石川 鎮清

<sec xml:lang="en"> <title>Background</title> <p xml:lang="en">Lifetime risk is an informative estimate for driving lifestyle and behavioral changes especially for young adults. The impact of composite risk factors for cardiovascular disease on lifetime risk stratified by sex has not been investigated in the Japanese population, which has a much lower mortality of coronary heart disease compared with the Western population. We aimed to estimate lifetime risk of death from cardiovascular disease attributable to traditional risk factors. </sec> <sec xml:lang="en"> <title>Methods and Results</title> <p xml:lang="en">We analyzed pooled individual data from the Evidence for Cardiovascular Prevention from Observational Cohorts in a Japanese cohort study. A modified Kaplan–Meier approach was used to estimate the remaining lifetime risk of cardiovascular death. In total, 41 002 Japanese men and women with 537 126 person‐years of follow‐up were included. The lifetime risk at the index‐age of 45 years for those with optimal risk factors (total cholesterol &lt;4.65 mmol/L, systolic blood pressure &lt;120 mm Hg, diastolic blood pressure &lt;80 mm Hg, absence of diabetes, and absence of smoking habit) was lower compared with the highest risk profile of ≥2 risk factors (6.8% [95% CI, 0%–11.9%] versus 19.4% [16.7%–21.4%] for men and 6.9% [1.2%–11.5%] versus 15.4% [12.6%–18.1%] for women). </sec> <sec xml:lang="en"> <title>Conclusions</title> <p xml:lang="en">The magnitude and the number of risk factors were progressively associated with increased lifetime risk even in individuals in early adulthood who tend to have low short‐term risk. The degree of established cardiovascular risk factors can be converted into lifetime risk. Our findings may be useful for risk communication in the early detection of future cardiovascular disease risk. </sec>

Previous studies have found the prevention paradox in the association between stroke events and a single specific risk factor, indicating that a population-based strategy may be more effective than a high-risk-based strategy for prevention. We tested the hypothesis that the prevention paradox does not apply when focusing on multiple potential risk factors simultaneously. The study cohort included 9051 individuals from Japan aged 40-89 years. The time-dependent Cox proportional-hazards models were used to identify the primary risk factor associated with stroke onset. We classified participants based on risk factors in two distinct ways: 1) classifying the high-risk group participants according to a single specific risk factor that had a large association with stroke in both sexes and all ages and 2) classifying the high-risk group participants according to 1-3 risk factor(s) including hypertension, hyperglycemia, and/or dyslipidemia. Then, we compared the proportions of the total number of participants who developed stroke in both groups to assess the prevention paradox. We found that hypertension was a primary risk factor for stroke incidence, regardless of sex and age. The percentage of patients with a single specific risk of and developed stroke was 46%-63%, while the percentage of patients with 1-3 risk factor(s) was 71-83%. This finding leads to the conclusion that the prevention paradox does not hold when multiple stroke risk factors were associated, suggesting that a high-risk-based strategy that focuses on patients with multiple risk factors may be more effective in preventing strokes.

<title>Abstract</title><sec> <title>Background</title> Japan has established comprehensive education-scholarship programs to supply physicians in rural areas. Their entrants now comprise 16% of all medical students, and graduates must work in rural areas for a designated number of years. These programs are now being adopted outside Japan, but their medium-term outcomes and inter-program differences are unknown. </sec><sec> <title>Methods</title> A nationwide prospective cohort study of newly licensed physicians 2014–2018 (<italic>n</italic> = 2454) of the four major types of the programs—Jichi Medical University (Jichi); regional quota with scholarship; non-quota with scholarship (scholarship alone); and quota without scholarship (quota alone)—and all Japanese physicians in the same postgraduate year (<italic>n</italic> = 40,293) was conducted with follow-up workplace information from the Physician Census 2018, Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare. In addition, annual cross-sectional survey for prefectural governments and medical schools 2014–2019 was conducted to obtain information on the results of National Physician License Examination and retention status for contractual workforce. </sec><sec> <title>Results</title> Passing rate of the National Physician License Examination was highest in Jichi, followed in descending order by quota with scholarship, the other two programs, and all medical graduates. The retention rate for contractual rural service of Jichi graduates 5 years after graduation (<italic>n</italic> = 683; 98%) was higher than that of quota with scholarship (2868; 90%; <italic>P</italic> &lt; 0.001) and scholarship alone (2220; 81% &lt; 0.001). Relative risks of working in municipalities with the least population density quintile in Jichi, quota with scholarship, scholarship alone, and quota alone in postgraduate year 5 were 4.0 (95% CI 3.7–4.4; <italic>P</italic> &lt; 0.001), 3.1 (2.6–3.7; &lt; 0.001), 2.5 (2.1–3.0; &lt; 0.001), and 2.5 (1.9–3.3; &lt; 0.001) as compared with all Japanese physicians. There was no significant difference between each program and all physicians in the proportion of those who specialized in internal medicine or general practice in postgraduate years 3 to 5 </sec><sec> <title>Conclusions</title> Japan’s education policies to produce rural physicians are effective but the degree of effectiveness varies among the programs. Policymakers and medical educators should plan their future rural workforce policies with reference to the effectiveness and variations of these programs. </sec>

