Longitudinal assessment of interstitial lung abnormalities on CT in patients with COPD using artificial intelligence-based segmentation: a prospective observational study.

BACKGROUND: Interstitial lung abnormalities (ILAs) on CT may affect the clinical outcomes in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), but their quantification remains unestablished. This study examined whether artificial intelligence (AI)-based segmentation could be applied to identify ILAs using two COPD cohorts. METHODS: ILAs were diagnosed visually based on the Fleischner Society definition. Using an AI-based method, ground-glass opacities, reticulations, and honeycombing were segmented, and their volumes were summed to obtain the percentage ratio of interstitial lung disease-associated volume to total lung volume (ILDvol%). The optimal ILDvol% threshold for ILA detection was determined in cross-sectional data of the discovery and validation cohorts. The 5-year longitudinal changes in ILDvol% were calculated in discovery cohort patients who underwent baseline and follow-up CT scans. RESULTS: ILAs were found in 32 (14%) and 15 (10%) patients with COPD in the discovery (n = 234) and validation (n = 153) cohorts, respectively. ILDvol% was higher in patients with ILAs than in those without ILA in both cohorts. The optimal ILDvol% threshold in the discovery cohort was 1.203%, and good sensitivity and specificity (93.3% and 76.3%) were confirmed in the validation cohort. 124 patients took follow-up CT scan during 5 ± 1 years. 8 out of 124 patients (7%) developed ILAs. In a multivariable model, an increase in ILDvol% was associated with ILA development after adjusting for age, sex, BMI, and smoking exposure. CONCLUSION: AI-based CT quantification of ILDvol% may be a reproducible method for identifying and monitoring ILAs in patients with COPD.

Detrimental impact of late-onset pneumonia on long-term prognosis in oesophageal cancer survivors.

BACKGROUD: Oesophageal cancer patients are prone to early- and late-onset pneumonia after oesophagectomy. We aimed to investigate the incidence rate and impact on the long-term prognosis of late-onset pneumonia in oesophageal cancer survivors who survived for at least one year after oesophagectomy without cancer recurrence. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed 233 patients with thoracic oesophageal cancer who underwent oesophagectomy with gastric conduit reconstruction between September 2009 and June 2019 at a tertiary referral hospital in Japan. Pneumonia that occurred ≥1 year after oesophagectomy was defined as late-onset pneumonia. RESULTS: Among the 185 oesophageal cancer survivors, 31 (17%) developed late-onset pneumonia. The cumulative incidence rates of late-onset pneumonia 24, 36, and 60 months after oesophagectomy were 6.4%, 10%, and 21%, respectively, whereas pneumonia recurred at 21%, 31%, and 52% within 6, 12, and 24 months, respectively, after the first pneumonia. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, postoperative anastomotic leakage, and loss of skeletal muscle mass were independently associated with late-onset pneumonia, and a combination of these factors further increased the risk. Late-onset pneumonia with hospitalisation had the greatest negative impact on the long-term prognosis as non-cancer deaths (HR, 21; p < 0.001), followed by recurrent late-onset pneumonia (HR, 18; p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Late-onset pneumonia in oesophageal cancer survivors is significantly associated with an increased risk of recurrent infections and non-cancer deaths. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and postoperative muscle loss are risk factors for late-onset pneumonia, and more intensive pharmacological and nutritional interventions should be considered to improve long-term prognosis after oesophagectomy.

Bilateral Hilar and Mediastinal Lymphadenopathy as an Initial Manifestation of Amyloidosis.

A 75-year-old male visited our hospital with bilateral hilar lymph node swelling detected on chest radiography during an annual medical checkup. Chest computed tomography revealed swelling of multiple hilar mediastinal lymph nodes. Histopathological and immunohistochemical examinations of endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA) specimens from the hilar lymph nodes revealed amyloid deposition. Bilateral hilar and mediastinal lymphadenopathies can be the first manifestations of amyloidosis diagnosed using EBUS-TBNA.

Centrilobular emphysema and airway dysanapsis: factors associated with low respiratory function in younger smokers.

