Vaccination in adults is recommended according to the age group and underlying diseases or risks of exposure. Patients with chronic diseases including chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases are susceptible to infectious diseases and related serious complications. They need risk-related vaccination along with age-related vaccination. Both influenza and pneumococcal vaccination are recommended in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases. They are additive if administered simultaneously. Pertussis vaccination is also needed in adolescents and adults. Although there is strong need for these vaccinations, the actual vaccination rate is low. Measures to effectively enhance the vaccination rate are needed.
Background: Smoking is a risk factor for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), but the mechanism of the association remains obscure. There is evidence demonstrating that plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) is involved in the progression of pulmonary fibrosis. This study was to determine whether the administration of small interfering RNA (siRNA) targeting PAI-1 or PAI-1 inhibitor to the cigarette smoking extract (CSE)-exposed rat alveolar type II epithelial cells (ATII cells) limits the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Methods: ATII cells were isolated from lung of SD-rat using percoll gradient method and cultured with 5% CSE. The EMT was determined from the ATII cells by measuring the real-time RT PCR and western blotting after the PAI-1 siRNA transfection to the cells and after administration of tiplaxtinin, an inhibitor of PAI-1. The effect of PAI-1 inhibitor was also evaluated in the bleomycin-induced rats. Results: PAI-1 was overexpressed in the smoking exposed ATII cells and was directly associated with EMT. The EMT from the ATII cells was suppressed by PAI-1 siRNA transfection or administration of tiplaxtinin. Signaling pathways for EMT by smoking extract were through the phosphorylation of SMAD2 and ERK1/2, and finally Snail expression. Tiplaxtinin also suppressed the pulmonary fibrosis and PAI-1 expression in the bleomycin-induced rats. Conclusion: Our data shows that CSE induces rat ATII cells to undergo EMT by PAI-1 via SMAD2-ERK1/2-Snail activation. This suppression of EMT by PAI-1 siRNA transfection or PAI-1 inhibitor in primary type II alveolar epithelial cells might be involved in the attenuation of bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis in rats.
Background: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is characterized by air flow limitation, which is one of the leading causes of mortality worldwide. There have been many studies on survival rates in the world literature, but there have been few reports regarding the survival rate in Korean patients with COPD. Acute exacerbation is regarded as a risk factor for mortality in patients with COPD. The purpose of this study was to investigate the survival rate and the effect of acute exacerbations on the survival rate of Korean patients with COPD. Methods: A total of 502 COPD patients who were diagnosed on the basis of history and lung function tests were enrolled in this study. The frequency of acute exacerbations, body mass index (BMI), C-reactive protein (CRP) and pulmonary hypertension were analyzed. Results: The 3- and 5-year survival rates were 98% and 83%, respectively. The median survival time was 78 months. The median survival time was 55 months in 322 patients with one or more acute exacerbations. The 3- and 5-year survival rates were significantly lower in the 322 patients with one or more acute exacerbations than in those without any. The mortality rate was significantly higher in patients with CRP ＞3 mg/L than in those with CRP ≤3 mg/L (p＜0.005); it was significantly higher in patients with pulmonary hypertension than in those without it (p＜0.01). Conclusion: Because the 5-year survival rate is 83% in Korean patients with COPD, the management of stable patients with COPD should focus on the prevention of acute exacerbations.
Background: Based on the assertion that apocynin diminishes acute lung injury (ALI) by inhibition of NADPH oxidase, the effect of apocynin was tested in interleukin-1α (IL-1)-induced ALI in rats. Methods: IL-1 was insufflated into the trachea of Sprague-Dawley rats to induce ALI, and apocynin (8 mg/kg) was given intravenously for inhibition of NADPH oxidase. In addition, we determined whether apocynin inhibited generation of superoxide anions from isolated human neutrophils. Five hours after IL-1 instillation, lung injury parameters, expression of cytosolic phospholipase A2 (cPLA2) by cells from bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL), an index of oxidative stress in lung tissues (γ-glutamyltranspeptidase, activity), and ultrastructure of alveolar type II (AT II) cells were evaluated. Results: Apocynin decreased the generation of free radicals from phorbol myristate (PMA)-activated neutrophils in vitro, but did not ameliorate ALI. IL-1 induced enhancement of the expression of cPLA2 on neutrophils was not altered by apocynin. Conclusion: Apocynin induced suppression of the generation of superoxide anions from neutrophils by inhibition of NADPH oxidase does not attenuate IL-1-induced ALI in rats.
Background: It is difficult but important to differentiate between bacterial and viral infections, especially for respiratory infections. Hence, there is an ongoing need for sensitive and specific markers of bacterial infections. We investigated novel biomarkers for discriminating community acquired bacterial pneumonia from 2009 H1N1 influenza A infections. Methods: This was a prospective, observational study of patients with community acquired bacterial pneumonia, 2009 H1N1 Influenza A infection, and healthy controls. Serum samples were obtained on the initial visit to the hospital and stored at −80℃. We evaluated CRP (C-reactive protein), PCT (procalcitonin), LBP (lipopolysaccharide- binding protein) and copeptin. These analytes were all evaluated retrospectively except CRP. Receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) analyses were performed on the resulting data. Results: Enrolled patients included 27 with community acquired bacterial pneumonia, 20 with 2009 H1N1 Influenza A infection, and 26 who were healthy controls. In an ROC analysis for discriminating community acquired bacterial pneumonia from 2009 H1N1 influenza A infection, areas under the curve (AUCs) were 0.799 for CRP (95% Confidence interval [CI], 0.664∼0.934), 0.753 for PCT (95% CI, 0.613∼0.892) and 0.684 for LBP (95% CI, 0.531∼0.837). Copeptin was not different among the three groups. Conclusion: These findings suggest that serum CRP, PCT and LBP can assist physicians in discriminating community acquired bacterial pneumonia from 2009 H1N1 influenza A infection.
