Profibrotic monocyte-derived alveolar macrophages are expanded in patients with persistent respiratory symptoms and radiographic abnormalities after COVID-19.

Monocyte-derived alveolar macrophages drive lung injury and fibrosis in murine models and are associated with pulmonary fibrosis in humans. Monocyte-derived alveolar macrophages have been suggested to develop a phenotype that promotes lung repair as injury resolves. We compared single-cell and cytokine profiling of the alveolar space in a cohort of 35 patients with post-acute sequelae of COVID-19 who had persistent respiratory symptoms and abnormalities on a computed tomography scan of the chest that subsequently improved or progressed. The abundance of monocyte-derived alveolar macrophages, their gene expression programs, and the level of the monocyte chemokine CCL2 in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid positively associated with the severity of radiographic fibrosis. Monocyte-derived alveolar macrophages from patients with resolving or progressive fibrosis expressed the same set of profibrotic genes. Our findings argue against a distinct reparative phenotype in monocyte-derived alveolar macrophages, highlighting their utility as a biomarker of failed lung repair and a potential target for therapy.

Implications of Mean Pulmonary Arterial Wedge Pressure Trajectories in Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension.

Rationale: The mean pulmonary arterial wedge pressure (mPAWP) is the critical hemodynamic factor differentiating group 1 pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) from group 2 pulmonary hypertension associated with left heart disease. Despite the discrepancy between the mPAWP upper physiologic normal and current PAH definitions, the implications of the initial mPAWP for PAH clinical trajectory are poorly understood. Objectives: To model longitudinal mPAWP trajectories in PAH over 10 years and examine the clinical and hemodynamic factors associated with trajectory membership. Methods: Adult patients with PAH with two or more right heart catheterizations were identified from a multiinstitution healthcare system in eastern Massachusetts. mPAWP trajectories were constructed via group-based trajectory modeling. Feature selection was performed in least absolute shrinkage and selection operator regression. Logistic regression was used to assess associations between trajectory membership, baseline characteristics, and transplant-free survival. Measurements and Main Results: Among 301 patients with PAH, there were two distinct mPAWP trajectories, termed "mPAWP-high" (n = 71; 23.6%) and "mPAWP-low" (n = 230; 76.4%), based on the ultimate mPAWP value. Initial mPAWP clustered around median 12 mm Hg (interquartile range [IQR], 8-14 mm Hg) in the mPAWP-high and 9 mm Hg (IQR, 6-11 mm Hg) in the mPAWP-low trajectories (P < 0.001). After feature selection, initial mPAWP ⩾12 mm Hg predicted an mPAWP-high trajectory (odds ratio, 3.2; 95% confidence interval, 1.4-6.1; P = 0.0006). An mPAWP-high trajectory was associated with shorter transplant-free survival (vs. mPAWP-low, median, 7.8 vs. 11.3 yr; log-rank P = 0.017; age-adjusted P = 0.217). Conclusions: Over 10 years, the mPAWP followed two distinct trajectories, with 25% evolving into group 2 pulmonary hypertension physiology. Using routine baseline data, longitudinal mPAWP trajectory could be predicted accurately, with initial mPAWP ⩾12 mm Hg as one of the strongest predictors.

Proteomic Biomarkers of Quantitative Interstitial Abnormalities in COPDGene and CARDIA Lung Study.

Rationale: Quantitative interstitial abnormalities (QIAs) are early measures of lung injury automatically detected on chest computed tomography scans. QIAs are associated with impaired respiratory health and share features with advanced lung diseases, but their biological underpinnings are not well understood. Objectives: To identify novel protein biomarkers of QIAs using high-throughput plasma proteomic panels within two multicenter cohorts. Methods: We measured the plasma proteomics of 4,383 participants in an older, ever-smoker cohort (COPDGene [Genetic Epidemiology of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease]) and 2,925 participants in a younger population cohort (CARDIA [Coronary Artery Disease Risk in Young Adults]) using the SomaLogic SomaScan assays. We measured QIAs using a local density histogram method. We assessed the associations between proteomic biomarker concentrations and QIAs using multivariable linear regression models adjusted for age, sex, body mass index, smoking status, and study center (Benjamini-Hochberg false discovery rate-corrected P ⩽ 0.05). Measurements and Main Results: In total, 852 proteins were significantly associated with QIAs in COPDGene and 185 in CARDIA. Of the 144 proteins that overlapped between COPDGene and CARDIA, all but one shared directionalities and magnitudes. These proteins were enriched for 49 Gene Ontology pathways, including biological processes in inflammatory response, cell adhesion, immune response, ERK1/2 regulation, and signaling; cellular components in extracellular regions; and molecular functions including calcium ion and heparin binding. Conclusions: We identified the proteomic biomarkers of QIAs in an older, smoking population with a higher prevalence of pulmonary disease and in a younger, healthier community cohort. These proteomics features may be markers of early precursors of advanced lung diseases.

