Raffaele Campisi

A retrospective study on acute health effects due to volcanic ash exposure during the eruption of Mount Etna (Sicily) in 2002.

BackgroundMount Etna, located in the eastern part of Sicily (Italy), is the highest and most active volcano in Europe. During the sustained eruption that occurred in October-November 2002 huge amounts of volcanic ash fell on a densely populated area south-east of Mount Etna in Catania province. The volcanic ash fall caused extensive damage to infrastructure utilities and distress in the exposed population. This retrospective study evaluates whether or not there was an association between ash fall and acute health effects in exposed local communities.MethodsWe collected the number and type of visits to the emergency department (ED) for diseases that could be related to volcanic ash exposure in public hospitals of the Province of Catania between October 20 and November 7, 2002. We compared the magnitude of differences in ED visits between the ash exposure period in 2002 and the same period of the previous year 2001.ResultsWe observed a significant increase of ED visits for acute respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, and ocular disturbances during the ash exposure time period.ConclusionsThere was a positive association between exposure to volcanic ash from the 2002 eruption of Mount Etna and acute health effects in the Catania residents. This study documents the need for public health preparedness and response initiatives to protect nearby populations from exposure to ash fall from future eruptions of Mount Etna.

Prognostic value of p53 and Ki67 expression in fiberoptic bronchial biopsies of patients with non small cell lung cancer

BackgroundOverexpression of the tumor suppressor gene p53 and the marker for cellular proliferation Ki67 in open lung biopsies are indicated as predictor factors of survival of patients with lung cancer. However, the prognostic value of p53 and Ki67 in fiberoptic bronchial biopsies (FBB) has not been fully investigated. We evaluated p53 and Ki67 immunostaining in FBB from 19 with Non Small-Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC: 12 adenocarcinomas, 5 squamous cell carcinomas and 2 NSCLC-NOS).MethodsFBB specimens were fixed in formalin, embedded in paraffin, and immunostained using anti-p53 and anti-Ki67 antibodies. Slides were reviewed by two independent observers and classified as positive (+ve) when the number of cells with stained nuclei exceeded 15% for p53 or when >25% positive cells were observed throughout each section for Ki67.ResultsPositive (+ve) immunostaining was found in 9 patients for p53 (47.37%) and 8 patients for Ki67 (42.10%). We examined overall survival curves of the patients with Mantels logrank test, both p53 -ve and Ki67 -ve patients had significantly higher survival rates than p53 + ve (p < 0.005) and Ki67 + ve (p < 0,0001), respectively.ConclusionThis study suggests that negative immunostaining of fiberoptic bronchial biopsies for p53 and Ki67 could represent a better prognostic factor for patients with NSCLC.

Bronchodilator response as a marker of poor asthma control

BACKGROUND Asthma guidelines emphasise the importance of monitoring disease control in managing asthma. OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between lung function, including bronchodilator response in terms of improving in FEV1 after administration of salbutamol, and asthma control. METHODS 246 patients with known asthma and in regular chronic treatment according to international guidelines were consecutively enrolled in a 12 month-period. All patients were evaluated by asthma control test (ACT), spirometry and bronchodilator test with salbutamol 400 mcg. RESULTS Mean ACT value was 18.8. Patients with significant bronchial reversibility had lower ACT mean values. This finding was confirmed in both patients with airway obstruction and in those with normal spirometry. There was a significant correlation between ACT values and bronchodilator response. CONCLUSIONS The persistence of a significant degree of bronchodilator response despite regular treatment according to guidelines was a marker of worse asthma control. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS Bronchodilator response, correlating with worse asthma control even in patients with normal spirometry, should be test at every visit as it may add information on asthma control.

Type I Arnold-Chiari malformation with bronchiectasis, respiratory failure, and sleep disordered breathing: a case report

Arnold Chiari Malformation (ACM) is defined as a condition where part of the cerebellar tissue herniates into the cervical canal toward the medulla and spinal cord resulting in a number of clinical manifestations. Type I ACM consists of variable displacement of the medulla throughout the formamen magnum into the cervical canal, with prominent cerebellar herniation.Type I ACM is characterized by symptoms related to the compression of craniovertebral junction, including ataxia, dysphagia, nistagmus, headache, dizziness, and sleep disordered breathing. We report a case of a life-long non-smoker, 54 years old woman who presented these symptoms associated with bronchiectasis secondary to recurrent inhalation pneumonia, hypercapnic respiratory failure, and central sleep apnea (CSA).CSA was first unsuccessfully treated with nocturnal c-PAP. The subsequent treatment with low flow oxygen led to breathing pattern stabilization with resolution of CSA and related clinical symptoms during sleep. We suggest that in patients with type I ACM the presence of pulmonary manifestations aggravating other respiratory disturbances including sleep disordered breathing (SDB) should be actively investigated. The early diagnosis is desirable in order to avoid serious and/or poorly reversible damages.

Non Infectious Cavitary Exogenous Lipoid Pneumonia: A Case-Based ShortReview

Lipoid pneumonia (LP) is due to the accumulation of either endogenous or exogenous lipids in the alveoli. The exogenous LP (ELP) results from the chronic aspiration or inhalation of animal, vegetable, or mineral oils or fatty substances that by reaching the pulmonary alveoli cause a foreign body-type inflammatory reaction of lung parenchyma, associated with fibrosis, necrosis, and possible cavitation. Pulmonary reaction is characterised by symptoms and radiological findings that are common to other pulmonary diseases. The radiologic presentation of ELP includes lung consolidations and ground-glass opacities, with predominant involvement of the lower lobes. Thickening of interlobular septa, adipose or not adipose single mass, and poorly marginated nodules may also occur. Cavitation, when present, is mainly associated with infection by non-tuberculous mycobacteria or fungi. Thus in patients exposed to lipoid aspiration presenting with cavitated mass on CT scan, possible infection should be thoroughly ascertained, and adequate treatment promptly initiated. Hereby, we report three cases of non-infectious cavitary exogenous lipoid pneumonia. In all three patients, one with acute onset and two with chronic recurrent form, the ELP diagnosis was confirmed by both cytological and histological findings, whereas microbiological examination gave negative results. Moving from these three cases, we review the pathogenesis, clinical and radiological manifestation of ELP.

