Key result
Greater CT small pulmonary vessel volume is linked to increased mortality and vascular disease in smokers.
Why the study?
In COPD, vascular alterations contribute to hypoxia and pulmonary hypertension, but the independent contribution of small vessel abnormalities to mortality remains unclear.
Observational
Answers are grounded in this paper and cite their sources.
High small vessel volumes mark greater emphysema and air trapping in COPD; hypothesis-generating and leaves independent mortality contribution open.
BACKGROUND: In chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), vascular alterations have been shown to contribute to hypoxia and pulmonary hypertension, but the independent contribution of small vessel abnormalities to mortality remains unclear. METHODS: percentile of small arteries and veins in 374 never smokers to create two groups: normal and high small artery or vein volume. We describe clinical, physiological and imaging characteristics of subjects with a high small artery and high small vein volume. FINDINGS: increase, respectively. In COPDGene, 447 (5.7%) had high small artery volume and 519 (9.1%) subjects had high small vein volume and both had more emphysema, more air trapping and more severe coronary calcium. INTERPRETATION: In smokers, abnormally high volumes in small arteries and veins are both relevant for mortality, which urges investigations into the aetiology of small pulmonary vessels and cardiac function in smokers. FUNDING: Award Number U01-HL089897 and U01-HL089856 from the NHLBI. COPD Foundation with contributions from AstraZeneca, Boehringer Ingelheim, Genentech, GlaxoSmithKline, Novartis, Pfizer, Siemens, and Sunovion.
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Kwee et al. (2024) conducted an observational in Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) / Smokers. High small pulmonary artery and vein volume vs. Normal small artery or vein volume was evaluated on Mortality. High small pulmonary artery volume (5.7%) and vein volume (9.1%) on CT were associated with more emphysema, air trapping, severe coronary calcium, and mortality in smokers.
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