Proteomic Risk Score of Increased Respiratory Susceptibility: A Multi-Cohort Study.

RATIONALE: Accelerated decline in lung function is associated with incident COPD, hospitalizations and death. However, identifying this trajectory with longitudinal spirometry measurements is challenging in clinical practice. OBJECTIVE: To determine whether a proteomic risk score trained on accelerated decline in lung function can assess risk of future respiratory disease and mortality. METHODS: In CARDIA, a population-based cohort starting in young adulthood, longitudinal measurements of FEV1 percent predicted (up to six timepoints over 30 years) were used to identify accelerated and normal decline trajectories. Protein aptamers associated with an accelerated decline trajectory were identified with multivariable logistic regression followed by LASSO regression. The proteomic respiratory susceptibility score was derived based on these circulating proteins and applied to the UK Biobank and COPDGene studies to examine associations with future respiratory morbidity and mortality. MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS: Higher susceptibility score was independently associated with all-cause mortality (UKBB: HR 1.56, 95%CI 1.50-1.61; COPDGene: HR 1.75, 95%CI 1.63-1.88), respiratory mortality (UKBB: HR 2.39, 95% CI 2.16-2.64; COPDGene: HR 1.83, 95%CI 1.33-2.51), incident COPD (UKBB: HR 1.84, 95%CI 1.71-1.98), incident respiratory exacerbation (COPDGene: OR 1.11, 95%CI 1.03-1.20), and incident exacerbation requiring hospitalization (COPDGene: OR 1.18, 95%CI 1.08-1.28). CONCLUSIONS: A proteomic signature of increased respiratory susceptibility identifies people at risk of respiratory death, incident COPD, and respiratory exacerbations. This susceptibility score is comprised of proteins with well-known and novel associations with lung health and holds promise for the early detection of lung disease without requiring years of spirometry measurements.

Can We Use Lung Function Thresholds and Respiratory Symptoms to Identify Pre-Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease? A Prospective, Population-based Cohort Study.

Rationale: The term "pre-chronic obstructive pulmonary disease" ("pre-COPD") refers to individuals at high risk of developing COPD who do not meet conventional spirometric criteria for airflow obstruction. New approaches to identifying these individuals are needed, particularly in younger populations. Objectives: To determine whether lung function thresholds and respiratory symptoms can be used to identify individuals at risk of developing COPD. Methods: The Tasmanian Longitudinal Health Study comprises a population-based cohort first studied in 1968 (at age 7 yr). Respiratory symptoms, pre- and post-bronchodilator (BD) spirometry, diffusing capacity, and static lung volumes were measured in a subgroup at age 45, and the incidence of COPD was assessed at age 53. For each lung function measure, z-scores were calculated using Global Lung Function Initiative references. The optimal threshold for best discrimination of COPD incidence was determined by the unweighted Youden index. Measurements and Main Results: Among 801 participants who did not have COPD at age 45, the optimal threshold for COPD incidence by age 53 was pre-BD FEV1/FVC z-score less than -1.264, corresponding to the lowest 10th percentile. Those below this threshold had a 36-fold increased risk of developing COPD over an 8-year follow-up period (risk ratio, 35.8; 95% confidence interval, 8.88 to 144), corresponding to a risk difference of 16.4% (95% confidence interval, 3.7 to 67.4). The sensitivity was 88%, and the specificity was 87%. Positive and negative likelihood ratios were 6.79 and 0.14, respectively. Respiratory symptoms, post-BD spirometry, diffusing capacity, and static lung volumes did not improve on the classification achieved by pre-BD FEV1/FVC alone. Conclusions: This is the first study, to our knowledge, to evaluate the discriminatory accuracy of spirometry, diffusing capacity, and static lung volume thresholds for COPD incidence in middle-aged adults. Our findings support the inclusion of pre-BD spirometry in the physiological definition of pre-COPD and indicate that pre-BD FEV1/FVC at the 10th percentile accurately identifies individuals at high risk of developing COPD in community-based settings.

Development, Progression, and Mortality of Suspected Interstitial Lung Disease in COPDGene.

