Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte and Platelet-to-Lymphocyte Ratio: Side by Side with Molecular Mutations in Patients with Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer-The INOLUNG Study.

Background and objective: Analysis of inflammatory biomarkers, along with the neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (NLR) or platelet/lymphocyte ratio (PLR), supports the connection between inflammation and carcinogenesis. Methods: We conducted a retrospective observational study at the Clinical County Hospital Mureș involving patients with lung cancer. The parameters analyzed included histopathological type (NSCLC: squamous cell carcinoma or adenocarcinoma; SCLC), molecular mutations (EGFR, ALK, PD-L1), parameters from the complete blood count, inflammatory parameters, and associated comorbidities. Results: A total of 380 patients were included: 115 patients in the cancer group and 265 patients in the control group. Among patients in the lung cancer group, 88 were diagnosed with NSCLC (44 adenocarcinomas, 44 squamous cell carcinomas) and 27 with SCLC. Both NLR and PLR were significantly higher in cancer patients than in the control group (5.30 versus 2.60, p < 0.001; 217 versus 136, p < 0.001, respectively). NLR and PLR differ between men and women (p = 0.005 and p = 0.056, respectively). C-reactive protein was not correlated with either NLR (p-value: 0.0669) or PLR (p-value: 0.6733) in lung cancer patients. Conclusions: The NLR and PLR values may serve as new predictive biomarkers for the diagnosis of disease in patients with lung cancer, especially those with NSCLC.

[Exacerbation of obstructive pulmonary diseases by SARS-CoV-2 infection in patients treated in the Pulmonology Clinic of Târgu Mures]. / Obstruktív tüdobetegségek súlyosbodása SARS-CoV-2-fertozés hatására a marosvásárhelyi Pulmonológiai Klinika beteganyagában.

INTRODUCTION: Literature data show an increased severity of SARS-CoV-2 infection in patients with cardiovascular, renal comorbidities, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma, obesity, diabetes, tumors and immunosuppression. METHOD: This retrospective study includes 90 patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection associated with COPD or asthma exacerbations from 303 patients hospitalized during a 7-month period (29.7%). The clinical aspect of COPD/asthma exacerbations overlapped to the one by SARS-CoV-2 infection, therefore, we compared our group with 90 patients with SARS-CoV-2 without obstructive disease. We excluded from both groups the patients with known severe cardiac impairment, diabetes, or tumors in order to not having interference with other unfavorable prognostic factors. We assessed the cases severity on clinical basis, pulzoximetry, CT/chest x-ray, and inflammatory markers. RESULTS: 72.2% of our group (48/52 with COPD and 17/38 with asthma) had moderate/severe pneumonia (bilateral interstitial-alveolar infiltrates, increased inflammatory markers, respiratory dysfunction) compared with 56.6% from the nonobstructive group. 14 patients required intensive therapy (including mechanical ventilation). We recorded 4 deaths in COPD group, 1 in asthma group, compared to 2 in non-obstructive patients (fatality 7.6% in COPD compared to 2.2% in nonobstructive group). Treatment included maximized inhaled bronchodilators ± corticosteroids, oxygen, antivirals, anticoagulants, corticosteroids, symptomatic. All patients were referred for clinical-functional and CT scan reassessment 2 months after discharge. CONCLUSION: The association of SARS-CoV-2 infection in patients with COPD or asthma was common, leading to exacerbation with significant severity. Fatality increased in COPD. Outpatient follow-up aims to restage adjust the treatment and monitor post-COVID-19 possible sequels. Orv Hetil. 2023; 164(2): 43-50.

Lung function and comorbidities in patients with exacerbated chronic obstructive pulmonary disease hospitalized in Tirgu-Mureș Pulmonology Clinic / Súlyos krónikus obstruktív tüdobetegségben szenvedo betegek tüdofunkciója és társbetegségei a marosvásárhelyi Tüdogyógyászati Klinikán

two-thirds and partial remission in one-third of the lesions. At doses above 100 J/cm², severe erythema was observed 24 hours after the treatment. To avoid this, we calculated the time to be spent outdoor by dosimetry. Partial remission was achieved in 15%, complete remission in 85% of the actinic keratoses with good tolerability. Discussion: The stepwise modification of the treatment protocol resulted in an effective and well-tolerated treatment in actinic keratoses under the local climatic conditions. Conclusion: The method has been successfully adapted in our clinic and is used in daily practice to treat actinic keratoses.

The role of quantitative computed tomography in the diagnosis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

In the last 25 years, there have been important improvements in computed tomography (CT) that may give more details about the lung structure in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The clinical exam and "classic" radiology (chest X-ray, conventional CT) have important roles: they raise the suspicion of hyperinflation, they highlight aspects of pulmonary hypertension, they may detect the triggers of exacerbations, they rule out some COPD complications and other lung diseases that can cause dyspnea (pneumothorax, tumors, bronchiectasis, and fibrosis). The spirometry may confirm the obstructive ventilatory disorder pattern of the disease. The modern CT scan technique - High Resolution CT (HRCT) with Multi-Detector CT procedure (MDCT) gives additional information about morphological details of parenchyma, bronchi, pulmonary vessels or lung function (ventilation/perfusion disorders) without significant lung irradiation. The new techniques provide quantifiable parameters that characterize the emphysema, the main COPD phenotypes and the risk of disease progression. Quantitative volumetric analysis of emphysema provides an early diagnosis of the disease in patients exposed to smoking and pollution. An early personalized diagnostic in COPD offers stronger reasons to prophylaxis by smoking and exposure cessation and an early targeted treatment (inhaled bronchodilators, anti-inflammatory medication, pulmonary rehabilitation, education for lifestyle changes).