Search Our Scientific Publications & Authors

Case Rep Pulmonol 2019 12;2019:9051381. Epub 2019 Feb 12.

Department of Internal Medicine, Section of pulmonary, Lincoln Medical Center, NY, USA.

Eosinophilic lung disease is a heterogeneous group of disorders that reveal eosinophil involved lung tissue often in patients with asthma or atopy. Classification and diagnostic criteria of eosinophilic lung disease are not well-established; however, peripheral ground-glass opacity is typical on chest computed tomography. Another etiology of this same radiographic finding reported in the literature is silicone embolism syndrome. Read More

Am J Case Rep 2019 Mar 16;20:345-348. Epub 2019 Mar 16.

Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care, NYU Langone, New York City, NY, USA.

BACKGROUND Drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms (DRESS) is an idiosyncratic life-threatening reaction comprised of fevers, rash, and leukocytosis with eosinophilia. Though characteristically associated with leukocytosis, there are rare case reports of DRESS-induced agranulocytosis. DRESS is most frequently caused by antiepileptic medications; however, it has very rarely been reported in relation to oxacillin. Read More

Allergy 2019 Mar 4. Epub 2019 Mar 4.

National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College, London, UK.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a major global health problem that is poorly treated by current therapies as it has proved difficult to treat the underlying inflammation, which is largely corticosteroid-resistant in most patients. Although rare genetic endotypes of COPD have been recognised, despite the clinical heterogeneity of COPD it has proved difficult to identify distinct inflammatory endotypes. Most patients have increased neutrophils and macrophages in sputum, reflecting the increased secretion of neutrophil and monocyte chemotactic mediators in the lungs. Read More

Eur Clin Respir J 2019 27;6(1):1583516. Epub 2019 Feb 27.

Department of Respiratory Diseases, Sydvestjydsk Regional Hospital, Esbjerg, Denmark.

: To describe the clinical characteristics including the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) characteristics of patients with antisynthetase syndrome (AS) associated interstitial lung disease (ILD) in a tertiary ILD outpatient clinic, their medical therapy and outcome. : Retrospective cohort study of patients with AS-ILD. All available data of clinical characteristics, pulmonary function tests, laboratory parameters, BALF analysis, histology, high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) and treatment were collected from the patient files. Read More

Medicine (Baltimore) 2019 Mar;98(9):e14704

Department of Respiratory Medicine, The Affiliated Suqian Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Suqian.

Rationale: Acute eosinophilic pneumonia (AEP) is a rare pulmonary disease, which is characterized by diffuse pulmonary eosinophilia. The pathogenesis remains unknown. Here we report a patient with AEP following a recently acquired habit of smoking. Read More

Oxf Med Case Reports 2019 Feb 16;2019(2):omy126. Epub 2019 Feb 16.

Second Department of Internal Medicine, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Hamamatsu, Japan.

An 84-year-old man visited our hospital with a prolonged productive cough. Chest computed tomography showed a thick wall cavity and bilateral consolidations. Laboratory findings revealed peripheral blood eosinophilia, increased total IgE and elevated myeloperoxidase anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody. Read More

COPD 2019 Feb 21:1-7. Epub 2019 Feb 21.

a Pneumology Department , University Hospital Vall d'Hebron/Vall d'Hebron Research Institute (VHIR) , Barcelona , Spain.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is one of the leading causes of mortality around the world. COPD is characterised by a heterogeneous clinical presentation and prognosis which may vary according to the clinical phenotype. One of the phenotypes of COPD most frequently studied is the asthma-COPD overlap (ACO), however, there are no universally accepted diagnostic criteria for ACO. Read More

J Community Hosp Intern Med Perspect 2019 11;9(1):29-32. Epub 2019 Feb 11.

Department of Critical Care/Pulmonary Medicine, University of Illinois College of Medicine at Peoria, Peoria, IL, USA.

