Pomalidomide for Epistaxis in Hereditary Hemorrhagic Telangiectasia.

BACKGROUND: Hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT) is characterized by extensive telangiectasias and arteriovenous malformations. The primary clinical manifestation is epistaxis that results in iron-deficiency anemia and reduced health-related quality of life. METHODS: We conducted a randomized, placebo-controlled trial to evaluate the safety and efficacy of pomalidomide for the treatment of HHT. We randomly assigned patients, in a 2:1 ratio, to receive pomalidomide at a dose of 4 mg daily or matching placebo for 24 weeks. The primary outcome was the change from baseline through week 24 in the Epistaxis Severity Score (a validated bleeding score in HHT; range, 0 to 10, with higher scores indicating worse bleeding). A reduction of 0.71 points or more is considered clinically significant. A key secondary outcome was the HHT-specific quality-of-life score (range, 0 to 16, with higher scores indicating more limitations). RESULTS: The trial was closed to enrollment in June 2023 after a planned interim analysis met a prespecified threshold for efficacy. A total of 144 patients underwent randomization; 95 patients were assigned to receive pomalidomide and 49 to receive placebo. The baseline mean (±SD) Epistaxis Severity Score was 5.0±1.5, a finding consistent with moderate-to-severe epistaxis. At 24 weeks, the mean difference between the pomalidomide group and the placebo group in the change from baseline in the Epistaxis Severity Score was -0.94 points (95% confidence interval [CI], -1.57 to -0.31; P = 0.004). The mean difference in the changes in the HHT-specific quality-of-life score between the groups was -1.4 points (95% CI, -2.6 to -0.3). Adverse events that were more common in the pomalidomide group than in the placebo group included neutropenia, constipation, and rash. CONCLUSIONS: Among patients with HHT, pomalidomide treatment resulted in a significant, clinically relevant reduction in epistaxis severity. No unexpected safety signals were identified. (Funded by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute; PATH-HHT Clinicaltrials.gov number, NCT03910244).

Inhibition of angiogenesis in the management of refractory gastrointestinal bleeding in patients with LVAD support.

BACKGROUND: Gastrointestinal bleeding (GIB) in patients with continuous flow left ventricular assist devices (CF-LVADs) is often related to GI angiodysplasia (GIAD). We previously reported data on VEGF inhibition with IV bevacizumab in the treatment of LVAD-associated GIAD bleeding, and now present follow-up data on patients treated with IV bevacizumab and/or low-dose oral pazopanib. METHODS: All consecutive adult patients with LVAD-associated GIB from GIAD treated with bevacizumab or pazopanib, from July 20, 2017 to June 22, 2022, were included in the analysis. Data on hospitalizations, GI endoscopic procedures, and blood transfusions were obtained from first admission for GIB up to a median of 35.7 months following treatment initiation (range 1.3-59.8 months). RESULTS: Eleven patients (91% male, mean 69.5 ± 8.9 years) were included. Eight patients (73%) received IV bevacizumab, two patients (18%) received oral pazopanib, and one patient (9%) received bevacizumab followed by pazopanib therapy. We observed a significantly decreased number of annualized hospitalizations for GIB (median difference - 2.87, p = 0.002), blood transfusions (median difference - 20.9, p = 0.01), and endoscopies (median difference - 6.95, p = 0.007) in patients pre- and post-anti-angiogenic therapy (bevacizumab and/or pazopanib). Similarly, a significant improvement in these clinical outcomes was noted in the bevacizumab group with decreased annualized hospitalizations (median difference - 2.75, p = 0.014), blood transfusions (median difference - 24.5, p = 0.047), and number of endoscopies (median differences -6.88, p = 0.006). CONCLUSION: Anti-angiogenic therapy with IV bevacizumab and/or low-dose oral pazopanib appears to provide benefits in patients with LVAD-associated GIB with reduced hospitalizations, blood transfusions, and need for GI endoscopic procedures.

Digital Pulmonology Practice with Phonopulmography Leveraging Artificial Intelligence: Future Perspectives Using Dual Microwave Acoustic Sensing and Imaging.

