Project description:Interstitial lung diseases (ILD) on the whole have variable prognoses, but there are those which manifest with fibrosis and are characterized by disease progression. Chief among these is idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, but other ILDs, including autoimmune ILD and chronic hypersensitivity pneumonitis, may have a progressive fibrotic phenotype also. A usual interstitial pneumonia pattern of lung involvement is a prominent risk factor for such a course, suggesting shared fibrotic pathways that may be targeted by antifibrotic therapies. This brief review describes ILDs that are most commonly fibrotic, shared risk factors for development of PF-ILD, and evidence for antifibrotic use in their management.
Project description:BackgroundDehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) is a precursor sex hormone with antifibrotic properties. The aims of this study were to investigate antifibrotic mechanisms of DHEA, and to determine the relationship between DHEA-sulfate (DHEAS) plasma levels, disease severity and survival in patients with fibrotic interstitial lung diseases (ILDs).MethodsHuman precision cut lung slices (PCLS) and normal human lung fibroblasts were treated with DHEA and/or transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1 before analysis of pro-fibrotic genes and signal proteins. Cell proliferation, cytotoxicity, cell cycle and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) activity were assessed. DHEAS plasma levels were correlated with pulmonary function, the composite physiologic index (CPI), and time to death or lung transplantation in a derivation cohort of 31 men with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and in an independent validation cohort of 238 men and women with fibrotic ILDs.ResultsDHEA decreased the expression of pro-fibrotic markers in-vitro and ex-vivo. There was no cytotoxic effect for the applied concentrations, but DHEA interfered in proliferation by modulating the cell cycle through reduction of G6PD activity. In men with IPF (derivation cohort) DHEAS plasma levels in the lowest quartile were associated with poor lung function and higher CPI (adjusted OR 1.15 [95% CI 1.03-1.38], p = 0.04), which was confirmed in the fibrotic ILD validation cohort (adjusted OR 1.03 [95% CI 1.00-1.06], p = 0.01). In both cohorts the risk of early mortality was higher in patients with low DHEAS levels, after accounting for potential confounding by age in men with IPF (HR 3.84, 95% CI 1.25-11.7, p = 0.02), and for age, sex, IPF diagnosis and prednisone treatment in men and women with fibrotic ILDs (HR 3.17, 95% CI 1.35-7.44, p = 0.008).ConclusionsDHEA reduces lung fibrosis and cell proliferation by inducing cell cycle arrest and inhibition of G6PD activity. The association between low DHEAS levels and disease severity suggests a potential prognostic and therapeutic role of DHEAS in fibrotic ILD.
Project description:Fibrotic interstitial lung diseases (ILDs) have a high mortality rate with an unpredictable disease course and clinical features that frequently overlap. Recent data indicate important roles for genomics in the mechanisms underlying susceptibility and progression of pulmonary fibrosis. The impact of these genomic markers on pharmacotherapy and their contribution to outcomes is increasingly recognized. Interstitial lung abnormalities, frequently considered representative of early ILD, have been consistently associated with the MUC5B promoter polymorphism, a common gene variant. Other rare gene variant mutations, including TERT, TERC, SFTPC, and DKC1, may be present in patients with familial interstitial pneumonia and are frequently associated with a usual interstitial pneumonia pattern of fibrosis. The minor allele of the MUC5B rs35705950 genotype is prevalent in several sporadic forms of ILD, including idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and chronic hypersensitivity pneumonitis. Gene mutations that characterize familial pulmonary fibrosis may be present in patients with connective tissue disease-related ILD, such as rheumatoid arthritis-ILD. Additionally, shorter telomere lengths and mutations in telomere biology-related genes have been demonstrated in both familial and sporadic ILD, with significant implications for disease progression, lung function, and survival. An improved understanding of the impact of genetic and genomic risk factors on disease progression would better guide personalized therapeutic choices in persons with fibrotic ILD.
Project description:BackgroundEarly identification of fibrotic interstitial lung disease (F-ILD) patients with high risk of progression will help initiate early therapeutic intervention and potential improvement of outcomes. This study was designed to assess the predictors of progression in patients with F-ILD.MethodsPatients with F-ILD in Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital between January 1, 2019 and July 31, 2021 were retrospectively analyzed. The patients enrolled were divided into progressive group and non-progressive group according to the specified criteria. Baseline characteristics were collected and a multivariate regression was conducted to identify independent predictors of progression.ResultsOf the 177 F-ILD cases, 87 were enrolled in the progressive group and 90 were in the non-progressive group. The cohort included 11 types of F-ILD, primarily were connective tissue disease-associated interstitial lung disease (CTD-ILD) (43, 24.3 %), idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) (39, 22.0 %), interstitial pneumonia with autoimmune features (IPAF) (32, 18.1 %), and unclassifiable (23, 13.0 %). The highest proportion of progression was seen in nonspecific interstitial pneumonia (NSIP) subgroup (66.7 %), followed by IPF (59.0 %) and HP (57.1 %). After adjusting for gender and age, a course of disease longer than 9.5 months (OR: 2.633; 95 % CI: 1.190-5.826, P = 0.017), lymphocyte in peripheral blood more than 2.24 (109/L) (OR: 2.670; 95 % CI: 1.095-6.510, P = 0.031), and emphysema in high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) (OR: 2.387; 95 % CI: 1.017-5.640, P = 0.046) were independent predictors of progression in F-ILD patients.ConclusionsThis study suggested that in patients with F-ILD, long course of disease, elevated blood lymphocyte and emphysema on HRCT were independent predictors of progression, which may suggest utility in early therapeutic intervention.
