Pulmonary plasma cell disorders: histopathology, diagnosis, and clinical perspectives.

Plasma cell disorders in the lungs include a broad range of conditions from benign reactive processes to malignant neoplasms. This article provides a comprehensive analysis of these diseases, focusing on their histopathological, immunohistochemical, and diagnostic characteristics. Four case studies illustrate the diagnostic challenges in distinguishing between reactive plasma cell infiltrates and neoplastic conditions.

Perception of the role of Telemedicine in Interstitial Lung Diseases: -Findings from Società Italiana di Pneumologia/ Italian Respiratory -Society (SIP-IRS) survey.

Background: Telemedicine (TM) is increasingly recognised as a valuable tool in the management of interstitial lung diseases (ILDs). Despite its potential, its integration and application still remain limited. Our work aimed to assess pulmonologists' (physicians and trainees) perception regarding the use of TM in ILDs management.

Is the Thin Bronchoscope the Right Compromise Between Ultrathin and Conventional Bronchoscopy for Peripheral Pulmonary Lesions (PPLs)? A Retrospective Study.

Peripheral pulmonary lesions (PPLs) are the current challenge in bronchoscopy. Novel endoscopic approaches allow us to reach PPLs better than a few years ago. In patients with resectable non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), perioperative chemotherapy is associated with significantly greater event-free survival; this means that histological assessment before the resectable surgery of PPLs is becoming mandatory.

Interstitial Lung Diseases and Lung Cancer: A Review on Similarities, Common Pathogenesis and Therapeutic Approach.

Interstitial lung disease (ILD) prevalence and survival are increasing due to improvement in scientific research together with clinical complications typical of advanced disease. Lung cancer (LC) is described as a possible event occurring in lung parenchyma in the context of fibrotic abnormalities that worsen patients' prognosis. This growth of malignant cells on a fibrotic background has also been called scar-cinoma.

Endoscopic ultrasound with bronchoscope fine-needle biopsy in the diagnosis of suspected malignant pulmonary lesions with crown-cut needle: a retrospective study.

Background: The role of Transesophageal bronchoscopic ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration (EUS-B-FNA) in the diagnosis of malignant pulmonary lesions adjacent to the esophagus is a well-known procedure with high diagnostic yield. Moreover, it is indicated for lung cancer staging. Franseen needle tip is a crown-cut needle that allow to obtain tissue cores and provide huge amount of tissue for pathologist's evaluation, moving from fine needle aspiration (FNA) to fine needle biopsy (FNB).

Real-Life Comparison of Diagnostic Yield and Sample Adequacy of 22 G and 25 G EBUS-TBNB Needles: A Retrospective Study.

: EBUS-TBNA is a safe and minimally invasive procedure to evaluate hilar and mediastinal lymph nodes (LNs). The Franseen needle provides a transbronchial needle biopsy (TBNB). Various needle sizes are available.

Navigating interstitial lung disease associated with rheumatoid arthritis (RA-ILD): from genetics to clinical landscape.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a systemic autoimmune disease that affects millions of people worldwide and is characterized by persistent inflammation, pain, and joint destruction. In RA, the dysregulation of the immune system is well documented. However, the genetic basis of the disease is not fully understood, especially when extra-articular organs are involved.

Prevalence and Predictors of Response to Antifibrotics in Long-Term Survivors with Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis.

Purpose: The natural history of IPF remains unpredictable despite antifibrotic treatment. In addition, some patients discontinue treatment due to the occurrence of adverse events. To date, no data exist on either the effect of long-term treatment or predictors of treatment response.

Blood Eosinophils Matter in Post-COVID-19 Pneumonia.

Background: Even after the development of vaccines, SARS-CoV-2 continues to cause severe pneumonia all over the world. Consequently, in order to improve the management of patients and optimize the use of resources, predictors of disease severity and lung complications after COVID-19 pneumonia are urgently needed. Blood cell count is an easily available and reproducible biomarker.

Interstitial lung disease with and without progressive fibrosing phenotype in patients with idiopathic inflammatory myopathies: data from a large multicentric cohort.

Objectives: Patients with connective tissue diseases can develop interstitial lung disease (ILD), leading to a progressive fibrosing ILD (PF-ILD) phenotype in some cases. We aimed to investigate the occurrence of PF-ILD in idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (IIMs), and factors potentially predicting this phenotype. Secondary aims were to assess the radiological pattern and factors associated with IIMs-ILD.

Molecular Mechanism in the Development of Pulmonary Fibrosis in Patients with Sarcoidosis.

Sarcoidosis is a multisystemic disease of unknown etiology characterized by the formation of granulomas in various organs, especially lung and mediastinal hilar lymph nodes. The clinical course and manifestations are unpredictable: spontaneous remission can occur in approximately two thirds of patients; up to 20% of patients have chronic course of the lung disease (called advanced pulmonary sarcoidosis, APS) resulting in progressive loss of lung function, sometimes life-threatening that can lead to respiratory failure and death. The immunopathology mechanism leading from granuloma formation to the fibrosis in APS still remains elusive.

