Pseudomesotheliomatous carcinoma of the lung.

Introduction: Pseudomesotheliomatous lung carcinoma is a special, rare entity characterized by large pleural growth and minor invasion of lung tissue. Clinically, radiologically, macroscopically and even histologically this tumor can be misdiagnosed as malignant pleural carcinoma. Case report: We represent a 64-year-old male patient, former smoker. Due to difficulties in the form of dry cough, feeling of dis-comfort and pain in the right hemithorax, fatigue, heavy breathing, sweating, fever up to 39.6°C the patient was treated as with combined antibiotic therapy (macrolides, cephalosporins and penicillin), but without improving of his condition. Chest radiography showed a shadow of pleural effusion by the height of the front end of the third right rib. Chest MSCT showed the extremely thickened pleura apically and to the posterior along the upper right lobe in addition to existence of massive pleural effusion. Subpleural condensation of parenchyma ranging about 30 mm was described in the upper right lobe. Cytological analysis of the pleural effusion showed the presence of malignant cells impossible to differentiate whether they were metastasis of adenocarcinoma or malignant pleural mesothelioma. By histochemical and immunohistohemical analyses of a pleural sample, pseudomesotheliomataus lung adenocarcinoma was diagnosed. Conclusion: Pseudomesotheliomataus carcinoma of the lungs can be a diagnostic problem. Its diagnosis is based on recognition of histopathological characteristics which enable its discernment from the epithelial variant of malignant pleural mesothelioma.

Primary pulmonary alveolar proteinosis.

INTRODUCTION: Pulmonary alveolar proteinosis is an uncommon disease characterized by the accumulation of surfactant proteins and phospholipids within the alveolar spaces. Acquired disease can be idiopathic (primary) and secondary. The prevalence of acquired pulmonary alveolar proteinosis is about 0.37 per 100,000 persons. Common symptoms are dyspnea and cough. Chest X-ray shows bilateral perihilar infiltrates. Open-lung biopsy is the gold standard for the diagnosis. Treatment includes whole-lung lavage, application of granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor and lung transplantation. CASE REPORT: We reported a 51 year-old man with primary form of the disease. It was the second case of this extremely rare disease in the past 30 years in our clinic. The symptoms were long-lasting dry cough, fever and physical deterioration. Chest Xray revealed bilateral pulmonary infiltrates; computed tomography showed patchy ground-glass opacification with interlobular thickening. The diagnosis was established by open lung biopsy. Additional tests were performed to exclude secondary form of the disease. CONCLUSION: We presented a rare clinical entity with typical clinical features and clinical and radiological course of the disease, in order to improve differential diagnostic approach to patients with bilateral lung infiltrations. In patients with pulmonary alveolar proteinosis timely diagnosis and adequate treatment can improve a prognosis.

[Symptoms, physical findings and bronchial hypersensitivity in patients with bronchial asthma and normal spirometry].

BACKGROUND/AIM: The diagnosis of bronchial asthma, a chronic inflammatory disease of the respiratory tract, is made on the basis of anamnesis, pathologic auscultatory findings of the lungs, lung function disturbances, skin tests, as well as the basic indices of immunologic condition in bronchial trunk. The aim of the study was to find out correlation of objective indices of the disease and than relation with the symptoms in the patients with bronchial asthma. METHODS: The study included 60 young male non smokers with long lasting symptoms of bronchial asthma including shortness of breath, wheezing, hard breathing, nonproductive or productive cough, weakness and night hard breathing. There were no symptoms of respiratory infection over the past two months and lung radiography and spirometry were normal Based on the results of nonspecific bronchoprovocative test two groups of the patients were formed, group I (n=30) with positive histamine test (average value of the inhaled histamine concentration with FEV1 drop by 20% in regard with the initial value (PC20) = 2.99 +/- 0.51 mg/ml of histamine) and group II (n=30) with negative histamine test (PC20(a) = 14.58 +/- 6.34 mg/ml of histamine). RESULTS: The obtained spirometry results revealed a statistically significant difference in values of FEV1 between groups: I group--FEV1 3.2%; II group--EV1 = 101.8%; (p .05, Wilcoxon test), although all the FEV1 values were normal Regarding the presence of the most common symptoms there was not statistically significant difference between the groups (p>0.05, chi-square test). Pathologic auscultatory lung findings were found in 73.4% of the patients in the group I and 27.5% of the patients in the group II. There was statistically significant difference (p<0.05, chi-squared test). A positive correlation between the degree of hypersensitivity and lung physical findings was confirmed (p<0.05 Spearman's rho), but there was no correlation with FEV1 values. CONCLUSION: There is a correlation with lung pathologic physical findings, lower values of FEV1 (in a range of normal values) and the degree of nonspecific bronchial sensitivity as objective indices of activity of bronchial asthma. There is no correlation of these parameters with patient's symptoms as subjective indices of bronchial asthma.

[Primary ciliary dyskinesia]. / Primarna cilijarna diskinezija.

In patients with chronic respiratory diseases that last since the early childhood, primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD) needs to be considered. Four patients reviewed in this paper were with typical disease history and clinical picture, as well as clear ciliary axonema damage. Complete examination was performed in all the patients, including bronchoscopy with bronchography, and the examination of the biopsy samples of respiratory airways' mucous membrane, obtained by transmission electron microscope (TEM). In two of the patients spermatozoa were also examined by TEM. Large anatomic defects of airways were found in all the patients, but pulmonary function was normal (except in one case), representing one of PCD's significant characteristics. First two cases fulfilled the criteria for Kartagener's syndrome, which was initially sufficient for the diagnosis of PCD.

[Potential role of cholesterol in distinguishing malignant from benign pleural effusion]. / Moguci znacaj holesterola u razlikovanju malignog od nemalignog pleurnog izliva.

Cholesterol and carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) levels in pleural effusion and sera, were measured in 199 patients with pleural effusions of various origins. Malignant cause was found in 93, and nonmalignant in 106 patients. Mean cholesterol level in sera of patient with malignant disease was 5.0 +/- 0.93 mmol/L, and in nonmalignant group 4.34 +/- 1.32 mmol/L. The difference was not statistically significant. Mean cholesterol level in nonmalignant pleural effusions was higher thAn those in malignant (2.51 +/- 1.23 mmol/L; and 2.28 +/- 1.06 mmol/L), but the difference was also not significant. Average pleural fluid/serum cholesterol ratio (Holl/S) in nonmalignant group was 0.61 +/- 0.32 and in malignant group 0.46 +/- 0.22. The difference between those mean values was significant. Higher ratio, at the cut off value of 0.5 was found in 79/106 and in 25/93 malignant patients. Calculated sensitivity was 75%, specificity 73%, positive predictive value 76%, negative predictive value 65% and accuracy 69%. Significant negative correlation between Holi/S and pleural fluid CEA was found (p < 0.05). It was assumed that pleural fluid/serum cholesterol ratio lower than 0.5 could be of great benefit, as an additional test in the differentiation of malignant from benign pleural effusion.