A Case of Spinal Echinococcosis in a Japanese Woman Living in Tokyo: Diagnostic Challenges in Non-endemic Areas and Public Health Implications.

Echinococcosis, caused by Echinococcus spp., often affects the lungs and liver, and spinal involvement is rare. Echinococcus multilocularis is prevalent in Japan, particularly in Hokkaido. We herein report a rare case of spinal echinococcosis in a 31-year-old woman who was diagnosed in Tokyo. Spinal echinococcosis is uncommon and often leads to misdiagnoses. The patient likely contracted the disease via contaminated fresh produce transported from an endemic region. This study emphasizes the diagnostic challenges of spinal echinococcosis in non-endemic regions and highlights the public health concerns related to the spread of infections in non-endemic areas.

A case of idiopathic multicentric Castleman disease with pulmonary hyalinizing granuloma-like multiple pulmonary nodules.

A 41-year-old man presented with chronic cough and chest pain. Laboratory tests revealed anemia, inflammation, hypoalbuminemia, polyclonal hypergammaglobulinemia, and elevated interleukin-6 levels. Computed tomography revealed diffuse bilateral pulmonary nodules and multicentric lymphadenopathy. Histopathology of the pulmonary nodule resembled pulmonary hyalinizing granuloma (PHG), whereas lymph node histopathology was consistent with idiopathic multicentric Castleman disease (iMCD). The patient was diagnosed with iMCD involving PHG-like pulmonary nodules. Little is known about the association between these two diseases, and the present case provides insights regarding the relationship between PHG and iMCD.

Clinical usefulness of end-tidal CO2 measured using a portable capnometer in patients with respiratory disease.

INTRODUCTION: This study aimed to evaluate the correlation and agreement between end-tidal CO2 (EtCO2 ) measured with the novel portable capnometer (CapnoEye®) and partial pressure of arterial carbon dioxide (PaCO2 ) levels in patients with respiratory diseases and to compare the efficacy of EtCO2 and PvCO2 in predicting PaCO2 levels. METHODS: We analyzed the correlation and the agreement between EtCO2 and PaCO2 and between PvCO2 and PaCO2 using Pearson's moment correlation coefficient in patients with type 1 and type 2 respiratory failure and both groups overall. RESULTS: A total of 100 samples were included that comprised 67 men (67%). The mean age of the subjects was 77 ± 13 years. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) (43%) was the most common disease. There was a high correlation between EtCO2 and PaCO2 (r = 0.88; p < 0.0001). Sixty-six PvCO2 samples were obtained, and there was a high correlation between PvCO2 and PaCO2 (r = 0.81; p < 0.0001). Regarding type 2 respiratory failure, there was a high correlation between EtCO2 and PaCO2 (r = 0.81). The Bland-Altman analysis between PaCO2 and EtCO2 revealed a bias of 5.7 mmHg, with limits of agreement ranging from -5.1 mmHg to 16.5 mmHg. In contrast, the analysis between PaCO2 and PvCO2 revealed a bias of -6.8 mmHg, and the limits of agreement ranged from -22.13 mmHg to 8.53 mmHg. CONCLUSION: EtCO2 measured by CapnoEye® was significantly correlated to PaCO2 levels in patients with respiratory diseases. Moreover, CapnoEye® may be more useful for predicting hypercapnia conditions in which respiratory diseases are compared with measure PvCO2 .

Unexpected Complications 25 Years after Coil Embolization for Pulmonary Arteriovenous Fistula.

An 87-year-old woman who had undergone coil embolization 25 years ago for pulmonary arteriovenous fistula, which was diagnosed following repeated cerebral infarction, presented with massive hemoptysis. The coils migrated and were excreted in stool following hemoptysis during long-term follow-up. Although the technical success rate of coil embolization for pulmonary arteriovenous malformations is extremely high, and coil embolization-related complications are rare, little is known about the long-term complications. We herein report the clinical course of our case, review previous reports related to coil migration as a long-term complication, and discuss the associated mechanism.

