Bronchiectasis severity scores, through useful in disease progression, are inadequate for monitoring exacerbation treatment. Therefore, it is of interest to investigate the correlation between serum albumin, Platelet Lymphocyte Ratio (PLR) and Neutrophil Lymphocyte Ratio (NLR) with disease severity in exacerbated bronchiectasis patients. Serum albumin and NLR demonstrated significant correlation with disease severity, while PLR did not. Post-treatment, both markers showed improvement, indicating their role in treatment monitoring. Thus, we show NLR and serum albumin as reliable biomarkers for assessing severity and monitoring treatment response in bronchiectasis.

We aimed to compare the risks of developing new chronic respiratory conditions, or exacerbating existing ones in survivors of 20 common cancers vs. cancer-free individuals.

Post-tuberculosis lung disease (PTLD) is an increasingly recognized consequence of pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) disease, affecting millions of survivors worldwide and imposing substantial clinical, functional, and socioeconomic burdens. This narrative review synthesizes current evidence across epidemiology, definitions, clinical phenotypes, assessment, and management, with dedicated consideration of children and adolescents. PTLD is common: Studies report abnormal spirometry in ∼60% of TB survivors and persistent, activity-limiting dyspnea in a sizeable minority. Outcomes are generally worse in low- and middle-income settings. The 2019 international consensus definition-"evidence of chronic respiratory abnormality attributable at least in part to prior TB"-has catalyzed research and service development; a newer research definition proposes a structured, three-domain approach (symptoms, radiology, lung function) and introduces "post-TB lung abnormality" for single-domain findings. PTLD encompasses heterogeneous patterns, including fibrosis, cavitation with chronic pulmonary aspergillosis risk, bronchiectasis, airflow obstruction, tracheobronchial stenosis, pleural disease, vascular complications, and pulmonary hypertension. Assessment should integrate symptom review, exercise capacity, oximetry, spirometry (with Global Lung Initiative [GLI] reference standards), and context-appropriate imaging, alongside targeted microbiology and echocardiography where indicated. Evidence for disease-modifying therapy remains limited; however, pulmonary rehabilitation improves function and symptoms, and selected patients may benefit from inhaled bronchodilators or surgical interventions. A "treatable traits" framework-spanning pulmonary, extrapulmonary, and behavioral risk domains-offers a pragmatic, person-centered strategy while high-quality trials mature. In children, TB during critical periods of lung development confers lasting functional and growth impacts, underscoring the need for age-specific screening and follow-up. We outline key research priorities: embedding PTLD outcomes in TB trials, standardizing measurement, elucidating mechanisms, evaluating host-directed therapies, and integrating post-TB care into routine health services.

Diffuse cystic lung diseases (DCLDs) comprise a heterogeneous group of disorders characterized by multiple pulmonary cysts with overlapping clinical and radiologic manifestations. Accurate diagnosis relies on recognizing characteristic imaging patterns in conjunction with clinical and extrapulmonary findings. High-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) plays a central role in distinguishing true pulmonary cysts from common cyst mimickers, including emphysema, bullae, cavities, pneumatoceles, cystic bronchiectasis, and honeycombing, thereby narrowing the differential diagnosis. This review summarizes the imaging features of the major DCLDs encountered in adults, including lymphocytic interstitial pneumonia, pulmonary Langerhans cell histiocytosis, lymphangioleiomyomatosis, and folliculin deficiency-associated disease (formerly Birt-Hogg-Dubé syndrome). Emphasis is placed on cyst morphology, craniocaudal distribution, associated parenchymal abnormalities, and characteristic extrapulmonary manifestations that facilitate diagnosis. The underlying pathophysiologic mechanisms responsible for cyst formation and their relationship to imaging appearances are also discussed. In addition, the review highlights important clinical features, including smoking history, autoimmune disease, genetic predisposition, and systemic involvement, which help refine the differential diagnosis. An integrated pattern-recognition approach combining HRCT findings with clinical context allows confident differentiation of the major DCLDs in most patients while reducing the need for invasive diagnostic procedures. Awareness of ancillary imaging findings and less common cystic lung disorders is essential when the imaging pattern is atypical or overlaps with other diffuse pulmonary diseases. A systematic understanding of characteristic imaging appearances and associated extrapulmonary manifestations enables radiologists and clinicians to establish an accurate diagnosis, guide appropriate genetic and clinical evaluation, and optimize patient management.

