Activities of Daily Living, Hypoxemia, and Lymphocytes Score for Predicting Mortality Risk in Patients With Pulmonary TB.

BACKGROUND: A clinically applicable mortality risk prediction system for pulmonary TB may improve treatment outcomes, but no easy-to-calculate and accurate score has yet been reported. The aim of this study was to construct a simple and objective disease severity score for patients with pulmonary TB. RESEARCH QUESTION: Does a clinical score consisting of simple objective factors predict the mortality risk of patients with pulmonary TB? STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: The data set from our previous prospective study that recruited patients newly diagnosed with pulmonary TB was used for the development cohort. Patients for the validation cohort were prospectively recruited between March 2021 and September 2022. The primary end point was all-cause in-hospital mortality. Using Cox proportional hazards regression, a mortality risk prediction model was optimized in the development cohort. The disease severity score was developed by assigning integral points to each variate. RESULTS: The data from 252 patients in the development cohort and 165 patients in the validation cohort were analyzed, of whom 39 (15.5%) and 17 (10.3%), respectively, died in the hospital. The disease severity score (named the AHL score) included three clinical parameters: activities of daily living (semi-dependent, 1 point; totally dependent, 2 points); hypoxemia (1 point), and lymphocytes (< 720/µL, 1 point). This score showed good discrimination with a C statistic of 0.902 in the development cohort and 0.842 in the validation cohort. We stratified the score into three groups (scores of 0, 1-2, and 3-4), which clearly corresponded to low (0% and 1.3%), intermediate (13.5% and 8.9%), and high (55.8% and 39.3%) mortality risk in the development and validation cohorts. INTERPRETATION: The easy-to-calculate AHL disease severity score for patients with pulmonary TB was able to categorize patients into three mortality risk groups with great accuracy. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: University Hospital Medical Information Network Center; No. UMIN000012727 and No. UMIN000043849; URL: www.umin.ac.jp.

Serum Procalcitonin Levels Predict Mortality Risk in Patients With Pulmonary Tuberculosis: A Single-Center Prospective Observational Study.

Globally, tuberculosis is the leading infectious cause of death; discovering biomarkers that predict a high mortality risk may improve treatment outcomes. We prospectively enrolled 252 pulmonary tuberculosis patients who were not coinfected with human immunodeficiency virus and initiated antituberculosis treatment, measured serum procalcitonin levels (PCT), and assessed mortality risk. PCT serum levels higher than 0.13 (day 0), 0.05 (day 7), 0.12 (day 14), or 0.06 (day 28) ng/mL predicted nonsurvivors with odds ratios of 7.9, 14.3, 20.0, and 7.3, respectively (P ≤ .005 for all), respectively. Therefore, serum PCT levels are a promising mortality risk indicator for patients with pulmonary tuberculosis. Main Point. For patients with pulmonary tuberculosis, a promising mortality risk indicator is the level of serum procalcitonin, which is weakly associated with sputum bacterial load and independent of radiographic findings.

Interrelational changes in the epidemiology and clinical features of nontuberculous mycobacterial pulmonary disease and tuberculosis in a referral hospital in Japan.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The incidence of nontuberculous mycobacterial pulmonary disease (NTM-PD) is increasing, while that of tuberculosis (TB) is decreasing in many industrialized countries, including Japan. However, the long-term evaluation of clinico-epidemiological features of NTM-PD in relation to TB are limited. We aimed to clarify the long-term changes in the epidemiology and clinical features of NTM-PD in relation to those of TB at a nationally-designated TB center in Japan. METHODS: We reviewed all mycobacterial examination records at Fukujuji Hospital between 2006 and 2016. Cases of NTM-PD were defined according to the 2007 American Thoracic Society/Infectious Disease Society of America microbiologic criteria. The current characteristics of Mycobacterium avium complex pulmonary disease (MAC-PD) were compared with those in the 1980s and circa 2000. RESULTS: We identified a total of 3,546 pulmonary TB cases and 2,155 NTM-PD cases. While the annual number of incident pulmonary TB cases remained stable over the study period (P = 0.59), that of NTM-PD cases increased significantly from 165 to 278 (P < 0.01). The mean age of pulmonary TB cases increased from 59.7 ±â€¯16.3 to 66.2 ±â€¯21.7 years, whereas that of NTM-PD cases remained unchanged. Regarding the age distribution, the greatest increases were observed in patients over 75 years for TB and in patients 50-74 years for NTM. The most common causative organism for NTM was Mycobacterium avium complex (87.3%), M. abscessus complex (5.5%) and M. kansasii (3.9%). Among patients with MAC-PD, the proportion of the nodular bronchiectatic (NB) form increased significantly from 60.0% to 84.4% between circa 2000 and 2016 (P < 0.01). Significant increases in the NB form were observed in both males (33.3%-70.7%, P < 0.01) and females (71.3%-89.2%, P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: The annual number of incident NTM-PD cases increased markedly. In contrast to patients with TB, the mean age of new NTM-PD patients did not increase in the last 10 years. Among MAC-PD patients, the proportions accounted for by the NB form increased significantly in both sexes.

