Plasma proteins elevated in severe asthma despite oral steroid use and unrelated to Type-2 inflammation.

Rationale: Asthma phenotyping requires novel biomarker discovery.

Objectives: To identify plasma biomarkers associated with asthma phenotypes by application of a new proteomic panel to samples from two well-characterised cohorts of severe (SA) and mild-to-moderate (MMA) asthmatics, COPD subjects and healthy controls (HCs).

Methods: An antibody-based array targeting 177 proteins predominantly involved in pathways relevant to inflammation, lipid metabolism, signal transduction and extracellular matrix was applied to plasma from 525 asthmatics and HCs in the U-BIOPRED cohort, and 142 subjects with asthma and COPD from the validation cohort BIOAIR.

Lung function fluctuation patterns unveil asthma and COPD phenotypes unrelated to type 2 inflammation.

Background: In all chronic airway diseases, the dynamics of airway function are influenced by underlying airway inflammation and bronchial hyperresponsiveness along with limitations in reversibility owing to airway and lung remodeling as well as mucous plugging. The relative contribution of each component translates into specific clinical patterns of symptoms, quality of life, exacerbation risk, and treatment success.

Objective: We aimed to evaluate whether subgrouping of patients with obstructive airway diseases according to patterns of fluctuation in lung function allows identification of specific phenotypes with distinct clinical characteristics.

Prevalence and Population-Attributable Risk for Chronic Airflow Obstruction in a Large Multinational Study.

The Global Burden of Disease program identified smoking and ambient and household air pollution as the main drivers of death and disability from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). To estimate the attributable risk of chronic airflow obstruction (CAO), a quantifiable characteristic of COPD, due to several risk factors. The Burden of Obstructive Lung Disease study is a cross-sectional study of adults, aged ≥40, in a globally distributed sample of 41 urban and rural sites.

Tuberculosis transmission in the population of patients from the Krakow Region (Poland) based on the epidemiological and molecular methods.

Background: The transmission of tuberculosis may affect the incidence rate of the disease in Poland. Genetic methods are of assistance in tracing the infection transmission, identifying its sources, determining the risk groups, and focusing on the preventive actions.

Objectives: The objectives of this study lie in an assessment of tuberculosis transmission by genetic methods with the assistance of the standard epidemiologic interview.

The utility of biomarkers in diagnosis of aspirin exacerbated respiratory disease.

Background: Aspirin-exacerbated respiratory disease (AERD) is a distinct eosinophilic phenotype of severe asthma with accompanying chronic rhinosinusitis, nasal polyposis, and hypersensitivity to aspirin. Urinary 3-bromotyrosine (uBrTyr) is a noninvasive marker of eosinophil-catalyzed protein oxidation. The lack of in vitro diagnostic test makes the diagnosis of AERD difficult.

Diagnosis and management of NSAID-Exacerbated Respiratory Disease (N-ERD)-a EAACI position paper.

NSAID-exacerbated respiratory disease (N-ERD) is a chronic eosinophilic, inflammatory disorder of the respiratory tract occurring in patients with asthma and/or chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP), symptoms of which are exacerbated by NSAIDs, including aspirin. Despite some progress in understanding of the pathophysiology of the syndrome, which affects 1/10 of patients with asthma and rhinosinusitis, it remains a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge. In order to provide evidence-based recommendations for the diagnosis and management of N-ERD, a panel of international experts was called by the EAACI Asthma Section.

Dietary Intake of Flavonoids and Ventilatory Function in European Adults: A GA²LEN Study.

Background: Flavonoids exert anti-inflammatory properties and modulate oxidative stress in vitro, suggesting a protective effect on lung function, but epidemiological studies examining this association are scarce.

Methods: A stratified random sample was drawn from the GA²LEN screening survey, in which 55,000 adults aged 15 to 75 answered a questionnaire on respiratory symptoms. Post-bronchodilator spirometry was obtained from 2850 subjects.

