A Case Study of Vitamin D Supplementation Therapy and Acute Respiratory Tract Infection.

BACKGROUND: Low serum concentrations of 25-hydroxyvitamin D correlate with higher susceptibility to acute respiratory tract infections (ARTIs). The case study presented here aims at sheding light on the correlation between vitamin D levels, the vitamin D supplement dose, and the incidence of ARTIs. CASE REPORT: A 23-year-old female patient with a vitamin D insufficiency was able to successfully increase her vitamin D levels from 45.60 nmol/l to 85.91 nmol/l (reference ranges 75-200 nmol/l) through the use of supplements. However, it was surprising to observe a decrease in vitamin D levels even though the patient continued taking supplements. Further examination indicated that the patient was experiencing common symptoms of an acute respiratory tract infection (ARTI). This case highlights the intricate connection between ARTIs and vitamin D intake. CONCLUSION: This case study clearly demonstrates the intricate connection between vitamin D levels, supplement treatment, and ARTIs. The observed decrease in vitamin D levels during the course of supplementation, while the patient was suffering from an ARTI, suggests that respiratory infections may affect vitamin D metabolism.

High-dose vitamin D3 supplementation shows no beneficial effects on white blood cell counts, acute phase reactants, or frequency of respiratory infections.

BACKGROUND: Vitamin D has been suggested to influence the immune system, and vitamin D metabolites and the vitamin D receptor (VDR) are generated and expressed in white blood cells (WBC). Moreover, vitamin D status has been associated with incidence and prognosis of some respiratory tract infections (RTI). Therefore, we investigated the effect of vitamin D3 supplementation on WBC, acute phase reactants (APR), and the risk of developing RTIs. METHODS: A double-blinded, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial of 307 infertile men with multiple secondary immunological endpoints. The vitamin D3 group (n = 151) initially received 300,000 IU (7,500 µg) cholecalciferol once - followed by 1,400 IU (35 µg) daily for 150 days. The placebo group (n = 156) did not receive active ingredients. RESULTS: At baseline, stratification into clinically relevant groups of vitamin D status (< 25; 25-50; 50-75; >75 nmol/L), showed an inverse association with total leucocyte concentrations (7.0 vs. 6.0 vs. 6.0 vs. 5.5 (109/L); p = 0.007), lymphocytes (2.4 vs. 2.1 vs. 2.0 vs. 2.0 (109/L); p = 0.048), CRP (2.0 vs. 1.7 vs. 1.2 vs. 1.2 (mg/L); p = 0.037), and orosomucoid (0.82 vs. 0.77 vs. 0.76 vs. 0.70 (g/L); p = 0.015). After 150 days, no differences were detected in WBC counts or APRs between the vitamin D3 and the placebo group. However, vitamin D3 treated men had a higher prevalence of self-reported RTIs compared with the placebo group (55% vs. 39%; p = 0.005). CONCLUSIONS: High-dose vitamin D3 supplementation did not alter WBCs or APRs, but a higher prevalence of respiratory infections was observed in the vitamin D3 group. Serum 25(OH)D3 was negatively correlated with most WBCs, indicating that vitamin D status may be linked with inflammation and WBC turnover, but not an important determinant of developing RTIs. TRIAL REGISTRATION: NCT01304927 (ClinicalTrials.gov). Registered February 20, 2011.

Antimicrobial treatment of lower respiratory tract infections in children.

Lower respiratory tract infections (LRTI) encompass a wide range of clinical syndromes, prominently including bronchiolitis, bronchitis and pneumonia. LRTIs are the second leading cause of antibiotic prescriptions. The vast majority of these infections are due to (or triggered by) viruses and are self-limited diseases. Pneumonia in children is responsible for significant morbidity and mortality worldwide. For clinicians, one of the main difficulties consists in diagnosing pneumonia in febrile children with (or without) cough. The diagnosis is given on the basis of anamnesis, clinical examination and (if necessary) complementary examinations, with chest X-ray or thoracic ultrasound; biological markers are particularly important. Over recent years, since the implementation of PCV13, the bacterial epidemiology of pneumonia and empyema has evolved; involvement in these diseases of pneumococcus has been reduced, and resistance to penicillin has lessened - and remained extremely low. In 2021, according to the National Pneumococcal Reference Center, only 6% of the strains isolated from blood cultures in children are resistant to amoxicillin. The therapeutic choices proposed in this article are in full compliance with the previously published official French recommendations.

