Tuberc Respir Dis.  2004 Aug;57(2):143-147. 10.4046/trd.2004.57.2.143.

Change of Lung Volumes in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Patients with Improvement of Airflow Limitation after Treatment

• Park HP
• Park SH
• Lee SW
• Seo YW
• Lee JE
• Seo CK
• Kwak JH
• Jeon YJ
• Lee MY
• Chung IS
• Kim KC
• Choi WI

• KMID: 2132496
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4046/trd.2004.57.2.143

Abstract

BACKGROUND: It is important to predict the exercise capacity and dyspnea, as measurements of lung volume, in patients with COPD. However, lung volume changes in response to an improvement in airflow limitation have not been explored in detail. In the present study, it is hypothesized that lung volume responses might not be accurately predicted by flow responses in patients with moderate to severe airflow limitations.
METHODS
To evaluate lung volume responses, baseline and follow up, flow and lung volumes were measured in moderate to severe COPD patients. The flow response was defined by an improvement in the FEV1 of more than 12.3%; lung volume changes were analyzed in 17 patients for the flow response.
RESULTS
The mean age of the subjects was 66 years; 76% were men. The mean baseline FEV1, FEV1/FVC and RV were 0.98L (44.2% predicted), 47.5% and 4.65 L (241.5%), respectively. The mean follow up duration was 80 days. The mean differences in the FEV1, FVC, TLC and RV were 0.27 L, 0.39 L, -0.69 L and -1.04 L, respectively, during the follow up periods. There was no correlation between the delta FEV1 and delta RV values(r=0.072, p=0.738).
CONCLUSION
To appropriately evaluate the lung function in patients with moderate to severe airflow limitations; serial lung volume measurements would be helpful.

Keyword

COPD; airflow limitation; lung volume

MeSH Terms

Dyspnea
Follow-Up Studies
Humans
Lung Volume Measurements
Lung*
Male
Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive*