Background: Although international nontuberculous mycobacterial pulmonary disease (NTM-PD) guidelines highlight symptom presence at diagnosis, the clinical characteristics of asymptomatic Mycobacterium avium complex pulmonary infection (MAC-PI) patients remain understudied. We clarified the clinical characteristics and course of asymptomatic MAC-PI patients.
Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 200 consecutive patients with MAC-PIs and adequate available data who newly met the microbiological and radiological criteria for NTM-PD at Fukujuji Hospital from January 2018 to June 2020. We compared the clinical characteristics and course of asymptomatic patients with symptomatic patients and evaluated factors influencing treatment initiation through multivariate analysis.
Results: 111 patients were symptomatic and 89 were asymptomatic at diagnosis. While the proportion was significantly lower than that in the symptomatic group (28.8 %), 15.7 % of asymptomatic group patients had cavitary lesions (P = 0.042). In the asymptomatic group, treatments were initiated in 38 (42.7 %) patients, and cavitary lesions, a positive acid-fast bacilli smear, and younger age were independent risk factors for treatment initiation. Among 22 (57.9 %) patients who experienced disease progression necessitating treatment during follow-up, 13 (34.2 %) displayed radiological progression without any worsening of symptoms. Agents used for treatment were consistent across the groups, with no significant differences in culture conversion, microbiological recurrence rates, or spontaneous culture conversion rates.
Conclusion: Routine health checkups and radiological examinations can detect clinically important MAC-PIs even in the absence of symptoms. Considering that the clinical course of asymptomatic MAC-PI patients is largely similar to that of symptomatic patients, timely and appropriate management and intervention are essential for all MAC-PI patients.
Download full-text PDF |
Source |
---|---|
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.rmed.2024.107627 | DOI Listing |
J Med Internet Res
January 2025
Department of Health and Community Sciences, University of Exeter Medical School, University of Exeter, Exeter, United Kingdom.
Background: The idea of making science more accessible to nonscientists has prompted health researchers to involve patients and the public more actively in their research. This sometimes involves writing a plain language summary (PLS), a short summary intended to make research findings accessible to nonspecialists. However, whether PLSs satisfy the basic requirements of accessible language is unclear.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Infect Dis
January 2025
Department of Oral and Craniofacial Biology, School of Dentistry, LSU Health New Orleans, USA.
Background: Vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC), caused primarily by Candida albicans, is currently treated with either prescription or over-the-counter antifungal drugs, often with variable efficacy and relapses. New and improved therapeutic strategies, including drug-free treatment alternatives, are needed. Upon overgrowth or environmental triggers, C.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAdv Sci (Weinh)
January 2025
Department of Pharmacy, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, 200032, China.
Pulmonary metastasis represents one of the most prevalent forms of metastasis in advanced melanoma, with mortality rates reaching 70%. Current treatments including chemotherapy, targeted therapy, and immunotherapy frequently exhibit limited efficacy or present high costs. To address these clinical needs, this study presents a biomimetic drug delivery system (Ce6-pTP-CsA) utilizing cryoshocked adipocytes (CsA) encapsulating the prodrug triptolide palmitate (pTP) and the photosensitizer Ce6, exploiting the characteristic of tumor cells to recruit and lipolyze adipocytes for energy.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPLoS Negl Trop Dis
January 2025
Department of Infectious Disease, Peking University Ditan Teaching Hospital, Beijing, China.
Background: Platelet recovery was an important prognostic indicator in severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS). This study focused on risk factors affecting platelet recovery in surviving SFTS patients, which can assist clinicians in the early screening of patients associated with a greater risk of mortality.
Method: We retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of SFTS patients admitted to Yantai Qishan Hospital throughout 2023.
PLoS Negl Trop Dis
January 2025
Department of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Mbale Campus, Busitema University, Mbale City, Uganda.
Introduction: Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) also known as Kala-azar is one of the neglected tropical diseases (NTD) of public health importance. Despite being a disease of a long history, the condition remains poorly studied especially in East Africa. For instance, whereas, the geographical location of the disease is known, there is a stark paucity of data on the burden, risk factors and clinical outcomes of this contribution in Northeastern Uganda.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFEnter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!