Asthma is the most common chronic illness to affect children and is a major cause of morbidity in adults, affecting 4∼17% of children and 7.3∼10.1% of adults, which translates to approximately 300 million people globally. This article reviews recently published data over the past 1∼2 years on asthma, and covers the 3 aspects of current advancement for the diagnosis of severe asthma, including the controversy to long-acting bronchodilator treatment for treatment of asthma, and the role of long-acting anticholinergics treatment in asthma patients.
Background: It is known that cigarette smoke (CS) causes cell death. Apoptotic cell death is involved in the pathogenesis of CS-related lung diseases. Some members of the protein kinase C (PKC) family have roles in cigarette smoke extract (CSE)-induced apoptosis. This study was conducted to investigate the role of PKC epsilon in CSE-induced apoptosis in human lung fibroblast cell line, MRC-5. Methods: Lactate dehydrogenase release was measured using a cytotoxicity detection kit. The MTT assay was used to measure cell viability. Western immunoblot, Hoechst 33342 staining and flow cytometry were used to demonstrate the effect of PKCε. Caspase-3 and caspase-8 activities were determined using a colorimetric assay. To examine PKCε activation, Western blotting was performed using both fractions of membrane and cytosol. Results: We showed that CSE activated PKCε by demonstrating increased expression of PKCε in the plasma membrane fraction. Pre-treatment of PKCε peptide inhibitor attenuated CSE-induced apoptotic cell death, as demonstrated by the MTT assay (13.03% of control, 85.66% of CSE-treatment, and 53.73% of PKCε peptide inhibitor-pre-treatment, respectively), Hoechst 33342 staining, and flow cytometry (85.64% of CSE-treatment, 53.73% of PKCε peptide inhibitor-pre-treatment). Pre-treatment of PKCε peptide inhibitor reduced caspase-3 expression and attenuated caspase-3, caspase-8 activity compared with CSE treatment alone. Conclusion: PKCε seem to have pro-apoptotic function and exerts its function through the extrinsic apoptotic pathway in CSE-exposed MRC-5 cells. This study suggests that PKCε inhibition may be a therapeutic strategy in CS-related lung disease such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
Background: It was hypothesized that the immunomodulating effects of moxifloxacin contribute to ameliorate oleic acid (OA)-induced acute lung injury (ALI) by suppression of cytosolic phospholipase A2 (cPLA2). This was based on observations from experiments on rats associated with neutrophilic respiratory burst, cPLA2 activity, and expressions of cPLA2, TNFα, and COX-II in the lung. Methods: ALI was induced by intravenous injection of OA in male Sprague-Dawley rats. Five hours after OA injection, protein content in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL), lung myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity, and numbers of BAL neutrophils were measured. As an index of oxidative stress-induced lung injury, the content of malondialdehyde (MDA) in lung tissues was also determined. Lung histology, immunohistochemistry and determination of activity of cPLA2 in lung tissues were carried out. In addition, Western blotting of TNFα and COX-II in lung tissues was performed. Results: The accumulation of neutrophils in the lungs was observed after OA injection. BAL protein was increased along with neutrophilic infiltration and migration by OA. Moxifloxacin decreased all of these parameters of ALI and ameliorated ALI histologically. The increased malondialdehyde (MDA) in the lung by OA was also decreased by moxifloxacin. Moxifloxacin not only suppressed cPLA2 expression in the lungs and neutrophils but also decreased cPLA2 activity in lung tissues of rats given OA. The enhanced expressions of TNFα and COX-2 in the lung tissues of rats given OA were also suppressed by moxifloxacin. Conclusion: Moxifloxacin inhibited cPLA2 and down-regulated TNFα and COX-2 in the lungs of rats given OA, which resulted in the attenuation of inflammatory lung injury.
Background: While asthma control is defined as the extent to which the various manifestations of asthma are reduced by treatment, current guidelines of asthma recommend assessment of asthma control without consideration of airway inflammation. Our aim was to investigate the relationships between fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO), a reliable marker of airway inflammation, and levels of asthma control in patients treated with inhaled corticosteroids (ICS). Methods: We enrolled 71 adult patients with asthma who had been treated with ICS for more than four months. FeNO was measured and spirometry was performed at the time of enrollment. Asthma control was assessed (a) by the physician based on the Global Initiative for Asthma guidelines, (b) by the patients, and (c) by using the Asthma Control Test (ACT). Statistical analyses were done to analyze the relationships between (i) FeNO and (ii) measures of asthma control and clinical indices for asthma manifestations. Results: There was no significant difference in FeNO levels between the three groups according to levels of asthma control (controlled, partly controlled and uncontrolled) as determined by the physician (p=0.81), or by the patients (p=0.81). In addition, FeNO values were not significantly correlated with the ACT scores (r=0.031, p=0.807), while FeNO showed a correlation with peripheral blood eosinophil counts (p＜0.001). Conclusion: These findings demonstrate that FeNO levels are not associated with measures of asthma control in patients treated with ICS. Information on airway inflammation from FeNO concentrations seems to be unrelated to levels of asthma control.