Tumor necrosis factor antagonists (anti-TNF) are increasingly prescribed as maintenance therapy for a variety of autoimmune conditions. Therefore, frequent monitoring and awareness of side effects are of the utmost importance. Adalimumab is known to cause peripheral eosinophilia, but there are few reports of more severe adverse events. Read More

Immunology 2019 Feb 19. Epub 2019 Feb 19.

Department of Medicine, Section of Pulmonary Diseases, Tulane Eosinophilic Disorder Center, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA, 70112.

Baseline eosinophils reside in the gastrointestinal tract; however, in several allergic disorders, excessive eosinophils accumulate in the blood as well in the tissues. Recently, we showed in vitro that interleukin (IL)-18 matures and transforms IL-5 generated eosinophils into the pathogenic eosinophils that are detected in human allergic diseases. To examine the role of local induction of IL-18 in promoting eosinophil-associated intestinal disorders. Read More

Am J Ind Med 2019 Feb 18. Epub 2019 Feb 18.

Respiratory Health Division, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Morgantown, West Virginia.

Background: Non-malignant respiratory disease (NMRD) cases have occurred among rubber manufacturing workers. We examined exposure to rubber manufacturing emissions as a risk factor for NMRD.

Methods: From a systematic literature review, we identified case reports and assessed cross-sectional and mortality studies for strength of evidence of positive association (strong, intermediate, non-significant positive association, none) between exposure to rubber manufacturing emissions and NMRD-related morbidity and mortality, and conducted two meta-analyses. Read More

BMJ Case Rep 2019 Feb 13;12(2). Epub 2019 Feb 13.

Pulmonary and Critical Care, Tower Health System, West Reading, Pennsylvania, USA.

Programmed cell death-1 (PD-1) inhibitors stimulate immune recognition of tumour cells in cancer patients, but have significant autoimmune side effects including pneumonitis. We report the case of a patient with asthma and mild eosinophilia who developed unusual pulmonary side effect of bronchiectasis, severe eosinophilia (absolute eosinophil count: 3200 c/mm) and elevated IgE levels (7050 IU/mL; normal: <164 IU/mL) 4 months into therapy with the PD-1 inhibitor pembrolizumab. Aspergillus fumigatus IgG was elevated at 15. Read More

Eur J Case Rep Intern Med 2018 28;5(11):000971. Epub 2018 Nov 28.

Division of Rheumatology, Emek Medical Center, Itzhak Rabin Blvd., Afula, Israel.

A 36-year-old woman with eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (EGPA) presented with necrotic skin lesions and pulmonary infiltrates. There was eosinophilic vasculitis on skin biopsy, and substantial tissue eosinophilia in her bone marrow. She had unexplained worsening thrombocytopenia, which prompted a thrombophilia work-up. Read More

Eur Respir J 2019 Feb 6. Epub 2019 Feb 6.

Division of Pulmonary Medicine, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Mayo Clinic Arizona, Scottsdale, Arizona, USA

The inflammatory responses in chronic airway diseases leading to emphysema are not fully defined. We hypothesised that lung eosinophilia contributes to airspace enlargement in a mouse model, and emphysema in patients with COPD.A transgenic mouse model of chronic type 2 pulmonary inflammation ( ) was used to examine eosinophil-dependent mechanisms leading to airspace enlargement. Read More

Am J Respir Crit Care Med 2019 Feb 6. Epub 2019 Feb 6.

University of Wisconsin, Medicine, Madison, Wisconsin, United States.

Severe asthma affects a small proportion of asthma patients (~ 3-5%) and reflects a failure of conventional asthma medications to provide adequate control. Severe asthma is a disease of significant clinical heterogeneity, likely caused by different pathobiological mechanisms, frequently referred to as endotypes. In the last decade, multiple monoclonal therapies have been developed to target airway type-2 eosinophilic and/or allergic severe asthma. Read More

JCI Insight 2019 Feb 5. Epub 2019 Feb 5.

