Artificial Intelligence Unveils the Unseen: Mapping Novel Lung Patterns in Bronchiectasis via Texture Analysis.

Thin-section CT (TSCT) is currently the most sensitive imaging modality for detecting bronchiectasis. However, conventional TSCT or HRCT may overlook subtle lung involvement such as alveolar and interstitial changes. Artificial Intelligence (AI)-based analysis offers the potential to identify novel information on lung parenchymal involvement that is not easily detectable with traditional imaging techniques.

Unveiling Silent Consequences: Impact of Pulmonary Tuberculosis on Lung Health and Functional Wellbeing after Treatment.

: Pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) remains a major public health issue in India, with high incidence and mortality. The current literature on post-TB sequelae functional defects focuses heavily on spirometry, with conflicting obstruction vs. restriction data, lacks advanced statistical analysis, and has insufficient data on diffusion limitation and functional impairment.

Optimized algorithm for speed-of-sound-based infant sulfur hexafluoride multiple-breath washout measurements.

Introduction: Major methodological issues with the existing algorithm (WBreath) used for the analysis of speed-of-sound-based infant sulfur hexafluoride (SF) multiple-breath washout (MBW) measurements lead to implausible results and complicate the comparison between different age groups and centers.

Methods: We developed OASIS-a novel algorithm to analyze speed-of-sound-based infant SF MBW measurements. This algorithm uses known context of the measurements to replace the dependence of WBreath on model input parameters.

Aetiology of pleural effusions in children living in a high TB endemic setting.

Confirming the aetiology of pleural effusion in children may be difficult in TB-endemic settings. We investigated the role of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and routine biochemical tests in discriminating pleural effusion caused by bacteria from other aetiologies.This is a cross-sectional post-hoc analysis among children with pleural effusion in a tertiary hospital in South Africa, incorporating new data from PCR testing of stored pleural fluid.

Relapsing Polychondritis with Tracheobronchial Involvement: A Detailed Description of Two Pediatric Cases and Review of the Literature.

Relapsing polychondritis (RP) is a rare immune-mediated disease that primarily affects the cartilaginous structures of the ears, nose and airways. The clinical spectrum ranges from mild to severe disease characterized by progressive destruction of cartilage in the tracheobronchial tree leading to airway obstruction and acute respiratory failure. Early diagnosis is crucial to prevent irreversible airway damage and life-threatening complications.

The Assessment of Serum Fibronectin Levels as a Potential Biomarker for the Severity of Drug-Sensitive Pulmonary Tuberculosis: A Pilot Study.

Background: Tuberculosis (TB) is a global health burden caused by (Mtb) infection. Fibronectin (Fn) facilitates Mtb attachment to host cells. We studied the Fn levels in smear-positive TB patients to assess its correlation with disease severity based on sputum smears and chest X-rays.

Unmasking the Silent Threat: Periodontal Health's Impact on COPD Severity and Hospitalization.

Objective: This study investigated the relationship between chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and periodontitis, focusing on how periodontal health impacts COPD airflow limitation, exacerbations, and hospitalization.

Background: Periodontitis, a multifactorial inflammatory disease, is characterized by destruction of tooth-supporting structures, while COPD is a global pulmonary disorder with high mortality.

Methods: A total of 199 COPD patients aged over 40 years underwent lung function tests (spirometry), 6 min walk test, and St George's Respiratory Questionnaire-COPD (SGRQ-C) to assess lung health.

The impact of antenatal and postnatal indoor air pollution or tobacco smoke exposure on lung function at 3 years in an African birth cohort.

Background And Objective: Indoor air pollution (IAP) and tobacco smoke exposure (ETS) are global health concerns contributing to the burden of childhood respiratory disease. Studies assessing the effects of IAP and ETS in preschool children are limited. We assessed the impact of antenatal and postnatal IAP and ETS exposure on lung function in a South African birth cohort, the Drakenstein Child Health Study.

Circulatory Serum Krebs von Den Lungen-6 and Surfactant Protein-D Concentrations Predict Interstitial Lung Disease Progression and Mortality.

There is a need for biomarkers to predict outcomes, including mortality, in interstitial lung disease (ILD). Krebs von den Lungen-6 (KL-6) and surfactant protein D (SP-D) are associated with lung damage and fibrosis in all ILDs and are related to important clinical outcomes. Though these two biomarkers have been associated with ILD outcomes, there are no studies that have evaluated their predictive potential in combination.

Normal values of respiratory oscillometry in South African children and adolescents.

Introduction: Noninvasive measurement of respiratory impedance by oscillometry can be used in young children aged from 3 years and those unable to perform forced respiratory manoeuvres. It can discriminate between healthy children and those with respiratory disease. However, its clinical application is limited by the lack of reference data for African paediatric populations.

The Long-Term Impact of Early-Life Tuberculosis Disease on Child Health: A Prospective Birth Cohort Study.

There is growing concern that post-tuberculosis disease (TB) sequelae and morbidity are substantial, but no studies have controlled for preexisting factors before disease. Whether children have post-TB morbidity is not well characterized. To assess the effect of a TB diagnosis on wheezing episodes, lung function, and anthropometric measurements among children enrolled in a prospective birth cohort study in South Africa.

Role of Neutrophil to Lymphocyte Ratio in Predicting Severity of Obstructive Sleep Apnea.

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) has been linked to and is associated with increased cardiovascular and cerebrovascular morbidity. Ongoing inflammatory responses play an important role in this association. Systemic inflammation is important in pathophysiology of OSA and its comorbidity.

