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ABSTRACT: We examined trends in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) mortality in Japan.
An age-period-cohort model was used to examine trends in COPD mortality by age, time period, and birth cohort among adults aged 40 years or older from 1950 to 2004.
During the study period, the age-standardized rate of COPD mortality substantially decreased from 71.3 per 100,000 to 19.7 in men and from 41.7 to 4.3 in women. The period effects rapidly declined during the early period in both sexes. They have increased in recent years in men but have continued to decrease in women. The cohort effects began increasing in the 1865-1869 birth cohort, peaked in the 1880-1889 cohort, and decreased thereafter among the recent cohorts.
An early decrease in the period effects might have been associated with changes in disease structure and misclassification of COPD in the early period. Changes in cohort effects might have been mostly associated with changes in cigarette consumption and smoking prevalence in the Japanese population. Changes in those effects may also be a proxy for other social changes over time.
Journal of Epidemiology 03/2012; 22(4):302-7. · 1.86 Impact Factor
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Kiyomi Tsukimori,
Hiroshi Uchi,
Chikage Mitoma,
Fumiko Yasukawa,
Takahito Chiba,
Takashi Todaka,
Junboku Kajiwara, Takesumi Yoshimura,
Teruaki Hirata,
Kotaro Fukushima,
Norio Wake,
Masutaka Furue
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ABSTRACT: Studies on the association of maternal exposure to polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxin (PCDDs), polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs), and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) with decreased birth weight in humans have produced conflicting results. In Japan in 1968, an accidental human exposure to rice oil contaminated with PCDDs, PCDFs, and PCBs, led to the development of Yusho disease.
The Yusho cohort was used to evaluate the effect of maternal exposure to PCDDs, PCDFs, and PCBs on birth weight.
Blood samples, obtained from 101 Yusho women (190 births) who gave birth after exposure, were analyzed for congeners of seven PCDDs, ten PCDFs, and four non-ortho PCBs.
Total PCDD TEQ (adjusted beta=-161.9g; 95% CI, -265.3 to -58.6), total PCDF TEQ (adjusted beta=-105.9g; 95% CI, -179.5 to -32.2), and total non-ortho PCBs (adjusted beta=-178.4g; 95% CI, -318.3 to -38.5) levels were inversely associated with birth weight. Significant inverse associations with birth weight were also found for total PCDD TEQ, total PCDF TEQ, and total non-ortho PCB TEQ levels among male, but not female, infants. Significant inverse associations with birth weight were also found for nine congeners among all infants; the adjusted beta coefficients were largest for 1,2,3,6,7,8-HxCDD and smallest for 2,3,4,7,8-PeCDF.
In the setting of exposure to high levels of dioxins, maternal blood levels of PCDDs, PCDFs and PCBs are associated with lower birth weight in Yusho patients. The association exhibited gender-specific differences, as male infants are more susceptible than females to growth restriction induced by in utero dioxin exposures.
Environment international 01/2012; 38(1):79-86. · 4.79 Impact Factor
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Kiyomi Tsukimori,
Hiroshi Uchi,
Chikage Mitoma,
Fumiko Yasukawa,
Kotaro Fukushima,
Takashi Todaka,
Junboku Kajiwara, Takesumi Yoshimura,
Teruaki Hirata,
Norio Wake,
Masutaka Furue
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ABSTRACT: Accumulated maternal dioxins are passed onto the fetus and neonate via the placenta and maternal milk. In Japan in 1968, an accidental human exposure to rice oil contaminated with polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and other dioxin-related compounds, such as polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs), led to development of Yusho oil disease. We investigated differences in blood dioxin concentrations in mother-children pairs affected by the Yusho incident. From 2002 to 2008, blood samples were collected from 26 pairs of Yusho mothers and their children (19 mothers, 26 children). Specific congeners of seven polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs), ten PCDFs, and four non-ortho PCBs were analyzed. The children had significantly lower TEQ concentrations of PCDDs, PCDFs, and coplanar PCBs compared to their mothers. The mother-child difference in blood concentrations varied with the congeners; the largest for 2,3,4,7,8-pentaCDF and the smallest for 1,2,3,4,6,7,8-heptaCDD. The level for 2,3,4,7,8-pentaCDF, which characterizes Yusho oil disease, was approximately 17-30 times higher in the mothers than in the general population, whereas there were no significant differences between children in the formula-fed group and the general population. In contrast, the mean level for 2,3,4,7,8-pentaCDF in the breast-fed group was approximately 1.5 times, (range 0.5-6.5 times) higher than that in the general population. Over 30 years after the Yusho incident, the mean blood dioxin levels in the offspring were only a fraction of the levels in their mothers. This is more consistent with exposure via breast milk than via transplacental transfer in the Yusho incident.