<title>Abstract</title><sec> <title>Background</title> Developing self-regulated learning in preclinical settings is important for future lifelong learning. Previous studies indicate professional identity formation, i.e., formation of self-identity with internalized values and norms of professionalism, might promote self-regulated learning. We designed a professional identity formation-oriented reflection and learning plan format, then tested effectiveness on raising self-regulated learning in a preclinical year curriculum. </sec><sec> <title>Methods</title> A randomized controlled crossover trial was conducted using 112 students at Jichi Medical University. In six one-day problem-based learning sessions in a 7-month pre-clinical year curriculum, Groups A (<italic>n</italic> = 56, female 18, mean age 21.5y ± 0.7) and B (<italic>n</italic> = 56, female 11, mean age 21.7y ± 1.0) experienced professional identity formation-oriented format: Group A had three sessions with the intervention format in the first half, B in the second half. Between-group identity stages and self-regulated learning levels were compared using professional identity essays and the Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire. </sec><sec> <title>Results</title> Two-level regression analyses showed no improvement in questionnaire categories but moderate improvement of professional identity stages over time (<italic>R</italic>² = 0.069), regardless of timing of intervention. </sec><sec> <title>Conclusions</title> Professional identity moderately forms during the pre-clinical year curriculum. However, neither identity nor self-regulated learning is raised significantly by limited intervention. </sec>

Introduction: Previous studies indicate that professional identity formation (PIF), the formation of a self-identity with the internalised values and norms of professionalism, may influence self-regulated learning (SRL). However, it remains unclear whether a PIF-oriented intervention can improve SRL in clinical education. The aim of this study was to explore whether a PIF-oriented mentoring platform improves SRL in a clinical clerkship. Methods: A mixed-methods study was conducted. Forty-one students in a community-based clinical clerkship (CBCC) used a PIF-oriented mentoring platform. They articulated the values and norms of professionalism in a professional identity essay, elaborated on future professional self-image, and reflected on their current compared to future selves. They made a study plan while referring to PIF-based self-reflection and completed it. The control group of 41 students completed CBCC without the PIF-oriented mentoring platform. Changes in SRL between the two groups were quantitatively compared using the Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire. We explore how PIF elements in the platform affected SRL by qualitative analysis of questionnaire and interview data. Results: A moderate improvement in intrinsic goal orientation (p = 0.005, ε2 = 0.096) and a mild improvement in critical thinking (p = 0.041, ε2 = 0.051) were observed in the PIF-oriented platform group. Qualitative analysis revealed that the PIF-oriented platform fostered professional responsibility as a key to expanding learning goals. Gaining authentic knowledge professionally fostered critical thinking, and students began to elaborate knowledge in line with professional task processes. Conclusion: A PIF-oriented mentoring platform helped students improve SRL during a clinical clerkship.