RATIONALE: Some with interstitial lung abnormalities (ILA) have suspected interstitial lung disease (ILD), a subgroup with adverse outcomes. Rates of development and progression of suspected ILD and their effect on mortality are unknown. OBJECTIVES: To determine rates of development and progression of suspected ILD and assess effects of individual ILD and progression criteria on mortality. METHODS: Participants from COPDGene were included. ILD was defined as ILA and fibrosis and/or FVC <80% predicted. Prevalent ILD was assessed at enrollment, incident ILD and progression at 5-year follow-up. CT progression was assessed visually and FVC decline as relative change. Multivariable Cox regression tested associations between mortality and ILD groups. RESULTS: Of 9,588 participants at enrollment, 267 (2.8%) had prevalent ILD. Those with prevalent ILD had 52% mortality after median 10.6 years, which was higher than ILA (33%; HR=2.0; p<0.001). The subgroup of prevalent ILD with fibrosis only had worse mortality (59%) than ILA (HR=2.2; p<0.001). 97 participants with prevalent ILD completed 5-year follow-up: 32% had stable CT and relative FVC decline <10%, 6% FVC decline ≥10% only, 39% CT progression only, and 22% both CT progression and FVC decline ≥10%. Mortality rates were 32%, 50%, 45%, and 46% respectively; those with CT progression only had worse mortality than ILA (HR=2.6; p=0.005). At 5-year follow-up, incident ILD occurred in 168/4,843 participants without prevalent ILD and had worse mortality than ILA (HR=2.5; p<0.001). CONCLUSION: Rates of mortality and progression are high among those with suspected ILD in COPDGene; fibrosis and radiologic progression are important predictors of mortality.

Preacinar Arterial Dilation Mediates Outcomes of Quantitative Interstitial Abnormalities in COPDGene.

RATIONALE: Quantitative interstitial abnormalities (QIA) are a computed tomography (CT) measure of early parenchymal lung disease associated with worse clinical outcomes including exercise capacity and symptoms. The presence of pulmonary vasculopathy in QIA and its role in the QIA-outcome relationship is unknown. OBJECTIVES: To quantify radiographic pulmonary vasculopathy in quantitative interstitial abnormalities (QIA) and determine if this vasculopathy mediates the QIA-outcome relationship. METHODS: Ever-smokers with QIA, outcome, and pulmonary vascular mediator data were identified from the COPDGene cohort. CT-based vascular mediators were: right ventricle-to-left ventricle ratio (RV/LV), pulmonary artery-to-aorta ratio (PA/Ao), and pre-acinar intraparenchymal arterial dilation (PA volume 5-20mm2 in cross-sectional area, normalized to total arterial volume). Outcomes were: six-minute walk distance (6MWD) and modified Medical Council Research Council (mMRC) Dyspnea score ≥2. Adjusted causal mediation analyses were used to determine if the pulmonary vasculature mediated the QIA effect on outcomes. Associations of pre-acinar arterial dilation with select plasma biomarkers of pulmonary vascular dysfunction were examined. MAIN RESULTS: Among 8,200 participants, QIA burden correlated positively with vascular damage measures including pre-acinar arterial dilation. Pre-acinar arterial dilation mediated 79.6% of the detrimental impact of QIA on 6MWD (56.2-100%, p<0.001). PA/Ao was a weak mediator and RV/LV was a suppressor. Similar results were observed in the QIA-mMRC relationship. Pre-acinar arterial dilation correlated with increased pulmonary vascular dysfunction biomarker levels including angiopoietin-2 and NT-proBNP. CONCLUSIONS: Parenchymal quantitative interstitial abnormalities (QIA) deleteriously impact outcomes primarily through pulmonary vasculopathy. Pre-acinar arterial dilation may be a novel marker of pulmonary vasculopathy in QIA.

Quantification of Emphysema Progression at CT Using Simultaneous Volume, Noise, and Bias Lung Density Correction.

Background CT attenuation is affected by lung volume, dosage, and scanner bias, leading to inaccurate emphysema progression measurements in multicenter studies. Purpose To develop and validate a method that simultaneously corrects volume, noise, and interscanner bias for lung density change estimation in emphysema progression at CT in a longitudinal multicenter study. Materials and Methods In this secondary analysis of the prospective Genetic Epidemiology of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPDGene) study, lung function data were obtained from participants who completed baseline and 5-year follow-up visits from January 2008 to August 2017. CT emphysema progression was measured with volume-adjusted lung density (VALD) and compared with the joint volume-noise-bias-adjusted lung density (VNB-ALD). Reproducibility was studied under change of dosage protocol and scanner model with repeated acquisitions. Emphysema progression was visually scored in 102 randomly selected participants. A stratified analysis of clinical characteristics was performed that considered groups based on their combined lung density change measured by VALD and VNB-ALD. Results A total of 4954 COPDGene participants (mean age, 60 years ± 9 [SD]; 2511 male, 2443 female) were analyzed (1329 with repeated reduced-dose acquisition in the follow-up visit). Mean repeatability coefficients were 30 g/L ± 0.46 for VALD and 14 g/L ± 0.34 for VNB-ALD. VALD measurements showed no evidence of differences between nonprogressors and progressors (mean, -5.5 g/L ± 9.5 vs -8.6 g/L ± 9.6; P = .11), while VNB-ALD agreed with visual readings and showed a difference (mean, -0.67 g/L ± 4.8 vs -4.2 g/L ± 5.5; P < .001). Analysis of progression showed that VNB-ALD progressors had a greater decline in forced expiratory volume in 1 second (-42 mL per year vs -32 mL per year; Tukey-adjusted P = .002). Conclusion Simultaneously correcting volume, noise, and interscanner bias for lung density change estimation in emphysema progression at CT improved repeatability analyses and agreed with visual readings. It distinguished between progressors and nonprogressors and was associated with a greater decline in lung function metrics. Clinical trial registration no. NCT00608764 © RSNA, 2024 Supplemental material is available for this article. See also the editorial by Goo in this issue.

