ABSTRACT
Bronchial asthma is the most common chronic disease in childhood.In clinical diagnosis and treatment, it is found that some children with asthma often have neuropsychiatric disorders of different severity, such as autism spectrum disorders, attention deficit-hyperactivity disorders, panic disorders and anxiety, which render the prognosis and treatment of asthma difficult.Some reports suggest that the " lung-brain axis" of bronchial asthma is related to the outbreak of inflammation-related mechanisms.A new idea to improve bronchial asthma with neuropsychiatric diseases may be inhibiting the release of inflammatory factors and blocking lung-brain inflammation communication.As one of the more thoroughly studied inflammasome family members, NOD-like receptor pyrin domain-containing protein 3 (NLRP3) is widely involved in the mechanisms of neuroinflammation and bronchial asthma attacks.In this article, the role of NLRP3 in the " lung-brain axis" immune inflammation mechanism of bronchial asthma is reported, which may provide new ideas for the diagnosis, treatment and research of bronchial asthma and neuropsychiatric comorbidities.
ABSTRACT
Objective:To analyze the prognosis and influencing factors of patients with brain metastases from non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) treated with different doses of whole brain radiotherapy (WBRT).Methods:A total of 244 NSCLC patients with brain metastases who underwent WBRT in the Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University from 2013 to 2015 were analyzed retrospectively. According to different doses of WBRT (EQD 2Gy), they were divided into the 30-39 Gy group ( n= 104) and ≥40 Gy group ( n= 140). The intracranial progression-free survival (iPFS) and overall survival (OS) were compared betweentwo groups. According to the number of brain metastases, GPA score, KPS score, chemotherapy and targeted therapy, the prognosis of different doses of WBRT was further analyzed. Results:The median iPFS and OS of all patients were 6.9 months and 11.8 months, respectively. Univariate survival analysis: the 1-year iPFS and 1-year OS between two groups were 22.5% and 25.4%( P=0.430) and 41.1% and 46.4%( P=0.068), respectively. Multivariate survival analysis: different doses of WBRT were not associated with the improvement of iPFS and OS; independent factors influencing iPFS included local boost, gender, number of brain metastases, chemotherapy and targeted therapy; independent factors influencing OS included gender, number of brain metastases, chemotherapy and targeted therapy. Subgroup analysis: in patients with KPS≥90, the 1-year iPFS and OS of patients with WBRT ≥ 40 Gy were seemingly better than those of their counterparts with 30-39 Gy, but the difference was statistically significant only in OS ( P=0.047), the difference was not statistically significant in iPFS ( P=0.068); in patients with chemotherapy, the 1-year iPFS and OS of patients with WBRT≥40 Gy were better than those of their counterparts with 30-39 Gy ( P=0.017, P=0.012); in patients with targeted therapy, the 1-year iPFS and OS in the WBRT≥40 Gy group were better than those in the 30-39 Gy group ( P=0.012, P=0.045). Conclusions:The 30-39 Gy may be the appropriate dose of WBRT for NSCLC patients with brain metastases. WBRT≥40 Gy does not bring more benefits. WBRT≥40 Gy may benefit NSCLC patients with brain metastases with high KPS score or active systemic therapy.
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Objective To explore the necessity of EGFR?targeted therapy combined with synchronized whole brain radiotherapy ( WBRT ) for non?small?cell lung cancer ( NSCLC ) with mutated EGFR and brain metastasis by comparing the effects on prognosis between WBRT combined with tyrosine kinase inhibitor ( TKI) and TKI alone. Methods A retrospective analysis was performed in 43 patients with EGFR mutation?positive NSCLC and brain metastasis. In those patients, 24 patients received WBRT plus TKI and 19 patients TKI alone. Results The overall response rate ( RR) and 6?month intracranial disease control rate ( CR) were significantly higher in the WBRT+TKI group than in the TKI group ( 79% vs. 37%, P=0. 002;79% vs. 63%, P=0. 008). The median intracranial progression?free survival (IPFS) time was significantly longer in the WBRT+TKI group than in the TKI group ( 23. 7 vs. 8. 3 months, P=0. 025) . The multivariate analysis indicated that the control of lung cancer, WBRT+TKI, and single brain metastasis were favorable factors for substantially longer IPFS time ( P=0. 033,0. 019,0. 019) . In 23 patients with exon 19 deletion, 12 patients received WBRT+TKI and 11 patients TKI alone;compared with the TKI group, the WBRT+TKI group had significantly higher RR and 6?month CR as well as significantly longer IPFS ( 100%vs. 35%, P=0. 000;100% vs. 55%, P=0. 008;23. 7 vs. 8. 4 months, P=0. 003). In 20 patients without exon 19 deletion, however, there were no significant differences in RR or 6?month CR between the WBRT+TKI group (n=12) and the TKI group (n=8)(64% vs. 50%, P=1. 000;58% vs. 75%, P=0. 642).The median IPFS was 14. 4 and 8. 4 months ( P=0. 864) . Conclusions WBRT combined with TKI is superior to TKI alone in the treatment of NSCLC with brain metastasis. Patients with exon 19 deletion have substantially better treatment outcomes.
ABSTRACT
Invasive aspergillosis is a life-threatening infectious disease in immunocompromised patients. Aspergillus is an ubiquitous mold present as normal flora in paranasal sinus, nose, skin and lung. The most important determinant of infection is the immune status of the patient, not the intensity of exposure. In acute leukemia and bone marrow transplantation, prolonged neutropenia is probably the most important predisposing factor. We experienced a case of invasive aspergillosis involving lung and brain in patient with acute leukemia during remission-induction chemotherapy. Invasive aspergillosis involving lung and brain was diagnosed by sputum culture, computed tomography (CT) guided lung biopsy and brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Early diagnosis and prompt treatment for invasive aspergillosis are essential for lowering mortality in immunocompromised patients.