Objective: Coffee consumption can be expected to reduce mortality due to cardiovascular diseases and cancer. This study tested the hypothesis of an inverse association between coffee intake and all-cause mortality and mortality due to cancer, coronary heart disease, or stroke. Study design: Prospective cohort study. Methods: We analyzed data from the Jichi Medical School Cohort Study, Japan, enrolling 9946 subjects (men/women: 3870/6,076, age: 19e93 years) from 12 communities. A food frequency questionnaire assessing the subjects’ daily coffee consumption was used. Results: During an average follow-up of 18.4 years, the total number of deaths was 2024, including 677 for cancer, 238 for coronary heart disease, and 244 for stroke. Cox proportional hazards models were used to calculate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of all-cause mortality and cause specific mortality due to cancer, coronary heart disease, and stroke. Overall, no significant association was shown between coffee consumption and all-cause mortality. In the cause-specific mortality analyses, stroke mortality was significantly lower in those who consumed 1e2 cups of coffee daily (HR [95% CI]: 0.63 [0.42e0.95]) than in those who do not consume coffee, and this association occurred only in men. Conclusion: This study showed no significant association between coffee consumption and all-cause mortality. A U-shaped association between coffee consumption and stroke mortality with a 37% lower stroke mortality, only significant in men who consume 1e2 cups of coffee daily was observed. It is necessary to examine the possibility of intervention studies to reduce stroke mortality through coffee consumption.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the association between polarity of atrial premature complexes (APCs) and stroke. DESIGN: A prospective study. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: A total of 11 092 participants in the Jichi Medical School cohort study were included after excluding patients with atrial fibrillation. We analysed stroke events in patients with (n=136) and without (n=10 956) APCs. With regard to polarity of APCs, patients were subcategorised into having (1) negative (n=39) or non-negative (n=97) P waves in augmented vector right (aVR), and (2) positive (n=28) or non-positive (n=108) P waves in augmented vector left (aVL). OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary endpoint was stroke. RESULTS: Patients with APCs were significantly older than those without APCs (64.1±9.2 vs 55.1±11.6 years, p<0.001). The mean follow-up period was 11.8±2.4 years. Stroke events were observed in patients with (n=13 events) and without (n=411 events) APCs. This difference was significant (log-rank 12.9, p<0.001); however, APCs were not an independent predictor of stroke after adjusting for age, sex, height, body mass index, current drinking, diabetes, systolic blood pressure, prior myocardial infarction, prior stroke and high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (p=0.15). The incidence of stroke in patients with APCs and non-negative P wave in aVR was significantly higher than in patients without APCs (log-rank 20.1, p<0.001), and non-negative P wave in aVR was revealed to be an independent predictor of stroke (HR 1.84, 95% CI 1.02 to 3.30). The incidence of stroke in patients with APC with non-positive P wave in aVL was also significantly higher than in patients without APC (log-rank 15.3, p<0.001), and non-positive P wave in aVL was an independent predictor of stroke (HR 1.92, 95% CI 1.05 to 3.54). CONCLUSIONS: The presence of APCs with non-negative P wave in aVR or non-positive P wave in aVL on 12-lead ECG was associated with a higher risk of incident stroke.

栃木県の調査データを二次利用し、在宅医療的ケア児の生活状況について分析した。医療的ケア児は県内に約300人、20歳未満人口1000人対0.91みられ、年齢分布では6歳未満が50%を占め、寝たきりや座位の児が50%、歩行や走ることが可能な児が31%であった。サービスについては人工呼吸器使用者で「送迎がない」「利用できるサービスの量が不足」「費用負担が大きい」などの項目が有意に高かった。また、介護者で睡眠5時間未満の者は児に経管栄養がある場合において有意に高かった。以上、これらの結果からも、在宅医療的ケア児の運動・知的機能には個人差があり、個々に応じたサービスの提供が必要であると考えられた。

Background and study aims  We aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of the starting position during colonoscopy. Patients and methods  We searched CENTRAL, MEDLINE, EMBASE, and the WHO International Clinical Trials Registry Platform through February 2019 to identify studies reporting the comparison between the right/supine/prone/tilt-down and left lateral starting position during colonoscopy. The primary outcomes were mean cecal insertion time and adverse events requiring medication. Two reviewers performed study selection and risk of bias assessment. We determined the quality of evidence using the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation method. This study was registered in PROSPERO (CRD42019124360). Results  We identified 10 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) (2083 participants), including three trials on right/tilt-down versus left, two trials on supine/prone versus left, respectively. Mean difference in mean cecal insertion time in supine versus left was -41.0 s (95 % confidence interval [CI] -57.3 to -24.7) in one study and in tilt-down versus left was - 37.3 s (95 % CI -72.1 to -2.4; I 2  = 58 %) in three studies; however, there were no statistically significant differences in prone/right versus left position (very low certainty of evidence). Four of eight studies noted adverse effects requiring medication (moderate certainty of evidence). One RCT applying the tilt-down position was terminated because of increased occurrence of oxygen desaturation. Conclusion  We could not conclusively determine the efficacy and safety of the starting position during colonoscopy because of low certainty of evidence. Further studies are needed to confirm the efficacy and safety of the starting potion during colonoscopy.

