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Food Chem Toxicol 2019 Feb 11. Epub 2019 Feb 11.

PMI R&D, Philip Morris Products S.A., Quai Jeanrenaud 5, CH-2000, Neuchâtel, Switzerland. Electronic address:

Smoking is one of the major modifiable risk factors in the development and progression of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and cardiovascular disease (CVD). Modified-risk tobacco products (MRTP) are being developed to provide substitute products for smokers who are unable or unwilling to quit, to lessen the smoking-related health risks. In this study, the ApoE mouse model was used to investigate the impact of cigarette smoke (CS) from the reference cigarette 3R4F, or aerosol from two potential MRTPs based on the heat-not-burn principle, carbon-heated tobacco product 1. Read More

J Appl Physiol (1985) 2019 Feb 14. Epub 2019 Feb 14.

Respiratory Medicine, Woolcock Institute, University of Sydney, Australia.

Respiratory system reactance (Xrs) measured by the forced oscillation technique (FOT) is theoretically and experimentally related to lung volume. In chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), the absolute volume measured by body plethysmography includes a proportion which is inaccessible to pressure oscillations applied via the mouth - that is, a 'non-communicating' lung volume. We hypothesized that, in COPD, the presence of non-communicating lung would disrupt the expected Xrs-volume relationship when compared to plethysmographic functional residual capacity (FRC). Read More

Expert Rev Respir Med 2019 Feb 14. Epub 2019 Feb 14.

b Department of Respiratory Medicine , Maastricht University Medical Center , Maastricht , The Netherlands.

Introduction: Distinct pathologies can cause chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Emphysema is a COPD-phenotype characterized by destruction of lung parenchyma. Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency (AATD) is a genetic cause of emphysema, whereas smoking is the most important risk factor of non-AATD emphysema. Read More

Am J Case Rep 2019 Jan 30;20:125-130. Epub 2019 Jan 30.

Department of Anesthesiology, First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China (mainland).

BACKGROUND One-lung ventilation under general anesthesia is necessary for most thoracic surgical procedures. However, adverse effects may derive from mechanical ventilation in emphysema patients. At present, lung volume reduction surgery under spontaneous ventilation may attenuate these adverse effects. Read More

Ann Am Thorac Soc 2018 Dec;15(Supplement_4):S266-S272

1 Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine and.

The mechanisms underlying the pathogenesis of chronic lung diseases, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, remain incompletely understood. Mitochondria are vital cellular organelles crucial for energy generation, the maintenance of cellular metabolism, calcium homeostasis, intracellular signaling, and the regulation of cell death programs. Emerging evidence suggests that mitochondrial dysfunction plays a cardinal role in the initiation and progression of many human diseases, including chronic lung diseases. Read More

Ann Am Thorac Soc 2018 Dec;15(Supplement_4):S291-S292

1 Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee.

Rationale: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is the third leading cause of mortality in the United States. COPD and associated emphysematous loss of tissue structure often is exacerbated by vasculopathy, which substantially worsens prognosis and limits survival. Vasculopathy is characterized by remodeling and loss of microvessels. Read More

Ann Am Thorac Soc 2018 Dec;15(Supplement_4):S227-S233

Program in Translational Lung Research and Division of Pulmonary Sciences and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, Colorado.

The pathogenesis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease remains elusive; investigators in the field have struggled to decipher the cellular and molecular processes underlying chronic bronchitis and emphysema. Studies in the past 20 years have underscored that the tissue destruction, notably in emphysema, involves a multitude of injurious stresses, with progressive engagement of endogenous destructive processes triggered by decades of exposure to cigarette smoke and/or pollutants. These lead to an aged lung, with evidence of macromolecular damage that is unlikely to repair. Read More

