Primary immunodeficiency-related bronchiectasis in adults: comparison with bronchiectasis of other etiologies in a French reference center

Infections, autoimmunity and immunodeficiencies are the leading etiologies of non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis in adults from the southwest of Colombia

INTRODUCTION

Non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis is a complex medical condition with multiple etiologies, characterized by chronic productive cough and radiologic evidence of airway lumen dilation and wall thickening. Associated exacerbations and declining lung function contribute to increasing disability and mortality. There are no data about the prevalence of non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis etiologies in the Colombian population.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis etiology and clinical characteristics in adults evaluated in the southwest of Colombia.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We conducted a cross-sectional, non-interventional study. Subjects diagnosed with non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis were referred to by their healthcare providers and then enrolled between October 2018 and April 2021. Medical records and radiological studies were evaluated. Participants underwent laboratory tests, including complete blood count, serum immunoglobulin levels, and, in some cases, additional tests.

RESULTS

We included 161 subjects. The average age was 50 years old, and 59% were females. Bronchiectasis etiology was identified in 84.6% of the cases. Postinfectious (34.6%) and immune disorders (25.3%), represented by autoimmunity (13.6%) and immunodeficiency (11.7%), were the leading causes. Gender differences were noted in autoimmune (females: 18.8% versus males: 6.1%, p = 0.021) and immunodeficiency-related bronchiectasis (males: 21.2% versus females 5.2%, p = 0.002). Immunodeficiencies-associated bronchiectases were more frequent in subjects under 50 years of age, while chronic obstructive pulmonary disease-associated bronchiectases were common in subjects over 50 years of age.

DISCUSSION

The etiologies of non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis in Colombia are diverse, exhibiting notable differences from other global regions. Serum immunoglobulin levels and clinical immunologist consultation should be prioritized in diagnosing patients with unclear bronchiectasis etiology, particularly those with recurrent sinopulmonary infections.

A comprehensive review of Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection in chronic lung diseases: recent advances in understanding asthma, COPD, and bronchiectasis

This review summarizes the research progress over the past 30 years on the relationship between Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection and chronic respiratory diseases such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and bronchiectasis. Mycoplasma pneumoniae is a common cause of community-acquired pneumonia, particularly in children and young adults. Key findings from recent studies indicate that M. pneumoniae infection is associated with a higher risk of asthma exacerbations and may contribute to the development of bronchiectasis in susceptible individuals. Additionally, emerging evidence suggests that M. pneumoniae-induced immune dysregulation plays a crucial role in the pathogenesis of chronic lung diseases. This review aims to summarize the current understanding of the potential links between M. pneumoniae pneumonia and various chronic respiratory conditions, including asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and bronchiectasis. We discuss the epidemiological data, pathogenic mechanisms, clinical manifestations, and long-term consequences of M. pneumoniae-related respiratory illnesses. Additionally, we highlight the challenges in diagnosis and treatment, as well as future research directions in this field.

Screening for primary immune deficiency among patients with bronchiectasis

INTRODUCTION

To assess frequency and methods of PID (primary immune deficiency) screening among patients with bronchiectasis by pneumologists in clinical practice.

METHODS

All the patients hospitalized in the department of pneumology of the Poitiers University Hospital between April 2013 and April 2020 with a diagnosis of bronchiectasis on chest computerized tomography were included. Patients aged 70 and over and those with already known PID were excluded. Primary endpoint was the proportion of patients having had serum immunoglobulin (Ig) assay and serum protein electrophoresis (SPE) analysis. Secondary endpoints were factors associated with prescription of SPE and/or Ig assay, proportion of patients with newly diagnosed PID and their characteristics and factors associated with repeated courses of antibiotics.

RESULTS

Among the 133 patients included, 43% had SPE+Ig assay, 34% SPE only and 23% neither. The proportion of patients with asthma was higher in the "SPE+Ig assay" group (33.3%) compared to the "SPE only" (11.1%) and the "Neither SPE nor Ig assay" groups (6.4%) (P=0.002). Four patients were newly diagnosed for PID of whom 3 had subclass IgG deficiency. Factors associated with repeated courses of antibiotics were generalized bronchiectasis (P=0.02) and asthma (P=0.04).

