Diagnosis Procedure Combination Research Articles

A Reduction in the Number of Hospitalized Cases of Acute Meningitis during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Japan.

Objective The changes in the prevalence of acute meningitis during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic remain unclear. This study aimed to compare the prevalence of acute meningitis before and during the COVID-19 pandemic in Japan. Methods We retrospectively reviewed the Japanese nationwide administrative medical payment system database, Diagnosis Procedure Combination (DPC), from 2016 to 2022. A total of 547 hospitals consistently and seamlessly offered DPC data during this period. The study period was divided into the following three periods: April 2016 to March 2018 (fiscal years 2016-2017), April 2018-March 2020 (2018-2019), and April 2020-March 2022 (2020-2021). Results Among the 28,161,806 patients hospitalized during the study period, 28,399 were hospitalized for acute meningitis: 16,678 for viral/aseptic type, 6,189 for bacterial type, 655 for fungal type, 429 for tuberculous, 2,310 for carcinomatous type, and 2,138 for other or unknown types of meningitis. A significant decrease during the pandemic was confirmed in viral (n=7,032, n=5,775, and n=3,871 in each period; p<0.0001) and bacterial meningitis (n=2,291, n=2,239, and n=1,659; p<0.0001) cases. Meanwhile, no decrease was observed in fungal meningitis (n=212, n=246, and n=197; p=0.056) or carcinomatous meningitis (n=781, n=795, and n=734; p=0.27). The decrease in the number of tuberculous meningitis cases was equivocal (n=166, n=146, and n=117; p=0.014). The decrease during the pandemic was more remarkable in younger populations aged <50 years than in older populations, both for viral and bacterial meningitis. Conclusion The number of hospitalized cases of acute meningitis clearly decreased during the COVID-19 pandemic, especially for viral and bacterial meningitis in younger populations aged <50 years.

Surgical Risk in Elderly Patients with Meningiomas in Japan.

Background/Objective: No guidelines indicate surgical risk factors for the elderly because of the lack of data from general neurosurgeons. To better understand the management of surgical risk in elderly patients with meningiomas based on a national database in Japan. Methods: Results of surgically treated meningiomas were explored in 8138 patients registered in the Diagnosis Procedure Combination database in Japan during 2010-2015. Age (<65, 65-74, and ≥75 years), sex, Barthel index (BI), medical history, tumor location, oral medication prescriptions on admission, and stroke complications were evaluated. Multivariate logistic regression analysis identified risk factors for stroke complications, BI deterioration between admission and discharge, and in-hospital mortality. Results: Advanced age was the prominent risk factor for BI deterioration (odds ratio: 3.26; 95% confidence interval: 2.69-3.95) but not for in-hospital mortality. Lower BI (60-80) on admission increased the risk of BI deterioration in all age groups; however, BI < 60 demonstrated a significant inverse risk (0.47; 0.32-0.69) in the elderly (≥75 years). Location (falx, parasagittal, and deep) and anticoagulants were not significant risk factors for BI deterioration in patients aged ≥ 75 years, despite being significant risk factors in patients aged <65 and/or 65-74 years. Conclusions: Although advanced age could lead to postoperative functional decline at discharge, it was not sufficiently significant enough to be associated with in-hospital mortality. Because of the possibility of recovery even in elderly patients with severe disabilities, appropriate surgical selection and optimal management may lead to favorable functional outcomes in elderly patients with meningiomas.

Risk Assessment of Critical Obstetric Bleeding With Low-Molecular-Weight Heparin.

