[FREQUENCY OF IMAGING FINDINGS RESEMBLING MYCOBACTERIOSIS AND CHARACTERISTICS OF COMORBID PULMONARY NON-TUBERCULOSIS MYCOBACTERIOSIS IN THE PATIENTS WITH ALLERGIC BRONCHOPULMONARY MYCOSIS].

OBJECTIVE: To clarify the frequency of imaging findings similar to mycobacterial infection and the characteristics of comorbid pulmonary non-tuberculosis mycobacteriosis in the patients with allergic bronchopulmonary mycosis (ABPM). SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Patients treated with ABPM at our hospital in the past 8 years were extracted from medical records, and 32 patients who met the clinical diagnostic criteria were retrospectively examined. RESULTS: The median age was 62.5 years (range 24-79 years), and 21 patients were female. Twenty-two had asthma, and four had old tuberculosis. CT findings showed central bronchiectasis in 29 cases, centrilobular nodulars in 26 cases, and mediastinal lymphadenopathy in 3 cases. Pulmonary M. avium complex (pMAC) disease was complicated in 4 cases. Regarding the time of diagnosis of pMAC disease, 2 cases were diagnosed concurrently with ABPM, 1 case was before ABPM diagnosis, and 1 case was during ABPM treatment. The main lesion of ABPM occurred in a different site from that of pMAC disease. CONCLUSIONS: ABPM and mycobacterial infection not only have similar imaging findings, but they can also occur synchronously and metachronously. Complication of ABPM and pMAC disease may be due to risk factors common to both diseases, such as the patient's constitution and living environment.

[A CASE OF EOSINOPHILIC GRANULOMATOUS WITH POLYANGIITIS WITH SKIN LESIONS ASSOCIATED WITH PSORIASIS].

A 72-year-old woman who was undergoing treatment for bronchial asthma and psoriasis vulgaris experienced malaise three months earlier and visited our hospital on account of abnormal lung shadows. Chest computed tomography revealed ground-glass opacities in the peripheral lung fields and eosinophilia in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid, which suggested eosinophilic pneumonia. Antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody was negative. Her lower limbs had multiple palpable papules mixed with well-treated psoriasis and the histopathology of the skin biopsy revealed eosinophil infiltration around small vessels, suggesting the occurrence of eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (EGPA). We were able to evaluate minor skin lesions mixed with psoriasis through collaboration between the pulmonologist and the dermatologist. In the diagnosis of EGPA, it is important to carefully examine the whole body and not overlook minor findings before starting steroids.

[A CASE OF PROBABLE LATE-ONSET SYSTEMIC LUPUS ERYTHEMATOSUS WHERE THE INITIAL MANIFESTATION WAS A UNILATERAL PLEURAL EFFUSION].

A 74-year-old man developed with left pleural effusion and was suspected of benign asbestos pleural effusion and tuberculous pleurisy. Because of elevation of ADA level in the pleural effusion, diagnostic treatment for tuberculous pleurisy by anti-tuberculosis drugs was performed. However, right pleural effusion, cutaneous/mucosal lesions, leukocytopenia, and fever elevation occurred. The pathology of skin biopsy was consistent with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Since clinical findings did not improve even after discontinuation of all drugs, he received steroid therapy was started and clinical findings improved. He was suspected of late-onset SLE. In conclusion, lupus pleurisy should also be differentiated when pleural effusion is seen in older. Late-onset SLE and drug-induced lupus should be carefully differentiated based on the clinical course.

[A CASE OF SUMMER-TYPE HYPERSENSITIVITY PNEUMONITIS DURING IMMUNOSUPPRESSIVE TREATMENT FOR SYSTEMIC SCLEROSIS].

A 70-year-old woman undergoing long-term treatment for systemic scleroderma and secondary Sjögren syndrome developed fever during tapering of steroids. Chest CT showed centrilobular granular shadow and ground glass opacities. The pathology of transbronchial lung biopsy and the findings of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid were consistent with hypersensitivity pneumonitis and positive for anti-Trichosporon asahii antibody. Because her symptoms and imaging findings improved after house cleaning, she was diagnosed with summertype hypersensitivity pneumonitis. When lung lesions are found in patients with collagen disease, it is necessary to distinguish various diseases. In particular, allergic diseases can be difficult to diagnose by steroid therapy. In order to make an accurate diagnosis, medical history and image interpretation should be performed carefully and histologically searched as much as possible.

Incidence of ocular inflammation among patients with active tuberculosis or nontuberculous mycobacterial infections in a tertiary hospital in Japan.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to elucidate the incidence of ocular involvement among patients with active tuberculosis (TB) or nontuberculous mycobacterial (NTM) infection in a hospital in Japan. METHODS: Patients with active TB or NTM infection at Yoshijima Hospital from April 2017 to July 2018 were included in this retrospective study. All patients underwent ophthalmic examinations, including fundus evaluation under pupil dilation, before initiation of antibiotic therapy. Patients with ocular inflammation were regularly followed up by ophthalmologists. RESULTS: In total, 101 patients with active TB and 27 patients with active NTM infection underwent ophthalmic examinations during the study period. Seven patients with TB (6.9%) had ocular inflammation; four had bilateral involvement. In these seven patients, ocular inflammation comprised anterior uveitis (n = 2), intermediate uveitis (n = 1), posterior uveitis (n = 4). Choroidal tubercles were observed in two patients with posterior uveitis. Female sex was associated with higher incidence of ocular inflammation among patients with TB. Conversely, no patients with NTM infection had ocular inflammation. CONCLUSION: Ocular inflammation was present in approximately 7% of patients with active TB. Although TB choroiditis is presumed to be rare in Japan, approximately 30% of the patients with ocular inflammation exhibited choroidal lesions in this study. In contrast, no ocular inflammation was observed among patients with systemic NTM infection.

