{"title":"Prevalence and characteristics of dysfunctional breathing in patients with asthma in the Japanese population","authors":"Natsuki Takeda , Toshiyuki Koya , Takashi Hasegawa , Moe Tanaka , Takahiro Matsuda , Yui Murai , Shun Naramoto , Yosuke Kimura , Kenjiro Shima , Makoto Kurokawa , Ami Aoki , Chieko Yoshida , Takuro Sakagami , Shuichiro Maruoka , Yasuhiro Gon , Toshiaki Kikuchi , the Niigata Asthma Treatment Study Group","doi":"10.1016/j.resinv.2024.08.004","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.resinv.2024.08.004","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><p>Dysfunctional breathing (DB) is a major asthma comorbidity; however, it is not well recognized in Japan. Moreover, it has rarely been reported in the asthma population, and its clinical characteristics are unclear. We aimed to clarify the clinical characteristics of DB as a comorbidity in patients with asthma in Japan. Questionnaire surveys were conducted among patients with asthma at medical facilities in three regions of Japan (Niigata, Kumamoto, and Tokyo).</p></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><p>This cross-sectional questionnaire survey targeting patients with asthma who had regularly visited medical institutions and their doctors was conducted from September to November 2021. The questionnaire addressed the control status and method of treatment. The diagnosis of DB was evaluated using the Nijmegen questionnaire (NQ).</p></div><div><h3>Results</h3><p>There were 2087 eligible participants. Based on their NQ scores, 217 patients were classified into the DB group (NQ ≥ 19). There were significant differences with respect to sex, disease duration, Asthma Control Test (ACT) scores, Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) scores, type-2 biomarkers, pulmonary function indices, treatment methods, severity, and asthma exacerbations in the previous year between the DB and non-DB groups. In the multivariate analysis, there were significant differences in sex, disease duration (≥15 y), ACT scores (<20), and PHQ-9 scores (≥10). The cluster analysis of cases with DB classified the population into four clusters.</p></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><p>The asthma population with DB exhibited several characteristics, including depression and poorly controlled asthma. Further large-scale interventional investigations with longer follow-up periods are necessary to verify these findings.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":20934,"journal":{"name":"Respiratory investigation","volume":"62 6","pages":"Pages 1015-1020"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2024-08-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2212534524001254/pdfft?md5=4d5d350c1ded9c0122b7ac147e624dc7&pid=1-s2.0-S2212534524001254-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142095146","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Assessment of health-related quality of life in patients with nontuberculous mycobacterial pulmonary disease: A comprehensive review","authors":"Kazuma Kawahara , Mitsuru Tabusadani , Ken Ohta , Kozo Morimoto","doi":"10.1016/j.resinv.2024.08.009","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.resinv.2024.08.009","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>The global incidence of nontuberculous mycobacterial pulmonary disease (NTM-PD) is increasing. The primary aim of pharmacotherapeutic treatment for NTM-PD is to achieve negative bacterial conversion, but this goal is challenging, especially in cases with poor prognosis factors. Moreover, recurrence frequently occurs following successful treatment. Consequently, patient-reported outcomes (PROs) have attracted an increasing amount of attention due to their potential to elucidate the pathophysiology of NTM-PD. The current review article aimed to describe the current understanding of PROs related to health-related quality of life (HRQoL). HRQoL is influenced by a variety of factors; notably, those factors associated with the prognosis of NTM-PD significantly impair HRQoL. In patients with refractory NTM-PD, HRQoL tends to worsen over time. Assessing HRQoL through PROs involves short-term or long-term evaluation tools, which are selected based on their relevance to the patient's condition and the clinician's goals. Understanding the nuances of PROs can be helpful for delivering empathetic care tailored to patients in even the most complex treatment scenarios.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":20934,"journal":{"name":"Respiratory investigation","volume":"62 6","pages":"Pages 1006-1014"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2024-08-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2212534524001308/pdfft?md5=82646c04cfbdabd17b2ce74b1c8f6a45&pid=1-s2.0-S2212534524001308-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142095055","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Lung imaging in COPD and asthma","authors":"Naoya Tanabe , Hiroaki Nakagawa , Seiichiro Sakao , Yoshiharu Ohno , Kaoruko Shimizu , Hidetoshi Nakamura , Masayuki Hanaoka , Yasutaka Nakano , Toyohiro Hirai","doi":"10.1016/j.resinv.2024.08.014","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.resinv.2024.08.014","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma are common lung diseases with heterogeneous clinical presentations. Lung