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Supported by the National Health and Medical Research Council Centre of Research Excellence in Pulmonary Fibrosis (GNT1116371), and by foundation partner, Boehringer Ingelheim, and program partners, Roche and Galapagos. Rationale : The interstitial lung disease (ILD) multidisciplinary meetings (MDM), composed of pulmonologists, radiologists, and pathologists, is integral to the rendering of an accurate ILD diagnosis. However, there is significant heterogeneity in the conduct of ILD MDMs, and questions regarding their best practices remain unanswered. Objectives : To achieve consensus among ILD experts on essential components of an ILD MDM. Methods : Using a Delphi methodology, semi-structured interviews with ILD experts were used to identify key themes and features of ILD MDMs. These items informed two subsequent rounds of online questionnaires that were used to achieve consensus among a broader, international panel of ILD experts. Experts were asked to rate their level of agreement on a five-point Likert scale. An a priori threshold for consensus was set at a median score 4 or 5 with an interquartile range of 0. Results : We interviewed 15 ILD experts, and 102 ILD experts participated in the online questionnaires. Five items and two exploratory statements achieved consensus on being essential for an ILD MDM following two questionnaire rounds. There was consensus that the presence of at least one radiologist, a quiet setting with a visual projection system, a high-quality chest high-resolution computed tomography, and a standardized template summarizing collated patient data are essential components of an ILD MDM. Experts also agreed that it would be useful for ILD MDMs to undergo an annual benchmarking process and a validation process by fulfilling a minimum number of cases annually. Twenty-seven additional features were considered to be either highly desirable or desirable features based on the degree of consensus. Although our findings on desirable features are similar to the current literature, several of these remain controversial and warrant further research. The study also showed an agreement among participants on several future concepts to improve the ILD MDM, such as performing regular self-assessments and conducting research into shared practices to develop an international expert guideline statement on ILD MDMs. Conclusions : This Delphi study showed consensus among international ILD experts on essential and desirable features of an ILD MDM. Our data represent an important step toward potential collaborative research into future standardization of ILD MDMs. Postprint

Background Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) specific version of St. George’s Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ-I) and King’s Brief Interstitial Lung Disease questionnaire (K-BILD) are validated health-related quality of life (HRQL) instruments, but no or limited data exist on their responsiveness and minimal clinically important difference (MCID). The objectives of this study were to assess responsiveness of SGRQ-I and K-BILD and determine MCID separately for deterioration and improvement in a large, prospective cohort of patients with IPF in a real-world setting. Methods Consecutive patients with IPF were recruited. SGRQ-I, K-BILD, SGRQ, Shortness of Breath Questionnaire, pulmonary function tests and 6-min walk test measurements were obtained at baseline and at six and 12 months; at six and 12 months, patients also completed Global Rating of Change Scales. Responsiveness was assessed using correlation coefficients and linear regression. Cox regression was used for mortality analyses. MCID was estimated using receiver operating characteristic curves with separate analyses for improvement and deterioration. Results A total of 150 IPF patients were included and 124 completed the 12-month follow-up. Based on all HRQL anchors and most physiological anchors, responsiveness analyses supported the evidence pointing towards SGRQ-I and K-BILD as responsive instruments. Multivariate analyses showed an association between SGRQ-I and mortality (HR: 1.18, 95% CI: 1.02 to 1.36, p = 0.03) and a trend was found for K-BILD (HR: 0.82, 95% CI: 0.64 to 1.05, p = 0.12). MCID was estimated for all domains of SGRQ-I and K-BILD. MCID for improvement differed from deterioration for both SGRQ-I Total (3.9 and 4.9) and K-BILD Total (4.7 and 2.7). Conclusions SGRQ-I and K-BILD were responsive to change concerning both HRQL and most physiological anchors. MCID was determined separately for improvement and deterioration, resulting in different estimates; especially a smaller estimate for deterioration compared to improvement in K-BILD. Trial registration Clinicaltrials.gov, no. NCT02818712. Registered 30 June 2016.

