Oxidative stress, inflammation and disease activity biomarkers in lupus nephropathy.

Lupus nephropathy is a severe and frequent complication of systemic lupus erythematosus. Here, we assessed the biomarkers of oxidative stress, inflammation and disease activity in patients with lupus nephritis. Thirty-four patients with active lupus nephritis, 31 patients with inactive lupus nephritis and 20 lupus patients without renal damage (non-lupus nephritis) were studied. Oxidative stress biomarkers malonyldialdehyde, oxidized-to-total glutathione, catalase, superoxide dismutase and total antioxidant status were assessed, as well as inflammation biomarkers CRP, interleukin 6 and monocyte chemoattractant protein 1. Renal tubular disease biomarkers neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin and ß2-microglobulin were assessed, together with the classic disease activity biomarkers urinary protein/creatinine ratio, anti-dsDNA, anti-C1q antibody and complement proteins C3 and C4. Significant differences were found between active lupus nephritis and inactive lupus nephritis patients and between active lupus nephritis and non-lupus nephritis patients for all the assessed biomarkers (P < 0.05), except for catalase, superoxide dismutase and interleukin 6. There is an imbalance in the redox status in active lupus nephritis patients that would be involved in lipid peroxidation of the glomerular basal membrane that would alter its integrity and could also affect renal tubular function in these patients.

Nerve ablation after bronchial thermoplasty and sustained improvement in severe asthma.

BACKGROUND: Bronchial thermoplasty (BT) is a non-pharmacological intervention for severe asthma whose mechanism of action is not completely explained by a reduction of airway smooth muscle (ASM). In this study we analyzed the effect of BT on nerve fibers and inflammatory components in the bronchial mucosa at 1 year. METHODS: Endobronchial biopsies were obtained from 12 subjects (mean age 47 ± 11.3 years, 50% male) with severe asthma. Biopsies were performed at baseline (T0) and after 1 (T1), 2 (T2) and 12 (T12) months post-BT, and studied with immunocytochemistry and microscopy methods. Clinical data including Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire (AQLQ) and Asthma Control Questionnaire (ACQ) scores, exacerbations, hospitalizations, oral corticosteroids use were also collected at the same time points. RESULTS: A statistically significant reduction at T1, T2 and T12 of nerve fibers was observed in the submucosa and in ASM compared to T0. Among inflammatory cells, only CD68 showed significant changes at all time points. Improvement of all clinical outcomes was documented and persisted at the end of follow up. CONCLUSIONS: A reduction of nerve fibers in epithelium and in ASM occurs earlier and persists at one year after BT. We propose that nerve ablation may contribute to mediate the beneficial effects of BT in severe asthma. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Registered on April 2, 2013 at ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01839591 .

Clusters of individuals recovering from an exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and response to in-hospital pulmonary rehabilitation.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: Due to the present low availability of pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) for individuals recovering from a COPD exacerbation (ECOPD), we need admission priority criteria. We tested the hypothesis that these individuals might be clustered according to baseline characteristics to identify subpopulations with different responses to PR. METHODS: Multicentric retrospective analysis of individuals undergone in-hospital PR. Baseline characteristics and outcome measures (six-minute walking test - 6MWT, Medical Research Council scale for dyspnoea -MRC, COPD assessment test -CAT) were used for clustering analysis. RESULTS: Data analysis of 1159 individuals showed that after program, the proportion of individuals reaching the minimal clinically important difference (MCID) was 85.0%, 86.3%, and 65.6% for CAT, MRC, and 6MWT respectively. Three clusters were found (C1-severe: 10.9%; C2-intermediate: 74.4%; C3-mild: 14.7% of cases respectively). Cluster C1-severe showed the worst conditions with the largest post PR improvements in outcome measures; C3-mild showed the least severe baseline conditions, but the smallest improvements. The proportion of participants reaching the MCID in ALL three outcome measures was significantly different among clusters, with C1-severe having the highest proportion of full success (69.0%) as compared to C2-intermediate (48.3%) and C3-mild (37.4%). Participants in C2-intermediate and C1-severe had 1.7- and 4.6-fold increases in the probability to reach the MCID in all three outcomes as compared to those in C3-mild (OR = 1.72, 95% confidence interval [95% CI] = 1.2 - 2.49, p = 0.0035 and OR = 4.57, 95% CI = 2.68 - 7.91, p < 0.0001 respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Clustering analysis can identify subpopulations of individuals recovering from ECOPD associated with different responses to PR. Our results may help in defining priority criteria based on the probability of success of PR.

