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Actinomycosis mimicking metastatic lung malignancy Thorax (IF 10.0) Pub Date : 2024-05-13 Daniel Sims, Anthony Kerry, Kim Billingham
A 66-year-old Nepalese man with a medical history of hypertension presented with a 4-month history of an intermittently productive cough, worsening breathlessness, unintentional weight loss and a progressively enlarging lump on the right anterior chest wall that had become red and warm in the days prior to admission. On examination, he was cachectic, febrile and tachycardic, but the chest was clear
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Definition of diaphragmatic sleep disordered breathing and clinical meaning in Duchenne muscular dystrophy Thorax (IF 10.0) Pub Date : 2024-05-09 Federica Trucco, Matthew Davies, Alberto Andrea Zambon, Deborah Ridout, Francois Abel, Francesco Muntoni
Background Diaphragmatic sleep disordered breathing (dSDB) has been recently identified as sleep dysfunction secondary to diaphragmatic weakness in Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). However, scoring criteria for the identification of dSDB are missing. This study aimed to define and validate dSDB scoring criteria and to evaluate whether dSDB severity correlates with respiratory progression in DMD.
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From gut to lung and back again: early life microbiota in cystic fibrosis Eur. Respir. J. (IF 24.3) Pub Date : 2024-05-09 Lindsay J. Caverly, Benjamin D. Ross, Robert P. Dickson
Extract The connection between gastrointestinal and respiratory pathology in cystic fibrosis (CF) was first observed in 1938 in Dorothy Andersen's initial description of CF [1]. Andersen reported on the autopsy findings of 49 infants and young children with CF, which notably included near-universal evidence of pancreatic fibrosis, nutritional deficiencies and chronic respiratory infections. In the
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The concept of Sfrp1+ transitional fibroblasts: the key to dissociating lineage heterogeneity and fate of invasive fibroblasts in pulmonary fibrosis? Eur. Respir. J. (IF 24.3) Pub Date : 2024-05-09 Xue Liu, Xuexi Zhang, Jiurong Liang, Paul W. Noble, Dianhua Jiang
Extract One of the significant advances in the biology of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) has been the recognition of fibroblast heterogeneity in the lung. Fibroblast heterogeneity can be interpreted as fibroblast subtypes, probably derived from distinct mesenchymal lineages, as well as various activation states, such as proliferation, matrix production and invasiveness. With great interest, we
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The longitudinal microbial and metabolic landscape of infant cystic fibrosis: the gut–lung axis Eur. Respir. J. (IF 24.3) Pub Date : 2024-05-09 Katherine B. Frayman, Matthew Macowan, Jose Caparros-Martin, Sarath C. Ranganathan, Benjamin J. Marsland
Background and aim In cystic fibrosis, gastrointestinal dysfunction and lower airway infection occur early and are independently associated with poorer outcomes in childhood. This study aimed to define the relationship between the microbiota at each niche during the first 2 years of life, its association with growth and airway inflammation, and explanatory features in the metabolome. Materials and
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Impact of age at ivacaftor initiation on pulmonary outcomes among people with cystic fibrosis Thorax (IF 10.0) Pub Date : 2024-05-06 Christian A Merlo, Lisa J McGarry, Teja Thorat, Catherine Nguyen, Maral DerSarkissian, Aruna Muthukumar, Joe Healy, M Alan Brookhart, Jaime L Rubin
Background Ivacaftor (IVA) improves lung function and other extrapulmonary outcomes in people with cystic fibrosis (CF). However, the effect of initiating IVA at earlier versus later ages has not been studied. Methods We conducted an observational cohort study of people in the US CF Foundation Patient Registry aged ≥6 years with ≥1 CF transmembrane conductance regulator–gating mutation to compare the
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Epigenome-wide association study of lung cancer among never smokers in two prospective cohorts in Shanghai, China Thorax (IF 10.0) Pub Date : 2024-05-03 Mohammad L Rahman, Charles E Breeze, Xiao-Ou Shu, Jason Y Y Wong, Batel Blechter, Andres Cardenas, Xuting Wang, Bu-Tian Ji, Wei Hu, Qiuyin Cai, H Dean Hosgood, Gong Yang, Jianxin Shi, Jirong Long, Yu-Tang Gao, Douglas A Bell, Wei Zheng, Nathaniel Rothman, Qing Lan
Background The aetiology of lung cancer among individuals who never smoked remains elusive, despite 15% of lung cancer cases in men and 53% in women worldwide being unrelated to smoking. Epigenetic alterations, particularly DNA methylation (DNAm) changes, have emerged as potential drivers. Yet, few prospective epigenome-wide association studies (EWAS), primarily focusing on peripheral blood DNAm with
