Sarcopenia prognosis using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry and prediction model in older patients with heart failure.

AIMS: This study aimed to determine whether there is a difference in the prognostic value of sarcopenia diagnosed using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) and that predicted by prediction equations in older patients with heart failure (HF). METHODS AND RESULTS: We included 269 patients (aged ≥65 years) who were hospitalized for HF. We used two appendicular skeletal muscle mass (ASM) prediction equations: (i) Anthropometric-ASM, including age, sex, height, and weight, and (ii) Predicted-ASM, including sex, weight, calf circumference, and mid-arm circumference. ASM index (ASMI) was calculated by dividing the sum of the ASM in the extremities by the height squared (kg/m2). The cut-off values proposed by the Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia 2019 were used to define low ASMI. The prognostic endpoint was all-cause mortality. The median age of the cohort was 83 years [interquartile range (IQR): 75-87], and 135 patients (50.2%) were men. Sarcopenia diagnosed according to DEXA, Anthropometric measurements, and Predicted-ASM was observed in 134 (49.8%), 171 (63.6%), and 157 (58.4%) patients, respectively. During the median follow-up period of 690 days (IQR: 459-730), 54 patients (19.9%) died. DEXA-sarcopenia [hazard ratio (HR), 2.33; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.26-4.31; P = 0.007] was associated with all-cause mortality after adjusting for pre-existing risk factors, whereas Predicted-sarcopenia (HR, 1.68; 95% CI, 0.87-3.25; P = 0.123) and Anthropometric-sarcopenia (HR, 1.64; 95% CI, 0.86-3.12; P = 0.132) were not. CONCLUSIONS: Sarcopenia diagnosed using DEXA was associated with poor prognosis in older patients with HF; however, the prediction equations were not.

Differentiation of Active Ulcerative Colitis vs Noninflammatory Bowel Disease Proctitis by Transperineal Superb Microvascular Imaging.

BACKGROUND: Transabdominal ultrasonography and transperineal ultrasonography (TPUS) appear correspond to colonoscopy (CS) for evaluating ulcerative colitis (UC) activity, but their utility in UC diagnosis remains unclear. This research compared the accuracy of TPUS and CS for assessing rectal activity and differentiating noninflammatory bowel disease proctitis from UC in pediatric cases. METHODS: The study is a blinded, prospective, and controlled trial. Prospectively, values of fecal calprotectin (FCP) and findings of the TPUS and CS were compared between child cases of UC and non-IBD proctitis. Findings of rectal wall thickening (RWT), rectal wall flow (RWF) on power Doppler, and microvascular signal at wall circumference (MSWC) on monochrome superb microvascular imaging assessed using TPUS were compared with the CS. RESULTS: Thirty patients with Mayo endoscopic subscore (MES) 0 to 1 UC, 57 with MES 2 to 3 UC, and 44 with proctitis were registered. Fecal calprotectin, RWF, and MSWC indicated significant differences among the groups (P < .05). Rectal wall thickening showed no significant difference between MES 0-1 and proctitis (P = .76). Rectal wall thickening and MSWC were independent predictors of endoscopic activity of UC, resulting in a sensitivity and specificity of 100% for RWT ≥4.5 mm and positive MSWC. Fecal calprotectin and RWF were independent predictors for differentiating MES 0 to 1 and proctitis, and FCP and RWT were independent predictors for differentiating MES 2 to 3 and proctitis. Sensitivity and specificity were 77.2% and 80.9%, respectively, for FCP >242.5 µg/g and RWF negative; and they were both 100% for RWT >4.1 mm and MSWC positive. CONCLUSIONS: Transperineal ultrasonography with mSMI may enable the evaluation of rectal activity and differentiation of UC from non-IBD proctitis with accuracy comparable to endoscopy.

Transperineal ultrasonography with superb microvascular imaging can differentiate ulcerative colitis from noninflammatory bowel disease proctitis and is therefore useful in distinguishing whether diarrhea and bloody stool during the treatments of ulcerative colitis are due to recurrence or infection.

A Pediatric Case of Inverted Meckel's Diverticulum Presenting with Cyclic Vomiting-like Symptoms: A Case Report and Literature Review.

