RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Pulmonary artery dilation and increased lung density in systemic sclerosis
JF European Respiratory Journal
JO Eur Respir J
FD European Respiratory Society
SP PA3743
DO 10.1183/13993003.congress-2015.PA3743
VO 46
IS suppl 59
A1 Els Bakker
A1 Maarten Ninaber
A1 Jan Stolk
A1 Lucia Kroft
A1 Anne Schouffoer
A1 Berend Stoel
YR 2015
UL http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/46/suppl_59/PA3743.abstract
AB Introduction: The presence of interstitial lung disease (ILD) as measured by lung densitometry (Perc85) is correlated with lung function in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc). ILD severity is also a predictor of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), which can be determined by dilation of the pulmonary artery (PA) . The relation between lung density and PA diameter is largely unknown in SSc, especially in comparison with normal subjects or patients with other lung diseases.Objectives: To explore the influence of high lung density on the PA diameter in SSc and compare this relation with that of healthy subjects and emphysema patients.Methods: Sixty SSc patients including 21 diagnosed with PAH, 51 patients with emphysema due to alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency (AATD) and 67 healthy subjects were included. PA diameter was measured in CT scans proximal to the PA bifurcation. CT lung density was quantified by the 85th percentile (Perc85). Patient characteristics and lung functions have been included for correlations with the PA diameter.Results: SSc patients showed significantly dilated PA diameters (30.1 ± 4.8 mm), compared to AATD and healthy subjects (25.5±3.6 mm and 26.9±2.8 mm resp., ANOVA, p<0.001). Perc85 values correlated with PA diameter in SSc (p<0.001) and healthy controls (p=0.020), but not in AATD subjects. Perc85 (together with age) was found to be a predictor for PA diameter in SSc patients (R=0.575), but was not in AATD and normals.Conclusion: Perc85 values predict PA diameter in SSc, indicating a possible relation between high lung density (ILD) and vascular alteration (enlarged PA diameter) that may cause PAH. The impact of high lung density on vascular lung structures should be further elucidated.