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Seminars in Immunopathology Jun 2021Despite dramatic advances in our understanding of the pathogenesis and course of disease in the relatively short timeframe since the discovery and first description of... (Review)
Review
Despite dramatic advances in our understanding of the pathogenesis and course of disease in the relatively short timeframe since the discovery and first description of eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) less than three decades ago, many open questions remain to be elucidated. For instance, we will need to better characterize atypical clinical presentations of EoE and other forms of esophageal inflammatory conditions with often similar clinical presentations, nut fulfilling current diagnostic criteria for EoE and to determine their significance and interrelationship with genuine EoE. In addition, the interrelationship of EoE with other immune-mediated diseases remains to be clarified. Hopefully, a closer look at the role of environmental factors and their interaction with genetic susceptibility often in context of atopic predisposition may enable identifying the candidate substances/agents/allergens and potentially earlier (childhood) events to trigger the condition. It appears plausible to assume that in the end-comparable to current concepts in other immune-mediated chronic diseases, such as for instance inflammatory bowel disease or asthma bronchiale-we will not be rewarded with the identification of a "one-and-only" underlying pathogenetic trigger factor, with causal responsibility for the disease in each and every EoE patient. Rather, the relative contribution and importance of intrinsic susceptibility, i.e., patient-driven factors (genetics, aberrant immune response) and external trigger factors, such as food (or aero-) allergens as well as early childhood events (e.g., infection and exposure to antibiotics and other drugs) may substantially differ among given individuals with EoE. Accordingly, selection and treatment duration of medical therapy, success rates and extent of required restriction in dietary treatment, and the need for mechanical treatment to address strictures and stenosis require an individualized approach, tailored to each patient. With the advances of emerging treatment options, the importance of such an individualized and patient-centered assessment will increase even further.
Topics: Allergens; Asthma; Child, Preschool; Eosinophilic Esophagitis; Food; Genetic Predisposition to Disease; Humans
PubMed: 34097125
DOI: 10.1007/s00281-021-00855-y -
NPJ Primary Care Respiratory Medicine Aug 2018Exercise-induced bronchoconstriction (EIB) can occur in individuals with and without asthma, and is prevalent among athletes of all levels. In patients with asthma,... (Review)
Review
Exercise-induced bronchoconstriction (EIB) can occur in individuals with and without asthma, and is prevalent among athletes of all levels. In patients with asthma, symptoms of EIB significantly increase the proportion reporting feelings of fearfulness, frustration, isolation, depression and embarrassment compared with those without symptoms. EIB can also prevent patients with asthma from participating in exercise and negatively impact their quality of life. Diagnosis of EIB is based on symptoms and spirometry or bronchial provocation tests; owing to low awareness of EIB and lack of simple, standardised diagnostic methods, under-diagnosis and mis-diagnosis of EIB are common. To improve the rates of diagnosis of EIB in primary care, validated and widely accepted symptom-based questionnaires are needed that can accurately replicate the current diagnostic standards (forced expiratory volume in 1 s reductions observed following exercise or bronchoprovocation challenge) in patients with and without asthma. In patients without asthma, EIB can be managed by various non-pharmacological methods and the use of pre-exercise short-acting β-agonists (SABAs). In patients with asthma, EIB is often associated with poor asthma control but can also occur in individuals who have good control when not exercising. Inhaled corticosteroids are recommended when asthma control is suboptimal; however, pre-exercise SABAs are also widely used and are recommended as the first-line therapy. This review describes the burden, key features, diagnosis and current treatment approaches for EIB in patients with and without asthma and serves as a call to action for family physicians to be aware of EIB and consider it as a potential diagnosis.
Topics: Adolescent; Asthma; Bronchial Diseases; Child; Constriction, Pathologic; Exercise; Female; Humans; Male
PubMed: 30108224
DOI: 10.1038/s41533-018-0098-2 -
Canadian Respiratory Journal 2015Severe scoliosis may have a significant effect on respiratory function. The effect is most often restrictive due to severe anatomical distortion of the chest, leading to...
Severe scoliosis may have a significant effect on respiratory function. The effect is most often restrictive due to severe anatomical distortion of the chest, leading to reduced lung volumes, limited diaphragmatic excursion and chest wall muscle inefficiency. Bronchial compression by the deformed spine may also occur but is more unusual. Management options include a conservative approach using bracing and physiotherapy in mild cases, as well as surgical correction of the scoliosis in more severe cases. Bronchial stenting has also been used successfully as an alternative to surgical correction, and in cases in which spinal surgery was either unsuccessful or not feasible. The authors present a case involving a 52-year-old woman who exhibited symptomatic compression of the bronchus intermedius by severe residual scoliosis despite previous corrective surgery. She was treated with an indwelling bronchial stent.
Topics: Airway Obstruction; Bronchial Diseases; Constriction, Pathologic; Female; Humans; Middle Aged; Pulmonary Atelectasis; Respiratory Function Tests; Scoliosis; Stents; Tomography, X-Ray Computed
PubMed: 26083538
DOI: 10.1155/2015/640573 -
Interactive Cardiovascular and Thoracic... Jul 2022Lung parenchyma-sparing bronchial resection is uncommon, and the operative procedure depends on the cause and location of the stenosis. We present 6 cases and discuss...
