Is there a correlation between the changes in airway inflammation and the changes in respiratory mechanics after vaping in patients with asthma?

BACKGROUND: Electronic cigarettes (ECs) have been promoted as alternatives to traditional cigarettes. AIM: To investigate ECs' effects on respiratory system, especially in patients with respiratory diseases. METHODS: We randomly selected 25 smokers with stable moderate asthma and matched them with 25 healthy smokers. All were subjucted to pulmonary function tests (PFTs), impulse oscillometry (IOS), fraction exhaled Nitric Oxide (FeNO), exhaled breathe condensate (EBC) and biomarker measurements before and after vaping one nicotine-containing EC. RESULTS: The increase in FeNO 30 minutes after EC, reflecting airway inflammation, significantly correlated with increase of residual volume (RV), total lung capacity, respiratory impedance at 5 Hz (Z5Hz) and respiratory resistance at 5 and 20 Hz (R5Hz and R20Hz). No significant correlations were found between EBC biomarkers' changes and respiratory mechanics. CONCLUSION: This is the first study demonstrating that the changes in airway inflammation caused by EC have direct effects in respiratory mechanics of asthmatic patients.

BALF and BLOOD NK- cells in different stages of pulmonary sarcoidosis.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Data on natural killer (NK)- and natural killer T (NKT)- like cells in the immunopathogenesis of sarcoidosis remain limited. The aim was to assess NK- and NKT-like cells across different stages in bronchoalveolar lavage (BALF) versus peripheral blood (PB) in comparison to controls. METHODS: Forty four patients (32 women and 12 men, mean age 46.6±14.4 years) with biopsy-proven sarcoidosis and 10 healthy individuals (6 women, 4 men mean age 52.6±19.1 years) were submitted to BALF. Total cells and cell differentials were counted, while CD45+, CD3+, CD4+, CD8+, CD19+, CD3-CD16/56 (NK cells) and CD3+CD16/56+ (NKT-like cells) were determined by dual flow cytometry in BALF and PB. RESULTS: A significantly lower percentage of both NK and NKT-like cells was observed in BALF of controls and sarcoid patients (SP) compared to PB. Both BALF NK and NKT-cell counts were significantly higher in SP than in controls (NK: p=0.046, NKT-like: p=0.012) In addition BALF NK cell percentage differed among sarcoidosis stages (p=0.005). In PB NK-cell count was lower in sarcoidosis patients but the difference did not reach statistical significance. Also, in sarcoid patients' BALF NK-cell percentage negatively correlated with lymphocyte percentage (r=-0.962, p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The increased count of BALF NK and NKT-like cells in sarcoidosis compared to controls along with the increase of NK cells with stage progression are in line with a growing number of investigations suggesting the involvement of NK- and NKT-like cells in the pathogenesis of sarcoidosis.

Epidemiology of interstitial lung diseases and their progressive-fibrosing behaviour in six European countries.

The PERSEIDS study aimed to estimate incidence/prevalence of interstitial lung diseases (ILDs), fibrosing interstitial lung diseases (F-ILDs), idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), systemic sclerosis-associated ILD (SSc-ILD), other non-IPF F-ILDs and their progressive-fibrosing (PF) forms in six European countries, as current data are scarce. This retrospective, two-phase study used aggregate data (2014-2018). In Phase 1, incident/prevalent cases of ILDs above were identified from clinical databases through an algorithm based on codes/keywords, and incidence/prevalence was estimated. For non-IPF F-ILDs, the relative percentage of subtypes was also determined. In Phase 2, a subset of non-IPF F-ILD cases was manually reviewed to determine the percentage of PF behaviour and usual interstitial pneumonia-like (UIP-like) pattern. A weighted mean percentage of progression was calculated for each country and used to extrapolate incidence/prevalence of progressive-fibrosing ILDs (PF-ILDs). In 2018, incidence/105 person-years ranged between 9.4 and 83.6 (ILDs), 7.7 and 76.2 (F-ILDs), 0.4 and 10.3 (IPF), 6.6 and 71.7 (non-IPF F-ILDs), and 0.3 and 1.5 (SSc-ILD); and prevalence/105 persons ranged between 33.6 and 247.4 (ILDs), 26.7 and 236.8 (F-ILDs), 2.8 and 31.0 (IPF), 22.3 and 205.8 (non-IPF F-ILDs), and 1.4 and 10.1 (SSc-ILD). Among non-IPF F-ILDs, sarcoidosis was the most frequent subtype. PF behaviour and UIP-like pattern were present in a third of non-IPF F-ILD cases each and hypersensitivity pneumonitis showed the highest percentage of progressive behaviour. Incidence of PF-ILDs ranged between 2.1 and 14.5/105 person-years, and prevalence between 6.9 and 78.0/105 persons. To our knowledge, PERSEIDS is the first study assessing incidence, prevalence and rate of progression of ILDs across several European countries. Still below the threshold for orphan diseases, the estimates obtained were higher and more variable than reported in previous studies, but differences in study design/population must be considered.