CONCLUSION

PID is underscreened by pneumologists among patients with bronchiectasis. Association of SPE+Ig assay+IgG subclass assay appears as the most accurate combination.

[Bronchiectasis not due to cystic fibrosis]

Bronchiectasis is a clinical-radiological condition composed of irreversible bronchial dilation due to inflammation and infection of the airways, which causes respiratory symptoms, usually productive cough and infectious exacerbations. Bronchiectasis can have multiple causes, both pulmonary and extrapulmonary, and its clinical presentation is very heterogenous. Its prevalence is unknown, although up to 35-50% of severe COPD and 25% of severe asthma present them, so their underdiagnosis is evident. Chronic bacterial bronchial infection is common, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa is the pathogen that has been found to imply a worse prognosis. Treatment of bronchiectasis has three fundamental characteristics: it must be multidisciplinary (involvement of several specialties), pyramidal (from primary care to the most specialized units) and multidimensional (management of all aspects that make up the disease).

Primary immunodeficiency diseases of adults: a review of pulmonary complication imaging findings

Our objective in this review is to familiarize radiologists with the spectrum of initial and progressive CT manifestations of pulmonary complications observed in adult patients with primary immunodeficiency diseases, including primary antibody deficiency (PAD), hyper-IgE syndrome (HIES), and chronic granulomatous disease (CGD). In patients with PAD, recurrent pulmonary infections may lead to airway remodeling with bronchial wall-thickening, bronchiectasis, mucus-plugging, mosaic perfusion, and expiratory air-trapping. Interstitial lung disease associates pulmonary lymphoid hyperplasia, granulomatous inflammation, and organizing pneumonia and is called granulomatous-lymphocytic interstitial lung disease (GLILD). The CT features of GLILD are solid and semi-solid pulmonary nodules and areas of air space consolidation, reticular opacities, and lymphadenopathy. These features may overlap those of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma, justifying biopsies. In patients with HIES, particularly the autosomal dominant type (Job syndrome), recurrent pyogenic infections lead to permanent lung damage. Secondary infections with aspergillus species develop in pre-existing pneumatocele and bronchiectasis areas, leading to chronic airway infection. The complete spectrum of CT pulmonary aspergillosis may be seen including aspergillomas, chronic cavitary pulmonary aspergillosis, allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA)-like pattern, mixed pattern, and invasive. Patients with CGD present with recurrent bacterial and fungal infections leading to parenchymal scarring, traction bronchiectasis, cicatricial emphysema, airway remodeling, and mosaicism. Invasive aspergillosis, the major cause of mortality, manifests as single or multiple nodules, areas of airspace consolidation that may be complicated by abscess, empyema, or contiguous extension to the pleura or chest wall. CLINICAL RELEVANCE STATEMENT: Awareness of the imaging findings spectrum of pulmonary complications that can occur in adult patients with primary immunodeficiency diseases is important to minimize diagnostic delay and improve patient outcomes. KEY POINTS: • Unexplained bronchiectasis, associated or not with CT findings of obliterative bronchiolitis, should evoke a potential diagnosis of primary autoantibody deficiency. • The CT evidence of various patterns of aspergillosis developed in severe bronchiectasis or pneumatocele in a young adult characterizes the pulmonary complications of hyper-IgE syndrome. • In patients with chronic granulomatous disease, invasive aspergillosis is relatively frequent, often asymptomatic, and sometimes mimicking or associated with non-infectious inflammatory pulmonary lesions.

Respiratory Comorbidities Associated with Bronchiectasis in Patients with Common Variable Immunodeficiency in the USIDNET Registry

BACKGROUND

Bronchiectasis is a major respiratory complication in patients with common variable immunodeficiency (CVID) and is associated with recurrent pulmonary infections. However, it is unclear whether other infections or non-infectious respiratory conditions are related to its development.

OBJECTIVE

To identify respiratory comorbidities associated with bronchiectasis in patients with CVID.

