[Bullous emphysema associated with drug abuse]

Effects of cannabis smoking on the respiratory system: A state-of-the-art review

The diminished perception of the health risks associated with the consumption of cannabis (marijuana) lead to a progressive increase in its inhalational use in many countries. Cannabis can be smoked through the use of joints, spliffs and blunts, and it can be vaporised with the use of hookah or e-cigarettes. Delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is the main psychoactive component of cannabis smoke but contains numerous other substances. While the recreational use of cannabis smoking has been legalised in several countries, its health consequences have been underestimated and undervalued. The purpose of this review is to critically review the impact of cannabis smoke on the respiratory system. Cannabis smoke irritates the bronchial tree and is strongly associated with symptoms of chronic bronchitis, with histological signs of airway inflammation and remodelling. Altered fungicidal and antibacterial activity of alveolar macrophages, with greater susceptibility to respiratory infections, is also reported. The association with invasive pulmonary aspergillosis in immunocompromised subjects is particularly concerning. Although cannabis has been shown to produce a rapid bronchodilator effect, its chronic use is associated with poor control of asthma by numerous studies. Cannabis smoking also represents a risk factor for the development of bullous lung disease, spontaneous pneumothorax and hypersensitivity pneumonitis. On the other hand, no association with the development of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease was found. Finally, a growing number of studies report an independent association of cannabis smoking with the development of lung cancer. In conclusion, unequivocal evidence established that cannabis smoking is harmful to the respiratory system. Cannabis smoking has a wide range of negative effects on respiratory symptoms in both healthy subjects and patients with chronic lung disease. Given that the most common and cheapest way of assumption of cannabis is by smoking, healthcare providers should be prepared to provide counselling on cannabis smoking cessation and inform the public and decision-makers.

Cocaine-Induced Giant Bullous Emphysema

Background

Emphysematous bullae, defined as airspaces of greater than or equal to one centimeter in diameter, have a variety of etiologies such as tobacco use and alpha-1 antitrypsin being the most common. Emphysematous bullae have also been reported in patients using cocaine usually involving the lung periphery and sparing the central lung parenchyma. We present a case of a male with a history of cocaine abuse found to have a singular giant emphysematous bulla occupying >95% of the right hemithorax requiring video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) with a favorable outcome. Case Presentation. A 50-year-old male with a history of chronic cocaine abuse was found unresponsive in the field and given multiple doses of naloxone without any improvement in mental status. On presentation to the emergency department, chest X-ray as well as CT scan of the chest were performed which were suggestive of an extensive pneumothorax of the right lung requiring placement of a chest tube. The patient was subsequently intubated and underwent bronchoscopy with right chest VATS which found a giant bulla encasing the entire right pleural cavity. During the procedure, he underwent resection of the bullae and a partial right pleurodesis. After the procedure, patient's respiratory status significantly improved, and he was discharged in a stable condition.

Conclusion

Cocaine use is a rare but identifiable factor that can cause giant bullous emphysema (GBE) resulting in severe complications and even death. The purpose of this case presentation is to support early identification and treatment of GBE using bullectomy with VATS, improving outcomes and decreasing morbidity and mortality.

Marijuana smoke induces severe pulmonary hyperresponsiveness, inflammation, and emphysema in a predictive mouse model not via CB1 receptor activation

Sporadic clinical reports suggested that marijuana smoking induces spontaneous pneumothorax, but no animal models were available to validate these observations and to study the underlying mechanisms. Therefore, we performed a systematic study in CD1 mice as a predictive animal model and assessed the pathophysiological alterations in response to 4-mo-long whole body marijuana smoke with integrative methodologies in comparison with tobacco smoke. Bronchial responsiveness was measured with unrestrained whole body plethysmography, cell profile in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid with flow cytometry, myeloperoxidase activity with spectrophotometry, inflammatory cytokines with ELISA, and histopathological alterations with light microscopy. Daily marijuana inhalation evoked severe bronchial hyperreactivity after a week. Characteristic perivascular/peribronchial edema, atelectasis, apical emphysema, and neutrophil and macrophage infiltration developed after 1 mo of marijuana smoking; lymphocyte accumulation after 2 mo; macrophage-like giant cells, irregular or destroyed bronchial mucosa, goblet cell hyperplasia after 3 mo; and severe atelectasis, emphysema, obstructed or damaged bronchioles, and endothelial proliferation at 4 mo. Myeloperoxidase activity, inflammatory cell, and cytokine profile correlated with these changes. Airway hyperresponsiveness and inflammation were not altered in mice lacking the CB1 cannabinoid receptor. In comparison, tobacco smoke induced hyperresponsiveness after 2 mo and significantly later caused inflammatory cell infiltration/activation with only mild emphysema. We provide the first systematic and comparative experimental evidence that marijuana causes severe airway hyperresponsiveness, inflammation, tissue destruction, and emphysema, which are not mediated by the CB1 receptor.