Ann Am Thorac Soc 2018 Dec;15(Supplement_4):S285

2 Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston Massachusetts.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a syndrome that comprises several lung pathologies, but subphenotyping the various disease subtypes has not been successful. We found that a single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) within the proline-rich domain of transformation-related protein 53 (TP53) that modifies Pro72 to Arg is associated with twofold increased risk for chronic bronchitis in the Lovelace Smokers and COPDGene cohorts. This association is pronounced for those who report either wood smoke, dust, or fumes exposure. Read More

Ann Am Thorac Soc 2018 Dec;15(Supplement_4):S243-S248

Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Despite being a major cause of morbidity and mortality, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is frequently undiagnosed. Yet the burden of disease among the undiagnosed is significant, as these individuals experience symptoms, exacerbations, and excess mortality compared to those without COPD. The U. Read More

Ann Am Thorac Soc 2018 Dec;15(Supplement_4):S249-S252

National Jewish Health and University of Colorado, Denver, Colorado.

A better understanding of the pathogenesis of distinct chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) phenotypes will improve diagnostic and therapeutic options for this common disease. We present evidence that sphingolipids such as ceramides are involved in the emphysema pathogenesis. Whereas distinct ceramide species cause cell death by apoptosis and necroptosis, cell adaptation leads to accumulation of other sphingolipid metabolites that extend cell survival by triggering autophagy. Read More

Ann Am Thorac Soc 2018 Dec;15(Supplement_4):S278-S281

Justus Liebig University Giessen, Excellence Cluster Cardio-Pulmonary System (ECCPS), Universities of Giessen and Marburg Lung Center (UGMLC), Giessen, Germany; and member of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Germany.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is one of the most important causes of death worldwide, and in addition to its impact on the patient's health, it poses a major socioeconomic burden. Tobacco smoke, indoor cooking, and air pollution are major triggers of the disease. This article summarizes evidence for the concept that lung microvascular molecular alterations can be a driver of lung emphysema. Read More

Ann Am Thorac Soc 2018 Dec;15(Supplement_4):S292-S293

1 Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology and.

Rationale: The most prevalent genetic cause of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is alpha-1 antitrypsin (A1AT) deficiency, a disorder that has yet to be widely modeled in animals because of species-specific differences between rodents and humans.

Objectives: To address these challenges, we engineered two A1AT ferret models using zygote gene editing to test the hypothesis that unopposed protease activity within the lung leads to emphysema and bronchitis.

Methods: Guide RNAs targeting exon 2 (for knockout) and exon 5 (for Z-allele mutation, Pi*Z) of the ferret A1AT gene were injected into ferret zygotes with Cas9 mRNA. Read More

Am J Respir Crit Care Med 2019 Feb 13. Epub 2019 Feb 13.

Brigham and Women's Hospital, Radiology, Boston, Massachusetts, United States.

Background: Cor pulmonale (right ventricular dilation) and cor pulmonale parvus (right ventricular shrinkage) are both described in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The identification of emphysema as a shared risk factor suggests that additional disease characterization is needed to understand these widely divergent cardiac processes. Here, we explored the relationship between CT measures of emphysema and distal pulmonary arterial morphology with RV volume, as well as their association with exercise capacity and mortality in ever-smokers with COPD enrolled in the COPDGene Study. Read More

Genet Epidemiol 2019 Feb 11. Epub 2019 Feb 11.

Channing Division of Network Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts.

Genetic association studies have increasingly recognized variant effects on multiple phenotypes. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a heterogeneous disease with environmental and genetic causes. Multiple genetic variants have been associated with COPD, many of which show significant associations to additional phenotypes. Read More

Clin Sci (Lond) 2019 02 7. Epub 2019 Feb 7.

School of Health and Biomedical Sciences, RMIT University, Bundoora, VIC 3083, Australia

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is a major incurable global health burden and will become the third largest cause of death in the world by 2030. It is well established that an exaggerated inflammatory and oxidative stress response to cigarette smoke (CS) leads to, emphysema, small airway fibrosis, mucus hypersecretion and progressive airflow limitation. Current treatments have limited efficacy in inhibiting chronic inflammation and consequently do not reverse the pathology that initiate and drive the long-term progression of disease. Read More

Thromb Res 2019 Jan 17;175:90-94. Epub 2019 Jan 17.

