Airways Resistance and Specific Conductance for the Diagnosis of Obstructive Airways Diseases

Overview

Journal Respir Res

Specialty Pulmonary Medicine

Date 2015 Jul 22

PMID 26194099

Citations 12

Authors

Marko Topalovic

Eric Derom

Christian R Osadnik

Thierry Troosters

Marc Decramer

Wim Janssens

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Background: Airway resistance (RAW) and specific airway conductance (sGAW) are measures that reflect the patency of airways. Little is known of the variability of these measures between different lung diseases. This study investigated the contribution of RAW and sGAW to a diagnosis of obstructive airways disease and their role in differentiating asthma from COPD.

Methods: 976 subjects admitted for the first time to a pulmonary practice in Belgium were included. Clinical diagnoses were based on complete pulmonary function tests and supported by investigations of physicians' discretion. 651 subjects had a final diagnosis of obstructive diseases, 168 had another respiratory disease and 157 subjects had no respiratory disease (healthy controls).

Results: RAW and sGAW were significantly different (p < 0.0001) between obstructive and other groups. Abnormal RAW and sGAW were found in 39 % and 18 % of the population, respectively, in which 81 % and 90 % had diagnosed airway obstruction. Multiple regression revealed sGAW to be a significant and independent predictor of an obstructive disorder. To differentiate asthma from COPD, RAW was found to be more relevant and statistically significant. In asthma patients with normal FEV1/FVC ratio, both RAW and sGAW were more specific than sensitive diagnostic tests in differentiating asthma from healthy subjects.

Conclusions: RAW and sGAW are significant factors that contribute to the diagnosis and differentiation of obstructive airways diseases.

Citing Articles

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Kraemer R, Smith H, Reinstaedtler J, Gallati S, Matthys H BMJ Open Respir Res. 2024; 11(1).

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Assessment of functional diversities in patients with Asthma, COPD, Asthma-COPD overlap, and Cystic Fibrosis (CF).

Kraemer R, Baty F, Smith H, Minder S, Gallati S, Brutsche M PLoS One. 2024; 19(2):e0292270.

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Understanding the Impact of Pulmonary Rehabilitation on Airway Resistance in Patients with Severe COPD: A Single-Center Retrospective Study.

Kilic L, Tural Onur S, Dilektasli A, Ulubay G, Balci A Int J Chron Obstruct Pulmon Dis. 2023; 18:1-10.

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Functional Predictors Discriminating Asthma-COPD Overlap (ACO) from Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD).

Kraemer R, Gardin F, Smith H, Baty F, Barandun J, Piecyk A Int J Chron Obstruct Pulmon Dis. 2022; 17:2723-2743.

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Stolz D, Mkorombindo T, Schumann D, Agusti A, Ash S, Bafadhel M Lancet. 2022; 400(10356):921-972.

PMID: 36075255 PMC: 11260396. DOI: 10.1016/S0140-6736(22)01273-9.

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