Device use errors among patients with asthma and COPD and the role of training: a real-life study.

Background and objectives: Administration of inhaled medication for asthma and COPD is often difficult and incorrect device use is associated with unfavorable outcomes. We aimed to evaluate device use errors in asthma and COPD patients and to associate incorrect use with the patient's characteristics and medical history.Methods: Demographics and medical history were recorded. The use of each prescribed device was evaluated according to predefined steps.Results: 607 patients (49.9% male, median age (IQR) 63 (51, 70) years performed 663 demonstrations (56 patients were using 2 different types of devices). 51.4% were treated for asthma and 48.6% for COPD. 79.6% of demonstrations were performed using DPIs. Errors were documented on 41.2% of demonstrations and were associated with the type of device, p < 0.001. Elderly patients were less frequently using their devices correctly compared to younger patients, 50.8% vs 62.2%, respectively, p = 0.007. Correct demonstrations were more among asthmatics compared to COPD patients 63.1% vs 54.5%, p = 0.024. Incorrect use was associated with more acute exacerbations in the preceding year [median(IQR), 1(0, 2) vs 1(0, 1)], for incorrect and correct use, respectively, p < 0.001. Upon demonstration, 15.5% of patients have never been trained (i.e., undergone actual demonstrations and observation while using their device) by anyone. Errors occurred more frequently among patients who reported not to be trained compared to those who were trained, 67.0% vs 14.6%, respectively, p < 0.001. The commonest error was associated with the inspiration maneuver and accounted for the 48.3% of errors in the DPIs and 53.0% of errors in the MDIs.Conclusion: Device use errors are common and associated with unfavorable outcomes. Trained patients were more likely to use the device correctly.

Asthma and rhinitis in Greek furniture workers.

Objective: The detection of asthma and rhinitis in furniture workers exposed to chemicals in the area of Thessaloniki Greece and the determination of the most useful tests for diagnosing the above occupational diseases.Methods: Eighty-three workers (76 men), 35 exposed to chemicals (CW), 23 to wood dust (WW), and 25 office workers (OW), serving as controls, filled in a specialized European Community Respiratory Health Survey (ECRHS) questionnaire for asthma and were submitted to clinical evaluation, spirometry, bronchodilation test, PEF computer algorithm OASYS-2, FeNO, skin prick tests (SPTs), rhinomanometry and methacholine inhalation challenge. Working conditions and protective measurements were also recorded. According to the results of all conducted tests, each subject was distributed to a subgroup: (a) normal, (b) asthma, (c) rhinitis, (d) asthma and rhinitis. Comparisons were performed among work groups.Results: The presence of asthma and/or rhinitis was higher among CW and WW compared to OW (p = 0.004). Significant differences among groups were observed in the questions «better weekend¼ (p < 0.034) and "improvement on vacation¼ (p < 0.000), in OASYS-2 Score (p < 0.000), in ABC Score (p < 0.000), and in methacholine score (p < 0.022). Rhinomanometry, FeNO, spirometry, and spirometry after bronchodilation had no significant differences among groups. Working conditions, ventilation system, work practice, use and type of mask revealed no significant differences.Conclusion: Asthma and rhinitis are significantly common among CW. Protective measurements used were not adequate to prevent asthma and or work related rhinitis. Early diagnosis might contribute to disease prevention and control.

Switching between biologics in severe asthma patients. When the first choice is not proven to be the best.

