L77-L80 Pulmonary Flashcards
What three concerns can be detected by PFTs and what technique is used?
- Obstruction - Spirometry
- Restriction - Lung Volume Determination
- Diffusion Defect - Diffusion Capacity Measurement
How are the measurements taken in spirometry reported?
- Flow-Volume Loop
2. Volume-Time Curve
What data points can be garnered from the Flow-Volume Loop?
Total Lung Capacity (TLC) Residual Volume (RV)
What data points can be garnered from the Volume-Time Curve?
Forced Expiratory Volume in 1 Second (FEV1)
Forced Vital Capacity (FVC)
What happens to the Flow-Volume Loop in obstruction?
Scooped Loop appearance - less flow at any given moment due to narrowed airways
What happens to the Volume-Time Curve in obstruction?
Delayed raise in the curve
How is obstruction defined numerically?
Reduced ratio of FEV1:FVC
Normal: >0.8 (age 20-39), >0.7 (age 60-80)
What determines the severity of an obstruction?
FEV1 % predicted value
What determines the reversibility of an obstruction?
FEV1 increases by 200 mL and 12% with a bronchodilator
What determines hyperreactivity in obstruction?
FEV1 decreases by 20% in response to methacholine (bronchoconstrictor)
Discuss the difference between lower and upper airway obstruction.
Lower: airflow is relatively normal at high lung volumes; obstruction worsens during exhalation, results in gradually decreasing airflow
Upper: airflow is reduced even at high lung volumes (when bronchioles should be maximally open)
What is the difference between fixed and variable upper airway obstructions?
Fixed: intra-thoracic pressure changes do NOT affect the degree of obstruction (both loops are flat); obstruction may be either intra- or -extra-thoracic
Variable: intra-thoracic pressure changes do affect the degree of obstruction (one loop is flat, one is normal)
What happens to intrathoracic pressure upon inspiration? Expiration?
Inspiration: lowers
Expiration: raises
Which part of the Flow-Volume loop is affected in an extra-thoracic obstruction? Intra-thoracic obstruction?
Extra-thoracic: inspiratory limb affected
Intra-thoracic: expiratory limb affected
What are the three lung volumes important in restrictive disease?
- TLC
- RV
- FRC
What determines TLC?
Elastic recoil
What determines FRC?
Balance between elastic recoil of the lung (in) and the chest wall (out)
What is RV?
Volume of gas trapped due to airway closure at the end of forced expiration
What does a decreased TLC indicate?
Restrictive process (interstitial lung disease, chest wall disease, neuromuscular disease)
What does an increased TLC indicate?
Hyperinflation (loss of elastic recoil, emphysema)
What does an increased RV indicate?
Gas trapping (any obstructive process)
What are the three categories of restrictive lung disease?
- Interstitial lung disease
- Chest wall disease
- Neuromuscular disease
What is the primary problem in interstitial lung disease and how do we measure it?
Increased lung elastic recoil
Decreased TLC
What is the primary problem in chest wall disease and how do we measure it?
Decreased chest wall elastic recoil
Decreased TLC
What happens to various volumes in obesity?
Reduced chest wall recoil
Mild obesity - reduced FRC
Severe obesity - reduced TLC
What happens to lung volumes in neuromuscular disease?
Decreased TLC
Increased RV
Normal FRC
Prove by measuring strength of inspiratory and expiratory force
How is diffusion capacity measured?
Inhale known [CO], which diffuses easily across alveolar and capillary membranes and binds easily with Hgb
Measure exhaled [CO]
DL = [CO inhaled] - [CO exhaled]
What is a normal DL CO?
25 mL/min/mmHg
What are causes of reduced DL CO?
Loss of alveoli (emphysema and interstitial lung disease), loss of blood flow to alveoli (pulmonary HTN), anemia
What are causes of increased DL CO?
Alveolar hemorrhage, CHF, polycythemia
Suspect ___ when DL CO is low but spirometry, lung volumes, and Hgb are normal.
Pulmonary HTN
If FEV1:FVC Ratio is <0.70, think ___.
Obstruction
If TLC is < 80% predicted, think ___.
Restriction
If DLCO is <80% predicted, think ___.
Diffusion defect
If PFT’s are normal, what is not ruled out?
Asthma or mixed defects
What causes obstructive sleep apnea?
Upper airway obstruction; thoracic effort maintained
What causes central sleep apnea?
Failure of the brain to initiate respiration; thoracic effort interrupted
What happens in obesity-hypoventilation syndrome?
Obstructive sleep apnea + hypoventilation when awake
How is sleep apnea diagnosed?
Polysomnography (sleep study)
What is the apnea-hypopnea index (AHI)?
Combined number of 10-second episodes per hour of apnea and hypopnea (partial reduction in airflow)
What are risk factors for obstructive sleep apnea?
- Obesity
- Neck circumference (>17”)
- HTN
- Males
- Increasing age
- Smoking
- Retrognathia
What are risk factors for central sleep apnea?
- CHF
2. CNS disease
What are consequences of fragmented sleep in apnea?
- Daytime hypersomnolence (measure with Epworth sleepiness scale)
- Intellectual impairment
What are consequences of repeated episodes of hypoxia in apnea?
- Pulmonary HTN
2. Polycythemia
Why are their cardiovascular effects of sleep apnea?
Breathing stops, saturation levels drop and are sensed by carotid bodies, SNS activated, repeated cycle
What is lead-time bias?
Diagnosis of disease is made earlier in the screened group, resulting in an apparent increase in survival time, although the time of death is the same in both groups
What is length-time bias?
The probability of detecting disease is related to the growth rate of the tumor. Aggressive, rapidly growing tumors have a short potential screening period. Unless screening tests are repeated frequently, patients with aggressive tumors are more likely to present with symptoms. More slowly growing tumors have a longer potential screening period and are more likely to be detected when asymptomatic. As a result, a higher proportion of “indolent” tumors is found in the screened group, causing an apparent improvement in survival.
What is overdiagnosis bias?
Extreme form of length-time bias; detection of indolent tumors in the screened group produces apparent increases in # of cases.
What are the current USPSTF guidelines for lung cancer screening?
B recommendation - annual screening with low-dose CT in adults 55-80 y/o who have a 30 pack-year smoking history and currently smoke or have quit within the past 15 years. Stop screening once a person has not smoked for 15 years or develops a health problem that substantially limits life expectancy or the ability or willingness to have curative lung surgery.
What are the three broad etiologies of dyspnea?
- Cardiac
- Pulmonary
- Other (renal, anemia, neuromuscular)