Understanding and managing respiratory infections in children and young adults with neurological impairment.

INTRODUCTION: Patients with neurocognitive impairment (NI) have multiple medical needs, with respiratory problems leading to an important reduction in quality of life and life expectancy. We aimed to explain that the origin of chronic respiratory symptoms in patients with NI is multifactorial. AREAS COVERED: In people with NI there is a high prevalence of swallowing dysfunction and hypersalivation inducing aspiration; cough efficacy is decreased resulting in chronic lung infection; sleep-disordered breathing is frequent and muscle mass is abnormal due to malnutrition. Technical investigations are not always specific and sensitive enough to better diagnose the causes of the respiratory symptoms; moreover, they can sometimes be difficult to perform in this vulnerable patient population. We provide a clinical pathway to adopt to identify, prevent, and treat respiratory complications in children and young adults with NI. A holistic approach in discussion with all care providers and the parents is highly recommended. EXPERT OPINION: The care for people with NI and chronic respiratory problems is challenging. The interplay between several causative factors may be difficult to entangle. Well-performed clinical research in this field is largely missing and should be encouraged. Only then, evidence-based clinical care will become possible for this vulnerable patient group.

Naturopathic Management of Acute Pediatric Respiratory Infections: A Modified Delphi Study.

Objective: Both the United Nations and the World Health Organization have identified antimicrobial resistance as a significant threat to global health. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention identified five pediatric respiratory conditions as requiring particular scrutiny in terms of antibiotic stewardship. This study sought to identify strategies used by experienced naturopathic practitioners to treat acute respiratory infections in children. The authors theorize that naturopathic strategies safely fill the gap between watchful waiting and antibiotic prescription, thus reducing the use of antibiotics. Methods: Naturopathic practitioners in Canada, the United States, and Australia with a minimum of 5 years of experience in clinical naturopathic care of children were recruited for a modified Delphi study. A 14-person panel of practitioners was selected to complete a series of four iterative surveys assessing agreement to statements in five domains of knowledge/attitudes, assessment/diagnosis, management, monitoring, and education. Items were deemed to have reached consensus if they reached a predetermined threshold of 70% agreement, or failed to reach a threshold of 40% agreement. Items between these boundaries were modified and retested until either consensus was reached or the four surveys had been completed. Results: Results yielded a large degree of agreement on core naturopathic approaches to the management of acute pediatric respiratory infections, especially lifestyle strategies, including adequate rest and dietary recommendations. The use of vitamins C and D was strongly supported, as were herbs, particularly echinacea and elderberry. Some hydrotherapy and topical applications specific to the individual focus on infection also reached consensus. Results suggested that most respondents, even if they have the authority to prescribe antibiotics, rarely deem it necessary to do so. Conclusion: Findings of this study provide (1) clarity on the role of naturopathic doctors in the management of pediatric health concerns and the stewardship of antibiotics; and (2) initial guidance to less experienced naturopathic practitioners. The findings also identify key priorities for research into the safety and effectiveness of naturopathic interventions to reduce the unnecessary prescribing of antibiotics.

[Use of non-pharmacological home remedies in ENT: research informs our practices and those of our patients]. / Emploi des remèdes de grand-mère en ORL : la recherche éclaire nos pratiques et celles de nos patients.

Upper respiratory tract infections (URTIs) are a common presenting condition in family medicine. The vast majority of URTIs are treated symptomatically with pharmacological or non-pharmacological treatments. This article presents some of the results of our research projects to compile a list of non-pharmacological home remedies to relieve symptoms such as sore throat, coughs and colds. Honey, thyme or lemon are often used by patients and considered to be effective. These remedies have few side-effects, and we therefore propose to include them in the range of treatments that can be proposed in family medicine.

