Is ventilation heterogeneity related to asthma control?
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
8-1-2016
Journal
The European Respiratory Journal
Volume
48
Issue
2
First Page
370
Last Page
379
URL with Digital Object Identifier
10.1183/13993003.00393-2016
Abstract
In asthma patients, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and the lung clearance index (LCI) have revealed persistent ventilation heterogeneity, although its relationship to asthma control is not well understood. Therefore, our goal was to explore the relationship of MRI ventilation defects and the LCI with asthma control and quality of life in patients with severe, poorly controlled asthma.18 patients with severe, poorly controlled asthma (mean±sd 46±12 years, six males/12 females) provided written informed consent to an ethics board approved protocol, and underwent spirometry, LCI and (3)He MRI during a single 2-h visit. Asthma control and quality of life were evaluated using the Asthma Control Questionnaire (ACQ) and Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire (AQLQ). Ventilation heterogeneity was quantified using the LCI and (3)He MRI ventilation defect percent (VDP).All participants reported poorly controlled disease (mean±sd ACQ score=2.3±0.9) and highly heterogeneous ventilation (mean±sd VDP=12±11% and LCI=10.5±3.0). While VDP and LCI were strongly correlated (r=0.86, p2 (p=0.04) and AQLQ score <5 >(p=0.04), and a trend towards worse VDP (p=0.053), but not LCI in asthma patients reporting ≥1 exacerbation in the past 6 months.In patients with poorly controlled, severe asthma MRI ventilation, but not LCI was significantly worse in those with worse ACQ and AQLQ.
Notes
This is an author-submitted, peer-reviewed version of a manuscript that has been accepted for publication in the European Respiratory Journal, prior to copy-editing, formatting and typesetting. This version of the manuscript may not be duplicated or reproduced without prior permission from the copyright owner, the European Respiratory Society. The publisher is not responsible or liable for any errors or omissions in this version of the manuscript or in any version derived from it by any other parties. The final, copy-edited, published article, which is the version of record, is available without a subscription 18 months after the date of issue publication. The final published version is available at: https://erj.ersjournals.com/content/erj/48/2/370.full.pdf