Immunopathological Mechanisms of Bird-Related Hypersensitivity Pneumonitis.

Bird-related hypersensitivity pneumonitis (BRHP) is an interstitial lung disease induced by avian proteins. The immunopathological pathways involved in the disease are still unknown. This study assesses the cellular immune response and the cytokine pattern in a mouse model of BRHP. On days -3 and -1, mice were intraperitoneally sensitized with commercial pigeon serum (PS) or saline. Intranasal instillations with PS or saline were carried out on three consecutive days/week over either 3 weeks (Group 1) or 12 weeks (Group 2). Leukocyte and cytokine patterns in lung tissue and pulmonary inflammation in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) were analysed. Both groups presented increases in resident monocytes, interstitial macrophages and type 2 dendritic cells (DCs), but also reductions in inflammatory monocytes, alveolar macrophages and tolerogenic DCs compared with their control groups. Group 1 had increased levels of eosinophils and T cells with reductions in neutrophils and B cells, while Group 2 showed high levels of B cells. Both groups exhibited increases in Th1 and Th2 cytokines. Group 2 also showed increased levels of IL-23, a Th17 cytokine. Increased levels of neutrophils, eosinophils and lymphocytes were observed in BAL samples of both groups compared with controls. In the first stages of BRHP, there is a mixed Th1/Th2 immune response, while during the progression of the disease, although there is a Th1 response, the cytokine levels seem to indicate a switch towards a Th2/Th17 mixed response.

European Respiratory Society Guidelines for the Diagnosis of Asthma in Adults.

Although asthma is very common affecting 5-10% of the population, the diagnosis of asthma in adults remains a challenge in the real world that results in both over- and under-diagnosis. A task force (TF) was set up by the European Respiratory Society to systematically review the literature on the diagnostic accuracy of tests used to diagnose asthma in adult patients and provide recommendation for clinical practice.The TF defined eight PICO (Population, Index, Comparator, and Outcome) questions that were assessed using the GRADE (Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation) approach, The TF utilised the outcomes to develop an evidenced-based diagnostic algorithm, with recommendations for a pragmatic guideline for everyday practice that was directed by real-life patient experiences.The TF support the initial use of spirometry followed, and if airway obstruction is present, by bronchodilator reversibility testing. If initial spirometry fails to show obstruction, further tests should be performed in the following order: FeNO, PEF variability or in secondary care, bronchial challenge. We present the thresholds for each test that are compatible with a diagnosis of asthma in the presence of current symptoms.The TF reinforce the priority to undertake spirometry and recognise the value of measuring blood eosinophils and serum IgE to phenotype the patient. Measuring gas trapping by body plethysmography in patients with preserved FEV1/FVC ratio deserves further attention. The TF draw attention on the difficulty of making a correct diagnosis in patients already receiving inhaled corticosteroids, the comorbidities that may obscure the diagnosis, the importance of phenotyping, and the necessity to consider the patient experience in the diagnostic process.

EAACI position paper on the clinical use of the bronchial allergen challenge: Unmet needs and research priorities.

Allergic asthma (AA) is a common asthma phenotype, and its diagnosis requires both the demonstration of IgE-sensitization to aeroallergens and the causative role of this sensitization as a major driver of asthma symptoms. Therefore, a bronchial allergen challenge (BAC) would be occasionally required to identify AA patients among atopic asthmatics. Nevertheless, BAC is usually considered a research tool only, with existing protocols being tailored to mild asthmatics and research needs (eg long washout period for inhaled corticosteroids). Consequently, existing BAC protocols are not designed to be performed in moderate-to-severe asthmatics or in clinical practice. The correct diagnosis of AA might help select patients for immunomodulatory therapies. Allergen sublingual immunotherapy is now registered and recommended for controlled or partially controlled patients with house dust mite-driven AA and with FEV1 ≥ 70%. Allergen avoidance is costly and difficult to implement for the management of AA, so the proper selection of patients is also beneficial. In this position paper, the EAACI Task Force proposes a methodology for clinical BAC that would need to be validated in future studies. The clinical implementation of BAC could ultimately translate into a better phenotyping of asthmatics in real life, and into a more accurate selection of patients for long-term and costly management pathways.

