CT Imaging Assessment of Response to Treatment in Allergic Bronchopulmonary Aspergillosis in Adults With Bronchial Asthma.

BACKGROUND: One of the major challenges in managing allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis remains consistent and reproducible assessment of response to treatment. RESEARCH QUESTION: What are the most relevant changes in CT scan parameters over time for assessing response to treatment? STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: In this ancillary study of a randomized clinical trial (NebuLamB), patients with asthma with available CT scan and without exacerbation during a 4-month allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis exacerbation treatment period (corticosteroids and itraconazole) were included. Changed CT scan parameters were assessed by systematic analyses of CT scan findings at initiation and end of treatment. CT scans were assessed by two radiologists anonymized to the clinical data. Radiologic parameters were determined by selecting those showing significant changes over time. Improvement of at least one, without worsening of the others, defined the radiologic response. Agreement between radiologic changes and clinical and immunologic responses was likewise investigated. RESULTS: Among the 139 originally randomized patients, 132 were included. We identified five CT scan parameters showing significant changes at end of treatment: mucoid impaction extent, mucoid impaction density, centrilobular micronodules, consolidation/ground-glass opacities, and bronchial wall thickening (P < .05). These changes were only weakly associated with one another, except for mucoid impaction extent and density. No agreement was observed between clinical, immunologic, and radiologic responses, assessed as an overall response, or considering each of the parameters (Cohen κ, -0.01 to 0.24). INTERPRETATION: Changes in extent and density of mucoid impaction, centrilobular micronodules, consolidation/ground-glass opacities, and thickening of the bronchial walls were found to be the most relevant CT scan parameters to assess radiologic response to treatment. A clinical, immunologic, and radiologic multidimensional approach should be adopted to assess outcomes, probably with a composite definition of response to treatment. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov; No.: NCT02273661; URL: www. CLINICALTRIALS: gov).

French practical guidelines for the diagnosis and management of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis - 2021 update. Full-length version.

BACKGROUND: Since the latest 2017 French guidelines, knowledge about idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis has evolved considerably. METHODS: Practical guidelines were drafted on the initiative of the Coordinating Reference Center for Rare Pulmonary Diseases, led by the French Language Pulmonology Society (SPLF), by a coordinating group, a writing group, and a review group, with the involvement of the entire OrphaLung network, pulmonologists practicing in various settings, radiologists, pathologists, a general practitioner, a health manager, and a patient association. The method followed the "Clinical Practice Guidelines" process of the French National Authority for Health (HAS), including an online vote using a Likert scale. RESULTS: After a literature review, 54 guidelines were formulated, improved, and then validated by the working groups. These guidelines addressed multiple aspects of the disease: epidemiology, diagnostic procedures, quality criteria and interpretation of chest CT scans, lung biopsy indication and procedures, etiological workup, methods and indications for family screening and genetic testing, assessment of the functional impairment and prognosis, indication and use of antifibrotic agents, lung transplantation, management of symptoms, comorbidities and complications, treatment of chronic respiratory failure, diagnosis and management of acute exacerbations of fibrosis. CONCLUSION: These evidence-based guidelines are intended to guide the diagnosis and practical management of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.

Treatment of recurrent respiratory papillomatosis lung involvement by cidofovir infusion.

Lung parenchyma involvement in recurrent respiratory papillomatosis (RRP) is rare, can be severe, and has variable outcomes. Although several reports have described the effects of different drugs (interferon alpha, indol-3-carbinol, cidofovir, etc.), there is no standard treatment for lung involvement in respiratory papillomatosis. We discuss herein the controversial effectiveness of cidofovir in light of a new observation of respiratory papillomatosis involving lung parenchyma. The reported case is one of rare pulmonary involvement in RRP and shows the effectiveness of intravenous cidofovir alone on symptoms, high-resolution computed tomography abnormalities, and pulmonary function tests. Aggravation after stopping cidofovir may also be interpreted as an indirect argument for the effectiveness of cidofovir in this case.