International journal of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
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Int J Chron Obstruct Pulmon Dis · Jan 2017
Usefulness of the desaturation-distance ratio from the six-minute walk test for patients with COPD.
A straightforward, noninvasive method is needed to assess emphysema and pulmonary hypertension (PH) in COPD patients. The desaturation-distance ratio (DDR) is an index derived from the distance traveled and level of desaturation during a six-minute walk test (6MWT); it has previously been shown to be associated with percentage of forced expiratory volume in the first second of expiration (%FEV1.0) and percentage of diffusion capacity of the lung for carbon monoxide (%DLCO). The aim of this study was to examine the associations between DDR and emphysema and PH. ⋯ The results suggest that DDR is a good index of emphysema and PH in COPD patients. The 6MWT is widely used to assess COPD, and DDR could help with the early diagnosis of COPD.
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Int J Chron Obstruct Pulmon Dis · Jan 2017
Pre- and post-bronchodilator airway obstruction are associated with similar clinical characteristics but different prognosis - report from a population-based study.
According to guidelines, the diagnosis of COPD should be confirmed by post-bronchodilator (post-BD) airway obstruction on spirometry; however, in clinical practice, this is not always performed. The aim of this population-based study was to compare clinical characteristics and prognosis, assessed as mortality, between subjects with airway obstruction divided into pre- but not post-BD obstruction, post-BD airway obstruction (COPD), and subjects without airway obstruction. ⋯ Even though subjects with COPD and pre- not post-BD obstruction had fairly similar presentation of clinical characteristics, only those with COPD, specifically GOLD stage ≥2, had increased risk for death when compared with nonobstructive subjects.
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Int J Chron Obstruct Pulmon Dis · Jan 2017
Health status and lung function in the Swedish alpha 1-antitrypsin deficient cohort, identified by neonatal screening, at the age of 37-40 years.
Severe alpha 1-antitrypsin (AAT) deficiency (genotype PiZZ) is a well-known risk factor for COPD. A cohort of PiZZ and PiSZ individuals was identified by the Swedish national neonatal AAT screening program in 1972-1974 and followed up regularly since birth. Our aim was to study the lung function, respiratory symptoms and health status at the age of 38 years in comparison with a random sample of control subjects selected from the population registry. ⋯ PiZZ current smokers were found to have signs of COPD before 40 years of age. Smoking is less common among the AAT-deficient subjects identified by neonatal screening than among their peers in the general population.