Association between asthma control and bronchial hyperresponsiveness and airways inflammation: a cross-sectional study in daily practice.

Summary Background The primary end-point in the management of asthma is to obtain optimal control. The aim of this study was to assess the relationships between the markers of airway inflammation (sputum eosinophilia and exhaled nitric oxide), bronchial hyperresponsiveness (BHR) and asthma control. Methods One hundred and thirty-four patients were recruited from our asthma clinic between January 2004 and September 2005 [mean age: 42 years, mean forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV(1)): 86% predicted]. Eighty-six of them were treated by inhaled corticosteroids, 99 were atopic and 23 were current smokers. They all underwent detailed investigations including fractional-exhaled nitric oxide (FE(NO)) measurement, sputum induction and methacholine challenge when FEV(1) was >70% predicted, and filled in a validated asthma control questionnaire (ACQ6 Juniper). Results When dividing patients into the three groups according to their level of asthma control determined by ACQ [well-controlled asthma (ACQ score /=1.5)], it appeared that uncontrolled asthmatics had a greater BHR to methacholine and sputum eosinophilia than controlled asthma (P/=1.5) from controlled and borderline (ACQ<1.5) asthma, sputum eosinophilia and methacholine responsiveness were found to be more accurate than FE(NO) (area under the curve: 0.72, 0.72 and 0.59, respectively). Conclusion In a broad spectrum of asthmatics encountered in clinical practice, sputum eosinophilia and methacholine bronchial hyperresponsiveness, but not FE(NO), are associated with uncontrolled asthma.Peer reviewe

Clinical case of the month. MacLeod syndrome

peer reviewedMacLeod syndrome is a rare cause of localized hypertransradiancy of the lung. This syndrome is defined by radiological features: localized hypertransradiancy due to oligemia and presence of air-trapping on expiratory chest radiography. Involvement of one entire lung is called "unilateral hyperlucent lung". Whereas the etiology is different, the physiopathology is probably identical to that of the panacinar emphysema of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The syndrome is believed to be related to acute bronchiolitis during infancy. Clinical manifestations and prognosis depend mainly on the presence of other lesions due to the same infectious agent like bronchiectasis. Pulmonary function tests, chest CT-scan, ventilation and perfusion scintigraphy and, if necessary, bronchoscopy help the differential diagnosis and detect associated bronchiectasis

Asthma and COPD Are Not Risk Factors for ICU Stay and Death in Case of SARS-CoV2 Infection

BACKGROUND: Asthmatics and patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) have more severe outcomes with viral infections than people without obstructive disease. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate if obstructive diseases are risk factors for intensive care unit (ICU) stay and death due to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID19). METHODS: We collected data from the electronic medical record from 596 adult patients hospitalized in University Hospital of Liege between March 18 and April 17, 2020, for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV2) infection. We classified patients into 3 groups according to the underlying respiratory disease, present before the COVID19 pandemic. RESULTS: Among patients requiring hospitalization for COVID19, asthma and COPD accounted for 9.6% and 7.7%, respectively. The proportions of asthmatics, patients with COPD, and patients without obstructive airway disease hospitalized in the ICU were 17.5%, 19.6%, and 14%, respectively. One-third of patients with COPD died during hospitalization, whereas only 7.0% of asthmatics and 13.6% of patients without airway obstruction died due to SARS-CoV2. The multivariate analysis showed that asthma, COPD, inhaled corticosteroid treatment, and oral corticosteroid treatment were not independent risk factors for ICU admission or death. Male gender (odds ratio [OR]: 1.9; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.1-3.2) and obesity (OR: 8.5; 95% CI: 5.1-14.1) were predictors of ICU admission, whereas male gender (OR 1.9; 95% CI: 1.1-3.2), older age (OR: 1.9; 95% CI: 1.6-2.3), cardiopathy (OR: 1.8; 95% CI: 1.1-3.1), and immunosuppressive diseases (OR: 3.6; 95% CI: 1.5-8.4) were independent predictors of death. CONCLUSION: Asthma and COPD are not risk factors for ICU admission and death related to SARS-CoV2 infection

Exhaled nitric oxide thresholds associated with a sputum eosinophil count >=3% in a cohort of unselected patients with asthma.

Background It has been claimed that exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) could be regarded as a surrogate marker for sputum eosinophil count in patients with asthma. However, the FeNO threshold value that identifies a sputum eosinophil count >/=3% in an unselected population of patients with asthma has been poorly studied. Methods This retrospective study was conducted in 295 patients with asthma aged 15-84&emsp14;years recruited from the asthma clinic of University Hospital of Liege. Receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curve and logistic regression analysis were used to assess the relationship between sputum eosinophil count and FeNO, taking into account covariates such as inhaled corticosteroids (ICS), smoking, atopy, age and sex. Results Derived from the ROC curve, FeNO >/=41&emsp14;ppb gave 65% sensitivity and 79% specificity (AUC=0.777, p=0.0001) for identifying a sputum eosinophil count >/=3%. Using logistic regression analysis, a threshold of 42&emsp14;ppb was found to discriminate between eosinophilic and non-eosinophilic asthma (p/=1000&emsp14;mug beclometasone) had a significantly lower FeNO threshold (27&emsp14;ppb) than the rest of the group (48&emsp14;ppb, p/=3% with reasonable accuracy and thresholds which vary according to dose of ICS, smoking and atopy

Cysteinyl-Leukotrienes: Important Mediators in Asthma

peer reviewe

Impact of a shift in treatment funding on a multidisciplinary sleep clinic: a cohort study.