Long-term outcomes in chronic hypersensitivity pneumonitis.

INTRODUCTION: The objective of this study was to analyze mortality, possible predictors of long-term survival, and health-related quality of life of a large chronic hypersensitivity pneumonitis (CHP) patient sample. METHODS: Longitudinal study in patients diagnosed with CHP during 2004-2013, followed for at least 1 year. Patients remaining alive and consenting to participate had a follow-up visit during 2015, including a complete pulmonary function study and the EuroQol-5D and Beck Depression and Anxiety Inventories. RESULTS: Out of the 160 patients finally included, 87 remained alive. Seventy-three had died or underwent lung transplantation at the time of the study with a median survival of 7.0 (4.4-14.5) years. A Cox proportional risk model showed that factors associated with lower survival were as follows: increased age, a low percentage of lymphocytes in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL), a decreased transfer factor of the lung for carbonmonoxide (DLCO), presence of honeycomb in the high-resolution chest scan (HRCT), and the usual interstitial pneumonia (UIP) histologic pattern. At follow-up, all patients presented an EuroQol-5D score <0.8 and 21(50%) and 9(28.6%) subjects presented a probable anxiety and depressive syndrome, respectively. CONCLUSION: CHP is a severe disease with a bad mid-term prognosis. Lymphocyte values in BAL and DLCO values at baseline, presence of honeycomb in HRCT, and UIP histologic pattern were found to be predictors of survival. Early accurate diagnosis of the disease is fundamental for prompt initiation of antigen avoidance.

Specific inhalation challenge: the relationship between response, clinical variables and lung function.

INTRODUCTION: The specific inhalation challenge (SIC) is considered the gold standard for the diagnosis of occupational asthma (OA). However, its use is not standardised, and the intensity of exposure is regulated empirically. The aim of this study was to identify clinical variables and/or pulmonary function variables able to predict the scale of patients' response to SIC. MATERIAL AND METHODS: All patients who underwent SIC at our centre between 2005 and 2013 were studied. Anthropometric characteristics, atopic status, type of causal agent, latency times, pulmonary function tests and SIC results were analysed. RESULTS: Two hundred and one patients (51% men) were assessed, of whom 86 (43%) had positive SIC. In the patients with positive results, 29 (34%) were exposed to high molecular weight (HMW) agents and 57 (64%) to low molecular weight (LMW) agents. Patients with a positive SIC exposed to HMW agents had a higher fall in FEV1 after SIC compared with those exposed to LMW agents (p=0.036). The type of asthmatic reaction after SIC also differed between the groups (p=0.020). The logistic regression analysis showed that patients with a higher PC20 before SIC were less likely to have severe decreases in FEV1 after SIC after adjusting for potential confounders (OR=0.771, 95% CI 0.618 to 0.961, p=0.021). CONCLUSIONS: The scale of the response to SIC is influenced mainly by the degree of bronchial hyper-responsiveness, regardless of whether the causative agent is HMW or LMW, or whether the response is early or late.

Hypersensitivity Pneumonitis: Challenges in Diagnosis and Management, Avoiding Surgical Lung Biopsy.

This review presents an update of the currently available information related to hypersensitivity pneumonitis, with a particular focus on the contribution of several techniques in the diagnosis of this condition. The methods discussed include proper elaboration of a complete medical history, targeted auscultation, detection of specific immunoglobulin G antibodies against the most common antigens causing this disease, skin tests, antigen-specific lymphocyte activation assays, bronchoalveolar lavage, and cryobiopsy. Special emphasis is placed on the relevant contribution of specific inhalation challenge (bronchial challenge test). Surgical lung biopsy is presented as the ultimate recourse, to be used when the diagnosis cannot be reached through the other methods covered.

The Impact of the Reduction in Environmental Pollution during COVID-19 Lockdown on Healthy Individuals.

