Waiting List Dynamics and Lung Transplantation Outcomes After Introduction of the Lung Allocation Score in The Netherlands.

Unlabelled: The Netherlands was the third country to adopt the lung allocation score (LAS) for national allocation of donor lungs in April 2014. Evaluations of the introduction of the LAS in the United States and Germany showed mainly beneficial effects, including increased survival after transplantation.

Methods: Data for transplant candidates from 2010 to 2019 were retrieved from the Dutch Transplant Foundation database.

analysis of a randomised controlled trial: effect of vitamin D supplementation on circulating levels of desmosine in COPD.

Background: Vitamin D supplementation lowers exacerbation frequency in severe vitamin D-deficient patients with COPD. Data regarding the effect of vitamin D on elastin degradation are lacking. Based on the vitamin's anti-inflammatory properties, we hypothesised that vitamin D supplementation reduces elastin degradation, particularly in vitamin D-deficient COPD patients.

Serum biomarker CA 15-3 as predictor of response to antifibrotic treatment and survival in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.

Cancer antigen 15-3 (CA 15-3) is a baseline biomarker in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), but its value during follow-up is unknown. Associations between serum CA 15-3 and pulmonary function tests during 1-year follow-up were evaluated by a mixed model in 132 IPF treated with pirfenidone or nintedanib. Increased baseline (median: 56 kU/l) and follow-up CA 15-3 levels were inversely associated with forced vital capacity and diffusing capacity of the lung for carbon monoxide (estimates respectively: -5.

Results of the standard set for pulmonary sarcoidosis: feasibility and multicentre outcomes.

Our study presents findings on a previously developed standard set of clinical outcome data for pulmonary sarcoidosis patients. We aimed to assess whether changes in outcome varied between the different centres and to evaluate the feasibility of collecting the standard set retrospectively. This retrospective observational comparative benchmark study included six interstitial lung disease expert centres based in the Netherlands, Belgium, the UK and the USA.

growth of 60 non-screening detected lung cancers: a computed tomography study.

Current pulmonary nodule management guidelines are based on nodule volume doubling time, which assumes exponential growth behaviour. However, this is a theory that has never been validated in the routine-care target population. This study evaluates growth patterns of untreated solid and subsolid lung cancers of various histologies in a non-screening setting.

Course of SP-D, YKL-40, CCL18 and CA 15-3 in adult patients hospitalised with community-acquired pneumonia and their association with disease severity and aetiology: A post-hoc analysis.

Background And Aim: SP-D, YKL-40, CCL18 and CA 15-3 are pulmonary markers that have been extensively investigated in different chronic pulmonary diseases. However, in acute pulmonary diseases, such as community-acquired pneumonia (CAP), little is known about the course of these markers and their relationship with the aetiological agent. The aim of this study was to investigate the course of these four markers in CAP and to study influence of disease severity, aetiology and antibiotic use prior to admission on their course.

Long-term Clinical Outcome of Antibody Replacement Therapy in Humoral Immunodeficient Adults With Respiratory Tract Infections.

In severe humoral immunodeficiency the indication for antibody replacement therapy (ART) is clear, and supported by several large studies. However, for milder forms of humoral immunodeficiency, the indication for ART is less clear. This is a retrospective cohort study of 87 adults with recurrent respiratory tract infections who received ART.

Long-term Follow-up of Humoral Immune Status in Adult Lung Transplant Recipients.

Background: Lung transplant recipients have an increased risk for infections in the posttransplant period due to immunosuppressive therapy. Protection against infections can be achieved through vaccination, but the optimal vaccination schedule in lung transplant recipients is unknown. Data on long-term immunological follow up and vaccination responses after lung transplantation are scarce.

Genetic loci associated with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease overlap with loci for lung function and pulmonary fibrosis.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a leading cause of mortality worldwide. We performed a genetic association study in 15,256 cases and 47,936 controls, with replication of select top results (P < 5 × 10) in 9,498 cases and 9,748 controls. In the combined meta-analysis, we identified 22 loci associated at genome-wide significance, including 13 new associations with COPD.

Follow-up of CT-derived airway wall thickness: Correcting for changes in inspiration level improves reliability.

Objectives: Airway wall thickness (AWT) is affected by changes in lung volume. This study evaluated whether correcting AWT on computed tomography (CT) for differences in inspiration level improves measurement agreement, reliability, and power to detect changes over time.

Methods: Participants of the Dutch-Belgian lung cancer screening trial who underwent 3-month repeat CT for an indeterminate pulmonary nodule were included.

Efficacy of an mHealth intervention to stimulate physical activity in COPD patients after pulmonary rehabilitation.

