Pulmonary artery pressure estimated by Doppler echocardiography in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Doppler echocardiography and right heart catheterization were performed in 18 patients with COPD. The pulmonary blood flow pattern were analysed by the pulsed doppler flowmeter. The pulmonary artery acceleration time (PAT) showed significant inverse correlation with pulmonary artery mean pressure (mPAP) (r = -0.84, P less than 0.001) and pulmonary artery systolic pressure (sPAP) (r = -0.89, P less than 0.001). In fifteen of 18 patients, continuous wave doppler could be used to measure the maximal velocity of the regurgitant jet through the tricuspid valve (Vmax), and the right ventricle to the right atrium pressure gradient (PG) was calculated by means of simplified bernoulli equation (PG = 4V2max). PG correlated well with sPAP (r = 0.89, P less than 0.001) and mPAP (r = 0.92, P less than 0.001). We considered that doppler echocardiography was useful for noninvasive estimation of pulmonary artery pressure in patients with COPD.     

Noninvasive estimation of systolic pulmonary artery pressure using Doppler echocardiography in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

In patients with acquired or congenital heart diseases, the systolic pulmonary artery pressure (PAPs) can be predicted using continuous-wave Doppler ultrasound (CWD) measurement of the peak velocity of a tricuspid regurgitation (TR) jet. The aim of this study was to determine whether CWD could be used to accurately estimate PAP in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). In 41 patients with stable COPD, we prospectively performed CWD and right heart catheterization. The mean value of PAPs for the entire group was 38.5 +/- 14.9 mm Hg. Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAPs greater than or equal to 35 mm Hg) occurred in 51 percent (21/41) of patients. Doppler estimation of PAP was impossible in 34 percent (14/41) because of poor signal quality (n = 3), absence of Doppler-detected TR (n = 8), and inadequate TR Doppler signal (n = 3). The PAP could be estimated in 66 percent (27/41) of patients. A statistically significant correlation was found between the Doppler-estimated PAP and the catheter-measured PAPs (r = 0.65; p less than 0.001; SEE = 9 mm Hg). Therefore, CWD appears to be useful for the noninvasive estimation of PAP in patients with COPD. However, this method is associated with two limitations: (1) the high percentage of patients in whom the PAP cannot be estimated by CWD, mainly because of the absence of Doppler-detected TR, and (2) the high value of the standard error of the estimate. The combination of CWD with other Doppler methods should increase the feasibility and accuracy of Doppler echography for the prediction of PAP in patients with COPD.     

慢性阻塞性肺疾病患者肺康复治疗效果及其评价

慢性阻塞性肺疾病（COPD）大部分中重度患者活动能力受限，并出现心理障碍及社会适应力降低，同时COPD的高患病率、高致残率使其占据了相当大的社会医疗资源。肺康复治疗的目的并非阻止或逆转肺功能的降低，而是通过肺康复计划改善患者的呼吸困难，提高运动耐力及生活质量，改善患者心理障碍及社会适应能力。全球COPD控制策略（GOLD）中首次将肺康复治疗，特别是下肢运动训练列为中重度COPD患者治疗的主要措施之一。目前国内对肺康复的重要性、相关的研究和临床工作与国外差距较大，对运动训练在肺康复中的重要地位缺少认识，且康复效果评价方法欠规范，在此就部分相关内容进行综述。     

运动肺功能试验评价老年慢性阻塞性肺疾病的临床应用

目的 探讨老年慢性阻塞性肺疾病(COPD)患者运动肺功能试验的特点. 方法 随机抽取稳定期COPD患者22例,按照年龄分为老年组和对照组,分别进行静态肺功能和运动肺功能测定. 结果 老年组和对照组的静态肺功能无显著性差异(P＞0.05),老年组的最大运动功率、最大耗氧量、最大运动时每分钟通气量均低于对照组(P＜0.05),死腔通气量高于对照组(P＜0.05). 结论 老年COPD患者进行运动肺功能试验是安全的,而且能够反映患者的运动耐量和运动通气功能的变化.     

The value of right atrial emptying rate in predicting reduction in pulmonary artery pressure in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

We used an improved noninvasive radionuclide method, recently developed by us, to evaluate changes in pulmonary artery pressure induced by sublingual nifedipine in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and pulmonary hypertension. The new method enhances the predictive power of right ventricular ejection fraction by using the right atrial emptying rate as an index of reduced right ventricular compliance. The results were compared to those of invasively measured pulmonary arterial pressure. In the 21 patients studied 20 mg of nifedipine sublingually reduced pulmonary arterial pressure by 13.35% from 36.95 +/- 13.95/12.71 +/- 6.24 (mean 20.79 +/- 8.19) mmHg to 32.67 +/- 12.17/10.9 +/- 6.2 (mean 18.16 +/- 7.3) mmHg (p less than 0.05 for all pressures). Cardiac index increased and the pulmonary and systemic resistances decreased. The percent changes in right atrial emptying rate showed an excellent correlation with the percent change in pulmonary pressure. An increase of 12% or more in right atrial emptying rate predicted in all patients a reduction in pulmonary arterial pressure of at least 8%, the specificity and positive predictive accuracy being 100%. The sensitivity and the predictive accuracy of a negative test were 93% and 80%, respectively. The new method is useful for long-term evaluation of drug therapy in patients with pulmonary hypertension.     