Association of Acute Respiratory Disease Events with Quantitative Interstitial Abnormality Progression at CT in Individuals with a History of Smoking.

Background Acute respiratory disease (ARD) events are often thought to be airway-disease related, but some may be related to quantitative interstitial abnormalities (QIAs), which are subtle parenchymal abnormalities on CT scans associated with morbidity and mortality in individuals with a smoking history. Purpose To determine whether QIA progression at CT is associated with ARD and severe ARD events in individuals with a history of smoking. Materials and Methods This secondary analysis of a prospective study included individuals with a 10 pack-years or greater smoking history recruited from multiple centers between November 2007 and July 2017. QIA progression was assessed between baseline (visit 1) and 5-year follow-up (visit 2) chest CT scans. Episodes of ARD were defined as increased cough or dyspnea lasting 48 hours and requiring antibiotics or corticosteroids, whereas severe ARD episodes were those requiring an emergency room visit or hospitalization. Episodes were recorded via questionnaires completed every 3 to 6 months. Multivariable logistic regression and zero-inflated negative binomial regression models adjusted for comorbidities (eg, emphysema, small airway disease) were used to assess the association between QIA progression and episodes between visits 1 and 2 (intercurrent) and after visit 2 (subsequent). Results A total of 3972 participants (mean age at baseline, 60.7 years ± 8.6 [SD]; 2120 [53.4%] women) were included. Annual percentage QIA progression was associated with increased odds of one or more intercurrent (odds ratio [OR] = 1.29 [95% CI: 1.06, 1.56]; P = .01) and subsequent (OR = 1.26 [95% CI: 1.05, 1.52]; P = .02) severe ARD events. Participants in the highest quartile of QIA progression (≥1.2%) had more frequent intercurrent ARD (incidence rate ratio [IRR] = 1.46 [95% CI: 1.14, 1.86]; P = .003) and severe ARD (IRR = 1.79 [95% CI: 1.18, 2.73]; P = .006) events than those in the lowest quartile (≤-1.7%). Conclusion QIA progression was independently associated with higher odds of severe ARD events during and after radiographic progression, with higher frequency of intercurrent severe events in those with faster progression. Clinical trial registration no. NCT00608764 © RSNA, 2024 Supplemental material is available for this article. See also the editorial by Little in this issue.

Associations of a plant-centered diet and lung function across early to mid-adulthood: The CARDIA Lung Study.

BACKGROUND: Lung function throughout adulthood predicts morbidity and mortality even among adults without chronic respiratory disease. Diet quality may represent a modifiable risk factor for lung function impairment later in life. We investigated associations between nutritionally-rich plant-centered diet and lung function across early and middle adulthood from the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) Study. METHODS: Diet was assessed at baseline and years 7 and 20 of follow-up using the validated CARDIA diet history questionnaire. Plant-centered diet quality was scored using the validated A Priori Diet Quality Score (APDQS), which weights food groups to measure adherence to a nutritionally-rich plant-centered diet for 20 beneficially rated foods and 13 adversely rated foods. Scores were cumulatively averaged over follow-up and categorized into quintiles. The primary outcome was lung function decline, including forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1) and forced vital capacity (FVC), measured at years 0, 2, 5, 10, 20, and 30. We estimated the association of APDQS with annual pulmonary function changes and cross-sectional differences in a repeated measures regression model, adjusting for clinically relevant covariates. RESULTS: The study included 3,787 Black and White men and women aged 18-30 in 1985-86 and followed for 30 years. In multivariable repeated measures regression models, individuals in the lowest APDQS quintile (poorest diet) had declines in FEV1 that were 1.6 ml/year greater than individuals in the highest quintile (35.0 vs. 33.4 ml/year, ß ± SE per 1 SD change APDQS 0.94 ± 0.36, p = 0.009). Additionally, declines in FVC were 2.4 ml/year greater in the lowest APDQS quintile than those in the highest quintile (37.0 vs 34.6 ml/year, ß ± SE per 1 SD change APDQS 1.71 ± 0.46, p < 0.001). The association was not different between never and ever smokers (pint = 0.07 for FVC and 0.32 for FEV1). In sensitivity analyses where current asthma diagnosis and cardiorespiratory fitness were further adjusted, results remained similar. Cross-sectional analysis at each exam year also showed significant differences in lung function according to diet after covariate adjustment. CONCLUSIONS: In this 30-year longitudinal cohort study, long-term adherence to a nutritionally-rich plant-centered diet was associated with cross-sectional differences in lung function as well as slower decline in lung function, highlighting diet quality as a potential treatable trait supporting long-term lung health.