Asymptomatic Meckel's diverticulum cases are not uncommon, leading to diagnostic difficulties in cases of atypical presentations with only gastrointestinal symptoms other than bloody stool. A nine-year-old boy diagnosed as having cyclic vomiting because of recurrent abdominal pain and vomiting for 6 months was referred to our institute and hospitalized due to worsening symptoms. After admission, abdominal ultrasonography showed the multiple concentric ring sign and a pseudokidney sign at the lower ileum, leading to the diagnosis of ileo-ileal intussusception, but the gastrointestinal symptoms and ultrasonic findings disappeared spontaneously. Transanal, double-balloon, intestinal endoscopy demonstrated a pedunculated polyp-like structure, and surgical resection was performed. An inverted diverticulum was found in the resected intestinal lumen, and ectopic gastric mucosa was identified histologically, leading to the diagnosis of inverted Meckel's diverticulum. In pediatric cases involving periodic attacks of vomiting and abdominal pain, unnecessary emergent surgery could be avoided by cautious imaging evaluation and consideration of ileo-ileal intussusception with advanced lesions of an inverted Meckel's diverticulum as a differential diagnosis, without facilely diagnosing cyclic vomiting. In addition, previous reports of inverted Meckel's diverticulum were reviewed, and the results were compared between adult and pediatric groups in each category.

Sarcopenic obesity is associated with impaired physical function and mortality in older patients with heart failure: insight from FRAGILE-HF.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to clarify the prevalence, association with frailty and exercise capacity, and prognostic implication of sarcopenic obesity in patients with heart failure. METHODS: The present study included 779 older adults hospitalized with heart failure (median age: 81 years; 57.4% men). Sarcopenia was diagnosed based on the guidelines by the Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia. Obesity was defined as the percentage of body fat mass (FM) obtained by bioelectrical impedance analysis. The FM cut-off points for obesity were 38% for women and 27% for men. The primary endpoint was 1-year all-cause death. We assessed the associations of sarcopenic obesity occurrence with the short physical performance battery (SPPB) score and 6-minute walk distance (6MWD). RESULTS: The rates of sarcopenia and obesity were 19.3 and 26.2%, respectively. The patients were classified into the following groups: non-sarcopenia/non-obesity (58.5%), non-sarcopenia/obesity (22.2%), sarcopenia/non-obesity (15.3%), and sarcopenia/obesity (4.0%). The sarcopenia/obesity group had a lower SPPB score and shorter 6MWD, which was independent of age and sex (coefficient, - 0.120; t-value, - 3.74; P < 0.001 and coefficient, - 77.42; t-value, - 3.61; P < 0.001; respectively). Ninety-six patients died during the 1-year follow-up period. In a Cox proportional hazard analysis, sarcopenia and obesity together were an independent prognostic factor even after adjusting for a coexisting prognostic factor (non-sarcopenia/non-obesity vs. sarcopenia/obesity: hazard ratio, 2.48; 95% confidence interval, 1.22-5.04; P = 0.012). CONCLUSION: Sarcopenic obesity is a risk factor for all-cause death and low physical function in older adults with heart failure. TRIAL REGISTRATION: University Hospital Information Network (UMIN-CTR: UMIN000023929 ).

Prognostic values of muscle mass assessed by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry and bioelectrical impedance analysis in older patients with heart failure.

