C39 CHRONIC OBSTRUCTIVE PULMONARY DISEASE DIAGNOSIS / Thematic Poster Session / Tuesday, May 18/8:15 AM-4:00

PM / Area B, Hall G (First Level), Morial Convention Center

Does Echocardiography Assist In Explaining Spirometric Findings Of Restrictive Lung Function In

Patients Attending Cardiology Clinics?

D. Neville1, S. M. Smith2, S. L. Elkin2

1Imperial College, London, United Kingdom, 2Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, London, United Kingdom

Corresponding author's email: sarah.elkin@imperial.nhs.uk

Rationale: Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) and other chronic conditions such as heart disease share risk factors such as
smoking. In a recent spirometric screening study of cardiology patients we identified a proportion of subjects with restrictive lung disease.
To understand these findings we hypothesised that echocardiography would assist in discriminating the focus of dysfunction (cardiac or
lung).
Methods: Consecutive patients at cardiology secondary care clinics were screened using spirometry over a 6-week period. All patients
enrolled in the screening study were over 35 years old and completed a respiratory symptom questionnaire. Echocardiogram (Echo)
reports were also obtained.
Results: Of the 163 participants in the study, 110 echo reports were identified. Of these subjects 68 (61.8%) were male and the mean age
was 64.03 ± 13.17. Of the 110 subjects with echo reports, spirometry tests demonstrated a restrictive defect in 23 (20.9%) patients. Of
these 16 (69.6%) were overweight (BMI > 25). Airflow obstruction was found in 29 (26.4%) patients. Of whom 15 (51.7%) were defined as
overweight. The patients with a restrictive defect had smoked a smaller number of mean pack years (11.26) compared to those recording
an obstructive pattern (22.7). From the echo reports 17 (73.9%) subjects with a restrictive defect also had valvular disease.
Conclusions: Our previous screening study found a large proportion of cardiology patients with restrictive spirometry patterns.
Echocardiograms have demonstrated that the majority of these patients suffer from valvular disease with no underlying ventricular
dysfunction. Therefore echocardiograms do not add to the clinical understanding of restrictive spirometric defects in cardiology patients.

This abstract is funded by: nil

Am J Respir Crit Care Med 181;2010:A4372

Internet address: www.atsjournals.org Online Abstracts Issue