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Epigenetic clock as the new hand of time for lung cancer in never smokers Thorax (IF 10.0) Pub Date : 2024-05-03 David C Christiani
Estimates of lung cancer among persons who never smoked are 10%–20% in the USA, translating into 20–40 000 cases annually. Globally, and especially in East Asia, the incidence of lung cancer among non-tobacco users is considerably higher than in the USA, especially in women.1 The causes of lung cancer in lifelong never-smokers are not well understood. Possibilities include exposure to other carcinogens
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Lung function trajectories from school age to adulthood and their relationship with markers of cardiovascular disease risk Thorax (IF 10.0) Pub Date : 2024-05-02 Raquel Granell, Sadia Haider, Matea Deliu, Anhar Ullah, Osama Mahmoud, Sara Fontanella, Lesley Lowe, Angela Simpson, James William Dodd, Seyed Hasan Arshad, Clare S Murray, Graham Roberts, Alun Hughes, Chloe Park, John W Holloway, Adnan Custovic
Rationale Lung function in early adulthood is associated with subsequent adverse health outcomes. Objectives To ascertain whether stable and reproducible lung function trajectories can be derived in different populations and investigate their association with objective measures of cardiovascular structure and function. Methods Using latent profile modelling, we studied three population-based birth
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Ethnicity corrections in pulmonary function test reports: what to do? Eur. Respir. J. (IF 24.3) Pub Date : 2024-05-02 Mike Hughes
Extract The 2023 American Thoracic Society (ATS) document on race and ethnicity in pulmonary function test interpretation advocating "race-neutral prediction equations" [1], and the subsequent editorial on the same subject, in a recent issue of the European Respiratory Journal [2], are timely, in spite of some disagreement. For many years, pulmonary function laboratories have (alternatively, they may
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Cannabis smoking is associated with advanced epigenetic age Eur. Respir. J. (IF 24.3) Pub Date : 2024-05-02 Ana I. Hernandez Cordero, Xuan Li, Chen Xi Yang, Amirtha Ambalavanan, Julie L. MacIsaac, Michael S. Kobor, Dany Doiron, Wan Tan, Jean Bourbeau, Don D. Sin, Qingling Duan, Janice M. Leung
Extract Cannabis use has been controversial, largely having been designated a controlled substance over the past century. While certain studies have linked cannabis smoking with harmful effects such as increased respiratory symptoms and faster lung function decline in older adults [1, 2], these findings have not been fully replicated by others [3]. The link between cannabis and disease pathogenesis
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Bedaquiline, pretomanid and linezolid in multidrug-resistant and pre-extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis in refugees from Ukraine and Somalia in Germany Eur. Respir. J. (IF 24.3) Pub Date : 2024-05-02 Janina Trauth, Vera Kantelhardt, Bohdan Usenko, Michael Knipper, Martin Kuhns, Inna Friesen, Susanne Herold
Extract According to the World Health Organization (WHO) 2023 tuberculosis (TB) report, in the European Union region there are approximately 200 000 TB cases per year, among which 30 000 are rifampicin resistant (RR) with treatment success rates of 57% [1], indicating a considerable gap from the United Nations' goal of an 80% reduction by 2030. In 2022, the WHO guideline for the treatment of multidrug-resistant
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Correcting and harmonising the terminology for exhaled gases Eur. Respir. J. (IF 24.3) Pub Date : 2024-05-02 Marieann Högman, Peter D. Wagner
Extract Frequently, the abbreviations and methods used for measuring and reporting respired gases do not follow the standardisation, definitions and symbols that experts in the field have agreed on. This has become apparent for exhaled nitric oxide, where expired gas is commonly and incorrectly denoted by "e" rather than by "E", much like "i" instead of "I" for inspired [1]. Why is standardisation
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Multitasking within the airway epithelium Eur. Respir. J. (IF 24.3) Pub Date : 2024-05-02 James E. Gern, Carole Ober
Extract Asthma frequently begins in childhood. The first manifestation is often recurrent wheezing during the preschool years, predominantly associated with viral respiratory infection and perturbation of the airway microbiome. Sometimes early onset wheeze is transient, but it can evolve into persistent asthma with multifactorial wheeze triggered by infections, allergens, irritants or exercise. This
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Rifampicin has no role in treatment of Mycobacterium avium complex pulmonary disease and bactericidal sterilising drugs are needed: a viewpoint Eur. Respir. J. (IF 24.3) Pub Date : 2024-05-02 Jakko van Ingen, Wouter Hoefsloot, Véronique Dartois, Thomas Dick