A Bloody Mess: An Unusual Case of Diffuse Alveolar Hemorrhage Because of Warfarin Overdose.

We herein present the case of a patient with frank hemoptysis and hematuria, dyspnea, and cough. The patient was known to be affected by Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) and dilated cardiomyopathy with atrial fibrillation. For this latter condition, he was supposed to take 1.25 mg warfarin daily. Laboratory findings revealed very high levels of International Normalized Ratio (INR) (16), and the patient referred that he self-increased warfarin dose to 5 mg daily since 8 days before the onset of symptoms. Computed tomography scan revealed diffuse bilateral signs of alveolar hemorrhage with hydroaerial levels within emphysematous cysts. Wafarin was immediately stopped and changed with 220 mg dabigatran daily, and he was properly treated to restore a normal coagulation status. We concluded for a case of diffuse alveolar hemorrhage because of warfarin overdose.

Kartagener’s syndrome: review of a case series

BackgroundKartagener Syndrome (KS) is a rare autosomal recessive genetic disorder, resulting in a group of clinical manifestations, including bronchiectasis, chronic pansinusitis and situs inversus.MethodsWe hereby reviewed eight cases of this rare entity selected from patients attending our outpatients Respiratory Unit since 2006. Samples of respiratory epithelium were obtained with the method of nasal brushing and sent to a specialized center in order to be studied with electron microscopy. At least 50 cross sections of different cilia from different cells were observed in each specimen to study the axonemal structure. Electron micrographs were taken at a magnification of X 50,000 to determine the orientation of the cilia and at a magnification of X 110,000 to study the axonemal pattern. The incidence of abnormal cilia was expressed as a percentage.ResultsWe observed different ultrastructural defects in our KS patients, including absence of outer dynein arms, absence of outer and inner dynein arms, and absence of the central pair with transposition of a peripheral doublet into the central position. Patient’s follow up lasted till 2014, however two patients with more severe clinical behavior died before.ConclusionsThis is a review of a case series, yet our data has shown that nasal brushing with ultrastructural pathological differentiation may be useful to identify patients with high risk and to develop more complex clinical presentations.

Misdiagnosis of asthma and COPD and underuse of spirometry in primary care unselected patients

BACKGROUND The diagnosis of both asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) consists of a combination of classical symptoms and signs, and the evidence of consistent lung function abnormalities. Spiromety has been reported to be underused, possibly for practical difficulties in accessing to a lung function lab. This may lead to misdiagnosis of both asthma and COPD. We aimed to evaluate the frequency of spirometry use and the concordance between doctor-diagnosed asthma and COPD and spirometric patterns, in an unselected cohort of patients sent by general practitioners to perform a spirometry. METHODS The first 300 patients consecutively enrolled patients performed spirometry and bronchodilator test with salbutamol 400 mcg. Demographic, clinical and lung function data have been collected. RESULTS 128 patients (42.7%) declared a doctor-diagnosed asthma and 75 (25%) a doctor-diagnosis of COPD; the remaining subjects never had received any respiratory diagnosis. Only 112 patients with doctor-diagnosed asthma (55.2%) and 114 (56.2%) with doctor-diagnosed COPD have ever performed a spirometry in their entire life (average time since the last spirometry was about 47.0 months). Eighty-nine (69.5%) and 10 (13.3%) patients with respectively doctor-diagnosed asthma and COPD had concordant spirometric patterns with their known diseases. DISCUSSION we described a worrying lack of use of spirometry and a high proportion of misdiagnosis, in patients with suspect chronic airway inflammatory diseases and cared by primary care physicians. Novel strategies to overcome this situation include should be implemented to give a better care to our patients.

Utility of ultrasound assessment of diaphragmatic function before and after pulmonary rehabilitation in COPD patients

Background Pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) may improve respiratory symptoms and skeletal muscle strength in patients with COPD. We aimed to evaluate changes in ultrasound (US) measurements of diaphragmatic mobility and thickness after PR in COPD patients and to test its correlation with PR outcomes. Methods Twenty-five COPD patients were enrolled and underwent a diaphragm US assessment before and after a 12-week PR program. Results We found a correlation between the intraindividual percentage of change in the diaphragmatic length of zone of apposition at functional residual capacity (ΔLzapp%) and the change in 6-minute walking distance (6MWD) after PR (rho=0.49, P=0.02). ΔLzapp% was significantly higher in patients with improved 6MWD and COPD Assessment Test (CAT) score (mean rank=12.03±2.57 vs 6.88±4.37; P=0.02). A ΔLzapp% of ≥10% was able to discriminate among patients with improved 6MWD, with a sensitivity of 83% and a specificity of 74%. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve for ΔLzapp% was 0.83. A cutoff value of ≥9% of ΔLzapp% had a positive predictive value in discriminating a reduction in ≥2 points of CAT score after PR, with a sensitivity and a specificity of 80% and 62%, respectively. Conclusion Diaphragm US assessment represents a useful prognostic marker of PR outcomes in COPD patients.