The lockdown imposed to combat the COVID-19 pandemic produced a historic fall in air pollution in cities like Barcelona. This exceptional situation offered a unique context in which to examine the effects of air pollutants on human health. The present study aims to determine and compare the oxidative stress biomarkers Th1/Th2 and inflammatory-related cytokines in healthy individuals first during lockdown and then six months after the easing of the restrictions on mobility. A prospective study of a representative sample of 58 healthy, non-smoking adults was carried out. During lockdown and six months post-easing of restrictions, blood samples were drawn to measure the percentage of eosinophils, levels of Th1/Th2 and inflammatory-related cytokines assessed by a multiplex assay (BioRad Laboratories S.A., Marnes-la-Coquette, France), and levels of 8-isoprostane, glutathione peroxidase activity, and myeloperoxidase (Cayman Chemical Co., Ann Arbor, MI, USA), to assess their value as biomarkers of oxidative stress. Six months after easing mobility restrictions, increases in the levels of 8-isoprostane (p < 0.0001), IL-1ß (p = 0.0013), IL-1ra (p = 0.0110), IL-4 (p < 0.0001), IL-13 (p < 0.0001), G-CSF (p = 0.0007), and CCL3 (p < 0.0001) were recorded, along with reductions in glutathione peroxidase (p < 0.0001), IFN-γ (p = 0.0145), TNFα (p < 0.0001), IP-10 (p < 0.0001), IL-2 (p < 0.0001), IL-7 (p < 0.0001), basic FGF (p < 0.0001), CCL4 (p < 0.0001), and CCL5 (p < 0.0001). No significant differences were observed in the rest of the biomarkers analyzed. The reduction in environmental pollution during the COVID-19 lockdown significantly lowered the levels of oxidative stress, systemic inflammation, and Th2-related cytokines in healthy people.

Increased TGFß1, VEGF and IFN-γ in the Sputum of Severe Asthma Patients With Bronchiectasis.

BACKGROUND: Bronchiectasis is one of the most common comorbidities in severe asthma. However, the mechanisms by which asthma promotes the development and progress of this condition are not well defined. This study aimed to analyze the inflammatory phenotypes and quantify the expression of proinflammatory and remodeling cytokines in asthma patients with and without bronchiectasis. METHODS: The study sample comprised individuals with severe asthma and bronchiectasis (group AB, n=55) and a control population of individuals with severe asthma without bronchiectasis (group AC, n=45). Induced sputum samples were obtained and cell types determined by differential cell count. Proinflammatory and bronchial remodeling cytokines (IL-8, neutrophilic elastase, TGFß1, VEGF, IFN-γ, TNF-α, and GM-CSF) were analyzed by immunoassay in sputum supernatant. RESULTS: Neutrophilic inflammation was the primary phenotype in both asthma groups. Higher levels of TGFß1, VEGF and IFN-γ were observed in asthma patients with bronchiectasis (group AB) than in controls (group AC) (15 vs 24pg/ml, p=0.014; 183 vs 272pg/ml, p=0.048; 0.85 vs 19pg/ml, p<0.001, respectively). Granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) levels were significantly lower in the AB group than in the AC group (1.2 vs 4.4pg/ml, p<0.001). IL-8, neutrophil elastase and TNF-α did not present significant differences between the groups. CONCLUSIONS: Raised levels of TGFß1 and VEGF cytokines may indicate airway remodeling activation in asthma patients with bronchiectasis. The type of inflammation in asthma patients did not differ according to the presence or absence of bronchiectasis.

The Role of Inflammatory Phenotype in Patients With Exacerbation-prone Asthma and Ongoing Therapy.

INTRODUCTION: The risk factors for having frequent exacerbations are not well documented in cohort studies of patients with asthma on existing therapy. The objective of the present study was to compare the clinical and inflammatory characteristics of patients with exacerbation-prone asthma (EPA) with a history of two or more exacerbations in the previous year with those who had presented just one or no exacerbation. METHODS: An ambispective observational study was conducted in a tertiary hospital. Patients diagnosed with moderate or severe asthma and ongoing therapy, whose inflammatory profile was determined by means of allergy and atopy status, blood eosinophilia and induced sputum were included. Patients were classified according to the number of asthma exacerbations in EPA (≥2 exacerbations in the previous year) vs. non-exacerbators (≤1 exacerbation in the previous year). Clinical, lung function and inflammatory characteristics of the two groups were compared. RESULTS: Three hundred ten patients were visited in the Asthma Unit in 2018 and the combination of atopy and allergy status, blood eosinophilia and induced sputum was obtained in 96 (31%) patients. Of this latter group, 46 patients (47%) presented EPA compared to 50 (53%) non-exacerbators. Airway and blood eosinophilic inflammation did not differ between EPA and non-exacerbators in patients with asthma and ongoing therapy, and it was not a risk factor for EPA in our cohort. CONCLUSION: Airway or blood type 2 inflammation status is not a valid tool for recognizing EPA or predicting asthma exacerbations in asthma patients following controller therapy.

