Obesity may be a risk factor for transbronchial lung cryobiopsy-related adverse events in Japanese patients with interstitial lung disease.

BACKGROUND: Transbronchial lung cryobiopsy (TBLC) is known to be associated with a high incidence of adverse events. However, few studies have investigated the correlation between obesity and the risk of TBLC-related adverse events, especially in Asians, who are known to have characteristic differences in height and weight as compared to individuals of other ethnicities. METHODS: We retrospectively assessed 102 Japanese patients who underwent TBLC for the diagnosis of interstitial lung disease to evaluate the correlation between patient characteristics and the occurrence of TBLC-related adverse events (hemorrhage, pneumothorax, and acute exacerbation of interstitial lung disease). RESULTS: TBLC-related adverse events occurred in 19 patients (18.6 %), with hemorrhage being the most common adverse event (in 14 patients, 13.7 %). There was no correlation between age, sex, or pulmonary function test results and the occurrence of adverse events. The body mass index (BMI) cut-off predicting the occurrence of all adverse events was 26.6 kg/m2 (sensitivity of 0.389 and specificity of 0.852), and that predicting the occurrence of adverse events of hemorrhage was 26.8 kg/m2 (sensitivity of 0.462 and specificity of 0.907). Among patients with a BMI >26.8 kg/m2, adverse events of hemorrhage occurred in 37.5 % of cases, which was higher than among those with a BMI <26.8 kg/m2. CONCLUSIONS: Obesity is a risk factor for the incidence of TBLC-related adverse events, particularly adverse events of hemorrhage, in Japanese patients. The BMI cut-off values that predicted an increased frequency of TBLC-related adverse events and hemorrhage specifically were 26.6 and 26.8 kg/m2, respectively.

Clinical significance of high monocyte counts for the continuous treatment with nintedanib.

BACKGROUND: Nintedanib is now widely used to treat interstitial lung disease (ILD). Adverse events, which occur in not a few patients, make it difficult to continue nintedanib treatment, but the risk factors for adverse events are not well understood. METHODS: In this retrospective cohort study, we enrolled 111 patients with ILDs treated with nintedanib and investigated the factors involved in starting dosage reduction, withdrawal, or discontinuation within 12 months, even with appropriate symptomatic treatment. We also examined the efficacy of nintedanib in reducing the frequency of acute exacerbations and the prevention of pulmonary function reduction. RESULTS: Patients with high monocyte counts (> 0.454 × 109/L) had a significantly higher frequency of treatment failure, such as dosage reduction, withdrawal, or discontinuation. High monocyte count was as significant a risk factor as body surface area (BSA). Regarding efficacy, there was no difference in the frequency of acute exacerbations or the amount of decline in pulmonary function within 12 months between the normal (300 mg) and reduced (200 mg) starting dosage groups. CONCLUSION: Our study results indicate that patients with higher monocyte counts (> 0.454 × 109/L) should very careful about side effects with regard to nintedanib administration. Like BSA, a higher monocyte count is considered a risk factor for nintedanib treatment failure. There was no difference in FVC decline and frequency of acute exacerbations between the starting doseage of nintedanib, 300 mg and 200 mg. Considering the risk of withdrawal periods and discontinuation, a reduced starting dosage may be acceptable in the patients with higher monocyte counts or small body sizes.

A Cluster of Paragonimiasis with Delayed Diagnosis Due to Difficulty Distinguishing Symptoms from Post-COVID-19 Respiratory Symptoms: A Report of Five Cases.

Paragonimiasis caused by trematodes belonging to the genus Paragonimus is often accompanied by chronic respiratory symptoms such as cough, the accumulation of sputum, hemoptysis, and chest pain. Prolonged symptoms, including respiratory symptoms, after coronavirus disease 2019 infection (COVID-19) are collectively called post-COVID-19 conditions. Paragonimiasis and COVID-19 may cause similar respiratory symptoms. We encountered five cases of paragonimiasis in patients in Japan for whom diagnoses were delayed due to the initial characterization of the respiratory symptoms as a post-COVID-19 condition. The patients had consumed homemade drunken freshwater crabs together. One to three weeks after consuming the crabs, four of the five patients were diagnosed with probable COVID-19. The major symptoms reported included cough, dyspnea, and chest pain. The major imaging findings were pleural effusion, pneumothorax, and nodular lesions of the lung. All the patients were diagnosed with paragonimiasis based on a serum antibody test and peripheral blood eosinophilia (560-15,610 cells/µL) and were treated successfully with 75 mg/kg/day praziquantel for 3 days. Before diagnosing a post-COVID-19 condition, it is necessary to consider whether other diseases, including paragonimiasis, may explain the symptoms. Further, chest radiographic or blood tests should be performed in patients with persistent respiratory symptoms after being infected with COVID-19 to avoid overlooking the possibility of infection.

