ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Lung biopsies from patients with hypersensitivity pneumonitis (HP) have demonstrated small airway (SA) involvement, but there is no information concerning SA function in HP, and it is unknown whether pharmacological treatment could modify its function. SA function in patients with chronic HP using ultrasonic pneumography (UPG) and impulse oscillometry (IOS) was explored. We also compared initial results with those obtained after 4 weeks of standardized treatment with azathioprine and prednisone. METHODS: The study group consisted of adults with recent diagnoses of HP. All patients completed UPG, IOS, spirometry, body plethysmography, single-breath carbon monoxide diffusing capacity (DLCO ) and the 6-min walk test (6MWT). The fraction of exhaled nitric oxide (FENO ) was obtained to assess eosinophilic airway inflammation. Measurements were taken at diagnosis and after 4 weeks of treatment. RESULTS: A total of 20 consecutive patients (16 women) with chronic HP participated in the study. Median age was 50 years (interquartile range (IQR): 42-54). At diagnosis, the UPG phase 3 slope was abnormally high, consistent with maldistribution of ventilation. For IOS, all patients had low reactance at 5 Hz (X5) and elevated reactance area (AX) reflecting low compliance, and only eight (40%) patients had elevated R5 (resistance at 5 Hz (total)) and R5-20 (resistance at 5 Hz-resistance at 20 Hz (peripheral)) attributed to SA resistance. In contrast, FENO parameters were within normal limits. After treatment, forced vital capacity (FVC), the 6-min walk distance and the distribution of ventilation showed significant improvement, although DLCO did not. CONCLUSION: Patients with chronic HP have SA abnormalities that are partially revealed by the UPG and IOS tests. Lung volumes, but not gas exchange, improved after treatment with azathioprine and prednisone.
Subject(s)
Alveolitis, Extrinsic Allergic , Azathioprine/pharmacokinetics , Lung , Prednisolone/pharmacokinetics , Airway Resistance/physiology , Alveolitis, Extrinsic Allergic/diagnosis , Alveolitis, Extrinsic Allergic/drug therapy , Alveolitis, Extrinsic Allergic/physiopathology , Anti-Inflammatory Agents/pharmacokinetics , Biological Availability , Breath Tests/methods , Female , Humans , Lung/diagnostic imaging , Lung/physiopathology , Male , Middle Aged , Oscillometry/methods , Plethysmography/methods , Respiratory Function Tests/methods , Spirometry/methods , Tidal Volume/drug effects , Walk Test/methodsABSTRACT
The objective of this study was to evaluate the differences in allele and genotype frequencies of -383 tumor necrosis factor receptor 1 (TNFR1) polymorphism between ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and controls. Mexican Mestizos with AS were matched by gender, age, and ethnicity with healthy controls and compared in allele and genotype frequencies of the -383 TNFR1 polymorphism. Polymorphisms were genotyped using PCR-RFLP. The AA genotype occurred at a higher frequency in the AS group (92%) compared with controls (79%, P = 0.03). A allele was increased in AS (96% vs. 88%, P = 0.015) and was associated with genetic susceptibility for AS (odds ratio = 3.48, 95% CI = 1.23-10.61). This preliminary study is the first assessing the association of the -383 A/C TNFR1 polymorphism with AS, although it has the limitation of a small sample size. These data are of interest for the genetic epidemiology of AS in the Mexican population, requiring further investigation in other countries.
Subject(s)
Polymorphism, Genetic , Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor, Type I/genetics , Spondylitis, Ankylosing/genetics , Adult , Case-Control Studies , Chi-Square Distribution , Female , Gene Frequency , Genetic Predisposition to Disease , Humans , Male , Mexico/epidemiology , Middle Aged , Odds Ratio , Phenotype , Polymerase Chain Reaction , Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length , Promoter Regions, Genetic , Risk Assessment , Risk Factors , Severity of Illness Index , Spondylitis, Ankylosing/diagnosis , Spondylitis, Ankylosing/ethnology , Spondylitis, Ankylosing/immunologyABSTRACT
We evaluated the prevalence and characteristics associated with hyperhomocysteinemia in ankylosing spondylitis (AS). Ninety-seven patients with AS were compared with 97 controls. The assessment included clinical characteristics, disease activity (BASDAI), functioning (BASFI), history of drugs, and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR). Total serum homocysteine (tHcy) was determined by fluorescence polarization immunoassay. A higher frequency of hyperhomocysteinemia (>15 micromol/L) was observed in AS (12 vs. 1%, P = 0.002). In the multivariate analysis the risk for hyperhomocysteinemia was increased in patients with higher score of HAQ-S (OR = 5.27, 95% CI: 1.29-21.44) and higher ESR (OR = 1.09, 95% CI: 1.02-1.18). No statistical associations was observed between hyperhomocysteinemia with other variables including methotrexate or sulfasalazine utilization. In conclusion, this study found a significant prevalence of hyperhomocysteinemia in Mexican patients with AS mainly associated to a worst functional impairment. Further follow-up studies are required to evaluate the risk of cardiovascular disease in these patients.