Background: Low respiratory function in young adulthood is one of the important factors in the trajectory leading to the future development of COPD, but its morphological characteristics are not well characterised. Methods: We retrospectively enrolled 172 subjects aged 40-49 years with ≥10 pack-years smoking history who underwent lung cancer screening by computed tomography (CT) and spirometry at two Japanese hospitals. Emphysema was visually assessed according to the Fleischner Society guidelines and classified into two types: centrilobular emphysema (CLE) and paraseptal emphysema (PSE). Airway dysanapsis was assessed with the airway/lung ratio (ALR), which was calculated by the geometric mean of the lumen diameters of the 14 branching segments divided by the cube root of total lung volume on a CT scan. Results: Among the subjects, CLE and PSE were observed in 20.9% and 30.8%, respectively. The mean ALR was 0.04 and did not differ between those with and without each type of emphysema. Multivariable regression analysis models adjusted for age, sex, body mass index and smoking status indicated that CLE and a low ALR were independently associated with lower forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1)/forced vital capacity (estimate -1.64 (95% CI -2.68- -0.60) and 6.73 (95% CI 4.24-9.24), respectively) and FEV1 % pred (estimate -2.81 (95% CI -5.10- -0.52) and 10.9 (95% CI 5.36-16.4), respectively). Conclusions: CLE and airway dysanapsis on CT were independently associated with low respiratory function in younger smokers.

Associations of fractional exhaled nitric oxide with airway dimension and mucus plugs on ultra-high-resolution computed tomography in former smokers and nonsmokers with asthma.

BACKGROUND: Associations of fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) with airway wall remodeling and mucus plugs remain to be explored in smokers and nonsmokers with asthma. Ultra-high-resolution computed tomography (U-HRCT), which allows accurate structural quantification of airways >1 mm in diameter, was used in this study to examine whether higher FeNO was associated with thicker walls of the 3rd to 6th generation airways and mucus plugging in patients with asthma. METHODS: The retrospective analyses included consecutive former smokers and nonsmokers with asthma who underwent U-HRCT in a hospital. The ratio of wall area to summed lumen and wall area was calculated as the wall area percent (WA%). Mucus plugging was visually scored. RESULTS: Ninety-seven patients with asthma (including 59 former smokers) were classified into low (<20 ppb), middle (20-35 ppb), and high (>35 ppb) FeNO groups (n = 24, 26, and 47). In analysis including all patients and subanalysis including nonsmokers or former smokers, WA% in the 6th generation airways was consistently higher in the high FeNO group than in the low FeNO group, whereas WA% in the 3rd to 5th generation airways was not. In multivariable models, WA% in the 6th generation airways and the rate of mucus plugging were higher in the high FeNO group than in the low FeNO group after adjusting for age, sex, body mass index, smoking status, lung volume, and allergic rhinitis presence. CONCLUSIONS: Higher FeNO may reflect the inflammation and remodeling of relatively peripheral airways in asthma in both former smokers and nonsmokers.

Clinical characteristics of allergic bronchopulmonary mycosis caused by Schizophyllum commune.

BACKGROUND: Allergic bronchopulmonary mycosis (ABPM) is an allergic disease caused by type I and type III hypersensitivity to environmental fungi. Schizophyllum commune, a basidiomycete fungus, is one of the most common fungi that causes non-Aspergillus ABPM. OBJECTIVE: Herein, we attempted to clarify the clinical characteristics of ABPM caused by S. commune (ABPM-Sc) compared with those of allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA). METHODS: Patients with ABPM-Sc or ABPA were recruited from a nationwide survey in Japan, a multicenter cohort, and a fungal database at the Medical Mycology Research Center of Chiba University. The definition of culture-positive ABPM-Sc/ABPA is as follows: (1) fulfills five or more of the 10 diagnostic criteria for ABPM proposed by Asano et al., and (2) positive culture of S. commune/Aspergillus spp. in sputum, bronchial lavage fluid, or mucus plugs in the bronchi. RESULTS: Thirty patients with ABPM-Sc and 46 with ABPA were recruited. Patients with ABPM-Sc exhibited less severe asthma and presented with better pulmonary function than those with ABPA (p = 0.008-0.03). Central bronchiectasis was more common in ABPM-Sc than that in ABPA, whereas peripheral lung lesions, including infiltrates/ground-glass opacities or fibrotic/cystic changes, were less frequent in ABPM-Sc. Aspergillus fumigatus-specific immunoglobulin (Ig)E was negative in 10 patients (34%) with ABPM-Sc, who demonstrated a lower prevalence of asthma and levels of total serum IgE than those with ABPM-Sc positive for A. fumigatus-specific IgE or ABPA. CONCLUSIONS: Clinical characteristics of ABPM-Sc, especially those negative for A. fumigatus-specific IgE, differed from those of ABPA.

