a Novel Missense Variant in the Lysosome-associated Membrane Protein Type 2 (LAMP-2) Gene.

Danon disease (DD) is a rare lysosomal storage disorder resulting from pathogenic variants of the lysosome-associated membrane protein type 2 (LAMP-2) gene. The disease is characterized by severe cardiomyopathy, which rapidly progresses to end-stage heart failure. This case, with DD caused by a missense variant, exhibited slow progressive cardiomyopathy and survived for an extended period despite being a male.

Impact of the Geriatric Nutritional Risk Index on In-hospital Thrombosis and Mortality in Patients Hospitalized with COVID-19.

Objective To determine whether nutritional status is related to the incidence of thrombosis and mortality in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Methods A total of 496 consecutive patients who were admitted and diagnosed with COVID-19 between April 2020 and March 2023 were retrospectively analyzed. The geriatric nutritional risk index (GNRI) on admission was calculated as follows: 14.

Performance of GPT-4V in Answering the Japanese Otolaryngology Board Certification Examination Questions: Evaluation Study.

Background: Artificial intelligence models can learn from medical literature and clinical cases and generate answers that rival human experts. However, challenges remain in the analysis of complex data containing images and diagrams.

Objective: This study aims to assess the answering capabilities and accuracy of ChatGPT-4 Vision (GPT-4V) for a set of 100 questions, including image-based questions, from the 2023 otolaryngology board certification examination.