Suspected Interstitial Lung Disease in COPDGene Study.

Rationale: Although interstitial lung abnormalities (ILA), specific patterns of incidentally-detected abnormal density on computed tomography, have been associated with abnormal lung function and increased mortality, it is unclear if a subset with incidental interstitial lung disease (ILD) accounts for these adverse consequences. Objectives: To define the prevalence and risk factors of suspected ILD and assess outcomes. Methods: Suspected ILD was evaluated in the COPDGene (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Genetic Epidemiology) study, defined as ILA and at least one additional criterion: definite fibrosis on computed tomography, FVC less than 80% predicted, or DLCO less than 70% predicted. Multivariable linear, longitudinal, and Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to assess associations with St. George's Respiratory Questionnaire, 6-minute-walk test, supplemental oxygen use, respiratory exacerbations, and mortality. Measurements and Main Results: Of 4,361 participants with available data, 239 (5%) had evidence for suspected ILD, whereas 204 (5%) had ILA without suspected ILD. In multivariable analyses, suspected ILD was associated with increased St. George's Respiratory Questionnaire score (mean difference [MD], 3.9 points; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.6-7.1; P = 0.02), reduced 6-minute-walk test (MD, -35 m; 95% CI, -56 m to -13 m; P = 0.002), greater supplemental oxygen use (odds ratio [OR], 2.3; 95% CI, 1.1-5.1; P = 0.03) and severe respiratory exacerbations (OR, 2.9; 95% CI, 1.1-7.5; P = 0.03), and higher mortality (hazard ratio, 2.4; 95% CI, 1.2-4.6; P = 0.01) compared with ILA without suspected ILD. Risk factors associated with suspected ILD included self-identified Black race (OR, 2.0; 95% CI, 1.1-3.3; P = 0.01) and pack-years smoking history (OR, 1.2; 95% CI, 1.1-1.3; P = 0.0005). Conclusions: Suspected ILD is present in half of those with ILA in COPDGene and is associated with exercise decrements and increased symptoms, supplemental oxygen use, severe respiratory exacerbations, and mortality.

The relationship between interstitial lung abnormalities, mortality, and multimorbidity: a cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Interstitial lung abnormalities (ILAs) are associated with increased mortality. It is unclear whether multimorbidity accounts for the mortality association or how strongly ILA is associated with mortality relative to other common age-associated diseases. We determined the association of ILA with all-cause mortality adjusted for multimorbidity, compared mortality associated with ILA and prevalent cardiovascular disease (CVD), diabetes mellitus, chronic kidney disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and cancer and also determined the association between ILA and these diseases. METHODS: We measured ILA (none, indeterminant, definite) using blinded reads of CT images, prevalent chronic diseases and potential confounders in two observational cohorts, the Framingham Heart Study (FHS) (n=2449) and Age, Gene/Environment Susceptibility - Reykjavik Study (AGES-Reykjavik) (n=5180). We determined associations with mortality using Cox proportional hazards models and between ILA and diseases with multinomial logistic regression. RESULTS: Over a median (IQR) follow-up of 8.8 (1.4) years in FHS and 12.0 (7.7) years in AGES-Reykjavik, in adjusted models, ILAs were significantly associated with increased mortality (HR, 95% CI 1.95, 1.23 to 3.08, p=0.0042, in FHS; HR 1.60, 1.41 to 1.82, p<0.0001, in AGES-Reykjavik) adjusted for multimorbidity. In both cohorts, the association of ILA with mortality was of similar magnitude to the association of most other diseases. In adjusted models, ILAs were associated only with prevalent kidney disease (OR, 95% CI 1.90, 1.01 to 3.57, p=0.0452) in FHS and with prevalent CVD (OR 1.42, 1.12 to 1.81, p=0.0040) in AGES-Reykjavik. CONCLUSIONS: ILAs were associated with mortality adjusted for multimorbidity and were similarly associated with increased mortality compared with several common chronic diseases. ILAs were not consistently associated with the prevalence of these diseases themselves.

Artificial Intelligence-based CT Assessment of Bronchiectasis: The COPDGene Study.

