Alveolitis Research Articles

ILD-GAP combined with the monocyte ratio could be a better prognostic prediction model than ILD-GAP in patients with interstitial lung diseases

BackgroundThe ILD-GAP scoring system is known to be useful in predicting prognosis in patients with interstitial lung disease (ILD). An elevated monocyte count was associated with increased risks of IPF poor prognosis. We examined whether the ILD-GAP scoring system combined with the monocyte ratio (ILD-GAPM) is superior to the conventional ILD-GAP model in predicting ILD prognosis.MethodsIn patients with ILD treated between April 2013 and April 2017, we were retrospectively assessed the relationships between baseline clinical parameters, including age, sex, Charlson Comorbidity Index score (CCIS), ILD diagnosis, blood biomarkers, pulmonary function test results, and disease outcomes. In ILD patients were included idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), idiopathic nonspecific interstitial pneumonia (iNSIP), collagen vascular disease-related interstitial pneumonia (CVD-IP), chronic hypersensitivity pneumonitis (CHP), and unclassifiable ILD (UC-ILD). We also assessed the ability to predict prognosis was compared between the ILD-GAP and ILD-GAPM models.ResultsA total of 179 patients (mean age, 73 years) were assessed. All of them were taken pulmonary function test, including percentage predicted diffusion capacity for carbon monoxide. ILD patients included 56 IPF cases, 112 iNSIP and CVD-IP cases, 6 CHP cases and 5 UC-ILD cases. ILD-GAPM provided a greater area under the receiver-operating characteristic curve (0.747) than ILD-GAP (0.710) for predicting 3-year ILD-related events. Furthermore, the log-rank test showed that the Kaplan-Meier curves in ILD-GAPM were significantly different by stage (P = 0.015), but not by stage in ILD-GAP (P = 0.074).ConclusionsThe ILD-GAPM model may be a more accurate predictor of prognosis for ILD patients than the ILD-GAP model.

Гіперсенситивний пневмоніт. Клінічний випадок

Abstract. Hypersensitivity pneumonitis (HP), or exogenous allergic alveolitis, is a complex and heterogeneous immune-mediated inflammatory and/or fibrotic disease of the lung parenchyma, small airways and interstitium that occurs in people with congenital or acquired hypersensitivity/ susceptibility to certain inhaled antigens. The disease can occur in acute/inflammatory form (duration of the disease is less than 6 months) or chronic form (duration of the disease is more than 6 months). According to the latter classification, HP is divided into fibrotic and non-fibrotic forms: non-fibrotic HP is a mild form of HP compared to fibrotic HP. However, non-fibrotic HP often progresses to fibrosis, i.e. it can be recurrent. The article describes a clinical case of acute HP induced by poultry antigens in the occupational environment. The clinical case study shows that the anamnesis data, namely the identification of a direct link between the occupational environment and the onset of symptoms of dyspnoea, cough, weakness, and headache, made it possible to suspect poultry antigen-induced HP. The characteristic picture of HP observed on computed tomography images, as well as auscultation and radiological findings, made it possible to confirm the diagnosis. The results of the respiratory function assessment showed the presence of pulmonary insufficiency, and the laboratory examination data showed the presence of inflammation, immunological imbalance, acid-base (alkaline) disorders and hypoxia.

Nationwide Study of the Epidemiology, Diagnosis, and Treatment of Hypersensitivity Pneumonitis in Korea.

Hypersensitivity pneumonitis (HP) is a condition with an uncertain global incidence, and information on its diagnosis and management is limited. This study aimed to address these knowledge gaps. This study utilized customized claims data from the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service (HIRA) in South Korea from January 2010, to December 2021. Patients with HP were identified based on the diagnosis code (International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision, J67) between 2011 and 2020. Incident HP cases were defined as new HP claims, excluding those with claims in the previous year. The study examined various factors such as age, sex, comorbidities, diagnostic methods, and treatment patterns. Additionally, multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to identify risk factors associated with treatment initiation. A total of 8,678 HP incident cases were confirmed, with age- and sex-adjusted annual incidence rates ranging from 1.14/100,000 in 2020 to 2.16/100,000 in 2012. The mean age of patients with incident HP was 52 years, with a higher incidence observed among males. Additionally, the most common comorbidity was asthma. Bronchoscopy was performed on 16.9% of patients, and 25.4% of patients did not receive treatment within 1 year of diagnosis. Among those who received treatment, prednisone was the most used systemic steroid, and azathioprine was the most commonly used second-line immunosuppressant. Factors associated with treatment initiation included the female sex, having asthma or gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), and undergoing bronchoscopy. This study provides valuable insights into the incidence, diagnosis, and treatment patterns of HP in South Korea using nationwide medical claims data.