AIM: This study aimed to compare bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) and dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) in measuring skeletal muscle mass (MM), and its prognostic implications in old patients with heart failure. METHODS: We prospectively evaluated MM measured by both BIA and DEXA in 226 hospitalized elderly (≥65 years) patients with heart failure. The cut-off values proposed by the Asian Working Group in Sarcopenia were used to define low MM. The prognostic endpoint was all-cause death. RESULTS: The median age of the cohort was 82 years (interquartile range: 75-87), and 51.8% of patients were men. According to the BIA and DEXA, 177 (78.3%) and 120 (53.1%) patients were diagnosed with low MM, respectively, and the two assessment tools showed poor agreement (Cohen's kappa coefficient: 0.294). During the follow-up, 32 patients (14.2%) died; only low MM defined by DEXA (hazard ratio 2.45, 95% confidence interval 1.05-5.72, P = 0.039), but not BIA (hazard ratio 1.03, 95% confidence interval 0.35-3.06, P = 0.955), was associated with poor prognosis after adjusting for pre-existing risk factors. Moreover, low MM defined by DEXA (net reclassification improvement: 0.58, P < 0.001), but not BIA (net reclassification improvement: -0.005, P = 0.975), provides incremental prognostic predictability when considered with pre-existing risk factors and brain natriuretic peptide level at discharge. CONCLUSIONS: In elderly hospitalized patients with heart failure, low MM defined by DEXA and BIA show significant discordance. The MM defined by DEXA, but not BIA, provides additional prognostic value to pre-existing prognostic models. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2022; 22: 610-615.

Efficacy and Safety of Acute Phase Intensive Electrical Muscle Stimulation in Frail Older Patients with Acute Heart Failure: Results from the ACTIVE-EMS Trial.

As frailty in older patients with acute heart failure (AHF) has an adverse effect on clinical outcomes, the addition of electrical muscle stimulation (EMS) to exercise-based early rehabilitation may improve the effects of treatment. Post hoc analysis was performed on a randomized controlled study for clinical outcomes and prespecified subgroups (ACTIVE-EMS: UMIN000019551). In this trial, 31 AHF patients aged ≥ 75 years with frailty (Short Physical Performance Battery [SPPB] score 4-9) were randomized 1:1 to receive treatment with an early rehabilitation program only (n = 16) or early rehabilitation with add-on EMS therapy (n = 15) for 2 weeks. Changes in physical function and cognitive function between baseline and after two weeks of treatment were assessed. There were no adverse events during the EMS period. The EMS group showed significantly greater changes in quadriceps' isometric strength and SPPB compared to the control group, and EMS therapy showed uniform effects in the prespecified subgroups. There were no significant differences in the changes in other indexes of physical function and cognitive function between groups. There was no significant difference in the rate of heart failure hospitalization at 90 days between groups. In conclusion, older AHF patients with frailty showed greater improvement in lower extremity function with the addition of EMS therapy to early rehabilitation without adverse events.

Arm lean mass measured using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry to predict mortality in older patients with heart failure.

PURPOSE: The objective of this study was to compare the prognostic values of arm and leg muscle mass (MM) measured using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) in elderly patients with heart failure (HF). MATERIALS AND METHODS: We included 271 elderly (≥65 years) patients hospitalized with HF. Arms and legs indices were calculated as the sum of MM in the arms and legs divided by height squared. Values below the median value for each sex were defined as low arms and legs indices. The prognostic endpoint was all-cause mortality. RESULTS: The median age of the cohort was 83 years (interquartile range: 75-87), and 137 (50.6%) of the patients were men. Furthermore, 133 (49.1%) patients had low arms and legs indices. During follow-up, 54 patients (19.9%) died; only a low arms index (hazard ratio [HR] 2.05, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.09-3.84, P = 0.026), in contrast to a low legs index (HR 1.15, 95% CI 0.62-2.11, P = 0.663), was associated with poor prognosis after adjusting for pre-existing risk factors. Moreover, a low arms index (net reclassification improvement [NRI]: 0.353, 95% CI 0.059-0.646, P = 0.018), in contrast to a low legs index (NRI: 0.219; 95% CI, -0.081-0.518; P = 0.153), provided incremental prognostic predictability when considered with pre-existing risk factors and brain natriuretic peptide level at discharge. CONCLUSIONS: In elderly patients hospitalized with HF, extremity MM, specifically upper arm MM, measured using DEXA has an incremental prognostic value in addition to that of pre-existing risk factors.

