Tetrandrine slows the radiographic progression of progressive massive fibrosis in pneumoconiosis: a retrospective cohort study.

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to explore the clinical effect of Tetrandrine (Tet) on progressive massive fibrosis (PMF) of pneumoconiosis. METHODS: This retrospective study collected 344 pneumoconiosis patients with PMF, and 127 were eligible for the final analysis, including 57 patients in the Tet group and 70 patients in the control group. The progress of imaging and lung function were compared between the two groups. RESULTS: After 13 months (median) of treatment, the size of PMF was smaller in the Tet group than that in the control group (1526 vs. 2306, p=0.001), and the size was stable in the Tet group (1568 vs. 1526, p= 0.381), while progressed significantly in the control group (2055 vs. 2306, p=0.000). The small nodule profusion and emphysema were also milder than that in the control group (6.0 vs. 7.5, p=0.046 and 8.0 vs. 12, p=0.016 respectively). Pulmonary ventilation function parameters FVC and FEV1 improved in the Tet group (3222 vs. 3301, p=0.021; 2202 vs. 2259, p=0.025 respectively) and decreased in the control group (3272 vs. 3185, p= 0.00; 2094 vs. 1981, p=0.00 respectively). FEV1/FVC was also significantly higher in the Tet group than that in the control group (68.45vs. 60.74, p=0.001). However, similar result was failed to observed for DLco%, which showed a significant decrease in both groups. CONCLUSION: Tet has shown great potential in the treatment of PMF by slowing the progression of pulmonary fibrosis and the decline of lung function.

Treatment with Rituximab in Rheumatoid Pneumoconiosis: A Case Report.

BACKGROUND: Caplan's syndrome, also known as rheumatoid pneumoconiosis (RP), is a rare disease associating pneumoconiosis with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). This is one of the rare cases evaluating the effect of Rituximab, which was used initially for the treatment of RA, on pneumoconiosis Case Presentation: In this case report, we described a 21-year long-standing history of pneumoconiosis and its association with RA. A 67-year-old man diagnosed with pneumoconiosis presented with morning stiffness and symmetrical polyarthritis. Laboratory investigations showed high titers of rheumatoid factor (RF) and anti-citrullinated protein antibodies. The diagnosis of RA was established and the patient was put on leflunomide. Then, he was treated with Rituximab, as he did not respond to leflunomide. The patient showed marked improvement as pain and swelling decreased. More importantly, Caplan's nodules stabilized on chest-computed tomography. CONCLUSION: The use of rituximab in pneumoconiosis does not alter the evolution of the pulmonary nodules. More trials are needed to establish a treatment consensus for RP.

[Drug clinical comprehensive evaluation of tetrandrine in the treatment of pneumoconiosis].

Objective: To analyze the safety, effectiveness, economics, innovation, suitability and accessibility of tetrandrine in the treatment of pneumoconiosis, and provide evidence-based basis for health policy decision-making and clinical practice. Methods: In July 2022, the system searched PubMed, Embase, the Cochrane Library, CNKI, Wanfang, SinoMed databases (the retrieval time was from the establishment of the database to June 30, 2022), screened the documents that meet the standards, extracted and evaluated the data, and used the "HTA checklist" developed by the International Network of Agencies for Health Technology Assessment (INAHTA) to evaluate the HTA report. AMSTAR-2 Scale was used to evaluate the quality of systematic evaluation/Meta analysis. CHEERS Scale was used to evaluate the quality of pharmacoeconomics research. The included cohort study or case-control study was evaluated with the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. The included randomized controlled trial (RCT) studies were evaluated using the Cochrane Risk Bias Assessment Tool (Cochrane RCT) quality evaluation criteria. Comprehensive comparison and analysis based on the characteristics of the data included in the study. Results: A total of 882 related literatures were detected from the initial screening. According to relevant standards, 8 RCT studies were finally selected for analysis. Statistical results showed that basic treatment with tetrandrine could better improve FEV(1) (MD=0.13, 95%CI: 0.06-0.20, P<0.001), FEV(1)/FVC (MD=4.48, 95%CI: 0.61-8.35, P=0.02) and clinical treatment efficiency. Tetrandrine had a low incidence of adverse reactions. The affordability coefficient of tetrandrine tablets was 0.295-0.492. Conclusion: Tetrandrine can improve the clinical symptoms and pulmonary ventilation function of pneumoconiosis patients, most of the adverse reactions are mild, and the clinical application is safe.

