Objective To analyze the data from patients with pathologically proved granulomatous lung disease, including etiology, clinical, radiological features and laboratory results. Methods 36 patients with granulomatous lung disease confirmed by lung biopsy in Shanghai First People’s Hospital of Shanghai Jiao Tong University from January 2008 to June 2012 were retrospectively reviewed. The clinical presentation, radiological features and laboratory results were collected and statistically analyzed.Results After haematoxylin and eosin stain combined with special stain, the diagnoses were comfirmed, ie.13 cases of mycobacterial infection, 5 cases of aspergillar infection, 4 cases of cryptococcal infection, 6 cases of sarcoidosis, 4 cases of Wegener’s granulomatosis, 4 cases of unknown causes. Cough was the most common clinical symptom, followed by expectoration. Some patients also developed fever, chest tightness and weight loss. The lesions were widely distributed, of which the right upper lung was the common lesion of mycobacterial infection, inferior lobe of right lung was the common lesion of aspergillar infection. The common lesion of cryptococcal infection was uncertain. The common lesions of sarcoidosis and Wegener ’s granulomatosis were in left upper lung. Small nodule was the most common shapes of lesion, while mass and consolidation were present sometimes. Cavity, air bronchogram, pleural effusion, hilar and mediastinal lymph node enlargement could be found in the chest CT. Interferon gamma release assay, galactomannan antigen assay and latex agglutination test were helpful in the diagnosis of mycobacterial infection, aspergillar infection and cryptococcal infection induced granuloma. Conclusions The clinical presentations and radiological features of granulomatous lung disease are nonspecific. Histopathology obtained through biopsy is the key for the diagnosis. Immunological examination, test of new antigens to microorganism and clinical microorganism detection are valuble in the diagnosis and differential diagnosis of granulomatous lung disease.
ObjectiveTo improve the understanding of pulmonary alveolar microlithiasis (PAM).MethodsA male patient and his brother were considered PAM by chest image and further examined by gene sequencing. The patient was confirmed through percutaneous lung biopsy. The clinical data of 172 patients from 108 pieces of literature were collected and reviewed from PubMed. The clinical presentation, radiological character, pathological finding, diagnosis and differential diagnosis, treatment and prognosis of the disease were analyzed and summarized.ResultsThe results of gene sequencing revealed the homozygous mutation of c.910A>T in exon 8 of SLC34A2 gene. The genetic mutation encoding the sodium phosphate co-transporter Npt2b (SLC34A2) was considered as the major pathogenesis. Mutations appeared to cluster in exon 8, c.910A>T was the most common mutation observed in Chinese cases. The most obvious symptoms were dyspnea, followed by cough, chest pain, fever, fatigue, and hemoptysis. The clinical signs consisted of cyanosis, clubbed fingers, moist rales and velcro crackles in the lungs. The typical presentation of PAM on a chest X ray was a ‘sandstorm’ appearance. The most frequent high-resolution CT findings of PAM were diffuse ground-glass attenuation and subpleural linear calcifications. Lung biopsy showed lamellar microliths deposited in alveolar spaces and the pleura. Etidronate had an imprecise role in the treatment of PAM. Lung transplantation was the ultimate effective treatment option.ConclusionsPAM is a rare autosomal recessive inherited lung disease. The characteristics of the disease should be fully understood in order to achieve early diagnosis and early intervention. Lung transplantation is recommended for patients of end stage.
Traditionally, adequate tidal volume is considered to be a necessary condition to support respiratory patient breathing. But the high frequency ventilation (HFV) with a small tidal volume can still support the respiratory patient breathing well. In order to further explore the mechanisms of HFV, the pendelluft ventilation between left and right lungs was proposed in this paper. And a test platform by using two fresh sheep lungs was developed for investigating the pendelluft ventilation between the left and right lungs. Furthermore, considering the viscous resistance (R), inertance (I) and lung compliance (C) in the lung, a second-order lung ventilation model was designed to inspect and evaluate the pendelluft ventilation between left lung and right lungs. On referring to both results of experiments in practice and simulation in MATLAB Simulink, between the left and right lungs, the phase difference in their airflow happens during HFV at some frequencies. And the pendelluft ventilation between the left and right lungs is resulted by the phase difference, even if the total airflow entering a whole lung is 0. Under HFV, the pendelluft ventilation between left and right lungs will benefit the lungs being more adequately ventilated, and will be improve the utilization rate of oxygen in the lungs.
