Publications by authors named "Julia d'Hooghe"
Background: Bronchial thermoplasty (BT) is a bronchoscopic treatment for severe asthma. Although multiple trials have demonstrated clinical improvement after BT, optimal patient selection remains a challenge and the mechanism of action is incompletely understood. The aim of this study was to examine whether exhaled breath analysis can contribute to discriminate between BT-responders and non-responders at baseline and to explore pathophysiological insights of BT.
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- The study investigates the long-term effects of bronchial thermoplasty (BT) on airway smooth muscle (ASM) in patients with severe asthma over a 2.5-year period.
- Results show a more than 50% reduction in ASM mass, along with improved asthma control, quality of life, and fewer exacerbations.
- There is a notable correlation between the remaining ASM and asthma-related metrics, including exacerbation rates and lung function tests, indicating ongoing effects of BT treatment.
Background: Airway remodeling is a prominent feature of asthma, which involves increased airway smooth muscle mass and altered extracellular matrix composition. Bronchial thermoplasty (BT), a bronchoscopic treatment for severe asthma, targets airway remodeling.
Objective: We sought to investigate the effect of BT on extracellular matrix composition and its association with clinical outcomes.
Article Synopsis
- This study investigates bronchial thermoplasty (BT), a treatment for severe asthma, focusing on its effects on airway inflammation and gene expression in patients.
- Researchers analyzed samples from 28 patients before and after BT, looking at gene expression, inflammatory cell counts, and cytokines to determine treatment effectiveness.
- Results showed reduced inflammatory gene expression in treated airways, but no significant changes in cell counts or cytokines; responders exhibited distinct gene patterns and higher eosinophil levels compared to non-responders.
Bronchial thermoplasty (BT) is a bronchoscopic treatment for severe asthma targeting airway smooth muscle (ASM). Observational studies have shown ASM mass reduction after BT, but appropriate control groups are lacking. Furthermore, as treatment response is variable, identifying optimal candidates for BT treatment is important.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThis manuscript summarises the highlights from Assembly 14, "Clinical techniques, imaging and endoscopy", which were presented at the 2019 European Respiratory Society (ERS) International Congress in Madrid, Spain. Novel diagnostic approaches and innovative therapeutic strategies in patients with lung cancer, interstitial lung disease, obstructive airway disorders and infectious diseases are discussed. The authors from the different Assembly 14 subgroups focus on the key take-home messages given new study results, and place them in the context of current knowledge in these areas.
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- Bronchial Thermoplasty (BT) is an endoscopic treatment for severe asthma that uses radiofrequency energy to remodel airways, particularly targeting smooth muscles; this study investigates how BT impacts different pulmonary function tests.
- After analyzing 24 patients from the TASMA trial, significant improvements were noted in asthma-related quality of life scores (AQLQ and ACQ) six months post-BT, though overall pulmonary function parameters remained stable.
- The findings suggest that lower respiratory resistance measurements before BT are linked to better treatment responses, indicating that BT may more effectively target larger airways in patients with severe asthma.
Background: Bronchial thermoplasty (BT) is an endoscopic treatment for severe asthma targeting airway smooth muscle (ASM) with radiofrequent energy. Although implemented worldwide, the effect of BT treatment on the airways is unclear. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is a novel imaging technique, based on near-infrared light, that generates high-resolution cross-sectional airway wall images.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: High-resolution computed tomography has limitations in the assessment of airway wall layers and related remodeling in obstructive lung diseases. Near infrared-based optical coherence tomography (OCT) is a novel imaging technique that combined with bronchoscopy generates highly detailed images of the airway wall. The aim of this study is to identify and quantify human airway wall layers both ex-vivo and in-vivo by OCT and correlate these to histology.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Bronchial thermoplasty (BT) is a novel treatment for severe asthma based on radiofrequency energy delivery to the larger airways. Although impressive radiological abnormalities have been reported, the incidence, pattern, and behavior over time of acute radiological abnormalities following BT are not well established.
Objective: To assess the incidence pattern and behavior over time of acute radiological abnormalities following BT.
Purpose Of Review: Current imaging techniques (X-ray, computed tomography scan, ultrasound) have limitations in the identification and quantification of pulmonary diseases, in particular, on highly detailed level. The purpose of this review is to provide an overview of the current knowledge of innovative light- and laser-based imaging techniques that might fill this gap.
Recent Findings: Optical coherence tomography (OCT) and confocal laser endomicroscopy (CLE) are high-resolution imaging techniques, which, combined with bronchoscopy, provide 'near histology' detailed imaging of the airway wall, lung parenchyma, mediastinal lymph nodes, and pulmonary vasculature.
Background: Bronchial thermoplasty (BT) is a rapidly emerging bronchoscopic treatment for patients with moderate-to-severe asthma. Different sedation strategies are currently used, ranging from mild midazolam sedation to general anesthesia requiring tracheal intubation.
Objectives: The aim of this study was to assess the feasibility, safety, and both patients' and bronchoscopists' satisfaction with propofol and remifentanil sedation administered by specialized sedation anesthesiology nurses during BT in severe asthma patients.