Taku Kawasaki

Polymorphic CAG repeats of the androgen receptor gene and rheumatoid arthritis

OBJECTIVE In view of the possible role of androgens in the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), this study investigated the association between repeat lengths of CAG microsatellites of the androgen receptor (AR) gene and RA. METHODS The number of CAG repeats in exon 1 of the AR gene was determined in 90 men and 276 women with RA, as well as in 305 male and 332 female controls. RESULTS The male RA patients tended to have shorter repeats than the male controls (22.5 versus 23.1, p=0.07), whereas the female RA patients had similar repeats to the female controls (22.7 versus 22.9, p=0.17). Patients of both sexes were divided into younger and older age at onset groups, and compared with younger and older controls. Younger onset male RA patients had significantly shorter CAG repeat lengths than the younger male controls (21.8 versus 23.2, p=0.007) or the older onset male RA patients (21.8 versus 23.2, p=0.04). Older onset male RA and both younger and older onset female RA patients had similar CAG repeat lengths when compared with their controls. Neither seropositivity nor rheumatoid nodule positivity had a significant relation with CAG repeat lengths. CONCLUSION Shorter CAG repeats of the AR gene, presenting high levels of transactivation activity, are related to younger age onset male RA, suggesting the possible role of androgens as a modulating factor.

Perforated Appendicitis Causing Thigh Emphysema: A Case Report

We report a case of thigh emphysema resulting from perforated appendicitis. The patient was an 83-year-old man who had no apparent abdominal signs and was initially misdiagnosed as having psoas abscess. Magnetic resonance imaging of the pelvis revealed appendicitis, and a barium enema showed a leakage of enhanced contrast material from the appendix region down into the thigh. A retroperitoneal perforation of the retrocaecal appendix without peritonitis was diagnosed. The patient underwent an appendectomy and curettage of the retroperitoneal and psoas muscle spaces, as well as the thigh. He recovered gradually, though the abscess had extended into the hip joint and resulted in osteomyelitis, requiring an additional procedure of resection arthroplasty. The patient fully recovered with no signs of infection one year postoperatively.

Partial Rupture of the Quadriceps Tendon (Jumper’s Knee) in a Ten-Year-Old Boy A Case Report

Quadriceps tendon rupture usually occurs in middle-aged to elderly men, especially in those with chronic illness such as renal failure, diabetes mellitus, gout, and hyperparathyroidism. To the best of our knowledge, the youngest patient with this injury described in the literature was a 16-year-old girl who had traumatic rupture of this tendon. It is also known that some athletes suffer jumper’s knee, a disability induced by repetitive microtrauma concentrated at either the superior or inferior pole of the patella. The case presented here is extremely unusual because of the young age of the patient and the abnormal findings mimicking deep-seated hemangioma on MRI and histologic examination. Nevertheless, the macroscopic appearance during surgery showed that the diagnosis was not hemangioma but partial tendon rupture. The dilated veins and intravenous thrombus observed histologically may have arisen as a reaction to the ruptured tendon.

Quantity and Quality of the Lower Extremity Muscles in Women with Knee Osteoarthritis

The objective of the study described here was to compare lower extremity muscle quantity and quality between individuals with and those without knee osteoarthritis (OA). Twenty-one women with knee OA (mild, n = 8; severe, n = 13) and 23 healthy patients participated. Ultrasonography was used to measure muscle thickness (MT) and echo intensity (EI) of the rectus femoris, vastus intermedius, vastus lateralis, vastus medialis, biceps femoris, gluteus maximus, gluteus medius, gastrocnemius, soleus and tibialis anterior. MTs of the vastus medialis and vastus intermedius were smaller, and EIs of the vastus medialis, vastus intermedius, gluteus medius and tibialis anterior were larger, in the severe OA group compared than in the healthy group. Compared with the healthy group, the mild OA group had decreased MT and enhanced EI. Changes in quality and quantity occurring with knee OA progression differed among muscles. In the vastus medialis, change was observed from an earlier stage.

Triple pelvic osteotomy: Report of our mid-term results and review of literature

A wide variety of pelvic osteotomies have been developed for the treatment of developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH). In the present paper, we present a detailed review of previous studies of triple osteotomy as an alternative treatment for DDH. We also report our experience treating 6 adult cases of DDH by triple osteotomy in order to highlight the various aspects of this procedure.The mean age of our patients was 31.2 years with a mean follow-up period of 6 years. We assessed range of motion, center-edge angle, acetabular index angle, Sharp angle, acetabulum head index, head lateralization index, Japanese Orthopedic Association score, Harris hip score, patient satisfaction, and the difference between lower limb lengths before and after the procedure. At final follow-up, clinical scores were significantly improved and radiographic parameters also showed good correction of acetabulum.