Extract Current rifampicin/ethambutol/azithromycin regimens for the treatment of Mycobacterium avium complex pulmonary disease (MAC-PD) are long, toxic and yield relatively poor outcomes [1]: a meta-analysis lumping nodular bronchiectatic disease and fibro-cavitary disease reported a 65% prolonged culture conversion rate; following initially successful treatment, recurrence rates of 30% have been reported
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High risk of lung cancer in surfactant-related gene variant carriers Eur. Respir. J. (IF 24.3) Pub Date : 2024-05-02 Alexandre Brudon, Marie Legendre, Arthur Mageau, Julien Bermudez, Philippe Bonniaud, Diane Bouvry, Jacques Cadranel, Aurélie Cazes, Bruno Crestani, Tristan Dégot, Céline Delestrain, Rémi Diesler, Ralph Epaud, Quentin Philippot, Nathalie Théou-Anton, Caroline Kannengiesser, Ibrahima Ba, Marie-Pierre Debray, Pascale Fanen, Efrosine Manali, Spyros Papiris, Nadia Nathan, Serge Amselem, Antoine Gondouin
Background Several rare surfactant-related gene (SRG) variants associated with interstitial lung disease are suspected to be associated with lung cancer, but data are missing. We aimed to study the epidemiology and phenotype of lung cancer in an international cohort of SRG variant carriers. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional study of all adults with SRG variants in the OrphaLung network and compared
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Gasdermin B, an asthma-susceptibility gene, promotes MAVS-TBK1 signalling and airway inflammation Eur. Respir. J. (IF 24.3) Pub Date : 2024-05-02 Tao Liu, Siqi Liu, Xianliang Rui, Ye Cao, Julian Hecker, Feng Guo, Yihan Zhang, Lu Gong, Yihan Zhou, Yuzhen Yu, Nandini Krishnamoorthyni, Samuel Bates, Sung Chun, Nathan Boyer, Shuang Xu, Jin-Ah Park, Mark A. Perrella, Bruce D. Levy, Scott T. Weiss, Hongmei Mou, Benjamin A. Raby, Xiaobo Zhou
Rationale Respiratory virus-induced inflammation is the leading cause of asthma exacerbation, frequently accompanied by induction of interferon-stimulated genes (ISGs). How asthma-susceptibility genes modulate cellular response upon viral infection by fine-tuning ISG induction and subsequent airway inflammation in genetically susceptible asthma patients remains largely unknown. Objectives To decipher
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Advances in COPD imaging using CT and MRI: linkage with lung physiology and clinical outcomes Eur. Respir. J. (IF 24.3) Pub Date : 2024-05-02 Amany F. Elbehairy, Helen Marshall, Josephine H. Naish, Jim M. Wild, Grace Parraga, Alexander Horsley, Jørgen Vestbo
Recent years have witnessed major advances in lung imaging in patients with COPD. These include significant refinements in images obtained by computed tomography (CT) scans together with the introduction of new techniques and software that aim for obtaining the best image whilst using the lowest possible radiation dose. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has also emerged as a useful radiation-free tool
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Incidence, prevalence and mortality of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis in England from 2008 to 2018: a cohort study Thorax (IF 10.0) Pub Date : 2024-04-30 Rikisha Gupta, Ann Dorothy Morgan, Peter M George, Jennifer K Quint
Background Owing to discrepancies in methodologies and how idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is diagnosed it is challenging to establish a consistent understanding of the disease burden In the UK, over 10 years ago, the incidence and prevalence of IPF were reported as 2.8–8.7 per 100 000 person-years (from 2000 to 2012) and 39 per 100 000 persons (in 2012), respectively. Here, we estimated the incidence
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Epidemiology of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis: opportunities and hurdles for population-level studies of rare disease Thorax (IF 10.0) Pub Date : 2024-04-30 Daniel-Costin Marinescu, Alyson W Wong
Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a rare condition for which reliable disease trends over time can be difficult to obtain. Understanding the epidemiology of IPF is crucial given its impact on quality of life and productivity of affected individuals and their families,1 as well as substantial costs to the healthcare system.2 The occurrence of IPF over time has likely changed with growing awareness
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Unilateral pleural effusion with pulmonary hypertension in sarcoidosis: do not forget the pulmonary veins! Thorax (IF 10.0) Pub Date : 2024-04-29 Elif Sumeyye Agaoglu, Tom Semple, Athol U Wells, Stephen Wort, Laura C Price
A 64-year-old woman presented with exertional dyspnoea and ankle oedema. She had lung biopsy-confirmed sarcoidosis 6 years previously, having initially responded to prednisolone, with clinical stability for several years. Pulmonary function tests (PFTs) showed forced expiratory volume in 1 s, 2 litres; forced vital capacity, 2.5 litres; and carbon monoxide transfer factor, 4.03 (49.2% predicted). Chest
