Nine-Year Trend in the Prevalence of Allergic Diseases and Their Associated Factors in Young Adults.

INTRODUCTION: Notably, few studies have evaluated the recent changes in the prevalence of allergic diseases in young adults. Studies examining the risk of allergy in two populations with similar social backgrounds, other than the region in which they live, are rare. METHODS: First-year students from Hokkaido University were enrolled in this study between 2011 and 2019. A questionnaire survey was conducted to determine the annual prevalence of current wheeze, seasonal allergic rhinitis (SAR), and perennial allergic rhinitis (PAR) in nonsmoking young adults. Trends in the presence of these disease conditions were evaluated based on their hometowns (Hokkaido and outside Hokkaido separately) due to the low prevalence of cedar pollen allergies in Hokkaido. The association between these disease conditions and body mass index (BMI) was also assessed. RESULTS: The prevalence of current wheeze and PAR food allergies did not change in both regions. SAR showed a significantly increasing trend; however, the prevalence of SAR was higher among those whose place of origin was not Hokkaido. Current wheeze was positively associated with obesity (p < 0.05), whereas the high prevalence of SAR was not associated with body weight. In contrast, a lean body type was significantly associated with a higher prevalence of PAR (p < 0.05). DISCUSSION/CONCLUSION: The prevalence of current wheeze was stable and that of PAR has decreased over the past 9 years. However, the prevalence of SAR in Hokkaido has been increasing in Japanese young adults. A differential association between current wheeze and BMI was observed when comparing PAR and SAR.

Applicable predictive factors extracted from peak flow trajectory for the prediction of asthma exacerbation.

BACKGROUND: Real-time asthma exacerbation prediction and acute asthma attack detection are essential for patients with severe asthma. Peak expiratory flow (PEF) exhibits a potential for use in long-term asthma self-monitoring. However, the method for processing PEF calculations remains to be clarified. OBJECTIVE: To develop clinically applicable novel exacerbation predictors calculated using PEF records. METHODS: Previously proposed exacerbation predictors, including the slope of PEF, percentage predicted PEF, percentage best PEF, the highest PEF over the lowest PEF within specific periods, and PEF coefficient of variation, in addition to a novel indicator delta PEF moving average (ΔMA), defined as the difference between 14-day and 3-day average PEF values, along with moving average (MA) adjusted for PEF reference (%ΔMA), were verified using the Hokkaido-based Investigative Cohort Analysis for Refractory Asthma data of 127 patients with severe asthma from whom 73,503 PEF observations were obtained. Receiver operating characteristic curves for all predictors were drawn, and the corresponding areas under the curve (AUCs) were computed. Regression analysis for MA and percentage MA were conducted. RESULTS: The most outstanding performance was shown by ΔMA and %ΔMA, with AUC values of 0.659 and 0.665 in the univariate model, respectively. When multivariate models were incorporated with random intercepts for individual participants, the AUC for ΔMA and %ΔMA increased to 0.907 and 0.919, respectively. CONCLUSION: The MA and percentage MA are valuable indicators that should be considered when deriving predictors from the PEF trajectory for monitoring exacerbations in patients with severe asthma. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The Hokkaido-based Investigative Cohort Analysis for Refractory Asthma was registered in the University Hospital Medical Information Network Clinical Trials Registry (UMIN ID: 000003254). https://center6.umin.ac.jp/cgi-open-bin/ctr_e/ctr_view.cgi?recptno=R000003917.

Computed tomography mucus plugs and airway tree structure in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: Associations with airflow limitation, health-related independence and mortality.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Mucus plugs and underlying airway tree structure can affect airflow limitation and prognosis in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), but their relative roles are unclear. This study used two COPD cohorts to examine whether mucus plugs on computed tomography (CT) were associated with airflow limitation and clinical outcomes independent of other airway structural changes and emphysema. METHODS: Based on visual CT assessment, patients with mucus plugs in 0, 1-2 and ≥3 lung segments were assigned to no-, low- and high-mucus groups. Loss of health-related independence and mortality were prospectively recorded for 3 and 10 years in the Kyoto-Himeji and Hokkaido cohorts, respectively. The percentages of the wall area of the central airways (WA%), total airway count (TAC) and emphysema were quantified on CT. RESULTS: Of 199 and 96 patients in the Kyoto-Himeji and Hokkaido cohorts, 34% and 30%, respectively, had high mucus scores. In both cohorts, TAC was lower in the high-mucus group than in the no-mucus group, whereas their emphysema severity did not differ. High mucus score and low TAC were independently associated with airflow limitation after adjustment for WA% and emphysema. In multivariable models adjusted for WA% and emphysema, TAC, rather than mucus score, was associated with a greater rate of loss of independence, whereas high mucus score, rather than TAC, was associated with increased mortality. CONCLUSION: Mucus plugs and lower airway branch count on CT had distinct roles in airflow limitation, health-related independence and mortality in patients with COPD.

Subtyping emphysematous COPD by respiratory volume change distributions on CT.

BACKGROUND: There is considerable heterogeneity among patients with emphysematous chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). We hypothesised that in addition to emphysema severity, ventilation distribution in emphysematous regions would be associated with clinical-physiological impairments in these patients. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate whether the discordance between respiratory volume change distributions (from expiration to inspiration) in emphysematous and non-emphysematous regions affects COPD outcomes using two cohorts. METHODS: Emphysema was quantified using a low attenuation volume percentage on inspiratory CT (iLAV%). Local respiratory volume changes were calculated using non-rigidly registered expiratory/inspiratory CT. The Ventilation Discordance Index (VDI) represented the log-transformed Wasserstein distance quantifying discordance between respiratory volume change distributions in emphysematous and non-emphysematous regions. RESULTS: Patients with COPD in the first cohort (n=221) were classified into minimal emphysema (iLAV% <10%; n=113) and established emphysema with high VDI and low VDI groups (n=46 and 62, respectively). Forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1) was lower in the low VDI group than in the other groups, with no difference between the high VDI and minimal emphysema groups. Higher iLAV%, more severe airway disease and hyperventilated emphysematous regions in the upper-middle lobes were independently associated with lower VDI. The second cohort analyses (n=93) confirmed these findings and showed greater annual FEV1 decline and higher mortality in the low VDI group than in the high VDI group independent of iLAV% and airway disease on CT. CONCLUSION: Lower VDI is associated with severe airflow limitation and higher mortality independent of emphysema severity and airway morphological changes in patients with emphysematous COPD.

Apoptosis inhibitor of macrophage (AIM)/CD5L is involved in the pathogenesis of COPD.

BACKGROUND: Alveolar macrophages (AMs) and AM-produced matrix metalloprotease (MMP)-12 are known to play critical roles in the pathogenesis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The apoptosis inhibitor of the macrophages (AIM)/CD5 molecule-like (CD5L) is a multifunctional protein secreted by the macrophages that mainly exists in the blood in a combined form with the immunoglobulin (Ig)M pentamer. Although AIM has both facilitative and suppressive roles in various diseases, its role in COPD remains unclear. METHODS: We investigated the role of AIM in COPD pathogenesis using porcine pancreas elastase (PPE)-induced and cigarette smoke-induced emphysema mouse models and an in vitro model using AMs. We also analyzed the differences in the blood AIM/IgM ratio among nonsmokers, healthy smokers, and patients with COPD and investigated the association between the blood AIM/IgM ratio and COPD exacerbations and mortality in patients with COPD. RESULTS: Emphysema formation, inflammation, and cell death in the lungs were attenuated in AIM-/- mice compared with wild-type (WT) mice in both PPE- and cigarette smoke-induced emphysema models. The PPE-induced increase in MMP-12 was attenuated in AIM-/- mice at both the mRNA and protein levels. According to in vitro experiments using AMs stimulated with cigarette smoke extract, the MMP-12 level was decreased in AIM-/- mice compared with WT mice. This decrease was reversed by the addition of recombinant AIM. Furthermore, an analysis of clinical samples showed that patients with COPD had a higher blood AIM/IgM ratio than healthy smokers. Additionally, the blood AIM/IgM ratio was positively associated with disease severity in patients with COPD. A higher AIM/IgM ratio was also associated with a shorter time to the first COPD exacerbation and higher all-cause and respiratory mortality. CONCLUSIONS: AIM facilitates the development of COPD by upregulating MMP-12. Additionally, a higher blood AIM/IgM ratio was associated with poor prognosis in patients with COPD. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This clinical study, which included nonsmokers, healthy smokers, and smokers with COPD, was approved by the Ethics Committee of the Hokkaido University Hospital (012-0075, date of registration: September 5, 2012). The Hokkaido COPD cohort study was approved by the Ethics Committee of the Hokkaido University School of Medicine (med02-001, date of registration: December 25, 2002).