Effect of asthma, COPD, and ACO on COVID-19: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

INTRODUCTION: The prevalence of asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and asthma-COPD overlap (ACO) in patients with COVID-19 varies, as well as their risks of mortality. The present study aimed to assess the prevalence of asthma, COPD, and ACO as comorbidities, and to determine their risks of mortality in patients with COVID-19 using a systematic review and meta-analysis. METHODS: We systematically reviewed clinical studies that reported the comorbidities of asthma, COPD, and ACO in patients with COVID-19. We searched various databases including PubMed (from inception to 27 September 2021) for eligible studies written in English. A meta-analysis was performed using the random-effect model for measuring the prevalence of asthma, COPD, and ACO as comorbidities, and the mortality risk of asthma, COPD, and ACO in patients with COVID-19 was estimated. A stratified analysis was conducted according to country. RESULTS: One hundred one studies were eligible, and 1,229,434 patients with COVID-19 were identified. Among them, the estimated prevalence of asthma, COPD, and ACO using a meta-analysis was 10.04% (95% confidence interval [CI], 8.79-11.30), 8.18% (95% CI, 7.01-9.35), and 3.70% (95% CI, 2.40-5.00), respectively. The odds ratio for mortality of pre-existing asthma in COVID-19 patients was 0.89 (95% CI, 0.55-1.4; p = 0.630), while that in pre-existing COPD in COVID-19 patients was 3.79 (95% CI, 2.74-5.24; p<0.001). France showed the highest prevalence of asthma followed by the UK, while that of COPD was highest in the Netherlands followed by India. CONCLUSION: Pre-existing asthma and COPD are associated with the incidence of COVID-19. Having COPD significantly increases the risk of mortality in patients with COVID-19. These differences appear to be influenced by the difference of locations of disease pathophysiology and by the daily diagnosis and treatment policy of each country.

Endobronchial hamartoma resected via bronchoscopy using high-frequency electrosurgical snare-Preoperative strategies using virtual bronchoscopy.

Pulmonary hamartomas are common benign lung tumors; however, endobronchial hamartomas are relatively rare. We report a case of asymptomatic endobronchial hamartoma in a 51-year-old man. Chest computed tomography revealed a 10-mm protrusion in the right main bronchus. Preoperative virtual bronchoscopy (VBS) was performed; subsequently, minimally invasive bronchoscopic resection was safely performed under local anesthesia. The use of VBS is a useful treatment strategy and follow-up modality.

Effectiveness of bronchial thermoplasty for severe persistent bronchial asthma accompanied by Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection.

Bronchial thermoplasty (BT) is a type of bronchoscopic treatment specifically used for patients with severe asthma. Most severe asthmatics receive systemic steroids and are at risk of being immunocompromised. This raises the clinical question of whether or not BT can be effectively and safely performed in such patients. Herein, we report a case highlighting the effectiveness and safety of BT in a patient with severe persistent bronchial asthma and Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection. We performed BT on a 46-year-old woman undergoing treatment for severe persistent asthma with inhaled steroids and 20 mg prednisolone orally. Although she was deemed to be infection-free before the procedure, culture of endobronchial secretions obtained during the first BT procedure grew Pseudomonas aeruginosa. After the first BT, she was given clarithromycin 400 mg orally daily. The amount of sputum decreased with each BT session, and sputum culture for Pseudomonas aeruginosa turned negative by the third BT session. Respiratory function tests showed 23.7% improvement in % post-bronchodilator forced expiratory volume in 1.0 s (%FEV1.0) and the asthma quality of life questionnaire (AQLQ) score increased by 2.41 points after the third BT. Bronchial wall thickness decreased and infiltrative shadows on CT disappeared after the three BT sessions, along with decrease in the amount of purulent sputum. Improvement in her asthma symptoms, after three BT sessions allowed decrease in the prednisolone dose. We report the effectiveness of BT and infection control in a severe asthmatic with Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection.

Findings of in vitro Analyses of Basophil Functions May Help Us Better Understand Drug Desensitization.

