Cited by 364Cystic Fibrosis Research AdvancesChronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) ResearchNeonatal Respiratory Health Research

The DOI matches its Crossref record; 55 of the 55 references it cites were found in a registry or an index; none of the 6 sources its claims cite is checked for support yet.

Multiple-breath inert gas washout and spirometry versus structural lung disease in cystic fibrosis

Open access
Gustafsson, P M, De Jong, P A, Tiddens, H A W M, Lindblad, A·2007·Thorax

Abstract

BACKGROUND: A sensitive and valid non-invasive marker of early cystic fibrosis (CF) lung disease is sought. The lung clearance index (LCI) from multiple-breath washout (MBW) is known to detect abnormal lung function more readily than spirometry in children and teenagers with CF, but its relationship to structural lung abnormalities is unknown. A study was undertaken to determine the agreements between LCI and spirometry, respectively, with structural lung disease as measured by high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) in children and teenagers with CF. METHODS: A retrospective study was performed in 44 consecutive patients with CF aged 5-19 years (mean 12 years). At an annual check-up inspiratory and expiratory HRCT scans, LCI and spirometric parameters (forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1) and maximal expiratory flow when 75% of forced vital capacity was expired (FEF75)) were recorded. Abnormal structure was defined as a composite HRCT score of >5%, the presence of bronchiectasis or air trapping >30%. Abnormal lung function was defined as LCI above the predicted mean +1.96 residual standard deviations (RSD), or FEV1 or FEF75 below the predicted mean -1.96 RSD. Sensitivity/specificity assessments and correlation analyses were done. RESULTS: The sensitivity to detect abnormal lung structure was 85-94% for LCI, 19-26% for FEV1 and 62-75% for FEF75. Specificity was 43-65% for LCI, 89-100% for FEV1 and 75-88% for FEF75. LCI correlated better with HRCT scores (Rs +0.85) than FEV1 (-0.62) or FEF75 (-0.66). CONCLUSIONS: LCI is a more sensitive indicator than FEV1 or FEF75 for detecting structural lung disease in CF, and a normal LCI almost excludes HRCT abnormalities. The finding of an abnormal LCI in some patients with normal HRCT scans suggests that LCI may be even more sensitive than HRCT scanning for detecting lung involvement in CF.

Overview

AI snapshot

Written from the paper’s full text.

TL;DR

In 44 children and teenagers with cystic fibrosis, the lung clearance index (LCI) from multiple-breath washout was more sensitive than FEV₁ or FEF₇₅ for detecting HRCT-defined structural lung disease, and a normal LCI almost excluded HRCT abnormalities. LCI also correlated more strongly with HRCT scores than spirometry, although its specificity was lower.

Key findings

  • Sensitivity for detecting abnormal lung structure was 85–94% for LCI, 19–26% for FEV₁, and 62–75% for FEF₇₅; specificity was 43–65% for LCI, 89–100% for FEV₁, and 75–88% for FEF₇₅.
  • LCI correlated better with the HRCT composite score (Rₛ +0.85) than FEV₁ (−0.62) or FEF₇₅ (−0.66).
  • Of 27 patients with an abnormal composite HRCT score (>5%), 25 had elevated LCI, 17 had abnormal FEF₇₅, and 7 had reduced FEV₁; of 17 patients with normal HRCT scores (<5%), 6 had elevated LCI, 2 had abnormal FEF₇₅, and all had normal FEV₁.
  • Bronchiectasis was diagnosed in 26 patients (59%), abnormal composite HRCT score in 27 (61%), and pathological gas trapping in 16 (36%).

Methods

  • Retrospective study over 30 months in 44 consecutive patients with CF aged 5–19 years (mean and median age 12.2 years) at the Göteborg CF centre; annual review included inspiratory and expiratory HRCT, tidal-breathing multiple-breath SF₆ washout for LCI, and spirometry (FEV₁, FEF₇₅).
  • Abnormal structure was defined as composite HRCT score >5%, presence of bronchiectasis, or air trapping >30%; abnormal lung function was defined as LCI above +1.96 z-scores or FEV₁/FEF₇₅ below −1.96 z-scores.
  • Sensitivity/specificity and Spearman rank correlations were calculated for LCI, FEV₁, and FEF₇₅ against HRCT-defined structural abnormalities.