[Questionnaires for occupational disability evaluation in patients with chronic respiratory diseases]. / Questionari per la valutazione della disabilità occupazionale in pazienti con malattie respiratorie croniche.

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) represents a model of respiratory degenerative chronic disabling disorder. In Pulmonary Rehabilitation (PR), occupational approach is aimed at restoring patient's abilities at best in the social, familiar and working scenarios, and it is an essential part of a good PR Programme. To evaluate first occupational disability and then the occupational outcome of a PR programme, we need appropriate tools. London Chest Activity of Daily Living (LCADL) ed il Manchester Respiratory Activities of Daily Living (MRADL) are two questionnaires with such characteristics available in the literature. Our aim was to translate into Italian and adapt to the Italian social reality these two questionnaires. This may be a preliminary albeit necessary step to obtain reliable data on the occupational outcome of PR programmes in Italy.

Association of increased CCL5 and CXCL7 chemokine expression with neutrophil activation in severe stable COPD.

BACKGROUND: Increased numbers of activated neutrophils have been reported in the bronchial mucosa of patients with stable chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), particularly in severe disease. OBJECTIVES: To investigate the expression of neutrophilic chemokines and adhesion molecules in bronchial biopsies from patients with stable COPD of different severity (GOLD stages I-IV) compared with age-matched control subjects, smokers with normal lung function and never smokers. METHODS: The expression of CCL5, CXCL1, 5, 6, 7 and 8, CXCR1, CXCR2, CD11b and CD44 was measured in the bronchial mucosa using immunohistochemistry, confocal immunofluorescence, real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-QPCR) and Western blotting (WB). RESULTS: The numbers of CCL5+ epithelial cells and CCL5+ and CXCL7+ immunostained cells were increased in the bronchial submucosa of patients with stable severe COPD compared with control never smokers and smokers with normal lung function. This was also confirmed at the level of mRNA expression. The numbers of CCL5+ cells in the submucosa of patients with COPD were 2-15 times higher than any other chemokines. There was no correlation between the number of these cells and the number of neutrophils in the bronchial submucosa. Compared with control smokers, the percentage of neutrophils co-expressing CD11b and CD44 receptors was significantly increased in the submucosa of patients with COPD. CONCLUSION: The increased expression of CCL5 and CXCL7 in the bronchial mucosa of patients with stable COPD, together with an increased expression of extracellular matrix-binding receptors on neutrophils, may be involved in the pathogenesis of COPD.

Tele-assistance in chronic respiratory failure patients: a randomised clinical trial.

Chronic respiratory patients requiring oxygen or home mechanical ventilation experience frequent exacerbations and hospitalisations with related costs. Strict monitoring and care have been recommended. The aim of the present study was to primarily evaluate reduction in hospitalisations and, secondly, exacerbations, general practitioner (GP) calls and related cost-effectiveness of tele-assistance (TA) for these patients. A total of 240 patients (101 with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)) were randomised to two groups: an intervention group entered a 1-yr TA programme while controls received traditional care. No anthropometric and clinical differences were found between groups both in baseline and in mortality (18% for TA, 23% for controls). Compared with controls, the TA group experienced significantly fewer hospitalisations (-36%), urgent GP calls (-65%) and acute exacerbations (-71%). Only COPD patients, as a separate group, had fewer hospitalisations, emergency room admissions, urgent GP calls or exacerbations. Each patient referred to staff a mean+/-sd 36+/-25 times. After deduction of TA costs, the average overall cost for each patient was 33% less than that for usual care. In chronic respiratory failure patients on oxygen or home mechanical ventilation, a nurse-centred tele-assistance prevents hospitalisations while it is cost-effective. The chronic obstructive pulmonary disease group seems to have a greater advantage from tele-assistance.

T helper type 17-related cytokine expression is increased in the bronchial mucosa of stable chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients.

