今野 哲 (コンノ サトシ)

医学研究院 内科系部門 内科学分野教授
北海道大学病院教授
総合イノベーション創発機構ワクチン研究開発拠点教授
Last Updated :2025/06/07

■研究者基本情報

学位

  • 医学博士, 北海道大学

Researchmap個人ページ

研究者番号

  • 20399835

研究キーワード

  • 呼吸器病学

研究分野

  • ライフサイエンス, 呼吸器内科学

担当教育組織

■経歴

経歴

  • 2019年04月 - 現在
    北海道大学大学院医学研究院, 呼吸器内科学教室, 教授
  • 2016年04月 - 2019年03月
    北海道大学大学院医学研究院, 呼吸器内科学教室, 准教授
  • 2011年05月 - 2016年03月
    北海道大学病院, 内科Ⅰ, 講師
  • 2005年04月 - 2011年04月
    北海道大学病院, 第一内科, 助教
  • 2005年01月 - 2005年03月
    北海道大学病院, 第一内科, 医員
  • 2002年04月 - 2004年12月
    Johns Hopkins大学, 喘息アレルギーセンター, ポスドクフェロー
  • 1995年04月 - 2002年03月
    北海道大学病院, 第一内科, 研究生 医員

■研究活動情報

受賞

  • 2025年03月, 北海道大学大学院医学研究院 優秀研究賞               
    慢性炎症性肺疾患の予後予測に寄与する多角的バイオマーカーの探索
  • 2023年, 公益財団法人 テルモ生命科学振興財団, 2022 年度 Ⅲ研究助成金               
    ライフコースアプローチによる喘息/肥満に対するコホート研究
    今野 哲
  • 2019年, 公益財団法人 寿原記念財団研究助成               
    肥満が気管支喘息病態に及ぼす分子生物学的機序の解明
    今野 哲
  • 2019年, 公益財団法人日本呼吸器財団, 公益財団法人 日本呼吸器財団研究助成               
    気管支喘息とCOPDの合併病態に焦点を当てた慢性気道疾患患者の包括的前向きコホート研究
    今野 哲
  • 2018年, 公益財団法人 健康科学財団研究助成               
    肥満が気管支喘息病態に及ぼす分子生物学的機序の解明及びその臨床応用
    今野 哲
  • 2017年, 公益財団法人 秋山記念生命科学振興財団, 公益財団法人 秋山記念生命科学振興財団研究助成               
    気管支喘息におけるピークフロー値変動の規定因子、及び喘息の自然史に与える影響
  • 2017年, 公益財団法人大和証券ヘルス財団, 公益財団法人大和証券ヘルス財団研究助成               
    高齢者におけ気管支喘息とCOPDの共通病態の解明 -両疾患の枠を超えたバイオマーカーの探索-
  • 2017年, 日本サルコイドーシス・肉芽腫性疾患学会, 千葉保之・本間日臣記念賞               
    サルコイドーシスの多様性の理解に向けた包括的アプローチ
    今野 哲
  • 2010年, Pneumo Forum賞               
    COPD患者の気管支拡張反応に与えるアドレナリン受容体遺伝子(ADRB2)多型の意義
    今野 哲
  • 2010年, 日本呼吸器学会, English session award               
    Association of beta2-adrenoreceptor genotype with bronchodilator responses (BDR) in COPD
    今野 哲
  • 2005年, 日本アレルギー協会, アボットジャパン学術奨励賞               
    気管支喘息、アレルギー反応におけるオステオポンチンの関与
    今野 哲

論文

  • High incidence of immune checkpoint inhibitor-induced pneumonitis in patients with non-small cell lung cancer and interstitial pneumonia, regardless of honeycomb lung or forced vital capacity: results from a multicenter retrospective study.
    Yuriko Ishida, Satoshi Ikeda, Toshiyuki Harada, Jun Sakakibara-Konishi, Keiki Yokoo, Hajime Kikuchi, Tae Iwasawa, Toshihiro Misumi, Satoshi Konno, Takashi Ogura
    International journal of clinical oncology, 30, 5, 904, 913, 2025年05月, [国内誌]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌), BACKGROUND: Interstitial pneumonia (IP) is a common comorbidity with poor prognosis in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and a risk factor for immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI)-induced pneumonitis. This study aimed to assess the incidence, severity, and risk factors of ICI-induced pneumonitis in patients with NSCLC and idiopathic IP. METHODS: This multicenter, retrospective study involved patients with advanced or recurrent NSCLC and comorbid idiopathic IP and receiving ICI monotherapy as the second or subsequent line. A board-certified radiologist centrally reviewed all computed tomography images at baseline and at the onset of pneumonitis. Logistic regression analysis with clinical, laboratory, and radiological variables was used to examine the risk factors for pneumonitis. RESULTS: This study included 65 patients with a median age of 71 years, 98.5% of whom had a smoking history. Three ICIs were used and a median of three cycles. Honeycomb lung was present in 23.1% of the patients, and the median % forced vital capacity (FVC) was 95.0%. Notably, 23.1% of the patients exhibited all-grade pneumonitis and 15.4% exhibited grade ≥ 3 pneumonitis. No significant risk factors for pneumonitis were identified after univariate logistic regression analysis. The incidence and severity of ICI-induced pneumonitis did not differ between patients with and without honeycomb lung or with FVC ≥ 80% versus < 80%, respectively. CONCLUSION: In this retrospective analysis of patients with NSCLC, the risk of ICI-induced pneumonitis did not differ based on radiologic patterns of comorbid IP, presence or absence of honeycomb lung, or pulmonary function tests.
  • Prognostic impact of oligometastasis in older patients with extensive-stage small cell lung cancer.
    Daisuke Morinaga, Kana Hashimoto, Hajime Asahina, Hisashi Tanaka, Osamu Honjo, Toshiyuki Harada, Hiroshi Yokouchi, Hajime Kikuchi, Ryota Shigaki, Taichi Takashina, Keiichi Nakamura, Yasutaka Kawai, Mamoru Takahashi, Ryotaro Kida, Noriaki Sukoh, Kenichiro Ito, Ayumu Takahashi, Fumihiro Hommura, Yoshihito Ohhara, Megumi Furuta, Satoshi Konno, Yukio Hosomi, Satoshi Oizumi
    Respiratory investigation, 63, 3, 373, 382, 2025年05月, [国際誌]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌), BACKGROUND: Immune checkpoint inhibitor plus chemotherapy (ICT) is the standard treatment for extensive-stage small cell lung cancer (ES-SCLC). We previously reported that oligometastasis (OM) is a predictor of ICT efficacy, however, the relationship between ICT efficacy and OM in older patients remains unknown. Therefore, this study examined the efficacy of ICT in the older patients including the influence of OM. METHODS: We enrolled patients with ES-SCLC who received ICT as first-line treatment between September 2019 and June 2022. Patient characteristics and treatment efficacy were compared between older (≥75 years) and non-older (<75 years) patients. RESULTS: We enrolled 228 patients, including 42 older patients. The prevalence of synchronous oligometastasis (SOM) at the start of first-line treatment was 21.0 % and 21.4 % (p = 1.0) in the older and non-older groups, respectively. The progression-free survival (PFS) with first-line therapy was 5.4 and 4.5 months (p = 0.55) and overall survival (OS) was 11.5 and 12.6 months (p = 0.74) for the SOM and non-SOM subgroups in the older group, respectively. For second-line treatment, PFS was 4.5 and 6.3 months (p = 0.79), and OS after second-line initiation was 16.0 and 13.2 months (p = 0.55) in oligoprogression (OP) and non-OP patients in the older group, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The frequencies of SOM and OP were not significantly different between older and non-older patients. Although the small number of older patients in this study makes it impossible to conclude definitively, we did not observe a significant prognostic prolongation in older patients with OM as in non-older patients.
  • Efficacy of second line and subsequent treatments of small cell lung cancer with and without immune checkpoint inhibitor combination therapy.
    Daisuke Morinaga, Jun Sakakibara-Konishi, Yasutaka Kawai, Yumi Morinaga, Shohei Mizobuchi, Yoshihiro Okamoto, Yasunari Yamanaka, Kei Takahashi, Hajime Kikuchi, Noriaki Sukoh, Taichi Takashina, Hidenori Kitai, Satoshi Konno
    Respiratory investigation, 63, 3, 423, 430, 2025年05月, [国際誌]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌), BACKGROUND: Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) combined with platinum-doublet chemotherapy (ICI-chemo) have become the standard of care for extensive-stage small cell lung cancer (ES-SCLC). However, the effect of ICI-chemo on the efficacy of subsequent chemotherapy remains unknown. This study aimed to investigate the efficacy of second and subsequent treatments of SCLC with and without ICI combination therapy. METHODS: We performed an analysis of patients with ES-SCLC between January 2015 and June 2023. The ICI-chemo groups were defined as patients who received ICI-chemo as first-line therapy between September 2019 and June 2023, after ICI-chemo was reimbursed in Japan. The non-ICI-chemo groups were defined as patients who received platinum-doublet therapy between January 2015 and August 2019 and were considered eligible for ICI-chemo. RESULTS: In total, 224 patients were included (91 and 133 patients who received ICI-chemo and non-ICI-chemo, respectively). There were no significant differences in patient characteristics between the groups. There was no significant difference in progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) for first-line treatment between the two groups. The median PFS and OS periods for second-line treatment were 3.9 and 3.9 months and 10.3 and 10.7 months in the ICI-chemo and non-ICI-chemo groups, respectively, without significant difference. Most patients in both groups received amrubicin as the second-line treatment. Moreover, the PFS and OS periods for third-line treatment were not significantly different between the ICI-chemo and non-ICI-chemo groups. CONCLUSIONS: In ES-SCLC, there is no significant additive effect on PFS and OS of second- and subsequent line treatments following ICI-chemo at first-line treatment.
  • Association of Phthalate Exposure with Respiratory and Allergic Symptoms and Type 2 and Non-Type 2 Inflammation: The Hokkaido Study.
    Rahel Mesfin Ketema, Yu Ait Bamai, Houman Goudarzi, Takeshi Yamaguchi, Yi Zeng, Ayaka Yasuda, Megasari Marsela, Satoshi Konno, Reiko Kishi, Atsuko Ikeda
    Environmental science & technology, 59, 15, 7541, 7549, 2025年04月22日, [国際誌]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌), Phthalate exposure is linked to asthma and allergic symptoms, yet their individual and combined effects on symptoms and inflammatory biomarkers, type 2 (T2) and non-T2, remain unexplored. This study examined the association of phthalate metabolites with allergic symptoms (wheeze, allergic rhinoconjunctivitis, and eczema), T2 biomarker (fraction of exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO), blood eosinophil count, and total immunoglobulin E (IgE)), and non-T2 biomarker (absolute neutrophil count (ANC)) and also their association with oxidative stress biomarkers, such as 4-hydroxynonenal, hexanoyl-lysine, and 8-hydroxy-2-deoxyguanosine. Ten urinary phthalate metabolites were measured using UPLC-MS/MS in 421 children (aged 9-12 years) from The Hokkaido Cohort, Japan. Symptoms were defined using the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood questionnaire, and biomarkers were measured in blood. Logistic regression assessed individual metabolites, while quantile-g computation and Bayesian kernel machine regression analyzed mixture effects on binary outcomes. Individual analysis showed that MnBP (mono-n-butyl phthalate) was positively associated with allergic rhinoconjunctivitis and eosinophil ≥ 300 cells/μL, while ∑DBP (dibutyl phthalate) and OH-MiNP (mono-hydroxy-isononyl phthalate) were linked with FeNO ≥ 35 ppb. DEHP (di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate) metabolites were associated with a high prevalence of blood eosinophils ≥ 300 cells/μL. We found a positive association between phthalates and oxidative stress markers, but no link was observed between oxidative stress and inflammatory markers. Mixture analysis identified MnBP as a major contributor to the high FeNO level, with di-n-butyl phthalate (DnBP) and DEHP metabolites contributing to eosinophil count ≥ 300 cells/μL and ANC ≥ 4400 cells/μL. These findings suggest that phthalate exposure from DnBP and DEHP is associated with immune dysregulation by triggering both T2 and non-T2 inflammatory responses.
  • Prevalence and clinical impact of asthma-COPD overlap in severe asthma.
    Miho Wakazono, Hirokazu Kimura, Ichizo Tsujino, Nobuyasu Wakazono, Michiko Takimoto-Sato, Munehiro Matsumoto, Kaoruko Shimizu, Houman Goudarzi, Hironi Makita, Masaharu Nishimura, Satoshi Konno
    Allergology international : official journal of the Japanese Society of Allergology, 74, 2, 308, 315, 2025年04月, [国際誌]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌), BACKGROUND: Patients with asthma-COPD overlap (ACO) have a greater symptom burden, worse respiratory function, and more frequent exacerbations than those with asthma alone. However, only a few studies have investigated the prevalence and clinical course of ACO in severe asthma. This study aimed to examine the comorbid rate of ACO and its clinical impact on severe asthma. METHODS: We prospectively enrolled 127 patients with severe asthma from 30 hospitals and clinics. Favorable treatment adherence was ensured, and the prevalence of ACO was assessed using the Japanese Respiratory Society ACO criteria. Patients were categorized into two groups, ACO and non-ACO, and their clinical characteristics were compared. The exacerbation rates with a 3-year follow-up and the annual change in FEV1 with a 5-year follow-up of 105 individuals were evaluated. The exacerbation-free rate was analyzed using the Kaplan-Meier method and the Cox proportional hazards model. RESULTS: The prevalence of ACO in severe asthma was 31.5 %. Patients with ACO were older, more frequently male, and had a longer duration of asthma than those without. No significant difference was observed in exacerbation rates between the ACO and non-ACO groups (62.2 % vs. 63.2 %, P = 0.91) or the annual change in FEV1 (-39.2 mL/year vs. -31.2 mL/year, P = 0.11). CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of ACO in our multicenter cohort study on severe asthma was approximately 30 %. The presence of ACO was not an independent risk for exacerbations or decline in FEV1.
  • Evaluating the Usefulness of the Insertion Tube Rotation Function of Bronchoscope in Cadaver Models.
    Naofumi Shinagawa, Yuta Takashima, Masahiro Kashima, Daisuke Morinaga, Shotaro Ito, Kosuke Tsuji, Mineyoshi Sato, Hirofumi Takahashi, Tetsuaki Shoji, Megumi Furuta, Toshiaki Shichinohe, Satoshi Konno
    Journal of bronchology & interventional pulmonology, 32, 2, 2025年04月01日, [国際誌]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌), BACKGROUND: The Olympus bronchoscope is equipped with an insertion tube rotation function; however, data on its usefulness are currently limited. Here, we evaluated the amount of body and wrist movement required by bronchoscopists, the operability of the bronchoscope, and its ease of use with and without the insertion tube rotation function. METHODS: This study was performed on 10 bronchoscopists using 2 cadaveric bodies. The primary endpoint was the amount of movement exerted by the bronchoscopist, which was evaluated using motion capture. We also assessed the deepest bronchial generations that could be reached by the bronchoscope and the time required for insertion. Immediately after the procedures, the bronchoscopists completed a questionnaire to evaluate their perceived difficulty level. RESULTS: The bronchoscopists achieved a 33.5% reduction in wrist rotation (67.8 vs. 110.2 degrees, P<0.05) and a 23.9% reduction in body rotation (17.2 vs. 24.4 degrees, P<0.05) using the insertion tube rotation function for all segmental bronchi. During forceps insertion to simulated lesions, the bronchoscopists' body movement was reduced by 65.1% (11.6 vs. 33.9 degrees, P<0.05), and wrist rotation by 47.6% (63.5 vs. 122.7 degrees, P<0.05). Furthermore, bronchoscopists experienced significantly reduced difficulty inserting biopsy forceps toward simulated target lesions (3.9 vs. 3.2 points, P<0.05) and required less assistance (4.0 vs. 2.0 points, P<0.05) when using the insertion tube rotation function. CONCLUSION: The insertion tube rotation function of the bronchoscope facilitated its insertion and improved operability.
  • Cross-sectional Survey of Allergic Diseases in Staff and Their Families at Designated Allergic Disease Medical Hospitals in Japan: Calculation of Age-adjusted Prevalence.
    Yasunori Ito, Taisuke Kato, Koichi Yoshida, Kyohei Takahashi, Yuma Fukutomi, Mizuho Nagao, Tatsuki Fukuie, Hiroshi Matsuzaki, Minoru Gotoh, Akio Tanaka, Satoshi Konno, Junichiro Tezuka, Naoki Kajita, Yuri Matsubara, Masakazu Takahashi, Yosikazu Nakamura, Yuichi Adachi
    Annals of clinical epidemiology, 7, 2, 39, 45, 2025年04月01日, [国内誌]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌), BACKGROUND: Continuous epidemiological surveys using consistent methodologies are essential for assessing the prevalence of allergic diseases. In 2021, a cross-sectional survey on allergic diseases was conducted, targeting staff and their families at Designated Allergic Disease Medical Hospitals across 41 prefectures in Japan. By 2022, these hospitals had been established in all 47 prefectures of Japan. METHODS: A prevalence survey of allergic diseases was conducted in 2022 using the same questionnaire as that used in 2021, encompassing hospitals across all 47 prefectures. Age-adjusted prevalence rates were calculated using the 2015 population model for comparison with the 2021 survey data. RESULTS: The 2022 survey included 76 hospitals and 24,444 participants (males, 10,668; women, 13,776; median age, 35 years; interquartile range, 18-50 years). The overall prevalence of allergic diseases was 63.0% (95% confidence interval:62.3-63.6). Age-adjusted prevalence of a history per 100,000 people for each allergic disease was as follows (; 95% confidence interval): bronchial asthma (13,279; 12,776-13,782), atopic dermatitis (12,786; 12,379-13,193), food allergies (13,143; 12,689-13,596), perennial allergic rhinitis (28,132; 27,673-28,982), pollinosis (38,959; 38,216-39,703), allergic conjunctivitis (19,751; 19,188-20,313), metal allergies (2,111; 1,898-2,325), drug allergies (4,478; 4,149-4,806), and anaphylaxis (1,602; 1,417-1,787). The prevalence of perennial allergic rhinitis, pollinosis, and allergic conjunctivitis was higher than that in 2021. CONCLUSIONS: This survey is the first in Japan to calculate the age-adjusted prevalence of allergic diseases. Moreover, pollinosis is the most common allergic disease in Japan.
  • Intestinal obstruction caused by disseminated mycobacterium avium complex disease following solid organ transplantation: a case report.
    Akane Mita, Sho Nakakubo, Yusuke Nishimura, Hideki Shima, Masaaki Watanabe, Tsuyoshi Shimamura, Satoshi Konno
    BMC infectious diseases, 25, 1, 120, 120, 2025年01月25日, [国際誌]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌), BACKGROUND: Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) is a common pathogen causing non-tuberculous mycobacterial infections, primarily affecting the lungs. Disseminated MAC disease occurs mainly in immunocompromised individuals, such as those with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, hematological malignancies, or those positive for anti-interferon-γ antibodies. However, its occurrence in solid organ transplant recipients is uncommon. Herein, we report a rare case of disseminated MAC disease following liver transplantation, which led to an obstructive mass in the intestinal tract that required differentiation from a malignant tumor. CASE PRESENTATION: A 76-year-old woman, who had undergone living-donor liver transplantation 15 years earlier for primary biliary cirrhosis, presented with persistent fever and vomiting three months before admission. She had a history of pulmonary MAC diagnosed five years earlier but remained untreated due to stable lung lesions. Abdominal computed tomography (CT) during her current illness revealed new thickening at the jejuno-jejunal anastomosis site and enlarged mesenteric lymph nodes. Positron emission tomography-CT indicated increased uptake at these sites, suggesting a possible malignancy. Endoscopy revealed an elevated lesion with circumferential ulcers, leading to a suspicion of primary malignant lymphoma. However, biopsies showed CD68-positive histiocyte-like cells with numerous acid-fast bacilli, confirming disseminated MAC infection. Despite ongoing antimicrobial therapy, the patient's intestinal lesions persisted, and she required prolonged hospitalization and interventions for bile drainage and enteral nutrition. CONCLUSION: This case underscores the importance of considering disseminated MAC as a potential complication in solid organ transplant recipients, even when a long period has passed since transplantation. Disseminated MAC can mimic malignancy, presenting with significant lesions causing intestinal obstruction. Awareness and thorough differential diagnosis are essential for timely and accurate management in such complex cases. The patient's outcome emphasizes the need for vigilance in managing long-term immunosuppressed patients, particularly when they present with atypical infections.
  • Remarkable response to low dose of selpercatinib in a patient with RET-rearranged non-small cell lung cancer
    Jun Sakakibara-Konishi, Hirofumi Takahashi, Kenichiro Ito, Tomoo Ikari, Yasuyuki Ikezawa, Hidenori Kitai, Megumi Furuta, Yuta Takashima, Tetsuaki Shoji, Masahide Fukudo, Satoshi Konno
    Respiratory Medicine Case Reports, 53, 102176, 102176, Elsevier BV, 2025年
    研究論文(学術雑誌)
  • WEE1 confers resistance to KRASG12C inhibitors in non-small cell lung cancer.
    Gaku Yamamoto, Kosuke Tanaka, Ryo Kamata, Hitoshi Saito, Tomoko Yamamori-Morita, Takehiro Nakao, Jie Liu, Shunta Mori, Shigehiro Yagishita, Akinobu Hamada, Yuki Shinno, Tatsuya Yoshida, Hidehito Horinouchi, Yuichiro Ohe, Shun-Ichi Watanabe, Yasushi Yatabe, Hidenori Kitai, Satoshi Konno, Susumu S Kobayashi, Akihiro Ohashi
    Cancer letters, 611, 217414, 217414, 2024年12月24日, [国際誌]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌), KRASG12C inhibitors sotorasib and adagrasib have been approved for the treatment of KRASG12C-mutant non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, the efficacy of single-agent treatments is limited, presumably due to multiple resistance mechanisms. To overcome these therapeutic limitations, combination strategies that potentiate the antitumor efficacy of KRASG12C inhibitors must be developed. Through unbiased high-throughput screening of 1395 kinase inhibitors, we identified adavosertib, a WEE1 inhibitor, as a promising combination partner of sotorasib. The combination of sotorasib and adavosertib exhibited synergistic antiproliferative activities both in vitro and in vivo, irrespective of TP53, STK11, and KEAP1 co-mutation profiles. WEE1 inhibition potentiated MCL-1-mediated apoptosis in sotorasib-treated cancer cells. Mechanistically, the combination downregulated MCL-1 protein levels by attenuating de novo translation and enhancing its degradation. WEE1 overexpression conferred resistance against sotorasib via MCL-1 upregulation. Moreover, cells that acquired sotorasib resistance profoundly upregulated both WEE1 and MCL-1 proteins, highlighting WEE1 as a crucial driver of sotorasib resistance. Importantly, WEE1 inhibition re-sensitized resistant cells to sotorasib treatment. The current findings demonstrate that combined inhibition of KRASG12C and WEE1 not only exhibits synergistic antitumor efficacy but also overcomes resistance to KRASG12C inhibitors, thus representing a novel therapeutic strategy for KRASG12C-mutant NSCLC.
  • Organophosphate flame retardants associated with increased oxidative stress biomarkers and elevated FeNO levels in general population of children: The Hokkaido study.
    Yi Zeng, Yu Ait Bamai, Houman Goudarzi, Rahel Mesfin Ketema, Maarten Roggeman, Fatima den Ouden, Celine Gys, Sachiko Ito, Satoshi Konno, Adrian Covaci, Reiko Kishi, Atsuko Ikeda
    The Science of the total environment, 957, 177756, 177756, 2024年12月20日, [国際誌]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌), Our previous study found that exposure to higher organophosphate flame retardants (PFRs) was associated with increased prevalence of wheeze and type 2 inflammation among school-aged children. It remains unclear whether PFR exposure elevates oxidative stress in these general pediatric population, thereby potentially contributing to the development of allergic diseases. This study examined the associations between individual and mixture exposure to PFRs and oxidative stress in children aged 9-12 years (n = 423). The oxidative stress biomarkers included 4-hydroxynonenal (4-HNE) and hexanoyl-lysine (HEL) for lipid peroxidation, and 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) for DNA damage. We also examined the mediation effects of oxidative stress on the relationships between PFR exposure and health outcomes: wheeze and type 2 inflammation biomarkers, including fraction of exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) and blood eosinophils. Higher concentrations of tris(1,3-dichloro-2-propyl) phosphate (TDCIPP), Σ triphenyl phosphate (ΣTPHP), Σ tris(2-butoxyethyl) phosphate (ΣTBOEP), and Σ 2-Ethylhexyldiphenyl phosphate (ΣEHDPHP) metabolites were significantly associated with higher levels of 4-HNE. Elevated concentrations of TDCIPP, ΣTPHP, and ΣTBOEP were positively associated with HEL. Higher ΣTPHP and ΣTBOEP were positively associated with 8-OHdG. The PFR mixture was positively associated with all three oxidative stress biomarkers according to the Quantile g-computation and Bayesian kernel machine regression models. Oxidative stress biomarkers mediated 11.4 % to 15.3 % of the association between PFRs and FeNO ≥35 ppb. PFR exposure was positively associated with oxidative stress markers of DNA damage and lipid peroxidation, which may contribute to elevated type 2 inflammation among school-aged children. These findings, identified in the general pediatric population at low exposure levels, highlight the need for ongoing attention to the allergic symptoms posed by PFR exposure.
  • A protocol for a Japanese prospective cohort evaluating the features of patients with uncontrolled asthma achieving clinical remission: J-CIRCLE.
    Naoya Tanabe, Yu Hara, Kaoruko Shimizu, Satoshi Marumo, Jun Miyata, Kyohei Morita, Tetsuya Watanabe, Keiji Oishi, Masafumi Yamaguchi, Kazuhisa Asai, Yasutaka Nakano, Tsunahiko Hirano, Kazuto Matsunaga, Toshiyuki Koya, Hisako Matsumoto, Koichi Fukunaga, Satoshi Konno, Takeshi Kaneko, Toyohiro Hirai
    Respiratory investigation, 62, 6, 1209, 1214, 2024年11月04日, [国際誌]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌), BACKGROUND: Increasing expectations that biologics can be used as disease-modifying agents have introduced the concept of clinical remission (CR) in managements of severe asthma. Given the clinical relevance of computed tomography (CT) and blood biomarkers, we hypothesized that further refinement of CR criteria as well as incorporation of CT and blood biomarkers as indicators for structural and biological remission (SR, BR) would enable predicting long-term disease stability in patients with severe asthma treated with biologics. METHODS: This Japanese multicenter prospective observational cohort will enroll patients with severe asthma who will start a new biologic (including a change from another biologic). The enrolled patients will be longitudinally followed up for 3 years. At enrollment, patients will undergo postbronchodilator spirometry, blood tests, fractional exhaled nitric oxide, chest and sinus CT, and patient-reported outcome questionnaires. Follow-up examinations will be performed at 1, 3, 6, 12, 24, and 36 months. The rates of CR resulting from different criteria after 1 year of treatment with biologics will be compared, and factors associated with long-term disease stability after 3 years of biologic treatments will be identified. DISCUSSION: This multicenter study in Japan will provide data that will help establish more appropriate criteria for CR, structural remission, and biological remission to predict long-term disease stability in patients with severe asthma who receive biologic therapy. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: The study was approved by the Ethics Committee of Kyoto University (No. R4419, approval date June 11th, 2024). TRIAL REGISTRATION: The University Hospital Medical Information Network (UMIN000053771).
  • Synchronous Oligometastasis and Oligoprogression as a Prognostic Marker in Patients With Extensive-Stage SCLC Treated With a Combination of Immune-Checkpoint Inhibitor and Chemotherapy (HOT2301).
    Kana Hashimoto, Daisuke Morinaga, Hajime Asahina, Mina Ishidoya, Hajime Kikuchi, Hiroshi Yokouchi, Toshiyuki Harada, Osamu Honjo, Ryota Shigaki, Taichi Takashina, Yuka Fujita, Mamoru Takahashi, Yasutaka Kawai, Ryotaro Kida, Kenichiro Ito, Noriaki Sukoh, Ayumu Takahashi, Fumihiro Hommura, Yoshihito Ohhara, Megumi Furuta, Satoshi Konno, Yukio Hosomi, Satoshi Oizumi
    JTO clinical and research reports, 5, 11, 100715, 100715, 2024年11月, [国際誌]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌), INTRODUCTION: Oligometastasis and oligoprogression (OP) has not been adequately defined in extensive-stage SCLC (ES-SCLC) and may be a good indication for adding local treatment. Therefore, this multicenter study aimed to investigate the prognostic impact of oligometastasis and OP in ES-SCLC. METHODS: We enrolled patients who received chemoimmunotherapy between September 2019 and June 2022. Patients were classified into oligometastasis and non-oligometastasis groups by determining the number of original tumor lesions and distant metastases (worsening or newly appearing lesions) at the time of initial diagnosis and disease progression after first-line treatment. RESULTS: We retrospectively analyzed 265 consecutive patients with ES-SCLC. Synchronous oligometastasis (SOM) and OP was defined as less than or equal to five lesions in less than or equal to two organs, including lungs; 21.0% and 53.2% of patients had SOM and OP, respectively. Median progression-free survival was 5.8 months and 4.9 months in patients with and without SOM, respectively (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.72, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.51-1.02, p = 0.065). Median overall survival was 20.5 months and 15.0 months in patients with and without SOM (HR = 0.58, 95% CI: 0.37-0.95, p = 0.027) from the initiation of first-line treatment. The OP group revealed a better progression-free survival of 5.2 months (versus 3.2 mo, HR = 0.69, 95% CI: 0.50-0.96, p = 0.026) and overall survival of 15.1 months (versus 7.5 mo, HR = 0.44, 95% CI: 0.29-0.66, p = 0.027) from the initiation of second-line treatment compared with the non-OP group. The Lung Immune Prognostic Index score was significantly lower in the SOM and OP group. CONCLUSIONS: ES-SCLC in patients with SOM and OP may be more indolent than that of the nonoligometastasis group, therefore, new treatment strategies, including the addition of local treatment, should be explored. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: This study was registered at UMIN-CTR (UMIN000053402).
  • Impact of wheat sensitization on wheeze and T2 phenotypes in general population of children
    Houman Goudarzi, Atsuko Ikeda, Yu Ait Bamai, Isao Yokota, Chihiro Miyashita, Wilfried Karmaus, Reiko Kishi, Satoshi Konno
    Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology: Global, 3, 4, 2024年11月
    研究論文(学術雑誌)
  • Therapeutic relevance of eosinophilic inflammation and airway viral interactions in severe asthma.
    Hitasha Rupani, William W Busse, Peter H Howarth, Philip G Bardin, Ian M Adcock, Satoshi Konno, David J Jackson
    Allergy, 79, 10, 2589, 2604, 2024年10月, [国際誌]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌), The role of eosinophils in airway inflammation and asthma pathogenesis is well established, with raised eosinophil counts in blood and sputum associated with increased disease severity and risk of asthma exacerbation. Conversely, there is also preliminary evidence suggesting antiviral properties of eosinophils in the airways. These dual roles for eosinophils are particularly pertinent as respiratory virus infections contribute to asthma exacerbations. Biologic therapies targeting key molecules implicated in eosinophil-associated pathologies have been approved in patients with severe asthma and, therefore, the effects of depleting eosinophils in a clinical setting are of considerable interest. This review discusses the pathological and antiviral roles of eosinophils in asthma and exacerbations. We also highlight the significant reduction in asthma exacerbations seen with biologic therapies, even at the height of the respiratory virus season. Furthermore, we discuss the implications of these findings in relation to the role of eosinophils in inflammation and antiviral responses to respiratory virus infection in asthma.
  • A PrOsPective Cohort Study on Interstitial Lung Disease-Associated Pulmonary Hypertension with a ParticulaR Focus on the Subset with Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension Features (POPLAR Study).
    Ichizo Tsujino, Kazuki Kitahara, Junichi Omura, Toshiyuki Iwahori, Satoshi Konno
    Pulmonary therapy, 10, 3, 297, 313, 2024年09月, [国際誌]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌), INTRODUCTION: The pathogenesis and clinical profiles of patients with pulmonary hypertension (PH) associated with interstitial lung disease (ILD-PH) are poorly understood. Whether and to what extent pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH)-specific therapy improves hemodynamic and outcome in ILD-PH are also unknown. STUDY OBJECTIVE: This study aims to clarify the characteristics, clinical course and response to PAH-specific therapy of ILD and/or PH by enrolling three unique subsets: PAH, ILD-PH, and ILD. METHODS: The proposed study is a retrospective and prospective, multi-centre, observational cohort study of patients treated at any of three university hospitals in the Hokkaido region of Japan who have any one of the following: PAH; ILD-PH with or without PAH features; or ILD without PH. We aim to enrol 250 patients in total. For the retrospective observation period, data obtained after 1 January 2010, will be analysed, and the prospective observation period will be 1 year. We will compare the clinical data of patients with ILD-PH with those of patients with PAH and those of patients with ILD without PH in the real-world clinical setting. In addition, within the cohort of patients with ILD-PH, we will explore the subset with "ILD-PH with PAH features" and compare the response to PAH-specific therapy with that of PAH. The primary outcome will be the change in pulmonary vascular resistance from first treatment to follow-up in patients with PAH and ILD-PH with PAH features (excluding ILD-PH without PAH feature and ILD-no-PH for the primary outcome). The exploratory outcomes will include analyses of PH-associated biomarkers, right ventricular function and patient-reported outcomes. RESULTS: This is a protocol article and the results will be presented after data collection is completed. CONCLUSION: The POPLAR study will provide data that help better understand the pathophysiology of ILD-PH and improve the quality of life and outcome of patients with PH and/or ILD. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Japan Registry of Clinical Trials: jRCT1010230018.
  • Computed tomography mucus plugs and airway tree structure in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: Associations with airflow limitation, health-related independence and mortality.
    Naoya Tanabe, Kaoruko Shimizu, Hiroshi Shima, Nobuyasu Wakazono, Yusuke Shiraishi, Kunihiko Terada, Satoru Terada, Tsuyoshi Oguma, Ryo Sakamoto, Masaru Suzuki, Hironi Makita, Atsuyasu Sato, Susumu Sato, Masaharu Nishimura, Satoshi Konno, Toyohiro Hirai
    Respirology (Carlton, Vic.), 2024年06月24日, [国際誌]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌), BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Mucus plugs and underlying airway tree structure can affect airflow limitation and prognosis in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), but their relative roles are unclear. This study used two COPD cohorts to examine whether mucus plugs on computed tomography (CT) were associated with airflow limitation and clinical outcomes independent of other airway structural changes and emphysema. METHODS: Based on visual CT assessment, patients with mucus plugs in 0, 1-2 and ≥3 lung segments were assigned to no-, low- and high-mucus groups. Loss of health-related independence and mortality were prospectively recorded for 3 and 10 years in the Kyoto-Himeji and Hokkaido cohorts, respectively. The percentages of the wall area of the central airways (WA%), total airway count (TAC) and emphysema were quantified on CT. RESULTS: Of 199 and 96 patients in the Kyoto-Himeji and Hokkaido cohorts, 34% and 30%, respectively, had high mucus scores. In both cohorts, TAC was lower in the high-mucus group than in the no-mucus group, whereas their emphysema severity did not differ. High mucus score and low TAC were independently associated with airflow limitation after adjustment for WA% and emphysema. In multivariable models adjusted for WA% and emphysema, TAC, rather than mucus score, was associated with a greater rate of loss of independence, whereas high mucus score, rather than TAC, was associated with increased mortality. CONCLUSION: Mucus plugs and lower airway branch count on CT had distinct roles in airflow limitation, health-related independence and mortality in patients with COPD.
  • Increased adiposity to muscle ratio and severity of sinusitis affect quality of life in asthma—Computed tomographic analysis—
    Kaoruko Shimizu, Hirokazu Kimura, Naoya Tanabe, Kazuya Tanimura, Shotaro Chubachi, Hiroaki Iijima, Susumu Sato, Nobuyasu Wakazono, Yuji Nakamaru, Kazufumi Okada, Hironi Makita, Houman Goudarzi, Masaru Suzuki, Masaharu Nishimura, Satoshi Konno
    Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology: Global, 100277, 100277, Elsevier BV, 2024年05月
    研究論文(学術雑誌)
  • Durvalumab after chemoradiotherapy in non-small cell lung cancer with EGFR mutation: A real-world study (HOT2101).
    Kosuke Tsuji, Hidenori Mizugaki, Keiki Yokoo, Maki Kobayashi, Yosuke Kawashima, Nozomu Kimura, Hiroshi Yokouchi, Hajime Kikuchi, Toshiyuki Sumi, Yasutaka Kawai, Kenta Kobashi, Ryo Morita, Kenichiro Ito, Yasuo Kitamura, Hiroyuki Minemura, Keiichi Nakamura, Mari Aso, Osamu Honjo, Hisashi Tanaka, Taichi Takashina, Kyoji Tsurumi, Jun Sugisaka, Yoko Tsukita, Satoshi Konno, Satoshi Oizumi
    Cancer science, 115, 4, 1273, 1282, 2024年04月, [国際誌]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌), Durvalumab has been administered to patients with unresectable stage III non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, it remains unclear whether durvalumab benefits these patients with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutation. We conducted a retrospective, multicenter study of patients with EGFR mutation who received chemoradiotherapy (CRT) between June 2018 and March 2021. We assessed patient characteristics, efficacy of durvalumab, and durvalumab safety before and after targeted therapy. We collected data on a total of 673 patients, of whom 401 (59.6%) underwent EGFR mutation testing. Fifty-one patients were EGFR positive and 311 were EGFR negative. In the EGFR-positive group, there were higher proportions of females, never-smokers, and patients with adenocarcinoma histology. Of the 51 patients in the positive group and 311 in the negative group who received CRT, 45 (88.2%) and 247 (79.4%) received durvalumab, with median progression-free survival of 23.0 and 24.2 months in the positive and negative groups, respectively (hazard ratio 1.03; 95% confidence interval: 0.64-1.67). The main adverse event was pneumonitis (positive group: 62.2%; 4.4% grade 3; negative group: 62.3%; 6.9% grade 3). No treatment-related deaths were observed. Of the 45 patients in the positive group who received durvalumab, 14 (31.1%) received targeted therapy after durvalumab at the data cutoff. One patient discontinued targeted therapy after developing pneumonitis. In patients with unresectable stage III NSCLC with EGFR mutation, durvalumab after CRT is potentially safe and effective. This may be a suitable treatment sequence for these patients.
  • Exploratory analysis of the accuracy of echocardiographic parameters for the assessment of right ventricular function and right ventricular-pulmonary artery coupling.
    Hideki Shima, Ichizo Tsujino, Junichi Nakamura, Toshitaka Nakaya, Ayako Sugimoto, Takahiro Sato, Taku Watanabe, Hiroshi Ohira, Masaru Suzuki, Satonori Tsuneta, Yasuyuki Chiba, Michito Murayama, Isao Yokota, Satoshi Konno
    Pulmonary circulation, 14, 2, e12368, 2024年04月, [国際誌]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌), Echocardiography is a widely used modality for the assessment of right ventricular (RV) function; however, few studies have comprehensively compared the accuracy of echocardiographic parameters using invasively obtained reference values. Therefore, this exploratory study aimed to compare the accuracy of echocardiographic parameters of RV function and RV-pulmonary artery (PA) coupling. We calculated four indices of RV function (end-systolic elastance [Ees] for systolic function [contractility], τ for relaxation, and β and end-diastolic elastance [Eed] for stiffness), and an index of RV-PA coupling (Ees/arterial elastance [Ea]), using pressure catheterization, cardiac magnetic resonance imaging, and a single-beat method. We then compared the correlations of RV indices with echocardiographic parameters. In 63 participants (54 with pulmonary hypertension (PH) and nine without PH), Ees and τ correlated with several echocardiographic parameters, such as RV diameter and area, but the correlations were moderate (|correlation coefficients (ρ)| < 0.5 for all parameters). The correlations of β and Eed with echocardiographic parameters were weak, with |ρ| < 0.4. In contrast, Ees/Ea closely correlated with RV free wall longitudinal strain (RVFW-LS)/estimated systolic PA pressure (eSPAP) (ρ = -0.72). Ees/Ea also correlated with tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion/eSPAP, RV diameter, and RV end-systolic area, with |ρ | >0.65. In addition, RVFW-LS/eSPAP yielded high sensitivity (0.84) and specificity (0.75) for detecting reduced Ees/Ea. The present study indicated a limited accuracy of echocardiographic parameters in assessing RV systolic and diastolic function. In contrast to RV function, they showed high accuracy for assessing RV-PA coupling, with RVFW-LS/eSPAP exhibiting the highest accuracy.
  • Prognostic Value of Combined Assessments of Late Gadolinium Enhancement and Fluorodeoxyglucose Uptake in Cardiac Sarcoidosis.
    Sho Kazui, Sakae Takenaka, Toshiyuki Nagai, Satonori Tsuneta, Kenji Hirata, Yoshiya Kato, Hirokazu Komoriyama, Yuta Kobayashi, Akinori Takahashi, Kiwamu Kamiya, Taro Temma, Takuma Sato, Atsushi Tada, Yutaro Yasui, Michikazu Nakai, Takahiro Sato, Ichizo Tsujino, Kohsuke Kudo, Satoshi Konno, Toshihisa Anzai
    JACC. Cardiovascular imaging, 2024年03月11日, [国際誌]
    英語
  • The primary ciliary dyskinesia-related genetic risk score is associated with susceptibility to adult-onset asthma.
    Rie Shigemasa, Hironori Masuko, Hisayuki Oshima, Kentaro Hyodo, Haruna Kitazawa, Jun Kanazawa, Yohei Yatagai, Hiroaki Iijima, Takashi Naito, Takefumi Saito, Satoshi Konno, Tomomitsu Hirota, Mayumi Tamari, Tohru Sakamoto, Nobuyuki Hizawa
    PloS one, 19, 3, e0300000, 2024年, [国際誌]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌), BACKGROUND: Disturbance of mucociliary clearance is an important factor in the pathogenesis of asthma. We hypothesized that common variants in genes responsible for ciliary function may contribute to the development of asthma with certain phenotypes. METHODS: Three independent adult Japanese populations (including a total of 1,158 patients with asthma and 2,203 non-asthmatic healthy participants) were studied. First, based on the ClinVar database (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/clinvar/), we selected 12 common single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) with molecular consequences (missense, nonsense, and 3'-untranslated region mutation) in 5 primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD)-related genes and calculated a PCD-genetic risk score (GRS) as a cumulative effect of these PCD-related genes. Second, we performed a two-step cluster analysis using 3 variables, including PCD-GRS, forced expiratory volume in 1 second (%predicted FEV1), and age of asthma onset. RESULTS: Compared to adult asthma clusters with an average PCD-GRS, clusters with high and low PCD-GRS had similar overall characteristics: adult-onset, female predominance, preserved lung function, and fewer features of type 2 immunity as determined by IgE reactivity and blood eosinophil counts. The allele frequency of rs1530496, a SNP representing an expression quantitative trait locus (eQTL) of DNAH5 in the lung, showed the largest statistically significant difference between the PCD-GRS-High and PCD-GRS-Low asthma clusters (p = 1.4 x 10-15). CONCLUSION: Genes associated with PCD, particularly the common SNPs associated with abnormal expression of DNAH5, may have a certain influence on the development of adult-onset asthma, perhaps through impaired mucociliary clearance.
  • Evaluation of the Loopamp SARS-CoV-2 detection kit using saliva for the detection of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron
    Oguri Satoshi, Iwasaki Sumio, Inao Tasuku, Yokota Isao, Murakami Kaoru, Tanaka Kumiko, Hayasaka Kasumi, Fujisawa Shinichi, Watanabe Chiaki, Konno Satoshi, Murakami Masaaki, Teshima Takanori
    Laboratory Medicine International, 3, 3, 70, 73, Japanese Society of Laboratory Medicine, 2024年
    英語, Aims: The Omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2 spreads more rapidly than ancestral lineages. Reverse-transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP) provides results more rapidly than reverse-transcription
    polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). However, the reliability in detecting omicrons variant is still unclear due
    to possible differences in target sequences.

