Biogeography of the Respiratory Tract Microbiome in Patients With Malignant Tracheal Tumors.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to characterize the bacterial microbiota in the oral cavity (OC), throat, trachea, and distal alveoli of patients with primary malignant tracheal tumors (PMTT), including squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and salivary gland carcinoma patients (SGC), for comparison with a matched non-malignant tracheal tumor (NMTT) group. METHODS: Patients with pathological diagnosis of PMTT and NMTT were included in this study. Saliva, throat swab (TS), trachea protected specimen brush (PSB), and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) samples were collected for 16S rRNA gene sequencing. The composition, diversity, and distribution of the microbiota were compared among biogeographic sampling sites and patient groups. The relationship between the genera-level taxon abundance and tracheal tumor types was also investigated to screen for candidate biomarkers. FINDINGS: The most represented phyla in the four sites were Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes, Proteobacteria, and Fusobacteria. In SCC patients, the relative abundance of Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes gradually decreased with increasing depth into the respiratory tract, while the relative abundance of Proteobacteria gradually increased. Bacterial communities at the four biogeographic sites formed two distinct clusters, with OC and TS samples comprising one cluster and PSB and BALF samples comprising the other group. Principal coordinate analysis showed that trachea microbiota in SCC patients were distinct from that of SGC or NMTT patients. In the trachea, AUCs generated by Prevotella and Alloprevotella showed that the abundance of these genera could distinguish SCC patients from both NMTT and SGC patients. INTERPRETATION: The structure of respiratory tract microbiota in PMTT patients is related to tumor type. Certain bacteria could potentially serve as markers of SCC, although verification with large-sample studies is necessary.

[Adipokines and highly active antiretroviral therapy related lipodystrophy: clinical study of 52 cases].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the prevalence of glucose and lipid abnormalities in AIDS patients treated with highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) and difference thereof between the HIV-lipodystrophy (LD) and non-HIV-LD groups, and to compare the plasma levels of adiponectin (APN) and leptin (LEP) and their relationship to metabolic disturbance and fat redistribution in these 2 groups. METHODS: Fifty-two HIV-infected patients were divided into HIV-LD group and non-HIV-LD group according to the patients' reports and doctors' evaluation. Body composition was assessed by whole body dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Plasma samples were analyzed for cholesterol, triglyceride (TG), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), insulin, APN, and LEP. The prevalence of dyslipidemia and hyperinsulinemia, the difference of adipocytokine levels, and the relationship of adiponectin, leptin with lipids, insulin as well as fat mass in different body regions were analyzed between the groups. RESULTS: The prevalence rates of hypercholesterolaemia, hypertriglyceridaemia, and low HDL-C level were 17.3%, 50.0%, and 17.3% respectively. The rate of hyperinsulinemia and any kind of dyslipidemia were 25.0% and 59.6%. Compared with non-HIV-LD patients, HIV-LD patients had higher TG level, and lower HDL-C and APN levels. In the HIV-LD group, the APN level was correlated positively with limb/total body fat, but negatively with trunk/total body fat, and was an independent predictor of HDL-C and insulin level. However, LEP was positively correlated with the levels of total body fat, limb fat, and trunk fat in both groups. CONCLUSION: The prevalence rates of dyslipidemia and insulin resistance are high in Chinese HIV/AIDS patients receiving HAART, especially in the HIV-LD group. The APN concentration in the HIV-LD patients is closely related to fat redistribution and independently predicts the levels of HDL-C and insulin. LEP can serve as a biomarker of total body fat mass.

[A study of HIV-related lipodystrophy syndrome in 55 HIV-infected Chinese adult patients].

OBJECTIVE: To study the prevalence, clinical characteristics and risk factors of HIV-related lipodystrophy syndrome (HIV-LD) in our cohort of HIV-1 infected Chinese adults. METHODS: In a cross-sectional study, 55 HIV-infected patients were recruited from the HIV clinic of Peking Union Medical College Hospital; most of them were undergoing the first-class highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) of today in China. Lipoatrophy or lipohypertrophy was defined if there was concordance between the report of fat change and clinical examination of the participants. Whole body dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) scanning was performed. RESULTS: Prevalence of clinical body fat redistribution in the present study was 47.3%. Comparing with non-LD patients, HIV-LD patients had elder age and longer exposure to HAART (P < 0.05). HAART exposure and stavudine (d4T) usage were two independent risk factors for HIV-LD. CONCLUSIONS: HIV-related fat redistribution does exist in Chinese HIV population. Peripheral lipoatrophy occurs commonly in HIV-infected adults but is not associated with increased trunk fat. HAART exposure and especially d4T usage are independent risk factors for HIV-LD.

[Twenty-three cases of cytomegalovirus infection in acquired immunodeficiency syndrome].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the clinical features, therapeutic approaches, outcomes and alterations of peripheral lymphocytes subsets in cytomegalovirus (CMV) infections in patients with AIDS. METHODS: Ninety-six cases of AIDS were treated in Peking Union Medical College Hospital and 23 of them had CMV infection. We analyzed the clinical features, peripheral lymphocytes subsets, outcomes, CMV pp65 antigen and/or specific anti-CMV IgM. RESULTS: In the 23 CMV patients, nonspecific symptoms including fever, cough, chest distress and diarrhea occurred in 18, 11, 9 and 8 patients, respectively. Thirteen patients had retinitis identified by ophthalmofundoscopy, 7 of them had blurred vision or floating as primary symptoms. Pneumocystis pneumonia, tuberculosis infection and other infection appeared in 18 patients. Fifteen (65.2%) of the patients had positive serum tests. The positive rates for CMV pp65 and specific anti-CMV-IgM were 43.5% and 30.4%, respectively. CD(4)(+)T cell count in CMV patients was remarkably decreased than that in non-CMV patients [14(4, 39) cells/microl vs (48(12, 128) cells/microl, P = 0.005] and the proportion of CD(8)(+)CD(38)(+)T cells in CMV patients was higher than that in non-CMV patients, whereas the difference of CD(8)(+)T cell was not statistically different between the 2 groups. CONCLUSIONS: CMV infection often occurs in advanced AIDS patients. In HIV/AIDS patients with CD(4)(+)T cell count