BACKGROUND Foreign body aspiration (FBA) is a leading cause of preventable injury and death in young children, yet diagnosis can be challenging because the choking event is not always witnessed or recognized and routine investigations have limited sensitivity. Long-duration data from Central-Eastern Europe are scarce. We characterized bronchoscopically confirmed pediatric FBA in a Polish tertiary center and factors associated with complications. MATERIAL AND METHODS In a single-center retrospective cohort, we studied children (<18 years) with a bronchoscopically confirmed foreign body admitted over 20.5 years (2001-2021). Categorical associations were tested with the chi-square, Fisher, or Fisher-Freeman-Halton exact test, and correlations with the Spearman coefficient. A multivariable logistic regression model examined factors associated with complications, with false-discovery-rate control. A 2-sided P<0.05 indicated significance. RESULTS We analyzed data from 254 children (median age 21 months; 60.6% boys). Feeding was the commonest circumstance (57.1%), and organic objects (predominantly nuts) accounted for 73.6%. The chest radiograph was normal in 16.1% and showed the classical triad in 7.5%. Rigid bronchoscopy was definitive in 90.6%, and complications occurred in 13.0%. In multivariable analysis, older age (OR 1.88, 1.18-2.98) and a prolonged or unknown interval to bronchoscopy (OR 2.75, 1.27-5.95) were independently associated with complications, whereas foreign body type was not (OR 1.02, 0.42-2.50). Bronchiectasis and fibrotic changes occurred almost exclusively with intervals exceeding 30 days or unknown. CONCLUSIONS Normal initial clinical and radiographic findings did not exclude FBA in this confirmed-case cohort. Complications were independently associated with older age and a longer or unknown interval to bronchoscopy rather than with foreign body type, although causality cannot be inferred.

Although antibiotic therapy effectively cures active tuberculosis (TB), many survivors are left with permanent lung damage and long-lasting immune alterations. Growing epidemiological evidence indicates that individuals with prior pulmonary TB have a two- to three-fold increased risk of lung cancer, independent of smoking, suggesting mechanisms beyond shared risk factors. This review advances the concept that TB imprints a durable "memory" within the lung, characterized by persistent structural remodeling and immune reprogramming that together create a tumor-permissive microenvironment. We synthesize evidence showing that TB granulomas act as dynamic immune niches that induce hypoxia, fibrosis, and immune exhaustion, features that frequently persist after microbiological cure. Post-TB sequelae including fibrotic scarring, cavitation, bronchiectasis, and vascular remodeling, promote chronic inflammation, oxidative DNA damage, and mechanotransduction pathways linked to oncogenesis. Concurrently, sustained T-cell exhaustion, macrophage polarization toward tumor-associated phenotypes, and impaired antigen presentation weaken tumor surveillance. We further discuss emerging roles for lung microbiome dysbiosis in sustaining inflammation. Collectively, these processes provide a mechanistic framework linking healed TB to lung carcinogenesis and highlight TB survivors as a distinct population for targeted surveillance and preventive strategies.

Recovery of multiple microorganisms from respiratory specimens complicates pathogen attribution in patients with chronic lung disease. A 71-year-old woman with COPD and bronchiectasis presented with severe pneumonia and respiratory failure. She had T-cell lymphopenia (CD3+, CD4+, and CD8+ counts: 189, 147, and 41 cells/μL) and negative HIV testing. BALF Gram staining showed branching Gram-positive rods suspicious for Nocardia spp., and cultures yielded a Nocardia isolate, Aspergillus fumigatus, and Candida albicans. The isolate was presumptively identified as N. terpenica by MALDI-TOF MS (score, 9.534); molecular confirmation and susceptibility testing were unavailable. BALF galactomannan (index, 3.528) supported probable pulmonary aspergillosis. Influenza A virus RNA was detected by qualitative PCR, while C. albicans was considered airway colonization. The patient improved during hospitalization. This case highlights integrated pathogen attribution in complex respiratory microbiology.

Bronchiectasis causes breathlessness and fatigue, reducing quality of life. Many affected individuals are less active than healthy peers, increasing their risk of exacerbations and hospitalizations. Correlates of physical activity (PA) and functional exercise capacity remain inconsistent, and most evidence comes from Western populations. Sex-specific differences in disease presentation and functional outcomes are recognised yet remain underexplored in South Asian cohorts. The aim of the study was to examine the relationship between PA and demographic, clinical, and functional variables; to compare these characteristics between sexes; and to identify predictors of functional exercise capacity in individuals with bronchiectasis. Fifty-five adults with stable bronchiectasis were assessed using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire for PA, the modified Medical Research Council scale (mMRC) for dyspnoea, the six-minute walk distance (6MWD) for functional exercise capacity and the bronchiectasis health questionnaire (BHQ) for health status. Bronchiectasis-related clinical characteristics, including disease severity, exacerbation frequency, microbiological status, radiological severity, and disease duration were also recorded. Associations and predictors were examined using correlation analyses and multivariate regression. Lower PA was associated with greater dyspnoea severity (rs = -0.344) and shorter disease duration (rs = 0.275). Females had shorter absolute walking distance (≈57 metres shorter 6MWD) but no significant difference in % predicted 6MWD compared with males. Females also reported higher PA (+1350 MET-minutes/week) than males. Reduced 6MWD correlated with older age, lower BHQ score, female sex, increased exacerbation frequency, greater dyspnoea severity and higher radiological severity. Dyspnoea severity and radiological severity independently predicted functional exercise capacity. Lower PA was weakly associated with greater dyspnoea severity and shorter disease duration. Females reported higher self-reported PA levels despite shorter absolute walking distances than males. Dyspnoea severity emerged as the strongest predictor of functional exercise capacity, while radiological severity was also associated with reduced 6MWD.