The effects of lactulose on constipation in patients with Parkinson's disease: An exploratory pilot study.

Introduction: Constipation is one of the most common non-motor symptoms of Parkinson's disease (PD) and is associated with reduced quality of life in patients with PD. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of lactulose on defecation status in patients with PD. Methods: In this open-label, single-center, exploratory pilot study, twenty-nine patients with PD received lactulose for three weeks for the treatment of constipation. The primary endpoint was the number of spontaneous bowel movements (SBMs). The secondary endpoints were stool consistency (Bristol Stool Form Scale [BSFS]) and the number of rescue laxatives used. Results: Twenty-five patients with PD completed the study. The number of SBMs recorded during the lactulose intervention period was significantly increased compared with that recorded during the pre-intervention period. During the intervention period, the BSFS scores of the patients increased significantly, whereas the number of rescue laxatives they used decreased significantly. No serious adverse events were observed during the study period. Lactulose was well-tolerated. Conclusions: The results of this study suggest that lactulose may be effective in improving defecation status in patients with PD. Further randomized controlled trials are needed to confirm the effects of lactulose on constipation in patients with PD.

The Hospital Frailty Risk Score Predicts Poor Prognoses in Middle-Aged and Older Patients With Acute Pancreatitis: A Nationwide Retrospective Cohort Study in Japan.

OBJECTIVES: Frailty risk may be associated with poor prognoses in acute pancreatitis patients. However, this has not been shown with adjustments for prognosis-related factors. This study aimed to determine whether frailty risk is associated with poor prognoses in acute pancreatitis patients, even after adjusting for prognosis-related factors. METHODS: The study included 7001 middle-aged and older patients (mean age, 66.2 ± 14.5 years, 65.3% male) 40 years or older who were registered in a Japanese nationwide database. Frailty risk was defined as a Hospital Frailty Risk Score ≥5 points. Outcomes were 30-day and in-hospital mortality, length of stay, and 30-day readmission rate. RESULTS: Frailty risk was independently positively associated with 30-day mortality (odds ratio [OR], 1.847; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.118-3.051) and in-hospital mortality (OR, 2.504; 95% CI, 1.677-3.739) after adjustment for acute pancreatitis severity and patient characteristics. In addition, frailty risk was positively associated with a longer length of stay (coefficient, 11.393; 95% CI, 9.631-13.154). However, no association was found between frailty risk and the 30-day readmission rate (OR, 1.092; 95% CI, 0.793-1.504). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings highlight the importance of rapid and automated frailty risk assessment using the Hospital Frailty Risk Score for the early identification of high-risk acute pancreatitis patients.

Germanium- and tin-bridged diazulenylmethyl cations: effects of group 14 elements on the structure and properties of π-extended cations.

Diazulenylmethyl cations bridged with a germanium and tin moiety were synthesized. In these cations, the nature of these elements has impacts on the chemical stability and photophysical properties. Upon aggregation, these cations exhibit absorption bands in the near-infrared region, which are slightly blue-shifted compared to those of silicon-bridged congeners.