Impact of cancer on the prevalence, management, and outcome of patients with chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension.

INTRODUCTION: Chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) results from unresolved thrombotic obstruction of the pulmonary vasculature. Cancer is a known risk factor for CTEPH. This study aimed to determine the impact of cancer on the prevalence, management, and outcomes of patients with CTEPH. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this retrospective study involving 99 patients sequentially diagnosed with CTEPH in our hospital, the prevalence of 10 comorbid conditions including a past history of cancer at the time of CTEPH diagnosis were calculated. RESULTS: Among the 99 patients, 17 (17%) had a history of cancer. Breast cancer (n = 6) was the most common cancer type, followed by gastrointestinal cancer (n = 3), uterine cancer (n = 2), and malignant lymphoma (n = 2). Between patients with and without cancer, there were no differences in the demographics, severity of CTEPH, and management; however, the 5-year survival rate was lower for patients with cancer (65%) than for those without (89%). In addition, patients with cancer had significantly worse survival than those without (p = 0.03 by log-rank test). During follow-up, nine patients developed cancer after the diagnosis of CTEPH. Among the 99 patients, 13 died during follow-up, 6 (46%) of whom died of cancer. CONCLUSIONS: 17% of our patients with CETPH were diagnosed with cancer, with breast and gastrointestinal tract cancers being the most common. Cancer comorbidity was associated with a poor prognosis and contributed to death in 46% of deceased patients. The impact of cancer on CTEPH should be further evaluated in the future.

Quantitative Evaluation of Changes in Three-Dimensional CT Density Distributions in Pulmonary Alveolar Proteinosis after GM-CSF Inhalation.

BACKGROUND: A previous clinical trial for autoimmune pulmonary alveolar proteinosis (APAP) demonstrated that granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) inhalation reduced the mean density of the lung field on computed tomography (CT) across 18 axial slice planes at a two-dimensional level. In contrast, in this study, we challenged three-dimensional analysis for changes in CT density distribution using the same datasets. METHODS: As a sub-study of the trial, CT data of 31 and 27 patients who received GM-CSF and placebo, respectively, were analyzed. To overcome the difference between various shooting conditions, a newly developed automatic lung field segmentation algorithm was applied to CT data to extract the whole lung volume, and the accuracy of the segmentation was evaluated by five pulmonary physicians independently. For normalization, the percent pixel (PP) in a certain density range was calculated as a percentage of the total number of pixels from -1,000 to 0 HU. RESULTS: The automatically segmented images revealed that the lung field was accurately extracted except for 7 patients with minor deletion or addition. Using the change in PP from baseline to week 25 (ΔPP) as the vertical axis, we created a histogram with 143 HU bins set for each patient. The most significant difference in ΔPP between GM-CSF and placebo groups was observed in two ranges: from -1,000 to -857 and -143 to 0 HU. CONCLUSION: Whole lung extraction followed by density histogram analysis of ΔPP may be an appropriate evaluation method for assessing CT improvement in APAP.

Parenchymal destruction in asthma: Fixed airflow obstruction and lung function trajectory.