Respiratory disorders, being one of the leading causes of disability worldwide, account for constant evolution in management technologies, resulting in the incorporation of artificial intelligence (AI) in the recording and analysis of lung sounds to aid diagnosis in clinical pulmonology practice. Although lung sound auscultation is a common clinical practice, its use in diagnosis is limited due to its high variability and subjectivity. We review the origin of lung sounds, various auscultation and processing methods over the years and their clinical applications to understand the potential for a lung sound auscultation and analysis device. Respiratory sounds result from the intra-pulmonary collision of molecules contained in the air, leading to turbulent flow and subsequent sound production. These sounds have been recorded via an electronic stethoscope and analyzed using back-propagation neural networks, wavelet transform models, Gaussian mixture models and recently with machine learning and deep learning models with possible use in asthma, COVID-19, asbestosis and interstitial lung disease. The purpose of this review was to summarize lung sound physiology, recording technologies and diagnostics methods using AI for digital pulmonology practice. Future research and development in recording and analyzing respiratory sounds in real time could revolutionize clinical practice for both the patients and the healthcare personnel.

Predictors of seroconversion after coronavirus disease 2019 vaccination.

BACKGROUND: Vaccine nonresponse during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has considerable individual and societal risks. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the clinical characteristics of patients with lack of seroconversion after vaccination against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). METHODS: Demographic and clinical data were collected from 805 patients who had validated antibody assays against the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein at least 14 days after completion of their COVID-19 vaccination. Clinical characteristics from patients with a negative (< 0.4 U/mL) antibody response were assessed and summarized. RESULTS: A total of 622 (77.3%) patients attained seroconversion as defined by a titer of greater than or equal to 0.4 U/mL, whereas 183 out of 805 (22.7%) patients exhibited no seroconversion after vaccination against SARS-CoV-2. Univariately, older age (P = .02) and male sex were associated with a lower likelihood of seroconversion (P = .003). Therapy with immunosuppressive drugs was noted in 93 (50.8%) of seronegative patients with most (n = 83/93, 89.2%) receiving ongoing immunosuppressive therapy at the time of vaccination. Among the 134 (73.2%) seronegative patients with immunodeficiency, 110 (82.1%) had primary immunodeficiency. Cancer (n = 128, 69.9%), B cell depletion therapy (n = 90/115, 78.3%), and immunosuppressant steroid use (n = 71/93 on immunosuppressants, 76.3%) were the other common characteristics among the vaccine nonresponders. More importantly, our study did not evaluate the actual efficacy of COVID-19 vaccination. CONCLUSION: Vaccine responses vary by age and sex, with men showing lower rates of seroconversion as compared with women. Primary immunodeficiency along with active malignancy and ongoing immunosuppression with steroids or B cell depletion therapy appeared to be the most common characteristics for those with a lack of vaccine seroconversion after COVID-19 vaccination.

Intensive Care Unit and Hospital Outcomes of Patients Admitted with Blastomycosis: A 14-Year Retrospective Study.

INTRODUCTION: Blastomycosis is an uncommon; potentially life-threatening granulomatous fungal infection. The aim of this study is to report hospital and intensive care unit (ICU) outcomes of patients admitted with blastomycosis. METHODS: All patients admitted for treatment of blastomycosis at the Mayo Clinic-Rochester, Minnesota between 01/01/2006 and 09/30/2019 were included. Demographics, comorbidities, clinical presentation, ICU admission, and outcomes were reviewed. RESULTS: A total of 84 Patients were identified with 90 unique hospitalizations primarily for blastomycosis. The median age at diagnosis was 49 (IQR 28.1-65, range: 6-85) years and 56 (66.7%) were male. The most frequent comorbidities included hypertension (n = 28, 33.3%); immunosuppressed state (n = 25, 29.8%), and diabetes mellitus (n = 21, 25%). The lungs were the only organ involved in 56 (66.7%) cases and the infection was disseminated in 19 (22.6%) cases. A total of 29 patients (34.5%) underwent ICU admission due to complications of blastomycosis. ICU related events included mechanical ventilation (n = 20, 23.8%), acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) (n = 13, 15.5%), tracheostomy (n = 9, 10.7%), renal replacement therapy (n = 8, 9.5%), and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) (n = 4, 4.8%). A total of 12 patients (14.3%) died in the hospital; all of whom had undergone ICU admission. In-hospital mortality was associated with renal replacement therapy (RRT) (P = 0.0255). CONCLUSION: Blastomycosis is a serious, potentially life-threatening infection that results in significant morbidity and mortality with a 34.5% ICU admission rate. RRT was associated with in-hospital mortality.