Novel pediatric granulomatosis with polyangiitis with a marked bloody pericardial effusion and bloody stool: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA) is a syndrome of refractory vasculitis involving the upper respiratory tract, lungs, kidneys, and systemic small and medium-sized arteries that affects all age groups. No pediatric case with a bloody pericardial effusion resulting in cardiac tamponade and co-existing hematochezia has been reported. CASE PRESENTATION: A 14-year-old boy was referred for evaluation of prolonged fever, chest pain, and intermittent hematochezia. Diagnostic imaging showed a prominent pericardial effusion. Immediately after admission, his systolic blood pressure decreased. Emergent pericardiocentesis resulted in aspiration of a massive amount of bloody pericardial fluid. This was diagnosed as cardiac tamponade because his blood pressure recovered immediately after the drainage. The patient had an elevated serine proteinase 3-anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (PR3-ANCA) level on serological examination. Head MRI showed thickening of nasal and sinusoidal mucosa and a cystic mass in the left sphenoid sinus. After ruling out malignancy based on the cytology of the effusion, chest MRI, and gallium scintigraphy, total colonoscopy showed multiple irregular-shaped aphthae from the right transverse colon to the cecum on the contralateral side of the mesenteric attachments. Biopsy specimens of aphthous lesions confirmed necrotizing granulomatous inflammation. A diagnosis of GPA was made based on these findings, and oral prednisolone (PSL) and azathioprine were started. The hematochezia disappeared rapidly, and no recurrence of pericardial effusion was seen after PSL tapering was completed. The PR3-ANCA level decreased into the normal range immediately after the initial therapy. CONCLUSIONS: Pericarditis is a common cardiac complication of GPA, but there have been no reports of resultant cardiac tamponade. This is the first case of pediatric GPA with cardiac and gastrointestinal complications preceding the common symptoms such as respiratory or renal symptoms. A case of pediatric GPA with hematochezia is also extremely rare. In conclusion, serial measurement of ANCA levels is important in patients with persistent fever and bloody stool, such as in inflammatory bowel disease, to make the diagnosis of a vasculitic syndrome.

Cognitive impairment measured by Mini-Cog provides additive prognostic information in elderly patients with heart failure.

BACKGROUND: There has been no study elucidating whether cognitive impairment (CI) can provide additive prognostic information besides that provided by preexisting prognostic factors in elderly patients with heart failure. This study examined whether CI can provide additive prognostic information in elderly patients with heart failure. METHODS: This multicenter retrospective study included 352 patients with heart failure aged ≥75 years. We administered the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and Mini-Cog test to assess CI. The Meta-Analysis Global Group in Chronic Heart Failure (MAGGIC) risk score was used as a model to incorporate the preexisting prognostic factors. All-cause mortality was considered the prognostic outcome. RESULTS: The median age was 85 years old, 47.7% were male. According to MMSE and Mini-Cog, 167 (47.4%) and 159 (45.2%) patients had CI, respectively. The agreement between MMSE and Mini-Cog was fairly low (Cohen's kappa coefficient 0.37). During the follow-up period of median 346 days, 53 patients (15.1%) died. In multivariate Cox regression analysis, CI defined by MMSE and Mini-cog were individually associated with worse prognosis in older heart failure patients even after adjustment for MAGGIC risk model and log B-type natriuretic peptide levels [CI defined by MMSE, HR: 2.05 (95%CI: 1.16-3.61); and CI defined by Mini-Cog, HR:2.57 (95%CI: 1.46-4.53)]. The area under the curve of receiver operator characteristics curve was numerically greater for Mini-Cog than for MMSE (0.59 vs. 0.52, p = 0.109). Moreover, significant net reclassification improvement was observed when CI defined by Mini-Cog, but not on CI defined by MMSE, was added to the MAGGIC score, and when Mini-Cog, instead of MMSE, was used as a CI assessment tool (0.41, p = 0.004). CONCLUSIONS: Among elderly hospitalized patients with heart failure, CI should be considered as a critical factor for prognosis prediction. Mini-Cog is a potentially preferable tool to assess CI in terms of providing prognostically relevant information compared to MMSE.

Discordance between subjective and objective evaluations of cognitive function in old Japanese patients with heart failure.

