scholarly journals Centrilobular Fibrosis in Fibrotic (Chronic) Hypersensitivity Pneumonitis, Usual Interstitial Pneumonia, and Connective Tissue Disease–Associated Interstitial Lung Disease

2020 ◽  
Vol 144 (12) ◽  
pp. 1509-1516
Author(s):  
Andrew Churg

Context.— Various pulmonary diseases can produce centrilobular (peribronchiolar) fibrosis, which may be isolated or associated with other patterns of more diffuse fibrosis. The major forms of interstitial lung disease in which centrilobular fibrosis is found are fibrotic (chronic) hypersensitivity pneumonitis, connective tissue disease–associated interstitial lung disease, and (a disputed issue) usual interstitial pneumonia/idiopathic interstitial fibrosis. Objective.— To review recent literature that addresses separation of these entities. Data Sources.— Data comprised recent publications. Conclusions.— In a specially constructed multidisciplinary discussion exercise, it was found that peribronchiolar metaplasia affecting more than half the bronchioles or more than 2 foci of peribronchiolar metaplasia per square centimeter of biopsy area was strongly associated with a confident diagnosis of fibrotic hypersensitivity pneumonitis. Giant cells or granulomas were only found in cases with a greater than 50% diagnostic confidence in hypersensitivity pneumonitis. Conversely, greater numbers of fibroblast foci per square centimeter and increasing measured amounts of subpleural fibrosis favored a diagnosis of usual interstitial pneumonia. Recent data also suggest that centrilobular fibrosis can be found in usual interstitial pneumonia, although the presence of centrilobular fibrosis statistically favors an alternate diagnosis. Connective tissue disease is a major confounder because many patterns are very similar to fibrotic hypersensitivity pneumonitis or usual interstitial pneumonia. Genetic abnormalities, such as the MUC5B minor allele overlap, in these conditions and at this point cannot be used for discrimination. Thus, the separation of fibrotic hypersensitivity pneumonitis and usual interstitial pneumonia remains a difficult problem. Accurate biopsy diagnosis of all of these diseases requires correlation with imaging and clinical findings, and is crucial for treatment.

2018 ◽  
Vol 142 (9) ◽  
pp. 1080-1089 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ellen Caroline Toledo do Nascimento ◽  
Bruno Guedes Baldi ◽  
Marcio Valente Yamada Sawamura ◽  
Marisa Dolhnikoff

Context.— Interstitial lung disease, a common complication observed in several connective tissue diseases, causes significant morbidity and mortality. Similar to individuals with connective tissue diseases, a significant subgroup of patients with clinical and serologic characteristics suggestive of autoimmunity but without confirmed specific connective tissue disease presents with associated interstitial lung disease. These patients have been classified using different controversial nomenclatures, such as undifferentiated connective tissue disease–associated interstitial lung disease, lung-dominant connective tissue disease, and autoimmune featured interstitial lung disease. The need for a better understanding and standardization of this entity, interstitial lung disease with autoimmune features, and the need for an adequate management protocol for patients resulted in the introduction of a new terminology in 2015: interstitial pneumonia with autoimmune features. This new classification requires a better comprehension of its diagnostic impact and the influence of its morphologic aspects on the prognosis of patients. Objective.— To review the diagnostic criteria for interstitial pneumonia with autoimmune features, with an emphasis on morphologic aspects. Data Sources.— The review is based on the available literature, and on pathologic, radiologic, and clinical experience. Conclusions.— The interstitial pneumonia with autoimmune features classification seems to identify a distinct subgroup of patients with different prognoses. Studies show that nonspecific interstitial pneumonia and usual interstitial pneumonia are the most prevalent morphologic patterns and show discrepant results on the impact of the usual interstitial pneumonia pattern on survival. Prospective investigations are necessary to better define this subgroup and to determine the prognosis and appropriate clinical management of these patients.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Takafumi Suzuki ◽  
Hiroyuki Sakashita ◽  
Masako Akiyama ◽  
Takayuki Honda ◽  
Masaru Ejima ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Interstitial lung disease (ILD) patients often develop lung cancer. However, previous studies on the incidences of lung cancer in ILD patients focused on specific aetiologies, such as idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). The lung cancer incidences in these patients have not been investigated, and thus, we aimed to evaluate them here. Methods ILD patients at our hospital were retrospectively reviewed. The cumulative incidences of lung cancer in patients with various ILDs were estimated with Kaplan-Meier curves and compared between ILD groups using log-rank tests. The association between several variables at initial diagnosis and lung cancer development was assessed with Cox proportional hazards regression analysis to identify predictors. Results In all, 606 ILD patients, including 161 with IPF, 133 with non-IPF idiopathic interstitial pneumonias, 160 with chronic hypersensitivity pneumonitis, 87 with connective tissue disease-related ILDs, 19 with pulmonary sarcoidosis, and 46 with other ILDs, were included. Twenty-eight patients developed lung cancer. The cumulative incidences of lung cancer at 1, 3, and 5 years were: 1.9, 5.7, and 12.3% with IPF, respectively; 0.8, 0.8, and 4.0% in non-IPF idiopathic interstitial pneumonias; 2.0, 4.6, and 11.0% in chronic hypersensitivity pneumonitis; and 1.1, 1.1, and 2.9% in connective tissue disease-related ILDs. IPF patients had a higher incidence of lung cancer than non-IPF idiopathic interstitial pneumonia patients (p = 0.036). A radiological usual interstitial pneumonia pattern, forced vital capacity value, and pack-years were associated with lung cancer development (hazard ratios 2.959, 1.031, 1.011; 95% confidence intervals 1.257–6.963, 1.006–1.057, 1.002–1.020, p = 0.013, 0.017, 0.020, respectively). Conclusions The lung cancer incidence is higher in IPF patients than in non-IPF idiopathic interstitial pneumonia patients and is equally high in patients with chronic hypersensitivity pneumonitis and IPF.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Roberto Caricchio ◽  
Erin R Narewski ◽  
Ryan Townsend ◽  
Stephen Codella ◽  
Jin Sun Kim ◽  
...  