The dysregulated, unbalanced immune response of sepsis results in a mortality exceeding 20%, yet recent findings by our group indicate that patients with allergic, type 2-mediated immune diseases are protected from developing sepsis. We evaluated CD4+ T helper (Th) cell polarization among patients with Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia and confirmed that survivors had a higher percentage of circulating Th2 cells, but lower frequencies of Th17 cells and neutrophils early in the course of infection. To establish the mechanism of this protection, we employed a mouse model of lethal S. Read More

J Asthma 2019 Feb 5. Epub 2019 Feb 5.

b Dr DY Patil University , Pune , India.

Respir Med 2019 Feb 9;147:44-50. Epub 2019 Jan 9.

Department of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, 16499, Republic of Korea. Electronic address:

Background: Delayed drug hypersensitivity to first-line anti-tuberculosis medication is a major challenge in tuberculosis treatment.

Objective: This study was performed to investigate the efficacy/tolerability of desensitization therapy in treatment of first-line anti-tuberculosis medication hypersensitivity and the usefulness of immunologic evaluation therein.

Methods: This study was conducted as a prospective, observational cohort study. Read More

Am J Respir Crit Care Med 2019 Jan 25. Epub 2019 Jan 25.

University of Pittsburgh, Dept of Environmental and Occupational Health, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States.

Rationale: Corticosteroids (CSs) are the most effective asthma therapy, but responses are heterogeneous and systemic CSs lead to long-term side effects. Therefore, improved understanding of the contributing factors for CS responses could enhance precision management. While several factors have been associated with CS responsiveness, no integrated/cluster approach has yet been undertaken to identify differential CS responses. Read More

Cancer Immunol Res 2019 Mar 21;7(3):388-400. Epub 2019 Jan 21.

Department of Clinical Microbiology and Immunology, the Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Ramat Aviv, Israel.

Immunotherapies targeting T lymphocytes are revolutionizing cancer therapy but only benefit a subset of patients, especially in colorectal cancer. Thus, additional insight into the tumor microenvironment (TME) is required. Eosinophils are bone marrow-derived cells that have been largely studied in the context of allergic diseases and parasite infections. Read More

Respir Res 2019 Jan 18;20(1):14. Epub 2019 Jan 18.

MedImmune LLC, One MedImmune Way, #4552B, Gaithersburg, MD, USA.

Background: Benralizumab, a humanized, afucosylated, monoclonal antibody that targets interleukin-5 receptor α, depletes eosinophils and basophils by enhanced antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity. It demonstrated efficacy for patients with moderate to severe asthma and, in a Phase IIa trial, for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) with eosinophilic inflammation. We investigated effects of benralizumab 100 mg every 8 weeks (first three doses every 4 weeks) subcutaneous on blood inflammatory markers through proteomic and gene-expression analyses collected during two Phase II studies of patients with eosinophilic asthma and eosinophilic COPD. Read More

Int Arch Allergy Immunol 2019 4;178(3):264-271. Epub 2019 Jan 4.

Department of Respiratory Medicine and Allergy Center, Saitama Medical University, Saitama, Japan.

Background: Eosinophilic pneumonia (EP) is characterized by massive pulmonary infiltration by eosinophils. Although serum periostin is a novel marker for eosinophil-dominant asthma, the upregulation of periostin in the airway of asthmatics is controversial. In this study, we examined whether periostin concentrations are elevated in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) of patients with EP. Read More

Medicine (Baltimore) 2019 Jan;98(1):e14017

Department of Respiratory Medicine, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Science and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.

Rationale: Chronic eosinophilic pneumonia (CEP) is rare and an idiopathic disorder. The disease has been associated with drugs, infection, or irradiation, and its relationship with asthma remains unclear.

Patient Concerns: We reported a case of a 49-year-old female patient after trastuzumab and radiation therapy for breast cancer. Read More

J Immunother Cancer 2018 Dec 27;6(1):156. Epub 2018 Dec 27.

Department of Medicine, Division of Immunology and Allergy, Lausanne University Hospital CHUV, rue du Bugnon 46, CH-1011, Lausanne, Switzerland.

Background: The prevalence of esophageal stenosis caused by immune checkpoint inhibitors in the context of induced immune mucositis and esophagitis is extremely rare.