Use of unfractionated heparin (UFH) during the peripartum period is considered to be a higher risk of critical obstetric bleeding compared to low-molecular-weight heparin (LMWH). However, the evidence for the safety of using LMWH during the peripartum period is currently lacking. This study retrospectively investigated a nationwide medical database to clarify the safety of using LMWH during childbirth. The Japanese Nationwide Diagnosis Procedure Combination database was retrospectively reviewed, and data from women with childbirth between 2018 and 2022 were collected. Among the overall 354,299 women with childbirth, 3,099 were with obstetric disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC), 484 were with critical obstetric bleeding requiring massive red blood cell (RBC) transfusion ≥4,000 cc, and 38 were with maternal death. Among the overall women, each of the anticoagulants other than LMWH was associated with critical obstetrical bleeding with an adjusted odds ratio (aOR) greater than 1.0, while LMWH was not associated with critical obstetrical bleeding (aOR, 0.54 (95% confidence interval, 0.11-2.71)). This finding did not change in subgroup analyses among those with Cesarean section. Furthermore, UFH was associated with critical bleeding among the 3,099 women with obstetrical DIC (aOR, 3.91 (2.83-5.46)), while LMWH was not (aOR, 0.26 (0.03-1.37)). The use of UFH was significantly associated with an increased critical obstetric hemorrhage requiring massive RBC transfusion or total hysterectomy. Meanwhile, the use of LMWH was not associated with increased critical obstetric bleeding. LMWH would be safer than UFH to be used for women during childbirth.

Analysis of in-hospital deaths in patients with critical limb ischemia necessitating invasive treatments: based on a Japanese nationwide database.

Critical limb ischemia (CLI) is associated with systemic cardiovascular and non-cardiovascular diseases. Treatments primarily targeting limb-related outcomes may not improve overall life prognosis. We aimed to describe in-hospital mortality and the underlying etiologies in Japanese patients with CLI. We analyzed the Diagnosis Procedure Combination (DPC) database from approximately 1200 Japanese acute-care hospitals between April 2018 and March 2020. The definition of patients with CLI was based on the diagnostic codes listed as the most resource-intensive diagnosis and information regarding invasive procedures (endovascular treatment, bypass, or amputation). The DPC database provides information on whether in-hospital death was caused by the most resource-intensive diagnosis. Among 15,228 distinct patients with CLI, we identified 18,970 records, including 5,378 amputations. In-hospital death occurred in 1238 (6.5%) patients. Among them, 811 (65.5%) were due to causes unrelated to CLI. In patients who underwent amputation (n = 5378), causes unrelated to CLI accounted for 70.0% of in-hospital deaths, whereas among patients who did not undergo amputation (n = 13,592), this proportion was 60.1%. When compared to patients who died due to causes related to CLI, the prevalence of male patients was higher (62.6% vs 52.7%, p = 0.001), and amputation was more frequently performed (58.0% vs 47.1%, p < 0.001) in those who died due to causes unrelated to CLI. The majority of in-hospital deaths among patients with CLI necessitating endovascular treatment, bypass, or amputation were attributable to factors unrelated to the primary condition of CLI. Managing systemic cardiovascular and non-cardiovascular diseases beyond the affected limb is crucial to improve the prognosis of these patients.

Complications after peripherally inserted central catheter versus central venous catheter implantation in intensive care unit: propensity score analysis using a nationwide database

ABSTRACT Background It remains unclear whether peripherally inserted central catheters (PICCs) are superior to central venous catheters (CVCs); therefore, we compared post-implantation complications between CVC and PICC groups. Research design and methods Patients who received CVCs or PICCs between April 2010 and March 2018 were identified from the Diagnosis Procedure Combination database, a national inpatient database in Japan. The outcomes of interest included catheter infection, pulmonary embolism, deep vein thrombosis, and phlebitis. Propensity score overlap weighting was used to balance patient backgrounds. Outcomes were compared using logistic regression analyses. Results We identified 164,185 eligible patients, including 161,605 (98.4%) and 2,580 (1.6%) in the CVC and PICC groups, respectively. The PICC group was more likely to have overall complications (odds ratio [OR], 1.70; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.32–2.19), pulmonary embolism (OR, 2.32; 95% CI, 1.38–3.89), deep vein thrombosis (OR, 1.86; 95% CI, 1.16–2.99), and phlebitis (OR, 1.72; 95% CI, 1.27–2.32) than the CVC group. There was no significant intergroup difference in catheter infection (OR, 1.09; 95% CI, 0.39–3.04). Conclusions Patients with PICCs had a significantly greater incidence of complications than did those with CVCs. Further research is necessary to explore the factors contributing to these complications.

Development and validation of a machine learning model to predict postoperative delirium using a nationwide database: A retrospective, observational study

Study objectivePostoperative delirium is a neuropsychological syndrome that typically occurs in surgical patients. Its onset can lead to prolonged hospitalization as well as increased morbidity and mortality. Therefore, it is important to promptly identify its signs. This study aimed to develop and validate a machine learning predictive model for postoperative delirium using extensive population data. DesignRetrospective observational study. SettingJapanese Diagnosis Procedure Combination inpatient data. Data were used for internal (2016.4–2018.12) and temporal validation (2019.01–2019.10). PatientsPatients aged ≥65 years who underwent general anesthesia for surgical procedure. MeasurementsThe primary outcome was postoperative delirium, which was defined as a condition requiring newly prescribed antipsychotic drugs or assignment of the corresponding insurance claim code after the date of surgery. We trained and tuned the optimal machine-learning model through 10-fold cross-validation using the selected optimal area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) value. In the temporal validation, we measured the performance of our model. Main resultsThe analysis included 557,990 patients. The light-gradient boosting machine models showed a higher AUC value (0.826 [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.822–0.829]) than the other models. Regarding performance, the model had a recall value of 0.124 (95% CI: 0.119–0.129) and precision value of 0.659 (95% CI: 0.641–0.677]). This performance was sustained in the temporal validation (AUC, 0.815 [95% CI: 0.811–0.818]). At a sensitivity of 0.80, the model achieved a specificity of 0.672 (95% CI: 0.670–0.674]), a negative predictive value of 0.975 (95% CI: 0.974–0.975), and a positive predictive value of 0.176 (95% CI: 0.176–0.179). ConclusionsUsing extensive Diagnostic Procedure Combination data, we successfully created and validated a machine learning model for predicting postoperative delirium. This model may facilitate prediction of postoperative delirium.

Changes in Treatment Conditions for Patients Receiving Hemodialysis at Nippon Medical School Hospital During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

The COVID-19 pandemic has had an enormous impact on hemodialysis patients. This study investigated changes in hemodialysis treatment at our hospital after the start of the pandemic. We analyzed data from the Diagnosis Procedure Combination (DPC) system. Data for inpatients receiving dialysis during collection periods A (before the COVID-19 pandemic) and B (after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic) were extracted and compared. The numbers of inpatients and new patients, the number of patients admitted (by department), duration of stay, mortality, place of residence, surgical procedures, and DPC classification were compared. There were no significant differences between periods in patient age, duration of hospital stay, number of new patients, number of ambulance transports, number of deaths, body mass index, comorbidities, laboratory variables before the first dialysis after hospitalization, or patient area of residence. Although differences were observed among the departments, the numbers of emergency dialysis inpatients and maintenance dialysis inpatients increased. The number of surgeries also increased overall, particularly for maintenance dialysis patients (P = 0.0273). The percentage of DPC III patients was significantly higher in period B (P=0.0368). The number of surgeries performed on maintenance dialysis patients and the overall DPC III rate significantly increased after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic at our hospital, suggesting that COVID-19 worsened the condition of maintenance dialysis patients and prolonged hospital stays.

Timing of Worsening Renal Function in Patients Hospitalized for Heart Failure Exacerbation Who Were Being Treated With Intravenous Diuretic Therapy.