Background/Objectives: This study will aim to characterise disease behaviour during the peridiagnostic period in patients with suspected interstitial lung disease (ILD), including idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), using daily home spirometry and accelerometry. Additionally, this study will aim to increase collaboration between secondary and tertiary centres using a digital collaboration platform. Methods: The STARLINER study (NCT03261037) will enrol approximately 180 symptomatic patients aged 50 years or more with radiological evidence of ILD/IPF from community and tertiary centres in Canada and Europe. Approximately two-thirds of sites will be community centres. Patients will be followed during prediagnosis (inclusion to diagnosis; up to a maximum of 12 months) and post-diagnosis (diagnosis to treatment initiation; up to a maximum of 6 months). The study will be facilitated by a digital ecosystem consisting of the devices used for home-based assessments and a digital collaboration platform enabling communication between community and tertiary centres, and between clinicians and patients. Planned Outcomes: The primary endpoint will be time-adjusted semi-annual change in forced vital capacity (FVC; in millilitres) during the peri-diagnostic period. Physical functional capacity and patient-reported outcomes (PROs) will also be assessed. FVC and physical functional capacity will be measured using daily home spirometry and accelerometry, and at site visits using spirometry and the 6-min walk test. PROs will be assessed prior to, or during, site visits and will always be completed in the same order. Conclusions: Findings from this study may help to facilitate the early and accurate diagnosis of ILDs by increasing knowledge about disease progression, enabling collaboration between community and tertiary centres and improving communication between clinicians and patients, This study is sponsored by F. Hoffmann-La Roche, Ltd., Basel, Switzerland.

The treatment of advanced non-small-cell lung cancer shifted with the development of molecular-targeted therapies, like the tyrosine kinase inhibitors. One example of tyrosine kinase inhibitors is crizotinib, an anaplastic lymphoma tyrosine kinase inhibitor, which targets an echinoderm microtubule-associated protein-like-4-anaplastic lymphoma kinase gene fusion. This mutation is found in only 2% to 7% of non-small-cell lung cancer cases. Although these new therapies have shown promising results, the occurrence of interstitial lung disease as a side effect could be problematic. As the diagnosis of drug-related-interstitial lung disease is difficult to make, computed tomography is an important diagnostic tool. The recognition of computed tomography manifestations of tyrosine kinase inhibitors -induced interstitial lung disease is the key for an early recognition and management of this pulmonary toxicity. We aim to raise awareness of tyrosine kinase inhibitors-induced interstitial lung disease, by reporting the first case of a Portuguese patient treated with crizotinib for non-small-cell lung cancer who developed drug-induced interstitial lung disease. info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion

BACKGROUND: Pulmonary interstitial glycogenosis (PIG) is a rare paediatric interstitial lung disease of unknown cause. The diagnosis can only be made by lung biopsy. Less than 100 cases have been reported. Clinical features, treatment and outcomes have rarely been assessed systematically in decent cohorts of patients.METHODS: In this retrospective multicentre study, the clinical presentation, radiologic findings, pattern of lung biopsy, extrapulmonary comorbidities, treatment and outcome of eleven children with PIG were collected systematically.RESULTS: 10/11 children presented with respiratory distress immediatly after birth and 8/11 needed invasive ventilation. In 8/11 children extrapulmonary comorbidities were present, congenital heart defects being the most common. 7/11 children received systemic glucocorticoids and of these four showed a clear favorable response. During a median follow-up of 3.0 years (range 0.42-12.0) one child died, while 10 patients improved. Chest CT-scans showed ground-glass opacities (7/10), consolidations (6/10), linear opacities (5/10) and mosaic attenuation (4/10) without uniform pattern. Besides interstitial thickening related to undifferentiated glycogen positive mesenchymal cells all tissue samples showed growth abnormalities with reduced alveolarization.CONCLUSIONS: PIG is associated with alveolar growth abnormalities and has to be considered in all newborns with unexplained respiratory distress. Apparent treatment benefit of glucocorticosteroids needs to be evaluated systematically.