An international, multicenter study of intravenous bevacizumab for bleeding in hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia: the InHIBIT-Bleed study.

Hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT, Osler-Weber-Rendu disease) is a rare multisystem vascular disorder causing chronic gastrointestinal bleeding, epistaxis, and severe anemia. Bevacizumab, an anti-vascular endothelial growth factor antibody, may be effective to treat bleeding in HHT. This international, multicenter, retrospective study evaluated the use of systemic bevacizumab to treat HHT-associated bleeding and anemia at 12 HHT treatment centers. Hemoglobin, epistaxis severity score, red cell units transfused, and intravenous iron infusions before and after treatment were evaluated using paired means testing and mixed-effects linear models. 238 HHT patients received bevacizumab for a median of 12 (range, 1-96) months. Compared with pretreatment, bevacizumab increased mean hemoglobin by 3.2 g/dL (95% CI, 2.9-3.5 g/dL) [mean hemoglobin 8.6 (8.5, 8.8) g/dL versus 11.8 (11.5, 12.1) g/dL, p<0.0001)] and decreased the epistaxis severity score (ESS) by 3.4 (3.2-3.7) points [mean ESS 6.8 (6.6-7.1) versus 3.4 (3.2-3.7), P<0.0001] during the first year of treatment. Compared with 6 months pretreatment, RBC units transfused decreased by 82% [median of 6.0 (IQR 0.0-13.0) units versus 0 (IQR, 0.0-1.0) units, P<0.0001] and iron infusions decreased by 70% [median of 6.0 (1.0-18.0) infusions versus 1.0 (0.0-4.0) infusions, P<0.0001] during the first 6 months of bevacizumab treatment. Outcomes were similar regardless of underlying pathogenic mutation. Following initial induction infusions, continuous/scheduled bevacizumab maintenance achieved higher hemoglobin and lower ESS than intermittent/as needed maintenance but with more drug exposure. Bevacizumab was well tolerated: hypertension, fatigue, and proteinuria were the most common adverse events. Venous thromboembolism occurred in 2% of patients. In conclusion, systemic bevacizumab was safe and effective to manage chronic bleeding and anemia in HHT.

Outcomes among patients with COVID-19 and asthma: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: It remains unclear if asthma is a risk factor associated with worse outcomes among patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Methods: We performed a comprehensive database search for studies published from January 1, 2019, to October 2, 2020. We included studies that evaluated outcomes among patients with COVID-19 and underlying asthma. Outcomes of interest included the need for hospitalization, length of hospitalization, intensive care unit (ICU) admission, and death. The meta-analysis was conducted by using random-effects methodology. Results: A total of 389 studies were identified through data base searches. After abstract and full-text screening, 16 observational studies with 92,275 patients were included in the analysis. Of the 16 studies, 15 were retrospective and 1 was a prospective cohort study. The average age was 39.6 years, with 48% female patients. Six of the studies included pediatric patients, and one of these studies only evaluated pediatric patients. One study only evaluated pregnant patients. Among patients with COVID-19, the presence of asthma was not associated with any significant increase in risk of hospitalization (odds ratio [OR] 1.46 [95% confidence interval {CI}, 0.29-7.28]), length of hospitalization (1.59 days [-0.55 to 3.74]), ICU admission (OR 1.65 [95% CI, 0.56-4.17]), or death (OR 0.73 [95% CI, 0.38-1.40]). The overall risk of bias of the included studies was high. Conclusion: Among the patients with COVID-19, asthma did not seem to significantly increase the risk of hospitalization, length of hospitalization, ICU admission, or death.