imaging allows evaluations of underlying pathophysiological changes and provides additional personalized approaches for disease management. This narrative review provides an overview of recent advances in chest imaging analysis using various modalities, such as computed tomography (CT), dynamic chest radiography, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Visual CT assessment localizes emphysema subtypes and mucus plugging in the airways. Dedicated software quantifies the severity and spatial distribution of emphysema and the airway tree structure, including the central airway wall thickness, branch count and fractal dimension of the tree, and airway-to-lung size ratio. Nonrigid registration of inspiratory and expiratory CT scans quantifies small airway dysfunction, local volume changes and shape deformations in specific regions. Lung ventilation and diaphragm movement are also evaluated on dynamic chest radiography. Functional MRI detects regional oxygen transfer across the alveolus using inhaled oxygen and ventilation defects and gas diffusion into the alveolar–capillary barrier tissue and red blood cells using inhaled hyperpolarized <sup>129</sup>Xe gas. These methods have the potential to determine local functional properties in the lungs that cannot be detected by lung function tests in patients with COPD and asthma. Further studies are needed to apply these technologies in clinical practice, particularly for early disease detection and tailor-made interventions, such as the efficient selection of patients likely to respond to biologics. Moreover, research should focus on the extension of healthy life expectancy in patients at higher risk and with established diseases.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":20934,"journal":{"name":"Respiratory investigation","volume":"62 6","pages":"Pages 995-1005"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2024-08-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2212534524001357/pdfft?md5=32f1763a43da6250614dd7ccc07d1abe&pid=1-s2.0-S2212534524001357-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142095054","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Christian Domingo , Santiago Quirce , Ignacio Dávila , Astrid Crespo-Lessman , Ebymar Arismendi , Alfredo De Diego , Francisco Javier González-Barcala , Luis Pérez de Llano , Luis Cea-Calvo , Marta Sánchez-Jareño , Pilar López-Cotarelo , Luis Puente-Maestu
{"title":"Cough severity visual analog scale scores and quality of life in patients with refractory or unexplained chronic cough","authors":"Christian Domingo , Santiago Quirce , Ignacio Dávila , Astrid Crespo-Lessman , Ebymar Arismendi , Alfredo De Diego , Francisco Javier González-Barcala , Luis Pérez de Llano , Luis Cea-Calvo , Marta Sánchez-Jareño , Pilar López-Cotarelo , Luis Puente-Maestu","doi":"10.1016/j.resinv.2024.08.005","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.resinv.2024.08.005","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><p>Refractory chronic cough (RCC) and unexplained chronic cough (UCC) adversely affect patients’ quality of life (QoL). This multicenter, non-interventional study evaluates the relationship between cough severity and QoL and other patient-reported outcomes (PROs) in Spanish outpatients.</p></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><p>RCC/UCC patients self-administered a printed survey comprising the cough-severity visual analog scale (VAS), adapted Cough Severity Diary (CSD), and Leicester Cough Questionnaire (LCQ), plus purpose-designed items regarding the physical and everyday-life impact of cough. Patients were stratified into VAS score tertiles. The impact of cough on QoL and other PROs in each tertile, and relationships between LCQ scores and the tertiles, were assessed.</p></div><div><h3>Results</h3><p>The VAS was completed by 189 patients, and VAS score tertiles were identified as 0–50, 60–70, and 80–100 mm. The only between-tertile difference in demographic or cough characteristics was cough duration. VAS score tertiles were linearly associated with mean LCQ domain and total scores, as well as the proportion of patients with the highest scores on all adapted CSD items, and almost all physical and everyday-life impact items. In multiple linear-regression models, an increase of one tertile in the VAS score was associated with a decrease of 2.23 points in the LCQ total score, indicating poorer cough-related QoL.</p></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><p>As self-assessed in patients with RCC/UCC, cough-severity VAS scores were strongly associated with the impact of cough on QoL and everyday life. Patients with VAS scores of 60–100 mm reported the greatest impact and thus may benefit the most from targeted cough therapies.