A novel diagnostic method for distinguishing parapneumonic effusion and empyema from other diseases by using the pleural lactate dehydrogenase to adenosine deaminase ratio and carcinoembryonic antigen levels.

Pleural effusions are a common medical problem not only for pulmonologists but also for general physicians, often needing thoracentesis for a definite diagnosis. However, thoracentesis cannot always reveal malignant cells or microbiological evidence.In this context, we prospectively enrolled a total of 289 patients with pleural effusions due to diverse etiologies: parapneumonic effusion (PPE) (63), empyema (22), tuberculous pleural effusion (TBPE) (54), malignant pleural effusion (MPE) (140), or chronic renal failure (CRF)/congestive heart failure (CHF) (10). The MPE group consisted of lung cancer (adenocarcinoma, n = 90; squamous cell carcinoma, n = 5; small cell carcinoma, n = 4), malignant lymphoma (n = 17), malignant mesothelioma (n = 11), malignant melanoma (n = 3), and metastasis from other organs (n = 10).This study demonstrated that the pleural lactate dehydrogenase (LDH)to adenosine deaminase (ADA) ratios differed significantly between patients with CHF/CRF, MPE, TBPE, empyema, and PPE. We discovered a simple method to differentiate pleural diseases based on the pleural LDH to ADA ratio and carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA). A pleural LDH to ADA ratio greater than 15.5 and a pleural CEA level of less than 5 ng/mL is indicative of PPE or empyema rather than TBPE, MPE, or transudative pleural effusion (CRF, CHF).This method has a sensitivity of 62.0%, a specificity of 91.0%, and an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.765 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0678-0.852, P < .001), odds ratio of 16.6 (95% CI: 7.28-37.8, P < .001), a positive likelihood ratio (LR) of 6.8, and a negative LR of 0.02.

Clinico-microbiological analysis of 121 patients with pulmonary Mycobacteroides abscessus complex disease in Japan - An NTM-JRC study with RIT.

RATIONALE: No comprehensive analysis has previously been performed to evaluate the clinical aspects of and microbiological evidence associated with Mycobacteroides abscessus complex (MABC) infection in a region, such as Japan, with a low MABC incidence. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to clarify the clinicopathological characteristics of MABC, which included clinical relatedness to erm(41) sequevar, phenotype (as colony morphology and minimum inhibitory concentration), and genotype. METHODS: A total of 121 MABC patients (68 with M. abscessus subsp. abscessus and 53 with M. abscessus subsp. massiliense) were recruited into this retrospective clinical-biological study from tertiary hospitals in Japan between 2004 and 2014. RESULTS: Approximately 30% of MABC patients had a history of previous nontuberculous mycobacterium (NTM) disease. Furthermore, 24.8% of the patients had another concomitant NTM infection after they were diagnosed with MABC. Fewer than 10% of the patients in the M. abscessus group had T28C in erm(41). While we observed a higher conversion rate for M. massiliense than for M. abscessus (72.4% and 34.8%, respectively, p = 0.002), recurrence remained relatively common for M. massiliense (31.0%). In the M. abscessus patients, the MIC of clarithromycin (CLR) was significantly lower on day 3 in patients with a better treatment response than in refractory patients (The median MIC; 0.75 µg/ml v.s 2.0 µg/ml, p = 0.03). There was no significant relation between clinical manifestations and variable number of tandem repeat genotypes. CONCLUSIONS: Because the history and simultaneous isolation of other NTM in MABC infection are relatively common, these information should be carefully translated into clinical actions. The evaluation of early CLR resistance in M. abscessus and the erm(41) functions should be important to improve the treatment strategy.

