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Non-Neoplastic Disorders of the Lower Respiratory Tract
bookshelf Those readers of CHEST interested in serving as reviewers for “Bookshelf” are asked to notify the department editor, Lee K. Brown, MD, FCCP, at the following address: Sleep Disorders Center of The University of New Mexico, 1101 Medical Arts Avenue NE, Building 2, Albuquerque, NM 87102. Please indicate your field(s) of expertise (pulmonary, cardiology, cardiothoracic surgery, critical care, or sleep), and include your curriculum vitae if available. In appreciation for completed reviews, authors may retain the book or software for their own use.
The Immunological Basis of Asthma By Bart Lambrecht, Henk Hoogsteden, and Zuzana Diamant. New York, NY: Marcel Dekker, 2003; 800 pp; $195 Asthma is an increasingly prevalent chronic inflammatory disease of the airways that continues to cause significant morbidity and mortality despite the existence of “adequate” therapies. Many books have been written regarding the pathogenesis and treatment of this disease, but few have tried to include all aspects of the immunology underlying this disorder. A new member of this select group is The Immunological Basis of Asthma (volume 174 in the Lung Biology in Health and Disease series), a multiauthored text that details the specific cellular and humoral immune responses and complex cellular biology that lead to inflammation in patients with asthma, with a view toward future therapy at immune targets. The book is divided into the following four main parts: cells of the pulmonary immune response; regulatory processes; integrated immunology of airway inflammation; and immunologic aspects of asthma therapy. Each of the 24 chapters is well-written, by authors expert in their field, with appropriate figures to help outline the numerous cellular interactions discussed and to define the multiple abbreviations used. The text and writing style of each respective author have been blended into a cohesive format. Note, however, that a tremendous amount of information is presented, and for those not familiar with the subject this degree of detail could be overwhelming. The first part of the book outlines each potential cellular component of the immune pulmonary response in asthma, from the roles of antigen-presenting cells and T cells, to eosinophils and mast cells. There is also a nice review concerning the multiple functions of, and inflammatory mediators released by, the airway epithelium and its crucial role in the pathogenesis of asthma. The reader will clearly realize that asthma is a complex disease with multiple cellular interactions. The second section begins with mechanisms for tolerance and sensitization to inhaled antigens and allergens, and then describes the complex cellular regulation that controls T cell and lymphocyte tracking through the lung. The third section attempts to integrate the previous two parts into a united theory of the relationships among the types of inflammation produced by immune cells, their cytokines, and various inflammatory mediators. Much of the data supporting the authors’ statements involve in vitro and animal models. Consequently, the advantages and disadvantages of studying murine models of asthma pathogenesis and their applicability to human disease are discussed, which may be particularly helpful to clinicians in understanding the relevance of this material. The 1176
final section briefly reviews the current therapy for asthma and initiates a discussion of immune modulating therapy. This latter material was particularly interesting to me, given the somewhat disappointing clinical results of these modalities, but was too brief in reviewing the specific clinical trials. Nevertheless, many immunologic targets exist, and research is ongoing, leaving the reader with the hope that over the next several years newer agents will be developed to counteract the immune and neuroimmune systems responsible for propagating the chronic inflammation of asthma. The Immunological Basis of Asthma would most likely appeal to either the basic science researcher or immunology student, although the overview it provides of the complex interplay of immune responses also would be of interest to those clinicians and pharmacists who are particularly interested in asthma pathogenesis. The book is well-written and covers a variety of aspects important in understanding the basic concepts of the disordered immune response observed in asthma patients. Combined with the skilful use of graphs, tables, and figures that complement the text and enhance its readability, this text could also be useful to a broader audience. The Immunological Basis of Asthma, by providing a detailed summary of the cellular and humoral immune responses leading to the inflammatory state of asthma, yields new insight into potential targets for therapies and is therefore a quite useful addition to the medical literature. Michelle Harkins, MD, FCCP Albuquerque, NM