    Methods: Fifty-one saliva specimens, which were positive for the Omicron variant SARS-CoV-2 by real-time RT-PCR and sequencing of the S region, were subjects for this study. The RT-LAMP assay was performed using
    the Loopamp SARS-CoV-2 detection kit with (n=51) or without it (n=50).

    Results: The RT-LAMP assay following RNA extraction from saliva specimens had a sensitivity of 100% (95%CI: 93.0–100.0%) with 0.969 Kendall’s coefficient of concordance between LAMP threshold time and PCR cycle
    threshold value. Forty-five of fifty (90.0%, 95%CI: 78.2–96.7%) specimens positive were also positive by RTLAMP
    without RNA extraction.

    Conclusions: The Omicron variant was effectively detected in saliva by RT-LAMP using saliva specimens and RNA extraction could improve its efficacy.
  • Current advances in pulmonary functional imaging.
    Hidetoshi Nakamura, Toyohiro Hirai, Hajime Kurosawa, Kazuki Hamada, Kazuto Matsunaga, Kaoruko Shimizu, Satoshi Konno, Shigeo Muro, Koichi Fukunaga, Yasutaka Nakano, Ichiro Kuwahira, Masayuki Hanaoka
    Respiratory investigation, 62, 1, 49, 65, 2024年01月, [国際誌]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌), Recent advances in imaging analysis have enabled evaluation of ventilation and perfusion in specific regions by chest computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), in addition to modalities including dynamic chest radiography, scintigraphy, positron emission tomography (PET), ultrasound, and electrical impedance tomography (EIT). In this review, an overview of current functional imaging techniques is provided for each modality. Advances in chest CT have allowed for the analysis of local volume changes and small airway disease in addition to emphysema, using the Jacobian determinant and parametric response mapping with inspiratory and expiratory images. Airway analysis can reveal characteristics of airway lesions in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and bronchial asthma, and the contribution of dysanapsis to obstructive diseases. Chest CT is also employed to measure pulmonary blood vessels, interstitial lung abnormalities, and mediastinal and chest wall components including skeletal muscle and bone. Dynamic CT can visualize lung deformation in respective portions. Pulmonary MRI has been developed for the estimation of lung ventilation and perfusion, mainly using hyperpolarized 129Xe. Oxygen-enhanced and proton-based MRI, without a polarizer, has potential clinical applications. Dynamic chest radiography is gaining traction in Japan for ventilation and perfusion analysis. Single photon emission CT can be used to assess ventilation-perfusion (V˙/Q˙) mismatch in pulmonary vascular diseases and COPD. PET/CT V˙/Q˙ imaging has also been demonstrated using "Galligas". Both ultrasound and EIT can detect pulmonary edema caused by acute respiratory distress syndrome. Familiarity with these functional imaging techniques will enable clinicians to utilize these systems in clinical practice.
  • Nine-Year Trend in the Prevalence of Allergic Diseases and Their Associated Factors in Young Adults.
    Munehiro Matsumoto, Hirokazu Kimura, Kaoruko Shimizu, Masaru Suzuki, Satoshi Asakura, Satoshi Hashino, Satoshi Konno
    International archives of allergy and immunology, 1, 10, 2023年12月05日, [国際誌]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌), INTRODUCTION: Notably, few studies have evaluated the recent changes in the prevalence of allergic diseases in young adults. Studies examining the risk of allergy in two populations with similar social backgrounds, other than the region in which they live, are rare. METHODS: First-year students from Hokkaido University were enrolled in this study between 2011 and 2019. A questionnaire survey was conducted to determine the annual prevalence of current wheeze, seasonal allergic rhinitis (SAR), and perennial allergic rhinitis (PAR) in nonsmoking young adults. Trends in the presence of these disease conditions were evaluated based on their hometowns (Hokkaido and outside Hokkaido separately) due to the low prevalence of cedar pollen allergies in Hokkaido. The association between these disease conditions and body mass index (BMI) was also assessed. RESULTS: The prevalence of current wheeze and PAR food allergies did not change in both regions. SAR showed a significantly increasing trend; however, the prevalence of SAR was higher among those whose place of origin was not Hokkaido. Current wheeze was positively associated with obesity (p < 0.05), whereas the high prevalence of SAR was not associated with body weight. In contrast, a lean body type was significantly associated with a higher prevalence of PAR (p < 0.05). DISCUSSION/CONCLUSION: The prevalence of current wheeze was stable and that of PAR has decreased over the past 9 years. However, the prevalence of SAR in Hokkaido has been increasing in Japanese young adults. A differential association between current wheeze and BMI was observed when comparing PAR and SAR.
  • Applicable predictive factors extracted from peak flow trajectory for the prediction of asthma exacerbation.
    Yichi Yang, Hirokazu Kimura, Isao Yokota, Hironi Makita, Michiko Takimoto-Sato, Machiko Matsumoto-Sasaki, Munehiro Matsumoto, Akira Oguma, Yuki Abe, Nozomu Takei, Houman Goudarzi, Kaoruko Shimizu, Masaru Suzuki, Masaharu Nishimura, Satoshi Konno
    Annals of allergy, asthma & immunology : official publication of the American College of Allergy, Asthma, & Immunology, 2023年11月23日, [国際誌]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌), BACKGROUND: Real-time asthma exacerbation prediction and acute asthma attack detection are essential for patients with severe asthma. Peak expiratory flow (PEF) exhibits a potential for use in long-term asthma self-monitoring. However, the method for processing PEF calculations remains to be clarified. OBJECTIVE: Present research was conducted to develop clinically applicable novel exacerbation predictors calculated using PEF records. METHODS: Previously proposed exacerbation predictors, including the slope of PEF, percentage predicted PEF, percentage best PEF, the highest PEF over the lowest PEF within specific periods, and PEF coefficient of variation, as well as a novel indicator delta PEF moving average (ΔMA), defined as the difference between 14-day and 3-day average PEF values along with MA adjusted for PEF reference (%ΔMA), were verified using the Hokkaido-based Investigative Cohort Analysis for Refractory Asthma data of 127 patients with severe asthma from whom 73,503 PEF observations were obtained. Receiver operating characteristic curves for all predictors were drawn and the corresponding areas under the curve (AUCs) were computed. Regression analysis for MA and % MA were conducted. RESULTS: The most outstanding performance was demonstrated by ΔMA and %ΔMA, with AUC values of 0.659 and 0.665 in the univariate model, respectively. When multivariate models incorporated with random intercepts for individual participants, the AUC for ΔMA and %ΔMA soared to 0.907 and 0.919, respectively. CONCLUSION: The MA and % MA are valuable indicators that should be considered when deriving predictors from the PEF trajectory for monitoring exacerbations in patients with severe asthma.
  • High-precision rapid testing of omicron SARS-CoV-2 variants in clinical samples using AI-nanopore.
    Kaoru Murakami, Shimpei I Kubota, Kumiko Tanaka, Hiroki Tanaka, Keiichiroh Akabane, Rigel Suzuki, Yuta Shinohara, Hiroyasu Takei, Shigeru Hashimoto, Yuki Tanaka, Shintaro Hojyo, Osamu Sakamoto, Norihiko Naono, Takayui Takaai, Kazuki Sato, Yuichi Kojima, Toshiyuki Harada, Takeshi Hattori, Satoshi Fuke, Isao Yokota, Satoshi Konno, Takashi Washio, Takasuke Fukuhara, Takanori Teshima, Masateru Taniguchi, Masaaki Murakami
    Lab on a chip, 23, 22, 4909, 4918, 2023年11月07日, [査読有り], [国際誌]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌), A digital platform that can rapidly and accurately diagnose pathogenic viral variants, including SARS-CoV-2, will minimize pandemics, public anxiety, and economic losses. We recently reported an artificial intelligence (AI)-nanopore platform that enables testing for Wuhan SARS-CoV-2 with high sensitivity and specificity within five minutes. However, which parts of the virus are recognized by the platform are unknown. Similarly, whether the platform can detect SARS-CoV-2 variants or the presence of the virus in clinical samples needs further study. Here, we demonstrated the platform can distinguish SARS-CoV-2 variants. Further, it identified mutated Wuhan SARS-CoV-2 expressing spike proteins of the delta and omicron variants, indicating it discriminates spike proteins. Finally, we used the platform to identify omicron variants with a sensitivity and specificity of 100% and 94%, respectively, in saliva specimens from COVID-19 patients. Thus, our results demonstrate the AI-nanopore platform is an effective diagnostic tool for SARS-CoV-2 variants.
  • Visible Bronchial Obstruction after Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation.
    Takatoshi Suzuki, Sho Nakakubo, Masaru Suzuki, Satoshi Konno
    Internal medicine (Tokyo, Japan), 62, 21, 3255, 3256, 2023年11月01日, [国内誌]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌)
  • Exposure to organophosphate flame retardants and plasticizers is positively associated with wheeze and FeNO and eosinophil levels among school-aged children: The Hokkaido study.
    Yi Zeng, Houman Goudarzi, Yu Ait Bamai, Rahel Mesfin Ketema, Maarten Roggeman, Fatima den Ouden, Celine Gys, Chihiro Miyashita, Sachiko Ito, Satoshi Konno, Adrian Covaci, Reiko Kishi, Atsuko Ikeda-Araki
    Environment international, 181, 108278, 108278, 2023年11月, [国際誌]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌), Exposure to organophosphate flame retardants and plasticizers (PFRs) increases the risk of asthma and allergies. However, little is known about its association with type 2 inflammation (T2) biomarkers used in the management of allergies. The study investigated associations among urinary PFR metabolite concentrations, allergic symptoms, and T2 biomarkers. The data and samples were collected between 2017 and 2020, including school children (n = 427) aged 9-12 years living in Sapporo City, Japan, among the participants of "The Hokkaido Study on Environment and Children's Health." Thirteen urinary PFR metabolites were measured by LC-MS/MS. Allergic symptoms were assessed using the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood questionnaire. For T2 biomarkers, the peripheral blood eosinophil counts, fraction of exhaled nitric oxide level (FeNO), and serum total immunoglobulin E level were measured. Multiple logistic regression analysis, quantile-based g-computation (qg-computation), and Bayesian kernel machine regression (BKMR) were used to examine the associations between the health outcomes of the individual PFRs and the PFR mixtures. The highest concentration of PFR was Σtris(1-chloro-isopropyl) phosphates (ΣTCIPP) (Median:1.20 nmol/L). Tris(1,3-dichloro-2-propyl) phosphate (TDCIPP) was significantly associated with a high odds ratio (OR, 95%CI:1.36, 1.07-1.72) for wheeze. TDCIPP (OR, 95%CI:1.19, 1.02-1.38), Σtriphenyl phosphate (ΣTPHP) (OR, 95%CI:1.81, 1.40-2.37), and Σtris(2-butoxyethyl) phosphate (ΣTBOEP) (OR, 95%:1.40, 1.13-1.74) were significantly associated with increased odds of FeNO (≥35 ppb). ΣTPHP (OR, 95%CI:1.44, 1.15-1.83) was significantly associated with high eosinophil counts (≥300/μL). For the PFR mixtures, a one-quartile increase in all PFRs (OR, 95%CI:1.48, 1.18-1.86) was significantly associated with high FeNO (≥35 ppb) in the qg-computation model. The PFR mixture was positively associated with high FeNO (≥35 ppb) and eosinophil counts (≥300/μL) in the BKMR models. These results may suggest that exposure to PFRs increases the probability of asthma, allergies, and T2 inflammation.
  • Impact of cancer on the prevalence, management, and outcome of patients with chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension.
    Junichi Nakamura, Ichizo Tsujino, Hideki Shima, Toshitaka Nakaya, Ayako Sugimoto, Takahiro Sato, Taku Watanabe, Hiroshi Ohira, Masaru Suzuki, Isao Yokota, Satoshi Konno
    Journal of thrombosis and thrombolysis, 2023年08月24日, [国際誌]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌), INTRODUCTION: Chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) results from unresolved thrombotic obstruction of the pulmonary vasculature. Cancer is a known risk factor for CTEPH. This study aimed to determine the impact of cancer on the prevalence, management, and outcomes of patients with CTEPH. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this retrospective study involving 99 patients sequentially diagnosed with CTEPH in our hospital, the prevalence of 10 comorbid conditions including a past history of cancer at the time of CTEPH diagnosis were calculated. RESULTS: Among the 99 patients, 17 (17%) had a history of cancer. Breast cancer (n = 6) was the most common cancer type, followed by gastrointestinal cancer (n = 3), uterine cancer (n = 2), and malignant lymphoma (n = 2). Between patients with and without cancer, there were no differences in the demographics, severity of CTEPH, and management; however, the 5-year survival rate was lower for patients with cancer (65%) than for those without (89%). In addition, patients with cancer had significantly worse survival than those without (p = 0.03 by log-rank test). During follow-up, nine patients developed cancer after the diagnosis of CTEPH. Among the 99 patients, 13 died during follow-up, 6 (46%) of whom died of cancer. CONCLUSIONS: 17% of our patients with CETPH were diagnosed with cancer, with breast and gastrointestinal tract cancers being the most common. Cancer comorbidity was associated with a poor prognosis and contributed to death in 46% of deceased patients. The impact of cancer on CTEPH should be further evaluated in the future.
  • Association of longitudinal cardiac troponin trajectory with adverse events in patients with cardiac sarcoidosis.
    Sho Kazui, Sakae Takenaka, Toshiyuki Nagai, Yoshiya Kato, Hirokazu Komoriyama, Yuta Kobayashi, Akinori Takahashi, Kiwamu Kamiya, Takuma Sato, Atsushi Tada, Yutaro Yasui, Michikazu Nakai, Takahiro Sato, Ichizo Tsujino, Satoshi Konno, Toshihisa Anzai
    International journal of cardiology, 389, 131268, 131268, 2023年08月15日, [国際誌]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌), BACKGROUND: Although high-sensitivity cardiac troponins may be sensitive and easily repeatable markers of disease activity in patients with cardiac sarcoidosis (CS), the association between longitudinal cardiac troponin trajectory and adverse events remains unclear. This study aimed to clarify whether longitudinal cardiac troponin levels were associated with adverse events in patients with CS. METHODS: We examined 63 consecutive CS-initiated prednisolone (PSL) patients with available longitudinal high-sensitivity cardiac troponin T (cTnT) data between December 2013 and March 2023. The area under the cTnT trajectory, which reflected cumulative cTnT release, was calculated to assess the association between longitudinal cTnT levels and adverse events. Patients were divided into two groups according to the median area under the cTnT trajectory per month. The primary outcome was a composite of sustained ventricular tachycardia or fibrillation, worsening heart failure, and sudden cardiac death (SCD). RESULTS: In total, 463 cTnT measurements were collected over a median follow-up period of 30.4 (interquartile range [IQR] 15.6-34.2) months. The primary outcome was observed in 12 (19%) patients. A higher area under the cTnT trajectory was significantly associated with an increased incidence of the primary outcome (P = 0.027), while cTnT levels before and one month after initiation of PSL, and these changes were not related to adverse events (P = 0.179, 0.096, and 0.95, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Longitudinal cTnT trajectory following PSL initiation was associated with adverse cardiac events in patients with CS, suggesting that longitudinal measurement of cTnT would be useful for the early identification of high-risk patients.
  • Clinical characteristics and natural course of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and/or asthma in Japanese patients: a summary report of two Hokkaido-based cohort studies.
    Masaru Suzuki, Hironi Makita, Satoshi Konno, Masaharu Nishimura
    Respiratory investigation, 61, 4, 527, 539, 2023年07月, [国際誌]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌), Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma are the most common chronic airway diseases and are characterized by chronic airway inflammation and airflow limitation. Japanese patients with COPD or asthma have characteristics different from those of Westerners. Therefore, understanding the characteristics and clinical course of Japanese patients with COPD and those with asthma, particularly severe asthma, is critical for their management and appropriate treatment. The Hokkaido COPD cohort and Hokkaido-based Investigative Cohort Analysis for Refractory Asthma (Hi-CARAT) are high-quality cohort studies of COPD and asthma in the Japanese population and provide valuable data. This report summarizes the clinical findings from the two cohort studies and provides data for more appropriate management of Japanese patients with COPD and/or asthma. Overall, 279 patients with COPD were followed up for up to 10 years in the Hokkaido COPD cohort study, and 127 with severe asthma were followed up for up to 6 years in the Hi-CARAT study. Seventy-nine patients with mild-to-moderate asthma provided baseline data for the Hi-CARAT study. In each disease, several distinct factors, including systemic status and non-pulmonary factors, were associated with important clinical outcomes, such as lung function decline, exacerbations, impaired quality of life, and mortality. Therefore, multifaceted evaluation based on the characteristics of the Japanese population is necessary for the management of COPD and asthma.
  • Associations of COVID-19 symptoms with omicron subvariants BA.2 and BA.5, host status, and clinical outcomes in Japan: a registry-based observational study.
    Sho Nakakubo, Naoki Kishida, Kenichi Okuda, Keisuke Kamada, Masami Iwama, Masaru Suzuki, Isao Yokota, Yoichi M Ito, Yasuyuki Nasuhara, Richard C Boucher, Satoshi Konno
    The Lancet. Infectious diseases, 2023年06月30日, [国際誌]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌), BACKGROUND: Previous SARS-CoV-2 infection and vaccination, coupled with the rapid evolution of SARS-CoV-2 variants, have modified COVID-19 clinical manifestations. We aimed to characterise the clinical symptoms of COVID-19 individuals in omicron BA.2 and BA.5 Japanese pandemic periods to identify omicron and subvariant associations between symptoms, immune status, and clinical outcomes. METHODS: In this registry-based observational study, individuals registered in Sapporo's web-based COVID-19 information system entered 12 pre-selected symptoms, days since symptom onset, vaccination history, SARS-CoV-2 infection history, and background. Eligibility criteria included symptomatic individuals who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 (PCR or antigen test), and individuals who were not tested for SARS-CoV-2 but developed new symptoms after a household member tested positive for SARS-CoV-2. Symptom prevalence, variables associated with symptoms, and symptoms associated with progression to severe disease were analysed. FINDINGS: Data were collected and analysed between April 25 and Sept 25, 2022. For 157 861 omicron-infected symptomatic individuals, cough was the most common symptom (99 032 [62·7%] patients), followed by sore throat (95 838 [60·7%] patients), nasal discharge (69 968 [44·3%] patients), and fever (61 218 [38·8%] patients). Omicron BA.5 infection was associated with a higher prevalence of systemic symptoms than BA.2 in vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals (adjusted odds ratio [OR] for fever: 2·18 [95% CI 2·12-2·25]). Omicron breakthrough-infected individuals with three or more vaccinations or previous infection were less likely to exhibit systemic symptoms (fever 0·50 [0·49-0·51]), but more likely to exhibit upper respiratory symptoms (sore throat 1·33 [1·29-1·36]; nasal discharge 1·84 [1·80-1·89]). Infected older individuals (≥65 years) had lower odds for all symptoms. However, when symptoms were manifest, systemic symptoms were associated with increased odds for severe disease (dyspnoea 3·01 [1·84-4·91]; fever 2·93 [1·89-4·52]), whereas upper respiratory symptoms were associated with decreased odds (sore throat 0·38 [0·24-0·63]; nasal discharge 0·48 [0·28-0·81]). INTERPRETATION: Host immunological status, omicron subvariant, and age were associated with a spectrum of COVID-19 symptoms and outcomes. BA.5 produced a higher systemic symptom prevalence than BA.2. Vaccination and previous infection reduced systemic symptom prevalence and improved outcomes but increased upper respiratory tract symptom prevalence. Systemic, but not upper respiratory, symptoms in older people heralded severe disease. Our findings could serve as a practical guide to use COVID-19 symptoms to appropriately modify health-care strategies and predict clinical outcomes for older patients with omicron infections. FUNDING: Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development.
  • Prevalence of Allergic Diseases across All Ages in Japan: A Nationwide Cross-Sectional Study Employing Designated Allergic Disease Medical Hospital Network.
    Yasunori Ito, Taisuke Kato, Koichi Yoshida, Kyohei Takahashi, Yuma Fukutomi, Mizuho Nagao, Tatsuki Fukuie, Hiroshi Matsuzaki, Minoru Gotoh, Akio Tanaka, Satoshi Konno, Junichiro Tezuka, Yosikazu Nakamura, Yuichi Adachi
    JMA journal, 6, 2, 165, 174, 2023年04月14日, [国内誌]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌), INTRODUCTION: Allergic diseases affect both children and adults, but generation-specific prevalence rates are unclear. METHODS: An online questionnaire was used from December 2021 to January 2022 to survey the prevalence of allergic diseases among staff and their families of designated allergic disease medical hospitals in Japan. In this study, bronchial asthma (BA), atopic dermatitis (AD), food allergies (FAs), allergic rhinitis (AR), allergic conjunctivitis (AC), metal allergies (MAs), and drug allergies (DAs) were the allergic diseases surveyed. RESULTS: In total, 18,706 individuals were surveyed (median age, 36 years; quartile range, 18-50). Allergic disease was reported in 62.2% of respondents. Across all ages, prevalence rates were as follows: BA (14.7%), AD (15.6%), FAs (15.2%), AR (47.4%), AC (19.5%), MAs (1.9%), and DAs (4.6%). The prevalence of BA and AR was higher in male children, whereas that of FAs and AC was higher in adult females. The prevalence of MAs and DAs peaked during adulthood and predominated among females. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that approximately two-thirds of the Japanese population may have an allergic disease, with AR being the most prevalent.
  • Clinical and Hemodynamic Responses to Imatinib in Pulmonary Veno-Occlusive Disease/Pulmonary Capillary Hemangiomatosis: A Retrospective Pilot Study of Five Cases and Review of the Literature
    Junichi Nakamura, Ichizo Tsujino, Hideki Shima, Toshitaka Nakaya, Ayako Sugimoto, Takahiro Sato, Taku Watanabe, Hiroshi Ohira, Masaru Suzuki, Satonori Tsuneta, Ryo Hisada, Masaru Kato, Satoshi Konno
    American Journal of Cardiovascular Drugs, 23, 3, 329, 338, Springer Science and Business Media LLC, 2023年03月30日
    研究論文(学術雑誌)
  • Serum Lactate Dehydrogenase Level One Week after Admission Is the Strongest Predictor of Prognosis of COVID-19: A Large Observational Study Using the COVID-19 Registry Japan.
    Sho Nakakubo, Yoko Unoki, Koji Kitajima, Mari Terada, Hiroyuki Gatanaga, Norio Ohmagari, Isao Yokota, Satoshi Konno
    Viruses, 15, 3, 2023年03月02日, [国際誌]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌), 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 included. In-hospital mortality was set as the outcome, and associated factors were identified by multivariate analysis using the stepwise method. A total of 8860 hospitalised patients were included. The group with lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) levels >222 IU/L on day 8 had a higher mortality rate compared to the group with LDH levels ≤222 IU/L. Similar results were observed in subgroups formed by age, body mass index (BMI), underlying disease, and mutation type, except for those aged <50 years. When age, sex, BMI, underlying disease, and laboratory values on days 1 and 8 were tested for factors strongly associated with in-hospital mortality, LDH on day 8 was most strongly associated with mortality. LDH level on day 8 was the strongest predictor of in-hospital mortality in hospitalised COVID-19 patients, indicating its potential usefulness in post-treatment decision-making in severe COVID-19 cases.
  • 抗血小板薬・抗凝固薬内服患者における経気管支生検の有害事象の検討
    庄司 哲明, 品川 尚文, 高島 雄太, 菊池 創, 池澤 靖元, 高階 太一, 今野 哲
    気管支学, 45, 2, 89, 97, (一社)日本呼吸器内視鏡学会, 2023年03月
    日本語
  • 抗血小板薬・抗凝固薬内服患者における経気管支生検の有害事象の検討
    庄司 哲明, 品川 尚文, 高島 雄太, 菊池 創, 池澤 靖元, 高階 太一, 今野 哲
    気管支学, 45, 2, 89, 97, (NPO)日本呼吸器内視鏡学会, 2023年03月
    日本語
  • Angiogenic inhibitor pre-administration improves the therapeutic effects of immunotherapy.
    Mineyoshi Sato, Nako Maishi, Yasuhiro Hida, Aya Yanagawa-Matsuda, Mohammad Towfik Alam, Jun Sakakibara-Konishi, Jin-Min Nam, Yasuhito Onodera, Satoshi Konno, Kyoko Hida
    Cancer medicine, 2023年02月19日, [国際誌]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌), In lung cancer, immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) are often inadequate for tumor growth inhibition. Angiogenic inhibitors (AIs) are required to normalize tumor vasculature for improved immune cell infiltration. However, in clinical practice, ICIs and cytotoxic antineoplastic agents are simultaneously administered with an AI when tumor vessels are abnormal. Therefore, we examined the effects of pre-administering an AI for lung cancer immunotherapy in a mouse lung cancer model. Using DC101, an anti-vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (VEGFR2) monoclonal antibody, a murine subcutaneous Lewis lung cancer (LLC) model was used to determine the timing of vascular normalization. Microvessel density (MVD), pericyte coverage, tissue hypoxia, and CD8-positive cell infiltration were analyzed. The effects of an ICI and paclitaxel after DC101 pre-administration were investigated. On Day 3, increased pericyte coverage and alleviated tumor hypoxia represented the highest vascular normalization. CD8+ T-cell infiltration was also highest on Day 3. When combined with an ICI, DC101 pre-administration significantly reduced PD-L1 expression. When combined with an ICI and paclitaxel, only DC101 pre-administration significantly inhibited tumor growth, but simultaneous administration did not. AI pre-administration, and not simultaneous administration, may increase the therapeutic effects of ICIs due to improved immune cell infiltration.
  • Stronger Associations of Centrilobular Than Paraseptal Emphysema With Longitudinal Changes in Diffusing Capacity and Mortality in COPD.
    Yusuke Shiraishi, Naoya Tanabe, Kaoruko Shimizu, Akira Oguma, Hiroshi Shima, Ryo Sakamoto, Hajime Yamazaki, Tsuyoshi Oguma, Atsuyasu Sato, Masaru Suzuki, Hironi Makita, Shigeo Muro, Masaharu Nishimura, Susumu Sato, Satoshi Konno, Toyohiro Hirai
    Chest, 164, 2, 327, 338, 2023年01月31日, [国際誌]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌), BACKGROUND: The factors associated with longitudinal changes in diffusing capacity remain unclear among patients with COPD. Centrilobular emphysema (CLE) and paraseptal emphysema (PSE) are major emphysema subtypes that may have distinct clinical-physiological impacts in these patients. RESEARCH QUESTION: Are CLE and PSE differently associated with longitudinal changes in diffusing capacity and mortality in patients with COPD? STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: This pooled analysis included 399 patients with COPD from two prospective observational COPD cohorts. CLE and PSE were visually assessed on CT scan according to the Fleischner Society statement. The diffusing capacity and transfer coefficient of the lung for carbon monoxide (Dlco and KCO) and FEV1 were evaluated at least annually over a 5-year period. Mortality was recorded over 10 years. Longitudinal changes in FEV1, Dlco, and KCO and mortality were compared between mild or less severe and moderate or more severe CLE and between present and absent PSE in each Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) stage. RESULTS: The Dlco and KCO decline was weakly associated with FEV1 and greater in GOLD stage 3 or above than in GOLD stages 1 and 2. Furthermore, moderate or more severe CLE, but not present PSE, was associated with steeper declines in Dlco for GOLD stages 1 and 3 or higher and KCO for all GOLD stages independent of age, sex, height, and smoking history. The moderate or more severe CLE, but not present PSE, was associated with additional FEV1 decline and higher 10-year mortality among patients with GOLD stage 3 or higher . INTERPRETATION: A CT scan finding of moderate or more severe CLE, but not PSE, was associated with a subsequent accelerated impairment in diffusing capacity and higher long-term mortality in severe GOLD stage among patients with COPD.
  • Relationships of computed tomography-based small vessel indices of the lungs with ventilation heterogeneity and high transfer coefficients in non-smokers with asthma.
    Kaoruko Shimizu, Hirokazu Kimura, Naoya Tanabe, Shotaro Chubachi, Susumu Sato, Masaru Suzuki, Kazuya Tanimura, Hiroaki Iijima, Akira Oguma, Yoichi M Ito, Nobuyasu Wakazono, Michiko Takimoto-Sato, Machiko Matsumoto-Sasaki, Yuki Abe, Nozomu Takei, Hironi Makita, Masaharu Nishimura, Satoshi Konno
    Frontiers in physiology, 14, 1137603, 1137603, 2023年, [国際誌]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌), Background: The mechanism of high transfer coefficients of the lungs for carbon monoxide (Kco) in non-smokers with asthma is explained by the redistribution of blood flow to the area with preserved ventilation, to match the ventilation perfusion. Objectives: To examine whether ventilation heterogeneity, assessed by pulmonary function tests, is associated with computed tomography (CT)-based vascular indices and Kco in patients with asthma. Methods: Participants were enrolled from the Hokkaido-based Investigative Cohort Analysis for Refractory Asthma (Hi-CARAT) study that included a prospective asthmatic cohort. Pulmonary function tests including Kco, using single breath methods; total lung capacity (TLC), using multiple breath methods; and CT, were performed on the same day. The ratio of the lung volume assessed using single breath methods (alveolar volume; VA) to that using multiple breath methods (TLC) was calculated as an index of ventilation heterogeneity. The volume of the pulmonary small vessels <5 mm2 in the whole lung (BV5 volume), and number of BV5 at a theoretical surface area of the lungs from the plural surface (BV5 number) were evaluated using chest CT images. Results: The low VA/TLC group (the lowest quartile) had significantly lower BV5 number, BV5 volume, higher BV5 volume/BV5 number, and higher Kco compared to the high VA/TLC group (the highest quartile) in 117 non-smokers, but not in 67 smokers. Multivariable analysis showed that low VA/TLC was associated with low BV5 number, after adjusting for age, sex, weight, lung volume on CT, and CT emphysema index in non-smokers (not in smokers). Conclusion: Ventilation heterogeneity may be associated with low BV5 number and high Kco in non-smokers (not in smokers). Future studies need to determine the dynamic regional system in ventilation, perfusion, and diffusion in asthma.
  • Risk of bleeding associated with transbronchial biopsy using flexible bronchoscopy in patients with echocardiographic or chest CT evidence of pulmonary hypertension.
    Yuta Takashima, Naofumi Shinagawa, Daisuke Morinaga, Junichi Nakamura, Megumi Furuta, Tetsuaki Shoji, Hajime Asahina, Eiki Kikuchi, Junko Kikuchi, Jun Sakakibara-Konishi, Ichizo Tsujino, Satoshi Konno
    BMC pulmonary medicine, 22, 1, 449, 449, 2022年11月28日, [査読有り], [国際誌]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌), BACKGROUND: Endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS)-guided transbronchial biopsy (TBB) facilitates the diagnosis of various respiratory diseases. The safety of performing EBUS-guided TBB in patients with a finding of pulmonary hypertension (PH) is controversial. Little is known about the relationship between the risk of bleeding associated with EBUS-guided TBB in the presence of PH suspected on echocardiography or chest CT. METHODS: To assess the risk of bleeding associated with EBUS-guided TBB in patients with presumed PH per echocardiography or chest CT, we retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 314 consecutive patients who underwent EBUS-guided TBB using a guide sheath (GS), as well as echocardiography and chest CT. Bleeding complication was defined as over one minute of suctioning; repeated wedging of the bronchoscope; instillation of cold saline, diluted vasoactive substances, or thrombin due to persistent bleeding. Findings of suspected PH were defined as peak tricuspid regurgitation velocity (TRV) > 2.8 m/s on echocardiography or pulmonary artery to aorta ratio (PA:A ratio) > 0.9 on chest CT. RESULTS: In total, 35 (11.1%) patients developed bleeding, and all cases were managed safely. Furthermore, 17 (5.4%) and 59 (18.8%) patients were suspected to have PH based on echocardiography and chest CT, respectively. Among the patients suspected to have PH on echocardiography, five (5/17 = 29.4%) patients developed bleeding. Among the patients suspected to have PH on chest CT, 11 (11/59 = 18.6%) patients developed bleeding. Univariate analysis revealed that long diameter (≥ 30 mm) of the lesion, lesion location (the biopsy site was inner than the segmental bronchus), bronchoscopic diagnosis of malignancy, and additional biopsy were potential predictive factors for bleeding. The finding of suspected PH on echocardiography correlated significantly with bleeding (p = 0.03). On multivariate analysis, long diameter (≥ 30 mm) of the lesion (p = .021) and findings of suspected PH on echocardiography (p = .049) were significantly associated with bleeding. CONCLUSION: All cases of bleeding in the present study were managed safely. The risk of bleeding is moderately elevated when PH is suspected by echocardiography in patients undergoing EBUS-guided TBB using a GS.
  • Notch pathway regulates osimertinib drug-tolerant persistence in EGFR-mutated non-small-cell lung cancer.
    Hirofumi Takahashi, Jun Sakakibara-Konishi, Megumi Furuta, Tetsuaki Shoji, Kosuke Tsuji, Daisuke Morinaga, Eiki Kikuchi, Junko Kikuchi, Takuro Noguchi, Kanako C Hatanaka, Yutaka Hatanaka, Naofumi Shinagawa, Satoshi Konno
    Cancer science, 2022年11月21日, [国際誌]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌), Osimertinib is a third-generation epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) that has shown marked antitumor activity in patients with EGFR-mutated non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, these effects are transient and most patients develop resistance. Reversible drug-tolerant persister (DTP) cells are defined as a small subpopulation of cells with markedly reduced sensitivity and non-genetic acquired resistance to EGFR-TKIs. Notch is a transmembrane receptor that plays an important role in tumorigenesis. We previously reported that there is significant crosstalk between the Notch and EGFR pathways in NSCLC. Moreover, the Notch pathway is associated with resistance to previous-generation EGFR-TKIs. However, the role of Notch in osimertinib resistance is not fully understood. In this study, we evaluated whether Notch is involved in osimertinib resistance. We show that NOTCH1 and Notch target genes are upregulated in osimertinib DTP cells, and that the addition of a γ-secretase inhibitor (GSI), a Notch inhibitor, impairs drug-tolerant persistence in vitro and in vivo. Compared with osimertinib, combined GSI and osimertinib suppress phospho-ERK partly by enhancing DUSP1 expression. Furthermore, Notch1 and HES1 were upregulated after EGFR-TKI treatment in half of human EGFR-mutated NSCLC tumor tissues. These results suggest that the combination of GSI and osimertinib may be a potential therapy for EGFR-mutated NSCLC.
  • Long-term safety of Prolastin®-C, an alpha1-proteinase inhibitor, in Japanese patients with alpha1-antitrypsin deficiency.
    Kuniaki Seyama, Masaru Suzuki, Sadatomo Tasaka, Toshihiro Nukiwa, Tadashi Sato, Satoshi Konno, Susan Sorrells, Junliang Chen, Maria Esperança Aragonés, Hitoshi Minamino
    Respiratory investigation, 60, 6, 831, 839, 2022年11月, [国際誌]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌), BACKGROUND: Safety and pharmacokinetics (PK) of alpha1-proteinase inhibitor, modified process (Alpha-1 MP), was evaluated in a clinical trial of Japanese patients with alpha1-antitrypsin deficiency (AATD). The present study aimed to evaluate the long-term safety of weekly intravenous infusions of 60 mg/kg Alpha-1 MP in Japanese patients with AATD. METHODS: This was a multi-center, open-label extension (OLE) study that enrolled adult patients with AATD, who had completed the preceding safety and PK clinical trial. Patients were administered with Alpha-1 MP (60 mg/kg) weekly, for 52 weeks, and this could be renewed annually. Alpha1-MP trough levels (Cmin) were evaluated, and safety endpoints include: treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs), serious adverse events (SAEs), TEAEs potentially related to Alpha-1 MP, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) exacerbations, laboratory parameters, vital signs, and pulmonary function tests (forced expiration volume in 1 s [FEV1] and forced vital capacity [FVC]). RESULTS: Four patients underwent Alpha-1 MP intravenous infusions at a mean (SD) of 210.8 (9.54) for 213 weeks (four years), with a Cmin of 55.73 (4.99) mg/dL. A total of fifty-four TEAEs were reported in four patients, in which most of them were mild (n = 52, 96.3%). Two patients had five SAEs, and all were unrelated to treatment. Three mild TEAEs were potentially related to treatment with Alpha-1 MP. No clinically significant findings in laboratory parameters, COPD exacerbations, or vital signs were observed. There were no identifiable differences in FEV1 and FVC throughout the study period. CONCLUSIONS: Long-term weekly intravenous infusions of 60 mg/kg Alpha-1 MP are generally safe and well-tolerated in Japanese patients with AATD. CLINICALTRIALS: GOV: NCT02870348; JAPIC CTI: JapicCTI-163194.
  • SARS-CoV-2 Omicron detection by antigen tests using saliva.
    Kaoru Murakami, Sumio Iwasaki, Satoshi Oguri, Kumiko Tanaka, Rigel Suzuki, Kasumi Hayasaka, Shinichi Fujisawa, Chiaki Watanabe, Satoshi Konno, Isao Yokota, Takasuke Fukuhara, Masaaki Murakami, Takanori Teshima
    Journal of clinical virology plus, 2, 4, 100109, 100109, 2022年11月, [国際誌]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌), The Omicron emerged in November 2021 and became the predominant SARS-CoV-2 variant globally. It spreads more rapidly than ancestral lineages and its rapid detection is critical for the prevention of disease outbreaks. Antigen tests such as immunochromatographic assay (ICA) and chemiluminescent enzyme immunoassay (CLEIA) yield results more quickly than standard polymerase chain reaction (PCR). However, their utility for the detection of the Omicron variant remains unclear. We herein evaluated the performance of ICA and CLEIA in saliva from 51 patients with Omicron and 60 PCR negative individuals. The sensitivity and specificity of CLEIA were 98.0% (95%CI: 89.6-100.0%) and 100.0% (95%CI: 94.0-100.0%), respectively, with fine correlation with cycle threshold (Ct) values. The sensitivity and specificity of ICA were 58.8% (95%CI: 44.2-72.4%) and 100.0% (95%CI: 94.0-100.0%), respectively. The sensitivity of ICA was 100.0% (95%CI: 80.5-100.0%) when PCR Ct was less than 25. The Omicron can be efficiently detected in saliva by CLEIA. ICA also detects high viral load Omicron using saliva.
  • Thrombocytopenia and pneumonitis associated with BNT16B2b2 mRNA COVID-19 vaccine: A case report
    Yuichi Kojima, Kimihiro Takeyabu, Miki Satoh, Satoshi Konno
    Clinical Infection in Practice, 16, 100204, 100204, Elsevier BV, 2022年11月
    研究論文(学術雑誌)
  • Efficacy and safety of oral pulmonary vasodilators in pulmonary veno‐occlusive disease
    Junichi Nakamura, Ichizo Tsujino, Hideki Shima, Toshitaka Nakaya, Ayako Sugimoto, Takahiro Sato, Taku Watanabe, Hiroshi Ohira, Masaru Suzuki, Satonori Tsuneta, Ryo Hisada, Masaru Kato, Satoshi Konno
    Pulmonary Circulation, 12, 4, Wiley, 2022年10月
    研究論文(学術雑誌)
  • オマリズマブの長期投与後、投与間隔延長による不応を呈した重症喘息の1例
    佐々木 真知子, 清水 薫子, 鈴木 正宣, 鈴木 雅, 木村 孔一, 中丸 裕爾, 今野 哲
    アレルギー, 71, 8, 944, 948, (一社)日本アレルギー学会, 2022年09月
    日本語
  • Various factors contribute to death in patients with different types of pulmonary hypertension: A retrospective pilot study from a single tertiary center.
    Junichi Nakamura, Ichizo Tsujino, Hiroshi Ohira, Toshitaka Nakaya, Ayako Sugimoto, Takahiro Sato, Taku Watanabe, Masaru Suzuki, Masaru Kato, Isao Yokota, Satoshi Konno
    Respiratory investigation, 60, 5, 647, 657, 2022年09月, [国際誌]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌), BACKGROUND: A few studies have focused on the cause of death from different types of pulmonary hypertension (PH). This study aimed to systematically analyze the primary and secondary causes of death and compare the profiles between different PH groups. METHODS: The contribution of PH to death was assessed in precapillary PH (i.e., group 1 [pulmonary arterial hypertension], group 3 [PH associated with lung disease], and group 4 [chronic thromboembolic PH]) using specific criteria; death was classified into three categories: PH death (death due to PH only), PH-related death, and PH-unrelated death. Disorders other than PH that contributed to death were analyzed, and mortality profiles were compared between groups. RESULTS: Eighty deceased patients with PH were examined (group 1, n = 28; group 3, n = 39; and group 4, n = 13). The contribution of PH to death was significantly different between the three groups. "PH death" was most common in group 1 (61%), "PH-related death" in group 3 (56%), and "PH-related death" and "PH-unrelated death" in group 4 (38% for both). The highest contributing factor to death other than PH was respiratory failure in group 3 and malignant disease in group 4. CONCLUSIONS: Significant variations in the causes of death were observed in groups 1, 3, and 4 PH patients. In addition to PH, respiratory failure and malignant disease significantly contributed to death in group 3 and group 4 PH, respectively. Understanding the precise death cause may be important in achieving better outcomes in PH patients.
  • Combination therapy with remdesivir and immunomodulators improves respiratory status in COVID-19: A retrospective study.
    Yuichi Kojima, Sho Nakakubo, Keisuke Kamada, Yu Yamashita, Nozomu Takei, Junichi Nakamura, Munehiro Matsumoto, Hiroshi Horii, Kazuki Sato, Hideki Shima, Masaru Suzuki, Satoshi Konno
    Journal of medical virology, 94, 12, 5702, 5712, 2022年08月02日, [国際誌]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌), Immunomodulators (tocilizumab/baricitinib) improve outcomes of coronavirus disease (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 day 14 and day 28 and the duration to respiratory recovery in both groups were compared, and the effect of remdesivir use on respiratory status was examined in a multivariate analysis. Ninety-eight patients received tocilizumab or baricitinib; among them, 72 used remdesivir (remdesivir group) and 26 did not (control group). The remdesivir group achieved faster respiratory recovery than the control group (median 11 days vs. 21 days, p=0.033), faster weaning from supplemental oxygen (HR 2.54, 95% CI 1.14-5.66, p=0.021). Age, body mass index, diabetes mellitus, and time from onset to oxygen administration were independent prognostic factors. The remdesivir group achieved better severity level at days 14 and 28 (p=0.033 and 0.003, respectively) and greater improvement from baseline severity (p=0.047 and 0.018, respectively). Remdesivir combination therapy did not prolong survival (HR 0.31, 95% CI 0.04-2.16, p=0.23). Among severely ill COVID-19 patients who received immunomodulator, remdesivir contributed to a shorter respiratory recovery time and better respiratory status at days 14 and 28. Concomitant remdesivir with immunomodulators and standard treatment may provide additional benefit in improving respiratory status of COVID-19 patients. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
  • An Adult Case of Unilateral Left Pulmonary Artery Agenesis Presenting with Hemoptysis.
    Yuriko Ishida, Masaru Suzuki, Hiroshi Horii, Junichi Nakamura, Munehiro Matsumoto, Sho Nakakubo, Takahiro Sato, Ichizo Tsujino, Ryo Morita, Daisuke Abo, Satoshi Konno
    Internal medicine (Tokyo, Japan), 62, 5, 763, 767, 2022年07月22日, [国内誌]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌), Pulmonary artery agenesis (PAA) is a rare congenital vascular anomaly usually diagnosed during infancy. We herein report a 67-year-old man with PAA manifesting as massive hemoptysis. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography of the chest revealed the diagnosis of PAA, which we speculated to have resulted in the present event. Detailed angiography provided more accurate information on the pulmonary vasculature and collateral circulation, which helped us plan tailored treatment. Although very rare, we must consider the possibility of PAA in adults with unexplained hemoptysis.
  • Effects of obesity on CC16 and their potential role in overweight/obese asthma.
    Houman Goudarzi, Hirokazu Kimura, Hiroki Kimura, Hironi Makita, Munehiro Matsumoto, Nozomu Takei, Kaoruko Shimizu, Masaru Suzuki, Taku Watanabe, Eiki Kikuchi, Hiroshi Ohira, Ichizo Tsujino, Jun Sakakibara-Konishi, Naofumi Shinagawa, Noriharu Shijubo, Hirokazu Sato, Katsunori Shigehara, Kichizo Kaga, Yasuhiro Hida, Soichi Murakami, Yuma Ebihara, Akinobu Nakamura, Hideaki Miyoshi, Satoshi Hirano, Nobuyuki Hizawa, Tatsuya Atsumi, Shau-Ku Huang, Yoichi M Ito, Masaharu Nishimura, Satoshi Konno
    Respiratory research, 23, 1, 174, 174, 2022年06月29日, [国際誌]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌), INTRODUCTION: Club cell secretory protein-16 (CC16) is a major anti-inflammatory protein expressed in the airway; however, the potential role of CC16 on overweight/obese asthma has not been assessed. In this study, we examined whether obesity reduces airway/circulatory CC16 levels using experimental and epidemiological studies. Then, we explored the mediatory role of CC16 in the relationship of overweight/obesity with clinical asthma measures. METHODS: Circulating CC16 levels were assessed by ELISA in three independent human populations, including two groups of healthy and general populations and asthma patients. The percentage of cells expressing club markers in obese vs. non-obese mice and human airways was determined by immunohistochemistry. A causal mediation analysis was conducted to determine whether circulatory CC16 acted as a mediator between overweight/obesity and clinical asthma measures. RESULTS: BMI was significantly and monotonously associated with reduced circulating CC16 levels in all populations. The percentage of CC16-expressing cells was reduced in the small airways of both mice and humans with obesity. Finally, mediation analysis revealed significant contributions of circulatory CC16 in the association between BMI and clinical asthma measures; 21.8% of its total effect in BMI's association with airway hyperresponsiveness of healthy subjects (p = 0.09), 26.4% with asthma severity (p = 0.030), and 23% with the required dose of inhaled corticosteroid (p = 0.042). In logistic regression analysis, 1-SD decrease in serum CC16 levels of asthma patients was associated with 87% increased odds for high dose ICS requirement (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: We demonstrate that airway/circulating CC16, which is inversely associated with BMI, may mediate development and severity in overweight/obese asthma.
  • Subtyping emphysematous COPD by respiratory volume change distributions on CT.
    Hiroshi Shima, Naoya Tanabe, Akira Oguma, Kaoruko Shimizu, Shizuo Kaji, Kunihiko Terada, Tsuyoshi Oguma, Takeshi Kubo, Masaru Suzuki, Hironi Makita, Atsuyasu Sato, Masaharu Nishimura, Susumu Sato, Satoshi Konno, Toyohiro Hirai
    Thorax, 78, 4, 344, 353, 2022年06月29日, [国際誌]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌), BACKGROUND: There is considerable heterogeneity among patients with emphysematous chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). We hypothesised that in addition to emphysema severity, ventilation distribution in emphysematous regions would be associated with clinical-physiological impairments in these patients. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate whether the discordance between respiratory volume change distributions (from expiration to inspiration) in emphysematous and non-emphysematous regions affects COPD outcomes using two cohorts. METHODS: Emphysema was quantified using a low attenuation volume percentage on inspiratory CT (iLAV%). Local respiratory volume changes were calculated using non-rigidly registered expiratory/inspiratory CT. The Ventilation Discordance Index (VDI) represented the log-transformed Wasserstein distance quantifying discordance between respiratory volume change distributions in emphysematous and non-emphysematous regions. RESULTS: Patients with COPD in the first cohort (n=221) were classified into minimal emphysema (iLAV% <10%; n=113) and established emphysema with high VDI and low VDI groups (n=46 and 62, respectively). Forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1) was lower in the low VDI group than in the other groups, with no difference between the high VDI and minimal emphysema groups. Higher iLAV%, more severe airway disease and hyperventilated emphysematous regions in the upper-middle lobes were independently associated with lower VDI. The second cohort analyses (n=93) confirmed these findings and showed greater annual FEV1 decline and higher mortality in the low VDI group than in the high VDI group independent of iLAV% and airway disease on CT. CONCLUSION: Lower VDI is associated with severe airflow limitation and higher mortality independent of emphysema severity and airway morphological changes in patients with emphysematous COPD.
  • Association of longitudinal changes in quality of life with comorbidities and exacerbations in patients with severe asthma.
    Machiko Matsumoto-Sasaki, Masaru Suzuki, Hirokazu Kimura, Kaoruko Shimizu, Hironi Makita, Masaharu Nishimura, Satoshi Konno
    Allergology international : official journal of the Japanese Society of Allergology, 71, 4, 481, 489, 2022年06月16日, [国際誌]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌), BACKGROUND: Quality of life (QoL) assessment is important in the management of severe asthma, and comorbidities and/or exacerbations may affect longitudinal QoL. However, there are few reports on the longitudinal assessment of QoL in patients with asthma over multiple years and its related factors. This study aimed to clarify the relationship of longitudinal changes in QoL with comorbidities and/or exacerbations during a prolonged observation period in patients with severe asthma. METHODS: A total of 105 subjects who participated in the Hokkaido-based Investigative Cohort Analysis for Refractory Asthma (Hi-CARAT) with a six-year follow-up were analyzed. QoL was assessed annually, using the Standardized Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire, and the subjects were divided into three groups: (1) persistently good QoL, (2) persistently poor QoL, and (3) fluctuating QoL. Assessed comorbidities comprised depression, gastroesophageal reflux disease, and excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS), a key symptom of obstructive sleep apnea. RESULTS: Of 105 subjects with severe asthma, 53 (50%) were classified in the persistently good QoL group, 10 (10%) in the persistently poor QoL group, and 42 (40%) in the fluctuating QoL group. The persistently poor QoL group was associated with shorter time to hospitalization due to exacerbation and the presence of multiple comorbidities. In addition, the presence of EDS was an independent contributor to the fluctuating QoL group compared to the persistently good QoL group. CONCLUSIONS: The presence of multiple comorbidities and hospitalization due to exacerbation contribute to longitudinal changes in QoL in patients with severe asthma.
  • Case Report: Hereditary Fibrosing Poikiloderma With Tendon Contractures, Myopathy, and Pulmonary Fibrosis (POIKTMP) Presenting With Liver Cirrhosis and Steroid-Responsive Interstitial Pneumonia
    Michiko Takimoto-Sato, Toshinari Miyauchi, Masaru Suzuki, Hideyuki Ujiie, Toshifumi Nomura, Tomoo Ikari, Tomohiko Nakamura, Kei Takahashi, Machiko Matsumoto-Sasaki, Hirokazu Kimura, Hiroki Kimura, Yuichiro Matsui, Takashi Kitagataya, Ren Yamada, Kazuharu Suzuki, Akihisa Nakamura, Masato Nakai, Takuya Sho, Koji Ogawa, Naoya Sakamoto, Naoko Yamaguchi, Noriyuki Otsuka, Utano Tomaru, Satoshi Konno
    Frontiers in Genetics, 13, Frontiers Media SA, 2022年05月05日
    研究論文(学術雑誌), Background: Hereditary fibrosing poikiloderma with tendon contractures, myopathy, and pulmonary fibrosis (POIKTMP) is an extremely rare disease caused by mutations in FAM111B, and only approximately 30 cases have been reported worldwide. Some patients develop interstitial pneumonia, which may lead to progressive pulmonary fibrosis and poor prognosis. However, no effective treatment for interstitial pneumonia associated with POIKTMP has been reported. Here, we report an autopsy case of POIKTMP, wherein interstitial pneumonia was improved by corticosteroids.