Les infections des voies respiratoires supérieures (IVRS) constituent un motif de consultation fréquent en médecine de famille. La grande majorité des IVRS fait l'objet d'un traitement symptomatique pharmacologique ou non pharmacologique. Cet article se base sur une partie des résultats de nos projets de recherche pour constituer une liste de remèdes de grand-mère à proposer aux patients pour soulager des symptômes tels que les maux de gorge, la toux et le rhume. Le miel, le thym ou le citron sont souvent utilisés par les patients et considérés comme étant efficaces. Ces remèdes présentent peu d'effets indésirables et nous proposons donc de les intégrer dans l'arsenal thérapeutique en médecine de famille.

Antibiotic practice patterns with procalcitonin levels in patients with acute lower respiratory tract infection.

OBJECTIVES: Procalcitonin (PCT) testing is FDA approved to guide antibiotic therapy in patients with lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI). However, its utilization and impact on real-world antibiotic prescribing behavior are unknown. We investigated the rate of PCT testing to evaluate an association between initial PCT level and antibiotic prescription patterns for patients with suspected LRTI within a large integrated health system. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study (January 1, 2016, through December 31, 2017) was performed in patients 18 years and older who were hospitalized with LRTI and had a PCT measurement. Antibiotic changes were noted before and 36 hours after initial PCT results. Antibiotic concordance was determined using a PCT cutoff value of 0.25 mcg/L. Concordance was defined as (1) patients received antibiotics after a PCT of at least 0.25 mcg/L resulted or (2) antibiotics were withheld after a PCT less than 0.25 mcg/L resulted. RESULTS: PCT testing occurred in 18% of hospitalized patients with LRTI. Among 1606 patients, antibiotic concordance with PCT results was 55%. Among the discordant population, 77% of patients received antibiotics in the setting of a low PCT level compared with 23% who did not receive antibiotics at a high PCT level. There were no statistical differences between LRTI types between patients with PCT-discordant and PCT-concordant care. CONCLUSIONS: Within a real-world environment of patients hospitalized with LRTI, PCT testing was low and the PCT levels did not appear to influence antibiotic prescribing behavior. Our findings suggest that clinicians continue to prioritize clinical judgment over initial PCT levels when prescribing antibiotics for suspected LRTIs.

Rapid evolution and host immunity drive the rise and fall of carbapenem resistance during an acute Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection.

It is well established that antibiotic treatment selects for resistance, but the dynamics of this process during infections are poorly understood. Here we map the responses of Pseudomonas aeruginosa to treatment in high definition during a lung infection of a single ICU patient. Host immunity and antibiotic therapy with meropenem suppressed P. aeruginosa, but a second wave of infection emerged due to the growth of oprD and wbpM meropenem resistant mutants that evolved in situ. Selection then led to a loss of resistance by decreasing the prevalence of low fitness oprD mutants, increasing the frequency of high fitness mutants lacking the MexAB-OprM efflux pump, and decreasing the copy number of a multidrug resistance plasmid. Ultimately, host immunity suppressed wbpM mutants with high meropenem resistance and fitness. Our study highlights how natural selection and host immunity interact to drive both the rapid rise, and fall, of resistance during infection.

