Effectiveness of combined therapy with pirfenidone and inhaled N-acetylcysteine for advanced idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis: a case-control study.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Treatment with pirfenidone may slow the decline in vital capacity and increase progression-free survival (PFS) in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). The effects of combination therapy with inhaled N-acetylcysteine (NAC) and pirfenidone are unclear. We assessed the effects of this combination therapy in patients with advanced IPF. METHODS: Patients with a diagnosis of advanced IPF (Japanese Respiratory Society stage III/IV IPF) and a relative decline in forced vital capacity (FVC) of ≥ 10% within the previous 6 (± 2) months were enrolled. Outcomes were evaluated in a 12-month follow-up pulmonary function test. Treatment was considered ineffective if the decline in FVC was ≥ 10% and effective if the decline was <10%. We compared clinical characteristics, effectiveness and PFS between patients receiving inhaled NAC plus pirfenidone (n = 24) and those receiving pirfenidone alone (control; n = 10). RESULTS: Data from 34 IPF patients (age range, 59-82 years) were analysed. At the 12-month follow-up examination, treatment was deemed effective in 8 of 17 (47%) patients receiving NAC plus pirfenidone and in 2 of 10 (20%) receiving pirfenidone alone. The annual rate of change in FVC was -610 mL in the NAC plus pirfenidone group and -1320 mL in the pirfenidone group (P < 0.01). PFS was longer (304 days) in the NAC plus pirfenidone group than in the pirfenidone group (168 days; P = 0.016). CONCLUSIONS: Combination treatment with inhaled NAC and oral pirfenidone reduced the rate of annual FVC decline and improved PFS in patients with advanced IPF.

Comparison of clinical characteristics and prognostic factors of combined pulmonary fibrosis and emphysema versus idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis alone.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: The results of studies examining the outcome and the factors predicting prognosis in combined pulmonary fibrosis and emphysema (CPFE) have so far been contradictory. Our objective was to determine prognosis and the prognostic factors for CPFE. METHODS: Of 108 consecutive idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) patients admitted to our hospital, 46 were diagnosed as having CPFE and 62 patients diagnosed as having IPF alone. We retrospectively compared the clinical features between these two groups. RESULTS: Annual increase in estimated systolic pulmonary arterial pressure (esPAP) was significantly greater in CPFE patients, and survival time was significantly lower. Moreover, the prognosis was unfavourable regardless of the presence of lung cancer. The multivariate Cox proportional hazard regression model showed that predictive factors were an increase in the modified Medical Research Council dyspnoea score and esPAP ≥ 30.4 mm Hg. We classified patients into the following four groups: CPFE with high esPAP (esPAP ≥ 30.4 mm Hg), CPFE with normal esPAP (esPAP < 30.4 mm Hg), IPF alone with high esPAP and IPF alone with normal esPAP. Survival in the CPFE with high esPAP group was significantly worse than that in the other three subgroups. Furthermore, CPFE with the paraseptal type of emphysema and high esPAP had the worst prognosis. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrated that the prognosis of CPFE is significantly worse than that of IPF alone. In particular, CPFE with paraseptal emphysema associated with high esPAP has an extremely poor prognosis.

Risk factors for excessive postoperative sliding of femoral trochanteric fracture in elderly patients: A retrospective multicenter study.

INTRODUCTION: The application of a load on the internal fixation of a trochanteric fracture exerts a moment along the lag screw, causing the proximal bone fragment to slide along the lag screw, allowing contact between the proximal and distal bone fragments, which promotes healing. However, excessive sliding is related to poor postoperative outcomes. We aimed to identify the risk factors for excessive sliding. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We conducted a multicenter retrospective study including 115 trochanteric fractures sustained through low-energy trauma in 19 male and 96 female patients aged 60 years or older (mean age: 82.9 years) between September 2013 and December 2014. We measured the postoperative sliding distance after osteosynthesis using a sliding hip screw or intramedullary nailing, and classified participants with ≥8 mm of sliding into the excessive sliding group (ESG) and with <8 mm into non-ESG. Finally, we investigated the risk factors of excessive postoperative sliding. RESULTS: Fifty participants were classified into the ESG and 65 participants into the non-ESG. Female sex (p = 0.0264), an A3 fracture type (p = 0.0003), greater tip-apex distance (p = 0.0250), and poor reduction in either the anteroposterior or lateral radiographic views (p = 0.0156) were identified as risk factors for excessive sliding by multivariate regression analysis. CONCLUSIONS: Female sex, an unstable fracture type, a greater tip-apex distance, and a poor reduction, in either the anteroposterior or lateral views, are associated with excessive postoperative sliding. Therefore, surgery should aim to achieve good reduction and stabilization from both radiographic views.

[Human adjuvant disease which developed after silicone augumentation mammoplasty].