Evaluation of Bone Mineral Density in Lung Transplant Recipients by Chest Computed Tomography.

INTRODUCTION: Lung transplantation (LT) recipients are at risk of bone mineral density (BMD) loss. Pre- and post-LT BMD loss has been reported in some cross-sectional studies; however, there are limited studies regarding the serial BMD change in LT recipients. The aim of this study was to investigate the serial BMD changes and the clinical characteristics associated with BMD decline. METHODS: This was a single-center, retrospective observational study. BMD was serially measured in thoracic vertebral bodies (Th4, 7, 10) using computed tomography (CT) before and 3 and 12 months after LT. The frequency of osteoporosis and factors associated with pre-LT osteoporosis and post-LT BMD loss were evaluated. The frequency of post-LT compression fracture and its associated factors were also analyzed. RESULTS: This study included 128 adult LT recipients. LT recipients had decreased BMD (151.8 ± 42.2 mg/mL) before LT compared with age-, sex-, and smoking index-matched controls (176.2 ± 35.7 mg/mL). The diagnosis of COPD was associated with pre-LT osteoporosis. LT recipients experience further BMD decline after transplantation, and the percentage of recipients classified as exhibiting osteoporosis increased from 20% at baseline to 43% at 12 months. Recipients who had been taking no or small doses of glucocorticoids before LT had rapid BMD loss after LT. Early bisphosphonate use (within 3 months) after LT attenuated BMD loss and decreased new-onset compression fracture. CONCLUSION: LT recipients are at high risk for BMD loss and compression fracture after LT. Early bisphosphonate use may decrease BMD loss and compression fracture.

A reference equation for lung volume on computed tomography in Japanese middle-aged and elderly adults.

BACKGROUND: Effective use of lung volume data measured on computed tomography (CT) requires reference values for specific populations. This study examined whether an equation previously generated for multiple ethnic groups in the United States, including Asians predominantly composed of Chinese people, in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA) could be used for Japanese people and, if necessary, to optimize this equation. Moreover, the equation was used to characterize patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and lung hyperexpansion. METHODS: This study included a lung cancer screening CT cohort of asymptomatic never smokers aged ≥40 years from two institutions (n = 364 and 419) to validate and optimize the MESA equation and a COPD cohort (n = 199) to test its applicability. RESULTS: In all asymptomatic never smokers, the variance explained by the predicted values (R2) based on the original MESA equation was 0.60. The original equation was optimized to minimize the root mean squared error (RMSE) by adjusting the scaling factor but not the age, sex, height, or body mass index terms of the equation. The RMSE changed from 714 ml in the original equation to 637 ml in the optimized equation. In the COPD cohort, lung hyperexpansion, defined based on the 95th percentile of the ratio of measured lung volume to predicted lung volume in never smokers (122 %), was observed in 60 (30 %) patients and was associated with centrilobular emphysema and air trapping on inspiratory/expiratory CT. CONCLUSIONS: The MESA equation was optimized for Japanese middle-aged and elderly adults.

Longitudinal Changes and Association of Respiratory Symptoms with Preserved Ratio Impaired Spirometry (PRISm): The Nagahama Study.

Rationale: Subjects with preserved ratio impaired spirometry (PRISm) experience increased respiratory symptoms, although they present heterogeneous characteristics. However, the longitudinal changes in these symptoms and respiratory function are not well known. Objectives: To investigate PRISm from the viewpoint of respiratory symptoms in a longitudinal, large-scale general population study. Methods: The Nagahama study included 9,789 inhabitants, and a follow-up evaluation was conducted after 5 years. Spirometry and self-administered questionnaires regarding respiratory symptoms, including prolonged cough, sputum and dyspnea, and comorbidities were conducted. Results: In total, 9,760 subjects were analyzed, and 438 subjects had PRISm. Among the subjects with PRISm, 53% presented with respiratory symptoms; dyspnea was independently associated with PRISm. Follow-up assessment revealed that 73% of the subjects with PRISm with respiratory symptoms were consistently symptomatic, whereas 39% of the asymptomatic subjects with PRISm developed respiratory symptoms within 5 years. In addition, among subjects with respiratory symptoms without airflow limitation at baseline, PRISm was a risk factor for the development of airflow limitation independent of smoking history and comorbidities. Conclusions: This study demonstrated that 53% of the subjects with PRISm had respiratory symptoms; dyspnea was a distinct characteristic of PRISm. Approximately three-fourths of the symptomatic subjects with PRISm consistently complained of respiratory symptoms within 5 years. Together with our result that PRISm itself is an independent risk factor for the development of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among subjects with respiratory symptoms, the clinical course of subjects with PRISm with symptoms requires careful monitoring.