AIM: Lifetime risk (LTR) indicates the absolute risk of disease during the remainder of an individual's lifetime. We aimed to assess the LTRs for coronary heart disease (CHD) mortality associated with blood pressure (BP) and total cholesterol levels in an Asian population using a meta-analysis of individual participant data because no previous studies have assessed this risk. METHODS: We analyzed data from 105,432 Japanese participants in 13 cohorts. Apart from grade 1 and 2-3 hypertension groups, we defined "normal BP" as systolic/diastolic BP ＜130/＜80 mmHg and "high BP" as 130-139/80-89 mmHg. The sex-specific LTR was estimated while considering the competing risk of death. RESULTS: During the mean follow-up period of 15 years (1,553,735 person-years), 889 CHD deaths were recorded. The 10-year risk of CHD mortality at index age 35 years was ≤ 0.11%, but the corresponding LTR was ≥ 1.84%. The LTR of CHD at index age 35 years steeply increased with an increase in BP of participants with high total cholesterol levels [≥ 5.7 mmol/L (220 mg/dL)]. This risk was 7.73%/5.77% (95% confidence interval: 3.53%-10.28%/3.83%-7.25%) in men/women with grade 2-3 hypertension and high total cholesterol levels. In normal and high BP groups, the absolute differences in LTRs between the low and high total cholesterol groups were ≤ 0.25% in men and ≤ 0.40% in women. CONCLUSIONS: High total cholesterol levels contributed to an elevated LTR of CHD mortality in hypertensive individuals. These findings could help guide high-risk young individuals toward initiating lifestyle changes or treatments.

BACKGROUND: The cardiovascular relevance of isolated low levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) is yet to be determined. Stroke often leads to long-term disability, and thus, not only stroke mortality but also stroke incidence is a topic of research. Although isolated low HDL-C level has been found to be a predictor for stroke mortality previously, whether it can predict stroke incidence is unknown. METHODS: In the Jichi Medical School cohort study, 11 025 community-living residents without a history of stroke were examined. Hazard ratios (HRs) for isolated and non-isolated low HDL-C levels were calculated relative to those for normal HDL-C levels in stroke patients using Cox's regression models. RESULTS: During the mean follow-up period of 10.7 years, 412 residents had their first-ever stroke. The multivariable-adjusted HRs for the levels of isolated and non-isolated low HDL-C were 1.11 (95% confidence interval, 0.85-1.44) and 1.35 (1.01-1.81), respectively, when compared to that for normal HDL-C. CONCLUSION: Low HDL-C levels with other dyslipidemias may contribute to the incidence of stroke, not isolated low HDL-C.

We aimed to investigate the relationship between high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) concentration and the incident stroke subtypes. We enrolled 11 027 participants between the ages of 18 and 90 years without a history of stroke in 12 Japanese communities. Cox's regression models were used for stroke subtypes, adjusted for traditional risk factors, according to the categories based on HDL-C concentrations: 1.04 to 1.55 mmol/L, ≥1.56 mmol/L, and <1.03 mmol/L (as the reference). During a mean follow-up of 10.7 years, 412 stroke events had occurred. However, HDL-C was not significantly associated with the incidence of cerebral infarction and subarachnoid hemorrhage. High HDL-C concentration was associated with a decreased incidence of intracerebral hemorrhage in women (hazard ratio = 0.23; 95% confidence interval = 0.06-0.89), but not in men (hazard ratio = 0.73; 95% confidence interval = 0.27-1.97). Therefore, high HDL-C concentration might have a protective effect on the incidence of intracerebral hemorrhage, particularly in women.

© 2018 National Kidney Foundation, Inc. Rationale & Objective: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is complicated by abnormalities that reflect disruption in filtration, tubular, and endocrine functions of the kidney. Our aim was to explore the relationship of specific laboratory result abnormalities and hypertension with the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and albuminuria CKD staging framework. Study Design: Cross-sectional individual participant-level analyses in a global consortium. Setting & Study Populations: 17 CKD and 38 general population and high-risk cohorts. Selection Criteria for Studies: Cohorts in the CKD Prognosis Consortium with data for eGFR and albuminuria, as well as a measurement of hemoglobin, bicarbonate, phosphorus, parathyroid hormone, potassium, or calcium, or hypertension. Data Extraction: Data were obtained and analyzed between July 2015 and January 2018. Analytical Approach: We modeled the association of eGFR and albuminuria with hemoglobin, bicarbonate, phosphorus, parathyroid hormone, potassium, and calcium values using linear regression and with hypertension and categorical definitions of each abnormality using logistic regression. Results were pooled using random-effects meta-analyses. Results: The CKD cohorts (n = 254,666 participants) were 27% women and 10% black, with a mean age of 69 (SD, 12) years. The general population/high-risk cohorts (n = 1,758,334) were 50% women and 2% black, with a mean age of 50 (16) years. There was a strong graded association between lower eGFR and all laboratory result abnormalities (ORs ranging from 3.27 [95% CI, 2.68-3.97] to 8.91 [95% CI, 7.22-10.99] comparing eGFRs of 15 to 29 with eGFRs of 45 to 59 mL/min/1.73 m2), whereas albuminuria had equivocal or weak associations with abnormalities (ORs ranging from 0.77 [95% CI, 0.60-0.99] to 1.92 [95% CI, 1.65-2.24] comparing urinary albumin-creatinine ratio > 300 vs < 30 mg/g). Limitations: Variations in study era, health care delivery system, typical diet, and laboratory assays. Conclusions: Lower eGFR was strongly associated with higher odds of multiple laboratory result abnormalities. Knowledge of risk associations might help guide management in the heterogeneous group of patients with CKD.