This retrospective observational study investigated the incidence of worsening renal function (WRF) in patients hospitalized for heart failure (HF) and treated with intravenous diuretics in Japan.Methods and Results: Associations between WRF at any point and HF treatments, and the effects of WRF on outcomes were evaluated (Diagnosis Procedure Combination database). Of 1,788 patients analyzed (mean [±SD] age 80.5±10.2 years; 54.4% male), 641 (35.9%) had WRF during a course of hospitalization for worsening HF: 208 (32.4%) presented with WRF before admission (BA-WRF; estimated glomerular filtration rate decreased by ≥25% from baseline at least once between 30 days prior to admission and admission); 44 (6.9%) had WRF that persisted before and after admission (P-WRF); and 389 (60.7%) had WRF develop after admission (AA-WRF). Delayed initial diuretic administration, higher maximum doses of intravenous diuretics during hospitalization, and diuretic readministration during hospitalization were associated with a significantly higher incidence of AA-WRF. Patients with WRF at any time point were at higher risk of death during hospitalization compared with patients without WRF, with adjusted hazard ratios of 3.56 (95% confidence interval [CI] 2.23-5.69) for BA-WRF, 3.23 (95% CI 2.21-4.71) for AA-WRF, and 13.16 (95% CI 8.19-21.15) for P-WRF (all P<0.0001). Forty percent of WRF occurred before admission for acute HF; there was no difference in mortality between patients with BA-WRF and AA-WRF.

Current Clinical Practice of Laboratory Testing of the Hemostasis and Coagulation System in Patients with Sepsis: A Nationwide Observational Study in Japan.

The clinical benefit of hemostasis molecular indicators such as thrombin-antithrombin complex (TAT), soluble fibrin (SF), and prothrombin fragment 1 + 2 (F1+2) for the diagnosis of disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) is reported. Recently, novel DIC diagnostic criteria that adopt them were proposed in Japan. Despite the theoretical understanding of their function, the practical use of these markers remains unclear. The present study aimed to provide a descriptive overview of current clinical practice regarding the measurement of hemostasis markers in sepsis management in Japan. This retrospective observational analysis used the Japanese Diagnosis Procedure Combination inpatient database containing data from more than 1500 acute-care hospitals in Japan. We identified adult patients hospitalized for sepsis between April 2018 and March 2021. Descriptive statistics for measuring several hemostasis laboratory markers were summarized using patient disease characteristics, hospital characteristic, and geographical location. This study included 153,474 adult sepsis patients. Crude in-hospital mortality was 30.0%. Frequency of measurement of fibrinogen, fibrin degradation products (FDP), and D-dimer in sepsis patients on admission was 43.2%, 36.1%, and 46.4%, respectively. Novel and specific hemostasis molecular markers such as TAT, SF, and F1+2 were seldom measured (1.9%, 1.7%, and 0.02%, respectively). Hemostasis molecular markers were more frequently measured with progression of thrombocytopenia. Measurement of these clinically favorite hemostasis markers was influenced not only by disease characteristics but also hospital characteristic or geographical location. Hemostasis molecular markers such as TAT, SF, and F1+2 were rarely measured in clinical settings. Although adopted by several DIC scoring systems, neither fibrinogen, FDP, nor D-dimer was routinely measured.

Antiemetic Effect of Rikkunshito, a Japanese Kampo Herbal Medicine, on Cisplatin-induced Nausea and Vomiting: A Nationwide Database Study in Japan.

Objective The effect of Rikkunshito, a Japanese herbal Kampo medicine, on chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV) has been evaluated in several small prospective studies, with mixed results. We retrospectively evaluated the antiemetic effects of Rikkunshito in patients undergoing cisplatin-based chemotherapy using a large-scale database in Japan. Methods The Diagnosis Procedure Combination inpatient database from July 2010 to March 2019 was used to compare adult patients with malignant tumors who had received Rikkunshito on or before the day of cisplatin administration (Rikkunshito group) and those who had not (control group). Antiemetics on days 2 and 3 and days 4 and beyond following cisplatin administration were used as surrogate outcomes for CINV. Patient backgrounds were adjusted using the stabilized inverse probability of treatment weighting, and outcomes were compared using univariable regression models. Results We identified 669 and 123,378 patients in the Rikkunshito and control groups, respectively. There were significantly fewer patients using intravenous 5-HT3-receptor antagonists in the Rikkunshito group (odds ratio, 0.38; 95% confidence interval, 0.16-0.87; p=0.023) on days 2 and 3 of cisplatin-based chemotherapy. Conclusion The reduced use of antiemetics on day 2 and beyond of cisplatin administration suggested a beneficial effect of Rikkunshito in palliating the symptoms of CINV.