Chemosphere 06/2011; 84(7):928-35. · 3.21 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: We used disability-adjusted life years (DALY) to estimate the cancer burden in Japan for the year 2000.
We estimated years of life lost (YLL) by using mortality data and years lived with disability (YLD) by using incidence data. The DALY for cancer was calculated as the sum of YLL and YLD.
For all cancers combined, 2 733 884 years of DALY were estimated in men and 2 091 874 years were estimated in women. Among men, stomach and lung cancers accounted for the largest proportions of DALY, followed by liver cancer and colorectal cancer. Among women, the greatest contributors to DALY were stomach, colorectal, breast, and lung cancers.
The national cancer burden in Japan was expressed in terms of DALY, which might be useful in assessing future changes with respect to mortality and morbidity in Japan.
Journal of Epidemiology 05/2011; 21(4):309-12. · 1.86 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: To better understand the picture of premature death from oral cancer, we estimated years of life lost (YLL) and average years of life lost (AYLL) of this cancer for the years 1995 and 2005 in Japan.
We obtained the mortality data for 5-year age groups from the Vital Statistics of Japan for the years 1995 and 2005, an interval of 10 years. Age-standardized rates (ASRs) per 100,000 persons were calculated for each subset of oral cancer. We estimated YLL and AYLL according to life tables in Japan to reflect premature mortality.
For both men and women combined, 4099 and 5679 deaths due to oral cancer were recorded for the years 1995 and 2005. In men, cancer of tongue, oropharynx, and hypopharynx were the most frequently observed anatomic sites. We observed a total of 51,339.1 years of life lost in 1995 and 68,630.4 years in 2005, corresponding to an overall AYLL for all oral cancer deaths combined of 17.2 and 16.5 years earlier than life expectancy, respectively. The greatest AYLL was seen for deaths from nasopharyngeal cancer, with AYLL of 21.1 years in 1995 and 20.3 years in 2005. In women, cancer of the tongue and gum were the most affected anatomic sites. Total numbers of YLL were 18,884.8 years in 1995 and 24,765.7 in 2005, corresponding to an overall AYLL of 16.9 and 16.2 years earlier than life expectancy. The greatest AYLL was seen for deaths from nasopharyngeal cancer, with AYLL of 22.4 years and 20.4 years in 1995 and 2005, respectively.
The present study shows that cancer of pharynx, tongue, and gum were the most frequent oral cancers in both sexes in both 1995 and 2005, and responsible for a remarkable number of years of life expectancy lost. Deaths due to those cancer sites occurred about 16-21 years earlier than expected in men, and 14-22 years in women.
Cancer epidemiology. 04/2011; 35(4):342-4.
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ABSTRACT: We determined polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs) and polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs) in 6 preserved umbilical cords of fetal Yusho patients and in 11 preserved umbilical cords of Yusho suspected persons who were born to mothers with Yusho from 1970 to 2002, which were Yusho group. As a control, we also analyzed PCDFs and PCDDs in 15 preserved umbilical cords of babies who were born to healthy mothers, which was healthy group, in the same period of time. As a result, 2,3,4,7,8-pentachlorodibenzofuran and 1,2,3,4,7,8-hexachlorodibenzofuran, true causal agents of fetal Yusho, were only determined in the umbilical cords of fetal Yusho patients, except for one umbilical cords of Yusho suspected persons. Decreasing rate in concentrations of PCDFs and PCDDs seemed to greater in Yusho group than in healthy group during this period of time. Therefore, we considered due to high exposure to PCDFs some drug metabolizing enzymes such as aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase were induced and the excretion of PCDFs and PCDDs were enhanced from the bodies of Yusho group. In order to clarify this hypothesis, further more detail researches are required.
Fukuoka igaku zasshi = Hukuoka acta medica 04/2011; 102(4):109-15.
