Favorable Evolution of Cryptococcal Meningitis in the Context of Flucytosine Resistance.

International audienceCryptococcal meningitis is a critical illness affecting 0.2% to 5% solid-organ transplant recipients with a 40% to 50% mortality. We report the case of a 48-year-old lung transplant recipient, who, 15 months after a right lung graft, kept parakeets and developed meningitis due to Cryptococcus neoformans. Immunosuppressive treatment was based on a quadruple sequential immunosuppressive therapy that included induction therapy with thymoglobulin, followed by corticosteroids, calcineurin inhibitors, and mycophenolate mofetil. Antifungal susceptibility testing of Cryptococcus neoformans showed resistance to flucytosine and intermediate sensitivity to fluconazole. Initial treatment adhered to international guidelines; however, the patient could not tolerate an effective double-antifungal therapy during the first 2 months of treatment. Despite this delayed treatment for an aggressive infection in an immunocompromised patient, the patient survived without relapse and received maintenance treatment with fluconazole during the course of 3 years. Administration of calcineurin inhibitors as immunosuppressive treatment may partly explain this outcome, as this therapeutic class is known to protect from severe forms of cryptococcal meningitis

Concurrence of 1- and 3-Min Sit-to-Stand Tests with the 6-Min Walk Test in Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis

International audienceBackground: In idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), some physiological parameters measured during a 6-min walk test (6-MWT) impart reliable prognostic information. Sit-to-stand tests (STSTs) are field exercise tests that are easier to implement than the 6-MWT in daily practice. Objectives: The aims of the study were to test the reproducibility and compare 2 STSTs (the 1-min STST [1-STST] and the semi-paced 3-min chair rise test [3-CRT]) in IPF, and to determine if selected physiological parameters (speed of displacement and changes in pulse oxygen saturation [SpO2]) are interchangeable between the STSTs and the 6-MWT. Methods: Thirty-three patients with stable IPF were studied in 3 French expert centers. To test reproducibility, intra-class correlations (ICCs) of parameters measured during tests performed 7–14 days apart were calculated. To test interchangeability, the agreement and correlation of physiological responses measured during STSTs and during 6-MWT were studied. Results: Vertical displacements and changes in SpO2 during both STSTs were reproducible, with ICCs ranging from 0.78 [0.63–0.87] to 0.95 [0.92–0.97]. Vertical displacements during 1-STST and 3-CRT were correlated with 6-MWT distance (correlation coefficients (r) of 0.72 and 0.77, respectively; p < 0.001). Similarly, correlations were found between changes in SpO2 measured during the 2 STSTs and the 6-MWT, with coefficients ranging from 0.73 to 0.91 (p < 0.001). Distance walked and SpO2 during 6-MWT were well estimated from vertical displacement and SpO2 during the 2 STSTs, respectively. Conclusion: The correlations found between the 2 STSTs and the 6-MWT suggest that STSTs may be of interest to assess displacement and exercise-induced changes in SpO2 in IPF patients

Synovial fluid proteomic fingerprint: S100A8, S100A9 and S100A12 proteins discriminate rheumatoid arthritis from other inflammatory joint diseases.

International audienceOBJECTIVE: We investigated SF and serum proteomic fingerprints of patients suffering from RA, OA and other miscellaneous inflammatory arthritides (MIAs) in order to identify RA-specific biomarkers. METHODS: SF profiles of 65 patients and serum profiles of 31 patients were studied by surface-enhanced laser desorption and ionization-time-of-flight-mass spectrometry technology. The most discriminating RA biomarkers were identified by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight and their overexpression was confirmed by western blotting and ELISA. RESULTS: Three biomarkers of 10 839, 10 445 and 13 338 Da, characterized as S100A8, S100A12 and S100A9 proteins, were the most up-regulated proteins in RA SF. Their expression was about 10-fold higher in RA SF vs OA SF. S100A8 exhibited a sensitivity of 82% and a specificity of 69% in discriminating RA from other MIAs, whereas S100A12 displayed a sensitivity of 79% and a specificity of 64%. Three peptides of 3351, 3423 and 3465 Da, corresponding to the alpha-defensins-1, -2 and -3, were also shown to differentiate RA from other MIAs with weaker sensitivity and specificity. Levels of S100A12, S100A8 and S100A9 were statistically correlated with the neutrophil count in MIA SF but not in the SF of RA patients. S100A8, S100A9, S100A12 and alpha-defensin expression in serum was not different in the three populations. CONCLUSION: The most enhanced proteins in RA SF, the S100A8, S100A9 and S00A12 proteins, distinguished RA from MIA with high accuracy. Possible implication of resident cells in this increase may play a role in RA physiopathology

