Pathology, Diagnosis, and Treatments of Airway Diseases

A special issue of Life (ISSN 2075-1729). This special issue belongs to the section "Medical Research".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 1 October 2026 | Viewed by 748

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Respiratory Diseases Unit, Department of Medical Sciences, Surgery and Neurosciences, Siena University Hospital, Siena, Italy
Interests: airway diseases; asthma; immunology; allergy; biomarkers
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Guest Editor Assistant
Respiratory Diseases and Lung Transplantation Unit, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences & Neurosciences, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
Interests: severe asthma; biologics; biomarkers; airway diseases

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Airway diseases encompass a heterogeneous group of disorders, including asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), cystic fibrosis, and respiratory infections, which are considered among the leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide.

The diagnosis and management of airway diseases represent a significant challenge for clinicians due to the incomplete understanding of their pathogenesis and the variability in patients’ response to first-line therapies.

In recent decades, cutting-edge technologies have deepened our knowledge of the pathophysiological and molecular mechanisms underlying these conditions, paving the way for novel targeted approaches.

Unravelling the genetic roots, molecular pathways, and environmental factors guiding airway disease development and prognosis is crucial to improving patient outcomes.

This Special Issue aims to provide an up-to-date, comprehensive overview of the pathogenesis of airway diseases, while exploring emerging diagnostic and therapeutic approaches that may shape the future of respiratory healthcare.

Dr. Laura Bergantini
Guest Editor

Dr. Tommaso Pianigiani
Guest Editor Assistant

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Keywords

  • airway diseases
  • COPD
  • asthma
  • cystic fibrosis
  • bronchiectasis
  • biomarkers
  • biologics
  • targeted
  • immunology
  • pathogenesis

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

14 pages, 1156 KB  
Article
Beyond Daily Values: Are Day-to-Day and Albumin-Adjusted Ratios of IL-6, PCT, and CRP Better Predictors of Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia?
by Tobias Bexten, Golo-Sung Haarmeier, Johann Klein, Holger A. Lindner, Chaimae Rahali and Verena Schneider-Lindner
Life 2025, 15(11), 1697; https://doi.org/10.3390/life15111697 - 1 Nov 2025
Viewed by 480
Abstract
Background: Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) is a frequent complication in neurosurgical intensive care patients. This leads to prolonged mechanical ventilation, increased 30-day mortality rates, and extended hospital stays. However, early diagnosis remains a challenge. Biomarkers, such as IL-6, PCT, and CRP, are considered a [...] Read more.
Background: Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) is a frequent complication in neurosurgical intensive care patients. This leads to prolonged mechanical ventilation, increased 30-day mortality rates, and extended hospital stays. However, early diagnosis remains a challenge. Biomarkers, such as IL-6, PCT, and CRP, are considered a cornerstone for recognizing VAP and initiating early treatment. Only a very limited number of studies have compared IL-6, PCT, and CRP, focusing on day-to-day dynamics and their albumin ratios. Therefore, we investigated whether, compared with their daily levels, the day-to-day dynamics and albumin-adjusted ratios of IL-6, PCT, and CRP offer improved diagnostic value for VAP. Second, we investigated these biomarkers in patients treated for VAP who did not meet the criteria for VAP. Methods: In this exploratory, matched case–control study, we investigated 171 neurosurgical ICU patients. Daily biomarker levels, their dynamics, and ratios to serum albumin were assessed beginning four days before VAP. Logistic regression and receiver operating curve (ROC) analyses were performed to evaluate the association between each biomarker and VAP. Results: IL-6 and its day-to-day dynamics demonstrated the largest differences between VAP patients and nonVAP patients (r = 0.631; r = 0.452) and were associated with VAP, yielding AUCs of 0.816 and 0.726, respectively. In contrast, for PCT, we did not demonstrate any associative utility, whereas CRP showed a significant, moderate effect size on the day of VAP occurrence (p = 0.015 *; r = 0.351). We could not demonstrate any superiority in the day-to-day dynamics or the albumin-adjusted ratios compared to the daily values. For patients who were treated for VAP without fulfilling the criteria for biomarkers, we did not observe any significant difference from nonVAP patients. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Pathology, Diagnosis, and Treatments of Airway Diseases)
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