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ABSTRACT: We determined dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and PCBs in 6 preserved umbilical cords of fetal Yusho patients and in 11 preserved umbilical cords of Yusho suspected persons who were born to mothers with Yusho from 1970 to 2002, which were Yusho group. As a control, we also analyzed dioxin-like PCBs and PCBs in 15 preserved umbilical cords of babies who were born to healthy mothers, which was healthy group, in the same period of time. As a result, concentrations of three dioxin-like PCBs, that is, #156, #157 and #189 which were 6 to 20 times higher in fetal Yusho patients than in healthy babies were still 4 to 6 times greater in Yusho group than in healthy group about 20 years after the outbreak of Yusho, but could not recognize this characteristic anymore about 30 years after the outbreak. Decreasing rate in concentrations of dioxin-like PCBs and PCBs seemed to higher in Yusho group than in healthy group during this period of time. Therefore, we considered due to heavy exposure to PCDFs some drug metabolizing enzymes such as aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase were induced and excretion of the related agents to fetal Yusho were enhanced from the bodies of Yusho group. In order to clarify this hypothesis, further more detail studies are needed.
Fukuoka igaku zasshi = Hukuoka acta medica 04/2011; 102(4):116-22.
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ABSTRACT: Although a downward trend in stroke mortality over the last decades has been observed in many countries, stroke remains an important contributor to the total burden of disease. In the present study, we provided additional measures, namely years of life lost (YLLs) and average years of life lost (AYLLs) to reflect the burden of this condition in Japan.
We obtained stroke mortality data for Japan from the World Health Organization mortality database for the period 1980-2005 to analyze trends of age-standardized rates (ASRs) per 100,000 of stroke mortality. YLLs and AYLLs were also estimated according to Japanese life tables.
Decreases in ASRs by 68% in men and by 74% in women were observed at the end of this study period. In men, there were total of 1,684,482 YLLs in 1980; 776,350 in 1995 and 745,636 in 2005, corresponding to an overall AYLLs for all stroke deaths of 20.6; 11.2 and 11.7 years earlier than expected, respectively. In women, the respective numbers were 1,567,817 YLLs in 1980; 810,135 in 1995 and 726,650 in 2005, corresponding to an overall AYLLs for all stroke deaths of 19.4; 10.5 and 10.5 years.
The findings showed shorter AYLLs due to stroke in Japan, suggesting that stroke patients died from this condition at older age at the end of the study period. This change in premature mortality was consistent with decreased trend in the stroke mortality.
The European Journal of Public Health 11/2010; 21(5):609-12. · 2.73 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs), polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs) and dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls (dioxin-like PCBs) are highly-toxic environmental pollutants that are still ubiquitous. About 40 years ago, a mass food poisoning, termed "Yusho", occurred in western Japan, and the causal agent of Yusho was thought to be PCDFs. The preserved umbilical cords of babies who were born to mothers with Yusho 2-5 years after the outbreak of Yusho and diagnosed with fetal Yusho were recently obtained, and the concentrations of PCDDs, PCDFs, dioxin-like PCBs and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in these preserved umbilical cords were determined. Among babies with fetal Yusho, the pollutant concentrations in umbilical cords were compared between "black babies", a term that describes the dermatologic abnormality that is classically seen in fetal Yusho, and "non-black babies". There was almost no difference in the concentrations of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (2,3,7,8-TCDD) toxic equivalents (TEQ) concentrations of PCDDs, PCDFs and dioxin-like PCBs found in these two groups of babies. Therefore, the Yusho infants with the dark brown skin pigmentation seemed to have a hypersensitive genetic predisposition to the production of melanin pigment in the skin after the exposure to these toxic compounds. The concentrations of PCDDs, PCDFs, dioxin-like PCBs and PCBs in the preserved umbilical cords of infants diagnosed with fetal Yusho and of healthy babies were also determined and compared. PCDDs, dioxin-like PCBs and PCBs were detected in both groups. PCDFs, however, were found at high concentration only in the babies with fetal Yusho. In 2,3,7,8-TCDD TEQ concentrations, 90% of the total TEQ concentrations were attributable to PCDFs after taking into account the baseline concentrations found in healthy babies. This evidence shows that fetal Yusho is caused by PCDF intoxication.
Chemosphere 07/2010; 80(5):513-8. · 3.21 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: We investigated the association between serum levels of IGF-I, IGF-II, and IGFBP-3 and the subsequent risk of cancer mortality.