Physical Activity Promotes Gait Improvement in Patients With Total Knee Arthroplasty

BACKGROUND The study aimed to examine whether the improvement in gait function after total knee arthroplasty (TKA) correlated with the amount of physical activity and whether both gait self-efficacy and gait function are predictors of the amount of physical activity up to 6 months after surgery. METHODS Eighty-one patients were tested preoperatively and at the first and sixth postoperative months after TKA. Physical performance (timed up and go [TUG], sit to stand, muscle strength) and the modified gait efficacy scale scores were evaluated. The average amount of physical activity during the 6 postoperative months was measured with a pedometer with triaxial accelerometer. Stepwise multiple regression analyses were performed using TUG changes and postoperative physical activity. The discriminative properties of physical activity for improvement in gait function were subsequently investigated by applying a receiver operating characteristic curve analysis. RESULTS The multiple regression analyses indicated that the amount of physical activity and the improvement in sit-to-stand time were important in predicting improvement in TUG scores after TKA, and postoperative physical activity up to 6 months was predicted by the modified gait efficacy scale and TUG scores at the first postoperative month. The receiver operating characteristic curve analysis suggests that with a cutoff point of 3053 steps/d, the amount of physical activity may be a good predictive factor for gait function after TKA. CONCLUSION The clinical implications are that increases in physical activity can promote improvement in gait function after TKA and present with a solid numerical target for the recommended amount of physical activity.

Lumboperitoneal shunt for cauda equina syndrome in ankylosing spondylitis

Cauda equina syndrome is a rare complication in the late stage of ankylosing spondylitis, for which approximately 60 cases have been reported in the literature. The cause of the syndrome is unclear, and there is no effective treatment. Recently lumboperitoneal shunt was reported to have been effective in two patients. In our study, we performed lumboperitoneal shunt in a patient and evaluated the condition after the operation compared with that preoperatively. Some alleviation of neurologic symptoms was observed for 6 months after operation. Histopathologic examination of the dural diverticulum revealed a residual change after old inflammation. Lumboperitoneal shunt was an effective surgical treatment for cauda equina syndrome in this patient with ankylosing spondylitis, but its effects were not extreme. Arachnoiditis is suggested to be involved in the pathogenesis of cauda equina syndrome.

Comprehensive geriatric assessment of effects of hospitalization and long-term rehabilitation of patients following lower extremity arthroplasty

[Purpose] This study was performed to examine the effects of subacute physical therapy (PT) on activities of daily living (ADL), quality of life, and geriatric aspects of patients who underwent total knee arthroplasty (TKA) or total hip arthroplasty (THA). [Subjects] The subjects were TKA (n=56) and THA (n=39) patients who received PT on the first day of independent ADL (up to 2 weeks) and just prior to discharge (4 weeks). [Methods] The functional independence measure (FIM), grip strength, knee extension strength (KES), timed up and go (TUG) test, mini-mental state examination (MMSE), geriatric depression scale short form (GDS-15), fall efficacy scale (FES), and medical outcome study 8-item short-form health survey (SF-8) were used as outcome measure, and comorbidity involvement was also investigated. [Results] Improvements in FIM, KES, TUG, GDS-15, FES, and SF-8 scores were seen in both groups (effect size, 0.31–0.87). Poor PT effects were found for THA patients aged ≥65 years, for TKA and THA patients with an MMSE score ≤28, and for THA patients with two or more comorbidities. [Conclusion] Positive effects were seen in patients who received PT at 2–4 weeks after surgery. Thus, additional PT for approximately 2 weeks after the beginning of independent ADL may be beneficial.

Pigmented Villonodular Synovitis Causing Osteonecrosis of the Femoral Head: A Case Report

We report a case of a 27-year-old man with pigmented villonodular synovitis of the hip joint with coincident osteonecrosis of the femoral head. According to our review of the English-language literature, no detailed report of osteonecrosis of the femoral head complicated with pigmented villonodular synovitis has been published. Preoperative X-ray images showed joint narrowing and severe multiple bone erosions at the acetabulum and femoral neck. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed a low-intensity band attributable to osteonecrosis of the femoral head and massive diffuse pigmented villonodular synovitis lesions. Comparison of a three-dimensional computed tomographic image of this patient with an angiographic image of a normal individual demonstrated proximity of the pigmented villonodular synovitis-induced bone erosions to the medial and lateral femoral circumflex arteries and retinacular arteries, suggesting likely the compromise of the latter by the former. We propose that the massive pigmented villonodular synovitis may have contributed to the pathogenesis of osteonecrosis of the femoral head in this patient. We performed open synovectomy and total hip arthroplasty. No operative complications occurred, and no recurrence of the pigmented villonodular synovitis was detected for 3 years after the operation.

Late-Emerging Lethal Exacerbation of Cardiomyopathy in a Patient with Mitochondrial Myopathy After Total Hip Arthroplasty

Case: Mitochondrial myopathy comprises heterogeneous neuromuscular disorders caused by mitochondrial dysfunction. Acute exacerbation of mitochondrial myopathy infrequently occurs sequentially after perioperative stress. We present an unusual case of a late‐emerging and lethal exacerbation of mitochondrial myopathy after total hip arthroplasty. Despite special attention paid to perioperative control, the patient’s condition drastically deteriorated on postoperative day thirteen, and she died later as a result of cardiomyopathy. Conclusion: When performing surgery on a patient with mitochondrial myopathy, the merits of surgery must always surpass the possible grave risk of this condition.