Background: The causes of exertional desaturation in patients with COPD can be multifactorial. We aimed to investigate factors predict exertional desaturation in patients with moderate to severe COPD. Methods: We tested 51 consecutive patients with stable COPD (FEV1/FVC, 40±13% predicted). Patients performed a six minute walk test (6MWT). Pulse oxymetric saturation (SpO2) and pulse rate were recorded. Results: Oxygen desaturation was found in 15 subjects after 6MWT, while 36 subjects were not desaturated. Lung diffusing capacity was significantly lower in desaturation (DS) group (62±18% predicted) compared with not desaturated (ND) group (84±20, p＜0.01). However there was no statistical difference of FEV1/FVC ratio or residual volume between two groups. The pulse rate change was significantly higher in the desaturated compared with the not desaturated group. Six minute walking distance, subjective dyspnea scale, airflow obstruction, and residual volume did not predict exertional oxygen desaturation. Independent factors assessed by multiple logistic regression revealed that a pulse rate increment (odd ratio [OR], 1.19; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.01∼1.40; p=0.02), a decrease in baseline PaO2 (OR, 1.105; 95% CI, 1.003∼1.218; p=0.04) and a decrease in lung diffusing capacity (OR, 1.10; 95% CI, 1.01∼1.19; p=0.01) were significantly associated with oxygen desaturation. Receiver operator characteristic (ROC) analysis showed that an absolute increment in pulse rate of 16/min gave optimal discrimination between desaturated and not desaturated patients after 6MWT. Conclusion: Pulse rate increment and diffusion capacity can predict exertional oxygen desaturation in stable COPD patients with moderate to severe airflow obstruction.
Background: ^(67)Ga scintigraphy has been used for years in sarcoidosis for diagnosis and to determine the extent of the disease. The present report is a study of various findings of ^(67)Ga scintigraphy in patients with sarcoidosis. Methods: Between 1998 and 2007, 16 patients (male：female, 6：10; age, 35.9±15.3 years) with histologically proven sarcoidosis underwent clinical evaluation and ^(67)Ga scintigraphy. According to the site of involvement, they were divided into subtypes and analyzed. Results: Sixteen patients with sarcoidosis had involvement of various organs, including lymph nodes (13/16, 81.3%), lung (3/16, 18.8%), muscle (1/16, 6.3%), subcutaneous tissue (1/16, 6.3%), glands (1/16, 6.3%), and bone (1/16, 6.3%). Sites of involved lymph nodes were thorax (12/13, 92.3%), supraclavicular area (5/13, 38.5%), inguinal area (2/13, 15.4%), abdomen (2/13, 15.4%), and pelvis (1/13, 7.7%). Conclusion: Because sarcoidosis frequently involves multiple organs, ^(67)Ga scintigraphy is a useful method in for evaluating the whole body. Nuclear medicine physicians should be familiar with the various findings of gallium uptake in sarcoidosis.
The fat-forming variant of solitary fibrous tumors (SFTs) is a rare soft tissue neoplasm that was previously referred to as a lipomatous hemangiopericytoma (L-HPC). The most common affected site is deep soft tissue. Here, we present the first case, worldwide, of a fat-forming variant of SFT of the pleura. A 74-year-old man presented with left lower chest pain. Chest radiographs showed a mass-like lesion at the left lower lung field and chest computed tomography revealed a 12 cm fat-containing enhancing mass that was well-separated, lobulated and inhomogeneous. Radiology findings suggested a liposarcoma. Percutaneous needle biopsy was performed and pathological diagnosis of the mass was a fat-forming variant of SFT. Surgical resection was carried out and there has been no recurrence to date. So, a benign fat-forming variant of SFT must be considered as one of the differential diagnoses of lipomatous tumors of the pleura.
Bronchial carcinoid tumor accounts for less than 5% of all primary lung tumors in adults. Although surgical resection is the treatment of choice, here we report a case of bronchial carcinoid tumor treated with flexible bronchoscopic resection. A 19-year-old-man presented with a history of wheezing with dyspnea for six months. A simple chest x-ray showed no abnormal findings, but a pulmonary function test showed a moderate obstructive lung disease pattern without a bronchodilator response. A computed tomogram of the thorax revealed an enhanced 15×12 mm nodule in the left main bronchus. Bronchoscopic examination showed a polypoid mass with a stalk in the left main bronchus, which almost completely occluded the left main bronchus. Histopathology of the resected specimen revealed a bronchial carcinoid tumor. We treated the carcinoid tumor with a flexible bronchoscopic resection. During the follow up period of 6 months, the previous tumor didn't relapse. Initial bronchoscopic resection should be considered when bronchial carcinoid tumor can be approached by bronchoscopy.
Bronchial carcinoid tumors are relatively uncommon neoplasms that are considered to be malignant tumors of low to intermediate grade. They are classified by pathologic features as typical or atypical carcinoids and have distinctly different prognoses and therapeutic options. Surgery is the treatment of choice in typical and atypical carcinoid tumors but the approach has been changing. Recently, several studies have described experiences using other technologies as adjuncts to bronchoscopic resection, technologies such as laser and cryotherapy with curative intent in endoluminal typical carcinoids. Here we present a case of atypical bronchial carcinoid that was treated with bronchoscopic cryotherapy.