Publications by authors named "Thee S"

Background And Objective: Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a global crisis, however, relatively little is known regarding its impact in chronic respiratory disease and the specific challenges faced by healthcare workers across the world in this field. We aimed to assess global healthcare worker views on the challenges they face regarding AMR in chronic respiratory disease.

Methods: An online survey was sent to healthcare workers globally working in chronic respiratory disease through a European Respiratory Society clinical research collaboration (AMR-Lung) focussed on AMR in chronic lung disease.

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The advent of cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) modulator therapy, especially the triple therapy combining the drugs elexacaftor, tezacaftor, ivacaftor (ETI), has significantly changed the course of the disease in people with cystic fibrosis (pwCF). ETI, which is approved for the majority (80-90%) of pwCF, partially restores CFTR channel function, resulting in improved mucociliary clearance and, consequently, improved lung function, respiratory symptoms and pulmonary exacerbations. The bacterial burden of classical CF pathogens such as and is reduced without reaching eradication in the majority of infected patients.

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Carl Flügge is best known for the promotion of studies demonstrating the transmission of all manner of infections, but particularly tuberculosis, by coughed droplets. But it is seldom recognised that Flügge was also influential in a number of other fields comprising the practice of hygiene. One-hundred years following his death in 1923, we review literature related to the studies of Flügge and his colleagues and students and illustrate the particular emphasis he laid upon the environment within which disease and its transmission might be fostered or prevented, embracing and studying aspects essential to the health of any community ranging from fundamental microbiology in the laboratory to subjects as disparate as housing, clean water supply, nutrition, sanitation, socio-economic circumstances and climate.

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Article Synopsis
  • - The study investigated the impact of elexacaftor/tezacaftor/ivacaftor (ETI) on lung health in school-age children (ages 6-11) with cystic fibrosis (CF), specifically looking at lung clearance index (LCI) and lung MRI scores over a year.
  • - A total of 107 children participated, showing significant improvements in LCI and MRI scores three months after starting ETI, with better results for both heterozygous and homozygous mutations.
  • - The findings suggest that early treatment with ETI can enhance lung function and structure, potentially slowing down lung disease progression in children with CF.
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Background: Recently, face mask sampling (FMS) confirmed detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis DNA from exhaled breath in adults with tuberculosis. To date, no study has evaluated the use of FMS to detect pulmonary tuberculosis in children. We developed a method for FMS of M.

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Article Synopsis
  • In patients with cystic fibrosis treated with elexacaftor/tezacaftor/ivacaftor (ETI), significant improvements in sinonasal symptoms and a notable increase in nasal nitric oxide (nNO) levels were observed after several months of treatment.
  • The study involved measuring nNO levels in 25 PwCF-ETI, 7 PwCF-non ETI, and 32 healthy controls, showing that only the treated group experienced a significant rise in nNO levels, reaching the normal range by follow-up.
  • The findings suggest that nNO could be a useful non-invasive biomarker for assessing sinonasal inflammation in cystic fibrosis patients and might correlate
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Background: Pulmonary manifestations are the major cause of morbidity and mortality in patients with inborn errors of immunity (IEI). New and more sensitive diagnostic methods can potentially lead to earlier recognition and treatment of IEI lung disease and improve outcome. The aim of this study was to compare multiple-breath washout (MBW) and spirometry in patients with IEI and cystic fibrosis (CF) as well as healthy controls (HC) and to evaluate the sensitivity of lung clearance index (LCI) to assess lung disease in IEI.

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The COVID-19 pandemic necessitated a rapid shift in clinical research to perform virtual visits and remote endpoint assessments, providing a key opportunity to optimize the use of remote endpoints for clinical trials in cystic fibrosis. The use of remote endpoints could allow more diverse participation in clinical trials while minimizing participant burden but must be robustly evaluated to ensure adequate performance and feasibility. In response, the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation convened the Remote Endpoint Task Force (Supplemental Table 1), a multidisciplinary group of CF researchers with remote endpoint expertise and community members tasked to better understand the current and future use of remote endpoints for clinical research.

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CFTR modulator therapy with elexacaftor/tezacaftor/ivacaftor (ETI) has been approved for people with CF and at least one F508del allele in Europe. In the US, the ETI label has been expanded to 177 rare mutations responsive in Fischer rat thyroid cells, including , but not . However, knowledge on the effect of ETI on G85E or N1303K CFTR function remains limited.

