Purpose: The prevalence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in females has increased, changing the concept of COPD as a disease mostly limited to males. In this study, the clinical characteristics of COPD in females were investigated. Patients and Methods: The study was based on a multicenter cohort of COPD patients recruited from 54 medical centers in South Korea. Sex-based differences in general characteristics, exposure risk factors, depression scores, results of pulmonary function tests, COPD exacerbation, symptom scores, and radiologic findings were evaluated. Sex-related differences in the annual FEV₁ change over 5 years were analyzed in a linear mixed model. Results: Of the 2515 patients enrolled in this study, 8.1% were female. Female patients who had a higher BMI and a lower level of education were less likely to be smokers, were more exposed to passive smoking/biomass, and were more depressed compared to males. The rates of bronchiectasis, previous childhood respiratory infection, and asthma were higher in females. Female patients also had more symptoms and a poorer exercise capacity than males, but no significant differences were observed in terms of exacerbations. Radiologic findings revealed that male patients had worse emphysema, and female patients had worse bronchiectasis, as determined based on chest X-ray and computed tomography findings. On pulmonary function tests, female patients had less obstruction and less annual FEV₁ loss over 5 years. Conclusion: This study revealed differences in the clinical parameters between male and female patients with COPD, including general characteristics, disease characteristics, and clinical outcomes.

Background: It is unclear whether the presence of minimal lung function impairment is an independent risk factor for the development of lung cancer in general populations. Methods: We conducted a population-based cohort study using nationally representative data from the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey and the Korean National Health Insurance Service. Results: Of 20,553 participants, 169 were diagnosed with lung cancer during follow-up (median, 6.5 years). Participants with obstructive lung function impairment had increased risk of lung cancer (aHR: 2.51; 95% CI: 1.729–3.629) compared with those with normal lung function. The lower was the quartile or decile of forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) or the FEV1/forced vital capacity (FVC) ratio, the significantly higher was the incidence rate of lung cancer (p for trend < 0.0001). With FEV1 values in the lowest quartile (Q4), the incidence of lung cancer was significantly increased regardless of FVC (FEV1 Q4 and FVC values in the higher three quartiles Q1–3: aHR 1.754; 95% CI 1.084–2.847, FEV1 Q4 and FVC Q4: aHR 1.889; 95% CI 1.331–2.681). Conclusion: Our findings suggest that minimal lung function impairment, as expressed by lower FEV1 or FEV1/FVC value, may be associated with increased risk of lung cancer

Colistimethate sodium (CMS) nebulization is associated with reduced systemic toxicity compared to intravenous injection, with potentially enhanced clinical efficacy. This study aimed to assess the pharmacokinetic (PK) properties of colistin during low-dose CMS nebulization in patients with ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) caused by carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii. A nonlinear mixed-effects modeling approach was applied to develop population PK models for colistin in both epithelial lining fluid (ELF) and plasma. Twenty patients participated, and 80 ELF and 100 plasma samples were used for model development. Median colistin concentrations measured in ELF were 614-fold, 408-fold, and 250-fold higher than in plasma at 1, 3, and 5 h, respectively. Time courses in both ELF and plasma were best described by a one-compartment model with a Weibull absorption process. When the final model was simulated, the maximum free concentration and area under the free colistin concentration–time curve at steady state over 24 h in the plasma were approximately 1/90 and 1/50 of the corresponding values in ELF at steady state, respectively. For an A. baumannii MIC of 1 mg/L, inhaling 75 mg of CMS at 6 h intervals was deemed appropriate, with dose adjustments needed for MICs exceeding 2 mg/L. Using a nebulizer for CMS resulted in a notably higher exposure of colistin in the ELF than plasma, indicating the potential of nebulization to reduce systemic toxicity while effectively treating VAP.

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a progressive fibrosing interstitial lung disease characterized by dyspnea and a worsening of the lung function. Acute exacerbations of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (AE-IPF) are defined by a clinically significant respiratory deterioration, that typically develops in less than 1 month, accompanied by new radiologic abnormalities on high-resolution computed tomography, including diffused and bilateral ground-glass opacification, along with an absence of other obvious clinical etiologies. Recently, AE-IPF has gained significant importance as a major cause of mortality and morbidity. However, despite the extremely poor prognosis of the condition, no well-validated therapeutic interventions are currently available. Therefore, novel treatment modalities are being investigated and applied in addition to conventional treatments. Among them, several studies have reported that a direct hemoperfusion with a polymyxin B-immobilized fiber column (PMX-DHP), developed for endotoxin removal in septic shock, has an effect on AE-IPF. We describe two cases of PMX-DHP treatment with conflicting results. One patient successfully recovered via a PMX-DHP in severe AE-IPF that required extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). PMX-DHP subsequently improved oxygenation (PaO2/FiO(2) ratio) and decreased the levels of inflammatory markers (interleukin-6, C-reactive protein, and white blood cells). The patient dramatically recovered without the need for ECMO. PMX-DHP may be considered an alternative therapy in AE-IPF patients requiring mechanical ventilation or ECMO.