Parental experience of prophylactic antibiotics.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Long-term prophylactic antibiotics are often used to prevent bacterial infections. However, supporting evidence for this is not always robust. Including parents in decisions relating to medication is key to medicines optimisation. Parental concern regarding medication is a major determinant of poor adherence. This study explores parental experiences of having a child prescribed prophylactic antibiotics and how that affects their antibiotic use behaviour. METHODS: We conducted a prospective, single-centre, exploratory, qualitative study at Sheffield Children's Hospital. Through 15 interviews, involving 18 participants, we explored parental 'lived experiences' and attitudes towards azithromycin prophylaxis prescribed for various respiratory conditions. Thematic analysis was conducted. RESULTS: The overriding factor influencing parental decisions about the uptake of antibiotic prophylaxis is wanting their child to be well now. The main concern voiced by parents is that of antibiotic resistance given their children are high users of antibiotics. This is however seen as a problem for the future, not the present. Preparing families adequately helps prevent practical difficulties relating to medication. Facilitating 'normalisation' of prophylaxis through daily routines and minimising disruption to the family environment may reduce parental anxiety, promote adherence and result in easing of potential restrictions to the child's daily activities. CONCLUSION: Grounded in our deeper understanding, we propose a behavioural model that describes phases parents go through while having a child on prophylactic antibiotics. Time invested in holistically addressing the parental experience and having an awareness of potential issues parents face, may facilitate medication adherence, reduce anxieties and improve doctor-parent relationships.

Systemic inflammation and the effects of short-term antibiotic treatment for PPM positive patients with stable COPD.

Objective: To evaluate patients with stable COPD for the presence of potentially pathogenic microorganisms (PPM), systemic inflammation and the effects of short-term antibiotic therapy in PPM positive patients. Methods: From January 2016 to June 2017, we enrolled 96 stable COPD patients. Bacterial cultures from sputum collections were quantitated, along with markers for systemic inflammation including serum C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin-8 (IL-8) and plasma fibrinogen (FIB) in all patients. All enrolled patients were followed for 12 months. Forty patients were identified as PPM positive and were randomly divided into an antibiotic group and a control group. The antibiotic group was treated with moxifloxacin orally for 6 days. Lung function and markers for systemic inflammation were repeatedly measured at 30 days and 6 months in PPM positive subjects. Results: Binary logistic regression analysis showed that risk factors for PPM positive are bronchiectasis (OR 4.18, 95% CI 1.20-14.59; P=0.025), COPD assessment test (CAT) ≥20 (OR 17.55, 95% CI 2.82-109.18; P=0.002), spontaneous sputum (OR 15.09, 95% CI 1.36-168.02; P=0.027) and sputum purulence (OR 38.43, 95% CI 5.39-274.21; P=0.000). CRP and IL-8 were higher in PPM positive group than those in PPM negative group (P=0.001, P=0.007, respectively), but there were no differences of FIB between the two groups (P=0.086). Compared to the PPM negative group, the rate of acute exacerbation of COPD was higher (P=0.029) and time to next acute exacerbation was shorter (P=0.030) in PPM positive group. There were no differences in lung function and systemic inflammatory markers either in the control group or the antibiotic group at different time points of follow-up. Conclusion: PPM exists in stable COPD patients and can cause systemic inflammation and is associated with acute exacerbation of COPD. Short-term antibiotic therapy had no effect on systemic inflammation nor on acute exacerbation of COPD.China Clinical Trials Registry: ChiCTR-IOR-15006769.

Elevated D-Dimer Combined with Persistent Acupuncture-like Chest Pain in An Elderly Patient Misdiagnosed as Pulmonary Embolism Finally Proved as Lung Hamartoma with Secondary Lung Infection by Bronchoscopy Biopsy: a Case Report and Literature Review.

BACKGROUND: Pulmonary hamartoma is one of the most common benign tumors of the lung, the symptoms are often atypical, so its diagnosis is not so easy. We presented an elderly man with elevated D-dimer combined persistent acupuncture-like chest pain misdiagnosed as pulmonary embolism finally proved as lung hamartoma with secondary lung infection by bronchoscopy biopsy. METHODS: Appropriate laboratory tests were carried out. The chest computed tomography (CT) scan and bronchoscopy were performed for diagnosis. RESULTS: Laboratory tests showed D-dimer was 2,615.88 ng/mL, the chest CT scan showed the right lung portal occupying lesions accompanied by obstructive changes in the middle of the right lung and mediastinal lymphade-nopathy with partial calcification. Bronchoscopy showed the new spherical neoplasm in the middle of the right lung completely blocked the opening of the bronchus, the surface of the neoplasm was smooth and blood vessels were abundant, pathological result was lung hamartoma. CONCLUSIONS: Elevated D-dimer is not a specific index of pulmonary embolism. When a patient's D-dimer rise combined with severe chest pain, the physician should be wary of pulmonary embolism, myocardial infarction, aortic dissection, and other emergencies, and should also take into account serious infections, tumors, and other diseases. Diagnosis needs further related examination. Chest CT scan has guidance function, and when the chest CT scan suggests the occupying lesion, the pathology examination is the key to identify the benign tumor.

