Does Systemic Sclerosis-associated Interstitial Lung Disease Burn Out? Specific Phenotypes of Disease Progression.

Rationale: Previous studies have suggested that interstitial lung disease (ILD) progresses most rapidly early in the course of systemic sclerosis-associated (SSc)-ILD, and that SSc-ILD is often more stable or even "burned out" after the first 4 years following diagnosis.

Objectives: Our objectives were to determine whether an apparent plateau in pulmonary function decline is due to survival bias and to identify distinct prognostic phenotypes of ILD progression.

Methods: Consecutive patients with SSc-ILD from a single center were included.

Oesophageal diameter is associated with severity but not progression of systemic sclerosis-associated interstitial lung disease.

Background And Objective: It is unknown whether oesophageal disease is associated with systemic sclerosis-associated interstitial lung disease (SSc-ILD) severity, progression or mortality.

Methods: High-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) scans from 145 SSc-ILD patients were scored for fibrosis score, oesophageal diameter and presence of hiatal hernia. Fibrosis asymmetry was calculated as: (most affected side - least affected side)/(most affected side + least affected side).

Organizing Pneumonia in an Adult With Chronic Recurrent Noninfectious Osteomyelitis: A Case Report and Literature Review.

Chronic recurrent multifocal osteomyelitis (CRMO) is an idiopathic inflammatory disorder primarily of children and adolescents that is characterized by multifocal nonpyogenic relapsing and remitting inflammatory bone lesions. Pulmonary abnormalities are rarely associated with CRMO, with two reported cases of consolidation on chest CT that occurred in children. We present a case of organizing pneumonia in an adult patient with CRMO.

Severity and features of frailty in systemic sclerosis-associated interstitial lung disease.

Background: Systemic sclerosis-associated interstitial lung disease (SSc-ILD) is characterized by multiple symptoms and comorbidities. The cumulative impact of these deficits can be summarized using the concept of frailty; however, frailty has not been characterized in patients with SSc-ILD.

Methods: Patients with SSc-ILD and non-CTD fibrotic ILD were recruited from specialized clinics.

Frailty is common and strongly associated with dyspnoea severity in fibrotic interstitial lung disease.

Background And Objective: Frailty is the age-related accumulation of deficits that decrease the ability to respond to biological stress. Patients with fibrotic interstitial lung disease (ILD) may be frail due to consequences of ILD, age, co-morbidities and adverse effects of pharmacotherapies. The objective of this study was to examine the prevalence and predictors of frailty in fibrotic ILD.

Predictors of mortality and progression in scleroderma-associated interstitial lung disease: a systematic review.

Background: Interstitial lung disease (ILD) is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc); however, prognostication of SSc-associated ILD (SSc-ILD) remains challenging. We conducted a systematic review to identify variables that predict mortality and ILD progression in SSc-ILD.

Methods: Three databases were searched to identify all studies relating to predictors of mortality or ILD progression in SSc-ILD.

Epidemic of lung cancer in patients with HIV infection.

The survival of patients with HIV infection has improved dramatically over the past 20 years, largely owing to a significant reduction in opportunistic infections and AIDs-defining malignancies, such as lymphoma and Kaposi sarcoma. However, with improved survival, patients with HIV are experiencing morbidity and mortality from other (non-AIDs-defining) complications, such as solid organ malignancies. Of these, the leading cause of mortality in the HIV-infected population is lung cancer, accounting for nearly 30% of all cancer deaths and 10% of all non-HIV-related deaths.