Research integrity in Instructions for Authors in Japanese medical journals using ICMJE Recommendations: A descriptive literature study.

BACKGROUND: The International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) has published Recommendations for the Conduct, Reporting, Editing, and Publication of Scholarly Work in Medical Journals. These provide a global standard for writing and editing medical articles, including research integrity. However, no study has examined the research integrity-related content of Japanese medical journals' Instructions for Authors. We therefore compared research integrity content in ICMJE member journals with those in the English- and Japanese-language journals of the Japanese Association of Medical Sciences (JAMS). MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a descriptive literature study. We obtained Instructions for Authors from English- and Japanese-language journals listed on the JAMS website and the ICMJE member journals listed on the ICMJE website as of September 1, 2021. We compared the presence of 20 topics (19 in the ICMJE Recommendations plus compliance with ICMJE) in the Instructions for Authors, and analyzed the content of the conflict of interest disclosure. RESULTS: We evaluated 12 ICMJE member journals, and 82 English-language and 99 Japanese-language subcommittee journals. The median number of topics covered was 10.5 for ICMJE member journals, 10 for English-language journals, and three for Japanese-language journals. Compliance with ICMJE was mentioned by 10 (83%) ICMJE member journals, 75 (91%) English-language journals, and 29 (29%) Japanese-language journals. The ICMJE Conflicts of Interest Disclosure Form was requested by seven (64%) ICMJE member journals, 15 (18%) English-language journals, and one (1%) Japanese-language journal. CONCLUSIONS: Although the topics in the JAMS English-language journals resembled those in the ICMJE member journals, the median value of ICMJE-related topic inclusion was approximately one-third lower in JAMS Japanese-language journals than in ICMJE member journals. It is hoped that Japanese-language journals whose conflict of interest disclosure policies differ from ICMJE standards will adopt international standards to deter misconduct and ensure publication quality.

Challenges of using body bags for COVID-19 deaths from the healthcare provider perspective - a qualitative study.

BACKGROUND: During the COVID-19 pandemic, numerous issues regarding end-of-life care for COVID-19 patients have been discussed. Among these issues, challenges related to the use of body bags following the death of COVID-19 patients have been suggested. This study aimed to identify the challenges faced by healthcare professionals (HCPs) when using body bags after the death of patients infected with COVID-19 in medical settings. METHODS: We conducted a qualitative descriptive study with semistructured in-depth interviews using inductive thematic analysis. From August to December 2021, we interviewed nurses and doctors who provided end-of-life care to COVID-19 patients focusing on their experiences with the use of body bags for the deceased. RESULTS: Of the 25 interviewees who mentioned body bag use, 14 were nurses (56%) and 13 were women (52%). The mean interview length was 52.0 min (SD 9.6 min). Challenges associated with body bag use were classified into four themes with eight categories: preserving the dignity of the deceased, consideration for the bereaved saying a final goodbye to a loved one in a body bag, the physical and emotional impact on HCPs, and diverse opinions on body bag use. CONCLUSION: Our findings include ethical concerns about the dignity of the deceased, empathy for the grief of bereaved families, and the emotional and physical distress experienced by HCPs struggling with the recommendation to use body bags based on limited evidence. The diverse perspectives of HCPs in this study highlight potential issues that developers should consider when formulating more appropriate and acceptable guidelines/guidance and policies.

Providing End-of-Life Care for Patients Dying of COVID-19 and Their Families in Isolated Death During the Pandemic in Japan: The Providing End-of-life Care for COVID-19 Project.

BACKGROUND: Death resulting from COVID-19 in a hospital during the pandemic has meant death in isolation. Although many health care providers (HCPs) have struggled with end-of-life (EOL) care for these patients, the various strategies across hospitals are not well known. RESEARCH QUESTION: What EOL care did HCPs give patients dying of COVID-19 and their families in hospitals during the COVID-19 pandemic? What were the key themes in care? STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: This qualitative study used individual, semistructured, internet, and face-to-face interviews. We recruited HCPs who provided EOL care to patients with COVID-19 dying in hospitals and their families. Purposive sampling was used through the academic networks at the School of Public Health, Kyoto University. Anonymized verbatim transcripts were analyzed thematically. RESULTS: Fifteen doctors and 18 nurses from 23 hospitals in 13 regions across Japan participated; 16 participants (48%) were women, with an age range of 20 to 59 years (most were 30-39 years of age). Participants described 51 strategies, including providing physical and psychological-spiritual care, making connections, providing death care, and arranging care environments and bereavement care for patients and their families. Four themes emerged as prominent efforts in COVID-19 EOL care: maintaining relationships with isolated patients, connecting patients and families, sharing decision-making in isolation, and creating humanistic episodes. INTERPRETATION: Proper application and awareness of the four themes may help HCPs to implement better EOL care. To compensate for limited memories resulting from isolation and rapid progression of the disease, communicating and creating humanistic episodes are emphasized. ICU diaries and the HCPs' arrangements based on cultural funerary procedures could be provided as grief care for the family and to build trust. EOL education and building partnerships among palliative care staff and nonmedical personnel on a regular basis may enhance the capacity to deliver the necessary support for EOL care.