Non-Neoplastic Disorders of the Lower Respiratory Tract: Atlas of Nontumor Pathology By William Travis, Thomas V. Colby, Michael N. Koss, Melissa L. Rosado-di-Christenson, Nestor Luis Muller, and Talmadge E. King Jr. Washington, DC: American Registry of Pathology and the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology, 2002; 939 pp; $195 Non-Neoplastic Disorders of the Lower Respiratory Tract: Atlas of Nontumor Pathology is the second in a planned series of 15 new atlases of nontumor pathology published by the American Registry of Pathology (ARP). For decades, their atlases of tumor pathology (often referred to as the AFIP fascicles) have made up the backbone of virtually every diagnostic pathologist’s library. ARP has maintained its familiar atlas layout and organization in this foray into nonneoplastic disease, and the release of a pulmonary text early in the series is especially welcome. With the possible exception of the GI tract, pathologists are more likely to encounter nontumor pathology in the lower respiratory system than elsewhere in the body. This is a spectacular text and atlas, the product of a multidisciplinary group of authors from the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology and other leading academic centers. It fills a niche never before accomplished so comprehensively in one book. This is more a textbook than a true atlas, but the color photomicrographs are abundant, of high quality, and amply illustrative of a wide spectrum of disease. There is extensive correlation with conventional radiographs and high-resolution CT images. This could easily be the single pulmonary pathology reference on a bookshelf
pathologist’s shelf, and it found immediate application in my own practice—I often had to retrieve the text from a colleague’s office within a few days of its arrival! In addition, this publication will appeal not only to pathologists, but also to pulmonologists, internists, general practitioners, and radiologists. For instance, the 25-page chapter “Handling and Analysis of BAL and Lung Biopsy Specimens” combined with the first 10 pages of the chapter “Diffuse Parenchymal Lung Dis-
eases” would be an excellent introduction to these aspects of the field for any physician, whether pathologist or other specialist. In short, readers seeking an in-depth review of almost any area of respiratory disease will not be disappointed. James V. Little, MD Atlanta, GA
Forthcoming Articles in CHEST The Critical Care Crisis in the United States: A Report From the Profession Kelley and colleagues Introduction by Irwin and coauthors The Critical Care Medicine Crisis: A Call for Federal Action; A White Paper From the Critical Care Professional Societies Ewart and coauthors A Survey of Clinical Practice of Lung Transplantation in North America Levine and coworkers Editorial comment by Jim Egan The Effect of Cigarette Smoke Exposure on Pulmonary Metastatic Disease in a Murine Model of Metastatic Breast Cancer Murin and coworkers Respiratory Symptoms and Physiologic Assessment of Ironworkers at the World Trade Center Disaster Site Skloot and colleagues Symptoms, Respirator Use, and Pulmonary Function Changes Among New York City Firefighters Responding to the World Trade Center Disaster Feldman and coworkers
www.chestjournal.org
CHEST / 125 / 3 / MARCH, 2004
1177
The Immunological Basis of Asthma By Bart Lambrecht, Henk Hoogsteden, and Zuzana Diamant. New York, NY: Marcel Dekker, 2003; 800 pp; $195 Asthma is an increasingly prevalent chronic inflammatory disease of the airways that continues to cause significant morbidity and mortality despite the existence of “adequate” therapies. Many books have been written regarding the pathogenesis and treatment of this disease, but few have tried to include all aspects of the immunology underlying this disorder. A new member of this select group is The Immunological Basis of Asthma (volume 174 in the Lung Biology in Health and Disease series), a multiauthored text that details the specific cellular and humoral immune responses and complex cellular biology that lead to inflammation in patients with asthma, with a view toward future therapy at immune targets. The book is divided into the following four main parts: cells of the pulmonary immune response; regulatory processes; integrated immunology of airway inflammation; and immunologic aspects of asthma therapy. Each of the 24 chapters is well-written, by authors expert in their field, with appropriate figures to help outline the numerous cellular interactions discussed and to define the multiple abbreviations used. The text and writing style of each respective author have been blended into a cohesive format. Note, however, that a tremendous amount of information is presented, and for those not familiar with the subject this degree of detail could be overwhelming. The first part of the book outlines each potential cellular component of the immune pulmonary response in asthma, from the roles of antigen-presenting cells and T cells, to eosinophils and mast cells. There is also a nice review concerning the multiple functions of, and inflammatory mediators released by, the airway epithelium and its crucial role in the pathogenesis of asthma. The reader will clearly realize that asthma is a complex disease with multiple cellular interactions. The second section begins with mechanisms for tolerance and sensitization to inhaled antigens and allergens, and then describes the complex cellular regulation that controls T cell and lymphocyte tracking through the lung. The third section attempts to integrate the previous two parts into a united theory of the relationships among the types of inflammation produced by immune cells, their cytokines, and various inflammatory mediators. Much of the data supporting the authors’ statements involve in vitro and animal models. Consequently, the advantages and disadvantages of studying murine models of asthma pathogenesis and their applicability to human disease are discussed, which may be particularly helpful to clinicians in understanding the relevance of this material. The 1176