ObjectiveTo evaluate the accuracy of the new dynamic approach in the measurement of respiratory mechanics with different pressure support (PS) level during pressure support ventilation (PSV) via oral-nasal mask.MethodsThe Respironics V60 ventilator was connected to a ASL5000 lung simulator, which simulate lung mechanics in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease ［system compliance (Crs)=50 mL/cm H2O, airway resistance (Raw)=20 cm H2O/(L·s), inspiratory time (TI)=1.6 s, breathing rate=15 beats per minute］. PSV were applied with different levels of PS ［positive end-expiratory pressure=5 cm H2O, PS=5/10/15/20/25 cm H2O) and back-up rate=10 beats per minute］. Measurements were conducted at system leaks with 25 – 28 L/min. The performance characteristics and patient-ventilator asynchrony were assessed, including flow, airway pressure, time and workload. Crs and Raw were calculated by using new dynamic approach.ResultsTidal volume (VT) was increased with increasing PS level ［(281.45±4.26)mL at PS 5 cm H2O vs. (456.81±1.91)mL at PS 10 cm H2O vs. (747.45±3.22)mL at PS 20 cm H2O, P<0.01］. Severe asynchronous was occurred frequently when PS is at 25 cm H2O. Inspiration cycling criterion (CC) was up-regulated accompanied by increasing PS level ［(15.62±3.11)% at 5 cm H2O, vs. (24.50±0.77)% at 20 cm H2O, P<0.01］. Premature cycling was always existed during PSV when PS < 20 cm H2O, which could be eliminated as PS level increasing. Delay cycling was found when PS was at 20 cm H2O, and cycling delay time was (33.60±15.91)ms (P<0.01). The measurement of Crs was (46.19±1.57)mL/cm H2O with PS at 10 cm H2O, which was closer to the preset values of simulated lung. The underestimate of Crs was observed during high level PS support. The calculation of inspiratory and expiratory resistance was approximate to 20 cm H2O/(L·s) when PS level was exceeded 15 cm H2O.ConclusionsThe new dynamic approach can continuously assess the respiratory mechanics during non-invasive ventilation, which is no need to interrupt the patient's spontaneous breathing. Higher inspiratory flow during PSV is beneficial for Raw measurement, whereas the accuracy of Crs was influenced by the value of actual VT.
The high frequency oscillatory ventilation (HFOV) is characterized with low tidal volume and low mean airway pressure, and can well support the breathing of the patients with respiratory diseases. Since the HFOV was proposed, it has been widely concerned by medical and scientific researchers. About the HFOV, this paper discussed its current research status and prospected its future development in technologies. The research status of ventilation model, mechanisms and ventilation mode were introduced in detail. In the next years, the technologies in developing HFOV will be focused on: to develop the branched high-order nonlinear or volume-depended resistance-inertance-compliance (RIC) ventilation model, to fully understand the mechanisms of HFOV and to achieve the noninvasive HFOV. The development in technologies of HFOV will be beneficial to the patients with respiratory diseases who failed with conventional mechanical ventilation as one of considerable ventilation methods.
