Pruning of the Pulmonary Vasculature in Asthma. The Severe Asthma Research Program (SARP) Cohort.

Rationale: Loss of the peripheral pulmonary vasculature, termed vascular pruning, is associated with disease severity in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Objectives: To determine if pulmonary vascular pruning is associated with asthma severity and exacerbations.

Methods: We measured the total pulmonary blood vessel volume (TBV) and the blood vessel volume of vessels less than 5 mm in cross-sectional area (BV5) and of vessels less than 10 mm (BV10) in cross-sectional area on noncontrast computed tomographic scans of participants from the Severe Asthma Research Program.