METHODS

A total of 1470 CVID patients enrolled in the USIDNET registry were included in a cross-sectional analysis. The primary outcome of our study was to determine the clinical characteristics and other respiratory conditions associated with respiratory comorbidities and physician-reported bronchiectasis.

RESULTS

One hundred ninety-seven CVID patients were noted to have bronchiectasis (13.4%). Affected patients were significantly older than patients without bronchiectasis (median age 54 years vs. 49 years, p = 0.0004). These patients also had lower serum IgA (13 mg/dL IQR 60 mg/dL vs. 28.4 mg/dL IQR 66 mg/dL, p = 0.000). Notably, chronic rhinosinusitis (OR = 1.69 95%CI 1.05-2.75), sinusitis (OR = 2.06 95%CI 1.38-3.09), pneumonia (OR = 2.70 95%CI 1.88-3.88), COPD (OR = 2.66 95%CI 1.51-4.67), and interstitial lung disease (OR = 2.34 95%CI 1.41-3.91) were independently associated with the development of bronchiectasis in this population.

CONCLUSION

These data suggest that lower and upper respiratory infections, chronic lower airway disease, and interstitial lung diseases are independently associated with bronchiectasis in CVID patients. Further study into predisposing conditions related to the development of bronchiectasis in CVID patients may allow prediction and early intervention strategies to prevent the development of this complication.

Ciliary and immune dysfunctions and their genetic background in patients with non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis in Central Iran

OBJECTIVE

Bronchiectasis is usually caused by recurrent bacterial infections and is characterized by irreversible dilation of the bronchi. In this study, we aimed to give an overview of the genetic backgrounds of patients with non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis (NCFB) that have been suspected to an underlying ciliary dysfunction or inborn error of immunity (IEI).

METHOD

This is a retrospective cross-sectional study. Seventy-one NCFB patients who were referred to the Immunodeficiency Research Center, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran, from 1996 to 2020 were included. These patients were referred to this center for immunological and genetic evaluation. Genetic analysis with whole-exome sequencing and Sanger sequencing was confirmed in 30 patients. However, the genetic evaluations of 41 patients were either still under evaluation or the patients had refused to be genetically evaluated.

RESULT

Thirty-eight of our 71 patients (53.52%) were diagnosed with ciliary dysfunction and the detected mutations included mutations in the CCDC65, DNAH11, RSPH1, CCDC40, and GAS8 genes as well as a novel mutation. Thirty-three patients (46.47%) had an IEI and the detected mutations included mutations of the following genes: TNFRSF13B, PTPN2, ZNF341 BTK, TCF3, CD79a, PIK3CD, JAGN1, WAS, RFXANK, STK4, GSDMD, and NEMO.

CONCLUSION

This study presents an overview of the underlying ciliary and immune dysfunctions and their genetic mutations in NCFB in a highly consanguine population. This would give us a better understanding of the etiologies and the known and novel genetic mutations in NCFB in Iran and, in turn, in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.

How and when to manage respiratory infections out of hospital

Lower respiratory infections include acute bronchitis, influenza, community-acquired pneumonia, acute exacerbation of COPD and acute exacerbation of bronchiectasis. They are a major cause of death worldwide and often affect the most vulnerable: children, elderly and the impoverished. In this paper, we review the clinical presentation, diagnosis, severity assessment and treatment of adult outpatients with lower respiratory infections. The paper is divided into sections on specific lower respiratory infections, but we also dedicate a section to COVID-19 given the importance of the ongoing pandemic. Lower respiratory infections are heterogeneous entities, carry different risks for adverse events, and require different management strategies. For instance, while patients with acute bronchitis are rarely admitted to hospital and generally do not require antimicrobials, approximately 40% of patients seen for community-acquired pneumonia require admission. Clinicians caring for patients with lower respiratory infections face several challenges, including an increasing population of patients with immunosuppression, potential need for diagnostic tests that may not be readily available, antibiotic resistance and social aspects that place these patients at higher risk. Management principles for patients with lower respiratory infections include knowledge of local surveillance data, strategic use of diagnostic tests according to surveillance data, and judicious use of antimicrobials.

