Natalie Lorent

Universitair Ziekenhuis Leuven | UZ Leuven

The lungs of people with cystic fibrosis (PwCF) are characterized by recurrent bacterial infections and inflammation. Infections in cystic fibrosis (CF) are left unresolved despite excessive neutrophil infiltration. The role of CFTR in neutrophils is not fully understood. In this study, we aimed to assess which antimicrobial functions are directly...

Background Dipeptidyl peptidase-1 (DPP1) activates neutrophil serine proteases (NSPs), which are implicated in chronic lung diseases. DPP1 inhibitors have shown positive results in bronchiectasis clinical trials, including one in Phase 3. We investigated the mechanism of action of a DPP1 inhibitor by exploring its impact on neutrophil proteins and...

Introduction: Prior exacerbations are the main risk factor for exacerbations in bronchiectasis. Guidelines recommend macrolide only in frequent exacerbators. Other studies suggest that symptoms are related to increased exacerbation risk. We aimed to investigate if symptoms could independently predict future exacerbations and identify responders to...

Background: Serum anti-glycopeptidolipid (GPL) core immunoglobuin A (IgA) antibody test has been proposed as a diagnostic tool for Mycobacterium avium complex pulmonary diseases. Cross-reactivity with other non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM), including M. abscessus, indicates that it may have a role as a broader screening test for NTM pulmonary dis...

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has triggered a renewed interest in indoor air sampling for infectious disease surveillance. However, scalability is currently limited, as samples are usually collected in a single indoor space. An alternative is to place the device within a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system (HVAC), but this approac...

Purpose Bacterial isolation is associated with worse outcomes after lung transplantation (LTx), and successful bacterial eradication is shown to improve long-term survival and pulmonary function. Outpatient Parenteral Antibiotic Therapy (OPAT) may be an effective therapeutic modality for bacterial eradication post-LTx. Methods A single-center, ret...

The performance of a novel selective agar was evaluated against the performance of conventional mycobacterial cultures, i.e., a combination of the mycobacterial growth indicator tube (MGIT) with Löwenstein-Jensen (LJ), for the detection of nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) in sputum samples from people with cystic fibrosis (pwCF). Two hundred eight...

Introduction Respiratory pathogens are frequently isolated from airway samples in primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD) patients. Few studies investigated associations between these pathogens and lung function, with current management based on evidence from cystic fibrosis. Aims We investigated the association between commonly isolated respiratory path...

Despite its historical decline, TB remains a significant cause of infectious disease-related global deaths. The lack of reliable diagnostic tests for vulnerable groups, such as children and immunocompromised patients, remains a challenge for TB control. For decades, it has been recognised that exhaled breath has great potential as a non-invasive an...

INTRODUCTION Non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) are increasingly isolated in individuals with presumed/confirmed pulmonary TB. We aimed to estimate the prevalence and species distribution of NTM among presumed/confirmed drug-resistant TB (DR-TB) individuals and determine NTM isolation predictors. METHODS Sputum samples collected for DR-TB diagnosi...

Background Primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD) represents a group of rare hereditary disorders characterized by deficient ciliary airway clearance that can be associated with laterality defects. We aimed to describe the underlying gene defects, geographical differences in genotypes and their relationship to diagnostic findings and clinical phenotypes....

Background Identifying patients at risk of nontuberculous mycobacterial pulmonary disease (NTM-PD) is challenging. Delays in NTM-PD identification and management are associated with declining lung function and increased morbidity and mortality. Study design and methods European NTM-PD experts (n=12) participated in a three-round modified Delphi pr...

Background International guidelines recommend airway clearance management as one of the important pillars of bronchiectasis treatment. However, the extent to which airway clearance is used for people with bronchiectasis in Europe is unclear. The aim of the study was to identify the use of airway clearance management in patients with bronchiectasis...