NT-proBNP 对评估 COPD 急性加重风险的意义简

目的 主要探讨检测血浆N端脑钠肽前体（NT-proBNP）对评估慢性阻塞性肺疾病（COPD）急性加重风险的意义.方法 选取2012.1~2012.8 在我院住院治疗的COPD患者63名,根据2011版GOLD策略综合评估分为COPD低危组22人（包含A组和B组）和COPD高危组23人（包含C组和D组）,分别测定并比较2组NT-proBNP、肺功能、体重指数及并发症情况.结果 COPD低危组患者血浆NT-proBNP水平（245.7±166.2 pg/ml）明显低于COPD高危组患者（1326.7±198.8 pg/ml）（P〈0.05）.肺功能FEV1（perd%）与NT-proBNP（pg/ml）成负相关（r=-0.395,P=0.001）.而年龄、性别与体重指数则与NT-proBNP（pg/ml）无相关性（P＞0.05）.结论 NT-proBNP能较好反应COPD的急性加重风险.     

Pulmonary artery compliance and its relation with pulmonary hemodynamics in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

In order to investigate pulmonary artery compliance (Cpa) and its relation with the clinical conditions and the other parameters of pulmonary hemodynamics in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), we performed right heart Swan-Ganz catheterization in 146 COPD patients and measured their Cpa with Engelberg's method. The results showed that Cpa of BB type patients was lower than that of PP type ones; patients with pulmonary hypertension or cor pulmonale had lower Cpa than those without. These results suggest that Cpa in COPD patients decreases as their clinical condition worsens. Cpa had close relation with other pulmonary hemodynamic parameters. It had significant negative correlation with pulmonary arterial mean pressure, pulmonary vascular resistance and right ventricular stroke work index and significant positive correlation with cardiac index and stroke volume index. Using Engelberg's method as the standard, we also compared Reuben's, Wang's and Zhong's methods which are all simpler than Engelberg's method for measuring Cpa clinically. The results showed that Cpa measured with Wang's method was the closest to that measured with Engelberg's method.     

Outpatient pulmonary rehabilitation in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Objective

To evaluate an entirely outpatient-based program of pulmonary rehabilitation in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease COPD, using St.George’s Respiratory questionnaire (SGRQ), the 6-minutes walking test (6-MWT) and BODE index as the primary outcome measures.

Methods

A prospective, parallel-group controlled study of an outpatient rehabilitation program in 80 patients with COPD (67 men and 13 women; mean age 64.8 ± 10.6 years; FEV₁, 42.8% ± 7.6% of the predicted value. The active group (n = 40) took part in a 14-week rehabilitation program [3 h/wk, 1.5 h of education and exercise and 1.5 h of cycling]. The control group (n = 40) was reviewed routinely as medical outpatients. The following evaluations were carried out at study entry and after14 weeks: (1) pulmonary function studies; (2) 6-minutes walking test 6MWT; (3) quality of life; and (4) BODE index.

Results

The following patients completed the study: 35 patients (87.5%) from the active group (mean age, 63.7 ± 11.9 years; mean forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV₁), 41.9 ± 2.6% of the predicted value); and 36 patients (88%) from the control group (mean age, 65.9 ± 10.3 years; mean FEV₁, 43.33 ± 3.6% of the predicted value). We found no changes in pulmonary function parameters in the active group and the control one at 14weeks. On the other hand, there were significant changes within the components of the SGRQ (12.3 for the score total) for the patients of the active group but not for the patients of the control one (only 1.5 for the score total), we observed also a significant increase in the distance of the 6-MWT in the patients of the active group but not for the patients of the control one, and finally a decrease of two points (from 6 to 4) was noted in the score of the active group’s BODE index without any change in the control group’s one.

Conclusion

An outpatient-based of 14-week rehabilitation program significantly improved the quality of life and exercise tolerance without any change in the pulmonary function in patients with moderate COPD, and there was also a large decrease in the risk of death in rehabilitated patients as measured using the BODE index.     

Regional lung perfusion and pulmonary artery pressure in chronic obstructive lung disease.

In 22 chronic bronchitics with or without emphysema, the authors measured regional pulmonary perfusion in the supine position and calculated the ratios of radio-active tracer (131I-MAA) concentrations in the lung apices and bases (U/L ratio). This ratio was found to be normal in the right lung and tendentially high (though not to a statistically significant degree) in the left lung, this being probably due to the presence of an enlarged heart (13 patients showed evidence of right ventricle hypertrophy and/or overload). The correlation between the U/L ratio and functional impairment of respiration expressed spirometrically failed to reach statistical significance and the same was true of the correlation between the U/L ratio and mean pulmonary arterial pressure at rest.     

Invasive pulmonary aspergillosis in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Background

Invasive pulmonary aspergillosis (IPA) is an infection often occurring in neutropenic patients and has high mortality rates. In recent years, it has been reported that the incidence of IPA has also increased in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The purpose of this study is to investigate the clinical and demographic characteristics and treatment responses of IPA in patients with COPD.