Bronchiectasis and obstructive lung diseases in primary antibody deficiencies and beyond: update on management and pathomechanisms

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Pulmonary complications are among the most frequent manifestations in patients with primary antibody deficiency (PAD), contributing significantly to morbidity and mortality. Here, we focus on recent findings in obstructive pulmonary disease and bronchiectasis in PAD. Since specific data on patients with PAD is limited and management mostly follows general recommendations, this review also aims to summarize data from the immunocompetent population.

RECENT FINDINGS

Potential risk factors for the development and progression of bronchiectasis include reduced immunoglobulins and lower CD4 cells. In addition, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and an altered microbiome might contribute to local inflammation and disease progression. Findings on the contribution of neutrophils and eosinophils in the affected immunocompetent population require confirmation in PAD. Despite its high global burden, there is an extreme paucity of data on chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in PAD. Lower IgA and IgM are associated with asthma in PAD, but the heterogeneity of prevalence among PAD groups is poorly understood. Recent observations of non-IgE-mediated pathomechanisms in asthma may be of particular interest in PAD patients.

SUMMARY

Management of PAD patients with chronic lung disease requires a multidisciplinary team approach including immunology, pulmonology, infectious disease and physiotherapy. Diagnostic processes should be harmonized to ensure a more precise perspective on prevalence and disease courses.

An appraisal of the frequency and severity of non-infectious manifestations in primary immunodeficiencies. A study of a national retrospective cohort of 1375 patients over 10 years

BACKGROUND

Non-infectious manifestations, i.e. allergy, autoimmunity/inflammation, lymphoproliferation and malignancies are known to be observed in many primary immunodeficiency diseases (PID) and to participate to their prognosis.

OBJECTIVE

In order to have a global view on their occurrence, we retrieved data from a retrospective cohort of 1375 patients included in the French national registry of PID (CEREDIH) for whom we had a 10-year follow-up since inclusion in the registry.

METHODS

These patients were followed for 10 years (2009-2018) by specialized centers in University Hospitals. This study shows that 20.1% of patients without prior curative therapy (n=1163) developed at least one manifestation (event) encompassing 277 events.

RESULTS

Autoimmune/inflammatory events (n=138) and malignancies (n=85) affected all age classes and virtually all PID diagnostic groups. They were associated with a risk of death that occurred in 14.2% of them (n=195), being found as causal in 43% of cases. Malignancies (OR: 5.62 [3.66 - 8.62]) and autoimmunity (OR: 1.9 [1.27 - 2.84]) were clearly identified as risk factors for lethality. Patients who underwent curative therapy (i.e. mostly allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, a few cases of gene therapy or thymic transplantation) prior to the 10-year study period (n=212) had comparatively reduced but still detectable clinical manifestations (n=16) leading to death in 9.4% of them.

CONCLUSION

This study points to the frequency and severity of non-infectious manifestations in various PID groups across all age groups. These results warrant further prospective analysis to better assess their consequences and to adapt therapy, notably indication of curative therapy.

Predictive Factors for and Complications of Bronchiectasis in Common Variable Immunodeficiency Disorders

Bronchiectasis is a frequent complication of common variable immunodeficiency disorders (CVID). In a cohort of patients with CVID, we sought to identify predictors of bronchiectasis. Secondly, we sought to describe the impact of bronchiectasis on lung function, infection risk, and quality of life. We conducted an observational cohort study of 110 patients with CVID and an available pulmonary computed tomography scan. The prevalence of bronchiectasis was 53%, with most of these patients (54%) having mild disease. Patients with bronchiectasis had lower median serum immunoglobulin (Ig) concentrations, especially long-term IgM (0 vs 0.25 g/l; p < 0.01) and pre-treatment IgG (1.3 vs 3.7 g/l; p < 0.01). CVID patients with bronchiectasis had worse forced expiratory volume in one second (2.10 vs 2.99 l; p < 0.01) and an annual decline in forced expiratory volume in one second of 25 ml/year (vs 8 ml/year in patients without bronchiectasis; p = 0.01). Patients with bronchiectasis also reported more annual respiratory tract infections (1.77 vs 1.25 infections/year, p = 0.04) and a poorer quality of life (26 vs 14 points in the St George's Respiratory Questionnaire; p = 0.02). Low serum immunoglobulin M concentration identifies patients at risk for bronchiectasis in CVID and may play a role in pathogenesis. Bronchiectasis is relevant because it is associated with frequent respiratory tract infections, poorer lung function, a greater rate of lung function decline, and a lower quality of life.

