Clinical manifestations and immune response to tuberculosis.

Tuberculosis is a far-reaching, high-impact disease. It is among the top ten causes of death worldwide caused by a single infectious agent; 1.6 million tuberculosis-related deaths were reported in 2021 and it has been estimated that a third of the world's population are carriers of the tuberculosis bacillus but do not develop active disease. Several authors have attributed this to hosts' differential immune response in which cellular and humoral components are involved, along with cytokines and chemokines. Ascertaining the relationship between TB development's clinical manifestations and an immune response should increase understanding of tuberculosis pathophysiological and immunological mechanisms and correlating such material with protection against Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Tuberculosis continues to be a major public health problem globally. Mortality rates have not decreased significantly; rather, they are increasing. This review has thus been aimed at deepening knowledge regarding tuberculosis by examining published material related to an immune response against Mycobacterium tuberculosis, mycobacterial evasion mechanisms regarding such response and the relationship between pulmonary and extrapulmonary clinical manifestations induced by this bacterium which are related to inflammation associated with tuberculosis dissemination through different routes.

Spontaneous pneumothorax, with or without pulmonary cysts, in patients with COVID-19 pneumonia.

INTRODUCTION: Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) affects mainly the lungs causing pneumonia and complications like acute respiratory distress syndrome. Pneumothorax is a rare manifestation of the disease. This report is a description of a series of patients with COVID-19 and spontaneous pneumothorax, some of them with associated pulmonary cysts. METHODOLOGY: Cases were collected retrospectively. We included clinical data from medical records and described radiologic findings. Patients that developed pneumothorax during mechanical ventilation were excluded. RESULTS: Ten cases were included in this report, nine of them were male. The median age of our series was 62 years (IQR = 57-68). The median days since the onset of symptoms until the development of pneumothorax was 27 (IQR = 17-31), most cases developed after the second week of the diagnosis of pneumonia. Two cases required invasive mechanical ventilation, but pneumothorax occurred after ventilator weaning. Three cases showed subpleural pulmonary cysts. CONCLUSIONS: Cysts and pneumothorax are rare manifestations of SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia with mechanisms not completely understood. This report highlights the role of CT scan in diagnosis of COVID-19 complications.

Characteristics and Clinical Course of Adult in Patients with SARS-CoV-2 Pneumonia at High Altitude.

Background: SARS-CoV-2 has spread worldwide with different dynamics in each region. We aimed to describe the clinical characteristics and to explore risk factors of death, critical care admission, and use of invasive mechanical ventilation in hospitalized patients with SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia in a high-altitude population living in Bogotá, Colombia. Methods: We conducted a concurrent cohort study of adult patients with laboratory-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia. Demographic, clinical, and treatment data were extracted from electronic records. Univariate and multivariable methods were performed to investigate the relationship between each variable and outcomes at 28 days of follow-up. Results: 377 adults (56.8% male) were included in the study, of whom 85 (22.6%) died. Nonsurvivors were older on average than survivors (mean age, 56.7 years [SD 15.8] vs. 70.1 years [SD 13.9]; p ≤ 0.001) and more likely male (28 [32.9%] vs. 57 [67.1%]; p=0.029). Most patients had at least one underlying disease (333 [88.3%]), including arterial hypertension (149 [39.5%]), overweight (145 [38.5%]), obesity (114 [30.2%]), and diabetes mellitus (82 [21.8%]). Frequency of critical care admission (158 [41.9%]) and invasive mechanical ventilation (123 [32.6%]) was high. Age over 65 years (OR 9.26, 95% CI 3.29-26.01; p ≤ 0.001), ICU admission (OR 12.37, 95% CI 6.08-25.18; p ≤ 0.001), and arterial pH higher than 7.47 (OR 0.25, 95% CI 0.08-0.74; p=0.01) were independently associated with in-hospital mortality. Conclusions: In this study of in-hospital patients with SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia living at high altitude, frequency of death was similar to what has been reported. ICU admission and use of invasive mechanical ventilation were high. Risk factors as older age, ICU admission, and arterial pH were associated with mortality.

Compromiso pulmonar en síndrome de Sjögren / Pulmonary involvement in Sjögren's syndrome

RESUMEN El síndrome de Sjögren es una enfermedad autoinmunitaria sistémica con un alto impacto individual y social. El compromiso pulmonar presenta múltiples manifestaciones, con impacto en calidad de vida y riesgo de mortalidad. El abordaje dinámico integrado mediante un grupo de diagnóstico multidisciplinario que incluya expertos en neumología, reumatología, radiología y patología tiene el potencial de impactar en la identificación, las estrategias de manejo y los desenlaces. Aunque es necesario reconocer tempranamente a los pacientes con mayor riesgo, en la actualidad no se cuenta con biomarcadores confiables. Las estrategias de manejo farmacológico se basan en la inmunomodulación, pero la evidencia para su uso es de baja calidad. Promover el entrenamiento y la sensibilización del personal de salud podría reducir los retrasos en el acceso a una evaluación especializada.