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Reply: Asthma and cardiovascular disease: the strength of triangulation Eur. Respir. J. (IF 24.3) Pub Date : 2024-04-25 Chloe I. Bloom
Extract In their correspondence, M.C. Tattersall and co-workers noted that our study reports contrasting findings to some earlier studies, including their own. They have raised several methodological points regarding our triangulation approach which leveraged two wholly different methods (traditional observational study and Mendelian randomisation) and multiple entirely different datasets [1]. We have
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Asthma and cardiovascular disease: embracing disease heterogeneity is required Eur. Respir. J. (IF 24.3) Pub Date : 2024-04-25 Matthew C. Tattersall, Ronald E. Gangnon, Nizar N. Jarjour
Extract We read with interest the recent original research investigation by Valencia-Hernández et al. [1]. This observational study used two approaches to investigate the association of asthma and coronary heart disease (CHD): medical records and Mendelian randomisation (MR). Their results differ compared to many other prior studies investigating the association of asthma and CHD [2]. We applaud the
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B-cells in pulmonary arterial hypertension: friend, foe or bystander? Eur. Respir. J. (IF 24.3) Pub Date : 2024-04-25 Sébastien Sanges, Wen Tian, Sylvain Dubucquoi, Jason L. Chang, Aurore Collet, David Launay, Mark R. Nicolls
There is an unmet need for new therapeutic strategies that target alternative pathways to improve the prognosis of patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). As immunity has been involved in the development and progression of vascular lesions in PAH, we review the potential contribution of B-cells in its pathogenesis and evaluate the relevance of B-cell-targeted therapies. Circulating B-cell
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Rheumatoid arthritis and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis: a bidirectional Mendelian randomisation study Thorax (IF 10.0) Pub Date : 2024-04-22 Olivia C Leavy, Leticia Kawano-Dourado, Iain D Stewart, Jennifer K Quint, Joshua J Solomon, Raphael Borie, Bruno Crestani, Louise V Wain, Gisli Jenkins, Philippe Dieudé, Cosetta Minelli
Background A usual interstitial pneumonia (UIP) pattern of lung injury is a key feature of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and is also observed in up to 40% of individuals with rheumatoid arthritis (RA)-associated interstitial lung disease (RA-ILD). The RA-UIP phenotype could result from either a causal relationship of RA on UIP or vice versa, or from a simple co-occurrence of RA and IPF due to
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Early life exposure to pollens and increased risks of childhood asthma: a prospective cohort study in Ontario children Eur. Respir. J. (IF 24.3) Pub Date : 2024-04-18 Cristina Stanescu, Robert Talarico, Scott Weichenthal, Paul J. Villeneuve, Audrey Smargiassi, David M. Stieb, Teresa To, Christopher Hebbern, Eric Crighton, Éric Lavigne
Extract Asthma is a disease characterised by wheeze, cough and shortness of breath, and constitutes the most prevalent chronic disease among children [1]. Various phenotypes have been specifically identified in the paediatric population, and include early transient wheeze, current wheeze/asthma, and mild or moderate asthma [2]. Lifestyle behaviours, genetics, maternal and paternal factors, and environment
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ERJ Podcast April 2024: Allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis Eur. Respir. J. (IF 24.3) Pub Date : 2024-04-18 European Respiratory Society
As part of the April issue, the European Respiratory Journal presents the latest in its series of podcasts. Chief Editor James Chalmers interviews Ritesh Agarwal (Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India) about the revised International Society for Human and Animal Mycology ABPA working group clinical practice guidelines for diagnosing
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“Therapeutic improvement of CFTR function and reversibility of bronchiectasis in cystic fibrosis.” M.O. Wielpütz and M.A. Mall. Eur Respir J 2024; 63: 2400234. Eur. Respir. J. (IF 24.3) Pub Date : 2024-04-18 European Respiratory Society
In this article, the PRAGMA-CF scoring system was incorrectly referred to as the “PRAGA-CF scoring …
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Smoking cessation at lung cancer screening: joining (life-saving) dots Eur. Respir. J. (IF 24.3) Pub Date : 2024-04-18 Keir E. Lewis
Extract We now know that lung cancer screening with low-dose computed tomography saves lives. We have known for more than 60 years that smoking cessation (SC) saves lives. Can we save even more lives by combining these two effective interventions? The work by Murray et al. [1], in this issue of the European Respiratory Journal, is a big stride to show that we can.