Comparison of different sets of immunological tests to identify treatable immunodeficiencies in adult bronchiectasis patients

Background

The reported prevalence of immunodeficiencies in bronchiectasis patients is variable depending on the frequency and extent of immunological tests performed. European Respiratory Society guidelines recommend a minimum bundle of tests. Broadening the spectrum of immunological tests could increase the number of patients diagnosed with an immunodeficiency and those who could receive specific therapy. The primary objective of the present study was to assess the performance of different sets of immunological tests in diagnosing any, primary, secondary or treatable immunodeficiencies in adults with bronchiectasis.

Methods

An observational, cross-sectional study was conducted at the Bronchiectasis Program of the Policlinico University Hospital in Milan, Italy, from September 2016 to June 2019. Adult outpatients with a clinical and radiological diagnosis of bronchiectasis underwent the same immunological screening during the first visit when clinically stable consisting of: complete blood count; immunoglobulin (Ig) subclass tests for IgA, IgG, IgM and IgG; total IgE; lymphocyte subsets; and HIV antibodies. The primary endpoint was the prevalence of patients with any immunodeficiencies using five different sets of immunological tests.

Results

A total of 401 bronchiectasis patients underwent the immunological screening. A significantly different prevalence of bronchiectasis patients diagnosed with any, primary or secondary immunodeficiencies was found across different bundles. 44.6% of bronchiectasis patients had a diagnosis of immunodeficiency when IgG subclasses and lymphocyte subsets were added to the minimum bundle suggested by the guidelines.

Conclusion

A four-fold increase in the diagnosis of immunodeficiencies can be found in adults with bronchiectasis when IgG subclasses and lymphocyte subsets are added to the bundle of tests recommended by guidelines.

Aspergillus-Associated Endophenotypes in Bronchiectasis

Bronchiectasis is a chronic condition of global relevance resulting in permanent and irreversible structural airway damage. Bacterial infection in bronchiectasis is well studied; however, recent molecular studies identify fungi as important pathogens, either independently or in association with bacteria. Aspergillus species are established fungal pathogens in cystic fibrosis and their role is now increasingly being recognized in noncystic fibrosis bronchiectasis. While the healthy airway is constantly exposed to ubiquitously present Aspergillus conidia in the environment, anatomically damaged airways appear more prone to colonization and subsequent infection by this fungal group. Aspergilli possess diverse immunopathological mechanistic capabilities and when coupled with innate immune defects in a susceptible host, such as that observed in bronchiectasis, it may promote a range of clinical manifestations including sensitization, allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis, Aspergillus bronchitis, and/or invasive aspergillosis. How such clinical states influence "endophenotypes" in bronchiectasis is therefore of importance, as each Aspergillus-associated disease state has overlapping features with bronchiectasis itself, and can evolve, depending on underlying host immunity from one type into another. Concurrent Aspergillus infection complicates the clinical course and exacerbations in bronchiectasis and therefore dedicated research to better understand the Aspergillus-host interaction in the bronchiectasis airway is now warranted.

Clinical and Radiological Phenotypes and Endotypes

Bronchiectasis is a heterogenous disease with multiple etiologies and associated comorbidities. As bronchiectasis is a complex disease, it is unsound to think of it as a single disease particularly when the differing etiologies are likely to be driving bronchiectasis through initial divergent molecular pathways, known as endotypes, that phenotypically present as the same disease due to protracted airway inflammation, but revealing potential differing underlying mechanisms that may have disparity of drug responses. Improved understanding of the cellular immune, inflammatory, and microbiological milieu associated with clinical and radiological features of bronchiectasis has resulted in the recognition of important endotypes and phenotypes that will allow for personalized treatments to improve quality of life and outcomes of patients with bronchiectasis. Here we discuss clinical and radiological phenotypes, as well as emerging molecular endotypes that are possible treatable traits in bronchiectasis.