Prevalence and burden of chronic bronchitis symptoms: results from the BOLD study.

We studied the prevalence, burden and potential risk factors for chronic bronchitis symptoms in the Burden of Obstructive Lung Disease study.Representative population-based samples of adults aged ≥40 years were selected in participating sites. Participants completed questionnaires and spirometry.

Diagnostic Accuracy of Urinary LTE4 Measurement to Predict Aspirin-Exacerbated Respiratory Disease in Patients with Asthma.

Background: Patients with aspirin-exacerbated respiratory disease (AERD) are distinguished from patients with aspirin-tolerant asthma (ATA) by significantly higher baseline concentrations of urinary leukotriene E (uLTE). However, an overlap between the individual values of the groups exists.

Objective: The objective of this study was to estimate the discriminative value of uLTE concentration in differentiating between patients with AERD and patients with ATA and evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of uLTE measurement alone and added to clinical parameters to predict AERD diagnosis in patients with asthma.

Is fruit and vegetable intake associated with asthma or chronic rhino-sinusitis in European adults? Results from the Global Allergy and Asthma Network of Excellence (GALEN) Survey.

Background: Fruits and vegetables are rich in compounds with proposed antioxidant, anti-allergic and anti-inflammatory properties, which could contribute to reduce the prevalence of asthma and allergic diseases.

Objective: We investigated the association between asthma, and chronic rhino-sinusitis (CRS) with intake of fruits and vegetables in European adults.

Methods: A stratified random sample was drawn from the Global Allergy and Asthma Network of Excellence (GALEN) screening survey, in which 55,000 adults aged 15-75 answered a questionnaire on respiratory symptoms.

Systemic prostacyclin and thromboxane production in obstructive sleep apnea.

Purpose: Obstructive sleep apnea increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases. Alternations in prostacyclin and thromboxane concentrations and balance could constitute one of mechanisms linking sleep apnea and cardiovascular events. Thus we aimed to assess the concentrations of 6-keto-prostaglandin F1α (6-keto-PGF1α) (metabolite of prostacyclin) and thromboxane B2 (TXB2) (metabolite of thromboxane A2) in urine and blood of obstructive sleep apnea patients and controls (snoring subjects with otherwise normal polysomnogram).

Systemic expression of inflammatory mediators in patients with chronic rhinosinusitis and nasal polyps with and without Aspirin Exacerbated Respiratory Disease.

Background: Systemic reactions are related to the pathogenesis of Aspirin Exacerbated Respiratory Disease (AERD). With this work we wanted to study the changes in the systemic levels of inflammatory mediators in both baseline and after oral aspirin challenge in patients with and without AERD.

Methods: Patients with nasal polyposis and asthma with AERD (n=20) and without (n=18) were orally challenged with aspirin in a single-blind placebo controlled study.

Arterial and venous thromboembolism in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: from pathogenic mechanisms to prevention and treatment.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) affects approximately 10% of adults older than 40 years and is an important causes of disability and death in elderly subjects. A large proportion of COPD patients suffer from cardiovascular comorbidities. Thromboembolic events contribute considerably to morbidity and mortality in these subjects.

Factors associated with asthma control in patients with aspirin-exacerbated respiratory disease.

Background: Effective control of asthma is the primary goal of its treatment. Despite an improved understanding of asthma pathogenesis and accessibility of novel therapies, the rate of uncontrolled asthma remains high.

Objective: To find potential factors associated with asthma control in patients with aspirin-exacerbated respiratory disease (AERD).

Comparison of IGRA tests and TST in the diagnosis of latent tuberculosis infection and predicting tuberculosis in risk groups in Krakow, Poland.

Background: The objective of this study was to assess the prevalence of latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) in risk groups in Krakow, using the QuantiFERON-TB Gold In-Tube (QFT-GIT) test and the tuberculin skin test (TST); we also sought to assess the rate of progression to active disease over 4-5 y of follow-up.