Multi-drug-resistant tuberculosis with galaxy and cluster signs on high-resolution computed tomography.

The galaxy sign and cluster sign were first reported in pulmonary sarcoidosis. From those reports, these two signs became known as one of the characteristic computed tomography (CT) findings of sarcoidosis. We report a patient with pulmonary tuberculosis who had these two signs. A 44-year-old man was referred to our hospital for general fatigue, cough, and low-grade fever lasting about two months. Thoracic CT showed a large parenchymal nodule arising from coalescent small nodules (galaxy sign) and clusters composed of numerous small nodules (cluster sign) in the bilateral lungs. Three specimens of sputum acid-fast smear were negative. However, we performed a bronchoscopy, and Mycobacterium tuberculosis was proven to be positive by the acid-fast culture test of the obtained bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. Moreover, drug sensitivity testing revealed this to be a case of multi-drug-resistant tuberculosis. Patients with these signs must be examined carefully to differentiate tuberculosis from pulmonary sarcoidosis.

Longitudinal Evaluation of Humoral Immunity and Bacterial and Clinical Parameters Reveals That Antigen-Specific Antibodies Suppress Inflammatory Responses in Active Tuberculosis Patients.

A novel tuberculosis vaccine to replace BCG has long been desired. However, recent vaccine trials focused on cell-mediated immunity have failed to produce promising results. It is worth noting that most commercially available successful vaccines rely on humoral immunity. To establish a basic understanding of humoral immunity against tuberculosis, we analyzed and evaluated longitudinal levels and avidity of immunoglobulin to various tuberculosis antigens compared with bacterial and clinical parameters during treatment. We found that levels of IgG antibodies against HrpA and HBHA prior to treatment exhibited a positive correlation with bacterial burden. Analysis of changes in CRP during treatment revealed an association with high levels of specific IgG and IgA antibodies against mycobacterial antigens. Levels of CRP prior to treatment were negatively associated with IgG avidity to CFP-10 and MDP1 and IgA avidity to HrpA, while IgA avidity to MDP1 and Acr exhibited a negative correlation with CRP levels after 60 days of treatment. These results may provide insight for the development of a novel tuberculosis (TB) vaccine candidate to induce protective humoral immunity against tuberculosis.

Prevention of aerosol isolation of nontuberculous mycobacterium from the patient's bathroom.

Reinfection of nontuberculous mycobacterium pulmonary disease may be caused by identical and not different genotypes http://ow.ly/62cH30krdpa.

Correlation between clinical features, high-resolution computed tomography findings, and a visual scoring system in patients with pneumonia due to Mycoplasma pneumoniae.

BACKGROUND: Mycoplasma pneumoniae (MP) is the primary cause of community-acquired pneumonia. We aimed to evaluate the correlation between clinical features, with special reference to hypoxemia and the total affected area obtained using high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT). METHODS: Medical records of MP pneumonia patients > 15 years of age at Kyorin University Hospital between January 2006 and November 2013 were reviewed retrospectively and compared to patients with Streptococcus pneumoniae pneumonia, diagnosed between January 2013 and September 2014. RESULTS: We identified 65 and 32 patients with MP- and S. pneumoniae pneumonia, respectively. HRCT data were available for 42 and 32 patients with MP- and S. pneumoniae pneumonia, respectively. Data were available for all hypoxemic patients. Hypoxemia was significantly higher in patients with S. pneumoniae (14/32, p = 0.008) than those with MP (5/39). Total visual score on HRCT correlated significantly with hypoxemia in both groups, but showed significantly higher scores with MP- than with S pneumoniae pneumonia in hypoxemic patients. MP pneumonia showed significant positive correlation between the total visual score and serum inflammatory markers (C-reaction protein [r = 0.43, p = 0.025] and lactate dehydrogenase [r = 0.466, p = 0.016]). In both groups, individual scores in the middle and lower lung fields were significantly higher than in the upper field, suggesting zonal predominance. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides the first evidence that the total affected area on lung HRCT was more with MP compared to S. pneumoniae pneumonia in hypoxemic patients and positively correlated with hypoxemia and serum inflammatory markers.

