Project description:ObjectiveOur aim was to investigate the effectiveness and tolerability of antifibrotics in a real-world cohort of patients with rheumatoid arthritis-associated interstitial lung diseases (RA-ILD).MethodsIn this retrospective cohort study, we identified RA-ILD patients initiating antifibrotics at Mass General Brigham Integrated Health Care System, a large multi-hospital healthcare system in Boston, MA, USA. We used electronic query to identify all patients with at least 2 RA diagnosis codes and a prescription for either nintedanib or pirfenidone (2014-2023). All analyzed patients met 2010 American College of Rheumatology/European Alliance of Associations for Rheumatology classification criteria for RA and had definite RA-ILD according to Bongartz criteria. Data regarding pulmonary function test (PFT) results, adverse events (AEs), tolerability, and clinical data were collected. A linear mixed model with random intercept was used to compare the within-patient trajectory of the percent predicted forced vital capacity (FVCpp) within 18-months before to 18-months after antifibrotic initiation among those with these PFT data. Lung transplant-free survival and drug retention was estimated in a Kaplan-Meier analysis and a Cox regression analysis was performed to identify independent baseline factors associated with lung transplant or mortality.ResultsWe analyzed 74 patients with RA-ILD that initiated antifibrotics (mean age 67.8 years, 53 % male); 40 patients initiated nintedanib and 34 initiated pirfenidone. Median follow-up was 89 weeks (min 4, max 387). There was a significant improvement in the estimated slope of FVCpp after antifibrotic initiation (-0.3 % per year after initiation compared to -6.2 % per year before antifibrotic initiation, p = 0.03). Nintedanib and pirfenidone had similar FVCpp trajectory. Twenty-six patients (35 %) died and 4 (5 %) had undergone lung transplantation during follow-up. Male sex and heavy smoking were each associated with the composite outcome of lung transplant or mortality. AEs were reported in 41 (55 %) patients, with gastrointestinal (GI) AEs being most common (n = 30). The initial antifibrotic was discontinued in 34 (46 %) patients mostly due to GI AEs (n = 19). The median drug retention time was 142 weeks (95 %CI 56, 262) with no difference between nintedanib and pirfenidone (p = 0.68).ConclusionIn this first real-world study of antifibrotic use dedicated to RA-ILD, antifibrotic initiation was associated with a modestly improved trajectory of FVCpp. AEs were frequently reported, particularly GI, and discontinuation was common. However, lung transplant and mortality rates were still high, emphasizing the need for further therapeutic strategies in patients with severe RA-ILD. These real-world data complement previous trial data that investigated efficacy and safety.
Project description:Purpose: To investigate molecular mechanisms of SARS-CoV-2-induced mucin expression and synthesis and test candidate countermeasures. Methods: Bulk RNA-seq was performed on well-differentiated human bronchial epithelial (HBE) cell culture lysates with/without SARS-CoV-2 inoculation. Results: SARS-CoV-2-infected HBE cultures exhibited peak titers 3 days post inoculation, whereas induction of MUC5B/MUC5AC peaked 7-14 days post inoculation. Conclusions: SARS-CoV-2-infection to HBE culture causes mucus goblet cell metaplasia and increased expression of MUC5B-dominated mucin overproduction.
Project description:The antifibrotic therapies nintedanib and pirfenidone were first approved by the United States for the treatment of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis in 2014. In 2020, nintedanib received U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for the treatment of all progressive fibrosing interstitial lung disease (ILD). Given that a major cause of mortality and morbidity in the idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (IIM) is progressive interstitial lung disease and respiratory failure, antifibrotic therapies may be useful as adjuvant to traditional immunosuppression. However, randomized controlled trials of antifibrotic therapies in IIM are lacking. The purpose of this review is to (1) summarize the mechanism of action of nintedanib and pirfenidone in ILD with possible role in IIM-ILD, (2) review the clinical data supporting their use in interstitial lung disease in general, and more specifically in connective tissue disease associated ILD, and (3) discuss the evidence and remaining challenges for using antifibrotic therapies in IIM-ILD.
Project description:The major pulmonary complication of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is interstitial lung disease (ILD), which causes significant morbidity and mortality and influences the natural course of disease. Recent advances in the management of arthritis have improved patient outcomes. However, exceptionally high medical needs still remain for effective therapies for the patients with ILD in RA. Better understanding of the shared and distinct pathophysiology of fibrotic diseases led to the development of novel antifibrotic agents such as nintedanib and pirfenidone. The further stratification analysis of the phase III INBUILD trial demonstrated beneficial effects of nintedanib in RA-ILD with a progressive phenotype by reducing the rate of decline in forced vital capacity (FVC) over 52 weeks by 60%. Pirfenidone is another antifibrotic agent currently under phase II clinical study (TRAIL1) aiming to evaluate its effects for RA-ILD. This review provides an overview of state-of-the-art pathogenesis and the current therapeutic options for RA-ILD, with a focus on antifibrotic strategies.