final section briefly reviews the current therapy for asthma and initiates a discussion of immune modulating therapy. This latter material was particularly interesting to me, given the somewhat disappointing clinical results of these modalities, but was too brief in reviewing the specific clinical trials. Nevertheless, many immunologic targets exist, and research is ongoing, leaving the reader with the hope that over the next several years newer agents will be developed to counteract the immune and neuroimmune systems responsible for propagating the chronic inflammation of asthma. The Immunological Basis of Asthma would most likely appeal to either the basic science researcher or immunology student, although the overview it provides of the complex interplay of immune responses also would be of interest to those clinicians and pharmacists who are particularly interested in asthma pathogenesis. The book is well-written and covers a variety of aspects important in understanding the basic concepts of the disordered immune response observed in asthma patients. Combined with the skilful use of graphs, tables, and figures that complement the text and enhance its readability, this text could also be useful to a broader audience. The Immunological Basis of Asthma, by providing a detailed summary of the cellular and humoral immune responses leading to the inflammatory state of asthma, yields new insight into potential targets for therapies and is therefore a quite useful addition to the medical literature. Michelle Harkins, MD, FCCP Albuquerque, NM
Non-Neoplastic Disorders of the Lower Respiratory Tract: Atlas of Nontumor Pathology By William Travis, Thomas V. Colby, Michael N. Koss, Melissa L. Rosado-di-Christenson, Nestor Luis Muller, and Talmadge E. King Jr. Washington, DC: American Registry of Pathology and the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology, 2002; 939 pp; $195 Non-Neoplastic Disorders of the Lower Respiratory Tract: Atlas of Nontumor Pathology is the second in a planned series of 15 new atlases of nontumor pathology published by the American Registry of Pathology (ARP). For decades, their atlases of tumor pathology (often referred to as the AFIP fascicles) have made up the backbone of virtually every diagnostic pathologist’s library. ARP has maintained its familiar atlas layout and organization in this foray into nonneoplastic disease, and the release of a pulmonary text early in the series is especially welcome. With the possible exception of the GI tract, pathologists are more likely to encounter nontumor pathology in the lower respiratory system than elsewhere in the body. This is a spectacular text and atlas, the product of a multidisciplinary group of authors from the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology and other leading academic centers. It fills a niche never before accomplished so comprehensively in one book. This is more a textbook than a true atlas, but the color photomicrographs are abundant, of high quality, and amply illustrative of a wide spectrum of disease. There is extensive correlation with conventional radiographs and high-resolution CT images. This could easily be the single pulmonary pathology reference on a bookshelf
pathologist’s shelf, and it found immediate application in my own practice—I often had to retrieve the text from a colleague’s office within a few days of its arrival! In addition, this publication will appeal not only to pathologists, but also to pulmonologists, internists, general practitioners, and radiologists. For instance, the 25-page chapter “Handling and Analysis of BAL and Lung Biopsy Specimens” combined with the first 10 pages of the chapter “Diffuse Parenchymal Lung Dis-
eases” would be an excellent introduction to these aspects of the field for any physician, whether pathologist or other specialist. In short, readers seeking an in-depth review of almost any area of respiratory disease will not be disappointed. James V. Little, MD Atlanta, GA
Forthcoming Articles in CHEST The Critical Care Crisis in the United States: A Report From the Profession Kelley and colleagues Introduction by Irwin and coauthors The Critical Care Medicine Crisis: A Call for Federal Action; A White Paper From the Critical Care Professional Societies Ewart and coauthors A Survey of Clinical Practice of Lung Transplantation in North America Levine and coworkers Editorial comment by Jim Egan The Effect of Cigarette Smoke Exposure on Pulmonary Metastatic Disease in a Murine Model of Metastatic Breast Cancer Murin and coworkers Respiratory Symptoms and Physiologic Assessment of Ironworkers at the World Trade Center Disaster Site Skloot and colleagues Symptoms, Respirator Use, and Pulmonary Function Changes Among New York City Firefighters Responding to the World Trade Center Disaster Feldman and coworkers
www.chestjournal.org
CHEST / 125 / 3 / MARCH, 2004
1177