Case Presentation: We report the case of a patient with stage IV pulmonary adenocarcinoma treated for 6 months with nivolumab who developed bilateral sterile conjunctivitis followed by oropharyngeal mucositis and esophagitis complicated by a severe esophageal stenosis. The laryngeal margin and hypopharyngeal mucosa appeared highly inflammatory with fibrinous deposits. Read More

Allergy Asthma Clin Immunol 2018 18;14:87. Epub 2018 Dec 18.

1Medical Research Institute of New Zealand, Private Bag 7902, Newtown, Wellington, 6242 New Zealand.

Background: Periostin has been shown to be a marker of Type 2 airway inflammation, associated with airway eosinophilia. It has a potential role in identifying asthmatics who may be responsive to treatment with monoclonal antibody therapy directed against Type 2 cytokines, such as interleukin (IL)-13, IL-4 receptor subunit-α and immunoglobulin E. The clinical utility of periostin measurements depends on better understanding of factors that may affect serum periostin levels, such as race. Read More

Clin Mol Allergy 2018 3;16:25. Epub 2018 Dec 3.

1Department of Surgery, Medicine, Molecular Biology and Critical Care, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy.

Background: According to ATS/ERS document on severe asthma (SA), the management of these patients requires the identification and proper treatment of comorbidities, which can influence the control of asthma.

Methods: The aim of this study was to assess the independent effect of different comorbidities on clinical, functional and biologic features of SA. Seventy-two patients with SA according to GINA guidelines were examined. Read More

Respir Investig 2019 Jan 24;57(1):67-72. Epub 2018 Oct 24.

Department of Respiratory Medicine, Kurashiki Central Hospital, 1-1-1 Miwa, Kurashiki, Okayama 710-8602, Japan.

Background: Most patients with acute eosinophilic pneumonia (AEP) show rapid improvement. However, some cases of AEP prove fatal. The aims of this study were to determine the clinical, radiographic, and pathologic characteristics of patients in whom AEP has a fatal outcome and to identify predictors of a poor prognosis. Read More

Respir Physiol Neurobiol 2019 02 3;260:28-36. Epub 2018 Dec 3.

R.C. Patel Institute of Pharmaceutical Education & Research, Shirpur, Dhule, 425405, India.

Zizyphus jujuba Mill, a famous oriental traditional medicine, has been reported to exhibit diverse activities in biological systems including the respiratory system. However, a little information is available on its antiasthmatic activity. Jujuboside B (JB) is a natural saponin and one of the active constituent of fruits of Zizyphus jujuba. Read More

Medicine (Baltimore) 2018 Nov;97(48):e13425

Department of Critical Care Medicine, Nantong Third People's Hospital, Nantong University.

Rationale: Extensive thrombosis in the portal venous system caused by hypereosinophilic syndrome (HES) is rare, and there is no consensus on anticoagulant and thrombolytic treatments for arteriovenous thrombosis caused by HES.

Patient Concerns: The clinical data of a patient with extensive thrombosis in his portal venous system (superior mesenteric, splenic, hepatic, and portal veins), renal artery thrombosis, and mesenteric thrombosis caused by HES with secondary gastrointestinal bleeding and intestinal necrosis were retrospectively analyzed. Before admission, his eosinophil count increased to 7. Read More

BMC Pulm Med 2018 Nov 29;18(1):181. Epub 2018 Nov 29.

Department of Pulmonary, Critical Care, Hyperbaric and Sleep Medicine, Loma Linda University Medical Center, 11234 Anderson St., Loma Linda, CA, 92354, USA.

Background: Granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA) is a systemic ANCA-associated vasculitis characterized by necrotizing granulomatous inflammation and a predilection for the upper and lower respiratory tract. Eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (EGPA) is also a systemic ANCA-associated vasculitis, but EGPA is characterized by eosinophilic as well as granulomatous inflammation and is more commonly associated with asthma and eosinophilia. Polyangiitis overlap syndrome is defined as systemic vasculitis that does not fit precisely into a single category of classical vasculitis classification and/or overlaps with more than one category. Read More

J Asthma 2018 Nov 29:1-8. Epub 2018 Nov 29.

a Department of Respiratory Medicine and Infectious Diseases , Niigata University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences , Niigata , Japan.

