Rapid drug desensitization to taxanes: a descriptive study from Turkey.

AIM: To present the characteristics of drug hypersensitivity reactions (DHRs) among taxane recipients with non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC), and to describe the results of rapid drug desensitization (RDD). METHODS: A retrospective cross-sectional study included 45 patients who were treated with taxane for NSCLC and were found to be hypersensitive to taxane. All patients were administered the standard 3-bag, 12-step RDD protocol following the development of DHR. RDD success was evaluated separately for each cycle, and successful RDD was defined as the completion of the cycle with application of 12 steps of the desensitization protocol and the absence of early and/or late reactions afterwards. RESULTS: Among 45 patients hypersensitive to taxane 43 (95.6%) successfully received taxane cycles with desensitization. Failed RDD occurred in only 2 (4.4%) patients. The total number of desensitization cycles was 183, of which 181 (98.9%) were successful. The mean age of patients with successful desensitization was 59.42 ± 10.48 years and 37 (86.0%) of them were male. CONCLUSION: RDD is a reliable procedure that enables effective administration and completion of first-line taxane treatments in taxane-sensitive patients.

Platin desensitizations in thoracic malignancies and risk factors for breakthrough reactions.

Although platin desensitization is a safe and effective alternative for patients with hypersensitivity reactions (HSRs), sometimes breakthrough reactions (BTRs) can be encountered. However, data about the risk factors for BTRs are limited. The aim of this study is to define the outcomes of desensitization, the characteristics of BTRs, and to identify the risk factors for BTRs with platins in thoracic malignancies. This is a retrospective report of patients with thoracic malignancies who underwent platin desensitization. Patients' demographics, initial HSR characteristics, skin test results, desensitization outcomes, and BTR characteristics were recorded. Thirty-three lung cancer and 14 malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) patients were included in the study. The culprit drug was cisplatin in 29 and was carboplatin in 18 patients. Skin test positivity was 43.5% with cisplatin, 50% with carboplatin, and it was found to be higher if the interval between the initial HSR and skin testing (ST) was ˃20 days (p = 0.027). One hundred and five desensitization courses were performed. Twenty-two patients had 33 BTRs. Skin test positivity was higher in the BTR-positive group (p = 0.025). BTRs (18.2%; n = 6) were more severe than initial HSR. In the case of epinephrine administration during initial HSR, epinephrine administration during the first BTR was found to be more (p = 0.036). The target dose was achieved in 92.4% of desensitization courses. The number of previous platin infusions ≥10 was found to be an independent risk factor for BTR development (p = 0.036 OR:17.641, 95% CI: 1.211-256.971). Identification of risk factors for BTR will guide appropriate management and desensitization approaches for platin HSRs.

Successful desensitization under antihistamine suppression in a case with urticaria due to osimertinib.

INTRODUCTION: Osimertinib is an approved therapy for patients with a Thr790met (T790M) mutation diagnosed with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) that progresses during epidermal growth factor receptor-tyrosine kinase inhibitor (EGFR-TKI) therapy. However, in 7-13% of patients, drug-related side effects lead to discontinuation of osimertinib treatment. In such cases, osimertinib desensitization is a treatment option that can be considered. CASE REPORT: A 59-year-old female patient, who was followed up with the diagnosis of stage 4 NSCLC, was consulted to the allergy clinic because of urticaria. The patient developed urticaria plaques 20 h after the third dose of osimertinib tablet. MANAGEMENT & OUTCOME: With the diagnosis of osimertinib-induced urticaria, desensitization was planned for the patient. Treatment was started with a dose of 0.1 mg/day osimertinib. The procedure was completed in approximately 50 days, and a dose of 80 mg/day was reached with antihistamine suppression. DISCUSSION: Here, a successful osimertinib desensitization in a patient with a history of osimertinib-related type 1 allergic reaction is reported. Osimertinib desensitization is a treatment option that should be considered in cases where treatment has to be ceased due to drug-related side effects.

Obstructive sleep apnea is a determinant of asthma control independent of smoking, reflux, and rhinitis.