BACKGROUND: Fixed airflow obstruction (FAO) in asthma, particularly in nonsmokers, is generally believed to be caused by airway remodeling. However, parenchymal destruction may also contribute to FAO and longitudinal decline in forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1). OBJECTIVES: To evaluate parenchymal destruction, we used emphysema indices, exponent D, and low-attenuation area percentage (LAA%) on computed tomography (CT), and test whether the parenchymal destruction and airway disease are independently associated with FAO and FEV1 decline in both smoking and nonsmoking asthma. METHODS: Exponent D, LAA%, wall area percentage at segmental airways, and airway fractal dimension (AFD) in those with asthma were measured on inspiratory CT and compared to those in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). RESULTS: Exponent D was lower and LAA% was higher in COPD (n = 42) and asthma with FAO (n = 101) than in asthma without FAO (n = 88). The decreased exponent D and increased LAA% were associated with FAO regardless of smoking status or asthma severity. In multivariable analysis, decreased exponent D and increased LAA% were associated with an increased odds ratio of FAO and decreased FEV1, irrespective of wall area percentage and airway fractal dimension. Moreover, decreased exponent D affected the longitudinal decline in FEV1 in those with severe asthma, independent of smoking status. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with asthma with FAO showed parenchymal destruction regardless of smoking status and asthma severity. Parenchymal destruction was associated with an accelerated FEV1 decline, suggesting the involvements of both airway and parenchyma in the pathophysiology of a subgroup of asthma.

Blood eosinophil count variability in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and severe asthma.

BACKGROUND: Blood eosinophils are essential biomarkers that vary substantially over time in patients with COPD and asthma. However, no study has identified the changes and effects in the changes of the blood eosinophil counts over time in both diseases. This study aimed to demonstrate blood eosinophil variability in patients with COPD and severe asthma based on these backgrounds. METHODS: A total of 172 patients with COPD from the Hokkaido COPD cohort study and 96 patients with severe asthma from the Hokkaido Severe Asthma Cohort Study, whose blood eosinophil counts were measured annually over a 3-year period, were analyzed. The factors contributing to consistently high or low blood eosinophil counts were examined in each cohort. The stability of the eosinophil classification (<150, 150-299, ≥300 cells/µL) was compared based on the number of asthma-like features in patients with COPD and the smoking status in patients with severe asthma. RESULTS: Among all the patients, the most stable range of baseline blood eosinophil counts differed between the two diseases, with <150 cells/µL in COPD and ≥300 cells/µL in severe asthma. In COPD, the number of asthma-like features (bronchodilator reversibility, blood eosinophilia, and atopy) affects the blood eosinophil count variation patterns. In severe asthma, smoking status did not affect the blood eosinophil count variation patterns. CONCLUSIONS: We identified variations in the blood eosinophil counts and their contributing factors in patients with COPD and severe asthma.

Differential role of mucus plugs in asthma: Effects of smoking and association with airway inflammation.

BACKGROUND: The physiological importance of mucus plugs in computed tomography (CT) imaging is being increasingly recognized. However, whether airway inflammation and smoking affect the association between mucus plugs and clinical-physiological outcomes in asthma remains to be elucidated. The objective of this study is to examine how airway inflammation and/or smoking affect the correlation of CT-based mucus plug scores with exacerbation frequency and airflow limitation indices in asthma. METHODS: A total of 168 patients with asthma who underwent chest CT and sputum evaluation were enrolled and classified in eosinophilic asthma (EA; n = 103) and non-eosinophilic asthma (NEA; n = 65) groups based on sputum eosinophil percentage (cut-off: 3%). The mucus plug score was defined as the number of lung segments with mucus plugs seen on CT. RESULTS: More mucus plugs were detected on CT scans in the EA group than in the NEA group, regardless of smoking status. Mucus plug score and exacerbation frequency during one year after enrollment were significantly associated in the EA group but not in the NEA group after adjusting for demographics, blood eosinophil count, and fractional exhaled nitric oxide. Mucus plug score was associated with percentage of predicted forced expiratory volume in 1 s in non-smoking individuals in the EA and NEA group and in smoking individuals in the EA group but not in the NEA group after adjusting for demographics. CONCLUSIONS: The association of mucus plug score with exacerbation frequency and reduced lung function may vary due to airway inflammatory profile and smoking status in asthma.

Inhaled GM-CSF for Pulmonary Alveolar Proteinosis.