Drug hypersensitivity can be an important problem during pharmacological management of various diseases. Patients diagnosed as having a drug allergy usually need to avoid the offending drug, either temporarily or for life. Another way of overcoming a drug allergy is to establish desensitization using the allergen drug itself. We previously investigated in vitro desensitization of human basophils using a subthreshold dose of an IgE-crosslinking reagent. We found that basophil desensitization occurred in a dose-dependent manner over a period of one to several hours. We think that inducible basophil desensitization occurring without histamine release may explain, at least in part, the clinical features of drug desensitization in type 1 drug allergy.

A rare case of docetaxel-induced myositis in a patient with a lung adenocarcinoma.

Docetaxel is a cytotoxic taxane frequently used to treat patients with various cancers, including non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Docetaxel is known to cause acute myalgias, arthralgias, and neuropathy, but there have been few published case reports of myositis. Here, we describe a rare case of docetaxel-induced myositis diagnosed based on laboratory data, thigh magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and electromyography (EEG). A 66-year-old male was admitted for thigh pain and fatigue that onset 1 week prior. He had been diagnosed with stage IVA (cT4N0M1a) NSCLC 3 years ago and had been started on docetaxel (60 mg/m2 intravenously every 3 weeks; fourth-line chemotherapy) 1 month earlier. After the second cycle, he developed both thigh pain and fatigue. On admission, his creatinine phosphokinase (CPK) level was elevated, thigh MRI revealed diffuse muscle edema, and EEG showed myogenic changes. We found no plausible cause for myositis except docetaxel. He was diagnosed with myositis and treated with oral prednisolone. His symptoms were relieved and the CPK level declined. Although rare, this case indicates that clinicians should consider the possibility of myositis as a complication in patients on docetaxel.

Infectious Pulmonary Artery Pseudoaneurysm That Resolved with Conservative Treatment.

Pulmonary artery pseudoaneurysms (PAPs) are rare but can cause massive hemoptysis if they rupture. Infectious PAPs are often treated by surgery or transcatheter embolization and are rarely treated conservatively with antibiotics. We herein report a case of PAP treated conservatively in a 21-year-old woman with lung abscess. Except for one massive hemoptysis early in the course, the patient responded well to the empirical therapy with ampicillin/sulbactam and systemic hemostatic agents. After six weeks of antibiotics, the pseudoaneurysm disappeared. Conservative therapy with careful observation can be considered in small infectious PAPs when there is a good clinical response to initial conservative therapy.

COVID-19 mRNA vaccine-related interstitial lung disease: Two case reports and literature review.

The Pfizer-BioNTech mRNA vaccine (BNT162b2) is an effective and well-tolerated coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine. However, rare adverse events have been reported. We report two cases of COVID-19 mRNA vaccine-related interstitial lung disease (ILD). A 67-year-old man and a 70-year-old man with underlying ILD presented to our hospital with a few days of fever and respiratory symptoms after receiving the BNT162b2 vaccine. Drug-related pneumonitis due to the COVID-19 mRNA vaccine was diagnosed. One case was diagnosed with lymphocytic alveolitis by bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and transbronchial lung cryobiopsy. Both patients were successfully treated with corticosteroids, and they attended outpatient clinics thereafter. Although the safety and efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines have been established, further studies are needed to estimate long-term data and reports of rare adverse reactions. We present the clinical course of two cases, review previously published case reports on COVID-19 mRNA vaccine-related ILD and discuss the relevant findings.

Prolonged SARS-CoV-2 infection associated with long-term corticosteroid use in a patient with impaired B-cell immunity.

