Showing papers by "Kouichi Yoshimasu published in 2011"

Epidemiological aspects of intermittent explosive disorder in Japan; prevalence and psychosocial comorbidity: findings from the World Mental Health Japan Survey 2002-2006.

Abstract: The purpose of the present study is to evaluate the prevalence of intermittent explosive disorder (IED) as well as its comorbidity with other mental disorders in a Japanese community sample. Subjects were 4,134 residents in selected sites in Japan. Diagnoses of mental disorders are based on the World Mental Health Survey Initiative Version of the World Health Organization Composite International Diagnostic Interview. Lifetime and 12-month prevalence of IED were 2.1% and 0.7%, respectively, whereas those of narrow IED were 1.2% and 0.6%, respectively. Male gender and young age were positively associated with an increased prevalence of IED. Mood and anxiety disorders as well as suicidal ideation were shown to be associated with IED in both genders. The overall association between anxiety disorders and IED was stronger in women than in men. Positive association of substance use problems with IED was also observed. Similar findings were observed between those psychosocial factors and narrow IED. These results suggest that people having those mixed complications might have a high suicidal risk. Further research using psychological measures for anger suppression will lead to more thorough understanding of the effects of IED on psychosocial comorbidity and suicidal risk.

Subjective symptoms related to suicide risk in Japanese male police officers

Abstract: The purpose of the present study is to evaluate the association between self-reported physical and mental symptoms and suicide risk in Japanese male police officers. Subjects were 1685 such officers in one prefectural police organization. A brief structured diagnostic psychiatric interview, the Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview (M.I.N.I.), elicited the basic symptoms of major depressive disorder (MDD), dysthymia, and post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as well as the level of suicide risk. Information regarding self-reported physical symptoms was obtained from a checklist used in an annual health checkup. Suicide risk was evaluated by the six relevant questions in the M.I.N.I. Logistic regression analysis was used to calculate odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals. All basic (screening) mental symptoms related to MDD, dysthymia, and PTSD as well as diagnoses of those disorders were statistically significantly associated with an increased suicide risk, except for experiences of traumatic events and a diagnosis of PTSD (due to no subjects with PTSD). Among somatic symptoms, headache, a sense of constriction in the throat, and abdominal pain were significantly associated with an increased suicide risk. Furthermore, palpitation and several gastrointestinal symptoms such as pain at evacuation, abdominal pain, and diarrhea were strongly associated with a moderate or high suicide risk, even after adjusting for MDD and PTSD symptoms. In addition to mental symptoms of depression and PTSD, several somatic symptoms, especially those related to digestive organs, should be noted as possible precursors of a police officer's suicide risk. Keywords: epidemiology, police officers, subjective symptoms, suicide, Japanese Copyrights belong to the Author(s). Suicidology Online (SOL) is a peer-reviewed open-access journal publishing under the Creative Commons Licence 3.0.

Subjective symptoms related to depression and suicidal risk in a Japanese community: a cross-sectional study

Abstract: BACKGROUND: This cross-sectional study aimed to assess the association between self-reported somatic and mental symptoms and the presence of major depressive disorder (MDD) and suicidal risk among community dwellers in Japan. METHODS: From two locations in Japan, we recruited 734 community dwellers who underwent an annual health screening. Basic symptoms of MDD, dysthymia, and the presence of associated suicidal risk were determined using a brief structured diagnostic psychiatric interview, Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI). Information regarding self-reported somatic and mental symptoms was obtained from a self-administered questionnaire used in the annual health check-up. Suicidal risk was evaluated on the basis of six relevant questions asked in MINI. Logistic regression model was used to calculate age- and gender-adjusted odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for MDD. Further adjustment for basic symptoms of MDD was performed to calculate ORs and CIs for suicidal risk. RESULTS: A myriad of somatic symptoms, including headache, heavy headedness, eye strain, and shoulder stiffness [adjusted OR (95% CI), 11.4 (1.22 - 107) at location 1; 5.17 (1.23 - 21.7) at location 2], were associated with the presence of MDD. Dysmenorrhea [6.07 (1.14 - 32.3) at location 1] and dysesthesia, arthralgia, and swelling in the extremities [2.72 (1.14 - 6.47) at location 2] were significantly associated with an increase in suicidal risk, independent of the presence of basic symptoms of MDD. CONCLUSION: Several somatic symptoms, especially pain-related ones, may serve as possible signs of depression and suicidal risk among community dwellers.

