Non-allergic eosinophilic inflammation and airway hyperresponsiveness induced by diesel engine exhaust through activating ILCs.

Rationale: Diesel engine exhaust (DEE) is associated with the development and exacerbation of asthma. Studies have shown that DEE can aggravate allergen-induced eosinophilic inflammation in lung. However, it remains not clear that whether DEE alone could initiate non-allergic eosinophilic inflammation and airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR) through innate lymphoid cells (ILCs) pathway.

Benralizumab efficacy and safety in severe asthma: A randomized trial in Asia.

Background: Benralizumab is indicated as add-on therapy in patients with uncontrolled, severe eosinophilic asthma; it has not yet been evaluated in a large Asian population with asthma in a clinical trial.

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of benralizumab in patients with severe asthma in Asia.

Methods: MIRACLE (NCT03186209) was a randomized, Phase 3 study in China, South Korea, and the Philippines.

Potassium-Competitive Acid Blocker Versus Proton Pump Inhibitor: A Pilot Study on Comparable Efficacy in the Treatment of Gastroesophageal Reflux-Related Cough.

Acid inhibitors have been considered in treating gastroesophageal reflux-related cough (GERC). Compared to proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), potassium-competitive acid blockers (P-CABs) have more potent and durable effects on anti-acid secretion. However, whether vonoprazan and esomeprazole have different therapeutic effects on GERC remains unknown.

AMG487 alleviates influenza A (H1N1) virus-induced pulmonary inflammation through decreasing IFN-γ-producing lymphocytes and IFN-γ concentrations.

Background And Purpose: Severe influenza virus-infected patients have high systemic levels of Th1 cytokines (including IFN-γ). Intrapulmonary IFN-γ increases pulmonary IFN-γ-producing T lymphocytes through the CXCR3 pathway. Virus-infected mice lacking IP-10/CXCR3 demonstrate lower pulmonary neutrophilic inflammation.

Profile of cough triggers and their relationship with capsaicin cough sensitivity in chronic cough.

Background: Cough hypersensitivity is an important part of the neurophysiology of cough, which presents with increased cough response to a lower level of stimuli or triggers. Classification of stimuli might bring about additional insight into the underlying mechanisms and management.

Objectives: This study investigated the profile of cough triggers in chronic cough patients and their relationship with capsaicin cough sensitivity.

NLRP3 knockout in mice provided protection against Serratia marcescens-induced acute pneumonia by decreasing PD-L1 and PD-1 expression in macrophages.

Antibiotic-resistant Serratia marcescens (Sm) is known to cause bloodstream infections, pneumonia, etc. The nod-like receptor family, pyrin domain-containing 3 (NLRP3), has been implicated in various lung infections. Yet, its role in Sm-induced pneumonia was not well understood.

Profiles of Cough and Associated Risk Factors in Nonhospitalized Individuals With SARS-CoV-2 Omicron Variant Infection: Cross-Sectional Online Survey in China.

Background: Cough is a common symptom during and after COVID-19 infection; however, few studies have described the cough profiles of COVID-19.

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence, severity, and associated risk factors of severe and persistent cough in individuals with COVID-19 during the latest wave of the Omicron variant in China.

Methods: In this nationwide cross-sectional study, we collected information of the characteristics of cough from individuals with infection of the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant using an online questionnaire sent between December 31, 2022, and January 11, 2023.

Sputum Transcriptomics Reveals FCN1+ Macrophage Activation in Mild Eosinophilic Asthma Compared to Non-Asthmatic Eosinophilic Bronchitis.

Purpose: Eosinophilic asthma (EA) and non-asthmatic eosinophilic bronchitis (EB) share similar eosinophilic airway inflammation. Unlike EA, EB did not present airway hyperresponsiveness or airflow obstruction. We aimed to compare the mechanism underlying the different manifestations between EA and EB via sputum transcriptomics analysis.

The Expression of Semaphorin3E in Vagal Ganglion and Lung Tissue Is Related to Airway Hyperresponsiveness in Murine Asthma Model.

Objective: Semaphorin3E (Sema3E) mediates reorganization of the actin cytoskeleton, and plays an important role in ensuring the specificity of synapse formation and angiogenesis. However, the role of Sema3E in allergic asthma (AS) and eosinophilic bronchitis (EB) is still elusive. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between Sema3E in vagal ganglion and lung tissue, airway reactivity, and eosinophilic inflammation.

Consensus goals and standards for specialist cough clinics: the NEUROCOUGH international Delphi study.

Background: Current guidelines on the management of chronic cough do not provide recommendations for the operation of specialist cough clinics. The objective of the present study was to develop expert consensus on goals and standard procedures for specialist cough clinics.

Methods: We undertook a modified Delphi process, whereby initial statements proposed by experts were categorised and presented back to panellists over two ranking rounds using an 11-point Likert scale to identify consensus.

Diagnostic accuracy of blood eosinophils in comparison to other common biomarkers for identifying sputum eosinophilia in patients with chronic cough.

