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Following weight loss, a significant proportion (22%) of patients with obesity have normalization of the nonsupine AHI. For these patients, supine sleep avoidance may cure their OSA.

Background: This clinical trial evaluated the pharmacokinetics and safety/tolerability of inhaled pirfenidone solution in volunteers and patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). Methods: Forty-four adults in six cohorts consented to receive single doses of a 12.5 mg/mL pirfenidone solution or placebo to assess tolerability and pharmacokinetics. Cohorts 1, 2, and 3 (normal healthy volunteers [NHV]) (n ¼ 6 active; n ¼ 2 placebo in each cohort) received 25, 50, and 100 mg pirfenidone, respectively. Cohort 4 (NHV) (n ¼ 6 all active) received 100 mg of pirfenidone and underwent bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) to measure epithelial lining fluid (ELF) pirfenidone concentrations. Cohort 5 (prior or current smokers with greater than 20 packyear use) (n ¼ 6 active; n ¼ 2 placebo) and Cohort 6 (IPF patients) (n ¼ 6 all active) received 100 mg of pirfenidone. All treatments were administered with an Investigational eFlow Ò Nebulizer System (PARI Pharma GmbH). Serial measures of urine and plasma pirfenidone were collected during the 24-hour postdose in all subjects. Results: Administration time ranged from 1.4 to 2 min/mL. No clinically relevant adverse effects on respiratory rate, spirometry, or oxygenation were observed. Drug-related adverse events were predominantly cough, n ¼ 8/44 (one in IPF cohort), all mild, transient, and not dose limiting. Mean plasma pirfenidone Cmax levels in the 25, 50, 100 mg NHV, 100 mg smoker, and IPF cohorts were 202, 292, 802, 1370, 1016, and 1026 ng/mL, respectively. BAL cohort estimated ELF Cmax was 135.9-54.5 lg/mL. In the BAL and IPF cohorts, 24-hour urine excretion of pirfenidone and metabolites data suggests similar alveolar deposition. Conclusions: Aerosol pirfenidone was well tolerated in normal volunteers, smokers, and IPF patients. High ELF concentrations were achieved in NHV with a 100 mg nebulizer dose. The 100 mg nebulizer dose averaged a 15-fold lower systemic pirfenidone exposure than reported with oral administration of the licensed oral dose.

Objectives Small molecule tyrosine kinase inhibitors [smTKI, comprising mostly of Janus kinase (JAK) and to a lesser extent, spleen tyrosine kinase (SyK) inhibitors] modulate the cytokine receptor-mediated intracellular signal cascade, and are an effective treatment for autoimmune diseases and malignancies. As smTKI are novel, long-term safety is uncertain. Due to increasing use, characterization of their true adverse event profile is critical. Methods We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of all published trial data on the pulmonary and serious adverse effects of smTKIs in autoimmune disease. EMBASE, MEDLINE, CENTRAL and Pneumotox databases were searched up to April 2019 for randomized controlled trials, observational studies and post marketing surveillance, comparing any smTKI with placebo or another therapy, or as monotherapy at different doses. Primary outcomes comprised of any respiratory complications including upper and lower respiratory tract infections (URTI, LRTI), influenza, pneumonia, opportunistic respiratory infections, drug-induced interstitial lung disease, pulmonary embolism and lung neoplasm. Results We identified 4667 citations for screening, and selected 319 studies for full text review. Seventy-nine studies were analysed, including 47 randomized controlled trials, 25 observational studies and seven post-marketing surveillance studies, comprising 159 652 participants. There were significantly increased risks of URTI [risk difference (RD) 0.03; 95% CI: 0.01, 0.05; P = 0.00; 36 studies, 14 724 participants], LRTI (RD 0.01; 95% CI: 0.00, 0.02; P = 0.02; 24 studies, 12 302 participants), influenza (RD 0.01; 95% CI: 0.00, 0.01; P = 0.04; 22 studies, 10 684 participants), and pneumonia (RD 0.00; 95% CI: 0.00, 0.01; P = 0.02; 33 studies, 15 511 participants). No increased risk was found for other respiratory complications, including pulmonary embolism. Conclusion SmTKI increases the risk of non-opportunistic respiratory infections compared with placebo. The risk of any serious pulmonary adverse events is low.

Bronchiectasis, a chronic lung disease characterised by cough and purulent sputum, recurrent infections, and airway damage, is associated with considerable morbidity and mortality. To date, treatment options have been limited to physiotherapy to clear sputum and antibiotics to treat acute infections. Over the last decade, there has been significant progress in understanding the epidemiology, pathophysiology, and microbiology of this disorder. Over the last five years, methods of assessing severity have been developed, the role of macrolide antibiotic therapy in reducing exacerbations cemented, and inhaled antibiotic therapies show promise in the treatment of chronic Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection. Novel therapies are currently undergoing Phase 1 and 2 trials. This review aims to address the major developments within the field of bronchiectasis over this time.