Outcomes of lung transplantation for pleuroparenchymal fibroelastosis: A French multicentric retrospective study.

BACKGROUND: Pleuroparenchymal fibroelastosis (PPFE) has no currently available specific treatment. Benefits of lung transplantation (LT) for PPFE are poorly documented. METHODS: We conducted a nation-wide multicentric retrospective study in patients who underwent lung or heart-lung transplantation for chronic end-stage lung disease secondary to PPFE between 2012 and 2022 in France. RESULTS: Thirty-one patients were included. At transplantation, median age was 48 years [IQR 35-55]. About 64.5% were women. Twenty-one (67.7%) had idiopathic PFFE. Sixteen (52%) had bilateral LT, 10 (32%) had single LT, 4 (13%) had lobar transplantation and one (3%) had heart-lung transplantation. Operative mortality was 3.2%. Early mortality (<90 days or during the first hospitalization) was 32%. Eleven patients (35.5%) underwent reoperation for hemostasis. Eight (30.8%) experienced bronchial complications. Mechanical ventilation time was 10 days [IQR 2-55]. Length of stay in intensive care unit and hospital were 34 [IQR 18-73] and 64 [IQR 36-103] days, respectively. Median survival was 21 months. Post-transplant survival rates after 1, 2, and 5 years were 57.9%, 42.6% and 38.3% respectively. Low albuminemia (p = 0.046), FVC (p = 0.021), FEV1 (p = 0.009) and high emergency lung transplantation (p = 0.04) were associated with increased early mortality. Oversized graft tended to be correlated to a higher mortality (p = 0.07). CONCLUSION: LT for PPFE is associated with high post-operative morbi-mortality rates. Patients requiring high emergency lung transplantation with advanced disease, malnutrition, or critical clinical status experienced worse outcomes. GOV IDENTIFIER: NCT05044390.

Impact of recipient and donor pretransplantation body mass index on early postosperative complications after lung transplantation.

BACKGROUND: Prior studies have assessed the impact of the pretransplantation recipient body mass index (BMI) on patient outcomes after lung transplantation (LT), but they have not specifically addressed early postoperative complications. Moreover, the impact of donor BMI on these complications has not been evaluated. The first aim of this study was to assess complications during hospitalization in the ICU after LT according to donor and recipient pretransplantation BMI. METHODS: All the recipients who underwent LT at Bichat Claude Bernard Hospital, Paris, between January 2016 and August 2022 were included in this observational retrospective monocentric study. Postoperative complications were analyzed according to recipient and donor BMIs. Univariate and multivariate analyses were also performed. The 90-day and one-year survival rates were studied. P < 0.05 was considered to indicate statistical significance. The Paris-North Hospitals Institutional Review Board approved the study. RESULTS: A total of 304 recipients were analyzed. Being underweight was observed in 41 (13%) recipients, a normal weight in 130 (43%) recipients, and being overweight/obese in 133 (44%) recipients. ECMO support during surgery was significantly more common in the overweight/obese group (p = 0.021), as were respiratory complications (primary graft dysfunction (PGD) (p = 0.006), grade 3 PDG (p = 0.018), neuroblocking agent administration (p = 0.008), prone positioning (p = 0.007)), and KDIGO 3 acute kidney injury (p = 0.036). However, pretransplantation overweight/obese status was not an independent risk factor for 90-day mortality. An overweight or obese donor was associated with a decreased PaO2/FiO2 ratio before organ donation (p < 0.001), without affecting morbidity or mortality after LT. CONCLUSION: Pretransplantation overweight/obesity in recipients is strongly associated with respiratory and renal complications during hospitalization in the ICU after LT.

[Cushing's syndrome with inhaled corticosteroid: Drug interactions to avoid]. / Syndrome de Cushing sous fluticasone inhalée : interactions médicamenteuses à éviter.

Cushing's syndrome is an iatrogenic event occurring during co-administration of inhaled corticosteroids and potent inhibitors of P450 cytochromes. We report the clinical case of a 29-year-old woman with a past history of asthma treated with inhaled fluticasone propionate (FP), chronic pulmonary aspergillosis and allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA) treated with itraconazole (ITZ), and Mycobacterium xenopi infection treated with moxifloxacin (MXF), ethambutol (EMB) and clarithromycin (CLR). Four months after initiation of antibiotic and antifungal medication, the patient contracted Cushing's syndrome. Its etiology consisted in interaction between FP, ITZ and CLR, which led to pronouncedly increased corticosteroid concentrations in circulating plasma cells. Following on the one hand cessation of FP and ITZ and on the other hand hydrocortisone supplementation, evolution was favorable. Several cases of iatrogenic Cushing's syndrome induced by co-administration of FP and potent CYP3A4 inhibitors have been reported in the literature. If possible, FP should be avoided in patients being treated with CYP3A4 inhibitors. Due to its differing physicochemical properties, beclometasone may be considered as the safest therapeutic alternative.

