BMC Pulmonary Medicine最新文献

Background: The most appropriate anti-inflammatory treatment for moderate COVID-19 pneumonia remains uncertain. We aimed to compare the effectiveness of a high-dose methylprednisolone versus a high-dose dexamethasone in hospitalized moderate COVID-19 pneumonia, regarding the WHO clinical progression scales, mortality, and the length of hospitalization.

Methods: In this open-labeled randomized controlled trial, we enrolled patients with age > 18 years old who were diagnosed moderate COVID-19 pneumonia confirmed by real-time PCR, evidence of pneumonia by chest imaging and resting oxygen saturation between 90 and 94%. Patients were randomized at a 1:1 ratio to receive methylprednisolone 250 mg/day or dexamethasone 20 mg/day over the first three days. Then the patients in both groups received dexamethasone 20 mg/day on days 4-5, and 10 mg/day on days 6-10. Primary outcome was assessed by a 10-point WHO clinical progression scales ranging from uninfected (point 0) to death (point 10) on the fifth day of treatment. Secondary outcomes including 90-day mortality, length of hospitalization, rate of intensive care unit (ICU) transfer and complications were determined.

Results: Of 98 eligible patients, the mean age was 76.0 ± 13.3 years. The median date of illness at the time of randomization was 3 days (interquartile range 2, 5). Baseline clinical characteristics and severity did not differ between groups. The WHO clinical progression scales were similar between methylprednisolone and dexamethasone group at 5 and 10 days of treatment [4.84, (95% confidence interval(CI), 4.35-5.33) vs. 4.76 (95% CI, 4.27-5.25), p = 0.821 and 4.32 (95% CI, 3.83-4.81) vs. 3.80 (95% CI, 3.31-4.29), p = 0.140, respectively)]. Both groups did not differ in-hospital mortality, length of hospitalization, and rate of ICU transfer. There were also no differences in steroid-related complications between groups until 90 days of follow-up.

Conclusions: In patients with moderate COVID-19 pneumonia, initial anti-inflammatory treatment with 250 mg/day of methylprednisolone for three days does not yield better outcomes over high-dose dexamethasone.

Trial registration: This study was registered at Thai Clinical Trials Registry on October 17, 2021, with the identifier TCTR20211017001.

Background and objectives: The DOSE index, which incorporates Dyspnea, Obstruction, Smoking, and Exacerbations, is a widely used tool for assessing the severity and prognosis of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). In addition to risk assessment, it has potential clinical utility in predicting healthcare costs, which are primarily driven by exacerbations. While several indices, such as the BODE (Body-mass index, Obstruction, Dyspnea, Exercise) and ADO (Age, Dyspnea, Obstruction) indices, exist for risk prediction, there is a lack of dedicated tools for forecasting healthcare costs. This study explores the potential of the DOSE index compared to other indices, including BODE, ADO, and the Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI), for this purpose.

Materials and methods: This cross-sectional retrospective study analyzed data from 396 COPD cases. We examined associations between the DOSE index, BODE index, ADO index, CCI, and healthcare costs, including hospitalizations and emergency room treatments. Healthcare costs were categorized as direct medical expenses.

Results: Significant associations were observed between the DOSE index and various healthcare parameters. DOSE quartiles showed strong correlations with outpatient visits (p = 0.013) and outpatient medical expenses (p = 0.011). In addition, hospitalization frequency, duration, and associated costs were significantly correlated with higher DOSE quartiles (p < 0.001). A significant difference was found when comparing DOSE quartiles between patients with high (CCI ≥ 3) and low (CCI < 3) comorbidity scores (p = 0.018). The DOSE index outperformed other indices, likely due to its inclusion of exacerbations, a key driver of healthcare costs.

Conclusion: The DOSE index demonstrates potential in predicting healthcare costs, particularly due to its inclusion of exacerbation frequency. This study highlights the importance of considering exacerbations alongside traditional risk factors for more accurate cost forecasting in COPD management. Our findings suggest that the DOSE index may be a valuable tool in both clinical and economic assessments of COPD patients, though further research is warranted to validate these findings in larger datasets.