A 73-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital to evaluate mediastinal lymphadenopathy found on a chest CT scan. She had undergone mammoplasty with silicone augmentation 50 years previously and had the implants removed 5 years previously. Biopsied specimens of a mediastinal lymph node under video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) revealed multiple hyalinized non-caseating epithelioid cell granulomas and multinucleated giant cells and foamy macrophages containing some vacuoles. According to these clinicopathological findings, we diagnosed human adjuvant disease which developed after mammoplasty with silicone augmentation. In cases of mammoplasty, we should pay attention to the complication of chronic thoracic disorder as a human adjuvant disease.

[Case of pulmonary aspergillosis associated with inappropriate antidiuretic hormone syndrome caused by voriconazole therapy].

A 75-year-old man presented with hemoptysis. Consolidation was identified in the left lower lobe around multiple bullae. He was found to have chronic necrotizing pulmonary aspergillosis based on a high titer of aspergillus antigen and positive antibody. He was treated with 400 mg/day voriconazole. However, liver dysfunction and hyponatremia developed at 21 days after beginning administration of voriconazole. Serum sodium levels were 122 mEq/l. but urinary sodium showed a high level of 135 mEq/l. The serum sodium level improved 10 days after voriconazole was discontinued. Serum levels of voriconazole on day 15 were high at 18 microg/ml (safe effective serum level: 1.5 to 4.5 microg/ml). An analysis of genetic polymorphism showed a mutation of cytochrome P450 (CYP2C19*2 G681A). We report the first case of a voriconazole-induced syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone caused by a polymorphism mutation of cytochrome P450.

[A case of sho-seiryu-to-induced pneumonia with a marked increase in peripheral eosinophils].

A 25-year-old woman presented with a high temperature, cough and dyspnea three days after taking sho-seiryu-to, a Chinese herbal preparation, for a cough and throat pain. A chest X-ray film and computed tomography (CT) scan revealed diffuse infiltrative shadows in both the middle and lower lung fields. Arterial blood gas analysis showed hypoxemia (PaO2 43Torr under room air). The white cell count was 40,800/mm3, with eosinophilic cells accounting for 56.5% of the cells. The patient was treated with methylprednisolone under a diagnosis of drug-induced pneumonia and the administration of sho-seiryu-to was discontinued. Immediately after the prednisolone administration, her chest X-ray film findings, clinical symptoms and laboratory data markedly improved. A lymphocyte stimulation test for sho-seiryu-to using peripheral lymphocytes was positive. In 29 cases of herbal medicine-induced pneumonia reported in Japanese medical literature over a 10-year period, sho-saiko-to has been the predominant cause of drug-induced pneumonia. This is the second case of sho-seiryu-to-induced pneumonia.

Acute exacerbation of combined pulmonary fibrosis and emphysema associated with Hermansky-Pudlak syndrome.

A 30-year-old male smoker with congenital amblyopia and oculocutaneous albinism was admitted to our hospital complaining of progressive dyspnea on exertion. Chest computed tomography images revealed diffuse reticular opacities and honeycombing in the bilateral lower lobes with sparing of the subpleural region along with emphysema predominantly in the upper lobes. Lung biopsy specimens showed a mixture of usual interstitial pneumonia and a non-specific interstitial pneumonia pattern with emphysema. Of note, cuboidal epithelial cells with foamy cytoplasm on the alveolar walls and phagocytic macrophages with ceroid pigments in the fibrotic lesions were observed. The patient was diagnosed with Hermansky-Pudlak syndrome (HPS) associated with combined pulmonary fibrosis and emphysema (CPFE). Six years following the patient's initial admission to our hospital, he died from acute exacerbation (AE) of CPFE associated with HPS. This is one of only few reports available on the clinicopathological characteristics of AE in CPFE associated with HPS.

Thymoma exhibiting spontaneous regression in size, pleural effusion and serum cytokeratin fragment level: A case report.

A 30-year-old man was admitted to Toho University Omori Medical Center for assessment of right chest pain and fever. Chest computed tomography (CT) revealed an anterior mediastinal tumor sized 11.0×6.0×5.0 cm, with right pleural effusion. The laboratory analysis revealed elevated white blood cell count (11,000/µl), C-reactive protein (4.1 mg/dl) and cytokeratin fragment (CYFRA; 12.7 ng/ml; normal, <2 ng/ml). The level of CYFRA in the pleural effusion was also markedly elevated (143 ng/ml). On the first day after admission (6 days after the initial CT), there was a mild regression on CT (10.0×5.5×4.4 cm; reduction rate, 26.7%), with decrease of the pleural effusion volume. A CT-guided needle biopsy was performed, but the findings were not conclusive, as most of the tissue was necrotic. Seven days later (13 days after the initial CT), a CT revealed further regression (9.5×5.4×4.2 cm; reduction rate, 34.7%) with disappearance of the pleural effusion. The patient was followed up on an outpatient basis. At 35 days after the initial CT, the tumor continued to shrink without treatment (8.0×3.6×3.0 cm; reduction rate, 73.8%) and the serum CYFRA level had decreased to 0.8 ng/ml, although it had not returned to normal levels. At 62 days after the initial CT, the patient underwent surgical resection. The resected specimen was diagnosed as thymoma (World Health Organization type B2; Masaoka classification, stage II), with prominent degeneration and necrosis. One possible cause of the spontaneous regression may be increased internal pressure, probably associated with rapid tumor growth, leading to massive necrosis with resulting chest pain, inflammatory reaction with pleural effusion and subsequent tumor regression. The serum CYFRA level may be a useful marker for the evaluation of the clinical course of thymoma with extensive necrosis.