OBJECTIVE: Neuroendocrine cell hyperplasia of infancy (NEHI) is a form of childhood interstitial lung disease characterized by tachypnea, retractions, crackles, and hypoxia. The aim of this study was to report and discuss the clinical, imaging, and histopathological findings in a series of NEHI cases at a tertiary pediatric hospital, with an emphasis on diagnostic criteria and clinical outcomes. METHODS: Between 2003 and 2011, 12 full-term infants were diagnosed with NEHI, based on clinical and tomographic findings. Those infants were followed for 1-91 months. Four infants were biopsied, and the histopathological specimens were stained with bombesin antibody. RESULTS: In this case series, symptoms appeared at birth in 6 infants and by 3 months of age in the remaining 6. In all of the cases, NEHI was associated with acute respiratory infection. The most common initial chest HRCT findings were ground-glass opacities that were in the middle lobe/lingula in 12 patients and in other medullary areas in 10. Air trapping was the second most common finding, being observed in 7 patients. Follow-up HRCT scans (performed in 10 patients) revealed normal results in 1 patient and improvement in 9. The biopsy findings were nonspecific, and the staining was positive for bombesin in all samples. Confirmation of NEHI was primarily based on clinical and tomographic findings. Symptoms improved during the follow-up period (mean, 41 months). A clinical cure was achieved in 4 patients. CONCLUSIONS: In this sample of patients, the diagnosis of NEHI was made on the basis of the clinical and tomographic findings, independent of the lung biopsy results. Most of the patients showed clinical improvement and persistent tomographic changes during the follow-up period, regardless of the initial severity of the disease or type of treatment. OBJETIVO: A hiperplasia de células neuroendócrinas do lactente (HCNEL) é uma forma de doença pulmonar intersticial da infância caracterizada por taquipneia, retrações, estertores e hipóxia. O objetivo deste estudo foi descrever e discutir os achados clínicos, histopatológicos e de imagem em uma série de casos de HCNEL em um hospital pediátrico terciário, enfatizando critérios de diagnóstico e desfechos clínicos. MÉTODOS: Entre 2003 e 2011, 12 lactentes nascidos a termo foram diagnosticados com HCNEL, com base em critérios clínico-tomográficos e acompanhados por 1-91 meses. Quatro lactentes foram submetidos a biopsia pulmonar, e as amostras histopatológicas foram coradas com anticorpo para bombesina. RESULTADOS: Nesta série de casos, os sintomas surgiram ao nascimento em 6 lactentes e em até 3 meses de idade nos outros 6. Em todos os casos, HCNEL estava associada com infecção respiratória aguda. Os achados iniciais em TCAR de tórax foram opacidades em vidro fosco em lobo médio e língula, em 12 pacientes, e em outras regiões medulares, em 10. O aprisionamento aéreo foi o segundo achado mais frequente, em 7 pacientes. As TCAR de controle (realizadas em 10 pacientes) revelaram resultados normais (em 1) e melhorias (em 9). Os achados de biopsia foram inespecíficos, e os resultados para bombesina foram positivos em todas as amostras. A confirmação de HCNEL baseou-se principalmente em achados clínico-tomográficos. Os sintomas melhoraram durante o seguimento (média, 41 meses). Quatro pacientes apresentaram cura clínica. CONCLUSÕES: Os achados clínicos e tomográficos permitiram o diagnóstico de HCNEL nesta série de pacientes, independentemente dos resultados da biopsia pulmonar. A maioria mostrou melhora clínica e persistência das alterações tomográficas durante o seguimento, independentemente da gravidade inicial da doença ou do tipo de tratamento.

Background: Desquamative interstitial pneumonia is a rare form of interstitial lung disease in children. Respiratory symptoms appear progressively, are often subtle, and diagnosis is often delayed by a mean of 6 months after onset. High resolution chest computed tomography is the most sensitive imaging technique for demonstrating and identifying interstitial pneumonia. The typical histologic pattern of desquamative interstitial pneumonia, with prominent clustered alveolar macrophages, diffuse reactive alveolar epithelial hyperplasia and globular proteinaceous material, is diagnostic. Desquamative interstitial pneumonia in children can be idiopathic, though it is mostly related to an inborn error of surfactant metabolism. Case presentation: We present the complex clinical course and pathologic findings of a 30-months-old Mauritian and Senegalese girl with idiopathic desquamative interstitial pneumonia and multiple extrapulmonary manifestations. To our knowledge, this is the first case report of desquamative interstitial pneumonia to occur as part of a syndrome with multiple organ involvement. Conclusion: We believe that desquamative interstitial pneumonia is not always associated with mutations of the surfactant proteins, and can still be idiopathic, especially when occurring as part of a syndrome with multiple organ involvement, as described in other interstitial lung diseases.

Contains fulltext : 107969.pdf (Publisher’s version ) (Open Access) Integrins are transmembrane alphabeta glycoproteins that connect the extracellular matrix to the cytoskeleton. The laminin-binding integrin alpha3beta1 is expressed at high levels in lung epithelium and in kidney podocytes. In podocytes, alpha3beta1 associates with the tetraspanin CD151 to maintain a functional filtration barrier. Here, we report on a patient homozygous for a novel missense mutation in the human ITGA3 gene, causing fatal interstitial lung disease and congenital nephrotic syndrome. The mutation caused an alanine-to-serine substitution in the integrin alpha3 subunit, thereby introducing an N-glycosylation motif at amino acid position 349. We expressed this mutant form of ITGA3 in murine podocytes and found that hyperglycosylation of the alpha3 precursor prevented its heterodimerization with beta1, whereas CD151 association with the alpha3 subunit occurred normally. Consequently, the beta1 precursor accumulated in the ER, and the mutant alpha3 precursor was degraded by the ubiquitin-proteasome system. Thus, these findings uncover a gain-of-glycosylation mutation in ITGA3 that prevents the biosynthesis of functional alpha3beta1, causing a fatal multiorgan disorder.

