Predictors of exacerbation in Japanese patients with severe asthma: Analysis of the severe asthma research program (Okayama-SARP) cohort.

BACKGROUND: Because exacerbation of severe asthma decreases patients' quality of life, this study aimed to identify predictive factors for asthma exacerbation. METHODS: Japanese patients with severe asthma requiring treatment according to the Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA) guidelines ≥ Step 4 between January 2018 and August 2021 were prospectively enrolled and followed up for one year at facilities participating in the Okayama Respiratory Disease Study Group (Okayama Severe Asthma Research Program). RESULTS: A total of 85 patients (29 men and 56 women) were included. The median age was 64 (interquartile range [IQR], 51-72) years. Treatment according to GINA Steps 4 and 5 was required in 29 and 56 patients, respectively, and 44 patients (51.8%) were treated with biologics. The median peripheral-blood eosinophil count, fractional exhaled nitric oxide, IgE level, and percent predicted FEV1 (%FEV1) at enrollment were 204 (IQR, 49-436)/µL, 28 (IQR, 15-43) ppb, 172 (IQR, 56-473) IU/mL, and 80.0 (IQR, 61.1-96.1) %, respectively. Exacerbation during the previous year, asthma control test (ACT) score <20, %FEV1 <60%, and serum IL-10 level >6.7 pg/mL were associated with exacerbation during the observation period. CONCLUSIONS: Exacerbation during the previous year, low ACT score, and low %FEV1 were predictive factors of future exacerbation, even in a cohort with >50% of patients treated with biologics. Furthermore, high serum IL-10 levels might be a new predictive factor.

Mepolizumab in allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis complicated by infection.

Allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA) is an allergic reaction caused by the fungus Aspergillus, and it is often treated with steroids or antifungal agents. However, long-term use of these medications can lead to infections and drug interactions. We present the case of a 71-year-old woman with ABPA who was diagnosed with hepatitis B and active hepatitis C, and sputum analysis revealed the presence of bacteria. Oral steroids were initially administered, but the patient was switched to mepolizumab because of numerous infectious complications. The early introduction of mepolizumab is effective in patients with ABPA complicated by infectious diseases.

Complete Regression of Endobronchial Carcinoid Tumor after an Endoscopic Biopsy.

An 80-year-old woman who had been diagnosed with an endobronchial carcinoid tumor visited our hospital for treatment with an endoscopic technique. However, a bronchoscopic examination at our hospital showed spontaneous regression of the tumor at the orifice of the right middle lobar bronchus. Chest computed tomography five months later revealed no local recurrence. This is the second report of an endobronchial carcinoid tumor vanishing after an endoscopic biopsy.

A case of Rasmussen's aneurysm caused by pulmonary nontuberculous mycobacterium.

Rasmussen's aneurysm was originally described as a rare cause of hemoptysis in tuberculosis. Dilatation of the pulmonary artery wall is caused by tuberculosis inflammation. Recently, the incidence of non-tuberculous mycobacterial (NTM) disease has increased; it now exceeds that of tuberculosis. We report a Rasmussen's aneurysm due to NTM.

Lung cancer that recurred as carcinoma en cuirasse.

Cutaneous metastasis from lung cancer is rare. We report an unusual cutaneous metastasis known as "carcinoma en cuirasse" 7 years after left upper lobectomy to treat an adenocarcinoma of the lung.

Myasthenia Gravis Presenting with Myasthenic Crisis Mimicking Status Asthmatics.

A 23-year-old woman was transferred to our hospital due to exacerbating dyspnea with wheeze. After admission, we started mechanical ventilation immediately, and she was diagnosed with status asthmatics. On the following day, she was able to be weaned from the ventilator. However, she required re-intubation because of an unstable respiratory condition just after extubation. Detailed neurological investigations identified blepharoptosis and muscle weakness with easy fatigability. An edrophonium test was positive. Anti-acetylcholine receptor antibody was detected in her serum. She was finally diagnosed with myasthenia gravis and successfully treated with neostigmine and a low-dose corticosteroid.