OBJECTIVES: Although cognitive impairment is common among patients with chronic heart failure (HF), the accuracy with which caregivers can recognize it is unknown. This study aimed to examine the degree to which subjective and objective evaluations coincide. METHODS: Cognitive function was evaluated subjectively and objectively in 184 hospitalized patients aged 65 or older (82 ± 7.2 years old and 49% male) with HF, who were divided into three groups: (i) normal; (ii) mild cognitive impairment; and (iii) severe cognitive impairment. RESULTS: The intrapatient agreement of the results of subjective and objective evaluations was tested, and weighted κ coefficients showed poor agreement (0.54, 95% confidence interval: 0.42-0.66, P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Subjective and objective cognitive function evaluations in older patients with HF are poorly concordant.

Social isolation is associated with 90-day rehospitalization due to heart failure.

BACKGROUND: Social isolation has been reported to be associated with decreased quality of life and the onset of organic diseases. The objective of this study was to investigate the prevalence of social isolation in patients with heart failure and whether it is associated with rehospitalization. METHODS AND RESULTS: The study included consecutive patients aged ⩾55 years who were hospitalized due to heart failure. Social isolation was assessed using total scores less than 12 on an abbreviated version of the Lubben Social Network Scale. The endpoint was heart failure rehospitalization within 90 days after discharge. Among 148 patients with heart failure (80±8 years old, 51% male), 73 (49%) were socially isolated. The patients with social isolation had similar comorbidities compared with those without social isolation. Heart failure rehospitalization occurred within 90 days for 25 patients and the heart failure rehospitalization rate was significantly higher in the social isolation group ( p=0.036). LASSO (least absolute shrinkage and selection operator) regression confirmed that social isolation was one of the strongest predictors of heart failure rehospitalization, showing larger effects than living alone, being unemployed, and other established risk factors. CONCLUSION: Half of the patients with heart failure reported social isolation, which had a strong association with heart failure rehospitalization.

Effects of Acute Phase Intensive Electrical Muscle Stimulation in Frail Elderly Patients With Acute Heart Failure (ACTIVE-EMS): Rationale and protocol for a multicenter randomized controlled trial.

In elderly patients with acute heart failure (AHF), clinical outcome is adversely affected by frailty. Although a number of potentially effective interventions for frailty have been reported, little is known about the effects of rehabilitation programs in frail elderly AHF patients. We postulated that addition of electrical muscle stimulation (EMS), which induces muscle contraction without requiring patient volition, to early rehabilitation would be efficacious in frail elderly AHF patients. The ACTIVE-EMS (Effects of Acute Phase Intensive Electrical Muscle Stimulation in Frail Elderly Patients With AHF; UMIN000019551) trial is a multicenter, randomized controlled trial that will enroll 80 patients from 3 hospitals in Japan. AHF patients age ≥ 75 years positive for frailty, defined as Short Physical Performance Battery score 4 to 9, will be randomly assigned to receive early rehabilitation program only or EMS add-on therapy for 2 weeks. The primary endpoint of the trial is the change in quadriceps isometric strength between baseline and 2 weeks, with changes in physical function and cognitive function, and clinical safety and feasibility of EMS therapy as secondary outcomes. ACTIVE-EMS is the first randomized trial to evaluate the clinical effectiveness of adding EMS therapy to early rehabilitation in frail elderly AHF patients. The results of this study will provide insight for the development of appropriate rehabilitation programs for this high-risk population.

[Broca aphasia with neologisms].

Patients with jargon aphasia generally have fluent speech with poor comprehension. However, outstanding jargons may appear in non-fluent aphasics. We report a 69-year-old left-handed woman with non-fluent jargon aphasia due to lesions in the right frontoparietal area. Features of her speech included non-fluent meaningless sequences of syllables, i. e., phonetic jargon, which was obvious in all the tasks including spontaneous speech, repetition, naming and reading. Her utterance was sparse, but not effortful or anarthric. She understood most of spoken single words, but was confused by complex sentences. Brain CTs revealed acute lesions affecting the inferior and middle frontal gyri, insular cortex, precentral and postcentral gyri, and a part of the angular gyrus in the right hemisphere. Old infarcts were also noted in the right frontal pole and prefrontal area. The unique feature of her language impairment suggested somewhat deviated lateralization and localization of her language function.