ABSTRACT Sjögren's syndrome is a systemic autoimmune disease with a high burden for the individual, as well as society. Pulmonary compromise presents with a myriad of manifestations that influence patient quality of life and mortality risk. An integrated dynamic approach by a multidisciplinary diagnostic discussion team that includes experts in chest diseases, rheumatology, radiology, and pathology has the potential to improve the identification, management strategies, and outcomes. Although early recognition of patients at high risk is essential, there is currently a lack of reliable biomarkers. Pharmacological therapies are based on immunomodulation, although the evidence to support their use is of low quality. Increasing awareness and training among healthcare professionals may reduce a delayed access to specialized assessment.

Cross-cultural adaptation of the Cambridge Pulmonary Hypertension Outcome Review for use in patients with pulmonary hypertension in Colombia.

OBJECTIVE: To conduct a cross-cultural adaptation of the Cambridge Pulmonary Hypertension Outcome Review (CAMPHOR) as an instrument to evaluate the perception of symptoms, functional limitation, and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in subjects diagnosed with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) or chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) in Colombia. METHODS: The adaptation process involved 3 phases: translation, cognitive debriefing interviews, and a validation survey. To evaluate the psychometric properties, we recruited individuals ≥ 18 years of age who had been diagnosed with PAH or CTEPH to take part in the latter two stages of the adaptation process. All individuals were being followed on an outpatient basis by the pulmonary hypertension programs at Hospital Universitario San Ignacio, Fundación Clínica Shaio,and Clínicos IPS, all located in the city of Bogotá, Colombia. RESULTS: A Spanish-language version of the CAMPHOR was developed for use in Colombia. The internal consistency was excellent for the symptoms, functioning, and quality of life scales (Cronbach's alpha coefficients of 0.92, 0.87, and 0.93, respectively). Test-retest reliability was above 0.70. The evaluation of the convergent validity and known group validity of the CAMPHOR scales confirmed that there were moderate and strong correlations with the related constructs of the Medical Outcomes Study 36-item Short-Form Health Survey, version 2, as well as showing their capacity to discriminate disease severity. CONCLUSIONS: The Spanish-language version of the CAMPHOR developed for use in Colombia was the result of a translation and cultural adaptation process that allows us to consider it equivalent to the original version, having shown good psychometric properties in the study sample. Therefore, its use to assess the impact of interventions on the HRQoL of patients with PAH or CTEPH is recommended, in research and clinical practice.

Cross-cultural adaptation of the Cambridge Pulmonary Hypertension Outcome Review for use in patients with pulmonary hypertension in Colombia / Adaptación transcultural de la escala Cambridge Pulmonary Hypertension Outcome Review en pacientes con hipertensión pulmonar en Colombia

ABSTRACT Objective: To conduct a cross-cultural adaptation of the Cambridge Pulmonary Hypertension Outcome Review (CAMPHOR) as an instrument to evaluate the perception of symptoms, functional limitation, and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in subjects diagnosed with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) or chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) in Colombia. Methods: The adaptation process involved 3 phases: translation, cognitive debriefing interviews, and a validation survey. To evaluate the psychometric properties, we recruited individuals ≥ 18 years of age who had been diagnosed with PAH or CTEPH to take part in the latter two stages of the adaptation process. All individuals were being followed on an outpatient basis by the pulmonary hypertension programs at Hospital Universitario San Ignacio, Fundación Clínica Shaio,and Clínicos IPS, all located in the city of Bogotá, Colombia. Results: A Spanish-language version of the CAMPHOR was developed for use in Colombia. The internal consistency was excellent for the symptoms, functioning, and quality of life scales (Cronbach's alpha coefficients of 0.92, 0.87, and 0.93, respectively). Test-retest reliability was above 0.70. The evaluation of the convergent validity and known group validity of the CAMPHOR scales confirmed that there were moderate and strong correlations with the related constructs of the Medical Outcomes Study 36-item Short-Form Health Survey, version 2, as well as showing their capacity to discriminate disease severity. Conclusions: The Spanish-language version of the CAMPHOR developed for use in Colombia was the result of a translation and cultural adaptation process that allows us to consider it equivalent to the original version, having shown good psychometric properties in the study sample. Therefore, its use to assess the impact of interventions on the HRQoL of patients with PAH or CTEPH is recommended, in research and clinical practice.