During the last decades, new treatments targeting disease mechanisms referred as biologics have been introduced in the therapy of asthma and currently, five monoclonal antibodies have been approved. Although these therapeutic agents have been formulated to target specific asthma endotypes, it is often difficult for the treating physician to identify which patient is the best candidate for each one of these specific treatments especially in the clinical scenario of a patient in whom clinical characteristics overlap between different endotypes, allowing the selection of more than one biologic agent. As no head-to-head comparisons between these biologics have been attempted, there is no evidence on the superiority of one biologic agent over the other. Furthermore, a physician's first therapeutic decision, no matter how carefully has been made, may often result in suboptimal clinical response and drug discontinuation, indicating the need for switching to a different biologic. In this short review, we discuss the available evidence regarding the switching between biologics in patients with severe asthma and we propose a simple algorithm on switching possibilities in case that the physicians' initial choice is proven not to be the best.

Efficacy and safety of nintedanib in a Greek multicentre idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis registry: a retrospective, observational, cohort study.

Nintedanib is a tyrosine kinase inhibitor approved for the treatment of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). In a retrospective, real-world study across seven Greek hospitals, we evaluated the effectiveness and safety of nintedanib in routine clinical practice. Patients diagnosed with IPF, as per guideline criteria or multidisciplinary diagnosis, received nintedanib between January 2013 and January 2018. We evaluated 244 patients: mean±sd age 71.8±7.5 years, 79.1% male, 45.1% current smokers and 33.1% ex-smokers at treatment initiation. At baseline, predicted forced vital capacity (FVC) was 73.3±20.7% and predicted diffusing capacity of the lungs for carbon monoxide (D LCO) was 42.6±16.7%. On average, patients spent 23.6±15.0 months on nintedanib. At 3 years, 78 patients had died, equating to a 3-year survival rate of 59.4% (unaffected by treatment discontinuation or dose reduction). FVC% pred and D LCO% pred were largely stable at 3 years, with no significant difference from baseline (FVC 73.3±20.7% pred versus 78±20.1% pred, p=0.074; D LCO 42.6±16.7% pred versus 40.4±18.1% pred, p=0.334). Of the 244 patients, 55.7% reported an adverse event. Gastrointestinal events were the most common (173 (77.2%) out of 224 total events) and 45.0% of patients experienced diarrhoea. Only 32 (13.1%) patients had to permanently discontinue nintedanib due to an adverse event. This real-world study shows a 3-year survival rate of 59.4% and a low discontinuation rate due to adverse events. Our experience is consistent with previous findings in clinical trials of nintedanib in IPF.

Long-term exposure to ozone and children's respiratory health: Results from the RESPOZE study.

BACKGROUND: Although there is evidence on the effects of short-term ozone (O3) exposures on children's respiratory health, few studies have reported results on the effects of long-term exposures. We report the effects of long-term exposure to O3 on respiratory health outcomes in 10-11-year old children. METHODS: We conducted a panel study in a sample of the general population of school children in two cities with high average O3 concentrations, Athens and Thessaloniki, Greece. All 186 participating students were followed up intensively for 5 weeks spreading across a school year. Data was collected through questionnaires, weekly personal O3 measurements, spirometry, FeNO and time-activity diaries. Long-term O3 exposure was assessed using fixed site measurements and modeling, calibrated for personal exposures. The associations between measured lung function parameters and lung function growth over the study period, as well as FeNO and the occurrence of symptoms with long-term O3 exposure were assessed through the application of multiple mixed effects 2-level regression models, adjusting for confounders and for short-term exposures. RESULTS: A 10 µg/m3 increase in calibrated long-term O3exposure, using measurements from fixed site monitors was associated with lower FVC and FEV1 by 17 mL (95% Confidence Interval: 5-28) and 13 mL (3-21) respectively and small decreases in lung growth: 0.008% (0.002-0.014%) for FVC and 0.006% (0.000-0.012%) in FEV1 over the study period. No association was observed with PEF, FeNO or the occurrence of symptoms. A similar pattern was observed when the exposure estimates from the dispersion models were employed. CONCLUSIONS: Our study provides evidence that long-term O3 exposure is associated with reduced lung volumes and growth.