Drug clinical comprehensive evaluation of tetrandrine in the treatment of pneumoconiosis / 中华劳动卫生职业病杂志

Objective: To analyze the safety, effectiveness, economics, innovation, suitability and accessibility of tetrandrine in the treatment of pneumoconiosis, and provide evidence-based basis for health policy decision-making and clinical practice. Methods: In July 2022, the system searched PubMed, Embase, the Cochrane Library, CNKI, Wanfang, SinoMed databases (the retrieval time was from the establishment of the database to June 30, 2022), screened the documents that meet the standards, extracted and evaluated the data, and used the "HTA checklist" developed by the International Network of Agencies for Health Technology Assessment (INAHTA) to evaluate the HTA report. AMSTAR-2 Scale was used to evaluate the quality of systematic evaluation/Meta analysis. CHEERS Scale was used to evaluate the quality of pharmacoeconomics research. The included cohort study or case-control study was evaluated with the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. The included randomized controlled trial (RCT) studies were evaluated using the Cochrane Risk Bias Assessment Tool (Cochrane RCT) quality evaluation criteria. Comprehensive comparison and analysis based on the characteristics of the data included in the study. Results: A total of 882 related literatures were detected from the initial screening. According to relevant standards, 8 RCT studies were finally selected for analysis. Statistical results showed that basic treatment with tetrandrine could better improve FEV(1) (MD=0.13, 95%CI: 0.06-0.20, P<0.001), FEV(1)/FVC (MD=4.48, 95%CI: 0.61-8.35, P=0.02) and clinical treatment efficiency. Tetrandrine had a low incidence of adverse reactions. The affordability coefficient of tetrandrine tablets was 0.295-0.492. Conclusion: Tetrandrine can improve the clinical symptoms and pulmonary ventilation function of pneumoconiosis patients, most of the adverse reactions are mild, and the clinical application is safe.

Effect of rock salt aerosol therapy on quality of life of patients with pneumoconiosis: A multicenter, randomized, double-blind clinical trial.

This study aimed to explore the impact of rock salt aerosol therapy on the quality of life in pneumoconiosis patients. It may provide new treatment method for the comprehensive control of pneumoconiosis. A total of 452 subjects from 6 hospitals were divided based on the multi-level hierarchical random design. The patients in the treatment group received conventional comprehensive treatment + rock salt aerosol therapy. The baseline data were collected, including gender, age, age of dust exposure, stage and COPD combination. Cough, expectoration and dyspnea levels were valuated. Both of the two methods exhibited good curative effect following time extension. Rock salt aerosol therapy showed more significant effect compared with routine method. The clinical symptom tends to be stable after two weeks treatment of rock salt aerosol therapy. The curative effect increases with the extension of treatment time. 2-4 weeks for one course of treatment can improve the curative effect. Rock salt aerosol therapy can effectively improve the quality of life of pneumoconiosis patients. It is a good treatment and rehabilitation method for the prevention and treatment of pneumoconiosis, thus is worthy of clinical application.

Clinical efficacy of comprehensive therapy based on traditional Chinese medicine patterns on patients with pneumoconiosis: a pilot double-blind, randomized, and placebo-controlled study.