Hypersensitivity pneumonitis from Diagnosis to Treatment: A Cases Series with Literature Review

Hypersensitivity pneumonitis (HP) classified as an interstitial lung disease is characterized by a complex immunological reaction of the lung parenchyma in response to repetitive inhalation of a sensitized allergen. The estimated worldwide incidence of hypersensitivity pneumonitis is extremely rare and highly dependent on climatic, geographical, occupational and industrial factors. It might be secondary to a domestic or professional exposure, usually occurs in people who work in places where there are high levels of dust, fungus, or molds. Long-term exposure can lead to lung inflammation and acute lung disease. Over time, the acute condition turns into long-lasting (chronic) lung disease. Thus, we distinguish 2 mains aspects fibrotic HP and Nonfibrotic HP. The diagnosis of HP maybe sophisticated especially in fibrotic form. The prognosis of this disease depends on early diagnosis with complete antigen avoidance and most often corticosteroid therapy. This work aims to study the epidemiological, clinical, paraclinical aspects of hypersensitivity pneumonitis as well as therapeutic management, through a series of eight cases of HP carried out at the Pulmonology Department 20 August 1953, University Hospital Center IBN ROCHD, between January 2020 and January 2022, analyzed using a pre-established exploitation sheet. The average age of the patients studied was 51 years with a female predominance (sex-ratio M/F= 0.34). Domestic and occupational exposures of our patients were equal. The clinical symptomatology is dominated by almost constant dyspnea in all patients. Physical signs increased by crackles, objectified in 75% of patients. Computed tomography (CT) remains a great diagnostic contribution. Thus, allowing to have two categories of patients, depending on the presence or absence of signs of pulmonary fibrosis. In our study, five patients had fibrotic HP, and three cases had non- fibrotic HP. Precipitins were positive. Plethysmography objectified a restrictive ventilatory disorder in 62.5%. All patients benefited from antigenic eviction with long-term corticosteroid therapy. The evolution was favorable in 87.5% of cases.

S100 Calcium-Binding Protein A9, a Potential Novel Diagnostic Biomarker for Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis.

Neutrophilic inflammation is a characteristic feature of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). S100 calcium-binding protein A9 (S100A9) is a neutrophil-derived protein involved in the development of neutrophil-related chronic inflammatory disorders. However, the role of S100A9 in IPF remains unclear. We used enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays to measure S100A9 levels in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and serum obtained from healthy controls (HCs) and patients with IPF, non-specific interstitial pneumonia, hypersensitivity pneumonitis, and sarcoidosis. Compared with HCs, BALF S100A9 levels were significantly higher in IPF patients (P < 0.001), patients with hypersensitivity pneumonitis (P = 0.043), and patients with nonspecific interstitial pneumonia (P < 0.001). The S100A9 level in BALF of 0.093 ng/mL could distinguish IPF patients from HCs, with a specificity of 78.8% and a sensitivity of 81.6%. Similarly, the S100A9 level in BALF of 0.239 ng/mL had a specificity of 64.7% and a sensitivity of 66.7% for distinguishing IPF patients from patients with other interstitial lung diseases. Additionally, BALF S100A9 levels were significantly correlated with neutrophil counts (r = 0.356, P < 0.001) in BALF. IPF patients with S100A9 levels in BALF > 0.533 ng/mL had lower survival rates, compared with patients who had levels ≤ 0.553 ng/mL (n = 49; hazard ratio [HR], 3.62; P = 0.021). Combination analysis revealed that IPF patients with S100A9 levels in BALF> 0.553 ng/mL or neutrophil percentages > 49.1% (n = 43) had significantly lower survival rates than patients with S100A9 levels in BALF ≤ 0.553 ng/mL and neutrophil percentages ≤ 49.1% (n = 41) (HR, 3.91; P = 0.014). Additionally, patients with serum S100A9 levels > 0.077 ng/mL (n = 29) had significantly lower survival rates than patients with levels ≤ 0.077 ng/mL (n = 53, HR, 2.52; P = 0.013). S100A9 was expressed on neutrophils and macrophages in BALF from IPF patients as well as α-smooth muscle actin positive cells in the lung tissues. S100A9 is involved in the development and progression of IPF. Moreover, S100A9 levels in BALF and serum may be surrogate markers for IPF diagnosis and survival prediction, particularly when analyzed in combination with neutrophil percentages.