Clinical significance of BIM deletion polymorphism in non-small-cell lung cancer with epidermal growth factor receptor mutation.

BACKGROUND: Germline alterations in the proapoptotic protein Bcl-2-like 11 (BIM) can have a crucial role in tumor response to treatment. To determine the clinical utility of detecting BIM deletion polymorphism in non-small-cell lung cancer positive for epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutation, we examined outcomes of patients with and without BIM alterations. METHODS: We studied 70 patients with EGFR mutation-positive non-small-cell lung cancer who were treated with an EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor between January 2008 and January 2013. BIM deletion was analyzed by polymerase chain reaction in 58 samples of peripheral blood and 24 formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded slides of surgical specimens (20 of lung tissue and four of brain tissue); both blood and tissue specimens were available for 12 patients. We retrospectively analyzed clinical characteristics, response rate, toxicity, and outcomes among patients with and without BIM deletion. RESULTS: BIM deletion was present in 13 of 70 patients (18.6%). There were no significant differences between patients with and without BIM deletion in clinical characteristics, rate of response to EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor, or incidence of adverse events. Patients with BIM deletion had significantly shorter progression-free survival (PFS) than those without BIM deletion (median, 227 versus 533 days; p < 0.001). Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that BIM deletion was an independent indicator of shorter PFS (hazard ratio, 3.99; 95% confidence interval, 1.864-8.547; p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Polymerase chain reaction successfully detected BIM deletion in samples of peripheral blood and formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded slides of surgical specimens. BIM deletion was the most important independent prognostic factor in shorter PFS.

Everolimus-induced pneumonitis after drug-eluting stent implantation: a case report.

Despite the wide use of everolimus as an antineoplastic coating agent for coronary stents to reduce the rate of restenosis, little is known about the health hazards of everolimus-eluting stents (EES). We describe a case of pneumonitis that developed 2 months after EES implantation for angina. Lung pathology demonstrated an organizing pneumonia pattern that responded to corticosteroid therapy. Although the efficacy of EES for ischemic heart disease is well established, EES carries a risk of pneumonitis.

Acquired hemophilia A associated with IgG4-related lung disease in a patient with autoimmune pancreatitis.

Immunoglobulin G4 (IgG4)-related lung diseases can occur in patients with autoimmune pancreatitis (AIP). However, the causal relationship between AIP and acquired hemophilia A (AH) is unknown. We herein report the first case of AH associated with IgG4-related lung disease that developed in a patient with AIP. A 65-year-old asymptomatic man with a history of AIP and sclerosing cholangitis diagnosed at the age of 57 was admitted to our hospital due to an abnormal reticulonodular shadow on chest X-ray. An examination of lung biopsy specimens revealed IgG4-positive plasma cell infiltration in the interstitium. The serum IgG4 level was elevated. One year later, the patient developed a progressive severe hematoma in the left femoral muscle. On admission, laboratory examinations revealed severe anemia with a markedly prolonged activated partial prothrombin time, a decreased level of factor VIII (FVIII) activity, and the existence of anti-FVIII antibodies. These findings were consistent with a diagnosis of AH. No relapse has been observed over the past 25 months, during which time, corticosteroid therapy has been continuously administered.

Churg-Strauss syndrome presenting with diffuse alveolar hemorrhage and rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis.

A 46-year-old man with a 4-month history of bronchial asthma was admitted to our hospital complaining of progressive dyspnea, weakness of the lower extremities, multiple truncal erythematous purpura and hemoptysis. Neurological examination identified the presence of mononeuritis multiplex. Laboratory data indicated marked anemia, eosinophilia, severe renal failure with nephrotic condition and elevated serum myeloperoxidase anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (MPO-ANCA) levels (1,050 EU). Chest computed tomography showed diffuse ground glass opacity in both lungs. Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid revealed bloody fluid with eosinophilia (81%). Microscopic findings of a transbronchial lung biopsy were consistent with alveolar hemorrhage. A skin biopsy revealed eosinophilic vasculitis consistent with Churg-Strauss syndrome (CSS). A renal biopsy specimen revealed pauci-immune crescentic necrotizing glomerulonephritis. Consequently, he was diagnosed as having CSS presenting with diffuse alveolar hemorrhage (DAH) and rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis (RPGN) with MPO-ANCA-associated systemic vasculitis. His clinical condition markedly improved with the administration of intravenous corticosteroid (CS) and cyclophosphamide (CY). Thus, we report a case of CSS presenting with the rare complication of DAH and RPGN.