Abstract Introduction: Connective Tissue Disease Related Interstitial Lung Disease (CTD-ILD) is often treated with immunosuppressant medications; common among these is Mycophenolate Mofetil (MMF). We hypothesized that co-treatment with corticosteroids would impact disease progression.Methods: We examined a consecutive cohort of CTD-ILD patients followed at Temple University Hospital in Philadelphia, PA since 2015 who had pulmonary function tests (PFTs) performed by American Thoracic Society (ATS)/European Respiratory Society (ERS) Criteria at least one year apart. All patients were treated for CTD-ILD with MMF used either as sole therapy or as combination therapy with prednisone. Univariate logistic analyses were performed revealing the odds ratio (OR) for improvement or worsening of several PFT values (including forced vital capacity (FVC), diffusion capacity of carbon monoxide (DLCO), and six-minute walk (6MW)) greater than the minimal clinically important difference (MCID) for each value.Results: We included 103 patients (74 women) with an average age of 60 ± 11 years, 49% of our cohort were current or former smokers, and mean BMI was 29 ± 7 kg/m2. Patients were observed on treatment for an average of 23 months. CTD distribution included 25% mixed connective tissue disease (MCTD), 24% systemic sclerosis (SSc), 17% rheumatoid arthritis (RA), 14% systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), 10% other idiopathic inflammatory myositis (IIM) syndromes, 7% Antisynthetase Syndrome, 5% Sjӧgren’s syndrome. Non-specific interstitial pneumonia (NSIP) was the majority (45%) ILD pattern noted, Usual Interstitial Pneumonia (UIP) 35%, and other types were less prevalent (20%). The majority of patients received corticosteroids as co-treatment with MMF (75 patients (72%)) with a mean daily dose of 15 ± 16 mg of prednisone. Mean daily MMF dose was 1144 ± 675 mg. Glucocorticoid treatment was not associated with significant improvements in PFT values, including FVC, DLCO, and 6MW distance walked.Conclusion: In this small cohort, patients with CTD-ILD receiving MMF did not demonstrate improved lung function when receiving co-treatment with corticosteroids, but larger prospective studies are needed to better elucidate the effect of corticosteroids on this vulnerable group of patients.


2015 ◽  
Vol 139 (1) ◽  
pp. 122-125 ◽  
Author(s):  
Frank Schneider ◽  
Rohit Aggarwal ◽  
David Bi ◽  
Kevin Gibson ◽  
Chester Oddis ◽  
...  

Context The clinical spectrum of the antisynthetase syndromes (AS) has been poorly defined, although some frequently present with pulmonary manifestations. The anti-KS anti–asparaginyl-transfer RNA synthetase syndrome is one in which pulmonary interstitial lung disease is almost always present and yet the histopathologic spectrum is not well described. Objective To define the morphologic manifestations of pulmonary disease in those patients with anti-KS antiasparaginyl syndrome. Design We reviewed the connective tissue disorder registry of the University of Pittsburgh and identified those patients with anti-KS autoantibodies who presented with interstitial lung disease and had surgical lung biopsies. Results The 5 patients with anti-KS antisynthetase syndrome were usually women presenting with dyspnea and without myositis, but with mechanic's hands (60%) and Raynaud phenomenon (40%). They most often presented with a usual interstitial pneumonia pattern of fibrosis (80%), with the final patient displaying organizing pneumonia. Conclusions Pulmonary interstitial lung disease is a common presentation in patients with the anti-KS–antisynthetase syndrome, who are often women with rather subtle or subclinical connective tissue disease, whereas the literature emphasizes the nonspecific interstitial pneumonia pattern often diagnosed clinically. Usual interstitial pneumonia and organizing pneumonia patterns of interstitial injury need to be added to this clinical differential diagnosis.


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