TY - JOUR T1 - Diaphragm Efficiency Evaluation in Patients with Connective Tissue Diseases JF - European Respiratory Journal JO - Eur Respir J DO - 10.1183/13993003.congress-2020.3365 VL - 56 IS - suppl 64 SP - 3365 AU - Enikő Bárczi AU - Noémi Eszes AU - Anikó Bohács AU - Krisztina Vincze AU - Bence Fejér AU - Ádám Domonkos Tárnoki AU - Dávid László Tárnoki AU - Kinga Karlinger AU - Veronika Müller Y1 - 2020/09/07 UR - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/56/suppl_64/3365.abstract N2 - Introduction: Pulmonary involvements are an important extra-articular manifestation of connective tissue diseases (CTD) which might affect the ventilatory pump due to the impairment of diaphragm movement. Diaphragm movement and its impact on functional status of CTD patients was analyzed.Method: CTD patients’ having full lung function evaluation, diaphragm deflection tests including fluoroscopy, ultrasound and computed tomography with a detailed medical history. Data of 2 subgroups according to their underlying disease SLE+DM/PM (systemic lupus erythematosus, dermatomyositis, polymyositis; Group 1; N=19) and other CTD-s (Group 2; N=36) were compared.Results: Fifty-five patients were included into the analysis (18% male, age 57±17 years). Dyspnea (69%), cough (53%) and sputum production (31%) were the predominant respiratory symptoms. Higher proportion of Group 1 had exercise induced dyspnea (p=0.04). Diaphragm dysfunction defined as ≤30 mm was noted in 38% of patients, showing significantly higher proportion and reduced motility in Group 1 vs Group 2 (58% vs 28%; p=0.03). The tendency of reduced diaphragm movement was shown with ultrasound and HRCT measurements; however, inter-analysis differences were high. Both inspiratory lung volumes measured by HRCT were significantly reduced in Group 1 while lung function showing restrictive ventilator disorder and decreased CO diffusion.Conclusion: In CTDs exercise induced dyspnea might be the result of diaphragm dysfunction, especially affecting SLE and DM/PM patients. Our data suggest, that although several imaging methods exist for the evaluation of diaphragm motility, fluoroscopy is still the most sensitive tool besides ultrasound to confirm movement reduction.FootnotesCite this article as: European Respiratory Journal 2020; 56: Suppl. 64, 3365.This abstract was presented at the 2020 ERS International Congress, in session “Respiratory viruses in the "pre COVID-19" era”.This is an ERS International Congress abstract. No full-text version is available. Further material to accompany this abstract may be available at www.ers-education.org (ERS member access only). ER -