Objective: The incidence of invasive pulmonary aspergillosis (IPA) is increasing gradually. This study analysed the epidemiological characteristics and prognostic factors of patients with IPA and explored the risk factors affecting prognosis.

Materials and methods: The clinical data and treatment of 92 patients with IPA were retrospectively analysed, and the patients were followed for 12 weeks. Patients were divided into an effective treatment group and an ineffective treatment group, and the risk factors affecting prognosis were discussed.

Results: A total of 92 patients met the IPA inclusion criteria, and the most common genus of Aspergillus was Aspergillus fumigatus. The incidence of IPA was highest in patients with malignant tumours. IPA often coexisted with infections caused by other pathogens. We divided the patients into an effective treatment group and an ineffective treatment group according to prognosis. Compared with those in the effective treatment group, the procalcitonin (PCT) level, lactate dehydrogenase-to-albumin ratio (LDH/ALB) and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) in the ineffective treatment group were greater, the serum albumin level was lower, and the imaging findings revealed less nodules and bronchial wall thickening (P < 0.05). Among these factors, a decrease in the serum albumin concentration, an increase in the PCT level, coinfection and less bronchial wall thickening on imaging were independent risk factors for aspergillosis treatment failure.

Conclusion: A decreased albumin level, an elevated PCT level, coinfection, and less bronchial wall thickening were independent risk factors for treatment failure in patients with IPA. Attention should be given to the albumin level, coinfection status and imaging findings of patients.

Objective: To study the clinical effectiveness of visual laryngoscopy combined with fiberoptic bronchoscopy-guided double-lumen endotracheal tube intubation in thoracic surgery patients with predicted difficult airways in thoracic surgery airways.

Methods: We randomly divided 162 patients with predicted difficult airways who required double-lumen tracheal intubation for thoracic surgery and randomly divided them into the video laryngoscopy group (Group VL, n = 54),fiberoptic bronchoscopy group (Group F, n = 54), and video laryngoscopy combined with fiberoptic bronchoscopy group (Group FVL, n = 54) according to the randomized number table method. Then, the success rate of the first intubation, the duration of intubation, the duration of positioning, the degree of exposure of the vocal cords (Cormack-Lehane grade), and the adverse reactions during intubation were recorded and analyzed.

Results: The success rate of first-time intubation was significantly higher in the FVL group than in the F and VL groups (92.6% vs. 87.0% vs. 53.7%, P < 0.001), and the time of intubation in the FVL group was significantly shorter than that in the VL and F groups [(26.22 ± 9.34) s vs. (42.35 ± 11.21) s vs. (46.78 ± 21.96) s, P < 0.001)]. The positioning time in the FVL group was significantly shorter than that in the F and VL groups [(83.76 ± 15.18) s vs. (102.72 ± 21.89) s vs. (145.41 ± 20.12) s, F = 144.896, P < 0.001)].The number of patients with Cormack-Lehane grades I-II was significantly lower in the FVL group and the VL group than in the F group (88.9% vs. 77.8% vs. 59.3%, P < 0.05).The incidence of postoperative sore throat was significantly lower in the FVL group and the F group than in the VL group (22.4% vs. 27.6% vs. 50%, P < 0.001).

Conclusion: In difficult airway patients with high airway risk indices who require double-lumen endotracheal intubation, visual laryngoscopy combined with fiberoptic bronchoscopy improved the success rate of first-time intubation and shortened the intubation and positioning time.

Trial registration: Chinese Clinical Trial Register (identifier: ChiCTR2300076304; Date of registration: September 29, 2023).

Background: We conducted a prospective observational study to elucidate the long-term prognosis and management of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in clinical practice in Japan in the mid-2010s.