Background CT is the standard method used to assess bronchiectasis. A higher airway-to-artery diameter ratio (AAR) is typically used to identify enlarged bronchi and bronchiectasis; however, current imaging methods are limited in assessing the extent of this metric in CT scans. Purpose To determine the extent of AARs using an artificial intelligence-based chest CT and assess the association of AARs with exacerbations over time. Materials and Methods In a secondary analysis of ever-smokers from the prospective, observational, multicenter COPDGene study, AARs were quantified using an artificial intelligence tool. The percentage of airways with AAR greater than 1 (a measure of airway dilatation) in each participant on chest CT scans was determined. Pulmonary exacerbations were prospectively determined through biannual follow-up (from July 2009 to September 2021). Multivariable zero-inflated regression models were used to assess the association between the percentage of airways with AAR greater than 1 and the total number of pulmonary exacerbations over follow-up. Covariates included demographics, lung function, and conventional CT parameters. Results Among 4192 participants (median age, 59 years; IQR, 52-67 years; 1878 men [45%]), 1834 had chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). During a 10-year follow-up and in adjusted models, the percentage of airways with AARs greater than 1 (quartile 4 vs 1) was associated with a higher total number of exacerbations (risk ratio [RR], 1.08; 95% CI: 1.02, 1.15; P = .01). In participants meeting clinical and imaging criteria of bronchiectasis (ie, clinical manifestations with ≥3% of AARs >1) versus those who did not, the RR was 1.37 (95% CI: 1.31, 1.43; P < .001). Among participants with COPD, the corresponding RRs were 1.10 (95% CI: 1.02, 1.18; P = .02) and 1.32 (95% CI: 1.26, 1.39; P < .001), respectively. Conclusion In ever-smokers with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, artificial intelligence-based CT measures of bronchiectasis were associated with more exacerbations over time. Clinical trial registration no. NCT00608764 © RSNA, 2022 Supplemental material is available for this article. See also the editorial by Schiebler and Seo in this issue.

Bronchial gene expression alterations associated with radiological bronchiectasis.

OBJECTIVES: Discovering airway gene expression alterations associated with radiological bronchiectasis may improve the understanding of the pathobiology of early-stage bronchiectasis. METHODS: Presence of radiological bronchiectasis in 173 individuals without a clinical diagnosis of bronchiectasis was evaluated. Bronchial brushings from these individuals were transcriptomically profiled and analysed. Single-cell deconvolution was performed to estimate changes in cellular landscape that may be associated with early disease progression. RESULTS: 20 participants have widespread radiological bronchiectasis (three or more lobes). Transcriptomic analysis reflects biological processes associated with bronchiectasis including decreased expression of genes involved in cell adhesion and increased expression of genes involved in inflammatory pathways (655 genes, false discovery rate <0.1, log2 fold-change >0.25). Deconvolution analysis suggests that radiological bronchiectasis is associated with an increased proportion of ciliated and deuterosomal cells, and a decreased proportion of basal cells. Gene expression patterns separated participants into three clusters: normal, intermediate and bronchiectatic. The bronchiectatic cluster was enriched by participants with more lobes of radiological bronchiectasis (p<0.0001), more symptoms (p=0.002), higher SERPINA1 mutation rates (p=0.03) and higher computed tomography derived bronchiectasis scores (p<0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: Genes involved in cell adhesion, Wnt signalling, ciliogenesis and interferon-γ pathways had altered expression in the bronchus of participants with widespread radiological bronchiectasis, possibly associated with decreased basal and increased ciliated cells. This gene expression pattern is not only highly enriched among individuals with radiological bronchiectasis, but also associated with airway-related symptoms in those without discernible radiological bronchiectasis, suggesting that it reflects a bronchiectasis-associated, but non-bronchiectasis-specific lung pathophysiological process.

Rheumatoid arthritis, quantitative parenchymal lung features, and mortality among smokers.

OBJECTIVES: There have been limited investigations of the prevalence and mortality impact of quantitative computed tomography (QCT) parenchymal lung features in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). We examined the cross-sectional prevalence and mortality associations of QCT features, comparing RA and non-RA participants. METHODS: We identified participants with and without RA in COPDGene, a multicentre cohort study of current or former smokers. Using a k-nearest neighbor quantifier, high resolution CT chest scans were scored for percentage of normal lung, interstitial changes, and emphysema. We examined associations between QCT features and RA using multivariable linear regression. After dichotomizing participants at the 75th percentile for each QCT feature among non-RA participants, we investigated mortality associations by RA/non-RA status and quartile 4 vs quartiles 1-3 of QCT features using Cox regression. We assessed for statistical interactions between RA and QCT features. RESULTS: We identified 82 RA cases and 8820 non-RA comparators. In multivariable linear regression, RA was associated with higher percentage of interstitial changes (ß = 1.7 ± 0.5, p= 0.0008) but not emphysema (ß = 1.3 ± 1.7, p= 0.44). Participants with RA and >75th percentile of emphysema had significantly higher mortality than non-RA participants (HR 5.86, 95%CI 3.75-9.13) as well as RA participants (HR 5.56, 95%CI 2.71-11.38) with ≤75th percentile of emphysema. There were statistical interactions between RA and emphysema for mortality (multiplicative p= 0.014; attributable proportion 0.53, 95%CI 0.30-0.70). CONCLUSIONS: Using machine learning-derived QCT data in a cohort of smokers, RA was associated with higher percentage of interstitial changes. The combination of RA and emphysema conferred >5-fold higher mortality.