Acute exacerbation of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis after bivalent {tozinameran and famtozinameran} mRNA COVID-19 vaccination.

An 82-year-old man diagnosed with interstitial lung disease through computed tomography (CT) 1 year prior received a bivalent (tozinameran and famtozinameran) mRNA COVID-19 vaccine. He developed respiratory symptoms 1.5 months later, and chest high-resolution CT revealed new ground-glass opacities showing traction bronchiectasis. Transbronchial lung cryobiopsy revealed organizing acute lung injury and fibrosis with architectural destruction. The patient was diagnosed with an acute exacerbation of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (AE-IPF). The bivalent mRNA COVID-19 vaccination was determined as the cause of the AE-IPF based on detailed medical history and examination findings. High-dose corticosteroid therapy improved the patient's symptoms and radiological findings.

IgG4-related lung disease with a desquamative interstitial pneumonia pattern radiologically and pathologically.

A man in his 60s exhibited persistent dry cough and dyspnoea, which persisted even after smoking cessation. Chest high-resolution CT showed diffuse ground-glass opacities in the subpleural areas of both lungs. He underwent bronchoscopy, but no definitive diagnosis could be made. Histopathological analysis of the specimen obtained by surgical lung biopsy showed a desquamative interstitial pneumonia (DIP) pattern, with lymphocyte and plasma cell infiltrates in the alveolar septa; the ratio of IgG and IgG4-positive cells was more than 90%. He quit smoking, but the radiological findings worsened. Based on the pathological findings, we diagnosed the patient with DIP due to IgG4-related lung disease. Prednisolone was initiated, and the symptoms and radiological findings improved.

Poor Asthma Control in Schoolchildren May Lead to Lower Lung Function Trajectory from Childhood to Early Adulthood: A Japanese Cohort Study.

Purpose: Although childhood asthma is a risk factor for adult lung function disorders, the correlation between childhood asthma control level and lung function growth remains unclear in Japan. The correlation between childhood asthma control and early adulthood lung function growth was investigated in this study. Patients and Methods: We included 505 children with asthma from the Omuta City Air Pollution-Related Health Damage Cohort Program. The characteristics and lung function of girls and boys aged 6-11 years and 12-17 years were compared between poor and good asthma control groups. Results: Among the 505 children, 214 (42.4%) showed poor asthma control. The mean percentage forced expiratory volume in 1 second predicted for girls and boys aged 6-11 years (80.2% and 79.2%, respectively) and 12-17 years (80.0% and 81.1%, respectively) in the poor control group was significantly lower than those of girls and boys aged 6-11 years (87.9% and 87.3%, respectively) and 12-17 years (88.1% and 87.8%, respectively) in the good control group. However, a linear regression model did not reveal between-group differences in the slopes of lung function growth for both sexes. Girls (24.6%, P < 0.0001) and boys (24.4%, P = 0.0026) in the poor control group had a significantly higher proportion of young adults with obstructive ventilatory patterns than girls (1.4%) and boys (8.1%) in the good control group. Conclusion: Our findings revealed that poor childhood asthma control leaded to lung function disorders, which suggest the importance of early asthma control in school children.

A Case of Autoimmune Pulmonary Alveolar Proteinosis with Pulmonary Fibrosis and Asbestosis-Like Features.

A 78-year-old man who had worked in the building industry visited our hospital because of groundglass opacity with smoothly thickened, intralobular interstitial lines and interlobular septal lines on chest high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT). HRCT image also showed a focal area of reticulation and pleural thickening. Lung specimens obtained by surgical lung biopsy showed accumulations of intra-alveolar periodic acid-Schiffpositive materials, usual interstitial pneumonia (UIP)-like subpleural lung fibrosis and asbestos bodies (1 body/cm2 in high-power field, ×400). Serum granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor autoantibody was positive. The patient was diagnosed as having autoimmune pulmonary alveolar proteinosis (PAP) and needed differential diagnosis from secondary PAP caused from pulmonary asbestosis and UIP. Careful observation of the manifestations of pulmonary asbestosis and the progression of fibrosis using HRCT will be necessary in this patient.

Lung Cancer with a Small Cell Carcinoma Component Diagnosed from Pleural Effusion and a Squamous Cell Carcinoma Component Diagnosed from the Tumor.

There have been few reports on the accuracy of the diagnosis of small-cell carcinoma based on a cytological examination of malignant pleural effusion, so whether or not such a diagnosis is possible using this approach alone remains unclear. We herein report a 76-year-old Japanese man in whom small-cell carcinoma was diagnosed cytopathologically from pleural effusion and squamous cell carcinoma was diagnosed histopathologically from a transbronchial biopsy. Tumor shrinkage was achieved by treatment with docetaxel, but the efficacy of carboplatin plus etoposide was inadequate. If small-cell carcinoma is detected on the basis of pleural fluid cytopathology alone, it is extremely important to perform a histopathological examination to rule out the possibility of other malignancies.