Quantitative CT Characteristics of Cluster Phenotypes in the Severe Asthma Research Program Cohorts.

Background Clustering key clinical characteristics of participants in the Severe Asthma Research Program (SARP), a large, multicenter prospective observational study of patients with asthma and healthy controls, has led to the identification of novel asthma phenotypes. Purpose To determine whether quantitative CT (qCT) could help distinguish between clinical asthma phenotypes. Materials and Methods A retrospective cross-sectional analysis was conducted with the use of qCT images (maximal bronchodilation at total lung capacity [TLC], or inspiration, and functional residual capacity [FRC], or expiration) from the cluster phenotypes of SARP participants (cluster 1: minimal disease; cluster 2: mild, reversible; cluster 3: obese asthma; cluster 4: severe, reversible; cluster 5: severe, irreversible) enrolled between September 2001 and December 2015.

Quantitative CT metrics are associated with longitudinal lung function decline and future asthma exacerbations: Results from SARP-3.

Background: Currently, there is limited knowledge regarding which imaging assessments of asthma are associated with accelerated longitudinal decline in lung function.

Objectives: We aimed to assess whether quantitative computed tomography (qCT) metrics are associated with longitudinal decline in lung function and morbidity in asthma.

Methods: We analyzed 205 qCT scans of adult patients with asthma and calculated baseline markers of airway remodeling, lung density, and pointwise regional change in lung volume (Jacobian measures) for each participant.