Introduction A validated 4-point sputum colour chart can be used to objectively evaluate the levels of airway inflammation in bronchiectasis patients. In the EMBARC registry, we tested whether sputum colour would be associated with disease severity and clinical outcomes. Methods Prospective, observational registry of adults with bronchiectasis con...

Purpose We aimed to examine the correlation between clinical characteristics and the pathogenic gene variants in patients with Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia (PCD). Methods We conducted a retrospective single-center study in patients with PCD followed at the University Hospitals Leuven. We included patients with genetically confirmed PCD and described...

Introduction Nearly all patients with primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD) report ear-nose-throat (ENT) symptoms. However, scarce evidence exists about how ENT symptoms relate to pulmonary disease in PCD. We explored possible associations between upper and lower respiratory disease among patients with PCD in a multicentre study. Methods We included pa...

Background: Asthma is commonly reported in patients with a diagnosis of bronchiectasis. Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate whether patients with bronchiectasis and asthma (BE+A) had a different clinical phenotype and different outcomes compared with patients with bronchiectasis without concomitant asthma. Methods: A prospective obse...

Rationale and objective: Bronchiectasis and COPD are associated conditions but misdiagnosis is believed to be common. A recently published international consensus definition of bronchiectasis (BE) and COPD association: The ROSE criteria (radiological bronchiectasis(R), obstruction: FEV1/FVC ratio<0.7 (O), symptoms (S) and exposure:≥10 pack year sm...

Lung transplant (LTx) recipients are at high risk for COVID-19 related morbidity and mortality. Data regarding pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) with tixagevimab-cilgavimab in this population are scarce. We therefore evaluated COVID-19 breakthrough infections and COVID-19 related complications after PrEP in a retrospective single-center study, includ...

Introduction In sub-Saharan African (SSA) countries endemic for tuberculosis (TB), previous TB is a significant risk factor for non-tuberculous mycobacterial pulmonary disease (NTM-PD). The deployment of GeneXpert MTB/RIF in pulmonary TB diagnostic work-up regularly identifies symptomatic patients with a positive smear microscopy but negative GeneX...

Introduction Cystic fibrosis transmembrane regulator (CFTR) modulator therapies improve respiratory function and glycaemic control in patients with cystic fibrosis (CF). The direct effect of CFTR modulator therapies on pancreatic function in patients without preexisting diabetes remains unclear. Case Presentation. An 18-year-old female with CF caus...

Introduction Eosinophilic bronchiectasis is a recently described clinical entity defined by eosinophilic inflammation in the absence of asthma and/or allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis. This study aimed to characterise eosinophilic bronchiectasis, using two bronchiectasis patient cohorts, to determine whether eosinophilia represents a treatabl...

Introduction The relationship between neutrophilic inflammation and microbiome dysbiosis, two central features of bronchiectasis pathophysiology, is not fully understood. We used novel full length 16s rRNA sequencing, which provides detailed characterisation of bacterial communities at species level, to investigate the relationship between microbio...

To complement labour-intensive conventional contact tracing, digital proximity tracing was implemented widely during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the privacy-centred design of the dominant Google-Apple exposure notification framework has hindered assessment of its effectiveness. Between October 2021 and January 2022, we systematically collected...

Background Consistent use of reliable and clinically appropriate outcome measures is a priority for clinical trials, with clear definitions to allow comparability. We aimed to develop a core outcome set (COS) for pulmonary disease interventions in primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD). Methods A multidisciplinary international PCD expert panel was set...

Introduction: Nearly all patients with primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD) report ear-nose-throat (ENT) symptoms. However, scarce evidence exists about how ENT symptoms relate to pulmonary disease in PCD. We explored possible associations between upper and lower respiratory disease among patients with PCD in a multicentre study. Methods: We included p...

To complement labour-intensive conventional contact tracing, digital proximity tracing was implemented widely during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the privacy-centred design of the dominant Google-Apple exposure notification framework has hindered assessment of its effectiveness. Between October 2021 and January 2022, we systematically collected...