Ischemic injury of the upper gastrointestinal tract after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest: a prospective, multicenter study.

BACKGROUND: The consequences of cardiac arrest (CA) on the gastro-intestinal tract are poorly understood. We measured the incidence of ischemic injury in the upper gastro-intestinal tract after Out-of-hospital CA (OHCA) and determined the risk factors for and consequences of gastrointestinal ischemic injury according to its severity. METHODS: Prospective, non-controlled, multicenter study in nine ICUs in France and Belgium conducted from November 1, 2014 to November 30, 2018. Included patients underwent an esophago-gastro-duodenoscopy 2 to 4 d after OHCA if still intubated and the presence of ischemic lesions of the upper gastro-intestinal tract was determined by a gastroenterologist. Lesions were a priori defined as severe if there was ulceration or necrosis and moderate if there was mucosal edema or erythema. We compared clinical and cardiac arrest characteristics of three groups of patients (no, moderate, and severe lesions) and identified variables associated with gastrointestinal ischemic injury using multivariate regression analysis. We also compared the outcomes (organ failure during ICU stay and neurological status at hospital discharge) of the three groups of patients. RESULTS: Among the 214 patients included in the analysis, 121 (57%, 95% CI 50-63%) had an upper gastrointestinal ischemic lesion, most frequently on the fundus. Ischemic lesions were severe in 55/121 (45%) patients. In multivariate regression, higher adrenaline dose during cardiopulmonary resuscitation (OR 1.25 per mg (1.08-1.46)) was independently associated with increased odds of severe upper gastrointestinal ischemic lesions; previous proton pump inhibitor use (OR 0.40 (0.14-1.00)) and serum bicarbonate on day 1 (OR 0.89 (0.81-0.97)) were associated with lower odds of ischemic lesions. Patients with severe lesions had a higher SOFA score during the ICU stay and worse neurological outcome at hospital discharge. CONCLUSIONS: More than half of the patients successfully resuscitated from OHCA had upper gastrointestinal tract ischemic injury. Presence of ischemic lesions was independently associated with the amount of adrenaline used during resuscitation. Patients with severe lesions had higher organ failure scores during the ICU stay and a worse prognosis. Clinical Trial Registration NCT02349074 .

[Spontaneous pneumomediastinum]. / Pneumomédiastin spontané.

INTRODUCTION: Pneumomediastinum, which can be spontaneous or secondary, is defined by the presence of free air in the mediastinum as shown on a chest X-ray and/or chest CT, with or without subcutaneous emphysema. Secondary pneumomediastinum develops in various contexts (thoracic traumatism, perforation of central airway or digestive tract, pneumothorax, barotraumatism complicating mechanical ventilation…). Spontaneous pneumomediastinum , which will be the focus of this review, develops without any of the above-mentioned conditions. STATE OF ART: Spontaneous pneumomediastinum is a rare entity which usually occurs in young people either without medical history or with an history of asthma. A trigger event is detected in 40% to 60% of cases. Positive diagnosis is made on chest radiographt but thoracic CT is more sensitive. Distinction between spontaneous pneumomediastinum and secondary pneumomediastinum is in general easy but may sometimes be more difficult, particularly in case of oesophageal perforation. The evolution of spontaneous pneumomediastinum is most often benign but, rare complications may occur. Management is most often conservative. PERSPECTIVES: There is no consensual management of spontaneous pneumediastinum because of the lack of randomized prospective studies. This may be explained by the rarity of the disease. The actual trend is to offer to the patients a conservative treatment, which could be ambulatory in some cases. CONCLUSIONS: Spontaneous pneumomediastinum is a rare entity developing mainly in young subjects. The evolution is in general benign, justifying a conservative approach.

[Early outcomes following lung transplantation in patients aged 65 years and older]. / Résultats précoces de la transplantation pulmonaire chez les patients âgés de 65 ans et plus.