Morphology of hypersensitivity pneumonitis

Hypersensitivity pneumonitis (HP) is one of the most common interstitial lung diseases, the manifestations of which are diverse, and the diagnosis is complex and requires a multidisciplinary approach. HP is an immunologically determined disease in response to inhaled antigens. The main feature of the disease is terminal bronchiole's involvement accompanied by interstitial inflammation and/or fibrosis together with the presence of non-necrotizing granulomas in the interalveolar septa and bronchioles. The article presents the histological features of non-fibrous and fibrotic variants of the disease. Well-defined diagnostic criteria were formulated on the basis of published international recommendations and the authors' own experience.

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According to scientific sources, in 30 % of patients with postCOVID-19 syndrome, additional examination reveals respiratory symptoms, namely a significant decrease in the diffusion capacity of the lungs (DLCO) and associated damage to the pulmonary interstitium. A comparison of interstital lung disease caused by SARS-CoV-2 virus and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis pathogenesis revealed several common mechanisms: excessive activation of the immune system, secretion of proinflammatory and profibrotic cytokines, damage to the epithelium and endothelium, excessive production of extracellular matrix components, and a decrease in the functional properties of the lungs. Interstitial lung diseases (ILD) is a heterogeneous group characterized by various clinical, radiological, and pathological features that largely affect the lung parenchyma. Pulmonary fibrosis is a characteristic feature of various types of ILD, which are characterized by the presence of chronic inflammation and/or collagen deposition in the interalveolar space, which leads to insufficient passage of oxygen and carbon dioxide molecules through the alveolar epithelium. The presented clinical cases demonstrate the diversity of the pulmonary interstitium lesions in long-COVID, which can be systematized by the correspondingly classified interstitial lung disease. Treatment of these diseases according to the accepted recommendations had a positive effect. Key words: post-COVID-19 syndrome, long-COVID-19, pulmonary fibrosis, interstitial lung diseases, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, hypersensitivity pneumonitis.

Опыт применения антифибротической терапии у пациентов с интерстициальными заболеваниями легких с прогрессирующим фибротическим фенотипом

Interstitial lung diseases (ILD) are a heterogeneous group of diseases characterized by damage to the alveolar walls, interalveolar septa, and pulmonary capillary walls and leading to fibrotic remodeling of these structural components. The processes of fibroblast hyperproliferation and collagen deposition may occur with different severity and speed depending on the pattern prevailing in the ILD structure. Currently, experts identify a progressive fibrotic phenotype — a variant of the ILD course with a rapid increase in pulmonary fibrosis. In the practice of a pulmonologist today, patients with the progressive phenotype remain among the most difficult to manage. The purpose — to evaluate the effectiveness of antifibrotic therapy in patients observed at the advisory clinic of Republic Clinical Hospital of Tatarstan. Material and methods. A retrospective analysis of 16 outpatient records of patients diagnosed with ILD with a fibrosing phenotype was conducted before starting an antifibrotic drug (nintedanib) and 6 months after prescription. All patients underwent a general clinical examination, spirometry, a 6-minute walk test, and high-resolution multislice computed tomography at baseline and after 6 months of treatment. Results. 7 patients (43.8%) were diagnosed with hypersensitivity pneumonitis, 4 with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, 4 with ILD-associated autoimmune diseases, 2 with nonspecific interstitial pneumonia, fibrotic phenotype. The median parameters of spirometry and the 6-minute walk test before and after 6 months of therapy are presented. Conclusion. Antifibrotic therapy is a safe therapy for patients with fibrosing ILD. All patients tolerated nintedanib therapy satisfactorily. The antifibrotic therapy led to stabilization of spirometry parameters.