Lung parenchyma-sparing bronchial resection is uncommon, and the operative procedure depends on the cause and location of the stenosis. We present 6 cases and discuss the different surgical strategies for sleeve resection of the central airway without lung resection. Bronchoplasty for the main bronchus and truncus intermedius was performed with a posterolateral approach. We resected the right main bronchus including the right lateral wall of the lower trachea and half of the carina obliquely and performed an anastomosis. The tumour in the left lobar bronchus was exposed and removed by transient division of the accompanying pulmonary artery. Although post-transplant stenosis and malacia can pose a challenge, bronchoplasty can be used as a definitive treatment in experienced centres.
Topics: Bronchi; Constriction, Pathologic; Humans; Pneumonectomy; Thoracic Surgical Procedures; Trachea
PubMed: 35699490
DOI: 10.1093/icvts/ivac166 -
Annals of Thoracic and Cardiovascular... 2015
Topics: Bronchi; Bronchial Diseases; Bronchoscopy; Constriction, Pathologic; Humans; Pneumonectomy; Thoracic Surgery, Video-Assisted; Tomography, X-Ray Computed; Treatment Outcome
PubMed: 26211403
DOI: 10.5761/atcs.ed.15-00189 -
Medicina (Kaunas, Lithuania) Mar 2021Tracheal or bronchial tears are potential complications of rigid bronchoscopy. This study aimed to investigate the acute complications and outcomes of using an...
Tracheal or bronchial tears are potential complications of rigid bronchoscopy. This study aimed to investigate the acute complications and outcomes of using an insulation-tipped (IT) knife in combination with rigid bronchoscopic dilatation for treating benign tracheobronchial stenosis. We conducted a chart review of patients with benign tracheobronchial stenosis who were treated with rigid bronchoscopy and an IT knife at two referral centers. Treatment success was defined as a clinically stable state without worsening symptoms after 3 months of treatment. Of the 23 patients with benign tracheobronchial stenosis, 15 had tracheal stenosis and 6 had main bronchial stenosis. Among them, three cases were of simple stenosis (13%), while the others were of complex stenosis (87%). The overall treatment success rate was 87.0%. Pneumomediastinum and subcutaneous emphysema occurred due to bronchial laceration in two cases of distal left main bronchial stenosis (8.7%), and no other significant acute complications developed. Silicone stents were inserted in 20 patients, and successful stent removal was possible in 11 patients (55.0%). Six of the seven stents inserted in patients with post-intubation tracheal stenosis were removed successfully (85.7%). However, most of the patients with post-tracheostomy tracheal stenosis required persistent stenting (80%). Pulmonary function was significantly increased after treatment, and the mean increase in the forced expiratory volume in 1 s was 391 ± 171 mL (160-700 mL). The use of an IT knife can be suggested as an effective and safe modality for rigid bronchoscopic treatment of benign tracheobronchial stenosis.
Topics: Bronchi; Bronchial Diseases; Bronchoscopy; Constriction, Pathologic; Humans; Retrospective Studies; Stents; Tracheal Stenosis
PubMed: 33800300
DOI: 10.3390/medicina57030251 -
Anesthesiology Jan 2020
Topics: Bronchi; Bronchial Diseases; Bronchoscopy; Constriction, Pathologic; Humans; Polyps; Smoke Inhalation Injury; Trachea; Tracheal Diseases
PubMed: 31834872
DOI: 10.1097/ALN.0000000000002972 -
Frontiers in Immunology 2023Antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis (AAV) is a group of disorders characterized by necrotizing inflammation of small- and medium-sized blood...
BACKGROUND
Antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis (AAV) is a group of disorders characterized by necrotizing inflammation of small- and medium-sized blood vessels and the presence of circulating ANCA. Eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (EGPA) is a systemic ANCA-associated vasculitis, characterized by peripheral eosinophilia, neuropathy, palpable purpuras or petechiae, renal and cardiac involvement, sinusitis, asthma, and transient pulmonary infiltrates. Middle lobe syndrome (MLS) is defined as recurrent or chronic atelectasis of the right middle lobe of the lung, and it is a potential complication of asthma.
CASE PRESENTATION
Herein, we describe a case of MLS in a 51-year-old woman, never-smoker, affected by EGPA, presenting exclusively with leukocytosis and elevated concentrations of acute-phase proteins, without any respiratory symptom, cough, or hemoptysis. Chest computed tomography (CT) imaging documented complete atelectasis of the middle lobe, together with complete obstruction of lobar bronchial branch origin. Fiberoptic bronchoscopy (FOB) revealed complete stenosis of the middle lobar bronchus origin, thus confirming the diagnosis of MLS, along with distal left main bronchus stenosis. Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) did not detect any infection. Bronchial biopsies included plasma cells, neutrophil infiltrates, only isolated eosinophils, and no granulomas, providing the hypothesis of vasculitic acute involvement less likely. First-line agents directed towards optimizing pulmonary function (mucolytics, bronchodilators, and antibiotic course) were therefore employed. However, the patient did not respond to conservative treatment; hence, endoscopic management of airway obstruction was performed, with chest CT documenting resolution of middle lobe atelectasis.
CONCLUSION
To the best of our knowledge, this is the first detailed description of MLS in EGPA completely resolved through FOB. Identification of MLS in EGPA appears essential as prognosis, longitudinal management, and treatment options may differ from other pulmonary involvement in AAV patients.
Topics: Female; Humans; Middle Aged; Middle Lobe Syndrome; Antibodies, Antineutrophil Cytoplasmic; Churg-Strauss Syndrome; Constriction, Pathologic; Granulomatosis with Polyangiitis; Leukocyte Disorders; Pulmonary Atelectasis; Anti-Neutrophil Cytoplasmic Antibody-Associated Vasculitis; Asthma
PubMed: 37638004
DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1222431