[A CASE OF NON-TUBERCULOUS MYCOBACTERIOSIS WITH PLEURAL EFFUSION AND THICKENING IN A PATIENT WITH AN OCCUPATIONAL HISTORY OF ASBESTOS EXPOSURE].

We report a case of a 75-year-old man with pleural effusion and an occupational history of asbestos exposure. Fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography-computed tomography (FDG-PET/CT) examination revealed FDG up-takes along his pleura, leading to an initial suspicion of pleural mesothelioma. Pathological findings of a diagnostic video-associated pleural biopsy showed epithelioid cell granuloma. Repeated sputum cultures were positive for Mycobacterium intracellulare. The patient was diagnosed with pleuritis caused by non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM). NTM should be considered a potential cause of pleuritis.

A case of pulmonary mucoepidermoid carcinoma responding to carboplatin and paclitaxel.

A 59-year-old man was admitted to our hospital with dyspnea and cough. A large polypoid tumor was observed in the lower trachea and bronchoscopic polypectomy was performed using a snare to relieve symptoms. The tumor was diagnosed as a high grade mucoepidermoid carcinoma mainly by the histology of piecemeal specimens obtained by bronchoscopic resection. The primary lesion involved the trachea and the main bronchus, and there were multiple metastases in the lung. The patient was treated with the combination of carboplatin and paclitaxel. After four cycles of chemotherapy, the tumors were significantly reduced. He remains well without evidence of tumor progression for 25 months. This case suggests that the combination chemotherapy of carboplatin and paclitaxel can be an option for treatment of pulmonary mucoepidermoid carcinoma.

Usefulness of a selective neutrophil elastase inhibitor, sivelestat, in acute lung injury patients with sepsis.

BACKGROUND: Neutrophil elastase plays a crucial role in the development of acute lung injury (ALI) in patients with systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS). The clinical efficacy of the neutrophil elastase inhibitor, sivelestat, for patients with ALI associated with SIRS has not been convincingly demonstrated. The aim of this study was to determine if there are clinical features of patients with this condition that affect the efficacy of sivelestat. METHODS: This was a retrospective study of 110 ALI patients with SIRS. Clinical information, including the etiology of ALI, the number of organs failing, scoring systems for assessing the severity of illness, and laboratory data, was collected at the time of diagnosis. Information on the number of ventilator-free days (VFDs) and changes in PaO(2)/F(I)O(2) (ΔP/F) before and 7 days after the time of ALI diagnosis was also collected. The effect of sivelestat on ALI patients was also examined based on whether they had sepsis and whether their initial serum procalcitonin level was ≥0.5 ng/mL. RESULTS: There were 70 patients who were treated with sivelestat and 40 control patients. VFDs and ΔP/F were significantly higher in the treated patients than in the control patients. However, there was no significant difference in the patient survival rate between the two groups. Sivelestat was more effective in ALI patients with a PaO(2)/F(I)O(2) ratio ≥ 140 mmHg or sepsis. Sivelestat significantly prolonged survival and led to higher VFDs and increased ΔP/F in septic patients and patients with initial serum procalcitonin levels ≥ 0.5 ng/mL. CONCLUSION: The results may facilitate a future randomized controlled trial to determine whether sivelestat is beneficial for ALI patients with sepsis.

Immunohistochemical distribution of SP-D, compared with that of SP-A and KL-6, in interstitial pneumonias.

The immunohistochemical distribution of SP-D was compared with that of SP-A and KL-6 using a monoclonal antibody in lung tissues of 15 cases of collagen vascular disease-associated interstitial pneumonia (CVD-IP), 4 cases of hypersensitivity pneumonitis (CHP), and 6 cases of other diseases to determine their differences in distribution. In this study, the main targets were alveolar epithelial cells, especially those in the regenerating stage, as well as lymph vessels and stroma. The cytoplasm of type II alveolar epithelial cells and Clara cells was positive for SP-D, with sharp margins; interestingly, however, during the process of regeneration large positive cells were intermingled with relatively small negative cells, even in the same row of cells. In sharp contrast, staining for SP-A and KL-6 was positive in the cytoplasm of all the regenerating alveolar epithelial cells, as well as Clara cells. Staining for KL-6 was usually positive in the surface of air spaces in linear fashion. Staining for SP-A was also positive in elastic fibers in vascular walls. In areas of destruction of pulmonary structures, loose stroma and the endothelial cells of lymph vessels as well as their contents were distinctly positive for SP-A and/or KL-6 but not SP-D. Judging from these results in pulmonary tissues of CVD-IP and HP, SP-D might be a marker for maturity of regenerating epithelial cells. Both SP-A and KL-6 were detected in intimate relationship to the stage of regeneration of alveolar epithelial cells and were expressed before SP-D. In addition, the lymph vessels play a very important role in transfer of KL-6 into the bloodstream.