Physical inactivity in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is associated with poor health status and increased disease burden. The present study aims to test the efficacy of a previously developed mobile (m)Health intervention to improve or maintain physical activity in patients with COPD after pulmonary rehabilitation.A randomised controlled trial was performed in 32 physiotherapy practices in the Netherlands.

Technology use by older adults in the Netherlands and its associations with demographics and health outcomes.

Information and communications technology (ICT) has the potential to contribute to the quality of life of older adults. The aim of this study was to analyze the use of a broad array of ICT devices and services among Dutch older adults and to determine whether demographics and health outcomes are associated with this use. A questionnaire was dispensed among a group of Dutch older adults (≥65 years).

Cystic Fibrosis-Related Diabetes with strict glycaemic control is not associated with frequent intravenous antibiotics use for pulmonary infections.

Aims: Pulmonary infections are more frequent in and associated with higher mortality in Cystic Fibrosis-Related Diabetes (CFRD) patients compared to CF patients without CFRD. Hyperglycaemia can lead to a higher vulnerability for infections. Aim of the study was to test whether the infection rate in well-controlled CFRD patients was similar to that in CF patients without CFRD.

The association between vitamin D and C-reactive protein levels in patients with inflammatory and non-inflammatory diseases.

Objective: A direct, inverse correlation between 25-hydroxy vitamin D (25(OH) vitamin D) levels and C-reactive protein (CRP), a sensitive biomarker for inflammation, was found in some, but not all, studies. These effects were seen in healthy subjects as well as in some inflammatory diseases.

Design And Methods: CRP and 25(OH) vitamin D data (2011-2013) from 923 in- and outpatients (males/females 340/583; median age: 76years (95% confidence interval (CI): 75-77) were analyzed.

Pulmonary function changes in Navy divers during their professional careers.

Introduction: In divers, conflicting results regarding the development of small airway disease and "large lungs" have been reported.

Purpose: To analyze the changes in pulmonary function over time, the development of "large lungs" and to see whether the pulmonary function deviates from subjects with "non-large lungs."

Methods: It is a longitudinal cohort study from 1983 till 2013 in professional navy divers, in which lung functions tests were performed annually.

Telomere length in interstitial lung diseases.

Background: Interstitial lung disease (ILD) is a heterogeneous group of rare diseases that primarily affect the pulmonary interstitium. Studies have implicated a role for telomere length (TL) maintenance in ILD, particularly in idiopathic interstitial pneumonia (IIP). Here, we measure TL in a wide spectrum of sporadic and familial cohorts of ILD and compare TL between patient cohorts and control subjects.

Chest Computed Tomography-Based Scoring of Thoracic Sarcoidosis: Inter-rater Reliability of CT Abnormalities.

Purpose: To determine inter-rater reliability of sarcoidosis-related computed tomography (CT) findings that can be used for scoring of thoracic sarcoidosis.

Materials And Methods: CT images of 51 patients with sarcoidosis were scored by five chest radiologists for various abnormal CT findings (22 in total) encountered in thoracic sarcoidosis. Using intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC) analysis, inter-rater reliability was analysed and reported according to the Guidelines for Reporting Reliability and Agreement Studies (GRRAS) criteria.

Airway wall thickness associated with forced expiratory volume in 1 second decline and development of airflow limitation.

Airway wall thickness and emphysema contribute to airflow limitation. We examined their association with lung function decline and development of airflow limitation in 2021 male smokers with and without airflow limitation. Airway wall thickness and emphysema were quantified on chest computed tomography and expressed as the square root of wall area of a 10-mm lumen perimeter (Pi10) and the 15th percentile method (Perc15), respectively.

Novel genes for airway wall thickness identified with combined genome-wide association and expression analyses.

Rationale: Airway wall thickness (AWT) is affected by both environmental and genetic factors and is strongly associated with airflow limitation in smaller airways.

Objectives: To investigate the genetic component of AWT.

Methods: AWT was measured on low-dose computed tomography scans in male heavy smokers participating in a lung cancer screening study (n = 2,640).

ACE and sIL-2R correlate with lung function improvement in sarcoidosis during methotrexate therapy.

Introduction: In sarcoidosis, the search for disease activity markers that correlate with treatment response is ongoing. The aim of this study was to investigate the pattern of two proposed markers, serum angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) and soluble IL-2 receptor (sIL-2R) during methotrexate (MTX) therapy in sarcoidosis patients.

Materials And Methods: We analysed 114 sarcoidosis patients who used MTX for six months, consisting of a subgroup of 76 patients with a pulmonary indication for treatment and a subgroup of 38 patients with an extra-pulmonary indication.