Bucillamine-induced interstitial pneumonitis.

We diagnosed as bucillamine-induced interstitial pneumonitis and were able to observe changes in pulmonary lesions and therapeutic effects by using HRCT.

A Novel Diagnostic Scoring System to Differentiate between Legionella pneumophila Pneumonia and Streptococcus pneumoniae Pneumonia.

Objective We investigated a novel diagnostic scoring system to differentiate Legionella pneumophila pneumonia from Streptococcus pneumoniae pneumonia. Methods We retrospectively reviewed the clinical data of 62 patients with L. pneumophila pneumonia (L-group) and 70 patients with S. pneumoniae pneumonia (S-group). Results The serum sodium (Na) levels tended to be lower according to the severity [age, dehydration, respiratory failure, orientation disturbance, low blood pressure (A-DROP)] score in the L-group. On a multivariate analysis, we found that four factors were independent predictive markers for inclusion in the L-group: relative bradycardia [hazard ratio (HR) 5.177, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.072-24.993, p=0.041], lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) levels ≥292 IU/L (HR 6.804, 95% CI: 1.629-28.416, p=0.009), C-reactive protein (CRP) levels ≥21 mg/dL (HR 28.073, 95% CI: 5.654-139.462, p<0.001), and Na levels ≤137 meq/L (HR 5.828, 95% CI: 1.411-24.065, p=0.015). Furthermore, a total score [ranging from 0 to 4, the sum of the points for each factor (0 or 1)] ≥3 points indicated a higher probability of inclusion in the L-group than in the S-group. The diagnostic accuracy of a total score of 3 had a sensitivity of 36.3%, specificity of 100%, and area under the curve of 0.682 (95% CI: 0.558-0.806, p=0.004), and that of a total score of 4 had a sensitivity 27.4%, specificity of 98.2%, and area under the curve (AUC) of 0.627 (95% CI: 0.501-0.754, p=0.045). The diagnostic accuracy had low sensitivity but high specificity. Conclusions We found four markers that might be useful for differentiating L-group from S-group and created a novel diagnostic scoring system.

Investigation of Obstructive Sleep Apnea Using Portable Monitors and Health Check Data in Japanese Drivers.

AIMS: The identification and appropriate management of commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers with unrecognized obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a major public health concern and priority; OSA among drivers has not been fully investigated in Japan, and a better understanding of this undiagnosed disease is warranted. Therefore, we evaluated the prevalence of OSA and the factors related to apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) in Japanese CMV drivers. METHODS: This retrospective study included 1309 Japanese CMV drivers aged 40-69 years. All the subjects received type Ⅳ portable sleep monitors (PMs) with Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) and a periodic health check including anthropometrical and laboratory measurements, and a questionnaire of medical history, smoking status, and life style, following which variables related to AHI were analyzed. RESULTS: Of all the subjects, 23.9% had moderate to severe OSA (AHI ≥15). Age, body mass index (BMI), LogeHbA1c and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) showed significance with AHI in 1309 subjects. The following factors were found to have significant odds ratio (OR) for AHI of ≥15 in 1309 subjects: age, ESS, DBP, and LogeHbA1c. CONCLUSION: Notably, drivers with undiagnosed OSA exist. In these subjects, AHI was related to obesity, hypertension, and diabetes. For the early diagnosis and intervention of OSA, BMI, blood pressure, and HbA1c measurements may be helpful, particularly for drivers. Furthermore, when performing an objective assessment of the suspected OSA, evaluating these parameters during routine medical check-ups may be useful and feasible in the detection of drivers with latent OSA.

Efficiency of the Lung Flute for sputum induction in patients with presumed pulmonary tuberculosis.

