Non-POEMS osteosclerotic multiple myeloma: Clinical characteristics and differential diagnosis.

Osteosclerosis in multiple myeloma (MM) is typically associated with rare POEMS syndrome, characterized by polyneuropathy (P), organomegaly (O), endocrinopathy (E), M-protein (M), and skin changes (S). However, osteosclerosis in multiple myeloma (MM) without POEMS syndrome, defined as non-POEMS Osteosclerotic MM, is exceedingly rare. We report a 70-year-old man with rib pain, remarkably high bone mineral density and diffuse osteosclerosis.

Quantitative analyzes of the variability in airways via four-dimensional dynamic ventilation CT in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: correlation with spirometry data and severity of airflow limitation.

Background: In chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients, the diagnosis and assessment of disease severity are mainly based on spirometry, which may lead to misjudgments due to poor patient compliance. Thoracic four-dimensional dynamic ventilation computed tomography (4D-CT) provides more airway data approximating true physiological function than conventional CT. We aimed to determine dynamic changes in airways to elucidate the pathological mechanism underlying COPD and predict the severity of airflow limitation in patients.

Exogenous Ang-(1-7) inhibits autophagy via HIF-1α/THBS1/BECN1 axis to alleviate chronic intermittent hypoxia-enhanced airway remodelling of asthma.

Obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA)-induced chronic intermittent hypoxia (CIH) has been considered a risk factor for severe asthma. Airway remodelling, which could be modulated by autophagy, plays a key role in severe asthma. However, the extent of autophagy's involvement in CIH-potentiated airway remodelling remains largely unexplored.

Short Sleep Duration is Associated with Prolonged Virus Shedding in SARS-CoV-2 Omicron-Infected Patients.

Purpose: Sleep disturbance has been implicated in poor prognosis of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), but less is known about the influence of short sleep duration on COVID-19 outcomes. We aim to investigate whether short sleep duration is associated with prolonged virus shedding duration in severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) Omicron-infected patients.

Patients And Methods: A total of 270 patients with a laboratory confirmed COVID-19 diagnosis during SARS-CoV-2 Omicron-predominant period were recruited.

Diagnosis of obstructive sleep apnea using a bio-radar contact-free system compared with an established HST device in older adults.

Goal And Aims: To compare a bio-radar contact-free monitoring device in diagnosing obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in older people with an established home sleep apnea testing system (HST).

Focus Method/technology: A bio-radar contact-free monitoring device (OrbSense+).

Reference Method/technology: An established HST, Alice NightOne.

The Role of Aldosterone in OSA and OSA-Related Hypertension.

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is regarded as an independent risk factor for hypertension. The possible mechanism includes oxidative stress, endothelial injury, sympathetic excitement, renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system activation, etc. Clinical studies have found that there is a high coexistence of OSA and primary aldosteronism in patients with hypertension and that elevated aldosterone levels are independently associated with OSA severity in resistant hypertension.

Hedgehog signaling modulates cigarette-induced COPD development.

Hedgehog (Hh) signaling is involved in early embryogenesis and maintains quiescence in the adult lungs. The interruption of Hh signaling may lead to the development of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The current study aimed to assess whether the Hh pathway affects cigarette-induced emphysema and airway inflammation by regulating inflammatory cytokines.

Absolute Neutrophil Count in the Peripheral Blood Predicts Prognosis in Lung Cancer Patients Treated with Anlotinib.

Purpose: Anlotinib is a multi-targeted tyrosine kinase inhibitor that inhibits tumor angiogenesis and cell proliferation. It is widely used as a third-line therapy for lung cancer. However, reliable prognostic biomarkers for predicting the efficacy of anlotinib are lacking.

Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte Ratio Predicts Clinical Outcome of Severe Acute Exacerbation of COPD in Frequent Exacerbators.

Purpose: Frequent exacerbators are a specific phenotype of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), whose clinical characteristics and prognostic biomarkers during severe acute exacerbation (AECOPD) have not yet been fully elucidated. The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical features of severe AECOPD in frequent exacerbators and explore the predictive value of the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) for outcome in this phenotype during severe exacerbation.

Patients And Methods: A total of 604 patients with severe AECOPD were retrospectively included in the study.