Th2/Th17 cytokine profile in phenotyped Greek asthmatics and relationship to biomarkers of inflammation.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the present study was to investigate the Th2/Th17 pathway in asthmatic patients and also the relationship to asthma severity and biomarkers of inflammation. METHODS: 90 asthmatic patients, 51 patients with severe, 39 patients with mild asthma and 98 healthy controls were included. Skin prick tests, blood eosinophils, total serum IgE and exhaled FeNO were evaluated. Serum levels of IL-4, IL-5, IL-13, IL-6, IL-17A, IL-23 and TGFß1 were determined by Flow Cytometry using a panel kit (AimPlex Biosciences). The SNP of IL17A (rs17880588) was genotyped using reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). RESULTS: The genotype of the SNP in IL17A (rs 17880588) was similar among all three groups. Serum levels of IL-4, IL-5, IL-13, IL-6, IL-17A and IL-23 were higher in asthmatics compared to controls (p < 0.05). In addition, IL-17A and IL-4 serum levels were found significantly elevated in patients with allergic asthma (p < 0.05). Furthermore, IL-4, IL-5, IL-13 and IL-23 were found significantly higher in patients with eosinophil cut off values above 300 cells/µl (p < 0.05). IL-17A levels were positively correlated with FeNO values in severe asthmatics with eosinophils>400 cells/µl. CONCLUSIONS: The above findings suggest the coexistence of Th2/Th17 pathway in severe, eosinophilic and in allergic asthma.

Weekly Personal Ozone Exposure and Respiratory Health in a Panel of Greek Schoolchildren.

BACKGROUND: The association of ozone exposure with respiratory outcomes has been investigated in epidemiologic studies mainly including asthmatic children. The findings reported had methodological gaps and inconsistencies. OBJECTIVES: We aimed to investigate effects of personal ozone exposure on various respiratory outcomes in school-age children generally representative of the population during their normal activities. METHODS: We conducted a panel study in a representative sample of school-age children in the two major cities of Greece, Athens and Thessaloniki. We followed 188, 10- to 11-y-old, elementary school students for 5 wk spread throughout the 2013­2014 academic year, during which ozone was measured using personal samplers. At the end of each study week, spirometry was performed by trained physicians, and the fractional concentration of nitric oxide in exhaled air (FeNO) was measured. Students kept a daily time­activity­symptom diary and measured PEF (peak expiratory flow) using peak flow meters. Mixed models accounting for repeated measurements were applied. RESULTS: An increase of 10 µg/m3 in weekly ozone concentration was associated with a decrease in FVC (forced vital capacity) and FEV1 (forced expiratory volume in 1 s) of 0.03 L [95% confidence interval (CI): −0.05, −0.01] and 0.01 L (95% CI: −0.03, 0.003) respectively. The same increase in exposure was associated with a 11.10% (95% CI: 4.23, 18.43) increase in FeNO and 19% (95% CI: −0.53, 42.75) increase in days with any symptom. The effect estimates were robust to PM10 adjustment. No inverse association was found between ozone exposure and PEF. CONCLUSIONS: The study provides evidence that airway inflammation and the frequency of respiratory symptoms increase, whereas lung function decreases with increased ozone exposure in schoolchildren. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP635.

Effect of Ambient Ozone Exposure Assessed by Individual Monitors on Nasal Function and Exhaled NO Among School Children in the Area of Thessaloniki, Greece.

OBJECTIVES: The study of short-term effects of environmental ozone exposure on nasal airflow, lung function, and airway inflammation. METHODS: Ninety one children-47 underwent rhinomanometry-were included. The study was carried out during the 2013 to 2014 academic year. Activity questionnaires and personal O3 samplers were distributed and 1 week later, respiratory measurements were performed. Daily measurements of outdoor ozone were also considered. RESULTS: A 10 µg/m increase in weekly personal ozone exposure concentrations was associated with a non-statistically significant 12.7% decrease in nasal inspiratory airflow (29.4% during the high ozone period). When the outdoor exposure of the same and the previous day were taken into account the corresponding figures were 13.48% and 43.58% (P = 0.02). CONCLUSIONS: There is an indication for increased risk of nasal obstruction during exposure to high ozone.

Allergic Conjunctivitis in Patients with Respiratory Allergic Symptoms; a Retrospective Study in Greece.