Second International Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Management of Hereditary Hemorrhagic Telangiectasia.

DESCRIPTION: Hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT) is an autosomal dominant disease with an estimated prevalence of 1 in 5000 that is characterized by the presence of vascular malformations (VMs). These result in chronic bleeding, acute hemorrhage, and complications from shunting through VMs. The goal of the Second International HHT Guidelines process was to develop evidence-based consensus guidelines for the management and prevention of HHT-related symptoms and complications. METHODS: The guidelines were developed using the AGREE II (Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation II) framework and GRADE (Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation) methodology. The guidelines expert panel included expert physicians (clinical and genetic) in HHT from 15 countries, guidelines methodologists, health care workers, health care administrators, patient advocacy representatives, and persons with HHT. During the preconference process, the expert panel generated clinically relevant questions in 6 priority topic areas. A systematic literature search was done in June 2019, and articles meeting a priori criteria were included to generate evidence tables, which were used as the basis for recommendation development. The expert panel subsequently convened during a guidelines conference to conduct a structured consensus process, during which recommendations reaching at least 80% consensus were discussed and approved. RECOMMENDATIONS: The expert panel generated and approved 6 new recommendations for each of the following 6 priority topic areas: epistaxis, gastrointestinal bleeding, anemia and iron deficiency, liver VMs, pediatric care, and pregnancy and delivery (36 total). The recommendations highlight new evidence in existing topics from the first International HHT Guidelines and provide guidance in 3 new areas: anemia, pediatrics, and pregnancy and delivery. These recommendations should facilitate implementation of key components of HHT care into clinical practice.

An international survey to evaluate systemic bevacizumab for chronic bleeding in hereditary haemorrhagic telangiectasia.

INTRODUCTION: Systemic bevacizumab is a novel targeted therapy for severe epistaxis and chronic gastrointestinal bleeding in hereditary haemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT), but published data are very limited. AIM: We conducted a survey-based study to characterize current treatment practices and physician-reported safety and effectiveness of systemic bevacizumab for bleeding in (HHT). METHODS: A 27-item survey was sent to physician centre directors of 31 International HHT Centers of Excellence. RESULTS: Response rate was 84%. Approximately half of centres had treated >10 HHT patients with systemic bevacizumab for chronic bleeding for a total of 291 patients treated. All centres utilize a 5 mg/kg dose for induction treatment and most administer six doses (range, 4-8) every 2 weeks. However, maintenance regimens varied considerably between centres. Bevacizumab was highly effective, with 86% reporting significant (>50%) improvement in GI bleeding and/or epistaxis and haemoglobin rise in most patients treated with bevacizumab; 52% reported haemoglobin normalization in most patients. All centres reported adverse event rates <30% and two-thirds of centres reported adverse event rates <10%. Discontinuation for adverse events or inefficacy was rare. Bleeding severity thresholds for initiation of bevacizumab were highly variable, and it is typically administered by haematologists (76% of centres). Two-thirds of centres reported obtaining insurance approval for bevacizumab for most or all patients but 48% reported difficulty in obtaining coverage. CONCLUSION: Systemic bevacizumab is widely used to treat bleeding in HHT with excellent physician-reported effectiveness and safety. There is considerable variation in maintenance treatment practices and thresholds for initiation of bevacizumab among HHT centres.