Background Sinonasal symptoms are a common feature of primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD), however, literature about their severity and frequency, particularly during the life course is scarce. Using baseline data from the Ear, nose, and throat (ENT) Prospective International Cohort of PCD patients, we describe sinonasal disease in PCD. Methods We in...

Importance: Otologic disease is common among people with primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD), yet little is known about its spectrum and severity. Objective: To characterize otologic disease among participants with PCD using data from the Ear-Nose-Throat Prospective International Cohort. Design, setting, and participants: This cross-sectional ana...

Background Primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD) is a genetic disorder characterized by recurrent airway infection and inflammation. There is no cure for PCD and to date there are no specific treatments available. Neutrophils are a crucial part of the immune system and are known to be dysfunctional in many inflammatory diseases. So far, the role of the...

Background: Although most patients with primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD) report sinonasal symptoms, little is known about symptom frequency and severity. We describe sinonasal manifestations among PCD patients using data from the Ear, nose, and throat (ENT) Prospective International Cohort of PCD patients. Methods: We included data from participant...

Importance: Otologic disease is common among people with primary ciliary dyskinesia, yet little is known about its spectrum and severity. Objective: We characterized otologic disease among participants with primary ciliary dyskinesia using data from the Ear –Nose–Throat Prospective International Cohort of PCD patients (EPIC–PCD). Design: Cross–sect...

Primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD) is a rare genetic disorder characterised by impaired mucociliary clearance leading to irreversible lung damage. In contrast to other rare lung diseases like cystic fibrosis (CF), there are only few clinical trials and limited evidence-based treatments. Management is mainly based on expert opinions and treatment is c...

We conducted a prospective single-center observational study to determine lung ultrasound reliability in assessing global lung aeration in 38 hospitalized patients with non-critical COVID-19. On admission, fixed chest CT scans using visual (CTv) and software-based (CTs) analyses along with lung ultrasound imaging protocols and scoring systems were...

Background Long-term outcome data of COVID-19 survivors are needed to understand their recovery trajectory and additional care needs. Methods A prospective observational multi-centre cohort including adults hospitalised with COVID-19 from March through May 2020. Work-up at 3 and 12 months following admission consisted of clinical review, pulmonary...

Background: Venous thromboembolism (VTE) frequently occurs in hospitalized patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The optimal dose of anticoagulation for thromboprophylaxis in COVID-19 is unknown. Aims: To report VTE incidence and bleeding before and after implementing a hospital-wide intensified thromboprophylactic protocol in patie...

We retrospectively compared the long-term evolution of IgG anti-spike (S) and anti-nucleocapsid (N) levels (Abbott immunoassays) in 116 non-severe and 115 severe SARS-CoV-2 infected patients from 2 university hospitals up to 365 days post positive RT-PCR. IgG anti-S and anti-N antibody levels decayed exponentially up to 365 days after a peak 0-59 d...

of conflict of interest: In, Ho have consulting fees to disclose. Ali has consulting fees, grants, participation on a DSMB and payment/honoraria. Ch has a grant to disclose. Br has grants, support for meetings and receipt of drugs to disclose. Wa has participation in clinical trials to disclose. Zw a grant and receipt of drugs to disclose. has Alt,...

Background ECG abnormalities in COVID-19 have been widely reported, however data after discharge is limited. The aim was to describe ECG abnormalities on admission and following recovery of COVID-19, and their associated mortality. Methods All patients hospitalized in a tertiary care hospital between March 7th and July 1st 2020 with COVID-19 were...

Anosmia, the loss of smell, is a common and often the sole symptom of COVID-19. The onset of the sequence of pathobiological events leading to olfactory dysfunction remains obscure. Here, we have developed a postmortem bedside surgical procedure to harvest endoscopically samples of respiratory and olfactory mucosae and whole olfactory bulbs. Our co...