Factors associated with interstitial lung disease and the progressive fibrosing phenotype in rheumatoid arthritis-related interstitial lung disease.

Background: The risk factors for interstitial lung disease (ILD) in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) are inconsistent among previous studies. Furthermore, the factors associated with the emergence of the recently defined progressive fibrosing (PF) phenotype are unknown. Herein, we analyze the risk factors for ILD in RA.

Albumin orchestrates a natural host defense mechanism against mucormycosis.

Mucormycosis is an emerging, life-threatening human infection caused by fungi of the order Mucorales. Metabolic disorders uniquely predispose an ever-expanding group of patients to mucormycosis via poorly understood mechanisms. Therefore, it is highly likely that uncharacterized host metabolic effectors confer protective immunity against mucormycosis.

A decision tree analysis to evaluate the optimal approach to screen allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis in asthmatic patients.

Background: Various methods are available to screen for allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA) in asthma, but their comparative performance remains uncertain.

Objectives: To identify the optimal screening algorithm for ABPA in asthmatic patients and evaluate the crude cost of various diagnostic approaches.

Methods: We performed a post hoc analysis of prospectively collected data from consecutive adult asthmatic patients evaluated for ABPA.

Clinical Significance of Aspergillus Sensitisation in Chronic Pulmonary Aspergillosis.

Objective: Aspergillus sensitisation (AS) is seen in many patients with chronic pulmonary aspergillosis (CPA). However, the clinical relevance of AS in CPA remains unclear. In this study, we assess the clinical significance of AS in CPA.