There are increased numbers of activated T lymphocytes in the bronchial mucosa of stable chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients. T helper type 17 (Th17) cells release interleukin (IL)-17 as their effector cytokine under the control of IL-22 and IL-23. Furthermore, Th17 numbers are increased in some chronic inflammatory conditions. To investigate the expression of interleukin (IL)-17A, IL-17F, IL-21, IL-22 and IL-23 and of retinoic orphan receptor RORC2, a marker of Th17 cells, in bronchial biopsies from patients with stable COPD of different severity compared with age-matched control subjects. The expression of IL-17A, IL-17F, IL-21, IL-22, IL-23 and RORC2 was measured in the bronchial mucosa using immunohistochemistry and/or quantitative polymerase chain reaction. The number of IL-22(+) and IL-23(+) immunoreactive cells is increased in the bronchial epithelium of stable COPD compared with control groups. In addition, the number of IL-17A(+) and IL-22(+) immunoreactive cells is increased in the bronchial submucosa of stable COPD compared with control non-smokers. In all smokers, with and without disease, and in patients with COPD alone, the number of IL-22(+) cells correlated significantly with the number of both CD4(+) and CD8(+) cells in the bronchial mucosa. RORC2 mRNA expression in the bronchial mucosa was not significantly different between smokers with normal lung function and COPD. Further, we report that endothelial cells express high levels of IL-17A and IL-22. Increased expression of the Th17-related cytokines IL-17A, IL-22 and IL-23 in COPD patients may reflect their involvement, and that of specific IL-17-producing cells, in driving the chronic inflammation seen in COPD.

Bias toward use of a specific T cell receptor beta-chain variable region in a subgroup of individuals with sarcoidosis.

To evaluate the concept that biases in the usage of T cell antigen receptor beta variable (V) regions may be manifested in T lymphocytes that accumulate in nonmalignant, T cell-mediated human disorders, a V beta 8-specific antibody (anti-Ti3A, 5REX9H5) was used to evaluate lung and blood T cells in pulmonary sarcoidosis, a chronic granulomatous disorder of unknown etiology. Whereas normal patients had less than 5% Ti3A+ lung (n = 7) and/or blood (n = 9) lymphocytes, strikingly, a subgroup (8 of 21) with active pulmonary sarcoidosis had greater than 7% Ti3A+ lung and/or blood T cells and a higher proportion of Ti3A+ lymphocytes in the lung compared with blood. Dual-color flow cytometry demonstrated compartmentalization of Ti3A+ CD4+ lymphocytes to lung and Ti3A+ CD8+ lymphocytes to blood. Analysis with a 32P-labeled V beta 8 probe revealed that sarcoid lung T lymphocytes contained higher amounts of V beta 8+ mRNA than autologous blood T cells. However, Southern analysis of sarcoid lung and blood T cell DNA demonstrated no evidence of clonal rearrangements of V beta 8 genes. These observations demonstrate a clear bias toward the use of at least one V beta region in sarcoidosis, and suggests T cells accumulate secondary to external selective pressure, rather than in a random polyclonal fashion or by clonal expansion of one or few T cell clones.

Increased numbers of T lymphocytes with gamma delta-positive antigen receptors in a subgroup of individuals with pulmonary sarcoidosis.

Individuals with sarcoidosis were evaluated for preferential usage of T cells with the gamma delta-positive (+) type of T cell antigen receptor. Compared with normal subjects (n = 19), the group with sarcoidosis had increased numbers of CD3+ alpha beta-negative (-) T cells in the blood (normal, 58 +/- 12 cells/microliters; sarcoid, 192 +/- 45 cells/microliters, P less than 0.05) and in the epithelial lining fluid of the lung (normal, 78 14 cells/microliters; sarcoid, 240 +/- 60 cells/microliters, P less than 0.04) and a concomitant elevated number of blood and lung CD3+ gamma delta+ T cells, owing to a striking increase in the number of CD3+ gamma delta+ T cells in a subgroup (7 of 20) of sarcoid individuals. The elevated numbers of sarcoid blood gamma delta+ T lymphocytes were mostly Ti gamma A+ and delta TCS1-, a pattern also seen in normal individuals, consistent with the majority of gamma delta+ T cells expressing one gamma-chain variable region, V gamma 9. The observation of an increase in the total gamma delta+ T cell numbers in a sarcoid subgroup suggests that various specific stimuli may trigger the expansion of different T cell subpopulations within different groups of individuals with sarcoidosis.

Efficacy of pulmonary rehabilitation in chronic respiratory failure (CRF) due to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD): The Maugeri Study.