INTRODUCTION: High quality sputum helps increase the sensitivity of the diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the efficiency of the acoustic device (Lung Flute; LF) in sputum induction compared with the conventional method, hypertonic saline inhalation (HSI). METHODS: In this crossover study, patients with presumed pulmonary tuberculosis submitted 3 consecutive sputa: the first sputum without induction and the second and third ones using LF and HSI. We compared the efficiency of the 2 induction methods. RESULTS: Sixty-four participants were eligible. Thirty-five (54.6%) patients had negative smears on the first sputum without induction. Among those patients, 25.7% and 22.9% patients were smear-positive after using LF and HSI, respectively (P = .001). The positive conversion rate was not significantly different between the methods. The first samples without induction yielded 65.7% positive cultures, whereas 71.4% and 77.1% of the samples from LF and HSI were positive, respectively (P = .284). Similar results were observed in the nucleic acid amplification test [no induction (60.0%), LF (72.0%) and HSI (60.0%); P = .341]. In 29 smear-positive patients on the first sputum without induction, we observed no significant increase in smear grade, culture yield and nucleic acid amplification test positivity with either method. LF tended to induce fewer adverse events; desaturation (3.1% vs 11.1%; P = .082) and throat pain (1.5% vs 9.5%; P = .057). LF showed significantly fewer total adverse events (15.8% vs 34.9%; P = .023). CONCLUSIONS: Our study showed LF had similar sputum induction efficiency to HSI with relatively fewer complications.

The Serum Ferritin Level Is Associated with the Treatment Responsivity for Rapidly Progressive Interstitial Lung Disease with Amyopathic Dermatomyositis, Irrespective of the Anti-MDA5 Antibody Level.

We report the case of a 61-year-old woman with rapidly progressive interstitial lung disease caused by clinically amyopathic dermatomyositis. Both the serum ferritin and anti-melanoma differentiation-associated gene 5 (MDA5) antibody levels were elevated at the time of admission. Despite intensive treatment with corticosteroids, immunosuppressants, immunoglobulins and polymyxin B direct hemoperfusion, the patient died 75 days after symptom onset. Over the course of treatment, the anti-MDA5 antibody level continually decreased, while the serum ferritin level increased, suggesting that sequential measurements of the serum ferritin level might be useful for evaluating the treatment responsivity, irrespective of the anti-MDA5 antibody level.

The Correlation between Chest X-ray Scores and the Clinical Findings in Children and Adults with Mycoplasma pneumoniae Pneumonia.

Objective To compare the radiological and laboratory data of children and adults with Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia (MPP) and to evaluate the correlation between the total affected lung area and the clinical findings. Methods We retrospectively examined the data from MPP patients who visited our hospital during the period from April 2006 to July 2014. All data were retrieved at the time of the diagnosis of MPP and were analyzed to investigate the correlation between the clinical findings and the total affected lung area using a chest X-ray scoring system. Results We identified 71 children and 54 adults with MPP. The incidence of consolidation, which was the most common chest X-ray finding in both groups, was similar (children: n = 62, 87.3%; adults: n = 45, 83.3%). In contrast, air bronchogram, bronchial thickening, and atelectasis were observed significantly more frequently among children than among adults. In both groups, a chest X-ray scoring system revealed a zonal predominance of the affected area (middle-to-lower lung fields). The body temperature and serum data such as the C-reactive protein level, white blood cell count, and lactate dehydrogenase level were significantly higher in the child group than in the adult group. The total score did not significantly correlate with the above-mentioned inflammatory markers or the presence of hypoxemia in either group. Conclusion This study showed the first evidence of a correlation between the extent of lung abnormalities on chest X-ray (calculated as a total score) and the clinical findings, including the presence of hypoxemia, in children and adults with MPP.

Nationwide surveillance of bacterial respiratory pathogens conducted by the surveillance committee of Japanese Society of Chemotherapy, the Japanese Association for Infectious Diseases, and the Japanese Society for Clinical Microbiology in 2012: General view of the pathogens' antibacterial susceptibility.