Clinical Features and Outcomes of Shoshin Beriberi.

Shoshin beriberi is a fulminant form of wet beriberi, but there are no large-scale studies detailing the clinical features of this disease. We investigated the clinical features and outcomes of Shoshin beriberi using data from a nationwide database in Japan.Using the Diagnosis Procedure Combination database, we identified patients with Shoshin beriberi between July 2010 and March 2021. We retrospectively investigated the characteristics, comorbidities, treatment, and in-hospital mortality of patients with Shoshin beriberi. The chi-square test or Fisher's exact test was used for categorical variables, and the Mann-Whitney U-test was used for continuous variables.We identified 62 patients with Shoshin beriberi. The median (interquartile range) age was 63 (48-69) years. Furthermore, 54 patients were male (87%). The most common comorbidity was alcohol-related disorder (34%). The median (interquartile range) length of hospital and intensive care unit stays were 17 (range, 10-35) and 5 (range, 1-9) days, respectively. The proportion of patients who received venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, intra-aortic balloon pump, continuous renal replacement therapy, and mechanical ventilation was 11, 5, 29, and 63%, respectively. Among the patients with Shoshin beriberi, 53% received 2 or more catecholamines or inotropes. The in-hospital mortality was 23%. Impaired consciousness at admission was significantly related to in-hospital death (P < 0.001).The present study is the first and largest to describe the clinical features of patients with Shoshin beriberi using a nationwide database. Impaired consciousness at admission was significantly associated with in-hospital death.

Clinical Efficacy of Beta-1 Selective Beta-Blockers Versus Propranolol in Patients With Thyroid Storm: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

Thyroid storm is the most severe manifestation of thyrotoxicosis. Beta-blockers are among the standard treatment regimens for this condition, with propranolol being the historically preferred option. However, 2016 guidelines issued by the Japan Thyroid Association and the Japan Endocrine Society recommend the use of beta-1 selective beta-blockers over nonselective beta-blockers, such as propranolol. Nevertheless, evidence supporting this recommendation is limited. Herein, we aimed to investigate the in-hospital mortality of patients with thyroid storms based on the choice of beta-blockers. Retrospective cohort study. The Diagnosis Procedure Combination database, a national inpatient database in Japan. Patients hospitalized with thyroid storm between April 2010 and March 2022. Propensity-score overlap weighting was performed to compare in-hospital mortality between patients who received beta-1 selective beta-blockers and those who received propranolol. Subgroup analysis was also conducted, considering the presence or absence of acute heart failure. Among the 2462 eligible patients, 1452 received beta-1 selective beta-blockers and 1010 received propranolol. The crude in-hospital mortality rates were 9.3% for the beta-1 selective beta-blocker group and 6.2% for the propranolol group. After adjusting for baseline variables, the use of beta-1 selective beta-blockers was not associated with lower in-hospital mortality (6.3% vs. 7.4%; odds ratio, 0.85; 95% CI, 0.57-1.26). Furthermore, no significant difference in in-hospital mortality was observed in patients with acute heart failure. In patients with thyroid storm, the choice between beta-1 selective beta-blockers and propranolol did not affect in-hospital mortality, regardless of the presence of acute heart failure. Therefore, both beta-1 selective beta-blockers and propranolol can be regarded as viable treatment options for beta-blocker therapy in cases of thyroid storm, contingent upon the clinical context.

Potassium Iodide Use and Patient Outcomes for Thyroid Storm: An Observational Study.

