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.

Assessing physical and chemical properties of saliva among tuberculosis patients on anti-tuberculosis treatment - An observational study.

Background: Tuberculosis (TB) is one of the major systemic conditions which is a preventable and curable infection but remains a significant cause of death. The WHO, in its global plan to stop TB reports, that poor treatment has resulted in the evolution of strains that do not respond to treatment with the standard first-line combination of anti- tuberculosis medicines, resulting in the emergence of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis in almost every country of the world.The present study was aimed to assess the physical and chemical property of stimulated and unstimulated saliva and identify if any association exist with alterations in taste perception in patients with antituberculosis medications.

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.

Haplotype analysis of polymorphisms in asthma: A pilot study.

Background & Objectives: ADAM33 is implicated as a potentially strong candidate gene for asthma and bronchial hyper-responsiveness. Many polymorphisms of ADAM33 have been studied along with ADAM33 expression in various cells of the lungs. Haplotype analysis also showed association with asthma in different populations across the world.

Distinct asthma phenotypes with low maximal attainment of lung function on cluster analysis.

Objective: Asthma is a heterogeneous disease with varying clinical presentations, severity and ability to achieve asthma control. The present study aimed to characterize clinical phenotypes of asthma in an Indian cohort of subjects using a cluster analysis approach.

Methods: Patients with confirmed asthma ( = 100) and at least 6-months of follow-up data, identified by retrospective chart review, were included in this study.

Bronchiectasis in India: results from the European Multicentre Bronchiectasis Audit and Research Collaboration (EMBARC) and Respiratory Research Network of India Registry.

Background: Bronchiectasis is a common but neglected chronic lung disease. Most epidemiological data are limited to cohorts from Europe and the USA, with few data from low-income and middle-income countries. We therefore aimed to describe the characteristics, severity of disease, microbiology, and treatment of patients with bronchiectasis in India.

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.

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.

Linoleic acid metabolite leads to steroid resistant asthma features partially through NF-κB.

Studies have highlighted the role of nutritional and metabolic modulators in asthma pathobiology. Steroid resistance is an important clinical problem in asthma but lacks good experimental models. Linoleic acid, a polyunsaturated fatty acid, has been linked to asthma and glucocorticoid sensitivity.

IL-10 and IL-17F Promoter Single Nucleotide Polymorphism and Asthma: A Case-Control Study in South India.

Background: Several studies have assessed the association between IL-17F and IL-10 promoter polymorphisms and asthma, but the results were conflicting. Furthermore, few studies have evaluated the association of cytokine polymorphisms with asthma and its clinical phenotypes.

Objective: This study was conducted to evaluate the association of IL-10 (interleukin 10) and IL-17F (interleukin 17F) promoter polymorphisms (rs1800871, rs1800896 and rs1889570) with asthma and its clinical phenotypes including severity, atopic status, spirometric parameters, and response to treatment in south Indian population.

Serum levels of IL-10, IL-17F and IL-33 in patients with asthma: a case-control study.

Objectives: The development of inflammation in asthma involves an intricate network of cytokines that recruit and activate numerous immune cells. This study was aimed to compare serum levels of IL-10, IL-17F, and IL-33 in asthmatic patients and non-asthmatic controls and correlate cytokine levels to asthma severity and various clinical, spirometric, and laboratory variables.

Methods: Using ELISA, serum levels of IL-10, IL-17F, and IL-33 were evaluated in 44 asthmatics (14 mild persistent, 15 moderate persistent, and 15 severe persistent) and 44 controls.

Variation in the prevalence of chronic bronchitis among smokers: a cross-sectional study.

Objective: Given the wide variations in prevalence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease observed between populations with similar levels of exposure to tobacco smoke, we aimed to investigate the possibility of variations in prevalence of chronic bronchitis (CB) between two geographically distinct smoking populations in rural Karnataka, India.

Design: The Burden of Obstructive Lung Disease (BOLD) questionnaire was administered to all men aged >30 years in a cross-sectional survey. The χ(2) and Fisher's exact tests were used to compare CB prevalence in the two populations.

Identification of a threshold for biomass exposure index for chronic bronchitis in rural women of Mysore district, Karnataka, India.

Background & Objectives: Exposure to air pollution due to combustion of biomass fuels remains one of the significant risk factors for chronic respiratory diseases such as chronic bronchitis. There is a need to identify the minimum threshold level of biomass index that is significantly associated with chronic bronchitis. This study was undertaken to identify a threshold for biomass exposure index in a rural women population in Mysore district, south India.

Factors affecting 30-month survival in lung cancer patients.

Background & Objectives: Age adjusted incidence rate of lung cancer in India ranges from 7.4 to 13.1 per 100,000 among males and 3.

Prevalence of chronic cough, chronic phlegm & associated factors in Mysore, Karnataka, India.

Background & Objectives: Chronic cough and chronic phlegm are important indicators of respiratory morbidity, accelerated lung function decline, increased hospitalization and mortality. This study was planned to estimate the prevalence of chronic cough and phlegm in the absence of dyspneoa and wheezing and to study its associated factors in a representative population of Mysore district.

Methods: A cross-sectional survey was planned in a representative population of Mysore taluk.

Inheritance patterns, consanguinity & risk for asthma.

Background & Objectives: Family history is an important risk factor for the development of asthma, contingent upon genetic and environment interaction. Since there is paucity of data on asthma inheritance in Indian population, the present study was undertaken to investigate the inheritance patterns of asthma and the effect of family history and consanguineous marriage on asthma inheritance.

Methods: A total of 200 families, 100 index children and 100 index adults with clinically diagnosed asthma, along with 400 non-asthmatic children and adults as controls were selected for the present study.

Association of IL-4 and ADAM33 gene polymorphisms with asthma in an Indian population.

There are more than 100 candidate genes of asthma located on 23 human chromosomes. Interleukin-4 (IL-4), located on chromosome 5q31, and ADAM33, located on chromosome 20p13, and some single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of these genes have been shown to be associated with asthma and its manifestations in different populations. The most prominent SNPs of IL-4 and ADAM33 are 589C>T and 400A>G, respectively.

Validation of a structured questionnaire for COPD and prevalence of COPD in rural area of Mysore: A pilot study.

Background: The prevalence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is increasing in India and there is a need to study the prevalence of COPD, particularly in the rural areas, which may be most affected due to their lifestyle.

Materials And Methods: FIRST STAGE: Validation of the questionnaire-105 consecutive patients underwent administration of the structured questionnaire and spirometry was used as a gold standard for the diagnosis of COPD. Second stage: Adults above 40 years (n = 900) in two villages of Mysore district were administered with the validated questionnaire, Knowledge and Attitude questionnaire and Fagerstorm questionnaire, to assess nicotine dependency.