Background: Asthma control is defined as to what extent manifestations of asthma can be observed in a patient or have been reduced or removed by treatment. Regular use of asthma treatments, correct inhaler technique, adequate information provided about the patient's diseases and medicines, and patient-clinician collaboration aid asthma control. Asthma shares risk factors and links in the pathogenesis with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), and OSA may aggravate asthma symptoms. Objective: To assess the risk of OSA for asthma control. Methods: The study was carried out in subjects with asthma who were followed up at specific time points and who used asthma medication regularly and with an appropriate inhaler technique. An asthma control test and a questionnaire were used to determine the asthma control levels and OSA risk of the subjects. Results: With regard to the questionnaire scoring, 77 of 137 subjects with asthma had a low OSA risk and 60 had a high OSA risk. The proportion of the subjects with a high OSA risk (p < 0.001) and were smokers (p = 0.020) were significantly higher in the subjects with uncontrolled asthma than in those with controlled asthma. Logistic regression analysis showed that the variables that affect asthma control status were the risk of OSA and obesity. The subjects with a low OSA risk were more likely to have controlled asthma than those with a high OSA risk (odds ratio 7.896 [95% confidence interval, 2.902-21.487]; p < 0.001). Conclusion: In the subjects with asthma and who adhered to therapy and used inhalers with the correct technique, a high risk of OSA was associated with poor control of their asthma. This association was independent of other factors, including rhinitis, gastroesophageal reflux, and smoking.

Programmed death ligand-1 expression levels, clinicopathologic features, and survival in surgically resected sarcomatoid lung carcinoma.

AIM: To determine the programmed death ligand-1 (PD-L1) expression rates in sarcomatoid lung carcinomas and to compare clinicopathologic features and survival rates of PD-L1-positive and negative patients. METHODS: PD-L1 expression was evaluated in 65 surgically resected sarcomatoid carcinomas. The clinicopathologic features of cases with PD-L1-positive and negative tumors were compared. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was performed. Multiple Cox proportional hazard regression analysis was performed to determine independent predictors of overall survival. RESULTS: PD-L1 antibody positivity was found in 72.3% of surgically resected sarcomatoid lung carcinomas. Regarding histopathologic subtypes, PD-L1 expression was positive in 80.4% of pleomorphic carcinomas, 62.5% of spindle- and/or giant-cell carcinomas, and 16.7% of carcinosarcomas. Pleural invasion was observed in 68.1% of PD-L1-positive cases and 27.8% of PD-L1-negative cases (P = 0.008). No difference in survival was found between PD-L1-positive and -negative tumors. The only factor significantly associated with poor survival was the pathological stage of the tumor. CONCLUSIONS: This study reveals a high rate of PD-L1 positivity in a large number of sarcomatoid lung carcinoma cases with pleomorphic carcinoma, spindle- and/or giant-cell carcinoma, and carcinosarcoma subtypes. The only significantly different clinicopathologic feature in PD-L1-positive cases is pleural invasion. PD-L1 positivity is not a significant predictor of survival in sarcomatoid lung carcinomas.

Rare atopy in COVID-19 patients or COVID-19 famine in atopic patients?

BACKGROUND: There are conflicting results in the literature regarding the frequency of allergic diseases in COVID-19 patients. The effect of having an allergic disease on COVID-19 disease severity has been little studied. PURPOSE: In this study, we tried to determine the frequency of allergic diseases in COVID-19 patients and the effect of having an allergic disease on COVID-19 disease severity. DESIGN/METHOD: A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted in patients diagnosed with COVID-19 in a state hospital in Istanbul, Turkey. Patients were contacted by phone and those who approved to participate in the study were questioned about their sociodemographic characteristics, body mass index, smoking history, and about their atopic status. Rate of atopic diseases among mild and severe COVID-19 patients and risk estimates for mild disease in atopic and non-atopic COVID-19 patients were calculated. RESULTS: Study population consisted of 235 adults with COVID-19 (mean age, 45.3 years [standard deviation, 15.0 years]; 139 [59.1%] male). Among study population, 16 (6.8%) subjects had one of the three atopic symptoms, which were wheezing, rhinitis, or eczema. Among the subjects with atopic status, four (1.7%) subjects had wheezing, eight (3.4%) had rhinitis, and four (1.7%) had eczema within the last 12 months. Although atopic status is associated with 3.1 times higher odds for mild disease, being atopic or not being atopic was not found to be associated with COVID-19 severity (P = .054). CONCLUSION: The information that atopic diseases are less common in COVID-19 patients may guide clinical risk classification.

Clinician's perspective regarding medication adherence in patients with obstructive lung diseases and the impact of COVID-19

SUMMARY OBJECTIVE: Failure to achieve high levels of medication adherence in obstructive lung diseases is a major cause of uncontrolled disease. The purpose of this study is to reveal clinicians' opinions on the level of patient adherence and the change in adherence during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: A questionnaire containing multiple-choice questions about treatment adherence in patients with obstructive lung diseases was voluntarily applied to doctors working in a tertiary hospital for chest diseases. RESULTS: Eighty-one doctors (mean age, 37.2 years [standard deviation, 9.7 years]; 57 (70.4%) women) answered the questionnaires. Almost all clinicians participating in the study reported that they always or frequently asked patients if they adhered to treatment. Most clinicians think that in 20-50% of patients with asthma and less than 20% of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, a decrease in medication adherence appears in the first year of treatment. Most clinicians think the main reason for patients with obstructive lung diseases not adhering is patients' reluctance to be treated regularly. Regarding the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on patients' drug adherence, 43.2% of clinicians observed that adherence increased after the start of the pandemic. CONCLUSIONS: Adherence to medication is not at the desired levels in patients with obstructive lung diseases. However, when faced with a serious health threat, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, patients realize the severity of their illness and begin using their treatments more regularly.