Nodular Pulmonary Amyloidosis Preceding Gastric Mucosa-associated Lymphoid Tissue Lymphoma, Initially Suspected to Be Lung Cancer.

Nodular pulmonary amyloidosis, a subtype of pulmonary amyloidosis, is a unique disease that can mimic lung cancer on radiographic imaging and is related to lymphoproliferative disorders. In this report, we describe a case of a 76-year-old male who presented with a solitary nodule in his left lower lung lobe on computed tomography that increased from 6 mm to 13 mm in diameter over 40 months. Lung cancer was suspected; however, transbronchial lung biopsy revealed deposition of an eosinophilic and homogeneous amorphous substance, which showed apple-green birefringence under polarized light after Congo red staining, and immunohistochemistry analysis returned positive results for immunoglobulin lambda light-chain. Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy revealed a gastric mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma. These findings indicated that this was a case of nodular pulmonary amyloidosis that preceded a diagnosis of MALT lymphoma.

Allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis with atopic, nonatopic, and sans asthma-Factor analysis.

BACKGROUND: Allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA) develops in the presence or absence of asthma, either atopic or nonatopic. We have tried to explore the essential components in the pathogenesis of the disease, which are either consistent and variable according to the presence and type of asthma. METHODS: Non-cystic fibrosis ABPA cases satisfying Asano's criteria were extracted from a prospective registry of ABPA and related diseases in Japan between 2013 and 2023. According to the type of preceding asthma, ABPA was classified into three groups: ABPA sans asthma (no preceding asthma), ABPA with atopic asthma, and ABPA with nonatopic asthma. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were performed to identify the components that determined the clinical characteristics of ABPA. RESULTS: Among 106 cases of ABPA, 25 patients (24%) had ABPA sans asthma, whereas 57 (54%) and 24 (23%) had ABPA with atopic and nonatopic asthma, respectively. Factor analysis identified three components: allergic, eosinophilic, and fungal. Patients with atopic asthma showed the highest scores for the allergic component (p < .001), defined by total and allergen-specific IgE titers and lung opacities, and the lowest scores for the fungal component defined by the presence of specific precipitin/IgG or positive culture for A. fumigatus. Eosinophilic components, including peripheral blood eosinophil counts and presence of mucus plugs/high attenuation mucus in the bronchi, were consistent among the three groups. CONCLUSION: The eosinophilic component of ABPA is considered as the cardinal feature of ABPA regardless of the presence of preceding asthma or atopic predisposition.

Association of age with computed tomography airway tree morphology in male and female never smokers without lung disease history.

BACKGROUND: Sex and aging may affect the airway tree structure in patients with airway diseases and even healthy subjects. Using chest computed tomography (CT), this study sought to determine whether age is associated with airway morphological features differently in healthy males and females. METHODS: This retrospective cross-sectional study consecutively incorporated lung cancer screening CT data of asymptomatic never smokers (n = 431) without lung disease history. Luminal areas were measured at the trachea, main bronchi, bronchus intermedius, segmental and subsegmental bronchus, and the ratio of their geometric mean to total lung volume (airway-to-lung size ratio, ALR) was determined. Airway fractal dimension (AFD) and total airway count (TAC) were calculated for the segmented airway tree resolved on CT. RESULTS: The lumen areas of the trachea, main bronchi, segmental and subsegmental airways, AFD and TAC visible on CT were smaller in females (n = 220) than in males (n = 211) after adjusting for age, height, and body mass index, while ALR or count of the 1st to 5th generation airways did not differ. Furthermore, in males but not in females, older age was associated with larger lumen sizes of the main bronchi, segmental and subsegmental airways, and ALR. In contrast, neither male nor female had any associations between age and AFD or TAC on CT. CONCLUSION: Older age was associated with larger lumen size of the relatively central airways and ALR exclusively in males. Aging may have a more profound effect on airway lumen tree caliber in males than in females.

