Risk factors for fracture by same-level falls among workers across sectors: a cross-sectional study of national open database of the occupational injuries in Japan.

OBJECTIVES: The hospitalisation rate for work-related injuries among older workers is double that of younger workers; however, the risk factors for same-level fall fractures sustained during industrial accidents remain unclear. This study aimed to estimate the influence of worker age, time of day and weather conditions on the risk of same-level fall fractures in all industrial sectors in Japan. STUDY DESIGN: This was a cross-sectional study. METHODS: This study used the population-based national open database of worker death and injury reports in Japan. In total, 34,580 reports of occupational same-level falls between 2012 and 2016 were used in this study. Multiple logistic regression analysis was performed. RESULTS: In primary industries, workers aged ≥55 years had a 1.684 times greater risk of fracture (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.167-2.430) compared with workers aged ≤54 years. In tertiary industries, relative to the odds ratio (OR) of injuries recorded at 0:00-2:59 a.m., the ORs recorded at 6:00-8:59 p.m., 6:00-8:59 a.m., 9:00-11:59 p.m. and 0:00-2:59 p.m. were 1.516 (95% CI: 1.202, 1.912), 1.502 (95% CI: 1.203-1.876), 1.348 (95% CI: 1.043-1.741) and 1.295 (95% CI: 1.039-1.614), respectively. The risk of fracture increased with a 1-day increase in the number of snowfall days were per month in secondary (OR = 1.056, 95% CI: 1.011-1.103) and tertiary (OR = 1.034, 95% CI: 1.009-1.061) industries. The risk of fracture decreased with every 1-degree increase in the lowest temperature in primary (OR = 0.967, 95% CI: 0.935-0.999) and tertiary (OR = 0.993, 95% CI: 0.988-0.999) industries. CONCLUSIONS: With the increasing number of older workers and changing environmental conditions, the risk of falls in the tertiary sector industries is increasing, particularly just before and just after shift change hours. These risks may be associated with environmental obstacles during work migration. It is also important to consider the weather-associated risks of fracture.

[Studies on a neo-adjuvant chemotherapy for head and neck cancer].

A neo-adjuvant chemotherapy as a preoperative and preradiation chemotherapy was studied in 60 cases of the head and neck cancers. Out of 60, 29 cases were treated with peplomycin (PEP) and 31 with combination chemotherapies which include vincristine (VCR), methotrexate (MTX), bleomycin (BLM), mitomycin C (MMC); VCR, MTX, BLM (Mathé); VCR, MTX, BLM, 5-FU, hydrocortisone (Price-Hill A); hydoxyurea, adriamycin, BLM; VCR, MTX, PEP; cisplatin (CPDD), PEP. In the group treated with PEP, CR was achieved in one case and PR in 14 cases with a response rate of 52%. Five-year survival by Kaplan-Meier's method after all treatment was 34%. In the group treated with combination chemotherapy, CR was achieved in 5 cases and PR in 19 cases with a response rate of 77%. Three-year survival of this group was 82%. Responders to PEP as well as combination chemotherapy were more often rendered disease-free after all treatment than non-responders. We concluded that two courses of VMP therapy (VCR, MTX, PEP) would be appropriate for the outpatients with advanced stage I or stage II, meanwhile two courses of CP therapy (CPDD, PEP) was inpatients with stage III or stage IV as a neo-adjuvant chemotherapy.

[Moderate dose methotrexate with citrovorum factor rescue therapy in the treatment of head and neck cancer].

A clinical trial of moderate dose methotrexate (MTX)-CF rescue was conducted in 12 institutions. Thirty-seven patients with head and neck carcinoma entered this trial, of which 32 were evaluable. MTX was administered 350 mg/m2 (500 mg/body) by i.v. drip over 6 hours. Three hours after completion of MTX infusion, CF rescue was started. There was no complete response in 32 patients. Nine patients showed partial response with the response rate of 28%. The response rates were 21% for the group of patients treated previously, and 75% for the group untreated previously. MTX concentration in plasma was determined at 6, 24, 48 and 72 hours after the initiation of MTX infusion, and the assay results revealed a safe range. GI disturbances were seen at the rates of 11 to 38%. Bone marrow suppression was mild and no renal toxicity was observed. We concluded that the moderate dose MTX-CF rescue therapy was useful for head and neck carcinoma. As a next step, we are planning to conduct a clinical trial of high-dose MTX.

[Pharmacokinetics of cis-dichlorodiammineplatinum (II)].

The pharmacokinetics of cis-dichlorodiammineplatinum (II) have been studied in 8 patients with advanced head and neck cancer. Plasma and urine platinum concentration were determined by atomic absorption spectrometry. Three different infusion methods were compared: 1) 24 hour continuous i.v. infusion; 2) 2 hour i. a. infusion and; 3) equally divided 5 daily i. a. infusion. In 4 patients receiving the 24 hour infusion, plasma platinum level had declined with second peak, which appeared 0.5-6 hours after end of infusion. Slow phase of half-life time of total platinum was very long ranged 86-197 hours. Non-protein bound platinum was rapidly cleared below the measurable level within 2 hours. At the end of 24 hour infusion, about 90% of plasma platinum was bound with plasma proteins. In a case of 2 hour infusion only one-half of platinum was bound. A patient receiving 2 hour infusion exhibited biphasic clearance of total platinum. In the 3 patients receiving divided daily infusion platinum concentration increased day by day. The level at 5th day was about 3 times higher than that of level at first day. In a patient with renal dysfunction slow phase half-life time prolonged markedly; however, his accumulative urinary excretion in first 24 hours did not diminish as compared with the patients with normal renal function.