Department of Internal Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX, USA.

Introduction: Mean platelet volume (MPV) is a measure of platelet size and activity. We conducted a population study with National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) data to understand the relationship of MPV with health and diseases.

Materials And Methods: The NHANES is a cross-sectional survey of non-institutionalized adult population, administered every 2 years by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Read More

Chronic Obstr Pulm Dis 2018 Oct 8;5(4):277-288. Epub 2018 Oct 8.

Respiratory Division, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Sherbrooke, Quebec Canada.

Antioxidants represent an attractive therapeutic avenue for individuals with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Cigarette smoke, the major cause of COPD, contains very high concentrations of gaseous and soluble oxidants that can directly induce cell injury and death. Furthermore, particulate matter in cigarette smoke activates lung macrophages that subsequently attract neutrophils. Read More

Chronic Obstr Pulm Dis 2018 Sep 15;5(4):258-266. Epub 2018 Sep 15.

Center for Regenerative Medicine of Boston University and Boston Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts.

PIZZ alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency (AATD) is an autosomal recessive disease affecting approximately 100,000 individuals in the United States and one of the most common hereditary causes of liver disease. The most common form of the disease results from a single base pair mutation (Glu342Lys), known as the "Z" mutation, that encodes a mutant protein (Z alpha-1 antritypsin [AAT]) that is prone to misfolding and is retained in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) rather than appropriately secreted. Some of the retained mutant protein attains an unusual aggregated or conformation. Read More

Eur J Microbiol Immunol (Bp) 2018 Dec 11;8(4):128-134. Epub 2018 Dec 11.

Septomics Research Center, Jena University Hospital, Jena, Germany.

In chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), acute exacerbations and emphysema development are characteristics for disease pathology. COPD is complicated by infectious exacerbations with acute worsening of respiratory symptoms with as one of the most frequent pathogens. Although cigarette smoke (CS) is the primary risk factor, additional molecular mechanisms for emphysema development induced by bacterial infections are incompletely understood. Read More

Chest 2019 Jan 31. Epub 2019 Jan 31.

Respiratory Epidemiology and Public Health, Imperial College, London, United Kingdom.

Background: There are several reports on underdiagnosis of COPD, while little is known about COPD overdiagnosis and overtreatment. We describe the overdiagnosis and the prevalence of spirometrically defined false positive COPD, as well as their relationship with overtreatment across 23 population samples in 20 countries participating in the BOLD Study between 2003-2012.

Methods: A false positive diagnosis of COPD was considered when participants reported a doctor's diagnosis of COPD, but post-bronchodilator spirometry was unobstructed (FEV/FVC>LLN). Read More

Am J Respir Cell Mol Biol 2019 Jan 29. Epub 2019 Jan 29.

Channing Laboratory, Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, United States ;

Diffusing capacity of carbon monoxide (DLCO) is a widely used pulmonary function test in clinical practice and a particularly useful measure in assessing patients with COPD. We hypothesized that elucidating genetic determinants of DLCO could lead to better understanding of the genetic architecture of COPD. We estimated the heritability of DLCO using common genetic variants and performed genome-wide association analyses in four cohorts enriched for COPD subjects (COPDGene, NETT, GenKOLS and TESRA) using a combined European-ancestry white (EA) dataset and a COPDGene African American (AA) dataset. Read More

BMC Pulm Med 2019 Jan 28;19(1):24. Epub 2019 Jan 28.

Department of Thoracic Medicine, Frankston Hospital, 2 Hastings Road, Frankston, Victoria, Australia.