The nationwide surveillance on antimicrobial susceptibility of bacterial respiratory pathogens from the patients in Japan was conducted by Japanese Society of Chemotherapy, Japanese association for infectious diseases and Japanese society for Clinical Microbiology in 2012. The isolates were collected from clinical specimens obtained from well-diagnosed adult patients with respiratory tract infections during the period between January and December in 2012 by three societies. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was conducted at the central reference laboratory according to the method recommended by Clinical Laboratory Standard Institutes. Susceptibility testing was evaluated in 1236 strains (232 Staphylococcus aureus, 225 Streptococcus pneumoniae, 16 Streptococcus pyogenes, 231 Haemophilus influenzae, 147 Moraxella catarrhalis, 167 Klebsiella pneumoniae and 218 Pseudomonas aeruginosa). Ratio of methicillin-resistant S. aureus was 51.3%, and those of penicillin-intermediate S. pneumoniae was 0.4%. Among H. influenzae, 5.6% of them were found to be ß-lactamase-producing ampicillin-resistant strains, and 37.2% to be ß-lactamase-non-producing ampicillin-resistant strains. Extended spectrum ß-lactamase-producing K. pneumoniae and multi-drug resistant P. aeruginosa with metallo ß-lactamase were 4.2% and 3.2%, respectively. Continuous national surveillance is important to determine the actual situation of the resistance shown by bacterial respiratory pathogens to antimicrobial agents.

Preventive Effect of Rifampicin on Alzheimer Disease Needs at Least 450 mg Daily for 1 Year: An FDG-PET Follow-Up Study.

BACKGROUND: Rifampicin was reported to inhibit amyloid-ß oligomerization and tau hyperphosphorylation in mouse models and could serve as a promising available medicine for the prevention of Alzheimer disease (AD). To examine whether rifampicin has such preventive effects in humans, we retrospectively reviewed 18F-FDG-PET findings of elderly patients with mycobacterium infection treated with rifampicin. METHODS: Forty nondemented elderly patients treated with rifampicin for mycobacterium infections who showed AD-type hypometabolism were enrolled. The hypometabolic patterns were evaluated with stereotaxic statistical analysis and region of interest analysis. RESULTS: Before treatment, AD-type hypometa bolism was observed in 12 patients. The FDG uptake in the posterior cingulate cortex (PCC) was improved or stabilized in 6 patients after 12-month therapy (450 mg/day), whereas another 6 patients with 6-month therapy showed a decreased FDG uptake in the PCC. In patients who underwent FDG-PET only after treatment, the metabolic decline in the PCC was significantly milder in patients with ≥12 months of rifampicin treatment than in those with 6 months of treatment. Multiple regression analysis revealed that the dose of rifampicin and treatment duration significantly influenced FDG uptake in the PCC. CONCLUSION: The preventive effect of rifampicin depended on the dose and the treatment duration, and the effect needs at least 450 mg daily for 1 year.

Clinical significance of the "galaxy sign" in patients with pulmonary sarcoidosis in a Japanese single-center cohort.

BACKGROUND: The galaxy sign is an irregularly marginated pulmonary nodule formed by a confluence of multiple small nodules, and it is a diagnostic radiological finding for pulmonary sarcoidosis. However, the clinical significance of the galaxy sign for sarcoidosis has been poorly investigated. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate the clinical significance and detailed radiological features of the galaxy sign in patients with pulmonary sarcoidosis. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed 87 patients with biopsy-proven sarcoidosis and 108 patients with pulmonary tuberculosis. Galaxy sign incidence was assessed on thoracic high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) images from each group. Correlations of galaxy sign with clinical characteristics and disease outcomes were evaluated for patients with sarcoidosis. RESULTS: HRCT findings were available for 65 of 87 patients with pulmonary sarcoidosis and all 108 patients with pulmonary tuberculosis. Galaxy sign incidence was significantly higher in patients with pulmonary sarcoidosis (n=15, 23.1%) than in those with pulmonary tuberculosis (n=2, 1.9%, p<0.001). Among the 65 patients with pulmonary sarcoidosis, those with galaxy signs (n=15) were significantly younger (median: 32 years, interquartile range [IQR] 28-38 years) than those without (n=50) (median: 62 years, IQR 37.7-73 years). The CD4/CD8 ratio in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) was also significantly lower in the former group (median: 2.6, IQR 2.0-3.9 vs. median 5.8, IQR 3.7-8.6, p<0.001). CONCLUSION: Galaxy signs are associated with younger age and low BALF CD4/CD8 ratio but not disease severity.

