Nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) are ubiquitous in the environment and exist as an important cause of pulmonary infections in humans. Pulmonary involvement is the most common disease manifestation of NTM and the incidence of NTM is growing in North America. Susceptibility to NTM infection is incompletely understood; therefore preventative tools are not well defined. Treatment of pulmonary nontuberculous mycobacterial (NTM) infection is difficult and entails multiple antibiotics and an extended treatment course. Also, there is a considerable variation in treatment management that should be considered before initiating treatment. We highlight the new findings in the epidemiology diagnosis and treatment of mycobacterial infections. We debate new advances regarding NTM infection in cystic fibrosis patients and solid organ transplant recipients. Finally, we introduce a new epidemiologic model for NTM disease based on virulence-exposure-host factors.
The incidence of nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) has increased over the
last decades. Elderly people are more susceptible to NTM and experience
increased morbidities. NTM incidence is expected to rise due to an increasing
elderly population at least up to 2050. Given the importance of NTM infection in
the elderly, an increasing interest exists in studying NTM characteristics in
aged population. In this review, we summarize the characteristics of NTM
infection among elderly patients. We focus on epidemiology, clinical
presentation, and treatment options of NTM in this age group. We highlight the
differences in the diagnosis and treatment between rapid and slow growing
mycobacterial infections. The current recommendation for treatment of NTM is
discussed. We debate if in vitro susceptibility testing has a
role in treatment of NTM. Drug-drug interaction between antibiotics used to
treat NTM and other medications, particularly warfarin, is another important
issue that we discuss. Finally, we review the prognosis of NTM disease in
elderly patients.
Chronic pulmonary diseases describe chronic diseases that affect the airways and lung parenchyma. Examples of common chronic pulmonary diseases include asthma, bronchiectasis, chronic obstructive lung disease, lung fibrosis, sarcoidosis, pulmonary hypertension and cor pulmonale. Pulmonary infection is considered a significant cause of mortality in patients with chronic pulmonary diseases. Streptococcus pneumoniae is the leading isolated bacteria from adult patients with community-acquired pneumonia, the most common pulmonary infection. Vaccination against S. pneumoniae can reduce the risk of mortality especially from more serious infections in both immunocompetent and immunocompromised patients. Patients with chronic pulmonary diseases who take steroids or immunomodulating therapy (e.g., methotrexate, anti-TNF inhibitors), having concurrent sickle cell disease or other hemoglobinopathies, primary immunodeficiency disorders, human immunodeficiency virus infection / acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS), nephrotic syndrome, and hematologic or solid malignancies should be vaccinated with both 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13) and the pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine 23-valent (PPSV23).
Introduction. The association between the level of systemic inflammation and systemic hypertension (sHTN) among subjects with sarcoidosis has not been previously explored. Methods. A retrospective study was conducted to investigate the relation between the level of systemic inflammation in sarcoidosis, measured by various serum inflammatory markers, and sHTN. Results. Among a total of 108 cases with sarcoidosis (mean age: 53.4 years, 76.9% females), 55 (50.9%) had sHTN and 53 (49.1%) were normotensive. ESR was highly associated with sHTN. The patients with sHTN had higher mean ESR levels compared with normotensives (48.8 ± 35 versus 23.2 ± 27 mm/hr, resp.; P = 0.001). ROC curve analysis for ESR revealed an AUC value of 0.795 (95% CI: 0.692–0.897; P = 0.0001). With regard to CRP, there was a trend towards higher mean values in sHTN group (3.4 versus 1.7 mg/L; P = 0.067) and significantly higher prevalence of sHTN in the highest CRP quartile compared to the lowest one (69.6% versus 30%; OR 4.95; P = 0.017). ROC curve analysis for CRP revealed an AUC value of 0.644 (95% CI: 0.518–0.769; P = 0.03). On multivariate analysis, ESR and the CRP remained independent predictors for sHTN among subjects with sarcoidosis. Conclusion. Systemic inflammation is associated with the presence of sHTN in sarcoidosis.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.