Sensitization to avian and fungal proteins in different work environments.

INTRODUCTION: Hypersensitivity pneumonitis (HP) is usually caused by the inhalation of avian and fungal proteins. The present study assesses a cohort of Urban Pest Surveillance and Control Service (UPSCS) workers with high exposure to avian and fungal antigens, in order to identify their degree of sensitization and the potential risk of developing HP. METHODS: Workers were divided according to their work activity into Nest pruners (Group 1) and Others (Group 2). All individuals underwent a medical interview, pulmonary function tests and the determination of specific IgG antibodies. Antigenic proteins of pigeon sera were analysed using two-dimensional immunoblotting. Proteins of interest were sequenced by liquid-chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS). RESULTS: 101 workers were recruited (76 men, average age: 42 yrs); (Group 1 = 41, Group 2 = 60). Up to 30% of the study population exhibited increased levels of IgGs to pigeon, small parrot and parrot, and up to 60% showed high levels of Aspergillus and Penicillium IgGs. In Group 1, specific parakeet and Mucor IgGs were higher (p = 0.044 and 0.003 respectively) while DLCO/VA% were lower (p = 0.008) than in Group 2. Two-dimensional immunoblotting showed protein bands of 20-30 KDa recognized by HP patients but not by workers. LC-MS analysis identified Ig Lambda chain and Apolipoprotein A-I as candidate proteins for distinguishing HP patients from exposed workers. CONCLUSIONS: Two pigeon proteins were identified that may play a role in the development of pathological differences between HP patients and exposed workers. DLCO/VA may have a predictive value in the development of HP disease.

Addressing the unmet needs in patients with type 2 inflammatory diseases: when quality of life can make a difference.

Background: Patients with asthma (AS), atopic dermatitis (AD), allergic rhinitis (AR), eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE), chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP), chronic urticaria (CU), non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs-exacerbated respiratory disease (N-ERD), and certain phenotypes of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), among others, have a common underlying pathogenesis known as Type 2 inflammation (T2i). These diseases often coexist with other T2i conditions and have a substantial impact on the quality of life (QoL) of patients. However, limited data on patients' experiences, perspectives, and current management of T2i diseases have been published thus far. Aims: This survey, promoted by the patient-driven T2i Network Project, aimed at identifying the common drivers and challenges related to the QoL of patients with T2i diseases by putting the patient's perspective at the force and including it in the design of new care strategies. Methodology: An anonymous online survey was carried out through convenience sampling between May and June 2023. The survey was codesigned by members of different patient associations, healthcare professionals and healthcare quality experts, and implemented using EUSurvey and distributed through eight patient associations from Spain. The survey consisted of 29 questions related to the participant's sociodemographic features, a series of self-reported multiple choice or rating scale questions, including diagnosis, QoL measures, disease severity, healthcare resource utilization, and quality of care. Results: The survey included 404 participants, members from eight patient associations, the majority of whom had moderate-to-severe self-reported disease severity (93%) and one or more coexisting pathologies related to T2i (59%). Patients with more than one pathology had a significantly greater impact on QoL than those with only one pathology (p < .001). Participants with self-reported severe symptoms reported significantly worse QoL than those with mild-to-moderate severity (p < .001). More than half of the patients (56%) felt constantly bothered by the unpredictability of their illness caused by potential exposure to known or unknown disease triggers. The lack of coordination between specialists and primary care was also expressed as an area of dissatisfaction by participants, with 52% indicating a complete lack of coordination and 21% indicating an average coordination. Conclusion: This article reports the initial findings of a patient-led initiative, which highlights the common QoL challenges faced by individuals with type 2 inflammation-related diseases and emphasizes the importance of further clinical research to improve the management of this patient group. Considering the significant impact on QoL, a multidisciplinary approach integrated into new healthcare protocols has the potential to improve patient management and QoL, shorten the time to diagnosis and reduce healthcare resource utilization.

