Insights into respiratory microbiome composition and systemic inflammatory biomarkers of bronchiectasis patients.

Unlabelled: The human microbiomes, including the ones present in the respiratory tract, are described and characterized in an increasing number of studies. However, the composition and the impact of the healthy and/or impaired microbiome on pulmonary health and its interaction with the host tissues remain enigmatic. In chronic airway diseases, bronchiectasis stands out as a progressive condition characterized by microbial colonization and infection.

Human nasal microbiota shifts in healthy and chronic respiratory disease conditions.

Background: An increasing number of studies investigate various human microbiotas and their roles in the development of diseases, maintenance of health states, and balanced signaling towards the brain. Current data demonstrate that the nasal microbiota contains a unique and highly variable array of commensal bacteria and opportunistic pathogens. However, we need to understand how to harness current knowledge, enrich nasal microbiota with beneficial microorganisms, and prevent pathogenic developments.

Latent Tuberculosis Infection and Associated Risk Factors among People Living with HIV and HIV-Uninfected Individuals in Lithuania.

Background: People living with HIV (PLHIV) with latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) are at increased risk of tuberculosis (TB) reactivation compared to the HIV-negative population. Lithuania belongs to the 18 high-priority TB countries in the European region. The aim of this study was to compare the prevalence of LTBI and LTBI-related risk factors between PLHIV and HIV-uninfected populations.

The socio-demographic, clinical characteristics and outcomes of tuberculosis among HIV infected adults in Lithuania: A thirteen-year analysis.

Background: Tuberculosis (TB) is a public health problem in Lithuania, among the 18 high-priority TB countries in the European region, and the most common AIDS-indicative disease with the highest proportion in the EU/EEA since 2015. The study aimed to identify socio-demographic, clinical characteristics and their relationship with TB outcomes in TB-HIV co-infected patients in Lithuania.

Methods: A retrospective chart review analysed the characteristics of TB-HIV co-infected adults registered in State Information System of Tuberculosis over 2008-2020.

Impact of COVID-19 on diagnosis of tuberculosis, multidrug-resistant tuberculosis, and on mortality in 11 countries in Europe, Northern America, and Australia. A Global Tuberculosis Network study.

Objectives: Although evidence is growing on the overall impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on tuberculosis (TB) services, global studies based on national data are needed to better quantify the extent of the impact and the countries' preparedness to tackle the two diseases. The aim of this study was to compare the number of people with new diagnoses or recurrence of TB disease, the number of drug-resistant (DR)-TB, and the number of TB deaths in 2020 vs 2019 in 11 countries in Europe, Northern America, and Australia.

Methods: TB managers or directors of national reference centers of the selected countries provided the agreed-upon variables through a validated questionnaire on a monthly basis.

Human airway and lung microbiome at the crossroad of health and disease (Review).

The evolving field of the microbiome and microbiota has become a popular research topic. The human microbiome is defined as a new organ and is considered a living community of commensal, symbiotic and pathogenic microorganisms within a certain body space. The term 'microbiome' is used to define the entire genome of the microbiota.

Predictors of Noninvasive Respiratory Support Failure in COVID-19 Patients: A Prospective Observational Study.

Respiratory assistance tactic that is best for COVID-19-associated acute hypoxemic respiratory failure (AHRF) individuals has yet to be determined. Patients with AHRF may benefit from the use of a high-flow nasal cannula (HFNC) and non-invasive ventilation (NIV). The goals of this prospective observational research were to estimate predictive factors for HFNC and NIV failure in COVID-19-related AHRF subjects.

Age as a Risk Factor in the Occurrence of Complications during or after Bronchoscopic Lung Biopsy.

Introduction: Bronchoscopic lung biopsy (BLB) is a widely used procedure. As the world's population is ageing, more BLBs are performed for older people with comorbidities. The aim of the study was to investigate if an older age is a risk factor for BLB related complications.

Epidemiology of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) Comorbidities in Lithuanian National Database: A Cluster Analysis.

Various comorbidities and multimorbidity frequently occur in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), leading to the overload of health care systems and increased mortality. We aimed to assess the impact of COPD on the probability and clustering of comorbidities. The cross-sectional analysis of the nationwide Lithuanian database was performed based on the entries of the codes of chronic diseases.

Gauging the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on tuberculosis services: a global study.

https://bit.ly/3sdHbfk

Risk factors for complicated community-acquired pneumonia course in patients treated with β-lactam monotherapy.

Introduction: We aimed to investigate community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) requiring hospitalisation, empirically treated with b-lactam monotherapy, with 30-day mortality and risk factors predicting its complicated course.

Material And Methods: A prospective observational study was conducted at the Pulmonology and Allergology Department in a tertiary care university hospital. 253 consecutive patients diagnosed with CAP requiring hospitalisation were enrolled.