Influence of the lung microbiome on antibiotic susceptibility of cystic fibrosis pathogens.

The lungs of patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) are colonised by a microbial community comprised of pathogenic species, such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus, and microorganisms that are typically not associated with worse clinical outcomes (considered as commensals). Antibiotics directed at CF pathogens are often not effective and a discrepancy is observed between activity of these agents in vitro and in the patient. This review describes how interspecies interactions within the lung microbiome might influence the outcome of antibiotic treatment targeted at common CF pathogens. Protective mechanisms by members of the microbiome such as antibiotic degradation (indirect pathogenicity), alterations of the cell wall, production of matrix components decreasing antibiotic penetration, and changes in metabolism are discussed. Interspecies interactions that increase bacterial susceptibility are also addressed. Furthermore, we discuss how experimental conditions, such as culture media, oxygen levels, incorporation of host-pathogen interactions, and microbial community composition may influence the outcome of microbial interaction studies related to antibiotic activity. Hereby, the importance to create in vitro conditions reflective of the CF lung microenvironment is highlighted. Understanding the role of the CF lung microbiome in antibiotic efficacy may help find novel therapeutic and diagnostic approaches to better tackle chronic lung infections in this patient population.

Host-Based Diagnostics for Acute Respiratory Infections.

PURPOSE: The inappropriate use of antimicrobials, especially in acute respiratory infections (ARIs), is largely driven by difficulty distinguishing bacterial, viral, and noninfectious etiologies of illness. A new frontier in infectious disease diagnostics looks to the host response for disease classification. This article examines how host response-based diagnostics for ARIs are being used in clinical practice, as well as new developments in the research pipeline. METHODS: A limited search was conducted of the relevant literature, with emphasis placed on literature published in the last 5 years (2014-2019). FINDINGS: Advances are being made in all areas of host response-based diagnostics for ARIs. Specifically, there has been significant progress made in single protein biomarkers, as well as in various "omics" fields (including proteomics, metabolomics, and transcriptomics) and wearable technologies. There are many potential applications of a host response-based approach; a few key examples include the ability to discriminate bacterial and viral disease, presymptomatic diagnosis of infection, and pathogen-specific host response diagnostics, including modeling disease progression. IMPLICATIONS: As biomarker measurement technologies continue to improve, host response-based diagnostics will increasingly be translated to clinically available platforms that can generate a holistic characterization of an individual's health. This knowledge, in the hands of both patient and provider, can improve care for the individual patient and help fight rising rates of antibiotic resistance.

Assessing the appropriateness of the management of upper respiratory tract infection in Australian children: a population-based sample survey.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the proportion of Australian children aged 0-15 years that received care in line with clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) for upper respiratory tract infections (URTIs). DESIGN: Retrospective medical record review using a multistage sampling strategy. SETTING: General practices, hospital emergency departments and hospital inpatient service providers in three Australian states. PARTICIPANTS: Children aged up to 15 years who received care for URTI in 2012 and 2013. PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary assessment was estimated adherence with 14 indicators of appropriate care as documented in medical records. Indicators were extracted from national and international CPGs and ratified by experts. Secondary assessment was adherence to two bundles of indicators (diagnostic symptoms and medical history taking), where all indicators must be adherent for the bundle to be scored as adherent. RESULTS: There were 1653 children with one or more assessments of URTI care to CPG adherence. Over half of the children were under 3 years of age, with roughly equal numbers of males and females. Three indicators had fewer than 25 visits so were not reported. Overall adherence ranged from 0.5% for 'documented advice around antibiotics' to 88.3% for 'documentation of medical history'. Adherence with Bundle A (documentation of all three definitive symptoms) was 43.1% (95% CI 32.8% to 54.0%) and Bundle B (documentation of all four indicators of medical history) was 30.2% (95% CI 20.9% to 40.9%). CONCLUSIONS: URTIs in children are common, usually self-limiting, conditions that are allocated considerable resources. The results suggest that there may be a need for more thorough holistic assessment of the patient and improved documentation. Since inappropriate prescription of antibiotics for URTIs is still a known problem in Australia, there is a need for consistent, clear communication around antibiotics' lack of impact on symptoms and a high association with undesirable side effects.