Effective therapy options for pneumoconiosis are lacking. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) presents a favorable prospect in the treatment of pneumoconiosis. A pilot study on TCM syndrome differentiation can evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of TCM and lay a foundation for further clinical research. A double-blind, randomized, and placebo-controlled trial was conducted for 24 weeks, in which 96 patients with pneumoconiosis were randomly divided into the control and treatment groups. Symptomatic treatment was conducted for the two groups. The treatment group was treated with TCM syndrome differentiation, and the control group was treated with placebo. The primary outcomes were the six-minute walking distance (6MWD) and the St. George Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ) score. The secondary outcomes were the modified British Medical Research Council Dyspnea Scale (mMRC), Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Assessment Test (CAT), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), and pulmonary function. Only 83 patients from the 96 patients with pneumoconiosis finished the study. For the primary outcome, compared with the control groups, the treatment group showed a significantly increased 6MWD (407.90 m vs. 499.51 m; 95% confidence interval (CI) 47.25 to 135.97; P < 0.001) and improved SGRQ total score (44.48 vs. 25.67; 95% CI -27.87 to -9.74; P < 0.001). The treatment group also significantly improved compared with the control group on mMRC score (1.4 vs. 0.74; 95% CI -1.08 to -0.23; P =0.003), CAT score (18.40 vs. 14.65; 95% CI -7.07 to -0.43; P =0.027), and the total symptom score (7.90 vs. 5.14; 95% CI -4.40 to -1.12; P < 0.001). No serious adverse events occurred. This study showed that TCM syndrome differentiation and treatment had a favorable impact on the exercise endurance and quality of life of patients with pneumoconiosis.

Adherence to Inhaled Therapy in Patients with COPD Associated to Pneumoconiosis.

BACKGROUND: Pneumoconiosis has high prevalence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), respiratory morbidity, and mortality. OBJECTIVE: The aim of the present study was to examine patient characteristics and adherence to inhaled therapy among pneumoconiosis with COPD in a real-world clinical setting. METHODS: A cohort of pneumoconiosis patients with COPD prescript with at least one type of long-acting inhaled drug was followed for adherence for 2 years. Demographic and COPD-related characteristics were collected in baseline. RESULTS: In baseline, after adjusting for age, dust exposure duration positively correlated with number of acute exacerbation (AE) frequency in the last year. There were close associations among COPD Assessment Tool (CAT) score, modified Medical Research Council Dyspnea Scale (mMRC) grade, number of AE, and pre-FEV1 value. Of 296 participants originally recruited, 213 participants finished the 2-year follow-up for adherence. 122 (57.28%) were non-adherent to inhaled therapy. The most common reason for non-adherence was "relief of symptoms after short-term controller medication use" (53.28%). Patients who were non-adherent reported higher body mass index (BMI), less AE events in the last year, higher pre-FEV1 value, higher post-FEV1 value and low CAT, mMRC scores compared to adherent in baseline. High pre-FEV1 value (OR = 1.04, CI = 1.018-1.064) and low mMRC scores (OR = 0.406, CI = 0.214-0.771) were risk factors found associated with non-adherence. CONCLUSION: A majority of pneumoconiosis patients complicated with COPD have suboptimal inhaled therapy adherence. Evidence-based, adherence-enhancing interventions should be targeted on less severe subjects.

The Improvement Effect of Sodium Ferulate on the Formation of Pulmonary Fibrosis in Silicosis Mice Through the Neutrophil Alkaline Phosphatase 3 (NALP3)/Transforming Growth Factor-ß1 (TGF-ß1)/α-Smooth Muscle Actin (α-SMA) Pathway.

BACKGROUND Pneumoconiosis is a chronic progressive fibrotic interstitial pneumonia for which the pathogenesis and treatment remain unclear. Previous studies showed that sodium ferulate (SF) may have a therapeutic effect, and this study explored the mechanism underlying SF-related improvement. MATERIAL AND METHODS In this study, a silicosis mouse model and primary cultured mouse lung fibroblasts were established. Hematoxylin-eosin staining, western blot analysis, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction, and Masson staining were used to observe the lung injury, expression of vimentin, and the degree of pulmonary fibrosis. The extracted lung fibroblasts were identified by immunofluorescence. The expression of fibrosis-related genes encoding transforming growth factor-ß1 (TGF-ß1), neutrophil alkaline phosphatase 3 (NALP3), collagen-1, alpha-smooth muscle actin (alpha-SMA), and phosphorylated p38 (p-p38) and p38 proteins were detected by western blot. The effects of SF and the TGF-ß pathway agonist SRI-011381 on cell proliferation and the expression of fibrosis-related protein in mouse lung fibroblasts were measured by Cell Counting Kit-8, immunofluorescence, and western blot as needed. RESULTS SF reduced the lung lesions in silicosis mice and inhibited the expression of vimentin and fibrosis-related genes, while having no effect on body weight. Vimentin expression was positive in the extracted cells. In vitro experiments showed that SF inhibited the proliferation of lung fibroblasts and the expression of fibrosis-related proteins. In addition, SF partly reversed the opposite regulatory effect of SRI-011381 on lung fibroblasts. CONCLUSIONS SF inhibited lung injury and fibrosis in silicosis mice through the NALP3/TGF-ß1/alpha-SMA pathway.