Adherence to Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease guidelines in the real world: current understanding, barriers, and solutions.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: The Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) provides a comprehensive review and guidance for clinicians managing patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). However, adherence to GOLD guidelines has been suboptimal over the years. The current review summarizes the current body of literature addressing the multitude of reasons for the lack of adherence to GOLD guidelines in clinical practice. RECENT FINDINGS: There continue to be several reasons for suboptimal adoption of GOLD guidelines in clinical practice. A primary and recurrent theme appears to be both delayed as well as missed diagnosis of COPD. There are several reasons for this including lack of awareness about current COPD guidelines, lack of availability as well as utilization of office spirometry and improper symptom assessment. Other issues include improper selection of proper pharmacotherapy options, misdiagnosis/mislabeling of COPD phenotypes, lack of smoking cessation counselling as well as enrollment in pulmonary rehabilitation. Potential solutions include adoption of clinical decision support systems, self-care models and careful phenotyping of COPD patients. SUMMARY: There are currently several barriers for the adoption of GOLD guidelines into routine clinical practice. These barriers are all amenable to systematic solutions that will increase adherence to current GOLD guidelines.

Clinical Outcomes of Weight-Based Norepinephrine Dosing in Underweight and Morbidly Obese Patients: A Propensity-Matched Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Weight-based dosing strategy for norepinephrine in septic shock patients with extremes of body mass index has been lesser studied. METHODS: This historical study of adult septic shock patients was conducted from January 1, 2010, to December 31, 2015, at all intensive care units (ICUs) in Mayo Clinic, Rochester. Patients with documented body mass index were classified into underweight (body mass index <18.5 kg/m2), normal weight (18.5-24.9 kg/m2), and morbidly obese (≥40 kg/m2) patients. Patients with repeat ICU admissions, ICU stay <1 day, and body mass index 25 to 39.9 kg/m2 were excluded. The primary outcome was in-hospital mortality, and secondary outcomes included cumulative norepinephrine exposure acute kidney injury, cardiac arrhythmias, and 1-year mortality. Two-tailed P < .05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS: From 2010 to 2015, 2016 patients met inclusion-145, 1406, and 466 patients, respectively, in underweight, normal weight, and morbidly obese cohorts. Underweight patients used the highest peak dose and absolute exposure was greatest for morbidly obese patients. In-hospital mortality decreased with increasing log10 body mass index: 41.4% (underweight), 28.4% (normal weight), and 24.7% (morbidly obese), respectively (P < .001); however, this relationship was not noted at 1 year. Unadjusted log10 norepinephrine cumulative exposure (mg) was associated with higher in-hospital mortality, acute kidney injury, cardiac arrhythmias, and 1-year mortality. After adjustment for demographics, body mass index, comorbidity, and illness severity, log10 norepinephrine exposure was an independent predictor of in-hospital mortality (odds ratio 2.4 [95% confidence interval, 2.0-2.8]; P < .001) and 1-year mortality (odds ratio 1.7 [95% confidence interval, 1.5-2.0]; P < .001). In a propensity-matched analysis of 1140 patients, log10 norepinephrine was an independent predictor of in-hospital mortality (odds ratio 2.2 [95% confidence interval, 1.8-2.6]; P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: Morbidly obese patients had lower in-hospital mortality but had higher 1-year mortality compared to normal weight and underweight patients. Cumulative norepinephrine exposure was highest in morbidly obese patients. Total norepinephrine exposure was an independent mortality predictor in septic shock.

Pulmonary Arteriovenous Malformations in Non-hereditary Hemorrhagic Telangiectasia Patients: An 18-Year Retrospective Study.

PURPOSE: Pulmonary arteriovenous malformations (PAVMs) are most commonly associated with hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT). Patients with PAVMs can present with serious complications including stroke, transient ischemic attack (TIA), and brain abscess. PAVMs are rare in non-HHT patients and little is known about this patient population. The aim of this retrospective study is to better understand clinical presentation and outcomes of PAVMs occurring exclusively in non-HHT patients. METHODS: Non-HHT patients with PAVMs at the Mayo Clinic-Rochester between 01/01/2000 and 12/31/2018 were reviewed. Patients with Curacao score > 1 were excluded. Demographics, imaging characteristics, neurological complications, and follow-up imaging were analyzed. RESULTS: Seventy-seven patients with PAVMs were identified. The mean age at diagnosis was 48.2 ± 18.3 years with female preponderance (59.7%). The majority of PAVMs had lower lobe predominance (66.7%) and were simple and single in 75.3% and 89.6% of cases, respectively. Most patients were asymptomatic (46.8%) with dyspnea being the most common symptom (28.6%). Neurologic complications occurred in 19.5% of patients. The majority of PAVMs were idiopathic (61%). Thirty patients (39%) had one or more possible risk factors including previous thoracic surgery (23.4%), congenital heart disease (19.5%), and chest trauma (10.4%). Embolization was performed in 37 (48.1%) patients and only 4 (5.2%) underwent surgical resection. CONCLUSIONS: Non-HHT PAVMs occur more commonly in females, are most commonly simple and single, and have lower lobe predominance and a high rate of neurologic complications. Potential predisposing risk factors were identified in about 40% of the cases. Clinicians should be aware of the risk of PAVM development in patients with history of chest trauma, congenital heart disease, lung infection/abscess, and thoracic surgery.

