Changes in pulmonary function in patients with UC

[Guest guest]

Changes in pulmonary function in

patients with ulcerative colitis

Aliaë A.R. Mohamed-Hussei, Nadia A.S. Mohamed and Mohamed-Eltaher

A.R. Ibrahim

aDepartment of Chest, Assiut University Hospitals, Egypt

Summary

Objectives

Information

on the occurrence and frequency of pulmonary involvement in patients with

ulcerative colitis (UC) is inconsistent. Some authors

reported pulmonary impairment with UC by standard pulmonary function tests (PFTs) and documented a reduced diffusing capacity for

carbon monoxide (DLCO) especially in patients with active disease, whereas

others could not detect differences in routine PFTs

between UC patients and controls.

Aim

The aim

of this prospective study was to determine the frequency and type of pulmonary

dysfunction in patients with UC with respect to disease activity. Furthermore, to evaluate the influence of smoking, nutritional

status, sputum cytology and sulphasalazine therapy on

PFT parameters.

Patients

and methods

Twenty-six

patients with UC (20 with active disease, 6 inactive) and 16 age and sex

matched healthy controls were investigated with respect to the following

pulmonary function tests, forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume

in the 1 s (FEV1%) and their ratio (FEV1/FVC) and

forced expiratory flow 25–75% (FEF25–75%) as well as oxygen

saturation. For UC patients, colonoscopy and biopsy

were done. Disease activity was assessed by Truelove

index for UC. Induced sputum was sampled for cytology. Smoking habit, body mass index (BMI) and medications were

recorded.

Results

Fifteen

out of 26 patients with UC (57.6%) exhibited at least one pathological

pulmonary function test (<80% of predicted value). Small

airway obstruction was reported in the 15 patients, restrictive dysfunction in

30.7% and obstructive dysfunction in 11.5%. The

impairment of PFTs was significant and more

pronounced in patients with active disease, FVC (−14% of predicted), FEV1

(−9% of predicted) and FEF25–75% (−32% of predicted),

P<0.01, 0.05 and 0.01, respectively. There was no

significant influence of smoking and medications on PFTs.

Conclusions

UC

patients show significantly decreased lung function tests in comparison to

healthy controls. The impairment in active disease

exceeded that during the remission. Early recognition

is important, as they can be strikingly steroid responsive.

Barb in Texas - Together in the Fight, Whatever it Takes!

Son Ken (32) UC 91 - PSC 99 Listed 7/21 @ Baylor Dallas

[Guest guest]

Another one for the files. Although asthma is not explicitly mentioned, it is indeed " strikingly responsive " to steroids, in my case.

Thanks, Barb.

Arne

55 - UC 1977, PSC 2000

Alive and (mostly) well in Minnesota

________________________________

From: [mailto: ] On Behalf Of Barb Henshaw

Changes in pulmonary function in patients with ulcerative colitis