Length, diameter and surface area of each of 6 segments of the large intestine were determined and calculated in 920 Japanese patients who underwent barium enema. Of the length and surface area measurements obtained, those of the transverse colon were the largest, followed by those of the sigmoid colon. The diameter of the ascending colon was the largest, while those of the descending colon and sigmoid colon were the smallest. There were various sex differences in size of the large intestine. Length and surface area of the entire large intestine in males were shorter and smaller respectively than those in females. Lengths of the cecum, ascending colon, transverse colon and rectum in males were shorter than those in females. Diameters of the descending colon, sigmoid colon and rectum in males were larger than those in females. Total surface areas of the ascending colon and transverse colon in males were smaller than those in females, while total surface areas of the descending colon, sigmoid colon and rectum in males were larger than those in females. Length of the entire large intestine tended to be increased with age. Length and surface area of the entire large intestine tended to be increased with an increase in physical dimensions in females.

Background With effective antiretroviral therapy, there is an emerging population of adults aged 50 years or older with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Frailty is an increasingly recognized clinical state of vulnerability associated with disability, hospitalization, and mortality. However, there is a paucity of large studies assessing its prevalence in people with HIV (PWH) aged 50 or older. Methods PubMed was systematically searched for studies published between January 2000 and August 2020 reporting the prevalence of frailty in PWH aged 50 or older. The pooled prevalence of frailty and prefrailty was synthesized using a random-effects meta-analysis. Results Of the 425 studies identified, 26 studies were included in the analysis, with a total of 6584 PWH aged 50 or older. The included studies were published between 2012 and 2020, and all studies used the Fried frailty phenotype to define frailty. The overall pooled prevalence of frailty and prefrailty was 10.9% (95% confidence interval [CI], 8.1%–14.2%) and 47.2% (95% CI, 40.1%–54.4%), respectively. A high degree of heterogeneity was observed (I2 = 93.2%). In the subgroup analysis, HIV-related variables and other demographic variables were examined, and heterogeneity disappeared only in the group of a longer duration since HIV diagnosis (I2 = 0%). Conclusions The pooled prevalence of frailty and prefrailty defined by the Fried frailty phenotype was assessed in PWH aged 50 or older. Findings from this study quantified the proportion of this specific population with this common geriatric syndrome. Future studies identifying effective strategies for frailty screening and intervention are required for this vulnerable population.

We report a case of acute generalized exanthematic pustulosis induced by 2 different drugs, cefaclor and acetazolamide. The diagnosis was confirmed by challenge tests, and these 2 drugs respectively were proven to be responsible for the patient’s pustular eruptions.

Achondroplasia is often associated with cervicomedullary dysfunction. MRI sagittal imaging was performed to determine whether surgical intervention was necessary to relieve cervicomedullary compression. Cervicomedullary compression was classified into severe and mild types based on the ratios of the brain stem diameter at the foramen magnum, the site of the most severe stenosis to the diameter at the pontomedullary junction and C3 level, where it is normal. This classification was found to be closely correlated with the severity of clinical symptoms and important in determining whether surgical intervention is necessary. Moreover, since the incidence of sudden death is high in patients aged 4 years or younger with achondroplasia, surgical intervention should be considered in all such patients if cervicomedullary compression is present.

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