Objective: We employed a large-scale pooled analysis to investigate the association of liver cancer-related mortality with being overweight/obese and total cholesterol (TC) levels, since limited and inconsistent data on these associations exist in Japan. Methods: A total of 59,332 participants (23,853 men and 35,479 women) from 12 cohorts without a history of cancer who were followed for a median of 14.3 years were analyzed. A sex-specific stratified Cox proportional hazards model adjusted for age and other potential confounders was used to calculate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for liver cancer-related mortality. Results: A total of 447 participants (266 men and 181 women) died of liver cancer within the follow-up period. Individuals classified as having a high BMI (≥25.0 kg/m2) and low TC levels (< 160 mg/dL) had a significantly increased risk for liver cancer-related mortality (HR 7.05, 95% CI 4.41-11.26 in men; HR 8.07, 95% CI 4.76-13.67 in women) when compared with those in the intermediate BMI (18.5-24.9 kg/m2) and TC (160-219 mg/dL) categories. These associations remained after limiting the follow-up duration to > 5 years. Conclusion: Being overweight/obese, combined with low TC levels, was strongly associated with liver cancer-related mortality in the EPOCH-JAPAN.

Background: The effect of very high or extremely high levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) on cardiovascular disease (CVD) is not well described. Although a few recent studies have reported the adverse effects of extremely high levels of HDL-C on CVD events, these did not show a statistically significant association between extremely high levels of HDL-C and cause-specific CVD mortality. In addition, Asian populations have not been studied. Objective: We examine the impact of extremely high levels of HDL-C on cause-specific CVD mortality using pooled data of Japanese cohort studies. Methods: We performed a large-scale pooled analysis of 9 Japanese cohorts including 43,407 participants aged 40–89 years, dividing the participants into 5 groups by HDL-C levels, including extremely high levels of HDL-C ≥2.33 mmol/L (≥90 mg/dL). We estimated the adjusted hazard ratio of each HDL-C category for all-cause death and cause-specific deaths compared with HDL-C 1.04–1.55 mmol/L (40–59 mg/dL) using a cohort-stratified Cox proportional hazards model. Results: During a 12.1-year follow-up, 4995 all-cause deaths and 1280 deaths due to overall CVD were identified. Extremely high levels of HDL-C were significantly associated with increased risk of atherosclerotic CVD mortality (hazard ratio = 2.37, 95% confidence interval: 1.37–4.09 for total) and increased risk for coronary heart disease and ischemic stroke. In addition, the risk for extremely high HDL-C was more evident among current drinkers. Conclusion: We showed extremely high levels of HDL-C had an adverse effect on atherosclerotic CVD mortality in a pooled analysis of Japanese cohorts.

<p>目的 地方紙における遺族の自己申告型死亡記事の記載事項を集計し，その地域での死亡やそれに伴う儀式の実態を明らかにするとともに，死亡記事のデータベースとしての利点と問題点を明らかにする。</p><p>方法 栃木の地方紙である下野新聞の自己申告型死亡記事「おくやみ」欄に掲載された2011～2015年の栃木県内の死亡者全員のデータを集計解析し，一部の結果は人口動態統計と比較した。観察項目は掲載年月日，市町村，住所の表示（市町村名のみ，町名・字まで，番地まで含めた詳細な住所），氏名，性別，死亡年月日，死因，死亡時年齢，通夜・告別式などの名称，通夜などの年月日，告別式などの年月日，喪主と喪主の死亡者との続柄の情報である。</p><p>結果 観察期間中の掲載死亡者数は69,793人で，同時期の人口動態統計による死亡者数の67.6%であった。人口動態統計と比較した掲載割合は男女で差がなく，小児期には掲載割合が低く，10歳代で高く，20歳台で低下し，以降は年齢とともに上昇していた。市町別の掲載割合は宇都宮市や小山市など都市化が進んだ地域では低く，県東部や北部で高い市町がみられた。最も掲載割合が高かったのは茂木町（88.0%），低かったのは野木町（38.0%）であった。死亡日から通夜や告別式などの日数から，東京などで起こっている火葬場の供給不足に起因する火葬待ち現象は起こっていないことが判明した。六曜の友引の日の告別式はほとんどなく，今後，高齢者の増加に伴う死者の増加によって火葬場の供給不足が起こった場合には，告別式と火葬を切り離して友引に火葬を行うことも解決策の1つと考えられた。死亡者の子供，死亡者の両親，死亡者の子供の配偶者が喪主の場合には，喪主は男の方が多いことが判明した。老衰，自殺，他殺の解析から，掲載された死因の妥当性は低いことが示された。</p><p>結論 栃木県の地方紙である下野新聞の自己申告型死亡記事「おくやみ」欄の5年分の観察を行い，実態を明らかにした。約3分の2に死亡が掲載されており，データベースとしての使用に一定の価値があると考えられたが，記載された死因の妥当性は低いことが判明した。</p>