Methods: QFT-GIT tests were performed on 785 subjects and the TST on 701 subjects from the risk groups of homeless persons, close contacts, periodic contacts, and residents of long-term care facilities (LTCFs), and subjects from a low risk group.

Results: In homeless persons, close contacts, periodic contacts, LTCF residents, and low risk persons, a positive QFT-GIT was found in 36.

Aspirin desensitization in patients with aspirin-induced and aspirin-tolerant asthma: a double-blind study.

Background: Numerous open trials have demonstrated the beneficial clinical effects of aspirin desensitization (AD) in patients with aspirin-induced asthma (AIA). These beneficial effects might be attributable to aspirin's potent anti-inflammatory properties, but that supposition requires further corroboration.

Objective: We sought to compare the clinical and biochemical responses to chronic oral AD in 20 patients with AIA and 14 patients with aspirin-tolerant asthma (ATA).

Modulation of inflammatory and hemostatic markers in obstructive sleep apnea patients treated with mandibular advancement splints: a parallel, controlled trial.

Study Objective: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is associated with systemic inflammation and a hypercoagulable state. The current study aim was to investigate whether mandibular advancement splint (MAS) therapy affects inflammatory and hemostatic parameters in patients with mild-to-moderate OSA.

Methods: Twenty-two patients with mild-to-moderate OSA and 16 control subjects were studied.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease mortality and prevalence: the associations with smoking and poverty--a BOLD analysis.

Background: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a commonly reported cause of death and associated with smoking. However, COPD mortality is high in poor countries with low smoking rates. Spirometric restriction predicts mortality better than airflow obstruction, suggesting that the prevalence of restriction could explain mortality rates attributed to COPD.

Transthyretin amyloidosis with pulmonary involvement in a patient with monoclonal gammapathy.

Pulmonary involvement in the course of systemic senile amyloidosis caused by non-mutated transthyretin is rarely described. We report on concomitant monoclonal gammapathy of undermined significance (MGUS) and amyloidosis with non-mutated transthyretin with diffuse lesions in lung parenchyma. A female patient, 67 years old, was admitted with dyspnoea, malaise, weight loss, and disseminated radiological lesions in the lungs.

Certain subphenotypes of aspirin-exacerbated respiratory disease distinguished by latent class analysis.

Background: Aspirin-exacerbated respiratory disease (AERD) is recognized as a distinct asthma phenotype. It usually has a severe course accompanied by chronic hyperplastic eosinophilic sinusitis with nasal polyps, blood eosinophilia, and increased concentrations of urinary leukotriene E4 (LTE4). More insightful analysis of individual patients shows this group to be nonhomogeneous.

Aspirin-exacerbated respiratory disease: clinical disease and diagnosis.

This article summarizes the current knowledge in the field of clinical presentation and diagnosis of aspirin-exacerbated respiratory disease (AERD). The definition, prevalence, natural history, and clinical presentation of this distinct clinical syndrome are described. The classification and tolerance of particular groups of cyclooxygenase inhibitors by patients with AERD are presented.

Detection of exacerbations in asthma based on electronic diary data: results from the 1-year prospective BIOAIR study.

Background: Objective measures are required that may be used as a proxy for exacerbations in asthma. The aim was to determine the sensitivity and specificity of electronic diary data to detect severe exacerbations (SEs) of asthma. A secondary aim was to identify phenotypic variables associated with a higher risk of exacerbation.

[Effects of biomass combustion and occupational exposures on lung function in random population sample of Malopolska inhabitants].

Introduction: Risk factors other than tobacco smoking contribute to about 20% of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease cases. Exposure to these risk factors and their influence on lung function has not been adequately studied in the population of Malopolska.

Material And Methods: In random population sample of adults at least forty years old, residents of 2 districts of Malopolska, data on exposure to known and probable respiratory risk factors were collected using questionnaire.