[Investigation of medication compliance in patients with pneumoconiosis complicated with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease at stable stage].

Objective: To investigate the compliance of inhalation during stable phase of pneumoconiosis complicated with COPD and to explore the factors influencing compliance. Methods: The patients with pneumoconiosis complicated with COPD who were hospitalized in the four Department of occupational disease prevention and treatment in Hunan province from December 2016 to August 2017 were selected as the research subjects. The examination of Chest radiograph, HRCT and lung function was perfected, and CAT score and MRC score were carried out. The age, culture, smoking history, acute aggravation of 1 years, medical insurance and so on were collected, and follow-up was conducted after 6 months. Results: Of the 115 patients who had successfully followed up, 14 cases (12.17%) were persisted in medication, and 101 cases (87.83%) did not adhere to the medication. The smoking index median of the non adherence group was 30 (15, 40) , while that of the adherence group was 16 (6, 31) . The smoking index of the adherence group was lower than that of the non adherence group. The FEV1% in the unadhered group was 44.69+15.48, and the drug group was 37.12+16.98, the FEV(1)/FVC in the unadhered group was 52.43+9.19, and the drug group was 44.43+11.88, and the lung function of the drug group was worse than that of the unadhered group. The adherence rate of group COPD (group D) was higher than that of group A, B and C, and the difference between D group and B group was statistically significant. The adherence rate of pneumoconiosis stage Ⅲ was higher than that of pneumoconiosis stageⅡand pneumoconiosisⅠ. Conclusion: The compliance of long acting bronchodilator inhalation is low in stable phase of pneumoconiosis complicated with COPD. The poorer the lung function, the higher the compliance of inhalation. The compliance of pneumoconiosis patients with Medical insurance for industrial injury is higher than that of pneumoconiosis patients with New rural cooperative medical service.

[Research on the therapeutic effects of drugs on patients with pneumoconiosis in China].

Objective: To review the clinical research on the main drugs which are used to treat pneumoconiosis in China, evaluate and analyze the efficacy, and give the suggestions on the study of pneumoconiosis treatment. Methods: The data of researches on the therapeutic effects of eight main drugs on patients with pneumoconiosis in China were retrieved from CNKI and Wanfang database before Jan. 1, 2016 including polyvinylpyridine, tetrandrine, piperaquine phosphate, hydroxypiperaquine phosphate, aluminium citrate, Xinin, Xifeining and N-acetyl cysteine (NAC) after consulting the related project files on the clinical treatment on the patients with pneumoconiosis, and a systematic analysis was made on the random control test (RCT) which conformed to the quality criteria in terms of five indices such as the improvement rate of respiratory system symptoms such as cough, expectoration, chest pain and dyspnea, the decrease of the respiratory system infection rate, the changes in FEV1.0% (forced expired volume in one second to forced vital capacity ratio) (ΔFEV1.0%) , index of stability and improvement rate of chest X-ray, and adverse reactions as well as the summary of descriptive efficacy. Results: Nine RCTs in the 15 papers were included; 2 097 patients with pneumoconiosis were included with 1215 in the treatment group and 882 in the control group. The medication modes were divided into four categories, monotherapy (such as polyvinylpyridine, hydroxypiperaquine phosphate, Xifeining and Xinin) , combination of tetrandrine with other drugs, hydroxypiperaquine phosphate and aluminium citrate, and lung lavage (added medications) ; the analysis indicated that the patients in the treatment group were obviously superior to those in the control group in terms of the improvement rate of respiratory system symptoms, the decrease rate of the respiratory tract infection, ΔFEV1.0%, the improvement rate of shadows as indicated in the X-ray chest film and the index of stability (P<0.01) ; after the mean values of the control group were deducted, the improvement rate of symptoms of the respiratory system within the treatment period of the patients with pneumoconiosis increased by 34.6% (95% CI 32.9%, 36.3%) in average, the mean value of the decrease in the respiratory tract infection rate was 26.0% (95% CI 24.0%, 28.0%) , the mean value of ΔFEV1.0% was 4.08 (95% CI 3.56, 4.60) , the improvement rate in X-ray chest film increased by 8.80% (95% CI 8.55%, 9.05%) in average, and the index of stability in the X-ray chest film increased by 10.6% (95% CI 9.18%, 12.0%) ; one-way analysis of variance indicated the presence of statistical difference in terms of efficacy of four categories of medication modes (Fthe improvement rate of symptoms of the respiratory system=482.2, P<0.01; Fthe decrease in the respiratory tract infection rate=72.01, P<0.01; FΔFEV1.0%=246.6, P<0.01; Fthe index of stability in the X-ray chest film=212.9, P<0.01; Fthe improvement rate of X-ray chest film=466.6, P<0.01) . Conclusion: Drugs such as polyvinylpyridine, tetrandrine, hydroxypiperaquine phosphate, aluminium citrate, Xinin, Xifeining and NAC have some efficacy in the treatment of pneumoconiosis. It is suggested that, in accordance with the mechanism of pneumosilicosis onset and the action mechanism of drugs and on the basis of the research on the traditional drugs, the latest clinical study results and the management experiences on the idiopathic pulmonary interstitial fibrosis be constantly traced and borrowed to strengthen the research on the drugs which are used to treat the pneumoconiosis and the patient health management.