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Precision medicine in cystic fibrosis: predictive role of forskolin-induced swelling assay Eur. Respir. J. (IF 24.3) Pub Date : 2024-04-18 Eva Furstova, Pavel Drevinek, Stepanka Novotna, Malgorzata Libik, Klara Benesova, Lucie Borek-Dohalska, Kristina Sakmarova, Martin Modrak, Milan Macek, Tereza Dousova
Extract People with cystic fibrosis (CF) carrying at least one copy of the F508del allele can benefit from a small molecule therapy referred to as cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) modulators (CFTRm). The triple CFTRm combination elexacaftor/tezacaftor/ivacaftor (ELX/TEZ/IVA) has been shown to markedly improve clinical outcomes such as the percentage of predicted forced expiratory
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Sputum colour as a simplified effective biomarker for clinical assessment of bronchiectasis Eur. Respir. J. (IF 24.3) Pub Date : 2024-04-18 Rui-di Tang, Jun-qing Yue, Wei-jie Guan
Extract Bronchiectasis is a structural lung disease characterised by chronic airway inflammation due to various aetiologies, with a vicious circle of recurrent infections, chronic inflammation, impaired mucociliary clearance and structural damage that collectively result in clinical progression [1]. The most prominent clinical manifestations of bronchiectasis are chronic cough and mucopurulent sputum
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Impact of obesity progression or regression on the longitudinal assessment of fibrosing interstitial lung disease Eur. Respir. J. (IF 24.3) Pub Date : 2024-04-18 Hadeel Alqurashi, Mathieu Marillier, Igor Neder-Serafini, Anne-Catherine Bernard, Onofre Moran-Mendoza, J. Alberto Neder
Extract Abnormalities in lung mechanics (restriction) and pulmonary gas exchange (hypoxaemia) may jointly conspire to elicit exertional dyspnoea and decrease exercise tolerance in patients with fibrosing interstitial lung disease (f-ILD) [1]. Obesity (body mass index (BMI) ≥30 kg·m–2), a prevalent comorbidity of f-ILD [2], may negatively impact on "static" (e.g. total lung capacity (TLC)) and dynamic
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Uptake and 4-week quit rates from an opt-out co-located smoking cessation service delivered alongside community-based low-dose computed tomography screening within the Yorkshire Lung Screening Trial Eur. Respir. J. (IF 24.3) Pub Date : 2024-04-18 Rachael L. Murray, Panos Alexandris, David Baldwin, Kate Brain, John Britton, Philip A.J. Crosbie, Rhian Gabe, Sarah Lewis, Steve Parrott, Samantha L. Quaife, Hui Zhen Tam, Qi Wu, Rebecca Beeken, Harriet Copeland, Claire Eckert, Neil Hancock, Jason Lindop, Grace McCutchan, Catriona Marshall, Richard D. Neal, Suzanne Rogerson, Harriet D. Quinn Scoggins, Irene Simmonds, Rebecca Thorley, Matthew E. Callister
Extract Low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) screening for lung cancer has been shown to reduce lung cancer-specific mortality in two large, randomised trials [1, 2], and implementation of screening is currently underway in many high- and middle-income countries [3]. Of those people responding to an invitation for lung cancer screening and subsequently eligible, between 30% and 50% are currently smoking
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Airway remodelling in asthma and the epithelium: on the edge of a new era Eur. Respir. J. (IF 24.3) Pub Date : 2024-04-18 Gilda Varricchi, Christopher E. Brightling, Christopher Grainge, Bart N. Lambrecht, Pascal Chanez
Asthma is a chronic, heterogeneous disease of the airways, often characterised by structural changes known collectively as airway remodelling. In response to environmental insults, including pathogens, allergens and pollutants, the epithelium can initiate remodelling via an inflammatory cascade involving a variety of mediators that have downstream effects on both structural and immune cells. These
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Objective sputum colour assessment and clinical outcomes in bronchiectasis: data from the European Bronchiectasis Registry (EMBARC) Eur. Respir. J. (IF 24.3) Pub Date : 2024-04-18 Stefano Aliberti, Felix C. Ringshausen, Raja Dhar, Charles S. Haworth, Michael R. Loebinger, Katerina Dimakou, Megan L. Crichton, Anthony De Soyza, Montse Vendrell, Pierre-Regis Burgel, Melissa McDonnell, Sabina Skrgat, Luis Maiz Carro, Andres de Roux, Oriol Sibila, Apostolos Bossios, Menno van der Eerden, Paula Kauppi, Robert Wilson, Branislava Milenkovic, Rosario Menendez, Marlene Murris, Sermin
Extract Bronchiectasis is a chronic inflammatory disease [1, 2]. Although it is recognised that bronchiectasis is composed of multiple phenotypes and endotypes, inflammation has classically been regarded as neutrophilic and patients with higher levels of neutrophilic inflammation have been shown to have worse clinical outcomes [3–5].