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Article Synopsis
  • Recent studies showed that the triple combination CFTR modulator therapy, elexacaftor/tezacaftor/ivacaftor (ETI), enhances lung function and reduces flare-ups in cystic fibrosis (CF) patients with at least one CFTR allele, but its impact on mucus properties, infection, and inflammation was previously unexplored.
  • This study tracked changes in mucus rheology, microbiome, and inflammation markers in CF patients aged 12 and older over the first year of ETI therapy.
  • Results indicated that ETI significantly improved mucus properties, increased microbiome diversity, and reduced inflammation markers, suggesting ETI positively affects airway health, but did not fully normalize conditions to levels seen in healthy individuals.
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Background: Assessment of T-cell receptor excision circles (TRECs) in dried blood spots of newborns allows the detection of severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) (T cells <300/μL at birth) with a presumed sensitivity of 100%. TREC screening also identifies patients with selected combined immunodeficiency (CID) (T cells >300/μL, yet <1500/μL at birth). Nevertheless, relevant CIDs that would benefit from early recognition and curative treatment pass undetected.

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According to the annual global reports from the Word Health Organization (WHO), children under 15 years of age represent 11% of all cases of tuberculosis (TB) globally. Nearly 50% of these cases are children below 5 years old. This continuing medical education (CME) article provides an overview of the current recommendations and innovations based on the revised WHO guidelines on TB management in children and adolescents published in 2022.

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Background: Suboptimal exposure to antituberculosis (anti-TB) drugs has been associated with unfavourable treatment outcomes. We aimed to investigate estimates and determinants of first-line anti-TB drug pharmacokinetics in children and adolescents at a global level.

Methods: We systematically searched MEDLINE, Embase and Web of Science (1990-2021) for pharmacokinetic studies of first-line anti-TB drugs in children and adolescents.

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During the 1930 Lübeck bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) disaster, 251 neonates received three oral BCG doses accidentally contaminated by virulent ; 67 (26.7%) infants died of tuberculosis. BCG reversion to pathogenicity did not occur.

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The development of protein-protein interaction (PPI) inhibitors has been a successful strategy in drug development. However, the identification of PPI stabilizers has proven much more challenging. Here we report a fragment-based drug screening approach using the regulatory hub-protein 14-3-3 as a platform for identifying PPI stabilizers.

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Background: Before August 2021, the only regimen recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) to treat pediatric drug-susceptible tuberculous meningitis was a 12-month regimen consisting of isoniazid, rifampicin, ethambutol, and pyrazinamide (2HRZE/10HR). The comparative effectiveness of shorter regimens is unknown.

Methods: To inform a WHO guideline update, we undertook a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate outcomes from regimens of 6- to less than 12-months' duration that included, at a minimum, isoniazid, rifampicin, and pyrazinamide.

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Article Synopsis
  • Limited data exists on the treatment outcomes and factors affecting children with tuberculous meningitis (TBM) in Europe, primarily based on adult studies or low-resource environments.
  • The study involved a retrospective analysis of 118 children from 27 pediatric institutions across 9 European countries, revealing that almost half required intensive care, with a significant percentage experiencing long-term complications.
  • Key findings highlighted a diverse use of TB medications and identified various risk factors (like needing surgery and mechanical ventilation) that correlate with worse outcomes, suggesting potential areas for better prognostic assessments in future cases.
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Background: Moxifloxacin is a recommended drug for rifampin-resistant tuberculosis (RR-TB) treatment, but there is limited pediatric pharmacokinetic and safety data, especially in young children. We characterize moxifloxacin population pharmacokinetics and QT interval prolongation and evaluate optimal dosing in children with RR-TB.

Methods: Pharmacokinetic data were pooled from 2 observational studies in South African children with RR-TB routinely treated with oral moxifloxacin once daily.

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Background: Pulmonary invasive aspergillosis is a frequent and life-threatening complication for patients with chronic granulomatous disease (CGD). Despite combined treatment with several groups of antifungal agents, conservative treatment of invasive aspergillosis often remains refractory. Pulmonary invasive aspergillosis is often treated by surgical resection of consolidated lobes or segments, donor granulocyte transfusions and allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT).

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Background: Majority of active tuberculosis (TB) cases in children in low-incidence countries are due to rapid progression of infection (latent TB infection (LTBI)) to disease. We aimed to assess common practice for managing paediatric LTBI in Austria, Germany and Switzerland prior to the publication of the first joint national guideline for paediatric TB in 2017.

Methods: Online-based survey amongst pediatricians, practitioners and staff working in the public health sector between July and November 2017.

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