Methods

Seventy-one patients with a positive culture of Aspergillus from lower respiratory tract samples were examined retrospectively. Eleven (15.4%) of these patients, affected with grade 3 or 4 COPD, had IPA.

Results

Aspergillus hyphae were detected in lung biopsy in three (27.3%) out of 11 patients and defined as proven IPA; a pathological sample was not taken in the other eight (72.7%) patients, and these were defined as probable IPA. Aspergillus isolates were identified as six cases of Aspergillusfumigatus and three of Aspergillusniger in nine patients, while two isolates were not identified at species level. While five patients required intensive care unit admission, four of them received mechanical ventilation. The most common finding on chest X-ray and computed tomography (CT) (respectively 63.6%, 72.7%) was infiltration. Amphotericin B was the initial drug of choice in all patients and five patients were discharged with oral voriconazole after amphotericin B therapy. Six patients (54.5%) died before treatment was completed.

Conclusions

IPA should be taken into account in the differential diagnosis particularly in patients with severe and very severe COPD presenting with dyspnea exacerbation, poor clinical status, and a new pulmonary infiltrate under treatment with broad-spectrum antibiotics and steroids.

     

慢性阻塞性肺疾病患者疾病认知状况206例调查分析

慢性阻塞性肺疾病(COPD)患者对疾病的自我认知和管理对于延缓疾病进展十分重要,是COPD综合防治的重要组成部分。本研究旨在调查COPD患者对COPD基本知识的认知程度,为进一步在辽宁地区普及COPD相关知识和提高人们对COPD的     

无创正压通气对慢性阻塞性肺疾病合并肺动脉高压患者疗效分析

目的探讨无创正压通气对慢性阻塞性肺疾病(COPD)合并肺动脉高压(PH)患者的治疗作用。方法入选对象为本科室病房2014年10月至2016年1月收治入院经治疗达到COPD稳定期且合并肺动脉高压的136例患者。所有患者通过超声心动图检查收缩期肺动脉压(sPAP)40 mm Hg。136例患者中男121例,女15例,平均年龄(60.3±11.3)岁,随机分为无创正压通气(NPPV)组和常规治疗组。比较两组治疗前后FEV1/预计值、氧合指数、PCO_2、sPAP、BNP指标的差异,并进行sPAP与氧合指数、PCO_2、BNP、FEV1/预计值的相关性分析。结果 (1)NPPV组治疗后与治疗前以及与常规组治疗后在氧合指数、PCO_2、BNP较前有明显改善(P0.05),而FEV1/预计值、sPAP无统计学差异(P0.05)。常规组治疗前后无统计学意义(P0.05);(2)根据sPAP值分为A组(40 mm HgsPAP≤60 mm Hg)以及B组(sPAP60 mm Hg)进行分层研究显示:常规组治疗前后对应A、B亚组在FEV1/预计值、氧合指数、PCO_2、BNP、sPAP均无统计学差异(P0.05)。NPPV治疗组A组治疗后患者氧合指数、PCO_2、BNP、sPAP较治疗前及常规组A组治疗后均有改善(P0.05);B组治疗后在氧合指数、PCO2、BNP较治疗前及常规组B组治疗后有明显改善(P0.05),而FEV1/预计值、sPAP无统计学差异(P0.05);(3)sPAP与氧合指数呈负相关,与BNP呈正相关(P0.05)。结论无创正压通气治疗老年慢性阻塞性肺疾病合并轻度肺动脉高压患者安全有效,可以减低肺动脉高压。     

Effects of biphasic positive airway pressure in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Biphasic positive airway pressure (BiPAP) is a ventilatory mode in which two pressure levels (higher (Phigh) and lower (Plow)) acting as continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) alternate at preset time intervals. BiPAP combines pressure-controlled ventilation with unrestricted spontaneous breathing. BiPAP has not yet been evaluated in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Therefore, the effects of BiPAP (15 cmH2O Phigh and 5 cmH2O Plow) pressure support (PS; 15 cmH2O and positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) 5 cmH2O) and CPAP (5 cmH2O) on respiratory mechanics in COPD patients were compared. Twenty-one COPD patients were supported in randomized order with BiPAP, PS and CPAP. Pressure-time product (PTP), work of breathing (WOB), change in oesophageal pressure (deltaPoes), mouth occlusion pressure (P0.1), intrinsic PEEP (PEEPi), tension time index (TTI), respiratory frequency, and tidal volume (VT) were measured. During BiPAP, the COPD patients showed a significantly higher PTP, WOB, deltaPoes, P0.1, TTI and PEEPi than during PS. Comparing the Plow phases of BiPAP and CPAP, the breaths during the Plow phases of BiPAP had a lower VT and a greater WOB and PTP due to a higher PEEPi than on CPAP alone. In conclusion, biphasic positive airway pressure carries the risk of increased work of breathing in spontaneously breathing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients. Pressure support is superior for reducing their respiratory muscle effort.