Background: There is very limited data present on smoking cessation rates in outpatient departments of pulmonology. In this study, we aimed to investigate the effectiveness of a brief smoking cessation intervention program in an outpatient department of pulmonology and identify predictors of smoking cessation failure. Methods: After a brief recommendation of smoking cessation from pulmonologists, smokers willing to quit smoking were given individual counseling and supplement drugs. Fifty smokers were included in this study and baseline characteristics, smoking history and success rate were reviewed at 3 months. Results: The mean age of the patients was 58.3±14.6 years and the total group of patients included 3 women. The rate of smoking cessation success was 74% at 3 months, and there were no differences in age, spirometric indexes and associated diseases between the smoking cessation success and failure group. The rate of supplement drug usage was not different in both groups either. However, body weight, mean number of cigarette usage per day and nicotine dependence scores in the failure group were significantly higher than in the success group. In multivariate analysis, body weight and mean number of cigarette usage per day were significant. Two smokers with a depressive disorder failed the smoking cessation. Conclusion: A smoking cessation intervention program in the outpatient department of pulmonology showed a favorable success rate. More intensive interventions are needed to unfavorable groups which include the obese and heavy smokers.
Background: Although the prevalence of pulmonary tuberculosis has progressively decreased all over the world, drug-resistant tuberculosis is major obstacle in treating tuberculosis. This study was performed to examine the current prevalence and risk factors of drug resistant tuberculosis in a single tertiary hospital in Busan, Korea. Methods: We enrolled 367 patients with active pulmonary tuberculosis on a retrospective basis who had undergone mycobacterium culture and drug sensitivity tests between January 2005 and December 2009. We analyzed all clinical and radiographic parameters to find predictors related to drug resistant tuberculosis. Results: At least one incident of drug resistance was found in 75 (20.4%) patients. Isoniazid (18.8%) was the most frequent resistant drug, followed by rifampin (10.9%), ethambutol (7.1%), streptomycin (4.9%), and fluoroquinolone (2.7%). Resistance to second-line drugs was found in 37 (10.1%) patients. Multidrug resistance and extensively drug resistance was evident in 39 (10.6%) and 4 (1.1%) patients, respectively. Using multiple logistic regression analysis, history of previous treatment including relapse (odd ratio [OR], 11.3; 95% confidence interval [CI], 4.92∼26.08; p＜0.01), treatment failure (OR, 24.1; 95% CI, 5.65∼102.79; p＜0.01) and an age of below 46 years-old (OR, 3.8; 95% CI, 1.62∼8.65; p＜0.01) were found to be independent predictors of multidrug resistant tuberculosis. Conclusion: We found that the prevalence of drug resistant tuberculosis was considerably high. A careful consideration for possible drug resistant tuberculosis is warranted in patients with a history of previous treatment or for younger patients.
Unilateral pulmonary artery hypoplasia (UPAH) is a rare disease in adults and is frequently accompanied by a congenital cardiac anomaly at a young age. The diagnosis is usually based on computed tomography (CT), angiography, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). However, no reports are available on retrograde flow in patients with UPAH. We describe a 68-year-old man with isolated UPAH and retrograde blood flow. He was admitted for dyspnea on exertion for the past 23 years. His diagnosis was delayed, as his symptoms and signs mimicked his underlying pulmonary diseases, such as emphysema and previous tuberculous pleurisy sequelae. A discrepancy was detected between the results of a ventilation-perfusion scan and the CT image. This was resolved by MRI, which showed retrograde blood flow from the right to the left pulmonary artery. Using MRI, we diagnosed this patient with isolated pulmonary artery hypoplasia and retrograde flow.
Trousseau's syndrome is an unexplained thrombotic event that precedes the diagnosis of an occult visceral malignancy or appears concomitantly with the tumor. Upper extremity deep vein thrombosis is prevalent in patients with a central venous catheter. Furthermore, a peripheral intravenous injection may cause upper extremity deep vein thrombosis as well. However, a deep vein thrombosis has not been reported in the form of Trousseau's syndrome with a catastrophic clinical course triggered by a single peripheral intravenous injection. A 48-year-old man presented with a swollen left arm on which he was given intravenous fluid at a local clinic due to flu symptoms. Contrast computed tomgraphy scans showed thromboses from the left distal brachial to the innominate vein. The patient developed multiple cerebral infarctions despite anticoagulation treatment. He was diagnosed with stomach cancer by endoscopic biopsy to evaluate melena and had a persistently positive lupus anticoagulant. After recurrent and multiple thromboembolic events occurred with treatment, he died on day 20.
Small bowel metastasis of pleomorphic carcinoma of the lung is very rare. A 58-year-old man was admitted to our hospital with abdominal palpable mass in the right upper quadrant area. He underwent right middle and lower lobectomy for early stage pleomorphic carcinoma of the lung approximately 3 months ago. USG-guided biopsy was performed for abdominal mass. Pathologic examination revealed a metastatic pleomorphic carcinoma from the lung. He received chemotherapy followed by radiation therapy but died due to septic shock caused by intestinal stenosis and adhesion. We report the first case of small bowel metastasis by pleomorphic carcinoma of the lung after curative surgery.