Multidisciplinary Sleep Clinics for sleep apnea have long existed, bringing together neurologists, sleep specialists, dentists, orthodontists and surgeons. In Belgium, a shift in funding for obstructive sleep apnea treatment was implemented from January 1st, 2017. Funding was allowed for moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea and the rules shifted for treatments delivery and monitoring by authorised medical opinion. We aimed to assess whether a shift in treatment funding was associated with a change in the multidisciplinary sleep practice. Sample consisted of all patients discussed in the sleep multidisciplinary team meetings of the University Hospital of Liege from January 2016 to December 2018. Interrupted times series, Mann-Whitney U tests and descriptive statistics were produced. There were no differences in patients age, male sex preponderance, body mass index, clinical presentation and level of obstruction. Baseline obstructive sleep apnea severity was significantly lower (mean apnea-hypopnea index and mean oxygen desaturation index lowered with p = 0.0189 and p = 0.0466, respectively) after the funding rules changed. Oral appliance and ENT surgery were more often offered after the shift in funding. The key changes of the new funding rules for obstructive sleep apnea were reflected in the patient selection and management by sleep multidisciplinary team meeting. Funding terms could influence the care we give, not only in treatment options, but also in patients selection

Impact of the European Union directive on driving licences on a Multidisciplinary Sleep Clinic: a Cohort Study

Introduction: The threat of Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) for motor vehicle accident has led to a revision of annex III of the European Union directive on driving licences that was implemented in all member states from December 31, 2015. In Belgium, it was followed by a shift in funding for OSA from January 1, 2017. Funding was allowed for moderate to severe OSA and the rules shifted for treatments delivery and monitoring by authorised medical opinion. Multidisciplinary Sleep Clinics have long existed, bringing together sleep specialists, dentists, orthodontists and surgeons. We aimed to assess whether a shift in treatment funding was associated with a change in the multidisciplinary sleep practice. Material and Methods: Sample consisted of all patients discussed in the sleep multidisciplinary team meetings of the University Hospital of Liege from January 2016 to December 2018. Interrupted times series, Mann-Whitney U tests and descriptive statistics were produced. Results: There were no differences in patients age, male sex preponderance, body mass index, clinical presentation and level of obstruction. Baseline OSA severity was significantly lower (mean apnea-hypopnea index and mean oxygen desaturation index lowered respectively with p = 0.0189 and p = 0.0466) after the funding rules changed. Oral appliance and ENT surgery were more often offered after the shift in funding. Conclusion: Sleep multidisciplinary team meeting changed patient selection and management after the implementation of the new funding rules for OSA. The shift in funding often resulted in treatment options change, reaching more people and offering more options

Impact of a Shift in Treatment Funding on a Multidisciplinary Sleep Clinic: a Cohort Study

peer reviewedIntroduction and Aim: A shift in Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) funding was implemented in Belgium on January 1, 2017. Funding was allowed for moderate to severe OSA and the rules shifted for treatments delivery and monitoring by authorised medical opinion. Multidisciplinary Sleep Clinics have long existed, bringing together sleep specialists, dentists, orthodontists and surgeons. We aimed to assess whether a shift in treatment funding was associated with a change in the multidisciplinary sleep practice. Material and Methods: Sample consisted of all patients discussed in the sleep multidisciplinary team meetings of the University Hospital of Liege from January 2016 to December 2018. Interrupted times series, Mann-Whitney U tests and descriptive statistics were produced. Results: There were no differences in patients age, male sex preponderance, body mass index, clinical presentation and level of obstruction. Baseline OSA severity was significantly lower (mean apnea-hypopnea index and mean oxygen desaturation index lowered respectively with p = 0.0189 and p = 0.0466) after the funding rules changed. Oral appliance and ENT surgery were more often offered after the shift in funding. Conclusion: Sleep multidisciplinary team meeting changed patient selection and management after the implementation of the new funding rules for OSA. The shift in funding often resulted in treatment options change, reaching more people and offering more options

Nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region as a universal DNA barcode marker for Fungi

Six DNA regions were evaluated as potential DNA barcodes for Fungi, the second largest kingdom of eukaryotic life, by a multinational, multilaboratory consortium. The region of the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 used as the animal barcode was excluded as a potential marker, because it is difficult to amplify in fungi, often includes large introns, and can be insufficiently variable. Three subunits from the nuclear ribosomal RNA cistron were compared together with regions of three representative protein-coding genes (largest subunit of RNA polymerase II, second largest subunit of RNA polymerase II, and minichromosome maintenance protein). Although the protein-coding gene regions often had a higher percent of correct identification compared with ribosomal markers, low PCR amplification and sequencing success eliminated them as candidates for a universal fungal barcode. Among the regions of the ribosomal cistron, the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region has the highest probability of successful identification for the broadest range of fungi, with the most clearly defined barcode gap between inter- and intraspecific variation. The nuclear ribosomal large subunit, a popular phylogenetic marker in certain groups, had superior species resolution in some taxonomic groups, such as the early diverging lineages and the ascomycete yeasts, but was otherwise slightly inferior to the ITS. The nuclear ribosomal small subunit has poor species-level resolution in fungi. ITS will be formally proposed for adoption as the primary fungal barcode marker to the Consortium for the Barcode of Life, with the possibility that supplementary barcodes may be developed for particular narrowly circumscribed taxonomic groups