    Case Presentation: A 44-year-old Japanese man was referred to our hospital due to poikiloderma, hypotrichosis, and interstitial pneumonia. He developed progressive poikiloderma and muscle weakness since infancy. He also had tendon contractures, short stature, liver cirrhosis, and interstitial pneumonia. Mutation analysis of FAM111B revealed a novel and de novo heterozygous missense mutation, c.1886T &gt; G (p(Phe629Cys)), through which we were able to diagnose the patient with POIKTMP. 3 years after the POIKTMP diagnosis, interstitial pneumonia had worsened. After 2 weeks of administrating 40 mg/day of prednisolone, his symptoms and lung shadows improved. However, he subsequently developed severe hepatic encephalopathy and eventually died of respiratory failure due to bacterial pneumonia and pulmonary edema. Autopsy revealed an unclassifiable pattern of interstitial pneumonia, as well as the presence of fibrosis and fatty degeneration in several organs, including the liver, kidney, skeletal muscle, heart, pancreas, and thyroid.

    Conclusions: We report a case of POIKTMP in which interstitial pneumonia was improved by corticosteroids, suggesting that corticosteroids could be an option for the treatment of interstitial pneumonia associated with this disease.
  • Exposure to PM2.5 and Lung Function Growth in Pre- and Early-Adolescent Schoolchildren: A Longitudinal Study Involving Repeated Lung Function Measurements in Japan.
    Toru Takebayashi, Masataka Taguri, Hiroshi Odajima, Shuichi Hasegawa, Keiko Asakura, Ai Milojevic, Ayano Takeuchi, Satoshi Konno, Miki Morikawa, Teruomi Tsukahara, Kayo Ueda, Yasufumi Mukai, Mihoko Minami, Yuuji Nishiwaki, Takesumi Yoshimura, Masaharu Nishimura, Hiroshi Nitta
    Annals of the American Thoracic Society, 19, 5, 763, 772, 2022年05月, [国際誌]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌), Rationale: Epidemiological evidence indicates that ambient exposure to particulate matter ⩽2.5 μm in aerodynamic diameter (PM2.5) has adverse effects on lung function growth in children, but it is not actually clear whether exposure to low-level PM2.5 results in long-term decrements in lung function growth in pre- to early-adolescent schoolchildren. Objectives: To examine long-term effects of PM2.5 within the 4-year average concentration range of 10-19 μg/m3 on lung function growth with repeated measurements of lung function tests. Methods: Longitudinal analysis of 6,233 lung function measurements in 1,466 participants aged 8-12 years from 16 school communities in 10 cities around Japan, covering a broad area of the country to represent concentration ranges of PM2.5, was done with a multilevel linear regression model. Forced expiratory volume in 1 second, forced vital capacity (FVC), and maximal expiratory flow at 50% of FVC were used as lung function indicators to examine the effects of 10-μg/m3 increases in the PM2.5 concentration on relative growth per each 10-cm increase in height. Results: The overall annual mean PM2.5 level was 13.5 μg/m3 (range, 10.4-19.0 μg/m3). We found no association between any of the lung function growth indicators and increases in PM2.5 levels in children of either sex, even after controlling for potential confounders. Analysis with two-pollutant models with O3 or NO2 did not change the null results. Conclusions: This nationwide longitudinal study suggests that concurrent, long-term exposure to PM2.5 at concentrations ranging from 10.4 to 19.0 μg/m3 has little effect on lung function growth in preadolescent boys or pre- to early-adolescent girls.
  • 今月の症例 両側滲出性胸水と全身浮腫で発症し、局所麻酔下胸腔鏡でサルコイドーシスと診断した1例               
    篠崎 鮎香[臺], 木村 孔一, 山下 優, 堀井 洋志, 佐藤 一紀, 中村 順一, 中久保 祥, 鎌田 啓佑, 鈴木 雅, 中里 信一, 松野 吉宏, 今野 哲
    日本内科学会雑誌, 111, 5, 984, 989, (一社)日本内科学会, 2022年05月
    日本語
  • Gargling with povidone iodine has a short-term inhibitory effect on SARS-CoV-2 in patients with COVID-19
    T. Seikai, A. Takada, A. Hasebe, M. Kajihara, K. Okuya, T. Sekiguchi (Yamada), W. Kakuguchi, S. Konno, Y. Ohiro
    Journal of Hospital Infection, 123, 179, 181, Elsevier BV, 2022年05月, [査読有り]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌)
  • Multiple Routes of Antibody-Dependent Enhancement of SARS-CoV-2 Infection.
    Kosuke Okuya, Takanari Hattori, Takeshi Saito, Yoshihiro Takadate, Michihito Sasaki, Wakako Furuyama, Andrea Marzi, Yoichi Ohiro, Satoshi Konno, Takeshi Hattori, Ayato Takada
    Microbiology spectrum, 10, 2, e0155321, 2022年04月27日, [国際誌]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌), Antibody-dependent enhancement (ADE) of infection is generally known for many viruses. A potential risk of ADE in severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection has also been discussed since the beginning of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic; however, clinical evidence of the presence of antibodies with ADE potential is limited. Here, we show that ADE antibodies are produced by SARS-CoV-2 infection and the ADE process can be mediated by at least two different host factors, Fcγ receptor (FcγR) and complement component C1q. Of 89 serum samples collected from acute or convalescent COVID-19 patients, 62.9% were found to be positive for SARS-CoV-2-specific IgG. FcγR- and/or C1q-mediated ADE were detected in 50% of the IgG-positive sera, whereas most of them showed neutralizing activity in the absence of FcγR and C1q. Importantly, ADE antibodies were found in 41.4% of the acute COVID-19 patients. Neutralizing activity was also detected in most of the IgG-positive sera, but it was counteracted by ADE in subneutralizing conditions in the presence of FcγR or C1q. Although the clinical importance of ADE needs to be further investigated with larger numbers of COVID-19 patient samples, our data suggest that SARS-CoV-2 utilizes multiple mechanisms of ADE. C1q-mediated ADE may particularly have a clinical impact since C1q is present at high concentrations in plasma and its receptors are ubiquitously expressed on the surfaces of many types of cells, including respiratory epithelial cells, which SARS-CoV-2 primarily infects. IMPORTANCE Potential risks of antibody-dependent enhancement (ADE) in the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection has been discussed and the proposed mechanism mostly depends on the Fc gamma receptor (FcγR). However, since FcγRs are exclusively expressed on immune cells, which are not primary targets of SARS-CoV-2, the clinical importance of ADE of SARS-CoV-2 infection remains controversial. Our study demonstrates that SARS-CoV-2 infection induces antibodies that increase SARS-CoV-2 infection through another ADE mechanism in which complement component C1q mediates the enhancement. Although neutralizing activity was also detected in the serum samples, it was counteracted by ADE in the presence of FcγR or C1q. Considering the ubiquity of C1q and its cellular receptors, C1q-mediated ADE may more likely occur in respiratory epithelial cells, which SARS-CoV-2 primarily infects. Our data highlight the importance of careful monitoring of the antibody properties in COVID-19 convalescent and vaccinated individuals.
  • Comparative Efficacy of Tocilizumab and Baricitinib Administration in COVID-19 Treatment: A Retrospective Cohort Study.
    Yuichi Kojima, Sho Nakakubo, Nozomu Takei, Keisuke Kamada, Yu Yamashita, Junichi Nakamura, Munehiro Matsumoto, Hiroshi Horii, Kazuki Sato, Hideki Shima, Masaru Suzuki, Satoshi Konno
    Medicina (Kaunas, Lithuania), 58, 4, 2022年04月04日, [国際誌]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌), Background and Objectives: 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. Materials and Methods: 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 characteristics of the patients who received tocilizumab were compared to those of patients who received baricitinib. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses of the outcomes of all-cause mortality and improvement in respiratory status were performed. The development of secondary infection events was analyzed using the Kaplan-Meier method and the log-rank test. Results: Of the 459 patients hospitalized with COVID-19 during the study, 64 received tocilizumab treatment and 34 baricitinib treatment, and those 98 patients were included in the study. Most patients were treated with concomitant steroids and exhibited the same severity level at the initiation of drug treatment. When compared to each other, neither tocilizumab nor baricitinib use were associated with all-cause mortality or improvement in respiratory status within 28 days from drug administration. Conclusions: Age, chronic renal disease and early administration of TCZ or BRT from the onset of COVID-19 were independent prognostic factors for all-cause mortality, whereas anti-viral drug use and the severity of COVID-19 at baseline were associated with an improvement in respiratory status. Secondary infection-free survival rates of patients treated with tocilizumab and those treated with baricitinib did not significantly differ. The results suggest that both tocilizumab and baricitinib could be clinically equivalent agents of choice in treatment of COVID-19.
  • C-reactive protein level predicts need for medical intervention in pregnant women with SARS-CoV2 infection: A retrospective study.
    Ryutaro Yamamoto, Hiroshi Asano, Takeshi Umazume, Masato Takaoka, Kiwamu Noshiro, Yoshihiro Saito, Kinuko Nakagawa, Kentaro Chiba, Sho Nakakubo, Yasuyuki Nasuhara, Satoshi Konno, Hidemichi Watari
    The journal of obstetrics and gynaecology research, 48, 4, 938, 945, 2022年04月, [国際誌]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌), AIM: To make effective use of the limited available hospital space during the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, we conducted this study to investigate the laboratory indices that identify pregnant women with SARS-CoV2 infection who require medical intervention. METHODS: We carried out a retrospective analysis of pregnant women positive for COVID-19 who were admitted to Hokkaido University Hospital from September 2020 to June 2021. Medical interventions included oxygen supplementation, systemic corticosteroids, or supplemental liquids to treat infection-related symptoms. RESULTS: Forty-two infected pregnant patients were admitted to the hospital, half of whom required medical intervention (n = 21). Fever, C-reactive protein (CRP), and platelet count are all associated with need for medical intervention. Of the 32 patients with a fever of ≥37.5°C on days 0-3 after onset of syndromes, 22 (69%) continued to have a fever on days 4-6, of which 19 (86.4%) required medical intervention. CRP level on days 4-6 predicted the presence or absence of medical intervention (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve = 0.913), with a sensitivity of 81% and specificity of 100% at a CRP cutoff of 1.28 mg/dL. CONCLUSIONS: The need for medical intervention in pregnant patients can be predicted with high accuracy using a CRP cutoff of 1.28 mg/dL on days 4-6 after onset of syndromes. The presence of fever also may be an easy marker for selecting subjects who need or will need therapeutic intervention. These could be an effective triage method to determine appropriate indications for the hospitalization of pregnant women in future outbreaks.
  • 小細胞肺癌転化を来したEGFR遺伝子変異陽性肺癌の3例
    森永 大亮, 榊原 純, 古田 恵, 品川 尚文, 合田 智宏, 若林 健人, 高桑 恵美, 高階 太一, 今野 哲
    肺癌, 62, 2, 107, 114, (NPO)日本肺癌学会, 2022年04月
    日本語
  • Underdiagnosis of cardiac sarcoidosis by ECG and echocardiography in cases of extracardiac sarcoidosis.
    Hiroshi Ohira, Takahiro Sato, Osamu Manabe, Noriko Oyama-Manabe, Akiko Hayashishita, Toshitaka Nakaya, Junichi Nakamura, Naoko Suzuki, Ayako Sugimoto, Sho Furuya, Satonori Tsuneta, Taku Watanabe, Ichizo Tsujino, Satoshi Konno
    ERJ open research, 8, 2, 2022年04月, [国際誌]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌), Background: Although screening with 12-lead electrocardiography and transthoracic echocardiography for cardiac involvement has been recommended for patients with biopsy-proven extracardiac sarcoidosis, cardiac sarcoidosis has been reported even in patients with normal electrocardiography and echocardiography findings. We investigated the prevalence and characteristics of these patient cohorts. Methods: We studied 112 consecutive patients (age, 55±17 years, 64% females) with biopsy-proven extracardiac sarcoidosis who had undergone 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography and cardiac magnetic resonance imaging for cardiac sarcoidosis evaluation. The patients were categorised as those showing normal findings both in electrocardiography and transthoracic echocardiography (normal group) and those showing abnormal findings in one or both examinations (abnormal group). Results: 33 (29%) and 79 (71%) patients were categorised into the normal and abnormal groups, respectively, of which 6 (18%) and 43 (54%) patients, respectively, were diagnosed with cardiac sarcoidosis (p<0.01). Of these six patients in the normal group, two with multiple-organ sarcoidosis showed clinical deterioration of cardiac involvement and required steroid therapy; three with small cardiac involvement showed natural remission over follow-up assessments; and one underwent steroid therapy and showed an improvement in the left ventricular ejection fraction to within normal limits. Conclusions: The prevalence of cardiac sarcoidosis in patients with biopsy-proven extracardiac sarcoidosis and normal electrocardiography and transthoracic echocardiography findings was ∼20%. Electrocardiography and transthoracic echocardiography may not detect cardiac sarcoidosis in patients without conduction and morphological abnormalities. However, some of these patients may subsequently show clinically manifested cardiac sarcoidosis. Physicians should be mindful of this population.
  • Lymphocytic panhypophysitis and anti-rabphilin-3A antibody with pulmonary sarcoidosis.
    Yuka Takahashi, Hiraku Kameda, Aika Miya, Hiroshi Nomoto, Kyu Yong Cho, Akinobu Nakamura, Hiroki Nishimura, Hirokazu Kimura, Masaru Suzuki, Satoshi Konno, Ai Shimizu, Yoshihiro Matsuno, Michinari Okamoto, Hiroaki Motegi, Naoko Iwata, Haruki Fujisawa, Atsushi Suzuki, Yoshihisa Sugimura, Hideaki Miyoshi, Tatsuya Atsumi
    Pituitary, 25, 2, 321, 327, 2022年04月, [国際誌]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌), PURPOSE: To explore the clinical significance of anti-rabphillin-3A antibody for the differential diagnosis of lymphocytic panhypophysitis. METHODS AND RESULTS: A 58-year-old Japanese man developed uveitis of unknown cause in 2017. In 2019, he became aware of polyuria. In August 2020, he noticed transient diplopia and was diagnosed with right abducens nerve palsy. At the same time, he complained of fatigue and loss of appetite. Head magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated enlargement of the pituitary stalk and pituitary gland, corresponding to hypophysitis. Hormone stimulation tests showed blunted responses with respect to all anterior pituitary hormones. Central diabetes insipidus was diagnosed on the basis of a hypertonic saline loading test. Taking these findings together, a diagnosis of panhypopituitarism was made. Computed tomography showed enlargement of hilar lymph nodes. Biopsies of the hilar lymph nodes revealed non-caseating epithelioid cell granulomas that were consistent with sarcoidosis. Biopsy of the anterior pituitary revealed mild lymphocyte infiltration in the absence of IgG4-positive cells, non-caseating granulomas, or neoplasia. Western blotting revealed the presence of anti-rabphilin-3A antibody, supporting a diagnosis of lymphocytic panhypophysitis. Because the patient had no visual impairment or severe uveitis, we continued physiological hormone replacement therapy and topical steroid therapy for the uveitis. CONCLUSION: To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case of anti-rabphilin 3A antibody positive lymphocytic panhypophysitis comorbid with sarcoidosis, diagnosed by both pituitary and hilar lymph node biopsy. The utility of anti-rabphilin-3A antibody for the differential diagnosis of hypophysitis like this case should be clarified with further case studies.
  • Delayed-onset Organizing Pneumonia Emerging after Recovery from Coronavirus Disease 2019: A Report of Three Cases Diagnosed Using Transbronchial Cryobiopsy and a Review of the Literature.
    Sho Nakakubo, Keisuke Kamada, Yu Yamashita, Junichi Nakamura, Munehiro Matsumoto, Hiroshi Horii, Kazuki Sato, Daisuke Morinaga, Masaru Suzuki, Nanase Okazaki, Emi Takakuwa, Yoshihiro Matsuno, Satoshi Konno
    Internal medicine (Tokyo, Japan), 61, 9, 1403, 1410, 2022年03月05日, [国内誌]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌), We present three cases with an atypical clinical course of organizing pneumonia (OP) secondary to 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 administered, and a good therapeutic response was observed. This report is the first to describe pathologically confirmed OP that developed after recovery from COVID-19. Careful follow-up is advisable for patients who have recovered from COVID-19.
  • Further evidence for association of YKL-40 with severe asthma airway remodeling
    Hirokazu Kimura, Kaoruko Shimizu, Naoya Tanabe, Hironi Makita, Natsuko Taniguchi, Hiroki Kimura, Masaru Suzuki, Yuki Abe, Machiko Matsumoto-Sasaki, Akira Oguma, Michiko Takimoto-Sato, Nozomu Takei, Munehiro Matsumoto, Houman Goudarzi, Susumu Sato, Junya Ono, Kenji Izuhara, Toyohiro Hirai, Masaharu Nishimura, Satoshi Konno
    Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, Elsevier BV, 2022年03月
    研究論文(学術雑誌)
  • [A CASE OF SEVERE ASTHMA RESULTING IN DISEASE EXACERBATION AFTER PROLONGATION OF THE DOSING INTERVAL AFTER LONG-TERM OMALIZUMAB ADMINISTRATION].
    Machiko Matsumoto-Sasaki, Kaoruko Shimizu, Masanobu Suzuki, Masaru Suzuki, Hirokazu Kimura, Yuji Nakamaru, Satoshi Konno
    Arerugi = [Allergy], 71, 8, 944, 948, 2022年, [国内誌]
    日本語, 研究論文(学術雑誌), At the time of writing of this manuscript, four biologics were clinically available for the treatment of severe asthma, and there were no established recommendations for the period of administration or timing of discontinuation of each biologic. We present a case of severe asthma that was well controlled with long-term omalizumab treatment; however, prolongation of the dosing intervals resulted in disease exacerbation that was refractory to omalizumab treatment despite the restoration of the recommended interval of administration. We suspect that the prolonged dosing intervals might have reduced the efficacy of omalizumab. We report this case because dosing intervals should be considered in clinical practice in cases of long-term omalizumab treatment.
  • Clinical Characteristics of Patients and Factors Associated with Switching Biologics in Asthma.
    Machiko Matsumoto-Sasaki, Kaoruko Simizu, Masanobu Suzuki, Masaru Suzuki, Hirokazu Kimura, Yuji Nakamaru, Yoichi M Ito, Akihiro Honma, Satoshi Konno
    Journal of asthma and allergy, 15, 187, 195, 2022年, [国際誌]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌), Purpose: Biologics have been used increasingly for the treatment of severe asthma. However, established guidelines for the selection, switching, or discontinuation of biologics do not exist. We aimed to identify the clinical characteristics of patients with asthma who required switching biologics and the factors associated with switching biologics. Patients and Methods: This was a retrospective study of 42 patients with severe asthma treated with biologics at the Hokkaido University Hospital between 23rd June 2016 and 30th April 2021, when two biologics were available in Japan. We compared the characteristics of subjects who continued and switched biologics. The time to switch the biologics was assessed by type 2 inflammatory biomarkers, pulmonary function indices, and the presence of comorbidities, including the Japanese Epidemiological Survey of Refractory Eosinophilic Chronic Rhinosinusitis (JESREC) score and aspirin exacerbated respiratory diseases (AERD), using the Kaplan-Meier method and a multivariate Cox proportional hazards model. Results: Eight and five patients were treated by mepolizumab and benralizumab at baseline, respectively among the 31% (13/42) who switched the biologics. Subjects who required switching biologics were characterized by high blood eosinophil counts, younger age, JESREC scores of 11 points or higher, and AERD. The time taken to switch biologics was significantly shorter in the subgroups with high JESREC scores (≥11) or AERD, compared with their counterparts with low JESREC scores or without AERD (both, P < 0.05). JESREC scores of ≥11, but not the presence of AERD, were associated with time to switch biologics. Conclusion: The presence of eosinophilic chronic rhinosinusitis based on JESREC scores of ≥11 and younger age were factors associated with switching biologics in asthma.
  • Large-scale plasma proteomics can reveal distinct endotypes in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and severe asthma.
    Masaru Suzuki, John J Cole, Satoshi Konno, Hironi Makita, Hiroki Kimura, Masaharu Nishimura, Rose A Maciewicz
    Clinical and translational allergy, 11, 10, e12091, 2021年12月, [国際誌]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌), BACKGROUND: Chronic airway diseases including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma are heterogenous in nature and endotypes within are underpinned by complex biology. This study aimed to investigate the utility of proteomic profiling of plasma combined with bioinformatic mining, and to define molecular endotypes and expand our knowledge of the underlying biology in chronic respiratory diseases. METHODS: The plasma proteome was evaluated using an aptamer-based affinity proteomics platform (SOMAscan®), representing 1238 proteins in 34 subjects with stable COPD and 51 subjects with stable but severe asthma. For each disease, we evaluated a range of clinical/demographic characteristics including bronchodilator reversibility, blood eosinophilia levels, and smoking history. We applied modified bioinformatic approaches used in the evaluation of RNA transcriptomics. RESULTS: Subjects with COPD and severe asthma were distinguished from each other by 365 different protein abundancies, with differential pathway networks and upstream modulators. Furthermore, molecular endotypes within each disease could be defined. The protein groups that defined these endotypes had both known and novel biology including groups significantly enriched in exosomal markers derived from immune/inflammatory cells. Finally, we observed associations to clinical characteristics that previously have been under-explored. CONCLUSION: This investigational study evaluating the plasma proteome in clinically-phenotyped subjects with chronic airway diseases provides support that such a method can be used to define molecular endotypes and pathobiological mechanisms that underpins these endotypes. It provided new concepts about the complexity of molecular pathways that define these diseases. In the longer term, such information will help to refine treatment options for defined groups.
  • Multiple introductions of SARS-CoV-2 B.1.1.214 lineages from mainland Japan preceded the third wave of the COVID-19 epidemic in Hokkaido.
    Takako Shimura, Kodai Abe, Toshiki Takenouchi, Mamiko Yamada, Hisato Suzuki, Makoto Suematsu, Sho Nakakubo, Keisuke Kamada, Satoshi Konno, Takanori Teshima, Kenjiro Kosaki
    Travel medicine and infectious disease, 44, 102210, 102210, 2021年11月22日, [国際誌]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌), BACKGROUND: The third wave of the COVID-19 epidemic in the island of Hokkaido, the second largest island in Japan, began abruptly in October 2020. METHODS: We conducted a phylodynamic analysis of the SARS-CoV-2 genome sequences obtained from tertiary medical centers in the Greater Tokyo Area and Sapporo, the largest city in the island of Hokkaido, and genome sequences published by GISAID, an international SARS-CoV-2 genome database. We also analyzed the statistics on the person-nights of travelers in the island of Hokkaido from the Greater Tokyo Area in 2019 versus 2020. RESULTS: At least eight sub-lineages belonging to the B.1.1.214 lineage were introduced to the island of Hokkaido from the island of Honshu, the mainland of Japan from late July to November 2020, during the governmental travel promotion program. Five of the eight sub-lineages originated from the Greater Tokyo Area. Comparison of the monthly ratios of the person-nights of travelers in the island of Hokkaido from the Greater Tokyo Area in 2019 and 2020 revealed that the highest value occurred in October 2020. CONCLUSION: We contend that the Japanese governmental travel promotion program contributed to the introduction of the B.1.1.214 sub-lineages from the main island of Honshu to the island of Hokkaido, and drove the third wave in Hokkaido, even if we are unable to establish the causality.
  • Association of abdominal visceral adiposity with sputum IL-5 levels in asthma.
    Houman Goudarzi, Hirokazu Kimura, Hironi Makita, Yuki Abe, Akira Oguma, Michiko Sato, Munehiro Matsumoto, Nozomu Takei, Hiroki Kimura, Kaoruko Shimizu, Masaru Suzuki, Yoichi M Ito, Masaharu Nishimura, Satoshi Konno
    Allergology international : official journal of the Japanese Society of Allergology, 71, 1, 137, 139, 2021年09月14日, [査読有り], [最終著者], [国際誌]
    英語
  • Association of high serum soluble interleukin 2 receptor levels with risk of adverse events in cardiac sarcoidosis.
    Yuta Kobayashi, Takuma Sato, Toshiyuki Nagai, Kenji Hirata, Satonori Tsuneta, Yoshiya Kato, Hirokazu Komoriyama, Kiwamu Kamiya, Takao Konishi, Kazunori Omote, Hiroshi Ohira, Kohsuke Kudo, Satoshi Konno, Toshihisa Anzai
    ESC heart failure, 8, 6, 5282, 5292, 2021年09月12日, [査読有り], [国際誌]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌), AIMS: Although soluble interleukin 2 receptor (sIL-2R) is a potentially useful biomarker in the diagnosis and evaluation of disease severity in patients with sarcoidosis, its prognostic implication in patients with cardiac sarcoidosis (CS) is unclear. We sought to investigate whether sIL-2R was associated with clinical outcomes and to clarify the relationship between sIL-2R levels and disease activity in patients with CS. METHODS AND RESULTS: We examined 83 consecutive patients with CS in our hospital who had available serum sIL-2R data between May 2003 and February 2020. The primary outcome was a composite of advanced atrioventricular block, ventricular tachycardia or ventricular fibrillation, heart failure hospitalization, and all-cause death. Inflammatory activity in the myocardium and lymph nodes was assessed by 18 F-fluorideoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography. During a median follow-up period of 2.96 (IQR 2.24-4.27) years, the primary outcome occurred in 24 patients (29%). Higher serum sIL-2R levels (>538 U/mL, the median) were significantly related to increased incidence of primary outcome (P = 0.037). Multivariable Cox regression analysis showed that a higher sIL-2R was independently associated with an increased subsequent risk of adverse events (HR 3.71, 95% CI 1.63-8.44, P = 0.002), even after adjustment for significant covariates. sIL-2R levels were significantly correlated to inflammatory activity in lymph nodes (r = 0.346, P = 0.003) but not the myocardium (r = 0.131, P = 0.27). CONCLUSIONS: Increased sIL-2R is associated with worse long-term clinical outcomes accompanied by increased systemic inflammatory activity in CS patients.
  • Performance of Qualitative and Quantitative Antigen Tests for SARS-CoV-2 Using Saliva.
    Isao Yokota, Takayo Sakurazawa, Junichi Sugita, Sumio Iwasaki, Keiko Yasuda, Naoki Yamashita, Shinichi Fujisawa, Mutsumi Nishida, Satoshi Konno, Takanori Teshima
    Infectious disease reports, 13, 3, 742, 747, 2021年08月24日, [査読有り], [国際誌]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌), The rapid detection of SARS-CoV-2 is critical for the prevention of disease outbreaks. Antigen tests such as immunochromatographic assay (ICA) and chemiluminescent enzyme immunoassay (CLEIA) can yield results more quickly than PCR. We evaluated the performance of ICA and CLEIA using 34 frozen PCR-positive (17 saliva samples and 17 nasopharyngeal swabs [NPS]) and 309 PCR-negative samples. ICA detected SARS-CoV-2 in only 14 (41%) samples, with positivity rates of 24% in saliva and 59% in NPS. Notably, ICA detected SARS-CoV-2 in 5 of 6 samples collected within 4 days after symptom onset. CLEIA detected SARS-CoV-2 in 31 (91%) samples, with a positivity of 82% in saliva and 100% in NPS. These results suggest that the use of ICA should be limited to an earlier time after symptom onset and CLEIA is more sensitive and can be used in situations where quick results are required.
  • Parenchymal destruction in asthma: Fixed airflow obstruction and lung function trajectory.
    Kaoruko Shimizu, Naoya Tanabe, Akira Oguma, Hirokazu Kimura, Masaru Suzuki, Isao Yokota, Hironi Makita, Susumu Sato, Toyohiro Hirai, Masaharu Nishimura, Satoshi Konno
    The Journal of allergy and clinical immunology, 149, 3, 934, 942, 2021年08月23日, [査読有り], [最終著者], [国際誌]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌), BACKGROUND: Fixed airflow obstruction (FAO) in asthma, particularly in non-smoking subjects, is generally believed to be caused by airway remodeling. However, parenchymal destruction may also contribute to FAO and longitudinal decline in forced expiratory volume in 1 sec (FEV1). OBJECTIVES: To evaluate parenchymal destruction using emphysema indices, exponent D and low attenuation area percent (LAA%) on computed tomography (CT), and test whether the parenchymal destruction and airway disease are independently associated with FAO and FEV1 decline in both smoking and non-smoking asthma. METHODS: D, LAA%, wall area percent (WA%) at segmental airways, and airway fractal dimension (AFD) in asthmatics were measured on inspiratory CT and compared to those in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients. RESULTS: D was lower and LAA% was higher in COPD (N = 42) and asthma with FAO (N = 101) than in asthma without FAO (N = 88). The decreased D and increased LAA% were associated with FAO regardless of smoking status or asthma severity. In multivariable analysis, decreased D and increased LAA% were associated with an increased odds ratio of FAO and decreased FEV1, irrespective of WA% and AFD. Moreover, decreased D affected the longitudinal decline in FEV1 in severe asthmatics, independent of smoking status . CONCLUSIONS: Asthmatics with FAO showed the parenchymal destruction regardless of smoking status and asthma severity. The parenchymal destruction was associated with an accelerated FEV1 decline, suggesting the involvements of both airway and parenchyma in the pathophysiology of a subgroup of asthma.
  • Paradoxical Formation of a Pleuroparenchymal Fibroelastosis-like Lesion in the Chronic Course of Pulmonary Sarcoidosis.
    Michiru Sawahata, Takeshi Johkoh, Takeshi Kawanobe, Chiyoko Kono, Takuji Suzuki, Masashi Bando, Koichi Hagiwara, Noriharu Shijubo, Satoshi Konno, Tetsuo Yamaguchi
    Internal medicine (Tokyo, Japan), 2021年08月06日, [査読有り], [国内誌]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌), We herein report the long-term changes in chest computed tomography (CT) findings from early sarcoidosis lesions to pleuroparenchymal fibroelastosis (PPFE)-like lesions in a 30-year-old man with granulomas on a transbronchial lung biopsy. Multiple bilateral micronodular and nodular opacities around the bronchovascular bundle in the upper lobes detected by chest CT in 2004 disappeared, but paradoxically, peripheral consolidations continued to grow at the periphery of the original lesions. Chest CT in 2017 confirmed the progression of bilateral shrinkage of the upper lobe, spread of peripheral consolidations and wedge-shaped opacities below the first rib, and bronchiectatic air bronchograms, confirming PPFE-like lesions.
  • The effect of the outbreak of COVID-19 on respiratory physicians and healthcare in Japan: Serial nationwide surveys by the Japanese Respiratory Society.
    Keisuke Kamada, Satoshi Konno, Takeshi Kaneko, Koichi Fukunaga, Yoshinori Hasegawa, Akihito Yokoyama
    Respiratory investigation, 59, 6, 792, 798, 2021年07月31日, [査読有り], [責任著者], [国際誌]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌), BACKGROUND: The impact of the outbreak of COVID-19 on the work of respiratory physicians in Japan has not yet been evaluated. The study investigates the impact of the outbreak on respiratory physicians' work over time and identifies problems to be addressed in the future. METHODS: We conducted a web-based survey of respiratory physicians in 848 institutions. The survey comprised 32 questions and four sections: Survey 1 (April 20, 2020), Survey 2 (May 27, 2020), Survey 3 (August 31, 2020), and Survey 4 (December 4, 2020). RESULTS: The mean survey response rate was 24.9%, and 502 facilities (59.2%) participated in at least one survey. The proportion of facilities that could perform PCR tests for diagnosis and more than 20 tests per day gradually increased. The percentage capable of managing extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) or more than five ventilators did not increase over time. The proportion that reported work overload of 150% or more, stress associated with lack of personal protective equipment (PPE), and harassment or stigma in the surrounding community did not sufficiently improve. CONCLUSION: While there was an improvement in expanding the examination system and medical cooperation in the community, there was no indication of enhancement of the critical care management system. The overwork of respiratory physicians, lack of PPE, and harassment and stigma related to COVID-19 did not sufficiently improve and need to be addressed urgently.
  • The prevalence of comorbid respiratory disease among COVID-19 patients, and mortality during the first wave in Japan: A nationwide survey by the Japanese Respiratory Society.
    Hiroyuki Nagase, Yoshihiro Nishimura, Hisako Matsumoto, Naoya Sugimoto, Takashi Iwanaga, Akiko Sano, Satoshi Konno, Nobuyuki Hizawa, Koichiro Asano, Takahiko Horiguchi, Akihito Yokoyama
    Respiratory investigation, 59, 5, 679, 682, 2021年07月15日, [査読有り], [国際誌]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌), There is a concern that persons with underlying respiratory disease may have increased susceptibility to COVID-19 and/or increased severity/mortality if infected. However, information regarding such patients during the first wave of the epidemic is lacking in Japan. We surveyed chest physicians nationwide, and collected anonymous data concerning 1444 patients. Among COVID-19 patients, the prevalence of asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and interstitial lung diseases (ILD) was 3.4%, 4.8%, and 1.5%, respectively. Among COVID-19 patients with these 3 comorbidities, exacerbation of the comorbidity occurred in 12.2%, 18.8%, and 36.4%, respectively, and mortality (6.2% overall) was 4.1%, 13.0%, and 31.8%, respectively. The prevalence of asthma among COVID-19 patients was not higher than that for the general population, and mortality in COVID-19 patients with asthma was not higher than mortality in COVID-19 patients without underlying respiratory disease. COVID-19 patients having COPD or ILD had relatively high mortality, especially for ILD.
  • The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on asthma treatment in Japan: Perspectives based on doctors' views.
    Haruna Kitazawa, Nobuyuki Hizawa, Yoshihiro Nishimura, Takao Fujisawa, Takashi Iwanaga, Akiko Sano, Hiroyuki Nagase, Hisako Matsumoto, Takahiko Horiguchi, Satoshi Konno, Koichiro Asano
    Respiratory investigation, 59, 5, 670, 674, 2021年07月06日, [査読有り], [国際誌]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌), The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has had a great influence on medical practice in Japan. In this study, an online questionnaire-based survey was conducted among doctors routinely involved in the treatment of asthma. The questions included in the survey pertained to their thoughts on asthma treatment amidst COVID-19, changes in their clinical approach toward patients with asthma, and the behavioral changes in patients in the pandemic era. The results revealed a significant impact of the pandemic on asthma treatment. Regardless of whether or not they were directly involved in the treatment of patients with COVID-19, the doctors had avoided using nebulizers in outpatient wards/clinics and routine pulmonary function testing. An increase in canceled appointments and inappropriate/non-adherence to treatment among their patients were noticeable. Furthermore, the survey revealed an extensive impact of the pandemic on the doctors engaged in asthma treatment irrespective of the differences in their medical backgrounds.
  • Combined assessment of pulmonary arterial enlargement and coronary calcification predicts the prognosis of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
    Nozomu Takei, Masaru Suzuki, Naoya Tanabe, Akira Oguma, Kaoruko Shimizu, Hirokazu Kimura, Hironi Makita, Susumu Sato, Toyohiro Hirai, Isao Yokota, Satoshi Konno, Masaharu Nishimura
    Respiratory medicine, 185, 106520, 106520, 2021年06月23日, [査読有り], [国際誌]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌), INTRODUCTION: In chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), chest computed tomography (CT) provides clinically important cardiovascular findings, which include diameter of pulmonary artery (PA), its ratio to the diameter of the aorta (PA:A ratio), and coronary artery calcium score (CACS). The clinical importance of these cardiovascular findings has not been fully assessed in Japan, where cardiovascular morbidity and/or mortality is reported to be much less compared with Western counterparts. METHODS: PA diameter and PA:A ratio were measured in 172 and 130 patients with COPD who enrolled in the Hokkaido COPD cohort study and the Kyoto University cohort, respectively. CACS was measured in 131 and 128 patients in each cohort. RESULTS: While the highest quartile group in PA diameter was associated with higher all-cause mortality compared to the lowest quartile group in both cohorts, individual assessments of PA:A ratio and CACS were not associated with the long-term clinical outcomes. When PA diameter and CACS were combined, patients with PA enlargement (diameter >29.5 mm) and/or coronary calcification (score >440.8) were associated with higher all-cause mortality in both cohorts. CONCLUSION: Combined assessment of PA enlargement and CACS was associated with poor prognosis, which provides a clinical advantage in management of patients with COPD even in geographical regions with lower risk of cardiovascular diseases.
  • Nationwide surveillance of antimicrobial susceptibility of 509 rapidly growing mycobacteria strains isolated from clinical specimens in Japan.
    Keisuke Kamada, Atsushi Yoshida, Shigekazu Iguchi, Yuko Arai, Yutaka Uzawa, Satoshi Konno, Masahiro Shimojima, Ken Kikuchi
    Scientific reports, 11, 1, 12208, 12208, 2021年06月09日, [査読有り], [国際誌]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌), This study aimed to identify effective treatments against rapidly growing mycobacteria (RGM) infections by investigating the minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) of 24 antimicrobial agents and their molecular mechanisms of resistance. In total, 509 clinical RGM isolates were identified by analyzing the sequences of three housekeeping genes (hsp65, rpoB, and sodA), and their susceptibilities to 24 antimicrobial agents were tested. We also performed sequencing analysis of antimicrobial resistance genes (rrl, rrs, gyrA, and gyrB). To identify Mycobacteroides abscessus group subspecies, we performed PCR-based typing and determined the sequevar of erm(41). We identified 15 RGM species, most of which were susceptible to amikacin and linezolid. Among these species, arbekacin and sitafloxacin had the lowest MIC among the same class of antimicrobials. The MIC of rifabutin for M. abscessus subsp. abscessus (MAB) was lower than that for M. abscessus subsp. massiliense (MMA). The proportion of MAB isolates with MIC ≤ 2 mg/L for rifabutin was significantly higher than that of MMA [MAB: 50/178 (28.1%) vs. MMA: 23/130 (17.7%); p = 0.041]. In summary, our study revealed the antimicrobial susceptibility profile of 15 RGM species isolated in Japan and indicated that arbekacin, sitafloxacin, and rifabutin may be possible therapeutic options for RGM infections.
  • A Comparative Evaluation of Computed Tomography Images for the Classification of Spirometric Severity of the Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease with Deep Learning.
    Hiroyuki Sugimori, Kaoruko Shimizu, Hironi Makita, Masaru Suzuki, Satoshi Konno
    Diagnostics (Basel, Switzerland), 11, 6, 2021年05月21日, [査読有り], [最終著者], [国際誌]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌), Recently, deep learning applications in medical imaging have been widely applied. However, whether it is sufficient to simply input the entire image or whether it is necessary to preprocess the setting of the supervised image has not been sufficiently studied. This study aimed to create a classifier trained with and without preprocessing for the Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) classification using CT images and to evaluate the classification accuracy of the GOLD classification by confusion matrix. According to former GOLD 0, GOLD 1, GOLD 2, and GOLD 3 or 4, eighty patients were divided into four groups (n = 20). The classification models were created by the transfer learning of the ResNet50 network architecture. The created models were evaluated by confusion matrix and AUC. Moreover, the rearranged confusion matrix for former stages 0 and ≥1 was evaluated by the same procedure. The AUCs of original and threshold images for the four-class analysis were 0.61 ± 0.13 and 0.64 ± 0.10, respectively, and the AUCs for the two classifications of former GOLD 0 and GOLD ≥ 1 were 0.64 ± 0.06 and 0.68 ± 0.12, respectively. In the two-class classification by threshold image, recall and precision were over 0.8 in GOLD ≥ 1, and in the McNemar-Bowker test, there was some symmetry. The results suggest that the preprocessed threshold image can be possibly used as a screening tool for GOLD classification without pulmonary function tests, rather than inputting the normal image into the convolutional neural network (CNN) for CT image learning.
  • One-year clinically important deterioration and long-term clinical course in Japanese patients with COPD: a multicenter observational cohort study.
    Yuki Abe, Masaru Suzuki, Hironi Makita, Hirokazu Kimura, Kaoruko Shimizu, Satoshi Konno, Masaharu Nishimura
    BMC pulmonary medicine, 21, 1, 159, 159, 2021年05月12日, [査読有り], [国際誌]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌), BACKGROUND: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a heterogeneous disease with a complex progression of many clinical presentations, and clinically important deterioration (CID) has been proposed in the Western studies as a composite endpoint of disease progression. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationships between 1-year CID and the following long-term clinical outcomes in Japanese patients with COPD who have been reported to have different characteristics compared to the Westerners. METHODS: Among Japanese patients with COPD enrolled in the Hokkaido COPD cohort study, 259 patients who did not drop out within the first year were analyzed in this study. Two definitions of CID were used. Definition 1 comprised ≥ 100 mL decrease in forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1), ≥ 4-unit increase in St George's Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ) score from baseline, or moderate or severe exacerbation. For Definition 2, the thresholds for the FEV1 and SGRQ score components were doubled. The presence of CID was evaluated within the first year from enrollment, and analyzed the association of the presence of CID with following 4-year risk of exacerbations and 9-year mortality. RESULTS: Patients with CID using Definition 1, but not any single CID component, during the first year had a significantly worse mortality compared with those without CID. Patients with CID using Definition 2 showed a similar trend on mortality, and had a shorter exacerbation-free survival compared with those without CID. CONCLUSIONS: Adoption of CID is a beneficial and useful way for the assessment of long-term disease progression and clinical outcomes even in Japanese population with COPD. The definition of CID might be optimized according to the characteristics of COPD population and the observation period for CID.