Successful treatment of coronavirus disease 2019 in a patient with asthma.

Underlying lung disease, especially asthma, has recently been found to be associated with a higher risk of hospitalization with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection. Inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) are the most commonly used controller medications in patients with asthma. It is unclear whether ICS use increases the risk for severe COVID-19 infection. At the current time, asthma organizations are still recommending the continued use of ICS and other asthma medications to minimize the risk of uncontrolled asthma. However, for patients with asthma and who have recovered from COVID-19 infection, the timing of resumption of asthma therapy is equally uncertain. Pulmonary function testing and exhaled oral nitric oxide testing are aerosol-generating procedures and are currently being severely restricted at most health-care facilities. We presented a case of a patient with cough-variant asthma who developed severe COVID-19 associated acute respiratory distress syndrome with the need for intubation and prolonged mechanical ventilation. We highlighted the potential utility of using COVID-19 RNA detection as well as immunoglobulin G antibody testing to help guide the timing of resumption of asthma therapy.

Smoking Significantly Impacts Persistence Rates in Embolized Pulmonary Arteriovenous Malformations in Patients with Hereditary Hemorrhagic Telangiectasia.

Background Embolization is the standard of care for treatment of pulmonary arteriovenous malformations (PAVMs). Persistence of PAVMs after embolization occurs for undefined reasons but may include inflammation related to smoking in dysregulated angiogenesis. Purpose To determine whether patients with hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT) who smoke tobacco are more prone to PAVM persistence after embolization. Materials and Methods Patients with HHT treated for PAVMs between January 2000 and August 2017 were retrospectively identified. Only PAVMs with no previous treatment and patients with both clinical and imaging follow-up were included. Age, sex, PAVM characteristics (size, complexity, and location), embolization material used, microcatheter type, smoking history, active tobacco use, and other risk factors for arterial disease were analyzed by using a multivariate Cox proportional hazards model to determine risk factors for persistence. Results Five-year persistence-free survival rates in nonsmokers, smokers of 1-20 pack-years, and smokers of more than 20 pack-years were 12.2%, 21.9%, and 37.4% respectively. Smokers with more than 20 pack-years relative to nonsmokers had greater risk of persistence after adjusting for arterial feeder size (hazard ratio, 3.8; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.5, 10.0; P = .007). Patients who reported active tobacco use at the time of PAVM embolization had a 5-year cumulative incidence of persistence of 26.3% compared with 13.5% in inactive smokers. After adjusting for arterial feeder size, the risk of persistence was greater in tobacco users versus inactive smokers at the time of treatment (hazard ratio, 2.4; 95% CI: 1.2, 4.7; P = .01). Conclusion Smoking is associated with pulmonary arteriovenous malformation persistence after embolization in patients with hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia. Online supplemental material is available for this article. See also the editorial by Trerotola and Pyeritz in this issue.

Extracorporeal Photopheresis Improves Survival in Hematopoietic Cell Transplant Patients with Bronchiolitis Obliterans Syndrome without Significantly Impacting Measured Pulmonary Functions.

