Castleman's disease (CD) is an uncommon lymphoproliferative disorder characterized as either unicentric or multicentric presentation based on the involving sites. The most frequent presentation of CD is a solitary mediastinal mass. We reported a patient with a history of heavy smoking with particular image features of CD, which presented as mediastinal lymphadenopathy and peribronchovascular interstitial thickening mimicking lung cancer or sarcoidosis initially.

Tuberculosis (TB) can cause chronic inflammation. The occurrence of aortic aneurysm (AA) and aortic dissection (AD) may be associated with chronic inflammatory disease, but whether TB increases the risk of AA and AD remains to be determined. This study aimed to investigate the association between TB and the development of AA and AD. We conducted a population-based cohort study using data obtained from the Taiwan National Health Insurance Database. We selected 31,220 individuals with TB and 62,440 individuals without TB by matching the cohorts according to age, sex, and index year at a ratio of 1:2. Cox regression analysis revealed that the TB cohort had a 1.711-fold higher risk of AA and AD than the non-TB cohort after adjustment for sex, age, socioeconomic status, and comorbidities (adjusted hazard ratio = 1.711; 95% confidence interval = 1.098–2.666). Patients with pulmonary, extrapulmonary, and miliary TB had a 1.561-, 1.892-, and 8.334-fold higher risk of AA and AD, respectively. Furthermore, patients with TB at <6 months, 6–12 months, and 1–5 years of follow-up had a 6.896-, 2.671-, and 2.371-fold risk of AA and AD, respectively. Physicians should consider the subsequent development of AA and AD while treating patients with TB.

Background: Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a growing global health concern. Although sex, smoking, and physical activity are recognized risk factors, their combined effects remain insufficiently studied, particularly among Asian populations. This study aimed to examine the associations of sex, cumulative smoking exposure, and physical activity with MetS among current smokers in Taiwan. Methods: Data were drawn from 15,385 participants recruited between 2013 and 2017 from a health screening center. Demographic characteristics, smoking status, physical activity levels, and biochemical data were analyzed. Mann–Whitney U tests, chi-square tests, and multiple logistic regression were used to identify variables associated with MetS. Results: MetS prevalence differed significantly by sex, with rates of 13.6% in men and 5.1% in women. Women had a lower chance of developing MetS compared to men (OR = 0.607, 95% CI 0.488–0.754). Older age, higher body mass index, and greater cumulative smoking exposure (quantified using a composite ‘smoke area’ index derived from questionnaire data on smoking duration, frequency, and daily amount) were positively associated with MetS risk. Among smokers younger than 45 years, women also had significantly lower odds of MetS than men (OR = 0.590, 95% CI 0.451–0.771). Higher levels of physical activity were linked to reduced MetS risk in both sexes. Conclusions: Among current smokers, being female was inversely associated with the risk of MetS. Greater physical activity and lower smoking exposure were also associated with reduced risk. Future research should use longitudinal designs and comorbidities to clarify mechanisms and inform tailored prevention strategies.