  • 新型コロナウイルス感染症が北海道内の病院・診療所の診療に与えた影響に関するアンケート調査
    齋藤 充史, 千葉 弘文, 服部 健史, 黒沼 幸治, 中久保 祥, 鎌田 啓佑, 田代 典夫, 田中 裕士, 福家 聡, 今野 哲
    日本呼吸器学会誌, 10, 3, 245, 250, (一社)日本呼吸器学会, 2021年05月
    日本語
  • ORMDL3/GSDMB genotype is associated with distinct phenotypes of adult asthma.
    Haruna Kitazawa, Hironori Masuko, Jun Kanazawa, Rie Shigemasa, Kentaro Hyodo, Hideyasu Yamada, Yohei Yatagai, Yoshiko Kaneko, Hiroaki Iijima, Takashi Naito, Takefumi Saito, Emiko Noguchi, Satoshi Konno, Tomomitsu Hirota, Mayumi Tamari, Tohru Sakamoto, Nobuyuki Hizawa
    Allergology international : official journal of the Japanese Society of Allergology, 70, 4, 495, 497, 2021年04月30日, [査読有り], [国際誌]
    英語
  • Effect of varying storage conditions on diagnostic test outcomes of SARS-CoV-2.
    Satoshi Oguri, Shinichi Fujisawa, Keisuke Kamada, Sho Nakakubo, Yu Yamashita, Junichi Nakamura, Hiroshi Horii, Kazuki Sato, Mutsumi Nishida, Takanori Teshima, Yoichi Ohiro, Ayato Takada, Satoshi Konno
    The Journal of infection, 83, 1, 119, 145, 2021年04月03日, [査読有り], [最終著者], [国際誌]
    英語
  • 北海道大学病院における新型コロナウイルス感染症の流行に伴う職務上の影響にかかわる調査結果               
    阿部 結希, 清水 薫子, 中司 展人, 船木 典子, 長堀 紀子, 菅原 満, 澁谷 斉, 高橋 久美子, 北川 善政, 今野 哲, 渥美 達也
    日本医師会雑誌, 150, 1, 95, 100, (公社)日本医師会, 2021年04月
    日本語
  • Characteristics of patients with a diagnosis of sarcoidosis: a comparison of the 2006 and 2015 versions of diagnostic criteria for sarcoidosis in Japan.
    Noritaka Sakamoto, Michiru Sawahata, Yoshitaka Yamanouchi, Satoshi Konno, Noriharu Shijubo, Tetsuo Yamaguchi, Yosikazu Nakamura, Takuji Suzuki, Koichi Hagiwara, Masashi Bando
    Journal of rural medicine : JRM, 16, 2, 77, 82, 2021年04月, [査読有り], [国内誌]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌), Objective: Histological verification of epithelioid cell granuloma is important in diagnosing sarcoidosis; tissue sampling is a worldwide requirement. In 2006, to reduce medical expenses and avoid invasive procedures, diagnostic criteria without histological verification were permitted by the Japanese government. In 2015, new diagnostic criteria, allowed clinical diagnoses based on only respiratory, ocular, and cardiac systems with at least a two-system involvement, increasing the need to sample tissue from clinically unevaluable organs in suspected sarcoidosis. This study aimed to compare the characteristics of patients who were diagnosed with sarcoidosis according to the 2006 and 2015 criteria. Materials and Methods: Using the 2015 version, we re-evaluated the characteristics of 264 patients with diagnosed or suspected sarcoidosis according to the 2006 criteria, at Jichi Medical University Hospital between 2004 and 2012 (clinical diagnosis, 84; histological diagnosis, 117; suspected sarcoidosis 63). Results: Thirty-nine patients were diagnosed with suspected sarcoidosis due to the absence of at least a two-system involvement; two patients had insufficient laboratory data suggestive of sarcoidosis. Six patients moved from suspected sarcoidosis to a histological diagnosis because of a greater leniency in the criteria for supportive findings. The 2015 diagnostic criteria excluded patients with organ involvement without a requirement for systemic steroids from the clinical diagnosis group. A case of schwannoma, erroneously placed in the clinical diagnosis group by the 2006 criteria, was reclassified according to the 2015 criteria. Conclusion: The 2015 version is preferable for clinically diagnosing sarcoidosis, even without histological specimens, and provides guidance for indications for systemic treatment.
  • Geographical distribution and regional differences in 532 clinical isolates of rapidly growing mycobacterial species in Japan.
    Keisuke Kamada, Atsushi Yoshida, Shigekazu Iguchi, Yuko Arai, Yutaka Uzawa, Satoshi Konno, Masahiro Shimojima, Ken Kikuchi
    Scientific reports, 11, 1, 4960, 4960, 2021年03月02日, [査読有り], [国際誌]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌), Infectious diseases caused by nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) are increasingly becoming a major global problem. Additionally, Mycobacteroides abscessus subsp. abscessus (MAB) infections are refractory to macrolides. This study was conducted to investigate the epidemiology of rapidly growing mycobacteria (RGM) species isolated from clinical specimens in Japan and assess differences in the regional distribution of lower respiratory specimens (LRS)- and non-lower respiratory specimens (NLRS)-derived species. 532 strains (427 LRS, 92 NLRS and 15 unknown specimens) were isolated in nine areas of Japan. We collected 418 specimens from Bio Medical Laboratories (BML), Inc., and 114 specimens from 45 hospitals in Japan. Their epidemiological differences were examined according to the specimen type, region, and climate. Fifteen species were identified. The proportion of M. abscessus group (MAG) strains was significantly lower in NLRS than in LRS (35.9% vs. 68.4%). The proportion of MAG strains was higher in northern Japan than in other regions (83.7% vs. 60.5%). Variations in strain abundance among RGM species was evident in regions with a mean annual temperature below 15 °C. We conclude that the proportions of MAG strains differed between NLRS and LRS in Japan. In addition, the mean annual temperature likely influenced the distribution of RGM species.
  • Characteristics of COVID-19 patients admitted into two hospitals in sapporo, Japan: Analyses and insights from two outbreak waves.
    Takeshi Hattori, Atsushi Saito, Hirofumi Chiba, Koji Kuronuma, Masaru Amishima, Daisuke Morinaga, Yasuo Shichinohe, Yasuyuki Nasuhara, Satoshi Konno
    Respiratory investigation, 59, 2, 180, 186, 2021年03月, [査読有り], [最終著者], [国際誌]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌), BACKGROUND: Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) emerged in January 2020 in Sapporo city, and the outbreak has shown two peaks. METHODS: A total of 260 COVID-19 patients were enrolled and categorized into three groups according to the pandemic pattern, jobs and situation, and disease severity. We compared clinical characteristics according to these categories. RESULTS: We found two pandemic peaks, and the proportion of patients and health providers who were infected in other hospitals had increased in the latter two periods (period 2: 49.6%, period 3: 32.7%). Particularly, the proportion of infected health providers was 27% in period 2, and they tended to be younger females with a mild condition. Severity of the disease (requirement of oxygen and/or mechanical ventilation) was associated with advanced age, and all the patients who died during admission were over 60 years old. CONCLUSIONS: We reported the temporal dynamics and characteristics of the COVID-19 pandemic in Sapporo city, Japan. This survey from the viewpoint of the hospital provides a new insight into and a better guide for the further management of the COVID-19 pandemic.
  • Equivalent SARS-CoV-2 viral loads by PCR between nasopharyngeal swab and saliva in symptomatic patients.
    Isao Yokota, Takeshi Hattori, Peter Y Shane, Satoshi Konno, Atsushi Nagasaka, Kimihiro Takeyabu, Shinichi Fujisawa, Mutsumi Nishida, Takanori Teshima
    Scientific reports, 11, 1, 4500, 4500, 2021年02月24日, [査読有り], [国際誌]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌), Emerging evidences have shown the utility of saliva for the detection of SARS-CoV-2 by PCR as alternative to nasopharyngeal swab (NPS). However, conflicting results have been reported regarding viral loads between NPS and saliva. We conducted a study to compare the viral loads between NPS and saliva in 42 COVID-19 patients. Viral loads were estimated by the cycle threshold (Ct) values. SARS-CoV-2 was detected in 34 (81%) using NPS with median Ct value of 27.4, and 38 (90%) using saliva with median Ct value of 28.9 (P = 0.79). Kendall's W was 0.82, showing a high degree of agreement, indicating equivalent viral loads in NPS and saliva. After symptom onset, the Ct values of both NPS and saliva continued to increase over time, with no substantial difference. Self-collected saliva has a detection sensitivity comparable to that of NPS and is a useful diagnostic tool with mitigating uncomfortable process and the risk of aerosol transmission to healthcare workers.
  • Genetic determinants of risk in autoimmune pulmonary alveolar proteinosis.
    Saori Sakaue, Etsuro Yamaguchi, Yoshikazu Inoue, Meiko Takahashi, Jun Hirata, Ken Suzuki, Satoru Ito, Toru Arai, Masaki Hirose, Yoshinori Tanino, Takefumi Nikaido, Toshio Ichiwata, Shinya Ohkouchi, Taizou Hirano, Toshinori Takada, Satoru Miyawaki, Shogo Dofuku, Yuichi Maeda, Takuro Nii, Toshihiro Kishikawa, Kotaro Ogawa, Tatsuo Masuda, Kenichi Yamamoto, Kyuto Sonehara, Ryushi Tazawa, Konosuke Morimoto, Masahiro Takaki, Satoshi Konno, Masaru Suzuki, Keisuke Tomii, Atsushi Nakagawa, Tomohiro Handa, Kiminobu Tanizawa, Haruyuki Ishii, Manabu Ishida, Toshiyuki Kato, Naoya Takeda, Koshi Yokomura, Takashi Matsui, Masaki Watanabe, Hiromasa Inoue, Kazuyoshi Imaizumi, Yasuhiro Goto, Hiroshi Kida, Tomoyuki Fujisawa, Takafumi Suda, Takashi Yamada, Yasuomi Satake, Hidenori Ibata, Nobuyuki Hizawa, Hideki Mochizuki, Atsushi Kumanogoh, Fumihiko Matsuda, Koh Nakata, Tomomitsu Hirota, Mayumi Tamari, Yukinori Okada
    Nature communications, 12, 1, 1032, 1032, 2021年02月15日, [査読有り], [国際誌]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌), Pulmonary alveolar proteinosis (PAP) is a devastating lung disease caused by abnormal surfactant homeostasis, with a prevalence of 6-7 cases per million population worldwide. While mutations causing hereditary PAP have been reported, the genetic basis contributing to autoimmune PAP (aPAP) has not been thoroughly investigated. Here, we conducted a genome-wide association study of aPAP in 198 patients and 395 control participants of Japanese ancestry. The common genetic variant, rs138024423 at 6p21, in the major-histocompatibility-complex (MHC) region was significantly associated with disease risk (Odds ratio [OR] = 5.2; P = 2.4 × 10-12). HLA fine-mapping revealed that the common HLA class II allele, HLA-DRB1*08:03, strongly drove this signal (OR = 4.8; P = 4.8 × 10-12), followed by an additional independent risk allele at HLA-DPβ1 amino acid position 8 (OR = 0.28; P = 3.4 × 10-7). HLA-DRB1*08:03 was also associated with an increased level of anti-GM-CSF antibody, a key driver of the disease (β = 0.32; P = 0.035). Our study demonstrated a heritable component of aPAP, suggesting an underlying genetic predisposition toward an abnormal antibody production.
  • SARS-CoV-2 detection by fluorescence loop-mediated isothermal amplification with and without RNA extraction.
    Keisuke Taki, Isao Yokota, Tatsuya Fukumoto, Sumio Iwasaki, Shinichi Fujisawa, Masayoshi Takahashi, Saeki Negishi, Kasumi Hayasaka, Kaori Sato, Satoshi Oguri, Mutsumi Nishida, Junichi Sugita, Satoshi Konno, Tomoya Saito, Takanori Teshima
    Journal of infection and chemotherapy : official journal of the Japan Society of Chemotherapy, 27, 2, 410, 412, 2021年02月, [査読有り], [国際誌]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌), Rapid and simple point-of-care detection of SARS-CoV-2 is an urgent need to prevent pandemic. Reverse transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP) can detect SARS-CoV-2 more rapidly than RT-PCR. Saliva is non-invasive specimen suitable for mass-screening, but data comparing utility of nasopharyngeal swab (NPS) and saliva in RT-LAMP test are lacking and it remains unclear whether SARS-CoV-2 could be detected by direct processing of samples without the need for prior RNA extraction saliva. In this study, we compared utility of saliva and NPS samples for the detection of SARS-CoV-2 by a novel RT-fluorescence LAMP (RT-fLAMP). The sensitivity and specificity of the RT-fLAMP with RNA extraction were 97% and 100%, respectively, with equivalent utility of NPS and saliva. However, sensitivity was decreased to 71% and 47% in NPS and saliva samples without RNA extraction, respectively, suggesting that RNA extraction process may be critical for the virus detection by RT-fLAMP.
  • Annual Body Weight Change and Prognosis in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.
    Yuki Abe, Masaru Suzuki, Hiroshi Shima, Yusuke Shiraishi, Naoya Tanabe, Susumu Sato, Kaoruko Shimizu, Hirokazu Kimura, Hironi Makita, Toyohiro Hirai, Satoshi Konno, Masaharu Nishimura
    International journal of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, 16, 3243, 3253, 2021年, [国際誌]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌), Purpose: Low body mass index (BMI) has been reported to be associated with poor prognosis in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). In contrast, a detailed analysis of the association between body weight change over time and prognosis is not sufficient, particularly in Japanese patients with COPD who have been reported to be much thinner compared to Westerners. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between annual body weight change and long-term prognosis in Japanese patients with COPD in two independent cohorts. Patients and Methods: We analyzed 279 patients with COPD who participated in the Hokkaido COPD cohort study as a discovery cohort. We divided participants into three groups according to quartiles of annual body weight change calculated by the data from the first 5 years: weight loss group (<-0.17 kg/year), no change group (-0.17 to ≤0.20 kg/year), and weight gain group (>0.20 kg/year). The association between annual body weight change and prognosis was replicated in the Kyoto University cohort (n = 247). Results: In the Hokkaido COPD cohort study, the weight loss group had significantly worse mortality than the other groups, whereas there was no difference in BMI at baseline. In the multivariate analysis, annual body weight change was an independent risk factor for all-cause mortality, which was confirmed in the Kyoto University cohort. Conclusion: Annual body weight loss is associated with poor prognosis in Japanese patients with COPD, independent of baseline BMI. Longitudinal assessment of body weight is important for the management of COPD.
  • Resolution of multifocal micronodular pneumocyte hyperplasia with everolimus in a patient with tuberous sclerosis complex.
    Tetsuaki Shoji, Yo Niida, Takahiro Osawa, Ryuji Matsumoto, Kotaro Sakurai, Masaru Suzuki, Yoshihiro Matsuno, Satoshi Konno
    Respiratory medicine case reports, 34, 101526, 101526, 2021年, [国際誌]
    英語, A woman with a diagnosis of tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) presented with TSC2 gene mutation and various manifestations, including epilepsy, renal angiomyolipomas (AML), and pathologically confirmed multifocal micronodular pneumocyte hyperplasia (MMPH). With oral administration of everolimus, a mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) inhibitor, MMPH and AML were markedly reduced. Further, after starting treatment with everolimus, serum levels of surfactant protein (SP)-A and SP-D, which reflect type II pneumocyte hyperplasia, decreased to the normal range. At the time of writing of this manuscript, 6 years after starting everolimus, MMPH lesions did not relapse and SP-A/D remained the low levels. This is the first case of everolimus efficacy shown for histologically confirmed MMPH in genetically determined TSC patient, with time course of serum SP-A and SP-D.
  • Central airway and peripheral lung structures in airway disease-dominant COPD.
    Naoya Tanabe, Kaoruko Shimizu, Kunihiko Terada, Susumu Sato, Masaru Suzuki, Hiroshi Shima, Akira Oguma, Tsuyoshi Oguma, Satoshi Konno, Masaharu Nishimura, Toyohiro Hirai
    ERJ open research, 7, 1, 2021年01月, [査読有り], [国際誌]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌), The concept that the small airway is a primary pathological site for all COPD phenotypes has been challenged by recent findings that the disease starts from the central airways in COPD subgroups and that a smaller central airway tree increases COPD risk. This study aimed to examine whether the computed tomography (CT)-based airway disease-dominant (AD) subtype, defined using the central airway dimension, was less associated with small airway dysfunction (SAD) on CT, compared to the emphysema-dominant (ED) subtype. COPD patients were categorised into mild, AD, ED and mixed groups based on wall area per cent (WA%) of the segmental airways and low attenuation volume per cent in the Kyoto-Himeji (n=189) and Hokkaido COPD cohorts (n=93). The volume per cent of SAD regions (SAD%) was obtained by nonrigidly registering inspiratory and expiratory CT. The AD group had a lower SAD% than the ED group and similar SAD% to the mild group. The AD group had a smaller lumen size of airways proximal to the segmental airways and more frequent asthma history before age 40 years than the ED group. In multivariable analyses, while the AD and ED groups were similarly associated with greater airflow limitation, the ED, but not the AD, group was associated with greater SAD%, whereas the AD, but not the ED, group was associated with a smaller central airway size. The CT-based AD COPD subtype might be associated with a smaller central airway tree and asthma history, but not with peripheral lung pathologies including small airway disease, unlike the ED subtype.
  • Two cases of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease with undetectable diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide.
    Ayumi Ohara, Satoshi Konno, Kaoruko Shimizu, Masaru Suzuki, Masafumi Yamamoto, Asako Mitani, Mutsumi Nishida, Takanori Teshima, Masaharu Nishimura
    Respiratory investigation, 59, 1, 145, 148, 2021年01月, [査読有り], [国際誌]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌), Pulmonary diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide (DLCO) is a valuable pulmonary function test to evaluate the gas exchange capacity of the lungs. Generally, DLCO values are significantly lower in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), particularly in those with a predominantly emphysema phenotype. However, it is extremely rare that DLCO values cannot be obtained for reasons other than technical errors. Herein, we report two patients with COPD in whom DLCO values were undetectable without prolonging the breath-holding time for the test. We discuss possible mechanisms for these peculiar findings.
  • Factors for the Variability of Three Acceptable Maximal Expiratory Flow-Volume Curves in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.
    Masafumi Yamamoto, Satoshi Konno, Hironi Makita, Katsuaki Nitta, Kaoruko Shimizu, Masaru Suzuki, Mutsumi Nishida, Junichi Sugita, Takanori Teshima, Masaharu Nishimura
    International journal of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, 16, 415, 422, 2021年, [査読有り], [国際誌]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌), Background: Generally, the maximal expiratory flow-volume (MEFV) curve must be measured for the diagnosis and staging of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). As this test is effort dependent, international guidelines recommend that three acceptable trials are required for each test. However, no study has examined the magnitude and factors for the variability in parameters among three acceptable trials. Methods: We evaluated the intra-individual variations in several parameters among three acceptable MEFV curves obtained at one-time point in patients with COPD (n = 28, stage 1; n = 36, stage 2; n = 21, stages 3-4). Next, the factors for such variations were examined using forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) and forced vital capacity (FVC). Results: The averages of coefficient of variation (CV) for FEV1 and FVC were 2.0% (range: 1.0-3.0%) and 1.6% (0.9-2.2%), respectively. Both parameters were significantly better than peak expiratory flow rate, forced expiratory flow at 50% of expired FVC, and forced expiratory flow at 75% of expired FVC (CVs: 5.0-6.9%). A higher spirometric stage was significantly associated with higher CVs for FVC and FEV1, and older age was significantly correlated with a higher variation in FEV1 alone. Furthermore, a significantly inverse association was observed between emphysema severity, and the CVs for FEV1, but not that for FVC, regardless of spirometric stage. Conclusion: Both FVC and FEV1 are highly reproducible; nevertheless, older age, lower FEV1 at baseline, and non-emphysema phenotype are factors for a higher variability in FEV1 in patients with COPD.
  • A case of radio-insensitive SMARCA4-deficient thoracic undifferentiated carcinoma with severe right heart failure.
    Shotaro Ito, Hajime Asahina, Naoko Yamaguchi, Utano Tomaru, Tadashi Hasegawa, Yutaka Hatanaka, Kanako C Hatanaka, Hiroshi Taguchi, Taisuke Harada, Hiroshi Ohira, Daisuke Ikeda, Hidenori Mizugaki, Eiki Kikuchi, Junko Kikuchi, Jun Sakakibara-Konishi, Naofumi Shinagawa, Satoshi Konno
    Respiratory medicine case reports, 32, 101364, 101364, 2021年, [査読有り], [最終著者], [国際誌]
    英語, SMARCA4-deficient thoracic sarcomatoid tumors were characterized by inactivating mutations of SMARCA4 and often found in the chest of young and middle-aged males with a smoking history. Recently, SMARCA4-deficient thoracic sarcomatoid tumors were reported to represent primarily smoking-associated undifferentiated/de-differentiated carcinomas rather than primary thoracic sarcomas. The main complication of this tumor is compression of the respiratory tract and/or blood vessels. A 39-year-old man presented with a 2-month history of fever and dyspnea. Computed tomography revealed a mediastinal tumor invading the right and left pulmonary arteries. Because of severe right heart failure, we considered him ineligible for bronchoscopy. We scheduled palliative irradiation with 40 Gy/20 Fr to improve hemodynamics and perform endobronchial ultrasound transbronchial needle aspiration later. However, irradiation was ineffective, and his general condition deteriorated quickly and he died after a 7-week hospitalization. An autopsy revealed that the diagnosis was SMARCA4-deficient thoracic undifferentiated carcinoma. It has been reported that this tumor is insensitive to radiotherapy and there were some cases which responded to an immune checkpoint inhibitor. Therefore, when caring for patients with mediastinal tumors that invade and compress the trachea and large vessels, it is important to consider this tumor as a differential diagnosis and try to make a pathological diagnosis as soon as possible.
  • Successful management of a patient with active Cushing‍'‍s disease complicated with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pneumonia.
    Akiko Yuno, Yoshiyuki Kenmotsu, Yuka Takahashi, Hiroshi Nomoto, Hiraku Kameda, Kyu Yong Cho, Akinobu Nakamura, Yu Yamashita, Junichi Nakamura, Sho Nakakubo, Keisuke Kamada, Masaru Suzuki, Hirokazu Sugino, Naoko Inoshita, Satoshi Konno, Hideaki Miyoshi, Tatsuya Atsumi, Yutaka Sawamura, Akira Shimatsu
    Endocrine journal, 68, 4, 477, 484, 2020年12月24日, [査読有り], [国内誌]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌), We provide the details of the successful management of a patient with active Cushing's disease complicated with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pneumonia. The patient was a 27-year-old Japanese female healthcare worker who was scheduled to undergo pituitary surgery for Cushing's disease. She had been in close contact with an undiagnosed patient infected with COVID-19 and then developed COVID-19 pneumonia. Despite a lack of known risk factors associated with severe COVID-19 infection, the patient's dyspnea worsened and her respiratory condition deteriorated, as indicated by the need for 7 L/min oxygen supply by mask to maintain her oxygen saturation at >90%. Medical treatment was initiated to control hypercortisolism by the 'block and replace' regimen using steroidogenesis inhibitors and hydrocortisone. The COVID-19 pneumonia improved with multi-modal treatment including antiviral therapy. One month later, after a negative severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) test result and with appropriate protection against virus transmission to medical staff in the operating room and daily medical care nurses, trans-sphenoidal surgery was performed by our highly experienced pituitary surgeon. One month after the surgery, the patient's basal ACTH and cortisol levels and urinary free cortisol were all under the detection limit. Surgical remission was expected. Since hypercortisolism due to active Cushing's disease may worsen a COVID-19 infection, multi-disciplinary management that includes appropriate and prompt treatment strategies is mandatory in such cases.
  • Proposal of COVID-19 Clinical Risk Score for the management of suspected COVID-19 cases: a case control study.
    Sho Nakakubo, Masaru Suzuki, Keisuke Kamada, Yu Yamashita, Junichi Nakamura, Hiroshi Horii, Kazuki Sato, Munehiro Matsumoto, Yuki Abe, Kosuke Tsuji, Nobuhisa Ishiguro, Yasuyuki Nasuhara, Satoshi Konno
    BMC infectious diseases, 20, 1, 858, 858, 2020年11月18日, [査読有り], [最終著者], [国際誌]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌), BACKGROUND: No clinical scoring system has yet been established to estimate the likelihood of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and 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 computed tomography (CT) findings, and the presence of alternative diagnoses were evaluated. Clinical risk scores were developed based on clinical differences between patients with and without COVID-19. RESULTS: Among 110 patients suspected of having COVID-19, 60.9% underwent polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing based on the judgment of physicians. Two patients were found to have COVID-19. The clinical characteristics of 108 non-COVID-19 patients were compared with those of 23 confirmed COVID-19 patients. Patients with COVID-19 were more likely to have a history of high-risk exposures and an abnormal sense of taste and smell. The COVID-19 group had significantly higher rates of subnormal white blood cell counts, lower eosinophil counts, and lower procalcitonin levels than the non-COVID-19 group. When blood test results, CT findings, and the presence of alternative diagnoses were scored on an 11-point scale (i.e., "COVID-19 Clinical Risk Score"), the COVID-19 group scored significantly higher than the non-COVID-19 group, more than four points in the COVID-19 group. All non-COVID patients who did not undergo PCR had a score of 4 or less. CONCLUSIONS: 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.
  • Strategic Outlook toward 2030: Japan's research for allergy and immunology - Secondary publication.
    Takeya Adachi, Keigo Kainuma, Koichiro Asano, Masayuki Amagai, Hiroyuki Arai, Ken J Ishii, Komei Ito, Eiichi Uchio, Motohiro Ebisawa, Mitsuhiro Okano, Kenji Kabashima, Kenji Kondo, Satoshi Konno, Hidehisa Saeki, Mariko Sonobe, Mizuho Nagao, Nobuyuki Hizawa, Atsuki Fukushima, Shigeharu Fujieda, Kenji Matsumoto, Hideaki Morita, Kazuhiko Yamamoto, Akemi Yoshimoto, Mayumi Tamari
    Allergology international : official journal of the Japanese Society of Allergology, 69, 4, 561, 570, 2020年10月, [査読有り], [国際誌]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌), Strategic Outlook toward 2030: Japan's Research for Allergy and Immunology (Strategy 2030) is the national research strategy based on Japan's Basic Law on Measures Against Allergic Diseases, a first of its kind worldwide. This strategy was established by a multi-disciplinary committee consisting of administrators of the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare of Japan, young and senior experts from various research societies and associations, and representatives of patient and public groups. Whereas the issues of transition, integration, and international collaboration have yet to be solved in this research realm in Japan, identification of unmet needs, digitization of information and transparent procedures, and strategic planning for complex problems (a process dubbed MIERUKA by the Toyota Way) are crucial to share and tackle the same vision and goals. The committee developed three specific actions focusing on preemptive treatment, interdisciplinarity and internationality, and life stage. The real success of Strategy 2030 is made by the spontaneous contributions of doctors, dentists, veterinarians, and other medical professionals; basic and clinical research scientists, research supporters, and pharmaceutical/medical device companies; manufacturers of food, healthcare, and home appliances; and patients, their families, and the public. The hope is to establish a stable society in which people can live long, healthy lives, as free as possible from allergic and immunological diseases, at each individual life stage. This article is based on a Japanese review first reported in Arerugi, introduces the developmental process and details of Strategy 2030.
  • Determination of the cutoff values of Th2 markers for the prediction of future exacerbation in severe asthma: An analysis from the Hokkaido Severe Asthma Cohort Study.
    Hirokazu Kimura, Hironi Makita, Natsuko Taniguchi, Nozomu Takei, Munehiro Matsumoto, Hiroki Kimura, Houman Goudarzi, Kaoruko Shimizu, Masaru Suzuki, Masaharu Nishimura, Satoshi Konno
    Allergology international : official journal of the Japanese Society of Allergology, 2020年09月17日, [査読有り], [最終著者, 責任著者], [国際誌]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌), BACKGROUND: We recently reported that severe asthma patients with frequent exacerbations showed high blood eosinophil counts (Eo) and fractions of exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) compared with non-exacerbators. However, we did not determine exact cutoff values related to exacerbation. The aim of this study was to determine the cutoff values of Eo and FeNO that could be related to the exacerbation of severe asthma. We also aimed to confirm the clinical utility of Th2 markers related to exacerbation. METHODS: This study included 105 severe asthma patients who completed a three-year follow-up of a severe asthma cohort study, including smokers. Three Th2 markers were selected, viz., Eo, FeNO, and positive atopic status. Regarding Eo and FeNO, we determined the cutoff values for the definition of "positive" Th2 features using receiver operating characteristic curve analyses, based on the comparisons between frequent exacerbators and other patients. RESULTS: The cutoff values for positive Th2 features were Eo ≥ 250 cells/μL and FeNO ≥31 ppb. Sixteen patients (15.2%) had no Th2 features, 40 (38.1%) had one, 25 (23.8%) had two, and 24 (22.9%) had three. A high number of positive Th2 features was significantly associated with exacerbation frequencies over three years (p < 0.05). Similarly, compared to patients with one or no Th2 features, those with three Th2 features had a significantly higher probability of having more than one exacerbation (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The cutoff values determined in the current analysis were good predictors of future exacerbations in severe asthma patients.
  • New Clinical Diagnostic Criteria for Allergic Bronchopulmonary Aspergillosis/Mycosis and its Validation.
    Koichiro Asano, Akira Hebisawa, Takashi Ishiguro, Noboru Takayanagi, Yasuhiko Nakamura, Junko Suzuki, Naoki Okada, Jun Tanaka, Yuma Fukutomi, Shigeharu Ueki, Koichi Fukunaga, Satoshi Konno, Hiroto Matsuse, Katsuhiko Kamei, Masami Taniguchi, Terufumi Shimoda, Tsuyoshi Oguma
    The Journal of allergy and clinical immunology, 147, 4, 1261, 1268, 2020年09月10日, [査読有り], [国際誌]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌), BACKGROUND: There are several clinical diagnostic criteria for allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA). However, these criteria have not been validated in detail, and no criteria for allergic bronchopulmonary mycosis (ABPM) is currently available. OBJECTIVE: We propose new diagnostic criteria for ABPA/ABPM, consisting of ten components, and compare its sensitivity and specificity to existing methods. METHODS: Rosenberg-Patterson's criteria proposed in 1977, International Society for Human and Animal Mycology (ISHAM) criteria proposed in 2013, and our new criteria, were applied to 79 cases with pathological ABPM and the control population with allergic mucin in the absence of fungal hyphae (n = 37), chronic eosinophilic pneumonia (n = 64), Aspergillus-sensitized severe asthma (n = 26), or chronic pulmonary aspergillosis (n = 24). These criteria were also applied to the 179 cases with physician-diagnosed ABPA/ABPM in a nation-wide Japanese survey. RESULTS: The sensitivity for pathological ABPM with Rosenberg-Patterson criteria, ISHAM criteria, and our new criteria were 25.3%, 77.2%, and 96.2%, respectively. The sensitivity for physician-diagnosed ABPA/ABPM were 49.2%, 82.7%, and 94.4%, respectively. The area under the curve for the receiver operation characteristic curve was 0.85, 0.90, and 0.98 for Rosenberg-Patterson criteria, ISHAM criteria, and the new criteria, respectively. The sensitivity for ABPM cases that were culture-positive for non-Aspergillus fungi, were 14.3%, 47.6%, and 90.5% with Rosenberg-Patterson criteria, ISHAM criteria, and the new criteria, respectively. CONCLUSION: The new diagnostic criteria showed better sensitivity and specificity for diagnosing ABPA/ABPM, compared with existing criteria.
  • 巨大粘液栓を伴った肺粘表皮癌の1例
    高橋 桂, 品川 尚文, 加藤 達哉, 高橋 宏典, 國崎 守, 樋田 泰浩, 加賀 基知三, 土井 和尚, 松野 吉宏, 今野 哲
    気管支学, 42, 5, 441, 447, (NPO)日本呼吸器内視鏡学会, 2020年09月
    日本語
  • Efficacy of a novel SARS-CoV-2 detection kit without RNA extraction and purification.
    Tatsuya Fukumoto, Sumio Iwasaki, Shinichi Fujisawa, Kasumi Hayasaka, Kaori Sato, Satoshi Oguri, Keisuke Taki, Sho Nakakubo, Keisuke Kamada, Yu Yamashita, Satoshi Konno, Mutsumi Nishida, Junichi Sugita, Takanori Teshima
    International journal of infectious diseases : IJID : official publication of the International Society for Infectious Diseases, 98, 16, 17, 2020年09月, [査読有り], [国際誌]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌), Rapid detection of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is critical for the diagnosis of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and preventing the spread of the virus. A novel detection kit - the 2019 Novel Coronavirus Detection Kit (nCoV-DK) - halves the detection time by eliminating the steps of RNA extraction and purification. We evaluated the concordance between the nCoV-DK and direct PCR. The virus was detected in 53/71 specimens (74.6%) by direct PCR and in 55/71 specimens (77.5%) by nCoV-DK; the overall concordance rate was 94.4%: 95.2% for nasopharyngeal swab, 95.5% for saliva, and 85.7% for sputum. The nCoV-DK test effectively detects SARS-CoV-2 in all types of sample including saliva, while reducing the time required for detection, labor, and the risk of human error.
  • Progression of Central-peripheral Band and Traction Bronchiectasis Clusters Leading to Chronic Respiratory Failure in a Patient with Fibrotic Pulmonary Sarcoidosis.
    Michiru Sawahata, Noriharu Shijubo, Takeshi Johkoh, Takeshi Kawanobe, Yasumaro Fujiki, Masashi Bando, Koichi Hagiwara, Tamiko Takemura, Satoshi Konno, Tetsuo Yamaguchi
    Internal medicine (Tokyo, Japan), 2020年08月22日, [査読有り], [国内誌]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌), We herein report a rare case of pulmonary sarcoidosis leading to chronic respiratory failure with restrictive ventilatory impairment during a 53-year-long observation period. Nine years after the histological diagnosis of stage I sarcoidosis on chest X-ray in a woman in her 20s, she developed bilateral reticular and granular opacities on chest computed tomography and was started on prednisone for 18 years. Seven years after prednisone withdrawal, these persisting opacities around the bronchovascular bundle, including a central-peripheral band, had progressed, forming traction bronchiectasis clusters and peripheral cysts, some of which developed continuously at the distal side of these clusters, with eventual upper lobe shrinkage.
  • Comparison of SARS-CoV-2 detection in nasopharyngeal swab and saliva.
    Sumio Iwasaki, Shinichi Fujisawa, Sho Nakakubo, Keisuke Kamada, Yu Yamashita, Tatsuya Fukumoto, Kaori Sato, Satoshi Oguri, Keisuke Taki, Hajime Senjo, Junichi Sugita, Kasumi Hayasaka, Satoshi Konno, Mutsumi Nishida, Takanori Teshima
    The Journal of infection, 81, 2, e145-e147, 2020年08月, [査読有り], [国際誌]
    英語
  • Preoperative Pulmonary Function Testing to Predict Recurrence of Chronic Rhinosinusitis With Nasal Polyps
    Yuji Nakamaru, Masanobu Suzuki, Aya Honma, Akira Nakazono, Shogo Kimura, Keishi Fujiwara, Shinya Morita, Satoshi Konno, Akihiro Homma
    ALLERGY & RHINOLOGY, 11, 2020年07月
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌)
  • 新型コロナウイルス感染症診療における呼吸器内科医師の活動実態に関するアンケート調査結果
    鎌田 啓佑, 今野 哲, 金子 猛, 福永 興壱, 長谷川 好規, 横山 彰仁
    日本呼吸器学会誌, 9, 4, 233, 238, (一社)日本呼吸器学会, 2020年07月
    日本語
  • クライオ生検で診断し得たT細胞性リンパ腫再発の1例
    佐藤 理子, 品川 尚文, 辻 康介, 松本 宗大, 木村 孔一, 鈴木 雅, 米田 和樹, 清水 亜衣, 松野 吉宏, 今野 哲
    気管支学, 42, 4, 343, 348, (NPO)日本呼吸器内視鏡学会, 2020年07月
    日本語
  • Temporal trends and determinants of PFR exposure in the Hokkaido Study.
    Michiel Bastiaensen, Yu Ait Bamai, Atsuko Araki, Houman Goudarzi, Satoshi Konno, Sachiko Ito, Chihiro Miyashita, Yiming Yao, Reiko Kishi, Adrian Covaci
    International journal of hygiene and environmental health, 228, 113523, 113523, 2020年07月, [査読有り], [国際誌]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌), The phase-out of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE) flame retardants has led to the rapid increase of alternatives such as phosphate flame retardants and plasticizers (PFRs) in many consumer products. Exposure to these additive chemicals is widespread and potentially harmful to humans and the environment. In the present study, we assessed the exposure to PFRs through the analysis of metabolites in urine collected from 7-year old children from Hokkaido, Japan between 2012 and 2017. This allowed us to investigate temporal and seasonal trends for PFR metabolite concentrations and to study determinants of exposure. Thirteen metabolites of seven PFRs were measured in morning spot urine samples (n = 400). Multiple regression models were used to quantify the yearly increase in metabolite concentrations per sampling year. Information on the demographics, indoor environment and dietary habits of the participants were derived from self-administered questionnaires. PFR metabolite concentrations were comparable to our previous study of school children (7-12 years old). Eight PFR metabolites were detected in >50% of the samples. During the study time period, concentrations of three metabolites increased significantly: bis(1,3-dichloro-2-propyl) phosphate (BDCIPP; 13.3% per year), 1-hydroxy-2-propyl bis(1-chloro-2-propyl) phosphate (BCIPHIPP; 12.9% per year), and 2-ethylhexyl phenyl phosphate (EHPHP; 6.7% per year). We also found seasonality as a determinant for several PFR metabolites, with 2-fold higher levels in summer for BCIPHIPP and BDCIPP. Concentrations were also significantly impacted by ventilation habits. More frequent window opening or use of mechanical ventilation was consistently associated with higher levels of PFR metabolites in children's urine. This is the first study to show that human exposure to PFRs has increased in recent years in Japan, which indicates that further research into this class of chemicals is warranted.
  • Older age is associated with sustained detection of SARS-CoV-2 in nasopharyngeal swab samples.
    Takeshi Hattori, Masaru Amishima, Daisuke Morinaga, Keisuke Kamada, Sho Nakakubo, Yu Yamashita, Yasuo Shichinohe, Shinichi Fujisawa, Mutsumi Nishida, Yasuyuki Nasuhara, Takanori Teshima, Satoshi Konno
    The Journal of infection, 82, 1, 159, 198, 2020年06月21日, [査読有り], [最終著者, 責任著者], [国際誌]
    英語
  • ORMDL3/GSDMB genotype as a risk factor for early-onset adult asthma is linked to total serum IgE levels but not to allergic sensitization.
    Haruna Kitazawa, Hironori Masuko, Jun Kanazawa, Rie Shigemasa, Kentaro Hyodo, Hideyasu Yamada, Yohei Yatagai, Yoshiko Kaneko, Hiroaki Iijima, Takashi Naito, Takefumi Saito, Emiko Noguchi, Satoshi Konno, Tomomitsu Hirota, Mayumi Tamari, Tohru Sakamoto, Nobuyuki Hizawa
    Allergology international : official journal of the Japanese Society of Allergology, 70, 1, 55, 60, 2020年05月19日, [査読有り], [国際誌]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌), BACKGROUND: An orosomucoid-like 3 (ORMDL3)/gasdermin B (GSDMB) gene locus on chromosome 17q is consistently associated with childhood-onset asthma, which is highly atopic. As some evidence suggests the relationship between asthma and allergic sensitization reflects asthma patient susceptibility to augmented IgE responses driven by common environmental allergens rather than an increased asthma risk after allergen exposure, we aimed to determine any relationships between this locus region and childhood-onset adult asthma with regard to serum total IgE levels or allergic sensitization. METHODS: We conducted a case-control association study using three independent Japanese populations (3869 total adults) and analyzed the ORs for association of rs7216389, an expression quantitative trait locus for ORMDL3/GSDMB, with adult asthma according to onset age. Additionally, associations between the rs7216389 genotype and total serum IgE levels or allergic sensitization was examined. RESULTS: Rs7216389 was associated with both childhood-onset adult asthma (OR for asthmatic patients afflicted at the age of 10 years or younger = 1.61, p = 0.00021) and asthmatic patients with higher levels of total serum IgE (OR for asthmatic patients with IgE ≥1000IU/mL = 1.55, p = 0.0033). In both healthy controls and in the combined healthy and asthmatic individuals, rs7216389 was correlated with increased total serum IgE levels (p < 0.0005), but not allergic sensitization (p > 0.1). CONCLUSIONS: ORMDL3/GSDMB is an important susceptibility gene for childhood-onset adult asthma in Japanese populations and this association is linked to elevated total serum IgE levels but not to allergic sensitization.
  • Evaluating the immunoproteasome as a potential therapeutic target in cisplatin-resistant small cell and non-small cell lung cancer.
    Tetsuaki Shoji, Eiki Kikuchi, Junko Kikuchi, Yuta Takashima, Megumi Furuta, Hirofumi Takahashi, Kosuke Tsuji, Makie Maeda, Ichiro Kinoshita, Hirotoshi Dosaka-Akita, Jun Sakakibara-Konishi, Satoshi Konno