Characteristics and treatment patterns of patients with asthma on multiple-inhaler triple therapy in Spain.

The aim of this observational, retrospective study was to describe characteristics, treatment patterns, and adherence among patients with asthma who initiated multiple-inhaler triple therapy (MITT) in Catalonia, Spain. This study used data of patients initiating MITT in 2016 from the SIDIAP (Information System for Research in Primary Care) database, which covers ~80% of the Catalonian population (5.8 million). Of 1,204 patients initiating MITT, 361 (30.0%) stepped down (discontinued ≥ 1 and continued ≥1 MITT component) and 89 (7.4%) stopped all three components of MITT for a period of 60 days during the following 12 months. In the follow-up period, 196 (16.3%) patients were considered adherent to MITT (>0.8 proportion of days covered [PDC]), with a mean (standard deviation) PDC of 0.52 (0.51) days. Given the low adherence and substantial rates of step down/discontinuation among patients initiating MITT, there is an urgent need to implement strategies to improve treatment adherence/persistence.

YKL-40 and KL-6 Levels in Serum and Sputum of Patients Diagnosed With Hypersensitivity Pneumonitis.

BACKGROUND: YKL-40 (chitinase 3-like-1) and Krebs von den Lungen-6 (KL-6) are 2 promising biomarkers that may have an important role in the management of interstitial lung diseases (ILD). OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate the values of KL-6 and YKL-40 as biomarkers in the diagnosis and prognosis of patients with hypersensitivity pneumonitis (HP). METHODS: A cross-sectional study conducted in 49 patients diagnosed with HP due to exposure to birds (n = 32) or fungi (n = 17), 48 patients with other ILD, and 67 healthy volunteers. Patients with HP were divided into fibrotic and nonfibrotic. Serum and sputum YKL-40 and KL-6 levels were determined using commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kits. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were used to determine the sensitivity and specificity of both biomarkers for the diagnosis of HP. Pulmonary function tests were performed in patients during follow-up. RESULTS: KL-6 and YKL-40 levels were significantly higher in serum of patients with HP exposed to birds with a fibrotic pattern than in controls (P < .0001 and .0055, respectively). Serum KL-6 levels were also significantly higher in patients with fibrotic HP exposed to fungi compared with the control group (P = .0001). In patients with HP exposed to fungi, sputum KL-6 and YKL-40 levels were higher in those with a fibrotic pattern (P = .0289 and .016, respectively). ROC analysis showed that the range between 55-121 ng/mL for serum YKL-40 levels and 346-1441 U/mL for serum KL-6 levels had the best sensitivity and specificity for discriminating between patients with HP, healthy controls, and patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). In patients with HP, serum KL-6 levels correlated negatively with total lung capacity (r = -0.485; P = .0103) and diffusing capacity of the lungs for carbon monoxide (r = -0.534; P = .0002) at 12 months. CONCLUSIONS: Both KL-6 and YKL-40 proteins seem to be capable of distinguishing patients with HP from healthy individuals and from patients with IPF. Their sensitivity and specificity confirm their potential role as biomarkers. KL-6 may also be a predictor of disease progression.

Influence of the environment on the characteristics of asthma.