Tracheostomy decannulation rates in Japan: a retrospective cohort study using a claims database.

Despite the exponential increase in the use of tracheostomy worldwide, rates of tracheostomy decannulation are unknown. We conducted a retrospective cohort study to investigate tracheostomy decannulation rates among adult patients over a two-year period and explored factors associated with prolonged tracheostomy. A health insurance claims database including 3,758,210 people in Japan was used. The primary outcome was time to decannulation. Assessed patient and hospital factors included age, sex, emergency endotracheal intubation, disease, and hospital size. A total of 917 patients underwent tracheostomy, and 752 met the eligibility criteria. Decannulation rates were 40.8% (95% confidence interval 36.8-44.9) at 3 months, 63.9% (58.4-69.0) at 12 months, and 65.0% (59.2-70.3) at 24 months. Hazard ratios of patient and hospital factors for tracheostomy decannulation were 0.44 for age (65-74 years) (95% confidence interval 0.28-0.68), 0.81 (0.63-1.05) for female sex, and 0.59 (0.45-0.76) for emergency endotracheal intubation. Cerebrovascular disease, head injuries, and cardiac arrest had lower hazard ratios compared to other diseases. Decannulation rates among adult patients in Japan increased rapidly up to 3 months after tracheostomy, reaching a plateau after 12 months. Older age, female sex, emergency endotracheal intubation, cerebrovascular disease, head injuries, and cardiac arrest were associated with prolonged tracheostomy.

Non-motor symptoms depending on motor severity in Japanese patients with Parkinson's disease: A multicenter cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Although non-motor symptoms (NMS) in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) often worsen as the severity of motor symptoms (MS) increases, few studies have assessed the associated factors of non-motor symptoms. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to determine whether the presence of NMS in PD patients is associated with or independent from the severity of MS considering confounders. METHODS: The registry of PD patients from seven facilities in Japan was used. Multiple logistic regression was performed with each domain and item of the Non-motor Symptoms Scale (NMSS) as objective variables. Severity of motor symptoms was assessed by Hoehn & Yahr stage (HY stage) as an explanatory variable. The analysis was adjusted for sex, age, disease duration, presence/absence of wearing off and dyskinesia, clinical phenotypes and Levodopa equivalent daily dose. RESULTS: A total of 1037 patients were analyzed. Analysis by NMSS domain showed higher odds ratios (ORs) in patients with higher HY stages compared with patients with lower HY stages for domains D1 (cardiovascular), D2 (sleep/fatigue), D3 (mood/apathy), D4 (perceptual problems/hallucinations), D5 (attention/memory), and D6 (gastrointestinal) (ORs: 1.54-2.72, P < .05). However, only domains D7 (urinary) and D8 (sexual dysfunction) were not associated with HY stage. Item 2 (fainting) and Item 14 (delusions) showed higher ORs in the HY stage 4-5 (ORs: 9.95 and 5.92, P < .05). CONCLUSIONS: Most NMS worsened with exacerbation of MS in PD patients, however some NMS domains were also affected with other factors. These findings contribute to the understanding of the clinical picture of PD and may improve personalized medicine and research in PD.

The Impact of Rehabilitation-oriented Virtual Reality Device in Patients With Ischemic Stroke in the Early Subacute Recovery Phase: Study Protocol for a Phase III, Single-Blinded, Randomized, Controlled Clinical Trial.

BACKGROUND AND RATIONALE: Stroke is considered the most common cause of adult disability. Intensive rehabilitation protocols outperform nonintensive counterparts. The subacute stroke phase represents a potential window to recovery. Virtual reality (VR) has been shown to provide a more stimulating environment, allowing for increased patient compliance. However, the quality of current literature comparing VR with standard therapies is limited. Our aim is to measure the impact of VR versus standard therapy on the recovery of the upper limb motor function in patients with stroke in the early subacute recovery phase. METHOD: This is a randomized, controlled trial that will assign 262 patients to tailor-made standard rehabilitation (TMSR) or TMSR plus immersive VR device. The trial will be conducted in an urban rehabilitation clinic in the United States with expertise in the management of poststroke patients. Patients will be 18 to 70 years of age and in the early subacute period (30-90 days post ischemic stroke). The primary outcome will be the change of Fugl-Meyer Assessment-Upper Extremity (FMA-UE) score, measured at baseline and 13 weeks after randomization. The secondary outcome will be the change in the UK Functional Independence Measure and Functional Assessment Measure (UK FIM-FAM) score at the same time points. DISCUSSION: If the use of VR in the rehabilitation of patients with stroke proves to have a significant impact on their motor recovery, it will constitute an extremely important step into decreasing the functional impairment associated with stroke and the related health care expense burden.