Plasma metabolomics and quantitative interstitial abnormalities in ever-smokers.

BACKGROUND: Quantitative interstitial abnormalities (QIA) are an automated computed tomography (CT) finding of early parenchymal lung disease, associated with worse lung function, reduced exercise capacity, increased respiratory symptoms, and death. The metabolomic perturbations associated with QIA are not well known. We sought to identify plasma metabolites associated with QIA in smokers. We also sought to identify shared and differentiating metabolomics features between QIA and emphysema, another smoking-related advanced radiographic abnormality. METHODS: In 928 former and current smokers in the Genetic Epidemiology of COPD cohort, we measured QIA and emphysema using an automated local density histogram method and generated metabolite profiles from plasma samples using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (Metabolon). We assessed the associations between metabolite levels and QIA using multivariable linear regression models adjusted for age, sex, body mass index, smoking status, pack-years, and inhaled corticosteroid use, at a Benjamini-Hochberg False Discovery Rate p-value of ≤ 0.05. Using multinomial regression models adjusted for these covariates, we assessed the associations between metabolite levels and the following CT phenotypes: QIA-predominant, emphysema-predominant, combined-predominant, and neither- predominant. Pathway enrichment analyses were performed using MetaboAnalyst. RESULTS: We found 85 metabolites significantly associated with QIA, with overrepresentation of the nicotinate and nicotinamide, histidine, starch and sucrose, pyrimidine, phosphatidylcholine, lysophospholipid, and sphingomyelin pathways. These included metabolites involved in inflammation and immune response, extracellular matrix remodeling, surfactant, and muscle cachexia. There were 75 metabolites significantly different between QIA-predominant and emphysema-predominant phenotypes, with overrepresentation of the phosphatidylethanolamine, nicotinate and nicotinamide, aminoacyl-tRNA, arginine, proline, alanine, aspartate, and glutamate pathways. CONCLUSIONS: Metabolomic correlates may lend insight to the biologic perturbations and pathways that underlie clinically meaningful quantitative CT measurements like QIA in smokers.

CT imaging determinants of persistent hypoxemia in acute intermediate-risk pulmonary embolism.

The factors associated with persistent hypoxemia after pulmonary embolus (PE) are not well understood. Predicting the need for oxygen post discharge at the time of diagnosis using available CT imaging will enable better discharge planning. To examine the relationship between CT derived imaging markers (automated computation of arterial small vessel fraction, pulmonary artery diameter to aortic diameter ratio (PA:A), right to left ventricular diameter ratio (RV:LV) and new oxygen requirement at the time of discharge in patients diagnosed with acute intermediate-risk PE. CT measurements were obtained in a retrospective cohort of patients with acute-intermediate risk PE admitted to Brigham and Women's Hospital between 2009 and 2017. Twenty one patients without a history of lung disease requiring home oxygen and 682 patients without discharge oxygen requirements were identified. There was an increased median PA:A ratio (0.98 vs. 0.92, p = 0.02) and arterial small vessel fraction (0.32 vs. 0.39, p = 0.001) in the oxygen-requiring group], but no difference in the median RV:LV ratio (1.20 vs. 1.20, p = 0.74). Being in the upper quantile for the arterial small vessel fraction was associated with decreased odds of oxygen requirement (OR 0.30 [0.10-0.78], p = 0.02). Loss of arterial small vessel volume as measured by arterial small vessel fraction and an increase in the PA:A ratio at the time of diagnosis were associated with the presence of persistent hypoxemia on discharge in acute intermediate-risk PE.

"It's a cause I believe in": factors motivating participation and engagement in longitudinal, respiratory-focused research studies.

BACKGROUND: Key to the success of any prospective cohort study is the effective recruitment and retention of participants, but the specific factors that influence younger adults of the Millennial generation to participate in research are not well-understood. The objective of this qualitative study was to identify factors that motivated participation and engagement in longitudinal research studies focused on respiratory health among a diverse group of young adults. METHODS: We conducted qualitative, semi-structured interviews with 50 younger adult participants (aged 25-35 years) regarding factors influencing their participation in longitudinal research studies. Thematic analysis was used to develop, organize, and tabulate the frequency of key themes. In exploratory analyses, we examined for patterns in the distribution of key themes across racial, ethnic, or socioeconomic groups. RESULTS: Participants identified several key themes that affected their willingness to participate in longitudinal studies. These included the health-related benefits generated by research (both to the individual and to society at-large), factors related to the institution and study team conducting the research, concerns regarding unethical and/or unrepresentative study design, and barriers to participation in research. Certain factors may be more impactful to underrepresented groups, including concerns regarding data privacy and confidentiality. CONCLUSIONS: In this diverse group of younger adults, we identified specific factors that motivated participation and predicted high engagement in longitudinal research studies focused on respiratory health. Implementing and integrating these factors into study protocols may improve recruitment and retention, including among participants who are historically underrepresented in research.