    Cancer chemotherapy and pharmacology, 85, 5, 843, 853, 2020年05月, [査読有り], [最終著者], [国際誌]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌), PURPOSE: We evaluated the expression of proteasome subunits to assess whether the proteasome could be a therapeutic target in cisplatin-resistant lung cancer cells. METHODS: Cisplatin-resistant (CR) variants were established from three non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cell lines (A549, H1299, and H1975) and two small cell lung cancer (SCLC) cell lines (SBC3 and SBC5). The expression of proteasome subunits, the sensitivity to immunoproteasome inhibitors, and 20S proteasomal proteolytic activity were examined in the CR variants of the lung cancer cell lines. RESULTS: All five CR cell lines highly expressed one or both of the immunoproteasome subunit genes, PSMB8 and PSMB9, while no clear trend was observed in the expression of constitutive proteasome subunits. The CR cells expressed significantly higher levels of PSMB8 and PSMB9 proteins, as well. The CR variants of the H1299 and SBC3 cell lines were more sensitive to immunoproteasome inhibitors, and had significantly more proteasomal proteolytic activity than their parental counterparts. CONCLUSIONS: The immunoproteasome may be an effective therapeutic target in a subset of CR lung cancers. Proteasomal proteolytic activity may be a predictive marker for the efficacy of immunoproteasome inhibitors in cisplatin-resistant SCLC and NSCLC.
  • Honeycomb lung-like structures resulting from clustering of traction bronchiectasis distally in sarcoidosis
    Michiru Sawahata, Noriharu Shijubo, Takeshi Johkoh, Koichi Hagiwara, Satoshi Konno, Tetsuo Yamaguchi
    Respirology Case Reports, 8, 3, Wiley-Blackwell Publishing Ltd, 2020年04月01日
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌)
  • A Sickle Cell Crisis in a Blood Culture Bottle.
    Keisuke Kamada, Takeshi Matsuda, Satoshi Konno, Hideaki Oka
    Internal medicine (Tokyo, Japan), 59, 7, 1013, 1013, 2020年04月01日, [査読有り], [国内誌]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌)
  • Characteristics of 68 patients with clinically proven sarcoidosis based on the Japan Society of Sarcoidosis and Other Granulomatous Disorders 2015 criteria.
    Yoshitaka Yamanouchi, Michiru Sawahata, Noritaka Sakamoto, Shu Hisata, Noriharu Shijubo, Satoshi Konno, Tetsuo Yamaguchi, Meri Watanabe, Hidetoshi Kawashima, Takuji Suzuki, Masashi Bando, Koichi Hagiwara
    Respiratory investigation, 58, 2, 102, 109, 2020年03月, [国際誌]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌), BACKGROUND: The presence of histologically evident epithelioid granuloma is required for the diagnosis of sarcoidosis worldwide. The Japan Society of Sarcoidosis and Other Granulomatous Disorders 2015 diagnostic criteria (JSSOG 2015 criteria) includes "clinically proven diagnosis" (involvement of at least 2 of 3 systems confirmed solely by clinical assessment) because of the frequency of sarcoidosis with ocular, cardiac, and respiratory involvement in Japan and the difficulty of obtaining specimens. Here, we describe in detail the clinical presentation of clinically diagnosed sarcoidosis. METHODS: We enrolled 68 consecutive patients with clinically diagnosed sarcoidosis (12 men, 56 women) based on the JSSOG 2015 criteria who were treated at Jichi Medical University between December 2018 and January 2000. We analyzed age at diagnosis, organ involvement, and laboratory findings. RESULTS: Age at diagnosis was unimodal in women. Ocular, splenic, cardiac, and skin involvement, and hypercalcemia were observed in 95.6%, 8.8%, 7.4%, 5.9%, and 35.0% of patients, respectively. High serum lysozyme and soluble interleukin-2 receptor (sIL-2R) levels, bilateral hilar lymphadenopathy on chest radiography, high-grade atrioventricular block or fatal ventricular arrhythmia, and bundle branch block were found in 18.8%, 48.3%, 95.6%, 5.0%, and 10.0% of patients, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The age-specific distribution of clinically diagnosed sarcoidosis was similar to histologically diagnosed sarcoidosis in women, as previously reported. Rates of elevated serum lysozyme and sIL-2R levels were lower in this study than previously reported in histologically diagnosed patients in Japan.
  • Bromodomain and extraterminal domain inhibition synergizes with WEE1-inhibitor AZD1775 effect by impairing nonhomologous end joining and enhancing DNA damage in nonsmall cell lung cancer.
    Yuta Takashima, Eiki Kikuchi, Junko Kikuchi, Motofumi Suzuki, Hajime Kikuchi, Makie Maeda, Tetsuaki Shoji, Megumi Furuta, Ichiro Kinoshita, Hirotoshi Dosaka-Akita, Jun Sakakibara-Konishi, Satoshi Konno
    International journal of cancer, 146, 4, 1114, 1124, 2020年02月15日, [査読有り], [最終著者], [国際誌]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌), Bromodomain and extraterminal domain (BET) inhibitors are broadly active against distinct types of cancer, including nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Previous studies have addressed the effect of BET-inhibiting drugs on the expression of oncogenes such as c-Myc, but DNA damage repair pathways have also been reported to be involved in the efficacy of these drugs. AZD1775, an inhibitor of the G2-M cell cycle checkpoint kinase WEE1, induces DNA damage by promoting premature mitotic entry. Thus, we hypothesized that BET inhibition would increase AZD1775-induced cytotoxicity by impairing DNA damage repair. Here, we demonstrate that combined inhibition of BET and WEE1 synergistically suppresses NSCLC growth both in vitro and in vivo. Two BET inhibitors, JQ1 and AZD5153, increased and prolonged AZD1775-induced DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) and concomitantly repressed genes related to nonhomologous end joining (NHEJ), including XRCC4 and SHLD1. Furthermore, pharmaceutical inhibition of BET or knockdown of the BET protein BRD4 markedly diminished NHEJ activity, and the BET-inhibitor treatment also repressed myelin transcription factor 1 (MYT1) expression and promoted mitotic entry with subsequent mitotic catastrophe when combined with WEE1 inhibition. Our findings reveal that BET proteins, predominantly BRD4, play an essential role in DSB repair through the NHEJ pathway, and further suggest that combined inhibition of BET and WEE1 could serve as a novel therapeutic strategy for NSCLC.
  • Combined exposure to phthalate esters and phosphate flame retardants and plasticizers and their associations with wheeze and allergy symptoms among school children.
    Atsuko Araki, Yu Ait Bamai, Michiel Bastiaensen, Nele Van den Eede, Toshio Kawai, Tazuru Tsuboi, Chihiro Miyashita, Sachiko Itoh, Houman Goudarzi, Satoshi Konno, Adrian Covaci, Reiko Kishi
    Environmental research, 183, 109212, 109212, 2020年02月03日, [査読有り], [国際誌]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌), BACKGROUND: Phthalate esters and phosphate flame retardants and plasticizers (PFRs) are both used as plasticizers and are commonly detected in indoor environments. Although both phthalates and PFRs are known to be associated with children's wheeze and allergic symptoms, there have been no previous studies examining the effects of mixtures of these exposures. OBJECTIVES: To investigate the association between exposure to mixtures of phthalate esters and PFRs, and wheeze and allergic symptoms among school-aged children. METHODS: A total of 128 elementary school-aged children were enrolled. Metabolites of 3 phthalate esters and 7 PFRs were measured in urine samples. Parent-reported symptoms of wheeze, rhinoconjunctivitis, and eczema were evaluated using the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC) questionnaire. In the primary model, we created a phthalate ester and PFR mixture exposure index, and estimated odds ratios (ORs) using weighted quantile sum (WQS) regression and quantile g (qg)-computation. The two highest chemicals according to qg-computation weight %s were combined to create a combination high × high exposure estimate, with ORs calculated using the "low × low" exposure group as the reference category. Concentrations of each metabolite were corrected by multiplying this value by the sex- and body size-Standardised creatinine concentration and dividing by the observed creatinine value. All models were adjusted for sex, grade, dampness index and annual house income. RESULTS: The odds ratio of rhinoconjunctivitis for the association between exposure to chemical mixtures according to the WQS index positive models was; OR = 2.60 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.38-5.14). However, wheeze and eczema of the WQS index positive model, none of the WQS index negative models or qg-computation result yielded statistically significant results. Combined exposure to the two highest WQS weight %s of "high-high" ΣTCIPP and ΣTPHP was associated with an increased prevalence of rhino-conjunctivitis, OR = 5.78 (1.81-18.43) to the "low × low" group. CONCLUSIONS: Significant associations of mixed exposures to phthalates and PFRs and increased prevalence of rhinoconjunctivitis was found among elementary school-aged children in the WQS positive model. Mixed exposures were not associated with any of allergic symptoms in the WQS negative model or qg-computation approach. However, the combined effects of exposure to two PFRs suggested an additive and/or multiplicative interaction, potentially increasing the prevalence of rhinoconjunctivitis. A further study with a larger sample size is needed to confirm these results.
  • Per cent low attenuation volume and fractal dimension of low attenuation clusters on CT predict different long-term outcomes in COPD.
    Kaoruko Shimizu, Naoya Tanabe, Nguyen Van Tho, Masaru Suzuki, Hironi Makita, Susumu Sato, Shigeo Muro, Michiaki Mishima, Toyohiro Hirai, Emiko Ogawa, Yasutaka Nakano, Satoshi Konno, Masaharu Nishimura
    Thorax, 75, 2, 116, 122, 2020年02月, [査読有り], [国際誌]
    英語, BACKGROUND: Fractal dimension (D) characterises the size distribution of low attenuation clusters on CT and assesses the spatial heterogeneity of emphysema that per cent low attenuation volume (%LAV) cannot detect. This study tested the hypothesis that %LAV and D have different roles in predicting decline in FEV1, exacerbation and mortality in patients with COPD. METHODS: Chest inspiratory CT scans in the baseline and longitudinal follow-up records for FEV1, exacerbation and mortality prospectively collected over 10 years in the Hokkaido COPD Cohort Study were examined (n=96). The associations between CT measures and long-term outcomes were replicated in the Kyoto University cohort (n=130). RESULTS: In the Hokkaido COPD cohort, higher %LAV, but not D, was associated with a greater decline in FEV1 and 10-year mortality, whereas lower D, but not %LAV, was associated with shorter time to first exacerbation. Multivariable analysis for the Kyoto University cohort confirmed that lower D at baseline was independently associated with shorter time to first exacerbation and that higher LAV% was independently associated with increased mortality after adjusting for age, height, weight, FEV1 and smoking status. CONCLUSION: These well-established cohorts clarify the different prognostic roles of %LAV and D, whereby lower D is associated with a higher risk of exacerbation and higher %LAV is associated with a rapid decline in lung function and long-term mortality. Combination of %LAV and fractal D may identify COPD subgroups at high risk of a poor clinical outcome more sensitively.
  • Nivolumab-induced immune thrombocytopenia in a patient with malignant pleural mesothelioma
    Jun Sakakibara-Konishi, Mineyoshi Sato, Kohei Kasahara, Masahiro Onozawa, Hidenori Mizugaki, Eiki Kikuchi, Hajime Asahina, Naofumi Shinagawa, Satoshi Konno
    Respiratory Medicine Case Reports, 31, W.B. Saunders Ltd, 2020年01月01日
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌)
  • Computed tomography images of fibrotic pulmonary sarcoidosis leading to chronic respiratory failure
    Michiru Sawahata, Takeshi Johkoh, Takeshi Kawanobe, Chiyoko Kono, Yosikazu Nakamura, Masashi Bando, Koichi Hagiwara, Tamiko Takemura, Fumikazu Sakai, Noriharu Shijubo, Satoshi Konno, Tetsuo Yamaguchi
    Journal of Clinical Medicine, 9, 1, MDPI, 2020年01月01日
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌)
  • Pathogenic Effect of Prevotella intermedia on a Mouse Pneumonia Model Due to Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus With Up-Regulated α-Hemolysin Expression.
    Yu Yamashita, Kentaro Nagaoka, Hiroki Kimura, Masaru Suzuki, Tatsuya Fukumoto, Kasumi Hayasaka, Norihito Kaku, Yoshitomo Morinaga, Katsunori Yanagihara, Satoshi Konno
    Frontiers in microbiology, 11, 587235, 587235, 2020年, [査読有り], [最終著者], [国際誌]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌), Background: Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a common causative agent of pneumonia; however, the detailed mechanism underlying severe MRSA pneumonia, including association with oral hygiene or periodontitis, remains poorly characterized. In this study, we examined the pathogenic effect of Prevotella intermedia, a major periodontopathic pathogen, on MRSA pneumonia. Methods: The pathogenic effect of the supernatant of P. intermedia (Pi Sup) was investigated in a murine MRSA pneumonia model, using several clinical strains; whereas the bactericidal activity of polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs) was investigated in vitro. The effect of Pi Sup on messenger RNA (mRNA) expression of the toxin/quorum sensing system (rnaIII) was investigated by quantitative reverse transcription PCR both in vitro and in vivo. Results: Mice infected by hospital-acquired MRSA (HA-MRSA) with Pi Sup exhibited a significantly lower survival rate, higher bacterial loads in the lungs, and higher α-hemolysin (hla) expression in the lungs, than those without Pi Sup. A similar effect of Pi Sup was not observed with MRSA strains producing Panton-Valentine leucocidin (PVL) or toxic shock syndrome toxin (TSST). In vitro, Pi Sup suppressed bactericidal activity of PMNs against the HA-MRSA strain. HA-MRSA was the clinical strain with the highest ability to proliferate in the lungs and was accompanied by time-dependent up-regulation of rnaIII and hla. Conclusions: Our results provide novel evidence that the product of P. intermedia exerts a pathogenic effect on MRSA pneumonia, in particular with a strain exhibiting strong proliferation in the lower airway tract. Moreover, our results indicate that P. intermedia affects MRSA toxin expression via quorum sensing in a strain-dependent fashion, which might be important for understanding the pathogenesis of severe MRSA pneumonia.
  • Traditional Japanese Herbal Medicine Hochu-Ekki-to Promotes Pneumococcal Colonization Clearance via Macrophage Activation and Interleukin 17A Production in Mice.
    Sho Nakakubo, Soichiro Kimura, Kazuyuki Mimura, Chiaki Kajiwara, Yoshikazu Ishii, Satoshi Konno, Kazuhiro Tateda
    Frontiers in cellular and infection microbiology, 10, 569158, 569158, 2020年, [査読有り], [国際誌]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌), Streptococcus pneumoniae 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 pneumococci, were treated orally with TJ-41. During colonization, TJ-41 treatment significantly reduced pneumococcal burden and increased macrophage population in the nasopharynx. Furthermore, interleukin 17A production was significantly enhanced after TJ-41 treatment. In vitro experiment using nasal-derived cells revealed that pneumococcal antigen exposure upregulated the transcription of interleukin 17A in the TJ-41-treated group compared with that in the control group. Macrophages activated by killed bacteria were significantly increased in the presence of TJ-41 in an interleukin 17A-dependent manner. Moreover, TJ-41 enhanced phagocytosis, inhibited bacterial growth, and improved the antigen-presenting capacity of macrophages. Our results demonstrate that TJ-41 accelerates the clearance of pneumococcal nasopharyngeal colonization via macrophage activation. Subsequent production of interleukin 17A provides an additional benefit to effector cells.
  • Rapidly progressive organizing pneumonia associated with COVID-19.
    Hiroshi Horii, Keisuke Kamada, Sho Nakakubo, Yu Yamashita, Junichi Nakamura, Yasuyuki Nasuhara, Satoshi Konno
    Respiratory medicine case reports, 31, 101295, 101295, 2020年, [査読有り], [最終著者], [国際誌]
    英語, We report a case of clinically diagnosed secondary organizing pneumonia (SOP) associated with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). A 70-year-old woman who had been diagnosed with COVID-19 was admitted to Hokkaido University Hospital. Although her fever, cough, dyspnea, and serum C-reactive protein levels improved, she developed rapidly progressive respiratory failure and computed tomography revealed the development of bilateral lung consolidation. Her dyspnea was relieved, and her oxygenation levels and radiological findings improved after commencing corticosteroid treatment. Blood biomarkers for interstitial lung disease, Krebs von den Lungen-6 (KL-6) and surfactant protein D (SP-D), showed different responses during the clinical course of her disease. Evaluation of serial changes in levels of KL-6 and SP-D may help diagnose and monitor COVID-19-associated organizing pneumonia (OP). Clinicians should be aware that SOP can develop in response to COVID-19 and that these patients may benefit from the use of steroids.
  • Annual Fractional Exhaled Nitric Oxide Measurements and Exacerbations in Severe Asthma.
    Yuki Abe, Masaru Suzuki, Hirokazu Kimura, Kaoruko Shimizu, Hironi Makita, Masaharu Nishimura, Satoshi Konno
    Journal of asthma and allergy, 13, 731, 741, 2020年, [査読有り], [責任著者], [国際誌]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌), Purpose: Fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FENO) reflects eosinophilic inflammation of the airways. However, the significance of longitudinal assessment of FENO, including its variability, in the clinical course of severe asthma remains unclear. The aim of this study is to examine the association between long-term changes in FENO and the development of exacerbations in severe asthma. Patients and Methods: Among the severe asthma patients enrolled in the Hokkaido Severe Asthma Cohort Study, 100 patients with severe asthma who completed a 3-year follow-up in which FENO was measured annually were included. According to the FENO level at baseline, 1 year, and 2 years, the patients were classified into three groups: the sustained high group (≥50 ppb at all three visits), the sustained low group (<25 ppb at all three visits), and the intermediate group (other). Subjects in the intermediate group were further classified into two groups based on the median value of the coefficient of variation (CV) of FENO during the 3 years (high CV and low CV intermediate groups). Results: The sustained high group experienced shorter exacerbation-free survival and more frequent exacerbations than the sustained low group (median number of exacerbation events, 3 vs 0, p = 0.01). In the intermediate group, the high CV group experienced shorter exacerbation-free survival than the low CV group, and the CV of FENO was an independent contributing factor to the development of exacerbations. Conclusion: Persistence of FENO above 50 ppb over the years as well as the presence of large variations in FENO levels was associated with the development of exacerbations in patients with severe asthma.
  • Unique Mortality Profile in Japanese Patients with COPD: An Analysis from the Hokkaido COPD Cohort Study.
    Hironi Makita, Masaru Suzuki, Satoshi Konno, Kaoruko Shimizu, Yasuyuki Nasuhara, Katsura Nagai, Yasushi Akiyama, Satoshi Fuke, Hiroshi Saito, Takeshi Igarashi, Kimihiro Takeyabu, Masaharu Nishimura
    International journal of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, 15, 2081, 2090, 2020年, [査読有り], [国際誌]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌), Purpose: Causes of death may be unique and different in Japanese patients with COPD because they are generally older, thinner, experience fewer exacerbations, and live longer than those in other countries. We investigated the detailed mortality profile in the Hokkaido COPD cohort study, which completed a 10-year follow-up with a very low dropout rate. Patients and Methods: We prospectively examined the 10-year natural history in 279 Japanese patients with COPD (GOLD 1, 26%; GOLD 2, 45%; GOLD 3, 24%; and GOLD 4, 5%). The majority of patients were male, and the average age at baseline was 69 years old. About 95% of all patients had accurate mortality data. The risk factors for mortality were also analyzed. Results: During the 10 years, 112 patients (40%) died. Their median survival time was 6.1 years (interquartile range: 4.7-7.9 years), and age at death was 79 ± 6 years old (mean ± SD). Respiratory diseases, including pneumonia, were the leading causes of death in 45 (40%), followed by lung cancer in 24 (21%), other cancers in 18 (16%), and cardiovascular diseases in 12 (11%). In particular, lung cancer-related death was equally distributed across all COPD stages, with a higher proportion of lung cancer in the relatively younger generation (<64 years old). Older age at baseline, lower BMI, and severer emphysema were significant risk factors for all-cause mortality. Conclusion: The unique mortality profile observed in this study should be considered when designing strategies for the management of patients with COPD in any geographic region.
  • Pulmonary capillary hemangiomatosis-predominant vasculopathy in a patient with rheumatoid arthritis-associated interstitial lung disease: An autopsy report.
    Junichi Nakamura, Ichizo Tsujino, Gaku Yamamoto, Toshitaka Nakaya, Kei Takahashi, Hirokazu Kimura, Takahiro Sato, Taku Watanabe, Shimpei Nakagawa, Noriyuki Otsuka, Hiroshi Ohira, Satoshi Konno
    Respiratory medicine case reports, 31, 101215, 101215, 2020年, [査読有り], [最終著者], [国際誌]
    英語, Pulmonary capillary hemangiomatosis (PCH) is a rare cause of pulmonary hypertension (PH) associated with poor prognosis. Clinically, it is characterized by severe hypoxemia, centrilobular ground-glass opacities on computed tomography, and pulmonary congestion triggered by pulmonary vasodilating therapy. In some cases, PCH has been reported to develop with other disorders including connective tissue disease; however, to date, no reports have described PCH in a patient with rheumatoid arthritis. We report a case of a 59-year-old male PCH patient with rheumatoid arthritis and associated pulmonary fibrosis. He was initially diagnosed with severe group 3 PH and received sildenafil, which generated a favorable hemodynamic response. However, 5 years later, his pulmonary hemodynamics deteriorated, and he died at the age of 67. An autopsy was performed, and thickening of alveolar septa and capillary proliferation, pathological features of PCH, were extensively observed in both lungs. We discuss when PCH developed, how sildenafil improved his hemodynamics, and how PCH could be clinically detected by noninvasive evaluations.
  • Lung metastasis from gastric cancer presenting as diffuse ground-glass opacities.
    Yuki Abe, Masaru Suzuki, Kosuke Tsuji, Mineyoshi Sato, Hirokazu Kimura, Hiroki Kimura, Kentaro Nagaoka, Emi Takakuwa, Yoshihiro Matsuno, Satoshi Konno
    Respiratory medicine case reports, 30, 101104, 101104, 2020年, [査読有り], [最終著者], [国際誌]
    英語, Most metastatic lung tumors display well-defined, round, multiple nodular shadows, whereas the presence of diffuse ground-glass opacities on chest computed tomography generally suggests non-malignant conditions. Here, we report an unusual case of pulmonary metastasis from gastric cancer in which diffuse ground-glass opacities were observed in all lung segments. A 59-year-old man with a 3-month history of worsening chest pain and shortness of breath was referred to the pulmonary clinic. Chest computed tomography revealed low attenuation areas, suggesting emphysema, along with diffuse ground-glass opacities and interlobular septal thickening in both lungs. A transbronchial lung biopsy specimen revealed signet-ring cell carcinoma infiltrating the alveolar septa. Immunohistochemical staining of the cancer cells was positive for CDX-2, cytokeratin 7, and cytokeratin 20, and negative for surfactant apoprotein-A, TTF-1, and Napsin A. Gastrointestinal endoscopy revealed an ulcerative tumor in the stomach, and a biopsy from the tumor demonstrated malignant cells with similar morphology and immunophenotypes as those in the lungs. The final diagnosis was diffuse lung metastasis from gastric cancer. Our case shows that although multiple, well-defined nodules are typically considered to be the classic presentation of pulmonary metastasis, clinicians should also be aware of the possibility of pulmonary metastasis presenting as diffuse ground-glass opacities.
  • Validation of a new serum granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor autoantibody testing kit.
    Koh Nakata, Tatsuki Sugi, Keiko Kuroda, Kazutaka Yoshizawa, Toshinori Takada, Ryushi Tazawa, Takahiro Ueda, Ami Aoki, Mitsuhiro Abe, Koichiro Tatsumi, Ryosuke Eda, Shotaro Kondoh, Konosuke Morimoto, Takeshi Tanaka, Etsuro Yamaguchi, Ayumu Takahashi, Miku Oda, Haruyuki Ishii, Shinyu Izumi, Haruhito Sugiyama, Atsushi Nakagawa, Keisuke Tomii, Masaru Suzuki, Satoshi Konno, Shinya Ohkouchi, Taizou Hirano, Tomohiro Handa, Toyohiro Hirai, Yoshikazu Inoue, Toru Arai, Katsuaki Asakawa, Takuro Sakagami, Takahiro Tanaka, Ayako Mikami, Nobutaka Kitamura
    ERJ open research, 6, 1, 2020年01月, [査読有り], [国際誌]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌), Very recently, a modest but significant efficacy of granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) inhalation therapy for the treatment of mild to moderate autoimmune pulmonary alveolar proteinosis (aPAP) has been reported. As the ability to measure the level of GM-CSF autoantibody (GMAb) in the serum is required to decide the indication for this therapy, we developed a high-performance GMAb testing kit for clinical use. As the kit succeeded in reducing nonspecific IgG binding to the ELISA plate, the predictive performance shown in the training study to discriminate aPAP patients from healthy subjects was perfect, providing a cut-off value of 1.65 U·mL-1 in 78 patients with aPAP and 90 healthy subjects in an operator-blinded manner using logistic regression analysis. As in the validation study, serum samples from another 213 patients with aPAP were also blinded and evaluated in an operator-blinded manner against external 207 samples from patients with other types of PAP and patients exhibiting various ground-glass opacities on chest high-resolution computed tomography that require discrimination from PAP. The logistic regression analysis of these validation data sets revealed values of 97.6% and 100% for specificity and sensitivity, respectively. Thus, this new GMAb testing kit is reliable for the diagnosis of aPAP and differential diagnosis of other lung diseases.
  • A prospective phase II study of carboplatin and nab-paclitaxel in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer and concomitant interstitial lung disease (HOT1302).
    Hajime Asahina, Satoshi Oizumi, Kei Takamura, Toshiyuki Harada, Masao Harada, Hiroshi Yokouchi, Kenya Kanazawa, Yuka Fujita, Tetsuya Kojima, Fumiko Sugaya, Hisashi Tanaka, Ryoichi Honda, Eiki Kikuchi, Tomoo Ikari, Takahiro Ogi, Kaoruko Shimizu, Masaru Suzuki, Satoshi Konno, Hirotoshi Dosaka-Akita, Hiroshi Isobe, Masaharu Nishimura
    Lung cancer (Amsterdam, Netherlands), 138, 65, 71, 2019年12月, [査読有り], [国際誌]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌), OBJECTIVES: Patients with concomitant advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and interstitial lung disease (ILD) are excluded from most clinical chemotherapy trials because of the high risk of exacerbating the latter condition. This study prospectively investigated the efficacy and safety of albumin-bound paclitaxel (nab-paclitaxel) in combination with carboplatin in patients with both advanced NSCLC and ILD. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The enrolled patients had treatment-naïve, advanced NSCLC with ILD. Patients received 100 mg/m2nab-paclitaxel weekly and carboplatin at an area under the concentration-time curve of 6 once every 3 weeks for 4-6 cycles. The primary endpoint was the overall response rate (ORR); secondary endpoints included toxicity, progression-free survival (PFS), and overall survival (OS). RESULTS: Thirty-six patients were enrolled between April 2014 and September 2017. Sixteen patients (44.4%) had adenocarcinoma, 15 (41.7%) had squamous cell carcinoma (Sq), and 5 (13.9%) had non-small cell carcinoma. The median number of cycles administered were 4 (range: 1-6). The ORR was 55.6% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 39.6-70.5). The median PFS and OS were 5.3 months (95% CI: 3.9-8.2) and 15.4 months (95% CI: 9.4-18.7), respectively. A greater proportion of patients with Sq experienced improvements than did those with non-Sq: ORRs, 66.7% (95% CI: 41.7-84.8) vs. 47.6% (95% CI: 28.3-67.6) (P = 0.254); median PFS, 8.2 months (95% CI: 4.0-10.2) vs. 4.1 months (95% CI: 3.3-5.4) (HR, 0.60 [95% CI, 0.30-1.20]; P = 0.15); and median OS, 16.8 months (95% CI: 9.8-not reached) vs. 11.9 months (95% CI: 7.3-17.4) (HR, 0.56 [95% CI, 0.24-1.28]; P = 0.17). Two patients (5.6%) experienced grade ≥2 pneumonitis and 1 patient (2.8%) died. CONCLUSION: Weekly nab-paclitaxel combined with carboplatin showed favorable efficacy with acceptable toxicity in patients with both advanced NSCLC and ILD.
  • Multiple exposures to organophosphate flame retardants alter urinary oxidative stress biomarkers among children: The Hokkaido Study.
    Yu Ait Bamai, Michiel Bastiaensen, Atsuko Araki, Houman Goudarzi, Satoshi Konno, Sachiko Ito, Chihiro Miyashita, Yiming Yao, Adrian Covaci, Reiko Kishi
    Environment international, 131, 105003, 105003, 2019年10月, [査読有り], [国際誌]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌), Organophosphate flame retardants (PFRs) are used as additives in plastics and other applications such as curtains and carpets as a replacement for brominated flame retardants. As such, exposure to PFR mixtures is widespread, with children being more vulnerable than adults to associated health risks such as allergies and inflammation. Oxidative stress is thought to be able to modulate the development of childhood airway inflammation and atopic dermatitis. To evaluate these associations, the present study investigated the relationship between urinary PFR metabolites, their mixtures and urinary oxidative stress biomarkers in children as part of the Hokkaido Study on Environment and Children's Health. The levels of the oxidative stress biomarkers, such as 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG), hexanoyl-lysine (HEL), and 4-hydroxynonenal (HNE), and of 14 PFR metabolites were measured in morning spot urine samples of 7-year-old children (n = 400). Associations between PFR metabolites or PFR metabolite mixtures and oxidative stress biomarkers were examined by multiple regression analysis and weighted quantile sum regression analysis, respectively. We found that the non-chlorinated PFR metabolites, 2-ethylhexyl phenyl phosphate (EHPHP), bis(2-butoxyethyl) phosphate (BBOEP), and diphenyl phosphate (DPHP) were associated with increased levels of oxidative stress biomarkers. Furthermore, the PFR metabolite mixture was associated with increased levels of HEL and HNE, but not 8-OHdG. The combination of elevated top 2 PFR metabolites was not associated with higher urinary oxidative stress marker levels. This is the first study to report associations between urinary PFR metabolites and oxidative stress biomarkers among children.
  • Anti-PcrV titers in non-cystic fibrosis patients with Pseudomonas aeruginosa respiratory tract infection.
    Kentaro Nagaoka, Yu Yamashita, Hirokazu Kimura, Hiroki Kimura, Masaru Suzuki, Tatsuya Fukumoto, Kasumi Hayasaka, Mari Yoshida, Takafumi Hara, Hideki Maki, Tomoyuki Ohkawa, Satoshi Konno
    International journal of infectious diseases : IJID : official publication of the International Society for Infectious Diseases, 87, 54, 59, 2019年10月, [査読有り], [最終著者], [国際誌]
    英語, OBJECTIVE: The epidemiology and role of the anti-PcrV titer in non-cystic fibrosis patients with Pseudomonas aeruginosa airway tract infections is not fully understood. This study was performed to compare the anti-PcrV titers of patients with and without P. aeruginosa respiratory tract infections. METHODS: This prospective cohort study was conducted at Hokkaido University Hospital in Japan. Participants had blood and sputum specimens collected on admission. They were divided into two groups based on their sputum culture results. Those with a P. aeruginosa infection were assigned to the P. aeruginosa (PA) group and those without a P. aeruginosa infection were assigned to the non-PA group. Serum anti-PcrV titers were measured using a validated ELISA. RESULTS: Of the 44 participants, 15 were assigned to the PA group and 29 were assigned to the non-PA group. In the PA group, 10/15 participants (66.7%) had an anti-PcrV titer >1000ng/ml compared to 3/29 participants (10.3%) in the non-PA group (p<0.001). In the PA group, two of the five participants with an anti-PcrV titer <1000 ng/ml died of recurrent P. aeruginosa pneumonia; the other three participants did not develop pneumonia. CONCLUSION: The anti-PcrV titers in participants with P. aeruginosa infection varied considerably. Patients with low anti-PcrV titers and refractory P. aeruginosa infections need to be monitored closely.
  • Inhaled GM-CSF for Pulmonary Alveolar Proteinosis.
    Ryushi Tazawa, Takahiro Ueda, Mitsuhiro Abe, Koichiro Tatsumi, Ryosuke Eda, Shotaro Kondoh, Konosuke Morimoto, Takeshi Tanaka, Etsuro Yamaguchi, Ayumu Takahashi, Miku Oda, Haruyuki Ishii, Shinyu Izumi, Haruhito Sugiyama, Atsushi Nakagawa, Keisuke Tomii, Masaru Suzuki, Satoshi Konno, Shinya Ohkouchi, Naoki Tode, Tomohiro Handa, Toyohiro Hirai, Yoshikazu Inoue, Toru Arai, Katsuaki Asakawa, Takuro Sakagami, Atsushi Hashimoto, Takahiro Tanaka, Toshinori Takada, Ayako Mikami, Nobutaka Kitamura, Koh Nakata
    The New England journal of medicine, 381, 10, 923, 932, 2019年09月05日, [査読有り], [国際誌]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌), BACKGROUND: Pulmonary alveolar proteinosis is a disease characterized by abnormal accumulation of surfactant in the alveoli. Most cases are autoimmune and are associated with an autoantibody against granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) that prevents clearing of pulmonary surfactant by alveolar macrophages. An open-label, phase 2 study showed some therapeutic efficacy of inhaled recombinant human GM-CSF in patients with severe pulmonary alveolar proteinosis; however, the efficacy in patients with mild-to-moderate disease remains unclear. METHODS: We conducted a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of daily inhaled recombinant human GM-CSF (sargramostim), at a dose of 125 μg twice daily for 7 days, every other week for 24 weeks, or placebo in 64 patients with autoimmune pulmonary alveolar proteinosis who had a partial pressure of arterial oxygen (Pao2) while breathing ambient air of less than 70 mm Hg (or <75 mm Hg in symptomatic patients). Patients with severe pulmonary alveolar proteinosis (Pao2 <50 mm Hg) were excluded to avoid possible exacerbation of the disease in patients who were assigned to receive placebo. The primary end point was the change in the alveolar-arterial oxygen gradient between baseline and week 25. RESULTS: The change in the mean (±SD) alveolar-arterial oxygen gradient was significantly better in the GM-CSF group (33 patients) than in the placebo group (30 patients) (mean change from baseline, -4.50±9.03 mm Hg vs. 0.17±10.50 mm Hg; P = 0.02). The change between baseline and week 25 in the density of the lung field on computed tomography was also better in the GM-CSF group (between-group difference, -36.08 Hounsfield units; 95% confidence interval, -61.58 to -6.99, calculated with the use of the Mann-Whitney U test and the Hodges-Lehmann estimate of confidence intervals for pseudo-medians). Serious adverse events developed in 6 patients in the GM-CSF group and in 3 patients in the placebo group. CONCLUSIONS: In this randomized, controlled trial, inhaled recombinant human GM-CSF was associated with a modest salutary effect on the laboratory outcome of arterial oxygen tension, and no clinical benefits were noted. (Funded by the Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development and the Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare of Japan; PAGE ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT02835742; Japan Medical Association Center for Clinical Trials number, JMA-IIA00205.).
  • Efficacy of Azithromycin in a Mouse Pneumonia Model against Hospital-Acquired Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus.
    Yu Yamashita, Kentaro Nagaoka, Hiroki Kimura, Masaru Suzuki, Satoshi Konno, Tatsuya Fukumoto, Koji Akizawa, Norihito Kaku, Yoshitomo Morinaga, Katsunori Yanagihara
    Antimicrobial agents and chemotherapy, 63, 9, 2019年09月, [査読有り], [国際誌]
    英語, The use of macrolides against pneumonia has been reported to improve survival; however, little is known about their efficacy against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) pneumonia. In this study, we investigated the effect of azithromycin (AZM) and compared it with that of vancomycin (VCM) and daptomycin (DAP) in a murine model of MRSA pneumonia. Mice were infected with MRSA by intratracheal injection and then treated with AZM, VCM, or DAP. The therapeutic effect of AZM, in combination or not with the other drugs, was compared in vivo, whereas the effect of AZM on MRSA growth and toxin mRNA expression was evaluated in vitro. In vivo, the AZM-treated group showed significantly longer survival and fewer bacteria in the lungs 24 h after infection than the untreated group, as well as the other anti-MRSA drug groups. No significant decrease in cytokine levels (interleukin-6 [IL-6] and macrophage inflammatory protein-2 [MIP-2]) in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid or toxin expression levels (α-hemolysin [Hla] and staphylococcal protein A [Spa]) was observed following AZM treatment. In vitro, AZM suppressed the growth of MRSA in late log phase but not in stationary phase. No suppressive effect against toxin production was observed following AZM treatment in vitro In conclusion, contrary to the situation in vitro, AZM was effective against MRSA growth in vivo in our pneumonia model, substantially improving survival. The suppressive effect on MRSA growth at the initial stage of pneumonia could underlie the potential mechanism of AZM action against MRSA pneumonia.
  • Management of Severe Asthma: a European Respiratory Society/American Thoracic Society Guideline.
    Holguin F, Cardet JC, Chung KF, Diver S, Ferreira DS, Fitzpatrick A, Gaga M, Kellermeyer L, Khurana S, Knight S, McDonald VM, Morgan RL, Ortega VE, Rigau D, Subbarao P, Tonia T, Adcock IM, Bleecker ER, Brightling C, Boulet LP, Cabana M, Castro M, Chanez P, Custovic A, Djukanovic R, Frey U, Frankemolle B, Gibson P, Hamerlijnck D, Jarjour N, Konno S, Shen H, Vitary C, Bush A
    The European respiratory journal, 2019年09月, [査読有り], [国際共著]
    欧州呼吸器学会(ERS)、米国胸部疾患学会(ATS)による重症喘息のガイドライン
  • Effects of Anaerobic Culturing on Pathogenicity and Virulence-Related Gene Expression in Pneumococcal Pneumonia.
    Kentaro Nagaoka, Yu Yamashita, Hiroki Kimura, Masaru Suzuki, Satoshi Konno, Tatsuya Fukumoto, Koji Akizawa, Yoshitomo Morinaga, Katsunori Yanagihara, Masaharu Nishimura
    The Journal of infectious diseases, 219, 10, 1545, 1553, 2019年04月19日, [査読有り], [国際誌]
    英語, BACKGROUND: The pathogenicity of Streptococcus pneumoniae under anaerobic conditions remains largely unknown. We examined the pathogenicity of S. pneumoniae cultured under anaerobic conditions in a murine model of pneumococcal pneumonia. METHODS: Mice were infected with S. pneumoniae grown under anaerobic or aerobic conditions. The pathogenic effects in vivo in the lower airway tract were then compared. The effect of anaerobic culture on lytA/ply transcript levels in vitro and in vivo were analyzed by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS: Mice inoculated with anaerobically cultured S. pneumoniae exhibited significantly lower survival rates and higher bacterial loads in the lungs and blood as compared to those infected with aerobically cultured S. pneumoniae. Aerobically cultured S. pneumoniae in the early log phase of growth was also able to induce severe pneumonia at levels equivalent to those of anaerobic S. pneumoniae. However, ply/gyrB transcript levels were significantly increased in the lungs of mice infected with anaerobically grown S. pneumoniae. In vitro, S. pneumoniae grown under anaerobic culture conditions demonstrated greater proliferation than S. pneumoniae grown under aerobic culture conditions, and bacterial concentrations were maintained for 24 hours without detectable upregulation of lytA messenger RNA. CONCLUSIONS: S. pneumoniae grown under anaerobic conditions had the potential to induce severe invasive bacteremic pneumococcal pneumonia in a manner different from that of S. pneumoniae grown under aerobic conditions.
  • A cis-eQTL allele regulating reduced expression of CHI3L1 is associated with late-onset adult asthma in Japanese cohorts.
    Kanazawa J, Kitazawa H, Masuko H, Yatagai Y, Sakamoto T, Kaneko Y, Iijima H, Naito T, Saito T, Noguchi E, Konno S, Nishimura M, Hirota T, Tamari M, Hizawa N
    BMC medical genetics, 20, 1, 58, 58, 2019年04月, [査読有り], [国際誌]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌), BACKGROUND: The chitinase-like protein YKL-40 plays a major role in inhibiting the inflammasome. Deregulation of inflammasome activation is emerging as a key modulator of pathologic airway inflammation in patients with asthma. We determined whether cis-expression quantitative trait loci (eQTLs) of the gene that encodes YKL-40, chitinase 3-like 1 (CHI3L1), are involved in the onset of asthma or in specific asthma phenotypes. METHODS: This case-control study, which was conducted at the University of Tsukuba, Japan, included a total of 2709 adults from the Tsukuba genome-wide association study (GWAS) cohort (734 healthy volunteers and 237 asthma patients), the Tsukuba replication cohort (375 healthy adult volunteers and 381 adult asthma patients), and the Hokkaido replication cohort (554 healthy adult volunteers and 428 adult asthma patients). Among 34 cis-eQTLs in CHI3L1 in the lung, rs946261 was associated with adult asthma in these Japanese cohorts. The genetic impact of rs946261 on asthma was also examined according to the age at onset and adult asthma clusters. RESULTS: In the Tsukuba GWAS cohort, the C allele at rs946261 was significantly associated with reduced expression of CHI3L1 mRNA in the lung and with development of asthma (odds ratio (OR) 1.27; P = 0.036). The association was also observed following analysis of the three Japanese cohorts (OR 1.16; P = 0.013). A stronger association was found with late-onset asthma that developed at 41 years of age or later (OR 1.24; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.07-1.45; P = 0.0058) and with a specific asthma phenotype characterized by late onset, less atopy, and mild airflow obstruction (OR 1.29; 95% CI 1.03-1.61; P = 0.027). CONCLUSIONS: The genotype consisting of the cis-eQTL allele that reduces expression of CHI3L1 was specifically associated with late-onset adult asthma. Given the important role of YKL-40 in many pathophysiological processes, including cell growth, migration, chemotaxis, reorganization, and tissue remodeling, it may be involved in an important pathogenic role in the establishment of inflammation and remodeling in asthmatic airways. Our findings may indicate the presence of a specific endotype related to exaggerated activation of YKL-40 in the pathogenesis of late-onset adult asthma.
  • A case of primary bacteraemia caused by Salmonella enterica serovar Corvallis in an immunocompetent adult after travel to Southeast Asia
    Sho Nakakubo, Kentaro Nagaoka, Masaru Suzuki, Satoshi Konno, Yasushi Shibue, Tetsuya Ikeda, Masaharu Nishimura
    Access Microbiology, 1, 1, Microbiology Society, 2019年03月01日
    研究論文(学術雑誌), Introduction. Non-typhoidal

