1,720,972 research outputs found
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease's eosinophilic phenotype: Clinical characteristics, biomarkers and biotherapy
No full textCOPD is a chronic, heterogeneous inflammatory disorder of the airways with persistent and poorly reversible airflow limitation, causing symptoms such as cough, shortness of breath, and sputum production. Despite optimal treatment, some patients remain symptomatic due to the disease's heterogeneity, manifesting in various phenotypes. One notable phenotype involves eosinophilic inflammation, with a variable prevalence. Identifying eosinophilic phenotypes is crucial for tailored therapeutic strategies, as they respond favorably to corticosteroids and potentially biologics. Recent advances in both clinical trials and spontaneous research have helped understand the biological and clinical characteristics of this phenotype, although no universal consensus has been reached yet on the definition of the cut-off values of the eosinophil peripheral blood count. Moreover, there is evidence of novel emerging biomarkers which might go beyond the sole eosinophil count, while significant advancements in terms of pharmacological treatment have been made, with dupilumab being the first biological drug being licensed for COPD patients with elevated circulating eosinophils in the stable phase. In light of the above, although several papers have been written on the relationship between eosinophils and COPD, in the present work we endeavored to summarize and discuss the pivotal literature findings regarding the eosinophilic COPD in order to help define the biological and clinical features of this peculiar phenotype, with particular attention to the use of established and emerging biomarkers, as well as current and future therapeutic perspectives
Nitric oxide and hydrogen sulfide: a nice pair in the respiratory system
No full textNitric oxide (NO) is internationally regarded as a signal molecule involved in a several functions in respiratory tract under physiological and pathogenic conditions. Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) has also recently been recognized as a new gasotransmitter with a diverse range of functions similar to those of NO. Depending on their respective concentrations, both molecules act synergistically or antagonistically as signals or damage promoters. Nevertheless, available evidence shows that the complex biological connections between NO and H2S involve multiple pathways and depend on the site of action, as well as on experimental conditions. This review will provide an update on these two gasotransmitters in physiological and pathological processes also focusing on the respiratory system
Fractional Exhaled Nitric Oxide (FeNO) in Patients with Stable Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: Short-Term Variability and Potential Clinical Implications
No full textIdentification of biomarkers in COPD by metabolomics of exhaled breath condensate and serum/plasma
Full text linkChronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is the third cause of death worldwide, presenting poor long-term outcomes and chronic disability. COPD is a condition with a wide spectrum of clinical presentations because its pathophysiological determinants relate to tobacco smoke, genetic factors, alteration of several metabolic pathways, and oxidative stress. As a consequence, patients present different phenotypes even with comparable degrees of airflow limitation. Because of the increasing social and economic costs of COPD, a growing attention is currently payed to "omics" techniques for more personalized treatments and patient-tailored rehabilitation programs. In this regard, the systematic investigation of the metabolome (i.e., the whole set of endogenous molecules) in biomatrices, namely metabolomics, has become indispensable for phenotyping respiratory diseases. The metabolomic profiling of biological samples contains the small molecules produced during biological processes and their identification and quantification help in the diagnosis, comprehension of disease outcome and treatment response. Exhaled breath condensate (EBC), plasma and serum are biofluids readily available, with negligible invasiveness, and, therefore, suitable for metabolomics investigations. In this paper, we describe the latest advances on metabolomic profiling of EBC, plasma and serum in COPD patients
Metabolomic profiling of exhaled breath condensate and plasma/serum in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
No full textAbstract
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is an increasing cause of global morbidity and mortality, with poor long-term outcomes and chronic disability. COPD is a condition with a wide spectrum of clinical presentations, with different phenotypes being identified even among patients with comparable degrees of airflow limitation. Considering the burden of COPD in terms of social and economic costs, in recent years a growing attention has been given to the need of more personalized approaches and patient-tailored rehabilitation programs. In this regard, the systematic analysis of metabolites in biological matrices, namely metabolomics, may become an essential tool in phenotyping diseases. Through the identification and quantification of the small molecules produced during biological processes, metabolomic profiling of biological samples has thus been proposed as an opportunity to identify novel biomarkers of disease outcome and treatment response. Exhaled breath condensate (EBC) and plasma/serum are fluid pools, which can be easily extracted and analyzed. In this review, we discuss the potential clinical applications of the metabolomic profiling of EBC and plasma/serum in COPD
Revealing the gap: fractional exhaled nitric oxide and clinical responsiveness to biological therapy in severe asthma – a retrospective study
No full text: A proportion of patients with severe asthma treated with biological drugs undergoes a significant decline in F ENO. However, variations in F ENO are largely independent of the clinical efficacy of the biological drug therapy. https://bit.ly/3xWszYJ
Exhaled breath condensate (EBC) in respiratory diseases: recent advances and future perspectives in the age of omic sciences
No full textExhaled breath condensate (EBC) is used as a promising noninvasive diagnostic tool in the field of respiratory medicine. EBC is achieved by cooling exhaled air, which contains aerosolized particles and volatile compounds present in the breath. This method provides useful information on the biochemical and inflammatory state of the airways. In respiratory diseases such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and cystic fibrosis, EBC analysis can reveal elevated levels of biomarkers such as hydrogen peroxide, nitric oxide and various cytokines, which correlate with oxidative stress and inflammation. Furthermore, the presence of certain volatile organic compounds in EBC has been linked to specific respiratory conditions, potentially serving as disease-specific fingerprints. The noninvasive nature of EBC sampling makes it particularly useful for repeated measures and for use in vulnerable populations, including children and the elderly. Despite its potential, the standardization of collection methods, analytical techniques and interpretation of results currently limits its use in clinical practice. Nonetheless, EBC holds significant promise for improving the diagnosis, monitoring and therapy of respiratory diseases. In this tutorial we will present the latest advances in EBC research in airway diseases and future prospects for clinical applications of EBC analysis, including the application of the Omic sciences for its analysis
Comparison of three different exhaled nitric oxide analyzers in chronic respiratory disorders
No full textFractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) measurement is a simple and non-invasive method for monitoring eosinophilic airway inflammation. New portable analyzers for FeNO measurements are constantly being developed. The aim of our study was to evaluate the agreement of FeNO values measured by new portable analyzers
Metabolomics of exhaled breath condensate by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and mass spectrometry: a methodological approach
No full textRespiratory diseases present a very high prevalence in the general population, with an increase in morbidity, mortality and health-care expenses worldwide. They are complex and heterogeneous pathologies that may present different pathological facets in different subjects, often with personal evolution. Therefore, there is a need to identify patients with similar characteristics, prognosis or treatment, defining the so-called phenotype, but also to mark specific differences within each phenotype, defining the endotypes. Biomarkers are very useful to study respiratory phenotypes and endotypes. Metabolomics, one of the recently introduced "omics", is becoming a leading technique for biomarker discovery. For the airways, metabolomics appears to be well suited as the respiratory tract offers a natural matrix, the exhaled breath condensate (EBC), in which several biomarkers can be measured. In this review, we will discuss the main methodological issues related to the application of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and mass spectrometry (MS) to EBC metabolomics for investigating respiratory diseases
EFFECT OF PULMONARY REHABILITATION ON FUNCTIONAL EXERCISE CAPACITY AND HYPOXEMIA IN PATIENTS WITH INTERSTITIAL LUNG DISEASES: A RETROSPECTIVE STUDY
No full text- …
