CT Scans Show Links Between Emphysema, Airway Thickness, and Body Composition in COPD
Author Information
Author(s): Erica P. A. Rutten, Thomas B. Grydeland, Sreekumar G. Pillai, Scott Wagers, Asger Dirksen, Harvey O. Coxson, Amund Gulsvik, Emiel F. M. Wouters, Per S. Bakke
Primary Institution: Center of Expertise for Chronic Organ Failure (Ciro)
Hypothesis
Presence of significant emphysematous lesions on a thoracic CT scan is negatively associated with quantitative measures of systemic soft tissue, namely, total body fat-free mass.
Conclusion
The study found that COPD cases with muscle wasting are mainly characterized by the emphysema phenotype and decreased lung mass.
Supporting Evidence
- FFMI was negatively associated with %LAA in both men and women with COPD.
- AWT-Pi10 was positively associated with FMI in both subjects with and without COPD.
- Among subjects with muscle wasting, the percentage of emphysema was high, but the predictive value was moderate.
Takeaway
This study looked at how lung problems in COPD patients relate to their body composition, finding that those with more lung damage often have less muscle.
Methodology
CT scans were performed on 452 COPD subjects and 459 subjects without COPD to assess emphysema and airway wall thickness, along with body composition measurements.
Potential Biases
Potential bias due to the age difference between COPD and non-COPD subjects.
Limitations
Subjects without COPD were younger than those with COPD, which could influence findings; also, the study used larger airways for AWT-Pi10 calculations.
Participant Demographics
The study included 452 COPD cases and 459 subjects without COPD, with both men and women represented.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.01
Confidence Interval
95% CI: 0.55–0.65
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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