Is nocardia-induced granulocyte macrophage colony-stimulating factor neutralized by autoantibodies in disseminated/extrapulmonary nocardiosis?
In previously healthy adults with otherwise unexplained disseminated/extrapulmonary Nocardia infections, anti-GM-CSF autoantibodies should be considered. Their presence may suggest that these patients may be at risk for later development of pulmonary alveolar proteinosis or other opportunistic infections, and that patients may benefit from therapeutic GM-CSF administration.
Higher BMI was associated with worse pCR to NCT. Further approaches to investigating the mechanism of this influence of BMI on treatment response and a more appropriate schedule for calculating NCT dose for high-BMI-patients should be considered.