[Transbronchial lung cryobiopsy in interstitial lung diseases].

In some cases of interstitial lung disease (ILD), clinical and biological findings associated with CT scan pattern during multidisciplinary discussion (MDD) fail to yield a confident diagnosis. In these cases, histology may be necessary. Transbronchial lung cryobiopsy (TBLC) is a bronchoscopic procedure that has been developed in recent years and currently contributes to diagnostic work-up in patients with ILD.

Controlled donation after circulatory death lung transplantation: Results of the French protocol including in situ abdominal normothermic regional perfusion and ex vivo lung perfusion.

Background: The French national protocol for controlled donation after circulatory determination of death (cDCD) includes normothermic regional perfusion (NRP) in case of abdominal organ procurement and additional ex-vivo lung perfusion (EVLP) before considering lung transplantation (LT).

Methods: We made a retrospective study of a prospective registry that included all donors considered for cDCD LT from the beginning of the program in May 2016 to November 2021.

Results: One hundred grafts from 14 donor hospitals were accepted by 6 LT centers.

Incidence and risk factors of anastomotic complications after lung transplantation.

Background: Anastomotic complications are common after lung transplantation (1.4-33% of cases) and still associated with a high morbi-mortality.

Methods: The current study is a monocenter retrospective analysis of symptomatic anastomotic complications (SAC) occurring after lung transplantation between 2010 and 2016, using the macroscopic, diameter, and suture (M-D-S) classification from consensus of French experts in bronchoscopy.

Celsior crystalloid cardioplegia versus standard hyperkalemic normothermic blood cardioplegia: Analysis of myocardial protection in elective mitral valve repair.

Introduction: With the increase and refinement of video assisted mitral valve surgery, cristalloïd cardioplegia started regaining popularity. The aim of our study was to evaluate the effectiveness of Celsior, a crystalloid cardioplegic solution, on myocardial protection in elective surgical mitral valve repair in comparison to blood based hyperkalemic cardioplegia.

Methods: In this observational retrospective study, all consecutive elective isolated surgical mitral valve repair where Celsior or normothermic hyperkalemic blood cardioplegia were used were included.

A heart transplant after total artificial heart support: initial and long-term results.

Objectives: At our centre, the SynCardia temporary Total Artificial Heart (TAH-t) (SynCardia Systems, LLC, Tucson, AZ, USA) is used to provide long-term support for patients with biventricular failure as a bridge to a transplant. However, a heart transplant (HT) after such support remains challenging. The aim of this retrospective study was to assess the immediate and long-term results following an HT in the cohort of patients who had a TAH-t implant.

Blood CD9 B cell, a biomarker of bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome after lung transplantation.

Bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome is the main limitation for long-term survival after lung transplantation. Some specific B cell populations are associated with long-term graft acceptance. We aimed to monitor the B cell profile during early development of bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome after lung transplantation.

Blood Gene Expression Predicts Bronchiolitis Obliterans Syndrome.

Bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome (BOS), the main manifestation of chronic lung allograft dysfunction, leads to poor long-term survival after lung transplantation. Identifying predictors of BOS is essential to prevent the progression of dysfunction before irreversible damage occurs. By using a large set of 107 samples from lung recipients, we performed microarray gene expression profiling of whole blood to identify early biomarkers of BOS, including samples from 49 patients with stable function for at least 3 years, 32 samples collected at least 6 months before BOS diagnosis (prediction group), and 26 samples at or after BOS diagnosis (diagnosis group).

TLR3 promotes MMP-9 production in primary human airway epithelial cells through Wnt/β-catenin signaling.

Background: Airway epithelial cells (AEC) act as the first line of defence in case of lung infections. They constitute a physical barrier against pathogens and they participate in the initiation of the immune response. Yet, the modalities of pathogen recognition by AEC and the consequences on the epithelial barrier remain poorly documented.

T Cells Promote Bronchial Epithelial Cell Secretion of Matrix Metalloproteinase-9 via a C-C Chemokine Receptor Type 2 Pathway: Implications for Chronic Lung Allograft Dysfunction.

Chronic lung allograft dysfunction (CLAD) is the major limitation of long-term survival after lung transplantation. CLAD manifests as bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome (BOS) or restrictive allograft syndrome (RAS). Alloimmune reactions and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition have been suggested in BOS.

Tissue remodelling in chronic bronchial diseases: from the epithelial to mesenchymal phenotype.

Airway remodelling is a critical feature of chronic bronchial diseases, characterised by aberrant repair of the epithelium and accumulation of fibroblasts, which contribute to extracellular matrix (ECM) deposition resulting in fixed bronchial obstruction. Recently, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) has been identified as a new source of fibroblasts that could contribute to the remodelling of the airways. This phenomenon consists of the loss of the epithelial phenotype by bronchial epithelial cells and the acquisition of a mesenchymal phenotype.

Identifying alternative hyper-splicing signatures in MG-thymoma by exon arrays.

Background: The vast majority of human genes (>70%) are alternatively spliced. Although alternative pre-mRNA processing is modified in multiple tumors, alternative hyper-splicing signatures specific to particular tumor types are still lacking. Here, we report the use of Affymetrix Human Exon Arrays to spot hyper-splicing events characteristic of myasthenia gravis (MG)-thymoma, thymic tumors which develop in patients with MG and discriminate them from colon cancer changes.

The thymic theme of acetylcholinesterase splice variants in myasthenia gravis.

Cholinergic signaling and acetylcholinesterase (AChE) influence immune response and inflammation. Autoimmune myasthenia gravis (MG) is mediated by antibodies to the acetylcholine receptor and current therapy is based on anti-AChE drugs. MG is associated with thymic hyperplasia, showing signs of inflammation.

Increased expression of adhesion molecules (ICAM-1 and LFA-1) on alveolar macrophages from asthmatic patients.

In the airways inflammation observed in asthma, activated macrophages are present in increased numbers. Adhesion molecules are required for the cell:cell contacts between leukocytes and endothelial cells or other leukocytes, and they are induced by inflammatory stimuli. We studied the expression of two adhesion molecules (ICAM-1 and LFA-1) on alveolar macrophages recovered by bronchoalveolar lavage from 11 normal subjects and 13 asthmatic patients by using immunocytochemistry.

Activation by histamine of bronchial epithelial cells from nonasthmatic subjects.

Histamine is a major mediator of the mast cells that are present between epithelial cells in asthma. In asthma, there is an increased expression of ICAM-1 and HLA-DR and an increased spontaneous release of fibronectin. The effect of histamine was tested on bronchial epithelial cells obtained by bronchial brushing from 22 nonasthmatic subjects.

[Illusion of visual tilt: a case].

A 21-year-old man experienced sudden and intense rotational vertigo. A moment later, he was amazed to see the whole visual world rotate clockwise progressively by about 160 degrees. On the following day, the visual tilt was only 30 degrees, and it soon receded completely, while headache appeared.

Double-blind comparison of ketoprofen and placebo in the treatment of sprains and strains.

Sixty patients (42 men and 18 women between the ages of 18 and 37 years) with grade 2 or grade 3 sprains or elongations participated in a seven-day double-blind study. By random determination, they were treated with either 100 mg of ketoprofen or placebo TID. Pain evaluation, vital signs, concomitant medication, and side effects were determined on days 1,3, and 7.