Our case-control study examined samples from 914 cancer deaths and their 2739 matched controls within the Japan Collaborative Cohort Study. Blood samples were obtained at the baseline and stored at -80 degrees C until analysis for IGF-I, IGF-II, and IGFBP-3 levels. The conditional logistic model was used to estimate odds ratios (ORs) for cancer mortality associated with these serum levels.
The adjusted ORs for IGF-I quartiles ranged from 0.81 to 0.96 but were not significant. The adjusted ORs and 95% confidence interval (CI) for the second, third, and fourth IGF-II quartiles were 0.64 (95% CI: 0.52-0.79), 0.71 (95% CI: 0.58-0.88), and 0.73 (95% CI: 0.59-0.91), respectively, while those for the respective IGFBP-3 quartiles were 0.77 (95% CI: 0.63-0.96), 0.75 (95% CI: 0.60-0.94), and 0.71 (95% CI: 0.56-0.90). In the model of IGF-I, and IGF-II additionally adjusted for IGFBP-3, the associations of high IGFs levels were similar as observed in the above models, while the association of IGFBP-3 shifted into non-significance after adjusting for IGF-II.
An increased level of IGF-II was significantly associated with decreased risk of cancer mortality, whereas the association between IGF-I and all cancer mortality was not significant. The inverse association of IGFBP-3 level with all cancer mortality was affected when adjusting for IGF-II levels, shifting from significant to non-significant. Confirmation of these results from further cohort studies may aid in identifying the potential association between these molecules and the risk of cancer among the general Japanese population.
Cancer epidemiology. 06/2010; 34(3):279-84.
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ABSTRACT: We sought to examine associations between dietary patterns and the risk of stomach cancer mortality in a cohort study in Japan.
Factor analysis on food frequency questionnaire was conducted among 25,730 males and 37,673 females in a cohort study in Japan; we identified three dietary patterns, termed "vegetable"; "animal food"; and "dairy product". The Cox proportional hazards model was used to estimate the hazard ratio (HR) with stomach cancer mortality.
The "vegetable" pattern showed no association with stomach cancer mortality in either sex. The "dairy product" pattern was significantly associated with a decreased risk of stomach cancer in males, with multivariate HRs of 0.82 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.61-1.10), 0.74 (95% CI: 0.54-1.01), and 0.72 (95% CI: 0.52-0.99) for the second, third, and fourth quartiles, respectively. In addition, the "animal food" pattern tended to be associated with an increased risk in females, but non-significant, with HRs for respective quartiles of 1.45 (95% CI: 0.92-2.29), 1.32 (95% CI: 0.81-2.16), and 1.51 (95% CI: 0.78-2.21).
A diet high in dairy products may be associated with a decreased risk of stomach cancer mortality in males. We did not observe any significant association of this condition with other dietary patterns in either sex.
Annals of epidemiology 05/2010; 20(5):356-63. · 2.95 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Breast cancer is one of the leading causes of death among women in Japan. Its mortality rate has been increased in recent years. However, there has been no study examining the changes in premature mortality in Japanese women. In the present study, using two health indicators, years of life lost (YLL) and average of years of life lost (AYLL), we estimated the premature mortality due to breast cancer in Japan during the period from 1995 to 2006. YLL indicates how many years that life of a patient was shortened with the presence of cancer, and AYLL provides an average loss of expected years of life among these deceased persons. Results showed an increase in total YLL due to this condition from 204,840.6 years in 1995 to 255,046.9 years in 2006. In each calendar year, YLL remained the highest in the group aged 50-59 years, accounting for 32%-36% of annual YLL. In contrast, we found a decrease in AYLL of breast cancer from 26.4 years in 1995 to 22.8 years in 2006; namely, breast cancer patients who died in 2006 lived an average 3.6 years longer than those who died in 1995. In conclusion, we show the decrease in AYLL of breast cancer deaths, despite the increase in total numbers of annual YLL during the study period. Thus, women with breast cancer have benefited from postponement of the deaths in 2006, compared to those in 1995, which may be related to the improvements in medical health care or appropriate prevention.
The Tohoku Journal of Experimental Medicine 01/2010; 221(3):187-90. · 1.24 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: To investigate whether a high salted food intake increases the risk of gastrointestinal tract cancer mortality.