Corticosteroids are widely used to treat severe COVID-19, but in immunocompromised individuals, who are susceptible to persistent infection, long term corticosteroid use may delay viral clearance. We present a case of prolonged SARS-CoV-2 infection in a man with significantly impaired B-cell immunity due to non-Hodgkin lymphoma which had been treated with rituximab. SARS-CoV-2 shedding persisted, despite treatment with remdesivir. Viral sequencing confirmed the persistence of the same viral strain, ruling out the possibility of reinfection. Although SARS-CoV-2 IgG, IgA and IgM remained negative throughout the treatment period, after reduction of the corticosteroid dose, PCR became negative. Long-term corticosteroid treatment, especially in immunocompromised individuals, may result in suppression of cell-mediated immunity and prolonged SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Short- and long-term efficacy of bronchial artery embolization using a gelatin sponge for the treatment of cryptogenic hemoptysis.

Bronchial artery embolization (BAE) is the first choice treatment for hemoptysis. With advances in endovascular treatment, various embolic materials have become available. However, the optimal embolic material for the treatment of cryptogenic hemoptysis has not been determined. This study aimed to investigate the short-and long-term efficacy of BAE using a gelatin sponge in the treatment of patients with cryptogenic hemoptysis. The clinical characteristics, angiographic findings, and short- and long-term outcomes of BAE were retrospectively analyzed in 22 consecutive patients who underwent BAE for control of cryptogenic hemoptysis between January 2010 and September 2018. Selective angiography and super-selective BAE were successfully performed for all patients. A gelatin sponge was used in all patients. Further, polyvinyl alcohol was mixed with the gelatin sponge in 11 patients (50%). Angiography showed that the bronchial artery was responsible for hemoptysis in all patients, along with the intercostal artery in one patient (4.5%) and the inferior phrenic artery in one patient (4.5%). Immediate hemostasis was achieved in all patients. The recurrence-free rate was 100% for 1 month, 94.1% for 3 months, 94.1% for 12 months, and 87.4% for 24 months. Of two patients with recurrent hemoptysis, one underwent bronchoscopic hemoptysis and the other received intravenous hemostatic agents. No patient underwent BAE for recurrence. No severe complications occurred. In conclusion, BAE using a gelatin sponge has short- and long-term hemostatic efficacy for treating cryptogenic hemoptysis without any severe complications. A gelatin sponge is a suitable embolic material for patients with cryptogenic hemoptysis.

Usefulness of Jackson mask ventilation during bronchoscopy in patients with acute respiratory failure: A retrospective review.

ABSTRACT: Bronchoscopy is a procedure for diagnosis and treatment decision-making in patients with lung disease, especially those with acute respiratory failure. However, the optimal bronchoscopic method for patients with acute respiratory failure is not known. Therefore, in the real world, we sometimes hesitate to perform bronchoscopy in such patients because of safety and have experienced treating patients without bronchoscopy. To address this problem, we evaluated the usefulness and safety of Jackson mask ventilation, a novel noninvasive method of bronchoscopy performed under mask ventilation using the Jackson Rees circuit, in patients with acute respiratory failure.We retrospectively reviewed patients with acute respiratory failure who underwent bronchoscopy at our institution between January 2015 and May 2018. We compared patients who received Jackson mask ventilation (Jackson group) and those who received conventional oxygen administration (conventional group). Mean percutaneous oxygen saturation (SpO2) and mean oxygen flow rate were compared between the groups by the Wilcoxon signed-rank test. We excluded patients who were intubated and those without acute respiratory failure who received Jackson mask ventilation preventively.Of 1262 patients who underwent bronchoscopy, 12 were classified into the Jackson group and 13 into the conventional group. Proper oxygenation was maintained in the Jackson group, with SpO2 increasing after Jackson mask ventilation (89.4% to 96.8%, P = .03). Mean SpO2 was significantly higher in the Jackson group than in the conventional group (96.8% vs 95.2%, P = .03). Mean oxygen flow rate was significantly lower in the Jackson group (4.0 L/min vs 7.9 L/min, P < .001). There was no significant difference in safety.Our findings suggest that Jackson mask ventilation is safe and effective when performing bronchoscopy in patients with acute respiratory failure. Jackson mask ventilation maintained proper oxygenation and decreased the oxygen flow rate compared with the conventional method. Using Jackson mask ventilation, we could perform bronchoscopy safely and effectively in patients with acute respiratory failure, including some who had unstable respiratory status. (UMIN000038481).