Stronger Associations of Centrilobular Than Paraseptal Emphysema With Longitudinal Changes in Diffusing Capacity and Mortality in COPD.

BACKGROUND: The factors associated with longitudinal changes in diffusing capacity remain unclear among patients with COPD. Centrilobular emphysema (CLE) and paraseptal emphysema (PSE) are major emphysema subtypes that may have distinct clinical-physiological impacts in these patients. RESEARCH QUESTION: Are CLE and PSE differently associated with longitudinal changes in diffusing capacity and mortality in patients with COPD? STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: This pooled analysis included 399 patients with COPD from two prospective observational COPD cohorts. CLE and PSE were visually assessed on CT scan according to the Fleischner Society statement. The diffusing capacity and transfer coefficient of the lung for carbon monoxide (Dlco and KCO) and FEV1 were evaluated at least annually over a 5-year period. Mortality was recorded over 10 years. Longitudinal changes in FEV1, Dlco, and KCO and mortality were compared between mild or less severe and moderate or more severe CLE and between present and absent PSE in each Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) stage. RESULTS: The Dlco and KCO decline was weakly associated with FEV1 and greater in GOLD stage 3 or higher than in GOLD stages 1 and 2. Furthermore, moderate or more severe CLE, but not present PSE, was associated with steeper declines in Dlco for GOLD stages 1 and 3 or higher and KCO for all GOLD stages independent of age, sex, height, and smoking history. The moderate or more severe CLE, but not present PSE, was associated with additional FEV1 decline and higher 10-year mortality among patients with GOLD stage 3 or higher. INTERPRETATION: A CT scan finding of moderate or more severe CLE, but not PSE, was associated with a subsequent accelerated impairment in diffusing capacity and higher long-term mortality in severe GOLD stage among patients with COPD.

Centrilobular Emphysema Is Associated with Pectoralis Muscle Reduction in Current Smokers without Airflow Limitation.

BACKGROUND: Physiological and prognostic associations of centrilobular emphysema (CLE) and paraseptal emphysema (PSE) in smokers with and without chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) have been increasingly recognized, but the associations with extrapulmonary abnormalities, such as muscle wasting, osteoporosis, and cardiovascular diseases, remain unestablished. OBJECTIVES: The aim of the study was to investigate whether CLE was associated with extrapulmonary abnormalities independent of concomitant PSE in smokers without airflow limitation. METHODS: This retrospective study consecutively enrolled current smokers without airflow limitation who underwent lung cancer screening with computed tomography and spirometry. CLE and PSE were visually identified based on the Fleischner Society classification system. Cross-sectional areas of pectoralis muscles (PM) and adjacent subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT), bone mineral density (BMD), and coronary artery calcification (CAC) were evaluated. RESULTS: Of 310 current smokers without airflow limitation, 83 (26.8%) had CLE. The PSE prevalence was higher (67.5% vs. 23.3%), and PM area, SAT area, and BMD were lower in smokers with CLE than in those without (PM area (mean), 34.5 versus 38.6 cm2; SAT area (mean), 29.3 versus 36.8 cm2; BMD (mean), 158.3 versus 178.4 Hounsfield unit), while CAC presence did not differ. In multivariable models, CLE was associated with lower PM area but not with SAT area or BMD, after adjusting for PSE presence, demographics, and forced expiratory volume in 1 s. CONCLUSIONS: The observed association between CLE and lower PM area suggests that susceptibility to skeletal muscle loss could be high in smokers with CLE even without COPD.

Roles of Staphylococcus aureus and sensitization to staphylococcal enterotoxin in bronchiectasis.

Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) is an inducer of mucosal type 2 immune response. To test the hypothesis that airway colonization with S. aureus may reflect allergic predisposition with staphylococcal enterotoxin (SE) sensitization in bronchiectasis, we retrospectively examined the association between SE sensitization and S. aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) in sputum of patients with bronchiectasis (n = 35). Overall, 14 (40%) patients with bronchiectasis were sensitized to either staphylococcal enterotoxin A (SEA) or staphylococcal enterotoxin B (SEB). SEA sensitization was more frequently observed in patients with sputum S. aureus than those without it. Patients with sputum S. aureus but without P. aeruginosa exhibited the highest SEA sensitization frequency and serum total IgE levels. Patients with both S. aureus and P. aeruginosa exhibited the highest blood eosinophils. In conclusion, S. aureus in the lower airway may indicate an allergic predisposition with SE sensitization and blood eosinophilia in bronchiectasis.

Physiological impacts of computed tomography airway dysanapsis, fractal dimension, and branch count in asymptomatic never smokers.

Dysanapsis, a mismatch between airway tree caliber and lung size, contributes to a large variation in lung function on spirometry in healthy subjects. However, it remains unclear whether other morphological features of the airway tree could be associated with the variation in lung function independent of dysanapsis. This study used lung cancer screening chest computed tomography (CT) and spirometry data from asymptomatic never smokers. Dysanapsis and the complexity of airway tree geometry were quantified on CT by measuring airway to lung ratio (ALR) and airway fractal dimension (AFD). Moreover, total airway count (TAC), ratio of airway luminal surface area to volume (SA/V), longitudinal tapering and irregularity of the radius of the internal lumen from the central to peripheral airways (Tapering index and Irregularity index) were quantified. In 431 asymptomatic never smokers without a history of lung diseases, lower ALR was associated with lower forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1) and FEV1/forced vital capacity (FEV1/FVC). The associations of ALR with AFD and TAC (r = 0.41 and 0.13) were weaker than the association between TAC and AFD (r = 0.64). In multivariable models adjusted for age, sex, height, and mean lung density, lower AFD and TAC were associated with lower FEV1 and FEV1/FVC independent of ALR, whereas SA/V and Tapering index were not. These results suggest that the smaller airway tree relative to a given lung size and the lower complexity of airway tree shape, including lower branch count, are independently associated with lower lung function in healthy subjects.NEW & NOTEWORTHY This study showed that fractal dimension and total airway count of the airway tree on computed tomography are associated with lung function on spirometry independent of a smaller airway for a given lung size (dysanapsis) in asymptomatic never smokers without a history of lung diseases. In addition to dysanapsis, the morphometric complexity of the airway tree and the airway branch count may cause a substantial variation of lung function in these subjects.

Nationwide survey of refractory asthma with bronchiectasis by inflammatory subtypes.

RATIONALE: Bronchiectasis and bronchiolitis are differential diagnoses of asthma; moreover, they are factors associated with worse asthma control. OBJECTIVE: We determined clinical courses of bronchiectasis/bronchiolitis-complicated asthma by inflammatory subtypes as well as factors affecting them. METHODS: We conducted a survey of refractory asthma with non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis/bronchiolitis in Japan. Cases were classified into three groups, based on the latest fractional exhaled NO (FeNO) level (32 ppb for the threshold) and blood eosinophil counts (320/µL for the threshold): high (type 2-high) or low (type 2-low) FeNO and eosinophil and high FeNO or eosinophil (type 2-intermediate). Clinical courses in groups and factors affecting them were analysed. RESULTS: In total, 216 cases from 81 facilities were reported, and 142 were stratified: 34, 40 and 68 into the type 2-high, -intermediate and -low groups, respectively. The frequency of bronchopneumonia and exacerbations requiring antibiotics and gram-negative bacteria detection rates were highest in the type 2-low group. Eighty-seven cases had paired latest and oldest available data of FeNO and eosinophil counts; they were analysed for inflammatory transition patterns. Among former type 2-high and -intermediate groups, 32% had recently transitioned to the -low group, to which relatively low FeNO in the past and oral corticosteroid use contributed. Lastly, in cases treated with moderate to high doses of inhaled corticosteroids, the frequencies of exacerbations requiring antibiotics were found to be higher in cases with more severe airway lesions and lower FeNO. CONCLUSIONS: Bronchiectasis/bronchiolitis-complicated refractory asthma is heterogeneous. In patients with sputum symptoms and low FeNO, airway colonisation of pathogenic bacteria and infectious episodes are common; thus, corticosteroids should be carefully used.