[Clinicians' opinions on receiving the advance directives of terminal-stage patients vary according to the age of respondents].

AIM AND METHODS: We distributed 282 questionnaires to doctors to ascertain their opinions on obtaining the advance directives regarding the end-of-life treatment of patients at the terminal stage. We received 136 (48%) responses. RESULTS: A total of 62% of the respondents stated a desire for patients to indicate their advance directives "if at all possible". Only 36% stated that the need for advance directives "depended on the circumstances". A total of 80% of doctors aged under 40 wished patients to provide advanced directives "if at all possible", while 59% of doctors over 61 wanted advanced directives "depending on the circumstances" (p=0.008). A large number of doctors stated a desire for patients to indicate their preference in writing, particularly directives regarding the "use of a ventilator to prolong life" (76%) or the "use of artificial nourishment through a gastric fistula etc. as part of a proactive approach to sustaining life" (67%). Regarding the optimal timing of this declaration, 59% chose "at the first diagnosis of a terminal illness", and 47% chose "at the diagnosis of a chronic illness", regardless of whether it could become terminal. Of those respondents under 40, 32% believed that doctors should strictly follow the patients' advance directives, while only 11% of doctors over 61 years old believed the same. There was a statistically significant relationship between aging and dealing with advance directives of patients in the terminal stages of illness (p=0.002). CONCLUSION: These results suggest that doctors under 40 years of age should focus on how to correctly interpret the wishes of the patients expressed in the directives, while doctors over 61 should concentrate on the importance of the clinical application of advance directives, and how to balance the need to make qualified medical decisions on treatment in compliance with the wishes of end-stage terminal patients.

[Retrospective analysis of amrubicin hydrochloride monotherapy in patients with previously treated small-cell lung cancer].

We retrospectively investigated amrubicin hydrochloride(AMR)monotherapy as second or thirdline chemotherapy for small-cell lung cancer(SCLC)and assessed its efficacy and safety. AMR was intravenously administered at 25-45mg/m2 for 3 consecutive days every 3-4 weeks. Fifty-three patients were enrolled. Response rates and median survival times were as follows: total cases, 32% and 7. 4 months; sensitive relapse cases, 64% and 16. 4 months; refractory relapse cases, 27% and 5. 9 months. Neutropenia was major toxicity(Grade 3 or 4 was observed in 72% of the subjects), whereas nonhematologic toxicities were mild. Treatment with AMR appeared effective in SCLC patients previously treated with chemotherapy. On the other hand, it must be used carefully because of its relatively severe hematologic toxicities.

[A retrospective study of carboplatin and weekly paclitaxel combination chemotherapy for elderly patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer].

OBJECTIVE: To perform a retrospective analysis of carboplatin (CBDCA) and weekly paclitaxel (PTX) combination chemotherapy for elderly patients with unresectable non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in order to evaluate both treatment efficacy and toxicity. SUBJECTS: 48 patients aged more than 70 years with non-resectable NSCLC who received CBDCA+weekly PTX from January 2001 to March 2008. RESULTS: The median age of the patients (32 male, 16 female) was 74 years. Patients received 1-6 courses of this chemotherapy (median 4 courses). The overall response rate, time to progression, median survival time and 1-year survival rate was 51%, 183 days, 411 days and 52%, respectively. With regard to toxicity, grade 3-4 neutropenia was observed in 38% of patients and anemia in 25% of the patients, and 29% of the patients had grade 2 and above periferal nerve disorder. CONCLUSION: This regimen showed a good response and was safe for elderly patients with advanced NSCLC, but a high incidence of neuropathy was observed.

Circulating natural killer T cells in patients with asthma.

Recent studies suggest that therapies targeted at depletion or limiting of natural killer (NK) T cells may be a possible strategy for the treatment of asthma. In the present study, we measured the number of circulating V alpha24+ NKT cells in 32 asthmatic patients and compared these patients with 29 nonatopic healthy controls. We investigated the relationships between NKT cell number and clinical variables such as the number of eosinophils, the circulating level of IgE, and the severity of asthma. In addition, we also investigated the ability of NKT cells to proliferate in response to alpha-galactosyl ceramide (alpha-GalCer) in vitro. The V alpha24+ NKT cell counts of asthmatic patients were significantly lower than those of healthy controls. There were no significant differences observed in asthmatic patients among the subgroups in terms of atopic status and severity. There was no significant correlation between the number of NKT cells and clinical variables. The proliferative response to alpha-GalCer of the patients and controls was not significantly different, indicating no intrinsic proliferative defect of NKT cells in asthma. These results suggest that the number of circulating NKT cells was already decreased in patients with asthma. Further study, such as the evaluation of lung NKT cells, will be needed to determine the role of NKT cells in patients with asthma.