Limitations

  • Stated: the study was cross-sectional, so it cannot show whether LCI rises with advancing structural lung changes over time; longitudinal studies are needed. The HRCT protocol used 15 mm gaps between inspiratory images and only three expiratory images, which may underestimate structural abnormalities and air trapping. The sample included only children/teenagers older than 5 years who could perform spirometry, with a slight male over-representation (61% vs 52% in the entire CF population), and tests were not always performed on the same day (same day in 26/44 patients, 59%; all but one within one day).
  • Evident: this was a single-centre retrospective study with a small sample, and HRCT was treated as the reference standard despite acknowledged limitations; LCI specificity was modest, with abnormal LCI in about one-third of patients with normal HRCT scores.

Model-written summary. Check it against the paper before relying on it.

Integrity signals

Registry

Crossref · 10.1136/thx.2007.077784

Cites

55 of 55 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

Statistics

Nothing to recompute.

Verification

Claims the paper makes

0 of 6 cited sources checked · 0 supported · 0 flagged

Show all 16 claims

  • It may state two separate claims as one. 14
  • Probably not a substantial claim. 6
15 of 15
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    The relationship of LCI to structural lung abnormalities in CF has not been reported previously.

    “The relationship of LCI to structural lung abnormalities in CF has, however, not been reported previously.”
    “The lung clearance index (LCI) from multiple-breath washout (MBW) is known to detect abnormal lung function more readily than spirometry in children and teenagers with CF, but its relationship to structural lung abnormalities is unknown.”
1 of 1

Self-check

Percentages, sums and reported differences re-computed from the paper’s own numbers.

Each contradiction between two passages listed here was confirmed by an independent check.

  • Reported LCI correlation range omits the lowest value

    Minor

    The stated range starts at 0.65, but table 3 reports an LCI correlation of 0.64 for bronchiectasis.

1 of 1

Citations

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Show all 55 references

Research works printed but not linked: 1

  1. Frederiksen B, Lanng S, Koch C, et al. Improved survival in the Danish center- treated cystic fibrosis patients: results of aggressive treatment. Pediatr Pulmonol 1996;21:153-8.

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Metadata

Authors
Gustafsson, P. M., De Jong, P. A., Tiddens, H. A. W. M., & Lindblad, A.
Affiliations
  • Drottning Silvias barn- och ungdomssjukhus (SE)
  • Erasmus MC - Sophia Children’s Hospital (NL)
  • Sahlgrenska University Hospital (SE)
Corresponding author
Gustafsson, P M
Venue
Thorax
Publisher
BMJ
Published
2007-09-17
Volume
63
Issue
2
Pages
129-134
ISSN
0040-6376 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W2052470792
Cited by
364
References
55
Citations by year
2026: 6 · 2025: 8 · 2024: 14 · 2023: 22 · 2022: 19 · 2021: 30 · 2020: 25 · 2019: 23 · 2018: 13 · 2017: 22 · 2016: 22 · 2015: 30 · 2014: 18 · 2013: 21 · 2012: 21
FWCI
11.81
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Thorax (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • EUR Research Repository (Erasmus University Rotterdam) (publishedVersion)
  • EUR Research Repository (Erasmus University Rotterdam) (submittedVersion)
  • HighWire Press Open Archive (submittedVersion)
Funders
British Columbia Lung Association
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Pulmonary and Respiratory Medicine › Cystic Fibrosis Research Advances
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Pulmonary and Respiratory Medicine › Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) Research
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Pulmonary and Respiratory Medicine › Neonatal Respiratory Health Research
Keywords
cystic fibrosis, lung clearance index, multiple breath washout, spirometry, structural lung disease, high-resolution computed tomography, bronchiectasis, air trapping, FEV1, FEF75, children and adolescents
MeSH terms
Adolescent, Adult, Breath Tests, Bronchiectasis, Child, Child, Preschool, Cross-Sectional Studies, Cystic Fibrosis, Female, Forced Expiratory Volume, Humans, Lung, Male, Respiratory Function Tests, Retrospective Studies, Sensitivity and Specificity, Spirometry, Tomography, X-Ray Computed, Ultrasonography

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