INTRODUCTION: The number of lung transplantations performed is increasing worldwide. With an improved experience and outcomes, the age of the recipient on its own has ceased to be an absolute contra-indication. We report our first experience with lung transplantation in patients aged 65 years or older. METHODS: From January 2014 to March 2019, the files of patients aged 65 years or older undergoing lung transplantation were retrospectively reviewed. RESULTS: During the study period, 241 patients underwent lung transplantation in Bichat hospital (Paris, France), including 25 recipients aged 65 years or older. Underlying diagnoses were interstitial (72%) and obstructive (28%) disease. The rate of single lung transplantation was 80%. Sixteen patients required ECMO assistance during the procedure. Early complications were mostly grade III primary graft dysfunction (12%) and cellular rejection (20%). Overall one-year survival rate was 76%. CONCLUSION: After a careful selection of the recipients, the early results of our retrospective single center series are encouraging. We continue to consider lung transplantation in rigorously selected recipients of aged 65 years and more.

[Risks associated with the use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs during pneumonia]. / Risques associés à la prise d'anti-inflammatoires non stéroïdiens au cours de la pneumonie.

INTRODUCTION: Outpatient treatment of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) patients with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) is frequent, although this is not based on clinical recommendations and there is no scientific evidence supporting better symptom relief in comparison to acetaminophen. STATE OF THE ART: Experimental data suggest that NSAIDs alter the intrinsic functions of neutrophils, limit their locoregional recruitment, alter bacterial clearance and delay the resolution of inflammatory processes during acute bacterial pulmonary challenge. In hospitalized children and adults with CAP, observational data suggest a strong and independent association between the outpatient exposure to NSAIDs and the occurrence of pleuropulmonary complications (pleural empyema, excavation, and abscess). In the only study taking into account possible protopathic bias, the association still persists. Other markers of morbidity have been described, including delay in hospital management, prolonged antibiotic therapy, and higher transfer rate to an intensive care unit. PERSPECTIVES: Data describing the role of self-medication and the biological mechanisms involved are needed. CONCLUSIONS: Intake of NSAIDs during outpatient treatment of CAP is probably the second modifiable factor of morbidity after inadequate antibiotic therapy. In light of existing data in children and adults, health authorities should urgently reassess the risk-benefit ratio of NSAIDS in CAP.

[Lung surgery in haematological patients: useful? hazardous?]. / Chirurgie pulmonaire chez le malade d'hématologie : pourquoi ? Pour qui ?

Respiratory complications are frequent in haematological patients. Lung surgery, either for diagnosis or treatment, is considered useful but hazardous in these patients. We performed a reappraisal study of this purpose; retrospective study in a university centre, located in the Paris area, France. We analysed the entire records of all the haematological patients admitted in the Thoracic Surgery department from October 2001 to January 2009, among 400 haematological patients with pulmonary complications admitted to the Respiratory Diseases department. Seventeen patients (male: n=13, mean age 47 ± 15 years) underwent lung surgery. Underlying haematological disease was acute (n=7) or chronic (n=5) leukaemia, lymphoma (n=4), and eight have had stem cell transplantation. Thirteen patients had been exposed to a cytotoxic chemotherapy with known pulmonary toxicity. Respiratory diseases have been evolving for 112 days (10-663 days), and 14 patients received previously antibiotic and/or antifungal therapy. One patient was neutropenic and three had thrombopenia. Five patients underwent curative surgery for a residual pulmonary nodule after medical treatment of invasive aspergillosis, and 12 had a diagnostic procedure (open lung biopsy by video-assisted thoracoscopy [n=2]; thoracotomy [n=8]). Surgery permitted a final diagnosis in all 12 cases: non-specific infiltrative pneumonia (n=4), pulmonary graft versus host disease (n=3), granulomatous pneumocystosis (n=1), invasive aspergillosis (n=1), bronchial carcinoma (n=1), EBV-related lymphoproliferation (n=1), and tuberculosis (n=1). Therapeutic regimens were modified according to the surgical results in ten cases (84%). All patients were extubated at the end of surgery. Post-operative complications were: prolonged air leaks (n=3), pneumonia (n=1), parenchymal hematoma (n=1), acute coronary syndrome (n=1). Seven patients were admitted in the Intensive Care Unit, and five had non-invasive ventilation. Three patients died from respiratory failure: NSIP (n=2), pneumocystosis (n=1). Lung surgery for selected haematological patients has two indications: (1) curative surgery, for a residual pulmonary nodule after medical treatment of invasive aspergillosis; (2) diagnostic procedure, leading frequently to modifications of therapeutic regimens, with low rate of complications, in highly selected patients.