Background: Sputum eosinophilia is a treatable trait for chronic cough. It is currently not clear whether the blood eosinophil counts could be used to identify sputum eosinophilia in patients with chronic cough. This study aimed to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of blood eosinophils in comparison to other common type 2 biomarkers for identifying sputum eosinophilia in patients with chronic cough.

Intrapulmonary IFN-γ instillation causes chronic lymphocytic inflammation in the spleen and lung through the CXCR3 pathway.

Some patients with chronic refractory cough have high levels of pulmonary IFN-γ and IFN-γ-producing T lymphocytes. Pulmonary IFN-γ administration causes acute airway lymphocytic inflammation and cough hypersensitivity by increasing the number of pulmonary IFN-γ-producing T lymphocytes, but these lymphocytes may be recruited from other organs. Intraperitoneal IFN-γ injection can increase the spleen weight of mice.

Cough and cough hypersensitivity as treatable traits of asthma.

Cough is a common and troublesome symptom in people with asthma and is often associated with poorer asthma control and exacerbations. Apart from asthma, other causes or comorbidities might underlie cough in asthma, such as rhinosinusitis and bronchiectasis. Eosinophilic inflammation and bronchoconstriction can lead to an acute episode of cough or worsen chronic cough.

Predictive value of clinical features for anti-reflux therapy response in suspected gastroesophageal reflux-induced chronic cough.

Background: Not all gastroesophageal reflux-induced cough (GERC) patients respond to anti-reflux treatment. It is not certain whether reflux-related symptoms or other clinical characteristics could indicate a successful response to anti-reflux treatment. In this study, we aimed to investigate the relationship between clinical features and anti-reflux response.

Identification of cough-variant asthma phenotypes based on clinical and pathophysiologic data.

Background: Cough-variant asthma (CVA) may respond differently to antiasthmatic treatment. There are limited data on the heterogeneity of CVA.

Objective: We aimed to classify patients with CVA using cluster analysis based on clinicophysiologic parameters and to unveil the underlying molecular pathways of these phenotypes with transcriptomic data of sputum cells.

Intratracheally administered iron oxide nanoparticles induced murine lung inflammation depending on T cells and B cells.

Iron oxide nanoparticles (FeO NPs), produced in track traffic system and a wide range of industrial production, poses a great threat to human health. However, there is little research about the mechanism of FeO NPs toxicity on respiratory system. Rag1 mice which lack functional T and B cells were intratracheally challenged with FeO NPs, and interleukin (IL)-33 as an activator of group 2 innate lymphoid cells (ILC2s) to observe ILC2s changes.

Pulmonary IFN-γ Causes Lymphocytic Inflammation and Cough Hypersensitivity by Increasing the Number of IFN-γ-Secreting T Lymphocytes.

Purpose: Respiratory viral infection increases the number of lung-resident T lymphocytes, which enhance cough sensitivity by producing interferon-γ (IFN-γ). It is poorly understood why IFN-γ-secreting T lymphocytes persist for a long time when the respiratory viruses have been removed.

Methods: Repeated pulmonary administration of IFN-γ and intraperitoneal injection with different inhibitors were used to study the effects of pulmonary IFN-γ in mice and guinea pigs.

Aspergillus tracheobronchitis with Birt-Hogg-Dubè syndrome as a rare cause of chronic cough.

Background: Aspergillus tracheobronchitis (ATB) is confined as a condition of chronic superficial infection of tracheobronchial tree. Its diagnosis is difficult due to atypical manifestations and low detective rate of Aspergillus thus far.

Case Presentation: Herein, we presented a 45-year-old male patient with a sole chronic productive cough for five years referred to our cough specialist clinic.

A multicenter survey on the current status of chronic cough and its impact on quality of life in Guangdong, China.

Background: Chronic cough is a troublesome clinical problem with long-term impacts at the patient level. However, the burden of chronic cough in China is largely unknown. Thus, we performed a multicenter cross-sectional survey on the current status of chronic cough and its impact on quality of life in Guangdong, south China.

Effects of treatment with montelukast alone, budesonide/formoterol alone and a combination of both in cough variant asthma.

Background: Whether cysteinyl-leukotriene receptor antagonists (LTRAs) have a similar antitussive effect to inhaled corticosteroids and long-acting β2-agonist (ICS/LABA), and that LTRA plus ICS/LABA is superior to LTRAs alone or ICS/LABA alone in treating cough variant asthma (CVA) remain unclear. This study aimed to investigate and compare the efficacy of montelukast alone, budesonide/formoterol alone and the combination of both in the treatment of CVA.

Methods: Ninety-nine CVA patients were assigned randomly in a 1:1:1 ratio to receive montelukast (M group: 10 mg, once daily), budesonide/formoterol (BF group: 160/4.

IL-24 Contributes to Neutrophilic Asthma in an IL-17A-Dependent Manner and Is Suppressed by IL-37.

Purpose: Neutrophilic asthma is associated with asthma exacerbation, steroid insensitivity, and severe asthma. Interleukin (IL)-24 is overexpressed in asthma and is involved in the pathogenesis of several allergic inflammatory diseases. However, the role and specific mechanism of IL-24 in neutrophilic asthma are unclear.