Project description:SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for COVID-19, causes widespread damage in the lungs in the setting of an overzealous immune response whose origin remains unclear. We present a scalable, propagable, personalized, cost-effective adult stem cell-derived human lung organoid model that is complete with both proximal and distal airway epithelia. Monolayers derived from adult lung organoids (ALOs), primary airway cells, or hiPSC-derived alveolar type-II (AT2) pneumocytes were infected with SARS-CoV-2 to create in vitro lung models of COVID-19. Infected ALO-monolayers best recapitulated the transcriptomic signatures in diverse cohorts of COVID-19 patient-derived respiratory samples. The airway (proximal) cells were critical for sustained viral infection, whereas distal alveolar differentiation (AT2→AT1) was critical for mounting the overzealous host immune response in fatal disease; ALO monolayers with well-mixed proximodistal airway components recapitulated both. Findings validate a human lung model of COVID-19 , which can be immediately utilized to investigate COVID-19 pathogenesis and vet new therapies and vaccines.
Project description:The causative organism, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), exhibits a wide spectrum of clinical manifestations in disease-ridden patients. Differences in the severity of COVID-19 ranges from asymptomatic infections and mild cases to the severe form, leading to acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and multiorgan failure with poor survival. MiRNAs can regulate various cellular processes, including proliferation, apoptosis, and differentiation, by binding to the 3′UTR of target mRNAs inducing their degradation, thus serving a fundamental role in post-transcriptional repression. Alterations of miRNA levels in the blood have been described in multiple inflammatory and infectious diseases, including SARS-related coronaviruses. We used microarrays to delineate the miRNAs and snoRNAs signature in the peripheral blood of severe COVID-19 cases (n=9), as compared to mild (n=10) and asymptomatic (n=10) patients, and identified differentially expressed transcripts in severe versus asymptomatic, and others in severe versus mild COVID-19 cases. A cohort of 29 male age-matched patients were selected. All patients were previously diagnosed with COVID-19 using TaqPath COVID-19 Combo Kit (Thermo Fisher Scientific, Waltham, Massachusetts), or Cobas SARS-CoV-2 Test (Roche Diagnostics, Rotkreuz, Switzerland), with a CT value < 30. Additional criterion for selection was age between 35 and 75 years. Participants were grouped into severe, mild and asymptomatic. Classifying severe cases was based on requirement of high-flow oxygen support and ICU admission (n=9). Whereas mild patients were identified based on symptoms and positive radiographic findings with pulmonary involvement (n=10). Patients with no clinical presentation were labelled as asymptomatic cases (n=10).
Project description:To understand and analyse the global impact of COVID-19 on outpatient services, inpatient care, elective surgery, and perioperative colorectal cancer care, a DElayed COloRectal cancer surgery (DECOR-19) survey was conducted in collaboration with numerous international colorectal societies with the objective of obtaining several learning points from the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on our colorectal cancer patients which will assist us in the ongoing management of our colorectal cancer patients and to provide us safe oncological pathways for future outbreaks.
Project description:Delivering lung cancer care during the COVID-19 pandemic has posed significant and ongoing challenges. There is a lack of published COVID-19 and lung cancer evidence-based reviews, including for the whole patient pathway. We searched for COVID-19 and lung cancer publications and brought together a multidisciplinary group of stakeholders to review and comment on the evidence and challenges. A rapid review of the literature was undertaken up to 28 October 2020, producing 144 papers, with 113 full texts screened. We focused on new primary data collection (qualitative or quantitative evidence) and excluded case reports, editorials and commentaries. Following exclusions, 15 published papers were included in the review and are summarised. They included one qualitative paper and 14 quantitative studies (surveys or cohort studies), with a total of 2295 lung cancer patients data included (mean study size 153 patients; range 7-803). Review of current evidence and commentary included awareness and help-seeking; lung cancer screening; primary care assessment and referral; diagnosis and treatment in secondary care, including oncology and surgery; patient experience and palliative care. Cross-cutting themes and challenges were identified using qualitative methods for patients, healthcare professionals and service delivery, with a clear need for continued studies to guide evidence-based decision-making.
Project description:With the recent licensure of mRNA vaccines against COVID-19 in the 5- to 11-year-old age group, the public health impact of a childhood immunization campaign is of interest. Using a mathematical epidemiological model, we project that childhood vaccination carries minimal risk and yields modest public health benefits. These include large relative reductions in child morbidity and mortality, although the absolute reduction is small because these events are rare. Furthermore, the model predicts "altruistic" absolute reductions in adult cases, hospitalizations, and mortality. However, vaccinating children to benefit adults should be considered from an ethical as well as a public health perspective. From a global health perspective, an additional ethical consideration is the justice of giving priority to children in high-income settings at low risk of severe disease while vaccines have not been made available to vulnerable adults in low-income settings. IMPORTANCE Countries have recently begun implementation of childhood vaccination against SARS-CoV-2 with the Pfizer/BioNTech mRNA vaccine in children 5 to 11 years of age. Because SARS-CoV-2 disease severity is remarkably age dependent, vaccinating children may have modest public health benefits, relative to the unequivocal benefit of vaccinating vulnerable older adults. Furthermore, vaccinating children to "altruistically" increase herd immunity should be considered from an ethical as well as a public health perspective. An additional question is related to global social justice: should priority be given to vaccinating children in high-income settings while older adult populations in low-resource settings have limited access to vaccine? To address the risks and benefits of childhood vaccination, we provide a balanced commentary, supported by a mathematical epidemiological model, using Australia and Alberta, Canada, as case studies. We give highlights of the modeling findings in the commentary and include details in the supplemental materials for interested readers.