Relationships between emphysema and airways metrics at high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) and ventilatory response to exercise in mild to moderate COPD patients

In Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) patients, the opportunity to carry out a thoracic high-resolution CT (HRCT) scan and to perform an incremental cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPET) increases the possibility to identify the different clinical features of disease. The aim of our study was to evaluate the relationships between HRCT metrics (on emphysema by low attenuation areas-LAA% and airways by wall area-WA%) and CPET variables related to the dynamic response to exercise in terms of elastic balance (Δ rest-to-peak IC/TLC) and ventilation capacity for carbon dioxide output (VE/VCO2 slope and VE/VCO2 intercept).

Source: Respiratory Medicine CME - June 20, 2016 Category: Respiratory Medicine Authors: Ernesto Crisafulli, Veronica Alfieri, Mario Silva, Marina Aiello, Panagiota Tzani, Gianluca Milanese, Giuseppina Bertorelli, Nicola Sverzellati, Alfredo Chetta Source Type: research