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“Efficacy and safety of ralinepag, a novel oral IP agonist, in PAH patients on mono or dual background therapy: results from a phase 2 randomised, parallel group, placebo-controlled trial.” F. Torres, H. Farber, A. Ristic, et al. Eur Respir J 2019; 54: 1901030. Eur. Respir. J. (IF 24.3) Pub Date : 2024-04-18 European Respiratory Society
In table 1 of this article, the data relating …
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Environmental pollutants exposure-derived extracellular vesicles: crucial players in respiratory disorders Thorax (IF 10.0) Pub Date : 2024-04-17 Haoran Shen, Rui Zheng, Mulong Du, David C Christiani
Background Individual exposure to environmental pollutants, as one of the most influential drivers of respiratory disorders, has received considerable attention due to its preventability and controllability. Considering that the extracellular vesicle (EV) was an emerging intercellular communication medium, recent studies have highlighted the crucial role of environmental pollutants derived EVs (EPE-EVs)
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Lung transplant donors: barriers and ethical considerations Lancet Respir. Med. (IF 76.2) Pub Date : 2024-04-17 The Lancet Respiratory Medicine
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Mildly elevated pulmonary vascular resistance and worsened survival in PH-ILD: an opportunity for earlier diagnosis and intervention? Thorax (IF 10.0) Pub Date : 2024-05-01 Steven J Cassady, Bradley A Maron
Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a feared complication of interstitial lung disease (ILD) owing to increased risk for hospitalisation and mortality among affected patients. The development of PH in ILD is attributed to several pathobiological mechanisms that often converge to remodel pulmonary arterioles including hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction, endothelial dysfunction, inflammation, increased oxidant
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Does ICS treatment increase the risk of pneumonia in asthma? Thorax (IF 10.0) Pub Date : 2024-05-01 Christer Janson
Patients with asthma have an increased risk of being hospitalised for pneumonia. For example, in a study based on the Respiratory Health In Northern Europe data set, Ekbom et al found that adults with asthma had a more than three times higher risk (HR (3.35 (95% CI 1.97 to 5.02)) of hospitalisation for pneumonia than non-asthmatics.1 Kankaanranta et al also found a high incidence of pneumonia in people
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Impacts of sex and gender on severe asthma Thorax (IF 10.0) Pub Date : 2024-05-01 Kimberley C W Wang, John D Blakey
For decades, the unwritten rule for asthma management was ‘Keep it Simple’, with clinicians largely trying to apply a one-size-fits-all stepwise approach to hundreds of millions of people across the globe. More recently, our broader understanding, increasing array of targeted therapies, and relatively stagnant outcomes have led to a greater acknowledgement of the complexity that needs to be addressed
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Unravelling the obesity–asthma connection in childhood and adolescence: does body shape matter? Thorax (IF 10.0) Pub Date : 2024-05-01 Ann D Morgan
Given the concurrent worldwide epidemics of childhood obesity and asthma, it is perhaps not surprising that the two have been inextricably linked in the minds of many. Indeed, there is good evidence to suggest that adiposity in childhood is associated with an increased risk of developing asthma.1 2 Several longitudinal studies conducted in population-based cohorts have demonstrated that childhood obesity
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Use of inhaled corticosteroids and the risk of hospitalisation for pneumonia in children with asthma: a nationwide cohort study Thorax (IF 10.0) Pub Date : 2024-05-01 Karl-Hermann Sielinou Kamgang, Samuel Arthur Rhedin, Catarina Almqvist, Viktor Wintzell
Background The potential association between the use of inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) and the risk of pneumonia among adults is disputed and paediatric-specific evidence is scarce. Aim To assess the potential association between ICS, use and the risk of hospitalisation for pneumonia among children (age 2–17 years) with asthma. Methods This was a cohort study based on nationwide data from routine clinical
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Impact of sex on severe asthma: a cross-sectional retrospective analysis of UK primary and specialist care Thorax (IF 10.0) Pub Date : 2024-05-01 Lola Loewenthal, John Busby, Ronald McDowell, Thomas Brown, Hassan Burhan, Rekha Chaudhuri, Paddy Dennison, James William Dodd, Simon Doe, Shoaib Faruqi, Robin Gore, Elfatih Idris, David Joshua Jackson, Mitesh Patel, Thomas Pantin, Ian Pavord, Paul E Pfeffer, David B Price, Hitasha Rupani, Salman Siddiqui, Liam G Heaney, Andrew Menzies-Gow
Introduction After puberty, females are more likely to develop asthma and in a more severe form than males. The associations between asthma and sex are complex with multiple intrinsic and external factors. Aim To evaluate the sex differences in the characteristics and treatment of patients with severe asthma (SA) in a real-world setting. Methods Demographic, clinical and treatment characteristics for