Efficacy and safety of rituximab in patients with chronic hypersensitivity pneumonitis (cHP): A retrospective, multicentric, observational study

International audienceBackground: There are chronic forms of hypersensitivity pneumonitis (cHP) that can progress to pulmonary fibrosis. There is no recommended treatment for patients whose respiratory condition continues to deteriorate in spite of antigen avoidance. Whether rituximab may be beneficial to patients with cHP is unknown. The aim of this study was to describe the course of 20 patients with cHP under rituximab therapy.Methods: This retrospective study was conducted from November 2018 to July 2019 in 7 French university hospitals. Forced Vital Capacity (FVC) was measured 6 months before rituximab therapy onset (M - 6), at rituximab onset (M0), and 6 months later (M+6).Results: FVC decreased significantly in the 6 months preceding the introduction of rituximab (65% [44; 112%] at M - 6 versus 59% [39; 102%] at M0; p = 0.0001), but it did not differ significantly from that at 6 months after the introduction of rituximab (61% [38; 99%]). The decline in FVC between M0 and M+6 (-3% [-15; +19%]) was significantly less than between M - 6 and M0 (-8% [-21; 0%]) (p = 0.0002). Between M0 (37% [16; 73%]) and M + 6 (45% [15; 70%]), the median DLCO remained stable (p = 0.12). DLCO improved at M+6 in 5 of the 8 patients (63%) for whom a DLCO value was available at M+6 improved their DLCO.Conclusion: Rituximab seems well tolerated, and may lead to stabilization or improvement of lung function in some patients

Regulator of telomere length 1 ( RTEL1 ) mutations are associated with heterogeneous pulmonary and extra-pulmonary phenotypes

International audienceRegulator of telomere length 1 (RTEL1) mutations have been evidenced in 5-9% of familial pulmonary fibrosis; however, the phenotype of patients with interstitial lung disease (ILD) and RTEL1 mutations is poorly understood.Whole exome sequencing was performed in 252 probands with ILD and we included all patients with ILD and RTEL1 mutation. RTEL1 expression was evaluated by immunochemistry in the lungs of controls, as well as in RTEL1 and telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) mutation carriers.We identified 35 subjects from 17 families. Median age at diagnosis of ILD was 53.1 years (range 28.0-80.6). The most frequent pulmonary diagnoses were idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (n=20, 57%), secondary ILD (n=7, 20%) and unclassifiable fibrosis or interstitial pneumonia with autoimmune features (n=7, 20%). The median transplant-free and overall survival periods were 39.2 months and 45.3 months, respectively. Forced vital capacity at diagnosis was the only factor associated with decreased transplant-free survival. Extra-pulmonary manifestations were less frequent as compared to other telomere-related gene mutation carriers. A systematic analysis of the literature identified 110 patients with ILD and RTEL1 mutations (including this series) and confirmed the heterogeneity of the pulmonary phenotype, the prevalence of non-idiopathic diseases and the low prevalence of extra-pulmonary manifestations.Immunohistochemistry showed that RTEL1 was expressed by bronchial and alveolar epithelial cells, as well as by alveolar macrophages and lymphocytes, but not by fibroblasts

Infections in autoimmune pulmonary alveolar proteinosis: a large retrospective cohort

Background: Autoimmune pulmonary alveolar proteinosis (aPAP) is a rare disease, predisposing to an increased risk of infection. A complete picture of these infections is lacking.Research question: Describe the characteristics and clinical outcomes of patients diagnosed with aPAP, and to identify risk factors associated with opportunistic infections.Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort including all patients diagnosed with aPAP between 2008 and 2018 in France and Belgium. Data were collected using a standardised questionnaire including demographics, comorbidities, imaging features, outcomes and microbiological data.Results: We included 104 patients, 2/3 were men and median age at diagnosis was 45 years. With a median follow-up of 3.4 years (IQR 1.7-6.6 years), 60 patients (58%), developed at least one infection, including 23 (22%) with opportunistic infections. Nocardia spp was the main pathogen identified (n=10). Thirty-five (34%) patients were hospitalised due to infection. In univariate analysis, male gender was associated with opportunistic infections (p=0.04, OR=3.88; 95% CI (1.02 to 22.06)). Anti-granulocyte macrophage colony-stimulating factor antibody titre at diagnosis was significantly higher among patients who developed nocardiosis (1058 (316-1591) vs 580 (200-1190), p=0.01). Nine patients had died (9%), but only one death was related to infection.Interpretation: Patients with aPAP often presented with opportunistic infections, especially nocardiosis, which highlights the importance of systematic search for slow-growing bacteria in bronchoalveolar lavage or whole lung lavage