We carried out the first matched retrospective cohort study aimed at studying the safety and efficacy of extracorporeal photopheresis (ECP) for bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome (BOS) after allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT). Medical records of 1325 consecutive adult patients who underwent HCT between 2005 and 2015 were reviewed. Seventy-four patients (median age, 51 years) with a diagnosis of BOS were included in the study. After propensity-score matching for BOS severity, 26 patients who underwent ≥3 months of ECP were matched to 26 non-ECP-treated patients, who were assigned an index date corresponding to the ECP start date for their matched pairs. The rate of decline in FEV1 percentage predicted (FEV1PP) decreased after ECP initiation (and after index date in the non-ECP group), with no significant difference between the 2 groups (P = .33). On a multivariable analysis that included baseline transplant and pulmonary function test variables, matched related donor HCT (HR, .1; 95% CI, .03 to .5; P = .002), ECP (HR, .1; 95% CI, .01 to .3; P = .001), and slower rate of decline in FEV1PP before the ECP/index date (HR, .7; 95% CI, .6 to .8; P = .001) were associated with a better overall survival. At last follow-up, non-ECP-treated patients were more likely to be on >5 mg daily dose of prednisone (54% versus 23%; P = .04) and had a greater decline in their Karnofsky performance score (mean difference, -9.5 versus -1.6; P = .06) compared with ECP-treated-patients. In conclusion, compared with other BOS-directed therapies, ECP was found to improve survival in HCT patients with BOS, without significantly impacting measured pulmonary functions. These findings need prospective validation in a larger patient cohort.

Low-dose oxygen therapy in COPD patients: are there any radiation-like risks?

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Low-dose oxygen (LDO) supplementation is used by millions of COPD patients worldwide. The therapeutic benefits of LDO supplementation are well known. There are also several concerns regarding the potential for cellular harm from LDO in COPD patients. This review summarizes the current arguments and evidence pertaining to this important topic. RECENT FINDINGS: LDO therapy has been used in COPD patients for more than 50 years. Over the years, data from randomized controlled trials has confirmed that LDO provides survival benefit in COPD patients with severe hypoxemia. Recent data, however, show that LDO does not provide any morality benefit for patients with a less severe degree of hypoxemia. There are several theoretical concerns regarding use of LDO in COPD patients, including radiation-like cellular risks because of oxygen toxicity. However, none of these have been validated in human clinical trials and remain somewhat peripheral to the clinician deciding whether or not to initiate LDO in a hypoxemic COPD patient. SUMMARY: There is high-quality evidence that LDO is both well tolerated and highly efficacious for patients with COPD. There are several theoretical concerns regarding damage from oxygen free radicals from LDO in COPD patients. However, none of these have been validated or confirmed in human clinical trial data. Thus, the benefits of LDO clearly outweigh the risks from any theoretical concerns about oxygen toxicity.

Occupational asthma: diagnostic challenges and management dilemmas.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Work-related asthma encompasses both sensitizer-induced and irritant-induced occupational asthma as well as work-exacerbated asthma. This review summarizes current diagnostic and management strategies for occupational asthma. RECENT FINDINGS: Occupational asthma is the most common occupational lung disease in the industrialized world. Over 400 agents have been described to cause occupational asthma. Specific inhalation challenge is often considered the reference method for diagnosis of occupational asthma but specific inhalation challenge as well as other diagnostic tests all generate false positive or false negative results. Definitive avoidance of the inciting agent is the preferred strategy for sensitizer-induced occupational asthma and reduction of exposure is the next best step. Immunotherapy is not currently well established and can cause systemic reactions. SUMMARY: An accurate diagnosis made in a timely fashion can positively impact the health and socioeconomic burden associated with occupational asthma. Newer diagnostic tools are promising, but much work needs to be done to standardize and validate these testing methods. Primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention strategies are crucial for effective management of sensitizer-induced occupational asthma.