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Greenhouse gas emissions associated with suboptimal asthma care in the UK: the SABINA healthCARe-Based envirONmental cost of treatment (CARBON) study Thorax (IF 10.0) Pub Date : 2024-05-01 Alexander J K Wilkinson, Ekaterina Maslova, Christer Janson, Vasanth Radhakrishnan, Jennifer K Quint, Nigel Budgen, Trung N Tran, Yang Xu, Andrew Menzies-Gow, John P Bell
Background Poorly controlled asthma is associated with increased morbidity and healthcare resource utilisation (HCRU). Therefore, to quantify the environmental impact of asthma care, this retrospective, cohort, healthCARe-Based envirONmental cost of treatment (CARBON) study estimated greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the UK associated with the management of well-controlled versus poorly controlled
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Mild elevation of pulmonary vascular resistance predicts mortality regardless of mean pulmonary artery pressure in mild interstitial lung disease Thorax (IF 10.0) Pub Date : 2024-05-01 Tomonori Sato, Taiki Furukawa, Ryo Teramachi, Jun Fukihara, Yasuhiko Yamano, Toshiki Yokoyama, Toshiaki Matsuda, Kensuke Kataoka, Tomoki Kimura, Koji Sakamoto, Makoto Ishii, Yasuhiro Kondoh
Background Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is defined by elevated mean pulmonary arterial pressure (MPAP), and elevated pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) reflects pulmonary vascular abnormalities. The clinical significance of non-severe PH in patients with various interstitial lung diseases (ILDs) has not been fully elucidated. We aimed to investigate the clinical significance of MPAP and PVR for mortality
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Prognostic factors for survival in unresectable stage III EGFR mutation-positive lung adenocarcinoma: impact of pre-CCRT PET-CT Thorax (IF 10.0) Pub Date : 2024-05-01 Wei-Chun Lin, Wan-Ming Chen, Ben-Chang Shia, Szu-Yuan Wu
Purpose To assess the survival impact of pre-concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) staging with positron emission tomography-CT (PET-CT) in patients with unresectable epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutation-positive adenocarcinoma. Methods Patients with unresectable stage IIIA–IIIC EGFR mutation-positive adenocarcinoma undergoing definitive CCRT were divided into two groups: those who received
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Do pulmonary rehabilitation programmes improve outcomes in patients with COPD posthospital discharge for exacerbation: a systematic review and meta-analysis Thorax (IF 10.0) Pub Date : 2024-05-01 Alex R Jenkins, Chris Burtin, Pat G Camp, Peter Lindenauer, Brian Carlin, Jennifer A Alison, Carolyn Rochester, Anne E Holland
Introduction Previous systematic reviews have provided heterogeneous and differing estimates for the efficacy of pulmonary rehabilitation following exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The aim of this review was to examine the efficacy of pulmonary rehabilitation programmes initiated within 3 weeks of hospital discharge following an exacerbation of COPD. Methods An update
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Body composition and respiratory outcomes in children: a population-based prospective cohort study Thorax (IF 10.0) Pub Date : 2024-05-01 Tong Wu, Susana Santos, Hugo G Quezada‐Pinedo, Meike W. Vernooij, Vincent W.V. Jaddoe, Stefan Klein, Liesbeth Duijts, Edwin H.G. Oei
Background Body composition might influence lung function and asthma in children, but its longitudinal relations are unclear. We aimed to identify critical periods for body composition changes during childhood and adolescence in relation to respiratory outcomes in adolescents. Methods In a population-based prospective cohort study, we measured body mass index, fat mass index (FMI), lean mass index
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Impact of post-COVID-19 condition on health status and activities of daily living: the PRIME post-COVID study Thorax (IF 10.0) Pub Date : 2024-05-01 Maarten Van Herck, Demi M E Pagen, Céline J A van Bilsen, Stephanie Brinkhues, Kevin Konings, Casper D J den Heijer, Suhreta Mujakovic, Henriëtte L G ter Waarbeek, Chris Burtin, Daisy J A Janssen, Christian J P A Hoebe, Martijn A Spruit, Nicole H T M Dukers-Muijrers
Objective To assess health and activities of daily living (ADL) in SARS-CoV-2-positive adults with and without post-COVID-19 condition (PCC) and compare this with negative tested individuals. Furthermore, different PCC case definitions were compared with SARS-CoV-2-negative individuals. Methods All adults tested PCR positive for SARS-CoV-2 at the Public Health Service South Limburg (Netherlands) between
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Serum cytokine biosignatures for identification of tuberculosis among HIV-positive inpatients Thorax (IF 10.0) Pub Date : 2024-05-01 Huihua Zhang, LingHua Li, YanXia Liu, Wei Xiao, RuiYao Xu, MengRu Lu, WenBiao Hao, YuChi Gao, Xiaoping Tang, Youchao Dai
Background Serum cytokines correlate with tuberculosis (TB) progression and are predictors of TB recurrence in people living with HIV. We investigated whether serum cytokine biosignatures could diagnose TB among HIV-positive inpatients. Methods We recruited HIV-positive inpatients with symptoms of TB and measured serum levels of inflammation biomarkers including IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, tumour necrosis