Methods: This prospective cohort study included 29 facilities. Data from 427 patients clinically diagnosed with COPD, enrolled between September 2013 and April 2016, were analyzed. Interstitial pneumonia was excluded through a central multidisciplinary discussion. Follow-up data were collected for up to 5 years after patient registration.

Results: At the time of registration, 53 patients clinically diagnosed with COPD did not have airflow limitation (AFL). In the cohort with AFL (n = 374), 232 patients completed a 5-year follow-up, while 49 patients died during the 1576.6 person-years of observation. The mean age was 71.7 years with an overall 5-year survival rate of 85.4%. Stratified by % forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1), survival rates were 93.6% in the mild and moderate AFL group, 82.5% in the severe AFL group, and 66.1% in the very severe AFL group. The prognosis of the subpopulation without AFL was poor with a 5-year survival of 81.6%. This subpopulation exhibited respiratory symptoms, low vital capacity and total lung capacity, and emphysematous changes.

Conclusions: Our study presents the 5-year survival and real-world clinical practice scenario of a prospective cohort of patients clinically diagnosed with COPD in Japan in the mid-2010s. The survival rates of our cohort were numerically better than the Japanese cohort in the 1990s, regardless of the high median age of this cohort. Overall, 12.4% of the patients in this cohort with no AFL at registration exhibited respiratory symptoms and distinct spirometric patterns, and had a poor prognosis.

Objective: Lymph node metastasis (LNM) is one of the most common pathways of metastasis in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Preoperative assessment of occult lymph node metastasis (OLNM) in NSCLC patients is beneficial for selecting appropriate treatment plans and improving patient prognosis.

Method: A total of 370 NSCLC patients were included in the study. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis were used to screen potential risk factors for OLNM in preoperative NSCLC patients. And establish a nomogram for OLNM in NSCLC patients before surgery. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, calibration curve, and decision curve analysis (DCA) were used to evaluate the established nomogram.

Result: Both univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses suggested that multiple tumors, ERBB2 missense mutation, CA125 levels, CA153 levels, tumor site, tumor length, and serum ferritin are potential risk factors for OLNM in NSCLC patients. The constructed nomogram was evaluated, and the consistency index (C-index) and area under the ROC curve of the model were both 0.846. The calibration curve showed that the predicted values of the model had a high degree of fit with the actual observed values, and DCA suggested that the above indicators had good utility.

Conclusion: The personalized scoring prediction model constructed based on multiple tumors, ERBB2 miss mutation, CA125 levels, CA153 levels, tumor site, tumor length, and serum ferritin can screen NSCLC patients who may have OLNM.

Background: The prognostic nutritional index (PNI), reflecting the body's immune-nutritional status, has been established as a correlate of prognosis across various diseases. However, its significance in community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) remains unclear. This study investigated the relationship between PNI and clinical outcomes in CAP patients.

Methods: In this retrospective cohort study, we aimed to evaluate the prognostic value of the PNI in adults with CAP admitted to the ICU. Participants were selected from the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care IV (MIMIC-IV) database and categorized into quartiles (Q1-Q4) according to their PNI values. We employed Kaplan-Meier survival analysis, multivariate Cox regression, and restricted cubic spline (RCS) models to explore the association between PNI and the clinical outcomes of these CAP patients.

Results: In this study, we included 1,608 patients with CAP. The observed 30-day and 90-day mortality rates stood at 30.85% and 39.99%, respectively. Patients with higher PNI levels exhibited a reduced risk of both 30-day and 90-day mortality. Following adjustment for confounders, PNI showed a significant negative association with 30-day mortality [HR, 0.93 (0.91-0.94), P < 0.001] and 90-day mortality [HR, 0.94 (0.92-0.95), P < 0.001]. RCS analysis revealed a consistent trend of declining all-cause mortality risk corresponding to increasing PNI values. PNI demonstrated predictive value for 30-day and 90-day mortality in CAP patients, with AUCs of 0.71 and 0.68, respectively. Combining PNI with CURB-65 enhanced the predictive value of CURB-65.

