Respirology Case Reports最新文献

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) are increasingly utilized as first-line treatment for many solid tumour malignancies. One downside of ICI therapy is autoimmune-mediated organ inflammation, or immune-related adverse events (irAE). ICI-related pneumonitis, or non-infectious inflammation of the lung, is a well-described irAE. While guidelines surrounding ICI-related pneumonitis are well established, other ICI-related pulmonary toxicities, including reactive airways disease, are rarely described in the literature. Here, we present a series of patients without pre-existing COPD or asthma who developed reactive airways disease with peripheral eosinophilia after ICI therapy and without radiographic evidence of pneumonitis. The patients were treated with typical therapies for reactive airways disease, including- inhaled steroids, bronchodilators, systemic steroids, and in one instance, dupilumab. All experienced symptomatic improvement with these therapies, enabling some of the patients to continue receiving ICI therapy.

The complete removal of a pulmonary hydatid cyst by bronchoscopy occurs rarely in clinical practice. We describe a 22-year-old male originally from Lebanon, with suspected hydatid cyst rupture on computed tomography chest after experiencing sudden onset fevers and cough whilst taking empiric anthelmintic therapy. Bronchoscopy revealed white gelatinous material in the posterior segment of the left lower lobe. The complete membranes of a hydatid cyst were removed with grasping forceps. Histologic examination confirmed the diagnosis of echinococcosis.

Pulmonary sequestration with torsion is a rare condition. We describe a seven-month-old baby presenting excessive crying for pulmonary sequestration with torsion. Contrast-enhanced chest computed tomography demonstrated an oval-shaped mass in the posteromedial right lower chest, no systemic arterial supply was evident. The edge of the mass showed slight linear reinforcement, and its interior had no reinforcement. Thoracoscopic segmentectomy was carried out and histology confirmed pulmonary sequestration with torsion.

Foreign body aspiration is rare in adults but can be life-threatening. This case highlights the subtlety of chronic foreign body aspiration presentation and the importance of judicious use of radiological tool and comprehensive history-taking especially in patients with chronic cough.

Community-acquired necrotizing pneumonia is a rare but potentially fatal infection, mainly caused by specific pathogens such as Streptococcus pneumoniae, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Escherichia coli is extremely rare as a pathogen for community-acquired necrotizing pneumonia, typically accompanied with bloodstream infection. Here, we report an unusual case of a 60-year-old man with uncontrolled diabetes mellitus and no bloodstream infections, who had severe necrotizing E. coli pneumonia leading to massive hemoptysis and death. Clinicians should be aware of this pathogen in respiratory infections, as it requires immediate pathogen detection and usually aggressive antibiotic treatment.

Relapsing polychondritis (RP) is a rare inflammatory disorder involving immune-mediated destruction of cartilaginous structures. Herein, we present the first report of a strong association between COVID-19 vaccination and RP development. Clinicians should be aware that RP is among the autoimmune diseases that can develop after mRNA vaccination.

Several predictive factors of immune checkpoint inhibitor response have been reported, but there has not been sufficient exploration of which patients benefit from immune checkpoint inhibitor rechallenge. We report the case of a patient with non-small cell lung cancer who had 6 years of complete response with initial nivolumab treatment. After relapse, however, rechallenge with nivolumab did not result in tumour shrinkage or long-term response. Even in patients who had an exceptional response to the initial immune checkpoint inhibitor, long-term efficacy may not be achieved by immune checkpoint inhibitor rechallenge. Thorough investigation of biomarkers that predict efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitor rechallenge is warranted.

Diagnosis and treatment of pulmonary hypertension (PH) in patients with lung diseases (PH-LD) remain unestablished and pose significant challenges. In this report, we present a case of a 77-year-old patient with an indeterminate for usual interstitial pneumonia pattern along with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, who developed groups 1 and 3 PH. Following diagnosis, upfront triple oral combination therapy (UTOCT) with macitentan, sildenafil, and selexipag was initiated. Stability in disease progression was achieved over 4 years with the addition of pirfenidone to address interstitial lung disease progression. To the best of our knowledge, this represents the first reported case of PH-LD, where disease control was maintained with the addition of pirfenidone to UTOCT. This case suggests that some patients with PH-LD, presenting with groups 1 and 3 PH, may benefit from combined UTOCT and antifibrotic agents, potentially improving symptoms and extending their prognosis.

Surgical evacuation has long been the standard treatment for hemothorax. However, some patients are not suitable candidates for surgery. Intrapleural fibrinolytic therapy (IPFT) has recently emerged as an effective alternative for managing retained hemothorax. This case report describes two patients with retained hemothorax who were unfit for surgery and were successfully treated with IPFT at our centre. Both patients were deemed unsuitable for surgery due to comorbidities and their overall functional status. They received three cycles of IPFT, each consisting of 2.5 mg of alteplase. This treatment effectively evacuated the retained hemothorax, achieving complete radiological resolution without immediate or delayed complications up to 3 months post-discharge.

Our case highlights the importance of follow-up. Previous meta-analysis has shown that patients with sub-centimetre nodules may have extended follow-up intervals before requiring intervention, unlike those with larger nodules exceeding 1 cm. However, referring to our case, we can see the importance of regular and dense follow-up.