Antibiotic Prescribing in Outpatient Children: A Cohort From a Clinical Data Warehouse.

AIM: To characterize antibiotic (ab) prescriptions in children. METHODS: Evaluation of outpatient ab prescriptions in a 3-year cohort of children in primary care using a data warehouse (Massachusetts Health Disparities Repository) by comorbid conditions, demographics, and clinical indication. RESULTS: A total of 15 208 children with nearly 120 000 outpatient visits were included. About one third had a comorbid condition (most commonly asthma). Among the 30 000 ab prescriptions, first-line penicillins and macrolides represented the most frequent ab (70%), followed by cephalosporins (16%). Comorbid children had 54.3 ab prescriptions/100 child-years versus 38.8 in children without comorbidity; ab prescription was higher in urinary tract infections (>60% of episodes), otitis, lower respiratory tract infections (>50%), especially in comorbid children and children under 2 year old. Ab prescriptions were significantly associated with younger age, emergency room visit, comorbid children, and acute infections. DISCUSSION: A clinical data warehouse could help in designing appropriate antimicrobial stewardship programs and represent a potential assessment tool.

Multicentre randomised controlled trial to investigate usefulness of the rapid diagnostic ßLACTA test performed directly on bacterial cell pellets from respiratory, urinary or blood samples for the early de-escalation of carbapenems in septic intensive care unit patients: the BLUE-CarbA protocol.

INTRODUCTION: The dramatic increase of the incidence of infections caused by extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing Enterobacteriaceae (ESBL-PE) has led to an increase of 50% of carbapenem consumption all around Europe in only 5 years. This favours the spread of carbapenem-resistant Gram-negative bacilli (GNB), causing life-threatening infections. In order to limit use of carbapenems for infections actually due to ESBL-PE, health authorities promote the use of rapid diagnostic tests of bacterial resistance. The objective of this work conducted in the intensive care unit (ICU) is to determine whether an early de-escalation of empirical carbapenems guided by the result of the ßLACTA test is not inferior to the reference strategy of de-escalating carbapenems after the antibiogram result has been rendered. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: This multicentre randomised controlled open-label non-inferiority clinical trial will include patients suffering from respiratory and/or urinary and/or bloodstream infections documented with GNB on direct examination and empirically treated with carbapenems. Empirical carbapenems will be adapted before the second dose depending on the results of the ßLACTA test performed directly on the microbiological sample (intervention group) or after 48-72 hours depending on the definite antibiogram (control group). The primary outcome will combine 90-day mortality and percentage of infection recurrence during the ICU stay. The secondary outcomes will include the number of carbapenems defined daily doses and carbapenem-free days after inclusion, the proportion of new infections during ICU stay, new colonisation of patients' digestive tractus with multidrug-resistant GNB, ICU and hospital length of stay and cost-effectiveness ratio. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: This protocol has been approved by the ethics committee of Paris-Ile-de-France IV, and will be carried out according to the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki and the Good Clinical Practice guidelines. The results of this study will be disseminated through presentation at scientific conferences and publication in peer-reviewed journals. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT03147807.

Primary Care Management of Upper Respiratory Infections in the Women's Health Care Setting.