Hypersensitivity pneumonitis from Diagnosis to Treatment: A Cases Series with Literature Review

Hypersensitivity pneumonitis from Diagnosis to Treatment: A Cases Series with Literature Review

Prognostic factors of progressive fibrotic hypersensitivity pneumonitis: a large, retrospective, multicentre, observational cohort study.

Fibrotic hypersensitivity pneumonitis (fHP) is an immune-mediated interstitial lung disease caused by sensitisation to chronic allergen inhalation. This study aimed to determine prognostic indicators of progression and mortality in fHP. This was a retrospective, multicentre, observational, cross-sectional cohort study of consecutive patients diagnosed with fHP from 1 January 2012 to 31 December 2021. Multivariate Cox regression analyses were used to calculate hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence intervals for predictors of progression and survival. A total of 403 patients were diagnosed with fHP: median (interquartile range) age 66.5 (14.0) years, 51.9% females and 55.1% never-smokers. The cause of fHP was mainly fungal (39.7%) or avian (41.4%). Lung biopsy was performed in 269 cases (66.7%). In the whole cohort the variables that were related to mortality or lung transplant were older age (HR 1.08; p<0.001), percentage predicted forced vital capacity (HR 0.96; p=0.001), lymphocytosis in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) (HR 0.93; p=0.001), presence of acute exacerbation during follow-up (HR 3.04; p=0.001) and GAP (gender, age and lung physiology) index (HR 1.96; p<0.01). In the group of biopsied patients, the presence of fibroblastic foci at biopsy (HR 8.39; p<0.001) stands out in multivariate Cox regression analyses as a highly significant predictor for increased mortality or lung transplant. GAP index (HR 1.26; p=0.009), lymphocytosis in BAL (HR 0.97; p=0.018) and age (HR 1.03; p=0.018) are also predictors of progression. The study identified several prognostic factors for progression and/or survival in fHP. The presence of fibroblastic foci at biopsy was a consistent predictor for increased mortality and the presence of lymphocytosis in BAL was inversely related to mortality.

ViT-ILD: A Vision Transformer-based Neural Network for Detection of Interstitial Lung Disease from CT Images

Interstitial Lung Disease (ILD) is a lung illness characterized by inflammation and scarring. Identifying and categorizing ILD patterns using chest Computed Tomography (CT) images is crucial for diagnosis and treatment planning. Deep learning and computer vision advancements offer the potential for automating medical image examination, such as the transformer model, which identifies intricate dependencies and relationships in data. Chest CT scans provide valuable information for ILD pattern classification and diagnosis. The Vision Transformer (ViT) based Multi-Head Self Attention (MHSA) architecture detects local and global spatial dependencies, focusing on relevant regions and considering contextual interactions. The ViT-based model architecture aims to categorize ILD patterns using MHSA mechanisms. The proposed ViT-ILD model improves the performance by modifying hyperparameters, attention heads, and hidden units. It also utilises techniques of residual connections, layer normalization, and positional encoding for improvement. The proposed method ViT-ILD has achieved comparable training, validation and test accuracy of 100%, 98%, and 82.75% respectively for the 4-class classification with a healthy lung, hypersensitivity pneumonitis, pulmonary fibrosis, and tuberculosis from the MedGift CT dataset. It is observed that the proposed ViT-ILD model has achieved test accuracy, recall, precision, and f1-score of 82.75%, 74.15%, 100%, and 82.35%.

Real-world experience of nintedanib for progressive fibrosing interstitial lung disease in the UK.