Association of Serum Albumin and Copeptin with Early Clinical Deterioration and Instability in Community-Acquired Pneumonia.

Background: There is a paucity of data on biomarkers for the early deterioration and clinical instability of patients in community-acquired pneumonia (CAP), as treatment failure occurs in the first seven days in 90% of patients. Aim: To evaluate serum albumin and copeptin with CURB-65, PSI scoring and ATS/IDSA minor criteria for the prediction of early mortality or ICU-admission (7 days) and clinical instability after 72 h. Methods: In 100 consecutive hospitalized adult CAP patients, PSI-scores, CURB-65 scores, ATS/IDSA 2007 minor criteria, copeptin and albumin on admission were evaluated.

Lung Function in Preschool Children in Low and Middle Income Countries: An Under-Represented Potential Tool to Strengthen Child Health.

Background: The burden of respiratory disease is high in low-middle income countries (LMIC). Pulmonary function tests are useful as an objective measure of lung health and to track progression. Spirometry is the commonest test, but its use is limited in preschool children.

Aetiology and presentation of childhood pleural infections in the post-pneumococcal conjugate vaccine era in South Africa.

Background: Complications of respiratory infections including pleural effusion (PE) are associated with a high morbidity. Differentiating between PE caused by (Mtb) infection and other bacterial infections in endemic areas is difficult in children, thus, impacting treatment.

Objectives: To investigate the aetiology of PE and features distinguishing tuberculosis (TB) from bacterial PE in children.

Inflammatory Biomarkers Interleukin 1 Beta (IL-1β) and Tumour Necrosis Factor Alpha (TNF-α) Are Differentially Elevated in Tobacco Smoke Associated COPD and Biomass Smoke Associated COPD.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), the leading cause of mortality and morbidity worldwide, is characterized by abnormal activation of inflammatory cells. The increased pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) and interleukin 1 beta (IL-1β), further amplify the inflammation. We evaluated the dose response relationship of IL-1β and TNF-α levels and severity of airflow limitation, and differential responses in IL-1β and TNF-α between biomass COPD (BMS-COPD) and tobacco smoke COPD (TS-COPD) using a case control design in 160 subjects.

Pilot study investigating diagnostic utility of serum MMP-1 and TGF-β1 in asthma in 'real world' clinical practice in India.

Aims: At a tissue level, matrix metalloproteinase-1 (MMP-1) and transforming growth factor-beta 1 (TGF-β1) contribute to allergic airway inflammation, tissue remodelling and disease severity in asthma via different pathways. Their peripheral blood levels and role in diagnosis and therapeutic monitoring has not been adequately explored. We investigated the association between MMP-1 and TGF-β in moderate and severe persistent asthma and evaluated their performance characteristics by constructing receiver operating characteristic curves.

Vitamin D deficiency is associated with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and exacerbation of COPD.

Introduction: Low Vitamin D levels have been associated with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) and acute exacerbations.

Objectives: There is a paucity of data on Vitamin D and COPD, its severity and exacerbations in populations that are exposed to sunlight regularly with high levels of physical activity most of their lives.

Methods: Serum levels of 25-OH-Vitamin-D were assessed in 100 COPD subjects and 100 age- and gender-matched controls from the rural community-based MUDHRA cohort in South India.

An unusual cause of haemoptysis in childhood: A case report and literature review.

Haemoptysis is uncommon in children and the diagnosis is challenging. We describe a 14-year-old child who presented with haemoptysis secondary to a suspected congenital broncho-oesophageal fistula. This is a rare condition and the symptoms are insidious, occasionally beginning in childhood but may present only in adulthood.

The Mysuru stUdies of Determinants of Health in Rural Adults (MUDHRA), India.

Between 2006 and 2010, in 16 randomly selected villages in rural areas of Mysore district, in south India, 8,457 subjects aged 30 and above were screened for symptoms of chronic respiratory disease. Of the 8,457 subjects, 1,692 were randomly invited for further evaluation of lung function and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) by spirometry, and 1,085 of these subjects underwent lung function assessments for prevalent COPD and its risk factors. These 1,085 subjects, who were then aged between 35 and 80 years, constituted the Mysuru stUdies of Determinants of Health in Rural Adults (MUDHRA) cohort.

Factors influencing severity of community-acquired pneumonia.

Introduction: Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is a common cause of morbidity and mortality in India. There is a need to understand the risk factors associated with severity of CAP in our population. This study was part of the international global initiative for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) pneumonia study to evaluate MRSA.

The First Case of Riboflavin Transporter Deficiency in sub-Saharan Africa.

This report describes the first case of a child with genetically confirmed Brown-Vialetto-van Laere syndrome in sub-Saharan Africa. This is an extremely rare clinical condition that presents with an auditory neuropathy, bulbar palsy, stridor, muscle weakness, and respiratory compromise that manifests with diaphragmatic and vocal cord paralysis. It is an autosomal recessive condition for which the genetic mutation has only recently been linked to a riboflavin transporter deficiency.

Antibiotic Prescription, Organisms and its Resistance Pattern in Patients Admitted to Respiratory ICU with Respiratory Infection in Mysuru.

Aim Of Study: Respiratory infections account for significant morbidity, mortality and expenses to patients getting admitted to ICU. Antibiotic resistance is a major worldwide concern in ICU, including India. It is important to know the antibiotic prescribing pattern in ICU, organisms and its resistance pattern as there is sparse data on Indian ICUs.