Morphologic Classification of Nailfold Capillary Microscopy in Workers Exposed to Hand-arm Vibration

Abstract: The aim of this study was to investigate the association between the morphologic classification of nailfold capillary microscopy and the clinical and demographic findings in workers exposed to hand-arm vibration. The subjects were 44 male forestry workers (average age; 51.9 ± 14.8 yr). The nailfold capillaries (NC) and the mean blood flow velocity were measured on the middle finger of the dominant side by a peripheral capillary observer. The analyses were made using 39 subjects after excluding five subjects who received medication for hypertension. The observed NC were classified into 5 types according to Kusumoto's classification: Type I, n=5; Type II, n=15; Type III, n=8; Type IV, n=5; and Type V, n=6. After excluding the subjects in the Type V, we divided the subjects into two groups: Type I/II group, n=20; and Type III/IV group, n=13. In the Type III/IV group, the operating year of handheld vibrating tools was relatively longer, the mean blood flow velocity was significantly slower, and the body mass index was relatively higher as compared to the Type I/II group. These results suggested that the nailfold capillary microscopy may reflect the effect of the vibration exposure.

Qi-Deficiency, Qi-Stagnation, Qi-Flowback, Blood Deficiency, and Fluid Retention in Patients with Depression, Psychiatric Disorders, or Psychosomatic Disorders

Abstract: The purpose of this study is to clarify the Qi-blood-fluid patterns of psychiatric disorders such as depression, anxiety disorders, eating disorders, somatoform disorders and psychosomatic disorders such as irritable bowel syndrome, functional dyspepsia, etc. according to oriental medicine. The subjects were all new cases who consulted the psychosomatic clinic of Kyushu University Hospital from June 2000 to March 2001. Qi-deficiency, Qi-stagnation, Qi-flowback, blood deficiency, and fluid retention scores were calculated from the chief complaints and answers to the 102 questions of the Kyudai Medical Index (KMI), according to Terasawa’s Qi-blood-fluid scoring system. Since the results of physical examinations were not investigated, items requiring physical examination in Terasawa’s criteria were excluded from the calculation. The Qi-flowback, blood deficiency and fluid retention scores were significantly higher in females than males. Strong correlations were observed between Qi-deficiency and Qi-stagnation in males and between blood deficiency and fluid retention in both sexes. Multiple logistic regression analysis revealed that Qi-deficiency and Qi-stagnation in both sexes, especially Qi-deficiency, in males, were associated with major depression. Qi-flowback in females only and blood deficiency in males only were associated with anxiety disorders or a high State-trait Anxiety Inventory score. In females, Qi-flowback was also associated with somatoform disorders and irritable bowel syndrome. These results may be of assistance in treating occidental diseases in an oriental manner.

Measuring conditions of cold provocation tests: A review of the literature

Abstract: Measuring conditions of cold provocation tests (CPT) were reviewed and a new database was established Relevant articles were identified using the PubMed database from 2002 to October 2010 A total of 35 studies were selected for this review and the published articles were from temperate and subarctics zones Outcomes chiefly measured were the change of finger skin temperature and finger systolic blood pressure In the 10°C, 10-mm method, both sensitivity and specificity were high while the 15°C, 5-mm method, the sensitivity was lower and the specificity was high The 10°C, 5-mm method showed lower sensitivity and comparably high specificity The sensitivity of the 15°C, 5-mm method is relatively low, and insufficient to provoke peripheral vascular dysfunction