Few studies have compared the prevalence of asthma in urban and rural settings or explored the issue of whether these two manifestations of the disease may represent different phenotypes. The aim of this study was: (a) to establish whether the prevalence of asthma differs between rural and urban settings, and b) to identify differences in the clinical presentation of asthma in these two environments. Descriptive epidemiological study involving individuals aged 18 or over from a rural (n = 516) and an urban population (n = 522). In the first phase, individuals were contacted by letter in order to organize the administration of a first validated questionnaire (Q1) designed to establish the possible prevalence of bronchial asthma. In the second phase, patients who had presented association patterns in the set of variables related to asthma in Q1 completed a second validated questionnaire (Q2), designed to identify the characteristics of asthma. According to Q1, the prevalence of asthma was 15% (n = 78) and 11% (n = 59) in rural and urban populations respectively. Sixty-five individuals with asthma from the rural population and all 59 individuals from the urban population were contacted and administered the Q2. Thirty-seven per cent of the individuals surveyed had previously been diagnosed with bronchial asthma (35% in the rural population and 40% in the urban setting). In the urban asthmatic population there was a predominance of women, a greater personal history of allergic rhinitis and a family history of allergic rhinitis and/or eczema. Asthma was diagnosed in adulthood in 74.8% of the patients, with no significant differences between the two populations. Regarding symptoms, cough (morning, daytime and night) and expectoration were more frequent in the urban population. The prevalence of asthma does not differ between urban and rural settings. The differences in exposure that characterize each environment may lead to different manifestations of the disease and may also affect its severity.

Results of a Phase 2b Trial With GB001, a Prostaglandin D2 Receptor 2 Antagonist, in Moderate to Severe Eosinophilic Asthma.

BACKGROUND: Prostaglandin D2 receptor 2 (DP2) antagonists inhibit prostaglandin D2-induced effects, including recruitment and activation of cells driving asthma pathogenesis. However, challenges identifying target population and end points persist. RESEARCH QUESTION: What is the effect of the DP2 antagonist GB001 on asthma worsening in patients with moderate to severe eosinophilic asthma? STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: In this phase IIb, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, dose-ranging, parallel-group, multicenter study, GB001 or placebo was added to standard-of-care treatment in patients with moderate to severe asthma with a blood eosinophil count ≥ 250 cells/µL. Patients aged ≥ 18 years to < 75 years received one of four once-daily treatments (GB001 20 mg, 40 mg, or 60 mg or placebo). The primary end point was the proportion of patients who experienced asthma worsening by 24 weeks. Efficacy analyses were performed for the intention-to-treat population and safety analyses for patients who received at least one dose of study treatment. RESULTS: A total of 480 patients were treated. The ORs for asthma worsening for GB001 20 mg, 40 mg, and 60 mg vs placebo were 0.674 (95% CI, 0.398-1.142), 0.677 (95% CI, 0.399-1.149), and 0.651 (95% CI, 0.385-1.100), respectively. Analysis according to baseline blood eosinophil levels and/or fractional exhaled nitric oxide did not show greater treatment effects with higher values. Elevated liver aminotransferase levels and adverse events leading to discontinuation were more frequent for GB001 60 mg than with placebo, GB001 20 mg, and GB001 40 mg. INTERPRETATION: Although GB001 did not significantly reduce the odds of asthma worsening, reductions favoring GB001 were observed. Treatment effects were consistent regardless of high/low type 2 phenotype. The overall safety profile was acceptable, although GB001 60 mg was associated with risk of liver injury. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov; No.: NCT03683576; URL: www. CLINICALTRIALS: gov.

Efficacy and safety of once-daily single-inhaler triple therapy in patients with inadequately controlled asthma: the CAPTAIN trial.

Triple therapy with FF/UMEC/VI improved lung function in patients with moderate or severe uncontrolled asthma on ICS/LABA but did not lead to a reduction in moderate and/or severe exacerbations https://bit.ly/38UnuRW.

Risk factors for the development of bronchiectasis in patients with asthma.