Here, we report on the prevalence of allergic conjunctivitis and positive skin prick test (SPT) results in relation to respiratory allergic conditions among patients with symptoms of allergies at a respiratory outpatient clinic. A questionnaire survey of symptoms (i.e., asthma-like, rhinitis, and conjunctivitis symptoms) involving 1522 patients was carried out. The responses of 1242 patients indicated that they had allergic conjunctivitis, asthma, rhinitis, or a combination of these conditions, and 869 of these patients underwent SPTs that assessed responses to 40 allergens. Allergic conjunctivitis was found to be very common (40%, 497 out of 1242 patients) among those with symptoms of allergies. Conjunctivitis was slightly more common among women, while rhinitis was more common among men. Patients with both conjunctivitis and rhinitis were more likely to undergo SPTs, and they had a higher rate of positive SPTs. The coexistence of two or more comorbidities increased the risk of having an immunoglobulin E (IgE)-mediated allergy (based on the SPT results) compared to having each of the conditions alone. In conclusion, allergic conjunctivitis can occur either alone or with asthma and/or rhinitis. It is not always accompanied by rhinitis, but the coexistence of these conditions was the strongest indicator of IgE-mediated allergies.

Ozone exposure assessment for children in Greece - Results from the RESPOZE study.

Ozone exposure of 179 children in Athens and Thessaloniki, Greece was assessed during 2013-2014, by repeated weekly personal measurements, using passive samplers. O3 was also monitored at school locations of participants to characterize community-level ambient exposure. Average personal concentrations in the two cities (5.0 and 2.8ppb in Athens and Thessaloniki, respectively) were considerably lower than ambient concentrations (with mean personal/ambient ratios of 0.13-0.15). The temporal variation of personal concentrations followed the -typical for low-latitude areas- pattern of cold-warm seasons. However, differences were detected between temporal distributions of personal and ambient concentrations, since personal exposures were affected by additional factors which present seasonal variability, such as outdoor activity and house ventilation. Significant spatial contrasts were observed between urban and suburban areas, for personal concentrations in Athens, with higher exposure for children residing in the N-NE part of the area. In Thessaloniki, spatial variations in personal concentrations were less pronounced, echoing the spatial pattern of ambient concentrations, a result of complex local meteorology and the smaller geographical expansion of the study area. Ambient concentration was identified as the most important factor influencing personal exposures (correlation coefficients between 0.36 and 0.67). Associations appeared to be stronger with ambient concentrations measured at school locations of children, than to those reported by the nearest site of the air quality monitoring network, indicating the importance of community-representative outdoor monitoring for characterization of personal-ambient relationships. Time spent outdoors by children was limited (>90% of the time they remained indoors), but -due to the lack of indoor sources- it was found to exert significant influence on personal concentrations, affecting inter-subject and spatiotemporal variability. Additional parameters that were identified as relevant for the determination of personal concentrations were indoor ventilation conditions (specifically indoor times with windows open) and the use of wood-burning in open fireplaces for heating as an ozone sink.

Comparison of diagnostic validity of mannitol and methacholine challenges and relationship to clinical status and airway inflammation in steroid-naïve asthmatic patients.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to demonstrate and compare the diagnostic validity of two bronchial challenges and to investigate their correlation with patient clinical status, atopy and inflammation markers. METHODS: Eighty-eight patients, 47 women and 41 men, mean age 38.56 ± 16.73 years who presented with asthma related symptoms and were not on any anti-asthma medication, were challenged with mannitol and methacholine on separate days. Medical history regarding asthmatic symptoms, physical examination, skin prick tests and FeNO levels were also assessed. The clinical diagnosis of asthma was based on bronchodilator reversibility test. RESULTS: Sixty-seven patients were diagnosed with asthma and 21 without asthma. Both methacholine (P < 0.014) and mannitol (P < 0.000) challenges were significant in diagnosing asthma. The positive/negative predictive value was 93.33%/41.86% for methacholine, 97.72%/45.45% for mannitol and 97.05%/45.45%. for both methods assessed together. Worthy of note that 22% of asthmatics had both tests negative. There was a negative correlation between PC20 of methacholine and the FeNO level P < 0.001, and positive with the PD15 of mannitol P < 0.001 and the pre-test FEV1% pred P < 0.005, whereas PD15 of mannitol was negatively correlated with the FeNO level P < 0.001. Furthermore, dyspnea was the only asthmatic symptom associated with FeNO level P < 0.035 and the positivity of mannitol P < 0.014 and methacholine P < 0.04. CONCLUSIONS: Both challenge tests were equivalent in diagnosing asthma. Nevertheless, specificity appeared to be slightly higher in mannitol challenge.