Systemic Inflammatory Response to Different Sclerosing Agents as a Predictor of Pleurodesis Outcome.

Background/aim: The objectives of this study were to evaluate systemic inflammation using different sclerosing agents and to estimate the prediction of systemic inflammation for the efficacy of pleurodesis.

Patients And Methods: Ninety-six patients with recurrent and symptomatic malignant pleural effusion were enrolled in this retrospective study. We used serum C-reactive protein (CRP) levels, serum leukocyte counts and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratios (NLRs) as parameters of systemic inflammatory reactions.

CD31, CD38, CD44, and CD103 lymphocytes in peripheral blood, bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and lung biopsy tissue in sarcoid patients and controls.

Background: The mechanisms driving the transition from inflammation to fibrosis in sarcoidosis patients are poorly understood; prognostic features are lacking. Immune cell profiling may provide insights into pathogenesis and prognostic factors of the disease. This study aimed to establish associations in simultaneous of lymphocyte subset profiles in the blood, bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF), and lung biopsy tissue in the patients with newly diagnosed sarcoidosis.

Evaluation of Obstructive Sleep Apnea Phenotypes Treatment Effectiveness.

: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a heterogeneous chronic sleep associated disorder. A common apnea-hypopnea index (AHI)-focused approach to OSA severity evaluation is not sufficient enough to capture the extent of OSA related risks, it limits our understanding of disease pathogenesis and may contribute to a modest response to conventional treatment. In order to resolve the heterogeneity issue, OSA patients can be divided into more homogenous therapeutically and prognostically significant groups-phenotypes.

Case of Severe Treatment-Resistant Cryptogenic Organizing Pneumonia.

Cryptogenic organizing pneumonia is a rare interstitial lung disease with different onset of symptoms, which responds rapidly to glucocorticoid treatment. We present a case of cryptogenic organizing pneumonia which manifested as a progressive 3-year dyspnea that ultimately has led to acute respiratory failure. Moreover, treatment with prednisone for this patient exhibited slow onset of the effect.

Incidence of Tuberculosis in Inflammatory Rheumatic Diseases: Results from a Lithuanian Retrospective Cohort Study.

With an increase in survival rates among rheumatic patients, comorbidities and infections, in particular, have gained more importance, especially after the introduction of biologicals to the treatment algorithms. Tuberculosis (TB) infection has always been given a special attention in patients with rheumatic diseases (RD). Although Lithuanian population has one of the highest TB incidence rates among European countries, the incidence of TB in the rheumatic patients' population is still unknown.

A Cohort Study of Exposure to Antihyperglycemic Therapy and Survival in Patients with Lung Cancer.

We evaluated the effect of antihyperglycemic therapy on the survival of patients with lung cancer (LC). The analysis included patients with LC and concomitant type 2 diabetes. 15,929 patients were classified into five groups: metformin users, insulin users, metformin and insulin users, sulphonylurea users and non-diabetic group.

Surveillance of adverse events in the treatment of drug-resistant tuberculosis: first global report.

The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that countries implement pharmacovigilance and collect information on active drug safety monitoring (aDSM) and management of adverse events.The aim of this prospective study was to evaluate the frequency and severity of adverse events to anti-tuberculosis (TB) drugs in a cohort of consecutive TB patients treated with new ( bedaquiline, delamanid) and repurposed ( clofazimine, linezolid) drugs, based on the WHO aDSM project. Adverse events were collected prospectively after attribution to a specific drug together with demographic, bacteriological, radiological and clinical information at diagnosis and during therapy.

Association between the Khorana score and pulmonary embolism risk in patients with advanced stage lung cancer.

Introduction: The Khorana score may help physicians to identify patients at high risk of Pulmonary embolism (PE) and decide who is eligible for thromboprophylaxis, however, its role in lung cancer patients remains unclear.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate association between the Khorana score and risk of PE development among advanced stage lung cancer inpatients treated with chemotherapy.

Materials And Methods: A retrospective cohort study included 2008-2017 year data of 217 lung cancer inpatients with IIIB and IV clinical stages receiving chemotherapy.

Diagnosing COPD in primary care: what has real life practice got to do with guidelines?

Background: The role of primary care physician in COPD management varies in different health care systems. According to the researches in various countries, extent of spirometry use in diagnosing and grading COPD frequently remains insufficient. Inaccurate diagnosis results in mistreatment and disease progression.

Lung Cancer Survival in Lithuania: Changes by Histology, Age, and Sex From 2003-2007 to 2008-2012.

Lung cancer is the most common cancer-related death worldwide. The aim of this study is to describe the most recent survival rates by sex, age group, extent of disease, and histology of lung cancer in Lithuania. The study is based on the Lithuanian Cancer Registry database.