Though asthma and bronchiectasis are two different diseases, their coexistence has been demonstrated in many patients. The aim of the present study is to compare the characteristics of asthmatic patients with and without bronchiectasis and to assess risk factors for the development of this condition. Two hundred and twenty-four moderate-severe asthmatic patients were included. The severity of bronchiectasis was assessed by Reiff and FACED parameters. Logistic regression was used to identify independent factors associated with bronchiectasis. Bronchiectasis was identified in 78 asthma patients. In severe asthma patients, its prevalence was 56.9%. Bronchiectasis was defined as mild in81% of patients using modified Reiff criteria and in 74% using FACED criteria. Asthmatic patients with bronchiectasis had decreasing FEV1, FVC and FEV1/FVC (p = 0.002, 0.005 and 0.014 respectively), presented more frequent asthma exacerbations (p < 0.001) and worse asthma control (ACT 21 vs 16pts, p < 0.001). Factors independently associated with bronchiectasis were older age (42-65 years: OR, 3.99; 95% CI 1.60 to 9.95, P = 0.003; ≥ 65 years: OR, 2.91; 95% CI 1.06 to 8.04, P = 0.039), severe asthma grade (OR, 8.91; 95% CI 3.69 to 21.49; P < 0.001) and frequency of asthma exacerbations (OR, 4.43; 95% CI 1.78 to 11.05; P < 0.001). In patients with severe asthma, age of asthma onset (OR, 1.02; 95% CI 1.01 to 1.04; P = 0.015) and asthma exacerbations (OR, 4.88; 95% CI 1.98 to 12.03; P = 0.001) were independently associated with the development of bronchiectasis. The prevalence of bronchiectasis in severe asthmatic patients is high. Age of asthma onset and exacerbations were independent factors associated with the occurrence of bronchiectasis.

Is asthma a risk factor for COVID-19? Are phenotypes important?

These results reaffirm the idea that asthma does not appear to be a risk factor for the development of #COVID19. However, most of the asthma patients in this study had a non-T2 phenotype. https://bit.ly/38hIp18.

Hypersensitivity Pneumonitis and (Idiopathic) Pulmonary Fibrosis Due to Feather Duvets and Pillows.

INTRODUCTION: Exposure to feather bedding may be an unnoticed cause of hypersensitivity pneumonitis (HP) and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). Thus, an in-depth clinical study of the diagnosis of patients with suspected HP and IPF is required in order to determine their etiologies. The objective of the present study is to raise awareness of HP and pulmonary fibrosis due to exposure to feather bedding, and to study the prevalence and describe long-term outcomes. METHODS: We describe a series of 33 patients diagnosed with HP and pulmonary fibrosis due to feather bedding exposure and followed over a 10-year period. The patients were from a subgroup of 127 individuals with HP undergoing in-depth evaluation using a diagnostic protocol at a regional referral center. RESULTS: Eleven (33%) patients were clinically diagnosed with acute HP and 22 (67%) with chronic HP. Ten (45%) chronic HP patients showed a high resolution computed tomography (HRCT) pattern of usual interstitial pneumonia (UIP) with suspected IPF. The prevalence of HP was 6.2/100 000 feather bedding users (compared with 54.6 per 100 000 bird-breeders). The survival rates of patients over the 10-year period was 100% for acute HP and 64% for chronic HP. CONCLUSIONS: In a series of HP patients, the diagnosis was attributed to feather bedding exposure in 26%. UIP pattern on HRCT was present in nearly half of the chronic cases. The survival of patients with chronic HP at ten years was 64%, despite avoiding further exposure.

Prediction Equations for Maximal Aerobic Capacity on Cycle Ergometer for the Spanish Adult Population.

BACKGROUND: Frequently used reference values for clinical exercise testing have been derived from non-random samples and some with poorly defined maximal criteria. Our objective was to obtain population based reference values for peak oxygen uptake (V?O2) and work rate (WR) for cardiopulmonary exercise testing in a representative sample of Caucasian Spanish men and women. METHODS: 182 men and women, 20-85 years old, were included and exercised on cycle-ergometer to exhaustion. (V?O2) and WR were measured. The equations obtained from this sample were validated in an independent cohort of 69 individuals, randomly sampled form the same population. Then a final equation merging the two cohorts (=251) was produced. RESULTS: Height, sex and age resulted predictive of both V?O2 peak and WR. Weight and physical activity added very little to the accuracy to the equations. The formulas V?O2peak=0.017·height?(cm)-0.023·age?(years)+0.864·sex?(female=0/male=1)±179?l?min-1, and peak WR=1.345 · height (cm) - 2.074 · age (years)+76.54 · sex (female=0/male=1)±21.2W were the best compromise between accuracy and parsimony. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides new and accurate V?O2 peak and WR rate reference values for individuals of European Spanish descent.