    Salmonella

    (NTS) that typically causes diarrhoeal disease in humans has a dramatically more severe and more invasive presentation than typhoid fever in immunocompromised adults. However, the incidence and significance of NTS primary bacteraemia in immunocompetent adults have been unclear.



    Case presentation. A 24-year-old man presented to our hospital with a high fever 14 days after travelling to Vietnam and Cambodia for 14 days. His past medical history, family history and social history were unremarkable, except for his dietary intake history during his stay in Southeast Asia. He did not have any abdominal pain, diarrhoea, enterocolitis, arthritis, or abscesses, as determined by multiple examinations, which included computed tomography. The initial blood cultures identified the presence of Gram-negative bacilli, which were finally identified as the

    Salmonella enterica

    subspecies serovar Corvallis. Thus,

    S. enterica

    serovar Corvallis was the most likely primary bacteria in this patient. Since domestic outbreaks of NTS infections are extremely rare, our case patient was diagnosed with travel-related bacteraemia. The patient had an uneventful recovery after antibiotic administration.



    Conclusion. We report a rare case of bacteraemia caused by

    S. enterica

    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.
  • An adult case of severe life-threatening Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia due to a macrolide-resistant strain, Japan: a case report.
    Matsumoto M, Nagaoka K, Suzuki M, Konno S, Takahashi K, Takashina T, Ishiguro N, Nishimura M
    BMC infectious diseases, 19, 1, 204, 204, 2019年02月, [査読有り], [国際誌]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌), BACKGROUND: Until now, the prevalence of macrolide-resistant Mycoplasma pneumoniae (MP) infection among adult patients has been low, and severe MP pneumonia due to a macrolide-resistant strain has seldom been reported. Here, we describe a rare case of severe life-threatening MP pneumonia due to a macrolide-resistant strain in an adult, which was finally treated with fluoroquinolone and tetracycline after failed treatment with macrolide and corticosteroid. CASE PRESENTATION: A 39-year-old apparently healthy woman complained of fever and productive cough. Three days after onset, she was admitted to a local general hospital. On admission, her vital signs were stable except for high-grade fever. The patient's chest X-ray and chest computed tomography images revealed subsegmental consolidation in her right lower lobe. Treatment with ampicillin/sulbactam, and azithromycin were initiated under a clinical diagnosis of community-acquired pneumonia. After treatment initiation, her fever had not subsided, and the pulmonary lesion had extended to the entire lower lobe. Thus, treatment with prednisolone as steroid pulse therapy was initiated from clinical day 7. However, neither her symptoms nor her pulmonary lesion improved; therefore, she was transferred to our hospital for further examination and treatment. On admission (clinical day 14), her indirect hemagglutination titer for MP was elevated at 1:2560, and bronchoalveolar fluid examination yielded positive results for the mycoplasma antigen. Based on these clinical findings, we confirmed a case of severe life-threatening MP pneumonia. Since her respiratory condition was extremely severe, we initiated levofloxacin and tetracycline. Two days later (clinical day 16), her fever, malaise, and hypoxia resolved, and her pulmonary lesions had significantly improved. Further molecular identification yielded the DNA of MP from her bronchoalveolar fluid, and mutation of A2063G in the 23S rRNA gene was revealed. Based on these results and the clinical course, we confirmed our case as severe MP pneumonia due to a macrolide-resistant strain. CONCLUSION: More awareness is needed on the emergence of macrolide-resistant MP infection in adults, because severe infection could develop despite initial treatment with macrolide and steroid therapy, which are generally considered as standard therapy for MP.
  • Annual change in FEV1 in elderly 10-year survivors with established chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
    Suzuki M, Makita H, Konno S, Shimizu K, Nasuhara Y, Nagai K, Akiyama Y, Fuke S, Saito H, Igarashi T, Takeyabu K, Nishimura M
    Scientific reports, 9, 1, 2073, 2073, 2019年02月, [査読有り], [国際誌]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌), Long-term decline in lung function is generally considered to be progressive in individuals with established chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), despite the presence of intersubject variation. We hypothesized that the annualized rate of decline in forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) would not be constant among different time periods in the natural history of established COPD. We compared the annual change rates in FEV1 during the first 5 years and the last 5 years, estimated separately using a linear mixed-effects model in 10-year survivors (n = 110). The subjects were classified into three FEV1 decline groups, based on the 25th and 75th percentile values in each time period. The rates of FEV1 changes, calculated from the first 5 years and the last 5 years, did not correlate with each other among 10-year survivors; the subjects of each FEV1 decline group during the first 5 years did not consistently remain in the same FEV1 decline group during the last 5 years. Smoking status and exacerbation frequency were not associated with decline in FEV1. In conclusion, the disease activity, which is often expressed as annualized change in FEV1, might be changeable either way over years in patients with established COPD.
  • Complete Genome Sequences of Streptococcus pneumoniae Strains HU-OH (Serotype 3, Sequence Type 183 [ST183]), NU83127 (Serotype 4, ST246), and ATCC 49619 (Serotype 19F, ST1203).
    Kentaro Nagaoka, Satoshi Konno, Kazunori Murase, Taisei Kikuchi, Yoshitomo Morinaga, Katsunori Yanagihara, Ichiro Nakagawa
    Microbiology resource announcements, 8, 9, 2019年02月, [査読有り], [国際誌]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌), Streptococcus pneumoniae is a pathogenic bacterium frequently found in the respiratory tract of humans and commonly causes pneumonia and bacterial meningitis. Here, the complete circular genome sequences of three S. pneumoniae strains with different serotypes and sequence types have been reported.
  • Cathepsin S, a new serum biomarker of sarcoidosis discovered by transcriptome analysis of alveolar macrophages.
    Hiroyuki Tanaka, Etsuro Yamaguchi, Nobuhiro Asai, Toyoharu Yokoi, Masaki Nishimura, Haruhisa Nakao, Masashi Yoneda, Yoshinori Ohtsuka, Satoshi Konno, Noritaka Yamada
    Sarcoidosis, vasculitis, and diffuse lung diseases : official journal of WASOG, 36, 2, 141, 147, 2019年, [査読有り], [国際誌]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌), Background: Development of reliable new biomarkers remains crucial to improve diagnosis and assessing disease activity in sarcoidosis. The objective of this study was to seek such markers from the gene expression signature of alveolar macrophages by transcriptome analysis. Methods: Pooled RNA extracted from alveolar macrophages from patients with active sarcoidosis and control patients was subjected to transcriptome analysis using microarrays. Expressed gene intensity in sarcoidosis relative to that in control was calculated. We measured serum cathepsin S (CTSS) concentrations in 89 healthy volunteers, 107 patients with sarcoidosis, 26 with interstitial pneumonia, 150 with pneumoconiosis, and 76 with pulmonary mycobacteriosis by the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results: Among 12 genes with ratios higher than that of a housekeeping gene, we selected CTSS for scrutinizing protein expression in serum because of the feasibility of the protein assay. CTSS concentrations were significantly increased in sarcoidosis compared with not only controls but also all the other lung diseases. Receiver operating characteristics curve for sarcoidosis and parenchymal lung diseases revealed an area under the curve of 0.800 (95% confidence interval, 0.751-0.850; p=1.4 x 10-18) with 70% sensitivity and 78% specificity at a CTSS concentration of 15.5 ng/ml. A significant trend was identified between CTSS concentrations and the number of affected organs. Serum CTSS concentrations varied in parallel with clinical courses both spontaneously and in response to corticosteroid therapy. Epithelioid cells in granulomas were positive for immunohistochemical staining with CTSS. Conclusions: CTSS has the potential to be a useful biomarker in sarcoidosis.
  • Serum Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Levels and the Clinical Course of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.
    Nozomu Takei, Masaru Suzuki, Hironi Makita, Satoshi Konno, Kaoruko Shimizu, Hiroki Kimura, Hirokazu Kimura, Masaharu Nishimura
    International journal of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, 14, 2885, 2893, 2019年, [査読有り], [国際誌]
    英語, Purpose: Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency is associated with the development of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), whereas increased levels of serum alpha-1antitrypsin occur in response to inflammation. The effects of alpha-1 antitrypsin levels on the clinical course of COPD had been unclear. We investigated the association of serum alpha-1 antitrypsin levels with the clinical course of COPD patients based on data from a 10-year prospective cohort study. Patients and methods: We analyzed 278 COPD patients who participated in the Hokkaido COPD cohort study and who did not meet the criteria for alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency. We divided the subjects into 3 groups according to quartiles of serum alpha-1 antitrypsin levels at baseline: lower group (<116 mg/dL, n = 66); middle group (116 to ≤141 mg/dL, n = 145); and higher group (>141 mg/dL, n = 67). The annual change in forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1) and events of COPD exacerbation were monitored during the first 5 years, and mortality was followed-up during the entire 10 years. Results: At baseline, the higher group showed lower body mass index; higher computed tomography emphysema score; lower diffusing capacity; higher levels of acute-phase proteins; and higher blood neutrophil counts. Longitudinal analyses revealed that in the higher group, the annual decline in FEV1 was rapid and the 10-year mortality was higher, but there was no association between serum alpha-1 antitrypsin levels and time to first exacerbation. Conclusion: COPD subjects with higher serum alpha-1 antitrypsin levels were associated with a worse systemic inflammation status and higher 10-year mortality.
  • A cis-eQTL Allele Lowering Gene Expression of CHL3L1 Is Associated with Late-Onset Adult Asthma in Japanese               
    Shigemasa, R, Kanazawa, J, Kitazawa, H, Masuko, H, Hyodo, K, Yatagai, Y, Sakamoto, T, Kaneko, Y, Iijima, H, Naito, T, Saito, T, Noguchi, E, Konno, S, Nishimura, M, Hirota, T, Tamari, M, Hizawa, N
    AMERICAN JOURNAL OF RESPIRATORY AND CRITICAL CARE MEDICINE, 199, AMER THORACIC SOC, 2019年, [査読有り]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌)
  • Familial multifocal micronodular pneumocyte hyperplasia with a novel splicing mutation in TSC1: Three cases in one family.
    Tetsuaki Shoji, Satoshi Konno, Yo Niida, Takahiro Ogi, Masaru Suzuki, Kaoruko Shimizu, Yasuhiro Hida, Kichizo Kaga, Kuniaki Seyama, Tomoaki Naka, Yoshihiro Matsuno, Masaharu Nishimura
    PloS one, 14, 2, e0212370, 2019年, [査読有り], [責任著者], [国際誌]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌), Multifocal micronodular pneumocyte hyperplasia (MMPH) is a rare pulmonary disease, generally manifesting as a tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC), characterised by multiple, small ground-glass nodular shadows on chest computed tomography (CT). Histological examination typically reveals multicentric, well-demarcated, nodular type II pneumocystic growth. Herein, we describe three cases of this rare pulmonary disease occurring within one family. Using reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and direct DNA sequencing, we identified a novel germline mutation, a point mutation in TSC1 intron 5, which yielded a splice variant and loss of function of TSC1. Furthermore, immunohistochemical staining indicated the expression of phospho-p70S6K and phospho-4E-BP1, suggesting that TSC1 function was impaired by the novel gene mutation in MMPH cells.
  • Nationwide survey on the organ-specific prevalence and its interaction with sarcoidosis in Japan
    Takeshi Hattori, Satoshi Konno, Noriharu Shijubo, Tetsuo Yamaguchi, Yukihiko Sugiyama, Sakae Honma, Naohiko Inase, Yoichi M. Ito, Masaharu Nishimura
    Scientific Reports, 8, 1, 9440, Nature Publishing Group, 2018年12月01日, [査読有り], [責任著者]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌)
  • Safety and pharmacokinetics of Alpha-1 MP (Prolastin®-C) in Japanese patients with alpha1-antitrypsin (AAT) deficiency.
    Seyama K, Nukiwa T, Sato T, Suzuki M, Konno S, Takahashi K, Nishimura M, Steinmann K, Sorrells S, Chen J, Hayashi KI
    Respiratory investigation, 57, 1, 89, 96, 2018年11月, [査読有り], [国際誌]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌), BACKGROUND: Alpha1-Proteinase Inhibitor, Modified Process (Alpha-1 MP) is used for augmentation therapy in alpha1-antitrypsin deficiency (AATD), an extremely rare disease in Japan. Weekly doses of 60 mg/kg Alpha-1 MP have been shown to be safe and well tolerated in non-Japanese subjects, but the safety and pharmacokinetics (PK) have not been evaluated in Japanese subjects. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the safety and PK of 60 mg/kg Alpha-1 MP administered by weekly IV infusions over 8 weeks in Japanese subjects with AATD. METHODS: This was a multicenter, open-label trial in Japanese adults aged ≥20 years with AATD. Samples for evaluation of serum alpha1-PI concentration and PK parameters were collected at 10 time points until the seventh day after the last dose at Week 8: immediately before dosing, immediately after dosing (time 0), and 0.25, 2, 4, 8, 24, 48, 120, and 168 hours after dosing. RESULTS: Four subjects were analyzed. The median tmax was 0.534 h. Mean ± SD values for t½, Cmax, and AUC0-7days were 150.4 ± 36.18 h, 174.2 ± 30.51 mg/dL, and 14,913.2 ± 1633.45 mg*h/dL, respectively. Mean trough concentration at week 8 was 55.4 ± 7.23 mg/dL. Alpha-1 MP therapy was safe, with no serious adverse events or deaths reported. Two treatment-emergent adverse events of fatigue in one subject were considered to be possibly related. CONCLUSIONS: The PK and safety of Alpha-1 MP in Japanese subjects with AATD were consistent with the Alpha-1 MP profile in non-Japanese subjects (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT02870309; JAPIC CTI: JapicCTI-163160).
  • Impact of Abdominal Visceral Adiposity on Adult Asthma Symptoms.
    Goudarzi H, Konno S, Kimura H, Makita H, Matsumoto M, Takei N, Kimura H, Shimizu K, Suzuki M, Ito YM, Nishimura M, Hi-CARAT investigators
    The journal of allergy and clinical immunology. In practice, 7, 4, 1222, 1229, 2018年11月, [査読有り], [責任著者], [国際誌]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌), BACKGROUND: Previous studies have shown the association of anthropometric measures with poor asthma symptoms, especially among women. However, the potential influence of visceral adiposity on asthma symptoms has not been investigated well. OBJECTIVE: In this study, we have evaluated whether visceral adiposity is related to poor adult asthma symptoms independent of anthropometric measures and sex. If this relationship presented, we investigated whether it is explained by influence on pulmonary functions and/or obesity-related comorbidities. METHODS: We analyzed data from 206 subjects with asthma from Japan. In addition to anthropometric measures (body mass index and waist circumference), abdominal visceral and subcutaneous fat were assessed by computed tomography scan. Quality of life was assessed using the Japanese version of the Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire. RESULTS: All obesity indices had inverse association with reduced asthma quality of life among females. However, only the visceral fat area showed a statistical inverse association with Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire in males. Only abdominal visceral fat was associated with higher gastroesophageal reflux disease and depression scores. Although all obesity indices showed inverse association with functional residual capacity, only visceral fat area had a significant inverse association with FEV1 % predicted, independent of other obesity indices. CONCLUSIONS: Regardless of sex, abdominal visceral fat was associated with reduced asthma quality of life independent of other obesity indices, and this may be explained by the impact of abdominal visceral fat on reduced FEV1 % predicted and higher risk for gastroesophageal reflux disease and depression. Therefore, visceral adiposity may have more clinical influence than any other obesity indices on asthma symptoms.
  • Complete Genome Sequence of Streptococcus agalactiae Serotype III, Multilocus Sequence Type 335 Strain HU-GS5823, Isolated from a Human Patient in Japan with Severe Invasive Infection.
    Kentaro Nagaoka, Satoshi Konno, Kazunori Murase, Taisei Kikuchi, Ichiro Nakagawa
    Microbiology resource announcements, 7, 20, 2018年11月, [査読有り], [国際誌]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌), Streptococcus agalactiae is an important causal pathogen of neonatal and obstetric sepsis, and it may be involved in invasive infection in immunocompromised and elderly individuals. Here, we report the complete genome sequence of Streptococcus agalactiae serotype III strain HU-GS5823, which was isolated from a patient in Japan with an invasive infection.
  • Contrasting associations of maternal smoking and pre-pregnancy BMI with wheeze and eczema in children
    Houman Goudarzi, Satoshi Konno, Hirokazu Kimura, Atsuko Araki, Chihiro Miyashita, Sachiko Itoh, Yu Ait Bamai, Hiroki Kimura, Kaoruko Shimizu, Masaru Suzuki, Yoichi M. Ito, Masaharu Nishimura, Reiko Kishi
    Science of the Total Environment, 639, 1601, 1609, Elsevier B.V., 2018年10月15日, [査読有り], [責任著者]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌)
  • A Case of Retroperitoneal Fibrosis Diagnosed as IgG4-related Disease After 35 Years.
    Konno S, Matsuno Y, Ichimiya S, Nishimura M, Kawakami Y
    Internal medicine (Tokyo, Japan), 58, 4, 609, 613, 2018年10月, [査読有り], [筆頭著者], [国内誌]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌), In 1982, we reported a case of retroperitoneal fibrosis (RPF) exhibiting various clinical manifestations. Our current understanding of immunoglobulin G4 (IgG4)-related disease led us to consider it as a possible diagnosis because all of the patient's clinical features could be explained by this disease entity. To confirm our hypothesis, were investigated the histopathological findings of resected specimens that had been stored for 35 years postoperatively. Typical pathological findings together with predominant IgG4+ plasma cell infiltration confirmed a potential diagnosis of IgG4-related RPF. Furthermore, we observed positive immunohistochemical staining for several molecules associated with T regulatory and T follicular helper cells.
  • Transfer coefficients better reflect emphysematous changes than carbon monoxide diffusing capacity in obstructive lung diseases.
    Shimizu K, Konno S, Makita H, Kimura H, Kimura H, Suzuki M, Nishimura M
    Journal of applied physiology (Bethesda, Md. : 1985), 125, 1, 183, 189, 2018年07月, [査読有り], [筆頭著者]
  • Prospective predictors of exacerbation status in severe asthma over a 3-year follow-up.
    Kimura H, Konno S, Makita H, Taniguchi N, Shimizu K, Suzuki M, Kimura H, Goudarzi H, Nakamaru Y, Ono J, Ohta S, Izuhara K, Ito YM, Wenzel SE, Nishimura M, Hi-CARAT investigators
    Clinical and experimental allergy : journal of the British Society for Allergy and Clinical Immunology, 2018年05月, [査読有り], [責任著者]
  • Associations of Current Wheeze and Body Mass Index with Perennial and Seasonal Allergic Rhinitis in Young Adults
    Munehiro Matsumoto, Satoshi Konno, Hirokazu Kimura, Nozomu Takei, Hiroki Kimura, Kaoruko Shimizu, Houman Goudarzi, Masaru Suzuki, Satoshi Hashino, Masaharu Nishimura
    International Archives of Allergy and Immunology, 176, 2, 143, 149, S. Karger AG, 2018年05月01日, [査読有り], [責任著者]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌)
  • Neutrophil predominance in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid is associated with disease severity and progression of HRCT findings in pulmonary Mycobacterium avium infection
    Takashi Inomata, Satoshi Konno, Katsura Nagai, Masaru Suzuki, Masaharu Nishimura
    PLoS ONE, 13, 2, e0190189, Public Library of Science, 2018年02月01日, [査読有り], [責任著者]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌)
  • Clinical significance of serum anti-GM-CSF autoantibody levels in autoimmune pulmonary alveolar proteinosis
    Masaki Nishimura, Etsuro Yamaguchi, Ayumu Takahashi, Nobuhiro Asai, Eisuke Katsuda, Toyohiro Ohta, Yoshinori Ohtsuka, Kenshi Kosaka, Ayako Matsubara, Hiroyuki Tanaka, Norihito Yokoe, Akihito Kubo, Satoshi Konno, Kenji Baba
    Biomarkers in Medicine, 12, 2, 151, 159, Future Medicine Ltd., 2018年02月01日, [査読有り]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌)
  • Distinct Phenotypes of Smokers with Fixed Airflow Limitation Identified by Cluster Analysis of Severe Asthma.
    Konno S, Taniguchi N, Makita H, Nakamaru Y, Shimizu K, Shijubo N, Fuke S, Takeyabu K, Oguri M, Kimura H, Maeda Y, Suzuki M, Nagai K, Ito YM, Wenzel SE, Nishimura M, HiCARAT Investigators ‡, HiCARAT Investigators
    Annals of the American Thoracic Society, 15, 1, 33, 41, American Thoracic Society, 2018年01月01日, [査読有り], [筆頭著者]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌)
  • Clinical Course of Histologically Proven Multifocal Micronodular Pneumocyte Hyperplasia in Tuberous Sclerosis Complex: A Case Series and Comparison with Lymphangiomyomatosis
    Satoshi Konno, Masahiko Shigemura, Takahiro Ogi, Kaoruko Shimizu, Masaru Suzuki, Kichizo Kaga, Yasuhiro Hida, Yoshihiro Matsuno, Masaharu Nishimura
    RESPIRATION, 95, 5, 310, 316, 2018年, [査読有り], [責任著者]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌)
  • Allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis in Japan: A nationwide survey.
    Tsuyoshi Oguma, Masami Taniguchi, Terufumi Shimoda, Katsuhiko Kamei, Hiroto Matsuse, Akira Hebisawa, Noboru Takayanagi, Satoshi Konno, Koichi Fukunaga, Kazuki Harada, Jun Tanaka, Katsuyoshi Tomomatsu, Koichiro Asano
    Allergology international : official journal of the Japanese Society of Allergology, 67, 1, 79, 84, 2018年01月, [査読有り], [国際誌]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌), BACKGROUND: Allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA) is an allergic pulmonary disease characterized by a hypersensitivity reaction to Aspergillus species colonizing the airways. The clinical characteristics of ABPA may differ depending on genetic and environmental background. We performed a nationwide survey to determine the clinical characteristics of ABPA in Japan. METHODS: In 2013, a questionnaire on physician-diagnosed ABPA/allergic bronchopulmonary mycosis was sent to 903 medical centers specializing in respiratory or allergic diseases. Cases fulfilling the following criteria were categorized as possible ABPA-central bronchiectasis (ABPA-CB): 1) presence of specific serum immunoglobulin E (IgE) antibodies or a positive skin reaction to Aspergillus, and 2) bronchiectasis or mucoid impaction in the central bronchi. RESULTS: Of 499 physician-diagnosed cases reported by 132 clinical centers, 358 cases met the criteria for possible ABPA-CB. Median age of ABPA-CB onset was 57 (interquartile range, 44-68) years; later-onset disease, developing ≥50 years of age, accounted for 66% of the cases and was associated with female sex, delayed onset of asthma, and lower levels of serum IgE. A third of the patients (120 patients, 34%) exhibited low levels of serum total IgE (<1000 IU/mL). Aspergillus species were isolated from sputum in 126/213 cases (59%), and Schizophyllum commune was identified in 12 (6%) patients. During the course of the treatment, ABPA recurred in 169 (48%) cases. CONCLUSIONS: This nationwide survey identified several unique clinical characteristics of ABPA in Japan, such as late-onset, relatively lower serum IgE levels, and frequent recurrences/flares.
  • Serum periostin is associated with body mass index and allergic rhinitis in healthy and asthmatic subjects
    Hirokazu Kimura, Satoshi Konno, Hironi Makita, Natsuko Taniguchi, Hiroki Kimura, Houman Goudarzi, Kaoruko Shimizu, Masaru Suzuki, Noriharu Shijubo, Katsunori Shigehara, Junya Ono, Kenji Izuhara, Yoichi Minagawa Ito, Masaharu Nishimura
    Allergology International, Japanese Society of Allergology, 2018年, [査読有り], [責任著者]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌)
  • Orchestrating Role of Apoptosis Inhibitor of Macrophage in the Resolution of Acute Lung Injury
    Hiroki Kimura, Masaru Suzuki, Satoshi Konno, Hideo Shindou, Takao Shimizu, Takahide Nagase, Toru Miyazaki, Masaharu Nishimura
    JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY, 199, 11, 3870, 3882, 2017年12月, [査読有り]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌)
  • Resolution rate of pulmonary sarcoidosis and its related factors in a Japanese population
    Takeshi Hattori, Satoshi Konno, Noriharu Shijubo, Mitsuhide Ohmichi, Tetsuo Yamaguchi, Masaharu Nishimura
    RESPIROLOGY, 22, 8, 1604, 1608, 2017年11月, [査読有り], [責任著者]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌)
  • Genetic association of the functional CDHR3 genotype with early-onset adult asthma in Japanese populations
    Jun Kanazawa, Hironori Masuko, Yohei Yatagai, Tohru Sakamoto, Hideyasu Yamada, Yoshiko Kaneko, Haruna Kitazawa, Hiroaki Iijima, Takashi Naito, Takefumi Saito, Emiko Noguchi, Satoshi Konno, Masaharu Nishimura, Tomomitsu Hirota, Mayumi Tamari, Nobuyuki Hizawa
    ALLERGOLOGY INTERNATIONAL, 66, 4, 563, 567, 2017年10月, [査読有り]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌)
  • Acute bronchodilator responses to β2-agonist and anticholinergic agent in COPD: Their different associations with exacerbation.
    Konno S, Makita H, Suzuki M, Shimizu K, Kimura H, Kimura H, Nishimura M, Hokkaido COPD Cohort, Study Investigators
    Respiratory medicine, 127, 14, 20, 2017年06月, [査読有り], [筆頭著者]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌)
  • Sinus Computed Tomographic Findings in Adult Smokers and Nonsmokers with Asthma. Analysis of Clinical Indices and Biomarkers.
    Hirokazu Kimura, Satoshi Konno, Yuji Nakamaru, Hironi Makita, Natsuko Taniguchi, Kaoruko Shimizu, Masaru Suzuki, Junya Ono, Shoichiro Ohta, Kenji Izuhara, Masaharu Nishimura
    Annals of the American Thoracic Society, 14, 3, 332, 341, 2017年03月, [査読有り], [責任著者], [国際誌]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌), RATIONALE: When they occur together, sinusitis and asthma are often thought to represent anatomically separate components of the same chronic inflammatory airway disease. Information about the effect of smoking on the interaction between sinusitis and asthma in patients who have both disorders is limited. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the effect of cigarette smoking on the relationship between the presence and severity of sinusitis and selected asthma-related indices in adults who have asthma. METHODS: This study included 127 patients with severe asthma and 79 patients with mild to moderate asthma. Clinical data were obtained from all subjects during a 2-day stay at Hokkaido University Hospital (Sapporo, Japan). The Lund-Mackay scoring system was used to assess the anatomic extent and severity of sinusitis as revealed by sinus computed tomographic (CT) images obtained during hospitalization. We examined associations between Lund-Mackay scores and a variety of asthma-related indices and levels of biomarkers in blood and sputum. To clarify the effect of smoking on these associations, we conducted separate analyses for nonsmoking (<10 pack-years; n = 130) and smoking subjects (≥10 pack-years; n = 76). MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: In our cohort of adults with asthma, we found significant positive relationships between the presence and severity of sinusitis as assessed by Lund-Mackay score and the severity of asthma as measured by percent predicted FEV1 or FEV1/FVC for nonsmoking subjects (<10 pack-years) but not for cigarette smokers (>10 pack-years). Lund-Mackay scores correlated with blood and sputum eosinophil counts, serum IgE levels, and fractional exhaled nitric oxide, regardless of smoking status. Lund-Mackay scores also showed significant positive associations with serum periostin and chemokine C-C motif ligand 18 levels, regardless of smoking status, whereas a positive association with plasma osteopontin level was seen only for nonsmoking subjects. CONCLUSIONS: We found an association between the severity of sinusitis on CT imaging and the severity of concomitant asthma on spirometry for nonsmoking adults but not for smokers. In adults with asthma, CT imaging evidence of severe sinusitis indicates intense Th2-related inflammation, regardless of smoking status.
  • Understanding the complex interactions between obesity and asthma
    Satoshi Konno
    Japanese Journal of Allergology, 66, 7, 919, 922, Japanese Society of Allergology, 2017年, [査読有り], [筆頭著者]
    日本語, 研究論文(学術雑誌)
  • Asthma-like Features and Clinical Course of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease An Analysis from the Hokkaido COPD Cohort Study
    Masaru Suzuki, Hironi Makita, Satoshi Konno, Kaoruko Shimizu, Hiroki Kimura, Hirokazu Kimura, Masaharu Nishimura
    AMERICAN JOURNAL OF RESPIRATORY AND CRITICAL CARE MEDICINE, 194, 11, 1358, 1365, 2016年12月, [査読有り]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌)
  • The effects of pulmonary vasodilating agents on right ventricular parameters in severe group 3 pulmonary hypertension: a pilot study
    Takahiro Sato, Ichizo Tsujino, Ayako Sugimoto, Toshitaka Nakaya, Taku Watanabe, Hiroshi Ohira, Masaru Suzuki, Satoshi Konno, Noriko Oyama-Manabe, Masaharu Nishimura
    Pulmonary Circulation, 6, 4, 524, 531, 2016年12月, [査読有り]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌)
  • Computed tomography (CT)-assessed bronchodilation induced by inhaled indacaterol and glycopyrronium/indacaterol in COPD
    Kaoruko Shimizu, Ruriko Seto, Hironi Makita, Masaru Suzuki, Satoshi Konno, Yoichi M. Ito, Rie Kanda, Emiko Ogawa, Yasutaka Nakano, Masaharu Nishimura
    RESPIRATORY MEDICINE, 119, 70, 77, 2016年10月, [査読有り]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌)
  • Variants near the HLA complex group 22 gene (HCG22) confer increased susceptibility to late-onset asthma in Japanese populations
    Yohei Yatagai, Tomomitsu Hirota, Tohru Sakamoto, Hideyasu Yamada, Hironori Masuko, Yoshiko Kaneko, Hiroaki Iijima, Takashi Naito, Emiko Noguchi, Mayumi Tamari, Michiaki Kubo, Atsushi Takahashi, Satoshi Konno, Hironi Makita, Masaharu Nishimura, Minako Hijikata, Naoto Keicho, Sakae Homma, Yoshio Taguchi, Arata Azuma, Shoji Kudoh, Nobuyuki Hizawa
    JOURNAL OF ALLERGY AND CLINICAL IMMUNOLOGY, 138, 1, 281, 283, 2016年07月, [査読有り]
    英語
  • Association between Smoking Status and Obesity in a Nationwide Survey of Japanese Adults
    Taku Watanabe, Ichizo Tsujino, Satoshi Konno, Yoichi M. Ito, Chisa Takashina, Takahiro Sato, Akira Isada, Hiroshi Ohira, Yoshinori Ohtsuka, Yuma Fukutomi, Hiroyuki Nakamura, Yukio Kawagishi, Chiharu Okada, Nobuyuki Hizawa, Masami Taniguchi, Akira Akasawa, Masaharu Nishimura
    PLOS ONE, 11, 3, e0148926, 2016年03月, [査読有り], [責任著者]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌)
  • Role of Lung Function Genes in the Development of Asthma
    Hideyasu Yamada, Hironori Masuko, Yohei Yatagai, Tohru Sakamoto, Yoshiko Kaneko, Hiroaki Iijima, Takashi Naito, Emiko Noguchi, Satoshi Konno, Masaharu Nishimura, Tomomitsu Hirota, Mayumi Tamari, Nobuyuki Hizawa
    PLOS ONE, 11, 1, e0145832, 2016年01月, [査読有り]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌)
  • Genetic interactions between ADRB2 and PTGER4 on responses to salmeterol or montelukast in Japanese patients with mild persistent asthma
    Hideyasu Yamada, Hironon Masuko, Toshihide Inui, Jun Kanazawa, Yohei Yatagai, Tohru Sakamoto, Hiroaki Iijima, Satoshi Konno, Kaoruko Shimizu, Hironi Makita, Masaharu Nishimura, Fumio Kokubu, Takefumi Saito, Takeo Endo, Hiroki Ninomiya, Norihiro Kaneko, Nobuyuki Hizawa
    Japanese Journal of Allergology, 65, 9, 1201, 1208, Japanese Society of Allergology, 2016年, [査読有り]
    日本語, 研究論文(学術雑誌)
  • Two cases of hard metal lung disease showing gradual improvement in pulmonary function after avoiding dust exposure
    Hiroya Terui, Satoshi Konno, Kichizo Kaga, Yoshihiro Matsuno, Kanako C. Hatanaka, Hiromi Kanno, Hiroshi Moriyama, Motohiro Uo, Masaharu Nishimura
    JOURNAL OF OCCUPATIONAL MEDICINE AND TOXICOLOGY, 10, 29, 2015年08月, [査読有り], [責任著者]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌)
  • Contrasting associations of body mass index and measles with asthma and rhinitis in young adults
    Hirokazu Kimura, Satoshi Konno, Akira Isada, Yukiko Maeda, Manabu Musashi, Masaharu Nishimura
    ALLERGY AND ASTHMA PROCEEDINGS, 36, 4, 293, 299, 2015年07月, [査読有り], [責任著者]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌)
  • Regional bronchodilator response assessed by computed tomography in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
    Kaoruko Shimizu, Hironi Makita, Masaru Hasegawa, Hirokazu Kimura, Satoshi Fuke, Katsura Nagai, Takayuki Yoshida, Masaru Suzuki, Satoshi Konno, Yoichi M. Ito, Masaharu Nishimura
    EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF RADIOLOGY, 84, 6, 1196, 1201, 2015年06月, [査読有り]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌)
  • Genome-Wide Association Study For Late-Onset Asthma Demonstrates Possible Association With A Gene Related To Diffuse Panbronchiolitis               
    Yatagai,Y, Sakamoto,T, Yamada,H, Masuko,H, Kaneko,Y, Iijima,H, Naito,T, Noguchi,E, Hirota,T, Tamari,M, Makita,H, Konno,S, Nishimura,M, Hizawa,N
    AMERICAN JOURNAL OF RESPIRATORY AND CRITICAL CARE MEDICINE, 191, AMER THORACIC SOC, 2015年05月
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌)
  • Differential changes in quality of life components over 5 years in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients
    Katsura Nagai, Hironi Makita, Masaru Suzuki, Kaoruko Shimizu, Satoshi Konno, Yoichi M Ito, Masaharu Nishimura, On behalf of the Hokkaido COPD Cohort Study Investigators, Yoshikazu Kawakami, Youichi Nishiura, Hiroshi Saito, Tetsuya Kojima, Takeshi Igarashi, Kiyonobu Kimura, Ikuo Nakano, Moto Katabami, Kouichi Itabashi, Kiyoshi Morikawa, Seiichi Tagami, Yoshihiro Otsuka, Rika Sato, Junichiro Kojima, Shinji Nigawara, Takashi Morioka, Ichiro Sakai, Hiroshi Yamamoto, Shigeaki Ogura, Kenji Akie, Fumihiro Honmura, Shinichi Kusudou, Hiroshi Izumi, Kensuke Baba, Hiroki Goya, Tsuyoshi Nakano, Kimihiro Takeyabu, Yasushi Akiyama, Fujiya Kishi, Akihide Ito, Michihiro Fujino, Masashi Ohe, Toshiyuki Harada, Akira Kamimura, Nobuyuki Hakuma, Noriaki Sukou, Kazuo Takaoka, Isamu Doi, Atsushi Ishimine, Ryouji Nakano, Yasushi Hasegawa, Yasuyuki Nasuhara, Tomoko Betsuyaku, Kunio Hamada, Yoko Ito, Motoko Kobayashi, Takeshi Hosokawa, Satoshi Fuke, Masaru Hasegawa, Nao Odajima, Chinatsu Moriyama, Takayuki Yoshida, Takashi Inomata, Kanako Maki, Eiji Shibuya, Tsukasa Sasaki, Katsuaki Nitta, Masafumi Yamamoto, Shigetaka Mizuno, Kenji Miyamoto, Nobuyuki Hizawa
    International Journal of COPD, 10, 745, 757, 2015年04月13日, [査読有り]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌)
  • 放射光XRF およびXAFS を用いた 超硬合金肺病理標本中の元素分析
    宇尾基弘, 和田敬広, 杉山知子, 中野郁夫, 木村清延, 谷口菜津子, 猪又崇志, 今野 哲, 西村正治
    X線分析の進歩, 46, 46, 177, 186, アグネ技術センター, 2015年03月, [査読有り]
    日本語, 研究論文(学術雑誌)
  • Historical transition of management of sarcoidosis               
    Inomata M, Konno S, Azuma A
    W J Respir., 28, 4, 16, 2015年, [査読有り], [招待有り], [筆頭著者]
    英語
  • Smoking and adult asthma, COPD
    Satoshi Konno
    Japanese Journal of Allergology, 64, 8, 1127, 1134, Japanese Society of Allergology, 2015年, [査読有り]
    日本語, 研究論文(学術雑誌)
  • Factors associated with the presence of allergen-specific ige responses in asthma patients who had no ige responses detectable by mast-26
    Hiroaki Iijima, Yoshiko Kaneko, Hironori Masuko, Hideyasu Yamada, Yohei Yatagai, Tohru Sakamoto, Koji Kanemoto, Hiroichi Ishikawa, Takefumi Saito, Takeo Endo, Hiroki Ninomiya, Akihiro Nomura, Takahide Kodama, Norihiro Kaneko, Fumio Kokubu, Hironi Makita, Satoshi Konno, Masaharu Nishimura, Nobuyuki Hizawa
    Japanese Journal of Allergology, 64, 9, 1242, 1253, Japanese Society of Allergology, 2015年, [査読有り]
    日本語, 研究論文(学術雑誌)
  • Lower leptin/adiponectin ratio and risk of rapid lung function decline in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
    Suzuki M, Makita H, Östling J, Thomsen LH, Konno S, Nagai K, Shimizu K, Pedersen JH, Ashraf H, Bruijnzeel PL, Maciewicz RA, Nishimura M, Hokkaido COPD Cohort Study, Danish Lung Cancer Screening Trial Investigators
    Annals of the American Thoracic Society, 11, 10, 1511, 1519, American Thoracic Society, 2014年12月01日, [査読有り]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌)
  • Genomewide association study identifies HAS2 as a novel susceptibility gene for adult asthma in a Japanese population
    Y. Yatagai, T. Sakamoto, H. Yamada, H. Masuko, Y. Kaneko, H. Iijima, T. Naito, E. Noguchi, T. Hirota, M. Tamari, S. Konno, M. Nishimura, N. Hizawa
    CLINICAL AND EXPERIMENTAL ALLERGY, 44, 11, 1327, 1334, 2014年11月, [査読有り]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌)
  • Association of the CAT-262C > T polymorphism with asthma in smokers and the nonemphysematous phenotype of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
    Natsuko Taniguchi, Satoshi Konno, Akira Isada, Takeshi Hattori, Hirokazu Kimura, Kaoruko Shimizu, Yukiko Maeda, Hironi Makita, Nobuyuki Hizawa, Masaharu Nishimura
    ANNALS OF ALLERGY ASTHMA & IMMUNOLOGY, 113, 1, 31, +, 2014年07月, [査読有り], [責任著者]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌)
  • Clinical features and determinants of COPD exacerbation in the Hokkaido COPD cohort study
    Masaru Suzuki, Hironi Makita, Yoichi M. Ito, Katsura Nagai, Satoshi Konno, Masaharu Nishimura
    EUROPEAN RESPIRATORY JOURNAL, 43, 5, 1289, 1297, 2014年05月, [査読有り]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌)
  • The effects of a Gly16Arg ADRB2 polymorphism on responses to salmeterol or montelukast in Japanese patients with mild persistent asthma
    Satoshi Konno, Nobuyuki Hizawa, Hironi Makita, Kaoruko Shimizu, Tohru Sakamoto, Fumio Kokubu, Takefumi Saito, Takeo Endo, Hiroki Ninomiya, Hiroaki Iijima, Norihiro Kaneko, Yoichi M. Ito, Masaharu Nishimura
    PHARMACOGENETICS AND GENOMICS, 24, 5, 246, 255, 2014年05月, [査読有り], [筆頭著者]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌)
  • Effect of Lung Volume on Airway Luminal Area Assessed by Computed Tomography in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
    Kenta Kambara, Kaoruko Shimizu, Hironi Makita, Masaru Hasegawa, Katsura Nagai, Satoshi Konno, Masaharu Nishimura
    PLOS ONE, 9, 2, e90040, 2014年02月, [査読有り]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌)
  • アレルゲン特異的IgE反応性から分類した喘息フェノタイプ Thymic stromal lymphopoietin(TSLP)遺伝子と喫煙の役割
    飯島 弘晃, 山田 英恵, 谷田貝 洋平, 金子 美子, 内藤 隆志, 坂本 透, 増子 裕典, 広田 朝光, 玉利 真由美, 今野 哲, 西村 正治, 檜澤 伸之
    アレルギー, 63, 1, 33, 44, (一社)日本アレルギー学会, 2014年02月, [査読有り]
    日本語
  • Severe Pulmonary Hypertension in Adult Pulmonary Langerhans Cell Histiocytosis: The Effect of Sildenafil as a Bridge to Lung Transplantation
    Takayuki Yoshida, Satoshi Konno, Ichizo Tsujino, Takahiro Sato, Hiroshi Ohira, Fengshi Chen, Hiroshi Date, Akihiro Ishizu, Hironori Haga, Mishie Tanino, Masaharu Nishimura
    INTERNAL MEDICINE, 53, 17, 1985, 1990, 2014年, [査読有り], [責任著者]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌)
  • Prevalence of adult asthma and allergic rhinitis in kamishihoro, hokkaido -Trends from 2006 through 2011-
    Kaoruko Shimizu, Satoshi Konno, Hirokazu Kimura, Takahiro Ogi, Natsuko Taniguchi, Kenichi Shimizu, Akira Isada, Takeshi Hattori, Nobuyuki Hizawa, Masami Taniguchi, Akira Akazawa, Masaharu Nishimura
    Japanese Journal of Allergology, 63, 7, 928, 937, Japanese Society of Allergology, 2014年, [査読有り], [責任著者]
    日本語, 研究論文(学術雑誌)
  • Sensitization to laboratory animal allergens among students and researchers exposed to laboratory rodents in Hokkaido University
    Aya Yoshimura, Manabu Musashi, Takeaki Kaneko, Shunsuke Ohnishi, Chieko Orito, Yukako Kawahara, Satoshi Hashino, Masami Morimatsu, Satoshi Konno, Jiro Arikawa, Tetsuya Ishii, Masaya Sawamura, Ichiro Ueda
    Japanese Journal of Allergology, 63, 8, 1132, 1139, Japanese Society of Allergology, 2014年, [査読有り]
    日本語, 研究論文(学術雑誌)
  • Genome-Wide Association Study for Levels of Total Serum IgE Identifies HLA-C in a Japanese Population
    Yohei Yatagai, Tohru Sakamoto, Hironori Masuko, Yoshiko Kaneko, Hideyasu Yamada, Hiroaki Iijima, Takashi Naito, Emiko Noguchi, Tomomitsu Hirota, Mayumi Tamari, Yoshimasa Imoto, Takahiro Tokunaga, Shigeharu Fujieda, Satoshi Konno, Masaharu Nishimura, Nobuyuki Hizawa
    PLOS ONE, 8, 12, e80941, 2013年12月, [査読有り]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌)
  • FIVE CASES WITH OUT-OF-PROPORTION GROUP 3 PULMONARY HYPERTENSION WITH FAVORABLE HEMODYNAMIC RESPONSE TO VASODILATORS
    Kuroki Akane, Sato Takahiro, Tsujino Ichizo, Igarashi Ayako, Ohira Hiroshi, Yamada Asuka, Watanabe Taku, Suzuki Masaru, Konno Satoshi, Nishimura Masaharu
    RESPIROLOGY, 18, 172, 2013年11月, [査読有り], [国際誌]
  • The CC16 A38G polymorphism is associated with asymptomatic airway hyper-responsiveness and development of late-onset asthma
    Natsuko Taniguchi, Satoshi Konno, Takeshi Hattori, Akira Isada, Kaoruko Shimizu, Kenichi Shimizu, Noriharu Shijubo, Shau-Ku Huang, Nobuyuki Hizawa, Masaharu Nishimura
    ANNALS OF ALLERGY ASTHMA & IMMUNOLOGY, 111, 5, 376, +, 2013年11月, [査読有り], [責任著者]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌)
  • Increased prevalence of cigarette smoking in Japanese patients with sarcoidosis
    Takeshi Hattori, Satoshi Konno, Noriharu Shijubo, Mitsuhide Ohmichi, Masaharu Nishimura
    Respirology, 18, 7, 1152, 1157, 7, 2013年10月, [査読有り], [責任著者]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌)
  • Serum KL-6 concentrations are associated with molecular sizes and efflux behavior of KL-6/MUC1 in healthy subjects
    Masahiko Shigemura, Satoshi Konno, Yasuyuki Nasuhara, Noriharu Shijubo, Chikara Shimizu, Masaharu Nishimura
    CLINICA CHIMICA ACTA, 424, 148, 152, 2013年09月, [査読有り], [責任著者]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌)
  • Nationwide epidemiological survey of chronic hypersensitivity pneumonitis in Japan.
    Tsukasa Okamoto, Yasunari Miyazaki, Takashi Ogura, Kingo Chida, Nobuoki Kohno, Shigeru Kohno, Hiroyuki Taniguchi, Shinobu Akagawa, Yoshiro Mochizuki, Kohei Yamauchi, Hiroki Takahashi, Takeshi Johkoh, Sakae Homma, Kazuma Kishi, Soichiro Ikushima, Satoshi Konno, Michiaki Mishima, Ken Ohta, Yasuhiko Nishioka, Nobuyuki Yoshimura, Mitsuru Munakata, Kentaro Watanabe, Yoshihiro Miyashita, Naohiko Inase
    Respiratory investigation, 51, 3, 191, 9, 3, 2013年09月, [査読有り], [国際誌]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌), BACKGROUND: In 1999, a Japanese epidemiological survey of chronic hypersensitivity pneumonitis (HP) showed that summer-type HP was the most prevalent variant of the disease. The number of reported cases of chronic HP has recently been increasing, and the clinical features of the disease seem to have changed. We conducted another nationwide epidemiological survey of chronic HP in Japan to determine better estimates of the frequency and clinical features of the disease. METHODS: A questionnaire was sent to qualified hospitals throughout Japan, and data on cases of chronic HP diagnosed between 2000 and 2009 were collected. RESULTS: In total, 222 cases of chronic HP from 22 hospitals were studied. Disease subtypes included bird-related HP (n=134), summer-type HP (n=33), home-related HP (n=25), farmer's lung (n=4), isocyanate-induced HP (n=3), and other types (n=23). The median proportion of lymphocytes in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid was high (24.5%). The primary findings of computed tomography of the chest were ground-glass attenuation and interlobular septal thickening. Centrilobular fibrosis was the major pathological finding on examination of surgical lung biopsy specimens from 93 patients. The median survival time was 83 months. CONCLUSIONS: The proportion of bird-related HP was higher than that in the previous epidemiological survey, and the proportions of isocyanate-induced HP and farmer's lung were lower. A crucial step in diagnosing chronic HP is to thoroughly explore the possibility of antigen exposure.
  • Asthma Phenotypes in Japanese Adults - Their Associations with the CCL5 and ADRB2 Genotypes
    Yoshiko Kaneko, Hironori Masuko, Tohru Sakamoto, Hiroaki Iijima, Takashi Naito, Yohei Yatagai, Hideyasu Yamada, Satoshi Konno, Masaharu Nishimura, Emiko Noguchi, Nobuyuki Hizawa
    ALLERGOLOGY INTERNATIONAL, 62, 1, 113, 121, 2013年03月, [査読有り]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌)
  • Four cases with group 3 out-of-proportion pulmonary hypertension with a favorable response to vasodilators
    Ayako Igarashi, Takahiro Sato, Ichizo Tsujino, Hiroshi Ohira, Asuka Yamada, Taku Watanabe, Masaru Suzuki, Satoshi Konno, Masaharu Nishimura
    Respiratory Medicine Case Reports, 9, 1, 4, 7, 2013年, [査読有り]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌)
  • A case of sarcoidosis with eosinophilia in peripheral blood and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid
    Ayumu Takahashi, Satoshi Konno, Kanako Hatanaka, Yoshihiro Matsuno, Etsuro Yamaguchi, Masaharu Nishimura
    Respiratory Medicine Case Reports, 8, 1, 43, 46, 2013年, [査読有り]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌)
  • A distinct sensitization pattern associated with asthma and the thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) genotype
    Hiroaki Iijima, Yoshiko Kaneko, Hideyasu Yamada, Yohei Yatagai, Hironori Masuko, Tohru Sakamoto, Takashi Naito, Tomomitsu Hirota, Mayumi Tamari, Satoshi Konno, Masaharu Nishimura, Emiko Noguchi, Nobuyuki Hizawa
    Allergology International, 62, 1, 123, 130, Japanese Society of Allergology, 2013年, [査読有り]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌)
  • Dehydroxymethylepoxyquinomicin (DHMEQ), a novel NF-kappaB inhibitor, inhibits allergic inflammation and airway remodelling in murine models of asthma
    K. Shimizu, S. Konno, M. Ozaki, K. Umezawa, K. Yamashita, S. Todo, M. Nishimura
    CLINICAL AND EXPERIMENTAL ALLERGY, 42, 8, 1273, 1281, 2012年08月, [査読有り], [責任著者]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌)
  • The prevalence of rhinitis and its association with smoking and obesity in a nationwide survey of Japanese adults
    Satoshi Konno, N. Hizawa, Y. Fukutomi, M. Taniguchi, Y. Kawagishi, C. Okada, Y. Tanimoto, K. Takahashi, A. Akasawa, K. Akiyama, M. Nishimura
    Allergy: European Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, 67, 5, 653, 660, 5, 2012年05月, [査読有り], [筆頭著者]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌)
  • Effects of molecular structural variants on serum Krebs von den Lungen-6 levels in sarcoidosis
    Masahiko Shigemura, Yasuyuki Nasuhara, Satoshi Konno, Chikara Shimizu, Kazuhiko Matsuno, Etsuro Yamguchi, Masaharu Nishimura
    JOURNAL OF TRANSLATIONAL MEDICINE, 10, 111, 2012年05月, [査読有り]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌)
  • Annual Change in Pulmonary Function and Clinical Phenotype in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
    Masaharu Nishimura, Hironi Makita, Katsura Nagai, Satoshi Konno, Yasuyuki Nasuhara, Masaru Hasegawa, Kaoruko Shimizu, Tomoko Betsuyaku, Yoichi M. Ito, Satoshi Fuke, Takeshi Igarashi, Yasushi Akiyama, Shigeaki Ogura
    AMERICAN JOURNAL OF RESPIRATORY AND CRITICAL CARE MEDICINE, 185, 1, 44, 52, 2012年01月, [査読有り]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌)
  • Association between Body Mass Index and Asthma among Japanese Adults: Risk within the Normal Weight Range
    Yuma Fukutomi, Masami Taniguchi, Hiroyuki Nakamura, Satoshi Konno, Masaharu Nishimura, Yukio Kawagishi, Chiharu Okada, Yasushi Tanimoto, Kiyoshi Takahashi, Akira Akasawa, Kazuo Akiyama
    INTERNATIONAL ARCHIVES OF ALLERGY AND IMMUNOLOGY, 157, 3, 281, 287, 2012年, [査読有り]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌)
  • Total serum IgE levels and atopic status in patients with sarcoidosis
    Takeshi Hattori, Satoshi Konno, Masahiko Shigemura, Kazuhiko Matsuno, Chikara Shimizu, Katsunori Shigehara, Noriharu Shijubo, Nobuyuki Hizawa, Etsuro Yamaguchi, Masaharu Nishimura
    ALLERGY AND ASTHMA PROCEEDINGS, 33, 1, 90, 94, 2012年01月, [査読有り], [責任著者]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌)
  • Impact of asthmatic control status on serum cystatin C concentrations
    Masahiko Shigemura, Satoshi Konno, Yasuyuki Nasuhara, Chikara Shimizu, Kazuhiko Matsuno, Masaharu Nishimura
    CLINICAL CHEMISTRY AND LABORATORY MEDICINE, 50, 8, 1367, 1371, 2012年, [査読有り], [責任著者]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌)
  • Beta2-adrenergic receptor polymorphisms as a determinant of preferential bronchodilator responses to β2-agonist and anticholinergic agents in Japanese patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
    Konno S, Makita H, Hasegawa M, Nasuhara Y, Nagai K, Betsuyaku T, Hizawa N, Nishimura M
    Pharmacogenetics and genomics, 21, 11, 687, 693, 2011年11月, [査読有り], [筆頭著者]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌)
  • Role of osteopontin, a multifunctional protein, in allergy and asthma
    S. Konno, M. Kurokawa, T. Uede, M. Nishimura, S. -K. Huang
    CLINICAL AND EXPERIMENTAL ALLERGY, 41, 10, 1360, 1366, 2011年10月, [査読有り], [招待有り], [筆頭著者, 責任著者], [国際共著]
    英語
  • Comparison of airway remodelling assessed by computed tomography in asthma and COPD
    Kaoruko Shimizu, Masaru Hasegawa, Hironi Makita, Yasuyuki Nasuhara, Satoshi Konno, Masaharu Nishimura
    RESPIRATORY MEDICINE, 105, 9, 1275, 1283, 2011年09月, [査読有り]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌)
  • [A case of multifocal micronodular pneumocyte hyperplasia without clinical findings of tuberous sclerosis].
    Taniguchi N, Konno S, Nasuhara Y, Matsuno Y, Oka T, Nishimura M
    Nihon Kokyuki Gakkai zasshi = the journal of the Japanese Respiratory Society, 49, 5, 355, 359, 2011年05月, [査読有り], [国内誌]
    日本語, 研究論文(学術雑誌), A 30-year-old woman was referred because of multiple ground-glass opacities (GGOs) on chest CT examination. Lung biopsy was performed. Histologically, multifocal well-demarcated nodular lesions comprising proliferation of type II pneumocytes with mild fibrous thickening of the alveolar septa were observed in the lung tissue. We made a histopathologic diagnosis of multifocal micronodular pneumocyte hyperplasia (MMPH). Neither the clinical findings nor the family history of the patient suggested tuberous sclerosis (TSC). MMPH is a pulmonary manifestation of tuberous sclerosis, together with lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM). MMPH should be considered as a differential diagnosis of multiple GGOs in the lung even when findings of TSC and LAM are not recognized.
  • A Case of Follicular Bronchiolitis Associated with Asthma, Eosinophilia, and Increased Immunoglobulin E
    Kaoruko Shimizu, Satoshi Konno, Yasuyuki Nasuhara, Mishie Tanino, Yoshihiro Matsuno, Masaharu Nishimura
    JOURNAL OF ASTHMA, 47, 10, 1161, 1164, 2010年12月, [査読有り], [責任著者]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌)
  • Airflow limitation and airway dimensions assessed per bronchial generation in older asthmatics
    Kaoruko Shimizu, Masaru Hasegawa, Hironi Makita, Yasuyuki Nasuhara, Satoshi Konno, Masaharu Nishimura
    RESPIRATORY MEDICINE, 104, 12, 1809, 1816, 2010年12月, [査読有り]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌)
  • Japanese-Specific Filaggrin Gene Mutations in Japanese Patients Suffering from Atopic Eczema and Asthma
    Rinko Osawa, Satoshi Konno, Masashi Akiyama, Ikue Nemoto-Hasebe, Toshifumi Nomura, Yukiko Nomura, Riichiro Abe, Aileen Sandilands, W. H. Irwin McLean, Nobuyuki Hizawa, Masaharu Nishimura, Hiroshi Shimizu
    JOURNAL OF INVESTIGATIVE DERMATOLOGY, 130, 12, 2834, 2836, 2010年12月, [査読有り]
    英語
  • Genetic variants in mannose receptor gene (MRC1) confer susceptibility to increased risk of sarcoidosis
    Takeshi Hattori, Satoshi Konno, Ayumu Takahashi, Akira Isada, Kaoruko Shimizu, Kenichi Shimizu, Natsuko Taniguchi, Peisong Gao, Etsuro Yamaguchi, Nobuyuki Hizawa, Shau-Ku Huang, Masaharu Nishimura
    BMC MEDICAL GENETICS, 11, 151, 2010年10月, [査読有り], [責任著者]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌)
  • [A case of pulmonary sarcoidosis with rapid progression of multiple cystic lesions].
    Shimizu K, Konno S, Fuke S, Nishiura Y, Nishimura M
    Nihon Kokyuki Gakkai zasshi = the journal of the Japanese Respiratory Society, 48, 9, 715, 718, 2010年09月, [査読有り]
  • Polymorphisms in the sialic acid-binding immunoglobulin-like lectin-8 (Siglec-8) gene are associated with susceptibility to asthma
    Pei-Song Gao, Kenichi Shimizu, Audrey V. Grant, Nicholas Rafaels, Lin-Fu Zhou, Sherry A. Hudson, Satoshi Konno, Nives Zimmermann, Maria I. Araujo, Eduardo V. Ponte, Alvaro A. Cruz, Masaharu Nishimura, Song-Nan Su, Nobuyuki Hizawa, Terry H. Beaty, Rasika A. Mathias, Marc E. Rothenberg, Kathleen C. Barnes, Bruce S. Bochner
    EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF HUMAN GENETICS, 18, 6, 713, 719, 2010年06月, [査読有り], [国際共著]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌)
  • 側胸部痛を主訴に受診し, 全肺野に多発する嚢胞性病変を認めた症例
    今野 哲, 西村 正治
    日本内科学会雑誌, 99, 5, 1130, 1131, The Japanese Society of Internal Medicine, 2010年05月10日
    日本語
  • The role of atopy in the clinical course of pulmonary sarcoidosis in the Japanese population
    Takeshi Hattori, Satoshi Konno, Ayumu Takahashi, Akira Isada, Masahiko Shigemura, Kazuhiko Matsuno, Chikara Shimizu, Nobuyuki Hizawa, Etsuro Yamaguchi, Masaharu Nishimura
    ALLERGY AND ASTHMA PROCEEDINGS, 31, 3, 238, 243, 2010年05月, [査読有り], [責任著者]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌)
  • Levels of Transferrin in Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid in Sarcoidosis
    Masahiko Shigemura, Yasuyuki Nasuhara, Satoshi Konno, Takeshi Hattori, Chikara Shimizu, Kazuhiko Matsuno, Masaharu Nishimura
    LUNG, 188, 2, 151, 157, 2010年04月, [査読有り]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌)
  • A functional polymorphism (-603A -> G) in the tissue factor gene promoter is associated with adult-onset asthma
    Akira Isada, Satoshi Konno, Nobuyuki Hizawa, Mayumi Tamari, Tomomitsu Hirota, Michishige Harada, Yukiko Maeda, Takeshi Hattori, Ayumu Takahashi, Masaharu Nishimura
    JOURNAL OF HUMAN GENETICS, 55, 3, 167, 174, 2010年03月, [査読有り], [責任著者]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌)
  • Primary Mediastinal Liposarcoma, with 6 Years of Follow-up to Autopsy, Revealed Histopathological Features of Primary and Metastatic Lesions
    Satoshi Konno, Satoshi Oizumi, Naofumi Shinagawa, Eiki Kikuchi, Jun Konishi, Kenichiro Ito, Nobuyuki Hizawa, Akihiro Takiyama, Shinya Tanaka, Masaharu Nishimura
    INTERNAL MEDICINE, 49, 8, 771, 775, 2010年, [査読有り], [筆頭著者]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌)
  • Nationwide Cross-Sectional Population-Based Study on the Prevalences of Asthma and Asthma Symptoms among Japanese Adults
    Yuma Fukutomi, Hiroyuki Nakamura, Fumio Kobayashi, Masami Taniguchi, Satoshi Konno, Masaharu Nishimura, Yukio Kawagishi, Junko Watanabe, Yuko Komase, Yasuhiro Akamatsu, Chiharu Okada, Yasushi Tanimoto, Kiyoshi Takahashi, Tomoaki Kimura, Akira Eboshida, Ryoji Hirota, Junko Ikei, Hiroshi Odajima, Takemasa Nakagawa, Akira Akasawa, Kazuo Akiyama
    INTERNATIONAL ARCHIVES OF ALLERGY AND IMMUNOLOGY, 153, 3, 280, 287, 2010年, [査読有り]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌)
  • Evaluating total serum IgE levels and peripheral eosinophil count in asthma and rhinitis
    Ayumu Takahashi, Satoshi Konno, Akira Isada, Takeshi Hattori, Kaoruko Shimizu, Kenichi Shimizu, Natsuko Taniguchi, Daisuke Takahashi, Masami Taniguchi, Akira Akazawa, Nobuyuki Hizawa, Masaharu Nishimura
    Japanese Journal of Allergology, 59, 5, 536, 544, 5, 2010年, [査読有り], [責任著者]
    日本語, 研究論文(学術雑誌)
  • Regulatory role of DC-derived osteopontin in systemic allergen sensitization
    Masatsugu Kurokawa, Satoshi Konno, Ayumu Takahashi, Beverly Plunkett, Susan R. Rittling, Yutaka Matsui, Shigeyuki Kon, Junko Morimoto, Toshimitsu Uede, Satoshi Matsukura, Fumio Kokubu, Mitsuru Adachi, Masaharu Nishimura, Shau-Ku Huang
    EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY, 39, 12, 3323, 3330, 2009年12月, [査読有り], [筆頭著者, 責任著者], [国際共著]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌)
  • Genetic variants in the mannose receptor gene (MRC1) are associated with asthma in two independent populations
    Takeshi Hattori, Satoshi Konno, Nobuyuki Hizawa, Akira Isada, Ayumu Takahashi, Kaoruko Shimizu, Kenichi Shimizu, Peisong Gao, Terri H. Beaty, Kathleen C. Barnes, Shau-Ku Huang, Masaharu Nishimura
    IMMUNOGENETICS, 61, 11-12, 731, 738, 2009年12月, [査読有り], [責任著者]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌)
  • Osteopontin is involved in migration of eosinophils in asthma
    A. Takahashi, M. Kurokawa, S. Konno, K. Ito, S. Kon, S. Ashino, T. Nishimura, T. Uede, N. Hizawa, S-K Huang, M. Nishimura
    CLINICAL AND EXPERIMENTAL ALLERGY, 39, 8, 1152, 1159, 2009年08月, [査読有り], [責任著者], [国際共著]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌)
  • [Usefulness of fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography in a case of pleural sarcoidosis].
    Hattori T, Konno S, Inomata T, Nasuhara Y, Betsuyaku T, Nishimura M
    Nihon Kokyuki Gakkai zasshi = the journal of the Japanese Respiratory Society, 47, 7, 658, 662, 2009年07月, [査読有り], [責任著者], [国内誌]
    日本語, 研究論文(学術雑誌), BACKGROUND: Pleural sarcoidosis is not a rare disease, and some patients with sarcoidosis experience chest pain, although the cause is often unknown. Various studies have indicated that fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) is useful for diagnosing and monitoring sarcoidosis. CASE: A 62-year-old man noted left-side dominant chest and back pain, although chest computed tomography (CT) revealed no abnormalities. Two months later, chest and back pain rapidly increased in severity and blurred vision appeared. In addition to uveitis, renal dysfunction was observed and chest CT on admission revealed enlargement of bilateral hilar/mediastinal lymph nodes and diffuse small nodular opacities and subpleural nodules, mainly in the segment of the left upper lobe (S1+2). FDG-PET revealed intense FDG uptake in bilateral peripheral lung parenchyma, spread widely along the subpleura and right inguinal lymph nodes with high uptake in the hilar and mediastinal lymph nodes. Sarcoidosis was diagnosed by transbronchial lung biopsy and renal biopsy. Oral corticosteroid treatment was performed due to persistent chest and back pain and rapid progression of renal dysfunction. Chest and back pain immediately disappeared and renal function improved. Follow-up FDG-PET performed 2 months after corticosteroid treatment revealed no areas of intense FDG uptake.
  • Genetic impact of a butyrophilin-like 2 (BTNL2) gene variation on specific IgE responsiveness to dermatophagoides farinae (Der f) in Japanese
    Satoshi Konno, Daisuke Takahashi, Nobuyuki Hizawa, Takeshi Hattori, Ayumu Takahashi, Akira Isada, Yukiko Maeda, Shau-Ku Huang, Masaharu Nishimura
    Allergology International, 58, 1, 29, 35, Japanese Society of Allergology, 2009年, [査読有り], [筆頭著者]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌)
  • Effects of Corticosteroids on Osteopontin Expression in a Murine Model of Allergic Asthma
    Masatsugu Kurokawa, Satoshi Konno, Satoshi Matsukura, Mio Kawaguchi, Koushi Ieki, Shintarou Suzuki, Miho Odaka, Shin Watanabe, Tetsuya Homma, Masayuki Sato, Hiroko Takeuchi, Takashi Hirose, Shau-Ku Huang, Mitsuru Adachi
    INTERNATIONAL ARCHIVES OF ALLERGY AND IMMUNOLOGY, 149, 7, 13, 2009年, [査読有り]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌)
  • Diversity of protein carbonylation in allergic airway inflammation
    Katsura Nagai, Tomoko Betsuyaku, Satoshi Konno, Yoko Ito, Yasuyuki Nasuhara, Nobuyuki Hizawa, Takahito Kondo, Masaharu Nishimura
    FREE RADICAL RESEARCH, 42, 11-12, 921, 929, 2008年11月, [査読有り]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌)
  • Functional single nucleotide polymorphisms of the CCL5 gene and nonemphysernatous phenotype in COPD patients
    N. Hizawa, H. Makita, Y. Nasuhara, M. Hasegawa, K. Nagai, Y. Ito, T. Betsuyaku, S. Konno, M. Nishimura
    EUROPEAN RESPIRATORY JOURNAL, 32, 2, 372, 378, 2008年08月, [査読有り]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌)
  • [The Arg16Glybeta2-adrenergic receptor polymorphism influences long term clinical responses to beta2-agonist].
    Isada A, Hizawa N, Shimizu K, Shimizu K, Takahashi A, Hattori T, Maeda Y, Takahashi D, Konno S, Nishimura M
    Arerugi = [Allergy], 57, 6, 713, 721, 6, 2008年06月, [査読有り]
    日本語, 【背景】β_2アドレナリン受容体(ADRB2)遺伝子の16番アミノ酸におけるグリシン(Gly)からアルギニン(Arg)への変化は受容体の機能的変化をもたらす.長期間のβ_2刺激薬投与により,特にArg/Arg患者では呼吸機能の悪化が報告されている.本研究では日本人喘息患者を対象にArg16Gly多型のβ_2刺激薬長期連用による呼吸機能への影響を検討した.【方法】対象は気管支喘息患者128人(Arg/Arg群64人,Gly/Gly群64人).β_2刺激薬を少なくとも6ヵ月間以上使用した長期連用群と非連用群に分類し,各遺伝子型群におけるβ_2刺激薬連用の有無による1秒量の変化を比較検討した.【結果】Gly/Gly群ではβ_2刺激薬連用によって,より大きな1秒量の改善が認められた(p=0.027-0.041).Arg/Arg群では連用群と非連用群との間に1秒量の改善に差はなかった.【結論】Arg/Arg型の日本人喘息患者においてβ_2刺激薬連用の有用性が小さく,ADRB2遺伝子が治療効果に影響を与えていると考えられた.
  • [Evaluation of atopy by antigen specific IGE antibody].
    Hattori T, Konno S, Shimizu K, Shimizu K, Isada A, Takahashi A, Maeda Y, Makita H, Sawazaki K, Hizawa N, Nishimura M
    Arerugi = [Allergy], 57, 5, 543, 551, 2008年05月, [査読有り]
  • the Hokkaido COPD Cohort Study Group Functional SNPs of the CCL5 gene and non-emphysematous phenotype in patients with COPD.               
    Hizawa, N, Makita H, Nasuhara Y, Hasegawa M, Nagai K, Ito Y, Betsuyaku T, Konno S, Nishimura M
    Eur Respir J., 32, 2, 372-378, 2008年01月, [査読有り]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌)
  • Prevalence of adult asthma and allergic rhinitis in Kamishihoro Town, Hokkaido - Associations with smoking habit and obesity
    Kaoruko Shimizu, Satoshi Konno, Kenichi Shimizu, Akira Isada, Ayumu Takahashi, Takeshi Hattori, Yukiko Maeda, Daisuke Takahashi, Kiyoshi Takahashi, Takemasa Nakagawa, Masami Taniguchi, Kazuo Akiyama, Akira Akazawa, Nobuyuki Hizawa, Masaharu Nishimura
    Japanese Journal of Allergology, 57, 7, 835, 842, 7, 2008年, [査読有り]
    日本語, 研究論文(学術雑誌)
  • Adult langerhans cell histiocytosis with independently relapsing lung and liver lesions that was successfully treated with etoposide
    Satoshi Konno, Nubuyuki Hizawa, Tomoko Betsuyaku, Masanori Yasuo, Hiroshi Yamamoto, Tomonobu Koizumi, Masaharu Nishimura
    INTERNAL MEDICINE, 46, 15, 1231, 1235, 2007年, [査読有り], [筆頭著者]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌)
  • Genetic impact of functional single nucleotide polymorphisms in the 3 '-UTR region of the chemoattractant receptor expressed on Th2 cells (CRTH2) gene on asthma and atopy in a Japanese population
    Yukiko Maeda, Nobuyuki Hizawa, Daisuke Takahashi, Yoshinobu Fukui, Satoshi Konno, Masaharu Nishimura
    INTERNATIONAL ARCHIVES OF ALLERGY AND IMMUNOLOGY, 142, 1, 51, 58, 2007年, [査読有り]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌)
  • Polymorphisms in the muscarinic receptor 1 gene confer susceptibility to asthma in Japanese subjects
    Yukiko Maeda, Nobuyuki Hizawa, Eisei Jinushi, Ayumi Honda, Daisuke Takahashi, Yoshinobu Fukui, Satoshi Konno, Tadamichi Shimizu, Hiroshi Shimizu, Etsuro Yamaguchi, Masaharu Nishimura
    AMERICAN JOURNAL OF RESPIRATORY AND CRITICAL CARE MEDICINE, 174, 10, 1119, 1124, 2006年11月, [査読有り], [国際共著]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌)
  • Interleukin-10 and Th2 cytokines differentially regulate osteopontin expression in human monocytes and dendritic cells
    Satoshi Konno, John A. Eckman, Beverly Plunkett, Xinfang Li, Jeffery S. Berman, John Schroeder, Shau-Ku Huang
    JOURNAL OF INTERFERON AND CYTOKINE RESEARCH, 26, 8, 562, 567, 2006年08月, [査読有り], [筆頭著者]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌)
  • Association between nonspecific airway hyperresponsiveness and Arg16Gly beta(2)-adrenergic receptor gene polymorphism in asymptomatic healthy Japanese subjects
    Yoshinobu Fukui, Nobuyuki Hizawa, Daisuke Takahashi, Yukiko Maeda, Eisei Jinushi, Satoshi Konno, Masaharu Nishimura
    CHEST, 130, 2, 449, 454, 2006年08月, [査読有り]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌)
  • Genetic polymorphisms at FCER1B and PAI-1 and asthma susceptibility
    N Hizawa, Y Maeda, S Konno, Y Fukui, D Takahashi, M Nishimura
    CLINICAL AND EXPERIMENTAL ALLERGY, 36, 7, 872, 876, 2006年07月, [査読有り]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌)
  • IL-17F sequence variant (His161Arg) is associated with protection against asthma and antagonizes wild-type IL-17F activity
    M Kawaguchi, D Takahashi, N Hizawa, S Suzuki, S Matsukura, F Kokubu, Y Maeda, Y Fukui, S Konno, SK Huang, M Nishimura, M Adachi
    JOURNAL OF ALLERGY AND CLINICAL IMMUNOLOGY, 117, 4, 795, 801, 2006年04月, [査読有り]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌)
  • Sequence variants of the secreted phosphoprotein 1 gene are associated with total serum immunoglobulin E levels in a Japanese population
    Y Tanino, N Hizawa, S Konno, Y Fukui, D Takahashi, Y Maeda, SK Huang, M Nishimura
    CLINICAL AND EXPERIMENTAL ALLERGY, 36, 2, 219, 225, 2006年02月, [査読有り]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌)
  • Total serum IgE levels in eosinophilic lung diseases
    Takeshi Hattori, Nobuyuki Hizawa, Daisuke Takahashi, Akira Isada, Ayumu Takahashi, Yukiko Maeda, Yoshinobu Fukui, Satoshi Konno, Masaharu Nishimura
    Japanese Journal of Allergology, 55, 6, 647, 654, 6, 2006年, [査読有り]
    日本語, 研究論文(学術雑誌)
  • Osteopontin: A potential biomarker for successful bee venom immunotherapy and a potential molecule for inhibiting IgE-mediated allergic responses
    Satoshi Konno, Nobuyuki Hizawa, Masaharu Nishimura, Shau-Ku Huang
    Allergology International, 55, 4, 355, 359, Japanese Society of Allergology, 2006年, [査読有り], [招待有り], [筆頭著者], [国際共著]
    英語
  • Enhanced expression of interleukin-18 receptor alpha chain by CD4+T cells in sarcoidosis
    YQ Zhou, E Yamaguchi, Y Fukui, S Konno, Y Maeda, K Kimata, M Nishimura
    CHEST, 128, 4, 2497, 2503, 2005年10月, [査読有り]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌)
  • Level of osteopontin is increased after bee venom immunotherapy
    S Konno, DBK Golden, J Schroeder, RG Hamilton, LM Lichtenstein, SK Huang
    JOURNAL OF ALLERGY AND CLINICAL IMMUNOLOGY, 115, 6, 1317, 1318, 2005年06月, [査読有り], [筆頭著者]
    英語
  • Increased expression of osteopontin is associated with long-term bee venom immunotherapy
    S Konno, DBK Golden, J Schroeder, RG Hamilton, LM Lichtenstein, SK Huang
    JOURNAL OF ALLERGY AND CLINICAL IMMUNOLOGY, 115, 5, 1063, 1067, 2005年05月, [査読有り], [筆頭著者]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌)
  • Endotoxin contamination contributes to the in vitro cytokine-inducing activity of osteopontin preparations
    S Konno, T Hoshi, T Taira, B Plunkett, SK Huang
    JOURNAL OF INTERFERON AND CYTOKINE RESEARCH, 25, 5, 277, 282, 2005年05月, [査読有り], [筆頭著者]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌)
  • Studies on airway hyperresponsiveness by the astograph® method in asthmatics and young adult non-asthmatic asymptomatics
    Yoshinobu Fukui, Etsuro Yamaguchi, Nobuyuki Hizawa, Yukiko Maeda, Daisuke Takahashi, Satoshi Konno, Motoko Kobayashi, Takeshi Hosokawa, Eisei Jinushi, Kei Takamura, Yasuyuki Nasuhara, Masaharu Nishimura
    Japanese Journal of Allergology, 53, 6, 565, 574, 6, 2004年, [査読有り]
    日本語, 研究論文(学術雑誌)
  • Autoimmune thyroid disease accompanied by recurring episodes of painful thyroid ameliorated by thyroidectomy
    S Konno, N Konno, M Yokobori, K Kazui, T Hase, T Uematsu, M Nishimura
    JOURNAL OF ENDOCRINOLOGICAL INVESTIGATION, 25, 11, 996, 1000, 2002年12月, [査読有り], [筆頭著者]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌)
  • A functional polymorphism in the RANTES gene promoter is associated with the development of late-onset asthma
    N Hizawa, E Yamaguchi, S Konno, Y Tanino, E Jinushi, M Nishimura
    AMERICAN JOURNAL OF RESPIRATORY AND CRITICAL CARE MEDICINE, 166, 5, 686, 690, 2002年09月, [査読有り]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌)
  • Cytokines and Th2 cells in AEP of smoking
    Y Tanino, E Yamaguchi, K Takaoka, Y Fukui, S Konno, N Hizawa, M Nishimura
    ALLERGY, 57, 5, 463, 464, 2002年05月, [査読有り]
    英語
  • (CCTTT)(n) repeat polymorphism in the NOS2 gene promoter is associated with atopy
    S Konno, N Hizawa, E Yamaguchi, E Jinushi, M Nishimura
    JOURNAL OF ALLERGY AND CLINICAL IMMUNOLOGY, 108, 5, 810, 814, 2001年11月, [査読有り], [筆頭著者]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌)
  • Increased total serum IgE levels in patients with asthma and promoter polymorphisms at CTLA4 and FCER1B
    N Hizawa, E Yamaguchi, E Jinushi, S Konno, Y Kawakami, M Nishimura
    JOURNAL OF ALLERGY AND CLINICAL IMMUNOLOGY, 108, 1, 74, 79, 2001年07月, [査読有り]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌)
  • Carcinoid tumor detected in gastric adenoma during long-term follow-up
    T Harada, M Imura, M Masutani, S Konno, H Miyazaki, A Nomura, S Okushiba, H Katoh, T Itoh, M Shimizu, Y Kawakami
    GASTROINTESTINAL ENDOSCOPY, 53, 7, 804, 806, 2001年06月, [査読有り]
    英語, 研究論文(学術雑誌)
  • [Three adults with mild varicella and bronchial mucosal lesions].
    Konno S, Tsuneta Y, Jinushi E, Ukita H, Harada T, Aida A, Nishiura Y, Takahashi W, Kawai T
    Nihon Kokyuki Gakkai zasshi = the journal of the Japanese Respiratory Society, 36, 4, 363, 368, 1998年04月, [査読有り]
    日本語

その他活動・業績

書籍等出版物

  • ERS monograph               
    Nizar NJ, Konno S, Mechanisms underlying fixed airflow obstruction;exacerbations
    2019年, [共著]
  • Advances in medicine asthma               
    Konno S, Asthma phenotype and endotype.
    Springer Nature Singapore PteLtd., 2019年, [共著]

所属学協会

  • 日本呼吸器内視鏡学会               
  • 日本肺癌学会               
  • 日本サルコイドーシス肉芽腫性疾患学会               
  • 日本結核非結核性抗酸菌症学会               
  • 日本感染症学会               
  • 日本アレルギー学会               
  • 日本呼吸器学会               
  • 日本内科学会               
  • アジア太平洋呼吸器学会               
  • 欧州呼吸器学会               
  • 米国胸部疾患学会               
  • 日本職業・環境アレルギー学会               
  • 日本循環器学会               
  • 日本肺高血圧・肺循環学会               

共同研究・競争的資金等の研究課題

  • C. acnes局在と特異的T細胞応答反応に基づくサルコイド―シス診療に直結するエビデンス創出と診断や予後予測に有用な新規バイオマーカーと病型分類の開発               
    難治性疾患実用化研究事業
    2025年04月 - 2028年03月
    今野 哲
    日本医療研究開発機構, 北海道大学大学院医学研究院呼吸器内科学教室, 研究代表者, 25ek0109794h0001
  • ワクチン開発のための世界トップレベル研究開発拠点の形成事業               
    2022年10月 - 2027年09月
    国立研究開発法人日本医療研究開発機構, 研究分担者
  • 慢性気道疾患のprecision medicine実現に向けたdeep phenotyping
    科学研究費助成事業
    2023年04月01日 - 2026年03月31日
    今野 哲, 村上 正晃, 鈴木 雅, 杉森 博行, 清水 薫子, 木村 孔一
    日本学術振興会, 基盤研究(B), 北海道大学, 23H02915
  • びまん性肺疾患に関する調査研究               
    2010年04月 - 2026年03月
    厚生労働科学研究費, 研究分担者
  • 肺・気道特異的微小炎症関連因子、自己反応性T細胞の検出系およびニューロモデュレーション療法の開発               
    2022年04月 - 2025年03月
    国立研究開発法人日本医療研究開発機構, 研究分担者
  • 環境省 水・大気環境局微小粒子状物質等疫学調査研究 肺機能発達への影響調査               
    2011年04月 - 2024年03月
    環境省, 研究分担者
  • ストレスを介する疾病発症の分子メカニズムの解明とバイオマーカー検出技術創成               
    2023年10月
    日本医療研究開発機構 革新的先端研究開発支援事業, 研究分担者
  • Potential role of club cell secretory protein (CC16) in development of obese asthma: findings from a birth cohort and animal studies
    科学研究費助成事業
    2020年04月01日 - 2023年03月31日
    Goudarzi Houman, 池田 敦子, 今野 哲
    1) Adult asthma cohort):BMI was significantly and monotonously associated with reduced circulating CC16 levels in adult asthmas patients. Also, CC16 was inversely associated with sputum eosinophils and blood periostin. Patients with the lowest tertile of serum CC16 levels at baseline had a -14.3 mL decline in FEV1 than those with the highest tertile over five years of follow-up (p for trend = 0.031).
    2) Population 2 (birth cohort): Ongoing.
    3) Animal study: The percentage of CC16-cells was reduced in the small airways of mice with obesity. In addition, serum CC16 levels were significantly lower in obese mice than in non-obese control mice. However, the serum levels of SP-A and SP-D, other products of club cells, did not vary between obese and non-obese control mice.
    日本学術振興会, 基盤研究(C), 北海道大学, 20K10425
  • アレルギー疾患の多様性、生活実態を把握するための疫学研究               
    2021年04月 - 2023年03月
    厚生労働行政推進調査事業費補助金 免疫・アレルギー疾患政策研究事業, 研究分担者
  • 変異型新型コロナウイルスに対する診断・予防・治療法研究プラットフォームの開発               
    新興・再興感染症に対する革新的医薬品等開発推進研究事業
    2021年12月 - 2022年03月
    国立研究開発法人日本医療研究開発機構, 研究分担者, 20fk0108471h0001
  • 中等症のCOVID-19感染症と確定診断された患者を対象としたエリトラン(E5564)の多施設共同無作為化プラセボ対照二重盲検比較試験               
    医療技術実用化総合促進事業
    2021年04月 - 2022年03月
    国立研究開発法人日本医療研究開発機構, 研究分担者
  • 肺疾患合併肺高血圧症における心筋および骨格筋評価系の確立と臨床応用
    科学研究費助成事業
    2018年04月01日 - 2021年03月31日
    辻野 一三, 今野 哲, 大平 洋, 真鍋 徳子
    Lung-PH症例では右室収縮能は代償的に亢進するも、右室・肺動脈カップリングは障害されていた。右室拡張能では、弛緩能は保たれているが、硬さが増しており、これらはPAHに類似した右室機能異常と捉えられた。
    死因解析ではLung-PH症例は、PH関連死、特に呼吸不全死が多く、PAHや4群PHと異なっていた。今後Lung-PHの予後改善を実現する上で、PHに加え背景肺疾患に対する適切な対処が重要であることが示唆された。
    血管病理の解析では、線維化が進行中の領域における肺動脈リモデリングの有無・程度がPHの合併をある程度規定することが示唆された。
    日本学術振興会, 基盤研究(C), 北海道大学, 18K08129
  • 末梢血エクソソームRNA解析による閉塞性肺疾患の類似性・相違点・合併病態の解明
    科学研究費助成事業
    2017年04月01日 - 2021年03月31日
    鈴木 雅, 今野 哲
    質の高い末梢血エクソソームRNA収集に困難を極めたため、末梢血中の網羅的プロテオーム解析を行い、エクソソーム関連蛋白との関わりを検討した。COPDと難治性喘息の間には365の蛋白発現の有意な相違を認めた。プロテオームプロファイルによるクラスター解析により、COPDでは3つ、難治性喘息では4つのクラスターが同定された。そのクラスタリングに関与する蛋白群には有意にエクソソームマーカーが多く含まれていた。以上より、COPDと難治性喘息の血漿プロテオームプロファイルには違いがあるものの、両疾患のプロテオームによるクラスタリングにはエクソソームが強く関連していることが示された。
    日本学術振興会, 基盤研究(C), 北海道大学, 17K09600
  • 閉塞性肺疾患の多様性の理解と個別化治療に向けた探索的研究
    科学研究費助成事業
    2016年04月01日 - 2020年03月31日
    西村 正治, 鈴木 雅, 今野 哲, 清水 薫子, 牧田 比呂仁
    北海道難治性喘息コホート研究:初回登録時のデータを用い、内臓脂肪と喘息症状との関連、肺拡散能と喫煙喘息との関連について報告 をおこなった。現在は、前向き観察研究の結果を用い、呼吸機能の経年変化に影響する因子の解析が進行している。


    気管支喘息とCOPDの合併病態に焦点を当てた慢性気道疾患患者の包括的前向きコホート研究 (PIRICA study) :気管支喘息、COPD、肺気腫、慢性気管支炎のいずれかと医師により診断された55歳以上の患者を対象に広く登録し、前向観察研究が展開中である。約700例の症例登録が完了し、今後目標数は1150例の登録完了を目指す。
    日本学術振興会, 基盤研究(A), 北海道大学, 16H02652
  • 呼吸器疾患における気腫・気道・血流の総合的評価法の確立
    科学研究費助成事業
    2016年04月01日 - 2019年03月31日
    清水 薫子, 今野 哲, 牧田 比呂仁
    低吸収クラスターサイズの増大を反映し、初期段階の肺胞破壊を鋭敏に検出するフラクタル次元とlow attenuation volumeのCOPDにおける長期予後予測因子としての役割を検討し、現在論文投稿中である。非喫煙/喫煙喘息における肺拡散能力とCT画像上の肺気腫、肺末梢血管パラメーターとの関連を検討し、Journal of applied physiologyに受理された。
    肺動脈性肺高血圧症においてCT画像による血管病変パラメーターの診断・病態評価における妥当性を検討し、European Journal of Radiologyに受理された。
    日本学術振興会, 基盤研究(C), 北海道大学, 16K09525
  • 環境化学物質の複合曝露による 喘息・アレルギー、免疫系へ及ぼす影響の解明               
    2017年04月 - 2019年03月
    環境研究総合推進費, 研究分担者
  • 肥満が気管支喘息病態に及ぼす分子生物学的機序の解明               
    基盤研究 (C)
    2017年 - 2019年
    今野 哲
    文部科学省科学研究費補助金, 研究代表者, 競争的資金
  • 肺炎球菌の嫌気培養による病原性の変化の検討
    科学研究費助成事業
    2015年04月01日 - 2017年03月31日
    長岡 健太郎, 今野 哲, 西村 正治
    本研究では、通性嫌気性菌である肺炎球菌の下気道における病原性が、嫌気培養により好気培養と比較してどのように変化するかを検証した。嫌気培養後の肺炎球菌はオートリシンの産生亢進がみられず、より長期に安定すること、好気培養による肺炎と同等以上の肺炎を起こすことが明らかになった。本研究は、通性嫌気性菌の嫌気環境と好気環境での病原性の違いを示した初めての研究となる。肺炎球菌のみならず、病原細菌の臨床・基礎研究などを考える上で有用な知見と考えられた。
    日本学術振興会, 若手研究(B), 北海道大学, 15K19583
  • 呼吸器疾患に伴う肺高血圧症の肺血管および右心系に関する臨床病理学的検討
    科学研究費助成事業
    2014年04月01日 - 2017年03月31日
    辻野 一三, 今野 哲, 谷野 美智枝
    肺疾患合併肺高血圧症(R-PH)における肺血管と心臓(特に右心系)の形態・機能解析を行った。病理学的検索では、肺血管のリモデリングと同時に肺血管拡張薬の標的蛋白質の局在を証明し、将来的な肺血管拡張療法の適応に係る重要な知見と考えられた。臨床研究では、肺血管拡張薬がR-PH症例の肺血管抵抗低下に加え右心系指標も改善することを英文誌に発表した。そのほか、血液検査にてインスリン濃度、インスリン抵抗性指標およびマイオカインの上昇を見出し、さらに右心系指標として注目される右室収縮能、右室・肺動脈カップリングの障害を確認した。また肺高血圧症における胸部CT指標の有用性も検証、発表した。
    日本学術振興会, 基盤研究(C), 北海道大学, 26461150
  • 難治性気道疾患の病態解明と個別化治療への展開
    科学研究費助成事業
    2012年04月01日 - 2016年03月31日
    西村 正治, 鈴木 雅, 今野 哲, 長井 桂, 牧田 比呂仁
    北海道難治性喘息に登録された206名(軽症~中等症79名、重症127名)の気管支喘息患者に対して、血中の種々のバイオマーカーの測定を終了した。その結果、非喫煙者においては、血清periostin、osteopontin、CCL18と好酸球性気道炎症、FeNO、副鼻腔スコアとの関連を見出した。しかし、喫煙者においては、血清pesiotsitnのみが好酸球性炎症との関連を認めた。いっぽう、呼吸機能に関しては、非喫煙者では,、これらのbiomarkersとの負の関連を認めたが、喫煙者ではその関連は認めなかった。これれらの結果は、Ann Am Thrac Soc 2017に報告した。
    日本学術振興会, 基盤研究(A), 北海道大学, 24249049
  • CT所見、バイオマーカーから見た気管支喘息における上下気道の連関               
    基盤研究(C)
    2014年 - 2016年
    今野 哲
    文部科学省科学研究費補助金, 研究代表者, 競争的資金
  • 気管支喘息、COPDの病態における組織因子(Tissue factor)、第7因子(F7)の関与               
    基盤研究(C)
    2011年 - 2013年
    今野 哲
    文部科学省科学研究費補助金, 研究代表者, 競争的資金
  • 難治性喘息に対する創薬への挑戦-新規NF-kB阻害薬(DHMEQ)の可能性-
    科学研究費助成事業
    2009年 - 2011年
    西村 正治, 藤堂 省, 南須原 康行, 今野 哲
    新規NF-kB阻害薬であるDHMEQは、種々の慢性炎症性疾患モデルにおける効果が報告されている。本研究では、マウス喘息モデルにおいて、DHMEQは、好酸球性気道炎症、気道線維化を有意に抑制することが見出された。更には、in vitroを用いた系において、気道上皮細胞からのケモカインの抑制、Th2細胞からのサイトカイン産生を抑制することが示された。DHMEQは、気管支喘息における新規治療薬となる可能性が示唆された。
    日本学術振興会, 挑戦的萌芽研究, 北海道大学, 21659206
  • 大規模コホート研究による難治性気道疾患の病態解明と個別化治療への展開
    科学研究費助成事業
    2009年 - 2011年
    西村 正治, 今野 哲, 南須原 康行, 牧田 比呂仁
    慢性閉塞性肺疾患(COPD)患者における1秒量の経年変化は、必ずしもすべての症例で進行性ではなく、5年間にわたり1秒量経年変化が維持される症例も認め、症例により様々である。この結果は、COPDが常に進行性であるという、疾患概念を覆すものであり、治療の重要性を示す。
    また、1秒量経年変化が急速に低下する群では、気腫病変の重症度が、気流閉塞の重症度とは独立した寄与因子であった。この結果は、今後の臨床研究において新しい病型分類に基づいた評価、解析が必要性を示している。
    日本学術振興会, 基盤研究(B), 北海道大学, 21390253
  • 気道リモデリング、肺気腫形成におけるオステオポンチンの関与               
    基盤研究(C)
    2008年 - 2010年
    今野 哲
    文部科学省科学研究費補助金, 研究代表者, 競争的資金
  • 喘息と慢性閉塞性肺疾患との共通病態の解明-分子病態に基づく新たな分類を目指して-
    科学研究費助成事業
    2007年 - 2008年
    桧澤 伸之, 西村 正治, 今野 哲
    肺はウイルス感染や喫煙、アレルゲン吸入などによって常に損傷と修復を繰り返している。本研究では肺においてこれらの外因に対する反応性を規定する複数の宿主因子が、気管支喘息とCOPDとの両者の病態に共通して関連していることを示した。将来的には、分子病態に基づいた慢性炎症性肺疾患の新たな分類、さらにはこれらの共通病態を標的とした新たな治療や予防の開発が期待される。
    日本学術振興会, 基盤研究(C), 筑波大学, 19590876
  • 気管支喘息、アレルギー反応におけるオステオポンチンの意義               
    若手研究(B)
    2006年 - 2007年
    今野 哲
    文部科学省科学研究費補助金, 研究代表者, 競争的資金