Project description:This study aimed to investigate the walking economy and possible factors influencing self-selected walking speed (SSWS) in patients with fibrotic interstitial lung disease (ILD) compared to controls. In this study, 10 patients with ILD (mean age: 63.8 ± 9.2 years, forced expiratory volume in the first second: 56 ± 7% of predicted) and 10 healthy controls underwent resting pulmonary function tests, cardiopulmonary exercise, and submaximal treadmill walking tests at different speeds. The walking economy was assessed by calculating the cost-of-transport (CoT). Dynamic stability was assessed by stride-to-stride fluctuations using video recordings. Patients with ILD showed reduced peak oxygen uptake with a tachypneic breathing pattern and significant oxygen desaturation during exercise. The CoT did not differ between the groups (p = 0.680), but dyspnea and SpO2 were higher and lower, respectively, in patients with ILD at the same relative speeds. SSWS was reduced in ILD patients (2.6 ± 0.9 vs. 4.2 ± 0.4 km h-1 p = 0.001) and did not correspond to the energetically optimal walking speed. Dynamic stability was significantly lower in patients with ILD than in healthy controls, mainly at lower speeds. Patients with ILD presented a similar cost of transport compared to healthy controls; however, they chose lower SSWS despite higher walking energy expenditure. Although walking stability and dyspnea were negatively affected, these factors were not associated with the slower walking speed chosen by individuals with ILD.
Project description:The aim is to evaluate the published evidence on whether methotrexate (MTX) use causes progressive fibrotic interstitial lung disease (fILD). This PRISMA-compliant systematic review has been registered electronically with PROSPERO 2018 ID CRD42018087838, Centre of review and dissemination at the University of York. A total of 29 articles met the inclusion criteria. Thirteen articles were found to support the claim that MTX causes fILD. They all had a low Downs and Black quality score (< 6/27). Their 'risk of bias' assessment scores indicated serious to critical risk of bias. The 16 articles rejecting the claim that MTX causes fILD were of higher quality as indicated by their Downs and Black score. Their 'risk of bias' assessment scores suggested only a low to moderate risk of bias. This systematic literature review supports the finding that MTX does not cause fILD in humans. Three studies suggest that MTX treatment may actually improve outcomes in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) associated fILD by slowing down ILD progression.
Project description:Interstitial lung diseases (ILDs) that are known as diffuse parenchymal lung diseases (DPLDs) lead to the damage of alveolar epithelium and lung parenchyma, culminating in inflammation and widespread fibrosis. ILDs that account for more than 200 different pathologies can be divided into two groups: ILDs that have a known cause and those where the cause is unknown, classified as idiopathic interstitial pneumonia (IIP). IIPs include idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), non-specific interstitial pneumonia (NSIP), cryptogenic organizing pneumonia (COP) known also as bronchiolitis obliterans organizing pneumonia (BOOP), acute interstitial pneumonia (AIP), desquamative interstitial pneumonia (DIP), respiratory bronchiolitis-associated interstitial lung disease (RB-ILD), and lymphocytic interstitial pneumonia (LIP). In this review, our aim is to describe the pathogenic mechanisms that lead to the onset and progression of the different IIPs, starting from IPF as the most studied, in order to find both the common and standalone molecular and cellular key players among them. Finally, a deeper molecular and cellular characterization of different interstitial lung diseases without a known cause would contribute to giving a more accurate diagnosis to the patients, which would translate to a more effective treatment decision.
Project description:RationaleInhaled nitric oxide (iNO) can reverse neonatal pulmonary hypertension and bronchoconstriction and reduce proliferation of cultured arterial and airway smooth muscle cells.ObjectivesTo see if continuous iNO from birth might reduce pulmonary vascular and respiratory tract resistance (PVR, RE) and attenuate growth of arterial and airway smooth muscle in preterm lambs with chronic lung disease.MethodsEight premature lambs received mechanical ventilation for 3 weeks, four with and four without iNO (5-15 ppm). Four term lambs, mechanically ventilated without iNO for 3 weeks, served as additional control animals.MeasurementsPVR and RE were measured weekly. After 3 weeks, lung tissue was processed for quantitative image analysis of smooth muscle abundance around small arteries (SMart) and terminal bronchioles (SMtb). Radial alveolar counts were done to assess alveolar number. Endothelial NO synthase (eNOS) protein in arteries and airways was measured by immunoblot analysis.Main resultsAt study's end, PVR was similar in iNO-treated and untreated preterm lambs; PVR was less in iNO-treated preterm lambs compared with term control animals. RE in iNO-treated lambs was less than 40% of RE measured in preterm control animals. SMart was similar in iNO-treated and both groups of control lambs; SMtb in lambs given iNO was significantly less (approximately 50%) than in preterm control animals. Radial alveolar counts of iNO-treated lambs were more than twice that of preterm control animals. eNOS was similar in arteries and airways of iNO-treated preterm lambs compared with control term lambs.ConclusionsiNO preserves structure and function of airway smooth muscle and enhances alveolar development in preterm lambs with chronic lung disease.