The CD144-positive EMP exist in human plasma, and plasma CD144-EMP levels can be a clinically specific and quantitative marker of EC dysfunction and/or injury. Measurement of CD144-EMP, by providing a quantitative assessment of EC dysfunction, may be useful for identifying DM patients with increased risk of CAD.

The assessment of endothelial dysfunction by plasma levels of EMP can independently predict future cardiovascular events in patients at high risk for CHD. A multiple biomarkers strategy that includes endothelial dysfunction assessed by EMP can identify patients vulnerable to cardiovascular disease. (University Hospital Medical Information Network number: UMIN000000876).

EUS-FNA is an accurate and safe method in the pre-therapeutic diagnosis of gastric SELs smaller than 2 cm. EUS-FNA for gastric SELs smaller than 2 cm is a promising way to permit early management of patients with gastric SELs including GIST.

Postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) remains a leading cause of maternal death worldwide, and it is important to understand the relative contributions of different risk factors. We assessed the incidence of these among cases of transvaginal delivery. Between June 2013 and July 2016, a prospective cohort study was conducted at a tertiary perinatal medical facility in Japan. Women were administered a questionnaire to ascertain risk factors for PPH, defined as a blood loss of 1,000 ml or more assessed using a calibrated under-buttocks drape and collection vessel at childbirth. We analyzed 1,068 transvaginal deliveries of singleton pregnancies. The incidence of PPH was 8.7%, and of severe PPH (1,500 ml blood loss or more) was 2.1%. Risk factors for postpartum hemorrhage among the deliveries were: fetal macrosomia (over 4000 g); pregnancy-induced hypertension; pregnancy generated by assisted reproductive technology; severe vaginal or perineal lacerations; and weight gain over 15 kg during pregnancy. Such high weight gain significantly increased the incidence of PPH compared with women showing less than 10 kg weight gain during pregnancy. Monitoring these identified risk factors could enable extra vigilance during labor, and preparedness for managing PPH in all women giving birth.

Statin therapy is rapidly effective in increasing echogenicity of vulnerable plaques without regression of plaque size in nonhypercholesterolemic patients with CAD. Quantitative assessment of carotid plaque quality by ultrasound with IBS is clinically useful for monitoring atherosclerotic lesions by evaluating vulnerability of atheroma.

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RLP-cholesterol and platelet microparticles are both elevated in type-2 DM patients when compared with controls. RLP-cholesterol is the primary and only predictor of platelet microparticles in the multivariable analysis, which include several standard atherosclerosis risk factors. This suggested that reducing elevated RLP-cholesterol with lipid-lowering therapy may be an effective strategy to prevent thrombogenic vascular complications in type-2 DM.

BackgroundPhysician-led home visit care with medical teams (Zaitaku care) has been developed on a national scale to support those who wish to stay at home at the end of life, and promote a system of community-based integrated care in Japan. Medical care at the end of life can be expensive, and is an urgent socioeconomic issue for aging societies. However medical costs of physician-led home visits care have not been well studied. We compared the medical costs of Zaitaku care and hospital care at the end of life in a rapidly aging community in a rural area in Japan.MethodsA cross-sectional study was performed to compare the total medical costs during patients’ final days of life (30 days or less) between Zaitaku care and hospital care from September 2012 to August 2013 in Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan.ResultsThirty four patients died at home under Zaitaku care, and 72 patients died in the hospital during this period. The average daily cost of care during the last 30 days did not differ significantly between the two groups. Although Zaitaku care costs were higher than hospital care costs in the short-term (≦10 days, Zaitaku care $371.2 vs. Hospital care $202.0, p = 0.492), medical costs for Zaitaku care in the long-term care (≧30 days) were less than that of hospital care ($155.8 vs. $187.4, p = 0.055).ConclusionsMedical costs of Zaitaku care were less compared with hospital care if incorporated early for long term care, but it was high if incorporated late for short term care. For long term care, medical costs for Zaitaku care was 16.7% less than for hospitalization at the end of life. This physician-led home visit care model should be an available option for patients who wish to die at home, and may be beneficial financially over time.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12913-016-1961-x) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.