An additional clinicohistopathological observation of neonatal pulmonary interstitial glycogenosis is described, confirming the findings in the original description by Canakis and coworkers [1]. The most striking finding is the presence of glycogen-laden cells within the interstitium of the lung. The outcome is favourable relative to other chronic interstitial lung diseases. We propose an alternative term as ‘‘glycogenosis’’ refers to a group of inborn errors of metabolism that are not related to this disease. A few hours after birth, a term infant developed signs of respiratory distress and was transferred with supplemental oxygen. Congenital heart disease was ruled out. In the hours after admission, the respiratory condition deteriorated and the baby was intubated and treated with surfactant, high frequency oscillation and nitric oxide inhalation for 12 days. Tracheal aspirate showed normal surfactant protein C and B. Chest X-ray films showed progressive hyperinflation and evolution to a mixed interstitial and alveolar pattern. Owing to chronic oxygen dependency and obvious tachypnoea, a high resolution CT scan of the chest was performed on day 55 demonstrating distortion of the lung architecture with the presence of linear opacities, mixed with areas of overinflation/emphysema and ground glass opacity. In the further work-up, cystic fibrosis was excluded and serum alpha-1-antitrypsin was normal. An infectious cause including Chlamydia, adenovirus, coxsackievirus, influenza, parainfluenza, Epstein-Barr virus, cytomegalovirus and Mycoplasma could not be demonstrated. Bacterial cultures remained sterile. A Mantoux test was negative. On day 68, an open lung biopsy was performed. Haematoxylin and eosin stained sections revealed diffuse thickening of the alveolar septae (Fig. 1A,B), while frozen sections showed the presence of abundant glycogen in the cytoplasm of the interstitial cells (Fig. 1C,D). Ultrastructural analysis of lead-contrasted ultrathin sections showed interstitial cells containing intracytoplasmic pools of high contrast granular material compatible with monoparticulate glycogen. Methylprednisolone pulse therapy was initiated at 10 mg/kg per day once daily for 3 days every month. There was no effect on oxygen need after 4 monthly treatments. The child was discharged home on supplemental oxygen at the age of 6 months and steroid therapy was continued monthly. Oxygen requirement decreased gradually and could be stopped at the age of 10 months, as was steroid therapy. He remained well except for a brief hospitalisation at the age of 1 year for a viral respiratory infection and 10 days hospitalisation at the age of 19 months because of bronchiolitis due to respiratory syncytial virus. Canakis and coworkers described seven cases of chronic interstitial lung disease (ILD) presenting with an atypical respiratory disorder during the neonatal period [1]. Most patients were symptomatic within 24 h after birth. Infectious or inflammatory causes of respiratory insufficiency were ruled out. All patients showed uniform histological features: thickened interstitium with immature interstitial cells containing abundant cytoplasmic glycogen. Although cytoplasm of occasional type 2 cells may contain residual aggregates of K. Smets (&) AE P. Vanhaesebrouck Neonatal Intensive Care Unit 1 B1, Ghent University Hospital, De Pintelaan 185, 9000 Ghent, Belgium E-mail: koenraad.smets@ugent.be Tel.: +32-9-2403535 Fax: +32-9-2406105

Pleuroparenchymal fibroelastosis (PPFE) is a rare lung disease. It can be idiopathic or associated with any one of various conditions. To our knowledge, this is the first report of two cases of PPFE in Brazil. Our first patient presented with pleural and subpleural fibrosis in the upper lobes; a spiculated nodule in the left upper lobe; and a mild reticular pattern in the lower lobes. Surgical lung biopsy revealed PPFE in the upper lobes, including the nodule, and unclassified interstitial pneumonia in the left lower lobe. Our second patient had a history of exposure to domestic birds, indicating a risk of hypersensitivity pneumonitis, and presented with advanced lung disease, predominantly in the upper lobes, together with subpleural fibrosis.That patient underwent lung transplantation. In the explant specimen, PPFE and granulomas were identified, suggesting hypersensitivity pneumonitis as an associated cause. RESUMO A fibroelastose pleuroparenquimatosa (FEPP) e uma doenca pulmonar rara, podendo ser idiopatica ou associada a diversas condicoes. Pelo que sabemos, este e o primeiro relato de dois casos de FEPP no Brasil. Nosso primeiro paciente apresentava fibrose pleural e subpleural nos lobos superiores, um nodulo espiculado no lobo superior esquerdo e um padrao reticular discreto nos lobos inferiores. A biopsia pulmonar cirurgica demonstrou FEPP nos lobos superiores, incluindo no nodulo, e pneumonia intersticial nao classificada no lobo inferior esquerdo. Nosso segundo paciente tinha historia de exposicao a aves domesticas, indicando um risco de pneumonite de hipersensibilidade, e doenca pulmonar avancada predominando em lobos superiores, com fibrose subpleural. Esse paciente foi submetido a transplante pulmonar. No especime do explante, FEPP e granulomas foram identificados, sugerindo pneumonite de hipersensibilidade como causa associada.