Association Between Expiratory Central Airway Collapse and Respiratory Outcomes Among Smokers.

ABSTRACT:

Importance

Central airway collapse greater than 50% of luminal area during exhalation (expiratory central airway collapse [ECAC]) is associated with cigarette smoking and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). However, its prevalence and clinical significance are unknown.

Objective

To determine whether ECAC is associated with respiratory morbidity in smokers independent of underlying lung disease.

Design, setting, and participants

Analysis of paired inspiratory-expiratory computed tomography images from a large multicenter study (COPDGene) of current and former smokers from 21 clinical centers across the United States. Participants were enrolled from January 2008 to June 2011 and followed up longitudinally until October 2014. Images were initially screened usin

SUBMITTER: Bhatt SP 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5173387 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature