Assessment of proximal and peripheral airway dysfunction by computed tomography and respiratory impedance in asthma and COPD patients with fixed airflow obstruction.

Objective: To ascertain: (i) if elderly patients with fixed airflow obstruction (FAO) due to asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) have distinct airway morphologic and physiologic changes; (ii) the correlation between the morphology of proximal/peripheral airways and respiratory impedance.

Methods: Twenty-five asthma cases with FAO and 22 COPD patients were enrolled. High-resolution computed tomography was used to measure the wall area (WA) and lumen area (LA) of the proximal airway at the apical segmental bronchus of the right upper lobe (RB1) adjusted by body surface area (BSA) and bronchial wall thickening (BWT ) of the peripheral airways and extent of expiratory air trapping (AT ).

Thoracic endometriosis with catamenial haemoptysis and pneumothorax: computed tomography findings and long-term follow-up after danazol treatment.

Thoracic endometriosis (TE) is an uncommon disorder affecting women of childbearing age. We herein report clinical and thin-section computed tomography (CT) findings of two cases, in which one woman presented with catamenial haemoptysis (CH) alone and another woman presented with bilateral catamenial pneumothoraces (CP) coinciding with CH, a rare manifestation of TE. The dynamic changes demonstrated on thin-section chest CT performed during and after menses led to accurate localisation and presumptive diagnosis of TE in both patients.

Does the respiratory system limit exercise in mild chronic obstructive pulmonary disease?

Rationale: It is not known if abnormal dynamic respiratory mechanics actually limit exercise in patients with mild chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). We reasoned that failure to increase peak ventilation and Vt in response to dead space (DS) loading during exercise would indicate true ventilatory limitation to exercise in mild COPD.

Objectives: To compare the effects of DS loading during exercise on ventilation, breathing pattern, operating lung volumes, and dyspnea intensity in subjects with mild symptomatic COPD and age- and sex-matched healthy control subjects.

Tracheobronchial involvement in relapsing polychondritis diagnosed on endobronchial ultrasound.

Respiratory tract chondritis is not uncommon in patients with relapsing polychondritis (RP); however, diagnosing this condition remains problematic, especially in patients whose extrapulmonary manifestations do not predominate, as there are broad differential diagnoses of airway obstruction. We herein report the case of a 56-year-old man who presented with cough and dyspnea. Computed tomography of the chest demonstrated diffuse smooth thickening of the visualized tracheobronchial wall with a moderately narrowed lumen.

Impact of pulmonary rehabilitation on the major dimensions of dyspnea in COPD.

The evaluation of dyspnea and its responsiveness to therapy in COPD should consider the multidimensional nature of this symptom in each of its sensory-perceptual (intensity, quality), affective and impact domains. To gain new insights into mechanisms of dyspnea relief following pulmonary rehabilitation (PR), we examined effects on the major domains of dyspnea and their interaction with physiological training effects. This randomized, controlled study was conducted in 48 subjects with COPD.

Components of the COPD Assessment Test (CAT) associated with a diagnosis of COPD in a random population sample.

The aim of this study was to determine if components of the COPD Assessment Test (CAT), a validated health status impairment instrument, had additional utility in identifying patients at risk for COPD in whom spirometry testing is appropriate. This study was part of the Canadian Obstructive Lung Disease prevalence study. Consenting participants ≥ 40 years of age were identified by random digit dialing.

Recent advances in pharmacotherapy for dyspnea in COPD.

Dyspnea is the most distressing symptom experienced by those suffering from advanced stages of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Activity-related dyspnea in COPD is multifactorial but is associated with increased central neural drive, impaired dynamic respiratory mechanics and abnormal respiratory muscle function. Each of these components can potentially be targeted for pharmacotherapy.

Effects of BMI on static lung volumes in patients with airway obstruction.

Background: Both chronic airway obstruction and obesity are increasing in prevalence but the effect of their combination on pulmonary function parameters across the range of airway obstruction is unknown.

Methods: We studied the impact of increasing BMI on static lung volumes and airway function in a cohort of 2,265 subjects from a large pulmonary function laboratory database who were 40 to 80 years of age and met GOLD (Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease) spirometric criteria for COPD (postbronchodilator FEV₁/FVC < 0.7).