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Improved pulmonary function and exercise tolerance despite persistent pulmonary fibrosis over 1 year after severe COVID-19 infection Thorax (IF 10.0) Pub Date : 2024-05-01 Claire F McGroder, Mary M Salvatore, Belinda M D'Souza, Eric A Hoffman, Matthew R Baldwin, Christine Kim Garcia
We conducted a prospective single-centre cohort study of 104 multi-ethnic severe COVID-19 survivors from the first wave of the pandemic 15 months after hospitalisation. Of those who were assessed at 4 and 15 months, improvement of ground glass opacities correlated with worsened fibrotic reticulations. Despite a high prevalence of fibrotic patterns (64%), pulmonary function, grip strength, 6 min walk
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Development of respiratory care guidelines for Duchenne muscular dystrophy in the UK: key recommendations for clinical practice Thorax (IF 10.0) Pub Date : 2024-05-01 Anne-Marie Childs, Catherine Turner, Ronan Astin, Stephen Bianchi, John Bourke, Vicki Cunningham, Lisa Edel, Christopher Edwards, Phillippa Farrant, Jane Heraghty, Meredith James, Charlotte Massey, Ben Messer, Jassi Michel Sodhi, Patrick Brian Murphy, Marianela Schiava, Ajit Thomas, Federica Trucco, Michela Guglieri
Significant inconsistencies in respiratory care provision for Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) are reported across different specialist neuromuscular centres in the UK. The absence of robust clinical evidence and expert consensus is a barrier to the implementation of care recommendations in public healthcare systems as is the need to increase awareness of key aspects of care for those living with
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Journal club Thorax (IF 10.0) Pub Date : 2024-05-01 Beenish Iqbal
Malignant pleural effusion (MPE) is a common problem in advanced malignancies and causes debilitating breathlessness leading to poor quality of life. There are two treatment options available to ‘definitively’ manage MPE which include chest drain with talc pleurodesis and indwelling pleural catheters (IPCs). Although both treatments have been in use for a long time, there has been limited research
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Correction: RAGE-induced ILC2 expansion in acute lung injury due to haemorrhagic shock Thorax (IF 10.0) Pub Date : 2024-05-01 BMJ Publishing Group Ltd and British Thoracic Society
Zhang K, Jin Y, Lai D, et al . RAGE-induced ILC2 expansion in acute lung injury due to haemorrhagic shock. Thorax 2020;75:209–19. In the original version of this article, some H&E images in …
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Toxic metals and lung health: silent poisons? Thorax (IF 10.0) Pub Date : 2024-04-10 Seif O Shaheen
Lady Astor: ‘Sir, if you were my husband , I would put arsenic in your tea!’ Churchill: ‘If I were your husband , I would drink it!’ This apocryphal joke is a reminder that arsenic is a potentially fatal poison. The phrase ‘mad as a hatter’ stems from the historical use of mercury by hatmakers, which could have neurotoxic consequences. Ironically, both these metals were also used therapeutically in
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New path for understanding mucociliary clearance Thorax (IF 10.0) Pub Date : 2024-04-10 Timothy E Corcoran
The mucociliary clearance (MC) system is a vital host defence in the lungs and upper airways. Airway mucus traps inhaled bacteria, viruses, fungi and toxins. Underneath the mucus, airway cilia beat synchronously within a thin, watery periciliary liquid layer, propelling the overlying mucus layer towards the mouth. MC is dependent on ciliary structure and function and the composition and hydration of
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Pulmonary artery-pulmonary artery collaterals in chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension Thorax (IF 10.0) Pub Date : 2024-04-10 Sugang Gong, Huiting Li, Lan Wang
A 66-year-old woman was diagnosed with chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH), with selective angiography revealing direct collaterals between the A9 and A10 pulmonary artery branches (figure 1A, figure 2 and figure 3A; online supplemental Video 1 and online supplemental Video 2). Balloon pulmonary angioplasty (BPA) of A9 revealed pronounced stenosis and lumen irregularities. Peripheral
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Heteroresistance in tuberculosis: are we missing drug-resistant bacteria hiding in plain sight? Thorax (IF 10.0) Pub Date : 2024-04-10 Mirae Park, Giovanni Satta, Pranabashis Haldar
Tuberculosis (TB) caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) remains the dominant cause of death from a bacterial infectious disease.1 Sustained global efforts to meet the ambitious elimination targets of WHO’s END-TB strategy have had a limited impact so far. This reflects the complex and multifaceted challenge posed, with multidrug resistant (MDR)-TB representing a significant and growing problem
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Effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines to prevent long COVID: data from Norway Lancet Respir. Med. (IF 76.2) Pub Date : 2024-04-10 Nhung TH Trinh, Annika M Jödicke, Martí Català, Núria Mercadé-Besora, Saeed Hayati, Angela Lupattelli, Daniel Prieto-Alhambra, Hedvig ME Nordeng