The place of inhaled corticosteroids in the treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a narrative review.

Postgrad Med. 2016 May 6;

Authors: Andreeva-Gateva PA, Stamenova E, Gatev T

Abstract
Inhaled corticosteroids (ICSs) belong to the armament for treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and as such, they are widely used in real life. Recent meta-analyses clearly show that ICSs are able to decrease the rate of exacerbation and to delay the decline of lung function, although they do not prolong life, nor stop the progression of the disease. ICSs are included in guidelines for COPD treatment, exclusively in combination with bronchodilators. However, adverse effects as pneumonia, cataracts, osteoporosis, etc. seem obvious. Newer studies show that patients with COPD are not a homogeneous population, and recently several phenotypes were identified, including asthma-COPD overlap syndrome (ACOS), among others. The efficacy of ICSs seems to be unequal for different subpopulations of patients with COPD and further research is needed to address a personalized approach in the treatment of COPD patients, and to identify predictors for ICS treatment success. Usage of ICSs in patients with COPD needs to be précised especially in patients with COPD without asthma.

PMID: 27153510 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

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Dietary intake and risk of asthma in children and adults: protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Clin Transl Allergy. 2016;6:17

Authors: Garcia-Larsen V, Del Giacco SR, Moreira A, Bonini M, Haahtela T, Bonini S, Carlsen KH, Agache I, Fonseca J, Papadopoulos NG, Delgado L

Abstract
BACKGROUND: Diet has been proposed to modulate the risk of asthma in children and adults. An increasing body of epidemiological studies have been published in the last year investigating the association between dietary intake and asthma. As part of the Evidence-Based Clinical Practice Guideline Task Force on 'Lifestyle Interventions in Allergy and Asthma' funded by the European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, we will use a systematic approach to review the evidence from published scientific literature on dietary intake and asthma in children and adults.
METHODS: This systematic review will be carried out following the PRISMA guidelines. The protocol has been published in PROSPERO (CRD42016036078). We will review the evidence from epidemiological studies in children (from the age of 2 years) and adults and dietary intake of foods and nutrients.
DISCUSSION: The findings from this review will be used as a reference to inform guideline recommendations.

PMID: 27127606 [PubMed]

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xCT increases tuberculosis susceptibility by regulating antimicrobial function and inflammation.

Oncotarget. 2016 Apr 27;

Authors: Cai Y, Yang Q, Liao M, Wang H, Zhang C, Nambi S, Wang W, Zhang M, Wu J, Deng G, Deng Q, Liu H, Zhou B, Jin Q, Feng CG, Sassetti CM, Wang F, Chen X

Abstract
The physiological functions of macrophage, which plays a central role in the pathogenesis of tuberculosis, depend on its redox state. System xc-, a cystine-glutamate transporter, which consists of xCT and CD98, influences many ROS-dependent pathways by regulating the production of the antioxidant glutathione. xCT's ability to alter this critical host redox balance by increasing the glutathione synthesis aspect of phagocyte physiology suggested that it might influence tuberculosis pathogenesis. In this study, we found that the xCT expression was increased in peripheral blood monocyte of active tuberculosis. xCT expression in macrophage was induced by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) through TLR2/Akt- and p38-dependent signaling pathway. Importantly, xCT deficiency conferred protection against tuberculosis, as xCT knock out mice displayed increased Mtb load and reduced pulmonary pathology in lung compared to wild type mice. xCT disruption enhanced the mycobateriacidal activity of macrophage through increasing the mycothiol oxidation. Importantly, chemical inhibition of xCT with sulfasalazine, a specific xCT inhibitor that is already approved by the FDA for treatment of inflammatory bowel disease, produces similar protective effects in vivo and in vitro, indicating xCT might be a novel and useful target for host-directed TB treatment strategy.

PMID: 27129162 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

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The relationship between lung cancer histology and the clinicopathological characteristics of bone metastases.

Lung Cancer. 2016 Jun;96:19-24

Authors: Oliveira MB, Mello FC, Paschoal ME

Abstract
OBJECTIVES: Lung cancer is the leading cause of death due to cancer, and bone is one of the most frequent sites of metastasis. However, there is no published evidence regarding an association between lung cancer histology and skeletal complications. Therefore, we evaluated the influence of lung cancer histology on the frequency of bone metastases (BMs), skeletal-related events (SREs), and survival after BM.
MATERIAL AND METHODS: This retrospective study evaluated medical records from 413 patients who were diagnosed with lung cancer between 2003 and 2012. The prevalences of BMs and SREs were calculated, and their associations with the histological subtypes were evaluated using the chi-square test, odds ratios (OR), and 95% confidence intervals (CI). Overall survivals and associations with the histological subtypes were evaluated using the Kaplan-Meier method and the log-rank test.
RESULTS: The prevalences of BM, synchronous BM, and SREs were 28.2%, 70.4%, and 68.7%, respectively. Adenocarcinoma was the most common histological subtype (46.7%), and was significantly more frequent among patients with BM (58.3% vs. 42.1%; p=0.003; OR: 1.92; 95% CI: 1.29-2.97). Squamous cell was significantly less frequent among patients with BM (13.0% vs. 29.8%; p=0.0004; OR: 0.35; 95% CI: 0.19-0.64). The median survival time after the first BM diagnosis was 4 months, and there was no significant difference in the survival periods for the various histological subtypes.
CONCLUSION: Adenocarcinoma and squamous cell were significantly associated with higher and lower risks of developing BM, respectively.

PMID: 27133744 [PubMed - in process]