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":20934,"journal":{"name":"Respiratory investigation","volume":"62 6","pages":"Pages 987-994"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2024-08-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2212534524001266/pdfft?md5=e1e5f03ef75732fce9e170221ecab706&pid=1-s2.0-S2212534524001266-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142087619","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Efficacy, safety, and pharmacokinetics of inhaled treprostinil in Japanese patients with pulmonary hypertension associated with interstitial lung disease","authors":"Seiichiro Sakao , Yasuhiro Kondoh , Hideyuki Kinoshita , Osamu Nishiyama , Takeshi Ogo , Nobuhiro Tanabe , Shun Minatsuki , Kazuhiko Nakayama , Yu Taniguchi , Kenta Takahashi , Masahiro Takatsu , Takashi Ogura","doi":"10.1016/j.resinv.2024.07.020","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.resinv.2024.07.020","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><p>The INCREASE trial, conducted in the United States, showed that inhaled treprostinil improved exercise capacity in pulmonary hypertension associated with interstitial lung disease (PH-ILD). However, hemodynamic and pharmacokinetic measurements were not performed in the trial. The objective of this trial was to evaluate the efficacy on hemodynamics and exercise capacity, safety, and pharmacokinetics (PK) of inhaled treprostinil in Japanese patients with PH-ILD.</p></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><p>This trial was a multicenter, non-randomized, open-label, single-arm trial of patients with PH-ILD. Inhaled treprostinil was administered at 3 breaths (18 μg)/session four times daily, and the dose was gradually increased to a maximum of 12 breaths (72 μg)/session. The primary endpoints were the change of pulmonary vascular resistance index (PVRI) and peak 6-min walking distance (6MWD) from baseline to week 16. Endpoints also included other efficacy parameters, safety, and PK.</p></div><div><h3>Results</h3><p>Twenty patients received inhaled treprostinil. At week 16, PVRI decreased from baseline by −40.1% (95% CI, −53.1 to −27.2) and peak 6MWD increased by 13.0 m (95% CI, −15.0 to 49.0). The most frequently reported adverse events related with treprostinil were cough, malaise and blood pressure decreased. PK was similar to those in pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) patients.</p></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><p>Treatment with inhaled treprostinil using the same dosing regimen as in the INCREASE trial resulted in improvements in hemodynamics and exercise capacity with a favorable tolerability and safety profile in Japanese patients with PH-ILD.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":20934,"journal":{"name":"Respiratory investigation","volume":"62 6","pages":"Pages 980-986"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2024-08-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2212534524001217/pdfft?md5=d6cd2f0673b6f84e80830ccd173f2fdc&pid=1-s2.0-S2212534524001217-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142087620","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Vasilios Tzilas , Thomas E. Hartman , Antonios Charokopos , Paul A. Decker , Jay H. Ryu
{"title":"“Bubbly lung”, a honeycombing variant with more favorable outcome","authors":"Vasilios Tzilas , Thomas E. Hartman , Antonios Charokopos , Paul A. Decker , Jay H. Ryu","doi":"10.1016/j.resinv.2024.08.012","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.resinv.2024.08.012","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><p>Although radiologic honeycombing is generally associated with progressive fibrosis and a dismal prognosis, some patients display an unexpectedly indolent clinical course. We aimed to assess for variants of honeycombing associated with a more favorable prognosis.</p></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><p>A computer-assisted search was conducted to identify patients encountered at Mayo Clinic from 1998 to 2022 who had undergone chest CT that manifested exuberant honeycombing. Medical records and chest imaging studies were reviewed to identify clinical, pulmonary function and radiologic features.</p></div><div><h3>Results</h3><p>Among 136 patients with exuberant honeycombing, 23 patients were identified with CT features of what we termed “bubbly lung” characterized by extensive macrocystic fibrosis; 17 (74%) were female with a median age of 71 years (range, 32–88) at baseline. Underlying diagnoses were ANCA associated vasculitis (22%), overlap CTD (22%), rheumatoid arthritis (17%), IPF (17%), IPAF (9%), systemic sclerosis (4%), undifferentiated CTD (4%), and dermatomyositis (4%). Median FVC was 78% predicted (range 35–112), median DLco was 41% predicted (range 10–92), and median TLC was 73% predicted (range 57–116). Serial FVC measurements were available for 19 (83%) patients with a median interval of 4.7 years (range: 0.4–20); median FVC change per year was 23 ml (range −279 to +232) and median FVC % predicted change per year was 0.00% (range −3.20 to +6.79%). The median survival was 7.1 years, 5-year survival was 76% (95% CI: 58%–100%) and 10-year survival was 48%.</p></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><p>“Bubbly lung” is a variant of exuberant honeycombing that is associated with better-than-expected outcome and FVC decline per year.