Pulmonary artery distensibility in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

BACKGROUND: Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is an important complication in the natural history of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and is caused by the remodeling of pulmonary arteries impairing the distensibility and stiffness of the major pulmonary arteries. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the pulmonary artery distensibility by transthoracic echocardiography in patients with COPD. METHOD: We prospectively investigated COPD male patients and compared with healthy controls. In addition to right ventricle (RV) conventional echocardiographic parameters, right pulmonary artery fractional shortening(RPA-FS) and new pulmonary artery stiffness (PAS) parameters were compared. RESULTS: Fifty-four COPD patients participated in the study and compared with a control group consisting of 24, all men, healthy, nonsmoking subjects. Six patients were excluded from study due to poor quality of echocardiographic recordings. The distensibility of PA evaluated by the RPA-FS parameter was found to be significantly lower in patients with COPD than it was in normal subjects (13.3 ± 8.1 vs. 27.6 ± 4.9,P :< 0.001) and correlated positively with tricuspid annular systolic excursion (TAPSE) (r = 0.566, P < 0.001) and pulmonary acceleration time (r = 0.607, P < 0.001) and correlated inversely with pulmonary artery systolic pressure (r = -0.587, P < 0.001), PAS(r = -0.479, P < 0.001) and functional capacity (r = -0.586, P < 0.001). Similar to this, PAS found to be impaired in COPD patients (29.5 ± 13.6 vs. 15.7 ± 4.1, P < 0.001) and correlated inversely RPA-FS (r = -0.479, P < 0.001). There were statistically significant difference for pulmonary artery distensibility (RPA-FS) and PAS parameters among the COPD subgroups with regard to NYHA functional capacity (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: In this study, we found that PAS and distensibility were worsened in COPD patients and correlated with decreased functional capacity.

[Clinical and radiological findings in patients diagnosed pulmonary thromboembolism by pulmonary computerized tomography angiography]. / Pulmoner bilgisayarli tomografi anjiyografi ile pulmoner tromboemboli tanisi konulan hastalarda klinik ve radyolojik bulgular.

Pulmonary computed tomography angiography (PCTA) is the initial imaging test for the diagnosis of pulmonary thromboembolism (PTE). In the study, it was aimed to determine the clinical, radiological findings in patients diagnosed PTE by PCTA, to investigate the relationship between the thrombus localisation and the clinical, laboratory parameters. 172 patients diagnosed PTE by PCTA between 2004 and 2007 were included in the study. The clinical, laboratory parameters, thrombus localisation were evaluated. Mean age (female/male: 99/73) was 58.27 +/- 15.11, mean Wells score was 2.99 +/- 2.40. 39.5% (n= 68) of patients had low risk, 50.6% (n= 87) intermediate, 9.9% (n= 17) high risk. The most common comorbidities were cardiovascular diseases (n= 46, 26.7%), COPD (n= 26,15%). Recent operation history (n= 47, 27.3%), immobilisation (n= 37, 21.5%) were the most frequent risk factors. Dyspnea (89%), chest pain (59.9%) were the most common complaints. Deep venous thrombosis was detected by Doppler USG in 56.4% of patients. The most common site of thrombus was the right lower lobe artery (44.2%). In 30% of patients, the most proximal level of thrombus was the main pulmonary arteries (MPA). Mean age of patients with MPA thrombus (61.96 +/- 14.47), was higher than patients with distal thrombus (56.62 +/- 15.16, p= 0.03). Patients with the recent operation history (41% vs. 21%, p= 0.009), cancer (24% vs. 2.5%, p< 0.001) had higher rates of MPA thrombus. In patients presented with syncope,16.9% of them had a MPA thrombus compared to others having 3.3% rate of other thrombus localisations (p= 0.004). Mean Wells score in patients with MPA thrombus was higher compared to others (3.59 +/- 2.38/2.72 +/- 2.37, p= 0.02), however it didn't differ the extent of proximal thrombus between low, intermediate and high risk patients. The mean level of D-dimer was not different between patients with MPA thrombus and the others. D-dimer level was significantly higher in patients with thrombus localized at truncus pulmonalis (1357 microg/mL vs. 724 microg/mL). There was no significant difference between Doppler USG positive and negative patients for DVT. In conclusion, it was determined that the thrombus was at MPA in one third of the patients, a significant relationship between the presence of the recent operation, cancer history and syncope with MPA thrombus. In patients with a thrombus at truncus pulmonalis, D-dimer levels were higher.