UNLABELLED: While the effectiveness of pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is well established, its effectiveness in the most severe category of COPD, i.e. patients with chronic respiratory failure (CRF), is less well known. OBJECTIVE: To verify the effects of PR in patients with CRF, and compare the level of improvement with PR in these patients to that of COPDs not affected by CRF. METHODS: A multi-centre study was carried out on COPD patients with versus without CRF. The PR program included educational support, exercise training, and nutritional and psychological counselling. Lung function, arterial gases, walk test (6MWT), dyspnoea (MRC; BDI/TDI), and quality of life (MRF(28); SGRQ) were evaluated. RESULTS: Thousand forty seven consecutive COPD inpatients (327 with CRF) were evaluated. In patients with CRF all parameters improved after PR (0.001). Mean changes: FEV(1), 112 ml; PaO(2), 3.0 mmHg; PaCO(2), 3.3 mmHg; 6MWT, 48 m; MRC, 0.85 units; MRF(28) total score, 11.5 units. These changes were similar to those observed in patients without CRF. CONCLUSIONS: This study, featuring the largest cohort so far reported in the literature, shows that PR is equally effective in the more severe COPD patients, i.e. those with CRF, and supports the prescription of PR also in these patients.

Home mechanical ventilation patients: a retrospective survey to identify level of burden in real life.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Home care for patients under home mechanical ventilation (HMV) may cause dramatic physical and economic burden in addition to the burden of time on family/caregivers and health care service (HCS) with difficult resource allocation decision-making. Our aims were: 1. To identify conditions causing major care burden in managing HMV patients according to family and payer's perspectives related to characteristics of the disease, dependency and accessibility; and 2. To find, if any, differences among diseases. METHODS: A questionnaire was sent to eight pulmonary centres to identify factors connected with the greater care burden. Retrospective data of 792 patients still alive and in HMV was reviewed. RESULTS: Compared to neuromuscular disorders (NM) and chest wall deformities, the COPD group have presented a statistically greater number of hospitalisations/yr (1.37 +/- 0.77), greater length of stay (13 +/- 10 days), higher number of outpatient visits/yr (2.55 +/- 1.73) or emergency room accesses/yr (0.74 +/- 1.08). Patients with NM diseases need more home care. The prevalence of one, two and three among five selected burden criteria (needs of MV > 12 hrs/day, tracheotomy, high dependency, distance from hospital, frequent hospitalisations) was respectively 19%, 30% and 33% of the cases; the NM was the group most represented. CONCLUSIONS: In HMV patients: 1. underlying disease, level of their dependency, hours spent under MV, presence of tracheotomy, home distance from hospital, hospital accesses are the causes of major care burden; and 2. as a novelty we have demonstrated that more than fifty percent of them present two or three contemporaneous criteria selected as care burden, being NM and COPD patients the most representative group necessitating of family's and HCS's care respectively.

A pilot study of nurse-led, home monitoring for patients with chronic respiratory failure and with mechanical ventilation assistance.

We assessed the feasibility of telemedicine for home monitoring of 45 patients with chronic respiratory failure (CRF) discharged from hospital. The patients transmitted pulsed arterial saturation (pSat) data via a telephone modem to a receiving station where a nurse was available for a teleconsultation. A respiratory physician was also available. Scheduled and ad hoc appointments were conducted. Thirty-five patients were on home mechanical ventilation, 13 with invasive and 22 with non-invasive devices. The main diagnosis was chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The follow-up period was 176 days (SD 69). In all, 376 calls for scheduled consultations were received and 83 ad hoc consultations were requested by the patients. The actions taken were: 55 therapy modifications, 19 hospitalizations in a respiratory department for decompensated CRF, three hospitalizations in an intensive care unit (ICU), 22 requests for further investigations, 25 contacts with the general practitioner (GP), 66 demands for respiratory consultations and 10 calls for the emergency department. The mean time recorded for the 459 calls was 16 min/patient/week. In 82% of calls, a pSat recording was received successfully. The nurse time required to train the users in the operation of the pSat instrument was high (mean time 30 min). However, the results showed that home monitoring was feasible, and useful for titration of oxygen, mechanical ventilation setting and stabilization of relapses.

Requirement for different presenting cells and for different processing mechanisms by human CD4 T helper clones specific for M. tuberculosis antigens.

Human T helper cells specific for mycobacterial antigens have been extensively investigated. Differences have been detected according to antigen specificity and to fine epitope specificity. In this work we have analyzed two additional parameters that allow discrimination among antigen specific T helper cells: requirement for certain types of antigen presenting cells (APC) and requirement for protease-sensitive antigen processing pathways. We used T cell clones from peripheral blood or from pleural exudates, and specific for different antigenic fractions of M. tuberculosis. APC were autologous peripheral blood mononuclear cells, adherent monocytes, adherent pleural monocytes, EBV transformed B lymphocytes and dendritic cells. Seven clones out of twelve were stimulated by all APC irrespective of their specificity, whereas other clones had more selective requirements. When protease inhibitors were used during antigen pulsing of APC, the production of certain epitopes, and thus T cell activation, was impaired with six clones out of sixteen. These results demonstrate that the human T helper repertoire specific for mycobacterial antigens is highly diverse also according to APC populations needed for presentation and to processing mechanisms required for production of the relevant T epitopes.

Acute myelomonocytic leukemia. Demonstration of pulmonary involvement by bronchoalveolar lavage.

Massive pulmonary infiltration by leukemic cells resulting in respiratory symptoms is a rare complication of acute leukemia. We report the findings in a patient with acute myelomonocytic leukemia presenting with acute onset of fever, dyspnea, and nonproductive cough, in whom the diagnosis of pulmonary invasion by leukemic cells was made by cytochemical analysis of bronchoalveolar cells recovered by lavage.

Inhaled corticosteroids in stable COPD patients: do they have effects on cells and molecular mediators of airway inflammation?

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To investigate possible changes in cells and molecular mediators of airway inflammation following inhaled steroid treatment of stable COPD patients. DESIGN: Six-week open preliminary prospective study. SETTING: A university respiratory disease clinic. PATIENTS: : Stable COPD patients with mild disease. INTERVENTION: Six-week treatment with inhaled beclomethasone (1.5 mg die). MEASUREMENTS: The levels of interleukin (IL)-8, myeloperoxidase, eosinophilic cationic protein and tryptase, and cell numbers in bronchial lavage specimens were determined, and the symptom score, the endoscopic bronchitis index, and functional parameters were recorded. RESULTS: After treatment there were significant reductions in the lavage levels of IL-8 ([mean +/- SEM] 1,603.4 +/- 331.2 vs 1,119.2 +/- 265.3 pg/mL, respectively; p = 0. 01) and myeloperoxidase (1,614.5 +/- 682.3 vs 511.2 +/- 144.2 microg/L, respectively; p = 0.05), in cell numbers (250.6 +/- 27.7 vs 186.3 +/- 11.5 cells x 10(3)/mL, respectively; p = 0.04), neutrophil proportion (59.7 +/- 14.3% vs 31.5 +/- 10.1%; p = 0.01), symptom score (4.5 +/- 0.6 vs 1.4 +/- 0.5; p = 0.01), and bronchitis index (8.5 +/- 0.8 vs 5.5 +/- 0.7; p = 0.007). CONCLUSIONS: In stable patients with COPD, inhaled steroid treatment may induce changes on some cellular and molecular parameters of airway inflammation.

Lower respiratory tract inflammation in chronic bronchitis. Evaluation by bronchoalveolar lavage and changes associated with treatment with Immucytal, a biological response modifier.

Chronic bronchitis (CB) is characterized by inflammatory changes in the bronchial tissue and by recurrent bronchitis exacerbations. In addition, defective systemic and local immune mechanisms have been demonstrated and biologic response modifiers (BRMs) have been recently introduced for clinical use in patients with CB. We studied 24 patients with CB by bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL), before and after a 4-week treatment protocol with inhaled Immucytal (Pierre-Fabre Pharma Srl, Milan, Italy), a BRM composed of bacterial ribosomal fractions and membrane proteoglycans. Compared with normal controls (NC), before treatment BAL in patients with CB contained increased proportions of neutrophils (NC, 0.8 +/- 0.2 percent; CB, 3 +/- 1 percent), of eosinophils (NC, 0.1 +/- 0.02 percent; CB, 0.6 +/- 0.2 percent); and of lymphocytes (NC, 6 +/- 1 percent; CB, 13 +/- 2 percent; p < 0.01 each comparison) with higher percentages of CD3+ and CD8+ lymphocytes (p < 0.01 each comparison). In BAL from patients with CB there were also higher levels of albumin and of the ratio IgG/albumin (p < 0.01 and p < 0.05, respectively, compared with NC). After Immucytal treatment, the proportions of lymphocytes in BAL in patients with CB were decreased (13 +/- 2 percent before, 6 +/- 1 percent after; p < 0.01). In addition, the posttreatment BAL samples contained significantly fewer neutrophils per milliliter of BAL (3.7 +/- 0.8 x 10(3) neutrophils per milliliter of BAL before, 1.5 +/- 0.5 x 10(3) neutrophils per milliliter after; p < 0.05). No differences were seen for the proportions of lymphocyte subpopulations and for the protein levels between the BAL obtained before and after Immucytal treatment. These data demonstrate the presence of a lower respiratory tract inflammation in patients with CB and suggest that treatment of patients with CB with a BRM may change the proportions of inflammatory cells present in BAL.