Estimating the direct and indirect costs of lung cancer: a prospective analysis in a Greek University Pulmonary Department.

BACKGROUND: Lung cancer (LC) is a disease with high morbidity and mortality while the prevention and treatment constitutes a significant financial burden. This economic burden has an increasing trend, with hospitalization being the highest cost factor in most studies, while the patients' quality of life (QoL) and response to treatment is not proven to be positively affected. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the direct and indirect cost of managing patients with LC in Greece according to stage and histological type of cancer, total chemotherapy cycles, age, gender, smoking habit, overall survival (OS), treatment outcome (TO) and QoL. METHODS: One hundred thirteen of 128 consecutive patients met the inclusion criteria and were included in this prospective study. Patient enrolment started in August 2011 and ended in November 2011. The duration of the patient follow up was 32 months after diagnosis until end of registry. Total direct cost included diagnosis and treatment cost. Indirect cost constituted of patient's and family caregivers lost days of productivity. QoL was assessed with EORTC-QLQ-30 and Lung Cancer Symptom Scale (LCSS) questionnaires before treatment and every three months. RESULTS: Total direct cost was €1,853,984 and chemotherapy drugs was the highest cost factor (€1,216,421). Total indirect cost was 28,774 days of which 27,293 were related to patients. Total direct cost was significantly related to the increased number of total chemotherapy cycles, longer OS, histological type of adenocarcinoma, female gender and younger patients. No relation was found between total indirect cost and the above factors. When the association between total direct/indirect cost and QoL was examined no significant results were drawn. CONCLUSIONS: The burden of LC on health care systems remains very high and was associated with the increased number of total chemotherapy cycles, longer OS, adenocarcinoma histological type of cancer, female gender and younger patients. Chemotherapy drugs constituted the higher factor of total direct cost. Indirect cost was considerably higher for patients than family caregivers and did not significantly differ in relation to the above factors. No significant conclusion was drawn regarding QoL and total direct/indirect cost.

HLA and asthma phenotypes/endotypes: a review.

Asthma is a complex chronic inflammatory disease of the airways caused by the interaction of genetic susceptibility with environmental influences. Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) represent the most powerful approach for asthma, that have identified several genes (e.g., IL18R1, IL33, SMAD3, ORMDL3, HLA-DQ and IL2RB loci). HLA super-locus is a genomic region in the chromosomal position 6p21. Since no gene can be considered as an asthma gene, able to reflect the complex etiology and the heterogeneity of the disease the terms 'phenotype' and more recently 'endotype' have been used. This review, according to literature availability, focuses on the relationship between human leukocyte antigens (HLA) region specifically the HLA class II genes and different asthma phenotypes/endotypes, such as allergic asthma/Th2 associated, occupational and aspirin-sensitive asthma. The most common HLA haplotypes in the different asthma phenotypes are HLA-DRB1in allergic asthma, HLA-DQB1in occupational asthma and HLA-DPB1 in aspirin-sensitive asthma. However, it is difficult to study the role of class II genes in vivo because of the heterogeneity of human population, the complexity of MHC, and the strong linkage disequilibrium among different class II genes. Despite the variation and the inconsistency of the HLA haplotypes and alleles in different types of asthma, the association between HLA class II genes and asthma has been demonstrated in the majority of studies.

Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and blood natural killer and natural killer T-like cells in cryptogenic organizing pneumonia.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Natural killer (NK) cells appear to be involved in the development of interstitial lung diseases (ILD). The purpose of this study was to investigate the involvement of NK and natural killer T (NKT)-like cells in two recognized cytotoxic ILD with systemic character, hypersensitivity pneumonitis (HP) and cryptogenic organizing pneumonia (COP), compared with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and controls. METHODS: Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and peripheral blood (PBL) cells and lymphocyte subsets of 83 patients (26 with COP, 19 with HP and 38 with IPF) and 10 controls were prospectively studied by flow cytometry. RESULTS: The percentage of NK and NKT-like cells was lower in BALF than in PBL in all patient groups and controls. Patients with COP presented with statistically significantly higher NK and NKT-like cell counts in BALF compared with controls (P = 0.044 and P = 0.05 respectively) and IPF (P = 0.049 and P = 0.045 respectively). BALF NKT-like cell count correlated with PBL NKT-like cell count only in COP (r = 0.627, P = 0.002). In addition, a significant positive correlation between BALF NKT-like cell and PBL cytotoxic T CD8+ cell count was observed in COP (r = 0.562, P = 0.006) but not in HP, IPF or controls. CONCLUSIONS: Our study provides for the first time evidence for the implication of NKT-like cells in the pathogenesis of COP, as part of both localized and systemic cytotoxicity.

Moxifloxacin pharmacokinetics and pleural fluid penetration in patients with pleural effusion.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the pharmacokinetics and penetration of moxifloxacin (MXF) in patients with various types of pleural effusion. Twelve patients with empyema/parapneumonic effusion (PPE) and 12 patients with malignant pleural effusion were enrolled in the study. A single-dose pharmacokinetic study was performed after intravenous administration of 400 mg MXF. Serial plasma (PL) and pleural fluid (PF) samples were collected during a 24-h time interval after drug administration. The MXF concentration in PL and PF was determined by high-performance liquid chromatography, and main pharmacokinetic parameters were estimated. Penetration of MXF in PF was determined by the ratio of the area under the concentration-time curve from time zero to 24 h (AUC24) in PF (AUC24PF) to the AUC24 in PL. No statistically significant differences in the pharmacokinetics in PL were observed between the two groups, despite the large interindividual variability in the volume of distribution, clearance, and elimination half-life. The maximum concentration in PF (CmaxPF) in patients with empyema/PPE was 2.23±1.31 mg/liter, and it was detected 7.50±2.39 h after the initiation of the infusion. In patients with malignant effusion, CmaxPF was 2.96±1.45 mg/liter, but it was observed significantly earlier, at 3.58±1.38 h (P<0.001). Both groups revealed similar values of AUC24PF (31.83±23.52 versus 32.81±12.66 mg·h/liter). Penetration of MXF into PF was similarly good in both patient groups (1.11±0.74 versus 1.17±0.39). Despite similar plasma pharmacokinetics, patients with empyema/parapneumonic effusion showed a significant delay in achievement of PF maximum MXF levels compared to those with malignant effusion. However, in both groups, the degree of MXF PF penetration and the on-site drug exposure, expressed by AUC24PF, did not differ according to the type of pleural effusion.

Allergic conjunctivitis and the most common allergens in Northern Greece.

BACKGROUND: Ocular allergies affect a great part of the general population and often co exist with other allergic manifestations. In the present study, the prevalence of allergic conjunctivitis and the commonest allergens in allergic patients at an outpatient unit in Thessaloniki, Greece were evaluated. METHODS: This is a retrospective study regarding allergic patients who referred to an outpatient clinic between the 1st of January of 1996 and the 31st of December 2010. They completed relative questionnaires concerning their allergic condition. The patients who were included in our study had allergic conjunctivitis confirmed by ophthalmologists and were divided into 4 groups. The criteria used were the existence of allergic conjunctivitis alone or with other allergic co- morbidities. The patients then underwent skin prick tests after consent according to current guidelines. RESULTS: The archives of 1239 allergic patients were evaluated and 497 patients (40,11%) who manifested eye allergic symptoms were included in our study. 448 patients (90.14%) had allergic conjunctivitis in conjunction with asthma or rhinitis or both. 370 patients underwent skin prick tests and 284 of them (124 males-160 females) were positive for at least 1 of the 8 tested allergens (76.75%). 166 were positive to a grass mix (58.45%), 130 to olea European (45.77%), 124 to dust mites mix (43.66%), 58 to cypress (20.42%), 71 to parietaria officinalis (25.00%), 67 to cat dander (23.59%), 35 to dog dander (12.32%) and 32 to Altenaria (11.26%). CONCLUSIONS: Symptoms of ocular allergy are very common in patients with allergic rhinitis and asthma. Men had slightly higher percentages of positive skin prick tests, except for dog dander and Altenaria. Conjunctivitis should not be overlooked as an allergic entity when evaluating allergic patients.