Upper respiratory infections (URIs) are the most common reason for which individuals seek health care services in the outpatient clinical setting. This case report describes the clinical presentation and management of a woman with a URI. The signs and symptoms of URIs, physical examination, differential diagnoses, and treatment plan options available in the ambulatory care setting are reviewed. Current evidence-based guidelines are discussed, and recommendations for clinical practice are reviewed. Discussion of the incidental treatment of URIs in the specialty care setting is also addressed.

Paediatric and adult bronchiectasis: Monitoring, cross-infection, role of multidisciplinary teams and self-management plans.

Bronchiectasis is a chronic lung disease associated with structurally abnormal bronchi, clinically manifested by a persistent wet/productive cough, airway infections and recurrent exacerbations. Early identification and treatment of acute exacerbations is an integral part of monitoring and annual review, in both adults and children, to minimize further damage due to infection and inflammation. Common modalities used to monitor disease progression include clinical signs and symptoms, frequency of exacerbations and/or number of hospital admissions, lung function (forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1 )% predicted), imaging (radiological severity of disease) and sputum microbiology (chronic infection with Pseudomonas aeruginosa). There is good evidence that these monitoring tools can be used to accurately assess severity of disease and predict prognosis in terms of mortality and future hospitalization. Other tools that are currently used in research settings such as health-related quality of life (QoL) questionnaires, magnetic resonance imaging and lung clearance index can be burdensome and require additional expertise or resource, which limits their use in clinical practice. Studies have demonstrated that cross-infection, especially with P. aeruginosa between patients with bronchiectasis is possible but infrequent. This should not limit participation of patients in group activities such as pulmonary rehabilitation, and simple infection control measures should be carried out to limit the risk of cross-transmission. A multidisciplinary approach to care which includes respiratory physicians, chest physiotherapists, nurse specialists and other allied health professionals are vital in providing holistic care. Patient education and personalized self-management plans are also important despite limited evidence it improves QoL or frequency of exacerbations.

Effects of Yeast (1,3)-(1,6)-Beta-Glucan on Severity of Upper Respiratory Tract Infections: A Double-Blind, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Study in Healthy Subjects.

OBJECTIVES: Each year, adults suffer about two to four upper respiratory tract infections (URTIs), mostly in winter. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effects of brewers' yeast (1,3)-(1,6)-beta-glucan on incidence and severity of upper respiratory tract infections (URTIs). METHODS: Generally healthy men and women (n = 299) reporting at least three URTIs during the previous year were randomized to receive either a placebo or 900 mg of yeast beta-glucan daily for 16 weeks during winter. In cases of acute URTI, the severity of URTI symptoms was assessed via the WURSS-21 questionnaire and the Jackson scale, and a clinical confirmation was implemented by the investigator. RESULTS: Overall, 70 subjects under placebo and 71 subjects under yeast beta-glucan experienced at least one clinically confirmed URTI episode. The global severity using WURSS-21 had been quite similar between the study groups (p = 0.5267), whereas during the first days of URTIs the severity was less pronounced in the yeast beta-glucan group. On the episode level, the severity of physical symptoms was significantly lower for all investigated time intervals up to 7 days under yeast beta-glucan (WURSS (Q2-11) (days 1-2: p = 0.0465, days 1-3: p = 0.0323, days 1-4: p = 0.0248, days 1-7: p = 0.0278), also confirmed for the Jackson scale). The reduction of severity was accompanied by a significant increase in the joy subscore of the Perceived Stress Questionnaire (PSQ20) (p = 0.0148). In addition, there was a reduction of systolic (p = 0.0458) and diastolic (p = 0.1439) blood pressure. CONCLUSION: Subjects supplementing with yeast beta-glucan benefit by a reduced severity of physical URTI symptoms during the first week of an episode, even though the incidence and global severity of common colds could not be altered in comparison to placebo. Furthermore, accompanying benefits in terms of blood pressure and mood were identified. Altogether, yeast beta-glucan supports the immune function.