Iodine, combined with antithyroid drugs, is recommended as an initial pharmacologic treatment for thyroid storm according to some clinical guidelines. However, the clinical efficacy of iodine in managing thyroid storm remains unexplored. This study aimed to determine whether early potassium iodide (KI) use is associated with mortality in patients hospitalized for thyroid storm. Using the Japanese Diagnosis Procedure Combination database, we identified patients hospitalized with thyroid storm between July 2010 and March 2022. We compared in-hospital mortality, length of stay, and total hospitalization costs between patients who received KI within two days of admission (KI group) versus those who did not (non-KI group). Prespecified subgroup analyses were performed based on the presence of the diagnosis of Graves' disease. Among 3,188 eligible patients, 2,350 received KI within two days of admission. The crude in-hospital mortality was 6.1% (143/2,350) in the KI group and 7.8% (65/838) in the non-KI group. After adjusting for potential confounders, KI use was not significantly associated with in-hospital mortality (odds ratio [OR] for KI use, 0.91; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.62-1.34). In patients with the diagnosis of Graves' disease, in-hospital mortality was lower in the KI group than in the non-KI group (OR, 0.46; 95% CI, 0.25-0.88). No significant difference in in-hospital mortality was observed in patients without the diagnosis of Graves' disease (OR, 1.11; 95% CI, 0.67-1.85). Length of stay was shorter (subdistribution hazard ratio, 1.15; 95% CI, 1.05-1.27), and total hospitalization costs were lower (OR, 0.92; 95% CI, 0.85-1.00) in the KI group compared with the non-KI group. Our findings suggest that KI may reduce in-hospital mortality among patients hospitalized for thyroid storm with Graves' disease.

Comparisons of in-hospital fee and surgical outcomes between robot-assisted, laparoscopic, and open radical cystectomy: a Japanese nationwide study.

To evaluate in-hospital fees and surgical outcomes of robot-assisted radical cystectomy (RARC), laparoscopic radical cystectomy (LRC) and open radical cystectomy (ORC) using a Japanese nationwide database. All data were obtained from the Diagnosis Procedure Combination database between April 2020 and March 2022. Basic characteristics and perioperative indicators, including in-hospital fees, were compared among the RARC, LRC and ORC groups. Propensity score-matched comparisons were performed to assess the differences between RARC and ORC. During the study period, 2931, 1311 and 2435 cases of RARC, LRC and ORC were identified, respectively. The RARC group had the lowest in-hospital fee (median: 2.38 million yen), the shortest hospital stay (26days) and the lowest blood transfusion rate (29.5%), as well as the lowest complication rate (20.9%), despite having the longest anesthesia time (569min) among the three groups (all P<0.01). The outcomes of LRC were comparable with those of RARC, and the differences in these indicators between the RARC and ORC groups were greater than those between the RARC and LRC groups. In propensity score-matched comparisons between the RARC and ORC groups, the differences in the indicators remained significant (all P<0.01), with an ~50 000 yen difference in in-hospital fees. RARC and LRC were considered to be more cost-effective surgeries than ORC due to their superior surgical outcomes and comparable surgical fees in Japan. The widespread adoption of RARC and LRC is expected to bring economic benefits to Japanese society.

Comparable Psychotropic Prescription Rates After Hospital Discharge Between Patients with COVID-19 and Those With Non-COVID-19-Related Respiratory Infection.

Whether psychiatric symptoms after recovery from coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) are specific to this illness remains unclear. In this retrospective study, the Diagnosis Procedure Combination data and outpatient clinic data were used for patients who received inpatient treatment in Saiseikai-affiliated hospitals for COVID-19 or other respiratory tract infections (non-COVID) from 2020 to 2022. The primary outcome was new prescriptions of psychotropic drugs after discharge (i. e., prescriptions of psychotropics to patients who had not received them before or during their hospitalization). Values of interest were compared between groups using the chi-square test or Fisher's exact test. A COX proportional-hazards model was used to examine factors associated with psychotropic prescriptions after discharge in age- and sex-matched COVID-19 and non-COVID patients. Of 31,993 chart records, 19,613 were excluded due to a positive history with psychiatric disorders (n=2,445), prescriptions of psychotropics (n=744), and no follow-ups (n=16,424). Thus, 3,648 COVID-19 and 8,732 non-COVID patients were included (mean [range] duration of follow-up, days: 146.9 [1-727] and 239.2 [1-729], respectively). Two hundred and four (5.6%) of the 3,648 patients with COVID-19 received psychotropic prescriptions after discharge. No statistically significant differences were observed in the prescription rates of any psychotropic category between the COVID-19 and non-COVID groups. An increase in severity during hospitalization was significantly associated with more frequent psychotropic prescriptions (hazard ratio 1.83, p<0.001). The development of psychiatric symptoms should be closely observed, especially in patients who experienced increased severity during hospitalization, regardless of whether they suffered from COVID-19.