Nintedanib slows progression of lung function decline in patients with progressive fibrosing (PF) interstitial lung disease (ILD) and was recommended for this indication within the United Kingdom (UK) National Health Service in Scotland in June 2021 and in England, Wales and Northern Ireland in November 2021. To date, there has been no national evaluation of the use of nintedanib for PF-ILD in a real-world setting. 26 UK centres were invited to take part in a national service evaluation between 17 November 2021 and 30 September 2022. Summary data regarding underlying diagnosis, pulmonary function tests, diagnostic criteria, radiological appearance, concurrent immunosuppressive therapy and drug tolerability were collected via electronic survey. 24 UK prescribing centres responded to the service evaluation invitation. Between 17 November 2021 and 30 September 2022, 1120 patients received a multidisciplinary team recommendation to commence nintedanib for PF-ILD. The most common underlying diagnoses were hypersensitivity pneumonitis (298 out of 1120, 26.6%), connective tissue disease associated ILD (197 out of 1120, 17.6%), rheumatoid arthritis associated ILD (180 out of 1120, 16.0%), idiopathic nonspecific interstitial pneumonia (125 out of 1120, 11.1%) and unclassifiable ILD (100 out of 1120, 8.9%). Of these, 54.4% (609 out of 1120) were receiving concomitant corticosteroids, 355 (31.7%) out of 1120 were receiving concomitant mycophenolate mofetil and 340 (30.3%) out of 1120 were receiving another immunosuppressive/modulatory therapy. Radiological progression of ILD combined with worsening respiratory symptoms was the most common reason for the diagnosis of PF-ILD. We have demonstrated the use of nintedanib for the treatment of PF-ILD across a broad range of underlying conditions. Nintedanib is frequently co-prescribed alongside immunosuppressive and immunomodulatory therapy. The use of nintedanib for the treatment of PF-ILD has demonstrated acceptable tolerability in a real-world setting.

The Impact of Occupational Exposures on Chronic Rhinosinusitis: A Scoping Review.

Chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) is a prevalent and burdensome condition worldwide, characterized by inflammation of the paranasal sinuses. Ideally, instead of treating CRS, we would identify ways to prevent the development of this chronic condition. Occupational exposures may be an excellent target for prevention. Occupational exposures have been shown to play a critical role in the pathogenesis of multiple lower airway diseases, such as asthma, silicosis, asbestosis, and hypersensitivity pneumonitis. However, evidence for the association between occupational exposures and the development of upper airway disease, like CRS, is less well-defined. This manuscript examines the association between occupational exposures and CRS. A scoping review of the literature following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines identified 19 relevant studies. The populations examined and the methods and criteria used for defining CRS diagnosis and occupational variables significantly varied between the studies. Diagnosis of CRS was most often determined by self-reported symptoms or medical record review. Occupational variables ranged from employment status to occupation type to specific exogenous compounds encountered. Overall, substantial evidence demonstrates a general association between occupational exposures and CRS diagnosis; however, limitations in study methodologies, including variations in CRS diagnostic criteria, occupational exposures, assessment methods, and populations, hinder drawing more specific conclusions. Moving forward, rigorous research methodologies and standardized criteria are essential to draw conclusions supported by multiple studies. Critical components of future studies should include large, diverse populations, use of consensus CRS diagnostic criteria, and inclusion of many specific and quantitatively defined exposures. Ultimately, such efforts can help inform preventative measures and interventions for CRS, thus mitigating the burden of CRS on individuals and populations worldwide.

ХРОНІЧНИЙ ГІПЕРСЕНСИТИВНИЙ ПНЕВМОНІТ: КЛІНІЧНИЙ ВИПАДОК ВІДТЕРМІНОВАНОГО ДІАГНОЗУ

Pulmonary cysts 3 to 25 mm in diameter are found in average in 13 % of patients with sub-acute hypersensitivity pneumonits (HP). Lymphocytic infiltration by means of air valve effect causes bronchiolar obstruction, hich leads to the formation of the cysts. The cysts are also found in chronic HP. The rupture of a cyst often causes a pneumothorax. A case of chronic HP is presented. The first signs of the disease were noted in the childhood at the age of 10. But the final accurate diagnosis was not established until the age of 40. The patient repeatedly referred to pulmonology and tuberculosis medical institutions, where she was diagnosed with idiopathic fibrosing alveolitis, idiopathic interstitial pneumonia, suspected tuberculosis, mainly based on the description of radiographs and tomograms. Later, all these diagnoses were cancelled. The diagnosis was verified only by morphological examination of a fragment of the lung tissue obtained during surgery for pneumothorax on the left. At that time the disease has acquired its chronic course. A retrospective analysis of the course of the disease and the reasons for delayed diagnosis was carried out. Key words: hypersensitivity pneumonitis, clinical course, diagnostics.