Comparing Racial Differences in Emphysema Prevalence Among Adults With Normal Spirometry: A Secondary Data Analysis of the CARDIA Lung Study.

BACKGROUND: Computed tomography (CT) imaging complements spirometry and may provide insight into racial disparities in respiratory health. OBJECTIVE: To determine the difference in emphysema prevalence between Black and White adults with different measures of normal spirometry results. DESIGN: Observational study using clinical data and spirometry from the CARDIA (Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults) study obtained in 2015 to 2016 and CT scans done in 2010 to 2011. SETTING: 4 U.S. centers. PARTICIPANTS: Population-based sample of Black and White adults. MEASUREMENTS: Self-identified race and visually identified emphysema on CT in participants with different measures of "normal" spirometry results, calculated using standard race-specific and race-neutral reference equations. RESULTS: A total of 2674 participants (485 Black men, 762 Black women, 659 White men, and 768 White women) had both a CT scan and spirometry available for analysis. Among participants with a race-specific FEV1 between 80% and 99% of predicted, 6.5% had emphysema. In this group, emphysema prevalence was 3.9-fold (95% CI, 2.1- to 7.1-fold; 15.5% vs. 4.0%) higher among Black men than White men and 1.9-fold (CI, 1.0- to 3.8-fold; 6.6% vs. 3.4%) higher among Black women than White women. Among participants with a race-specific FEV1 between 100% and 120% of predicted, 4.0% had emphysema. In this category, Black men had a 6.4-fold (CI, 2.2- to 18.7-fold; 13.9% vs. 2.2%) higher prevalence of emphysema than White men, whereas Black and White women had a similar prevalence of emphysema (2.6% and 2.0%, respectively). The use of race-neutral equations to identify participants with an FEV1 percent predicted between 80% and 120% attenuated racial differences in emphysema prevalence among men and eliminated racial differences among women. LIMITATION: No CT scans were obtained during the most recent study visit (2015 to 2016) when spirometry was done. CONCLUSION: Emphysema is often present before spirometry findings become abnormal, particularly among Black men. Reliance on spirometry alone to differentiate lung health from lung disease may result in the underrecognition of impaired respiratory health and exacerbate racial disparities. PRIMARY FUNDING SOURCE: National Institutes of Health.

Airway-Occluding Mucus Plugs and Mortality in Patients With Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.

Importance: Airway mucus plugs are common in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD); however, the association of airway mucus plugging and mortality in patients with COPD is unknown. Objective: To determine whether airway mucus plugs identified on chest computed tomography (CT) were associated with increased all-cause mortality. Design, Setting, and Participants: Observational retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data of patients with a diagnosis of COPD in the Genetic Epidemiology of COPD cohort. Participants were non-Hispanic Black or White individuals, aged 45 to 80 years, who smoked at least 10 pack-years. Participants were enrolled at 21 centers across the US between November 2007 and April 2011 and were followed up through August 31, 2022. Exposures: Mucus plugs that completely occluded airways on chest CT scans, identified in medium- to large-sized airways (ie, approximately 2- to 10-mm lumen diameter) and categorized as affecting 0, 1 to 2, or 3 or more lung segments. Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary outcome was all-cause mortality, assessed with proportional hazard regression analysis. Models were adjusted for age, sex, race and ethnicity, body mass index, pack-years smoked, current smoking status, forced expiratory volume in the first second of expiration, and CT measures of emphysema and airway disease. Results: Among the 4483 participants with COPD, 4363 were included in the primary analysis (median age, 63 years [IQR, 57-70 years]; 44% were women). A total of 2585 (59.3%), 953 (21.8%), and 825 (18.9%) participants had mucus plugs in 0, 1 to 2, and 3 or more lung segments, respectively. During a median 9.5-year follow-up, 1769 participants (40.6%) died. The mortality rates were 34.0% (95% CI, 32.2%-35.8%), 46.7% (95% CI, 43.5%-49.9%), and 54.1% (95% CI, 50.7%-57.4%) in participants who had mucus plugs in 0, 1 to 2, and 3 or more lung segments, respectively. The presence of mucus plugs in 1 to 2 vs 0 and 3 or more vs 0 lung segments was associated with an adjusted hazard ratio of death of 1.15 (95% CI, 1.02-1.29) and 1.24 (95% CI, 1.10-1.41), respectively. Conclusions and Relevance: In participants with COPD, the presence of mucus plugs that obstructed medium- to large-sized airways was associated with higher all-cause mortality compared with patients without mucus plugging on chest CT scans.