目的 地方紙における遺族の自己申告型死亡記事の記載事項を集計し、その地域での死亡やそれに伴う儀式の実態を明らかにするとともに、死亡記事のデータベースとしての利点と問題点を明らかにする。方法 栃木の地方紙である下野新聞の自己申告型死亡記事「おくやみ」欄に掲載された2011〜2015年の栃木県内の死亡者全員のデータを集計解析し、一部の結果は人口動態統計と比較した。観察項目は掲載年月日、市町村、住所の表示(市町村名のみ、町名・字まで、番地まで含めた詳細な住所)、氏名、性別、死亡年月日、死因、死亡時年齢、通夜・告別式などの名称、通夜などの年月日、告別式などの年月日、喪主と喪主の死亡者との続柄の情報である。結果 観察期間中の掲載死亡者数は69,793人で、同時期の人口動態統計による死亡者数の67.6%であった。人口動態統計と比較した掲載割合は男女で差がなく、小児期には掲載割合が低く、10歳代で高く、20歳代で低下し、以降は年齢とともに上昇していた。市町別の掲載割合は宇都宮市や小山市など都市化が進んだ地域では低く、県東部や北部で高い市町がみられた。最も掲載割合が高かったのは茂木町(88.0%)、低かったのは野木町(38.0%)であった。死亡日から通夜や告別式などの日数から、東京などで起こっている火葬場の供給不足に起因する火葬待ち現象は起こっていないことが判明した。六曜の友引の日の告別式はほとんどなく、今後、高齢者の増加に伴う死者の増加によって火葬場の供給不足が起こった場合には、告別式と火葬を切り離して友引に火葬を行うことも解決策の1つと考えられた。死亡者の子供、死亡者の両親、死亡者の子供の配偶者が喪主の場合には、喪主は男の方が多いことが判明した。老衰、自殺、他殺の解析から、掲載された死因の妥当性は低いことが示された。結論 栃木県の地方紙である下野新聞の自己申告型死亡記事「おくやみ」欄の5年分の観察を行い、実態を明らかにした。約3分の2に死亡が掲載されており、データベースとしての使用に一定の価値があると考えられたが、記載された死因の妥当性は低いことが判明した。(著者抄録)

Background: Minor ST-T changes are frequently observed on the electrocardiogram (ECG), but the risk of stroke associated with such changes is unclear. Methods and Results: In 10,642 subjects from the Japanese general population, we evaluated minor and major ST-T changes (major ST depression ≥0.1 mV) on ECGs obtained at annual health examinations. At baseline, minor ST-T changes were found in 10.7% of the subjects and 0.5% had major ST-T changes. Minor ST-T changes were associated with older age, female gender, higher systolic blood pressure, presence of hyperlipidemia, and use of antihypertensive medication. There were 375 stroke events during the follow-up period (128.7±28.1 months). In all subjects, minor ST-T changes (HR, 2.10 95% CI: 1.57–2.81) and major ST-T changes (HR, 8.64 95% CI: 4.44–16.82) were associated with an increased risk of stroke, but the stroke risk associated with minor ST-T changes had borderline significance after adjustment for conventional risk factors (P=0.055). In subgroup analysis, the risk of stroke was significantly associated with minor ST-T changes in subjects who had hyperlipidemia (HR, 1.75 95% CI: 1.15–2.67) compared to those without hyperlipidemia (HR, 1.01 95% CI: 0.64–1.59 P for interaction=0.016), even after adjustment for ECG-diagnosed left ventricular hypertrophy. Conclusions: Minor ST-T changes were particularly associated with a higher risk of stroke in subjects with hyperlipidemia and this association was independent of electrocardiographic left ventricular hypertrophy.