RESUMEN Objetivo: Realizar la adaptación transcultural del cuestionario Cambridge Pulmonary Hypertension Outcome Review (CAMPHOR) como instrumento para evaluar la percepción de síntomas, la limitación funcional y la calidad de vida relacionada con la salud (CVRS) en una población colombiana de sujetos con diagnóstico de hipertensión arterial pulmonar (HAP) e hipertensión pulmonar tromboembólica crónica (HPTEC). Métodos: Estudio de validación de pruebas de determinación de precisión y propiedades psicométricas desarrollado en 3 fases: traducción con adaptación cultural mediante panel bilingüe, aplicación inicial y general para la evaluación de características psicométricas en una cohorte de pacientes > 18 años, con diagnóstico de HAP e HPTEC, en seguimiento por consulta externa de programas de hipertensión pulmonar del Hospital Universitario San Ignacio, Fundación Clínica Shaio y Clínicos IPS. Resultados: Se obtuvo una versión en castellano de la escala CAMPHOR. La consistencia interna observada para los dominios de síntomas, actividades y calidad de vida (valores del coeficiente alfa de Cronbach de 0,92, 0,87 y 0,93 respectivamente) fue adecuada. La confiabilidad prueba-reprueba estuvo por encima de 0,70 y la evaluación de la validez convergente y de grupos conocidos de las subescalas confirmó las correlaciones moderadas y fuertes con constructos relacionados del SF36v2, así como la capacidad discriminatoria según la severidad de la enfermedad. Conclusiones: La versión en castellano de la escala CAMPHOR presentó un proceso de traducción lingüística y adaptación cultural que permite considerarla equivalente a la versión original, demostrando adecuadas propiedades psicométricas en la muestra estudiada. Por ello se recomienda su utilización tanto en la investigación como en la práctica clínica, con el fin de evaluar el impacto de las intervenciones en la CVRS.

Combinación de fibrosis pulmonar y enfisema / Combination Pulmonary Fibrosis and Emphysema

Objetivo: Describir las manifestaciones en tomografía computarizada de alta resolución (TCAR) de 21 pacientes con diagnóstico de combinación de fibrosis pulmonar y enfisema (CFPE) estudiados en el Hospital Universitario Mayor (HUM). Métodos: Serie de casos, descriptivo. Los 21 pacientes seleccionados cumplían los criterios de CFPE: Enfermedad parenquimatosa difusa con cambios significativos de fibrosis y enfisema mayor del 10 %. Los estudios radiológicos fueron analizados en consenso por dos radiólogos expertos en imágenes del tórax. Los datos clínicos se obtuvieron de la historia clínica y a través de llamadas telefónicas. Resultados: El promedio de edad de los pacientes fue de 67 años. El 68,4 % tenía antecedente de tabaquismo. Las alteraciones más frecuentes en TCAR fueron: opacidades intralobulillares (95,2 %), panal de abejas (95,2 %) y bronquiectasias de tracción (95,2 %). Los patrones de fibrosis y enfisema más frecuentes fueron neumonía intersticial usual (NIU) (54,5 %) y enfisema paraseptal (40,9 %). Predominaron las asociaciones de patrones de fibrosis y enfisema: combinación de patrón de NIU y enfisema paraseptal (33,3 %) y cambios no específicos de fibrosis con enfisema paraseptal (28,6 %). Hubo alta prevalencia de hipertensión pulmonar (81,8 %), sin embargo, el tamaño de muestra analizado fue bajo. Conclusiones: El patrón de NIU y los cambios de enfisema paraseptal fueron la asociación más frecuente, con alta prevalencia de hipertensión pulmonar. Las manifestaciones en TCAR fueron similares a las descritas en trabajos previos. La radiografía presentó un bajo rendimiento para detectar enfisema e hipertensión pulmonar. La mortalidad fue elevada.

Purpose: To describe the findings in high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) of 21 patients diagnosed with combined pulmonary fibrosis and emphysema (CPFE) studied at the Hospital Universitario Mayor (HUM). Methods: Case series, descriptive. 21 patients studied in the HUM who met the diagnostic criteria of CFPE were selected: Diffuse parenchymal disease with significant changes of fibrosis and presence of emphysema with extension greater than 10%. Radiologic studies were reviewed in consensus by two radiologists experienced in chest images. Clinical data were obtained retrospectively from clinical records and through telephone calls. Results: The mean age of patients was 67 years. 68.4% had a history of smoking. The most frequent alterations in HRCT were: intralobular opacities (95.2%), honeycomb (95.2%) and traction bronchiectasis (95.2%). Patterns of fibrosis and emphysema which were most commonly found were usual interstitial pneumonia (UIP) (54.5%) and paraseptal emphysema (40.9%). The most frequent association patterns were combined NIU pattern and paraseptal emphysema (33.3%) and non-specific changes of fibrosis with paraseptal emphysema (28.6%). The prevalence of pulmonary hypertension in the cases studied was high (81.8%), however the analyzed sample size was low. Conclusions: Combined usual interstitial pneumonia and emphysema paraseptal changes was the most frequent pattern, with a high prevalence of pulmonary hypertension. The HRCT findings were similar to those described in previous studies. The x-ray showed a low capacity for detecting emphysema and pulmonary hypertension. Mortality was high.

Granulomatosis de Wegener o vasculitis asociada a ANCA? / Wegener’s granulomatosis or ANCA-associated vasculitis?

Las enfermedades asociadas a ANCA son de gran interés clínico e investigativo. Los nombres y las clasificaciones actuales son objeto de gran debate. El epónimo 'granulomatosis de Wegener', en particular, ha sido cuestionado, no sólo por su falta de valor predictivo sino por haber sido tomado de un oficial nazi.