Objective To evaluate the influence on the estimation of respiratory mechanics with dynamic signal analysis approach during noninvasive positive pressure ventilation (NPPV) under different inspiratory effort conditions. Methods The Respironics V60 ventilator was connected to a ASL5000 lung simulator, which simulate lung mechanics in healthy adults with body weight from 65 to 70 kg, and patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and acute respiratory distress (ARDS). Each lung models was subjected to 4 different muscle pressures (Pmus): 0, 5.0, 10.0, and 15.0 cm H2O. Inspiratory pressure support level was adjusted to maintain tidal volume (VT) achieving 7.0 mL/kg outputted by ventilator respectively. Positive end expiratory pressure was set at 5.0 cm H2O and back-up rate was 10 beats per minute. Measurements were conducted at system leaks with 25 to 28 L/min. The respiratory system compliance (Crs), inspiratory and expiratory resistance (Rinsp and Rexp) were estimated by special equations, which was derived from the exhaled VT, flow rate and airway pressure. Results The driving pressure (DP) was decreased with Pmus increasing, and was 1.0 cm H2O after Pmus exceeding 10.0 cm H2O and the VT was larger than 7.0 mL/kg in normal adult model. The estimated value of Crs was affected by the changes of Pmus in all three lung models. The significant underestimation of Raw and the overestimation of Crs were observed when Pmus level exceed 10.0 cm H2O. The measured errors of Crs and Rexp were within 10% in COPD and ARDS model when Pmus was at 5.0 cm H2O. The underestimation of Rinsp was always existed in all Pmus level (P<0.01). Conclusions Using dynamic signal analysis approach, the real-time estimation of respiratory mechanics (Crs and Raw) is no need to interrupt the spontaneous breathing during NPPV. Excessive effort will increase the patient’s inspiratory workload, which is not benefit to accurate estimation of respiratory mechanics.
ObjectiveTo explore the clinical value of next-generation sequencing (NGS) in the diagnosis of Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia (PCP).MethodsTwo patients with Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia after lung transplantation were detected by NGS in the sputum and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. The clinical data, imaging features, laboratory examination and treatment of the two patients were reported. A systematic literature review was performed for similar published cases in PubMed database, using the keywords "lung transplantation/solid organ transplantation" and "Pneumocystis jirovecii".ResultsThere were six references based on the keywords of "lung transplantation " and " Pneumocystis jirovecii ", of which three were case report. Sixty-six lung transplant patients were complicated with Pneumocystis jirovecii in total. The clinical manifestations of Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia were fever and dyspnea of different degrees. The diffuse "ground glass" infiltration could be shown on imaging. Computer tomography scan of chest was a sensitive method to detect PCP. Combined immunofluorescence microscope/PCR/serum 3-β-D-glucan could effectively improve the accuracy of microbiology detection. In addition, NGS could quickly and accurately identify pathogenic bacteria, give guidance for treatment and improve prognosis so as to benefit patients well. Trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole (TMP/SMZ) was the preferred choice for the treatment of PCP patients.ConclusionsPneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia is more common in patients with immunodeficiency or immunosuppression. NGS can help rapid and accurate diagnosis, and the treatment should be early and sufficient.
Objective To study the prevalence of combined pulmonary fibrosis and emphysema (CPFE) in a community-based lung cancer screening program in Shanghai. Methods From June 2018 to July 2019, eligible participants who were assessed through a high-risk lung cancer questionnaire in Xuhui, Shanghai underwent low-dose computed tomography of the lungs. The suspected CPFE patients were invited to provide medical history and blood for analysis, and received high-resolution CT (HRCT) scanning for confirmation. Results Of the 15 cases of suspected CPFE from a total of 4478 participants in which 1704 males and 2774 females, 4 declined further examination and 11 received further examine. Eight subjects were confirmed as CPFE, and all were male, of whom two were ex-smokers and six were active smokers. These CPFE patients had cough, chest tightness and dyspnea. There were 3 cases of centrilobular emphysema, 2 cases of paraseptal emphysema, 1 case of panlobular emphysema and 2 cases of mixed emphysema. There were 2 cases of usual interstitial pneumonia, 3 cases of non-specific interstitial pneumonia, 2 cases of airspace enlargement with fibrosis and 1 case of unclassifiable smoking-related interstitial fibrosis. The KBILD scores were 61.7±7.5 and mMRC scores were 1.5±0.8. Serum Krebs von den Lungen-6 concentration was (380.75±212.05)U/mL. Lung function test showed normal or mild restrictive ventilatory function, and mild-moderate impairment in diffusion capacity. Conclusions The prevalence of CPFE is 1.79‰ in a community-based lung cancer screening population, and is 4.69‰ in male lung cancer screening population.