Methamphetamine-induced Fibrotic Hypersensitivity Pneumonitis

Methamphetamine-induced Fibrotic Hypersensitivity Pneumonitis

Clinical and Functional Characteristics of Interstitial Lung Disease in Algeria: A Single-Center Prospective Study

Introduction: There are a limited number of epidemiological studies describing the global burden of chronic diffuse interstitial lung diseases (ILD) and their subtypes’ heterogeneity worldwide. Our main is to characterize new-onset ILDs in Algeria and compare our results with data from other populations. Materials and Methods: Newly diagnosed ILDs were prospectively collected in a single-center observational cohort study including all patients diagnosed as ILDs in the pulmonology, phthisiology, and allergology departments between 2015 and 2019. Detailed anamnestic and clinical data were collected at the time of diagnosis. The results of high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT), serological tests, biology data, and respiratory functional exploration were systematically performed and collected. Results: A total of 455 cases were included. The mean age was 59.4 ± 13.2 years. There was a slight predominance of females (300; 65.9%). The most common disease was ILD secondary to connective tissue disease (CTD) or ILD-CTD (48.1%), followed by idiopathic interstitial pneumonias (IIPs) (23.5%), sarcoidosis (16.9%), interstitial pneumonia with autoimmune features (IPAF) (12.1%), and hypersensitivity pneumonitis (HP) (2.4%). Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) was present in 8.6% and unclassifiable ILD in 4.6% of the total ILD cases. Conclusions: ILD-CTD, IIP, and sarcoidosis were the most frequently observed ILDs in this Algerian population. Similarities and many differences were found compared to previous data from other countries.

Club Cells-A Guardian against Occupational Hazards.

Club cells have a distinct role in the epithelial repair and defense mechanisms of the lung. After exposure to environmental pollutants, during chronic exposure, the secretion of club cells secretory protein (CCSP) decreases. Exposure to occupational hazards certainly has a role in a large number of interstitial lung diseases. According to the American Thoracic Society and the European Respiratory Society, around 40% of the all interstitial lung disease is attributed to occupational hazards. Some of them are very well characterized (pneumoconiosis, hypersensitivity pneumonitis), whereas others are consequences of acute exposure (e.g., paraquat) or persistent exposure (e.g., isocyanate). The category of vapors, gases, dusts, and fumes (VGDF) has been proven to produce subclinical modifications. The inflammation and altered repair process resulting from the exposure to occupational respiratory hazards create vicious loops of cooperation between epithelial cells, mesenchymal cells, innate defense mechanisms, and immune cells. The secretions of club cells modulate the communication between macrophages, epithelial cells, and fibroblasts mitigating the inflammation and/or reducing the fibrotic process. In this review, we describe the mechanisms by which club cells contribute to the development of interstitial lung diseases and the potential role for club cells as biomarkers for occupational-related fibrosis.

Effect of warm and humid days on the positivity rate of anti-Trichosporon asahii antibody test for the diagnosis of summer-type hypersensitivity pneumonitis

BackgroundSummer-type hypersensitivity pneumonitis (SHP) has been reported to occur during warm and humid summer seasons in Japan; however, the effect of weather conditions on SHP remains unknown. Anti-Trichosporon asahii antibody (TaAb) test is highly specific and useful for the diagnosing SHP. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the impact of weather conditions on SHP by examining the relationship between the positivity rate of TaAb and warm and humid days. MethodsTaAb test data from June 2013 to June 2020 were obtained from major commercial laboratories to determine the number of samples and positivity rate of TaAb by prefecture. Using the Japan Meteorological Agency database, we counted the warm and humid days (maximum temperature ≥25 °C and average humidity ≥80 %) for each prefecture. Negative binomial regression was employed to examine the relationship between the positivity rate of TaAb and the number of warm and humid days per month. ResultsA total of 79,211 samples and 7626 positive samples (9.6 %) were identified. We found that the number of warm and humid days, 1 or 2 months prior to testing for TaAb, was associated with the positivity rate of the test. An increase in the positivity rate by 1.6 % and 2.9 % was observed with every 1-day increase in warm and humid days 1 month and 2 months before the test, respectively. ConclusionsOur TaAb analysis revealed a significant increase in TaAb positivity 1 or 2 months after periods of warm and humid days.

