T he patient-physician relationship is critical for ensuring the delivery of high-quality healthcare. Successful patient-physician relationships arise from shared trust, knowledge, mutual respect, and effective verbal and nonverbal communication. The ways in which patients experience healthcare and their satisfaction with physicians affect a myriad of important health outcomes, such as adherence to treatment and outcomes for conditions such as hypertension and diabetes mellitus. 1-5 One method for potentially enhancing patient satisfaction is through understanding how patients wish their physicians to dress 6-8 and tailoring attire to match these expectations. In addition to our systematic review, 9 a recent largescale, multicenter study in the United States revealed that most patients perceive physician attire as important, but that prefer-ences for specific types of attire are contextual. 9,10 For example, elderly patients preferred physicians in formal attire and white coat, while scrubs with white coat or scrubs alone were preferred for emergency department (ED) physicians and surgeons, respectively. Moreover, regional variation regarding attire preference was also observed in the US, with preferences for more formal attire in the South and less formal in the Midwest.Geographic variation, regarding patient preferences for physician dress, is perhaps even more relevant internationally. In particular, Japan is considered to have a highly contextualized culture that relies on nonverbal and implicit communication. However, medical professionals have no specific dress code and, thus, don many different kinds of attire. In part, this may be because it is not clear whether or how physician attire impacts patient satisfaction and perceived healthcare quality in Japan. [11][12][13] Although previous studies in Japan have suggested that physician attire has a considerable influence on patient satisfaction, these studies either involved a single department in one hospital or a small number of respondents. [14][15][16][17] Therefore, we performed a multicenter, cross-sectional study to understand patients' preferences for physician attire in different clinical settings and in different geographic regions in Japan.

Abstract:We herein report the case of a 31-year-old Japanese woman who developed adult-onset clinically mild encephalitis/encephalopathy with a reversible splenial lesion (MERS) and presented with consciousness disorder and olfactory disturbance secondary to influenza A infection. The patient's neurological symptoms and the lesion in the splenium resolved within 14 days without therapy. Magnetic resonance images and the clinical course were consistent with a diagnosis of MERS; however, mental changes following the influenza infection always present a diagnostic dilemma for physicians. We considered various diagnoses, including viral encephalitis, medication-related encephalopathy, and MERS. A comprehensive assessment may be required to diagnose MERS, since it may mimic other neurological diseases, such as viral encephalitis and medicationrelated encephalopathy.Key words: mild encephalitis/encephalopathy with a reversible splenial lesion, influenza, olfactory disorder

Kikyo-to relieves sore throat pain associated with acute URTI.

We herein describe the successful treatment of a patient with possible Legionella pneumophila serogroup 6 infection complicated by pneumonia and myocarditis. A 32-year-old man presented with a five-day history of cough, dyspnea and chest pain. Chest radiography revealed patchy opacities in both lungs suggestive of bilateral pneumonia, and a urinary antigen test for Legionella pneumophila was positive. After admission, the patient developed congestive heart failure due to pathologically confirmed myocarditis. He was successfully treated with minocycline, macrolide, steroids and noninvasive positive-pressure ventilation (NPPV). He eventually recovered with a normalized cardiac function. L. pneumophila serogroup 6 was isolated from the bathwater in the patient's home.

Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is a common illness that can lead to mortality. β-lactams are ineffective against atypical pathogen including Mycoplasma pneumoniae . We used molecular examinations to develop a decision tree to predict atypical pathogens with CAP and to examine the prevalence of macrolide resistance in Mycoplasma pneumoniae . We conducted a prospective observational study of patients aged ≥ 18 years who had fever and respiratory symptoms and were diagnosed with CAP in one of two community hospitals between December 2016 and October 2018. We assessed combinations of clinical variables that best predicted atypical pathogens with CAP by classification and regression tree (CART) analysis. Pneumonia was defined as respiratory symptoms and new infiltration recognized on chest X-ray or chest computed tomography. We analyzed 47 patients (21 females, 44.7%, mean age: 47.6 years). Atypical pathogens were detected in 15 patients (31.9%; 12 Mycoplasma pneumoniae , 3 Chlamydophila pneumoniae ). Ten patients carried macrolide resistant Mycoplasma pneumoniae (macrolide resistant rate 83.3%). CART analysis suggested that factors associated with presence of atypical pathogens were absence of crackles, age < 45 years, and LD ≥ 183 U/L (sensitivity 86.7% [59.5, 98.3], specificity 96.9% [83.8, 99.9]). ur simple clinical decision rules can be used to identify primary care patients with CAP that are at risk for atypical pathogens. Further research is needed to validate its usefulness in various populations. Trial registration Clinical Trial (UMIN trial ID: UMIN000035346).

BackgroundMany medical students in Japan were brought up in urban areas, thus rural medical practice is often unfamiliar to them. The University of Tsukuba created a one-day early_exposure program to provide freshman students with experience in rural practices. This study was designed to clarify how this one-day early_exposure program affected medical students’ attitudes toward and knowledge of rural practices.FindingsFirst-year medical students (n = 103) were assigned to one of seven rural clinics in which they experienced rural practice for one day. A pre- and post-program questionnaire, rated on a 5-point Likert scale, was administered to assess students’ interest in and knowledge of rural medical practice, with higher scores indicating greater interest and knowledge. Respondents who gave answers of 4 or 5 were defined as having high interest and knowledge. One hundred and one (98.1%) responses were received from students. After the program, the percentage of students interested in rural medical practices was increased (pre- and post-program: 39.0% and 61.0%, respectively; P < .001), as was the number of students who wanted to become physicians in a rural medical practice (pre- and post-program: 53.0% and 73.0%, respectively; P < .01).ConclusionsOur one-day early_exposure program demonstrated a positive impact on medical students’ interest in and knowledge of rural medical practice. Further follow-up surveys are needed to clarify whether these effects are sustained long-term.

Japanese spotted fever (JSF) is an uncommon but potentially fatal infection transmitted by tick bites. We herein report a fulminant case of JSF infection that occurred in an immunocompetent adult that was complicated by disseminated intravascular coagulation and hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH). We discuss the difficulty in making the diagnosis and identifying the complication of HLH in our patient. HLH is a rare complication of rickettsiosis, and this is the first reported case in English of JSF complicated by HLH in an immunocompetent adult. Secondary HLH caused by rickettsiosis requires a different treatment from primary HLH. Rickettsiosis must therefore be considered in patients with HLH.

Streptococcus pneumoniae is a rare pathogen of sepsis in patients with antithyroid drug-induced agranulocytosis. We herein describe a case of antithyroid drug-induced agranulocytosis complicated by pneumococcal sepsis and upper airway obstruction. A 27-year-old woman who was previously prescribed methimazole for nine months presented with a four-day history of a sore throat. She nearly choked and was diagnosed with febrile agranulocytosis. She was successfully treated with intubation, intravenous antibiotics and granulocyte colony-stimulating factor. Her blood cultures yielded S. pneumoniae. Emergency airway management, treatment of sepsis and the administration of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor can improve the clinical course of antithyroid drug-induced pneumococcal sepsis in patients with airway obstruction.