Sho Nakakubo

<i>Background and Objectives:</i> Tocilizumab and baricitinib have been observed to improve the outcomes of patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). However, a comparative evaluation of these drugs has not been performed. <i>Materials and Methods:</i> A retrospective, single-center study was conducted using the data of COVID-19 patients admitted to Hokkaido University hospital between April 2020 and September 2021, who were treated with tocilizumab or baricitinib. The clinical characte

Immunomodulators (tocilizumab/baricitinib) improve outcomes of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients, but the synergistic effect of remdesivir is unknown. The effect of combination therapy with remdesivir, immunomodulators, and standard treatment in COVID-19 patients was investigated. This retrospective, single-center study included COVID-19 patients who were treated with tocilizumab or baricitinib. The severity of respiratory status in the two groups on Days 14 and 28 and the duration to

<i>Streptococcus pneumoniae</i> may colonize the nasopharynx, and as pneumococcal colonization causes invasive diseases and the subsequent transmission, reducing bacterial burden in the nasal cavity is critical. Hochu-ekki-to (TJ-41) is a traditional Japanese herbal medicine that exerts immunomodulatory effects in host cells. In this study, we investigated the potency of TJ-41 in modulating pneumococcal colonization clearance by activating host immunity. Mice, intranasally inoculated with pneumo

Clinical features of COVID-19 are diverse, and a useful tool for predicting clinical outcomes based on clinical characteristics of COVID-19 is needed. This study examined the laboratory values and trends that influence mortality in hospitalised COVID-19 patients. Data on hospitalised patients enrolled in a registry study in Japan (COVID-19 Registry Japan) were obtained. Patients with records on basic information, outcomes, and laboratory data on the day of admission (day 1) and day 8 were includ

The COVID-19 Clinical Risk Score may enable the risk classification of patients suspected of having COVID-19 and can help in decision-making in clinical practice, including appropriateness of diagnostic testing. Further studies and prospective validation with an increased sample size are required.

We present three cases with an atypical clinical course of organizing pneumonia (OP) secondary to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Three patients were discharged with satisfactory improvement after standard steroid therapy for COVID-19. Shortly after the completion of treatment, the patients experienced a flare-up of symptoms. Imaging results showed new lesions in the lungs. Transbronchial lung cryobiopsy showed histological findings consistent with OP in all cases. Steroids were administere

Host immunological status, omicron subvariant, and age were associated with a spectrum of COVID-19 symptoms and outcomes. BA.5 produced a greater symptom burden than BA.2. Vaccination and prior infection mitigated systemic symptoms and improved outcomes, but increased upper respiratory tract symptom burden. Systemic, but not upper respiratory, symptoms in the elderly heralded severe disease.

We report a rare case of bacteraemia caused by <i>S. enterica</i> serovar Corvallis in an immunocompetent adult after travelling through Vietnam and Cambodia. From the experience of our case, we suggest that more caution is necessary when diagnosing the unique clinical features of travel-related NTS infections.

Abstract Background No clinical scoring system has yet been established to estimate the likelihood of COVID-19 and to determine the suitability of diagnostic testing in suspected COVID-19 patients. Methods This was a single-center, retrospective, observational study of patients with suspected COVID-19 and confirmed COVID-19. Patient background, clinical course, laboratory and CT findings, and the presence of alternative diagnoses were evaluated. Clinical risk scores were developed based on clini

Summary Background Although biological agents, tocilizumab and baricitinib, have been shown to improve the outcomes of patients with COVID-19, a comparative evaluation has not been performed. Methods A retrospective, single-center study was conducted using the data of patients with COVID-19 admitted to the Hokkaido University hospital between April 2020 and September 2021, who were treated with tocilizumab or baricitinib. The clinical characteristics of patients who received each drug were compa