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":20934,"journal":{"name":"Respiratory investigation","volume":"62 6","pages":"Pages 970-975"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2024-08-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142076026","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Analysis of immune checkpoint inhibitors for advanced non-small cell lung cancer in patients receiving antacids","authors":"Taisuke Isono, Hajime Furuno, Yoko Onodera, Tomoya Maruyama, Yuki Takeuchi, Ayaka Kojima, Takashi Nishida, Yoichi Kobayashi, Takashi Ishiguro, Yotaro Takaku, Kazuyoshi Kurashima, Naho Kagiyama","doi":"10.1016/j.resinv.2024.08.013","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.resinv.2024.08.013","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><p>Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) are reported to decrease the efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), but there are few reports on the association between ICI efficacy and antacids other than PPIs, and simultaneous examination of the effects of antacids, corticosteroids, and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) on ICI therapy.</p></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><p>We conducted a retrospective study of 381 patients with non-small cell lung cancer who received ICI therapy from January 1, 2016 to December 31, 2022. The primary endpoint was overall survival (OS) and the secondary endpoint was progression-free survival (PFS). Antacids included histamine type 2 receptor antagonists (H2RAs), PPIs, and potassium-competitive acid blockers (P-CABs).</p></div><div><h3>Results</h3><p>Antacids were administered to 218 patients, including 168 with PPIs, 37 with P-CABs, and 13 with H2RAs. Patients with antacids had worse median PFS and OS than those without antacids (PFS, 2.9 vs. 6.2 months; OS, 12.3 vs. 24.0 months), and those with PPIs, P-CABs, or H2RAs had similar results. However, there were no significant differences between patients with and without antacids when stratified by corticosteroid and NSAID use. Multivariate analyses showed that corticosteroids and NSAIDs administered for cancer-associated symptoms were related to poor prognosis, but antacids including PPIs, P-CABs, or H2RAs were not related.</p></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><p>Antacids were not related to ICI efficacy when NSAIDs or corticosteroids were taken into consideration. This may be because the most frequent reason for administering NSAIDs and corticosteroids was cancer-associated symptoms, which are a poor prognostic factor, and most of the patients treated with these medications also received antacids.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":20934,"journal":{"name":"Respiratory investigation","volume":"62 6","pages":"Pages 951-959"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2024-08-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142058222","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Validation of a diagnostic flowchart for tuberculous pleurisy in pleural fluid with high levels of adenosine deaminase","authors":"Masafumi Shimoda , Yoshiaki Tanaka , Takashi Ohe , Takashi Ishiguro , Atsushi Suzuki , Yu Kurahara , Yasuaki Shimatani , Hidekazu Matsushima , Kenji Kusano , Hiroki Ohta , Satoru Yanagisawa , Yuki Kozu , Takaya Yui , Shunya Igarashi , Yoshifumi Kimizuka , Kojiro Honda , Sakiko Otani , Shigeki Chiba , Dongjie Xu , Miho Mitsui , Haruyuki Ishii","doi":"10.1016/j.resinv.2024.08.010","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.resinv.2024.08.010","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Introduction</h3><p>Adenosine deaminase (ADA) in pleural fluid is a useful marker for diagnosing tuberculous pleurisy. However, recent studies have reported a lower specificity of pleural fluid ADA levels. We previously developed a diagnostic flowchart for patients with pleural fluid ADA ≥40 U/L, incorporating variables such as pleural fluid lactate dehydrogenase <825 U/L, predominant pleural fluid neutrophils or cell degeneration, and a pleural fluid ADA/total protein ratio <14. This flowchart was effective in distinguishing between tuberculous pleurisy and other diseases. Here, we conducted a validation analysis of this flowchart.</p></div><div><h3>Materials and methods</h3><p>We retrospectively collected data from 458 patients with pleural fluid ADA concentrations ≥40 U/L across eight institutions from January 2019 to December 2023. The diagnostic accuracy rate, sensitivity, and specificity of the diagnostic flowchart were analysed and compared to those in the original study.</p></div><div><h3>Results</h3><p>Eighty-seven patients were diagnosed with tuberculous pleurisy, and 371 patients were diagnosed with other diseases. The diagnostic accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity for diagnosing tuberculous pleurisy were 77.7%, 86.2%, and 75.7%, respectively. Compared with that in the original study, the rate of tuberculous pleurisy was lower (19.0% vs. 44.5%, <em>p</em> < 0.001), but the diagnostic accuracy rates were not significantly different (<em>p</em> = 0.253). On the basis of the findings from this validation study, we have revised the flowchart to enhance its utility.</p></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><p>The diagnostic flowchart exhibited high diagnostic accuracy in this validation study, comparable to that in the original study. This validation confirms the effectiveness of the flowchart, even in settings with a low incidence of tuberculosis.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":20934,"journal":{"name":"Respiratory investigation","volume":"62 6","pages":"Pages 963-969"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2024-08-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142058223","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}