Pulmonary Arteriovenous Malformations Are Associated with Silent Brain Infarcts in Hereditary Hemorrhagic Telangiectasia Patients.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: There is a high prevalence of right-to-left shunting pulmonary arteriovenous malformations (PAVMs), which are stroke risk factors, in hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT) patients. While the prevalence of ischemic complications in HHT patients is known, the prevalence of silent brain infarcts (SBI) remains unknown. The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence and risk factors for SBI in HHT patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Our institutional HHT database was queried to identify HHT patients who received a baseline screening brain MRI from January 2000 to February 2017. This study group was further refined by excluding patients who had a history of clinical ischemic disease as defined by having a stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA). Brain MRIs were reviewed for SBI. Baseline data on demographics, Curacao criteria, presence of PAVMs, and cardiovascular risk factors were collected. The primary outcome was SBI prevalence. We also examined which baseline patient characteristics were associated with SBI through univariate chi-square and Student t tests and multivariate logistic regression analyses. RESULTS: Three hundred fifty three consecutive HHT patients from January 2000 to February 2017 with a screening brain MRI and no prior history of stroke/TIA were included. SBI prevalence was 9.9% (35/353). SBI patients were more likely to have PAVMs than non-SBI patients (80.6 vs. 53.1%, p = 0.005). The median age was 66 in the SBI group and 52 in the non-SBI group (p = 0.006). SBI patients had higher prevalence of hyperlipidemia (34.3 vs. 9.8%, p < 0.0001), hypertension (48.6 vs. 22.0%, p = 0.005), and tobacco use (25.7 vs. 9.8%, p = 0.005). No patients under 30 had SBI. In the 60-69 age group, the prevalence of SBI was 18.8% with rates of 28.6% in the PAVM group and 10.5% in the non-PAVM group. For patients ≥70 years old, the prevalence of SBI was 21.4% overall and 27.6% in the PAVM group and 10.5% in the non-PAVM group. On multivariate analysis, PAVMs (OR 3.62, 95% CI 1.46-10.40) and increasing age (OR 1.04, 95% CI 1.01-1.07) were independently associated with SBI. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, a similar 10% SBI prevalence in the HHT cohort was noted as compared to the general population. However, the prevalence of SBI was higher in HHT patients with PAVMs when compared to that of the general population, particularly among patients than 60 years old. These findings highlight the need to accurately identify, and when appropriate, treat PAVMs in the HHT population especially given the multiple significant, clinical consequences of SBI.

Predictors of granulomatous lymphocytic interstitial lung disease in common variable immunodeficiency.

BACKGROUND: A subset of patients with common variable immunodeficiency (CVID) develop granulomatous lymphocytic interstitial lung disease (GLILD), which is associated with early mortality. OBJECTIVE: To determine a set of clinical and/or laboratory parameters that correlate with GLILD. METHODS: A retrospective, nested case-control (patients with CVID diagnosed with GLILD compared with patients with CVID without a diagnosis of GLILD) medical record review was undertaken at Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN. Network and univariate analysis was used to identify clinical and laboratory parameters at the time of diagnosis that are associated with GLILD. RESULTS: Twenty-six cases with radiologic evidence of GLILD were included in this study. Eighteen cases (69%) cases had coexistent splenomegaly with lower IgA levels (P = .04) compared with the controls. Patients with low IgA levels (<13 mg/dL) also had percentage expansion of low CD21 B cells (CD21low >5%) (P = .007). Univariate analysis revealed that splenomegaly (odds ratio [OR], 17.3; 95% confidence interval [CI], 3.9-74.5), history of immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) or autoimmune hemolytic anemia (AIHA) (OR, 4.8; 95% CI, 1.1-20.2), low IgA level (OR, 3.6; 95% CI, 1.2-11.9), and percentage expansion of CD21low (OR, 5.8; 95% CI, 1.6-24.7) were independently associated with GLILD. Logistic regression analysis revealed that splenomegaly, history of ITP or AIHA, low IgA level, and percentage expansion of CD21low B cells are highly sensitive in predicting presence of GLILD (area under the receiver operating curve of 0.86). CONCLUSION: Presence of splenomegaly, history of ITP or AIHA, low serum IgA level, and percentage expansion of CD21low B cells may be useful to identify a group of patients at high risk for development of GLILD.