Joel D. Epstein

Neodymium-Yttrium-Aluminum-Garnet Laser in Lung Cancer

Neodymium-yttrium-aluminum-garnet laser treatments were performed in 70 patients aged 62 +/- 10 (1 SD) years for incomplete malignancy-induced obstruction of the trachea or main bronchi, or both, associated with uncontrolled cough, dyspnea, atelectasis/pneumonia, and hemoptysis. Forty-three patients had been treated with surgical techniques, chemotherapy, or radiotherapy, or all three, while 27 patients were untreated before laser therapy because of acute respiratory distress. Laser treatment produced palliative improvement in 81% of the treated group (35 of 43), with survival of 4.3 +/- 3.9 months. Unsuccessfully laser-treated patients survived 0.7 +/- 0.4 month (p less than .05). Eighty-five percent of the untreated patients (23 of 27) showed postlaser improvement, with survival of 8.5 +/- 6.9 months. Unsuccessfully laser-treated patients survived 1.4 +/- 0.6 months (p less than .05). Twenty-three of the 27 previously untreated patients underwent radiation therapy after laser treatment. Laser treatments also were administered to 23 patients aged 61 +/- 13 years with complete obstruction of the main bronchi. Of this group, 17 patients had been treated and 6 had not been treated before the laser therapy. Laser treatment was successful in 47% of the treated patients (8 of 17), but there was no difference (p greater than .05) in survival between successfully and unsuccessfully treated patients (3.0 +/- 2.5 vs. 2.9 +/- 4.6 months). Similarly, laser treatment was successful in 50% of the untreated patients (3 of 6), and there was also no difference (p greater than .05) in survival between successfully and unsuccessfully treated patients (3.4 +/- 3.5 vs. 3.5 +/- 2.8 months).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Immune Complexes, Gallium Lung Scans, and Bronchoalveolar Lavage in Idiopathic Interstitial Pneumonitis-Fibrosis: A Structure-Function Clinical Study

We obtained results of lung immune complexes (LIC), circulating immune complexes (CIC), 48-hour gallium lung scans (scans), bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL), and pulmonary function tests in 20 patients with idiopathic interstitial pneumonitis-fibrosis. Sixteen patients had predominantly interstitial (13 cases UIP) and/or intraalveolar (3 cases DIP) cellular disease (group 1). Prior to corticosteroid therapy in group 1, scans were positive in 75 percent, CIC were elevated in 86 percent, LIC were present in 64 percent, and BAL was abnormal in 90 percent. Duration of follow-up after treatment was 3.5 +/- 1.0 year. In group 1 after treatment with corticosteroids in 13 patients and corticosteroids and penicillamine (three patients) and plasmapheresis (one patient), only four patients remain stable or improved. After corticosteroid therapy, elevated CIC returned to normal values despite progressive patient deterioration. In three patients, lung immune complexes were still detected after circulating immune complexes had returned to normal after corticosteroid therapy. In group 2 were four patients with fibrotic disease; scans and CIC were uniformly negative, LIC were weakly present in only one patient, and BAL was abnormal in all. Despite corticosteroid therapy, all have died or deteriorated. These results suggest that positive gallium lung scans, BAL, circulating immune complexes, and to a lesser extent, lung immune complexes are associated with the cellular phase of interstitial pneumonia, but do not reliably identify a corticosteroid-responsive group.

Immune complexes, gallium lung scans, and bronchoalveolar lavage in idiopathic interstitial pneumonitis-fibrosis.

We obtained results of lung immune complexes (LIC), circulating immune complexes (CIC), 48-hour gallium lung scans (scans), bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL), and pulmonary function tests in 20 patients with idiopathic interstitial pneumonitis-fibrosis. Sixteen patients had predominantly interstitial (13 cases UIP) and/or intraalveolar (3 cases DIP) cellular disease (group 1). Prior to corticosteroid therapy in group 1, scans were positive in 75 percent, CIC were elevated in 86 percent, LIC were present in 64 percent, and BAL was abnormal in 90 percent. Duration of follow-up after treatment was 3.5 +/- 1.0 year. In group 1 after treatment with corticosteroids in 13 patients and corticosteroids and penicillamine (three patients) and plasmapheresis (one patient), only four patients remain stable or improved. After corticosteroid therapy, elevated CIC returned to normal values despite progressive patient deterioration. In three patients, lung immune complexes were still detected after circulating immune complexes had returned to normal after corticosteroid therapy. In group 2 were four patients with fibrotic disease; scans and CIC were uniformly negative, LIC were weakly present in only one patient, and BAL was abnormal in all. Despite corticosteroid therapy, all have died or deteriorated. These results suggest that positive gallium lung scans, BAL, circulating immune complexes, and to a lesser extent, lung immune complexes are associated with the cellular phase of interstitial pneumonia, but do not reliably identify a corticosteroid-responsive group.