BackgroundThe role of factor VII (FVII) as a risk factor in myocardial infarction (MI) has been the subject of numerous studies. However, it remains uncertain whether the FVII levels are associated with development of MI. MethodsThe subjects were 4142 men and women whose activated FVII (FVIIa) and FVII coagulant (FVIIc) levels were measured in the Jichi Medical School Cohort Study. Subjects were divided into tertiles by FVIIa and FVIIc levels, and Cox's proportional hazard model was used to calculate hazard ratios (HRs) for MI. ResultsThe multivariate-adjusted HRs (95% confidential interval [CI]) for FVIIa in men were 0.67 (0.67-1.78) in tertile 2 (T2), and 0.52 (0.17-1.60) in T3. In women, the multivariate-adjusted HRs (95% CI) were 0.18 (0.02-1.60) in T2, and 0.39 (0.07-2.20) in T3. The multivariate-adjusted HRs (95% CI) for FVIIc in men were 0.54 (0.21-1.36) in T2, and 0.20 (0.04-0.91) in T3. In women, the multivariate-adjusted HRs (95% CI) were 0.44 (0.07-2.85) in T2, and 0.35 (0.06-2.22) in T3. We used T1 as a reference for all measures. ConclusionOur findings revealed a significant association between low FVIIc level and incidence of MI in men. The FVIIa and FVIIc levels were inversely related to increased MI risk, but did not reach statistical significance. Future studies are needed to confirm this association.

Objective We investigated whether serum high-sensitivity C reactive protein (hs-CRP) levels measured in an emergency department (ED) are associated with inhospital mortality in patients with cardiovascular disease (CVD). Design A retrospective cohort study. Setting ED of a teaching hospital in Japan. Participants 12 211 patients with CVD aged ≥18 years who presented to the ED by an ambulance between 1 February 2006 and 30 September 2014 were evaluated. Main outcome measures Inhospital mortality. Results 1156 patients had died. The inhospital mortality increased significantly with the hs-CRP levels (&lt 3.0 mg/L: 7.0%, 95% CI 6.4 to 7.6 3.1-5.4 mg/L: 9.6%, 95% CI 7.9 to 11.3: 5.5-11.5 mg/L: 11.2%, 95% CI 9.4 to 13.0 11.6-33.2 mg/L: 12.3%, 95% CI 10.5 to 14.1 and ≥33.3 mg/L: 19.9%, 95% CI 17.6 to 22.2). The age-adjusted and sex-adjusted HR for total mortality was increased significantly in the three ≥5.5 mg/L groups compared with the &lt 3.0 mg/L group (5.5-11.5 mg/L: HR=1.32, 95% CI 1.09 to 1.60, p=0.005 11.6-33.2 mg/L: HR=1.38, 95% CI 1.14 to 1.65, p=0.001 and ≥33.3 mg/L: HR=2.15, 95% CI 1.84 to 2.51, p&lt 0.001). Similar findings were observed for the CVD subtypes of acute myocardial infarction, heart failure, cerebral infarction and intracerebral haemorrhage. This association remained unchanged even after adjustment for age, sex and white cell count and withstood Bonferroni adjustment for multiple testing. When the causes of death were divided into primary CVD and non-CVD deaths, the association between initial hs-CRP levels and mortality remained significant, but the influence of hs-CRP levels was greater in non-CVD deaths than CVD deaths. The percentage of non-CVD deaths increased with hs-CRP levels among the patients with hs-CRP levels ≥33.3 mg/L, non-CVD deaths accounted for 37.5% of total deaths. Conclusion Our findings suggest that increased hs-CRP is a significant risk factor for inhospital mortality among patients with CVD in an ED. Particular attention should be given to our finding that non-CVD death is a major cause of death among patients with CVD with higher hs-CRP levels.

Background: Whereas high body mass index (BMI) is reportedly a risk factor for cardiovascular events in Western countries, low BMI has been reported as a risk factor for cardiovascular death in Asia, including Japan. Although subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) is a highly fatal disease and common cause of disability, few cohort studies have examined the associations between BMI and SAH in Japan. This study investigated the associations between BMI and incidence of SAH using prospective data from Japanese community residents. Methods: Data were analyzed from 12,490 participants in the Jichi Medical School Cohort Study. Participants were categorized into 5 BMI groups: &lt;= 18.5, 18.6-21.9, 22.0-24.9, 25.0-29.9, and &gt;= 30.0 kg/m(2). Multivariate-adjusted hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated using Cox proportional hazard model with BMI of 22.0-24.9 kg/m(2) as the reference category. Results: During the mean follow-up period of 10.8 years, 55 participants (13 men, 42 women) experienced SAH. BMI &gt;= 30.0 kg/m(2) was associated with significantly higher risk for SAH (HR, 5.98; 95% CI, 2.25-15.87). BMI &lt;= 18.5 kg/m(2) showed a nonsignificant tendency toward high risk of SAH (HR, 2.51; 95% CI,.81-7.79). Conclusions: High BMI was a significant risk factor for SAH. Lower BMI showed a nonsignificant tendency toward higher risk of SAH. Our results suggest a J-shaped association between BMI and risk of SAH incidence.