We conducted a prospective study of 6830 Japanese inhabitants to evaluate the association between salted food consumption and the risk of gastrointestinal tract cancer mortality. Data were obtained from a prospective cohort study in Japan. Salted food consumption, determined from a baseline questionnaire, was classified into the two categories of 'low intake' and 'high intake'. The Cox proportional hazards model was used to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CI).
Total of 174 gastrointestinal tract cancer deaths (47 esophagus cancer, 87 stomach cancer, 23 colon cancer and 17 rectal cancer) were observed during 94996 person-years of follow-up, with a mean follow-up period of 8.9 years. After adjustment for age, body mass index, physical activity, smoking, alcohol, history of diabetes mellitus and dietary items, including vegetables, fruit, tea, red meat and processed meat, the HR for stomach cancer in males with high salt intake was 2.05 (95% CI:1.25 - 3.38) whereas that of rectal cancer was 3.58 (95% CI: 1.08 - 11.89). In contrast, no association was seen in females. Further, no association was seen between higher salted food consumption and esophagus and colon cancer in either sex.
A significant association was seen between higher salted food consumption and stomach and rectal cancer mortality in men, but not in women. No association was seen between higher consumption and esophagus and colon cancer mortality in either men or women.
Asia Pacific Journal of Clinical Nutrition 01/2010; 19(4):564-71. · 1.13 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Evidence suggests a link between adiponectin, an adipocytokine, and liver tumorigenesis. Different multimer complexes of adiponectin, with low-molecular weight (LMW), middle-molecular weight (MMW) and high-molecular weight (HMW), may have different roles. Therefore the present study was performed with the aim of assessing associations between these multimers and liver cancer development. A nested case-control study (59 liver cancer cases [mean age=63.5 years] and 334 controls [62.7 years]) was conducted as a part of the Japan Collaborative Cohort (JACC) Study recruiting healthy participants, aged 40-79 years, for the follow-up period from 1988-1990 to 1999. The end point was liver cancer occurrence/death. Serum levels of HMW, MMW and LMW adiponectin were determined at baseline using an ELISA assay. Multivariate-adjusted logistic regression analyses comparing the tertile levels of adiponectin multimers showed that the groups stratified with the highest percentage of LMW tended to have lower odds ratios (ORs) than the lowest group (OR adjusted for sex, age and area=0.54 [95%CI: 0.26-1.11] and adjusted for sex, age, area, body mass index, smoking, alcohol, coffee consumption, diabetes history and HCV-antibody positivity =0.50 [95%CI: 0.22-1.15]), albeit without statistical significance (set at p<0.05). Higher percentages of circulating LMW adiponectin may lead to a reduction of liver cancer risk and relationships with multimer composition may merit further study.
Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention: APJCP 12/2009; 10 Suppl:87-90. · 0.66 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Superoxide dismutases (SODs) are antioxidant enzymes that play a role in the defense system of the body. They may be involved in protection against carcinogenesis processes. In the present study, we investigate the association between serum SOD activity and the risk of deaths due to all cancers combined, based on a nested case-control study within the Japan Collaborative Cohort Study of 914 cancer deaths and 2,739 matched controls. Blood samples were obtained at the baseline and stored at -80 degrees C until analysis for SOD levels. Serum levels of SODs were divided into quartiles, with the first quartile used as the reference. A conditional logistic model was used to estimate odds ratios (ORs) for total cancer mortality associated with serum SOD quartile levels. The adjusted ORs and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the second, third and fourth SOD quartiles were 0.96 (95%CI: 0.77-1.19), 1.18 (0.92-1.51), and 1.32 (1.04-1.69), respectively. In analyses stratified by observation period, the adjusted ORs of the respective quartiles were 0.81 (95%CI: 0.60-1.08), 0.98 (0.70-1.37), and 1.28 (0.92-1.79) for the period from the baseline to 1994; and the adjusted ORs were 1.18 (95%CI: 0.85-1.63), 1.47 (1.04-2.10), and 1.41 (1.00-2.04) for the period after 1994. To conclude, we found a slightly positive association between serum SOD level and the risk of all cancer mortality in the present study. Elevated serum SOD levels might reflect a response to oxidative stress, and then may predict a state of excess reactive oxygen species in the carcinogenesis process. Detailed studies of associations between serum SOD levels and cancers in specific sites should now be performed, with attention to particular tumour types.
Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention: APJCP 12/2009; 10 Suppl:69-73. · 0.66 Impact Factor
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Truong-Minh Pham,
Yoshihisa Fujino,
Masahiko Ando,
Koji Suzuki,
Kei Nakachi,
Yoshinori Ito,
Yoshiyuki Watanabe,
Yutaka Inaba,
Kazuo Tajima,
Akiko Tamakoshi, Takesumi Yoshimura
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ABSTRACT: The expression of superoxide dismutases (SODs) has been shown to differ between lung tumor and tumor-free tissues. In the present study, we investigated the association between serum SOD activity and the risk of lung cancer mortality, based on a nested case-control design study within the Japan Collaborative Cohort Study, with a sample of 193 lung cancer patients and 573 matched controls. Blood samples were obtained at the baseline and stored at -80 degrees C until analysis for SOD levels. Serum levels of SODs were divided into quartiles, with the first quartile used as the reference. A conditional logistic model was used to estimate odds ratios (ORs) for lung cancer mortality associated with serum SOD quartile levels. The adjusted ORs and 95% CIs for the second, third; and fourth SOD quartiles were 0.80 (95%CI: 0.49-1.29), 1.32 (0.78-2.25), and 1.07 (0.60-1.89), respectively. In analyses stratified by observation period, the adjusted ORs of the respective quartiles were 0.56 (95%CI: 0.30-1.07), 1.16 ( 0.57-2.37), and 1.11 (0.52-2.35) for the period from the baseline to 1994; and the adjusted ORs of 1.36 (95%CI: 0.65-2.85), 1.71 (0.75-3.87), and 1.06 (0.44-2.53) for the period after 1994. To conclude, we found no significant association between serum SOD level and the risk of deaths from lung cancer in the present study.
Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention: APJCP 12/2009; 10 Suppl:75-9. · 0.66 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: The objective of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of traditional herbal medicines (Kampo) on the symptoms of Yusho. Yusho is a mass food poisoning that was caused by ingestion of rice oil contaminated with dioxins and related organochlorines in 1968. Patients with Yusho suffer from skin symptoms (acneform eruptions, liability to suppuration and pigmentation), respiratory symptoms (cough and expectoration of sputum), neurological symptoms (numbness and paresthesia of extremities), arthralgia and general fatigue, and no effective treatment has yet been developed. In this clinical trial, four Kampo formulae (Bakumondo-to, Keigai-rengyo-to, Gosha-jinki-gan and Hochu-ekki-to) were administered to four representative Yusho symptoms (respiratory, skin, neurological symptoms and general fatigue), respectively. Twenty-seven Yusho patients were enrolled and two formulae were administered to each patient for half-a-year each. The effectiveness of Kampo formulae was estimated by changes in the intensity of symptoms measured by a visual analogue scale (VAS) of 100 mm recorded at baseline and after administration of each formula. The influence of Kampo formulae on patients' quality of life (QOL) was also assessed by the SF-36 (NBS). Twenty-five patients completed the treatment. Bakumondo-to significantly improved respiratory symptoms as well as patients' QOL in the context of vitality, compared with other formulae. In contrast, Hochu-ekki-to impaired patients' QOL in the context of physical functioning and vitality, compared with other formulae. This study demonstrated for the first time that a Kampo formula Bakumondo-to is useful for treating respiratory symptoms caused by dioxins.
Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine 12/2009; 2011:589724. · 4.77 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: To better understand premature mortality due to cancer, we estimated years of life lost (YLL) and average years of life lost (AYLL) due to cancer for the years 1995 and 2005, based on data from the Vital Statistic of Japan. In men, we identified a total of 159,623 cancer deaths in 1995 and 196,603 in 2005. Total YLL were 2,342,560.4 and 2,724,066.0 years, respectively. Averaged for all cancers, people died 14.7 years earlier than life expectancy in 1995 and 13.9 years in 2005. AYLL was longest for brain cancer deaths, at 26.3 years earlier than expected in 1995 and 22.8 years in 2005, followed by leukemia. In women, a total of 103,399 cancer deaths occurred in 1995 and 129,338 in 2005. Total YLL were 1,818,960.4 years in 1995 and 2,160,706.5 years in 2005, corresponding to AYLL for all cancer combined of 17.6 and 16.7 years. The AYLL of brain cancer deaths was also the longest, at 29.4 years in 1995 and 27.8 in 2005, followed by leukemia and female sex-related cancers. Results showed that cancer of the stomach, colorectum, liver and lung were the most frequent cancers in both sexes in both 1995 and 2005 and responsible for a remarkable number of YLL. Further, AYLL was greatest for brain cancer and leukemia in both sexes and for sex-related cancers in women, namely breast, cervix and ovarian cancer.
