Multicentre double-blind randomised controlled trial of systematic corticosteroid therapy in patients with acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease admitted to hospital with higher eosinophil levels: the ECHO protocol.

Introduction: Corticosteroid is one of the most commonly used medications in patients with acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD). The increasing understanding of these side-effects of systematic corticosteroids and their better response to treatment among patients with COPD with higher blood eosinophil counts has led to an interest in a more targeted approach to systematic corticosteroid treatment. However, there is a lack of evidence from high-quality randomised controlled trial (RCT) studies about whether initial systematic corticosteroids should be given to patients with AECOPD with elevated eosinophilia.

Metabolomic Profiling of Lungs from Mice Reveals the Variability of Metabolites in Infection and the Metabolic Abnormalities in BAFF-R-Deficient Mice.

Purpose: The incidence of pneumonia (PCP) in patients without human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) has been increasing. In this study, we aimed to investigate the metabolic changes in infection and the metabolic abnormalities in B-cell-activating factor receptor (BAFF-R)-deficient mice with infection.

Methods: The important function of B cells during infection is increasingly recognized.

Secular trend and risk factors of 30-day COPD-related readmission in Beijing, China.

Readmission due to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) exacerbation contributes significantly to disease burden. Trend in readmission rate among COPD patients in China is not well characterized. We described the secular trend and identify risk factors of COPD-related 30-day readmission in Beijing during 2012-2017.

Analysis of lncRNA and mRNA Repertoires in Lung From BAFF-R-Deficient -Infected Mice.

Background: pneumonia (PCP) is a common medical issue in immunosuppressive patients. Increasing evidence supports that B cells may play an essential role in PCP individuals. The present study aims to integrate lncRNA and mRNA expression profiles and further investigate the molecular function of mature B cells in PCP.

Value of CT Radiomics Combined with Clinical Features in the Diagnosis of Allergic Bronchopulmonary Aspergillosis.

Objective: Early diagnosis of allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA) and targeted treatment can block the process of the disease. This study explores the diagnostic value of CT radiomics combined with clinical features in allergic ABPA.

Methods: A total of 40 patients with ABPA were studied retrospectively, divided into training set ( = 28) and test set ( = 12).

Proteomic Profiling and Functional Analysis of B Cell-Derived Exosomes upon Infection.

is a life-threatening fungal pathogen that frequently causes fatal pneumonia (PCP) in immunocompromised individuals. Recently, B cells have been reported to play a crucial role in the pathogenesis of PCP through producing antibodies and activating CD4 T cell response. Exosomes are nanoscale small extracellular vesicles abundant with protein cargo and can mediate immune response during infectious disease.

Long-Term Trends in Hospitalization and Outcomes in Adult Patients with Exacerbation of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease in Beijing, China, from 2008 to 2017.

Background And Objective: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. We aimed to evaluate the temporal trends in hospitalization and mortality from acute exacerbation of COPD (AECOPD) and the associated financial costs over a 10-year period in Beijing, China.

Methods: Hospital admission records from 2008 to 2017 for all patients aged ≥20 years with a primary discharge diagnosis of AECOPD were retrieved from the Beijing Public Health Information Center Database.

PD-1 Deficiency Promotes Macrophage Activation and T-Helper Cell Type 1/T-Helper Cell Type 17 Response in Pneumonia.

is an unusual, opportunistic fungal pathogen capable of causing pneumonia (PCP) in immunocompromised hosts. Although PCP was discovered >100 years ago, its pathogenesis remains unclear. The inhibitory receptor PD-1 (programmed death 1), a negative regulator of activated T cells, has been reported to take part in tumor escape, immune tolerance, and infection immunity.

IL-17 Inversely Correlated with IL-10 via the STAT3 Gene in -Infected Mice.

Background: pneumonia (PCP) remains a common opportunistic infection in immunosuppressed individuals. Current studies showed that multiple immune cells and cytokines took part in the host defense against (PC). However, the roles of IL-17 and IL-10 in the development of PCP have not been elucidated.

IL-10-producing B cells regulate Th1/Th17-cell immune responses in Pneumocystis pneumonia.

Pneumocystis pneumonia (PCP) is a common opportunistic infectious disease that is prevalent in immunosuppressed hosts. Accumulating evidence shows that B cells play an important role in infectious diseases. In the present study, the immune regulatory role of mature B cells in host defense to Pneumocystis was evaluated.

IL-9 Deficiency Promotes Pulmonary Th17 Response in Murine Model of Infection.

Introduction: pneumonia (PCP) remains a severe complication with high mortality in immunocompromised patients. It has been well accepted that CD4 T cells play a major role in controlling infection. Th9 cells were the main source of IL-9 with multifaced roles depending on specific diseases.

Diagnosis of pneumonia with serum cell-free DNA in non-HIV-infected immunocompromised patients.

Conventional respiratory tract specimens, such as bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid and induced sputum for diagnosing pneumonia (PCP) in immunocompromised patients are difficult to obtain. Besides, bronchoscopy is an invasive procedure that carries the risk of causing rapidly progressive respiratory insufficiency. By contrast, serum cell-free DNA (cfDNA) is easy to obtain and has been proven useful in diagnosing cancer, pregnancy associated complications, parasite infection and sepsis.

Serum procalcitonin levels distinguish Gram-negative bacterial sepsis from Gram-positive bacterial and fungal sepsis.

Background: Serum procalcitonin (PCT) levels differ in patients with bacterial or fungal infections and are significantly elevated in patients with Gram-negative bacteremia. We evaluated the diagnostic accuracy of different inflammatory markers to discriminate sepsis caused by different pathogens.

Materials And Methods: We included 328 episodes of bacteremia from 292 patients with sepsis and 31 patients with suspected sepsis in this study.