Background: The anti-immunoglobulin E monoclonal antibody, omalizumab, is used to treat severe asthma and has the potential to ameliorate airway inflammation. However, the effect of omalizumab in ameliorating upper airway inflammation has not been fully elucidated.

Objective: We investigated the association of upper and lower airway inflammation with the response to omalizumab treatment. Read More

Int J Chron Obstruct Pulmon Dis 2018;13:3651-3662. Epub 2018 Nov 5.

Department of Respiratory Medicine, Bellvitge University Hospital - IDIBELL, University of Barcelona, L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain,

COPD is characterized by a pulmonary and systemic inflammatory process. Several authors have reported the elevation of multiple inflammatory markers in patients with COPD; however, their use in routine clinical practice has limitations. The neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) is a useful and cost-effective inflammatory marker derived from routine complete blood count. Read More

Medicine (Baltimore) 2018 Nov;97(47):e11922

Division of Pulmonary Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Taipei Tzu Chi Hospital, Buddhist Tzu Chi Medical Foundation, New Taipei City.

Some patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) have eosinophilic inflammation which may be evaluated via the measurement of fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) like asthma. The aim of this prospective study was to assess whether FeNO levels can be used to identify patients with COPD with eosinophilic inflammation who may respond to inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) therapy.This study included patients (N = 112) with COPD (age >18 years) who were divided into 4 groups depending upon whether they had high (≥25 parts per billion [ppb]) or low (<25 ppb) pretreatment (baseline) FeNO and if they were treated with either ICS plus long-acting β-agonist (ICS + LABA) or a long-acting muscarinic antagonist (LAMA). Read More

BMC Pharmacol Toxicol 2018 Nov 20;19(1):76. Epub 2018 Nov 20.

Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon, USA.

Background: Severe systemic reactions resembling septic shock have been described following trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (TMP-SMX) administration. Nearly all cases described in the literature occurred in HIV-infected patients.

Case Presentation: We present a 42-year-old woman with a history of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) who was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) twice with fever and circulatory shock after taking a dose of TMP-SMX 800-160 mg. Read More

Lancet Infect Dis 2018 Nov 16. Epub 2018 Nov 16.

Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care, Naval Medical Center San Diego, San Diego, CA, USA. Electronic address:

Angiostrongylus cantonensis is the most common cause of eosinophilic meningitis worldwide. Infection typically occurs through ingestion of undercooked molluscs or vegetables contaminated by infective larvae. Endemic regions were previously limited to southeast Asia and the Pacific basin; however, this parasite is seeing an alarming increase in global distribution with reported cases in more than 30 countries, including several states in the USA. Read More

Front Immunol 2018 1;9:2521. Epub 2018 Nov 1.

Committee on Molecular Pathology and Molecular Medicine, Chicago, IL, United States.

Fas (CD95/APO-1) and its ligand (FasL/CD95L) promote the resolution of type 2 lung inflammation and eosinophilia. We previously found that Fas-deficiency on T cells, but not eosinophils, delayed resolution of inflammation. However, Fas can signal both cell death and have a positive signaling function that can actually activate cells. Read More

Front Immunol 2018 30;9:2395. Epub 2018 Oct 30.

Section of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States.

Asthma is characterized by chronic airway type-2 inflammation and eosinophilia, yet the mechanisms involved in chronic, non-resolving inflammation remain poorly defined. Previously, our group has found that when Rag-deficient mice were reconstituted with Fas-deficient B6 LPR T cells and sensitized and challenged, the mice developed a prolonged type-2-mediated airway inflammation that continued for more than 6 weeks after the last antigen exposure. Surprisingly, no defect in resolution was found when intact B6 LPR mice or T cell specific Fas-conditional knockout mice were sensitized and challenged. Read More

Allergy Asthma Proc 2018 Nov;39(6):449-455

Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, Pennsylvania State College of Medicine, Hershey, Pennsylvania.

Eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) in patients referred to allergists can be difficult to manage. This is due to multiple factors, including overlaps in presentation with gastroesophageal reflux disease and proton-pump inhibitor responsive eosinophilia, remaining uncertainties regarding the role of different forms of allergy testing, and a variety of patient adherence issues. To highlight, in an objectively studied fashion, complications that can be faced when managing patients referred for EoE. Read More

Cureus 2018 Jun 30;10(6):e2899. Epub 2018 Jun 30.

Pulmonary and Critical Care, Orlando VA Medical Center , Orlando, USA.

Acute eosinophilic pneumonia (AEP) is a rare entity, often resulting in respiratory failure and the attended mortality. Daptomycin-induced AEP results from immune-mediated pulmonary epithelial cell injury. A 65-year-old male on treatment with intravenous daptomycin for three weeks came to the hospital for worsening dyspnea and acute hypoxemic respiratory failure. Read More

Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol 2019 Jan 1;316(1):L245-L254. Epub 2018 Nov 1.

Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology , Wuhan , China.

Serine peptidase inhibitor, clade B, member 10 (SERPINB10) expression is increased in IL-13-stimulated human bronchial epithelial cells and in a murine model of allergic airway inflammation. However, the role of SERPINB10 in asthma remains unknown. We examined the association between epithelial SERPINB10 expression and airway eosinophilia in subjects with asthma and the role of Serpinb10 in allergic airway inflammation in an animal model. Read More

Molecules 2018 Oct 26;23(11). Epub 2018 Oct 26.

Institute of Chinese Medicine and State Key Laboratory of Research on Bioactivities and Clinical Applications of Medicinal Plants, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.

Allergic asthma is a highly prevalent airway inflammatory disease, which involves the interaction between the immune system, environmental and genetic factors. Co-relation between allergic asthma and gut microbiota upon the change of diet have been widely reported, implicating that oral intake of alternative medicines possess a potential in the management of allergic asthma. Previous clinical, in vivo, and in vitro studies have shown that the Pentaherbs formula (PHF) comprising five traditional Chinese herbal medicines Lonicerae Flos, Menthae Herba, Phellodendri Cortex, Moutan Cortex, and Atractylodis Rhizoma possesses an anti-allergic and anti-inflammatory potential through suppressing various immune effector cells. Read More

Z Rheumatol 2018 Dec;77(10):907-922

Abt. für Rheumatologie, Immunologie und Rehabilitation, Kantonsspital St. Gallen, St. Gallen, Schweiz.

Eosinophilic granulocytes form peripheral effector cells controlled by Th2 lymphocytes, which cause local cell, tissue, and functional disorders of infiltrated organs via the release of cytotoxic basic proteins and oxygen radicals. Diseases associated with eosinophilia include systemic and organ-related forms. The lungs are involved in eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (EGPA, formerly known as Churg-Strauss syndrome), acute and chronic eosinophilic pneumonia, as well as in an organ manifestation in hypereosinophilic syndrome and certain parasitic diseases. Read More

Sci Rep 2018 Oct 24;8(1):15750. Epub 2018 Oct 24.

Laboratory of Systems Biology, Center for Experimental Medicine and Systems Biology, The Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, 108-8639, Japan.

IL-17C, which is a member of the IL-17 family of cytokines, is preferentially produced by epithelial cells in the lung, skin and colon, suggesting that IL-17C may be involved in not only host defense but also inflammatory diseases in those tissues. In support of that, IL-17C was demonstrated to contribute to development of T cell-dependent imiquimod-induced psoriatic dermatitis and T cell-independent dextran sodium sulfate-induced acute colitis using mice deficient in IL-17C and/or IL-17RE, which is a component of the receptor for IL-17C. However, the roles of IL-17C in other inflammatory diseases remain poorly understood. Read More

Zhongguo Xue Xi Chong Bing Fang Zhi Za Zhi 2018 Aug;30(4):452-454

Department of Respiratory Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, China.