Background: Severe asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) can be challenging to manage, particularly when the clinical features may be similar. With the increased availability of advanced therapies for both entities, it is more important than ever to diagnose and phenotype accurately to inform appropriate treatment decisions. This case highlights the use of endobronchial biopsies to allow for histological evaluation of airways disease, and in particular the role of airway smooth muscle mass as an additional biomarker that could facilitate the diagnostic process. Read More

Asthma Res Pract 2019 18;5. Epub 2019 Jan 18.

1Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Informatics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104 USA.

Background: Asthma is a chronic inflammatory lung disease that affects 18.7 million U.S. Read More

Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol 2019 Jan 24. Epub 2019 Jan 24.

EA4683, laboratoire d'Immunologie, UFR de Pharmacie, Université de Reims Champagne-Ardenne, France.

Deterioration of lung functions and degradation of elastin fibers with age are accelerated during chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Excessive genesis of soluble elastin peptides (EP) is a key factor in the pathophysiology of COPD. We have previously demonstrated that 6-week old mice exhibited emphysematous structural changes associated with pro-inflammatory immune response after EP instillation. Read More

Korean J Radiol 2019 Feb;20(2):304-312

Department of Radiology and Research Institute of Radiology, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Asan Medical Center, Seoul, Korea.

Objective: To determine the predictive factors for treatment responsiveness in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) at 1-year follow-up by performing quantitative analyses of baseline CT scans.

Materials And Methods: COPD patients (n = 226; 212 men, 14 women) were recruited from the Korean Obstructive Lung Disease cohort. Patients received a combination of inhaled long-acting beta-agonists and corticosteroids twice daily for 3 months and subsequently received medications according to the practicing clinician's decision. Read More

Phytomedicine 2018 Aug 8;55:70-79. Epub 2018 Aug 8.

Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Electronic address:

Background: Eucalyptol is a monoterpenoid oil present in many plants, principally the Eucalyptus species, and has been reported to have anti-inflammatory and antioxidative effects.

Hypothesis/purpose: Since the potential effect of eucalyptol on mouse lung repair has not yet been studied, and considering that chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is the fourth leading cause of death worldwide, the aim of this study was to investigate eucalyptol treatment in emphysematous mice.

Study Design: Male mice (C57BL/6) were divided into the following groups: control (sham-exposed), cigarette smoke (CS) (mice exposed to 12 cigarettes a day for 60 days), CS + 1 mg/ml (CS mice treated with 1 mg/ml eucalyptol for 60 days), and CS + 10 mg/ml (CS mice treated with 10 mg/ml eucalyptol for 60 days). Read More

Turk Thorac J 2019 Jan 1;20(1):43-60. Epub 2019 Jan 1.

Department of Biostatistics, Christian Medical College, Vellore, Tamil Nadu, India.

Bronchoscopic lung volume reduction (BLVR) methods have emerged as a new treatment option for patients with severe emphysema. Endobronchial valves and coils have been extensively studied. This review assesses efficacy, safety, and cost effectiveness of the BLVR procedures (stent, valves, vapor ablation, endobronchial coils, lung sealant) in patients with severe emphysema. Read More

Biomed Res Int 2018 19;2018:5721293. Epub 2018 Dec 19.

INSERM, Unité U955 (Institut Mondor de Recherche Biomédicale), Créteil, 94010, France.

An excessive pulmonary inflammatory response could explain the poor prognosis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients submitted to invasive mechanical ventilation. The aim of this study was to evaluate the response to normal tidal volume mechanical ventilation in an elastase-induced murine model of pulmonary emphysema. In this model, two time points, associated with different levels of lung inflammation but similar lung destruction, were analyzed. Read More

J Nutr Biochem 2018 Dec 21;65:93-100. Epub 2018 Dec 21.

Department of Biological Sciences, Laboratory of Experimental Pathophysiology, Federal University of Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais, Brazil. Electronic address:

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is an inflammatory lung disease characterized by a non-fully reversible airflow limitation comprising chronic bronchitis and pulmonary emphysema both being induced by cigarette smoke (CS) exposure. Lycopene has shown antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties that can prevent acute lung inflammation and emphysema. We hypothesized that administration with lycopene would repair lung damage in emphysema caused by CS exposure. Read More

BMC Med Genet 2019 Jan 18;20(1):19. Epub 2019 Jan 18.

