Air Trapping on Chest CT and Ventilation Distribution in Infants with Cystic Fibrosis
Author Information
Author(s): Hall Graham L., Logie Karla M., Parsons Faith, Schulzke Sven M., Nolan Gary, Murray Conor, Ranganathan Sarath, Robinson Phil, Sly Peter D., Stick Stephen M.
Primary Institution: Princess Margaret Hospital for Children, Perth, Australia
Hypothesis
What is the relationship between ventilation distribution outcomes and the presence and extent of structural damage in infants with cystic fibrosis as assessed by chest CT?
Conclusion
The study found weak associations between ventilation distribution and lung damage in infants with cystic fibrosis, suggesting that LCI assessments cannot replace chest CT scans in early life.
Supporting Evidence
- Bronchiectasis was present in 27% of infants and air trapping in 49%.
- LCI and M2/M0 were significantly increased with the extent of air trapping.
- Assessments of LCI could not replace chest CT for structural lung disease assessment in infants.
Takeaway
This study looked at how well certain tests can show lung damage in babies with cystic fibrosis. It found that the tests aren't very good at showing damage early on.
Methodology
Infants diagnosed with cystic fibrosis were assessed using lung function tests, chest CT scans, and bronchoalveolar lavage to evaluate structural lung damage and ventilation distribution.
Limitations
The study lacked local healthy controls to compare LCI prevalence and used a limited three-slice chest CT scan which may not accurately reflect bronchiectasis.
Participant Demographics
49 infants (31 male), with 53% homozygous for ΔF508 and 12% infected with bacteria.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p=0.049
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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