Th1/Th2炎症极化与肺气肿和肺纤维化

肺气肿具有Ⅰ型T辅助细胞（Th1）炎症极化的特征，表现为损伤过度和修复不足，肺实质的破坏增加，肺间质变薄。与之相反，肺纤维则具有Ⅱ型T辅助细胞（Th2）炎症极化，表现为损伤后修复过度，肺间质增厚，胶原沉积。通过调控Th1和Th2的炎症趋势来控制肺组织的损伤和修复的结局可能会为肺气肿和肺纤维化的防治提供新思路。     

内科微创肺减容术的研究进展

传统的外科肺减容术治疗慢性阻塞性肺疾病（COPD）有严格的适应证，并且副作用大、并发症多。于是人们研究出多种基于同样原理但是采用内科微创技术的减容方法。目前常用的内科微创肺减容术有使用单向活瓣、生物蛋白胶等封堵支气管使靶肺萎陷、不张，或采用支气管内药物灌注肺泡加封堵使靶肺组织纤维化等。此外，还有人提出人工旁路增加呼出气量的方法。尽管目前还缺少大规模的随机对照临床试验结果，但是内科微创肺减容术已展现了其巨大的临床应用前景，也将为治疗COPD提供更多的选择。     

Pseudotumor associated with polytetrafluoroethylene sleeves

We report the case of a patient who was operated on in February 2001. We performed a wedge resection of the upper right lobe. The pathologic examination demonstrated a lung adenocarcinoma (pT2N0M0, R0). We used staple line reinforcement material (ePTFE) during the operation because the patient had an important emphysema. We re-operated in January 2005 because during follow-up we observed a suspicious image that suggested a tumoral relapse. Histopathological study showed extrinsic material compatible with the one used in the original resection.     

Mild emphysema: a novel method using formalin-fixed lungs for computed tomography and pathological analyses

We evaluated a novel method of computed tomography (CT) analysis using formalin-fixed lungs of autopsy cases with mild emphysema. Eight formalin-inflated lungs (FILs) obtained at autopsy were examined using CT after draining off the formalin and air inflation with an air pump, and subjected to pathological study including pathological scoring of emphysema and microscopic image analysis (MIA). Satisfactory CT examination was carried out within 5 h of lung fixation. The mean alveolar area determined by MIA correlated highly with the lung volume (r=0.845) and CT score (r=0.722). This method is simple compared with conventional polyethylene glycol fixation for CT and enables CT examination of resected lungs without anxiety about biohazards. Mild emphysema can be detected by MIA.     

肺气肿外科治疗的历史

为了探索治疗肺气肿的有效手术方法。人们在过去的一个世纪中付出了巨大的努力。回顾肺气肿外科治疗的发展历史,大致可分为早期探索,肺移植,肺减容术三个阶段。其中８０年代的肺移植术和９０年代发展的肺减容术被认为是治疗终末期气肿的最有效疗法。尤其是肺减术的应用为广大肺气肿患者的治疗提供了新希望。     

基质金属蛋白酶-9及其组织抑制因子在戒烟大鼠肺组织中的表达

目的　研究基质金属蛋白酶 -9(MMP -9)及其组织抑制因子 -1(TIMP -1)在戒烟大鼠肺组织中的表达及可能作用机制。方法　建立吸烟肺气肿大鼠模型 ,5 0只雄性Wistar大鼠 ,随机分为 4月、6月对照组和吸烟 4月、6月组、戒烟组 (每组 10只 ) ,用原位杂交和免疫组化等方法观察肺组织基质金属蛋白酶 -9(MMP -9)、金属蛋白酶组织抑制因子 -1(TIMP -1)的mRNA及蛋白的表达 ,用免疫组化法观察IV型胶原在肺内的表达。结果　与相应的对照组相比 ,吸烟 4、6月组MMP -9、TIMP -1在肺组织表达均显著上升 ( P <0 0 1) ;与吸烟 4月组相比 ,戒烟组肺组织MMP -9mRNA及蛋白的表达均明显减少 ( P <0 0 5 ) ,而TIMP -1表达明显上升 (P <0 0 5 ) ,IV型胶原表达增加 (P <0 0 5 ) ;与吸烟 4月组相比 ,戒烟组血气分析改善。结论　戒烟能阻止阻塞性肺气肿进一步发展 ,可能通过抑制MMP -9和增强TIMP -1表达发挥作用     

Sequential vapour ablation of adjacent segments in canine lung

Introduction: Vapour ablation is used to create lung volume reduction for emphysema patients to improve lung function and quality of life. This study characterises effects of vapour ablation treatment in lung segments within a lobe that are adjacent to lung segments previously treated with vapour in a healthy canine model. Because emphysema is a progressive disease, subsequent treatments could offer continued benefit to the patient. Method: Six healthy canines were treated with vapour at 8.5?cal/g in one upper lobe segment. After a 4-week healing period, the adjacent segment was treated. After a second 4-week healing period, necropsy was performed and the tissue inspected. Clinical effects were monitored during each healing period. Results: Each treatment was well tolerated and no significant abnormalities were observed during the healing phases, including death, pneumothorax, or major decline in health status. Animal health, oxygenation changes, pathology, and airway changes were monitored during the study. Analysis of these end points showed no difference in changes after treatment 2 as compared to changes after treatment 1. Conclusion: In this model, there was no evidence of increased or different clinical observations after a second adjacent vapour ablation. It was not possible to differentiate between the clinical effects of treatment 1 and the clinical effects of treatment 2. These results support investigation of sequential adjacent segmental vapour treatments in humans.     

Letter to the Editor Response

Abstract

Background: COPD pathology involves not only the lungs but also extrapulmonary abnormalities. Osteoporosis is one of the most important abnormalities because it may cause vertebral compression fractures and deteriorate pulmonary function. COPD patients have many risk factors for osteoporosis, such as low BMI, decreased activity, systemic inflammation, and use of corticosteroids. Some of these factors have been shown to deteriorate with COPD exacerbations. We previously demonstrated the correlation between emphysema and osteoporosis and between emphysema progression and COPD exacerbations. Thus, the hypothesis that exacerbation causes osteoporosis progression in COPD patients was investigated. Methods: Forty-two COPD patients not on osteoporosis treatment for over 2 years were recruited. During follow-up, exacerbations had been prospectively recorded. Thoracic vertebral bone mineral density (BMD) was measured using chest CT, and the annual change in BMD was calculated. The change was compared between patients with and without a history of exacerbations. Results: The decrease in thoracic vertebral BMD was greater in patients with than in those without a history of exacerbations (median ΔBMD mg/ml?year: –3.78 versus –0.30, p = 0.02). Moreover, multivariate regression analysis showed that exacerbations and baseline PaO2 were independent predictors of the BMD decrease (R2 = 0.20, p = 0.007, and R2 = 0.09, p = 0.03, respectively) after adjustment for baseline age, smoking status, and airflow limitation. Conclusions: This is the first longitudinal study to demonstrate that COPD exacerbations are independently associated with osteoporosis progression. Osteoporosis progression should be evaluated in COPD patients, especially in those with a history of frequent exacerbations.