Conclusion: Our investigation identified a significant negative association between the PNI and the risk of mortality in patients with CAP. Additionally, the PNI demonstrated superior predictive value for mortality risk in CAP patients when compared to the CURB-65 scoring system.

Background: Pulmonary function tests (PFTs) are an important tool for assessing pulmonary diseases, although clinicians often find it challenging to accurately evaluate the pulmonary function of children.

Methods: We intend to investigate the association between serum albumin (SA) and lung function among U.S. adolescents. This cross-sectional study included 3,072 adolescents (aged 12 to 19) from 2007 to 2012National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). PFTs, including forced vital capacity (FVC)%predicted, forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1)%predicted, FEV1/FVC%predicted, and maximum mid-expiratory flow (FEF25-75) % predicted, were utilized to assess the association between serum albumin levels and lung function. To explore the potential associations between SA and pulmonary function, we employed multivariate linear regression, subgroup analysis, smoothing curve fitting and threshold effect.

Results: A positive correlation was observed between serum albumin levels and pulmonary function. In the model with a fully adjusted, each 1 g/dL serum albumin increase in SA corresponded to an increase of 2.69% in FVC%pred, 5.8% in FEV1%pred, 10.99% in FEF25-75%pred and 2.98% in FEV1/FVC%pred. This association between SA and FEV1%pred differed across gender subgroups. A non-linear relationship was observed between SA and FEV1/FVC%pred.

Conclusion: Our results demonstrated a positive correlation between SA and lung function, suggesting a novel modality for evaluating pulmonary function, specifically in children.

Clinical trial number: Not applicable.

Background: Bronchodilator response (BDR) is a measure of improvement in airway smooth muscle tone, inhibition of liquid accumulation and mucus section into the lumen in response to short-acting beta-2 agonists that varies among asthmatic patients. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are well-known post-translational regulators. Identifying miRNAs associated with BDR could lead to a better understanding of the underlying complex pathophysiology.

Objective: The purpose of this study is to identify circulating miRNAs associated with bronchodilator response in asthma and decipher possible mechanism of bronchodilator response variation.

Methods: We used available small RNA sequencing on blood serum from 1,134 asthmatic children aged 6 to 14 years who participated in the Genetics of Asthma in Costa Rica Study (GACRS). We filtered the participants into the highest and lowest bronchodilator response (BDR) quartiles and used DeSeq2 to identify miRNAs with differential expression (DE) in high (N = 277) vs. low (N = 278) BDR group. Replication was carried out in the Leukotriene modifier Or Corticosteroids or Corticosteroid-Salmeterol trial (LOCCS), an adult asthma cohort. The putative target genes of DE miRNAs were identified, and pathway enrichment analysis was performed.

Results: We identified 10 down-regulated miRNAs having odds ratios (OR) between 0.37 and 0.76 for a doubling of miRNA counts and one up-regulated miRNA (OR = 2.26) between high and low BDR group. These were assessed for replication in the LOCCS cohort, where two miRNAs (miR-200b-3p and miR-1246) were associated. Further, functional annotation of 11 DE miRNAs were performed as well as of two replicated miRs. Target genes of these miRs were enriched in regulation of cholesterol biosynthesis by SREBPs, ESR-mediated signaling, G1/S transition, RHO GTPase cycle, and signaling by TGFB family pathways.

Conclusion: MiRNAs miR-1246 and miR-200b-3p are associated with both childhood and adult asthma BDR. Our findings add to the growing body of evidence that miRNAs play a significant role in the difference of asthma treatment response among patients as it points to genomic regulatory machinery underlying difference in bronchodilator response among patients.

Trial registration: LOCCS cohort [ClinicalTrials.gov number NCT00156819, Registration date 20050912], GACRS cohort [ClinicalTrials.gov number NCT00021840].