Heart failure occurs when the heart is unable to effectively pump blood and maintain tissue perfusion. Despite numerous therapeutic advancements over previous decades, the prognosis of patients with chronic heart failure remains poor, emphasizing the need to identify additional pathophysiological factors. Here, we show that corticotropin releasing hormone receptor 2 (Crhr2) is a G protein-coupled receptor highly expressed in cardiomyocytes and continuous infusion of the Crhr2 agonist, urocortin 2 (Ucn2), reduced left ventricular ejection fraction in mice. Moreover, plasma Ucn2 levels were 7.5-fold higher in patients with heart failure compared to those in healthy controls. Additionally, cardiomyocyte-specific deletion of Crhr2 protected mice from pressure overload-induced cardiac dysfunction. Mice treated with a Crhr2 antagonist lost maladaptive 3'-5'-cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP)-dependent signaling and did not develop heart failure in response to overload. Collectively, our results indicate that constitutive Crhr2 activation causes cardiac dysfunction and suggests that Crhr2 blockade is a promising therapeutic strategy for patients with chronic heart failure.

Background: High body mass index (BMI) has been reported as a risk factor for cardiovascular events in Western countries, while low BMI has been reported as a risk factor for cardiovascular death in Asian countries, including Japan. Although stroke is a major cause of death and disability in Japan, few cohort studies have examined the association between BMI and stroke incidence in Japan. This study aimed to examine the association between BMI and stroke incidence using prospective data from Japanese community residents. Methods: Data were analyzed from 12,490 participants in the Jichi Medical School Cohort Study. Participants were categorized into five BMI groups: &lt;= 18.5, 18.6-21.9, 22.0-24.9, 25.0-29.9, and &gt;= 30.0 kg/m(2). Multivariate-adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated using the Cox proportional hazard model. The group with a BMI of 22.0-24.9 kg/m(2) was used as the reference category. Results: During mean follow-up of 10.8 years, 395 participants (207 men and 188 women) experienced stroke, including 249 cerebral infarctions and 92 cerebral hemorrhages. Men with a BMI &lt;= 18.5 kg/m(2) (HR 2.11; 95% CI, 1.17-3.82) and women with a BMI &gt;= 30.0 kg/m(2) (HR 2.25; 95% CI, 1.28-5.08) were at significantly higher risk for all-stroke. Men with a BMI &lt;= 18.5 kg/m(2) were at significantly higher risk for cerebral infarction (HR 2.15; 95% CI, 1.07-4.33). Conclusions: The association between BMI and stroke incidence observed in this population was different than those previously reported: low BMI was a risk factor for all-stroke and cerebral infarction in men, while high BMI was a risk factor for all-stroke in women. (C) 2017 The Authors. Publishing services by Elsevier B.V. on behalf of The Japan Epidemiological Association.

Background: Diabetes mellitus is a strong risk factor for cardiovascular disease. However, the age-specific association of diabetes with cardiovascular risk, especially in the elderly, remains unclear in non-Western populations. Methods: A pooled analysis was conducted using 8 cohort studies (mean follow-up period, 10.3 years) in Japan, combining the data from 38,854 individual participants without history of cardiovascular disease. In all, 1867 of the participants had diabetes, defined based on the 1998 World Health Organization criteria. The association between diabetes and the risk of death from cardiovascular disease, coronary heart disease (CHD), and stroke was estimated using a stratified Cox model, accounting for variability of baseline hazard functions among cohorts. Results: During the follow-up, 1376 subjects died of cardiovascular disease (including 268 of coronary heart disease and 621 of stroke). Diabetes was associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular death after multivariable adjustment (hazard ratio [HR] 1.62 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.35-1.94). Similarly, diabetes was a risk factor for CHD (HR 2.13 95% CI, 1.47-3.09) and stroke (HR 1.40 95% CI, 1.05-1.85). In the age-stratified analysis of the risk of cardiovascular death, the relative effects of diabetes were consistent across age groups (p for heterogeneity = 0.18), whereas the excess absolute risks of diabetes were greater in participants in their 70s and 80s than in younger subjects. Conclusions: The management of diabetes is important to reduce the risk of death from cardiovascular disease, not only in midlife but also in late life, in the Japanese population.