Effectiveness of antibiotic therapy for early recurrence of peritonsillar cellulitis and abscesses: A retrospective cohort study

ObjectiveShort-term recurrence is common in patients with peritonsillar cellulitis and abscesses, leading to socioeconomic problems. Early switching from intravenous to oral antibiotics is feasible for treating certain diseases. However, reports on early switching and total antibiotic administration duration in peritonsillar cellulitis and abscesses are limited. This study aimed to determine the appropriate antibiotic therapy duration and examine the impact of early oral switch therapy on peritonsillar cellulitis and abscesses. MethodsWe retrospectively identified 98,394 patients who received antibiotic therapy during hospitalization for peritonsillar cellulitis and abscesses between July 1, 2010, and December 31, 2019, using the Japanese Diagnosis Procedure Combination database. ResultsPropensity score matching analysis revealed no significant between-group difference in the rehospitalization rate (early oral switch therapy and long intravenous therapy: 1.7 % [198 of 11,621] vs. 2.0 % [234 of 11,621], odds ratio [OR] 0.84, 95 % confidence interval [CI] 0.70–1.02). A long total duration of antibiotic therapy (reference: 1–9 days) was associated with a low risk of rehospitalization (10–14 days: OR 0.86, 95 % CI 0.78–0.95; 15+ days: OR 0.51, 95 % CI 0.38–0.66). ConclusionEarly oral switch therapy may be a viable option for treating patients with peritonsillar cellulitis and abscesses in good condition who can tolerate oral intake. No less than 10 days of antibiotic therapy is desirable.

Real-world epidemiology and treatment patterns of patients with locally advanced or metastatic urothelial carcinoma: Retrospective analysis of Diagnosis Procedure Combination claims data in Japan.

Evaluate real-world epidemiologic trends and treatment patterns in newly diagnosed patients with locally advanced or metastatic urothelial carcinoma (la/mUC) in Japan. This retrospective analysis included adults with newly diagnosed la/mUC in Japan (January 2015-December 2019) from a nationwide-linked electronic medical record Diagnostic Procedure Combination claims dataset. Outcomes included epidemiologic trends (incidence and prevalence), baseline demographics, clinical characteristics, and treatment patterns in newly diagnosed patients with la/mUC before (2015-2017) and after (2018-2019) approval of pembrolizumab in Japan. Of 975 patients included, 76.4% were men; 71.6% were aged 70 years or older. Most cases (70.5%) were of the bladder. Between 2015 and 2019, the annual age-adjusted incidence increased from 6.8 to 12.4 per 100 000; the annual age-adjusted period prevalence increased from 13.0 to 25.2 per 100 000; and 307 (31.5%) and 668 (68.5%) patients were diagnosed from 2015 to 2017 and 2018 to 2019, respectively. Overall, 731 (75%) patients received systemic anticancer therapy; all received 1 line and 50.2% received 2 lines of therapy; 78.3% of patients received gemcitabine plus platinum-based therapy and 2.2% received pembrolizumab as first-line treatment. First-line treatment rates increased from 69.4% to 77.5% after pembrolizumab approval. Of 367 patients who received second-line treatment, 22.3% received gemcitabine plus platinum-based therapy; 14.7% received pembrolizumab. In the Japanese regions considered, incidence and prevalence of newly diagnosed la/mUC increased over time and first-line treatment with pembrolizumab increased after approval.

Postoperative Complications of Surgery for Cervical Spondylotic Myelopathy with and Without Athetoid Cerebral Palsy.

