Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Abstract

Background: A study was undertaken to test the hypothesis that patients respond better to lung volume reduction surgery (LVRS) if their emphysema is confluent and predominantly located in the upper lobes. Methods: A density mask analysis was used to identify voxels inflated beyond 10.2 ml gas/g tissue (-910 HU) on preoperative and postoperative CT scans from patients receiving LVRS. These hyperinflated regions were considered to represent emphysematous lesions. A power law analysis was used to determine the relationship between the number (K) and size (A) of the emphysematous lesions in the whole lung and two anatomical regions using the power law equation Y=KA -D . Results: The analysis showed a positive correlation between the change in the power law exponent (D) and the change in exercise (Watts) after surgery (r=0.47, p=0.03). There was also a negative correlation between the power law exponent D in the upper region of the lung preoperatively and the change in exercise following surgery (r=-0.60, p<0.05). Conclusions: These results confirm that patients with large upper lobe lesions respond better to LVRS than patients with small uniformly distributed disease. Power law analysis of lung CT scans provides a quantitative method for determining the extent and location of emphysema within the lungs of patients with COPD.

Examining the Impact of Social Support on Psychological Well-Being Among Canadian Individuals With COPD: Implications for Government Policies

“…Higher rates of COPD were traditionally found among a male population; however, recent research has identified that females are at a greater risk for COPD [ 34 , 35 ]. Several studies have indicated that lower socioeconomic status, including income and education level, serves as a predictive factor for COPD [ 36 - 38 ]. These characteristics are linked to poor health status in the general population within the literature [ 37 ].…”