Management of non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis

Bronchiectasis is a common respiratory condition, characterised by abnormal bronchial dilatation, that often leads to recurrent airway infection and inflammation. It is an increasingly recognised respiratory condition, both as a primary lung disease but also co-existing with other respiratory diseases, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and asthma. Diagnosis can have important treatment implications. There are shared systematic approaches to treatment, such as sputum clearance techniques, prompt treatment of exacerbations and, in certain circumstances, regular antibiotic therapy. It is vital to target antibiotic therapy appropriately, and knowledge of the patient's airway microbiology can assist with this. Certain infective and colonising organisms, such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa, cause worse patient outcomes and so need prompt treatment with appropriate antibiotics. In addition to this general management approach, there are many different underlying causes of bronchiectasis that should be identified wherever possible, to support more targeted therapy and prevent disease progression. This article provides a guide to the key principles of diagnosing and managing bronchiectasis, and outlines situations where more specialist respiratory support is required.

Variable immunodeficiency score upfront analytical link (VISUAL), a proposal for combined prognostic score at diagnosis of common variable immunodeficiency

The broad and heterogeneous clinical spectrum that characterizes common variable immunodeficiency (CVID) is associated with quite different disease course and prognosis, highlighting the need to develop tools that predict complications. We developed a multianalyte VISUAL score (variable immunodeficiency score upfront analytical link) aimed to predict severity using individual CVID patient data at baseline of a cohort of 50 CVID patients from two different centers in Portugal and Spain. We retrospectively applied VISUAL to the CVID clinical severity scores proposed by Ameratunga and Grimbacher after 15 years follow-up of our cohort. VISUAL score at CVID diagnosis showed adequate performance for predicting infectious and non-infectious severe complications (Cluster B). Compared to switched memory B lymphocyte phenotype alone, VISUAL provided a more accurate identification of clinically meaningful outcome, with significantly higher sensitivity (85% vs 55%, p = 0.01), and negative predictive value (77% vs 58%) and AUC of the ROC curves (0.72 vs 0.64), with optimal cut-off level of 10. For every increase of 1 point in the VISUAL scale, the odds of being in the higher risk category (Cluster B) increased in 1.3 (p = 0.005) for Ameratunga's severity score and 1.26 (p = 0.004) for Grimbacher's severity score. At diagnosis of CVID, VISUAL score ≥ 10 showed 8.94-fold higher odds of severe prognosis than below this threshold. Kaplan-Meier estimates for the VISUAL ≥ 10 points showed significantly earlier progression to Cluster B than those with VISUAL < 10 (p = 0.0002). This prognostic laboratory score might allow close monitoring and more aggressive treatment in patients with scores ≥ 10 on a personalized basis approach. Further studies are needed to prospectively validate VISUAL score.

Bronchiectasis severity correlates with outcome in patients with primary antibody deficiency

Bronchiectasis is a well-recognised complication of primary antibody deficiency (PAD) syndromes. Previous data suggest that mortality in common variable immune deficiency (CVID) is not associated with isolated bronchiectasis. A retrospective analysis of patients with CVID and specific antibody deficiency in two tertiary referral centres with lung disease was conducted. Severity of bronchiectasis at presentation was associated with mortality. Lower FEV₁, colonisation with Pseudomonas aeruginosa and a diagnosis of COPD were also associated with mortality. Bronchiectasis is an important driver of mortality in patients with PAD syndromes.

Chronic Lung Disease in Primary Antibody Deficiency: Diagnosis and Management

Chronic lung disease is a complication of primary antibody deficiency (PAD) associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Manifestations of lung disease in PAD are numerous. Thoughtful application of diagnostic approaches is imperative to accurately identify the form of disease. Much of the treatment used is adapted from immunocompetent populations. Recent genomic and translational medicine advances have led to specific treatments. As chronic lung disease has continued to affect patients with PAD, we hope that continued advancements in our understanding of pulmonary pathology will ultimately lead to effective methods that alleviate impact on quality of life and survival.