BACKGROUND: Pulmonary alveolar proteinosis is a disease characterized by abnormal accumulation of surfactant in the alveoli. Most cases are autoimmune and are associated with an autoantibody against granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) that prevents clearing of pulmonary surfactant by alveolar macrophages. An open-label, phase 2 study showed some therapeutic efficacy of inhaled recombinant human GM-CSF in patients with severe pulmonary alveolar proteinosis; however, the efficacy in patients with mild-to-moderate disease remains unclear. METHODS: We conducted a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of daily inhaled recombinant human GM-CSF (sargramostim), at a dose of 125 µg twice daily for 7 days, every other week for 24 weeks, or placebo in 64 patients with autoimmune pulmonary alveolar proteinosis who had a partial pressure of arterial oxygen (Pao2) while breathing ambient air of less than 70 mm Hg (or <75 mm Hg in symptomatic patients). Patients with severe pulmonary alveolar proteinosis (Pao2 <50 mm Hg) were excluded to avoid possible exacerbation of the disease in patients who were assigned to receive placebo. The primary end point was the change in the alveolar-arterial oxygen gradient between baseline and week 25. RESULTS: The change in the mean (±SD) alveolar-arterial oxygen gradient was significantly better in the GM-CSF group (33 patients) than in the placebo group (30 patients) (mean change from baseline, -4.50±9.03 mm Hg vs. 0.17±10.50 mm Hg; P = 0.02). The change between baseline and week 25 in the density of the lung field on computed tomography was also better in the GM-CSF group (between-group difference, -36.08 Hounsfield units; 95% confidence interval, -61.58 to -6.99, calculated with the use of the Mann-Whitney U test and the Hodges-Lehmann estimate of confidence intervals for pseudo-medians). Serious adverse events developed in 6 patients in the GM-CSF group and in 3 patients in the placebo group. CONCLUSIONS: In this randomized, controlled trial, inhaled recombinant human GM-CSF was associated with a modest salutary effect on the laboratory outcome of arterial oxygen tension, and no clinical benefits were noted. (Funded by the Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development and the Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare of Japan; PAGE ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT02835742; Japan Medical Association Center for Clinical Trials number, JMA-IIA00205.).

Combination therapy with remdesivir and immunomodulators improves respiratory status in COVID-19: A retrospective study.

Immunomodulators (tocilizumab/baricitinib) improve outcomes of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients, but the synergistic effect of remdesivir is unknown. The effect of combination therapy with remdesivir, immunomodulators, and standard treatment in COVID-19 patients was investigated. This retrospective, single-center study included COVID-19 patients who were treated with tocilizumab or baricitinib. The severity of respiratory status in the two groups on Days 14 and 28 and the duration to respiratory recovery in both groups were compared, and the effect of remdesivir use on respiratory status was examined in a multivariate analysis. Ninety-eight patients received tocilizumab or baricitinib; among them, 72 used remdesivir (remdesivir group) and 26 did not (control group). The remdesivir group achieved faster respiratory recovery than the control group (median 11 vs. 21 days, p = 0.033), faster weaning from supplemental oxygen (hazard ratio [HR]: 2.54, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.14-5.66, p = 0.021). Age, body mass index, diabetes mellitus, and time from onset to oxygen administration were independent prognostic factors. The remdesivir group achieved better severity level at Days 14 and 28 (p = 0.033 and 0.003, respectively) and greater improvement from baseline severity (p = 0.047 and 0.018, respectively). Remdesivir combination therapy did not prolong survival (HR: 0.31, 95% CI: 0.04-2.16, p = 0.23). Among severely ill COVID-19 patients who received immunomodulator, remdesivir contributed to a shorter respiratory recovery time and better respiratory status at Days 14 and 28. Concomitant remdesivir with immunomodulators and standard treatment may provide additional benefit in improving respiratory status of COVID-19 patients.

Effects of obesity on CC16 and their potential role in overweight/obese asthma.