Second Department of Internal Medicine of Collegium Medicum, Jagiellonian University in Cracow, Skawińska street 8, 31-066, Kraków, Poland.

Background: Major symptoms of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are chronic bronchitis and emphysema leading from lung tissue destruction, that is an effect of an imbalance between metalloproteinases (MMPs) and their tissue inhibitors activity. As potential factor involved in this COPD pathogenesis, MMP-12 is considered. We investigated the role of genetic polymorphism and protein level of MMP-12 in the COPD development among Poles. Read More

Exp Ther Med 2019 Jan 30;17(1):967-973. Epub 2018 Nov 30.

Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University Hospital Heidelberg, D-69120 Heidelberg, Germany.

Although some of the associations between chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and atherosclerosis are based on shared risk factors such as smoking, recent epidemiological evidence suggests that COPD is a risk factor for vascular disease due to systemic inflammation. The present study assessed the hypothesis that disease severity (as expressed by the GOLD stage) independently predicts the extent of vascular calcifications. A total of 160 smokers diagnosed with COPD (GOLD I-IV, 40 subjects of each GOLD stage) and 40 smokers at risk (GOLD 0; median age of 60 years old; Q1:56;Q3:65; 135 males and 65 females) underwent non-contrast, non-electrocardiography synchronized chest computerised tomography. Read More

Biomed Res Int 2018 10;2018:6417415. Epub 2018 Dec 10.

Institute of Physiotherapy, Faculty of Physical Education and Physiotherapy, Opole University of Technology, Opole, Poland.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is characterized by a decline of lung function and symptoms such as chronic bronchitis and emphysema leading from lung tissue destruction. Increased activity of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and an imbalance between MMPs and their tissue inhibitors (TIMPs) are considered as factors influencing the pathogenesis of COPD. We investigated the role of genetic polymorphism and expression level of MMP-9 and concentration of its complexes with TIMPs in the development of COPD among Polish patients. Read More

Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2019 Jan 14. Epub 2019 Jan 14.

Department of Oncology, Karmanos Cancer Institute, Wayne State University

Background: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a heterogeneous condition with respect to onset, progression and response to therapy. Incorporating clinical- and imaging-based features to refine COPD phenotypes provides valuable information beyond that obtained from traditional clinical evaluations. We characterized the spectrum of COPD-related phenotypes in a sample of former and current smokers and evaluated how these sub-groups differ with respect to sociodemographic characteristics, COPD-related co-morbidities, and subsequent risk of lung cancer. Read More

Curr Opin Pulm Med 2019 Mar;25(2):201-210

Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.

Purpose Of Review: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is a heterogeneous syndrome associated with varying degrees of parenchymal emphysema and airway inflammation resulting in decreased expiratory flow, lung hyperinflation, and symptoms leading to decreased exercise tolerance and quality of life. Impairment in lung function and quality of life persists following guideline-based medical therapy, thus surgical and minimally invasive bronchoscopic approaches were developed to address this unmet need. We offer a narrative review of the available technologies. Read More

Physiol Rep 2019 Jan;7(1):e13955

CIUSSS de l'Ouest-de-l'Île-de-Montréal, Montreal Chest Institute, Meakins-Christie Laboratories, Oscillometry Unit and Centre for Innovative Medicine, McGill University Health Centre and Research Institute, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

Developed over six decades ago, pulmonary oscillometry has re-emerged as a noninvasive and effort-independent method for evaluating respiratory-system impedance in patients with obstructive lung disease. Here, we evaluated the relationships between hyperpolarized He ventilation-defect-percent (VDP) and respiratory-system resistance, reactance and reactance area (A ) measurements in 175 participants including 42 never-smokers without respiratory disease, 56 ex-smokers with chronic-obstructive-pulmonary-disease (COPD), 28 ex-smokers without COPD and 49 asthmatic never-smokers. COPD participants were dichotomized based on x-ray computed-tomography (CT) evidence of emphysema (relative-area CT-density-histogram ≤ 950HU (RA ) ≥ 6. Read More

Respir Investig 2019 Jan 7. Epub 2019 Jan 7.

Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, Sleep and Occupational Medicine, Department of Medicine, Indiana University, Indianapolis, Indiana; The Richard L. Roudebush Veterans Affairs Medical Center; 980W, Walnut Street, Walther Hall, C400, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA. Electronic address:

Cigarette smoking is the leading cause of lung cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Many of the detrimental effects of cigarette smoke have been attributed to the development of DNA damage, either directly from chemicals contained in cigarette smoke or as a product of cigarette smoke-induced inflammation and oxidative stress. In this review, we discuss the environmental, epidemiological, and physiological links between COPD and lung cancer and the likely role of DNA damage and repair in COPD and lung cancer development. Read More

Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol 2019 Jan 10. Epub 2019 Jan 10.

Medicine, National Jewish Health, United States.

Pro-apoptotic and monocyte chemotactic endothelial monocyte activating protein 2 (EMAPII) is released extracellular during cigarette smoke (CS) exposure. We have previously demonstrated that, when administered intratracheally during chronic CS exposures, neutralizing rat antibodies to EMAPII inhibited endothelial cell apoptosis and lung inflammation and reduced airspace enlargement in mice (DBA/2J strain). Here we report further preclinical evaluation of EMAPII targeting using rat anti-EMAPII antibodies via either nebulization or subcutaneous (SQ) injection. Read More

Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol 2019 Jan 10. Epub 2019 Jan 10.

Dep of Molecular Pharmacology, University of Groningen, Netherlands.

The direct relationship between pulmonary structural changes and airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR) in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is unclear. We investigated AHR in relation to airway and parenchymal structural changes in a guinea pig model of COPD and in COPD patients. Precision-cut lung slices (PCLS) were prepared from guinea pigs challenged with lipopolysaccharide or saline twice weekly for twelve weeks. Read More

Pan Afr Med J 2018 6;30:252. Epub 2018 Aug 6.

Service de Pneumologie de l'Hôpital Militaire d'Instruction Mohammed V, Faculté de Médecine et de Pharmacie de Rabat, Université Mohammed V, Rabat, Maroc.

Smoking is the leading cause of preventable death worldwide, it is responsible for 90% of bronchopulmonary cancers and is the main cause of chronic bronchitis and emphysema, two disorders which contribute to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). We here report the case of a 58-year old not weaned chronic tabagic patient with a 2-month history of diffuse abdominal pain evolving in a context of alteration of the general state. Clinical examination showed generally poor health. Read More

Pan Afr Med J 2018 6;30:247. Epub 2018 Aug 6.

British Hospital of Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina.

A 38-year-old man with longilinear shape, smoker (38 packs/year) and no other relevant medical history was referred to our department due to the finding of left pulmonary hyperlucency on a chest x-ray. A computed tomography (CT) was performed and a giant emphysematous bulla with thin-walled partitions inside was shown that replaced almost the entire left upper lobe, The patient underwent an exploratory thoracoscopy. Intraoperatively a giant bulla was seen that initially impressed to replace the entire upper lobe. Read More

J Thorac Dis 2018 Nov;10(11):6274-6284

Department of Thoracic Surgery, University of Rome "Sapienza", Rome, Italy.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is the major causes of disability and mortality. The efficacy of maximal medical treatment, although effective at the early stages of the disease, becomes limited when extensive alveolar destruction is the main cause of respiratory failure. At this stage of the disease more aggressive options, when feasible, should be considered. Read More

J Med Food 2019 Jan 7;22(1):87-96. Epub 2019 Jan 7.

