Clinical characteristics and histological pattern in patients with chronic bird fancier’s lung (BFL)
| Group A: BOOP-like or cellular NSIP-like lesions(N = 7) | Group B: fibrotic NSIP-like lesions(N = 8) | Group C: UIP-like lesions(N = 11) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| BOOP, bronchiolitis obliterans organising pneumonia; NSIP, non-specific interstitial pneumonia; UIP, usual interstitial pneumonia; PDE, pigeon dropping extracts; BDE, budgerigar dropping extracts; VC, vital capacity; Tlco, carbon monoxide lung transfer factor; HRCT, high resolution computed tomography; BAL, bronchoalveolar lavage. | |||
| Data are presented as mean (SE) or number or % of positive unless otherwise indicated. | |||
| *Data are presented as number or % of positive in seven group A patients with BOOP-like or cellular NSIP-like lesions, in seven group B patients with fibrosing NSIP-like lesions, and in nine group C patients with UIP-like lesions who were treated with steroid. | |||
| †p<0.05, group A v group C; ‡p<0.01, group A v group C; §p<0.05, group B v group C; **p<0.01, group A v group B; ††p<0.05, group A v group B. | |||
| Age (years) | 56.9 (4.3) | 58.4 (1.8) | 64.7 (2.1) |
| Cases of recurrent acute episodes (%) | 85.7‡ | 50.0§ | 0.0‡ § |
| Exertional dyspnoea (%) | 85.7 | 100.0 | 90.9 |
| Duration of symptoms before surgical lung biopsy (months) | 19.3 (7.5) | 46.3 (14.2) | 24.2 (5.3) |
| Exposure periods (years) | 11.6 (2.8) | 18.0 (2.8) | 11.0 (2.5) |
| Finger clubbing (%) | 0.0‡ | 50.0 | 81.8‡ |
| Anti-PDE or BDE antibodies (%) | 85.7† | 62.5 | 18.2† |
| Antigen induced lymphocyte proliferation (%) | 100.0 | 87.5 | 90.9 |
| VC (% pred) | 80.2 (9.1) | 60.6 (5.3) | 74.8 (7.2) |
| Tlco (% pred) | 58.7 (5.8) | 49.1 (6.0) | 52.3 (5.7) |
| Micronodules on HRCT (%) | 57.1† | 25.0 | 0.0† |
| Traction bronchiectasis on HRCT (%) | 28.6** ‡ | 100.0** | 100.0‡ |
| Honeycombing on HRCT (%) | 0.0‡ | 50.0 | 90.9‡ |
| BAL lymphocytes (%) | 77.0 (2.6)** ‡ | 40.8 (8.6)** § | 19.1 (2.9)‡ § |
| Favourable response to treatment (%)* | 7/7 (100.0%)** ‡ | 1/7 (14.3%)** | 1/9 (11.1%)‡ |
| No response to treatment (%)* | 0/7 (0.0%)† †† | 5/7 (71.4%)†† | 6/9 (66.7%)† |
| Alive/dead | 7/0 | 4/4 | 5/6 |