[A case of idiopathic bronchiolitis obliterans accompanied with pneumothorax and pulmonary atypical mycobacteriosis].

A 22-year-old man was urgently admitted for pneumothorax. He continued complaining of exertional dyspnea and dry cough after the pneumothorax healed. About three months later, an atypical pulmonary mycobacteriosis by mycobacterium kansasii was identified. Exertional dyspnea increased after chemotherapy was administered, and the patient was readmitted because of difficulty in daily life activities. Chest radiographs and CT scans showed bilateral pulmonary hyperinflation and a narrowed heart shadow. There was also marked combined ventilatory impairment, as identified by a respiratory function test. Furthermore, the histological findings of surgically removed lung tissue revealed accumulation of lymphocytes in the wall of a small bronchus. Idiopathic bronchiolitis obliterans was diagnosed from the clinical course and clinical findings. The patient is now being monitored and is awaiting lung transplantation.

[A case of carcinomatous lymphangitis of the lungs due to stomach cancer responding to TS-1].

We report a case of carcinomatous lymphangitis of the lungs due to and stomach cancer showing remarkable response to TS-1. The patient was a 51-year-old man whose chest x-ray and computed tomography (CT) revealed lymphangitis, and endoscopic examination showed stomach cancer on posterior wall of stomach body. Bone marrow metastasis was suspected because platelet count was 50/microliter, and myelocytes and metamyelocytes emerged in peripheral blood. TS-1 80 mg/day was administered orally for 28 days as 1 course. After 4 courses of TS-1, chest x-ray showed remarkable improvement, and platelet count was normalized. The patient survived for 10 months after the first visit. We suggest that TS-1 is an effective therapy for carcinomatous lymphangitis of the lungs due to stomach cancer.

[Case of pulmonary tuberculosis in late stage of pregnancy].

A 28-year-old woman who was a nurse was admitted to our hospital because her sputum was positive for M. tuberculosis. She was pregnancy of 35 weeks. First, she was administered INH, RFP, PZA and was treated with cesarean section on the 21st day after starting tuberculosis chemotherapy. The operation was done in operating room of negative pressure ventilation. The patient returned to the tuberculosis ward, and the newborn infant entered to a newborn nursery room after confirming negative tubercle bacilli in amnionic fluid by PCR examination. EB was added to the regimen of chemotherapy after childbirth. In general hospitals, infection control is an important issue as seen in this case.

[A case of bronchiolitis obliterans after allogeneic bone marrow transplantation for acute lymphocytic leukemia].

A case of bronchiolitis obliterans after allogeneic bone marrow transplantation (BMT) for acute lymphocytic leukemia in an 18-year-old woman with both acute and chronic graft-versus-host disease is described. About 160 days after BMT she started complaining of a non-productive cough and exertional dyspnea. Pulmonary function testing revealed obstructive respiratory dysfunction. High-resolution CT (HRCT) scan of the lungs showed areas of parenchymal hypoattenuation with air-trapping, which was more emphasized with expiratory HRCT. She had many of the risk factors for bronchiolitis obliterans, such as total body irradiation, pretreatment with cyclophosphamide, chronic graft-versus-host disease and a low IgG level. Her symptoms were progressive and bronchiectasis developed. She died of respiratory failure 3.5 years after BMT. Bronchiolitis obliterans is an important complication of BMT which the clinician must take into account.