Objective: To analyze the clinical characteristics of serous cavity effusion related with paragonimiasis, so as to improve the physician's ability of the clinical diagnosis and treatment.

Methods: The clinical data of 50 cases of serous cavity effusion related with paragonimiasis diagnosed in a hospital in recent 3 years were collected and retrospectively analyzed.

Results: Among the 50 patients, there were 35 males and 15 females, and 35 children and 15 adults. Read More

Zhonghua Jie He He Hu Xi Za Zhi 2018 Oct;41(10):783-786

Department of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Disease, Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Health, the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 510120, China.

To improve the clinical recognition of eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis(EGPA) in clinical manifestations, diagnosis and treatment. The clinical manifestations, pathological characteristic, imaging manifestations, diagnosis and the therapy of three patients with EGPA were presented. These 3 patients had asthma-like symptoms and extrapulmonary manifestations of systemic vasculitis. Read More

Lancet Respir Med 2018 11 18;6(11):855-862. Epub 2018 Oct 18.

Centre for Clinical Epidemiology, Lady Davis Institute-Jewish General Hospital, Montreal, QC, Canada; Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada; Department of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3T 1E2, Canada.

Background: Long-acting β agonists (LABAs) and long-acting muscarinic antagonists (LAMAs) are the recommended initial maintenance treatment for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), with almost all LABAs dispensed in fixed combination with inhaled corticosteroids (LABA-ICS). We compared the effectiveness and safety of LABA-ICS versus LAMA treatment initiation as a function of blood eosinophilia, a potential biomarker of ICS effectiveness, in a real-world setting.

Methods: In this population-based cohort study, we identified a cohort of patients with COPD initiating treatment with a LAMA or LABA-ICS during 2002-15, age 55 years or older, from the UK's Clinical Practice Research Datalink. Read More

Echocardiography 2018 12 18;35(12):2099-2103. Epub 2018 Oct 18.

First Chair and Department of Cardiology, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland.

We present a case of 44-year-old woman who underwent effective pharmacological treatment of severe mitral stenosis. The patient was hospitalized due to rapidly progressive dyspnea. Her medical history included asthma, perennial rhinitis, and nasal polyps. Read More

BMJ Case Rep 2018 Oct 17;2018. Epub 2018 Oct 17.

Security Forces Hospital Program, Division of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

A 35-year-old black Saudi man, with a known case of bronchial asthma and allergic rhinitis since childhood, presented with joint pain and swelling, orthopnoea, paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnoea and lower extremity oedema. On examination, we found jugular venous distension, bilateral basal crepitation, wheezing and diffuse synovitis. Investigations were notable for peripheral blood eosinophilia, pericardial effusion and elongated structure in the left ventricular outflow tract on echocardiography, mediastinal and hilar lymphadenopathy and right upper lobe infiltrate on high-resolution CT scan. Read More

Ther Adv Respir Dis 2018 Jan-Dec;12:1753466618805662

Department of Respiratory Medicine, Hospital Lucus Augusti, C/ Dr Ulises Romero, nº 1, Lugo, 27004, Spain.

Asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are both highly prevalent conditions that can coexist in the same individual: the so-called 'asthma -COPD overlap' (ACO). Its prevalence and prognosis vary widely depending on how ACO is defined in each publication, the severity of bronchial obstruction of patients included and the treatment they are receiving. Although there is a lack of evidence about the biology of ACO, the overlap of both diseases should express a mixture of a Th1 inflammatory pattern (characteristic of COPD) and a Th2 signature (characteristic of asthma). Read More

Medicine (Baltimore) 2018 Oct;97(42):e12871

Department of Internal Medicine, University Hospital of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.

Rationale: Eosinophilic pleural effusion in elderly patients is most commonly due to malignancies and infections.

Patient Concerns: In rare cases, pleural eosinophilia is associated with connective tissue disease.

Diagnoses: Presence of Hargraves cells, also called lupus erythematosus (LE) cells (polynuclear cells that have engulfed denatured nuclear material), was a key point of American College of Rheumatology (ACR) classification criteria for systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) until 1997. Read More