Prevalence of diaphragm dysfunction in patients with interstitial lung disease (ILD): The role of diaphragmatic ultrasound.

Background: Diaphragm ultrasound (DUS) has been extensively used in critically ill patients while data on outpatients with interstitial lung disease (ILD) are limited. We hypothesized that diaphragm function, assessed by ultrasound, could be impaired in patients with ILD, considering both Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF) and Connective Tissue Disease (CTD-ILD), compared to healthy subjects. Moreover, this impairment could impact clinical and functional parameters.

Predictors of pulmonary sequelae after COVID-19 pneumonia: A 12-month follow-up study.

Background: Since the beginning of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, over 550 million people have been infected worldwide. Despite these large numbers, the long-term pulmonary consequences of COVID-19 remain unclear.

Aims: The aim of this single-center observational cohort study was to identify and characterize pulmonary sequelae of COVID-19 at 12 months from hospitalization and to reveal possible predictors for the persistence of long-term lung consequences.

Radiological Assessment in Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF) Patients According to MUC5B Polymorphism.

The rs35705950 mutant T allele is the strongest genetic risk factor for familial and sporadic IPF. We sought to determine whether genotype influences radiological patterns of IPF at diagnosis, as well as their change over time, in patients on antifibrotic therapy. Among eighty-eight IPF patients, previously genotyped for MUC5B rs35705950, we considered seventy-eight patients who were evaluated for radiological quantification of the following features both at treatment initiation (HRCT1) and after 1 year (HRCT2): ground glass opacities (AS), reticulations (IS) and honeycombing (HC).

The role of immune response in the pathogenesis of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis: far beyond the Th1/Th2 imbalance.

Introduction: Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a chronic disease of unknown origin characterized by progressive scarring of the lung leading to irreversible loss of function. Despite the availability of two drugs that are able to slow down disease progression, IPF remains a deadly disease. The pathogenesis of IPF is poorly understood, but a dysregulated wound healing response following recurrent alveolar epithelial injury is thought to be crucial.

Neutralising reactivity against SARS-CoV-2 Delta and Omicron variants by vaccination and infection history.

Background: The continuous emergence of SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern (VOC) with immune escape properties, such as Delta (B.1.617.

Brief communication: Chest radiography score in young COVID-19 patients: Does one size fit all?

During the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, chest X-Ray (CXR) scores are essential to rapidly assess patients' prognoses. This study evaluates a published CXR score in a different national healthcare system. In our study, this CXR score maintains a prognostic role in predicting length of hospital stay, but not disease severity.

The clinical relevance of lymphocyte to monocyte ratio in patients with Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF).

Disease course in Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF) is highly heterogeneous and markers of disease progression would be helpful. Blood leukocyte count has been studied in cancer patients and a reduced lymphocyte to monocyte ratio (LMR) has been show to predict survival. Thus, we aimed to investigate the role of monocytes count and LMR in three distinct population of patients with IPF: 77 newly-diagnosed IPF, 40 with end-stage IPF and 17 IPF with lung cancer.

Disease Severity and Prognosis of SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Hospitalized Patients Is Not Associated With Viral Load in Nasopharyngeal Swab.

The impact of viral burden on severity and prognosis of patients hospitalized for Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) is still a matter of debate due to controversial results. Herein, we sought to assess viral load in the nasopharyngeal swab and its association with severity score indexes and prognostic parameters. We included 127 symptomatic patients and 21 asymptomatic subjects with a diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 infection obtained by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction and presence of cycle threshold.

SARS-CoV-2 antibody dynamics and transmission from community-wide serological testing in the Italian municipality of Vo'.

In February and March 2020, two mass swab testing campaigns were conducted in Vo', Italy. In May 2020, we tested 86% of the Vo' population with three immuno-assays detecting antibodies against the spike and nucleocapsid antigens, a neutralisation assay and Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR). Subjects testing positive to PCR in February/March or a serological assay in May were tested again in November.

Prognostic role of MUC5B rs35705950 genotype in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) on antifibrotic treatment.

Background: A common variant located in the promoter region of MUC5B (rs35705950) is the strongest risk factor for sporadic and familiar IPF, as well as a predictor of outcome. However, there are no data on the effect of MUC5B rs35705950 genotype on the prognosis of IPF patients on antifibrotic treatment. The aim of this study is to determine, in a phenotypically well-characterized population of patients with IPF treated with antifibrotics, the impact of MUC5B rs35705950 genotype on disease progression and survival.

CA 19-9 serum levels in patients with end-stage idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and other interstitial lung diseases (ILDs): Correlation with functional decline.

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis presents a progressive and heterogeneous functional decline. CA 19-9 has been proposed as biomarker to predict disease course, but its role remains unclear. We assessed CA 19-9 levels and clinical data in end-stage ILD patients (48 IPF and 20 non-IPF ILD) evaluated for lung transplant, to correlate these levels with functional decline.