Hard metal lung disease diagnosed on a transbronchial lung biopsy following recurrent contact dermatitis.

A 63-year-old man employed in a hard metal manufacturing company for 40 years presented with a chronic dry cough and exertional dyspnea 20 years after the onset of recurrent exanthemas. A chest radiograph revealed bilateral reticular shadows in the upper lung field. Pathological specimens in which tungsten was detected were obtained via a transbronchial lung biopsy. Patch tests were positive for cobalt and other metals. The patient was diagnosed with hard metal lung disease (HMLD) concurrent with contact dermatitis and treated with corticosteroids. This case suggests that allergies to metal may play a role in the onset of HMLD.

Chronic respiratory disease, inhaled corticosteroids and risk of non-tuberculous mycobacteriosis.

BACKGROUND: Chronic respiratory disease and inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) therapy for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) increase the risk of pneumonia. Few data are available on the association of these risk factors with non-tuberculous mycobacterial (NTM) pulmonary disease. METHODS: This study examined chronic respiratory diseases and ICS use as risk factors in a population-based case-control study encompassing all adults in Denmark with microbiologically confirmed NTM pulmonary disease between 1997 and 2008. The study included 10 matched population controls per case. Conditional logistic regression was used to compute adjusted ORs for NTM pulmonary disease with regard to chronic respiratory disease history. RESULTS: Overall, chronic respiratory disease was associated with a 16.5-fold (95% CI 12.2 to 22.2) increased risk of NTM pulmonary disease. The adjusted OR for NTM disease was 15.7 (95% CI 11.4 to 21.5) for COPD, 7.8 (95% CI 5.2 to 11.6) for asthma, 9.8 (95% CI 2.03 to 52.8) for pneumoconiosis, 187.5 (95% CI 24.8 to 1417.4) for bronchiectasis, and 178.3 (95% CI 55.4 to 574.3) for tuberculosis history. ORs were 29.1 (95% CI 13.3 to 63.8) for patients with COPD on current ICS therapy and 7.6 (95% CI 3.4 to 16.8) for patients with COPD who had never received ICS therapy. Among patients with COPD, ORs increased according to ICS dose, from 28.1 for low-dose intake to 47.5 for high-dose intake (more than 800 µg/day). The OR was higher for fluticasone than for budesonide. CONCLUSION: Chronic respiratory disease, particularly COPD treated with ICS therapy, is a strong risk factor for NTM pulmonary disease.

[Efficiency of aerosol therapy in rehabilitation programs for patients with occupational broncho-pulmonary diseases].

The authors demonstrated efficiency of aerosol therapy using "Dovolenskaya" mineral water in treating patients with occupational pulmonary diseases. Results are improved bronchial drainage, normal pro- and antioxidant status, lower inflammatory activity in patients with pneumoconiosis and occupational dust bronchitis.