Refractory Hemoptysis Caused by Severe Pulmonary Vein Stenosis after Multiple Catheter Ablations.

We herein report a 48-year-old man with a history of chronic atrial fibrillation (AF) and repeated hemoptysis after radiofrequency ablation. Contrast tomography showed soft tissue thickening of the left hilar region and left pulmonary vein stenosis. We performed bronchial artery embolization, but the hemoptysis did not disappear, and AF was not controlled. We performed left lung lobectomy and maze procedures since we considered surgical removal necessary as radical treatment. After the surgery, hemoptysis and atrial fibrillation did not recur. Refractory hemoptysis after catheter ablation is rare, but occasionally occurs in patients with severe pulmonary vein stenosis.

Evaluation of the efficacy and safety of a new flex-rigid pleuroscope.

OBJECTIVE: New flex-rigid pleuroscope enables observations with a maximum angle of curvature of 180° , allowing visualization of the area near the insertion site of the pleuroscope. And, it improved the image quality and channel inner diameter. The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical effectiveness and safety of a new flex-rigid pleuroscope. METHODS: A retrospective analysis of patients who were examined with a new flex-rigid pleuroscope under local anesthesia at our institution was conducted. Pleuroscopy was performed in 33 patients with undiagnosed exudative pleural effusions from December 2016 to March 2019. RESULTS: A total of 33 patients (10 women, 23 men); their median age 74 years (range 24-90) were investigated. Pleuroscopy showed that 18 had malignant pleural disease (54%), and 15 had benign pleural diseases (46%). The top three most frequent causes of pleural disease were pleural metastases of lung carcinoma (30.3%), pyothorax (15.1%), and malignant pleural mesothelioma (12.1%). In 32 cases (97%), observation at the introducer insertion site was possible. It was not possible in one case due to hard adhesions. The diagnostic rate was 100%, and the complication rate was 6.1%. There were no major complications, and minor complications included mild pain (one case) and minor bleeding (one case) that was stanched spontaneously. CONCLUSIONS: The new flex-rigid pleuroscope is effective and safe for diagnosing pleural effusions. The improved bending angle is likely to minimize the blind area. The new pleuroscopy fiberscope may improve the diagnostic rate.

A case of diffuse pulmonary lymphangiomatosis with a venous anomaly presenting with acute respiratory failure and hemoptysis.

Diffuse pulmonary lymphangiomatosis (DPL) is a rare lymphatic disease that can cause diverse respiratory symptoms. A 22-year-old man, whose chest CT had shown an abnormality for years, presented with acute respiratory failure due to the abrupt onset of hemoptysis. The diagnosis of DPL was confirmed by surgical lung biopsy and lymphangiography. Histopathological investigation showed dilated vascular and lymphatic vessels. DPL can cause acute and life-threatening symptoms during its chronic clinical course. A coexisting anomaly in the venous system may be present in DPL patients with hemoptysis.

Pembrolizumab-induced pancytopenia in a patient with squamous cell lung cancer.

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) are reportedly effective against many kinds of neoplasm, but may be responsible for several kinds of immune-related adverse events (irAEs). Among these irAEs, the incidence of myelosuppression due to ICIs is relatively low. Corticosteroids are needed to control most cases of myelosuppression. Here, we report an 88-year-old woman with squamous cell lung cancer who was administered pembrolizumab. After five cycles of pembrolizumab, she developed severe pancytopenia. The pancytopenia improved under observation without steroid administration after cessation of pembrolizumab. During recovery from this irAE, the patient also maintained long-term antitumor efficacy. KEY POINTS: SIGNIFICANT FINDINGS OF THE STUDY: There are several kinds of immune-related adverse events. We encountered a case of pembrolizumab-induced pancytopenia with squamous cell lung cancer. WHAT THIS STUDY ADDS: Corticosteroids are needed to control most cases of myelosuppression induced by ICIs, but pancytopenia induced by pembrolizumab in our case improved without steroids.