Airway inflammation in aluminium potroom asthma

Aims: To examine whether asthma induced by exposure to aluminium potroom emissions (potroom asthma) is associated with inflammatory changes in the airways. Methods: Bronchial biopsy specimens from 20 asthmatic workers (8 non-smokers and 12 smokers), 15 healthy workers (8 non-smokers and 7 smokers), and 10 non-exposed controls (all non-smokers) were analysed. Immunohistofluorescent staining was performed to identify mucosal total leucocytes (CD45(+) leucocytes), neutrophils, and mast cells. Results: Median RBM thickness was significantly increased in both asthmatic workers (8.2 µm) and healthy workers (7.4 µm) compared to non-exposed controls (6.7 µm). Non-smoking asthmatic workers had significantly increased median density of lamina propria CD45(+) leucocytes (1519 cells/mm(2)v 660 and 887 cells/mm(2)) and eosinophils (27 cells/mm(2)v 10 and 3 cells/mm(2)) and significantly increased concentrations of exhaled NO (18.1 ppb v 6.5 and 5.1 ppb) compared to non-smoking healthy workers and non-exposed controls. Leucocyte counts and exhaled NO concentrations varied with smoking habits and fewer leucocytes were observed in asthmatic smokers than in non-smokers Asthmatic smokers had significantly increased numbers of eosinophils in lamina propria compared to non-exposed controls (10 v 3 cells/mm(2)). Both eosinophilic and non-eosinophilic phenotypes of asthma were recognised in the potroom workers and signs of airway inflammation were also observed in healthy workers. Conclusions: Airway inflammation is a central feature of potroom asthma and exposure to potroom emissions induces pathological alterations similar to those described in other types of asthma. Cigarette smoking seems to affect the underlying mechanisms involved in asthma, as the cellular composition of airway mucosa appears different in asthmatic smokers and non-smokers

Lung transplantation for bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome after allo-SCT

Chronic GVHD (cGVHD) associated bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome (BOS) is a serious complication after allo-SCT, and lung transplantation (LTx) may be the ultimate treatment option. To evaluate this treatment, data on all patients with LTx after allo-SCT ever performed in Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Finland were recorded and compared with survival data from the Scandiatransplant registry. In total, LTx after allo-SCT had been performed in 13 patients. Allo-SCT was done because of AML (n = 6), CML (n = 3), ALL (n = 2), immunodeficiency (n = 1) and aplastic anemia (n = 1). All developed clinical cGVHD, with median interval from allo-SCT to LTx of 8.2 (0.7-16) years. Median age at LTx was 34 (16-55) years, and the median postoperative observation time was 4.2 (0.1-15) years. Two patients died, one due to septicemia, the other of relapsing leukemia, after 2 and 14 months, respectively. Four developed BOS, one of these was retransplanted. The survival did not significantly differ from the survival in matched LTx controls, being 90% 1 year and 75% 5 years after LTx compared with 85% and 68% in the controls. We therefore suggest that LTx may be considered in carefully selected patients with BOS due to cGVHD after allo-SCT