New Discovery on Pneumonia May Improve Treatment for Severe Cases

SadaNews - Researchers say that acute pneumonia has three distinct patterns with varying biological responses, in a discovery that helps explain why some patients recover quickly while others die from the pneumonia infection.

Dr. Mark Jeffrey, head of the research team from the University of Cambridge, stated in a report that the 95 patients in the intensive care unit included in the study appeared to be suffering from the same degree of illness, but their outcomes varied significantly.

He added, according to Reuters: "The differences only became clear when we delved into the analysis and studied the patterns of inflammation."

About half of the patients were primarily suffering from immune system suppression, significant damage to the lung lining, and bleeding in the tiny air sacs in the lungs.

The researchers reported in the scientific journal "Nature Communications" that these patients showed little evidence of inflammation, which may explain why anti-inflammatory drugs sometimes fail or even cause harm in some cases.

Meanwhile, a quarter of the patients, who remained in critical condition for longer periods and spent more time on ventilators, experienced severe and persistent inflammation with a substantial influx of incomplete immune cells in the lungs. The researchers indicated that these patients are more likely to respond to anti-inflammatory treatments.

Finally, about a quarter of the cases exhibited a balanced immune response and active repair of lung damage. These patients are likely to recover faster and spend less time on ventilators, even though they initially appeared to be in a similar medical condition as the others.

Jeffrey said: "This contributes to explaining why treatments (suitable for everyone), including some immunomodulatory drugs, often fail in clinical trials."

Dr. Andrew Conway Morris from the University of Cambridge, the lead author of the study, noted that failing to consider the biological aspects underlying the disease poses the risk of overlooking important information.

Morris added: "Instead of asking: (Does this patient have pneumonia?), we should ask (What is the pattern of inflammation in this patient's lungs?)."

Dr. Velas Navaborka, who was involved in preparing the study from Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge, added: "If we know the pattern of pneumonia that an individual is experiencing, we can tailor their treatment more precisely; enhancing the immune response in some while soothing harmful inflammation in others."