Can MASCC and CISNE scores predict delays of lung cancer chemotherapy after febrile neutropenia?

BACKGROUND: Febrile neutropenia (FN) during cancer chemotherapy can lead to morbidity and mortality. The Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer (MASCC) and clinical index of stable febrile neutropenia (CISNE) scores have been widely used to predict the risk of severe medical complications in patients with FN; however, there are few tools for predicting chemotherapy delays or discontinuation after FN. METHODS: Patients admitted to two university hospitals between 2014 and 2018 with a FN diagnosis during the first cycle of chemotherapy for lung cancer were reviewed retrospectively. RESULTS: Among 539 patients who received 813 courses of chemotherapy for lung cancer, 49 (9%) developed FN during the first treatment cycle. Although all the patients recovered from their primary infection, 19 patients (38.8%) developed serious medical complications, 11 (22.4%) were unable to resume chemotherapy and one (2.0%) declined to resume chemotherapy, and nine (18.4%) died within 90 days. Patients who failed to resume chemotherapy had a lower MASCC score (median 8.5 vs. 17, p < 0.01) and a higher CISNE score (median 3 vs. 1, p < 0.01) at the onset of FN. The specificity to predict the patient who failed to resume chemotherapy was 90% or more with MASCC score ≤9 or CISNE score ≥3, with the sensitivity of 61%. MASCC score ≤ 16 can also be a sensitive indicator with the sensitivity and specificity of 89 and 52%, respectively. CONCLUSION: The MASCC and CISNE scores are useful in identifying lung cancer patients who are unable to resume chemotherapy as scheduled after the onset of FN.

Prognosis of acute exacerbation in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis with pulmonary emphysema: a retrospective cohort study in Japan.

OBJECTIVES: To analyse the clinical characteristics and prognosis of acute exacerbation (AE) in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and pulmonary emphysema. DESIGN: A multicentre retrospective cohort study SETTING: Two university hospitals in Japan PARTICIPANTS: Patients admitted to hospitals due to AE of IPF diagnosed based on a multidisciplinary discussion. INTERVENTIONS: None PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES: 90-day mortality rate METHODS: We retrospectively analysed consecutive patients with AE of IPF, with or without pulmonary emphysema, admitted to two university hospitals between 2007 and 2018. RESULTS: Among 62 patients (median age, 75 years; 48 men) admitted for AE of IPF, 29 patients (46%) presented with concomitant pulmonary emphysema. There was no significant difference in the arterial partial oxygen pressure/fraction of inhaled oxygen (P/F) ratio or other laboratory and radiographic data between patients with and without emphysema. The 90-day mortality rate was significantly lower in patients with emphysema than in those with IPF alone (23% vs 52%, p=0.03). The median survival time was significantly longer in patients with emphysema than in those with IPF alone (405 vs 242 days, p=0.02). CONCLUSION: Patients with IPF and emphysema had better short-term survival after AE than those with non-emphysematous IPF.

Efficacy of Prophylactic Antibiotic Use in Preventing Post-bronchoscopy Pneumonia in Lung Cancer Patients.

OBJECTIVE: Post-bronchoscopy pneumonia can affect the prognosis of lung cancer patients. This prospective study examined the efficacy of prophylactic antibiotics for lung cancer patients at high-risk of post-bronchoscopy pneumonia, determined by our prediction score, using three risk factors: age 70 years or older, current smoking, and central tumors visualized on CT. METHODS: Patients with lung cancer who underwent diagnostic bronchoscopy between June 2018 and March 2020 with a score of 2 points or higher were enrolled. Sulbactam/ampicillin was administered intravenously within one hour prior to bronchoscopy, followed by oral clavulanate/amoxicillin for three days. We used the data of lung cancer patients who underwent diagnostic bronchoscopy between April 2012 and July 2014 and exhibited a score of 2 or higher as the historical control. RESULTS: Post-bronchoscopy pneumonia occurred in none of the 24 patients in the prophylaxis group and in 17 of 144 patients in the control group, with no significant difference in the incidence of pneumonia between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: Antibiotic prophylaxis can be effective and safe for the patients high-risk of post-bronchoscopy pneumonia. A multicenter prospective study to examine the effects of prophylactic antibiotics in high-risk patients is feasible with a modest number of participants.