1 Department of Internal Medicine, College of Korean Medicine, Daejeon University, Daejeon, Korea.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), including pulmonary emphysema and chronic bronchitis as well as structural and inflammatory changes in small airways, is insensitive to corticosteroid therapies. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of Scutellaria baicalensis root extract (SB_E) in a mouse model of COPD. The COPD mouse model was produced by challenging C57BL/6 mice with a cigarette smoke extract and lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Read More

Growth Factors 2019 Jan 2:1-17. Epub 2019 Jan 2.

c Department of Pediatric Surgery, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College , Huazhong University of Science and Technology , Wuhan , China.

Pulmonary inflammation and progressive lung destruction are the major causes of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), resulting in emphysema and irreversible pulmonary dysfunction. Heparin-binding EGF-like growth factor (HB-EGF), is known to play a protective role in the process of various inflammatory diseases. However, its effect on COPD is poorly understood. Read More

J Environ Public Health 2018 21;2018:4657420. Epub 2018 Nov 21.

Clinical Epidemiology Unit, Memorial University, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada.

Background And Objective: Aboriginal peoples are at a higher risk of many chronic respiratory diseases compared to the general Canadian population. Patients with asthma-COPD overlap (ACO), a disease newly described in 2015, are associated with frequent exacerbations, rapid decline in lung function, poor quality of life, high mortality, and disproportionate utilization of health-care resources than patients with asthma and COPD alone. The objective was to investigate the prevalence and risk factors of ACO in Aboriginal peoples. Read More

Sleep Med 2018 Nov 3;54:181-186. Epub 2018 Nov 3.

Pulmonary Department, Clínica Universidad de Navarra, Madrid, Spain; CIBERes, Madrid, Spain.

Objective: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) can influence the appearance and proliferation of some tumors. The Sleep Apnea In Lung Cancer Screening (SAILS) study (NCT02764866) evaluated the prevalence of OSA and nocturnal hypoxemia in a high-risk population enrolled in a lung cancer screening program.

Methods: This was a prospective study of the prevalence of OSA in a lung cancer screening program. Read More

Am J Respir Cell Mol Biol 2018 Dec 20. Epub 2018 Dec 20.

Medical University of South Carolina, Microbiology and Immunology, Charleston, South Carolina, United States ;

COPD-associated chronic inflammation has been shown to lead to an autoimmune phenotype characterized in part by the presence of lung reactive autoreactive antibodies. We hypothesized that ischemia reperfusion injury (IRI) liberates epitopes that would facilitate pre-existing autoantibody binding, thereby exacerbating lung injury post-transplantation. We induced emphysema in C57BL/6 mice through 6 months of cigarette smoke exposure (CS). Read More

Respir Res 2018 Dec 18;19(1):257. Epub 2018 Dec 18.

Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine and Lung Health Center, University of Alabama at Birmingham, THT 422, 1720, 2nd Avenue South, Birmingham, AL, 35294, USA.

Background: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is associated with a two-to-five fold increase in the risk of coronary artery disease independent of shared risk factors. This association is hypothesized to be mediated by systemic inflammation but this link has not been established.

Methods: We included 300 participants enrolled in the SPIROMICS cohort, 75 each of lifetime non-smokers, smokers without airflow obstruction, mild-moderate COPD, and severe-very severe COPD. Read More

Respiration 2018 Dec 14:1-12. Epub 2018 Dec 14.

The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou,

Background: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) has become a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in China, with tobacco smoke, air pollution, and occupational biohazards being the major risk factors.

Objectives: The REACH trial is a multicenter, prospective, randomized controlled trial undertaken in China to assess the safety and effectiveness of the Spiration® Valve System (SVS) compared to standard medical care in COPD patients with severe emphysema.

Methods: Patients with severe airflow obstruction, hyperinflation, and severe dyspnea with interlobar fissure integrity were evaluated for enrollment. Read More