Clinical features and associated factors of impaired ventilatory efficiency: findings from the ECOPD study in China.

BACKGROUND: Impaired ventilatory efficiency during exercise is a predictor of mortality in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. However, little is known about the clinical features and associated factors of impaired ventilatory efficiency in China. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional community-based study in China and collected demographic and clinical information, cardiopulmonary exercise testing, spirometry, and CT data. Impaired ventilatory efficiency was defined by a nadir ventilatory equivalent for CO2 production above the upper limit of normal. Multivariable linear and logistic regression models were used to explore the clinical features and associated factors of impaired ventilatory efficiency. RESULTS: The final analyses included 941 subjects, 702 (74.6%) of whom had normal ventilatory efficiency and 239 (25.4%) had impaired ventilatory efficiency. Participants with impaired ventilatory efficiency had more chronic respiratory symptoms, poorer lung function and exercise capacity, and more severe emphysema (natural logarithm transformation of the low-attenuation area of the lung with attenuation values below -950 Hounsfield units, logLAA-950: 0.19±0.65 vs -0.28±0.63, p<0.001) and air trapping (logLAA-856: 1.03±0.65 vs 0.68±0.70, p<0.001) than those with normal ventilatory efficiency. Older age (60-69 years, OR 3.10 (95% CI 1.33 to 7.21), p=0.009 and 70-80 years, OR 6.48 (95% CI 2.56 to 16.43), p<0.001 vs 40-49 years) and smoking (former, OR 3.19 (95% CI 1.29 to 7.86), p=0.012; current, OR 4.27 (95% CI 1.78 to 10.24), p=0.001 vs never) were identified as high risk factors of impaired ventilatory efficiency. CONCLUSIONS: Impaired ventilatory efficiency was associated with poorer respiratory characteristics. Longitudinal studies are warranted to explore the progression of individuals with impaired ventilatory efficiency.

Clinical characteristics of and risk factors for small airway dysfunction detected by impulse oscillometry.

BACKGROUND: Small airway dysfunction (SAD) is an early lesion of chronic respiratory disease that is best detected using impulse oscillometry (IOS). Few studies have investigated risk factors for IOS-defined SAD (IOS-SAD) in a large population. We aimed to explore the clinical features of and risk factors for IOS-SAD in a community-based population. METHODS: We divided subjects into IOS-SAD and non-SAD groups based on a cutoff of >0.07 kPa/L/s in the difference between the resistance at 5 Hz versus the resistance at 20 Hz (R5-R20). All participants underwent spirometry, IOS, and completed a questionnaire; some participants underwent computed tomography (CT). We analyzed the risk factors for SAD based on binary logistic regression. RESULTS: The total cohort comprised 1327 subjects. The prevalence of IOS-SAD was 32.9% (437/1327). Compared with the non-SAD group, the IOS-SAD group was older (64.0 ± 7.8 vs. 59.6 ± 7.8 years, p < 0.001), included less never-smokers (30.2% vs. 35.8%, p < 0.001), had greater airway resistance and worse lung function, indicated by a larger R5-R20 (0.15 ± 0.08 vs. 0.03 ± 0.02 kPa/L/s, p < 0.001) and smaller forced expiratory volume in 1 s to forced vital capacity after bronchodilation (60.2 ± 14.4% vs. 72.6 ± 10.0%, p < 0.001); on CT, the IOS-SAD group had higher prevalences of emphysema and gas trapping. Risk factors for SAD were older age, high BMI, smoking, childhood cough, and asthma. CONCLUSION: Subjects with IOS-SAD had increased airway resistance and visible CT changes. Individuals with smoking exposure, advanced age, high BMI, childhood cough, and asthma were more prone to SAD. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: ChiCTR1900024643.