INTRODUCTION: Club cell secretory protein-16 (CC16) is a major anti-inflammatory protein expressed in the airway; however, the potential role of CC16 on overweight/obese asthma has not been assessed. In this study, we examined whether obesity reduces airway/circulatory CC16 levels using experimental and epidemiological studies. Then, we explored the mediatory role of CC16 in the relationship of overweight/obesity with clinical asthma measures. METHODS: Circulating CC16 levels were assessed by ELISA in three independent human populations, including two groups of healthy and general populations and asthma patients. The percentage of cells expressing club markers in obese vs. non-obese mice and human airways was determined by immunohistochemistry. A causal mediation analysis was conducted to determine whether circulatory CC16 acted as a mediator between overweight/obesity and clinical asthma measures. RESULTS: BMI was significantly and monotonously associated with reduced circulating CC16 levels in all populations. The percentage of CC16-expressing cells was reduced in the small airways of both mice and humans with obesity. Finally, mediation analysis revealed significant contributions of circulatory CC16 in the association between BMI and clinical asthma measures; 21.8% of its total effect in BMI's association with airway hyperresponsiveness of healthy subjects (p = 0.09), 26.4% with asthma severity (p = 0.030), and 23% with the required dose of inhaled corticosteroid (p = 0.042). In logistic regression analysis, 1-SD decrease in serum CC16 levels of asthma patients was associated with 87% increased odds for high dose ICS requirement (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: We demonstrate that airway/circulating CC16, which is inversely associated with BMI, may mediate development and severity in overweight/obese asthma.

Further evidence for association of YKL-40 with severe asthma airway remodeling.

BACKGROUND: The chitinase-like protein YKL-40 is associated with airflow limitation on spirometry and airway remodeling in patients with asthma. It remains unclear whether YKL-40 is associated with morphologic changes in the airways and parenchyma or with future progression of airflow limitation in severe asthma. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the association of circulating YKL-40 levels with morphologic changes in the airways and parenchyma and with longitudinal progression of airflow limitation. METHODS: The patients were participants in the Hokkaido Severe Asthma Cohort Study (n = 127), including smokers. This study consisted of 2 parts. In analysis 1, we analyzed associations between circulating YKL-40 levels and several asthma-related indices, including computed tomography-derived indices of proximal wall area percentage, the complexity of the airways (airway fractal dimension), and the parenchyma (exponent D) cross-sectionally (n = 97). In analysis 2, we evaluated the impact of circulating YKL-40 levels on forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) decline longitudinally for a 5-year follow-up (n = 103). RESULTS: Circulating YKL-40 levels were significantly associated with proximal wall area percentage and airway fractal dimension (r = 0.25, P = .01; r = -0.22, P = .04, respectively), but not with exponent D. The mean annual change in FEV1 was -33.7 (± 23.3) mL/y, and the circulating YKL-40 level was a significant independent factor associated with annual FEV1 decline (ß = -0.24, P = .02), even after controlling for exponent D (ß = -0.26, P = .01). CONCLUSION: These results provide further evidence for the association of YKL-40 with the pathogenesis of airway remodeling in severe asthma.

Lymphocytic panhypophysitis and anti-rabphilin-3A antibody with pulmonary sarcoidosis.

PURPOSE: To explore the clinical significance of anti-rabphillin-3A antibody for the differential diagnosis of lymphocytic panhypophysitis. METHODS AND RESULTS: A 58-year-old Japanese man developed uveitis of unknown cause in 2017. In 2019, he became aware of polyuria. In August 2020, he noticed transient diplopia and was diagnosed with right abducens nerve palsy. At the same time, he complained of fatigue and loss of appetite. Head magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated enlargement of the pituitary stalk and pituitary gland, corresponding to hypophysitis. Hormone stimulation tests showed blunted responses with respect to all anterior pituitary hormones. Central diabetes insipidus was diagnosed on the basis of a hypertonic saline loading test. Taking these findings together, a diagnosis of panhypopituitarism was made. Computed tomography showed enlargement of hilar lymph nodes. Biopsies of the hilar lymph nodes revealed non-caseating epithelioid cell granulomas that were consistent with sarcoidosis. Biopsy of the anterior pituitary revealed mild lymphocyte infiltration in the absence of IgG4-positive cells, non-caseating granulomas, or neoplasia. Western blotting revealed the presence of anti-rabphilin-3A antibody, supporting a diagnosis of lymphocytic panhypophysitis. Because the patient had no visual impairment or severe uveitis, we continued physiological hormone replacement therapy and topical steroid therapy for the uveitis. CONCLUSION: To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case of anti-rabphilin 3A antibody positive lymphocytic panhypophysitis comorbid with sarcoidosis, diagnosed by both pituitary and hilar lymph node biopsy. The utility of anti-rabphilin-3A antibody for the differential diagnosis of hypophysitis like this case should be clarified with further case studies.

Association of longitudinal changes in quality of life with comorbidities and exacerbations in patients with severe asthma.

BACKGROUND: Quality of life (QoL) assessment is important in the management of severe asthma, and comorbidities and/or exacerbations may affect longitudinal QoL. However, there are few reports on the longitudinal assessment of QoL in patients with asthma over multiple years and its related factors. This study aimed to clarify the relationship of longitudinal changes in QoL with comorbidities and/or exacerbations during a prolonged observation period in patients with severe asthma. METHODS: A total of 105 subjects who participated in the Hokkaido-based Investigative Cohort Analysis for Refractory Asthma (Hi-CARAT) with a six-year follow-up were analyzed. QoL was assessed annually, using the Standardized Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire, and the subjects were divided into three groups: (1) persistently good QoL, (2) persistently poor QoL, and (3) fluctuating QoL. Assessed comorbidities comprised depression, gastroesophageal reflux disease, and excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS), a key symptom of obstructive sleep apnea. RESULTS: Of 105 subjects with severe asthma, 53 (50%) were classified in the persistently good QoL group, 10 (10%) in the persistently poor QoL group, and 42 (40%) in the fluctuating QoL group. The persistently poor QoL group was associated with shorter time to hospitalization due to exacerbation and the presence of multiple comorbidities. In addition, the presence of EDS was an independent contributor to the fluctuating QoL group compared to the persistently good QoL group. CONCLUSIONS: The presence of multiple comorbidities and hospitalization due to exacerbation contribute to longitudinal changes in QoL in patients with severe asthma.

Comparative Efficacy of Tocilizumab and Baricitinib Administration in COVID-19 Treatment: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

Background and Objectives: Tocilizumab and baricitinib have been observed to improve the outcomes of patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). However, a comparative evaluation of these drugs has not been performed. Materials and Methods: A retrospective, single-center study was conducted using the data of COVID-19 patients admitted to Hokkaido University hospital between April 2020 and September 2021, who were treated with tocilizumab or baricitinib. The clinical characteristics of the patients who received tocilizumab were compared to those of patients who received baricitinib. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses of the outcomes of all-cause mortality and improvement in respiratory status were performed. The development of secondary infection events was analyzed using the Kaplan-Meier method and the log-rank test. Results: Of the 459 patients hospitalized with COVID-19 during the study, 64 received tocilizumab treatment and 34 baricitinib treatment, and those 98 patients were included in the study. Most patients were treated with concomitant steroids and exhibited the same severity level at the initiation of drug treatment. When compared to each other, neither tocilizumab nor baricitinib use were associated with all-cause mortality or improvement in respiratory status within 28 days from drug administration. Conclusions: Age, chronic renal disease and early administration of TCZ or BRT from the onset of COVID-19 were independent prognostic factors for all-cause mortality, whereas anti-viral drug use and the severity of COVID-19 at baseline were associated with an improvement in respiratory status. Secondary infection-free survival rates of patients treated with tocilizumab and those treated with baricitinib did not significantly differ. The results suggest that both tocilizumab and baricitinib could be clinically equivalent agents of choice in treatment of COVID-19.

[A CASE OF SEVERE ASTHMA RESULTING IN DISEASE EXACERBATION AFTER PROLONGATION OF THE DOSING INTERVAL AFTER LONG-TERM OMALIZUMAB ADMINISTRATION].

At the time of writing of this manuscript, four biologics were clinically available for the treatment of severe asthma, and there were no established recommendations for the period of administration or timing of discontinuation of each biologic. We present a case of severe asthma that was well controlled with long-term omalizumab treatment; however, prolongation of the dosing intervals resulted in disease exacerbation that was refractory to omalizumab treatment despite the restoration of the recommended interval of administration. We suspect that the prolonged dosing intervals might have reduced the efficacy of omalizumab. We report this case because dosing intervals should be considered in clinical practice in cases of long-term omalizumab treatment.