International Journal of Cancer 10/2009; 127(1):190-4. · 5.44 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Yusho (oil disease) is the name given to a food poisoning incident caused by rice bran oil that occurred in west Japan in 1968. The causative agents of Yusho are currently considered to be polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and their by-products, such as dioxin like compounds. The levels of 2,3,4,7,8-penta-cholorodibenzofuran (PeCDF) are measured in the blood of Yusho patients who attend medical check-ups. The objectives of this study were to determine the half-life of PeCDF in these patients. Linear regression analysis was performed with the binary logarithm of PeCDF blood levels in Yusho patients as the dependent variable and the measurement year as the independent variable. The linear coefficient determined in this analysis is the reciprocal of the half-life. The half-life of PeCDF varied among patients. Among patients with PeCDF blood levels of 50pgg(-1) or higher, there were two groups: one showing a half-life of approximately 7 years and the other showing no reduction in PeCDF levels over time. The results indicate that there is a group of patients whose PeCDF levels are maintained at a high level. Our study suggests that a more complicated model is required to explain PeCDF excretion in humans.
Chemosphere 09/2009; 77(5):658-62. · 3.21 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: To elucidate the exposure levels of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) for Yusho patients, we conducted a congener-specific analysis of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in blood collected from 242, 237, 300, and 96 Yusho patients during medical check-ups performed from 2004 to 2007, respectively, and in samples from 74, 113, 125, and 148 Yusho-suspected persons during those same years, respectively, and compared the individual congener concentrations of PCBs among the groups of Yusho patients, Yusho-suspected persons, and normal controls with the concentrations previously reported. Among the 209 PCB congeners, 8 congeners of mono-ortho PCBs and 56 congeners of non-dioxin-like PCBs were identified in the blood of Yusho patients and Yusho-suspected persons. Among the PCB congeners measured in the present study, hexaCB-153, hexaCB-138, heptaCB-180, and heptaCB-182/heptaCB-187 showed high ratios to total concentrations of 64 PCB congeners detected in the blood of Yusho patients and Yusho-suspected persons from 2004 to 2007, and the profiles of the major congeners were the same as those obtained in normal controls. With respect to the minor congeners of PCBs, several differences were observed among the three groups. The sums of the concentrations of 64 PCB congeners in the blood of Yusho patients from 2004 to 2007 were 645, 760, 667, and 510 ng g(-1) lipid for each year, respectively, and the concentrations were 1.5, 1.8, 1.5, and 1.2 times higher than those of normal controls for each year, respectively. Those of the Yusho-suspected persons were approximately 0.8, 1.1, 0.9, and 1.0 times higher than those of normal controls for each year, respectively. The ratios of heptachlorinated biphenyls (heptaCBs) to the total concentrations of 64 PCB congeners in the blood of Yusho patients and Yusho-suspected persons from 2004 to 2007 tended to be slightly higher than those in the normal controls. From the results comparing the concentrations of 64 PCB congeners in the blood between Yusho patients and normal controls, the concentrations of hexaCB-156, hexaCB-157, heptaCB-181, and heptaCB-189 for Yusho patients were 3.4, 3.8, 3.9, and 3.8 times, respectively, 3.9, 4.1, 3.9, and 4.4 times, respectively, 3.6, 3.9, 5.0, and 4.1 times, respectively, and 2.3, 2.5, 2.7, and 2.9 times higher than those of the normal controls for each year from 2004 to 2007, respectively. These results indicated that Yusho patients still have higher concentrations of hexaCB-156, hexaCB-157, heptaCB-181, and heptaCB-189 in their blood than do unaffected people, even though over 35 years have passed since the outbreak of Yusho. These four congeners can therefore be considered to be the most important congeners for evaluating the PCBs exposure of Yusho patients.
Fukuoka igaku zasshi = Hukuoka acta medica 06/2009; 100(5):156-65.