Unusual pediatric lung infections: imaging findings

Pediatric lung infections continue to be a leading cause of pediatric morbidity and mortality. Although both pediatric and general radiologists are familiar with typical lung infections and their imaging findings in children, relatively rare lung infections continue to present a diagnostic challenge. In addition, the advances in radiological imaging and emergence of several new lung infections in recent years facilitated the need for up-to-date knowledge on this topic. In this review article, we discuss the imaging findings of pediatric lung infections caused by unusual/uncommon and new pathogens. We review the epidemiological, clinical, and radiological imaging findings of viral (coronavirus disease 2019, Middle East respiratory syndrome, bird flu), bacterial (Streptococcus anginosus, Francisella tularensis, Chlamydia psittaci), and parasitic lung infections (echinococcosis, paragonimiasis, amoebiasis). Additional disorders whose clinical course and imaging findings may mimic lung infections in children (hypersensitivity pneumonitis, pulmonary hemorrhage, eosinophilic pneumonia) are also presented, to aid in differential diagnosis. As the clinical presentation of children with new and unusual lung infections is often non-specific, imaging evaluation plays an important role in initial detection, follow-up for disease progression, and assessment of potential complications.Graphical

Chinese expert consensus on multidisciplinary discussion of interstitial lung disease

Interstitial lung disease (ILD) is a group of heterogeneous diseases characterized by interstitial lung inflammation and fibrosis. Its causes are diverse, symptoms can be non-specific, and the associated imaging and pathologic patterns can vary widely. The diagnosis and management of these conditions often require input from multiple medical disciplines. Over the past few decades, the importance of multidisciplinary discussion (MDD) in the management of ILD has grown internationally, and MDD has gradually become a part of the gold standard for ILD diagnosis and an essential reference for disease management. Recognizing this, the Chinese Medical Association-Chinese Thoracic Society and the Chinese Association of Chest Physicians have collaborated with experts to standardize the ILD-MDD process in China.Key recommendations:1. Formation of teams: ILD centers should establish multidisciplinary teams (MDT) and integrate MDD into the ILD patient care process. (strong recommendation)2. Patient preparation: Prior to ILD-MDD, patients should undergo as thorough an ILD assessment as possible, including medical history, diagnostic tests, and functional evaluations. (strong recommendation)3. MDD frequency & logistics:(1) The frequency, duration and number of cases to be discussed in ILD-MDD should be based on the clinical needs of each center, but should be held at least monthly. (2) Consistent timing and location of ILD-MDD is recommended to improve attendance. (medium recommendation)4. Team composition: The MDT should include experts from a range of disciplines with experience of ILD. These should include specialists in Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Radiology, and Pathology. Where appropriate, experts in Rheumatology, Hematology, Thoracic Surgery, and Respiratory Care and Rehabilitation should also be involved. (strong recommendation)5. Case presentation & goals:(1) The physician in charge should present clinical information, preferably using standardized slides. Real-time imaging and pathology data are encouraged. (2) The primary goals of ILD-MDD discussions should be disease diagnosis and management. (strong recommendation)6. Operational leadership: Assign a dedicated professional to manage the ILD-MDD operations and maintain the information discussed. (strong recommendation)7. Specific conditions:(1) Suspected idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis should be diagnosed by a standardized MDD process. (2) Suspected idiopathic interstitial pneumonia (IIP) should be classified by MDD. If IIP is indicated by imaging or pathology, prioritize identifying potential underlying causes such as connective tissue diseases (CTDs), certain medications, or aspiration.(3) Suspected hypersensitivity pneumonitis should also be diagnosed by MDD. (4) If an ILD patient shows signs suggestive of CTDs, the diagnosis should be made by ILD-MDD with the involvement of rheumatologists. (strong recommendation)8. Unclassifiable ILD: For ILD patients who cannot be clearly classified, create a tailored management plan based on the patient's specific disease features. (strong recommendation)9. Progressive pulmonary fibrosis: Use ILD-MDD to determine whether an ILD patient meets the criteria for progressive pulmonary fibrosis and to discuss a personalized care plan. (strong recommendation).