Clinical, sociodemographic and tobacco-use factors associated with smoking cessation rates at three years follow-up, Ankara, Turkey.

INTRODUCTION: Smoking is a well-known major cause of early preventable mortality and morbidity. Maintenance of smoke-free status is important after a smoking cessation attempt. The present study aims to compare the sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of subjects participating in a smoking-cessation program, according to the duration of smoking cessation. METHODS: A study was conducted in 261 smokers who had attended a smoking cessation clinic in a tertiary hospital, in Ankara, Turkey. The smoking status of the subjects at three years follow-up after participating in the smoking-cessation program was assessed. Sociodemographic, employment, environmental, smoking-related, health and clinical characteristics of subjects were compared according to the smoking cessation duration. RESULTS: Marital status, having a child, absence of household smoking and lower levels of nicotine dependence were significantly higher in quitters, and anxiety was lower. Parameters that significantly differed between subjects that were and were not abstinent for >36 months were marital status (p<0.001), childbearing status (p=0.007), household smoking (p<0.001), age of smoking initiation (p=0.02), psychiatric illness history (p=0.01), and number of follow-up visits (p<0.001). The number of follow-up visits at the smoking cessation clinic was an important factor of quitting and maintenance of quit status. CONCLUSIONS: Family and home environment as well as smoking-related and mental health characteristics influenced maintenance of long-term smoking cessation. Characteristics such as sociodemographic, clinical and smoking-related conditions should be considered in smoking cessation interventions. Personalized treatment strategies and follow-up visits at the smoking cessation clinic should be planned for maintenance of smoking cessation.

C-reactive protein levels are raised in stable Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients independent of smoking behavior and biomass exposure.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this case control study is to assess the relationship between serum C-reactive protein (CRP) levels and well-known clinical parameters in Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) considering the impact of smoking behavior, biomass exposure and accompanying clinical entities, namely pulmonary hypertension, systemic hypertension and diabetes mellitus. METHODS: Spirometry, echocardiography, arterial oxygen saturation (SpO2) measurements, BODE scores and serum CRP levels were investigated in stable COPD patients. Associations between CRP levels and clinical parameters were evaluated. RESULTS: CRP levels are significantly higher in COPD patients than in healthy controls. CRP levels were not significantly different between COPD patients treated with inhaled corticosteroids and those not treated. CRP levels significantly correlated with age, FEV1% predicted, FVC% predicted, SpO2, MMRC, 6 minute walk distance, BODE scores and haemoglobin levels. In multivariate analysis BODE scores and concomitant systemic hypertension manifested the strongest association with CRP levels. CRP levels in COPD patients with and without pulmonary hypertension were significantly different. CRP levels did not differ significantly according to smoking status or biomass exposure, moreover COPD cases due to biomass exposure who never smoked also had higher CRP levels compared to healthy controls. CONCLUSIONS: Systemic inflammation is inherent to COPD independent of ever-smoking status and correlates with disease severity, concomitant systemic hypertension and pulmonary hypertension.

Spindle cell sarcomatoid carcinoma: first case reported in the trachea.

A 78-years-old man presented with weight loss, dyspnea, cough and hemoptysis. He was an ex-smoker with a smoking history of 30 pack-years. Imaging studies revealed an endoluminal carinal mass and a tumoral mass arising from the posterior wall of the trachea was observed bronchoscopically. Endoscopic argon plasma coagulation was performed to take biopsies and to regain the airway passage. Recanalisation of the right and left main bronchi and the trachea was achieved together with resection of more than 90% of the tumoural mass. Microscopically, the tumor was composed of fascicular pattern of spindle cells with atypical mitotic figures and nuclear pleomorphism, positively reactive to epithelial membrane antigen supporting a diagnosis of tumour with epithelial differentiation. These findings supported the diagnosis of a spindle cell sarcomatoid carcinoma of trachea. Spindle cell carcinoma cases are reported in many sites, such as head and neck region, larynx, digestive tract, breast, kidney, genital tract, skin and lung, but to our knowledge, not in trachea. Primary malignant tracheal tumours consist mainly of squamous cell carcinoma and adenoid cystic carcinoma and generally have an aggressive course with poor prognosis. We report the first presentation of a spindle cell sarcomatoid carcinoma of trachea together with the clinical course of the patient.