Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38387451›Full record

ArticleRespiration; international review of thoracic diseases2024

Optical Biopsies Using Probe-Based Confocal Laser Endomicroscopy for Autoimmune Pulmonary Alveolar Proteinosis.

Takuya Okamura, Sayako Morikawa, Tomoya Horiguchi, Kumiko Yamatsuta, Toshikazu Watanabe, Aki Ikeda, Yuri Maeda, Takuma Ina, Hideaki Takahashi, Ryoma Moriya and 6 more

Open access · greenAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Respiration; international review of thoracic diseases, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact, top 96% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 0 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. The burden of autoimmune pulmonary alveolar proteinosis: a systematic review.European respiratory review : an official journal of the European Respiratory Society · 2026
    Pooled it
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

16 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.

Takuya OkamuraDepartment of Respiratory Medicine, Fujita Health University School of Medicine, Toyoake, Japan.
Sayako MorikawaDepartment of Respiratory Medicine, Fujita Health University School of Medicine, Toyoake, Japan.
Tomoya HoriguchiDepartment of Respiratory Medicine, Fujita Health University School of Medicine, Toyoake, Japan.
Kumiko YamatsutaDepartment of Respiratory Medicine, Fujita Health University School of Medicine, Toyoake, Japan.
Toshikazu WatanabeDepartment of Respiratory Medicine, Fujita Health University School of Medicine, Toyoake, Japan.
Aki IkedaDepartment of Respiratory Medicine, Fujita Health University School of Medicine, Toyoake, Japan.
Yuri MaedaDepartment of Respiratory Medicine, Fujita Health University School of Medicine, Toyoake, Japan.
Takuma InaDepartment of Respiratory Medicine, Fujita Health University School of Medicine, Toyoake, Japan.
Hideaki TakahashiDepartment of Respiratory Medicine, Fujita Health University School of Medicine, Toyoake, Japan.
Ryoma MoriyaDepartment of Respiratory Medicine, Fujita Health University School of Medicine, Toyoake, Japan.
Yasuhiro GotoDepartment of Respiratory Medicine, Fujita Health University School of Medicine, Toyoake, Japan.
Sumito IsogaiDepartment of Respiratory Medicine, Fujita Health University School of Medicine, Toyoake, Japan.
Naoki YamamotoCenter for Clinical Trial and Research Support, International Center for Cell and Gene Therapy, Research Promotion and Support Headquarters, Fujita Health University, Toyoake, Japan.
Shotaro OkachiDepartment of Respiratory Medicine, Fujita Health University School of Medicine, Toyoake, Japan.
Naozumi HashimotoDepartment of Respiratory Medicine, Fujita Health University School of Medicine, Toyoake, Japan.
Kazuyoshi ImaizumiDepartment of Respiratory Medicine, Fujita Health University School of Medicine, Toyoake, Japan.
Fujita Health University · JP

Funding

JSPS KAKENHI JP21K08216
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionIncreasing numbers of cases of mild asymptomatic pulmonary alveolar proteinosis (PAP) are being reported with the recent increase in chest computed tomography (CT). Bronchoscopic diagnosis of mild PAP is challenging because of the patchy distribution of lesions, which makes it difficult to obtain sufficient biopsy samples. Additionally, the pathological findings of mild PAP, particularly those that differ from severe PAP, have not been fully elucidated. This study aimed to clarify the pathological findings of mild PAP and the usefulness of optical biopsy using probe-based confocal laser endomicroscopy (pCLE).

methodsWe performed bronchoscopic optical biopsy using pCLE and tissue biopsy in 5 consecutive patients with PAP (three with mild PAP and two with severe PAP). We compared the pCLE images of mild PAP with those of severe PAP by integrating clinical findings, tissue pathology, and chest CT images.

resultspCLE images of PAP showed giant cells with strong fluorescence, amorphous substances, and thin alveolar walls. Images of affected lesions in mild PAP were equivalent to those obtained in arbitrary lung lesions in severe cases. All 3 patients with mild PAP spontaneously improved or remained stable after ≥3 years of follow-up. Serum autoantibodies to granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor were detected in all 5 cases.

conclusionOptical biopsy using pCLE can yield specific diagnostic findings, even in patients with mild PAP. pCLE images of affected areas in mild and severe PAP showed similar findings, indicating that the dysfunction level of pathogenic alveolar macrophages in affected areas is similar between both disease intensities.

Indexed as

Autoimmune DiseasesPulmonary Alveolar ProteinosisBiopsyHumansLasersMicroscopy, ConfocalBronchoscopyOptical biopsyProbe-based confocal laser endomicroscopyPulmonary alveolar proteinosis

Identifiers

PMID38387451
PMCPMC10997271
OpenAlexW4392023016

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.