Retrospective cohort study. With the aging of the Japanese population, patients with athetoid cerebral palsy (ACP) are getting older, and the rate of surgery for CSM is increasing in ACP patients. However, postoperative complications of such surgery among adult patients with ACP have not been reported yet. We investigated postoperative complications of surgery for CSM with ACP and compared them with those of surgery for CSM without ACP using a national inpatient database of Japan. Using the Diagnosis Procedure Combination database, we identified 61382 patients who underwent surgery for CSM from July 2010 to March 2018. We examined patient backgrounds, surgical procedures, and type of hospital, and a 4:1 propensity score matching was performed to compare the outcomes between the non-ACP and ACP groups. There were 60847 patients without ACP and 535 patients with ACP. The mean age was 68.5 years in the non-ACP group and 55 years in the ACP group. The percentages of patients who underwent fusion surgery were 21.6% and 68.8% in the non-ACP and ACP groups, respectively. The 4:1 propensity score matching selected 1858 in the non-ACP group and 465 in the ACP group. The ACP group was more likely to have postoperative urinary tract infection (.4% vs 2.8%, P < .001), postoperative pneumonia (.4% vs 2.4%, P < .001), and 90-day readmission for reoperation (1.9% vs 4.3%, P = .003). We found that ACP patients were more vulnerable to postoperative complications and reoperation after CSM than non-ACP patients.

Seasonal variation of surgically treated distal radius fracture in Japan using inpatient database: cross-sectional study.

The purpose of this study was to clarify the relationship between seasonal variation and distal radius fractures using diagnosis procedure combination data in Japan. The participants were hospitalized patients who underwent surgical treatment for distal radius fracture as the primary injury at hospitals that introduced the diagnosis procedure combination system between April 2011 and March 2016. We obtained a summary table of the month of admission, region of residence, age at admission, and sex of the patients from the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare and evaluated it by month, region, age group, and sex. The total number of patients for the 5years from 2011 to 2016 was 105,025. There were 29,224 male and 75,801 female participants, with a female-to-male ratio of 2.6. The mean age was 60.2 (standard deviation, 20.8) years. Distal radius fractures occurred more frequently in the winter, especially among female individuals in eastern Japan. Female participants aged ≥ 50years tended to have a higher incidence of distal radius fracture in winter. The incidence of distal radius fracture among male participants aged 0-19years was higher from spring to autumn. Surgically treated distal radius fractures occur frequently during the winter months among female individuals in eastern Japan or those aged ≥ 50years and increase from school age to adolescence, especially in male individuals from spring to autumn. We should be aware of the high incidence of distal radius fractures in winter, especially in regions with snowfall and cold temperatures.

Cost-effectiveness analysis of hospital treatment volume and survival outcomes in endometrial cancer in Japan.

Hospital treatment volume affects survival in patients with endometrial cancer; notably, initial treatment at high-volume centers improves survival outcomes. Our study assessed the effect of hospital treatment volume on cost-effectiveness and survival outcomes in patients with endometrial cancer in Japan. A decision-analytic model was evaluated using the following variables and their impact on cost-effectiveness: 1) hospital treatment volume (low-, intermediate-, and high-volume centers) and 2) postoperative recurrent risk factors based on pathological findings (high- and intermediate-risk or low-risk). Data were obtained from the Japan Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology database, systematic literature searches, and the Japanese Diagnosis Procedure Combination database. Quality-adjusted life years (QALY) was used as a measure of effectiveness. The model was built from a public healthcare perspective and the impact of uncertainty was assessed using sensitivity analyses. A base-case analysis showed that the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio at high-volume centers was below a willingness-to-pay (WTP) threshold of ¥5,000,000 with a maximum of ¥3,777,830/4.28 QALY for the high- and intermediate-risk group, and ¥2,316,695/4.57 QALY for the low-risk group. Treatment at the high-volume centers showed better efficiency and cost-effectiveness in both strategies compared to intermediate- or low-volume centers. Sensitivity analyses showed that the model outcome was robust to changes in input values. With the WTP threshold, treatment at high-volume centers remained cost-effective in at least 73.6% and 78.2% of iterations for high- and intermediate-risk, and low-risk groups, respectively. Treatment at high-volume centers is the most cost-effective strategy for guiding treatment centralization in patients with endometrial cancer.