Vasogenic cerebral edema associated with the disability in activities of daily living in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Abstract

IntroductionThe aim of this study was to explore whether patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) develop vasogenic cerebral edema, and whether this edema contributes to the COPD‐related disability.MethodsEighteen stable patients with COPD and 17 matched healthy volunteers were enrolled. Apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values were calculated by voxel‐based analysis using DTI‐Studio software based on diffusion tensor imaging. COPD‐related disability was calculated using activities of daily living (ADL) scale.ResultsIn patients with COPD, ADC increased in the white matter fiber tracts including the bilateral anterior cingulum and posterior corpus callosum and in the white matter fibers connecting the bilateral insular cortices, sub‐lobar cortices, and pars triangularis cortices and the left rectus and olfactory gyrus. However, after further controlling for cigarette smoking, the difference in ADC values in the posterior corpus callosum between groups disappeared. Patients with COPD had significantly higher scores in ADL than that in controls. Moreover, ADL scores were positively correlated with the increased regional ADC values.ConclusionVasogenic cerebral edema occurs in patients with COPD. Cigarette smoking may be a risk factor for COPD‐related vasogenic edema. Vasogenic cerebral edema may be related to the COPD‐related ADL impairment.

Is bilateral corticospinal connectivity impaired in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease?

“…In addition, a neuroimaging study showed that corpus callosum integrity is correlated with iSP duration (Fling et al 2013). Therefore, our findings support a functional alteration in the bilateral connectivity in COPD patients and are thus consistent with previous findings of an abnormality in the corpus callosum structure of these patients (Wang et al 2018;Lee et al 2019;Yin et al 2019).…”

“…Therefore, our findings support a functional alteration in the bilateral connectivity in COPD patients and are thus consistent with previous findings of an abnormality in the corpus callosum structure of these patients (Wang et al . 2018; Lee et al . 2019; Yin et al .…”

“…Interestingly, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients display abnormalities in the cerebral structure (Zhang et al 2012;Cullu et al 2013;Zhang et al 2013), including an alteration in corpus callosum structure (Wang et al 2018;Lee et al 2019;Yin et al 2019). This structural alteration of the corpus callosum is known to alter its function (Fling et al 2013;Strauss et al 2019), which might in turn impair bilateral connectivity and subsequently cross-activation when moderate to high muscle force is elicited.…”

“…2013), including an alteration in corpus callosum structure (Wang et al . 2018; Lee et al . 2019; Yin et al .…”