Real-world effectiveness of early intervention with fixed-dose tiotropium/olodaterol vs tiotropium in Japanese patients with COPD: a high-dimensional propensity score-matched cohort analysis.

BACKGROUND: Escalation to triple therapy (long-acting muscarinic antagonist/ß2-agonist, inhaled corticosteroid [ICS]) in chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD) is recommended for patients on LAMA/LABA combinations with frequent exacerbations and severe symptoms. An extended time-to-escalation to triple therapy suggests patients are in a stable condition and is an indicator of treatment effectiveness. No studies in Japanese clinical practice have compared the effectiveness of LAMA/LABA fixed-dose combination therapies with LAMA monotherapy in terms of time-to-escalation to triple therapy. The primary objective of this real-world study in Japan was to compare time-to-escalation to triple therapy among new users of tiotropium/olodaterol or tiotropium monotherapy for COPD without asthma. METHODS: In this active-comparator cohort study, new users of tiotropium/olodaterol (n = 1436) and tiotropium monotherapy (n = 5352) were identified from a large Japanese hospital-based database (Medical Data Vision Co., Ltd., Tokyo; prespecified study period: 1 April 2015 to 31 March 2019); patients in each group were matched 1:1 using high-dimensional propensity scores (hdPS). The primary outcome was time-to-escalation to triple therapy. RESULTS: For the prespecified study period in the hdPS-matched cohort, escalation to triple therapy was infrequent among new users of tiotropium/olodaterol (n = 1302, 7 escalation events) and tiotropium monotherapy (n = 1302, 8 escalation events). The difference in time-to-escalation to triple therapy between groups was not statistically significant (median [interquartile range]: 28 days [15.0-139.2] for tiotropium monotherapy vs 193 days [94.5-302.0] for tiotropium/olodaterol; hazard ratio: 0.89; 95% CI: 0.32-2.46). Similar findings (hazard ratio: 0.71; 95% Cl: 0.36-1.40) were observed in a post hoc analysis, which extended the study period by 1 year to 31 March 2020. Risks of first moderate and/or severe COPD exacerbation were lower for tiotropium/olodaterol than tiotropium monotherapy (between-group differences not significant). There were no significant between-group differences for the risks of all-cause inpatient mortality, major adverse cardiovascular events, and first use of home oxygen therapy. CONCLUSIONS: ICS monotherapy or ICS/LABA added to tiotropium or tiotropium/olodaterol is limited in Japanese clinical settings. The number of escalations to triple therapy was very limited in the dataset and there was insufficient power to detect differences between the treatment groups in the primary hdPS-matched cohort.

Successful management of a patient with active Cushing's disease complicated with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pneumonia.

We provide the details of the successful management of a patient with active Cushing's disease complicated with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pneumonia. The patient was a 27-year-old Japanese female healthcare worker who was scheduled to undergo pituitary surgery for Cushing's disease. She had been in close contact with an undiagnosed patient infected with COVID-19 and then developed COVID-19 pneumonia. Despite a lack of known risk factors associated with severe COVID-19 infection, the patient's dyspnea worsened and her respiratory condition deteriorated, as indicated by the need for 7 L/min oxygen supply by mask to maintain her oxygen saturation at >90%. Medical treatment was initiated to control hypercortisolism by the 'block and replace' regimen using steroidogenesis inhibitors and hydrocortisone. The COVID-19 pneumonia improved with multi-modal treatment including antiviral therapy. One month later, after a negative severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) test result and with appropriate protection against virus transmission to medical staff in the operating room and daily medical care nurses, trans-sphenoidal surgery was performed by our highly experienced pituitary surgeon. One month after the surgery, the patient's basal ACTH and cortisol levels and urinary free cortisol were all under the detection limit. Surgical remission was expected. Since hypercortisolism due to active Cushing's disease may worsen a COVID-19 infection, multi-disciplinary management that includes appropriate and prompt treatment strategies is mandatory in such cases.