Macrolide-Resistant Mycobacterium avium Complex Lung Disease: Analysis of 102 Consecutive Cases.

RATIONALE: The management of macrolide-resistant Mycobacterium avium complex (MR-MAC) pulmonary disease is difficult and is thought to be analogous to that of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB). OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to clarify the cause of MR-MAC, to see how its management affected outcome, and to compare its prognosis with that of MDR-TB. METHODS: The medical records of 102 consecutive cases with MR-MAC pulmonary disease at three tertiary hospitals for mycobacteriosis in metropolitan Tokyo and one in Aichi prefecture from 2005 to 2014 were reviewed. The data of 311 consecutive cases with MDR-TB were extracted from the medical data at Fukujuji Hospital. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Of the 90 patients who met the criteria, 53 (58.9%) received inappropriate first-line treatment, and 28 (31.1%) deviated from the standard treatment because of the adverse effects of ethambutol. The survival rates for MR-MAC disease and MDR-TB were not significantly different (P = 0.6). Multivariate analysis showed that the combination of aminoglycoside and surgery resulted in the best treatment outcome (P = 0.02), although neither of the two factors reached significance by themselves. The continuation of clarithromycin and the addition of fluoroquinolones did not improve the outcome for the treatment of disease caused by MR-MAC. CONCLUSIONS: Inappropriate prescription patterns and deviations from the standard treatment because of adverse drug reactions appeared to be the main causes of macrolide resistance in this patient series. Drug sensitivity testing should be performed at diagnosis to identify macrolide resistance and patients who may benefit from other therapy.

Pneumothorax associated with nontuberculous mycobacteria: A retrospective study of 69 patients.

The incidence of nontuberculous mycobacterial pulmonary disease (NTMPD) is increasing worldwide. Secondary spontaneous pneumothorax occurs as a complication of underlying lung disease and is associated with higher morbidity, mortality, and recurrence than primary spontaneous pneumothorax. We here investigated the clinical features and long-term outcomes of pneumothorax associated with NTMPD.We conducted a retrospective study on consecutive adult patients with pneumothorax associated with NTMPD at Fukujuji Hospital and Keio University Hospital from January 1992 to December 2013. We reviewed the medical records of 69 such patients to obtain clinical characteristics, radiological findings, and long-term outcomes, including pneumothorax recurrence and mortality.The median age of the patients was 68 years; 34 patients were women. The median body mass index was 16.8 kg/m. Underlying pulmonary diseases mainly included chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and pulmonary tuberculosis. On computed tomography, nodules and bronchiectasis were observed in 46 (98%) and 45 (96%) patients, respectively. Consolidation, pleural thickening, interlobular septal thickening, and cavities were most common, and observed in 40 (85%), 40 (85%), 37 (79%), and 36 (77%) patients, respectively. Regarding pneumothorax treatment outcomes, complete and incomplete lung expansion were observed in 49 patients (71%) and 15 patients (22%), respectively. The survival rate after pneumothorax was 48% at 5 years. By the end of the follow-up, 33 patients had died, and the median survival was 4.4 years with a median follow-up period of 1.7 years. The rate of absence of recurrence after the first pneumothorax was 59% at 3 years. By the end of the follow-up, 18 patients had experienced pneumothorax recurrence. Furthermore, 12/18 patients (66%) with recurrent pneumothorax died during the study period. Twenty-three patients (70%) died because of NTMPD progression. Low body mass index (BMI) was a negative prognostic factor for pneumothorax associated with NTMPD in multivariate analysis (HR 0.79, 95% CI 0.64-0.96; P = 0.018)Patients with pneumothorax associated with NTMPD have advanced disease, a high rate of pneumothorax recurrence, and poor prognosis, regardless of the pneumothorax treatment used. Further improvements in early diagnosis of NTMPD and appropriate management in both NTMPD and NTMPD-associated pneumothorax are needed.